This week in pop culture news, audiences will be a little grayer by the time “50 Shades of Grey” arrives and Maya Rudolph is bringing variety to NBC primetime. Mark Lieberman breaks down these stories and more in his latest “Take 5” column.
Get ready for “50 Shades of Delay.”
The production process for the upcoming screen adaptation of E.L. James’ popular novel “50 Shades of Grey” has been under scrutiny since the project was announced. First Charlie Hunnam (“Pacific Rim”) abandoned his role as Christian Grey citing schedule conflicts. He was quickly replaced by Jamie Dornan (“Once Upon A Time”). Now the movie’s release date has been pushed back from Aug. 1, 2014 to Valentine’s Day weekend in 2015. Universal Pictures pushed the film back to accommodate Dornan’s recent casting and to avoid competing in the crowded summer blockbuster market. Instead, Sony has pushed its raunchy comedy “Sex Tape,” starring Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel, to the vacated Aug. 1 slot. The chess match continues.
Need a little variety in your life? Maya Rudolph might have just the thing.
NBC has been struggling for years to capture its former dominance, clinging to the concept of “Must-See Thursdays” even as the ratings for well-liked comedies “Parks and Recreation” and “30 Rock” diminished to nearly unprecedented lows. Now the network is turning to a proven titan in the media industry for primetime support. Lorne Michaels has served as the executive producer of “Saturday Night Live” for the majority of its run, and he will have control over both “The Tonight Show” and “Late Night” once Jimmy Fallon assumes Jay Leno’s mantle and Seth Meyers enters the late-night arena. Now he’s producing the pilot for a primetime variety series starring former “SNL” comedienne Maya Rudolph. Could this show, set to premiere during the Olympics, be NBC’s savior? Likely not, but it’s an intriguing project nonetheless.
Disney to turn book into broadway
Disney has announced the source of its next blockbuster musical: “The Princess Bride,” William Goldman’s 1973 novel and Rob Reiner’s beloved 1987 film. The show may be a straight play or a musical – it’s too early to tell. Fans of the movie will be eagerly anticipating casting announcements for years to come. Meanwhile, Disney’s current Broadway-bound favorite “Aladdin” is currently in previews in Toronto.
Mark Wahlberg’s killer cookouts are coming to television.
When he’s not winning Oscars, headlining B-list action movies or producing HBO shows, Mark Wahlberg (“The Fighter”) is a culinary man at heart. Starting in January, a new reality series on A&E will follow Mark and his brother Donnie as they manage their Boston-based burger joint. Other members of the Wahlberg clan will make appearances in the show. “Wahlburgers” (yes, that’s the title, and yes, it’s brilliant) will make its debut on Jan. 22.
The year is almost over, but new music isn’t slowing down.
With just a few short weeks until the holiday season is full swing, major artists are coming out swinging with new singles, hot albums and exciting announcements. Britney Spears dropped the tracklist for her Dec. 3 album “Britney Jean,” which will feature contributions from will.i.am, T.I. and – perhaps most notably – Spears’ sister and former “Zoey 101” star Jamie Lynn Spears. Elsewhere, U2 hinted to Billboard that they might be readying a new Danger Mouse-produced album for April 2014, with a possible product-based tie-in at the Super Bowl. Music lovers can also look forward to new releases from Rick Ross, Wu-Tang Clan, T-Pain, R. Kelly and One Direction.
