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The press release was sent out yesterday afternoon. Catherine Hardwicke, will not be directing the sequel to Twilight which Summit wants to have in the theatres by the end of next year or at the latest in early 2010. The release said that Hardwicke passed on the project due to "timing issues" because she wanted more prep time to work on the script which scribe Melissa Rosenberg turned in on opening weekend. Summit wants to film sooner rather than later.

Nikki Finke is reporting that Hardwicke was actually fired because she was "difficult" and "irrational." Geez, they just should have called her a bitch and been done with it.

Who knows what the real story is, probably somewhere in the middle, but this rubs me the wrong way. First, the film is opening all over the world and Hardwicke is currently in Europe promoting the film. Awkward.

Second, I can't help but think that a guy director who has brought in over $140 million on a budget of under $40 million would be treated differently. Hardwicke did everything she was supposed to do, that every director dreams of doing, directing a big box office success. (The film will probably turn out to be in the top 10 domestic grossers of the year.)

Everyone keeps saying the power job is the director and that having more women directors show box office prowess will open up the directing ranks. Guess not. Just goes to show that the gender issues are just much deeper than anyone is willing to discuss.

No Hardwicke for 'Twilight' sequel (Variety)

(Amy) Pascal, when asked what she'd like to change in the industry:
"I wish all of us would be a little braver. I wish all of us would make the movies that made us get in the business. I don't think I always do that. And that’s what I'd like to do."

Variety has a feature in today's paper that focuses on the best director candidates. The top tier a re called "THE GENERALS" - ie: battle tested vets. Of course, not a single one of the vets is a woman. The next tier down "IN THE MIX" still does not name a single woman. How can they name Lance Hammer and Steve McQueen and not name Courtney Hunt and Kelly Reichardt?

Shame of Variety for using war like and male centric images to describe directors. Do you need to perpetuate the stereotype even more? No wonder no women made it to the list.

Shameful. Send editor in chief Peter Bart an email at peter.bart@variety.com (not 100% sure that is his email but give it a shot) and let him know that this is unacceptable. It's also hysterical to me that they put this on the cover of their home page the same day that rival Hollywood Reporter names the top 100 Women in Power in Hollywood.

It's that time of the year again when Hollywood takes a moment and celebrates the women in its ranks at the Hollywood Reporter annual Power Women Breakfast in conjunction with Lifetime Networks.

I'm waiting for the day when we don't need these kind of events anymore, but we are sooo far away from that. Congrats to all and try to think about helping and supporting other women in your ranks who don't have the kind of power you do.

Here's the list:
1. Oprah Winfrey
Chairman, Harpo Inc.

2. Anne Sweeney
Co-chairman, Disney Media Networks
President, Disney-ABC Television Group

3. Amy Pascal
Co-chairman, Sony Pictures

4. Nancy Tellem
President, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group

5. Stacey Snider
Co-chairman and CEO, DreamWorks

6. Bonnie Hammer
President, NBC Universal Cable Entertainment and Universal Cable Prods.

7. Judy McGrath
Chairman and CEO, MTV Networks

8. Mary Parent
Chairman, MGM Worldwide Motion Picture Group

9. Dana Walden
Chairman, 20th Century Fox Television

10. Nina Tassler
President, CBS Entertainment

11. Donna Langley
President of production, Universal Pictures

12. Nikki Rocco
President of distribution, Universal Pictures

13. Sue Kroll
President of worldwide marketing, Warner Bros. Pictures

14. Dawn Ostroff
President of entertainment, the CW

15. Katherine Pope
President, Universal Media Studios

16. Sue Naegle
President, HBO Entertainment

17. Lauren Zalaznick
President, NBC Universal Women and Lifestyle Entertainment Networks

18. Kathleen Kennedy
Producer/partner, the Kennedy/Marshall Co.

19. Laura Ziskin
President, Laura Ziskin Prods.

20. Veronika Kwan-Rubinek
President of international distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures

21. Andrea Wong
President and CEO, Lifetime Networks

22. Sheila Nevins
President, HBO Documentary Films

23. Shari Redstone
President, National Amusements
Vice chairman of the board of directors, Viacom and CBS Corp.
Co-chairman and co-president, MovieTickets.com

