Chris Weitz Spinning Cinderella

For director Mark RomanekLast August, we introduced word of Disney attempting to snag the expertise of Never Allow Me To Go director Mark Romanek to tackle a brand new version of Cinderella compiled by Aline Brosh McKenna. Now it appears that he's a minimum of attached, and can work from the script re-compiled by Chris Weitz.This new undertake Cinders first popped up this year, spurred by the prosperity of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland and also the current trend to re-imagining favorite anecdotes. For the time being, a button Home is keeping the particulars under systems, but we all do realize that it'll tweak a few of the story's famous elements.Weitz isn't any stranger to fantasy, though his large passion project, an adaptation of Philip Pullman's The Golden Compass, did not remove in the box office and also the planned trilogy delayed. Younger crowd directed the 2nd Twilight film, New Moon. More lately, he won popularity of immigrant drama A Much Better Existence, which powered Demian Bichir to some Best Actor nomination only at that year's Academy awards.There is no word on who might star within the new Cinderella, but Disney will definitely be wishing it eventually ends up with another Alice-level success on its hands.

The Most Effective 20 Showrunners to follow along with together with on Twitter

Josh Hopkins Is Cougar Town's Grayson departing Jules? Josh Hopkins has grew to become part of the cast of Lady Pals, Kari Lizer 's NBC pilot. Pilot Season: Have the scoop! Inside the comedy, two female pals, Nicole (Andrea Anders), who apparently gets the perfect existence, and Jen, who can't have the symptoms of it together, can't do without each other. Hopkins may have the husband of Nicole. As formerly introduced, Rachel Dratch and Danny Comden may even star. Lady Pals is at second position to Cougar Town, meaning if ABC renews the flagging comedy, Hopkins will stay within the cul-p-sac crew. Meanwhile, Hopkins will rapidly guest-star on In Plain Sight. Exclusive: Cougar Town's Josh Hopkins to romance Mary on In Plain Sight Cougar Town creator Bill Lawrence taunted what is the news earlier Tuesday. "Letting my cast do aircraft aircraft pilots in second position," he tweeted. "Wanting they get parts, then have to be transformed (like Damon Wayans Junior. Happy Being/New Girl... I'm still betting we'll survive, which pilot will probably be screwed. However I am an positive guy." The Completely New Adventures of Old Christine' Lizer will write and executive-produce.

Roush Review: Silence Might Have Been Golden within the Oscars

Cherie and Dork These were given stuck around the broken-lower bus, but married clowns Dork and Cherie Gregg were ultimately not-tied round the Amazing Race by... math. Designated with calculating the normal weight from the mind of cattle in the pen using extended division, Dork got so stuck the cattle were eventually removed out. "Not in the million years [did In my opinion we'd be removed because of math]! Not in $millions of even!" he notifies TVGuide.com. Why couldn't he decipher it? And what went lower for his or her bus? Uncover below.Amazing Race's Misa and Maiya: We didn't know very well what to look forDid you believe math would can you in? Cherie: Never! We're fans in the Race, and then we seen plenty of prior seasons then when it found math, we view people using hands hand calculators to change gold over. We'd a calculator, but i was not allowed for doing things. Which we did things just before the Race, like Brain Age, that have simple math, that have simple information, while not extended division.Dork: So when there has been any math tasks, i had been gonna have Cherie do them, nevertheless the clue mentioned, "Where's the beef?" I thought it had been an eating plan challenge, therefore i was ready to have a cow!Dork, possibly you've been bad at math or has it really been way too extended since you have carried out extended division?Dork: Both really. I'd trouble at school with math with my dyslexia. ... Used to do formerly reverse things. Which is been, like, 2 decades since i have have attempted extended division, when I desired to make it happen, I literally inverted the process and was dividing from to left rather than left to right. I merely saved carrying it out over and over again and may not determine what I used to be doing wrong. Which I didn't determine whether I used to be counting the cows wrong.Cherie: And nowadays, we use hands hand calculators, personal computers and smart phones to separate stuff. Plus, we are some of the earliest teams which is been a while since we've experienced school. The cows were also throughout each other, and that means you couldn't count well.Could it have been discouraging seeing them empty the cattle pen?Dork: Yeah, however understood I desired to persevere. Eventually they removed the bins and so they just provided different difficulties with different levels of cattle. I made a decision to check dividing left to right and voila! ... I didn't who's, nevertheless it needed a few several hours. I needed a relaxation, got a little water, walked back out of this but got into it.Cherie: I used to be so happy he wasn't crying or upset. It was not recuperating from anxiety. If you're blank, you're blank. He was joking around to relieve the strain. I understood it absolutely was disturbing him, but he wasn't getting upset round the outdoors, so when he did, I could have been crying.Perhaps you have figure you're last in those days?Cherie: Yeah, however i was wanting for just about any non-elimination. Then when we have arrived, we didn't determine whether the next bus had passed us. However, if they needed the cows away, i had been were enjoy, they'd not required the cows away if there has been more teams coming.Amazing Race's Phil Keoghan on premiere's crazy finish: It absolutely was most likely probably the most bizarre Pit Stop everDid you hear Andrew and Joey joining up and conspiring to help you escape?Gaga: I didn't. In those days, I used to be so tunnel-visioned on acquiring the mathematics right. They were getting trouble themselves and people request, "Why didn't you synergy together?Inch I felt appreciate it was the blind leading the blind. It was not a guess. It must be an exact number.Cherie: They made an appearance as though the three Stooges since they all elevated minimizing the steps with guesses. These were given a good deal wrong.Dork: After I figured of joining tabs on them, they were gone.What went lower along with your bus window?Dork: It absolutely was a double decker [bus], and downstairs it was subsequently really hot and upstairs was nice awesome there. ... [The attendant] came lower and shut lower the entire system and restarted it. The awesome air showed up downstairs plus an hour later, when the sun went lower, boom! We hear the snap in the window. Really the only factor I really could consider that happened maybe it was literally gave to the stress of thermodynamics and basically skyrocketed within the temperature changes.Cherie: I believed something hit [it]. ... Of the question shattered and blew in. Fortunately, the twins, who've been behind us, moved upstairs to awesome off because one of these simple wasn't feeling good. His brother then elevated to judge him, so fortunately they weren't present. Next, we're able to have no sleep because every hour . 5, riding on the bus would stop and tape of the question and you also would hear [the wind].Dork: It absolutely was an 18-hour bus ride which i was probably on for 22.Amazing Race's Phil Keoghan: You'd be crazy not to watch because of Large Brother's Brendon and RachelDo you think you could have been safe had that doesn't happened? Dork: In my opinion so. To tell the truth, I'd have experienced a lot more sleep! People do not understand that you're really running on fumes and adrenaline. You'll find occasions if you want to use that adrenaline and when you have to push it away. When you're in a task, you have to push it away.Why didn't the truth is the look in the cell inside your box within the Detour?Dork: Adrenaline! We have got the ultimate box, and then we just clicked up el born area ... and went for the last set-up area, which was the farthest up. We thought there'd be instructions inside, but there have been not, and then we just started up.Cherie: I had been the ultimate to achieve our area, but Dork thought to only fill the pot half way with water. It only required to whistle we was without make tea for 10! And then we were the second after that even though i had been last to achieve. So together we work effectively together. While not divided!No pun intended. What is happening now?Cherie: Still clowning around! We are the ambassadors of laughter for Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey's Circus. Our next top is [Kentucky] and that we are wanting to obtain along with Bopper and Mark. I had been just in Mobile, Ala., which we're able to meet up with Kerri and Stacy. We will probably schools, libraries and hospitals and becoming free educational programs of a month just before the Circus involves town. And that we are simply being grateful for that lives and our opportunity to create our dream be realized while using Amazing Race.

