Tom Sturdy joins WB's growing first-look roster

HardyTom Sturdy has signed an initial-look deal at Warner Bros., just a little at least a year after he came aboard to portray the villain Bane within the studio's "The Dark Dark night Increases." The British actor's recent roles include "What This Means Is War," "Mess Tailor Soldier Spy" and "Warrior." Additionally to "The Dark Dark night Increases" in This summer, he'll be also observed in August in "The Wettest County."Hardy's deal was signed around the heels of Warner inking a 2-year, first-look cope with Bradley Cooper for his 22 & Indiana Pictures production company (Variety, March 2).Warner Bros. has around three dozen first-look production and distribution deals, a lot more than every other studio. Its roster of producer-stars includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Brand, Zac Efron, Robert Downey Junior., Morgan Freeman, Steve Carell, Film Clip and Matt Damon. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Universal dates 'Identity Theft'

Universal has set a May 10, 2013 release daet for Seth Gordon's crime comedy "Identity Theft."Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy are attached to star with Scott Stuber to produce through his Stuber Pictures banner, alongside Bateman and Peter Morgan for DumbDumb. Pic revolves around a man whose identity is stolen by a woman.Universal used the same weekend last year for the opening of "Bridesmaids," for which McCarthy received an Oscar nom."Identity Theft" will open against Warner Bros.' sci-fier "Pacific Rim," directed by Guillermo del Toro in the tale of an alien attack threatening the Earth's existence. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Paywalls enforced on March Madness

Some aspects of March Madness will need audiences having to pay a $3.99 fee as opposed to the online for free use of all games that's been in position since 2006.Time Warner and CBS Corp. are switching to some zone defense with this year's multiplatform coverage from the NCAA men's basketball tournament.Some aspects of March Madness will need audiences having to pay a $3.99 fee as opposed to the online for free use of all games that's been in position since 2006. For that second consecutive year, CBS and Turner Sports are splitting the 67 games, coverage which starts March 7.Hoops fans who wish to watch games online which are scheduled to air on taking part cable systems TNT, The best spinner's and TruTV will have to give a password verifying they sign up for cable, satellite or telco services. Individuals wishing to look at the experience on wireless products such as the iPad will need to spend the money for fee no matter when they have been multichannel monthly subscriptions or otherwise. Monthly subscriptions aren't needed to look at online any games survive CBS.The paywall obstacles really are a reflection from the growing momentum behind the industry's embrace of TV Everywhere, a movement to boost the need for multichannel monthly subscriptions that counts Time Warner Boss Shaun Bewkes among its greatest advocates. Cable operators and satcasters leaned on developers to curtail the free accessibility to programming online considering their new readiness to pay for retransmission consent costs, a billion-dollar revenue stream that did not exist only a couple of years back.The paywall obstructing mobile and tablet products no matter authentication represents how privileges to TV programming typically work, without having-of-home viewing not technically covered under existing affiliate agreement.Just this past year, March Madness is made on the iPad the very first time free of charge. However, this season marks the very first time wireless availability is going to be extended to products run by Google's Android operating-system.CBS and Turner might be gambling that even when paywalls lower the amount of eyeballs which come towards the games across platforms, they'll still monetize individuals audiences in a greater rate compared to what they would through advertising alone. This past year, March Madness averaged 2.six million daily unique site visitors and it has gained hundreds of huge amount of money in ad revenue recently, which makes it probably the most lucrative video encounters online for the reason that time. The paywall strategy is not unparalleled, however. CBS billed $15 for online use of March Madness for any three-year period starting in 2003.March Madness would be the greatest profile test yet for that ease of access from the authentication experience, that has been belittled because of not being user-friendly. The proper change is available in the 2nd year of the massive 14-year pact where the companies ponied up an believed $11 billion. The games, that was formerly referred to as March Madness When Needed, happen to be renamed this season as March Madness Live. Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

Atkins becomes 'Smart Ass'

Essence Atkins is set to star opposite Marlon Wayans in the indie "Smart Ass," which Wayans will direct with Mike Tiddes. Pic is described as a spoof of a various found-footage pics like "Paranormal Activity" and "The Devil Inside Me." Rick Alvarez and Lisa Blum are producing the pic, which is currently filmming in L.A. Atkins previously worked with Wayans on Paramount's "Dance Flick" and can currently be seen in the TBS skein "Are We There Yet?" She is repped by Buchwald-Fortitude. Contact Justin Kroll at justin.kroll@variety.com

Exclusive Secret Circle First Look: Cassie's Witch Issues Turn Deadly

Britt Robertson As if Cassie Blake wasn't in enough trouble already, The Secret Circle's newest witch will be spending Valentine's Day with a few extra, ahem, people around. The Secret Circle Scoop: Diana's new love, John Blackwell's arrival and the Balcoin child While Faye (Phoebe Tonkin) and Melissa (Jessica Parker Kennedy) are tempting Diana (Shelley Hennig) with "Devil's Spirit" at their anti-Valentine's Day slumber party, Cassie (Britt Robertson) will turn to Adam (Thomas Dekker) and Jake (Chris Zylka) for help after the daughter of John Blackwell becomes haunted by the spirits of some vengeful witches - and by the looks of the clip below, those spirits are seriously powerful. The Secret Circle airs Thursdays at 9/8c on The CW.

