CW Developing 'Deadman' Project With 'Supernatural' Creator Eric Kripke

David Livingston/Getty ImagesEric Kripke The CW is getting back into business with Supernatural creator Eric Kripke. The network is developing an adaptation of DC Comics' Deadman, by Arnold Drake and Carmine Infantino, with Kripke writing and executive producing. Deadman centers on the spirit of a trapeze artist, Boston Brand, who is murdered, and continues to live on by inhabiting other people's bodies and helping them resolve conflicts and issues in their lives. He first appeared in October 1967. Deadman will be produced by Warner Bros. TV. Kripke exited his day-to-day duties as showrunner on Supernatural at the end of the fifth season, with executive producer Sera Gamble taking over. Supernatural is entering into Season 7 this fall. Earlier this year at PaleyFest, Kripke told The Hollywood Reporter that the TV adaptation of Neil Gaiman's comic book series The Sandman was "not in the works, at least for this season" but he hoped that "we can do it again in the future." In September 2010, WBTV named him its top choice to develop the series. Supernatural The CW

REVIEW: Don't Be Afraid of the Dark Is Nothing to Be Afraid Of

There are two types of middle-aged people in the world: Those who didn’t see John Newland’s 1973 made-for-TV movie Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark when it aired, and those who did see it and were marked for life. Guillermo del Toro is in the latter group, having witnessed the spectacle of young housewife Kim Darby being seduced and terrified by hordes of miniature men who live in the bowels of the mansion she just moved into with her husband, Jim Hutton. Only she can see them, and we barely see them, even when they do things like peek out stealthily from flower arrangements or purloin various sharp household implements as part of their master plan for — well, never mind that for now. For years del Toro has been hoping to see the movie remade. Now his dream — or perhaps his own personal little nightmare — has come to life with Troy Nixey’s modernized version, which del Toro produced and co-wrote. Except there’s something missing in this Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark — or maybe there’s too much extra something. In this update, Katie Holmes and Guy Pearce play Kim and Alex, an unmarried couple temporarily camped in the spooky-looking Rhode Island mansion they’re renovating; their plan is to restore it to its former glory and get it on the cover of Architectural Digest. Alex has invited his young daughter, Sally (Bailee Madison), to come from L.A. to live with them. The overmedicated moppet has been “too sad” of late and seems to need a change of scenery. We know what she’s getting into: In the movie’s preamble, we’ve already seen the house’s original owner, circa early 19-something, hunkered in his basement, whimpering and simpering as he serves up a plate of bloody teeth to a group of whispering whats-its who lurk behind an iron grate. The man has gone mad — a condition instigated by the creepy-crawlies’ snatching of his young son — and he’s reached the end of his rope trying to appease them. Enter young Sally, some 100 years later — she may as well be wearing a “Steal me!” sign on her back. Del Toro loves his creatures. Maybe he loves them too much: He always wants us to get a good look at them, and that’s one of the things that saps the spookiness from this Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. The underground mansion crew are hairy little beasties with sharp teeth and wild eyes; they could be mutant capuchin monkeys. With their quick, furtive gestures, they are technically impressive — but their presence is also something of a miniature essay on the limits of technique. The creatures in Newland’s version are far more lo-fi, to the point of being comical: They have oversize heads, like white shrunken prunes, and their bodies also appear to be covered in some kind of fur, the cheap kind. The difference is that you barely see them — they’re more often alluded to, appearing as shivery shadows darting in the corners of this already-dark house. More terrifying yet, we hear them whispering among themselves without really seeing them. I haven’t seen the Newland version in nearly 40 years — I’m just not sure I want to open up that nightmare box again — but the line I remember distinctly is a hissed, “We’ll get her while she’s asleep!” Del Toro and Nixey’s version also features lots of whispering, but it’s often too direct, too scripted, to be truly scary. When Sally tearfully asks her tormentors the inevitable question, “What do you want?” they answer inevitably, “We want YOU.” As if they even needed to bother. This version is also hobbled by excess psychological padding: Del Toro seems to think it needs to be about the unspoken fears of childhood (a pet theme of his, and one that he has often handled beautifully, particularly in Pan’s Labyrinth), but here it just feels like schtick. It doesn’t help that Madison’s Sally is a sullen, puddin’ faced child, not exactly charmless but hardly engaging, either. Del Toro has also manufactured a supposedly complicated stepmom relationship between Holmes and Madison that never quite clicks; Pearce is stuck playing the clueless, insensitive parent. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark does feature a few understated, evocative moments, as when Sally burrows beneath the billowing sheets on her bed to see if she can catch one of the creatures who’s scurried under there. Nixey has worked primarily as a comic-book illustrator — this is his first feature — and he does show some visual flair. But I can’t imagine that this version of Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark will be remembered, with a shudder, in 40 years. No one or nothing in it will steal into your sleep to get you, though God knows del Toro tried.

Paris Hiltons Ex Takes Plea Deal In Vegas

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Paris Hiltons ex-boyfriend was fined $585 and ordered Wednesday to stay out of trouble as he settled drug charges stemming from a Las Vegas Strip traffic stop with the celebrity socialite last year. Cy Waits, 35, was sentenced after pleading no contest to misdemeanor driving under the influence of drugs. Felony and misdemeanor drug charges were dropped. Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Bill Kephart ordered Waits to attend DUI (driving under the influence) and victim impact classes, gave him a 30-day suspended jail sentence, and warned him not to make the same mistake twice. If you are arrested for another DUI during the pendency of this case, I dont care if its alcohol or drugs, you will do six months in the Clark County jail, the judge said. He set a Nov. 23 date to review Waits case. Waits emerged from the courtroom with his lawyer, Richard Schonfeld, and said he was glad to have the case behind him. The former Las Vegas nightclub manager declined to talk about his relationship with Hilton, calling it a chapter in my life thats closed. Waits was arrestedAug. 27, 2010, after a Las Vegas police officer reported a vapor trail of marijuana smoke wafting from a black Cadillac Escalade with Waits at the wheel. Hilton, a passenger in the vehicle, was arrested after police said a small bag containing 0.8 gram of cocaine fell from her Chanel purse as she reached for a tube of lip balm. The 30-year-old celebrity heiress pleaded guilty last September to misdemeanor cocaine possession and obstruction charges. She is serving a year of probation, with a Las Vegas judge set to review her case Sept. 20. Copyright 2011 by Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Associates: Births

Trisha Gum and Dana Crawford, a boy Shepherd Nolan Gum-Crawford, August. 13, La. Mother's someone in the lawyer Mandich Gum father's a non-professional.Lisa Taylor and Lenn K. Rosenfeld, a boy Leo Taylor Rosenfeld, August. 2, La. Mother's a publicist at 42West father's a co-producer on CW's "One Tree Hill." Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com

TV TEASER: FX's 'American Horror Story'

Following a string of short teaser games, Forex just launched a 30-second trailer for Ryan Murphy and Kaira Falchuk's spooky new drama series American Horror Story, which stars Dylan McDermott, Connie Britton and Jessica Lange. Referred to like a psychosexual thriller, it focuses on a counselor (McDermott) and the wife (Britton) who, dealing using the aftermath from the husband's infidelity, move together with their kids right into a home that appears to understand about their fears and plays on them. The series premieres March. 5.

Brad Pitt May Be The Gray Man

He's in talks for the thrillerThe last time Brad Pitt played an assassin, it was opposite Angelina Jolie for Mr & Mrs Smith. Now, though, he's looking to slip on the killing togs again, albeit without his significant other, for The Gray Man. In possibly the most perfect pairing of director name and project, Two Lovers' James Gray is on board to wield the megaphone for the film, which has been adapted from Mark Greaney's thriller novel. Adam Cozad wrote the screenplay, which was good enough to land on the Blacklist and score him several other big gigs, including re-writing Joseph Kosinski's Archangel. And it was his work on Jack Ryan reboot Moscow that got him the Gray assignment in the first place. Gray Man will see Pitt as the world's greatest assassin, a man who used to work for the CIA, but whose name crops up on the "burned" list after his most recent job goes wrong. The change in status means he suddenly has to go on the run from unknown forces that are hunting him. And without the resources of his former employer, he has to get pretty creative to save himself and to give him an extra headache, two daughters who have no idea he's their dad. Pitt's in talks right now, but it looks like he wants the role, and would likely move on to it once he's finished fighting the zombie invasion in World War Z.

Anne Hathaways Childhood Dream: I Wanted To Be Catwoman!

NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Anne Hathaway might have rose to fame playing a princess, but the actress told Access Hollywood that the role she always dreamed of was Catwoman. Oh I love it! I love it, the actress told Access when asked about her Catwoman suit for The Dark Knight Rises during an interview for her current movie, One Day. A lot of questions that I used to get asked were, So, every girl when she grows up wants to be a princess, did you want to be a princess when you grew you? Anne told Access. And I so wish Id said what I felt back then, because the truth was, No, I wanted to be Catwoman! And now I am That dream came true, for sure. Stepping into a role previously played by Michelle Pfeiffer, Halle Berry, Julie Newmar, Lee Meriwether, and Eartha Kitt is not something Anne takes lightly. So many great women have worn [the costume] before me, the actress explained. Its an honor to don the suit. The third installment in the latest Batman trilogy hits theaters on July 20, 2012, but first fans will see Anne and Jim Sturgess in One Day, which opens on August 19. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Pellicano Breaks Silence ... But Says Nothing

It'shis first interview since going to prison in 2008. But Hollywood power players past and present can breathe easy because Anthony Pellicano says nothing new or even interesting to Newsweek from the theBig Spring Federal Correctional Institution in Texas. The same dull boasts:I was way ahead of my time, andI was the top of the ladder. Just to talk to me it cost $25,000, andI wasnt really a P.I. I was a problem solver. The same whiny defense: Up until the day of trial, [federal prosecutors] tried to get me to talk.I didnt tell no one about the wiretapping ...I didnt trust lawyers: they had an obligation to tell on me. The same absurd resignation: I had a really long run. I am not bitter. I dont have any hard feelings against the government ... It was either I talked or go to jail and accept it like a man.

Eliza Dushku on her behalf Steamy Whitened Collar Guest Place: "I Needed a Mr. & Mrs. Cruz Vibe"

Matt Bomer and Eliza Dushku Lengthy before he earned fedoras and police anklets stylish on Whitened Collar, Matt Bomer romanced Eliza Dushku about the Fox sci-fi series Tru Calling. However when Whitened Collar creator and executive producer Shaun Eastin came with her to guest-star about the USA series, Dushku understood she desired to funnel another, very famous, on-screen couple for his or her reunion. "I needed a Mr. & Mrs. Cruz vibe," Dushku informs TVGuide.com. "[I stated] I'd like to come and become onto it, but only when it is something that's really special and only when Raquel and Neal genuinely have a Mr. & Mrs. Cruz dance happening. It may be sexual sometimes, it may be violent and frightening sometimes, but as lengthy as it is intense, and that he really taken care of immediately that." Eliza Dushku to stir things on Whitened Collar Knowing in the previews for Tuesday's episode, airing at 9/8c on USA, the content was certainly received. Neal will discover sparks with Dushku's character, an Egyptologist named Raquel that has connections to his sworn enemy, Matthew Keller (Ross McCall). Because of his charm and bad-boy appeal, love interests appear and disappear fairly regularly for that disadvantage guy switched criminal informant, but Dushku is confident her character's connection is "a bit much deeper" in comparison to Neal's a number of other lovers. "That which was interesting in my experience was that they was almost the feminine version of him," Dushku states. "I simply think it's kind of an irresistible kind of connection where they're a lot alike plus they are both just very billed and primed for one another, even when they were not expecting it." Exclusive: Whitened Collar snags Tom Skerritt, Bailey Chase for Season 3 Behind the curtain, Dushku states the sale to guest-star on Whitened Collar was tough to resist. After receiving Christmas cards from Bomer for a long time ("If only I possibly could be that organized," she states having a laugh), Eastin required matters into their own hands in May when he advised Whitened Collar fans to tweet in the actress they wanted doing on the program. Dushku's boyfriend knocked into Eastin right after and she or he understood the timing was right. On the top to be keen on the show, Dushku stated she was excited on her and Bomer to get where they left off. "As stars, because we now have earlier this which friendship, i was really in a position to switch on that extra layer and degree of closeness as well as real connection," she states. "Throughout one scene where we share just a little moment during my attic when we are searching around at these various products, there have been a few takes where it got hot. They known as cut and Matt would increase and go, 'Did you are feeling that?!'" Watch full instances of Whitened Collar Bomer also surprised Dushku off-camera. "I had been really astounded by Matt. I understood him when, and today he's this huge hit and he's on each and every billboard and taxicab and bus in New You are able to City and also the guy is equally as humble, otherwise much more, than he ever continues to be,Inch she states. "I had been just a little nervous because I have seen the way in which fame can begin to show people into being under classy. Which was not the situation with him." Apart from re-joining together with Bomer, Dushku states she likes guest-starring roles on series (for example her 2010 appearance about the Large Bang Theory) simply because they let it her concentrate on various other job - producer. Dushku, who runs a production company together with her brother, has moved behind your camera since Buffy creator Joss Whedon urged her and assisted her be a producer on the newest collaboration, the short-resided series Doll house. "These type of guest-starring roles let me do both," she states. Does which means that Dushku may go back to Whitened Collar? "We have to see what type of arc they are thinking about," she states. "It's certainly quite a exciting stand-alone episode, however the door is open and we'll see the things they are thinking about."

TCA: NBC Allows Slip A Small British Accent

Diane Haithman is adding to Deadline's coverage of TCA. In the NBCUniversal press periods at Mondays TCA, several from the new series introduced listed here are re-imaginings of British shows. Each morning, it had been the comedy Free Agents. This mid-day, it had been the Maria Bello starrer Prime Suspect, a re-invention from the significantly acclaimed British procedural drama starring Helen Mirren as Jane Tennison, a homicide detective having a negative side.This time around around, England is totally new You are able to City, and Maria Bello is Jane Timoney, an excellent bad cop resented by her squad. Shes all tough and stuff.At 44, Bello joins the ranks of glamorous middle-aged stars who've found a spot for themselves in TV's procedural dramas. Like the producers of Free Agents, co-executive producer/author Alexandra Cunningham stated the show will be a little less dark than appears to match British tastes: As the New Jane drinks such as the Old Jane, the storyline lines wont explore alcoholism. New Jane smokes like Old Jane -- but in the united states this year, shes attempting to quit. (Bello also confessed that they is really a smoker.) Stated Cunningham: The one thing which makes this not the same as other procedurals may be the humor, which she adds will harken towards the type of Hill Street Blues and Barney Burns. She added, however, there could be lots of procedure within this procedural, ensuring theres enough for that fans, but have an enjoyable experience with Maria and her personal existence.Co-executive producer Peter Berg was a bit more blunt: Allows satisfy people like my sister, who loves procedural dramas, having a really nasty murder at the start.