'Book of Mormon' Co-Director In Talks to Helm 'Austin Powers' Musical (Exclusive)

Netflix is going gory. In the streaming service's continued and aggressive foray into the original content business, it is nearing a deal for Eli Roth to direct and executive produce hour-long horror series Hemlock Grove. The project, which will be granted a 13 episode order, is based on Brian McGreevy's upcoming gothic horror novel by the same name. PHOTOS: Netflix's 10 Most Rented Movies of All Time The project, which hails from the newly launched Gaumont International Television,centers on the body of a young girl who is found mangled and murdered in the woods of Hemlock Grove, Penn.McGreevy is on board to co-write and executive produce the script with his writing partner Lee Shipman.Mad Hatter's Michael Connolly will serve as a co-executive producer on the series, with Strike Entertainment's Eric Newman attached as an EP. The news follows Netflix's other original projects, David Fincher's House of Cards,Jenji Kohan's Orange is the New Black andthe resurrection of Fox's cult comedyArrested Development, as well as its continued efforts to lock up deals with content providers such as the CW and AMC."There are no signs of us reeling in spending,"Netflix chief content officerTed Sarandosrecently toldThe Hollywood Reporter. More recently, Netflix has been at the center of still more news. This time, rumblings about a potential sale. The company's shares briefly jumped more 7 percent in afternoon trading Monday as reports surfaced that Verizon is interested in acquiring the company. Roth, whose credits include Discovery's docuseries Curiosity, The Last Exorcism, Grindhouse and Hostel, is repped by CAA. Related Topics Eli Roth Netflix TV Development

Time Warner makes fresh Endemol bid

ROME -Time Warner has restored its interest for Endemol having a $1.3 billion all-cash offer, because the with debt Nederlander content giant makes its way into final countdown phase to achieve a contract with loan companies. Inside a statement, Endemol confirmed it's received "a modified offer from TW," and it has "passed it onto the loan companies." "We remain centered on our discussions with loan companies which have joined the ultimate stages. We're certain that an answer that puts the organization on the firm financial footing for future years has become imminent," the statement added. TW has suggested an exciting-cash, non-binding offer, as opposed to the combination of cash and debt that composed their previous offer for the similar amount. But based on sources, this new TW offer isn't likely to obtain a lot more traction with Endemol than their first offer. "The main focus for Endemol remains on capital restructuring," stated someone with close understanding from the situation. They noted that Endemol is outperforming budget the very first time in 5 years, so has seem prospects being an independent entity, and isn't likely to initiate a bidding process. Nevertheless, loan companies may rather choose the Time Warner cash offer. Mediaset, the Italo broadcasting giant controlled by Silvio Berlusconi, which already is the owner of one-third of Endemol and it has designed a rival offer for any majority stake, didn't have immediate discuss Monday. In 2007, a consortium composed of Mediaset, Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and Cyrte, an investment company by which Endemol co-founder John p Mol is really a minority investor, compensated some $3.5 billion for Telefonica's controlling stake in Endemol inside a three-way split. However they largely used utilized financial loans that now weigh heavily around the Nederlander unscripted TV giant most widely known for "Your Government," whose other formats include "Deal or No Deal" and "Extreme Transformation: Home Edition." Endemol is mired by some $3.7 billion indebted to creditors, including private equity finance funds Apollo Management, Centerbridge and Providence Equity Partners. The extended deadline with this capital restructuring is apparently tomorrow, 12 ,. 13. Mediaset and Italian equity fund Clessidra have apparently provided to inject $268 million in Endemol to boost their current 33% stake to 51%, with loan companies possessing the rest of the minority interests. Mediaset has apparently cautioned Endemol the results of the restructure may affect the companies' relationship, telling Endemol it meant to negotiate all existing contracts, too. Contact Nick Vivarelli at nvivarelli@gmail.com

Salada, Querosene set 'High Five'

BUENOS AIRES -- Mariana Secco's Montevideo-based Salado Media is joining with Brazil's Querosene Filmes to produce Manuel Facal's feature debut, "High Five." The Uruguayan movie underscores two building trends in Latin America: producers' growing concern to beat local audiences as well as the emergence from the new generation of filmmakers who view their films as mainly entertainment, not social-problem photos. "Five" triggers a stoner who stumbles around the stash of marijuana, cocaine, LSD, ecstasy and ketamine. He assembles four pals and each takes one drug. "High Five" recounts whatever they remember as happening afterwards. Shooting next summer season, "Five," which won Uruguay's primary Fona subsidy award, is "a good work out in screwball comedy, a format usually connected with light comedies, modified to more effective content," Facal mentioned. Its cinematographer, Pedro Luque, and production designer, Federico Capra, both done Uruguayan Gustavo Hernandez's micro-budget horror hit "The Quiet House," which sparked a U.S. remake and worldwide sales. Occur a Montevideo divided by class and wealth, "Five" "charts the extended and confusing transition from adolescence to the adult years,Inch mentioned Secco, who referred to as "Five" " 'Scott Pilgrim' meets 'Dazed and Confused,'" She added, "What's interesting is to experience a new-generation director who not desire to vary from festival to festival but desires to make movies like the U.S. buddy comedies he was elevated on." Querosene topper Joao Queiroz is at talks for theatrical distribution in South usa. Given "Five's" 18-30 demo, Secco mentioned the producers are exploring straight-to-TV for a lot of areas and Internet VOD distribution. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Taylor Swift, Nicki Minaj Headline Billboard's Women in Music Ceremony

Donald Trump may not have been successful in his bid for a Republican presidential nomination, but NBC'sThe Apprentice host has found another way to get involved with the race.our editor recommendsDonald Trump Doc Maker Orders Iranian Regime To Cancel Illegal Screening of His FilmDonald Trump Accuses Jon Stewart of 'Racist Rant' about Herman Cain (Video)Donald Trump Loses Libel Lawsuit Over Being Called A 'Millionaire'Donald Trump Charging $10,000 for Invitation-Only Meet and GreetDonald Trump: I Will Not Be Running for PresidentRelated Topics•Politics PHOTOS: NY City Power List Newsmax Media, a conservative magazine and website, has tapped Trump to moderate a presidential debate in Des Moines, IA Dec. 27, the NY Times reports. "Our readers and the grass roots really love Trump," Christopher Ruddy, chief executive of Newsmax Media, told the paper. "They may not agree withhim on everything, but they don't see him as owned by the Washington establishment, the media establishment." PHOTOS: 10 Hollywood Players That Will Make a Difference in the 2012 Elections The Republican candidate participants have not yet been named. Candidates were sent their debate invitation Friday, the same day Trump's moderatorship was announced. Some of the presidential hopefuls have already met with Trump this year. Gov. Rick Perry dined with him Sept. 14. Michelle Bachmann has sat down with him on several occasions and Mitt Romney met with him privately in Sept. PHOTOS: Hollywood's Top Earners The real-estate mogul explored a possible White House bid earlier this year before ultimately announcing he would not run in May. "This decision does not come easily or without regret; especially when my potential candidacy continues to be validated by ranking at the top of the Republican contenders in polls across the country," he said in a statement at the time. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery Box Office Politics: The Movies and Stars Dems vs. GOPers Love (and Love to Hate) Related Topics Donald Trump NBC Politics Rick Perry Mitt Romney

'Harry Potter,' 'Dark Dark evening Rises' Plus Much More: The Year's Best Posters

FROM MTV MOVIES: We now have began to consider in the entire year 2011, and after thinking about the most effective trailers around, we slow things lower just a little and select which posters mentioned most likely probably the most, excited us and inform us what you should expect in a single image. Fundamental necessities ten best poster of 2011. They understood the best way to capture our attention with images as simple as some rumpled sheets, a shaved mind or hot pink letters. They needed numerous a generation's most legendary symbols, like the Softball softball bat-signal or Voldemort, and switched them around the heads. Check out the most effective ten movie posters of 2011.

