Kyle Chandler Joins Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe in 'Broken City'

Another identifiable face just signed to the Allen Hughes-directed 'Broken City.' Kyle Chandler, most widely known for his Emmy-winning role around the Television show 'Friday Evening Lights,' continues to be cast within the approaching political thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe. 'Broken City' follows detective Billy Taggart (Wahlberg), who's hired with a effective politician (Crowe) to research his wife's lover. Based on Variety, Chandler will have a strategist for any mayoral candidate (Craig Pepper) opposing Crowe. Additionally to Wahlberg, Crowe, Pepper and Chandler, the 'Broken City' cast includes Catherine Zeta-Johnson, Jeffrey Wright, Griffin Dunne, James Ransone, Justin Chambers, Natalie Martinez and Alona Tal. Chandler is visible next within the Film Clip-directed 'Argo,' out September 14, 2012. 'Broken City' is scheduled hitting theaters The month of january 18, 2013. [via Variety] [Photo: Getty] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Bad Movies We Love: Muppets From Space

Call me a glum frog with a hand flapping up my ass, but I didn’t love The Muppets. Jim Henson’s franchise is about goofy, heartfelt antics, and his whimsy warps into a barrage of Glee tunes, self-conscious dorkiness and perky, perky people under the pen of Jason Segel. It’s a no for me. Luckily, the ’90s already gave us a solid, if stupendously, un-self-consciously dorky Muppets update in the form of Muppets From Space. It’s not exactly a part of the classic Kermit cannon, but that’s because it’s a tangential Henson operation. Think of it as Muppets Origins: Gonzo. Now you’re in. Muppets From Space is an 85-minute detour into Gonzo’s extraterrestrial heritage, and that we should appreciate. Even if it doesn’t take an Ancestry.com printout to realize Gonzo is a hybrid of Grover’s comic exasperation and Fozzie’s showbiz jones, it’s great fun to watch the classic Muppet mine his past. Very Born This Way. As the movie starts, we glimpse his recurring dream that he can’t board Noah’s ark because he’s the only member of his species, and that’s a resonant and traumatizing vision — even if you don’t realize that Noah, in this case, is played by F. Murray Abraham. Which he is. Soon, Gonzo receives paranormal messages in breakfast cereal letters, and he and the other Muppets are led on an adventure that connects them with his intergalactic loved ones. Harmless, often hilarious, and light as air. Like many Bad Movies We Love, it’s slow in spots and dotted with unremarkable characters, but that doesn’t mean it skimps on fun. Here are the best five moments in Muppets From Space; I hope you’ve ironed your polyester leisure suit in advance. Or your felt leisure suit. Either/or. 5. Kathy Griffin’s finest role: a befuddled security guard who’s horny for Muppets Forget Suddenly Susan, because Kathy Griffin’s best acting moment is in Muppets From Space. The honorable D-Lister spots Fozzie, who accidentally washed off his invisibility cloak with soap, and tries to cuff him before he can escape. Later she makes out with Animal (who then rejects her) and claims “You’re all the same — animals.” Though Jeffrey Tambor, Hulk Hogan, and Ray Liotta round out the supporting cast, Griffin is the feistiest trooper in the posse. 4. Guess what’s funny? Watching Miss Piggy get punched in the face. Pardon the shoddy quality of the following clip, but you simply must see it before you move on with your day. In Muppets From Space, Miss Piggy is a roving reporter dressed exactly like Jane Fonda in The China Syndrome, and she’s willing to use karate and one-liners to secure a scoop. Problem is, she meets her match in the kickass Josh Charles (of The Good Wife and the immortal Sports Night), and what ensues is a slapstick beatdown funnier than any single moment in The Muppets. I’ve watched this four times so far. Here comes five and six. 3. Spoiler: Gonzo’s home planet is a nonstop discotheque. Early in the movie, we’re treated to a loooong morning sequence set to The Commodores’ “Brick House,” and it turns out to be just the beginning of Muppets From Space’s unashamed funk/disco fixation. When Gonzo meets his family after a climactic ship landing, he and his new-found folks rip into a spirited rendition of Kool and the Gang’s “Celebration.” If you thought Kermit the Frog’s “Kokomo” cover was hokey, wait until you see Gonzo’s Julie Kavner-esque mother encourage the whole planet to come on! (Sidenote: I am obsessed with the last 30 seconds of “Ladies Night” at the moment, and my judgment may be swayed by James “J.T.” Taylor’s blithe sonic force.) 2. The most underrated Muppet ever: Pepe the King Prawn While I appreciate Muppets From Space’s use of Clifford, the Muppet who acted as emcee of the failed primetime variety series Muppets Tonight, the true underdog hero of the movie is Pepe the King Prawn. A fellow Muppets Tonight evacuee, Pepe is a world-class charmer thanks to his heavy Spanish accent, bug-eyed alertness, and continuous mispronunciation of Kermit’s name. (“Kermin” is his attempt.) In this hilarious moment, Pepe and Kermit fool a patrolling doctor. Kermit’s working his ho-hum chutzpah, but Pepe takes the scene in his grasp and woos us with pure heart — or at least a cephalothorax. 1. It’s a stoner comedy. Muppets are inherently trippy, but Muppets From Space keys up the stoner quotient to a new high. In no particular order: Gonzo receives an important message from a talking sandwich, drifts through the sky like Jim Breuer in Half Baked, chats with “cosmic fish” in the stratosphere, and watches his cereal form warnings in claymation choreography stolen from the video for “Sledgehammer.” If I have to invoke the name of Peter Gabriel’s stop-motion circus, you can assume I’m talking about a marijuana-friendly work. Revel (in the poor-quality video). Follow Louis Virtel on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

