Buble's 'Christmas' stays No. 1

Sales of Michael Buble's "Christmas" kept a-jinglin' last week, maintaining the vocalist's position at No. 1 on the U.S. album chart. Buble's Warner Bros. holiday set gained a robust 64% and sits tight at No. 1 with a 479,000-unit week, according to Nielsen SoundScan data for the week ended Dec. 11. Holiday collection holds the apex for a third week. Four debuting titles breathed some much-needed new life into the chart. Post-Thanksgiving sales remain somewhat humdrum, however, with just five titles selling more than 100,000 copies; release schedule for the remainder of December is thin. Akron twosome the Black Keys burst in at No. 2 with "El Camino" (Nonesuch). Duo's 206,000-unit bow is their best ever; last year's breakthrough "Brothers" peaked at No. 3. Amy Winehouse's posthumous "Lioness: Hidden Treasures" (Universal Republic), a collection of previously unreleased tracks, arrived at No. 5, moving 114,000. British soul-pop vocalist, who died suddenly in July, saw her chart peak with her sophomore album "Back to Black," which climbed to No. 2 at the height of her popularity in 2008. The week's other, comparatively mild debuts were "Glee: the Music, Season 3: Volume 7" (Columbia), which entered at No. 9 with 58,000, and hard rock unit Korn's "The Path of Totality" (Roadrunner), which moved in at No. 10 with 55,000 shifted. Stanza's biggest holdovers are Adele's still formidable "21" (Columbia), which dipped one position to No. 3 with a 187,000-unit frame (up 30%), and Justin Bieber's "Under the Mistletoe" (Island), which fell one notch to No. 4 with 158,000 (up 19%). Top 10 is rounded out by Andrea Bocelli's "Concerto: One Night in Central Park" (No. 6, 79,000 sold, up 28%), Drake's "Take Care" (No. 7, 73,000, off 19%) and Nickelback's "Here and Now" (No. 8, 66,000, down 16%). Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Kaya Scodelario has 'Fishes' to fry

Scodelario"Skins" star Kaya Scodelario is positioned to switch Rooney Mara since the lead in Francesca Gregorini's indie "Emanuel and the real truth about Fishes."Gregorini written the script, which follows Emanuel, a troubled 17-year-old girl who babysits her new neighbor's "baby," that's a real really existence-like toy. She goes with the delusion while befriending the neighbor, who's really the spitting picture of Emanuel's late mother.Matthew Brady is creating via his MRB Prods. banner along with Gregorini, while Paul Schiff, Kevin Iwashina and Jonathan Gray will professional produce.Along with Tatiana von Furstenberg, Gregorini formerly written, directed and produced the 2011 indie drama "Tanner Hall," which Mara toplined right before her breakout role as Lisbeth Salander in David Fincher's "The Woman While using Dragon Tattoo."Most broadly known on her behalf role as Effy Stonem round the questionable hit Brit series "Skins," Scodelario next stars since the lead in Andrea Arnold's adaptation of "Wuthering Levels." Thesp, who also came out in "Clash in the Leaders" and "Moon," recently wrapped Ol Parker's indie drama "Now's Good," which stars Dakota Fanning and Jeremy Irvine.Scodelario is repped by CAA and U.K.-based Curtis Brown Group. Contact Rob Sneider at rob.sneider@variety.com

