Exciting things are happening on Live with Kelly and Mark lately. Every day seems to come with another new announcement for fans.
The other day, Kelly and Mark announced that Live will host the famous After the Oscars show on March 11, 2024, from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
Fans had just enough time to get over that move’s excitement and decide if a trip to LA was within the budget to sit in some of the same seats celebrities sat in the night before. Maybe some stardust will rub off on the audience.
This time, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos were eager to share that the show is teaming up with a new theater, the BleauLive Theater, for four shows over two days.
This is coming up even quicker than the After the Oscars Party show. It is February 26-27, and the audience can get tickets to the show if they want.
The other day, Kelly and Mark announced that Live will host the famous After the Oscars show on March 11, 2024, from the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles.
Fans had just enough time to get over that move’s excitement and decide if a trip to LA was within the budget to sit in some of the same seats celebrities sat in the night before. Maybe some stardust will rub off on the audience.
This time, Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos were eager to share that the show is teaming up with a new theater, the BleauLive Theater, for four shows over two days.
This is coming up even quicker than the After the Oscars Party show. It is February 26-27, and the audience can get tickets to the show if they want.
- 1/31/2024
- by Pamela Roy
- Monsters and Critics
It's time to rent a Family Truckster, cue up Lindsey Buckingham's "Holiday Road," and hope our wife doesn't catch us checking out a mysterious hot babe in a sports car -- because it's time to rank all of the films in the "Vacation" franchise. Part family drama, part romantic comedy, part slapstick showcase, and 100 percent a showcase for Chevy Chase to prove why he's Chevy Chase and we're not, National Lampoon's "Vacation" series is home to some of the best bits in American comedy cinema.
Whether they're staying at home for the holidays, pressing their luck in Vegas, traveling cross country, or flying overseas, the Griswolds have set the bar hellishly low for family vacations (which means the only place to go is up for the rest of us). Sure, some of the jokes have seen better days, but the longevity of the series lies with the relatable family...
Whether they're staying at home for the holidays, pressing their luck in Vegas, traveling cross country, or flying overseas, the Griswolds have set the bar hellishly low for family vacations (which means the only place to go is up for the rest of us). Sure, some of the jokes have seen better days, but the longevity of the series lies with the relatable family...
- 12/26/2023
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
If you like movies about empty-headed dips and their resentful families, then National Lampoon's "Vacation" movies certainly have you covered. Clark Griswold, played by Chevy Chase, is an exemplar -- perhaps the Ur-example -- of a clueless dad obsessed with fulfilling the typical American suburban dream despite a general lack of wit or competence. Clark claims to be an expert in everything, assuring his family that everything will be fine, and yet he displays no acumen or skill, and his family repeatedly witnesses him fail. We sympathize with Clark, however, as many of his failings are the result of bad luck; Clark isn't very good at traversing the daily onus of trivial nonsense, but the world seems cosmically hellbent on punishing him for his incompetence.
The "Vacation" movies began their life as a short story called "Vacation '58," written by John Hughes and first published in the celebrated "National Lampoon...
The "Vacation" movies began their life as a short story called "Vacation '58," written by John Hughes and first published in the celebrated "National Lampoon...
- 12/25/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Travis Kelce loves to watch Christmas movies during the holiday season!
The 34-year-old NFL star has had quite the year! Travis started dating Taylor Swift back in September, and has been enjoying his 11th season with the Kansas City Chiefs coming off their Super Bowl victory.
Ahead of Christmas, Travis revealed his favorite holiday-inspired movie!
Keep reading to find out more…
During the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, which he hosts with his brother Jason Kelce, Travis shared that his favorite Christmas film is 1983′s A Christmas Story.
“Damn, man, there are so many good ones,” he said. “I mean, A Christmas Story hits home. That’s the one that gives me the feels because it’s filmed in Cleveland.”
If you didn’t know, Travis was born in Westlake, Ohio, which is located just outside of Cleveland. He explained how A Christmas Story brings back childhood memories.
The 34-year-old NFL star has had quite the year! Travis started dating Taylor Swift back in September, and has been enjoying his 11th season with the Kansas City Chiefs coming off their Super Bowl victory.
Ahead of Christmas, Travis revealed his favorite holiday-inspired movie!
Keep reading to find out more…
During the latest episode of the New Heights podcast, which he hosts with his brother Jason Kelce, Travis shared that his favorite Christmas film is 1983′s A Christmas Story.
“Damn, man, there are so many good ones,” he said. “I mean, A Christmas Story hits home. That’s the one that gives me the feels because it’s filmed in Cleveland.”
If you didn’t know, Travis was born in Westlake, Ohio, which is located just outside of Cleveland. He explained how A Christmas Story brings back childhood memories.
- 12/25/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Known for his smug, bemused sense of humor, Chevy Chase became famous for a series of highly profitable comedies. Let’s take a look back at 12 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in New York in 1943, Chase turned to comedy after a series of odd jobs. After a short stint with the “National Lampoon,” he shot to stardom in 1975 as one of the original Not Ready for Primetime Players on “Saturday Night Live.” In its first season, Chase became famous both for his pratfalls and his Gerald Ford impersonation. He was also the initial host of “Weekend Update,” starting each week with the catchphrase, “I’m Chevy Chase, and you’re not.”
After winning Emmys for writing and performing in 1976, Chase left “SNL” after one year to pursue a movie career (he was replaced by Bill Murray). He earned Golden Globe nominations as Best Comedy/Musical Actor...
Born in New York in 1943, Chase turned to comedy after a series of odd jobs. After a short stint with the “National Lampoon,” he shot to stardom in 1975 as one of the original Not Ready for Primetime Players on “Saturday Night Live.” In its first season, Chase became famous both for his pratfalls and his Gerald Ford impersonation. He was also the initial host of “Weekend Update,” starting each week with the catchphrase, “I’m Chevy Chase, and you’re not.”
After winning Emmys for writing and performing in 1976, Chase left “SNL” after one year to pursue a movie career (he was replaced by Bill Murray). He earned Golden Globe nominations as Best Comedy/Musical Actor...
- 9/30/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The National Lampoon is not a movie studio, though it might have seemed like it in the 1980s. The humor magazine that ran from 1970 to 1998 got into the movie business in 1978 when it put its name on "Animal House." The college comedy — co-written by Harold Ramis, directed by John Landis, and starring John Belushi — was wildly successful and launched a cinematic comedy institution. After a few disappointments, National Lampoon would hit cinematic gold again in 1983 with "National Lampoon's Vacation," a cross-country family vacation movie written by John Hughes and starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo. The franchise would see two John Hughes-penned sequels and a fourth movie not associated with National Lampoon (1997's "Vegas Vacation").
With a hot comedy label, one of the best screenwriters in Hollywood, and the lead actors returning, what went wrong with the first sequel, "National Lampoon's European Vacation?" According to one author, Griswold family patriarch...
With a hot comedy label, one of the best screenwriters in Hollywood, and the lead actors returning, what went wrong with the first sequel, "National Lampoon's European Vacation?" According to one author, Griswold family patriarch...
- 2/5/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
Fans of the Halloween franchise received some sad news today, as it has been confirmed that stuntman George P. Wilbur – who played horror icon Michael Myers in both Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988) and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995), the sixth entry in the series – has passed away at the age of 81.
Wilbur’s fellow Michael Myers performer Chris Durand, who played the character in 1998’s Halloween H20, broke the news of his passing on Facebook earlier today: “George P. Wilbur passed away last night. George, you were a class act and well loved. You will be missed. May you Rest in Peace.” Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers screenwriter Daniel Farrands reacted to the news by saying, “Very sad to hear of George’s passing. He was such a kind soul and a beloved member of the Halloween family.“
Born on March 6, 1941 in Connecticut, Wilbur served...
Wilbur’s fellow Michael Myers performer Chris Durand, who played the character in 1998’s Halloween H20, broke the news of his passing on Facebook earlier today: “George P. Wilbur passed away last night. George, you were a class act and well loved. You will be missed. May you Rest in Peace.” Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers screenwriter Daniel Farrands reacted to the news by saying, “Very sad to hear of George’s passing. He was such a kind soul and a beloved member of the Halloween family.“
Born on March 6, 1941 in Connecticut, Wilbur served...
- 2/2/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Christmas is coming at us faster than Santa’s sleigh, which means ’tis the season for streaming Christmas movies. While there are plenty of family-friendly options for parents — from classics like “A Charlie Brown Christmas” to new entries like this year’s “Spirited” on Apple TV+ — some may prefer a slightly more raunchy selection, which is where 1989’s “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” comes in.
“Christmas Vacation” is streaming on several online platforms, including HBO Max, AMC+, The Roku Channel, fuboTV, Philo, and Sling TV. It can also be rented or purchased on VOD platforms, including YouTube, Vudu, Google Play, Apple TV, and Redbox, for 3.99. In addition, AMC will air the film throughout the next few days at 8 or 10 p.m. Et, including on December 21, December 22, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik, “Christmas Vacation” was the third and effectively final entry in the classic “National Lampoon” series...
“Christmas Vacation” is streaming on several online platforms, including HBO Max, AMC+, The Roku Channel, fuboTV, Philo, and Sling TV. It can also be rented or purchased on VOD platforms, including YouTube, Vudu, Google Play, Apple TV, and Redbox, for 3.99. In addition, AMC will air the film throughout the next few days at 8 or 10 p.m. Et, including on December 21, December 22, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Directed by Jeremiah S. Chechik, “Christmas Vacation” was the third and effectively final entry in the classic “National Lampoon” series...
- 12/22/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Chevy Chase will always be most identified with his hapless dad character from the Vacation franchise, Clark Griswold. While this is ironic given his edgier roots on Saturday Night Live, it can’t be denied that National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation has become an enduring classic, with the film airing over and over whenever the holidays approach. Written by John Hughes, the film is a departure from the racier National Lampoon’s Vacation and its sequel, European Vacation, in that this time the Griswold’s family adventures would be on the tamer side.
Rather than take his family on vacation, this time Clark assembles his relatives for an extended family reunion, with Randy Quaid’s fan-favourite Cousin Eddie returning for a victory lap from the first movie. Once again, the gorgeous Beverly D’Angelo co-stars as Clark’s wife, Ellen, but as usual for the series, the two kids, Rusty and Audrey, have been recast.
Rather than take his family on vacation, this time Clark assembles his relatives for an extended family reunion, with Randy Quaid’s fan-favourite Cousin Eddie returning for a victory lap from the first movie. Once again, the gorgeous Beverly D’Angelo co-stars as Clark’s wife, Ellen, but as usual for the series, the two kids, Rusty and Audrey, have been recast.
- 12/19/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Apple is developing a scripted limited series based on the company’s podcast “Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy.”
Per the official logline, the half-hour series is “told from various perspectives and is about two of the greatest showman-magicians in history who push the concept of illusion versus reality to the extreme — until tragedy reframes and opens up an entirely new mystery surrounding their last fateful Las Vegas show.”
John Hoffman, the co-creator of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” is writing and executive producing the project. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns and Kristen Zolner will executive produce for Imagine Television, alongside James Seidman. Will Manati, executive producer of “Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy,” will also serve as executive producer alongside Steven Leckart for At Will Media. Apple Studios will serve as the studio on the project. The eight-part “Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy” podcast was released in January 2022 to great acclaim.
Per the official logline, the half-hour series is “told from various perspectives and is about two of the greatest showman-magicians in history who push the concept of illusion versus reality to the extreme — until tragedy reframes and opens up an entirely new mystery surrounding their last fateful Las Vegas show.”
John Hoffman, the co-creator of Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” is writing and executive producing the project. Brian Grazer, Ron Howard, Tony Hernandez, Lilly Burns and Kristen Zolner will executive produce for Imagine Television, alongside James Seidman. Will Manati, executive producer of “Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy,” will also serve as executive producer alongside Steven Leckart for At Will Media. Apple Studios will serve as the studio on the project. The eight-part “Wild Things: Siegfried & Roy” podcast was released in January 2022 to great acclaim.
- 10/28/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Early spooky season began in September, but for those late to the party by starting their celebrations in October, Netflix has a great slate of scary and festive films and TV shows on tap. “Scooby Doo” and “Scooby Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed” will be readily available the first day of the month. Friday, October 7 is a big day for releases, as it will welcome the third season of “Derry Girls,” “Luckies Girl Alive” adapted from Jessica Knolle’s best-selling novel and a new YA spin on ghost stories, “The Midnight Club.”
More book adaptations to keep your eye on for October’s Netflix arrivals include “The School for Good and Evil,” out Oct. 19 and based on the best-selling series by Soman Chainani. A heartrending and heartwarming dose of real life as well as true love can be found in the “From Scratch” series, based on the memoir of the same name by Tembi Locke,...
More book adaptations to keep your eye on for October’s Netflix arrivals include “The School for Good and Evil,” out Oct. 19 and based on the best-selling series by Soman Chainani. A heartrending and heartwarming dose of real life as well as true love can be found in the “From Scratch” series, based on the memoir of the same name by Tembi Locke,...
- 10/9/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Congrats, everyone! We’ve finally made it to another spooky season. To celebrate, Netflix is highlighting its best horror content on its list of new releases for October 2022.
It wouldn’t be October on Netflix without a new Mike Flanagan title. Thankfully the Midnight Mass showrunner returns with The Midnight Club on Oct. 7. This series, adapted from a book of the same name, takes place in a hospice for terminally ill teens who have all made a gruesome pact. This series will be followed up by other creepy TV titles like Unsolved Mysteries Vol. 3 on Oct. 18, 28 Days Haunted on Oct. 21, and most importantly: Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities on Oct. 25, which will collect eight terrifying stories from the famed director himself.
Read more TV Unsolved Mysteries Review (Spoiler-Free): True Crime With More Questions Than Answers By Tony Sokol TV Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 Review: Reboot Fits a Flatfoot...
It wouldn’t be October on Netflix without a new Mike Flanagan title. Thankfully the Midnight Mass showrunner returns with The Midnight Club on Oct. 7. This series, adapted from a book of the same name, takes place in a hospice for terminally ill teens who have all made a gruesome pact. This series will be followed up by other creepy TV titles like Unsolved Mysteries Vol. 3 on Oct. 18, 28 Days Haunted on Oct. 21, and most importantly: Guillermo Del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities on Oct. 25, which will collect eight terrifying stories from the famed director himself.
Read more TV Unsolved Mysteries Review (Spoiler-Free): True Crime With More Questions Than Answers By Tony Sokol TV Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 Review: Reboot Fits a Flatfoot...
- 10/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
A new month has arrived, which means a fresh batch of movies and TV shows streaming on Netflix. While many are no doubt still making their way through “Stranger Things” Season 4, June brings the arrival of a new season of another beloved Netflix series: “The Umbrella Academy.” The third season of the semi-superhero show premieres June 22 and finds the gang stranded in a timeline where the Umbrella Academy does not exist, while battling not only a rival team but also plenty of timeline-altering shenanigans.
In terms of new Netflix original films, June 17 sees the debut of “Spiderhead,” a psychological thriller starring Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett and directed by “Top Gun: Maverick” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski.
June will also see the debut of the new Adam Sandler-fronted basketball inspirational drama film “Hustle” on June 8, while a litany of comedy specials from the likes of Pete Davidson and Amy Schumer...
In terms of new Netflix original films, June 17 sees the debut of “Spiderhead,” a psychological thriller starring Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett and directed by “Top Gun: Maverick” filmmaker Joseph Kosinski.
June will also see the debut of the new Adam Sandler-fronted basketball inspirational drama film “Hustle” on June 8, while a litany of comedy specials from the likes of Pete Davidson and Amy Schumer...
- 6/10/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Whether it's an epic cross-country journey to Walley World or a trip across the pond to Europe, the Griswold family has been bringing laughs to audiences since the early 1980s. But they've also provided some warm and fuzzy feelings, at least according to one cast member.
The initial "Vacation" series is made of four movies, three of which are from the National Lampoon magazine and written by John Hughes. The Hughes trilogy consists of 1983's "Vacation" followed by 1985's "European Vacation" and 1989's "Christmas Vacation." A fourth installment, 1997's "Vegas Vacation" was independent of National Lampoon. All four films follow the exploits of...
The post Beverly D'Angelo Always Thought of the Vacation Movies As Romantic Comedies appeared first on /Film.
The initial "Vacation" series is made of four movies, three of which are from the National Lampoon magazine and written by John Hughes. The Hughes trilogy consists of 1983's "Vacation" followed by 1985's "European Vacation" and 1989's "Christmas Vacation." A fourth installment, 1997's "Vegas Vacation" was independent of National Lampoon. All four films follow the exploits of...
The post Beverly D'Angelo Always Thought of the Vacation Movies As Romantic Comedies appeared first on /Film.
- 6/1/2022
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
Just one month after debuting a fan favorite genre hit in the form of Stranger Things season 4, Netflix is once again coming out with the big guns for its list of new releases for June 2022.
The Umbrella Academy season 3 is set to be released June 22 and it will be a busy one for the Hargreeves family of crime fighters. After averting a 1963 nuclear apocalypse in season 2, the gang returns to the present only to find there’s a new team called the Sparrows living in their house. Based on the trailer for season 3, hilarity and many superpowers punches thrown will ensue.
Read more TV The Umbrella Academy Officially Introduces The Sparrow Academy By Alec Bojalad TV The Umbrella Academy Season 3: What To Expect By Michael Ahr
Other Netflix TV original series of note this month include the vampire love story First Kill (June 10) the Melissa McCarthy comedy God’s Favorite Idiot...
The Umbrella Academy season 3 is set to be released June 22 and it will be a busy one for the Hargreeves family of crime fighters. After averting a 1963 nuclear apocalypse in season 2, the gang returns to the present only to find there’s a new team called the Sparrows living in their house. Based on the trailer for season 3, hilarity and many superpowers punches thrown will ensue.
Read more TV The Umbrella Academy Officially Introduces The Sparrow Academy By Alec Bojalad TV The Umbrella Academy Season 3: What To Expect By Michael Ahr
Other Netflix TV original series of note this month include the vampire love story First Kill (June 10) the Melissa McCarthy comedy God’s Favorite Idiot...
- 6/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The National Lampoon’s Vacation movie series is an iconic comedy franchise that began with John Hughes‘ short story “Vacation ’58”. Written by John Hughes, these full of entertainment films are all about the misadventures of the Griswold family.
The first five films were all distributed by Warner Bros., while they also sponsored one more installment. The movie has inspired various advertising campaigns featuring some of the original cast members in recent years!
What’s Good on Netflix: Watch 50 Popular Movies and Shows Now
The Clark Griswold family is a hilarious and entertaining group of people who always seem to be in the wrong place at just about every turn.
It’s great fun watching them try their best for laughs and out of sheer amazement that they can get into these crazy situations day after endless days!
The success of Vacation movies spawned a short-lived TV series, and there...
The first five films were all distributed by Warner Bros., while they also sponsored one more installment. The movie has inspired various advertising campaigns featuring some of the original cast members in recent years!
What’s Good on Netflix: Watch 50 Popular Movies and Shows Now
The Clark Griswold family is a hilarious and entertaining group of people who always seem to be in the wrong place at just about every turn.
It’s great fun watching them try their best for laughs and out of sheer amazement that they can get into these crazy situations day after endless days!
The success of Vacation movies spawned a short-lived TV series, and there...
- 4/4/2022
- by Israr
- buddytv.com
The Broadway-aimed stage musical adaptation of the Vacation film franchise has a new launch: The Griswolds’ Broadway Vacation, The Musical will debut in September at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre.
Originally planned, pre-Covid, for Fall 2020, the musical (formerly known by working title Broadway Vacation) will run from Sept. 10 to Oct. 1 in Seattle, followed by an engagement at Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars from Oct. 25 to Nov. 6.
The dates were announced today by producer Ken Davenport. The announcement described the engagements as “prior to Broadway,” with Broadway dates and venue “to be announced.”
The musical is based on the characters from the Warner Bros. Vacation franchise, which starred Chevy Chase and included 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation, National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), Vegas Vacation (1997) and the 2015 remake Vacation starring Ed Helms.
“I couldn’t think of a better place for...
Originally planned, pre-Covid, for Fall 2020, the musical (formerly known by working title Broadway Vacation) will run from Sept. 10 to Oct. 1 in Seattle, followed by an engagement at Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars from Oct. 25 to Nov. 6.
The dates were announced today by producer Ken Davenport. The announcement described the engagements as “prior to Broadway,” with Broadway dates and venue “to be announced.”
The musical is based on the characters from the Warner Bros. Vacation franchise, which starred Chevy Chase and included 1983’s National Lampoon’s Vacation, National Lampoon’s European Vacation (1985), National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989), Vegas Vacation (1997) and the 2015 remake Vacation starring Ed Helms.
“I couldn’t think of a better place for...
- 3/8/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
In the western world, gambling themes have appeared in many movies and tv series, from Vegas Vacation to Let it Ride, The Cooler and Ocean’s Eleven. These themes usually appear in drama or comedy genres and have proven to be very popular.
However, in other cultures where gambling is more of a taboo topic, the idea of gambling appearing in a tv series or movie is rare. That is until the recent Japanese manga series, Kakegurui appeared on Netflix. With gambling themes being particularly rare for this genre, the series has sparked a lot of interest in Japanese anime, while driving an interest in poker.
Anime and Japanese Manga are themes used in the gambling industry, with various slot games being based upon the anime genre. JackpotCity online casino offers a wide range of themed slot games for players to choose from, all which are easily accessible on mobile devices.
However, in other cultures where gambling is more of a taboo topic, the idea of gambling appearing in a tv series or movie is rare. That is until the recent Japanese manga series, Kakegurui appeared on Netflix. With gambling themes being particularly rare for this genre, the series has sparked a lot of interest in Japanese anime, while driving an interest in poker.
Anime and Japanese Manga are themes used in the gambling industry, with various slot games being based upon the anime genre. JackpotCity online casino offers a wide range of themed slot games for players to choose from, all which are easily accessible on mobile devices.
- 8/20/2021
- by Michael Walsh
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Siegfried Fischbacher, who teamed with partner Roy Horn to become Siegfried & Roy, among the most famous magicians in the world and one of Las Vegas’ biggest draws, died Wednesday of pancreatic cancer at his home in Las Vegas. He was 81.
Fischbacher’s death was announced by his sister Dolore, who lives as a nun in Munich, Germany, to the German newspaper Bild. The news subsequently was confirmed by his publicist, Dave Kirvin.
“He fell asleep gently and peacefully,” Dolore told Bild. She said Fischbacher had been in the care of hospice nurses at his home.
Known for their flamboyant, Liberace-style costumes and the use in their act of “big cats” — lions, leopards, jaguars and, most famously, rare white tigers — Siegfried & Roy were partners in life as well as onstage who carved out a 40-year career with elaborate, large-scale illusions. The headlining duo became synonymous with Vegas glitz and over-the-top showbiz glamour.
Fischbacher’s death was announced by his sister Dolore, who lives as a nun in Munich, Germany, to the German newspaper Bild. The news subsequently was confirmed by his publicist, Dave Kirvin.
“He fell asleep gently and peacefully,” Dolore told Bild. She said Fischbacher had been in the care of hospice nurses at his home.
Known for their flamboyant, Liberace-style costumes and the use in their act of “big cats” — lions, leopards, jaguars and, most famously, rare white tigers — Siegfried & Roy were partners in life as well as onstage who carved out a 40-year career with elaborate, large-scale illusions. The headlining duo became synonymous with Vegas glitz and over-the-top showbiz glamour.
- 1/14/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Siegfried Fischbacher — of the animal training and magic duo Siegfried & Roy — has died at the age of 81 from pancreatic cancer.
His death comes just eight months after his performing partner Roy Horn died from complications related to Covid-19 at the age of 75.
Sad news: Siegfried Fischbacher, of “Siegfried & Roy,” passed away last night at his home in Las Vegas from pancreatic cancer. He was 81.https://t.co/oyooKtAQuo pic.twitter.com/Z6lCh7VmjY
— Dan Linden (@DanLinden) January 14, 2021
The German duo met as entertainers on a cruise ship in 1957 and...
His death comes just eight months after his performing partner Roy Horn died from complications related to Covid-19 at the age of 75.
Sad news: Siegfried Fischbacher, of “Siegfried & Roy,” passed away last night at his home in Las Vegas from pancreatic cancer. He was 81.https://t.co/oyooKtAQuo pic.twitter.com/Z6lCh7VmjY
— Dan Linden (@DanLinden) January 14, 2021
The German duo met as entertainers on a cruise ship in 1957 and...
- 1/14/2021
- by Claire Shaffer
- Rollingstone.com
We might not be getting any new episodes of The Walking Dead until next year, but AMC is supplying us with a holiday treat to tide us over. As part of the network’s Best Christmas Ever schedule, The Walking Dead is receiving a Christmas special this December that’ll see the cast of the hit zombie drama coming together virtually for a festive tease of what’s headed our way when the show returns in 2021.
Hosted by Talking Dead‘s Chris Hardwick, the holiday special will unite several fan favorite stars of the long-running series as well as its spinoffs Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. It’ll stream exclusively on AMC+ – the network’s new premium on-demand platform offering early access and ad-free viewing – on Sunday, December 13th. That’s one week after World Beyond wraps up its season 1 finale.
The Walking Dead Holiday...
Hosted by Talking Dead‘s Chris Hardwick, the holiday special will unite several fan favorite stars of the long-running series as well as its spinoffs Fear the Walking Dead and The Walking Dead: World Beyond. It’ll stream exclusively on AMC+ – the network’s new premium on-demand platform offering early access and ad-free viewing – on Sunday, December 13th. That’s one week after World Beyond wraps up its season 1 finale.
The Walking Dead Holiday...
- 11/3/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Roy Horn, one-half of the famed lion-taming duo and longtime Las Vegas staple Siegfried & Roy, died Friday from complications related to Covid-19. He was 75.
“Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Siegfried Fischbacher said in a statement. “From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.”
Siegfried continued, “Roy as a fighter his whole life including during these final days. I...
“Today, the world has lost one of the greats of magic, but I have lost my best friend,” Siegfried Fischbacher said in a statement. “From the moment we met, I knew Roy and I, together, would change the world. There could be no Siegfried without Roy, and no Roy without Siegfried.”
Siegfried continued, “Roy as a fighter his whole life including during these final days. I...
- 5/9/2020
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Hulu is out with its list of all the content that’s coming and going to the streaming service in February.
Highlights include the series premiere of Zoë Kravitz’s “High Fidelity” reboot, coming on Valentine’s Day, in which she stars as a record store owner in a gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, revisiting past relationships through music and trying to get over her one true love. Her character was played by John Cusack in the 2000 film, and both are based on Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel of the same name.
There is also a new episode of “Into the Dark” titled “My Valentine,” which will be released on Feb. 7, in which a pop singer’s ex-boyfriend and manager steals her songs and gives them to his new protégé.
Also Read: Why Hulu Programming Chief Is Ok Sharing Classic Content Like 'Svu' With Rival Streamers
Season 1 of Hulu Original “Utopia Falls” comes out Feb.
Highlights include the series premiere of Zoë Kravitz’s “High Fidelity” reboot, coming on Valentine’s Day, in which she stars as a record store owner in a gentrified Brooklyn neighborhood, revisiting past relationships through music and trying to get over her one true love. Her character was played by John Cusack in the 2000 film, and both are based on Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel of the same name.
There is also a new episode of “Into the Dark” titled “My Valentine,” which will be released on Feb. 7, in which a pop singer’s ex-boyfriend and manager steals her songs and gives them to his new protégé.
Also Read: Why Hulu Programming Chief Is Ok Sharing Classic Content Like 'Svu' With Rival Streamers
Season 1 of Hulu Original “Utopia Falls” comes out Feb.
- 1/21/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Broadway Vacation The Musical, with characters from the popular Chevy Chase-fronted film franchise, will make its world premiere at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theatre this Fall.
Though no announcement was made regarding actual Broadway plans for Broadway Vacation, the Seattle venue has been the starting ground for various New York-bound productions over the years, including Hairspray, Aladdin, Memphis and First Date starring Zachary Levi, among others.
The Seattle production was announced today by 5th Avenue’s Artistic Director Bill Berry and Broadway producer Ken Davenport.
The musical will feature a book, music and lyrics by David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, with direction and choreography by Donna Feore. Casting was not announced.
“We could not be more thrilled to create the world premiere of this joyfully riotous story at The 5th,” said Berry. “I can’t wait to begin our 2020/21 season with...
Though no announcement was made regarding actual Broadway plans for Broadway Vacation, the Seattle venue has been the starting ground for various New York-bound productions over the years, including Hairspray, Aladdin, Memphis and First Date starring Zachary Levi, among others.
The Seattle production was announced today by 5th Avenue’s Artistic Director Bill Berry and Broadway producer Ken Davenport.
The musical will feature a book, music and lyrics by David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, with direction and choreography by Donna Feore. Casting was not announced.
“We could not be more thrilled to create the world premiere of this joyfully riotous story at The 5th,” said Berry. “I can’t wait to begin our 2020/21 season with...
- 1/13/2020
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Joseph Baxter Dec 12, 2019
HBO Max bringing back the Vacation film franchise’s Griswold family in a spinoff series produced by Johnny Galecki.
The Griswolds are taking the holiday road to HBO Max!
The Vacation film franchise – after five theatrically-released films and a TV movie – is set to make its serial television debut for the premium cable channel’s 2020-launching platform, HBO Max, with a single-camera comedy spinoff titled The Griswolds. Interestingly, one of the driving forces behind this small screen venture is a former member of its eponymous family, Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki, who’s executive-producing.
Galecki will join the project’s primary driving force, Tim Hobert, who’s writing the script and executive-producing, with Galecki onboard via his Alcide Bava shingle, which will also be represented in executive-producer capacity by head Holly Brown as well as producer Cory Wood. The Griswolds will manifest as part of Galecki...
HBO Max bringing back the Vacation film franchise’s Griswold family in a spinoff series produced by Johnny Galecki.
The Griswolds are taking the holiday road to HBO Max!
The Vacation film franchise – after five theatrically-released films and a TV movie – is set to make its serial television debut for the premium cable channel’s 2020-launching platform, HBO Max, with a single-camera comedy spinoff titled The Griswolds. Interestingly, one of the driving forces behind this small screen venture is a former member of its eponymous family, Big Bang Theory star Johnny Galecki, who’s executive-producing.
Galecki will join the project’s primary driving force, Tim Hobert, who’s writing the script and executive-producing, with Galecki onboard via his Alcide Bava shingle, which will also be represented in executive-producer capacity by head Holly Brown as well as producer Cory Wood. The Griswolds will manifest as part of Galecki...
- 12/12/2019
- Den of Geek
Pack your bags and cue up “Holiday Road,” because The Griswolds are returning to a TV near you.
A television series based on the National Lampoon’s Vacation films is in the works at HBO Max, Variety reports. The potential single-camera comedy would follow members of the titular clan after they return home from their vacation, and focus on their lives in the suburbs of modern-day Chicago.
More from TVLineFriends Cast and Creators to Reunite for Unscripted Special on HBO MaxGossip Girl Reboot Update: Expect 'Non-White Leads,' a 'Lot of Queer Content' and... a Mysterious 'Twist'Big Bang Theory Video:...
A television series based on the National Lampoon’s Vacation films is in the works at HBO Max, Variety reports. The potential single-camera comedy would follow members of the titular clan after they return home from their vacation, and focus on their lives in the suburbs of modern-day Chicago.
More from TVLineFriends Cast and Creators to Reunite for Unscripted Special on HBO MaxGossip Girl Reboot Update: Expect 'Non-White Leads,' a 'Lot of Queer Content' and... a Mysterious 'Twist'Big Bang Theory Video:...
- 12/12/2019
- TVLine.com
HBO Max is developing a series based on the Grisworld family from the “National Lampoon’s Vacation” films, Variety has learned.
Titled “The Griswolds,” the series will see the titular family home from vacation and explore their daily lives in the suburbs of modern-day Chicago. Tim Hobert is attached to write and executive produce the half-hour single-camera series. Johnny Galecki and Holly Brown will also executive produce under their Alcide Bava production banner. Cory Wood of Alcide Bava will produce. Warner Bros. Television will serve as the studio behind the project.
The project represents a homecoming of sorts for Galecki, who starred as Russ Griswold in the third film in the franchise, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” The other films are “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “National Lampoon’s European Vacation,” “Vegas Vacation,” and “Vacation.” The last of those was released in 2015 and starred Ed Helms as an adult Russ as he takes...
Titled “The Griswolds,” the series will see the titular family home from vacation and explore their daily lives in the suburbs of modern-day Chicago. Tim Hobert is attached to write and executive produce the half-hour single-camera series. Johnny Galecki and Holly Brown will also executive produce under their Alcide Bava production banner. Cory Wood of Alcide Bava will produce. Warner Bros. Television will serve as the studio behind the project.
The project represents a homecoming of sorts for Galecki, who starred as Russ Griswold in the third film in the franchise, “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.” The other films are “National Lampoon’s Vacation,” “National Lampoon’s European Vacation,” “Vegas Vacation,” and “Vacation.” The last of those was released in 2015 and starred Ed Helms as an adult Russ as he takes...
- 12/12/2019
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
With passing time, numerous movies got have produced which were set in casinos or proposes highly exciting gambling and casino themes. Numerous viewers love seeing their favorite actors take part in thrilling gambling activities. Again, people who love playing casino games would be curious to know about the featured casinos that they can visit. Fortunately, numerous casino-themed films have got released that have been filed at a land casino location. In Las Vegas, there are some exciting casinos which are situated on the Strip and everyone has history and popular for proposing the most stimulating types of gambling. Besides the gaming floors that are packed with action, the buildings too are considered things of art. This is the reason; numerous casinos have got selected for movie shoots.
Following are the names of some casinos where films have been made:
The Mirage – This casino was featured in the film Vegas Vacation...
Following are the names of some casinos where films have been made:
The Mirage – This casino was featured in the film Vegas Vacation...
- 10/9/2019
- by AMP Training
- AsianMoviePulse
“The Goldbergs” are heading to Disneyland in for the show’s seventh season premiere in an episode that will pay homage to the 1983 film “National Lampoon’s Vacation.”
Anthony Michael Hall and Christie Brinkley, who starred in the film, will guest star in the episode. Hall was the first of many different actors to portray Rusty Griswold, the youngest of the Griswold family. Brinkley played the “Girl in the Red Ferrari” who tempted Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold.
ABC made the announcement Monday during the Television Critics Association press tour.
Also Read: Kristen Wiig's 12 Funniest Characters, From Target Lady to Patty Hearst (Photos)
Here is a description of the episode, per ABC:
Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) insists the family take a road trip to go on vacation to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, before Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and Barry (Troy Gentile) go off to college. But, like the film, things do...
Anthony Michael Hall and Christie Brinkley, who starred in the film, will guest star in the episode. Hall was the first of many different actors to portray Rusty Griswold, the youngest of the Griswold family. Brinkley played the “Girl in the Red Ferrari” who tempted Chevy Chase’s Clark Griswold.
ABC made the announcement Monday during the Television Critics Association press tour.
Also Read: Kristen Wiig's 12 Funniest Characters, From Target Lady to Patty Hearst (Photos)
Here is a description of the episode, per ABC:
Beverly (Wendi McLendon-Covey) insists the family take a road trip to go on vacation to Disneyland in Anaheim, California, before Erica (Hayley Orrantia) and Barry (Troy Gentile) go off to college. But, like the film, things do...
- 8/5/2019
- by Tim Baysinger
- The Wrap
Marisol Nichols has been a fixture in film and television since the late-1990s, most well-known for her portrayal of Audrey Griswold in “Vegas Vacation,” as well as her turn as a CTU agent on “24,” the Desert Wolf on “Teen Wolf” and now as Hermione Lodge on the CW’s “Riverdale.” Acting is only one of her passions, though; she also created the Foundation for a Slave Free World to end sex trafficking.
What inspired you to not only want to raise awareness about sex trafficking but also start a foundation to fight for the victims?
Essentially, I couldn’t sleep anymore. It was just that simple. Once you dive down the rabbit hole — and I dove down the rabbit hole — you look at the world differently. Once I knew what was going on in it and to little girls, I wanted to focus primarily on the child sex trade,...
What inspired you to not only want to raise awareness about sex trafficking but also start a foundation to fight for the victims?
Essentially, I couldn’t sleep anymore. It was just that simple. Once you dive down the rabbit hole — and I dove down the rabbit hole — you look at the world differently. Once I knew what was going on in it and to little girls, I wanted to focus primarily on the child sex trade,...
- 1/24/2019
- by Danielle Turchiano
- Variety Film + TV
3:52 Pm Pt -- According to the divorce docs -- obtained by TMZ -- Nichols lists the couple's date of separation as October 23. She contributes "irreconcilable differences" as the reason for the split, is asking for physical custody of their daughter and joint legal custody. Nichols also wants spousal support."Riverdale" star Marisol Nichols -- who plays Hermione Lodge on the CW show -- has filed for divorce from her husband. Nichols married Taron Lexton...
- 11/7/2018
- by TMZ Staff
- TMZ
Chevy Chase celebrates his 75th birthday on October 8, 2018. Known for his smug, bemused sense of humor, the actor has become famous for a series of highly profitable comedies. In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 12 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in New York in 1943, Chase turned to comedy after a series of odd jobs. After a short stint with the “National Lampoon,” he shot to stardom in 1975 as one of the original Not Ready for Primetime Players on “Saturday Night Live.” In its first season, Chase became famous both for his pratfalls and his Gerald Ford impersonation. He was also the initial host of “Weekend Update,” starting each week with the catchphrase, “I’m Chevy Chase, and you’re not.”
After winning Emmys for writing and performing in 1976, Chase left “SNL” after one year to pursue a movie career (he was...
Born in New York in 1943, Chase turned to comedy after a series of odd jobs. After a short stint with the “National Lampoon,” he shot to stardom in 1975 as one of the original Not Ready for Primetime Players on “Saturday Night Live.” In its first season, Chase became famous both for his pratfalls and his Gerald Ford impersonation. He was also the initial host of “Weekend Update,” starting each week with the catchphrase, “I’m Chevy Chase, and you’re not.”
After winning Emmys for writing and performing in 1976, Chase left “SNL” after one year to pursue a movie career (he was...
- 10/8/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Amazon Prime Video has confirmed that several of its original series will be debuting new episodes on the streaming service in August, including the first season of “Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan.” John Krasinski, who is red-hot following the success of his winter hit “A Quiet Place,” takes on the role of the CIA spy that has been played on the big screen by Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine.
Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first appearances on Amazon Prime Video including the action comedy “Gringo,” which stars David Oyelowo as a businessman who unwittingly becomes involved with a Mexican drug cartel.
Unlike Netflix, Amazon does not disclose the shows and movies leaving the service in any given month. We’ve done some digging and unearthed a few titles that will be exiting Amazon Prime Video in the first week of August. News...
Likewise, there will be plenty of movies making their first appearances on Amazon Prime Video including the action comedy “Gringo,” which stars David Oyelowo as a businessman who unwittingly becomes involved with a Mexican drug cartel.
Unlike Netflix, Amazon does not disclose the shows and movies leaving the service in any given month. We’ve done some digging and unearthed a few titles that will be exiting Amazon Prime Video in the first week of August. News...
- 7/31/2018
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
Your wait for Jack Ryan is almost over.
“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” premieres on Amazon Aug. 31, starring John Krasinski as a CIA analyst who’s thrust into a dangerous field assignment. Another new Prime Original series, “All or Nothing: Manchester City” will premiere next month, though the specific date is yet to be announced. It follows Pep Guardiola, the legendary coach and the team’s 2017/2018 season.
Other titles coming to Amazon in August include 2004’s “A Cinderella Story” and 2008’s “Hurt Locker” on Aug. 1. “Mother!,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, will be available on Aug. 26.
Also Read: Emmys and #MeToo: 'Transparent' Shut Out of Nominations
See the complete list below.
August 1
Series
#MeToo: Now What?, Season 1
Movies
A Cinderella Story (2004)
American Gigolo (1980)
American Ninja (1985)
American Ninja III: Blood Hunt (1989)
Be Cool (2005)
Black Mask (1996)
Black Rain (1989)
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Boomerang (1992)
Cold War (2012)
Csny/Déjà Vu...
“Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan” premieres on Amazon Aug. 31, starring John Krasinski as a CIA analyst who’s thrust into a dangerous field assignment. Another new Prime Original series, “All or Nothing: Manchester City” will premiere next month, though the specific date is yet to be announced. It follows Pep Guardiola, the legendary coach and the team’s 2017/2018 season.
Other titles coming to Amazon in August include 2004’s “A Cinderella Story” and 2008’s “Hurt Locker” on Aug. 1. “Mother!,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem, will be available on Aug. 26.
Also Read: Emmys and #MeToo: 'Transparent' Shut Out of Nominations
See the complete list below.
August 1
Series
#MeToo: Now What?, Season 1
Movies
A Cinderella Story (2004)
American Gigolo (1980)
American Ninja (1985)
American Ninja III: Blood Hunt (1989)
Be Cool (2005)
Black Mask (1996)
Black Rain (1989)
Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2 (2000)
Boomerang (1992)
Cold War (2012)
Csny/Déjà Vu...
- 7/16/2018
- by Ashley Boucher
- The Wrap
Not many film franchises get the distinction of hitting number four. It’s even more impressive when they’re actually good. This 4th of July, we’re counting down from worst to best some of the most notable “number four” in their respective franchises.
“Jaws IV: The Revenge”
“I have never seen it (Jaws 4) but by all accounts it is terrible,” star Michael Caine said about the movie. “However, I have seen the house that it built and it is terrific.”
“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009)
Thank the heavens that “Logan” and “Deadpool” happened.
“Batman & Robin” (1997)
Isn’t this an ice list?
“Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” (1972)
Fans of the “Planet of the Apes” prequels might be interested to see Caesar’s original origins, although the new films do the character more justice.
“Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol” (1987)
Did you know the Razzies had a “Worst Original Song” category?...
“Jaws IV: The Revenge”
“I have never seen it (Jaws 4) but by all accounts it is terrible,” star Michael Caine said about the movie. “However, I have seen the house that it built and it is terrific.”
“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” (2009)
Thank the heavens that “Logan” and “Deadpool” happened.
“Batman & Robin” (1997)
Isn’t this an ice list?
“Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” (1972)
Fans of the “Planet of the Apes” prequels might be interested to see Caesar’s original origins, although the new films do the character more justice.
“Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol” (1987)
Did you know the Razzies had a “Worst Original Song” category?...
- 7/4/2018
- by Carli Velocci
- The Wrap
Channing Tatum and his family are the new Vegas Vacation!
The actor, 36, his wife Jenna Dewan Tatum, 36, and their daughter, Everly, recently took a trip to Sin City for Tatum’s latest role — producing the Magic Mike Live show on the Las Vegas strip.
During their visit to the Nevada hotspot, the Tatums crashed at this $5 million Spanish-style estate, courtesy of Airbnb. There was plenty of room for the young family, as the plush pad can accommodate over sixteen people in its 7-bedroom, 8-bath layout.
Related: Aaron Paul Surprised His Wife with a Trip to Thailand — See Inside the Amazing...
The actor, 36, his wife Jenna Dewan Tatum, 36, and their daughter, Everly, recently took a trip to Sin City for Tatum’s latest role — producing the Magic Mike Live show on the Las Vegas strip.
During their visit to the Nevada hotspot, the Tatums crashed at this $5 million Spanish-style estate, courtesy of Airbnb. There was plenty of room for the young family, as the plush pad can accommodate over sixteen people in its 7-bedroom, 8-bath layout.
Related: Aaron Paul Surprised His Wife with a Trip to Thailand — See Inside the Amazing...
- 4/5/2017
- by Megan Stein
- PEOPLE.com
Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec were dancing on air – and on stage – during their first Las Vegas vacation as a married couple.
The former Dancing with the Stars pro dancer and her Shark Tank star husband headed to Sin City over Labor Day weekend and took in a show at the Venetian.
Johnson, 40, and Herjavec, 53, stopped by Human Nature: Jukebox – which stars Australia's top-selling pop vocal group – but didn't just enjoy the show from the audience.
The newlyweds were brought on stage for the "Dancing with Human Nature" section of the show where they performed a dance-off reminiscent of...
The former Dancing with the Stars pro dancer and her Shark Tank star husband headed to Sin City over Labor Day weekend and took in a show at the Venetian.
Johnson, 40, and Herjavec, 53, stopped by Human Nature: Jukebox – which stars Australia's top-selling pop vocal group – but didn't just enjoy the show from the audience.
The newlyweds were brought on stage for the "Dancing with Human Nature" section of the show where they performed a dance-off reminiscent of...
- 9/6/2016
- by Patrick Gomez, @PatrickGomezLA
- People.com - TV Watch
Kym Johnson and Robert Herjavec were dancing on air - and on stage - during their first Las Vegas vacation as a married couple. The former Dancing with the Stars pro dancer and her Shark Tank star husband headed to Sin City over Labor Day weekend and took in a show at the Venetian. Johnson, 40, and Herjavec, 53, stopped by Human Nature: Jukebox - which stars Australia's top-selling pop vocal group - but didn't just enjoy the show from the audience.The newlyweds were brought on stage for the "Dancing with Human Nature" section of the show where they performed...
- 9/6/2016
- by Patrick Gomez, @PatrickGomezLA
- PEOPLE.com
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Warner Bros has struggled with its blockbusters of late. But back in summer 1997 - Batman & Robin's year - it faced not dissimilar problems.
Earlier this year it was revealed that Warner Bros, following a string of costly movies that hadn’t hit box office gold (Pan, Jupiter Ascending, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., In The Heart Of The Sea), was restructuring its blockbuster movie business. Fewer films, fewer risks, more franchises, and more centering around movie universes seems to be the new approach, and the appointment of a new corporate team to oversee the Harry Potter franchise last week was one part of that.
In some ways, it marks the end of an era. Whilst it retains its relationships with key directing talent (Ben Affleck, Clint Eastwood, Christopher Nolan for instance), Warner Bros was, for the bulk of the 1990s in particular, the studio that the others were trying to mimic. It worked with the same stars and filmmakers time and time again, and under then-chiefs Terry Semel and Robert Daly, relationships with key talent were paramount.
Furthermore, the studio knew to leave that talent to do its job, and was also ahead of the pack in developing franchises that it could rely on to give it a string of hits.
However, whilst Warner Bros is having troubles now, its way of doing business was first seriously challenged by the failure of its slate in the summer of 1997. Once again, it seemed to have a line up to cherish, that others were envious of. But as film by film failed to click, every facet of Warner Bros’ blockbuster strategy suddenly came under scrutiny, and would ultimately fairly dramatically change. Just two summers later, the studio released The Matrix, and blockbuster cinema changed again.
But come the start of summer 1997? These are the movies that Warner Bros had lined up, and this is what happened…
February - National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation
Things actually had got off to a decent enough start for the studio earlier in the year, so it's worth kicking off there. It brought Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo back together, for the fourth National Lampoon movie, and the first since 1989’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Interestingly, it dropped the National Lampoon moniker in the Us, and instead released the eventual movie as Vegas Vacation. It was a belated sequel, back when belated sequels weren’t that big a thing.
The film was quickly pulled apart by reviewers, but it still just about clawed a profit. The production budget of $25m was eclipsed by the Us gross of $36m, and the movie would do comfortable business on video/DVD. Not a massive hit, then, but hardly a project that had a sense of foreboding about it.
Yet the problems were not far away.
May – Father's Day
Warner Bros had a mix of movies released in the Us in March and April 1997, including modest Wesley Snipes-headlined thriller Murder At 1600, and family flick Shiloh. But it launched its summer season with Father’s Day, an expensive packaged comedy from director Ivan Reitman, starring Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. It had hit written all over it.
Father’s Day was one of the movies packaged by the CAA agency, and its then-head, Mike Ovitz (listed regularly by Premiere magazine in the 1990s as one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, if not the most powerful man). That he brought together the stars, the director and the project, gave a studio a price tag, and the studio duly paid it. Given Warner Bros’ devotion to star talent (Mel Gibson, then one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and a major Warner Bros talent, was persuaded to film a cameo), it was a natural home for the film. It quickly did the deal. few questions asked.
That package, and CAA’s fees for putting it together, brought the budget for a fairly straightforward comedy to a then-staggering $85m. The problem, though, was that the film simply wasn’t very good. It’s one of those projects that looks great on paper, less great when exposed on a great big screen. Warner Bros has snapped it up, without - it seems - even properly reading the script.
Premiere magazine quoted a Warner Bros insider back in November 1997 as saying “when [CAA] calls and says ‘we have a package, Father’s Day, with Williams and Crystal and Reitman, we say ‘great’”, adding “we don’t scrutinise the production. When we saw the movie, it took the wind out of us. We kept reshooting and enhancing, but you can’t fix something that’s bad”.
And it was bad.
The movie would prove to be the first big misfire of the summer, grossing just $35m in the Us, and not adding a fat lot more elsewhere in the world. Warner Bros’ first film of the summer was a certified flop. More would soon follow.
May - Addicted To Love
A more modestly priced project was Addicted To Love, a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick. Just over a year later, Warner Bros would hit big when Meg Ryan reunited with Tom Hanks for Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail. But here? The film was a modest success, at best.
Directed by Griffin Dunne (making his directorial debut), and put together in partnership with Miramax, Addicted To Love was based around the Robert Palmer song of the same name. But whilst it was sold as a romcom, the muddled final cut was actually a fair bit darker. There was an underlying nastiness to some moments in the film, and when the final box office was tallied, it came in lower than the usual returns for pictures from Ryan or Broderick. Counter-programming it against the release of The Lost World: Jurassic Park didn’t massively help in this instance either, especially as the Jurassic Park sequel would smash opening weekend records.
Addicted To Love ended up with $34.6m at the Us box office. It would eke out a small profit.
June - Batman & Robin
And this is when the alarm bells started to ring very, very loudly. Summer 1997 was supposed to be about a trio of sure-fire hit sequels: Batman 4, Jurassic Park 2 and Speed 2. Only one of those would ultimately bring home the box office bacon, the others being destroyed by critics, and ultimately leaving far more empty seats than anticipated in multiplexes.
Batman & Robin, it’s easy to forget, came off the back of 1995’s Joel Schumacher-steered Batman reboot, Batman Forever that year's biggest movie). It had one of the fastest-growing stars in the world in the Batsuit (George Clooney), and the McDonald’s deals were signed even before the script was typed up. You don’t need us to tell you that you could tell, something of a theme already in Warner Bros' summer of '97.
That said, Batman & Robin still gave Warner Bros a big opening, but in the infancy of the internet as we know it, poisonous word of mouth was already beginning to spread. The film’s negative cost Warner Bros up to $140m, before marketing and distribution costs, and it opened in the Us to a hardly-sniffy $42m of business (although that was down from previous Batman movies).
But that word of mouth still accelerated its departure from cinemas. It was then very rare for a film to make over 40% of its Us gross in its first weekend. But that’s just what Batman & Robin did, taking $107.3m in America, part of a worldwide total of $238.2m. This was the worst return for a Batman movie to date, and Warner Bros had to swiftly put the brakes on plans to get Batman Triumphant moving.
It would be eight years until Batman returned to the big screen, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Warner Bros would undergo big changes in the intervening period.
As for the immediate aftermath of Batman & Robin? Warner Bros co-chief Robert Daly would note at the end of '97 that “we’d have been better off with more action in the picture. The movie had to service too many characters”, adding that “the next Batman we do, in three years – and we have a deal with George Clooney to do it – will have one villain”.
Fortunately, Warner Bros’ one solid hit of the summer was just around the corner…
July - Contact
And breathe out.
Warner Bros bet heavily again on expensive talent here, with Robert Zemeckis bringing his adaptation of Carl Sagan’s Contact to the studio for his first film post-Forrest Gump. Warner Bros duly footed the $90m bill (back when that was still seen as a lot of money for a movie), a good chunk of which went to Jodie Foster. It invested heavily in special effects, and gave Zemeckis licence to make the film that he wanted.
The studio was rewarded with the most intelligent and arguably the best blockbuster of the summer. I’ve looked back at Contact in a lot more detail here, and it remains a fascinating film that’s stood the test of time (and arguably influenced Christopher Nolan’s more recent Interstellar).
Reviews were strong, it looked terrific, and the initial box office was good.
But then the problem hit. For whilst Contact was a solid hit for Warner Bros, it wasn’t a massively profitable one. Had Father’s Day and Batman & Robin shouldered the box office load there were supposed to, it perhaps wouldn’t have been a problem. But when they failed to take off, the pressure shifted to Contact.
The movie would gross $100.9m in the Us, and add another $70m overseas (this being an era were international box office rarely had the importance it has today). But once Warner Bros had paid its bills, there wasn’t a fat lot over for itself. Fortunately, the film still sells on disc and on-demand. Yet it wasn’t to be the massive hit the studio needed back in 1997.
