Martin Scorsese Reteams with Leonardo DiCaprio
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Adaptation, Drama, Thrillers, Casting, Upcoming Releases,
Muses can come in all different shapes and sizes. Woody Allen has Scarlett while Spielberg has Tom Hanks. For Martin Scorsese, his actor of choice has clearly become Leo.
The Academy Award-winning director and Leonardo DiCaprio will soon be reteaming for their fourth project together. Shutter Island will follow their work on The Gangs of New York, The Aviator and last year’s winner, The Departed.
Shutter is based off a book written by Dennis Lehane, the same man behind two critically-acclaimed films: Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone. The story focuses on two marshals who become trapped on a Boston-area island while searching for a criminally insane escapee. (Lehane’s stories are primarily set around Boston.)
The movie, which starts production next month, already boasts an all-star cast. Joining DiCaprio will be Mark Ruffalo (Reservation Road), Max von Sydow (The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), Emily Mortimer (Lars and the Real Girl), Jackie Earle Haley (Little Children), Ben Kingsley (You Kill Me), Michelle Williams (Brokeback Mountain) and Patricia Clarkson (No Reservations).
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Box Office Breakdown: Vantage Point Peaks at Number One
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Fox Searchlight, New Line, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Family, Music, Political, Romance, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
Star-studded Vantage Point raised $22.8 million over the past three days making it this weekend’s clear winner. The film, starring Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox, gives viewers multiple perspectives of a presidential assassination attempt. Although the Pete Travis movie received less than positive reviews, the action thriller easily outearned its nearest competitor, The Spiderwick Chronicles.
The only other new entry in the Top Ten was Michel Gondry’s Be Kind Rewind. The Jack Black/Mos Def comedy opened in limited release and averaged over $5000 per screen. Aside from Vantage, every other chart topper earned less than $4000 per theater.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Vantage Point Peaks at Number One
Variety
Box Office Breakdown: Jumper Leaps to #1
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Paramount, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Music, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
This President’s Day weekend, a good number of theatergoers honored their country’s leaders by taking in a showing of Jumper. The sci-fi film, starring Hayden Christensen and Jamie Bell, took in approximately $27.3 million and earned itself a first place berth. Although the gross did not break any holiday records, the movie did put about $8 million between itself and its nearest competitor (The Spiderwick Chronicles).
Third place-finisher, Step Up 2 the Streets, also had something to brag about this weekend. The dance spectacle averaged $7,655 per screen, just behind Jumper’s $7,980 figure. The other eight films had to settle for $5000 or less.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Jumper Leaps to #1
Variety
In Theaters This Holiday Weekend (2/14)
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Touchstone, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Family, Foreign, Foreign Language, Independent, Period, Religious, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Lists, New Releases,
Here are some possible suggestions for Valentine’s Day weekend:
- Definitely, Maybe (PG-13): starring Ryan Reynolds, Rachel Weisz, Abigail Breslin (directed by Adam Brooks)
- Jumper (PG-13): starring Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Jamie Bell (directed by Doug Liman)
- The Spiderwick Chronicles (PG): starring Freddie Highmore, Mary-Louise Parker, Nick Nolte (directed by Mark Waters)
- Step Up 2 the Streets (PG-13): starring Briana Evigan, Robert Hoffman, Will Kemp (directed by Jon M. Chu)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Holiday Weekend (2/14)
Michael Cera to Star in Film Adaptation of Youth in Revolt
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Adventure, Romance, Satire, Comedy, Books, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases,
Youth In Revolt, both a critically acclaimed novel by C.D. Payne and a failed MTV mini-series, has been adapted into a screenplay and began production early this year. This original and hilarious black comedy will star Michael Cera (Juno, Superbad) as the story’s overly sex-crazed protagonist, Nick Twisp, who - along with an inconvenient hair trigger on his erectile response - involves himself in arson, car theft, homelessness and even an identity change to satisfy his pubescent desires and finally lose his virginity. Although no other cast members have been confirmed, Cera’s recently built reputation for the role as the awkward teen with no grip on a decent romantic or sex life (which rightfully won him 2 nominations for Best Young Actor this year) will certainly do great justice for the role.
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New York Times
Will ‘Arrested Development’ Come to the Big Screen?
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Adaptation, Comedy, Rumors,
In a recent radio interview, actor Jeffrey Tambor revealed some exciting news to Arrested Development fans. The show may be turned into a movie.
Tambor told an XM Radio program that he recently received a phone call from Ron Howard, the series’ Executive Producer and narrator. Howard wanted to gauge his interest in a possible reunion. It seems there’s been a real “push” to have a film made. Jeffrey expressed excitement about the project and claimed co-star Jason Bateman would be up for it as well.
