1. Madonna has finally confirmed rumors that she’ll play the halftime show at Super Bowl XLVI on February 5. Her set will be created by a team from Cirque du Soleil, and it’s expected that she’ll be performing some new material from her forthcoming album. [via Rolling Stone]

2. Peter Jackson‘s production company WingNut Films has finally completed work on West of Memphis, a documentary about the West Memphis Three. The film, which was written and directed by Amy Berg (Deliver Us From Evil), has been a passion project of Jackson’s since he became involved in the case back in 2005. [via Deadline]

3. Breaking Dawn – Part 1 topped the box office for a third consecutive week — which is surprisingly a first for a Twilight film — bringing its total gross so far to a whopping $247.3 million. [via MTV]

4. New Yorker film critic David Denby is in big trouble with Sony Pictures for breaking the studio’s embargo on any reviews for The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo running before December 13. The funny part? He had only nice things to say about the film. [via Vulture]

5. When life imitates art: Meet Irina Kristy, the real-life version of Walter White from Breaking Bad. A 75-year-old college professor in Boston, she’s been accused of running a meth lab out of her home with some help from her 29-year-old son. [via THR]

Bonus Buzz: Jeff Bridges Playing Peek-A-Boo

1. Nicki Minaj announced via Twitter last night that her second album — Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded — will drop on Valentine’s Day of next year. Given the title, it’s a bit unclear whether the project is a reissue, or will feature new material. [via MTV]

2. Aaron Sorkin is apparently “strongly considering” Sony’s offer to write the Steve Jobs biopic that’s currently in the works. “Right now I’m just in the thinking-about-it stages,” he says. “It’s a really big movie and it’s going to be a great movie no matter who writes it.” [via Slashfilm]

3. Jimmy Fallon has apologized to Michele Bachmann via Twitter after his house band, The Roots, played “Lyin’ Ass Bitch” as her intro music on his show. “I’m honored that @michelebachmann was on our show yesterday and I’m so sorry about the intro mess,” he says. “I really hope she comes back.” [via The Daily Beast]

4. A leaked version of Lady Gaga’s cover of “White Christmas” — which will feature on her forthcoming EP A Very Gaga Holiday — has landed online. Give it a listen here.

5. Here are some rather exciting photos from the set of Ridley Scott’s highly-anticipated sci-fi flick Prometheus, which ties in with the Alien universe. The highly-anticipated blockbuster, which hits theaters this summer, has an ensemble cast that includes Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, and Patrick Wilson.

Bonus Buzz: People Sleeping On The Subway Next To Jake Gyllenhaal

1. The Hangover Part II star Bradley Cooper has been declared People Magazine’s “Sexiest Man Alive,” an honor that has previously gone to actors like Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, George Clooney, and Ryan Reynolds. His initial response to the news? “My mother is going to be so happy.” [via EW]

2. Mariah Yeater has decided to drop her paternity suit against Justin Bieber. This comes following the news that her lawyers quit the case after the singer’s management threatened her with legal action for making a false claim. [via NME]

3. After a successful debut in New Jersey, Disney has decided to mount a low-budget, three-month run of Newsies the Musical on Broadway this spring. Why are they being so cautious? Two recent big time flops: Tarzan and The Little Mermaid. [via NYT]

4. Today a public art commission in San Francisco votes on whether or not to withdrawal the city’s multiple contracts with artist Tom Otterness, the famed sculptor who shot and killed a shelter dog “for art” back in 1977. Allegedly, they didn’t know about his controversial past when they originally commissioned the works. [via Gawker]

5. Julien’s Auctions has removed Michael Jackson’s death bed from its upcoming auction of items from his final home at the request of the singer’s family, claiming, “we would never do anything that is not in the best interests of Michael’s children, his mother or the Estate.” [via EW]

Bonus Buzz: Donaghy Vs. Swanson Fight Poster

1. In the most recent episode of Marc Maron’s WTF Podcast, Adam Scott revealed the exciting news that a production company is interested in doing a “low budget” version of the Party Down movie. All they’re waiting for now is for Starz to sign off on the project. [via Pop Culture Brain]

2. “New York City is the city where you can come and express yourself. What was happening in Zuccotti Park was not that.” – Mayor Bloomberg defends his decision to clear the park in an early morning raid that led to the arrest of about 150 Occupy Wall Street protestors

3. After making us wait for an entire year, Jenny Slate and Dean Fleischer-Camp have finally made a new Marcel the Shell With Shoes On video, you guys! Watch it here.

4. In a new interview with Esquire, former Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark director Julie Taymor says that Bono and the Edge — who weren’t around at the time — publicly described her as “exhausted” and “overwrought” to get her fired: “I think that those were important to paint a picture of a director who you needed to release in order to make this big change. I had to be characterized that way in order for something to happen.” [via ArtsBeat]

5. According to a report in British tabloid The Sun, Pete Doherty is convinced that his apartment is haunted by the ghost of his departed friend Amy Winehouse. [via NME]

Bonus Buzz: Britney Spears Made A Music Video For Marilyn Manson’s “Sweet Dreams”

1. The first full trailer for the Gary Ross-directed adaptation of The Hunger Games has landed online — and it actually has some serious potential! Watch it here.

2. Also newly debuted: the first 30 seconds of the trailer for the Meryl Streep-fronted Margaret Thatcher biopic, The Iron Lady, which you can see here. What do you make of her Thatcher impression?

3. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Lady Gaga and her longtime creative director Laurieann Gibson have decided to part ways; it sounds like the fact that Gibson has been pursuing her own projects lately, as well as some friction over Gaga’s recent music videos, led to the split.

4. Courtney Love stormed offstage during a performance in Brazil on Saturday night after a concertgoer held up a picture of Kurt Cobain, and shouted, among other things, “I’m not Kurt, I have to live with his shit and his ghost and his kid every day and throwing that up is stupid and rude and I’m going to beat the f*ck out of you if you do it again.” [via NME]

5. During an interview with Australia’s 60 Minutes over the weekend, Brad Pitt announced that he’s planning to retire from acting when he turns 50 (which is three years from now), and put more of his focus toward producing. [via The Playlist]

Bonus Buzz: Best Slo-Mo Breakdancing You’ll See Today

1. Hollywood big shot Brian Grazier has stepped in to replace Brett Ratner as the producer of this year’s Oscars. Despite some initial speculation, Grazier now says that there’s no way that he’s going ask Eddie Murphy to reconsider his exit as host. [via Deadline]

2. Ricky Gervais says that NBC wants him to host this year’s Golden Globes, but with only two months to go before the event, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association is still unsure. One potential reason for the holdup: Deadline reports that there’s at least “one A-lister who is threatening not to attend if Gervais emcees.” Any guesses who it is?

3. The Criterion Collection — or at least 46 of its titles — is now available on iTunes! But wait, there’s a catch: even if you purchase a film, you won’t have access to the extensive special features, which is kind of the whole point, right? [via Slashfilm]

4. A list of the musicians who will be making cameo appearances on Season 2 of Portlandia includes Eddie Vedder, Sex Pistols guitarist Steve Jones, Johnny Marr, and Joanna Newsom. [via THR]

5. The Rolling Stones (apparently sans frontman Mick Jagger) are meeting up in a London studio later this month, sparking rumors of a 50th anniversary show. Keith Richards denies the reports: “We’re just going to play a little together, because we haven’t played for three or four years. You don’t necessarily want to rehearse or write anything – you just want to touch bases.” [via NME]

Bonus Buzz: Presidential Super Heroes

1. Harvey Weinstein thinks that Saturday Night Live creator Lorne Michaels should replace Brett Ratner as the producer of this year’s Oscars, and that Tina Fey should be involved with writing material for host Eddie Murphy. No objections here. [via Deadline]

2. Exciting news for fans of Alison Bechdel’s excellent work: Her graphic novel Fun Home — which focuses on her upbringing in a small town in Pennsylvania — is going to become a stage musical thanks to the Sundance Institute Theater Program. [via SheWired]

3. Pitbull is now suing Lindsay Lohan after she sued him over the line “I got it locked up like Lindsay Lohan” in his song “Give Me Everything.” In his countersuit, the rapper claims that her multiple prison sentences support his words. Touché. [via Vulture]

4. Pixies frontman Frank Black has decided to launch his own record label called The Bureau in order to put out is own material. He also plans to issue records by other artists, including Jeremy Dubs and former Captain Beefheart collaborator Eric Drew Feldman. [via Guardian]

5. Check out the promos for this week’s Emma Stone-hosted episode of SNL here.

Bonus Buzz: Burger King Break-Up Live Tweeted

1. It’s official: Shooting on Skyfall, the 23rd installment of the James Bond franchise, begins on Monday. Joining Daniel Craig for the Sam Mendes-helmed project (which it should be noted, will not connect with Craig’s previous two Bond films, plot-wise): Academy Award winner Javier Bardem, who was previously cast as the villain — although it’s not confirmed yet whether or not he’s playing Blofeld. [via Deadline]

2. “I’m sure it wouldn’t have happened if I were a man. What other people think of me is none of my business but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt my feelings… My mood changes about it depending on the day. In general, you don’t want anyone to say anything bad about you.” – Lana Del Rey discusses her detractors

3. Wu-Tang’s RZA — who scored both Kill Bill films for Quentin Tarantino — is the latest actor to join the cast of his anti-slavery spaghetti Western, Django Unchained. At this point, the star-studded ensemble already includes Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Leonardo DiCaprio, Don Johnson, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony LaPaglia, Misty Upham, Gerald McRaney, and M.C. Gainey. [via Variety]

4. The Peter Jackson-directed second Tintin film will not be based on Prisoners Of The Sun, as was previously rumored. Instead, that book may be the plot of Tintin 3, leaving the storyline for the sequel still up for discussion. [via Slashfilm]

5. The world premiere of Edward Albee’s new play Laying an Egg — which was set to makes its Off-Broadway debut in February — has been indefinitely postponed. Explains artistic director James Houghton: “All good things are well worth the wait, and most certainly a new play from one of our most treasured playwrights is no exception.” [via Guardian]

Bonus Buzz: Zach Galifianakis Stand Up From 1999

1. Rocketjuice and The Moon, Damon Albarn’s recently-launched supergroup with Flea and Tony Allen from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, have posted seven live tracks online, with a debut album planned for release some time next year. [via NME]

2. It looks like Chinese authorities are after Ai Weiwei again, this time serving the artist with a $2.3 million tax notice that he must pay within the next 15 days. [via BBC]

3. It has been announced that Jimmy Kimmel will be the featured entertainer at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner on April 28. His response to the news? “I look forward to being a part of the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. I love dinner.” [via EW]

4. Last night at a radio industry lecture, Pete Townshend referred to Apple as a “digital vampire,” and also had some words on illegal downloading: “If someone pretends that something I have created should be available to them free … I wonder what has gone wrong with human morality and social justice.” [via Guardian]

5. Artists Chuck Close and Laddie John Dill and the estate of the sculptor Robert Graham are suing Sotheby’s, Christie’s, and eBay for failing to pay the 5 percent royalties that are owed to them when a work is resold for more than $1,000. [via NYT]

Bonus Buzz: From One To Seven Billion In 200 Years

1. A new Amy Winehouse album which is being together producers Mark Ronson and Salaam Rem will be hitting shelves on December 5; called Amy Winehouse Lioness: Hidden Treasures, it features unfinished tracks as well as alternative versions of previously released material. [via NME]

2. DreamWorks’ Shrek spin-off Puss in Boots — which is currently at an 81% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes — topped the weekend box office, bringing in $34 million; the animated film also set a new record for the best Halloween weekend debut of all-time, so expect plenty more where that came from. [via USA Today]

3. Robert De Niro and John Travolta will be sharing the screen for the first time in Killing Season, an action flick set in the Appalachian Mountains that tells the story of an American military veteran going to head-to-head with a former Serbian soldier. [via Deadline]

4. The Coen Brothers have offered Justin Timberlake the role of a folk singer named Jim in their new movie, Inside Llewyn Davis, which is set in the ’60s music scene in Greenwich Village. He would be playing the husband of Carey Mulligan‘s character, Jean. [via Slashfilm]

5. Twenty-five years later, a reboot of the sketch show In Living Color is in the works for next year, with Keenen Ivory Wayans serving as the executive producer and host. [via Vulture]

Bonus Buzz: The Top 23 Halloween Costumes Of Reddit