Hugh Hefners Goal For 2012: Stay Single

First Launched: December 31, 2011 12:38 PM EST Credit: Getty Images La, Calif. -- Caption Hugh Hefner reaches the Fox Reality Funnel Really Honours on Sept. 24, 2008 Since the beginning in the Year approaches, Hugh Hefner has one resolution for 2012 to remain single. This year is really a very worthwhile year personally, I almost marry, Hef told People magazine. To ensure that as Carol [Madison] a dear friend and former girlfriend mentioned, Well, you missed a bullet. In my opinion thats accurate, he added. The 85-year-old Playboy magnate mentioned the devastating occasions of 2011 (former girlfriend Very Harris, then 25, cancelled their impending marriage under 7 days right before their wedding in June), made him realize like a husband is not inside the cards for his future. I am clearly not supposed to have been married, he told the mag. Married existence isn't personally. Because the bachelor is happily dating two special ladies Shera Berchard and Anna Berglund Hef mentioned walking lower the aisle with anybody in 2012 is unthinkable, adding that as extended because he doesn't possess a bride next season, hell be on top of my game. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Corporation. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

2011's Best Episodes: Plane tickets and Tights and also the Final Friday Evening Lights Goodbye

Friday Evening Lights From Oprah's remarkably low-key farewell towards the year's most soul-crushing break-on The Great Wife (Kalicia, no!), the entire year was full of fantastic hrs of television - virtually which we viewed. There have been teary goodbyes (Friday Evening Lights' Texas forever! Smallville's tights and plane tickets!), tense face-offs (why can't all CIA interrogations occur around the front porch of the cabin, like on Homeland?) not to mention we made room for any little Glee (because certain underdogs deserved it). Which made their email list. Stay tuned all week for the top 25. Here's the 5th batch within our extended countdown of 2011's best episodes (Get caught up first with Episodes 25-21, Episodes 20-16, Episodes 15-11 and Episodes 10-6. Or see the full list here.): 5. "Finale," SmallvilleIt required ten years for Clark Kent being Superman, however the series finale jumped because the Guy of Steel (in the super suit finally!) required flight. Just like a proud parent, our hearts swelled once we viewed Clark realize his full potential following a decade's price of tests, and fittingly, each of his fathers (Jor-El as well as an apparition of Jonathan Kent) presented him using the cape before he required on save the planet once again. 4. "Palestinian Chicken," Curb Your EnthusiasmHis appetite or his religion? His sex existence or his religion? For anybody you never know Ray David, it's pret-ty, pret-ty, pret-ty obvious which he'll choose, but that does not get this to Season 8 episode any less entertaining to look at (even when it will cause you to feel just a little guilty for laughing so difficult). At problem: Larry's new favorite restaurant, Al Abbas, is really a chicken place run by Palestinians in which the walls are engrossed in anti-Israel posters and also the hot Palestinian manager, Shara, wants Ray to, um, occupy her, like she states Israel did her country -- how to proceed? Toss in Larry's rampage from the acronym "LOL" plus you've got an ideal portrait of comedy's best social assassin. 3. "Face Off," Breaking BadBreaking Bad's season's price of twists and tension culminated inside a pulsing, relentless and jaw-shedding finale which will go lower among TV's best. For just one, there is the indelible, gross and awesome picture of Gus' half-damaged face after he emerged on the face unscathed from the explosive device blast. However the ultimate "holy garbage!" arrived the ultimate, game-altering seconds whenever we learn that Wally had poisoned Brock -- a demonstrate that examined the limits in our sympathy for him and demonstrated he didn't have ethical limits any longer. Wally is definitely the one that knocks. 2. "Flu Season," Parks and RecreationDementia! Vomiting! Pooping! At the disposal of lesser folks, striking a cast of sitcom figures using the flu might be a prescription for many quite simple, lame, tired jokes. At the disposal of TV's best comedy Parks and Entertainment, this is an inspired choice. An amount happen if Chris' perfected human health was jeopardized? Can Leslie rally when she's an address to provide however the floor and also the wall have switched? In sickness as well as in health, we like this show. 1. "Always," Friday Evening LightsAs Friday Evening Lights walked into TV's whitened light, we held our collective breath, tears prepared. Would we have the ability to leave behind Dillon with only one box of tissue? Ultimately, the once-embattled Lions transformed, winning Condition, and Coach Taylor, who you want to be whenever we develop, finally made the decision it was, actually, Tami's use pursue her dreams in Philadelphia. Still, once the sun looking for the ultimate amount of time in Dillon - and that we were crying, "No, don't go!" -- Tim and Billy reminded us that it might be Texas forever for those who had viewed FNL's five amazing seasons.

Scripps Networks Focused on Growing Niche Channels

New outings from Glee, New Girl and Raising Hope helped Fox top the competition for the key adults 18-49 demographic on Tuesday, though all three programs were down from last week. The network averaged a 2.9 rating for the night, with an audience of 6.4 million, kicking things off with a 9 percent dip for Glee. Its 2.9 score among adults 18-49 marked a season low. New Girl also hit a series low, dropping 6 percent to a 3.4 rating. Raising Hope was also down to a 2.2 in the demo, dropping 8 percent from last week. PHOTOS: Behind the Scenes of Fox's 'New Girl' CBS and NBC tied for second in the demo, with the former offering a block of reruns. Encores of NCIS, NCIS: Los Angeles and Unforgettable gave the network a 2.0 rating among adults 18-49 for the night, with the night's strongest showing in viewers, 10.8 million. NBC pushed its two-hour The Biggest Loser until 9 p.m. to accommodate A Michael Bublé Christmas. The singer's holiday special posted a 1.5 rating in the 18-49 set for the hour. The Biggest Loser averaged 2.2, giving the network its 2.0 average and a total audience of 6.9 million. PHOTOS: Fall TV Death Pool: Which New Shows Will Be Axed? Other series posting season lows were ABC's Last Man Standing, Man Up! and Body of Proof. Tim Allen's freshman comedy grabbed a 2.6 rating among adults 18-49, while it's struggling neighbor at 8:30 pulled a 1.6. Dana Delany's sophomore drama also dropped to a 1.5. Adding in a block of repeats from The Middle and Suburgatory at 9:00, the net averaged a 1.6 rating among adults 18-49 for the night and 5.9 million viewers. Over on the CW, a new episode of 90210 rose a tenth of a point for a 0.8 with 18-49-ers. A Ringer repeat grabbed just a 0.4. Tuesday, Dec. 6, Overnight Ratings: 8 p.m. Fox: Glee (7.1 million, 2.9 rating in adults 18-49) ABC: Last Man Standing (8.7 million, 2.6) CBS: NCIS (R) (12.7 million viewers, 2.1) NBC: A Michael Bublé Christmas (7.2 million, 1.5) The CW: 90210 (1.5 million, 0.8) 8:30 p.m. ABC: Man Up! (4.8 million, 1.6) 9 p.m. Fox: New Girl (6.8 million, 3.4) NBC: The Biggest Loser (6.8 million, 2.2) CBS: NCIS: Los Angeles (R) (12.1 million, 2.1) ABC: The Middle (R) (3.8 million, 1.1) The CW: Ringer (R) (841,000, 0.4) 9:30 p.m. Fox: Raising Hope (4.6 million, 2.2) ABC: Suburgatory (R) (4.0 million, 1.3) 10 p.m. NBC: The Biggest Loser (6.7 million, 2.3) CBS: Unforgettable (R) (7.8 million, 1.6) ABC: Body of Proof (7.2 million, 1.5) TV Ratings

Suburgatory Boss on George and Dallas: Will They or Wont They?

Jeremy Sisto and Cheryl Hines Tessa wasn't the only one none-too-pleased to discover George making out with some hot young thing in NY right before Thanksgiving. There was also Dallas. But will Dallas do anything about it? Will George? There's no denying something strange and lovely has been building between Tessa's goofy architect dad and Chatswin's hippest haute couture-wearing mom. And the sparks are really gonna fly over the holidays - where else? -- under the mistletoe, during Suburgatory's fall finale (Wednesday at 8:30/7:30c on ABC). Exclusive: Wilmer Valderrama to play sexy New Age guru on Suburgatory Series boss Emily Kapnek tells TVGuide.com that there are good reasons why these opposites attract. "You could say that George may have been drawn to more cynical NY girls in the past, but I think there's something very contagious about Dallas' spirit and how sunny and happy she is, as well as being very invested in her kid, which makes her appealing to a single dad like George in a way that he probably never would have anticipated," Kapnek says. In this week's episode, "The Nutcracker," Tessa (Jane Levy) overhears George (Jeremy Sisto) breaking up with his girlfriend, Zoe, blames herself, and decides to get them back together. Little does she know, he's decided he's had it with "crazy city women" and wants to look for love in the 'burbs. At the same time, there's a lot standing in the way of an Altman-Royce romance. George is initially distracted by both his ex and Tessa's adorable art teacher Aimee, and then there's the not-so-little matter of Dallas' husband Steven (Jay Mohr), who is a mostly absent but completely decent guy. Exclusive: Suburgatory casts Prom star as love interest for Tessa "Marrying a man who's very successful financially and can provide this lifestyle she wants probably at one point seemed like all Dallas wanted," Kapnek says. "But in watching George, who is such a great dad, and how hands-on he is with Tessa, I think she's starting to see there are different kinds of men out there, and the value of having a partner who's really a partner." It looks as though Dallas, riding high on the holiday spirit, is about to do something about it - whether George is ready or not. "George does pick up on her feelings," Kapnek reveals. "It's going to put a strain on their relationship and friendship at first, but I think it will be really satisfying to watch how it plays out. They both have conflicted feelings at different times, and watching them navigate this area is going to be really fun." Do you want Dallas and George to be together? Is it too soon? What about poor Steven? Tell us what you think in the comments below. (Note to Tessa and George 'shippers: Gross. Please have your heads examined.)

Why the Academy's Demographic Breakdown May Hurt 'The Help' (Analysis)

Eric McCandless/Fox It was a good night to be a CBS comedy. The network's two-hour sitcom block pushed it to a clear win in the adults 18-49 demo on Monday night, earning a 4.0 rating. CBS also topped in viewers, averaging 12.3 million for the night. How I Met Your Mother hit a nearly three-year high for a regularly scheduled episode, earning a 4.5 rating in adults 18-49 and 11.7 million viewers. It's the highest rated regular broadcast since Jan. 12, 2009, with the special 8:30 airing of its recent season premiere giving the only stronger score this season, a 5.1. PHOTOS: Fall TV Death Pool: Which New Shows Will Be Axed? 2 Broke Girls saw its largest audience since its premiere and a gain of two tenths in the demo since its last new episode, giving it a 4.6 rating. Two and a Half Men was down a notch from its Nov. 21 showing, bringing in a 5.0 among adults 18-49, with Mike & Molly tying its latest score of 4.2. A new episode of Hawaii Five-0 was also up two tenths for a 3.0. The second outing for Fox's American Country Awards fared much stronger than its first run in 2010. The broadcast averaged a 2.0 rating among adults 18-49 and brought in 7.4 million viewers, for respective gains of 33 and 23 percent. ABC's recent broadcast of the CMA Awards, also up from 2010, averaged a 4.8 rating and 16.4 million viewers. ABC placed third for the night with a 1.8 rating among adults 18-49 and 6.5 million viewers. A Charlie Brown Christmas (2.8 rating) and Prep & Landing 2 (2.2) led into an even softer outing for You Deserve It. The languishing game show continued to fall, earning a 1.0 rating for the hour. Castle seemed to suffer for its weak lead-in, bringing in a 2.0 rating and an audience of 8 million. PHOTOS: 10 Shows Canceled Faster Than 'The Playboy Club' A two-hour holiday special of The Sing Off and Rock Center With Brian Williams gave NBC a 1.0 rating for the night and an audience just short of 3.9 million. On the CW, Gossip Girl maintained its scores from the previous week, bringing in a 0.6 among adults 18-49 and matching its total viewership of 1.3 million. Hart of Dixie built on its lead-in to tie its second best score in the demo this season. It earned a 0.9 rating and built the night's audience by 39 percent. Monday, Dec. 5, Overnight Ratings: 8 p.m. CBS: How I Met Your Mother (11.7 million viewers, 4.5 rating in adults 18-49) ABC: A Charlie Brown Christmas (9.0 million, 2.8) Fox: American Country Awards (7.3 million, 2.0) NBC: The Sing-Off Holiday Special (4.4 million, 1.1) The CW: Gossip Girl (1.3 million, 0.6) 8:30 p.m. CBS: 2 Broke Girls (12.8 million, 4.6) ABC: Prep & Landing 2: Naughty Vs. Nice (6.98 million, 2.2) 9 p.m. CBS: Two and a Half Men (15 million, 5.0) Fox: American Country Awards (7.5 million, 2.0) NBC: The Sing-Off Holiday Special (3.8 million, 1.1) ABC: You Deserve It (3.6 million, 1.0) The CW: Hart of Dixie (1.8 million, 0.8) 9:30 p.m. CBS: Mike & Molly (12.7 million, 4.2) 10 p.m. CBS: Hawaii Five-0 (10.8 million, 3.0) ABC: Castle (8.0 million, 2.0) NBC: Rock Center With Brian Williams (3.4 million, 0.9) TV Ratings How I Met Your Mother

Honours Box Office: A Proud 'Shame' Beats NC-17 Rating, 'The Artist' Is constantly Shine

The popularity every week is short tales-itty-bitty tales clocking in at just a few hundred words or less. In 420 Figures, the artist Lou Beach presents tales that started as Facebook status updates. Inside The Small Book of Small Tales, Ernest Gordon Levitt offers a range of outlined micro fiction culled from options released on his hitRECord.org website incorporated within an experiment in collaborative art.our editor recommendsActress Dagmara Dominczyk Sells First Novel (Exclusive)'Real Housewives' Cast Member Taylor Remedy to produce Tell-All Book PHOTOS: 14 Holiday Roadtrip Reads Now also bring a indication of 2010's sad passing of TV legend Stephen Cannell while using posthumous publication of his final book Vigilante. PHOTOS: 10 Finest Book-to-Silver Screen Adaptations in the Latter-and-a-half decades The non-fiction pick every week is Steven Mueller's Extra-Virginity, which does for essential essential olive oil what Eric Schlosser's Unhealthy Foods Nation did for hamburgers. Mueller traces a history from the valuable product from antiquity to the present, nevertheless the really disturbing part is his expose in the inferior qc and outright fraud among today's' oil producers. Finally, for Youthful Adult fans, there's balance-anticipated relieve The Clockwork Prince, the newest book from rising YA celebrity Cassandra Clare. Book a few the prequel series Infernal Items finds Tessa in Victorian London joining forces while using offspring of Angels and humans to battle demons. Also of note now's Red-colored-colored Mist, the most recent Scarpetta mystery from Pat Cornwell Callous, the tenth book in Sara Shepard's PrettyLittle Liars series and Inside Seal Team Six by Don Mann and Take advantage of Pezzullo, the newest book to make use of the public's adoration for the important thing commandoes responsible for killing Osama Bin Laden. Listed below are The Hollywood Reporter's top chioces every week: 420 Figures by Lou Beach (Houghton Mifflin, 176 pages, $22) Beach's fascinating experiment in ultra-short fiction started out as Facebook status updates-the title means maximum space allowed. These tales-super-sized Haikus? One paragraph plays?-will be the literary just like an amuse bouche: Small portions filled with flavor. Outlined with original collages, this book is actually turns fun, thought invoking, and surprising. (This review clocks in at exactly 420!!!!). The Little Book of Small Tales: Volume I edited by Ernest Gordon Levitt (It Books, 88 pages $15). Another large book of little tales was come up with by actor Ernest Gordon Levitt from greater than 8,500 distribution to his hitRECord collaborative. Just like 420 Figures, these clever little tales-a real lot a lot more like outlined haikus-frequently pack a wallop despite their slender length, running the gamut from funny to poignant to merely plain strange. The Clockwork Prince (Infernal Items, book 2) by Cassandra Clare (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, 528 pages, $19.99). While using Clockwork Prince, the second book inside the Infernal Items series-a follow-around the earlier Mortal Instruments series-Clare emerges just like a major YA star. Author McElderry is passing on a sizable roll-out: a 750K first printing, a collector's edition with extra content, together with an imaginative book trailer read by Gossip Girls' Erection dysfunction Westwick. Clare has furthermore made savvy usage of social media to create her following. The story, a prequel for the Mortal Instruments series, follows Tessa as she moves from NY to London in 1878, discovers she's a shape shifter, and check out the Nephilim (the descendents of Angels and humans) simply because they fight demons together with other magical creatures while trying to enforce the magical accords. Vigilanteby Stephen J. Cannell (St. Martin's Press, 320 pages, $25.99). This really is really the final book the well-known TV author (Rockford Files,Wiseguy,21 Jump Street) finished before his dying in September 2010 from cancer.Vigilantefinds Cannell's venerable hero Shane Scully (the star of ten previous books) considering the dying of LAPD antagonist and anti-gang crusader Lita Mendez, while being hounded with the crew within the reality Tv program "Vigilante TV." The smarmy host Nixon Nash offers Scully a deal: Either let us in round the Mendez analysis or face a public takedown. Scully concludes Nash's mission for that Mendez killer "isn't about justice its about Neilsen ratings." Full of the unforeseen twists and fast-paced shootouts you need in the TV author of Cannell's quality,Vigilanteis a satisfying coda to his career. Extra-Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous Arena of Olive Oilby Tom Mueller (W.W. Norton, 256 pages, $25.95). Carrying out a recent run of hit books about foods-Salt,Cod-Mueller occupies essential essential olive oil-the first globalized food. It, which started out as aNYerarticle, traces a history of olives in addition to their oil from antiquity to the present. Like other food products (tomato sauce for example), the economical Revolution made mechanized mass-production possible but jeopardized quality. Extra-virgin essential essential olive oil should certainly vary from best naturally grown olives pressed by humans. The present story of mass-market essential essential olive oil, however, is among poor qc, poor food-rules of safety, and fraud by organized crime syndicates relabeling inferior oil as extra-virgin. Mueller takes note of the small gang of artisanal producers, chefs, and foodies bucking the recognition by creating high-quality oil in small batches. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 14 Holiday Roadtrip Reads Related Subjects Ernest Gordon-Levitt Books

Former ER Star Linda Cardellini Raves About Crazy Miracle Of Pregnancy

First Published: December 4, 2011 11:56 AM EST Credit: FilmMagic Caption Linda Cardellini shows off her baby bump at March Of Dimes 6th Annual Celebration Of Babies Luncheon at Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., on December 2, 2011LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Former ER star Linda Cardellini is pregnant with her first child and glowing over experience, but she admits the first few months were less than pleasant. Morning sickness was terrible the first four months, the actress told Access Hollywood at the March of Dimes 6th Annual Celebration of Babies luncheon in Los Angeles on Friday. It was awful. I was kind of a monster! Fortunately, the actress, 36, says the morning sickness has finally passed, allowing her to relax and experience the wonder of becoming a mom. Now I feel great, and its amazing and I can feel kicking and its a totally unbelievable experience, she told Access. Its a little bit like Alien in science fiction and then also its a crazy miracle. As for the sex of the baby, the former Freaks and Geeks star said she and husband Steven Rodriguez know the gender of their impending arrival, but are having trouble narrowing down a name selection. We do [know the sex]. Do we tell? I dont know, she said, when asked if shes expecting a boy a girl. Sometimes I slip. And slip she did just moments later, telling Access, We have five different names well just pick out of a hat when we see her. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Latin American biz raises global film stakes

