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Exclusive: Writers-producers Erin Cardillo and Richard Keith have signed with CAA for representation in all areas.

The creators of Life Sentence and Significant Mother are in a multi-year overall deal at Warner Bros. Television under their In Good Company banner.

Within the last two years, they have developed four pilots, including the television adaptation of The Five People You Meet in Heaven at Fox with Mitch Albom, the supernatural comedic procedural Pandora’s Box & Ship with The CW and Spondoolie Productions, the family dramedy Love Me with ABC and Brownstone Productions, and the young adult soap The Beach at HBO Max with Alloy Entertainment, Julie Plec, and Jenna Dewan producing.

Cardillo and Keith met in acting class at Warner Loughlin Studios in the mid-2000s. They’ve been collaborating since, winning the New York Television Festival in 2013 with spec script We’re Not Your Parents and going on to create...

In today’s edition of TV Bits: Kevin James will star in a Nascar-themed comedy at Netflix Viola Davis will play former First Lady Michelle Obama in a new Showtime series The Five People You Meet in Heaven is in development as a TV show The Netflix series Grace and Frankie has an ending in sight […]

The post TV Bits: Kevin James’ Nascar Show, ‘Grace and Frankie’ to End with Season 7, Ewan McGregor Teams with Ryan Murphy, and More appeared first on /Film.

Fox is hoping to get into Heaven, making a script-to-series commitment to an adaptation of Mitch Albom’s novel The Five People You Meet in Heaven.

Albom will pen the project, which follows “each character’s unique journey in this world and the next,” our sister site Deadline reports. “With Heaven as the place where your life is finally explained to you — by five people you touched — the ongoing storylines of interwoven characters will explore larger themes such as redemption, love, hope and human connection.”

More from TVLineTVLine Items: Big Mouth Return Date, Titans Casts Doctor Light and MoreTVLine Items: Paula Patton's Bet+ Pilot,...

Fox has given a script-to-series commitment to “The Five People You Meet in Heaven,” based on the novel by Mitch Albom.

Albom will write the adaptation and executive produce with Keith Eisner. Warner Bros. TV and Fox Entertainment will produce.

The one-hour drama series will use the same characters from the novel, including Eddie, who dies on his 83rd birthday at the beginning of the book. According to Fox, “‘The Five People You Meet in Heaven’ will explore each character’s unique journey in this world and the next. With heaven as the place where your life is finally explained to you — by five people you touched — the ongoing storylines of interwoven characters will explore larger themes such as redemption, love, hope and human connection.”

Also Read: Fox's Future Under Disney May Hinge on 'Ford vs. Ferrari'

“The Five People You Meet in Heaven” was published by Hyperion in...

Fox has given a script-to-series commitment to The Five People You Meet in Heaven, based on Mitch Albom’s bestselling novel. Albom will pen the adaptation, produced by Warner Bros. TV and Fox Entertainment.

The newly independent network has been experimenting with a script-to-series model — which triggers a straight-to-series order if a script is approved — alongside the traditional pilot model. Last season, Fox handed script-to-series commitment to drama Talent, an adaptation of the graphic novel from Graham Yost, Boom! Studios, Original Film and Sony Pictures TV. That project ultimately didn’t go forward.

Using familiar characters from Albom’s bestselling novel, The Five People You Meet in Heaven will explore each character’s unique journey in this world and the next. With heaven as the place where your life is finally explained to you — by five people you touched — the ongoing storylines of interwoven characters will explore larger themes such as redemption,...

Mitch Albom’s bestselling novel “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” is getting the TV series treatment.

Fox has issued a script-to-series development order for the project, with Albom himself in place to write and executive produce. The one-hour drama project hails from Warner Bros. Television and Fox Entertainment.

Using familiar characters from the novel, the series will explore each character’s unique journey in this world and the next. With heaven as the place where your life is finally explained to you, by five people you touched, the storylines of interwoven characters will explore larger themes such as redemption, love, hope and human connection.

Former “The Good Wife” executive producer and “Designated Survivor” showrunner Keith Eisner is also on board as an executive producer.

Albom previously adapted his novel for a TV movie released in 2004, which stuck pretty faithfully to the events of the book. The film starred...

Fox is headed to the afterlife for its newest series project.

