Robert Downey Jr. is richer than God; network television embraces diversity; Chris Pine, actor, writer; the worst and best thing to ever happen to Tuesday nights; Hulk smash television.
Despite The Avengers, the latest Marvel smash fest, being all about teams and “All for one, one for all-ness” there is clearly one king among men born from the Marvel womb of crash, bang, bang, and that would be Robert Downey Jr. The celebrated actor and all around fun guy you’d want to get a beer with, dish Hollywood gossip with, and well, have the best snark contest ever with, will probably bring in something close to $50 Million after all is said and done after the big Avengers haul worldwide. The funds include monies from box office bonuses and back-end compensation. Everyone else, Pea-shooter gun hips, Johansson, Lightning Hammer Ace, Hemsworth, Green Giant Purple Pants, Ruffalo, Captain Shield & Stars, Evans, and the Wooden Archer, Renner, will make a small fraction of Downey’s total. Haha! Well, that’s sort of fantastic, especially for those of us who basically saw The Avengers just to see RDJ do that thing he does that you can’t fooking bottle, because it is so him. A well-deserved payday! Well, if we’re measuring the act of cracking wise at a camera for a living and not, you know, curing a horrible disease or something like that. [THR]
In a bit of good news, the 2012-2013 television season is shaping up to be one that has more black actors than any other season that preceded it. Can we thank Shonda Rhimes’ ABC show Scandal, which is returning for a second season, for setting a new trend? Seems like the movement was already in the works. And it just makes total and complete sense. It’s certainly possible that for once the networks are realizing that black actors don’t have to be pigeon-holed into being the same character type thereby expanding roles for black actors from supporting roles and into the leading actor/actress categories. This is a very good thing. The list of newcomers include, Andre Braugher, Meagan Good, Jessica Lucas, and Cuba Gooding Jr. among others. In addition, the new season looks to be one that also showcases non-American actors too. Next season we’ll see actors from Canuck land, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, and Scotland. Nice to hear the networks are embracing diversity on a variety of fronts. Keep up the good work! [Deadline]
Chris Pine, the most recent Captain James T. Kirk, and hunky guy from a terrible movie starring Reese Witherspoon and that other throb muscle, Tom Hardy, is a screenwriter. We know, right? Who knew? Well, now, Chris, what kind of opus have you devised? We’re sure excited to see what you’ve come up with. After all, if Ben Affleck can shed his “Bennifer” skin to become a rather artful story teller, then well, the world is your oyster, right?! “Chris Pine has co-written and will star in Mantivities, a comedy that focuses on a group of friends in their early thirties, all in various stages of permanent adolescence.” Oh, geez. Really, Chris? You’re doing a movie about half the sitcoms on network television? This is your big scribe moment? Okay, fine, whatever. “Somehow I get to laugh with my friends and call it work,” says Pine. Sooo, this couldn’t have ended up told in cell phone pics that you guys just laughed about during Superbowl parties? We needed a whole movie…named Mantivities? Thanks. [Deadline]
Oh, you jerks! No, seriously, this is what jerks do. They put two great shows on different networks about similar people and experiences, but now on at the same time on the same night. This Fall, Fox’s New Girl and ABC’s Happy Endings will go head to head. So, if you don’t have a DVR you’re just screwed then, right? RIGHT! Forget about it, you must choose. Whose fan are you really, plebe America? Are you for Damon Wayans, or are you for that show minus Damon Wayans?! This is where the line in the sand is drawn! PICK A TEAM! PICK A TEAM! This is too hard. So, yeah, cable company you’ll still get my money. That’s who really wins, you know. Your DVR provider. Cretins. [Deadline]
In more Avengers type news, because of the success of the movie, ABC is looking to maybe rush produce a Hulk series. This news was on no one’s radar prior to the success of The Avengers. Mostly it sounded like an idea that would get you laughed out of a meeting with the brass, or you’d hear giggles in the background if you proposed it during a conference call. But now, yes, well, now it seems those same guys who would’ve said, “Yeah, right. Hulk. What do we look like Lou Ferrigno?! HAHA!” are now like, “Well, the Hulk was a very complicated character. He was never fully understood, you know? We really should think about bringing all his nuance to the small screen where there’ll be time to explore everything.” And then some know-it-all (Fingies) says, “Hey, ABC! Remember Wonder Woman and Knight Rider? Yeah, maybe some things from the 80’s don’t need a reboot!” And then that person (Fingies) was tackled and led out the room and given an ABC baseball cap, and told never to leave the tour again. [NY Daily News]
