Bryan Singer to Direct, Executive Produce NBC's 'The Munsters'

Barbara Hall and Gary Randall Lifetime is ready to have an affair. The female-skewing cable network is developing a high-end drama exploring the anatomy of extramarital affairs, The Hollywood Reporter has learned exclusively. Barbara Hall(Army Wives, Judging Amy, Joan of Arcadia) will write and executive produce the project, with Gary Randall (The Glades) also aboard as an EP through his Grand Productions shingle. Described as a sophisticated look at an anatomy of an affair, each season of the potential series from Fox TV Studios would revolve around a different couple. PHOTOS: Jennifer Aniston's Lifetime Project 'Five' Screens in Washington, D.C. The untitled project reteams Hall with Lifetime, where she served as a consulting producer on Army Wives in 2008. Repped by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham, Hall's credits also include Chicago Hope and Northern Exposure. Randall, who was an EP on Saving Grace and whose The Glades was renewed for a third season last month, is repped Bloom Hergott. Lifetime also is developing This American Housewife, a drama from Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas exploring a woman who hears voices; a chaplain drama from Touched by an Angel's Martha Williamson; and Cinnamon Girl, a 1960s coming-of-age drama loosely based on Renee Zellweger's life. In addition, the network is also developing a period drama revolving around The Hollywood Reporter founder William Wilkerson with Johnny Depp's shingleInfinitum Nihil attached as well as a contemporary reboot of Steel Magnolias from Hairspray duo Neil Meron and Craig Zadan, among other projects. Email: Lesley.Goldberg@thr.com; Twitter: @Snoodit Lifetime Army Wives TV Development

The Lying Game Exclusive First Look: Sutton's Car Is Discovered Without Her

Blair Redford, Alexandra Chando, Christian Alexander Has The Lying Game's Sutton Mercer disappeared? ABC Family sets return dates for Pretty Little Liars, Lying Game and more When the ABC Family series left off, Sutton (Alexandra Chando) returned to town to reclaim her life, but before she could out her imposter twin Emma, she and her car went plunging into a lake. In our exclusive first look at the season premiere, Ethan (Blair Redford), Emma and Thayer (Christian Alexander) wait as the submerged car is discovered -- but not Sutton. Will Ethan and Emma tell the truth? Can they trust Thayer to be on their side? And will Sutton turn up? Exclusive: Charisma Carpenter gets in on The Lying Game The Lying Game returns Monday, Jan. 2 at 9/8c on ABC Family.

Mary-Louise Parker on Demian Bichir in 'A Better Life'

Released: Got married., November. 23, 2011, 12:00pm PTBy Parker'A Better Life'"Demian Bichir moves through Chris Weitz's 'A Better Life' as though he were weighted underwater. He seems being fighting for nearly any levity to produce him up for air, gesturing as being a guy trying to attempt greater than simple gravity. Carlos is certainly an illegal immigrant trying to create a far better existence within the united states . States for his teenage boy, outfitted with basically an art for taking care of the yards in the upper-class and a sense of decency highlighting round the superhuman. Demian gives Carlos a depth that's excruciating to behold, your time and energy needed to start his eyes feels punishing, as though they are fully aware what's approaching next, and rather than take another blow when you're witness to new disappointment, he'd much like soon stare in the earth. Any shred of hopefulness is actually thrilling to check out, and Demian provides people moments as sweetly and passionately while he does the moments when he fights for your strength to acquire up every morning. You will discover some harrowing moments that you watch a parent or gaurdian disintegrate they are moments that impress and inspire, but also for me it's the times when Weitz leaves the digital camera on Demian, when he appears to complete nothing, that take my breath away. In people moments it's as though he were trying to will the earth to avoid, and you also almost feel it could. Demian gives sophistication with a guy who's waiting for products to visit his way somewhat, and also, since he's doing the work so wonderfully, we wait with him almost holding our breath."Return to the SAG Preview Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Pereda gears up for 'Greatest Hits'

GIJON, The country -- Mexico City-based Interior 13 Cine is creating tragic comedy "Finest Hits," helmed by Mexican Nicolas Pereda, whose "Summer time of Goliath" capped Venice Horizons this year.Inside 13 Cine, which created Yulene Olaizola's Tribeca fest player "Artificial Paradises," will co-produce with Colombia's Burning Blue, run by Diana Bustamante and Jorge Ferrero. Holland's Hubert Bals Fund co-finances and it has distribution privileges for Benelux."Hits" toplines Gabino Rodriguez, the star of Pereda's features, and the other Pereda regular, Teresa Sanchez . It activates a parent and street bootlegger boy whose harmony is shattered through the return from the lengthy absent father.Based on Pereda, he was raised inside a Mexican society where lots of males desert their own families either from need or sheer irresponsibility. The daddy figure is absent in lots of of his films. In "Hits," he pictures the father's return. Pereda's fifth feature, "Hits" comes in three days, Interior 13 co-mind Maxiliano Cruz stated at Spain's Gijon festival, where "Hits" features in Puentes, a choose Europe-Latin America co-production forum.Gijon's primary industry event, Puentes is organized through the Media Program's Eave, an exercise initiative for brand new producers, and also the Buenos Aires Festival of Independent Film's Buenos Aires Lab.It boasts a stylish bevy of projects, some from title company directors, shingles or producers, a minimum of for cognoscenti of Latin American film. Chile's Forastero, producers of Golden Globe-nominated "The Maid," is really a moving lady-in-crisis drama "I Apologize Mother," to become helmed by Sebastian Lelio ("The Entire Year from the Tiger").Sara Silveira's Dezenove Som e Imagens is co-creating "Rosa F.C." helmed by Michael Wahrmann and occur the immigrant neighborhood of Sao Paulo.Ex-Wild Bunch professional Lucie Kalmar is creating Niles Atallah's "Rey" and Buenos Aires' Utopica Cine, producers of "Las Acacias," is backing Fernando Salem's "How The Majority Of Things Work," an understanding-good comedy road movie having a pop-art aesthetic. Utopica is fielding multiple European co-production offers, "Things" producer Paula Massa stated at Gijon. Puentes experts include UDI's Frederic Corvez ("The Colours from the Mountain"), Jean des Forets at Petit Film ("Cold Water from the Ocean"), The planet pandora Filmproduktion's Christoph Friedel ("Medianeras") and Michel Ruben at Colombia's Dynamo ("Blind Alley"). Puentes runs November.22-24. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Paul Motian dies at 80

American drummer-percussionist Paul Motian, who performed with probably the most influential jazz pianists from the '60s and '70s including Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett and Paul Bley because he advanced the word what of their own instrument, died Tuesday morning in the hometown of Manhattan, where he labored continuously right until a year ago. He was 80. Reason for dying was complications from myelodisplastic syndrome, a bone-marrow disorder. Of Armenian heritage, Motian was famous for his use the legendary Evans trio, which incorporated the bassist Scott LaFaro, that led to the classic tracks "Explorations," "Sunday in the Village Vanguard" and "Waltz for Darlene." When LaFaro experienced an untimely dying inside a vehicle accident at 25, Motian ongoing recording with Evans and various bassists on such albums as "Moonbeams" and "Trio 54," with Chuck Israels and Gary Peacock rounding out individuals ensembles. Motian wound up recording 14 albums with Jarrett between 1967 and 1992 included in the pianist's trio and American quartet, rounded out by bassist Charlie Haden and saxophonist Dewey Redmon, in addition to seven albums with Bley. In keeping with his title, Motian's drumming developed into an progressively free-form style, indicated by shifting time signatures and extensive utilization of cymbals, cow alarms, chimes and the like. Together with Elvin Johnson, Tony Williams and Jack DeJohnette, Motian was accountable for getting the drums towards the forefront of yankee jazz, creating their own music and leading their own groups. After Manfred Eicher released ECM in 1969, Motian headlined several albums for that forward-thinking label, joining a roster of music artists with whom he'd frequently worked with, including Jarrett, Bill Frisell, Peacock, Carla Bley and Don Cherry. Younger crowd recorded for Soul Note Records, JMT Records and Winter & Winter Records. Motian also performed with Thelonious Monk, Lee Konitz and Lennie Tristano. Like a bandleader, Motian recorded a lot more than 30 albums, together with his own trio frequently composed of guitarist Frisell and reedman Joe Lovano. His groups recorded tributes to Monk and Evans and a number of live Broadway albums featuring his understanding of standards. Since Motian first began out playing guitar in the youth, a lot of his designs featured the instrument conspicuously, such as the Electric Bebop Band, which featured multiple various guitars. Contact Steve Chagollan at steve.chagollan@variety.com

