Box Office Center

Megan Fox Dropped From 'Transformers 3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 20 May 2010 09:57:00 +0000

Megan Fox has been axed from "Transformers 3," Access Hollywood has confirmed.

A source at Paramount, the studio behind the film, told Access that Megan, who played star Shia LaBeouf's love interest in the franchise, would not return for the third movie.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: 'Transformers' Sexy Siren Megan Fox

The source said that in order to take Shia's character - Samuel James Witwicky -- in a new direction, it was better if Sam wasn't tied down to a love interest.

On Wednesday night, however, reps for the actress told People that it was Megan's decision to leave the movie.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: See Megan Fox & More Stars In Their Underwear

"Megan Fox will not be starring in 'Transformers 3,'" the reps told the mag. "It was her decision not to return. She wishes the franchise the best."

A rep for Megan was not immediately available for comment when contacted by Access Hollywood on Wednesday.

Nikki Finke, who first reported the news for Deadline that Megan was out, claimed that decision was "ultimately" director Michael Bay's.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Summer Movies 2010

Bay's rep was also not immediatley available for comment when contacted by Access.

The news of Megan's departure from the "Transformers 3" cast comes just months after a dispute emerged between Megan, unnamed "Transformers" crewmembers and even the director.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Katy! Zoe! Megan! Oh My! Maxim's 2010 Hot 100: The Top 20

Megan compared her director to "Hitler" and "Napoleon" during an interview with Britain's Wonderland Magazine's September/October 2009 issue.

"He's like Napoleon and he wants to create this insane, infamous mad-man reputation," Megan said at the time.

"He wants to be like Hitler on his sets, and he is," she continued. "So he's a nightmare to work for but when you get him away from set, and he's not in director mode, I kind of really enjoy his personality because he's so awkward, so hopelessly awkward."

Shortly thereafter, members of the "Transformers" crew posted an open letter on the director's site, condemning the actress for her behavior on set, calling Megan, "the grump of the set," as well as "thankless, classless, graceless" and "unfriendly."

The letter was quickly removed and Michael eventually addressed all the comments a short while later.

"I don't condone the crew letter to Megan. And I don't condone Megan's outlandish quotes," Bay wrote in a blog post on his official Web site. "But her crazy quips are part of her crazy charm. The fact of the matter I still love working with her, and I know we still get along. I even expect more crazy quotes from her on Transformers 3."

"Transformers 3" has reportedly already begun filming.

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com

Juno Temple eyes role of 'Musketeers' queen

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:20:00 +0000

source: The Hollywood Reporter

Rising indie actress Juno Temple is about to be crowned queen.

The 21-year-old British actress is in negotiations to play the royal highness in the 3D version of the classic tale of "The Three Musketeers." The project begins shooting in September with Paul W.S. Anderson directing.

Logan Lerman, Ray Stevenson, Luke Evans, Matthew Macfayden, Christoph Waltz, Mads Mikkelsen and Milla Jovovich also star in the film.

Anderson also is producing with Impact Pictures' Jeremy Bolt and Constantin Film's Robert Kulzer. Constantin, with which Impact has a joint venture, will finance the production. Summit is distributing domestically and handling foreign sales.

The role will reunite Temple with Jovovich, both of whom recently wrapped shooting Killer Films' "Dirty Girl," in which Temple has the title role.

The actress, onscreen with Ben Stiller in "Greenberg," has been on a roll lately. In addition to "Dirty Girl," Temple recently wrapped shooting the indie feature "Goodnight Moon" with AnnaSophia Robb and is about to start production on the indie "Jack & Diane." She is repped by UTA and Troika Talent in the U.K.

Detained Iranian director started hunger strike: website

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 May 2010 08:16:00 +0000

TEHRAN (Reuters) - Iranian film director Jafar Panahi has started a hunger strike in prison, his wife told an opposition website on Tuesday.

Panahi, winner of many international awards and a supporter of opposition leader Mirhossein Mousavi in last year's disputed presidential election, was arrested in early March along with his wife and daughter.

His family was later released and he was taken to Tehran's Evin prison.

"I was taken to interrogation on Sunday morning and was accused of having filmed the cell, which is a sheer lie," Panahi told his family by telephone on Tuesday, according to Jaras website.

"I have not eaten or drunk since Sunday morning and will continue to do so until these demands are met," Jaras quoted him as saying.

Panahi has demanded access to his lawyer, to receive visits by his family, and an unconditional release until a court hearing is held, his wife Tahereh Saeedi told Jaras.

