Legendary film director Wes Craven has died at age 76 of brain cancer. His last movie was Scream 4, in 2011. Hugely influential in the horror genre, Craven created Freddy Krueger and “Nightmare on Elm Street.” He also created the “Scream” series that sent up his own career. Tributes are going to pour in shortly. I met Wes when “Scream” first started up, and he was the nicest guy. And brilliant. Condolences to his family. Keep refreshing…
UPDATE Exclusive Ghostbusters News: Bill Murray’s Surprise Character in All Female Reboot
UPDATE Imagine my surprise when Vulture (NY Magazine) writes that there’s a “rumor” Murray won’t be playing Peter Venkman. No credit to this column, which broke the story below. Very lame, I think.
Here’s the original story:
August 30th– 7:17PM– The new all female “Ghostbusters” is pretty much finished filming, with Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon in charge of ridding the world of poltergeists.
We know that Chris Hemsworth is playing the role of the office secretary originally created by Annie Potts.
But what about Bill Murray? What’s his role? Is he still Dr. Peter Venkman, one of the chief ghostbusters (along with Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and the late Harold Ramis)?
The answer is no. SPOILER ALERT According to our sources, Murray plays an all new character, an actual debunker of Ghostbusters. His new character is not a believer in the power of ghostbusting and needs some convincing. The question is, Will he meet his doom by not backing the ladies in their endeavor?
The new “Ghostbusters” is directed by Paul Feig and due next year.
Is Zac Efron a Movie Star? “We Are Your Friends” Flops with Shocking $1.8 Mil Weekend
We’re starting to see where hype and tabloid news mean nothing at the box office. Zac Efron is a sort of male pin up, Frankie Avalon with abs. This weekend his starring vehicle “We Are Your Friends” left theaters empty at $1.8 million. That’s for the entire weekend. Efron can make paparazzi insane, and draw crowds of women in person that amount to Beatlemania. (I’ve seen it up to close.) But open a film? Nope.
Kristen Stewart is having the same problem. She starred in the “Twilight” series and became the Annette Funicello of vampire movies. The tabloids and fotogs turned her into a superstar of publicity. But “American Ultra,” her new movie with Jessie Eisenberg, is a huge dud. It’s made just $10 million over two weekends. Her “Twilight” fans did not follow her to a regular project.
“Straight Outta Compton” won the weekend, and deservedly so. A faith based movie called “War Room,” which is not the famous documentary called “The War Room,” was second. “Mission Impossible” rose to $170 million, defying all expectations. “Southpaw” has quietly risen to $50 million. “The Man from UNCLE” — just lies there like a lox.
Exclusive Star Trek News: William Shatner Preparing Biography of Leonard Nimoy
The Star Trek frienship of Kirk and Spock continues into the after life. I can tell you exclusively that William Shatner, portrayer of James T. Kirk, is preparing the official biography of Leonary Nimoy, aka Mr. Spock.
The book, tentatively called “Leonard: A 50 Year Friendship,” is due from St. Martin’s Press in 2016.
Shatner took a lot of flack when he didn’t attend Nimoy’s funeral this past year. But I’m told his daughters attended on his behalf, and Shatner has been in close touch with the Nimoy family. He even helped fund a documentary about Nimoy that’s being made by the late actor’s son. “For the Love of Spock” was a Kickstarter project from Adam Nimoy until Shatner stepped in.
Shatner and a co-writer have interviewed everyone who’s available from Nimoy’s past, I’m told. But many of the original “Star Trek” gang is gone, and some– like Nichelle Nichols, who played Uhura in the series– aren’t able to do it.
But you can tell from the accounts that Shatner’s project is full of love. “Star Trek” fans should be lining up around the block when this book hits stores.
EXCLUSIVE Bill Clinton on Donald Trump: “Let him burn himself out”
Bill Clinton was not on the official guest list last night for Barry Levinson’s “Rock the Kasbah” and didn’t make the actual screening. But he was already at East Hampton’s famed Mexican style pub the Blue Parrot when the other guests– including Paul and Nancy McCartney and Jon and Dorothea Bon Jovi (he’s a part owner in the eatery)– arrived.
Everyone wanted to talk to Clinton, and he was nice enough to chat with me for a few minutes about his love of music, in particular R&B legend Sam Moore. (He lit up when I mentioned that I knew Sam.)
I did ask the former president what he thought about Donald Trump. In particular, I wondered how will Trump’s campaign — a carnival at this point– ever end?
Clinton purred– his voice is like a narcotic– “I think we should let him burn himself out,” he said.
And what does he think of Joe Biden: “I think we have to give him time to make the right decision for himself.”
Clinton hung out for quite a while– after all, it’s a short trip to the rental home he and Hillary took in Amagansett.
By the way, here’s the thing about Bill Clinton that you should know: he radiates charisma. You might criticize him at cocktail parties among your friends. But when you meet him, he becomes your best friend. Even Bruce Willis, a Republican, looked mesmerized by him.
Bill Clinton, McCartney, Springsteen, Bon Jovi, Mellencamp Turn out for Bill Murray’s New Movie
The movie is called Rock the Kasbah, so rockers turned out last night to celebrate Barry Levinson’s new comedy starring Bill Murray and Bruce Willis. And I do mean the ultimate rock star, former president Bill Clinton, was front and center, mixing and mingling at East Hampton’s Blue Parrot with — are you ready– Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, Jon Bon Jovi, John Mellencamp, and Roger Waters all in the same, small private space.
Yes, this really happened, I wasn’t dreaming.
Rock star publicist Peggy Siegal assembled this crowd of crowds, which also featured actor Bob Balaban and many Hamptons luminaries including Tribeca Films’ Jane Rosenthal and Open Road Films’ Tom Ortenberg.
