HOLLYWOOD SPY

LAUREN KATE'S 'FALLEN'

ANGELS WITH JEREMY IRVINE

Tones of new books are getting movie adaptations, people, and we shall spotlight them today, starting with FALLEN by Lauren Kate! The young adult novel follows a teenage girl in high school who experiences forbidden love, and has to choose between two young men who she is unaware are fallen angels who have battled over her for centuries. The girl will be played by Addison Timlin, while one of the boys, Daniel Grigori, will be played by WAR HORSE star Jeremy Irvine! Scott Hicks (NO RESERVATIONS, THE LUCKY ONE) is directing!

JASON MATTHEWS''RED SPARROW' NOVEL

TO BE HELMED BY DARREN ARONOFSKY

Deadline reports that Darren Aronofsky will direct the adaptation of Jason Matthews' novel RED SPARROW! 20th Century Fox has paid a 7 figure sum for the rights in a heated

battle with other studios. The book is set in contemporary Russia following intelligence officer Dominika Egorova who is drafted against her will to become a “Sparrow,” a trained seductress in the service, Dominika is assigned to operate against Nathaniel Nash, a first-tour CIA officer who handles the agency’s most sensitive penetration of Russian intelligence. The two young intelligence officers collide in a charged atmosphere of trade craft, deception, and inevitably, a sexual attraction that threatens their careers. Dominika winds up seeking revenge against her soulless masters, and living a fatal double life after she is recruited by the CIA to ferret out a high-level traitor in Washington.

WW2 'LIFE AFTER LIFE'

BY KATE ATKINSON

The same site reports that Lionsgate has acquired movie rights on bestseller LIFE AFTER LIFE by Kate Atkinson. Published earlier this year in April, the story of the period novel is set against the backdrop of World War II, as a young woman discovers she has the ability to start her life from scratch. MAD MEN and THE BRIDGE writers are penning the adaptation!

DARREN STAR TO PRODUCE 'YOUNGER'

BY PAMELA REDMOND SATRAN

Meanwhile, Darren Star, who brought us SEX AND THE CITY, BH 90210 and MELROSE PLACE, is producing the television adaptation of YOUNGER by Pamela Redmond Satran. This TV LAND future show will centre on a suddenly-single New Jersey housewife and mother in her early 40s who, unable to restart her career, decides to lie about her age and successfully passes herself off as a twenty something. Armed with a makeover and new resume, she wins a coveted position at the city’s hottest publishing company. Pretending to be “younger” doesn’t hurt in the bar scene, either, as guys line up like never before.

OTHER PEOPLE'S LOVE LETTERS

MOVIE ADAPTATION
But if you're in the mood for romantic topics here is something in the vein of LOVE ACTUALLY! CBS Films has bought the movie rights on OTHER PEOPLE'S LOVE LETTERS a book which presents a

collection of love letters that was edited by Bill Shapiro. Purely romantic, the movie will follow the intertwining storylines of four romances, each at a crossroads! The movie will be helmed by Tom Bezucha who wrote and directed MONTE CARLO with Selena Gomez!

HOUSE OF VERSACE WITH

GINA GERSHON, COLM FEORE

Here's something for you if you like fashion and all the intrigues around the big designers: Gina Gershon is taking the lead role in Lifetime's new television movie HOUSE OF VERSACE! To premiere in October, the movie will see Gershon playing Donatella Versace in the story which will describe Versace's journey to continue the legacy of her late brother Gianni, following his unsolved murder in 1997! She is not the only famous name in the cast, since she will be joined by acting legends Raquel Welch and Colm Feore who will play Donatella's aunt Lucia and her brother Santo, while Enrico Colantoni from VERONICA MARS will play Gianni himself. According to 'Digital Spy' the film is based on Deborah Ball's book "House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder and Survival". As you know, beside her fashion work, Donatella attracts attention of the public with her multiple plastic surgeries which have deformed her face and with her relationship with her young daughter who suffers from extreme anorexia.

TELEVISION UPDATES!

CW NABS LAUREN GRAHAM'S 'SOMEDAY SOMEDAY MAYBE'
In TV news today, CW has bought Lauren Graham's book SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY, MAYBE for show adaptation. The witty story centres on a young woman with six months left on her three-year plan to make a career as an actress in New York City!

JOANNA GARCIA IS LITTLE MERMAID
Meanwhile, ABC's fantasy show ONCE UPON A TIME has found its Little Mermaid Ariel. JoAnna Garcia will play the woman with a fish tail in the third season of the popular show which hits the small screens in September.
BOYS AT A GIRL'S COLLEGE
Over at Fox, in a very exciting bidding war, they've bought a new untitled sitcom from the creators of 30'S ROCK, which will have a story set at a women’s college that, for the first time in its history, begins accepting men.
THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA
And over at NBC they have nabbed, according to 'Deadline', the rights to make English version of Spanish show THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA which follows the life and relationships of a female homicide detective who can handle murderous criminals — but not her evil twins.

1ST BARREL RACE PICTURE

FROM THE HOBBIT DESOLATION OF SMAUG EPIC FANTASY

Now, if you follow HOLLYWOOD SPY at Facebook you've already seen this picture, but here's the first look at the famous and hilarious barrel

race from THE HOBBIT: DESOLATION OF SMAUG! That is the scene when the dwarves run away from Thranduil's Elven court in barrels. The movie is out this December. There's also a cover of the book which will be following the film!

PENNY DREADFUL TV SHOW

JOSH HARTNETT & SAM MENDES

Upcoming new show over at Showtime, titled PENNY DREADFUL is rounding up its cast. In the genre of psychosexual horror the show will star Josh Hartnett, Rory Kinnear, Eva Green and Billie Piper. Written by SKYFALL scribes John Logan and Sam Mendes this eight-part series will describe the origin stories of famous literary horror characters such as Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, Dorian Gray and Count Dracula, as they deal with life in Victorian London. The original show will also be a visual spectacle of a special kind. Josh Hartnett will play Ethan Chandler, a charming, brash, daring man of action who is unafraid of violence and more complicated than he likes to admit, while Eva Green will be Vanessa, an enigmatic, composed heroine who proves herself a force to be reckoned with!

TIMUR BEKMAMBETOV

HELMS BEN HUR REMAKE
Deadline reports that we can expect another new Biblical epic: MGM is apparently negotiating with Timur Bekmambetov (ABRAHAM LINCOLN VAMPIRE HUNTER) to helm the new adaptation of famous

BEN HUR! Set in the years before Roman Empire took control of Jerusalem, the film will follow Judah Ben-Hur, a Jewish prince, and Messala, the son of a Roman tax collector. After the latter leaves to be educated in Rome for five years, the young man returns with a

different attitude. Messala mocks Judah and his religion and when a procession passes by Judah’s house and a roof tile accidentally falls and hits the governor, Messala betrays his childhood friend and manipulates it so that Judah is sold into slavery and certain death on a Roman

warship, with his mother and sister thrown in prison for life. Judah doesn’t die, and vows revenge on Messala which culminates in the famed chariot races.

WITCHES OF EAST END TEASER

JULIA ORMOND, JENNA DEWAN

Today you can also check out the first teaser trailer for new Lifetime's show WITCHES OF EAST END which promises to be something that the female audience might like in the Autumn season! The show follows Joanna Beauchamp (Julia Ormond) and her two adult daughters

Freya (Jenna Dewan Tatum) and Ingrid (Rachel Boston), who don't know they are their family’s next generation of witches, who lead seemingly quiet, uneventful modern day lives in Long Island’s secluded

seaside town of East Haven. When Freya becomes engaged to a young, wealthy newcomer, a series of events forces Joanna to admit to her daughters they are, in fact, powerful and immortal witches. Madchen Amick and Freddie Prinze Jr are also in the cast.

RODRIGO SANTORO TO

'FOCUS' WITH WILL SMITH

Our favourite Latino star Rodrigo Santoro, whom you will watch again as Persian emperor Xerxes in 300 RISE OF AN EMPIRE, has a new gig: he will join Will Smith in FOCUS! According to "The Hollywood Reporter" the movie will revolve around a veteran con man (Will Smith) who takes a young woman (Margot Robbie) under his wing and teaches her the illicit trade before falling for her. Years later, they reunite in Buenos Ares as he is planning a complicated operation. Rodrigo Santoro is playing the target of this con, the owner of an international racing team who is also trying to win over Margot Robbie's character. Margot was recently one of the candidates to play CINDERELLA in Kenneth Branagh's movie.

WHITE QUEEN BBC EPIC SHOW

NOT GETTING SECOND SEASON
BBC has officially killed of their epic show WHITE QUEEN which will not be getting its second season! Currently also showing at Starz in USA, the ten episodes which followed famous War of the Roses, got bad reviews both from the critics and from audience for its

lack of historical accuracy, chaotic storyline, poor acting, bad costumes, poor sets and lack of character focus. Fingers crossed that another of the upcoming BBC shows WOLF HALL, gets better treatment.
LOVE IS DEAD FOR BEN RAPPAPORT
In other television news today, USA is preparing new sitcom with Ben Rappaport in the lead role. LOVE IS DEAD is set at an agency that specializes in breaking up romantic relationships on behalf of those who are willing to pay to not be around when it happens. The story centres on Alex (Rappaport) who, after he’s dumped by a representative of the agency, vows to find out what it is, specifically, that’s wrong with him — by taking a job at the company.

BUSINESS TRIP FOR

JAMES MARSDEN, VINCE VAUGHN

Meanwhile, The Wrap writes that James Marsden has joined Vince Vaughn in BUSINESS TRIP. The comedy, which also has Dave Franco and Nick Frost in the cast, will see Vaughn portraying a businessman whose trip to Europe devolves into madness.You can currently watch James Marsden playing president Kennedy in THE BUTLER.

MERMAID SITCOM AT NBC

And something deeply strange is to come from NBC where they will make a sitcom about a MERMAID from SEX AND THE CITY scribe Jenny Bicks. The new comedy show will follow a beached mermaid in search of adventure who winds up working in a bar in Miami with an eclectic group of people as lost as she is.

SORTA LIKE A ROCKSTAR MOVIE

Matthew Quick, whose novel SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK was made into an Oscar nominated film, will also see his new book SORTA LIKE A ROCKSTAR being adapted at Fox. It follows a high school senior who secretly lives in the back of a school bus, a situation that arose when her mother’s boyfriend kicked them out. The bus (they call it Hello Yellow) is the same one that her mother uses to drive kids to school, and despite the adversity, she is a self-proclaimed princess of hope and girl of unyielding optimism. A fatal tragedy puts her optimism to the test.

KIT HARINGTON IN THE 1ST

PICTURE FROM 'POMPEII' EPIC

Check out the first picture of GAME OF THRONES star Kit Harington in new historical adventure POMPEII in which he plays next to Emily Browning, Kiefer Sutherland, Carrie Anne Moss.

Set in the days leading up to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, a slave on a ship heading for Naples works to get home to save the woman he loves and his best friend, a gladiator trapped inside the city's coliseum.

ELIZABETH OLSEN TO PLAY

SCARLET WITCH IN AVENGERS II?

According to latest rumours Saoirse Ronan has passed on the role of Scarlet Witch in THE AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON and the frontrunner for the role has now become Elizabeth Olsen! Joss Whedonhas previously revealed that he has imagined the role of Wanda Maximoff aka Scarlet Witch with Saoirse in mind. Scarlet Witch can control probabilities while her twin brother Pietro Maximoff aka Quicksilver has the power of superspeed. Aaron Johnson is rumoured for that role. The film, which will see the return of Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Rufallo and others, will start shooting next February. After a number of dramatic roles, Elizabeth Olsen is moving over to blockbusters starting next year with GODZILLA in which she already stars with Aaron Johnson!

HAYLEY ATWELL JOINS

KENNETH BRANAGH'S 'CINDERELLA'
Kenneth Branagh's movie adaptation of fairy tale CINDERELLA has another cast member: Hayley Atwell will play Cinderella's mother who appears at the beginning of the

film. She joins Lily James in the lead role, Cate Blanchett as the stepmother, Richard Madden as the prince, Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, Holly Grainger and Sophie McShera as the stepsisters, Stellan Skarsgard as the Grand Duke.
MARION COTILLARD JOINS MICHAEL FASS- BENDER IN 'MACBETH'
Good news also come from the new adaptation of MACKBETH! It seems that Michael Fassbender, who is taking the lead role in the Justin Kurzel directed movie, will get a decent wife in the film. Instead of the previous horrid choice of weak and bland Natalie Portman, the role of lady Macbeth will go to Marion Cotillard! The film will be set in war torn 11th century Scotland.

THE BOOK THIEF WW2 TRAILER

WITH GEOFFREY RUSH

20th Century Fox has released the first trailer for the movie adaptation of Markus Zuzak's novel THE BOOK THIEF which will open up in theatres this November starring Geoffrey Rush! This drama

tells the inspirational story of a spirited and courageous young girl who transforms the lives of everyone around her when she is sent to live with a new family in World War II Germany. Geoffrey Rush

and Emily Watson play her adoptive parents whose lives, together with their whole German town, will change forever when she begins stealing books and sharing them with others!

ZIYI ZHANG IN EPIC SEQUEL

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN

DRAGON GREEN DESTINY

Good news from Asia, people. According to 'Entertainment Weekly' Ziyi Zhang is negotiating to return to the sequel of the legendary epic CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON now titled THE GREEN DESTINY. She will again play Jen Yu, appearing probably in flashbacks which will explain what happened to her character, Michelle Yeoh will also return with Donnie Yen playing Silent Wolf. With the story based on the book "Iron Knight, Silver Vase" by Du Lu Wang the shooting should begin next spring. As I've reported before, Ziyi will also join Takeshi Kaneshiro in John Woo's THE CROSSING epic drama which set in the midst of the Chinese Revolution during the late 1940s, follows couples who flee by ships to the island of Taiwan.

OLIVIA MUNN IN MORTDECAI

WITH JOHHNY DEPP, EWAN MCGREGOR
Another gorgeous lady, Olivia Munn, has joined Johnny Depp's MORTDECAI. Based on the Kyril Bonfiglioli novel "The Great Mortdecai Moustache Mystery", and with Gwyneth Paltrow and Ewan McGregor also in the cast, the film will see Johnny Depp playing an art dealer, Charles Mortdecai, who searches for a stolen painting rumored to contain a secret code that gains access to hidden Nazi gold.
JUDI DENCH & DUSTIN HOFFMAN IN BBC'S ESIO TROT
In TV news, Judi Dench and Dustin Hoffman will star in BBC's adaptation of Roald Dahl's ESIO TROT. The 90 minute TV movie, to be directed by Richard Curtis, follows Mr Hoppy (Hoffman), a retired bachelor who has a secret love for his neighbour Mrs Silver (Dench). However, she only gives her attention to her pet tortoise Alfie. The shy Mr Hoppy's attempts to talk to Mrs Silver usually end in some form of calamity. Mr Hoppy then comes up with a possibly ingenious idea to win her affections, after he learns of her wish for Alfie to be bigger.

