Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Dear John - A romantic drama about a soldier (Tatum) who falls for a co-ed (Seyfried) while he's home on leave. Their relationship is tested in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, an event that causes him to re-enlist for service.

From Paris with Love - In Paris, a young employee in the office of the US Ambassador (Myers) hooks up with an American spy (Travolta) looking to stop a terrorist attack in the city.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!

Zombieland
Love Happens
Amelia
The House of the Devil
Casablanca

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Avatar$30.0 M

2 Edge of Darkness$17.1 M

3 When in Rome $12.0 M

4 The Tooth Fairy$10.0 M

5 The Book of Eli $8.7 M

6 Legion $6.8 M

7 The Lovely Bones $4.7 M

8 Sherlock Holmes $4.5 M

9 Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel $4.0 M

10 It's Complicated $3.7 M

Looks like Mel Gibson's return was no match for the power of James Cameron's "Avatar." For 7 weeks in a row, the sci-fi fantasy has crushed anything in its way. It will most likely beat "Titanic's" record for No.1 in domestic box office sometime this week. It has already sunk the previous record for worldwide box office gross.

"Edge of Darkness" came in a disappointing 2nd place with just $17 million. Warner Brothers was expecting this film to become No. 1 and make way more money that it actually did, but it wasn't meant to be.

"When in Rome" debuted in 3rd with $12 million and everything else flattened out under the weight of "Avatar." "Legion" dropped four places but is doing well considering how low the budget was for the film (though I don't know how much the marketing was). "Alvin and the Chipmunks" are still hanging in there, having earned over $383 million dollars worldwide (expect a third film in 2-3 years).

Can the emotion forcing "Dear John" finally send "Avatar" packing or will the action-filled John Travolta movie "From Paris With Love" win the weekend? Or...will "Avatar" topple the first weekend in February as it has tackled the past 7 weekends in a row?
(Latino Review)

'Zombieland' Writers Add 'G.I. Joe 2' To Their List

Hot on the tails of official confirmation that "Zombieland" screenwriters Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick would be writing Marvel's "Deadpool" adaptation, it looks like the in-demand writing duo have found their next high profile project.

IESB nabbed the exclusive news that Reese and Wernick are the two writers who will be penning the upcoming sequel to last summer's "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra."

For those keeping count, that means that Reese and Wernick now have "G.I. Joe 2," "Zombieland 2" and "Deadpool" in their workload.

We’ve known for awhile that "G.I. Joe 2" was in the pipeline. The first film made $300 million at the worldwide box office and the film’s story was obviously geared toward establishing a franchise. So what will Reese and Wernick bring to the table?

Hopefully they'll bring the some fresh humor to a franchise that desperately needs some. I understand that the film was meant to be more of a translation of the 80's cartoon series than a serious action film, but the writing was just bland, not to mention the terribly low quality special effects (which shouldn't be seen in a blockbuster film). There were a couple of cool action sequences involving Snake Eyes, but I was hardly blown away.

Of course, one positive thing going for "G.I. Joe 2": no pesky writer’s strike to get in the way of the script drafting process this time. People say the 2007 strike was a heavy blow to the films being developed at that time for Summer ‘09. Guess we’ll see soon enough just how true that is.

Reese and Wernick might be the right guys to mess with the tone of the sequel though, and if they've been hired for "Deadpool," then they certainly know how to write for cherished characters and action set pieces.

And knowing is half the battle!
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

'Zombieland' writers confirmed for 'Deadpool'

Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick — the writing duo behind "Zombieland" and Sony's proposed "Venom" movie — have been confirmed as the writers for the "Deadpool" film.

Early in December, it was revealed by CHUD that the pair were in the running to pen the screenplay. It was an exciting prospect because these two guys were responsible for creating one of the most original and entertaining genre movies we had the pleasure of seeing this year, and having them take on the "Merc with a Mouth" as a follow-up would be absolutely perfect.

Now, according to Variety, Reese and Wernick have been confirmed to pen the screenplay for "Deadpool," the "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" spin-off starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular antihero.

Variety also adds that Reynolds is likely to begin shooting "Deadpool" once production has wrapped on the Warner Bros superhero flick "Green Lantern," in which he is also starring.

The actor is currently bulking up to play "Green Lantern," which starts filming next month. This is particularly convenient since Reynolds "would already be in superhero shape" for "Deadpool" thanks to the DC Comics film.

But as of right now there is no timetable for the "Deadpool" project since Reynolds is well on his way toward playing Hal Jordan. More will be known on the status of "Deadpool" in a couple of months once "Green Lantern" has finished shooting.

The spin-off is expected to develop the character into a more faithful version than was seen in "Wolverine." Marvel's comic book version of Deadpool wears a mask and costume and is known for his quips, pop-culture references and for 'breaking the fourth wall' (directly addressing the reader/audience).

With Reynolds' vision officially supported by incoming writers Reese and Wernick, not to mention the steady guidance of producer Lauren Shuler Donner, the next essential ingredient will be booking the perfect director.

Given the say he seems to have on this project, not to mention his dual superhero roles, it wouldn't surprise me in the least if Reynolds himself ends up in the director's chair.

What do you think of the hiring of Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick as the "Deadpool" writers?

More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: MTV News, The Geek Files, First Showing

'Zombieland' Writers Being Eyed for 'Deadpool'

In an interview with MTV News, Ryan Reynolds says the search is on for a writer for the "Deadpool" film, which will develop the character from "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" into a more comic-accurate version of the wisecracking masked mercenary.

"I think at this point everyone's just focused on getting the right script and the right tone and the right writer involved and I think from there, the world's your oyster," he said. "If you get that right, you're going to get an amazing director."

He continues to reveal that there have been a lot of meetings with writers, who each have something unique to bring to the movie. They’re working on that still and he’s hopeful that something can be announced officially sooner rather than later.

There’s nothing official on what writers are being looked at, but going by a potential scoop from CHUD, "Zombieland" writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick could be the chosen pair to write "Deadpool" for Fox Studios.

The pair also wrote the first draft of the "Venom" spin-off from the "Spider-Man" films, so they have worked on a script based on a Marvel character already.

Although just a rumor, I would be in full support of Reese and Wernick taking over the script-writing duties for this "X-Men" movie. "Zombieland" was well-written, very funny and full of action - which all meshes perfectly with what a "Deadpool" film should be.

No director has yet been announced for the project, but hopefully news will keep coming out for this movie so we know it is officially happening even if Reynolds is starring in another superhero franchise about the DC hero "Green Lantern."

Who would you like to see write and direct "Deadpool"?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: The Geek Files, Screen Rant

'Zombieland 2' Will Go 3-D

Variety confirms that this fall’s hit horror/comedy, "Zombieland," will be getting an in-you-face sequel as well as a third "Jackass" movie.

Reportedly, "Zombieland" director Ruben Fleischer and producer Gavin Polone have both closed deals to return for the sequel. Writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick are currently working on the screenplay for the sequel and the studio is in talks with stars Woody Harrelson and Jesse Eisenberg to reprise their roles.

However, no word on if the female half of the flick, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, will be a part of the sequel yet. We'll find out after the writers finish the script and release some story details.

But how will a "Zombieland" film fare in 3-D? Says Polone:

“Everyone had fun watching (the first) ‘Zombieland’; making it a more visceral experience can only make it better,” said the film’s producer Gavin Polone. “I don’t think you want to see ‘Ordinary People’ in 3-D. But ‘Zombieland’ is clearly one movie that will benefit from (the technique).”
On the "Jackass" side of things, Paramount is already set to have filming begin in January with a release scheduled for later in 2010. Johnny Knoxville will be back for the installment which is confirmed to be shot in 3-D, but only now is director Jeff Tremaine conducting camera tests to ensure that the footage will look good.