The network is developing a drama based on Mitch Albom's novel The Five People You Meet in Heaven, with the author set to write the script based on his book. Fox has given a script-to-series commitment to the project, which will be a co-production of Warner Bros. TV and Fox Entertainment.

Using familiar characters from the book, the series will explore each one's unique journey in this world and the next. In the novel, heaven is the place where people's lives are explained to them by five ...

If you’re a movie critic, you shouldn’t make any preconceptions about a film — not even if the Happy Madison logo appears or a title card saying “A Tyler Perry Film” arises. But when breathy radio personality Delilah comes before the “wonderful” film you’re about to see, singing all its benevolent praises before a single slice of celluloid appears, you have good reason to be skeptical.

Based on the phenomenally bestselling novel, The Shack tells a spiritual story of perseverance against and acceptance towards life’s unspeakable cruelties. It’s told through the perspective of Mack (Sam Worthington), a husband and grieving father, fighting to release months upon years of pain and inner torment through one-on-one interactions with Papa (Octavia Spencer), a.k.a God, Jesus (Avraham Aviv Alush) and Sarayu (Sumire), a.k.a. the Holy Spirit, in the titular shack which once housed unfathomable evil. It’s blatantly religious,...

It’s almost October and that means Netflix is about to refresh their content with some new titles and by removing some others. Some of the notable titles leaving include: The Big Lebowski and A Nightmare on Elm Street. So if you haven’t seen some of these titles, plan your nights accordingly. We of course can look forward more than a few new titles including Boogie Nights, Batman Begins and Curse of Chucky for your Halloween needs.

All Title Dates are Subject to Change

Netflix U.S. Release Dates Only

Available 10/1

A Christmas Carol (1938)

About Alex (2014)

Alexander: Theatrical Cut (2004)

American Pie (1999)

Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics Collection: Collection 1

Batman Begins (2005)

Boogie Nights (1997)

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)

Curse of Chucky (2013)

Dark Was the Night (2014)

Design on a Dime Collection: Collection 1

El Tiempo Entre Costuras (2013)

Extreme Homes Collection: Collection 1

Fixer Upper: Season 1

Genevieve’s Renovation: Season 1

Glass Chin (2014)

House...

Exclusive: Warner Bros has acquired The First Phone Call From Heaven, the bestselling novel by Mitch Albom that was published last November by Harper. Denise Dinovi and Alison Greenspan will produce. The book opens on a morning in the small town of Coldwater, Mi, when the phones start ringing and the voices say they are calling from heaven. While each call is greeted differently — some with love, some with religious zeal, some with fear — a grieving single father with an inquisitive and hopeful son takes it upon himself to uncover whether these callers are hoaxers, or they are really dialing long distance. Chantal Nong and Cate Adams will oversee for Warner Bros. Albom, who came up a sports columnist for the Detroit Free Press, has also written bestsellers like Tuesdays With Morrie and The Five People You Meet In Heaven, books with a wholesome spiritual tug to them. At a...

New York — Mitch Albom, one of the country's most popular authors, has a new publisher and a new novel coming this fall.

The author of the sentimental favorite "Tuesdays With Morrie" has a three-book deal with Harper, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Albom's previous publisher was the Disney-owned Hyperion, where he had spent much of his career.

At Harper, Albom will be edited by Karen Rinaldi, a friend since the 1990s when she attempted – and failed_ to acquire "Tuesdays With Morrie" for Crown.

"I have never forgotten our first meeting and his subsequent success, which have always been bittersweet for me," Rinaldi said in a statement. "It is particularly satisfying to bring Mitch to Harper, where our team's expertise and spirit of collaboration will create an unprecedented focus and passion for the next phase of Mitch's exceptional writing career."

"We see stories the same way," Albom, 54, said in a statement.

Roger Deakins, Asc, Bsc; Balazs Bolygo, Hsc; Kramer Morgenthau, Asc; Florian Hoffmeister; and Bradford Lipson claimed top honors in the four competitive categories at the 27th Annual American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) Awards for Outstanding Achievement, which was held here tonight at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland. Deakins won the Asc Award in the feature film competition for Skyfall. Bolygo and Morgenthau tied in the one-hour television episodic category for Cinemax’s Hunted and HBO’s Game Of Thrones, respectively. Hoffmeister won the TV movie/miniseries award for PBS’ Great Expectations, and Lipson was the recipient of the half-hour television episodic category for FX’s Wilfred. The Asc Award for best feature was presented by Emmy®-nominated actor John Slattery. Deakins, who was regrettably not able to attend, has previously won Asc Awards for The Shawshank Redemption (1995) and The Man Who Wasn’T There (2002). His other Asc nominations include Fargo (1997), Kundun (1998), O Brother,...

