Theater Owners Demand A Longer Wait For Tower Heist Premium VOD Test

Comcast-Uni Testing Tower Heist At $59.99 Cinemark Threatens Boycott Of Tower Heist Over Early VOD Experiment Theater owners seem resigned to the fact that Universal will run a premium video-on-demand test of its upcoming film Tower Heist – but are determined to push back the date, now scheduled for just three weeks after November, 4 when it opens in theaters. Negotiations continue as exhibition companies link arms: Three small regional theater chains have joined Cinemark in refusing to book Brett Ratner’s caper movie starring Eddie Murphy and Ben Stiller if Universal proceeds with plans to offer it for $59.99 three weeks after the debut to roughly half a million cable homes in Atlanta and Portland, Ore.California-based Regency Theatres, Galaxy Theatres and Detroit-based Emagine Theatres as well as some small exhibitors representing some 50 screens around the country have also refused to book the movie, the LA Times reported. Exhibition companies feel that they already swallowed a bitter pill earlier this year when four studios announced a deal with satellite broadcaster DirecTV to make some movies available via VOD for $29.99 — but 60 days after their theatrical debut. Theater owners wanted to draw the line at 90 days. Anything less, they feared, would encourage many ticket buyers to wait and watch hit films in the comfort of their living rooms.

Perrette lands at Discovery

Discovery Communications is positioned to usher in former NBCUniversal digital professional Jean-Briac Perrette in your thoughts up its own digital companies, an origin near the situation certifies. What is the news was reported with the Wall Street Journal.Perrette was one of several professionals to ankle NBCU following a company's merger with Comcast. Because they was only at that company, his focus was digital distribution platforms including gaming systems an online-based retailers under TV group prexy Rob Gaspin (who left the NBCU through the sooner part of the Comcast reshuffle). Perrette also introduced NBCU throughout the introduction of Hulu.Inside the new position, Perrette will account to David Zaslav - also an NBCU cable-side vet.Perrette's CV clearly sits well with Discovery: the cable conglom was already an passionate streaming-side partner with distrib Netflix and sells its programs through Amazon . com . com Video as well as the Apple. Lately Discovery extended its contract with Netflix to include more prior-season programming and restored its nonexclusive agreement using the organization for just about any further couple of years. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Johnny Depp Meets Dr. Seuss, and 5 Other Stories You'll Be Talking About Today

Happy Friday! Also in this week-concluding edition of The Broadsheet: More Depp as a screenwriter joins the star’s planned Thin Man adaptation… Robert Zemeckis to get ghostly… A Weinsteins lawsuit stays alive… Why do movies suck?… and more · It’s a Johnny Depp kind of day around the film beat, with the actor reportedly attached to a Dr. Seuss biopic in development between Illumination Entertainment and Universal. The project’s future depends on a number of factors — like, say, having a script (In Treatment writer Keith Bunin will do those honors), and the estate signing off on its presentation of the celebrated author’s life. Hint: More Finding Neverland, less Ed Wood, and it’ll be fine. [THR] · More Depp! Writer-director Billy Ray will contribute the script to Depp and director Rob Marshall’s new adaptation of the classic Dashiell Hammett novel The Thin Man. Ray is the third reported screenwriter attached to the project following Jerry Stahl and David Koepp, the latter of whose “vision didn’t line up with Marshall’s.” Yes! Marshall! That visionary. Anyway, glad this is settled. [THR] · More Universal! Robert Zemeckis and his Disney-deposed Imagemovers shingle have a new first-look deal with Universal, which has yielded the planned Charles Fort. The project is based on the comic-book series about a turn-of-the-(20th) century paranormal scientist and ghost-hunter; Johnny Depp will no doubt be attached to star in 3… 2… [Heat Vision] · A nasty $50 million lawsuit claiming that the Weinstein Company sabotaged its animated project Escape From Planet Earth — and paid $500,000 in hush money to keep its producers from disrupting TWC’s Oscar campaign for The King’s Speech — is moving forward in NY. But come on: Why would the Weinsteins deliberately tank this one when they’re so good at marketing to kids? [THR Esq.] · “I’ll gladly sponsor a tenth circle of hell for anyone texting during a movie. If you talk through it you deserve your tongue stapled to Eric Pickles. Packs of teenagers are a nightmare. Selfishness abounds. These things are a given.” I don’t know who Eric Pickles is, but Danny Leigh’s point about our love/hate relationships with cinemagoing is stated persuasively, evocatively and eloquently enough. [The Guardian] · Here you’ll find a mainstream film producer explaining why movies today suck. Illuminating stuff! Also: Someone pass me a bottle of pills. [Grantland]