Ingenues have tradition of landing lead actress nom

Elizabeth Olsen in 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'Felicity Jones in 'Like Crazy'Adepero Oduye in 'Pariah'It's no great shock that youth is prized in Hollywood, but for the last few years, youth and talent have made for an especially esteemed combination during awards season.For three years running, fresh-faced femmes have come out of nowhere to capture moviegoers' attention, earn critics' laurels and move their peers to nominate them for lead actress honors.First there was Ellen Page in "Juno" (2007) then Carey Mulligan in "An Education" (2009) and, last year, Jennifer Lawrence in "Winter's Bone."It could happen again, and if not with the Oscars, then possibly an acknowledgement by the Indie Spirits, Screen Actors Guild or Golden Globes.There has been much praise for Elizabeth Olsen's magnetic turn as a cult victim in "Martha Marcy May Marlene," British actress Felicity Jones' perf as a lovestruck writer in "Like Crazy" and Adepero Oduye's work as an emotionally confused gay Brooklyn teenager in "Pariah.""If this is a trend, I welcome it and applaud it," says casting director Deborah Aquila, "because the level of work is so incredible."It's worth noting that the films in which these young women came to the fore are independently made, says Aquila."These are the kinds of movies we look to as casting directors, where they have the luxury of casting an unknown," she explains. "You don't need a megastar to get the financing going, so it gives you the fantastic opportunity to search and audition and then introduce a wonderful talent like Lizzie Olsen or Jennifer Lawrence.""Martha" director Sean Durkin admits it was important to him to cast an unknown when he was looking for his female lead, and what struck him about Olsen in her audition was "an ability to give so much feeling with just her eyes."When shooting started last fall, Mulligan had already received her Oscar nom and "Winter's Bone" had turned Lawrence into the sensation of 2010."You look at those roles and you say, 'It's great that the public got to see their first break,' " says Durkin, who admits to wishing for a similar reception for Olsen. "There's definitely a part of me that wanted that, and then a few weeks into the shoot I could tell there was something special."Vogue film critic John Powers suggests that in fanning the hype for these talented newcomers, Hollywood might be correcting a bit of its male-centric moviemaking ethos."Somehow the industry may be shifting back toward realizing it needs young women who aren't just on the arm of the superhero," Powers says. "It's almost impossible not to watch Carey Mulligan in 'An Education' and think that there's all sorts of stuff she can do that others can't. So probably there's that little bit of pride in the industry at finding people with some talent."Of course, there was a time decades ago when the arrival of a glittery, popular ingenue was bolstered by a studio machine ready to protect the brand by showcasing her in tailor-made parts and quality projects. One need only look at the glorious runs of Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly in the 1950s after their Oscar wins.There's no studio icon-developing system in place today, but a smart young actress riding a wave of acclaim can certainly create her own career path, Aquila and Powers believe."They'll do their studio films and their independents," says Aquila, who cites Mulligan's varied roster since "An Education," which includes titles big ("Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps," "The Great Gatsby"), edgy and small ("Shame," "Never Let Me Go") and even theater ("The Seagull"). "The need is to do great work all the time, and that's refreshing.""It's harder for women because there are fewer roles," says Powers, "but now actresses have a lot more freedom."AWARD SEASON TALENT PREVIEWSupporting vs. lede debate an annual discussion | Ingenues have tradition of landing lead actress nom | Studios hope early releases have kudos traction | Motion capture perfs under review Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Olin, Zilliacus join Hallstrom's 'Hypnotist'

