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Making her return to horror movies for the first time since that disastrous trip to the Bahamas for I Still Know You Did Last Summer, Brandy has the mother-in-law from hell—literally, it would seem—in The Front Room, the upcoming A24 horror-comedy. In The Front Room, directors Max and Sam Eggers,...

More actors than ever are now stepping behind the camera to take a shot at directing. To me, they always end up falling into one of three categories. There are the ones who simply aren’t very good at it. There are the ones who wind up making a movie that’s A-okay, often because they’re more attuned to the nuances of guiding their fellow actors than they are to the grander artistic machinery of filmmaking. And then there’s the elite third category: those rare actors — Greta Gerwig, Ben Affleck, Bradley Cooper — who turn out to be born filmmakers.

To that hallowed company we can now add the name Jesse Eisenberg. “A Real Pain,” which he wrote, directed, and co-stars in, premiered yesterday at Sundance, and it’s a delight and a revelation — a deft, funny, heady, beautifully staged ramble of a road movie about two Jewish cousins,...

Actress Kate Hudson feels it is “hard” to convince male movie stars to make romantic comedies.

The 44-year-old actress said that having a good leading man is a vital aspect of the genre but lamented the lack of appeal the films hold to men.

“It’s hard to get male movie stars to make rom-coms. That’s also a big part of the equation, to have that event. As long as we can get more Marvel guys to like, you know, ‘Hey, come to a rom-com!’ I think that’s a big part of the formula too,” Hudson said on an episode of ‘The View’, reports aceshowbiz.com.

When quizzed on the genre’s lack of appeal to male stars by presenter Sara Haines, the star explained that good writing is the key to attracting top talent to feature in the films.

Hudson said: “I think it’s about the writing,...

Kate Hudson thinks it is "hard" to convince male movie stars to make rom-coms.The 44-year-old actress explained that having a good leading man is a vital aspect of the genre but lamented the lack of appeal the films hold to men.Speaking on Thursday's (04.01.24) episode of 'The View', Kate said: "It's hard to get male movie stars to make rom-coms. That's also a big part of the equation, to have that event."As long as we can get more Marvel guys to like, you know, 'Hey, come to a rom-com!' I think that's a big part of the formula too."When quizzed on the genre's lack of appeal to male stars by presenter Sara Haines, the 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery' star explained that good writing is the key to attracting top talent to feature in the films.Kate said: "I think it's about the writing,...

Kate Hudson rocks a familiar look while stepping out for press on Thursday (January 4) in New York City.

The 44-year-old actress wore a fur trench coat that was very reminiscent of the coat she wore in one of her early, fan-favorite films Almost Famous!

While appearing on The View that day, Kate talked about her rom-com How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which turned 20 years old in 2023, what made it so good, and what rom-coms are missing nowadays.

Keep reading to find out more…

“Honestly, I think it was well written,” she said. “I think there’s this sort of misconception that a rom-com is supposed to have a certain formula, which it does, there is a formula that works… But it does also start with the writing.”

“We went through multiple writers and made sure we had a great foundation of a script, and then the cast,...

Zorro and Expats are the big shows coming to Prime Video in January. The former is what Amazon are calling a “bold reinterpretation” of the classic hero El Zorro for 2024. Starring Miguel Bernardeau as Diego de la Vega and Renata Notni as Lolita Marquez, it’s definitely an intriguing-sounding action-adventure series, with a ten-episode first season based on the iconic character originally created by Johnston McCulley all the way back in 1919.

Meanwhile, upcoming drama series Expats is based on the bestselling 2016 novel The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee, and follows “the vibrant lives of a close-knit expatriate community” in Hong Kong. Nicole Kidman has been known for picking the right kind of shows to lead in the past, so let’s hope this is another banger for the actress, who is also on board as an executive producer here.

Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month.

The episode of Wtf Happened to This Horror Movie? covering The Descent was Written by Emilie Black, Narrated by Adam Walton, Edited by Jaime Vasquez, Produced by Andrew Hatfield and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.

The decade comprised of the years 2000 to 2009 seems to be maligned by many horror fans as a bad period, a period where nothing good was released. Much like the decades before it when folks maligned the 1990s, 1980s, and now more recent movies, there was some bad stuff put out of course, but there were also a whole of good movies too. Some of them, like The Strangers in 2008, The House of the Devil in 2009, and Brotherhood of the Wolf in 2001 were excellent even. People often seem to paint the past in a better light and vilify the more recent eras when it comes to horror films. In 2005, plenty of horror films were released.

September may traditionally be a month that sees the weather cool off, but the action is just heating up on Tubi! The free ad-supported streaming service has some fantastic new titles debuting this month, including original action movies like “The Vigilante.”

