As Predicted, Sony Classics Gets Smashed

I wouldn't brag were it not Monday morning and it's the only thing keeping me from walking in front of a bus, so: The final piece of Movieline's Sundance 2012 Bidding-War puzzle has fallen into place, with director James Ponsoldt's boozehound relationship drama Smashed going to the estimable Sony Pictures Classics. Five-for-five! High five? Smashed is the last of the year's projected Sundance darlings to officially find a distribution deal, with The Surrogate, Bachelorette, Arbitrage and Red Lights all spoken for in the month-plus since the festival came and went. Moreover, its showcase for Mary Elizabeth Winstead as a young teacher battling the vicissitudes of alcoholism may yet prove to fall in line with SPC's recent underdog awards tradition - the one that found Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom) coming out of late-summer platform releases to compete with the mainstream favorites at the Oscars. (A press release sent to Movieline HQ did not specify a release date.) "The role [...] asks Winstead to run the full gamut, from game good-time girl and stimulating teacher to shell-shocked morning-after casualty and adamant survivor," wrote Hollywood Reporter critic Todd McCarthy from Park City. "Shes terrific at it all, far surpassing the promise she indicated in Death Proof and Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World." Probably not coincidentally, recently crowned Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer and Breaking Bad Emmy-winner Aaron Paul co-star. Everybody in the awards pool, etc. Or not, just throwing that out there. Either way, congrats to Team Smashed! Morning hours notwithstanding, surely this calls for a drink? Whatever, I'm having one anyway. Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

'Silent House' Exclusive Clip: What Problems Lurk Upstairs?

The initial factor youll notice about "Quiet House" is its striking visual aesthetic. While using quick development of camera technology throughout the final decade, pretty photography is a lot more common nowadays in modern horror movies. But "Quiet House" features a distinctive gimmick to part ways it in the peers: the intimate outlook throughout Elizabeth Olsens character, whose side we rarely leave throughout the quantity of the film. In this particular exclusive clip, its evening time in the home and Olsen and her father are settling looking for the evening, moving lamps because the lights seem to become out. As she learns a noise coming initially from from upstairs, she notifies her father, "I believed I heard something on the internet for.Inch He disputes it, clearly, because thats what fathers in horror movies do, but proposes to go upstairs and have a look. Because they handles the staircase, there's a small rumbling without anyone's understanding as Olsen watches her fathers light disappear in to the darkness. The abilities continue being fuzzy, though having less sunlight youre really within the whim from you and whatever Olsen is searching at. (It may be nice whenever we all looked so sharp and well-defined under light light, but alas, thats not really true.) Horror movies tend to be more frightening after they occur at night time, it is a fact. Furthermore, it doesn't hurt by utilizing her budding star energy and acting chops, Olsen is certainly an instantly strong protagonist to carry the film. It's not each day the truth is a considerably-acclaimed actress to experience a straight horror movie, but knowing from what weve seen up to now, "Quiet House" needs to be a enjoyable role in the extended career. Reveal everything you consider the "Quiet House" clips inside the comments and also on Twitter!

Jordana Spiro Will get Charge In Foxs Josh Berman/Take advantage of Wright Drama Pilot

Former My Boys star Jordana Spiro takes a dramatic turn because the lead in Fox’s untitled Josh Berman/Take advantage of Wright pilot. Also cast within the project, directed by Michael Dinner, is Jamie Lee Kirchner.The medical drama, compiled by Wright, focuses on Sophistication Delvin (Spiro), certainly one of Chicago’s top youthful cardiothoracic surgeons who, in order to save her gambling-with debt brother, needs to moonlight like a “mob physician.” Kirchner, repped by Gersh and Blue Stone Entertainment, will have a surgical resident dealing with Sophistication whose father may be the Chairman from the hospital Board. The pilot, professional created by Berman, Wright and Dinner, reunites Spiro with The new sony TV, that also created the cult fave The best spinner's comedy series My Boys. The actress, repped by ICM and Principal Entertainment, continues to be testing the drama waters recently with recurring roles on Harry’s Law and Dexter.

George Lopez To Star In And Produce Comedy Series For Debmar-Mercury

George Lopez is returning to the family sitcom genre. I’ve learned that Lopez, star, co-creator and executive producer of multi-camera sitcom George Lopez, which ran on ABC for six seasons and 120 episodes, has closed a deal in principal with Lionsgate TV subsidiary Debmar-Mercury to co-create and star in a new multi-camera comedy about a Latino family. Lopez will executive produce the series with his manager, 3 Arts’ Michael Rotenberg. Upon finalizing the deal, Lopez and Debmar-Mercury, who both declined comment, are expected to begin a search for a showrunner. The project will be developed and produced under Debmar-Mercury’s 10-90 model, in which the company sells sitcoms to cable networks with an initial 10-episode straight-to-series order, which, if meeting a ratings target, triggers a multi-season order as big as 90 episodes. The goal is for Debmar-Mercury to quickly amass enough episodes for the sitcom’s launch in broadcast syndication, area where Lopez has been successful. While never a major hit in its original run on ABC, George Lopez has enjoyed a strong afterlife in syndication. A decade after its ABC premiere, the show continues to do well in primetime on cable, Nick at Nite and a Spanish-language version on MTV’s Tr3s, and in the afternoon in broadcast syndication. The George Lopez sitcom follows in the footsteps of Debmar-Mercury’s previous successes under its model, all minority family sitcoms: Tyler Perry’s House Of Payne and Meet The Browns and Ice Cube’s Are We There Yet?. All three went beyond the initial 10-episode orders on TBS, with the first already above the syndication threshold. Debmar-Mercury’s first non-ethnic sitcom, the upcoming Charlie Sheen comedy series Anger Management for FX, is written/executive produced by Bruce Helford, who co-created and ran George Lopez. Just like Sheen does on Anger Management, CAA-repped Lopez is expected to have ownership in his show. He most recently hosted a late-night talk show on TBS.

David Morrissey On For Your Walking Dead

He's The Governor...While Using Walking Dead more running than stumbling inside the ratings round the telly box both across water-feature and here, it's lately been restored for just about any third season. Now US funnel AMC features that David Morrissey will join the cast.We'll provide a possible *Spoiler Warning* for anyone which has yet to determine the comics the series is founded on, though given how a series includes a inclination to deviate if this involves plot and characters' fates, it might be nothing beats that.Morrissey may have The Governor, the cruel leader from the community referred to as Woodbury that Ron Grimes (Andrew Lincoln subsequently subsequently) and co stumble across. Due to the comic's bleak outlook, you won't be blown away to know the Guv calculates to become spectacularly nasty piece of content, and finally eventually ends up doing a little of very nasty products to the heroes. So nasty, really, there is available a suspicion he'll be developed lower just a little for TV.The Walking Dead, which features Jon Bernthal, Sarah Wayne Callies, Laurie Holden Jeffrey DeMunn, Steven Yuen and Norman Reedus, airs Sunday nights in the usa as well as the following Friday inside the Uk. The Next season will begin shooting this spring in Atlanta.

Jurnee Smollett & Erik Jensen Among Latest Pilot Signings

Jurnee Smollett has landed a lead on NBC’s drama pilot Bad Girls. Adapted from the long-running U.K. series, the project, from John Wells Prods. and Warner Bros. TV, follows the ins and outs of a group of unlikely women in a federal prison: a scandalous female warden, her new protg and a host of inmates — some mothers, some friends — who struggle with loyalties to people on the inside and outside. Smollett will play Gwen, a famous rap star who lives the high life on the local club scene until she gets busted by the DEA and finds herself tossed into a women’s prison without bail. Smollett, repped by ICM and Storefront, next stars in Tyler Perrys The Marriage Counselor. Erik Jensen (Black Knight) has joined NBC’s drama pilot The Frontier, which revolves around a group that heads West from Missouri across the uncharted country in the 1840s. On the Sony TV-produced show, Jensen will play one of the travelers, a deeply religious doctor. Australian actress Clare Bowen has been cast as in ABCs musically-driven drama pilot Nashville written by Callie Khouri and directed by RJ Cutler. The ABC Studios-produced pilot is centered around the Nashville music scene and its rising and fading stars, including Scarlett (Bowen), a fresh-faced new arrival in town. Bowen is with Gersh, ROAR and Sue Barnett in Australia. Madison Davenport has been cast in the NBC comedy pilot Save Me starring Anne Heche. On the Sony-produced project, Davenport, repped byCESD and KLWGN, will play Heche’s precocious teenage daughter.

Benjamin Master close to deal for HBO's Ali telepic

Master Cinemax is close to casting "Abraham Lincoln subsequently subsequently: Vampire Hunter" actor Benjamin Master within the approaching Muhammad Ali telepic in regards to the boxing legend's fight while using Top Court.Story for "Muhammad Ali's Finest Fight" is Ali's fight while using Top Court over his Muslim values just like a careful objector through the Vietnam War. Ali was billed having a Houston court in 1967 and spent three years exiled within the ring as his situation visited at the pinnacle Court. Film, being directed by Stephen Frears, will utilize actual footage of Ali rather than cast an actress to see him.Several important particulars have to be worked out just before the youthful thesp signs on. Once the deal all fits in place, he'd play Kevin Kennedy, a high Court clerk who championed the issue and written the briefs that ultimately brought to approving Ali's status just like a careful objector.Master increased being designed for "Ali" after Legendary Pictures attracted the plug on Alex Proyas' "Paradise Lost," which was slated to star Master and Bradley Cooper.The other day Christopher Plummer signed onto play Top Court judge John Marshall Harlan. Frank Langella appeared to become added and may play Chief Justice Warren Hamburger.Shawn Slovo written the script. Frank Doelger, Tracey Scoffield and Jonathan Cameron are likely to professional produce. Scott Ferguson is creating.Master is repped by WME and Inspire Entertainment. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com