LOS ANGELES (AP) — James Gandolfini, whose portrayal of a brutal, emotionally delicate mob boss in HBO's "The Sopranos" was the brilliant core of one of TV's greatest drama series and turned the mobster stereotype on its head, died Wednesday in Italy. He was 51.

The death in Italy of James Gandolfini, who played Mafia boss Tony Soprano on the popular HBO show "The Sopranos," was part of an unusual convergence of mob-related news making headlines this week. Here's a look:

For those of you just returning to the Internet, Deadline broke the news that James Gandolfini died in Italy this morning from a heart attack. The man was only 51: Overweight, balding, rough around the edges with a thick New Jersey accent, Gandolfini was the opposite of a marquee leading man, destined to be a Read More ...

“Sopranos” Star James Gandolfini Dead At 51 Of Massive Heart Attack

James Gandolfini, the awesome actor that played the mob boss Tony Soprano on “The Sopranos”, has died at the age of 51 after suffering a massive heart attack in Italy. Gandolfini’s death has stunned all those close to the beloved actor. The Sopranos star was on vacation in Rome and was due to attend the ...

“Sopranos” Star James Gandolfini Dead At 51 Of Massive Heart Attack Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

By Sara Morrison LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Chet Flippo, a former Rolling Stone editor who had been serving as editorial director of CMT since 2001, died Wednesday morning in a Nashville hospital. He was 69. CMT said Flippo had been suffering from a "lengthy illness." Billboard, where Flippo served as Nashville Bureau Chief from 1995 to 2000, reported that he had pneumonia. Flippo, best known for his writing about country music, authored several books about musicians including Hank Williams and the Rolling Stones. He started writing for Rolling Stone while a student at the U. ...

By Jeff Sneider LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Jason Schwartzman has joined the cast of Tim Burton's "Big Eyes," the Weinstein Company drama that stars Amy Adams as painter Margaret Keane and Christoph Waltz as her husband Walter, who took credit for his wife's work while she toiled in obscurity. Based on a true story, "Big Eyes" is being produced by Burton, Lynette Howell of Electric City Entertainment and screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski, who previously worked with Burton on "Ed Wood. ...

By Jeff Sneider LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Universal Pictures landed the film rights to "Panic," the next young adult novel from Lauren Oliver ("Delirium"), in a bidding war. The seven-figure deal closed on Monday night, according to an individual familiar with the negotiations. HarperCollins imprint Harper Teen will publish the book in spring 2014. Marc Platt will produce the project for Universal, which is keeping plot details under wraps. Maradith Frenkel, Universal's VP of production, will oversee the project for the studio. ...

By Steve Pond LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - The television series "Chicago Fire," "Dallas" and "Scandal" and the feature films "Bless Me, Ultima" and "Tio Papi" are among the nominees for the 28th annual Imagen Awards, which honor portrayals of Latinos and Latino culture in TV and film. Among the actors nominated by the Imagen Foundation are Benjamin Bratt, Sonia Braga, Nestor Carbonell, Oscar Nunez, Jordana Brewster, Gina Torres for their work in television, and Eva Mendes, E.J. Bonilla and David Castro for feature film. ...

By Jeff Sneider LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Sam Taylor-Johnson has signed on to direct "Fifty Shades of Grey" for Universal Pictures and Focus Features, TheWrap has learned. Taylor-Johnson is the wife of "Kick-Ass" star Aaron Taylor-Johnson who starred as a young John Lennon in her directorial debut "Nowhere Boy." Sam Taylor-Johnson's hiring immediately prompts speculation that her husband will be considered for the role of Christian Grey. Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing with "50 Shades" author E.L. James. Deadline broke the news.

By Tony Maglio LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - "Iron Man 3" broke the $400 million mark at the domestic box office on Tuesday, according to Disney. The amount was not unexpected but is still impressive, with "Man of Steel" taking most of the superhero movie buzz away over the weekend. The number means that third installment of the "Iron Man" franchise has earned $1.2 billion worldwide, making it the fifth highest-grossing film ever. In doing so, it eclipsed another Disney film, "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," now ranked sixth worldwide. To break down the math for you: That's $803. ...