Something is Out There

Two police officers investigate a series of brutal murders in which the victims have had bodily organs removed. When one of them questions a young woman who has been seen at the crime scenes, it turns out she is an alien from an interstellar prison ship and that the murders have been committed by a powerful xenomorphic alien which had escaped.

Brad Pitt in Negotiations to Star in 'The Gray Man'

Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Brad Pitt is negotiations to star in The Gray Man, a New Regency action project being directed by James Gray. The script, by Adam Cozad, was on the 2010 Black List, which ranks the best unproduced script in Hollywood. If a deal is made, Pitt will play a CIA operative-turned-assassin targeted for elimination, forcing him to elude teams of killers while trying to save the lives of the daughters who don't know he exists. Plan B's Dede Gardner will produce along with Stephen Garrett of Shine. Pitt, repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners, will next be seen in Moneyball, which premieres at the Toronto Film Festival and is shooting World War Z for Paramount. Brad Pitt Moneyball

'Glee the three dimensional Concert Movie': Jane Lynch Cut From Theatrical Release

Glee fans won't be visiting a familiar face when Glee the three dimensional Concert Movie hits theaters August. 12.our editor recommends'Glee' in Concert: Darren Criss Drawn Offstage Throughout Tour Stop'Glee! Live! In Concert!' Review: Show Will Not Make Any Apologies for Camping Factor 'Glee' 3-D Movie to Feature Britney Warrior spears SongsRelated Subjects•Glee Series co-creator Ryan Murphy told reporters in a news conference for that movie over the past weekend that Jane Lynch, who plays Sue Sylvester on Fox's hit musical show, won't maintain the film despite being shot throughout the tour and showing up within the trailer. STORY:'Glee the three dimensional Concert Movie': Track-By-Track "We're doing another version in a few days on DVD," Murphy stated, reported by USA Today. "Jane is going to be on that. We'll get it done this way.Inch Lynch as Sylvester did show up on all of the Glee concert tour stops via video she also made an in-person appearance at one performance which was recorded particularly for that movie. STORY: Fox Hosting 'Glee: The three dimensional Concert Movie' Tests 2 Days Before Release Date As well as in a clip, she quips that moviegoers should steer clear: "Please, save your valuable money. This factor sucks." The state soundtrack for Glee the three dimensional Concert Movie hits stores Tuesday, with tunes including covers of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," the Beatles' "I wish to Hold Your Hands" and Michael Jackson's "P.Y.T. (Pretty Youthful Factor)." Related Subjects Glee Jane Lynch Ryan Murphy

Can the Movie Soundtrack Be Saved?

