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'Zero Dark Thirty' Squashes 'Gangster Squad' – Here's Your Box-Office Roundup

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zero dark thirty jessica chastain

Kathryn Bigelow's controversial Osama bin Laden film "Zero Dark Thirty" had no problem beating out the other newcomers this weekend, which was a bit of a surprise.

Ryan Gosling's period piece "Gangster Squad" grossly underperformed at theaters. However, that wasn't a surprise.

The film had the circumstantial odds stacked against it. Originally set to premiere last year, "Squad" was pushed back after the shooting in Aurora during a midnight screening of "The Dark Knight Rises." Then, weeks ahead of it's January release, the Newtown shooting occurred. 

The film, also starring Emma Stone and Sean Penn, couldn't even do battle with a new horror film out this week, and, we're not talking about "Chainsaw Massacre." The film took a hard tumble in week two. 

Out of the top ten this week include Tom Cruise's "Jack Reacher," Judd Apatow's "This Is 40," and "The Guilt Trip."

Here are this week's winners and losers at the box office:

10. Oscars nods got viewers to head out to theaters to see "Silver Linings Playbook" to bring it back into the top ten. The Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper flick earned $5 million.

9. The largest drop at theaters this week was "Texas Chainsaw 3D" dipping from the top spot last week with $5.1 million. It's looking unlikely the film will earn more than $40 million after its impressive $23 million opening.

8. "Parental Guidance" drops three spots earning $6.1 million. In three weeks, the film has earned $83.2 million. It cost an estimated $25 million to make.

7. Oscar nod leader "Lincoln" moves up one notch this week earning $6.3 million.

6. With two new releases this weekend, "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" drops three spots with $9 million. The "Lord of the Rings" prequel has now earned more than $866 million worldwide.

5. "Les Misérables" earns $10.1 million in week three. The film's $13.4 million debut in the U.K. made it Universal's highest-grossing opening there to date.

4. "Django Unchained" continues to beat out "Les Mis" with $11 million. Quentin Tarantino's latest Oscar-nominated film has earned $125.4 million in three weeks.

3. "Gangster Squad" fails to make a big splash with $16.7 million, having to settle for third place.

2. Instead, newcomer "A Haunted House" comes in second with $18.8 million. The low-budget film cost an estimated $2.5 million to produce.

1. And, "Zero Dark Thirty" leads the pack this week taking in $24 million. Its debut comes in higher than that of both Oscar-nominated films "Lincoln" ($21 million) and "Argo" ($19.5 million).

SEE ALSO: The best moment's from the Golden Globes >

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New Natalie Wood Death Report Questions 'Every Major Finding' In Original Autopsy

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natalie wood

The Los Angeles Coroner's Office released a new report today suggesting the actress Natalie Wood may have been assaulted before she drowned in 1981, NBC reports.

Wood drowned in 1981 off Santa Catalina Island on a yacht with her husband Robert Wagner and fellow actor Christopher Walken.

The star's death was originally ruled accidental.

But yacht skipper Dennis Davern has long believed there was more to the story, and his book ultimately prompted Los Angeles authorities to re-open the case in 2011, CNN reported at the time.

And now the coroner's office has found that bruising on Wood's wrists, knees, and ankles seem to indicate an assault, rather than a struggle to climb back on the boat after she fell, CBS News reported Monday.

The report stated "bruises especially in the upper extremities appeared fresh and could have occurred before (Wood) entered the water," according to NBC News, adding that "the location of the bruises, the multiplicity of the bruises, lack of head trauma, or facial bruising support bruising having occurred prior to the entry into the water."

Davern told authorities Wood and Wagner were fighting before the actress went overboard.

The new report is not a brand-new autopsy but rather a fresh look at the old autopsy, in which the coroner "calls into question every major finding" that led investigators to rule her death an accident, CBS News reported.

"When you take the circumstances as we've now come to learn them, Natalie Wood was, you know, in her night gown in bed," CBS News senior correspondent John Miller said. "She supposedly goes out to re-tie this dinghy. She can't swim. She's afraid of the dark. She's afraid of the water. It's sounds very unlikely she would have done that, especially if the captain, the skipper, was there and awake, and she could have told him do that."

The report ultimately found the medical examiner "is unable to exclude non-volitional, unplanned entry into the water," according to NBC News.

Miller called the new report "very significant" and said he thinks it will provide extra information for the sheriff's office's reopened murder investigation.

DON'T MISS: A Younger Lindsay Lohan Said She'd Be Good At Teaching Ethics >

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Hermione Way Explains Why She Turned Down $100K To Kiss & Tell About Harry Styles Hot Tub Romp

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Harry Styles Hermione Way

On Saturday, Bravo 'Start-Ups: Silicon Valley' star Hermione Way wrote a long Facebook post titled "Kiss and don't tell: Why I decided not to sell my 'dirty harry' story to the press."

The post attempts to explain why the reality star and health entrepreneur turned down an alleged $100,000 offer from an entertainment reporter wanting Way to spill details on her now infamous hot tub romp with One Direction boy bander Harry Styles -- just hours after he broke up with Taylor Swift.

"As soon as the first story broke I received emails from more than ten journalists, offering me cash for further details on the story or as it's called in tabloid speak; a kiss and tell," explains Way in the post. "One journalist's hunger for the story meant he hunted me down and sought me out ... He followed my Twitter stream and saw that after the Caribbean I would be in Vegas for CES."

Way goes on to reveal, "The first offer was 50,000 pounds ($80,000). He would make sure I was portrayed in a 'good light' and would help me sell it to subsequent magazines and papers."

Hermione Way Harry Styles Necker IslandUltimately, Way chose not to "kiss and tell" -- but we suspect there was nothing to tell in the first place.

As Business Insider's trustworthy source previously told us, "nothing really happened between them" and all of the reports are "overblown."

In fact, Styles jumping into the pool with Way was as far as it got, we're told.

But Way wants her nearly 15,000 Facebook subscribers and 22,000 Twitter followers to commend her on her so-called class in handling the press situation following her wild trip to Necker Island.

"Keeping the trust and relationships of the group of people I was with on Necker island meant more to me than making a quick buck out of some poor, broken hearted teenage boy," Way continues. "I had one of the best weeks of my life on Necker with a group of people who are some of Silicon Valley and the technology industry's elite investors, entrepreneurs and technologists. Throughout the week we spent much time hanging out and talking to Richard Branson - he is such an incredible person and I also wanted to keep his trust."

The post has 304 "likes" and 142 comments, ranging from kudos on her class to the hypocrisy of her words:

Hermione Way Facebook comment

Hermione Way Facebook

But perhaps it has nothing to do with class or integrity at all, as Way herself commented on the post:

Hermione Way Facebook comment

Read the open letter in its entirety below:

Hermione Way Facebook

Hermione Way Facebook

Harmione Way Facebook

Related:

Hours after Taylor Swift split, Harry Styles comforted himself with 'Start-Ups' star Hermione Way >

Meet Ben & Hermione Way, sibling entrepreneurs starring in Bravo's 'Start-Ups: Silicon Valley" >

Taylor Swift & Harry Styles break up after blow out in the BVI >

Taylor Swift kind of just confirmed her split from Harry Styles >

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Warner Bros. Is Turning 'John McAfee's Last Stand' Into A Movie

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John McAfee

Hollywood is to bring the bizarre story of technology pioneer John McAfee, who fled his luxury home in Belize after his neighbour was found murdered, to the big screen.

Warner Brothers has bought the rights to a Wired magazine article titled John McAfee's Last Stand, which documented the anti-virus expert's extraordinary tale.

McAfee, 67, was living in virtual retirement on the island of Ambergris Caye in the tiny Central American country when local police sought to question him after the murder of his neighbour Gregory Faull, a Florida builder who was killed by a gunshot wound to the head in November.

McAfee subsequently went on the run, claiming via a series of blogposts that local police were trying to kill him after he refused to pay $2m (£1.25m) in bribes. After a series of bizarre incidents – at one point he is said to have faked a heart attack – he eventually surfaced in Guatemala, where he was deported to the US after authorities found that he was in the country illegally. Belize has an extradition treaty with the US, but McAfee has not been charged with any crime. Authorities in Belize fiercely deny any suggestions of impropriety and maintain McAfee is not a suspect in the murder.

McAfee, whose name still adorns the popular anti-virus software he devised, initially went on the run with his 20-year-old girlfriend, Samantha Vanegas. His story appears to have all the ingredients for a Hollywood "true life" thriller: speaking to reporters in Guatemala prior to his deportation to Miami last month, he said: "I'm happy to be going home. I've been running through jungles and rivers and oceans and I think I need to rest for a while. And I've been in jail for seven days."

John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, who are known for the offbeat true life tale I Love You Phillip Morris, are due to write and direct the film. The pair are also the duo behind Bad Santa and Crazy, Stupid, Love.

McAfee, who accused the Belize authorities of training Lebanese Hezbollah terrorists in an eccentric blogpost earlier this month, is reportedly now living in Portland, Oregon. He is said to be collaborating with artist Chad Essley on a graphic novel about his life.

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

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The 20 Best & Worst Dressed Of The Golden Globes

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Jennifer Lopez Golden Globes 2013The Golden Globes honor the year's best in television and film.

But the red carpet brings out not only the best, but also the worst, in Hollywood's top talents.

While we loved Kerry Washington and Kate Hudson's gowns, we weren't as keen on the dresses worn by Globe winners Debra Messing and Julianne Moore.

BEST: Kerry Washington looked perfect in her nude Miu Miu dress adorned with Swarovski crystals.



WORST: Debra Messing in this ill-fitting Donna Karan gown.



BEST: Presenter Kate Hudson looked chic in Alexander McQueen. But perhaps an updo would have been better to show off that collar?



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The Palace Reveals Kate Middleton's Due Date

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Kate Middleton

"Their Royal Highnesses The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are delighted to confirm they are expecting a baby in July," Clarence House announced Monday.

"The Duchess's condition continues to improve since her stay in hospital last month," continued the public announcement.

