New Iron Man 2 Still

Paramount Pictures has provided us with this new photo of Tony Stark racing in Marvel Studios' Iron Man 2, opening in conventional theaters and IMAX on May 7. Directed by Jon Favreau, the anticipated sequel stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, John Slattery, Kate Mara, Clark Gregg and Olivia Munn.

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Who's the biggest winner in the late-night wars? Jay Leno. Here's why.

by Ken Tucker

As we all bask in the afterglow of Conan O’Brien’s tremendous final Tonight Show, I have some cold water to pour on this. There’s little doubt that, over the course of the rest of the year, the biggest winner of the late-night wars will be Jay Leno.

Why? Because once Leno re-takes the Tonight Show desk on Mar. 1, he’ll begin one of his inexorable, inexhaustible efforts to regain the ratings lead over David Letterman, now not just his rival but his grand arch-enemy. (Think Dave as Batman [brooding, wily, powerful] and Jay as The Joker [giggly, wily, powerful].)

And as much as it pains me to write this, Leno will probably succeed; it’s just a matter of how long it takes.

Because if you think the vast majority of Americans who have long watched The Tonight Show truly believes Jay is “tarnished” or “the bad guy,” as so many pundits have written, you’re deluded. Middle America still loves Jay, and the backlash to the backlash will be that Leno emerges just the way he’s been positioning himself: As the loyal underdog who’s now coming to rescue NBC’s late-night ratings.

Damage control is already in high gear: It’s being reported that Leno will appear on Oprah, TV’s great anointer of forgiveness, on Thursday.

Combine that with the fact that, once he Jaywalks back to 11:35 p.m., he’ll still be booking big-name guests (again, if you think Robin Williams or Tom Hanks or any other final-week Conan supporter is going to turn down Jay, you’re crazy), and he’ll strike millions of viewers as the warm, comfortable guy to watch. As much as you and I have revelled in the late-night wars, there’s a chunk of viewers who just want the sniping to stop now. I’ll bet Jay will shrewdly back off from any more attacks on Letterman, thereby leaving Dave in the tricky position of seeming too aggressive.

Hey, I hope I’m wrong. But I don’t think I am. Prediction: Jay will be number-one at 11:35 before September, when Conan can go to Fox (nooooo! don’t do that, Conan!) or FX or Comedy Central or wherever O’Brien chooses to land.

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True Blood’s Hunks Are Happy to Get Naked

True Blood fans with a taste for male eye-candy can breathe easy: stars Ryan Kwanten and Sam Trammell promise they’ll spend very little time in wardrobe for the show’s upcoming third season.

“We joke about it — and who has the record for the most disrobes,” says Trammell, who plays the shape-shifting Sam Merlot. “I think Ryan does. But I’m close behind him at this point because I’ve already disrobed like four or five times this year and I don’t think he has at all. I’ve got to fight that out with him. Ryan is definitely ready to show up and flaunt it, because he’s got the bod to back it up. He’s probably the least bashful.”

“I tend to think that I live my life relatively fearlessly,” admits Kwanten, who plays the heroic if not always clear-headed Jason Stackhouse. “If HBO knew half the things that I do in my personal life they probably wouldn’t be too happy about it … I have no fear. I sort of hide behind the guise that I am playing a character … Personally, I’m quite restrained and almost introverted. But as Mr. Stackhouse, I can’t afford to have any of those sensitivities.”

Trammell says the show’s producers don’t exactly help the cast stay in top shape for their frequent nude scenes. There is no exercise equipment on set, but plenty of tempting food on the craft services table. “[Working out is] up to us,” he says. “They’ve got the cookies out.”

He said the cast has gradually gotten used to performing in the buff. “Some of the ladies are kind of shy sometimes … Pretty much the process is: You’re shy, you take off your clothes once and then it’s done.” –Scott Huver

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Avatar to surpass Titanic as Hollywood's most successful movie of all time

By Tuesday morning, "Avatar" will likely be the top grossing movie of all time.

As theaters reported their weekend figures today, James Cameron's 3-D movie came within $2 million of claiming the record. "Avatar" has raked in more than $2 million on most weekdays, so expect Hollywood to crown a new king tomorrow.

The current tally stands at $1.841 billion worldwide. Cameron's last major film, "Titanic," hit ice at $1.843 billion.

This sudden rise comes with a few curiosities:

First, the power of Hollywood as an American export

Many US conservative groups have written off "Avatar" as a 160-minute liberal, tree-hugging, pagan, anti-American diatribe. Whether or not such messages lie in the forests of Pandora, foreign audiences have flocked to the science-fiction movie. Seventy percent of its earnings came from overseas.

