Despite what many people say, biopics don’t live and die based solely on how much actors look like the real-life people they are portraying. It’s surely the easiest element to pick at, but a skilled actor or actress can inhabit anyone, no matter how much they may or may not look like someone. Of course, I said “skilled.” Deadline Fort Collins has provided us with yet another official still from Lifetime’s hilarious Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton biopic, Liz & Dick, and, unlike the first still from the Lindsay Lohan- and Grant Bowler-starring film, this one is in color. It does not help. Whereas that first black and white vampire neck-lock made it seem as if just anyone was playing Taylor and Burton, this one removes all doubt – it’s Lohan and Bowler, and damn if they don’t have even an ounce of the spark that Burton and Taylor did. What these (posed, blank, studio-shot) looks show is that Lifetime is desperate to prove that they can make Lohan and Bowler look like Taylor and Burton (too bad they can’t) and they’ll rush these stills if they have to (apparently, they thought they had to). With a number of highly unflattering paparazzi stills of the production hitting the internet over the past few days, who can blame them? But these are boring, bland skills without context. Lifetime, ease up. Sit on it. Wait. Then release some clips or trailers that can help prove once and for all that Liz &

According to Vulture, Martha Marcy May Marlene writer/director Sean Durkin is preparing to pitch a ten-episode television series concept of The Exorcist. It’s a promising idea from a strong, disturbing storyteller, so hopefully a solid network picks it up. The potential for trenchant drama aside, what’s fascinating is that this project paired with two possible Silence of the Lambs television shows marks a mini-trend in TV that sees the conversion of movies into the format. Of course, both franchises were born as books (from William Peter Blatty and Thomas Harris respectively), but they were made even more famous (if not downright iconic) by the films – especially because of performances from Max Von Sydow, Linda Blair, and Anthony Hopkins. So that’s two (count ‘em, two) shows based on Hannibal Lecter: Clarice over at Lifetime and Hannibal over at NBC. The first, clearly, focuses on Clarice Starling, and the second uses Will Graham as its FBI agent of choice. These are all in various stages of development, but it seems clear that some showrunners and channels are looking to horror movies for inspiration and content. The natural question? What horror movie icons would work best on TV?