But the July due date is a bit of a surprise considering the palace first announced Middleton's pregnancy in early December after forced by Kate's hospitalization to severe morning sickness -- meaning the palace announcement was very early.

At the time, reports claimed Middleton was about 12 weeks along, putting her due date in May or June of 2013.

Whether the baby is a boy or girl (or possibly twins?!) remains unknown.

Middleton, meanwhile, was last seen admiring her ghostly official portrait.

SEE ALSO: Kate Middleton & Prince William's road to royal baby >

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Miss America's Boyfriend Works At JPMorgan

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Mallory Hagan

Sorry, guys.

Newly crowned Miss America Mallory Hagan is off the market.

In fact, her boyfriend works at JPMorgan Chase.

The blonde beauty's beau, Charmel Maynard, is as an associate at the New York-based investment bank.

Maynard, 28, has been working at JPMorgan since 2007, FINRA records show.  The records also indicate that he did an internship there in 2006.

He attended Northfield Mount Hermon School in Massachusetts, according to FINRA.  He graduated from Amherst College.

Hagan, an Alabama native who moved to New York five years ago, was crowned Miss America on Saturday night wearing a stunning off-the-shoulder white gown.  

What's more is Maynard seems really supportive of her being a pageant titleholder. 

From the Associated Press:

Hagan's boyfriend Charmel Maynard said he knows that pageants are dismissed by some, but he hopes Hagan's willingness to take on the sexual abuse issue will lend legitimacy to her new role.

"I don't think it's taken seriously, but I think she's going to be a great ambassador and it could change," he said.

Here's a photo Hagan Instagrammed of the couple together. 

Mallory Hagan

Here's a screenshot of his LinkedIn profile. 

Charmel Maynard

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Here's The Scientology 'Sponsored Content' Story That The Atlantic Doesn't Want You To See

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Atlantic Scientology

The Atlantic has taken down a "sponsored content" article written by the Church of Scientology. But before the article disappeared, a copy was saved by Gawker.

Download a copy here.

A lot of magazines sell sponsored content to advertisers. (Business Insider has several sponsored content series running right now, for instance.) The usual rule is that such stories must be clearly labeled so that readers can see whether editorial may have been influenced by advertisers. Normally, however, both the publisher and the advertiser try to make the content credible or useful in some way, because readers can spot blatant propaganda a mile away -- and that's of no use to anyone.

Blatant propaganda, however, is exactly what The Atlantic appears to have published. The article, titled "David Miscavige Leads Scientology to Milestone Year," was an encomium to the the "ecclesiastical" leader of the church and his many accomplishments (which mostly include buying old buildings and turning them into new churches, according to the article).

The Atlantic is a highbrow magazine known for it famous writers and agenda-shaping journalism. This, decidedly, was not it.

Almost as soon as the piece was published, it was taken down and replaced by this corrective note:

Atlantic Scientology

SEE ALSO: Tour The Compound Where The Missing Wife Of Scientology's Leader Might Be Living

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Louis C.K Might Join An All-Star Cast For David O. Russell's Next Movie

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louis c.k.

Louis C.K. is moving on up.

The comedian turned TV writer/director/actor recently shot a Woody Allen film, and now he's in talks to join the cast of Academy Award-nominated director David O. Russell's next picture.

The movie is untitled, but it's described as "center[ing] on con artist Mel Weinberg who worked with the FBI in a far-reaching corruption case that stretched from Atlantic City to Washington, D.C." C.K., who would be playing an FBI agent, would be joining the already established cast of Jeremy Renner, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper, and Amy Adams.

So that's quite the lineup. Big things are happening for this fellow, I tell you. Very big things. And that's just great. Unless he gets ruined by the success and fame and then it's all terrible. [The Hollywood Reporter]

More entertainment news:

Uh, oh. The teen in your house is about to get real excited. Or the part-time theater tech who lives in the other room in your apartment. Whoever it is, this will be good news for them: The CW is developing a spinoff to its wildly successful series The Vampire Diaries. Yes, more sexy vampyrs to enthrall the Hallmark store manager in your life. But wait, there's more. The new show will be called The Originals and will focus on Klaus, the sexy British vampire who appeared a couple seasons back and has captured hearts and loins every week since. It'll be about him going back to New Orleans, the city he helped build hundreds of years ago, and getting into various vampire nogoodnikery. So, are people shrieking where you are? Crumpling into heaps of pure PG-13 ecstasy? I suspect someone nearby is — be it Josh the high school junior who loves Christopher Rice books and elaborate coffee drinks, or Barbara, from two cubicles over who smells like Whiskas. Lots of people are excited. [Deadline]

Oh, dear. Comedian turned game show person Howie Mandel has just sold a show to TBS called Deal With It, which is described as a hidden-camera prank show. Oh, god. What, specifically, goes on in this hidden-camera prank show? Well, this: "In the series, unsuspecting members of the public are secretly dared to pull a prank on their unwitting companions with absolutely no time to prepare. If they agree to participate, they must obey all instructions given through an earpiece from a secret control room nearby. With the opportunity to prank their way to cash and prizes, these everyday people will be shown no mercy as they are tasked with pulling off some of the most ridiculous behavior ever caught on hidden camera." Yiiiikes. Someone's gonna get shot. Don't people know where we live these days? We live in a bad, dangerous place. This is not going to end well. Also, "some of the most ridiculous behavior ever caught on hidden camera"? I find that hard to believe. Lots of "ridiculous behavior" is caught on hidden camera every day. Or, if not hidden, at least unnoticed camera. This whole enterprise sounds dicey, frankly. Are you sure you want to do this, TBS? Like, really sure? Give it the weekend to think about it. [Deadline]

