Fox Buys Kate Robin/Jake Kasdan Female-Driven Drama With Penalty

EXCLUSIVE: Playwright-screenwriter Kate Robin, former writer-producer on HBOs Six Feet Under, and director-producer Jake Kasdan have sold a drama project to Fox with penalty. 20th Century Fox TV, where Kasdan has an overall deal, is producing. The untitled ensemble drama focuses on the female secret service agents who work on the protective detail of the First Lady. Robin will write and executive produce with Kasdan, who may also direct. The two recently worked together on the HBO comedy pilot Spring/Fall starring Tea Leoni and Hope Davis, which Robin wrote and Kasdan directed; the project set in the NY fashion world remains in contention at the pay cable network. The sale expands Kasdan’s relationship with Fox. He directed the pilot for the network’s breakout hit comedy New Girl and serves as an executive producer/director on the series, also from 20th TV. Additionally, Kasdan is attached to executive produce and direct two other 20th TV projects this development season, both single-camera comedies: a karaoke bar half-hour at NBC executive produced by Adam Levine and a Tom Gormican ensemble comedy at CBS.

Joel Schumacher preferred to increase the risk for Dark Dark evening

Batman & Robin director Joel Schumacher has mentioned he wanted to produce a Dark Dark evening style follow-around the Batman film even Batman states is terrible.But Warner Brothers and sisters loved the Batman & Robin dailies a great deal (HOW?) they designated Schumacher with developing a fifth film, most most likely starring Clooney, entitled Batman Triumphant."I used to be designed to carry out a fifth one" Schumacher mentioned. "I used to be talking with Nic Cage about playing the Scarecrow. I'd begged the studio for your Dark Dark evening nonetheless they wanted a warm and friendly, toyetic factor."Triumphant may have seen Batman getting gassed by Scarecrow's fear dangerous harmful toxins and becoming visions of his former opponents, including Jack Nicholson's Joker.Which, to tell the truth, might have been beyond awesome.For your full story, mind towards the Playlist and let them know we sent you.

T.I. Shows At Kids Group Concert

First Released: October 1, 2011 4:29 PM EDT Credit: Getty Images AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Caption T.I. will get dapper in the 2010 MTV Movie Honours at Gibson Ampitheatre in Universal City, Calif., on June 6, 2010T.I. didnt waste whenever striking happens after his recent release from the midway house. The Grammy-winning rapper designed a surprise appearance before a packed audience on Friday evening, carrying out a performance through the girl group the OMG Girlz that has his stepdaughter, Zonnique. The pop girl trio was among the functions to start the 23-city Scream Tour. The tour includes Diggy Simmons, Hamilton Park, Mindless Behavior, and Jacob Latimore and New Boyz. As T.I. stepped onto stage, there is a massive scream in the packed crowd around 2,700 in the Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Ga. He told participants it feels great to become back. T.I. was launched Thursday from an Atlanta midway house after investing about 10 several weeks in federal prison on the probation breach. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