EPIC 'POMPEII' TRAILER

KIT HARINGTON, EMILY BROWNING, KIEFER SUTHERLAND

And here it is, here it is: after we've seen the first pic from historical epic POMPEII two days ago, now we have the spectacular and atmospheric first trailer! Opening in cinemas

next February, and set in the days leading up to the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the film will see Kit Harington playing a slave on a ship heading for Naples who works to get home to save the woman (Emily Browning) he loves and his best friend, a gladiator trapped inside the city's coliseum! As the city is slowly buried in volcanic ash, he also comes face-to-face with the murderer of his family. Kiefer Sutherland and Carrie Anne Moss play Emily Browning's parents!

DEZZY'S HISTORY LESSON

Ancient city of Pompeii along with Herculaneum and many villas in the surrounding area, was mostly destroyed and buried under 4 to 6 m of ash and pumice in the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. The eruption was cataclysmic for the town. The site was again discovered in the 16th century with the objects that lay beneath the city well preserved

for thousands of years because of the lack of air and moisture. You could even see exact positions in which all of the people died. Most of the people didn't die from ash suffocation but from extreme heat of 250*C

which instantly killed them even if they were within buildings. Ironically, the eruption occurred on August 24, just one day after Vulcanalia, the festival of the Roman god of fire, including that from volcanoes.

MARVEL'S S.H.I.E.L.D.

SUPERHUMAN INVESTIGATORS

One of the many new science fiction shows to premiere this Autumn on the small screen is Marvel's S.H.I.E.L.D. which will start its first

opening season over at ABC on September 24th! Produced and directed by famous Joss Whedon (FIREFLY, BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER), it will be a new superhero series set within the S.H.I.E.L.D. organization of secret agents. Today, we spotlight the main characters in the action series, lead by Agent Phil Coulson who puts together a small team of S.H.I.E.L.D. agents to handle strange new cases. Each case will test the team in cooperation and ingenuity as they try to work together figuring out newly emerging superhuman individuals in the world.

PHIL COULSON IS

THE TEAM LEADER

Agent Phil Coulson "Team Leader" is played by Clark Gregg! He oversees many of the division's field operations and he will basically headline the whole show which will exist in the same universe

as Marvel's THE AVENGERS. This is why Cobie Smulders and Samuel L. Jackson might guest star in the show in the roles of their movie characters.

JEMMA SIMMONS

EXPERT ON BIO SCIENCE
Agent Jemma Simmons "Bio-Science" will be played by Elizabeth Henstridge. An agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who specializes in life sciences (both human and alien). She's always in the lab and works

very closely with Fitz, they're like an old married couple. She's highly intelligent doesn't apologize for it and has come up the ranks very quickly.

AGENT LEO FITZ

WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY!

Agent Leo Fitz "Weapons Technology" is played by Iain De Caestecker! He designs and builds all the gadgets and technology. He's kind of lost touch with reality and spends a lot of time with Simmons

- they can have the most crazy argument you've ever seen and then 10 minutes later it's like nothing happened. He spends a lot of time living in front of the reality of a computer screen. Now he's entering into this world that's more hands on.

AGENT MELINDA MAY

WEAPONS EXPERT & PILOT
Agent Melinda May "Pilot/Weapons Expert" is played by Ming-Na Wen! Something has happened to her at a level she couldn't cope with

so she ended up doing paperwork. She's called in by Phil to join the team but she's reluctant to get back on the field because of her deep dark past. She is also an ace pilot.

AGENT GRANT WARD

BLACK OPS SPECIALIST

Agent Grant Ward "Black Ops Specialist" is portrayed by Brett Dalton! He's a one-man ninja, he's a Swiss Army knife, he has a tool for

every situation. But he's got a gap in that skill set and that's anything involving other people. Ward has a strong moral foundation and is not without his charm!

AGENT SKYE

EXPERT HACKER
Skye "Hacker" is played by Chloe Bennet. She is an unusual computer hacker who is not socially awkward. Bubbly and goofy but also warm,

edgy and witty, she is in her late 20s and can more than hold her own in any situation. Skye is also obsessed with superheroes!

THERESE RAQUIN

EMILE ZOLA MOVIE ADAPTATION

The drama, we waited for a long time to premiere, the movie adaptation of Emile Zola's THERESE RAQUIN, will see the light of the day at Toronto Film Festival and will then open in cinemas at the end of September. Directed by Charlie Stratton and starring Elizabeth Olsen, Tom Felton, Jessica Lange, and Oscar Isaac, the movie, shot in Belgrade, Serbia, last winter, is set in the lower depths of 1860s Paris, and brings a tale of obsessive love, adultery and revenge, based on Émile Zola’s scandalous novel. The film comes from the producers of ALBERT NOBBS and TALENTED MR. RIPLEY!

THERESE'S STORY

TRAGIC PASSION

Thérèse Raquin (Elizabeth Olsen), a sexually repressed and beautiful young woman, is trapped in a loveless marriage to her sickly cousin, Camille (Tom Felton), by her domineering aunt, Madame Raquin

(Jessica Lange). Therese spends her days confined behind the counter of a small shop and her evenings watching Madame play dominos with an eclectic group. After she meets her husband’s alluring friend, Laurent (Oscar Isaac), she embarks on an illicit affair that leads to tragic

consequences. Therese is drawn in by his primitive sexuality and overwhelming presence. A secret and risky affair quickly evolves into an insatiable obsession, and Therese is finally alive. Dominated and controlled solely by their lust, they soon plot to remove the only

obstacle to their freedom, the unsuspecting Camille. After a terrible “accident” takes Camille, Laurent quickly assumes his place as Therese’s new husband and Madame’s loving son. But guilt consumes the murderous pair, their desire unravelling into suspicion and mistrust

while they torment each other with threats of confession. Watching as they spiral out of control, Madame comes to realize the horrific truth and Therese must finally face the tragic consequences of her own reckless passion.

THERESE TIDBITS

KATE WINSLET & GERARD BUTLER
The original cast meant for this film was much more intriguing and, honestly speaking, absolutely mindblowing: the film was supposed to have Kate Winslet in the lead role with Gerard Butler playing Laurent and Glenn Close playing Madame Raquin - can you

believe such a groundbreaking cast?! But that plan fell apart and Jessica Biel was the next candidate for the role, but was in the end replaced by lovely Olsen. Meanwhile, back in the 90's Liam Neeson and his late wife Natasha Richardson were also planning to adapt the book!

EMERALD CITY

NEW NBC EPIC FANTASY SHOW

Sometime ago, I've informed you that SyFy is planning to make new fantasy series WARRIORS OF OZ which will follow a warrior from present day Earth is transported to a

post-apocalyptic future Oz where he must team up with three other warriors, Heartless, Brainless, and Coward, in order to defeat the evil Wizard who has enslaved the land. Now, NBC has also nabbed an OZ project. Titled EMERALD CITY, their show is described as a dark reimagining of the classic tale of Oz in the vein of "Game Of Thrones! According to 'Deadline' the show will be based on the 14 novels that L. Frank Baum, the writer of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", wrote after the initial success of the first book.

TIMOTHY DALTON JOINS

PENNY DREADFUL PERIOD SHOW

Earlier last week, I've informed you that Josh Hartnett, Eva Green and Rory Kinnear have been cast in new period set horror series PENNY DREADFUL, and now the new info is that JAMES BOND and FLASH GORDON star Timothy Dalton has joined them too! In the Sam Mendes directed eight-part series, which will describe the origin stories of famous literary horror characters such as Victor Frankenstein, Frankenstein's monster, Dorian Gray and Count Dracula, as they deal with life in 19th century Victorian London, Timothy Dalton will play African explorer Sir Malcolm! The Showtime series will have extreme horror scenes.

FIRST 'KIRSTIE' TEASER

KIRSTIE ALLEY, MICHAEL RICHARDS, RHEA PERLMAN, JASON ALEXANDER

In other TV news today, you can check out the first teaser trailer for TV Land's upcoming new sitcom KIRSTIE which reunites tones of major comedy stars. Debuting December 4, the sitcom centres around Broadway star Madison Banks (Kirstie Alley) whose life turns

upside down when Arlo (Eric Petersen), the son she gave up at birth, suddenly appears, hoping to connect after his adoptive parents have died. CHEERS' Rhea Perlman stars as Maddie’s assistant and best friend alongside SEINFELD'S Michael Richards as

Maddie’s outlandish driver. John Travolta is supposed to guest star, CHEERS' George Wendt will play Thelma's (Perlman) ex-husband, while SEINFELD's Jason Alexander is Madison's Broadway manager.

NORTH AND SOUTH

MINI SERIES REMAKE

After I've reported some time ago that we shall get a new version of SHOGUN at Fox, here's another of the classic mini series from the 80's that is getting its remake: 'Deadline'

reports that Discovery Channel is preparing new mini series on NORTH AND SOUTH! Based on John Jake's books the story is set in the American Civil War and follows George Hazard and Orry Main who meet as young men at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, their families become close, but the vastly different ways of life for the Main and Hazard families threaten to drive them apart, leading to fractured marriages and poisoned sibling relationships… and everything is put to the ultimate test as fathers, sons, brothers and friends fight each other on the battlefields of the deadliest war America has ever seen. Discovery is already producing their scripted series KLONDIKE and WILLIAM WALLACE!

SYFY ORDERS '12 MONKEYS'

SHOW BASED ON THE 90'S FILM
In other television news, today, SyFy has officially ordered a pilot episode for new sf show 12 MONKEYS. Based on the 90's

sf film with Bruce Willis and Brad Pitt, the new series will follow the journey of a time traveler from the post-apocalyptic future who appears in present day on a mission to locate and eradicate the source of a deadly plague that will eventually decimate the human race. The casting should start quickly since the shooting is scheduled for November.
'THE AFTER' SHOW FROM X FILES CREATOR
Meanwhile, X FILES creator Chris Carter is returning to TV after almost a decade: he is preparing a series pilot for THE AFTER, an action thriller which takes place in the moment of the apocalypse. Produced by Amazon Studios the show will also be directed by Carter.

THE TOMORROW PEOPLE

NEW SF TRAILER AND POSTER

CW has revealed a new poster and a new promo trailer for their new Autumn series THE TOMORROW PEOPLE which will hit the small screens October 9th. Based on the original British television series of the same name, the series brings the story of several young people from around the world who represent the next stage in human evolution, possessing special powers, including the ability to teleport and communicate with each other telepathically. Together they work to defeat the forces of evil. The cast includes Robbie Amell, Amanda Clarke, Jeffrey Pierce....

RIDLEY SCOTT'S EXODUS EPIC

AARON PAUL, SIGOURNEY WEAVER, BEN KINGSLEY, JOHN TURTURRO JOIN CHRISTIAN BALE & JOEL EDGERTON

Now, I'm all up for it, but this has got to be the film with the strangest cast ever: you already know that Ridley Scott is preparing EXODUS Biblical epic in which Christian Bale is set to play Moses while Australian actor Joel Edgerton will be the Egyptian pharoah Ramses II. 'Deadline' now reports that Ben Kingsley is negotiating to portray a Hebrew scholar, while John Turturro is set to play Seti, father of the Pharoah Ramses! To make things weirder Sigourney Weaver might play Ramses’ mother Tuya, while television star Aaron Paul is in talks to play Joshua, the Hebrew slave who leads the people into the promised land after Moses.

NEW SITCOM PILOTS!

DEADBEAT AND THURSDAYS
Networks are currently buying new sitcoms, and one of the new ones at NBC is THURSDAYS from Breckin Meyer. The story revolves around a group of male friends and a weekly Thursday guys dinner that has become a tradition in their busy, chaotic lives. Meanwhile, Hulu has ordered a ten episode comedy series DEADBEAT. The hilarious sitcom will focus on a hapless but gifted male medium who helps New York’s ghosts settle their unfinished business.
'THE AFFAIR' WITH DOMINIC WEST, JOSHUA JACKSON

In the drama series department, Showtime is preparing THE AFFAIR an intense exploration of two marriages and an affair that disrupts them — with all of the complex consequences that result. It centers on Noah (Dominic West), a good husband and devoted father of four whose settled, comfortable world is about to implode when he meets Allison (Ruth Wilson) who he he thinks is his soul mate. Joshua Jackson plays Cole, a hard-edged cowboy married to Allison. Their emotionally charged marriage becomes even more complicated when Allison begins an affair with Noah! Maura Tirney plays Noah's wife.

DALLAS BUYERS CLUB TRAILER

MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY, JARED LETO IN AIDS DRAMA

The first trailer has been released for medical drama movie DALLAS BUYERS CLUB starring Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto and opening in cinemas right in the time of the preawards season this November! McConaughey plays a real-life Texas cowboy Ron

Woodroof, whose free-wheeling life was overturned in 1985 when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive and given 30 days to live. These were the early days of the AIDS epidemic, and the U.S. was divided over how to combat the virus. Ron, now shunned by many of his old friends, and bereft of government-approved effective medicines, decided to take matters in his own hands, tracking down alternative treatments from all over the world by means both legal and illegal. Bypassing the establishment, the entrepreneurial Woodroof joined forces with an unlikely band of outcasts - who he once would have shunned - and established a hugely successful buyers’ club. Their shared struggle for dignity and acceptance is a unique story of the transformative power of resilience!

NEW 'ALMOST HUMAN' PREVIEW

KARL URBAN IS A FUTURISTIC COP

It will be a television day today at HOLLYWOOD SPY. Two new previews for you: first a new trailer for Fox Autumn show ALMOST HUMAN! Produced by STAR TREK's J.J. Abrams and starring Karl Urban and Michael Ealy it is a high-tech, high-stakes action drama

set 35 years in the future, when police officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids. An unlikely partnership is forged when a part-machine cop (Urban) is forced to pair with a part-human robot (Ealy) as they fight crime and investigate a deeper cover-up in a futuristic new world.

DEZZY'S SCIENCE CLASS
In the show Karl Urban's character gets a cyborg leg after an accident. Robotic prosthetic legs already exist today. Of course they are not incorporated into the body but attached to it. They have biosensors which detect signals from the user's nervous or muscular systems which they then relay to a controller located inside the robotic leg. This means that biosensors can detect the force and position that you want your leg to take. You have seen that thanks to different kinds of prosthetic legs some people with amputated legs have even competed in running at the Olympics trying their luck against the athletes with legs.

VIRAL 'OUTBREAK' MOVIE

TO BECOME NBC TV SHOW

Only a few days ago I told you that sf movie 12 MONKEYS is getting its TV series version at SyFy, and know here's another science fiction movie from the 90's which will be turned into a television show: NBC is planning to turn OUTBREAK into their new drama. If you remember, the 1995 movie followed The 1995 film focused a dangerous viral outbreak that spread from Africa to the US threatening to become a global pandemic and it starred Dustin Hoffman, Kevin Spacey, Rene Russo, Donald Sutherland and Morgan Freeman!

