· There's good news and bad news this morning about Tyler Perry, who announced over the weekend that he will return to the touring-theater circuit next month with his new play Madea's Big Happy Family. The good news is that you can see Perry's next masterwork live at an arena or other large performance venue near you. But that means you're going to have to survive 2010 with only one Perry entry at the movies, the would-be instant classic Why Did I Get Married, Too?. OK, never mind, there is no downside. [TylerPerry.com via WSJ]
Paramount rewrites its Lovely Bones plan, Val Kilmer and 50 Cent sort out their next masterpiece, and more Hollywood Ink after the jump.
· While every other studio was raking in cash over the record-breaking holiday weekend, Paramount stood by somewhat helplessly with The Lovely Bones, deciding against a Christmas expansion as originally planned. Instead Peter Jackson's critical underachiever will remain on three screens in New York and Los Angeles before going wide Jan. 15 opposite new films by Jackie Chan and Denzel Washington. It's not the worst strategy I've ever heard. [LAT]
· One good straight-to-DVD action thriller deserves another for the unstoppable pair of Val Kilmer and Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, who will reteam in Grand Rapids, Mich., for the drug-dealing potboiler Gun. Subtle! [THR]
· Five years after founding the Traverse City Film Festival, Michael Moore will collaborate with Jeff Garlin on the Traverse City Comedy Arts Festival. The inaugural event launches in February; it will feature both comedic movie premieres as well and stand-up and improv performances. [Variety]
· Apparently some sort of "skirmish" ensued last week in Hollywood when SAG leadership leafleted a class for union members considering financial-core status -- basically the equivalent of quitting the guild, withholding dues intended for political purposes, yet still being able to work on union jobs. The conflict was not explicitly defined, but unless it involved one of Alan Rosenberg's highly charged protest-song performances, it probably wasn't as noteworthy as it sounds. [Variety]