*******************||Trending||*******************
March 22, 2014
March 21, 2014
Triple H, Emma, WWE Performance Center, More
Triple H was a major contributor to the The Herald Sun feature we posted about earlier, as the journalist that wrote the piece was touring the WWE Performance Center alongside Triple H and others. In fact, the writer said he was one of the first international journalist given the opportunity to tour and cover the new 26,000 square foot training facility in Orlando.
Here are some of the Triple H highlights from the piece:
On how WWE finds talent for the Performance Center:
“Some people come to us, some send us tapes, we hold open castings and do auditions,” he says. “We make connections with Olympic athletes, rugby and football players. Some of these people are among the best athletes in the world who just missed out on performing at the highest level in their sport. For them, the WWE is an amazing chance at a new career.”
On superstars using mirrors to work on their promos:
“It’s called the mirror room because, when I learned, that’s what you did — you stood in front of a mirror and practised doing promos,” Levesque says. “The biggest part of our industry is charisma and personality, how you stand out from the crowd.
“The top star was not always the guy who was the best technician in the ring, sometimes it was the guy with the incredible personality … that’s the hard part to teach.”
On the thoughts behind creating the Performance Center:
“The design of this place comes from a thought: if I wanted to be a superstar today, what would I need to get there? This is about making the next generation of superstars bulletproof — giving them what they need to get here, the tools to make it, everything they must have in order to be as successful as they can be.”
Sean Fewster of Australia's Herald Sun did an incredible job with his detailed piece on WWE's Peformance Center. Focusing on Hunter's comments and those of WWE Diva Emma, you get a very unique view of exactly what the new training facility means on both sides of the business – management and talent.
You can check out the feature here.
March 20, 2014
Minor Change For WWE NXT
WWE has changed the way they add NXT episodes to Hulu Plus and all episodes will be available on Fridays now. They also haven't added the videos to YouTube yet so the only way to catch NXT first in the United States is on the WWE Network at 9pm on Thursdays.
Details On Eight Potential WWE Network Reality Shows Including One With Steve Blackman
WWE issued a survey earlier today to gauge interest on potential reality shows for the WWE Network. Here are details, courtesy of PWInsider:
* WWE Rescue - a reality show where WWE talents come to the homes of "super fans" to help with their personal and business problems. Described as Restaurant Impossible meets Nanny 911.
* NXT: Behind the Scenes - A reality series following the NXT talents trying to make it out of the Performance Center and to the main roster, looking at their work, their personal lives and the fraternity of the NXT brand, including the heartbreak of being cut.
* WWE Ultimate Challenge- WWE's version of CBS' Amazing Race with a 12 hour extreme scavenger hunt in different cities.
* Xtreme WWE Collector - Starring "Super fan" Michael Patterson - WWE's version of Travel Channel's Toy Hunter.
* Pros vs. Joes - Similar the old Spike TV series, pitting WWE talents against an average person in physical and non-physical challenges. The non physical challenges listed included an air guitar competition. The physical challenges were described as similar to American Gladiators.
* WWE Around the World - Following WWE stars as they take part in some of the scariest stunts and attractions around the world, such as shark diving and eating strange foods.
* WWE Dirty Jobs - Just like the Discovery Channel reality series of the same name, WWE talents have to perform unpleasant jobs, including going into Chicago sewers and picking up garbage in NYC.
* WWE Prankdown - a practical joke show that features WWE stars pulling tricks on unsuspecting "superfans." An example was John Cena and Randy Orton both wanting to buy an expensive car and getting into a fight at the dealership, only to show the damage they caused was part of the show to trick the fan.
* Blackman's Bounties - A reality series with former WWE star and bounty hunter Steve Blackman following his bounty hunting team based out of Harrisburg, PA.
Stephanie McMahon Reveals Plans For Slam City
Stephanie McMahon noted on Twitter during a @WWEMoms chat that we will be seeing The Rock on the new WWE Slam City cartoon in the future. She said that there will be Slam City apparel, back to school accessories, books and home videos at the end of this year.
WWE Investing In Mobile App Company
Mobile app company Phunware announced earlier this week that they have raised a total of $42 million in funding. The press release noted that WWE is one of their new strategic investors, along with Cisco. Phunware has created mobile content for brands like WWE, NASCAR, the NFL, Discovery, McDonald's, Rolling Stone, Sesame Street and others.
March 19, 2014
Details on WWE's Two-Hour WrestleMania XXX Pre-show with a Match and More
WWE announced today that the Kickoff pre-show for WrestleMania XXX will be two hours. Beginning at 5pm EST, the first hour will feature a panel with current Superstars and Legends, with interviews and more. It will air on WWE.com, the WWE App, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pheed. The second hour will begin at 6pm EST on the WWE Network with the panel, more interviews and a match. WrestleMania XXX then kicks off at 7pm EST.
Rumor Mill - WWE Re-Writes Script for 2015 Movie to Replace CM Punk, WWE Distancing Themselves
WWE is facing an issue with CM Punk being tied to a lot of licensing and future projects. Word from someone working on WWE Studios' Flinstones movie that comes out in 2015 reports that the script is being re-written for another Superstar to replace Punk's character, likely Rey Mysterio.
WWE is really trying to distance themselves from CM Punk and not use any Punk material, as seen with them removing him from WrestleMania recap video packages and other media. Regarding the 24 episodes of Slam City that are completed, WWE couldn't take Punk's character out because they've been done for months but they will be downplaying his involvement.
The Camp WWE adult cartoon that is expected to hit the WWE Network this year will also likely be re-done now that Punk has left the company.
WWE Star on Muscle & Fitness Advisory Board
WWE referee Charles Robinson noted on Twitter that Mark Henry, who was the first-ever Arnold Classic Strongman winner, is now on the Muscle & Fitness advisory board.
"Legends House" Air Date On The WWE Network Revealed
Joey Styles revealed the date on Twitter:
MUST SEE TV! @WWE @LegendsHouse premieres April 17 at 8/7 CT, only on @WWENetwork!
John Cena Negotiating To Star In Movie Called "Trainwreck"
WWE Superstar and 14-time World Champion John Cena is reportedly in negotiations to star in an upcoming film called Trainwreck along with Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, and Brie Larson.
This movie is currently scheduled to be released on July 24th, 2015.
source: the hollywood reporter
March 18, 2014
Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear
