Taylor Lautner Shows His Serious Face in New Abduction Photos

After spending the past four years as resident hottie werewolf Jacob Black in the Twilight franchise, Taylor Lautner is using his upcoming thriller Abduction to really showcase his range. We’ve already seen the teen heartthrob exhibit fear, stubble and action hero bravery. Now it’s time to see the serious side of Lautner via a trio of stills from John Singleton’s Abduction set. Taylor Lautner and Abduction slide down a roof full of shattered glass into theaters September 23. [via Facebook]

StudioCanal nabs 'Moonrise,' 'Pines'

Exclusive: LONDON -- European heavyweight StudioCanal has snapped up French distribution rights to Wes Anderson's "Moonrise Kingdom" and Derek Cianfrance's "Place Beyond the Pines."The Vivendi-owned outfit also has U.K. rights to "Place Beyond the Pines," which is set to be distributed via its Brit arm Optimum Releasing.Moonrise Kingdom," which toplines Ed Norton, Bruce Willis, Bill Murray and Tilda Swinton, is in post, and is being released domestically by Focus Features. Scott Rudin, Jeremy Dawson and Steven M. Rales produce. Focus Features Intl. is handling international sales for the pic, which it shopped to buyers in Cannes in May. Story, penned by Anderson and Roman Coppola, is set in 1960s New England, and follows the tale of two young lovers who run away together, turning the town upside down in the process. "2Place Beyond the Pines," toplining Ryan Gosling, Bradley Cooper, Rose Byrne and Eva Mendes, is lensing and sees a motorcycle stunt rider consider committing a crime in order to provide for his family. Cianfrance, who helmed last year's "Blue Valentine," penned the script with Ben Coccio and Darius Marder. Lynette Howell and Sidney Kimmel produce with Alex Orlovsky and Jamie Patricof. Sierra/Affinity is handling international sales, and also launched the pic to buyers in Cannes.The acquisitions of these two big titles, both hot tickets on the Croisette this year, further cement StudioCanal's value as one of the world's independent powerhouses. In addition to fully financing pics such as "The Last Exorcism" and "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy," a Working Title production set to preem in Venice next month, the company's healthy financial structure enable it to snap up premium titles. On Sept. 1, the company is rebranding its Brit and German subsidiaries Optimum Releasing and Kinowelt with its own moniker. Contact Diana Lodderhose at diana.lodderhose@variety.com

4 Reasons We're Sweet on Top Chef: Just Desserts Season 2

Top Chef: Just Desserts After a more bitter than sweet first season of Top Chef: Just Desserts, we know we weren't the only ones who were wary of what a second season could bring. Will there be another breakdown-prone Seth? Two more crazy Heathers? Twenty gazillion more buckets of tears? Having seen the premiere (Wednesday, 10/9c, Bravo), we at TVGuide.com are happy to report that the new season is no crybaby-fest redux. So why should you come back for seconds? Here are four reasons:IsTop Chef: Just Dessertson your Watchlist? Add it and your other favorites now and never miss an episode1. The cast seems normal! After last season, the only way the casting directors could go was up, right? The Season 2 cast is still arrogant (what chef isn't?), anal, competitive and catty, but no one is as emotionally fragile, insufferable or malicious as the inaugural crop that spewed homophobic slurs (ahem, Morgan) and was in dire need of anger management. We don't need everyone to be likeable on a reality show - someone's got to fill the villain role (which this season is looking like it's going to Orlando) - but we do need everyone to appear like they passed the entrance psych evaluation. These newbies seem stable and self-aware with a healthy competitive appetite (Chris vs. Orlando!) and a sense of humor. Of Hansel & Gretel - the Elimination Challenge is fairy tale-themed - Rebecca quips, "Although they bake children, so that probably won't be a good dessert." Bottom line: Don't expect another "The Red Hots are for my mommy" implosion.2. The focus is back on the food: Thanks to innumerable fights, mood swings, freak-outs and meltdowns last season, the cheftestants' creations felt like an afterthought to the high-strung drama. Not so here. Everyone gets down to business from the get-go with the Quickfire, in which they have to put a modern spin on a soda fountain-style dessert, and while there are tiffs between team members in the Elimination Challenge, they all blow over quickly and everyone gets back to the task at hand. Why Top Chef: Just Desserts was a bittersweet pill: producers on the problem with pastry 3. Bring on the recipes! The source of some of the freak-outs last year: Cheftestants could not bring recipes. It was a ballsy move since pastry is a finely measured and precise craft. The results weren't terrible by any means, but producers - maybe fearing more hissy fits - have dropped the ban this go-around. Good call - no one can complain and it can all be about execution now. Our one hope: Don't give them more time or make the challenges less demanding. A competitive reality show, especially a cooking one, is about being out of your element, adapting to the twists and thinking on your feet - not just how well you can whip up a dish.4. Hair today, gone tomorrow: OK, it's not totally gone, but head judge Johnny Iuzzini's distracting towering, over-gelled Elvis-esque bouffant has been trimmed and relaxed. Now we can really concentrate on the sweets!Watch an exclusive clip from the season premiere:

Alexander Skarsgrd approaching The East

Eco-terrorism drama The East looks to become collecting a few of the most popular youthful stars in Hollywood because of its leading roles. With Brit Marling already within the bag, Warmth Vision reviews that Alexander Skarsgård is within talks to accept male lead.The film follows the storyline of the female FBI agent who goes undercover to infiltrate several militant eco-players referred to as East. Skarsgård has been arranged to experience the group's leader, that has numerous dishonest companies on his hit list.Marling will have these given, and also the youthful actress has additionally co-written the script, just like she did on Sundance hit Seem Of My Voice. That film's director Zat Batmanglij can also be set to fill the director's chair this time around around.The film will probably be launched by Fox Searchlight (that was formerly the place to find Seem Of My Voice) with shooting set to start in Nashville in October.Skarsgård meanwhile provides extensive varied work to occupy his plate at the moment. He is able to soon be observed in Lars Von Trier's Melancholia and can appear alongside Julianne Moore and Steve Coogan in comedy drama What Maisie Understood. With another set of starring roles in approaching blockbusters Battleship and Hay Dogs, we'll be seeing more of him within the coming several weeks.

WGA Opens Docu Screenplay Submissions

The WGA West and WGA East said today that it is accepting submissions beginning today for its WGA Documentary Screenplay Award, with applications due by 5:30 PM PST on Nov. 18. Nominations are set to be announced Jan. 5 alongside the guild's Original and Adapted Screenplay nominees, with the winner revealed at the 2012 Writers Guild Awards on Feb. 19 in Los Angeles and New York.

'Conan' Director Marcus Nispel Creates Comic Book Series 'The Chosen'

EXCLUSIVE: Marcus Nispel, whose Conan the Barbarian reboot opens today, has made a deal with Liquid Comics to launch the comic book series The Chosen. The plotline involves a Detroit kid who seems an unlikely candidate but who is the latest incarnate of an Eastern spiritual master whose tradition goes back generations. The teen's awakening to these asweom powers that have been refined over a century's worth of incarnations, begin to manifest themselves and take him on a journey from the Detroit streets to the underground gangland of Mumbai. Nispel created the storyling with Liquid co-founders Gotham Chopra and Sharad Devarajan. It's based on an original movie treatment that Nispel has been developing to direct. The three-issue comic series will launch in February. "I like movies that turn into graphic novels and graphic novels that turn into movies," Nispel said in a statement. "Everything I direct starts with illustrations, and the pictures tell the story." Said Chopra: "Marcus' vision of a muscled up Kung Fu has been something I've loved since the moment he first told me the story. The Master-Apprentice narrative from King Arthur to John Connor is a formula that works and with Marcus onboard something wildly creative is emerging."

Global 3D Box Office More Than Doubled in 2010

Worldwide box office revenue from 3D screens more than doubled last year to $6.1 billion, up from $2.5 billion in 2009, reflecting the increase in the number of 3D releases and the rapid build out of 3D screen in theaters.our editor recommends'Avatar' opens 3D floodgates'A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas' Trailer: Everyone's Back for More Hijinks (Video) Overall 3D now makes up 19.3% of the global box office, up from 8.6% in 2009. North America remains the largest 3D market although the percentage of 3D revenue is now greatest from the rest of the world, according to a new IHS Screen Digest Cinema Intelligence report released Friday. North America accounted for 36.1% of tickets sold for 3D movies, down from 42.3% in 2009, while the rest of the world made up the other 69.3%, up from 53.8% in 2009. The U.S. was the largest single 3D market with gross ticket sales of $2 billion. The biggest growth was in 3D international box office which tripled in a year, going from $1.4 billion in 2009 to $3.9 billion. "This run of exceptional growth in international markets has been instrumental in achieving a current worldwide total in excess of 30,000 3D screens at June 2011, more than double the number at the same point last year. And at least one in four of the world's screens is now 3-D-capable," said Charlotte Jones, senior analyst for cinema at IHS. "But despite impressive 3D screen growth internationally, the global market still is dominated by U.S. releases, which accounted for more than 90 percent of revenue from international 3D screens." The fastest growth in 3D was in Japan, which is number two worldwide in revenue from the multi-dimensional theatrical format. Japan recorded gross 3D receipts of $471 million. Top titles in Japan included Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and Toy Story 3. Other 3D hits there included the Japanese film Umizaru 3: The Last Message. In Europe, the top market for 3D was the U.K. with gross ticket sales of $427.6 million, making it third globally. Fourth globally was France, with $364.7 million in 3D receipts. It was followed by Russia in fifth place globally with $336.5 million. In sixth place was China, followed by Germany, Australia, Italy and Canada. Brazil was the largest 3D market in Latin America, just ahead of Mexico, according to the report, even though the market penetration of 3-D was higher in Columbia (35.6%) and Argentina (26%). The highest premium up charge for 3D tickets in terms of percentage were in China and Mexico, although Mexico had the lowest average ticket price for a 3-D movie. Of 25 territories traced in the report Slovenia was the smallest 3D market with $3.5 million in ticket sales in 2010. Related Topics 3D Avatar

