After Spears’ Dublin concert, a fan was thrown off a fairground ride outside the venue. By Kara Warner Britney Spears Photo: Danny Martindale/Getty Images Britney Spears expressed her condolences Tuesday (October 25) to the family of a fan who died after attending her concert Monday in Dublin, Ireland. Siobhan Healy, 31, was on a fairground ride called the Tip Top outside the concert venue when she was thrown to the ground and killed instantly. According to the U.K.’s Daily Mail, Healy had attended Spears’ concert earlier in the evening at the nearby O2 arena. “I was saddened to hear of the tragic accident in Dublin,” Spears tweeted Tuesday. “My heart goes out to the family. –Britney” A family friend told the paper that the accident has devastated the residents of Healy’s hometown of Willsborough. “The community is very shocked,” Michael McGreal said. “I know her family very well, we are all very upset.” An investigation has been launched to find out what caused the accident, with some speculating that the recent severe weather that has swept through Ireland might have been a contributing factor. Kenneth McFadden, the owner of the company that runs the Tip Top ride, also expressed his condolences. “We can’t say [what happened], it all happened so quick,” he said. “We are just in bits at the moment, we are just devastated.” McFadden also told the Daily Mail that he has had the Tip Top ride for nearly five years and never experienced any problems with it. Related Artists Britney Spears
Unbroken singer tells MTV News that fans can expect Lady Gaga, Maroon 5 covers; hints at plans for 2012 world tour. By Christina Garibaldi Demi Lovato Photo: MTV News Demi Lovato has been hitting a lot of high notes lately. On Monday, the “Skyscraper” singer sang the national anthem at the World Series , she’ll be performing alongside Lady Gaga at Z100’s Jingle Ball concert in December and she’s gearing up to hit the road for 10 tour dates beginning next month. “[I’m] very excited,” Lovato told MTV News about heading out for the first time since leaving the Jonas Brothers’ tour to seek treatment for personal issues last November. The 19-year-old has already given fans a sneak peek at what can expect from her during two recent shows in New York and in Los Angeles. “We’re gonna do the same show, but a little bit different … better and bigger, and my fans just have to come check it out,” Lovato said of the dates beginning November 16 in Detroit. “We were just experimenting with the show and trying to see how it all played out and give my fans something that will bait them in for the tour.” Lovato will be performing songs off her Unbroken album, plus her fan favorite rendition of Lil Wayne’s “How to Love.” But Wayne won’t be the only artist she covers onstage. “I’m thinking of maybe a Maroon 5 or Lady Gaga cover,” Lovato revealed. “I like ‘Born this Way’ and ‘Moves Like Jagger,’ I’d want to perform one of those.” If Lovato isn’t heading to your hometown this time around, no need to worry, it looks like she’ll be back on the road sooner than expected. “I’m planning on a world tour next year,” Lovato told us. While it’s still unconfirmed when Lovato will kick off that world tour, she already has an opening act in mind. “You know who I did see the other day on the Internet was that little girl Sophia Grace,” Lovato said of the eight-year-old U.K. sensation who gained YouTube fame with her cover of Nicki Minaj’s “Super Bass.” “She’s so cute, maybe she can open up for me,” Demi said. Apart from singing skills, Grace and Lovato have at least one more thing in common: their love for Nicki Minaj. “I just love that she can rap and sing,” Lovato said of the Queens rapper. “You know, a lot of people can just rap and she can rap and sing and she has a really good voice. She’s fun; she doesn’t take herself too seriously. A lot of artists take themselves way too seriously. It’s hard to find artists that just want to have fun these days, and that’s what she does.” Does that mean Demi would want Minaj to hit the road with her? “She would be amazing. I would be opening up for her though,” Lovato laughed. Will you catch Demi on tour? Let us know in the comments! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Demi Lovato Related Photos The Evolution Of: Demi Lovato Related Artists Demi Lovato
‘You’ve heard the Lone Ranger’s story; you just haven’t heard it from this guy,’ Gore Verbinski tells MTV News. By Kara Warner Gore Verbinski Photo: MTV News Now that Disney, Gore Verbinski and Johnny Depp have ironed out most of the budget kinks surrounding their production of ” The Lone Ranger ,” we can all rest easy that the masked man and his trusty sidekick Tonto are headed to the big screen soon. When MTV News caught up with Verbinski at the Hollywood Awards Gala last night, where his quirky animated film “Rango” received the Hollywood Animation Award, we asked how he was feeling about the film and what his plans are for the adaptation. “I feel great. We’re not shooting a Western in the middle of winter; the whole thing is pushed into a more reasonable time of year, so now we have to go make the movie,” Verbinski said, speaking to the film’s new May 31, 2013, release date. “There’s been a lot of talk. Hopefully in a year and a half we’ll have something we can talk about.” Verbinski went on to say that he’s been hard at work on the screenplay for two years and that the central character is not the Ranger. “It’s all built around Tonto,” he said. “You’ve heard the Lone Ranger’s story; you just haven’t heard it from this guy. He was there.” Depp has already teased that their take on the beloved duo’s western adventures will be “interesting,” to say the least. “I like the character. I think I have interesting plans for the character, and I think the film itself could be entertaining and very funny,” he said. “But also I like the idea of having the opportunity to make fun of the idea of the Indian as a sidekick — which has always been [the case] throughout the history of Hollywood. The Native American has always been a second-class, third-class, fourth-class citizen, and I don’t see Tonto that way at all. So it’s an opportunity for me to salute Native Americans.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com .
