Archive for April, 2012

‘Think Like a Man’ stays top of US box office

Monday, April 30th, 2012
Actress Taraji P Henson

Think Like a Man has kept hold of the US box office number one spot for a second week.

The Screen Gems comedy featuring the likes of Gabrielle Union, Taraji P Henson, Michael Ealy, Kevin Hart, Jerry Ferrara, Meagan Good and Regina Hall took in a further $18 million this week.

It beat off competition from Aardman Animation’s comedy The Pirates! Band of Misfits, which entered at number two with $11.4m.

Zac Efron’s The Lucky One and The Hunger Games both slipped one place to three and four respectively. The Hunger Games has now taken in $372.45m at the US box office in total during its six weeks of release.

Emily Blunt and Jason Segel comedy The Five-Year Engagement entered in fifth place with $11.15m, while Jason Statham project Safe landed at six with $7.7m.

John Cusack’s thriller The Raven completed the top ten new entries at seven with $7.25m.

Chimpanzee, The Three Stooges and The Cabin in the Woods each fall four places to complete the top ten.

The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1.
(1) Think Like a Man – $18,000,000
2. (-) The Pirates! Band of Misfits – $11,400,000
3. (2) The Lucky One – $11,325,000
4. (3) The Hunger Games – $11,250,000
5. (-) The Five-Year Engagement – $11,157,000
6. (-) Safe – $7,720,000
7. (-) The Raven – $7,250,000
8. (4) Chimpanzee – $5,460,000
9. (5) The Three Stooges – $5,400,000
10. (6) The Cabin in the Woods – $4,500,000

‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ sequel moving ahead

Friday, April 27th, 2012

The Rise of the Planet of the Apes sequel will go into production before the end of summer 2012.

20th Century Fox co-chairman and chief creative officer of Fox Filmed Entertainment Tom Rothman confirmed that the movie has been given the go-ahead at the studio’s presentation at CinemaCon.

It was included on a list of films which are due to start imminently, ComingSoon.net reports.

The Wolverine, Steven Spielberg’s Robopocalypse and the Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson-starring Shawn Levy comedy The Internship were also revealed to be entering into production shortly.

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‘Fringe’ renewed for fifth and final season

Friday, April 27th, 2012

Fringe has been renewed.

The Fox sci-fi drama has been picked up officially for for a fifth and final season, the broadcaster confirmed on Thursday night (April 26).

Fringe is a remarkably creative series that has set the bar as one of television’s most imaginative dramas,” said Fox president of entertainment Kevin Reilly in a statement. “Bringing it back for a final 13 [episodes] allows us to provide the climactic conclusion that its passionate and loyal fans deserve.

“The amazing work the producers, writers and the incredibly talented cast and crew have delivered the last four seasons has literally been out of this world. Although the end is bittersweet, it’s going to be a very exciting final chapter.”

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‘Dredd’ given R-rating by the MPAA for “strong bloody violence”

Wednesday, April 25th, 2012

Dredd has been given an R-rating by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA).

The Karl Urban-starring reboot was stamped with the certificate due to its depiction of “strong bloody violence, language, drug use, and sexual content”.

Star Trek actor Urban will star as the titular lawman in the film, which promises to be closer to the 2000 AD comics series than the 1995 Sylvester Stallone-fronted version.

Dredd, co-directed by Pete Travis and Alex Garland, will feature Olivia Thirlby and Lena Headey in supporting roles.

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‘Maniac Cop’ prequel planned

Wednesday, April 18th, 2012

Nicolas Winding Refn is reportedly in talks to revive the Maniac Cop series.

The Drive director is on hand to co-produce a prequel to the 1988 horror film in collaboration with original director William Lustig, according to writer Larry Cohen.

“It’s going to be more a prequel than anything else, I am really excited to come back to this world especially since Nick is going to be a part of it,” Cohen told Daily Grindhouse. “Nick has been talking to us about it for a while now and I had an idea that would work so we’re going to do it.”

Cohen went on to say that the prequel will likely maintain the tone of the other entries in the series, and be backed by a larger budget.

Lustig added that the project is yet to be signed, but is “close” to receiving the green light.

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‘Hunger Games’ wins US box office for fourth week

Sunday, April 15th, 2012
Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games has topped the US box office for the fourth week in a row.

Despite the premiere of two new highly-anticipated films this weekend, the dystopian drama starring Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson managed to hold the number one spot, earning $21.5 million. It has made over $300 million domestically to date.

The Three Stooges debuted in second place with $17.1 million, while Joss Whedon critical favourite The Cabin in the Woods took third place with $14.8 million.

