'Idol,' football power big Fox week

"The Big Bang Theory" 'American Idol''Modern Family'Fox's "American Idol" returned to wreak havoc on the competition last week, but TV's hottest comedies -- ABC's "Modern Family" and CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" -- emerged unscathed from their first head-to-head battles. As it kicks off its 11th season, "Idol" looked a bit more mortal. Nielsen estimates that Wednesday's two-hour opener averaged a 7.4 rating/19 share in adults 18-49 and 21.93 million viewers overall (down 23% in the demo from last year) and Thursday's premiere hour (5.7/15, 18.02m) was off 27%. Even with its weakest start since its initial run in summer 2002, "American Idol" accounted for the week's three top programs among young adults (including Sunday's post-football special). Biggest news during "Idol" premiere week, though, was the strong tune-in for both "Modern" and "Bang." Though each is among the biggest gainers in DVR playback (the ABC show is No. 1), auds showed up on their premiere nights last week even with the tougher competish from Fox. "Big Bang" (5.3/15 in 18-49, 15.83m) became the first regular in-season series to top "Idol" head-to-head in 18-49 (5.3 to 5.2), up 26% vs. a year ago when "Idol" crushed it (7.0 to 4.2). And "Modern Family" (5.1/12, 11.89m) grew year-to-year by 11%. Both shows impressively matched their week-earlier scores. Still, Fox dominated last week like no net has this season thanks to the combo of "Idol," a good start for Monday drama "Alcatraz" (3.3/8, 10.05m) and a monster Sunday football game (21.4/47, 57.63m for Giants-49ers). Its 7.7/19 in 18-49 was more than the other five broadcast networks combined: 2.1/5 for both ABC and CBS, 1.5/4 for NBC, 1.4/4 for Univision and 0.5/1 for CW. The huge frame helped Fox leap-frog CBS for the season lead in 18-49, which should hold up even with a softer "Idol." At CBS, Thursday stayed strong post-"Big Bang" with week two of "Rob" (3.5/9, 11.41m) and the above-average "Person of Interest" (3.2/8, 14.40m) and "The Mentalist" (3.0/8, 14.22m). Also hot were Wednesday's "Criminal Minds" (3.2/8, 13.00m, up vs. last year against "Idol") and "CSI" (2.8/7, 12.02m). At ABC, "Modern Family" lead-out "Happy Endings" (2.9/7, 6.06m) was up 21% vs. "Cougar Town" a year ago. Also, Tuesday laffer "Last Man Standing" was up (2.6/7, 8.59m) and Sunday's "Once Upon a Time" (3.2/7, 9.33m) was solid vs. football. NBC surged Monday with "Betty White's 90th Birthday" special (2.7/7, 13.86m), and rookie drama "Grimm" shined on Friday (1.8/5, 5.92m). Not so hot is "The Firm" (3.42m), whose second Thursday seg ran eighth in 18-49 at 10 o'clock."Drew Peterson: Untouchable," starring Rob Lowe, was TV's No. 1 primetime show Saturday (1.7/5, 5.77m) and the most-watched cable telepic in two years. TNT scored big with Thursday's Heat-Lakers NBA game (2.0/6, 4.40m); FX's "Archer" was solid kicking off its third season (1.31m) even opposite hoops action; Science's season preem of "An Idiot Abroad 2: The Bucket List," featuring Ricky Gervais, was the net's top telecast ever in 18-49 (480,000) and 25-54 (538,000); Bravo's "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" hit season highs Monday (1.3/3, 2.76m); and Nickelodeon's "iCarly" on Saturday was cable's most-watched non-sports telecast (4.84m). In another big week on the political front, Fox News moved up to second among cablers in total viewers (2.4 million). Contact Rick Kissell at rick.kissell@variety.com

CNB names Acosta sr. V . p ., team leader

Acosta City National Bank has hired David Acosta as senior V . p . and team leader for entertainment.Moving from NY to Beverly Slopes, the city National vet will focus on film and television production lending additionally to sports financing.Acosta has more than ten years of banking experience, and may sign up for a senior staff including Norman Starr, Judy Tu and Crockett Woodruff.Verifying to team manager Serta Zbojniewicz, he'll use entertainment groups on shores to service the bank's media and sports clients."The entertainment business could be a global business, but this really presents an chance for people to cope with it such," Acosta told Variety.City National is active in single-picture financing additionally to multi-picture and syndicate deals. As Hollywood has had proper care of immediately the financial crisis of 2008, City National has dedicated to individual film financing in the last 18 several days, a thing that Acosta must alter as time passes.InchHonestly, In my opinion most of us have seen industry for syndicated deals remains relatively soft as much as recently," he mentioned.Acosta points to new capital that's trickling to the market, proclaiming that he needs more bigger transactions as traders re-enter Hollywood. Last year, City National has took part in many multi-picture financings, including credit facilities for Summit Entertainment and Alcon Entertainment. Contact Rachel Abrams at Rachel.Abrams@variety.com

'Devil' bests holdovers at Friday B.O.

'The Demon Inside'In a devilish upset, Vital Insurge's "The Demon Inside" assigned the domestic B.O. Friday with $16.9 million.The scarer is outperforming even its most generous of pre-weekend estimations. Thursday, affiliates expected holiday holdovers to dominate the frame, in addition to yesterday after "Demon Inside" had taken $2.2 million in evening time tests, modified estimations only hopped near to $8 million for Friday, half from the film's actual take."Demon Inside" might not do much better, however, because while genre photos frequently play within this corridor, they are front-loaded matters with steep three-day drop offs. Insurge, a completely new Componen distribbery that "Demon Inside" marks its second release after last year's "Attacking Youthful Boys: Never Say Never," has moved its three-day estimate to $Thirty Dollars million.With "Demon Inside" really the only wide opener this frame, another Componen pic, "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol," needed second with $6.2 million, getting its domestic cume to $155.9 million.Warner Bros.' "An Online Detective: A Game Title Title of Shadows" needed third yesterday with $4.3 million, then Sony's "The Woman While using Dragon Tattoo" with $3.5 million. "Dragon Tattoo" remains undertaking well in mid-week sales, which is 34% week-to-week drop marks the most effective their hands on all films in wide release.Racing a few spots ahead since the other day, Disney's "War Equine" boosts a corner with $2.6 000 0000. Contact the number newsroom at news@variety.com

Arquette Is Going To Be Shaun Buckley's Mother

Patricia's in Mike Scott's biopicDirector Mike Scott has found the guy he really wants to play Shaun Buckley inside a new biopic from the tragic cult folk star: The Tempest's Reeve Carney. And today he's gradually building the ensemble around that actor-formed focus, with Patricia Arquette within the small yet pivotal role of Mary Guibert, Buckley's mother.The film, which based on whatever source you think is either untitled or known as Mystery Whitened Boy, follows Buckley's existence and cruelly short career from his early musical days and the mother's encouragement to his tragic dying at 30 in 1997.Scott has got the edge on fellow Buckley biopic-makers (competing project Greetings From Tim Buckley has Penn Badgley as Shaun), as he isn't only got the blessing from the real Mary Guibert, but additionally use of Buckley Jr's music and private archives, including key permission to make use of the now legendary version of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah. Arquette's presence will mark her second time using a Scott after showing up in 1993 True Romance for Jake's Uncle Tony.Working from the script by Ryan Jaffe, Scott is searching to begin filming this spring in NY.