No surprises here: Teen girls lined up en masse to take Robert Pattinson home with them when the Twilight DVD went on sale Saturday, complete with midnight release parties. The romantic vampire sensation, which has grossed $380 million in theaters since its November release, sold more than 3 million copies in its first day on the shelves, studio Summit Entertainment says. That puts it in the top five best first-day DVD releases in the last two years, among the likes of Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, The Dark Night, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, and Transformers.
Archive: March 2009 (21-30 of 51)
Mar 23
2009
02:06 AM ET
'Twilight' sells more than 3 million DVDs in first day of sales
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Mar 22
2009
05:44 PM ET
Box Office Report: 'Knowing' cruises to weekend victory
What started as a close and unpredictable race to box office supremacy wound up an easy win for Nicolas Cage’s latest sci-fi flick, Knowing, which grossed $24.8 mil this weekend, trumping challenges from the hearty laugher I Love You, Man and the Julia Roberts-Clive Owen rom-thrill Duplicity.
While I’m somewhat surprised by the outcome — Knowing fared much better than I, or most other box office prognosticators, expected — in the end the battle wasn’t even very close. Cage scored his third consecutive No. 1 opening in the past year and a half, drawing a diverse crowd that was evenly divided between men and women and about two-thirds over the age of 25. For indie distributor Summit, meanwhile, Knowing‘s debut marks a second big win after last fall’s Twilight (which happened to hit DVD this weekend, in case you didn’t hear — yay!).
I Love You, Man was a solid second-place finisher, grossing $18 mil and cementing Paul Rudd’s status as a rising comedy draw. While perhaps a bit lower than hoped, the film’s opening sum is on par with that of Rudd’s last success, Role Models ($19.2 mil), which wound up banking $67.3 mil during its domestic run. With an audience that basically hits “all four quadrants” (young and old, male and female) awarding the film a decent B+ CinemaScore grade, I Love You, Man could have some box office legs in the weeks to come.
The same can’t be said about Duplicity (No. 3), which disappointed with $14.4 mil, despite boasting some pretty big names. It’s hard to compare the film’s performance to that of any recent Julia Roberts release — simply because the woman still often dubbed the biggest female star in the world hasn’t had a lead role in a major movie in years. That said, this opening total falls well short of the $20 mil-to-$40 mil premieres she consistently drew during her heyday from 1997 to 2001. And with a woeful CinemaScore grade of C from a “one quadrant” crowd mostly comprised of older women, Duplicity doesn’t appear to be the comeback hit many hoped it would be.
Race to Witch Mountain (No. 4 with $13 mil) and Watchmen (No. 5 with $6.7 mil) rounded out the top five in a frame whose overall gross declined about 5 percent from a year ago, making this the second “down” weekend in a row. But the slow times shouldn’t last much longer, as Monsters vs. Aliens is set to scare up a fortune starting next weekend.
More Box Office News:
Box Office Preview: I Love You, Man, Duplicity, and Knowing battle for No. 1
Race to Witch Mountain casts a spell at No. 1
Watchmen wins the weekend with $55.7 mil
Madea tops Jonas Brothers for a second box office win
Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail wins big at the box office
Friday the 13th slashes records
EW.com’s Box Office Chart
Mar 21
2009
03:49 PM ET
'Knowing' leads 'I Love You, Man' and 'Duplicity' in tight box office race
Nicolas Cage’s Knowing jumped out to an early lead at the weekend box office, grossing $9 million on Friday. The sci-fi flick thus has the inside edge to win a frame that is living up to expectations as a closely fought contest between three big new releases. Of those competitors, the R-rated Paul Rudd-Jason Segel comedy I Love You, Man fared well, earning a solid $6.4 mil on Friday, while Julia Roberts’ rom-thrill Duplicity was a bit soft, with $4.7 mil. Reigning champ Race to Witch Mountain, meanwhile, banked $3.8 mil and should rise in the box office rankings as families flock to their local multiplexes over the weekend. Friday’s totals are below, and please check back here tomorrow for a full weekend recap in the Box Office Report.
1. Knowing — $9 mil
2. I Love You, Man — $6.4 mil
3. Duplicity — $4.7 mil
4. Race to Witch Mountain — $3.8 mil
5. Watchmen — $2 mil
More Box Office News:
Box Office Preview: ‘I Love You, Man,’ ‘Duplicity,’ and ‘Knowing’ battle for No. 1
‘Race to Witch Mountain’ casts a spell at No. 1
‘Watchmen’ wins the weekend with $55.7 mil
‘Madea’ tops ‘Jonas Brothers’ for a second box office win
‘Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail’ wins big at the box office
‘Friday the 13th’ slashes records
EW.com’s Box Office Chart
Mar 20
2009
09:47 PM ET
Bryan Singer eyeing hot revenge thriller project starring Mark Wahlberg
After the success of Taken and Gran Torino, Hollywood has been on a vigilante kick. And right now, Bryan Singer (along with studio execs all over town) has been seriously considering getting his revenge on with The Prisoners, a much-sought-after thriller script to which Mark Wahlberg is attached to star as a Boston dad who takes the law into his own hands when his young daughter is kidnapped. The screenplay, which has been compared to The Silence of the Lambs and Seven, has been buzzed about as a calling card for its unknown writer, Aaron Guzikowski, and as a rare project targeted at adult audiences but with real commercial potential. When asked whether The Prisoners will be his next movie, Singer told EW: “I don’t know yet. But I’m definitely intrigued. It’s a great script. And I’d love to work with Mark.”
Mar 20
2009
08:39 PM ET
Liam Neeson: Status of his in-production film, 'Chloe,' uncertain
Chloe, Liam Neeson’s current project that he had been filming in Toronto opposite Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfried, was days away from completion when Neeson’s wife, Natasha Richardson, was fatally injured on a ski slope in Montreal. While we reported earlier that the production helmed by director Atom Egoyan is continuing without Neeson, the Academy Award-nominated actor will have to return to Toronto at some point to finish up one-to-two days of shooting. “We’re just waiting to hear from Liam on what he wants to do,” a source within the production told EW. “We’re not sure about anything.” Chloe centers on a doctor who hires an escort to seduce her husband, whom she suspects of cheating.
More on Natasha Richardson:
Natasha Richardson dies at age 45
Broadway dims lights for Natasha Richardson
Natasha Richardson: Amy Sedaris, Helen Mirren among stars paying tribute
Liam Neeson’s film projects in limbo after wife’s death
Natasha Richardson autopsy confirms ski accident as cause of death
Natasha Richardson: Career retrospective (photo gallery)
Natasha Richardson: A critical appreciation by Lisa Schwarzbaum
Mar 20
2009
08:10 PM ET
Box Office Preview: 'I Love You, Man,' 'Duplicity,' and 'Knowing' battle for No. 1
It’ll be a tight fight for supremacy at the box office this weekend, as three big new releases — the buzzy R-rated comedy I Love You, Man, the Julia Roberts spy movie Duplicity, and the Nicolas Cage sci-fi flick Knowing — compete against formidable reigning champ Race to Witch Mountain. And all have an equal chance to win. I mean, to call this weekend wide open is like calling Watchmen a box office disappointment (you know, because it is). Anyway, here’s how I see the battle shaping up.
1. I Love You, Man — $21 million
Paul Rudd and Jason Segel (pictured, with Rashida Jones) star in this raw “bro-mantic” comedy, which should be catnip for the fellas out there. You know, the same guys who gave Rudd’s Role Models a $19.2 mil debut last fall, the same dudes who helped propel Segel’s Forgetting Sarah Marshall to a $17.7 mil first-weekend take 11 months ago. Certainly, from where I stand, it’s the most talked-about new film of the weekend. And you can never underestimate one other thing it has going for it during these tough times in the world: I Love You, Man is filled with laughs, and right now people want to laugh.
2. Race to Witch Mountain — $16 million
As the weekend’s only big family film, Dwayne Johnson’s Disney update (which opened with a super-solid $24.4 mil) may just sneak in there and win another round.
3. Duplicity — $15 million
With this romantic thriller (rom-thrill?) from Michael Clayton‘s Tony Gilroy, Julia Roberts has her first major leading role since…gosh, 2004′s Closer or 2003′s Mona Lisa Smile, depending on how you want to argue it. Point is, America’s sweetheart has been out of the conversation for quite a while, popping up only in supporting roles in the Ocean’s movies and Charlie Wilson’s War or lending her voice to Charlotte’s Web. Her costar Clive Owen, meanwhile, has compiled an impressive resume since he, too, appeared in Closer, but the poor $25.2 mil take of The International earlier this year shows that the jury’s still out on him as a box office force. All of which is to say that this movie could do well if Roberts’ core fan base of older women turns out in droves (as they’ve done for He’s Just Not That Into You, Sex and the City, and other recent releases). Or, more likely, it’ll face some problems.
4. Knowing — $12 million
Nicolas Cage’s latest mindbender is playing in the most theaters this weekend (3,332), so it has an edge, right? Maybe, maybe not. The key here is whether this relatively unheralded film, from sci-fi auteur Alex Proyas and indie distributor Summit (yes, the folks who brought you Twilight), will play out more like Cage’s Ghost Rider ($45.4 mil debut) or Next ($7.1 mil opening). My gut is that it’ll wind up much like the latter.
5. Watchmen — $8 million
Good news: Zack Snyder’s superheroes will probably hit the $100 million mark this weekend. Bad news: Really, they should have gotten there already.
Now, it’s your turn! What do you think will happen? Does Julia Roberts have another hit in her? What about Nic Cage? Weigh in below?
More Box Office News:
‘Race to Witch Mountain’ casts a spell at No. 1
‘Watchmen’ wins the weekend with $55.7 mil
‘Madea’ tops ‘Jonas Brothers’ for a second box office win
‘Tyler Perry’s Madea Goes to Jail’ wins big at the box office
‘Friday the 13th’ slashes records
EW.com’s Box Office Chart
addCredit(“Scott Garfield”)
Mar 20
2009
04:20 PM ET
Natasha Richardson: Amy Sedaris, Helen Mirren among stars paying tribute
Friends and colleagues have spent the past two days paying their respects to Natasha Richardson, who died March 18, after a tragic skiing accident.
Amy Sedaris (Richardson’s costar in Maid in Manhattan), exclusively to EW
"You think you’re not going to use the word shocking because everyone says
that. But I just can’t believe it. It’s unbelievable to me [that she's gone].
"Maid in Manhattan is where I met her. She was so fun, always
wanted to try different things. I just followed her lead, and it was perfect.
She was such a pro. We worked together those few days and really hit it off,
then we became friends. She was the ultimate hostess. She would have amazing
dinner parties up at her house. And her recipes — oh my god, she was so
good. I learned about duck fat from her — that was her secret ingredient. People
always ask me, who is my favorite hostess? And I always say Natasha. She was
cool and just classy. She was so [devoted to] her kids and Liam. She did
everything for them. I always had such a good time with her because you’d just
laugh. She had a really good laugh. There can’t be a picture of Natasha not
smiling. She was just radiant.
Michael Apted (who directed Richardson and her future husband, Liam Neeson, in Nell), exclusively to EW
"She
was very, very accomplished [as an actress]. She had to play a Southern
girl. She was a very educated upper-class English woman, and you just
saw her become a Southern lady…. The wonderful thing about her was how
nurturing she was. I’ll never forget the impromptu dinners she would
have for us. We didn’t have much life outside the set, but she made
everything more comfortable for us. Everybody speaks that she was a
great actress, but she was more than that — she was a great woman. The
flowering of her relationship with Liam, that was a joy to watch."
Paul Schrader (who directed Richardson in Patty Hearst, her breakout film role, and The Comfort of Strangers), exclusively to EW
"She had that kind of common touch that can come to those who are to
the manor born. It seems like a contradiction. But she never had the
kind of insecurity about being an actress in the first place. She was
raised in London and France and Los Angeles. When she was 13 she played
Ophelia for an audience of her mother and father and her grandfather.
