NYC Prepares for MTV VMA's

Seats have been removed, stages built, and Radio City Music Hall is being prepared to rock like never before Thursday when the MTV Video Music Awards take over. "We've been talking about these things for months," said VMA executive producer Dave Sirulnick, surveying the transformed Radio City. "It's great to see these things come alive."Alive, in this case, means adding huge LCD video screens to the sides and balcony of the famed showplace. It means creating video projections that will bathe the hall in different colors and images for every segment of the show. And it means extending the stage into the orchestra seating area, allowing performers to get up close with the fans. "We want to show off the beauty and the grandeur of this place," Sirulnick said. "But we're putting a 21st-century twist on it."Indeed, while Ludacris rehearsed Monday, his lyrics were projected in 10-foot-high letters on the side walls, and a video of a woman dancing played on 13 massive video screens hanging behind him.

It takes 300 people and months of planning to put on the VMAs, the biggest event on MTV's annual schedule. The scheduled performers include Shakira, Ludacris, Panic! at the Disco and Beyoncé, and Sirulnick promised some surprises.

For the first time, MTV will provide a feed of the backstage doings, using mtvoverdrive.com.

"We're looking to make it fairly loose," Sirulnick said of the Overdrive feed. "We want to give it that backstage feel." The performers and presenters have been told that any public area in Radio City might be televised. The network is putting on a broadband program to run concurrently with the VMA’s which will give people at home a taste of what is happening beyond the reach of the TV station's cameras. Like other networks, MTV is attempting to give viewers more information via different platforms, and the backstage coverage is the latest twist in that effort. Sirulnick sees the Overdrive coverage as an addition to the standard VMA telecast. "We want to be as forward-thinking as possible," Sirulnick said.

Jack Black will host this year's MTV VMA's.

Tom Cruise Signs New Production Deal

Tom Cruise’s production company, which broke all ties with Paramount Pictures last week in an unusually public dispute, has signed a two-year financing deal with an investment partnership headed by Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. The deal between Cruise/Wagner Productions and First & Goal LLC covers overhead and development, which will allow Cruise and producing partner Paula Wagner to run their company and make deals to produce films, some conceivably starring Cruise. Financial terms were not disclosed for the pact, which has an option to renew for a longer term. Cruise/Wagner still must find someone to finance production of those films and a company to distribute them. Previously, Paramount had the first right to finance and distribute Cruise/Wagner films. In exchange, Paramount paid the producers as much as $10 million per year for salaries, expenses and discretionary spending. Paramount had offered a much lower amount to renew the deal, closer to $2 million annually, before talks broke off.

First & Goal was set up specifically to invest in Cruise/Wagner. Snyder also heads an investment partnership that controls amusement park operator Six Flags Inc., among other companies. Former ESPN executive Mark Shapiro, who heads Six Flags, will oversee the investment in Cruise/Wagner, the companies said Monday.

"This gives us the opportunity to work with all the studios and broadens our base," Wagner said Monday.

24 Wins BIG for FOX

Source: The Envelope

Even counterterrorist agent Jack Bauer would have had trouble with the nuclear explosion of congrats showering “24” star Kiefer Sutherland Sunday night. The actor, still clutching his winged Emmy victory statue for Outstanding Actor in a Drama, sounded overwhelmed, using words like “humbling,” “grateful,” and "thankful,” when he finally made it to the Fox party at Spago in Beverly Hills. But everyone at the bash agreed: the Kiefer Kudo Attack was long over-due. Sutherland was nominated for the role for five years and rumors were floating around town early Sunday afternoon that this could be the actor’s big night. After hugging the actor, even Jon Cassar, the Emmy-winning director of “23,” admitted that he’d felt pretty darn sure Sutherland would take home a gold statue. Inside the packed party, guests including Dennis Haysbert, Jaime Pressley, and Wentworth Miller, who had waited patiently for Sutherland to make his way from the Shrine, had been feeding like locusts on Wolfgang Puck’s spread of seafood, sushi, spring roles and platters of pizza.

