Alexandre Aja Craving Great Love

In predicts direct the vamp thrillerAside in a single sci-fi blip along with his planned adaptation of manga/anime series Cobra, Alexandre Aja seems firmly devoted to developing horror-designed characteristics. Because though Great Love appears like whether it's a brief side trip into romantic drama, it is Aja searching to acquire his teeth in to a little vampire action, because of the graphic novel.Warner Bros. acquired the rights to Tomm Coker and Daniel Friedman's Image Comics series last This summer time, likely to show the genre mash title in to a film.Love finds a classic soldier falling for just about any youthful lady. She calculates to become part of the fang club, which might discourage many paramours, but our hero decides he helps you to save her. Sadly for him, meaning coping with her creator, a effective bloodsucker protected by an military of particularly dangerous monsters inside the Hong King Underworld.Coker and Friedman are actually hammering away inside a script, which Aja is at discussions to direct. His latest writing/creating job, horror remake Maniac, features Elijah Wood as serial murderliser Frank Zito too as with is becoming slaughtering its way using the editing process. This may be bloodying up our cinemas just before the entire year is going. He's also working up a movie version of Joe Hill's ace scare tome Horns.

'I Go Nuts, Crazy!' George Clooney's 1986 Tiger Beat Profile is really a Moody, Amusing Jewel

Everyone recognizes that George Clooney started around the Details of Existence within the mid-1980s. However in the quarter-century prior to the once and perhaps future Oscar-champion and all sorts of-around Hollywood royal's media profile placed morning-show house tours and magazine covers from Esquire to Vanity Fair, where was the 25-year-old Clooney developing his public persona? Where else? Tiger Beat! Before this week's Oscar build-up, the indispensable film-culture resource Looker points us towards the heartthrob repository and it is revelatory Clooney feature from Feb 1986. Areas of it seem uncannily familiar - the Descendants star's self-effacing charm ("I went outdoors during my rabbit suit shouting, 'What's happening?' and that i was referred to as Chicken Little for any very long time!"), bachelor swagger ("I am really bad in a lasting relationship - you are able to tell because I have didn't have one!") and bracing humbleness ("I do not think I dislike anything relating to this business aside from the very fact tat you will find a lot of stars unemployed!") all come through noisy and obvious. But other areas from it from it are just like, "Say whaaaa?" To wit: George Clooney has (or had, anyway) a temper! Along with a large vehicle: "However ,, particularly in e-commerce, you are always around the edge, things are so temporary. Sometimes, if I am driving my vehicle and also the guy before me really wants to turn left as he wasn't signaling for any turn, Among the finest to ram into him! Time passes nuts, crazy! I've this large Oldsmobile that may drive over everything and that is things i seem like doing. [...] I've this bumper sticker on my small vehicle because I broke the dashboard with my fist: 'Don't be worried about things you do not have treatments for.AInch Priceless. Which bit about "time personallyInch: "I really like my new apartment and being there just hearing music or studying my script." Your move, Kaira Pitt. [Looker]