Here's a concept that feels pretty 20th century right now: compilation soundtracks to films. They had their moment -- 1984's Footloose (9 million copies sold), 1987's Dirty Dancing (11 million), 1986's Top Gun (9 million), 1994's Pulp Fiction (3.5 million) -- but during the past four years, sales across the category are down 40 percent, with eight of 2010's top 50 soundtracks belonging to Glee. It begs the question: In the digital age, when music fans can pick and choose individual songs to buy with a critical and budget-conscious eye (iTunes prices tracks at 69 cents, 99 cents and $1.29), is a compilation that aggregates singles past and present worth the price of admission?our editor recommends'Book of Mormon' Soundtrack Charts at No. 3 Following Tony Awards'Hunger Games' Soundtrack to be Released by Universal Republic'Smash': NBC, Columbia Records in Pact for Soundtrack'Hunger Games': T Bone Burnett and Danny Elfman Team Up for Score, Soundtrack (Exclusive)'Breaking Dawn' Finale Wasn't 'Super Dramatic,' Says Nikki Reed Warner Bros. Records seems to think so. Its June release of Transformers: Dark of the Moon -- The Album (they don't call it a soundtrack) follows the age-old model of repurposing from artists on a label's roster, including songs by My Chemical Romance, Goo Goo Dolls and Linkin Park, which is making its third appearance for the franchise; the latest compilation features the band's modest radio hit "Iridescent." STORY: Justin Bieber's 'Never Say Never Director's Cut' to Be Sold at Target "Linkin Park is a large part of the sound of Transformers now," says Randy Spendlove, Paramount's president of motion picture music. "Michael Bay uses the music in a really important way. He's a filmmaker who will cut scenes to songs to bring that emotion into his movies. Gone are the days of creating a soundtrack around something that lacks a strong musical presence." To reach its audience of "dudes," as WBR co-president Livia Tortella describes the typical Transformers fan, the label partnered with Gamestop, whose stores carry a version featuring two exclusive tracks. It's another way to hedge Warner's bets; Tortella readily admits that these days, releasing a soundtrack is a risk on par with breaking an unknown act. "It's a huge gamble," she says. "Thankfully, a lot of soundtracks aren't that expensive." (Dark of the Moon has sold 36,000 copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.) Still, it seems fewer record labels and movie studios are willing to put in the energy to produce a musical accompaniment to a film when many of the same cues are available for purchase a la carte at digital retailers such as iTunes and Amazon. "We are still passionate about movie music," says Spendlove. "We just want to do it on movies it makes the most sense for. With Transformers, there was enough of a brand there." VIDEO: Coldplay Debuts New Songs at Lollapalooza Also part of the new reality: A massive movie-music success is counted in the tens of thousands, not millions, and the difference between selling 4,000 units, as Fast Five did its first week out (the movie eventually grossed more than $600 million worldwide; the soundtrack moved 34,000 units), and 200,000, as Juno did upon hitting No. 1 on the Billboard 200 three weeks after opening (the soundtrack went on to sell more than 1 million copies and spawned an iTunes-only B-sides collection), comes down to often-elusive qualities. "There has to be an experience tied to the soundtrack. It has to have a point of view, and it has to have exclusive material." -- Livia Tortella, co-president of Warner Bros. Records. "The soundtrack is always an afterthought for the studios," says Tortella, who also has worked on soundtracks for Twilight and the 2000 blockbuster O Brother, Where Are Thou? "The score is very well thought-out because it's part of the creative, but to just put a few contemporary pieces in doesn't sell the soundtrack. When you have a great property like Juno or a great score like, say, 300, and you do 300,000, it's because people connect with the music. There has to be an experience attached to it, the soundtrack has to have a point of view, and it has to have exclusive material." Interscope Geffen A&M hopes its forthcoming The Help compilation will make that connection with audiences after they've left the theater. The label built the soundtrack around an original song by one of its marquee artists, Mary J. Blige, and locked in distribution at Starbucks. STORY: Lollapalooza Expanding to Brazil in 2012 "We got into it so super-focused on creating a song for Mary, and in that sense we've already reached our goal of an incredible original composition," says Tony Seyler, the label's vp film and television marketing and soundtracks who worked on Slumdog Millionaire and Across the Universe. "From Mary sitting in on the first screening to her writing ['The Living Proof'] and coming up with ideas and concepts through the film to the marketing plan -- which coincided with Mary's own commitments and relationships, like the Essence Festival -- it all came together naturally." A period piece, Help also features songs from the early '60s, some of which -- like Bob Dylan's "Don't Think Twice, It's All Right" -- might already be found in the moviegoer's music collection, a fact that significantly lowers sales expectations. "Typically we steer away from compilation soundtracks because of that," says Seyler. "But with this project, we think a lot of people are emotionally attached to the book, and there will be an emotional connection to the film as well." VIDEOS: MTV: 30 Years of Music Videos Perhaps there's no better contemporary example of this than the Twilight series, which has sold 3.3 million copies over three albums. Tortella credits author Stephenie Meyer's emphasis on music for driving sales and shaping the soundtrack, which had artists clamoring to be included. "It was a phenomenon," says Tortella. "There was the book itself but also the fact that the author was a music fan and dedicated books to her favorite bands -- [Warner acts] Muse and Jack's Mannequin among them. Also, there was a lot of contemporary music in the picture. Plus, [film-music veteran] Alex Patsavas was the music supervisor on the project. It was like the triple whammy." A soundtrack hit can seem like a case of catching lightning in a bottle, but those like Seyler find that element of the unknown challenging and invigorating. "Like with any album, you have artists that connect and some that don't," he says. "But the really exciting thing about film and music is there is such an opportunity to connect. It could be Rock of Ages next or a million other possibilities. Where music is an integral part of the story, we think it still has just as good a shot as a record does." PHOTOS: 'The X Factor': Simon Cowell's Judging Team COMPILATIONS THAT PAID OFF Easy Rider (1969): 500,000 The Big Chill (1983): 6 million Footloose (1984): 9 million Pulp Fiction (1994): 3.5 million O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000): 7.6 million Garden State (2004): 1.4 million * Source:Nielsen SoundScan, RIAA Related Topics Mary J. Blige Twilight Saga Fast Five Warner Music Group Interscope-Geffen-A&M Transformers: Dark of the Moon The Help

TCA: 'I Hate My Teenage Daughter' Designers Believe Multi-Cam Sitcom Can Function On Fox