LONDON -- Lena Olin and Finnish actor Tobias Zilliacus have grew to become an associate of Mikael Persbrandt since the leading cast in Lasse Hallstrom's "The Hypnotherapist," his first Swedish film for 20-4 years. Modified from Lars Kepler's worldwide bestseller, it's a thriller of a mental health expert (Persbrandt) who unwillingly confirms to help a detective (Zilliacus) through the use of hypnosis to discover the identity from the serial killer. Olin, who's married to Hallstrom, plays the hypnotist's wife. The pic, that will most likely be the start of a franchise, will start shooting within the month of the month of january, being released October 2012 in Sweden. It's produced by Borje Hansson and Peter Possne for Svensk Filmindustr and Sonet Film. Professional producer is Bertil Ohlsson, who produced Hallstrom's "What's Eating Gilbert Grape?" In other instance of the world curiosity about Scandinavian crime tales, Svensk has pre-offered the project to greater than 30 nations. Distribs include Studiocanal inside the U.K., TF1 in France, Prokino in German-speaking areas, Hopscotch/E1 in Nz and australia, Aurum in the united states, Keowon in Korea, UA in Hong Kong, Alfa Films in Argentina, Lumiere in Benelux, Cineplex in Colombia, EEAP in Eastern Europe, Rosebud inside a vacation in a holiday in greece and Levi in Israel. Kepler's 2009 novel has offered greater than 600,000 copies in Sweden alone. Hallstrom's latest film was "Seafood Fishing inside the Yemen," which opened up within the Toronto Film Festival. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Gotham's first lady of funny