There’s a wide range of other shows and movies headed to Tubi this month, including original stoner comedies, 2000s action series like “The Expendables,” and much more. Check below for a list of every show and movie headed to Tubi in September, and for The Streamable’s top five titles that will be available there this month!

What Are the Top 5 Series and Movies Headed to Tubi in September? ‘A Knight's Tale’ | Friday, Sept. 1

Heath Ledger stars as William Thatcher, a lowly squire who dreams of becoming a knight himself. Thatcher takes a chance and reaches for everything he’s ever wanted, finding love, excitement and adventure. But...

With its list of new releases for July 2023, Prime Video is going to help you stay safe from the oppressive July sun.

Highlighting the Amazon Originals on the TV side this month are two heavy hitters. The first is The Horror of Dolores Roach on July 7. Based on a podcast of the same name, this series could best be described as a modern day Sweeney Todd? Why, you ask? Well you know why. Think about it. Then season 2 of Neil Gaiman adaptation Good Omens premieres on July 28. This season will follow angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) and demon Crowley (David Tenant) as they seek to keep the Archangel Gabriel (Jon Hamm) away from both heaven and hell.

There aren’t any Amazon Original movies of note this month and that’s alright as the influx of library titles is more than enough. July 1 sees the arrival of The 40-Year-Old Virgin, No Country for Old Men,...

While summer starts in June, things truly heat up in July, and that includes all the hot new drops on streamers. Amazon’s Prime Video has refreshed its slate of content with over 60 new movies, like Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” and the 1973 animated adaption of the children’s book “Charlotte’s Web.”

Prime Video kicks off the start of the month with Doug McHenry’s “Jason’s Lyric,” “Father of the Bride,” and “Little Nicky.”

Plus, if you’re a Reese Witherspoon fan, Prime Video sets you up with her very first film and her breakout role as Dani in “Man in the Moon.” And the entire “Legally Blonde” trilogy is also available, for those who bend and snap.

Prime Video is also giving watchers some ultimate film classics like “Free Willy,” ”Gladiator,” and “Dances With Wolves.”

Last but absolutely not least, Season 2 of “Good Omens” will land on...

Prime Video has adapted the one-woman podcast “Empanada Loca” into a new series. “The Horror of Dolores Roach” will begin streaming on the service on July 7. Buckle up, because this one is gruesome. Roach (Justina Machado) returns to a gentrified Washington Heights after a long prison sentence and works as a masseuse in the basement of a friend’s empanada shop. But when her security is threatened, Roach is driven to extremes to survive.

Watch “The Horror of Dolores Roach” trailer:

Season 2 of “Good Omens” also will premiere on Prime Video in July. Arriving July 28, the series focuses on the friendship between Aziraphale (Michael Sheen), a fussy angel and rare-book dealer, and the snarky demon Crowley (David Tennant). While the Apocalypse has been averted, the pair are back living their lives in London, until the archangel Gabriel shows up. The series is based on the novel by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett.

Patton Oswalt once sagely joked that science is "all about coulda, not about shoulda." History is riddled with examples confirming his premise: the development of the A-bomb, Project MKUltra, and the advent of biological warfare. The worst of these achievements are irrevocable threats to humankind; the threat of nuclear war — which, if waged at full scale, would likely render most of the planet uninhabitable — will always be with us. Other thresholds, once passed, would render life barely worth living.

The growing popularity of ChatGPT has been a societal litmus test. People are understandably curious about the hot new technology. Goldbrickers at the professional and academic levels are downright ecstatic about its effort-saving applications. As the Artificial Intelligence model becomes more sophisticated, it will likely be able to churn out A-level analyses and essays. In time, ChatGPT and AI programs like it will be capable of generating novels, screenplays and, most chillingly,...

Season 2 of the Emmy-winning comedy “Hacks,” the debut of Colin Firth’s true-crime drama “The Staircase” and the streaming return of “The Matrix: Resurrections” all await HBO Max subscribers in May. If you’re looking for something new to watch or wondering what’s on HBO Max this month, not to worry, we’ve got the full rundown.

There are several must-watch new TV shows on both HBO and HBO Max this month, new and returning. Acclaimed Jean Smart comedy “Hacks” returns for Season 2 on May 12. As for the new debuts, May sees the premieres for HBO Max’s “The Staircase” on May 5, starring Colin Firth as Michael Peterson in the true-crime limited series, as well as the HBO premiere of Steven Moffat’s (”Doctor Who”) series adaptation of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” on May 15.

New films this month include the streaming return of “The Matrix: Resurrections” and streaming premieres...

With movie theaters fully back up and running, HBO Max no longer has any major film releases to point to with its list of new releases for May 2022. That’s alright though as the streamer is leaning into the HBO side of its branding to offer up some fun TV releases.

The biggest HBO Max original this month is undoubtedly the return of Hacks on May 12. The first season of this comedy starred Jean Smart as a venerated Vegas comedy and Hannah Einbinder as her new millennial assistant. The first batch of episodes was excellent and even won an Emmy or two for its troubles and now season 2 will look to keep up the good vibes.

Premiering on May 15, is The Time Traveler’s Wife. This series adaptation of the 2003 novel (which in turn became a a 2009 movie) keeps up with two star-crossed lovers who can never quite make the timing work…...

Actress Kate Hudson ("Almost Famous") poses for the Stuart Weitzman Spring 2022 campaign, photographed by Theo Wenner:

Hudson received a 'Best Supporting Actress' Oscar nomination for the feature "Amost Famous" (2000), followed by "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003), "Raising Helen" (2004)…

…"The Skeleton Key" (2005), "You, Me and Dupree" (2006), "Fool's Gold" (2008), "Bride Wars" (2009), "Nine" (2009), "Deepwater Horizon" (2016) and "Marshall" (2017). Upcoming films include "Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon", currently in post-production.

Hudson also co-founded fitness brand/membership program, "Fabletics", operated by JustFab. In 2016, she released her first book, "Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body", followed by "Pretty Fun: Creating and Celebrating a Lifetime of Tradition".

Click the images to enlarge…...

The feature films of “Dune” producer Mary Parent have raked in more than $ billion at the box office. These five features alone net a box office gross well over $1 billion:

“You, Me and Dupree” (2006)

In one of her first efforts as a credited producer, Parent coached filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo through the film that would become a commercial weigh station en route to their roles as directors of four entries in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. If it received only a lukewarm reception by Variety film critic Justin Chang, who called it “a middling third-wheel comedy elevated a couple of notches by the ineffably weird charms of Owen Wilson,” the film gave Parent a modest hit with $131 million in box office receipts.

“Pacific Rim” (2013)

After Guillermo del Toro’s plan-ned adaptation of “At the Mountains of Madness” fell apart at Universal due to creative differences over the budget and rating,...

The summer movie season may be winding down but Amazon Prime still has a hit or two up its sleeve in August 2021.

Amazon’s list new arrivals this month is highlighted by Evangelion:3.0+1.01 Thrice Upon A Time. That may be a mouthful of a name but it’s a big deal in the anime world. The streamer nagged exclusive rights to the final film in the Neon Genesis Evangelion film franchise known as “Rebuild of Evangelion”. With the future of the franchise up in the air, this could be the last chance in awhile for anime fans worldwide to catch some mecha action.

Read more TV Demon Slayer: Mugen Train’s Success And Why Anime Will Never Be the Same By Ruel Butler Movies How Lord of the Rings Helm’s Deep Anime Film Could Expand Rohan’s History By Joseph Baxter

August 2021 brings some other original films of note to Amazon as well.

Film aficionados will want to keep an eye on Amazon Prime Video in August, as the streaming giant is set to debut two Cannes Film Festival premieres: “Val,” a new documentary about Val Kilmer that uses archival footage shot by the actor himself, and “Annette,” Leos Carax award-winning musical (it won best director at Cannes) starring Adam Driver and Maron Cotillard and featuring music by Ron and Russell Mael of Sparks.

But beyond the Prime Video originals, the Amazon library content added to the service next month is vast and impressive. Among the major movies coming to Prime Video include “Aliens,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” “Jaws,” “Moneyball,” and “Predator.” Meanwhile, IMDb TV, the free service that users can access without a corresponding Amazon Prime subscription, will host “Apollo 13,” “La La Land,” and “Ghostbusters” among many other big titles.

Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video in August...

All Sorts is the perfect film for anyone missing that particular oddness that is the workplace, from the water cooler small talk, to quality time at the photo copier. Diego, played by Eli Vargas is desperate – for a job, for excitement, for love. When he gets hired to work by Vasquez, the absurd boss who loves data but can’t type, Diego finds himself in the strange, strange land of Data-Mart. There he meets June, an incredibly fast filer, and as the two make their way into the secret world of underground filing, things will never be the same. Diego agrees to be her coach and manager, and as...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Making their first non-Marvel feature since 2006’s You, Me and Dupree, the Russo brothers’ Cherry, adapted from Nico Walker’s 2018 roman à clef and starring Tom Holland, is a frenzied, ultimately overstuffed film that tackles—among a dozen other thematic interests—toxic masculinity, the opioid crisis, the Iraq War, Ptsd, and the prison-industrial complex. Highly structured and visually overwhelming, Cherry also attempts to synthesize competing genres—progressing through romance, war film, crime story, and ultimately addiction narrative—with uncontrollable velocity. Redeemed, in part, by Holland putting in the defining performance of his young career and nuanced support from Ciara Bravo as his girlfriend Emily, Cherry never pauses long enough to develop its competing preoccupations.

