Weinstein denounces Le Pen

Harvey Weinstein has denounced French politician Jean-Marie Le Pen following a militant right-winger attacked an interracial friendship essentially in the Weinstein Co. film "The Intouchables." "Le Pen developed a repulsive statement representing a bigoted world view," Weinstein mentioned, mentioning with a recent TV appearance with the pol. The founding father from the xenophobic National Front party mentioned, "It may be an emergency if France would find itself inside the same situation" since the wealthy crippled Frenchman inside the film who bonds along with his poor youthful immigrant caretaker. Le Pen condemned a picture of France just like a "handicapped person stuck in the mobility device waiting for the assistanceInch of immigrants. Weinstein noted that Le Pen's daughter Marine Le Pen is running for leader with strong popular support. "That's frightening in my opinion,In . he mentioned, "but you have to speak up and speak out." "The Intouchables" has shattered records in France and you'll be out Stateside May 25. It premieres tonight in Gotham at Rendez-Vous with French Cinema's Opening Evening at Alice Tully Hall. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Lily Collins In Talks For Rosaline

From Snow Whitened to Shakespeare?There has been a lot of assumes William Shakespeare's Romeo And Juliet that it might be simple to think you will find no new avenues to understand more about. Which does great injustice to the idea, putting the storyline among silverback gorillas inside a jungle atmosphere. Also to Michael Sucsy's take, Rosaline, which shows occasions from her perspective. Now Lily Collins is within foretells star.Michael H Weber and Scott Neustader modified the script frim Rebecca Serles' novel (which, returning to studio tradition, has yet hitting the shelves). It sets the condemned love story in an up to date senior high school, and filters it with the titular youthful woman's eyes, as she's first admired then spurned by Romeo.Variety reviews that Deborah Ann Woll and Dork Franco will also be still studying the settlement motions to consider two other roles, which we'd guess are Romeo and Juliet themselves. We are also left wondering when the film will proceed towards the tragic finale...Sucsy continues to be looking to get that one setup for a while now, and Hailee Steinfeld flirted using the Rosaline role. However with The Vow under his belt, things should move just a little faster for that director. Collins, who'll next be observed in Mirror, Mirror (going to be out April 2) and it has lately seen her schedule obvious, since she's no more starring within the Evil Dead and her fantasy pic The Mortal Instruments continues to be shoved back to limbo.

David Boreanaz to Guest-Star on Downton Abbey?

Daniel von Bargen Seinfeld actor Daniel von Bargen, who's most widely known for enjoying George Costanza's boss Mr. Kruger within the sitcom, is within critical condition following a unsuccessful suicide attempt the 2009 week, TMZ reviews. The 61-year-old is at his Cincinnati apartment Monday morning as he shot themself within the mind after which known as for help. Based on audio from the 911 tape published around the gossip site, he told the operator, "I have shot myself within the mind and that i need assistance.Inch Browse the relaxation of present day news The gunshot towards the temple wasn't any sort of accident. Von Bargen, who's a diabetic, lately learned some not so good news. "I had been supposed to visit a healthcare facility and that i did not wish to. And So I shot myself... These were designed to amputate a minimum of a couple of toes." Von Bargen was moved to some nearby hospital. The veteran actor also recurred as Commandant Edwin Spangler on Malcolm in the centre. Around the giant screen, he's made an appearance in O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Faculty and Super Military.

First poster arrives for Frankenweenie

Frankenweenie, the new stop-motion animation from Tim Burton, has received a first official poster and it's every bit as charmingly gothic as we had hoped.The poster shows a tombstone bearing the moniker "Sparky", but wait a minute... isn't that Sparky the dog peeking out from behind it?Well yes it is, because the film will tell the story of a pet pooch brought back from the dead by a scientifically minded little boy. Naturally, he's not quite the same as when he left, but still, at least he's back! Sort of...We like the grimly humorous tone on display here, from the cross made of bones to the little doggy face carved onto the tombstone. If this can recapture the magic and malice of Burton-created classic The Nightmare Before Christmas, we could be in for a real treat.Boasting voice work from the likes of Winona Ryder and Catherine O'Hara, Frankenweenie opens in the UK on 5 October 2012. Don't tell the RSPCA.

Thesps join McDonagh on 'Calvary'

O'DowdChris O'Dowd and Aidan Gillen have joined Brendan Gleeson in the cast of "Calvary," John Michael McDonagh's follow-up to his directing debut "The Guard." The $7 million project, which is set to shoot in September, will be unveiled by Protagonist Pictures for pre-sales at Berlin's European Film Market. Set in Sligo on Ireland's west coast, it's a dark comedic drama about a good priest (Gleeson) being tormented by his community. The priest is told in the confessional that somebody is going to kill him within a week. O'Dowd ("Bridesmaids") and Gillen ("The Wire") play members of the local community, along with Kelly Reilly ("Sherlock Holmes") and David Wilmot ("The Guard"). Pic is being produced by Reprisal Films, the company McDonagh runs with Chris Clark, Flora Fernandez-Marengo and Elizabeth Eves. "The Guard" grossed $18.4 million worldwide, including $4.7 million in Ireland, where it was the biggest homegrown hit in many years. It earned $5.4 million for Sony Classics in North America. "The Guard" has 10 nominations at the Irish Film & TV Awards this Saturday, while McDonagh is also nominated for best original screenplay at the British Academy Film Awards on Sunday. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Ron Livingston Joins The Conjuring

Alongside Lili TaylorAnd then there were two... more. Yes, mere days after Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga signed on to star in Saw veteran James Wan's new horror film, we have learned two things. One: Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor have joined the film and two: it no longer has a name.Currently known as Untitled Warren Files Project, the movie formerly known as The Conjuring will still focus on a husband and wife team of psychic investigators (Wilson and Farmiga) who take on the most terrifying case of their career at a Rhode Island farmhouse.It's there that a couple (Livingston and Taylor) have moved with their children, only to discover that the place has a scary demonic/ghostly presence and definitely doesn't want them around.Chad and Carey Hayes have written the script based on the real-life experiences of investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, who really did try to help the Perron family in the 1970s. And, since he's clearly not finished with haunted houses (or Wilson) after Insidious, Wan is gearing up to shoot this coming March in North Carolina.Livingston, who last cropped up in Going The Distance, will next be seen in Disney's The Odd Life Of Timothy Green. Taylor, meanwhile, was last seen in Public Enemies.

DGA announces honours presenters

The Company directors Guild of America has introduced presenters because of its 64th Annual Company directors Guild of America Honours ceremony on Saturday at Hollywood & Highland. Tom Hooper, who won the DGA feature award this past year for "The King's Speech," will show the 2011 award. Other presenters include Michael Apted, Berenice Bejo, Jessica Chastain, George Clooney, Jon Cryer, Laura Dern, Jean Dujardin, DGA leader Taylor Hackford, Stana Katic, Ben Kingsley, Kathleen Robertson, Octavia Spencer, Betty Thomas, Michelle Williams, Owen Wilson and Deborah Ann Woll. Nominees for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film are Woodsy Allen ("Night time in Paris"), David Fincher ("The Lady Using the Dragon Tattoo"), Michel Hazanavicius ("The Artist"), Alexander Payne ("The Descendants") and Martin Scorsese ("Hugo"). Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com