Dave Gee: Entertainment Now
Latest News from the world of Entertainment, including the newest TV shows, DVD releases, Pop Music, and Celebrity Gossip
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NBC is giving fans a first taste of the network's next-generation Knight Rider TV series, with a short teaser trailer (almost) revealing the new Ford Mustang Shelby KITT car. (Producers say the movie will use three different models of the KITT Mustang, including one remote controlled car.)
The remake of the cult 80's television show Knight Rider will star Justin Bruening as Mike Tracer, an ex-Army ranger who helps his girlfriend Sarah (Deanna Russo) locate her missing father, Charles.
He is the creator of KITT - the slick sports car with a mind of its own, and equipped with the lately weaponary and technology. Will Arnett (Arrested Development) is the voice of the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) car.
A 2-hour movie length pilot of the new Knight Rider series will premiere in the United States on February 17th, with a full series expected to follow in the new tv season (ratings willing). David Hasselhoff, star of the original 80's tv show is scheduled to make a cameo appearance as Michael Knight.
The success of the Transformers movie has inspired NBC, with cars in the new incarnation having the ability to change shapes. It's understood there will also be "evil" cars, to offset the heroic talking car K.I.T.T.
Doug Liman (Bourne, Mr & Mrs Smith) is Executive Producer for the new version of the classic show, along with David Bartis (The OC)...
He is the creator of KITT - the slick sports car with a mind of its own, and equipped with the lately weaponary and technology. Will Arnett (Arrested Development) is the voice of the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) car.
A 2-hour movie length pilot of the new Knight Rider series will premiere in the United States on February 17th, with a full series expected to follow in the new tv season (ratings willing). David Hasselhoff, star of the original 80's tv show is scheduled to make a cameo appearance as Michael Knight.
The success of the Transformers movie has inspired NBC, with cars in the new incarnation having the ability to change shapes. It's understood there will also be "evil" cars, to offset the heroic talking car K.I.T.T.
Doug Liman (Bourne, Mr & Mrs Smith) is Executive Producer for the new version of the classic show, along with David Bartis (The OC)...
New Line's expensive blockbuster movie The Golden Compass has bombed spectacularly in the United States this month, although it does seem to be faring better overseas.
The heavily hyped film is based the first book in Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy had a budget of over US$180 million. But after opening with a disappointing $25 million in its first weekend, the film has slumped badly to amass just $48 million in the US so far.
The future of the franchise is now in doubt, even with the improved performance of the film overseas. New Line Studios has suffered a run of box office disappointments this year. Dark fantasy The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, is the most expensive movie its ever made.
Critics have described it as an "atheist fantasy movie", and Catholic organisations called for a boycott of the film (which seems to have hurt it in the United States at least).
The Catholic League's Bill Donohue said Pullman's trilogy "denigrates Christianity, trashes the Catholic church, and sells the virtues of atheism". However studio New Line, together with the film's director and script writer Chris Weitz, claim to have played down the anti-Catholic themes in the movie.
New Line had been hoping to match the popularity of Disney/Walden Media's Narnia franchise, based on the books by C.S. Lewis. The first film in the Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was a huge box office hit, taking in US$291 million in the United States, and a total of $744 million worldwide.
Following up that success, the second movie of the Narnia series Prince Caspian is now due for release in the USA in May 2008, with June release dates for Australasia and the UK. The second Narnia story is again being directed by kiwi Andrew Adamson, but unlike the first film which used New Zealand for many of the locations, the second movie was mainly shot in Eastern Europe.
The official extended trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie has now been released, and it does look pretty amazing...
The heavily hyped film is based the first book in Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy had a budget of over US$180 million. But after opening with a disappointing $25 million in its first weekend, the film has slumped badly to amass just $48 million in the US so far.
The future of the franchise is now in doubt, even with the improved performance of the film overseas. New Line Studios has suffered a run of box office disappointments this year. Dark fantasy The Golden Compass, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, is the most expensive movie its ever made.
Critics have described it as an "atheist fantasy movie", and Catholic organisations called for a boycott of the film (which seems to have hurt it in the United States at least).