Split into five visually distinct chapters, as well as a prologue and epilogue, Cherry roughly careens through the protagonist’s life as he moves from college student to army medic to heroin addict before ending up,...

Adaptation to debut on Apple TV+ on March 12, 2021,

Apple’s awards season prospect Cherry starring Tom Holland has landed an awards-qualifying February 26, 2021, theatrical release date.

The film will debut on Apple TV+ on March 12, 2021, and marks the first non-Marvel Studios feature directed by Anthony and Joe Russo since You, Me And Dupree in 2006.

Based on the book by Nico Walker and adapted by Angela Russo-Otstot and Jessica Goldberg, Cherry follows an Iraq war hero who returns home with Ptsd, becomes a drug addict, robs banks, and shatters his relationship with his one true love against the backdrop of America’s opiod epidemic.

The Russo brothers bowed out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in spectacular fashion, directing the highest-grossing movie of all-time and drawing the Infinity Saga to an epic conclusion with Avengers: Endgame. Next year’s crime thriller Cherry starring Tom Holland marks the first time since 2006’s You, Me and Dupree that the siblings have stepped behind the camera for a feature film that hasn’t involved superheroes and spandex, but they’ve also branched out into producing through their Agbo company.

Agbo has only been in existence for a couple of years, but the outfit has already explored a wide range of genres from Sam Levinson’s Assassination Nation to Extraction, Netflix’s most popular original movie ever, while the Russos also produced Chadwick Boseman thriller 21 Bridges and this year’s acclaimed dramatic horror Relic.

Next up is true-life tale Mosul, which hit Netflix on Thursday. Based on a New Yorker article,...

Tom Holland is currently winning rave reviews for his performance in Netflix’s dark thriller The Devil All the Time, showcasing new sides of his talent in a role that’s a million miles away from the youthful exuberance that characterizes his tenure as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Peter Parker. The 24 year-old is clearly looking to establish a reputation as a versatile actor that doesn’t need a major franchise in order to succeed, and his next effort looks to cement the transition.

Cherry is a true-life story that also marks the first film from the Russo brothers since their four-movie stint as part of the McU culminated in the single highest-grossing pic of all time. The story follows Nico Walker, an Iraq War veteran suffering from Ptsd and an opioid addiction who turns to bank robbery in order to fund his habit.

First Look At Tom Holland In...

Before they first boarded the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Joe and Anthony Russo were best known for their work on sitcoms Arrested Development and Community, with their last big screen effort being forgettable 2006 comedy You, Me and Dupree. It wasn’t like they were the obvious choice to step behind the camera for the first time in eight years at the helm of a $170 million comic book blockbuster, but Marvel’s gamble paid off pretty well in the end.

Not only have the siblings directed more movies in the McU than anyone else, but they’re also responsible for the studio’s two highest-grossing installments, the latter of which became the biggest box office hit of all-time. Having got their start with the world’s most popular franchise on Captain America: The Winter Soldier though, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Steve Rogers is the character closest to their hearts.

Actress Amanda Detmer was arrested over the weekend on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol.

According to Chico, California police, the 48-year-old — known for roles in Final Destination, and most recently, Fox’s Empire — was arrested on Sunday at 5:51 p.m. local time.

Authorities allege that Detmer was driving less than an hour earlier when she crashed her car into a utility pole at an intersection. She left the scene, police claim, and was tracked and stopped less than a mile away.

Her vehicle was said to have “heavy front end damage,” Chico police say. They add...

Actress Kate Hudson ("Almost Famous") poses for the December 2019 issue of "Women's Health" magazine, photographed by Beau Grealy:

Hudson received an Oscar nomination for 'Best Supporting Actress' for the feature "Amost Famous" (2000), followed by "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days" (2003), "Raising Helen" (2004), "The Skeleton Key" (2005), "You, Me and Dupree" (2006), "Fool's Gold" (2008), "Bride Wars" (2009), "Nine" (2009), "Deepwater Horizon" (2016) and "Marshall" (2017). Upcoming films include "Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon", currently in post-production. .

Hudson also co-founded fitness brand/membership program, "Fabletics", operated by JustFab. In 2016, she released her first book, "Pretty Happy: Healthy Ways to Love Your Body", followed by "Pretty Fun: Creating and Celebrating a Lifetime of Tradition".

