The Dark Knight has become the fourth film to take in more than $1 billion in worldwide box office.
Warner Bros. Pictures made the announcement Friday afternoon, saying that the combined domestic and international gross had totaled $1,001,082,160 to date -- about $533 million domestically and $567 million overseas.
The Dark Knight had been about $4 million short of the 10-figure mark when Warner Bros. re-released it into IMAX screens on Jan. 23, the day after its eight Oscar nominations were announced. Grosses from Ecuador also helped nudge the film over the mark, a spokeswoman said.
Only Titanic ($1.842 billion), The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King ($1.119 billion) and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest ($1.066 billion) have topped the billion-dollar worldwide mark previously.
"Knight" also is the second-highest domestic grosser of all time, trailing only Titanic.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Flo Rida Topples Single-Week Download Mark
Flo Rida breaks his own record for most weekly digital song downloads as "Right Round" debuts at No. 1 on Billboard's Hot Digital Songs chart with 636,000 units, according to Nielsen SoundScan.
The total smashes the mark he set with "Low" (467,000) in the January 12, 2008, issue, which took into account sales from that season's post-Christmas week. The tally for "Round" also surpasses the opening-week download record set just last week by "Crack a Bottle" from Eminem, 50 Cent & Dr. Dre (418,000).
On the heels of its record-breaking sum, "Round," which is based around Dead Or Alive's 1985 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)," will move 58-1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart to be posted tomorrow (Feb. 19) on Billboard.com.
The track will be Flo Rida's second to top that list, following "Low" which spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1. "Round" precedes Flo Rida's second Poe Boy/Atlantic album, "R.O.O.T.S.," due April 7.
The total smashes the mark he set with "Low" (467,000) in the January 12, 2008, issue, which took into account sales from that season's post-Christmas week. The tally for "Round" also surpasses the opening-week download record set just last week by "Crack a Bottle" from Eminem, 50 Cent & Dr. Dre (418,000).
On the heels of its record-breaking sum, "Round," which is based around Dead Or Alive's 1985 No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hit "You Spin Me Round (Like a Record)," will move 58-1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on the chart to be posted tomorrow (Feb. 19) on Billboard.com.
The track will be Flo Rida's second to top that list, following "Low" which spent 10 consecutive weeks at No. 1. "Round" precedes Flo Rida's second Poe Boy/Atlantic album, "R.O.O.T.S.," due April 7.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Leonardo DiCaprio To Reboot WarGames?
Production Weekly is reporting that Leonardo DiCaprio is looking to produce a reboot of the classic 1983 sci-fi hacker film WarGames. The original WarGames is a great geek flick, a flashback to the days when a 1200 baud modem was fast, and capable of destroying the world. Plus, this is a movie which features the first cinematic reference to a “firewall”. But could the story be updated to modern times without becoming the mess that was The Dead Code? I’m not quite sure.
Last year, MGM released a horrible direct-to-dvd sequel/spin-off/remake called WarGames: The Dead Code. The film was basically a modern remake, starring Matt Lanter as a computer geek named Will Farmer who engages a government super-computer named R.I.P.L.E.Y. and enters in a game of online terrorist-attack simulation which is part of a sophisticated piece of government spyware designed to find potential terrorists. Homeland Security, now believing Farmer is a terrorist, sets out to apprehend him. And the computer, of course, forgets that it’s just playing a game. The film was horrible, currently rated 4.4 by users on Internet Movie Database (you can watch the trailer if you dare in our previous posting).
DiCaprio has a lot of spinning plates on his table, including a big screen live-action adaptation of Akira, the story of Atari, an adaptation of Kurt Eichenwald’s Conspiracy of Fools, and we havent gotten past the letter C. It’s more than likely that this project won’t see the light of day outside of some development.
