Joe Wright Set to Direct Adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s Next Book
Posted by Robin Paulson Categories: FOCUS, Adaptation, Mystery, Upcoming Releases,
Anna Karenenina director Joe Wright has found his next project: the film adaptation of cult fantasy author Neil Gaiman's latest novel.
Focus Features and Tom Hanks's Playtone have picked up the rights to turn the text - titled The Ocean at the End of the Lane and hits bookstores this June - into film form. The snyopsis is as follows:
"It began for our narrator forty years ago when the family lodger stole their car and committed suicide in it, stirring up ancient powers best left undisturbed. Dark creatures from beyond the world are on the loose, and it will take everything our narrator has just to stay alive: there is primal horror here, and menace unleashed — within his family and from the forces that have gathered to destroy it. His only defense is three women, on a farm at the end of the lane. The youngest of them claims that her duckpond is an ocean. The oldest can remember the Big Bang."
The subject matter seems like a far departure from Wright, who is known for his period dramas like Pride & Prejudice and Atonement. There is no word yet in regards to casting.
Read More 
| Vulture
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Box Office Breakdown: The Town Takes the Crown
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Animation, Drama, Family, Horror, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,
The Town, Ben Affleck’s second directorial feature, surprised analysts this weekend with a win at the box office. The film, which far surpassed Gone Baby Gone’s $5.5 million debut in 2007, earned $23.8 million—a September-best for Warner Bros. The drama, co-starring Jon Hamm and Jeremy Renner, also gave actor Affleck his first #1 film—outside of He’s Just Not that Into You—since Daredevil.
Although many had Easy A topping the charts, the film came in a very respectable second place. The Emma Stone-starrer – which only cost $8 million to produce – generated good reviews and a $17.7 million take.
The weekend’s other two new wide releases also landed in the Top 5. The PG-13 horror film Devil raised $12.3 million while Alpha and Omega, a more family-friendly entry, rang up $9.1 million in ticket sales.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: The Town Takes the Crown
Read More | Box Office Mojo
Box Office Breakdown: Evil Takes Up Residence at Number One
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Lionsgate, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Documentary, Drama, Horror, Independent, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,
Who says the third time’s the charm?
Resident Evil: Afterlife—the fourth movie in that sci-fi series—topped the box office this weekend with franchise-breaking numbers. The movie, which was offered in 3D, had the best Evil debut to date. (Yes - higher ticket prices did play into this.) Afterlife‘s $26.7 million take surpassed the bar set by Resident Evil: Extinction in 2007. (That outing opened to $23.7 million.)
Since Resident was the only new wide release, the other notable events occurred outside the Top Ten. The Romantics, starring Katie Holmes and Josh Duhamel, opened in limited release with a $45,527 debut. More importantly, the movie averaged $22,764 per theater—the best number for all films over the weekend. In comparison, I’m Still Here—featuring a disheveled Joaquin Phoenix—only had a $5,087 per screen average.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Evil Takes Up Residence at Number One
Read More | Box Office Mojo
Box Office Breakdown: The American Defeats Machete
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Lionsgate, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Drama, Family, Horror, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,
Although it lacked Jessica Alba, Lindsay Lohan and Robert De Niro, The American did have two things Machete didn’t: George Clooney and a box office win.
Despite only grossing $13.2 million over the weekend ($16.3 million since Wednesday), the Focus Features entry hit its target. The movie - which was produced for approximately $20 million - managed to top the Robert Rodriguez-actioner by less than $2 million. The American also became Clooney’s best opener - outside of any Brad Pitt-related project - since The Perfect Storm in 2000.
Machete, based on a trailer included in the film Grindhouse, came very close to matching the earlier movie. The Danny Trejo starrer debuted to a modest $11.4 million—about $200,000 short of Grindhouse‘s premiere in 2007.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: The American Defeats Machete
Read More | Box Office Mojo
In Theaters This Weekend: September 3, 2010
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, FOCUS, Lionsgate, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Animation, Drama, Foreign, Foreign Language, Music, Romance, Comedy, Sports, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases, Trailers,
Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:
- The American (R): starring George Clooney, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli (directed by Anton Corbijn) **open now**
- Going the Distance (R): starring Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Christina Applegate (directed by Nanette Burstein)
- Machete (R): starring Danny Trejo, Robert De Niro, Jessica Alba (directed by Ethan Maniquis, Robert Rodriguez)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: September 3, 2010
Box Office Breakdown: Dreamy Numbers for Inception
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Family, Horror, Remakes, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,
Warner Bros. might have had difficulty marketing Inception, but strong word of mouth, stunning visuals and Christopher Nolan’s reputation were enough to sell the film. The $160 million thriller opened to $62.8 million in weekend receipts, placing the film on top of all original projects out so far this summer. Inception also bested Leonardo DiCaprio’s previous debuts (including Shutter Island‘s $41.1 million) and Nolan’s earlier titles (outside of The Dark Knight).