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Kate Hudson...

On Tuesday’s episode of “The Late Show,” Stephen Colbert celebrated what he considers some really excellent news regarding Donald Trump with a really terrible pun. Not that we don’t love terrible puns, of course.

At issue is the Trump’s ongoing lawsuit to keep his accounting firm from turning his financial records over to Congressional Democrats. Colbert noted that on Monday, a federal judge upheld a Congressional subpoena, and now the case will go to the Washington, D.C. circuit court of appeals.

As it happens, the presiding judge at that court is none other than Merrick Garland, the man President Obama nominated to the Supreme Court in 2016. But Senate Republicans, led by Mitch McConnell, refused to even hold hearings until after the election. We all know the rest of that story.

Also Read: Why Seth Rogen Dreads Promoting Movies Like the Russo Brothers' 'You, Me and Dupree...

Well maybe this explains why Seth Rogen didn’t get to cameo in “The Avengers.”

Rogen graces the cover of the new issue of GQ (along with his dog Zelda), and the stoner star of “Long Shot,” “Knocked Up,” “This Is the End” and many more talked about some of the frustrations early in his career. He singled out two films in particular: the romantic comedy “You, Me and Dupree,” which is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, and his superhero starring vehicle “The Green Hornet.”

Rogen said he dreaded doing press for a movie that he himself is not excited to go see, and as a result, he seeks greater creative control on all the projects he’s writing, producing and starring in.

Also Read: Seth Rogen Says There's a '100 Percent Chance' He's High In Each of His Movies (Video)

“It’s awkward to promote a movie that...

Unless you happened to be a big fan of the 2006 Owen Wilson comedy You, Me and Dupree, chances are you weren’t too familiar with the names Anthony and Joe Russo before their involvement in the McU. But having delivered one fan favorite after another in the series, it’s clear that the filmmaking pair could walk away after Avengers: Endgame knowing they’ve played a bigger role in the superhero saga than just about any other director.

Nonetheless, it seems that the brothers would be game for further collaborations with Marvel Studios once the McU’s Phase 3 has been wrapped up, explaining to Business Insider that they’d work with the company in any capacity in the future:

“We love Marvel, we’ve had an incredible experience with them,” Joe Russo said. “It’s why we’ve made four movies in six years with them. They’re like family to us.

Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Sam Neill, Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard have all roamed this land with the dinosaurs, but now it's in danger of being ravaged by Mother Nature ... so everyone's gotta get the hell out. The Kualoa Ranch in Oahu, Hawaii -- a famous filming location known for "Jurassic Park" and "Jurassic World" -- has canceled all of its tours and closed its facilities as the island prepares to take a possible direct hit from Hurricane Lane.

The Russo brothers aren’t entirely counting themselves out of the Marvel Cinematic Universe after they wrap their much-hyped (and still-untitled) “Avengers: Infinity War” sequel — frankly, they need a little bit of time to breathe before announcing anything about their franchise plans going forward — but the directors already have a clear idea what they’d like to see from the next phase of the sprawling blockbuster series. “Really risky choices,” Joe Russo said when asked by IndieWire about their hopes for Phase 4, not missing a beat. “Content and casting, diversity in directors, diversity in casting.”

Few people are as keenly aware of the reach and power of the multi-billion-dollar franchise as the Russos, and the filmmakers recognize the kind of responsibility that such a global behemoth has in a diverse, changing world.

“I think that these movies reach a global audience, and I think everyone has the right to identify...

Update: I’m told that Mary Parent will bring her top lieutenants from Disuption Entertainment, Cale Boyter and Ali Mendes, to Legendary. They’ll leave projects behind, but this instills a formative team as Tull moves forward with Wanda in the production/finance company.

Breaking: In a move that puts Mary Parent back in the executive suites, Legendary chairman/CEO Thomas Tull has set the veteran executive and producer to the newly established title of vice chairman of worldwide production. She replaces Jon Jashni, who just announced his exit to form Raintree Ventures.

Parent will oversee Legendary’s film, TV, digital, mobile and new media development and production activities, reporting to Tull. In Parent, Tull is getting a dynamo who is always on the shortlist when a top studio job opens. This comes after Legendary was bought by China’s Dalian Wanda Group. They need what Parent does so well:...

Actress Kate Hudson has settled a lawsuit in which she was accused of stealing the idea for a line of haircare products.

The You, Me and Dupree star was named in the suit which alleged she took a sample given to her by bosses at 220 Labs and used it to create her own range of eco-friendly products with celebrity stylist David Babaii.

Bosses at 220 Labs claimed it was their idea to create a collection of shampoos and styling aids containing volcanic ash.