Last year, MGM released a horrible direct-to-dvd sequel/spin-off/remake called WarGames: The Dead Code. The film was basically a modern remake, starring Matt Lanter as a computer geek named Will Farmer who engages a government super-computer named R.I.P.L.E.Y. and enters in a game of online terrorist-attack simulation which is part of a sophisticated piece of government spyware designed to find potential terrorists. Homeland Security, now believing Farmer is a terrorist, sets out to apprehend him. And the computer, of course, forgets that it’s just playing a game. The film was horrible, currently rated 4.4 by users on Internet Movie Database (you can watch the trailer if you dare in our previous posting).
DiCaprio has a lot of spinning plates on his table, including a big screen live-action adaptation of Akira, the story of Atari, an adaptation of Kurt Eichenwald’s Conspiracy of Fools, and we havent gotten past the letter C. It’s more than likely that this project won’t see the light of day outside of some development.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Friday the 13th Slashes Into Theaters with $45.2M
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
Jason Voorhees returned to theaters in a big way, as New Line/Warner Bros.' Friday the 13th earned an estimated $45.2 million over the four-day President's Day holiday weekend. Made for just $19 million, the Marcus Nispel-directed re-imagining averaged $14,560 in 3,105 theaters. If the estimate holds, the horror film squeezed by Daredevil ($45.03 million) and 50 First Dates ($45.1 million) to become the second-biggest President's Day opener ever, trailing just Ghost Rider ($52 million). Starring Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle and Derek Mears, the debut marks the biggest ever debut for a horror film and in just four days, it has also become the second-best earner in the "Friday the 13th" franchise, topped only by Freddy vs. Jason ($82.6 million).
The next three spots were occupied by pics that enjoyed superb holding power from last weekend. New Line/Warner Bros.' He's Just Not That Into You added $23.4 million in second place to bring its two-week total to $58.8 million. In third, 20th Century Fox's Taken earned another $22.2 million in its third weekend for a total of $80.9 million. And Focus Features' Coraline received an additional $19.1 million in ticket sales for a two-week total of $39.3 million.
Touchstone Pictures' new comedy Confessions of a Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher, rounded out the top five with $17.3 million from 2,507 theaters for an average of $6,902 per location.
Columbia Pictures' Paul Blart: Mall Cop continued to do well in sixth with another $13.9 million, allowing it to cross the $100 million mark and bringing it to $112.7 million after five weeks. Not bad for a comedy that cost $26 million to make. Columbia's The Pink Panther 2 earned $10.8 million in its second weekend in seventh for a total of $24.1 million.
The same studio's new thriller The International, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, opened in the eighth spot with $10.7 million from 2,364 theaters. Produced for $50 million, the Tom Tykwer- directed film averaged $4,526 per site.
Danny Boyle's award-winning Slumdog Millionaire collected another $8.7 million in 1,634 theaters and has made $88.1 million after 14 weeks of release.
Also, Warner Bros.' IMAX pic Under the Sea 3D, narrated by Jim Carrey, earned $857,000 from 49 theaters, an average of $17,490, and Magnolia Pictures' Two Lovers, with Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw, earned $120,000 from seven theaters, an average of $17,143.
Jason Voorhees returned to theaters in a big way, as New Line/Warner Bros.' Friday the 13th earned an estimated $45.2 million over the four-day President's Day holiday weekend. Made for just $19 million, the Marcus Nispel-directed re-imagining averaged $14,560 in 3,105 theaters. If the estimate holds, the horror film squeezed by Daredevil ($45.03 million) and 50 First Dates ($45.1 million) to become the second-biggest President's Day opener ever, trailing just Ghost Rider ($52 million). Starring Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Aaron Yoo, Amanda Righetti, Travis Van Winkle and Derek Mears, the debut marks the biggest ever debut for a horror film and in just four days, it has also become the second-best earner in the "Friday the 13th" franchise, topped only by Freddy vs. Jason ($82.6 million).
