Friday, October 31, 2008
Bad economy leads to odd pickups.Crisis helps low-rated shows land full-season orders
By James Hibberd,Hollywood Reporter
October 26,2008
Sarah Connor might have the struggling economy to thank for not being terminated.
Industry observers say the recent cluster of low-rated shows granted full-season orders might have something to do with network executives watching the plunging Dow rather than their shows' falling Nielsens.
No execs would talk on the record, but the economic crisis, combined with the cost of marketing a new series, the lack of new programming inventory because of the WGA strike and the anticipated difficulty of locking down new advertiser commitments, has networks inclined to play it safe.
"Most years there would be more cancellations than there have been to date," said John Rash, senior vp/director of media negotiations at Campbell Mithun. "But the dual dynamics of schedule stability keeping ad dollars in place is combining with delayed programming development from last season's writers strike."
NBC's "Knight Rider," ABC's "Private Practice" and Fox's "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" recently received orders for an additional nine episodes apiece. Such a move typically indicates a network's confidence in a show's performance and signals the inclination to keep a series on the air for the duration of the season.
But all three shows have posted modest ratings in recent weeks, with "Knight Rider" and "Terminator" having numbers that in previous years would have resulted in cancellation.
The most obvious reasons for the pickups are that many series this fall are doing poorly, and these shows are performing among the best of the worst. Networks are loath to exit the fall without at least one series to tout as a success. Plus, the writers strike, as Rash noted, has delayed quality midseason replacements. And with ratings declining overall because of increasing DVR penetration and audience erosion to cable networks and the Internet, the bar for success keeps being lowered.
But the added element of economic worries this fall makes picking up low-rated shows potentially more attractive, too.
An August survey by the Association of National Advertisers reported that the majority of marketers expect their advertising budgets to be reduced in the next six months.
Once a show is canceled or moved, advertisers have the option of getting their investment back. So even if a drama series is pulling a meager rating, why risk having to resell a time period?
"The way the economy is going, there might be cutbacks in regard to advertising," said Brad Adgate, vp research at Horizon Media. "And there's always frustration from advertisers when shows get pulled too quickly, but if advertisers exercise their options to get out, it would be because of the economy."
Also, the economy directly impacts networks as well as their advertisers. NBC Universal recently announced that the company would trim $500 million from its budget. Given the cost of producing and marketing a new scripted series, NBC Uni might have a greater temptation to give a show like "Knight Rider" more time to find an audience.
"From the networks' standpoint, they're loath to cancel since the cost of finding something to replace a show may not be worth it," said Shari Anne Brill, vp and director of programming at Carat. "And advertisers still prefer to be in a quality scripted series to an inexpensive reality show," she said, adding, "I'm in the camp that believes it's a mistake for an advertiser to disappear during a recession because you need the consumer awareness so sales won't grind to a halt."
So far, the networks' doubling down on the bubble shows has had mixed results. "Terminator" and "Knight Rider" hit season lows after their pickups. But last week, "Practice" showed some life, perking up 15%.
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Nielsen Tv Ratings October 27-30
Monday 27/10
-Boston Legal :9.1 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.3 rating/ 6 share
-Gossip Girl:3.02 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.6 rating/ 4 share
-One Tree Hill:3.14 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.7 rating/ 4 share
-My Own Worst Enemy:5.25 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.3 rating/ 6 share
Tuesday 28/10
-House :13.15 million viewers,adults 18-49: 5.3 rating/ 14 share
-Without a Trace:12.14 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.9 rating/ 8 share
Thursday 30/10
-Smallville:4.24 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.7 rating/ 5 share
-Supernatural:3.53 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.5 rating/ 4 share
-30 Rock:8.53 million viewers,adults 18-49: 4.1 rating/ 10 share
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Source:TvByTheNumbers Read more!
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Terminator Salvation wraps principal photography
October 22,2008
We wrapped principal photography. Now we're heavy into post. I've already shown early cuts to Christian and Sam. They seem pleased with where the film is headed. Our focus is on story and character, but it's fun diving into the world of visual effects.
It feels like the responsibility of any Terminator film to reinvent the wheel of effects with every outing. The first movie was a stunning achievement in animatronics and practical effects from Stan Winston. The second film brought us liquid metal, which was a true revolution in the effects world. Robert Patrick's (T-1000) head coming apart and putting itself back together again looks as good today as ever.
Charlie Gibson is aware of his responsibility as the VFX supervisor and second unit director of this film. He works with ILM and Asylum every day and makes revisions to the finest detail. We want the patina of the machines to be dirty and heavy and perfectly realistic - that's why we built so much practically with Stan Winston. But at some point the effects kick in and like any Terminator fan, Charlie wants his mind blown. There's one sequence in particular where we're trying to achieve something that's never been done before. I don't want to talk about it because we haven't been successful yet...
But we're working on it.
It's very interesting working with Conrad Buff every day. First of all he was the editor on Terminator 2 so it's very comforting having his steady hand at the Avid. Long before we ever began we talked about what excited us about making this film. It was the notion of the world after judgment day. We set out to create a world that honored the Terminator mythology but was its own new beginning. Every day I learn from Conrad as he makes the elegant choices of a disciplined filmmaker. It feels great to have his confidence in the movie. I take his opinion very seriously, he provides a daily litmus test for what is worthy of a Terminator film.
