
Remember this photo, at right? It was part of our item "The 2 Photo Scandals Rocking Hollywood," which also included a possible Iron Man infringement. But this photo was at the center of Slate's argument that United Artists may have Photoshopped a pic of Claus von Stauffenberg — who Tom Cruise plays in the ill-fated Valkyrie — to make the would-be Hitler assassin look more like the high-profile star playing him, all in an effort to appease Germans who were furious a Scientologist would be playing a national hero. Except as Slate now concludes in a correction: CONTINUED »

J.J. Abrams has found his next project — courtesy the New York Times. The Cloverfield producer will take on Paramount's newest investment, "Mystery on Fifth Avenue," an article it optioned for mid-six-figures that details a 20s-era co-op (with Central Park views!) whose new owners, paying $8.5 million for the place in 2003, found hidden panels and secret clues left behind by their architectural designer.
Eventually, their scavenger hunt "unraveled a mystery that featured a poem, a book, a soundtrack and a host of historical figures," but no panic room.
How it all came together is outlined in the article, published only on Friday, but it involves an ambitious young designer, soliciting Jonathan Safran Foer, four years, 40 artisans, and a letter that arrived to the new homeowners a year after they moved in. Oh, and four perfect children who are not possessed by demons, but might be in Abrams' version.

Two eyebrow-raising Hollywood scandals popped up this week, one including an actual eyebrow! Must we make Tinseltown worry about anything other than budgets and insuring Lindsay Lohan?
First up, the battle between Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment and paparazzo Ronnie Adams, who snapped a photo of Robert Downey Jr. on the set of big-budet action flick Iron Man while the movie was still filming.
As producers for the big and small screen continually battle back against potential spoilers, the studio demanded Adams remove the photo from his website, where he had posted it. He refused, but they eventually got to his web host, who yanked his account.
And then … his photo resurfaced. In Iron Man.
That's according to Adams' lawsuit, which claims that after all its complaining, Marvel used the copyrighted photo – after removing Adams' watermark – in a scene in the movie, showing a newspaper article headlined "Who is this Ironman." Fiscally savvy Adams, filing suit against the studios, now wants to get remunerated for his unsolicited efforts in contributing to this "pivotal scene."
So that's one photo scandal. This next one features Tom Cruise and Nazis! And an eyebrow! CONTINUED »

Justin Timberlake and Paramount/Spyglass Entertainment will no longer be requiring entertainment reporters, participating in The Love Guru's press junket, to submit for review anything then plan to publish about the movie's second-tier star, or keep his personal details they might glean during interviews from running.
Seems all those Internet types complaining about Trousersnake's confidentially agreement got him and the studio to back down, just like they did with Angelina Jolie during her A Mighty Heart press tour last year.
Not surprisingly, Paramount was behind that gaffe as well.

Know what's not confidential about Justin Timberlake? His confidentiality agreement.
You see, Mr. Timberlake, who appears in the Mike Myers movie The Love Guru wearing a Speedo and a semi, did not want intimate details of his personal life, which he might unknowingly reveal to journalists interviewing him to promote Guru, to be shared with the general public, simply because he's required to do press for Paramount's movie.
That's why the agreement all entertainment journos who attended the movie's presser had to sign off on paperwork that guaranteed they would submit for review anything they planned on printing, and they they agreed "not to disclose to anyone any confidential, personal, or private information about Artist, Artist’s family, or Artist’s personal relationships at any time," and, "Journalist will be solely responsible for any and all other individual authorizations, releases, consents, clearances, licenses, and payments as may be necessary with respect to the use of the Material."
The full agreement here.
Update: Timberlake and the studios are backing down.
The media has oversimplified the decision by Paramount to stop selling its shows to Showtime! You see, Paramount is Viacom's movie studio, while Showtime is CBS's premium channel, and the two were getting along so well ever since Viacom and CBS went their separate ways, but now Paramount is teaming with MGM and Lionsgate to create a new premium channel.
Les Moonves, who heads CBS, played nice in press reports with Viacom chief Philippe Dauman. Moonves' deputy, Showtime chief Matthew Blank, told the Times, "We wish them well." Dauman not-so-blandly opined, "It’s our responsibility at Viacom to drive our strategy to benefit our shareholders."
But now one newspaper is fueling rumors all this backroom dealing is a move to try to oust Moonves! CAN YOU BELIEVE?
Corporate daddy Sumner Redstone, who chairs both Viacom and CBS, is said to be unhappy with CBS's crappy stock performance. Or at least those are the rumors Dauman's been able to plant, as he eyes the throne of octogenarian Redstone, who, despite his misgivings, must leave this earth, and his companies, at some point.
Angelina Jolie thought she was going to make a picture celebrating the life of a much beloved journalist. Then she forgot she was white, banned press from a movie about freedom of the press, and watched as distributor Paramount Vintage, who tried to encourage an atmosphere of religious understanding at a special screening, instead hosted a platform of hatred. CONTINUED »