TV vets continue to lead pilot casting

Though much has been made in recent years of film stars migrating to starring roles on the smallscreen, the familiar names in this year's pilot casting continue to come mainly from the TV world. Looking back on the past week, Ryan Phillippe is the most prominent thesp primarily from features to take a flyer on a pilot, signing on for the untitled CBS detective drama from Nick Wootton and Greg Berlanti that previously booked Chi McBride. Malin Akerman will co-star with Portia de Rossi on ABC comedy "The Smart One," and Shawn Ashmore ("X-Men: The Last Stand") will play a supporting role in Fox's untitled project from Kevin Williamson that stars Kevin Bacon. For longtime TV fans, the most noteworthy casting of the week, if not the year, would be Ann Guilbert -- who played Millie Helper on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" -- joining CBS' untitled comedy from Louis C.K. and Spike Feresten. Beyond that, the big names in recent days remain those recently seen on other TV shows, including Sarah Bolger, Ryan Hansen, Kristin Kreuk, Ali Larter, Zachary Levi, Mike O'Malley, Terry O'Quinn, Jonny Lee Miller, Becki Newton, Kal Penn, Autumn Reeser, J.K. Simmons, John Stamos, Michaela Watkins and Madeline Zima. ABC nabbed several of those names, including O'Quinn, the "Lost" stalwart who has recently recurred on "Hawaii Five-0," for "666 Park Avenue," the David Wilcox-penned pilot about supernatural occurrences in a historic NY City apartment building. In a reunion of Showtime actresses, Blythe Danner positioned herself for her first series regular role since "Huff," joining the 19th-century set "Gilded Lillys" from K.J. Steinberg (with Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers also exec producing), alongside Bolger ("The Tudors") and Zima ("Californication"). Penn ("House") and Watkins ("Saturday Night Live") are both joining ABC comedy "Prairie Dogs," from Jackie Filgo and Jeff Filgo, about a relationship between an identity theft victim and criminal, while Simmons ("The Closer") joined "White Van Man," the Britcom adaptation by Bobby Bowman that has Kyle Bornheimer as its lead. Also for ABC, Reeser ("No Ordinary Family") booked passage on nuclear sub drama "The Last Resort," starring Andre Braugher; Dania Ramirez ("Heroes") clocked in for Marc Cherry's "Devious Maids"; Mimi Kennedy, the character actress recently seen in "Midnight in Paris," joined Judy Greer starrer "American Judy"; and Nick Kocher ("I Just Want My Pants Back") landed in the Alphabet net's untitled single-cam comedy from Adam Sztykiel. And Jean Smart, most recently recurring on "Harry's Law," will play the mother of the Akerman and de Rossi characters in "The Smart One." NBC focused mainly on TV resumes with its latest casting as well. "Rescue Me" vet Steven Pasquale will star in "Do No Harm," about a neurosurgeon who has a dangerous alter-ego, with Alana De La Garza ("Law and Order"), Ruta Gedmintas ("The Borgias") and Mousa Kraish also cast as regulars. Michael B. Jordan will partner with showrunner Jason Katims for the third time, following up stints on "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood" with hospital drama "County," starring Jason Ritter. Agam Darshi ("Sanctuary") and Jess Weixler took supporting roles. Brenda Song ("The Suite Life on Deck," "The Social Network") and Christine Woods, a past regular on "Perfect Couples" and "FlashForward," will appear in "Daddy's Girls," the multicam comedy from Dana Klein about a young woman whose father is dating the mean girl from her high school, also starring Nicky Whelan (Australia's "Neighbours") and Cedric Yarbrough ("Reno 911!"). Ethan Embry ("Brotherhood") joined the ensemble of Shaun Cassidy's Western drama "The Frontier"; Aubrey Dollar ("Women's Murder Club") scored the lead role in Hilary Winston's untitled workplace comedy; and Heather Burns ("Bored to Death") will play a supporting role on "Save Me," the single-cam religious comedy from John Scott Shepherd starring Anne Heche. And for Greg Daniels' NBC adaptation of Blighty's "Friday Night Dinner," Aya Cash ("Traffic Light"), Kevin Bigley and Gil Ozeri joined the cast. CBS' other casting moves include Miller ("Eli Stone") taking the lead role in Rob Doherty's modern-day take on Sherlock Holmes, "Elementary," while Michael Urie ("Ugly Betty") will co-star with Sophia Bush ("One Tree Hill") in "Partners," the comedy about two male colleagues whose relationship is like a marriage. Parvesh Cheena ("Outsourced") was the first person cast in "Friend Me," a comedy from Alan Kirschenbaum and Ajay Sahgal. Fox revved its casting gears on several shows, with Hansen ("Party Down") taking the lead on David Guarascio/Moses Port comedy "El Jefe"; Larter ("Heroes") is doing the same for Josh Friedman's "The Asset," about a unique CIA agent; and Newton ("Ugly Betty") inked a deal for comedy "The Goodwin Games," written by Craig Thomas and Chris Harris. Having just wrapped five seasons on "Chuck," Levi took the lead role in ensemble comedy "Let it Go," written by D.J. Nash, about a young father, while Stamos ("ER") joined previously announced T.J. Miller on comedy "Little Brother," with Gillian Vigman ("New Girl") and Rosa Salazar ("Parenthood") also cast. O'Malley ("Glee") will end up appearing on-camera in the pilot he wrote for Fox, "Prodigy Bully," about a child prodigy from a working-class Massachusetts family. Mike Vogel ("Pan Am") and Michael Friedman will load onto "Living Loaded," while Malcolm Barrett ("Better Off Ted") and Hayes MacArthur ("Perfect Couples") bounced into "Rebounding." Over at the CW, longtime "Smallville" heroine Kreuk committed to half the title package of the reinvented "Beauty and the Beast," from Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper, and Stefania Owen ("Running Wilde") joined "Sex and the City" prequel "The Carrie Diaries." Susanna Thompson ("Kings"), Willa Holland ("The O.C.") and Katie Cassidy ("Melrose Place") were added to "Arrow," the Green Arrow drama starring Stephen Amell. Contact Jon Weisman at jon.weisman@variety.com