Lindsay Lohan takes the lead in the upcoming Lifetime movie, Liz & Dick, set to air in the Us in just over a month’s time.

We saw a captivating Lohan grace the poster last month, and now a new featurette has debuted online, giving us a look behind the scenes, in which the actress talks a little about the similarities between Elizabeth Hurley and herself.

“On the set of Cleopatra, Hollywood’s most beautiful star, Elizabeth Taylor, fell into the arms of one of the world’s greatest actors, Richard Burton – and she didn’t leave.

Their subsequent white-hot, scandalous love affair gave rise to the paparazzi and they became the most hunted and photographed couple on earth. Their rocky, passionate, relationship, born in front of the cameras, was captured in a series of films, including Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

The last of the great, extravagant stars, flaunting diamonds,...

There may be a lot of truth to the idea that Liz & Dick is (one of) the most talked about movie of the year, but I’m not absolutely sure it’s a claim I would feature.

Good or bad, Lindsay Lohan or no, and if you’re the right crowd, Lifetime or no, there’s no denying that the movie takes on interesting subject matter, and is potentially well worth watching just to catch some glimpse into the lives of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. Of course, I don’t know that it has anything to say that isn’t well-worn material, but it’s worth finding out.

What do you think about this one, and is the movie, wherever it lands, overshadowed simply by the fact that Lohan is in it? I’d like to know where the public is coming down on this one. Will you watch?...

Lifetime has set November 25 for the premiere of Liz & Dick starring Lindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor and Grant Bowler as Richard Burton. The story of the couple’s passionate and stormy love affair is executive produced by Larry A. Thompson (Amish Grace) and directed by Lloyd Kramer (Mitch Albom’s The Five People You Meet in Heaven). Christopher Monger (Temple Grandin) penned the script. A+E Networks will handle international distribution. Liz & Dick will air at 9 Pm on Lifetime. Related: ‘Liz & Dick’ Movie Poster Unveiled Hot TV Trailer: Lifetime’s ‘Liz & Dick’...

It’s been a few years since Lindsay Lohan was last seen on our screens, but her return in just a matter of weeks away now, with Lifetime’s Liz & Dick due to air this coming November, telling the story of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.

Lohan takes the lead opposite Grant Bowler, and now the first poster for the movie has arrived, putting Lohan front and centre, with a pair of rather beautiful (albeit edited) purple eyes.

“On the set of Cleopatra, Hollywood’s most beautiful star, Elizabeth Taylor, fell into the arms of one of the world’s greatest actors, Richard Burton – and she didn’t leave.

Their subsequent white-hot, scandalous love affair gave rise to the paparazzi and they became the most hunted and photographed couple on earth. Their rocky, passionate, relationship, born in front of the cameras, was captured in a series of films, including Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?...

Here are several photos of the 26-year-old actress Lindsay Lohan from the Lifetime biopic, Liz & Dick, proving she can still embody old-style Hollywood glamor.

It’s not hard to guess that sometimes troubled Lohan stars as the late Hollywood icon Elizabeth Taylor alongside True Blood’s Grant Bowler, who plays one of Taylor’s many husbands and the man considered the love of her life, Richard Burton.

The film chronicles Taylor and Burton’s fiery romance and will show Taylor over several decades, from their brief initial encounter at a 1954 pool party to their collaboration on the set of 1963s Cleopatra all the way until Burton’s death in 1984 as evidenced by this picture of Lohan as Liz in her later years.

Lohan’s role as Taylor is her first major role since 2010s Machete.

The biopic is written by Christopher Monger (Temple Grandin) and directed by Lloyd Kramer (The Five People You Meet in Heaven...