USA Network upfront breaks b'cast obstacles

USA will tout a number of new original programming, including drama Common Law, at its upfront event skedded for May 17. USAs Chris McCumber, left, and Shaun Wachtel, second from right, join Virginia Williams, NBCs Bonnie Hammer and Sarah Shahi at its upfront this season. It intends to hold next years event throughout bcasters upfront week.USA Network intends to crash the broadcast nets' upfront party next spring. USA stated Monday it'll host an upfront presentation around the evening of May 17 at Alice Tully Hall in Lincoln subsequently Center to tout its hot prospects, including dramedy "Common Law" and a number of new projects in development. USA's move aims to strengthen to Madison Avenue the NBCUniversal cabler's growing heft with original programming and underline USA's push for parity in advertising rates using the Large Four broadcast nets. In getting into a few days when NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox and CW hold their upfront fetes in marathon Monday-Thursday fashion, USA is following a lead of Turner, that was the very first cabler to create a large stand throughout broadcasters' upfront week in 2008. USA Network, that has rated No. 1 among fundamental cablers within the last couple of years, has typically held its upfront event a couple of days prior to the broadcast nets, which typically sked their occasions for that third week of May, just just before the finish from the TV season. USA's event this season occured May 2 at Lincoln subsequently Center. The coming year, USA's event will cap the most popular week of the season for media purchasers and television journos. "This is actually the right factor for that development of the funnel," USA co-leader Chris McCumber told Variety. "After talking with ad purchasers and organizers, we made the decision to choose a bigger presentation." Added co-leader Shaun Wachtel: "It feels as though the best time for all of us. We'll have the ability to achieve more and more people than before, and we are looking forward to being the grand finale." While a lot of the ad community relies in Gotham, USA can also be relying on receiving additional PR from out-of-town journalists, who definitely are in Manhattan that week. Which will give USA additional exposure on the customer and business side, reaching more potential viewer eyeballs than in the past. As the internet might possibly not have the identity of fellow NBCUniversal internet NBC among customers, USA is much more of the profit center for that Peacock and it is top shows could be competitive with broadcast nets. Knowing that, Wachtel and McCumber intend to push for CPM gains throughout next year's upfront advertising selling craze. The strong scatter market in recent several weeks continues to be great for USA Network, and also the internet hopes to keep its momentum having a greater-profile upfront event. "This can clearly not just enhance the picture of who we're and what we should do, but in addition helps the financial aspects," stated McCumber. Additionally to offering the stats on its slate of current hits -- "Suits," "Necessary Roughness," "Royal Pains" and "Whitened Collar," included in this -- USA will tubthumping its approaching skeins to potential marketers. Cabler is at the top of dramedy series "Common Law," about a set of cops who get into therapy to assist them to maintain their professional partnership. Skein was initially skedded to bow Jan. 26, but executives made the decision it might be more appropriate to some summer time bow. Also coming is Nathan Lane comedy "Local Talent," as USA looks to create a major push with laffers and reality shows in 2012. As well as on the syndie front, cabler acquired "Modern Family" and can easily be notifying the ad community that primetime's greatest-ranked comedy is going to cable. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com

Jennifer Aniston To Star In Approaching Luc Besson Film?

There's no limit once you have won an Oscar. You'll be able to pair tabs on your good-searching options with an ostentatious action film. You'll be able to lend your voice with a cartoon about kung-fu animals. You may even choose another Oscar, why not? Nevertheless the ultimate moment of FTW excess must be starring in the Luc Besson film. Refreshing stars as action stars from Statham to Neeson, Besson's hyperkinetic blow outs have charmed American audiences, destroyed laminator tl901 office, and more importantly, done one essential aspect: made their stars look really, really awesome. It appears sensible, then, that Jennifer Aniston might be the most recent actress to acquire round the Besson bandwagon. According to Deadline, Jolie is at predicts "star next spring in the dramatic thriller that's rooted in true scientific elements." Yeah, scientific elements like people getting shot a good deal! Simply because they write, it will likely be probably be closer to earlier Besson films like "The Professional" and "The fifth Element." That's okay by us, as people are likely his most satisfying movies. Otherwise, Jolie's remaining busy. Besides her perpetual existence before paparazzi cameras, her directorial debut, "Inside The Land of Blood stream and Honey," has been launched soon. Should you didn't see, we spoken to her yesterday in regards to the movie's styles and the way she thinks it'll resonate with audiences. "This youthful audience will probably be interested because [of] the figures they'll recognize them," Jolie mentioned. "This really is really the 1990's. They may have been children or else alive throughout that time, but they're sightseeing who've been 18 years old, 10 years old in the European cosmopolitan society, which is so what can have happened once they visited war." Jennifer Aniston talks "Blood stream and Honey" reactions! Reveal everything you consider Jolie's approaching Besson project inside the comments section and also on Twitter!

