Pilot Season: Fall Reeser Joins ABC's Last Measure

Fall Reeser Fall Reeser, who co-starred on ABC's No Regular Family last season, will go back to the network in Shawn Ryan's drama pilot Last Measure, Deadline reviews.Pilot Season: Andre Braugher lands lead in Shawn Ryan's Last ResortThe project follows a U.S. nuclear submarine crew brought by Capt. Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher), who defies orders to fireplace nuclear missiles. Consequently, they generate a camping with an island that's the place to find a NATO listening station.Reeser will have Kylie, a lobbyist on her family's weapons manufacturing company."Just reserved an incredible role in @ShawnRyanTV's pilot 'Last Resort'... so excited!! :) :) :)" Reeser tweeted Thursday evening.Pilot Season: Daisy Betts cast in ABC's Last ResortEarlier now, Daisy Betts (Harry's Law) seemed to be cast within the pilot as Sophistication Shepard, the gutsy newbie towards the submarine crew who's a household friend of Chaplin's.

Freshman 'dance

New distributors joining the fest fray aim to exploit different platforms for their big buys:Adopt FilmsSundance's comeback kid is October Films co-founder Jeff Lipsky, whose new venture partners him with Tim Grady, Karen Sternal and a group of Minnesota backers. After acquiring three specialty pics around Toronto ("The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye" due in March, "Mighty Fine" in May and "Nuit #1" in July), Adopt Films is looking for a late-year theatrical release, plus 6-8 U.S. indie, foreign and doc releases for 2013. "The niche we'd like to successfully occupy is alongside Roadside Attractions," Lipsky says. * * * Angle FilmsPaul Brooks (Gold Circle Films) and Jason Blum (Blumhouse Prods.) have launched a pickup/production outfit boasting distribution through Universal. After announcing the venture at AFM, senior VP of production and acquisitions Guy Danella is looking to Sundance for Angle's first buy, ideally either high-end genre material (action, thriller, horror and sci-fi) or a unique comedy project they can expand beyond core demographics. * * * Big Air StudiosSet to announce their slate in the coming weeks, the full-service studio hopes to acquire some titles for its nine-film release slate in 2012, ramping up to 18 films next year. Big Air "endeavors to make its films available on all screens from theatrical to DVD to PCs to mobile phones to tablets and beyond," says a rep, explaining the company's strategy of delivering pics on all possible platforms. A vet industry team, including CEO Michael Arrieta, chief content officer Robert Baruc, president Marc Sternberg and exec VP of content Michael Stradford, will attend. * * * Drafthouse FilmsAlamo Drafthouse founder Tim League, along with the distrib's COO James Shapiro (previously of Anchor Bay) and creative director Evan Husney, will be hunting for "smart genre" fare, seeking six new features to complement six rep titles each year (the 2012 slate boasts "The FP" in March, "Klown" in May and "Bullhead" this spring). "The expanding Alamo Drafthouse theater chain will provide the backbone of our rollouts," League says, "and Badass Digest and Fantastic Fest will assist on our film and event promotions." * * * LD DistributionAfter years teaming with labels like Roadside on acquisitions, producer-financier Mickey Liddell's LD Entertainment has launched a full-service outfit headed by Paramount Classics alum and self-distribution guru David Dinerstein. "We anticipate releasing a total of four to six films in our first year, which will vary from specialized to wide release," Dinerstein says -- this in addition to producing four to six movies for up to $25 million each. (LD already has three pics -- "Killer Joe," "The Collection" and "Disconnect" -- in the pipeline.) * * * OWN Documentary Film ClubAfter launching the venture at Sundance last year, Oprah Winfrey's for-TV nonfiction pic project will be back, this time in the market for titles. "We are looking to acquire six (docs) for this year," says OWN senior VP of scheduling and acquisitions Scott Garner, who joined the network shortly after it picked up 2011 Sundance title "Becoming Chaz." "We are looking for films that inspire and entertain, stimulating a new way of thinking about the world." * * * OthersAfter the announcement of their new Weinstein Co. label before Toronto, Magnolia vets Jason Janego and Tom Quinn are said to have picked up at least a few titles, fitting a strategy to deliver pics and specialty entertainment "simultaneously across multiple digital and traditional platforms." And smaller-scale distrib ARC Entertainment is expected to be scouting with prexy Rich Goldberg in town.Sundance Film Festival 2012How to brand a fest | Tyro focus makes fest no country for old men | Target titles | Thrills turn more extreme as indie genre pics evolve | Freshman 'dance | Filmmakers free to experiment in labs Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