The Catholic League's Bill Donohue said Pullman's trilogy "denigrates Christianity, trashes the Catholic church, and sells the virtues of atheism". However studio New Line, together with the film's director and script writer Chris Weitz, claim to have played down the anti-Catholic themes in the movie.
New Line had been hoping to match the popularity of Disney/Walden Media's Narnia franchise, based on the books by C.S. Lewis. The first film in the Chronicles of Narnia series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, was a huge box office hit, taking in US$291 million in the United States, and a total of $744 million worldwide.
Following up that success, the second movie of the Narnia series Prince Caspian is now due for release in the USA in May 2008, with June release dates for Australasia and the UK. The second Narnia story is again being directed by kiwi Andrew Adamson, but unlike the first film which used New Zealand for many of the locations, the second movie was mainly shot in Eastern Europe.
The official extended trailer for The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian movie has now been released, and it does look pretty amazing...
There's just a few days left until Christmas, and if you're anything like me, I'm sure there's one or two people you're still struggling to come up with a present for?
Some people are very difficult to buy for... they either have pretty much everything, or they have very fussy tastes. But rather than spending hours walking the crowded malls and streets to get some Christmas buying inspiration, what about going for a totally unique and exciting Christmas experience?
Australian company FreemanX have been offering "amazing experiences" down under since 2002, ranging from the fastest, highest and daring experiences, through to more romantic escapes. They're a great idea for an unforgettable present.
For adrenalin junkies, a skydiving or jet boat ride package is sure to be a well received present. Or for those people who have been there/done that, FreemanX's website offers extreme adventures like Jet Fighter flights, swimming with sharks, and V8 or Rally car driving experiences.
If you're looking for a special 'romantic' gift to share with someone, there's Gondala cruises on the Gold Coast, Hot Air Balloon flights over Australia's biggest cities, and Day Spa treatments.
The best thing with choosing a unique adventure from FreemanX is that you don't need to battle the crowds, and you can order from the comfort of home. Personalised gift packs arrive within three days, or if you're tighter for time, they also offer 'instant email vouchers'.
Some people are very difficult to buy for... they either have pretty much everything, or they have very fussy tastes. But rather than spending hours walking the crowded malls and streets to get some Christmas buying inspiration, what about going for a totally unique and exciting Christmas experience?
Australian company FreemanX have been offering "amazing experiences" down under since 2002, ranging from the fastest, highest and daring experiences, through to more romantic escapes. They're a great idea for an unforgettable present.
For adrenalin junkies, a skydiving or jet boat ride package is sure to be a well received present. Or for those people who have been there/done that, FreemanX's website offers extreme adventures like Jet Fighter flights, swimming with sharks, and V8 or Rally car driving experiences.
If you're looking for a special 'romantic' gift to share with someone, there's Gondala cruises on the Gold Coast, Hot Air Balloon flights over Australia's biggest cities, and Day Spa treatments.
The best thing with choosing a unique adventure from FreemanX is that you don't need to battle the crowds, and you can order from the comfort of home. Personalised gift packs arrive within three days, or if you're tighter for time, they also offer 'instant email vouchers'.
With Christmas just a week away, Nintendo's revolutionary Wii looks set to be the top video games console this festive season.
Latest figures show the Nintendo Wii held onto the #1 console spot in the United States last month, selling over 981,000 units. That's the best sales month for the Wii since it was launched last November.
Industry experts say sales of the Wii would have been even higher, if it wasn't for the big shortage of consoles in stores, as Nintendo struggles to keep up with demand. Nintendo's main rival, Microsoft, sold 770,000 Xbox 360 games consoles in November, while Sony's PlayStation 3 sold 466,000 units.
Video games sales are also strong. Activision's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare sold over 2 million copies (for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3). Meanwhile Microsoft's Xbox 360 hit Halo 3 is also still selling well.
Both titles were launched in recent months, and are the latest from two successful franchises. It's a battle to see which game will end up outselling the other, while some film executives are blaming the new releases for a downturn in movie ticket sales!
