TERMINATOR Rights Sold to Pacificor. Sony and Lionsgate Lose the Auction

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 11:25 pm

A few days ago, we reported the rights to the Terminator franchise were going to be auctioned off today, and after a marathon bidding session between a number of parties, it seems the Santa Barbara-based hedge fund Pacificor has won the auction and now owns the rights to all future Terminator movies and TV shows.  While Sony and Lionsgate both submitted bids, it seems the offer from Pacificor was too sweet, as they not only paid $29.5 million for the rights, but they let Halcyon keep the revenue streams from Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator Salvation.  In addition, Halcyon will also get $5 million for every Terminator movie made from now on.  It’s a hell of deal for  Halcyon, as they not only got a nice lump sum payout, but Terminator 3 and Salvation will continue to generate money for the foreseeable future.

While the future of the Terminator franchise is not yet known, Pacificor is now in the drivers seat.  I’m confident we’re going to see more Terminator movies, it’s just a matter of time. (via Deadline)

Katherine Heigl Counts ONE FOR THE MONEY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 11:09 pm

Katherine Heigl plus a best-selling book series plus a character who is a lingerie buyer/bounty hunter adds up to a very promising prospect for Columbia Pictures and Lakeshore Entertainment.  According to Variety, the Grey’s Anatomy star is attached to play the role of Stephanie Plum in the adaptation of Janet Evanovich’s One for the Money.  The book spent 75 consecutive weeks on USA Today’s best seller list and has spawned 15 novels, each of which have a number theme.

While she has yet to make a smash box office hit stateside (Knocked Up’s success is generally attributed to Seth Rogen and Judd Apatow), Heigl’s romantic comedies have done well proportional to their budgets.  Her most recent film, The Ugly Truth, grossed $205 million worldwide off a $38 million budget.  This was a much greater succcess than her 2006 film, Zyzzyx Road, which cost $2 million but only made $30.  That’s $30.00, not $30 million.

Heigl will next appear alongside Ashton Kutcher in the action-comedy Killers, which is set to hit theaters on June 4th.

Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Ashton Kutcher, and Topher Grace Interview VALENTINE’S DAY

by Sara Wayland    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 11:01 pm

The romantic comedy Valentine’s Day is a veritable who’s who of Hollywood, with a cast that includes Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Ashton Kutcher, Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway, Topher Grace, George Lopez, Shirley Maclaine, Hector Elizondo, Taylor Swift, Taylor Lautner and Emma Roberts, just to name a few. And the man responsible for getting all that talent together is director Garry Marshall, who the all-star ensemble was excited to work with.

Following the intertwining storylines of a diverse group of Los Angelenos as they navigate their way through romance and heartbreak over the course of one Valentine’s Day, the film showcases new love, young love, long-time love, the love between best friends and the heartbreak that can result.

During a press conference for the film, co-stars Julia Roberts, Jennifer Garner, Jessica Biel, Jessica Alba, Bradley Cooper, Jamie Foxx, Ashton Kutcher and Topher Grace talked about love, romance and living in Los Angeles.

Check out what they had to say after the jump:

Rachel Weisz Joins Daniel Craig and Naomi Watts inside Jim Sheridan’s DREAM HOUSE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 10:43 pm

The lovely and talented Rachel Weisz will be joining equally lovely and talented Daniel Craig and Naomi Watts in Jim Sheridan’s upcoming thriller Dream House.  According to Variety, the story centers on a, “successful publisher (Craig) who quits his Gotham job and relocates his wife (Weisz) and two daughters to a quaint New England town, only to discover that their perfect new home was the murder scene of a mother and her two children.”  And that’s why they got such a good price on it.  You can get a great price on a home if you’re cool that the previous inhabitants were slaughtered in their sleep.  Remember: Location, location, location.  Watts will play a neighbor who was close to the slain family.  Variety does not specify if this closeness relates to geography and/or emotional connection.

First Image from Mitch Glazer’s PASSION PLAY Starring Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox

by Laura Kelley    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 9:55 pm

EW has released the first still from the upcoming Mickey Rourke and Megan Fox film Passion Play, the directorial debut of Mitch Glazer.  The shot reveals little about the film other than the fact that as usual, Megan Fox is stunning.  The synopsis sounds pretty cool: Rourke will play a troubled musician while Fox is a winged sideshow attraction and they “rescue each other from dangerous circumstances.”  Coming off two tremendous films such as Iron Man and The Wrestler, Mickey Rourke has reemerged as one of Hollywood’s best actors, and certainly one of the most unique.  I’m also excited to see Megan Fox get to play a role where she’s given more to do than run from robots, because she’ll have the chance to really prove herself as an actress rather than just an endlessly quotable sex symbol.  Rourke recently called her “probably the best young actress I’ve ever worked with,” which is high praise indeed.

Click on the image to see a larger version.

Casting News: Cate Blanchett Meets HANNA, Amber Tamblyn Counts Down 127 HOURS, and Mia Wasikowska Brings JANE EYRE to Life

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 9:42 pm

‘Tis a very good night for Hollywood actresses, as we learn from Deadline Hollywood that three of the loveliest leading ladies in show business scored high profile roles.  Cate Blanchett will join Saoirse Ronan and Eric Bana in Joe Wright’s Hanna, the story of a 14-year-old girl trained by her father to assassinate a high-ranking government official.  Amber Tamblyn will play the female lead opposite James Franco in Danny Boyle’s 127 Hours, the story of the mountain climber Aron Ralston, who survived being trapped under a boulder by cutting off his own arm.  Finally, Mia Wasikowska will help bring literary classic Jane Eyre to the big screen under the guide of Sin Nombre writer/director Cary Fukunaga.

For more details on each project, please hit the jump.

Tim Robbins to Play the Less-Than-Proud Papa of GREEN LANTERN’s Villain

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 9:18 pm

If you always thought that Tim Robbins could produce offspring bent on world domination, then you’re probably a far-right conservative.  You’re also correct about his character in Martin Campbell’s Green Lantern as Heat Vision reports that Robbins will play Senator Hammond, the disapproving pops of the movie’s villain, Dr. Hector Hammond, who will be played by Peter Sarsgaard.  Dr. Hammond has psychic powers and, in the comics, a comically-oversized noggin.  I imagine Senator Hammond’s purpose is to humanize Hector by showing that daddy issues may not be a good reason to become a supervillain, but it’s an understandable one.

Ryan Reynolds will star as Hal Jordan/Green Lantern with Blake Lively as Carol Ferris (aka, the love interest).  The film is set to begin filming this March in Louisiana where hopefully by then they’ll have cleaned up all the Saints Super Bowl-win confetti.  Green Lantern is slated to hit theaters on June 17, 2011.

Aaron Johnson and Director Sam Taylor Wood Video Interview NOWHERE BOY

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 6:37 pm

If you haven’t heard of Aaron Johnson yet…I promise you will very soon.  That’s because in director Sam Taylor Wood’s Nowhere Boy, Johnson gives an amazing performance as a teenage John Lennon.  And in a few months,  Johnson will be everywhere, as he’s one of the leads in director Matthew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass.  Trust me, this guy is going to be huge.

Anyway, at this year’s Sundance Film festival, I was able to speak with Aaron Johnson and Director Sam Taylor Wood about Nowhere Boy and our conversation is after the jump.  We talked about the delicate balancing act of trying to make a movie that’s based on such a famous person.  We also covered being at Sundance, what was it like on set, how did they prepare for the movie, and a lot more.  It’s a great interview so take a look.

Also, while Nowhere Boy has already been released in the UK, it’s still opening around the world.  I saw the film at Sundance and it’s great.  If you’re a Beatles fan, or just curious what Lennon’s life was like as a teenager, it’s really worth your time.

Steven Soderbergh to Spread CONTAGION With Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Marion Cotillard

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 4:27 pm

The Playlist reports that Steven Soderbergh, the hardest working man in show business, has once again lengthened his to-do list.  Soderbergh will re-team with The Informant! scripter Scott Z. Burns for Contagion, an “action-thriller about the outbreak of a deadly virus.”  The film doesn’t have a distribution deal yet, but with such heavy hitters as Matt Damon, Kate Winslet, Jude Law, and Marion Cotillard attached to star, you can expect a bidding war for the rights.  More on the origins of Contagion and the rest of Soderbergh’s slate after the break.

Director Joe Johnston Interview THE WOLFMAN; Says the DVD/Blu-ray Will Have 17 Minutes of Extra Footage

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 4:12 pm

Opening this Friday is director Joe Johnston’s (The Rocketeer, Jurassic Park III, Jumanji) take on the classic Universal monster The Wolfman.  To help promote the film, Universal Pictures held a big press junket for journalists from around the world this past weekend.  While I already posted all the things Johnston said about his next project, The First Avenger: Captain America, it’s time for The Wolfman Q&A.

During the press conference, Jonston talked about his decision to use both practical and CG for the Wolfman, what changes he made when he got attached to the project, and for fans of extras on DVD/Blu-ray, Johnston says they’ll be an extended cut of The Wolfman with 17 addtional minutes added back in when it gets released on home video.  The additional footage is from the beginning of the film - before Benicio transforms.  Hit the jump for the transcript or audio from the press conference:

Sir Anthony Hopkins Interview THE WOLFMAN

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 3:25 pm

Over the weekend, Universal Pictures held a huge Wolfman press junket for journalists from around the world.  In attendance was the cast, as well as director Joe Johnston and make-up artist Rick Baker.  Over the next few days I’ll be posting a number of Wolfman interviews, as the movie arrives in theaters this Friday.  While I debated who to post first…I decided to go with one of the best actors working in the business, Sir Anthony Hopkins.

During the press conference, the Academy Award Winning actor talked about why he wanted to be involved with The Wolfman and a lot more.  As usual, you can either the transcript of what he said or listen to the audio of the press conference after the jump:

Official Poster for 82nd Annual Academy Awards

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 2:52 pm

The official poster for the 82nd Annual Academy Awards has been released and it features co-hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin sitting on the Oscar.  The ceremony is scheduled for March 7 and it’ll air on ABC live around the world.   Take a look at the full poster after the jump:

Oscar-nominated Director Tom McCarthy Looking to Give WIN WIN to a “Real Kid”

by Bill Graham    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 2:19 pm

Tom McCarthy, best known for the brilliant Oscar-nominated character study The Visitor, is scouting for the lead role in his next film, Win Win, according to MyCentralJersey, and the movie is expected to be a “light-hearted comedy” about high school wrestling. Win Win, loosely based around McCarthy’s high school friend and fellow wrestler Joe Tiboni, is given this description in the piece:

“A film about how a rough-and-tumble runaway changes the lives of a suburban New Jersey family and turns around the luck of a high school wrestling team.”

McCarthy, joined by Tiboni and actor and friend Paul Giamatti, was in a New Jersey high school gym, looking for the lead role of Kyle, a flawed character who is kind but has a vicious temper stemming from his rough home. “I’m looking for a real kid,” McCarthy told the website, noting that “wrestling experience is a plus.”

For more on the film, including McCarthy’s ideal attributes for Kyle, the reasoning behind finding a “real kid,” and why The Playlist thinks Giamatti might star, hit the jump.

Super Bowl XLIV was the Most-Watched TV Program in U.S. History

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 11:58 am

While many might scoff at paying $3 million dollars for a 30 second commercial during the Super Bowl,  if you advertised during Super Bowl XLIV last night, you made a good choice.  That’s because Super Bowl XLIV set a new all-time ratings high with 106.5 million viewers, and it was the first sports program to ever crack 100 million viewers in the United States.  This year’s Super Bowl even took down the 27-year-old ratings record held by the final episode of M*A*S*H. While there are more people watching TV now, it’s still an incredible milestone.

“It is not surprising that the Super Bowl broke viewing records,” said Bill Carroll, vp director of programming at Katz TV Group. “When you have a once-a-year event, particularly suited to HD, with little to no competition on broadcast or cable, while in this economy mostly watched from home, with a blizzard on the East Coast, it would be more surprising if the game did not set a record.”  (via THR)

The premiere of Undercover Boss, CBS’ latest reality show, also drew huge ratings with 38.6 million viewers.  That’s the biggest post Super Bowl audience since the second season premiere of Survivor back in 2001.

Could There Possibly Be a MR. AND MRS. SMITH Reboot?

by Jackson Cresswell    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 11:30 am

Release Date and Special Features for DARIA: THE COMPLETE ANIMATED SERIES

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 8th, 2010 at 11:02 am

One of the most-demanded TV shows for a DVD release  is finally set to arrive as the appropriately named TVShowsonDVD.com has announced that Daria: The Complete Animated Series will hit DVD on May 11th.  The episodes will be in full screen, but there are currently no details on the audio, the price (like that will stop you from buying it), how many songs they were able to get the licensing rights for, or the package art.

However, we do know the special features for the set, and I’ve included the list after the jump.  Again, you’re due to stand on my neck on May 11th.

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