The cast of the House of Cards series just grew by one. Curtiss Cook (Arbitrage) has signed on to the original Netflix series starring Kevin Spacey, Robin Wright, and Kate Mara. Netflix is planning 26 episodes of the drama series.
Cook will be playing Congressman Terry Womack, the head of the Congressional Black Caucus.
The Plot: “House of Cards is an upcoming American political drama television series created by Kevin Spacey, David Fincher and Beau Willimon. The series is based on a BBC miniseries of the same name. The reboot will take place in the United States and will be produced by Media Rights Capital. The original BBC version was based on a novel from British author Michael Dobbs, exploring the “ruthless underside of British politics at the end of the Thatcher era.”
To date, Dream Halloween has raised an incredible $23.1 million.
“We are thrilled Victoria Justice and Cody Simpson will be part of our Dream Halloween® events this year to help in raising funds to provide lifesaving AIDS treatment and compassionate care for children and families in Africa and India. These two young talents have shown their commitment to social change through their involvements with various charities and we are honored to have them support KCA,” stated Peter Twyman, the CEO of KCA. “It is an exciting time for Keep a Child Alive as we continue the incredible legacy of the Children Affected by AIDS Foundation by bringing Dream Halloween® to new heights and honoring its founder, Joe Cristina, a tireless advocate for children affected by AIDS and an inspiration to us all.”
Details on Dream Halloween [Courtesy of KCA]”
Dream Halloween® is a trick-or-treater’s delight featuring celebrities, live musical performances, games, arts and crafts, food from local restaurants, and appearances by favorite childhood characters. Children get to walk down the legendary Trick-or-Treat Lane and fill their bags with fabulous toys and goodies. Both events will honor Joe Cristina, founder of Children Affected by AIDS Foundation (CAAF) and now a member of the KCA Board of Directors.
Avalon Web of Magic: Circles in the Stream - Publisher: Seven SeasThe film rights to the fantasy book series Avalon: Web of Magic have been snatched up by Minds Eye Entertainment, Red Sky Entertainment and Moving Pictures Media. The companies are playing multiple live-action feature-length films based on the 12-book young adult series from Robert Mandell and Rachel Roberts.
Donald Petrie (Miss Congeniality, Grumpy Old Men) is attached to direct the first film from a screenplay by Robert Mandell (Ace Ventura: Pet Detective series).
“Though full of intrigue and sorcery, at its heart Avalon: Web of Magic is a story of friendship and compassion,” stated Minds Eye Entertainment CEO/producer Kevin Dewalt announcing the deal. “The movies will be aimed squarely for the teen market but the series will garner fans of all ages if my own reaction to the books is any indication.”
The Plot:
The book series features four seemingly ordinary teenagers faced with extraordinary events happening in the woods behind their town. Fantastical animals, the last of their kind, have arrived looking for help to save their world from an evil sorceress. The teens must bond with these animals and learn to become protectors of magic.
Combining ecological themes with contemporary teens, the action packed series is a fantasy with universal appeal that transcends cultural barriers and serves as a very real call-to-action for emerging generations; a 21st century twist on coming of age and learning who you really are through the most improbable and amazing route imaginable.
J.K. Rowling’s first book for adults, The Casual Vacancy, hit stores today minus the hoopla associated with a Harry Potter release. Still, the Potter-less book isn’t exactly withering away on back shelves and has already made it to the #1 spot on Amazon’s bestsellers chart.
Gone are magical characters, wizards, and Hogwarts, replaced with the small town of Pagford and its ordinary citizens. A contemporary tale, Rowling’s first book post-Harry Potter is a tale of class warfare rather than warring classes of wizards.
The Plot:
“When Barry Fairbrother dies in his early forties, the town of Pagford is left in shock.
Pagford is, seemingly, an English idyll, with a cobbled market square and an ancient abbey, but what lies behind the pretty facade is a town at war.
Rich at war with poor, teenagers at war with their parents, wives at war with their husbands, teachers at war with their pupils…Pagford is not what it first seems. And the empty seat left by Barry on the parish council soon becomes the catalyst for the biggest war the town has yet seen. Who will triumph in an election fraught with passion, duplicity and unexpected revelations?” – Little Brown
Commenting on her new book, author Rowling stated:
The Casual Vacancy is set in a small community, which involves writing characters who are adolescents all the way up to people in their sixties. I love nineteenth century novels that centre on a town or village. This is my attempt to do a modern version. As a writer you have to write what you want to write; or rather what you need to write. I needed to write this book.”
Are you going to watch? ABC’s debuting the new action thriller series Last Resort tonight at 8pm, and in this video, the show’s creator Shawn Ryan explains what we can expect. Ryan also introduces the characters (and the actors who play them) and shows off clips from this first season.
The Plot: 500 feet beneath the ocean’s surface, the U.S. ballistic missile submarine Colorado receives their orders. Over a radio channel designed only to be used if their homeland has been wiped out, they’re told to fire nuclear weapons at Pakistan.
Captain Marcus Chaplin (Andre Braugher) demands confirmation of the orders only to be unceremoniously relieved of duty by the White House. XO Sam Kendal (Scott Speedman) finds himself suddenly in charge of the submarine and facing the same difficult decision. When he also refuses to fire without confirmation of the orders, the Colorado is targeted, fired upon, and hit.
The submarine and its crew find themselves crippled on the ocean floor, declared rogue enemies of their own country. Now, with nowhere left to turn, Chaplin and Kendal take the sub on the run and bring the men and women of the Colorado to an exotic island. Here they will find refuge, romance, and a chance at a new life, even as they try to clear their names and get home.
