Showbiz Sandbox 217: In Hollywood You’re Nobody Till Somebody Sues You
December 17, 2013
The entertainment industry is marking the end of 2013 with a flurry of lawsuits all having to do, one way or another, with profit participation. Moguls Harvey and Bob Weinstein have filed suit against Warner Bros. over profits from sequels to “The Hobbit”, a property they originally owned. Then there’s the fired creator of “The Walking Dead” who is suing AMC claiming the network owes him tens of millions of dollars for the hit television series.
Filmmaker James Cameron is no stranger to legal battles since he is constantly having to fend off plagiarism lawsuits. Last week the director said he struck a tax deal with New Zealand to film not one, but three “Avatar” sequels in the country.
Golden Globe nominations were announced last week helping solidify awards season frontrunners such as “12 Years A Slave”, “American Hustle” and “Gravity” among others. Keep in mind, only about 90 international entertainment journalists get to nominate and vote for the Globes.
Of course, we also cover the week’s top entertainment news stories including the new additions to the National Film Registry, the new members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and how Beyoncé surprised fans with a new album.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Peter O’Toole, Star of ‘Lawrence of Arabia,’ Is Dead at 81
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/16/movies/peter-otoole-lawrence-of-arabia-is-dead-at-81.html
Joan Fontaine, Actress Who Won Oscar for ‘Suspicion,’ Dies at 96
http://www.latimes.com/obituaries/la-et-mn-joan-fontaine-actress-who-won-oscar-for-suspicion-dies-at-96-20131215,0,3131740.story
‘Hobbit’ Sequel’s High Frame Rate Theaters Nearly Doubled – But Warner Bros. Keeps It Quiet
http://www.thewrap.com/hobbit-sequel-steers-clear-high-frame-rate-controversy/
‘Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug’ Wins Weekend With $73.7 Million in Domestic Debut
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-hobbit-desolation-smaug-665787
New ‘Avatar’ Trilogy to Be Filmed in New Zealand
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/new-avatar-trilogy-be-filmed-665834
Golden Globes Nominations 2014: The Complete List
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/moviesnow/la-et-mn-golden-globes-nominees-winners-complete-list,0,6845028.story
TiVo Testing Thumbs-Up / Thumbs-Down Interactive Voting On ‘The Voice’
http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/15/5211114/tivo-testing-thumbs-up-thumbs-down-interactive-voting-on-the-voice
‘Beyonce’ Heading for Number One
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/beyonce-headed-for-number-one-20131216
For Staples Center, a Record-Setting Year for Concerts
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/staples-center-concerts-one-direction-taylor-swift-665775
Led Zeppelin Catalog Comes To Spotify
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/led-zeppelin-catalog-comes-to-spotify-20131211
25 Years of Dominance for “The Young and the Restless” on CBS
http://www.tvmediainsights.com/highlights/36631/25-years-of-dominance-for-the-young-and-the-restless-on-cbs/
Weinsteins, Miramax Strike 20-Year Production, Distribution Partnership
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/weinsteins-miramax-strike-20-year-665869
25 Movies Chosen for the National Film Registry
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/25-movies-chosen-national-film-registry-21259168
‘The Bible’ Follow-Up ‘A.D.’ Gets Series Order At NBC
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/bible-follow-up-ad-gets-666299
Nirvana, KISS Among 2014 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/12/18/us-rockandroll-hallof-fame-idUSBRE9BG05O20131218
Kindle Sales Drives Dan Brown’s Inferno to Top of Amazon’s Best-Sellers in 2013
http://www.digitalbookworld.com/2013/kindle-sales-drives-dan-browns-inferno-to-top-of-amazons-best-sellers-in-2013/
NBC Says It Will Put On a Show, Again
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/arts/television/a-network-is-buoyed-by-sound-of-music-ratings.html
Ari Folman to Write, Direct Animated ‘Anne Frank’ Film
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ari-folman-write-direct-animated-665256
‘Heathers’ Musical Will Play Off Broadway in March
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/heathers-musical-will-play-off-broadway-in-march/
‘Bull Durham’ musical to debut in Atlanta in 2014
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/culture/la-et-cm-bull-durham-musical-20131211,0,3502086.story
Baz Luhrmann and Shawn Ryan Planning a TV Drama Set at the Dawn of the Hip-Hop Era
http://www.vulture.com/2013/12/baz-luhrmann-coming-to-tv-with-hip-hop-era-drama.html
Weinsteins File Lawsuit Against Time Warner Over ‘Hobbit’ Sequels Profits
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/weinsteins-file-lawsuit-time-warner-664951
Fired ‘Walking Dead’ Creator Frank Darabont Sues AMC for Profits
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/fired-walking-dead-creator-frank-666176
Paramount Settles Big Film Slate Lawsuit
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/paramount-settles-big-film-slate-665363
Comments