Lionsgate United kingdom To Distribute Icon Game titles, But No News On Library Deal

Lionsgate United kingdom today confirmed its new distribution pact with Icon United kingdom saying it'll handle the discharge of all the latters game titles continuing to move forward. The offer is perfect for all privileges for those films in the future, but, for now a minimum of, the Icon library isn't incorporated. Speculation continues to be that Lionsgate would dominate the library including Oscar-those who win Precious and Guy On Wire Oscar-nominee Just One Guy, genre hit Paranormal Activity and many more. Lionsgate United kingdom already handles the house entertainment privileges for that Miramax and Nu Image libraries and lately joined a multi-year certification cope with Netflix in front of the streaming service’s 2012 United kingdom launch. Symbols releases this year have incorporated Jodie Fosters The Beaver and Nicolas Winding Refns Drive. Lionsgate will handle the discharge of Winding Refns next picture, Only God Forgives together with Walter Salles On The Highway, Adam Wingards Youre Next and also the very British Mail carrier Pat: The Film. Icon Boss Aviv Giladi stated, This move will further assert our position within the competitive United kingdom marketplace. Lionsgate COO Guy Avshalom stated, We're delighted to become dealing with Aviv and the team at Icon and including a number of game titles into our growing theatrical slate.

Jaime Pressly Describes TV Return In I Personally Don't Like My Teenage Daughter

First Released: November 23, 2011 6:13 PM EST Credit: FOX Caption Aisha Dee as Mackenzie, Katie Finneran as Nikki, Jaime Pressly as Annie and Kristi Lauren as Sophie in I Personally Don't Like My Teenage Daughter on FOXLOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Jaime Pressly heads back to everything about sitcoms using the new FOX comedy, I Personally Don't Like My Teenage Daughter, however the Emmy champion (for I'm Earl) stated it required an excellent show to woo her back. I truly desired to make certain that things i did wasnt something which just was destined to be half-a**erectile dysfunction, it was something which was destined to be really, excellent, dealing with excellent people as well as from great authors, the actress told AccessHollywood.coms Laura Saltman. We've got all that. After Earl, Jaime required a rest, remaining aware of her boy, Dezi, now 4. He only agreed to be annually . 5 old after i stopped shooting Earl, and so i got 2 yrs to become home with him, that was wonderful, she stated. Still, Jaime stated she was glad to return to work. I couldnt run to work quick enough, though, the funny star stated having a laugh. Whatever you at-home moms? Kudos for you. I am unable to do that which you do. Used to do it also it was tough. I'd help I'd a nanny assist me to also it was still being hard, Jaime added. Jaime plays just one mother raising an average Women-esque teenage daughter alongside her closest friend, performed by double Tony champion Katie Finneran, who also offers a snooty teen. Going from Earls aggressive Pleasure to her IHMTD character Annie was the best project, Jaime stated. Pleasure was this type of large character, I needed to allow that to die lower for a bit after which I recognized it is not dying lower cause shes on 7 days per week now [in distribution], so the only method I had been gonna escape from it had been doing something the entire opposite, that is this character Annie, which show. IHMTD premieres November 30 at 9:30/8:30 C on FOX. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All privileges reserved. These components might not be released, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Casting Standout: 'The Ides of March'

Casting Standout: 'The Ides of March' By Daniel Holloway November 22, 2011 Photo by Columbia Pictures Ellen Chenoweth's first feature film as a casting director was "Diner," a classic ensemble picture of its era, with a cast that included Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, and Paul Reiser, all at or near the dawn of their careers. Since then, Chenoweth has cast some of the most acclaimed films of the last three decades, from "Six Degrees of Separation" to "No Country for Old Men." So how does her most recent"The Ides of March," a George Clooneydirected political drama adapted from Beau Willimon's stage play "Farragut North"stack up against its forebears? "It's like asking how your children stack up," Chenoweth says. "I'm definitely really proud of this one. I think it's really, really solid. I didn't cringe at all when I saw it, so that's a good sign." How often does she cringe when watching her films? "I can rip myself to shreds, particularly the first time I see something," she says. "It usually takes me about three viewings to kind of calm down. But I actually didn't go through that agony on this one."Chenoweth didn't have to go through much agony in casting the project, either. At the time Chenoweth came aboard, Ryan Gosling was locked in as the lead, Stephen Meyers, a political staffer for an idealistic presidential candidate played by Clooney. Some supporting partsMarisa Tomei as a driven political reporter, Evan Rachel Wood as a naive internwere also already cast. But there was still plenty of work to do for Chenoweth, who worked with Clooney on his three previous directorial efforts and helped bring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Jeffrey Wright aboard for this one. "One of the great things was that just because [Clooney has] been doing this for a while and acting in so many things over the years, he knows so many actors," Chenoweth says. "So that's a real kind of asset. If you say, 'Oh, that guy who was on some TV show,' chances are he has seen it and probably worked with that person. It just makes my job a lot easier. Also, he has a really good eye for talent and knows what he wants. I find the hardest thing is when a director doesn't know what he wants. But he does, so you just have to zero in on it and help him find it."Among the roles Chenoweth worked the hardest to cast was Ben Harpen, a young staffer who challenges Meyers. The role went to Max Minghella, but not before plenty of due diligence had been done. "It just became a part that all the young guys wanted," she says. "We had people sending us tapes from Australia, England. Even though we didn't cast them, we definitely saw a lot of interesting young guys."Chenoweth also cast several supporting roles using local actors in Michigan, where much of the film's principal photography was shot. Because of a tight budget and a busy travel schedule, she reviewed prerecorded auditions from Michigan actors remotely in NY, then passed the best on to Clooney and producerco-writer Grant Heslov in Los Angeles. Chenoweth credits Michigan's film and television production tax credit program with helping develop a rich community of actors from which she was able to draw. "We definitely had quite a few nice supporting roles come out of Michigan," she says. "I think because of all the production there, I even think people have moved back there from L.A. because there's so much work there. I had worked on [Clint Eastwood's] 'Gran Torino' a few years ago, which was one of the first things there after the big incentive kicked in. I think since then the talent pool has really improved a lot. It's really beefed up."And with "The Ides of March," Chenoweth has beefed up her rsumnot that it needed it.Casting Director: Ellen ChenowethDirector: George ClooneyWriters: George Clooney and Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, based on the play "Farragut North" by WillimonStarring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey WrightThe Pitch: A young hotshot political staffer (Gosling) gets entangled in the backroom dealing of a high-stakes presidential campaign.To read Back Stage's complete coverage of Awards Season, please get our FREE SAG Nomination Committee Guide. Or follow all our daily coverage with Back Stage's new online Awards Season section. Casting Standout: 'The Ides of March' By Daniel Holloway November 22, 2011 PHOTO CREDIT Columbia Pictures Ellen Chenoweth's first feature film as a casting director was "Diner," a classic ensemble picture of its era, with a cast that included Kevin Bacon, Mickey Rourke, Ellen Barkin, and Paul Reiser, all at or near the dawn of their careers. Since then, Chenoweth has cast some of the most acclaimed films of the last three decades, from "Six Degrees of Separation" to "No Country for Old Men." So how does her most recent"The Ides of March," a George Clooneydirected political drama adapted from Beau Willimon's stage play "Farragut North"stack up against its forebears? "It's like asking how your children stack up," Chenoweth says. "I'm definitely really proud of this one. I think it's really, really solid. I didn't cringe at all when I saw it, so that's a good sign." How often does she cringe when watching her films? "I can rip myself to shreds, particularly the first time I see something," she says. "It usually takes me about three viewings to kind of calm down. But I actually didn't go through that agony on this one."Chenoweth didn't have to go through much agony in casting the project, either. At the time Chenoweth came aboard, Ryan Gosling was locked in as the lead, Stephen Meyers, a political staffer for an idealistic presidential candidate played by Clooney. Some supporting partsMarisa Tomei as a driven political reporter, Evan Rachel Wood as a naive internwere also already cast. But there was still plenty of work to do for Chenoweth, who worked with Clooney on his three previous directorial efforts and helped bring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, and Jeffrey Wright aboard for this one. "One of the great things was that just because [Clooney has] been doing this for a while and acting in so many things over the years, he knows so many actors," Chenoweth says. "So that's a real kind of asset. If you say, 'Oh, that guy who was on some TV show,' chances are he has seen it and probably worked with that person. It just makes my job a lot easier. Also, he has a really good eye for talent and knows what he wants. I find the hardest thing is when a director doesn't know what he wants. But he does, so you just have to zero in on it and help him find it."Among the roles Chenoweth worked the hardest to cast was Ben Harpen, a young staffer who challenges Meyers. The role went to Max Minghella, but not before plenty of due diligence had been done. "It just became a part that all the young guys wanted," she says. "We had people sending us tapes from Australia, England. Even though we didn't cast them, we definitely saw a lot of interesting young guys."Chenoweth also cast several supporting roles using local actors in Michigan, where much of the film's principal photography was shot. Because of a tight budget and a busy travel schedule, she reviewed prerecorded auditions from Michigan actors remotely in NY, then passed the best on to Clooney and producerco-writer Grant Heslov in Los Angeles. Chenoweth credits Michigan's film and television production tax credit program with helping develop a rich community of actors from which she was able to draw. "We definitely had quite a few nice supporting roles come out of Michigan," she says. "I think because of all the production there, I even think people have moved back there from L.A. because there's so much work there. I had worked on [Clint Eastwood's] 'Gran Torino' a few years ago, which was one of the first things there after the big incentive kicked in. I think since then the talent pool has really improved a lot. It's really beefed up."And with "The Ides of March," Chenoweth has beefed up her rsumnot that it needed it.Casting Director: Ellen ChenowethDirector: George Clooney Writers: George Clooney and Grant Heslov and Beau Willimon, based on the play "Farragut North" by WillimonStarring: Ryan Gosling, George Clooney, Paul Giamatti, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Evan Rachel Wood, Marisa Tomei, Jeffrey WrightThe Pitch: A young hotshot political staffer (Gosling) gets entangled in the backroom dealing of a high-stakes presidential campaign.To read Back Stage's complete coverage of Awards Season, please get our FREE SAG Nomination Committee Guide. Or follow all our daily coverage with Back Stage's new online Awards Season section.