The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, on the other hand, had a harder time conjuring up interest. The Disney remake grossed only $17.6 million since Friday ($24.7 million since Wednesday). That’s a considerable disappointment given the $150 million price tag, but overseas dollars will likely help the studio.
Meanwhile, a film that placed #12 on this week’s chart actually outperformed both Inception and Apprentice. The Kids Are All Right, starring Annette Bening and Julianne Moore, had the best per screen average ($28,009) of any movie currently in theaters.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Dreamy Numbers for Inception
Read More | Box Office Mojo
Box Office Breakdown: Iron Man 2 Soars High Above the Competition
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, DreamWorks, FOCUS, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Animation, Documentary, Drama, Family, Horror, Remakes, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Box Office, Lists,
Only one movie earned over $10 million over this weekend…and only movie scored over $125 million as well.
Iron Man 2 - with help from Mickey Rourke’s powerful weapons - whipped up $128.1 million over the past three days, giving Paramount its biggest open in history. The sequel, which was produced for approximately $170 million, easily improved upon Iron Man‘s $98.6 million premiere in 2008 and nabbed the fifth-largest debut of all time. (The Dark Knight still tops that leader board with its $158.4 million outing.)
Focus Features’ Babies also made news of its own despite coming nowhere near Iron Man 2‘s numbers. The documentary, which was only released in 534 theaters, delivered $2.2 million and a ninth-place finish over the Mother’s Day weekend.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Iron Man 2 Soars High Above the Competition
Read More | Box Office Mojo
In Theaters This Weekend: May 7, 2010
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: FOCUS, Magnolia, Paramount, Sony, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Documentary, Drama, Family, Foreign, Period, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases,
Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:
- Iron Man 2 (PG-13): starring Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle (directed by Jon Favreau)
- Babies* (PG): (directed by Thomas Balmès)
- Badmaash Company* (NR): starring Shahid Kapoor, Anushka Sharma, Meiyang Chang (directed by Parmeet Sethi)
- Casino Jack and the United States of Money* (R): (directed by Alex Gibney)
- Happiness Runs* (NR): starring Mark L. Young, Hanna Hall, Jesse Plemons (directed by Adam Sherman)
- Mother and Child* (R): starring Naomi Watts, Annette Bening, Kerry Washington (directed by Rodrigo Garcia)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: May 7, 2010
In Theaters This Weekend: March 19, 2010
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: 20th Century Fox, Columbia Pictures, FOCUS, IFC Films, Sony, Universal, Adaptation, Adventure, Biopics, Documentary, Foreign, Foreign Language, Horror, Music, Romance, Science Fiction, Comedy, Thrillers, Lists, New Releases,
Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:
- The Bounty Hunter (PG-13): starring Jennifer Aniston, Gerard Butler, Jason Sudeikis (directed by Andy Tennant)
- Diary of a Wimpy Kid (PG): starring Zachary Gordon, Steve Zahn, Rachael Harris (directed by Thor Freudenthal)
- Repo Men (R): starring Jude Law, Forest Whitaker, Liev Schreiber (directed by Miguel Sapochnik)
Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: March 19, 2010
Box Office Breakdown: Final Destination Has Last Laugh
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: FOCUS, Disney, New Line, Paramount, Sony, Warner Bros, Weinstein Company, Action, Adaptation, Adventure, Drama, Family, Horror, Music, Period, Romance, Science Fiction, Sequels, Comedy, Thrillers, Box Office, Lists,
Theatergoers made The Final Destination the destination this weekend.
Even though it had no A-list names and was pitted against another horror film, the fourth Destination installment gave the franchise its best opening to date. The movie, which was boosted by 3D venues and pricing, grossed approximately $27.4 million since its Friday debut. Up until now, the series only saw openings under $20 million.
Warner Bros.’ win meant a loss for Halloween II. Rob Zombie’s latest splatter-flick scared up nearly $14 million less than 2007’s Halloween grossed. (This could be part of the reason why the director is being replaced for Halloween 3D.) Unfortunately, the $16.3 million take wasn’t even good enough for 2nd place. The sequel was actually topped by a different Weinstein Company film: Inglourious Basterds.
Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Final Destination Has Last Laugh
Read More | Variety
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