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TV Productions > 30 Rock > On The Set (January 26, 2012)

Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and Samuel Goldwyn Films have partnered to pick up North American rights to Robot and Frank. Jake Schreier’s debut feature had its world premiere Friday in Salt Lake City, then played at the Eccles Theatre Saturday night.

Sources say the deal, which also includes all media rights for Latin America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Russia, Scandinavia and Eastern Europe, is valued at slightly more than $2 million.

Frank Langella, Susan Sarandon, James Marsden, Liv Tyler and Peter Saarsgard star in the story of an aging jewel thief who is gifted with a caretaker robot companion by his family. Christopher Ford wrote the screenplay, and Galt Niederhoffer, Sam Bisbee, Jackie Kelman Bisbee and Lance Acord produced for Park Pictures Features.

CAA and ICM repped the sale for the filmmakers. SPWA execs Michael Helfand and Joe Matukewicz negotiated the deal along with Peter Goldwyn of Samuel Goldwyn Films.

“We have loved this project from the script stage and were at the very first Gala screening in Salt Lake City,” said Matukewicz. “This winning film strikes a special chord with audiences, and we are delighted to bring Robot & Frank into the Sony Pictures family. Jake’s film shows us a future that is right around the corner, and I for one, can’t wait for my own Robot!”

SPWA and Goldwyn previously partnered on the 2010 festival drama Welcome to the Rileys, starring Kristen Stewart, Melissa Leo and James Gandolfini.

Wednesday morning, Lionsgate and Roadside Attractions closed a deal to pick up U.S. rights to Arbitrage for a day-and-date theatrical-VOD release, much as they did for the 2011 Sundance thriller Margin Call. The sale price was just north of $2 million.

Other recent sales include Red Lights to Millennium Entertainment (U.S. rights, just under $4 million); Celeste and Jesse Forever to Sony Pictures Classics (North American, Latin American, Eastern European rights, around $2 million); For a Good Time, Call… to Focus Features (worldwide rights, $2 million); and Beasts of the Southern Wild to Fox Searchlight, which also grabbed worldwide rights to The Surrogate for just under $6 million Monday.

Sunday, LD Distribution picked up the thriller Black Rock for just over $1 million, and CBS Films acquired the drama The Words for a combined deal valued at $3.5 million. Competition documentaries Searching For Sugar Man and The Queen of Versailles found homes at SPC and Magnolia Pictures, respectively, on Friday.

Source: HollywoodReporter.com

GALLERY LINK:
Public Appearances > 2012 Appearances > [2012.01.20]T-Mobile Presents Google Music at TAO Nightclub in Park City (HQ)
Paparazzi Photos > 2012 Candids > [2012.01.20]Park City (HQ)
Paparazzi Photos > 2012 Candids > [2012.01.19]Salt Lake City (HQ)

James Marsden, Thomas Jane, Billy Bob Thornton join David Hackl’s Red Machine.

The trio are all set for the Paul Schiff Productions and Indomitable Entertainment thriller which follows two estranged brothers (Marsden, Jane) who reconcile on a camping trip they take with their girlfriends. In the remote wilderness, these go very bad as they are horrifically attacked, then stalked relentlessly by a grizzly bear – the Red Machine.

Thornton is in as a legendary bear expert, as well as hunter in the film produced by Tai Duncan, Paul Schiff and Hadeel Reda, reports Variety.

David Hackl (Saw V) will direct Red Machine, from the screenplay by J.R. Reher, while Dominic Ianno of Indomitable and Stuart Pollok are serving as executive producers.

Source: Upcoming-Movies.com

GALLERY LINK:
Public Appearances > [2012.01.15]The 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards – HBO’s Official After Party(HQ)

“People think I’m the guy who never gets the girl,” James Marsden says, and he has a point. Over the course of two decades, he has established an on-screen reputation as the amiable, boy next door who’s sweet enough to take home, but just square enough to leave behind.

Marsden also mixed things up in 2011 by returning to television — where he got his start way back in the 90′s on “The Nanny” — with a cameo role in “Modern Family.” And on Jan. 12, he begins a six-episode run on “30 Rock,” playing Liz Lemon’s latest love interest. (Apparently, being a nice guy has its perks.)

In “Straw Dogs,” it’s frustrating to watch Kate Bosworth’s character get raped by her ex-flame [played by Alexander Skarsgard], but choose not tell David, your character. Why do you think that is?

It’s a great question. And we’ve talked about it a lot, I had several conversations with Rod about that. The answer is this — I don’t believe she thinks that David will do anything. So that right there speaks volumes as to what the holes are in their relationship.

What was the film’s reception?

