Johnston reteams with 'Captain' thesp

Director Joe Johnston is reteaming together with his "Captain America" thesp Qq Feild, that has been cast in Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Prods.' low-budget thriller "Unsafe For Work" together with Tom Gallop and Emmy champion Christian Clemenson ("CSI: Miami").Brit scribes Adam Mason and Simon Boyes authored the script, which follows a youthful legal assistant held in a workplace having a killer on the secret pursuit to destroy files and anybody that stands in the path.Max Minghella ("The Social Networking") will star because the cunning protag, while Eloise Mumford (ABC's "The ForestInch) will have his girlfriend, who works in the same office together with Clemenson.Jason Blum ("Paranormal Activity") is creating the pic, which is professional created by Couper Samuelson. Bryan Brucks is placed to co-produce.Feild, who co-starred in Neil Marshall's "Centurion," is symbolized by UTA and U.K.-based Ken McReddie Affiliates. APA-repped Gallop is really a veteran TV thesp who lately made an appearance within the Paul Greengrass-directed sequels to "The Bourne Identity."Clemenson, who stars on "CSI: Miami" and won an Emmy for his guest switch on "Boston Legal," lately made an appearance in Clint Eastwood's "J. Edgar." He's repped by Stone Manners Salners Agency and manager Mitch Clem Management and Marshak/Zachary. Contact Shaun Sneider at shaun.sneider@variety.com

Anthony Mackie in talks for 'Pain and Gain'

MackieThe muscled ensemble of Michael Bay's "Discomfort and Gain" grows, as "The Hurt Locker" star Anthony Mackie is at predicts join Mark Wahlberg and Dwayne Manley since the third lead in Michael Bay's low-budget Vital pic.Vital did not have comment.With various true story first told inside an article within the Miami New Occasions, film follows several bodybuilders who in an offer of kidnapping, extortion and murder in Florida.Mackie is at discussions to see Adrian Doorbal, a sizable-hearted bodybuilder who computes with Wahlberg's character, Daniel Lugo. Doorbal has little to demonstrate for his effort, leading him to buy Lugo's plan.Erection dysfunction Harris will co-star as private agent Erection dysfunction Du Bois, while Make the most of Corddry may have John Mese, the prior accountant and notary who has a health club where Lugo works.Bay is creating with Jesse P Line and Ian Bryce. "Captain America" scribes Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely written the script. Production is predicted to begin noisy . spring.With "Discomfort and Gain," Mackie continues his ascent just like a leading guy in studio films. Thesp is coming initially from off numerous strong supporting roles, including Universal's "The Adjustment Bureau," DreamWorks' "Real Steel" and Summit's "Guy around the Ledge," additionally to approaching turns in Fox's adaptation of "Abraham Lincoln subsequently subsequently: Vampire Hunter" and WB's "The Gangster Squad."Thesp recently wrapped charge inside the indie "Vipaka," which pairs him with Forest Whitaker.Mackie is repped by UTA and Inspire Entertainment. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

Dear God, The Les Grossman Movie Is Real -- and It's 'Heartfelt'

