Box Office Breakdown: That Was It for Paranormal Activity

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Biopics, Documentary, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Period, Remakes, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

Based on the numbers from the past week, it looks like This Is It should remain in theaters longer than two weeks. Oh wait - it will.

Since opening late Tuesday night, the concert film has generated a total of $34.4 million domestically - $23.2 million just over the weekend - and approximately $101 worldwide. Although Michael Jackson technically didn’t beat the opener for Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds Concert Tour (that entry earned more over 5 days), This Is It had the best international debut ever for any concert film.

Sony’s win meant a short victory for Paranormal Activity. After a steady climb, and only 1 week at the top, the horror film slipped down to second place. Of course, the word-of-mouth hit has nothing to complain about. Not only has the movie grossed $84.6 million to date, it also had the best per screen average of any Top 10 charter.

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Read More | Variety

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New Shutter Island Trailer Hits Internet

Posted by Kathleen Kane Categories: Paramount, Horror, Period, Science Fiction, Thrillers, Distribution, Trailers, Upcoming Releases

Although movie-goers should have seen Shutter Island a few weeks ago, Paramount seems to be making up for the delay by debuting a third trailer for Martin Scorcese’s latest thriller.

Is it just me, or do these trailers get creepier with each release? I swear that the body count has drastically increased with each trailer!

Creepiness aside, you can catch the entire film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo, on February 19.

Read More | Coming Soon

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In Theaters This Weekend: October 23, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: IFC Films, Fox Searchlight, Lionsgate, Universal, Adventure, Animation, Biopics, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Foreign Language, Horror, Independent, Period, Sequels, Comedy, Lists, New Releases

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

• Amelia (PG): starring Hilary Swank, Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor (directed by Mira Nair)
• Astro Boy (PG): starring Nicolas Cage, Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell (directed by David Bowers)
• Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant (PG-13): starring John C. Reilly, Ken Watanabe, Josh Hutcherson (directed by Paul Weitz)
• Saw VI (R): starring Costas Mandylor, Tobin Bell, Shawnee Smith (directed by Kevin Greutert)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: October 23, 2009

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This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: October 20, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Miramax, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Action, Adventure, Horror, Period, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Home Entertainment, Lists, New Releases

Here are some of the DVD and Blu-ray options available this Tuesday:

• 100 Feet: DVD, Blu-ray
• Blood: The Last Vampire: DVD, Blu-ray
• Cheri: DVD
• Easy Rider: Blu-ray
• I Am Because We Are: DVD
• Love N’ Dancing: DVD, Blu-ray
• Monsoon Wedding (Criterion Collection): DVD, Blu-ray
• Plains, Trains and Automobiles (“Those Aren’t Pillows” Edition): DVD
• Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: DVD, Blu-ray
• Waterworld: Blu-ray
• Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead: DVD, Blu-ray

Make sure to also check out the TV-on-DVD options for this week.

Read More | Amazon

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Getting Into Character: Emily Blunt as Queen Victoria

Posted by Kathleen Kane Categories: Biopics, Drama, Period, Romance, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

From bowing down to the royal editor Miranda Priestly in The Devil Wears Prada, newly engaged Emily Blunt will now reign over England as a young Queen Victoria in the upcoming film, The Young Victoria.

The period biopic will focus on Victoria’s first ruling years, as well as her torrid relationship with Prince Albert, portrayed by Rupert Friend. Paul Bettany and Miranda Richardson also star.

Directed by newcomer Jean-Marc Vallée, the film is scheduled for limited release in the states on December 18th.

Read More | People

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Ian McKellen Too Old For X-Men

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: 20th Century Fox, Action, Adaptation, Period, Science Fiction, Casting, Celeb News, Filmmaking, Rumors, Scripts

Sir Ian McKellen thinks that he’s too old to star in another X-Men film.

The Hollywood veteran, who has played mutant villain Magneto in three of the comic book movies, says it is unlikely he will reprise the role for a spin-off film about the character because of his wrinkles.

“There’s meant to be a Magneto script floating around, but I’ve not read it, so I suspect it wouldn’t involve me—I think it would be about the younger Magneto, and the most I could hope for would be to top and tail that. They can’t have someone whose face is as lined as mine any longer!”

However, the 70-year-old actor was impressed by his 69-year-old friend Patrick Stewart’s appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine earlier this year: “He was very pleased with himself that he was going in to be in Wolverine. It was only an hour’s work! We were working on Waiting For Godot at the time!”

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Casting Corner: Kristen Bell, Justin Long and More

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Columbia Pictures, Disney, Universal, Action, Biopics, Classics, Drama, Independent, Musicals, Period, Remakes, Casting, Celeb News, Upcoming Releases

Here’s a quick look at some of the casting announcements made recently:

Kristen Bell: Who knew Veronica Mars was a dancer? Kristen Bell has just been added to the cast of Burlesque, a film that will see Christina Aguilera playing a small-town girl working at a cabaret-esque club in Los Angeles. The film, which stars Cher as the establishment’s owner, will feature Bell as the soon-to-be former lead dancer. Dancing with the Stars’ Julianne Hough will also do what she does best.

Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Kristen Bell, Justin Long and More

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Paul Bettany Leads a Double Life

Posted by Andru Edwards Categories: Action, Biopics, Period, Science Fiction, Celebrity Gossip, Upcoming Releases

Paul Bettany leads a “double life.”

The actor says that even though he is known for appearing in serious movies such as Creation, he loves getting the chance to indulge in his childish side and is relishing doing his own stunts for Priest.

“There’s a sort of double life that I have as far as acting. I love making films like Creation about Charles Darwin, but I would be lying if I… The truth is when I was a kid my mom gave me a set of holsters, two holsters and guns and a cowboy hat. I ran around shooting things. And I suddenly thought, ‘Well, it’d be really nice approaching 40 to have a ball doing that,’” he said. “It feels even better because I have a bunch of friends who can put me on a wire and throw me up into the air.”

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Box Office Breakdown: Meatballs Rolls to Another Victory

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Disney, Lionsgate, Sony, Touchstone, Universal, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Horror, Independent, Music, Period, Remakes, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists

Surrogates was no substitute for meatballs.

Despite competition from a Bruce Willis film, a music-based remake and a sci-fi horror entry, A Cloudy Chance of Meatballs remained the theatergoers’ order of choice for the second week in a row. The children’s book adaptation had Sony dining to the tune of $25 million—over $10 million more than the second place finisher.

Many thought Willis, who hasn’t had a major role since 2007’s Live Free or Die Hard, was on track to take first this weekend. Unfortunately, his hair movie was considered a big letdown given its $15 million gross and $80 million budget. Meanwhile, Fame, a remake of the 1980 hit, had no one feeling like they wanted to live forever. The MGM feature only rung up $10 million for third place.

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Read More | Variety

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In Theaters This Weekend: September 25, 2009

Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: IFC Films, MGM, Miramax, Paramount, Sony, Touchstone, Biopics, Documentary, Drama, Horror, Musicals, Period, Political, Remakes, Science Fiction, Comedy, Lists, New Releases

Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

• Fame (PG): starring Megan Mullally, Kelsey Grammer, Bebe Neuwirth (directed by Kevin Tancharoen)
• Pandorum (R): starring Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet (directed by Christian Alvert)
• Surrogates (PG-13): starring Bruce Willis, Radha Mitchell, Rosamund Pike (directed by Jonathan Mostow)

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: September 25, 2009

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