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In 2008, Zachary Levi donated a T-shirt to an auction for the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance.

Zachary Levi’s generosity and support has made an incredible impact for Operation Smile. His efforts have helped raise funds for more than 1,000 surgeries, giving children worldwide new hope.

Zac is the star of NBC’s hit TV show Chuck, as well as the new animated Disney film, Tangled. He also appeared in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and worked alongside Sara Rue and Sherri Shepherd in ABC’s Less Than Perfect. Zac began his acting career in regional theatre, starring in plays such as Big River and Godspell.

Charities & foundations supported

Zachary Levi has supported the following charities:

Boys & Girls Clubs of AmericaChildren's Hospital Los AngelesClothes Off Our BackFeeding AmericaMotion Picture and Television Fund FoundationOperation SmilePadres Contra el CancerRacing for KidsStand Up To CancerThe Art of ElysiumTuberous Sclerosis AllianceYoung Storytellers Foundation Read more about...

Sony's film adaptation of the popular children's picture book, Harold and the Purple Crayon, brings together an impressive cast of talented performances. Released in theaters on August 2, 2024, Harold and the Purple Crayon broke into Netflixs top 10 after an October 31 streaming release. The Oscar-nominated director Carlos Saldanha utilizes the actors expertly, ensuring that their background experiences fit perfectly with their Harold and the Purple Crayon characters.

Although there are some crucial differences, Harold and the Purple Crayon shares the same basic premise as the book. When Harold and his friends draw a portal into the real world, they must seek help to return to their magic homeworld. While waiting for the portal to open back up, Harold, Moose, and Porcupine set out to draw magic in the life of a family of two. Despite, the movie's middling reviews, Harold and the Purple Crayon's biggest strength is undoubtedly its impressive cast,...

Critics are not impressed with Harold and the Purple Crayon, the feature film adaptation of the popular children's book. However, audiences don't agree, as most filmgoers appear to be having a good time with the film.

Featuring Shazam! star Zachary Levi, Harold and the Purple Crayon follows the actor as the titular character, who's now a grown-up version of the young child featured in the original book. As was the case in the classic story, the Harold and the Purple Crayon film sees Harold bringing to life whatever he wants simply by drawing it with his trusty purple crayon. Critics have trashed the film upon release, giving Levi's newest movie a 28% score at Rotten Tomatoes. This marks one of the lowest scores for Levi's career, though it remains above Big Momma's House 2 (5%) and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (21%).

Related Zachary Levi Names Ideal Actor for Live-Action Flynn in...

A familiar face is joining the cast of Night Court Season 3. Wendie Malick, who recurred in the first two seasons, has been upgraded to a series regular for the upcoming third season of the NBC sitcom, which is set to premiere on NBC on Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 8:30 p.m. Et/Pt.

Per Deadline, Malick will be reprising her role from the first two seasons as Julianne Walters, the new prosecutor for the night shift at the Manhattan Criminal Court. She is described as "a reformed convict" who is "a sophisticated, savvy woman and accomplished attorney who also knows how to make a shank out of a spoon." She is also the former love interest of Dan Fielding (John Larroquette). Malick's casting comes after it was revealed back in May 2024 that India de Beaufort had departed the series after two seasons and would not be returning as assistant district attorney/prosecutor Olivia Moore.

New month, new titles! With January underway, Max has released dozens of library titles, including “The Breakfast Club,” “Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb,” and much, much more.

But the streamer is preparing for a big month from all of its brands, including the Bleacher Report, the platform will carry multiple big match-ups, including the NBA Rivals Week games on Jan. 23 (New York Knicks at Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers at LA Clippers) and Jan. 25 (Boston Celtics at Miami Heat and Sacramento Kings at Golden State Warriors).

There’s plenty more still to come throughout the month, including the highly anticipated return of “True Detective” with its latest installment, entitled “Night Country” and starring Jodie Foster and Kali Reis.

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what’s coming to the streamer and find out everything coming to Max this month!

One of HBO’s former hot properties returns in a big way this January, as True Detective season four finally arrives on the service. Will this be a return to form for the gritty show? Well, that remains unclear, but this time around the anthology series will follow detectives Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and Evangeline Navarro (Kali Reis) as the long winter darkness in Alaska. When eight people at the Tsalal Arctic Research Station vanish without a trace, these detectives need to get on the case quickly.

Also hitting Max this month is the final season of Sort Of. Season three finds Sabi (Bilal Baig) dealing with the unexpected death of their father, and making some big life choices as a result.

Here’s everything coming to (and leaving) HBO and Max this month…

HBO and Max New Releases – January 2024

January 1

90 Day Fiancé: Holiday Special 2023 #3 (TLC) 90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk...

Max’s January 2024 lineup includes season four of True Detective, led by Oscar-winner Jodie Foster, as well as the third and final season of Sort Of with Bilal Baig. Max is also kicking off the new year with the debut of On The Roam, an eight-part documentary series featuring Aquaman star Jason Momoa.

