Trevor Donovan searching for 'Spring'

Donovan"90210" thesp Trevor Donovan is positioned to star in Hallmark Channel's approaching telepic "Traditions of Spring" alongside Julie Mond and Shelley Extended.Donovan may have a worldwide-famous new bands singer getting a broken status and writer's block who falls for just about any youthful drama school teacher (Mond) while touring through her small town.Thesp, who's most broadly noted for taking pleasure in recently outed character Teddy Montgomery round the CW's "90210," also starred on NBC's "Occasions in our Method Of LifeInch and came out alongside Bruce Willis in Jonathan Mostow's "Surrogates." He recently wrapped a supporting role in Oliver Stone's crime drama "Savages," which Universal releases This summer time 6.Donovan is repped by APA and manager Michael Yanni. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

Exclusive: Cheers' John Ratzenberger Joins Drop Dead Diva

Justified remains restored for just about any 13-episode fourth season, Foreign exchange introduced Tuesday. "Justified is among television's best series which season has increased that excellence," Nick Grad, FX's programming mind, mentioned in the statement. "[Creator] Graham Yost and also the writing team still deliver compelling material and highly attracted figures brought to existence with the brilliance of Timothy Olyphant and our terrific ensemble cast. Their tasks are validated by universal acclaim, honours, and ratings that have grown every year. We anticipate much more seasons later on.Inch Discover More > Other Links From TVGuide.com Timothy OlyphantElmore LeonardGraham YostJustified

Discovery acquires stake in Televista

Reinforcing a content deal inked captured and ongoing U.S. media's quest for overseas gold coin, Discovery Systems Intl. has acquired a 20% stake in French TV group Televista, the organization stated Tuesday. Discovery will give you use of its programming library and be a proper partner to Televista, that is while starting a brand new femme DTT funnel known as Via. Via's other traders include French funds Aplus Finance, Altice and Audacia, the businesses stated inside a statement. Discovery will get access to local French programming created by Via that it may funnel through its large and growing worldwide funnel selection. Discovery's push in to the female lifestyle brand includes Real-time network and, Stateside, a partnership with The famous host oprah Winfrey on OWN. "Discovery brings both expertise and content we have to accelerate our development particularly in free DTT channels where Discovery has already been contained in Italia, The country and Germany," stated Televista Boss Gaspard p Chavagnac. "France is an extremely important marketplace for us, and that we are happy to have the ability to get this to investment," stated Dee Forbes, prexy and controlling director, Discovery Systems The European Union. Contact the range newsroom at news@variety.com

Lionsgate, Youku Seal Online Distribution Pact For 200 Titles In China

The deal follows Lionsgate’s move into the Chinese VOD market last month via a pact with YOU On Demand. This new agreement gives leading Chinese internet TV platform Youku access to 200 Lionsgate titles for its Youku Movies Channel on an ad-supported basis. The deal was arranged through Celestial Tiger Entertainment, the Asian media company formed last December by Celestial Pictures, Saban Capital and Lionsgate. Youku also has deals in place to license content from Disney, Paramount, DreamWorks, Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox. Studios are increasingly moving into the Chinese VOD arena with Warner Bros and Disney also in business there with YOU On Demand. BEIJING, Mar. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire-Asia/ — Youku Inc. (NYSE: YOKU), China’s leading internet television company, recently signed a licensing agreement with Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF), a leading diversified global entertainment company. The deal was arranged through Celestial Tiger Entertainment, the exclusive sales agent for Lionsgate in Greater China and Southeast Asia. The agreement grants Youku the right to make 200 Lionsgate titles, including Hotel Rwanda, Monster’s Ball, and Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium, available to users on an ad-supported basis via Youku’s Movies Channel. Youku’s Movies Channel (http://movie.youku.com) is a curated front-end to Youku’s free and premium film content, and offers content owners a range of options for making their work available to viewers. In addition to choosing to set a price for their content, content owners can opt to allow their content to become freely available after a set period. Eleven of the 18 films with Chinese box office revenues of more than RMB 100 million in 2011 are currently available on Youku’s Movies Channel. “We’re delighted to be able to offer Lionsgate films to our users on an advertising-supported basis,” said Zhu Huilong, Vice president of Movie Operations and Corporate Development. “This agreement is a chance for Youku to deepen our industry-leading portfolio of international titles, and to broaden our partnerships with studios as we lead the way in offering legally licensed content online in China through a range of free and paid models.” Rights holders also have the option of making their titles available through Youku Premium (http://yuanxian.youku.com/), which offers paid on-demand and subscription-based access to ad-free, high-resolution premium content, including major new releases and favorite classics from Chinese and international studios. Youku Premium debuted in beta in October 2010 and has processed more than 1 million orders since then, with an average of 60,000 paid views for each of the top ten titles on the platform. Youku has signed deals to license content from a number of major international studios including Disney, Paramount, Dreamworks, Warner Bros, and 20th Century Fox.

Watch the outlet scene from Contagion online now

The germ-averse among you need to really close this article now, as we have got the outlet scene of Steven Soderbergh's Contagion that you should view below.The scene, which opens in Hong Kong on Day 2 (you will need to watch towards the finish from the movie to discover about Day 1), sees Gwyneth Paltrow's travelling businesswoman munching from the bowl of suspicious searching peanuts and showing the very first signs and symptoms of the rather nasty cough.After that, we have seen herpes distributing to London, Minnesota and a number of other locations around the world.If you are the kind of commuter to arch a scathing eyebrow at any fellow people who a lot as sniffle, this clip will probably incite a something of the stress in your soul.But, if you have your anti-microbial hands-gel prepared, get watching the clip now:[brightcove]1485297038001[/brightcove]In the event that clip has you feverish to look at the entire film, Contagion is available for sale on Blu-ray and DVD today.Read our Contagion review.