Kirstie Alley has signed on to a starring role in the TV Land comedy, Giant Baby. The network ordered a “cast-contingent presentation of the script” which will find Alley playing a Broadway star whose son turns up decades after she gave him up for adoption. Giant Baby is the brainchild of Marco Pennette (Ugly Betty, Samantha Who) who wrote and will executive produce the series. Alley’s also involved in an executive producer capacity.
President of TV Land Larry W Jones made the announcement today, stating: “We’ve had our eye on Kirstie Alley for a long time, and we finally got her! With this project, our practice of working with A-list talent both on and off screen continues. Marco’s history working for top shows speaks for itself and Kirstie is an iconic TV comedienne. We can’t wait to get started.”
The Giant Baby Plot:
Kirstie Alley stars as Madison “Maddie” Banks, a Broadway star who finds her life turned upside down when Owen, the son she gave up for adoption 26 years ago, turns up looking to connect after his adopted mother has died. However, Maddie doesn’t exactly see nerdy and schlubby Owen fitting in with her luxurious lifestyle. When her attempt to change Owen backfires, Maddie finds that perhaps they both could use a little change in their lives.
Mary McDonnell in 'Major Crimes' - Photo Credit: Karen Neal/TNTIt was the #1 new cable drama which meant TNT had a very easy decision to make when it came to determining Major Crimes‘ future. The network has, of course, given the series a second season 15 episode order and is planning to air season #2 next summer.
The series’ first season will wrap up in mid-October.
Announcing the renewal, Michael Wright, president, head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies, stated: “With Major Crimes, James Duff and his amazing production team have crafted an incredibly entertaining show that not only honors the spirit of The Closer, but also stands alone with its own voice and spirit. Week after week, Major Crimes has drawn millions of fans with its combination of sharp writing and engaging characters brought to life by what can only be described as one of the best acting ensembles on television. We look forward to another season of this remarkable new drama.”
The Plot:
In Major Crimes, Mary McDonnell plays Captain Sharon Raydor, who leads the Major Crimes unit of the L.A.P.D. The series follows Raydor and her squad of detectives as they work to solve high-profile cases and secure airtight convictions.
According to Disney Publishing, Riordan’s books are available in 36 countries and in 37 languages.
“The Greek and Roman demigods are at odds, and danger is brewing in The Mark of Athena,” said Suzanne Murphy, vice president and publisher, Disney Publishing Worldwide. “This fall, Rick Riordan’s millions of fans will be asked ‘Whose camp are you in?’ and can profess their loyalty by joining the Greek camp (Camp Half-Blood) or the Roman camp (Camp Jupiter) at GreeksvsRomans.com.”
The Plot:
Told from the perspectives of four different demigods, including Annabeth from Percy Jackson & the Olympians, The Mark of Athena unites the Greek and Roman main characters from The Lost Hero and The Son of Neptune. In a fantastical ship called the Argo II, seven demigods journey by air across the United States and by sea to Rome on their quest to defeat the earth mother, Gaea. Meanwhile, war is breaking out between the Roman and Greek demigods they left behind, and only Annabeth, the daughter of Athena, holds the key to restoring peace.
The Mark of Athena Tour:
The tour kicks off on October 2, 2012. Fans at each stop on the tour will receive exclusive “Camp Half-Blood” and “Camp Jupiter” T-shirts.
Barnes & Noble (Paramus, NJ)
Cineplex Odeon Varsity Theatre, presented by Indigo (Toronto, Ontario)
Books A Million (Concord, NC)
Wake Forest University, presented by BookMARKS (Winston-Salem, NC)
Page & Palette (Fairhope, AL)
Temple Judea, presented by Books & Books (Coral Gables, FL)
BookPeople (Austin, TX)
San Antonio Museum of Art (San Antonio, TX)
TMZ’s reporting – and Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter confirms – that former SOA actor Johnny Lewis (‘Halfsack’) has died. The 28 year old Lewis reportedly killed the 81 year old woman he was renting a room from before attacking two other people. Lewis then climbed onto the roof of the house owned by the woman he beat to death and ultimately fell to his death.
Law enforcement sources are telling TMZ they believe “Johnny was on drugs– either PCP or meth — at the time he allegedly killed a woman and then fell to his death.”
SOA‘s Sutter had this to say about the tragic events. (Be aware the following tweet< includes the name of the character who was killed on the September 25, 2012 episode - don't read Sutter's statement if you haven't caught up on the series):
“September 27, 2012 not sure if folks know this yet, but johnny lewis (halfsack) died last night. the sad irony of it happening two days after opie’s death is not lost on me. it was a tragic end for an extremely talented guy, who unfortunately had lost his way. i wish i could say that i was shocked by the events last night, but i was not. i am deeply sorry that an innocent life had to be thrown into his destructive path. yes, it’s day or mourning, but it’s also a day of awareness and gratitude. sadly, some of us carry the message by dying.”
The NFL referee strike has finally come to an end, but not before costing the Green Bay Packers a win (seriously, how on earth was that a touchdown?!). However, The Daily Show correspondents took up the flag and went out on strike. Replacement correspondents were brought in, with Sir Patrick Stewart taking over for John Oliver. But unlike the replacement refs, The Daily Show replacement correspondents were actually of a higher caliber than the strikers they were replacing.
Details on Dream Halloween [Courtesy of KCA]”
J.K. Rowling’s first book for adults, The Casual Vacancy, hit stores today minus the hoopla associated with a 
