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14 articles
'Despicable Me 2' Puts $50M In International Till Before Domestic Release
18 hours ago
Illumination Entertainment‘s and Universal‘s 3D sequel Despicable Me 2 opened this weekend as one of the top 4 films internationally for the weekend alongside Man Of Steel, World War Z and Monsters University. All its rivals are playing in 40+ territories against DM2‘s seven markets. Yet the new toon opened #1 in five of its 6 new territories this weekend for a cumulative total of $50M through Sunday from the UK-Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, French-speaking Switzerland, and Sweden as well as Australia which debuted last weekend. As a comparison in the same seven territories, DM2 is performing well ahead of the original Despicable Me as well as DreamWorks sequels Kung Fu Panda 2 and Madagascar 2 and 3. Gru and his manic minions open in North America in limited release Tuesday night and go wide on Wednesday before the Fourth Of July holiday. Expectations are for new records in the 38 territories with the U. »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Brad Pitt’s ‘World War Z’ #1 Film Globally
21 hours ago
It’s still got a long way to go to profitability. But at least Brad Pitt’s zombie pic World War Z isn’t the dud everybody thought it would be. Paramount announced today it’s the #1 film worldwide this weekend with $100M international grosses and $263M global box office after just 10 days in release. The PG-13 film co-financed with David Ellison’s Skydance Productions in association with Hemisphere Media Capital and Gk Films grossed a big $70.1M foreign this weekend to bring the international cume to a strong $135.3M. Domestically the film earned $29.8M in its second weekend, with a cume to date of $123.7M. With approximately one-third of the international market still to release, the roll-out continues next week with France and then Spain and Japan opening later this summer. Directed by Marc Forster from a screenplay by Matthew Michael Carnahan and Drew Goddard & Damon Lindelof, this pic »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
‘Man Of Steel’ Passes Half Billion Global
30 June 2013 11:01 AM, PDT
Warner Bros Pictures and co-financier Legendary Pictures said today that its Superman reboot earned more than $500 million worldwide Saturday with some international territories still to open. Warner Bros Pictures President of Domestic Distribution Dan Fellman and President of International Distribution Veronika Kwan Vandenberg said 3D Man Of Steel has earned $248.7M domestically and $271.7M internationally for a worldwide total of $520.4M to date. It opened #1 in the U.S. and Canada with the biggest June release ever and also #1 one in many international territories and continues its roll out with record-breaking bows. The film is still to open in Brazil and Japan. The PG-13 film continues to set records worldwide in IMAX theatres, where it has earned an estimated $27M domestically and $18.9M internationally for a worldwide total of $45.9 million. “This success for Man of Steel is a great 75th birthday present for this iconic character. The film took Superman »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Melissa McCarthy Fires Up ‘The Heat’ For #2 And $40M Weekend; #4 ‘White House Down’ Flops For $26M; ‘Monsters U’ Holds For #1
30 June 2013 10:37 AM, PDT
Sunday 10:30 Am, 7H Update: It’s already crowded at the pre-Fourth Of July domestic box office which will need to expand in time to accommodate so many movies playing during the holiday. True, total filmgoing this weekend went down -8.5% from a year ago for only $192M. But studios are scrambling to see when the last time all Top Five movies made more than $20+M for the 3-day weekend. On Friday, the order of finish changed hour by hour but then fixed firmly for Saturday and apparently Sunday. Pixar/Disney’s huge hit from a week ago Monsters University is still the strong #1 as families crave toons. But the real story is this weekend’s newcomers: Twentieth Century Fox’s The Heat debuted a big #2 as fan favorite Melissa McCarthy again sets off R-rated fireworks with audiences. But Sony Pictures’ White House Down really disappointed in #4, opening a third »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Deadline Advisory: Mike & Nellie Vacationing
29 June 2013 12:38 AM, PDT
Deadline’s unstoppable Film Editor Mike Fleming and indefatigable TV Editor Nellie Andreeva will be on vacation with their families starting Saturday, June 29th. Mike will be back by July 17th to cover Comic-Con with the Deadline team. Nellie will cover the Emmy nominations on July 18th but won’t return to work full-time until July 22nd. Please refrain from phoning, emailing, or texting them during this rest period – or I’ll yell at you. (They deserve time off!) Also expect a lightly staffed Fourth Of July week. Thanks for understanding. As always, contact Deadline with breaking news at Editors@Deadline.com. »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Mark Wahlberg And Peter Berg Sign On To Paramount’s ‘American Desperado’ Adapted By William Monahan For Start Early 2014
27 June 2013 1:25 PM, PDT
Exclusive: I’ve learned that Oscar-winning screenwriter William Monahan (The Departed) has done a fresh adaptation of the book American Desperado. Now Mark Wahlberg is attached to star and Peter Berg to direct the film. Paramount Pictures is hoping for a start early next year, but it’s still too early to tell as Bill’s draft just came in.” Wme represents all three talents and was instrumental in the project getting together. Wahlberg and Berg just worked together on the Afghanistan war drama Lone Survivor set for a 2014 release by Universal. Latest pic is based on the tell-all with the subtitle My Life – From Mafia Soldier to Cocaine Cowboy to Secret Government Asset by super-criminal Jon Roberts, star of the acclaimed documentary Cocaine Cowboys, and Evan Wright, best known for his bestselling nook and HBO series Generation Kill. Their collaboration began with a series of conversations over three years »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Bumble Ward Opens New Hive Collective PR
27 June 2013 10:08 AM, PDT
Hive Collective just opened the doors to its new West Los Angeles offices today. The digital-oriented firm from one-time 20th Century Fox Evp of publicity Bumble Ward and philanthropy specialist Tracy Bechtold will specialize in entertainment companies, non-profits, and social causes. ”Sitting at the intersection of entertainment and philanthropy in Los Angeles, the firm will offer a full complement of communication services including strategic messaging, media relations, and social and digital media outreach,” the announcement said. One of Hollywood’s smarter publicists, Ward previously had Bumble Ward & Associates, her own director-driven flackery before she folded it to focus on creative writing and then spent only 18 months of a two-year contract at 20th. Bechtold was formerly executive director of Kidspace Children’s Museum in Pasadena and a PR exec with Burson/Marsteller and Bender/Helper. The duo originally partnered up to represent Megan Chernin’s La Fund For Public Education. ”Blogging »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Cameron Diaz Signed For ‘Annie’ To Play Miss Hannigan After Sandra Bullock Passes
26 June 2013 8:27 PM, PDT
Exclusive: I’ve learned that Sony’s Columbia Pictures just concluded the negotiations with Cameron Diaz today for the updated moppet movie musical starting production in the fall for a Christmas 2014 release. Sandra Bullock had been in talks for the role in Annie but pulled out recently. Beasts Of The Southern Wild‘s Quvenzhane Wallis, who became the youngest actress ever to receive a Best Actress Oscar nomination, is on board to play the iconic orphan, and Best Actor Oscar winner for Ray, Jamie Foxx, is Daddy Warbucks in the classic comic strip-turned-musical being produced by Will Smith and Jay-z and directed by Will Gluck. I think Diaz is an inspired choice to play the mean lady who runs the orphanage after the actress strutted her nasty in Sony’s Bad Teacher and a few other choice roles. Related: ‘Annie’ Release Set For Christmas Day 2014 »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Update: Ari Emanuel Vs Irving Azoff Emails
25 June 2013 4:43 PM, PDT
Previous: Ari Emanuel And Irving Azoff Feud Via Vile Emails Cc’ed To Hollywood And Media VIPs The unedited emails follow after the jump. From: Shelli Azoff Sent: Friday, June 21, 2013 12:29 Pm To: Ariel Emanuel Cc: Ila; Joel Silver; Ron Perelman; Ron Meyer; Jeff Azoff; Patrick Whitesell; Michael Rapino; Greg Maffei; Mark Shapiro; Sarah Emanuel; Jim Dolan; Brad Grey; lauren Subject: (2 New) Re: Live Nation revels as clamour for gigs reaches crescendo – Ft.com Ari, I wake up every morning and look up and say thank you.. I can’t believe my life, I am blessed beyond my wildest expectations… I have the most amazing husband and children who are healthy and happy and who love me unconditionally..I have more money then I can spend (not saying I would say no to more), i surround myself with people who are funny, happy and loving, And I survived cancer… I »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Ari Emanuel And Irving Azoff Feud Via Vile Emails Cc’ed To Hollywood And Media VIPs
25 June 2013 1:44 PM, PDT
