Twitter May Not “Transform Television,” But Its Jump Is Interesting
It’s simple really: Twitter has signed an agreement with a production company to allow them to develop a show based around the service. Stone was vague when it comes to specifics, but it reads like Twitter will have little if anything to do with the show, and really will just lend its name and likeness (perhaps even in the title). It’s similar to what the company has done in the past with Current (for Hack the Debate) and CNN (for its various shows that heavily use the service).

IMG gears games for fashionistas
Franchise to make Fashion Week interactive
The two companies plan to produce a franchise based around the Fashion Weeks that take place around the world, including New York City, Miami, Moscow and Mumbai, and enable gamers to participate in all aspects of the events, from creating their own collections to organizing photo shoots and runway shows with models, designers, stylists, hair and makeup artists.

MTV sets ‘Real World’ bow
22nd season of franchise to begin on June 24
Newest installment takes place in Cancun, Mexico, with eight roommates living in the ME Hotel against a backdrop of newly created and broken friendships. “Cancun” marks the 22 season of “Real World.”

Fox re-imagines hits for local markets
Russian writers working on ‘Man on Fire,’ ‘Girl’
Fox Intl. Prods. will make local-language films based on library titles “Man on Fire” and “Working Girl” for the Russian theatrical marketplace.

‘Real Housewives’ heads to D.C.
Bravo looks to cast locals for fifth season
Bravo is developing a fifth edition of its “Real Housewives” series, to be set in Washington, D.C. The nonscripted franchise, focusing on the lifestyles of upper-crust women in various cities, has shifted its focus eastward since debuting with “The Real Housewives of Orange County” in March 2006.

Business of the Business

Survey: Games trump movie theaters
Ticket sales up, but many U.S. consumers are staying in
In the past six months, 53% of U.S. consumers have gone to the movies, but 63% have played a video game, according to research firm NPD Group.

Warner Bros. bites into iPhone apps
Studio’s digital sector sees great potential in biz
Warner has developed and released about 15 apps so far and is planning to have a total of 40 out by the end of the year. Some will come from its theatrical unit and Warner Interactive, others by outside developers. Warner Digital Distribution director of worldwide marketing Stephanie Bohn says apps represent a profitable and fast-growing business, noting that Morgan Stanley is predicting it could reach $1 billion in sales in 2009.

Warners game for Midway takeover
Studio also nabs ‘Lord of the Rings’ from EA
Warner Bros. is the lead bidder to take over Midway Games, which owns the “Mortal Kombat” franchise, for $33 million. It’s also taking over control of the “Lord of the Rings” franchise from Electronic Arts and will introduce its first game in the series, “Aragorn’s Quest,” at the Electronic Entertainment Expo next month.

Rockstar founders aim for internet
Gamemaker forms new web venture 4mm Games
Rockstar Games company, headed by former Rockstar toppers Jamie King and Gary Foreman as prexy and chief technology officer, respectively, plans to introduce properties online or through such mobile platforms as the iPhone before expanding them to consoles from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo.

Website helps finance pics
Touscoprod.com helps filmmakers raise cash
Paris-based website Touscoprod.com has hit the blogosphere to help film directors and producers finance their films. Launched in January, the website operates on a concept similar to that of MyMajorCompany. Cybernauts can check out the website’s online catalog of feature films, toons, docus and shorts and invest as little as $10 to become co-producers. Touscoprod then gives 80% of film’s profit to co-producers and keeps 20% for the company.

Planet of the Odd

Early Bob Dylan poem up for auction
16-year-old’s ‘Little Buddy’ could bring $15,000
Dylan was just 16 when he wrote “Little Buddy” in the summer of 1957 for the newspaper at Herzl Camp in Webster, Wis. Now the poem is being offered for sale at a Christie’s auction, where it is expected to sell for $10,000 to $15,000 on June 23.

‘Coraline’ musical comes to life
Eccentric tuner set to open big Off Broadway
The unconventional new Off Broadway musical is already selling out the Lucille Lortel theater prior to its June 1 opening.

Voice talent Wayne Allwine dies
Provided the voice of Micke Mouse
Veteran Disney voiceover talent Wayne Allwine, who provided the voice of Mickey Mouse for the past 32 years, died May 18 in Los Angeles from complications to diabetes. He was 62.

‘Springtime’ Hitler spoof hits Berlin
Pre-opening angst wiped away by warm reception
That was the question on everyone’s lips when the curtain went up for “The Producers — Fruehling fuer Hitler (Springtime for Hitler),” Mel Brooks’ no-holds-barred musical spoof of the Third Reich opened to a sell-out crowd’s thunderous standing ovation at the Admiralspalast, led by Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, cheering from the red velvet box built for Adolf Hitler. The Teuton premiere on May 17 helped wipe away pre-opening angst that laughing about Hitler would be too painful — and fears that the musical farce about a Nazi flop on stage might end up being a real-life flop.

The Fine Print

This is by no means meant to be a comprehensive roundup of the entire weeks’ news. All stories are chosen by me for no other reason than that they got my attention and might capture yours. If something you think is more important chime in on the feedback; we’d love to hear comments and have a conversation about it.

Written by Neil Gaiman (listen to our interview here) and directed by Henry Selick, it’s like a geeks dream come true.

Plot from IMDB

Adapted from the Hugo Award-winning, internationally best-selling novel, Coraline is a spine-tingling tale about a curious girl who unlocks a mysterious door in her family’s new home and enters into an adventure in a parallel reality. On the surface, this “Other World” eerily mimics her own life – though it is much more fantastical. In it, Coraline encounters different versions of her own life, including off-kilter neighbors and an Other Mother who attempts to keep her forever. Ultimately, Coraline must rely on her resourcefulness, determination and bravery to get back home.

• New Coraline trailer
• The Graveyard Book gets a director
• Randy the Ram to wrestle for real?
• Resident Evil 4
• World War Z concept art
• Drag Me To Hell
• Red Dwarf returns
• A-Team remake back on
• Adventureland trailer
• Tomb Raider Reboot
• Tin Tin casting