NEW 'SLEEPY HOLLOW' PREVIEW

TOM MISON IS ICHABOD CRANE

The second new preview is for Fox fantasy crime show SLEEPY HOLLOW! From STAR TREK producers Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci it is a modern-day retelling of Washington Irving’s classic, in which Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison from “Salmon Fishing

in the Yemen”) is resurrected and pulled two and a half centuries through time to find that the world is on the brink of destruction and that he is humanity’s last hope, forcing him to team up with a contemporary police officer (Nicole Beharie) to unravel a mystery that dates back to the founding fathers.

STAR WARS VII GETS

ALEX PETTYFER & RACHEL HURD WOOD IN THE CAST?

Well, with the production scheduled to start in January, we have new rumours about the casting choices for STAR WARS VII circling around the net! After the news that HarrisonFord, Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamil will return in their old roles, along with the possible return of Ewan McGregor, the word is that Alex Pettyfer and Rachel Hurd Wood have auditioned for the roles of Luke Skywalker's son and Princess Leia's daughter. Apparently other actors are still coming in and auditioning for the coveted roles. The story of the science fiction, to be directed by STAR TREK helmer J.J. Abrams, is said to be set thirty years after RETURN OF THE JEDI. You've seen Pettyfer most recently in THE BUTLER.It was previously rumoured that Zac Efron and Ryan Gosling tried out for the roles of Han Solo's and Skywalker's sons.

DWAYNE JOHNSON IN

'LORE' FANTASY ACTION

In other news from the fantasy genre, Dwayne Johnson fronted fantasy action LORE has found its director in David Green who replaces Barry Sonnenfeld who apparently wanted too much money for the budget. The movie tells the story of a group of shepherds who serve as the world's last line of defence against a horde of mythological monsters.
CATE BLANCHETT & ROONEY MARA TO GO LESBIAN IN CAROL
Meanwhile, Deadline reports that Rooney Mara will join Cate Blanchett in CAROL, the movie adaptation of PRICE OF SALT book, a story of a burgeoning relationship between two very different women in 1950s New York. Rooney Mara will be a young woman working in a department store and hoping for a better life, while Blanchett is playing a wife trapped in a loveless marriage who’s desperate to break free but fearful of losing her daughter in the process.

47 RONIN NEW TRAILER

KEANU REEVES AS SAMURAI

Check out the new international poster and also a new international trailer for KeanuReeves' Asian epic 47 RONIN coming out this Christmas! From ancient Japan's most enduring tale, the epic 3D fantasy adventure 47 Ronin is born. Keanu Reeves leads the cast as Kai, an outcast who joins Oishi (Hiroyuki Sanada), the leader of 47 outcast samurai. Together they seek vengeance upon the treacherous overlord who killed their master and banished their kind. To restore honour to their homeland, the warriors embark upon a quest that challenges them with a series of trials that would destroy ordinary warriors.

'REIGN' HISTORICAL SHOW

ON MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS

In the sea of new science fiction shows, dramas and sitcoms, one of the rare historical ones will be CW's lavish and romantic take on the genre in REIGN show which charts the youth of famous Mary Queen of Scots! Scheduled to start airing on October 17th, in the Thursday evening slot after THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, the series will follow the early years of Mary, Queen of Scots, in 1557 France, while she was engaged to the young French prince Francis!

THE STORY OF 'REIGN'

DEMANDS OF HEART & COUNTRY

Hidden between the lines of the history books is the story of Mary Stuart, the young woman the world would come to know as Mary, Queen of Scots. Queen of Scotland since she was six days old, the teenage Mary is already a headstrong monarch - beautiful, passionate, and poised at the very beginning of her tumultuous rise to power. Arriving in France with four close friends as her ladies-in-waiting, Mary has been sent to secure Scotland’s strategic alliance by formalizing her arranged engagement to the French king’s dashing son, Prince Francis. But the match isn’t signed and sealed, it depends more on politics, religion and secret agendas than affairs of the heart. Prince Francis is intrigued by the fiery Scot, but like most young men, he resists the idea of settling down into marriage, especially when he has a history with a lady of the court and his own point of view on the wisdom of an alliance with Scotland.

Still, an attraction between Mary and Francis is ignited. Further complicating things is Bash, Francis’ roguish half-brother, who has a history of his own - despite his illegitimate birth, Bash is his father’s favourite. And

now that Bash has caught Mary’s eye, a royal triangle may be forming. While at French Court, fierce foes and dark forces conspire to sabotage Mary’s marriage to Francis and even threaten her life, until a mysterious shrouded guide becomes her ally. With danger and sexual intrigue around every dark castle corner, Mary rallies her ladies-in-waiting and steels herself, ready to rule the new land and balance the demands of her country and her heart.

THE CAST OF 'REIGN'

ADELAIDE KAINE & TOBY REGBO

Australian actress Adelaide Kaine takes the lead role, whiledashing Toby Regbo plays prince Francis, with Megan Follows (WORLD WITHOUT END) playing Queen Catherine de Medici, the Queen Consort of France, who is willing to do anything to maintain her own

standing and power at Court, as well as that of her children. The show also has Caitlin Stasey playing Kenna, a free spirit who serves as one of Mary's ladies-in-waiting together with Celina Sinden who will play Greer. Torrance Coombs will play Sebastian, Francis’ resourceful illegitimate half brother, a favorite son of King Henry II (Alan Van Sprang). It is also interesting that one of Mary's ladies in waiting will be portrayed by Anna Popplewell, the little girl from NARNIA saga! She will play Mary's lady Lola! Rossif Sutherland plays famous Nostradamus, queen's wizard prophet! Latin heartthrobManolo Cardona joins the cast as Tomas, the dashing Prince of Portugal. He’s playful and seemingly grounded though he may have a sinister, sadistic, and completely amoral soul. Meanwhile, Katie Boland will be Clarissa, a strange and almost feral young woman who hides in the shadows as her

face is severely disfigured. Her past is a tantalizing puzzle that will reach out to change the lives around her in ways no one suspects! Luke Robertswill play Simon Westbrook, a charming but sinister English diplomat determined to destroy Mary!

DEZZY'S HISTORY CLASS

QUEEN OF THREE KINGDOMS
The life of real Mary Stuart wasn't all that bright and happy. As someone who claimed rights on three different thrones her royal life was quite dynamic: as the descendent of Henry VIII's sister (played by Gabrielle Anwar in TUDORS)

she had a claim on English throne which made her an enemy of Henry's daughter Queen Elizabeth. Mary also became French queen when her husband Francis became the king of France. But he died only a year after of ear infection and Mary returned to Scotland after that. Sadly, Scotland was in chaos being torn between Catholics and Protestants and she spent her life their plotting with Scottish lords and trying to calm down the religious situation. When, in one of the uprisings against her, she escaped to England, Elizabeth arrested her and after 18 years of custody killed her. Mary got her revenge in the way that her son James took over English throne after Elizabeth's death.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

MARVEL'S SUPER TEAM

Talking this week to "Empire" Kevin Feige from Marvel has revealed more tidbits on the characters from next year's most anticipated science fiction movie GUARDIANS OF THEGALAXY. Scheduled for cinematic release in August 2014, the movie will be set in space following an American pilot and a group of futuristic ex-cons who go on the run with a highly coveted object. Their common goal will turn them from the unlikely band of cons into superheroes and guardians of the galaxy.

STAR LORD

Peter Quill aka Star-Lord is played by Chris Pratt. The leader of the Guardians who left Earth in the mid-1980's. He had a hard time as a kid,

And now he goes around space, making out with hot alien girls and only through teaming up with the rest of the outcasts, he finds a higher purpose for himself!