The Daily Beast (or rather me directly) obtained a production draft of Lifetime’s Elizabeth Taylor biopic starring Lindsay Lohan. I pick out eight especially salacious bits from the script. Over at The Daily Beast, you can read my latest feature, "Liz & Dick: 8 Crazy Scenes from Lindsay Lohan’s Elizabeth Taylor Biopic," in which I read Christopher Monger's script and pick out the eight craziest, oddest, most salacious bits of Lifetime's upcoming Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton biopic, Liz & Dick, starring Lindsay Lohan. When considering actresses to play the late, beloved Academy Award–winner Elizabeth Taylor, the first name that comes to most people’s minds likely isn’t Lindsay Lohan. And yet the troubled, talented 25-year-old actress is currently playing Taylor in Lifetime’s made-for-tv movie Liz & Dick, about the tumultuous romance between Taylor and her costar/husband Richard Burton (played here by True Blood’s Grant Bowler...

Edward Shearmur is scoring the upcoming TV drama Have a Little Faith. The movie directed by Jon Avnet (Fried Green Tomatoes, Up Close & Personal) is based on the best-selling book by Mitch Albom (Tuesdays with Morrie, The Five People You Meet in Heaven) and stars Laurence Fishburne as a Detroit teacher who overcame a life mired in drugs and crime. Bradley Whitford portrays Mitch Albom who met the reverend-in-recovery when he wrote newspaper columns about homeless people and homeless shelters. Anika Noni Rose and Martin Landau are co-starring in the Hallmark Hall of Fame production. Shearmur has previously worked with Avnet a number of times, including on the director’s most recent theatrical features 88 Minutes and Righteous Kill. Have a Little Faith is set to premiere on November 27, 2011 on ABC.

Kevin Smith, whose latest movie, Red State, is set to be unlike anything he’s ever done before, has announced that his next film will be released in two parts, and they will be titled Hit Somebody: Home and Hit Somebody: Away, The Playlist report.

He also adds that the two-parter, which he’s said could be his final film, will be a PG-13 rating for Home and an R for Away, roughly the equivalent of our 12A and 18. Brilliant!

How you can have such different ratings might confuse many people, but when you take into account the basic premise of the two parts, things become a little clearer. The film follows the rise of hockey played Buddy McCracken (to be played by Nicholas Braun), with the first part seeing him as a young star and the second part seeing him go pro. I might not know a lot about hockey,...

Having just finished reading a novel I couldn’t put down, I began to think of how great a film it would make – something I seem to be doing more and more of lately. I often find myself imagining how I would adapt what I’m reading, which director would I put on it, who would I cast, what would I adapt/what would I cut. Even going so far as to thinking about the poster design!

Obviously Hollywood takes literary work as the basis for many of it’s productions and should a novel prove a runaway hit, you can pretty much assume the movie version will soon follow. However, in my opinion, there’s a number of works that would surely make exciting, engaging and impressive films, but have yet to be adapted.

Read on to discover the 10 novels I think should be on the big screen and pronto!

You may be asking yourself this: Can there possibly be a sappier book-to-movie adaptation following one individual's sentimental, probably-fake story about their experience with the pearly gates than The Five People You Meet In Heaven? The answer, unfortunately, is yes. It's called Heaven Is For Real.

Sony has just optioned the rights to the book Heaven Is For Real: A Little Boy's Astounding Story of His Trip To Heaven And Back, by Christian Pastor Todd Burpo, based on the "true" story of himself and his sick son:

read more...

What do we want from a story?

How do we experience them? A story is infinitely more than a series of narrative points strung together in order; if it weren't, there would be no difference between reading Romeo and Juliet and having me tell you, "A boy meets a girl. Their parents hate each other. They sleep together and try to run away, but it backfires. They wind up committing suicide." There's more to a story than just what happens: There are the people, the places, and the relationships that give it color and depth.

But there's a flip side to that, or rather, an opposite end on a continuum. One extreme is pure fact; the other is pure emotion. The best stories land somewhere in the middle, creating memorable characters and moving them through a narrative that's by turns engaging, moving, and ultimately coherent, if not in terms of...

