International sales of the hit movie “Taken 3″ and the DVD release of the sci-fi hit “Lucy” drove a nearly 90 percent spike in third quarter revenue for Luc Besson‘s EuropaCorp, the Paris-based film and TV production company announced Thursday.

Investors liked the news and EuropaCorp’s stock rose nearly two percent to $5.34 on the Paris exchange.

The Liam Neeson thriller “Taken 3,” which was the franchise finale and had a $48 million production budget, brought in $85 million in North America and more than $270 million at the worldwide box office. That meant the international sales unit brought in more than half of EuropaCorp’s $38 million third-quarter total revenues, which were up 88 percent over same quarter last year.

Also Read:‘Lucy’ Director Luc Besson Predicts Greed Will End Human Civilization

Another bright spot for the company was home video, which reported sales of more than $8 million in the quarter, up seven percent from the same period. The gains were driven by the home video release of the Scarlett Johansson sci-fi hit “Lucy,” which Besson directed.

Besson owns 62 percent of EuropaCorp and serves as the chairman of its board of directors.

More to come …

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Golden Globe winner Keri Russell (“The Americans”) and Mahershala Ali (“House of Cards”) will join Matthew McConaughey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw in Gary Ross’ Civil War movie “The Free State of Jones,” TheWrap has learned.

“Free State of Jones” is a historical action epic based on the true story of defiant Southern farmer Newt Knight (McConaughey) and his extraordinary armed rebellion against the Confederacy during the Civil War.

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Russell is set to play Knight’s wife, Serena, while Ali will play Moses Washington, an escaped slave who becomes an integral ally of Knight’s rebellion against and secession from the Confederacy.

Also Read:‘House of Cards’ ‘Technical Glitch’ Causes Season 3 to Go Live Ahead of Premiere (Updated)

Robert Simonds’ new film and television studio STX Entertainment is producing “Free State of Jones,” which Route One/Union Investment Partners and Vendian Entertainment are co-financing. IM Global will oversee international distribution. 

Scott Stuber and Jon Kilik are producing the flm with Ross, who is directing from his own screenplay. Production is currently under way in Louisiana.

Also Read:Gugu Mbatha-Raw to Star Opposite Matthew McConaughey in Gary Ross’ ‘Free State of Jones’ (Exclusive)

Russell, who won a Golden Globe for “Felicity,” currently stars on FX’s critically acclaimed spy series “The Americans.” She recently starred opposite Jason Clarke in “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.”

Ali plays Remy Danton on Netflix’s “House of Cards” as well as Boggs in “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay” movies. His other feature credits include “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” and “The Place Beyond the Pines.”

Russell is represented by WME, the Burstein Company and attorney Robert Offer, while Ali is repped by WME and Anonymous Content and attorney Shelby Weiser.

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Rob Lowe has joined Fox’s single-camera comedy pilot “The Grinder,” the network announced on Thursday.

Jake Kasdan will direct the project with Andrew Mogel, Jarrad Paul and Nick Stoller producing.

Rob Lowe stars as TV lawyer Dean Sanderson (a.k.a. “The Grinder”). When his long-running hit series comes to an end, he finds himself at a crossroads in life and decides to move back to his small home town to take over his family’s law firm.

Also Read:Fox Orders Brothers Comedy Pilot From ‘Allen Gregory’ Producers, ‘Neighbors’ Director

From 20th Century Fox Television Studios, the half-hour show will be written by Mogel and Paul, the duo behind Fox’s short-lived animated comedy “Allen Gregory.”

Lowe is currently in production on Working Title TV and Bigballs Films’ “Apocalypse Slough” in London, and will be seen in “Monster Trucks,” being released by Paramount this Christmas.

Lowe may be best known for playing Sam Seaborn on NBC’s “The West Wing.” More recently, he played the quirky Chris Traeger on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation.”

Also Read:Rob Lowe, Megan Mullally Join Cast of NBC’s ‘Apocalypse’

WME, Brillstein Entertainment and O’Melveny & Myers represent Lowe.

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Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Evans, Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Lopez, Chloe Grace Moretz, Eddie Murphy and Margot Robbie will serve as presenters on this year’s Academy Awards, Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced on Thursday.

The new bookings mean that more than 30 presenters have now been announced for the Oscar show.

See photos:Oscars 2015: The Nominees (Photos)

Previously announced presenters include last year’s acting winners — Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey and Lupita Nyong’o — as well as current nominees Marion Cotillard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon.

Also read: Lady Gaga to Perform on the Oscars

Also scheduled to present: Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Kevin Hart, Josh Hutcherson, Scarlett Johansson, Shirley MacLaine, Sienna Miller, David Oyelowo, Chris Pine, Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Octavia Spencer, Miles Teller, John Travolta, Kerry Washington and Naomi Watts.

