Warners takes a 'Killshot'

Warner Bros. has bought the pitch "Killshot" from scribe Ken Woodruff. No logline was immediately available. While Woodruff has not labored for your studio's film division before, he's no stranger for the company's TV arm. Scribe is presently a producer and staff author on "The Mentalist," produced by Warner Bros. Television. Other credits include "Goodbye Mexico," a script Woodruff written for Richard Saperstein's The Genre Co. WME reps Woodruff. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

Bingham Ray dies at 57

RayBingham Ray, who championed indie films throughout his career as co-founding father of October Films and prexy of United states . Artists and was recently named professional director in the San Francisco Bay Area Film Society, died Monday in Provo, Utah, after getting experienced two strokes the other day. He was 57.Ray happen to be attending the Arthouse Convergence symposium near Park City because he experienced the initial stroke and was make the hospital in Park City. He experienced another stroke and was gone to live in Provo, where he died. After 3 decades inside the indie film biz that ended getting a 3-year stint becoming an professional at Sydney Kimmel Entertainment, Ray had recently segued for the festival and academic world, being a programming consultant for the Film Society of Lincoln subsequently subsequently Center, consultant to Snagfilms and adjunct professor at NYU. He was named professional director in the org that runs the San Francisco Bay Area Intl. Film Fest in November, following a dying of SFFS director Graham Leggat. The fest happens yearly in April. "The board of company company directors and staff in the Film Society are stunned and deeply saddened with the untimely dying within our executive director Bingham Ray. We within the Film Society as well as the entire film community have mislaid far too early an engaged and visionary impact player which has aided shape the independent film niche for many years in many important and valuable ways," mentioned Pat McBaine, San Francisco Bay Area Film Society board leader. The San Francisco Bay Area Film Society's annual Sundance party remains cancelled.In 1991, Ray and Rob Lipsky co-founded October Films, which was most likely probably the most influential indie distribs with the the 19 nineties until its purchase to USA Systems in 1999. At October, he acquired films including Mike Leigh's "Secrets and Lies," Lars von Trier's "Damaging the Waves" and Jim Jarmusch's "Lost Highway." Their films won two Oscars. In 2001, he was named prexy of MGM subsid United states . Artists, where he acquired and produced films including Michael Moore's "Bowling for Columbine," which won the feature doc Oscar, "Hotel Rwanda" and "Ghost World." He left UA in 2004.In 2007 he grew to become part of La-based Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, where he offered leader of Kimmel Distribution and leader of creative matters. He supervised marketing and distribution plans for your original "Dying inside a Funeral," "Consult with Me," "Lars as well as the Real Girl" and "Synecdoche, N.Y." and was responsible for the development and output of the remake of "Dying inside a Funeral," additionally to supervisory the development of a seven-film production slate.Ray began his career three decades ago as manager-programmer in the Bleecker Street Cinema, then labored just like a booker for United states . Artists, NYer Films, the Samuel Goldwyn Co. and Avenue Entertainment. Among the overall game game titles he done were identifying game game titles in the thriving era of independent film including "Sid and Nancy," "Prick Your Ears," "Pharmacy Cowboy," "Hope and Glory," "Sweetie" and "During The Night, My Sweet." He offered just like a jury member for your Sundance, Rotterdam and Edinburgh film festivals as well as the Film Independent Spirit Honours and contains lectured on film production and rise in the town College of NY's Graduate Film School and Columbia furthermore to NYU.Ray is managed to get by his wife Nancy King, three children and a pair of brothers and sisters. Contact Pat Saperstein at pat.saperstein@variety.com

New Poster For Statham's Safe Online

Large Gun Getting a ManLast time a poster for your latest Jason Statham ass-kickathon Safe emerged online, we wondered whether or not this wasn't possibly a tad disappointing it didn't feature the big guy holding a gun to camera.Now, as if by miracle...Would you like to understand any longer?Statham's latest stoic, slightly wry badass is certainly an MMA cage fighter who crosses the Russian mob and can get his family destroyed for his trouble. A little lower in NY, he sees a means for redemption because he decides in order to save a twelve-year-old Chinese mathematical prodigy from mentioned gangsters (they're using her their accountant, or something like that like this). But her escape triggers a 3-way war involving the Russians, the Triads together with a corrupt faction in the NYPD, all whom want an excellent code that simply the lady knows.The Stath versus two entire mafias as well as the cops must equal guaranteed gold. Our only issue is, will obtaining a child along with you cramp his style?Chris Sarandon, James Hong, Reggie Lee and Anson Mount co-star, and Boaz Yakin might be the director. He written the Dolph Lundgren version in the Punisher, you understand. We have Safe inside the Uk on May 11.

Freestyle Ski Champion Sarah Burke Dies

Sarah Burke Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke died Thursday after she crashed around the training run the other day, People reviews. She was 29. Burke happen to be in the coma since her Jan. 11 accident round the superpipe in Park City, Utah -- the identical superpipe which former professional snowboarder Kevin Pearce experienced a substantial distressing brain injuries that ended his competitive career. Burke experienced effective surgery in the morning to fix a torn vertebral artery which in fact had triggered bleeding between her brain and skull, but she ongoing to become comatose. Watch videos of Sarah Burke According to hospital government bodies, Burke went into stroke after she experienced a ruptured artery. She sustained irreversible brain damage because of inadequacies in oxygen and blood stream following stroke. Burke died "silently ornamented by people she loved," her family mentioned in the statement, acquired by People. "Your family expresses their sincere gratitude for your worldwide outpouring of support they have received all of the folks Sarah touched." Burke was considered a pioneer in their sport, and won gold medals throughout the cold several weeks X-Games and World Freestyle Skiing Game titles.

Globe contenders for best animated film

Light charm competes with scruffy surrealism in this bumper crop of excellent animated pics "The Adventures of Tintin"Paramount PicturesSteven Spielberg first became interested in the global phenomenon that is Tintin after European critics compared the director's "Raiders of the Lost Ark" to a Tintin adventure, and he quickly acquired the film rights. But it took 30 years for Spielberg to finally make his Tintin film, largely based on "The Secret of the Unicorn," the 11th in the series by Belgian artist Herge. For his first-ever animated film, Spielberg teamed up with "The Lord of the Rings'" Peter Jackson who produced, and shot the film using the 3D motion capture system pioneered by Jim Cameron on "Avatar." The result cleverly captures Herge's original colorful and bold graphic style, and with its tale of Tintin's search for a sunken treasure, the 3D adventures feels perfectly meshed with Spielberg's own sensibilities. Brit actor Jamie Bell, a lifelong Tintin fan, voices the plucky young reporter, and Andy Serkis the booze-addled Captain Haddock."Arthur Christmas"Columbia PicturesThe 3D computer animated Christmas comedy (co-produced by Sony) was originated and developed by respected U.K. animation house Aardman Studios (of "Wallace & Gromit" fame), and marks the first time Aardman has moved away from its successful stop motion technique into 3D CGI. But with its highly detailed behind-the-scenes look at the complex logistics of Christmas present delivery, and a story of how Santa's son Arthur must save the day when the operation's machinery breaks down, the film stays true to Aardman's skewed take on things. A top Brit voiceover cast includes James McAvoy as Arthur and Imelda Staunton as Mrs. Santa, and the film travels around the world, with such locations as the North Pole, Africa, Mexico, Idaho, Cuba and Cornwall, England, all gorgeously animated. The project took four years to complete, with more than 300 artists contributing to such rapid-fire visual gags as a hand-sanitizing dispenser for hard-working elves."Rango"Paramount PicturesWhile most animated projects happily embraced cuteness, typically rendered with the popular hard-edged shiny CG look, this subversive Western starring a delusional bug-eyed chameleon antihero went for a photo-real scruffy, frayed look that perfectly matched its "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly" meets "High Noon" vibe. And the funky outside-the-box aesthetic approach was undoubtedly fueled by its creatives' virgin status in animation -- it was the first toon film for both "Pirates of the Caribbean" vet Gore Verbinski and industry VFX powerhouse ILM -- which freed them up to play around with conventional methods of animation. Instead of recording voiceover talent alone and singly, Verbinski assembled his actors (including Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Timothy Olyphant and Harry Dean Stanton) in a mocked-up saloon set and let the ensemble act out their tale. This untraditional approach, which Verbinski half-jokingly calls "emotion-capture," resulted in a raw, chaotic but lively audio track, which then drove the visuals."Puss in Boots"Paramount PicturesAfter appearing in "Shrek 2" back in 2004, the feline hero finally gets his starring vehicle in this beautifully animated CG 3D feature, which once again stars Antonio Banderas (in his eighth performance as Puss) as the title character in full Zorro/Latin lover mode. The "Shrek" spin-off was directed by "Shrek 3's" Chris Miller with an appropriately light and charming touch, executive produced by Guillermo del Toro, and features some inspired voiceover work from Puss sidekicks Salma Hayek as Kitty Softpaws and Zach Galifianakis as Humpty Dumpty, as well as Bill Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris as Jack and Jill, the murderous villains of this redemption tale in which the tabby has to clear his name. Set in a glowing, romanticized version of old Spain, the prequel to the "Shrek" films has no overlapping characters apart from Puss himself, and marks the first time a DreamWorks Animation feature has been partly animated in India."Cars 2"Walt Disney PicturesWith Pixar head John Lasseter once again in the driver's seat for the first time since "Cars" (he co-directed -- with Brad Lewis -- a story he also originated and developed), this sequel (only the second in the company's history) to the 2006 global blockbuster also went global in terms of its design and storytelling. While the original was firmly parked in the quintessential small-town Americana setting of Radiator Springs and Route 66, this year's model roared off to glamourous World Grand Prix races in Japan and Italy, with pit-stops in France and the U.K. before returning home to America. The expanded horizons, reportedly inspired by Lasseter's travels around the world promoting "Cars," provided fresh backdrops for Pixar's flashy CG animation and visual jokes (Britain's queen appears as a Rolls-Royce) and a layered storyline that combined the visceral thrills of racing with James Bond-style international intrigue and spies.GOLDEN GLOBES 2012Tales trump top talents | Globes embrace TV's new, offbeat shows THE NOMINEESDrama: Picture | Drama: Actor | Drama: Actress | Comedy: Picture | Comedy: Actor | Comedy: ActressAnimationThe Cecil B. DeMille Award: Morgan Freeman Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Grant Gustin Poised to become 'Glee' Series Regular

What's great news for Glee flirt Grant Gustin might not be very good news for fans from the show's Blaine and Kurt.Gustin, who plays Dalton Academy Warbler Sebastian, informs The Hollywood Reporter that he'll continue being "out and inInch around the current third season from the Fox musical by having an offer "up for grabsInch to become a series regular for Season 4.While Sebastian has made an appearance in 2 episodes so far, he's already set his sights on Darren Criss' Blaine, challenging Kurt (Chris Colfer) for his boyfriend's affections.Could there become more trouble ahead for that on-screen couple? Not too fast, Gustin states. By the Michael Jackson tribute episode -- now looking for Tuesday, Jan. 31 -- Sebastian will awesome his romantic quest for former Warbler Blaine."By the Michael Jackson episode, he's slightly separating themself [from Blaine] and it is less flirty and much more of the dick," he states. "He isn't always going after Blaine any longer. He isn't as in it because he continues to be previously. Blaine's not giving him anything to utilize and he's most likely just a little tired of it and progresses.InchFor exactly what the future holds for his character, Gustin noted that he's "available to the conceptInch of the Sebastian-Dork Karofsky (Max Adler) pairing. "It would be fun," he states, adding that he'd like to follow along with in Blaine's actions and transfer to McKinley High as Criss' character did this year.InchBecoming a Warbler is completely bad-ass however i would not be surprised if sooner or later he switched [to McKinley] like Blaine did," Gustin states. "By the Michael Jackson episode, he's still a Warbler."Glee returns Tuesday, Jan. 17 at 8 p.m. on Fox. The Hollywood Reporter

'Farewell My Queen' Starring Diane Kruger to Open Berlin Festival

COLOGNE, Germany "Farewell My Queen," a period drama from director Benoit Jacquot ("The Untouchable") starring Diane Kruger as Marie Antoinette, will open the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival on Feb. 9. The film, an adaptation of Chantal Thomas' prize-winning novel of the same name, is set in the early days of the French revolution as people begin to revolt against the court of King Louis the XVI. The film co-stars Lea Seydoux ("Midnight in Paris") and Virginie Ledoyen ("Army of Crime").In a rarity for an opening night film, "Farewell My Queen" will also run in competition for Berlin's Gold and Silver Bears. The Hollywood Reporter

'Doctor Who' Actor Noel Clarke Joins 'Star Trek 2'

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