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- 'Men In Black 3' Director Promises 'Surprising Ending'
'[It] is by far the most emotional of the movies,' director Barry Sonnenfeld tells MTV News about the third film in the 'Men in Black' series.
By Josh Wigler
Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith in "Men in Black 3"
Photo: Columbia PicturesThe Men in Black are back — but these aren't the galaxy defenders you remember, not exactly.
Yes, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones have both returned to their iconic roles of Agents J and K, two of the finest alien investigators the universe has to offer. But J is not the same bright-eyed rookie introduced oh so many years ago; he's a seasoned veteran now. And don't even get us started on Agent K, who has changed so much that a whole new actor is stepping in to play him in the upcoming summer action flick!
Nearly a full decade has passed since the last "Men in Black" movie was in theaters. But the threequel itself has been a fixture in headlines throughout its production: Between time-traveling tales, a one-two punch from Jones and Josh Brolin, and reported problems with the film's script, "Men in Black 3" has certainly been on every film geek's radar. But don't let all of that confuse you. Director Barry Sonnenfeld tells MTV News that not only is "Men in Black 3" the most "emotional" of the series, it's also the most "surprising." In other words, if you think you know what the film is all about, take it from the man himself: You don't know anything yet.
MTV News' Summer Movie Preview week continues today with an interview with Sonnenfeld, who spoke openly with us about the film's story, reports and rumors surrounding the production, and how "Men in Black 3" paves the way for a brand-new take on the sci-fi franchise.
MTV: A long time has passed since we've seen the Men in Black on the big screen. What does it mean to you, bringing them back after so many years?
Barry Sonnenfeld: It feels really great. I've been on the movie for a little over two years though, so I'm looking forward to some vacation, too. [Laughs] It was really rewarding. I'm really excited for people to see the movie. So I guess I'm tired, and happy.
MTV: Why return to this universe now after all this time? What made sense to you about exploring the world of "Men in Black" again?
Sonnenfeld: I think the important thing is to have a new, different story to tell. We didn't want another regular caper where some alien just comes down to threaten Earth, and the Men in Black have to solve it. The big idea — and it was actually Will's idea, while we were shooting "Men in Black 2" one night for an exterior shot. He said to me, "Barry, for 'Men in Black 3,' Agent J needs to go back in time to save Tommy Lee Jones' [character] from some event that's happened decades earlier. He needs to learn something about Tommy's character that he didn't know before." That was the genesis. Ten years later, we're about to come out and show the world what that meant.
MTV: Time travel is clearly a big element to the story, but there's more: we've seen photos of the typical weird aliens, we've seen Josh Brolin as a young Agent K, and we've seen Jemaine Clement as this crazy, motorcycle-riding villain. From a distance, we see all these parts, but perhaps we still don't have the full scope of what your movie's about. So, tell us: What's happening this time around?
Sonnenfeld: In the first act, Agent J is a bit fed up with how closed K is as a person, how he feels he needs to open up and communicate more, but it's not happening. K says to J, "You know how I live such a happy life? I don't ask questions I don't want to know the answers to." At the end of the first act, Jemaine's character, Boris the Animal, breaks out of prison and finds a guy who has a time device. He says he's going back to 1969 to do something to the man who shot off his arm — because Boris only has half an arm — and of course, that man is Agent K. At the end of that first act, Tommy's character disappears, and no one remembers that he ever existed... except Agent J, who realizes that someone went back in time and did something to Agent K. So he has to track down who gave Boris the device, and travel back to 1969 with one warning: He has to stay away from his old partner.
MTV: Which, of course, he does not listen to.
Sonnenfeld: What happens, actually, is he gets arrested by Agent K — now Josh Brolin — in 1969. The second and third act is all about tracking down Boris and Will renewing his friendship with a different K than the K he knows from 40 years in the future. What's really cool is that J is constantly wondering why this guy who seems sort of open and happy became the sort of curmudgeon that has been his partner for the last 14 years. He makes a discovery about that. So, "Men in Black 3" is by far the most emotional of the movies. It has a really surprising ending.
MTV: Everyone is very excited to see Brolin as K. Can you tell us more about his take on Tommy's character?
Sonnenfeld: Yeah, what's great about the movie is you've got two great actors, both Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin, playing the same character and being the same character, but being 40 years different in time. So Josh's challenge was how to not impersonate Tommy, but to be Agent K, you know what I mean? What's really interesting is that Josh can't veer away from Tommy so much that you go, "That's no fun, I miss Tommy." And he can't be so much like Tommy that you wonder why he's so angry in 1969. Will Smith said to me one day, "What's so interesting about this movie is that Josh Brolin is so good playing Agent K, and Tommy is so good at playing Agent K, that you almost don't realize there's two different actors in the role."
MTV: You mentioned that this is the most emotional of the "Men in Black" movies. What's interesting to me is that the villain this time around is played by someone who is traditionally viewed as a comedian. How does Jemaine's villain factor into the emotional aspect of this film? Is he more on the comedy side, or can we expect a more dramatic performance?
Sonnenfeld: Jemaine delivers a totally villainous performance. If there's any comedy at all, it's just through frustration. [Laughs] The great thing about Earth is that it can be a frustrating place for aliens. We don't think clearly, we're not logical all the time. But Jemaine is not on board this movie for comic relief. His performance is really strong and really villainous. Think about it: If you had not seen the first "Men in Black," and people had told you that Tommy lee Jones was funny, you wouldn't have believed it. This is the same thing — no one is trying to be funny. I want my actors to be real. If it's a funny situation, I want it to be funny. But I don't want anyone to play to the comedy. Let the audience find the comedy; I don't want to tell any [of the cast or crew] where it is. So, Jemaine does not deliver a comedic performance. While there are moments of humor that the audience will find funny, Jemaine himself is not being funny, if you get that.
MTV: There have been lots of reports about issues with the script and issues with the shoot. Set things straight: Can you give us a sense of your experience making this film?
Sonnenfeld: First of all, I don't know that I've ever been on a shoot that wasn't stressful for the director. I think all movies are stressful in different ways. What was reported on this one was that we took a several-months hiatus to work on the script. As it relates to that, that concept was built into the shooting schedule. We wanted the next movie Will Smith was in after a long time where he wasn't in movies to be "Men in Black 3." We also wanted to shoot in New York, which had a tax incentive that was about to expire. It didn't expire, but we didn't know it wasn't going to expire, because New York state legislature had to vote it in again, and we weren't sure that was going to happen. So we started the movie with a full script and with a really great first act — but the second and third needed work. We built in a two-month hiatus so we could continue working on the script and not need an eight-week reshoot. So that's what we did. The truth is, the great thing about the movie, is that there was no stress between myself and any of the actors. We all got along very well. You don't ever want a director and a movie star who see two different movies. But we all were working with the same ideas in mind. We knew the characters, we knew the history, and we were very much in sync.
People don't know this, but the end and plot of the first "Men in Black" was changed after we shot the picture, months and months and months after shooting. We had cut the movie and were ready to mix it and everything. But I took one scene and got a phonetics expert to change what the two aliens were saying — they were speaking English, and we changed it to an alien language, and subtitled what they were saying. That totally changed the plot of the movie. So, we did not have to do that on this movie. We got [the story] right the first time; it just took a long time to get there. The movie is really good, and it looks great. I think it's going to be fantastic in 3-D, too.
MTV: Wrapping up, you talked about how the ending of this film is "surprising." As much as you can tease, do you view this film as an ending to the "Men in Black" trilogy? Or are there ways to continue the story?
Sonnenfeld: The fantastic thing about "Men in Black 3" is that it totally closes out the trilogy, it answers questions that you didn't even know you should be asking, it leaves you emotionally warm and sad and happy, and it could also reboot the franchise. But I can't even begin to tell you how to interpret all of that. [Laughs] But I would say this: If your interpretation is that "Men in Black 4" will only star the worm guys and Frank the pug, you are wrong.
MTV: Hey, I'd pay money to see that movie!
Sonnenfeld: Yeah? Well, maybe I'm wrong! [Laughs] Just wait. It's going to be great.
Are you excited for the next "Men in Black" movie? Tell us in the comments section below!
It's Summer Movie Preview Week, and MTV News will be bringing you exclusive interviews, clips and photos for the most anticipated summer movies. Get ready to gorge on inside looks at "The Avengers," Robert Pattinson's "Bel Ami," Kristen Stewart's "Snow White," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and more!
Related VideosПереслать - Dick Clark Remembered By Mentee Ryan Seacrest On 'American Idol'
'He taught me how to do television,' Seacrest says of his 'dear friend' and 'New Year's Rockin' Eve' co-host.
By Jocelyn Vena
Ryan Seacrest remembers Dick Clark on "American Idol"
Photo: Getty ImagesOn Wednesday night, just hours after the world learned that TV icon Dick Clark had passed away, his heir apparent Ryan Seacrest took to the "American Idol" stage to pay homage to his mentor and friend.