He went from pre-teen "shrimp" in About a Boy to the sexy face of Skins. Now, Nicholas Hoult is set to crack Hollywood. His only problem is working out how he feels about it all

"Oh no. Interview, uh oh. I always panic about these things." Nicholas Hoult does look genuinely apprehensive, which is annoying because he's been perfectly at ease until now. He arrived promptly at the west London studio where he's to be photographed at 9am on this December Monday morning, introducing himself very politely to everyone. He swapped jeans and hooded top for a dapper suit by Tom Ford, the fashion designer whose directorial debut, A Single Man, stars Hoult alongside Colin Firth and Julianne Moore, then chatted away with the make-up artist about his newly shorn head, a crop to cut out hair extensions for his role in upcoming CGI blockbuster Clash of the Titans. But...

I recently finished reading the book, "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" and was amazed at the  way it was written and with the story itself; as a result I went down to my library to find the book title in movie format on DVD and sure enough, it was and boy, I wasn't disappointed. The movie pretty much follows the book to heart and that's a good thing (thank you Martha Stweart for using those words) because the storyline is terrific in my opinion. "Five People You Meet in Heaven" is just about that exactly; what happens when a man name Eddie dies after working for many years at a carn...

Despite his relatively young age, cinematographer Kramer Morgenthau is beginning to make a serious mark in a field that has traditionally been dominated by seasoned veterans. The 39-year-old director of photography received his first Emmy nomination Thursday for outstanding cinematography for a miniseries or movie for ABC's The Five People You Meet in Heaven. It has been a steady climb for Morgenthau who began shooting features in 1995 in New York. The first kudos from his peers came just months ago when Morgenthau was nominated by the American Society of Cinematographers at the annual ASC Awards for Five People. In the short time since, Morgenthau has continued to build momentum, quickly becoming a go-to guy for television pilots. He shot the pilot for ABC's Blind Justice, more recently, the network's new drama The Evidence, in addition to FX's Over There, an episode of which he is scheduled to direct this month.

Jon Voight has explained to his fellow actors why he won't be attending next month's Screen Actors Guild (SAG) Awards in a full-page advertisement. Voight was given the nod in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries category for his role in TV show The Five People You Meet In Heaven - but was also informed he won't be getting an invite to the February 5 ceremony in Los Angeles, because he had previously resigned from the guild and is currently classified as a fee-paying non-member. Resigning from the union is often referred to as seeking "financial core" status, which gives union members an opportunity to resign from full membership but continue to pay the portion of dues which go to contract-related jobs. When members take such steps, they're no longer eligible to participate in a number of guild activities - including attending awards shows. In a letter which appeared in trade publication Variety, Voight says he initially considered financial core status to work on a pal's financially-strapped movie, and went ahead with his plans after SAG used "scare tactics" to shut down his friend's film. He writes, "The SAG board chose to bring me once again what they think is shame, and apparently to warn other actors off joining financial core, by announcing to the press that I was not invited to the ceremony to which my fellow actors nominated me for a union film. All this because of my willingness to uphold the right to our personal pursuit of freedom and liberty... My sorrow comes only for a union that can be a great force, that can accomplish much good, and protect, promote, and nourish the actor in his individual pursuits, but does not yet understand that there will be come that will be happy to follow the union in all its rules and regulations, but there many be some that will differ, and follow a destiny of their own choosing, and that is their right, and that is our country's Constitution. I congratulate all my fellow nominees, and wish everyone the best."...

Two prestigious cinema sound societies announced the nominees in their annual outstanding achievement awards. For superlative sound mixing for feature films, the Cinema Audio Society has nominated Miramax Pictures' The Aviator, and Finding Neverland, Universal Pictures' The Bourne Supremacy and Ray and Columbia Pictures' Spider-Man 2. C.A.S. also recognized exceptional sound mixing for television movies and mini-series. This year's nominees include ABC's Five People You Meet In Heaven, and The Hollow, Showtime Network's Something the Lord Made, HBO's Life and Death of Peter Sellers, and A&E Television's Ike: Countdown To D-Day.

Fifteen cinematographers have been nominated in three television categories for the American Society of Cinematographers' 19th annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards. Nathan Hope and Chris Manley, cinematographers for the CBS series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and CSI: NY, respectively, earned noms for excellence in episodic television. They join David Boyd, who drew an ace with HBO's Deadwood for the "Deepwater" episode; Thomas Del Ruth, tapped for the "Gaza" episode of NBC's The West Wing; and Alik Sakharov for The Sopranos' "Long Term Parking" episode. ABC scored three nominations in the network movie/miniseries/pilot category with nominees Michael Goi for Judas, Larry Fong for the Lost pilot and Kramer Morgenthau for The Five People You Meet in Heaven. They join NBC cinematographers Jonathan Freeman for Homeland Security and Clark Mathis for the Medical Investigation pilot.

