Universum produces S3D animation arm

Paris-- Inside the run-around the Feb. 7-10 Kidscreen Summit in NY, Jeremy Zag's French animation production company Univergroup is beginning a film division, Zag Pictures, which is joining track of leading Korean studio SamG. Zag Pictures will probably be dedicated to creating high-profile S3D animated features, allotted above 20 million ($26.4 million), and it is targeted at tapping European and Anglo-American scribes and helmers who've done Hollywood animated tentpoles, Zag mentioned. Zag's development roster includes $50 million "Miraculous Lady Bug," a Paris-set fantasy concentrating on a teenage girl with super forces, that's co-produced by Aton Soumache's Method Animation and $Thirty Dollars million "Kobushi," a comedy a la "Tom and Jerry" initiating a family group of sushi samurai.Both "Lady Bug" and "Kobushi" are increasingly being developped as TV series via Zag Toon, Univergroup's TV subsidiary.Gallic animator and storyboard artist Thomas Astruc, who created the first concept of "Lady Bug," will co-direct the tv skein as well as the toon feature. Zag, who intentions of making a "Lady Bug" franchise, mentioned he was finalizing a specialist Toy deal.Univergroup was founded in 2008 by youthful entrepreneur Zag and Jacqueline Tordjman, an animation vet who labored alongside Haim Saban for virtually two-and-a-half decades and introduced cult shows like "Goldorak" and "Gadget as well as the Gadgetini" to French TV. Meanwhile, Zag Toon keeps growing to Korea by merging with SamG, whose credits include French cartoons "Monk" and "7Cs," a collection and also have project developed with U.S. shingle Guy of Action. Re-named Mike Zag, the Seoul-based studio works exclusively on Univergroup's animated photos and tv skeins. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Nick Cannon Released from Hospital

Nick Cannon and Mariah Carey Nick Cannon remains released within the hospital after getting experienced "mild kidney failure" the other day, People reviews."Nick Cannon was released in the last weekend to obtain together with his family. He's resting and recouping fitness center wish to thank everyone which has expressed concern, well wishes and hopes," his repetition mentioned in the statement.Nick Cannon make the hospital with kidney problemThe 31-year-old America's Got Talent host is predicted revisit his morning radio show, Rollin' With Nick Cannon, on Tuesday, Jan. 17.Cannon was make the hospital the other day throughout his and wife Mariah Carey's annual holiday trip to Aspen, Colo. He was moved Friday to La, where he experienced surgery."Recouping ... likely to be more effective than in the past!In . he tweeted Saturday.

DGA Nominees Introduced

Wow. Can't decide just what the bigger surprise what food is at this morning's Company company directors Guild of America Award bulletins: that Steven Spielberg wasn't nominated, or that David Fincher was.The nominees for feature film pointing are: Woodsy Allen ("Evening amount of time in Paris"), David Fincher ("The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo"), Michel Hazanavicius ("The Artist"), Alexander Payne ("The Descendants"), and Martin Scorsese ("Hugo"). The best choice, according to all industry buzz, would appear to become Hazanavicius, do not count out Allen or Payne at this time around. It's been an excellent day or two for Fincher carrying out a slow start, "The Woman while using Dragon Tattoo" seems to own legs, making $11.3 million in it's third weekend in release, for no more than $76.8 million. It now looks poised to combine the coveted $100 million mark and may silence people who believe it is underperforming. As well as the DGA jerk shows this "Girl" could have a location inside the honours race, ultimately.The champion will probably be introduced inside a ceremony Jan. 28.Discover More About Behind The Curtain