Joseph Gordon-Levitt Battles Cancer, Seth Rogen's Bad Pick-Up Ideas in New 50/50 Trailer

“If you were a casino game, you’d have the best odds.” So says Kyle (Seth Rogen) to his best friend Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) after finding out he has a 50/50 chance of beating his recently diagnosed cancer. Based on the real-life experience of screenwriter (and Rogen pal) Will Reiser, 50/50 is hoping to thread the needle between comedy and drama, all while dealing with a touchy subject: potentially terminal illness. Judging from the latest trailer, it won’t be as hard as you’d imagine. Click through for a look. Owing to the fact that this trailer is some 30 seconds shorter than the previous one, there isn’t much new footage presented; about the only major change is the banner “From the guys that brought you Superbad” (Rogen and Evan Goldberg are producers). That’s fine, though: the first trailer set up the premise and tone with precision, and this shorter version follows a similar path. You can already see the bro-ly chemistry between the two leads — “They’re body trimmers, so…” — and while the scenes between Gordon-Levitt and Anna Kendrick feel a bit rom-com boilerplate-y, that’s not the worst thing as long as their relationship is handled well in the finished product. Also, take note: Michael Giacchino wrote the score. High hopes for this one. VERDICT: Like those odds. Directed by Jonathan Levine (The Wackness), Summit releases 50/50 on Sept. 30. [via Yahoo!]

IT'S OVER: Syfy's 'Eureka' Canceled With No Final 6-Episode Order

Last week, we scooped Syfy's plan to end its series Eureka with a final six-episode Season 6 order. Back then, Syfy wouldn't even confirm that the series was ending, saying in a statement that "although we do not have a commitment beyond six episodes for the sixth season, we are hopeful that this will not be the end of the franchise." Well, that has now changed. Not only is Eureka being canceled, Syfy has also reversed its decision on ordering a final six-episode season. I hear the change of heart was made high up based on financial reasons. Eureka, starring Collin Ferguson and Salli Richardson-Whitfield, has had OK ratings, with its current Season 4.5 premiering last month to 2 million total viewers, 893,000 of them in the adults 18-49 category. Created by Andrew Cosby and Jaime Paglia and produced by Universal Cable Prods, Eureka is now in production on its 13-episode Season 5 order. With filming coming to an end in only two weeks, I hear the producers are begging for a way to properly end the show. Here is Syfy's statement: After painstaking consideration, we have had to make the difficult business decision to not order a season six of Eureka. But Eureka is not over yet. There is a new holiday episode this December and 12 stellar episodes set to debut next year, marking its fifth season and six memorable years on Syfy. The 2012 episodes are some of the best weve seen, and will bring this great series to a satisfying end. We are very grateful to Bruce Miller and Jaime Paglia, their team of incredible writers, and an amazing cast and crew who have consistently delivered a series we continue to be very proud of. We thank the fans for their support of this show and know they will enjoy its final season in 2012.

Exclusive Shameless Erased Scene: Let's Say Frank Died?

William H. Macy and Emmy Rossum, Shameless We have seen Shameless' Frank (William H. Macy) fake their own dying, but exactly how would the Gallagher clan react if he really started the bucket? That answer might be based in the exclusive video below. Inside a erased scene in the Season 1 episode "Frank the Plank," Darlene (Emma Kenney), the youngest Gallagher woman, becomes fearful once the police look for a body matching Frank's description. (As you'll recall, Frank was really in Canada after among his benders.) So what is the tell-tale sign this stiff isn't Frank? Discover the shocking truth below to discover! Shameless books Lone Star's James Wolk And when you are already missing Frank, Fiona (Emmy Rossum) and also the relaxation from the Gallaghers, now you can download the very first season on iTunes!

David Fincher producing a biopic of photographer Dorothea Lange

David Fincher will lend his support as producer to a biopic charting the life of Depression-era photographer Dorothea Lange.Fincher is currently in post-production on his version of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, but he will exec produce the project, while David B. Ginsberg (Get Low) produces.Angela Workman (the writer behind the upcoming Brontë) is currently scribbling away at the script, with documentary maker Leslie Dektor set to direct.Lange was born in New Jersey in 1895, and went on to become one of the most prominent photographers to document the United States during The Great Depression.Her most famous photo is Migrant Mother (above), and her work was said to have inspired John Steinbeck to pen The Grapes Of Wrath.Lange's achievements are all the more impressive considering the fact she contracted polio as a child, which left her with a permanent limp, and she suffered related ailments throughout her life.Fincher's producing clout should hopefully make the movie available to a wider audience than it otherwise would have been.The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo will open on 26 December 2011.