Archive for the ‘News Items’ Category

Neil Patrick Harris for ‘Starship Troopers 4’ DVD release

Thursday, October 20th, 2011
Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris will reportedly lend his voice to a fourth instalment of the Starship Troopers franchise.

Starship Troopers: Invasion will be a CGI animated film, with Harris reprising his role of Carl Jenkins from the original 1997 movie, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The new film will follow directly on from Paul Verhoeven‘s original movie, rather than the sequels Starship Troopers 2: Hero Of The Federation in 2004 or Starship Troopers 3: Marauder in 2008.

The fourth movie will centre around Jenkins, who goes missing while on a mission. It will be released on DVD and Blu-ray next year, while it will be released at cinemas in Japan.

Neil Patrick Harris was recently awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

‘Real Steel’ retains US box office lead

Sunday, October 16th, 2011
'Real Steel' still

Shawn Levy‘s sci-fi action film Real Steel has topped the US box office for the second weekend in a row.

The Hugh Jackman-fronted movie took $16.3 million in its second week of release, just edging out the remake of ’80s dance film Footloose, which took $16.1 million.

Matthjis van Hejiningen‘s remake of John Carpenter’s The Thing opened to $8.7 million, followed by The Ides of March with $7.5 million.

Rounding out the top five films of the weekend is family-friendly feature Dolphin Tale, which took $6.3 million.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) Real Steel – $16.3 million
2. (-) Footloose – $16.1 million
3. (-) The Thing – $8.7 million
4. (2) The Ides of March- $7.5 million
5. (3) Dolphin Tale – $6.3 million
6. (8) Moneyball – $5.5 million
7. (4) 50/50 – $4.3 million
8. (5) Courageous- $3.4 million
9. (-) The Big Year – $3.3 million
10. (6) The Lion King 3D – $2.7 million

‘Green Lantern’ sequel wanted by DC exec Geoff Johns

Saturday, October 15th, 2011
Mark Strong as Thaal Sinestro  in Green Lantern

DC Comics chief creative officer Geoff Johns has said that he is hopeful for a sequel to this year’s Green Lantern.

The film, which starred Ryan Reynolds and Mark Strong, was a relative box office disappointment, having taken a worldwide total of $219.9m on a budget of $200m. As a result of the film’s performance, Warner Bros has yet to announce whether it will move ahead with a sequel.

“There is the hope that we will eventually see one,” Johns told The Hollywood Reporter. “Obviously you want it to be as big as Titanic.

“I hope that the character gets another film, and it will be live-action again, I guarantee.”

Johns also noted that Green Lantern had “a lot of really good stuff” in it, and predicted big things for the Green Lantern franchise moving forward.

Green Lantern was released this weekend on Blu-ray and DVD.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ reboot cancelled by ABC

Friday, October 14th, 2011
Charlie's Angels (ABC)

ABC has cancelled Charlie’s Angels.

Production has been shut down immediately on the Miami set, although ABC will continue to air the remaining episodes on Thursdays.

After its premiere on September 22, Charlie’s Angels received poor reviews, and has also suffered a sharp decline in ratings.

The Charlie’s Angels reboot stars Minka Kelly, Rachael Taylor and Annie Ilonzeh, with Drew Barrymore as an executive producer.

Charlie’s Angels joins other axed fall shows such as NBC’s The Playboy Club and Free Agents.

‘Die Hard 5’ gets 2013 release date…

Thursday, October 13th, 2011
Bruce Willis outside Red Hog restaurant after having a business meeting, Warsaw, Poland

Die Hard 5 has been confirmed for release on February 14, 2013.

The latest instalment in the Bruce Willis action franchise will be named A Good Day to Die Hard, and will centre around John McClane and his son getting involved in a prison escape.

Willis will return in the lead role, while Max Payne‘s John Moore will direct the film from a script drafted by The A-Team‘s Skip Woods.

20th Century Fox said in a statement: “Since the first Die Hard in 1988, John McClane has found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time, with the skills and attitude to always be the last man standing, making him enemy number one for terrorists the world over.

“Now, McClane faces his greatest challenge ever, this time on an international stage, when his estranged son Jack is caught up in the daring prison escape of a rogue Russian leader, and father and son McClane must work together to keep each other alive and keep the world safe for democracy.”

Filming is scheduled to begin in Russia in January, 2012.

Stephen Lang: ‘No-one understands Terra Nova time paradox’

Wednesday, October 12th, 2011
Stephen Lang

Terra Nova star Stephen Lang has claimed that “no-one” understands the show’s time paradox.

The Fox sci-fi drama follows an expedition of humans as they travel from a future Earth to the late Cretaceous period.

“No-one understands the time paradox on this show,” Lang told Assignment X. “Stephen Hawking doesn’t understand the time paradox on this show and neither did Albert Einstein, [so] of course I don’t.”

The actor, who plays Commander Taylor, claimed that it is not “absolutely crucial” to understand the paradox.

“I believe that the time paradox will be addressed over a period of time in this [show],” he ventured. “I think it has to be and one would want it to be.”

However, he added: “I’m not sure that it will ever be resolved or even successfully addressed.”

Terra Nova continues on Monday at 8/7c on Fox. The show airs on Mondays at 8pm on Sky1 in the UK.

‘Real Steel’ tops US box office with $27.3m

Sunday, October 9th, 2011
'Real Steel' still

Boxer robot epic Real Steel has topped the US box office in its opening weekend.

The Shawn Levy-directed film, which stars Hugh Jackman and Evangeline Lilly, took an estimated $27.3m to place it at the top of the charts.

Opening in second place is George Clooney‘s fourth directorial effort The Ides of March which took $10.4m, followed by last weekend’s box-office topper Dolphin Tale with $9.1m.

Remaining steady in fourth place is comedy drama 50/50 with $5.5m, while Christian drama Courageous rounds out the top five films with $4.6m.

Next weekend sees the release of Owen Wilson‘s latest comedy The Big Year, as well as remakes of Footloose and The Thing.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) Real Steel – $27.3 million
2. (-) The Ides of March – $10.4 million
3. (1) Dolphin Tale – $9.1 million
4. (4) 50/50 – $5.5 million
5. (5) Courageous – $4.6 million
6. (3) The Lion King 3D – $4.5 million
7. (6) Dream House – $4.5 million
8. (2) Moneyball – $3.2 million
9. (8) What’s Your Number? – $3.0 million
10. (7) Abduction – $2.9 million

‘Dolphin Tale’ climbs to top US box office

Sunday, October 2nd, 2011

Family drama Dolphin Tale has climbed the US box office to become this weekend’s biggest domestic release.

The Charles Martin Smith-directed film, starring Harry Connick Jr. and Ashley Judd, took $14.2m for its second weekend in cinemas.

Staying strong in second place is Bennet Miller‘s sports drama Moneyball with $12.5m, followed by The Lion King 3D with takings of $11m.

Entering in fourth place is comedy drama 50/50, starring Seth Rogen and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, which opened to £8.85m, while indie drama Courageous took $8.8m.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (3) Dolphin Tale – $14.2 million
2. (2) Moneyball – $12.5 million
3. (1) The Lion King 3D – $11 million
4. (-) 50/50 – $8.8 million
5. (-) Courageous – $8.8 million
6. (-) Dream House – $8.2 million
7. (4) Abduction – $5.6 million
8. (-) What’s Your Number? – $5.6 million
9. (6) Contagion – $5.0 million
10. (5) Killer Elite – $4.8 million

‘English Patient’ producer Saul Zaentz sues Disney, Miramax for $20m

Friday, September 30th, 2011
Saul Zaentz

The English Patient producer Saul Zaentz has filed a big money lawsuit against Disney and Miramax.

Zaentz is suing the studios for $20 million (£12m) in profits from the 1996 Academy Award-winning film, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Miramax and its former owner Disney have been accused of hiding revenue, abusing expenses and engaging in self-dealing following the release of the hit drama.

The lawsuit outlines a conspiracy to “keep the picture in a paper loss position so that no matter how much money The English Patient earned, Miramax and Disney would reap all of the profits”.

(more…)

‘The Lion King 3D’ clings on to US box office lead

Sunday, September 25th, 2011
Lion King

The Lion King 3D saw off increased competition at the US box office this weekend.

The Disney reissue of the family classic held onto its top spot for a second weekend running with $22.1m, only slightly below last Sunday’s $29.3m.

In second place, Brad Pitt‘s baseball drama Moneyball opened to $20.6m, followed by family adventure Dolphin Tale which had $20.3m in third.

Taylor Lautner‘s Abduction grossed $11.2m, while fellow new release Killer Elite rounded off the top five with $9.5m.

This week’s US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):

1. (1) The Lion King 3D – $22.1 million
2. (-) Moneyball – $20.6 million
3. (-) Dolphin Tale – $20.3 million
4. (-) Abduction- $11.2 million
5. (-) Killer Elite – $9.5 million
6. (2) Contagion – $8.6 million
7. (3) Drive – $5.8 million
8. (4) The Help – $4.4 million
9. (5) Straw Dogs – $2.1 million
10. (6) I Don’t Know How She Does It – $2.05 million