Most importantly, Christian and Sam bring power to the rolls of John Connor and Marcus Wright. This is a story of two destinies colliding. Connor is part of a resistance comprised of the ethnicities that make up the globe. This film is so much more that just Los Angeles. It reflects the global crisis of man, all of man versus machine.
McG
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Sean Connery Comes Out Of Retirement
Former James Bond star Sir Sean Connery has reportedly come out of retirement to shoot a new film with Orlando Bloom.
The 78-year-old has turned his back on acting in recent years and has not appeared on the big screen since 2003's The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
But now Connery is said to have signed up to star in Quest of Sheherzade, based on the legendary 1001 Arabian Nights tale, alongside fellow Brit Bloom.
The news was revealed by the film's female lead, Bollywood actress Celina Jaitley, who will play an Iranian princess.
She tells British publication The London Paper, "Sean Connery is there in the film and recently Orlando Bloom was also signed. They are planning to start the shooting from January next year."(IMDB)
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Joaquin Phoenix Quits Acting
Joaquin Phoenix is retiring from Hollywood - at the age of 34.
The Walk The Line star announced his plans to move away from acting at a fundraiser for late actor Paul Newman's children's charity on Monday.
Phoenix will instead focus on his budding music career.
He told Extra, "I want to take this opportunity... also to give you the exclusive and just talk a little bit about the fact that this will be my last performance as an actor... I'm not doing films anymore.
"I'm working on my music. I'm done. I've been through that."
And the news has been confirmed by his representative, who says, "That is what he told me."
Phoenix's brother-in-law Casey Affleck, who is married to Summer Phoenix, insists the star is for real: "I don't think he's kidding. He's got music and stuff."
Phoenix has made just one movie this year - romantic drama Two Lovers with Gwyneth Paltrow.
His vocal skills were applauded in 2005 when he recorded the soundtrack for the Johnny Cash biopic Walk The Line. His efforts won him a Grammy award, and he is now working on an album with British rocker Tim Burgess from The Charlatans. (IMDB)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Marvel Studios Press Release:Robert Downey Jr. Suits Up for Both 'The Avengers' and 'Iron Man 2'!
MARVEL STUDIOS PRODUCTION UPDATE
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. AND JON FAVREAU SUIT UP FOR MARVEL STUDIOS' THE AVENGERS AND IRON MAN 2
As part of his four picture deal with Marvel Studios, Robert Downey Jr. is appearing as Tony Stark in THE AVENGERS motion picture, as well as reprising his starring role as the larger-than-life leading character in IRON MAN 2. Jon Favreau will return to direct the sequel to the blockbuster IRON MAN, which to date has grossed over $578 million worldwide, as well as executive produce THE AVENGERS.
Academy Award® nominee Downey was most recently seen in the summer comedy blockbuster TROPIC THUNDER starring opposite Ben Stiller and Jack Black. Before Iron Man, he was best known for his film roles in KISS KISS BANG BANG, WONDER BOYS and CHAPLIN, the film for which he was nominated for an Oscar®.
In addition to directing the first IRON MAN, Favreau has previously directed ELF, ZATHURA: A SPACE ADVENTURE and MADE. He is also well known for writing and starring in SWINGERS. He will next be seen acting in FOUR CHRISTMASES, I LOVE YOU MAN and COUPLES RETREAT. (More after the jump)
DON CHEADLE WILL STAR AS RHODEY IN IRON MAN 2
Marvel Studios is pleased today to confirm that an agreement has been finalized with award-winning actor Don Cheadle to take on the role of Colonel James "Rhodey" Rhodes in Marvel's IRON MAN 2 due in theaters on May 7, 2010. In casting Cheadle, Marvel replaces Terrence Howard who appeared in the role of Rhodey in IRON MAN.
Cheadle is also signed on to perform the same role in THE AVENGERS and subsequent installments of the IRON MAN franchise.
"We are very excited about working with the extraordinarily talented Don Cheadle as we expand the role of Rhodey in Iron Man 2. It has already become apparent as we prep the movie for production, that the dynamic between Robert and Don will take Iron Man 2 to new heights," said Kevin Feige, President of Marvel Studios.
Cheadle is best known for his Oscar® nominated lead performance in HOTEL RWANDA as well as his role as Basher Tarr in the OCEAN'S franchise, CRASH and SWORDFISH.
Based on Marvel's iconic Super Hero, IRON MAN 2 continues the story of this summer's box office blockbuster IRON MAN, the first feature film produced independently by Marvel Studios. IRON MAN 2 will be produced by Marvel Studios' President, Kevin Feige, and executive produced by Louis D'Esposito, Jon Favreau, Stan Lee, David Maisel and Denis Stewart.
In a movie event, THE AVENGERS will bring together the super hero team of Marvel Comics characters for the first time ever, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk and more, as they are forced to band together to battle the biggest foe they've ever faced.
The highly anticipated sequel to IRON MAN will be released in theatres on May 7, 2010 and THE AVENGERS will be released July 15, 2011. Both films will be distributed by Paramount Pictures.
Cheadle is represented by UTA. Downey and Favreau are represented by CAA.
