Image Credit: Daniel McFadden
The Purge scared up quite the box office haul this weekend. Well-surpassing its low budget in its first days in theaters, the Ethan Hawke thriller has already earned what seems to be an increasingly common next step for financially successful movies: a sequel.
Producer Jason Blum’s company tweeted the news, and a Universal rep confirmed to EW that the studio is indeed on board for a sequel with Blum on as producer. READ FULL STORY »
Image Credit: Murray Close
Though Jurassic Park 4 recently found its director with Safety Not Guaranteed director Colin Trevorrow, the film just lost its release. In a statement today, Universal announced that it’s moving the film from its June 13, 2014 release to “a later date” — though the studio “could not be more excited” for the film’s vision. Earlier this year the project appeared to be gaining steam again, with original helmer Steven Spielberg on board as executive producer alongside producer Frank Marshall and a script from Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver, who rebooted the Planet of the Apes franchise.
No new release date has been set. Read the full statement below:
Harry Potter fans, break out your wands and invisible cloaks.
An inside source confirms to EW that a Potter “mini movie” — following the franchise’s eighth film Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 — is being filmed at the Harry Potter studios in Hertfordshire, England with cast members including Helena Bonham Carter (as evil death eater Bellatrix Lestrange).
The mini movie will appear exclusively at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter themed area at Universal Orlando’s Islands of Adventure in Florida, as well as Potter-themed areas under construction at Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Hollywood. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando opened to the fan-frenzied public in 2010.
Universal Orlando spokesman Tom Schroder declined to comment when reached by EW.
For more film news Follow @solvej_schou
Read more:
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: Inside the theme park
What’s worse than a red room of pain? Hollywood and copyright.
Smash Pictures Inc., the makers of Fifty Shades of Grey: a XXX Adaptation, a porn movie version of the kinky bestseller, are being sued by Universal Studios (which acquired the rights to make a film version) and Fifty Shades Ltd. (a U.K. licensing company) for copyright infringement and false advertising, among other charges.
“Defendants [had a] knowing and willful violation of Plaintiffs’ copyrights in E L James’s bestselling novels Fifty Shades of Grey, Fifty Shades Darker, and Fifty Shades Freed (the “Fifty Shades Trilogy”) by way of the production and distribution of adult films that take wholesale the dialogue, characters, and storyline from the Fifty Shades Trilogy,” said the lawsuit filed Tuesday and obtained by EW.
A part of the lawsuit is quotes director of the XXX Adaptation gave to media last year that said the porn would be “very true to the book.” Universal argues in the lawsuit: “XXX Adaptation is not a parody, and it does not comment on, criticize, or ridicule the originals. It is a rip-off, plain and simple.” The suit also features chunks of text from both the book and the movie to show how similar they are.
A spokesperson for Universal did not return EW’s request for comment.
Read more:
Yep, there’s a ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ jewelry line coming
Ten ways to tell you’re enjoying an evening with ‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ author E L James
On the scene: E L James talks ‘Fifty Shades’ with Katie Couric
Image Credit: Universal Pictures
There’s been a lot of confusion about the state — or existence — of a Snow White & the Huntsman sequel. Released this past June, the film, which starred Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, and Chris Hemsworth, grossed $389.2 million worldwide. But after incriminating pictures surfaced of Kristen Stewart and Rupert Sanders (Snow White‘s married director), one of the questions many have wondered is how a sequel with Stewart and Sanders could possibly be made.
Last night, the speculation hit a fever pitch when the Hollywood Reporter reported that Stewart has been dropped from any sequel plans (though neither Stewart nor Sanders ever committed to a sequel, which means they can’t actually be dropped from one), saying that Universal is exploring different spin-off options with hopes to start filming in July. Then Deadline reported that the studio is weighing whether they should proceed with a straight sequel or instead have a film that is focused more on the character of the Huntsman (Hemsworth). Meanwhile, Universal says only, “We are exploring options to continue the franchise and no decisions have been made.”
So what’s actually going on here? Nearest we can tell, not much of anything. At this point, Universal seems to be mulling over how to best extend their money-making franchise, and which direction makes the most sense for a sequel, or spin-off, should they opt to make one.
Update: Universal Co-Chairman Donna Langley has released a statement: “We are extremely proud of Snow White and the Huntsman and we’re currently exploring all options to continue the franchise. Any reports that Kristen Stewart has been dropped are false.”
Read more:
Jodie Foster defends Kristen Stewart, blasts the public for ‘destroying childhoods’
Robert Pattinson on ‘GMA’: ‘I’d like my fans to know… ‘
The Kristen Stewart scandal: Why it hurts her image, and helps it
Image Credit: Dan Smith/Lionsgate
Universal is coming off a decent summer, with a big R-rated comedy hit (Ted), a movie that successfully rebooted a money-minting franchise (The Bourne Legacy), and a movie that appeared to kickstart a new money-minting franchise (Snow White and the Huntsman) before recent events intervened. (They also released two Taylor Kitsch movies. But hey, Savages was swell!) The studio just announced the 2013 release dates of seven movies, and it’s a diverse slate. The Melissa McCarthy/Jason Bateman comedy Identity Thief was moved up from May 10 to February 8 release. Likewise, the extra-dimensional rerelease Jurassic Park in 3D — previously slated for a mid-July bow — will now open on April 5. The time-traveling romcom About Time, starring Rachel McAdams and directed by Love Actually‘s Richard Curtis, will hit on May 10. READ FULL STORY »
