2 articles
'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' Shatters Opening Day Record
16 hours ago | Box Office Mojo | See recent BoxOfficeMojo.com news »
Star Wars: The Force Awakens has already put its stamp on the record books, kicking off its domestic release with an estimated $120.5 million Friday opening. That opening number includes a record-breaking $57 million from Thursday night "previews" and makes this the first film to gross more than $100 million in a "single" day, but the records don't stop there. The $120.5 million opening day for Star Wars marks the largest Friday, opening day and single day records previously held by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 at $91 million. In just its opening day, the film has also broken the previous December opening weekend and single day records, both of which were held by The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. The Hobbit's previous December opening weekend record was $84.62 million and the single day record was a paltry $37.13 million, which puts into context just how big this opening really is. Now the question comes »
- Brad Brevet <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
‘Star Wars’ Explodes at Global Box Office With $250 Million
15 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” is on the verge of sending the foreign and worldwide box office records set by the dinosaurs of “Jurassic World” last summer into extinction. The J.J. Abrams-directed space epic has taken in $129 million from abroad since it began rolling out Wednesday, distributor Disney reported Saturday. That puts it within striking distance of the international opening weekend record of $316.1 million and the record for a worldwide — that is foreign and domestic grosses combined — opening weekend of $524.9 million within range. “The Force Awakens” brought in a record $120 million-plus in its first day at the North American. »
- Todd Cunningham
Hollywood Loved ‘Star Wars,’ But George Lucas Didn’t Love Hollywood
14 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
At the Dec. 14 world premiere of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” in Hollywood, the audience gave a standing ovation to George Lucas, since there would be no “Star Wars” without him. However, this is the first film he wasn’t directly involved in. But while “Star Wars” itself is an integral part of Hollywood’s DNA, Lucas
Variety first mentioned him on Jan. 9, 1968, when he scored three nominations in the third annual National Student Film Fest competition. Out of 153 entries and 46 finalists, Lucas had “6-18-67” (“A Desert Poem”); the docu “The Emperor,” and, in the dramatic competition, the sci-fi short “Thx-1138 4Eb.” He won for “Thx.” But for the next few years, it wasn’t a smooth ride.
Francis Coppola mentored Lucas, helping him land a deal for a 1971 feature version of “Thx” at Warner Bros.-Seven Arts. The box office was low and Coppola challenged him to create something for mainstream audiences. »
- Tim Gray
Why 'The Revenant' Was Not Eligible to Compete for the Oscar for Original Score
12 hours ago | Thompson on Hollywood | See recent Thompson on Hollywood news »
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Music Branch has deemed 112 scores eligible to compete for nominations in the Original Score category for the 88th Academy Awards. As expected, Ryuichi Sakamoto's score for "The Revenant" did not fit their criteria (they couldn't separate out his contributions from his two collaborators), and filmmaker A.G. Inarritu is not happy about it. (Fox is appealing the ruling.) The race for the gold statue is probably between two master Oscar perennials, Ennio Morricone, returning to the western genre after 40 years to write Quentin Tarantino's first original score ("The Hateful Eight") and 83-year-old John Williams, who has scored all the "Star Wars" films including the seventh, "The Force Awakens." He has won five Oscars (including "Star Wars") and will surely land his 50th Oscar nomination for this one (he already holds the record as the most nominated person ever). Long-time Coen brothers. »
- Anne Thompson
‘Star Wars’ Makes History As ‘Force Awakens’ Flies Toward $220M Opening Record – Saturday Pm Update
5 hours ago | Deadline | See recent Deadline news »
9th Update, Saturday 6:33Pm: Disney as well as other sources are reporting that Star Wars: The Force Awakens is currently coming in on the conservative side of projections with a $220M weekend opening, which would still be an all-time record beating Jurassic World‘s $208.8M. Peg that to softer Saturday matinees, however, evening shows could swing these figures higher. Per Disney, Saturday’s daytime grosses vs. Friday’s daytime ticket receipts are trailing by 5%… »
Saddle up and head for the cinema: the western is back in town
7 hours ago | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
Quentin Tarantino leads a stampede of movies harking back to the days of the old frontier – and TV is transplanting the genre to Yorkshire
For a good few years all was quiet on the archetypal main street in Hollywood’s wild west. The only sound was the swinging of the rusty sign above the saloon doors, rocked by the same dry wind that pushed the tumbleweed through the dust.
Now all that is to change, with a series of top-heavy stage coaches full of newcomers blowing into town. After the galloping success of Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained in 2012, an alarming posse of new westerns, including Tarantino’s The Hateful Eight and The Revenant, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, are suddenly giving real credence to the idea that one of the earliest and most influential of film genres is enjoying a major revival. And, heavens to Betsy, there is even a British »
- Vanessa Thorpe
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