Not only that: screenwriter Mitch Glazer invited a friend, someone I really always wanted to meet, rocker Jenny Lewis, formerly of the band Rilo Kiley and now on her own. Jenny and partner Johnathan Rice wrote “Cold One,” that wonderful song Meryl Streep sings in “Ricki and the Flash.”
Plus Christie Brinkley, looking more gorgeous and younger than ever, brought her burgeoning actor son Jack.
“Rock the Kasbah” is a hilarious and timely comedy opening October 23rd, also featuring Kate Hudson and Zoe Deschanel. There’s also a few classic hits from Cat Stevens, now Yusuf Islam, produced by Peter Asher and approved by Yusuf himself.
But back to the party, where Bruce mixed and mingled chatting with Paul McCartney intensely. Bruce told me he rarely comes to the Hamptons but was accompanying his equestrian daughter Jessica to the Hamptons Classic. We talked about Bruce’s cameo in Darlene Love’s new video. “Have you seen it?” he said, laughing. He and Steve van Zandt are clowning around in Asbury Park.
McCartney brought his beautiful wife Nancy, and they were introduced to John Mellencamp, who’s mentioned as a punchline in the movie (he’s friends with Glazer). Bon Jovi accepted compliments on his new album, “Burning Bridges,” which debuted in the top 5 this past week.
Meantime, Bill Clinton — looking very well, sun tanned and speaking in that buttery Southern accent– met everyone. He told actor-director Bob Balaban, who introduced himself: “I know who you are. I’m a big fan.” Balaban floated away.
More on Clinton in my next item…
photo c 2015 Showbiz411
VMAs: Get the Popcorn, This Will Be One Loud, Low Class, Fun Awards Show
If all these people act out, and MTV certainly hopes they will, adults will be outraged. Can’t wait! Sunday night can’t come fast enough!
Here’s the line up:
STARRING:
•Miley Cyrus, Host
•Kanye West, Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award Recipient
•Nicki Minaj, VMA Performer and Nominee
•Justin Bieber, VMA Performer and Nominee
•Pharrell Williams, VMA Performer
•Demi Lovato, VMA Performer
•Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, VMA Performer
•The Weeknd, VMA Performer and Nominee
•Tori Kelly, VMA Performer
•A$AP Rocky, VMA Performer
•Twenty One Pilots, VMA Performer
•Taylor Swift, World Premiere of “Wildest Dreams” music video and Nominee
•Nick Jonas, VMA Pre-Show Performer and Nominee
•WALK THE MOON, VMA Pre-Show Performer and Nominee
•Kelly Osbourne, Sway and “Girl Code Live” stars, Carly Aquilino, Nessa Diab and Nora “Awkwafina” Lum, Pre-Show Hosts
CONFIRMED PRESENTERS:
Britney Spears, Presenter Rebel Wilson, Presenter Ice Cube, Presenter
O’Shea Jackson, Jr. Presenter Emily Ratajowski, Presenter John Legend, Presenter
Jussie Smollett, Presenter Kylie Jenner, Presenter Miguel, Presenter
NE-YO, Presenter Rita Ora, Presenter Serayah, Presenter
CONFIRMED ATTENDEES:
Big Sean, Nominee Bruno Mars, Nominee Charlie Puth, Nominee
Colbie Caillat, Nominee E-40, Nominee Fall Out Boy – Pete Wentz & Patrick Stump, Nominee
Fifth Harmony, Nominee FKA Twigs, Nominee Mark Ronson, Nominee
OMI, Nominee Nick Jonas, Nominee Taylor Swift, Nominee
Vance Joy, Nominee Wale, Nominee WALK THE MOON, Nominee
Miley Cyrus: Robin Thicke “Wanted Me Naked as Possible” in Famous Raunchy Performance
Miley Cyrus is one smart cookie. She tells like it is. On Sunday she hosts MTV’s Video Music Awards. In an interview with the New York Times today, Miley says her famous raunchy TV performance with Robin Thicke on the VMAs just two years ago was rehearsed and conceived by him. It was not an accident.
“I didn’t really know him too much before, and I don’t really know him now. It was funny, because I got so much of the heat for it, but that’s just being a woman. He acted like he didn’t know that was going to happen. You were in rehearsals! You knew exactly what was going to happen. And he was actually the one that approved my outfit, so I thought that was very funny. He wanted me as naked as possible, because that’s how his video was. It was very much a collaboration. My part — “We Can’t Stop” — was all me. But when it went into “Blurred Lines,” that was his performance.”
Miley also says she doesn’t know about the nominees this year. She says she doesn’t have a TV. She says just has Apple TV.
(Watch-Listen) Justin Bieber’s Social Media Campaign Leads to Single Release “What Do You Mean?”
What does Justin Bieber mean? This morning we find out. Bieber lucked out when Skrillex and Diplo took his demo of a piano ballad and turned it into “Where Are U Now?”
Today, in advance of an album release on November 13th, Bieber releases a single called “What Do You Mean?” He’s had an incredible build up from social networking. Whoever thought of putting a hashtag in front of the title, and then getting lots of celebrities to Tweet it out, gets a prize. The single has very high recognition.
But is it good? We’re about to find out.
UPDATE– The song is not very interesting except that Skrillex and Diplo have created fake African sounds a la Paul Simon’s “Graceland.” The song isn’t very substantial. What does he mean?
Anyway, his fans will break the internet this morning. I listened to it on Elvis Duran’s show. The deejay is just about pleading with his audience to like the song. God bless Clear Channel…
Watch: “Star Wars” Releases New Teaser “There has been an awakening”
“There has been an awakening.” I’ll say. I am jazzed for “The Force Awakens.” Here’s the new teaser from Instagram: