HOLLYWOOD

Bette Midler

HOLLYWOOD — Now that “The Twilight Saga” is over, Robert Pattinson can take that long-awaited rest, right? Wrong! He’s lined up four films, back to back. He first heads to Australia to film “The Rover” with “Mildred Pierce” Emmy-winner Guy Pearce. Then he’ll be directed by Werner Herzog and co-star with Naomi Watts in “Queen of the Desert,” shooting late this fall. When Pattinson agreed to play Eric Maddox, who wrote the book “Mission: Blacklist” about the capture of Saddam Hussein, he spent a lot of time with Maddox, focusing on the book and the man he’ll be playing. Last, as a change of pace, Rob will literally hook up with Carey Mulligan in “Hold on to Me,” which promises Rob will be shirtless much of the time. That should give him and Kristen Stewart a chance to miss each other.
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“The Divine Miss M,” aka Bette Midler, hits your local theaters on Christmas Day, co-starring with Billy Crystal in “Parental Guidance.” She recently told the L.A. Times, “I was glad ‘Parental Guidance’ was a studio picture. A lot of stuff I get offered is made for like 15 cents and two nickels.” Which translates to: She’d like to work more in films, but isn’t offered films she wants to make. Oscar-winner Marisa Tomei and Tom Everett Scott co-star. Midler and Crystal have to take care of their three grandchildren, and that’s when the fun starts.
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Ryan Gosling follows the $75 million “Gangster Squad” (out in January), starring Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Nick Nolte and Emma Stone, with the $3.5 million low-budget film “Only God Forgives,” opposite Kristen Scott Thomas. In preparation to play an Englishman living in Bangkok, Gosling had daily two-to-three-hour sessions in Muay Thai combat training. The film was written and will be directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, who directed “Drive,” for which he was named Best Director at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Kristen Scott Thomas plays “a merciless and terrifying mafia godmother.” Refn would’ve made this film in 2009, but Gosling asked him to direct “Drive” instead. Obviously, to invest so much time studying the combat sport Mauy Thai for such a low-budget picture proves money isn’t what ‘Drive'(s) him!
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BITS & PIECES: In September, filming began on “The Hangover III.” In addition to Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zack Galifanakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong and Heather Graham returning, “Bridesmaids” and “Mike and Molly” star Melissa McCarthy has been added.

Anderson Cooper’s talk show has been canceled, while Disney may be planning to bring back “Boy Meets World” as a sequel series with Ben Savage and Danielle Fishel.

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