Archive for the ‘News Items’ Category

‘Gnomeo’ beats ‘Hall Pass’ at US box office

Monday, February 28th, 2011
Still from Gnomeo & Juliet

Touchstone Pictures’ family animation Gnomeo & Juliet managed to win out over a new comedy from Owen Wilson this weekend to top the US box office.

Gnomeo & Juliet took $14.2 million for its third weekend of release, just edging out Wilson’s latest comedy Hall Pass, which took $13.4 million.

Last week’s box office topper Unknown fell to third place, taking $12.4 million, followed by the Adam Sandler comedy Just Go With It, taking $11.1 million.

Rounding out the top five films is the teen sci-fi I Am Number Four, which took $11 million in its second week of release.

Nicolas Cage’s latest offering Drive Angry 3D took only $5.1 million, notable for being the lowest-ever opening for a 3D film on wide release.

Next weekend sees the release of Rango, which marks the reunion of Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski, as well as Matt Damon’s science fiction thriller The Adjustment Bureau, and the oft-delayed teen drama Beastly.

This week’s US box office top ten in full:
1. (3) Gnomeo & Juliet – $14,200,000
2. (-) Hall Pass – $13,400,000
3. (1) Unknown – $12,400,000
4. (4) Just Go With It – $11,100,000
5. (2) I Am Number Four – $11,000,000
6. (6) Justin Bieber: Never Say Never – $9,200,000
7. (7) The King’s Speech – $7,610,000
8. (5) Big Mommas House 3 – $7,550,000
9. (-) Drive Angry 3D – $5,100,000
10. (8) The Roommate – $2,000,000

Sony gives ‘Total Recall’ remake a date

Monday, February 28th, 2011
Colin Farrell arriving at the UK Premiere of 'The Way Back' in the London

Sony has announced an official release date for its upcoming remake of the science fiction classic Total Recall.

Underworld director Len Wiseman has taken on the project, which will star Colin Farrell in the part played by Arnold Schwarzenegger in the original 1990 film.

The script for Total Recall is based on famed science fiction author Philip K. Dick’s short story We Can Remember It For You Wholesale. Wiseman’s remake will feature an updated script from Equilibrium writer Kurt Wimmer.

Total Recall is due in cinemas next summer on August 3, 2012.

Ruffalo’s Hulk design ‘completely new’

Sunday, February 27th, 2011
Mark Ruffalo

Mark Ruffalo has revealed that the Hulk has been completely redesigned for Joss Whedon’s upcoming all-star film The Avengers.

Ruffalo will follow in the footsteps of Edward Norton and Eric Bana, both of whom have portrayed Hulk’s alter ego Bruce Banner in recent years.

However, Ruffalo insisted that the new version of the Hulk will be very different to previous incarnations.

“All the features are mine, just really big,” the actor told MTV at this weekend’s Independent Spirit Awards. “I got to see the maquette of the Hulk yesterday in full scope, and it’s awesome.”

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‘Hellraiser’ reboot ‘different to originals’

Sunday, February 27th, 2011
160x120 - Doug Bradley - Hellraiser

Writer and director team Todd Farmer and Patrick Lussier have claimed that their reboot of the Hellraiser film series will explore new facets of the Clive Barker novella, rather than simply remaking the original films.

Lussier and Farmer, best known for the 2009 horror My Bloody Valentine, are currently working on a script for Dimension Films.

“We’re keeping it within the world of the box,” Lussier explained to Shock Till You Drop. “What the box is and what the box does.”

“Clive’s film is very personal,” Farmer added. “That’s a difficult story for us to come in and retell.”

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Oscar nominations boost illegal downloads

Saturday, February 26th, 2011
Oscar statuette

The Oscar nominations have increased the rate of illegal downloads ahead of the ceremony on Sunday.

A survey for Variety found that illegal daily downloads for True Grit went up by 34 per cent in the week after the nominations announcements.

Inception is the most downloaded film since its release in the US in July, racking up 17 million downloads.

Speaking to the site, president of tech operations at Warner Bros. Darcy Antonellis said: “We often see spikes in demand on two fronts, via legal channels and illegal channels, with increases in marketing activity.

