Climan tops ANEW

Tokyo -- CAA and Universal Studios vet Sandy Climan has been appointed CEO of All Nippon Entertainment Works, a new venture from investment fund Innovation Network Corp. of Japan to adapt and develop Japanese content for the world market. Former Nikkatsu international exec Kenny Kurokawa has been named COO of ANEW, launched this month. With offices in Tokyo and L.A., the company plans to link with Hollywood studios and global partners to co-produce English-language pics and other content from Japanese properties. ANEW was unveiled in August, with INCJ committing $80 million to its subsid. The list of 14 corporate partners include film and TV producer Nikkatsu, Japan's five commercial networks, distribs Asmik Ace Entertainment and Toho-Towa, toon makers Production I.G. and Ishimori Prods., ad shops Dentsu and Yomiko, toy makers Tomy and Sega Toys and the Mitsubishi trading house. Climan said, "Japan has long been a cultural epicenter of the world's most creative storytelling. ANEW will partner with world-class filmmakers to bring these stories to a worldwide audience." After serving as Universal's head of worldwide business development from 1995 to 1999, Climan launched Entertainment Media Ventures. He headed start-up 3ality Digital from 2007. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

John Lee Hancock In Foretells Model Of Mary Poppins Pic Saving Mr. Banks

EXCLUSIVE: The Blind Side helmer John Lee Hancock is at early talks with Disney to direct Saving Mr. Banks, the Kelly Marcel-scripted saga of techniques Wally Disney fought against a 14-year courtship to help Australian author P.L. Travers to promote him rights to produce a film from Mary Poppins. Disney is near a deal to obtain the Black List script, which would be to establish with producer Alison Owen of Ruby Films. Disney seems an all-natural place for that script, taking into consideration the studio has many rights from making the 1964 classic film that starred Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke and David Tomlinson, the 2nd who carried out Mr. Banks inside the film. This is often a hot project — names like Tom Hanks to see Disney and Meryl Streep to see Travers come in the wind — and Disney’s intention is always to put it into production this year. A person's heart from the script arises from how close Travers felt to her story from the nanny with magical forces. Mary Poppins was highly personal, and reflected struggles within their existence and her relationship along with her father, who died when she was 7. Disney finally convinced her to permit him increase the risk for film, but she was prickly completely for the finish. While Mary Poppins was famous immediately, she hated the animated sequences inside the film a great deal they rejected to promote any kind of many other actively works to Disney. Hancock recently attached themselves to produce and direct The Partner at New Regency, using the John Grisham best-selling novel. He's repped by CAA.

Auditions Introduced for Workshop of latest Liberace Musical

Take out your sequins and warm-up people ivories. Auditions are actually scheduled for just about any workshop output of "Everything Glitters," a completely new musical about flamboyant pianist and artist Liberace that aims being as colorful and spectacular as his Las vegas shows.The musical will probably be directed and choreographed by Alexander deJong, a dancer which has came out on Broadway in revivals of "42nd Street" and "My Fair Lady." DeJong, who also written the score, co-written it with James Walsh. Casting director Stephanie Klapper ("Dividing the Estate") will probably be holding auditions in the finish of February and early March for just about any three-day workshop performance, that is presented in May in NY City."Everything Glitters" notifies the story from the Depression-era kid from Wisconsin who increased being most likely typically the most popular artists of his time, while fighting in the gloomy of his arena of glamour and glamour. Three stars may have Liberace at various methods in the existence, first just like a 10-year-old boy, a young guy, and finally within the 60s. Stars aren't required to go through the piano of those roles. Other figures from Liberace's personal existence and career can also be cast at these auditions.Equity principal auditions will probably be held on Monday, February 27, Wednesday, February 29, and Friday, March 2 in NY City. Equity chorus requires entertainers and ballroom ballroom dancers will occur on Monday, March 5. An empty demand union and nonunion artists remains added for Monday, March 12. For more information and audition particulars, begin to see the full casting notices on BackStage.com. (Subscription needed.)Walsh was concentrating on this musical the moment 2007, if the was referred to as "Everything Glitters: The Unauthorized Liberace Musical." Although some stage productions in regards to the legendary artist are actually attempted lately, none have handled to get at Broadway. Michael Douglas will star as Liberace inside an approaching film, directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Jonah Hill Overwhelmed By Moneyball Supporting Actor Nomination

First Published: January 24, 2012 2:46 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Caption Jonah Hill steps out at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif. on January 15, 2012A few years ago, Jonah Hill played everyones go-to sidekick in comedies like Get Him to the Greek and Superbad, but from Tuesday, he is forever known as an Oscar nominee. I feel like Im in a dream still, Jonah told Access Hollywood on Tuesday, just a short while after learning he had picked up a Best Supporting Actor nod for his work opposite Brad Pitt in Moneyball. I didnt sleep all night and then I watched it on TV and Ive just been on the phone ever since Im really, really overwhelmed, I cant believe that this is my life right now. Jonah made the successful leap from comedy to drama with baseball film and hes pleased that Oscar voters recognized his performance. To me, its really amazing, because I think theres very few actors you know, Tom Hanks, Robin Williams I mean two of the most legendary ones to successfully transition from comedy to drama, being able to do both, and you know the fact that it is my second drama, an excited Jonah said. And to get nominated for an Academy Award for it just gives me encouragement to keep making more dramas. Brad reached out to Jonah on Tuesday morning, congratulating his fellow nominee. He just said hes really proud and excited and I felt the same way, you know, Jonah recounted, referring to Brads Best Actor nomination. And I loved [The] Tree of Life, his other film that got him nominated for Best Picture. Excuse me, Jonah added, pausing. Im very overwhelmed. Copyright 2012 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

NBC orders 'Hannibal' to series

FullerNBC has ordered a drama concept based on Hannibal Lecter straight to series, proving the rapid decline of midseason series "The Firm" hasn't dulled the network's willingness to risk skipping the pilot stage. Gaumont Intl. Television has sold 13 episodes of "Hannibal," which will be executive produced by Bryan Fuller ("Pushing Daisies") and Martha DeLaurentiis, a producer behind the films about the cannibal killer. Skein features the classic characters from Thomas Harris' novel "Red Dragon," FBI agent Will Graham and his mentor Dr. Lecter, who are re-introduced at the beginning of their budding relationship. "Hannibal" will follow a similar business model as "Firm," which Entertainment One secured a 22-episode commitment from NBC, in part because eOne offered a significantly reduced license fee made possible by international financing deals. But the savings come at the expense of putting a series through its paces via the traditional pilot model -- a more expensive commitment for a much shorter term. "Firm," which ends its run on NBC this Saturday, proved a disappointment for the network, averaging a paltry 5.7 million total viewers and a 1.4/4 in the 18-49 demo. Fuller is already at work on another series reinvention of an existing franchise, "The Munsters." Now titled "Mockingbird Lane," the series was pulled out of consideration for the fall schedule last week by NBC, which wants to devote more time to developing it with an eye for potential midseason release in 2013. The network also ordered another drama pilot, "Notorious," from Universal Television and BermanBraun. Series is an opulent soap in which a female detective returns undercover to the wealthy family she grew up in - -as the maid's daughter--to solve the murder of the notorious heiress who was once her closest friend. Lloyd Braun, Gail Berman and Gene Stein are executive producers with Liz Heldens, who worked on NBC's "Friday Night Lights." Contact Andrew Wallenstein at andrew.wallenstein@variety.com

'Leafie' launches 108 Media

Toronto-based 108 Media is beginning within the Berlin market by acquiring British-language rights to Korean animated title "Leafie: A Hen To the Wild." Company will focus on worldwide sales and Canadian distribution of films, TV, gaming and mobile content. Funded by equity finance, 108 Media is headed by Abhishek Rastogi, former controlling director of Cinesavvy. "Leafie" follows an adventurous hen who escapes in the chicken farm, imaging of freedom. Pic, produced by Myung Films, totalled up 2.2 million admissions over the 2009 summer season and offered in 46 nations. 108 Media mentioned an British-lingo version will probably be released in U . s . States theaters later this year. "Our way of 108 Media can be a hybrid from the traditional sales model together with a transmedia company," Rastogi mentioned. "Rebranding 'Leafie' for Western audiences by getting an British-language version fits right because strategy. Our U . s . States theatrical release will showcase the stunning animation and heart-warming narrative in the film and let's explore options for mobile content, gaming, comicbooks and programs." The sale was talked about by Rastogi and Paul Yi, worldwide agent for Myung Films. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com