That's When George Lucas Lent Chewbacca to Glee

First, George Lucas loaned Yoda to a Japanese instant noodle company in need of a marketing face (and wisdom applicable to ramen). And now, in an even bigger burn to U.S. Star Wars fans, the franchise creator has shipped Chewbacca to the set of Glee for a one-episode arc. What is this world coming to? Before you starting writing George Lucas more tear-stained hate mail though, let’s learn a little more about Chewbacca’s big break on the Fox song and dance series. Maybe the Star Wars character will play a role so pivotal and life-changing for Glee’s impressionable youth that fans will have no choice but to support the cameo. Maybe, after the New Directions endure another brutal act of bullying by their peers, Chewbacca appears in Schue’s classroom to deliver an unintelligible, five-minute battle cry which Puck interprets as a profound statement about the power of acceptance. Afterward, Chewbacca leads the class in a stripped-down performance of “True Colors.” Okay, scratch that. Matthew Morrison explained on Jimmy Kimmel Live that the Fox series is using Chewbacca for a dream sequence during the show’s upcoming holiday episode, “Extraordinary Merry Christmas” — which will be a “Christmas special within the episode of Glee.” “We called up George Lucas and he gave us Chewbacca,” Morrison, who directed the special Star Wars-tie in episode, explained. “There is only one guy who can officially be Chewbacca, and he lives in Northern California and they flew him in. We had Chewbacca for the day, and it was just great, and we were all taking pictures with him.” Sorry, Star Wars fans. George Lucas lent out Chewbacca for a run-of-the-mill dream sequence cameo. Television producers, let it be known that Lucas would probably be willing to loan out R2-D2 and C-3PO for sweeps week appearances. Chewbacca to Guest Star on Glee’s Christmas Episode! [Us]

NOVEMBER SWEEP: CBS Late Show Tops Tonight For first In Time 17 Years, Late Late Show Posts First Victory Over Late Evening

NBC’s primetime worries are beginning to spill into late-evening. Both Tonight Show With Jay Leno and Late Evening With Jimmy Fallon experienced double-digit year-to-year declines lately, giving CBS’ late-evening selection historic wins. Late Show With David Letterman (.9/4 in 18-49, 3.41 million total audiences) released its first November sweep victory inside the Tonight Show (.8/3, 3.60 million) among grownups 18-49 in 17 years, since Late Show‘s second season in 1994. Late Show finding yourself in 18-49 versus. last November (lower 8% in general audiences), while Tonight Show was lower 20% (4% in general audiences). The 2nd still won in general audiences. CBS’ Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (.6/3 in 18-49, 1.63 million) was really the only late-evening show round the broadcast systems to build up year-to-year in 18-49. It absolutely was up 20% (lower 7% in general audiences) to write the franchise’s first demo November sweep victory over NBC’s Late Evening (.5/3, 1.73 million). The 2nd show, presently situated by Jimmy Fallon, was lower 17% year-to-year and flat in general audiences, a category it won. ABC’s Because Of Due To Jimmy Kimmel Live! (.6/3, 1.97 million) tied Craig Ferguson and beat Fallon. It absolutely was in 18-49 versus. a year ago known as the only real broadcast late-evening show to write rise in total audiences, up 7%.

Tyler Perry Pens Open Letter To Alleged Penn State Scandal Abuse Victim

First Published: November 28, 2011 2:04 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Tyler Perry arrives at a screening of Tyler Perrys Madeas Big Happy Family at the Cinerama Dome Theater in Los Angeles, Calif., on April 19, 2011Tyler Perry, a survivor of sexual abuse as a child, has penned an open letter to a former 11-year-old who spoke out about their alleged abuse at the hands of former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky. What you have done is so courageous, Tyler wrote in an open letter to the unnamed person, who is no longer 11, in Newsweek. The strength that it must have taken for your 11-year-old voice to speak out about such a horrible act is something that I didnt have the strength or courage to do at that age. The Madea movie mogul, who, in 2009, after the release of Precious, opened up about his own sexual abuse as a child, commended the unnamed alleged victim for his courage. I knew what was happening to me, but unlike you, I couldnt speak about it because no one saw me. I was invisible and my voice was inaudible, Tyler continued. So to think that you, when you were only 11 years old, spoke up you are my hero! Im so proud of you. Tyler said if the unnamed alleged victim does have to head to court to give testimony, he will have the support of millions, including Tyler himself. You may have to go through with that trial, and you may feel all alone when youre on that witness stand, but just know that there are millions of young boys and grown men who are standing with you including me, he added. If every man who has ever been molested would speak up, you would see that were all around you. You may not know all of our faces and names, but my prayer is that you feel our strength holding you up. You will get through this; youve already endured the worst part at age 11. Now fight on, my young friend, fight on! We are all with you. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Canadian lab grows new laughs

Alliance will release 'Servitude,' developed in the first year of the lab, in the spring. TORONTO -- Everyone knows Canadians are funny -- especially Canadians, who keep homegrown standup, radio and TV comedy thriving. But bigscreen laughs tend to be a different story.A few years ago, bizzers told government film funder Telefilm that Canadian comedies weren't making the leap to Hollywood and beyond, says the Canadian Film Center's film and TV programs director Kathryn Emslie. That led to the forming of the Telefilm Canada Features Comedy Lab, which was launched to help make comedy click at the domestic box office. It kicked off its third annual session Nov. 14 at the CFC in Toronto, a key lab partner along with Montreal-headquartered Just for Laughs."Filmmakers with comedy scripts weren't looking to Telefilm, because most of that financing went to drama," says Michael Sparaga, the Toronto-based writer/co-producer of lab project "Servitude." "So the announcement of the lab marked a big shift in priorities."The lab also is a mechanism for determining if the projects are worthy of Telefilm development money. "The hope for the participants is that the relationship with Telefilm will continue," say Emslie.The lab, which focuses on fast-tracking script development and packaging of Canadian feature comedies for domestic and international auds, has already had a degree of success."Servitude," a workplace comedy helmed by Warren P. Sonoda ("Cooper's Camera") that was developed in the lab's first year, will close the Whistler Film Festival and is set for spring release by Alliance Films. "Atlantic Gold," a romantic comedy penned by John Hazlett from the lab's second year, has previous lab mentor Donald Petrie ("Miss Congeniality") attached as director.Several more alumni comedies (five are selected each year via a rigorous process) are now speeding through the pipeline, thanks to the lab's project-specific matchmaking, which pairs teams of creatives -- typically producer and writer and/or director -- with industry heavyweights.The lab began with an intense script-focused November session (this year's mentor/guest roster features Kirsten Smith, David Frankel, Mike White and Ron Yerxa, among others) and concludes with a week of meetings in Los Angeles in the spring, with script drafts and frequent tete-a-tetes among creatives and mentors.Sparaga's first lab-enabled meeting was with Ivan Reitman, who urged the writer to make his script semi-autobiographical and R-rated. A year later -- after several drafts and a writers-room style punch-up in L.A. -- cameras were rolling.Montreal-based "Atlantic Gold" producer Antonello Cozzolino found a champion in veteran producer and 2010-11 mentor Joe Medjuck. "It's tough to get your script noticed by the right people," Cozzolino says. "By the time we hit L.A. for the lab's second session, we were meeting with major agencies and high profile-directors -- the packaging started happening very fast."Three of this year's participating projects are from British Columbia: "How to Change Everything Without Doing Anything" (producer Blake Corbet, writer-director Kris Lefcoe); "Zombie Love" (producer Mark Stephenson, writer Jonathan Williams); and "How to Break Up With Your Mother" (producers Elizabeth Levine and Adrian Salpeter, writer Kellie Benz). Another, "Fit to Print" (producer Michael McNamara, writer-director Daniel Perlmutter), is from Ontario; and "Birthmarked" (producers Pierre Even and Marie-Claude Poulin, writer Marc Tulin) comes from Quebec.Let the crossover laffs begin. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

