Animated Goon Movie No Longer Happening?

Giamatti says the money ran outSad news for all those looking forward to David Fincher's CG slapstick supernatural noir: it looks very much as if The Goon is no longer happening. Fincher always said "adult animation" was a hard sell...Not to be confused with Seann William Scott's hockey movie (which is still just about playing in cinemas), this Goon, based on the comics by Eric Powell, has been in development for some time, and has been a regular fixture at the last few Comic Cons. It was to be the story of the titular mob enforcer, his short-arse sidekick Frankie (short for Francesca), and the villainous Priest with his army of the undead. Blur Studios were animating, Clancy Brown and Paul Giamatti were on board for the voices, and the test footage was looking awesome.Last we heard about this time last year, Fincher was hopeful that a studio would shortly step in and stump up the necessary $50m. "Hopefully this is the year that people go 'Wait a minute! We don't all have to be trying to imitate Pixar!'" he said.Optimistic. Speaking yesterday at Sundance (where he's promoting John Dies At The End, which Clancy Brown is also in), Paul Giamatti opined "I have no idea what the hell happened. I asked and no one knows. I guess they just ran out of money."Eric Powell though, has taken to Twitter to insist that, as far as he's aware, there's still hope. "Last I spoke with Fincher and Blur, they were gearing up for more meetings to try and find financing for the film," he said (although he didn't say how recent those meetings were). "It's not dead until Fincher and Blur come to me and say they are done."Reports of The Goon's death, etc? Watch this space...

Exclusive: Captain Americas Sebastian Stan Heads to Not so long ago

Sebastian Stan Another mysterious guy is visiting Not so long ago. Sebastian Stan, who lately starred opposite Chris Evans in Captain America, will guest-star within an approaching episode from the ABC story book series, TVGuide.com has learned solely. Particulars on his role are scarce, but Stan's episode is slated for late March or early April. Once Upon a Time's Lana Parrilla: Why the Evil Full grew to become so evil Stan, whose TV credits include Nobleman and Gossip Girl, joins a lengthy listing of guest stars to go to Once, including True Blood's Kristin Bauer, Falling Skies' Jessy Schram, Lost's Alan Dale, Buffy's Emma Caufield and Covert Affairs' Eion Bailey, who had been just introduced like a mysterious author who endeavors to Storybrooke. Approaching guest stars include Lost alum Emilie p Ravin and Dollhouse's Amy Acker. Not so long ago airs Sundays at 8/7c on ABC.

New Bruce Springsteen Album Out March 6

First Launched: The month of the month of january 19, 2012 11:12 AM EST Credit: Getty Images NY, N.Y. -- Caption Bruce Springsteen works inside the Clearwater Benefit Concert Praising Pete Seegers 90th Birthday at Madison Square Garden on May 3, 2009 in NY CityBruce Springsteens new album, Wrecking Ball, will probably be out March 6, and hes just released a completely new single, We Take Proper proper care of Our Personal. Despite the fact that song is musically upbeat, it references Americas current struggles with lyrics like, Wheres the promise, from sea to shining sea? The announcement is created Thursday morning round the rockers website. Other tunes round the 11-track album include Dying to My Hometown, 'This Depression and straightforward Money. Wrecking Ball is Springsteens 17th album as well as the first since the dying of E Street Band saxophonist Clarence Clemons a year ago. Springsteen as well as the band are due to continue tour this year, nevertheless it hasnt been revealed who may a part of for Clemons. Copyright 2012 with the Connected Press. All rights reserved. These elements is probably not launched, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Emily Maynard Is the Newest Bachelorette

Emily Maynard Emily Maynard will look for another shot at love on ABC's next edition of The Bachelorette, according to US Weekly. The 25-year-old single mom first appeared on Brad Womak's season of The Bachelor. Although the two got engaged in the finale, the relationship was strained by the time "After the Final Rose" aired. The eventually announced their split in June. Bachelor Host: Brad and Emily have a tough road ahead, but want to make it work "Little red flags would come up in our relationship," she told Chris Harrison during a televised interview post-split. "I came to a point where I said, 'I have to be honest with myself and with this relationship,' and I realized that maybe my want for it to work out - I wanted to be married, and I wanted to have more children, and I wanted that with him - maybe overshadowed the actual reality of the relationship." Chris Harrison: Brad feels stupid and ashamed over losing Emily Season 8 of The Bachelorette will also see a change in location as filming will take place in Charlotte, N.C., where Maynard and daughter Ricky live. ABC declined to comment. Do you think Emily will make a good Bachelorette?