'Magic/Bird' snags Longacre

Incoming basketball bio play "Miracle/Bird" has slam-dunked its perfect Broadway, nabbing the Longacre Theater with an April opening. Production also provides arranged a cast including Peter Scolari, Off Broadway vet Deirdre O'Connell, Make the most of Ray Manning Junior. and Francois Battiste, turning up alongside formerly introduced topliners Kevin Daniels and Tug Coker. "Miracle/Bird" pounces round the Rialto vacancy left by "Chinglish," whose producers introduced its closing this year's week. Show certifies its slot in the new play selection this season including "Seminar," "Venus in Fur," "Stick Fly," "The Mountaintop" and approaching activities "The Author" and "One Guy, Two Guvnors." Story of "Miracle/Bird" follows the hoops competition of Miracle Manley and Ray Bird, getting a script developed from interviews while using two players. Show might be the 2nd sports-centric stage outing from producers Fran Kirmser and Tony Ponturo, who mounted pigskin play "Lombardi" last season. "Miracle/Bird" reunites the creative team of the show, including author Eric Simonson and helmer Thomas Kail ("Inside the Levels"). "Miracle/Bird" begins previews March 21 before an April 11 opening within the Longacre. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Josh Hutcherson talks The Hunger Games

Total Film recently taken track of Josh Hutcherson, and, not remarkably, it didn't take extended for consult with turn for that Hunger Games.Hutcherson, to date most broadly noted for turns in Bridge To Terabithia, Journey To The Center Of Our World as well as the Youngsters Are Okay, plays Peeta inside the approaching adaptation of Suzanne Collins' very effective novel.Peeta is really a half of District 12's effort inside the fight-to-the-dying tournament, with Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) being another. Though, knowing with what Hutcherson told us, the movie's audition process sounds as unwavering since the games themselves:"Psychologically it absolutely was tough because I'd never of the character greater than Used related to Peeta. I felt he looked like who I am as someone who I used to be like, "Essentially don't get it, I won't understand." It drove me crazy."After which it there's possibly an amount more terrifying prospect to cope with: could he get ready if THG does end up being the next Twilight?"I'm scared of the products my existence could become. Becoming an actor, everyone hopes eventually being that well-known but concurrently being thrust inside it immediately has me overcome. "Whether or not this does happen, I am likely to be grateful and afraid concurrently.InchTrip 2: The Mysterious Island opens on 3 February 2012, while using Hunger Games following on 23 March 2012.For further from Josh Hutcherson, have the new problem of Total Film magazine, which hits newsstands on 19 The month of the month of january 2012.Follow the link a regular membership to Total Film magazine.Follow the link to acquire Total Film magazine on iPad and apple apple iphone from Apple Newsstand.

Start Looking: The Way I Met Your Mother's Large Goodbye

The Way I Met Your Mother Within the The month of january 16 episode of CBS' The Way I Met Your Mother, the gang transmits parents-to-be Marshall (Jason Segel) and Lily (Alyson Hannigan) off and away to the and surrounding suburbs. "It's another large transition within the lives of those figures we have all resided with and loved for seven years," states executive producer Craig Thomas. "So in this particular imaginary hug are a handful of very real feelings: pride, gratitude, pleasure...and merely an indication of 'Holy, garbage, we have been working very hard, when's vacation gonna start already?'" Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey gets a first trailer

The first trailer for Peter Jackson's The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has arrived online.It's undoubtedly one of the most anticipated films of 2012 (surely only superhero giants The Dark Knight Rises and The Avengers can compete?), and this first glimpse has got us feeling all nostalgic for Middle-earth.Martin Freeman looks to be a perfect fit for Bilbo Baggins, and it's lovely to see Ian McKellen's Gandalf back in his scraggly robe.Unsurprisingly, given the stage of its production, it's not the most action-packed trailer out there, but there are plenty of decent character moments (including a spirited Dwarf singsong).Our favourite moments from the trailer? Well, Martin Freeman is excellent as the bustling, puffed-up Bilbo, and returning to Bag End feels very much like revisiting an old but well-loved friend. Then of course there's a look at other LOTR favourites such as the fragmented Nasril sword and the shimmering city of Elrond. And finally, there's a certain cave-dweller waiting to say hello...Watch the trailer right here: There's also a new poster in case you're interested:The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opens on 14 December 2012.For more on The Hobbit, get the new issue of Total Film magazine, which hits newsstands on 22 December 2011.Click here to subscribe to Total Film magazine.Click here to get Total Film magazine on iPad and iPhone from Apple Newsstand.

REVIEW: Fincher, Without Showing Too Much, Makes a Beguiling Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

