Muppets guest on 'Raw'

Video: Muppets guest on 'Raw' With guest hosts like Hugh Jackman, Pee Wee Herman and Bob Barker, WWE's "Monday Evening Raw" has made an appearance as though "The Muppet Show" for quite a while. Tonight, it becomes the Muppets' show. Just like a promotion for "The Muppets" movie, out Thanksgiving weekend, Disney offered WWE its felt-covered stars for everybody as hosts in the company's weekly series, correctly enough, through the business's Halloween episode, airing live from Atlanta.WWE had extended been hunting for a approach to make use of the figures, but tend to not develop the very best reason -- until Disney greenlit the completely new Muppet movie. Nine in the film's figures, including Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy, look throughout segments of those two-hour show through which they contact WWE's wrestlers. The film's live action stars, Jason Segel and may Be will not show up. Disney desired to utilize WWE again after it arranged Jackman to host "Raw" on Sept. 19 to market DreamWorks' "Real Steel," through which he stars.That stunt wound up getting acquired by lots of media shops, giving both companies a considerable PR payback. Both companies now expect the Muppets to produce a lot more attention. WWE started marketing the Muppets' appearance on "Raw" in mid-September with promotions featuring Kermit and Miss Piggy through the business's shows and social media platforms, giving Disney several days of exposure for "The Muppets" before its bow getting a particular audience may possibly not normally achieve.Since WWE switched to have an all-PG format in 2008, the business has strongly courted families and kids to check out its programming in order to boost ratings and attendance figures of the live occasions, but furthermore create a following among a far more youthful demo it hopes will build up while using brand. Contact Marc Graser at marc.graser@variety.com

'50K' calls to thesp quartet

GrossmanRoss Patterson, Seth Grossman, Jessie Wiseman and rapper Asher Roth are starring in roadtrip comedy "50K along with a Call Girl." Grossman, who directed and created A&E's "Intervention," is helming the faux documentary from the script co-compiled by Patterson. Patterson can also be creating with Tristan Came, JP McMahon and Ivan Victor through their Street Justice Films. Film follows Patterson's character being identified with terminal brain cancer and given six days to reside. Grossman's character, his recently engaged older brother, then purports to spend the $50,000 in the wedding fund on the journey. Things get complicated once the brother's girlfriend (performed by Grossman's actual girlfriend, Lauren Aboulafia) demands on marking along along with a call girl joins the audience. Grossman's pointing credits include "Butterfly Effect 3: Facts." His newest screenwriting credit is "A Late Quartet."Patterson is developing the series "Saint James St. James Presentes Delirium Cinema" with IFC and Aperture Entertainment creating. Younger crowd starred in Recognized" and "The Brand New Guy." Patterson and Grossman are repped by Aperture Entertainment. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Showtime Wooing Men, to Develop Gambler, Executioner, Ben Silverman Projects (Exclusive)

If the latest batch of development projects is an indication, David Nevins is taking Showtime in a decidedly different direction. A year and a half into his tenure as entertainment chief, the former producer continues to add projects that not only feature male characters but also look to appeal to male viewers.our editor recommendsExecutive Suite: David Nevins It's a shift in focus from the network's Nurse Jackie, The Big C, Weeds and United States of Tara, all part of predecessor Bob Greenblatt's roster of female-skewing shows about middle-aged female antiheroes. Here's an exclusive first look at six projects Showtime has in development: PHOTOS: 10 Broadcast and Cable TV Show Most Watched By Men The Executioner: Based on the true story of Anatole Deibler, the official Executioner of Paris in the late 1800s and a celebrity in his own right. The hourlong drama takes a dark look at a conflicted man who is forced to mete out Old World justice in an increasingly modern age while grappling with death and his own infamy. Tim Sexton is attached to write and executive produce the project from Grady Twins and Warner Horizon, with Marti Noxon (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) and Dawn Parouse (Prison Break) on board as non-writing executive producers. Walking Through Walls: Based on a memoir by Philip Smith about his relationship with his father, a psychic healer. The half-hour from Groundswell is being executive produced and written by Nicholas Wootton (Chuck, Law & Order, NYPD Blue), with Michael London and Smith as a non-writing executive producer and co-executive producer, respectively. STORY: The Secret World of Hollywood Poker Untitled Nick Cassavetes Project: The hourlong drama is based on the life of Benny Binion, a well-known casino owner, mobster, poker player and convicted felon. An avid poker player himself, Cassavetes (The Notebook, My Sister's Keeper) is attached to write, direct and executive produce. Untitled Ben Silverman Project: A half-hour comedy about a family man who happens to be the editor of a racy men's magazine. Playboy editor Jimmy Jellinek will serve as an executive producer alongside Silverman on the project from Silverman's Electus. Blackout: A half-hour comedy that explores race relations through the eyes of a repressed middle-class white woman and her alter ego, a black man. John Gordillo and Reginald Hunter are attached as writers and executive producers, with Friends' Marta Kauffman and Michael Rizzo as non-writing EPs. Chess: Showing that Nevins hasn't abandoned women, he has a drama about a mafia wife who helps the FBI get rid of her husband so she can take over his business. The Bad Hat Harry production will count Jim Manos as a writer and executive producer, with Bryan Singer and Matthew Williams on board as non-writing executive producers. Related Topics Showtime Bryan Singer David Nevins