Former Walking Dead Producer Frank Darabont Evolves New TNT Drama

Frank Darabont Nearly six several weeks after he was fired because the executive producer of AMC's The Walking Dead, Frank Darabont is busy creating a new drama project - this time around at rival TNT. TNT has given an airplane pilot order to L.A. Noir, that takes a glance within the seedy underbelly of La cops and villains within the nineteen forties and nineteen fifties, the heyday of L.A. noir and scams (like the Black Dahlia). Darabont will write and direct the pilot. The project is dependant on the John Buntin book L.A. Noir: The Struggle for that Soul of America's Most Sexy City, which concentrates on the fight between gangster Mickey Cohen and legendary L.A. police chief William Parker. "Noir is really a passion of mine, and so i feel fortunate to explore a task that talks within the hardboiled vernacular," Darabont states. "John Buntin's superb book, though non-fiction, is our touchstone and inspiration for that tales we'll be telling, weaving fiction through the details, and details through the fiction. It provides elements which are irresistible, a large canvas with endless options. The aim would be to deliver around the tone the title L.A. Noir promises: a wise, gritty, authentic, period noir drama." Darabont would executive produce L.A. Noir together with longtime friend Mike P Luca (The Social Networking), while Elliot Webb (Tall Time Tales) can also be attached being an professional producer. It might mark the very first TV work for Darabont since he left The Walking Dead at the end of This summer under mysterious conditions. The exit coincided with reviews that Dead was battling with budget issues, but AMC professionals elected to not elaborate beyond an argument saying thanks to the director for his contributions towards the show. Darabont's title ongoing to look within the credits throughout Season Two, but he was changed as showrunner by Glen Mazzara. Darabont has additionally never openly addressed his departure. Darabont's hefty features resume includes The Shawshank Redemption, The Eco-friendly Mile and Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. P Luca's credits likewise incorporate the current feature Moneyball. "The storyline of L.A. Noir is inspired by a remarkably dramatic period within the good reputation for La,Inch states Michael Wright, executive v . p ., mind of programming for TNT, The best spinner's and Turner Classic Movies. "This project is really a sweeping tale from the fight for that soul from the city which was fought between your forces from the LAPD and also the West Coast mob." L.A. Noir joins a TNT development slate which includes the medical drama pilot Chelsea General, from David E. Kelley and Sanjay Gupta the Western pilot Gateway, starring Donal Logue, Keith Carradine and Anthony LaPaglia and also the drama pilot Scent from the Missing, starring Tricia Helfer, Summer time Glau and Gerald McRaney. Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

