News for 6/20/2005


'Mission: Impossible 3' Friend and Foe Found


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Laurence Fishburne and Philip Seymour Hoffman have joined the rapidly growing cast of J.J. Abrams' "Mission: Impossible 3."

The duo joins Keri Russell, Ving Rhames, Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Michelle Monaghan in the third big-screen installment of the action series starring Tom Cruise as agent Ethan Hunt. Fishburne will play Cruise's mentor, and Hoffman will be the villain, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"M:I-3" has been put on hold for a couple summers already, and production delays caused previously cast stars such as Scarlett Johansson and Carrie-Anne Moss to drop from the film.

Principal photography is now set to begin shooting on Monday, July 18 in Italy. The film is scheduled for a May 2006 release date.

Fishburne, 43, recently starred in the "Matrix" trilogy, "Biker Boyz," "Mystic River" and the remake of "Assault on Precinct 13." He's currently filming "Akeelah and the Bee," reuniting with his "What's Love Got to Do With It?" co-star Angela Bassett.

Hoffman, 37, last appeared in "Cold Mountain" and "Along Came Polly." His upcoming projects include "Strangers with Candy" and "Capote," in which he plays "In Cold Blood" author Truman Capote.



Taye Diggs, Anthony Mackie, Steven Pasquale Cast in All-Male A Soldier’s Play Off-Broadway

By Ernio Hernandez
Playbill.com


Taye Diggs, Anthony Mackie, Teagle Bougere and Steven Pasquale will appear in the upcoming Second Stage Theatre Off-Broadway season opener, Charles Fuller's A Soldier’s Play.

Jo Bonney (Living Out, Fat Pig) directs the production slated to start performances Sept. 20 at the midtown Manhattan stage.

In the 1982 Pulitzer Prize-winning drama set in 1944, a black military lawyer (Diggs) who is sent from Washington to investigate the murder of a black Master Sergeant. In his search, he must overcome uncooperative officers including the victim's white commander (Pasquale) and fearful troops in this tale of deceit and prejudice.

The work originally played Off-Broadway in a Negro Ensemble Company staging that featured Denzel Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. Fuller later adapted the play for film in 1984 under the direction of Norman Jewison. Mackie recently appeared a Boston reading of the work opposite Ruben Santiago-Hudson at the Wang Center for the Performing Arts.

The all-male ensemble cast for the new Off-Broadway revival will include Teagle Bougere (A Raisin in the Sun) as Private Tony Smalls, Taye Diggs (Rent, "Kevin Hill") as Captain Richard Davenport, Michael Genet ("She Hate Me," "The 25th Hour") as Private James Wilkie, Anthony Mackie (McReele, "The Manchurian Candidate") as Private First Class Melvin Peterson, Dorian Missick ("Freedomland," "Shaft") as Private Louis Henson and Steven Pasquale (Fat Pig, "Rescue Me") as Captain Charles Taylor. More casting for the remaining roles is yet to be announced. (Read More...)



Weekend Boxoffice


Hollywood Slow Despite $47M 'Batman' Debut

By David Germain
The Associated Press


LOS ANGELES -- Batman was powerful enough to rule the box office, but the superhero was unable to pull Hollywood out of its worst slump in 20 years.

"Batman Begins" debuted as the top movie with $46.9 million, while overall movie revenues skidded for the 17th-straight weekend, tying a slide in 1985 that had been the longest box-office decline since analysts began keeping detailed records on movie grosses.

The top 12 movies took in $128.5 million, down 1.6 percent from the same weekend in 2004, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The slump may be a sign that more people are seeing movies at home. An Associated Press-AOL poll last week found that 73 percent of adults prefer watching movies on DVD, videotape or pay-per-view rather than going to the theater.

Studio executives blame the downturn on a comparatively weak lineup of movies this year and say it will take more time to determine if DVDs and other home-entertainment options are eroding theater business.

"Certainly, we need to look at that, but I believe you can't do it by looking at six months. I think you have to take a couple of years to look at it," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros., which released "Batman Begins."

"We're still product-driven, and even though there were and will continue to be strong movies in the summer, I don't think there have been enough of them."

Movie revenues this year are down 6.4 percent compared to 2004's, according to box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. Accounting for increased ticket prices, admissions are off 9 percent.

"Batman Begins" bumped the previous weekend's No. 1 film, "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," to second place with $27.3 million, raising its 10-day total to $98 million.

The weekend's only other new wide release, Hilary Duff's "The Perfect Man," opened with a weak $5.5 million, less than half the $13.6 million debut for the teen queen's 2004 romance "A Cinderella Story."

Since opening Wednesday, "Batman Begins," starring Christian Bale as the DC Comics hero in his early days, grossed $71.1 million. The cast also includes Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Katie Holmes and Gary Oldman.

Comparisons to the previous four "Batman" movies, released from 1989 to 1997, are imprecise since they all opened on Friday and ticket prices have risen dramatically since. The earlier "Batman" flicks had opening weekends ranging from $40.5 million to $52.8 million.