American versions of foreign films are almost always put in the position of having to swagger onto the scene, justifying their existence almost before they even exist. But when news hit that David Fincher was making a Hollywood version of Stieg Larsson’s explosively popular novel Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I didn’t hear anyone breathe a sigh of regret; the mood seemed to be one of cautious anticipation. That may be because even though all three of the Swedish films based on Larsson’s Girl trilogy made it comfortably to these shores, only the first of them — directed by Niels Arden Oplev — managed to ignite much enthusiasm among critics and audiences. That first Girl movie was efficient even within its pokiness, although its excessive grisliness and fanatical obsession with forensic photos didn’t make it particularly exciting, just unpleasant. Oplev had left Fincher plenty of room for improvement, or at least room for something different. Now, with his own Dragon Tattoo, Fincher brings us a picture that’s meticulously made and yet doesn’t come off as if it’s trying too hard. The Fincher version doesn’t actively negate the presence of the earlier one — it doesn’t have to — but its confidence and bravado are like a strong blast of sunlight with the ability to fade the memory of whatever came before. That’s partly because Fincher — along with screenwriter Steven Zaillian — knows his way around a complicated thriller and partly because of his lead actors, Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara. Craig plays magazine journalist Mikael Blomkvist; when the movie opens, he’s just been released from jail for sticking his nose into powerful people’s business, an impulse that shapes his life’s mission. Not long thereafter, Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer), the patriarch of a sprawling, chilly, mysterious family, enlists the journalist’s help in finding out what happened to his niece, who disappeared under mysterious circumstances in 1966, at age 16. Blomkvist begins by questioning various Vanger family members — from prim, cross-wearing Celia (Geraldine James) to convivial, wine-pouring Martin (Stellan Skarsgrd) — until his peregrinations bring him into contact with the bleached-eyebrowed, multi-pierced Lisbeth Salandar (Rooney Mara), a hacker extraordinaire who’s already hip to nearly everything about him, including the extracurricular activities he engages in with his editor at the magazine, Erika (Robin Wright). When quizzed by a third party about Blomkvist’s sexual exploits, Lisbeth delivers her capsule review in a monotone: “Sometimes he performs cunnilingus — not often enough, in my opinion.” She pronounces that initial “o” (for “orgasm,” maybe?) as if it were a word unto itself. If you’ve read Larsson’s book, or even if you’ve just seen Oplev’s film, you know how it all ends. But Fincher makes whatever plot details we have stored away inconsequential: His picture is all about movement as opposed to action, though it has some of that, too. Why do characters go where they do, say what they do? Fincher nudges us along, stoking our voyeuristic impulses, sometimes making us care about characters and plot developments almost in spite of ourselves. He’s not particularly fixated on gloomy Swedish landscapes (although when he and cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth train their eyes on those bummed-out, puffy-cloud skies, they do look pretty foreboding). Instead, Fincher makes it his business to read faces: Although it’s taken a while, Fincher has become more of a people person as a filmmaker. If Se7en and Fight Club were mostly about jolting us with killer style (to some of us, it was empty style), something else seemed to emerge in him around the time of Zodiac, a deeper interest in human frailty and hubris and all the ways of expressing it. That’s better for actors: Jesse Eisenberg, in particular, blossomed under Fincher’s attention in The Social Network, and while Craig is probably seasoned enough, and good enough, not to need tremendous amounts of hand-holding, he still thrives in the environment Fincher has created in Dragon Tattoo. Craig has one clear advantage over Michael Nyqvist, the actor who played the same character in the Swedish Girl movies: He has erotic charisma to spare, as opposed to Nyqvist’s perfunctory, doughy sexuality. But in addition, Craig has a face that comes with a conscience attached. (He was phenomenal in Jim Sheridan’s ill-fated horror thriller Dream House, a picture that, sadly, went wrong in a million different ways, though it had more morose, atmospheric beauty than perhaps any movie released in 2011, with the exception of Lars Von Trier’s Melancholia.) As Blomkvist, Craig is equal parts driven and tortured. As his investigation takes him deeper into dark, dank corners of sexual torture and murder, Blomkvist seems to realize how little he can do to help. But instead of hampering him, that knowledge spurs him on — it’s a special brand of enterprise born of despair, and Craig plays it with doleful intensity. Mara’s Lisbeth is his natural counterpart, a rational being whose compassion for victims past, present and future manifests itself as diffuse fury, a fuzzy dandelion head with darts where the seeds should be. Noomi Rapace’s Lisbeth was the best feature of the three Swedish Girl pictures, which otherwise decreased in relevance until the trilogy trickled to a close. Mara doesn’t replace the Swedish actress so much as reinvent her flinty directness. She also has a nose for what’s cruelly funny: About to get her revenge on a man who has victimized her, she intones, “Lie still. I’ve never done this before. And there will be blood.” She’s like a ghoul hovering over his new bride on the wedding night. One of the most remarkable things about Fincher’s Dragon Tattoo is how violent it isn’t, at least in terms of what he’s willing to show. He’s not out to shock or titillate, nor does he go out of his way to underscore the feminist revenge fantasy element of Larsson’s material (he doesn’t have to). The Swedish Girl pictures took an unseemly glee in repeatedly pushing forensic photographs right in front of us, front and center. Fincher shows us evidence of these diabolical sex crimes far more discreetly, without undermining their weight. We see pictures clicking by on a computer screen so quickly that we can barely tell what we’re seeing — then again, we just know. The movie’s central rape scene is candid and horrifyingly intimate, without stepping over the line into sick prurience. But Fincher has a sense of humor, too, at least sort of: He orchestrates the finale with an operatic kick that’s sick-funny, reminiscent of Tom Noonan undulating — with that damned stocking pulled halfway over his face — to “In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida” in Michael Mann’s scary-as-heck Manhunter. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo isn’t trying to be a great work of movie art; instead it succeeds as a sharp piece of entertainment craftsmanship. The ripples of pleasure and dread it generates are nearly indistinguishable. Follow Stephanie Zacharek on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.