Change at Elizabeth Banks inside the Hunger Games

With Lionsgate's marketing push for your Hunger Games arriving a gear, a completely new image remains released showing Elizabeth Banks' Effie Trinket in many her shocking pink majesty.However, this new image doesn't come like a production still or teaser poster rather it's part of a commercial for just about any new Hunger Games cosmetic change from China Glaze.The range is entitled "Capitol Colours" (see whatever they did there?), while using Trinket-endorsed nail polish asking clients, "What exactly are you wearing for the opening occasions?"As cynical as it can certainly to research the face of things, it's actually a significant clever little tie-in, which we ought to see more recent and much more effective glimpses of other figures weight reduction adverts emerge.As was noted the other day, the hundred days countdown for the film's release has started, while using Hunger Games arriving Uk cinemas on 23 March 2012. Now, we ought to stop typing for just about any minute to permit these dry...

Hollywood has its own crosses to bare

The Passion of the Christ made an impact and big bucks worldwide. Now that the "war on Christmas" has been declared, it's beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.I never quite figured out what that "war" was all about, but the talkshows dote on it and Rick Perry complains that the mere act of throwing a Christmas party invites a media firestorm. Most of the Fox News pundits agree with him, thus spurring Jon Stewart to declare his personal (and presumably facetious) war on Christmas.Most of us steer clear of Christmas controversies, but they confront us in specific areas. Should our cards explicitly wish friends a Merry Christmas, or duck into the blur of "happy holidays"? The corporate HR types urge a blur but a minority of folks still go for Christmas (including Jerry Bruckheimer, but he's a Republican so it doesn't count).I checked into my own cards and they are 50-50, but I don't know whether this reflects political correctness or disorganization.All this is relevant to Hollywood because it has long had a vested interest in Christ, from the days of Cecil B. DeMille to Mel Gibson. Only last week Chris Columbus acquired the rights to the Anne Rice tome "Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt," which focuses on the 7-year-old Jesus and his return to Nazareth. In the course of the story Christ discovers the truth about his birth and defines his life purpose.According to John A. Murray, an academic who has studied this realm, Hollywood's forays into religion have been bountiful financially but also have had a major cultural impact around the world, introducing millions to Christianity. DeMille's "King of Kings" was viewed by some 800 million people by 1959, asserts Murray. As a silent film, "Kings" was useful to Protestant and Catholic missionaries in selling the gospel in non-English speaking territories.Even a flop like the Warner Bros. film, "Jesus," in 1979, was ultimately translated into 1,000 languages, making it perhaps "the most watched film in history." (Missionaries tabbed it lovingly "the Jesus film.")While "The Greatest Story Ever Told" remains the most famous Hollywood film in this genre, Mel Gibson's effusion, "The Passion of the Christ," was surely the most profitable (it grossed more than $500 million worldwide). To be sure, "Ben Hur" performed mightily as well thanks in part to Charlton Heston playing Judah Ben Hur (the movie related Jesus' birth, ministry and death but didn't have time for his resurrection.)DeMille always reiterated that his films were simply "translations of the Bible to another medium," thus overlooking the reality that the words of the Bible are themselves subject to varying interpretation. Writing in the NY Times, Nicholas D. Kristof noted recently that the Bible offers contradictory positions on such issues as homosexuality, divorce and even the naughty behavior of the people of Sodom.Mark 10 envisions a lifelong marriage of one man and one woman, but King Solomon gloried in his 700 wives, and still other references suggest that the most practical approach for men was to remain stolidly celibate. Rather than obsessing about homosexuality, Kristof points out, "early commentators were very concerned about sex with angels as an incorrect mixing of two kinds."Every ideologue supplies his own Biblical references. Tony Perkins, head of the right-wing Family Research Council, pointed out recently that Christ would have condemned the "Occupy" movement because the Bible establishes Jesus as a "free marketer." (So much for God's approval of the 99%.)I'm pleased that a healthy reciprocity exists between Hollywood and Christ. Even as Hollywood has spread the word, Christ has helped spread the wealth. This puts me in a much cheerier mood as I sign my Christmas cards.Column Calendar: Monday: Peter Bart Tuesday: Peter Caranicas/Cynthia Littleton wednesday: Brian Lowry Thursday: Andrew Barker/David S. Cohen Friday: Tim Gray/Ted Johnson Contact Peter Bart at peter.bart@variety.com

Mungiu helms 'Provizoriu,' Kechiche 'Bleu'

Madrid-- France's Why Not Productions is teaming with Romania's Mobra Films and Belgium's Les Films du Fleuve, Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne's Brussels-based shingle, to produce "Provizoriu," the next film by Christian Mungiu.Why Not is lead-producing. Mungiu's IFC U.S. pickup "4 Months, 3 Weeks, and 2 Days" won Cannes' 2007 Palme d'Or. Written by Mungiu, "Provizoriu" is the Romanian convent-set tale of a 23-year-old girl's overweening love for a girl inmate."Provizoriu" is one of 18 European co-productions that have drawn down a total Euros 5.85 million ($7.6 million) in subsidies from the Council of Europe's Eurimages Fund.Among awardees, announced Friday, Abdellatif Kechiche ("The Secret of the Grain") is attached to helm "Le Bleu est une couleur chaude." A coming-of-age drama, "Bleu" is set up at France's Wild Bunch and Quat'Sous Films, Kechiche's own label, Belgium's Scope Pics, which opens the door to Belgium tax-break coin, and Spain's Vertigo Films, which Wild Bunch co-owns."Bleu" adapts a multi-prized graphic novel by France's Julie Maroh, about Clementine, an adolescent, who discovers desire and love with Emma, a blue-haired girl.Further Eurimages subsidy recipients are Jean-Paul Lilienfeld's "Arretez-moi," with Sophie Marceau and Miou-Miou, produced by France's Rezo and Luxembourg's Iris, and "When Day Breaks," from Serbia's Goran Paskaljevic ("Honeymoons")."Bleu" won Eurimages' biggest 2011 award: Euros 560,000 ($728,000). "Song of the Sea," from Tomm Moore ("The Secret of Kells"), pulled down $715,000, as did Alex and David Pastor's "The Last Days" and "Camiel Borgmann," from Dutch auteur Alex van Warmerdam ("Waiter"). Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

AFTRA, record labels reach deal

The American Federation of Television and Radio Artists has reached a tentative three-year deal with the record labels, two weeks before the expiration of the current contract.AFTRA made the announcement Thursday and said it had achieved an increase in base rates of 2% annually, as well as its key objective of increasing employer contributions to the AFTRA Health and Retirement Funds.Negotiations between the union and the record labels resumed this week -- more than two months after those talks broke down.The Sound Recordings Code generates more than $140 million in annual earnings for AFTRA members. It covers singers, royalty and non-royalty artists, as well as announcers, actors, comedians, narrators and sound effects artists who work on recordings in all new and traditional media and all music formats, in addition to audiobooks, comedy albums and cast albums.The current contract was negotiated in 2007 with a June 2010 expiration but the pact was subsequently extended by 18 months to the Dec. 31 expiration.AFTRA National Executive Director Kim Roberts Hedgpeth, who served as chief negotiator, said in a statement, "The working members of this negotiating committee confronted unique challenges in this negotiation due to the structural changes, threats from content theft and sharp economic declines the recording business has experienced during the past decade, which are beyond anything experienced by our members working in other entertainment and media sectors.""The AFTRA members on the negotiating committee nonetheless succeeded in achieving critically needed increases in minimums and H&R contributions, and further bargained payment structures for digital revenue and new forms of licensing that will enable performers to better participate in evolving business structures as the recorded music industry attempts to adapt to change," she added.The tentative agreement will be submitted to the national board for approval and then for ratification by members. AFTRA said details on the ratification process will be announced shortly after the new year.AFTRA said highlights of the contract, which will run retroactively from Jan. 1, 2012 to Dec. 31, 2014, include:-- Increase in base rates of 2% each year of the contract-- Increase in the employer health and retirement contribution rate on royalty income by 1% over the life of the agreement-- maintained required special employer contributions which guarantee health insurance benefits for royalty artists on the current "roster" of a label, by increasing the maximum on employer contributions from $5,000 to $6,500 per year-- improved and expanded performers' base of participation in revenue from sale of digital downloads-- established a new structure of revenue-based payments for new areas of low budget licenses and licenses for non-traditional usages, such as re-use of recordings in novelty consumer products.AFTRA said an all-day session in NY ran late Wednesday, followed by tentative agreement being reached Thursday morning. Negotiations between AFTRA and representatives from UMG, Sony, Warner, EMI and Disney labels began Aug. 15, with an additional round of bargaining held in Los Angeles the week of Sept. 12-16 and in NY on Oct. 5. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

Lysistrata Jones: Theater Review

Getty ImagesMichelle Williams, left, and Tilda Swinton With the Screen Actors Guild Awards announced Wednesday and airing Jan. 29, this makes the SAGs the group and show with the longest nominations out in the press. And how does this shake up the red carpet picture? Well, for one thing, there are going to be a lot of Bridesmaids who need dresses! And Kristin Wiig and Melissa McCarthy have now moved up to A-list status, so they will be getting some major dresses offered and made for them.our editor recommendsSAG Awards TV: 'Modern Family' Leads Nominations, 'Homeland' SnubbedSAG Awards: 'Suits' Star Patrick Adams Reacts to Shocking Nomination, Talks 'Friday Night Lights' ExperienceSAG Awards: Jon Cryer on His First Nomination: 'I Had No Reason Whatsoever to Expect I Would Be Included'SAG Awards Nominations: The Complete ListSAG Awards Nominations: The Nominees' ReactionsSAG Awards: The Nominees The ladies of The Help will also have their pick of the designer litter -- not that Emma Stone hasn't had first dibs on dresses from next season from Europe, but now Viola Davis, Jessica Chastain and Octavia Spencer will be joining her in that "we'd LOVE to make you a dress or three" category. Though Davis, Spencer and Chastain are not your average actress size 2's, they won't be hurting for major designer offers. Chastain was recently seen wearing Viktor & Rolf spring 2012 and Louis Vuitton spring 2012 -- both looks that are very hard to procure. This could be the year of the Large Sexy Gown: Both Spencer and McCarthy are glamazons who love to dress up and plenty of designers will be on board to help them in their quests. COMPLETE LIST: 2012 SAG Awards TV and Film Nominees Glenn Close is an Armani loyalist, and Meryl Streep tends to wear very simple things, so not much curiousity there. Tilda Swinton and Michelle Williams will be the fashion gets for designers at the SAGs -- both nominated for best actress, and both with definitively chic and quasi surprising styles. Will Williams wear Chanel couture (which shows before the SAGs air in Paris in January)? She is one of the few whom the house would consider. Will Swinton have her Euro designer friends Haider Ackermann or Raf Simmons (now at Jil Sander, said to be jumping ship to Dior) or Viktor & Rolf make her an avant-garde gorgeous gown or tux -- or will she got with lower-key Prada, which she also wears? PHOTOS: SAG Awards Nominees And in the supporting category, we can be sure that Berenice Bejo from The Artist, nominated for best supporting actress, will get some fashion love -- though somehow we doubt she'll be wearing any of the 1920s looks from the spring collections of Gucci or Marc Jacobs. But it would be wild if she did! Somehow we expect she will go with what is chic and French, representing her country. When it comes to the SAG TV noms, Kate Winslet, Juliana Margulies, Tina Fey, Julie Bowen and Sofia Vergara will all have many designer options -- with Winslet getting the most, of course. But Margulies always looks amazing at any awards show. STORY:'The Help' Leads Screen Actors Guild Awards Nominations Kelly McDonald and Aleksa Palladino of Boardwalk Empire will also get good looks -- if they hire good stylists. That's key here. Because after the Critics Choice Awards and the Globes (both early and mid-January), it takes a savvy stylist to get designers to part with the really great dresses they might be holding back for the Oscars. And only Williams or Swinton could score couture for the SAGs -- maybe. We're sad Kirsten Dunst isn't going, but there are more nominations to be had. PHOTO GALLERY: View Gallery SAG Awards: The Nominees Fashion SAG Awards Kristen Wiig Red Carpet SAG Awards 2012

SAG Awards: Jon Cryer on His First Nomination: 'I Had No Reason Whatsoever to Expect I Would Be Included'