Although the show had a strong fan base, critical acclaim and an Emmy Award for Outstanding Comedy Series, the show never found the numbers (or network support) it needed to last more than three seasons. So I guess the question is: Can the program translate to the big screen? If a lack of interest was what killed the series to being with, could it possibly succeed in a different format?
What about Bateman? Would he really be up for it? That guy has really had a nice film streak as of late. And let’s not forget Michael Cera, the new poster boy for geeks everywhere.
Maybe the producers should wait and see how Sex and the City and X-Files fare before setting anything in stone.
New York Post
Ferrell and Friel in ‘Land of the Lost’
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Universal, Adaptation, Adventure, Science Fiction, Casting, Upcoming Releases,
For his next film, comedian Will Ferrell will be taking a step back from his sports-related projects. After positioning himself on the race track, ice rink and basketball court—he will now find himself smack in the middle of a prehistoric world when he takes on the 70’s classic series, Land of the Lost.
The movie, based on the cult kid’s show, will also star Anna Friel of ABC’s newest hit, Pushing Daisies. The classic version (which I personally recall watching in the 80’s) centered around a family of three - father, daughter, son - who got themselves stuck on some strange island filled with dinosaurs and alien-like creatures. In this updated treatment, Ferrell will play a ‘disgraced paleontologist’ while Friel will be the obligatory love interest. (What this means for Cha-Ka and the kids, I don’t know.)
No estimated release date has been announced for the Universal production.
Hollywood Reporter
Will Christian Bale and Johnny Depp Face Off?
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Universal, Adaptation, Drama, Period, Thrillers, Casting, Upcoming Releases,
Michael Mann, the director credited with bringing one of the most buzzed about matchups to the big screen, may be set to do it again. Thirteen years after Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro squared off (briefly) in 1995’s Heat, another electrifying pair is in talks to do the same. With any luck, you may soon be seeing Christian Bale with Johnny Depp at a theater near you.
Bale, 33, and Depp, 44 - arguably two of the most respected and exciting actors working today - have been named as possibles for Public Enemies, the adaptation of a Brian Burrough’s book. The film would pit Depp, as notorious bank robber John Dillinger, against Melvin Purvis (Bale). Purvis was the FBI agent who eventually brought the notorious bank robber down in 1934.
If all goes as planned, the two actors will begin production with Mann later this winter.
Hollywood Reporter
Box Office Breakdown: The Bucket List Rises to the Top
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Disney, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists, New Releases,
After placing 23rd last week, The Bucket List - starring Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman - soared 22 spots to take the #1 spot this past weekend. It seems a simple case of addition was all that was needed to accomplish this feat. Up until now, the movie had only been playing in 16 theaters total; it expanded to nearly 3000 on Friday. Bucket’s impressive finish was not only a win for 70-year-olds everywhere, it was a win for director Rob Reiner. His biggest opener had been 1992’s A Few Good Men. (That film grossed $15.5 million.) Maybe Reiner should write Jack into all his films.
Debuting at #2 was the latest Ice Cube comedy. First Sunday, co-starring Tracy Morgan (30 Rock), earned an impressive $8000 per screen average. That was the best median performance for any movie in this week’s Top Ten. (There Will Be Blood, this week’s #17, averaged $14,421 over the past three days.)
Will this yesterday’s Golden Globes have any effect on Sweeney Todd’s financial future? After only 4 weeks in release, the dark feature dropped off the chart and landed at #12. Assuming theatergoers are still interested in watching potential Oscar nominees, I’m guessing the win for Best Comedy/Musical will give the movie a nice boost next weekend.
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Yahoo! Movies
Role Refill: Kate Winslet Subs for Kidman
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Period, Romance, Casting, Upcoming Releases,
Although an unexpected pregnancy is usually a producer’s worst nightmare, Nicole Kidman’s recent announcement couldn’t have come at a better time. Her decision to drop out of The Reader, an adaptation of a 1995 novel, allowed the filmmakers to cast their original choice: Kate Winslet.
Winslet, who had expressed interest in Reader a while back, couldn’t commit due to a scheduling conflict. (She was busy filming Revolutionary Road with her Titanic co-star, Leonardo DiCaprio, and director-husband, Sam Mendes.) That was when Nicole Kidman stepped in. Months down the road, their roles have reversed. With her work on Road now complete, Kate is free to star opposite Ralph Fiennes (The English Patient) as an older woman who has an affair with a teen in Post-WWII Germany.
Given Kidman’s role in 2004’s unsettling Birth, this whole thing may have worked out for the best. One movie about a relationship with a much younger man is really enough.
Variety
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