Variety reports that Paramount Pictures' Star Trek earned an estimated $7 million on Thursday night from most of its 3,800 screens.
The studio opened Iron Man on a Thursday night in May of 2008. That film grossed north of $4 milion in Thursday evening/midnight screenings on its way to making $102.1 million for the weekend.
Last weekend, 20th Century Fox's X-Men Origisn: Wolverine grossed nearly $5 million in midnight runs, although "Wolverine" didn't start its run until 12:01 a.m. Friday.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
The Office's Mindy Kaling Gets Her Own Show: "It's This Incredible Thing!"
NBC has given Mindy Kaling (aka The Office's Kelly Kapoor) her own show.
Kaling has signed a two-year, seven-figure deal to continue writing, producing and starring in The Office, while she'll also develop a new show for the network, in which she will probably star.
"NBC has always taken a chance on me as an on-screen talent, even though there are not Indian-American actresses and I'm not, like, a size zero, so it's this incredible thing," Kaling tells TVGuide.com. "There's not a ton of people who look like me or do what I do."
Kaling will continue to play Kelly for at least another season while she works on writing her pilot. While there is no definite idea for her solo effort yet, she has some ideas. "My favorite shows right now are workplace comedies: 30 Rock, The Office and Parks and Recreation," she says. "It's a place where you have to be professional, so if you aren't professional, then it's very funny. The only thing I'm certain about is that it probably won't be a mock documentary."
The season finale of The Office airs Thursday, May 14 (9 pm/ET, NBC).
Kaling has signed a two-year, seven-figure deal to continue writing, producing and starring in The Office, while she'll also develop a new show for the network, in which she will probably star.
"NBC has always taken a chance on me as an on-screen talent, even though there are not Indian-American actresses and I'm not, like, a size zero, so it's this incredible thing," Kaling tells TVGuide.com. "There's not a ton of people who look like me or do what I do."
Kaling will continue to play Kelly for at least another season while she works on writing her pilot. While there is no definite idea for her solo effort yet, she has some ideas. "My favorite shows right now are workplace comedies: 30 Rock, The Office and Parks and Recreation," she says. "It's a place where you have to be professional, so if you aren't professional, then it's very funny. The only thing I'm certain about is that it probably won't be a mock documentary."
The season finale of The Office airs Thursday, May 14 (9 pm/ET, NBC).
Friday, May 8, 2009
The-Dream Recording New Album For December
A second album from The-Dream this year is apparently a reality.
The "Umbrella" songwriter and solo artist tells Billboard.com he's "seven records in on a new album," tentatively titled "Love King" and targeted for a December release. "I have to pace myself 'cause there's so much time between here and then," The-Dream says, "but the seven records I do have are timeless records. Whether they come out now or later it's not really going to matter what kind of records they are."
And while his latest release, the gold-certified "Love vs. Money" -- which came out in March and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 -- featured guest appearances by Mariah Carey, Lil Jon and Kanye West (on the current hit, "Walkin' on the Moon"), The-Dream says no features are set yet for the next album. "Usually it's one of those things where I kinda wait," he explains. "I wait 'til the end, and then who's ever doing their thing at that particular time, that's who I get."
The-Dream is balancing recording sessions with preparations in Los Angeles for his tour with Keyshia Coles, which starts Wednesday in Cincinnati. Unlike his "special guest" stint on last year's Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige trek, this tour will allow him to present "a bigger Dream," complete with four dancers and a five-piece band.
"I'm coming pretty stocked-up this time," he says with a laugh. "I'm like a kid in a toy store, like, 'Oh, this is gonna be fun!" I'm coming DVD-ready." And, in fact, he plans to film a DVD at some point during the tour, which wraps June 21 in Oakland, Calif.
The-Dream says fans can expect songs from his two albums but plans to offer only "hints" of the hits he's written for Rihanna, Usher, Carey, Blige, Jamie Foxx and others. "I don't have enough time," he explains, though there will be a cover of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana." "I've been trying to sing that song forever," The-Dream notes.
He's also planning his own headlining run for the fall, when his repertoire will be expanded not just by the "Love King" material but also by forthcoming work with Carey, Brandy, Christina Milian and Puff Daddy, the latter with a song called "Change" that The-Dream calls "probably one of the best male records I've ever written...the best record I've written besides 'Umbrella.'"
