James Bond Could Get Art-House Cred With Sam Mendes Directing

The 'American Beauty' director is in negotiations to helm 'Bond 23.'

By Eric Ditzian

For a hot minute, it seemed like James Bond's passports had been revoked and he would not be trotting around the globe strangling bad guys and bedding ladies. Rumors floated earlier this week that embattled studio MGM had put "Bond 23" on hold as it struggled with a dire financial situation.

But in a bit of nifty escape work worthy of the MI6 super-agent, the follow-up to 2008's "Quantum of Solace" not only appears to be back on track but seems to have recruited an Oscar-winning director for its mission. The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision Blog reported that "American Beauty" helmer Sam Mendes is in negotiations to step into the director's chair for the 23rd Bond film.

Production is now said to be on a fast track, and the movie could begin shooting as early as June. That's even sooner than 007 himself, Daniel Craig, indicated last October, when he declared that production would begin late in 2010. In December,Judi Dench, who plays Bond's boss, told MTV News she would be needed on set in the spring of 2011, but now it looks like she'll be arriving earlier than expected. Heat Vision reported that "Bond 23" will likely see a theatrical release next year, despite the potential sale of MGM.

"Bond 23" would mark a departure for Mendes, who is known more for critical darlings like "Beauty" and "Road to Perdition" than he is for run-and-gun thrillers. The closest he's yet come to anything that can be considered action-oriented was the 2005 Iraq War film "Jarhead," starring Jake Gyllenhaal, though that picture was far more about the psychological impacts of war than it was about bombs and bullets. Mendes' last effort was the emo indie, "Away We Go."

The "Bond" script is also getting a work over from a Hollywood vet not known for car chases and crime capers. Peter Morgan, who is sharing writing duties with two "Bond" franchise vets, has been nominated for two Oscars: one for "The Queen" and one for "Frost/Nixon." With this mixture of folks with art-house cred and action-flick experience, "Bond 23" is shaping up to be a very intriguing picture.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

X Factor's Joe Topples Rage In Chart Fight

9:32pm UK, Sunday December 27, 2009

Adam Arnold, Sky News Online

Joe McElderry has spoken of his delight after bouncing back from his Christmas chart disappointment to clinch the New Year number one position.

Joe McElderry has claimed the chart top spot

The X Factor champion missed out on the festive top spot last week when he was beaten by Rage Against The Machine following a high-profile internet campaign.

But the Geordie singer has now hit back by selling more than two-and-a-half times more copies than his US rivals this week.

The British star's single, The Climb, sold 196,000 copies in its second week, compared with 69,000 copies shifted by Rage's Killing In The Name, which slipped to number two.

The South Shields teenager said: "I am so happy that the single is number one.

"Thank you so much to everyone that has supported me.

Rage's Zach de la Rocha

"This had been the best Christmas ever and I want to wish everyone a very Happy New Year."

Lady Gaga's Bad Romance held onto third spot, while Cheryl Cole - McElderry's mentor on X Factor - enjoyed another festive boost as her single, Three Words, climbed from seventh to fourth.

3OH!3, featuring Katie Perry, and Black Eyed Peas took fifth and sixth positions respectively with Starstrukk and Meet Me Halfway.

Journey, Rihanna, Robbie Williams and Kesha completed the top ten.

In the album chart, Canadian crooner Michael Buble was celebrating as Crazy Love replaced Susan Boyle's I Dreamed a Dream as the week's best-seller.

Black Eyed Peas came in at number three, while The Fame by Lady Gaga held on to fourth spot.

JLS' debut album remained at five, ahead of Reality Killed the Video Star, by Robbie Williams.

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BREAKING NEWS

10:15pm UK, Sunday December 13, 2009

Geordie Joe McElderry Wins X Factor

Andy Jack, Sky News Online

Joe McElderry has been crowned X Factor champion after winning the public vote.

X Factor champion: Joe McElderry crowned after winning public vote

The hot favourite 18-year-old student from South Shields won the final of the hit ITV1 contest, beating Olly Murs.

His victory topped one of the most lucrative weekends in British broadcasting, with an extended results show creating prime advertising spots in front of an expected audience of 20 million.

The X Factor finalists

McElderry beat 200,000 applicants to The X Factor and more than 10 million public votes were cast.

He hugged his mentor, fellow Geordie Cheryl Cole, and said: "I can't even speak, thank you so much everyone."

He added: "I can't actually speak and I just want to say thank you to Cheryl, she's been an amazing mentor."

He also thanked the other judges and everyone who voted for him.

Cole told him: "I feel over the moon, I'm absolutely delighted. The right person won. I'm so proud of you. The North East are going to be going mad."

Cole: 'Amazing mentor'

McElderry's single, The Climb, will be available for download from midnight and will be in shops on Wednesday, said host Dermot O'Leary.

Simon Cowell told McElderry he was "gutted for Olly" but "thrilled for you because you're brilliant".

It was Cole's second victory in a row, after mentoring Alexandra Burke in last year's competition.