I know this movie’s not for everybody, and it’s in its DNA to polarize and to stir people up and to create a bit of controversy, yet that’s not its only purpose. I wasn’t that surprised that there were a good chunk of people that didn’t want to see it. But the people that did see it, I was really happy with how they responded to the movie. Roger Ebert comes out and gives it two thumbs up, and top-notch critics are loving this movie. And it’s in their DNA to hate it because when you set out to remake a beloved classic — not everybody think its a classic, but some people do — it’s like you’re just asking to be completely destroyed in the reviews. But I don’t think Rod wanted this to be a sell-out horror movie. I think he wanted it to be an intelligent, psychological thriller that makes people want to go have a drink afterwards.

And stoke the dialogue.

Exactly. God forbid, create something that might stir people up and ruffle their feathers a bit and make them think.

Part of the movie is about peaking in high school and returning back to your hometown after having moved away. Having grown up in Oklahoma, how is it for you returning home?

Well, for me I certainly did not peak in high school. Those weren’t my glory days. I wasn’t really from a small town. I grew up in Oklahoma City, a pretty big city. So when I’m home, I see my family, I see all my friends I grew up with. I’m really happy because my family and all my friends and all the people I knew that I grew up with are proud of me and they’re proud of where my career’s gone, so I’m never met with conflict when I come back.

So no Alexander Skarsgard character waiting in town for you with a rifle.

No, not really. I tend to get along with pretty much everybody, so it’s tough to rattle me. You’ve got to be careful going out to local podunk bars where you get too many drinks — occasionally you’ll get a person who thinks just because you’re an actor, you have a big ego and a big head and you need to be brought down the ladder a few notches. But no, I’m not the guy, I’m never really in danger of those scenarios.

You’ve been in a lot of romantic comedies, can sing, and are in a lot of family-friendly fare. Are you afraid of being typecast?

I’m not worried about it at all. I just go from job to job and I base it on the material, and whether I feel that I can creatively contribute to the movie — I never want to do something if I don’t think I’l be good at it, I don’t care who’s directing or who’s in it. If I don’t feel like I’m right for it, I don’t want to be part of it.

Can you tell us who you’re playing on this season’s “30 Rock”?

I’m having a blast on the show. It’s a lot of fun. I’m in the middle of them and I’m off and on in New York shooting it, come back in a few weeks. But it’s a great opportuntity to work with great people and with Tina and it’s a fun character. I wouldn’t do it if it weren’t a fun character. Same with “Modern Family.” It was just a great, really defined, specific and fun character who’s just got enough off about him. So it’s been great working with the people and the caliber of that cast and the people who have been a part of it. It’s a fun job to have, and you’re in really good company, so I couldn’t pass it up.

Source: HuffingtonPost.com

The midseason return of “30 Rock” kicks off Thursday, Jan. 12, and with another season comes another love interest for Tina Fey’s quirky onscreen persona, Liz Lemon.

This season, Liz fancies a guy who hawks meat on the street. And the show has enlisted James Marsden, known for his roles on “X-Men” and “The Notebook,” to be that guy. Marsden will appear in a six-episode arc as a laid-back hot dog vendor. Show Tracker spoke to the actor on playing in the TV pond, what we can expect from his “30 Rock” stint and his playing a game that has proved troublesome for “30 Rock” stars in the past: Words With Friends.

You guest-starred on “Modern Family” last year. Now “30 Rock.” And we all remember you on “Ally McBeal” — or at least, I do. Would you ever consider a more permanent TV presence down the line? All the cool film actors are doing it.

It’s definitely something I’m thinking about more and more these days, frankly, because it feels like there’s just as much good work on TV as there is in film, if not more. And there are more great outlets. I don’t know. It just depends if I would find the right fit. I’ve never considered myself someone who would never consider it. If it’s a great role, a great script, has a great show runner — absolutely, I would. It’d be nice to stay in L.A. and be around my kids more often. There are a lot of upsides to doing it. I’d be open to it.

What can you tell us about your role on “30 Rock”?

The guy I play, Chriss, is a pretty laid-back guy. And this season Liz is trying to — I mean, she’s typically the over-thinker, the over-analyzer — and I think she’s trying to have someone in her life who has a positive effect in the other direction. He sort of forces her to chill a little bit. In the end, it may be a good thing for her. It might not be. We don’t really know yet. I don’t know yet, to be honest. It’s such a great show and the writing is so unique. It was just such a cool opportunity not to pass up. I’m essentially coming in after [Matt] Damon. I tend to gravitate towards characters with a little bit of crazy in them. I mean, on “Modern Family” I had a princess castle in the backyard. And when I read this role, I thought it’d be fun.

It sounds fun. You play a hot dog vendor, right?

Yes. His aspiration at the moment is to have a gourmet hot dog truck. And Liz loves her hot dogs.

Did it give you a whole new appreciation for the men who shell hot dogs on the streets of New York?

I still don’t know if I know how to do all they can do. It’s not easy.