The 87th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood & Highland Complex in Hollywood.

Neil Patrick Harris will host the show.

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The world premiere of the “Saturday Night Live” documentary “Live From New York!” will open the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival on Wed., April 15, it was announced today.

“Saturday Night Live” has been reflecting and influencing the American story for 40 years. “Live From New York!” explores the show’s early years, an experiment that began with a young Lorne Michaels and his cast of unknowns, and follows its evolution into a comedy institution. Archival footage is interwoven with stolen moments and exclusive commentary from “SNL” legends, journalists, hosts, crew and others influenced by the comedy giant. “Live From New York!” captures what has enabled “SNL” to continually refresh itself over nearly 800 episodes and keep America laughing for 40 years.

“Live From New York!” is directed by Tribeca alum Bao Nguyen and produced by JL Pomeroy and Tom Broecker. Tickets for the TFF 2015 Opening Night Gala go on sale on March 23 at tribecafilm.com/festival. The Tribeca Film Festival runs April 15 to April 26.

Also Read:‘SNL’s’ 40 Most Iconic Characters: From the Blues Brothers to Stefon (Photos)

“’SNL’s’ contribution to the arts and to pop culture has been — and continues to be — groundbreaking, and ‘Live From New York!’ offers an inside look at the show’s inimitable ability to both reflect and impact American news, history and culture,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival. “This is the story of a creative journey from pilot to institution and a tribute to the moments that kept us laughing and talking long after the episodes aired. We are excited to welcome Bao Nguyen back to Tribeca to open our 14^th Festival with the world premiere of ‘Live From New York!’”

“After 40 years, the timing just felt right,” said Lorne Michaels.

“The selection of ‘Live from New York!’ to open the 14th Tribeca Film Festival is personally gratifying to me on several levels. Having hosted SNL three times, and guested on several occasions, I speak from a first-hand experience about “SNL’s” rightful place in our culture as well as a welcome addition to our festival,” said Robert De Niro, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.

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“’Saturday Night Live’ is such a revered institution and we really wanted to make a film that reflected its significance not just to the American comedic tradition but also to American culture and society,” said director Bao Nguyen. “I want to thank Lorne Michaels for allowing us to film in the storied halls of Studio 8H.  I’d also like to thank JL Pomeroy and Tom Broecker for trusting me with their creative vision. Finally, I can’t thank Tribeca enough for all their support. We couldn’t dream of a better place to world premiere Live From New York! than at New York City’s own Tribeca Film Festival.”

The 2015 Tribeca Film Festival will announce its feature film slate the first week of March.

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Disgraced NBC news anchor Brian Williams has not given up on returning to the air and is working on a strategy that would allow him to salvage his career, TheWrap has learned.

Williams, suspended for six months from his nightly NBC newscast in the wake of misstatements about his experiences covering the Iraq War in 2003, is huddled with friends and advisors working on a strategy that would involve coming clean about his mistakes and apologizing fully to the public, an individual with knowledge of his thinking told TheWrap.

Williams is deeply distraught over his suspension, and acutely aware that he brought the situation on himself, according to knowledgeable individuals. But he and his advisors believe that if he takes full responsibility for his actions and seeks counseling he can come back to the air at NBC, despite the six month suspension.

Also Read:The Evolution of Brian Williams: 12 Milestones in Embattled Anchor’s Career (Photos)

Most media observers have said they do not think Williams will return to the air after this scandal, and interpreted the NBC suspension as a way to gain some distance and time to negotiate an exit for Williams.

“My guess is he’s not going to go back to NBC News,” Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism professor and former managing editor of NPR News, John Dinges, told TheWrap this week. “I don’t think he can recover from this.”

But Williams’ advisors and the anchor himself clearly think differently.

In announcing the extraordinary suspension, NBC News President Deborah Turness said on Tuesday Williams misrepresented on the air on Friday January 20 that he had been shot at in a helicopter while covering the Iraq War.

“It then became clear that on other occasions Brian had done the same while telling that story in other venues,” said Turness. “This was wrong and completely inappropriate for someone in Brian’s position.”

Also Read:Brian Williams Suspension: Experts on Whether or Not His Career Can Be Salvaged

NBCU CEO Steve Burke has been furious at Williams over the incident, as was evidenced in his strong words in the suspension memo calling the anchor’s actions “inexcusable” and observing that “Brian has jeopardized the trust millions of Americans place in NBC News. ”

The suspension takes the immediate pressure off the network, but in fact it will be a matter of how the newscast performs under replacement anchor Lester Holt along with what a further investigation of Williams’ statements reveals.

According to a news network insider, Williams initially looked at the error as a one-off mistake for which he’d apologize and it might blow over. But as the media firestorm grew, he realized the gravity of the situation.

Now Williams is spending long hours with close friends and advisors who are helping him devise a strategy to emerge from the current suspension.

His advisors have told Williams that if further misstatements or exaggerations emerge from the newscast, his chances for coming back are slim. But if other errors amount to embellishing on late night talk shows, he may have a path at redemption with public apologies and seeking professional help to get to the heart of why he inserted himself into a life-threatening situation where he was not present.

Among the venues where he might apologize would be “60 Minutes,” or on a daytime talk show or even on Fox’s Bill O’Reilly, one insider suggested.

Even as NBC’s investigation into the of Williams’ misstatements goes on, only Williams himself knows the full extent of what he said to whom and when.

NBC News has not yet returned TheWrap’s request for comment

Jordan Chariton contributed to this report.

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You would hardly know it was Rosie O’Donnell‘s final day on ABC’s “The View” Thursday. It was business as usual for the comedienne, who made few mentions throughout the episode of her abrupt departure, but she did bring a guest: her young daughter Dakota.

“Well, everybody, I just want to say thanks to all the cast here and the crew and mostly to Barbara Walters, who has always looked out for me and my life and career,” O’Donnell said to close the show. “I want to thank her for making this show and letting me be on it twice.”

Fellow co-hosts — moderator Whoopi Goldberg, Nicolle Wallace and Rosie Perez— surrounded her.

Also read:Rosie O’Donnell Reveals Why She’s Leaving ‘The View’

Led by Perez, the audience chanted Rosie’s name.

“We’ve had fun, and I hope we have more. I’ll come back and be doing an occasional crafting segment because I have a hot glue gun and I will travel,” O’Donnell said.

At the beginning of the show, O’Donnell danced to “Low” by rapper Flo Rida. Before she could speak, the audience clapped, chanting her name.

Also read:‘View’ Hosts Tight-Lipped on Rosie O’Donnell Exit, Rip Kanye West for Grammy Rudeness

“Now you see, if that was every day, I probably would have stayed,” she joked. “Thank you. That was very sweet, thank you very much.”

News broke of O’Donnell’s exit last week while she was promoting her HBO special, “Rosie O’Donnell: A Heartfelt Stand Up,” in New York City, TheWrap previously reported.

She explained her reasons for leaving in a YouTube video Monday. The heart attack survivor cited the need to minimize stress while focusing on health and family. Last November, she and wife Michelle Rounds split.

Also read:Rosie O’Donnell Exiting ‘The View’

O’Donnell initially joined “The View” in 2006, gaining a reputation with her outspoken manner and liberal views. She left the following year. In the summer of 2014, the network announced she would return to the panel.

Her departure is the latest in a series of seemingly endless shakeups for the daytime talker. Jenny McCarthy and Sherri Shepherd departed “The View” at the end of last season. McCarthy had barely been on the show a full season before exiting.

Watch O’Donnell’s final moments here.

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Fox has put in an order for eight more episodes of its unscripted comedy series “World’s Funniest Fails.”

“Brooklyn Nine-Nine” star Terry Crews hosts the series, inspired by the YouTube channel FailArmy, which attempts to send “epic fails” viral. The Fox show includes a panel of comedians who discuss the blunders and eventually decide upon a “Fail of the Week.”

Also Read:‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s’ Terry Crews Tapped as Host of Fox’s ‘World’s Funniest Fails’

The unscripted show ranks #1 in its time period among Men 18-34 (tie), Teens (tie) and No. 2 among Adults 18-34 (tie) and has improved upon the network’s prior season average in the time period with entertainment programming in Adults 18-49 (+38%), Adults 18-34 (+60%), Teens (+50%) and Total Viewers (+45%).

“World’s Funniest Fails” is produced by dick clark productions (dcp) and Jukin Media. Allen Shapiro, CEO of dick clark productions; Mike Mahan, President of dick clark productions; Jonathan Skogmo, Founder and CEO of Jukin Media; Josh Entman, Cofounder and Chief Development Officer of Jukin Media; and Nicolle Yaron serve as executive producers. Mark Bracco, EVP of Programming and Development for dick clark productions; Assaf Blecher, VP of Programming and Development for dick clark productions and Aliyah Silverstein serve as co-executive producers.

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Crews has had an impressive career as both a professional athlete and an actor. In addition to playing Sgt. Terry Jeffords on “Brooklyn Nine-Nine,” he has been seen in films such as “The Expendables,” “Bridesmaids” and “The 6th Day.” The former NFL player also hosts the syndicated game show “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire.”

FailArmy, owned and operated by Jukin Media, is a Top 100 YouTube channel with more than six million subscribers and one billion total video views.

“World’s Funniest Fail” airs Fridays at 8 p.m. on Fox.

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Valhalla Entertainment has promoted executives Jeff Nemon and Phillip Kobylanski to Co-Vice Presidents of Development, TheWrap has learned.

The pair signed on with the company in 2012 and 2010, respectively, and are credited with helping develop Valhalla’s TV slate, which currently includes high-profile cable projects like AMC’s “The Walking Dead.”

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Kobylanski has helped shepherd Valhalla’s feature slate, including the live-action anime project “Gaiking” and comic book thriller “Sebastian X.” He has also overseen the development on “The Nameless, “which is set up with Route One Entertainment. On the TV side, he is the Valhalla executive on the upcoming AMC companion pilot to “The Walking Dead.”

Nemon joined Valhalla in 2012 from CBS Television Studios, where he provided creative input on shows such as “The Good Wife” and “Criminal Minds.” Prior to CBS, Nemon worked on production of the Golden Globe-nominated feature “Thank You For Smoking” under Room 9 Entertainment’s David O. Sacks. While at Valhalla, he has been instrumental in developing projects that recently sold to Showtime and SyFy and is set to serve as the current executive for upcoming SyFy series “Hunters,” as well as recently announced crime drama project, “Brothers in Crime.”

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Valhalla Entertainment is run by CEO Gale Anne Hurd, legendary producer of “The Terminator” and a current executive producer on the massively popular zombie drama “The Walking Dead,” along with Greg Nicotero, Robert Kirkman, Dave Alpert and showrunner Scott Gimple. She will serve as EP of the upcoming “Walking Dead” companion pilot, along with co-creators Kirkman and Dave Erickson, Alpert and Nicotero.

“I am delighted to put Phil and Jeff’s skills to even greater use as Co-VPs of Development, and look forward to developing Valhalla’s next slate of TV and feature projects with them,” Hurd told TheWrap in a statement.

Also Read:AMC’s ‘Walking Dead’ EP Teases 5 Things to Expect on Season 5

Valhalla Entertainment has an overall deal with Universal Cable Productions to develop television and digital programs. Its current slate includes Season 6 of AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” Hurd’s new series “Hunters,” based on the Whitley Strieber novel “Alien Hunter”, received a 13-episode order from SyFy Network and will air in 2016. Natalie Chaidez (“12 Monkeys,” “Heroes”) serves as showrunner and executive producer along with Hurd.

Also in the Valhalla pipeline is the pilot ordered by AMC for a companion series to “The Walking Dead.”

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Joel Kinnaman will replace Tom Hardy as Rick Flagg in Warner Bros.’ comic book adaptation “Suicide Squad,” multiple individuals with knowledge of the project have told TheWrap.

Warner Bros. had no comment, while representatives for Kinnaman did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

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Hardy was forced to exit the project due to scheduling issues with Alejandro González Iñárritu’s “The Revenant,” which is currently in production, as well as upcoming promotional duties for WB’s “Mad Max: Fury Road,” which comes out on May 15. “Suicide Squad” is expected to start production in April.

Agency sources tell TheWrap that Kinnaman is in negotiations for the coveted role of Flagg, who is the leader of a group of supervillains known as the Suicide Squad.

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Director David Ayer also flirted with the idea of casting his “End of Watch” star Jake Gyllenhaal in the role of Flagg, but that deal ultimately didn’t come together.

“Suicide Squad” is set to co-star Will Smith as Batman villain Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, Jai Courtney as Captain Boomerang, Cara Delevigne as Enchantress and Jared Leto as The Joker, as first reported by TheWrap. Meanwhile, Viola Davis is in negotiations to play Amanda Waller and Jesse Eisenberg is in talks to reprise his upcoming role as Lex Luthor.

Also Read:Viola Davis Nearing Multi-Picture Deal to Play Amanda Waller in ‘Suicide Squad,’ Other DC Comics Movies

“Suicide Squad” is being produced by Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, while Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Colin Wilson and Geoff Johns are serving as executive producers. Warner Bros. will release “Suicide Squad” on Aug. 5, 2016.

Kinnaman is known for his role on AMC series “The Killing,” which wrapped up its run with a fourth season on Netflix in 2014. He’ll next be seen opposite Liam Neeson in WB’s “Run All Night” and opposite Hardy in “Child 44.”

He is represented by WME and Magnolia Entertainment.