Source:Cinematical
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U.S Box Office October 24-26
| # | Title | Oct 24 - 26 | % Chg. | Theaters | Weeks | AVG | Cumulative | ||
| 1 | High School Musical 3: Senior Year | $ 42,030,184 | 3,623 | 1 | $ 11,601 | $ 42,030,184 | |||
| 2 | Saw V | 30,053,954 | 3,060 | 1 | 9,822 | 30,053,954 | |||
| 3 | Max Payne | 7,791,649 | -55.8 | 3,381 | 2 | 2,305 | 29,855,620 | ||
| 4 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | 6,884,387 | -39.7 | 3,190 | 4 | 2,158 | 78,110,782 | ||
| 5 | Pride and Glory | 6,262,396 | 2,585 | 1 | 2,423 | 6,262,396 | |||
| 6 | The Secret Life of Bees | 6,051,630 | -42.5 | 1,630 | 2 | 3,713 | 19,324,821 | ||
| 7 | W. | 5,088,249 | -51.6 | 2,050 | 2 | 2,482 | 18,506,750 | ||
| 8 | Eagle Eye | 5,051,952 | -28.1 | 2,558 | 5 | 1,975 | 87,903,354 | ||
| 9 | Body of Lies | 4,064,488 | -40.4 | 2,150 | 3 | 1,890 | 30,889,452 | ||
| 10 | Quarantine | 2,581,262 | -57.6 | 2,228 | 3 | 1,159 | 28,801,265 |
Source:Box Office Guru Read more!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Sam Raimi Talks Spiderman Sequels
By Larry Carroll,splashpage.mtv.com
October 16,2008
Although things weren’t looking too good for awhile, “Spider-Man” has overcome adversities tougher than a Green Goblin-Doc Ock team-up, and now once again has Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimi in his corner. But what about Kirsten Dunst?
“Kirsten, I’d love to work with her again,” Raimi explained to us this week, making it sound as if current plans to include Dunst for “Spider-Man 4” and “Spider-Man 5” are still up in the air, despite recent statements that she wants to remain with the franchise. “I hope she’ll be written into it. I couldn’t imagine making one without her, and I think she’s an important part of the movies.”
Nevertheless, Raimi admitted that the very nature of an episodic series requires that characters come and go. “I wish I could work with James Franco again,” said the man who directed the first three hit movies. “But his character died in the last one; same with Uncle Ben. Fortunately, we’ve been able to bring back all the dead characters [like Willem Dafoe as Norman Osborn or Cliff Robertson as Ben Parker]. I can’t let them go, in each and every picture; but it gets harder and harder.”
Now things are about to get hard yet again for Raimi, as he’s making plans to continue the cinematic tale of Peter Parker. “I’m really excited about Spider-Man, and I’m hoping to direct it,” he cautioned. “I don’t have a script yet, but production would start probably by March of 2010, I’m guessing. It sounds like a long time away, but we need a script first, and a lot of pre-production has to take place.”
The filmmaking legend also revealed to us that there is a lot of truth behind rumors that he might shoot the next two “Spider-Man” films at the same time. “That had been talked about,” he said, deferring to the head of his studio. “It’s Amy Pascal’s decision. I don’t think it has been decided yet, and she’s the one that’s really going to make that decision; I’m really curious myself.”
By his own admission, “Spider-Man 3” was an exhaustive film to shoot, but Raimi is confident he can handle the double duty. “It would be a real endurance test, probably only Peter Jackson knows how hard something like that would be,” he marveled, hinting that “4” and “5” would be very closely linked in storyline. “If Tobey and me, and all the producers, like the story for two pictures and Amy wanted to do it, then we would do it. It just hasn’t been written yet.”
Finally, Raimi offered comment on the wishes of fans (and yours truly) to finally let Dylan Baker’s storyline come to fruition. “He’s a great actor, and I think one day The Lizard’s story will be told,” he teased, referring to Baker’s Curt Connors character. “I don’t know if it will be this one or not. I just don’t know. I’m definitely hoping to work with Dylan in the picture. I just don’t know who the villain is yet.”
Read more!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
Nielsen Tv Ratings October 20-23
Monday 20/10
-Boston Legal :8.96 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.4 rating/ 6 share
-Gossip Girl:3.03 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.4 rating/ 4 share
-One Tree Hill:3.65 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.9 rating/ 4 share
-My Own Worst Enemy:5.72 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.5 rating/ 6 share
Tuesday 21/10
-House :12.88 million viewers,adults 18-49: 5.6 rating/ 15 share
-Fringe :9.11 million viewers,adults 18-49: 4.0 rating/ 10 share
-Without a Trace:11.6 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.7 rating/ 7 share
Wednesday 22/10
-Knight Rider:7.23 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.2 rating/ 6 share
Thursday 23/10
-Smallville:4.22 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.7 rating/ 5 share
-Supernatural:3.25 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.3 rating/ 3 share
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Source:TvByTheNumbers
The Mummy:Tomb of the Dragon Emperor Review
Seven years after the last Mummy,the series returns with Tomb of the Dragon Emperor.It's not a return with a bang.After a promising start,the movie goes downhill.
The screenplay is bad.It's just not good enough to keep the audience interested.The movie reaches new levels of ridiculousness.I mean,the previous movies had over the top moments or bad CGI,but this...
There are some funny lines and maybe some nice scenes.Some of the cast members try to do the best they can.Maria Bello is miscast and Jet Li is barely present in the movie.After some point,you wonder,when this is going to end?
