Hollywood Reporter Newsletter

Oscar-contending films raising questions
Commentary: For just a moment, stop obsessing about which 10 movies the members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, who are now in the middle of marking their ballots, will nominate for best picture. Because there are plenty of other questions to obsess over as the awards races move into high gear.

Trio leaves WME to start Verve
Motion picture lit agents Bryan Besser, Adam Levine and Bill Weinstein have left WME Entertainment to start Verve Talent and Literary Agency.

Pierre Morel to direct 'Dune'
Pierre Morel has signed a deal to direct "Dune," Paramount's adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel.

Capitol settles 'Black Water Transit' suit
The legal wrangling over the crime drama "Black Water Transit" has taken another turn, with indie producer-distributor David Bergstein quietly settling a $3.1 million lawsuit brought by a producer on the eve of trial.

'Gossip Girl' actor cast in 'Apparition' film
"Gossip Girl" actor Sebastian Stan will star opposite Ashley Green in "The Apparition," a supernatural horror project from Dark Castle Entertainment.

WGAE embraced digital media in '09
The Writers Guild of America, East finished 2009 having paved new in-roads into representation of digital media and its writers.

Martin Lawrence producing TV One comedy
Martin Lawrence is returning to TV, executive producing an African-American comedy for cable network TV One.

'The Wire' actor joins FX's 'Lights Out'
Pablo Schreiber has joined FX's upcoming drama series "Lights Out" as a regular.

NBC picks up Adam Carolla pilot
NBC has given a pilot order to an untitled comedy starring Adam Carolla.

ABC picks up '187 Detroit' pilot
ABC has picked up a new crime drama pilot set in Detroit. Titled "187 Detroit," the pilot marks ABC's first drama pickup that will be in the running for next season.

Gerald Levin apologizes for AOL-TW merger
Gerald Levin, CEO of Time Warner a decade ago, acknowledged during a rare appearance with AOL founder Steve Case on Monday that the merger of those two companies was a mistake.

Flixster buys RottenTomatoes
News Corp. unit IGN Entertainment has sold its movie review Web site RottenTomatoes to movie-info site Flixster on unspecified financial terms.

Risky Business
The Live Feed
THR, Esq.
Heat Vision
Showbiz 411