But Chriss having that sort of job is what makes it so great. He’s extremely enthusiastic about life. He’s so free-spirited. He’s one of these guys who has a very strong character and Alec’s character [Jack] doesn’t really approve. He goes toe-to-toe with Alec [Baldwin]. Chriss doesn’t back down. He’s very passionate and he’s well-intentioned.

As a love interest for Liz, you follow, in addition to Damon, Hamm. Was that nerve-wracking?
Definitely. It’s not only that it’s those guys — it’s that they were so hilarious. But it’s more exciting than anything else. I hope to be as funny.

And your character spells his name with two “s” — that’s got to give him an edge.

I hope so.

Since he’s so easygoing, is Chriss the type of guy who would watch “27 Dresses” with Liz or “The Notebook”?

That is the best question ever. I thought they were in the same category.

Definitely not. “27 Dresses” is a romantic comedy that you watch while painting your nails. “The Notebook” is a tear-jerker you watch in the dark.

Wow. I did not know that. I’d probably say “The Notebook,” to be honest. We have Valentine’s Day coming up — I don’t want to give anything away, but Chriss — with two “s” — is someone who really enjoys that holiday, as you’ll see on the show.

Did all this time guest-starring on the show make you good enough chums with Baldwin that he now plays Words With Friends with you? I hear he likes that game.

I haven’t been back to New York to film since that all happened. Ironically, though, I do have a pretty intense game going with Tina. She’s kind of wiping the floor with me at the moment. And it’s still our first game, which has been going on for, like, a month. At least if I get beat I can say, “hey, I got beat by someone who won the Mark Twain Award.” Who can claim that?

What’s been your best word so far?

Geez, it’s probably something embarrassing like “fork.” I’d have to go back and check. But I bet it’s “fork.”

Sad. Well, I guess we should end on a happy note: your next project is the raunchy comedy “Bachelorette.” With Will Ferrell behind it, it must be fun.

I just saw it last night with the cast. It’s really exciting. It’s pretty R-rated. It’s going to be compared to “Bridesmaids,” of course, not only because of the title, but because of the content — it’s really hard R-rated. But it’s a completely different movie. The movie was never intended to be a rip-off of “Bridesmaids.” It was a play on Broadway. I’m realizing that I’m saying all this and you haven’t even drawn the comparison yet! We’re just so ready for people to make that comparison, I guess.

But it was a party to make. The whole thing takes place the night before a wedding. There’s three locations. We’re at Scores strip club a lot. It was pretty crazy. It’s weird having lunch at Scores in the middle of the day.

And what’s your character like?

I play a guy named Trevor, he’s a guy who’s just a delicious [jerk]. He’s not the greatest guy in the world. He graduated magna cum laude; prep school dude. In the script, it describes him as “has definitely slept with hookers.” He’s the best man on the groom’s side and is in charge of making sure everyone has a good time before the wedding. He’s very suave. He’s very cocky. But he’s very charming. Think Vince Vaughn in “Swingers.” It’s fun to play a character who is so unabashedly dirty. We’re not trying to win over hearts with this guy. It’s great knowing that’s not the intention.

It’s fun keeping people on their toes. I think people think of me as the sweet guy who never gets the girl. It’s fun to stir things up.

Maybe you should really up the ante and do a guest stint on “Sons of Anarchy” or something.

I’m game. I want to run all over the place. Maybe a role on “Breaking Bad” — that would be awesome.

Source: LATimes.com

Commentary with Writer/Director Rod Lurie
Courting Controversy: Remaking a Classic
The Dynamics of Power: The Ensemble
Inside the Siege: The Ultimate Showdown
Creating the Sumner House: The Production Design

HongKong Edition of “Straw Dogs” DVD and Blu-ray will be released on Dec 23, 2011.

What kind of mischief will Liz Lemon find herself in during “30 Rock” Season 6? There’s a new man, the return of Devon Banks, Kelsey Grammer as himself, Jack living his life as a single dad and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

“Liz is completely re-energized,” series star and creator Tina Fey said in an exclusive new NBC promo. Liz has a hunky new boyfriend played by James Marsden, but he’s not her usual type.

“She’s trying to loosen up a little bit by dating somebody who is a little more laid-back,” Marsden said. “That could either be good for her or ultimately bad for her.”

New guest stars include Denise Richards playing a version herself — the spokeswoman of the idiots of the world — and “Flight of the Conchords” star Kristen Schaal.

“It wouldn’t be ’30 Rock’ if we didn’t have people doing things that they shouldn’t be doing,” Alec Baldwin said of his character’s antics.

“30 Rock” Season 6 debuts Jan. 12 at 8 p.m. ET on NBC

Source: HuffingtonPost.com

I’ve also added a high quality still from “Bachelorette”.

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