Entertainment

Passes $400 Million Overseas for $713 Million Worldwide to Date

HOLLYWOOD, Calif., June 30, 2008 -- Paramount Pictures and Lucasfilm Ltd.'s "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," directed by Steven Spielberg, produced by Frank Marshall and executive produced by George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy, crossed the $300 million mark domestically yesterday -- and topped $400 million overseas last Friday. With a cumulative gross of more than $713 million to date it is the highest grossing worldwide release of 2008.    » read more »

Month-Long Dedicated Coldplay Channel to Feature Exclusive, Uncut Live Performances from Viva La Vida Tour, Tracks from their New Album, Interviews With the Band and More

WASHINGTON, June 24, 2008 -- GRAMMY® Award-winning band Coldplay will have a dedicated channel on XM Radio, it was announced today. Beginning July 15, the month-long channel, "30 Days of Coldplay" (XM 51), will provide fans with music from the Coldplay catalog, including import-only released tracks and other hard-to-find recordings and tracks from their new album, an uncut, exclusive concert broadcast from the Viva La Vida North American Tour, plus other live performances, interviews and more.    » read more »

Consumers Swarm Times Square to be the First to Play

Jun 25, 2008 -- Activision, Inc. Announces: One of America's greatest rock bands of all time - Aerosmith - will unleash the latest Guitar Hero fan frenzy in Times Square during the launch of their first videogame, Guitar Hero(R): Aerosmith(R). Steven Tyler, Joe Perry, Brad Whitford, Tom Hamilton and Joey Kramer will unveil the game at a press conference and VIP celebration at the Hard Rock Cafe.

Hard Rock Cafe will also be transformed into a Best Buy home theater/videogame lounge where consumers will be among the first to play the game on PLAYSTATION(R)3 before it hits store shelves on June 29.

WHERE: Hard Rock, Times Square - Guitar Hero: Aerosmith Video Game Experience and Aerosmith Press Conference    » read more »

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jun 25, 2008 -- Activision, Inc. (Nasdaq: ATVI) announced today the upcoming release of Cabela's Dangerous Hunts 2009 for Xbox 360(R) video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PLAYSTATION(R)3 and PlayStation(R)2 computer entertainment systems, and Wii(TM). The latest title in the best-selling Cabela's Dangerous Hunts franchise puts players in bone chilling, pressure-packed hunting situations as they seek out savage animals in the world's most dangerous locations.    » read more »

Fans Will Get a Sneak Preview of All-New Guitar Hero World Tour and Watch A Guitar Hero Competition on Center Stage

SANTA MONICA, Calif., Jun 25, 2008 -- This summer, Activision, Inc.'s (Nasdaq:ATVI) Guitar Hero(R), the #1 best selling video game franchise of 2007, will go coast-to-coast with the American Idols Live! Tour 2008, kicking off in Glendale, Ariz. on July 1.    » read more »

Award-Winning Television Programming Now Available on the iTunes Store in Australia

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, June 25, 2008 — Apple® today announced that television programming from Australia’s top networks including the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Seven Network and Nine Network, along with US-produced programs from The Walt Disney Company’s ABC Studios, Disney Channel and MTV Networks, is now available on the iTunes® Store in Australia (itunes.com/au). iTunes customers can choose from a wide range of television shows including the Logie Award-winning “Summer Heights High” and “McLeod’s Daughters,” the top-rated drama “Sea Patrol,” as well as favorites from the US including “Lost,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and “The Hills.”    » read more »

Short Takes From Disney Channel

June 23, 2008 -- Josh Duhamel guest stars as himself in a new episode of hit animated series "The Replacements" premiering MONDAY, JULY 7 (5:00 p.m., ET/PT) on Disney Channel.

In the episode "Hollywoodn't," Todd gets a starring role in Celebrity Star’s next movie and heads to Hollywood with his family. A suspicious Riley discovers Celebrity is just using Todd to make Shelton jealous and it's up to her to help her brother realize this.

Meanwhile, Dick makes new friends with the stuntmen and Agent K repeatedly interrupts the filming of Josh Duhamel's new action movie, thinking he is in need of her aid.

Source: Disney Channel

On-Demand Channel to Use TVN’s Extensive Suite of Services Across North America

BURBANK, Calif., June 23, 2008 – TVN© Entertainment Corp., the world’s largest television on-demand company, and Anime Network, America’s #1 Anime Channel, today announced a three year, comprehensive VOD services partnership. The deal includes industry-wide distribution and asset/metadata management services in support of Anime Network’s subscription (SVOD) and free on demand (FOD) programming services across various codecs, formats, and other configurations.    » read more »

Actress to Play Public Defender Roberta “Bobbi” Gilardi Opposite Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben and Jane Kaczmarek as Steven Bochco’s Eagerly Anticipated Series is Set to Premiere on TNT in September

6/18/2008 -- Natalia Cigliuti (All My Children) has joined the cast of TNT’s RAISING THE BAR, the latest series from producer, Steven Bochco. Playing newly hired public defender Roberta “Bobbi” Gilardi, she will co-star opposite Mark-Paul Gosselaar (NYPD Blue), Gloria Reuben (ER) and Jane Kaczmarek (Malcolm in the Middle), as well as Teddy Sears (Ugly Betty), Melissa Sagemiller (Sleeper Cell), Currie Graham (Boston Legal), J. August Richards (Conviction) and Jonathan Scarfe (Into the West).    » read more »

Beverly Hills, CA, June 23, 2008 — The 2001 Best Picture nominee “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” will be screened as the next feature in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ “Great To Be Nominated” series. The fantasy about a hobbit and his epic quest to end the reign of evil in his land by destroying an ancient ring will screen on Monday, June 30, at 7:30 p.m. at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Following the screening, producer Barrie Osborne, executive producer Mark Ordesky, film editor John Gilbert, supervising sound editor Ethan Van der Ryn, Oscar®-winning visual effects supervisor Jim Rygiel and U.S. casting director Victoria Burrows will participate in a discussion about the film.    » read more »

Beverly Hills, CA, June 23, 2008 – The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is extending invitations to join the organization to 105 artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures. Those who accept the invitation will be the only additions in 2008 to the Academy’s roster of voting members.

“These individuals are all incredibly talented and a credit to the world of filmmaking,” said Academy President Sid Ganis. “They exemplify the high standards of the Academy and I welcome each and every one of them to our ranks.”    » read more »

2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS and CMA Music Festival Campaigns Garner Top Honors

NASHVILLE, June 23, 2008 – CMT was recognized with six Promax and BDA (Broadcast Designers' Association) Awards last week at the 2008 Promax/BDA Conference in New York. The Promax and BDA Awards celebrate outstanding creative and design in today's broadcast media industries and electronic media.

CMT’s creative team, led by Vice President, Creative, Jeff Nichols garnered top honors with Gold awards for the 2007 CMT MUSIC AWARDS outdoor print campaign, as well as for art direction and design for special event promos. Also garnering a Gold award was CMT’s "Country Made Fresh" outdoor environmental campaign for the 2007 CMA Music Festival.    » read more »

Chairman John Shaffner To Announce The 60th Primetime Emmy® Awards Nominations

North Hollywood, CA, June 18, 2008 – Kristin Chenoweth ("Pushing Daisies") and Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") will join John Shaffner, Chairman and CEO, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, to announce the 60th Primetime Emmy® Awards Nominations live on Thursday, July 17 at 5:40 a.m. at the Academy’s Leonard H. Goldenson Theatre in North Hollywood. For the 18th consecutive year, Douglass M. Stewart, Jr. will be producing this event.    » read more »

STAMFORD, Conn., June 24, 2008 – One of the most dramatic scenes in the history of Monday Night RAW® took place live last night on USA Network’s ratings winner. After legitimately giving away $1 million dollars for the 3rd week in a row, an “accident” occurred burying Mr. McMahon® in over a ton of rubble.

Last week, Monday Night RAW ratings defeated all other television programming on broadcast and cable in the coveted male 18-49 demographic. Last night’s shocking twist will no doubt add even more intrigue to the most watched regularly scheduled show on cable.

Source: WWE

SYDNEY, Australia, June 19, 2008 - On June 11, the entertainment heavyweight that is WWE® descended upon the shores of Australia and New Zealand. The tour swept through seven cities in seven days, playing in front of fanatical crowds in Auckland, Christchurch, Melbourne, Adelaide, Sydney, and Newcastle before finishing up in Brisbane on June 17, making it the longest live event tour to date in the region.

Along with more than 68,000 WWE fans who attended the seven live events, ringside to watch the drama unfold were top TV comedian Rove McManus, Australian cricket hero Shane Warne, former champion boxer Jeff Fenech, as well as stars from Newcastle Knights, Sydney Swans, The NZ Warriors and Geelong Football Club.    » read more »