Sony Pictures is close to a deal to make a feature film on Michael Jackson drawing on the 80 hours of rehearsal footage filmed for concerts Jackson was preparing to perform in London, reports Variety.
The studio is expected to pay more than $50 million for worldwide rights to AEG Entertainment, which owns the footage and showed it to studios last week.
The film will feature at least three videos, including an alternative version of Jackson's "Thriller," which were shot to be interstitial programming during the London concerts. The footage was meant to play in 3-D, but it's unclear as yet whether the feature film will present it that way.
"High School Musical" director Kenny Ortega, who shot the rehearsal footage, is expected to direct the feature, and sources said he's already beginning to put together the footage so Sony can release the film before year's end.
Sony Pictures' sibling company Sony Music Entertainment owns music publishing rights to Jackson's songs.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Harry Potter Dominates World Box Office with $396.7M
The ComingSoon.net Box Office Report has been updated with studio estimates for the weekend.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince dominated the worldwide box office its first five days, opening to an estimated $159.7 million in North American--the sixth-biggest domestic opening ever--and $237 million from 54 international markets, a new record. The worldwide take of $396.7 million after five days is also a record, surpassing the $381.7 million made by Spider-Man 3 in 2007 its first five days. The sixth installment of Warner Bros.' "Harry Potter" franchise cost about $235 million to make. Domestically it opened bigger than its predecessor Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which collected $139.7 million its first five days. "Half-Blood Prince" had the second-biggest start for a movie premiering on a Wednesday, trailing the $200 million five-day opening of last month's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The Dark Knight holds the five-day domestic record with $203.8 million. For the three-day weekend, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince earned $79.5 million in North America, averaging an impressive $18,376 from 4,325 theaters.
20th Century Fox's Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs remained in second place with an additional $17.7 million to bring its three-week total to $152 million. Internationally, the film has reached $429 million, ahead of the "Transformers" sequel with $398 million. The worldwide total stands at $581 million.
Paramount/DreamWorks' Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen also kept its spot from last week, adding $13.8 million in third place for a sum of $363.9 million, easily the top earner domestically this year so far. It has climbed to the 13th spot on the all-time domestic list. The Michael Bay sequel has almost crossed the $400 million mark internationally and sits at $398 million, good for a massive worldwide take of $761.9 million.
Universal's Brüno suffered a 72.7% fall in ticket sales its second weekend and dropped from first to fourth with $8.4 million. The Sacha Baron Cohen comedy has made $49.6 million domestically after 10 days. Overseas, the film earned $10.6 million this weekend to push its foreign total to $46 million and a worldwide tally of $95.6 million.
In its seventh weekend in theaters, Warner Bros.' The Hangover continued to impress, taking in another $8.3 million for a total of $235.9 million, the highest ever for an R-rated comedy, surpassing Beverly Hills Cop's $234.8 million. Internationally, the comedy has earned $84.2 million and has reached $320.1 million worldwide.
In limited release, Fox Searchlight's (500) Days of Summer collected a strong $837,588 from just 27 theaters for an average of $31,022 per theater.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince dominated the worldwide box office its first five days, opening to an estimated $159.7 million in North American--the sixth-biggest domestic opening ever--and $237 million from 54 international markets, a new record. The worldwide take of $396.7 million after five days is also a record, surpassing the $381.7 million made by Spider-Man 3 in 2007 its first five days. The sixth installment of Warner Bros.' "Harry Potter" franchise cost about $235 million to make. Domestically it opened bigger than its predecessor Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, which collected $139.7 million its first five days. "Half-Blood Prince" had the second-biggest start for a movie premiering on a Wednesday, trailing the $200 million five-day opening of last month's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. The Dark Knight holds the five-day domestic record with $203.8 million. For the three-day weekend, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince earned $79.5 million in North America, averaging an impressive $18,376 from 4,325 theaters.
20th Century Fox's Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs remained in second place with an additional $17.7 million to bring its three-week total to $152 million. Internationally, the film has reached $429 million, ahead of the "Transformers" sequel with $398 million. The worldwide total stands at $581 million.
Paramount/DreamWorks' Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen also kept its spot from last week, adding $13.8 million in third place for a sum of $363.9 million, easily the top earner domestically this year so far. It has climbed to the 13th spot on the all-time domestic list. The Michael Bay sequel has almost crossed the $400 million mark internationally and sits at $398 million, good for a massive worldwide take of $761.9 million.
Universal's Brüno suffered a 72.7% fall in ticket sales its second weekend and dropped from first to fourth with $8.4 million. The Sacha Baron Cohen comedy has made $49.6 million domestically after 10 days. Overseas, the film earned $10.6 million this weekend to push its foreign total to $46 million and a worldwide tally of $95.6 million.
In its seventh weekend in theaters, Warner Bros.' The Hangover continued to impress, taking in another $8.3 million for a total of $235.9 million, the highest ever for an R-rated comedy, surpassing Beverly Hills Cop's $234.8 million. Internationally, the comedy has earned $84.2 million and has reached $320.1 million worldwide.
In limited release, Fox Searchlight's (500) Days of Summer collected a strong $837,588 from just 27 theaters for an average of $31,022 per theater.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Writers Carry on Jigsaw's Work in Saw VII
Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton are going to script Saw 7 for Twisted Pictures, reports Variety. The announcement comes a few months before Saw VI, directed by Kevin Greutert, opens on October 23.
Dunstan and Melton have been on the lucrative franchise since part 4. Since then, they penned two more "Feast" sequels for Dimension and collaborated on the upcoming The Collector, which Dunstan directed.
Saw VII will hit theaters in October of 2010.
Dunstan and Melton have been on the lucrative franchise since part 4. Since then, they penned two more "Feast" sequels for Dimension and collaborated on the upcoming The Collector, which Dunstan directed.
Saw VII will hit theaters in October of 2010.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
John Goodman Reports to Fox's Station
John Goodman has joined the cast of Fox's new comedy pilot The Station, Variety reports.
Produced by Ben Stiller, Station centers on a group of covert CIA operatives in South America who are tasked with installing a new dictator. Goodman will play Ted Gannon, a CIA vet who's in charge of the Altamara Station.
The Emmy-winning Roseanne alum joins Justin Bartha, Whitney Cummings, Rob Huebel and Julio Oscar Mechoso on the series. Goodman's last television gig was a two-episode arc on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip in 2006.
Produced by Ben Stiller, Station centers on a group of covert CIA operatives in South America who are tasked with installing a new dictator. Goodman will play Ted Gannon, a CIA vet who's in charge of the Altamara Station.
The Emmy-winning Roseanne alum joins Justin Bartha, Whitney Cummings, Rob Huebel and Julio Oscar Mechoso on the series. Goodman's last television gig was a two-episode arc on Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip in 2006.
Ratings for Dark Blue, Leverage, Big Brother and More
Some recent ratings highlights:
Wednesday
• America's Got Talent topped the night with 11.38 million total viewers, up 9 percent over last week. Lead-out The Philanthropist dropped another 15 percent, to 4.34 mil.
• The premiere of TNT's Dark Blue copped 3.5 million viewers, retaining an impressive 90 percent of its Leverage lead-in. Leverage's Season 2 premiere garnered 3.8 mil, a 24 percent gain over its series debut.
Thursday
• Big Brother 11 won the 8 o'clock hour with 5.57 million viewers, down 17 percent from last week. ABC News' special on Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling placed third (behind a Bones repeat) with 4.38 mil.
• So You Think You Can Dance's results show drew 7 mil, down 750K from last week. NBC's The Listener (3.86 mil), in its second-to-last broadcast airing, gained 620 thou. (Following the July 23 airing, NBC.com will stream the final five episodes in August.)
Wednesday
• America's Got Talent topped the night with 11.38 million total viewers, up 9 percent over last week. Lead-out The Philanthropist dropped another 15 percent, to 4.34 mil.
• The premiere of TNT's Dark Blue copped 3.5 million viewers, retaining an impressive 90 percent of its Leverage lead-in. Leverage's Season 2 premiere garnered 3.8 mil, a 24 percent gain over its series debut.
Thursday
• Big Brother 11 won the 8 o'clock hour with 5.57 million viewers, down 17 percent from last week. ABC News' special on Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling placed third (behind a Bones repeat) with 4.38 mil.
• So You Think You Can Dance's results show drew 7 mil, down 750K from last week. NBC's The Listener (3.86 mil), in its second-to-last broadcast airing, gained 620 thou. (Following the July 23 airing, NBC.com will stream the final five episodes in August.)
Friday, July 17, 2009
Russell Crowe Pursuing More Master & Commander?
An AP story that I caught via USAToday says that Russell Crowe is looking to reprise his role from Master & Commander. He says a script has been completed based on The Reverse of the Medal, which is novel number eleven in the twenty-volume series by Patrick O’Brian. Speculation has long run rampant that Crowe was pursuing another film, but this is the first real confirmation we’ve had. The report doesn’t name the screenwriter.
Given that the film has been a favorite among Crowe fans and that another seventeen novels remain unadapted (the first film drew from three books), sequel talk has cropped up occasionally in the years since Peter Wier’s film appeared in 2003. But in 2005 Weir said he didn’t think it was likely, which isn’t a huge surprise. Making a big nautical adventure is expensive, and Master & Commander isn’t the sort of film that sets the box office on fire. Doing another $150m adult adventure picture at sea seems like a risky move. It’s not the sort of movie Fox makes now. Crowe isn’t even signed for another film, though Paul Bettany and other cast members were signed to multiple pictures at one time. That was six, seven years ago, however, and probably doesn’t mean anything now.
Indeed, Crowe is quoted saying “there’s still a long way to go,” in the process to getting another film made. I won’t pretend to have read the books, but following is a block quote of synopsis from Amazon. Regardless, I’d love to see another film in this series. As the AV Club has noted, this could easily have been the beginning of a great franchise, and one with some hilariously memorable sequences: “Fox should green-light an adaptation of the second novel, Post Captain, solely for the sequence where Russell Crowe sneaks across the Spanish border in a bear costume.”
Brief synopsis:
Ashore between cruises, Captain Jack Aubrey is persuaded to sink some money into an investment scheme. Soon this innocent decision enmeshes him in various criminal and even treasonous enterprises, which threaten to destroy his entire career. Bad luck? A deliberate plot?
Given that the film has been a favorite among Crowe fans and that another seventeen novels remain unadapted (the first film drew from three books), sequel talk has cropped up occasionally in the years since Peter Wier’s film appeared in 2003. But in 2005 Weir said he didn’t think it was likely, which isn’t a huge surprise. Making a big nautical adventure is expensive, and Master & Commander isn’t the sort of film that sets the box office on fire. Doing another $150m adult adventure picture at sea seems like a risky move. It’s not the sort of movie Fox makes now. Crowe isn’t even signed for another film, though Paul Bettany and other cast members were signed to multiple pictures at one time. That was six, seven years ago, however, and probably doesn’t mean anything now.
Indeed, Crowe is quoted saying “there’s still a long way to go,” in the process to getting another film made. I won’t pretend to have read the books, but following is a block quote of synopsis from Amazon. Regardless, I’d love to see another film in this series. As the AV Club has noted, this could easily have been the beginning of a great franchise, and one with some hilariously memorable sequences: “Fox should green-light an adaptation of the second novel, Post Captain, solely for the sequence where Russell Crowe sneaks across the Spanish border in a bear costume.”
Brief synopsis:
Ashore between cruises, Captain Jack Aubrey is persuaded to sink some money into an investment scheme. Soon this innocent decision enmeshes him in various criminal and even treasonous enterprises, which threaten to destroy his entire career. Bad luck? A deliberate plot?
Ed Helms Heads for Cedar Rapids
Ed Helms will follow The Hangover with Cedar Rapids, an Alexander Payne-produced comedy to be directed by Miguel Arteta, reports Variety.
Shooting will begin in October, when Helms is on hiatus from NBC sitcom "The Office."
Helms will play a sad-sack insurance agent who goes to an industry convention to try to save the jobs of his colleagues.
The script was written by Phil Johnston, who developed it with Helms. Fox Searchlight will likely distribute the film.
Shooting will begin in October, when Helms is on hiatus from NBC sitcom "The Office."
Helms will play a sad-sack insurance agent who goes to an industry convention to try to save the jobs of his colleagues.
The script was written by Phil Johnston, who developed it with Helms. Fox Searchlight will likely distribute the film.
Harry Potter 6 Sets One-Day Worldwide Record
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince earned $104 million worldwide during its first day in theaters on Wednesday, setting a new record.
The film grossed $58.18 million in North America and $45.85 million overseas on Wednesday.
"Quite simply, we owe this record-breaking opening to the remarkable fans who have stood by us and who stood in line to be among the first to see 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,'" Warner Bros President and Chief Operating Officer Alan Horn said in a statement.
The previous "Harry Potter" movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, earned $937 million worldwide total.
The film grossed $58.18 million in North America and $45.85 million overseas on Wednesday.
"Quite simply, we owe this record-breaking opening to the remarkable fans who have stood by us and who stood in line to be among the first to see 'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,'" Warner Bros President and Chief Operating Officer Alan Horn said in a statement.
The previous "Harry Potter" movie, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, earned $937 million worldwide total.
Resident Evil: Afterlife Starts Shooting in September
ShockTillYouDrop.com broke the news to you earlier this month that Screen Gems was gearing up for Resident Evil: Afterlife.
A release date's been set (September 17, 2010), Milla Jovovich is back and Paul W.S. Anderson has penned the script. No word on a director yet, however, Production Weekly reports the fourth entry has locked in an 8-week shooting schedule at Cinespace Film Studios in Toronto. Shooting begins on September 28th.
This bring the "Resident Evil" franchise back to Canada after 2004's Resident Evil: Apocalypse. The last entry, "Extinction," lensed in Mexico.
A release date's been set (September 17, 2010), Milla Jovovich is back and Paul W.S. Anderson has penned the script. No word on a director yet, however, Production Weekly reports the fourth entry has locked in an 8-week shooting schedule at Cinespace Film Studios in Toronto. Shooting begins on September 28th.
This bring the "Resident Evil" franchise back to Canada after 2004's Resident Evil: Apocalypse. The last entry, "Extinction," lensed in Mexico.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Rakim Ready To Release 'The Seventh Seal'
"The Seventh Seal," the long-anticipated album by rap legend Rakim, is slated for release in the fall, Billboard has learned exclusively. The project's first single, "Holy Are You," will drop July 28.
The album is being released on Rakim's Ra Records label in a joint venture with Tuscan Villa Entertainment, headed by industry veterans Ron Kyle and Lennie Petze. In turn, Tuscan Villa is entered in a joint venture pact with SMC Recordings whose principals are Ralph Tashjian and Will Bronson. Handling distribution for Rakim's album is Fontana/Universal Music Group. The rapper is managed by Matthew Kemp.
The rapper signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath label in 2001. Featured on the 2002 top 10 R&B single "Addictive" by Aftermath labelmate Truth Hurts, Rakim later parted ways with Dre and Aftermath and his album was never released. Rakim - best known as one-half of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim - has not released a new studio album save for 2008's mostly live set, "The Archive: Live, Lost & Found," which included four previously unreleased songs.
The rapper tells Billboard the new album is fueled by consciousness and spirituality:
BB: What's the story behind the title, "The Seventh Seal"?
RAKIM: The seals are from the Bible- Revelations and the coming of the Apocalypse. But Islam, Judaism, Christianity: all have a version of the same events. The Lion of Judah breaks the seven seals one by one, each imparting knowledge and inflicting catastrophe, ending with seven trumpets announcing the end of Times. After the Apocalypse, God rises from the ashes to recreate the Kingdom, taking only the greatest elements from the past with them.
When you look at Hip-Hop, I want to do that: to spit fire and take our best from the ashes to build our kingdom; to recognize all the regional styles, conscious lyrics, the tracks, underground, mainstream, the way we treat each other. Lose the garbage and rebuild our scene. I've always tried to insert consciousness and spirituality in my records, interpreting the writings of all cultures and religions and how they apply to life in modern times.
BB: Does this album contain any material from the unreleased album you did with Dr. Dre or is it all new music?
RAKIM: No, that's locked down in the lab for now. This is me live from New York City, everything brand new.
BB: Who produced the album? Are there any guest features?
RAKIM: I'm going to keep that cat in the bag for one more minute. But you'll see names you know and names you don't recognize yet but will after this drops. We've got our New York dudes on there, but we reached out to everybody. We have some features too; special cats in the right places but not everywhere.
BB: Are you concerned at all about reaching the new generation of hip-hop fans who aren't necessarily familiar with your music?
RAKIM: I don't accept that the new generation is looking for anything different than what we've always been looking for. Depending on the moment, they want bangers that make them crack their neck, they want tracks that put them in a zone where they can sit back and chill. The ladies want something that makes them feel sexy and loved. And everyone wants something that makes them think a little bit-at least sometimes. Every generation wants that real hip-hop. And I've always been able to bring that.
BB: Is there a chance that you and Dr. Dre may work together again in the future?
RAKIM: No doubt if the project and the timing are right. He's got his thing going on and I got mine. But I know our camps will look for ways to mix things up.
The album is being released on Rakim's Ra Records label in a joint venture with Tuscan Villa Entertainment, headed by industry veterans Ron Kyle and Lennie Petze. In turn, Tuscan Villa is entered in a joint venture pact with SMC Recordings whose principals are Ralph Tashjian and Will Bronson. Handling distribution for Rakim's album is Fontana/Universal Music Group. The rapper is managed by Matthew Kemp.
The rapper signed with Dr. Dre's Aftermath label in 2001. Featured on the 2002 top 10 R&B single "Addictive" by Aftermath labelmate Truth Hurts, Rakim later parted ways with Dre and Aftermath and his album was never released. Rakim - best known as one-half of the rap duo Eric B. & Rakim - has not released a new studio album save for 2008's mostly live set, "The Archive: Live, Lost & Found," which included four previously unreleased songs.
The rapper tells Billboard the new album is fueled by consciousness and spirituality:
BB: What's the story behind the title, "The Seventh Seal"?
RAKIM: The seals are from the Bible- Revelations and the coming of the Apocalypse. But Islam, Judaism, Christianity: all have a version of the same events. The Lion of Judah breaks the seven seals one by one, each imparting knowledge and inflicting catastrophe, ending with seven trumpets announcing the end of Times. After the Apocalypse, God rises from the ashes to recreate the Kingdom, taking only the greatest elements from the past with them.
When you look at Hip-Hop, I want to do that: to spit fire and take our best from the ashes to build our kingdom; to recognize all the regional styles, conscious lyrics, the tracks, underground, mainstream, the way we treat each other. Lose the garbage and rebuild our scene. I've always tried to insert consciousness and spirituality in my records, interpreting the writings of all cultures and religions and how they apply to life in modern times.
BB: Does this album contain any material from the unreleased album you did with Dr. Dre or is it all new music?
RAKIM: No, that's locked down in the lab for now. This is me live from New York City, everything brand new.
BB: Who produced the album? Are there any guest features?
RAKIM: I'm going to keep that cat in the bag for one more minute. But you'll see names you know and names you don't recognize yet but will after this drops. We've got our New York dudes on there, but we reached out to everybody. We have some features too; special cats in the right places but not everywhere.
BB: Are you concerned at all about reaching the new generation of hip-hop fans who aren't necessarily familiar with your music?
RAKIM: I don't accept that the new generation is looking for anything different than what we've always been looking for. Depending on the moment, they want bangers that make them crack their neck, they want tracks that put them in a zone where they can sit back and chill. The ladies want something that makes them feel sexy and loved. And everyone wants something that makes them think a little bit-at least sometimes. Every generation wants that real hip-hop. And I've always been able to bring that.
BB: Is there a chance that you and Dr. Dre may work together again in the future?
RAKIM: No doubt if the project and the timing are right. He's got his thing going on and I got mine. But I know our camps will look for ways to mix things up.
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