Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Wrestling News Media: Dwayne Johnson aka "The Rock" Bringing Hulk Hogan And Roddy Piper’s Legendary Stories To TV / Movies; NBC Talk, by Greg Tingle

Scoop: PartyCasino.com By Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment To Get Andre The Giant Online Slot Game

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Dwayne Johnson The Rock Hulk Hogan Roddy Piper Andre The Giant Wrestling WWE Movies Television Hollywood NBC Warner Bros. Paramount Pictures Media Man




Dwayne Johnson and Jerry Bruckheimer are teaming up for a new TV project, set in the world of competitive wrestling in the ’80s. The NBC offering hails from Jerry Bruckheimer Television in association with Warner Bros. Television; Johnson (“Fast Five”) will be an EP on the project but no word on whether he’ll actually appear in the series. Deadline says it will be written by Brent Fletcher and Seamus Kevin Fahey (”Spartacus: Gods of the Arena”), who will co-executive produce alongside KristieAnne Reed. Johnson will next be seen in the Uni tentpole “G.I Joe : Retalliation”.




NBC Buys Dwayne Johnson-Bruckheimer Wrestling Drama Set In 1980s...

NBC is getting in the ring with a put pilot commitment to a drama about the 1980s professional wrestling boom that is executive produced by one of the biggest ’90s wrestling stars, Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock. The fictional drama set in the world of wrestling in the ’80s hails from Bruckheimer TV, marking a departure from the company’s signature brand of procedurals. It will be written by Brent Fletcher and Seamus Kevin Fahey (Spartacus: Gods of the Arena), who will co-executive produce alongside KristieAnne Reed. Johnson, Bruckheimer and Jonathan Littman are executive producing.

The ’80s, often called “the golden age of wrestling”, marked a surge in the popularity of professional wrestling in the U.S. fueled by the growth of cable television and pay-per-view and the efforts of hot-shot promoters like Vince McMahon. During that period, pro wrestling shifted from a system controlled by numerous regional companies to a system dominated by two nationwide companies: Ted Turner’s World Championship Wrestling and McMahon’s World Wrestling Federation. It featured the launch of WrestleMania and the emergence of wrestling’s first crop of superstars led by Hulk Hugan. The project extends the popularity of period dramas among the broadcast networks, which have two such series, the 1960s-set Pan Am on ABC and The Playboy Club on NBC, premiering this fall. It also expands wrestling’s presence at NBCUniversal. NBC’s sibling network USA carries WWE Raw as well as the revival of WWE Tough Enough. This is the third sale and third put pilot commitment for Bruckheimer TV so far this development season. The company recently set up a Navy SEALs drama at ABC and a procedural about a mom-turned-New York State Trooper at CBS. Fahey, repped by UTA and Underground Films & Management, previously worked with Bruckheimer TV as a writer on the ABC series The Forgotten. Fletcher is with CAA.


Bruce Willis is on board for New Orleans-shot 'G.I. Joe 2,' co-star Dwayne Johnson confirms...

Rumors have been swirling for weeks involving Bruce Willis' reported negotiations to join the New Orleans cast of Paramount Pictures' big-budget, high-octane "G.I. Joe" sequel. This weekend, confirmation finally came -- from none other than "G.I. Joe: Retaliation" co-star Dwayne Johnson.

Johnson, who has been generous with the Twitter updates since arriving in town last month to begin prepping for the film, let the cat out of the bag Saturday (Aug. 20) with the following tweet:

"Welcome brother Bruce Willis to the cast of GI Joe! What an honor. #HeavyArtillery."

Paramount hasn't issued an official announcement yet, but Willis reportedly had been in talks to play Gen. Joe Colton, the character who started the G.I. strike team in the 1980s comic books and who is referred to by many as the "original" G.I. Joe.

He joins a cast that includes Johnson, as Roadblock; Adrienne Palicki, as Lady Jaye; and Channing Tatum, reprising his role as Capt. Duke Hauser from 2009's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra."

Jon M. Chu ("Step Up 3D," "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never") is directing.

It's only the latest in a string of recent New Orleans-shot projects for Willis, including "RED," "Looper," "Lay the Favorite" and "Fire with Fire."

The big-budget "G.I. Joe 2: Retaliation" started filming last week as part of an extended shoot that is expected to see it continue to Thanksgiving. The film is scheduled for a July 29, 2012, release.


Andre The Giant Slot Game Developed By NextGen Gaming

Legendary wrestler Andre The Giant now has his own slot game. The game was developed by developer NextGen Gaming. The slot game is expected to go live before the conclusion of this year and is tipped to be added to the portfolio of PartyCasino.com Media Man reports.

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Saturday, August 27, 2011

Wrestling News Media: Ric Flair And Hulk Hogan News

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Wrestling

Ric Flair: Boozing Has Not Damaged My Heart...

Wrestling icon Ric Flair is furious over an article which claims the Nature Boy is suffering from a serious medical condition caused by years of hardcore boozing ... because Ric claims it's not true and now he's threatening to sue.

The unflattering article -- which paints Flair as a troubled, irresponsible mess of a person -- ran on an ESPN affiliated website called Grantland.com ... and the report is mostly based on court documents.

But Flair is particularly pissed about the reporter's claim that he suffers from Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy -- a disease caused by years of alcohol abuse which often leads to heart failure.

A rep for Flair whose real name is Richard Fliehr - tells TMZ, "While the information gleaned from courthouse records may be credible, Mr. Fliehr is currently evaluating his legal options with respect to falsehoods in the story, specifically the untrue statement that he suffers from alcoholic cardiomyopathy."

The rep adds, "Our client understands that these allegations are part of the territory when you are not only famous, but a living legend."


Hulk Hogan And Friends Tours American Casinos And Arenas; Gamble Paying Off...

Hulk and Friends, the live show that has been touring the country with stops at casinos, fairgrounds, arenas and other venues, announced that fans will have the chance to meet their favorite wrestlers in a unique and up-close setting on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 7:30 P.M. at the famous AG Hall, now known as the Agri-Plex within the Allentown Fairgrounds, in Allentown PA.

"I'm really looking forward to meeting all my fans in the Allentown area on October 8th" Hulk Hogan said. "We are having a great time doing this show. Meeting the fans, telling jokes, and brother, everybody's laughing more than we have in years" he continued. Not only will all the fan favorites be there but Hulk Hogan promises to bring some very special guests along with him. "You never know who is going to show up at a Hulk and Friends Show" he added.

Tickets will be going on sale August 5th through Ticketmaster. A limited number of ringside seats (which include a VIP Meet and Greet) are also available. For those interested in sponsorship opportunities, please go to the official website www.hulkandfriends.com


Media Man Website Network Attracting Close To 6 Million Hits Per Month...

The well known Media Man website network, the online arm of Media Man, is attracting close to 6 million hits per month. The company was established in 2001 and coverage over a dozen different business sectors. Some of the Media Man website portals are listed in the Hitwise Australia top ten (entertainment - personalities category). Media Man is currently focused on the celebrity, film and television, technology, gaming and community sector. They plan to further ramp up their Casino News Media, Property News Media and Wrestling News Media brands.

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Sunday, August 14, 2011

WWE Studios rethinks its strategy after shooting seven films in New Orleans

WWE Studios rethinks its strategy after shooting seven films in New Orleans...

WWE Studios' New Orleans experiment might not be down for the count, exactly. But the wrestling-linked outfit's unique local strategy -- in which it shot seven films in town in less than two years, including the just-wrapped "No One Lives" -- is definitely changing.

WWE Studios chief Mike Pavone, who had been a near-constant presence in New Orleans for the better part of a year and a half, is leaving the company "to pursue other opportunities," according to a report this week in the trade paper Variety. That follows by days remarks from WWE honcho Vince McMahon that the company is rethinking its film strategy.

Taking advantage of Louisiana's filmmaking tax credits was a key to that strategy, which was Pavone's brainchild, dreamed up after the locally shot, bigger-budgeted 2009 action film "12 Rounds" performed poorly at the box office in the wake of a marketing push by distributor 20th Century Fox that was lackluster at best.

The Pavone plan was intended to keep the budgets of the studio's films -- mostly family-friendly fare on his watch, ranging in genre from comedies to a period drama -- in the $5 million range, a bargain by Hollywood standards. In addition to taking advantage of Louisiana tax credits, it signed a new deal with independent distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films that gave the studio more say in marketing strategy.

Another key to it all, though, was Pavone's mass-production concept, in which production on one film cranked up just as its predecessor was wrapping, allowing the studio to roll much of its crew over from film to film and tamp down startup costs.

That was great for local film-industry workers hired by the studio, as they saw steady work with largely the same group of people for more than a year. And local movie buffs got to see New Orleans on the big screen. (Particularly memorable: Michael Rappaport's black-and-gold Super Bowl XLIV shirt in the forthcoming "Inside Out," albeit a shirt of questionable copyright.)

WWE's bean counters didn't have much to complain about, either -- at least not at first.

"This whole idea is based on a television model," Pavone said in a September interview on the New Orleans set of the forthcoming "Bending the Rules," starring Jamie Kennedy and wrestler Adam "Edge" Copeland. "Amortizing your costs over several movies, you roll the same crews over and over, you don't have to spend all the money for startup and shutdown costs, which could be to the tune of six grand a day to start up in a new place and hire new people and hire stage space.

"We make all of our deals based on multiple movies, so they give us some better rates and on and on. We found out we save a million dollars a movie."

Unfortunately, while all of that meant savings on the production side, it didn't necessarily translate into quality at the box office. Pavone tried to lend his films credibility by signing established actors -- including Ed Harris, Patricia Clarkson, Danny Glover, Michael Rappaport and Parker Posey -- to star alongside a selection of WWE wrestler/actors. But audiences didn't respond.

The new distribution deal didn't help matters. It was built around a cost-cutting plan to give each film a limited theatrical release followed just weeks later by DVD releases -- meaning WWE Studios would foot the bill for just one, rather than two, advertising campaigns. But the results apparently weren't much different than when Fox had the reins.

Although WWE Studios generated $4.3 million in the past three months, its latest release -- the coming-of-age comedy "That's What I Am," starring Harris and directed by Pavone -- lost $3.3 million during the second quarter after mustering only $6,400 from 10 theaters in three days at the box office, Variety reported.

After getting an exclusive DVD release at Walmart on May 17, "That's What I Am" -- shot mostly in Jefferson -- gets a wide home-video release on Tuesday (Aug. 16).

As for what direction the studio will take next, a hint could be in "No One Lives," which just wrapped production on the north shore.

That film saw the studio team with Pathe U.K., part of a strategy to share costs with other production partners. As a horror flick directed by Ryuhei Kitamura ("Midnight Meat Train"), it also might signal a shift toward more genre fare, Variety speculated, after Pavone's slate of mostly feel-good dramas and family fare didn't appeal to the company's fan base.

And, it's worth noting, Louisiana is apparently still part of the picture.

WWE Studio's Snapshot...

A look at WWE Studios' films shot locally under the supervision of recently departed executive Mike Pavone:

"Knucklehead," available on DVD now.

"Legendary" (working title: "Brother's Keeper"), available on DVD now.

"The Chaperone," available on DVD now.

"That's What I Am" (working titles: "Big Red," "Big Ginger") available Tuesday on DVD.

"Inside Out", set for limited theatrical release Sept. 9.

"Bending the Rules," release date unannounced.

"No One Lives," just wrapped production.

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Saturday, August 13, 2011

WWE Wrestling Mixing With Hollywood; Mainstream News Continues, by Greg Tingle - 13th August 2011

Profiles

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Pro Wrestling Stars Keen On Casino, Gaming And Online Casino Dealings...

Ric Flair aka "The Nature Boy" was the first, but not last, pro wrestler to cash in on his name in the gambling sector. Flair is the front man for tthe Carolina's Education Lottery with his Wooooo tickets, now in their second campaign. Hulk Hogan followed the money trail to gambling with his Hulk-A-Mania slot machine deal with the Dreamseekers Foundation, but you will have to travel to Californian casinos to check out the game. Hogan also has an online slot on the way in a deal inked with Endomol Games UK. The online slot is expected to hit casinos such as PartyCasino before the end of this year. An Andre The Giant online game is also rumoured to be soon released by North Sydney based NextGen Gaming. Kevin "Diesel" Nash even has some game promos on his official website. Media Man is understood to be the first port of call for the scoops relating to wrestling - gaming deals. PartyCasino currently offers the Sumo slot game, but its not a touch on what a Hogan or Flair online slot will be. Punters, the good news is that the online slots can be played for free or for money, but if you don't bet, you can't win (for real) either, but you won't loose money if you play in that fashion either. Many players are trying out the online games for free, before placing down money. You must be 18 years old or over to play the online slot games in most countries.

Clooney hooks up with WWE wrestler Stacy Keibler...

Just a couple of months after George Clooney broke up with Elisabetta Canalis, he has a new girlfriend, Stacy Keibler, 18 years his junior.

The 50-year-old had done well for himself, extremely well, if the general consensus was anything to go by, after all, there is no denying that the Italian, 32 , had a figure to be envied.

But by George! He's only gone and done it again, as these pictures of his latest paramour prove, and Clooney's new girl has an even better figure than Canalis.

Stacy Keibler, an actress and model, has been fighting professionally in the past.

Clooney’s girlfriend, aged 32, was a successful WWE wrestler, famed because her 42 inch legs allowed her to step in and out of the ring with ease and panache.

Keibler, who hails from Maryland, is incredibly proud of her endless pins, she was quoting as saying: 'Anybody can go out and buy boobs, but you're either blessed with attractive legs or you're not.'

But don't let these statistics fool you into thinking that Clooney was merely attracted to Keibler's comely form.

Us Weekly report that Clooney was bedazzled by the leggy blonde's witty banter.

They report a source as saying: 'They like each other's sense of humour.'

The friend added: 'They have been really close for two years, Stacey is a superchill girl, and George has the same personality.'


Hulk's girl Brooke Hogan gets nude in a cage...

Reality TV star Brooke Hogan has left her wrestling legend dad in a knot over raunchy nude photo campaign for animal rights charity PETA.

The exposing black and white snaps of the 23-year-old naked and behind bars left her dad, Hulk Hogan, red-faced when he viewed the pictures at an exhibition yesterday. See the photos here

Wrestling hero Hulk, real name Terry Gene Bollea, jokingly tried to spare his daughter's blushes by covering up the revealing portraits with his hands.

The shots are part of the PETA's Women In Cages exhibition held in Cafeina Lounge, Miami, Florida which the curvy Hogan Knows Best star Brooke supported by going nude.

Moustachioed muscle-man Hulk had been attending the bash on his 58th birthday along with his wife Jennifer McDaniel and the ex-wrestler and his family were treated to a giant cake adorned with his name in silver lettering.

Hulk Hogan's Micro Championship Wrestling

truTV Announces Premiere Dates for Three Compelling New Series
Network Reveals Premieres of New Seasons of Seven Returning Original Series, Plus the Debut of Hit Series Wipeout
truTV – which is coming off another record-setting quarter in reaching young adults – has lined up an extensive programming slate for the end of 2011 that includes three new series, seven returning hits and the network's biggest series acquisition ever.

The new series Bear Swamp Recovery, about a larger-than-life family-owned repo business, is set to debut Aug. 22, followed by the Sept. 14 premiere of Hulk Hogan's MCW, which will take viewers behind the scenes of a new professional wrestling league. truTV's third new series of the fall and winter, the hidden-camera prank series Impractical Jokers, will arrive in December.

On Sept. 2, truTV adds its biggest series acquisition, the popular competition show Wipeout. Seven of truTV's original series are also set to return, including the hits Hardcore Pawn, Lizard Lick Towing, Full Throttle Saloon and Black Gold.

truTV just scored its most-watched second quarter ever in primetime delivery of three key demos: adults 18-49, men 18-34 and men 18-49. The network, which is growing in popularity with younger viewers, increased its delivery of adults 18-34 by 11% and men 18-34 by 7% in the second quarter.

The following is a rundown of truTV's new and returning series for 2011:

New Original Series
Bear Swamp Recovery – New series premiering Monday, Aug. 22, with back-to-back episodes at 10 and 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT)
Bear Swamp, where the business is big but the family is even bigger, follows PJ Vinch, who runs a booming New Jersey repo company with the help of his senior-with-an-attitude father and his teen son. With a repo order in one hand and a slice of pizza in the other, these bulky Sicilians never hesitate to take jobs other companies can't handle, from massive construction equipment to luxury yachts at the Jersey shore to an entire fleet of racecars. They always get the goods, and they never miss a meal. Bear Swamp Recovery comes to truTV from Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment.

Hulk Hogan's MCW – New series premieres Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Hulk Hogan, one of the legendary stars of pro wrestling, believes you need to start small if you want to win big. Now he's lending his expertise to the new Micro Championship Wrestling, where he gives little wrestlers advice on recruiting, training and mentoring. It's all with the goal of getting the MCW off the ground and into the arena. Hulk Hogan's MCW comes to truTV from Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment.

Impractical Jokers – New series coming in December
Since they were kids, Sal, Murr, Q and Joe have dared one another to do the most ridiculous, humiliating public pranks imaginable. Now, to find out who's best under pressure, they'll compete in unbelievably awkward social experiments – all recorded on camera. The loser must do the most mortifying challenge ever. Impractical Jokers comes to truTV from NorthSouth Productions.

New Acquired Series
Wipeout – Acquired series to air Fridays at 8 p.m. (ET/PT), beginning Sept. 2
truTV has acquired exclusive, off-network cable rights to air this exciting series in which contestants face wildly outrageous barriers, from Big Balls to complex contraptions, for the chance at winning a cash prize. Wipeout, which is also shown in numerous international versions around the globe, ranks among the world's top-rated game shows. The series was recently voted by Entertainment Weekly's readers as "Reality TV's Guiltiest Pleasure."

Returning Series
Lizard Lick Towing – Season 1 returns Monday, Aug. 22, at 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT); Season 2 coming in November
Las Vegas Jailhouse – Season 4 launches Sunday, Sept. 4, at 10 p.m. (ET/PT)
Operation Repo – Season 9 launches Wednesday, Sept. 14, at 9:30 p.m. (ET/PT)
Police POV – Season 2 launches in November
Hardcore Pawn – Season 5 coming in November
Black Gold – Season 4 coming in November
Full Throttle Saloon – Season 3 coming in November

About truTV
truTV is television's destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective. Currently seen in 93 million U.S. households, the network is enjoying its best deliveries ever in key demographics. truTV features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can't normally experience. truTV's primetime fan favorites include the original series Hardcore Pawn, All Worked Up, Lizard Lick Towing, Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, Black Gold, Operation Repo and World's Dumbest… During the daytime, the channel features expert trial coverage under the name In Session.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

About truTV
truTV is television's destination for real-life stories told from an exciting and dramatic first-person perspective. Currently seen in 93 million U.S. households, the network is enjoying its best deliveries ever in key demographics. truTV features high-stakes, action-packed originals that give viewers access to places and situations they can't normally experience. truTV's primetime fan favorites include the original series Hardcore Pawn, All Worked Up, Lizard Lick Towing, Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura, Black Gold, Operation Repo and World's Dumbest… During the daytime, the channel features expert trial coverage under the name In Session.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news; entertainment; animation and young adult; and sports media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

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Thursday, August 04, 2011

Finding Hulk Hogan

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Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, has been world-famous for almost thirty years. From the fan frenzy of Hulkamania all the way through to the tabloid-driven fascination with his family, Hulk has lived his entire adult life in the public eye.

Losing nearly everything in the aftermath of his divorce, a pending lawsuit from his son's tragic car accident, and a body riddled with injuries from years in the ring, Hogan must now start over at a time when he thought he would be happily settled into his retirement. Emotional, and completely honest, "Finding Hulk Hogan" tells his side of the story -- and gives viewers a Hulk Hogan they've never seen before.

Weaving together verit footage, Hogan gives fans a stark glimpse at his entire life, including his darkest moments of depression, thoughts of suicide, alcohol and prescription pill abuse, his broken marriage, losing his entire fortune, deciding to return to Totally Nonstop Action (TNA) wrestling despite severe medical warnings, making amends with his children, finding God and committing to his girlfriend, Jennifer McDaniel. Candid interviews with Hogan and the people in his life help chronicle the ups and downs and round out the story of a man who is trying to rebuild the pieces of his empire and move forward with his life.

"Finding Hulk Hogan" is produced by Bischoff Hervey Entertainment. Eric Bischoff, Jason Hervey and Terry Bollea are the Executive Producers. A&E Executive Producers are Robert Sharenow and Andy Berg.

About A&E Network

A&E is "Real Life. Drama." Now reaching more than 99 million homes, A&E is television that you can't turn away from; where unscripted shows are dramatic and scripted dramas are authentic. A&E offers a diverse mix of high quality entertainment ranging from the network's original scripted series to signature non-fiction franchises, including the Emmy-winning "Intervention," "Dog The Bounty Hunter," "Hoarders," "Paranormal State" and "Criss Angel Mindfreak," and the most successful justice shows on cable, including "The First 48" and "Manhunters." The A&E website is located at www.aetv.com

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