Update: Read the unedited emails here. Exclusive: Few things satisfy more than a fiery Hollywood feud. I’ve learned the ongoing one between Ari Emanuel and Irving Azoff flared up again this past weekend in a way that one eyewitness told me was “like Yiddish Theater, complete with Jews and their drama and their masks and coats and robes”. I wouldn’t know, never having attended Yiddish Theater. But I do know Hollywood, and this flaming raged out of control. The email war erupted between the two entertainment executives Friday, the same day as a Financial Times article was published about how well Live Nation Entertainment is doing in 2013 after music manager Azoff resigned and where Wme co-founder Emanuel is on the board. It doesn’t help that Azoff’s son works for CAA as an agent, or that Azoff is reputedly using his position as an advisory board member »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Exclusive: Legendary And Lionsgate To Meet This Week; Details On What Tull Wants
24 June 2013 11:34 PM, PDT
Exclusive: I’ve learned that Legendary Entertainment‘s Thomas Tull continues kicking tires all over Hollywood right now. He’s planned a meeting for later this week with the Lionsgate team including chief Jon Feltheimer and Summit-turned-Lionsgate film co-chairman Rob Friedman who’d like to mitigate their feature film risks which worry Wall Street. “It’s an interesting choice and a new entry,” a source tells me. “He really respects Rob and Felt.” I already told you over the weekend that Tull has met twice with NBCUniversal chief and Comcast #2 Steve Burke over at NBCU and that four studios were in this bake-off. Well, now add Lionsgate. Sony is still in the running “because he loves their business and loves the Sony people and really likes Michael Lynton”. So, too, Fox because Tull “loves” Jim Gianopulos. “But if Jeff Robinov goes there it may not happen,” a source told me today. »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Update: ‘Mad Men’ Finale Ratings On Par With Last Season; Did AMC Drama Just Get Good Again?
24 June 2013 1:40 PM, PDT
Update, 1:40 Pm: Mad Men‘s sixth-season finale posted 2.7 million viewers — on par with last season’s finale. The AMC period drama in its sixth season added an average of 2.1 million viewers within three days and an average of 2.4 million additional viewers within seven days of the live telecast through the first 10 episodes this season, the network said today. Over the season, the Mad Avenue drama averaged 2.5 million viewers and continues to rank as cable’s most upscale drama. Previous, 7:50 Am: Matthew Weiner’s maddening-to-the-max AMC series ended its sixth and penultimate season last night. There was never any Omg moment in an episode as in Mad Men years past: just a slow and sly buildup to Don Draper’s breakdown and comeuppance and soon-to-be transformation into I don’t know what. Overall it was a more satisfying if somewhat melodramatic jumble of relationships and 1960s realities than tiresome »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Paula Deen To Face Matt Lauer On ‘Today’
24 June 2013 6:42 AM, PDT
Wednesday’s live sitdown interview will be exclusive to NBC’s Today whose Matt Lauer had been scheduled originally to talk to Paula Deen on Friday. “She has told us she will be here this time,” Lauer said today on the air. The Southern comfort food cook was a no-show citing exhaustion Friday, the same day she received the bad news that The Food Network wasn’t going to renew her contract when it expires at the end of June. This, despite her release of two videotaped apologies for using “N-word” racial slurs in her past. Today on its website asked whether Deen can stage a comeback after the racism allegations. But this TV appearance also may re-ignite the media frenzy after what appears to be a public backlash to Deen’s punishment for what seemed a survivable scandal on the surface. Now the entire matter has sparked a national »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
Deadline Boycotts La Press Club Awards Again
24 June 2013 6:18 AM, PDT
Once again, Deadline did not enter the latest Los Angeles Press Club awards contest. Because, once again, the officers and organizers have failed to address our concerns. In my opinion, the La Press Club seems more interested in collecting entry fees and selling gala tables than in rewarding high standards of journalism or conducting a competition with integrity. This is not sour grapes: Deadline has been winners or finalists in several categories over the years. But the decision to resign from the La Press Club’s board and to boycott these awards was made in consultation with my staff. Now many major media like Deadline also don’t participate, which is why this year’s ‘Entertainment News’ category consisted of only one news outlet and one writer being nominated for all three finalist slots. (FishbowlLA called it “one of the craziest latest examples of the problems caused by the La »
- NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief
14 articles
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