Warner Bros. expects "Batman Begins" to finish its first week with $85 million, compared to a range of $59 million to $77 million for the previous "Batman" movies in their first week.

Distribution boss Fellman said "Batman Begins" opened strongly enough that he expects the studio will push ahead with a sequel.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.

1. "Batman Begins," $46.9 million.
2. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," $27.3 million.
3. "Madagascar," $11.1 million.
4. "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith," $9.7 million.
5. "The Longest Yard," $8 million.
6. "The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl in 3-D," $6.6 million.
7. "The Perfect Man," $5.5 million.
8. "Cinderella Man," $5.2 million.
9. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," $3.2 million.
10. "The Honeymooners," $2.6 million.



News for 6/16/2005


Weekend Boxoffice


'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' Rakes in $50.3M


LOS ANGELES (AP) - Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's assassin adventure "Mr. and Mrs. Smith" opened as the top weekend movie with $50.3 million.

The top 20 movies at North American theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. and Nielsen EDI Inc.:

1. "Mr. and Mrs. Smith," 20th Century Fox, $50,342,878, 3,424 locations, $14,703 average, $50,342,878, one week.

2. "Madagascar," DreamWorks, $17,180,801, 3,929 locations, $4,373 average, $128,414,334, three weeks.

3. "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith," 20th Century Fox, $14,851,474, 3,322 locations, $4,471 average, $332,109,171, four weeks.

4. "The Longest Yard," Paramount, $13,878,482, 3,654 locations, $3,798 average, $118,484,565, three weeks.

5. "The Adventures of Shark Boy and Lava Girl in 3-D," Miramax, $12,582,088, 2,655 locations, $4,739 average, $12,582,088, one week.

6. "Cinderella Man," Universal, $9,728,955, 2,820 locations, $3,450 average, $34,642,020, two weeks.

7. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," Warner Bros., $5,711,420, 2,583 locations, $2,211 average, $23,732,629, two weeks.

8. "The Honeymooners," Paramount, $5,538,835, 1,912 locations, $2,897 average, $5,538,835, one week.

9. "Monster-in-Law," New Line, $2,624,376, 1,949 locations, $1,347 average, $76,475,163, five weeks.

10. "High Tension," Lions Gate, $1,897,705, 1,323 locations, $1,434 average, $1,897,705, one week.

11. "Crash," Lions Gate, $1,876,639, 908 locations, $2,067 average, $44,299,728, six weeks.

12. "Lords of Dogtown," Sony, $1,851,630, 1,865 locations, $993 average, $9,387,968, two weeks.

13. "Kicking & Screaming," Universal, $821,855, 754 locations, $1,090 average, $49,619,995, five weeks.

14. "Howl's Moving Castle," Disney, $427,987, 36 locations, $11,889 average, $427,987, one week.

15. "Mad Hot Ballroom," Paramount Classics, $405,192, 126 locations, $3,216 average, $1,720,942, five weeks.

16. "The Interpreter," Universal, $385,825, 364 locations, $1,060 average, $71,179,015, eight weeks.

17. "Sahara," Paramount, $345,687, 381 locations, $907 average, $67,409,126, 10 weeks.

18. "Ladies in Lavender," Roadside, $291,347, 96 locations, $3,035 average, $2,523,573, seven weeks.

19. "The Pacifier," Disney, $263,276, 302 locations, $872 average, $111,722,699, 15 weeks.

20. "Layer Cake," Sony Pictures Classics, $253,691, 196 locations, $1,294 average, $1,564,616, five weeks.



Murphy Picks Up 'Dreamgirls'
Zap2It.com


If you loved listening to Eddie Murphy's hit single "Party All the Time" and own his musical releases "How Could it Be," "Whazzupwitu," and "Love's Alright," the star's latest feature may be right up your alley.

Murphy has signed on for "Dreamgirls," a DreamWorks adaptation of the Tony-winning musical. Beyonce Knowles and Jamie Foxx are already in place for the film, which will be directed by Oscar winner Bill Condon ("Kinsey"). Like the show, "Dreamgirls" focuses on three women -- Effie, Deena and Lorrell -- and their quest for singing stardom first as the backing Dreamettes and later as headliners in The Dreams.

The "Beverly Hills Cop" star will play James "Thunder" Early, who uses the Dreamettes as his backing group before they hit it big.

DreamWorks and Murphy have a successful relationship dominated by the actor's vocal work in the studio's "Shrek" films. Recent years have been decidedly mixed for Murphy, who has had hits with "Daddy Day Care" and the "Nutty Professor" films, but also duds like "Showtime" and "The Adventures of Pluto Nash."



'Coach Carter' director tackles football sex saga

By Liza Foreman


"Coach Carter" director Thomas Carter is reteaming with Paramount Pictures on "Marcus Dixon," a feature film about the former Vanderbilt football recruit who was controversially imprisoned in a case that stirred up racial tensions and grabbed headlines.

Paramount has acquired life rights from Marcus Dixon, who was convicted of aggravated child molestation after having consensual sex with a fellow student who was three months shy of 16. Dixon, who was 18 at the time, was sentenced to 10 years in prison after -- his supporters argued -- a law passed to stop child molestation was wrongly used to convict him. Dixon was released after 15 months in prison.

The story is familiar ground for Carter, whose most recent feature "Coach Carter" was based on the real-life story of a controversial black high school basketball coach who benched the undefeated team after they failed to make their academic grades. "Coach Carter" grossed $67.3 million at the domestic box office. Carter also directed "Save the Last Dance."



News for 6/11/2005


No Place Like 'Homie' for 'Scrubs' Star


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - Donald Faison, who plays Turk on NBC's medical sitcom "Scrubs," is washing his hands of his past.

The 30-year-old actor is set to star in the indie comedy "Homie Spumoni," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The project revolves around African-American Renato (Faison), who's been raised as an Italian-American. When he discovers his black heritage when his parents appear on the scene, he turns his back on the Italian folks who raised him. He also leaves behind his Jewish American princess girlfriend and goes to his birth family's home.

Jamie-Lynn DiScala, Whoopi Goldberg and *N Sync member Joey Fatone will co-star.

Mike Cerrone will direct, based on a script he co-wrote with Glenn Ciano and Steve Cerrone.

Faison last appeared on the big screen with "King's Ransom." His upcoming projects include "Venus and Vegas," "Vegas Baby" and "42.4 Percent."



Cage, Smith 'Share' Screen


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- A-listers Will Smith and Nicolas Cage are expected to produce and star in Columbia Pictures' "Time Share."

The comedy project is based on a pitch by Mark Steilen which is believed to have cost Columbia something close to $875,000 against $1.5 million, a hefty sum for a writer whose credits are limited to the 1999 indie "The Settlement" and several recent pitches set up at Disney and Fox.

In "Time Share," two fathers discover that they've both booked their dream vacation at the same, well, time share. Butting of heads and hilarity ensue.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Cage and Norm Golightly will produce through Saturn films, Smith and James Lassiter will work through Overbrook Entertainment and John J. Strauss and Eric Tannenbaum will also produce.

Smith and Cage have never worked together, but the stars have been looking for the right project.

Up next for Oscar winner Cage ("National Treasure") is "The Weatherman," followed by the superhero adaptation "Ghost Rider," which just completed production at Columbia. Oscar nominee Smith ("Ali"), who had a big hit this spring with Columbia's "Hitch," is attached to "Pursuit of Happyness."



Spike Lee to Shoot Inside Man in Brooklyn

Source: Variety


Universal Pictures and director Spike Lee have decided to shoot The Inside Man at Brooklyn's Steiner Studios thanks to a new package of city and state tax incentives aimed at luring production to New York, reports Variety.

The film, written by Russell Gewirtz and produced by Brian Grazer, is a drama pitting a cop against a clever bank robber. Denzel Washington, Clive Owen and Jodie Foster star.

The project starts filming June 27 for a 42-day shoot, and sets are being constructed at Steiner, the $118 million soundstage facility located at the Brooklyn Navy Yard.

Currently shooting at Steiner is the Nicole Kidman drama Fur, which Picturehouse picked up last month as one of its first projects.

Helmer Susan Stroman has already wrapped The Producers, which stars Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane and Uma Thurman, at the studio.



News for 6/6/2005


Is Don Cheadle the American Gangster?

Source: Variety

Variety reports that Universal Pictures and director Terry George are courting Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda) to star in American Gangster for Imagine.

The trade says an offer won't be made to Cheadle for "Gangster" until George completes the script, but the studio and producer Brian Grazer want the actor.

The film nearly went into production with Denzel Washington in the role, but the project was halted over budget concerns. George was hired in March to rework Steve Zaillian's script to a more manageable budget.

Cheadle would play Frank Lucas, a Harlem heroin kingpin in the 1970s who, after he was brought to justice, helped end the corruption and legal loopholes that allowed him to import the drug from Southeast Asia.



Chris Rock Heads for Beverly Hills

Source: Variety


Chris Rock will star in, write and co-produce The Gilmores of Beverly Hills, with Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo producing the comedy through their Happy Madison production company.

Paramount Pictures will distribute the film. Rock can currently be heard in DreamWorks' Madagascar and stars opposite Sandler in Paramount and Sony's The Longest Yard.

Rock, who will co-write "Gilmores" with longtime writing partner Ali LeRoi (Head of State, Down to Earth), will play a limo driver in the film. A director is not yet on board but producers are aiming for a fall start.



Fishburne Thinks of 'Death and Life'


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- Laurence Fishburne is in place to join Paul Walker in "The Death and Life of Bobby Z," a relatively low budget thriller set to begin production this fall.

