Let’s begin with casting news:  NBC’s upcoming series Dracula, starring Jonathan Rhys-Meyers (in the title role), has added Katie McGrath (of Merlin) and Nonso Anozie (of Game of Thrones) to the cast.  McGrath will play “Lucy Westenra,” friend of Mina (Jessica DeGouw) – Dracula’s love interest, whom he believes to be a reincarnation of his dead wife.  Anozie will be “R.M. Renfield,” Dracula’s confidant and keeper of his secret.  It’s been previously announced that Dracula will lead a double life as an American businessman named Alan Grayson, in 1890s London.

In production and development from FOX are two new series titled Wild Blue and Gang Related.  Wild Blue is to be a drama set aboard a US Aircraft Carrier and to chronicle the lives of the 600 men and women it carries.  Gang Related is a drama described as being similar to The Departed, about a gang member who’s sent to infiltrate the San Francisco police department.  Other interesting projects include two new series picked up by Animal Planet, Swamp’d – a show about the colorful cast of characters responsible for operating P’Maw’s Bait Shack in Lousianna, and Top Hooker – a fishing competition that places 10 fisherman in various never-before-seen fishing challenges.  Swamp’d is set to premiere this spring, with eight half-hour episodes – Top Hooker is scheduled for a summer release.

Also announced this week:

– Charlize Theron’s Hatfields & McCoys has received approval for a series pilot from NBC.  Theron will serve as the show’s Executive Producer.

– NBC also okayed an Alice in Wonderland sequel project titled Wonderland.  The series is described as a follow-up to the original novel that follows a new character named Clara.

STATEMENT RE: 2011 BOBBY-JAMES AWARDS

In 2011, I awarded my “Best Picture” award to The Artist.  However, for over a year I have questioned that decision and need to offer a correction (the first of its kind in the 11 year history of the Bobby-james Awards).  I’m making the decision I should have made, and that is to replace The Artist in the top spot with my favorite movie from that year, and quite frankly, the film I consider to be the best:  Water for Elephants.

That looks like “that’s all for now, folks!”

-Bobby-james