Summit in talks with McG for 'Puzzle'

Summit Entertainment is in talks with McG to direct police thriller "Puzzle Palace," penned by "Safe House" scribe David Guggenheim. Summit acquired rights to Guggenheim's pitch in March following an auction and set it up with Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen at their Temple Hill Entertainment banner. "Puzzle Palace" focuses on the son of a police officer unjustly accused of murder who decides to break into a secure police facility in NY City in search of evidence that can exonerate his father. McG's in post-production on actioner "This Means War," due out from Fox in February. Godfrey and Bowen have produced all five installments of the "Twilight" franchise for Summit with part one of "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" opening next month. McG's repped by WME. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Alec Baldwin's New Podcast is Just as Awesome as You'd Imagine

Now hear this! No, seriously, hear this: Alec Baldwin has a new NPR podcast called Here’s the Thing, which will comprise a series of conversations with the actor’s Hollywood peers and other cultural luminaries (including “makers of public policy, critics and comedians”) about “what motivates them” and “how […] they feel about what they do” — among other things. The first episode, which you can listen to below, feature Michael Douglas and is pretty much just as awesome as you’d imagine. This is what something like Inside the Actor’s Studio should be: Raconteurial aplomb without all the sycophancy, and generosity of spirit without all the fawning deference. Baldwin’s chat a few weeks ago with Matthew Broderick was a perfect tune-up for what he’s doing here — to say nothing of Baldwin’s other sterling public-radio milestone known as “Schweddy Balls” — and I can’t really wait to hear what’s next. Highlights include drunken “Greed is good” impressions and lessons from Jack Nicholson on the set of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. And there’s so much more. Happy listening! [via WNYC]

Kevin Sausage Saw 'Footloose,' Thought It 'Rocked'

Our extended national nightmare is finished: Kevin Sausage has finally seen the 'Footloose' remake and let his ideas be known all over the world. "Champion to Craig, Kenny, Julianne, Dennis, Andie, Miles, as well as the relaxation in the cast," Sausage written on Twitter in the last weekend, mentioning to director Craig Maker and stars Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough, Dennis Quaid, Andie Macdowell and Miles Teller. "U males rocked it!" Oh, Kevin u rocked it! Have a look at Bacon's 'Footloose' ticket stub this link. Sausage reaches 'Crazy, Stupid, Love' and 'X-Males: First Class' this summer season he'll next be onscreen in 2013 while using twofer of 'R.I.P.D.' (opposite Ryan Reynolds and Rob Bridges) and 'Jayne Mansfield's Car' (from director Billy Bob Thornton). [Top Photo: AP] Where Is It Now: The Cast of 'Footloose' Kevin BaconLori SingerChris PennJohn Lithgow and Dianne WiestSarah Jessica ParkerKenny LogginsDean PitchfordHerbert Ross See All Moviefone Galleries » Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

The Walking Dead: Can the kids Exist along with your family at Hershel's Farm?