Photo Credits: Emmy winners Kiefer Sutherland and "24" director John Cassar have two big shiny gold reasons to smile at the Fox Emmy Party Sunday night. WireImage/Alexandra Wyman

Inside HBO's big Emmy bash
Source: The Envelope

Neither Prince nor Pink performed at the lavish HBO Emmy bash at the Pacific Design Center. They were busy at their respective gigs – the ET/People party at the Mondrian hotel and the TV Guide bash at Social Hollywood. But some of the dancers gyrating to the pulse-pounding, percussion-heavy disco tunes (think “Jungle Boogey”) at the HBO Emmy bash were reportedly pros hired to get the party started. And it worked. Aida Turturro, who plays Tony’s sister on “The Sopranos,” was the first to do a victory dance for HBO’s 26 Emmy wins. She also tried (unsuccessfully) to drag Olympic figure skater Sasha Cohen on the floor but the adorable Skater Girl was too busy doing HBO star-gazing. And there were plenty of luminaries, honchos and Emmy winners to watch in the clear plexi-tented sprawling patio party, decorated with starfish squiggled carpets, pinky orange lights, bubbling water fountains and buffet tables piled high with beet salad, chicken, pork chops, spicy seafood, and dessert tables littered with tiny crème brulees and baby brownies.

A red-gowned Edie Falco was enthralled with a man performing sleight-of-hand magic tricks at the “Sopranos” table while Lorraine Bracco –in glittery gold - chatted with a pal from Miami, where the show has - and will continue to be – shooting. Stevie Van Zandt – not a bit surprised that “24” won big and pleased about “The Office” acclaim - chowed down at a table next to his jovial "Sopranos" co-starJames Gandolfini.Warren Beatty looked engrossed in deep conversation with New York Times film writer Sharon Waxman while his “Mrs. Harris” Emmy nominated wife Annette Bening talked about her daughter’s fashion sense with a friend she’d not seen since Carrie Fisher’s birthday party.

A few folks looked up briefly when cameras flashed as Paris Hilton slithered by the “Sopranos” table, but they quickly went back to celebrating. Candy Spelling and her son Randy arrived together but quickly seemed to go their separate ways. Lisa Kudrow didn’t get a gold statue but she still reveled in the validation from her nomination for “The Comeback.”

“It does feel sweet that we got three nominations and so much good press,” she admitted. As she thanked a People scribe for complimenting her black Valentino dress, Kudrow’s handsome French hubby Michel Stern piped in, “It is the back that is even more gorgeous. That is why I wanted her to get onstage, not to pick up that silly thing, but to show the gorgeous back!”
Okay, sweet. But no more Moet & Chandon pink bubbly for you.

“Ray” director Taylor Hackford congratulated an overwhelmed Kelly MacDonald ("The Girl in the Café”) while his Emmy-winner "Elizabeth" wife Helen Mirren, heavenly in a white chiffon Morgana Le Fay gown, hugged her Emmy-holding co-star Jeremy Irons. And it's not easy to hug when holding an Emmy. You could easily put someone's eye out with that sharp winged thing.

Across the room, HBO’s other Jeremy - Jeremy Piven - was literally holding court, his “Entourage” Emmy safely standing on his table. Wearing his now loosened up ascot, Piven was getting high fives, backslaps and hug-it-outs from Kevin Connolly and Nicky Hilton, Adrian Grenier, Perrey Reeves, friends and fans while his Emmy date – his exhausted mom – sat staring at her empty plate with her hands cupped over her ears. There’s only so much disco a mom can take. Even for her Emmy-winning, ascot-wearing actor son.