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Gwyneth Paltrow,  Channing Tatum, Nicole Kidman, Jason Bateman, Idris Elba, Ansel Elgort and Liam Neeson are the latest presenters to be announced for the 87th Academy Awards, the Academy and Oscar producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron said on Friday.

The announcement came at the end of the week in which 32 presenters and three performers were revealed, bringing the total list of presenters over 40.

Also read: Lady Gaga to Perform on the Oscars

Previously announced presenters include Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Chris Evans, Kevin Hart, Josh Hutcherson, Scarlett Johansson, Dakota Johnson, Jennifer Lopez, Shirley MacLaine, Sienna Miller, Chloe Grace Moretz, Eddie Murphy, David Oyelowo, Chris Pine, Chris Pratt, Margot Robbie, Zoe Saldana, Octavia Spencer, Miles Teller, John Travolta, Kerry Washington and Naomi Watts.

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Last year’s acting winners — Cate Blanchett, Jared Leto, Matthew McConaughey and Lupita Nyong’o – will also serve as presenters, as will current nominees Marion Cotillard, Benedict Cumberbatch, Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon.

The 87th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, Feb. 22 at the Dolby Theatre in the Hollywood & Highland Complex in Hollywood.

Neil Patrick Harris will host the show.

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A classic haunted house is the setting for horror master Guillermo del Toro‘s latest film, “Crimson Peak,” and the first trailer released teases Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, Mia Wasikowska and Charlie Hunnam acting haunting and being haunted in turn.

The trailer also lifts the curtain on the mysterious plot of the film, which had previously been under wraps before. Set in the Victorian era, Hiddleston and Chastain play siblings — rather creepy ones, at that — who grew up in an even creepier house.

Also Read:TheWrap’s 25 Most Anticipated Movies of 2015: From ‘Fifty Shades’ to ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Spectre’

Hiddleston’s character courts Wasikowska’s, although you can see the sinking feeling on her face as she realizes she may be marrying into a situation she doesn’t want to be in, when her new sister-in-law reveals the siblings were actually raised exclusively in the attic of the expansive mansion.

Del Toro wrote the haunted house thriller with Matthew Robbins and Lucinda Coxon.

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“Crimson Peak” is a co-production of Legendary Pictures and Universal and will be released in theaters and on IMAX on Friday, Oct. 16.

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Ryan Murphy‘s new series is a horror comedy, as made abundantly clear in the first teaser for Fox’s “Scream Queens” that was aptly released on Friday the 13th.

A happy blonde teen chews gum and arches an eyebrow — before a knife brutally pops her bubble of blissful ignorance and blood splatters everywhere. It’s a quick tease, but it certainly sets the tone for the show.

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The anthology series stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Emma Roberts (recently of Murphy’s FX drama “American Horror Story: Freak Show”), “True Blood” alum Joe Manganiello, “Glee” star Lea Michele, Abigail Breslin and Keke Palmer.

The first season of the series, which is produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television, will revolve around a college campus which is rocked by a series of murders.

Also Read:Fox Orders Ryan Murphy Anthology Series ‘Scream Queens’

Nick Jonas and Ariana Grande are also set for recurring guest-star roles.

“Scream Queens” is produced by 20th Century Fox Television in association with Ryan Murphy Television, and will debut on Fox in the fall.

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Marion Cotillard is set to reteam with her “Macbeth” co-star Michael Fassbender and director Justin Kurzel on the video game adaptation “Assassin’s Creed,” an individual familiar with the 20th Century Fox project has told TheWrap.

New Regency and Ubisoft are behind the film, which is slated to start production this fall in advance of its Dec. 21, 2016 release.

Also Read:‘Two Days, One Night’ Review: Marion Cotillard Gives a Face to Economic Desperation

Cotillard is no stranger to fanboy-friendly, action-heavy tentpoles, having co-starred in “The Dark Knight Rises.” While details of her role are being kept under wraps, her character is expected to recur in future films should “Assassin’s Creed” launch a franchise.

Fassbender is producing with Frank Marshall, Arnon Milchan, Jean-Julien Baronnet, Conor McCaughan and Pat Crowley, and the film is being co-financed by RatPac and Alpha Pictures. Bill Collage and Adam Cooper wrote the script with Michael Lesslie.

Also Read:Michael Fassbender’s ‘Steve Jobs’ Movie Gets Awards Season Release Date

Cotillard won an Oscar for “La Vie en Rose” and is nominated for an Oscar this year for “Two Days, One Night.” She’s represented by CAA.

The news was first reported by Deadline.

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It was a horrible, no good, very bad week for journalism.

It started out with the disgracing of Brian Williams. The anchor, with his wartime lie and humblebrag apology, opened the week in the crosshairs. He said he was sorry for misremembering getting shot at by an RPG on a US military helicopter. Cue the media machine — the 24-hour cable news bulldozer, fed by nonstop buzzing on Twitter and Facebook — which cranked into gear. What did Brian Williams know? When did he know it? What did NBC know? Should he be fired?

Also Read:NBC News Suspends Brian Williams for False Iraq Helicopter Story

All of us who cover media pre-wrote stories about Williams’ suspension or termination — filling in the blank when the news came down on Tuesday that the anchor faced a six-month suspension from furious CEO Steve Burke.

Of course that set off another round of squawking on the cable machine, but that news was practically overshadowed by the unexpected resignation of Jon Stewart — the fake-news anchor whom we all rely on for actual news as well as entertainment and insight and, often, the national pulse.

Stewart told his audience he was stepping down at the end of the year — minutes before Williams’ suspension. The previous night, Stewart had delivered a lengthy segment scolding his anchor pal (a guest some dozen times on the show — “Why??” Stewart wailed) and mocking the media establishment over its evisceration of Williams for lying about the war after giving the government a pass for the lies that got us into Iraq in the first place.

Also Read:TV’s Late-Night Shakeup: Jon Stewart and 9 Other Biggest Moves This Past Year

Mocking the media establishment is a critical function that Stewart fills, along with speaking truth to power in the guise of humor on a daily basis. Stewart’s pending departure, coming in tandem with the loss of Stephen Colbert, is the more profound loss when compared to the silencing of Brian Williams, who increasingly appears to have been acting like a celebrity sold on his own publicity.

It’s dangerous to a democracy when comedians better understand their role as truth tellers than the professional truth tellers do.

But it didn’t stop there. The next day — Wednesday — God offered up some black humor in the sudden death of “60 Minutes” correspondent Bob Simon. I worked next door Simon in my first foreign assignment, covering the Palestinian intifada in 1989. The Reuters office where I worked in Tel Aviv was adjacent to CBS’s offices, so we crossed paths as I learned to work the phones, the Foreign Office and the budding Palestinian media punditry. Simon was already a seasoned war correspondent and not a journalist to be trifled with, spending his days in the territories and headed back in to edit and file at night.

Also Read:Bob Simon, Veteran CBS Newsman, Dead in Car Crash

It is this side of incomprehensible that he would die in the back of a livery taxi on the West Side highway. He was a breed we don’t see anymore; the kind of fearless correspondent who went to the story and reported the facts on the ground (the sort that Williams was pretending to be, it’s worth noting). In the age of ISIS, I fear there are fewer opportunities for the Bob Simons of the world to bear witness. A great loss.

God wasn’t done laughing. Late Thursday we learned that David Carr, a former colleague of mine at The New York Times in the Culture department, collapsed in the newsroom, was rushed to hospital and died.

Also Read:David Carr, New York Times Media Columnist, Dead at 58

The outpouring of regret was immediate. This is arguably also because Carr died at the height of his influence as a media commentator — the must-read New York Times role that Frank Rich held just a few years ago, and that other great columnists have held in the past. As much as regretting the loss, we are all left thinking: who are we going to read on Sunday to know what the media thinks?

Carr, who also launched the Times’ Carpetbagger column to cover the Oscars race, was rare in that he both had the ability to do real reporting and to convey it with flair and wit. His personal journey — which included an addiction to crack cocaine and cancer — gave him a perspective that was rare and a vocal rasp that was either quaintly distinctive or wildly annoying.

Either way, at 58 he was too young to die. Though clearly his past battles had taken their toll on his body.

All in all a terrible week of losses for journalism. And come to think of it, I’ve just been reminded: I miss Christopher Hitchens too.

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The Justice Department on Friday announced it has won its first conviction in its long-running criminal complaint against Kim Dotcom and his Megaupload.com for providing pirated access to TV shows and movies.

Andrus Nomm, 36, of Estonia, a former computer programmer, on Friday agreed to plead guilty to felony copyright infringement.

“This conviction is a significant step forward in the largest criminal copyright case in U.S. history,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.  “The Mega conspirators are charged with massive worldwide online piracy of movies, music and other copyrighted U.S. works.  We intend to see to it that all those responsible are held accountable for illegally enriching themselves by stealing the creative work of U.S. artists and creators.”

Also Read:Hollywood Studios Sue Megaupload, Alleging Copyright Violations

The conviction was announced as the Justice Department continues to pursue the extradition of Dotcom and others from New Zealand.

Nomm’s plea was announced by the Justice Department after the plea was accepted by Federal District Judge Liam O’Grady in Alexandria, Virginia. Nomm agreed to plead guilty in return for a jail term of one year and one day in jail.

