How Aquaman Got His Groove Back

Aquaman Aquaman may be one of the most well known superheroes, but that doesn't mean he's one of the most popular. Though his fans know he's among the most powerful and fearless characters in comics, the general public has been laughing at the orange and green clad hero since his days on the 1970s Super Friends cartoons. Long derided because his main superpower seems to be his ability to "talk to fish," and due to his perceived uselessness out of the water, Aquaman is more associated with punch lines than punches. But the hard luck hero has been steadily working his way onto the pop culture A-List over the past few years, and his new comic book series has turned into a best seller. "I really thought the character had tons of potential," says Geoff Johns, DC Comics' chief creative officer, who is writing the book. "Having Aquaman be the king of Atlantis but a joke on land, that's a great dichotomy for a character." As part of a relaunch of DC Comics' entire line this fall, Aquaman was given a solo series for the first time since his last book was cancelled in 2006. Ironically, that was just as his mainstream image makeover was beginning. A guest appearance on Smallville (played by American Idol semifinalist Alan Ritchson) in the fall of 2005 was a hit with fans, and on HBOs' Entourage main character Vincent Chase got his big break starring in a (fictional) blockbuster Aquaman movie directed by James Cameron. More recently the sea king became the breakout star of Cartoon Network's Batman: The Brave and the Bold thanks to an unabashedly jolly (while still plucky) reinterpretation of his personality. Still, Johns felt that the new Aquaman comic needed to address the hero's laughingstock history. "You have the fans, like myself, who always root for the character, and you're always on the defensive immediately," says the author, who has previously rebooted other dusty DC franchises, like the Justice Society, Teen Titans and Hawkman. "And I wanted to take that approach in the book, that he's the ultimate underdog of superheroes. He becomes much more human and relatable by being underestimated." In the first few issues, police officers have mocked him to his face, and in a recent issue of Justice League of America (also written by Johns) Green Lantern, on meeting him for the first time, says, "I thought Aquaman was a sketch on Conan O'Brien." This honest take on the character has won raves from old fans - and brought in new ones. The first issue has sold more than 100,000 copies (an impressive number by today's standards) and with issue No. 4 going on sale this Wednesday - in comic book stores and online - the book ranks in the Top 20 for sales, according to Diamond Comic Distributors. Still, a recent cameo in an SNL Digital Short illustrates what he's up against. "It's going to take a long time to make Aquaman the coolest superhero there is, but I love fighting against that tide," says Johns, who confesses that water-themed puns are inevitable when talking about the character. Given that much lesser known heroes like Iron Man, Thor and Green Lantern have turned into Hollywood stars, could a screen-version of the King of the Seas be far off? "You will see Aquaman in a lot of different things beyond comics," Johns promises, but, "that's all I can get into now." One place where he could conceivably show up is Cartoon Network's upcoming DC Nation programming block, a partnership with Warner Bros. Animation and DC Comics slated to launch in 2012. Sandwiched in between shows like Young Justice and Green Lantern: The Animated Series will be animated shorts showcasing DC's enormous library. "Some are reinterpretations of characters that we know," says Johns, "some of characters that we never thought we'd see animated." Subscribe to TV Guide Magazine now!

Empire's Spider-Guy Cover Revealed

Spidey unmasks for the epic 2012 previewIf you are among individuals individuals who will get the heebie-jeebies in the first peek at an arachnid, Empire's new cover might not be for you personally. Everybody else, prepare to marvel in the cover star leading from the latest issue's improbably awesome 2012 preview. Who easier to blaze a trail in to the year compared to Amazing Spider-Guy and Andrew Garfield's youthful Spidey? No-one, that's who.Guy CoverMarc Webb's super hero reboot is only the tip from the issue's ginormous preview-formed iceberg. We have also run the rule around the Avengers, The Hunger Games, Prometheus, The Dark Dark night Increases, Skyfall, The Hobbit and Battleship. That 4g iphone is much more Peter Berg than iceberg. Yes, 2012 may be the greatest year for movies ever. Essentially, if you have Olympic games tickets, sell Them now: it's cinema for that gold. Acquire the Feb problem of Empire, onsale from December 20, for additional. The Astonishing Spider-Guy, meanwhile, shifts into movie theaters on This summer 4.