I'm willing to give on-the-brink screenwriter Michael Bacall the benefit of the doubt based on what I've seen and heard of him so far, from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (which he co-wrote) to the Todd Phillips-produced teen party comedy Project X and 21 Jump Street (both of which he has scripting and story credits on), the latter of which is earning surprisingly glowing reactions from the blogoscenti. But I might have to draw some sort of line at the Tropic Thunder spin-off starring a fat, hairy Tom Cruise as slimy Hollywood exec Les Grossman, which apparently is not only really, seriously a thing but is, as Bacall describes, "a pretty heartfelt story." "I wrote it for R because we had precedent with Tropic Thunder," he told Collider recently, promising a script unhampered by PG-13 boundaries. "Its actually a pretty heartfelt story. I had a lot of meetings with Mr. Cruise and Mr. Stiller and it was crazy, it was a blast. I think we came up with some really fun stuff to give you an insight into who the guy is, so Im hopeful that thatll get up and running soon. Cruise, he admits, may be pretty busy with non-Les Grossman gigs for a good while, so it's hard to say when this insightful look at the man who won 8 Oscars, earned 400 million dollars at the box office, and saved Tugg Speedman's career will hit theaters. I can't imagine anything more exhausting than watching Cruise yell and dance to Flo Rida for the length of a feature film. Project X, meanwhile, captures the youth side of a dick-obsessed male culture if with an overabundance of sleaze, and 21 Jump Street is earning some of the most solid advance buzz I've heard in a while where high profile studio fodder is concerned. So maybe there's hope yet? Then again, Bacall is not only a scribe, he's an actor; while he most recently appeared in Inglorious Basterds, his appearance on the infamously terrible Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch: Make My Video Sega game actually makes me like him, although it proves that not all high concept projects built around macho gyrating personalities are good ideas. Screenwriter Michael Bacall Gives Update on Les Grossman Movie; Says Its A Pretty Heartfelt Story and it Was Written to Be Rated R [Collider]

BBC draws 640 buyers to Showcase

LONDON -- BBC Worldwide's annual U.K. sales market, Showcase, is expecting more than 640 international buyers to attend this year's event, a hike of almost 100 on last year's Showcase. Taking place in the English city of Liverpool for the first time, Worldwide is beefing up the market's appeal by staging a one-day talking shop focusing on the growing importance of digital distribution. The keynote speaker is Netflix chief content officer Ted Sarandos. Other contributors include social TV specialist Miso's CEO Somrat Niyogi, IPTV combo Maxdome Germany's managing director Christoph Bellmer, and the CEO of IPTV company FetchTV Australia Scott Lorson. Steve Macallister, prexy and managing director, sales and distribution, BBC Worldwide, said: "With a significant increase in delegates from America and Asia, and many digital clients attending for the first time, including Hulu, Netflix, Yota, Onet, CME and FetchTV Australia, we have exceeded our expectations and look forward to welcoming a record breaking number of delegates to this iconic city." Showcase runs Feb. 26-29, and is expected to gross in excess of 50 million ($75.8 million) for Worldwide.Shows being pushed by Worldwide at Showcase include Sky TV dramas "Sinbad" and crime caper "Mad Dogs," ITV's detective skein "Whitechapel," and the BBC's Edwardian saga "Parade's End," plus the Corp.'s domestic new breakout hit "Call the Midwife." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Kevin Cruz Invades Reality TV With Comic Males