Bookmakers said McElderry was now the red-hot favourite to secure Christmas number one, with Ladbrokes cutting his odds of earning the top spot to 1/8.

In a sign of the show's ability to draw in the world's top stars, Sir Paul McCartney appeared on the final show singing Drive My Car with McElderry, Murs and this year's other 10 X Factor finalists.

Breaking News from the BBC:

Boyzone's Stephen Gately is dead

A look back at the life of Stephen Gately The Boyzone singer Stephen Gately, 33, has been found dead while on holiday in Majorca. The group's tour website said that he had "tragically died" and that the rest of the band would be flying out to Majorca on Sunday. The website also said Gately had been on holiday with his long-term partner Andy Cowles when he died on Saturday. Boyzone announced their comeback tour last November. The band had six UK number one hits between 1994 and 2000. The News of the World's showbusiness editor Dan Wootton told Sky News Gately had gone out for drinks, returned to his accommodation and gone to sleep, but never woke up. 'Shock' Boyzone manager Louis Walsh, who was due to appear as a judge on the X Factor results show on Sunday, told the newspaper: "We're all absolutely devastated." He said: "I'm in complete shock. I was only with him on Monday at an awards ceremony. We don't know much about what's happened yet. still busy - lots going on. Focussing on finishing my book next so may be quiet here [sic] Gately's last Twitter post, 6 October In pictures: Stephen Gately "I only heard after The X Factor and we will rally around each other this week. He was a great man." Gately revealed that he was gay and had a boyfriend in June 1999. The two later married in a private civil partnership ceremony in London in 2006. After Boyzone split Gately continued his career as a solo artist, but was dropped by Polydor in 2001 after three Top 20 singles. He enjoyed further success performing in musicals, including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2003-04. Gately also appeared in 2007 on ITV1's reality series Dancing on Ice, and was voted Hero of 1999 at the Smash Hits Poll Winners' Party. His last message on the social networking site Twitter, posted on 6 October, said: "still busy - lots going on. Focussing on finishing my book next so may be quiet here" (sic)

Flash Forward Premieres Tonight in the UK on Five



The epic new drama series Flash Forward, from the US, premieres tonight on Five in the UK at 9pm and is certainly one to watch.

So what’s the lowdown?
A mysterious global event causes everyone to blackout simultaneously for two minutes and seventeen seconds exactly. In that time, everyone glimpses their life six months from now. When they wake up, everyone is left reeling, wondering if what they saw will actually happen…

Scary stuff. Were their futures not very bright then?
Some of what they see is not pretty it has to be said, with adultery, alcoholism and murder all featuring among the premonitions. But don’t worry, FBI agent Mark Benford, played by Joseph Fiennes, and his partner Demetri Noh, (American Pie and Star Trek's John Cho) are determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

Sounds like a star-studded cast?
It is. Aside from Joseph and John, there’s also This Life and Coupling actor Jack Davenport, Lost’s Dominic Monaghan and Law & Order’s Courtney B Vance.

So it’s big deal Stateside then?
Ratings for ABC’s premiere of "FlashForward" were very strong last Thursday, with an average total audience of 12.47 million viewers, and the pilot went down a storm with the press with some claiming it’s bigger and better than both Lost and Heroes put together.

What are the long term plans for the series?

Producers say that at the very least they need at least three seasons to tell the complete story:

"We know what the ultimate season is and the penultimate season is. For in between, we know the various seasons but we are treating it like an accordion. In success, [the show] can go seven years. In less success, it would need to go three years to work. The end game of the show, to be properly done, really requires two full seasons focusing on the end game."

And here’s what co-creator and executive producer David Goyer said:

"We pitched [ABC] a fairly excessive plan… I mean, we know exactly the shot that season one ends on! They obviously said this resembles Lost, in that it’s a really cool script, but [they asked], ‘Do you have any idea where it goes?’ We said, ‘Yeah we know how the whole season ends and how the whole series ends’, and they went, ‘Holy shit!’"

Catch the first episode tonight then on Five, and here's a glimpse below:

Cheryl Cole - Going it alone with a New Single and Album.

Following her successful single with Will.I.AM, Heartbreaker, Cheryl is back going it alone with a new single, Fight For This Love, out October 19th, and a new Album, Three Words, out October 26th.

The world exclusive play of Girls Aloud star Cheryl Cole's debut single 'Fight For This Love' was Broadcast live on 'Radio 1' (07.09.09), and here it is below for you to enjoy:

New Robbie Williams Single

After a 3 year gap Robbie Williams is back. If you tuned in to the radio this week you may well have already heard Robbie's upcoming single, Bodies and are probably dying to hear it again. If you haven't already heard it, now's your chance! Press play on the video below to hear the full version of Bodies in all its glory...

Bodies is released on 12th October 09 and is taken from his album, Reality Killed The Video Star, available from 9th November 09.

We're also very excited to present the all-new Robbie Williams widget... currently featuring a 30-second sneak preview of the Bodies music video!

Video premiere coming 08.30 BST, Wed 9 Sep, through the Robbie Williams widget.

Check the clip out below in the widget: