The daily gossip: SyFy is letting fans name the Sharknado sequel, and more
5 top pieces of celebrity gossip — from the highest-paid actor in Hollywood to Ron Howard's Inferno adaptation
1. SyFy is letting fans name the Sharknado sequel
SyFy's Sharknado may have been an unspectacular ratings performer, but the internet chatter about the made-for-TV movie was so extensive that the channel has officially greenlit a sequel — and this time, SyFy is letting fans come up with their own MadLibs-esque title. The network has announced a Twitter contest to replace current title Sharknado 2, presumably because after a week of trying, no one working for SyFy could come up with anything as wonderfully ridiculous as Sharknado (though Ghost Shark is a pretty good try). [The Wrap]
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2. Robert Downey Jr. is the highest-paid actor in Hollywood
In news sure to shock anyone that doesn't know Iron Man 3 made $1.2 billion (and counting!), Forbes has revealed that Robert Downey Jr. is the highest-paid actor in Hollywood, with an estimated $75 million in earnings over the past year. Downey beat out actors including Hugh Jackman, Channing Tatum, and Mark Wahlberg to claim the top spot, proving yet again that superheroes still win out over warbling Frenchmen, shredded male strippers, and dudes who hang out with stoner teddy bears. [Forbes]
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3. Sony announces another Dan Brown adaptation for you to be bummed out about
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Ron Howard's film adaptations of Dan Brown novels The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons were the blockbuster equivalent of cotton candy: Consumed by everyone, for reasons none of us could fully explain (and despite an utter lack of nutritional value). But because it likes money, Sony Pictures is moving ahead with an adaptation of Dawn Brown's Inferno anyway, with Tom Hanks set to reprise the role of symbolist Robert Langdon — presumably because they still couldn't talk Harrison Ford into doing it. [Deadline]
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4. Don't worry, there won't be a The Hills reunion anytime soon
Because the modern TV landscape just doesn't have enough reality series about spoiled, vapid people, MTV has been re-broadcasting former hits Laguna Beach and The Hills, which has led to ominous rumblings about a reunion. But don't cancel your cable just yet; in an interview with Us Weekly, star Lauren Conrad said there are no plans to reunite the series' casts. But unfortunately, that doesn't mean she's not open to the idea. "I didn't know anybody wanted a reunion!" exclaimed Conrad, which is probably because we don't. [Us Weekly]
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5. Queen Elizabeth II is sick of waiting for the royal baby, too
People around the world are eagerly anticipating the impending birth of Prince William and Kate Middleton's baby — and none more so than gossip columnists, who are living in constant fear that the little royal bundle of joy will arrive at four in the morning. But there's one high-profile contender who's just as ready for the royal baby: Queen Elizabeth II, who recently told a subject that she would "very much like it to arrive" before she goes on holiday. So pick up the pace already, baby, the queen has a beach to sit on. [Mirror]
Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.
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