GAMORA

Gamora is played by Zoe Saldana, she is the adopted daughter of Thanos and an associate of Ronan (two of the film's villains) who tries to

find a new path for herself. But she has such a reputation as the deadliest woman in the galaxy that people aren't greeting her with open arms. In the film, Saldana's body is painted green.

DRAX THE DESTROYER

Drax the Destroyer is played by Dave Bautista. He is a warrior in search of vengeance against Ronan and his only goal is to find him and kill him.

ROCKET RACCOON

Rocket Raccoon will get his voice from Bradley Cooper! A genetically engineered raccoon who is an expert marksman and master tactician. He's an experiment from one part of the galaxy!

GROOT

Groot will be voiced by Vin Diesel. Groot is a species that happens to look like trees look, and is quite communicative if you can understand the different inflections in the way he says, 'I am Groot'.

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY

THE INTERGALACTIC CAST

Other characters include Ronan the Accuser played by Lee Pace, who originally auditioned for Star-Lord. He is Thanos' admiral who hunts down the Guardians. He has a help in Nebula, played by Karen Gillan, who has a complex relationship with Gamora especially; in Korath played by Djimon Hounsou, and The Collector played by Benicio del Toro. Michael Rooker from THE WALKING DEAD plays Yondu a blue mystic hunter, member of the Guardians team. Glenn Close and John C. Reilly play leaders of Nova Corps, intergalactic military/police force. Other cast members include Tyler Bates, the composer of the music in 300 epic, who will be scoring music for GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY too! James Gunn is directing the movie.

GALACTIC TIDBITS

Karen Gillan shaved her head for the role of Nebula. Olivia Wilde and Rachel Nichols were first choices for Gamora, while all possible young

actors in Hollywood auditioned for Star-Lord: Eddie Redmayne, Wes Bentley, Garrett Hedlund, Cam Gigandet, Jensen Ackles, Sullivan Stapleton, James Marsden, Aaron Paul, John Krasinski...

THE HOBBIT THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG EPIC SEQUEL

NEW PICS OF BARD & TAURIEL!

Now, here's a Monday delight for you: gorgeous new pictures showing Luke Evans' Bard the Bowman and Evangeline Lilly's Tauriel Elf! The new images probably come from a movie book that will come out with the epic

adventure THE HOBBIT THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG this winter!

BARD THE BOW MAN
We shall meet Bard the Bowman for the first time when he comes upon the dwarves and Bilbo after they escape Thranduil's (Lee Pace) court and go to Laketown. He is one of the archers of the pompous Master of Laketown played by Stephen Fry. Bard will give the company a boat ride to LakeTown! Bard will be an enigmatic, Robin Hood-esque figure, Middle-earth's finest when it comes to arrow-skills! He is the heir of Girion, the last king of old Dale. He defends the town when the dragon comes, and slays the dragon himself. In the last film he will lead the Men of Esgaroth at the Battle of Five Armies and will be crowned king of the re-founded Dale. He also has a little son Bain!

DESOLATION OF SMAUG
After successfully crossing over (and under) the Misty Mountains, in the first movie, Thorin (Richard Armitage) and company must seek aid from a powerful stranger before taking on the dangers of Mirkwood

Forest without their Wizard (IanMcKellen). If they reach the human settlement of Lake-town it will be time for the hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) to fulfil his contract with the dwarves. The party must complete the journey to Lonely Mountain and burglar Baggins must seek out the Secret Door

that will give them access to the hoard of the dragon Smaug. And, where has Gandalf got off to? And what is his secret business to the south?
ELVEN ARCHER TAURIEL

Meanwhile, Evangeline Lilly's Tauriel is an Elven archer and a member of king Thranduil's royal guard which means that she will be

keeping an eye on the company while they're in the Mirkwood. Unlike Legolas, she's a bit more feisty since she is a young Elf.

RUSSELL TOVEY, SCOTT BAKULA

GO GAY IN HBO SITCOM 'LOOKING'

Speaking of the Hobbity things :), one of the most beloved British television faces, adorkable Russell Tovey, whom you remember as the charming and clumsy werewolf who shares a flat with a ghost and a vampire in the original BEING HUMAN show, and who was one of the early candidates to play Bilbo in THE HOBBIT, has a new gig! 'The Hollywood Reporter" writes that Russell has joined GLEE star Jonathan Groff, Scott Bakula, Frankie J.Alvarez in new HBO sitcom LOOKING! The story of the new show centres on three gay friends who search for love in San Francisco. Tovey will play an accomplished video game wunderkind who has achieved financial and critical success at a young age and who works with Groff's character Patrick! STAR TREK's Scott Bakula will play a wealthy and popular figure in the San Francisco gay community. It is interesting that delightful Russell is openly gay in his private life as well!

BBC FALL 2013 TRAILER

MUSKETEERS AND LUKE EVANS''THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY'

You can also see dashing Welshman Luke Evans in the trailer for new shows coming to BBC this Fall including his mini series THE GREAT

TRAIN ROBBERY in which he stars next to Jim Broadbent. The trailer also shows exciting glimpses into MUSKETEERS new historical show with Luke Pasqualino which will hit the small screens

soon to, and also glimpses into new seasons of SHERLOCK with Hobbit's Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch and RIPPER STREET with Matthew McFadyen!

MONICA BELLUCCI IN

EMIR KUSTURICA'S 'ON THE MILKY ROAD' WAR DRAMA

Over in Serbia, famous Serbian movie director, and two times Cannes Festival winner, EmirKusturica, is currently shooting his new drama ON THE MILKY ROAD (also known as LOVE AND WAR) with Monica Bellucci in the lead role. The three part narrative movie spreads its story across war, blossoming love and living as a recluse, following three challenging periods of the main hero's life (played by Kusturica himself), both for him and his native land: the first story is about a soldier with a task to get milk in the nearby village and take it to fellow soldiers. The second is about a woman who gives him the milk, and the third is about the ex-soldier (who became a monk after she was killed with all other guest at her wedding) who, when he finishes all daily duties, climbs up the cliff with a bucket of rocks to empty it. The movie will premiere next year at the Cannes Film Festival!

J.J. ABRAMS FOR HBO'S

'WESTWORLD' SF SHOW
In TV news today, STAR TREK and STAR WARS director J.J.Abrams will make a new sf series for HBO. WESTWORLD, the remake of the 70's movie, centres on an amusement park in the future

where humans can live out their fantasies with the help of androids. When a malfunction occurs, the robots start hunting down the humans!
FRAN DRESCHER 'HAPPILY DIVORCED' CANCELLED
Sad news come over from TV LAND where they decided, shocking the numerous fans around the world, to cancell Fran Drescher's hit sitcom HAPPILY DIVORCED! Shot in two very successful and much loved seasons, the sitcom was based on Drescher's own life, centring around a florist named Fran (Drescher) who starts dating again after discovering that her husband (John Michael Higgins) is gay and divorcing him - although the pair decide to keep living under the same roof.

'TRACKS' CLIP WITH

MIA WASIKOWSKA AND CAMELS

Your trailer for today is the first clip from unusual drama TRACKS which premiered at Veniece Film Festival and is directed by John Curran. The story of the movie is based on the memoirs of Robyn

Davidson and depicts her 1700 miles journey through the Australian desert with camels and a dog. She takes the trip to put her life back together after her husband leaves her and her mother dies. Mia Wasikowska plays Robyn Davidson while Adam Driver plays the National Geographic photographer, who accompanied her on her long journey.