The streaming service’s January 2024 roster includes the return of Real Time with Bill Maher for season 22, along with the seventh season of Rick and Morty. The critically acclaimed documentary Going to Mars: The Nikki Giovanni Project arrives on January 8.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In January 2024:

January 1

90 Day Fiancé: Holiday Special 2023 #3 (TLC)

90 Day Fiancé Pillow Talk: Single All The Way (TLC)

The A-Team (2010)

After Earth (2013)

Alvin and The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (2009)

Aniara (2019)

Austenland (2013)

Bachelorette (2012)

Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (2013)

Body at Brighton Rock (2019)

Booty Call (1997)

The Breakfast Club (1985)

The Brothers (2001)

Cabin Fever (2003)

Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever...

Since audiences saw him on their television back in 2007 with the premiere of Chuck on NBC, Zachary Levi has been delighting fans of all ages thanks to his everyman charm and a mixture of nerdy appeal with general leading man gravitas. More so than any other actor, Levi has excelled in family-friendly material aimed at all ages. From voicing Flynn Rider in Disney's Tangled, playing Toby Seville in Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, to playing the embodiment of a child in an adult's body in Shazam! and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, something about Levi appeals to younger audiences. As he told us:

I think I find myself gravitating towards, or rather magnetizing them to me, maybe because I just love people so much, and I just really do feel compelled to if nothing else in my life, bring as much love and joy into the world as I can.

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel and Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked both made it into the Global Top 10 on Netflix, showcasing an unexpected comeback for the franchise. Along with the Chipmunks sequels, three other animated films also appeared in the Netflix charts, highlighting a dominance of animated content. It is possible that Netflix's algorithm is linking these animated franchises, as viewers who watched one film were recommended others on the list, creating a trend in multiple countries.

Two of the Alvin and the Chipmunks sequel movies squeak their way into the Netflix charts. Opening with 2007’s Alvin and the Chipmunks, the franchise is based on the animated band of chipmunks that first appeared in the TV series The Alvin Show in the 1960s. The first movie was followed up by three sequel films: Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip.

It’s probably a little bit of an odd box office record to boast about, but when Universal’s animated movie “Sing” made $270.3 million in North America and $631 million globally, it did so without ever having been number one at the domestic box office. Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer,” a biopic starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, has just surpassed “Sing’s” domestic box office, so it now holds that all-time record.

Maybe that doesn’t seem so odd, but it’s actually quite hard for a movie to make more than $200 million in North America without ever having a single weekend in first place, even if only its opening weekend. In fact, only eight movies made over $200 million without being number one, and that’s including “Oppenheimer.”

See Box office: All time domestic top-grossing movies

In 2002, Nia Vardalos‘ breakout indie hit “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” had an astounding run at the box office,...

The Freeform romantic sitcom Young & Hungry stars Emily Osment as an ambitious personal chef who lands a job for a wealthy San Francisco millionaire. The endearing comedy ran for five seasons from 2014 to 2018 and was a ratings success for the network. It went on to earn numerous People’s Choice and Teen Choice Award nominations during its successful television tenure.

Osment had previously showcased her winning charm and charisma as Miley Stewart’s best friend and partner-in-crime Lilly Truscott on the beloved Disney hit Hanna Montana and has steadily been a presence in the entertainment industry since. While fans were hoping for an anticipated follow-up series finale movie for Young & Hungry, the project sadly never came to fruition. Here is a handy guide for the cast and crew of the lively comedy.

Emily Osment as Gabi Diamond

The bubbly and ambitious blonde Gabi Diamond (Emily Osment) is a...

Exclusive: Ken Marino, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, and D.C. Young Fly have boarded Prime Video’s holiday comedy Candy Cane Lane, joining previously announced cast members Eddie Murphy, Tracee Ellis Ross, Jillian Bell, Genneya Walton, Madison Thomas, Thaddeus J. Mixson, Robin Thede, Chris Redd, and Danielle Pinnock.

Reginald Hudlin directs off a script by Kelly Younger, inspired by his own childhood holiday experiences.

Story details are being kept under wraps. The movie is shooting in Los Angeles and a part of the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program. The film will stream on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide and marks the first film falling under Murphy’s three-picture and first-look film deal with Amazon Studios.

Eddie Murphy Productions’ Eddie Murphy and Charisse Hewitt-Webster; Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer and Karen Lunder are producing.

Marino most recently starred in the HBO Max series The Other Two. Other TV credits...