John Landis on Eddie Murphy: 'I Have No Clue If He's Considering Being Really Funny Anymore'

With credits including, 'Animal House,' 'Blues Brothers and sisters,' 'Three Amigos,' 'Trading Places' and 'Coming to America,' it's little from the stretch to call director John Landis a comedy genius. Additionally, Landis remains given -- due to people latter films available -- a unique knowledge of your mind of Eddie Murphy. This publish is especially useful now, considering Murphy has elevated the news recently, because you can have seen. (He's funny again in 'Tower Heist'! He'll host the Oscars! He is not prone to host the Oscars! He is not funny any more in 'A 1000 Words'!) Since the mid-1990's, Murphy has faced critique regarding his choice of roles. Landis recently spoke for the NY Occasions about his career just like a filmmaker and also the applying for grants Murphy. Once I made 'Trading Places,' Eddie was 19 or 20 and bouncing from the beaten track with talent and will be a happy guy. Once I made 'Coming to America,' it absolutely was a few years later, Eddie grew to become an worldwide star and wasn't as happy. It absolutely was awkward on that film as they was kind of a jerk, which we stood a real diminishing. But nevertheless we labored together perfectly... Eddie's really funny in this movie. He can be quite funny when he desires to be. I am unsure if he's considering being really funny any more, honestly. Ouch. Sadly, Landis is not alone in this. Despite the fact that a number of Murphy's recent films -- 'Norbit,' 'Daddy Day Care' -- made money, they've been panned by experts, who clamor for your return in the "old Murphy." Here is a concept: an Eddie Muprhy/John Landis reunion! Although, if history notifies us anything about Eddie, he may nothing beats that pitch, especially after reading through with the Landis comments. You can examine the whole John Landis interview, where he discusses 'An American Werewolf in London' and Jheri curl jokes, over on NYT. [via NYT] [Photo: Getty Images] Follow Moviefone on Twitter Like Moviefone on Facebook

REVIEW: Woody Harrelson's Menace Yields Diminishing Returns in Rampart

The last few weeks have provided us with some iconic imagery of police violence in response to the Occupy Wall Street movement — Lt. John Pike casually pepper spraying a group of UC Davis students like he’s Febrezing a sofa, 84-year-old Dorli Rainey being helped away from a confrontation in Seattle after being doused herself, Marine Scott Olsen getting carried out through a haze of tear gas in Oakland with a fractured skull. These recent events lend Oren Moverman’s Rampart a queasy immediacy even though it’s set in the ’90s, as the LAPD’s Rampart Division struggles through the notorious police misconduct scandal that ended up implicating dozens of officers and inspired the likes of Training Day and The Shield. Dave Brown (Woody Harrelson), the bad, bad beat cop — the self-proclaimed “one cop who gets it” — at the film’s center, wields far heavier artillery than a canister of spray and regularly crosses major lines of corruption and brutality, but the psychological core stands — there’s room to hide or rationalize away almost anything in the name of maintaining authority, upholding order, us against them and any means necessary. Both enthralling and draining, Rampart is a claustrophobic account of Brown’s downward spiral, or at least an accelerating chunk of it — things haven’t been going quite right for him for a while. Brown is, as his teenager daughter tells him caustically to his face, a “dinosaur,” a would-be mix of Dirty Harry and John Wayne who’s at least half as smart as he’s convinced he is. It’s a dream of a role for Harrelson, who’s the camera’s constant quavering focus, and who keeps us torn between being drawn in and repulsed by this disastrous, magnetic character. And we’re not the only ones — Brown may not have many friends, but he gets applause when he strolls back into the station after being suspended for nearly beating a man do death on camera, and he’s able to temporarily charm the ladies against their better judgment. “Oh, well,” a one-night-stand sighs in the afterglow of their assignation, as if only then coming to terms with the type of man she just slept with. He lives with an unlikely brood of women who are growing increasingly sick of his presence — his two ex-wives (Anne Heche and Cynthia Nixon), who happen to be sisters, and their two daughters, caustic teen Helen (Brie Larson) and the younger Margaret (Sammy Boyarsky). The threat of his family dissolving and leaving him alone is shaking Brown’s universe, but not as much as the thought that he’ll be fired or forced to retire from the LAPD. Being a cop is his everything — the film tracks him cruising the streets in a black-and-white, chain-smoking in his mirrored aviator sunglasses, his preening self-image projecting so strong it basically becomes fact. But being a cop doesn’t mean the same thing it did when he started. “This used to be a glorious soldiers’ department,” he tells a female rookie (Stella Schnabel, daughter of Julian), “and now it’s you.” Not long after, he tells her, “This is a military occupation, kid, emergency law,” and just how much he buys into the bullshit he’s spouting becomes the film’s central question. Any sliver of serious self-awareness, any betrayal of his own one-man-against-the-world ideology could bring everything tumbling down, though an examination of his recent actions by a D.A. investigator (Ice Cube) promises to force the issue. Moverman, whose previous film, 2009’s very good home front drama The Messenger, also featured Harrelson, co-wrote Rampart with crime laureate James Ellroy, and the latter’s nihilism and feel for the grimy side of L.A. are all over this film. While it provides a watchable, nuanced portrait of man in crisis, it’s an insistently one-note affair, repeated until it induces a splitting headache. Brown is one hell of a difficult person to spend a hundred minutes with, and though his desperation grows over the course of the film, as the likes of Sigourney Weaver and Steve Buscemi show up to try and manage the PR disasters he’s sparked, as he begins an affair with a criminal defense lawyer (Robin Wright) he seems drawn to primarily because of what a terrible idea it is, as his shady retired source on department goings-on (Ned Beatty) presents him with questionable info, he doesn’t change. He’s consumed with the concept that he’s being set up, but the trouble he’s in is all his own fault — he’s calcified into the kind of man the world would happily use as a half-deserving scapegoat. The film’s loose camerawork aims to capture Brown’s growing disorientation on his path toward oblivion, but it often draws distracting attention to itself, the seams showing — one conversation is deliberately staged so that you can only see the back of the listener’s head, and another is shot upwards from under a table so that it obscures half the screen. As Brown lurches toward self-destruction, we start to long for him to find it. He’s obviously not interested in fixing anything, and that leaves only his sad but utterly earned solitary trudge toward some form of closure that neither he, nor we, will find in the film. Follow Alison Willmore on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.

'Spider-Guy: Switch Off the Dark': Another Cast Member Hurt

"Spider-Guy: Switch Off the Dark" has experienced another cast member injuries after producers from the costly Broadway production were hit having a suit from director Julie Taymor.Matthew James Thomas, who plays the title role throughout the Wednesday and Saturday matinees, was hurt backstage throughout the November. 9 matinee performance, based on released reviews. Thomas was come to a healthcare facility and was handed stitches the development was stopped for around ten minutes.Reeve Carney, who shows Peter Parker/Spider-Guy for six performances every week and is at the Foxwoods Theatre once the injuries happened, assumed the role for that relaxation from the show."Matthew James Thomas sustained a small injuries while offstage throughout present day matinee performance," stated a representative for "Spider-Guy: Switch Off the Dark" inside a statement. "He's fine, and will also be in the show for his next scheduled performance on Saturday."Because the production opened up this past year, several stars and stunt doubles happen to be hurt, including Natalie Mendoza (who had been later changed by T.V. Carpio) and Christopher Tierney."Spider-Guy: Switch Off the Dark" features music and lyrics by Bono and also the Edge, having a book co-compiled by Taymor, Glen Berger and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. The Hollywood Reporter