Steven Spielberg

Katharine McPhee cast in Spielberg-produced musical pilot “Smash”

Katharine McPhee

Katharine McPhee divides her time between singing and acting and now she’ll be able to do both. She’s been cast in a pilot for the NBC musical “Smash.” McPhee will join the previously cast Debra Messing (TV’s “Will & Grace”) and Jack Davenport in the project from Dreamworks TV, Universal Media Studios, and none other than Steven Spielberg.

The show will follow the inner workings of a new Broadway musical inspired by screen legend Marilyn Monroe and the characters who come together to make it happen.

The show’s pilot was written by TV writer and playwright Theresa Rebeck. Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer, who also directed Broadway’s “Spring Awakening” and “American Idiot,” will direct.

Tony-winning songwriters Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman have been tasked to write original songs for the possible series. Spielberg is executive producing, along with , Darryl Frank, Justin Falvey, Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

It’s yet to be announced what character McPhee will play, but she was sporting some Monroe-esque hair during her “Unbroken” album release.

She’ll next be seen in the currently-titled “Untitled 3D Shark Thriller,” which opens later this year, and the romantic comedy “You May Not Kiss the Bride.”

The Trailer for Steven Spielberg’s Falling Skies

The Trailer for Steven Spielberg's Falling Skies

The Trailer for Steven Spielberg’s Falling Skies. TNT has revealed a first look at the new series “Falling Skies,” from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg. Premiering in June, “Falling Skies” stars Noah Wyle as a former college professor who becomes the leader of a group of soldiers and civilians struggling against an occupying alien force. Moon Bloodgood co-stars as Anne Glass, a therapist who works with the surviving children to help them cope with the traumatic situation. The series also stars Drew Roy as Hal and Maxim Knight as Matt, Tom’s two sons; and Seychelle Gabriel as Lourdes, an orphaned teenager who helps run the group’s commissary. Will Patton plays a fierce leader of the resistance. Robert Rodat (Saving Private Ryan) wrote the pilot from an idea he co-conceived with Spielberg. The pilot was directed by Carl Franklin. TNT Website

Rumor Has It Fifth Indiana Jones Movie In The Works

Shia LaBoeuf

Rumor Has It Fifth Indiana Jones Movie In The Works. With Transformers 3 wrapping up in Chicago, Shia LaBoeuf’s next project might very well be Indiana Jones 5. At the Deauville Film Festival last year when promoting Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, Harrison Ford mentioned that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg were working on yet another Indy sequel, telling the press, “The story for the new Indiana Jones is in the process of taking form. Steven Spielberg, George Lucas and myself are agreed on what the fifth adventure will concern, and George is actively at work. If the script is good, I’ll be very happy to put the costume on again.” MTV News confirmed that the fifth installment of Indiana Jones is, in fact, coming, and the script is being worked on. No word on a timeline either, for when the film will start production.