But given how long it took to reach the decade list at $341.8 million – 17 days – can we predict just how high it will go?
Cameron’s “Titanic,” which opened December 19, 1997, took almost eight weeks to cume $341.8 million in mid-February 1998. Granted, “Titanic” ran for three hours and 14 minutes, which minimized the number of shows theaters could jam in each day. Tickets were also cheaper then, of course, but the film’s tragic romance beckoned repeat viewings unlike any film had before.
Sunday afternoon, James Cameron’s magnum opus passed “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers” as the 10th highest-grossing picture of the Aughts. While “Towers’” $341.8 million haul was mighty, “Avatar” now sits with a domestic gross of $352.1 million. Just ahead of it in the decade ranks is Mel Gibson’s 2004 juggernaut “The Passion of the Christ,” which grossed an unexpectedly messianic $370.3 million.
The men in black are massing.
Sony is moving forward on “MIB 3,” the third pic in its sci-comedy franchise.
“Tropic Thunder” writer Etan Cohen is penning the script, and Barry Sonnenfeld, who helmed the first two films, is said to be attached to the new installment, though there is no formal deal or offer as yet.
The studio is eyeing a 2010 start date and could go as soon as the spring.
The X-factor remains Will Smith. The A-lister, who starred with Tommy Lee Jones in the first two, has not committed to the pic, though in recent days the buzz in development circles has been that he is now interested in returning. Smith does not currently have a go movie lined up.Tommy Lee Jones’ involvement is uncertain.
Sony announced in April that it would bring back the tale of covert, pseudonymous agents who stalk the earth fighting disguised aliens, zapping beasts and memories as they go.
Activision Publishing, maker of the hit videogame "Band Hero," is standing up to the band No Doubt with a new countersuit alleging breach of contract.
In an answer and counterclaim filed last week, Activision accuses the band of failing to do its due diligence on the videogame before signing away its digital likeness, breaching a contract to provide marketing and promotion to the game, and being unjustly enriched by their inclusion in the game.
Last month, No Doubt set the stage for a very interesting court fight with Activision.
The band was unhappy that "Band Hero" allowed game-players to manipulate avatars to engage in unapproved acts, from having a Gwen Stefani virtual character perform the Rolling Stone's "Honky Tonk Woman" in a male voice to making band members do unrealistic dance moves. In a claim in federal court, the band asserted that its agreement with Activision granting publicity rights didn't cover these unanticipated features.
Reporter
After months of speculation about their future, entertainment industry trade newspaper the Hollywood Reporter, music industry paper Billboard and six other publications owned by Nielsen Business Media have been sold.
Thr Their new owner is a consortium of investors led by James Finkelstein, whose News Communications controls publications including Washington paper The Hill and the "Who's Who" directories. In addition, Finkelstein owns Thompson Publishing Group, which puts out a variety of niche publications about government regulations. [Update, 2:20 p.m.: An earlier version of this post incorrectly said that News Communications owns Roll Call.]
The acquisition is officially being done by e5 Global Media, a new company led by Finkelstein as chairman. It was formed for the purpose of this acquisition by financial services firm Guggenheim Partners and Pluribus Capital Management, a private equity fund focused on media and led by Finkelstein; Matthew Doull, a former associate publisher of Wired UK, and George Green, former chief executive of Hearst Magazines International.
Lachlan Murdoch, the son of News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, was previously reported to be part of the acquisition, but was not involved in the final deal, for which financial details were not disclosed.
Two Nielsen publishing industry trade magazines that are not part of the acquisition, Editor & Publisher and Kirkus Reviews, are being shut down, Nielsen Business Media President Greg Farrar said in a memo posted on the news media blog Romenesko.
The deal comes as the Hollywood Reporter, like many publications, has been struggling to stay alive and laying off substantial portions of its staff in the last couple of years due to the recession-driven decline in advertising and the shift to digital distribution. Many in Hollywood have wondered whether the 79-year-old publication would continue to print five days per week or if it would print less frequently after the lucrative "awards season," during which studios take out ads to boost the chances of their movies winning Academy Awards, ends in March.
The Reporter's biggest rival, Variety, which has also laid off staff this year, is in the process of ending free access to its website in a bid to boost digital revenue.
Other Nielsen publications being acquired by e5 include Adweek, Brandweek, Mediaweek, The Clio Awards, Back Stage and Film Journal International.
In a statement, Finkelstein appeared to be committed to growing the publications he is buying and not continuing the recent trend of cutbacks:
Recorded at the 2009 Hollywood Reporter/Billboard Film & TV Music Conference. The APM Music Podcast Series takes you inside the business of production and licensing of music for film, television, radio and new media productions. This podcast is produced by the world’s most diverse, innovative and largest production music library and music services company,
R&B legend Mary J. Blige discusses her career and contributions to film and TV music, including a preview of the song she wrote for Lionsgate's "PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE". The film, directed by "Monster's Ball" producer Lee Daniels and adapted for the screen by Geoffrey Fletcher, stars Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Mariah Carey, Sherri Shepherd, Lenny Kravitz and introduces Gabourey Sidibe.Lionsgate will release PRECIOUS in theaters beginning on November 6, 2009. Blige's next album will be released this fall
A modern retelling of the beloved 1980 performing arts drama, Fame follows the talented students of the New York City High School for the Performing Arts as they get a chance to pursue their dreams of stardom. In this illuminating discussion, Oscar-nominated and Emmy award-winning composer Mark Isham talks about his original score for Fame with the movie's director, Kevin Tancharoen.
A recent talent contract from Disney includes a new clause forbidding confidentiality breaches via “interactive media such as Facebook, Twitter, or any other interactive social network or personal blog.”
Over at DreamWorks, a writer’s deal cautions not to jump the gun on studio press releases via “a social networking site, blog or other Internet-type site.” An agent spotted a talent deal with a stricture that forbids bashing any element of a production with social media.
The crackdown comes as creatives on both sides of the camera have taken to the Web to share candid thoughts, at times circumventing traditional studio PR voiceboxes. Paula Abdul surprised Fox executives by tweeting news of her parting ways with “American Idol.” Ryan Seacrest broke the news of Ben Silverman’s transition out of NBC on his Twitter feed.
The Twitter jitters are hardly confined to Hollywood. From professional sports leagues like the NFL to news media outlets like the Washington Post, industries are openly struggling with how to make sure social media doesn’t expose the inner workings of their operations.
While Hollywood recognizes the marketing value of social media, the backlash from business affairs execs is a testament to the leaks and potentially damaging misinformation these emerging technologies make possible — as well as the control studios like to maintain over their messaging to consumers.
Two weeks ago, Fox had a mini crisis on its hands when Hart Hanson, executive producer for the Fox series “Bones,” tweeted, “First time in ‘Bones’ history we are shut down from production. Damn swine flu!”
It was a joke that some news outlets misconstrued when a separate news item surfaced reporting “Bones” star David Boreanaz also had the flu. An hour later, Hanson returned to Twitter to clarify that neither Boreanaz nor anyone on set had anything but the standard flu.
No wonder deal language has gone technophobe.
“This is just the beginning,” says a top talent lawyer. “Hollywood has a long history of controlling what talent says in the media. This is just a new area of media that hasn’t been controlled yet.”
Keeping stars from blabbing what they shouldn’t remains just as much a problem today as it was in the ‘30s. But until relatively recently, getting an ill-advised word out to the wider public required a TV camera or a gossip columnist; social media eliminates the middleman and enables an actor to broadcast to millions in an instant.
Most film and TV studios say their talent deals do not put any shackles on social media usage that doesn’t reveal confidential information. To the contrary, most studios, particularly in television, openly encourage the practice as a means of getting the buzz on current productions going.
Top 5 Video
Top 5 Video
No comments:
Post a Comment