The Trailer for Risen, Starring Joseph Fiennes and Tom Felton
Sony’s TriStar Pictures has debuted the first trailer for director Kevin Reynolds’ Risen, starring Joseph Fiennes, Tom Felton (“Harry Potter” films), Peter Firth and Cliff Curtis.
Coming to theaters on January 22, 2016, Risen is the epic Biblical story of the Resurrection, as told through the eyes of a non-believer. Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), a powerful Roman Military Tribune, and his aide Lucius (Tom Felton), are tasked with solving the mystery of what happened to Jesus in the weeks following the crucifixion, in order to disprove the rumors of a risen Messiah and prevent an uprising in Jerusalem.
The screenplay for the drama was written by Reynolds and Paul Aiello from a story by Aiello. The producers are Mickey Liddell, Aiello and Pete Shilaimon. The executive producers are Robert Huberman and Scott Holroyd.
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20th Century Fox Developing The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen Reboot
Tracking Board brings word that 20th Century Fox is developing a big screen reboot of the comic book series The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, hoping to turn the literary melting pot into a franchise. John Davis (Chronicle, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.) is on board the project as the producer which is currently seeking directors to shepherd it through development.
Originally created by Alan Moore and Kevin O’Neill, The League of Extraordinary Gentlemenstars a group of Victiorian literature characters including Allan Quatermain (“King Solomon’s Mines”), Captain Nemo (“Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea”), the Invisible Man, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Mina Harker of Dracula. The team is put together by the British government to foil a plot at the center of a war between villains Fu Manchu and Professor Moriarty. Later volumes of the series would weave in the plots of War of the Worlds, the works of H.P. Lovecraft, and even “Harry Potter.
The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen was previously adapted into a film in 2003 starring Sean Connery (his last film role). It featured signifcant changes from the source material and famously began creator Alan Moore’s antagonistic relationship with Hollywood. A TV adaptation of the series was planned in 2013 with writer Michael Green (Green Lantern, “Heroes,” “Smallville”) but never materialized.
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Jeff Goldblum is Back in a New Independence Day 2 Set Photo!
Nearly 20 years after the original film hit theaters, Jeff Goldblum is back as Independence Day‘s David Levinson! Producer Dean Devlin just shared to his Instagram a selfie he took alongside Goldblum on the Independence Day 2 set. Check it out in full below!
Again directed by Roland Emmerich, Independence Day 2 will also see the return of stars Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, Judd Hirsch and Brent Spiner as well as a cast of franchise newcomers that includes Liam Hemsworth, Jessie Usher, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Travis Tope, Joey King, Maika Monroe and Sela Ward.
Set to hit theaters June 24, 2016 (almost exactly 20 years after the original), Independence Day 2 is looking to begin production in May with a script by Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin and James Vanderbilt, James A.Woods & Nicolas Wright.
The original Independence Day opened on July 3, 1996 and earned an impressive $817.4 million worldwide. Emmerich is also set to produce the sequel alongside Devlin and Harald Kloser.
(Photo Credit: WENN.com)
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Ashley Greene is Undead Again in the Burying the Ex Trailer
The Twilight Saga’s Ashley Greene is undead again, this time playing a zombie in the new horror comedy, Burying the Ex, directed by Joe Dante (Gremlins, The Howling). The film has today released its domestic trailer (via iTunes Movie Trailers) and you can check it out in the player below!
Also starring Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Fright Night), and Alexandra Daddario (“True Detective,” San Andreas), Burying the Ex hits theaters, VOD and iTunes on June 19.
It seemed like a great idea when Max, an all-around nice guy (Yelchin), and Evelyn, his beautiful girlfriend (Greene), moved in together. When Evelyn turns out to be a controlling, manipulative nightmare, Max knows it’s time to call it quits, but there’s just one problem: he’s terrified of breaking up with her. Fate steps in when Evelyn is involved in a freak accident and dies, leaving Max single and ready to mingle. Just as Max is thinking about moving on with what could be his dream girl, Olivia (Daddario) – Evelyn has returned from the grave and is determined to get her boyfriend back…even if that means transforming him into one of the undead.
Burying the Ex is produced by Mary Cybriwsky, Carl Effenson, David Johnson, Frankie Lindquist, Kyle Tekiela and Alan Trezza. The deal was negotiated by Mark Ward on behalf of RLJE/Image Entertainment and Cassian Elwes, CAA and Voltage Pictures on behalf of the filmmakers.