The Walking Dead [Warning: This story includes spoilers from AMC's The Walking Dead as well as the comics which inspired it.] The area from the Walking Dead will expand. Carrying out a shooting of Carl (Chandler Riggs) within the close of the year 2 premiere, Ron (Andrew Lincoln subsequently subsequently) will anxiously put lower trying to find help. He'll seek solace within the farm of Hershel Greene (Scott Wilson), which houses a family group unaware of exactly how far the zombie apocalypse has spread. Gross! The brains behind The Walking Dead dissect the premiere's zombie autopsy "They feel situation a short factor," describes Lauren Cohan, whose character, Maggie Greene, will probably be introduced in Sunday's episode. "They've been really protected. When the crowd comes, they include almost all their energy and all of their news, but it takes the Greene family about a minute to obtain their mind around just what the outdoors has truly become." Hershel, the patriarch in the Greene family, will lend his understanding of helping Carl, but that doesn't imply he welcomes the presence of Ron & Co. "They're a Christian family and they wish to help, so... naturally they will probably try everything they could,In . Cohan states. "Additionally they desire to safeguard themselves and whatever they consider a secure hold. Throughout the time from the audience visiting the farm, [your family] really energizes to several things. Father especially has some large misconceptions about what's happening available." The Walking Dead looks for existence after Frank Darabont Although Cohan states Maggie can do her better and also hardwearing . peace involving the coming children as well as the Greene family, she states her character is extremely the "badass when she must be.Inch But "she's very caring and compassionate," Cohan states. "She's merely a classic digital digital rebel. In my opinion she experienced this really tough edgy stage and shunned her religion and her family. Now, she's return around, and particularly thinking about the occasions, she's coming back to obtain together with her family ... and extremely being the matriarchal estimate the Greene family." Just like the graphic novel series that inspired the show, you will notice a spark between Maggie and Glenn (Steven Yeun). "They have this kindred connection," Cohan states. "It is not that he's just smart and brave and cute and her age and available and not connected together with her. In my opinion, inside the sad method that we might die tomorrow, it's like, 'Let's do this! F--- it!' [She] and Glenn be lured by each other in addition to their relationship adds both purpose within this kind of unique world." The Walking Dead: Creator weighs in at in at in on Season 1's finest mystery And frequently will the couple's meet cute be as candidly sexual since it is in the comics? "It is really an awesome start of the physical relationship," Cohan teases. Not everyone is actually lovey-dovey relevant for this new coexistence. "Shane [Jon Bernthal] has turned into a troublemaker," Cohan states. "Shane's character is really volatile which doesn't help after they get through to the farm. The question of what's right is actually constant through this complete factor. You need to respect the fact that is Hershel's farm, but, just how can that old rules apply any more? Everybody's just trying to outlive, nevertheless the Greene family doesn't realize how important survival is prior to the group brings what is the news in the outdoors world." Shane even sitting on the Greene farm is among several departures within the comics. (Spoiler alert! Inside the books, Shane met his demise right before the group's arrival at Hershel's house.) Cohan states you will discover other versions inside the narrative, like the portrayal of Maggie. "Comic Maggie is primarily a bit more blunt," Cohan notes. "Also, [inside the comics], I don't appear like we understand Maggie perfectly until we get through to the prison. Inside our show, I appear like we understand really Maggie within the context of her family and given her background background." The Walking Dead: 10 things within the comics the cast can't wait to see Does Cohan find the fact her character remains alive inside the comics being an indication of employment? "You never know if anything's apt to be changed, however do feel excited at simply how much development Maggie will get,Inch she states. "So, I really do certainly have a very feeling that i'm apt to be around for just about any minute. "However when we put that in guides, they'll kill me tomorrow," she states getting a rather nervous laugh. "Within the finish throughout your day... whatever is right for the story is what anybody desires to happen. Stuff that happen this season, many of them will literally smack you around the mind as being a hammer." The Walking Dead airs Sundays at 9/8c on AMC.

Trust Me (Puss)

A St. Paul Film production in association with Sveriges Television, Gotlands Filmfond, Nordisk Film, Filmregion Stockholm-Malardalen and 4 1/2 Film. (International sales: Trust Nordisk, Hvidovre, Denmark.) Produced by Fredrik Heinig, Mathilde Dedye. Executive producers, Gunnar Carlsson, Bo Rehnberg, Lone Korslund, Ake Lundstrom, Karin Julsrud. Directed, written by Johan Kling.With: Susanne Thorson, Alexander Skarsgard, Philomene Grandin, Michael Segerstrom, Lotti Tornros, Gitte Witt, Lars Bringas, Michelle Meadows, Peter Carlberg, Moa Gammel, Richard Ulfsater, Vera Vitali, Gustaf Skarsgard.After winning some acclaim for his 2007 bigscreen debut "Darling," writer-director Johan Kling experiences a sophomore slump with "Trust Me." Still trawling the fest circuit more than a year past its home-turf theatrical release, this glumly misanthropic backstage ensembler is the kind of enterprise one suspects amused its makers a whole lot more than it ever will any paying customers. Thesp Alexander Skarsgard's rising international star should help snag some home-format sales. The youngish members of a theater company led by writer-director Katja (Susanne Thorson) are rehearsing her latest play, but she seems the only person truly invested in the effort. Everyone else is bored, lazy, predatory, pathetic and/or a liar, with nearly all those terms applicable to Katja's b.f. Alex (Skarsgard), who's about to find out he's impregnated another company member (Philomene Grandin). Other types involved in less-than-hilarious hijinks include the resident Don Juan (Lars Bringas), the lone plus-sized female (Lotti Tornros) and the peeping-tom landlord (Michael Segerstrom) anxious to evict them all for murky reasons. In its final stretch, the pic tries a turn toward the warm and fuzzy via improved romantic prospects and justice properly meted out. But it's much too little, too late after so much time spent with dully unsympathetic characters in quasi-farcical situations devoid of fizz. A soundtrack packed with retro jazz attempts to force some jauntiness into the proceedings, to little avail. Those who eventually rent "Trust Me" (originally entitled "Puss," or "Kiss") to feast their eyes on "True Blood's" Skarsgard will feel at least partly compensated; the actor briefly runs around clad only in a towel, then a skimpy kimono. Performers are competent if hardly challenged. Packaging is slick enough.Camera (color), Jakob Ihre; editors, Johan Soderberg, Patrik Gyllstrom; production designer, Roger Rosenberg; costume designer, Anna Grenas. Reviewed on DVD, San Francisco, Oct. 12, 2011. (In Mill Valley Film Festival -- World Cinema.) Running time: 119 MIN. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

The brand new the new sony Pictures Considering Moving Relieve Bin Laden Movie Until Following a Presidential Elections

Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal's approaching movie concerning the quest for Osama Bin Laden is not any searching as if it'll be an problem in next fall's presidential election.our editor recommendsBin Laden Filmmakers Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal Shoot Back at Republican CongressmanHow Will Osama Bin Laden Dying Impact Kathryn Bigelow's 'Kill Bin Laden' Movie?Kathryn Bigelow's Navy Shuts Project striking Theaters March. 12, 2012 PHOTOS: Stars Who've Carried out People in politics In May, The brand new the new sony Pictures acquired U.S. distribution rights for the film within the Oscar-winning team that made The Hurt Lockerand quickly set a release date of March. 12, 2012, which meant it may be striking theaters just days before election day on November. 6. But because the studio hasn't developed a formal decision, it is searching at its 2012 release schedule, such as the latest Jason Bourne movie on November. 9, which is leaning toward delivering the Bigelow/Boal film either later in 2012, most most likely following a election, or possibly in 2013. The NY Occasions first reported the pending change-of-date. The untitled film, which has not begun shooting, is becoming something from the political football, with experts charging the film which is release date specified for to boost Leader Obama's political fortunes by dramatizing his role inside the pursuit and killing of Bin Laden. STORY: Bin Laden Filmmakers Kathryn Bigelow, Mark Boal Shoot Back at Republican Congressman In August, U.S. Repetition. Peter King (R-NY), chairman in the committee on homeland security, needed an analysis into if the us government leaked classified information to Bigelow and Boal. White-colored House representative Jay Carney referred to as such claims "absurd" and "simply false" and mentioned the White-colored House had provided information for the filmmakers only round the leader's role inside the raid. Bigelow and Boal declined any partisan political motivation, emphasizing they've been concentrating on the work for quite a while which is focus isn't Obama but "the decade extended mission for Bin Laden...[and] the collective efforts of three administrations, including people of Presidents Clinton, Rose rose bush, and Obama, together with the cooperative techniques and implementation with the Department of Defense as well as the Central Intelligence Agency. Indeed, the dangerous work of finding the earth's popular guy was performed by people inside the military and intelligence cities taking their lives at risk of the greater good no matter political affiliation." Related Subjects Kathryn Bigelow Mark Boal Osama Bin Laden

