News

It was batter up at the Stephen Sondheim Theater last night Roundabout Theatre Company just presented its Damn Yankees Benefit Concert Reading, starring Whoopi Goldberg as 'Applegate,' Maggie Gyllenhaal as 'Lola,' and Matthew Morrison 'Joe Hardy' and included Stephen Bogardus 'Joe Boyd,' Danny Burstein as 'Van Buren,' Victoria Clark as 'Meg Boyd,' Annie Golden 'Doris,' Julie Halston 'Sister,' Reggie Jackson as 'Mr. Welch,' and Adrienne Warren 'Gloria Thorpe.'...

Roundabout Theatre Company Todd Haimes, Artistic DirectorCEO has just announced that Matthew Morrison Joe Hardy, Annie Golden Doris, Julie Halston Sister and Adrienne Warren Gloria Thorpe have joined the Benefit Concert Reading of Damn Yankees, the Tony award-winning musical comedy by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop with music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The evening will bring these beloved stars of stage and screen back to the Broadway stage for one night only with Whoopi Goldberg as Applegate, Maggie Gyllenhaal as Lola, Danny Burstein as Van Buren and Victoria Clark as Meg Boyd.

In the midst of March Madness and with the Kentucky Derby around the corner, the first pitch of baseball season is almost here.

A quote from Field Of Dreams best describes America’s national pastime, “The one constant throughout the years has been baseball.”

To mark the start of the 2016 season, here’s our list of the Best Baseball movies.

The Bad News Bears

Considered by some to be the best baseball movie ever, the film celebrates its 40th anniversary this month (April 7, 1976). In an article from the NY Daily News, one line reads, “It is a movie that someone like the late Philip Seymour Hoffman called his favorite, and one which resonates on many levels today, with all different generations.”

Who are we to argue with greatness?

After skewering all-American subjects such as politics (The Candidate) and beauty pageants (Smile), director Michael Ritchie naturally set his sights on the...

Is this heaven? Nope, it’s Opening Week.

Recently Mlb rounded up a group of players to recite, word for word, James Earl Jones’ famous “people will come, Ray” speech from Field Of Dreams.

Wamg declares America’s national pastime, Baseball, to be the official sport of movie fans everywhere. As Brad Pitt said in Moneyball, “How can you not be romantic about Baseball?”

It all started Sunday night with the Cardinals at the Cubs with St. Louis winning 3 to 0.

To celebrate the first pitch of Opening Week, here’s our list of the best Baseball movies.

The Rookie

One of the best baseball biopics to come along over the years, The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid, tells the true story of Jim Morris, a man who finally gets a shot at his lifelong dream-pitching in the big leagues. A high school science teacher/baseball coach, Morris’ players make a bet with him:if they win district,...

The Screen Actors Guild handed out the 21st annual SAG Awards Sunday night live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Here is a rundown of all the nominees and winners as they are announced. And be sure to re-live our live blog of the show here! Theatrical Motion Pictures Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Steve Carell / John du Pont – "Foxcatcher" (Sony Pictures Classics) Benedict Cumberbatch / Alan Turing – "The Imitation Game" (The Weinstein Company) Jake Gyllenhaal / Louis Bloom – "Nightcrawler" (Open Road Films) Michael Keaton / Riggan – "Birdman" (Fox Searchlight Pictures) **Eddie Redmayne / Stephen Hawking – "The Theory Of Everything" (Focus Features)** - Winner Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Jennifer Aniston / Claire Bennett – "Cake" (Cinelou Films) Felicity Jones / Jane Hawking – "The Theory Of Everything" (Focus Features) **Julianne Moore / Alice Howland-Jones – "Still Alice" (Sony Pictures Classics)** - Winner Rosamund Pike / Amy Dunne – "Gone Girl...

Nominees for the 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards for outstanding performances in 2014 in five film and eight television categories, as well as the SAG Awards honors for outstanding action performances by film and television stunt ensembles were announced this morning in Los Angeles at the Pacific Design Center’s SilverScreen Theater in West Hollywood.