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Sony lands ‘Zombies vs. Robots’ rights

Thursday, February 24th, 2011
Zombies vs Robots Adventure

Sony Pictures has acquired the screen rights to IDW comic Zombies vs. Robots.

According to Deadline, the movie adaptation will be based on a script by JT Petty and produced by Michael Bay’s Platinum Dunes.

The report states that the storyline follows a young girl who is the last surviving human on Earth. A group of robots battle to protect her from a pack of evolved zombies.

Created by Chris Ryall and Ashley Wood, the Zombies vs. Robots saga comprises two miniseries and an anthology. The concept features heavily in IDW’s crossover event Infestation, and is due to spawn a third miniseries in April.

A potential release window for the project is yet to be announced.

Cameron Diaz: ‘I love porn movies’

Wednesday, February 23rd, 2011
Cameron Diaz at a press conference for 'The Green Hornet' at The Ritz Carlton Hotel, Moscow

Cameron Diaz has admitted that she likes porn movies.

The actress openly revealed that she enjoys watching x-rated films on Jimmy Kimmel’s chatshow.

She confessed: “I love porn. You know what I love about hotels? How discreet they are. They always give you that little thing at the bottom – ‘Your room will be charged the same as any other room. Titles will be used.'”

The 38-year-old stars alongside ex-boyfriend Justin Timberlake and actor Jason Segel in new movie Bad Teacher and described the film as “filthy” but “fun”.

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Rutger Hauer for ‘Dracula 3D’

Tuesday, February 22nd, 2011
Rutger Hauer

Rutger Hauer has signed to star in forthcoming horror film Dracula 3D.

According to Twitch, Hauer will play vampire killer Van Helsing in the movie.

Italian filmmaker Dario Argento is directing the project, which he previously said would be “a faithful translation of the Bram Stoker novel”.

Hauer will next be seen in Hobo With A Shotgun, opening later this year.

Neeson’s ‘Unknown’ tops US box office

Monday, February 21st, 2011
'Unknown' still

Liam Neeson’s new action thriller Unknown has managed to top the US box office this weekend, opening with $21.8 million.

Entering just behind in second place is the much-hyped teen sci-fi adaptation I am Number Four, starring English actor Alex Pettyfer and Glee‘s Dianna Agron, which took $19.5 million for its opening weekend.

Holding its place in third for the second week in a row with a strong $19.4 million is the animated Shakespeare re-imagining Gnomeo & Juliet, followed by last week’s box-office topper Just Go With It, which took $18.2 million.

Rounding out this weekend’s top five films is another new entry in the form of Martin Lawrence’s third Big Momma’s House outing which took $17 million, despite a savaging from critics.

Next weekend sees the release of the Farrelly Brothers’ latest comedy Hall Pass, as well as Nicolas Cage’s new action film Drive Angry 3D.

This week’s US box office top ten in full:
1. (-) Unknown- $21,800,000
2. (-) I Am Number Four – $19,500,000
3. (3) Gnomeo & Juliet – $19,400,000
4. (1) Just Go With It- $18,200,000
5. (-) Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son – $17,000,000
6. (2) Justin Bieber: Never Say Never – $13,600,000
7. (6) The King’s Speech – $6,560,000
8. (5) The Roommate – $4,100,000
9. (4) The Eagle – $3,560,000
10. (7) No Strings Attached – $3,120,000

MGM revives ‘Robocop’ remake after job cull

Sunday, February 20th, 2011
Robocop

MGM is reportedly intending to revive a cancelled Robocop remake, despite having axed its entire digital department today.

Mashable claims that the move, which is thought to be part of the studio’s post-bankruptcy restructuring, has freed up enough funds for an updated version of Paul Verhoeven’s 1987 sci-fi thriller to proceed.

The project was shelved in July 2010, along with the newly greenlit Bond 23, as MGM’s financial problems began to escalate.

Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky was attached to direct when production of the film stalled, but Total Film speculates that the Oscar nominee will be unable to take up the project after committing to X Men spinoff The Wolverine.

It is unknown how many jobs were lost following the scrapping of MGM’s digital department, or how the move will affect the studio’s operation and output.