If you were worried about the unknown fate of Jesse McCartney, Summerland actor turned sort of embarrassing singer (though he did write "Bleeding Love," so props to him for that), worry no longer. He's just been cast on the seventh season of the Lifetime: Television for Jesse McCartney series Army Wives. Yeah. So. He'll be playing a young soldier with a high school sweetheart wife. Good for him. He just better not Leona Lewis still this role, too. [The Hollywood Reporter]

And Jurassic Park 4 is happening, finally. [Deadline]

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If You'd Like To Make Dunder Mifflin's Super Bowl Ad, Here's The Application Form

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Michael Scott, Steve Carrell, The Office

Dunder Mifflin is the real stationery brand that spun off from the fictional TV show "The Office."

This year, the company wants to run a Super Bowl ad -- a single buy in the spot market for Scranton, Pa. at least -- and is crowdsourcing the effort through Tongal. The winner gets $15,000.

Although the ad will only be broadcast in Scranton during the game, the commercial will doubtless go viral on YouTube almost immediately (in much the same way as Old Milwaukee's local ad buys featuring Will Ferrell have done).

Here's the official entry form. If you have an idea that includes the key marketing messages “Limitless paper in a paperless world,” “Our motto is ‘Quabity first’!” and “Get your Scrant On!” (yes, those are the real RFP requirements) then get to it.

SEE ALSO: Here's The Will Ferrell Super Bowl Ad For Old Milwaukee That You Missed

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Leonardo DiCaprio Wins $400K Bid For A Date With Bill Clinton—Here's Today's Buzz

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Leonardo DiCaprio auction

 

SEE ALSO: The Palace reveals Kate Middleton's baby due date >

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3 Signs That 3D Movies Are The Way Of The Future

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Avatar movie

Some people say that 3D is simply a fad that will run its course. That it's an easy cash grab or gimmick by studios.  

And we understand the argument — 3D tickets are expensive!

While the average price of a regular movie ticket hit $8.12 last year, you have to shell out somewhere between $10 to $18.50 (Union Square, New York City) for a 3D ticket.  

If you're spending that much money to see a film, you're looking for a reason to justify paying that price. And if you're seeing a 2D film converted into 3D, sometimes you may feel like you're not getting your money's worth. 

Like it or not, however, 3D's here to stay — at least until the next big thing (Peter Jackson's high-frame rate projection, perhaps). When you crunch the numbers, three things are obvious.  

1. There's been a large increase of 3D screen installments in theaters:

After the release of "Avatar" in 2009, the number of 3D digital screens exploded worldwide.

2005: 98 
2006: 258 
2007: 1,300
2008: 3,800
2009: 9,000
2010: 16,000
2011: 36,000
2012: 43,000

Of course, the return of 3D to theaters came well before Avatar in 2009.  

There were approximately four films in 2005 released in the U.S. in 3D: "Aliens of the Deep," "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl," "Magnificent Desolation: Walking on the Moon 3D," and "Chicken Little." None of them except Disney's "Chicken Little" earned more than $70 million worldwide.

Soon after "Avatar" became the highest-grossing film to date, it seemed like everyone jumped on the 3D bandwagon.  

In 2010, the number of 3D screens installed more than doubled from 16,339 to 36,242. As a result, at least 30 films were presented in the format in the U.S., making up nearly 20 percent of the global box office that year

In 2009, Screen Digest predicted there would be 15,000 3D cinema screens by 2013

2. There are more 3D films being released every year:

This year, Box Office estimates 39 films will be available to see in the U.S. in 3D. Here's a rundown of how 3D films have blown up on screens since 2005. Note the blowup occurs in 2009 when a big push of 3D cinema screens emerged.

2005: 4 
2006: 7 
2007: 7 
2008: 8 
2009: 20 
2010: 30 
2011: 38
2012: 38

3. Most importantly, 3D films are actually earning money:

chris hemsworth thor the avengersFor the most part, the latest round of films to come out in 3D are earning money. 

Of the current ten highest-grossing 3D films, three were from 2012 alone ("The Avengers," "The Hobbit," and "The Amazing Spider-Man"). 

After looking at the highest-grossing films of 2012, nine of the top 15 were in 3D, helping to make this year at the box office the biggest yet with a projected $10.8 million earnings worldwide

Jeff Gomez, CEO of Starlight Runner Entertainment, shared another important fact about 3D with us — the lucrative international revenue. 

"It's important to remember that 3D does dynamite overseas, accounting for a significant percentage of foreign box office for the studios," says Gomez. "So I don't think the studios will be put off the process any time soon." 

