TV
+ Katherine Heigl's curious comment about dropping out of this year's Emmy
race (''I did not feel I was given the material...to warrant a
nomination'') was construed by many as an opening salvo in an effort to
leave Grey's Anatomy, the ABC drama that garnered her a statuette last
year and made her a star. The idea isn't so far-fetched, since her stock
as a movie actress continues to rise: Her asking price hovers around $6
million, she helped Knocked Up reach $149 million last year, and her
name recognition propelled 27 Dresses to a $23 million opening weekend
in January. Next up is a role opposite 300 star Gerard Butler in the
romantic comedy The Ugly Truth. But here's where it gets interesting:
This wouldn't be the first time she's tried to ditch a show before her
contract expires. Heigl and her agent rallied to release her from the
sci-fi drama Roswell when it moved from The WB to UPN in 2001, according
to two insiders familiar with the talks, but the request was denied.
Heigl's rep couldn't be reached for comment, though a source close to
the actress insists there was ''no hidden message'' in her remarks, and
that she'll continue as Izzie Stevens on Grey's. If its writers are a
vengeful bunch, you have to wonder what's in store for her....
+ Those Bluths are such teases! EW has learned that no deal — much less a
script — is in place for a movie version of the Fox comedy Arrested
Development, but that hasn't stopped the actors from chatting about it.
Quips star Jason Bateman: ''They are trying to decide if they can make it
for the money they need. Michael Cera is a huge star now...with a huge
star attitude to go with it. His salary will probably be the holdup.'' — Lynette Rice, with additional reporting by Carrie Bell
Music
+Get ready for an American Idol blitz this fall at retail outlets. Season
7 winner David Cook and runner-up David Archuleta are scrambling for
studio time in between Idol tour dates so they can release their debut
albums in November. (Cook's is expected to drop early that month.) As
for Idol's most successful alum, Kelly Clarkson has been spending time
in Australia at work on her fourth set, while Chris Daughtry is eyeing a spring 2009 berth for the follow-up to his quadruple-platinum debut. ''I don't want to be accused of a sophomore slump,'' he tells EW. ''It's going to be a big rock album. Daughtry does not want to disappoint
the fans by going soft on them.'' — Shirley Halperin, with additional reporting by Carrie Bell
Movies
+ Maybe three's the magic number for Mike Judge. The talented but unlucky
writer-director, whose last two films (Office Space and Idiocracy) were
ignored by moviegoers, is assembling a new comedy called Extract, which
centers on a flower-extract plant owner (played by Jason Bateman) who's
facing a stream of bad luck, including workplace issues and a cheating
wife. Saturday Night Live's Kristen Wiig, who just landed a role in Drew Barrymore's Roller Derby movie Whip It!, is in negotiations to play the
cuckolding spouse, while Forgetting Sarah Marshall star Mila Kunis is in early talks to play one of the extract plant employees.
Production is set to begin in August, pending the potential actors'
strike and Wiig's SNL schedule. — Nicole Sperling, with additional reporting by Carrie Bell
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