Screen Actors Guild award-nominee Jon Voight will have to watch the ceremony from home next month - because he's been banned from attending. Voight was given the nod in the Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries category for his role in TV show The Five People You Meet In Heaven - but has also been informed he won't be getting an invite to the February 5 ceremony in Los Angeles because he had previously resigned from the guild and is currently classified as a fee-paying non-member. SAG president Melissa Gilbert has briefed the guild's national board about the situation, reports trade publication Variety. Resigning from the union is often referred to as seeking "financial core" status, which gives members of the union an opportunity to resign from full membership but continue to pay the portion of dues which go to contract-related jobs. When members take such steps, they're no longer eligible to participate in a number of guild activities - including attending awards shows. Voight, who has yet to comment on the situation, was picketed two years ago by SAG when he shot non-union film A Deadly Course.

Perennial awards favorite Sideways dominated the Screen Actors Guild nominations with a field-best four nominations, including Best Ensemble Cast. The Alexander Payne comedy also nabbed three individual acting nominations as well for lead Paul Giamatti and supporting players Thomas Haden Church and Virginia Madsen, putting it just ahead of a number of films that received three nominations each, including The Aviator, Finding Neverland, Million Dollar Baby, and Hotel Rwanda; all those movies also earned Best Ensemble nominations alongside Ray and Sideways. Jamie Foxx was once again the actor of the hour, taking home three individual nominations for Ray, Collateral, and TV movie Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story as well as an Ensemble nod for Ray. Foxx was followed by Hilary Swank, who received two solo nominations, for Million Dollar Baby and HBO movie Iron Jawed Angels, and an Ensemble mention for Million Dollar Baby.

With their film nominations, the SAGs threw a number of new names into the awards season mix, including Catalina Sandino Moreno (Maria Full of Grace), James Garner (The Notebook), Freddie Highmore (Finding Neverland), Cloris Leachman (Spanglish), and Sophie Okonedo (Hotel Rwanda). A few noticeable absentees included Liam Neeson (Kinsey), Javier Bardem (The Sea Inside), and the entire cast of Closer, an actor-driven movie if there ever was one. On the TV side, familiar shows (The Sopranos, Everybody Loves Raymond, etc) rubbed elbows with a handful of newcomers, including Arrested Development and Desperate Housewives, and Patricia Heaton pulled a Hilary Swank of her own, getting two individual nominations for Everybody Loves Raymond and TV movie remake The Goodbye Girl as well as an Ensemble nomination for Raymond.

The SAGs will be handed out on Saturday, February 5. Here's the (very long) list of film and TV nominees:

FILM

Male Actor in a Leading Role: Don Cheadle, Hotel Rwanda; Johnny Depp, Finding Neverland; Leonardo DiCaprio, The Aviator; Jamie Foxx, Ray; Paul Giamatti, Sideways

Female Actor in a Leading Role: Annette Bening, Being Julia; Catalina Sandino Moreno, Maria Full of Grace; Imelda Staunton, Vera Drake; Hilary Swank, Million Dollar Baby; Kate Winslet, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Thomas Haden Church, Sideways; Jamie Foxx, Collateral; Morgan Freeman, Million Dollar Baby; James Garner, The Notebook; Freddie Highmore, Finding Neverland

Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Cate Blanchett, The Aviator; Cloris Leachman, Spanglish; Laura Linney, Kinsey; Virginia Madsen, Sideways; Sophie Okonedo, Hotel Rwanda

Ensemble Cast: The Aviator; Finding Neverland; Hotel Rwanda; Million Dollar Baby; Ray; Sideways

TELEVISION

Male Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Jamie Foxx, Redemption: The Stan Tookie Williams Story; William H. Macy, The Wool Cap; Barry Pepper, 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story; Geoffrey Rush, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers; Jon Voight, Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven

Female Actor in a TV Movie or Miniseries: Glenn Close, The Lion in Winter; Patricia Heaton, Neil Simon's The Goodbye Girl; Keke Palmer, The Wool Cap; Hilary Swank, Iron Jawed Angels; Charlize Theron, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers

Male Actor in a Drama Series: Hank Azaria, Huff; James Gandolfini, The Sopranos; Anthony LaPaglia, Without a Trace; Jerry Orbach, Law & Order; Kiefer Sutherland, 24

Female Actor in a Drama Series: Drea De Matteo, The Sopranos; Edie Falco, The Sopranos; Jennifer Garner, Alias; Allison Janney, The West Wing; Christine Lahti, Jack & Bobby

Male Actor in a Comedy Series: Jason Bateman, Arrested Development; Sean Hayes, Will & Grace; Ray Romano, Everybody Loves Raymond; Tony Shalhoub, Monk; Charlie Sheen, Two and a Half Men

Female Actor in a Comedy Series: Teri Hatcher, Desperate Housewives; Patricia Heaton, Everybody Loves Raymond; Megan Mullally, Will & Grace; Sarah Jessica Parker, Sex and the City; Doris Roberts, Everybody Loves Raymond

Ensemble in a Drama Series: 24; CSI: Crime Scene Investigation; Six Feet Under; The Sopranos; The West Wing

Ensemble in a Comedy Series: Arrested Development; Desperate Housewives; Everybody Loves Raymond; Sex and the City; Will & Grace

LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: James Garner...

The late Christopher Reeve was among five nominees named Monday for the DGA's annual award recognizing made-for-TV films. Reeve, who died in October, was recognized for A&E's The Brooke Ellison Story. The other nominees were Joe Sargent for HBO's Something the Lord Made, Robert Altman for the Sundance Channel's Tanner on Tanner, Parts 1-4, Stephen Hopkins for HBO's The Life and Death of Peter Sellers and Lloyd Kramer for ABC's Mitch Albom's The Five People You Meet in Heaven. The winner will be announced Jan. 29 at the 57th annual DGA Awards Dinner at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.

ABC held on to its Sunday night ratings crown even with its regular lineup benched for the three-hour original telepic The Five People You Meet in Heaven. The telepic based on the best seller by Mitch Albom averaged 19.3 million viewers and a 6.5 rating/15 share in the adults 18-49 demographic from 8-11 p.m., according to preliminary estimates from Nielsen Media Research. Five People couldn't match the Nielsen firepower of ABC's regular occupants of the 8 and 9 p.m. slots -- Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and new hit Desperate Housewives -- but it was a more than healthy showing for the telefilm that was heavily promoted by ABC. Viewership of Five People peaked from 9-9:30 p.m. (which normally would be the first half-hour of Housewives) at 20.3 million viewers and a 7.0/16 in the key demo; the Robert Halmi Sr.-produced movie also spiked from its lead-in, a special 7 p.m. repeat of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (9.9 million, 3.4/9).

Hallmark Entertainment is beefing up its slate of high-profile projects for the upcoming TV season. At NBC, Hallmark has received a green light for Hercules, a four-hour miniseries budgeted at more than $20 million. Meanwhile, Oscar winner Jon Voight is set to topline Hallmark's three-hour movie adaptation of Mitch Albom's Five People You Meet in Heaven for ABC, with Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Daniels and Michael Imperioli on board to co-star. The two projects join Hallmark's Kelsey Grammer-starring musical for NBC, A Christmas Carol, all three executive produced by Robert Halmi Sr. Charles Pogue (Dragonheart) is on board to pen Hercules, with Emmy-winning director Roger Young set to helm.

Hallmark Entertainment is beefing up its slate of high-profile projects for the upcoming TV season. At NBC, Hallmark has received a green light for Hercules, a four-hour miniseries budgeted at more than $20 million. Meanwhile, Oscar winner Jon Voight is set to topline Hallmark's three-hour movie adaptation of Mitch Albom's Five People You Meet in Heaven for ABC, with Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Daniels and Michael Imperioli on board to co-star. The two projects join Hallmark's Kelsey Grammer-starring musical for NBC, A Christmas Carol, all three executive produced by Robert Halmi Sr. Charles Pogue (Dragonheart) is on board to pen Hercules, with Emmy-winning director Roger Young set to helm.