16 articles
'Jungle Book' and 'Barbershop 3' Seek Strong Opening Weekends
14 April 2016 12:01 AM, PDT | Box Office Mojo | See recent BoxOfficeMojo.com news »
Last weekend the top twelve at the domestic box office was down 24.3% when compared to last year. In fact, it was the first time since 2008 that the top twelve films at the box office failed to top $100 million in the 15th weekend of the year. This weekend won't have any such issues with Disney's The Jungle Book looking to become one of the top five April openings of all-time. Additionally, Warners' Barbershop: The Next Cut should deliver the largest opening that franchise has seen while Lionsgate's Criminal will likely finish just outside the top five. Disney has tapped into something special when it comes to adapting some of their most iconic animated movies into live action features in recent years. Last year's Cinderella opened with $67.8 million in mid-March, the year before Maleficent opened with $69.4 million and, in 2010, Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland opened with an astonishing $116.1 million before grossing over $1 billion worldwide. »
- Brad Brevet <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
Kevin Hart, Dwanye Johnson Circling ‘Jumanji’ Reboot (Exclusive)
6 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Sony is getting closer to rebooting a Robin Williams classic with two of the busiest actors in town, looking to build on what is already an impressive slate at the studio.
Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart are in early talks to star in Sony’s “Jumanji,” sources tell Variety. Schedules are still being worked out, as both actors have heavy production loads ahead, but insiders say things are moving toward a deal.
Johnson has an opening this fall with his New Line pic “Rampage” possibly shifting to 2017. The plan would be to shoot “Jumanji” before the third season of his HBO series “Ballers.” Johnson will also shoot “Fast 8” this summer, reprising his role of Agent Hobbs.
Hart is expected to shoot “The Intouchables” remake for Weinstein this summer opposite Bryan Cranston, and according to sources, working out this part of the schedule could prove difficult.
The pair showed great »
- Justin Kroll
Dan Ireland, ‘Whole Wide World’ Director Who Co-Founded Seattle Film Festival, Dies at 57
7 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Dan Ireland, who co-founded the Seattle Film Festival, served as an acquisitions exec at Vestron Pictures and directed films including “The Whole Wide World” (1996) and “Jolene” (2008), starring Jessica Chastain, has died Thursday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 57.
Chastain tweeted in memory of him.
“The sweetest angel left us. Called his voicemail just to hear his voice once more. I’ll miss you baby,” she wrote.
The sweetest angel left us. Called his voicemail just to hear his voice once more. I'll miss you baby. #DanIreland #Jolene
— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) April 15, 2016
“The Whole Wide World,” starring a young Vincent D’Onofrio and Renée Zellweger, was a biopic of Texas-born pulp fiction writer Robert E. Howard, who created Conan the Barbarian in the early years of the 20th century, and the woman in his life, played by Zellweger (the film was her movie debut).
Ireland was nominated for »
- Carmel Dagan
‘Jungle Book’ Swings to $57 Million at International Box Office, Breaks Record in India
9 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Disney’s “The Jungle Book” is showing plenty of power at the international box office, swinging to $57.1 million after a week in theaters.
Jon Favreau’s family adventure-comedy opened Thursday in Germany, Italy, Australia and Brazil — a day after it launched in France. “The Jungle Book” is now playing in 37 countries, including the U.S.
India, where Rudyard Kipling set the stories when they were published in the 1890s, has seen stellar grosses so far, with $15 million in its first week. This marks the biggest opening week in India for any Hollywood release. The film is about to become the highest-grossing Disney release ever in the country.
Russia, which also launched last week, has totaled $10.4 million. Australia hit $4.3 million in its first two days and sneak previews last week.