'Game Of Thrones' Season Two Preview Teases New Characters

Children of summer prepare yourself, because winter is finally returning, and it's not going to be pretty the second time around. HBO has released a behind-the-scenes featurette from the second season of "Game of Thrones" that offers the first glimpse at footage from the highly anticipated show. All our favorite characters -- from Tyrion to Jon Snow to The Hound -- are included, as well as some new ones. And if you wanted another peek at Arya on the lam, then you're in luck. Season 2 - In Production Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss narrate the video and express their excitement for the upcoming second season. "So many great characters arcs and so many great characters and plot twists and reveals," Benioff promised. "I think it's going to be an incredible journey for our audience." The two major scenes revealed in the trailer are one of Jon and Sam beyond the Wall discussing how they are pressing into Wildling territory, and the aforementioned scene where Arya is disguised as the boy Arry, and is close to being caught by the Queen's men. But there are some other great shots of Jorah and Daenerys, Joffrey as king and Bran with Maester Luwin that should get fans counting down the seconds until "Game of Thrones" premieres in April. Also revealed are some of the new characters in the show's upcoming season. Renly Baratheon's new queen Margaery Tyrell -- played by "The Tudors" star Natalie Dormer -- is shown sitting next to her king on the battlefield. And there are some quick shots of Carice Van Houten as Melissandre and Liam Cunningham as Davos tossed in there if you're quick enough to catch them. I personally can't wait to see what Gwendoline Christie looks like as Brienne and how Tom Wlaschiha makes us cringe as Jaqen H'ghar, but hopefully those will be revealed in future promotions. "One of the great challenges with the second season is the world just expanded enormously and not only did we introduce a great number of new characters, but we're journeying to all new locations," Benioff teased for season two. We can't wait! Did this promo get you excited for season two of "Game of Thrones"? Tell us in the comments section below or on Twitter!

Breaking Dawn Rises To $283.5M Worldwide Debut

First Published: November 20, 2011 3:17 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner step out in style the UK premiere of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 at Westfield Stratford City in London on November 16, 2011 The Twilight Saga has staked out another huge opening with a $139.5 million first weekend domestically and a worldwide launch of $283.5 million. The domestic total gives The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 the second-best debut weekend for the franchise, after the $142.8 million launch for 2009s The Twilight Saga: New Moon. 'Breaking Dawn did more than half of its business, $72 million, on opening day Friday, while the movies debut weekend was the fifth-best on record. Opening in 54 overseas markets, Breaking Dawn pulled in $144 million internationally, according to studio estimates Sunday. But the Warner Bros. dancing penguin sequel Happy Feet 2 stumbled in its debut, pulling in just $22 million over opening weekend. Thats barely half what the first film in the animated franchise earned in its 2006 opening. The comparison is even worse considering the original did not have the sequels price advantage for 3-D screenings, which cost a few dollars more than 2-D shows. The previous weekends No. 1 movie, Relativity Medias action tale Immortals, fell to third-place with $12.3 million, raising its domestic haul to $53 million. George Clooney had a great start with Fox Searchlights comic drama The Descendants, which broke into the top-10 despite playing in just a handful of theaters. The Descendants finished at No. 10 with $1.2 million in 29 theaters, averaging a whopping $42,150 a cinema. That compares to an average of $34,351 in 4,061 theaters for Breaking Dawn. Directed by Alexander Payne (Sideways), the film stars Clooney as a distressed dad tending to his daughters after his wife falls into a coma from a head injury. The film expands to about 400 theaters Wednesday. In an industry whose main audience is young males, Twilight is a rare blockbuster franchise driven by female viewers. Distributor Summit Entertainment reported that women and girls made up 80 percent of the audience for Breaking Dawn. The popularity of Twilight has left many men scratching their heads, even those involved in releasing the movies. Im 53 years old, and I havent figured it out yet, said Richie Fay, head of distribution for Summit. It relates really to young girls and things that are important to them, their romantic ideas of love and relationships, without getting so physical, at least on screen, that it becomes a worry for their parents. Breaking Dawn has brooding teen Bella (Kristen Stewart) marrying vampire lover Edward (Robert Pattinson), whose family strikes an uneasy alliance with jealous werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner) to protect the bride and the baby shes carrying. The movies big start points to even better business for next years Breaking Dawn Part 2, the finale in the five-film series based on Stephenie Meyers best-selling novels. Breaking Dawn was a windfall for Hollywood in general, whose domestic revenues continue to trail 2010s despite rosy projections last spring of a record box-office year. Domestic business totaled $222 million, up 14 percent from the same weekend last year, when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 led with $125 million, according to box-office tracker Hollywood.com. The penguins of Happy Feet 2 were left in the cold compared with the big debut for the first film, a critical favorite that won the Academy Award for feature animation. The sequel, featuring returning voice stars Elijah Wood and Robin Williams, received mixed to bad reviews. Still, Warner Bros. reported it earned highmarks from audiences, which could keep it afloat in the coming weeks. We honestly feel well pick up some steam and play some catch-up as we get into the holidays, said Dan Fellman, head of distribution at Warner. But the competition for family audiences turns intense in the next few days with Martin Scorseses youthful adventure Hugo, the musical comedy The Muppets and the animated holiday tale Arthur Christmas all opening Wednesday for the busy Thanksgiving weekend. The newcomers, combined with Breaking Dawn, could lift Hollywood above the Thanksgiving record set in 2009, when New Moon paced the industry to a $273 million domestic haul from Wednesday to Sunday. This could be one of the greatest movie-going weekends ever in the midst of a year that has really had its ups and downs at the box office, said Hollywood.com analyst Paul Dergarabedian. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, $139.5 million ($144 million international) 2. Happy Feet 2, $22 million. 3. Immortals, $12.3 million. 4. Jack and Jill, $12 million. 5. Puss in Boots, $10.7 million ($2.4 million international). 6. Tower Heist, $7 million ($4.5 million international). 7. J. Edgar, $5.9 million. 8. A Very Harold&Kumar 3D Christmas, $2.9 million. 9. In Time, $1.7 million. 10. The Descendants, $1.2 million. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Natalie Wood Scientists to check out Boat in Hawaii Robert Wagner Not just a Suspect