In 2010, the 3D international box office tripled, earning $3.9 billion

This year, of the nine high-grossing 3D films, eight of them fared much better overseas:

 

 Film Domestic Foreign
 "The Avengers" $623.4 million $888.4 million
 "Ice Age: Continental Drift" $161.2 million $714 million
 "The Hobbit" $266.7 million $562.8 million
 "Madagascar 3" $216.4 million $525.7 million
 "The Amazing Spider-Man" $262 million $490.2 million
 "Men in Black 3" $179 million $445 million
 "Brave" $237.3 million $298.1 million
 "Prometheus" $126.5 million $276 million
 "The Lorax" $214 million $134.8 million

As The Wrap pointed out, these numbers can be deceiving, as this gives the total box-office gross and not the percentage of the revenue which comes solely from 3D.  

According to The Wrap, 3D earnings have been on a slow decline since 2010. However, with most 3D figures accounting for at least 50 percent of a film's earnings during opening weekends, that's a pretty substantial figure. 

Fifty-two percent of "The Avengers" ticket sales during its massive $200+ opening weekend came from 3D. The film went on to become the highest-grossing film of last year with $1.5 billion at the box office worldwide. 

And the first 3D film of the year, "Texas Chainsaw," surprised both critics and those who worked on the film when it earned an unexpected $21.7 million in its opening weekend. 

No, this doesn't mean that all 3D films are faring well at theaters. 

Monsters-IncDisney re-releases have seen a significant decline. After "The Lion King" had a massive box office performance (the film earned $177.6 million worldwide), Disney announced it would release four more films in 3D. None of them have lived up to the Oscar-winning film. Instead, they've all seen a rapid decline in opening weekend grosses and overall box office. 

(Note: To offset the anomaly of "The Lion King" earning a $100 million more than other Disney films, we've used domestic instead of worldwide totals.)

Disney 3D rereleases gross

The same can be said for 3D concert films.  

With the exception of "Michael Jackson's This Is It" after the singer's death, 3D hasn't been a draw for concert films. The latest singer to try and bring a film to the big screen, Katy Perry, saw her film bomb opening weekend. In its defense, the movie fell victim to debuting the same weekend as the "Spider-Man" reboot. 

 

  Film  Opening Weekend  Worldwide Gross
 "Hannah Montana" (2008) $31.1 million $70.6 million
 "Jonas Brothers"   
 "The 3D Concert Experience" (2009) $12.5 million $23.2 million
 "Michael Jackson's This Is It" (2009) $23.2 million $261.2 million
 "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" (2011) $29.5 million $98.4 million
 "Katy Perry: Part of Me" (2012) $7.1 million $25.3 million

According to Gomez, studios are picking up on this.  

"Filmmakers and studios are starting to be more conscientious about poorly processed 3D conversions and the use of 3D for frivolous purposes or non-event films," says Gomez. "Negative word of mouth, particularly in social media in the States, has clearly amounted to underperforming movies and a degree of embarrassment for the stakeholders. As a fan I'm hoping this means that more thought, budget and creativity will be put into conversions, and better yet, more native 3D films will be made."

SEE ALSO: Roadmap To The Future

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Howard Stern Apologizes For Calling Lena Dunham 'A Little Fat Girl Who Looks Like Jonah Hill'

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Lena Dunham Howard Stern

On his Sirius-XM show last Monday, Howard Stern called Lena Dunham "a little fat girl who kind of looks like Jonah Hill." 

But it didn't stop there, Stern continued: "I learned that this little fat chick writes the show and directs the show, and that makes sense to me because she's such a camera hog that the other characters barely are on."

Yikes!

But following "Girls" winning Best TV Comedy and Dunham taking home Best Actress in a TV Comedy during Sunday's Golden Globe awards, Stern is already apologizing for his rude remarks.

"I felt bad," Stern said Monday on the air, "because I really do love the show 'Girls' and enjoy it, and I admire the girl who writes it...So I said to [producer Gary Dell'Abate], would you please contact Lena Dunham and please tell her that I would like to explain myself to her on the air and apologize to her because I do love the show and it makes me feel bad that she is getting the impression that I somehow think she's just a talentless little fat chick."

Jonah Hill"It took me a while to get there," Stern added, "and all of the sudden I went, 'This show's really really funny. I like it.' I kind of just started liking the show. And I've done a whole 360 on the show and I really admire the girl who writes it, and I actually like when she comes on camera ... I'm a superfan now. I really love it. I almost went to the premiere the other night."

Stern, who is infamous for his criticism of overweight women, told his audience that he experienced an epiphany while recently watching Dunham on "Girls":

"After I got up to the fifth episode everything kind of clicked and I was like: ‘Wow, this is getting really good.’ And she’s kind of like a little Woody Allen in the sense that Woody Allen used to cast himself with really hot chicks and you’d go: ‘What the heck is THAT about?’…Like, it was bothering me that this girl who’s not a sex symbol is with these hot guys, and then I said well how is that different from Woody Allen?"

Dunham, meanwhile, says she was not offended by Stern's initial harsh comments about her weight.

"I did find out that Howard Stern really hates [the show]," Dunham said on the "Late Show With David Letterman" last week. "I'm a Howard Stern fan and I really think that he has earned the right to free speech and he should just go for it."