Comic Males He introduced geekdom towards the public together with his films Clerks and Mallrats. Now Kevin Cruz turns to TV with AMC's Comic Males, a real possibility show set at Jay and Quiet Bob's Secret Stash, the comics shop Cruz is the owner of in Red-colored Bank, Nj. The fanboy auteur informs TV Guide Magazine why his latest project is more frightening than the usual zombie attack. TV Guide Magazine: Are you currently surprised to become back on television after your bad knowledge about Clerks: The Animated Series? Cruz: F--king stunned! When that went in 2000, ABC purchased six episodes and just broadcast two. It will be around the air today! But here's what's really haunting: AMC arrived and stated, "We are ordering six episodes." I am, like, "We are cursed! We are dead!" [Laughs] I felt like I had been in Battlestar Galactica: What went down before may happen again! TV Guide Magazine: Seriously? You are that spooked? Cruz: Nah, really I believe this will work. Since we are just a little much deeper in it, it feels as though it could really pan out. This really is AMC, dude! They do not place you around the air inside a whimsy. They gave this show serious consideration. However I still feel similar to Roy Scheider in Jaws - I have seen the shark close up and I'd rather not undergo that hell again. TV Guide Magazine: But you have been handed the dream timeslot! Derive it. Cruz: It's correct. AMC has nuzzled us safe as cats within the slot immediately after The Walking Dead and before their talk show Speaking Dead. That's our audience! Which means you will certainly see us marketing the Walking Dead comics within our store as well as on our show. We understand how to hug ass. We understand how to polish the apple. I really like [Walking Dead creator] Robert Kirkman. If he found me and stated, "Produce your firstborn child," I'd seriously need to consider it. Not just is his show our lead-in, he's our spiritual godfather. His geekery permitted our geekery hitting the environment. TV Guide Magazine: This series happily fosters the concept comic-book fans can't have sex. The reason for so awesome with this? Cruz: Since it is true! [Laughs] We are pathetic! Look, among the advantages of the dudes within our world is the fact that we're very self-aware. We are in around the joke. Like a kid you are urged to become yourself, when what the majority of us really thought about being was another person - another person much, chilly! But that is all transformed. In older days, we'd bristle at being known as nerd or geek. Now we put on it just like a badge of recognition. TV Guide Magazine: How's your employees in the Stash handling all of this? Cruz: They did not wish to perform a reality show. I needed to back them in it. [Laughs] However that we have seen it we are all wondering why we did not do that sooner. These men are prodigies. They walk towards the beat that belongs to them drums and also have maintained who they really are when confronted with adversity, which in my experience is heroic. There's nobody on television more complicated. You turn a camera in it and comedy happens, drama happens. This show did not begin being concerning the Stash. We'd planned to possess a search to get the best, most fascinating, most acerbic comic-book staff in The United States. [Laughs] Until it had been stated in my experience it was okay under my nose. Initially when i first began speaking with AMC it never happened in my experience to make use of my very own store and my very own men. Seriously! I can not go ahead and take credit with this idea. To show around the TV and find out my incredible friends' faces on AMC - the only real funnel I watch incidentally - will probably be f--king amazing, guy. It is the finest miracle trick within the good reputation for mankind. TV Guide Magazine: And also the moral of the story?Cruz: The greater I avoid things the greater they come out! Comic Males premieres Sunday at 10:01/9:01c on AMC. Sign up for TV Guide Magazine now!

New UK Poster For In Darkness

Holocaust drama is introducedThe new film from Agnieszka Holland, In Darkness, has been nominated for Best Foreign Film at this year's AcademyAwards after already winning a clutch of festival gongs. And now, for your viewing pleasure, here's the UK poster for the film.It's all based on the true story of Leopold Soha (Robert Wieckiewicz), a sewer worker and petty thief who makes a living following the Nazi occupation of his home town of Lvov by hiding Jewish refugees in the sewers under the town. Only - as you can see from the trailer below - it's not quite that simple.{In Darkness UK Poster}The film also stars Benno Fürmann, Agnieszka Grochowska and Kinga Preis, and it's out in the UKon March 16.

Sinclair internet profit falls by $tens of millions of

Sinclair Broadcast Group mentioned internet profit wound up by $tens of millions of to $23 million last quarter on tough political ad trading comps within the this past year, offset simply having a begin auto advertising. Revenue for your large independent Baltimore-based broadcaster, whose 75 stations in 45 areas might be a bell-wether for your industry, reduced to $213 million from $226 million. Political ad revenues of $4.millions of inside the fourth quarter of 2011 fell significantly from $26.8 million inside the 2010 period when there has been some hotly contested elections. Sinclair's diverse quantity of stations covers 26.3% of U.S. television houses which is connected with all of major systems. Boss David Cruz was upbeat for current year. "After we anticipate 2012, our outlook is ideal for ongoing ad trading growth with the automotive industry, along with an increase in political advertising in this particular presidential election year. Furthermore, we expect industry for television station transactions to remain active and anticipate evaluating potential transactions simply because they arise," he mentioned in the statement. Local network broadcast revenue, including local time sales, retransmission revenues, together with other broadcast revenues, was up 6.6%. National internet broadcast revenues, including national time sales together with other national broadcast revenues, were lower 31% on lower political. Excluding political revenues, local internet broadcast revenues were up 13.3% and national internet broadcast revenues were lower 7.4% inside the fourth quarter. Top groups for your quarter were automotive, grocery and medical, while services, media trading, telecommunications, direct response and residential products were lower most likely probably the most. Automotive, the greatest category, was up 11.9% inside the quarter or even more 9.7% for your year. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com