THE RAILWAY MAN PICTURES

COLIN FIRTH, NICOLE KIDMAN, JEREMY IRVINE, SAM REID

Check out the first pictures from the intense war drama movie THE RAILWAY MAN which is scheduled to premiere this month at Toronto Film Festival. During World War II, Eric Lomax (played by

Colin Firth and Jeremy Irvine in his youth) is a British officer who is captured by the Japanese in Singapore and sent to a POW camp, where he is forced to work on the Thai-Burma Railway. During his time in the

camp he is tortured by an officer and meets a fellow POW (played by Ben Rossberg). Years later, and still suffering the psychological trauma of his wartime experiences, Lomax is persuaded by his wife Patti (Nicole Kidman) to find and confront one of his captors.

Accompanied by his best friend (played by Stellan Skarsgard and Sam Reid in his youth), Lomax returns to the scene of his torture and manages to track down his captor, Japanese officer Takashi Nagase (played by Hiroyuki Sanada), from the prison camp, in an attempt let go of a lifetime of bitterness and hate!

NEW BOOK ADAPTATIONS

JO BAKER'S 'LONGBOURN'
When it comes to book adaptations, two news today: Deadline reports that AngelaWorkman, known for her work on SNOWFLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN, will adapt one of our fellow blogger JoBaker's, yet to be released, novel LONGBOURN that reimagines Jane Austen’s 'Pride And Prejudice' from the point of view of the servants at the Bennet family estate.
THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS
And over at Dreamworks they've given Derek Cianfrance (THE PLACE BEYOND THE PINES) the helm behind the adaptation of THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS novel by M.L.Stedman which is set right after WW2 and follows a lighthouse keeper and his wife who find a boat washed ashore on their remote Australian island with a dead man and a baby girl inside. They choose to bury the body and raise the child as their own, with devastating consequences.

NEW POSTERS 4 BEN STILLER'S

SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY

You can also check out four new posters for heartwarming drama THE SECRET LIFE OFWALTER MITTY. This fantasy drama opens up in cinemas this Christmas starring BenStiller as an office worker who

lives inside fantasy worlds where he gets to live an adventurous life while romancing his co-worker! He sets off on a global journey to fix things when both of their jobs are threatened. Beside Ben Stiller as

Walter Mitty, the film also stars Kristen Wiig as Cheryl, Mitty's love interest, Adam Scott as Mitty's boss, Sean Penn as Sean O'Connell, an Arctic explorer, and Shirley MacLaine as Mitty's mother!

'PEAKY BLINDERS' BBC SERIES

CLIP WITH CILLIAN MURPHY

BBC has published the first clip from their new drama series PEAKY BLINDERS which debuts next week at BBC 2. The opening clip shows Cillian Murphy playing a leader of a gang on the lawless streets of post-war Birmingham. His gang, the Peaky Blinders, are named

after their practise of sewing razor blades into the peaks of their caps and are infamous for making money from illegal betting, protection and the black market. The story follows the Peaky Blinders' battles with rival gangs, Communist revolutionaries and IRA Fenians and the arrival of a ruthless police chief from Belfast (Sam Neill).

ONCE UPON A TIME CASTS

GIL MCKINNEY AS PRINCE ERIC

In other TV news today, ABC has found a man who will play yet another, methinks it's the third, prince in ONCE UPON A TIME. After Prince Charming played by Josh Dallas and Sleeping Beauty's prince Philip played by Julian Morris, Gil McKinney will play prince Eric, the love of Ariel, Little Mermaid (Joanna Garcia) in the third season of the show which will be set in the Neverland.
DAN STEVENS IN 'TOMORROW PEOPLE'
Meanwhile, DOWNTON ABBEY star Dan Stevens will voice the biological computer in CW's new sf showTOMORROW PEOPLE which follows a bunch of young people who have superpowers

for which they are being hunted down by the government. It is a remake of the 70's British show.
GRAHAM MCTAVISH IN OUTLANDER EPIC SHOW
And Starz has added two new names to the cast of their new epic show OUTLANDER which follows a woman who time travels to a 17th century Scotland where she falls in love with a hot Scot :) The hot Scot will be played bySam Heughan, who is now joined by Graham McTavish from THE HOBBIT and Gary Lewis from BILLY ELLIOTT who will play his uncles, Scottish warriors.

THE TURNING TRAILER

CATE BLANCHETT, HUGO WEAVING, ROSE BYRNE, DAVID WENHAM, MIRANDA OTTO

Since it's been a very poor week in movie news, I've been trying this week to introduce you to lots of smaller films and quality dramas, and one of those is Australian omnibus movie THE TURNING made of a number of shorter dramatic stories directed by some of Australia's famous moviemakers and starring all of Oz's biggest stars Cate Blanchett (she also directs one of the stories), Rose Byrne, David Wenham, Richard Roxbourgh, MirandaOtto, Hugo Weaving, Callan Mulvey, Mia Wasikowska... Each of the 17 stories is based on a collection of short stories by Australian writer Tim Winton. The movie hits Australian cinemas later this month!

LIZ HURLEY IS QUEEN OF

ENGLAND IN 'THE ROYALS' SHOW

A few years ago UK had brilliant mini seriesTHE PALACE in which Rupert Evans played young king of a fictional Great Britain. It was marvellous, and it seems we are getting something similar over in USA. Deadline reports that Liz Hurley has just scored the lead role in E! new drama series THE ROYALS which will focus on a fictional royal family and will be loosely based on Shakespeare's "Hamlet"! The show created by ONE TREE HILL producers, will see Liz Hurley playing the sexy, devious and conflicted Queen Helena, who struggles to cope with the death of her oldest son and the crisis of confidence this creates with her husband, King Simon, while working to deter the growing relationship between her middle son, now the heir apparent, and his American girlfriend.

LIAM MCINTYRE AUDITIONS

FOR JEDI ROLE IN STAR WARS VII?
In latest casting rumours around the upcoming science fiction movie STAR WARS VII the name mentioned for a possible role is Spartacus himself: apparently Liam McIntyre has auditioned for a Jedi role. Liam has confirmed that he has read for the role. Last week, AlexPettyfer and Rachel Hurd Wood for mentioned for the roles of Leia's and Solo's kids, while above mentioned Cumberbatch has been mentioned for a role of a Sith Lord. Liam McIntyre is currently filming HERCULES epic in which he plays a captain, and a friend of Kellan Lutz who is in the lead role.
IAN MCKELLEN IS RETIRED SHERLOCK HOLMES
Over at Screen Daily they report that Ian McKellen will play retired Sherlock Holmes in ASLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND. Retired Holmes is now living in a Sussex village with his housekeeper and her son who wants to be a detective himself in 1947. He remains haunted by an unsolved case from 50 years ago which he can only remember fragments of, a confrontation with an angry husband and a secret relationship with his wife. Bill Condon is directing. He already worked with Ian on GODS AND MONSTERS.

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH

IN 'THE LOST CITY OF Z' ADVENTURE MOVIE

Although the focus being solely on him kinda ruined STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, if you ask me, Benedict Cumberbatch is still moving full steam ahead. According to Deadline, one of his new roles might be the lead on in THE LOST CITY OF Z! To be directed by James Gray, the film will be based on the David Grann's bestselling book about Percy Fawcett, who in 1925 headed into the depths of the Amazon jungles in Brazil. Fawcett was there to map the jungle and, hobbled by malaria, he discovered a mythical city he called THE LOST CITY OF Z. Scorned by peers who claimed that this ancient kingdom was a fraud, Fawcett headed back into the jungle with his son and one other, braving the dangers of disease, insects, snakes, poison darts and other hazards to reinforce his discovery. None of them were ever seen again and it remains one of the great exploration mysteries of the 20th Century. The film was originally supposed to star Brad Pitt.

NEW BIG SCREEN BOOK ADAPTATIONS: LAUREN KATE'S 'FALLEN' WITH JEREMY IRVINE, JASON MATTHEWS''RED SPARROW', KATE ATKINSON'S 'LIFE AFTER LIFE', DARREN STAR'S 'YOUNGER', BILL SHAPIRO'S 'OTHER PEOPLE'S LOVE LETTERS' ROMANCE

FIRST PIC OF BARREL RACE FROM 'THE HOBBIT DESOLATION OF SMAUG'! GINA GERSHON IS DONATELLA IN 'HOUSE OF VERSACE'! JOANNA GARCIA IS LITTLE MERMAID IN 'ONCE UPON A TIME'! NEW NBC SHOW 'THE MYSTERIES OF LAURA'& CW'S 'SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY MAYBE' FROM LAUREN GRAHAM

TIMUR BEKMAMBETOV TO HELM NEW 'BEN HUR' BIBLICAL EPIC! JOSH HARTNETT, EVA GREEN IN 'PENNY DREADFUL' 19TH CENTURY HORROR SHOW! 1ST 'WITCHES OF EAST END' TV SHOW TEASER WOTH JULIA ORMOND, JENNA DEWAN, MADCHEN AMICK, FREDDIE PRINZE JR

KIT HARINGTON'S 1ST PIC FROM 'POMPEII' EPIC FILM! RODRIGO SANTORO & WILL SMITH TO 'FOCUS'! 'WHITE QUEEN' CANCELLED BY BBC! JAMES MARSDEN & VINCE VAUGHN ON 'BUSINESS TRIP'! NBC MERMAID SITCOM! BEN RAPPAPORT IN 'LOVE IS DEAD' SITCOM!

MARION COTILLARD IS MICHAEL FASSBENDER'S LADY 'MACKBETH'! ELIZABETH OLSEN IS SCARLET WITCH IN 'AVENGERS AGE OF ULTRON'? AMAZING 'THE BOOK THIEF' WW2 TRAILER WITH GEOFFREY RUSH! HAYLEY ATWELL JOINS 'CINDERELLA'

SPECTACULAR 'POMPEII' EPIC TRAILER WITH KIT HARINGTON, EMILY BROWNING, KIEFER SUTHERLAND! ZIYI ZHANG RETURNS TO 'CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON THE GREEN DESTINY'! JUDI DENCH & DUSTIN HOFFMAN IN BBC'S 'ESIO TROT'! OLIVIA MUNN JOINS JOHNNY DEPP, EWAN MCGREGOR IN 'MORTDECAI'

HOLLYWOOD SPY SPOTLIGHT ON ABC'S NEW SCIENCE FICTION SHOW 'SHIELD' FROM JOSS WHEDON WITH CLARK GREGG, MING NA WEN, ELIZABETH HENSTRIDGE, IAN DE CAESTECKER, BRETT DALTON

HOLLYWOOD SPY EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON 19TH CENTURY SET MOVIE ADAPTATION OF EMILE ZOLA'S 'THERESE RAQUIN' WITH ELIZABETH OLSEN, JESSICA LANGE, TOM FELTON & OSCAR ISAAC!

TEASER FOR KIRSTIE ALLEY'S NEW SITCOM 'KIRSTIE' WITH RHEA PERLMAN, GEORGE WENDT, JASON ALEXANDER, MICHAEL RICHARD! NBC'S NEW EPIC FANTASY SHOW 'EMERALD CITY'! TIMOTHY DALTON JOINS 'PENNY DREADFUL' 19TH CENTURY SHOW

'NORTH AND SOUTH' CIVIL WAR MINI SERIES REMAKE! SYFY ORDERS '12 MONKEYS' SF SHOW! NEW 'THE AFTER' APOCALYPTIC TV SHOW FROM X FILES CREATOR! NEW TRAILER FOR 'THE TOMORROW PEOPLE' SF SHOW

AARON PAUL IS JOSHUA, SIGOURNEY WEAVER TUYA, JOEL EDGERTON PHARAOH RAMSES, CHRISTIAN BALE MOSES IN RIDLEY SCOTT'S 'EXODUS' EPIC! 'DALLAS BUYERS CLUB' TRAILER WITH MATTHEW MCCONAUGHEY & JARED LETO! 'THE AFFAIR' SHOW WITH DOMINIC WEST, JOSHUA JACKSON

PREVIEWS FOR NEW FOX FANTASY SHOWS 'ALMOST HUMAN' WITH KARL URBAN & MICHAEL EALY AND 'SLEEPY HOLLOW' WITH TOM MISON, NICOLE BEHARIE! 90'S SF MOVIE 'OUTBREAK' TO BE MADE INTO NBC SCIENCE FICTION SHOW

ALEX PETTYFER, RACHEL HURD WOOD IN 'STAR WARS VII'? ROONEY MARA JOINS CATE BLANCHETT IN 'CAROL'! NEW TRAILER FOR KEANU REEVES ASIAN EPIC '47 RONIN'! DWAYNE JOHNSON IN 'LORE' FANTASY ACTION

HOLLYWOOD SPY EXCLUSIVE SPOTLIGHT ON CW'S NEW HISTORICAL SAGA 'REIGN' ON MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS WITH ADELAIDE KAINE, TOBY REGBO, TORRANCE COOMBS, CELINA SINDEN, ANNA POPPLEWELL, MANOLO CARDONA

HOLLYWOOD SPY SPOTLIGHTS THE MAIN CHARACTERS FROM 'GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY': CHRIS PRATT, BRADLEY COOPER, ZOE SALDANA, LEE PACE, GLENN CLOSE, VIN DIESEL, DAVE BAUTISTA, DJIMON HOUNSOU

GORGEOUS NEW IMAGES OF LUKE EVANS AS BARD THE BOWMAN & EVANGELINE LILLY AS TAURIEL IN 'THE HOBBIT DESOLATION OF SMAUG'! BBC FALL 2013 TRAILER WITH 'MUSKETEERS' EPIC SHOW & LUKE EVAN'S 'GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY'! RUSSELL TOVEY & SCOTT BAKULA GO GAY IN HBO'S 'LOOKING' SITCOM

MONICA BELLUCCI IN EMIR KUSTURICA'S SWEEPING WAR DRAMA 'ON THE MILKY ROAD'! 'MIA WASIKOWSKA CROSSES DESERT ON CAMELS IN 'TRACKS'! FRAN DRESCHER'S 'HAPPILY DIVORCED' CANCELLED! HBO'S NEW SF SHOW 'WESTWORLD' BY J.J.ABRAMS

1ST PICS FROM 'THE RAILWAY MAN' WITH COLIN FIRTH, NICOLE KIDMAN, JEREMY IRVINE! NEW 'SECRET LIFE OF WALTER MITTY' POSTERS WITH BEN STILLER! MOVIE ADAPTATIONS OF 'LONGBURN' & 'THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS' BOOKS

CILLIAN MURPHY IN 'PEAKY BLINDERS' BBC POST WAR SERIES CLIP! CATE BLANCHETT, ROSE BYRNE, HUGO WEAVING IN FIRST 'THE TURNING' TRAILER! DAN STEVENS IN 'TOMORROW PEOPLE' SF SHOW, GIL MCKINNEY IS PRINCE ERIC IN 'ONCE UPON A TIME'

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH IN 'THE LOST CITY OF Z'! LIZ HURLEY IS QUEEN OF ENGLAND IN 'THE ROYALS' SHOW! IAN MCKELLEN IS SHERLOCK IN 'SLIGHT TRICK OF THE MIND'! SPARTACUS LIAM MCINTYRE IN 'STAR WARS VII' AS JEDI?