Chinese company directors lobby for cheaper film tix

BEIJING -- Chinese helmers Zhang Yimou and Feng Xiaogang are lobbying for lower ticket prices to lure more auds, because they attend this week's annual legislature in Beijing as advisors. "I worry about entrance prices, let us allow it to be less expensive for individuals to look at movies in theaters," stated Zhang, the "Flowers of War" and "Hero" helmer because he walked in to the Great Hall of those on Tiananmen Square. There have been red-colored stars, red-colored flags and red-colored-clad hostesses to escort the three,000-odd associates, many of them senior Communist Party cadres and tycoons, plus Zhang, Feng and fellow helmers Feng Xiaoning, Chen Guoxing and Zhang Huijun, prexy from the China Film Academy. The price of visiting the movies varies broadly in China but it is quite normal to pay for over $7 for any ticket, a slice of alternation in a rustic in which the average monthly earnings per capita is all about $200. The filmmakers are hoping to make an offer on "support and rectification from the film industry." Apart from greater discount rates on ticket prices to assist domestic movies, additionally they desire a increase in construction of theaters in second- and third-tier metropolitan areas. Through the finish of this past year, the amount of screens countrywide had exceeded 9,200, up 33% on 2010, while the amount of movie theaters elevated 29% to two,800, but many of these were in first-tier metropolitan areas for example Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. The Communist Party lately stated that culture would be a "pillar industry" to become nurtured and marketed. China's B.O. taken past $2 billion the very first time this year, based on the government's film bureau, a 29% hike on the year before, so senior figures within the film biz carry lots of weight nowadays. Additionally they want more efforts to hack lower on piracy. The biz reps will join an important advisory body from the Chinese Individuals Political Consultative Conference throughout the ten-day annual gathering, known in China because the Two Conferences. Another section may be the National Individuals Congress, where associates will rubber-stamp bills set before them through the Communist Party leadership. The main objective from the confab is to ensure stability because the Party starts the procedure this fall of handing over energy. Likely candidate to exchange leader Hin Jintao is Xi Jinping, a film aficionado who lately oversaw an offer throughout his trip to Hollywood that opened up up China's 20-film quota on foreign movies to permit 14 more photos in and also to give foreign companies a larger number of the take. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Ronnie Montrose dies at 64

Rock guitarist Ronnie Montrose died Saturday, March 3, of prostate cancer. He was 64. A posting on Montrose's official website Saturday noted: "He passed today. He'd fought against cancer, and staved off later years for extended enough. Maintaining true with form, he chose their very own exit the means by that they chose their very own existence." Throughout the time of his career, Montrose carried out with well-known artists for instance Van Morrison, Herbie Hancock, Boz Scaggs as well as the Edgar Winter Group, by using their band's hits "Frankenstein" and "Free Ride." He produced their very own band, Montrose, in 1973 along with singer Sammy Hagar, bassist Bill Chapel and drummer Denny Carmassi. This rock band acquired having its self-titled debut album that incorporated such tunes as "Rock the nation,In . "Bad Motor Scooter" and "Rock Chocolate." Montrose went solo inside the all-instrumental album "Open Fire" in 1978, then ongoing to produce another band, Gamma, which released three albums between 1980 and 1983. Ronnie Montrose was produced in San Francisco Bay Area and gone after Colorado along with his family because he was 2. After taking a two-year hiatus from undertaking because he was recognized with prostate cancer, he returned to undertaking combined having a complete calendar of tour dates planned throughout this year, according to his website. Montrose appeared to become finishing production around the live DVD, searching for release later this year. "He was very excited and extremely passionate about being offered playing," his wife Leighsa told the San Francisco Bay Area Chronicle. Furthermore to his wife, Monstrose is managed to get having a boy, a daughter, two brothers and sisters and five grandchildren. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

Cuba Gooding Junior. To Star In Fox Pilot Guilty

With what is his first series-regular gig, Oscar champion Cuba Gooding Junior is positioned since the lead in Fox’s legal drama pilot Guilty, from Marc Guggenheim and Greg Berlanti. The project, put together by Guggenheim also to be directed by Micrograms, concentrates on William Billy Remz (Gooding), a great, morally questionable defense attorney who, after being wrongly billed of fraud and removed of his legal license, uses his unorthodox strategies to resolve the events hes been prohibited from handling also to exact revenge on people who set him up. Guggenheim, Berlanti, Micrograms and Peter Manley executive result in the pilot for Warner Bros TV. While broadcast systems seldom cast black stars since the leads of drama series, this pilot season we have two such projects –Guilty and ABC’s Final Option, toplined by Andre Braugher. In addition, Kerry Washington plays charge in ABC’s approaching midseason drama series Scandal. Gooding Junior, most broadly noted for his Oscar-winning submit Jerry Maguire, recently co-starred in George Lucas’ Red-colored-colored Tails.

Scott Foley to Co-Star Opposite Becki Newton in Fox Comedy Pilot

Scott Foley will Fox.The "Felicity" actor remains attracted onto co-star opposite Becki Newton inside the Fox comedy pilot "The Goodwin Games," "The Hollywood Reporter" knows.The only real-camera project from "Generate Income Met Your Mother's" Carter Bays, Craig Thomas and Chris Harris is known to love a higher-concept project of a father who leaves his fortune to his three children -- only if they accept his terms.Foley may have Henry, one of the children, while using formerly cast Newton playing his sister, Coney.From 20th Television, Bays, Thomas and Harris will write and professional produce with Peyton Reed aboard to direct.Foley most recently wrapped an arc as Henry on ABC's Shonda Rhimes medical drama "Grey's Anatomy." The casting marks his latest comedy effort following stints on "Cougar Town" and "Scrubs."Repped by ICM, Brillstein Entertainment and Baker Winokur, more youthful crowd will recur next season on HBO's Alan Ball vampire drama "True Blood stream."Foley's former "Felicity" co-star Scott Speedman also reserved an plane pilot this season which is set to star in Shawn Ryan's ABC drama "The Final Measure." The Hollywood Reporter

Exclusive: TLC Orders Extreme Cheapskates to Series

What's promising for The American Idol Show? It won Wednesday evening. Unhealthy? It experienced another huge drop.The previous Fox juggernaut capped the evening - which featured Part 1 of their Top 24 reveal - with 15.9 million audiences along with a 5.1 rating within the grown ups 18-to-49 demo, but was ... Find Out More > Other Links From TVGuide.com American IdolCSI: Crime Scene InvestigationLaw & Order: Special Sufferers UnitOne Tree Hill20/20Criminal MindsThe MiddleModern FamilyHappy EndingsAre You There, Chelsea?SuburgatoryWhitneyRock Center With John WilliamsRemodeledSurvivor: One World

Hot Trailer: Magnolias Marley

Magnolia Pictures had already picked up U.S. rights to the Kevin Macdonald documentary about the reggae legend. The pic made its world premiere last weekend at the Berlin festival, where it sold a slew of territories. Magnolia has set an April 20 release for North America, and it is timed to roll out worldwide throughout the summer to coincide with the 50th anniversary of Jamaican Independence. Here’s the trailer, which promises new tracks and never-before-seen footage.

Schweiger taking actioner to U.S.

BERLIN - Multihyphenate German star Til Schweiger is embarking on his most ambitious project to date -- a U.S. remake of his actioner "Schutzengel" (The Guardians). Schweiger is directing and starring in the German-language film, and plans to develop and produce the remake Stateside with U.S. partners next year via Barefoot Films, the Berlin-based shingle he runs with producer Tom Zickler. Warner Bros. is releasing the film, described as an "emotional action-drama," in Germany on Sept. 27 and may also board the U.S. version. Alexander van Duelmen's Berlin-based A Company has already picked up rights for Russia, where Schweiger, Germany's leading star, also enjoys major box-office clout. The film will go out via A Company's Moscow-based distrib Gala Media & Film Intl. "Schutzengel" is budgeted at E7.5 million ($9.85 million) and has already secured $4.13 million in federal and regional subsidy coin. Co-penned by Schweiger, Paul Maurice and Stephen Butchard, the film centers on a psychologically troubled former elite soldier who rescues a teenage orphan, the only witness to a murder, from deadly assassins. It is lensing in Berlin with additional filming planned for Brighton, England. The film co-stars Schweiger's 15-year-old daughter Luna Schweiger, who is set to reprise her role in the remake along with an American cast. Also starring in the German version are Moritz Bleibtreu, Hannah Herzsprung, Heiner Lauterbach and Karoline Schuch. The pic marks a change of pace for Schweiger, who has enjoyed huge success with a string of romantic comedies in recent years, including the "Rabbit Without Ears" franchise and most recently "Kokowaah," which earned some $40 million at the German box office last year, making it 2011's most successful local pic and another major hit for Warners. Contact Ed Meza at staff@variety.com