The only person enjoying Piven’s win more than Piven was Ari Gold’s assistant Lloyd, played by Rex Lee. So is he worried about Piven’s ego explosion after getting a shot of Emmy gold?
“Oh, I don’t think so,” Lee confided. “And even if the worst thing happened and he got a big head and became insufferable, I could still – if I wanted to – avoid him when we weren’t working. But I get the best of him at work. He’s brilliant and kind-hearted and it’s a blessing to have such great onscreen chemistry.”

At midnight, the party was barely beginning to thin out. Exhausted Emmy host Conan O’Brien was outside talking with Megan Mullally, holding her Emmy and talking about her new talk show, natch. O’Brien’s wife had taken her high heels off and was teetering in her bare feet waiting for their car at the backed-up valet.

Grenier - without any entourage at all – ran down the street and hopped into a small car, probably to whisk over to a hotter party around town. But Lee ran outside to tell departing pals, “You go on. I’m staying here at HBO.”

Wise move, Lloyd.

Photo Credits: Adrian Grenier's only faux pouting about Jeremy Piven's Emmy win at the HBO shindig. I think. WireImage/John SciulliLisa Kudrow arrives at HBO's bash with husband Michel Stern. And he's definitely watching her back!WireImage/Mark SullivanPhoto Credits: The queen and her consort - Helen Mirren and Jeremy Irons - put their heads together at the HBO Emmy partyWireImage/John Sciulli

Television's biggest stars gathered in Los Angeles Sunday night, for the 58th annual Emmy awards. Hosting the awards show this year, Conan O’Brien opened the show with a short film with O’Brien in an airplane en route to Los Angeles for the show when he crashes -- landing on the mysterious island of the hit series LOST. His journey continues taking him through The Office, after which he disrupted a rescue attempt on 24. Then he arrived in the hospital of cranky Dr. House. Then the he shows up in animated form on South Park where he found Tom Cruise hiding “in the closet”, and then got busted as a suspected pedophile on a Dateline NBC investigation. We thought the filmed opener was brilliant.

This year’s Emmy awards saw the introduction of a new voting system behind-the-scenes. The new objective behind the controversial voting was to shake-up an institution often accused of voting out of habit more than actual merit. The biggest surprise with this year’s nominees was that a lot of acclaimed but very popular shows like Grey's Anatomy, Lost, CSI, Desperate Housewives and House were completely ignored. NBC, the network considered to be in the biggest slump creative wise by many pundits, actually won as much as the other three free-to-air networks combined.

The first award of the night went to Megan Mullally, for best supporting actress in a comedy, for the now departed Will & Grace. Jeremy Piven took home the best supporting actor award for his role as a smart-ass cocky Hollywood agent in the HBO series Entourage. A couple of Hollywood veterans won the supporting awards in the drama category, including Blythe Danner for Huff and Alan Alda for The West Wing. Jon Stewart fans had reason to celebrate as The Daily Show grabbed its fourth Emmy as outstanding variety, music or comedy series. Tony Shalhoub won his third Emmy as best actor in a comedy for his role as the germ-phobic detective in Monk.

HBO won the night with nine nods, most for its acclaimed Helen Mirren led mini-series Elizabeth I, followed by NBC with six, FOX with three, CBS and Comedy Central with two and ABC with one. Despite not landing major awards, shows like Rome, Baghdad ER and My Name is Earl won for technical merits. The real notable winner for the night was 24. In its fifth year the action thriller series received its best critical notices and ratings ever, and that paid off with the most nominations of any series and a win of the two big awards - Best Drama Series and Best Actor for Kiefer Sutherland.

The most emotion segment paid tribute to Aaron Spelling, recognized as TV’s most prolific and longest-reigning mogul, who died in June at 83. All three of the original “Charlie’s Angels” — Farrah Fawcett, Kate Jackson and Jaclyn Smith — put aside a longtime feud to stand together on-stage and recall their memories of the man that “changed their lives forever.” Dick Clark, the 76-year-old “oldest living teenager,” was saluted as a TV pioneer and a show-biz original. In that familiar voice slurred somewhat by his 2004 stroke, he offered a gracious thanks, then introduced Barry Manilow, who sang the by-now-classic “American Bandstand” theme.

Inside Scoop: EMMY Award Events

Source: The Envelope

Here's the dish on the TV industry's big weekend:

Saturday, August 26
Emmy weekend kicks off today with BAFTA/LA’s annual Emmy Tea Party at the Park Hyatt in Century City from 2-5 p.m. It’s a terribly civilized party (yeah, right) with a casual patio feel for Emmy nominees from the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, sponsored by BBC America.
Good guesses for the Tea Party guest list would be Helen Mirren and Taylor Hackford, Jeremy Irons, Sir Ben Kingsley, Hugh Laurie, maybe even Kiefer Sutherland, since he was actually born in London.

The place to be the night before the Emmys is Spago for NBC/Universal Television Group’s popular Pre-Emmy party. it’s being billed as an 'informal gathering' with no red carpet and no annoying party reporters trolling for soundbites with tape recorders. The party is a relative newcomer to the Emmy fete scene, started just two years ago and co-sponsored first by Details, then Vanity Fair. Now it's become “the place to be seen the night before the Emmys,” according to Variety, who certainly should know. Expect stars and honchos from the NBC-U family including NBC, USA, Sci-Fi and Bravo, as well as luminaries like past attendees Conan O’Brien (this year’s broadcast host), Donald Trump, Hugh Laurie, Jill Hennessy, Mary Tyler Moore, Hugh Jackman, Danny DeVito, Heather Graham, Carmen Electra, and Sylvester Stallone.

Natch, it's likely that nominees Jaime Pressley, Mariska Hargitay, Steve Carell, Debra Messing, Alan Alda, Allison Janney and other “West Wing” alum will show up. Oh, and let’s not forget those competitive “Project Runway” folks.

Sunday, August 27
Right after the awards, there’s the official Emmy Governor's Ball held next to the Shrine. The big unveiling was held today so watch this space for more party poop next week. But there’s also the popular Entertainment Tonight/People Emmy splash on the Skybar pool area in the Mondrian. Expect every star at the Emmys to at least do a drive by.

The big draw, besides chatting with ET and People reporters which is always high on a star’s list of things-to-do, is the party’s gluttonous goody bag given democratically to every party guest, not just Emmy-going stars. We're talking a Cole Haan natural canvas and leather 'Weekender' bag worth $400, literally stuffed with $2,500 worth of fabulous freebies.

Then there’s the TV Guide soiree at the swanky Social Hollywood, the site of the first Emmy Awards and this season’s hot new party place. Punky rock singer Pink will get the party started at 10. p.m. Just in time to drown out all the "You rock!" and/or "You were robbed!" for the winners/losers who’ll roll in after hitting the Gov Ball, always the first pit stop.

HBO always has their hot ticket Emmy party at the Pacific Design Center. No official word yet but with so many nominations, the cable network’s bash will again be the most sought after invite of the night. Guaranteed entrance to anyone clutching an Emmy.

Also expected: Annette Bening with hubby Warren Beatty, Jeremy Irons, Ellen Burstyn, Cloris Leachman, Alfre Woodard, funny guys Bill Maher, Larry David and George Carlin, Jeremy Piven and his “Entourage,” a couple of “Six Feel Under” stars, some “Sopranos,” the Queenly Helen Mirren and former “Friend” Lisa Kudrow, who was nominated for her role on the swiftly cancelled HBO series, “The Comeback.” Hey, If she wins, will HBO resurrect the show and call it “The Second Comeback?”

The big Fox Network/Studio annual shindig will be back at Spago this year. Stars Kiefer Sutherland, Jean Smart and other “24” stars as well as the actors from “House," “American Idol,” and “Arrested Development” are likely to show up.

