Warner Bros Assumes Hugh Hefner Pic, Jerry Weintraub To Create

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros is matching an legendary film subject by having an legendary producer. The studio has had over Playboy, a task about Playboy Magazine founder Hugh Hefner, with Jerry Weintraub overtaking the film as producer. The film came from at Universal with Imagine Entertainment, in which the studio attempted for quite some time to inform the storyline of methods Hefner developed from the puritanical upbringing being the godfather from the sexual revolution. Throughout that point, Hefner used playboy to champion civil privileges and freedom of expression, putting James Brown on his show Playboy At Night when nobody put black entertainers on national television. While Universal had filmmakers like Brett Ratner attached at some point and stars like Robert Downey Junior. and Hugh Jackman pointed out as possibles to experience Hef, the project languished. At Warner Bros, this marks a conference of a few old-style legendary men, Hefner and Weintraub. The Sea’s Eleven producer, who cut his teeth marketing Elvis, Frank Sinatra and Bob Dylan, put their own colorful existence story in to the memoir After I Stop Speaking, You’ll Know I’m Dead: Helpful Tales from the Persuasive Guy. Cinemax switched it in to the Cinemax documentary His Way. Wentraub wouldn't disclose what a part of Hefner’s existence he'll cover, and that he refused that Harry Potter scribe Steve Kloves has been spoken to like a potential film writer, when i’ve heard may be the conversation happening at this time between your studio and also the scribe. Stay updated.

Yahoo to debut original comedies

Yahoo has introduced the debut of original comedy projects including "First Dates With Toby Harris," featuring Seth Morris (Funny or Die) "Sketchy" (Electus/Principato-Youthful Entertainment) and "7 Minutes in Paradise," with "Saturday Evening Live" author Mike O'Brien (Broadway Video). The comedy slate is similar towards the female-specific selection of programming Yahoo first showed in fall 2011. Yahoo Galleries also produces "Odd News," an every week wrap from the oddest tales from around the world, located by comedian Greg Proops. All of the new comedy shows will air survive the comedy funnel in the company's new movie destination, Yahoo Screen. Additional comedy shows set to produce within the next couple of days including "Hackerazzi" (David Morgasen) and "Burning Love" (Vital Pictures/Red-colored Hour). The comedy funnel on Yahoo Screen was formally released using the live broadcast of "CrazyStupidPolitics: Bill Maher Live From Plastic Valley," a totally free online standup comedy broadcast. The comedy slate may come as 1000's of lay offs might be imminent at the organization, based on a study Monday within the AllThingsD blog. The huge cuts come several weeks after new leadership was installed at Yahoo using the intent of engineering a turnaround at the organization, including new Boss Scott Thompson and multiple new visits one of the board of company directors. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

The CW Casts Its Animal, Adds To First Cut

Within the U.S. debut, Australian actor Jay Ryan has showed up a guys lead opposite Kristin Kreuk inside the CW drama pilot Beauty As Well As The Animal. Loosely using the eighties CBS series, CWs Beauty As Well As The Animal is known to love a contemporary-day romantic love story getting a procedural twist. It concentrates on Catherine (Kreuk), a hard-minded NYPD homicide detective haunted by seeing her moms murder nine in the past as well as the killings quick demise consequently of the Animal. After a period of searching, Catherine finally finds your pet, Vincent Koslow (Ryan), the survivor from the military experiment that went disastrously wrong, and becomes the protector of his secret existence like a hero. Gary Fleder is pointing the pilot, put together by Jennifer Levin and Sherri Cooper. Levin and Cooper are executive creating withthe creator in the original series, Ron Koslow, the first series producers Paul Junger Witt & C. Anthony Thomas, additionally to Bill Haber. Ryan, who spent 3 years on Australia’s popular cleaning cleaning soap Neighbours, did an arc round the first season of Fox’s Terra Nova, which shot Here. Aja Naomi King remains cast inside the CWs Jennie Snyder Urman medical drama pilot also called First Cut, of a lately minted female physician your hospital. King, repped by Gersh as well as the Group, may have a surgical intern.

Charles Shaughnessy Returning to Days of Our Lives

When Bachelor host Chris Harrison told us hometown dates would change the pecking order of the remaining women, he wasn't kidding. Not only did season-long front-runner Kacie fall from near the top, but she was also cut from the competition completely. We checked in with Harrison, who explained why Kacie's parents weren't the only factor in her demise and why Ben is headed for trouble on next week's fantasy dates. Read More > Other Links From TVGuide.com The BachelorChris HarrisonCourtneyKacie B.Lindzi C.