As part of a plea agreement, Nomm said Mega’s activity cost copyright holders more than $400 million and netted the website more than $175 million in profits. According to the Justice Department, Nomm further acknowledged that the site had more than one billion total visits, 150 million registered users and 50 million daily visitors.

Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, said the conviction was the result of years of hard work.

Also Read:Kim Dotcom’s Appeal to be Heard by New Zealand Supreme Court

“The Mega Conspiracy engaged in massive criminal infringement of copyrighted works on the Internet, and we are confident that this case will be a sign to those who would abuse technology for illegal profit,” he said.

Andrew McCabe, assistant director for the FBI’s Washington field office, said the Justice Department continues to pursue Dotcom, and the other co-conspirators named in the original criminal complaint.

“Today one conspirator who infringed upon the work of countless artists, actors and musicians takes responsibility for his actions. We continue to pursue his co-conspirators until they face justice in the American legal system,” said McCabe. “This sentence and the remaining charges in this case are the direct result of the hard work of dedicated FBI Special Agents, intelligence analysts and prosecutors who have invested countless hours of effort to bring justice in this case.”

The case stems from complaints by the movie and TV industries over rampant piracy of TV shows and movies.

Also Read:Megaupload Shutdown Boosted Digital Movie Sales and Rentals, Study Finds

Nomm was among seven people and two corporations indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 5, 2012. A superseding indictment on Feb. 16, 2012 charged the defendants with conspiracy to commit racketeering, conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The defendants also are charged with five counts of criminal copyright infringement and five counts of wire fraud.

The indictment alleges that, for more than five years, the Mega Conspiracy operated websites that willfully reproduced and distributed infringing copies of copyrighted works, including works that had not been commercially released.

Dotcom has fought extradition to the US for the charges.

An extradition hearing for him and Mathias Ortmann, Bram Van der Kolk, and Finn Batato is set for June in Auckland. Two other co-defendants, Julius Bencko and Sven Echternach, remain at large.

–More–

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Valentine’s Day can be rough enough when you have a date, but for those who are single it can be brutal.

Thankfully, nothing dulls the ache of a broken heart like something good to watch on TV or on demand. With that in mind, TheWrap has compiled a list of delicious distractions from TV shows, movies and holiday specials sure to relieve your romantic woes, even if you do find yourself home alone on the most overly-sentimental day of the year.

See Photos:10 Biggest Valentine’s Day Weekend Openers: Hearts, Horror and Horrible Superhero Movies

So, cheer up, grab your remote, put on some PJs and don’t forget to order takeout, because you’re going to need it.

Behold TheWrap‘s singles’ guide to Valentine’s Day!

1. “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre”
Think your holiday is bad? Try watching Roger Corman‘s 1967 classic gangster film “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre” on Amazon Prime. Getting offed by a bunch of mobsters is like six times worse than spending V-Day home alone in your pajamas.

2. NBA All Star Weekend on TNT
Single basketball fans will have plenty to keep them busy on Saturday night with NBA All-Star Weekend in full effect. There’s a sharpshooting competition, a skills challenge, a three-point contest and, of course, the slam dunk competition. Festivities start at 8:30 p.m ET.

3. Animal Planet’s “Animals in Love”
If you’re among those who prefer the company of pets over people, Animal Planet is the place for you on V-day. You simply can’t go wrong with a show about the delicate dance of Flamingos or geese Tariq and Judith’s eight-year love affair, so be sure to tune in to Animal Planet from 9 to 11 p.m.

4. HBO’s Rosie O’Donnell comedy special
Rosie may be off “The View” but she’ll be on HBO this Valentine’s Day joking about her much-publicized heart attack, discussing her child’s circumcision with Steven Spielberg and sharing her love for Barbara Streisand. Laugh the pain away with her special, “A Heartfelt Stand Up,” at 10 p.m.

5. “The Big Bang Theory” marathon on TBS
Single fans of the CBS comedy can drown their sorrows with a mini-marathon of their favorite show. Just don’t tell anyone you spent your entire evening with Jim Parsons, Simon Helberg, Johnny Galecki and Kaley Cuoco, or you might be spending the next Valentine’s Day alone too.

5. Monster movie marathon
You think love bites? Tell that to all the vampires, werewolves and zombies. What better night to call up a pal, order a pizza, and rent “Night of the Living Dead,” “The Lost Boys,” and “An American Werewolf in London” from Amazon Prime or Vudu. Or from your local video store … if you can find one.

