The Hollywood Reporter's best of the week

The Hollywood Reporter’s list of its 10 best stories of the week:

BOX OFFICE 2012: 5 HARD LESSONS

Despite a record-breaking take of $10.8 billion, Hollywood executives have lots of reasons to worry _ from the fading power of stars to the end-of-year movie glut.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hobbit-django-unchained-les-miserables-407351

`ONCE UPON A TIME’ BOSSES TEASE MIDSEASON RETURN

“Death’s a big deal,” executive producer Edward Kitsis said of the fairy-tale drama’s midseason return.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/once-a-time-season-2-407566

AL GORE’S CURRENT TV SOLD TO AL JAZEERA

Time Warner Cable drops the low-rated network amid sale to the Qatar-based news organization.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/al-gores-current-tv-sold-407573

BLACKS TURN OUT IN FORCE FOR QUENTIN TARANTINO’S `DJANGO UNCHAINED’

Debate over multiple uses of the N-word in the film doesn’t appear to be dampening moviegoers’ interest.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/quentin-tarantinos-django-unchained-blacks-407582

FROM ST. BARTS TO SAFARIS, HOW HOLLYWOOD SPENT ITS HOLIDAY VACATION

Where Haim Saban, Leslie Moonves, Dana Walden, Simon Cowell and other industry elites stayed and played during the December respite.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/rihanna-simon-cowell-leonardo-dicaprio-407162

ACADEMY MEMBERS SOUND OFF ON OSCAR VOTING ISSUES (ANALYSIS)

As e-ballot snafus and a new voting timetable lead to a year-end crunch, THR talks with members about the rules changes and their experiences

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/academy-members-sound-oscar-voting-407111

OSCAR ANTICS: STEVEN SPIELBERG’S ANTI-CAMPAIGN FOR `LINCOLN’

The director claims he doesn’t lobby the academy as he pitches the movie to the Senate, Obama and intellectuals across America.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/race/oscar-antics-steven-spielbergs-anti-406467?utm_sourcedlvr.it&utm_mediumtwitter

TODD McCARTHY PICKS 15 FILMS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2013

From Baz Luhrmann’s long-delayed “Great Gatsby” adaptation to new offerings from Jason Reitman, Alfonso Cuaron and the Coen brothers, THR’s chief film critic lays out the year in anticipated movies.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/todd-mccarthy-picks-15-films-407396

INTEL’S TV SERVICE: IS HOLLYWOOD ON BOARD?

A service offering a la carte channels outside of conventional cable bundles could launch sometime this year.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/intels-tv-service-is-hollywood-407480

HBO SUED OVER ALLEGED HORSE DEATHS COVER-UP ON `LUCK’

Former American Humane Association employee blows the whistle on an alleged attempt by show producers to pressure animal monitoring organization to look the other way.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/hbo-sued-alleged-luck-horse-407552