Topher Grace Heads to Space
Today in showbiz news: Topher Grace goes Interstellar, ABC is dramatizing the Cold War, It's Sunny in Philadelphia comes to a close, and more.
.Today in showbiz news: Topher Grace heads to space, ABC is dramatizing the Cold War, It's Sunny in Philadelphia comes to a close, and more.
Remember Topher Grace, the guy who did something on That '70s Show and was the baddie in one of the Spider-Man movies? Christopher Nolan apparently does, and Grace is in discussions to journey into space in an unnamed supporting role in Nolan's next film Interstellar, which also stars Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastian and Anne Hathaway. Come to think of it, Topher Grace did a pretty decent job as the guy in Traffic who introduced Erika Christensen's Ivy League overachiever character to drugs, though that isn't exactly the kind of thing an actor wants to be remembered for. Maybe Interstellar will be a new memorable career highlight, and Grace will say things like, "I'm Topher Grace, and I'm gracing you with my presence in space." Okay, Christopher Nolan's dialogue is will probably be marginally better than that. [Deadline]
After the premiere of FX's spy drama The Americans earlier this year, it seems the Cold War is once again all the buzz in the TV world. ABC has ordered a miniseries called The Assets, which will chronicle "CIA members' personal stories about the conclusion of the Cold War." Technically, it is not a miniseries, but a "limited series," some newfangled television parlance for executives who decided that television shows do not sound enough like exclusive fashion items. The downfall of most broadcast television drama is that the story arcs and conceits of shows seem inherently unsustainable, so perhaps this limited series trend can ameliorate that issue? [The Hollywood Reporter]
Speaking of broadcast network miniseries, Oscar-nominated Terrence Howard is joining one on Fox called Wayward Pines. If that sounds like a quirky mystery thriller inspired by Twin Peaks, that is because Wayward Pines is a quirky mystery thriller inspired by Twin Peaks. Howard will play the territorial top cop in the sleepy Idaho town of Wayward Pines, dealing with the mysterious disappearance of two federal agents. Before anyone gets too excited about another Twin Peaks retread, it is worth noting that the show is produced by M. Night Shyamalan, who probably has a lot of free time to work on TV shows after After Earth failed to light up the box office. [Deadline]
The prospect of catching up on the longest-running live-action basic cable comedy might be slightly less intimidating now. In an interview, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-creator Glenn Howerton said the edgy FX series' tenth season, set to air in fall 2014, will be its last, as the creators feared the show would lose its irreverent spark if its run extended beyond ten seasons. Wait, 120 or so episodes of a comedy is still an incredibly intimidating time investment. Is there an online support group to help people conquer their fear of investing a lot of time into watching a television comedy? [Vulture]