Swift dismissal
Joni Mitchell is taking credit for squelching a proposed film based on Sheila Weller's 2008 book "Girls Like Us" in which Taylor Swift would portray her. "I said to the producer, 'All you've got is a girl with high cheekbones.' It's just a lot of gossip. … There's a lot of nonsense about me in books. Assumptions, assumptions, assumptions." Jessica Paré ("Mad Men") was slated to play Carly Simon and Alison Pill ("The Newsroom") was to play Carole King.
Better set the DVR
The "Breaking Bad" spinoff "Better Call Saul" will premiere on Sunday, Feb. 8, and run regularly on Mondays thereafter. … The fifth season of "Downton Abbey" will premiere Jan. 4. … "Saturday Night Live" hosts and musical guests have been set for the rest of the year: James Franco and Nicki Minaj (Dec. 6); Martin Freeman and Charli XCX (Dec. 13), and Amy Adams and One Direction (Dec. 20). … Oscar winner Alex Gibney is making a Scientology documentary for HBO. … Unscreened episodes of canceled ABC comedies "Selfie" and "Manhattan Love Story" will air on Hulu. … Nicole Kidman and Reese Witherspoon are teaming up for the David E. Kelley miniseries "Big Little Lies."
Really, really, ridiculously good-looking
Penélope Cruz has joined the cast of "Zoolander 2." … Oscar Isaac will play the titular villain in "X-Men: Apocalypse." … The Cowardly Lion's costume and Sam's piano from "Casablanca" each sold for more than $3 million at auction last week. … "Birdman" led the Independent Spirit Awards nominations with six; "Boyhood," "Selma" and "Nightcrawler" each received five. "Whiplash" and "Love Is Strange" garnered the other two best picture nods. The awards ceremony is Feb. 21, the night before the Oscars. … Ridley Scott has written a "Blade Runner" sequel but says he likely won't direct.
In a theater very, very near
Today is the last day to see a sneak-peek trailer for "Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens" before every movie at the AMC Southdale. The trailer will start going wide on Dec. 17; the film is set for release in December 2015.
CYNTHIA DICKISON