"But he did say something that I thought was so funny that I want to get on my gravestone," Dunham continued, "Where he said, 'Congrats to her, it's so hard for little fat chicks get anything going these days.' And it put me in the best mood!"

"I just wanted to be like, my gravestone says, 'She was a little fat chick, but she got it goin'."

"Girls" producer Judd Apatow, who's often a guest on Stern's show, also tried to put the snarky comments in perspective, telling the LA Times, "I think [his crack] was taken out of context. I don't think it wasn't his intention the way it came out."

Watch Stern apologize to Dunham and express his love for "Girls" in his own words below:

SEE ALSO: Tina Fey & Amy Poehler's hilarious Golden Globes opening >

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Victor Garber Announces He's Gay And Dating Artist Rainer Andreesen

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Victor Garber Rainer Andreesen boyfriend

"Argo" actor and former "Alias" star Victor Garber has quietly confirmed he's gay.

During the TV Critics Association Press Tour in Pasadena, Calif., Greg in Hollywood blogger Greg Hernandez aked the actor about his Wikipedia bio, which reads, "He lives in New York with his companion of 13 years, Rainer Andreesen."

"I don’t really talk about it but everybody knows," the 63-year-old confirmed to Hernandez of his relationship with Andreesen, a fellow Canadian.

"He's going to be out here with me for the SAG Awards," the actor continued.

Garber first spoke about his longtime boyfriend in an April 2012 interview with Canada's Forever Young, saying, "My companion Rainer Andreesen and I have been together almost 13 years in Greenwich Village. We both love New York."

Andreesen is a model and talented artist, who has even painted his longtime love in the below piece titled "Victor Profile":

Rainer Andreesen victor garber painting

Jodie Foster, too, officially revealed her sexual orientation this week during her lifetime achievement award speech at Sunday's Golden Globe awards.

"I already did my coming out about a thousand years ago, back in the stone age. In those very quaint days when a fragile young girl would open up to trusted friends and family, co-workers, and then gradually, proudly to everyone who knew her, to everyone she actually met. But now apparently, I'm told that every celebrity is expected to honor the details of their private life with a press conference, a fragrance, and a prime time reality show."

SEE ALSO: A transcript of Jodie Foster's confusing coming out speech >

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Lindsay Lohan Fired Her Lawyer Right Before Her 20th Court Appearance

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Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan has fired her attorney Shawn Holley, who has kept her out of jail on several different occasions, TMZ and ABC 7 New York report.

Lohan, 26, will be arraigned Tuesday in Los Angeles on charges of lying to the police, violating her probation, and reckless driving, according to ABC 7.

A number of sources are saying it will be the former child star's 20th court appearance in six years.

Lohan's Porsche reportedly slammed into a dump truck last summer while she and her assistant were on their way to shoot a scene for the movie "Liz and Dick." Although she told police she wasn't the one driving the Porsche, authorities allege otherwise.

At the time of the accident, she was on probation for a 2011 jewelry theft case. Her probation was revoked last month, and she could be sentenced to 245 days in jail if a judge decides she violated her probation, ABC 7 reported.

She faces criminal prosecution in New York and L.A., with attorney Mark Heller representing her in a New York assault case. Lohan was arrested in November after an alleged fight with another woman in a night club.

Heller sent Holley a letter saying that he would now be representing Lohan in all criminal matters, a source told TMZ.

Sources tell TMZ that Lohan may have made a big mistake by firing Holley, who managed to keep her out of the slammer on a number of occasions.

SEE ALSO: A Younger Lindsay Lohan Said She'd Be Good At Teaching Ethics

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Trey Parker And Matt Stone Are Setting Up Their Own Movie Studio

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book of mormonThe creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, are planning a big-screen version of their hit musical The Book of Mormon after setting up a new $300m production company.

Important Studios, which has been funded by revenue from the popular stage show as well as the long-running South Park TV series, will produce film, TV and theatre projects.

Parker and Stone said they were going it alone for creative reasons.

"Having worked with several different studios over the years, we came to realise that our favourite people in the world are ourselves," the pair told the New York Times in a statement.

The Book of Mormon currently has New York and Chicago productions running as well as a production touring the US and another about to open in London.

The Tony award-winning satire, which centres on two young Mormon missionaries sent to a remote village in northern Uganda, has made more than $200m worldwide so far and continues to pull in almost $5m a week.

Around one fifth of the investment for Important Studios has come from merchant bank the Raine Group, which holds 20% of the company's shares.

Stone played down suggestions that the new firm might emerge as a successor to famous independent studios such as Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks or George Lucas's Lucasfilm. "In some ways it's a stupid comparison because they are gargantuan," he said. "We want to be a smaller, more humble version of that."

Stone and Parker, who brought both 1999's South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut and 2004's Team America: World Police to the big screen, also hope to use the new money to allow them to "be more prolific with less struggle".

"We want to have a little control over our life," Stone explained. "We used to walk into a studio and try to become an employee. We're done with that. We are too grown up for that."

The Book of Mormon opens in London at the Prince of Wales theatre on 25 February.