Globes more in line compared to year's past

'Bridesmaids,' with Golden Globe nom Kristen Wiig, left, was among the couple of comedies this past year to get near unanimous acclaim. The annual eruption of critical snark trigger through the announcement from the Golden Globes nominations is generally then a sheepish admission: Most of the options were consistent with that which was expected.Actually, the outlier might be Oscar. In a number of celebrated instances recently, it's been the Hollywood Foreign Press Assn., and never the Academy, which has hewed nearer to the critical consensus. This past year, the HFPA selected "The Social Networking" as well as drama -- as had the L.A., N.Y., London, Chicago and Boston experts, the nation's Board of Review, the nation's Society of Film Experts along with a litany of other orgs. The Oscar visited "The King's Speech." In 2007, once the Academy went for "Crash," the Globes selected "Brokeback Mountain," as had many more.This year, there is no apparent one-on-one "Social"/"King" face-off, however the reaction continues to be sincere."I really think the HFPA found innocent themselves quite nicely this season,Inch states Entertainment Weekly's Dork Karger from the HFPA's choices, echoing a lot of the reaction to a variety one studio publicist calls predictably "eccentric and starry," but which largely reflected options made elsewhere within the run-as much as Oscar madness.Individuals choices incorporated movie drama noms for many very apparent suspects -- including "The Descendants," "The AssistanceInch and "Hugo" -- in addition to plenty of fascination with "The Ides of March" along with a well-timed assist for which might be the year's comedy showcase, "Bridesmaids."History being what it's, however, the Globes options are forever looked at for favoring studio, and never indie, fare a strong dislike to anything remotely provocative or questionable ("The Tree of Existence," "Melancholia") along with a tendency toward nominating both films and stars that offer lots of star energy."I understand many people are concered about the Julia Roberts nomination for foreign film, but the truth is her movie gets strong reviews," Karger states from the Jolie-directed "Within the Land of Bloodstream and Honey." "It's a smaller amount embarrassing than giving her and The Actor-brad Pitt lead-acting nominations for 'The Tourist' this past year."Also, I am a huge 'Ides of March' fan so I am pleased with George Clooney obtaining a slot for the best director. I fully expected these to nominate Mel Gibson for 'The Beaver' or Ashton Kutcher for 'Two . 5 Men' only for the interest, however they clearly opposed the need.InchStates one studio professional: "I still think a movie like 'Tree' might get within the Academy awards, since it is that type of film. I am curious about 'The Artist,' too, and what's going to happen by using it.InchThe Weinstein Co.'s Gallic B&W movie, "The Artist," is really a candidate within the comedy-musical category, which could only further its campaign among the year's quirkiest success tales.Elsewhere, exception was come to what might be an important character problem using the HFPA."I believe the exclusion of 'Extremely Noisy & Incredibly Close' reflects the foreign press' lack of ability for connecting towards the well of emotion still attached to Sept. 11," states Joe Neumaier, critic for that NY Daily News. "Its late screening for that HFPA certainly did not help, and I am surprised Sandra Bullock and Max von Sydow were not incorporated. Simultaneously, though, it is not a surprise to locate a psychological block between your HFPA which movie's hyper-local undertake tragedy."Neumaier also points towards the omission of the supporting perf, and what he saw because the disconnect between your character and also the HFPA's foreign perspective."It might be that Melissa McCarthy's Megan in 'Bridesmaids' was too gauche and too 'American" on their behalf,Inch he states. "So that they opted for lead Kristen Wiig. Alternately, though, I believe the romance they demonstrated for 'Ides of March' is partially since it felt just like a look behind the American political curtain."There have been other films that reflect American sensibilities that got a bit of HFPA love.The setting of drama nominee "Moneyball," for example, features the essential American pastime, baseball. Lengthy a U.S. passion, the game is basically overlooked in a lot of the relaxation around the globe, but HFPA audiences required the storyline of Concord A's g.m. Billy Beane to heart.Plus there is "The Assistance,Inch which examines how African-American service personnel were treated within the American south within the sixties. Clearly, author-director Tate Taylor's pic resonated to individuals and also require been not aware from the abusive treatment individuals women experienced within the racially slanted region from the U.S. What: Golden Globe Honours When: 5 p.m. PT Sunday Where: BevHilton Web: world wide web.hfpa.org GOLDEN GLOBE NOMINATIONS FOR ACTING LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA George Clooney, "The Descendants" Leonardo DiCaprio, "J. Edgar" Michael Fassbender , "Shame" Ryan Gosling, "The Ides of March" Kaira Pitt, "Moneyball" LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA Glenn Close, "Albert Nobbs" Viola Davis, "The AssistanceInch Rooney Mara, "The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo" Meryl Streep, "The Iron Lady" Tilda Swinton, "We have to Discuss Kevin" LEAD ACTOR, COMEDY/MUSICAL Jean Dujardin, "The Artist" Brendan Gleeson, "The Guard" Frederick Gordon-Levitt, "50/50" Ryan Gosling, "Crazy, Stupid, Love" Owen Wilson, "Night time in Paris" LEAD ACTRESS, COMEDY/MUSICAL Jodie Promote, "Carnage" Charlize Theron, "Youthful Adult" Kristen Wiig, "Bridesmaids" Michelle Williams, "My Week With Marilyn" Kate Winslet, "Carnage" SUPPORTING ACTOR Kenneth Branagh , "My Week With Marilyn" Albert Brooks , "Drive" Jonah Hill, "Moneyball" Viggo Mortensen , "A Harmful Method" Christopher Plummer, "Beginners" SUPPORTING ACTRESSBerenice Bejo, "The Artist" Jessica Chastain , "The AssistanceInch Jesse Mcteer, "Albert Nobbs" Octavia Spencer , "The AssistanceInch Shailene Woodley, "The Descendants" Award Season Focus: The Actor & The ActressYoung stars bring fresh method of roles Does evil associate for an Oscar shortcut? Indie Spirits breathe existence into more compact films Feel-good photos make strong showing for SAG Globes more in line compared to year's past Experts options might predict Oscar chances Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Thesp's roles of attraction

