Vanessa Hudgens: Back in the Big Apple
Vanessa Hudgens: Back in the Big Apple
Today is a big day for Vanessa Hudgens. Her new album Identified hits retail and online stores, and she’s poised to make her presence known in the pop music world once and for all.
The “High School Musical” beauty was spotted arriving at New York City’s JFK International Airport yesterday as part of her promotional tour. She’s been busy filming HSM 3, but now it’s time to tend to her musical side.
And Miss Hudgens looked sweet in a white top with a purple scarf, vintage-looking jeans, and a pair of strappy gladiator sandals.
Vanessa is also teaming up with Sears for the Product Finger Challenge. Beginning July 11th there will be clues on the store’s website for a weekly special offer. The grand prize is an appearance by Vanessa at the winner’s school.
Spielberg Digs Up Clues
Steven Spielberg is having a Clues encounter of the 39 kind.
The Oscar-winning filmmaker is pumping up his already crowded slate with another would-be blockbuster. DreamWorks has acquired the big-screen rights to The 39 Clues, a multiplatform adventure series hitting stores in September from Scholastic Mediaa publisher that knows a thing or two about launching mega-franchises, having foisted a little something called Harry Potter on us Yanks.
As first reported in Variety, Spielberg will produce the film and could also direct should one of several other projects he’s been developing fail to get off the ground. A search is already under way for a screenwriter to adapt the franchise.
Scholastic will roll out Clues over a period of two years, beginning with the first installment, The Maze of Bones. Nine other literary adventures are expected to follow, accompanied by a set of collectible cards and an online game that will run for two years and give Netizens the chance to solve a mystery and win a $10,000 grand prize.
“The 39 Clues takes creative leaps to expand the story experience from the pages of the books to multiple stages of discovery and imagination,” Spielberg said in a statement.
The franchise centers around the most powerful family in the world, the Cahills, whose relatives include Napoleon and Houdini. In the first book, Cahill matriarch Grace alters her will at the last minute to give her descendants a choice: Either accept $1 million or receive one of 39 clues hidden around the globe that will reveal the source of the family’s power.
Based on Maze of Bones author Rick Riordan’s outline for the 10-book series, there would be enough material for as many as three or four movies.
After reviving Indiana Jones last month to the delight of moviegoers and his accountant (the sequel has grossed nearly $400 million worldwide and counting), Spielberg has plenty in the pipeline.
The pending projects include The Trial of the Chicago 7, chronicling the 1968 protests at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and the high-profile conspiracy trial that followed; Lincoln, a presidential biopic starring Liam Neeson; and two Tintin adventures he’s developing with Peter Jackson.
Spielberg’s The 39 Clues
DreamWorks has acquired rights to The 39 Clues, Scholastic’s 10-book fantasy adventure series which will launch on September 9th 2008. Steven Spielberg is considering directing the project. Scholastic is hoping to replicate the success of the Harry Potter book series.
Benjamin Franklin, Mozart, Napoleon and Houdini are just some of the relatives of the most powerful family in the world - the Cahills. Grace, the Cahill clan matriarch is found dead just moments after she has changed her will, giving her descendants the choice between $1 million or a clue. Yes, one of 39 clues which reveal the source of the family’s powers. The series will follow two young Cahills, Amy, 14, and Dan, 11, who enter into a race against other branches of the family to be the first to find the 39 clues that will lead to ultimate power.
“The 39 Clues takes creative leaps to expand the story experience from the pages of the books to multiple stages of discovery and imagination,” Spielberg said in a statement.
The books will come out once every two or three months, released over the next two years, the multimedia adventure will include a set of collectible cards and an online game with a $10,000 grand prize. If Spielberg were to direct The 39 Clues, it would be after he finishes production on the TinTin series and his announced Abraham Lincoln biopic.
source: Variety
The Singing Office comes to TLC
If you thought The Singing Bee was bad, wait till you get a load of this. TLC is premiering it’s new show The Singing Office at the end of June. The show will be hosted by ex-*NSYNCer Joey Fatone and ex-Spice Girl Mel B. Each week, Joey and Mel B. will surprise a different office and hold an impromptu audition. From each location, they will recruit a team of five for the next round of competiton. Once formed, the teams will go to “boot camp” as the hosts coach the teams on both their performance quality and their singing. Finally, the teams will compete on stage for a shot at $50,000.
Joey’s excited about his new show: “It’s been great getting people to show off their singing talents and giving them a chance to live out their dreams on stage. You can tell they’re loving this unexpected opportunity.”
This looks slightly interesting but here’s my question: what’s with the grand prize? $50,000? Split between five team members? What’s that after taxes? I’m curious to see what kind of talent they get.
The Singing Bee premieres on Sunday June 29th at 9 p.m. ET/PT on TLC. Will you be watching?