July - One Eight Seven
From director Kevin Reynolds, the man who helmed Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves and Waterworld, came modestly-priced drama 187, starring Samuel L Jackson (in a strong performance). Warner Bros wouldn’t have had massive box office expectations for the film (although it can't have been unaware that the inspirational teacher sub-genre was always worth a few quid), and it shared production duties on the $20m movie with Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions. But still, it would have had its eye on a modest success. What it got in return was red ink.
The film’s not a bad one, and certainly worth seeking out. But poor reviews gave the film an uphill struggle from the off – smaller productions arriving mid-summer really needed critics on their side, as they arguably still do – and it opened to just $2.2m of business (the less edgy, Michelle Pfeiffer-headlined school drama Dangerous Minds had been a surprise hit not two years before).
By the time its run was done, 187 hadn’t even come close to covering its production costs, with just under $6m banked.
Warner Bros’ summer slate was running out of films. But at least it had one of its most reliable movie stars around the corner…
August - Conspiracy Theory
What could go wrong? Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts were two of the biggest movie stars in the world in 1997, at a time when movie stars still equated to box office gold. Director Richard Donner, one of Warner Bros’ favourite directors, had delivered the Lethal Weapons, Maverick, Superman, The Goonies and more for the studio. Put them altogether, with Patrick Stewart (coming to wider public consciousness at the time off the back of his Star Trek: The Next Generation work) as a villain, and it should have been a big hit.
Conspiracy Theory proved to be one of the more ambitious summer blockbusters of the era. It lacks a good first act, which would be really useful in actually setting up more of what’s going on. But Gibson played an edgy cab driver who believes in deep government conspiracies, and finds himself getting closer to the truth than those around him sometimes give him credit for.
Warner Bros was probably expecting another Lethal Weapon with the reunion of Gibson (who had to be persuaded to take Conspiracy Theory on) and Donner (it’s pretty much what it got with the hugely enjoyable Maverick a few years’ earlier), but instead it got a darker drama, with an uneasy central character that didn’t exactly play to the summer box office crowd.
The bigger problem, though, was that the film never quite worked as well as you might hope. Yet star power did have advantages. While no juggernaut, the film did decent business, grossing $137m worldwide off the back of an $80m budget ($40m of which was spent on the salaries for the talent before a single roll of film was loaded into a camera). That said, in the Us it knocked a genuine smash hit, Air Force One, off the top spot. Mind you in hindsight, that was probably the film that the studio wished it had made (the cockpit set of Warner Bros' own Executive Decision was repurposed for Air Force One, fact fans).
Still: Warner Bros did get Lethal Weapon 4 off Gibson and Donner a year later…
August - Free Willy 3: The Rescue
Yeah.
Warner Bros opened its third Free Willy film on the same day as Conspiracy Theory (can you imagine a studio opening two big films on the same day now), but it was clear that this was a franchise long past its best days (and its best days hardly bring back the fondest of memories).
Still, Free Willy movies were relatively modest in cost to put together, and Warner Bros presumably felt this was a simple cashpoint project. But in a year when lots of family movies did less business than expected (Disney’s Hercules, Fox’s Home Alone 3, Disney’s Mr Magoo), Free Willy 3 barely troubled the box office. It took in just over $3m in total, and Willy would not be seen on the inside of a cinema again.
August - Steel
Not much was expected from Steel, a superhero movie headlined by Shaquille O’Neal. Which was fortunate, because not much was had.
It had a mid-August release date in the Us, at a point when a mid-August release date was more of a dumping ground than anything else. And even though the budget was set at a relatively low $16m, the film – and it’s an overused time – pretty much bombed. It took $1.7m at the Us box office, and given that its appeal hinged on a major American sports star whose fame hardly transcended the globe, its international takings did not save it (it went straight to video in many territories).
It was a miserable end to what, for warner bros, had been a thoroughly miserable summer.
So what did hit big in summer 1997?
Summer 1997 was infamous for big films failing to take off in the way that had been expected – Hercules, Speed 2, and the aforementioned Warner Bros movies – but there were several bright spots. The big winner would be Barry Sonnenfeld’s light and sprightly sci-fi comedy Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Star power too helped score big hits for Harrison Ford (Air Force One), Julia Roberts (My Best Friend’s Wedding) and John Travolta (Face/Off).
This was also the summer that Nicolas Cage cemented his action movie credentials with Face/Off and Con Air. Crucially, though, the star movies that hit were the ones that veered on the side of 'good'. For the first of many years, the internet was blamed for this.
Oh, and later in the year, incidentally, Titanic would redefine just what constituted a box office hit...
What came next for Warner Bros?
In the rest of 1997, Warner Bros had a mix of projects that again enjoyed mixed fortunes. The standout was Curtis Hanson’s stunning adaptation of L.A. Confidential, that also proved to be a surprise box office success. The Devil’s Advocate didn’t do too badly either.
However, two of the studio’s key filmmakers failed to really deliver come the end of 1997. Clint Eastwood’s Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil failed to ignite (although many felt he was always on a hiding to nothing in trying to adapt that for the screen), and Kevin Costner’s The Postman would prove arguably the most expensive box office disappointment of the year. No wonder the studio rushed Lethal Weapon 4 into production for summer 1998. Oh, and it had The Avengers underway too (not that one), that would prove to be a 1998 disappointment.
The studio would eventually take action. The Daly-Semel management team, that had reigned for 15 years, would break up at the end of 1999, as its traditional way of doing business became less successful. The pair had already future projects that were director driven to an extent (Eyes Wide Shut), and it would still invest in movies with stars (Wild Wild West). But the immediate plan of action following the disappointment of summer 1997 – to get Batman 5 and Superman Lives made – would falter. It wouldn’t be until 1999’s The Matrix (a film that Daly and Semel struggled to get) and – crucially – 2001’s Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone that the studio would really get its swagger back...
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Movies Feature Simon Brew Warner Bros 16 Jun 2016 - 05:19 Conspiracy Theory Father's Day Addicted To Love Contact National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation One Eight Seven Steel Batman & Robin Free Willy 3: The Rescue...
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Warner Bros has struggled with its blockbusters of late. But back in summer 1997 - Batman & Robin's year - it faced not dissimilar problems.
Earlier this year it was revealed that Warner Bros, following a string of costly movies that hadn’t hit box office gold (Pan, Jupiter Ascending, The Man From U.N.C.L.E., In The Heart Of The Sea), was restructuring its blockbuster movie business. Fewer films, fewer risks, more franchises, and more centering around movie universes seems to be the new approach, and the appointment of a new corporate team to oversee the Harry Potter franchise last week was one part of that.
In some ways, it marks the end of an era. Whilst it retains its relationships with key directing talent (Ben Affleck, Clint Eastwood, Christopher Nolan for instance), Warner Bros was, for the bulk of the 1990s in particular, the studio that the others were trying to mimic. It worked with the same stars and filmmakers time and time again, and under then-chiefs Terry Semel and Robert Daly, relationships with key talent were paramount.
Furthermore, the studio knew to leave that talent to do its job, and was also ahead of the pack in developing franchises that it could rely on to give it a string of hits.
However, whilst Warner Bros is having troubles now, its way of doing business was first seriously challenged by the failure of its slate in the summer of 1997. Once again, it seemed to have a line up to cherish, that others were envious of. But as film by film failed to click, every facet of Warner Bros’ blockbuster strategy suddenly came under scrutiny, and would ultimately fairly dramatically change. Just two summers later, the studio released The Matrix, and blockbuster cinema changed again.
But come the start of summer 1997? These are the movies that Warner Bros had lined up, and this is what happened…
February - National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation
Things actually had got off to a decent enough start for the studio earlier in the year, so it's worth kicking off there. It brought Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo back together, for the fourth National Lampoon movie, and the first since 1989’s National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Interestingly, it dropped the National Lampoon moniker in the Us, and instead released the eventual movie as Vegas Vacation. It was a belated sequel, back when belated sequels weren’t that big a thing.
The film was quickly pulled apart by reviewers, but it still just about clawed a profit. The production budget of $25m was eclipsed by the Us gross of $36m, and the movie would do comfortable business on video/DVD. Not a massive hit, then, but hardly a project that had a sense of foreboding about it.
Yet the problems were not far away.
May – Father's Day
Warner Bros had a mix of movies released in the Us in March and April 1997, including modest Wesley Snipes-headlined thriller Murder At 1600, and family flick Shiloh. But it launched its summer season with Father’s Day, an expensive packaged comedy from director Ivan Reitman, starring Robin Williams and Billy Crystal. It had hit written all over it.
Father’s Day was one of the movies packaged by the CAA agency, and its then-head, Mike Ovitz (listed regularly by Premiere magazine in the 1990s as one of the most powerful men in Hollywood, if not the most powerful man). That he brought together the stars, the director and the project, gave a studio a price tag, and the studio duly paid it. Given Warner Bros’ devotion to star talent (Mel Gibson, then one of the biggest movie stars in the world, and a major Warner Bros talent, was persuaded to film a cameo), it was a natural home for the film. It quickly did the deal. few questions asked.
That package, and CAA’s fees for putting it together, brought the budget for a fairly straightforward comedy to a then-staggering $85m. The problem, though, was that the film simply wasn’t very good. It’s one of those projects that looks great on paper, less great when exposed on a great big screen. Warner Bros has snapped it up, without - it seems - even properly reading the script.
Premiere magazine quoted a Warner Bros insider back in November 1997 as saying “when [CAA] calls and says ‘we have a package, Father’s Day, with Williams and Crystal and Reitman, we say ‘great’”, adding “we don’t scrutinise the production. When we saw the movie, it took the wind out of us. We kept reshooting and enhancing, but you can’t fix something that’s bad”.
And it was bad.
The movie would prove to be the first big misfire of the summer, grossing just $35m in the Us, and not adding a fat lot more elsewhere in the world. Warner Bros’ first film of the summer was a certified flop. More would soon follow.
May - Addicted To Love
A more modestly priced project was Addicted To Love, a romantic comedy starring Meg Ryan and Matthew Broderick. Just over a year later, Warner Bros would hit big when Meg Ryan reunited with Tom Hanks for Nora Ephron’s You’ve Got Mail. But here? The film was a modest success, at best.
Directed by Griffin Dunne (making his directorial debut), and put together in partnership with Miramax, Addicted To Love was based around the Robert Palmer song of the same name. But whilst it was sold as a romcom, the muddled final cut was actually a fair bit darker. There was an underlying nastiness to some moments in the film, and when the final box office was tallied, it came in lower than the usual returns for pictures from Ryan or Broderick. Counter-programming it against the release of The Lost World: Jurassic Park didn’t massively help in this instance either, especially as the Jurassic Park sequel would smash opening weekend records.
Addicted To Love ended up with $34.6m at the Us box office. It would eke out a small profit.
June - Batman & Robin
And this is when the alarm bells started to ring very, very loudly. Summer 1997 was supposed to be about a trio of sure-fire hit sequels: Batman 4, Jurassic Park 2 and Speed 2. Only one of those would ultimately bring home the box office bacon, the others being destroyed by critics, and ultimately leaving far more empty seats than anticipated in multiplexes.