It can be hard to keep track of all the movies released over the years, especially with long-running franchises like “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” This blog post is here to make your life easier by listing all of the beloved “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movies in order. Our goal is for you to quickly reference this article when deciding which movie in the franchise to watch next.

The “Alvin and the Chipmunks” movie series has been a fan favorite for decades. These lovable, singing rodents have captured the hearts of audiences of all ages with their catchy tunes and hilarious antics. The movies follow the adventures of Alvin, Simon, and Theodore as they navigate the ups and downs of life as famous musicians with the help of their guardian Dave Seville.

From the classic animated films of the 1980s to the more modern, live-action/animated hybrid films of the 2000s and 2010s,...

We’re officially entering the spooky season and while Disney+ already dropped a few scary things in September, they’re doubling down in October. One of their most Halloween-centric offerings on display is “Werewolf By Night,” which audiences first learned about just a few weeks ago during Disney’s splashy Marvel and LucasFilm panel at the D23 Expo.

Directed by longtime Pixar collaborator, and acclaimed composer, Michael Giacchino, “Werewolf By Night” is the first Marvel Halloween special. The trailer was shown during D23 Expo and looked like a beautiful tribute to old school horror films, but also heavy on the (possibly implied) gore and scares. Filmed in black and white, the special feels a complete throwback to the old-school Universal frights of the past; think “Bride of Frankenstein” or “The Invisible Man.” The special follows Gael García Bernal as a man with the ability to become a werewolf, and explores...

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A24’s acclaimed stop-motion/live-action hybrid “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” could be the wild card in the animated feature Oscar race — going up against such early favorites as Pixar’s “Turning Red,” Disney’s “Strange World,” and Netflix’s two stop-motion behemoths: “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio” and Henry Selick’s “Wendell & Wild” (the latter being the lone animated feature premiering at TIFF).

And why not? The feature debut from director Dean Fleischer Camp (adapting a series of shorts he created with “Marcel” star Jenny Slate), has been embraced by critics for its charm, wit, inventive stop-motion, and its adorable breakout star. The one-inch anthropomorphic shell (voiced by Slate) lives with his grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini) and develops a friendship with doc filmmaker Dean (Fleischer Camp), who moves in and films Marcel’s daily activities, which go viral. Marcel, who’s in search of his lost family,...

Exclusive: Aimee Carrero has joined the cast of Searchlight’s The Menu.

The film, directed by Mark Mylod, is a darkly comedic psychological thriller set in the world of eccentric culinary culture, centering on a young couple who visit an exclusive restaurant on a remote island where an acclaimed chef has prepared a lavish tasting menu.

Previously announced cast includes Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, John Leguizamo, Nicholas Hoult, and Hong Chau.

Carrero, a Puerto Rican/Dominican American actress from Miami, Fl, has a long list of credits in both TV and film. On the small screen, she’s appeared in The Mentalist, The Americans, Level Up, and Young & Hungry, among others. And in The Last Witch Hunter, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Holidate, and most recently, Wander Darkly, for the big screen.

She’s most famously known for voicing Disney’s first...

Trailblazing director Betty Thomas will receive the DGA’s prestigious Robert B. Aldrich Award for her “extraordinary service to the guild and its members” at the 73rd Annual DGA Awards.

Veteran Upm Brian E. Frankish and longtime CBS operations’ associate director Joyce Thomas will receive special awards for their service to the guild and the industry. The awards show will be held on April 10, but the DGA isn’t saying yet whether it will be virtual or not.

All three recipients have long histories of service to the guild. Betty Thomas serves as the DGA’s secretary-treasurer – the guild’s second-highest elected officer.

“Betty means so much to our guild,” said DGA president Thomas Schlamme. “No matter how busy she’s been throughout her remarkable, ceiling-shattering directing career, she’s always placed service to her fellow members among her highest priorities, fighting for their creative and economic rights. And from the very beginning,...

Exclusive: In the wake, of MGM’s recent cuts and the departure of co-Presidents of Production, Cassidy Lange and Adam Rosenberg yesterday, Deadline has learned that the studio’s Evp, Talent and Casting, Seth Yanklewitz, is also leaving.

Yanklewitz, a 20-year-plus casting veteran, whose career credits include such blockbusters as The Hangover and Fox TV’s New Girl, arrived at MGM back in October 2018. At MGM, Yanklewitz oversaw all casting across scripted TV and film, as well as scripted programming for Epix.

More from DeadlineMGM Production Co-Presidents Cassidy Lange & Adam Rosenberg Exit'No Time To Die' Signed Clapperboard Being Auctioned To Support UK's National Health ServiceGarcelle Beauvais To Host 'Going To Bed With Garcelle' Late-Night Talk Show Podcast For MGM

At MGM, he worked on such movies as the upcoming Candyman reboot, the Aretha Franklin biopic Respect, Sylvester Stallone’s Samaritan and the studio’s upcoming sequel Addams Family 2.