Tomb of the Dragon Emperor is the worst movie of the Mummy series.It's a rather mediocre sequel.
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Thursday, October 23, 2008
Marvel Studios President:Hulk will return
By Shawn Adler,MTV
October 20,2008
He's one of the biggest comic book icons in the world, but in the few-month span that also brought us "The Dark Knight," "Iron Man," "Hancock" and "Hellboy," does the Hulk even crack the top-three superheroes of the summer?
Given expectations for the reboot — which was Marvel Studios' second self-financed release after "Iron Man" — that it would reinvent and reinvigorate the character after a 2003 Ang Lee film that left many disappointed, can you even call "The Incredible Hulk" a success?
A rousing one, Marvel Studios President of Production Kevin Feige told MTV News, citing increased box-office receipts and positive critical reaction as proof that the gamble worked.
"When we set out to do this, it was a very big deal for us. It was a big deal getting the character back, it was a big deal having it be the second of the films we were going to do ourselves, and we really had two goals in mind," he explained. "One was to make even a dollar more than the first one did, so we could justify that we had done it from a financial aspect, and the other one was to bring a Hulk to the screen that a broader fanbase could enjoy. The good news is, we accomplished both."
Lee's "Hulk," starring Eric Bana as the titular green monster, made $132 million in 2003 (not adjusted for inflation) and scored 61 percent "fresh" on review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Director Louis Leterrier's version, meanwhile, made $134 million and scored 67 percent.
By contrast, "The Dark Knight" and "Iron Man" scored 94 and 93 percent "fresh," respectively, and both made north of $300 million ("Dark Knight" made well north of that, of course, settling in at approximately $530 million domestic).
"We made more [than the first 'Hulk']," Feige repeated, insisting that was all that mattered in his calculations. "We made 3 or maybe 4 million more domestically, and I think 10 or 12 million more internationally. That was one feather and a big deal! Now we have a Hulk that we can be proud of and that is a better match and fits more with the tone of what had been in our comics and what we want him to be in our films going forward."
But if Feige's assertions can be taken at face value, and the film is viewed internally as a huge success, why is it that the studio's plans moving forward don't seem to include "The Hulk"? While "Iron Man 2" and "Iron Man 3" have already been scheduled, and "The Avengers" is readying for a 2011 release, not so much as a whisper has been heard about a possible "Hulk 2." Star Edward Norton himself recently told MTV News that he had no idea about a follow-up, calling "the minds of Marvel ... sometimes opaque."
"The truth is that Hulk has had two films in the past five years, and it's time to give some of the other guys a turn," Feige said of why there was no scheduled "Hulk 2." "But certainly what we are doing is suggesting and cross-pollinating the characters between films, and like reading a comic, I'd like to set that expectation that anything can happen — and anyone can pop up — in anybody else's story.
"I would expect that people may see the Hulk again soon before he is again carrying his own film," he concluded, shouting out "The Avengers" as a possibility.
"The Incredible Hulk" smashes its way to DVD on October 21.
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Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Cast in 13 Tzameti remake:Rourke,Statham,Riley and 50 Cent
By Megha Mohan,IGN UK
October 21,2008
Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Sam Riley and 50 Cent have committed to act in the remake of French Russian roulette thriller 13 Tzameti.
Named simply 13, the cast will be directed by Gela Babluani, who was also involved in the 2005 original. Filming is set to commence in and around New York City on November 17, with Paramount Vantage backing the project.
"13 is a high concept, tautly wound thriller with universal appeal," Vantage's Alex Walton told Screen Daily. "The combination of the phenomenal, international cast and Gela's undeniable talent take this compelling story of character and chance in dynamic directions that are sure to captivate audiences worldwide."
13 Tzameti was an instant hit, winning the 2006 Sundance Grand Jury Prize, European Discovery Of The Year at the European Film Awards, the Lion Of The Future award at the Venice Film Festival. It also earned two Cesar nominations.
Rick Schwartz' Overnight Productions, Barbarian Films and Morabito Picture Company will be producing. 13 is the third film to get the go-ahead as a result of Barbarian's strategic alliance with Oceana.
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Max Payne Review
One word decribes Max Payne (the movie):disappointment.
But let's take things from the beginning.
The movie is based on the video game series.The games provide the material for a dark,gritty,violent movie with an engaging plot.This adaptation basically follows the events of the first game,although with some changes.So what's wrong with this movie?Well,a lot.
First,the cast.The casting choices are far from being successful.Mark Wahlberg's perfomance is at best mediocre.Another wrong choice is Mila Kunis.She's pretty but she's not suitable for the role of Mona Sax.I could say more about the cast but let's continue.
Another serious problem is the screenplay.The screenwriters ruined an interesting story and turned it into a (sometimes) boring movie.The director is also responsible for this failure.Surprisingly,there are not much action scenes and the slow-motion scenes are executed poorly.Only the cinematography is relatively good.
So,the previously mentioned potential is wasted.Many wonder how the movie would be if the cast or/and the director were different.Some mentioned the name of John Woo,from the movies of whom the Max Payne games were influenced.A Max Payne movie directed by John Woo?That would be interesting.
To sum up,this adaptation is disappointing.You may have read that after the end credits there's a scene that hints at a possible sequel.If that happens,a lot of changes should be made.
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U.S Box Office October 17-19
| # | Title | Oct 17 - 19 | % Chg. | Theaters | Weeks | AVG | Cumulative | ||
| 1 | Max Payne | $ 17,639,849 | 3,376 | 1 | $ 5,225 | $ 17,639,849 | |||
| 2 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | 11,422,425 | -34.7 | 3,239 | 3 | 3,527 | 69,282,560 | ||
| 3 | The Secret Life of Bees | 10,527,799 | 1,591 | 1 | 6,617 | 10,527,799 | |||
| 4 | W. | 10,505,668 | 2,030 | 1 | 5,175 | 10,505,668 | |||
| 5 | Eagle Eye | 7,029,718 | -35.6 | 3,326 | 4 | 2,114 | 81,021,825 | ||
| 6 | Body of Lies | 6,824,259 | -47.0 | 2,714 | 2 | 2,514 | 24,424,928 | ||
| 7 | Quarantine | 6,084,580 | -57.2 | 2,463 | 2 | 2,470 | 24,471,512 | ||
| 8 | Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist | 3,693,384 | -42.5 | 2,241 | 3 | 1,648 | 26,500,875 | ||
| 9 | Sex Drive | 3,607,164 | 2,421 | 1 | 1,490 | 3,607,164 | |||
| 10 | Nights in Rodanthe | 2,657,440 | -41.5 | 2,115 | 4 | 1,256 | 36,869,470 |
Source:Box Office Guru Read more!
'Soloist,' 'Defiance,' 'Hurricane' all Pushed Back to 2009
By Eric D.Snider,Cinematical
October 17,2008
What's happening in Hollywood? Does no one have a day planner? Can nobody stick to a schedule? Pushing a film's release date back a week or two isn't a big deal, but when you move it to an entirely different calendar year, that changes everything -- especially its Oscar chances.
As we've already mentioned, rumors are swirling that the Weinsteins' The Road won't be done in time for its November release, and maybe not for December, either. Now we have three more titles on the move. Jeffrey Wells at Hollywood Elsewhere is reporting that the Weinsteins' Hurricane Season, an Inspiring Sports Drama® about a high school basketball team composed of displaced Katrina survivors, is "not ready" for its planned Christmas Day release and is being pushed back to March. And at Paramount, two Oscar hopefuls, Defiance and The Soloist, are being bumped to 2009, too, according to Variety.
The Soloist move is the one that should raise the most eyebrows. A true story starring Jamie Foxx and Robert Downey Jr. (pictured), it has all the hallmarks of a feel-good Oscar contender, and that's how Paramount and DreamWorks (which produced it) were positioning it. But now it's being moved from Thanksgiving to March, which is basically Paramount's way of saying they don't have much confidence in its Oscar potential after all. At the very least, it means they think its chances of making a lot of money (which are higher in March than in the crowded holiday season) are greater than its chances of winning awards. Which might actually be a very smart financial move, so good for them.
Defiance, meanwhile, still has a sliver of Oscar hope. A Holocaust drama starring Liev Schreiber and Daniel Craig, it was supposed to open wide on Dec. 12. Now it will get a small Oscar-qualifying run starting on Dec. 31 and open wide Jan. 16. A major release in December would have meant a higher profile. Now it will have to rely on early critics' screenings and placement in top 10 lists to boost its Oscar buzz, and whatever buzz it does get will come much later than originally planned.
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Monday, October 20, 2008
Terrence Howard Shocked At Iron Man 2 Snub
Terrence Howard has slammed reports he pulled out of a planned sequel to superhero blockbuster Iron Man over a pay row - insisting he was snubbed by movie bosses.
U.S. reports suggest Robert Downey Jr. will return as Iron Man/Tony Stark and Gwyneth Paltrow will be back as Pepper Potts, but Howard will sit out the project.
The part was rumoured to have been offered to Ocean's Eleven star Don Cheadle after Howard demanded too much money to reprise his role as Iron Man's best pal Jim Rhodes in the 2010 sequel.
But the star insists the news came as a shock to him - because he was mid-negotiations when the role was taken away from him.
He tells America's NPR radio, "It was the surprise of a lifetime. There was no explanation. (The contract) just... up and vanished.
"I read something in the trade (publications) implicating that it was about money or something, but apparently the contracts that we write and sign aren't worth the paper that they're printed on, sometimes."
He adds, "Promises aren't kept, and good faith negotiations aren't always held up."(IMDB)
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Bourne Ultimatum Scribe Returns for Bourne 4
By Jessica Barnes,Cinematical
October 17,2008
There aren't many movie franchises that have managed to keep their fans happy as time goes on, with maybe the exception being those Bourne movies. I always thought one of the stand-out traits of the spy franchise was just how darn good all three films are. So it's no surprise that Universal wasted zero time in chucking the latest installment of the franchise into production. Variety now reports that Universal has hired George Nolfi, one of the co-writers of the third installment, to pen the latest addition to the super-spy flicks.
Confirmation of a fourth film appeared last spring, but both Greengrass and Damon were a little cagey on details -- plus the two had already started work on their Iraq drama, Green Zone. According to Variety, Universal is going full steam ahead with the project, and are considering it their "top priority" for the coming year. Nolfi only has a few credits under his belt, and sure, he did help write Ultimatum, but the bad news is that he was also behind the laughably awful Timeline and Ocean's 12, (arguably the weakest of the 'paper thin' trilogy).
Bourne 4 will be the first film that will not take its title from one of Robert Ludlum's novels, so I can only guess that Universal wasn't interested in using any of the newer titles or storylines. Bourne 4 is expected to arrive in theaters in 2010. What sort of adventure would you like to see Bourne take on this time around?
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Sunday, October 19, 2008
Fox orders full season of 'Sarah Connor Chronicles'
By Michael Schneider,Variety
October 17,2008
"Terminator" is far from being terminated.
Fox has just given a full-season order to "Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles." Cast and crew were informed of the decision late Friday.
Back nine order was far from certain; show has been struggling in its Monday night time slot. But "Sarah Connor" has developed a fan base and some positive critical attention along the way.
"Sarah Connor" was pre-empted this week due to baseball playoff coverage, but in its last airing, on Oct. 6, averaged a 2.3 rating and 6 share among adults 18-49, which was up slightly from the prior week.
Warner Bros. TV is behind "Sarah Connor," which stars Lena Headey in the title role, as well as Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green, Richard T. Jones, Garret Dillahunt, Leven Rambin and Shirley Manson.
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Friday, October 17, 2008
Battlestar Galactica:final episodes premiere date and DVD release
By Richard Keller,Tv Squad
October 16,2008
Everyone, take out your 2009 Ziggy calendars and Tinkerbell fluffy pens. It's time to put some important Battlestar Galactica dates down so you will be able to get both your DVRs and wallets ready.
The good news-bad news first. The final 10 episodes of BSG will begin airing on SciFi staring on January 16th at 10:00 PM. That's the good news. The bad news is when the series finale will air. Should the shows air weekly, and there's no reason they shouldn't, the last episode will be shown on March 20th. That's bad because the series is ending...not because March 20th signifies the end of the world or anything. Really, the scheduling is up in the air since executive producer Ron Moore has previously stated that the series finale may run three hours or more.
Now the good news-good news. Ten days prior to the premiere of the last 10 episodes, NBC Universal will be releasing the first ten episodes of season four in a four-DVD box set. Included in the set are a ton of extras, including the broadcast and DVD release versions of Razor, mini episodes of said Razor, episode commentary by Ron Moore, Moore's weekly podcasts, and various deleted scenes. If there is any bad news it's that Battlestar Galactica 4.0 will only be released in standard DVD format.
One final note: A date has still not been set for the airing of Caprica, the prequel movie set half a century prior to BSG. In addition, a decision to pick the movie up as a series will not be made until early 2009. No surprise that the reason for this decision is the availability of financing. This may be a good thing because it will give fans of BSG a chance to purge themselves from the old series so they can be ready and adapt to the seemingly less science fiction-like feel of Caprica. Read more!
Nielsen Tv Ratings 13/10-16/10
Monday 13/10
-Boston Legal :8.12 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.1 rating/ 8 share
-Gossip Girl:3.34 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.6 rating/ 4 share
-One Tree Hill:3.43 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.7 rating/ 4 share
-My Own Worst Enemy:7.3 million viewers,adults 18-49: 3.0 rating/ 8 share
Tuesday 14/10
-House :12.82 million viewers,adults 18-49: 5.1 rating/ 14 share
-Fringe :9.53 million viewers,adults 18-49: 4.2 rating/ 10 share
-Without a Trace:10.99 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.5 rating/ 7 share
Wednesday 15/10
-Knight Rider:7.65 million viewers,adults 18-49: 2.3 rating/ 7 share
Thursday 16/10
-Smallville:4.15 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.7 rating/ 5 share
-Supernatural:3.06 million viewers,adults 18-49: 1.2 rating/ 3 share
Rating: Estimated percentage of the universe of TV households (or other specified group) tuned to a program in the average minute. Ratings are expressed as a percent.
Share (of Audience): The percent of households (or persons) using television who are tuned to a specific program, station or network in a specific area at a specific time. (See also, Rating, which represents tuning or viewing as a percent of the entire population being measured.)
Source:TvByTheNumbers
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Ridley Scott will direct 'The Forever War'
By Scott Weinberg,Cinematical
October 13,2008
Say what you like about the collected works of Mr. Ridley Scott, but when this man sets out to make a science fiction film ... good things happen. The always-busy director has only done two sci-fi films, but those ones are called Blade Runner and A L I E N. Since Blade Runner in 1982, Scott has kept busy with big hits (like Gladiator) and big misses (like this past weekend's Body of Lies) -- but it looks like the man is heading back into the speculative realm once he's done with that crazy Nottingham project.
According to Variety, Scott will direct an adaptation of Joe Haldeman's The Forever War, which the filmmaker wanted to make a long time ago, but there were all sorts of rights issues involving FX genius Richard Edlund, who "bought" the book right when it was published. For his part, Ridley Scott seems enthused: "I first pursued 'Forever War' 25 years ago, and the book has only grown more timely and relevant since ... It's a science-fiction epic, a bit of 'The Odyssey' by way of 'Blade Runner,' built upon a brilliant, disorienting premise."