The next three spots were occupied by pics that enjoyed superb holding power from last weekend. New Line/Warner Bros.' He's Just Not That Into You added $23.4 million in second place to bring its two-week total to $58.8 million. In third, 20th Century Fox's Taken earned another $22.2 million in its third weekend for a total of $80.9 million. And Focus Features' Coraline received an additional $19.1 million in ticket sales for a two-week total of $39.3 million.
Touchstone Pictures' new comedy Confessions of a Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher, rounded out the top five with $17.3 million from 2,507 theaters for an average of $6,902 per location.
Columbia Pictures' Paul Blart: Mall Cop continued to do well in sixth with another $13.9 million, allowing it to cross the $100 million mark and bringing it to $112.7 million after five weeks. Not bad for a comedy that cost $26 million to make. Columbia's The Pink Panther 2 earned $10.8 million in its second weekend in seventh for a total of $24.1 million.
The same studio's new thriller The International, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts, opened in the eighth spot with $10.7 million from 2,364 theaters. Produced for $50 million, the Tom Tykwer- directed film averaged $4,526 per site.
Danny Boyle's award-winning Slumdog Millionaire collected another $8.7 million in 1,634 theaters and has made $88.1 million after 14 weeks of release.
Also, Warner Bros.' IMAX pic Under the Sea 3D, narrated by Jim Carrey, earned $857,000 from 49 theaters, an average of $17,490, and Magnolia Pictures' Two Lovers, with Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Vinessa Shaw, earned $120,000 from seven theaters, an average of $17,143.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Weekly Ratings: 2/8 – 2/13
Sunday Ratings: Grammys Are No. 1 with a Bullet
7 pm/ET
Katie Couric's 60 Minutes sit-down with US Airways pilot "Sully" dominated the hour with 16.8 million total viewers.
8 pm
CBS' broadcast of the Grammy Awards averaged 19.68 million viewers over its run, a 15 percent increase over last year's performance. Extreme Makeover placed second with 10.4 mil, dropping 10 percent.
9 pm
Housewives trailed the Grammys, delivering 13.7 mil (up 690K from its last fresh episode). The NBC TV-movie XIII did less than half that, averaging 6.24 mil over its two-hour run.
10 pm
Brothers & Sisters scored second with 9.34 million viewers, up 400K.
Monday Ratings: Big Bangers Say, "Thank You, Mr. President!"
8 pm/ET
President Barack Obama's first prime-time news conference was watched by 37 million viewers across the Big Four networks. The only odd part: When Thirteen showed up to discuss national health care.
9 pm
CBS comedies dominated, with Two and a Half Men leading the way with 14.88 million viewers. Playing the role of lead-out this week, The Big Bang Theory enjoyed a new all-time high of 13.1 million. The Bachelor (averaging 10.88 mil from 9 to 11 pm) placed second, with 24 (10.5 mil, down 800K) following close behind. Heroes (7.9 mil) dropped 560 thou from the "Fugitives" premiere.
10 pm
CSI: Miami copped the top spot with 13.7 million viewers (down 14 percent week-to-week). Losing out to the second hour of the Bach', Medium (7.93 mil) slipped 600K.
Tuesday Ratings: Mentalist Cops a New High, Flirts with 20 Mil
8 pm/ET
American Idol won the hour this week with 24.5 million total viewers, a drop of 1.8 mil from its last Tuesday outing. NCIS secured second with 18 million, down a mil. Trailing the first hour of The Biggest Loser (9.6 mil) and the Charlie Brown Valentine's Day special (4.77 mil), 90210 matched last week's 2.4 mil.
9 pm
The Mentalist surged 9 percent from its last fresh episode to deliver 19.7 million viewers, a new all-time high for the freshman drama. Behind the back end of Biggest Loser (11 mil), Fringe fell 20 percent to 10.45 mil. Scrubs (4.42 mil) dropped 390K; Privileged's penultimate episode (1.51 mil) dipped 200 thou.
10 pm
Without a Trace topped the hour with 14.55 million viewers, up 21 percent week-to-week. It was followed by Dateline (11.3 mil) and this week's relocated True Beauty (an ugly 3.8 mil).
Wednesday Ratings: Time-Shifting Idol Gives Lost a Nosebleed
8 pm/ET
A "special" two-hour edition of American Idol averaged 24.6 million total viewers, dropping 1.6 mil week-to-week. CBS' sitcombo of Old Christine (7.06 mil, down 380K) and Gary Unmarried (6.86 mil, down 210K) each dipped a bit. Knight Rider gained 450 thou to hit 5.4 mil, while this week's Lost repeat reaped 4.4 mil.
9 pm
Opposite Idol's greedy "special" second hour, Criminal Minds (13.26 mil) fell 600K, while Lost sank 11 percent to a series-low 9.76 mil. (That said, Lost was for a fourth straight week Wednesday's highest-rated scripted show in the key demos, and it built its audience from start to finish.) NBC's Life dropped from last week's well-watched return, hitting a more typical 4.72 mil.
10 pm
CSI: NY dominated with 12.85 million viewers, gaining 1.1 mil from its last fresh outing. Law & Order (7.52 mil) plunged 13 percent, while Life on Mars (5.14 mil) lost 860 thou.
Thursday Ratings: A Record Audience Crosses over to Private Practice
8 pm/ET
Survivor: Tocantins — The Brazilian Highlands premiered to an audience of 13.8 million total viewers, an increase of 900K over Gabon's opener and on par with Fans vs. Favorites. Placing a distant second, Ugly Betty was up a hair, to 7.44 mil. NBC's Earl (6.3 mil) gained 140 thou, but Kath & Kim (5.48 mil) kissed off 520K. Fox's broadcast of the NAACP Image Awards averaged 4.23 mil over its two-hour run.
9 pm
CSI topped the hour (if not the demos) with an audience of 17.78 million viewers, slipping 11 percent from its last fresh outing. Grey's Anatomy (or "Private Anatomy Hour 1") matched last week's audience of 15.07 mil. (Grab the tape, Izzy! Grab the tape!!) In third, NBC's The Office (8.9 mil) gained 490K, while 30 Rock surged 20 percent week-to-week, hitting 7.62 mil.
10 pm
Private Practice/"Private Anatomy Hour 2" gained another 8 percent to deliver 14.15 million viewers — the spin-off's largest audience ever. Eleventh Hour settled for also-ran status with 11.04 mil (down 11 percent), followed by ER (which held steady at 7.25 mil).
Friday Ratings: How Many Played with Fox's Dollhouse? Did You?
Has Fox successfully revived Friday sci-fi? The numbers have processed through my tricorder, and here are some of the major notes:
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer topped the hour with 10.34 million total viewers, down a mil week-to-week. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles was greeted in its new time slot by 3.7 million, a 30 percent plunge from its last (Monday) airing.
9 pm
Flashpoint placed No. 1 with an audience of 8.86 mil, slipping 13 percent from its last new episode. Fox's Dollhouse debuted to 4.7 million viewers — which just so happens to be what Joss Whedon's Firefly averaged over its short run — and placed No. 2 in key demos (behind Supernanny) and first among males (go figure). What was your first impression of the series? Tell us what you thought in the comments section. (Mind you, Episode 2 is markedly better, 3 has a nifty reveal, and No. 4 serves up a cool plot twist.) Friday Night Lights dropped 760K, to 3.46 mil.
10 pm
Diane Sawyer's 20/20 report on the children of Appalachia was the night's most-watched program, delivering 10.93 mil — the newsmagazine's largest audience since Sept. 2004. As such, Numbers settled for second with 9 mil, down 12 percent.
7 pm/ET
Katie Couric's 60 Minutes sit-down with US Airways pilot "Sully" dominated the hour with 16.8 million total viewers.
8 pm
CBS' broadcast of the Grammy Awards averaged 19.68 million viewers over its run, a 15 percent increase over last year's performance. Extreme Makeover placed second with 10.4 mil, dropping 10 percent.
9 pm
Housewives trailed the Grammys, delivering 13.7 mil (up 690K from its last fresh episode). The NBC TV-movie XIII did less than half that, averaging 6.24 mil over its two-hour run.
10 pm
Brothers & Sisters scored second with 9.34 million viewers, up 400K.
Monday Ratings: Big Bangers Say, "Thank You, Mr. President!"
8 pm/ET
President Barack Obama's first prime-time news conference was watched by 37 million viewers across the Big Four networks. The only odd part: When Thirteen showed up to discuss national health care.
9 pm
CBS comedies dominated, with Two and a Half Men leading the way with 14.88 million viewers. Playing the role of lead-out this week, The Big Bang Theory enjoyed a new all-time high of 13.1 million. The Bachelor (averaging 10.88 mil from 9 to 11 pm) placed second, with 24 (10.5 mil, down 800K) following close behind. Heroes (7.9 mil) dropped 560 thou from the "Fugitives" premiere.
10 pm
CSI: Miami copped the top spot with 13.7 million viewers (down 14 percent week-to-week). Losing out to the second hour of the Bach', Medium (7.93 mil) slipped 600K.
Tuesday Ratings: Mentalist Cops a New High, Flirts with 20 Mil
8 pm/ET
American Idol won the hour this week with 24.5 million total viewers, a drop of 1.8 mil from its last Tuesday outing. NCIS secured second with 18 million, down a mil. Trailing the first hour of The Biggest Loser (9.6 mil) and the Charlie Brown Valentine's Day special (4.77 mil), 90210 matched last week's 2.4 mil.
9 pm
The Mentalist surged 9 percent from its last fresh episode to deliver 19.7 million viewers, a new all-time high for the freshman drama. Behind the back end of Biggest Loser (11 mil), Fringe fell 20 percent to 10.45 mil. Scrubs (4.42 mil) dropped 390K; Privileged's penultimate episode (1.51 mil) dipped 200 thou.
10 pm
Without a Trace topped the hour with 14.55 million viewers, up 21 percent week-to-week. It was followed by Dateline (11.3 mil) and this week's relocated True Beauty (an ugly 3.8 mil).
Wednesday Ratings: Time-Shifting Idol Gives Lost a Nosebleed
8 pm/ET
A "special" two-hour edition of American Idol averaged 24.6 million total viewers, dropping 1.6 mil week-to-week. CBS' sitcombo of Old Christine (7.06 mil, down 380K) and Gary Unmarried (6.86 mil, down 210K) each dipped a bit. Knight Rider gained 450 thou to hit 5.4 mil, while this week's Lost repeat reaped 4.4 mil.
9 pm
Opposite Idol's greedy "special" second hour, Criminal Minds (13.26 mil) fell 600K, while Lost sank 11 percent to a series-low 9.76 mil. (That said, Lost was for a fourth straight week Wednesday's highest-rated scripted show in the key demos, and it built its audience from start to finish.) NBC's Life dropped from last week's well-watched return, hitting a more typical 4.72 mil.
10 pm
CSI: NY dominated with 12.85 million viewers, gaining 1.1 mil from its last fresh outing. Law & Order (7.52 mil) plunged 13 percent, while Life on Mars (5.14 mil) lost 860 thou.
Thursday Ratings: A Record Audience Crosses over to Private Practice
8 pm/ET
Survivor: Tocantins — The Brazilian Highlands premiered to an audience of 13.8 million total viewers, an increase of 900K over Gabon's opener and on par with Fans vs. Favorites. Placing a distant second, Ugly Betty was up a hair, to 7.44 mil. NBC's Earl (6.3 mil) gained 140 thou, but Kath & Kim (5.48 mil) kissed off 520K. Fox's broadcast of the NAACP Image Awards averaged 4.23 mil over its two-hour run.
9 pm
CSI topped the hour (if not the demos) with an audience of 17.78 million viewers, slipping 11 percent from its last fresh outing. Grey's Anatomy (or "Private Anatomy Hour 1") matched last week's audience of 15.07 mil. (Grab the tape, Izzy! Grab the tape!!) In third, NBC's The Office (8.9 mil) gained 490K, while 30 Rock surged 20 percent week-to-week, hitting 7.62 mil.
10 pm
Private Practice/"Private Anatomy Hour 2" gained another 8 percent to deliver 14.15 million viewers — the spin-off's largest audience ever. Eleventh Hour settled for also-ran status with 11.04 mil (down 11 percent), followed by ER (which held steady at 7.25 mil).
Friday Ratings: How Many Played with Fox's Dollhouse? Did You?
Has Fox successfully revived Friday sci-fi? The numbers have processed through my tricorder, and here are some of the major notes:
8 pm/ET
Ghost Whisperer topped the hour with 10.34 million total viewers, down a mil week-to-week. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles was greeted in its new time slot by 3.7 million, a 30 percent plunge from its last (Monday) airing.
9 pm
Flashpoint placed No. 1 with an audience of 8.86 mil, slipping 13 percent from its last new episode. Fox's Dollhouse debuted to 4.7 million viewers — which just so happens to be what Joss Whedon's Firefly averaged over its short run — and placed No. 2 in key demos (behind Supernanny) and first among males (go figure). What was your first impression of the series? Tell us what you thought in the comments section. (Mind you, Episode 2 is markedly better, 3 has a nifty reveal, and No. 4 serves up a cool plot twist.) Friday Night Lights dropped 760K, to 3.46 mil.
10 pm
Diane Sawyer's 20/20 report on the children of Appalachia was the night's most-watched program, delivering 10.93 mil — the newsmagazine's largest audience since Sept. 2004. As such, Numbers settled for second with 9 mil, down 12 percent.
Friday the 13th Producer Already Talking Sequel
After I posted my original Early Estimates column last night, I received a Facebook message from Platinum Dunes partner and Friday the Thirteenth producer Rob Fuller saying “I hope you’re right.” My Friday estimate last night was for a robust $20M, and Variety is reporting $19.3M this morning. “We were hoping to do $10M-$11M yesterday,” he told me this morning. “In our wildest dreams we couldn’t have imagined that.”
I am sticking with $51.25M for the 4-day weekend, but some analysts have the new Jason Voorhies saga sailing higher. The combination of Valentine’s Day and a school holiday Monday for President’s Day make predicting the movie’s long weekend haul a tricky call, but regardless, this is great news for Warner Bros, which has the domestic distribution rights,
Friday the Thirteenth director Marcus Nispel was always the first choice for this project. “We had success with him on Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What this required was a great look, and he always delivers that. You can get a guy who makes it look pretty, but doesn’t make his days,” Fuller told me. “Marcus always delivers on time.”
I have characterized Friday the Thirteenth as a reboot, but Fuller isn’t entirely sure. “Legally, it’s a sequel. If you have to give it a name, it’s a sequel to the first movie,” but he quickly follows with “I don’t know what it is.” Probably F13 is best described as something between a reboot and a re-imagining.
This movie was never going to be a darling with critics (28% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), but there are some positive notices.
“The series reboot is much the same, but it’s easily the most effective — and scary — entrant in the franchise.”
– Adam Graham, DETROIT NEWS
“Quibbles aside, Jason Voorhies has become almost a modern-day Dracula or Frankenstein’s monster – a figurehead of horror, despite some of his regrettable screen incarnations. It’s refreshing to see a movie take him seriously again.”
– Derek Donovan, KANSAS CITY STAR
“In addition to being awesome, it all just feels kind of celebratory, even reverent, like a tribute to what teen slasher films are all about.”
– Cammila Albertson, TV GUIDE’S MOVIE GUIDE
Some hardcore fans were upset that composer Harry Manfredini, who wrote the score for 1980’s original, was not invited to be part of this reboot. “Steve Jablonski has done the score for every one of our movies.” Fuller says. In the end, “we pulled out a lot of the score and went with ambient sound,” and, for my money, it amps up the tension perfectly.
Platinum Dunes, comprised of Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Fuller, will next tackle a reboot of Nightmare on Elm Street, and they have settled on Samuel Bayer as director, who will be making his feature debut. “He’s done a bunch of amazing commercials and videos, and we offered him a ton of jobs, “ says Fuller. The production company had a picture in development at Universal called Fiasco Heights with Bayer attached, but when Frank Miller’s The Spirit flopped at Christmas time, the project lost steam. They began looking for another project for Bayer and along came Freddy.
Fuller says that his company’s goal for Friday the Thirteenth has always been to surpass the $80M generated by its 2003 version of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It should safely get to the $80M-$90M range in the US, and the producer tells me that he expects to start thinking about a sequel as soon as Tuesday.
I am sticking with $51.25M for the 4-day weekend, but some analysts have the new Jason Voorhies saga sailing higher. The combination of Valentine’s Day and a school holiday Monday for President’s Day make predicting the movie’s long weekend haul a tricky call, but regardless, this is great news for Warner Bros, which has the domestic distribution rights,
Friday the Thirteenth director Marcus Nispel was always the first choice for this project. “We had success with him on Texas Chainsaw Massacre. What this required was a great look, and he always delivers that. You can get a guy who makes it look pretty, but doesn’t make his days,” Fuller told me. “Marcus always delivers on time.”
I have characterized Friday the Thirteenth as a reboot, but Fuller isn’t entirely sure. “Legally, it’s a sequel. If you have to give it a name, it’s a sequel to the first movie,” but he quickly follows with “I don’t know what it is.” Probably F13 is best described as something between a reboot and a re-imagining.
This movie was never going to be a darling with critics (28% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes), but there are some positive notices.
“The series reboot is much the same, but it’s easily the most effective — and scary — entrant in the franchise.”
– Adam Graham, DETROIT NEWS
“Quibbles aside, Jason Voorhies has become almost a modern-day Dracula or Frankenstein’s monster – a figurehead of horror, despite some of his regrettable screen incarnations. It’s refreshing to see a movie take him seriously again.”
– Derek Donovan, KANSAS CITY STAR
“In addition to being awesome, it all just feels kind of celebratory, even reverent, like a tribute to what teen slasher films are all about.”
– Cammila Albertson, TV GUIDE’S MOVIE GUIDE
Some hardcore fans were upset that composer Harry Manfredini, who wrote the score for 1980’s original, was not invited to be part of this reboot. “Steve Jablonski has done the score for every one of our movies.” Fuller says. In the end, “we pulled out a lot of the score and went with ambient sound,” and, for my money, it amps up the tension perfectly.
Platinum Dunes, comprised of Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Fuller, will next tackle a reboot of Nightmare on Elm Street, and they have settled on Samuel Bayer as director, who will be making his feature debut. “He’s done a bunch of amazing commercials and videos, and we offered him a ton of jobs, “ says Fuller. The production company had a picture in development at Universal called Fiasco Heights with Bayer attached, but when Frank Miller’s The Spirit flopped at Christmas time, the project lost steam. They began looking for another project for Bayer and along came Freddy.
Fuller says that his company’s goal for Friday the Thirteenth has always been to surpass the $80M generated by its 2003 version of Texas Chainsaw Massacre. It should safely get to the $80M-$90M range in the US, and the producer tells me that he expects to start thinking about a sequel as soon as Tuesday.
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