This year's party décor, designed and executed by Rob Smith at Laurels Events, will be pure platinum. “We literally take everything out of the restaurant and re-skin the interior of the restaurant and the furniture,” says Smith. This delicate Spago facelift procedure starts at 7 a.m. on Emmy day. And actresses think they have it rough getting dolled up for the awards. At least they don’t have to get ‘reskinned.’ Or do they? Expect gleaming platinum lacquered furniture, crystal chandeliers in glass boxes, mirrored table tops for a flattering sheen on every happy face, and Swarovski crystals on the floor. “It’s all about the flow,” says Smith, “We want the party space to feel spacious, upscale, refined and elegant because everyone will be wearing their best evening attire.”

And hopefully carrying a few bright shiny Emmy statues.

The Divorce: Paramount vs. Cruise

It may be Hollywood’s biggest divorce ever. Tom Cruise has been given his walking papers by his movie studio Paramount Pictures. Apparently the falling out has to do with Cruise’s controversial behavior. It is a stunning move that has all of Hollywood talking; making headlines all over the country. Paramount Pictures has decided to end its long relationship with Tom Cruise and they are making no bones about the reason why the break-up has occurred. In an extraordinary interview with the Wall Street Journal, Paramount’s chairman, Sumner Redstone, revealed that the studio is fed up with his erratic behavior, saying, “His recent conduct has not been acceptable to Paramount. We don’t think that someone who effectuates creative suicide and costs the company revenue should be on the lot.”

Redstone’s public attack on Cruise comes after more than a year of controversies, including Tom’s couch jumping on Oprah, and his now infamous on-air confrontation with Today’s Matt Lauer. The Paramount boss believes Cruise’s antics and his promotion of the Church of Scientology hurt the box office revenue of Mission Impossible III. The film grossed $393 million, considerably less than Mission Impossible II’s $545 million gross.

Tom Cruise’s production partner, Paula Wagner, hit back at Paramount saying Redstone’s comments were “outrageous and undignified.” Wagner says that Cruise who has been at Paramount for 14 years was “not fired” – she says, “he quit,” and that they had already lined up a production deal worth a $100 million allowing them to produce movies on their own.

Docudrama: Dixie Chicks - Shut Up and Sing

The Weinstein Co. has picked up the riveting documentary, Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing. Directed and produced by Barbara Kopple and Cecila Peck the docu-drama revolves around the aftermath of Chicks lead singer Natalie Maines' statement at a 2003 London concert, where she said, "Just so you know we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing travels with the Chicks, from their peak of popularity as the national anthem-singing darlings of country music and top-selling female recording artists of all time, through the now infamous anti-Bush comment, and on through the days, months and years of mayhem. The film follows the lives and careers of the Chicks through the writing and recording of their first album since “the incident” – and three years of political attack, making music, birthing babies, bonding, death threats, and laughter. At the end, the film presents a complete reconsideration of who people think they are, who they want to be and who, ultimately, they really are as women, as public figures, and as musicians.

A release for the Dixie Chicks documentary is scheduled for late fall……hmmmm…..maybe right before the November elections????

Lucas, Speilberg & Ford Talk Indiana Jones 4

Empire Online had an exclusive chat with George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Harrison Ford about the highly anticipated Indiana Jones 4. The film is scheduled to start filming mid-2007 for a 2008 release. "We're basically going to do The Phantom Menace," says Lucas (stay with him here, he's making a point). "People's expectations are way higher than you can deliver. You could just get killed for the whole thing…We would do it for fun and just take the hit with the critics and the fans...But nobody wants to get into it unless they are really happy with it."

The 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' situation has freed up an idea for a plot that was originally deemed too incendiary.

"I discovered a McGuffin," continues Lucas, still reluctant to name said McGuffin. "I told the guys about it and they were a little dubious about it, but it's the best one we've ever found... Unfortunately, it was a little too 'connected' for the others. They were afraid of what the critics would think. They said, "Can't we do it with a different McGuffin? Can't we do this?" and I said "No". So we pottered around with that for a couple of years. And then Harrison really wanted to do it and Steve said, "Okay".

I said, "We'll have to go back to that original MacGuffin and take out the offending parts of it and we'll still use that area of the supernatural do deal with it". "Hopefully it will be different in all the right ways and the same in all the familiar ways," adds Spielberg. As for timing, Lucas says that filming is scheduled for mid-2007, for a 2008 release but getting the gang back together is a tricky proposition. "Before I was just working with Steven and Harrison. Now everybody's a superstar, so it's a little bit more difficult than it was then. But there's a good chance it will happen," assures Ford. "There are things left for this character to do."

The Illusionist

In a world where nothing is as it appears, an illusionist and a police inspector face off in a challenge of wills that attempts to determine where reality ends and magic begins ... all the while blurring the line between power and corruption, love and devotion, vigilance and mania and ultimately, life and death. A supernatural mystery that combines romance, politics and magic, The Illusionist is the latest film from the producers of the Oscar winners Crash and Sideways. The film stars Academy Award nominees Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti as two men pitted against each other in a battle of wits. Norton plays a mysterious stage magician, Eisenheim, who bends nature’s laws to his will in front of awestruck crowds. Giamatti co-stars as Vienna’s shrewd Chief Inspector Uhl, a man committed to uphold the law and for whom magic holds no place in his ordered world. Jessica Biel shares the screen as the beautiful and enigmatic Sophie von Teschen, who finds her future inexorably altered when she encounters the man called Eisenheim, and Eisenheim comes dangerously close to unlocking the dark secret of the monarchy that she holds. When Eisenheim begins to perform his astounding illusions in Vienna, word quickly spreads of his otherworldly powers ... even reaching the ears of one of Europe’s most powerful and pragmatic men, Crown Prince Leopold. Certain that the illusionist is nothing more than an accomplished fraud, Leopold attends one of Eisenheim’s shows, convinced that he can debunk him during the performance. But when the Prince’s beautiful fiancé and companion, Sophie von Teschen, assists the magician onstage, Eisenheim and Sophie recognize each other from their childhoods -- and a dormant love affair is rekindled. With Eisenheim and Leopold vying for Sophie’s affection, it quickly becomes apparent that both will go to any length to claim and keep her love. As the clandestine romance continues, Uhl is charged by Leopold to intensify his efforts to expose Eisenheim, even while the magician gains a devoted and vocal public following. With Uhl doggedly searching for the reasons and the man behind the trickery, Eisenheim prepares to execute his greatest illusion yet.

The Hollywood Bureau Celebrates 1st Birthday

DreamWorks Studios announced that Tim Burton will direct Sweeney Todd, the award-winning Stephen Sondheim musical thriller. Actor Johnny Depp will star in the feature as the titular Demon Barber of Fleet Street. Sweeney Todd will mark the 6th collaboration between the actor and director. The previous Burton-Depp films have been Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, Ed Wood, Edward Scissorhands and Sleepy Hollow.

Production gurus Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald will partner with Richard Zanuck and John Logan to produce the screenplay adaptation which was written by Logan. Production is planned to begin early next year for a late 2007 release. Paramount will distribute for DreamWorks domestically and Warner Bros. internationally. The Broadway production of Sweeney Todd, with Sondheim's music and lyrics and a book by Hugh Wheeler based on the play by Christopher Bond, opened in 1979 and won eight Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Its mix of the comic, the dramatic and the macabre held together by Sondheim's movie-like score has had hundreds of productions throughout the world. A highly acclaimed revival is now playing in New York.

The story of Sweeney Todd is of a wrongfully imprisoned barber in Victorian England who sets out to seek revenge on the judge who imprisoned him. The plot is foreshadowed in the first lines of the opening number: "Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd. His skin was pale and his eye was odd. He shaved the faces of gentlemen………who never thereafter were heard of again."

Tim Burton is also developing the Paramount production of Ripley's Believe It Or Not.

Ruffalo and Phoenix in Reservation Road

Reservation Road will begin production this fall, marking the inaugural movie to be made in the filmmaking partnership between Focus Features and Random House Films that was first announced last November. Based on the novel of the same name by John Burnham Schwartz, Reservation Road will be directed by Terry George, whose most recent film was the three-time Academy Award-nominated Hotel Rwanda. The screenplay was written by Schwartz, with revisions made by Terry George. Reservation Road will star two-time Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix and Mark Ruffalo. The drama revolves around two fathers whose families and lives tragically converge with the death of a child. In the aftermath, Ethan (to be played by Phoenix) and Dwight (Ruffalo) each react in unexpected ways as their families struggle to cope and an emotional reckoning looms. James Schamus, CEO of Focus Features, said, "Reservation Road is a compelling story of character and chance. The quality and depth of the piece made it ideal for Focus Features and Random House Films. Terry George is the perfect filmmaker for this tale of the lure of revenge and the power of redemption."

Academy Award®-winning director Oliver Stone tells the true story of the heroic survival and rescue of two Port Authority policemen – John McLoughlin and Will Jimeno – who were trapped in the rubble of the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001, after they went in to help people escape. The film also follows their families as they try to find out what happened to them, as well as the rescuers who found them in the debris field and pulled them out. Their story shows how the best in people rose above the tragic events of that day.

“Will and I feel an obligation to all those men that we lost that day,” says Port Authority Police Dept. Sgt. John McLoughlin. “Through us, we’re able to get the story out of all those men that sacrificed themselves that day. There is no doubt in my mind that the filmmakers wanted to show honor and respect to those who perished too.”“John and me, we’re down-to-earth people, we’re just regular American families,” says Jimeno, “but a lot of regular Americans were doing the best they could that day. I am very honored to represent that.”The motion picture based on their experiences, “World Trade Center,” is directed by three-time Academy Award®-winner Oliver Stone, who says that from the moment he read Andrea Berloff’s screenplay, he knew this was a story that he wanted to tell.

The Dixie Chicks' have canceled several dates of their "Accidents & Accusations" tour, but the Chicks say they have replaced them with other dates. Kansas City, Houston, St. Louis, Memphis and Knoxville are among 14 cities no longer on the original schedule released in May, according to a revised itinerary posted last week on the Dixie Chick's Official Web site. Other shows, including Nashville, Los Angeles, Denver and Phoenix, have been pushed back to later dates. The North American leg of the tour kicked off July 21 in Detroit. Billboard magazine and other trade publications have reported poor sales in many US markets, particularly in the South and Midwest. The Dixie Chick’s publicist, Kathy Allmand said Monday that the total number of North American dates remains the same, with several Canadian cities added in place of the U.S. shows. The trio released a statement last week attributing the changes to attempts to "accommodate demand" and said more dates might be added next year. The group also said the adjustments will allow them to promote the documentary "Dixie Chicks: Shut up and Sing," for the Toronto International Film Festival in September. "We hope that our fans who were looking forward to a stop that is no longer on the tour will be able to join us at a nearby arena this fall, and we are sorry for any confusion or inconvenience these changes have caused," the Dixie Chicks said. Their new album "Taking the Long Way” spent several weeks at the top of the country albums chart and has sold more than 1 million copies.

Box Office Report

Like his character, Ricky Bobby, Will Ferrell comes in first place over the weekend at the box office with, Talladega Nights. The comedy feature also stars John C. Reilly and Michael Clarke Duncan. The film raced to the top by taking in a whooping $47 million. Last week’s top grosser, Miami Vice, fell three slots taking fourth place. The Farrell and Foxx flick scored only $9.7 million over the weekend; that makes the two-week total $45.7 million. This drop has Hollywood insiders scratching their head – especially since the production price tag ran close to $135 Million.

Paramount’s animated film, Barnyard, slid into 2nd place with $16 million. The animated animal picture starring the voice of Kevin James, Courtney Cox, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Wanda Sykes, and Andie MacDowell – with a production budget of $51 million.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest found new life in its fifth week; the Disney film made $11 million over the weekend to bring its total to $380 million.

