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Entertainment Industry News

U.S. judge halts unofficial Harry Potter lexicon (Reuters)

Reuters - A U.S. judge on Monday ruled in favor of Warner Brothers Entertainment Inc and author J.K. Rowling over the publication of an unofficial encyclopedic companion to the popular Harry Potter book series.

EA delays new Harry Potter game until 2009 (Reuters)

Reuters - Electronic Arts Inc has delayed its latest Harry Potter video game until next summer, a title it expected to reap $120 million in revenue and 13 cents a share in profit, the video game publisher said on Monday.

Universal Pics to back digital cinema upgrade: report (Reuters)

Reuters - Universal Pictures has agreed to back rollout of digital cinema equipment in U.S. theaters, people familiar with the matter told the Wall Street Journal.

"Stand Up to Cancer" tops Friday ratings (Reuters)

Reuters - The industrywide "Stand Up to Cancer" telethon averaged a modest 10.3 million viewers during its hour-long simulcast on ABC, NBC and CBS Friday.

Red-hot "'Mamma" rules overseas box office (Reuters)

Reuters - The ABBA-inspired musical romance "Mamma Mia!" grabbed the No. 1 spot at the weekend foreign box office for the first time, grossing an estimated $15 million from 39 markets.

Advertiser group objects to Google-Yahoo tie up (Reuters)

Reuters - The Association of National Advertisers sent a letter objecting to the proposed Internet search advertising partnership between Yahoo Inc and Google Inc to government regulators reviewing the deal, the group said on Sunday.

ABC News' Gibson lands first Palin interview (AP)

AP - Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has agreed to sit down with ABC's Charles Gibson later this week for her first television interview since John McCain chose her as his running mate more than a week ago.

'Bangkok Dangerous' reaches No. 1 in slow weekend (AP)

AP - The Nicolas Cage action-thriller "Bangkok Dangerous" needed just $7.8 million to take the top spot at the box office in what was the slowest movie weekend in seven years, according to studio estimates released Sunday.

Spike Lee offers blood, hope in World War Two film (Reuters)

Reuters - Filmmaker Spike Lee was focusing on the past when he made a movie about oft-forgotten the role of black soldiers in World War Two, a war film with both blood and schmaltz set in Tuscany.

Tommy Lee Jones seeks $10M in 'No Country' lawsuit (AP)
AP - SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Tommy Lee Jones is suing the makers of "No Country for Old Men" for more than $10 million that the Oscar-winning actor claims he is owed for starring in the 2007 hit crime thriller.
Prime-Time Metered Market Wednesday Ratings: Solid Bones Season Opener on Fox (Mediaweek.com)
Mediaweek.com - -Yesterday's Losers (excluding repeats): Greatest American Dog (CBS)
Ratings Box: What's Hot/What's Not (Mediaweek.com)
Mediaweek.com - Based on preliminary live plus same day Nielsen data, the two-hour premiere of the CW's 90210 roared out of the Tuesday gate as the highest rated telecast of any scripted show ever on the network among adults 18-34 (3.0/9), women 18-34 (4.3/12), adults 18-49 (2.6/7) and women 18-49 (3.6/9). 90210 finished as the third highest rated series premiere in the CW's history in women 18-34 (4.3/12), adults 18-34 (3.0/ 9) and adults 18-49 (2.6/ 7). And it led the CW to its best performance for any evening among adults 18-49. Now, tell me…who is the father of Kelly's son?
National Ratings in Prime-Time: Week of August 25, 2008 (Mediaweek.com)
Mediaweek.com - NBC led the low-rated troops for the week of August 25 in households, total viewers, adults 18-49 and adults 25-54; while Fox pulled ahead among adults 18-34. But with four nights of coverage of the 2008 Democratic Convention at 10 p.m., none of the networks were rejoicing. CBS, in particular, took a hit with year-to-year losses of as much as 36 percent.
Prime-Time Metered Market Tuesday Ratings: Solid Sampling for the CW's 90210 (Mediaweek.com)

Mediaweek.com - -Yesterday's Winners: America's Got Talent (NBC), 90210 (CW)

WWE steps up push in Japan market (AP)
AP - TOKYO (AP) — Posing proudly for a snapshot with a glittery championship belt, Seigi Nishiyama is among some 600 other sports fans packing a Tokyo theater who can't get enough of World Wrestling Entertainment.
TV Tidbits: Notes of Interest (Mediaweek.com)
Mediaweek.com - Current Emmy nominee Ted Danson, who will reprise his role on FX's returning Damages for at least three episodes, will headline a comedy pilot on HBO called Bored to Death. Danson will play the friend and mentor of a struggling Brooklyn writer with a drinking problem who pretends to be a private detective.
Democratic Convention was No. 1 on cable last week (AP)
AP - Rankings for the top 15 programs on cable networks as compiled by Nielsen Media Research for the week of Aug 25-31. Day and start time (EDT) are in parentheses:
Prime-Time Metered Market Monday Ratings: Strong Deal or No Deal, Disappointing Gossip Girl and Prison Break (Mediaweek.com)
Mediaweek.com - -Yesterday's Winners: Deal or No Deal (NBC), Two and a Half Men R (CBS)
Kiss bassist Gene Simmons sued over IndyCar deal (AP)

AP - A Los Angeles man claims in a lawsuit that Gene Simmons took him for a ride on a marketing deal with the Indy Racing League.

Michael J. Fox, James Cameron on Canada's Walk of Fame (Reuters)

Reuters - Step aside Tinsletown. Toronto, dubbed "Hollywood North" for its active film industry, has its own star-studded "Walk of Fame," and its biggest red carpet yet was rolled out on Saturday for this year's Canadian inductees.