| LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Singer-composer Bill Dees, best known for his songwriting collaboration with Roy Orbison on the hits "Oh, Pretty Woman" and "It's Over," has died at age 73 in Mountain Home, Arkansas, according to an obituary posted online by a local funeral home. Dees, a Texas native who got his start in the 1950s with a high school band called the Five Bops, is credited with writing scores of songs in all, some recorded by such performers as Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn and Glen Campbell. But Dees' most fruitful collaboration was his work with fellow Texan Orbison, with whom he teamed up to write Orbison's signature hit, "Oh, Pretty Woman," which was featured years later in the soundtrack to the movie "Pretty Woman," starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere. The band Van Halen also scored a hit with a cover version of "Oh, Pretty Woman." Other Orbison tunes Dees co-wrote included "It's Over," "Crawling Back," "Communication Breakdown," "Walk On," "Windsurfer" and "So This Is Love." Dees died last week, on October 24, at Mountain Home, where he had lived since 1989, according to an announcement posted on the website of the Kirby & Family Funeral Home, where a memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, November 3. (Writing by Steve Gorman; Editing by Eric Walsh)  |
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Songwriter Bill Dees, co-writer of "Oh, Pretty Woman," dies at 73
Halloween Brings Back Scary Memories -- Like Dodging Katy Perry Fans!
| Happy Halloween to one and all! Although celebrations on the East Coast have been dampened by Hurricane Sandy, the rest of the country is getting ready for trick-or-treating, costume parties or just handing out candy. As part of our celebration, we asked celebrities to treat us to memories of their favorite costumes and Halloween memories. "I was a hot dog last year," "Hart of Dixie" star Rachel Bilson recalled. "I thought, 'I'm so clever, I'm going to be a hot dog,' and I showed up and another girl was wearing the same costume. Except she was a slutty hot dog. I don't know what she did, but it was a miniskirt hot-dog situation that was so wrong on so many levels. I thought, 'You are going to get so much ketchup squirted on you,' " she joked. "Nashville" actress Hayden Panettiere's favorite costume was when she paid homage to "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" femme fatale Jessica Rabbit. "I had the butt pads, the boobs [pushed] up to here, the long red hair — it was great," she said. "I'm a big fan of anything that scares me and playing into it," "Revenge" actress Christa B. Allen said. "In L.A., we have this haunted hayride on a truck driven by this farmer. The devil rises, a clown starts coming at you with a chainsaw — none of it is real, but it's so fun being scared. I was in the back of the cart with Katy Perry and all of her crew and my crew. People were jumping out at us, and fans were mobbing Katy. There were people coming at us from every angle. It was a pretty scary night." "Happy Endings" star Elisha Cuthbert gave her dad a shout-out for the time and effort he put into the assembly of a detailed popcorn-box costume she wore with pride. "My all-time favorite was when I was a kid, my dad made me a giant popcorn box that fit over my head and my hands stuck out the sides," she said. "He put so much time and effort into it, I have to give him a shout-out. But everyone kept trying to eat the popcorn out of the top of it, which was so rude and I couldn't reach to bat their hands away." |
Exclusive: How Eminem Ended Up Executive Producing Skylar Grey's Debut
| Eminem has signed on to executive produce Skylar Grey's major-label debut, Don't Look Down, due this spring, and the singer/songwriter said his involvement in the project was natural, given their close working relationship over the past couple of years. Grey contributed to Eminem's Recovery album, penning his hit "Love the Way You Lie," and she even worked with him on Slaughterhouse's Shady Records debut this year, so it was only right to keep things moving. "Ever since we started working together, I've been playing him some of my music, and he just slowly became more involved, so we made it official," Grey exclusively told MTV News, after it was announced that Em would oversee her LP. The Wisconsin native has been working on her album for a few years now, explaining that the oldest song on the album was penned about two years ago, while the most recent one was recorded only last week. One of those new tracks will be the Eminem-featured single "C'mon Let Me Ride," set to debut December 11 with an accompanying video. "Usually what happens is that I'll come up with an idea, or I'll have a piece of a song, and then I'll go to Detroit and play it for him or play a few different things for him," Grey said, breaking down the recording process with Em. "If he's feeling something, he'll run with it on his own for a while and then we reconvene and see where we're at." "With 'C'mon Let Me Ride,' there was a lot of back and forth. The original version of the song, we all really liked the hook, but he suggested that I go back and revisit my verses, which was good. So I did that and brought it back to him, and he added his part, and then he also suggested that I add a bridge of my own. So we were bouncing it back and forth until we got it right." Grey says the first single will bring a more fun and sarcastic side of her personality to the table and the video will really paint the full picture. " 'C'mon Let Me Ride' is sarcastic, because I'm making fun of how the media really over-sexualizes everything. That's where the inspiration comes from," she explained. "There's pieces of [the song and video] that are sarcastic, because I'm a very serious person most of the time, but there's also parts of it that show who I really am versus who a lot of other girls are. It shows the contrast. "The whole album is very multifaceted and shows a lot of different sides of my personality#8212; including the more melancholy stuff that people know me better for — but I'm also showing this more fun sarcastic side of my personality that I've never shown in my music before, so you get to see all of it." Look out for "C'mon Let Me Ride" on December 11. |
Meek Mill Says Debut Album Will 'Sustain Itself,' Despite Sandy
| As fate would have it, Meek Mill's debut album, Dreams & Nightmares, hit record stores on the same morning that superstorm Sandy hit the East Coast, disrupting the lives of millions of people and causing extensive damage. There's no way of quantifying how the storm has affected the "Ima Boss" MC's album sales, but the rapper (born Robert Williams) told MTV News he's not worried about it at all, considering that his mentor and friend, Jay-Z, went through a similar situation when he released his sixth solo album, The Blueprint, on September 11, 2001. "Yeah, it'll affect it a little bit ... but I ain't really trippin' on the first week, man," Meek told MTV News on Wednesday (October 31). "My album will sustain itself just like my mixtapes. I continued to rap all year long. I toured on mixtapes that been put out almost a year ago, two years ago, you know, it really shouldn't be a problem. It's kinda damaging for the first two days, but luckily we got iTunes, and when stores open up today or tomorrow, we'll get back on track." Despite the gravity of the 9/11 attacks, Hov went on to sell more than 420,000 copies in his first week. Meek Mill is set to accomplish a comparable feat, as early reports indicate that the Philly phenom is projected to move more than 175,000 units of his much-anticipated Maybach/Warner Bros. release, putting him in prime position to debut at #1 on the Billboard albums chart. "I don't really know what the final numbers will be. I ain't God, so I can't predict," Meek said. "I never had an album before. I don't know what range it could be in or how it could go, but I'll just hope for the best, like I always do." Thus far, the 14-track project, which features appearances by Rick Ross, Nas, Wale, Drake, Kirko Bangz, Mary J. Blige, John Legend and Trey Songz, has been well-received by fans, who have had to sustain themselves with the Dreamchasers mixtape series and features from the Maybach Music Group rookie while the album saw a handful of delays. "I'm very proud of the album," Meek told MTV News. "I worked hard for a long time. I been killing mixtapes for a minute, you know, so it's good to finally be on that album zone right now. Songs that mean the most to me are 'Who You're Around,' that talk about some of the more dramatic moments of my life and things that took place in my life. I mean, it's all about it. That's one of my favorites." Unfortunately for fans, a rumored Jay-Z verse was left on the cutting-room floor and may or may not see the light of day. "I don't know, you know, that's up to him if it'll see the light of day," Meek told MTV News. "I ain't tripping on a verse or anything like that. That's up to him. What can I tell you about the verse is, it ain't on Dreams & Nightmares." Some critics aren't giving the 25-year-old spitter's record the just due he feels it deserves. But as he so matter-of-factly stated, he's not doing it for them, he's doing it for the fans. "I don't really try to focus on what critics say, man," Meek told MTV News. "The worst thing that critics said is [that] I have a long way to go. I just do what I do for my fans and keep my fans comfortable and happy and just vibe from there. And try to do it for my fans so they tell somebody and they tell somebody and keep building my fanbase. I'm hearing that it's a great album, man. A classic album. They saying they digging every song on it and they love it." When asked if he thinks his album will reach that elusive classic status, the MMG capo kept it short and sweet: "Yeah, of course. Of course." |
Snoop Lion Is 'Shakin' And Bakin' ' For Halloween 'La, La, La' Video
| Snoop Lionloves the kids and he shows it in his new reggae video "La, La, La" which he premiered on MTV.com on Wednesday (October 31). Not only did the S-N-Double O-P create a visual to compliment the kid-friendly holiday, he hooked up with director Eli Roth to bring it to life. "A lot of kids, a lot of costumes, you know lion in the jungle, just having a good time," Snoop told MTV News about his new clip. "It's one of those records that just celebrates fun, trick or treat in so many words." The "Hostile" director and the 213 MC teased the visuals this past weekend on Twitter after Snoop shot out a message to Roth. "ay @eliroth lets finish up that music vid for #lalala," on Friday. On Sunday, Snoop, who recently dropped the "Dogg" from his moniker and replaced it with "Lion," posted a photoon the social networking site with him posing with a couple of costumed kids in front of colorful video set. The Cali rap icon wouldn't give away all the details but broke down the basics for us. "A bunch of kids dressed in costume, dancin' shakin' and bakin', makin' it move to the music and the sounds of Snoop Lion," he said. Even though Snoop debuted the vid on Halloween, he believes it can rock all year 'round. "It's definitely not no seasonal work, it just happens to drop on the Halloween season, but it's not a seasonal situation," he said. "It feels good yearly, annually, as long as you play it it's gonna feel good no matter what time of the year it is." "La, La, La" will appear on Snoop Lion's first-ever, upcoming reggae LP Reincarnated. How are you gearing up for the "La, La, La" video? Let us know in the comments! |
Lady Gaga Clarifies _ARTPOP_ Song Title
| Lady Gaga wants to make it very clear: The song on her upcoming ARTPOP album isn't called "GUY (Go Under You)." It's called "G.U.Y (Girl Under You)." Got it? Good. All the confusion started thanks to a new interview with Gaga published on the website of U.K. magazine Stylist, in which she was asked "Can makeup and feminism every truly be friends?" and responded by revealing that she'd actually written a song about the issue on her upcoming album. "I actually think there's a new feminism that is completely different and I don't think either is better or worse ... as a new-age feminist, I would say I quite like the transference of strength I feel by submitting to a man, being under him," she said. "I actually wrote a song about it on my album, it's called 'G.U.Y,' and it stands for 'Go Under You.' " This revelation, of course, sent her fans into a frenzy, which is all fine and good ... except it turns out Stylist got the song's title wrong. So Gaga took to her LittleMonsters.com site to set the record straight. "They got the title wrong," she wrote. It's G.U.Y (Girl Under You)." So there you have it. In a second post, Gaga also revealed that the song in question was produced by Zedd ... though there is still no information about which of ARTPOP it may appear on. But at least now you know what it's called. And has Gaga has proven many times in the past, the devil is truly in the details. Do you like Gaga's message on "G.U.Y"? Tell us what you think in the comments! |
Miley Cyrus Ditches 'Hannah Montana' In New Video, Porn Star Says
| Miley Cyrus has been working overtime lately to prove to the world that she's all grown up, from her engagement to Liam Hemsworth and seductive "Two and a Half Men" cameo to her chopped-and-dyed hair and ... shooting a video with a porn star? That was the latest headline Wednesday (October 31) about the onetime Disney princess, but it's not as salacious as it might sound. The music video, for the dubstep track "Decisions" by Borgore, happens to feature Cyrus (who sings on the chorus) and the Israeli DJ's ex-girlfriend, adult-film star Jessie Andrews. Borgore wrote the song about Andrews, who won Best Actress at the AVN Awards this year, so when she popped up on set, of course the track's inspiration had to make a cameo. "I was actually just coming to support," Andrews told MTV News on Wednesday. "I wasn't supposed to be in the video. They needed more girls, and they were like, 'Be in it! Be in it!' And I was like, 'No,' because the song is about me." Andrews ended up relenting, but by the time she arrived on set around 2 a.m., Cyrus had already finished filming her scenes. Even if they didn't have screen time together, Andrews said she totally gets what Miley is going for with the wild new video, which premieres Thursday. "I understand where she's coming from, trying to break away from that," she said of Cyrus' child-star past. "She doesn't want to be Hannah Montana anymore; she wants to be her own person. ... The way she's dressing, the hair, the music — everything is outside of the box. It didn't really surprise me." Cyrus told Rolling Stone last month that the "Decisions" video shoot was quite the scene. "That sh-- was crazy!" she said. "[Borgore] walked into his hotel room, and it was people in the weirdest clothes you've ever seen. My fiancé was dressed as a unicorn. We make out in the video, which is very funny. It's just the most random group. We walk in and we're like, 'This feels like a party,' so it's dope." So what other craziness did Andrews witness on set? "There was a goat, there was a dog, there was a lot of little people, like six midgets," Andrews told us. "There was a huge Amazon lady and a lady with huge, huge boobs. Just a lot of crazy things and half-naked girls and cakes." Borgore didn't know Cyrus before she recorded vocals for "Decisions," Andrews said, and he was just as surprised as Miley's fans were when she ended up on the dance track. "He wrote the song just as a single for him, and he didn't know Miley was going to be on it until after the fact," she revealed. "They wanted to put a girl vocal on it, but they didn't know who. Both of them are with the same management, so they decided that she would be good for it. And they pitched it to her and she liked it, so she got on the track. "It was really random, because he had put out the single and everything, and nobody could really tell who it was," she added. "And then one day, [Miley] randomly tweeted it. And he was like, 'I don't know if this is good or bad.' I was like, 'I mean, it's good. There's a lot of PR now about it and you're shooting a music video. So it's good.' " |
Rihanna's '777 Tour' Spans Seven Countries in Seven Days
