“It’s confirmed?” followed “Today” interviewer Natalie Morales.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ve confirmed that already,” Jolie said. “Well, Jack’s just confirmed it actually.”

“Is that true?” Black said jokingly.

“Yeah, you did,” Jolie replied.

“Sorry,” Black said.

“She said: ‘What do you know about Jack? It’s hard to get revenge because he’s so out there. He has no secrets!’”

CANNES, France, May 18 /PRNewswire/ – The Weinstein Company announced today at the Cannes Film Festival that Harvey Weinstein will produce Paulo Coelho’s international best-selling novel “The Alchemist” and that The Weinstein Company will hold exclusive world-wide motion picture and television rights for the film.

Glen Basner, President of The Weinstein Company International, will handle global sales. “The Alchemist” was packaged by the Paradigm Motion Picture Finance Group and represents Laurence Fishburne, the star, director and producer of the project, along with manager Helen Sugland, and attorneys Nina Shaw and Jeff Finkelstein.

Today’s announcement builds on the Weinstein’s success of adapting beloved literary classics including “The English Patient,” “Cider House Rules,” “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Cold Mountain” to film. Since its debut in Brazil in 1988, Paulo Coelho’s “The Alchemist” has captured the hearts and minds of millions of readers across the world selling over 30 million copies and reaching first place on best-seller lists in 18 countries. The book has also captivated a new generation of readers and has appeared on The New York Times bestseller list for 34 weeks, placing at #6 on this week’s paperback trade fiction list.

The Weinstein Company is currently in negotiations with an Academy Award(R) winning screenwriter to adapt the novel into a screenplay, which will be announced shortly. Production teams from past Weinstein produced films, such as “Gangs of New York,” “Cold Mountain,” “The English Patient,” and “The Aviator,” will be brought on board to work on the film. As producer, Harvey Weinstein has already begun to scout locations all over the world.

Various locations in Europe, as well as the Middle East, including Jordan, Abu Dhabi and Northern Africa will serve as backdrops for this global shoot. To join Fishburne in the cast, a search in Spain and Latin America for the role of Santiago will start shortly and other stars are expected to be announced to round out the cast.

Harvey Weinstein, co-chairman of The Weinstein Company stated: “Personally producing a project is rare for me, but bringing ‘The Alchemist’ to the screen has been my dream. It is a spiritual and moving story and I am thrilled to be working side by side with Laurence. The pieces are now in place to jump start this project and we are eager to get going.”

Paulo Coelho stated: “I am very happy that my book will be filmed in the way I intended it to be and I hope the spirit and simplicity of my work will be preserved. I am excited my friend Laurence Fishburne and Harvey Weinstein will be working together.”

In addition to Weinstein, as previously announced, Laurence Fishburne (”Akeelah and the Bee,” “The Matrix,” “What’s Love Got To Do With It?”) will direct, star and produce the adaptation along with his producing partner Helen Sugland (”Akeelah and the Bee,” “Once in the Life,” “Five Fingers”) and their production company Cinema Gypsy. Paula Weinstein (”Blood Diamond,” “The Perfect Storm,” “Analyze This”) and Kathy Morgan are serving as executive producers, along with Steven Markoff (”Alpha Dog,” “Timber Falls”) and Bruce McNall (”Timber Falls,” Weekend at Bernie’s”) from A-Mark Entertainment.

Said Laurence Fishburne: “This is a special project that now has a special team behind it to ensure that its path to the big screen is handled with the proper care it deserves. I am looking forward to directing it, acting in it, and collaborating with Harvey Weinstein to produce a beautiful film that will do justice to Paulo’s enormously successful novel.”

“We are so pleased we were able to assist our client and friend Laurence Fishburne get his passion project, this beautiful book and story made into a film with Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company, who understand how to make and market material as rare and exceptional as this,” stated Sam Gores, Chairman of Paradigm.

“The Alchemist” is the magical story of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search of a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert to a fateful encounter with the alchemist. The story of the treasures Santiago finds along the way teaches us, as only a few stories have done, about the essential wisdom of listening to our hearts, learning to read the omens strewn along life’s path, and, above all, following our dreams.

Paulo Coelho is one of the most successful authors of all time. His books have sold over 100 million copies, have been translated into 67 languages and released in more than 150 countries.

“The Alchemist” joins TWC’s diverse slate of adaptations of best-selling novels including “Youth in Revolt,” “The Reader,” and “Wolf Boy.”

About The Weinstein Company

The Weinstein Company (TWC) was created by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, the brothers who founded Miramax Films Corporation in 1979. TWC is a multi-media company that officially launched on October 1, 2005. Dimension Films, the genre label that was founded in 1993 by Bob Weinstein, is also included under the TWC banner.