‘I’m a fan of it, separate myself from making it. … Can’t wait,’ Wiz tells Mixtape Daily. By Rob Markman Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa Photo: MTV News The O.D.: A Mixtape Exclusive Sure, Wiz Khalifa was only 5 years old when Snoop Dogg first stepped onto the scene as a guest on Dr. Dre’s 1992 classic “Deep Cover,” but the two cannabis-loving MCs won’t let their respective ages get in the way of collaboration. Wiz and Snoop will star alongside each other in the upcoming Dylan Brown-directed stoner comedy “Mac and Devin Go to High School” as well as on its smoked-out soundtrack. Mixtape Daily caught up with the Doggfather and Khalifa on the set for “Young, Wild and Free,” the soundtrack’s official first single, and got the scoop on the rest of the LP. “We got the homey Juicy J on the soundtrack, we got Curren$y on the soundtrack, but mainly it’s just me and Dogg,” Wiz revealed. Overall, Khalifa is just hyped up to work with one of his idols. They linked on Wiz’s “Black & Yellow” remix, Snoop’s “This Weed Iz Mine,” as well as a bunch of underground songs like “That Good” and “French Inhale.” “It’s a real big deal because nobody’s done it like that as far as a veteran in the game, an OG, a pioneer and then the newest, youngest, most exciting dude in rap coming through and really just giving people a complete project,” Wiz said. “I’m a fan of it, separate myself from making it, [I’m] a huge fan of it. Can’t wait.” As far as the musical vibe of the soundtrack, a laidback Snoop tried his best to describe it. “It’s something to relax you and get you through the day; it’s some real good music. The music is quality, I don’t even have no title for it, as far as what kinda music is it, it’s centric, it’s …,” Dogg said searching for the right words before his partner-in-rhyme lent a hand. “Eclectic,” Wiz chimed in. “Yeah, that’s probably what it is,” Snoop finished. For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines . Related Artists Snoop Dogg Wiz Khalifa
Six-minute-long prologue footage will reportedly only be shown at theaters with high-resolution 70mm IMAX screens. By Kevin P. Sullivan Christian Bale and Tom Hardy film “The Dark Knight Rises” Photo: Jared Wickerham/ Getty Images It is almost certain now that the Dark Knight will be rising sooner than expected. As MTV News reported last week, there was a rumor circulating that a six-minute prologue to the upcoming Christopher Nolan Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises,” would play before IMAX showings of “Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol.” The presentation was, in theory, supposed to be similar to the Joker’s reveal that played before IMAX screenings of “I Am Legend” in 2008. The rumor remained just that until theater chain AMC released a statement on their blog that reads: “The six-minute Dark Knight Rises prologue footage will only be shown on the higher resolution 70mm IMAX screens. Not the digital IMAX screens. Locations haven’t been confirmed yet, so stay tuned for an update on AMC Theatre locations that will be showing the prologue Dark Knight Rises footage at a 70mm IMAX screen nearest you.” AMC’s statement aligned with the original rumor that had been posted on /Film , but news of the clip only showing on the “higher resolution 70mm IMAX screens” was an unexpected bit of information, though not entirely surprising. Nolan is known for his meticulous control over his films, so insisting on the higher res for the preview makes sense. This detail from the AMC post may spell trouble for some fans. If the report is accurate, the prologue will play on far fewer screens than initially expected. The digital IMAX screens tend to be more common than the 70mm format ones, so some fans may have to travel further than expected for their first glimpse at “The Dark Knight Rises.” The post was the most solid confirmation yet about the footage, but it was soon removed. A new statement was issued by AMC, stating, “The information in this post has been retracted until further notice. Please refer to Warner Bros. for any information about The Dark Knight Rises.” If AMC was confident enough to confirm the rumors, the prologue seems like more or less a certainty. The redaction by Warner Bros. could have to do with how they typically release Batman info. With “The Dark Knight,” the “Why So Serious” marketing campaign involved highly complicated tasks that rewarded fans with content, like the Joker prologue. A straight news release for the “Dark Knight Rises” prologue would go against precedent. What do you want to see in the prologue for “The Dark Knight Rises”? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter ! Check out everything we’ve got on “The Dark Knight Rises.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos Experts Analyze The ‘Dark Knight Rises’ Teaser Trailer Take A Peek Inside The Toronto International Film Festival Related Photos Analyzing Catwoman’s Costume In ‘Dark Knight Rises’ On The Set Of ‘The Dark Knight Rises’
But she has to share with J.R. Martinez, who also scores a 29 on Broadway night. By Kelley L. Carter Ricki Lake and Derek Hough Photo: ABC It was Broadway week on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars,” and naturally, the theatrics were high. The cast of Broadway’s “Sister Act” performed, as did Emmy winner Kristin Chenoweth. The remaining celebrities pulled out all the stops with creative costumes and over-the-top performances. This also was the first time the celebrities danced a group performance, to “Hey Big Spender” from “Sweet Charity” and “Money” from “Cabaret.” The performance didn’t get scored, but the judges commented and thought it was a fitting tribute. As for the dances that were scored, it was a dead heat at the top of the board between war hero J.R. Martinez and former talk-show host Ricki Lake, who impressed the judges with their takes on the quickstep. Here’s how everyone fared: Rob Kardashian and Cheryl Burke The duo took on a tune from “Jersey Boys,” the Four Seasons’ “Walk Like a Man,” and danced the cha-cha. The judges found the performance to be a bit muted and not at all daring for a high-stakes week like this. “It was clean. It was precise. It had good timing. Each dance gives you new challenges. The cha-cha-cha has got to show rhythm. There was no rhythm. It was all too stiff. It wasn’t oily. It was a bit … starchy,” head judge Len Goodman said. 22/30 Nancy Grace and Tristan MacManus The TV host was asked to do more after last week, when they found her routine to be a bit drab; this week, they took on the foxtrot and danced to a tune from “Spamalot.” The judges said the pair upped the ante and considered her performance to be a showstopper. They thought much more of her personality came out and she performed with great flair, earning her highest score in the competition. “It’s Nancy Dance-alot! I’ve seen the musical, and you captured the theme of it, and yet you did a foxtrot. Well done!” Bruno Tonioli said. 24/30 David Arquette and Kym Johnson The actor earned his highest score of the season last week, and he said he wanted to keep that momentum going and stay at the top. They danced “We Go Together” from “Grease” and did the quickstep. The judges thought it was rough around the edges but high-energy and fun. “It’s a really tough number to live up to. But as far as performance goes, I thought you completely lived up to any expectation that we’d have for ‘We Go Together’ from ‘Grease.’ It’s not easy. That was the good side. The bad side: You guys were out of sync today. But … there was a fluidity that was going. You just got a little ahead of yourself,” Carrie Ann Inaba said. 23/30 Ricki Lake and Derek Hough The former talk-show host and actress had previously dominated the leaderboard but fell last week to the #5 position after failing to impress the judges during ’80s week. Also a former Broadway star, Lake was hoping that would give her the edge during Monday night’s competition. They danced the quickstep to a track from “Guys and Dolls,” and the judges gave her a standing ovation. “You don’t need luck if you’ve got talent. And this number, you proved your talent. I loved it,” Goodman said. 29/30 Chaz Bono and Lacey Schwimmer The activist tangoed to a track from “Phantom of the Opera,” and he was hoping his newfound confidence from last week would continue in Monday night’s performance. The judges thought it was the most aggressive they’ve seen him, but think that he needs to be pushed a little further. “It was like watching a cute little penguin trying to be a big menacing bird of prey. This is the truth: It has to be menacing. Dark. Dangerous. Naughty. The tango wants to be driven continuously. It is hard. It’s very difficult. To me, this character didn’t fit you,” Tonioli said. 19/30 Hope Solo and Maksim Chmerkovskiy
‘We’re trying our best to transcend time,’ Wanya Morris tells MTV News. By Jocelyn Vena Boyz II Men Photo: Sandy Young/ Getty Images Boyz II Men came on the scene 20 years ago with their debut album, Cooleyhighharmony . That’s right: 20 years ago. To put that in a pop-culture timeline: that’s three years before Justin Bieber was born, and seven years before Destiny’s Child released their first album. That’s important to note because this year not only are the guys releasing a new album, the aptly titled Twenty , they also appear on Beyonc
Industry experts say franchise succeeds by giving moviegoers what they want. By Eric Ditzian Photo: Paramount The “Saw” franchise is no more. The “Scream” series didn’t exactly take off when it was relaunched earlier this year. Recent reboots of “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Halloween” and other classics haven’t sustained consistent and lucrative runs at the box office. After its record-setting opening weekend, “Paranormal Activity” now stands as the undisputed horror-franchise champion. The stats for “Paranormal Activity 3″ are staggering. The sequel’s $54 million haul is not only the biggest fall opening ever, but the largest ever for a pure horror movie, according to Box Office Mojo . It averaged an impressive $16,266 per screen, a 29 percent rise over ” PA3 ,” reports Gitesh Pandya of Box Office Guru , bringing the franchise’s worldwide gross to $450 million “while the combined production costs have amounted to a puny $8 million.” All this box-office growth comes against the backdrop of a Hollywood reality. “Typically, when films reach the threequel stage, momentum wanes,” said Jeff Bock, box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations. “What Paramount has done so expertly with this series is stay true to the original grassroots feel of the first. They didn’t try to reinvent the wheel with each successive installment. They didn’t recast, reboot and retool their original formula. The creators of ‘PA’ and the studio know exactly what they have with ‘PA,’ and they are dishing out exactly what fans are craving: cheap thrills.” That “Paranormal” has even reached this point is a feat in and of itself. “The Blair Witch Project,” the found-footage horror flick to which “Paranormal” is always compared, turned from a Sundance sleeper to a $250 million blockbuster in 1999. But a year later, the sequel bombed at the multiplex, grossing just 19 percent of the original. “PA2,” by contrast, opened with $41.5 million a year after the first film caught on with the public, breaking the R-rated midnight record then held by “Watchmen” ($4.6 million). This time around, filmmakers continued to heed the lesson of “Blair Witch”: They didn’t mess with success. “Paramount could have taken the third film and added CGI creatures or something. They didn’t. Fans respond to that,” said Phil Contrino, editor of Boxoffice.com , adding that “Paranormal” diverges from many other horror franchises in one key way: “Less truly can be more when it comes to this genre. I think a lot of moviegoers are turned off by excessive gore. These films have a very strong understanding of one simple truth about horror: If you allow your audience to use their imagination, it’ll be scarier than anything you can put onscreen. That’s why the ‘Paranormal Activity’ franchise feels like a breath of fresh air.” There’s a lesson here for other franchises — not just horror ones — a lesson “The Hangover” kept in mind for its $581 million-grossing sequel earlier this year. “Give the audience what they want,” Bock said. “They liked it the first time, so don’t tweak it too much. Advance the story, but don’t reinvent the wheel. Sometimes less is more, and audiences are very peculiar when it comes to big changes in film series that they like. Whether you agree with it or not, the general public wants the same thing, just a little different.” Now we await the inevitable announcement of “Paranormal Activity 4,” wondering if the series can continue to stay true to its storytelling roots while also inventing fresh scares and unexpected ways of capturing the found-footage action. That’s a fine line to keep on walking Halloween after Halloween. “The brilliance of this franchise isn’t just that it’s made on the cheap, but that they slowly and methodically answer questions that explore and expand the mythology of the series,” Bock said. “The fact of the matter is, ‘PA’ will succeed wildly until a new brand of horror show is deemed worthy. The haunting will never end until something else goes bump in the dark and captures audiences’ imagination.” Check out everything we’ve got on “Paranormal Activity 3.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos ‘Paranormal Activity 3’ Is ‘Beyond Scary’
Kelly Clarkson, Mary J. Blige, Maroon 5 also will perform, joining the likes of Katy Perry and Pitbull, at the American Music Awards. By James Montgomery Justin Bieber Photo: Jack Guez/ AFP Justin Bieber , Christina Aguilera , Kelly Clarkson , Mary J. Blige and Maroon 5 have been added to the ever-expanding list of performers for the 2011 American Music Awards , joining a roster of talent that already includes Katy Perry and Pitbull. While most of this year’s performances are being kept under wraps, a spokesperson for Dick Clark Productions announced Monday (October 24) that Aguilera and Maroon 5 will team up on their current smash “Moves Like Jagger” at this year’s AMAs, which will air live on ABC on November 20 at 8 p.m. ET/PT from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles. Earlier this month, in a nomination special hosted by Pitbull and Nicki Minaj , it was revealed that Perry would head into the show as one of the night’s most-nominated acts (along with fellow females Adele, Lady Gaga and Taylor Swift), up for Artist of the Year, Pop or Rock Music: Favorite Female Artist and Adult Contemporary Music: Favorite Artist. It’s somewhat fitting, given not only the rather huge year she’s had, but that she also delivered a full-throttle version of her hit “Firework” at last year’s AMAs . For the fifth year, American Music Award winners will be determined by online voting. Fans can support their favorites in all categories by heading over to AMAVote.com . The 2011 American Music Awards will air live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 20, at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Related Videos MTV First: Justin Bieber Related Artists Justin Bieber Christina Aguilera Kelly Clarkson Mary J. Blige Maroon 5
Band’s latest album ‘keeps changing sounds,’ frontman Chris Martin tells MTV News. By James Montgomery, with reporting by Gil Kaufman Coldplay’s Chris Martin Photo: John Shearer/ Getty Images It may be their best, biggest and boldest album yet, but Coldplay ‘s Chris Martin knows which adjective he would use to describe the band’s brand-new Mylo Xyloto : “It’s definitely a schizophrenic album … it keeps changing sounds,” he said. “That’s why we called it such a strange thing, Mylo Xyloto. Because we felt like so many people have already made up their minds about us, both good and bad, that we can sort of start again from scratch and try and reflect all the music we listen to and we love.” That sentiment is readily apparent throughout Xyloto, an album full of walloping electronics, soaring choruses and quiet, tender ballads. In a lot of ways, it plays very much like the band’s personal iPod, packing anthems like current single “Paradise” alongside artfully minimal instrumentals and hushed acoustic numbers like “U.F.O.” Even Rihanna shows up, lending her vocals to the track “Princess of China.” And that shuffling schizophrenia is due as much to the band’s taste as it is the ethos of frequent collaborator Brian Eno, a man who practically lives to break down boundaries. “Working with Brian, he was very much of the opinion that you should just be free to follow whatever you feel sounds best,” Martin said, “without worrying about having to talk about it in interviews and everything and explain it.” And, given all that, it’s somewhat fitting that Mylo Xyloto actually began life as a far different animal: a quiet, acoustic-based album. But as their songs began to grow, Coldplay quickly realized that their self-imposed parameters couldn’t contain their ambitions, so they scrapped them and started from scratch. And, not surprisingly, the end result is a record that defies convention — and, of course, definition too. “Very early on in the process of recording this record, we were playing a lot of acoustic instruments and we had it in our mind that we might try to record a small-sounding, intimate, reflective record,” drummer Will Champion explained. “And [a song like ‘Paradise’] came about, and it dawned on us that we couldn’t play it in that acoustic style. So we thought, ‘OK, we’ll finish this one and then we’ll do another record,’ and the realization came very quickly that we can’t really focus on more than one thing at once. “So we decided to put everything in one basket, and some of those songs from the acoustic thing survived — the song ‘Charlie Brown’ was originally in that format and ‘Us Against the World,’ ” he continued. “And I think putting all our eggs in one basket allowed us to kind of free everything up and allow the songs to dictate where they want to go.” What do you think of Mylo Xyloto ? Coldplay’s best yet? Tell us on Facebook! Related Videos MTV News Extended Play: Coldplay Related Photos Coldplay Rocks New York’s Rockefeller Center Related Artists Coldplay