| Rihanna will take to the skies — Unapologetically so — on the just-announced "777 Tour," which will see her play seven shows in seven days in seven different countries. The (literally) globe-spanning trek kicks off on November 14, as Rih Rih boards a Boeing 777 twinjet, along with an international press corps of over 150 journalists (we suspect they'll be riding in coach) and a group of fans from the Rihanna Navy. So far, the only announced date on the tour will take place on the U.K. For more information on the tour, check out Rihanna's official site. It all leads up to the release of her new Unapologetic album — available in a variety of formats, including a $250 "executive platinum" edition, which includes remixes, a "handwritten personal note," a T-shirt, a custom-made View Master and host of other sundries — on November 19. Following her performance at the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards, Rihanna announced the schedule for her 2013 2013 Diamonds World Tour, which kicks off on March 8 in Buffalo, New York. "Diamonds," the first single off Unapologetic, also just made the leap to #5 on the Billboard Hot 100, her 23rd top 10 hit. She'll also promote the album by making her fourth appearance as the musical guest on "Saturday Night Live," set for November 10. Will you be at a Rihanna concert in the next year? Let us know where you'll be in the comments! |
'Star Wars' Superfan Kevin Smith Is 'All For' Disney Trilogy
| Who knew the last week of October would be full of so many newsy surprises? While not all were welcome, like Hurricane Sandy, the news of Disney's acquisition of LucasFilm and plans for new "Star Wars" movies has set the fanboys and Internet ablaze with extreme curiosity, delight and sometimes anxiety. It doesn't take much to remind us what a powerful hold George Lucas' epic franchise still has on pop culture. Director Kevin Smith, a celebrity fan and self-proclaimed geek, told MTV News that his love for "Star Wars" in many ways helped launch his career. "If you think about it, in 'Clerks' and 'Mallrats' and 'Chasing Amy' there are so many 'Star Wars' references," the "Zack and Miri Make a Porno" director told us earlier this year when we asked about the franchise's impact on him. "I got such a boost in my career from 'Star Wars.' I loved it growing up and then in my movies I just started talking about the things I loved, comics, hockey, 'Star Wars.' " Smith went on to say that after his first film, "Clerks," was released in 1994, before the "Star Wars" re-releases and prequels, fans were more likely to ask him about the various "Star Wars" references in it than they were to ask about the film itself, and the same thing happened when his second film, "Mallrats," was released one year later. "The Internet didn't exist yet, that was a big help too. We became identified with 'Star Wars' because of the Death Star contractor scene, Silent Bob at the end of 'Mallrats' trying to do the Jedi mind trick. So 'Star Wars,' something that I was an eager fan of as a kid, it really panned out for me later on for the first ten years of my career I didn't write scripts I wrote 'Star Wars' jokes. I'm here today because of that." Smith's support of Lucas' unforgettable space adventure is unwavering. The writer/director took to his Facebook page following the big announcement to express his enthusiasm for the Disney/LucasFilm deal. "I'm all for it," Smith wrote. "Can't wait to see all the new movies they're gonna make. The 7-year-old Kev who saw 'Star Wars' during its initial release in 1977 is finally gonna get all nine 'Star Wars' movies he was promised back then. I'll be first in line to pay for whatever they do." He was also quick to point out the savvy business sense that likely motivated Disney's big purchase. "The Disney Princess market gave the Mouse all the little girls they could sell an Ariel costume to but Disney couldn't interest boys in their wonderful world beyond the single digit years," Smith wrote about Disney wanting more young male eyes and ears on their products. "Few boys are clamoring to play with a Peter Pan action figure and hooking the audience while they're young is an important component of long term brand loyalty. So rather than develop their own boys brand in-house, they started buying 'boy' stuff. It started with Marvel and it now continues with the world of 'Star Wars.' " Are you excited for "Star Wars 7"? Leave your comment below! |
Ed Sheeran Calls Taylor Swift Opening Gig 'Mind-blowing'
| At this very moment, there may be no bigger opening act slot than warming up the stage for Taylor Swift. The singer, who shattered the competition by selling more than 1.2 million copies of her Red last week is likely to explode the box office as well when select tickets for her upcoming tour go on sale on November 16. No one knows the potentially huge impact of a Swift opening slot than British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran, who has been selected to take the stage first on The Red Tour, which kicks off its North American dates on March 13 in Omaha, Nebraska. "This is actually my biggest outing to date," Sheeran told MTV News on Wednesday (October 31), just hours before he took the stage for his first-ever sold-out arena date at the Capital FM Arena in Nottingham, England. "I've never gone on tour for six months without any break. I've never really touched multiple arenas, so that' going to be a bit mind-blowing." Sheeran, who was done up in his best Chuckie from "Child's Play" look for Wednesday night's Halloween show said he's well aware of the over-the-top, Hollywood worthy stage extravaganza Swift is known for. Which is why he has no intention of trying to show up his host. "It's Taylor show and I'm meant to open up and get them warmed up," he said. "I'm not going to try and out burlesque show it. [There will be] no trapeze." The 21-year-old songwriter, who co-penned and recorded the #1 iTunes hit with Swift for her album, will be on board the tour through mid-September. In addition to supporting his pal, the two-time Brit Award winner will be letting a much larger swath of Americans know about his acclaimed debut, +, which has already spawned the top 30 pop single "The A Team." He's known since about a month after "Changed" was recorded that he'd be on the tour, but promised to keep it a secret until now. And while his album has sold close to 200,000 copies in the U.S. to date, Sheeran said he knows that the Swift gig could help him reach the next level on these shores. "I think Taylor's just opening up a lot of doors and it's up to me to make sure that I get through to them," he said of her largely young, female audience. "It's a massive opportunity for me and I want to make sure to grab it with both hands ... it will be exciting to be back in a situation where I'm playing in front of people who are complete strangers and I have to win them over." Though he has 24 songs demoed for his follow-up album, Sheeran said he'll be focusing on the + tracks, since he suspects most of Swift's fans will have never heard them before. He wouldn't reveal if the pair will re-create "Changed" each night on stage, but did tease that he is "hoping that happens." As for some recent ink that raised speculation that Sheeran and the suddenly (reportedly) single Swift may be more than songwriting partners, Sheeran said his new Red album logo tattoo is merely a historical marker. "I get tattoos for landmarks," said Sheeran about the prominently-placed, all-caps scarlet letters he had inked on his left arm in honor of Swift alongside images from many of the cities he's visited around the world and a puzzle piece that fits with similar ones sported by his closest pals. "When my album came out all around the world I got the world tattooed ... If I'm going to be on tour with this album for six months I thought that would be quite a big part of my life." The Red Tour dates (venues not yet announced): » 3/13 -- Omaha, Nebraska |
One Direction Offer Tiny Teases Of 'Little Things' Video
| The countdown is on for One Direction's eagerly anticipated new video for their heart-melting track Knowing that the anticipation may be unbearable, the fivesome decided to give fans a teaser per day from each member of One Direction to get them excited and offer a sneak peek of the upcoming video, which premieres Friday. The first "Little Things" teaser was posted by 1D's Niall Horan. In the :30-second black-and-white clip, Horan is seen strumming his guitar, fiddling with knobs in the recording studio and laying down vocals for the swoon-worthy track, while each moment is captured by a Polaroid picture. On Tuesday, it was Zayn Malik's turn to take the spotlight, with his 30-second teaser tweeted by the group. Again, the clip is set in the studio with photos capturing Malik's actions, including shaking a tambourine and performing on his acoustic guitar. Malik also shows off a lighter side, laughing with the group and making funny faces. Not surprisingly, fans are loving these teaser clips and flooding the boy band's Twitter and YouTube with comments. "So good to see your comments on 'Little Things' we're so happy that you like it," Harry Styles tweeted. "Can't wait for you to hear the rest of the album .xx" "Little Things," which is the follow-up to the group's upbeat single is one of two tracks penned by British singer/songwriter Ed Sheeran for One Direction's upcoming release, Take Me Home. "It was written about the best things about someone, kind of like the things you wouldn't expect," Sheeran told MTV News last month. "You'll have to hear it. I can't really say too much, 'cause it's their album. I want them to be the first ones to announce it and stuff." Take Me Home hits stores November 13. Are you excited for the "Little Things" video? Let us know in the comments! |
Eminem To Executive Produce Skylar Grey's 'Fun And Sarcastic' Album
| Eminem has been tight-lipped with updates on his upcoming eighth studio album, but attribute some of that to the fact that he's been busy assisting other talented artists. After wrapping work on Slaughterhouse's Welcome to: Our House, Marshall has taken on the role of executive producer for Skylar Grey's major-label debut. Fans will get a taste of what Grey and Shady have in store when the album's first single, "C'mon Let Me Ride" (featuring Eminem and produced by Alex Da Kid) debuts digitally on December 11. Don't Look Down is the current title of the anticipated project, which was previously called Invincible, and it's due out in Spring 2013."Putting out a debut album is a bit scary — I want it to be just right so I took some extra time to finish it. Eminem's increased involvement has been such a blessing; I'm getting guidance from an artist I really admire and trust," Grey said of working with the Slim Shady CEO on the LP. "Having written many new songs, the album has become a completely different animal, hence the title change. This new single with Em, in particular, is very exciting. We have worked on so many serious songs together — it's a nice change of pace to do something fun and sarcastic." Em and Grey first linked up via producer Alex Da Kid while he was recording Recovery, and they've been working together ever since. She even appeared on Slaughterhouse's recent album. "I was blown away with her talent as both a songwriter and vocalist," Eminem said. "This album is really going to give her a chance to connect with the fans who probably know her music, but might not know her yet. I think they will be as impressed as I am." "C'mon Let Me Ride" will be accompanied by a new music video that was shot in Detroit last week. Don't Look Down will be released via KIDinaKORNER/Interscope Records. Are you looking forward to Eminem's work on Skylar Grey's album? |
Sandy Scares Off Halloween Parties For Heidi Klum, NYC
| Not even Halloween was immune to Sandy's wrath. As millions of people are still assessing the damage left to their homes and communities after Hurricane Sandy swept through the Northeast, many Halloween festivities are being canceled or pushed until a later date, including Heidi Klum's annual star-studded New York bash. Klum, whose party last year drew celebrity guests such as Fergie and Amber Rose, has been planning the gathering for weeks, but was forced to postpone due to Sandy's aftermath. On Tuesday, Klum tweeted a photo of herself standing in a vacant New York City street to update her partygoers. "Hope you & your loved ones are safe after the storm," tweeted Klum, who was expecting to dress up as Cleopatra this Halloween. "Canceling my Halloween party ... postponing to a haunted Christmas." In New York City, where large parts of lower Manhattan are still without power and mass transportation, the annual Village Halloween Parade has been canceled for the first time in its four-decade history. "Unfortunately, we just cannot spare the manpower from the NYPD and other city agencies to host the annual Greenwich Village Halloween Parade, so we are postponing it to a later date sometime next week," New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg said. "We'll work tomorrow and figure out what date makes sense given the resources the city has." The parade usually draws a crowd, decked out in elaborate Halloween costumes, of 50,000 to 60,000 residents and tourists who march through the lower part of Manhattan. This year's parade theme was "Tick Tock" and the final year of the Mayan calendar, with "visions apocalyptic." |
Star Wars Fans 'Cautiously Optimistic' About Disney-Lucas Deal
| With Tuesday's announcement that Walt Disney Company is now the proud new owner of Lucasfilm, fans all over the Expanded Universe are expressing every emotion imaginable, including elation, frustration, hope ... and fear. Eric Geller from TheForce.net tells MTV News he is "cautiously optimistic" regarding Disney's acquisition. Geller said he's seen a general concern among fans that it will give the franchise even more "corporate overtones" than it already had. "Lucasfilm has been pretty good about reaching out to fans for things like screenings of episodes of 'The Clone Wars,' and we don't want to see that relationship with the fans disappear," Geller said. "We want Disney to continue Lucasfilm's outreach to fans because we want to continue to feel connected to the saga." Read what we think makes a great Star Wars film. Bryan Young, editor of Big Shiny Robot, thinks the deal will help the saga's future. "For those like me that have loved what has been going on in the franchise for the last 20 years, this is the news we've wanted," Young said. "Disney has proven that they can be excellent stewards of our favorite properties, as evidenced by this year's biggest film, 'The Avengers.' For those who were less than enthused about the direction of the franchise, I think this is the course correction they've been looking for. We'll get Star Wars movies based on Lucas stories, updated and directed by a whole new generation of filmmakers." Of course there's still an entire galaxy's worth of unanswered questions. The first thing everyone wants to know is what the new trilogy will be about. And there are many other details to consider. "Will we still see the long rumored live-action show appearing on an ABC affiliate at some point," Young wondered. "Will Blu-ray editions of the theatrical cuts of the classic films finally be released?" Geller wants to know what Disney will do with the huge amount of material — books, comics, games, etc. — that has filled in the gaps between movies as well as extended the story. "Also, a lot of us have been hoping for more Star Wars content from George Lucas," Geller said. "With the news that he will only be a 'creative consultant' on Episode VII, there are already some concerns among Star Wars fans that the Disney Star Wars films will not ring true to what he produced with the first six films. Will there be a thematic disconnect between Lucas' trilogies and this new Disney trilogy?" Regardless of the uncertainty surrounding the deal, both Geller and Young agree that more Star Wars movies is a good thing. "I'm floored by the thought that I'll be able to go see an all-new trilogy of Star Wars movies in the theatre with my children," Young said. "And that makes me happier than I've been in a long time." How did you react to the Star Wars news? Tell us everything in the comments! |
'Texas Chainsaw 3D' Exclusive Set Visit Is A Bloody Good Time
| Leatherface lives! And what better day than Halloween to unmask his latest romp in all its gory glory? In the upcoming a sequel to the 1974 Tobe Hooper-directed "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," everyone's favorite power-tool-wielding killer is back, stalking a whole new generation. Starring Alexandra Daddario, Tania Raymonde, Shaun Sipos and Trey Songz, the slasher pic will hit theaters January 4, 2013. MTV News got to witness, firsthand, all the thrills and chills during a visit to the Shreveport, Louisiana, set last year, where Daddario explained how the new flick fits within the established Leatherface canon. "This one is a sequel to the original. I think it's a different kind of film than the original, but as far as the stories and the characters, there are a lot of references to the original, so I think fans of the original will sort of get a kick out of a lot of those references," she explained. "It sort of starts off — it shows a sequence of flashbacks that is the direct continuation of the way the movie ended in the first one," Raymonde added. The film then pushes forward to present day, in which Daddario's character, along with several friends, returns to her grandmother's Texas home to collect her inheritance. One companion along for the ride is singer Trey Songz, in his debut lead acting role. "The cast has been great in helping me as a new actor just with whatever skills they use or whatever methods they use — how to navigate in certain situations," Songz enthused in between takes. "It's been great working with these guys because they've been doing it for a while although they're still young and very fresh faces. They've been very helpful." Of course, some have been more, er, helpful than others. "Some moments that will standout for me? Uh, well the day before yesterday I got to make out with Alexandra Daddario. That was heaven on earth," Songz said with a big grin. But ooey-gooey romance will take a backseat to the gorefest horror audiences have come to expect from the man behind the mask. "It's just like a really frickin' scary movie," Raymonde promised. "Some dude in a mask made of human skin chasing you with a chainsaw? That's scary to anyone — that's scary to people who've seen the original, and it's scary to people who've never heard of 'Texas Chainsaw Massacre.' So I think it's universally going to freak people out." |
Is That Nicki Minaj? Nope, It's Miley Cyrus' Halloween Costume
| Miley Cyrus is a queen this Halloween ... Queen Barbz that is. Cyrus certainly got into the Halloween spirit, dressing up as a spot-on Nicki Minaj. On Wednesday (October 31), Miley tweeted a photo of herself as the Young Money rapper, opting not to recreate one specific Minaj outfit, but rather several different looks that Minaj has rocked. Cyrus opted to cover up her short hair for a bright yellow wig, showed off mismatched nails, arm tattoos and a skin-tight leopard-print body suit, complete with butt padding. "@NICKIMINAJ you a stupppppiddddd hoe#stupittttstupitttt," Cyrus tweeted. It seems that Minaj not only approved of Cyrus' look since she retweeted her tweet, but was also flattered and is now considering a clever costume of her own. "I think I'm gonna go as Miley Cyrus because she's going as me, and I just saw her picture on Twitter," Minaj told Ryan Seacrest on Wednesday. "Should I do the short, blond cut like Miley?" In between dressing up like Minaj, planning her upcoming wedding to fianc— Liam Hemsworth and reprising her role on Cyrus has been hard at work in the studio with Pharrell working on her upcoming album. "You can't deny what @Pharrell and I have together. #LOVE=MAGIC#bigbrother4life," she tweeted. Last month Cyrus told MTV News that this would be "the biggest record" she's ever had, and she recently opened up to Ryan Seacrest about what this album may sound like. "I've been working with Pharrell a lot and working with Dr. Luke. There's a good mix on this record of songs that are kind of about things that I've gone through and making this album after I just got engaged and all this," Cyrus said before sharing that a new song may drop before the end of the year. "But also just some fun party songs too." And there's a possibility that those fun party songs may come from Tyler the Creator, since on Monday (October 29) Pharrell shared a photo of himself, Cyrus and the Odd Future member. Are you excited for Miley's upcoming album? Let us know in the comments below. |
Taylor Swift's _Red_: Can Anyone Top Its Explosive Debut?
| Taylor Swift's Red just sold a staggering 1.21 million copies in its first week, the biggest debut in more than a decade. And while we've come to expect those sorts of numbers from Swift (her last album, Speak Now also broke the million mark in its first week) perhaps the bigger question is this: Is there anyone who can beat Swift's sales, or has she set the benchmark against which all others will be measured? It'll be tough. For starters, there's the fact that the million-seller club is a pretty exclusive one — as Keith Caulfield, Billboard's associate director of charts and retail, points out, only 18 albums have moved 1 million in a week since SoundScan began tracking sales in 1991 — and the last artist to join it was Lady Gaga, whose Born This Way debuted with sales of 1.1 million copies last year (though, as you're probably aware, that number was buoyed by a 99-cent fire sale through Amazon.com). So when will anyone be able to challenge Red's numbers? With new albums from previous million-movers Gaga, Lil Wayne and Eminem still a ways off, it probably won't happen until next year ... and while Rihanna returns in just a few weeks with Unapologetic, she's never even come close to accomplishing the feat, and neither have Beyoncé or Katy Perry, for that matter. Simply put, it may be a while until we see sales like this again. "Anything is possible," Caulfield wrote in an email to MTV News. "However ... only incredibly extraordinary circumstances will yield another million-selling week." Caulfield expounded on that last point, noting that, while an artist like Lil Wayne previously sold 1 million copies in a week (of his 2008 album Tha Carter III) and came close with Tha Carter IV, it seems that fans may have cooled on his more recent efforts. "I Am Not a Human Being did 110,000 [copies] first week as a digital exclusive," he wrote. "I wouldn't think his upcoming I Am Not a Human Being II will post those kind kinds of numbers." And he added that artists like Gaga or Beyonce might only get to 1 million if they have some help ... like another deep-discount sale or, say, a Super Bowl Halftime performance. "Beyoncé's last album, 4, started with 310,000, so suggesting that her next set might move a million in a week is a bit far-fetched," Caulfield wrote. "But, we don't know how the album will be rolled out. Perhaps it will drop the same day as when she plays the Super Bowl next year? Perhaps she'll have an amazing concert ticket/ album promotion that will juice sales. We just don't know yet." In fact, there may be just one artist capable of surpassing Swift's sales: Eminem. He's moved 1 million in a week twice before, and Caulfield thinks he may be able to do it again with his upcoming album, tentatively due next year. Though he's going to need to outpace the sales of his last album, Recovery, to even come close. "Recovery did 741,000 in its first week. But, it was also a huge selling album in the long-term, selling 4.3 million to date and spending 122 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart," Caulfield wrote. "Comparatively, his album before that, 2009's Relapse, has moved 2.3 million. So, Recovery has really set up his next album and built up the anticipation. He certainly has a shot." Who do you think could top 1.21 million sales? Leave your comment below! |
Taylor Swift Crashes One Million, Kendrick Lamar Posts Solid _Billboard_ Debut
| In a week where Taylor Swift shattered the competition by selling more than 1.2 million copies of Red, all the competition could do was hope to make a dent. Swift, whose gaudy figures were represented the highest first week total since Eminem's The Eminem Show moved 1.322 million back in 2002, will easily take the #1 spot on the Billboard 200 chart, according to figures provided by Nielsen SoundScan. Well behind but still putting up very solid sales for a recent major label debut for a male artist was Dr. Dre protege Kendrick Lamar, whose psychedelic hip-hop masterpiece, good kid, m.A.A.d. City lands at #2 on sales of 241,000. Legendary singer Tony Bennett was at #5 with the Latin-tinged Viva Duets (36,000), blues rocker Gary Clark Jr. came in at #6 with Blak & Blu (35,000), hard rockers Stone Sour were just behind at #7 with House of Gold & Bones- Part 1 (31,000) and Lady Antebellum rounded out the new faces in the top 10 with their holiday offering, On This Winter's Night (#9, 25,000). The rest of the top 10: Jason Aldean, Night Train (#3, 116,000), Mumford & Sons, Babel (#4, 53,000), Pink, The Truth About Love (#8, 25,000) and Brandy, Two Eleven (#10, 22,000). Just outside the top 10, soon-to-split EDM giants Swedish House Mafia scored a #14 debut for Until Now (18,000) and former "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery took a big tumble with his first yuletide album, Christmas With Scotty, which dropped 11 slots and 56 percent to #15 in week two on sales of 18,000. Also debuting was the soundtrack to Wu-Tang Clan mastermind RZA's "The Man With the Iron Fists," which moved 12,000 units to land at #31. Over on the iTunes singles chart, South Korean rapper Psy kept his stranglehold on #1 with "Gangnam Style," which beat out "Locked Out of Heaven" by Bruno Mars, "Die Young" by Ke$ha and "One More Night" by Maroon 5. Coming in at #5 was Swift's "I Knew You Were Trouble," followed by Rihanna's "Diamonds," Fun.'s "Some Nights," Swift's "Red," Flo Rida's "I Cry" and yet another Swift smash, "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together Again." It goes without saying that Swift also ruled the iTunes album chart, besting Lamar, Aldean, Mumford, Clark and Swedish House Mafia. Coming in at #7 were pre-orders for rapper Meek Mill's Dreams and Nightmares, ahead of Stone Sour, the self-titled debut from the Lumineers and the "Pitch Perfect" soundtrack. Look for chart debuts from Mill, Toby Keith, Rod Stewart, Flyleaf and Christmas kings Trans-Siberian Orchestra next week. |
Carly Rae Jepsen, Owl City Face 'Good Time' Lawsuit
| Carly Rae Jepsen now has three hits to her name ... which means that it was only a matter of time before she'd deal with the next step in her rise to fame: the inevitable copyright infringement lawsuit. According to Billboard, Jepsen is one of four people named in a new suit surrounding her Top 10 hit "Good Time" — Owl City's Adam Young, and two additional writers, Matt Thiessen and Brian Lee, are also mentioned — filed in a California federal court. The suit was filed by Allyson Nichole Burnett, an Alabama-based singer/songwriter who alleges her 2010 song "Ah, It's a Love Song" features a bit too prominently in "Good Time," saying that song copies a "unique vocal motif" from her track. Burnett's suit gets incredibly particular, pointing out that the two songs feature "identical pitch sequence ... melodic contour ... rhythmic construction ... [and] timbre," but also takes time to point out that both tunes also share "a catchy pop vibe that both draws people in and sticks in people's heads." Burnett is also alleging that she suffered "emotional and psychological damage" as a result of her song being ripped off, saying fans have begun asking her why she copied Jensen and Owl City's hit, and is seeking a "constructive trust" to be established in order to collect royalties from the song. Reps for Jepsen and Owl City could not be reached for comment on the suit by press time. |
Sandy Cancellations Start Receding: Kimmel Back On, Concert Industry Creeps Back
| The concert cancellations due to super storm Sandy continued apace on Wednesday (October 31), even as the entertainment business began to slowly dig out following the widespread flooding and power outages caused by the once-in-a-lifetime weather calamity. After most live gigs on Monday and Tuesday went by the wayside due to the tremendous impact on the New York and New Jersey area, some venues opened their doors while others were still busy assessing damage. The beloved 39th edition of the New York City Greenwich Village Halloween Parade was postponed by a week by Mayor Michael Bloomberg, even as another scarifying show had to pull up stakes due to Sandy. The Smashing Pumpkins were slated to play to the new Barclays Center on Wednesday night, but that show has been postponed to a later, as-yet-unspecified, date. Harlem's iconic Apollo Theater weathered the storm with no damage to the building or the legendary façade, according to a spokesperson, but the venue's schedule was impacted. The signature amateur night 2012 Super Top Dog Finale, originally scheduled for Wednesday night, has been pushed back to November 14 because some of the contestants were unable to make it into the city. The regular Apollo schedule will continue on Friday with a show by Brazilian rapper/singer Davi Vieira. Things did not pan out so well for the Jones Beach Theater in Long Island, though. The amphitheater doesn't have any shows scheduled until next spring, but based on a video posted on the official website, it will take a while to dry out after Sandy pushed water up around the lip of the stage, over the first two dozen rows of seats and over much of the surrounding area. Though his peers David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon braved the storm and put on audience-less shows on Monday night, after moving his producing from the West Coast to Brooklyn for a special week of shows, Jimmy Kimmel had to take the night off. He was back Tuesday, though, with pal Howard Stern, as well as "30 Rock" star Tracy Morgan and musical guests Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings. He'll have Letterman and Vampire Weekend on Wednesday night and Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert as well as the Avett Brothers with the Brooklyn Philharmonic on Thursday. Both Stewart and Colbert were dark for a second night, and the city revoked filming permits for a second day on Tuesday, keeping the sets of "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," "30 Rock," "Smash" and "Deception" dark, as well as "Gossip Girl" and "Person of Interest." After calling off their Bowery Ballroom gig on Monday night, Aimee Mann and Ted Leo were set to play the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday. That show was postponed as well and current plans call for the pair to set up at the Music Hall on Wednesday, with tickets from both Monday and Tuesday's shows honored. The gig originally scheduled to take place at the Music Hall on Wednesday, by Jackie Greene, has been cancelled and a Wednesday show by alt country act Reckless Kelly at the Bowery Ballroom has been postponed. Though his promise is to party hard through any storm, even Andrew WK couldn't weather Sandy, as his Halloween show at the new Brooklyn venue Autumn Bowl with DJ Creep, Ice Balloons and DJ Dog Kick has been called off. Ingrid Michaelson was forced to postpone her Wednesday night show at the Tarrytown Music Hall until December 1 and Wallpaper's Wednesday gig at the Mercury Lounge in New York was cancelled. After postponing Wednesday night's "Bass Masquerade" gig by DJ/producer Rusko at Philadelphia's Starlight Ballroom, at press time the venue had no other events listed until mid-month. There was a ray of (black) sunshine on the horizon for music fans yearning for some Halloween kicks. Ghoul rockers the Misfits were still scheduled to plug in at the Highline Ballroom in New York and Bowery Presents was planning to press ahead with shows by Freelance Whales and Geographer at Webster Hall, Meat Loaf at the Beacon Theatre, Squarepusher at Terminal 5 and the Tom Tom Club at Brooklyn Bowl (all on Thursday). |
Lady Gaga May Release Two 'Volumes' Of _ARTPOP_
| Lady Gaga has been collaborating with an alphabetical assortment of talent in recent months — everyone from Azealia Banks to Zedd — so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise to learn that her upcoming ARTPOP album might end up being split into two volumes. That's according to the Mother Monster herself, who broke the news in a chat hosted on her LittleMonsters.com site. Apparently, some of the tracks Gaga is working on for her new album are so out there that she's contemplating turning it into a two-disc affair, with one part "experimental" tracks, and the other, more traditional, radio-friendly fare. "It's a bit more modern. You never know if radio is ready," Gaga said. "I can't decide how to tracklist it yet. Sort of thinking that volume one should have all the commercial songs and save the experimental material for volume two." It's not clear if Gaga meant she'd be releasing ARTPOP as a double-disc set, or if she plans on splitting the album up into two separate volumes. MTV News' email to her reps seeking clarification was not responded to by press time. Gaga also told fans that there will be a corresponding ARTPOP app, and while details are scarce, she promised that it would definitely blow people's minds. "The app is coming along amazing. I'm flying back to Chicago to work on it," she said. "The developers on ARTPOP are all like 22 and genius kids. You'd be surprised how many genius Little Monsters there are." |
A Minute With: Rapper RZA putting on 'Iron Fists' for new movie
| LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Rapper and music producer RZA is best known as the leader of the hip-hop group the Wu-Tang Clan which also includes such popular members as Method Man, Ghostface Killah and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. RZA branched out into film, taking on small acting roles and scoring music, including the soundtrack for Quentin Tarantino's "Kill Bill: Vol. 1." Now, nearly a decade later, 43-year-old RZA has combined his childhood love of martial arts movies to co-write with Eli Roth the feature film "The Man With the Iron Fists," which he also directs and acts in the title role. Shot on location in China, and co-starring Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu, Iron Fists is set during the 19th century and sees several groups of warriors and assassins descend on a village in search of gold. The quiet and unassuming local blacksmith (RZA) ends up being the village defender. RZA, whose real name is Robert Fitzgerald Diggs, sat down with Reuters in Hollywood to talk about the film and the future of the Wu-Tang Clan. Q: You had to pull double duty, working simultaneously in front and behind the camera. How did you balance that? A: "My spirit had to be extra strong to pull this off. It was difficult because in the morning (as the director) I'm worrying about everybody else, I'm talking fast. Then I have to get ready for the scene and I gotta sync my voice down to this guy. I gotta sync my spirit to him. He doesn't smile once in the film. I smile. I'm not this morbid dude. He's almost empty." Q: This is your biggest acting role to date. What did you learn as an actor? A: "The thing about playing him that I could attest to as an actor was that I was lonely in China. I was personally lonely. And I think that shows on screen (in the character)." Q: You're in an exotic location with Russell Crowe and some of the biggest names in martial arts. How could you be lonely? A: "I had no love, yo. You know what I mean? Going into a massage parlor is not gonna give you no love. I was yearning for it. For a brief minute there, I learned why actors fall in love with their co-stars." Q: How's that? A: "Because the only girl I had was (co-star/love interest) Jamie Chung. We all went out one night after shooting and Jamie had a guy friend with her. I looked over and I was so jealous. I felt weird. I told my buddy, 'I'm about to punch this guy in the face!' In that moment, I just felt that she was my woman. And the sad thing for me is, it would have been a one way street because she wasn't interested in me at all." Q: Looking back on your first experience directing a studio movie, what do you think? A: "It was hard work. It was 18 hour days. It was cold. The food was terrible sometimes and the language was an issue. But I kept it fun. I didn't let nothing deter me from this path. I'm grateful and happy I had a chance to learn this craft and express it. I feel that out of everything I do as an artist - I make music, I write lyrics, I'm into fashion and clothing - filmmaking is the perfect medium and accumulates it all. I found what I should be doing. I matured into being this kind of person." Q: So many members of the Wu-Tang Clan are doing their own thing. Will you be assembling again soon for another album? A: "Only time will tell. For now, I will say Iron Fists is Wu-Tang. We have all the members participating on the soundtrack. And if you look closely, you'll notice that when (Rick Yune's character) needs a second suit of knives, there are W's on that second suit. You gotta look closely though. So the Wu-Tang is there. I made it subtly into the film so fans can enjoy it and feel the energy." Q: Some groups have their time in the spotlight and disappear. Others manage to evolve and stay relevant. Where is Wu-Tang at? A: "To me, film is the medium that Wu-Tang needs to be at. I don't think Wu-Tang needs to be in clubs while we gettin' drunk and dancing. We need to be in theaters now where we sitting with our families and really appreciating our childhood in a different way. This is the reason why (movies like) 'Iron Man', 'Captain America', 'Thor', 'The Avengers' all work. Because we are adults who read comics and now we want our children to understand what we love." Q: So Iron Fists is the beginning of that for Wu-Tang - having others understand and appreciate the martial arts you all love? A: "If Iron Fists goes over well and people accept it, we got great ideas for part two already. We've got a great sequel for all the characters and back stories that are so remarkable." Q: Sounds like you're creating your own Marvel universe in a sense. A: "Essentially, yes." (Reporting by Zorianna Kit, editing by Jill Serjeant) |
George Lucas Says Disney Could 'Go On Making 'Star Wars' For The Next 100 Years'
| At this point, we don't know much about what the seventh "Star Wars" film will be about, but we certainly have some ideas about what we do and don't want to see. Along with fans, we were thrown into a frenzy on Tuesday when it was announced that Disney had purchased George Lucas' Lucasfilm for more than $4 billion. The deal will not only bring Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, Han and the gang into the Mouse house, but it will also serve to re-boot one of the most popular and highest-grossing film franchises of all time. After five-decade career in filmmaking, in a YouTube video explaining the deal, Lucas said he's been contemplating retirement for a while and now seemed like the right time to hand over the keys to the Jedi kingdom. "Obviously I've been talking about retiring for several years now," he said. "I wanted to get into sort of another stage of life where I'm not in the film business anymore, where I don't have to run a corporation. It occurred to me one day that the perfect person to run the company was [Lucasfilm co-chair] Kathy [Kennedy]. It's just such a perfect fit, and I felt that I really wanted to put the company somewhere in a larger entity that would protect it. Disney is a huge corporation; they have all kinds of capabilities and facilities. There's a lot of strength to be gained by this." Pointing to the success Disney has had with Marvel and Pixar, Kennedy said the family friendly company with its legendary theme parks and merchandising power was the logical choice for Lucasfilm. Where Is The "Star Wars" Heading? Read Our 5 Burning Questions! The good news for fans is that they will not only get an episode seven, but, in fact, an entire new trilogy. "I always said I wasn't going to do anymore, and that's true, I'm not going to do anymore," said Lucas, who will not write or direct the upcoming films, but whose iconic imprint will be all over them. "But that doesn't mean I'm unwilling to turn it over to Kathy [Kennedy] to do more. I have story treatments of 7, 8, and 9, and a bunch of other movies and obviously we have hundreds of books and comics and everything you could possibly imagine. So I sort of moved that treasure trove of stories and various things to Kathy, and I have complete confidence that she's gonna take them and make great movies." Kennedy revealed that meetings have already begun with prospective writers for the new movies. "I'm doing this so that the films will have a longer life," Lucas said. "So more fans and people can enjoy them in the future. It's a very big universe I've created and there's a lot of stories sitting in there." In a separate video announcing the deal, Disney CEO Bob Iger had nothing but praise for Lucas' vision for the "Star Wars" universe, which he noted now includes 17,000 characters inhabiting several thousand planets spanning 20,000 years. "George Lucas is a true visionary and an innovative, epic storyteller who has defined modern filmmaking with unforgettable characters and amazing stories," said Iger. The pact will also spin off new TV shows, games and theme park attractions and Iger said the company fully understands the responsibility that comes with stewardship of such iconic, beloved characters. In the same video, Lucas said he's been a fan of Disney all his life and that the deal will allow him to move into more philanthropic efforts as well as work on more experimental films that don't fit into the Lucasfilm universe. "It was a perfect match of two companies that are constructed similarly," Lucas said. "It will give me a chance to go off and explore my own interests [and] at the same time feel completely confident that Disney will take good care of the franchise that I've built." The best news of all? "We have a large group of ideas and characters and books and all kinds of things," Lucas said. "We could go on making 'Star Wars' for the next 100 years." |
'The Voice' Coaches Cut Their Teams In Half During Knockouts
| It was an all-out war during part two of "The Voice" knockout rounds Tuesdsay night. Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton kept the surprises coming as some unexpected singers took the crown and secured a spot on the live shows. Monday night's broadcast, featuring Adam Levine and Cee Lo Green's final selects, was pre-empted on the east coast for local coverage of the devastating hurricane Sandy. The celebrity coaches pit their 10-member teams against one another, picking the final five to represent them in the live shows. Aguilera's strategy was to keep to one genre, forming the strongest pop group in the competition while Shelton decided to create an ultra-diverse team, hoping one might strike the right chord with viewers. Lose-Lose Battle One-Man Team Surprise Wins Missteps Hey Cassadee The final live show teams are as follows: Team Adam: Team Cee Lo: Team Christina: Team Blake: Do you think the coaches got it right? Share your comments below! |
Rihanna _Unapologetic_ About Offering $250 'Diamonds Executive Platinum Box' Version Of Album
| We all know Rihanna lives the lush life. But she wants to share some of those caviar wishes and champagne dreams with her fans on her upcoming album, Unapologetic. But it'll cost ya. The Barbadian beauty's seventh album, due out on November 16, will come in the standard edition, and what you might call the VIP baller's version as well. The limited edition, numbered "Diamonds Executive Platinum Box," edition of the album, due out on December 11, will cost $250 and feature a raft of extras not available to the average fan. Among the goodies: collectible colored vinyl remixes, an 11 x 17 handwritten personal note from Rihanna to her Navy, 2GB credit card-style USB flash drive, unisex shirt with a Michael Muller photo of Rihanna taken during her Unapologetic album shoots, seven 12 x 15 lithographs featuring Muller photos, a Magnus Voll Mathiassen illustration and exclusive Unapologetic images. It will also include three stickers featuring the album's cover art that can be used on iPhones or other smart phones, seven laptop stickers featuring Mario Hugo artwork, the Unapologetic album and "Diamonds" single artwork, collectible colored vinyl featuring "Diamonds" remixes and a custom-made View Master with unreleased images of Rihanna's style transformation. And that's not all! It also comes with a custom 40-page notebook with handwritten notes and lyrics, a deluxe version of the album with a 28-page photo and art booklet, a 20-minute DVD with unreleased footage, a clip from the Loud Tour and an exclusive fan poster. A slightly less exclusive "Diamonds Deluxe Edition Box" will be available on November 19 for $79 and feature the T-shirt, laptop stickers, deluxe version of the CD, the DVD, fan poster, Loud Tour performance peek and what's described as a "limited edition genuine, conflict-free diamond bracelet" with a black leather band and a brass disc with a 1pt diamond packaged in a signature R logo card. The fall is shaping up to be a busy time for the singer, who is up for six awards at the MTV EMA this November and will perform at the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show along with Bruno Mars and Justin Bieber in December. And, for fans hoping for the chance to see the singer live and up close, she will kick off her in March. |
Stephenie Meyer Exclusive: 'Breaking Dawn' Author Talks End Of 'Twilight Saga'
| It's hard to believe, but the end of "The Twilight Saga" is very near. But don't shed any tears. Author Stephenie Meyer sure isn't, at least not yet. "Breaking Dawn, Part 2" opens November 16, and as MTV News prepares to sit down for the last round of interviews with cast (our "MTV First" with Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart and Taylor Lautner airs November 1 at 8 p.m. on MTV and MTV.com), the woman who started it all spoke with us about seeing the final film at last, whether the saga may in fact continue, and why she's a little overwhelmed at the moment. MTV: Hi, Stephenie! "Breaking Dawn: Part 2" is almost here. Are you ready to take your victory lap? Stephenie Meyer: [laughs] I don't think the term "victory lap" has ever entered my mind. In sports terms it's a hurdle. We've got one more hurdle to jump in this area and then I have to go on to different ones. MTV: Have you taken any time yet to reflect on this being the end of the franchise? Meyer: I've been carefully not thinking about it that way because I don't want to be sad yet. MTV: When did you see the final cut of the film? Meyer: Monday [October 22]. It was the first time I've seen it with all of the effects in place. It had a lot of impact. Also, all the music was in, which really impacts the emotion of it. MTV: Did you find yourself getting a little emotional while watching the end? Meyer: Yeah. There's no way not to [be emotional] with the end of this one. [Director] Bill [Condon] has a very good sense of how to really wring your emotions. He put the end together in such a way that I don't think you cannot have a moment. I can only imagine the fans will really appreciate that moment of reflection. MTV: Kellan Lutz recently said there's a special bonus scene during the credits. What can you say about that? Meyer: That's actually incorrect. What they've been talking about will be in DVD extras I assume but it's not in the credits. There is no extra scene. MTV: Of course the fans are very excited to see Kristen's interpretation of Bella as a vampire at last. Meyer: It's subtle and yet kind of amazing. She's very self-possessed the way she holds herself. She's a completely different kind of character. MTV: Meanwhile Robert Pattinson has been describing the vampire sex in the film as "ridiculous" in recent interviews. Meyer: Yeah I saw that. I think he was talking about how it was so hard to keep a straight face [during that scene]. For the actors, there are 40 people in the room and most of them are inches away from you. It's a kind of awkward menage-a-forty going on. I think when you see the scene it's a testament to their acting ability that you don't see any of that in that moment at all. MTV: Are you happy with the changes that have been made from the book? Meyer:There is an element we had to change to make it more visual. The changes give us a bigger story. It's something that me and [screenwriter] Melissa [Rosenberg] came up with over one long dinner in Vancouver. Once we had figured out how we wanted to do it everything really fell into place. MTV:Can you shed some light on the recent reports that the studio is exploring a continuation of the franchise? Have you discussed more 'Twilight' with them? Meyer: I haven't. I've had no conversations to that effect at all. I've seen a couple things about it but it's really not anything I've heard about personally. MTV: Are you open to more films or TV that would continue the story? Or would you rather any stories begin as books? Meyer: I don't know. For me I have a very different agenda [than the studio]. It seems like that there should be some time, a resting period before that kind of thing comes up but I know they have a different way of looking at things and I'm sure it will be discussed. I'm always open to conversation. Generally if it's going to be characters that I like, I'd like to read about them first. But that's because I'm a book nerd. MTV: Will you be getting into a writing zone once this promotional period is over? Meyer: Hopefully. It's a challenge right now. Actually right now I'm working on my Halloween costume and I totally bit off more than I can chew with it. MTV: What is it? Meyer: I don't even know if I'm going to be able to wear it. It's going to be like sixty pounds on my shoulders. I'm a mermaid being carried by a pirate in a treasure chest. Don't miss on Thursday, November 1, at 8 p.m. on MTV! Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner will premiere an exclusive clip from the final "Twilight" movie, followed by a lengthy interview that will continue on MTV.com. Submit questions for the "Twilight" trio @MTVNews, hashtag #AskTwilight. |