But do we really want to see pierced scrotums or spewing vomit in 3-D? It's not as if anything about "Jackass" was ever visually stimulating or cinematically epic, so this 3-D nonsense is just ridiculous. Have we come to a point with all the hype of 3-D surrounding already unnecessary remakes, sequels and the like that soon everything will be presented to us in the third dimension? It does get sickening after awhile...

What do you think about "Zombieland 2" and "Jackass 3" in 3-D?
More news to come! Catch ya' later!
Sources: Screen Rant, First Showing

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Saw VI - Special Agent Strahm is dead, and Detective Hoffman has emerged as the unchallenged successor to Jigsaw's legacy. However, when the FBI draws closer to Hoffman, he is forced to set a game into motion, and Jigsaw's grand scheme is finally understood.

Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant - A traveling freak show's most mysterious attraction recruits teenager Darren Shan as his assistant, though the young man soon finds himself used as a pawn in a battle between vampires and their deadlier counterparts.

Amelia - A look at the life of Amelia Earhart (Swank), the American pilot who disappeared while flying over the Pacific Ocean in 1937 on her history-making flight around the world.

Astro Boy - Set in futuristic Metro City, Astro Boy (voiced by Highmore) is about a young robot with incredible powers created by a brilliant scientist (voiced by Cage) in the image of the son he has lost. Unable to fulfill the grieving man's expectations, our hero embarks on a journey in search of acceptance, experiencing betrayal and a netherworld of robot gladiators, before he returns to save Metro City and reconcile with the father who had rejected him.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
Blood: The Last Vampire
Cheri
Waterworld
Easy Rider

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Where the Wild Things Are$32.4 M
2 Law Abiding Citizen $21.2 M
3 Paranormal Activity $20.1 M
4 Couples Retreat $17.9 M
5 The Stepfather $12.3 M
6 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs $8.1 M
7 Zombieland $7.8 M
8 Toy Story / Toy Story 2 (3-D) $3.0 M
9 Surrogates $1.9 M
10 The Invention of Lying $1.9 M

"Where the Wild Things" are won the weekend, though I expect it to fall once parents start figuring out the movie may be too frightening for younger children.

"Law Abiding Citizen" opened well, making a million dollars more than "Paranormal Activity." But the latter film opened in 760 screens while the former opened in 2,890 screens. Imagine if "Paranormal Activity" gets more theaters this upcoming month (especially for Halloween).

Really, a lot of these movies will be falling down the list due to many movies coming out next weekend (including an Oscar contender and a new kids film). I'm hoping "Zombieland" can stay in the Top 10 as it is a really good movie compared to others on that list.

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

The Stepfather - Michael Harding (Badgley) returns from military school to find his mother (Ward) living with her new boyfriend, David (Walsh). As the two men get to know each other, Michael becomes suspicious of the man in his mother's life: Is he really the man of her dreams, or could David be hiding a dark side?

Where the Wild Things Are - Young, mischievous Max is sent to bed without his supper, but when his bedroom turns in to a magical jungle landscape filled with strange creatures, he embarks on a wild imaginary adventure.

Law Abiding Citizen - After family man Clyde Shelton (Butler) is failed by the court system, he concocts a series of events designed to exact his revenge on the killers of his wife and daughter. And from inside his jail cell, the mastermind lures the prosecutor (Foxx) who orchestrated the unjust deal into his deadly plan.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!

Drag Me to Hell
The Proposal
Land of the Lost
Hardware

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Couples Retreat$35.3 M

2 Zombieland $15.0 M

3 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs $12.0 M

4 Toy Story / Toy Story 2 (3-D) $7.6 M

5 Paranormal Activity $7.0 M

6 Surrogates $4.1 M

7 The Invention of Lying $3.3 M

8 Whip It $2.8 M

9 Capitalism: A Love Story $2.7 M

10 Fame $2.5 M


"Zombieland" went on vacation this past weekend. Yeah, "Couple Retreat" beat it, but neither film will wind up staying high in the Top Ten for long since so many movies are coming out this weekend.

That is also the end of the two-week run of the "Toy Story" 3-D Double Feature, so that will be eliminated off the list as well.

As for "Paranormal Activity," it still isn't in many theaters yet it is banking. It does have a wide national release until this weekend but people are going to those sold-out theaters to catch it before then.

The last couple of films on the list won't be there next time with the amount of new films coming out. Which one will win the weekend though?

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Couples Retreat - Four couples settle into a tropical-island resort for a vacation. While one of the couples is there to work on their marriage, the others fail to realize that participation in the resort's therapy sessions is not optional.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Year One
My Life in Ruins
Trick 'r Treat

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Zombieland$25.0 M

2 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs $16.7 M

3 Toy Story / Toy Story 2 (3-D) $12.5 M

4 The Invention of Lying$7.3 M

5 Surrogates $7.3 M

6 Capitalism: A Love Story $4.8 M

7 Whip It$4.8 M

8 Fame $4.7 M

9 The Informant! $3.8 M

10 Love Happens $2.7 M

A rated-R horror/comedy film made it to the top? Heck yeah! I love zombie films. And I love comedy films. Heck, I love "Shaun of the Dead." So will I love "Zombieland"? Most likely.

The Kid Factor also helps win out the weekend by serving "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" a big box office push along with the "Toy Story 3-D" double feature. You wouldn't think people would flock to see older films reformatted into a new dimension for three hours, but they will.

Drew Barrymore's directorial debut starring her and Ellen Page did not Bring It to movie theaters, and neither did Ricky Gervais' new film either (or Michael Moore's new documentary).

So what will win next weekend? Nothing really good coming out. Can we expect "Zombieland" to win two weeks in a row? We'll have to wait and see.

Box Office Results and Weekly Movie News

Movies coming out this week!

Capitalism: A Love Story - Documentary filmmaker Michael Moore sets out to uncover the truth behind the current economic crisis with interviews from Wall Street and government insiders.

A Serious Man - A black comedy set in 1967 and centered on Larry Gopnik (Stuhlbarg), a Midwestern professor who watches his life unravel when his wife prepares to leave him because his inept brother (Kind) won't move out of the house.

Zombieland - In a world overrun by zombies, a guy described as "the most frightened person on Earth" (Eisenberg) musters the courage to lead a band of refugees on a cross-country pilgrimage to an amusement park where they think they'll be safe.

Whip It - In Bodeen, Texas, indie-rock loving misfit Bliss Cavendar (Page) finds a way of dealing with her small-town misery after she discovers a roller derby league in nearby Austin.

The Invention of Lying - A comedy set in a world where no one has ever lied, until a writer seizes the opportunity for personal gain.

Movies coming out on DVD and Blu-ray!
Monsters vs Aliens
Away We Go
The Wizard of Oz 70th Anniversary Edition

Box Office results for the weekend!

1 Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs$24.6 M

2 Surrogates$15.0 M

3 Fame $10.0 M

4 The Informant! $6.9 M

5 Tyler Perry's I Can Do Bad All By Myself $4.7 M

6 Pandorum $4.4 M

7 Love Happens $4.3 M

8 Jennifer's Body $3.5 M

9 9 $2.8 M

10 Inglorious Basterds $2.7 M

"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" takes the weekend again, but the numbers are so low from last weekend and this one that it still isn't really raking in a profit yet. If it makes No. 1 next weekend it may have a chance.

"Surrogates" didn't do as well as many had hoped (the Kid Factor wins out again). And "Fame" just didn't have an audience. I know only one person who has an interest in seeing this movie.

"Pandorum" doesn't have many theaters but it also didn't have much of an audience. The sci-fi people went to go see "Surrogates" instead.

Other films keep petering out. "Inglourious Basterds" is hanging in there but won't make the Top Ten next weekend (neither will "9" or "Jennifer's Body").

Next weekend actually has a lot of movies coming out at once. Will the Kid Factor dominate once again or will another film take the top spot? Anyone willing to bet on "Zombieland" doing well (I know I am going to see it)?