This article originally appeared on guardian.co.uk

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How Intel Plans To Kill The Cable Industry With Its New 'IPTV'

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the cable guy tbi

"Hashtag" may have just been crowned 2012's word of the year, but it seems 2013 could be the year of "cord cutting." 

Cord cutting is a growing trend threatening the cable industry's standard bundle package sales, as many are now opting for wireless broadcasting services such as Netflix, Apple TV, and Hulu.

According to a survey conducted by Convergence Consulting Group, "2.65 million people have forgone their cable subscriptions for alternative methods between the years of 2008 and 2011" to opt for low-cost Internet video streaming subscription services or other free video platforms.

Nielsen reports a similar figure, finding that the number of households paying a multichannel provider last year declined by 1.5 million. In fact, Nielsen noted a 22.8 percent increase in cord-cutters over the past year.

As of 2012, the cable industry is also seeing a reduction in subscriptions.

One new product that threatens the cable industry more than ever before is Intel's new Internet Protocol television (IPTV) service.

"For the past year or so, Intel has also quietly been working on a top-secret set-top box that could not only be better than what Apple, Google, and even Microsoft offer today, but also kill the cable industry as we know it," claims Forbes.

What's different about Intel's new platform is that consumers, for the first time, will be able to subscribe solely to individual channels or even TV shows—instead of having to buy bundled cable services with hundreds of channels from providers such as Time Warner.

Intel's new TV product allows viewers to pick and choose any channel they want a la carte and only pay for those channels.

And it seems Hollywood is on board, as Intel has negotiated licensing agreements with Tinseltown allowing customers to subscribe per-channel as well as have the ability to use "Cloud DVR" features. 

According to Forbes:

As Intel has approached Hollywood with much more dedication (and dollars), this is likely the single reason that Intel, more than any company before it, has the potential to really bring to consumers the things we have never seen in online content before, such as live sports, release schedules that match broadcast, and first episode through current libraries for video on demand ... Intel has made it clear to Hollywood they are serious about this product and dedicated to its longevity. Intel is also prepared to invest heavily in making it a success.

While Silicon Valley measures investments in tens of millions, Hollywood often drops more than $100 million into a single movie. Intel came to the table knowing this, and so was able to negotiate the licensing agreements with Hollywood that other tech giants have never been able to.

Intel also has the technology to create a product unlike its competitors, as the company has been providing chips for set-top boxes since 2005.

But some, like Business Insider's own Henry Blodget, aren't sold just yet.

In his March article, "Intel's Plan To Become A Cable Company Is One Of The Dumbest Ideas Ever," Blodget writes: "Nothing Intel knows how to do helps it in any way in going into this business. No one Intel knows helps it in any way in going into this business ... Mark our words: Intel's cable business will be dead on arrival."

(Intel was scheduled to hold a press event at CES last week but the company has since said they will not be announcing anything related to the product or holding any public demos.)

And Blodget's not alone.

One TV executive expressed to The Wall Street Journal that despite their dollars, no one wants to be the first to negotiate a deal with Intel, fearing disrupting relationships with cable and satellite operators.

But the competition for cord-free eyeballs is fierce.

Netflix is increasingly looking to create its own content and is even developing new seasons of "Arrested Development," for example.

Amazon also recently announced it is developing its own TV shows, and YouTube is betting $100 million per year on original content.  

But in the TV industry, $100 million is a small sum compared to the $5 billion Jeff Bewkes says Time Warner spends on content in a single year.

And Time Warner is still holding tight to one of its entities: HBO.

The cable giant's subscribers can watch HBO programming via HBO Go, but they still have to subscribe to HBO through a cable provider.

Because HBO is owned by Time Warner, they will never allow a pure HBO Go option since HBO is the reason many people still subscribe to a broader bundled cable package. 

Many cord cutters were up in arms because they want HBO content and are willing to pay, say, $10-20 for HBO Go without a cable package, but have no option to do so. 

163,673 people even signed a Twitter petition saying they would pay for HBO Go as a separate entity, but the network known for their quality original programming refuses to change anything "for now."

 HBO Tweet

Despite some cable giants still holding strong to the current cable model, it seems their grasp on the cable cord will only last "for now."

SEE ALSO: The 11 best alternatives to paying for cable >

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Here's What Prince William & Kate Middleton Are Looking For In A New Servant

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Kate Middleton Prince WilliamKate Middleton and Prince William's royal baby isn't due until July, but the first-time parents are already looking for a housekeeper to handle the everyday tasks of maintaining a home while they tend to the baby.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge have placed an internal advertisement at Buckingham Palace looking for a royal servant to help with their growing family, reports the U.K.'s Sunday Express.

The ad calls for someone "To provide a high standard of housekeeping for TRH [their royal highnesses] The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge."