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Point Break Trailer and Poster Released!
Warner Bros. Pictures has released the Point Break trailer and poster which you can view below! Inspired by the classic 1991 hit starring Patrick Swayze and Keanu Reeves, the film is scheduled for release in 3D and 2D theaters on December 25.
In Alcon Entertainment’s fast-paced, high-adrenaline action thriller Point Break, a young FBI agent, Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey), infiltrates a cunning team of thrill-seeking elite athletes – led by the charismatic Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez). The athletes are suspected of carrying out a spate of crimes in extremely unusual ways.
Deep undercover, and with his life in imminent danger, Utah strives to prove they are the architects of this string of inconceivable crimes.
The film is replete with the most daring athleticism ever seen in a motion picture. These action adventure feats are performed by elite athletes representing the world’s best in class in big-wave surfing, wingsuit flying, sheer-face snowboarding, free rock climbing, and high-speed motorcycling.
The film stars Édgar RamÃrez (Zero Dark Thirty, The Bourne Ultimatum, Carlos the Jackal) as Bodhi, and Luke Bracey (G.I. Joe: Retaliation, November Man) as Johnny Utah, along with Ray Winstone (Noah, The Departed), Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies) and Delroy Lindo (Sahara, Gone in Sixty Seconds), under the direction of Ericson Core (Invincible).
Core directed from a screenplay by Kurt Wimmer (Salt, Law Abiding Citizen). Alcon principals Broderick Johnson and Andrew A. Kosove produced, along with John Baldecchi, Chris Taylor and Kurt Wimmer. Studio Babelsberg also co-produced. RGM Media principal Devesh Chetty and investor John McMurrick, Chairman of Marloss Entertainment, served as executive producers. Director Ericson Core, who served as director of photography on such films as Invincible, The Fast and the Furious and Payback, also serves as director of photography on Point Break.
Renowned extreme athletes performing stunts in the film include surfers Laird Hamilton, Sebastian Zietz, Makua Rothman, Billy Kemper, Brian Keaulana, Ahanu Tson-dru, Ian Walsh, Laurie Towner, Dylan Longbottom, Albee Layer, Bruce Irons, Tikanui Smith and Tuhiti Humani; snowboarders Xavier De Le Rue, Louis Vito, Christian Haller, Lucas DeBari and Ralph Backstrom; skateboarders Bob Burnquist and Eric Koston; motorcyclists Riley Harper and Oakley Lehman; wingsuit stunt pilots Jon Devore, Julian Boulle, Noah Bahnson, Jhonathan Florez and Mike Swanson, and consultant Jeb Corliss; and free climber Chris Sharma, among others.
Making cameos in the film are DJs Steve Aoki, Seth Troxler and The Art Department, as well as sports commentator and TV host Sal Masekela.
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Take a First Look at American Heist with Five Exclusive Stills
ComingSoon.net is pleased to debut the first five stills from the upcoming action-thriller American Heist, starring Hayden Christensen, Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, Jordana Brewster, Tory Kittles and Aliaune “Akon” Thiam. Check out the images in the gallery viewer below!
Written by Raul Inglis and directed by Sarik Andreasyan, American Heist follows two brothers with troubled pasts who become embroiled in a high-stakes bank robbery. James (Christensen) owes his life to his older brother, Frankie (Brody) after taking the rap for a crime they committed together. While Frankie served time, James worked to turn his life around, got a steady job and began courting his former girlfriend Emily (Brewster). Now, Frankie is released and back on the streets with no money and no place to go. He turns to his underworld connections (Akon) and convinces James to join him in hopes that one last job will be the solution to change both their lives.
American Heist is a Glacier Films production in association with Maple Leaf Capital, Primeridian Entertainment and NGN Productions. The film is produced by Glacier’s Tove Christensen, Georgy Malkov, Sarik Andreasyan, Gevond Andreasyan and Vladimir Poliakov. Executive producers include Michael Wexler, George Castrounis, Hayden Christensen, Adrien Brody, Aliaune “Akon” Thiam, Jojo Ryder, Arcadiy Golubovich, Jack Nasser and Joseph Nasser.
Look for American Heist to hit Ultra VOD June 19 before receiving a theatrical run on July 24.