She was always at ease in that world. It gave her a kind of confidence
and security. She knew she was good and whatever happened it would be
all right."
On Thursday, other celebrities who knew and worked with Richardson issued statements offering their condolences:
Lindsay Lohan (Richardson’s costar in The Parent Trap)
"She was a wonderful woman and actress and treated me like I was her own. I didn’t see much of her over the years but I will miss her. My heart goes out to her family. This is a tragic loss."
Robert Duvall (Richardson’s costar in The Handmaid’s Tale)
"Natasha was a lovely woman and a joy to work with. My thoughts and prayers go out to Liam and his wonderful family."
Ralph Fiennes (Richardson’s costar in Maid in Manhattan and The White Countess)
"For everyone who knew and loved her, Natasha’s death is a terrible, devastating loss. She was a star. A great actress, a beautiful woman, a fiercely loyal friend, a brilliant and generous companion. She was an adoring and loving wife and mother. She was unique. My thoughts and prayers go out to Liam and her beautiful sons, Micheál and Danny and to all her family. I cannot imagine a world without her wit, her love, her mischief, her great, great talent and her gift for living. I loved her very much. She was a supreme friend. I shall miss her deeply."
Helen Mirren (Richardson’s costar in The Comfort of Strangers)
"Natasha was a great actress, a fantastic mother, a loving wife and a whirlwind of energy, with an infectious love of life expressed firstly by her wonderful deep laugh. Anyone who knew her will be in mourning today. I hope that Liam and her sons are helped in their pain by the great love and sympathy that is coming to them from people all over the world."
Meryl Streep (Richardson’s costar in Evening)
"Tash was the warm sun in the center of a large constellation of
family, friends, all of those lucky enough to know her. She is
irreplaceable in our lives; she gave us so much, so generously. Her
legacy is the love that connects us all."
Mia Farrow (Richardson’s costar in Widows’ Peak)
"Tasha is irreplaceable. I cannot think of anyone kinder, more
generous, thoughtful, smarter or more fun. She is godmother of two of
my children. The Neesons and Vanessa [Redgrave, Richardson's mother]
have always made me feel a part of their wonderful family. My thoughts
and prayers are with them."
Sam Mendes (director, Cabaret, for which Richardson won a Tony award.)
"She was one of a kind, a magnificent actress. … She was also an
amazing mother, a loyal friend and the greatest and most generous host
you could ever hope to meet."
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Jodie Foster (Richardson’s costar in Nell)
"Natasha was brilliant, beautiful, funny, talented beyond measure,
as emotionally raw as she was razor sharp. … May Liam, her beautiful
boys and her loving family hold her close as they move through this
tragic moment."
Oprah Winfrey (on her talk show)
"I just want to say how deeply saddened I am, we all are, by the
sudden passing of actress Natasha Richardson yesterday. Our thoughts
and prayers are with her husband Liam Neeson, their two sons, the rest
of their family and friends. Yet another reminder of how fleeting life
can be and how precious. We need to value every moment."
Kelly Ripa, on Live with Regis and Kelly
"She was a lady. I can’t tell you enough what a good person she was, and fun and vivacious and the most full of life."
Julianna Marguiles (exclusively to People.com)
"She was a great friend, a wonderful wife and an excellent mother. She knew how to make everyone feel comfortable and at home. This is such a loss to us all."
Jane Fonda (on her personal blog), who worked with Richardson’s mother, Vanessa Redgrave, on the film Julia.
"I first met her on the set of Julia. She was a little girl but already beautiful and graceful. It didn’t surprise me that she became such a talented actor."