France has reached $3.1 million in two days. Argentina and Malaysia have already seen grosses of $3 million in the film’s first week. »
- Dave McNary
'Star Wars' shocker: Obi-Wan wasn't supposed to die in Vader duel
10 hours ago | Hitfix | See recent Hitfix news »
Just when you thought you knew all there was to know about Star Wars, something comes along and changes everything. Obi-Wan was supposed to survive his duel with Darth Vader. Huh?! That’s right. In the 1977 classic, the high-stakes lightsaber fight between Kenobi and Vader was originally going to have a very different ending. Peter Mayhew, the man who plays Chewbaca, revealed this fact when he recently posted earlier script pages on Twitter. The version that never was features a grand escape by the character played by Alec Guinness aided by Luke Skywalker. “Ben charges into the [stormtroopers], cutting them down as he goes,” George Lucas originally wrote. “Luke is forced to stop firing and runs to the old man’s aid with his laser sword drawn…Luke struggles to help the old man [Kenobi] to the ship under the constant fire of the Imperial troops.” The hatch door closes on the »
- David Eckstein
Studio Reportedly Tested VFX To Make Scarlett Johansson Appear More Asian In 'Ghost In The Shell'
8 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
This week, the first look at Scarlett Johansson in the upcoming live action anime adaptation "Ghost In The Shell" arrived, and it has fuelled a firestorm of controversy. The casting of Johansson already caused concern that Hollywood was "whitewashing" Mamoru Oshii's movie, and those worries multiplied with the first look. And Paramount and DreamWorks aren't out of hot water just yet. ScreenCrush is reporting that according to their sources, the studios tested VFX that would make that would allow filmmakers to "shift her ethnicity" in post-production toward something more Asian. Given the ongoing conversation around diversity in cinema, no to mention how poorly received the casting of the recent "Gods Of Egypt" was received (to the point where Lionsgate and director Alex Proyas apologized months before the film was released), the lack of awareness by the studio is a bit galling. However, in a statement issued by Paramount, they stress it. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
New Photos From 'Captain America: Civil War,' Hulk Nearly Had A Post-Credits Cameo
9 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
"Captain America: Civil War" (our review) is coming, and it's bringing an insanely stacked roster of Marvel characters with it. Pretty much everyone you've seen in the McU so far appears, along with newcomers Spider-Man (Tom Holland) and Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman), but there are two people who are notably absent: Thor (Chris Hemsworth) and Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). Both will take center stage in next year's "Thor: Ragnarok," but according to screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the latter was considered for an appearance in 'Civil War.' Read More: Review: 'Captain America: Civil War' Starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Anthony Mackie, Don Cheadle, More “Mark Ruffalo shot no scenes. We talked about having Bruce Banner at the very end of the film, and it just, again, seemed like we’re sticking people in just to stick them in. He has clearly gone somewhere at the end of ‘Ultron, »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Tribeca Film Review: ‘Fear, Inc.’
34 minutes ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Loving horror movies and making a good one — even an in-joke-laden homage to the genre — are two different things, as proven by “Fear, Inc.” This first feature for director Vincent Masciale and scenarist Luke Barnett starts out amiably enough, if sans inspiration on both the humor and scare fronts, only to get yea more implausibly silly just when we’re meant to start taking it seriously. This Tribeca midnight-section programmer is polished enough to fetch a decent sum amongst home-format distributors, but no one will be clamoring for theatrical release.
Joe (Lucas Neff) is a young L.A. transplant who’s “between jobs” and so unmotivated he spends a typical day playing beer pong by himself then floating in the backyard pool, to the annoyance of duly-employed girlfriend Lindsay (Caitlin Stasey). On “date night” he persuades her to visit a haunted house attraction. His unimpressed grumbling afterward attracts a creepy »
- Dennis Harvey
J.J. Abrams Talks TV Show Ideas With Chris Rock at Tribeca Film Festival
1 hour ago | Variety - TV News | See recent Variety - TV News news »
A half-hour drama created by J.J. Abrams and starring Chris Rock? That was just one of the topics of conversation to come up in a far-ranging public discussion between Abrams and Rock at the Tribeca Film Festival, during which Abrams also apologized for overdoing it on the lens flares, revealed his personal conception of God and refused to answer a pre-teen in the audience who asked him who Rey’s parents are.
Speaking with an easy rapport at an event that was part of the Tribeca Talks series of public conversations, the two spitballed an idea for a TV show when Rock asked Abrams what he should be doing in television.
Abrams shot back, “If I nail it, will you do it with me?”
“Sure,” Rock agreed. “I’m probably a single-camera show,” he added. “My skill set is multi-camera, but what’s gonna keep me interested, keep me intrigued, »
- Gordon Cox
J.J. Abrams Talks TV Show Ideas With Chris Rock at Tribeca Film Festival
1 hour ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
A half-hour drama created by J.J. Abrams and starring Chris Rock? That was just one of the topics of conversation to come up in a far-ranging public discussion between Abrams and Rock at the Tribeca Film Festival, during which Abrams also apologized for overdoing it on the lens flares, revealed his personal conception of God and refused to answer a pre-teen in the audience who asked him who Rey’s parents are.
Speaking with an easy rapport at an event that was part of the Tribeca Talks series of public conversations, the two spitballed an idea for a TV show when Rock asked Abrams what he should be doing in television.
Abrams shot back, “If I nail it, will you do it with me?”
“Sure,” Rock agreed. “I’m probably a single-camera show,” he added. “My skill set is multi-camera, but what’s gonna keep me interested, keep me intrigued, »
- Gordon Cox
Tony Revolori and Laura Harrier Join ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’
1 hour ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Tony Revolori and Laura Harrier are in talks to join the cast of Sony and Marvel’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” sources confirm to Variety.
Tom Holland stars as the webslinging hero in the reboot, which opens July 7, 2017. He leads the cast opposite Michael Keaton, who Variety exclusively reported was is in talks to play the villain, and Marisa Tomei, who portrays Aunt May.
Revolori (“Grand Budapest Hotel”) will play a high school nemesis of Peter Parker’s in the film while Harrier’s part is another classmate.
Sony and Marvel had no comment.
Jon Watts is directing “Homecoming” from a script by John Francis Daley and Jonathan Goldstein. Kevin Feige and former Sony exec Amy Pascal are producing the movie, which focuses on a teenage Peter Parker’s high school days.
Plot details are still being heavily guarded.
Holland’s Spider-Man will first make an appearance in the upcoming “Captain America: Civil War »
- Justin Kroll
CBS Claims Fraud in Response to Agent's 'Judge Judy' Profit Lawsuit
1 hour ago | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
The man who questioned Judge Judy Sheindlin's $47 million salary and accused CBS of shady accounting practices is a fraud, according to the network's answer to his complaint. Richard Lawrence sued in March, claiming his company Rebel Entertainment Partners hasn't received its 5 percent packaging fee since 2010 because CBS doubled Sheindlin's salary and changed its compensation structure to keep the show from earning net profits. The network is asserting 11 affirmative defenses, including fraud and breach of contract, according to the answer filed Friday by attorney James Curry on behalf of Big Ticket Television and its parent CBS.
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- Ashley Cullins
Kimmy Schmidt and 11 Other Relentlessly Sunny TV Characters (Photos)
2 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
Kimmy Schmidt, “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” Ellie Kemper‘s Kimmy Schmidt has a remarkable sense of optimism, especially for a young woman who spent the better part of her life kidnapped and trapped underground in a crazy guy’s bunker. Sue Heck, “The Middle” Played by Eden Sher, “The Middle’s” socially awkward Sue Heck often fails at the things she sets out to accomplish, but she still manages to maintain a cheerful sense of determination — and a smile — throughout it all. Chris Traeger, “Parks and Recreation” Even among a cast of fiercely sunny characters, Rob Lowe‘s Chris Traeger is the obvious standout. »
- Reid Nakamura
‘Judge Judy’ Lawsuit: Agent Is a Big, Fat Phony, Legal Papers Claim
2 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
Here’s a case that would make for an intriguing episode of “Judge Judy” — if the judge herself wasn’t at the center of it. Big Ticket Television and CBS are striking back at a lawsuit filed by an agent who claims that he’s owed money from the courtroom show, and the claims made in this latest round are pretty explosive. In their answer to Rebel Entertainment’s lawsuit, Big Ticket, CBS Studios and CBS Corporation claim that Rebel’s principal, Richard Lawrence, fraudulently claimed to represent Judge Judge, whose real name is Judith Sheindlin, and has been collecting millions of dollars for nothing. »
- Tim Kenneally
CBS, Big Ticket Fire Back at Agent in ‘Judge Judy’ Lawsuit, Claim He Was Paid $17 Million ‘For Doing Nothing’
2 hours ago | Variety - TV News | See recent Variety - TV News news »
Big Ticket Television and CBS said in a court filing that talent agency Rebel Entertainment Partners was paid $17 million in package fees “for doing nothing” for the TV series “Judge Judy,” and didn’t even represent star Judy Sheindlin.