Lionsgate's horror sticks The Descent scared audiences for fifth place with an solid debut at $8.8 million. And some critics have claimed that this is the “scariest film they have seen all year.

John Tucker Must Die came in sixth place – falling down the list with a $6 million. The two-week total is $28.6 million, more than $10 million over the production costs.

You, Me and Dupree is still hanging there in ninth place taking in $3.6 million over the weekend. That brings its four-week total to $66.8 million surpassing the $54 million production budget. The comedy stars Owen Wilson as a lazy and careless friend who shacks up with his best friend and newlywed wife - Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson.

Rounding out the top 10 is the mystery The Night Listener, starring Robin Williams, Toni Collette, and Rory Culkin. The film opened with $3.6 million in only 1367 theaters - nearly 1000 less than all other films in the top 10. The film is based on the true story of a radio show host (Williams) who goes on the search for a dying child admirer, only to find he may not be real and is highly guarded by his mother (Collette).

Next week, Paramount rolls out early with the Wednesday opening of World Trade Center, based on the true events of two New York Port Authority officers, who risked their lives to save others on the tragic day of September 11th.

The Weinstein Company is releasing their horror/thriller, Pulse on August 11th; the film is the American remake of the Japanese film, Kairo, and stars Veronica Mars' Kristen Bell.,

Justin Timberlake will release his long awaited solo sophomore album FutureSex/LoveSounds, the follow-up to his 7 million worldwide debut release Justified, on September 12, 2006. SexyBack, the first single from the album, was co-written and co-produced by Timberlake, Timbaland and Nate Hills.

Justin has already kicked off the album’s promotional tour in July in Europe. An associate of ours spent some time with Justin in Paris the weekend before Fourth of July with Cameron Diaz and Justin’s mom Lynn Harless in tow. Justin was hanging out at a Paris hot spot with record mogul Seymour Stein and cosmetics chem-king, Mark Potter.

JT will embark on a US club tour previewing the album for fans in late August. Venues and date for a world tour will be announced later this month.

J.Lo Walks Away from Sue Ellen Ewing Role

Jennifer Lopez has backed out of playing Sue Ellen Ewing in New Regency’s and 20th Century Fox's big screen remake of 80’s hit show Dallas. Lopez's press rep, Leslie Sloane Zelnick, confirmed the story to news outlets, but did not elaborate. She was set to play the boozy matriarch; still in the film are John Travolta - who will play oil baron J.R. Ewing, Luke Wilson will play Bobby and Shirley MacLaine will play Miss Ellie. Katie Cassidy beat out Jessica Simpson and Britney Spears for the role of blonde bombshell Lucy. As for the role of Pamela -- Marcia Cross has begun negotiations to play the role. Casting has been riddled with controversy – in March director, Director Robert Luketic abruptly quit the big screen remake because he was unhappy with some of the casting choices. Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham) signed on to direct the feature after Luketic’s departure. The feature is still in pre-production; shooting for Dallas is set to begin in November for a 2007 release.

Eva Green is by far one of the Bureau’s most loved actresses. We went nuts for Eva in Bernardo Bertolucci’s The Dreamers and she continued to steal our love when she co-starred alongside Orlando Bloom in Kingdom of Heaven. Eva has just signed on to star as the queen of witches in The Golden Compass for New Line Cinema.While Nicole Kidman has signed on to play the villain Mrs. Coulter. The film is the first installment of a potential trilogy based on Phillip Pullman's "His Dark Materials." Green will play Serafina Pekula, the witch who guides Lyra Belacqua (played by newcomer Dakota Blue Richards) on her journey to a parallel universe.

Chris Weitz is directing his adaptation of the novel; filming for The Golden Compass begins September 4th at Shepperton Studios in London. New Line has set a November 16, 2007 release.