Halo 3 was developed exclusively for the Xbox 360. The game sold US$300 million in its first week alone, with the online multi-player aspect proving a huge draw for gamers, with over a million people playing it on Xbox Live on the first day of release.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty 4 introduces a new style of game play for the series, playing more like a "film style plot" with connected storylines, as well as solo missions in a gunship or in a sniper team.
Activision's Guitar Hero 3: Legends of Rock has also proven a major hit for the software studio, with the unique games selling 1.9 million copies last month for the Microsoft Xbox 360, Sony PS3, Nintendo Wii, and Sony PlayStation 2.
All three games have received very positive reviews, and are likely to keep gamers occupied for many long hours over the Christmas and New Year holiday breaks.
Latest figures show the Nintendo Wii held onto the #1 console spot in the United States last month, selling over 981,000 units. That's the best sales month for the Wii since it was launched last November.
Industry experts say sales of the Wii would have been even higher, if it wasn't for the big shortage of consoles in stores, as Nintendo struggles to keep up with demand. Nintendo's main rival, Microsoft, sold 770,000 Xbox 360 games consoles in November, while Sony's PlayStation 3 sold 466,000 units.
Video games sales are also strong. Activision's Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare sold over 2 million copies (for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3). Meanwhile Microsoft's Xbox 360 hit Halo 3 is also still selling well.
Both titles were launched in recent months, and are the latest from two successful franchises. It's a battle to see which game will end up outselling the other, while some film executives are blaming the new releases for a downturn in movie ticket sales!
Halo 3 was developed exclusively for the Xbox 360. The game sold US$300 million in its first week alone, with the online multi-player aspect proving a huge draw for gamers, with over a million people playing it on Xbox Live on the first day of release.
Meanwhile, Call of Duty 4 introduces a new style of game play for the series, playing more like a "film style plot" with connected storylines, as well as solo missions in a gunship or in a sniper team.
All three games have received very positive reviews, and are likely to keep gamers occupied for many long hours over the Christmas and New Year holiday breaks.
Disney's hit musical version of High School Musical is to light up stages across the United Kingdom next year, in an extensive 11 month tour.
The stage adaptation of the hit TV movie High School Musical had its world premiere in August 2006 at the Stagedoor Manor summer theatre camp in upstate New York. Since then a professional production has toured the United States, as well as thousands of amateur and school productions that have been staged around the world.
The 29-venue UK tour will premiere in Bromley in late January 2008, before calling on Leicester, Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Cardiff, Leeds, and many other UK cities and towns through 2008.
The stage version of High School Musical is largely similar to the tv-movie, but has two additional songs (Counting On You and Cellular Fusion), as well as a Megamix to finish the show. The wider company also play more of a role in the musical numbers than in the original film.
(The original High School Musical movie won two Emmy Awards, while the CD Soundtrack went Double Platinum in the UK, and was just as successful around the world. The recently released TV sequel, High School Musical 2 was another global phenomenon, breaking TV records in the UK and USA.
The UK tour stage production will star Ashley Day as Troy Bolton (seen on the West End in Mary Poppins), and Lorna Want (from the recent revival of Evita) as Gabriella Montez. The large scale production features a 34-strong cast, with bookings currently open for performances up until September.
** Full schedule of the High School Musical 2008 UK Tour... BROMLEY (14 Jan - 2 Feb 2008); STOKE-ON-TRENT (4-9 Feb); NORWICH (11-16 Feb); EDINBURGH (11 Feb - 1 March); YORK (3-8 March); WOLVERHAMPTON (10-15 March); WOKING (17-29 March); LEICESTER (31 March - 5 April); SOUTHEND-ON-SEA (8-12 April); NOTTINGHAM (14-19 April); BRADFORD (21-26 April); SOUTHAMPTON (28 April - 10 May); HULL (19-24 May); BIRMINGHAM (26 May - 7 June); MILTON KEYNES (9-14 June); WIMBLEDON (16-21 June); MANCHESTER (23 June - 5 July); BRISTOL (7-19 July); NEWCASTLE (21 July - 2 Aug); GLASGOW (4-16 Aug); OXFORD (25-30 Aug); LIVERPOOL (1-13 Sept); CANTERBURY (22-27 Sept); NORTHAMPTON (29 Sept - 4 Oct); BELFAST (6 - 11 Oct); ABERDEEN (20 Oct - 1 Nov); PLYMOUTH (3-15 Nov); CARDIFF (17-22 Nov); LEEDS (24 Nov - 6 Dec 2008).
* Official website: High School Musical UK Tour 2008
* Whatsonstage.com: High School Musical Announces Cast, Adds Dates
* High School Musical Shop - Merchandise and presents for all High School Musical fans
The stage adaptation of the hit TV movie High School Musical had its world premiere in August 2006 at the Stagedoor Manor summer theatre camp in upstate New York. Since then a professional production has toured the United States, as well as thousands of amateur and school productions that have been staged around the world.
The 29-venue UK tour will premiere in Bromley in late January 2008, before calling on Leicester, Manchester, Birmingham, Oxford, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Cardiff, Leeds, and many other UK cities and towns through 2008.
The stage version of High School Musical is largely similar to the tv-movie, but has two additional songs (Counting On You and Cellular Fusion), as well as a Megamix to finish the show. The wider company also play more of a role in the musical numbers than in the original film.
(The original High School Musical movie won two Emmy Awards, while the CD Soundtrack went Double Platinum in the UK, and was just as successful around the world. The recently released TV sequel, High School Musical 2 was another global phenomenon, breaking TV records in the UK and USA.
The UK tour stage production will star Ashley Day as Troy Bolton (seen on the West End in Mary Poppins), and Lorna Want (from the recent revival of Evita) as Gabriella Montez. The large scale production features a 34-strong cast, with bookings currently open for performances up until September.
** Full schedule of the High School Musical 2008 UK Tour... BROMLEY (14 Jan - 2 Feb 2008); STOKE-ON-TRENT (4-9 Feb); NORWICH (11-16 Feb); EDINBURGH (11 Feb - 1 March); YORK (3-8 March); WOLVERHAMPTON (10-15 March); WOKING (17-29 March); LEICESTER (31 March - 5 April); SOUTHEND-ON-SEA (8-12 April); NOTTINGHAM (14-19 April); BRADFORD (21-26 April); SOUTHAMPTON (28 April - 10 May); HULL (19-24 May); BIRMINGHAM (26 May - 7 June); MILTON KEYNES (9-14 June); WIMBLEDON (16-21 June); MANCHESTER (23 June - 5 July); BRISTOL (7-19 July); NEWCASTLE (21 July - 2 Aug); GLASGOW (4-16 Aug); OXFORD (25-30 Aug); LIVERPOOL (1-13 Sept); CANTERBURY (22-27 Sept); NORTHAMPTON (29 Sept - 4 Oct); BELFAST (6 - 11 Oct); ABERDEEN (20 Oct - 1 Nov); PLYMOUTH (3-15 Nov); CARDIFF (17-22 Nov); LEEDS (24 Nov - 6 Dec 2008).
* Official website: High School Musical UK Tour 2008
* Whatsonstage.com: High School Musical Announces Cast, Adds Dates
* High School Musical Shop - Merchandise and presents for all High School Musical fans
The lights of Broadway are well and truly shining again, following the end of the industry's 19-day strike in November. Unionised stagehands walked off the job on November 10th, after refusing to agree to new terms with the League of American Theatres and Producers.
The stagehands had been working without a contract since July. Their union was determined to cling to old fashioned working arrangements, and was unwillingly to agree to new streamlined conditions more suited to the modern theatre era, or pay cuts (Producers claimed the average stagehand earns around $150,000 a year).
The strike closed the majority of shows on Broadway (both Musicals and Plays), with only a small number able to continue (including Mel Brooks' new musical, Young Frankenstein, Xanadu, and Mary Poppins) because they were under separate union contracts.
It's estimated the three week strike cost New York City up to US$17 million per day. However, while shows are back on the boards, a new deal still hasn't yet been signed. Local One have reached a tentative agreement with Producers, but the new deal is still to be approved by the union's members.
