Will Adele drop a new album? Will Jimmy Fallon's move to 'Tonight' stick? Will Britney Spears complete her Vegas run and will it be considered a success? Now that the New Year is upon us, we've got some big questions about the world of entertainment in 2014 - and in the gallery below we consider 15 of the most pertinent.
Will Miley Cyrus only get bigger in 2014?
It's pretty hard to trump having one of the most-viewed music videos of all time ("Wrecking Ball") and singing one of the most omnipresent pop songs of the year ("We Can't Stop"). But Miley Cyrus seems to have a bet with herself that she can top herself at all times, even for non-music-related reasons (ex. smoking a blunt on stage, foam fingers, etc). The 21-year-old has worked hard to reinvent herself as a urban-leaning artist, with a world of hip-hop artists behind her extolling her 'tude, vocals and even her rhymes. As "Hannah Montana," she toured without relent, but the "Bangerz" tour will really test the pop singer's mettle to wow audiences in her "natural" state and make a case to fans longevity. As Lady Gaga has taught us, one also needs hits to keep the train moving, not shock alone. And as Justin Bieber has taught us, it's hard to keep your nose clean when you're around 20 years old.
Will audiences accept Seth MacFarlane as a leading man?
The very first thing Universal sent out this year was a picture of Seth MacFarlane in a scene with Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried in a scene from "A Million Ways To Die In The West." Coming off the success of "Ted," MacFarlane can obviously make a film that entertains, but it's another leap entirely to star in the film. So far, everything he's done has featured him as a voice, but not as an on-camera actor. You have to admire his plan to cast Theron and Seyfried as his love interests in the cheerfully dirty comedy about a sheep farmer named Albert who backs out of a gunfight because he's afraid, leading his girlfriend (Seyfried) to leave him. He enlists a new woman in town named Anna (Theron) to help him make his girlfriend jealous. He's onscreen for pretty much every scene in the film, and I know that I got real tired of him when he was just hosting an awards show. It's one thing to buy him in a movie, and another thing entirely to buy him as a romantic lead in a Western. If it works, then the sky's the limit for MacFarlane, who will be hugely in demand. And if it doesn't? Well, Brian the dog is alive and well on "Family Guy," and "Ted 2" is just around the corner.
Is 20th Century Fox ready to dominate in 2014?
2013 was not the greatest year for 20th Century Fox. The studio had some nice hits with "The Heat" and "The Wolverine," but "Epic" was a $100 million bomb due to its budget and the studio's top grosser, "The Croods," was really DreamWorks Animation's win. The rest of the year found huge disappointments including "A Good Day to Die Hard," "The Internship," "Runner Runner" and "The Counselor." That should all change over the next 12 months, however. Fox has "Rio 2," a Cameron Diaz comedy "The Other Woman," the buzz worthy drama "The Fault in Our Stars," "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," David Fincher's "Gone Girl" with Ben Affleck, Ridley Scott's Moses epic "Exodus," the third "Night at the Museum" and expected DWA hits "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" and "How to Train Your Dragon 2." Oh, and the also have what might be the biggest movie of the summer on their hands: "X-Men: Days of Future Past." Of course, this is all on paper which will make Fox's expected comeback one of the most interesting storylines of the year. Assuming it comes to pass.
Is ABC really the new NBC?
Sorry, NBC. You're not done being a punching bag quite yet, not until Thursdays stop being the night good shows go to die and not until you can weather a couple months without "The Voice" or football. However, it's definitely time to start looking at the increasingly foundation being built at ABC, where the best part of the lineup is an awkward assortment of old-skewing hits ("Dancing with the Stars"), aging hits ("Grey's Anatomy"), 10 p.m. hits that can't help other shows ("Scandal"), hits that apparently can't help other shows ("Modern Family") and struggling shows ABC is trying to will into hit status through DVR numbers ("Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."). Amidst small successes like "Castle" and "The Middle" and "Shark Tank," ABC has been pumping out high-profile duds like "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland," "Betrayal," "Lucky 7" and basically every new comedy they've programmed for several years. And if you thought the fall was ugly, wait'll you get a load of a January without "Dancing," "Scandal" or "Anatomy." Of course, ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee will meet with the Television Critics Association in two weeks and throw around strange demos and sports-excluded nonsense, but perception is reality in the TV business and the perception is that ABC is struggling.
Can 'American Idol' be saved?
Let's get this out of the way up-front: "American Idol" is still a hit. It still ruled Wednesday nights last spring and, were it not for "The Big Bang Theory," it would continue to lead its Thursday hour. And, let's get this out of the way, there is *nothing* FOX could program that would do anywhere near the same ratings for three hours of primetime programming in the spring. So no matter what your perception of "Idol" may be, it's doing fine. It's just not The Death Star anymore. There endeth my defense of "American Idol," because as we all know, last season was a problem. Mariah Carey was alternatingly surly and discombobulated. Nicki Minaj, who I actually kinda liked, didn't especially care about blending in. Keith Urban was terrified of the women on the panel and retreated into his shell like a turtle. And Randy Jackson was never really comfortable with the demands of being "the substantive one" on the panel. The show was also so determined to end its streak of White Guys With Guitars winners that it essentially sabotaged the male side of the talent pool. [If that wasn't sabotage and that actually represented the best of what "Idol" could find on the male side, the show has a bigger problem.] Enter Harry Connick Jr. Reenter Jennifer Lopez. Reinvigorate Keith Urban. Suddenly, "Idol" has a judging panel with chemistry for the first time since the early Randy-Paula-Simon years. Will viewers return? Or is "Idol" heading for another 25 percent drop? Stay tuned!
the rest at the source
Will Miley Cyrus only get bigger in 2014?
It's pretty hard to trump having one of the most-viewed music videos of all time ("Wrecking Ball") and singing one of the most omnipresent pop songs of the year ("We Can't Stop"). But Miley Cyrus seems to have a bet with herself that she can top herself at all times, even for non-music-related reasons (ex. smoking a blunt on stage, foam fingers, etc). The 21-year-old has worked hard to reinvent herself as a urban-leaning artist, with a world of hip-hop artists behind her extolling her 'tude, vocals and even her rhymes. As "Hannah Montana," she toured without relent, but the "Bangerz" tour will really test the pop singer's mettle to wow audiences in her "natural" state and make a case to fans longevity. As Lady Gaga has taught us, one also needs hits to keep the train moving, not shock alone. And as Justin Bieber has taught us, it's hard to keep your nose clean when you're around 20 years old.
Will audiences accept Seth MacFarlane as a leading man?
The very first thing Universal sent out this year was a picture of Seth MacFarlane in a scene with Charlize Theron and Amanda Seyfried in a scene from "A Million Ways To Die In The West." Coming off the success of "Ted," MacFarlane can obviously make a film that entertains, but it's another leap entirely to star in the film. So far, everything he's done has featured him as a voice, but not as an on-camera actor. You have to admire his plan to cast Theron and Seyfried as his love interests in the cheerfully dirty comedy about a sheep farmer named Albert who backs out of a gunfight because he's afraid, leading his girlfriend (Seyfried) to leave him. He enlists a new woman in town named Anna (Theron) to help him make his girlfriend jealous. He's onscreen for pretty much every scene in the film, and I know that I got real tired of him when he was just hosting an awards show. It's one thing to buy him in a movie, and another thing entirely to buy him as a romantic lead in a Western. If it works, then the sky's the limit for MacFarlane, who will be hugely in demand. And if it doesn't? Well, Brian the dog is alive and well on "Family Guy," and "Ted 2" is just around the corner.
Is 20th Century Fox ready to dominate in 2014?
2013 was not the greatest year for 20th Century Fox. The studio had some nice hits with "The Heat" and "The Wolverine," but "Epic" was a $100 million bomb due to its budget and the studio's top grosser, "The Croods," was really DreamWorks Animation's win. The rest of the year found huge disappointments including "A Good Day to Die Hard," "The Internship," "Runner Runner" and "The Counselor." That should all change over the next 12 months, however. Fox has "Rio 2," a Cameron Diaz comedy "The Other Woman," the buzz worthy drama "The Fault in Our Stars," "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes," David Fincher's "Gone Girl" with Ben Affleck, Ridley Scott's Moses epic "Exodus," the third "Night at the Museum" and expected DWA hits "Mr. Peabody & Sherman" and "How to Train Your Dragon 2." Oh, and the also have what might be the biggest movie of the summer on their hands: "X-Men: Days of Future Past." Of course, this is all on paper which will make Fox's expected comeback one of the most interesting storylines of the year. Assuming it comes to pass.
Is ABC really the new NBC?
Sorry, NBC. You're not done being a punching bag quite yet, not until Thursdays stop being the night good shows go to die and not until you can weather a couple months without "The Voice" or football. However, it's definitely time to start looking at the increasingly foundation being built at ABC, where the best part of the lineup is an awkward assortment of old-skewing hits ("Dancing with the Stars"), aging hits ("Grey's Anatomy"), 10 p.m. hits that can't help other shows ("Scandal"), hits that apparently can't help other shows ("Modern Family") and struggling shows ABC is trying to will into hit status through DVR numbers ("Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."). Amidst small successes like "Castle" and "The Middle" and "Shark Tank," ABC has been pumping out high-profile duds like "Once Upon a Time in Wonderland," "Betrayal," "Lucky 7" and basically every new comedy they've programmed for several years. And if you thought the fall was ugly, wait'll you get a load of a January without "Dancing," "Scandal" or "Anatomy." Of course, ABC Entertainment President Paul Lee will meet with the Television Critics Association in two weeks and throw around strange demos and sports-excluded nonsense, but perception is reality in the TV business and the perception is that ABC is struggling.
Can 'American Idol' be saved?
Let's get this out of the way up-front: "American Idol" is still a hit. It still ruled Wednesday nights last spring and, were it not for "The Big Bang Theory," it would continue to lead its Thursday hour. And, let's get this out of the way, there is *nothing* FOX could program that would do anywhere near the same ratings for three hours of primetime programming in the spring. So no matter what your perception of "Idol" may be, it's doing fine. It's just not The Death Star anymore. There endeth my defense of "American Idol," because as we all know, last season was a problem. Mariah Carey was alternatingly surly and discombobulated. Nicki Minaj, who I actually kinda liked, didn't especially care about blending in. Keith Urban was terrified of the women on the panel and retreated into his shell like a turtle. And Randy Jackson was never really comfortable with the demands of being "the substantive one" on the panel. The show was also so determined to end its streak of White Guys With Guitars winners that it essentially sabotaged the male side of the talent pool. [If that wasn't sabotage and that actually represented the best of what "Idol" could find on the male side, the show has a bigger problem.] Enter Harry Connick Jr. Reenter Jennifer Lopez. Reinvigorate Keith Urban. Suddenly, "Idol" has a judging panel with chemistry for the first time since the early Randy-Paula-Simon years. Will viewers return? Or is "Idol" heading for another 25 percent drop? Stay tuned!
the rest at the source
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