But now Hudson has reached an out-of-court settlement and the case has been dismissed, reports TMZ.com.

A lawyer tells the website, "My clients are delighted it has been settled... everyone was pleased with the result."...

Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson's on/off romance has come to an end, according to reports.

The pair originally dated in 2006 after starring in You, Me & Dupree together, but split in 2007. They reunited again earlier this year but, according to In Touch Weekly, have now decided to call time on their relationship for good - after Hudson turned down Wilson's marriage proposal.

A source tells the magazine, "Owen wants to get married and he proposed to Kate soon after they got back together. But she’s not ready.”...

Kate Hudson has fuelled rumours her romance with Owen Wilson is back on after the couple was spotted enjoying a low-key break in France.

The Hollywood stars originally dated in 2006, shortly after they starred in You, Me & Dupree together - but they split in 2007, just before Wilson allegedly tried to take his life.

Hudson, 29, and Wilson, 40, were romantically linked again in 2008, and were reported to have gotten back together in early February.

Now they've been photographed taking in the sights on a trip to the coastal region of Normandy in France, where Wilson is in the country promoting his movie Marley & Me.

Hudson joined Wilson for a romantic stroll around the picturesque resort on Tuesday, before sitting down for a cosy dinner.

An onlooker says, "They were like any normal young couple. She held his hand and they were very nice, no pretensions."

A fellow diner adds, "They were comfortable with each other. There was lots of talking going on between them, laughter."...

Matt Dillon has the blues.

The You, Me and Dupree star is in final negotiations to play Leonard Chess, the legendary founder of the South Side Chicago blues label Chess Records, in Sony/BMG Film's Cadillac Records.

Darnell Martin (Their Eyes Were Watching God) penned the script and is directing. Sony/BMG's Sofia Sondervan and Andrew Lack are producing.

The period piece follows the rise and fall of Chess Records, which launched the careers of such R&B greats as Muddy Waters, Etta James and Chuck Berry. Chess, who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987, scoured the South, checking out the various blues scenes and selling records from the back of his Cadillac.

Filming is set to begin in January in New Jersey and Chicago.

Dillon's other upcoming projects include Nothing but the Truth, with Kate Beckinsale, Vera Farmiga and Angela Bassett, and Old Dogs, with Robin Williams and John Travolta.

Dillon is repped by CAA and Vic Ramos Management.

Owen Wilson's ex-girlfriend is still struggling to come to terms with the fact the movie star tried to take his own life. Australian fashion designer Stephanie Conley briefly dated the You, Me And Dupree star in 2005, and insists she's still close to Wilson. She admits she was stunned when she heard the news her ex had been hospitalised in Los Angeles after attempting suicide at his home in Santa Monica, California on Sunday. Speaking to the Sydney Daily Telegraph, Conley says, "I am terribly upset about the situation. I was totally shocked to hear about it and I'm still struggling to understand what went wrong." She reveals she had holidayed with Wilson in Europe just a month ago and found the actor to be in very high spirits. She adds, "He was having such an amazing time. Obviously something has gone very wrong in his personal life since then but he was so happy - I just don't understand." Since splitting from Wilson, Conley has dated Naomi Watts' brother Ben.

Hollywood beauty Kate Hudson has laughed off reports she is dating U.S. comedian Dax Shepard. Hudson has been single since splitting from her You, Me & Dupree co-star Owen Wilson in May and is currently in the process of divorcing rocker husband Chris Robinson. When the Almost Famous beauty and Shepard were spotted trying to leave a Malibu, California eaterie earlier this month, the Employee Of The Month funnyman removed his shirt in a bid to hide Hudson's face. However, her representative insists the pair were dining with a group of people and their relationship is strictly platonic. Her spokesperson says, "It wasn't a date. Just a group of friends having dinner and some fun."...

With a few shakes of its magic wand, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix mesmerized the North American boxoffice during the weekend: The PG-13 Warner Bros. Pictures release, playing in a super-wide 4,285 theaters, summoned up an estimated $77.4 million. Since its Wednesday opening, it has levitated to a five-day total of an estimated $140 million.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, After Dark Films' R-rated torture tale Captivity barely set off any goose bumps. Playing in 1,050 theaters, the film, directed by Roland Joffe, eeked out an estimated $1.6 million, finishing in 12th place overall.

With Transformers and Ratatouille doing business in the face of the Phoenix juggernaut, the weekend's top 10 films grossed an estimated $167.9 million. According to Nielsen EDI, that represents a 14% increase over the comparable weekend a year ago, when Buena Vista Pictures' Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest reigned with $62.3 million in its second weekend, and the comedies Little Man, from Sony Pictures, and You, Me and Dupree, from Universal Pictures, entered the market in the second and third spots with $21.6 million and $21.5 million, respectively.