Chuck Collars Tim DeKay to Play Sarah's Ex-Handler

Tim DeKay White Collar star Tim DeKay is (temporarily) transferring from the FBI to the CIA for a guest appearance on Chuck, Entertainment Weekly reports. DeKay, who plays FBI Agent Peter Burke on the USA series, will appear in the eighth episode of Chuck as Kieran Ryker, Sarah's stoic former CIA handler who makes her confront her past. (If Agent Burke is busy at Buy More, who is going to make sure Neal stays out of trouble back in NY?) Fall Preview: Get scoop on your favorite returning shows DeKay, 48, joins previously announced final-season guest stars Mark Hamill, Carrie Anne Moss and Stan Lee, among others. He is also set to direct an episode of White Collar when the show returns for the second half of Season 3 this winter. Chuck's final season kicks off on Friday, Oct. 28 at 8/7c on NBC.

Mark Gordon Co. encourages professionals

The Aim Gordon Co. has promoted three professionals within the film and TV divisions. John Harvey remains promoted to senior V . p . of drama, television. He grew to become an associate of Gordon Co. a year ago from ABC Art galleries, where he aided develop ABC series including "Brothers and sisters and Brothers and sisters" and "Dirty Sexy Money." He reviews to Nick Pepper, mind of drama television. Allyson Seeger remains upped to V . p . of film. Getting been with Gordon Co. since 2005, she's presently co-creating "The To-Do List," written and directed by Maggie Carey. Shara Senderoff remains promoted to veepee of latest media and director of development for film. The projects she's developing include "Junkers" for Fox and "Hyde" for Skydance. Seeger and Senderoff account to Jennifer Todd, leader of movies for your Mark Gordon Co. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Black Eyed Peas Take Out of Michael Jackson Tribute Concert

The Black Eyed Peas are tugging using this week's planned Michael Jackson tribute concert in Wales, stating "inevitable conditions."our editor recommendsBlack Eyed Peas Raise $4 Million in New york city Fundraiser Concert The audience was set to become listed on a selection which includes Christina Aguilera, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Dark night, Leona Lewis and Cee Lo Eco-friendly at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff. Event organizer Global Live Occasions mind Chris Search told the Connected Press the Michael Forever concert will be a "fantastic evening" despite the lack of the Black Eyed Peas. VIDEO: Michael Jackson's 5 Most Genius TV Moments Formerly, the big event coordinators, who aren't associated with the Jackson estate, had rescinded a deal towards the band Hug to do over frontman Gene Simmons' critique of Jackson previously. Peas member will.i.am have been dealing with Jackson with an album of dance music prior to the singer's dying last year. Related Subjects

Adkins, Scott prove their 'Metal'

"Metal Hurlant Tales"CANNES -- Scott Adkins ("The Expendables 2") and Michael Jai White-colored ("Black Dynamite") have grew to become an associate from the worldwide cast of sci-fi TV series "Metal Hurlant Tales."Rutger Hauer ("Edge Runner"), Joe Flanigan ("Stargate Atlantis) and James Marsters ("Buffy") may even star inside the TV show's first season."Metal Hurlant Tales" is founded on french sci-fi and fantasy comics anthology that was launched inside the U.S. as "Rock.InchSkein is helmed by Guillaume Lubrano and produced by French house We Prods. and author Humanoids.Panini U.K Media, the certification arm in the Panini Group, is handling worldwide sales and shopping the series within the Mipcom TV mart, which started in Cannes on Monday.Taken, Universal Pictures Germany acquired home video and VOD rights for your initial few seasons (made up of 12 half-several hours). The brand new the new sony Pictures Television nabbed the series for distribution in a number of European areas, particularly Germany, Austria, German-speaking Europe and Luxembourg via its pay TV network.The initial season will probably be shipped in April as well as the second will bow in November 2012. Each episode will adapt tales within the original graphic books.Created by comic artists Jean Giraud (also called Moebius) and Philippe Druillet in 1974, "Metal Hurlant" increased to become sci-fi phenom inside the eighties. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com