The X Factor Week 2 Recap: The Judges Play Mean

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- The X Factor wrapped up its audition rounds phase on Thursday night, pulling in some of the most original talent of the competition so far both good and positively awful. In the spirit of saving the best for last, well run down the worst first, and that had to be the judges behavior. Sure, Clarissa Cheatham, a 27-year-old office clerk, who goes by the nickname Cashmere, was awful as she gave a tone deaf rendition of Always Be My Baby by Mariah Carey, but Simon Cowell was worse. Clarissas smile faded when Simon, in front of thousands, couldnt control his giggling as he told her, Cashmere, when you said that people screamed after [you performed] karaoke, I dont think that was a compliment, giving the impression he was laughing at her. More brutal than Clarissa having the wind taken out of her sails was L.A. Reid telling Emily, one-half of teenage Glee-esque group (think Rachel and Kurt) Ausem, that only her partner Austin was a star. No disrespect, L.A. began as Emilys face dropped, but Im not convinced of the duo. Luckily, Simon lobbied for them, and they got through. As for the good stuff, there was plenty, beginning with a pint-sized teen with a heck of a lot of attitude Brian Bradley. The little man, just 14, hit the stage, demanding in his rap that the listener, stop looking at my mom! You are arrogant, obnoxious, argumentative, but you are one of the most talented young people Ive heard in a long, long time, Simon said. L.A., however, had much, much loftier praise. I used to run this label called Def Jam, and all the years that I was there I was looking for you and you never walked in, so Im the luckiest guy in the world that you walked into my life today, he said. Tora Woloshin, 21, hit the stage looking like a blend of Lady Gaga and Kat Von D, but when she opened her mouth to sing The Jackson Fives I Want You Back she rocked the number out with a rock grit to her big, poppy voice. Theres something about you, the minute you walk out, Simon raved. Thats why this show is called The X Factor its more than just a voice, its something else and I think you could be really special. Pretty-on-the-eyes Brennin Hunt, 26, from Nashville, Tenn., looked like a model, but he wasnt just a pretty face, performing an original song How We Make It and easily sailing through the judges vote. Jazzlyn Little was petrified when she hit the stage, and could barely respond when Simon asked her simple questions like her age 16 but when the music came on (Mary J. Bliges Im Going Down), she was nowhere close to a shy little girl. Paula Abdul and Nicole hugged each other in disbelief and L.A. wondered aloud where her big sound came from. With the auditions over, The X Factor will return with its boot camp round next Wednesday at 8/7 C on FOX. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Watch Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Full Movie

Snapshots

Susie McMonagle and Gene Weygandt remember themselves as teens (played by Megan Long and Nick Cosgrove) in Snapshots. A Northlight Theater presentation of a musical in two acts conceived by Michael Scheman and David Stern with book by Stern, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz. Additional music and lyrics by David Crane, Seth Friedman, Marta Kaufman, Alan Menken and Charles Strouse. Directed by Ken Sawyer. Music direction and arrangements, Steve Orich; musical staging, Karl Christian.Sue - Susie McMonagle Dan - Gene Weygandt Susie - Megan Long Danny - Nick Cosgrove Susan - Jess Godwin Daniel - Tony ClarnoWith a collection of both famous and obscure songs by Stephen Schwartz ("Wicked," "Pippin") threaded through an older couple's retrospective of their own boy meets girl, boy gets girl (finally!), boy and girl confront an empty nest story, "Snapshots" is too fully plotted to be considered purely a revue, but still a bit too sketchy to be a full-scale jukebox musical. Instead, this new conglomeration with book by David Stern, premiering at Chicagoland's Northlight Theater, sits mostly in an awkward but not altogether displeasing musical purgatory, with some redemptive emotional power emerging at the very end. Show begins with Sue (Susan McMonagle) packed and ready to leave her husband of many years Dan (Gene Weygandt). Dan finds her in the attic of their home, and the inevitable confrontation waits as long-stored photographs spur a lifetime's worth of reminiscences. Younger versions of the couple (Megan Long and Nick Cosgrove as teenage buddies, Jess Godwin and Tony Clarno as young lovers and parents) appearing before them to bring the "snapshots" to life, defining each turning point or emotional insight with a song or two. Subtitled "a musical scrapbook," the show's concept has a surefooted logic that keeps the piece cohesive and coherent. But it's easy to be left with a gnawing nostalgia for the old-fashioned revue, where curated songs with their own unique back-story of context and creation would form the scrapbook. Instead, some very fine songs are now re-conceived to service the emotional content of memories from characters who never become more than bougie stick figures, despite the fine performances, particularly from Broadway pros Weygandt and McMonagle. The most interesting insights exposed here involve the disproportionate number of Schwartz's best songs that involve youthful yearning -- "Corner of the Sky" from "Pippin" recurs a few times here, as does "Lion Tamer" from "The Magic Show." Songs from "Pippin" dominate the first act -- "No Time at All," "With You," "Morning Glow" in addition to "Corner" -- plus a sprinkling of "Wicked" with shards of tunes "Popular" (because the young Danny isn't) and "I'm Not That Girl" (when Susie sees Danny with another girl). Unfortunately, there's so much thematic repetition that Susie and Danny's constant refusal to voice their affection becomes more irritating than cute or moving. In the second act, songs involving more adult themes like dating and parenthood bring in examples from less well-known shows such as the comic "Personals" and the highly emotional "The Children of Eden" ("In Whatever Time We Have" provides the emotional climax, which really works), as well as the always welcome "Fathers and Sons" from "Working." But the true core of the show rests with examples from Schwartz's non-show album of personal songs, "Reluctant Pilgrim." This collection provides the title song at the top, as well as the song that best defines Sue and Dan's adult relationship ("The Code of Silence") and the final, hopeful "So Far." The production values come off mostly as serviceable, like the plotting. Director Ken Sawyer keeps it all grounded, but the fact that Karl Christian's contribution is called "musical staging" rather than "choreography" says all that needs to be said about the practicality rather than the expressiveness of the movement. There's a lot of plopping down on the bean-bag Jack Magaw keeps center stage for the first act. "Snapshots" has a few too many "Glee"-style mash-ups that keep some songs from generating momentum. But despite all its flaws, "Snapshots" certainly makes the argument that Schwartz's songs are always well worth hearing, and reflect a full lifetime's worth of musical life lessons.Set, Jack Magaw; costumes, Elizabeth Flauto; lighting, Jesse Klug; projections, Mike Tutaj; sound, Lindsay Jones; production stage manager, Rita Vreeland. Opened Sept. 23, reviewed Sept. 24, 2011; runs through Oct. 23. Running time: 2 HOURS, 5 MIN.Musical numbers: "Snapshots," "New Kid in the Neighborhood," "No Time At All," "Popular," "Lion Tamer," "I'm Not That Girl," "Making Good," "Extraordinary," "Corner of the Sky," "With You," "Two's Company," "All for the Best," "Morning Glow," "If We Never Meet Again," "Nothing to Do With Love," "Endless Delights," "That's How You Know," "Moving in With Susan," "Chanson," "The Spark of Creation," "All Good Gifts," "Father's Day," "Fathers and Sons," "The Hardest Part of Love," "Code of Silence," "In Whatever Time We Have," "So Far." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Watch a Movie