Comedy Central busy developing projects

Comedy Central has bulked up its development slate for 2012, including an untitled project with "Daily Show" correspondent Wyatt Cenac based on public-matters shows within the eighties. Cenac is aboard to produce and professional produce, with David Rath of Generate creating. Among the three animated shows in development online are "Robots," about inept androids' not successful attempts at world domination, and ShadowMachine's anthology series "TripTank," including work by "Delocated" creator Jon Glaser and "Mr. Show" co-creator Bob Odenkirk, among others. Another untitled series changes the "Cyanide and Happiness" webcomics for television. Also round the slate: 3Arts' "Gregory Brothers and sisters," a completely new show featuring the titular digital music team behind "Auto-Tune this newsInch and Avalon's "@Make the most of Delaney," a variety show starring comedian Delaney and such as the net's hit "Tosh.." "Overloaded," too, takes a comic think about the Internet, focusing on social media. The Viacom cabler may also be developing a single-camera sitcom titled "Braunger," using the information on comic Matt Braunger, and sketch series "Eugene!," put together by and starring Eugene Mirman. Other comics around whom the web is building shows include Amy Schumer, Anthony Jeselnik and Nathan Felder. Contact Mike Thielman at mike.thielman@variety.com

Scribe assigned new Stan Lee character

Stan Lee helped launch Magic Storm Entertainment this summer to bring his newest superhero characters to life, particularly for Asian auds -- and now one is on the way, as the film finance company has hired "Real Steel" screenwriter Dan Gilroy to introduce the Annihilator. It's the first film project for Magic Storm, a joint creation of Lee's Pow! Entertainment, Hong-Kong-based Ricco Capital Holdings and Fidelis Entertainment. Los Angeles-based Magic Storm, topped by CEO Eric Mika, was launched in June to develop and finance a slate of superhero fare designed to appeal to Asian markets, but that can cross over to others. Gilroy will begin work on the story of a young Chinese man given a second chance as an international superhero who returns home to mete out justice. "Words can't express how excited I am about this project," Lee said. "It's based on the most incredibly original and unique superhero I've created in a long time." The CAA-repped Gilroy's credits include Universal's "Two for the Money" and the upcoming "The Bourne Legacy." "Stan (Lee) is straight-up at the top of his game," Gilroy said, "and it's a joy to have a hand in bringing this to the screen." Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

Graham King nabs 'Out of Time'

Graham King's TV division has acquired global distribution privileges for that approaching Canadian series "From Time."Simon Craig authored the pilot and can professional produce with fellow scribe Shaun King. Patt Williams will even professional produce.Ten episodes happen to be purchased to air on Canuck broadcaster Shaw Media, with Reunion Pictures set to create. Tom Rowe, Lisa Richardson and Matthew O'Connor are professional producers for Reunion.No U.S. network is presently attached.One-hour drama focuses on a lady cop around 2077 who's moving several terrorists on the way to their execution. All of a sudden, however, the audience is distributed time traveling to 2012 where they are able to reconstitute their violent agenda. While casting has yet to accomplish, Thandie Newton is circling the project as well as in foretells take part in the lead. Newton is co-starring within the new Tyler Perry pic "Good Deeds," that is scheduled for release early the coming year.GK-TV continues to be searching to increase its pipeline recently. Shingle is creating a biopic for Lifetime on former Hollywood bigwig William Wilkerson and "Port Royal" is within script development at Forex.Created with Gale Anne Hurd's Valhalla Entertainment, "Port Royal" focuses on pirates and all kinds of undesirables who go through a 17th century Jamaican town. Contact Stuart Levine at stuart.levine@variety.com