Both sides compromised, with producers forced to offer healthy pay rises over the next five years. However they were able to gain some concessions in reducing the number of staff needed for loading in shows. Producers are currently forced to hire a set number of stagehands, irrespective of the actual daily workload.
Broadway performers have welcomed the return to work, and most shows spent a few days on "brush up" rehearsals. Spring Awakening star Skylar Astin (who'd just returned from a break after shooting a movie) said it was just like opening night again...
* MTV.com: The Show Must Go On! Broadway Stars Get Back Into Character After Stagehand Strike
The stagehands had been working without a contract since July. Their union was determined to cling to old fashioned working arrangements, and was unwillingly to agree to new streamlined conditions more suited to the modern theatre era, or pay cuts (Producers claimed the average stagehand earns around $150,000 a year).
The strike closed the majority of shows on Broadway (both Musicals and Plays), with only a small number able to continue (including Mel Brooks' new musical, Young Frankenstein, Xanadu, and Mary Poppins) because they were under separate union contracts.
It's estimated the three week strike cost New York City up to US$17 million per day. However, while shows are back on the boards, a new deal still hasn't yet been signed. Local One have reached a tentative agreement with Producers, but the new deal is still to be approved by the union's members.
Both sides compromised, with producers forced to offer healthy pay rises over the next five years. However they were able to gain some concessions in reducing the number of staff needed for loading in shows. Producers are currently forced to hire a set number of stagehands, irrespective of the actual daily workload.
"We've done the show hundreds of times, but we all woke up today with this anxious feeling... People were pacing the halls, doing their lines like it was the first night of previews."
* MTV.com: The Show Must Go On! Broadway Stars Get Back Into Character After Stagehand Strike
Internet shopping giant Amazon is hoping strong demand for its new Amazon Kindle e-book device bodes well for its long term success. The Kindle electronic book reader was launched in the United States last month, and their initial supply sold out in under six hours.
The e-tailer's Kindle Store has over 90,000 books available, including most of the current New York Times best sellers. Access to newspapers and blogs is also available for a monthly subscription.
Electronic book devices have tried and failed before to encourage people to read books on an portable display. However, reviewers have praised the Kindle for its "revolutionary electronic-paper display", with a crisp screen that looks very similar to real paper.
The Kindle also includes a Web browser, dictionary, and encyclopedia. It is lighter and thinner than the average paperback, weighing just over 10 ounces. Battery life ranges from two days to a week, depending on whether the wireless connection is switched on.
The company also says unlike other e-book readers, the Kindle doesn't need to be connected to a computer to download books. The device uses the EVDO high-speed data network to download fresh content through Amazon's wirelessWhispernet network.
However, extremely heavy demand has meant the Kindle is sold out through until after Christmas, with Amazon prioritising orders on a "first-come, first-served" basis. The company hopes this strong demand will help the Kindle become the "iPod of books".
The e-book reader isn't yet available to customers living outside the United States, but an international launch is expected next week once the company has managed to satisfy American demand, and sign up overseas content providers..
The e-tailer's Kindle Store has over 90,000 books available, including most of the current New York Times best sellers. Access to newspapers and blogs is also available for a monthly subscription.
Electronic book devices have tried and failed before to encourage people to read books on an portable display. However, reviewers have praised the Kindle for its "revolutionary electronic-paper display", with a crisp screen that looks very similar to real paper.
The Kindle also includes a Web browser, dictionary, and encyclopedia. It is lighter and thinner than the average paperback, weighing just over 10 ounces. Battery life ranges from two days to a week, depending on whether the wireless connection is switched on.
The company also says unlike other e-book readers, the Kindle doesn't need to be connected to a computer to download books. The device uses the EVDO high-speed data network to download fresh content through Amazon's wirelessWhispernet network.
However, extremely heavy demand has meant the Kindle is sold out through until after Christmas, with Amazon prioritising orders on a "first-come, first-served" basis. The company hopes this strong demand will help the Kindle become the "iPod of books".
The e-book reader isn't yet available to customers living outside the United States, but an international launch is expected next week once the company has managed to satisfy American demand, and sign up overseas content providers..