Pilot Season: NBC Orders Hannibal Right to Series Also Accumulates Well known

Bryan Larger NBC has given a set to Hannibal, an adaptation of Thomas Harris' novel Red-colored Dragon, from Pushing Daisies' Bryan Larger. The contemporary thriller will feature classic figures in the novel, including FBI Agent Will Grahagm and the mentor, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, both who're reintroduced at the outset of their budding relationship. Larger will write and executive-produce alongside Martha DeLaurentiis. Pilot Season: Obtain the scoop! In pilot news, NBC has additionally purchased Well known, an opulent cleaning soap where a female detective returns undercover towards the wealthy family she was raised in - because the maid's daughter - to resolve the murder from the well known heiress who had been once her nearest friend.Mercy's Liz Heldens authored the pilot and can executive-produce with Gail Berman, Lloyd Braun and Gene Stein.

U taps rookie helmer for 'Dracula' pic

Gary Shore is in early negotiations to make his feature directorial debut with Universal Pictures' "Dracula Year Zero." Pic is described as a mixture of vampire mythology that revolves around the true story of Vlad the Impaler and the possible origins of Dracula. Sam Worthington had long been attached to topline the film but his involvement is suspect now. Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless wrote the latest draft of the script and Michael De Luca will produce through his Michael De Luca Prods. banner. Universal exec Kiska Higgs will oversee the project for the studio. Shore, who's best known for his short "The Draft," is repped by CAA and Anonymous Content, while ICM reps the writers. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

NBC Pulls Fear Factor's Donkey Semen Episode

Fear Factor Donkey semen won't be offered for the moment.NBC has attracted Monday's episode of Fear Aspect in which categories of twins have to drink two servings of donkey semen to achieve success to a different round. A repeat will air rather.Examine out photos from Fear FactorThe network did not have discuss the ultimate-minute change, but, according to TMZ, Comcast, NBC's parent company, had reservations about airing the episode following a gossip site reported particulars in the task on Friday.Fear Factor host Joe Rogan taunted the job to Entertainment Weekly lately and was unsure themselves once the episode would start to see the light of day. "It's so crazy and absurd," he mentioned. "After they described, I really thought they were joking at first. I am unsure where the debate is, but NBC is not confident that they're prone to air it."

Yahoo offers Sundance shorts

Yahoo is busting into Sundance in a move to capitalize on the high-profile fest, offering access to nine short films on Sundance.yahoo.com and allowing viewers to vote for their favorite. The company, which has been seeking aggressively to raise its profile in original content, said Thursday that starting today through Jan. 27, Yahoo Screen will host a selection of shorts premiering at Sundance and chosen in close collaboration with the festival. Yahoo will present the winning filmmaker of the inaugural Yahoo Audience Award with $5,000. The winning film will also be given prominent placement on Yahoo, and all will remain accessible on Yahoo Screen for six additional weeks. Yahoo said its Yahoo Movies is a top destination online for movie fans, with more than 26 million users per month. Its omg! is among the most-visited celebrity news sites. "Yahoo is the home for major entertainment events online, and this year we're bringing film buffs with us to one of the world's most significant film festivals," said Mickie Rosen, senior VP of Yahoo Media Network."Some of the best filmmakers started their careers developing short films, and now our audience has the chance to pick what could be the next big name in the film industry," she said. The films include "'92 Skybox Alonzo Mourning Rookie Card," "Aquadettes," "The Arm," "Debutante Hunters," "Dol," "Henley," "Long Distance Information," "Odysseus' Gambit" and "Una Hora por Favora." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com