Archive for July, 2012

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ still top at US box office

Monday, July 30th, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises has scored a second weekend at the top of the US box office.

The Batman movie earned over $64 million during its second weekend in US theatres, a drop of 60% from its opening weekend.

The final instalment of director Christopher Nolan’s trilogy has now grossed $289 million domestically. In contrast, The Dark Knight earned $313.8 million in its first two weekends back in 2008.

Ice Age 4: Continental Drift remains in second place with ticket sales of $13.3 million this weekend, bringing its total domestic sales to just under $115 million.

The Watch debuts at number three having grossed $13 million over the weekend, while Step Up Revolution is at four with sales of $11.8 million.

Ted completes the US box office top five, earning $7.4 million in its fifth weekend in theatres.

The US box office top ten in full:
1. (1) The Dark Knight Rises – $64,075,000
2. (2) Ice Age 4: Continental Drift – $13,300,000
3. (-) The Watch – $13,000,000
4. (-) Step Up Revolution – $11,800,000
5. (4) Ted – $7,353,000
6. (3) The Amazing Spider-Man – $6,800,000
7. (5) Brave – $4,237,000
8. (6) Magic Mike – $2,580,000
9. (7) Savages – $1,753,000
10. (9) Moonrise Kingdom – $1,387,000

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ tops US box office, earns $160 million

Tuesday, July 24th, 2012

New Batman movie The Dark Knight Rises has topped the US weekend box office charts, opening with receipts of just over $160 million.

The film’s opening takings confirm its position as the most successful 2D opening in since records began, exceeding the $158 million opening gross for The Dark Knight.

The Dark Knight Rises also grossed $88 million in 17 territories worldwide, earning global takings of $249 million. Figures for individual countries including Australia and the United Kingdom are expected tomorrow (July 24).

The figures for The Dark Knight Rises were held back until today out of respect for the victims of Friday’s shooting at a Dark Knight Rises screening in Aurora, Colorado. The suspected gunman James Holmes appeared in court for the first time this afternoon.

Elsewhere, the top ten sees little change bar the re-entry of To Rome With Love in tenth place.

The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) The Dark Knight Rises – $160,887,295
2. (1) Ice Age: Continental Drift – $20,416,978
3. (2) The Amazing Spider-Man – $10,887,111
4. (3) Ted – $10,011,610
5. (4) Brave – $6,024,987
6. (5) Magic Mike – $4,291,432
7. (6) Savages – $3,398,880
8. (7) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection – $2,253,074
9. (9) Moonrise Kingdom – $1,831,471
10. (11) To Rome With Love – $1,420,891

‘The Walking Dead’ season three gets October premiere

Sunday, July 15th, 2012
The Walking Dead S02E13: 'Beside the Dying Fire'

The Walking Dead is set for an October return, it has been announced.

According to Deadline, producer Glen Mazzara revealed yesterday (July 14) at Comic-Con that the third season of the AMC show is due to premiere on October 14.

During the special Walking Dead panel at the San Diego convention, showrunner Robert Kirkman gave very little away about the upcoming season.

“We open on a scene of I can’t tell you,” Kirkman quipped.

New characters will also be introduced during the run, including the Governor, played by David Morrissey, and Michonne, played by Danai Gurira.

Fans were treated to a preview screening of the upcoming season, featuring never-before-seen footage.

Game of Thrones casts Diana Rigg, confirms season three premiere date

Saturday, July 14th, 2012

Dame Diana Rigg has joined Game of Thrones.

The Avengers actress will play Olenna Tyrell – otherwise known as the Queen of Thorns, the powerful matriarch of the Tyrell family – on the HBO show’s third season.

In a number of casting announcements made at Comic-Con 2012, Office star Mackenzie Crook and Waking the Dead‘s Tara Fitzgerald were confirmed for the show, as had previously been rumoured.

Crook will play wildling raider Orell, while Fitzgerald will portray Stannis Baratheon’s wife Selyse Florent.

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‘Amazing Spider-Man’ tops US box office

Sunday, July 8th, 2012

The Amazing Spider-Man has topped the US box office chart during its opening weekend.

The superhero film, starring Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone, was a runaway hit with $65 million, nearly double that of runner-up Ted, which slipped from the top spot with a still-respectable $32.6 million.

Remaining in third place with $20.3 million was Disney Pixar’s animated feature Brave, while Oliver Stone’s drug war drama Savages entered the chart at number four with $16.2 million.

Channing Tatum stripper film Magic Mike fell three places to number five with $15.6 million, while Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection came in just behind at number six, dropping three spots and bringing in $10.2 million.

Slightly under-performing during its opening weekend was Katy Perry: Part of Me, which entered the chart in eighth position and grossed only $7.1 million, coming in just ahead of number seven’s Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted.

Rounding out the Top 10 were Wes Anderson’s Moonrise Kingdom, which fell two spots to number nine, and To Rome with Love, which made an impressive leap from 17 to ten and brought in $3.5 million.

The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1.
(-) The Amazing Spider-Man – $65,000,000
2. (1) Ted – $32, 593, 000
3. (3) Brave – $20,162,000
4. (1) Savages – $16,162,000
5. (2) Magic Mike – $15,610,000
6. (4) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection – $10,200,000
7. (5) Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted – $7, 700,000
8. (-) Katy Perry: Part of Me – $7,150,000
9. (7) Moonrise Kingdom – $4,642,000
10. (17) To Rome with Love – $3,502,000

‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’ gets Blu-ray release

Thursday, July 5th, 2012

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? will be released on Blu-ray in 2013 to mark its 25th anniversary.

Directed by Robert Zemeckis, the 1988 hit blends live action and animation to tell a comedy noir story where cartoon characters live alongside real people.

Bob Hoskins stars as private detective Eddie Valiant, while Charles Fleischer provides the voice of the titular bunny. Kathleen Turner and Christopher Lloyd also feature among the film’s cast.

Who Framed Roger Rabbit? found success thanks to financial backing from Steven Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment, and went on to win three Academy Awards.

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Seth MacFarlane’s ‘Ted’ tops US box office with $54m

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

Seth MacFarlane’s feature-length directorial debut Ted has entered at the top of the US box office in its first week on release.

The comedy, starring Mark Wahlberg, Mila Kunis and MacFarlane as a sentient teddy bear, grossed $54 million, easily beating this week’s runner-up, Steven Soderbergh’s Magic Mike, which earned $39 million.

Last week’s box-office topper, Disney Pixar’s animated feature Brave, dropped to number three, while another new entry came in the form of Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection at four, earning $26 million.

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter both slipped three places to five and six respectively, as did Ridley Scott’s sci-fi epic Prometheus, falling to seven.

Wes Anderson’s indie hit Moonrise Kingdom, however, climbed up the rankings from 11 to eight, in front of Snow White and the Huntsman.

People Like Us, featuring Chris Pine, Olivia Wilde and Michelle Pfeiffer, concluded the top ten with $4.3 million.

The US box office top ten in full (studio estimates):
1. (-) Ted – $54,100,000
2. (-) Magic Mike – $39,155,000
3. (1) Brave – $34,011,000
4. (-) Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection – $26,350,000
5. (2) Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted – $11,815,000
6. (3) Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter – $6,000,000
7. (4) Prometheus – $4,925,000
8. (11) Moonrise Kingdom – $4,873,000
9. (5) Snow White and the Huntsman – $4,405,000
10. (-) People Like Us – $4,306,000