"We can't begin tonight's show without acknowledging the passing of a television pioneer and my dear friend, Dick Clark," he said at the top of the broadcast. "Without Dick, a show like this would not exist. He will be missed greatly."
Seacrest credited Clark's groundbreaking work launching shows like "American Bandstand" as a predecessor for "Idol." "Our thoughts and our prayers go out to his family," he added. "I know that he's in a better place, saying, 'Hey, let's get on with the show, OK?' You got it, boss."
After the show, Seacrest noted that it wasn't easy holding it together while hosting the show. Clark took the "Idol" host under his wing, and Seacrest had helped the legend host "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve" since 2006.
"This is a tremendously emotional day for so many people — fans of music, fans of television, broadcasters and certainly me personally, as Dick Clark was one of those incredible pioneers of our business," Seacrest told reporters after the show. "He taught me how to do television.
"I studied him as a kid, and I had the fortunate opportunity to work with him for several years on New Year's Eve. And so I am sad and I am grateful for what he has given us, and certainly what he has given me. It was a tough night to do the show. I miss him, and there was nobody like him."
Another close friend of Clark's, Jenny McCarthy, opened up about losing the TV legend. She had also worked with him on his annual New Year's Eve bash and on the American Music Awards, which he helped create. "I feel honored to have worked with the legendary Dick Clark on the American Music Awards and New Year's Rockin' Eve. He was a great man who always encouraged everyone to give their best," McCarthy said in a statement to MTV News. "He will be dearly missed and his spirit will be forever in my heart, especially counting down the minutes to midnight every New Year's Eve to come."
Share your condolences for Clark's family, friends and fans in the comments below.
Переслать - Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson Headed To Cannes
Zach Efron, Brad Pitt and Matthew McConaughey will also head to the French Riviera in May for the annual film festival.
By Jocelyn Vena
Robert Pattinson and Kristen Stewart
Photo: Kevin Winter/ Getty ImagesRobert Pattinson will soon be an ex-Patt. He and Kristen Stewart are saying "au revoir" to Hollywood to hit up the Cannes Film Festival next month.
The "Twilight" twosome will be jet-setting to the famed seaside film festival to promote two of their highly anticipated films, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Pattinson will premiere David Cronenberg's "Cosmopolis", while Stewart will debut Walter Salles' "On the Road." Both of their films are in competition at the annual fete.
But they aren't the only ones adding some Hollywood sparkle to the French festival, which takes place alongside the French Riviera. Nicole Kidman, Brad Pitt, Zac Efron, Reese Witherspoon, Marion Cotillard and Matthew McConaughey will all be on hand to promote films there.
Several other highly anticipated films will also see their grand debut, including Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" and "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted." "American cinema has come back relatively en force," Cannes' artistic director Thierry Fremaux said at a press conference on Thursday (April 19).
This year's festivities also pay homage to Marilyn Monroe, who has recently found a resurgence in pop culture ("My Week With Marilyn," "Smash," Nicki Minaj's track, "Marilyn Monroe"). She is the face of the festival, appearing on a poster blowing out birthday candles in honor of the bash's 65th birthday. The 65th annual Festival de Cannes will run from May 16 to May 27. Of the 1,779 films submitted, 54 films made the final cut. Fremaux said a Cannes selection is "a trip through the cinema and through the world."
Переслать - 'Survivor One World': Troyzan Goes Crazy
As Leif gets sent packing and Tarzan rises, Troyzan suddenly emerges as the least likable player on the 'One World' beach.
By Josh Wigler
Troyzan on "Survivor: One World"
Photo: CBSTwo weeks ago, if you had told me that 50-year-old photographer Troy "Troyzan" Robertson would be my least favorite person on "Survivor: One World," I would have pushed you in the mud and shouted in your face, "This is my island!" OK, perhaps something a little less aggressive, but I still wouldn't have believed you.
Then Wednesday night happened.
Troy, with his back against the wall and few to no allies to turn to, did the only things he could to survive against the newly strengthened women's alliance: He pretended to find another hidden immunity idol (after playing his the week before), he won the next immunity challenge, and then he ... rubbed it in everyone's faces with an F-bomb for good measure? Bad, Troyzan! Bad!
Unlike Tyrion Lannister of "Game of Thrones" fame, you clearly do not understand how the game is played. On "Survivor," it's not enough just to win: People have to like you too, in order to secure their votes in the end. Troy's frustration over having no allies turned into an all-out verbal assault on anyone and everyone still living on that beach, effectively ruining every chance he had at securing partners in the game despite having a lot to offer a potential new alliance. For someone who appeared to be so good at this game just a few weeks ago, the immediate crash and burn of Troyzan — still crashing, still burning into next week, mind you — was absolutely dumbfounding to behold.
MTV News' weekly "Survivor" chat with two-time player and regular commentator Rob Cesternino continues this week, focusing on Troy's collapse, Leif's ousting, Tarzan's surprising rise as a serious competitor and the continued Kimsanity at the "Survivor" auction.
MTV: My opinion of Troyzan sunk very low very quickly this week. I appreciate a guy doing what he has to do to survive, but not only is there no need to be an a--hole about winning, not only is there no strategic upside, he's actually actively damaging his chances to win, in the unlikely event that he makes it to the end.
Rob Cesternino: You know, it's hard to find a situation where you're rooting against the back-against-the-wall underdog. Somehow, Troyzan is now having people root against him because of the way he's carrying on. There's a lot of whining that he's doing. None of it is advantageous to his survival.
MTV: Sabrina said it well: Even if you're winning challenges, even if you're surviving, you have to be likable to win in the end.
Cesternino: It's totally true. But in some weird way — and I don't think that this is what's going on — it could work to Troyzan's advantage a little bit in that he becomes so unlikable that he's no longer a threat to win the game. At some point, people might think, "I need to go to the end with Troyzan, because everybody hates him." He's certainly committing game suicide one way or the other. He might be able to make it to the end by being such a pain to everybody left in the game, but I don't think that's what he's doing strategically.
MTV: Right. He's quickly becoming the Phillip [from "Survivor: Redemption Island"] of the season. That was supposed to be Tarzan's job!
Cesternino: Not even Phillip. Phillip wasn't hated enough, I don't think. Troyzan's becoming more of a Russell Hantz, someone who everyone has all these hard feelings towards. Whereas Phillip got on people's nerves, I don't think anybody hated him. It's just the way Troyzan keeps carrying on. It's undercutting what he's trying to do strategically. He can't build alliances while pissing everybody off in the game. How are Alicia and Christina going to go and be in an alliance with him when he's telling them "don't f--- with me, this is my island!" It's tough.
MTV: On paper, the deal he's proposing makes sense: the three remaining men plus the two women who are clearly at the bottom of the totem pole. You gain a five-to-four majority over the other women. The numbers add up. But Troyzan couldn't sell it. He's become such an unlikable guy that no one agreed to what was really a pretty good deal.
Cesternino: That's the frustrating thing! He has the right plan and he made a compelling argument. For Alicia, I think she threw the game away tonight. If I'm Alicia, why not go in a five-person alliance with Troyzan, Tarzan, Leif and Christina? Who's beating her out of that crew? Those are the four easiest people to beat in the jury right now, and she's the only one who could possibly win out of that group. Why wouldn't she jump ship to that group? But there are ways in this game. People are afraid to make moves. They just think everything's going to work out for them in the end — but it's not!
MTV: There was never a moment where I was worried about Kim's safety. I wasn't even worried for Tarzan. I feel like the episode would have made a bigger effort to stress that danger if he was really on the chopping block. It had to be Leif, who had his fun moments, but overall didn't have much of an impact on the season. Were you surprised at all to see Leif go? Was there anything he could have done differently in order to stay?
Cesternino: I don't know. If you would have told me pre-season that there would be a little person on "Survivor" and he was going to last 10 episodes on the show and he's going to be completely unmemorable, I would have called you a crazy person. That being said, Leif really seems like a nice guy. But it also seems like he never really had any idea of what was going on in the game at any point. Even for an episode where he's voted off, he was barely on the show. He was the Purple Kelly of this season! Though Leif did have one great moment for the road: when he was in the ocean with Tarzan washing him. That was pretty great.
MTV: More and more, Tarzan's just breaking out as the star of this show. He was great in this episode again. And it wasn't just him patting Leif on the head, he actually did well in the game this week. He was second place in the challenge, he gave that public pep talk to Troyzan in a very classy and well-articulated way, and when push came to shove, he made the smart vote: It was either going to be Tarzan or Leif going home, so Tarzan voting for Leif definitely made sense over voting Kim, like Leif did.