Walker ("The Fast and the Furious") plays a convict who gets plucked out of prison by a DEA Agent (Fishburne) and given the opportunity to get out of his sentence if he will hit the streets as Bobby Z, a mysterious and recently deceased drug dealer.

The film is based on the novel by Don Winslow. According to Production Weekly, veteran second unit helmer Douglas Aarniokoski ("Spy Kids") will direct the $23 million film, which was adapted by Bob Krakower and Allan Lawrence.

Fishburne most recently appeared in the winter remake of "Assault on Precinct 13." He's best known for his role as Morpheus in the "Matrix" films and for his work in films including "Boyz n the Hood," "What's Love Got to Do with It?" and "Othello."



Christina Milian Checks Her Pulse

Source: Variety


Singer/actress Christina Milian has been cast opposite Kristen Bell in Pulse, reports Variety. The Weinstein Co. is remaking Japanese helmer Kiyoshi Kurosawa's Kairo.

The movie, set to film this month in Romania, is based on an adaptation by Wes Craven and Ray Wright. Jim Sonzero is helming Pulse, which also stars Ian Somerhalder (Lost), Samm Levine and Rick Gonzalez.

The film centers on a group of college students who discover that a computer hacker friend of theirs unwittingly pirated a strange wireless signal that opened a doorway for a terrifying evil to cross over into the world. As it spreads, everyone in its path is consumed, and the students must race to find a way to stop it.

Milian will play Bell's best friend, a street-smart party girl who uses the Internet as a dating tool. She has previously starred in Be Cool, Man of the House and Torque.



Four Book 'Poseidon' Passage


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- Don't they know what's going to happen to that darned boat? Four actors have signed on for a bout with disaster in Warner Bros. Pictures' remake of "The Poseidon Adventure."

Directed by Wolfgang Peterson, the new "Poseidon" will feature Kurt Russell, Emmy Rossum, Mike Vogel and Oscar winner Richard Dreyfuss. In addition, Andre Braugher ("Homicide: Life on the Street") is close to signing on, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Like the Ronald Neame-directed 1972 original, "The Poseidon Adventure" is an ensemble drama about the survivors on an ocean liner capsized by a tidal wave. They have to make their way through the insides of the ship to reach the hull and safety. The all-star original featured Oscar winners Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Red Buttons and Shelley Winters.

Russell will a former fireman traveling with his daughter, played by Rossum, and her boyfriend (Vogel). Dreyfuss plays another passenger who recently broke up with his life partner. If he comes on board, Braugher will captain the ship.

Akiva Goldsman ("Cinderella Man") and Mark Protosevich ("The Cell") adapted Paul Gallico's novel.

Russell ("Escape from New York") will next be seen in the summer comedy "Sky High." Rossum was a Golden Globe nominee for "The Phantom of the Opera," while Vogel is in theaters now in "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants." Dreyfuss ("Jaws") was last on the big screen in "Silver City."

Shooting on "The Poseidon Adventure" is set to begin on June 18.



Weekend Boxoffice


'Toon Tale 'Madagascar' Tops Box Office


LOS ANGELES (AP) - The animated comedy "Madagascar" grabbed the top spot at the weekend box office, taking in $28.1 million. Adam Sandler's "The Longest Yard" ran a close second with $26.1 million. "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith," the No. 1 film the previous two weekends, slipped to third with $25.1 million.

Three new movies debuted in the top 10: Russell Crowe's boxing drama "Cinderella Man" with $18.3 million, the teen girl flick "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" with $9.8 million, and the skateboard tale "Lords of Dogtown" with $5.6 million.

The top 20 movies at North American theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. and Nielsen EDI Inc.:

1. "Madagascar," DreamWorks, $28,110,235, 4,142 locations, $6,787 average, $100,377,791, two weeks.

2. "The Longest Yard," Paramount, $26,078,156, 3,634 locations, $7,176 average, $95,782,410, two weeks.

3. "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith," 20th Century Fox, $25,088,336, 3,650 locations, $6,874 average, $307,892,961, three weeks.

4. "Cinderella Man," Universal, $18,320,205, 2,812 locations, $6,515 average, $18,320,205, one week.

5. "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants," Warner Bros., $9,833,340, 2,583 locations, $3,807 average, $13,575,149, one week.

6. "Monster-In-Law," New Line, $6,021,418, 3,025 locations, $1,991 average, $71,107,390, four weeks.

7. "Lords of Dogtown," Sony, $5,623,373, 1,865 locations, $3,015 average, $5,623,373, one week.

8. "Crash," Lions Gate, $3,266,884, 1,319 locations, $2,477 average, $40,932,504, five weeks.

9. "Kicking & Screaming," Universal, $2,311,155, 1,827 locations, $1,265 average, $47,720,545, four weeks.

10. "Unleashed," Focus, $842,482, 579 locations, $1,455 average, $23,556,488, four weeks.

11. "The Interpreter," Universal, $799,175, 686 locations, $1,165 average, $70,405,780, seven weeks.

12. "Kingdom of Heaven," 20th Century Fox, $607,075, 571 locations, $1,063 average, $46,117,399, five weeks.

13. "House of Wax," Warner Bros., $448,233, 538 locations, $833 average, $30,695,532, five weeks.

14. "Mad Hot Ballroom," Paramount Classics, $345,793, 96 locations, $3,602 average, $1,154,048, four weeks.

15. "Layer Cake," Sony Pictures Classics, $345,603, 200 locations, $1,728 average, $1,166,704, four weeks.

16. "Sahara," Paramount, $336,654, 272 locations, $1,238 average, $66,924,356, nine weeks.

17. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," Disney, $321,635, 301 locations, $1,069 average, $49,307,254, six weeks.

18. "Ladies in Lavender," Roadside Attractions, $315,047, 96 locations, $3,282 average, $2,055,667, six weeks.

19. "The Pacifier," Disney, $312,168, 361 locations, $865 average, $111,277,592, 14 weeks.

20. "Robots," 20th Century Fox, $208,496, 354 locations, $589 average, $127,005,216, 13 weeks.



News for 5/30/2005


Weekend Boxoffice


'Star Wars' Tops Box Office With $70.75M

By DAVID GERMAIN
AP Movie Writer


LOS ANGELES (AP) - Payback for the Sith has meant a real payday at the box office.

"Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith" beat two strong newcomers to remain the top movie with $70.75 million over the long Memorial Day weekend, though Hollywood again failed to climb out of a prolonged revenue decline.

Debuting in second place was the animated adventure "Madagascar" with $61 million, while Adam Sandler's football remake, "The Longest Yard," opened a close third with $60 million, according to studio estimates Monday.

Despite the two big debuts and a strong hold for "Revenge of the Sith" in its second weekend, theatrical receipts overall were down for the 14th straight weekend compared with last year.

The top 12 movies grossed $225.5 million, an impressive four-day haul but still 5.5 percent behind last year's record Memorial Day weekend, when "Shrek 2" and "The Day After Tomorrow" alone combined for $181 million in grosses between them.

"On the one hand, yeah, 14 weeks, that's a terrible slump," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of box-office tracker Exhibitor Relations. "But I'm optimistic, because this weekend proves you can still get a heck of a lot of people in theaters with the right movies.

"It takes a lot more to excite people today, and the crop of movies this year other than `Star Wars' and the movies that opened this weekend haven't inspired audiences to make that step and go to the theaters."

The final installment of George Lucas' "Star Wars" saga grossed $271.2 million domestically in its first 12 days, putting it on pace to soar beyond the $310 million total for its predecessor, "Star Wars: Episode II _ Attack of the Clones."

"Revenge of the Sith" may be on track to approach the $431 million domestic haul of "Star Wars: Episode I _ The Phantom Menace," said Bruce Snyder, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, which released the "Star Wars" films.

As with "Titanic," the modern box-office champ that brought young girls back to the theater to see it again and again, "Revenge of the Sith" is drawing strong repeat business among young males.

"We've got a lot of kids who already have this picture four and five times," Snyder said.

Worldwide through Sunday, "Revenge of the Sith" had taken in $504.4 million since its almost simultaneous debut in most countries beginning May 18.

"Madagascar," featuring the voices of Ben Stiller, Chris Rock, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer as pampered zoo animals cut loose in the wild, plugged a hole among parents eager for a movie to take the kids to see.

"There was a pent-up desire for family pictures," said Jim Tharp, head of distribution for DreamWorks, which released "Madagascar."

"The Longest Yard," an update of the 1974 tale of prison inmates taking on their sadistic guards in a football grudge match, was a key choice for young males, who make up the bulk of Sandler's audience.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Monday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Tuesday.

1. "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith," $70.75 million.
2. "Madagascar," $61 million.
3. "The Longest Yard," $60 million.
4. "Monster-in-Law," $11.1 million.
5. "Kicking & Screaming," $6.6 million.
6. "Crash," $6 million.
7. "The Interpreter," $2.6 million.
8. "Unleashed," $2.3 million.
9. "Kingdom of Heaven," $2.2 million.
10. "House of Wax," $1.6 million.



Samuel L. Jackson Unleashes His 'Black Snake'


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- Samuel L. Jackson and Christina Ricci are in talks to star in "Black Snake Moan," an independent feature from Craig Brewster ("Hustle & Flow").

Set to film in Memphis this summer, according to Production Weekly, "Black Snake Moan" focuses on a white nymphomaniac (Ricci, we're guessing) who seeks out an older bluesman (Jackson, probably) to cure her of her sexual disorder.

The film's title, complete with ample obvious sexual imagery, comes from a 1927 song by legendary country blues vocalist and guitarist Blind Lemon Jefferson.

Paramount Classics is set to release "Hustle & Flow" in mid-August. The Southern rap drama, which stars Terrence Dashon Howard, was one of the breakout hits of this winter's Sundance Film Festival, where it won an audience award.

Ricci was last seen in "Cursed," a box office disappointment earlier this year. Her other credits include "Sleepy Hollow" and, back in the day, "The Addams Family."

Samuel Jackson, who seems to be physically incapable of not working, has already been in theaters this year in "In My Country," "Coach Carter," "xXx: State of the Union" and a little film called "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith" and will soon appear in "The Man" with Eugene Levy. Jackson has also committed to "Flight 121," a thriller about snakes on a plane. Hopefully, those will be different kinds of snakes.



News for 5/26/2005


Doherty, Cook Depart as Pilots Retool


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) It looks like Shannen Doherty's first starring role in a sitcom will have to wait.

Only a week after being introduced to advertisers as the star of UPN's new comedy "Love, Inc." -- and telling advertisers how excited she was to be part of it -- Doherty has been let go from the show. She's not the only actress to be axed, either: Among others, Rachael Leigh Cook and Sarah Clarke have been dropped from shows at FOX and NBC.

"Shannen is a terrific actress. We simply decided to take the show in a different creative direction," a UPN rep tells The Hollywood Reporter about the decision on "Love, Inc." Holly Robinson Peete, the show's other lead, will continue with the series, scheduled for Thursday nights this fall.

UPN also says that Sara Foster ("D.E.B.S."), who co-starred in the pilot for the network's midseason drama "South Beach," won't continue her role into the series.

At FOX, Cook ("Into the West," "She's All That") has been let go from the dramedy "Head Cases." In the pilot, she played a troubled young woman who begins a relationship with a lawyer (Chris O'Donnell) who's suffered a nervous breakdown.

Clarke ("24") and Leonor Varela ("Blade II") will both exit NBC's Jerry Bruckheimer drama "E-Ring." Both of their characters -- the wife of star Benjamin Bratt (Clarke) and a lieutenant colonel at the Pentagon (Varela) -- will undergo some revamping before being recast.



Ashanti Joins Plot Against 'Housewives' Star


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com)- Jesse Metcalfe ("Desperate Housewives") is drawing the ire of some of Hollywood's hottest young actresses, or at least that's what's happening to his character in 20th Century Fox's comedy "John Tucker Must Die." Singer-actress Ashanti is the latest star to join the hate brigade.

The film, which is being described as a high school "First Wives Club" in the trades, focuses on a trio of disparate girls who band together to break the heart of the callous Lothario (Metcalfe) who split up with them. Ashanti will join Sophia Bush ("One Tree Hill") in vengeful trio, while Brittany Snow ("American Dreams") plays the new girl who gets enlisted in their cause.

Betty Thomas ("Doctor Doolittle") is directing Jeff Lowell's script (doctored by Larry Stuckey, according to The Hollywood Reporter).

Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas, as her birth certificate reads, has been working hard to transition from chanteuse into thespian this year with roles in the hit film "Coach Carter" and in ABC's original "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz."



Weekend Boxoffice


'Star Wars' Fails to Stem Box Office Slump

By GARY GENTILE
AP Business Writer


LOS ANGELES (AP) - It's official _ "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith" is a mega, runaway, blockbuster, record-setting hit. However, the popularity of the George Lucas film didn't vanquish the overall box office slump that has plagued Hollywood for 13 straight weeks.

The latest chapter in the sci-fi action series shattered previous records for a four-day opening, taking in $158,449,700 from Thursday through Sunday, according to the box office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations.

The film, playing on more than 9,400 screens in 3,661 theaters alone accounted for 68 percent of the revenue generated by the top 12 films over the three-day weekend.

The action-filled tale of heroic Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker's transformation into the villainous Darth Vader, failed to slay one record _ the Friday through Sunday take of $114.8 million set by the original "Spider-Man" flick in 2002.

The long-awaited last chapter in the "Star Wars" serial lifted the box office from last weekend's take by 67 percent.

Still, the total box office for the weekend was down 3.5 percent from the same weekend last year.

"It's shocking," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations. "We really thought this would end the slump."

The problem was with the second and third place films, "Monster-in-Law," which took in $14.35 million for the weekend and "Kicking & Screaming," which took in $10.7 million.

In the same weekend last year, "Troy" played more of a supporting role to box office champ "Shrek 2" by generating $23.9 million.

Memorial Day weekend, a traditional strong period for the box office, is expected to be strong with the remake of "The Longest Yard" and the animated film "Madagascar" opening.

But the films will have a lot to overcome. Last year's Memorial Day weekend take set an all-time record of $250 million.

The top 20 movies at North American theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. and Nielsen EDI Inc. are:

1. "Star Wars: Episode III _ Revenge of the Sith," 20th Century Fox, $108,435,841, 3,661 locations, $29,619 average, $158,449,700, one week.