Warner Bros Buys Spec Killings & Purchases For KatzSmith Productions

EXCLUSIVE: Warners has bought author Jonathan Stokes’ spec scriptMurders & Purchases for just about any low six figures. The purchase marks the initial acquisition by Warners for producers Seth Graham-Cruz and David Katzenbergs KatzSmith Entertainment, which recently closed an over-all deal with the studio. The knowledge comedy is about a Wall Street stock broker who becomes the mark from the hit in the rival firm. Stokes last written the script El Gringo, starring Christian Slater, which was just produced by Joel Silvers genre label Dark Castle Entertainment and During The Night Films. Stokes latest spec,Blood stream Mountain, is presently making the models. He's repped by UTA and Entertainment.

'Fartiste' to Off Broadway

Former Fringe Festival musical "The Fartiste" lands Off Broadway next month in a commerical run.Show had its preem at the 2006 NY Intl. Fringe Festival, where it won one of the fest's top tuner kudos. New incarnation will see the production open at Sophia's Downstairs, the venue where "Miss Abigail's Guide to Etiquette" opened last year and is still running, with "Fartiste" playing in rep with "Abigail."Nick Wyman ("Catch Me If You Can"), Lindsay Roginski, Herndon Lackey, Analisa Leaming and Rachel Kopf star in the show about the real-life Moulin Rouge performer whose on-command flatulence made him popular. Charlie Schulman pens the book, and Michael Roberts provides the score. Tuner follows in the footsteps of another Fringe alum with a wacky title, "Silence! The Musical," which opened Off Broadway over the summer and is playing an extended run. "Fartiste" uses the flexibility of Off Broadway scheduling to run fewer perfs (five instead of the usual eight) and to concentrate them in more audience-friendly weekend slots. The Shulberts, the producing entity led by the tuner's two creatives, will produce with Robert Dragotta and co-producers Stephen Hanks and Diane Proctor. "Fartiste" begins previews Oct. 9 ahead of an Oct. 27 opening. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Watch Transformers 3 Dark Of The Moon For Free