Box Office Breakdown: A Homerun For Homer
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, MGM, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Musicals, Period, Political, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Looks like Homer ain’t gonna be needing a deal on donuts anymore….
With a $74 million opening weekend, The Simpsons Movie debuted higher than most of the animated features released…ever. Only the two Shrek sequels did better. Quite a head-shaking number since we can still see the series for free on television. But viewers from every single Springfield in the US—plus a thousand other cities out there—love the family so much, they were willing to pay for more. Especially when it comes with nudity.
What theatergoers aren’t willing to pay for is more Lindsay Lohan. I Know Who Killed Me placed a dismal 9th, possibly due to lack of promotional work by the star. How ironic that in the end it was Lindsay who was responsible for killing the movie and possibly her career.
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Read More 
| Variety
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Cast Set for ‘Watchmen’ Movie
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Warner Bros, Adaptation, Drama, Period, Casting,
I kid you not. My husband loved the Watchmen comic book series so much he actually read the whole thing to me right after we started dating. Luckily, I had the pictures to distract me. And luckily for him—I married him anyway. Now, I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy the story….it was just weird having a comic book dictated to me.
For those who are equally enthusiastic about the 1980’s Alan Moore series, you may be happy to know that casting has finally been announced for a film adaptation. Whether you agree with the choices in an entirely different matter.
- Billy Crudup (Almost Famous) = Dr. Manhattan
- Patrick Wilson (Little Children) = Night Owl
- Matthew Goode (The Lookout) = Ozymandias
- Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Weeds, Grey’s Anatomy) = the Comedian
- Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children) = Rorschach
- Malin Akerman (Harold and Kumar..) = Silk Spectre
The Cold War-set movie will be directed by 300‘s Zack Snyder. While I may have feigned interest six years ago, I’m sure I will be there on opening day (assuming the production ever gets started). Meanwhile, there is one casting announcement piquing my catty alter-ego. Billy Crudup (the man who abandoned a pregnant Mary-Louise Parker) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (the man who just dated Mary-Louise Parker) are in the same movie together??? Muy interesante!
Read More | Variety
Box Office Breakdown: Chuck and Larry Outmuscle Harry
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, MGM, New Line, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Family, Horror, Music, Musicals, Political, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy,
Lord Voldemort should be kicking himself. Wizardry, schmizardry. All he needed was a bag of outdated gay jokes to bring young Harry down.
Wedding planners everywhere had expected 7/7/07 to be the biggest wedding day of the year, but it was 7/20/07 that proved to be eventful for comedians Adam Sandler and Kevin James. Their domestic partnership brought in enough guests to outdo Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, though they only gained $2 million more than the Potter juggernaut. Fan support for Sandler movies has always been strong—which is why I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry is his ninth movie to open at #1.
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Box Office Breakdown: Competition Schooled By Hogwarts
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Adventure, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Horror, Political, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Apparently Daniel Radcliffe can bring in the audiences without having to strip…unless that’s what the female theatergoers were secretly hoping for.
Whatever the reason, a record number of voyeurs helped the Hogwarts clan whip up the biggest 5-day total for a non-holiday release. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’s $140 million beat out Shrek 2’s record set in 2004 ($128 million). The film is now on track to be the largest Potter installment to date.
As for why the producers of Captivity chose to open amongst all the recent family-fare is beyond me. And yes, I know that’s why they call it counter-programming. Ironically, while I would have loved to watch Elisha Cuthbert’s character from 24 (the oh-so annoying Kim) be subjected to torture-porn, I really no desire to see her do anything these days. Apparently I’m not alone….which is why the only other film widely-released this week opened in 12th place. Now that’s torture.
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Box Office Breakdown: Almighty Only Does Alrighty
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, MGM, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Political, Religious, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Question: When is being the #1 movie just not enough? (Hint: You have three chances to answer this question correctly).