Distribs, theaters undertake new media

Secret Cinema held a screening of Lawrence of Arabia at Londons Alexandra Structure. Alamo Drafthouse visited unusual measures to lure auds: A caged Santa attacks at "A Christmas Tale." A menu of dishes within the films welcomed Harry Potter auds within the Alamo Drafthouse.Alamo Drafthouse interred four lucky individuals who win to check out Hidden utilizing their own private coffins. Can kung-fu fighting monks, cave tests and feral, caged Santa Clauses save the film biz? Participants sure hope so. All over the world, theaters and distribs are fighting competition from new media by turning firstrun tests to the kind of occasions you need inside a theme park or condition fair. London's Future Cinema, set striking NY and Paris next season, draws around 17,000 people due to its surprise Secret Cinema tests, getting a troupe of stars interacting while using audience in conditions staged to fit the film. Alamo Drafthouse travelled an authentic-existence "Iron Guy" getting a custom jet pack above among its theaters round the film's opening weekend. Microdistrib Variance Films enlisted local comics for 10-minute preparation sets and publish-screening Q&Because of its comic doc "American: The Total Amount Hicks Story." Though indie films could make their finest profits via one-evening or weekend event tests, one obstacle with this approach, notes filmmaker and "Think Outdoors el born area Office" author Jon Reiss, is always that news shops usually won't give crucial reviews for films booking within extended run. These men that box office of those runs usually isn't totalled by Rentrak or other monitoring services, that could handicap filmmakers trying to find ancillary deals. So far, most event tests have devoted to ingenious revivals, for instance Alamo Drafthouse's Moving Roadshow programs, plus a "Jaws" screening for audience people floating on inner- tubes in the lake. They became a member of with NY City-based Roof Films to supply "The Godfather, Part II" inside the same Little Italia neighborhood where it absolutely was set. "Art galleries are frightened about piracy, too as with an outdoors atmosphere, that's a little harder to handle,In . states Alamo Drafthouse founder Tim League, who could overcome concerns for his preview in the spelunking thriller "The Descent" in the real Texas cave. "You can easily possess a cave," he describes. "There's only one entrance." You will discover other creative techniques to help keep films contained: Secret Cinema staged "One Travelled Inside the Cuckoo's Nest" inside a abandoned U.K. hospital. Firstrun distribs are starting to program event tests for a lot of new releases. Future Cinema founder Fabien Riggall, who staged everyone "people premiere" of "Watchmen" with 60 stars among London tunnel replicas in the film's sets, is at discussions getting a significant studio to screen an unreleased Oscar contender london the next month. Having its recognition, the outfit may charge around $55 dollars a ticket without naming the movies being examined in advance -- basically a request audience people to use appropriate attire specific toward the film being proven. Aside from an periodic cryptic image launched with media partner the Protector, Secret Cinema occasions aren't promoted -- just introduced having a 120,000 email e-e-newsletter clients, 100,000 Facebook fans and 18,500 Twitter fans. Riggall states his Secret Cinema occasions could cost 100,000-200,000 ($157,000-$315,000) to stage -- he expects to create the tests (which run in the evening to just about 72 hours) to La and San Francisco Bay Area soon, although he wouldn't divulge n box office revenue. Aside from showing live concerts, ballets together with other occasions via their 15,000-screen theater network, NCM Fathom teamed with Summit this month for "Twilight Saga Tuesdays," one-evening-only tests in the first three "Twilight" films with behind-the-moments content and footage unseen in theaters, all to create more fascination with the completely new "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Beginning -- Part 1." For your relieve Guy Maddin's "My Winnipeg," Canadian distrib Maximum (now eOne) arranged for Maddin to provide live narration at choose tests, including an Images Festival event featuring $40 Private room seating with gift bags. Charlotte now now Mickie, eOne professional V . p ., sees an opportunity for distribs to take advantage of gift bags, live performances together with other incentives getting a larger ticket cost, stating Canada's Open Roof Festival as staging effective summer season-extended occasions using this strategy along with Canadian entrepreneurs. Its not all films need large promotion budgets, freebies or greater ticket prices to create must-see event nights. Variance Films could generate monks to exhibit kung-fu moves within the NY and L.A. opening of the doc "Shaolin" for simply free screening tickets for temple, together with a chance for that monks to feed out flyers and acquire website/e-blast promotion for school. Other low-cost Variance occasions have incorporated air-drumming contests inside a doc about the subject ("Adventures of one'sInch) and becoming the composer of experimental doc "General Orders No. 9" into cinemas to do a "3d augmented score" live. Distribs for instance Monterey Media, Cinema Purgatorio, Canada's Films We Like To as well as the U.K.'s Dogwolf, additionally to venues like L.A.'s Cinefamily, also make occasions an ordinary part of their business strategy. Some filmmakers have a hybrid approach, with event preview tests prior to the official opening. Reiss notes the being a parent comedy "The Most Effective as well as the Smartest" enlisted stars for instance Amy Sedaris and Kate Mulgrew to appear in a few in the 200 tests in 24 urban centersOrlocations before its official opening, grossing between $600 to $2,600 per screening in 50/50 or 70/30 splits (most for your filmmaker) with theaters after expenses. Such hooplah is definately not new inside the film biz. Inside the 19 thirties, Depression-era audiences were drawn to theaters for just about any "Bank Evening" cash lottery, and weekly "Dish Evening" tableware freebies. When the economy rebounded after World war ii, theaters faced another frightening threat -- television -- leading those to develop gimmicks like 3d, Cinerama, William Castle-era vibrating seats ("The Tingler"), floating glow-in-the-dark skeletons ("House on Haunted Hill") and Smell-O-Vision to lure audiences utilizing their sets. Current day participants face the double challenge from the bad economy and new media (VOD, videogames an online-based distractions) siphoning audiences away. Possibly nobody in the market is refreshing the gimmick era a lot better than Alamo. The Ten-theater Texas-based chain (with new venues searching for Colorado and Austin) serves food and booze with every firstrun film. The Lamar theater's car park situated a 40-ft-tall, fire-breathing robot for "Transformers" opening weekend, hidden four participants alive to check out "Hidden" in their own personal private coffins, staged a thrilling-day "camping" for "Freddy versus. Jason" and provided lobby photo-procedures getting a caged Santa within the opening of "Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale." Round the dining front, they situated a Rocky Mountain oyster-eating contest for "Your Highness" and offered a Harry Potter-designed menu when "The Deathly Hallows Part 2" unspooled. These mainly homespun designs typically cost no more than $1,000-$2,000 cost for your frightening Santa promotion was $500. But Drafthouse labored with Paramount's marketing department to counterbalance the cost from the Robosaurus for "Transformers" (cost roughly $25,000), since it does for exhibits with lots of event films that have "superfans." The "Hidden" stunt ended up costing $8,000-$9,000, despite the fact that the distrib didn't cover the reduced-budget film's promotion, as well as the film not successful gain large box office, League is just pleased the studio's legal department didn't halt the live burials. "I don't think there's a quantitative approach to evaluate" simply how much the promotions improve their theaters' grosses, League states. "We percieve it if this involves what our identity can be as a company. It's part of our marketing and branding strategy -- you need to be known to as theater that's run by fans for fans, and frequently meaning doing stuff that don't appear sensible for that conclusion.Inch "If the key moment of year to suit your needs might be the brand new Harry Potter film opening, you need tomorrow being special," League describes. "If you're just prone to serve somebody an overpriced Coke and popcorn and turn on the projector and show people some ads and show the film, that is not special enough." n Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Hat Trick brings improv to India