Batman & Robin, it’s easy to forget, came off the back of 1995’s Joel Schumacher-steered Batman reboot, Batman Forever that year's biggest movie). It had one of the fastest-growing stars in the world in the Batsuit (George Clooney), and the McDonald’s deals were signed even before the script was typed up. You don’t need us to tell you that you could tell, something of a theme already in Warner Bros' summer of '97.
That said, Batman & Robin still gave Warner Bros a big opening, but in the infancy of the internet as we know it, poisonous word of mouth was already beginning to spread. The film’s negative cost Warner Bros up to $140m, before marketing and distribution costs, and it opened in the Us to a hardly-sniffy $42m of business (although that was down from previous Batman movies).
But that word of mouth still accelerated its departure from cinemas. It was then very rare for a film to make over 40% of its Us gross in its first weekend. But that’s just what Batman & Robin did, taking $107.3m in America, part of a worldwide total of $238.2m. This was the worst return for a Batman movie to date, and Warner Bros had to swiftly put the brakes on plans to get Batman Triumphant moving.
It would be eight years until Batman returned to the big screen, in Christopher Nolan’s Batman Begins. Warner Bros would undergo big changes in the intervening period.
As for the immediate aftermath of Batman & Robin? Warner Bros co-chief Robert Daly would note at the end of '97 that “we’d have been better off with more action in the picture. The movie had to service too many characters”, adding that “the next Batman we do, in three years – and we have a deal with George Clooney to do it – will have one villain”.
Fortunately, Warner Bros’ one solid hit of the summer was just around the corner…
July - Contact
And breathe out.
Warner Bros bet heavily again on expensive talent here, with Robert Zemeckis bringing his adaptation of Carl Sagan’s Contact to the studio for his first film post-Forrest Gump. Warner Bros duly footed the $90m bill (back when that was still seen as a lot of money for a movie), a good chunk of which went to Jodie Foster. It invested heavily in special effects, and gave Zemeckis licence to make the film that he wanted.
The studio was rewarded with the most intelligent and arguably the best blockbuster of the summer. I’ve looked back at Contact in a lot more detail here, and it remains a fascinating film that’s stood the test of time (and arguably influenced Christopher Nolan’s more recent Interstellar).
Reviews were strong, it looked terrific, and the initial box office was good.
But then the problem hit. For whilst Contact was a solid hit for Warner Bros, it wasn’t a massively profitable one. Had Father’s Day and Batman & Robin shouldered the box office load there were supposed to, it perhaps wouldn’t have been a problem. But when they failed to take off, the pressure shifted to Contact.
The movie would gross $100.9m in the Us, and add another $70m overseas (this being an era were international box office rarely had the importance it has today). But once Warner Bros had paid its bills, there wasn’t a fat lot over for itself. Fortunately, the film still sells on disc and on-demand. Yet it wasn’t to be the massive hit the studio needed back in 1997.
July - One Eight Seven
From director Kevin Reynolds, the man who helmed Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves and Waterworld, came modestly-priced drama 187, starring Samuel L Jackson (in a strong performance). Warner Bros wouldn’t have had massive box office expectations for the film (although it can't have been unaware that the inspirational teacher sub-genre was always worth a few quid), and it shared production duties on the $20m movie with Mel Gibson’s Icon Productions. But still, it would have had its eye on a modest success. What it got in return was red ink.
The film’s not a bad one, and certainly worth seeking out. But poor reviews gave the film an uphill struggle from the off – smaller productions arriving mid-summer really needed critics on their side, as they arguably still do – and it opened to just $2.2m of business (the less edgy, Michelle Pfeiffer-headlined school drama Dangerous Minds had been a surprise hit not two years before).
By the time its run was done, 187 hadn’t even come close to covering its production costs, with just under $6m banked.
Warner Bros’ summer slate was running out of films. But at least it had one of its most reliable movie stars around the corner…
August - Conspiracy Theory
What could go wrong? Mel Gibson and Julia Roberts were two of the biggest movie stars in the world in 1997, at a time when movie stars still equated to box office gold. Director Richard Donner, one of Warner Bros’ favourite directors, had delivered the Lethal Weapons, Maverick, Superman, The Goonies and more for the studio. Put them altogether, with Patrick Stewart (coming to wider public consciousness at the time off the back of his Star Trek: The Next Generation work) as a villain, and it should have been a big hit.
Conspiracy Theory proved to be one of the more ambitious summer blockbusters of the era. It lacks a good first act, which would be really useful in actually setting up more of what’s going on. But Gibson played an edgy cab driver who believes in deep government conspiracies, and finds himself getting closer to the truth than those around him sometimes give him credit for.
Warner Bros was probably expecting another Lethal Weapon with the reunion of Gibson (who had to be persuaded to take Conspiracy Theory on) and Donner (it’s pretty much what it got with the hugely enjoyable Maverick a few years’ earlier), but instead it got a darker drama, with an uneasy central character that didn’t exactly play to the summer box office crowd.
The bigger problem, though, was that the film never quite worked as well as you might hope. Yet star power did have advantages. While no juggernaut, the film did decent business, grossing $137m worldwide off the back of an $80m budget ($40m of which was spent on the salaries for the talent before a single roll of film was loaded into a camera). That said, in the Us it knocked a genuine smash hit, Air Force One, off the top spot. Mind you in hindsight, that was probably the film that the studio wished it had made (the cockpit set of Warner Bros' own Executive Decision was repurposed for Air Force One, fact fans).
Still: Warner Bros did get Lethal Weapon 4 off Gibson and Donner a year later…
August - Free Willy 3: The Rescue
Yeah.
Warner Bros opened its third Free Willy film on the same day as Conspiracy Theory (can you imagine a studio opening two big films on the same day now), but it was clear that this was a franchise long past its best days (and its best days hardly bring back the fondest of memories).
Still, Free Willy movies were relatively modest in cost to put together, and Warner Bros presumably felt this was a simple cashpoint project. But in a year when lots of family movies did less business than expected (Disney’s Hercules, Fox’s Home Alone 3, Disney’s Mr Magoo), Free Willy 3 barely troubled the box office. It took in just over $3m in total, and Willy would not be seen on the inside of a cinema again.
August - Steel
Not much was expected from Steel, a superhero movie headlined by Shaquille O’Neal. Which was fortunate, because not much was had.
It had a mid-August release date in the Us, at a point when a mid-August release date was more of a dumping ground than anything else. And even though the budget was set at a relatively low $16m, the film – and it’s an overused time – pretty much bombed. It took $1.7m at the Us box office, and given that its appeal hinged on a major American sports star whose fame hardly transcended the globe, its international takings did not save it (it went straight to video in many territories).
It was a miserable end to what, for warner bros, had been a thoroughly miserable summer.
So what did hit big in summer 1997?
Summer 1997 was infamous for big films failing to take off in the way that had been expected – Hercules, Speed 2, and the aforementioned Warner Bros movies – but there were several bright spots. The big winner would be Barry Sonnenfeld’s light and sprightly sci-fi comedy Men In Black, starring Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. Star power too helped score big hits for Harrison Ford (Air Force One), Julia Roberts (My Best Friend’s Wedding) and John Travolta (Face/Off).
This was also the summer that Nicolas Cage cemented his action movie credentials with Face/Off and Con Air. Crucially, though, the star movies that hit were the ones that veered on the side of 'good'. For the first of many years, the internet was blamed for this.
Oh, and later in the year, incidentally, Titanic would redefine just what constituted a box office hit...
What came next for Warner Bros?
In the rest of 1997, Warner Bros had a mix of projects that again enjoyed mixed fortunes. The standout was Curtis Hanson’s stunning adaptation of L.A. Confidential, that also proved to be a surprise box office success. The Devil’s Advocate didn’t do too badly either.
However, two of the studio’s key filmmakers failed to really deliver come the end of 1997. Clint Eastwood’s Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil failed to ignite (although many felt he was always on a hiding to nothing in trying to adapt that for the screen), and Kevin Costner’s The Postman would prove arguably the most expensive box office disappointment of the year. No wonder the studio rushed Lethal Weapon 4 into production for summer 1998. Oh, and it had The Avengers underway too (not that one), that would prove to be a 1998 disappointment.
The studio would eventually take action. The Daly-Semel management team, that had reigned for 15 years, would break up at the end of 1999, as its traditional way of doing business became less successful. The pair had already future projects that were director driven to an extent (Eyes Wide Shut), and it would still invest in movies with stars (Wild Wild West). But the immediate plan of action following the disappointment of summer 1997 – to get Batman 5 and Superman Lives made – would falter. It wouldn’t be until 1999’s The Matrix (a film that Daly and Semel struggled to get) and – crucially – 2001’s Harry Potter And The Philosopher’s Stone that the studio would really get its swagger back...
Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
Movies Feature Simon Brew Warner Bros 16 Jun 2016 - 05:19 Conspiracy Theory Father's Day Addicted To Love Contact National Lampoon’s Vegas Vacation One Eight Seven Steel Batman & Robin Free Willy 3: The Rescue...
- 6/13/2016
- Den of Geek
There’s at least one truism when it comes to film franchises: at some point, some part of your sequel will have to take place in Las Vegas. Don’t believe me? Well there’s Godfather II, Rush Hour 2, Vegas Vacation, Think Like a Man Too, Leprechaun 3 and the list goes on. The latest to follow this rule is Sharknado 4. And now we’re getting a look as to what happens when flying sharks attack Sin City. SyFy has released its first trailer for the made-for-tv movie. It’s exactly what you’d expect, assuming you’d expect Ian Ziering doing a pelvic thrust to the nose of a shark. If you didn’t expect that, perhaps I’ve spoiled that surprise. Sorry about that. Sharknado 4: The 4th Awakens features Ziering, Tara Reid and a bevy of D-listers and people you’d completely forgotten about. But this...
- 6/2/2016
- by David Eckstein
- Hitfix
While most tourists put on a few pounds during a Vegas vacation, Britney Spears is in the best shape of her life despite her Sin City residency.
The “Baby One More Time” singer posted a photo of her incredible physique while filming a music video on Tuesday (February 23), giving her fans a look at a fake body tattoo and sculpted form.
Meanwhile, Britney got a little too specific about her non-negotiables regarding a potential mate during her gig last week, telling the audience, “I want a hot nerd with a giant p*nis.” Whoops!
A video posted by Britney Spears (@britneyspears) on Feb 23, 2016 at 8:18am Pst
A video posted by Britney Spears (@britneyspears) on Feb 23, 2016 at 10:19am Pst...
The “Baby One More Time” singer posted a photo of her incredible physique while filming a music video on Tuesday (February 23), giving her fans a look at a fake body tattoo and sculpted form.
Meanwhile, Britney got a little too specific about her non-negotiables regarding a potential mate during her gig last week, telling the audience, “I want a hot nerd with a giant p*nis.” Whoops!
A video posted by Britney Spears (@britneyspears) on Feb 23, 2016 at 8:18am Pst
A video posted by Britney Spears (@britneyspears) on Feb 23, 2016 at 10:19am Pst...
- 2/23/2016
- GossipCenter
Alec Bojalad Jan 16, 2020
We have a list of the new Hulu movies and shows arriving in February 2020.
February is a month for love and Hulu knows exactly what to do with it. For its February 2020 new releases, Hulu is introducing an original series fit for Valentine's Day. High Fidelity premieres on Valentine's Day and this modern adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel and Stephen Frears film will bring some love and music to the mid-February doldrums.
Hulu's only $5.99/month now, grab the deal here!
Another original arriving in February is Utopia Falls (also premiering on February 14), which looks to be teenage-oriented series combining Harry Potter, The Expanse, and music. That sound like something that might interest you?
February 1 sees the arrival of plenty of films to enjoy like 300, When Harry Met Sally, The Fugitive, and 28 Days Later. That's about as diverse an array of genre films as you'll get.
We have a list of the new Hulu movies and shows arriving in February 2020.
February is a month for love and Hulu knows exactly what to do with it. For its February 2020 new releases, Hulu is introducing an original series fit for Valentine's Day. High Fidelity premieres on Valentine's Day and this modern adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel and Stephen Frears film will bring some love and music to the mid-February doldrums.
Hulu's only $5.99/month now, grab the deal here!
Another original arriving in February is Utopia Falls (also premiering on February 14), which looks to be teenage-oriented series combining Harry Potter, The Expanse, and music. That sound like something that might interest you?
February 1 sees the arrival of plenty of films to enjoy like 300, When Harry Met Sally, The Fugitive, and 28 Days Later. That's about as diverse an array of genre films as you'll get.
- 1/21/2016
- Den of Geek
Directors: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M Goldstein; Screenwriters: John Francis Daley, Jonathan M Goldstein; Starring: Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Chris Hemsworth, Leslie Mann, Chevy Chase; Running time: 99 mins; Certificate: 15
As entirely unnecessary reboots go, Vacation isn't half bad. When held up to the ridiculously harsh ratings coming out of the Us for this Chevy Chase vehicle Mot, it seems positively good. But then it's probably worth remembering that the 1983 original wasn't overly well received either. Fart gags, it seems, are never in fashion.
And as you'd expect from a film starring Ed Helms, it's been Hangovered for a new generation by writer/directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M Goldstein - one in-gag has his kids slyly, but quite understandably, saying they've never heard of the original - with the shit and puke dial turned right up. Yet there are still enough genuine laughs throughout to make it a worthwhile...
As entirely unnecessary reboots go, Vacation isn't half bad. When held up to the ridiculously harsh ratings coming out of the Us for this Chevy Chase vehicle Mot, it seems positively good. But then it's probably worth remembering that the 1983 original wasn't overly well received either. Fart gags, it seems, are never in fashion.
And as you'd expect from a film starring Ed Helms, it's been Hangovered for a new generation by writer/directors John Francis Daley and Jonathan M Goldstein - one in-gag has his kids slyly, but quite understandably, saying they've never heard of the original - with the shit and puke dial turned right up. Yet there are still enough genuine laughs throughout to make it a worthwhile...
- 8/19/2015
- Digital Spy
Next Monday sees the UK home entertainment release of Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2. This time around, Paul Blart heads on a Vegas vacation, with his teenage daughter in tow. Blart is hoping to spend some time with his little princess before she goes away to college, but his mall cop instincts kick in, and
The post The Most Overprotective Dads in Film appeared first on HeyUGuys.
The post The Most Overprotective Dads in Film appeared first on HeyUGuys.
- 8/14/2015
- by Barry Steele
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Teen Wolf's central group is slowly but surely fracturing in season 5, making for great drama alongside all the gore...
This review contains spoilers.
5.8 Ouroboros
Teen Wolf continues to double down on the two advantages it has over other shows of its ilk on television: a large cast that is actively developing chemistry, and a willingness to slaughter extras by the dozens in the name of body horror and gore. Teen Wolf makes great use of both things this week, splitting the team up on various missions while highlighting the growing fractures in the group. Some want to go on a brave rescue mission, others opt for protecting the weak, and still others are actively working to take the fractured group and shatter it completely. There's a lot going on and the conflict grows with every passing moment. All the while, people die horribly.
The titular teen wolves are pulled...
This review contains spoilers.
5.8 Ouroboros
Teen Wolf continues to double down on the two advantages it has over other shows of its ilk on television: a large cast that is actively developing chemistry, and a willingness to slaughter extras by the dozens in the name of body horror and gore. Teen Wolf makes great use of both things this week, splitting the team up on various missions while highlighting the growing fractures in the group. Some want to go on a brave rescue mission, others opt for protecting the weak, and still others are actively working to take the fractured group and shatter it completely. There's a lot going on and the conflict grows with every passing moment. All the while, people die horribly.
The titular teen wolves are pulled...
- 8/13/2015
- by louisamellor
- Den of Geek
Tradition dictates that Ed Helms be recast as Rusty Griswold should Warner Bros. move ahead with another Vacation movie. The charcter was played by Anthony Michael Hall in National Lampoon’s Vacation, Jason Lively in European Vacation, Johnny Galecki in Christmas Vacation, and Ethan Embry in Vegas Vacation. There was even a Vacation short film called Hotel Hell that featured Travis Greer as Clark’s son. If this does in deed happen, however, Helms wouldn’t be too happy. Yahoo Movies caught up with the actor while he was out promoting the latest Vacation to ask him some questions posed by fans on social media. One Twitter user, Kevin Crossman, asked Helms if he’d be sad for any potential recasting. Helms replied: If there’s another Vacation movie and there’s another Rusty, I will understand… ...
- 8/3/2015
- cinemablend.com
Vacation – another discombobulated assortment of immaturity, nostalgic pandering and weightless storytelling. The slow death of mainstream comedy, if you will. Every stupid graffitied phallus and perverse lake of shit is calculated with the cheapest of intentions, because juvenile potty humor seems to have become an underwhelming norm across comedy’s repetitive landscape. John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein promise early on that their unwarranted reboot will stand completely on its own (through yet Another meta-laced conversation), but their efforts are less convincing than Randy Quaid’s fake sex tape. Why? Because No Vacation movie has treated its audience with this little respect. And Vegas Vacation is nothing to brag about, I might add.
In this year’s vacation-from-hell comedy, Rusty Griswold has transformed from a tall, lanky nutcase (played most recently by Ethan Embry) to his All-American-Joe fate as an economy airline pilot (played now by Ed Helms...
In this year’s vacation-from-hell comedy, Rusty Griswold has transformed from a tall, lanky nutcase (played most recently by Ethan Embry) to his All-American-Joe fate as an economy airline pilot (played now by Ed Helms...
- 7/30/2015
- by Matt Donato
- We Got This Covered
Vacation
Written & Directed by Jonathan M. Goldstein & John Francis Daley
USA, 2015
It’s taken almost seven months, but one movie has finally emerged from the dreary pack as the worst of 2015. That film is Vacation, and it’s absolutely dreadful. Writer-directors Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley have created something so loathsome that each ticket sold should include a complementary shower. Desperate, hateful, and stridently unfunny, this vacation in Hell bypasses ‘lowest common denominator’ and plummets straight to zero. If you miss one movie this summer, make that movie Vacation.
The original National Lampoon’s Vacation and subsequent ‘80s sequels (let’s just forget Vegas Vacation, shall we?) perfectly straddled the fine line between buffoonery and sincerity. We followed the hapless exploits of super-father Clark Griswold in his unending quest to achieve familial perfection. We cringed at his failures and rejoiced with each fleeting victory. He was the satirical...
Written & Directed by Jonathan M. Goldstein & John Francis Daley
USA, 2015
It’s taken almost seven months, but one movie has finally emerged from the dreary pack as the worst of 2015. That film is Vacation, and it’s absolutely dreadful. Writer-directors Jonathan M. Goldstein and John Francis Daley have created something so loathsome that each ticket sold should include a complementary shower. Desperate, hateful, and stridently unfunny, this vacation in Hell bypasses ‘lowest common denominator’ and plummets straight to zero. If you miss one movie this summer, make that movie Vacation.
The original National Lampoon’s Vacation and subsequent ‘80s sequels (let’s just forget Vegas Vacation, shall we?) perfectly straddled the fine line between buffoonery and sincerity. We followed the hapless exploits of super-father Clark Griswold in his unending quest to achieve familial perfection. We cringed at his failures and rejoiced with each fleeting victory. He was the satirical...
- 7/29/2015
- by J.R. Kinnard
- SoundOnSight
1983's "National Lampoon's Vacation" is a film I have an enormous fondness for, and I have no doubt part of why I feel that way is because of when I saw the film. After all, I was 13 when it came out, and the script by John Hughes felt like it was shockingly transgressive at the time. A few weeks back, I saw the film again for the first time in a while, and while I smiled at most of the familiar scenes and lines, I also saw the film with fresh eyes, and I was struck by the fact that, overall, it's a little shabby. I think Harold Ramis gets great performances out of his entire cast, but as actual filmmaking? It's a step forward from the "held together with bitter tears and cocaine" aesthetic of "Caddyshack," but not a giant step. As an overall series, this is about as...
- 7/28/2015
- by Drew McWeeny
- Hitfix
The big screen reboot of National Lampoon's Vacation hits the mark. It's one of the funniest films of the summer...
There’s a sequence near the start of Vacation, the seventh sequel to 1983 comedy National Lampoon’s Vacation – the first since Vegas Vacation in 1997 - where Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) makes a speech to his wife (Christina Applegate) about their planned family getaway being able to stand on its own against that of his own family’s adventures back in the 80s.
As you can imagine the scene, and the film, has no qualms about talking to its audience in this indirect but direct way, telling the viewer who remains sceptical about a modern-day interpretation of the concept that this will be its own thing. Yes, there’s a family, and they too are heading to Walley World in search of unity and reconnection, but rest assured that things will be different.
There’s a sequence near the start of Vacation, the seventh sequel to 1983 comedy National Lampoon’s Vacation – the first since Vegas Vacation in 1997 - where Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) makes a speech to his wife (Christina Applegate) about their planned family getaway being able to stand on its own against that of his own family’s adventures back in the 80s.
As you can imagine the scene, and the film, has no qualms about talking to its audience in this indirect but direct way, telling the viewer who remains sceptical about a modern-day interpretation of the concept that this will be its own thing. Yes, there’s a family, and they too are heading to Walley World in search of unity and reconnection, but rest assured that things will be different.
- 7/28/2015
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
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