TheronCharlize Theron might be the living embodiment of Indie Impact: a glamorous star who keeps going for this in large-budget studio tentpoles, yet much like consistently keeps crossing to demanding roles in gritty, small-scale personal projects. Equally in your house in effervescent comedy and stomach-wrenching drama, she's another promoter of progressive efforts to produce telecomutting saves gas. At Variety 's 2005 screening of "North Country" -- one of the handful of films in the last decade which attempted seriously to battle class issues inside the U.S. -- the star happily introduced, "Warner Bros., I tip my hat for you personally to get the balls to produce this movie." It's a classic Theron gesture, offering her bosses public kudos for thinking outdoors el born area. Clearly, like all other star, she's spent her time in the studio "box." If she'll enjoy yourself -- cracking safes in their lingerie for "An Italian Guy , Job," for instance -- you felt she'll complement, no less than until an edgier and more personal and much more personal, more interesting role comes her way. Then when the various don't materialize on their own, Theron will a part of as producer, using her clout to help get such passion projects as "Sleepwalking" and "Monster" started. Her resume evidences you don't need to court audience affection: not by playing a no-nonsense homicide detective in "Inside the Valley of Elah," nor in their Oscar-winning "Monster," throughout which surprisingly a specialist than Roger Ebert not successful to recognize the actress playing the condemned Aileen Wuornos, and ultimately considered her work "not just a performance but an embodiment." She's less affectionate in their current indie, "Youthful Adult," as alcoholic, narcissistic genre author Mavis Gray, who returns to her home town to steal her old secondary school boyfriend from his wife and infant daughter. Each time a reporter confesses her antics made him cringe, the actress is delighted. "Isn't it nice when somebody states, 'I've been cringing the whole time watching the film,A which is a real compliment? Yeah, it's certainly a highlight of my career." If her choice of material smacks of casual instinct, this is also true her approach to it. "In my opinion I'm obsessive, when Someone said something I really like which i wanna do, I become obsessed," she confesses. "I merely contemplate it constantly, after which it I have found myself walking lower the street and i'm seeing somebody take action which i simply obsessively go into the character." She dislikes the rate of interest of moviemaking ("I'm a little ADD") and contains no use for rehearsals. Pressed further on her behalf account approach to working, she finally claims, "I don't enjoy fussing about. In my opinion personally obtaining a character is definitely an very isolated process, which i do not even actually know what the procedure is. When I take advantage of that word, don't take anything serious." And don't take everything glamour stuff too serious, either. The Nigeria native remains a rustic lady in your mind. At BAFTA's "A Existence in Pictures" tribute, when quizzed about her "transformation" to the gritty protagonists of "Monster" and "North Country," Theron referred to how easy it's to slip in veneers or rub some muck on her behalf account face. "The particular transformation," she gently reminded her inquisitor, "is ideal for the red-colored-colored carpet as well as the gowns."Palm Springs Worldwide Film Festival 2012Time for fest to handle acad change? Fest personalizes experience by hosting retreat Honorees ready themselves for just about any busy '12 Combined lingos boost appealVariety's Indie Impact Honours: Charlize TheronThesp's roles of attraction Changing faces Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Peirce Around Direct Barbara Redo

Bloody highschool hell again...Though most are not contented there really should be another film undertake Stephen King's telekinetic horror Barbara, word that Screen Gems and MGM are planning to utilize a rather different, more grounded direction no less than provides confidence the businesses have a very solid idea. Now comes word that Boys Don't Cry director Kimberly Peirce is at foretells accept helm.Peirce's presence may likely give weight to making vid more realistic, book-centric version eschewing a couple of from the more OTT aspects of John P Palma's 1976 film (which, obviously, remains considered a great slice of pulpy horror movie making).Still, Peirce (who also made the little-seen Iraq war drama Stop-Loss) features a handle on troubled figures, and so the tale from the mercilessly cajolled secondary school that exacts some fiery revenge on taunting childhood friends and her psychotically religious mother needs to be well in their wheelhouse. Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa, who's credited while using re-produces presently helping stage musical Spider-Guy: Turn Off The Dark switch from laughing stock to nice little earner, is behind the script.If Peirce signs, her finest challenge will probably be getting a partner who is able to tackle charge while using sensitivity of Sissy Spacek, who increased to become symbol inside the blood stream-splattered role.

Audrey Hepburn's 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' Letter to Henry Mancini: 'You Sent Us Soaring'

Those familiar with the screen adaptation of Truman Capote's 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' know that Holly Golightly had quite the way with words -- "the mean reds," "gruesome Thursdays" -- but it turns out that may have had a lot more to do with Audrey Hepburn than you thought. Cameron Crowe got his hands on a little bit of old Hollywood memorabilia, a note that the actress wrote to 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' composer Henry Mancini. (How? Why? Who cares!) Can't you just see Hepburn putting down her ukulele or cigarette holder and deciding -- on a whim -- to write Mr. Mancini a letter? "A movie without music is a little bit like an aeroplane without fuel. However beautifully the job is done, we are still on the ground -- to a world of reality," she wrote. "Your music has lifted us all up and sent us soaring." Other reasons to be endeared by the beloved screen beauty: she wrote 'aeroplane' and called Mancini a hip cat. Check out the full letter below, but be sure to bring your reading glasses. Cameron Crowe on WhoSay [Photo: Everett] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook