Variety - Front Page News

Par U.K. partners with 'Dancer'

Wed, 04 May 2011 12:01:02 +0000

Front Page: Wild Bunch to handle international sales for BBC pic -- Paramount Pictures U.K. has snapped up U.K. distribution rights to Clive Owen and Andrea Riseborough starrer "Shadow Dancer."

AMPAS announces key dates for Oscars

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:52:04 +0000

Front Page: 84th Academy Awards set for Feb. 26, 2012 -- The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has announced its key dates for 84th Academy Awards including the date of the show which will be held on Feb. 26 at the Kodak Theater.

Summit peek: Post-fangs bang?

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: High hopes for upcoming franchise projects -- As the "Twilight" franchise draws to an end, Summit will need some eternal vampire blood to keep in the game.

'Sleep' hopes to wake Gotham audiences

Sat, 19 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Pricey project sets up one-stop nightlife spot -- Brit company Punchdrunk' environmental, film-noir dance retelling of "Macbeth" mashes up elements of theater, installation art and nightlife in a way that's difficult to sum up for potential ticketbuyers.

Oscar bling brings 'King's' B.O. bounty

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Firth film rakes in over $19 million during the week -- Awards success translated to cash at the overseas box office for the week of March 4-6, as "The King's Speech" reigned supreme with $19.4 million -- its best weekend to date, and its first since the Oscarcast.

Research helps hone Broadway ads

Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Producers and marketers take cues from focus groups -- For many Broadway producers, market research is the thing you do when you stand at the back of the house and gauge an audience's reactions to a show.

As franchise exits, Soho scene is still strong

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: London preps to gain visual effects business -- Of all the magic performed by Harry Potter in the past decade, the growth charm cast upon the U.K.'s visual effects sector has been among the most dramatic.

Rock knocks on stage door

Sat, 26 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Popular composers face difficulty in musical theater -- "Hair." "Rent." "Jesus Christ Super-star." Each in the landmark trio of original Broadway rock musicals has one thing in common: They weren't written by composers with rock 'n' roll cred.

Ticket prices continue to climb

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 22:42:10 +0000

Front Page: Average cost cracks the $8 mark -- Movie ticket prices have resumed their inexorable climb, with the average cost of a ducat cracking the $8 mark for the first time in the fourth quarter, according to the National Assn. of Theater Owners.

Tolan: Let critics choose the Emmys

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 23:40:18 +0000

Front Page: HRTS moderator trashes Golden Globes, tweaks Nick -- As a one-time member of the TV Academy's Board of Governors, "Rescue Me" exec producer Peter Tolan made a case for tossing out the org's Emmy voting process.

James MacArthur dies at 72

Thu, 28 Oct 2010 20:50:03 +0000

Front Page: 'Hawaii Five-0' thesp was son of Helen Hayes and Charles MacArthur -- James MacArthur, a thesp who was born into showbiz royalty as the son of Helen Hayes and playwright Charles MacArthur, died Thursday in Florida of natural causes. He was 72.

'Glee' tops Emmy nominations

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 13:40:00 +0000

Front Page: 'Lost,' 'Modern Family' also honored; HBO tops nets with 101 nods -- Three first-year broadcast programs -- the comedies "Glee" and "Modern Family" on Fox and ABC, respectively, and CBS drama "The Good Wife" -- broke through with best series nominations for the 62nd annual Primetime Emmy Awards announced Thursday.

Spyglass in Lion's den?

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Berber, Birnbaum make presentation to MGM -- Word that Spyglass Entertainment has entered the Lion's den and is in the lead to run beleaguered MGM was met with skepticism Tuesday, with insiders across Hollywood saying a deal is a long way from closing.

3D's diminishing box office returns

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: 'Toy Story' is third opener to sell fewer tix in the format -- The 3D crunch is hitting the domestic summer box office, as this weekend's boffo opener "Toy Story 3" marks the third consecutive 3D opening -- and 3D toon -- to earn a lower percentage of its gross from 3D venues than previous such offerings.

Glastonbury calls to music lovers

Tue, 22 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Fest funds aim to help charity -- More than 177,000 attendees and millions of TV viewers will celebrate Glastonbury Festival this week as the world's biggest -- and many say best -- annual live music event marks its 40th anniversary.

Box office 'Toy' ploy

Fri, 18 Jun 2010 05:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Hollywood hopes 3D threequel plays nice -- Disney/Pixar will open its toy chest again this weekend, with "Toy Story 3" -- the toon franchise's first 3D installment -- expected to dominate the domestic B.O. at 4,028 playdates. Toon opens alongside the frame's only other wide release, Warner Bros.' graphic-novel adaptation "Jonah Hex," at 2,825.

Broadcasters see upfront surge

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Demand for deals was very strong -- The broadcast nets got their wish. The upfront ad sales derby that came to a close for the Big Four and CW last week was markedly different from last year's battle.

Village Roadshow raises $1 billion

Fri, 28 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Aussie company can bankroll pics again -- It was only a year ago that Village Roadshow was on the brink of being unable to bankroll movies.

MRC pact is haul of pics

Fri, 28 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Agreement is with Universal to distribute 20 films -- Media Rights Capital's new deal with Universal represents the biggest rent-a-studio pact with a major since Disney joined hands with DreamWorks.

Flurry of upfront dealings expected by next week

Fri, 28 May 2010 12:00:00 +0000

Front Page: Better economic climate will likely boost total dollars -- Network ad sales execs and media buyers are bracing for a frenzy of upfront buying and selling that is likely to hit by the end of next week.