Main duties include:

  • Ensuring all areas of the residence are cleaned and maintained to a high standard at all times
  • Caring for and maintaining TRH ­personal clothing
  • Cleaning silver-ware and glassware and in-house laundry
  • Run errands
  • Prepare basic meals when required 
  • Care for and exercise dogs
  • Likely be expected to help the duke and duchess as they move into their newly renovated apartment at the Kensington Palace property this year
  • Required to work overtime
But applicants need not apply if they don't fulfill these requirements:
  • current valid UK driving licence is “essential"
  • Attention to detail, together with a flexible and pro-active approach is essential
  • A “willingness to learn”
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills
  • The ability to work on their own, and as part of a multi-disciplined team.
  • “Discretion, loyalty and reliability are ­paramount”
A royal insider tells the Express, "About 15 people have already applied despite everyone wondering how anyone will be able to carry out all these duties in just 37 hours a week."

“Most people employed as housekeepers expect to do a bit of cooking on the side, but walking dogs and driving too?" questions the insider. "And there’s also going to be a baby to factor into the equation. It’s unprecedented.”

The couple already employs one assistant, a Fijian-born corporal described as a "Man Friday" who was hired by the couple last year and assists with everything from chauffeuring the royals to organizing Prince William's clothing, according to the Express.

Kate Middleton Prince William RoyalsIn 2011 private secretary Jamie Lowther-Pinkerton placed an internal ad seeking a housekeeper for the couple but one was never hired because the newlyweds were spending most of their time in a rented farmhouse in Wales.

“The post of housekeeper/dresser is being put on hold because we don’t think there is a requirement for it, given that the couple are living a farmhouse lifestyle,” Lowther-Pinkerton later stated. “There will be no major posts created until we’ve had time to suck it and see.”

The couple have always preferred to keep their entourage small, and the Palace insists Middleton has no plans to employ a dresser or lady-in-waiting.

The couple even do all of their own cooking and shopping, for the most part.

There have even been numerous photos of Middleton grocery shopping at local grocery stores. Note to new employee: bananas, chicken, milk, potatoes, oranges, cereal, Haagen-Dazs ice cream and lettuce all make the royal couple's grocery list.

But with a new baby approaching, it looks like it's time for the couple to prepare by hiring another staff member to help out around the house.

"The change of heart adds further weight to the theory that Prince William is poised to give up his military career to become a full-time working royal," reports the Express.

In an interview to mark last year’s Diamond Jubilee ,he said: “I’m still trying to decide. It’s a really difficult one because I really enjoy my time in the Air Force. But the pressures of my other life are building. And fighting them off or balancing the two of them has proven quite difficult.”

SEE ALSO: The Palace Reveals Kate Middleton's Due Date >

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Netflix Nabs Cartoon Network, Adult Swim Shows In Deal With Warner Bros.TV

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Robot Chicken Star Wars Adult SwimNetflix's library of television titles continues to grow after reaching another exclusive licensing deal with the Warner Bros. Television Group.

Starting this spring, a variety of titles from Cartoon Network and Adult Swim will become available to subscribers, while a deal with Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. will bring seasons one and two of TNT's "Dallas" reboot to the streaming service in January 2014.

"We are delighted that Netflix will become the exclusive over-the-top streaming subscription destination for past seasons of favorite Cartoon Network and Adult Swim titles," Ted Sarandos, chief content officer of Netflix, said in a statement. "We're also thrilled to be able to offer the latest seasons of 'Dallas,' one of the greatest all-time guilty pleasures."

The latest deal between Netflix and Warner Bros. Television comes just a week after the two parties reached agreement to make programs like "The West Wing," "Chuck," "Fringe," "Political Animals" and eventually, "The Following" exclusively available on the streaming service.

Complete past seasons of Cartoon Network shows such as "Adventure Time," "Ben 10," "Regular Show" and "Johnny Bravo" will join Warner Bros. Animation's "Green Lantern" in the "Just for Kids" section of Netflix Instant on March 30. Adult Swim's "Robot Chicken," "Aqua Teen Hunger Force," "The Boondocks" and "Children's Hospital" will also become available at that time.  

"We are thrilled to continue our great relationship with Netflix giving their subscribers access to more and more of our programming," Ken Werner, president of Warner Bros. domestic television distribution, added. "This represents another evolutionary step in the TV ecosystem working with Netflix, on the SVOD platform, to improve the consumer experience while being respectful of existing business models."

SEE ALSO: Trey Parker & Matt Stone are setting up their own movie studio >

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Disney Just Revealed A Very Ambitious New Video Game That Kids Are Going To Go Crazy For This Year

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jack sparrow disney infinity

Today, Disney Interactive unveiled its long awaited new gaming platform initiative, Disney Infinity at the El Capitan Theatre in Los Angeles.

We've just taken a look at what we could only describe as the popular children's video game Skylanders on steroids. 

The game will immerse real-life Disney and Pixar character figurines into one giant play space across gaming platforms (Xbox, PS3, WiiU), the iPad, mobile, and online.

The kicker is that children will be able to play with characters from different films in the same area and allow them to interact with items from each other's respective movies. So, yes, you could race Lightning McQueen ("Cars") and Dash ("The Incredibles") to see who's faster. And, Mr. Incredible could wear Buzz Lightyear's jet pack.

Here's the first official trailer we viewed. 

Disney Infinity debuts June 2013.

SEE ALSO: How Intel plans to kill the cable industry with IPTV >

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