New Line Readies 'Mortal Kombat' Reboot with Familiar Director

This spring, 'Mortal Kombat' fans were delighted by 'Mortal Kombat: Legacy,' a number of viral short films directed by Kevin Tancharoen ('Fame,' 'Glee: The three dimensional Concert Movie') which began as 'Mortal Kombat: Rebirth,' an unauthorized video clip Tancharoen forwarded to prove he could handle an active-action reboot of 'Mortal Kombat' for Warner Bros. Apparently, it labored! Deadline reviews that New Lines are moving forward with a brand new 'Kombat' with Tancharoen set as director. Oren Uziel will write the script. Watch a chapter of 'Mortal Kombat: Legacy,' with Michael Jai Whitened and Jeri Ryan ahead to obtain a taste of how much from Tancharoen's gaming reboot. [via Deadline]

NBCU Int'l taps Latam head

Bettsteller Ken Bettsteller is joining NBCUniversal Intl. as managing director of Latin America for Universal Networks Intl. as the company continues the integration of its four international TV operations into a single infrastructure.Based in Miami, Bettsteller will report to Belinda Menendez, prexy of international TV distribution and the Universal Networks wing. He previously worked in private equity, building commercial and digital strategies for entertainment and education companies. Before that he had stints at E! Entertainment Television, News Corp. and Twentieth Century Fox, where he managed worldwide pay TV distribution as executive VP.NBCUniversal also named its integrated territory leaders. They are: Maxim Mikhailov, managing director of international TV, Russia; Carolyn Stalins, m.d. of international TV, France; Maria Sanchez-Munoz, m.d. of international TV for Spain and Portugal; and Marwen Helayel, m.d. of international TV for the Middle East, Greece and Turkey.All four will add oversight of U Networks in addition to their TV distribution responsibilities. Contact Bobbie Whiteman at bobbie.whiteman@variety.com

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Technicolor, IMGlobal ink service deal

Technicolor and film financing-sales company IM Global have joined right into a partnership encompassing a multi-year service arrangement. Deal, introduced Monday, requires Technicolor to supply IM Global with front-end services, worldwide release and trailer printing and distribution services for worldwide theatrical and subsequent ancillary platforms. IM Global Boss Stuart Ford stated inside a statement, ''Technicolor supplies a top class service along with a renowned brand which perfectly complements our fast growing library of game titles and allows us to deal with business in fifty plus areas every day.'' Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com

Lee Daniels To Adapt Valley of The Dolls Into Series For NBC, Chernin Entertainment

EXCLUSIVE: Jacqueline Susann’s classic 1966 novel Valley of the Dolls is getting a series treatment by Oscar-nominated Precious director Lee Daniels. NBC has bought the period project, from 20th Century Fox TV and studio-based Chernin Entertainment, with a script commitment plus penalty. Daniels is set to write and direct the adaptation as well as executive produce with Chernin and Katherine Pope. UPDATE: This is one of 3 recent drama sales for Chernin Entertainment, which also set up at Fox Gina Fattore’s Second Chances, about a female trauma surgeon who has to cope with the fact that she was the only survivor of a car crash that killed her best friend (the project received a script commitment plus penalty), and Jon Cowan’s legal thriller spec script Truth. Valley of the Dolls, which has sold more than 30 million copies, spans over two decades to chronicle the lives, career highs and ultimate self-destruction of three female best friends: Anne Welles, who works at a Broadway talent agency; Neely O’Hara, a vaudeville star; and Jennifer North, a showgirl. The title of the book refers to a slang for sleeping pills that the three women eventually become dependent on. The novel previously was adapted as a movie in 1967, as a mini-series in 1981 and as a late-night soap in 1994. This marks the broadcast debut of Daniels, who on the cable side was previously attached to an HBO multi-generational family written by Amy Bloom. On the feature side, Daniels’ follow-up to Precious, The Paper Boy — starring Nicole Kidman, Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron — will be released next year. There are two period drama series that launched this fall, ABC’s Pan Am, which got off to a strong start last night, and The Playboy Club, which was soft in its opener last Monday.

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ATO Pictures nabs rights to 'Oasis'

ATO Pictures has acquired U.S. rights to Participant Media's docu ''Last Call at the Oasis,'' directed by Jessica Yu.The film recently premiered at the Toronto Intl. Film Festival.Pic's developed, financed and executive produced by Participant Media.''Oasis'' deals with the global water crisis becoming the central issue facing our world this century.The film was produced by Elise Pearlstein and features activist Erin Brockovich, Peter Gleick, Alex Prud'homme, Jay Famiglietti and Robert Glennon.The deal was negotiated by ATO's Head of Acquisitions Sarah Lash with Josh Braun of Submarine and Jeff Ivers, COO of Participant Media.ATO also picked up rights last week to another TIFF title, ensemble comedy ''The Oranges. Contact Dave McNary at dave.mcnary@variety.com

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'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13: First Contestant Eliminated

Adam Taylor/ABCRon Artest, left, with other Season 13 castmembers The first celebrity has been eliminated from Season 13 of Dancing With the Stars. SPOILER ALERT! L.A. Laker Ron Artest -- who just legally changed his name to Metta World Peace -- got the boot on Tuesday night's results show. PHOTOS: 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13: Rehearsals He and his professional dancing partner, Peta Murgatroyd, finished Monday night's premiere episode with the lowest score from the judges, earning only 14 out of 30 points for their cha-cha. The contestants were saved in groups on Tuesday's show, with the final three coming down to Nancy Grace, Rob Kardashian and Peace. PHOTOS: 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13 Cast Official Photos After hearing his fate, Peace said: "I want to say thank you, Dancing With the Stars, Peta and I had a great time." Incidentally, Dancing With the Stars alum Steve-O recently told The Hollywood Reporter that Peace was his favorite to win this season. Peace and Murgatroyd will appear live on ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday. Tuesday's DWTS episode also featured performances by Harry Connick Jr. and LMFAO. PHOTOS: 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13 Cast Eleven contestants remain in competition for the mirror-ball trophy: Grace; actress and former talk show host Ricki Lake; actor David Arquette; transgender activist Chaz Bono; reality stars Kardashian,Kristin Cavallariand Carson Kressley; Iraq war veteran and soap actor J.R. Martinez; singer Chynna Phillips; model-actress (and George Clooney's ex) Elisabetta Canalis; and women's soccer World Cup star Hope Solo. RELATED: 'Dancing With the Stars' Premiere: What the Viewers Are Saying 'Dancing With the Stars' Premiere: 5 Memorable Moments 'Dancing With the Stars' Season 13 Premiere: TV Review ABC Carson Kressley Chaz Bono David Arquette Kristin Cavallari Dancing with the Stars Dancing with the Stars the Results Show Nancy Grace

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Lionsgate cozies as much as 'Friends With Kids'

Lionsgate has acquired U.S. privileges to Jennifer Westfeldt's ensemble comedy ''Friends With Kids,'' per week after its premiere in the Toronto Film Festival. Deal closed Sunday around the final day's the festival. Deal was the very first TIFF purchase to Lionsgate, which in fact had no official comment regarding release plans. ''Friends with Kids,'' shot in NY early this season, stars Westfeldt, Jon Hamm, Adam Scott, Megan Fox, Kristen Wiig, Edward Burns, Maya Rudolph and Chris O'Dowd. Written and directed by Westfeldt (''Kissing Jessica Stein''), pic focuses on several buddies whose life is transformed because the couples within the group start having children. Westfeldt and Scott portray close friends who launch a romance while trying to prevent the anticipation of a relationship. Hamm, Wiig, Rudolph and O'Dowd are probably the pals with kids. ''Friends'' is created by Westfeldt and Hamm's Points West Pictures and Riza Aziz and Joey McFarland's Red-colored Granite Pictures. Pic may be the first for production companies. Producers are Westfeldt, Hamm, Joshua Astrachan, John Kasdan, Joey McFarland and Riza Aziz. Executive producers are Mike Nichols, John Sloss, Lucy Barzun Donnelly and Joe Gatta with Kathryn Dean co-creating. Cinetic Media handled U.S. privileges and Red-colored Granite is handling worldwide sales. Contact Dork McNary at dork.mcnary@variety.com