While muggles of the world await the immanent arrival of the seventh and final volume in author J.K. Rowling's series, Pottermania isn't waning as far as the movie versions are concerned. Although Phoenix didn't post the biggest three-day number of the series -- by bowing on a Wednesday, it lured in some of its most hardcore fans before the weekend began -- it did rack up the biggest five-day gross the franchise has seen to date and is on track to score the biggest first week of the bunch.

Based on the five-day total of $140 million, Warners is projecting a first-week take of $162 million. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, the first film in the series, registered a first week of $129 million in 2001. The subsequent installments have done first weeks of $106 million, $123 million and $146 million, respectively.

Phoenix, directed by David Yates from a screenplay by Michael Goldbenberg, appears to have benefited from its midsummer opening. The previous films mostly debuted on a Friday in November, the exception being Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, which launched on June 4, 2004, before all schools were out for the summer.

"Certainly, our Wednesday opening was a great move," Warners domestic distribution president Dan Fellman said. "We've never had the ability before to open a 'Potter' movie when all the kids were out of school."...

Fox Searchlight has optioned Carter Blanchard's spec Near Death, with Aaron Kaplan and Sean Perrone attached to produce.

The story is described as a psychological sci-fi thriller set in the world of near-death experiences.

Claudia Lewis and Jeremy Steckler are overseeing the project for Searchlight.

Kaplan/Perrone Entertainment, which produced You, Me and Dupree, has several projects in development, including the supernatural thriller Knowing at Columbia Pictures and New Line Cinema's horror film Dead Asleep, which Blanchard penned.

Blanchard's writing credits also include Smoke for the Mayhem Project and the Immortals at Universal Pictures.

He is repped by UTA and attorney Peter Grossman.

Kate Hudson is set to star opposite Dane Cook in Lionsgate Films' Bachelor No. 2, helmed by Howard Deutch.

Production is slated to begin in August in Boston. A third-quarter 2008 release is planned.

Jordan Cahan's screenplay centers on Tank, a man hired to take girls out on terrible dates to prompt them to return to boyfriends they left. Conflict ensues when he offers his services to his best friend and falls for the girl. Hudson will play the love interest, Alexis.

Cook's production company Superfinger Entertainment is producing with Management 360 and Terra Firma. Producers include Management 360's Guymon Casady and Doug Johnson; Terra Firma's Adam Herz, Greg Lessans and Josh Shader; and New Wave's Barry Katz and Brian Volk-Weiss. President of production Michael Paseornek will oversee the project for Lionsgate.

Hudson was nominated for an Academy Award for best supporting actress for her role as Penny Lane in Almost Famous. Her credits also include You, Me and Dupree. She is set to star opposite Matthew McConaughey in Warner Bros. Pictures' Fool's Gold, slated for a February 2009 release.

Hollywood couple Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson have amicably split, according to U.S. reports. The actors - who reportedly fell in love on the set of 2006's You, Me and Dupree - parted ways at the end of last month for undisclosed reasons, People.com claims. A source adds, "They're still friends." The reports come just weeks after Wilson's brothers Luke and Andrew sent gossip columns into overdrive when they hinted the couple had wed in secret during a radio interview. When questioned about their relationship status, Andrew joked, "I thought they were married already." Reps for Hudson and Wilson have refused to comment on the split rumors. Hudson is currently in divorce proceedings with estranged husband Chris Robinson, who she split from last August.

Wall Street Oscar winner Michael Douglas is set to play a real-life attorney who tackled the Ford motor company on behalf of a crippled Texas mother. The movie star will play Tab Turner in upcoming courthouse drama Tragic Indifference. Turner took on the bosses of the motor giants in 2000 after Texas housewife Donna Bailey was left paralyzed in a car accident. Bailey's Ford Explorer flipped over in the crash. Her attorney helped win her a huge settlement from Ford. The Traffic star was most recently seen onscreen in comedy You, Me and Dupree and action thriller The Sentinel, both released in 2006.

Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson are going public with their recently rekindled romance and have been photographed kissing and holding hands in Australia. The once camera-shy couple are have been regularly seen out together since Wilson flew in to be with Hudson on Valentine's Day. A source close to the pair tells People, "They're in a relationship. They're in a happy place." The celebrity couple have been staying at the posh Palazzo Versace hotel on Queensland's Gold Coast while Hudson films the adventure film Fool's Gold with Matthew McConaughey. Hudson split with husband Chris Robinson last August amid rumors she had become close to her You, Me and Dupree co-star Wilson. The source adds, "They're having fun and they really care for each other."...