On MGM’s TV side,...

Take a look at which films directed by women are on this list, unadjusted for inflation.

1. “Frozen” (2013)

Directors: Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck

Domestic gross: $400.7 million

2. “Wonder Woman” (2017)

Director: Patty Jenkins

Domestic gross: $285.3 million

3. “Shrek” (2001)

Directors: Vicky Jenson, Andrew Adamson

Domestic gross: $267.7 million

4. Brave” (2012”)

Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman

Domestic gross: $237.3 million

5. “Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” (2009)

Director: Betty Thomas

Domestic gross: $219.6 million

6. “Twilight” (2008)

Director: Catherine Hardwicke

Domestic gross: $192.8 million

7. “Pitch Perfect 2” (2015)

Director: Elizabeth Banks

Domestic gross: $183.8 million

8. “What Women Want” (2000)

Director: Nancy Meyers

Domestic gross: $182.8 million

9. “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015)

Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson

Domestic gross: $166.1 million

10. “Kung Fu Panda 2” (2011)

Director: Jennifer Yuh Helson

Domestic gross: $165.2 million

11. “The Proposal” (2009)

Director: Anne Fletcher

Domestic gross: $164 million

12. “Shark Tale” (2004)

Directors: Vicky Jenson, Bibo Bergeron, Rob Letterman

Domestic gross: $160.9 million

13. “Dr. Dolittle” (1998)

Director: Betty Thomas

Domestic gross: $144.2 million

14. “Mamma Mia!” (2008)

Director: Phyllida Lloyd

Domestic gross: $144.1 million

15. “Deep Impact” (1998)

Director: Mimi Leder...

It’s never too early to start celebrating Christmas.

Now that Halloween has come and gone, Freeform is ready to help viewers get in the Christmas spirit. The network is increasing its Christmas marathon from 25 days to two full months — and the November roster of films is sure to have you craving peppermint candy canes.

Full of elves, snow and fun, the Kickoff to Christmas began Thursday with a screening of Christmas with the Kranks. Other holiday classics like Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Santa Clause will play throughout the month.

But if you’re not...

NBC is developing All Fancy, a half-hour starring comedian Anjelah Johnson and executive produced by Kevin Hart and Superstore star America Ferrera.

Written by Emilia Serrano, the multi-camera All Fancy is inspired by Anjelah Johnson’s life and stand-up. The series is seen through the point of view of Veronica Jimenez (Johnson), a newly successful 30-something Mexican-American woman who often goes against cultural and social expectations, creating chaos and comedy within her marriage, business and extended family.

The project hails from Universal Television in association with Hart’s Hartbeat Productions, Teri Wenberg’s Yellow Brick Road and Ferrera’s Take Fountain Productions. Executive producing are Serrano, Hart, John Cheng and Carli Haney via Hartbeat as well as frequent collaborators, Ferrera and Weinberg, via the joint production company the duo launched last year, which has a first-look deal at Uni TV. Johnson is co-executive producing.

“The show is seen through the...

Comedian Anjelah Johnson is set to star in a multi-camera comedy in development at NBC which both Kevin Hart and America Ferrera will executive produce, Variety has learned.

The project is titled “All Fancy.” Inspired by Johnson’s life and stand-up, the series is seen through the point of view of Veronica Jimenez (Johnson), a newly successful 30-something Mexican-American woman who often goes against cultural and social expectations, creating chaos and comedy within her marriage, business and extended family.

Emilia Serrano will write and executive produce, with Johnson serving as co-executive producer in addition to starring. Hart will executive produce via his HartBeat Productions along with HartBeat’s John Cheng. Carli Haney of HartBeat will produce. Ferrera will executive produce via her Take Fountain Productions banner. Teri Weinberg will executive produce for Yellow Brick Road.

Universal Television will produce in association with HartBeat, Yellow Brick Road and Take Fountain.

Johnson...

Stx Entertainment has come on board to co-produce “Warriors,” one of the highest-profile movies being developed by Alibaba Pictures. “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman and Stx board member Gigi Pritzker will produce the live action-and-CGI hybrid, which is based on a series of young-adult books and targeted at children and the Ya crowd.

Award-winning Hollywood pair Jonathan Aibel and Glenn Berger have signed on as screenwriters. Their credits include the three installments of “Kung Fu Panda,” “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water,” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.”

“Warriors” is based on books by Erin Hunter, the collective pseudonym of three U.K.-based writers – Kate Cary, Cherith Baldry, and Tui Sutherland – along with an editor, Victoria Holmes. Published by Harper Collins since 2003, the books feature clans of forest-dwelling cats caught up in stories of adventure, forbidden love, and faith.

Stx and Alibaba Pictures, the film offshoot of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba,...

Take a look at which films directed by women are on this list, unadjusted for inflation. 1. “Frozen” (2013) Directors: Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck Domestic gross: $400.7 million 2. “Wonder Woman” (2017) Director: Patty Jenkins Domestic gross: $285.3 million 3. “Shrek” (2001) Directors: Vicky Jenson, Andrew Adamson Domestic gross: $267.7 million 4. Brave” (2012”) Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman Domestic gross: $237.3 million 5. “Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” (2009) Director: Betty Thomas Domestic gross: $219.6 million 6. “Twilight” (2008) Director: Catherine Hardwicke Domestic gross: $192.8 million 7. “Pitch Perfect 2” (2015) Director: Elizabeth Banks Domestic gross: $183.8 million 8. “What Women Want” (2000) Director: Nancy Meyers Domestic gross: $182.8 million 9. “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015) Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson Domestic gross: $166.1 million 10. “Kung...

The cast for New Line Cinema's Shaft is getting bigger and bigger, with actress Alexandra Shipp in final negotiations to play the female lead. No details about the character have been given at this time, but she will join a cast that includes Samuel L. Jackson as John Shaft from the 2000 New Line Cinema remake, and Richard Roundtree as his uncle, also John Shaft, from the original 1971 movie. Jesse T. Usher also came aboard in August to play John Shaft Jr., the estranged son of Samuel L. Jackson's character.

While this project was originally believed to be a Shaft reboot when it was first put into development at Davis Entertainment in 2015, it seems this will follow the continuity of the entire franchise, bringing back both Samuel L. Jackson and Richard Roundtree to reprise their roles. It isn't clear if Alexandra Shipp's character also has a familial connection to the Shaft family,...

Take a look at which films directed by women are on this list, unadjusted for inflation. 1. “Frozen” (2013) Directors: Jennifer Lee, Chris Buck Domestic gross: $400.7 million 2. “Wonder Woman” (2017) Director: Patty Jenkins Domestic gross: $285.3 million 3. “Shrek” (2001) Directors: Vicky Jenson, Andrew Adamson Domestic gross: $267.7 million 4. Brave” (2012”) Directors: Mark Andrews, Brenda Chapman Domestic gross: $237.3 million 5. “Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel” (2009) Director: Betty Thomas Domestic gross: $219.6 million 6. “Twilight” (2008) Director: Catherine Hardwicke Domestic gross: $192.8 million 7. “Pitch Perfect 2” (2015) Director: Elizabeth Banks Domestic gross: $183.8 million 8. “What Women Want” (2000) Director: Nancy Meyers Domestic gross: $182.8 million 9. “Fifty Shades of Grey” (2015) Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson Domestic gross: $166.1 million 10. “Kung...

About precisely nothing other than pure pulp comic-book soap-opera rigmarole, overshadowed by clichés, implausibilities, and missed opportunities. I’m “biast” (pro): love most of the films in this series

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Everyone knows the third movie is always the worst.” So proclaims mutant telepath Jean Grey in the middle of X-Men: Apocalypse, just around the point when we’ve already for ourselves that that also applies here. Ironically, this happens in a scene in which she and some other teen mutants have gone to the mall to see Return of the Jedi, a scene that exists solely so that she can make this joke… and it’s plot detours and tangents just like this one that are among the many disappointments of the film.

It’s the 1980s now, in this — yes — third installment of the X-Men historical comic-book drama trilogy,...

Crash, but Jesus-y. Scoffers and doubters will get their smackdown, but even believers should be skeptical at how this ridiculous roundrobin plays out. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): I most certainly do not believe

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Think Crash, but Jesus-y. (Oh dear, I mean the Oscar Best Picture Crash, not the people-who-get-turned-on-by-automobile-accidents one. A Jesus-y version of that would be quite disturbing.) The crisscrossing interactions of a whole bunch of different people are meant to inspire us, apparently, to accept the power of God to arrange outrageous coincidences so that they can all do good deeds for one another and, much more importantly, so that their good deeds pay off for them in a positive way. Whether you are so inspired is directly correlated to how much of a believer you already are, though even they should...

Once again Star Wars: The Force Awakens is poised to break even more box office records over Christmas weekend. However, after five days of record-breaking activity it's this holiday season's new wide, expanding and limited releases that could prove equally interesting. Four new films are releasing in 2,800+ theaters this weekend with Daddy's Home the widest release of the lot at 3,271 theaters. Looking back over the years this has been a prime weekend for new releases, begging the question as to whether Star Wars steals eyeballs or if it simply does its thing while the other titles play as they normally would. Star Wars will most certainly take the weekend top spot with a second weekend well above $100 million. We've been tracking it's daily performance in comparison to Avatar as its 33.8% Monday drop matched that of the domestic and worldwide box office champ. Tuesday's 6.85% drop was a little higher than Avatar's 1.83% drop,...

