Probably the most disappointing thing about Green Lantern is that the protracted and delayed production is going to ensure, without any doubt, that director Martin Campbell can’t be in charge of the next Bond film and turn that franchise round again (for the third time).
It’s not all bad news, though. On the plus side, a new rumour has pegged Jackie Earle Haley for the role of Sinestro in the picture. You may recall that he’s the mentor character that might just turn out to be a baddie (if they don’t save that for the sequel). The same unnamed gossipmonger has Superman down for a cameo role in the film, which sounds like a wild and unlikely idea but the character was in at least one draft of the script and since Marvel’s multi-picture mashup scheme, I wouldn’t be surprised to see DC try a similar tactic.
On the other hand, this particular use of Superman could be motivated by back and forth over the rights to the character as per the ongoing legal issues.
I like this Superman rumour because it means another silly season of speculating on the character’s casting is about to start all over again. What sport! Brandon Routh? DJ Cotrona? Jim Caviezel? Zac Efron?
A cameo would at least be a safe-ish way to test out the casting of a new Superman with the public and the internets before committing the actor to a full-on starring role.
Since his grand return in Little Children, Jackie Earle Haley has been signing on to franchise and high-profile genre pictures left right and centre. I guess he knows all too well what it’s like to suddenly drop off the radar and find roles hard to come by, so I wouldn’t blame him for getting some serious fat in his piggy bank while he can. It would be nice to see him do something else too, though, far away from the more stylised worlds he’s been inhabiting lately. And no, Shutter Island doesn’t count - that’s going to be as stylised as they come.
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Will Ferrell to Star in Everything Must Go, a Raymond Carver-Based Indie
Will Ferrell is set to star in a $10 million independent dramedy, Everything Must Go, based on a work by renown, late short story author Raymond Carver entitled “Why Don’t You Dance.” The project marks the feature debut of newcomer Dan Rush, a former commercials director whose screenplay for Everything was included on last year’s insidery Black List. Ferrell will play “a relapsed alcoholic” who loses his job, and naturally, his wife gives the heave-hoe too, leaving the character to launch a four-day yard sale on their lawn. The character’s main objective: generating quick beer money.
Script Shadow via Playlist has called it his “favorite script” (ever?) and is totally perplexed at the casting. His worries revolve around a hypothetical that sees a studio re-cutting the film to heighten the comedic aspects. Shadow concludes with, “but there’s some real weight to this character and I think we’ve seen from Will Ferrell in the past that the only weight he has is in his abdomen area.” Ouch. I’m surprised, given the informed source, that Ferrell’s work in Stranger Than Fiction doesn’t receive a mention whatsoever.
The 2006 film from director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace, Finding Neverland) was the last occasion Ferrell played the lead in a high-profile indie dramedy. It went on to gross a quiet $40 million domestic, and though the movie currently has a 7.9 on IMDB after 70,000 votes, Ferrell’s nice, straight-laced performance therein often seems largely ignored by pop culture. When it was released, the film was boxed in (and understandably so) as another Charlie Kaufman existential knock-off a la the recent Cold Souls with Paul Giamatti.
But Ferrell tapped into some then unforeseen depth that wasn’t so easy to categorize; try to picture another comedic actor, even Truman-era Jim Carrey, doing an acoustic cover of Wreckless Eric’s “Whole Wide World.” Ferrell’s the master at jumping out of airplanes with a parachute filled with dildos as seen in The Goods, yeah, but he’s got the dramatic kind as well. Rewind the pun alert. Moreover, it’s easy to forget just how seriously Ferrell pursued the lead in David Gordon Green’s wholly ambitious A Confederacy of Dunces, alongside Zooey Deschanel, only to see the project permanently fall apart.
Script Shadow via Playlist has called it his “favorite script” (ever?) and is totally perplexed at the casting. His worries revolve around a hypothetical that sees a studio re-cutting the film to heighten the comedic aspects. Shadow concludes with, “but there’s some real weight to this character and I think we’ve seen from Will Ferrell in the past that the only weight he has is in his abdomen area.” Ouch. I’m surprised, given the informed source, that Ferrell’s work in Stranger Than Fiction doesn’t receive a mention whatsoever.
The 2006 film from director Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace, Finding Neverland) was the last occasion Ferrell played the lead in a high-profile indie dramedy. It went on to gross a quiet $40 million domestic, and though the movie currently has a 7.9 on IMDB after 70,000 votes, Ferrell’s nice, straight-laced performance therein often seems largely ignored by pop culture. When it was released, the film was boxed in (and understandably so) as another Charlie Kaufman existential knock-off a la the recent Cold Souls with Paul Giamatti.
But Ferrell tapped into some then unforeseen depth that wasn’t so easy to categorize; try to picture another comedic actor, even Truman-era Jim Carrey, doing an acoustic cover of Wreckless Eric’s “Whole Wide World.” Ferrell’s the master at jumping out of airplanes with a parachute filled with dildos as seen in The Goods, yeah, but he’s got the dramatic kind as well. Rewind the pun alert. Moreover, it’s easy to forget just how seriously Ferrell pursued the lead in David Gordon Green’s wholly ambitious A Confederacy of Dunces, alongside Zooey Deschanel, only to see the project permanently fall apart.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Taylor Swift to Host Saturday Night Live — Perhaps at Kanye's Expense
Taylor Swift will host Saturday Night Live on Nov. 7 — without Kanye West, but don't rule out any West impersonations.
"I've been thinking about skit ideas for a long time," Swift told the Associated Press. "There are definitely some hilarious things that have happened to me over the past couple of months that I think will be pretty substantial skits."
Last month, West swiped the mic away from Swift during her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, for which he later apologized.
Beyonce says Kanye West was "standing up for art"
But Swift is poised to be the center of attention on SNL, where she will pull double duty as the night's musical guest as well. She previously performed on the program in January.
"I love being around people who I feel have a different kind of creative genius," Swift said. "And the funny genius is definitely a fascinating one to be around."
The 19-year-old, who calls the hosting opportunity "mind-blowing," has one wish for the show: to appear in a digital short.
"Of course I've been such a fan for a long time, but I've gone back and re-watched everything over the past couple of months and digital shorts would be so much fun to do, because they've been done so well," she said. "Andy Samberg is hilarious."
In addition to SNL, Swift will perform on Dancing with the Stars on Oct. 27.
"I've been thinking about skit ideas for a long time," Swift told the Associated Press. "There are definitely some hilarious things that have happened to me over the past couple of months that I think will be pretty substantial skits."
Last month, West swiped the mic away from Swift during her acceptance speech at the MTV Video Music Awards, for which he later apologized.
Beyonce says Kanye West was "standing up for art"
But Swift is poised to be the center of attention on SNL, where she will pull double duty as the night's musical guest as well. She previously performed on the program in January.
"I love being around people who I feel have a different kind of creative genius," Swift said. "And the funny genius is definitely a fascinating one to be around."
The 19-year-old, who calls the hosting opportunity "mind-blowing," has one wish for the show: to appear in a digital short.
"Of course I've been such a fan for a long time, but I've gone back and re-watched everything over the past couple of months and digital shorts would be so much fun to do, because they've been done so well," she said. "Andy Samberg is hilarious."
In addition to SNL, Swift will perform on Dancing with the Stars on Oct. 27.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Cleveland Show Renewed Through 2011
Fox already has picked up The Cleveland Show for the last nine episodes of its second season.
The Family Guy spin-off was picked up last May for the first 13 episodes of a second season starting next year —four months before the show's debut.
The Fox show's initial season got under way Sept. 27, bringing in 9.5 million viewers and scoring an impressive 4.9 rating in the 18-to-49 demographic. The animated comedy's premiere was also the highest debut in 18-to-34 demo and marked one of the highest-rated scripted series openers so far this fall.
The Family Guy spin-off was picked up last May for the first 13 episodes of a second season starting next year —four months before the show's debut.
The Fox show's initial season got under way Sept. 27, bringing in 9.5 million viewers and scoring an impressive 4.9 rating in the 18-to-49 demographic. The animated comedy's premiere was also the highest debut in 18-to-34 demo and marked one of the highest-rated scripted series openers so far this fall.
Chris Pine in Talks to Play Jack Ryan
Paramount Pictures is negotiating with Chris Pine to play CIA analyst Jack Ryan in the reboot of the franchise based on the Tom Clancy novels.
Pine is positioned to topline his second Par franchise. He played James T. Kirk in "Star Trek," the J.J. Abrams-directed summer hit, and will reprise the role in the sequel.
Pine is separately in talks to team with director D.J. Caruso in the Paramount drama "The Art of Making Money," early next year.
Talks have just started, but Pine is expected to come aboard the Jack Ryan film as the project is still taking shape. The studio and producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mace Neufeld are working with a script draft by Hossein Amini, based on an original concept.
They are still in deep development and it is unclear whether Pine would make another "Star Trek" before the Jack Ryan film. He will clearly be working often for Paramount over the next several years.
Pine, currently starring with Denzel Washington in the Tony Scott-directed "Unstoppable" for Fox, is vying to be the fourth actor to play Ryan, the CIA analyst in the Par film series.
Alec Baldwin originated the character in 1990's "The Hunt for Red October," Harrison Ford played him in 1992's "Patriot Games" and 1994's "Clear and Present Danger," and Ben Affleck played Ryan in 2002's "The Sum of All Fears."
Pine’s repped by SDB Partners and Carrabino Management.
Pine is positioned to topline his second Par franchise. He played James T. Kirk in "Star Trek," the J.J. Abrams-directed summer hit, and will reprise the role in the sequel.
Pine is separately in talks to team with director D.J. Caruso in the Paramount drama "The Art of Making Money," early next year.
Talks have just started, but Pine is expected to come aboard the Jack Ryan film as the project is still taking shape. The studio and producers Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mace Neufeld are working with a script draft by Hossein Amini, based on an original concept.
They are still in deep development and it is unclear whether Pine would make another "Star Trek" before the Jack Ryan film. He will clearly be working often for Paramount over the next several years.
Pine, currently starring with Denzel Washington in the Tony Scott-directed "Unstoppable" for Fox, is vying to be the fourth actor to play Ryan, the CIA analyst in the Par film series.
Alec Baldwin originated the character in 1990's "The Hunt for Red October," Harrison Ford played him in 1992's "Patriot Games" and 1994's "Clear and Present Danger," and Ben Affleck played Ryan in 2002's "The Sum of All Fears."
Pine’s repped by SDB Partners and Carrabino Management.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Matthew Perry Developing New Sitcom
Matthew Perry is hoping to be there for you again with a new comedy series.
The 40-year-old will star in, co-write and executive-produce the yet-untitled project to be produced by Sony Pictures TV, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Perry will play a self-involved manager of a sports arena who starts to rethink his life as he hits The Big Four-O.
The show will reteam him with director and executive producer Thomas Schlamme, with whom Perry worked on Friends, The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
Perry, who recently starred in the Showtime comedy pilot The End of Steve, is pitching the project to networks this week. Should one snap it up, he would be the third Friend returning to TV, following Courteney Cox in Cougar Town and Matt LeBlanc in the upcoming Showtime/BBC series Episodes.
The 40-year-old will star in, co-write and executive-produce the yet-untitled project to be produced by Sony Pictures TV, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Perry will play a self-involved manager of a sports arena who starts to rethink his life as he hits The Big Four-O.
The show will reteam him with director and executive producer Thomas Schlamme, with whom Perry worked on Friends, The West Wing and Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip.
Perry, who recently starred in the Showtime comedy pilot The End of Steve, is pitching the project to networks this week. Should one snap it up, he would be the third Friend returning to TV, following Courteney Cox in Cougar Town and Matt LeBlanc in the upcoming Showtime/BBC series Episodes.
Lennon and Garant Creating New NBC Comedy
Two months after he broke the news of his Comedy Central show "Reno 911!" coming to an end, series star/co-creator Thomas Lennon is headlining a new comedy project at NBC.
The broadcast network has handed a pilot commitment with penalty to the multicamera comedy he will write with Robert Ben Garant, his "Reno" co-creator/co-star and frequent collaborator.
The two also will executive produce the project, whose premise is being kept under wraps, with Peter Principato and Paul Young. Lennon will star; Garant will play a supporting role.
Additionally, NBC and sibling Universal Media Studios, which is producing the Lennon/Garant project, has inked a talent holding deal with Lennon that includes his show with Garant.
NBC and UMS moved quickly to lock in Lennon and Garant following "Reno's" August cancellation after a six-season run.
"Our entire team has long been fans of the work Lennon and Garant have done on 'Reno 911!' as well as their comedy films," NBC president of primetime entertainment Angela Bromstad said, noting that network brass will look for the duo "to come up with a comedy hit."
Lennon and Garant, co-founders of New York-based sketch comedy troupe the State, have written such features as the two "Night at the Museum" films, "Reno 911!: Miami," "Balls of Fury" and "The Pacifier."
The pair, who recently signed a writing deal with Spyglass Entertainment, have several film projects in the pipeline: "How to Survive a Robot Uprising" at Paramount, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "The Devil You Know" at Fox and "The Incredible Shrinking Man" for Universal and Imagine.
In front of the camera, Lennon recently appeared in "I Love You, Man" and "17 Again."
Lennon and Garant are repped by CAA, Principato-Young and attorney Karl Austen.
The broadcast network has handed a pilot commitment with penalty to the multicamera comedy he will write with Robert Ben Garant, his "Reno" co-creator/co-star and frequent collaborator.
The two also will executive produce the project, whose premise is being kept under wraps, with Peter Principato and Paul Young. Lennon will star; Garant will play a supporting role.
Additionally, NBC and sibling Universal Media Studios, which is producing the Lennon/Garant project, has inked a talent holding deal with Lennon that includes his show with Garant.
NBC and UMS moved quickly to lock in Lennon and Garant following "Reno's" August cancellation after a six-season run.
"Our entire team has long been fans of the work Lennon and Garant have done on 'Reno 911!' as well as their comedy films," NBC president of primetime entertainment Angela Bromstad said, noting that network brass will look for the duo "to come up with a comedy hit."
Lennon and Garant, co-founders of New York-based sketch comedy troupe the State, have written such features as the two "Night at the Museum" films, "Reno 911!: Miami," "Balls of Fury" and "The Pacifier."
The pair, who recently signed a writing deal with Spyglass Entertainment, have several film projects in the pipeline: "How to Survive a Robot Uprising" at Paramount, "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" and "The Devil You Know" at Fox and "The Incredible Shrinking Man" for Universal and Imagine.
In front of the camera, Lennon recently appeared in "I Love You, Man" and "17 Again."
Lennon and Garant are repped by CAA, Principato-Young and attorney Karl Austen.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Roland Emmerich on Independence Day 2
Latino Review got a chance to ask 2012 director Roland Emmerich if there's still a chance we'll see a sequel to 1996's Independence Day at some point. After all, the blockbuster made a massive $817.4 million at the worldwide box office that year. Emmerich gave an interesting response...
Dean Devlin and I are still set to make a sequel likely because we've found some sort of idea and we approached FOX and FOX has not quite figured out how to incorporate Dean's and my deal, and Will's (Smith) deal. Will wants to do it in some sort of a package they can live with. So it's just been in negations now since forever, and naturally FOX says "Why don't you do it without Will Smith?" I said Will is essential for us, for this movie and actually for the audience too. And, so, it's in limbo and lately the studios are fighting. Like gross players, and Will is a gross player and is probably the only gross player right now who's worth his gross. So we'll see what happens. I would love to do it..
Dean Devlin and I are still set to make a sequel likely because we've found some sort of idea and we approached FOX and FOX has not quite figured out how to incorporate Dean's and my deal, and Will's (Smith) deal. Will wants to do it in some sort of a package they can live with. So it's just been in negations now since forever, and naturally FOX says "Why don't you do it without Will Smith?" I said Will is essential for us, for this movie and actually for the audience too. And, so, it's in limbo and lately the studios are fighting. Like gross players, and Will is a gross player and is probably the only gross player right now who's worth his gross. So we'll see what happens. I would love to do it..
FlashForward Picked Up for Full Season
ABC has picked up FlashForward for a full season, the network announced Monday.
The order comes on the heels of pickups for ABC's Cougar Town, Modern Family and The Middle.
The sci-fi series has been a solid performer in the 8 p.m. Thursday slot and is the season's top new drama in the 18-to-34 demographic. DVR numbers also show FlashForward's season premiere gained 2 million viewers to bring its total to 14.5 million.
FlashForward is the seventh new series to earn a full-season order, following the ABC comedies, NCIS: Los Angeles and The Good Wife on CBS and Glee on Fox.
The order comes on the heels of pickups for ABC's Cougar Town, Modern Family and The Middle.
The sci-fi series has been a solid performer in the 8 p.m. Thursday slot and is the season's top new drama in the 18-to-34 demographic. DVR numbers also show FlashForward's season premiere gained 2 million viewers to bring its total to 14.5 million.
FlashForward is the seventh new series to earn a full-season order, following the ABC comedies, NCIS: Los Angeles and The Good Wife on CBS and Glee on Fox.
Bryan Singer Interested in More X-Men
Bryan Singer said Sunday he's interested in making another "X-Men" movie and has discussed the possibility with 20th Century Fox, according to The Associated Press.
"I'm still looking to possibly returning to the 'X-Men' franchise. I've been talking to Fox about it," the X-Men and X2: X-Men United director said at South Korea's Pusan International Film Festival. "I love Hugh Jackman. I love the cast."
Singer said the "X-Men" series is about tolerance and social structures. He said he likes to "trick audiences into thinking they're seeing fireworks, but they're learning about themselves and listening to what I have to say."
"The excitement about working in science fiction and fantasy is — the stories, if they are good, are about the human condition," he added.
"I'm still looking to possibly returning to the 'X-Men' franchise. I've been talking to Fox about it," the X-Men and X2: X-Men United director said at South Korea's Pusan International Film Festival. "I love Hugh Jackman. I love the cast."
Singer said the "X-Men" series is about tolerance and social structures. He said he likes to "trick audiences into thinking they're seeing fireworks, but they're learning about themselves and listening to what I have to say."
"The excitement about working in science fiction and fantasy is — the stories, if they are good, are about the human condition," he added.
20th Century Fox Retelling the Story of Moses
Variety reports that 20th Century Fox will develop a retelling of the story of Moses, from his near death as an infant to his adoption into the Egyptian royal family, his defiance of the Pharaoh and deliverance of the Hebrews from enslavement.
The script will be written by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage, who recently completed a scripted retelling of Herman Melville's Moby Dick for director Timur Bekmambetov at Universal.
Moby Dick was pitched as a 300-like reimagining of the Melville story as a visually stunning action piece, and the story of Moses is conceived similarly.
The trade adds that the goal is to give a Braveheart feel to a story most famously captured in Cecil B. DeMille's1956 film The Ten Commandments. Peter Chernin will produce with Dylan Clark.
The script will be written by Adam Cooper and Bill Collage, who recently completed a scripted retelling of Herman Melville's Moby Dick for director Timur Bekmambetov at Universal.
Moby Dick was pitched as a 300-like reimagining of the Melville story as a visually stunning action piece, and the story of Moses is conceived similarly.
The trade adds that the goal is to give a Braveheart feel to a story most famously captured in Cecil B. DeMille's1956 film The Ten Commandments. Peter Chernin will produce with Dylan Clark.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Couples Retreat Enjoys Holiday in the Box Office Sun
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
After Martin Scorsese's thriller Shutter Island was pushed back to 2010, there was a shake-up in the October release schedule, which ended up leaving Vince Vaughn's tropical vacation comedy Couples Retreat as the only wide release, and it certainly paid off, as the movie opened with an estimated $35.3 million this weekend in 3,000 theaters, making it the sixth biggest opener for the month. Despite horrendous reviews, audiences were looking for laughs and the $70 million budget comedy brought together a strong ensemble comedy cast, not only teaming Vaughn with his long-time collaborators Peter Billingsley, making his directorial debut, and Jon Favreau, but surrounding them with the likes of Jason Bateman, Malin Akerman, Kristin Bell and Kristen Davis. Audiences reporting to CinemaScore rated the movie a B, similar to Four Christmases, Vaughn's last movie with Reese Witherspoon,
Dropping to second place with a marginal 40% from its #1 opening, Sony's Zombieland, starring Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg, made $15 million in its second weekend bringing its total to $47.8 million. Sony also held third place with their hit animated comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which added another $12 million to its box office total of $96.2 million.
Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 3D Double Feature took in $7.7 million for fourth place in its second weekend of limited release in Disney Digital 3D theaters. It has grossed $22.7 million in ten days with no word whether its run might be extended.
The biggest surprise of the weekend had to be the explosive success of Oren Peli's low-budget horror flick Paranormal Activity (Paramount), as it jumped into the Top 10 at #5 with $7.1 million in just 159 theaters, an astounding per-theater average of over $44k per venue. That is similar to the record theater average set by Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds last year, although that was in nearly four times as many theaters. Produced for roughly $11,000 two years ago, the movie has been given one of the most innovative marketing and distribution campaigns ever via Paramount's Demand It! site, which opened the movie in cities that received the most demands. After two weeks playing midnight-only shows in those cities, Paramount gave the movie a full release in over 40 cities, and by Friday night, the movie had attained the company's mandated "one million demands" in order to warrant a wide release. Paramount plans on opening it nationwide this coming Friday, October 16, although it hasn't been revealed yet how many theaters/cities will get it.
In sixth place, the Bruce Willis action flick Surrogates (Disney/Touchstone) added another $4.1 million to its box office total of $32.5 million, still less than half its reported $80 million budget. The comedy The Invention of Lying (Warner Bros.), starring Ricky Gervais, dropped to seventh place, down 52% from its opening to make $3.4 million with a total of $12.3 million.
Drew Barrymore's Whip It, Michael Moore's doc Capitalism: A Love Story (Overture Films) and the remake of Fame (MGM) followed with $2.8, 2.7 and 2.6 million respectively for eighth through tenth place.
The Top 10 grossed roughly $92.6 million, up 14% from the same weekend last year where Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua retained the top spot with $17.5 million.
Some of the highlights in limited release include Chris Rock's comedy doc Good Hair, which opened in 14th place by grossing $1.1 million in 186 theaters. Opening in four theaters in New York and L.A., the critically-lauded An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), starring Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard and Alfred Molina, grossed approximately $162 thousand or an average of $40k per site. By comparison, Michael Sheen's soccer biopic The Damned United (Sony Pictures Classics) took in $36 thousand in 6 theaters, while "High School Musical" star Corbin Bleu's movie Free Style (Samuel Goldwyn) bombed by grossing just over $100 thousand in 261 theaters. (That's less than $500 per site.)
After Martin Scorsese's thriller Shutter Island was pushed back to 2010, there was a shake-up in the October release schedule, which ended up leaving Vince Vaughn's tropical vacation comedy Couples Retreat as the only wide release, and it certainly paid off, as the movie opened with an estimated $35.3 million this weekend in 3,000 theaters, making it the sixth biggest opener for the month. Despite horrendous reviews, audiences were looking for laughs and the $70 million budget comedy brought together a strong ensemble comedy cast, not only teaming Vaughn with his long-time collaborators Peter Billingsley, making his directorial debut, and Jon Favreau, but surrounding them with the likes of Jason Bateman, Malin Akerman, Kristin Bell and Kristen Davis. Audiences reporting to CinemaScore rated the movie a B, similar to Four Christmases, Vaughn's last movie with Reese Witherspoon,
Dropping to second place with a marginal 40% from its #1 opening, Sony's Zombieland, starring Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg, made $15 million in its second weekend bringing its total to $47.8 million. Sony also held third place with their hit animated comedy Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, which added another $12 million to its box office total of $96.2 million.
Disney and Pixar's Toy Story 3D Double Feature took in $7.7 million for fourth place in its second weekend of limited release in Disney Digital 3D theaters. It has grossed $22.7 million in ten days with no word whether its run might be extended.
The biggest surprise of the weekend had to be the explosive success of Oren Peli's low-budget horror flick Paranormal Activity (Paramount), as it jumped into the Top 10 at #5 with $7.1 million in just 159 theaters, an astounding per-theater average of over $44k per venue. That is similar to the record theater average set by Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds last year, although that was in nearly four times as many theaters. Produced for roughly $11,000 two years ago, the movie has been given one of the most innovative marketing and distribution campaigns ever via Paramount's Demand It! site, which opened the movie in cities that received the most demands. After two weeks playing midnight-only shows in those cities, Paramount gave the movie a full release in over 40 cities, and by Friday night, the movie had attained the company's mandated "one million demands" in order to warrant a wide release. Paramount plans on opening it nationwide this coming Friday, October 16, although it hasn't been revealed yet how many theaters/cities will get it.
In sixth place, the Bruce Willis action flick Surrogates (Disney/Touchstone) added another $4.1 million to its box office total of $32.5 million, still less than half its reported $80 million budget. The comedy The Invention of Lying (Warner Bros.), starring Ricky Gervais, dropped to seventh place, down 52% from its opening to make $3.4 million with a total of $12.3 million.
Drew Barrymore's Whip It, Michael Moore's doc Capitalism: A Love Story (Overture Films) and the remake of Fame (MGM) followed with $2.8, 2.7 and 2.6 million respectively for eighth through tenth place.
The Top 10 grossed roughly $92.6 million, up 14% from the same weekend last year where Disney's Beverly Hills Chihuahua retained the top spot with $17.5 million.
Some of the highlights in limited release include Chris Rock's comedy doc Good Hair, which opened in 14th place by grossing $1.1 million in 186 theaters. Opening in four theaters in New York and L.A., the critically-lauded An Education (Sony Pictures Classics), starring Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard and Alfred Molina, grossed approximately $162 thousand or an average of $40k per site. By comparison, Michael Sheen's soccer biopic The Damned United (Sony Pictures Classics) took in $36 thousand in 6 theaters, while "High School Musical" star Corbin Bleu's movie Free Style (Samuel Goldwyn) bombed by grossing just over $100 thousand in 261 theaters. (That's less than $500 per site.)
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