Jon Hamm Announces Mad Males Season 5 Premiere Date

Mad Males, Jon Hamm Mad Males Season 5 finally includes a premiere date! That's, if you think maybe star Jon Hamm. The actor, 40, introduced Friday throughout comic Doug Benson's podcast, Doug Loves Movies, the AMC drama would return on March 25. The network couldn't read the airdate. Jon Hamm signs on for 3 more many years of Mad Males However the date is sensible as it is a Sunday (Mad Men's longtime home) and comes per week following the Walking Dead's season finale. Mad Males has not broadcast new episodes since October 2010, due simply to extended discussions for Seasons 5 and 6 between series creator Matthew Weiner and AMC. Hamm, who won a Golden Globe award for his performance in 2008, directed the growing season 5 premiere. Isn't it time for Mad Men's return?

Summit considers two suitors

Summit Entertainment, one of the town's biggest success stories in recent years, begins 2012 with two potential buyers seriously kicking the tires of the minimajor. Privately held Summit, facing the end of the "Twilight" franchise this year, could decide as early as this week whether to accept competing buyout offers from Lionsgate and Miramax owner Colony Capital. Though the talks have been going on for several weeks, spokespeople for the three companies have not confirmed any of the negotiations and have had no comment. People familiar with the situation have indicated the bids for Summit are in $350 million to $400 million range and noted that a deal could take many more weeks to close. As a public company, Lionsgate would be required to clear several hurdles to complete such a transaction -- which isn't expected to include issuing significant amounts of stock or debt. Summit's coming into 2012 with its fourth "Twilight" pic having racked up a stellar $273 million domestically and another $362 million internationally. "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn -- Part 2," due to open Nov. 16, is likely to perform in the same range.Over the past five years, Summit co-chairs Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger have transformed Summit from a foreign sales company into a full-service production and distribution studio. Their timing has been fortunate with Summit announcing a $1 billion financing deal in April 2007 -- a transaction that would not have been possible a few months later as the financial markets began melting down. In March, Summit Entertainment closed a $750 million financing deal -- a $550 million term loan and a $200 million revolving line of credit -- that allowed the company to unshackle itself from itself from some of its debt, increase feature production and run day-to-day operations. It also paid a cash distribution to its largest investors, including Participant Media and private equity fund Rizvi Traverse Management.If either the Lionsgate or Colony deals go through, Friedman and Wachsberger are expected to remain in some kind of top-level exec capacities in the merged entity. Summit and Lionsgate have had discussions about uniting going back as far as the fall of 2008, just before the bow of the first "Twilight" pic. Colony, which completed a $663 million buyout of Miramax from Disney in December 2010, emerged as a possible Summit bidder in November. Both deals would bolster the new Summit's ability to operate as a minimajor. Lionsgate and Miramax possess significant libraries and the merged entity would have more firepower in a marketplace where the major have scaled back the production of mid-budget films in favor of tentpole and franchise properties -- creating an opportunity for sizable indies to fill that gap. Summit has shown that it can exploit a franchise in "Twilight" while Lionsgate's in the midst of starting its own tentpole property with the four-picture "The Hunger Games" franchise. The first "Games" opens March 23 and the trailer has been attached to "Breaking Dawn -- Part 1." Lionsgate is coming off a year that's seen its stock appreciate by 28%, closing the year at $8.32. Shares had been held down in recent years due to mixed performance by its feature films plus a barrage of criticsim from billionaire Carl Icahn, who agreed in late August to sell off his stake.Lionsgate, which has an extensive TV production/distribution operation, has a notable track record on the acquisition front under Jon Feltheimer, co-chairman and CEO, and vice chairman Michael Burns -- Trimark in 2000, Artisan in 2003, Redbus in 2005, Debmar-Mercury in 2006, Mandate in 2007 and TV Guide in 2009 along with a stake in Roadside Attractions in 2007. Despite the ongoing battle with Icahn, Lionsgate remained an active bidder for MGM in 2009 and 2010 before the Lion went through its pre-packaged bankruptcy in late 2010. As for Colony Capital, the private investment firm headed by Tom Barrack shored up its financing last month via a securitization of the Miramax assets in a bond offering worth $500 million. The securitization deal used an independent evaluation by Duff and Phelps that pegged Miramax's total worth at more than $813 million as of last July 1.Miramax, headed by CEO Mike Lang, signed more than $300 million in new licensing agreements last year, much of which came from Netflix and Hulu. Miramax is developing about 20 feature projects with outside partners but has no plans to start funding production and has focused on exploiting its 700-title library. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com