West Memphis 3 Sufferers Want Cinemax Documentary Excluded From Academy awards

Earlier this August, Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin and Jessie Misskelley -- better referred to as West Memphis 3 -- were launched from prison. The trio have been charged with killing three youthful boys in 1993, however questions came about throughout the trial and several wondered when they were wrongfully accused. These discrepancies were raised in a number of Cinemax documentaries known as 'Paradise Lost,' that have been later credited with helping spring the 3 from prison. All of the these films, 'Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory,' continues to be posted for Oscar consideration within the Best Documentary category. However, not everyone's pleased with the possibilities of it winning an award. Among victim's parents are presently lobbying the Academy to exclude 'Paradise Lost' from consideration. Inside a letter sent on November. 22, Todd and Dana Moore mentioned that, "Due to public pressure that skyrocketed because of gross misrepresentations of fact within the two previous documentaries, [our boy] Michael's murders were unjustly able to initiate a plea agreement, were launched from prison and today pose additional risks to society. We implore the Academy to not reward our child's murders and also the company directors who've are making money from among the finest ripoffs ever perpetrated underneath the guise of the documentary film." Inside a response, 'Paradise Lost' co-creator Joe Berlinger mentioned the filmmakers "feel tremendous sorrow for [the victim's families]. We realise why a movie that involves another conclusion compared to what they do will make them feel by doing this. We uphold our films. We fervently believe free airline Memphis Three are innocent." The Oscar nominations is going to be introduced on Jan. 24, 2012. [via EW] [Photo: AP] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

'Hugo' a 3D breakthrough for its team

Neither Martin Scorsese nor the top members of his creative team had done a 3D film before they embarked on "Hugo," but their first effort ended up garnering near-universal praise for the way they used the stereo medium to enhance the storytelling. Variety's Inside Production talked to "Hugo" production designer Dante Ferretti and cinematographer Robert Richardson.Interview with Dante Ferretti Variety:How many films have you done with Marty?Dante Ferretti: This is the eighth.Variety:And you hadn't done 3DFerretti:None of us had done 3D.Variety:What did you have to do differently?Ferretti: With 3D I had to be more careful with the foreground. You have to put more stuff in front of the camera. Once we started to build and make models, we looked and said things like, "Oh, maybe we need something more in the foreground, one more column here, a kiosk there." Day by day you understand better how to do 3D. Then we did some tests and saw we had to add even more stuff. The detail was very important, the clock tower, the smaller clocks, the machinery, the gears.Variety: So the job of the set decorator is critical.Ferretti:Yes. Francesca (Lo Schiavo) did a fantastic job. We were surrounded by objects in the caf, the kiosk, the toy shop, the Melies studio. Everything was built like it was during that period.Variety:Were you able to evaluate the quality of the 3D on the set?Ferretti:Yes, when we were shooting we could see everything in 3D. We had a big screen and glasses, so we could see if something was wrong. Variety:Where did you shoot?Ferretti:We build the entire movie on stages at Shepperton, Pinewood and Longcross (in the London area). We built everything from scratch - an entire train station, the lobby, platforms, and put a real train inside it. It was a huge job. The movie is set in Paris but we shot in Paris only five days. We recreated Paris in London.Variety: How long did you work on "Hugo"?Ferretti:I started in November, 2009 and finished in January, 2011.Variety: What are you working on now?Ferretti:I'm doing "The Seventh Son" with ("Mongol" director) Sergey Bodrov, and with Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore. After that I'll work again with Marty on "Silence."Interview with Robert RichardsonVariety:"Hugo" was your first 3D film. . . Robert Richardson: Yes. I was excited and also daunted. Not only was it my first 3D film, it was my first feature-length digital capture. Up to that point I had only used digital for commercials. We used the (Arri) Alexa camera on "Hugo." We had two Alexas on a Pace rig.Variety:Did you consider shooting on 2D and converting to 3D?Richardson:It was discussed primarily from the point of view of economics. We knew it was X amount of money to achieve 3D on-set, so the question was how much more time will be needed to do the conversion. But Marty always wanted to shoot with 3D, and for both of us it didn't make sense to shoot it any other way. Variety: What was it like shooting digital?Richardson:I embrace digital cinema, I didn't try to emulate film. My intention was first and foremost to provide a digital 3D presentation, second, a digital cinema 2D presentation, and finally a film presentation. Variety: Were you able to make the decisions on-set that you needed to?Richardson: Yes, we had 3D monitors and glasses, and the best part of the process was being able to make decisions based on the intent of the director so we could get him what he was looking for, whether it was a heightened depth of field, a shorter depth of field, whether to embrace the actors, and so on. Not being able to do so on-set makes very little sense to me.Variety: So for you, stereo capture doesn't stack up well against conversion?Richardson: It's a complicated question. If you ask me how Jim Cameron does a conversion, it will be excellent and exquisite. His knowledge of 3D is so fine, and he has the time and the finances to control it in a manner to get him exactly what he desires. For a filmmaker who doesn't have his level of expertise there's no question that 3D shooting on set is vital. And why would you hand your conversion work to another company? It makes no sense to me. Contact Peter Caranicas at peter.caranicas@variety.com