More on Natasha Richardson:
Natasha Richardson dies at age 45
Natasha Richardson autopsy confirms ski accident as cause of death
Natasha Richardson: Career retrospective (photo gallery)
Natasha Richardson: A critical appreciation by Lisa Schwarzbaum
addCredit(“
Natasha Richardson; Mike Marsland/WireImage.com; Helen Mirren: Scott Gries/Getty Images; Ralph Fiennes: Niki Nikolova/FilmMagic.com”)
Mar 20
2009
12:08 AM ET
James Franco: UCLA students protest their graduation speaker
A UCLA senior majoring in English who opposed a decision to feature James Franco (Milk, Pineapple Express) as this year’s commencement speaker has created a Facebook page to protest the move. Already, some 300 people have become “friends” of the cause — the creation of Erin Moore, 21, who wrote on the page that “James Franco has been chosen as the speaker for the College of Letters and Sciences Commencement Ceremony for 2009. Clearly, this is ridiculous. Anyone who has been in his classes knows he is an average student at UCLA. This is an accomplishment while working in his industry, but he is our academic peer, which makes him an inappropriate choice for a keynote speaker.”
In an interview with EW, Moore explains that her beef wasn’t directed toward Franco (who earned his degree in English with a concentration on creative writing from UCLA last year) but toward the university, which she believes could have chosen someone who has made “significant achievements to change the world.” She doesn’t believe Franco’s accomplishment in “keeping up a really large number of units while also having a movie career” is particularly inspirational.
Well, some other students thought otherwise. According to a UCLA spokeswoman, there was student participation in the committee that selected the speaker and “James Franco was the top recommendation. We’re happy he has accepted.”
According to an interview with NPR, Franco said he returned to UCLA to finish his undergraduate degree but was concerned that his classmates and teachers may think he was coasting through while maintaining an acting career, so he signed up for additional courses to show his commitment. In his last quarter, he apparently signed up for 62 units.
“I think he’s a good actor,” Moore says of Franco. “I just don’t think he’s changed the structure of our society just yet.”
A call into Franco’s publicist was not returned Thursday afternoon. The Facebook page features a picture of Franco sleeping in what appears to be a lecture hall but Moore admits it wasn’t taken by her. She got it off of TMZ.com.
More James Franco:
EW’s 2008 profile of the Pineapple Express star
Mar 19
2009
09:24 PM ET
'Meet the Fockers' sequel will include 'children...conflict,' screenwriter says
The Focker family will be back! John Hamburg, the director of I Love You, Man, who wrote the screenplays for Meet the Parents and Meet the Fockers, reports that the third installment of the Robert De Niro-Ben Stiller franchise will feature “the new generation.” Speaking to EW from I Love You, Man‘s red carpet premiere on March 17, Hamburg added that filming will begin this summer on The Little Fockers, which he describes as “the next chapter.”
“Everyone will be back,” promised Hamburg, who wrote the screenplay. “I can guarantee there will be more children and that conflict will ensue between De Niro and Stiller. Oh yeah, that’s some scoop. Hot off the press!” (Reporting by Carrie Bell)
Mar 19
2009
08:42 PM ET
'Iron Man 2': Director Jon Favreau gets ready to shoot, says he's a 'very big fan' of Mickey Rourke
Director Jon Favreau wouldn’t confirm reports that Mickey Rourke will join the cast of the much-anticipated Iron Man 2, but he assured EW that “everyone will be happy with who’ve we got.” Speaking from the red carpet of the March 17 premiere of I Love You, Man in L.A., Favreau acknowledged being a “very big fan” of Rourke — and not just because of his work in The Wrestler. “Sin City was when he got on the geek map,” Favreau said. “The Comic-Con crowd knew about his rebirth back from Robert Rodriguez’ film.”
With shooting set to begin within a month, Favreau said he planned to gather the Iron Man 2 cast this week for a little bonding and a whole lot of rehearsing. “I’m getting the old-timers together again and introducing them to new cast members,” he added. “We’re gonna shake the Sherlock outta junior! I’m a little nervous because the first one set a high bar but we have put our all into this so far.”
Favreau acknowledged the script wasn’t complete but “we have a rough basic outline [that is] always evolving as we bring in actors and have rehearsals. I like to adjust it for the specific actors but the action sequences are very far along.” (Reporting by Carrie Bell)
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