Beyonce Has 'A Very Good Part' In Peter Berg's 'Battleship'

For a lot of, the inclusion of celebrity Beyonce in Peter Berg's approaching "Battleship" stays out just like a strange choice. Not for Berg, though. The director spoken with MTV News recently and mentioned that he's surprised that "nobody had ever considered to use Beyonce" before he gained the telephone call. "I used to be a massive fan of her videos," Berg told MTV at Toy Fair now. "Clearly she's sexy, but she'd this real intensity. I'm like, 'Someone's getting her.' " For his first winding up in Beyonce, Berg appreciated: "In along with her, she showed up a T-shirt and jeans, no makeup, very natural. She was like, 'Look, If only to become an actress. Don't hug my ass. Too in my opinion. Push me. Treat me when you would almost every other actor. Help make me good.'" The finish result? "She's really, great in 'Battleship,'" mentioned Berg. "She's a very strong part." Berg mentioned that he's interested in artists purchasing and selling inside their vocals for lines around the movie set, stating several past success tales of music tales who made the leap for the silver screen. "I've always supported artists as stars. I'd good results with Tim McGraw in 'Friday Evening Lights' and 'The Kingdom.' Artists are actually acting since Frank Sinatra won an Oscar for 'From Here to Eternity,' " he mentioned. "Barbra Streisand, Kris Kristofferson, the late Whitney Houston, I believed, was tremendous in 'The Bodyguard.' As recently as Mariah Carey in 'Precious,' she was great." What can you consider Beyonce in "Battleship"? Reveal inside the comments section and also on Twitter!

EuropaCorp laughs with 'Love'

Luc Besson's EuropaCorp is rolling out sales on "Love Lasts Three Years," its highest-profile comedy hit at January's Unifrance Paris Rendez-vous.EuropaCorp has pacted for Germany with Prokino, Russia with Cinema Prestige and Turkey with Bir.In a parallel move, Jaimie Alexander ("Thor") has been cast in female lead role in EuropaCorp's upcomming thriller "Intersection."Written by Gallic novelist and media celeb Frederic Beigbeder, EuropaCorp's "Love Lasts" centers on a wise-cracking social gadfly, who's written a book claiming love lasts three years, but then falls for his cousin's beautiful wife (Louis Bourgoin).Released by EuropaCorp in France on Jan. 18, "Love Lasts Three Years" has grossed 3.8 million ($5 million) in its first three weeks.In 'Intersection," Alexander plays a rich newly-wedded wife who conspires wih her lover to kill her husband Frank Grillo ("Gangster Squad"). Her plans go awry when her husband and lover are involved in a multiple car crash in the middle of the Moroccan dessert.Screenwriter David Marconi ("Live Free or Die Hard," "Enemy of the State") is attached to direct."Intersection" lenses in late February in Morocco. EuropaCorp is selling the pic at the European Film Market. Marie-Laure Montironi, EuropaCorp international sales head, said just before Berlin that she was in advanced negotiations to close Germany and Benelux, both now key territories for French films.Though best-known for its high-testosterone thrillers, EuropaCorp produces films across a wider range than it is often credited for -- from feature debuts ("Love Lasts Three Years") to art pics (Xavier Giannoli's "In the Beginning"), comedies and animation (Bibo Bergeron's "A Monster in Paris")."Having a diversity of projects allows for a diversity of options to offer to international distributors and broadcasters, both free-to-air and pay TV. It's a big strength," said Montironi. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

New trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man

Following yesterday's sneak peek footage of The Amazing Spider-Man, a new trailer has now gone online showing off Pete and Gwen's chemistry, web-slinging galore and a big, green monster...The new trailer fleshes out the character of Peter Parker a little, touching on his daddy issues (Curt Connors, Ben Parker and to a lesser extent, Captain Stacy all appear to represent certain aspects of that missing father figure) and his burgeoning relationship with Gwen Stacy.Check out the new trailer below... Yesterday we told you that director Marc Webb was looking to play up Spidey's humorous side, and from the wise-cracking antics on display here, it seems that's exactly what he's done. The exchange with the car thief is particularly chucklesome...The action looks nice and meaty too, with the Lizard wreaking havoc across Manhattan on a scale that has buildings toppling left and right. And then there are the reliably thrilling skyscraper-swinging scenes, which never fail to get the adrenaline pumping.Most exciting, however, is the sense that all the major roles are perfectly cast. Andrew Garfield strikes a good balance between cocky and troubled, Emma Stone looks a spiky love interest, and Rhys Ifans is given free rein to chew the scenery to pieces! It really feels like a good blend of ingredients.The Amazing Spider-Man opens in the UK on 4 July 2012.