J.Lo, Marc Anthony spotted together after split: Former couple were seen together in the back of a red convertible in New York

Peter Kramer  /  AP: Jennifer Lopez & Marc Anthony, who recently announced their split, spotted together on Aug. 10.

 

Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony's divorce proceedings have taken a backseat to their two children, 3-year-old twins Max and Emme.

PHOTOS: Jennifer and Marc in happier times

The former couple, who announced their split July 15, were seen in the backseat of a red convertible near Sagg Main Beach in Southampton, New York, TMZ reports...

PHOTOS of All of J.Lo's exes...

According to 42-year-old Anthony's rep, the Latin crooner was in town to visit his children. (In addition to his two kids with Lopez, Anthony has three additional children: one out of wedlock, and two with his first wife, Dayanara Torres. It's unclear which children Anthony was visiting.)

VIDEO: What went wrong in J.Lo and Marc's marriage?

An insider recently told Us Weekly that Anthony isn't quite over his ex, 42, who signed on for another season of "American Idol" Wednesday.

"His mood shifts from blaming her to begging her to take him back to telling her she is destroying his life," the insider told Us. While hashing out the details of their impending divorce, Anthony was "being difficult on every little point...He wants to prolong things so she reconsiders."

TODAY Celebrities
Copyright 2011 Us Weekly

'Twilight' star arrested for DUI

Kiowa Gordon had active warrant for failure to appear on earlier charges

By Josh Grossberg

(Embry Call, you better call home -- because you're in big trouble, mister).

"Twlight" star Kiowa Gordon, who plays the shapeshifting werewolf in the mega-popular big-screen franchise, was collared on suspicion of drinking and driving Tuesday in Arizona.

We wonder what Team Jacob would have to say about this?

RELATED: Samantha Ronson Dinged for Post-Vegas DUI

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Department confirms that the 21-year-old actor was taken into custody on a DUI "liquor/drugs/vapor" combo. After running his name through the database, deputies discovered an active warrant out for Gordon's arrest for failing to appear in court on previous charges of possession of drug paraphernalia and giving alcohol to minors.
 
Slideshow: ‘Twilight’ stars light up Hollywood 

The actor remains in lockup.

No further information was immediately available.
 
Slideshow: Hollywood’s shirtless studs  

Gordon reprises his role as Embry in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn," the final films based on Stephenie Meyer's romantic-fantasy series. The first of the two-part finale opens Nov. 18.

Maricopa County Sheriff's Office

Kiowa Gordon poses for a mug shot after his arrest on suspicion of DUI and an outstanding warrant.

PICS: Mug-Shot Mania !

 TODAY Celebrities
© 2011 E! Entertainment Television, Inc.

'80s movie sequels we'd like to see: Are you ready for '36 Candles,' or 'Top Gun Soars Again'?

Universal Studios: Imagine "E.T." returning to Earth to save us all -- using Reese's Pieces as currency.

By Craig Berman

TODAY.com contributor

It wasn’t surprising to hear that Cameron Crowe was considering a sequel to the iconic 1989 release ‘Say Anything.” One thing 1980s films produced in abundance were sequels.

From “Raiders of the Lost Ark” to “Back to the Future” to “Beverly Hills Cop” to “The Naked Gun” to “Die Hard” to “Ghostbusters”… let’s just say studio execs weren't above wringing every coin they could out of a movie concept.

 
Story: 'Say Anything' could get a sequel

Crowe resisted that temptation, as did a few of his contemporaries. Here are some 1980s classics that might be prime for a reboot at the multiplex, and what those sequels would look like.

'36 Candles' The stars of "16 Candles" have a few more lights on their cake these days. This sequel imitates real life, which saw actor Michael Shoeffling go from playing Molly Ringwald's crush Jake Ryan to a career in the woodworking business. In “36 Candles,” we catch up with Sam Baker (still played by Ringwald) who followed Jake to Pennsylvania and started a family. It’s all peace and quiet … until her wacky family and former exchange student Long Duk Dong (Gedde Watanabe) arrive for a visit.
 