Diane Haithman is adding to Deadline's TCA coverage. After the modern TCA panel on Foxs new multi-camera comedy I Dispise My Teenage Daughter about two senior high school nerd-women who was raised to become the moms from the type of popular mean women they envied and hated in senior high school the shows executive producers, Sherry Bilsing-Graham and Ellen Kreamer, spoken beside me about how exactly their multi-camera comedy might easily fit in at Fox, that has battled to effectively launch a multi-camera sitcom. The show stars Katie Finneran and I'm Earl cast member Jaime Pressly because the moms and Australian Aisha Dee and Kristi Lauren because the snotty teens. I believe audiences really appreciate multi-camera comedy you watch the large success of 2 . 5 Males and also the Large Bang Theory and you're feeling good whenever you watch it theres something very comforting about this, I cant explain why, stated Kreamer. It [harks to] The Newly-weds on their honeymoon and that i Love Lucy -- a brief history. Its a bit reduced-paced than a few of the single camera comedies, using the jump cuts and stuff. Sherry and that i originate from Buddies, and that we love that. Bilsing-Graham added that they thinks a multi-camera comedy fits well with Foxs programming, more noted for reality and animation than situation comedy of any sort. I believe reality television really helps multi-camera it's exactly the same energy, she stated. Talking about interaction by having an audience, both producers are large fans from the audience reaction on Deadline. I really like the commentstheyre brutal! Kreamer excited.

ARC teams to distribute 'Killing Bono'

ARC Entertainment and XLrator Media have acquired North American distribution to the comedy "Killing Bono" and plan a video-on-demand release in October and a theatrical launch in November. The companies made the announcement Thursday. Pic's based on the story of Irish rocker Neil McCormick memoir "Killing Bono: I am Bono's Doppelganger," which details efforts by McCormick and his younger brother to become rock stars but can only look on as their school friends form U2 and become hugely successful. "Bono" had its North American premiere at this year's Seattle International Film Festival. "Bono" is directed by Nick Hamm and stars Ben Barnes, Robert Sheehan, Krysten Ritter and Martin McCann. It features the final film performance of the late Pete Postlethwaite. "Bono" was written by Dick Clement & Ian La Frenais and Simon Maxwell. The film was produced by Hamm, Ian Flooks, Mark Huffam, Piers Tempest and co-produced by Isibeal Ballance. ARC and XLrator Media have previously partnered on "Ironclad," "The Ward," "Bunraku" and the documentary "Knuckle." Deal was negotiated by Gordon and Samantha Horley from Salt Company International and Alexis Garcia from WME Global, representing the filmmakers. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

So, You Wanna Start a Theater Company?

Randy Anderson is a strong advocate of the do-it-yourself (DIY) movement. For him, it's not the wave of the future. It's the present. In 1999, he forged a theater company, The Beggars Group, which is still thriving on the Lower East Side and, more recently, he penned and self-published a lively memoir, "On Making Off: Misadventures Off-Off-Broadway," detailing his funny and sometimes not-so-funny experiences as a 20-something actor in New York trying to make personal and professional inroads. "I was auditioning for about a year in New York and not gettingor even auditioning forroles that were especially fulfilling," he recalls. "I was also spending a lot of time going from place to place, sneaking backstage, to meet the right people, who I believed would help land me jobs. I didn't land any jobs. Forming my own company gave me creative control over my career."He also started writing and co-writing plays for himself and his company. Aesthetics played a role, and so did finances. Gone were the copyright issues and expenses. In every way, he has benefited from doing it himself. He views it as an exercise in empowerment. That doesn't mean Anderson wouldn't like to see his plays produced by an outside investor or his next book picked up by a commercial publisher. It goes without saying that if someone were interested in casting him in a play or film or TV show, he'd be up for it. But for the newcomer, the DIY movement helps create the calling card, he asserts."I always had the desire to do things myself," he notes. "But there is a point where you should go to the next level. Before my day job was at J.P. Morgan. Now I'm working at Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers as a business representative. I made the move deliberately to make contacts. I'm making my day job more in line with what I want to do."Always on the lookout for a new opportunity, Anderson reflects on his past efforts and the hurdles he faced. Back Stage: Why did you leave your hometown of Los Angeles to come to New York to be an actor? Anderson: I wanted to find a theater community interested in making theater. In L.A., theater is viewed as a chance to be seen as a steppingstone to a film career.Back Stage: Once you decided to form a theater company, how did you go about finding compatible actors? Anderson: We started out loose and fluid. Now we have an audition system in place. We only want to work with actors who like working in a collaborative setting and are in tune with our style. Our theater is based on physical storytelling with a magical realism element. Our auditions consist of physical exercises, stunts, and improvisations. This is not for everybody, and we really appreciate it if an actor says so during the audition and leaves. It takes a strong actor to make that admission.Back Stage: What are some of the most important issues actors should be addressing if they're thinking of forging a theater company? Anderson: Dividing their time properly. Too many times production elements pull them away from their craft. Being in front of the house and backstage at the same time is detrimental to the actor's job. Our performances suffered. You need to bring in a stage manager and/or producer. You also need a director who can look at what you're doing with an outsider's eye. In our early years we cast aside the idea of needing a director, and it was a mistake. Back Stage: How important is it for a company to have a home? Anderson: It's far more important to have a rehearsal space that you use repeatedly than the same physical space for a theater. Back Stage: How do you determine the right neighborhood in which to rent space? Anderson: The first thing you do is figure out what it is you're doing and who your audience is. If your material is about revolution and it's young, loud, and fast and you're talking to 20-somethings out for a late night, the East Village is where you'd look for space. If, on the other hand, your material is intellectual, kitchen sink drama, dealing with such topics as aging parents, your audience is probably older. That audience is also more likely to want to go to the theater right after work as opposed to going to a late-night show. For that crowd, an uptown space would be more suitable. Of course, for a big, splashy show you'll need a larger space than you would if you're producing a small, intimate show. Back Stage: Should you assume the theater will provide a technical staff? Anderson: No, you have to bring in your own technical person who has expertise in lighting and sound design. Next to the stage manager that person is the most important. The stage manager and the tech person would be the first two I would give money to if I had extra money.Back Stage: What kind of money do you need to launch an off Off-Broadway company? Anderson: You need a minimum of $5,000 for each show. At the height of our company's success we were up to $15,000 a show. We work under an Actors' Equity Showcase contract, which means when we hire Equity actors all we pay them is carfare, the same amount the non-Equity actors receive. However, we do purchase accident insurance. It costs $500 to $1,000 a year and it's essential.Back Stage: In your book you talk about the financial help you received from a well-heeled aunt. But what should you do if you don't have access to family money? Anderson: I produced my first playbefore I had a companyfor $980 and I borrowed that money on my credit card. But there are fundraising approaches, including online fundraising, such as Kickstarter.com Set a goal, but start small, post it on Facebook, and ask your friends to contribute $10 each.Back Stage: Your theater company briefly fell apart in 2001. What happened and what did you learn from that experience? Anderson: We were fractured in our vision. The key to success is writing a mission statement and we didn't have one initially. If you are working collaboratively you need to be focused on an end goal. If someone has a change of vision, that person is free to leave, but the company will continue. Back Stage: Anything you'd like to add? Anderson: If you want to do something you should do it, because you can. By Simi Horwitz August 4, 2011 Randy Anderson Randy Anderson is a strong advocate of the do-it-yourself (DIY) movement. For him, it's not the wave of the future. It's the present. In 1999, he forged a theater company, The Beggars Group, which is still thriving on the Lower East Side and, more recently, he penned and self-published a lively memoir, "On Making Off: Misadventures Off-Off-Broadway," detailing his funny and sometimes not-so-funny experiences as a 20-something actor in New York trying to make personal and professional inroads. "I was auditioning for about a year in New York and not gettingor even auditioning forroles that were especially fulfilling," he recalls. "I was also spending a lot of time going from place to place, sneaking backstage, to meet the right people, who I believed would help land me jobs. I didn't land any jobs. Forming my own company gave me creative control over my career."He also started writing and co-writing plays for himself and his company. Aesthetics played a role, and so did finances. Gone were the copyright issues and expenses. In every way, he has benefited from doing it himself. He views it as an exercise in empowerment. That doesn't mean Anderson wouldn't like to see his plays produced by an outside investor or his next book picked up by a commercial publisher. It goes without saying that if someone were interested in casting him in a play or film or TV show, he'd be up for it. But for the newcomer, the DIY movement helps create the calling card, he asserts."I always had the desire to do things myself," he notes. "But there is a point where you should go to the next level. Before my day job was at J.P. Morgan. Now I'm working at Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers as a business representative. I made the move deliberately to make contacts. I'm making my day job more in line with what I want to do."Always on the lookout for a new opportunity, Anderson reflects on his past efforts and the hurdles he faced. Back Stage: Why did you leave your hometown of Los Angeles to come to New York to be an actor? Anderson: I wanted to find a theater community interested in making theater. In L.A., theater is viewed as a chance to be seen as a steppingstone to a film career.Back Stage: Once you decided to form a theater company, how did you go about finding compatible actors? Anderson: We started out loose and fluid. Now we have an audition system in place. We only want to work with actors who like working in a collaborative setting and are in tune with our style. Our theater is based on physical storytelling with a magical realism element. Our auditions consist of physical exercises, stunts, and improvisations. This is not for everybody, and we really appreciate it if an actor says so during the audition and leaves. It takes a strong actor to make that admission.Back Stage: What are some of the most important issues actors should be addressing if they're thinking of forging a theater company? Anderson: Dividing their time properly. Too many times production elements pull them away from their craft. Being in front of the house and backstage at the same time is detrimental to the actor's job. Our performances suffered. You need to bring in a stage manager and/or producer. You also need a director who can look at what you're doing with an outsider's eye. In our early years we cast aside the idea of needing a director, and it was a mistake. Back Stage: How important is it for a company to have a home? Anderson: It's far more important to have a rehearsal space that you use repeatedly than the same physical space for a theater. Back Stage: How do you determine the right neighborhood in which to rent space? Anderson: The first thing you do is figure out what it is you're doing and who your audience is. If your material is about revolution and it's young, loud, and fast and you're talking to 20-somethings out for a late night, the East Village is where you'd look for space. If, on the other hand, your material is intellectual, kitchen sink drama, dealing with such topics as aging parents, your audience is probably older. That audience is also more likely to want to go to the theater right after work as opposed to going to a late-night show. For that crowd, an uptown space would be more suitable. Of course, for a big, splashy show you'll need a larger space than you would if you're producing a small, intimate show. Back Stage: Should you assume the theater will provide a technical staff? Anderson: No, you have to bring in your own technical person who has expertise in lighting and sound design. Next to the stage manager that person is the most important. The stage manager and the tech person would be the first two I would give money to if I had extra money.Back Stage: What kind of money do you need to launch an off Off-Broadway company? Anderson: You need a minimum of $5,000 for each show. At the height of our company's success we were up to $15,000 a show. We work under an Actors' Equity Showcase contract, which means when we hire Equity actors all we pay them is carfare, the same amount the non-Equity actors receive. However, we do purchase accident insurance. It costs $500 to $1,000 a year and it's essential.Back Stage: In your book you talk about the financial help you received from a well-heeled aunt. But what should you do if you don't have access to family money? Anderson: I produced my first playbefore I had a companyfor $980 and I borrowed that money on my credit card. But there are fundraising approaches, including online fundraising, such as Kickstarter.com Set a goal, but start small, post it on Facebook, and ask your friends to contribute $10 each.Back Stage: Your theater company briefly fell apart in 2001. What happened and what did you learn from that experience? Anderson: We were fractured in our vision. The key to success is writing a mission statement and we didn't have one initially. If you are working collaboratively you need to be focused on an end goal. If someone has a change of vision, that person is free to leave, but the company will continue. Back Stage: Anything you'd like to add? Anderson: If you want to do something you should do it, because you can.