'Lorax' expected to stand tall at B.O.

Universal's Dr. Seuss toon, 'The Lorax,' should gross about $40 million, though some pundits put it north of $50 million.Warner Bros.' R-rated house party pic 'Project X' is hoping to lure young adults.X marks the spot this weekend with a pair of lively counterprogramming newbies, "The Lorax" and "Project X," likely to keep 2012's perfect year-over-year winning streak going at the domestic box office.Universal's toon hitmaker Illumination Entertainment looks to have a third B.O. contender in "The Lorax" on Friday -- what would be the 108th birthday of Theodor Seuss Geisel himself. Studio's adaptation of the 1971 book is expected to see an opening of about $40 million, though some pundits put it north of $50 million.Since tracking services first weighed in three weeks ago, the $70 million "Lorax" has been steadily building buzz, especially among families. Pic screens at 3,728 locations, including 269 in Imax.Meanwhile, Warner Bros.'s R-rated house party pic "Project X" kickstarted its rollout Thursday at approximately 1,000 midnight runs.At the high end of expectations, "Project X" could break the $20 million mark, though high teens seem more likely for the $12 million film with no movie stars. The R-rated "X," from Green Hat Films and Silver Pictures, is tracking best with men 17-25.The projected B.O. might of "Lorax" and "Project X," along with the market's top holdovers including "Act of Valor" and "Safe House," should be enough to extend 2012 Stateside B.O.'s year-over-year streak to nine weeks. This time last year, Paramount's "Rango" debuted at $38 million, followed by a $21 million opening for U's "The Adjustment Bureau."In an expected post-Oscars push, the Weinstein Co. adds nearly 800 additional locations to "The Artist" for a total 1,756. The best picture winner enters its 15th frame with a Stateside cume of $32.9 million.Also at the specialty B.O., Focus Features debuts Robert De Niro-Paul Dano starrer "Being Flynn" at four U.S. engagements."Lorax," produced by Illumination founder Chris Meledandri, has generated strong pre-release reactions from auds across the board -- and not just with families. U inked more than 70 global partnerships on the environmentally themed film including with the EPA, Hewlett Packard, Seventh Generation and Mazda. The studio also targeted Hispanic auds through various promotional campaigns, as well as an aggressive TV blitz on Univision.Dr. Seuss adaptations have made popular family fodder over the past decade: In 2000, U scored with "How the Grinch Stole Christmas," grossing $341 million worldwide. Three years later, Universal adapted a live version of "The Cat in the Hat" ($136 million globally), followed in 2008 by Fox's toon "Horton Hears a Who," which cumed nearly $300 million worldwide."Horton" stands as the highest-grossing Seuss adaptation internationally, with $143.4 million. That pic performed best mainly throughout Europe and in some Latin American territories, notably, Mexico and Brazil. "Lorax" launches March 8 in Russia before expanding to additional overseas markets over the next few months, timed for Easter and school holidays.Illumination's track record includes past family hits "Hop" and "Despicable Me." Last year, "Hop" bowed four weeks prior to Easter, opening to $37.5 million, while 2010 summer title "Despicable Me" tallied $56 million in its opening frame.For "Project X," Warners said it expects word of mouth to pop online, based on the film's twentysomething target aud. Pic, from first-time director Nima Nourizadeh, bows day-and-date this weekend in Australia and the U.K.Among the weekend's repeat players, Relativity Media's Navy SEALs actioner "Act of Valor" should hold best. Pic has been tops in midweek rankings, with a cume just shy of $30 million as of Wednesday. Meanwhile, U's "Safe House" recently crossed the $100 million domestic mark. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Actress Meryl Streep Donates $10,000 to RI School

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Meryl Streep has donated $10,000 to a charter school in the struggling Rhode Island city of Central Falls after a plug from fellow actress and hometown favorite Viola Davis.Angelo Garcia, founder and director of the Segue Institute for Learning, says the check from Streep's Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts arrived Monday. A note said it was on behalf of actress Davis, who grew up in Central Falls.Both Davis and Streep were nominated for the best actress Oscar this year, with Streep winning the award on Sunday night.The Segue Institute has more than 200 students in grades six through eight.Garcia, who grew up with Davis, says the school is trying to raise money to buy the building it's in or find a new location.Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. By Erika Niedowski February 28, 2012 Viola Davis and Meryl Streep at the 84th Annual Oscars PHOTO CREDIT Getty Images PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Meryl Streep has donated $10,000 to a charter school in the struggling Rhode Island city of Central Falls after a plug from fellow actress and hometown favorite Viola Davis.Angelo Garcia, founder and director of the Segue Institute for Learning, says the check from Streep's Silver Mountain Foundation for the Arts arrived Monday. A note said it was on behalf of actress Davis, who grew up in Central Falls.Both Davis and Streep were nominated for the best actress Oscar this year, with Streep winning the award on Sunday night.The Segue Institute has more than 200 students in grades six through eight.Garcia, who grew up with Davis, says the school is trying to raise money to buy the building it's in or find a new location.Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.