The "Umbrella" songwriter and solo artist tells Billboard.com he's "seven records in on a new album," tentatively titled "Love King" and targeted for a December release. "I have to pace myself 'cause there's so much time between here and then," The-Dream says, "but the seven records I do have are timeless records. Whether they come out now or later it's not really going to matter what kind of records they are."
And while his latest release, the gold-certified "Love vs. Money" -- which came out in March and debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 -- featured guest appearances by Mariah Carey, Lil Jon and Kanye West (on the current hit, "Walkin' on the Moon"), The-Dream says no features are set yet for the next album. "Usually it's one of those things where I kinda wait," he explains. "I wait 'til the end, and then who's ever doing their thing at that particular time, that's who I get."
The-Dream is balancing recording sessions with preparations in Los Angeles for his tour with Keyshia Coles, which starts Wednesday in Cincinnati. Unlike his "special guest" stint on last year's Jay-Z/Mary J. Blige trek, this tour will allow him to present "a bigger Dream," complete with four dancers and a five-piece band.
"I'm coming pretty stocked-up this time," he says with a laugh. "I'm like a kid in a toy store, like, 'Oh, this is gonna be fun!" I'm coming DVD-ready." And, in fact, he plans to film a DVD at some point during the tour, which wraps June 21 in Oakland, Calif.
The-Dream says fans can expect songs from his two albums but plans to offer only "hints" of the hits he's written for Rihanna, Usher, Carey, Blige, Jamie Foxx and others. "I don't have enough time," he explains, though there will be a cover of Michael Jackson's "Dirty Diana." "I've been trying to sing that song forever," The-Dream notes.
He's also planning his own headlining run for the fall, when his repertoire will be expanded not just by the "Love King" material but also by forthcoming work with Carey, Brandy, Christina Milian and Puff Daddy, the latter with a song called "Change" that The-Dream calls "probably one of the best male records I've ever written...the best record I've written besides 'Umbrella.'"
Vin Diesel is The Wheelman
Paramount Pictures has set John Singleton to direct and Lorenzo di Bonaventura to produce The Wheelman, a live-action adaptation of the Ubisoft video game "Wheelman." The game launched last month, with Diesel as its main character and the game's producer.
Diesel will play an expert driver who comes out of retirement to protect a woman from his past.
Rich Wilkes wrote the script; the writing team of Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell did a rewrite.
Di Bonaventura (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) will produce with Diesel and his One Race Films partner Samantha Vincent.
Diesel will play an expert driver who comes out of retirement to protect a woman from his past.
Rich Wilkes wrote the script; the writing team of Oliver Butcher and Stephen Cornwell did a rewrite.
Di Bonaventura (Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) will produce with Diesel and his One Race Films partner Samantha Vincent.
Keanu Reeves is Jekyll
Keanu Reeves will star in Jekyll, a modern day retelling of Robert Louis Stevenson’s 1886 classic novella The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Universal Pictures. The film will be directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, the filmmaker behind the Sundance hit Bronson and the 1996 Danish action crime thriller Pusher (you may have heard David Chen ramble on about this film, and the trilogy it spawned, in a previous /Filmcast). The film is being scripted by Justin Haythe, the BAFTA-nominated screenwriter of Revolutionary Road.
Details of Haythe’s contemporary re-imagining have not yet been revealed, but the original novella tells the tale of a “London lawyer who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the misanthropic Mr. Edward Hyde.” The story is best known for its portrayal of split personality, good vs. evil, and coining the popular phrase “Jekyll and Hyde”. The book has been adapted for film, tv and stage over 123 times.
Most adaptions tell the story from the viewpoint of Dr. Jekyll, eliminating the mystery aspect presented in the source material. I’m not sure a mystery could be told as the split personality character has become infused in pop culture. The BBC aired a six-part miniseries under the same title, which was also a contemporary adaptation, set in London. It will be interesting to see just how different Haythe’s take on the material may be.
If there is one thing Keanu Reeves is known for, it definitely isn’t the range of his acting abilities. Don’t get me wrong, he’s good at delivering a certain kind of performance. But I’m skeptical that he could pull off the split personality gig.