Matt Dillon has signed with CAA for representation. Until recently, the actor had been repped by Endeavor. Dillon was nominated for an Academy Award as well as a Golden Globe last year for his turn as a racist cop in the Oscar-winning Crash. The role netted him an Independent Spirit Award for best supporting male actor. Dillon also starred in You, Me and Dupree and Factotum and co-wrote, starred in and directed 2002's City of Ghosts. He continues to be repped by managers Vic Ramos and Sandy Erickson.

ICM speaks up

ICM, seeking to expand its existing lecture service, is entering into a strategic alliance with American Program Bureau, one of the largest international speakers bureaus with a 40-year history in the field. As part of the agreement, APB will secure speaking engagements for ICM clients as well as work to develop other creative opportunities, while ICM in turn will get access to APB's staff of agents, client resources and position as one of the innovators of the lecture industry.

Kate Hudson and Owen Wilson's reported romance is over, according to US TV reports. The couple, who starred together in 2006 comedy You, Me & Dupree, were widely believed to be lovers when they were spotted together as Hudson recovered from the break-up of her marriage to rocker Chris Robinson. Wilson's publicist released a strongly-worded statement warning the media not to suggest his client had broken up the marriage and neither Hudson nor Owen ever officially confessed they were dating. But now sources close to the couple have told news show Extra the romance is over because Wilson refused to commit to a relationship with the actress. Meanwhile, American magazine Us Weekly insists the final straw came when Wilson refused to join Hudson for her New Year's Eve family celebrations in Aspen, Colorado. New Year's Eve was bitter sweet for the Almost Famous star - she wed Robinson on the last day of 2000.

In a rare feat for an animated family movie, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment's Ice Age: The Meltdown debuted at No. 1 on both the national DVD sales and rental charts the week ending Nov. 26.

Typically, animated films are better sellers than renters, given their high repeatability with young fans. But the Ice Age sequel proved popular on both fronts.

According to Nielsen VideoScan's First Alert sales chart, Ice Age: The Meltdown outsold second-ranked The Da Vinci Code, last week's top seller, by a margin of nearly 3 to 1.

Meanwhile, in rental stores, the film generated an estimated $10.3 million, for an easy first-place finish on Home Media Magazine's video rental chart for the week. Demand for the previous week's chart topper, Sony Pictures' The Da Vinci Code, remained solid, as the controversial Vatican thriller slid into second place with just a 15% drop in rental action.

Universal Studios' You, Me and Dupree, a slapstick comedy with a $75.6 million theatrical pedigree, debuted at No.

In a rare feat for an animated family movie, 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment's Ice Age: The Meltdown debuted at No. 1 on both the national DVD sales and rental charts the week ending Nov. 26.

Typically, animated films are better sellers than renters, given their high repeatability with young fans. But the Ice Age sequel proved popular on both fronts.

According to Nielsen VideoScan's First Alert sales chart, Ice Age: The Meltdown outsold second-ranked The Da Vinci Code, last week's top seller, by a margin of nearly 3 to 1.

Meanwhile, in rental stores, the film generated an estimated $10.3 million, for an easy first-place finish on Home Media Magazine's video rental chart for the week. Demand for the previous week's chart topper, Sony Pictures' The Da Vinci Code, remained solid, as the controversial Vatican thriller slid into second place with just a 15% drop in rental action.

Universal Studios' You, Me and Dupree, a slapstick comedy with a $75.6 million theatrical pedigree, debuted at No.

Hollywood star Owen Wilson has rubbished speculation he is to propose to Kate Hudson after being spotted with his mother looking at rings in a jewelry shop. The Life Aquatic actor Wilson and his mom were shopping in jewelers Harry Winston in Dallas, Texas. The actor is rumored to be dating his You, Me & Dupree co-star Hudson, who split from her Black Crowes frontman husband Chris Robinson in September. An onlooker says, "They were looking at a huge, pear-shaped, flawless diamond engagement ring." However, a representative for Wilson says, "Owen's mother was looking for jewelry for herself."...

Kate Hudson is ready to walk down the aisle again. Variety reports that the You, Me, and Dupree star has been tapped to headline the romantic comedy Bride Wars for New Regency Pictures and Firm Films. The actress will play one of two altar-bound buddies who form a bitter rivalry when they schedule their weddings on the same day. Upright Citizens Brigade alumnae June Raphael and Casey Wilson will pen the screenplay based on a pitch by Greg DePaul (Saving Silverman). Hudson is also on board to produce the project with Julie Yorn and Alan Riche. She is currently in Australia filming the adventure comedy Fool's Gold with Matthew McConaughey.