Cesternino: You know, I think he knows what's going on a little bit. I don't think it was just a shot in the dark, him throwing a vote at Leif. I think he's with the women. We're not really being shown who he's with right now, but I get the sense that he's with the women. Because he even says to Troyzan, "Look, I'm trying to beat you." I get the sense that he's not on the same page as Troyzan. He hasn't gone along with any of Troyzan's plans to vote out Kim — they didn't vote together. I would be very surprised if Tarzan gets voted out before another woman leaves the game. They don't look at him as a threat. They look at him as a guy who can't win. When they're down to seven maybe, that's when the girls might start going after one another, and Tarzan's still in the game. Kim didn't feel like she was in any danger, no matter what Troyzan was doing. She didn't even talk about playing the idol. If Troyzan was really getting close to making something happen, I think she might have played it.
MTV: The game is certainly afoot!
Cesternino: It is! We don't know who Tarzan's letter [won at the auction] was from, either. And what's going to happen to his car?
MTV: That's a great question. [Laughs] I love the "Survivor" auction; it's always my favorite challenge on the show. This season's take was great. Our girl Kim was the clear victory there.
Cesternino: Kim was definitely the winner — and so were we! Usually on "Survivor," you have to get naked to get the chocolate and peanut butter. But Kim got naked and then paid for chocolate and peanut butter. She could have just killed two birds with one stone by going in the shower to get the chocolate and peanut butter! That wasn't great "Survivor" thinking.
MTV: But a $40 shower and a $240 bowl of chocolate and peanut butter isn't such a bad deal out there, either.
Cesternino: Yeah, that was a good deal. [Laughs]
MTV: Another great moment from the auction: Troyzan and Christina's bidding war over the immunity challenge advantage. It played out as you'd expect: Troyzan goes (almost) all in, with Christina unwilling to really seal the deal. That's been her MO all season long. What can she do to make herself noticed in the game?
Cesternino: I don't know what Christina is doing in the game. She didn't bid on anything. It's just symptomatic of her game in general. She's at the auction, the money is in her hands, and she's just not buying stuff. I don't know what's going on. She's in the game, she has a vote, and they're just not counting. There's no chance that she's getting past the final five or six in the game, because she's so stuck on the sidelines.
MTV: Looking ahead, what are Troyzan's chances of survival? Is there anything he can do strategically and socially to get to the end, or does he need an immunity run to win?
Cesternino: He does have his work cut out for him. I always watch "Survivor" after the merge, and really, I'm watching for the weeks where there's an odd number of people left in the game. Those are the weeks where you tend to just need one person to switch things up — like at seven, to make the split four to three. When there are eight people left, like there's going to be next week, it's going to be hard, because you need to get two people to switch. Now with Leif out of the game, he'll really need a number of people to switch. I just don't see that happening at this point in the game unless something really drastic happens.
Share your thoughts on this week's "Survivor" in the comments section or on Twitter
Переслать - 'Men At Work' Flute Player Greg Ham Dead At 58
Ham is best known for playing the flute solo on 'Down Under.'
By Gil Kaufman
Greg Ham in 1985
Photo: Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesMen at Work member Greg Ham, best known for playing the iconic flute solo on the Australian group's 1982 hit "Down Under," was found dead in his Melbourne home on Thursday (April 19) at the age of 58.
According to the Associated Press, in keeping with local customs, Victoria state police would not confirm any details of the death or whether the musician died of suspicious circumstances. His body was discovered after two friends who had not heard from Ham for a while went to check on him.
"There are a number of unexplained aspects to it which has caused our attendance here today, and we're assisting the local detectives to determine what has occurred," Detective Senior Sergeant Shane O'Connell told reporters.
Though Men at Work enjoyed global success in the early 1980s with their #1 album Business As Usual, which contained the hits "Who Can It Be Now" and "Down Under," they came under scrutiny in 2009 when a publishing company claimed that keyboardist/saxophonist/flutist Ham's solo was lifted from a beloved children's campfire song, "Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree." The company sued, and in 2010, a judge ruled that the band had copied the melody and that it should pay 5 percent of past profits.
The song was written by Men at Work singer Colin Hay in 1978, a year before Ham joined the band and added the solo, which court documents said he'd suggested in order to give the tune some "Australian flavor." CNN reported that Ham testified that he'd head the song while growing up in the 1950s and was "pretty sure" the Kookaburra tune was in his school's songbook. Though Hay said he wasn't aware of the original until much later, the AP reported that the controversy had weighed heavily on Ham, who was worried it would mar his musical legacy.
"It has destroyed so much of my song," he told an Australian paper after the 2010 ruling. "It will be the way the song is remembered, and I hate that. I'm terribly disappointed that that's the way I'm going to be remembered — for copying something."
Despite his fears, "Down Under" remains the unofficial anthem for Australia and came in fourth in a 2001 music-industry survey of the best Australian songs. Men at Work broke up in 1985, and Ham had been working as a guitar teacher in recent years.
Related ArtistsПереслать - Dick Clark's Heir Apparent: Ryan Seacrest
'American Idol' and 'On Air' radio host is most likely successor to Clark, who died Wednesday at age 82.
By James Montgomery
Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark
Photo: Andrew Walker/ Getty ImagesIn 2005, when it was announced that Ryan Seacrest would join Dick Clark as the host of the long-running "New Year's Rockin' Eve" telecast, most viewed the move as a ceremonial passing of the torch — probably because it was.
Sure, a stroke suffered the previous year had left Clark debilitated — he had missed the 2004 New Year's broadcast, replaced by Regis Philbin — and his role heading into the 2005 NYE show was anything but certain, meaning Seacrest's live-TV acumen would be heavily relied on. But, really, there were plenty of folks ABC could have chosen to assist in the broadcast, and still, they went with the man who was building a broadcast empire as a radio and television personality, a producer and a pitchman.
Turns out, it was the perfect choice, and not just because the '05 "New Year's Rockin' Eve" telecast posted a ratings jump of nearly 2 million viewers from the previous broadcast. For years, Seacrest had been seen as the heir apparent to Clark, the iconic personality who had spent the better part of eight decades establishing himself as America's pre-eminent multimedia powerhouse, until that NYE broadcast, when he gradually began to cede the throne: Seacrest would return the following year, with Clark's role diminishing, and in 2009, the show was officially re-named "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest."
Make no mistake about it: There will never be another Dick Clark. But with Clark's death Wednesday at the age of 82, Seacrest now stands alone. Granted, his entire career has been influenced in every possible way by Clark, who blazed trails — both in front of the camera and behind the scenes — and whose impact on television and radio is nearly impossible to fathom.
With his work on iconic shows like "American Bandstand" and his various syndicated radio programs, Clark brought music into millions of homes, and by being one of the first mainstream hosts to embrace disco, R&B and hip-hop acts — the descendants of which probably make up 75 percent of your Spotify playlist today — he helped shape the tastes of the American public. Through "Bandstand," he also helped fundamentally change the way music was presented on television, and his on-camera mannerisms belied the fact that live TV was (and is) a high-wire act.
The parallels between that show and "American Idol" — on which Seacrest rose to national prominence — are obvious, and one could make the argument that the two men are quite possibly the best live-TV hosts of any generation. But Seacrest also followed in Clark's footsteps on radio, where he hosts two syndicated programs ("On Air With Ryan Seacrest" and "American Top 40"), both of which continue to influence the nation's musical tastes. And just as it was in Clark's day, the debate rages over whether or not that's a good thing.
Clark also served as the longtime host of the "Pyramid" game show and the "TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes" series, the latter of which was an early forerunner of reality television, something Seacrest knows a thing or two about, given his role as producer on shows like the massively successful "Keeping Up With the Kardashians." In his role as a producer, Seacrest really seems to have been taking notes from Clark. After all, there were few as formidable as him: For more than 50 years, Clark's self-titled production company has been one of the most successful in TV history, backing a string of hits like "Bandstand," "So You Think You Can Dance" and the "American Music Awards."
Of course, it remains to be seen whether Seacrest will have the longevity Clark enjoyed or if his impact on television will be as sizeable. Both of those things seem tall tasks, indeed — there have been few, if any, who have been as influential as Clark, in any number of ways. He was one of a kind, to be certain, and in Seacrest, we have the heir to his throne. Or at least his understudy.
Share your thoughts on this story in the comments below!
Переслать - Kristen Stewart A 'Gung-Ho' Action Star In 'Snow White'
'Huntsman' director Rupert Sanders also discusses the 'fiendish' Charlize Theron for MTV News' Summer Movie Preview Week.
By Kara Warner
Kristen Stewart in "Snow White and the Huntsman"
Photo: Universal PicturesIt's clear from all we've seen from the "Snow White and the Huntsman" trailers, photos and behind-the-scenes sneak peeks that this film is a stepping stone for Kristen Stewart in many ways.