The director backed Mousavi in last year's disputed presidential election, which plunged the Islamic Republic into months of political turmoil.

Iran's pro-reform opposition says the vote was rigged to secure President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's re-election but the authorities portrayed the huge opposition protests that erupted after the vote as a foreign-backed bid to undermine the clerical establishment.

Thousands of opposition supporters were detained after the election. Most of them have since been freed but more than 80 people have been jailed for up to 15 years. Two people put on trial after the election have been executed.

Two senior French ministers last week called on Iran to free Panahi so he can take up an invitation to sit on the jury of the Cannes film festival which opened on Wednesday.

Panahi won the Camera d'Or prize at the Cannes film festival, for his 1995 movie, "White Balloon".

Iron Man 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 12 May 2010 01:32:00 +0000

The world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark is the armored Super Hero Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts, and James "Rhodey" Rhodes at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces.

Production Status: Released
Genres: Action/Adventure, Science Fiction/Fantasy, Adaptation and Sequel
Running Time: 2 hr. 5 min.
Release Date: May 7th, 2010 (wide)
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence, and some language.
Distributors: Paramount Pictures
Production Co.: Marvel Studios
Studios: Paramount Pictures
U.S. Box Office: $128,122,480
Filming Locations: Manhattan Beach, California USA
Manhattan Beach, California, USA
Produced in: United States

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Produced by: Jon Favreau, Stan Lee, Denis L. Stewart

The Rise of the Apes Will Happen June 24, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 May 2010 02:24:00 +0000

Source: Twentieth Century Fox

Twentieth Century Fox has set a June 24, 2011 release for Rise of the Apes, a completely new take on one of the studio's most beloved and successful franchises. Oscar®-winning visual effects house Weta Digital – employing certain of the groundbreaking technologies developed for Avatar – will render, for the first time ever in the film series, photo-realistic apes rather than costumed actors.

Peter Chernin and Dylan Clark will produce for Chernin Entertainment under its new pact with Fox. Acclaimed filmmaker Rupert Wyatt (The Escapist) is directing from a screenplay by Amanda Silver and Rick Jaffa, who also are producing.

Rise of the Apes (tentative title) is an origin story in the truest sense of the term. Set in present day San Francisco, the film is a reality-based cautionary tale, a science fiction/science fact blend, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.

Tom Cruise Will Accept Mission: Impossible IV a Bit Later

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 May 2010 02:22:00 +0000

Source: Paramount Pictures

Paramount Pictures has taken Mission: Impossible IV out of the summer of 2011 and moved it to December 16, 2011. Previously scheduled for a May 27, 2011 release, the movie will now face Fox's Alvin and the Chipmunks 3D on Dec. 16.

Paramount has also announced it will release the J.J. Abrams-directed Super 8 in summer 2011. The "secret" Steven Spielberg-produced film has a teaser trailer that debuts in theaters with Iron Man 2.

A Nightmare On Elm Street

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 07 May 2010 02:15:00 +0000

Synopsis:
Nancy (Rooney Mara), Kris (Katie Cassidy), Quentin (Kyle Gallner), Jesse (Thomas Dekker) and Dean (Kellan Lutz) all live on Elm Street. At night, they're all having the same dream - of the same man, wearing a tattered red and green striped sweater, a beaten fedora half-concealing a disfigured face and a gardener's glove with knives for fingers. And they're all hearing the same frightening voice...

One by one, he terrorizes them within the curved walls of their dreams, where the rules are his, and the only way out is to wake up.

But when one of their number dies a violent death, they soon realize that what happens in their dreams happens for real, and the only way to stay alive is to stay awake. Turning to each other, the four surviving friends try to uncover how they became part of this dark fairytale, hunted by this dark man. Functioning on little to no sleep, they struggle to understand why them, why now, and what their parents aren't telling them.

Buried in their past is a debt that has just come due, and to save themselves, they will have to plunge themselves into the mind of the most twisted nightmare of all... Freddy Krueger.

Also Known As: Untitled (New Line Cinema/Platinum Dunes Nightmare on Elm Street)
Production Status: Released
Genres: Suspense/Horror and Remake
Release Date: April 30th, 2010 (wide)
MPAA Rating: R for strong bloody horror violence, disturbing images, terror and language. .
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
Production Co.: Platinum Dunes
Studios: New Line Cinema
U.S. Box Office: $32,902,299
Filming Locations: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Produced in: United States

Cast & Crew

Starring:

Jackie Earle Haley....................................Freddie Krueger

Rooney Mara...........................................Nancy Thompson

Kyle Gallner.............................................Quentin

Katie Cassidy............................................Kris

Thomas Dekker........................................Jesse

Kellan Lutz...............................................Dean

Connie Britton...........................................Marge Thompson

Directed By: Sam Bayer

Felony charges dropped against actor Randy Quaid

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:37:00 +0000

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Randy Quaid won't have to worry about missing any more court appearances after prosecutors dropped felony charges Wednesday against the actor.