Ricardo Darin, left, on the set of 'White Elephant' with helmer-scribe Pablo Trapero. BUENOS AIRES -- Many Latin American filmmakers are raising their game with higher budgets and bigger ambitions driving new films and cinematic ventures.In Argentina, Vanessa Ragone's Haddock is co-producing Viggo Mortensen starrer "Everybody Has a Plan," while Mexico's Canana is developing its biggest project ever, the $10 million-$12 million Cesar Chavez biopic "Chavez," directed by Diego Luna and co-produced by John Malkovich through his L.A.-based Mr. Mudd shingle.In October, "Elite Squad" director Jose Padilha announced that his Zazen label would invest $60 million in Brazilian pic production.Argentina's Pablo Trapero is another illustration of the ambitions of Latin American filmmakers. The helmer is already a Cannes' favorite -- "Lion's Den" played in Competition while Un Certain Regard unspooled "Carancho." Now Trapero is helming his biggest film yet, the $4 million "White Elephant." Spain's Morena Films, Trapero's Matanza Cine and Disney-backed Patagonik are producing; France's Full House co-produces."Elephant" is a challenge, Trapero says, with "more shoot weeks, situations, sets, cast, character choreography and constant interplay between character and context."Bigger budgets are a natural next step for Latin American directors but market factors also play a part.As international markets toughen, foreign distributors are still demanding large films -- but delivered on far more reasonable budgets.One solution is to twin European finance with Latin American talent and low Latin American costs."Our idea was to provide Trapero with larger means to make a more ambitious film in scale and scope," says Morena producer Juan Gordon.The budget for "Elephant" triples that of Trapero's previous works, but is still highly economical by U.S. or Western European standards."Elephant," which began production Nov. 21, toplines Argentina's biggest marquee draw, Ricardo Darin ("The Secret in Their Eyes," "Carancho") as Julian, an Argentine parish priest.It's mostly set in a Buenos Aires slum plagued by delinquency, corruption and two warring drug cartels, where Julian brings a close friend, fellow French priest Geronimo (Jeremie Renier, "L'Enfant," "In Bruges"), who has himself just survived a mass killing by Central American paramilitaries.Lensed in Ciudad Oculta, a shanty barrio dominated by the 14-story, concrete hulk of a never-finished hospital (which provides the film's title), "Elephant" turns on themes of obedience to church hierarchy and social justice.Trapero's first feature to shoot major scenes outside Argentina, "Elephant" mixes jungle action, large crowd scenes, shoot-outs in the barrio and a love story -- Geronimo falls for a social worker played by another big name, Martina Gusman ("Leonera," "Carancho").Pic is written by Trapero and regular co-scribes Santiago Mitre, Martin Mauregui and Alejandro Fadel.Trapero hopes to finish "Elephant" by May. It will certainly be one of the bigger Argentine films coming on to the market next year, which in itself is an excellent marketing hook."What's beautiful about cinema is the next challenge," Trapero says. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

'Nostalgia for that Light' tops IDA Honours

Chilean film ''Nostalgia for that Light'' has won the very best feature award in the Intl. Documentary Assn.Award was presented Friday evening to director Patricio Guzman in the Company directors Guild of America theater.Film's centered on the driest place on the planet, the Atacama Desert, where astronomers from around the globe gather because the sky's so translucent it enables these to look into the limitations from the world.''A country without documentary filmmaking is sort of a family with no picture album,'' stated Guzman in the acceptance speech.''Nostalgia'' capped ''Better Our Planet,'' ''How to Die in Or,'' ''The Redemption of General Butt Naked,'' and ''The Tiniest Place.''No IDA finalist is around the 15 docus selected for that Oscar narrow your search.Low-key events were located by IDA prexy Eddie Schmidt, a banjo-playing Josh Fox and Tiffany Shlain.IDA's best short award would go to ''Poster Girl,'' directed by Sara Nesson, who thanked film subject, former soldier Robin Murray.''Boomtown,'' concentrating on a little North Dakota town, won the award for the best Limited Series for director/executive producer Rachel Libert.The ABC News Videosource award visited ''The Pruitt-Igoe Myth'' for Chad Freidrichs.The IDA Humanitas Award visited ''Position One of the Stars.'' Producers are giving prize towards the Indonesian family that offered as the topic of the film.''Guanape Sur'' won IDA's David Wolper student documentary award for Janos Richter.The ongoing series award visited PBS's ''POV'' for professional producer Simon Kilmurry.L'ensemble des Blank received an eternity achievement award from Werner Herzog, who stated ''I do believe L'ensemble des Blank ought to be named a national treasure.'' Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Dodgers Bidder Miracle Manley Purports to 'Bring World Championship Series To L.A.'

This story initially came out inside the 12 ,. 9 problem in the Hollywood Reporter. our editor recommendsHappy Foot Two: Film Review'Happy Foot Two' to bop Onto 377 Imax Screens Hollywood Art galleries Billed with Pushing Liberal Agenda Through Children's Films Penguins aren't an endangered species, but Warner Bros.' Happy Foot Two is vulnerable to the endangered movie list. After its first 10 days, the Antarctic-set toon had made just $43.8 million -- a little more in comparison to $42 million the Oscar-winning Happy Foot tap-danced to throughout its first 72 hrs in 2006. Unless of course obviously business builds up overseas, where it's yet to start in lots of areas, director George Burns's $135 million production -- Warners split the cost with Village Roadshow -- is headed for your large chill. You now request , why. PHOTOS: Political Agendas in kids's Movies? You Betcha, Say Conservatives Foot Two set to duplicate the wealth of the extremely first movie by opening on one weekend before Thanksgiving -- the initial film narrowly edged Casino Royale five years ago and hung onto dominate the holiday. But Foot Two turned up among a crush of animated, 3d and/or family movies Puss in Boots, which gone after a young date to acquire while watching pack, preceded it by 2 days. Within the second weekend, Foot Two, on a combination of 2D and 3d screens, required to fight The Muppets, Hugo and Arthur Christmas. "You will discover too many 3d family movies, and so they cost a lot of,In . gripes one exhibitor. "You're seeing regulations of diminishing returns." Lots of families chose Muppets, a less costly option because it wasn't in 3d. Warners could also have underrated Twilight: Breaking Beginning Part 1, that lots of moms introduced their kids. PHOTOS: 10 Wrongly Sexy Cartoon Figures Further, because the first Foot will be a happy novelty, it didn't avoid a personality as memorable just like a Sheriff Woodsy or possibly a Shrek. The follow-up told how one little penguin rallies his colony trapped by shifting ice due to climatic change. The trailers, states one observer, made an appearance as though "just lots of same," instead of something compelling and new. Finally, Burns -- whose Babe: Pig inside the City flopped for Universal in 1998 after Babe will be a large hit three years earlier -- features a status to be really hands-on and meticulous. That slowed down lower progress, so Warners sent animation mind Chris deFaria and postproduction chief Mark Solomon to Australia to supervise the best month's work. "Satisfied to undergo a very specific, narrow pipeline, plus it taken up around,Inch confesses deFaria. "But that happens on more movies than you think -- not just animated ones." Nevertheless, within the movie's L.A. premiere November. 13, Burns mentioned it absolutely was the first time he'd seen the completed movie. PHOTOS: 'Happy Foot 2' Blue Carpet Premiere Arrivals Top Warners professionals appear in the beginning sight baffled by having less audience interest but acknowledge that due to your competition, the penguins have in most probability been frozen out. "In my opinion the story is terrific," states deFaria. "[But] it's hard for just about any movie to last in this particular marketplace without any large opening weekend." -- Kim Masters brought with this report. ANIMATED SEQUELS OF 2011: Don't assume all follow-up improves round the business of the predecessor, however the very best franchises possess an approach to gathered the dollars. Cars (Pixar) Cars (2006): 4462 million Cars 2 (2011): $552 million Difference: +19% Hoodwinked (Weinstein Co.) Hoodwinked (2005): $110 million Hoodwinked 2 (2011): $17 million Difference: -85% Kung Fu Panda (DreamWorks Animation) Kung Fu Panda (2008): $632 million Kung Fu Panda 2 (2011): $663 million Difference: +5% Source: Box Office Mojo worldwide grosses PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery 'Happy Foot Two' Blue Carpet Premiere Arrivals Related Subjects Happy Foot 2

