Box Office Breakdown: Ticket Buyers Escape to Madagascar 2
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, MGM, Lionsgate, Paramount, Universal, Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Musicals, Period, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,
Move over High School Musical 3. Another family-friendly movie is taking over.
This past weekend, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa stormed into theaters in a big way. The animated sequel took in a whopping $63.1 million, making it second biggest debuter this year. (The Dark Knight pulled in $75.2 million in July.) The film - which topped its 2005 predecessor by $2.1 million - also had the 7th best opening for a cartoon ever.
In other noteworthy news, last week’s #2 was pushed aside for another R-rated comedy. Role Models, starring Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott, surpassed expectations to rake in an impressive $19.2 million. That amount nearly doubled what Zack and Miri - this week’s #5 - earned during its first three days. Meanwhile, a movie that was critically-panned did fairly well in its limited release. Repo! The Genetic Opera - the wannabe cult musical featuring Paris Hilton - averaged $6,711 over 8 theaters. That’s a number most of the movies in the Top Ten couldn’t match.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Ticket Buyers Escape to Madagascar 2
Read More 
| Variety
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YouTube Goes Full-Length
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: MGM, Home Entertainment, Rumors, Full Episodes,
Tired of snippets? Bored with small clips, when you want the whole show? YouTube will soon team up with MGM to offer full-length movies and TV shows through the video-sharing site.
At the start of this partnership, YouTubers will have the chance to watch original American Gladiators episodes in a single channel, while another channel will offer the films Bulletproof Monk and The Magnificent Seven. Clips from other movies, including Legally Blonde, will also be available.
Still not excited? Everything that’s offered will still be free! Ads will run alongside the videos to make up for this lack of pay-to-watch fees. Last month, YouTube worked out similar partnerships so the site could start airing full-length episodes of Star Trek and Beverly Hills, 90210.
Read More | Yahoo! News
Casting Corner: Cloris Leachman, Jack Black, Sly Stallone and More
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Period, Romance, Comedy, Thrillers, Celeb News, Rumors, Upcoming Releases,
Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:
Cloris Leachman: She may not have won a mirror-ball trophy, but she was able to snag something even bigger. Oscar-winner Cloris Leachman was recently added to Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds (formerly spelled Inglorious Bastards) cast. The 82-year-old will cameo as Mrs. Himmelstein, an elderly Jewish woman who inspires Eli Roth’s character to seek vengeance. The WWII movie already has Brad Pitt, Mike Myers, Diane Kruger and B.J. Novak in its lineup.
Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Cloris Leachman, Jack Black, Sly Stallone and More
Variety
No Rave Reviews for Hilton’s Repo!
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Lionsgate, Horror, Musicals, Science Fiction, Filmmaking, New Releases,
The press for Repo! The Genetic Opera has been going strong for a long, long time now…and I have to be honest in saying that I never was sold on the idea. Set in the year 2056, the movie illustrates a scary world where one company controls all organ transplants and high-end plastic surgery. Easy financing leads to some of the most gruesome repossessions you could imagine - hence, the title. The movie’s biggest claims to fame have always been a cult-like appeal and the name Paris Hilton, who was attached to the project early.
Did I mention it’s also a musical? But if you’re expecting something sort of oddball and fun like The Rocky Horror Picture Show, or something dark and grim like Sweeny Todd, you could be taken by surprise. Reviews for the movie are in…and no one seems to be raving for Repo! or Miss Hilton, either.
Click to continue reading No Rave Reviews for Hilton’s Repo!
Read More | LA Times
More Sex in Store: Kim Cattrall Announces Sequel
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: New Line, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Filmmaking, Rumors,
During an appearance on the British-based Paul O’Grady Show, Kim Cattrall announced the news that is even now setting women into a frenzy: “Yes there will!” Cattrall cried when ask if there will be a sequel to the summer’s mega-popular Sex and the City movie.
According to New Line Cinema, negotiation are still ongoing for a sequel. Years ago, when the series first ended, rumor states it was Cattrall herself who stymied progress on a movie plan. She backed out; they ditched the idea until it re-surfaced in 2008.
Click to continue reading More Sex in Store: Kim Cattrall Announces Sequel
Read More | People
We are now at T-minus 15 days until the premiere of Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight.
If you’ve already finished the book, watched the trailer and pored over every picture of Robert Pattinson you could find—here’s a little something to help tide you over for a few more weeks.
Twilight flies into theaters on November 21. (As if you didn’t know.)
In Theaters this Weekend: November 7, 2008
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: DreamWorks, MGM, Miramax, Lionsgate, Universal, Action, Adaptation, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Horror, Music, Musicals, Period, Political, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases,
Here are some possible suggestions for your upcoming weekend:
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (PG): starring Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, David Schwimmer (directed by Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath)
- Role Models (R): starring Seann William Scott, Paul Rudd, Christopher Mintz-Plasse (directed by David Wain)
- Soul Men (R): starring Samuel L. Jackson, Bernie Mac, Isaac Hayes (directed by Malcolm D. Lee)
Click to continue reading In Theaters this Weekend: November 7, 2008
Disney to Offer Sing-Along Version of High School Musical
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Disney, Family, Musicals, Sequels,
Two weeks after besting Mamma Mia‘s debut numbers, High School Musical 3 will attempt to surpass the ABBA tribute on a different front.
Back in August, Universal delivered a special edition of its Meryl Streep feature to a limited number of theaters. Now Disney intends to do the same.
This Friday, approximately 125 screens in select cities will get a sing-along version of the box office hit. This update will provide on-screen song lyrics in hopes of encouraging audience participation. It will also give tweens a reason to ask their parents for money one more time.
To get a update on the locations, you can click here for more information.
Read More | Disney
Box Office Breakdown: High School Musical Makes it Two for Two
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, Disney, Fox Searchlight, Picturehouse, Universal, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Family, Horror, Musicals, Period, Romance, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,
This past weekend, moviegoers showed very little interest in Halloween-themed fare. Despite several horror options, ticket buyers put a G-rated film on top once again.
Although Friday night was slow for cineplexes everywhere, theater attendance thankfully picked up by Saturday. And while there was tight battle for 2nd place, High School Musical 3 had an easy fight for #1. One week after its $42 million debut, the Disney feature added another $15.3 million to the bundle.
Coming in second was a movie on the opposite end of the wholesome spectrum. Zack and Miri Make a Porno - a movie that narrowly escaped an NC-17 rating - pulled in just over $10 million during the past three days. That turnout placed the raunchy comedy amongst Kevin Smith’s highest debuters. (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back earned $11.1 million in 2001 while 2006’s Clerks II raked in $10.1 million.)
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: High School Musical Makes it Two for Two
Read More | Variety
Getting Into Character: Penelope Cruz and Daniel Day-Lewis in Nine
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Weinstein Company, Adaptation, Drama, Musicals, Upcoming Releases,
Here’s a snapshot of Penelope Cruz and Daniel Day-Lewis in Nine, Rob Marshall’s (Chicago) latest contribution to the musical genre.
In the movie, Daniel plays a director (Guido Contini) who has to deal with the many women - a wife, a mistress, a deceased mother, a muse - in his life. The Broadway adaptation also features Nicole Kidman, Fergie, Kate Hudson, Marion Cotillard, Judi Dench and Sophia Loren in the supporting roles.
The Weinstein Company production is scheduled for release sometime in 2009.
Read More | Bauer-Griffin
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