Story: 'Dirty Dancing' to get Hollywood remake

'Still Pretty in Pink' Let's return to the saga of Andie Walsh (Ringwald) and Blaine McDonough (Andrew McCarthy) of "Pretty in Pink" fame. Believe it or not, all you Team Andie and Duckie diehards, they’re still together, but he’s getting pressure to ditch her for a trophy wife and join the country club scene. And you won’t want to miss what happened to Duckie (Jon Cryer) and that hot girl from the Prom (Kristy Swanson). Let’s just say “reality TV superstars.”

'Some Kind of Real Life' In this sequel to "Some Kind of Wonderful," Keith Nelson (Eric Stoltz) and Watts (Mary Stuart Masterson) are struggling to remember those fairy-tale days of yore. They’re together on the wrong side of the tracks, but had to pawn her earrings to pay the rent. Now that Keith’s taken a job in the corporate world working for old crush Amanda Jones (Lea Thompson), can their marriage hold up under the strain?
 
Story: Bueller, Bueller? Where would Ferris be today?

'E.T. Saves Earth' There’s a YouTube trailer that envisions a sequel to “E.T.” as a horror film, where his countrymen attempt to conquer the Earth. But in our version, NASA and the Hershey Company put up big bucks to fund this more peaceful follow-up, in which the friendly alien returns to save Earth from environmental destruction by bringing in technology from other planets. When the planet is saved after Elliot travels to distant galaxies and trades Reese’s Pieces for futuristic gadgets, interest in space travel and peanut butter candies will both be rekindled.

Who should replace Swayze in 'Dancing' reboot?

'Top Gun Soars Again' Think of a middle-aged Tom Cruise, burned out by the dullness of the post-Cold War air campaigns, revived when Goose’s child wins a spot at the elite flight school. Can he recapture the swashbuckling persona of the 1980s fighter pilot? Or will the memory of that terrible decision he made over the skies of Afghanistan continue to haunt his dreams, and keep him on the ground?

How will @CharlieSheen's character die on 'Men'?

Chris Pizzello / AP

By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper

Warning: Possible spoilers ahead for the season premiere of "Two and a Half Men."

"Two and a Half Men" won't return until Sept. 19, but details about the premiere have been leaking out for some time.

We already heard that the first episode begins with the funeral of Charlie Sheen's character, Charlie Harper, and that only his bowling shirt is left to bury.

But now TMZ.com has reported that Sheen's death is bloody and comes at the hands of a woman.

The site quotes sources who attended last week's taping of the season premiere. They report that Rose (Melanie Lynskey), the neighbor/stalker who flew to Paris with Charlie last season,  found him in the shower with another woman. Shortly after that, he mysteriously "slipped" and fell in front of a Paris subway train. In other words, she helped the infamous cheater "slip."

The term "meat explosion" was used to describe his demise and thus the lack of an open-casket funeral. Rose doesn't appear to have been punished for the push, as she is allowed to speak at the funeral and relate what happened.

We don't know if this is actually how Sheen's character is written off -- some shows have been known to film more than one ending in order to keep the real one secret. But we'll say this, it sure sounds plausible. Death at the hands of a cheated-upon woman, and death so bloody that Charlie Sheen can't be written back into the show? Sounds like show creator Chuck Lorre got his revenge after all. Rest in pieces, Charlie Harper.
The CLICKER on TODAY  

'Dirty Dancing' to get Hollywood remake: Original film's choreographer, Kenny Ortega, has signed on

LOS ANGELES — The classic 1987 film "Dirty Dancing" is getting a remake, adding songs from the 1960s and brand new compositions to some of the original music, film studio Lionsgate said on Monday.

The beloved coming of age movie, starring the late Patrick Swayze as smoldering dance teacher Johnny Castle in a forbidden romance with teenager Jennifer Grey as Frances "Baby" Houseman, will be modernized for a new generation, producers said. Slideshow: Patrick Swayze on film 
Kenny Ortega, the film's original choreographer and the director of the Michael Jackson concert movie "This Is It" and "High School Musical", will direct the new version which has not yet been cast.

"Amazingly it has been almost 25 years since the original film was released, but the fans remain legion, and engaged more than ever with a brand that is special and vital to them. We believe that the timing couldn't be better to modernize this story on the big screen, and we are proud to have Kenny Ortega at the helm," Lionsgate film group president Joe Drake said in a statement.

Swayze died in 2009 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 57. Grey hit the headlines again in 2010 when she won the TV show "Dancing With the Stars".

"Dirty Dancing" won Oscars for best music and best original song for its emotional closing number "(I've Had) The Time of My Life", and has sold more than 10 millions units on DVD, as well as inspiring a hit stage show in London and six other countries.

A "Dirty Dancing" Facebook page has more than 10 million fans, cementing the 1987 movie's status as one of the most beloved movies of modern times.

"Dirty Dancing" is the latest iconic dance film to be revisited. A much-delayed remake of the 1984 film "Footloose" starring newcomer Kenny Wormald and Julianne Hough is due to arrive in movie theaters in October, while an updated version of the 1980 musical "Fame" was a critical flop in 2009.

TODAY Movies 
Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters

Swift, Gomez win big at Teen Choice Awards

Country star Taylor Swift, left, reacts as she accepts the ultimate choice award from actress Emma Stone at the 2011 Teen Choice Awards at the Gibson Amphitheatre in Universal City, calif., on Sunday, Aug. 7. (Chris Pizzello / AP)

Show more slideshows

Dan Steinberg  /  AP

Taylor Swift arrives at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, Aug. 7.

 

By Bob Tourtellotte

LOS ANGELES — Country sensation Taylor Swift and actress/singer Selena Gomez caught major waves at the Teen Choice awards on Sunday, with Swift scooping up six surfboard trophies including one for Ultimate Teen Choice.

Swift, who soared to popularity in 2006 at age 16 with her self-titled debut album, was named the favorite female artist, country singer and red carpet fashion icon. She also scored with best country single for her song "Mean" and choice breakup song "Back to December."

Accepting her Ultimate Teen Choice surfboard onstage, Swift, 21, thanked her fans and joked that "it's been a long time since I was a teenager, like two years."

She noted how teenagers often are teased by adults because they are "intense" or "romantic," but she encouraged kids in the audience and watching at home on the Fox TV network, saying: "I think all those things are amazing things, and to all the teens watching, I hope you never lose those things."

The Teen Choice Awards are an annual stop on Hollywood's award circuit and give actors, musicians and other artists who are popular with kids the chance to thank their fans.

 

• 
  Selena Gomez arrives at the Teen Choice Awards on Sunday, Aug. 7, 2011 in Universal …

Gomez, 19, who performed her hit single "I Love You Like a Love Song" with her band The Scene, won choice TV actress in a drama for her role in "Wizards of Waverly Place." She was also named choice "hottie," and The Scene scored the award for top band and for single of the year with their song "Who Says."

Singer Justin Bieber accepts the award for choice music: male artist

Justin Bieber, Gomez's 17-year-old actor-singer boyfriend, picked up four surfboard-shaped trophies as choice male music artist, male hottie, twit and TV villain for his "CSI" guest starring role. Other multiple winners included "Glee," "The Vampire Diaries," "The Twilight Saga," "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" and Robert Pattinson, who was named choice vampire for his role in the popular "Twilight" romance movies. He was also named best movie actor in a drama.

"The Big Bang Theory" leading lady Kaley Cuoco hosted the 13th annual extravaganza at Universal Studios Hollywood's Gibson Amphitheatre. Between dispensing awards like candy, Cuoco battled "Chuck" star Zachary Levi in table tennis, danced alongside "America's Best Dance Crew" winners Poreotix and jokingly quizzed teenagers about current affairs.

There were moments of seriousness amid the silliness. Sean Kingston made his first live televised appearance since recovering from injuries he suffered after crashing a watercraft into a Miami Beach bridge in May.

And perhaps the most poignant honor was not a Teen Choice surfboard, but a special "Inspire" trophy that went to Demi Lovato, an 18-year-old singer and actress who late last year pulled out of a concert tour to enter rehab for abuse issues.

Since then, Lovato has talked openly about her problems with eating disorders and cutting herself that she linked to being bullied at school when she was younger. And she started a foundation called Love Is Louder Than the Pressure to be Perfect to help kids combat peer pressure.

"You guys are what got me through this last year," she said to screaming fans at the Teen Choice Awards. "Love is louder, I love you guys so much."

1. Don't miss these Entertainment stories
   1. 

      ABC
      It's official: 'Desperate Housewives' to end
      ABC says the eighth and final season will kick off in a way that will allow even fans who may have tuned out the show to be able to jump back in.
   2. Anthony Quinn's actor son Francesco dies at 48
   3. Fairy tales (sort of) meet 'Lost' in 'Once'
   4. 'Dancing' will reveal celeb cast on Aug. 29
   5. Minka: I'm like my 'Charlie's Angels' character

Other winners who picked up surfboard-shaped trophies included Cameron Diaz as choice movie comedy actress for "Bad Teacher," Ellen DeGeneres as choice comedian and Ashton Kutcher as choice romantic comedy movie actor for "No Strings Attached." Before leading the crowd in a singalong of Katy Perry's "Teenage Dream," Kutcher provided some topical advice.

"Don't ever charge anything on a credit card if you don't already have the money in the bank to pay for it," he said.

The ceremony ended with a tribute to the "Harry Potter" film franchise. The final two installments apparently bewitched online voters, winning such categories as choice sci-fi/fantasy movie, liplock, villain for Tom Felton and summer movie star for both Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe, who accepted his surfboard via satellite from New York.

Winners from the 13th annual Teen Choice Awards:

• Choice Movie Action: "Fast Five."
• Choice Movie Actor Action — Johnny Depp, "The Tourist."
• Choice Movie Actress Action — Angelina Jolie, "The Tourist."
• Choice Movie Sci-Fi/Fantasy: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1."
• Choice Movie Actor Sci-Fi/Fantasy: Taylor Lautner, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."
• Choice Movie Actor Romantic Comedy: Ashton Kutcher, "No Strings Attached."
• Choice Movie Actress Romantic Comedy: Emma Stone, "Easy A."
• Choice Movie Actress Comedy — Cameron Diaz, "Bad Teacher."
• Choice Movie Actor Drama: Robert Pattinson, "Water for Elephants."
• Choice Movie Villain: Tom Felton, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1."
• Choice Movie Liplock — Emma Watson and Daniel Radcliffe, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1."
• Choice Movie Hissy Fit: Ed Helms, "The Hangover Part II."
• Choice Movie Male Scene Stealer: Kellan Lutz, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."
• Choice Movie Female Scene Stealer: Ashley Greene, "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse."
• Choice Summer Movie: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2"
• Choice Summer Movie Star Male: Daniel Radcliffe, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2."
• Choice Summer Movie Star Female: Emma Watson, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2."
• Choice TV Show Drama: "Gossip Girl."
• Choice TV Actress Drama: Blake Lively, "Gossip Girl."
• Choice TV Show Fantasy/Sci-Fi: "The Vampire Diaries"
• Choice TV Actor Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Ian Somerhalder, "The Vampire Diaries."
• Choice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-Fi: Nina Dobrev, "The Vampire Diaries."
• Choice TV Male Scene Stealer: Michael Trevino, "The Vampire Diaries."
• Choice TV Female Scene Stealer: Katerina Graham, "The Vampire Diaries."
• Choice TV Villain: Justin Bieber, "CSI."
• Choice TV Reality Show: "Jersey Shore."
• Choice TV Male Reality/Variety Star: Paul "Pauly D" Del Vecchio, "Jersey Shore."
• Choice TV Show Comedy: "Glee."
• Choice TV Actor Comedy: Cory Monteith, "Glee."
• Choice TV Actress Comedy: Selena Gomez, "Wizards of Waverly Place."
• Choice TV Breakout Star: Darren Criss, "Glee."
• Choice Music Male Artist: Justin Bieber.
• Choice Music Female Artist: Taylor Swift.
• Choice Music Group: Selena Gomez and The Scene
• Choice Music Single: "Who Says," Selena Gomez and The Scene.
• Choice Music Female Country Artist: Taylor Swift.
• Choice Music Country Single: "Mean," Taylor Swift.
• Choice Music Love Song: "Love You Like a Love Song," Selena Gomez.
• Choice Music Breakup Song: "Back to December," Taylor Swift.
• Choice Summer Music Star Male: Bruno Mars.
• Choice Summer Music Star Female: Katy Perry.
• Choice Summer Song: "Skyscraper," Demi Lovato.
• Choice Red Carpet Fashion Icon Female: Taylor Swift.
• Choice Male Hottie: Justin Bieber.
• Choice Female Hottie: Selena Gomez.
• Choice Comedian: Ellen DeGeneres.
• Choice Twit: Justin Bieber.
• Choice Vampire: Robert Pattinson.
• Choice Web Star: Rebecca Black.
• Ultimate Choice Award: Taylor Swift.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
TODAY Entertainment 

Happy 100th Birthday LUCY, we #love you!

Unseen Lucy

LIFE.com released never-published photos of the legendary comedienne from its archives in honor of her 100th birthday on Aug. 6.

Awaiting her break

John Florea / Time & Life Pictures

Lucille Ball looks cautiously over her shoulder at the future in this outtake from John Florea's 1942 photo essay on the entertainer, which touted her as being on the brink of fame after a decade of kicking around Hollywood. (This photo, and the next four in this gallery, has never before been published.)

•Life.com: Lucille Ball -- unpublished photos

TODAY.com

Kutcher will play Internet billionaire on 'Men'

•  
• FILE - In this Jan. 20, 2011 file photo, actor Ashton Kutcher attends a special screening.

By FRAZIER MOORE - AP Television Writer
BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — Ashton Kutcher will play "an Internet billionaire with a broken heart" when he arrives as the new star of "Two and a Half Men" next month.

CBS Entertainment Nina Tassler shared this tidbit about the much-anticipated cast change for TV's biggest sitcom during a session with television reporters on Wednesday. Kutcher, of course, will fill the void left by Charlie Sheen, who made a stormy exit from "Men" last season.

Kutcher's character will be named Walden Schmidt, confided the CBS boss, who added that Schmidt has no family connection to the characters played by continuing stars Jon Cryer and Angus T. Jones. They portrayed the brother and nephew of Sheen's departed character.

Tassler would not confirm or deny reports that the new season of "Men" begins with the death of Sheen's character, Charlie Harper, and a funeral.

"The mystery is part of the marketing," she said.

"Men" begins its ninth season on Sept. 19 with the first of a two-part kickoff that establishes Kutcher's character.

Predictably, Tassler voiced excitement about the show's new star.

Kutcher, she said, "is an extraordinarily professional, talented, funny, gifted actor who comes with a tremendous amount of commitment and enthusiasm."

"The show will be as irreverent as it has ever been," she promised. "Our Program Practices people are already on high alert."

Even so, Kutcher and his "Men" co-stars were conspicuously absent from Wednesday's sessions of the Television Critics Association, which was visited by cast members from several of CBS' new fall shows as well as from "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," the veteran crime drama that is welcoming Ted Danson to the fold for its upcoming 12th season.

Asked why the "Men" gang wasn't on hand, Tassler replied that the show is in production. It resumed shooting Monday, and a break for a meeting across town with reporters would have been too disruptive, she explained.

"There is a tremendous amount of energy and focus and attention," Tassler said. "I would be lying if I didn't say when everybody walked on that set on Monday, you could cut the air with a knife."

Kutcher's first week on the job begins a new chapter for "Men" after a tumultuous conclusion to Sheen's eight-season run as a fast-living, womanizing cad. Sheen's portrayal drew inspiration from his own life of sex sprees, serial marriages and substance abuse, which spiraled into clashes with the show's studio as well as its creator, Chuck Lorre, and CBS. He was fired in March and the season was shuttered early.

Tassler was asked what she had learned from that experience.

"Oh, where do I begin?" she replied with mock weariness, but hastily insisted she preferred to look forward, not behind.

Then, when asked if, in the future, CBS might introduce new policies for casting actors who are known for erratic behavior, she cracked, "That would probably be every actor in the business."

YAHOO News 

Honorary Oscars for Oprah, James Earl Jones: makeup artist Dick Smith also on short list to pick up career and humanitarian awards

Julie Jacobson  /  AP

She's got one nomination for "The Color Purple," but now Oprah Winfrey will be able to add another prize to her trophy shelf: An honorary Oscar.

LOS ANGELES — Oprah Winfrey, James Earl Jones and makeup artist Dick Smith will be getting Oscars.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says the three will be honored with Oscar statuettes at the Governors Awards in November. The academy's Board of Governors voted Tuesday to recognize the entertainment industry veterans.

1. Don't miss these Entertainment stories
   1. 

      Splash News, Getty Images
      Rob Lowe transforms into accused killer cop
      It was difficult to fathom how the actor could become Drew Peterson, but new photos show the movie magic at work.
   2. Damon schools reporter on view of teachers
   3. Harrison Ford smacks around Smurfs
   4. Bueller, Bueller? Where would Ferris be today?
   5. Sheen's 'Men' character dead and buried?

Winfrey will receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, which honors philanthropic and humanitarian contributions. The 57-year-old media mogul, who was nominated for a supporting actress Oscar for 1985's

"The Color Purple," supports various charitable and educational causes, including her own namesake foundations and Academy for Girls in South Africa.

Jones and Smith will receive honorary Oscars for their outstanding careers.
 
Story: Did Jenny McCarthy ditch Oprah's network?

Jones has appeared in more than 50 films. The 80-year-old actor — voice of Darth Vader — was nominated for an Academy Award in 1971 for "The Great White Hope." His other credits include "Field of Dreams," "Patriot Games" and "The Hunt for Red October."

Smith was NBC's first makeup man when he started his career in 1945. He won an Oscar in 1984 for his work on "Amadeus" and was nominated again in 1989 for "Dad." Known as the "godfather of makeup," he also worked on "The Godfather," "The Exorcist" and "Taxi Driver." Smith also helped train many of today's top movie makeup artists.

Smith, Jones and Winfrey will receive their statuettes on Nov. 12 at the 3rd annual Governors Awards dinner at the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center, just above the Kodak Theatre, where the Academy Awards are presented.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press.
TODAY Movies 

'Captain America' shoots down 'Harry Potter' Magic fades from wizard finale as superhero flick pulls in $65.8 million

 By Lisa Richwine

LOS ANGELES — Superhero movie "Captain America: The First Avenger" triumphed at the U.S. and Canadian box offices with $65.8 million in weekend ticket sales as the magic faded from the final "Harry Potter" film's record-breaking debut.

The strong opening for "Captain America" topped expectations in its battle against the hugely successful "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2," which saw its massive opening-weekend audience from last week shrink by 72 percent.

The final installment in the popular "Potter" series took in $48.1 million over its second weekend in domestic (U.S. and Canadian) theaters, plus $121.3 million internationally, distributor Warner Bros. said Sunday.
 
Story: Why 'Batman' is way cooler than 'Captain America'

Romantic comedy "Friends with Benefits" starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis, took the No. 3 spot over three days with $18.5 million domestically, a solid start for a film that cost about $34 million to produce, according to Sony Pictures studio.

Box office results

1. For the weekend of July 22-24 1. "Captain America: The First Avenger," $65.8 million ($2.8 million international).
   2. "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2," $48 million ($121.3 million international).
   3. "Friends With Benefits," $18.5 million.
   4. "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," $12 million ($62 million international).
   5. "Horrible Bosses," $11.7 million.
   6. "Zookeeper," $8.7 million.
   7. "Cars 2," $5.7 million ($17.7 million international).
   8. "Winnie the Pooh," $5.1 million.
   9. "Bad Teacher," $2.6 million.
   10. "Midnight in Paris," $1.9 million.
   

"Captain America" drew a 64 percent male audience to the film set in the 1940s, about a scrawny, bullied orphan transformed into a muscular superhero thanks to a serum developed by the government. He is the latest Marvel comic book character to hit the big screen before the superheroes join forces in next year's film "The Avengers."
 
Story: Captain America villain takes on Mark Zuckerberg

The success against the "Harry Potter" finale "was well beyond what anybody was expecting," said Don Harris, executive vice president of distribution for Paramount Pictures, which released "Captain America." The film drew positive reviews and "had a retro look to it" that appealed to moviegoers even after a summer filled with superhero flicks, he said.

For the eighth and final "Harry Potter" movie in the series about a British boy wizard battling against evil, sales dropped sharply, as expected, after avid fans had rushed to see the movie when it debuted. The film broke records around the world including best opening weekend ever in the domestic and international markets.
 
Slideshow: Best and worst superhero costumes  

The film's total ticket sales now stand at $274.2 million in domestic theaters and $560.4 million internationally, for a combined total of $834.6 million.

Other top films for the weekend were big-budget Hollywood film "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" at No. 4 with $12 million, and adult-oriented comedy "Horrible Bosses" at No. 5 with $11.7 million.

"Captain America" and "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" were released by Paramount Pictures, a unit of Viacom Inc. Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc, distributed "Deathly Hallows - Part 2" and "Horrible Bosses." "Friends with Benefits" is from Screen Gems, a unit of Sony Corp.

TODAY Entertainment 
Copyright 2011 Thomson Reuters.

Miley Cyrus latest celeb invited to Marine ball: 'Terminator' star Linda Hamilton offers to accept invitation Betty White turned down

Miley Cyrus has been invited to the Marine Corps ball.

 By Gina Serpe

If there's one person we expect to step up to her patriotic dating duty, it's the girl who famously paid tribute to partying in the U.S.A.

But still...is it just us, or after all that serving and protecting they do so well, does it seem like the men and women of the Marine Corps like nothing better than to relax in front of a video camera and ask out the A-list celebrity of their choice?
 

As we wait for it to slowly surpass baseball as the nation's favorite pastime, another Marine has bravely stepped up to the plate to ask out his celeb crush. Let's just say, if Betty White was one extreme, this is the other. So, after Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake and the Golden Girl herself, who's next up ?

Hey, Miley Cyrus, come on down!


The teen dream scored the latest invite to one of the Marine Corps balls, this time for the Nov. 12 party being held at SoCal's Camp Pendleton. She certainly got the most convenient offer of the bunch.

"An amazing tradition has just begun: Marines asking celebrities out to the Marine Corps Ball. On Nov. 12, 2011, I, PFC Hart, would like to take a date, a proud American, Miley Cyrus, out to the Marine Corps Ball in beautiful southern California. Camp Pendleton. Please, Miley Cyrus, this one's for you girl," the young Marine said in his video, before cutting to Miley's "Party in the U.S.A." track.
 
While Hart (and the rest of the nation) await Miley's answer, another star has stepped up to pick up the slack (and broken heart) left in the wake of Betty White's classy bow-out from her ball invite.

MORE: Watch Justin accept his patriotic duty

Matching Sgt. Ray Lewis' own fitnesstastic video proposal (for an Oct. 29 gala in Texas), none other than Terminator star Linda Hamilton turned the tables and volunteered herself (in a YouTube video, of course) to escort the dateless Marine.

Linda Hamilton to Marine rejected by Betty White: Take me to the ball

"Hi Ray. My name is Linda Hamilton, I don't know if you know who I am, but rumor has it that you like your actresses vintage," she said. "So I thought I would just take a shot here, try to find you.

"My eyes are puffy from crying all night long. It was just a terrible night thinking about you and this situation and then Betty called, and I talked to her for hours, and she I know she feels terrible...I just decided that I would try to reach out to you and just say, 'Look, I know that I am no Betty White, but I would be really, really thrilled if you can't find anybody else--I know that's unlikely--but if you can' t find anyone else to go to the ball with you, I could go.' "
 
Story: Betty White declines Marine's invite to ball

And Hamilton had her sales pitch all ready to go.

"Now, I'm no Betty White. I'm only half as 'mature' as she is--wink, wink--but I'm twice as funny, so I think that works out. I don't want to get pitiful, so I'm gonna go now...But please take me to the ball, please, please, Ray. Call me."

Ball's in your court, Ray. Er, ball date, to be more precise.
TODAY Celebrities

Lindsay Lohan returning to Court for case checkup

LOS ANGELES (AP) — For the first time in more than a year, Lindsay Lohan is returning to a Los Angeles courtroom without the expectation of major drama.

The 25-year-old actress is scheduled to appear at a routine case review conference with a judge who is overseeing her probation for drunken driving and misdemeanor theft cases.

Court officials say nothing has been filed indicating Lohan has violated her probation. She has appeared in court numerous times since last July, when she was jailed and ordered into rehab for failing to attend alcohol education classes. Since then, she has been jailed again, arrested for taking a necklace without permission, sent to another rehab and served 35 days on house arrest.

If the "Mean Girls" star stays out of trouble, her probation may end this year.
YAHOO News 

Comic-Con kicks off with fans, flicks, costumes

• 
  - In this July 23, 2010 file photo, Comic-Con attendees dressed in Star Wars
  
  By SANDY COHEN - AP Entertainment Writer | AP
  
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Calling all superheroes, zombies, space aliens, comic-book lovers and kids of all ages: Comic-Con is here.

The pop-culture convention, which annually draws thousands of costumed fans to San Diego, begins Thursday, but the die-hards (and those with weekend-long passes) will get a peek at the colorful convention floor on Wednesday night.

Hundreds of exhibitors and more than 130,000 guests are expected to pack the San Diego Convention Center for the sold out, four-day event.

"The people who go through those doors, most of them are film fans and fans of pop culture, be it video games or movies or television shows, T-shirts or comic books, it's all part of this big cultural stew," says filmmaker Jon Favreau, who will premiere his latest flick, "Cowboys & Aliens," at Comic-Con. "These are people who normally interact with one another through the Internet ... Then when you finally open it up to meeting in person, it just concentrates that experience."

The blogosphere is already abuzz about some of the offerings at this year's Comic-Con, where Hollywood continues to command a headlining presence.

"Captain America" will play in San Diego for a full day before its nationwide opening Friday, and star Chris Evans is set to introduce the earliest screening. "Cowboys & Aliens" will hold its world premiere at Comic-Con on Saturday — a festival first. Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson are coming to the convention to talk about "The Adventures of Tin-Tin"; Sony is offering a peek at "The Amazing Spider-Man"; and the "Twilight" trio — Kristen Stewart, Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson — will again greet their fans at the Con.

TV-wise, "True Blood," ''Game of Thrones" and "The Walking Dead" are big draws, while new shows such as "Person of Interest," ''Grimm" and "Terra Nova" will present preview footage and introduce their casts in an aim to attract viewers before their fall premieres.

New video games are also expected to score big at Comic-Con, where players can get an early look at sci-fi shooters "Halo" and "Gears of War 3" and the latest "Batman" and "Spider-Man" games.

"Comic-Con is this incredible celebration of the arts, and the arts spans movies, television, video games — which are incredibly artistic now. It's toys, it's collectibles, it is straight comics and graphic novels," says documentarian Morgan Spurlock, who made a movie about Comic-Con and will introduce its companion photo book at this year's festival. "It is this cornerstone of pop culture that has so much influence now."

___

Online:

comic-con.org

___

AP Entertainment Writer Sandy Cohen can be reached @APSandy (Twitter)

YAHOO News