That premise isn't laid out all that well in Variety, so for that we'll look to Amazon: OK, so I was going to paste the whole breakdown, but here's my interpretation: It's the future and mankind is at war with the Taurans, only we use ships that allow its crew members to age really slowly, so when this one guy comes back home and cannot adjust to the 1-to-27-year ratio, he keeps signing back up for battle after battle. Or something close to that. Clearly I need to get this book. (More info here, but watch out for spoilers.)
Read more!
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Mel Gibson turns down Lethal Weapon 5?
By Erik Davis,Cinematical
October 13,2008
But was he ever considering it in the first place? Not long ago it seemed a Lethal Weapon 5 was all but a lock, what with Shane Black writing the script and Columbus Short supposedly in talks to play Danny Glover's son -- but now, according to a recent interview with Richard Donner in the LA Times, it looks like the whole thing might just go away. Thank God. That's because, in Donner's world, Mel Gibson has already passed on the project. (And here we thought Glover passed over a year ago.) The director notes, "Mel turned it down. I would like to think that Mel turned it down because I wasn't involved. Knowing Mel, I would like to think that. Would that be the kind of thing he does? It sure would be."
Though "Gibson's people" refused to comment, the LA Times is pretty confident in their findings. Donner, who directed all four previous Lethal Weapon films, seems a bit "I toldja so" in the interview, regarding Warners decision to follow Joel Silver's lead: "It's too bad, actually, because Channing Gibson, who wrote the fourth one, and Mike Riva, a designer on three of them, and myself and Derek [Hoffman, an associate at The Donner Company] had an incredibly strong story for the fifth movie. But we weren't given the opportunity and I think maybe I could have convinced Mel to do it. But Warners chose to go with Joel Silver." He later adds, "Yes, the project is pretty much dead in the water unless someone had the sense to come to me."
Of course, Donner could be talking out his rear end ... though, on the surface, it seems like a reach for both Gibson and Glover to agree to a fifth film, especially one without Donner behind the camera.
Read more!
Don Cheadle joins 'Iron Man 2',replaces Terrence Howard
By Boris Kit,Hollywood Reporter
Don Cheadle is stepping in to replace Terrence Howard in "Iron Man 2," Marvel Studios' sequel to its summer blockbuster.
In the movie, Howard played Jim Rhodes, Tony Stark/Iron Man's best friend and future armor-clad hero War Machine. One scene featured Howard looking at a silver suit of armor and saying "Next time," a line that caused great delight for fans.
But there will be no next time for Howard.
Marvel had no comment, but sources close to the deal said negotiations with Howard fell through over financial differences, among other reasons. Marvel, which had wanted to work with Cheadle, then decided to take the role in another direction and approached the actor, who is shooting Antoine Fuqua's "Brooklyn's Finest" with Richard Gere and Ethan Hawke.
Rhodes is expected to play a larger part in the sequel, which is rumored to go beyond high-tech villains. Justin Theroux is writing the screenplay.
Jon Favreau is returning as director, and Robert Downey Jr. is expected back as billionaire industrialist Stark/Iron Man. Gwyneth Paltrow also is expected to be back as Stark's assistant, Pepper Potts.
Cheadle, repped by UTA, most recently starred in "Traitor," a thriller on which he was also a producer. He will next be seen in DreamWorks' "Hotel for Dogs."
Read more!
U.S Box Office October 10-12
| # | Title | Oct 10 - 12 | % Chg. | Theaters | Weeks | AVG | Cumulative | ||
| 1 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | $ 17,502,077 | -40.3 | 3,218 | 2 | $ 5,439 | $ 52,532,310 | ||
| 2 | Quarantine | 14,211,321 | 2,461 | 1 | 5,775 | 14,211,321 | |||
| 3 | Body of Lies | 12,884,416 | 2,710 | 1 | 4,754 | 12,884,416 | |||
| 4 | Eagle Eye | 10,913,762 | -38.4 | 3,614 | 3 | 3,020 | 70,409,979 | ||
| 5 | Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist | 6,420,474 | -43.2 | 2,421 | 2 | 2,652 | 20,730,708 | ||
| 6 | The Express | 4,562,675 | 2,808 | 1 | 1,625 | 4,562,675 | |||
| 7 | Nights in Rodanthe | 4,541,201 | -38.4 | 2,575 | 3 | 1,764 | 32,297,101 | ||
| 8 | Appaloosa | 3,321,389 | -16.7 | 1,290 | 4 | 2,575 | 10,867,693 | ||
| 9 | The Duchess | 3,304,841 | 270.9 | 1,207 | 4 | 2,738 | 5,603,061 | ||
| 10 | Fireproof | 3,140,997 | -21.2 | 875 | 3 | 3,590 | 16,875,765 |
Source:Box Office Guru Read more!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Saturday, October 11, 2008
Zack Snyder discusses Watchmen
By Todd Gilchrist, IGN
October 2,2008
Wednesday, October 1, Zack Snyder screened footage from his forthcoming adaptation of Watchmen and addressed questions about the future of the film. In addition to showing more than 25 minutes of unfinished scenes, he revealed the current running time of the film and announced that he would not participate in any sequels.
Snyder, whose previous film was an adaptation of Frank Miller's 300, told journalists that while the running time is not final the film runs in excess of two hours. "The runtime right now is right around two hours and 43 minutes in its current form," Snyder said. "It could get shorter – I don't know." When asked whether his actors have sequel clauses in their contracts, Snyder replied, "I don't know that to be honest. That would be interesting, but there can't be a sequel.