Rebel Entertainment Partners filed suit against Big Ticket and CBS last month, claiming that it has not received contractually obligated payments for “Judge Judy” since 2010, because the show is losing money due to Sheindlin’s annual salary of as much as $47 million. Rebel, led by Richard Lawrence, is a successor agency to Abrams-Rubaloff & Lawrence.
In their response to the complaint, CBS and Big Ticket claim that Lawrence pitched a Judge Judy project to syndicators, but did not disclose that he did not represent Sheindlin. He did represent the producers, Sandi Spreckman and Kaye Switzer, who had interested Sheindlin in doing a show.
According to the response, Big Ticket entered into a »
- Ted Johnson
‘Jungle Book’ Dilemma for Parents: Are Live-Action Movies Scarier Than Animated Ones?
2 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
Movies for children have long had their share of dark and even terrifying moments. In Disney’s 1937 animated classic “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” the heroine ran through a hostile forest and ate a poison apple, while in 1942’s “Bambi,” a young deer’s beloved mother is shot and killed. But Disney’s new adaptation of “The Jungle Book,” hitting theaters Friday, ratchets up the scariness by abandoning the usual format of children’s movies: animation. And according to child psychologists, that can lead to even more nightmares for young audiences. “In a live-action film, humans give it another aspect of real, »
- Beatrice Verhoeven
‘Amazing Race’ Producer on ‘Blodie’ Farewell Scene (Exclusive)
2 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
(Spoiler alert: Please do not read on if you have not yet watched Friday’s episode of “The Amazing Race” in Dubai.) “The Amazing Race” Season 28 features stars from across social media including Tyler Oakley, “Magic Viner” Zach King and Vine teen heartthrob Cole Labrant globe-trotting around the world for the CBS reality competition. And as the season speeds along at a rapid pace, co-creator and co-executive producer Elise Doganieri answers TheWrap’s questions about the most recent episode. Also Read: Did Tyler Oakley Just Break an 'Amazing Race' Rule? Show's Producer Tells Us (Exclusive) TheWrap: Blair was eliminated last week, »
- Mikey Glazer
'Star Wars': J.J. Abrams Reveals Big Clue About Rey's Parents
2 hours ago | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
J.J. Abrams has already said he knows who Rey's parents are, but he of course isn't naming names. And speaking at the Tribeca Film Festival on Friday, the Force Awakens director revealed who her parents aren't. During the audience Q&A after the talk between Abrams and Chris Rock concluded, a young fan asked the question on many Star Wars fans' minds: Who are Rey's parents? At first Abrams jokingly told the kid to get out. But then he dropped a big clue about the identity of Daisy Ridley's character's mom and dad: "Rey's parents are not in Episode VII.
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- Hilary Lewis
Are 4 ‘Avatar’ Sequels a Risky Move for Fox?
2 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
When James Cameron announced four upcoming sequels to 2009’s “Avatar” at CinemaCon this week, people immediately took to Twitter to complain, but box office analysts say this is a good move for Fox and Cameron. “It’s somewhat unprecedented to announce that big of a commitment to future sequels this long after the original,” Paul Dergarabedian, senior analyst at comScore, told TheWrap. “I’ve never seen anything like that. I think it’s a smart strategy.” “Even though the backlash has been strong, it doesn’t really matter,” added Jeff Bock, senior analyst at Exhibitor Relations. “People will be blown »
- Beatrice Verhoeven
Tribeca Film Review: ‘Always Shine’
3 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Hitchcockian doubles from Hollywood’s lowest rungs retreat to Big Sur for a weekend of hiking, drinking and mutual torment in “Always Shine,” a psychological thriller that feels like “Persona” by way of “Single White Female.” With her confident second feature, director Sophia Takal (“Green”) takes on Tinseltown misogyny and the toxic rivalry between friends, but that’s mere prelude to a gonzo meta-fiction that deconstructs itself nearly to death.
Amid all the turmoil, Mackenzie Davis, the ascendant star of AMC’s “Halt and Catch Fire,” pulls focus with a mesmerizing turn as a never-will-be actress and Caitlyn Fitzgerald is equally good as her passive-aggressive friend/doppelganger. “Always Shine” reps a gleaming showcase for their performances, but its overabundance of ideas presents a murkier commercial prospect.
Working from a script by Lawrence Michael Levine, Takal makes it immediately clear that while Davis and Fitzgerald play struggling actresses, their own bonafides are beyond dispute. »
- Scott Tobias
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