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Latest Video: FilmCrunch 067: Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, Premonition reviewed

Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep review Hairspray, Chuck & Larry, and Premonition in this episode of FilmCrunch.
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Kristen Wiig in Talks For The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

Kristen WiigKristen Wiig is in talks to star in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

The Bridesmaids actress looks set to appear opposite Ben Stiller in the movie - a fantasy-comedy remake of the 1947 Danny Kaye film based on James Thurber's short story - that he is also in line to direct.

The 38-year-old beauty - who has recently filmed two independent projects, Imogene and Revenge of the Jolly! - is being lined up to star as the dream girl of a magazine photo manager (Ben) and his co-worker, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The Secret life of Walter Mitty will feature Ben's alter-ego dreaming of exciting adventures before finding himself involved in one of his own. If Kristen signs up for the movie - which is expected to start filming in April - it will be her first major project since writing and starring in Bridesmaids.


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Kristen Wiig Won’t Write or Star in Bridesmaids Sequel

Kristen Wiig at the Bridesmaids premiereKirsten Wiig won't write or star in any potential Bridesmaids sequel. Universal is keen to capitalize on the success of the comedy - which grossed $288 million worldwide and was produced for just $32 million - with a follow-up film, but the actress, who co-wrote the script with writing partner Annie Mumolo, is busy with other commitments.

"We aren't working on that. Annie and I aren't planning a sequel. We are writing something else," Kristen said.

A Universal source added to The Hollywood Reporter, "We are over the moon with the success of Bridesmaids, and if we do a sequel we want to get it right. We are talking to filmmakers now about concepts, and if the right one emerges, we'll move forward."

Producer Judd Apatow is open to a sequel, but only if the idea is "great" and insiders believe he will only stay involved if Kristen remains on board: "The key is we have to come up with an idea that is as good or better than the first one. We don't want to do it unless it can be great. I don't think anyone has had the brain space to think about it yet. Hopefully that can begin this year."

Click to continue reading Kristen Wiig Won’t Write or Star in Bridesmaids Sequel


Kristen Wiig Clueless About Screenwriting

Kristen Wiig and Judd ApatowKristen Wiig had to buy a screenwriting guide before penning Bridesmaids.

The Saturday Night Live star was thrilled when Judd Apatow offered to make a movie if she wrote a script - but "freaked out" when she realized she had no idea what she was doing.

"I said yes to Judd really quickly then hung up and completely freaked out. But he was cool about it, he just said, 'Pitch me some ideas and we'll figure it out.' So I flew out from New York to Annie [Mumolo] in Los Angeles and we wrote the script in six days. We didn't know what we were doing, we bought a screenwriting book, a guide to how to do it, like Screenwriting 101. We didn't know how to write stage directions or anything so we were, 'Oh put "Cut to" there.' We put 'Cut to' on everything actually."

Despite Kristen and her co-writer Annie's quick first attempt, they managed to impress Judd and several aspects from their first draft made it into the finished film: "Judd was like, 'What, you've finished?' It needed a lot of work but there were some things that made it in - all of the characters and the engagement party speeches and the wedding shower."


This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: September 7, 2010

Here are some of the options available this Tuesday:

Killers DD

  • Being Michael Madsen: DVD, Blu-ray
  • The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas: DVD
  • The Black Dahlia: Blu-ray
  • Forbidden Planet: Blu-ray
  • In Cold Blood: Blu-ray
  • Killers: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Lost in Space: Blu-ray
  • MacGruber: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Mars Attacks!: Blu-ray
  • The Player: Blu-ray
  • Stardust: Blu-ray
  • Solitary Man: DVD, Blu-ray
  • That Evening Sun: DVD
  • THX 1138 (Director’s Cut): Blu-ray
  • Tommy: Blu-ray

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

Read More | Amazon

Box Office Breakdown: Theatergoers Choose Shrek Over Sex

Sex and the City 2

Shrek - not cosmopolitans - was what fans were buying this weekend.

Despite competition from two heavily-promoted features, an aging green ogre was able to hang on to his title for two weeks in a row. raised an additional $57 million during the Memorial Day frame to bring its domestic total to $146.8 million.

Meanwhile, Warner Bros. proved that people can get tired of sex. Sex and the City 2 - which featured the return of Aidan Shaw (John Corbett) - couldn’t get past the bad reviews to even match the first film’s numbers. (Sex and the City opened to $56.8 million in May 2008.) The lovely ladies also couldn’t overpower Jake Gyllenhaal’s four-day haul. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time wound up snagging second place with a $37.8 million debut.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: Theatergoers Choose Shrek Over Sex

Read More | Box Office Mojo

Box Office Breakdown: MacGruber IS a Bomb

MacGruber

Disappointment can come in all shapes and box office sizes.

may have earned nearly three times as much than its nearest competitor, but it wasn’t exactly a winner for Paramount or Dreamworks. The film, which grossed $70.8 million in ticket sales, become the first sequel in the Shrek franchise to open below the $100 million mark (and that’s with the help of higher 3-D prices). The comedy did, though, place fourth on the all-time animated debuts list behind Shrek the Third ($121.6 million), Shrek 2 ($108 million)  and The Simpsons Movie ($74 million).

Meanwhile, it appears will last just as long in theaters as he does in Will Forte’s sketches. Although the character is (supposedly) known for diffusing bombs, he actually helped deliver one this weekend. The latest Saturday Night Live-based comedy - also starring Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillippe - generated a mere $4 million this weekend. While that number seems (understandably) dismal, there is one positive thing to note: the film only cost approximately $10 million to make.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown: MacGruber IS a Bomb

Read More | Box Office Mojo

In Theaters This Weekend: May 21, 2010


Here are a few selections in theaters this weekend:

Click to continue reading In Theaters This Weekend: May 21, 2010


Casting Corner: Jonah Hill, Jason Segel and More

Jonah Hill and Jason Segel

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

Jason Segel: The Forgetting Sarah Marshall actor will be working alongside Cameron Diaz in Bad Teacher, a film from Lee Eisenberg and Gene Stupnitsky, two writers on The Office. In the comedy, Diaz will compete against a fellow middle-school employee for another co-worker. Walk Hard‘s Jake Kasdan will direct.

Click to continue reading Casting Corner: Jonah Hill, Jason Segel and More


This Week on DVD and Blu-ray: January 26, 2010

Here are some of the options available this Tuesday:

Surrogates DVD

  • Atonement: Blu-ray
  • The Boys are Back: DVD
  • Bright Star: DVD
  • Fame: Blu-ray
  • I Hope They Serve Beer in Hell: DVD
  • Little Ashes: DVD
  • Michael Jackson’s This Is It: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Paris, Texas: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Pride & Prejudice: Blu-ray
  • Saw VI: DVD, Blu-ray
  • St. Trinian’s: DVD
  • Surrogates: DVD, Blu-ray
  • Tennessee: DVD
  • Whip It: DVD, Blu-ray

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

Read More | Amazon

First Look: The Red Band Trailer for MacGruber


Films based on sketches are usually as uneven as the broadcasts themselves. Moments of hilarity are typically overshadowed by 60 other minutes of stupidity. So should we expect anything different from this venture?

In , Will Forte’s title character is assisted by SNL costar Kristen Wiig and Ryan Phillipe in his mission to locate a Russian nuclear warhead and enemy Dieter Von Cunth (Val Kilmer).

Like your movies sprinkled with date rape, upper decker and butthole jokes? Then this will be the perfect escape for you.

MacGruber opens April 23.

Read More | Entertainment Weekly

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