'Game Of Thrones' Season Two Casts Jaqen H'Gar

All men must die, but first, German actor Tom Wlaschiha will live as Jaqen H'gar during the second season of "Game of Thrones." Entertainment Weekly reports that the actor has landed the fan-favorite role of the Faceless Man of Braavos, an assassin and one of the criminals being transported to The Wall in the North alongside Arya Stark, currently posing as the boy Arry. There isn't much more that can be added here about Jaqen without spoiling some cool twists, so let's just leave it at this: read the book and you'll see why Jaqen is so completely awesome! The "Thrones" casting news keeps a-coming: yesterday saw Gemma Whelan nab the part of Asha, err, Yara Greyjoy, and in addition to Jaqen's casting, there are two new announcements today. Westeros.org, one of the finest "Ice and Fire" online destinations out there, got tipped off on who's playing Xaro Xhoan Daxos in the second season of "Thrones." British actor Nonso Anozie, who appears in this summer's "Conan the Barbarian" alongside the late Khal Drogo, Jason Momoa, has wooed his way into the Qartheen merchant prince's shoes. Xaro holds a prominent role in the second book in the "Ice and Fire" novels, "A Clash of Kings," as he crosses paths with the reenergized and freshly anointed dragon mama Daenerys Targaryen in lands far from Westeros. He's willing to help her on her trails, of course, but not without a price. Kerr Logan, meanwhile, has secured the part of Matthos Seaworth, son of Davos, played in the second season by Liam Cunningham. Tell us what you think of the news in the comments section and on Twitter!