Fox tops atypical Thursday

''The X Factor'' and ''Bones'' introduced their several hours in key demos, leading Fox to victory around the Thursday that featured numerous repeats and special deals elsewhere. ABC saw enhanced amounts due to its ''CMA Country Christmas'' special but NBC's comedies ongoing to become sluggish.According to preliminary national estimations from Nielsen, ''The X Factor'' (3.1 rating/9 participate grownups 18-49, 10.2 million audiences overall) wasn't any. 1 quantity of the evening in 18-49, on componen having its latest delivery round the evening on friday. It absolutely was then ''Bones'' (2.8/7 in 18-49, 8.8 million audiences overall), which needed advantage of inadequacies in firstrun drama competition to edge up versus. its last original episode. Furthermore to leading the broadcast systems in grownups 18-49 and 25-54, Fox also introduced in general audiences.ABC broadcast a repeat of ''Santa Claus is Comin' to Town'' (2.2/6 in 18-49, 7.2 million audiences overall), undertaking much better inside the timeslot than ''Charlie's Angels'' happen to be this fall. And from 9 to 11 p.m., the special ''CMA Country Christmas'' did a relatively quite a bit (2.1/5 in 18-49, 9. million audiences overall), rising 50% above its showing of a year ago if the broadcast around the Monday.CBS broadcast repeats of the regulars: ''The Large Bang Theory'' (2.9/9 in 18-49, 10.5 million audiences overall), which won its timeslot, then ''Rules of Engagement'' (2.2/6 in 18-49, 8.millions of audiences overall), ''Person of Interest'' (1.6/4 in 18-49, 8.millions of audiences overall) and ''The Mentalist'' (1.6/4 in 18-49, 7.9 million audiences overall).NBC was unable to take advantage from the CBS repeats as ''Community'' (1.7/5 in 18-49, 3.9 million audiences overall) still finished well behind the ''Big Bang'' rerun on CBS, and ''Parks and Recreation'' (1.8/5 in 18-49, 3.7 million audiences overall), ''The Office'' (2.9/8 in 18-49, 5.7 million audiences overall) and ''Whitney'' (1.9/5 in 18-49, 4. million audiences overall) counseled me round the low side from the range ''The Office'' did stand since the No. 1 entertainment show within the 9 o'clock half-hour in 18-49. At 10, ''Prime Suspect'' used to be low (1.3/4 in 18-49, 4.6 000 0000 audiences overall) but was up a couple of ticks versus. its latest original.CW broadcast repeats of ''The Vampire Diaries'' (.4/one out of 18-49, 1.millions of audiences overall) and ''The Secret Circle'' (.4/one out of 18-49, .9 million audiences overall).Preliminary 18-49 earnings for your evening: Fox, 3./8 ABC, 2.1/6 CBS, 1.9/5 NBC, 1.8/5 Univision, 1.5/4 CW, .4/1.In general audiences: Fox, 9.5 million ABC and CBS, 8.4 million NBC, 4.4 million Univision, 3.8 million CW, 1. million. Contact Ron Kissell at ron.kissell@variety.com

Mike Leigh to head Berlin jury

BERLIN -- British helmer Mike Leigh will be the jury prexy of the 62nd Berlin Film Festival, fest organizers said Friday. His nearly 40-year film career includes multiple awards and noms. Highlights include "Naked," which won best director in Cannes in 1993, "Secrets and Lies," which won the Palme d'Or in Cannes in 1996 and received five Oscar noms, and 2004's "Vera Drake," which won the Golden Lion in Venice and nabbed three Oscar noms. Leigh is no stranger to the Berlinale. His social comedy "Happy-Go-Lucky," starring Sally Hawkins, played in the main competish in 2008. The fest runs from Feb. 9-19. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Kaira Pitt Gives Pep Consult with Suicidal Moneyball Moviegoer

Kaira Pitt Like the come-from-behind Concord A's gm he carried out in Moneyball, Kaira Pitt offered becoming an inspiration for just about any troubled stranger inside a recent movie screening, Us Weekly reviews. Through the Q&A part of the screening, the man told Pitt, 47, he happen to be feeling suicidal alone within the vehicle just before the film, but had "a restored sense of hope" after watching the baseball drama inside a screening in Culver City, Calif., on Sunday. Jennifer Aniston: I'm very lucky I didn't die youthful "[Pitt] mentioned, 'Look, guy, existence expires minimizing, it's a vicious loop, but you have to feel it and deal with that,'" an observer notifies playboy. "'You might be lower, nevertheless, you return up again, and every failure can lead to success.'" Pitt, in line with the witness, also stopped to speak to the man and supply more words of encouragement while he left the theater.