6. “House of Cards,” Seasons 1 and 2 
The hit Netflix series is everyone’s “binge watching” staple. While Season 3 is not out yet, V-Day might be the perfect time to catch up on Seasons 1 and 2. One thing’s for sure: you’d be hard-pressed to find anything mushy here — “House of Cards” is all about Washington backstabbing, perfect if you’re allergic to romance.

7. Cooking shows marathon
If comedy, sports and animals aren’t doing the trick, you can always eat your feelings while watching a bunch of cooking shows via VOD, including Gordon Ramsay’s “Hell’s Kitchen” on Hulu. Summer is still months away, so feel free to eat your heart out, so to speak.

8. Horror Flicks
Scary movies can’t be beat should you find yourself single on Valentine’s (and even if you don’t). There’s nothing like a good creepfest to get the blood moving. We recommend “Misery,” “The Shining,” “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (the original 1956 version) and, of course, “Nightmare on Elm Street.”

9. Fitness Flurry
For those watching their figure but who are too lazy to go to the gym, YouTube is the perfect Valentine’s Day destination. Free channels like BeFiT and Biogilates will have you ship-shape so that next year you won’t need a singles’ guide to V-Day.

BONUS PICK: For those of you into heart torture, go ahead and turn on AMC for back-to-back-to-back airings of “Titanic.” But don’t blame us when you start to cry!

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Although Pharrell Williams is only entering his second season of NBC’s “The Voice,” he’s already over addressing why the show hasn’t been able to create a superstar.

“I don’t understand why we have these interviews, and people ask the same question every time,” Williams said during the show’s Season 8 press conference on Monday, alongside fellow coaches Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton, which was attended by TheWrap.

The Grammy-winning musician was addressing a line of questioning from a journalist who asked whether it was significant that the show hadn’t produced a star.

See photos:‘American Idol’ & ‘Voice’ Winners: Who’s Broken Out, Who’s Just Broken

“I think it’s because I feel like you’re looking for something,” Williams continued. “And I’d almost rather you just ask Adam [Levine], or whoever it is that you want to know this from, whoever you want to see give you something that you can take back that’s going to really bite and make your bosses excited that you got something good. That’s not why we’re here to do this interview. We’re here to do this interview because we want to explain to you what this is and what it means to us. It’s a gift.”

He would go on to ask the group of journalists, “When’s the last time you gave someone, you know, mentoring or took the time out of your schedule to tutor, and to actually really deal with people’s real emotions?”

In a cooler response to the question about creating stars, Levine admitted that “we want to have that happen” but felt that there are other ways to look at success.

See photos:Sexiest Man Alive Adam Levine Is Hot, Dirty and Studly

“There’s been plenty of successes to pinpoint,” the Maroon 5 front man reasoned. “But, people really don’t choose to look at that, they choose to look at all the things that haven’t happened yet. But, a lot has happened for a lot of these artists who are all better off and are all at another level of their careers as a result of being on ‘The Voice.'”

Although “The Voice” can brag about attracting more viewers than “American Idol” at this point, one thing the longer-running Fox competition continues to trump the NBC show in is generating superstars. Over its run, “Idol” has created hit makers Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordyn Sparks, Chris Daughtry and Philip Phillips, among many others.

Over the past few seasons, “The Voice” coaches and producers have tried to steer the attention away from its lack of superstar winners to the process of making the show.

See video:Blake Shelton Pokes Fun at Adam Levine and ‘The Voice’ in ‘SNL’ Promos

Levine stressed that a lot of elements have to come together at the right moment to make a star, but he’s still hopeful.

“Whether it’s on a television show or it’s on a record label,” he said. “Whatever your scenario is, it’s tough. So, it’s going to happen. I believe ‑‑ I genuinely believe that. I don’t believe that there’s any sort of formula that can guarantee that.”

“The Voice” returns Monday, Feb. 23 at 8 p.m. on NBC.

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TBS has decided not to move forward on Bill Lawrence and Greg Malins’ workplace comedy, “Ground Floor,” for a third season.

The comedy followed Brody (Skylar Astin), a successful banker who falls for Jenny (Briga Heelan), an intelligent maintenance supervisor, who works in the same building.

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It also starred Rory Scovel, Rene Gube, James Earl, John C. McGinley, Emily Heller and Anna Camp in a recurring role.

The show, which aired its second season finale this past Tuesday at 10 p.m., averaged 1.5 million viewers for Season 2. Its first season averaged 1.8 million viewers. In the recent Live + 3 Day rating, “Ground Floor’s” Feb. 3 episode ranked No. 14 on cable with 1.5 million viewers.

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From Warner Bros. Television and Doozer, the series was created by Lawrence and Malins, with Lawrence serving as executive producer alongside Jeff Astrof and Jeff Ingold.

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