This project is unrelated to the announced Guillermo del Toro adaptation Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which went into development in 2008. With del Toro’s busy schedule, I doubt we might ever see that gothic horror adaptation, and if we ever do, it is likely to be 10-15 years down the line.
Details of Haythe’s contemporary re-imagining have not yet been revealed, but the original novella tells the tale of a “London lawyer who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend, Dr. Henry Jekyll, and the misanthropic Mr. Edward Hyde.” The story is best known for its portrayal of split personality, good vs. evil, and coining the popular phrase “Jekyll and Hyde”. The book has been adapted for film, tv and stage over 123 times.
Most adaptions tell the story from the viewpoint of Dr. Jekyll, eliminating the mystery aspect presented in the source material. I’m not sure a mystery could be told as the split personality character has become infused in pop culture. The BBC aired a six-part miniseries under the same title, which was also a contemporary adaptation, set in London. It will be interesting to see just how different Haythe’s take on the material may be.
If there is one thing Keanu Reeves is known for, it definitely isn’t the range of his acting abilities. Don’t get me wrong, he’s good at delivering a certain kind of performance. But I’m skeptical that he could pull off the split personality gig.
This project is unrelated to the announced Guillermo del Toro adaptation Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which went into development in 2008. With del Toro’s busy schedule, I doubt we might ever see that gothic horror adaptation, and if we ever do, it is likely to be 10-15 years down the line.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Nintendo Posts Massive Profits
The company's yearly report card comes in.
Nintendo today announced its results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. The company posted sales of more than 1.83 trillion yen (US $18.6 billion) and operating profits of more than 555 billion yen (US $5.6 billion). Nintendo also announced worldwide sales of close to 26 million Wiis and more than 31 million Nintendo DS systems in the past fiscal year. Nintendo has now sold over 50 million Wiis and over 100 million DS systems. Fiscal year retail software sales also rose for each platform from the previous year, reaching 197 million units for Nintendo DS, and over 204 million for Wii.
In terms of individual titles, Pokemon Platinum sold 3.75 million units in the last fiscal year, and Kirby Super Star Ultra sold 2.36 million units. The Brain Training games continued to sell well, totaling 7.31 million units in the last fiscal year and 31.12 million units in their life-to-date. On Wii, Mario Kart Wii sold 15.4 million units, Animal Crossing: City Folk sold 3.38 million units and Wii Music sold 2.65 million units. Unsurprisingly, Wii Fit was the biggest success of the year, selling 16.37 million units. There are now 91 million selling games on DS (up from 57) and 54 on Wii (up from 26).
The full figures for Nintendo's year on year performance are as follows. Sales rose 9.9% from the previous fiscal year, up to 1,838,622 million yen (US $18.6 billion), operating profit rose 14%, up to 555,263 yen (US $5.6 billion), recurring profit saw a small increase, up 1.8% to 448,695 (US $4.5 billion), while net profit rose 8.5% to 279,089 yen (US $2.8 billion).
For the fiscal year that kicked off on April 1, 2009, Nintendo is projecting that it will sell another 26 million Wii systems and 220 million Wii software units, and another 30 million Nintendo DS systems and 180 million pieces of DS software.
Nintendo today announced its results for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2009. The company posted sales of more than 1.83 trillion yen (US $18.6 billion) and operating profits of more than 555 billion yen (US $5.6 billion). Nintendo also announced worldwide sales of close to 26 million Wiis and more than 31 million Nintendo DS systems in the past fiscal year. Nintendo has now sold over 50 million Wiis and over 100 million DS systems. Fiscal year retail software sales also rose for each platform from the previous year, reaching 197 million units for Nintendo DS, and over 204 million for Wii.
In terms of individual titles, Pokemon Platinum sold 3.75 million units in the last fiscal year, and Kirby Super Star Ultra sold 2.36 million units. The Brain Training games continued to sell well, totaling 7.31 million units in the last fiscal year and 31.12 million units in their life-to-date. On Wii, Mario Kart Wii sold 15.4 million units, Animal Crossing: City Folk sold 3.38 million units and Wii Music sold 2.65 million units. Unsurprisingly, Wii Fit was the biggest success of the year, selling 16.37 million units. There are now 91 million selling games on DS (up from 57) and 54 on Wii (up from 26).
