News Briefs

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Wednesday, Mar. 15, 2017

Joel Coler, former 20th Century Fox VP, dead at 85

Joel Coler

LOS ANGELES --

Joel Coler, 85, a long-time former VP of advertising and publicity for 20th Century Fox International, died at the Motion Picture & Television Fund Campus on March 13 after a courageous battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Coler, a popular executive with a legacy of successful publicity campaigns and worldwide friendships, was born in the Bronx N.Y. and was a lifelong member of the Bronx Boys, a close group of friends who met at P.S. 80 in the late 1930s. He graduated from Syracuse University in 1953 with a B.A. Degree in Journalism and Sociology. From 1953-1955 he served in the U.S. Air Force and earned the rank of Captain while stationed in Ulm, Germany. After his discharge he joined the NBC network as an advertising assistant, which led to a position as assistant account executive with Grey Advertising.

In 1964 he took a job as Director, International Advertising and Publicity for 20th Century Fox, ultimately moving to Los Angeles with More

Tuesday, Mar. 14, 2017

Netflix to finish and release Orson Welles' final film

This Feb. 22, 1982 file photo shows actor and movie director Orson Welles during a press conference in Paris. (AP Photo/Jacques Langevin, File)

NEW YORK (AP) --

Orson Welles' last film finally has a home.

Netflix has acquired the global rights to Welles' "The Other Side of the Wind" and will finance its completion and restoration.

Netflix's announcement Tuesday brings to a close the decades-long mystery surrounding one cinema's greatest filmmakers. Welles began shooting the film in 1970 but never completed it. The "Citizen Kane" director died in 1985.

"The Other Side of the Wind" is a Hollywood satire about a filmmaker attempting a comeback. Its stars include John Huston, Dennis Hopper and Peter Bogdanovich, who has helped in its editing.

Producer Frank Marshall will oversee the film's completion.

Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos says he grew up worshipping Welles so releasing Welles' last film "is a point of pride" for him and for Netflix.

Tuesday, Mar. 14, 2017

SNL "Weekend Update" segment gets summer primetime run

In this March 4, 2017 photo provided by NBC, Colin Jost and Michael Che, right, appear during Weekend Update segment of "Saturday Night Live" in New York. (Will Heath/NBC via AP)

LOS ANGELES (AP) --

"Saturday Night Live" gets the summer off, but "Weekend Update" will keep the political satire coming in prime time.

NBC said Tuesday that four episodes of "Saturday Night Live: Weekend Update" will air at 9 p.m. Thursday starting Aug. 10.

Michael Che and Colin Jost, who anchor the segment, will be joined by other "SNL" cast members, the network said.

"Weekend Update" has ventured away from its late-night turf into prime time before, but political tumult makes it an especially ripe opportunity for the faux newscast.

"SNL" is enjoying a ratings bounce from milking President Donald Trump's election and the early days of his administration.

The season to date is the show's most-watched in 24 years, with viewership up 26 percent over last year and averaging 11 million weekly, NBC said.

Tuesday, Mar. 14, 2017

New Heinz ketchup ads inspired by "Mad Men"

This photo provided by Heinz shows a Heinz ketchup ad inspired by the TV show "Mad Men." The idea of the campaign, which shows foods like French fries and hamburgers up close without any condiments, is to underscore that they need ketchup to be complete. (Courtesy of Heinz via AP)

NEW YORK (AP) --

Heinz is launching ketchup ads inspired by the TV show "Mad Men."

The idea of the campaign, which shows foods like French fries and hamburgers up close without any condiments, is to underscore that they need ketchup to be complete. Kraft Heinz is noting tongue-in-cheek that the "Pass the Heinz" campaign was created by the main character of "Mad Men," ad executive Don Draper. It is also crediting Draper's fictional ad agency, Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, as well as its real-life agency.

The Kraft Heinz Co. says the campaign will run as traditional print ads, such as in the New York Post, and on outdoor billboards.

"Mad Men," a drama set in the 1960s New York advertising world, ended its seven-season run in 2015.

Tuesday, Mar. 14, 2017

"Beauty and the Beast" shelved in Malaysia despite approval

In this Feb. 20, 2017, file photo, actor Josh Gad, left, who plays manservant LeFou and Luke Evans who plays villain Gaston, pose during a promotional event for the movie "Beauty and the Beast", in Paris.(AP Photo/Christophe Ena, File)

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) --

Walt Disney has shelved the release of its new movie "Beauty and the Beast" in mainly Muslim Malaysia, even though film censors said Tuesday it had been approved with a minor cut involving a "gay moment."

The studio said Tuesday that the film has not and will not be edited for release in Malaysia.

Screenings of the live-action re-telling of the animated classic was scheduled to begin screening on Thursday.

Film Censorship Board chairman Abdul Halim Abdul Hamid said he did not know why the film was postponed as it was approved by the board after a minor gay scene was axed. He said scenes promoting homosexuality were forbidden and that the film was given a P13 rating, which requires parental guidance for children under 13 years of age.

"We have approved it but there is a minor cut involving a gay moment. It is only one short scene but it is inappropriate because many children will be watching this movie," Abdul Halim told The More

Monday, Mar. 13, 2017

"Big Bang Theory" gets spinoff about Sheldon's early years

This Feb. 7, 2017 file photo shows Iain Armitage at the Los Angeles premiere of the HBO series, "Big Little Lies." Armitage will star in “The Big Bang Theory” spinoff, "Young Sheldon," portraying Jim Parson's character Sheldon Cooper at the age of 9. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) --

"The Big Bang Theory" is getting a spinoff about genius Sheldon's early years.

CBS said Monday that "Young Sheldon" will air this coming season.

The comedy is set during the childhood of Jim Parsons' character on the original series. The precocious 9-year-old Sheldon is living with his family in Texas and attending high school.

"Young Sheldon" stars Iain Armitage, who's appeared on Steve Harvey's "Big Shots" and in the Nicole Kidman-Reese Witherspoon miniseries "Big Little Lies."

Parsons, as the adult Sheldon, will serve as narrator.

Chuck Lorre, co-creator of "The Big Bang Theory," created "Young Sheldon" with Steven Molaro. Filmmaker Jon Favreau ("The Jungle Book," Iron Man") is directing the first episode.

An air date for the spinoff was not announced.

Monday, Mar. 13, 2017

"Dragon Tattoo" follow-up coming in 2018 with new cast

In this Aug. 19, 2016 file photo, director Fede Alvarez appears at Wizard World Chicago Comic-Con in Chicago. (Photo by Barry Brecheisen/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Lisbeth Salander is coming back to the big screen in 2018, but she won't be played by Rooney Mara or Noomi Rapace.

Columbia Pictures announced Monday a follow-up to "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo" will begin production in September with a new cast, and Fede Alvarez will be the director.

It'll be based on author David Lagercrantz's "The Girl in the Spider's Web," the fourth book in the series created by Stieg Larsson. The film has been set for an October 2018 release.

Columbia released a David Fincher adaptation of "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" in 2011 starring Mara and Daniel Craig. Rumors of a follow-up with the same cast have circled for years.

Alvarez, who directed the thriller "Don't Breathe" is on the hunt for new actors.

Monday, Mar. 13, 2017

MTV Movie Awards get a reboot with addition of TV nods

In this April 12, 2015 file photo, Mark Ruffalo, from left, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Jeremy Renner, and Chris Evans present Robert Downey Jr. with the generation award at the MTV Movie Awards in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP, File)

LOS ANGELES (AP) --

The MTV Movie Awards are getting a reboot.

Network officials announced Monday that after 25 years of celebrating everything from the irreverent to the excellent in movies, they will be adding television to the lineup.

The new "MTV Movie & TV Awards" will air live on Sunday, May 7, from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

The network is also turning the run-up to the live show into a full-fledged "Movie & Television Festival" with live musical acts and a red carpet.

Chris McCarthy, president of MTV, said great storytelling and characters resonate regardless of whether they are seen in a theater or on TV.

With awards ranging from Best Kiss to Best Fight, the celebrity friendly show has also served as an annual promotional vehicle for upcoming summer blockbusters.

Monday, Mar. 13, 2017

Ed Sheeran to guest star on "Game of Thrones"

British singer Ed Sheeran performs during the Italian State RAI TV program "Che Tempo che Fa", in Milan, Italy, Sunday, March 12, 2017. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) --

Ed Sheeran will guest star in the upcoming season of "Game of Thrones."

The show's producers made the announcement Sunday night during a panel discussion at the South by Southwest festival in Texas.

Producer David Benioff told the audience that they've been trying to get the 26-year-old British singer a spot on the show for years to surprise Sheeran fan Maisie Williams, who plays Arya Stark on the HBO fantasy drama.

The seventh season of "Game of Thrones" premieres on HBO July 16.

Friday, Mar. 10, 2017

James Cameron says "Avatar" sequel not coming in 2018

In this Jan. 28, 2010, file photo, film director James Cameron poses for photos prior to the opening of the movie "Avatar" in Davos, Switzerland. Cameron says the long-awaited sequel to his science-fiction epic will not be released in 2018. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo, File)

NEW YORK (AP) --

Another year, another "Avatar" postponement. James Cameron says the long-gestating sequel to his science-fiction epic will not be released next year.

"2018 is not happening," Cameron told The Toronto Star. Cameron has been developing four more "Avatar" films simultaneously. Though "Avatar 2" had not officially been scheduled for next year, 20th Century Fox last November dated a film from Cameron's production company for Dec. 21, 2018.

That means that at least a decade will likely follow Cameron's 2009 "Avatar" before a sequel lands in theaters.

Cameron has said the scripts are done for all four films and that pre-production work continues. The director called it "an epic undertaking" ''not unlike building the Three Gorges Dam."

But he assured fans he's working hard: "We're full-tilt boogie right now," said Cameron.