Uk Police Chief States Culture At Murdochs Sun Introduced To Illegal Obligations

The completely new Sunday edition of Rupert Murdochs Sun newspaper offered 3.26 million copies if the first demonstrated inside the Uk yesterday, in line with the News Corp chiefs Twitter feed. Probably the most fascinating new development such as the tabloid can be a charge today that came from from Sue Akers, the deputy police commissioner controlling research into alleged illegal practices by journalists. Akers told the Leveson Inquiry into Uk media ethics there “appears to own been a culture under the sun of illegal obligations” to cops additionally to individuals in the military, the us government together with other public organizations. (The Sun's Sun rays is controlled with the News Corp-possessed News Worldwide.) In line with the Protector, Akers suggested there's a network of corrupted government bodies that journalists under the sun could take advantage which one official received greater than $126,500(80,000) over a long time. Following Akers testimony, Murdoch gave the following statement: “She mentioned evidence suggested such obligations were authorised by senior staff under the sun. After I’ve made very apparent, we have vowed to accomplish everything we could to access the feet of prior wrongdoings to have the ability to set us on course money for hard times. That process is well showed up. The practices Sue Akers known to within the Leveson inquiry are the type of history, with no more exist under the sun. We have already emerged a far more effective company.” In related news, a News Worldwide email read within the inquiry signifies that Scotland Yard informed government bodies at Murdoch-possessed papers dating back 2006 that phone hacking had happened in news reports Around The World — but was limited to one reporter, royalty editor Clive Goodman.The information showed up an e-mail seen by Andy Coulson, who in those days edited the tabloid, and Rebbekah Brooks, who then went The Sun's Sun rays.Individually, it absolutely was says singer Charlotte now now Chapel can get $950,000 (600,000) from News Worldwide following the other day’s settlement of her phone-hacking suit from the organization. It absolutely was says detective agency Glenn Mulcaire, who labored for NOTW,had the U.S. numbers of her agent and publicist among his notes. The presence of people amounts will make it harder to contain further law suits to Britain.

From the ball game

Stacy Keibler, George Clooney, Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux unwind in the Evening Before party. Minka Kelly and Rosario Dawson Viola Davis and Julius Tennon with Tom Hanks Ryan and Britta Kavanaugh meet Can Be and Timothy Olyphant. Paula Patton, Kate Hudson and Fergie Michael Douglas and Ken SchererBryan Cranston and Ben Stiller Saturday's tenth annual Evening Before party adopted two traditions: wall-to-wall showbiz heavyhitters inside a high-energy mood, as well as an evening of impressive fund-raising. The fete in the Beverly Hillsides Hotel elevated $5.5 million for that Movie & Television Fund, contributing to a lot more than $50 million elevated in the past nine occasions.MPTF's Ken Scherer saluted Jeffrey Katzenberg for those that he's done, including his idea for that event about ten years ago. "It is Jeffrey's vision with this type of party," stated Scherer.Following the first event in 2003, Katzenberg stated, "I believe we hit a house run."And also the home runs ongoing Saturday by having an all-star team attending. Steven Spielberg and Stacey Snider brought within the Reliance group including Anil Ambani. J.J. Abrams talked with George Lucas, while Meryl Streep huddled with Ron Meyer. Elton John literally knocked into Taye Diggs.Wendi Deng got her apple iphone -- including a Hello Cat situation -- to consider an image of George Clooney, Stacy Keibler and Li Bingbing, but Katzenberg gallantly required the apple iphone and clicked the photo so Deng could join the audience.One of many representing the professional branch were Jim Gianopulos, Ryan Kavanaugh, Leslie Moonves, Take advantage of Moore, Shaun Robinov, Wealthy Ross, Tom Rothman, Shaun Small, Howard Stringer and Harvey Weinstein.Also interacting were Chris Columbus, Christopher Dodd, Mike Gores, Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, Laurie MacDonald and Walter Parkes, and Ron Nicita and Paula Wagner. The thesp region was large and incorporated Leonardo DiCaprio, Gary Oldman, Octavia Spencer, Emma Stone and Max von Sydow.MPTF's Bob Beitcher said, "All of the galleries, the heavens, film, television, independent producers, studio professionals are here. It is the one event where they are able to come, they are fully aware there is no paparazzi, they are totally protected, they are able to speak with one another pretty freely."Searching to another ten years, Beitcher stated, "You never know? But we must keep reinventing ourselves." Indeed, the MPTF lately introduced the aim of raising $350 million for that fund.Out of the box now tradition, Evening Before partygoers had themselves captured pics of using the Target dog, although Chris Rock introduced, "I am a Walmart guy." Contact Shalini Dore at shali.dore@variety.com

Live Nation tallies rev, income gains

Live Nation Entertainment posted a 6.3% increase in revenue and a 20.7% gain in adjusted operating income for the fiscal year ended Dec. 31, the company reported Thursday. In its fourth fiscal quarter -- traditionally a comparatively slow period for the concert biz -- revenue dropped 4.2% and adjusted operating income slowed by 10.7%. In the last fiscal year, LNE's revenue climbed to $5.38 billion, up from $5.06 billion in 2010. Adjusted operating income rose to almost $438 million from $362.8 million the previous year. Adjusted income from the company's concert business grew nearly 97% in 2011, to $30.3 million from $15.4 million the previous fiscal year. Ticketing rose 17.6% to $272.1 million, up from $231.3 million in 2010. The Artist Nation management division climbed a slim 1.5% to $47.2 million, from $46.5 million the prior year. Q4 concert revenue declined 12.1% to $694.4 million, while ticketing revenue increased 6% to $323.4 million. Despite flattening fourth-quarter revenue and income, LNE president-CEO Michael Rapino said in a statement, "The concert business is off to a great start in 2012, driven by a solid early lineup of artists and healthy ticketing demand. We believe that the industry has stabilized and expect the overall market environment to be much the same in 2012, with the fans' passion for our products mitigating any ongoing economic uncertainty." The company also announced Thursday that it was entering the Japanese market with the formation of Live Nation Japan, a joint venture with Tokyo promotion firm Creativeman. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

WGA Honours (Live): Modern Family, Homeland, Colbert Report, Cinema Verite, Too Large To Fail