Quaid's wife Evi, however, will be on probation for three years after she pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of defrauding an innkeeper. She also will have to perform 240 hours of community service.

"This is a very fair resolution of the matter," said attorney Robert Sanger, who represents the couple. "The Quaids are pleased with the disposition."

The couple had been charged with defrauding an innkeeper of more than $10,000 as well as conspiracy and burglary after an invalid credit card was used at San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito.

Senior Deputy District Attorney Arnie Tolks said an invalid card also was used at The Biltmore, a luxury resort in Santa Barbara.

Prosecutors had a strong circumstantial case against Randy Quaid, but his wife was more involved with the transactions in question so charges were dropped against the actor, Tolks said.

"He really had very little to do with the ongoing negotiations and the attempts by the hotel to get payment," Tolks said, adding both businesses had been repaid.

Randy Quaid is best-known for supporting roles in films such as "Independence Day" and "National Lampoon's Vacation." He is the older brother of Dennis Quaid.

The case was filed in September and prompted a legal saga that saw the couple arrested in Texas and California.

They missed several court appearances and were briefly jailed Monday after they showed up in court two weeks after missing their last scheduled hearing.

Evi Quaid intends to work with the homeless for her community service, Sanger said.

She won't be required to return to court unless she violates her probation.

Ice Cube has a new rap documentary filmmaking

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:36:00 +0000

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ice Cube helped create gangsta rap, sold millions of albums, starred in numerous movies, and now he is dabbling in something new, film journalism, as he targets U.S. professional football and the fate of his hometown Los Angeles.

A die-hard football fan and supporter of the old Los Angeles Raiders, Ice Cube, whose real name is O'Shea Jackson, had never delved deep into the game beyond being a fan of the sport and the spectacle that takes place around it.

Then he began to wonder why, in 1994, the Raiders returned to their first home in the relatively small city of Oakland, outside San Francisco, from major metropolis Los Angeles where they had taken up residence for more than a decade.

Cube didn't like the answers he found, so the rapper, actor and football fan turned to documentary directing with the hope he might be able to bring a team back to Los Angeles.

"I think the whole country is going to be interested to know that the commissioner wanted a (football) franchise, and was conspiring to get a franchise there," Ice Cube told Reuters, referring to Oakland and to the head of the National Football League, which governs the sport in the United States.

Cube's movie, "Straight Outta L.A," had its world premiere at this week's Tribeca Film Festival, and offers moviegoers a snapshot of Los Angeles and its rap music culture seen through the dual lens of the Raiders team and their rabid fans.

When the team's owner Al Davis moved the them from Oakland to Los Angeles in 1982, Cube was 13-years-old and rap was making its way onto city streets and radio airwaves.

RAPPERS AND RAIDERS

As Cube began rapping, the tough-guy mentality epitomized by the Raider's pirate logo and their silver and black uniforms became part of the image of his group, N.W.A, which scored a major hit with their 1988 album "Straight Outta Compton."

At the time, N.W.A and "Compton" became symbolic of the style of gangsta rap that would become enormously popular, and the Raider's gear began to be adopted by many Los Angeles rappers who liked the team's tough attitude on the field.

"When we put on that logo it reinforced what we were about -- that pirate mentality," Cube said.

In the film, Cube reminisces about the team and the music of the day with fellow rappers Ice T. and Snoop Dog, also big Raiders fans at the time.

More broadly, the director shows the contrast between the African American rappers who became millionaires and music stars, even as the team they loved fell into disarray, began losing, and started to see violence among fans at their games.

In an interview with Davis, Cube depicts how the legendary and eccentric team owner threatened to leave Los Angeles unless more was done to accommodate his franchise.

"Straight Outta L.A." might be seen by some as a sad film because 16 years later, Los Angeles still does not have a pro football team, despite the efforts of many civic leaders.

Cube told Reuters he reveled in making the movie and uncovering details about why his team was forced to leave through interviews with players and former NFL officials.

"A lot of people in L.A. lied, a lot of people in the NFL lied and conspired to get him (Davis) out of there," Cube claimed.

Although he occasionally sees the Raiders play in Oakland, Cube is still bitter his city has no team.

"Hopefully it'll bring a team back," Cube said of the documentary, "we deserve a team."

Kristin Davis Likes Chocolate More Than Skinny Jeans

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:35:00 +0000

"Sex and The City" star Kristin Davis says she now chooses cuisine over couture.

"I have hips! I'm never going to be the thinnest actress, and I don't want to be. When you're at peace with yourself and your body, you're automatically more confident," the 45-year-old big screen beauty told Fitness magazine in its May issue.

The actress said she watches what she puts in her body, but doesn't shy away from indulging her sweet tooth.

"I eat a lot of chicken, salmon, eggs and side salads. But if all I ate were salads every day, I'd shoot myself. Who cares if you can fit in your skinny jeans if you can't enjoy life and have something good to eat? I went through periods when I said I can't have this, I can't have that. Now I don't deprive myself. Food is meant to be enjoyed!" she told the mag.

Kristin revealed that she has a hard time staying way from one particular treat.

"Chocolate! I especially love M&M's. These days, if I want some, I eat them," she said. "When it's hot in the summer, I have to have my ice cream. One trick I've learned is that if I have an ice cream bar, I'm OK having four bites and then throwing it away. I don't need to eat the whole thing to feel satisfied."

She told the mag she's able to keep in shape with a variety of activities including hiking, yoga, Pilates and cardio.

"I can't just hop on the treadmill," she explained. "I need to mix things up and enjoy what I'm doing."

Kristin is back on the big screen as Charlotte in "Sex and The City 2," in theaters on May 28

Actor Kal Penn robbed at gunpoint in D.C.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 12:22:00 +0000

WASHINGTON - Kal Penn's former publicist confirms that the actor who played Kumar in the movie "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle" and had a recurring role on the Fox show "House" was robbed at gunpoint in Washington, D.C.

The Indian-American actor whose given name is Kalpen Modi is working in the White House's Office of Public Liaison. He is focusing on connecting the president with the Asian-American and Pacific Islander communities.

Penn's former publicist Jennifer Goodwin confirmed a TMZ.com report that Penn was robbed. A police crime summary says early Tuesday, an armed robber forced a victim to lie on the ground and give up his cell phone and other possessions. It did not include names.

Penn did not respond to requests for comment. The Metropolitan Police Department said it could not release information.

MM's therapy couch, perfume and checks up for sale

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:21:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES - Just when you thought every last bit of Marilyn Monroe had been put up for auction, including the crypt above hers at a local cemetery, along comes the couch from her shrink's office.

Darren Julien of Julien's Auctions says the psychiatric sofa will be offered June 26-27 during the Hollywood Legends auction at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Las Vegas.

Other Monroe-abilia up for grabs: her Chanel No. 5, personal photos, bank statements, scripts, signed checks and the chair used in the star's final photo shoot.

Streep would like to thank the (arts) academy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:20:00 +0000

NEW YORK - Meryl Streep has another academy to thank.

The star of films such as "Sophie's Choice" and "Julie & Julia" has been named an honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, an elite club that includes Toni Morrison, Stephen Sondheim and Jasper Johns. Not even two Oscars, seven Golden Globes and a lifetime achievement prize from the American Film Institute prepared Streep for this.

"I have to say that I was stunned, and when they sent me the roster of people in the academy I just burst into tears," Streep said in a recent telephone interview. "I couldn't believe that I'd be even allowed in the kitchen."

The 112-year-old academy announced Monday that Streep and conductor James Levine had been elected to a special category, established in 1983, for "Americans of great distinction in the arts whose work falls outside the traditional departments" of music (composition), literature and art.

Directors Woody Allen (with whom Streep worked in "Manhattan") and Martin Scorsese and choreographers Twyla Tharp and Paul Taylor are among the current members. While Allen and former member Orson Welles both worked extensively on screen, Streep is the first to be chosen solely for acting.

"Both of this year's inductees are performing artists, and both are at the peak of their careers," said poet and Academy President J.D. McClatchy. "James Levine's conducting and Meryl Street's acting are extraordinary examples of insight, depth and virtuosity."

Architects Fumihiko Maki of Japan and Alvaro Siza of Portugal were added to the academy's honorary category for foreign artists.

Inductees into the main body include authors Marilynne Robinson, Francine Prose, Thomas McGuane and Richard Powers, composers Tania Leon and Fred Lerdahl, architect Thom Mayne and painters Thomas Nozknowski and Peter Saul. Members are elected for life (openings are created when a member dies) and encouraged to serve on committees that distribute prizes, but there is no responsibility beyond agreeing to join.

Streep sums up her own category: "I'm in a particular subset of members that's not even allowed to vote."

The inductees demonstrate again how far the academy has changed from its frankly snobbish roots, when modernists, women, non-whites and Jews were not welcome and the presence of a "lowly" actress, even one as talented as Streep, might have set off mass resignations. Saul, for instance, is a founder of Pop Art whose lush and sometimes lurid works include "Donald Duck Crucifixion" and "Sex Deviant Being Executed."

"I was quiet surprised and even shocked when I got the news because I always thought of myself as a `bad' artist and that the academy was a place devoted to `good' artists," he said. "I felt a bit uncomfortable for a moment, but then I thought, `What the heck, why be childish?' So I went with it."

McGuane, whose novels include "Keep the Change" and "Ninety-Two in the Shade," has been previously cited by the academy. He received an award in 1972 for his novel "Bushwhacked Piano" and remembered speaking at the ceremony with Bernard Malamud, Walker Percy and Eudora Welty.

"All those people are gone but remembering them and that event has made this a gratifying personal landmark," he said.

New members will be inducted at an afternoon ceremony next month at the academy's beaux arts complex in upper Manhattan, just off the Hudson River. Author Calvin Trillin, elected to the academy two years ago, will be a featured speaker. Streep plans to attend.

"I just hope to have lots of cocktails and talk about high-fallutin' things," Streep said.

Like they do in Hollywood.

"Uh, yeah, of course."

Russell Crowe drops tights for "Robin Hood"

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:16:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Russell Crowe attracted Hollywood's attention with his brutal role as a skinhead thug in the 1992 Australian movie "Romper Stomper."

He went on to star in such films as "L.A. Confidential" (1997), "Gladiator" (2000) and "A Beautiful Mind" (2001). He won an Oscar for "Gladiator," and has reunited with that film's director, Ridley Scott, for "Robin Hood," opening May 14.

Crowe, who receives his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame outside the Kodak Theater on Monday, is also a recording artist and part owner of the Australian rugby league South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Q. LET'S PUT THE ISSUE TO REST ONCE AND FOR ALL: IN "ROBIN

HOOD," TIGHTS OR NO TIGHTS?
A. There are no tights in this film. They weren't invented until quite a few hundred years after when the story takes place. We start our story in 1199. Tights don't come into play until the 1600s. I do apologize to those who will be disappointed that there are no tights.

Q. YOU OFTEN PLAY HEROES. IS THERE ANYTHING YOU'RE AFRAID

OF?

A. I used to be fine climbing up things. Now I've got to steel myself for heights. Things like looking out an open window inside a helicopter 1,600 feet up in the air.

Q. ON WHAT WOULD YOU SAY YOU ARE A COMPLETE AUTHORITY?
A. My own emotional state. I'm relatively knowledgeable when it comes to my football club. Everything else, I'm comfortable and happy to remain a student on.

Q. DO YOU HAVE ANY BAD HABITS YOU'RE CURRENTLY TRYING TO

QUIT?

A. Cigarettes, for sure. (Pause) To tell you the truth, I'm not really trying. What I'm doing is trying to bring it closer to the forefront of my mind every day. Spending too long at the computer is starting to become a big deal. I live in Australia but my businesses are in so many other parts of the world, I tend to spend way too many hours on a daily basis answering e-mails.

Q. SPEAKING OF COMPUTERS, DO YOU USE FACEBOOK OR TWITTER?
A. I don't, but there are plenty of people who pretend to be me on Facebook and Twitter. I'm thinking of using Twitter when we go out and do press for "Robin Hood." I've been thinking that it might be interesting for people to follow because you're tweeting from country to country and seeing different things every day.

Q. WHAT SHOULD FEMALE ACTORS KNOW ABOUT YOU?
A. That I'm a naturally generous person, so don't take it personally. And when I'm working with you, I will be your sword and your shield.

Death at a Funeral (Screen Gems)

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:19:00 +0000

Plot Summary: Directed by Neil LaBute, "Death at a Funeral" is a hilarious day in the life of an American family come together to put a beloved husband and father to rest. As mourners gather at the family home, shocking revelations, festering resentments, ugly threats, blackmail and a misdirected corpse unleash lethal and riotous mayhem.

Kick-Ass

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 13:11:00 +0000

Release Date: April 16, 2010
Studio: Screen Gems (Sony)
Director: Neil LaBute
Screenwriter: Dean Craig
Starring: Loretta Devine, Peter Dinklage, Ron Glass, Danny Glover, Regina Hall, Martin Lawrence, James Marsden, Tracy Morgan, Chris Rock, Zoe Saldana, Columbus Short, Luke Wilson
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: R (for language, drug content and some sexual humor)
Production Co.: MARV Films, Plan B Entertainment

Plot Summary: "How come nobody's ever tried to be a superhero?" When Dave Lizewski – ordinary New York teenager and rabid comic-book geek dons a green-and-yellow internet-bought wetsuit to become the no-nonsense vigilante, Kick-Ass, he soon finds an answer to his own question: because it hurts. But, overcoming all the odds, the eager yet inexperienced Dave quickly becomes a phenomenon, capturing the imagination of the public. However, he's not the only superhero out there – the fearless and highly-trained father-daughter crime-fighting duo, Big Daddy and Hit Girl have been slowly but surely taking down the criminal empire of local Mafioso, Frank D'Amico. And, as Kick-Ass gets drawn into their no-holds-barred world of bullets and bloodletting with Frank's son, Chris, now reborn as Kick-Ass's arch-nemesis, Red Mist - the stage is set for a final showdown between the forces of good and evil - in which the DIY hero will have to live up to his name. Or die trying

'Date Night' tops Friday b.o.

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 20:12:00 +0000

Friday night at the multiplex looked a lot like Thursday night on NBC with Fox’s "Date Night," starring Steve Carell of "The Office" and Tina Fey of "30 Rock," slightly ahead of a fairly crowded pack of contenders.

The PG-13-rated comedy about a married couple's misadventures, directed by Shawn Levy, took down an estimated $9.3 million from 2,756 locations in North America.

The top spot for the weekend could still up for grabs, though.

In its second weekend, Warner's 3D-outfitted "Clash of the Titans" picked up $8.5 million on Friday.

Behind it, in third place, was Paramount's release of DreamWorks Animation's "How to Train Your Dragon," with about $7.1 million, although with an assist from family-friendly matinees, "Dragon" could yet rise in the rankings on Saturday.

The second weekend of Disney's teen romance "The Last Song" was fourth with $3.6 million, while the second weekend of Tyler Perry's "Why Did I Get Married Too?" was right on its heels with $3.5 million.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan On Katherine Heigl Leaving 'Grey's': 'I Think It Was A Happy Parting'

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 10 Apr 2010 20:02:00 +0000

Fanboys may know Jeffrey Dean Morgan from his comic book film roles in "Watchmen" and his latest, "The Losers," but primetime TV watchers know him from his turn on "Grey's Anatomy" as Denny Duquette, the doomed love of Katherine Heigl's Izzie.

With the recent news that the actress was leaving the show after six seasons, Jeffrey offered his support at the junket for "The Losers" on Saturday.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: From Blonde To 'Grey' - Katherine Heigl

"Good for her," he told Access Hollywood. "I think the show will be fine without her and she obviously was ready to move on and do films."

Though Katherine had a publicly volatile relationship with the show at times, Jeffrey told Access he thought it would be an amicable split.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: 'Grey's Anatomy' Scenes & Stars

"I think, great for everybody," he said. "I think it was a happy parting."

In "The Losers," an action film focused on a ragtag band of Special Forces soldiers fighting against a maniacal villain to clear their name, Jeffrey has a new love interest in Zoe Saldana but as with Izzie, it's hardly smooth sailing.

While Izzie wanted to save the sick Denny's life, however, Zoe's Aisha is a mysterious, independent agent who'd just as soon shoot Jeffrey's Lt. Col. Clay as kiss him.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Fan Candy: Superheroes, Sci-Fi & Beyond!

The film is due in theaters on April 23.

Copyright 2010 by NBC Universal, Inc. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: The Ladies Of Primetime Television

Related Content from AccessHollywood.com:

PLAY IT NOW: Dish Of Salt: 'Watchmen' Premiere, Los Angeles
PLAY IT NOW: ShoWest 2010: Katherine Heigl On Her Makeover, Parenthood & 'Killers'

More from Access: [ Katherine Heigl Grey's Anatomy Zoe Saldana ]

Date Night

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:01:00 +0000

Release Date: April 9, 2010
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Shawn Levy
Screenwriter: Josh Klausner
Starring: Steve Carell, Tina Fey, Mark Wahlberg, James Franco, Leighton Meester, Common, Taraji Henson, Kristen Wiig, Ray Liotta, Mila Kunis, Mark Ruffalo, William Fichtner, Olivia Munn
Genre: Comedy
MPAA Rating: PG-13 (for sexual and crude content throughout, language, some violence and a drug reference)

Plot Summary: Action-comedy maestro Shawn Levy, the director of the blockbuster "Night at the Museum" franchise, teams up with two of the comedy world's biggest talents, Steve Carell ("The 40-Year-Old Virgin," "The Office") and Tina Fey ("Baby Mama," "30 Rock," "SNL") for an adventure that turns a run-of-the-mill married couple's date upside down - way upside down, in "Date Night."

Weekend Preview: 'Date Night,' 'Letters to God'

After conquering the Easter opening weekend record with $61.3 million, Clash of the Titans aims to repeat as box office king this weekend. It will face stiff competition, though, from comedy Date Night, starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey. Also opening in nationwide release is Letters to God, which hopes to replicate the minor success of comparable Christian movies. Overall business will likely be way down from last weekend, when Clash, Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too? and The Last Song debuted.

Clash of the Titans adds 25 theaters this weekend for a total of 3,802, though this will do little to prevent a big second weekend decline. Recent similar movies 300 and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor fell 54 and 59 percent from their openings, respectively. With mixed word of mouth (Box Office Mojo readers gave the movie a decent "B" grade, but the tacked-on 3D effects have been greeted with a barrage of negative reactions), Clash seems positioned to also lose over 50 percent of its audience.

Opening on approximately 4,700 screens at 3,374 locations, Date Night's marketing has put its two appealing leads, Carell and Fey, front and center, despite the presence of other noteworthy actors like Mark Wahlberg and James Franco. Besides his lead role on NBC's The Office, Carell has starred in a number of widely-seen big screen movies like The 40-Year-Old Virgin ($109.5 million) and Get Smart ($130.3 million). Fey, on the other hand, has only one major big screen lead role on her resume (Baby Mama, which grossed $60.5 million in 2008), but she has continued to raise her profile with the NBC comedy 30 Rock and her Sarah Palin impersonation on Saturday Night Live (which she will revive this Saturday when she hosts the show).

Date Night is also tracking well in Box Office Mojo's reader polls with a 19.5 percent "see it opening weekend" score, ahead of recent comparable movies The Bounty Hunter (12 percent) and Couples Retreat (14 percent). Date Night's also the sole new high-profile nationwide release of the weekend (The Losers was scheduled to open April 9, but eventually opted for April 23 instead) and seems poised for strong returns, even if it falls short of dethroning Clash.

Likely noticing the dearth of new releases, distributor Vivendi Entertainment made the decision to open Letters to God in 897 theaters this weekend. Letters to God is based on a true story about a cancer-stricken boy whose letters to God inspire those around him. The trailer for the movie aims to draw Christian audiences by pointing out that it's from "a producer of Fireproof and Facing the Giants," and its following a similar release pattern to Christian-themed movies like Fireproof, One Night with the King and End of the Spear. While these movies had varying levels of success (Fireproof banked a strong $33.5 million in 2008, while End of the Spear made a more modest $11.97 million in 2006), none truly broke out. The same will likely hold true for Letters to God, but a Top Ten debut is well within its reach.

movie newsThere's Hope For Johnny Depp's The Rum Diary

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 13:01:00 +0000

Hey remember that movie Johnny Depp was making out of Hunter S. Thompson’s The Rum Diary? Probably not since it finished more than a year ago and not only is there no release date for it in sight, it’s not even done. This can’t mean good things but now at least there’s a chance, a small one mind you, that someone somewhere may actually be able to see it. How’s your French?

Hollywood Elsewhere has uncovered information from Shoot Online which suggests that the movie may be finished. Either that or they’re starting with the movie’s title sequence and then maybe eventually getting around to editing the movie. Probably not. So the news that the title sequence is done could suggest that somewhere out there is an actual, nearly finished movie, based on one of the greatest books ever written. I read Hunter S. Thompson’s semi-fictional Puerto Rican diary at least once a year, just to keep my brain ready and able to handle massive amounts of alcohol. Some great tips in there.

So the rumor is that the movie may show up at Cannes or barring that, the movie’s producer may show up at Cannes looking for someone to distribute The Rum Diary. Obviously it’ll be more likely to happen if the movie’s good, but even if it isn’t maybe you’re thinking it’ll get snatched up just because Johnny Depp is in it and Amber Heard (if this is a faithful adaptation) spends a lot of time wandering around naked in it. Not so fast. Remember Jim Carrey’s I Love You Phillip Morris in which he gets naked and spoons with Ewan McGregor? With that kind of star power you’d think distributing it would have been a no-brainer but nearly two years later and it still hasn’t been released in America, even after a 2009 debut at Sundance. When it does get released, you won’t hear about it, since it’s likely to show up in a single LA theater.

I’m going to knock back a slug of scotch and hope The Rum Diary, in spite of all the suspicious delays, is brilliant and therefore does better. Even if it sucks, I have to see it. For get Tron: Legacy, this is the movie I’m dying to see over any other. While we wait, do yourself a favor and pick up Hunter S. Thompson’s novel. Or barring that, enjoy these pictures of Johnny Depp in a hilarious small car.

Megan Fox protests school budget cuts with comedy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:31:00 +0000

LOS ANGELES - Megan Fox and her sometime boyfriend, actor Brian Austin Green, are protesting California school budget cuts in a new video online.

In a video posted Wednesday on the comic Web site FunnyorDie.com , Fox urges viewers to "call, write and annoy the governor until he cries for his mommy."

She says more than $17 billion has been cut from state educational programs over the past two years, and Green says the "terminators in Sacramento" plan to cut another $2.5 billion.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell said last month that budget cuts have caused a 17 percent jump in the number of school districts facing financial uncertainty.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:44:00 +0000

Release Date: May 20, 2011
Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Rob Marshall
Screenwriter: Terry Rossio, Ted Elliott
Starring: Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane
Genre: Action, Adventure
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: Not Available
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: Not Available
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: Johnny Depp is returning as Captain Jack Sparrow in the fourth film in the popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" franchise. The new film will be loosely based on the Tim Powers book, "On Stranger Tides." Geoffrey Rush is back as Barbossa and Ian McShane will play the villain Blackbeard. Penelope Cruz is portraying the daughter of Blackbeard. The storyline is a continuation of the third film with Captain Jack searching for the Fountain of Youth.

Iron Man 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:40:00 +0000

Release Date: May 7, 2010 (conventional theaters and IMAX)
Studio: Paramount Pictures, Marvel Studios
Director: Jon Favreau
Screenwriter: Justin Theroux
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Jon Favreau, Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Garry Shandling, John Slattery, Kate Mara, Clark Gregg, Olivia Munn
Genre: Action, Adventure
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: IronManmovie.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: One-Sheet | International Poster | Iron Man/War Machine Poster | Whiplash Poster | Black Widow Poster
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment present the highly anticipated sequel to the blockbuster film based on the legendary Marvel Super Hero "Iron Man," reuniting director Jon Favreau and Oscar nominee Robert Downey Jr. In "Iron Man 2," the world is aware that billionaire inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) is the armored Super Hero Iron Man. Under pressure from the government, the press and the public to share his technology with the military, Tony is unwilling to divulge the secrets behind the Iron Man armor because he fears the information will slip into the wrong hands. With Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) and James "Rhodey" Rhodes (Don Cheadle) at his side, Tony forges new alliances and confronts powerful new forces.

Predator

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 22:01:00 +0000

Release Date: July 7, 2010
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Director: Nimrod Antal
Screenwriter: Robert Rodriguez, Alex Litvak, Michael Finch
Starring: Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Danny Trejo, Walton Goggins, Oleg Taktarov, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Louiz Ozawa
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: Not Available
Official Website: Predators-movie.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: View here
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: A bold new chapter in the Predator universe, "Predators" was shot on location under Rodriguez's creative auspices at the filmmaker's Austin-based Troublemaker Studios, and is directed by Nimród Antal. The film stars Adrien Brody as Royce, a mercenary who reluctantly leads a group of elite warriors who come to realize they've been brought together on an alien planet... as prey. With the exception of a disgraced physician, they are all cold-blooded killers – mercenaries, Yakuza, convicts, death squad members – human "predators" that are now being systemically hunted and eliminated by a new breed of alien Predators.

Jessica Alba: 'I Plan On' Adopting

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 04 Apr 2010 20:16:00 +0000

Jessica Alba wants to make her family a fantastic four - or more.

The star, currently mom to 2-year-old daughter Honor Marie with husband Cash Warren, says she's planning on adopting more children.

VIEW THE PHOTOS: Hollywood's 'Fantastic' Leading Lady Jessica Alba

"If you have the love, and the capacity to love children, you should just adopt," she said on Sunday night's episode of "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition." "And I plan on doing it."

Jessica added that she gave the same advice to her own parents.