Spielberg’s DreamWorks TV has optioned the book and is set to turn the novel into an event series for cable.

The book centres around the drama that’s created when an invisible force field suddenly descends on a small vacation town in Maine.

As the locals fight for survival, warring factions are created by enigmatic characters.

Under The Dome would mark the second collaboration between Spielberg and King, following their adaptation of King’s 1984 novel The Talisman.

It also marks the latest small screen project from Spielberg, who is also developing a series about the development of a fictional Broadway show for Showtime, as well as a costume-drama revolving around the Borgia clan that Robert Zemeckis is also producing.

DreamWorks TV also produces the acclaimed dramedy United States of Tara, for which Toni Collette was recognised with the lead comedy actress Emmy in September. That show is due to commence its second season in March 2010.

Spielberg is also involved in a follow-up to his acclaimed World War II series, Band of Brothers, for the small screen.

The figure easily beats the previous record of $22.2 million held by Harry Potter & The Half-Blood Prince earlier this summer, as well as setting new standards for a female-driven franchise.

Distributor Summit Entertainment will now be looking to see if the vampire sequel – starring Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson – can beat the best-ever opening day for a movie, held by Batman movie The Dark Knight with $67.2 million.

But whatever happens, the film is easily on course to surpass the $36 million earned by its own predecessor, Twilight, on its first Friday exactly a year ago.

Likewise, while Twilight’s opening weekend total was $69.7 million, New Moon is well on course to beat it with another record already achieved for advance ticket sales.

Read our review of New Moon

Next story: Mia Wasikowska in talks for Jane Eyre

It is 1972. Martello, Beauchamp and Donner are three contemporary artists who have lived and worked together for over 60 years. But this afternoon Donner has been found dead at the bottom of the stairs. Was it professional jealously that led to his demise, or a love triangle that spanned six decades?

Six actors play the three artists as the search for artistic truth and criminal motive carries the audience from 1972 to 1914 and back again.

Titled after Marcel Duchamp’s famous Nude Descending a Staircase, the play is a homage to some of the 20th Century’s most distinctive art movements and artists. Celebrating the brilliance and absurdity of contemporary art, Stoppard takes the sublime to the ridiculous by including a Venus Di Milo made of sugar and a recording of a fictitious ping pong game.

The cast includes Max Irons, making his London debut, Edward Petherbridge who created the role of Guildenstern in Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Jeremy Child, David Weston, Alex Robertson, Ryan Gage and Olivia Darnley.

Artist Descending A Staircase is directed by Michael Gieleta, the Artistic Director of the Cherub Company. His recent London credits include Mimi and The Stalker (Theatre503), Fragile! and Le Mariage (Arcola Theatre), and Hortensia and the Museum of Dreams (Finborough Theatre). He also directs opera internationally.

Tom Stoppard’s other plays include Rock ‘n’ Roll, Arcadia, The Real Inspector Hound, Travesties, Every Good Boy Deserves Favour and Rozencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead. Artist Descending A Staircase was first performed at the King’s Head Theatre in 1988.

Artist Descending A Staircase is designed by Nicky Bunch and produced by Henry Filloux-Bennett and Stephen Makin, The Cherub Company, Loaded Hog Productions and Nick Rogers.

Tickets: from £13. Early booking is recommended.

Times: evenings 7.30pm, matinees 3pm.

NB: There will be no performances on December 7, 14, 21 and from 24 to 28.

To book call 08444 771 000 or visit Ticketweb

With a cast that includes Richard Briers, Paul Ready, Simon Russell Beale, Fiona Shaw and Michelle Terry, it opens in the Olivier Theatre on March 10, 2010 (previews from March 2) before continuing in repertoire.

Dion Boucicault, the Irish genius of London theatre in the age of Dickens, wrote London Assurance in 1841 and thereby created in Lord Harcourt and Lady Spanker two of the great comic roles for the English stage, played in this new production by Simon Russell Beale and Fiona Shaw.

Sir Harcourt Courtley is lured away from the epicentre of fashionable London by the promise of a rich and beautiful bride, Grace, forty-five years his junior. Arriving at Oak Hall, Gloucestershire, he marvels at this rural Venus until her charms are eclipsed by her hearty cousin, the foxhunting Lady Gay Spanker.

Meanwhile his disguised son turns up in flight from his creditors and falls head over heels for Grace. When Lady Spanker discovers the young couple, she needs little prompting from the visiting chancer Dazzle to lead Sir Harcourt astray.

A National Theatre Associate, Simon Russell Beale‘s extensive theatre work includes Major Barbara, Much Ado About Nothing, The Alchemist, The Life of Galileo and Hamlet (Evening Standard & Critics’ Circle Awards) for the National Theatre; The Winter’s Tale and The Cherry Orchard (New York and Old Vic); Monty Python’s Spamalot (West End and New York); and The Philanthropist (Evening Standard & Critics’ Circle Awards) for the Donmar Warehouse.

Fiona Shaw is currently playing the title role in Mother Courage and Her Children at the National Theatre, where her work also includes Happy Days, Richard II, The Good Person of Sichuan (Critics’ Circle Award for Best Actress), The Powerbook, Machinal (Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for Best Actress), The Way of the World and The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

Her other theatre credits include Medea (West End and Broadway), Electra (RSC), Hedda Gabler (Abbey Theatre and West End) and The Waste Land (Wilton’s Music Hall and international tour).

Since becoming Director of the National Theatre in April 2003, Nicholas Hytner has directed Henry V, His Dark Materials, The History Boys, Stuff Happens, Henry IV, Southwark Fair, The Alchemist, The Man of Mode, The Rose Tattoo (with Stephen Pimlott), Rafta, Rafta… , Much Ado About Nothing, Major Barbara, England People Very Nice, Phèdre and The Habit of Art.

London Assurance will be designed by Mark Thompson, with lighting by Neil Austin, music by Rachel Portman and sound by John Leonard.

It’s the third National Theatre production sponsored by Shell, following Much Ado About Nothing and Oedipus.

Described as a festive extravaganza like no other, it sees Frisky and Mannish heading a line up of comedy, music and circus celebrating the Christmas season.

Hosted by the inimitable, ukulele-wielding Des O’Connor, the show also features Bruce Airhead, Kalki Hula Girl, BBC’s Angelos Epithemiou and The Puppini Sisters.

The London date follows a critically acclaimed, packed-house run of the duo’s School of Pop at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe.

Tickets: from £16 (includes £1 Restoration Levy).

Time: 7.30pm.

Together with his assistants and the help of local school children, he is aiming to beat his own current world record by covering an area of 320 square metres with a jaw-dropping wintry scene inspired by the family film Ice Age 3: Dawn of the Dinosaurs celebrating its launch on Blu-ray and DVD.

The pavement art will take six days to create and will include the beloved Ice Age 3 characters Manny, Buck, Sid, Diego, Scrat and Scratte positioned over an icy crevasse.

Edgar Muller aims to use urban landscapes as his canvas – if viewed from the right spot, a three-dimensional painting becomes the perfect illusion, challenging the perceptions of passers-by.

Christmas shoppers at Westfield can become part of the image by posing in the scene, along with Ice Age 3 costume characters Sid and Scrat who will be there to meet-and-greet families.

A representative from Guinness World Records will be present to measure and verify the attempt on the day and if successful present Edgar Muller with an official certificate confirming his new world record.

Craig Glenday, Editor in Chief of Guinness World Records commented: “Guinness World Records has been monitoring the fantastic work of Edgar Mueller for some time now, and we’re thrilled to be so closely involved with his latest record-breaking creation.

“Children – and adults – around the world are blown away by Edgar’s eye-popping landscapes, and he truly deserves a place in the record books taking the art of pavement of drawing to stratospheric new levels. Best of luck with the Ice Age 3 painting!”

At the age of seven, Dean played Small Boy in the original cast and last year, he returned to the production for the first time to play Billy’s best friend Michael.

This time around, Dean will be joining Oliver Gardner (12 years old from Bath), Tom Holland (13 years old from Kingston-upon-Thames) and Fox Jackson-Keen (14 years old from Hornsey, London), who alternate the role of Billy.

The boys will be performing alongside principal cast members Joanna Riding (as Mrs Wilkinson), Joe Caffrey (Dad), Craig Gallivan (Tony), Ann Emery (Grandma), David Nellist (George), Sean Kingsley (Mr Braithwaite), Samantha Seager (Dead Mum) and Barnaby Meredith (Older Billy).

The cast will also include 11 year old Connor Kelly, 12 year old George Maycock and 13 year old Jake Pratt, who alternate the role of Michael; and 10 year old Emily Smith, 12 year old Fleur Houdijk and 10 year old Francesca Mango who alternate the role of Debbie.

Set in the North East of England, Billy Elliot the Musical is a funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of one young boy’s dreams.

Directed by Stephen Daldry and with a score by Elton John, Billy Elliot The Musical has award-winning choreography by Peter Darling, designs by Ian MacNeil, sound by Paul Arditti and lighting by Rick Fisher.

Since its world premiere four years ago, the international award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical has played to over four million people worldwide, including HM The Queen. And in March next year, the London production will celebrate its fifth birthday at the Victoria Palace Theatre, where it’s currently booking until December 18, 2010.

Christmas and New Year schedule

Monday, December 21 at 7.30pm.
Tuesday, December 22 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Wednesday, December 23 at 7.30pm.
Thursday, December 24 at 2.30pm.
Friday, December 25 – no performance
Saturday, December 26 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Monday, December 28 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Tuesday, December 29 at 7.30pm.
Wednesday, December 30 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Thursday, December 31 at 5.30pm.
Friday, January 1, 2010 at 7.30pm.
Saturday, January 2 at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Read about Billy Youth Theatre, an exciting new initiative providing schools and youth groups around the country with the opportunity to perform their own productions of this internationally award-winning show.

The actress would possibly join Hunger’s Michael Fassbender on Cary Fukunaga’s adaptation of the classic novel by Charlotte Bronte, according to Variety.

The film would remain true to the period setting but intends to play up the gothic elements of the story.

It will focus on Jane (Wasikowska), a demure governess who discovers that her employer Rochester (Fassbender) harbours a dark secret.

Rising star Wasikowska shot to prominence as part of the ensemble cast of acclaimed HBO psychological drama In Treatment, before being chosen by Tim Burton to play Alice alongside Johnny Depp in Alice in Wonderland.

She is also starring in Gus Van Sant’s new, as yet untitled project.

Fassbender,who was most recently in Inglourious Basterds and Fish Tank, will next be seen in Neil Marshall’s Roman epic Centurion and futuristic Western Jonah Hex, alongside Josh Brolin and Megan Fox.

Next story: Robert Pattinson and Uma Thurman for Bel Ami

Matt Damon plays Mark Whitacre, a rising star at agri-industry giant Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) who suddenly decides to expose his company’s multi-national price-fixing conspiracy to the FBI.

As he liaises with the Feds in helping to gather evidence, however, it slowly emerges that he hasn’t been quite so forthcoming about the way in which he’s been helping himself to the corporate coffers.

And to make matters worse, Whitacre’s ever-changing account threatens to undermine the case as it becomes almost impossible to decipher what is real and what is the product of his rambling imagination.

Based on New York Times journalist Kurt Eichenwald’s account of the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in US history, The Informant! is a fascinating, amusing and highly twisting experience that finds just about everyone concerned on top form.

Damon, in particular, is brilliant as the slippery Whitacre, an apparently amiable family man who, over the course of the film, channels elements of bumbling idiocy, well-meaning honesty and deep-seated psychosis.

His Whitacre is a complex figure… highly amusing on the one hand, yet deeply tragic on the other. Getting to know him is a fascinating experience as Damon slowly peels away the layers.

But there’s strong support, too, from the likes of Scott Bakula and Joel McHale (as exasperated FBI agents) and the various colleagues and family members affected by Whitacre’s grand plan.

Soderbergh, for his part, opts for a more breezy show-and-tell approach to the story, avoiding the heaviness of corporate whistleblowing dramas such as The Insider.

By doing so, he self-consciously wrong-foots the viewers, lulling them into thinking this is a screwball-style comedy at times before delivering some late revelatory knock-out blows.

His use of music, voice-over and even ’70s-style clothing and hair-dos is similarly mis-leading but adds to the overall pleasure of watching events unfold.

The Informant! therefore makes for highly recommended viewing… one that grips from the outset by virtue of its tricky central character. Damon’s star, meanwhile, just seems to keep on rising.

Certificate: 15
Running time: 108mins
UK Release Date: November 20, 2009

Cha’mone Mo’Fo’Selecta! A Tribute To Michael Jackson is available to own on DVD on Monday, November 23, courtesy of 4DVD.

Leigh Francis, creator of the phenomenally successful series Bo’Selecta! lays Michael Jackson to rest the only way he knows how in this longer than TV version tribute.

Cha’mone Mo’Fo’Selecta! A Tribute To Michael Jackson will showcase a host of brand new rubber faces including; Diana Ross, Uri Geller and Ken West (Kanye West), as well as Bo’Selecta! favourites Craig David, Mel B, Keith Lemon, Avid Merrion and the Bear.

The show takes a chronological look at Michael Jackson’s life featuring hilarious spoofs of Thriller, Bad, Beat It and Billy Jean with special guest appearances by Spice Girl Emma Bunton, Peaches Geldof, Paddy McGuiness and David Gest.

It’s the final curtain for the Bo’Selecta! Michael Jackson and a salute to the gloved one.

The DVD is available to buy on November 23 courtesy of 4DVD.

Win Cha’mone Mo’Fo’Selecta! A Tribute To Michael Jackson

To celebrate the release of Cha’mone Mo’Fo’Selecta! A Tribute To Michael Jackson on DVD, IndieLondon has teamed up with 4DVD to offer readers the chance to win 1 of 3 copies. Simply answer the following question…

Q. Which Spice Girl appears on Cha’mone Mo’Fo’Selecta! A Tribute To Michael Jackson?

Simply send the answer to Chamone competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email

AVAILABLE on DVD for the first time, Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire is a groundbreaking five part fantasy action comedy epic starring the super-buff Sean Maguire and the fiendishly funny BAFTA award-winning Matt Lucas.

Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire, as seen on BBC2, is available on DVD from November 23, courtesy of 4DVD.

In the darkest days of the Meconian Empire, tyranny reigned throughout the land until a glimmer of hope arrived – the son of a blacksmith and a stay-at-home mum, a man of unwavering determination: Krod Mandoon (Maguire), the last great hope in the struggle against the evil ruler, Chancellor Dongalor (Lucas, Little Britain).

To assist in the great fight, Krod has assembled a band of remarkably ineffectual freedom fighters: Aneka (India de Beaufort), the beautiful Pagan warrioress whose weapon of choice is sex; Loquasto (Steve Speirs), the oafish servant with bad aim; Zezelryck (Kevin Hart), the young warlock whose greatest magical gift is spinning a line; and Bruce (comedian Marques Ray), bereaved lover of Krod’s late mentor General Arcadius.

Together, they must overcome a myriad of obstacles in their quest to save the world, including name-calling, hired assassins and bad hair days. Will they succeed?

Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire also features John Rhys-Davies (The Lord Of The Rings, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade), James Murray (Primeval) and Alex MacQueen (Holby City, The Thick Of It).

The series is co-produced by Hat Trick Productions and MRC for Comedy Central and BBC Television. It is created by Peter Knight, written by Peter Knight and Brad Johnson, directed by Alex Hardcastle and produced by Mario Stylianides.

Win Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire on DVD

To celebrate the release of Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire on DVD, IndieLondon has teamed up with 4DVD to offer readers the chance to win 1 of 3 copies. Simply answer the following question…

Q. Who plays Krod Mandoon in Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire?

Simply send the answer to Krod Mandoon competition and include your name, address, telephone number and email

Krod Mandoon And The Flaming Sword Of Fire is the all action comedy that’s is available to buy on Monday, November 23, 2009 courtesy of 4DVD.

Twilight heartthrob Pattinson will play a young journalist named George Duroy, who rose from poverty to become one of the most successful men in Paris by bedding some of the city’s most glamorous and influential women.

Thurman will play the wife of one of Duroy’s friends, who is well connected with the goings-on of Parisian society, and who helps Duroy find fame.

Kristin Scott Thomas has also joined the cast as a socialite who falls for Duroy, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The film, which marks the feature debut of theatre director Declan Donnellan, is due to start shooting in Paris next year.

Pattinson can currently be seen in The Twilight Saga: New Moon

Read our interview with Robert

Next story: Brad Pitt considers Dark Void franchise

The actor’s Plan B production company has teamed up with Reliance Big Entertainment and video game specialist Capcom to develop the movie, according to Variety.

If successful, the film would find Pitt playing a pilot who finds himself in an alternate world after crash landing in the Bermuda Triangle while a routine mission.

He must subsequently battle aliens with superior technology who are planning to take over the planet.

The video game version is due to be released next January.

Pitt will next be seen alongside Sean Penn in Terence Malick’s The Tree of Life.

Next story: Sam Worthington eyes futuristic Crime thriller

The film, set in the not-too-distant future, would focus on a government plan to secretly broadcast a signal that would make it impossible for people to knowingly commit a crime, according to Variety.

It is based on the comic book series of the same name by Rick Remender.

Worthington, who was last seen in Terminator Salvation, is currently shooting a remake of The Debt opposite Helen Mirren.

He will shortly be seen in James Cameron’s Avatar as well as next year’s epic remake of Clash of the Titans.

He recently dropped out of The Tourist, to be replaced by Johnny Depp

Next story: American Gladiators movie in development

Peter Iliff is currently working on a script that would re-imagine the Gladiators as crime-fighters for a potential release in 2011, according to Variety.

Iliff’s has previously written the screenplays for Patriot Games, Varsity Blues and Under Suspicion, and has just completed work on a sequel to his surfer hit Point Break, which is being directed by Jeff Wadlow.

Next story: Surf’s Up for The Mentalist’s Simon Baker