FILM/ "STAR WARS" IN 3D COMING SOON: George Lucas is rereleasing the "Star Wars" franchise in new 3D conversions beginning in 2012. Although 3D versions have been rumored for some time, Lucas purportedly was waiting until there were enough screens available to make the release a sizable event. Fox, which released all 6 original "Star Wars" films, also will release the 3D versions. Episode I, "The Phantom Menace," will be 1st out of star-dock during early 2012. After that, each film would be released in order at the same time in consecutive years, depending on how well the 1st rerelease does. Each conversion takes at least a year to complete, with Lucas overseeing the process to make sure each is as perfect as possible. He has said that the "Avatar" experience convinced him that "Star Wars" is ready for the state-of-the-art 3D treatment. Lucas also plans a comprehensive Blu-ray Disc set of the 6 films next year, which would include upgraded picture and sound quality, new deleted scenes and special features.
Oscar winner Danny Boyle is guaranteed at least 1 more trophy for his shelf as the British Film Institute is presenting the filmmaker with a BFI Fellowship next month. He will receive the organization's highest accolade October 27 during the BFI London Film Festival awards ceremony. The honor is given to individuals whose body of work has made an outstanding contribution to film culture. Boyle also is on the shortlist for the evening's best film award with "127 Hours," the closing-night gala pick, which is in competition with 10 other titles picked from this year's lineup including Mike Leigh's "Another Year," Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" and Tom Hooper's "The King's Speech." The best film award was introduced by organizers last year to celebrate original, inventive and distinctive filmmaking programmed in the festival. Standing in judgment is a jury chaired by Patricia Clarkson that includes Gabriel Byrne, Sandy Powell and Shekhar Kapur. Last year's winner was Jacques Audiard's "A Prophet." Full details on the festival, which runs October 13-28, can be found on their website.
"Lost" star Josh Holloway is joining the "Mission: Impossible" team. In his 1st major screen role since wrapping the ABC show, Holloway is in final negotiations to act as a member of the Impossible Mission Force, the secret agent task force headed by Tom Cruise in Paramount's "Mission: Impossible 4." Holloway boards the ever-growing film, whose cast, in addition to Cruise, already includes Jeremy Renner, Paula Patton and Vladimir Mashkov as well as franchise vets Ving Rhames and Simon Pegg. Story details are being kept under wraps, thus no information on Holloway's character was available. The production is scouting locations in Vancouver, Prague and Dubai for a fall shoot with an eye towards a December 2011 release. "Impossible" will be the first studio picture for Holloway, who spent 6 seasons as heartthrob anti-hero Sawyer on "Lost," which was exec produced by JJ Abrams, who is producing this film. He has appeared in a couple of indies, including "Stay Cool" and "Whisper," although he had to pass on larger opportunities that tended to overlap the TV show, which shot in Hawaii.
The 1st casualty of the broadcast season is one of the best reviewed new shows of the fall: Fox is pulling "Lone Star," its acclaimed drama about a con man leading a double life, from Monday nights. The 3rd season of drama "Lie to Me" will take its place starting next week. Though the fate of "Lone Star" has been speculated about since its dismal debut last week, there's several other shows that are also endangered after only 1 or 2 episodes. ABC's Wednesday night legal drama "The Whole Truth" pulled only 15% higher than the premiere of "Lone Star." ABC's Thursday ensemble soap "My Generation" was likewise modest. The 2nd episode of NBC's "Outlaw" was awful last week, even by the humble standards of Friday night. And a return to the civilian format of "The Apprentice" is struggling on Thursdays.
TV/ 3 STARS EXIT "DEADLIEST CATCH": A trio of stars of Discovery's hit reality series "Deadliest Catch" have left the show. Capts. Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand, who were sued earlier this month by Discovery for allegedly not performing work on a planned spinoff special, as well as Capt. Sig Hansen, issued a statement yesterday saying they are "unable" to continue on the hit adventure series due to the litigation. Discovery said a statement in regards to the matter would be issued soon. Discovery sued the Hillstrands for $3 million claiming they failed to show up to finish work on "Hillstranded," a planned "Catch" spinoff. The Hillstrands' lawyer then called the suit an attempt to "extort" his clients and said the lawsuit could force them to sell their boats and fire their crews. Hansen later weighed in, backing the Hillstrands, slamming Discovery and saying, "I want people to know the captains stand together, and me and my brothers support them 100%." Filming on the 7th season of the Emmy-nominated series is scheduled to begin as crab season starts in October. But barring any reconciliation, it now appears the show will be down 3 captains (in addition to Capt. Phil Harris, who died earlier this year).
The new musical "Brief Encounter," based on David Lean's 1946 film of the same name, opened last night on Broadway to rave reviews. The show is writer-director Emma Rice's brilliantly reconceived stage adaptation from the film. It is set in 1930s England and charts the brief love affair between middle-aged housewife Laura and married doctor Alec. But Rice has restructured Noel Coward's original story and amplified it with musical numbers, with the songs coming from the Coward songbook. The New York Times said: "The acrobatics of love are performed in high style in “Brief Encounter,” which is surely the most enchanting work of stagecraft ever inspired by a movie. It’s not erotic, Kama Sutra-style contortions that I’m talking about. The physical activities that occur in this exquisite British-born production, which opened on Tuesday night at Studio 54, are both more everyday and exotic than that, routinely described but seldom enacted". The Hollywood Reporter said: "Bottom Line: Technological gimmickry never overwhelms the charms of this adaptation of the classic film". And, Entertainment Weekly gave the show an A-. "Brief Encounter" is playing at Studio 54 on Broadway.
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