Kudryashov steps lower at Russia's CTC

MOSCOW -- Anton Kudryashov, your brain of Russia's top-rated commercial television network CTC Media, leaves the business after three years in the management reshuffle.Kudryashov's departure was by "mutual agreement," CTC mentioned, but no further reason was presented with. Hendes-Holger Albrecht, CTC board co-chair, mentioned the web was altering him since it "progresses in to the next factor of the development."Kudryashov, which has steered the holding through uneven economic waters throughout his time towards the top, will probably be transformed as Boss with the company's chief financial officer Boris Podolsky, until an enduring alternative is situated.In other changes, veteran European television executive Angelo Codignoni, who was simply mind of Eurosport between 1996 and 2006, was selected co-chair in the board of company company directors, and banker Dmitry Lebedev takes the board chair occupied for eight years by fellow banker Peter Aven. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

David Giuntoli: I Eat Far Away From Grimm's Corpses

Grimm David Giuntoli may play homicide detective Nick Burkhardt in NBC's fairy tale-tinged crime procedural Grimm, but in real life, he's not that stoic when faced with corpses - especially the fake ones used on the series. "I'm not usually easily disturbed, but I've walked on the set and been absolutely disgusted to my core," he tells TVGuide.com. "I'll always remember where I was when I saw this specific crime scene [in 'Danse Macabre']. There were rats crawling out of the stomach, out of the mouth of a corpse. The corpses, the prosthetics are so real that until you touch them, your brain doesn't understand that it's fake. It's terrifying. There's a lot of eating lunch in my trailer far, far away from the morgue set." From CSI to Grimm: A user's guide to TV procedurals Luckily for Giuntoli, Friday's Rapunzel-inspired episode (9/8c, NBC) is relatively light on the gore. The episode, titled "Let Down Your Hair," gives a nod to the classic fairy tale, about a kidnapped princess with magically long hair. "It's one of those stories that is more emotional, less 'chop off the head of the bad guy,' which is nice," Giuntoli says. "There's a murder... of a guy who was growing tons of marijuana and selling it. We don't know who kills him. But we find a strand of hair at the crime scene that turns out to belong to this girl who has been missing for nine years." The case holds particular significance for Nick's partner Hank (Russell Hornsby). "Hank has an emotional through line here. He's been... a detective much longer than my character," Giuntoli says. "He was part of the original team investigating the missing girl nine years ago, but he had to deal with the family and tell them that she hadn't been found. When we see this girl's DNA [at] the crime scene, it's a big moment for him. He has a lot invested in finding this girl." Check out this clip of Hank learning about the DNA: Like Rapunzel, missing girl Holly Clark (Mary Nelson) also has long hair that's been made unruly by living in the wild. Or is there more to it than that? "I see what looks to be a feral child out there that everyone thinks is just a missing girl," Giuntoli explains. "Only I think it's also possibly a creature. I don't want anybody else to find her first because she's been feral all her life and therefore [is] dangerous. But I still have this huge tug in my heart to save this girl, so I enlist Monroe." Reformed Blutbad Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) has learned to suppress his inner wolf, and thus is called on as Nick's liason with the creature world. "He wants to help me get the bad guys because he knows that not everybody's bad," Giuntoli says. "He's not bad in his core because he fights these urges. He knows it's a choice. It's kind of a love story with this girl and Monroe - not love in a romantic sense, but love in that they understand each other." Meanwhile, Nick is dealing with his own love woes, namely his relationship with girlfriend Juliette (Bitsie Tulloch), who's in the dark about Nick's calling as a monster profiler. "I'm lying to her, and worst of all, the danger is getting closer and closer to the home front," Giuntoli says. "There's a huge amount of guilt involved with that. Basically, if I tell her that I'm a Grimm, she's going to think I'm crazy, and I don't want her to leave me. Not telling her is a very selfish thing, though, because she can't prepare herself for the monsters that are trying to get me." Best of 2011: The top TV moments of the year Despite his misgivings, Nick isn't able to deny his Grimm heritage. "Throughout the series, he does kind of summon up the DNA from his ancestors," Giuntoli says. "He has to learn how to physically fight these creatures. Dealing with the monsters and catching the bad guys is becoming more and more natural to him. It's something that his family's done forever. And I think it's something that when he heard he was one of the Grimms, it made a little bit of sense to him." The actor, who is currently shooting Episode 13 in Portland, promises more explanation into the Grimm lineage. "The mythology is pushed forward in a large way in this episode," he teases. "I learn more about my history, about my aunts, about my parents." Grimm airs on Fridays at 9/8c on NBC. In case you missed it, check out our video interview with Giuntoli:

Mission: Impossible: London: Premiere

Ghost Protocol involves townThe fuse was lit london last evening when Mission:Impossible - Ghost Protocol opened up within the BFIIMAX round the Southbank. The celebs in the film - Tom Cruise, Paula Patton and Simon Pegg - and director Kaira Bird were grew to become an associate of with the great as well as the good to look for the film round the finest screen around.You may already know at this time, the film sees Ethan Search(Cruise)and also the Impossible MissionForce - includingPegg's Benji and Patton's Jane Carter - disavowed with the USgovernment once they come for just about any bombing within the Kremlin. A race begins to apparent their names and stop the dangerous people who have been really responsible. That will involve, since the trailer shown, hanging in the world's greatest building and resulting in everyone inside the audience to determine encouraging vertigo.Jason Bourne: Ghost Protocol Uk PremiereMissionImpossible:Ghost Protocol is going on IMAX on December 21 and national onDecember 26.

Gainsbourg eyes Von Trier's 'Nymphomaniac'

PARIS -- French thesp Charlotte now now Gainsbourg is at predicts topline in Lars Von Trier's next film, "The Nymphomaniac," an explicit look for a ladies erotic existence. Ces Films Du Losange, which has distributed all Von Trier's films since "Damaging the Waves," will release "Nymphomaniac" in France. Repped by TrustNordisk and produced by Zentropa, pic has furthermore been pre-bought by Artificial Eye (U.K.), Wild Bunch (Benelux), Gutek Film (Belgium), Central Partnership (Russia) and Aero Films (Czech Republic). Pic reaches script stage and lensing is slated for next summer season or fall. Composed by Von Trier, "Nymphomaniac" will probably be split up into eight sections and you'll be released by 50 percent versions -- a hardcore cut for mainstream distribution, together with a hardcore one. Stellan Skarsgard and Willem Dafoe have apparently been approached with the helmer to star inside the film. Gainsbourg toplined Von Trier's latter films, "Melancholia" and "Antichrist," which acquired her a best actress jerk at Cannes. "Melancholia" won the most effective film prize within the European Film Honours. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Braodway's in post-holiday stupor

Broadway box office descended from Thanksgiving heights in Week 27 (Nov. 28-Dec. 4), but sales were still healthy -- at least at the more in-demand offerings, which saw some jockeying among the members of the millionaires' club.In the horse race for the lead spot, "The Lion King" ($1,682,555) unseated "Wicked" ($1,656,955). Meanwhile, "Hugh Jackman, Back on Broadway" ($1,520,929) managed the unexpected feat of topping the stellar sum it logged during the Turkey Day sesh, vying with "The Book of Mormon" ($1,374,003) in terms of packed-house attendance (both reported averages of 102% capacity) and average price paid per ticket ($158.50 for "Jackman," $157 for "Mormon").Total Broadway cume fell by $4.3 million to $23.8 million for 33 shows. Unsurprisingly, attendance slowed considerably, falling some 25,000 to 245,483 and filling theaters to about 75% of overall capacity.The 24 musicals grossed $19,552,706 for 82.2% of the Broadway total, with attendance of 194,702 and an average paid admission of $100.42.The nine plays grossed $4,242,979 for 17.8% of the Broadway total, with attendance of 50,781 and an average paid admission of $83.55. Contact Gordon Cox at gordon.cox@variety.com

Gary Oldman on 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,' Its Insufficient Action and Playing Jim Gordon

Gary Oldman's pantheon of film performances include some enchantingly over-the-top figures, like his bad, Mozart-loving cop in 'The Professional,' hideously damaged pimp in 'True Romance' and also the maniacal Zorg in 'The Fifth Element.' But it is his quiet, understated role as upon the market spy George Smiley in the new film 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' that may obtain the criminally under-appreciated-by-the-Academy actor his first Oscar nomination. Oldman sitting lower with Moviefone to go over the task of dealing with a job made famous by Alec Guinness and why he needed a dialect coach to experience Smiley. Do you consider audiences may be disappointed inside a spy movie without any action? No, I believe that is what sets it apart. The correct answer is refreshing, this method. We have yet to determine what goes on. Many people I have spoken to actually such as the movie, but that certain factor that's missing may be the audience. But we're coming here on the wave of the very effective opening within the U.K. It had been number 1 for four days and it is there, will still be earning money. Therefore it states in my experience that individuals wish to go and find out a grownup movie without everything coming up. I had been reading through that you simply hired a dialect coach since you had not performed an english character shortly. Yes, well, you reside in the usa for such a long time. I've not really lost my accent, however the seem that you're encircled by ... my children are American, and thus there's just certain sounds which i make that aren't what can you call perfect received pronunciation British. And So I just needed a brush-on my British. Where have you read that? From the Q&A you probably did another evening in the Aero Theater in Santa Monica. I did not know I spoken about this! So Sirius Black does not count like a British character? No, it is simply different sounds you need to make. And that is kind of very Oxbridge, Whitehall vowels that certain needs to use. I believe extremely common. Take Sean Penn for instance, if he was playing someone from NY, he'd need to have a voice coach because he's from La. And Toby Johnson, he's Scots within this [and he isn't in tangible existence] to ensure that was a highlight he was doing. Have you have trepidation in dealing with a job that's so recognized with Alec Guinness? Yeah. He managed to get a lot their own. Others have performed Smiley however in different guise, different shapes. But Guinness was a significant dragon to slay, simply to really start it, get him from ... well, the dragon's inside your mind, is not he? Had you viewed the miniseries? Yeah, I'd seen it in '79 if this was on. I believe I recall it much better than I actually do. However, you designed a point to not rewatch it before doing the film? No, I did not desire to be kind of contaminated because of it. Almost always there is the risk it's so fresh inside your mind that you are doing kind of an impersonation. Had you met Mister Alec? No, I'd not met him, but my manager was once a Broadway producer and did maybe 2 or 3 or plays with him and understood him very well. Not to mention we'd use of John le Carré [the initial author of 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy'], and that he told some good tales. Guinness was very notoriously not happy with getting made 'Star Wars,' and you are in 2 from the greatest film franchises ever. Do you feel conflicted about large Hollywood versus "the craft?" Well, it's kind of perception, is not it, really? It relates to exactly the same commitment of your stuff. Whether you are playing Smiley or whether you are playing Jim Gordon. It is not as highbrow as 'Tinker,' however it takes great technique. Frequently the task of Jim Gordon and figures like this, as with Potter is -- as le Carré states -- you turn the oxen right into a bouillon cube. To evolve a magazine, you need to transform it into something much more compact. Lots of character passes the wayside and thus exposition and plot become character. You discover the figures are speaking the plot which takes a kind of skill to have the ability to accomplish it making the plot character, allow it to be credible and seem as if you are speaking just like a normal person. You're doing so admirably! Will you be up for additional Smiley films? They are speaking about doing 'Smiley's People,' that is really only a whisper, however I hear that they are really very keen to revisit it. And it is an excellent story. As we got all of the team together again, exactly the same creative people, yeah, I'd be up for this. [Photo: Focus Features] 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' is within theaters now mind for tickets and showtimes Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

Paddy Considines Directorial Debut 'Tyrannosaur' Wins Big at British Independent Film Awards

Opening in six cities over the weekend, Steve McQueen's sex-fueled Shame scored one of the top debuts ever for a film slapped with the dreaded NC-17 rating.our editor recommendsBox Office Report: 'Twilight' Leads Second Slowest Weekend of 2011 With $16.9 MilNew Movie Reviews: 'Hugo,' 'The Muppets,' 'My Week With Marilyn' Hitting Theaters'Hugo' Named Best Film of the Year by the National Board of ReviewWhy 'Shame' Could 'Legitimize' the NC-17 Rating'The Artist': How a Black-and-White Silent Movie Defied the Odds and Became an Oscar ContenderRelated Topics•Box Office Updates Fox Searchlight is planning an aggressive awards campaign for Shame, and decided to first test the appetite for the film in Los Angeles, NY, Chicago, Washington, D.C. and San Francisco. The move paid off, with Shame grossing a stellar $361,181 from 10 theaters for a location average of $36,118. Brooding and dark, Shame stars Michael Fassbender as a sex addict who must also cope with his equally lost sister, played by Carey Mulligan. "In a dismal down weekend at the box office, Shame delivered the highest per screen average of any film in this post holiday period," said Fox Searchlight's Sheila DeLoach, who is executive vice president of distribution. "More and more people will jump on the bandwagon of Fassbender's performance." Searchlight acquired Shame out of the Telluride Film Festival, and believes the film will play well throughout awards season, despite the challenges associated with the NC-17 rating. Still, the trick will be to attract sustained business, particularly outside of NY and Los Angeles, where the film did the best. Two awards contenders landed on the top 10 box office chart, led by Martin Scorsese's Hugo, which expanded into an additional 500 theaters over the weekend. The 3D family friendly movie--named best film of the year by the National Board of Review last week--grossed $7.6 million from 1,840 locations for a cume of $25.2 million. Paramount decided to roll out Hugo more slowly to take advantage of awards buzz. GK Films produced and fully financed the big-budget pic. In another victory for Searchlight, Alexander Payne's The Descendants climbed to No. 7 on the box office chart, grossing $5.2 million as it added 141 locations for a total theater count of 574 (this Friday, it will be playing in 850 theaters). Descendants, starring George Clooney, has now grossed $18.1 million and is the first limited release to ever cross $10 million in 12 days. And Descendants is already the No. 2 limited release of the yearafter Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, which has taken in a total $56 million. Midnight in Paris' tally includes $274,518 million grossed over the weekend as Sony Pictures Classics made one last push before the DVD comes out on Dec. 20 and re-released the film in nearly 300 theaters. The Weinstein Co. likewise had a prosperous weekend at the domestic box office with two award contenders, The Artist and Michelle William-starrer My Week with Marilyn. My Week with Marilyn came in No. 12 for the weekend, even though its only playing in 244 theaters. The film grossed $1.2 million for a 12-day cume of $3.9 million. The film had a stellar hold, falling only 33 percent from Thanksgiving weekend (most other titles fell off steeply from the holiday). In its second weekend, The Artist grossed $205,580 from four carry-over theaters in NY and Los Angeles and two new theaters in San Francisco. The black-and-white silent film was up a whopping 60 percent from Friday to Saturday, and posted a per theater average of $34,263, the second best of the weekend after Shame. David Cronenberg's awards contender A Dangerous Method, from Sony Pictures Classics, followed with a per theater average of $30,627 after grossing $122,517 in its second weekend from four theaters in NY and Los Angeles. Roadside Attractions' awards favorite Margin Call grossed $255,570 from 150 theaters in its seventh weekend for an impressive cume of $4.7 million (the film debuted day and date on VOD). Related Topics Box Office The Artist A Dangerous Method The Descendants Shame My Week With Marilyn Hugo

'X Factor' Results: Who Had to Beat It on Michael Jackson Week?

NY - What is known as "the longest running show on Wall Street" returns next week as UBS will once again let analysts and investors quiz entertainment industry moguls at its 39th annual UBS Global Media and Communications Conference here. As always, the year-end Wall Street tradition will put the advertising market outlook in focus, but also ask what's next for digital content deals and how much appetite companies have for potential acquisitions, among other things. Plus, executives, such as Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, who will travel to the East Coast for the event, get to reassure investors and analysts that their companies can overcome current or future challenges. "What are the important trends in video consumption, distribution and monetization?" will also be a recurring theme, said Aryeh Bourkoff, vice chairman, head of investment banking Americas at UBS. Plus, the conference will explore whether technology companies are becoming more like media companies. As every year, the UBS conference will bring media, entertainment and telecom top executives together at midtown Manhattan's Grand Hyatt hotel Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, giving Street observers a chance to rethink their entertainment industry investment choices ahead of the new year. After opening remarks from Bourkoff, the UBS gathering will kick off Monday morning with the always popular ad outlook panel for the new year, featuring a group of prognosticators. A keynote appearance from Viacom president and CEO Philippe Dauman on Monday is expected to feature questions on the outlook for Paramount Pictures and the recent ratings challenges at kids network Nickelodeon. Among other big industry names speaking on Monday are Lionsgate vice chairman Michael Burns, AOL chairman and CEO Tim Armstrong and Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei. Tuesday's UBS schedule includes keynotes from CBS Corp. president and CEO Leslie Moonves who is expected to once again highlight latest ad trends, Time Warner chairman and CEO Jeff Bewkes and Netflix's Hastings, whose company has seen its stock fall sharply as of late amid what critics have called strategic missteps.Netflix wasn't at the UBS affair last year. Also on the Tuesday lineup: AMC Networks CEO Josh Sapan, whose cable networks company is newly public, new Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia president and COO Lisa Gersh and Rob Wiesenthal, CFO of Sony Corp. of America. News Corp. deputy chairman, president and COO Chase Carey will wrap up the keynotes on Wednesday when he is expected to highlight that the conglomerate's business momentum has continued despite the phone hacking scandal. Some Street observers have said that Carey could eventually take over the CEO role from chairman Rupert Murdoch. Discovery Communications CEO David Zaslav will also share his latest thoughts and outlook on the conference's final day. Just like last year, no speaker from the Walt Disney Co. is scheduled to present at the event. And a year after the then-nearing close of the Comcast-NBCUniversal deal was a focus at the conference, neither company is on the agenda for next week. Other key topics of last year's UBS conference, such as cord cutting and premium VOD, could once again draw investor questions this year. Plus, expect Wall Street attendees to be curious if sector executives plan to pay higher dividends and continue stock buybacks to reward shareholders, which has already been a focus for many media and entertainment companies. Email: Georg.Szalai@thr.com Twitter: @georgszalai Related Topics News Corp. Netflix Chase Carey Reed Hastings