SAG-AFTRA President Ken Howard introduced Ansel Elgort (“The Fault in Our Stars,” “Divergent”) and actress/director/producer and SAG Award recipient Eva Longoria, who announced the nominees for this year’s Actors. SAG Awards Committee Chair JoBeth Williams and Vice Chair Daryl Anderson announced the stunt ensemble nominees.

The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will be simulcast live nationally on TNT and TBS on Sunday, Jan. 25, 2015 at 8 p.m. (Et) / 5 p.m. (Pt) from the Los Angeles Shrine Exposition Center. An encore performance will air immediately following on TNT. The SAG Awards can...

The 21st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations were revealed Wednesday morning, serving as yet another precursor on the long road to the Oscars.

In the film categories, Birdman was the big winner, scoring four nominations, including for Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone, as well as the collective ensemble cast. Boyhood followed right in its footsteps with three nods for Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette and another ensemble nomination.

The big surprises of the morning’s nominations started with Jake Gyllenhaal for Nightcrawler, a bubble contender in a crowded Best Actor race, Jennifer Aniston for Cake, a bubble contender in a disappointingly less crowded Best Actress race, Robert Duvall in the poorly reviewed The Judge and Naomi Watts for St. Vincent (Watts was in Birdman as well, but that must’ve slipped SAG’s minds).

Rounding out the prize for Outstanding Cast, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game,...

As some of you may know, I'm a bit of a jack(ass) of all trades. I follow the film industry for Lr, and critique films. But I'm also an actor, I front a rock band, I'm a DJ, film editor, and director as well. Basically, when it comes to entertainment, there's nothing I don't do. For some time now, I've been mulling over bringing some of my other interests to Lr, and I'll be starting with the SAG Awards. How? Well, I've been a member of SAG for 6 years now and I also am part of the voting process. That means every year I am sent screeners of all the films being considered for awards.

Here's where a new running feature comes into play:

As I start receiving these screeners, I will write special reviews for each one and publish them here. Then, as we near the voting deadline,...

Here is the full list of nominations for the 21st annual SAG Awards, which were announced this morning at La’s Pacific Design Center.

Fox Searchlight topped the film studios with six nominations, led by Alexander Gonzales Inarritu’s Birdman, which nabbed four total nominations: for Outstanding Cast, which is the closest thing the guild has to a Best Picture category; and for star Michael Keaton and supporting actors Edward Norton and Emma Stone. It was joined in the top cast category by IFC Films’ Boyhood, which also got nods for its co-stars Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette; Searchlight’s Wes Anderson pic The Grand Budapest Hotel; the Weinstein Co’s The Imitation Game; and Focus Features’ The Theory Of Everything. The latter two biopics landed lead noms for Benedict Cumberbatch, Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones.

On The TV side, HBO led all networks with 14 noms, thanks to multiple acting...

The Screen Actors Guild announced this year's nominees for the 2014 SAG Awards. The winners will be announced during a live telecast on TNT and TBS on Saturday, Jan. 25. The nominees are as follows... Theatrical Motion Pictures Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role Steve Carell / John du Pont – "Foxcatcher" (Sony Pictures Classics) Benedict Cumberbatch / Alan Turing – "The Imitation Game" (The Weinstein Company) Jake Gyllenhaal / Louis Bloom – "Nightcrawler" (Open Road Films) Michael Keaton / Riggan – "Birdman" (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Eddie Redmayne / Stephen Hawking – "The Theory Of Everything" (Focus Features) Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role Jennifer Aniston / Claire Bennett – "Cake" (Cinelou Films) Felicity Jones / Jane Hawking – "The Theory Of Everything" (Focus Features) Julianne Moore / Alice Howland-Jones – "Still Alice" (Sony Pictures Classics) Rosamund Pike / Amy Dunne – "Gone Girl" (20th Century Fox) Reese Witherspoon / Cheryl Strayed – "Wild" (Fox Searchlight Pictures) Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in...

With only three episodes left in The Following's harrowing first season, you can expect all of Kevin Williamson's expertly laid dominoes to begin falling with tonight's all-new installment, titled Havenport.

The hour not only features a shocking confrontation for Mike Weston and Rodderick, but Joe Hardy will also be stunned when his number two abducts Joey! What could possibly have driven the sadistic sheriff to this point? To answer that question, and many others, ETonline caught up with The Following's Warren Kole!

ETonline: I know the show tackles very serious subject matter, but having interviewed a lot of your co-stars, I get the sense that everyone is having a very good time making this show.

Warren Kole: Yeah, I showed up as a tourist halfway through the season, but once I was part of the family, it was very clear that everybody -- the cast and the crew -- was going to do everything...

“The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it’s a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us of all that once was good and it could be again.” – Field Of Dreams.

No truer words were ever spoken about America’s Pastime. Baseball began this past Spring with 30 teams vying for the chance to become World Champions and now it’s been decided. The San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers will play ball in the 2012 World Series. Before the final hurrah of nine innings, stats, bases and 3 strikes you’re out, Wamg has compiled a list of the Best Baseball Movies. Did we leave any in the dugout or are there some that should be sent to the showers?...

Paper Mill Playhouse just opened Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin Applegate, Chryssie Whitehead Lola, Christopher Charles Wood Joe Hardy, Joseph Kolinski Joe Boyd, Patti Cohenour Meg Boyd and Nancy Anderson Gloria Thorpe. BroadwayWorld was there for the big opening and brings you coverage from the first curtain call below...

Paper Mill Playhouse just began previews for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin Applegate, Chryssie Whitehead Lola, Christopher Charles Wood Joe Hardy, Joseph Kolinski Joe Boyd, Patti Cohenour Meg Boyd and Nancy Anderson Gloria Thorpe. Damn Yankees runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, March 11, 2012.BroadwayWorld brings you production photos below...

Paper Mill Playhouse just began previews for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin Applegate, Chryssie Whitehead Lola, Christopher Charles Wood Joe Hardy, Joseph Kolinski Joe Boyd, Patti Cohenour Meg Boyd and Nancy Anderson Gloria Thorpe. Damn Yankees runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, March 11, 2012.BroadwayWorld brings you performance highlights below...

Paper Mill Playhouse is currently in rehearsals for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin Applegate, Chryssie Whitehead Lola, Christopher Charles Wood Joe Hardy, Joseph Kolinski Joe Boyd, Patti Cohenour Meg Boyd and Nancy Anderson Gloria Thorpe. Damn Yankees begins performances on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, March 11, 2012.Yesterday, February 29, the company met the press and below we bring you photo coverage of the cast in action...

Paper Mill Playhouse is currently in rehearsals for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin Applegate, Chryssie Whitehead Lola, Christopher Charles Wood Joe Hardy, Joseph Kolinski Joe Boyd, Patti Cohenour Meg Boyd and Nancy Anderson Gloria Thorpe. Damn Yankees begins performances on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, March 11, 2012. Today, the company met the press and below we brings you complete photo and video coverage of the event.

Paper Mill Playhouse is currently in rehearsals for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin Applegate, Chryssie Whitehead Lola, Christopher Charles Wood Joe Hardy, Joseph Kolinski Joe Boyd, Patti Cohenour Meg Boyd and Nancy Anderson Gloria Thorpe. Damn Yankees begins performances on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012. Opening night is scheduled for Sunday, March 11, 2012.

Lin-sanity! Am-asian! Lin-demonium! Lin-credible! Lin-ning! Lin-derella Story!

The last two weeks have been a New York Post headline writer’s dream (or nightmare), as Jeremy Lin has emerged as a season-saving superstar for the New York Knicks. Gotham, the basketball world, and the Asian-American community have all been mesmerized by the Joe Hardy-like exploits of the 23-year-old Taiwanese-American hoopster who’s injected some much-needed excitement into the Knicks by leading them to seven straight victories. Thrust into the starting lineup after New York’s top scorers were sidelined, the 6’3″ guard, who played at Harvard of all places, responded by...

Paper Mill Playhouse has just announced casting for Damn Yankees, directed by Paper Mill Playhouse's Producing Artistic Director, Mark S. Hoebee, with choreography by Denis Jones. The cast features Howard McGillin Applegate, Chryssie Whitehead Lola, Christopher Charles Wood Joe Hardy, Joseph Kolinski Joe Boyd, Patti Cohenour Meg Boyd and Nancy Anderson Gloria Thorpe. Damn Yankees begins performances on Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and runs at the Millburn, New Jersey theater through Sunday, April 1, 2012.