2. "Monster-In-Law," New Line, $14,350,134, 3,424 locations, $4,191 average, $44,174,005, two weeks.

3. "Kicking & Screaming," Universal, $10,721,715, 3,470 locations, $3,090 average, $34,196,720, two weeks.

4. "Crash," Lions Gate, $5,546,006, 1,905 locations, $2,911 average, $27,648,811, three weeks.

5. "Unleashed," Focus, $4,123,556, 1,962 locations, $2,102 average, $17,850,310, two weeks.

6. "Kingdom of Heaven," 20th Century Fox, $3,537,201, 2,808 locations, $1,260 average, $41,218,408, three weeks.

7. "House of Wax," Warner Bros., $3,288,419, 2,765 locations, $1,189 average, $26,912,839, three weeks.

8. "The Interpreter," Universal, $2,910,580, 2,164 locations, $1,345 average, $65,403,045, five weeks.

9. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy," Disney, $2,054,904, 2,211 locations, $929 average, $46,902,653, four weeks.

10. "Mindhunters," Dimension, $1,005,839, 1,073 locations, $937 average, $3,562,161, two weeks.

11. "XXX: State of the Union," Sony/Revolution, $828,350, 1,301 locations, $637 average, $25,607,347, four weeks.

12. "Sahara," Paramount, $803,664, 1,074 locations, $748 average, $65,571,156, seven weeks.

13. "The Amityville Horror," MGM, $702,477, 784 locations, $896 average, $64,255,243, six weeks.

14. "Robots," 20th Century Fox, $401,692, 516 locations, $778 average, $126,145,964, 11 weeks.

15. "Fever Pitch," 20th Century Fox, $350,919, 491 locations, $715 average, $41,073,166, seven weeks.

16. "Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room," Magnolia, $331,007, 151 locations, $2,192 average, $2,072,419, five weeks.

17. "Ladies in Lavender," Roadside/Attractions, $217,994, 58 locations, $3,759 average, $934,545, four weeks.

18. "Kung Fu Hustle," Sony Pictures Classic, $203,658, 241 locations, $845 average, $16,173,057, seven weeks.

19. "A Lot Like Love," Disney, $203,632, 372 locations, $547 average, $21,317,478, five weeks.

20. "The Pacifier," Disney, $189,333, 298 locations, $635 average, $110,247,131, 12 weeks.



News for 5/19/2005


CBS Eyes Mamet's 'Unit' for Midseason


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) When you're the top-rated network on television, there's still a limit to how many highly rated fan favorites -- like "Judging Amy" -- or critically adored Emmy nominees -- like "Joan of Arcadia" -- you can cancel to make room for new things from your development slate.

With six new scripted shows ready to premiere in the fall of 2005, CBS has held back one drama and one comedy for midseason. That isn't such a bad prospect for "The Unit" and "Everything I Know About Men", given that CBS didn't launch "NUMB3RS" or "Yes, Dear" until midseason this year and both shows have stuck.

Certainly both of CBS' midseason hopefuls come with strong pedigrees.

"The Unit" was developed by David Mamet ("Glengarry Glen Ross") and Shawn Ryan ("The Shield") and boasts an ensemble cast topped by previous series leads Dennis Haysbert ("24"), Scott Foley ("Felicity"), Robert Patrick ("The X-Files") and Regina Taylor ("I'll Fly Away"). The drama focuses on a team of special forces operatives and the families they leave behind whenever they have to travel around the globe on various missions. Amy Acker ("Angel"), Max Martini ("Saving Private Ryan"), Michael Irby and Abby Brammell also star in the 20th Century Fox TV production.

CBS' lone midseason comedy, "Everything I Know About Men," features three-time Emmy nominee Jenna Elfman ("Dharma & Greg"). The pilot, directed by Emmy winner James Burrows, stars Elfman as Bex Atwell, a secretary who yearns to find true love, advance in her career and have a normal relationship with her father (Dabney Coleman). Instead, she discovers she doesn't understand man and sets out to figure out how they tick. Brady Smith ("Just Pray"), Hugh Bonneville ("Doctor Zhivago"), Rhea Seehorn ("Romy and Michele: In the Beginning") and Lauren Tom ("Friends") co-star in the comedy, which was created by Fred Barron ("Caroline in the City").

The network actually picked up an untitled comedy pitch starring Elfman for midseason last year, but that show, developed by Chuck Lorre ("Two and a Half Men") was scrapped before a pilot was even shot.

In addition to "The Unit" and "Men," CBS is still reportedly considering a midseason order for "Old Christine," starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, though nothing is final.



UPN's Schedule Makes Room for 'Sex'


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) UPN's new schedule, announced on Thursday (May 19) features a new injection of star power and an aggressive comedy move on Thursday night.