BREAKING… Refresh for latest… La and NY The Authors Guild of America, West (WGAW) and also the Authors Guild of America, East (WGAE) are announcing the winnersfor outstanding achievement inwriting for that screen throughout 2011. Those who win is going to be honored in the 2012 WritersGuild Honours tonight throughout synchronised events in the Hollywood Palladium in La and also at B.B. King Blues Club in NY City. The authors of contemporary Family wonforComedy Series, andSteve Levitanexclaimed, “We are worried that individuals are tired of us [winning]. Possibly youcan focus your backlash elsewhere. As a result, we requested our authors to every say whythey don”t seem like those who win tonight.” After which numerous Modern Family scribes referred to their greatest regrets: “I be worried about the near future happiness of the kids, specially the body fat one.” “I write a show about associations, half my money would go to myfirst wife, another would go to the 2nd.” “I have 24 months left within this business, especially afterthey discover my real age.” Levitan assigned off, “I produced the show STAT and also have to reside with this.” In the LA event, a who’s who from the film and television industry arruved.”Welcome to Nerd Promenade,” host Zooey Deschanel welcomed the visitors. “Male authors, you're so hot together with your minds and plaid t shirts.Hit on me.”Presenters incorporated Tom Selleck, Lisa Kudrow,Mad Males creator Matt Weiner, Desperate Average women creator Marc Cherry. In-front seats areLuck creator David Milch, Oscar-nominated author John Logan also up for any WGA nom for modified script of Hugo, Mission: Impossible 4 director Kaira Bird, and Youthful Adult star Patton Oswalt fresh from his hosting responsibilities last evening in the ACE Eddie Honours. And Deadline Hollywood have a shout-out. “Get ready for a lot of F-tanks: it’s the kids’s Episodic Award” saidDeschanel presenting the happy couple of presenters from the award, “Mad Males” Creator Matt Weiner andthe show’s child star Kiernan Shipka. Shipka toldWeiner that they really wants to “sink her teeth into meatier roles,” after which killedthe crowd with Faye Dunaway’s “No wire hangersEVER” monologue from MommieDearest.After she ended it to laughter and applause, Weiner remarked to her,”Where had you been after i was on Becker?” Amy Poehler from Parks and Entertainment and also the show’s creator Michael Schur,presented comedy variety series. The 2, who met on SNL, recalledtheir ‘woeful’ writing experiencesthere — the way they spent hrs doing Lorne Michaels imitations and crying how their parents never respected their existence decesions. The Honorary Service – Morgan Cox Award went toPatric M. Verrone. “I don’t have to let you know who he's,” stated Michael Reiss from the Simpsons writing staff. “Pat is really a 2-time WGA leader. Thanks tohim, he got me within the union, any adverse health pension, along with a copy of Compiled By which Iread in the mailbox towards the trash. He's a gifted artist and goes tochurch weekly. That is a lot more than you creeps.”Best referred to as leader throughout the WGA strike, Reiss notedhowVerrone “looks like Hitler”. Verrone acquired around the jokeduringhis acceptance speech.”I wish to thank the anonymous bloggers on Deadline Hollywood who comparedme to Hitler,” Verrone stated. “To them I wish to say –well, I don’t am getting at.” The Assistance film writer-director Tate Tayloraccepted the Special Achievement -Paul Selvin Award and nicely spokeout against individuals negative people out there who belittled him and also the Help book author Kathryn Stocket – two whitened people — for writing a tale concerning the Black experience with 1963. “It is really a person’s to tell a tale,” stated Taylor. “The Help was fond of individuals women within our lives. My need to write The Assistance,arrived from my passion for Carol Lee, the [Black]lady who assisted raise mewith my broke mother. I authored The Assistance on their behalf. When someone creates from love, truth, and recognition, there is a to tell astory. We lose when we give into society’s criticisms.” Carrying out a thirtysomething clip, Marshall Herskovitz and Edward Zwick recognized the Special Achievement – PaddyChayefsky Award and cordially remembered the fun of writing together,getting first done the ABCshow Family. Herskovitz reflected,”When you're a 27, you are able to’t make a career. And also at 57 you are able to’t remember it.” Zwick stated, “There’s a great deal to be stated about writing with another person. It's permitted us to complete together what we should are scared to complete alone.” Movie Those who win Coming… TELEVISION Those who win COMEDY SERIES Modern Family, Compiled by Cindy Chupack, Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Carol Leifer, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Serta OShannon, Jeffrey Richman, Kaira Walsh, Ilana Wernick, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker (ABC) EPISODIC COMEDY Caught in the process (Modern Family), Compiled by Steven Levitan & Jeffrey Richman (ABC) NEW SERIES Homeland – Compiled by Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Nick Johannessen, Gideon Raff, Meredith Stiehm (Showtime) Lengthy FORM ORIGINAL Cinema Verite – Compiled by David Seltzer (Cinemax) Lengthy FORM Modified Too Large To Fail – Compiled by Peter Gould, In line with the book compiled by Andrew Ross Sorkin (Cinemax) COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) SERIES The Colbert Report, Authors: Michael Brumm, Stephen Colbert, Wealthy Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Take advantage of Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Serta Guterman, Peter Gwinn, Jay Katsir, Craig Julien, Frank Lesser, Opus Moreschi, Tom Purcell, Meredith Scardino, Scott Sherman, Max Werner (Comedy Central) COMEDY / VARIETY MUSIC, Honours, TRIBUTES Special offers Following the Oscars, Mind Authors: Gary Greenberg, Molly McNearney Authors: Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, John N. Huss, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Due To Jimmy Kimmel, Jonathan Kimmel, Jacob Lentz, Danny Ricker, Richard G. Rosner (ABC) ANIMATION Homer the daddy (The Simpsons), Compiled by Joel H. Cohen (Fox) DAYTIME DRAMA General Hospital, Compiled by Meg Bennett, Nathan Fissell, David Goldschmid, Robert Guza, Junior., Karen Harris, Elizabeth Korte, Mary Sue Cost, Michele Val Jean, Susan Wald, Tracey Thomson (ABC) CHILDREN’S EPISODIC & Special offers Hero from the Shadows (Supah Ninjas), Compiled by Leo Chu, Eric S. Garcia (Nickelodeon) NEW MEDIA NOMINEES ACHIEVEMENT On Paper ORIGINAL NEW MEDIA Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 4, Episode 5, Episode 6 (Goal High), Compiled by Heath Corson & Richie Keen (cambio.com/goal-high) ACHIEVEMENT On Paper DERIVATIVE NEW MEDIA A Brand New Day, Information, Neighborly Advice, Step Mother, Everything Dies (The Walking Dead), Teleplay by John Esposito, Story by John Esposito and Greg Nicotero (amc.com) VIDEOGAME NOMINEES VIDEOGAME WRITING Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deceptiveness, Compiled by Amy Hennig (The new sony Computer Entertainment) (*There have been no nominees this season within the following WGA groups: Kids Lengthy Form or Special and tv Graphic Art.) Movies qualified for any WGA Award were showed theatrically not less than 1 week in La throughout 2011 and were written underneath the WGAs Minimum Fundamental Agreement (Master of business administration) or within genuine collective negotiating agreement from the Australian Authors Guild, Authors Guild of Canada, Authors Guild of The Uk, Irish Playwrights & Screenwriters Guild or even the Nz Authors Guild. Theatrical scripts created underneath the jurisdiction from the WGA or perhaps an affiliate Guild should have been posted for WGA honours consideration. Documentaries qualified featured an onscreen writing credit and were showed theatrically in La or NY for just one week throughout 2011. Credited documentary authors were needed to become listed on the WGAWs Nonfiction Authors Caucus or even the WGAEs Nonfiction Authors Caucus that need considering, but scripts do not need to happen to be written under WGA jurisdiction for consideration.