The term "Triple Threat" fits Cheyenne Jackson to a (tight black) T, as the multi-talent has shown he can sing, dance, and act on stage, TV, and films.

He turns 35 today, and it appears that he had a good time this weekend.

As we ponder the possibilities of what a birthday weekend with Cheyenne and pals would entail, let's take a look back at his career, which has steadily grown in scope and visibility since his first Broadway experience 8 years ago.

2002

Cheyenne makes his Broadway debut as the understudy to both male leads in Thoroughly Modern Millie.

2003

Cheyenne is the standby to play Radames (here opposite Deborah Cox) in Aida (pic: Joan Marcus)

He returns to Seattle, Washington (where he had lived for years) to perform as Rocky in the The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

2004

Cheyenne originates the role of Matthew in the boyband parody Altar Boyz at the New...

We'll get to Prince of Persia in a second, but first let's talk about Jake Gyllenhaal, the song-and-dance man. The 29-year-old actor tells me he's well prepared and gung-ho to star in a new movie adaptation of Damn Yankees, the legendary Broadway musical set in the 1950s about baseball fan Joe Hardy (Gyllenhaal) who sells his soul to the devil (Jim Carrey) to play ball against the Bronx Bombers... "I sing," Gyllenhaal told me yesterday. "Of course, I sing. I've been singing since I was a little child." (Who could forget when he slipped into a dress and wig on Saturday Night Live to belt out a number from Dreamgirls back in January 2009.) When the Yankees...

When it comes to remakes, filmmakers usually talk about how they strive to maintain faithfulness to the original material. Not so in the case of Todd Graff who in an interview with MTV News has waxed lyrically about the changes in store for his contemporary update of the classic Faust-inspired musical "Damn Yankees".

The story follows a baseball fanatic (Jake Gyllenhaal) who suddenly becomes the world's greatest player after making a deal with the devil (Jim Carrey). "It should feel like 'Jerry Maguire' with songs. It should really feel like the real world of a major sports franchise and what would happen with this fantastical goofy, funny idea" says Graff.

One subplot will revolve around an unintended consequence of that sudden change - "If a character like Joe Hardy — who's the character in 'Damn Yankees' — sprung out of nowhere and was hitting 70 home runs in a season, who would not think immediately 'steroids'?...

Back in February, it was reported that New Line Cinema had signed Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal for a contemporized version of the "Damn Yankees" classic musical. In the original, a man sells his soul to the devil to become the greatest baseball player. But in the remake, the devil is replaced with steroids. "If a character like Joe Hardy . who's the character in 'Damn Yankees' . sprung out of nowhere and was hitting 70 home runs in a season, who would not think immediately 'steroids'?" said writer/director Todd Graff. "So [steroids] is not even a side character for us; it's our main character. No one is going to think, 'Oh, it's because he made a deal with the devil!' They'd think, 'He's juicing!'" That's not the only change Graff is planning to make. "The original was about the Washington Senators, who obviously don't exist anymore," he said. "Now, the...

Writer/Director Todd Graff (Bandslam) says his upcoming remake of Damn Yankees will not feature one mainstay of baseball (the Yankees) but it will feature another (steroids!).

Speaking to MTV, Graff said:

“If a character like Joe Hardy — who’s the character in ‘Damn Yankees’ — sprung out of nowhere and was hitting 70 home runs in a season, who would not think immediately ’steroids’? So [steroids] is not even a side character for us; it’s our main character. No one is going to think, ‘Oh, it’s because he made a deal with the devil!’ They’d think, ‘He’s juicing!’ “

Check out the full interview to hear about Graff’s plans to remove the choreography from the film and keep only a few of the original songs. He instead plans on penning about five or six new ones, including one about steroids.

Sounds interesting to me, I’m all for...

Todd Graff, the writer and director of Bandslam, says his remake of the musical Damn Yankees won’t feature the Yankees but will feature steroids. Graff points out that the original 1955 story featured the now non-existent Washington Senators so he’s replacing them with the Chicago Cubs who haven’t won a pennant in 102 years. And we all know there’s only two ways people could see the Cubs winning the World Series: making a deal with Satan or steroids. Speaking to MTV, Graff says:

“If a character like Joe Hardy - who’s the character in ‘Damn Yankees’ - sprung out of nowhere and was hitting 70 home runs in a season, who would not think immediately ’steroids’?” said writer/director Todd Graff, who has cast Jake Gyllenhaal in the Tab Hunter role of a baseball fan who sells his soul to become the greatest player. “So [steroids] is not even...

From MTV.Com: Back in the 1950s, it was an entertaining notion to imagine Major League Baseball as a world where record-breaking sluggers could appear overnight, selling their souls for the ability to crush a baseball in a world where those damn Yankees win every year. Now, Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal are attached to a remake of one of the all-time classic movie musicals — and although the filmmaker has big plans for an update, he's quick to point out that the plot of "Damn Yankees" is actually more plausible in today's world.

"If a character like Joe Hardy — who's the character in 'Damn Yankees' — sprung out of nowhere and was hitting 70 home runs in a season, who would not think immediately 'steroids'?" said writer/director Todd Graff, who has cast Gyllenhaal in the Tab Hunter role of a baseball fan who sells his soul to become the greatest player.

Todd Graff also plans to switch teams in the musical revamp, starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey.

By Larry Carroll

Jane Krakowski and Sean Hayes Perform in "Damn Yankees" on Broadway

Photo: Bruce Glikas/ FilmMagic

Back in the 1950s, it was an entertaining notion to imagine Major League Baseball as a world where record-breaking sluggers could appear overnight, selling their souls for the ability to crush a baseball in a world where those damn Yankees win every year. Now, Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal are attached to a remake of one of the all-time classic movie musicals — and although the filmmaker has big plans for an update, he's quick to point out that the plot of "Damn Yankees" is actually more plausible in today's world.

"If a character like Joe Hardy — who's the character in 'Damn Yankees' — sprung out of nowhere and was hitting 70 home runs in a season, who would not think immediately 'steroids'?...

By Harvey Karten - Dr. Parnassus is not the only one who ever sold his soul to the devil. That negotiation has been a popular one all over the world from the time that Satan approached Eve down to the present day. Satan has no power over human beings unless we do evil: Victims have included Faust, who sold out for youth and for the hand of Marguerite and who is either condemned or saved depending the production, and Joe Hardy of .Damn Yankees,. who also wanted youth but only to return to his days as a baseball slugger to help the Washington Senators. Director and co-writer Terry Gilliam has his title character, Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer), sell his soul in return for immortality. But the devil would get his due: he would claim the doctor.s daughter, Valentina (Lily Cole) on her sixteenth birthday.

Sony Pictures Classics

Grade: C...

Actor Tab Hunter is set to appear in the documentary "Tab Hunter Confidential" about what it was like to live a lie in Hollywood. Titled after Hunter's 2005 autobiography, the documentary will be directed by Jeffrey Schwartz (""Wrangler: Anatomy of an Icon," and "Spine Tingler! The William Castle Story").

The documentary will profile Hunter as a closeted gay actor at a time when Hollywood forced their homosexual stars to hide so they could market them as heterosexuals. Allan Glaser, Hunter's longtime partner, and Neil Koenigsberg are set to produce.

A little bio about Hunter from Wikipedia:

Arthur Gelien was signed to a contract at Warner Bros. and christened "Tab Hunter" by his first agent, Henry Willson.[2] His good looks got him pegged as a screen idol. He landed a role in the film Island of Desire opposite Linda Darnell. However, it was his co-starring role as young Marine Danny in 1955's...

ABC Family is sailing into upfront season on a wave of ratings growth, having closed out the first quarter of 2009 with its best showing among all of its top demos. In order to sustain its momentum, the network is going to continue to place a premium on original programming, said ABC Family president Paul Lee, who addressed media buyers at a Tuesday afternoon upfront luncheon in Manhattan.

The millennial-targeted net will bow three new series this summer, including the drama "Make It or Break It," which is set against the backdrop of competitive gymnastics; and a pair of comedies in the high-school confidential strip "10 Things I Hate About You" and the music-driven sitcom "Ruby & the Rockits."

At first blush, the one-hour "Make It or Break It" is somewhat reminiscent of the Nancy Kerrigan/Tonya Harding psychodrama of 1994, inasmuch as it pits a hardworking brunette "good girl" (Chelsea Hobbs) against a scheming,...

Can’t say we saw this one coming – New Line has signed Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal up to star in a remake of classic musical Damn Yankees. Originally on stage in 1955 (and first turned into a film in 1958), Yankees tell the fateful tale of Joe Boyd, a happily married schlub who is devoted to his favourite baseball team. Offered a deal by Satan to help the team, he’s magically transformed into expert batter Joe Hardy – but at the cost of (surprise!) his soul. Boyd can get out of the deal, but only when the... .

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This week:

Madea is the champ at the box office; Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal sing; Zorro meets Woody; Original Films remakes Total Recall and Arthur will have something to say soon.

Box Office

Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes To Jail stayed locked up in the top spot with an estimated weekend take of $16 million.

Jonas Brothers: 3-D Concert Experience underperformed with an estimated weekend take of about $12.5 million. Not bad for a film showing on only 1, 271 screens, but the film was expected to gross double that!

Slumdog Millionaire rides the train of Oscar success and manages another $12 million for a $115 million total. Expect Danny Boyle to do whatever he pleases for his next film.

Liam Neeson’s Taken continues to impress with another $9 million in the bank. So far Taken has…er… taken over $100 million.

He’s Just Not That Into You, Coraline and Paul Blart: Mall Cop...

OhLaLa ~Jake Gyllenhaal drinks to Jamie Foxx's new music video Blame It (on the alcohol)... always a good thing to blame it on. Foxx seems to have instructed his celebri-guests (there are a few others, too) to play "attitude" because they don't seem to be having a good time.

Just Jared ~more Wolverine promo pics.

/Film Eddie Murphy as Richard Pryor? Bill Condon sure does love making biopics. Fully half of his feature filmography is biopics.

Yahoo by way of Awards Daily ~Clint Eastwood receives a prize from Cannes, 3 months before the festival begins. I promised to ease up on the Eastwood thing this year (my frustration with the collective need to bury him in trophies has not won me fans) but please allow me to express genuine non-snarky confusion here. I had no idea that film festivals gave prizes when they were not in session. Who juries that?...

New Line Cinema is planning a contemporary version of the classical musical, "Damn Yankees," and they're attaching both Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal to star!

It's going to be produced by the folks behind "Hairspray," Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

The original musical was first a big Broadway success in 1955 and won 7 tony Awards! It's a story about Joe Boyd who makes a pact with the devil who transforms him into slugger Joe Hardy to help his struggling pro baseball team.

But there's a price of course! Boyd's soul!

Tan dan dan....

Carrey is going to play the devil and Gyllenhaal to star as Boyd aka Hardy.

And just for approved measure, the devil hires Lola, a lost soul, to seduce Hardy and seal his fate!

No word yet on who's going to star as Lola.

More tan dan dan...

There was, of course, a 1958 Warner Bros. film starring Gwen Verdon,...

Actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey have signed up with New Line Cinema for a film adaptation of the musical Damn Yankees. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel (Parenthood, Fever Pitch, Robots) are set to write the script with Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the duo behind the Hairspray adaptation. Damn Yankees focuses on Joe Boyd, a happily married middle-aged man whose devotion to a unlucky professional baseball team prompts him to make a deal with the devil to help the team win the World Series. He’s then transformed into slugger Joe Hardy in exchange for Boyd’s soul. The devil produces Lola, a gorgeous vixen, to seduce the slugger and seal his fate. Carrey [...]...

This has been a good week for remakes (or a bad week, depending on how you feel about them), but while announced redos of our beloved mystery comedies, sci-fi actioners and neverending fantasy flicks are shocking enough, there's not a blogger in the world who saw a new "contemporized" version of Damn Yankees coming. Let alone one starring Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal as Mr. Applegate (aka Satan) and soul-selling baseballer Joe Hardy, respectively. Yet Hugh Jackman and the rest of the all-singing-all-dancing stars of Sunday ...

I have a weird relationship with musicals -- and unfortunately I don't always have the best taste. For example, I can sing every song from Xanadu, but I don't think I've ever made it through an entire viewing of Meet Me in St. Louis (musical heresy, I know). But, one classic musical I have always loved is Damn Yankees, so the announcement of an updated version has me a little nervous -- throw in two untried singers and dancers and we just might be reaching panic. Variety reports that Jim Carrey (the man famous for talking out of his butt ... literally) has signed to star alongside Jake Gyllenhaal in an update of the 1958 musical.

Yankees was the story of Joe Boyd, a loveable loser who is so dedicated to his team, he makes a deal with the devil, and boy, does the devil deliver. Boyd is soon transformed into a...

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal are being tapped to star in a New Line Cinema film adaptation of the classic musical "Damn Yankees." The project will be the first musical for the two actors.

The Broadway show premiered in 1955 and won seven Tony Awards. It centers on happily married middle-aged man Joe Boyd, whose devotion to a hapless pro baseball team prompts him to make a Faustian bargain with the devil to help the team. He sells his soul to the devil to become the young and strong slugger Joe Hardy.

Joe puts in an escape clause in the contract to give him a chance to return to his old life, but the deadline occurs during the World Series. To top it off, the devil appoints the seducer Lola to seal Joe's fate.

As per Variety, the film will be produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the duo behind "Hairspray,...

New Line Cinema has signed Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal on "Damn Yankees," attaching both actors to star in a contemporized film transfer of the classic musical. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are set to write the script. "Damn Yankees," which bowed on Broadway in 1955 and won seven Tony Awards, focuses on Joe Boyd, a happily married middle-aged man whose devotion to a hapless pro baseball team prompts him to make a Faustian bargain with the devil to help the team. He's transformed into slugger Joe Hardy, in exchange for Boyd's soul. Boyd can break the deal, but the deadline occurs during the World Series. For good measure, the devil engages Lola, a gorgeous lost soul, to seduce the slugger and seal his fate. The plan is for Carrey to play the devil, and Gyllenhaal to play Boyd. It's the first musical for each. The producers tried but struck out...

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal will star in an adaptation of 1950s musical Damn Yankees. The New Line project will be produced by Hairspray duo Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. Damn Yankees, which opened on Broadway in 1955, follows the story of Joe Boyd, a middle-aged family man who loves a hapless baseball team. His passion for the sport prompts him to make a pact with the Devil, which transforms him into an amazing batter called Joe Hardy in exchange for his soul. Boyd is able to reverse the deal at any (more)...

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal will star in "Damn Yankees" for New Line Cinema, a contemporary version of the classic musical which premiered on Broadway in 1955.   Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are in to adapt the script. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the guys behing the acclaimed "Hairspray" musical, are producing the film. "Damn Yankees" won seven Tony Awards and focuses on a happily married man who is devlishly dedicated to seeing a down-on-its-lucky baseball team succeed and strokes a deal with the deal to aid them.   He exchanges his soul an d becomes the hard-hitting Joe Hardy, a slugger. Boyd can break the deal, unfortunately the deadline happens during the world series. Things get tricker when the devil sends in a gorgeous lost soul named Lola to try seduce him and put the name in the coffin so to speak.    Carrey would play the devil and Gyllenhaal Boyd.

New Line Cinema has attached both Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal to star in a contemporized feature adaptation of the classic musical "Damn Yankees." Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are set to write the script. The musical is being produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the duo behind New Line's musical Hairspray ; a sequel to that film is in the works. "Damn Yankees," which premiered on Broadway in 1955 and won seven Tony Awards, focuses on Joe Boyd, a happily married middle-aged man whose devotion to a hapless pro baseball team prompts him to make a Faustian bargain with the devil to help the team. He's transformed into slugger Joe Hardy, in exchange for Boyd's soul. Boyd can break the deal, but the deadline occurs during the World Series. For good measure,...

Variety is reporting Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal have joined New Line Cinema's attempt to remake the 1958 musical Damn Yankees with Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel aboard to write the script and Hairspray producers, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, along for the ride. Damn Yankees premiered on Broadway in 1955 and won seven Tony Awards. The story focuses on Joe Boyd, a happily married middle-aged man whose devotion to a hapless pro baseball team prompts him to make a Faustian bargain with the devil to help the team. He's transformed into slugger Joe Hardy, in exchange for Boyd's soul. Boyd can break the deal, but the deadline occurs during the World Series. For good measure, the devil engages Lola, a gorgeous lost soul, to seduce the slugger and seal his fate. The film will mark the musical debut for both actors with Carrey expected to play the devil, and Gyllenhaal...

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal, together at last - and they'll be all-singing, all-dancing in a remake of 1950s musical Damn Yankees, a story about selling your soul to the Devil and baseball.The original plot sees a middle-aged man make a deal with the Devil (Carrey) so that the ailing baseball team he supports can actually win the World Series for once. The man is transformed into young star player Joe Hardy (Gyllenhaal), who might be able to win the Series for the team - and who had the wit to insert a get-out clause into his contract. But the devil sends in a seductress called Lola (yet to be cast) to ensure he won't take it.No director is onboard as yet: the plan is to get the script from Lowell Ganz and the awesomely-monikered Babaloo Mandel (the pair worked on Robots and Fever Pitch) first. The producers behind Hairspray are pulling the strings,...

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal will star in "Damn Yankees" for New Line Cinema, a contemporary version of the classic musical which premiered on Broadway in 1955. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are in to adapt the script. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the guys behing the acclaimed "Hairspray" musical, are producing the film. "Damn Yankees" won seven Tony Awards and focuses on a happily married man who is devlishly dedicated to seeing a down-on-its-lucky baseball team succeed and strokes a deal with the deal to aid them. He exchanges his soul an d becomes the hard-hitting Joe Hardy, a slugger. Boyd can break the deal...

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal will star in "Damn Yankees" for New Line Cinema, a contemporary version of the classic musical which premiered on Broadway in 1955. Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel are in to adapt the script. Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, the guys behing the acclaimed "Hairspray" musical, are producing the film. "Damn Yankees" won seven Tony Awards and focuses on a happily married man who is devlishly dedicated to seeing a down-on-its-lucky baseball team succeed and strokes a deal with the deal to aid them. He exchanges his soul an d becomes the hard-hitting Joe Hardy, a slugger. Boyd can break the deal...

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal have signed on to star in Damn Yankees, a contemporized film transfer of the classic musical that New Line Cinema is developing. Damn Yankees, which bowed on Broadway in 1955 and won seven Tony Awards, focuses on Joe Boyd, a happily married middle-aged man whose devotion to a hapless pro baseball team prompts him to make a Faustian bargain with the devil to help the team. He's transformed into slugger Joe Hardy, in exchange for Boyd's soul. Boyd can break the deal, but the deadline occurs during the World Series. For good measure, the devil engages Lola, a gorgeous lost soul, to seduce the slugger and seal his fate. According to the trades, the plan is for Carrey to play the devil, and Gyllenhaal to play Boyd. It will be the first musical for each. The film is being produced by Craig Zadan and Neil Meron,...

  Are you ready for some singing and dancing with your baseball?  New Line is hoping you are.  According to Variety, the Warner Bros. divison has drafted Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey to star in a new version of the classic musical "Damn Yankees."Based on the 1955 Tony Award winner, "Yankees" centers on Joe Boyd, a middle aged man whose devotion to his favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees, prompts him to make a deal with the devil to improve the team.  In exchange for his soul, the devil turns him into star slugger Joe Hardy.  Boyd can break the...

New Line Cinema -- or should we just say Warner Bros -- has it in mind to adapt the classical musical Damn Yankees. Their going to contemporize the story and, to kick things off right, have Jake Gyllenhaal and Jim Carrey co-star.

Jim Carrey and Jake Gyllenhaal for Damn Yankees

Damn Yankees centers on Joe Boyd, a happily married middle-aged man whose devotion to a hapless pro baseball team prompts him to make a Faustian bargain with the devil to help the team. He's transformed into slugger Joe Hardy, in exchange for Boyd's soul. Boyd can break the deal, but the deadline occurs during the World Series. For good measure, the devil engages Lola, a gorgeous lost soul, to seduce the slugger and seal his fate.

Considering that neither fit the part of Lola, one can assume that Carrey will play the devil while Gylenhaal will tackle Boyd.