"There can't be a prequel, not with me involved. They might be able to find somebody to do it, but it wouldn't be me. That's crazy talk."
Some of the footage screened featured music by Philip Glass, although 300 composer Tyler Bates was hired to create the film's score. Snyder admitted that Glass' music was effective in these rough sequences, but he is not yet sure if it will appear in the final cut. "That's a good question. We're working on taking it out, but it works pretty good."
Watchmen is based upon the popular and critically acclaimed graphic novel by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. Snyder said that he took as many visual and especially musical cues from the source material, but he elected to stay as true as possible to the story's original mid-1980s setting. "One of my first conversations about the score was there was always songs referenced in the graphic novel," Snyder said. "'All Along the Watchtower', 'Unforgettable' just to name a couple. So we ended up having three Dylan songs in the movie, which I think is the vibe of the movie in a lot of ways.
"Tyler Bates, who's doing the music, he and I talked a lot about songs. There's this sort of '85 aesthetic to some of the music that I think is really cool; it's like jazzy, there's a lot of synthesizers and saxophones. It's very Blade Runner-y, but it's cool."
Watchmen first went into development more than a decade ago, and attracted numerous high-profile writers and directors to adapt it, including Terry Gilliam and Paul Greengrass. Snyder indicated that he has participated in every part of the development process for this version of the film, including the upcoming spinoff videogame. While he admits that he was initially unhappy with the game, he said that he is confident that the game developers came up with an idea that suits the complexity and intelligence of the source material.
"We have a game now that I think is awesome," Snyder said. "But I think it was about those first fits and starts where you're just talking about making a Watchmen game and how that was going to be. For me, it became about embracing the concept and I guess the work was to create a subversive concept that equals the movie, or the graphic novel."
Snyder confessed that working on the film has demanded much of his time, but he has tried to be as involved as possible during the design and completion of the game. "I've been involved as much as I can be," he said. "We certainly looked at everything and said, 'Yeah, this can be better', or whatever. But again, it's not like completely mine, I wouldn't say. But certainly we've had a lot of contact with them and gave them a lot of notes and stuff."
Snyder offered his thoughts about Fox's impending lawsuit. "We're just working on the movie and I'm not a lawyer, so it's hard for me to comment on that. And I probably shouldn't, I guess. But we've just been fortunate. If they wanted to come and stop us, I guess they would, but they haven't yet so it's fun."
Watchmen was published in 1986 and takes place in an alternate 1980s America where superheroes have long been a real part of the country's cultural landscape. As written by Alan Moore, the books offered an unprecedented commentary on comic book mythology and pop culture at the same time, and have since been imitated by countless other comics and movies. When asked how relevant his adaptation of Watchmen will be in an era where pop culture regularly cannibalizes itself and comments upon its own form, Snyder said, "that is the fun of it. Because what I said when we were [first] talking about it was I would rather set the movie in '85 and have to draw parallels to their own time than me commenting directly on their culture. Because who gives a f*ck what I have to say?"
"If you go, 'wow, that reminds me of the war on terror', or 'Nixon has too much power – maybe the president has too much power', or there's a million of them in the movie, to me that kind of gets around the super post-modern 'this means this'!"
Snyder explained that he hopes the film will succeed because it acknowledges its form but also believes in it. "The movie's incredibly self-aware, you can probably tell – but on the other hand, we take it completely seriously. These are their stories. She needs to get from here to there. They need to beat those guys up. But that's not to say that we don't go what does it mean, what does that mean?" Snyder also compared his approach to those of other recent comic book adaptations that attempt to be irreverent and self-aware but also acquiesce to the formulas of the genre
"I also think that… Watchmen has balls in the sense that [in comparison], Iron Man and Fantastic Four, though they are in their own way self aware, they drink their own Kool-Aid, and the movie is a movie. It still has a beginning, middle and an end, and makes you care about this guy or that guy. Watchmen is like this nonlinear, all-over-the-place on the edge of being an art movie.
"Not to be mean or try and make it more than it is," he continued. "To me it says 'how far can you go with this'? and in some ways it's less like 'hey, mass culture, we know what we're doing'! In some ways, this is all we are – all we are is self-aware."
In spite of the enormous expectations fans of Watchmen will have for the film, Snyder said that his personal style can't help but be married to even the most iconic images he recreates.
"It's funny because I feel likeit becomes clear when you see this third movie that there's a certain thing that's inescapable for me," he said. "It's unconscious, this tone that is so self-aware but still takes the thing seriously. And from a visual standpoint, I don't compromise my own aesthetic. I still feel like, even with 300, I mate with the thing completely. So by the time I actually get to filming it and now seeing it on the screen, I feel like it's gone all of the way through me like a prism or a blender and become its own thing."
Snyder also observed the irony that with so many collaborators on board helping him adapt artist Dave Gibbons' images for the screen, he finds that he actually has to try in order to make the scenes and shots look like they did in Watchmen. "Anytime you take something and I have all of these department heads and set builders and costume designers and actors, it's a miracle that it looks anything like the frame actually more than it is," he said. "I actually do more work to keep it like the frame than I do to like say, oh there's my stamp on it."
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