Was Shakespeare a Fraud? 'Anonymous' Screenwriter John Orloff Sure Thinks So

Sony has been promoting Roland Emmerich's upcoming literary thriller 'Anonymous' with the Joker-esque tag line "Was Shakesperare a Fraud?" Which sounds like yet another insulting Hollywood dumb-down of history -- until you realize that Emmerich, 'Anonymous' screenwriter John Orloff, and his on-screen narrator, the esteemed Shakespearean actor Derek Jacobi, all believe that the answer is yes. Turns out the debate between Stratfordians, who believe Shakespeare's works were indeed written by William Shakespeare of Stratford upon Avon, and anti-Stratfordians, who don't, has been raging for quite some time. As any anti-Stratfordian will tell you, Mark Twain was one of the first writers to point out just how difficult it is to believe that the mind that produced 'Hamlet,' 'MacBeth,' 'The Merchant of Venice,' and so many other immortal works could have belonged to some knucklehead commoner from Nowheresville, England. But so far, within the Ivory Tower at least, the anti-Stratfordians have been treated like TMZ photographers at a George Clooney cocktail party. (You can find an impassioned defense of the Stratfordian view here.) The release of 'Anonymous' could change that. The movie advances an intriguing, if far-fetched, scenario involving a nobleman who has been an anti-Stratfordian favorite since the 1920s: Edward De Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford. I'll let John Orloff, whom I interviewed at length on the subject, take it from here. I know that this is a screenplay that you've been living with for a long time. Fifteen, 20 years. What was the original impetus? I was in my early 20s when I became interested in the Shakespeare authorship question. I thought, "Wow, that would be a really fantastic film." The problem was, I was young, not British, and had only written a couple of scripts at UCLA film school. It just seemed a little too intimidating. Then I met my now-wife, and she worked in the movie division of HBO at the time and would bring home these long-form, non-fiction scripts. And I would read them and say, "Fuck, these suck! This person has an agent? You're thinking of hiring this person -- you're crazy!" So I pitched her this as a movie. She said, "Yeah. If it's no good, nobody has to read it." I spent about two years, from the age of 30 to 32, researching -- also known as procrastination. The long walk to the typewriter. But it was fun. I just read everything I could about Elizabethan England, because it's such an amazingly rich culture. It's so complicated, and way darker than people think. People just go, "Oh, look, Queen Elizabeth, Golden Age." She killed anybody who was a problem. She was ruthless. And so were the people around her. So I did tons of research and finally wrote it. And did you become persuaded of any particular view? I'll be honest with you: I am a firm anti-Stratfordian. I don't think Shakespeare wrote the plays. I am a likely Oxfordian. I'm also thinking -- I'm evolving, I've spent 20 years on this and I'm wondering more about the group theory. I definitely am Oxfordian, but I think there's room for Oxford to have been part of a larger group. Let me ask you this: What's the single most compelling reason to think Shakespeare didn't write the plays? What's the single, compelling reason that he did? I'm gonna ask you, because there's not a single piece of paper that has ever been discovered that's written by William Shakespeare. But I'm asking the questions here. [Laughs] To me, there are two issues that are the nagging issues. First, there's no documentary evidence. That's a big one. We have no letters to or from William Shakespeare at all. There's not a single piece of paper that's ever been discovered, ever written by him. So, we have to assume, if Shakespeare wrote the plays, that history has done this terrible thing to us -- taken every single piece of paper he's ever written, and made them burn, or get in floods, or who the fuck knows? And we have those kinds of records for other playwrights of the time? Oh, absolutely. There are letters to and from people you've never heard of. Dante, Cervantes, these people wrote letters and said, "Wow, I'm writing this thing called 'The Inferno' and it's really hard." We have these letters. We have letters from Ben Johnson, who's a contemporary of Shakespeare. We have original poems written by John Dunn, by John Milton, by Johnson. Nothing by Shakespeare. Right, so that's one thing. That's one. Number two is education. The other problem has always been, How did the kid from Warwickshire gain the knowledge to write these plays? Because whoever wrote the plays had to speak Greek, Latin, Italian, and French. That's just a fact, because Shakespeare had a tremendous amount of source material that was not yet translated into English. As an actor, wouldn't he have been exposed to a lot of oral traditions, so he could've heard these stories from other cultures without necessarily reading Greek? No, no, because you can get into very specific minutiae of Greek poetry that are used in Shakespeare's plays. That aren't just sort of, "Oh, let's talk about making a play, and oh, yeah, I remember this great Greek poet that nobody's heard of that said blah blah blah -- why don't we use that? Why don't we steal that?" I don't particularly think that works. OK, let's hear another reason. All of Shakespeare's characters, all of his heroes, are noblemen. They are not servants -- as opposed to Ben Johnson, for example, who's the exact opposite. Johnson was a commoner and wrote about common men. Shakespeare's characters are nobles, and they know things about falconry, a nobleman's sport. When you get into the totality of that, you start to say, Where did this person, from Warwickshire, get this education? But Shakespeare's plays have people from every caste. Name some of the names of the lower caste. Falstaff. Impotent. Bottom? I mean, he makes fun of these characters. Those aren't the heroes. Those are the people that are made fun of in his plays. And it's a classist piece of work, Shakespeare's work. It is pro-nobility. It also happens to be pro-Tudor. They're very political pieces of work. OK, so the evidence gives you reason to doubt that Shakespeare wrote the plays. Now let's talk about Oxford. That gets interesting. In 1920, I think it was, a guy [J. Thomas Looney, author of 'Shakespeare Identified'] said, "I don't buy this Shakespeare." Now you have to remember, Mark Twain wrote a whole book on why he didn't think Shakespeare was the author of those plays. The last book he ever wrote was called 'Shakespeare's Debt.' His basic thesis was, "I could not have written about the Mississippi had I not been a Mississippi River boat pilot. My life experiences are what made those books work. And there is no way you're going to tell me that the kid from Stratford had the life experiences to write 'Hamlet,' or whatever play you want to insert here." So in the early 20s, this guy said let me just do some research.' He discovered this man