Scientists will examine the boat that moved Natalie Wood, Robert Wagner and Christopher Walken the evening the actress died three decades ago, the La Sheriff's Department introduced Friday.our editor recommendsNatalie Wood Reopened Situation Prompts CBS' '48 Several hours Mystery' to move Up Air DateNatalie Wood Boat Captain Continues Media Blitz on CNN (Video)Natalie Wood's Boat Captain Confesses to Lounging, States Robert Wagner 'Responsible' on her behalf Dying (Video)Natalie Wood: 5 of Her Most Memorable Roles (Video)Christopher Walken Utilizes Lawyer to cope with Natalie Wood Analysis (Exclusive) Lt. John Corina addressed a throng of media inside a press conference within the Sheriff's Monterey Park headquarters announcing the 30-year-old analysis to the actress' dying remains reopened. Corina rejected to provide particulars round the inquiry to the dying, they mentioned remains considered an accidental drowning. But he mentioned that Wagner is not a suspect, adding the department had received new, credible information that motivated further analysis. PHOTOS: Natalie Wood: A Hollywood Icon Appreciated "We felt you ought to be responsible enough to follow along with-up," Corina mentioned. The boat that moved the trio your evening now resides in Hawaii, and Corina mentioned scientists will examine it concerning the the inquiry. He declined to talk about if there's a suspicion of foul take part in the incident. When asked for whether scientists would interview Wagner or Walken, Corina mentioned he wouldn't consult with whom scientists would speak. Corina wouldn't not address claims by boat captain Dennis Davern, who made media models Friday saying he lied for Wagner throughout previous recounts in the evening when Wood died. In the CNN appearance, Davern mentioned he was asked for by Wagner not to turn incorporated's search light or call a detailed restaurant after Wood went missing utilizing their boat in the coast of La's Catalina Island. More youthful crowd established the married Wood and Wagner, who had previously been fighting due to Wagner's jealousy over his wife's apparent closeness with Brainstorm co-star Walken, needed their fight towards the ship's aft deck before things went quiet. The actress' bruised body was later located in the ocean of a mile within the boat, named the wonder. Wagner has maintained Wood visited bed mattress then when he later came below deck, she disappeared. On Thursday, he gave the following statement for the Hollywood Reporter: "Although nobody inside the Wagner family people happen to be relayed through the L.A. County Sheriff's department relevant for this matter, they fully provide the efforts in the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and trust they'll evaluate whether any new information relevant for the dying of Natalie Wood Wagner is applicable so it evolves from the credible source or sources aside from people simply trying to earn money in the 30-year anniversary of her tragic dying." Email: Daniel.Burns@THR.com Twitter: @DanielNMiller Related Subjects Christopher Walken Natalie Wood Robert Wagner