James Cameron’s rereleased Titanic 3D fell one spot to number four with $11.6 million, and American Reunion had a larger drop from second to fifth place, earning $10.7 million.

Guy Pearce and Maggie Grace’s sci-fi action movie Lockout made a dismal debut at number nine with just $6.25 million.

Other films still holding on to the Top 10 include Tarsem Singh’s Mirror Mirror and Wrath of the Titans, which brought in $7 million and $6.9 million respectively.

Zac Efron’s The Lorax still clings at number ten with $3 million.

The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) The Hunger Games – $21,500,000
2. (-) The Three Stooges – $17,100,000
3. (-) The Cabin in the Woods – $14,850,000
4. (3) Titanic 3D – $11,625,000
5. (2) American Reunion – $10,700,000
6. (5) Mirror Mirror – $7,000,000
7. (4) Wrath of the Titans – $6,905,000
8. (6) 21 Jump Street – $6,800,000
9. (-) Lockout – $6,250,000
10. (7) Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax – $3,020,000

‘Game of Thrones’ renewed by HBO for third season

Tuesday, April 10th, 2012

Game of Thrones has been renewed for a third season, HBO has confirmed.

The fantasy drama, starring Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey, is currently airing its second season.

HBO president Michael Lombardo said in a statement: “Series creators David Benioff and DB Weiss raised our expectations for the second season – and then surpassed them.

“We are thrilled by all the viewer and media support we’ve received for the series, and can’t wait to see what Dan and David have in store for next season.”

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‘Hunger Games’ tops US box office for third week

Sunday, April 8th, 2012

The Hunger Games has held tight to its top spot in the US box office for the third week running.

While two new films premiered this weekend, including the long-awaited 15th anniversary re-release of Titanic 3D, the big-screen adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ young adult dystopian novel continued its winning streak, taking in $33.5 million in ticket sales.

American Reunion, the latest instalment in the American Pie franchise, came in second place with a strong opening of $21.5 million, while James Cameron’s historical drama Titanic 3D landed in the third place spot with $17.4 million.

Sam Worthington’s Wrath of the Titans fell two spots to number four with $15 million, while Snow White remake Mirror Mirror was also bumped two spots to number five with $11 million.

Other films retaining a place in the Top 10 included Zac Efron’s The Lorax and 21 Jump Street, both of which slipped two spots but still managed to bring in $5 million and $10.2 million respectively.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen and John Carter also held strong, while Ryan Reynolds and Denzel Washington’s Safe House saw an improvement, moving from number 12 to ten with $581,000.

The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1.
(1) The Hunger Games – $33,500,000
2. (-) American Reunion – $21,500,000
3. (-) Titanic 3D – $17,350,000
4. (2) Wrath of the Titans – $15,010,000
5. (3) Mirror Mirror – $11,000,000
6. (4) 21 Jump Street – $10,200,000
7. (5) Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax – $5,000,000
8. (7) Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – $975,000
9. (6) John Carter – $820,000
10. (12) Safe House – $581, 000

‘The Hunger Games’ tops US box office again with $61m

Sunday, April 1st, 2012
Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games has come out on top for the second week in a row at the US box office with $61 million.

Two new films made their theatrical releases this weekend, but failed to knock the adaptation of the Suzanne Collins young adult novel from the number one spot.

Sam Worthington’s Wrath of the Titans, the follow up to 2010’s Clash of the Titans, debuted at second place with $34 million, while Julia Roberts’s Snow White story Mirror Mirror came in third with $19 million.

Last weekend, The Hunger Games debuted with $155 million, making history as the third biggest movie debut of all time.

The 21 Jump Street remake, starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, fell from second place to number four with $15 million, bumping Disney’s big-budget movie John Carter to the number six spot with $2 million.

Zac Efron and Taylor Swift’s Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax rounds out the top five with $8 million.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen saw a huge improvement as it went from number 16 to one of the top ten films this weekend with $1.274 million.

The film, which stars Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, tells the story of fisheries expert Fred Jones (McGregor), who introduces salmon into the waterways of Yemen for the purposes of sport fishing.

The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (1) The Hunger Games – $61,100,000
2. (-) Wrath of the Titans – $34,200,000
3. (-) Mirror Mirror – $19,000,000
4. (2) 21 Jump Street – $15,000,000
5. (3) Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax – $8,000,000
6. (4) John Carter – $2,005,000
7. (16) Salmon Fishing in the Yemen – $1,274,000
8. (5) Act of Valor – $1,006,000
9. (6) A Thousand Words – $915,000
10. (10) Journey 2: The Mysterious Island – $835,000