AWARDS HEADLINES
Awards 2016: Now That the Holidays Are Upon Us, What Are the Real Awards Chances For ‘Star Wars’?
With a record breaking box office week, Star Wars: The Force Awakens has landed with a love that’s palpable in all corners of not just the internet, but among general circles in and out of your life, deserved or not. The big question people keep asking is, “how many Oscar nominations will the film get?” or “is it in the running for Best Picture?” The honest answer is, no one knows. (AC)
Awards 2016: When It Comes To the Oscars, Best Picture Ballots Are Counted Differently From the Rest
After hearing from the key regional film critics’ groups and then the SAG, Globes and Critics’ Choice voters, it is a good time to revisit the system by which the Oscars determine the Best Picture nominees. Alas, the process is not as simple as one would hope. Academy members will rank up to five films on ballots which are then counted by a complicated method. So, take a deep breath, as we dive into the Oscar pool. (GD)
OTHER HEADLINES
Nineteen Years Later, Robert Downey Jr. Gets a Pardon For His Drug Conviction
California’s governor has pardoned the actor for a 1996 drug conviction that sent the actor to prison. Gov. Jerry Brown’s office announced today that Downey was among 91 people receiving pardons. Downey was convicted of felony drug possession after he was arrested on a Los Angeles County highway and authorities found heroin, cocaine and a pistol in his vehicle. In 1999, he was sent to prison for nearly a year after violating his probation. (THR)
Merry Christmas, Marvel Fans! ‘Avengers: Infinity War Parts 1 & 2’ Will Be Shot Entirely In IMAX
Film’s directors Joe and Anthony Russo have revealed that their film will be shot entirely in the format, a decision that made after shooting 20 minutes of Captain America: Civil War in that format. Russo went on to explain that fans “won’t be disappointed” by the extensive roster of characters in the films, calling the two-part blockbuster the culmination of 20 films. (NR)
Sean Combs’ Cabler Revolt Gets Boost with DirecTV Distribution Deal
AT&T has delivered an early Christmas present to the impressario in setting a DirecTV distribution pact for the music mogul’s two-year-old cable channel. The deal calls for Revolt to be distributed broadly in DirecTV’s Xtra channel package of 220 networks. AT&T’s U-verse platform added Revolt about six months ago. Together, DirecTV and U-verse reach about 25 million subscribers. Adding DirecTV to the mix brings Revolt’s base to about 60 million. (VAR)
‘Desperate Maids’ Actress Gets Early Christmas Gifts, Lands Two Major Roles
It’s going to be a busy 2016 for Devious Maids‘ star Mariana Klaveno. She’s been cast on the newly announced third season of DirecTV’s anthology drama Full Circle joining Dougray Scott and Kim Raver; and also has been tapped for a role opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in Elliot Lester-directed 478, which started production last week in Columbus, OH. (DH)
Not a Basketball Fan, but Facing a Day Filled With It Tomorrow? Here’s a Guide For You
What if your knowledge of professional basketball begins and ends with LeBron James’ work in Trainwreck? Fret not! Hoops has become as synonymous with the Christmas holiday as football is on Thanksgiving, and unlike the hulks lurking beneath those helmets in the NFL, NBA players are unencumbered by equipment and allowed to express the full measure of their personalities on the court. Herewith, a guide to what you can expect tomorrow. (EW)
From One Period To Another, ‘The Knick’ Actor Finds a Spot In ‘Sleepy Hollow’
Charles Aitken has been added to the cast as founding father Ichabod Crane’s arch enemy, Dr. Japeth Leeds. The character is described as “a twisted, mysteriously brooding genius” whose talents include alchemy. Crane and Leeds come face to face again in modern-day Sleepy Hollow, after Ichabod learns that the doctor “paid the ultimate price when one of his twisted experiments went awry.” (TVL)
Since It’s Christmas Eve and All, How About a List Of the Top 20 Christmas Movies Ever?
Studios release their Christmas movies well in advance to let them play longer in theaters, knowing that few will want to see them once January rolls around. Here is a look at some of the best ever, and don’t worry, Die Hard is on the list. (TP)
Trailer Buzz: ‘Deadpool’
Twentieth Century Fox has released a special, Christmas Eve teaser trailer to the upcoming comic book adaptation, starring Ryan Reynolds as the Merc with a Mouth. The full, red band trailer arrives tomorrow, and the movie hits theaters February 12th, 2016. (UR)