Ted Melfi Discusses ‘St. Vincent’ Influences, TV Casting for 10/22/14, Coogan Replaces Hoffman in ‘Happyish’

SSN ORIGINALS

Writer/Director Ted Melfi Talks the Films and Real-Life Events That Inspired His Directorial Debut, ‘St. Vincent’

Not one, but two major events in the filmmakers life led to him writing the screenplay that attracted Bill Murray and opens wide this weekend. (SSN)

TV Casting for 10/22/14: Seth Rogen to Guest on HBO’s ‘The Comeback,’ Frank Langella to Recur on FX’s ‘The Americans,’ and More

Other news comes from an MTV pilot, Christian Slater joining USA’s new Mr. Robot, as well as updates for shows like SVU, Shameless, New Girl and House of Cards, among others. (SSN)

TODAY’S HEADLINES

Eight Months After Philip Seymour Hoffman’s Death, Showtime Names His Replacement on Its Comedy, ‘Happyish’

Steve Coogan will fill Hoffman’s large shoes as a 44-year-old man threatened by his 25-year-old boss in the show created by This American Life’s Shalom Auslander. (HP)

There Are More Hold Ups in the Ongoing Comcast-TWC and AT&T-DirecTV Deals

Cable programmers, citing privacy concerns, ask FCC to once again stop its informal 180-day clocks to examine both deals. (DH)

Luc Besson’s EuropaCorp Sets Up Huge New Financing Deal

Production company nails down $600 million for an ambitious slate of English-language films, with the money being used for production, marketing and distribution costs. (THR)

The Rise of Natalie Dormer Continues, as the Actress Signs on to Lead ‘The Forest’

Supernatural thriller finds a young American woman searching for her vanished twin sister in the Japanese forest of Aokigahara, with Jason Zada directing and David Goyer producing. (EMP)

One of the Actors From ‘Goodfellas’ Is Suing ‘The Simpsons’ For $250 Million

Frank Sivero, best known for playing Frankie Carbone in Martin Scorsese’s crime classic, files suit against Fox TV Studios alleging Simpsons character Louie is based on his likeness. (RS)

Al Pacino’s Offbeat Character Portrait, ‘Manglehorn,’ Finds a Home at IFC

Film directed by David Gordon Green centers on a lonely locksmith who develops an unexpected, tentative friendship with a female bank employee. (IW)

We Might Just Be Seeing More ‘John Carter of Mars,’ After All

Rights revert to Edgar Rice Burroughs estate which, despite massive flop for Disney in 2012, plans to continue character’s adventures on screen. (HV)

Strangely, Ray Fisher Found Out There’s Going to Be a ‘Cyborg’ Movie the Same Day as the Rest of Us

Actor, who will first appear as the character in 2016’s Batman Vs. Superman: Dawn of Justice, says he had no idea the extent the studio was planning to go with the character. (NWSA)