Columbia Pictures/Warner Bros. Pictures

We’re a good fifteen years or so into this wave of superhero mega-franchises which continue to batter the fair cliffs of cinemaland, and given the amount of universe expansions, origins stories, sequels and prequels in production currently it looks like we’re in this for the long haul.

As such, there are a lot of conventions that have sprung up around the genre, all loudly proclaiming “You’Re Watching A Superhero Movie Guys” just in case you were worried that you’d accidentally wandered into Alvin And The Chipmunks 2: The Squeakquel.

These range from the basically harmless (capes, cowls, completely absurd pecs) to the vaguely irritating (Stan Lee’s cameos) to the ones which are actually limiting the scope and scale of superhero movies. The tropes on this list are in danger of hemming the superhero genre into a prison of its own making,...

The Angry Birds movie is still very much a reality - and now there's a trailer to prove it.

The mobile game's Finnish developers Rovio and Sony have teamed up for the 3D animated movie, which features an all-star cast including Jason Sudeikis as Red, Josh Gad as Chuck, Danny McBride as Bomb and Maya Rudolph as Matilda.

Game of Thrones' Peter Dinklage will also be catapulting into the voice cast as the majestically-named character 'The Mighty Eagle'.

Bill Hader will play Leonard, a pig spokesman who must stand up for the oinkers after they attempt to infiltrate the birds' nests.

Jon Vitti, the man responsible for classic Simpsons episodes 'Mr Plow' and 'Cape Feare', is writing the Angry Birds script. More worryingly, he's also behind Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel.

Angry Birds began life as an iOS game in December 2009 and as of July 2015 has had more than 3 billion downloads,...

Zachary Levi and guest on the Oscars' Red Carpet Zachary Levi at the Academy Awards Pictured above is Zachary Levi and a guest on the 83rd Academy Awards' Red Carpet this past Sunday, Feb. 27, just outside the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood. At the Oscar ceremony, Zachary Levi and Mandy Moore performed "I See the Light," a Best Original Song nominee – music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Glenn Slater – from the animated feature Tangled. The 2011 Best Song winner turned out to be Randy Newman's "We Belong Together," from another animated feature, Toy Story 3 – last year's biggest domestic box office hit. Zachary Levi movies Below is a partial list of Zachary Levi films.* His movie debut took place in Mark Douglas Miller's comedy short Reel Guerrillas (2005), while his feature film debut was in a supporting role in John Whitesell's comedy Big Momma's House 2 (2006). Thor: The Dark World (2013). Director: Alan Taylor.

After posting one of the strongest Christmas Day totals of the last decade, the domestic box office went on to claim the best post-holiday frame ever this weekend with over $208 million in overall earnings. That tops the all-time record from 2009: the year that Avatar, Sherlock Holmes and Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel dominated the chart. On this historic weekend, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies claimed its second consecutive top ten title with an estimated $41.4 million, while new releases Into the Woods and Unbroken each brought in over $31 million in what proved to be a very close race for second place. Title Weekend Total 1. The Hobbit 3 $41,400,000 $168.5 2. Unbroken $31,748,000 $47.3 3. Into the Woods $31,021,000 $46.1 4. Night at the Museum 3 $20,600,000 $55.3 5. Annie $16,600,000 $45.8 6. Mockingjay – Part 1 $10,000,000 $306.6 7. The Gambler $9,300,000 $14.3 8. The Imitation Game $7,930,000 $14.6 9. Exodus: Gods & Kings $6,750,000 $52.5 10. Wild $5,415,000 $16.3 Full story after the jump. We’ve reached the end of a very odd year at the domestic box office.

It took a few years and was very expensive to defend, but 20th Century Fox has largely come out on top in a lengthy battle over the Alvin and the Chipmunks property. When Bagdasarian Prods., the family company that licensed the Chipmunk characters, sued Fox in 2010, an incredible amount of money was on the line. A year earlier, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel came out and grossed more than $443 million in worldwide box office. The Bagdasarians demanded half of the profits. The lawsuit would feature several claims. List THR Reveals Hollywood's 100 Favorite Films Janice Karman, wife

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After Disney star Zendaya Coleman quit Aalyiah amid a cloud of controversy (Aaliyah's family, for one, didn't want Lifetime to do the biopic in the first place), Lifetime announced that they had replaced her with the relatively unknown Alexandra Shipp (from Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel). Wendy Williams, who is now an executive producer on the project, tweeted the news. Zendaya, meanwhile, took to Instagram video to explain why she left the movie with the note, "Let me just explain something ... #aaliyah #respect": Here are the videos:...

Wendy Williams made it known on Friday that Lifetime's Aaliyah biopic is back on and has found a new actress for the lead role. According to Williams' Twitter, Alexandra Shipp will now play Aaliyah, replacing Zendaya Coleman, who gave up the role in late June. A Lifetime spokesperson told TheWrap that Williams’ announcement is true. Also read: Zendaya on Exiting Lifetime's Aaliyah Movie: It ‘Wasn't All the Way There’ Shipp is best known for her role as KT Rush on the Nickelodeon show “House of Anubis.” She has also appeared on “Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel,” “Switched at Birth” and “Victorious.

As expected, highly-anticipated sequels 22 Jump Street and How to Train Your Dragon 2 took the top two spots at the box office this weekend. It came as quite the surprise, though, that the R-rated comedy easily took first place ahead of the DreamWorks Animation movie.Playing at 3,306 locations, 22 Jump Street opened to a fantastic $57.1 million this weekend. That's the second-biggest opening ever for an R-rated comedy behind The Hangover Part II, and ahead of hits like Neighbors and Ted. It's also up a whopping 57 percent from 21 Jump Street's $36 million debut in March 2012.22 Jump Street's strong start is likely due to a combination of goodwill from the first movie and a strong marketing campaign this time around. 21 Jump Street came out just over two years ago*the ideal wait time between a movie and its sequel*and had a strong run thanks in part to good word-of-mouth. That movie promised that...

It has been almost ten years since the release of The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, a feature-length adaptation of the beloved Nickelodeon cartoon that grossed an impressive $140 million at the box office and received strong reviews. In some ways, it’s surprising that this long has passed without a cinematic follow-up, seeing as the show is still going strong and is now in fact gearing up for its tenth season. Regardless, at last, fans of the franchise can look forward to The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water, which is set for release next February.

No one really knows what exactly to expect from the sequel, seeing as the plot has not been announced. However, a new poster for the film has been unveiled, featuring a CGI SpongeBob on a beach with a live-action crab. Going by that poster, it looks like Sponge Out of Water is going to follow in...

Long ago, in a galaxy very, very close by, Anna Faris was a rising star. She was a new hope for comedy fans and started a spoof empire with the original "Scary Movie." No, she was never in "Star Wars," but Faris did appear in "Lost in Translation," "Brokeback Mountain," and had a memorable arc in the last few seasons of "Friends." She even turned "The House Bunny" into a surprise hit in 2009. Then the dark side, er, days arrived as Faris unleashed "What's Your Number," "Yogi Bear," and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel" & "Chipwrecked." Ever since she and her fans have been waiting for the return of early Faris. Could "I Give It a Year" be that return? The British production played at the SXSW Film Festival this past March and has apparently earned favor from the men's magazine GQ, at least according to the newest trailer. The...

Beyonce's daughter Blue Ivy Carter has learnt the dance routine to 'Single Ladies'. The 31-year-old singer has revealed her 12-month-old daughter picked up the moves to her hit single after watching a scene from animated film 'Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel', in which The Chipettes Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor perform the routine from her video. Speaking before the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday (03.02.13), where she performed during the half-time show, Beyonce told The Sun newspaper: 'There are a lot of kids now who know the song was on the Chipmunks series. All of the kids are like, 'Oh, that's the Chipmunk song!' Which is so interesting. My daughter actually does the hand movement and sings, 'Uh...

Beyonce's daughter Blue Ivy Carter has learnt the dance routine to 'Single Ladies'. The 31-year-old singer has revealed her 12-month-old daughter picked up the moves to her hit single after watching a scene from animated film 'Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel', in which The Chipettes Brittany, Jeanette and Eleanor perform the routine from her video. Speaking before the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Sunday (03.02.13), where she performed during the half-time show, Beyonce told The Sun newspaper: ''There are a lot of kids now who know the song was on the Chipmunks series. All of the kids are like, 'Oh,...

It's a pretty rare thing for CGI/live-action hybrid films to come out halfway descent, particularly when they feature pop culture icons. Sure, movies like Who Framed Roger Rabbit and Ted are great, but it's far more common for them to end up like The Smurfs, Yogi Bear, Scooby Doo, Garfield, G-Force, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked...the list goes on and on. So what would have happened if they used CGI/live-action to make feature films for Hong Kong Phooey and Marvin the Martian? Today we somehow have a taste of what that could have been like. Cartoon Brew has discovered test footage from in-development projects based on the aforementioned characters that was posted by director Alex Zamm. The Hong Kong Phooey footage even has what sounds like an Eddie Murphy imitator doing the character's voice (the comedian was...

Here’s a movie that won’t make a cent in any international markets – John Cusack is hard at work developing a biopic of the controversial, right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh. The project has a working title of “Rush” and is being produced by Cusack’s own production company (New Crime Productions), with Cusack also in line to star in the lead role. Because, sure, that makes sense…we can totally see the resemblance. New Crime Productions spoke out about the biopic, which apparently also has a director attached. That would be Betty Thomas (“Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel”), and she’s presumably the natural choice given that she directed the Howard Stern biopic “Private Parts” (in which Stern played himself) back in 1997. Limbaugh is clearly a controversial character, and most recently he sparked widespread outrage after calling student Sandra Fluke a “slut” regarding her views on...

This is the third project John Cusack has been attached to this week! The actor will develop a film based on right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh. Cusack will play Limbaugh in the film. 

The film is called Rush, and Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel) is attached to direct it. With those kind of terrible kid movies under her belt, I'm surprised Thomas got a directing gig like this. It's also really hard for me to picture Cusack playing this guy. 

I know who Limbaugh is, but I don't listen to his show, and don't really know that much about him. Here's a little rundown from the Seattle Times,

Limbaugh is in the front ranks of colorful and provocative media figures. Earlier this year, Limbaugh called a Georgetown law student a "slut" and a "prostitute" on air for arguing to Democrats in Congress that...

John Cusack is developing a movie about right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh, according to the Associated Press. Cusack would star. The project, as reported by the AP, has a working title of Rush and is being produced by Cusack's own production company, New Crime Productions. New Crime revealed to the AP that Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel) is attached to direct. A shooting script is nearing completion, with the liberal Cusack, 46, set to step into the unlikely role of the 61-year-old conservative firebrand.  Limbaugh has fanned the flames of

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Family-based production outfit Waterman Entertainment has secured the feature rights to the iconic comic strip character Heathcliff, it was announced today by the company.s Head of Development, Cooper Waterman. The acquisition comes on the heels of the company making similar feature film deals with rights holders of the iconic family brands including The Brave Little Toaster and Mr. Ed. As is the case with those titles, Heathcliff will be reimagined as a CGI/live action film with contemporary storylines, while preserving the original essence that the respective right.s holders created for each of the characters.

George Gately created the comic strip in 1973. Heathcliff was born on the wrong side of the tracks in the bad part of town. When both his parents were locked up by the law, little Heathcliff was left to fend for himself. He grew up quick and he grew up mean, until one day...

Like you had any doubt that the Farrelly brothers could come up with something cleverer than "Dumb and Dumberer"?

"Dumb and Dumber To" is not just a working title -- it's the official one. The officially endorsed sequel to "Dumb and Dumber" already has its original directors and cast on board, and now is close to having a script as well. The Farrellys seem really excited about the project, and we're really excited that "Dumb and Dumber To" is actually what this flick is going to be called.

"You also might be interested to know that we are almost done with the Dumb and Dumber To (sic) script," Peter and Bobby Farrelly tweeted from their joint Twitter account. "I think you're going to like it."

These two aren't the only directors to come up with clever ways to get around the boring "2." After the jump we've listed off some of...

Not only is there a movie in the works where a “chubby” child is lost overboard on a family vacation who gets raised by whales and goes on to become an Olympic swimmer, it’s going to be directed by Jon Turtletaub – the exact name you thought of when you started trying to imagine this monstrosity. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Beached (a title spit out of an accounting department computer with no sense of humor) has seen renewed interest theoretically because of the London Games and stars like Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. Boasting a script from Ted Griffin (Ocean’s Eleven, Tower Heist), the project has been around since 1997 and was once under the wing of director Betty Thomas (The Brady Bunch Movie, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel) but somehow the story of a fat kid being brought up by the world’s largest mammals never came to fruition. Now...

Hollywood has often been described as "The Dream Factory," but when it comes to animated movies cartoonists can fudge the line between a dream romantic coupling and a laughable OkCupid date gone wrong.

Be it chunky monkey Ray Winstone sexing up Angelina Jolie in "Beowulf" or Meryl Streep winding up Mrs. George Clooney in "The Fantastic Mr. Fox" (which even she admitted was hilarious), there are many examples of said pairings — and here are ten more for you to fantasize about.

1. Ray Romano and Queen Latifah, "Ice Age: The Meltdown" (2006)

With her sassy boisterousness and his whiney timidity, Latifah and Romano are a match made in … well, somewhere. Their portrayal of wooly mammoths Manny and Ellie in the last three "Ice Age" movies produced not only brilliant chemistry but also a cartoon daughter, Peaches. Whether that vocal chemistry could translate to live-action success remains to be seen … "Bringing Down the House...

Sean Astin has signed on to star in a reboot of Eli Roth's Cabin Fever. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the reboot - entitled Cabin Fever: Patient Zero - will also star Brando Eaton (Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel) and Ben Hollingsworth (Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules). The story sees the attendees of a bachelor party cruise in the Caribbean find themselves stranded on a medical (more)...