Emma Stone on 'SNL': Exactly what the Experts Say

Emma Stone was back around the Saturday Evening Live stage a few days ago, serving her second stint as host of NBC's late-evening variety show.our editor recommends'Saturday Evening Live' Rankings Lower With Emma Stone, Coldplay'Saturday Evening Live' Promotions Showcase Emma Stone's Comedy Wizardry (Video)'Saturday Evening Live' sets Emma Stone, Charlie Day and Jason Segel as November hosts'Saturday Evening Live': Emma Stone, Coldplay, Penn St. and also the Demon (Video) The actress, who next seems in This summer's The Astonishing Spider-Guy, among other movies, carried out a monologue with Andy Samberg that poked fun the surname of at her Spider-Guy co-star -- and reported boyfriend -- Andrew Garfield, who came out onstage. Meanwhile, skits incorporated one entitled "Bridal Shower Gifts," by which Stone performed the co-worker of the bride-to-be (Kristen Wiig) who wrongly in a bridal shower, giving the guest of recognition rectal lubricant like a present and popping for any "human toilet" as live entertainment. [Discover the shocking truth below.] VIDEO: 'Star Wars' Parody Features Emma Stone, Seth Rogen, Andy Samberg What exactly did the experts think about her return engagement on the program? The Houston Chronicle's Therese Odell was included her assessment. "Last night's Saturday Evening Live was neither an outrageous success nor an abject failure, but rather a strange mixture of reheated sketches and dirty jokes," she authored. "It had been as though the authors did not quite trust Emma Stone with new material, and they also encircled her with safe bits they understood works, and a few very raunchy ones they understood would a minimum of shock, otherwise amuse." The Orlando Sentinel's Hal Boedeker was keen on the host's performance, otherwise as passionate concerning the episode. STORY:Saturday Evening Live' Rankings Lower With Emma Stone, Coldplay "Host Emma Stone was lovely and game within an average episode from the NBC show," he authored. "Shewas funniest like a dense guest who presented inappropriate gifts in a bridal shower. Stone would be a cheerful host within the racy final sketch, 'We're Will make Technology Difficulty,' which featured products (like a gaming controller as well as an iPad) setting it up on." Elsewhere, Hitfix.com's Ryan McGee rated the different segments, writing that some worked out much better than others. He gave the monologue a C. "Instead of let Stone drive the monologue, SNL transmits Andy Samberg to decrease in (literally) and audition for that role of Spider-Guy," he authored. "Many a tale is created at the fee for Andrew Garfield's surname, which prompts Garfield themself in the future onstage. "'He's BRITISH?' Samberg cries. Very little for Stone to complete within this besides stare at Samberg attempting to switch while strapped right into a flying harness. Um...this show will not be this weak for the following 80 minutes, right?" VIDEO:'Saturday Evening Live': Emma Stone, Coldplay, Penn St. and also the Demon The Examiner's Scott Wampler, meanwhile, gave the monologue a b --, adoring Stone on her efforts. "The punchlines don't land everything well, but Stone's delivery causes it to be appear better than,Inch he authored. "This sets a precedent for the whole evening, incidentally." Related Subjects Emma Stone NBC Saturday Evening Live

James Murdoch underfire at U.K. Parliament

LONDON -- Embattled News Corp. chief operating officer James Murdoch steadfastly insisted that he was unaware of the extent of the phone hacking activities at News of the World when he appeared before a Parliamentary Select Committee for a second time on Thursday. Sitting this time without his father Rupert by his side, Murdoch Jr. repeatedly denied he had misled Parliament and emphasized that he had no knowledge of how widespread the illegal activities at the now-defunct tabloid paper were as he was fiercely grilled by a group of Members of Parliament in London. Standing by the testimony he gave the committee in July, Murdoch said that wider evidence of phone hacking was not given to him by former NI legal affairs manager Tom Crone nor by former NoW editor Colin Myler, and thus apportioning the blame of the scandal to others. "After the resignation of (Andy) Coulson (former editor of NoW and former spin doctor of Prime Minister David Cameron), (Les) Hinton (the former News International boss) brought Myler in to bring the newspaper forward and if he had known that there was wider spread criminality I think he should have told me," he said. The session, which lasted more than 2 1/2 hours, began with Murdoch denying any knowledge of the so-called "for Neville" email -- the email which revealed exactly how widespread the phone hacking activities were in the org -- and claimed to have only read the email "very recently," despite the fact that it was published in a 2010 committee report. Asked whether he too felt "humbled" by the events that have unfolded, a word his father Rupert used so memorably back in July in front of the committee, Murdoch responded: "I have had some time to reflect on these events. It's appropriate to reflect and I think the whole company is humbled by this. "What I'm trying to do is learn from the events over the last couple of years and try to understand why the company couldn't come to grips with the issues in as fast a way as I would have liked. "We are all humbled by itit is something that we are very sorry about." When he was asked about the legal advice given my Michael Silverleaf QC to News Intl., who emphasized that there was a culture of illegal activities happening at the company in 2008, Murdoch claimed he was not given the right information. "It is clear to me that in 2008 the information I received was incomplete and it's also clear that in 2009 upon allegations that the full extent of the knowledge was not made clear to me and that is something that I am very sorry for." Questioning took a dramatic turn when MP Tom Watson accused Murdoch of subscribing to a Mafia-style "code of silence" over the illegal activities. Asked whether the term "omerta" -- a group of people bound together by secrecy -- was an accurate description of News Intl. in the U.K., Murdoch responded: "Absolutely not, I think it's offensive and it's not true." "I think you must be the first mafia boss in history who didn't know he was running a criminal enterprise," said Watson to Murdoch, before Murdoch called his line of questioning "inappropriate." Murdoch has always insisted that he was ignorant of the fact that phone hacking was widespread when he authorized a payment of 700,000 ($1.1 million) to soccer official Gordon Taylor in 2008 when his phone was hacked. Additionally, Murdoch did not rule out axing The Sun, one of the other three remaining U.K. newspapers at News Intl., if further evidence of phone hacking at the company surfaced. Since the news that phone hacking was endemic at papers under the News Intl. banner, the scandal has had a seismic effect on Rupert Murdoch's media empire News Corp. A number of execs have resigned in the wake of the scandal including Rebekah Brooks, former News Intl. topper, and Hinton, former chief exec of Dow Jones and Rupert Murdoch's right-hand man. John Hartigan, long-time chairman and chief exec of News Limited, News Corp.'s Australian operations, stepped down on Wednesday. James Murdoch, who also serves as chairman of U.K. paybox BSkyB, is facing an increasing amount of pressure, challenging his position at the company. In October, he survived an attempt by News Corp. stockholders to remove him as director. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

Munecos Animados preps 'Amigos'

MADRID -- The spanish language toon studio Munecos Animados is preparing a 22-seg half-hour pre-school series, "Amigos," targeted at distributing animation abilities and general rise in Guatemala and Africa. The spanish language telemarketer Nottingham Forrest will handle worldwide sales. "Amigos" features six buddies: an elephant, crocodile, bear, fox, a black panther inside a motorized wheel chair, along with a little chicken. Puppets are constructed with curtain or sofa fabric, fleece, polystyrene foam, polyester -- all common materials easily found or available in Africa or Guatemala. Voicing is going to be named in The spanish language for The country, South American The spanish language, French and British. And scripts is going to be prepared of The country, stated Roman. Within an usual link-up, "Amigos" is backed by Spain's Munecos Animados, The spanish language pubcaster TVE, and condition tv stations from Niger, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea. Pubcasters in tobago, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador also back the project. "Amigos" has additionally drawn on finance from Spain's Secretary of state for Culture and Ibero-American Agency for Development. The spanish language bank BBVA has signed a sponsorship and investment deal on "Amigos." "Amigos" goes into production in 2012. Profits would revert towards the nations involved, stated Roman. It'll get into production around March or April. Total series finances are Euros2.5 million ($3.4 million). Munecos is resides in Colmenar Viejo, a village about 50 %-hour's drive north of Madrid. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Because Of Due To Jimmy Kimmel To Host White-colored House Correspondents Dinner

Because Of Due To Jimmy Kimmel infamously skewers the best choice of ABC every year within the network’s upfront presentation. Now he'll get to make it happen for the leader from the united states . States. The host of ABC’s late-evening talk show Because Of Due To Jimmy Kimmel Live! remains attracted onto headline the next White-colored House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 28, 2012. He works recent hosts in the event Wanda Sykes, Jay Leno and several recently Seth Meyers a year ago. “Jimmy’s humor is sophisticated and edgy while appealing to a sizable audience,” mentioned Caren Bohan, a Reuters journalist and WHCA leader. Mentioned Kimmel, “I anticipate being a member of theWhite House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. I like dinner.” The WHCA dinner is attended with the Leader and First Lady together with other senior government government bodies the ones in the press corps supported having a slew of stars.