Reality heavyweight Craig Piligian is looking for that lucky somebody.our editor recommendsABC to Air Budweiser Reality SeriesGlenn Beck's GBTV Set to Launch Reality Show 'Independence U.S.A.'Canadian Reality Show About Ex-Cons Gives Host Kevin O'Leary an Extreme MakeoverUSA Co-Presidents Reveal Push Into Reality Programming (Exclusive) His Pilgrim Studios has partnered with Japan's Yoshimoto Kogyo, the U.S. subsidiary of Yoshimoto Entertainment, to launch a new reality format that will air initally on Japan's ABC (Asahi Broadcasting Corporation). THR's Reality Power The unscripted effort will pit contestants who consider themselves lucky against one another in a series of chance-based challenges. The winner will walk away with a cash prize and the title of "Japan's luckiest Person." The series, which is set to air in 2012, will count Piligian (Dirty Jobs, American Chopper, Ghost Hunters) and Yoshimoto Entertainment USA chief executive Aki Yorihiro as executive producers. The format is already being pitched stateside. VIDEO: Emmy Roundtable: Reality "When we learned of this format idea from Pilgrim Studios, we instantly knew we wanted to become their partner to develop the format and launch it first to Japanese viewers who are enthralled by competition shows, yet always looking for the next twist. This show taps into the universal fantasy of 'lucking' into a great windfall, and in an environment often defined by competition, the show is a fun and welcome diversion," saidYorihiro. Added Piligian, "Pilgrim has developed an array of successful competition series, but it was a unique challenge to develop for a market as sophisticated and technologically advanced as Japan. We're extremely excited about this format and about our partnership with Yoshimoto and ABC." Email: Lacey.Rose@THR.com; Twitter: @LaceyVRose Related Topics Reality TV Craig Piligian TV Development

Naomi Watts Joins Grandmothers

Alongside Robin WrightGiven that the film bears the title The Grandmothers, you might be forgiven for assuming that it's a quiet drama about old biddies pottering about, clucking over their cats or doing some knitting. But the film that Naomi Watts and Robin Wright have signed on for is something quite different. You see, Coco Before Chanel's Anne Fontaine is filming an adaptation Doris Lessing's novel, which finds two lifelong friends who cause a scandal when they fall for each other's teenage sons.Fontaine is working from a script by Christopher Hampton, who knows a thing or two about controversial love, having scored an Oscar for writing Dangerous Liaisons.Watts and Wright's co-stars in the film are Xavier Samuel (Anonymous) and James Frecheville, who appeared in Animal Kingdom.Watts will next crop up in Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar (which arrives over here on January 20) and has a small role in comedy shorts compilation Movie 43. Wright will be seen in David Fincher's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (which will finally be out on December 26 and has just shoved out an extended trailer), and Rampart, due on February 10. Though The Hollywood Reporter is breaking word that The Grandmothers now has financing in place, a hat tip to Screen Daily for nabbing the story originally.

Winds cause studio energy blackouts

The gusty winds that raked the Southland created mind aches for art galleries and filmmakers but was without the signs and symptoms of left any major damage. Regions of the Vital lot on Melrose Avenue and CBS's Hollywood art galleries were without energy Thursday morning nevertheless the lots ongoing to become open. Reps for Disney, Warner Bros., Fox, The brand new the new sony and Universal reported Thursday their facilities were operating of course. The City of la Park Film Office was expected to close due to a energy outage from high winds and being short-staffed because they have to survey property for damage, according to FilmL.A.'s Todd Lindgren. "This means no demands for filming mortgage loan home loan approvals designed to use Park property will probably be approved today," Lindgren added. In Santa Clarita, where winds over 90 miles per hour were registered through the evening, no damage was reported together with a quartet of series -- "JUstified," "Franklin and Party," "Ensure It Is or Break It," "Switched at Birth" -- were filming on Thursday morning. "We understood by Monday these winds were coming so everyone needed safeguards," mentioned representative Mike Delorenzo. "That meant making certain things were tied lower securely." More high winds are needed tonight. "We've got our fingers joined that we'll deal with people effectively,Inch Delorenzo mentioned. Contact Variety Staff at news@variety.com