Answer(s):
- When the critics don’t really have anything good to say about you
- When you made less than 1/2 of what your predecessor did on opening weekend
- When it cost over $175 million just to create you
Apparently having God on your side doesn’t guarantee you heavenly box office numbers. Evan Almighty, the follow-up to 2003’s Bruce Almighty, failed to bring in a large congregation this past weekend. Although it did better than the rest of the flock, it’s $32 million take paled in comparison to Bruce’s $68 million opening. And then there’s that glaring $175 million bill…
Of course, we shouldn’t feel so badly about Steve Carell’s career. I have a feeling that God is providing for him in other ways.
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Box Office Breakdown: Silver Surfer Scores the Gold
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories:
Like Ocean’s Thirteen, critics rated Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer better than its predecessor. And like Ocean’s, Fantastic found its way on top of the ever-revolving box office heap. With help from a more family-friendly rating (down from PG-13 to a PG), the superhero clan raked in $2 million more in its opening weekend than its 2005 turnout.
But it takes more than just a PG to win viewers over—it apparently takes Jessica Alba in a skin-tight outfit…and the prim and proper Nancy Drew had to learn that the hard way. The latest incarnation of the beloved character only placed 7th despite the numerous times Julia Roberts’ name had been dropped these past few weeks. BTW—I feel incredibly bad that daddy Eric Roberts has been continuously trumped by his more famous sister. Emma is HIS daughter after all.
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Mike Myers Gets Mitty
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: 20th Century Fox, Adaptation, Comedy, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases,
Mike Myers is the most recent name to be attached to the movie project The Secret Life of Water Mitty, a re-make of a 1947 movie of the same name. This time, the film has been picked up by 20th Century Fox. Over the years, big names like Jim Carrey, Eddie Murphy, Owen Wilson, and Whoopi Goldberg (as “Martha Mitty” in a female-oriented version of the original) have all been attached to the project, one that’s been a long time in the making. This current incarnation will be written by Jay Kogen (Frasier, Malcolm in the Middle) and produced by Samuel Goldwyn, Jr. In the past, directors Steven Spielberg and Chuck Russell were said to be attached to the project at different times.
Now, it’s time for Mike Myers to take the leading role as Walter Mitty. The last time the project came up was 2005, with Owen Wilson set to take the lead, and Paramount scheduled to lend their studios for production. The movie was put on hold, however, when the studio failed to cast a female lead for the film. The film has been given the green light again…will this finally be Mitty’s year?
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Read More | Hollywood Reporter
Julia Stiles Dives Into Bell Jar
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Adaptation, Drama, Casting, Celeb News,
Acting as both producer and leading star, Julia Stiles (The Omen 2006 remake, 10 Things I Hate About You) will delve into the dark and disturbed world of famous novelist/poet Sylvia Plath with a new movie remake of The Bell Jar, one of the saddest books ever written. The autobiographical novel was written by Plath shortly before she committed suicide in 1963, and evokes a feeling of lonely desolation. Stiles thinks she has the chops to play Esther Greenwood, a Plath-like character who doesn’t just contemplate suicide, but actually solicits the opinions of others and shops around for the best death methods. Filming is scheduled to begin in 2008, and the role could push Stiles back into the movie limelight. Marilyn Hasset played the role in the 1979 version of the movie, and in 2003 Gwyneth Paltrow played Sylvia (also a blonde) in a biopic of the same name. Will the dark movie be a big breakout role for Stiles – or drag fans into depression, too?
Read More | CNN
Titanic Lovebirds Reunite
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Paramount, Adaptation, Drama, Period,
For those who had always hoped to see Jack and Rose finally happy, you will now get your chance. Well—okay, maybe not happy...but at least they’ll be married. Ten years after their heart-breaking voyage on the doomed Titanic, Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio are slated to begin filming together again this summer.
The movie, titled Revolutionary Road, is about a seemingly happy couple’s struggle to conform in the 1950’s. The film is an adaptation of the book by Richard Yates.
Kate’s husband, director Sam Mendes (American Beauty), will be taking the helm. This will be the first time Winslet (or DiCaprio) has paired with him.
Read More | Variety
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