‘Dark Knight’ will not be visiting mainland China

‘Dark Knight’ will not be visiting mainland China

HONG KONG — Batman landed in Hong Kong but that doesn’t mean “The Dark Knight” will open all over China.

The movie opened in Hong Kong theaters. But Warner Bros. decided not to release the film in mainland China — or even submit it for censors’ approval — because of “prerelease conditions” and “cultural sensitivities,” the studio said last week.

Warner Bros. officials may have been concerned the film — particularly scenes shot in Hong Kong, where Batman nabs a gangster — would offend censors.

Hong Kong is a Chinese-ruled former British colony that maintains separate political and economic systems.

Another possible sticking point is a brief appearance by Hong Kong actor-singer Edison Chen, who appeared in lurid photos with several women this year.

Bootleg copies have been available in Chinese markets for months.

Warner Bros. sues CBS over ‘Two and a Half Men’

LOS ANGELES — “Two and a Half Men” has spawned one major lawsuit.

Warner Bros. Television sued CBS in Los Angeles last week, claiming it is owed nearly $70 million for producing and licensing the hit sitcom.

The show, which stars Charlie Sheen and Jon Cryer, is in its sixth season.

Warner Bros. claims that its agreement with CBS granted it the ability to recoup $49 million in losses on the show’s first four seasons and other financial incentives.

Warner Bros. claims CBS will soon owe it $20 million now that “Two and a Half Men” has remained a hit in its fifth and sixth seasons.

Chris Ender, CBS’ senior vice president of communications, issued a season-themed statement: “Wow, I wonder what they got the other networks for Christmas.”

Today’s birthdays

Actor Lou Jacobi is 95. Comic book creator Stan Lee is 86. Actor Martin Milner is 77. Actress Nichelle Nichols is 76. Actress Maggie Smith is 74. Rock singer-musician Charles Neville is 70. Rock singer-musician Edgar Winter is 62. Rock singer-musician Alex Chilton is 58. Actor Denzel Washington is 54. Country singer Joe Diffie is 50. Country musician Mike McGuire is 50. Actor Chad McQueen is 48. Country singer-musician Marty Roe is 48. Actor Malcolm Gets is 44. Actor Mauricio Mendoza is 39. Comedian Seth Meyers is 35. R&B singer John Legend is 30. Actress Sienna Miller is 27. Actor Thomas Dekker is 21. Actress Mackenzie Rosman is 19. Pop singer David Archuleta is 18.