Few of 2009's other top films share such a pronounced split. "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" came close with 67 percent of ticket sales coming from abroad – but most releases dipped below 50 percent.

But don't think Avatar has tottered domestically. In the US, it's come in first place for six weeks in a row. If you only count American ticket sales, "Avatar" is again the No. 2 top-grossing movie of all time. But the margin between it and "Titanic" is much greater: $600 million to $552 million.

Second, the speed if its ascent

"Titanic" steamed ahead for 10 months before leaving theaters. "Avatar" has only been out for 6 weeks.

The new film still has plenty of fight in it, but maybe not 10-months worth. Theaters will keep screening the movie for as long as it makes money. But often they will show blockbusters in a smaller room each week – one that best fits a film's diminishing returns. It will be interesting to see what happens when competing 3-D movies come out – such as "Shrek the Fourth" in May and "Toy Story 3" in June. One of the biggest selling points of "Avatar" is its third dimension. Since the spectacle requires a special projector and lots of polarized glasses, few theaters will be able to support more than one 3-D movie at a time. They could show the 2-D version of "Avatar," but that will mean convincing viewers that the "flat" version is worth seeing again – not to mention the price of acquiring a new copy of the film from 20th Century Fox. Will theaters and audiences bother?

Third, will the DVD fall far from the tree?

"Avatar" has been great news for theaters, but there are very few ways to bring the extra dimension home with you. As we wrote earlier this month:

Despite the best efforts of pitchmen at this week's Consumer Electronic Show in Las Vegas, very few families can play 3D movies at home. Will a flat version of "Avatar" attract the same following? The good news for studios is that "Up," "Monsters Vs. Aliens," and "Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs" – the 3D movies that cracked 2009's top-grossing list for theaters – also broke into the top ten for DVD sales.

There's little chance that 3D TVs will become mainstream by the time "Avatar" hits store shelves as a disc. But the movie will join the growing list of reasons to scoop up a new television. With ESPN and Discovery announcing 3D cable networks and Blu-ray recently settling on a high-definition 3D format, perhaps this really will be the year that 3D TVs take off.

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Joe Jonas Learns to Be Ruthless on American Idol

Joe Jonas says he had a great time as a guest judge on American Idol — once he learned to be candid with the contestants about their performances.

“[I was] a little nervous at the start because I was kind of afraid I was going to hurt people’s feelings,” the 20-year-old Jonas Brother told Ryan Seacrest on his KIIS-FM radio show Monday morning. “You have to really be honest. At first, you feel bad, because you see these people come through, and they just want it really bad. The first few, I was like, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah, you’re great.’ Towards like five [people] in, you have to be like, ‘I’m sorry, no. This isn’t for you.’”

Jonas, whose Idol episode airs Tuesday, said he saw plenty of talent at the Dallas auditions, though some contestants seemed best suited to specific styles that lack broader appeal. But there may have been a diamond in the rough. “There were a couple of people that walked through the audition room whose voices were just so different. I’d never heard anything like it,” he said. “And I was like, ‘Yeah, this guy could totally win it.’ “

And since Jonas and his brothers have roots in the area, Joe added, “I would be really proud if somebody from Texas wins.” –Tim Nudd

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Alleged New Details Surface About Night of Tiger's Car Crash

A suspicious Elin Nordegren set events in motion on the night of Tiger Woods's fateful car crash by pretending to be her husband in texts to his alleged mistress Rachel Uchitel, a new report claims.

Citing information from two unnamed Nordegren acquaintances, The Daily Beast is offering a new account of just what happened in the early morning hours of Nov. 27.

Among the claims:

• That Tiger had Elin talk to Uchitel on the phone before the affair was reported in the National Enquirer to convince her the relationship was platonic.

• That Elin confirmed her lingering suspicions on the night of the car crash by texting Uchitel and impersonating her husband – and then calling Uchitel after she texted back.

• That Tiger had taken Ambien and was in a stupor when Elin woke him by screaming at him.

• That Tiger texted Uchitel soon after his wife woke him up – and that Elin also found this text and chased Tiger out of the house.

The report also says Elin is waiting until Woods finishes any rehab treatment he's undergoing before making a final decision about a divorce.

A source close to Uchitel, who did not speak to Uchitel specifically about this night in question, tells PEOPLE that the events as described above sound highly plausible, knowing Uchitel.

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HEIDI KLUM doesn't seem to mind these plastic-looking models.

Here she is unveiling her new waxwork at Madame Tussauds in Berlin.

Judging by her grin, the Victoria's Secret Angel was pleased with the likeness.

The wax figure, which sported a sparking dress with a plunging neckline, cost £175,000 to make.

Her hubby SEAL must be tempted to buy one.

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