Published: Get married., November. 16, 2011, 12:52pm PTHat Trick Intl., the distribution arm of Blighty's Hat Trick Prods., has joined with India's Miditech to create improvisational half-hour "Whose Lines Are It Anyway?" towards the subcontinent. The venture will expand the company across TV and live-event platforms. Headed by siblings Niret and Nikhil Alva, Miditech is well-established in India, getting introduced "Survivor" and "The Voice" towards the country. Miditech will pitch the show to Indian tv stations and aims to have it on air the coming year. Hat Trick Intl. also distributes BBC gamer "Is It Necessary News for you personallyInch and Showtime's "Episodes," with Matt LeBlanc, among other content. :- Serta Doperalski Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

PBS Uk Launches On BSkyB, Virgin Media

The U.S. Public Broadcasting Service, extended an importer of British fare, will endeavour to return the favor beginning Tuesday while using launch of PBS Uk, the Wall Street Journal reviews. The choice includes U.S. flagship shows PBS News Hour and Frontline, the science series Nova, the U.S. version of Antiques Roadshow (format imported from Britain), and documentaries from director Ken Burns, whose Prohibition (pictured) will air on Day 1. It’s PBS’ initial foreign foray since the service was founded greater than four decades ago. PBS Uk will air on Britain’s two finest pay-TV platforms, British Sky Broadcasting andVirgin Media Corporation. It'll be available to about 14 million audiences, roughly half the country’s TV audience. PBS is late for the party because it doesn’t have a lot of money. U.S. commercial systems for instance MTV, Nickelodeon, Discovery and CBS come in the U.K. for any very long time. “The primary concern is to find our content to have an audience that we know comes with an interest inside the work we produce,” mentioned PBS leader Paula Kerger. The push for PBS to combine the Atlantic originated from getting a request from David Lyons, founding father of Quadra Group. He asked for the program to produce a U.K. funnel as they will be a longtime viewer of KSPS-TV, the PBS affiliate in Spokane, Clean., and respected the programming. “It’s among the primary lights of yank culture,” mentioned Lyons, a Canadian businessman dwelling in England and interested in PBS News Hour. Quadra and PBS Distribution will be the joint entrepreneurs of PBS Uk, which unlike PBS in the usa will run ads. Quadra has invested vast amounts to create the U.K. funnel. PBS Distribution setup the rights for the programs.