SOC to recognize Eastwood, Radin

The Society of Camera Operators will recognize director Clint Eastwood and Panavision professional Phil Radin having its 2012 lifetime achievement honours inside a ceremony on Feb. 19 within the Leonard Goldenson Theater within the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences in North Hollywood.Eastwood can get the Governors Award for Lifetime Achievement in recognition of his creative contributions and advancement for the art and craft of cinema.Radin, Panavision's professional V . p . of marketing, can get the President's Award for Lifetime Achievement. The Lifetime Achievement as Camera Operator Award would go to Paul Babin. Beginning his credited behave as a camera operator later, Babin has operated on movies for instance "Terminator 2: Judgement Day," "Magnolia" and "The Soloist," additionally to several television shows.For Lifetime Achievement as Camera Specialist, the SOC has selected Zoran Veselic. Beginning in 1979 Veselic remains the A camera specialist for a number of major movies. His credits for focus assistant include "Moneyball," "The Muppets," "Males in Black," "Spider-Guy" and "Up in mid-air.InchThe Lifetime Achievement as Mobile Camera Platform Operator visits Harry Rez. Starting with credited be employed in 1973, Rez features a resume filled with movies and tv shows. His credits as dolly and key grip include "Doogie Howser, M.D.," "Providence" and "Nashville."Andrew Cooper can get the Lifetime Achievement as Stills Digital digital photographer award. Since 1984, his credits have incorporated "The Departed," "Braveheart" and "War Equine."The Historic Shot Award is going to be presented to George Richmond for his handheld shot inside the scene titled, The Siege of Bexhill inside the feature film "Kids of Males."The SOC's Lifetime Achievement Award for Distinguished Intend to the film Industry is going to be presented to d.p. Sol Negrin, leader of IATSE Local 600 and film school professor at NYU and Five Metropolitan areas College. He's famous for his concentrate on "Kojak," "The Patty Duke Show" and "Going to America." The award is going to be supplied by his boy, d.p. Michael Negrin.The SOC can have two honours for Camera Operator of year. Nominees for feature film camera operator are: Will Arnot, "The AssistanceInch Stephen Campanelli, "J. Edgar" Mitch Dubin, "War Equine" Peter Rosenfeld, "Cowboys & Aliens" and P. Scott Sakamoto, "The Descendants."TV camera operator nominees include: Grayson Austin, "Memphis Beat" Gregory P. Collier, "Bones" Simon Jayes, "True Blood stream" Andrew Mitchell, "Glee" and Chris Tufty, "The Closer."To recognize technical achievement the SOC will award Thales Angenieux for your Optimo 15-40, 28-76, 45-120mm number of handheld zoom contacts and Plant Ault's Grip Trix Shadow Tracker and Tracker XL electric camera platforms.The SOC holds its annual honours event to be able to raise funds for your Vision Center at Children's Hospital La. Each year SOC gives creating a film using the Vision Center to help spread the word of a simple diagnostic tool to help steer clear of the tragedy of certain children's eye ailments. The title and theme from the year's SOC film presentation is Be familiar with Glow. Contact Peter Caranicas at peter.caranicas@variety.com

Get The Gringo Trailer Online

How Mel Gibson spent his summer hols...Mel Gibson's much touted big comeback with last year's dark comedy The Beaver might have fizzled at the box office, but he'll be hoping for better results with his next film, Get The Gringo, which finds him squarely back in action man mode. Take a look at the trailer below. Now, we say box office, but from the sounds of the announcement picked up by Deadline, Gringo will be bypassing cinemas altogether in favour of a risky gamble with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment on Video-On-Demand and Blu-Ray releases. It'll arrive, in the US, at least, on DirecTV May 1 and then hit other US telly providers' VOD services once DTV's exclusive period is up. After that will come the usual disc/digital download opportunities.Formerly known as How I Spent My Summer Vacation, the film itself finds Gibson in Lethal Weapon territory, a blend of violence, laughs and Mel beating people up (or getting hit himself) that he co-wrote with director Adrian Grunberg. He plays Driver, a criminal who smashes across the border to Mexico during a high speed car chase with the authorities. Picked up by the local cops, he's thrown in a brutal Mexican slammer and from there mixes with dangerous gangster types while wooing a beautiful, troubled woman and bonding slowly with her son.Lionsgate UK has the film over here, and plans to release it on May 11. There's no indication yet that this new deal will change that plan...