'Star Wars' Fan To George Lucas: 'Stop Having Fun With My Yoda!'

The release date from the Exorcist: Episode I The Phantom Menace in 3-D originates and gone, as well as the news is not so competent for Mr. George Lucas. Even though film didnt exactly underperform within the opening weekend (it needed in $22.5 million), three other new films did better. fourth place: theres not just a medal for the. I cant condition that Im surprised most grownups who've already seen the film probably wouldnt decide to notice again, during 3-D. As well as the new generation of youthful moviegoers was likely depressed by Journey 2: The Mysterious Island. Personally, there will not be any trip to the megaplex to check out Menace once again round the silver screen. But my avoidance of Episode I has little associated with midi-chlorians or Mike Lloyd or Jar Jar Binks. Its because of most likely probably the most heinous, sacrilegious act perpetrated with the Creator: the CG-ification of Yoda. Lucas seems very proud that he could replace the Yoda puppet in Episode I getting an electronic version to make sure that lucrative matches his options in Episodes II and III. Evaluating it for the relaxation in the new trilogy, my estimation of Menace have been, It's not good, but no less than that certain retains old-school Yoda. Now it doesn't obtain that. I am in a position to accept a lot of the changes Lucas makes for the Alien films over time, but that certain actually was tough will be able to take. Personally, Puppet Yoda might be the only real Yoda. CGI Yoda can suck it. Brooklynite Christopher Scheer, another Yoda fan, totally confirms with me at night. Hes just a little biased though hes a puppeteer. Best job ever, right? CGI allows you to definitely certainly do a new challenge, like have Yoda hop around as being a badass, Scheer values. However think that we have lost much more if this involves Yodas expression and presence inside the moments, because its this prefabricated, very elaborate computerized illusion instead of puppetry. It's not that Puppet Yoda is any longer real than Digital Yoda. Youre talking about whether a puppet that a person has his submit which is making your way around is a lot more realistic when compared to a computer image, states Scheer. Nevertheless the puppet remains undertaking instantly and theres still a artist there following his impulses and creating subtleties inside the performance. There's an excellent of performance that we dont think you can actually get with CGI. The Puppeteer has spoken, nonetheless its too far gone my beloved Yoda remains labored another blow. As Ive mentioned formerly, The Creator has every to mess along with his own creation. But Mr. Lucas, if you're listening, If perhaps youd remember these wise words: If when you begin lower the dark path, forever will it dominate your future consume you it'll. Air your Yoda issues inside the comments section and also on Twitter!

Joint venture puts Energy into pic plan

Management company Energy Entertainment has launched Energy Independent, with an eye toward developing, financing and producing two to four features per year. Energy Independent is a joint venture between Energy owner Brooklyn Weaver and SkyRock Venture, a financing and distribution company. Skyrock was founded by Paul Rock and Sameera Eligeti, who lead a consortium of high net worth investors. Venture takes a "quality" over quantity" approach, with clients becoming producing partners. First up is "Picture Book," a supernatural thriller written by Ben Magid ("Thirteen") with Alexis Wajsbrot & Damien Mace ("Red Balloon") attached to direct. Weaver is producing, with Rock and Eligeti exec producing alongside Magid. "Picture Book" centers on the mysterious happenings in the mansion of a famous children's author. The story is reminiscent of 2001's "The Others," with a supernatural twist. Energy Independent is also negotiating several filmmaker deals, with two expected to be consummated in the next 30 days. Deal was brokered by the Paradigm Motion Picture Finance Group. Energy is producing found-footage project "Thirteen," which Universal bought pre-emptively last month and set up with U-based Strike Entertainment. WME and Energy also teamed last month's spec sale of scribe Brad Ingelsby's actioner "Run All Night" to Warner Bros. in a pre-emptive deal. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Auditions Announced For New Duncan Sheik Musical in Development

Melanie Lockyer is casting teen and adult actors for a developmental workshop of "Because of Winn-Dixie," a new musical from Tony Award-winner Duncan Sheik ("Spring Awakening") and Tony-nominee Nell Benjamin ("Legally Blonde"). The musical adaptation of Kate DiCamillo's children's novel of the same name, with music by Sheik and book and lyrics by Benjamin, is intended for Broadway.Plans for a Spring 2012 reading were announced in December, and dates are now confirmed for early March. John Tartaglia, the Tony-nominated star of "Avenue Q," will direct. This developmental workshop will be followed by an out-of-town tryout, before a possible Broadway opening. Equity principal auditions will be held Friday, February 17 in NY City."Because of Winn-Dixie" tells the story of Opal, a young girl who gains confidence and rekindles her relationship with her father after she finds a stray dog at a Winn-Dixie supermarket. A film adaptation of "Winn-Dixie" was released in 2005.Actors cast in the stage production must be comfortable working with animals, as "Because of Winn-Dixie" will be the first Broadway musical starring a live dog as the central character. Taran, an Irish Wolfhound, has been cast in the title role. The workshop will be used to integrate a live animal into the story and music."It has always amazed me the reaction animals have on an audience," animal trainer Bill Berloni said in a statement. "My theory is we all know anything onstage is an extension of reality... So when a dog or cat comes onstage, our collective reality is 'Wait a minute, you can't get an animal to act, what is it going to do?' And it brings the audience closer into the piece. While you can create animals as main characters in film, it has never been tried onstage."For more information and audition details, view the full casting notice on BackStage.com. (Subscription required.)Melanie Lockyer is a freelance casting director who recently cast "John Tartaglia's "Imaginocean." She also worked with Mungioli Theatricals on the Broadway and touring companies of "Fela!."