When MTV News caught up with the film's director, Rupert Sanders, recently, he explained how everyone involved in the project stepped up their game for this modern take on a medieval story.
"Kristen is a very driven, visceral, intuitive actress. From a director's point of view, it's great to get into her headspace," he explained. "We did a lot of work together on the script and character, and she really helped inform me how that character was feeling, which really helped my process getting the character onscreen. Kristen was doing a lot of her stunt work, she was riding horses, she was jumping from high precipices into freezing cold water, she was fighting dwarves — she's gung-ho.
Sanders said Stewart's co-star Charlize Theron was equally gung-ho with respect to the lengths she went to take her beauty into a dark and horrible place.
"[She] becomes fiendish," Sanders said. "She was willing to get in tubs of black oil, surrounded by dead ravens, and crawl her way out. For a director, what's great about these two actors is that they will go beyond what you ask of them, and I think it really shows in the performances they've given. They're both very unlike any performance I've seen either of them deliver."
The first-time feature director promised that fans will not be disappointed by what they'll see onscreen when the film opens June 1.
"What I'm most proud of is that it's not a popcorn movie in that respect. It's big and it's epic and there's lots of battle sequences, but it really hits you," he said. "There's not a lot of weeping, but it's a very intense ride. You're really at the edge of people's boundaries. There are new ways of seeing action, which I'm excited about. It's a very modern take on a medieval film but doesn't feel like we're trying to do anything trendy or of the minute. It still feels practical."
It's Summer Movie Preview Week, and MTV News will be bringing you exclusive interviews, clips and photos for the most anticipated summer movies. Get ready to gorge on inside looks at "The Avengers," Robert Pattinson's "Bel Ami," Kristen Stewart's "Snow White," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and more!
Related Videos Related PhotosПереслать - Ester Dean Hopes To Tap Taylor Swift, Rihanna For Solo Album
'I like to talk nasty, I like to talk about love,' Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter opens up to MTV News.
By Rebecca Thomas, with reporting by Kara Warner
Ester Dean
Photo: MTV NewsYou think you know Ester Dean, but you have no idea.
To eagle-eyed fans who scan the iTunes digital booklets for albums by pop deities like Beyoncé, Kelly Clarkson, Nicki Minaj and Katy Perry, the Muskogee, Oklahoma, girl is a (frequently) reoccurring name among the writers' credits. In fact, get-it-girl anthems including, respectively, "Countdown," "Mr. Know It All," "Super Bass" and "Firework" all bear Dean's chart-choking stamp.
But to other folks, Dean is Rihanna's musical alter ego, the saucy scribe who channels the Bajan stunner's carnal appetites and then churns out irresistibly raunchy radio ditties like "Rude Boy" and "S&M." When MTV News asks her about it, decorated songwriter Dean said she understands why Top 40 fans might be confused. Now, with her solo album under way, the Roc Nation signee is ready to introduce fans to the real Ester.
"They hear songs and they think they know exactly who I am," Dean acknowledged before giving some insight into her personality. "I am very crazy. I like people to know my ideas. I like to talk about 'The Secret' [laughs] and how to manifest great things in your life. I like to be a role model, and I like to talk sh--, you know?" she said with a laugh, highlighting contradictions typical of any grounded female. "I like to talk nasty; I like to talk about love."
Her Chris Brown-featuring single "Drop It Low" got some shine back in 2009. Her status as one of the industry's elite songwriters and the go-to hand for Norwegian super-producers Stargate has long lifted Dean out of subsidized housing in the ATL, thrusting her into the rarefied realm of music biz success stories. So why does the Grammy nominee want to trade the comparative anonymity of the studio for the glare of the spotlight?
Well, after "manifesting" a career writing catchy tunes for pop and R&B princesses, Dean realized there were just some songs that needed a certain voice: hers. "I need to sing the songs that there's no artist to sing [the] songs for me," Dean said, a note of determination creeping into her whispery alto.
"I've been waiting to do it for a couple of years now, and people ask me what took so long. I don't believe in leaving one job before the next job. My writing was a job ... so I just needed to wait. But now I feel like I've actually stacked ... my credits up enough for people to understand who I am and what's my sound."
Dean admitted she's looking forward to seeing the names of some of her loyal clients next to the word "featuring" on the track list for her still-untitled album, which is due later this year. Rihanna, for example, can expect a phone call, Dean revealed. But country sweetheart Taylor Swift should also check her voicemail soon.
"It's really a relief to say, 'OK, I'm here. I'm gonna do it, lets go!' "
What do you hope Ester's solo album will sound like? Tell us in the comments!
Переслать - The Wanted Call 'Punk'd' Episode 'Brilliantly Gruesome'
'When you get accused of kidnapping, it's the worst feeling in your life,' Tom Parker tells MTV about tonight's episode.
By Jocelyn Vena
The Wanted
Photo: MTV NewsOdd Future star Tyler, the Creator will be this week's guest host on "Punk'd," and for one of the pranks, he got an assist from right inside the Wanted. It seems that Jay McGuiness was a bit of a "Punk'd" mole when it came to pulling one over on his pals.
"The team at 'Punk'd' spoke to someone on our management team in the U.S. called Nano. ... Nano knew that out of the group, I enjoyed pranking the lads a lot," the Brit explained to MTV on the set of their video for "Chasing the Sun."
"And so we worked with their team for a couple of weeks to come up with the idea, [and] obviously we weren't allowed to tell you anything to come up with the idea. And then on the day we filmed 'Chelsea Lately,' it all just slowly kicked off. It was just a brilliantly gruesome day. It was awesome."
So, what exactly did Jay put the guys through? Well, sometime during their appearance on the show back in February, the fellas were accused of kidnapping a little girl. Once outside, they were detained by police officers and put through the ringer. Needless to say, the guys were pretty scared.
"When you get accused of kidnapping, it's the worst feeling in your life," Tom Parker explained. "[I was thinking,] 'I'm going to prison for the rest of my life in America.' "
While they tease they are working on getting Jay back, they actually have their sights set on another teen idol: their pal Justin Bieber. "You know who you really want to punk next? Bieber," Parker explained. "Because he claims he's un-punkable, and this could be something that we need to set up."
On the season premiere of "Punk'd," Bieber pranked the likes of Taylor Swift, Sean Kingston and Miley Cyrus. So far, none of those folks have gotten vengeance on the singer. This week's episode will also include Tyler punking "90210" star Shenae Grimes and E! reality star Scott Disick.
"Punk'd" airs at 10 ET/PT (9 Central) tonight on MTV.
Related Videos Related Artists Переслать - 'American Idol' Top Seven Sing Hits From 'Now And Then'
Jessica Sanchez gives 'otherworldly' performance after near elimination last week and Hollie Cavanagh finally 'ruffled her feathers.'
By Adam Graham
Jessica Sanchez on "American Idol"
Photo: Fox"American Idol" opened Wednesday (April 18) with a recap of last week's Jessica Sanchez near-elimination drama, but before the show could get down to the business of the top seven (round two), host Ryan Seacrest paid tribute to television legend and his mentor Dick Clark, who died Wednesday at age 82.
"Now we can't begin tonight's show without acknowledging the passing of a television pioneer and my dear friend, Dick Clark," said a somber Seacrest. "Without Dick, a show like this would not exist. He will be missed greatly; our thoughts and our prayers go out to his family. I know he's in a better place saying, 'Hey, let's get on with the show, OK?' You got it, boss."
The contestants sang two songs each, the first a #1 hit from 2000 to today, the second an old-school soul classic. After nearly being booted last week, Sanchez fought back on the "Idol" stage, first with Alicia Keys' "Fallin' " and later with a spunky version of Otis Redding's "Try a Little Tenderness."
"Your talent is so otherworldly to me," Randy Jackson told Sanchez — or was it BB Chez? — after "Fallin'." "I don't even know if you know how good you really are, and how even greater you can be. I love it." Following "Tenderness," the judges praised her ability to connect emotionally to songs, and urged her to push it even further going forward.
Joshua Ledet, who for the first time last week landed in the bottom three, also came back strong, earning standing ovations from the judges for both his songs, first Fantasia's "I Believe" and later for Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come."
"You have stretched your voice to the limits of soul!" Steven Tyler beamed after "Change." Praising the restraint he showed early before building to a robust climax, Jennifer Lopez made a plea to viewers: "Please, America, don't send this boy home! Please!"
All around cool dude Phillip Phillips took on Usher's "U Got It Bad" early before tackling Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour" in the second half of the show. Lopez called "U Got It Bad" "sexy" while Tyler exclaimed, "no chump love, sucka!" — a comment we're still trying to decode. But overall, the feedback for Phillip Squared was positive. "You are Phillip Phillips and dude, you are the bomb!" said Jackson.
After receiving harsh criticism the past few weeks — or at least what passes for harsh criticism on this rather tame, gentle season of "Idol"— Hollie Cavanagh came back big on Wednesday, first by belting out Adele's "Rolling in the Deep," perhaps the biggest song any of the contestants took on all night, and later with "Son of a Preacher Man." "You finally came out of your shell and ruffled your feathers a little," Tyler told her, while Lopez told the 18-year-old Liverpudlian she showed a new composure in her performance.
Country-rock boot stomper Skylar Laine continued her hot streak, first with Lady Gaga's country-fried version of "Born This Way" and later with a down-home version of Marvin Gaye's "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." "Every time you're on stage it's a party. It's the Skylar Laine Rock and Roll Country Party!" Jackson exclaimed, while Tyler said she's "like a wild horse that refused to be tamed." Lopez complimented Laine on the "spunkiness" of her performance.
Colton Dixon also got his Gaga on, doing a goth-lite version of "Bad Romance," even though the song technically never hit #1 in America (it peaked at #2 on Billboard's Hot 100). He later put an emo spin on Earth, Wind & Fire's "September," a performance that got him some negative feedback from the judges. "I think your voice is a lot more powerful than that song," Tyler told him, while Jackson said the song was out of his comfort zone. Dixon, who generally gets good marks from the judges, looked a bit surprised but took his dings in stride.
Elise Testone, who Jimmy Iovine snarked "has a vacation home in the bottom three," was also criticized for performing what the judges deemed an odd fit for her voice when she did Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." Earlier, her version of Alicia Keys' "No One" gave Lopez her "first goosies of the night," while Tyler got a little weird when he told her, "You sang your little tushie off tonight, it was delish." Testone also revealed that back home her dog is sick and might not pull through, which could earn her some sympathy votes from the masses.
Since the judges' one and only save was used up last week, someone will be sent home Thursday, which is also set to feature performances by LMFAO and season 8 "Idol" champ Kris Allen.
What did you think of "Idol" Wednesday? Let us know in the comments!
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Переслать - Dick Clark: The Man Who Changed TV
Clark's influence endures today with such stars as Ryan Seacrest.
By Gil Kaufman
Dick Clark on the set of "American Bandstand"
Photo: Getty ImagesWithout Dick Clark, there would be no Ryan Seacrest. Hell, without "America's Oldest Teenager" there would be no "TRL," and maybe no MTV.
Clark, who died at age 82 on Wednesday (April 18) after suffering a heart attack, never sang a note or released an album. He wasn't the inventor of a dance craze or a label boss or even a particularly hip guy. What he was, though, was a visionary.
And as much as any hotshot who played a guitar, figured out how to mix two turntables and a microphone, wiggled his hips or invented the next big sound in music, Clark was instrumental in making pop music pop.
Photos: The life and career of Dick Clark
He brought rock and roll into America's living rooms in the 1950s, just as the sound of young America was upsetting parents, confounding the staid radio programmers of the day and encouraging teenagers to shake, rattle and roll. Though he dressed like a martini-swilling ad executive and was adamant about keeping a strict tie-and-jacket dress code on his long-running signature show, "American Bandstand," Clark lived by one simple credo when it came to judging music: "It's got a good beat and you can dance to it."
Most importantly, when he took over "Bandstand" and went national in 1957, Clark put teenagers on TV at a time when the most popular shows were aimed at their parents' generation, including "Gunsmoke," "I Love Lucy," "The Danny Thomas Show" and "General Electric Theater." He let them see themselves on TV, which seems like no big deal to today's YouTube-ified teens, but was a revelation for the first generation to grow up in front of the tube.
An MTV VP recalls his first job in television, working for the late Dick Clark.
With one of the longest runs in TV history (1957-1989), "Bandstand" became a crucial stop on any major artist's promotional rounds. And with good reason: The show drew an audience of more than 20 million at its peak, half of whom were reportedly adults. Among the acts that lip-synced their hits on the program and got their first major exposure over the years: Chuck Berry, Sam Cooke, James Brown, Simon & Garfunkel, Johnny Cash, Aretha Franklin, Jackie Wilson, Marvin Gaye, the Jackson 5, Chuck Berry, the Doors, Pink Floyd, Prince, Kurtis Blow, Cher, Devo, LL Cool J, INXS, Bon Jovi, Run-DMC, Madonna and the Talking Heads.
Clark would chat the artists up and, even as the years went on and the styles changed from the buttoned-down 1950s to the freewheeling 1960s, disco-dancing 1970s and new-wave 1980s and the show's influence waned, Clark's enthusiasm for the hits of the day was unwavering. The times changed, but Clark appeared ageless, his full head of hair and boyish smile as much a staple of the show as the enthusiastic dancing of its real stars: the audience.
Though controversy would later rise over Clark's claims that he integrated the show in 1957 (as well as a nearly career-derailing brush with the payola scandals of the 1950s), what is indisputable is that Clark offered a forum for both black and white artists at a time when there were few. The sight of black and white kids dancing together also inspired one of TV's other enduring music programs, "Soul Train," whose recently deceased leading light, Don Cornelius, was sometimes referred to as the "black Dick Clark."
Ryan Seacrest, Snoop Dogg and more celebs mourn Dick Clark.
Clark didn't just spin the hits, though. He created the template for the modern multitasking media mogul, a mantle picked up by his heir apparent, the unflappable Ryan Seacrest. He helped produce or executive-produce more than 7,500 hours of programming, from the Golden Globes, American Music Awards and Academy of Country Music Awards, to mind-numbing prime-time fluff like "TV's Bloopers & Practical Jokes." He often boasted that his was not the road less taken, but the cheesy, crowded freeway packed with bored couch potatoes just looking for a fun diversion, which he was happy to provide.
Clark taught television execs that teenagers had the power to push the cultural needle and that they were having a huge impact on music, movies, fashion and, yes, even politics. More importantly, "Bandstand" helped pave the way for the Top 40 radio format and helped move rock and roll into the movies and beyond.
Clark eventually moved into game shows, TV movies and children's programming under his Dick Clark Productions banner. And if you want to know why Seacrest seems like he's everywhere these days — from "American Idol" to "New Year's Rockin' Eve," numerous awards shows and executive-producing multiple Kardashian shows and other TV — it's because he studied at the knee of his icon and has patterned his multifaceted career on the man who laid the foundation. With holdings that included everything from themed restaurants to a theater in Branson, Missouri, it's not a stretch to say that Clark's influence reached into the modern realms of hip-hop and pop, where moguls from Diddy to Jay-Z, Justin Bieber and Rihanna have diversified by dipping their toes into the worlds of perfume, beverages, advertising agencies and cosmetics.
Nobody truly stays forever young, but Clark proved that you can stay forever young at heart.
Share your condolences for Clark's family, friends and fans in the comments below.
Переслать - Juvenile Imagines Soulja Slim As A Tupac-Style Hologram
'Just to be able to do that is crazy to me,' Juvie tells 'RapFix Live.'
By Rob Markman, with reporting by Sway Calloway
Juvenile on "RapFix Live"
Photo: Natasha Chandel/ MTV NewsAfter Tupac Shakur was further immortalized with a posthumous, holographic performance this past weekend at Coachella, many have wondered what other hip-hop legends might get the holo-treatment. The Notorious B.I.G., Eazy-E and Wu-Tang's Ol' Dirty Bastard are just a few examples of rap legends who were taken before their time; Soulja Slim is another.
"That was my 'Pac," Juvenile said of the New Orleans rap icon who was slain in 2003. "I told him that all the time: 'I think you're the greatest rapper in the world. It's a lot of things you just gotta straighten out outside of that.' "
Juvie pondered the possibility of seeing his old friend again onstage when he appeared on Wednesday's (April 18) "RapFix Live." Though he would love nothing more than to see his friend and collaborator get his just due, he did admit to being conflicted about using the holographic technology to bring Slim to the stage.
"I mean, that's a touchy one there. I don't know, man, because I'm so used to seeing him in a certain light, next to me, I put him on a pedestal," he said. "To see him in a hologram — just for him to be put in a sentence with Tupac, I think it would be something good. I can't see nothing bad coming out of it. I think the advancement of technology is a great thing. Just to be able to do that is crazy to me."
DJ Khaled, also a guest on Wednesday's "RFL," marveled when he saw Shakur grace the Coachella stage. "When I see what Dre was doin' with 'Pac, I was excited," he said. "We love 'Pac. I thought it was special."
The charismatic DJ was OK with the somewhat controversial display because it was approved by Tupac's mom, Afeni Shakur. "As long as you talk to the family members and they co-sign it, then we salute it," he said.
Juvenile echoed that sentiment. "That's the same way I feel about Ms. Linda," he said, referencing Soulja Slim's mother. "Just knowing that Ms. Afeni had something to do with it, it's a good thing."
Which late rapper would you like to see as a hologram? Let us know in the comments.
