NBC & Producer Peter Traugott To Adapt Israeli Drama Series Pillars Of Smoke

EXCLUSIVE: Israeli formats continue to be a hot commodity. In a competitive situation, NBC has landed the rights to Israeli mystery drama Timrot Ashan, aka Pillars of Smoke, for Peter Traugott’s recently launched UMS-based production company to produce. Search is already underway for a writer to adapt the series created by Noah Stollman and Oded Davidoff, which is often referred to as Israel’s Lost. Described as Twin Peaks meets Northern Exposure meets Lost, the original Pillars of Smoke is an offbeat mysteryseries set inIsrael’s remote, rural Golan Heights. When the members of a remote cult disappear leaving no traces behind, a police investigation slowly uncoversthe darkestsecrets of the region and its inhabitants, as well asa grander political conspiracy and environmental disaster from which the cult members are attempting to escape. Traugott will executive produce the NBC version with his development executive Rachel Kaplan. Also executive producing is Alon Aranya, who owns the rights to the original series and brought it to the U.S. The original series was produced by Herzlia Studios, whose Roy Machnes and Taliah Shahar are also attached to the remake. Timrot Ashan premiered in 2009 on Israeli’s Hot TV network, with a second season slated for this year. The project was packaged by Gersh’s Rob Golenberg. Over the last few years, there have been four U.S. scripted series based on Israeli formats: HBO’s In Treatment, CBS’ The Ex List, Fox’s Traffic Light and Showtime’s upcoming Homeland. Additionally, HBO is developing an adaptation of Israeli mystery drama The Naked Truth with former Dexter showrunner Clyde Phillips. That format also was brought over by Aranya, who is exec producing alongside Phillips.

Box Office Report: 'The Help' Needs No Help Against Its Competition

DreamWorks and Participant Media holdover The Assistance is on the right course to win the weekend box office race and outperform a crowded pack of recent films, including Conan the Barbarian and Fright Evening.our editor recommendsBox Office Preview: 'The Help' Eyes No. 1 Box Office Report: 'Fright Night' Makes $400K on Thursday NightOne Day's Hathaway As Catwoman: People Did not Think I Possibly Could 'Pull Off' British Accent (Video)'Conan the Barbarian': How Jason Momoa Ready for the Role (Video) Early estimations suggest The Assistance will earn $18 to $19 million for that weekend and put No. one in its second outing. It's rare for any film to spread out at No. 2 after which claim first squeeze next weekend (The Blind Side is really a recent example). PHOTOS: How 'The Help' Was Cast Friday's race itself was searching just like a mash-up between five films: The Assistance, twentieth century Fox's holdover Rise from the Planet from the Apes, Lionsgate's Conan the Barbarian, Dimension Films' Spy Kids: Constantly on the planet in 4D and DreamWorks' vampire pic Fright Evening, which all looked to gross within the $4 million to $5.5 million range. PHOTOS: The Evolution of Film Vampires of the underworld But Help and Apes are required to drag ahead on Saturday or sunday, and finished the weekend at No. 1 with no. 2. Conan the Barbarian and Spy Kids: Constantly on the planet are searching to stay in a detailed race for that weekend having a forecasted gross of $12 million to $13 million each, while Spy Kids has become forecasted to gross $12 million to $13 million for that weekend. COVER STORY: Producer Avi Lerner: Probably The Most Unlikely Movie Mogul Fright Evening, starring Colin Farrell and Anton Yelchin, seems to become trailing Spy Kids and Conan, but box office experts caution the selection could easily change if among the films gains traction according to good person to person. Focus Features' Hathaway As Catwoman-Jim Sturgess romantic drama Eventually is beginning off slow, but continues to be likely to hit its target goal of $six million for that weekend. Related Subjects Hathaway As Catwoman Anton Yelchin Colin Farrell Jessica Alba Joel McHale Viola Davis Worldwide Box Office Emma Stone Conan the Barbarian The Assistance Fright Evening Eventually Octavia Spencer

'Brother,' golf lift CBS on Sunday

CBS cruised to a primetime ratings victory Sunday, as a golf overrun led to higher-than-usual ratings. Its ''Big Brother'' was the No. 1 show in demos, while ABC scored with a country music special but Fox struggled with its new sketch comedy series. Preliminary Nielsen national estimates for CBS are murky due to a roughly 64-minute overrun from golf's PGA Championship, which resulted in the sliding of the net's lineup in most of the country. In the evening's opening hour, golf did a 1.7/6 in 18-49 and 9.3 million viewers overall, significantly outperforming the summer demo average of ''60 Minutes.'' The newsmag then followed at 8 o'clock in most of the country (2.0/6 in 18-49, 7.9 million viewers overall), followed by ''Big Brother'' at 9 (2.5/6 in 18-49, 7.2 million viewers overall) and ''Same Name'' at 10 (1.5/4 in 18-49, 4.8 million viewers overall). The Eye won the night in demos as well as total viewers, logging its best Sunday averages of summer. ABC drew tiny numbers kicking off the night with the special ''I Am First: Science is Rock and Roll'' (0.5/2 in 18-49, 2.2 million viewers overall) before picking up nicely with the three-hour concert special ''CMA Music Festival: Country's Night to Rock'' (1.6/5 in 18-49, 7.0 million viewers overall), which was down a tick in 18-49 from last year's airing on a Wednesday while logging its second largest overall audience in six years. At Fox, repeats of comedies ''American Dad'' (1.0/3 in 18-49, 2.1 million viewers overall), ''Bob's Burgers'' (0.9/3 in 18-49, 1.9 million viewers overall), ''The Simpsons'' (1.4/4 in 18-49, 3.0 million viewers overall) and ''Family Guy'' (1.7/5 in 18-49, 3.5 million viewers overall) were followed by the debut of ''In the Flow with Affion Crockett,'' which settled for a 1.2/3 in 18-49 and 2.5 million viewers overall from 9 to 10. It beat NBC's ''Marriage Ref'' but finished well behind CBS (whose ''Big Brother'' was its surprise competition due to golf) and ABC. NBC ran fourth in demos even though ''Dateline'' was on the high side (1.2/4 in 18-49, 6.5 million viewers overall), taking advantage of its lack of ''60 Minutes'' competition in most of the country to rack up its best demo score for a Sunday edition since May and its largest overall audience for the newsmag on the night since March 2009. The net then dropped off from there, but remained steady with a repeat ''Minute to Win It'' (0.9/3 in 18-49, 3.5 million viewers overall) and original episodes of ''Marriage Ref'' at both 9 (0.9/2 in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall) and 10 (0.9/2 in 18-49, 2.7 million viewers overall). Preliminary 18-49 averages for the night: CBS, 1.9/5; ABC, 1.4/4; Fox, 1.2/4; Univision, 1.1/3; NBC, 1.0/3. In total viewers: CBS, 7.3 million; ABC, 5.8 million; NBC, 3.8 million; Univision, 3.1 million; Fox, 2.6 million. Contact Rick Kissell at rick.kissell@variety.com

Hilary Duff Is Pregnant!

LOS ANGELES, Calif. -- Hilary Duff and her husband, Mike Comrie, are celebrating more than their one-year anniversary this weekend they have a baby on the way. This weekend, Mike and I are celebrating our 1 year anniversary I cant believe it has already been a year, time really flies when youre having fun! Hilary wrote on her Facebook page. We also want to share the exciting news that BABY MAKES THREE!!! We are extremely happy and ready to start this new chapter of our lives, she continued. Thanks to everyone for the continued love and support throughout the years! This will be the first child for pair, who married in Santa Barbara, Calif., last year after first meeting at an Idaho resort in 2007. Back in May, Hilary said she and her professional hockey player husband werent in a rush to become parents, but had discussed the idea. We talk about it. Yes, were excited to do that, but I want to work a little bit more, Hilary told Billy Bush and Kit Hoover at the time, when asked if she and Mike were planning to have children during an interview on Access Hollywood Live. Im tossing around the idea of making another record and obviously that wouldnt be very good timing, the former Lizzie McGuire star continued. We want it, were excited for it, but I think it can wait just a little while longer. She added that while Mike was enthusiastic about adding to their family, he was completely behind her decision to wait. Hes supportive of me, he knows that Im still young and if I want to work more, hes totally supportive of that, she added. Copyright 2011 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Spotlight on Training Abroad

Duncan Stewart, director of casting at National Artists Management Company, talks about opening every submission and what he wants to see in a headshot.; casting; Duncan Stewart; headshot; new york city; open submissions; Duncan Steward, director of casting, talks about what he wants from an actor in a general meeting, mainly truth, likability, and lack of ego.; advice; casting; Duncan Stewart; new york city; tips; Duncan Stewart, director of casting, talks about what he expects from an audition and common mistakes actors make.; advice; auditions; casting; Duncan Stewart; new york city; Alaine Alldaffer breaks down the real role of a casting direcor.; Alaine Alldaffer; casting; casting director; Grey Gardens; play; stage; theater; Casting director Alaine Alldaffer talks about casting "Saved" and all the misconceptions about being an actor in New York City.; Alaine Alldaffer; casting director; NYC theatre; play; saved; NY casting director Bernie Telsey describes what actors need to know before walking into an audition. (Part 1 of 2) ; Bernie Telsey; casting director; We spoke with casting director Mark Teschner about working on soap operas. (Part 1 of 3) ; General Hospital; Mark Teschner; soap opera; NY casting director Bernie Telsey describes how to give your best audition. (Part 2 of 2) ; Bernie Telsey; casting director; We spoke with casting director Mark Teschner about working on soap operas. Need only beautiful people apply? (Part 2 of 3) ; General Hospital; Mark Teshner; soap opera; We spoke with casting director Mark Teschner about auditioning for soap operas. (Part 3 of 3) ; General Hospital; Mark Teschner; soap opera; Videos for the Back Stage News & Features section.

Don't Worry, the Best Part of Total Recall Will Show Up in Len Wiseman's Remake

Director Len Wiseman may not be taking Colin Farrell’s Doug Quaid to Mars in his “realistic,” more Philip K. Dicksian Total Recall remake, and his version may be “a hard PG-13” instead of the original film’s R-rating. But rest assured, he’s staying true to the best part of Paul Verhoeven’s Arnie-starring 1990 classic: The three-breasted woman. “You can’t make a Total Recall without certain things,” Wiseman told Collider at Comic-Con. Indeed. [Collider]