In its ongoing battle with The WB for fifth, UPN has moved "WWE Smackdown!" off of Thursdays and cancelled the heavily hyped freshman drama "Kevin Hill," aiming for new offerings featuring Chris Rock, Shannen Doherty and Denis Richards. The netlet has also made the under-watched, but critically adored drama "Veronica Mars" the beneficiary of its strongest launching pad.

As usual, UPN's week begins with a Monday comedy block, powered by "One on One" at 8 p.m. ET. "All of Us" moves to the 8:30 slot from Tuesday night, as "Girlfriends" and "Half & Half" stay in their familiar homes.

UPN will start Tuesday with encores of "America's Next Top Model, followed by the new drama "Sex, Lies & Secrets," a look at the lives of L.A. twentysomethings featuring Richards and the prolific Eric Balfour ("Hawaii").

New episodes of "America's Next Top Model" will stay on Wednesday nights at 8 p.m., where the dramality modeling series has become the defining show in UPN's reach for young female viewers. After a difficult season on Tuesdays, "Veronica Mars" gets the coveted post-"Model" spot, a home the network hopes might bring its audience up to the same level as its cult buzz.

Although the Thursday wrestling block was a UPN institution, the netlet has decided to go after what it sees as an untapped comedy market, starting with "Everybody Hates Chris," narrated by Rock and based on his experiences as a teenager in Brooklyn in the early '80s. "Eve" takes the 8:30 slot, followed by "Cuts," earning a second season. Another new comedy, "Love, Inc.," anchors the night, featuring television favorites Shannen Doherty and Holly Robinson Peete.

"WWE Smackdown!" will now dominate Friday, where its testosterone-driven antics will draw familiar ratings without tainting the rest of UPN's schedule.

As if the profiles of Rock, Richards and Doherty weren't high enough, UPN has ordered "South Beach," from executive producer Jennifer Lopez, for midseason.



UPN Dreams Big with 'Everybody Hates Chris'

By Rick Porter


NEW YORK (Zap2it.com) Not that she wants to put any pressure on it or anything, but UPN Entertainment chief Dawn Ostroff thinks "Everybody Hates Chris" could be her network's "Cosby Show."

The comedy, which got huge laughs Thursday (May 19) at UPN's upfront presentation, will lead off the night for UPN on Thursdays in the fall, marking the first time in years that anything other than "WWE Smackdown!" has occupied that night. Ostroff says it's "hard to understate" the significance of "Chris" or her network's move to an all-comedy lineup on the night, and in talking about the Chris Rock-produced show (he also narrates), understatement was nowhere to be found.

"In the way that 'The Simpsons' and 'Survivor' were game-changers for FOX and CBS on Thursday night, 'Everybody Hates Chris' will be for UPN," Ostroff says. "There is a real opening for a comedy of this quality. ... It has the crossover appeal of ['The Cosby Show']."

Ostroff acknowledges that the fact that NBC's Thursday comedies suffered big ratings declines this year made her more confident about scheduling comedies on UPN next season and moving the reliable ratings engine of "WWE Smackdown!" to Friday. "Everybody Hates Chris" will be followed by returning shows "Eve" and "Cuts" and another new comedy, "Love, Inc.," on Thursdays.

"It was one thing we thought about. There's an opportunity to have a breakout comedy in that time period," she says, implying but unwilling to be coaxed into saying outright that NBC's "Joey" was not that breakout comedy this season. She also believes that moving the male-oriented "Smackdown!" to Fridays will give UPN, which is otherwise chasing young female viewers, a more natural audience flow during the rest of the week.

As things stand now, "Everybody Hates Chris" will be the only new series airing at 8 p.m. Thursday in the fall. In addition to "Joey" and ratings leader "Survivor," FOX will bring back "The O.C." in the timeslot. ABC and The WB are moving established series -- "Alias" and "Smallville" -- to the hour in an effort to boost their currently negligible ratings on the night.



FX Protects 'The Shield' for Another Season


LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) FX is on the verge of announcing a deal to bring the Emmy-winning procedural "The Shield" back for a fifth season.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, FX is close to ordering up 13 new episodes for the drama, which is still four episodes from completing its latest season. Production won't wrap on the fourth season until June 14.

After losing some of its ratings momentum in its third run, "The Shield" is averaging 3.2 million viewers per week this season, an improvement of roughly 700,000 viewers. Ratings among adults 18-49 are also up.

Series star Michael Chiklis has received two Emmy nominations for his performance as bad boy cop Vic Mackey, winning in 2002. In 2003, Chiklis won a best actor Golden Globe and the series snagged the Globe for best television series, drama. Addition interest has come this season thanks to the addition of Oscar nominated actress Glenn Close.

Just last week, though, it was reported that Close wouldn't be returning for another season, having made it clear to producers up front that she would only commit to one year.

An FX renewal would close a busy week for "Shield" creator Shawn Ryan. On Wednesday (May 18), CBS ordered his drama "The Unit" for a midseason slot.