Переслать - 'Magic Mike' Trailer: Five Magical Scenes
We strip down the new sneak peek for the best moments of Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey and more.
By Kara Warner
Channing Tatum in "Magic Mike"
Photo: Warner Bros.For those of us who've been dying to see "Magic Mike" since it was announced, Christmas came early Wednesday (April 18) in the form of the film's first official trailer.
For months we've been obsessing over as many details as we could find — from the first official photos to chance encounters with the cast and their hilarious stories of thong mishaps. And now we finally have two minutes of glorious footage to watch over and over again.
Here are the five key scenes in the "Magic Mike" trailer:
Classic Cop Routine
The trailer opens with Channing Tatum and Alex Pettyfer knocking on the door of a party, dressed as local police officers. "We keep getting complaints of noise and underage drinking," Tatum says in a serious tone to the all-female crowd, before pinning one lady against the wall for further questioning. "Everybody sit down because we're going to be here for a while.""You don't have anything sharp on you that I can stick myself with, do you?"
"No," the girl says anxiously.
"Good, because I do," Tatum says saucily before we hear the telltale ripping noise that means he's just expertly exited his uniform.
Channing Busts a Move
Those of us who've been following Tatum's career since his star-making turn in "Step Up" are well aware that the man has moves, and they are on full display in this trailer. We see Tatum working it with a little boy-band choreography, doing some breakdancing, flipping through the air, spinning from the ceiling, etc. It's all in the name of putting on a good show and stripping down to his skivvies, which we don't actually see. "You are the husband they never had," we hear strip-club owner Dallas (Matthew McConaughey) say to Tatum's Magic Mike in voice-over. "You are that dreamboat guy that never came along."McConaughey Being McConaughey
We are not at all surprised that McConaughey's character Dallas looks right at home onstage, putting it all out there for a bunch of ladies. "The law says you cannot touch, but I see a lot of lawbreakers out there," he says to a squealing crowd, wearing nothing but a cowboy hat, a leather vest and blue jeans, all the while flashing that million-dollar grin of his — not to mention the several quick shots of McConaughey in action as part of the male revue, as well as his own stunt as some kind of fire-breather.Introducing Cody Horn
Who knew we'd see so much of the female characters in this first spot? The lady who's front and center is Cody Horn, an up-and-coming actress whose work you might have seen on "The Office." Horn is introduced as the girl-next-door/sister to Pettyfer's character, who falls for Mike and attempts to keep him grounded in reality. There are a lot of cute and flirty moments between Horn and Tatum's characters, and it's obvious that Horn's "normal girl" will be the one to eventually convince "Magic Mike" to hang up his stripper shoes and pursue his dreams of going into custom furniture design. Yup, furniture design.Disappointing Amounts Of Bomer And Manganiello
We're not ones to complain or anything, but because we know exactly how many gorgeous men are in this film's cast, we expected to see a lot more of them in the trailer. There was a blink-and-you'll-miss-it shot of "True Blood" heartthrob Joe Manganiello hurting his back mid-tease, but it was entirely too short. And where in the heck was blue-eyed cutie Matt Bomer? We're hoping they're holding onto the proverbial goods for unveiling in future teasers.Check out everything we've got on "Magic Mike."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Переслать - 'Sin City 2' Director Confirms Casting Details
Robert Rodriguez tells MTV News that Rosario Dawson and Mickey Rourke are 'pumped' for 'A Dame to Kill For.'
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Robert Rodriguez
Photo: Anna Webber/ WireImageAfter years of waiting, fans of Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller's "Sin City" finally got confirmation that their dreams would be answered.
Last week, Rodriguez announced he would begin production on the long-awaited sequel this summer and that casting would begin soon. The official title will be "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For," taking its name from Miller's second story in the series.
MTV News spoke with Robert Rodriguez for the Blu-ray release of "Roadracers," an early film of his, and he opened up about the sequel and returning to Miller's world.
MTV: There was huge news last week with the green light for "Sin City 2." You're beginning casting now?
Robert Rodriguez: We still have to cast. I'm shooting "Machete" next month, and we go right into "Sin City." It might overlap, but we haven't done any casting yet, except for the people who we know are already in it and returning. "A Dame to Kill For," all those people come back. I just had lunch with Mickey [Rourke] this weekend. He's all excited to come back, but he's probably the first one. I saw Rosario [Dawson] too. I ran into her for something else, and she's pumped. They've always been excited about doing another one, so that will be fun.
MTV: Does casting responsibility fall primarily on you and Frank Miller?
Rodriguez: That will be the process. Frank and I go together to meet everybody, and I like seeing his reaction because he drew these characters so long and when they walk in the room, you see it on his face. He doesn't know who it's going to be until he sees them. Then he's like, "This is exactly like the character I created." It's pretty exciting.
MTV: You've said before that you wanted to use three acts again. Is that still the plan?
Rodriguez: Three is a good number. Dramatically, the three-act structure has lasted and is tried and true. I did an anthology before called "Four Rooms," and if you look it up, anthologies are never successful. That's the end of that, I thought. Then I said, "I bet I can do an anthology if it's the same director, and not four, not five, not eight stories. That's too many." Three is a good number. I think two is just weird. Three feels like a dramatic structure, even if they're separate stories. I feels like one, two, three acts and maybe a wrap around. It worked on "Sin City," and that's probably the first anthology that ever worked, that I can think of. So I'm going to stick with that template because, one, I invented it. I can claim it and go, "I'm going to do it again." If it doesn't work, then I'll know that "Sin City" was just a fluke.
MTV: Was a "Sin City" sequel always in the back of your mind? I know there have been plans for years.
Rodriguez: It was immediately [known] that we were going to do it. I think it was 2007, and I was already meeting with Angelina Jolie and people to do it. The Weinsteins had just started a new company. They just didn't have the money to do it at the time. It was like, "Go do another movie or two and come back. We'll be ready." I went off and did a couple movies. Frank went off and did some movies. Then it got harder and harder to come back and find the time to do it. We missed that moment when it was ready to go. Then it was so far afterwards that it might as well have been any time now, but people never lost their appetite for it. They still come up to us and say "When are you doing another 'Sin City'?" We thought we had to do it at some point. Now we're just making the time.
MTV: Are you still looking at casting Angelina Jolie?
Rodriguez: I haven't even gotten to meet with her yet about it or discuss with Frank about who we would want to go with or talk to first. That's a fun process, but that probably won't happen in the next month.
MTV: Several movies have imitated the style from "Sin City." Is there a desire at all to reinvent the wheel a bit?
Rodriguez: I probably thought that back then, but now, even people did green screen stuff, "Sin City" is very unique. It's not just the visuals. It's the story and how it's told and Frank's storytelling that works when you're looking at it in a book or in a film. It works in any way, shape or form. He's just a great writer and visualist and storyteller with pictures in a way that's different than what anyone else can think of. It's so unique, and I think that's why people keep asking for another "Sin City" in particular. In terms of just visuals and effects, yeah, it will evolve from the original, for sure.
Are you pumped for "Sin City 2: A Dame to Kill For"? Let us know in the comments!
Переслать - Dick Clark Mourned By Ryan Seacrest, Snoop Dogg, More
Tributes from Carson Daly, Russell Simmons, Big Boi and New Kids on the Block flood in after pop-culture icon's death.
By Jocelyn Vena
Ryan Seacrest and Dick Clark on "Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve 2010"
Photo: Theo Wargo/Getty Images/DCPThe death of pop-culture icon Dick Clark has hit the entertainment world especially hard. Moments after news broke that the producer, radio personality and "American Bandstand" and "New Year's Rockin' Eve" host had died of a heart attack at age 82, some of showbiz's biggest names expressed their sadness over the loss.
Photos: The life and career of Dick Clark
Ryan Seacrest, who has long been Clark's heir apparent, having taken over the hosting duties on his "New Year's Rockin' Eve," said in a statement, "I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life. I idolized him from the start, and I was graced early on in my career with his generous advice and counsel. When I joined his show in 2006, it was a dream come true to work with him every New Year's Eve for the last 6 years. He was smart, charming, funny and always a true gentleman. I learned a great deal from him, and I'll always be indebted to him for his faith and support of me. He was a remarkable host and businessman and left a rich legacy to television audiences around the world. We will all miss him."
I am deeply saddened by the loss of my dear friend Dick Clark. He has truly been one of the greatest influences in my life.
— Ryan Seacrest (@RyanSeacrest) April 18, 2012Carson Daly, who has also taken career cues from Clark, said in a statement: "We lost an icon today. I will always cherish the personal time we had together. I am forever indebted to Dick Clark and his legacy. My heart goes out to his family."
The love for Clark seems to defy genre, as his work on TV helped very diverse artists break into the mainstream. Russell Simmons tweeted, "Dick Clark was eternally young. No matter what culturally phenomenon was happening, he always embraced it. RIP..."
An MTV VP recalls his first job in television, working for the late Dick Clark.
Snoop Dogg added, "REST IN PEACE to the DICK CLARK!! U were pioneer n a good man!! Thank u sir."
Big Boi simply tweeted a photo of him and Outkast partner Andre 3000 standing alongside Clark, with the message "R.I.P Dick Clark."
Like Big Boi, "Weird Al" Yankovic also posted a photo of himself with the TV host, writing, "Such sad news. RIP Dick Clark."
Certainly his influence on merging music and television can be seen on TV today, especially on shows like "Glee." "A sad day as we have lost Dick Clark, an American Icon. You will be missed," one of the show's stars, Matthew Morrison, tweeted.
His loss is also felt by the pop world, with '80s boy banders New Kids on the Block tweeting, "#RIPDickClark. A true music maverick. You will be missed."
Their tourmates, the Backstreet Boys, added, "Our hearts go out 2 Dick Clark's family. The memories u've created will live forever & r experiences w/ u is something we will cherish 4 all r lives."
Kings of Leon's Jared Followill seemed surprised by the news, writing, "R.I.P. Dick Clark? Say it ain't so..."
Madonna's manager Guy Oseary also tweeted about Clark's death. Back in the early '80s, just as Madge was taking her career to the next level, she famously declared on "Bandstand" that her ultimate goal was "to rule the world." Linking to a clip of that 1984 appearance, Oseary wrote, "Rest in Peace DIck Clark ..."
Share your condolences for Clark's family, friends and fans on our Facebook page.
Related Photos Переслать - 2 Chainz Tells Fans To 'Expect A Lot Of Surprises' On Debut
MC tells MTV News Based on a T.R.U. Story, which features Kanye West, will have 'substance.'
By Rob Markman
2 Chainz
Photo: MTV NewsThere are certain benefits that come with being one of the hottest up-and-coming talents in the rap game; just ask 2 Chainz.
"I'm working with people like Kanye, of course. I'm in a good creative space right now," Deuce told MTV News about his mindset while putting the finishing touches on his debut solo album, Based on a T.R.U. Story. "I'm able to get my hands on a lot of things that I need. I have access to a lot of artists right now. I have great production."
We caught up with the MC formerly known as Tity Boi on the set of MTV2's upcoming game show "Hip Hop Squares" and spoke about what fans can expect from his highly anticipated Def Jam release. "You can expect a lot of surprises. I like to bring the element of surprise back in hip-hop; bring the enjoyment and anticipation," he said. Fans will have to wait until August 14 to get their hands on the LP, but the Atlanta rap virtuoso plans to release a single entitled "No Lie" on May 1. "I don't wanna leak a record right now, I'm doing so many features and 'Riot' is doing so well, I don't want to cause any kind of confusion."
To say he's doing well is a bit of an understatement. 2 Chainz is currently featured on Young Jeezy's "SupaFreak," Nicki Minaj's "Beez in the Trap" and Kanye West's latest G.O.O.D. Music single "Mercy." His current solo single, "Riot," is quickly becoming a staple for hip-hop mixshow radio DJs.
For the most part, 2 Chainz is classified as a trap rapper whose material mainly revolves around the drug game and street life. With Based on a T.R.U. Story, he plans to change all of that. "From me you can expect concepts; you can expect things that you can think about, substance," he explained. "Although I have a trap background and I'm heavy with the street credibility, I also have the mind frame to expand a few ideas and some current events, ya dig?"
What kind of surprises are you hoping to hear on 2 Chainz's debut? Leave your comment below!
Related ArtistsПереслать - Iggy Azalea 'Restructured' Deal For Grand Hustle
After signing with Interscope, rapper tells MTV News, she decided she wants T.I.'s label to be 'a permanent fixture in my career.'
By Nadeska Alexis
Iggy Azalea
Photo: MTV NewsIggy Azalea's fall 2011 mixtape, Ignorant Art, drew so much attention that by January she'd already inked a deal with Interscope Records. A month later, however, T.I. announced that she had also signed to Grand Hustle Records, causing a bit of confusion. Although it was an usual situation, Azalea says her deal was restructured to create an ideal contract.
"I didn't know I was gonna sign to Grand Hustle," Azalea told MTV News, explaining how she managed to stick with both imprints. "There's no way I thought that would happen. Not because I didn't like them, just because my deal was all sewn up, and I restructured the whole thing."
The 21-year-old Australian rapper revealed that Interscope chairman Jimmy Iovine was "cool with it," helping her tailor a new deal that pleased all parties involved. "[Jimmy] likes Tip, and they're good friends, so it worked out," she explained. "But it made everybody so confused, because everyone was like, 'I thought she was signed to Interscope; Grand Hustle is with Atlantic.' "
Iggy said she pushed for the deal to be amended because she had such natural chemistry with the Atlanta rapper and his team. "I love everyone at Grand Hustle — not just [T.I.]," she shared. "Initially, I wanted to work with him ... because of him, but once I got to Atlanta and I met all of them, I was like, 'Man, I feel so comfortable with all these people and I really want them to all be involved and not just for one album but for the long run.'
"You always hear stories of labels trying to break things up and things changing, and I just wanted to make sure I had a structured business deal where that was not able to happen," she concluded. "So that's why I asked for it to be restructured and for Grand Hustle to be involved and be a permanent fixture in my career."
Iggy Azalea's debut album, The New Classic, is tentatively scheduled to drop this summer.
Are you awaiting Iggy's debut? Tell us below!
Related Artists Переслать - Dick Clark Dead At 82
'American Bandstand' host has been a TV staple for more than 50 years.
By Gil Kaufman
Dick Clark in 1958
Photo: Getty ImagesOne of television's most enduring personalities, Dick Clark, died on Wednesday (April 18) after suffering from a massive heart attack. According to TMZ, the longtime host of "American Bandstand" and "New Year's Rockin' Eve" had been in a Los Angeles hospital undergoing an outpatient procedure when the heart attack struck, killing him at age 82.
Clark had weathered a number of serious ailments since 2004, when he suffered a major stroke, forcing him to retire from "Rockin' Eve," which he had hosted since 1972. His death comes after the man known as "America's Oldest Teenager" spent a long career building some of the most iconic brands in television, from "American Bandstand" and "Rockin' Eve" to the American Music Awards and such popular shows as the "$25,000 Pyramid" and "TV's Bloopers and Practical Jokes."
Photos: The life and career of Dick Clark
But it was "Bandstand" that helped Clark stake a claim as one of the people who helped put rock and roll on the map, and, more importantly, into people's homes on TV. After taking over a low-rated afternoon show featuring teens dancing to the day's hits on an interim basis, Clark was bumped up to full-time host in 1956. The show went national on ABC as "American Bandstand" and became a sensation, helping to advance the careers of dozens of early rock stars such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chuck Berry thanks to his "rate-a-record" segment, which helped Clark earn a reputation as a musical tastemaker.
The show ran daily Monday-Friday until 1963 and then once-a-week on Saturdays through 1989. Once Clark made the move to Hollywood in 1963 his Dick Clark Productions became a TV powerhouse, producing TV shows as well as made-for-TV movies.
Though he was known for his sharp business acumen and fierce dedication to his signature shows — he returned sporadically to "Rockin' Eve" beginning in 2006 despite suffering some speech problems due to the stroke — Clark was, above all, the consummate on-camera professional. With his charming, unflappable style, Clark yearned to stay forever young.
Born Richard Wagstaff Clark in Mount Vernon, New York, on November 30, 1929, Clark was destined for a career in the entertainment business. He began working in the mailroom of the WRUN radio station in upstate New York before he graduated from high school, working for his father and eventually taking on the job of weatherman and announcer.
After spinning records on the college station during his time at Syracuse University, Clark graduated in 1951 with a degree in business and worked a number of radio jobs before landing the "Bandstand" gig.
According to ABC News the Museum of Broadcast Communication calculated that Dick Clark Productions had churned out more than 7,500 hours of TV programming, including more than 30 series, 250 specials and 20 TV and big screen films. That volume of material not only brought Clark untold millions, but also earned him induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Emmys, Grammys and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
As Clark himself would have said it with his signature catchphrase, "For now, Dick Clark ... so long."
Share your condolences for Clark's family, friends and fans on our Facebook page.
Related PhotosПереслать - 'American Idol': What Will Jessica Sanchez Sing After Near-Exit?
Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery debate which 'Then and Now' hits the 'Idol' top seven should tackle.
By Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery
Jessica Sanchez performs on "American Idol"
Photo: FOXThe "American Idol" top seven took on current hits last week, and look how well things turned out! Uh, wait, never mind.
Anyway, after Jessica Sanchez escaped elimination thanks to the judges' save (which officially marked the first time this season they've actually done something right), "Idol" producers decided to up the ante for Wednesday night's (April 18) show by letting the contestants sing both a #1 from the past decade — since it worked so well before — and a classic soul tune.
Yes, it's "Then and Now" week on "Idol," which, come to think of it, is a pretty apt way of viewing the show's steady decline. It also means we're going to see the usual front-runners strut their stuff: Sanchez will dominate a Beyoncé hit, Joshua Ledet will own a soul tune, Colton Dixon will make bedroom eyes to the camera — yep, it's gonna be a great night!
So, in anticipation of all that, uh, excellence, MTV News' resident "Idol" experts Gil Kaufman and James Montgomery have returned once again with their hand-selected songs for the remaining seven. And for the first time, they actually agree on a couple of things! Read on for their picks:
Colton Dixon
We get it, Colton, you're the hand-holding, sensitive type. I've said it before and, given your vanilla soft-serve taste in music, I will say it again: Sing Owl City's 2009 smash "Fireflies." It's a song girls love, and that seems to be all that matters on "Idol" anyway. As for your soul pocket, why not the Staples Singers' "I'll Take You There," since it's kind of a holy rolling rocker? -KaufmanWe know he loves the Lord. We also know he has terrible taste in music. Is there any doubt, then, that for his "current" song, he'll take on Creed's "With Arms Wide Open"? (It was #1 for one week in November 2000!) As for his soul selection, well, I could see him caterwauling his way through Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "Tracks of My Tears." Hey, it's certainly emo enough. - Montgomery
Hollie Cavanagh
Let's face it: Being in the bottom three almost every week is a drag. It's enough to shake your confidence, but the Texas automaton with the "Toddlers and Tiaras" perma-smile just keeps hanging on. Things can't get much worse, so she might as well go for broke with Katy Perry's "I Kissed a Girl." That means she needs to bring a big, showy ballad for her soul song and Diana Ross' "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" always works. Always. - KaufmanShe's still here. Somehow. Anyway, since I was about the only person on the planet who thought she did a good job with Pink's "Perfect" (except for barely enough of the "Idol" voters, that is), there's no way she'll go down that route again. So for her contemporary song, I say she goes ballad and does Mariah Carey's "We Belong Together." Soul-wise, shoot, your guess is as good as mine, so let's just say she'll do Martha and the Vandellas' "Heat Wave," and then get shown the door on Thursday. - Montgomery
Elise Testone
Poor E-Test. She keeps knocking it out of the park, yet ends up in the bottom three time and time again. We know she can kill a Lady Gaga or Pink song, which is why she should wrap those gritty pipes around original "Idol" Kelly Clarkson's booming "My Life Would Suck Without You." As for her soul pick, Sam Cooke's "Bring It on Home to Me" will totally let her shine in her own unique way. - KaufmanShe can play the piano. She has a flair for the dramatic. So she'll do Alicia Keys' "Fallin'." For her other song, she should show off her fiery side, and what better tune to do that than Ike and Tina Turner's "Proud Mary"? I could definitely see her dominating the latter, and if she does, she might actually have a shot at winning this thing — especially after last week. Or she could just get booted. Season 11, everybody! - Montgomery
Phillip Phillips
Too bad for Philly Phil that the Dave Matthews Band hasn't charted lately, otherwise he could just throw in the towel and cover the band he's been covering every week anyway. With not many contemporary rock tunes to choose from, he may have to just growl his way through James Blunt's weeper "You're Beautiful." Or, worst comes to worst, Nickelback's "How You Remind Me." And he could surely put his foot-stompin' stank on the Motown classic "I Heard It Through the Grapevine." - KaufmanCouldn't you see him putting a sultry spin on Outkast's "Ms. Jackson"? Hey, I could too — and it would probably rule. Of course, he'll just end up grouting through something else, so why not Nickelback's "How You Remind Me"? (Gil and I are on the same wavelength, apparently). For his soul number, well, he'd be a fool not to do Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." The ladies will go crazy, and he'll move one step closer to his inevitable heartthrob-off with Dixon. - Montgomery
Joshua Ledet
Mantasia's playing with house money this week, and it feels like he should roll the dice. He killed it by going uptempo last week, so he should double down and do Outkast's "Hey Ya!" People love that song and it would make him seem ... less dated than he does now. Then he can go back into his groove for a certified standing-O run through Otis Redding's "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay." - KaufmanWe know he can't do Bruno Mars two weeks in a row, so maybe he puts his own take on Janet Jackson's "All for You"? (Call it a hunch: Josh is a Janet fan.) As for the soul classic, shoot, name one he can't sing the bejesus out of: Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour," Sam and Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'," any version of "I Heard it Through the Grapevine." No matter what he chooses, it'll be great. - Montgomery
Skylar Laine
We'll assume this week's theme allows for country #1's as well, in which case the resident boot scooter could go the soft route with Lee Ann Womack's oft-sung "I Hope You Dance" or the burn-it-out route with Gretchen Wilson's "Redneck Woman." Finding a classic soul song for Skylar to pour grits and gravy on shouldn't be that hard — and yet. She could scuff up Freda Payne's "Band of Gold," or just stay close to home and put some twang on Gladys Knight and the Pips' "Midnight Train to Georgia." Hell, Georgia's right there in the title! (Even though she's from Mississippi.) - KaufmanThrough every fault of her own, her current choices are basically limited to stuff like Carrie Underwood's "Inside Your Heaven," Taylor Swift's "You Belong With Me" or Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now." I'll say she goes with Underwood. She's got way more leeway when it comes to classic soul, though I could see her doing a dynamite job on something like Frankie Lymon's "Why Do Fools Fall in Love" or the Four Tops' "Reach Out, I'll Be There." - Montgomery
Jessica Sanchez
BeBe Chez has proven time and again that she's got ballad chops for days, but she's still trying to prove she can shake it like a Polaroid picture. Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" could be the one. And what the hell? If you're gonna play the role of baby diva, you might as well get some "Respect" from the Aretha Franklin fans in the crowd! - Gil KaufmanWow, Gil and I are really in tune this week. Or perhaps "Idol" really has become this predictable. Anyway, two songs for Sanchez means she's gonna be able to show off both her true self and her nefarious alter ego, BeBe Chez. I say BeBe gets to shine on Beyoncé's "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," and, seriously, is there any doubt she'll go supreme Diva and do Aretha Franklin's "Respect"? After last week's near-elimination, you know she'll be singing for the rafters tonight. Sometimes you've just got to light a fire. - Montgomery
Get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.
Related PhotosПереслать - Dick Clark Remembered: 'And The Show Will Go On'
An MTV VP recalls his first TV job working for the late pop-culture icon.
By Jonathan Mussman
Dick Clark in 1988
Photo: Getty ImagesJonathan Mussman, vice president of production at MTV News and Docs, got his start in television working for Dick Clark Productions. Below, he recounts what it was like working for the pop-culture legend, who died at age 82 on Wednesday (April 18).
You may know Dick Clark just as the man who counted down the few seconds to the New Year, however he was truly an icon across TV, radio and music.
Dick Clark was also a mentor for me personally, as he gave me my first job in television out here in Los Angeles many years ago. Known for his continued youthful appearance, the "world's oldest teenager" was the quintessential on-air personality. In my year-plus working for him and on his shows, such as "Super Bloopers & Practical Jokes," American Music Awards, "The Challengers," Golden Globe Awards, Daytime Emmy Awards and numerous pilots for the broadcast channels, I developed important producing skills that I still use in my TV job today here at MTV. Dick was passionate, dedicated and creative and one of the nicest bosses I've ever had. Without question, working at Dick Clark Productions in one month equaled the experience you would get over years at other companies. You kept busy while working on many amazing projects.
Photos: The life and career of Dick Clark
Some personal memories include the days that he and his wife, Kari, would bring their dogs to the office in Burbank — you'd always hear shouts from stolen food off people's desks during lunch hour as the dogs made their daily rounds. I also remember one American Music Awards where Vanilla Ice was hosting and stormed off in some tirade during a rehearsal the night before the live show. Dick taught us all how to remain cool and collected while dealing with overinflated celeb egos as he responded to the production team without missing a beat: "And the show will go on."
He was an award-winning pioneer in introducing and promoting new artists, new sounds and new music to millions of listeners and viewers through his career on local radio stations and the well-known TV series "American Bandstand." He helped revolutionize TV production as well, blending his skills as an on-air personality and producer. His "Super Bloopers & Practical Jokes" — where he would place celebs in surprising situations — helped pave the way for our very own "Punk'd." Dick Clark Productions (under new ownership) is still a powerhouse production company producing popular hits including "So You Think You Can Dance."
I look back fondly on my years at DCP and will always cherish the memories I had learning the business under his direction. You will be missed, Dick Clark — a man who created such a TV and music legacy.
Share your condolences for Clark's family, friends and fans in the comments below.
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