The full figures for Nintendo's year on year performance are as follows. Sales rose 9.9% from the previous fiscal year, up to 1,838,622 million yen (US $18.6 billion), operating profit rose 14%, up to 555,263 yen (US $5.6 billion), recurring profit saw a small increase, up 1.8% to 448,695 (US $4.5 billion), while net profit rose 8.5% to 279,089 yen (US $2.8 billion).
For the fiscal year that kicked off on April 1, 2009, Nintendo is projecting that it will sell another 26 million Wii systems and 220 million Wii software units, and another 30 million Nintendo DS systems and 180 million pieces of DS software.
Green Lantern, Happy Feet 2, Harold & Kumar and more
With no lead officially cast in Martin (Casino Royale) Campbell's take on the DC Comics superhero Green Lantern, Warner Bros. has decided to push the Emerald Knight's big screen debut back six months to June 17, 2011 from its original scheduled date of December 17, 2010. No word whether this will affect the plans to start shooting in Australia in September or whether the move is to give Campbell more time for post-production and special FX.
At the same time, Campbell's next film, the Mel Gibson-starrer Edge of Darkness, has been given a January 29, 2010 release date by Warner Bros.
The studio has also moved Zack Snyder's next live action film Sucker Punch! from October '10 back to March 25, 2011, and announced a November 18, 2011 release date for George Miller's sequel to the Oscar-winning Happy Feet, simply called Happy Feet 2 in 3D. (That's almost five years to the date after the release of the original movie.)
Lastly, the third buddy comedy movie teaming the pot-smoking characters made famous by John Cho and Kal Penn has also been given a title and a release date, as New Line will be releasing A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas on November 5, 2010, just in time for the holidays.
At the same time, Campbell's next film, the Mel Gibson-starrer Edge of Darkness, has been given a January 29, 2010 release date by Warner Bros.
The studio has also moved Zack Snyder's next live action film Sucker Punch! from October '10 back to March 25, 2011, and announced a November 18, 2011 release date for George Miller's sequel to the Oscar-winning Happy Feet, simply called Happy Feet 2 in 3D. (That's almost five years to the date after the release of the original movie.)
Lastly, the third buddy comedy movie teaming the pot-smoking characters made famous by John Cho and Kal Penn has also been given a title and a release date, as New Line will be releasing A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas on November 5, 2010, just in time for the holidays.
Dwayne Johnson to Move Faster
CBS Films is in final negotiations with Dwayne Johnson to star in Faster, an action drama that will be Johnson's next film, reports Variety.
The movie will be helmed by Phil Joanou, who directed Johnson in Gridiron Gang. Joe and Tony Gayton wrote the script.
Johnson will play an ex-con bent on avenging the death of his brother, murdered 10 years earlier when the two were double-crossed during a heist.
Shooting is set to begin in August.
The movie will be helmed by Phil Joanou, who directed Johnson in Gridiron Gang. Joe and Tony Gayton wrote the script.
Johnson will play an ex-con bent on avenging the death of his brother, murdered 10 years earlier when the two were double-crossed during a heist.
Shooting is set to begin in August.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Family Guy Movie Coming Soon?
Last week, McFarlane’s show American Dad reached a milestone with 100 episodes aired. At the party to celebrate, McFarlane talked to Wired about the possibility of a Family Guy big screen movie and it became clearly that one was not only likely, it was just about inevitable. Quotes beyond the fold.
So here’s McFarlane on the Family Guy movie:
"We want to do it. Fox wants it. We know what we want to do with it. It’s just a question of finding the time. That’s why The Simpsons took so many years to do theirs. It wasn’t because they didn’t know what they wanted to do with it. They just couldn’t fit it into the schedule. There’s so much to do for a weekly animated series — twice as much as you have to do for a live-action show. So, we’re finding time where we can. We’re in the early stages right now."
Inevitable, really, I suppose. There have been feature length Family Guy DVDs before, but to the best of my knowledge they were effectively multiple episodes stitched together, as with the Futurama releases of the last twelve months or so.
Personally, I’m with Cartoon Brew’s Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi on the subject of Family Guy and Seth McFarlane’s other TV shows - basically, that they’re utterly dreadful and that culture would be better served by broadcasting white noise in their place - but I do know they have their fans. Indeed, Family Guy ranks alongside the Snakes on a Plane reshoots and Firefly spin off Serenity as a testament to fan power in action as the show was canceled and then recommissioned after tremendous sales on DVD.
One of the criticism most frequently levelled against Family Guy is that it steals its jokes from other, better shows and that one is pretty much undeniable. Plenty of other animators hate the show too - indeed, there’s a Wikipedia page dedicated to folk’s dislike of Family Guy. You don’t see that for every show now, do you?
So here’s McFarlane on the Family Guy movie:
"We want to do it. Fox wants it. We know what we want to do with it. It’s just a question of finding the time. That’s why The Simpsons took so many years to do theirs. It wasn’t because they didn’t know what they wanted to do with it. They just couldn’t fit it into the schedule. There’s so much to do for a weekly animated series — twice as much as you have to do for a live-action show. So, we’re finding time where we can. We’re in the early stages right now."
Inevitable, really, I suppose. There have been feature length Family Guy DVDs before, but to the best of my knowledge they were effectively multiple episodes stitched together, as with the Futurama releases of the last twelve months or so.
Personally, I’m with Cartoon Brew’s Jerry Beck and Amid Amidi on the subject of Family Guy and Seth McFarlane’s other TV shows - basically, that they’re utterly dreadful and that culture would be better served by broadcasting white noise in their place - but I do know they have their fans. Indeed, Family Guy ranks alongside the Snakes on a Plane reshoots and Firefly spin off Serenity as a testament to fan power in action as the show was canceled and then recommissioned after tremendous sales on DVD.
One of the criticism most frequently levelled against Family Guy is that it steals its jokes from other, better shows and that one is pretty much undeniable. Plenty of other animators hate the show too - indeed, there’s a Wikipedia page dedicated to folk’s dislike of Family Guy. You don’t see that for every show now, do you?
'Deadpool' spinoff in works at Fox
Ryan Reynolds to reprise role in "Wolverine" spinoff
Fresh off the muscular performance of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" at the boxoffice, Fox has thrown into development a spinoff featuring Deadpool, the wise-cracking mercenary played in the film by Ryan Reynolds.
Reynolds is attached to reprise the character for what for now is simply being called "Deadpool." Lauren Shuler Donner and Marvel Studios would act as producers.
Deadpool is known as "the merc with a mouth," a character that under Reynolds lived up to his billing in "Wolverine" until the end, when the movie deviated from the comic book persona, imbuing him with several superpowers and sewing his mouth shut.
It is understood that Reynolds would regain the ability to mouth off, with the movie going back to the roots of the character known for his slapstick tone and propensity to break the fourth wall. The character also was disfigured in "Wolverine," though it's unclear at this time how much the studio would want to mess with Reynolds' handsome mug.
The project is out to writers.
Fox considered a "Deadpool" spinoff early in "Wolverine's" development process, which is why it cast Reynolds. The actor was brought back in the month before the movie's release to shoot one of two "Easter egg" scenes that appeared after the end credits. The scene showed Deadpool alive, though when last audiences saw him, he appeared to be dead.
UTA-repped Reynolds next stars opposite Sandra Bullock in Disney's romantic comedy "The Proposal."
Fresh off the muscular performance of "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" at the boxoffice, Fox has thrown into development a spinoff featuring Deadpool, the wise-cracking mercenary played in the film by Ryan Reynolds.
Reynolds is attached to reprise the character for what for now is simply being called "Deadpool." Lauren Shuler Donner and Marvel Studios would act as producers.
Deadpool is known as "the merc with a mouth," a character that under Reynolds lived up to his billing in "Wolverine" until the end, when the movie deviated from the comic book persona, imbuing him with several superpowers and sewing his mouth shut.
It is understood that Reynolds would regain the ability to mouth off, with the movie going back to the roots of the character known for his slapstick tone and propensity to break the fourth wall. The character also was disfigured in "Wolverine," though it's unclear at this time how much the studio would want to mess with Reynolds' handsome mug.
The project is out to writers.
Fox considered a "Deadpool" spinoff early in "Wolverine's" development process, which is why it cast Reynolds. The actor was brought back in the month before the movie's release to shoot one of two "Easter egg" scenes that appeared after the end credits. The scene showed Deadpool alive, though when last audiences saw him, he appeared to be dead.
UTA-repped Reynolds next stars opposite Sandra Bullock in Disney's romantic comedy "The Proposal."
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