24. Angelina Jolie
Actress

25. Elizabeth Gabler
President, Fox 2000 Pictures

26. Ann Daly
COO, DreamWorks Animation

27. Elisabeth Murdoch
Chairman and CEO, Shine

28. Nancy Utley
COO, Fox Searchlight

29. Emma Watts
Co-president of production, 20th Century Fox

30. Valerie Van Galder
Co-president of worldwide theatrical marketing, Columbia TriStar Motion Picture Group

31. Pamela Levine
Co-president of domestic theatrical marketing, 20th Century Fox

32. Terry Wood
President of creative affairs and development, CBS Television Distribution

33. Hilary Estey McLoughlin
President, Telepictures Prods.

34. Janice Marinelli
President, Disney-ABC Domestic Television

35. Belinda Menendez
President, NBC Universal International Television Distribution

36. Tyra Banks
President, Bankable Prods.

37. Marion Edwards
President of international television, 20th Century Fox Television Distribution

38. Jessica Reif Cohen
Managing director and media and entertainment analyst, Merrill Lynch

39. Cyma Zarghami
President, Nickelodeon and MTVN Kids & Family Group

40. Linda Bell
Blue Executive producer, "Entertainment Tonight" and "The Insider"

41. Abbe Raven
President and CEO, A&E Television Networks

42. Michele Ganeless
President, Comedy Central

43. Mary McLaren
COO, 20th Century Fox International Theatrical and Home Entertainment

44. Teri Weinberg
Executive vp, NBC Entertainment

45. Eileen O'Neill
President and GM, TLC

46. Debra Lee
Chairman and CEO, BET Networks

47. Cecile Frot-Coutaz
CEO, FremantleMedia North America

48. Amy Baer
President and CEO, CBS Films

49. Paula Kerger
President and CEO, PBS

50. Lynn Calpeter
Executive vp and CFO, NBC Universal

51. Tina Fey
Executive producer/writer/star, "30 Rock" (NBC)

52. Maren Christensen
Executive vp and general counsel, Universal Studios

53. Tracey Jacobs
Board member, partner and co-head of talent department, UTA

54. Kelley Avery
President, Paramount Worldwide Home Entertainment

55. Diane Nelson
President, Warner Premiere

56. Shonda Rhimes
President, Shondaland
Creator/executive producer, "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice" (ABC)

57. Nancy Josephson
Partner, Endeavor

58. Claudia Lewis
President of production, Fox Searchlight

59. Beth Swofford
Motion picture literary agent, CAA

60. Jo Ann Ross
President of network sales, CBS Television Network

61. Hylda Queally
Motion picture talent agent, CAA

62. Toni Howard
Head of motion picture talent, ICM

63. Megan Colligan
Co-president of domestic marketing, Paramount Pictures

64. Nancy Dubuc
Executive vp and general manager, History

65. Rachael Ray
TV host/author/magazine founder

66. Lauren Corrao
President of original programming and development, Comedy Central

67. Sharon Sheinwold
Partner, Endeavor

68. Vanessa Morrison
President, Fox Animation

69. Karen Kehela Sherwood
Co-chair, Imagine Films

70. Blair Kohan
Partner and motion picture talent and literary agent, UTA

71. Cynthia Pett-Dante
Owner and managing partner, Brillstein Entertainment Partners

72. Keri Putnam
President of production, Miramax Films

73. Debbie Liebling
President of production, Fox Atomic

74. Leah Weil
Senior executive vp and general counsel, Sony Pictures Entertainment

75. Jane Rosenthal
Producer/ partner, Tribeca Prods.
Co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival

76. Deborah Schindler
President of international motion picture production group, Sony Pictures Entertainment

77. Rebecca Prentice
Executive vp and general counsel, Paramount Pictures

78. Bernardine Brandis
Executive vp business and legal affairs, Walt Disney Studios

79. Randi Michel
Senior vp, head of talent (East Coast), WMA

80. Michelle Bohan
Partner, Endeavor

81. Roberta Reardon
President, AFTRA

82. Melanie Cook
Partner, Ziffren Brittenham Branca Fischer Gilbert-Lurie Stiffelman Cook Johnson Lande & Wolf

83. Jeanne Newman
Partner, Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren & Richman

84. Bridget Baker
President of TV networks distribution, NBC Universal

85. Deborah Barak
Executive vp business affairs, CBS Paramount Network Television Entertainment Group

86. Jana Winograde
Executive vp business affairs, ABC Entertainment, ABC Daytime and SoapNet

87. Beth Roberts
Executive vp business affairs, digital and new business development, NBC Universal Entertainment

88. Maria Crenna
Executive vp, CBS Paramount Network Television

89. Jennifer Nicholson-Salke
Executive vp creative affairs, 20th Century Fox Television

90. Lisa Gregorian
Executive vp worldwide marketing, Warner Bros. Television Group

91. JoAnn Alfano
Executive vp entertainment, Lifetime Networks

92. Marla Provencio
Executive vp marketing, ABC Entertainment

93. Jennifer Rudolph Walsh
Executive vp, co-head of worldwide literary department, WMA

94. Risa Gertner
Co-head of motion picture literary department, CAA

95. Sarah Greenberg
Co-president of theatrical marketing, Lionsgate Entertainment

96. Anne Globe
Worldwide head of marketing and consumer products, DreamWorks Animation

97. Leslie Siebert
Senior managing partner, The Gersh Agency

98. Nicole Clemens
Head of motion picture literary department, ICM

99. Jean Prewitt
President and CEO, Independent Film & Television Alliance

100. Miley Cyrus
Star, "Hannah Montana" (Disney Channel)

Power 100 List (Hollywood Reporter)
photo: Chris Hatcher / PR Photos

I find this very strange (as have several of the readers of the blog.)

When I got my favorite magazine (EW) in the mail this week I was so excited to see Meryl Streep on the cover declaring her the "Queen of Hollywood." We all know that she was always the queen in terms of content but now, at 59, she's a bona fide box office star. Check out my piece from earlier this week.

So now it had come to light that the Streep cover was only sent to subscribers and that Twilight was put on the cover for newsstands. I know that Twilight is a huge hit and I am thrilled, but it had been on the cover only weeks before. Why did it need to be on the cover again?

And isn't it just ironic that the whole story about Streep was how she has become commercially viable and then it turns out that she's not commercial enough for newsstands.

Some body please explain this to me (or as Rachel Maddow would say- somebody talk me down.)

Here are the different covers (from last week- this week features Jennifer Aniston who is not known for her box office prowess):

I guess this isn't such an important story because I only read about it in one place (good job LA Times), but it is important and should be discussed further. It's hard to make ends meet as an artist, but its harder as a female artist according to the NEA.

The NEA has released a more in-depth look at some of the data in its report “Artists in the Workforce, 1990-2005.” This "addendum" specifically looks at the gender pay gap for artists. Occupations included in the study: announcers, architects, musicians, producers, directors, artists, dancers, choreographers, designers, writers, visual artists, entertainers, performers and photographers.

Said the chairman of the NEA Dana Gioia: "Committed and entrepreneurial, women artists are making enormous progress, but still lag behind their male colleagues economically, especially in fields such as photography, design, and architecture.”

Other interesting findings:

• Women artists earn $0.75 for every dollar made by men artists. That 2 cents less than the overall gender pay gap which is 77 cents for every male dollar.
  

• Pay disparity increases with age.
  

• Pay gaps vary by occupation. Men and women had closer earnings parity in lower-paying performing arts occupations (such as musicians and dancers), where women earned an average of $0.92 for every dollar earned by men. The gap tended to be larger in non-performing art occupations (such as designers and art directors), where women earned 72 percent of what men earn.

• Pay gaps vary by state. The pay disparity was smaller in ten states, such as New York and Arizona, where women made 80 percent or more of what men made. Women made less than 75 percent of what men made in 27 states, including Virginia, Michigan, and North Dakota.

• Women make up just under half of all artists nationwide (46 percent), yet they are underrepresented in many artist professions. In 2003-2005, nearly 8 out of 10 announcers and architects were men.

• Women artists are as likely to be married as female workers in general, but they are less likely to have children.
  

• Female artists cluster in low-population states. Women made up more than 55 percent of the artist labor force in Iowa, Alaska, New Hampshire and Mississippi in 2003-2005. They represent well below half of all artists in New York (45.8 percent) and in California (42.6 percent).

Everyone who reads this site (whether you are a man or woman) is spirited in some way. This holiday season I have linked up with Nancy Mills and her site The Spirited Woman (and other women's blogs) to help publicize their Holiday Guide. It's a really cool and non-traditional and very feminist.

As Nancy says: "It is a guide to help you think out of the gift-giving box. Give back. Create change. Take a leap. Make a difference. Inspire others by the fact that you are inspired. And oh yes, have fun along the way. This is not your typical shop-til-you-drop guide. No way. No how."

Check out the guide (you do have to download a pdf) and get some interesting ideas for the holiday season. Hope you enjoy.