Quintet Of Actors Cast In Broadcast Pilots

How To Make It In America‘s Victor Rasuk is set to co-star opposite Ryan Hansen in Foxs comedy pilot El Jefe. The project, from writers David Guarascio & Moses Port and Sony TV, centers on an affable but lost 30-year-old (Ryan Hansen) who, tossed out of his Brentwood home, moves in with his longtime Latin American nanny. Rasuk will play the nanny’s oldest son who is her favorite. Rasuk, repped by Gersh and Washington Square, is the second How To Make It In America star to book a broadcast pilot this week following Bryan Greenberg’s casting as the lead in the CBS Greg Malins/Greg Berlanti comedy. L Word alumna Erin Daniels is set to co-star opposite Colin Ferguson in Bill Lawrences Fox pilot Like Father. The project, from Warner Bros. TV, centers on Van (Ferguson) who, after his wife dies, moves into his son Wills campus apartment. Daniels, repped by Innovative and Framework, will play Ali, a recently separated mother and close friend to Van. Nico Tortorella has joined Fox’s untitled Kevin Williamson drama pilot. The project, from Warner Bros TV, is a thriller about ex-FBI agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) who leads the search to catch diabolical serial killer Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) who has created a cult of serial killers. Tortorella, repped by Gersh and KLWGN, will play Will Wilson, a friend and confidant of Sarah, Joe Carrolls last victim, who vows to keep her safe. The pilot reunites the actor with Williamson after Tortorella co-starred in the Williamson-written Scream 4. Cougar Town‘s Josh Hopkins and Tymberlee Hill have been cast in Keri Lizer’s NBC comedy pilot Lady Friends. It centers on two life-long female friends, Nicole (Andrea Anders) and Jen, who are living very different lives but cant live without each other. Hopkins will play Nicole’s husband. The casting is in second position to Cougar Town. Hill, repped by TalentWorks andOdenkirk Provissiero, will play Nicole’s friend, a mother of three.

Fox Tweaks Schedule: Gives Touch Idol Lead-In, Moves Bones To Monday

Kiefer Sutherland won't be coming back to his old Monday 9 PM slot where his previous Fox drama, 24, broadcast. The network makes a arranging change, moving Sutherland’s new series, Touch, to Thursdays where it'll air after The American Idol Show beginning March 22. Touch will bump utility player Bones, which is on the go all over again, this time around to Mondays where it'll lead the evening at 8 PM beginning April 2. That same evening, House will slide to 9 PM where it'll finish its run. Fox also introduced that it is 25th anniversary special will air April 22.

Oscars give pair box office bump

'The Descendants' 'The Artist'In the run-up to the 84th Oscars telecast, two multiple-nominated pics continued their stalwart domestic runs.The Weinstein Co.'s "The Artist" nabbed just shy of $3 million from Feb. 17-20, pushing the silent pic's Stateside tally north of $28 million, while "The Descendants," from Fox Searchlight, grossed $3.5 million over the same frame for a cume of $75.6 million domestically."The Artist," which received 10 noms, including picture, director and actor for Jean Dujardin, has been steadily building at the B.O. -- boosted by strong perfs in markets outside NY and Los Angeles. The pic actually gained 8% during the three-day frame (its 13th) vs. the previous weekend at the same number of domestic locations -- 808."The Descendants," meanwhile, became helmer Alexander Payne's highest-grossing Stateside release, and Fox Searchlight's fourth-highest, surpassing 2004's "Sideways" ($71.5 million). The George Clooney-starrer, which earned the thesp his third lead actor nom, received four other nods: picture, director, adapted screenplay and film editing.Both films have amassed noteworthy overseas hauls as well. After 19 weeks, "The Artist" is approaching $45 million (pic first launched Oct. 12 in France), while "Descendants," released internationally by Fox Intl., is nearing $70 million in just six weeks."The Artist" has been released in 31 markets outside the U.S.; "The Descendants" is playing in 50 territories. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

New Avengers image released online

The Avengers involves Uk cinemas in just dependent on several days, and Marvel have whetted our appetites much more while using relieve a shiny new image featuring three in the team planning for doing things.The completely new shot shows Captain America striding positively for that camera, between SHIELD agents Hawkeye and Black Widow. Pretty badass, we feel you'll agree.It really is nice to find out Jeremy Renner and Scarlett Johansson given some exposure in the advertising campaign that has naturally focused plenty of attention upon marquee names Thor, Hulk, Cap and Iron Guy.Just two more several days to go to just before the film finally lands, meaning all the speculation over cameos, story lines as well as the identity of Loki's military will rapidly be going to an finish. And although we're absurdly excited with the final product, we'd be lounging whenever we mentioned we wouldn't miss the hype.The Avengers opens inside the Uk on 27 April 2012. Next, we'll need to wait for Amazing Spider-Guy. After which it there's the Dark Dark evening Increases... it's a large year for spandex, isn't it?[brightcove]1213024251001[/brightcove]

Canana launches genre pic franchise

Marking its entry into English-language production, Mexican production-distrib Canana is launching a genre franchise directed by Russia's enigmatic Makinov. The first film in the franchise, "Child's Play," is in post-production. "Play" stars Vinissa Shaw ("Two Lovers") and Ebon Moss ("Damages") as a husband and his pregnant wife who travel to Mexico for some quiet, only to be attacked by maniacal children.Canana is developing an actioner and a thriller with Makinov, said Canana producer Pablo Cruz.The mysterious Makinov is described by Canana as a Russian-American who has lived in Mexico. On set, he wears a mask and a heavy worker jacket called a Makinov."Through anonymity I can do anything, tackle any genre and not be afraid to fail," Makinov is quoted as saying.Televisa has all Mexican rights and will release "Play" in Mexico via distrib arm Videocine.Having repped Gerardo Naranjo's Canana-produced "Miss Bala," Fox Intl. Prods. will handle worldwide sales outside Mexico on "Child's Play," introducing it to buyers at the European Film Market. Canana is run by actor-helmers Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna and producer Pablo Cruz. "Genre allows you a freedom that you don't get when you are telling a story of a country in poverty or the mountain life of two kids," Cruz told Variety.He added: "Also, it's fun, and we need to build stronger brands, make movies with international appeal which don't always define us as a Mexican production company." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com