MOVIES
Here's your first look at the David Fincher-directed The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara.
It appears that Hollywood has a formula for movies. No! Who would have guessed? Actor Tom Jane was as-good-as-signed to costar in Headshot, the hitman thriller with Sylvester Stallone, as a cop who would team up with Sly's paid assassin. But apparently the studio believes he's too pigmentally-challenged and want someone more "ethnic" (whatever that means, these days) to meet their success formula.
TV
Edward James Olmos (Battlestar Galactica) has joined the cast of Dexter, playing a brilliant, charismatic professor of religious studies. Also, Billy Brown (Lights Out) is set for a recurring role on the show, playing Mike Cutler, a no-nonsense Chicago homicide detective who transfers to Miami Metro.
Paget Brewster has made it official that she's returning to Criminal Minds. Meanwhile, new regular for 2010-2011, Rachel Nichols, is leaving and there's still no word on whether or not Thomas Gibson will be returning.
Another crime drama cast shake-up: Christopher Meloni is leaving Law and Order: Special Victims Unit after 12 years with the show. Fellow cast-partner Mariska Hargitay had already announced a decreased role for next year, and expressed her sadness at Meloni's departure.
Bones spin-off The Finder is already having casting issues, as well. Saffron Burrows, who was to play a cocky bar owner and helicopter pilot opposite star Geoff Stults, is leaving the show and her role is being recast.
Is AMC's crime drama The Killing being renewed? As of Friday of last week, no news had been announced. Speculation is that the network is still deciding in which direction to take next season, rather that if there will be a next season.
The Guardian makes note of a new boxed-set you should add to your shopping (or wish) list, what they call an "endlessly twisting police procedural" that is every bit the equal of The Wire or The Killing. It's called Spiral and produced and set in Paris.
PODCASTS/RADIO
If you haven't had your Michael Connelly fix lately, he's making the Australia podcast rounds. First in Sydney and then in Melbourne.
Deaver. Jeffery Deaver appears on a Telegraph videocast from the Hay Festival in the UK.
THEATER
The Brooklyn Academy of Music 2011 Next Wave Festival is celebrating its 150th anniversary with a16-month-long series of events, starting in September. There are many interesting events of all stripes lined up, including the New York premiere of The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a Serial Killer, starring Mr. Malkovich as Austrian criminal and author Jack Unterweger.
Lyricist Kellen Blair and composer Joe Kinosian have teamed up for the quirky Murder for Two, a musical mystery for one piano and two actors who play an officer masquerading as a full detective, an embittered widow, a squabbling married couple, and an entire boys choir. The world premiere is currently underway at the Chicago Shakespeare Festival, with additional productions in San Francisco and New York coming soon.
Far as I'm concerned Christopher Meloni (and Mariska) are the only two reasons for watching this particular LAW AND ORDER. But then, I got tired of the whole L&O formula a long time ago (especially after the death of Jerry Ohrbach) and would only occasionally watch L&O Special Victims BECAUSE of Christopher.
No power on earth could make me watch DEXTER. I read the first book when it came out a few years ago and saw part of one DEXTER show and that was enough for me. Thank you very much. Ha!
Posted by: Yvette | May 31, 2011 at 11:30 PM
It's unfortunate that the studio and Meloni couldn't reach a contractual agreement; after 12 years, it's going to be difficult for that show to continue without both him and Mariska front and center. All things do come to an end, eventually...
Posted by: BV Lawson | June 01, 2011 at 12:18 AM
I had always hoped they'd wind up together on the show. I'm SUCH a romantic. :)
Posted by: Yvette | June 01, 2011 at 11:41 PM