With Carolines on Broadway, Hirsch produced an trendy, elegant atmosphere that stands as opposed to the cramped, red-colored brick-wall venues which are p rigueur for comedy.Three decades ago a brand new cabaret act opened up on Eighth Avenue in Chelsea. NY did not really notice. Yet another cabaret, in the end. The pair beginning the club, Carl Christian and Bob Stickney, had contacted a buddy, Caroline Hirsch, to both invest and also to provide the place a ladies title. After muddling through for any year approximately, Hirsch made the decision her namesake should be a full-time comedy club. "Cabaret did not move me," she states. "It had been fun, it had not been tapping a popular culture nerve." The town were built with a couple of notable stand-up clubs -- the Improv and Catch a Rising Star included in this -- but Hirsch established a template that made Caroline's a family group title in comedy. Rather than featuring up-and-coming comics running through short sets, Hirsch produced a headliner room, with lengthy sets for talent which was penetrating on tv. "I had been flying through the chair of my pants," confesses Hirsch, who didn't have show business experience on stage or off. She originated from retail, getting labored in the mall Gimbels. "As being a buyer meant giving a person what they need,Inch she states, however the Brooklyn native also understood from her childhood spent watching "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" that functions who carried out on tv provided free publicity. "I recall Johnny Carson saying David Steinberg could be carrying out at Mr. Kelly's in Chicago," she states. "After I got Jay Leno as my first act, he was arriving to become on David Letterman and that i got him to say the club." Caroline's would soon tout a who's who of rising comics, from Pee-wee Herman to Jerry Seinfeld to Richard Lewis. Later, Hirsch gone to live in a larger home in the South Street Seaport. Which was only a initial step. Within 2 yrs, Hirsch's club were built with a weekly television series known as "Caroline's Comedy Hour" on the&E -- the writing staff featured youthful dollars like Jon Stewart and Louis C.K. The show, which won a CableAce Award, introduced a great deal larger crowds towards the club. "Nobody spoken about brands then but that demonstrate was extremely important for all of us,Inch Hirsch states. Additionally, it underscores why this specific club made it a surge competing, recessions and new trends in comedy. Hirsch has not only a watch for funny folks, she's a shrewd business sense, whether it is legitimate estate, interior planning or staff. "I am a person of instinct, that is what I've, and that i trust my stomach," she states. By 1989, Hirsch was fed up with being across the street from the Fulton Seafood Market. Ian Schraeger asked her to consider within the famous Billy Rose Gemstone Horseshoe space within the basement from the Vital Hotel, that they was making over. The area needed an excessive amount of restoration however it began her considering Occasions Square while NY was at its nadir and also the neighborhood was still being seedy, the brand new 42nd Street non-profit created in 1990 and Hirsch, having faith in her vision concerning the city, saw a place around the make. In 1992, Caroline's gone to live in Broadway and 49th Street, inside a new business building that changed a classic theater and needed an entertainment component. It had not been just location, location, location. Hirsch produced an trendy, elegant atmosphere -- in food, space and design -- that was in stark contrast towards the cramped, red-colored brick wall comedy clubs appearing everywhere. "I needed an area with lower roofs, which will work for comics, that performed well but that did not seem like a comedy club," she states. Her new 300-chair room and 100-chair bar won a exclusive award in the American Institute for Architecture for "outstanding building interior." "It's two decades old now also it still looks pretty contemporary," she states. While adhering to her headliner brand, in 1993 she also introduced a brand new Talent Evening, which assisted bust out entertainers like Jim Gaffigan and Greg Giraldo. (The second, however, signifies one rare misstep -- Hirsch embarked into new territory by becoming his manager. It did not pan out. "This is a hands-holding business," she states. "I'd rather produce.") The year after, Hirsch made among her best -- but least heralded -- choices, employing Louis Faranda. She'd known Faranda for a long time so when Catch a Rising Star closed she grabbed him up. The clients might not be aware of general manager's title but he's the guy who runs the particulars and books the talent which make this club run. "I believed of escaping . from the business but respected Caroline and what she'd accomplished for the company,Inch Faranda states. "If a person head lines here it resonates on their behalf from coast to coast.Inch Over time, Hirsch considered growing and was wooed by Vegas hotel proprietors. "I never felt comfortable," she states, understanding that even getting Faranda here, if she spread herself too thin,"things may go haywire so rapidly." Rather, she found different ways to develop -- a 20th anniversary event at Carnegie Hall gave her an opportunity to use the greatest stars from her past and inspired the NY Comedy Festival, that is now in the eighth year. "It is good for associations in the market also it puts the target the club, which produces everything," Hirsch states. HIRSCH'S CAREER TIMELINE:1981: Caroline's opens, initially like a cabaret club, at eighth Avenue and 26th Street in Chelsea.1982: Jay Leno works there, one of the primary comedy functions that Caroline Hirsch books. One of the entertainers who'd follow in early years are Jerry Seinfeld, Steven Wright, Pee Wee Herman, Richard Lewis, Jon Stewart and Denis Leary.1983:The cabaret is changed with a pure comedy club, changing the conventional "showcase" format with one which features headliners, frequently ones who've already made an appearance on televison.1987: Too popular because of its original space, Caroline's moves into bigger digs in the South Street Seaport.1989: A&E launches "Caroline's Comedy Hour," an every week program that runs until 1993.1992: Getting again outgrown its surroundings, Caroline's moves to Broadway, opening a ten,000-sq . ft ., 300-chair space at Broadway and 49th Street.1993: Caroline's, most widely known because of its headliners, institutes a brand new Talent Evening, which will help launch the careers of Jim Gaffigan and Greg Giraldo.2003: Caroline's and Caroline Hirsch celebrate 2 decades within the comedy business by finally which makes it to Carnegie Hall for any star-studded evening.2004: Caroline's launches the NY Comedy Festival.2007: Caroline's and also the NY Comedy Festival starts its Fully Stand Up For Heroes help to raise funds for that Bob Woodruff Foundation.2011: The NY Comedy Festival grows to Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island and announces a 3-year extension of their partnership with Comedy Central.RELATED LINKS Even warhol found laugh Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Brett Ratner's 10 Offensive Quotes That Ended in Oscar Trouble

Directors rarely get the opportunity to be the face of their films' promotions, but not all directors are Brett Ratner.our editor recommends'Tower Heist' Director Brett Ratner Issues Apology for Gay Slur'Tower Heist' Director Brett Ratner Apologizes for Epilepsy Joke in Movie's Trailer (Video)Brett Ratner and Olivia Munn in Strange Feud Over X-Rated Claim The man behind the Rush Hour franchise, and what was supposed to be the upcoming Oscar telecast, has been making the rounds for his latest film, Tower Heist, appearing on talk shows, radio programs and at public screenings. At almost every opportunity, he seems to have gleefully inserted his foot into his mouth. STORY: Brett Ratner Out as Oscar Show Producer First, he addressed rumors about a past relationship with Olivia Munn, defending his manhood by confirming that he did indeed "bang" her. Then, he dropped the three-letter f-bomb at a Q&A, eliciting scorn from GLAAD and eye rolls from every corner of the industry. Most recently, he stopped by Howard Stern to backtracked on Munn but confess that he once forced Lindsay Lohan to get checked for sexually transmitted diseases when she was "very young." So in the interest of absorbing the crudest, most ill-advised and all around regrettable soundbites to come out of Ratner's mouth in the last week, here are the 10 greatest. And by "greatest," we mean worst: 1. "I'm a hypochondriac. Before I go all the way, I send the girl to the doctor and check them for everything. My doctor has a test to tell if you're going to catch something in the future even." - - Brett Ratner on Lindsay Lohan (The Howard Stern Show) PHOTOS: Oscar Show Moments 2. "I said I banged her three times, which wasn't true... The problem is I made her look like whore." - Brett Ratner on Olivia Munn (The Howard Stern Show) 3. "I have huge balls." - Brett Ratner on his balls (The Howard Stern Show) 4. "I turned 40, and I said, 'Holy s---. I've never gotten a girl pregnant.' And I've been doing this pull-out thing for year and years and years. So I go to a doctor and I said, 'You gotta check my sperm.' He calls me up two days later and says, 'We gotta talk.' .... He said, 'Brett, in 25 years, I've never seen a sperm count like this.' The average load is 40 million sperm, and only 30-40 percent are motile. He said I have 10 times, 480 million sperm, he said, 'If you breathe on a girl, she's going to get pregnant.' ... So now I'm condoms only." - Brett Ratner on never getting a woman pregnant, including longtime ex-girlfriend Rebecca Gayheart (The Howard Stern Show) VIDEOS: The Biggest Failed Jokes at the Academy Awards 5. "I'm probably the best in the world at it" - Brett Ratner on oral sex (The Howard Stern Show) 6. "She was hanging out on my set of 'After the Sunset,' I banged her a few times...but I forgot her." - Brett Ratner on Olivia Munn (G4) 7. "When she came and auditioned for me for a TV show, I forgot her, she got pissed off and she made up all these stories about me eating shrimp and masturbating in my trailer. And my shortcomings. She talked about my shortcomings. I get it. She's bitter." Brett Ratner on Olivia Munn (G4) 8. "I used to date Olivia Munn.. when she was Lisa. That was the problem. She wasn't Asian back then." - Brett Ratner on Olivia Munn (G4) 9. "Rehearsal? What's that? Rehearsal's for fags. Rehearsal. Not much." - Brett Ratner (at aTower Heist screening) 10. "It was a dumb way of expressing myself. Everyone who knows me knows that I don't have a prejudiced bone in my body. But as a storyteller I should have been much more thoughtful about the power of language and my choice of words." - Brett Ratner apologizing for his stance on rehearsal. Related Topics Lindsay Lohan Brett Ratner Olivia Munn Oscars 2012 Tower Heist

Fox News, MSNBC Opts Not to Broadcast Herman Cain's Accuser Press Conference

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images As a fourth woman stepped forward on Monday, Nov. 7 to accuse Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment, viewers had just one cable network to turn to. PHOTOS: 10 Hollywood Players That Will Make a Difference in the 2012 Elections CNN chose to air the press conference live, while Fox News opted to point interested viewers to the web. MSNBC later made mention of the conference, TV Newser reports, while noting that "NBC News has not confirmed 4th accuser's story." The press conference began later than expected, with Howard Stern producer Benjy Bronk taking over the vacant podium. TV networks cut the audio, while online streams continued to broadcast. Earlier this year, Bronk heckled former Congressman Anthony Weiner during his resignation press conference. STORY: Hermain Cain's Wife Cancels Interview With Fox News' Greta Van Susteren Cain appeared on ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live later that evening, where he admitted to watching the presser. "We watched it because we didn't even know that his whole thing about Woman No. 4 was going to even come out, so that was a surprise," he said. "At least it wasn't one of the many that have the first name anonymous so now this one actually had a name and a face so we watched to see what it was and who it was and we are dealing with it... We're taking this head on." Cain is holding a press conference of his own on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 3 p.m. in Phoenix, Arizona (2 p.m. PT/ 5 p.m. ET), where he is expected to address the latest round of allegations. CNN Herman Cain

Top Court nixes 'Ghost' copyright situation

The Top Court rejected to wade right into a lengthy-running dispute over who emerged using the idea for that series "Ghost Predators." On Monday, our prime court refused a petition filed by Pilgrim Films, NBCUniversal, Craig Piligian, Jason Conrad Hawes and Universal Television Systems to listen to the situation. Parapsychologist Ray Montz and publicist-producer Deanna Smoller stated that "Ghost Predators" was rebranded from ideas and ideas they pitched to NBC and it is brother or sister Syfy funnel cabler from 1996 to 2003. In May, the ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that despite the fact that Montz and Smoller's copyright claim have been ignored, they might still pursue a condition-law claim for breach of implied contract and breach of confidence. Pilgrim, NBCU along with other accused contended that federal copyright law preempted individuals claims, which the ninth Circuit's decision conflicted along with other appellate choices. In the decision, the ninth Circuit stated the breach of implied contract and breach of confidence claims were outside of copyright claims. "Without such legal protection, potentially valuable creative sources would have hardly any protection inside a dog-eat-dog business," a legal court stated. The situation now heads to the district court fro trial. Contact Ted Manley at ted.manley@variety.com

'Artist' thesp Dujardin boards 'Mobius'

Moving off "The Artist," French thesp Jean Dujardin will star opposite Cecile p France ("Hereafter") in Eric Rochant's thriller-romance, "Mobius."Occur Monte Carlo, on earth of high finance, "Mobius" stars Dujardin becoming an experienced spy monitoring a effective oligarch suspected of washing money through his bank, and p France just like a vibrant youthful trader.In pre-production, pic will boast an worldwide cast. French shingles Recifilms, Axel Films and Ces Productions du Tresor are coming up with, in colaboration with Luc Besson's EuropaCorp, that's shopping the project within the AFM and may handle french release."Mobius" marks Rochant's comeback for the bigscreen. Most broadly noted for pointing Yvan Attal in "The Patriots," helmer remains busy with "Mafiosa" popular TV drama series commissioned by Gallic paybox Canal Plus.Delivery of "Mobius" is skedded for winter 2012.The Paris-based company has furthermore closed additional deals on Bibo Bergeron's 1910-set tale "A Monster in Paris," a 3 dimensional toon getting a original score from Vanessa Paradis and Mathieu Chedid.The animated-feature was acquired by Entertainment One for U.K. and Canada. Previous sales were inked with Russia's MGN Paradise, and Germany's Universum via its output deal with EuropaCorp. Marie-Laure Montironi, mind of EuropaCorp's worldwide sales, mentioned the business reaches advanced discussions with customers in the country, Italia and Japan.Released on March. 12, "Monster in Paris" makes 7.68 million ($10.6 000 0000). within the French B.O. A French animator who began his career concentrating on U.S. tentpoles, Bergeron formerly helmed "Shark Tales" and "The road to Eldorado."Within the AFM, EuropaCorp may also be shopping French noir thriller "Blind Guy," toplining Lambert Wilson and Jacques Gamblin, and British-language game game titles including Liam Neeson starrer "Taken 2." Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Friday B.O.: 'Tower Heist,' 'Puss in Boots' strong

U's 'Tower Heist' is on track to win the weekend with a $30 million opening. DreamWorks Animations' 'Puss in Boots' is holding strong in its second weekend, with $25 million."Tower Heist" is on track to win the weekend with a $30 million bow, while "Puss in Boots" is holding on strong for a $25 million second-week take, according to projections based on early Friday returns at the domestic box office. The prospects for "A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas" were murkier -- it's taken in $500,000 in early matinees, but could pop with late-night auds, giving it a range from $14 million to $18 million, depending on whom you ask. Universal's "Tower Heist" made $1.4 million in early Friday returns, which most B.O. observers believe should give it the weekend crown. But less optimistic estimates put it in the $23 million-$25 million range, setting up a potential horse race with DreamWorks Animation's "Boots." The 3D family toon, which suffered in last weekend's opening from a freakishly early winter storm in the Northeast, opened to $34 million. But it's dropping a scant 30% week over week, putting it on track for the silver medal. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

ABC Family Sets Return Dates for Pretty Little Liars, Lounging Game plus much more

Pretty Little Liars Pretty Little Liars as well as the Lounging Game will return around the new evening, Monday, Jan. 2, ABC Family introduced on Thursday. Have a look at scoop, photos and clips of Pretty Little Liars Beginning from the evening at 8/7c, Pretty Little Liars builds up carrying out a one-month time jump with Aria, Spencer, Emily and Hanna ever closer to learning the identity of "A". The Lounging Game follows at 9/8c as Emma and Sutton make an effort to expose the skeletons inside their family closet. Switched at Birth returns Tuesday, Jan. 3 at 8/7c then your series debut of Jane By Design. (Get yourself a first observe that show here!) Exclusive: Charisma Contractor can get in round the Lounging Game In addition, the network introduced the key Existence in the American Teen which makes it of Break It'll be back with new episodes noisy . spring 2012. Which ABC Family show are you currently presently most searching toward?