During the Weinsteins’ tenure at Miramax Films the company released some of the most critically acclaimed and commercially successful independent feature films which received 249 Academy Award(R) nominations and won 60 Oscars(R), have generated billions of dollars in worldwide box office receipts and billions more in home video sales. In its history, Dimension Films has released some of the most successful franchises including “Scream,” “Spy Kids” and “Scary Movie.”

  CUPERTINO, Calif., May 1 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ — Apple(R) today announced that new movie releases from major film studios and premier independent studios are available for purchase on the iTunes(R) Store (http://www.itunes.com) on the same day as their DVD release. New releases and catalog titles will be available from 20th Century Fox, The Walt Disney Studios, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Lionsgate, Image Entertainment and First Look Studios. Movies purchased from iTunes can be viewed on an iPod(R) with video, iPhone(TM), Mac(R) or PC or on a widescreen TV with Apple TV(R), with new releases priced at $14.99 and most catalog titles at $9.99.

     “We’re thrilled to bring iTunes Store customers new films for purchase day-and-date with the DVD release,” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of iTunes. “We think movie fans will love being able to buy their favorites from major and independent studios.”

     New releases available for purchase on the iTunes Store this week, concurrent with their DVD release, include “American Gangster” and “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.” Other popular titles now available for purchase include “Juno,” “Cloverfield,” “I Am Legend,” “There Will Be Blood,” “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and “Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story.”

     The iTunes Store is the world’s most popular online music, TV and movie store with a catalog of over six million songs, 600 TV shows and over 1,500 films including 200 in stunning high definition video. With Apple’s legendary ease of use, pioneering features such as new iTunes Movie Rentals, integrated podcasting support, iMix playlist sharing, the ability to turn previously purchased tracks into complete albums at a reduced price, and seamless integration with iPod and iPhone, the iTunes Store is the best way for Mac and PC users to legally discover, purchase and download music and video online.

     Pricing & Availability

     Movie purchases and rentals from the iTunes Store for Mac or Windows require iTunes 7.6.2, available as a free download immediately from http://www.itunes.com. iTunes movie purchases and rentals require a valid credit card with a billing address in the country of purchase. iTunes Movies are available in the US only and are $9.99 (US) for library title purchases and $14.99 (US) for new release purchases and $2.99 (US) for library title rentals and $3.99 (US) for new release rentals, and high definition rental versions are priced just one dollar more with library title rentals at $3.99 (US) and new release rentals at $4.99 (US). Short films are available to rent for 99 cents (US). Movies can be previewed, purchased and watched on iPod classic, iPod nano with video, iPod touch, iPhone and on a widescreen TV with Apple TV.

     Apple ignited the personal computer revolution in the 1970s with the Apple II and reinvented the personal computer in the 1980s with the Macintosh. Today, Apple continues to lead the industry in innovation with its award-winning computers, OS X operating system and iLife and professional applications. Apple is also spearheading the digital media revolution with its iPod portable music and video players and iTunes online store, and has entered the mobile phone market with its revolutionary iPhone.

     (C) 2008 Apple Inc. All rights reserved. Apple, the Apple logo, Mac, Mac OS, Macintosh, iTunes, iPod, iPhone and Apple TV are trademarks of Apple. Other company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners.

Movie star Wesley Snipes was sentenced to three years imprisonment last night for his “brazen defiance” of the US taxman.

The 45-year-old Hollywood actor, who has starred in films including Blade, White Men Can’t Jump and Demolition Man, was given the maximum sentence possible after prosecutors described him to a court in Ocala, Florida, as a “truly notorious offender.” He did not have to go to prison immediately but must surrender to custody at a later date.

Snipes sat expressionless as the sentence was handed down. Asked if he had any reaction, he spread his arms and shrugged. One of his lawyers, Carmen Hernandez, complained: “Mr Snipes was sentenced because he’s Mr Snipes.”

The decision by US District Court judge William Terrell Hodges came two months after a jury convicted Snipes on three counts of willfully failing to file federal tax returns from 1999 to 2001.

The court heard yesterday that Snipes dodged $15 million (£7.5 million) in tax through a campaign in which he concealed millions offshore, falsely applied for tax refunds and bombarded the Internal Revenue Service with frivolous correspondence that threatened government employees, railed about extortion and used twisted legal interpretations to back his claim that taxation was unlawful.

“For nearly a decade, Snipes has engaged in a campaign of criminal tax conduct combining brazen defiance with insidious concealment,” the prosecuting attorney, Robert O’Neill, told the court in a sentencing memorandum. “In the defendant Wesley Snipes, the court is presented with a wealthy, famous and inveterate tax scofflaw. If ever a tax offender was deserving of being held accountable to the maximum extent for his criminal wrongdoing, Snipes is that defendant.”