named Edward de Vere, the 17th Earl of Oxford, who was claimed by several contemporaries to be the greatest playwright of his time but who had to use a pseudonym. We have a document that says that. There's a document that says that? Oh, yeah. That doesn't mean he wrote the Shakespeare plays. All of the evidence is circumstantial. There is no smoking gun. The closest to the smoking gun is the Geneva Bible. We have De Vere's Bible where he underlines things, and those things that are underlined happened to end up in the plays. Is it a smoking gun? No, it's just one more little tiny piece. Anyway, so this guy Thomas Looney said, "Let's think of it like a murder mystery. What are the things that the guy who wrote the plays would've had to have been?" Well, the languages I told you about. He was probably a lawyer, because the law in Shakespeare is incredibly accurate. He probably went to Italy, because there are a dozen plays set in Italy, and they're pretty fucking accurate about what the place and time was like. He probably knew the ocean, because there's so much sea-craft metaphors in the plays. He probably was a nobleman, for reasons you can argue with. So he finally came across this guy Edward De Vere, and he starts reading this guy's biographies and learning about him, and he goes, "Holy fuck! It's Hamlet!" Everything that happens to Hamlet happened to Edward de Vere. Everything that happens to Prince Hal and Falstaff happens to De Vere. You can go on and on and on, and suddenly you're not talking about these plays as though they've come out of the ether, like they're imagined out of nowhere, which you have to say if Shakespeare wrote them. You kind of say, It was like God touched him and he made this shit up out of nowhere, right? I noticed in the film that there are a couple of parallels -- there's a Hamlet-killing-Polonius moment in De Vere's life, for instance. You picked up on that! Polonius in 'Hamlet' is Burghley, the David Thewlis character -- everybody agrees. Whether you are a Stratfordian or an Oxfordian, Polonius is a caricature of Lord Burghley. Lord Burghley's daughter is this woman named Anne. Polonius' daughter is this woman named Ophelia. Oxford marries Anne; Hamlet is in love with Ophelia. The whole speech that Polonius gives, "Neither a lender or a borrower be," is an actual caricature of a letter that Lord Burghley wrote to his son. We have that piece of paper, and it's almost the same thing. Like Hamlet, De Vere's father died when he was 12, 13. His mother married six months later in an over-hasty marriage. He was captured by pirates when he was 20 years old -- no, he really was! I think his cousin is named Rosencrantz, I can't remember, first cousin, second cousin. I mean, there's all this shit where you just sort of go, 'Oh, wow!' And what happens is, suddenly you see reason for things in the plays. So you resisted the urge to embellish -- the screenplay is as factually accurate as you could make it, is that a fair assumption? It is. You could have gone in and said, "OK, I'm going to make a dramatic case and pull the five most famous things from Shakespeare's plays and make them happen in De Vere's life," and you decided not to do that. No, my thing was, this movie is not going to -- it's not built to prove the case. This is not a documentary, it is not a book. It is a piece of drama, and it should first and foremost tell a really, really cool fucking story. It should be thematically driven, because all the best movies are thematically driven. They're not plot-driven, they're not trying to prove anything. They're just trying to get you emotionally engaged and maybe speak to a wider truth. I mean, I happen to be an Oxfordian, I happen to be an anti-Stratfordian, but as I worked on it and as I got older and as Roland and I worked on it, it becomes about something else. The movie's really about, Is the pen mightier than the sword? Is might more powerful than intellect? I mean, it's kind of trite to say the pen is mightier than the sword, but it's not trite. Right now, we're in a struggle about intellect versus might, you know? Are ideas more important than power? As Johnson says in the film: "If anyone ever remembers any of us, it's because of these plays." And he's not wrong. In the film, Shakespeare is portrayed not just as not the author of the plays but as a complete buffoon and horrible person. Tell me about that choice and are you concerned about that? No, I love that. What's interesting is that I wrote the movie before 'Shakespeare In Love' came out. So my initial idea was: I'm going to make him like a movie star. He's going to be like Brad Pitt. And then, of course, Joseph Fiennes made 'Shakespeare in Love' and we all thought, "Oh my God, Shakespeare is a sexy, young, hot guy." So that idea was kind of gone. That was taken. But I had already written Shakespeare as ambitious and aggressive. So then I just sort of made the choice: well, what are actors like? Well, you know, they're ambitious, they're self-obsessed. I just made him an actor. You know you're going to piss off a bunch of people, but beyond that, do you have a goal of gaining acceptance for the anti-Stratfordian view within the academy? Absolutely. Listen, I have no issue with somebody who's a firm Stratfordian. The evidence does point that way. I just happen to think it's not beyond a reasonable doubt. There is a conversation to be had, and hopefully the movie will open up the conversation. Even if at the end of the day, you say, "That's all hogwash. Shakespeare wrote the plays. Orloff and Emmerich are all fucking crazy" -- well, at least we had the conversation. At least we've talked about Shakespeare's plays in a meaningful interesting way. But it does tip the scales of the conversation a bit, to have a however-many-million-dollar popular film on your side. But there's already been a however-many-million-dollar fictional film with Joseph Fiennes and Gwyneth. Nothing's true in that film. That's their version of what happened, and here's our version of what happened. And yes, you're right: cinema gives the patina of legitimacy to everything. And you're right: that's one of the goals I wanted to have with this movie. Let's say, "Hey! You know what? There's another story here that may be true and maybe we should talk about this." I remember being in seventh grade reading 'Romeo and Juliet' for the first time and reading that seven-page biography about the author, William Shakespeare, not realizing that those seven pages are all guesses. We know nothing about Shakespeare, really. Not even seven pages' worth. What we do know has been stretched into thousand-page biographies of guesses and assumptions and must-haves. That was the biggest thing for me, like, Wait a minute, you're presenting facts to me that aren't facts. They're guesses. At least say they're guesses and go from there. And so you can do the same thing with the facts available to you. Exactly. 'Anonymous' is in theaters on Oct. 28 [Photo: Sony Pictures/Columbia Tri-Star] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

'The Great Gatsby' Scheduled for Christmas 2012 Starts Leonardo DiCaprio Against Themself

For Leonardo DiCaprio fans, it appears like Christmas originates early. Occasions two. Warner Bros. introduced on Friday that 'The Great Gatsby,' with DiCaprio playing charge role of Jay Gatsby, will get to theaters on 12 ,. 25, 2012 -- within 24 hours that 'Django Unchained,' with DiCaprio co-starring because the villainous slave owner Calvin Candie, hits theaters. Totally reasonable planning, everybody! To become fair, The Weinstein Company has already established 'Unchained' looking for next Christmas since June. The Quentin Tarantino-directed release is staffing up a significant cast -- additionally to DiCaprio, the film co-stars Samuel L. Jackson, Christophe Waltz, Kurt Russell, Don Manley and Jamie Foxx because the titular revenge-seeking slave -- and really should start filming sometime this season. Which is the reason why this decision by Warner Bros. even more curious. The studio already includes a major December 2012 release arranged using the first 1 / 2 of Peter Jackson's two-part 'Hobbit' adventure 'The Hobbit: An Unpredicted Journey' hits theaters on 12 ,. 14, 2012. Not just that, but December 2012 is packed with five other major releases: 'Les Miserables' (with potentially Hugh Jackman and Russell Crowe in lead roles), 'Great Hope Springs' (with Steve Carell and Meryl Streep), Judd Apatow's non-follow up follow up to 'Knocked Up,' Ang Lee's 'Life of Pi' and 'World War Z' with Kaira Pitt all open between 12 ,. 7 and 12 ,. 25. Now 'The Great Gatsby' will slide inside to compete for holidays movie dollars? Did director Baz Luhrmann get it in the contract that Warner Bros. must release his ambitious three dimensional re-imagining of 'The Great Gatsby' on Christmas? Possibly. By now, both DiCaprio films will open together. Thinking about there's still 14 several weeks before potential pile-up really happens, expect in the event that changes before really happening. Starring Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan and Isla Fisher, 'The Great Gatsby' will hit theaters on 12 ,. 25, 2012. [via Deadline] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook RELATED

WATCH: Milo Ventimiglia, Michael Biehn Go Nuts inside a Basement in Apocalyptic Trailer for that Divide

You realize which underrated actor I really like? Michael Biehn. You realize which other underrated actor I really like? Milo Ventimiglia. (Gilmore Women forever!) Therefore the tense, bloody trailer for Xavier Gens’ apocalyptic horror pic The Divide virtually had me in the beginning, before Biehn and Ventimiglia faced off for charge of a roomful of children bunkered lower inside a basement following the world outdoors apparently gave in to Sarah Connor’s nightmare nuclear blast from Terminator 2. Watch a clip and obtain more midday goodies in today’s Buzz Break. ScarJo’s hacker is glad he got caught, and places blame his crippling dependence on entering the privacy of celebs for the entire mess. On video. Poor guy. Superstar cyber-terrorist: They’re much like us. [TMZ] Should you skipped it, this brilliant little bit of snarky Occupy Wall St.-designed celebrity photo captioning warrants your clicks. [Globe and Mail] Find out if you accept this ranking of Kevin Cruz’s films, worst to best. [Nerve]

The Walking Dead

Filmed in Georgia by Circle of Confusion, Valhalla Entertainment, Darkwood Prods. and AMC Studios. Executive producers, Frank Darabont, Gale Anne Hurd, Glen Mazzara, David Alpert, Robert Kirkman; co-executive producers, Greg Nicotero, Evan Reilly; producers, Scott Gimple, Denise Huth, Tom Luse; directors, Gwyneth Horder-Payton, Ernest Dickerson; writer, Ardeth Bey; based on the graphic novel series by Kirkman, Tony Moore, Charlie Adlard;Rick Grimes - Andrew LincolnShane Walsh - Jon BernthalLori Grimes - Sarah Wayne CalliesAndrea - Laurie HoldenDale - Jeffrey DeMunnGlenn - Steve YeunCarl Grimes - Chandler RiggsDaryl Dixon - Norman ReedusT-Dog - Robert "IronE" SingletonCarol - Melissa McBrideSophia - Madison LintzThe behind-the-scenes tumult surrounding "The Walking Dead" and departure of showrunner Frank Darabont certainly isn't evident from the first two episodes, including a 90-minute premiere that niftily reestablishes the premise and characters while containing one sequence that's a modern gem of prolonged suspense. As constituted, the series is the strangest of constructs -- a post-apocalyptic soap opera, in essence, with enough of an "ick" factor to attract men. Ambling back in plenty of time for Halloween, one suspects the ratings will also provide AMC with an early Christmas present. It's easy to forget there were only six episodes of "Dead's" maiden run, a short order that probably helped immeasurably by not overstaying the show's welcome. Among those who won't be sticking around is Darabont, whose script for the opener is credited to the pseudonym "Ardeth Bey," a.k.a. the Mummy. Backstage drama notwithstanding, the new batch (and avoiding spoilers amounts to writing with one hand gnawed off by zombies) continues too explore the strained group dynamics, challenge maintaining faith in the face of horror and questions whether the central band can ever find anything approaching peace and security. (Answer: Not as long as we need more episodes, so suck it up, whiners!) To their credit, the producers adapting the graphic novel have managed to create tension on two distinct fronts: One involves avoiding the ravenous zombies walking the Earth, and the other centers on the fate of Sheriff Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) and his wife Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies), who had a dalliance with Rick's friend and partner, Shane (Jon Bernthal), when she thought her hubby dead. Those unsettled situations persist, and it's a good thing, because in truth, "The Walking Dead" meanders for long stretches without much really happening. Yet the constant threat -- zombies around every corner, Lori and Shane's past being exposed -- hovers uncomfortably over everything. Beyond a couple of truly gut-churning moments courtesy of the special-FX wizards, the second season showcases the topnotch cast the producers have assembled, as well as the program's skill milking terror in broad daylight. Perhaps the biggest hurdle facing "Walking Dead" is that without a ray of hope -- some "Omega Man"-like potential for survival -- the series becomes a bleak death march, waiting to see which if any of the regular characters are expendable, or if the casualties will be confined to bit players and guest stars, like the red-shirted crewmen on "Star Trek." For now, though, this AMC drama deftly straddles those lines -- and, for a show with "Dead" in the title, appears to have a whole lot of life still in it.camera, David Boyd; production designer, Greg Melton; Ardeth Bey; editors, Julius Ramsay, Hunter M. Via; music, Bear McCreary; makeup FX, Nicotero, Howard Berger; casting, Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas. 90 MIN. Contact Brian Lowry at brian.lowry@variety.com

Lenser Andrew Laszlo dies

Emmy-nominated cinematographer Andrew Laszlo, who shot "The Night They Raided Minsky's," "The Warriors," "First Blood" and Star Trek V," as well as the miniseries "Shogun," died Oct. 7. He was 85. Born in Papa, Hungary, Laszlo started as a camera apprentice at the Motion Picture Studios of Budapest when WWII began. He and his family were sent to a Nazi concentration camp, and he was the clan's sole survivor; in 1947 he immigrated to the U.S. and became a freelance still photographer. Drafted into the U.S. Army, he served in the Signal Corps as a combat photographer during the Korean War. After working for a producer of industrial films in Pittsburgh, he began work in television during the mid-'50s, at first as a camera operator on "The Phil Silvers Show." He was cinematographer on "Naked City" in 1962-63 and later on the series "Coronet Blue." Laszlo made his feature d.p. debut on "One Potato, Two Potato," shot the documentary "The Beatles at Shea Stadium" and then worked as with a young Francis Ford Coppola on the latter's 1966 film "You're a Big Boy Now." In 1968 he lensed William Friedkin's "The Night They Raided Minsky's." From that point Laszlo was in demand as a cinematographer for more than two decades. His next bigscreen projects included Arthur Hiller's "The Out of Towners," Herbert Ross' "The Owl and the Pussycat" and "Somebody Killed Her Husband." For TV his efforts included Delbert Mann's 1973 telepic "The Man Without a Country," drawing an Emmy nom; miniseries "The Dain Curse"; and epic mini "Shogun," for which he picked up a second Emmy nom. Laszlo shot three films for director Walter Hill: "The Warriors," "Southern Comfort" and "Streets of Fire." Other bigscreen work during the 1980s included Sylvester Stallone starrer "First Blood," MGM documentary "That's Dancing!," "Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins," "Poltergeist II: The Other Side," "Innerspace" and "Star Trek V: The Final Frontier." His final films, in the early 1990s, were "Ghost Dad" and the musical "Newsies." Laszlo was busy in other spheres as well. He had formed Andrew Laszlo Prods. as a producer of commercials, and he taught other cinematographers. In addition, he was the author of several books, including, with Andrew Quicke, the text " Every Frame a Rembrandt: Art and Practice of Cinematography" in 2000. His autobiography, "Footnote to History," was published in 2002, and he also wrote a novel. He is survived by his wife, Ann; three sons and a daughter; and five grandchildren. Donations may be made to Hospice of Southwestern Montana or the Smile Train. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Fox 2000 Boards Walden Media's Gerard Butler Surfing Pic 'Of Men and Mavericks' (Exclusive)

Walden Media's Gerard Butler surfing drama Of Men and Mavericks has landed a studio -- Fox 2000 -- while Elisabeth Shue and Abigail Spencer are joining the cast. Fox 2000 will co-finance and distribute Of Men and Mavericks domestically. Curtis Hanson is scheduled to start shooting later this month in Northern California. STORY: Gerard Butler in 'Machine Gun Preacher': What Critics Are Saying Of Men and Mavericks follows a chapter in the real-life story of young Northern Californian Jay Moriarty, a world champion surfer and adventurer who made his reputation surfing Marvericks north of Half Moon Bay before dying in a diving accident at age 22. Gerard plays local surfing legend Frosty Hesson, who mentored and trained the young Moriarty, played by Jonny Weston. Kario Salem and Brandon Hooper penned the script. EXCLUSIVE: Gerard Butler Sued By Evil Twin for $2M Spencer will play the role of Frosty's wife, while Shue will play Moriarty's mother. Hanson is producing the pic with Hooper, Jim Meenaghan and Mark Johnson, while Butler will executive produce with his manager Alan Siegel. Of Men and Mavericks will detail how Moriarty's persistence, discipline and potential transform Frosty from a reluctant mentor into a father figure. As their bond strengthens, Moriarty learns to push his limits. EXCLUSIVE: Gerard Butler to Star in FBI Thriller 'The Bricklayer,' Based on the Novel by Noah Boyd Spencer will be seen in Sam Raimi's upcoming Oz, the Great and Powerful;This Means War; and The Haunting in Georgia. She's represented by ICM, Untitlted Entertainment and Gretchen Rush, Hansen, Jacobson. Shue will next be seen opposite Jennifer Lawrence in Relativity's horror pic House at the End of the Street, which opens April 20, and in Janie Jones opposite Alessandro Niovla. She's represented by CAA. Related Topics Abigail Spencer Gerard Butler Movie Casting