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Vincent D’Onofrio Takes Villain Role in CHiPs Movie
Having received raved reviews for his performance as Wilson Fisk on Marvel’s Daredevil, Vincent D’Onofrio has set himself up for another antagonist role, this time on the big screen. The Hollywood Reporter today brings word that D’Onofrio is in negotiations to play the villain in Warner Bros. Pictures’ upcoming CHiPs movie, based on the NBC television series. Dax Shepard is attached to write, direct and star opposite Michael Pena.
The series, which ran between 1977 and 1983, focused on two police officers who patrolled the California highways on motorcycles. Shepard will play Officer Jon Baker (played on the show by Larry Wilcox) with Pena attached to play Frank “Ponch” Poncherello, the role that made Erik Estrada famous.
D’Onofrio, who also plays a role in the upcoming Jurassic World, will in CHiPs play a former cop who has turned to the opposite side of the law and now runs an underground syndicate of car thieves. D’Onofrio can also be seen coming up in Antoine Fuqua’s The Magnificent Seven and is expected to also return for the second season of “Daredevil,” planned to stream on Netflix in 2016.
Said to be in the vein of buddy cop movies like Bad Boys and Lethal Weapon, CHiPs was written by Paul Kaplan and Mark Torgove before Shepard did his own draft. Andrew Panay is producing.
(Photo Credit: Apega / WENN.com)
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Dragon Ball Z: Resurrection F Coming to North American Theaters in August
Robert Rodriguez Set to Direct Live-Action Jonny Quest
Deadline brings word that Spy Kids, Sin City and From Dusk Til Dawn director Robert Rodriguez has joined Warner Bros.’ live-action adaptation of the cartoon series Jonny Quest. Rodriguez is set to direct the film and co-write the script with Terry Rossio (The Lone Ranger, Pirates of the Caribbean), rewriting a draft by Dan Mazeau. Dan Lin (The LEGO Movie) and Adrian Askarieh (Hitman: Agent 47) will produce the feature.
The original animated series ran from 1964 – 65, lasting a mere 26 episodes. The blond and brainy Jonny (voiced by Tim Matheson) was the 11-year-old son of scientist Dr. Benton Quest. Along for the adventure was Hadji Singh, the gifted 11-year-old Calcutta orphan who was adopted by Dr. Quest, and Quest’s tough and charistmatic bodyguard, Race Bannon. The series was revived in both the ’80s and ’90s for additional episodes, along with comic books and video games based on the series.
A feature film version of the classic Hanna-Barbera action adventure series has been in development for a few years now with Zac Efron and Dwayne Johnson both previously in talks for a version that was never produced. Multiple directors have also tried to get the film off the ground, including Race to Witch Mountain‘s Andy Fick, Grudge Match‘s Peter Segal, and even Superman director Richard Donner.
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Bryan Singer Teases Caliban in X-Men: Apocalypse!
It seems that the world of Bryan Singer’s upcoming mutant ensemble, X-Men: Apocalypse, is getting bigger and bigger every day. In his latest behind-the-scenes Instagram tease, Singer has revealed that the mutant Caliban will part of the 2016 release! Although the Morlock isn’t pictured, you can check out his underground home in the photo below!
Caliban, created by Chris Claremont and Dave Cockrum, made his first appearance in 1981’s “Uncanny X-Men” #148. An albino mutant, Caliban has a mutant tracking ability that made Callisto, the leader of the Morlocks (a civilization of mutants that have chosen to live underground), seek him out. He was later augmented by Apocalypse, becoming one of En Sabah Nur’s horsemen. It’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll something similar unfold when Caliban hits the big screen on May 27, 2016.
It’s also quite possible that Caliban’s role as a Morlock will have a connection to 20th Century Fox’s upcoming Deadpool. That film is slated to have a Morlock character as well in the form of Gina Carano’s Angel Dust.
Michael Fassbender, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult are set to lead the cast of X-Men: Apocalypse, which will also see the return of Rose Byrne as Moira MacTaggert, Evan Peters as Quicksilver, Lucas Till as Havok and newcomers Alexandra Shipp as Storm, Sophie Turner Jean Grey, Ben Hardy as Angel, Tye Sheridan as Cyclops, Olivia Munn as Psylocke and Lana Condor as Jubilee. Oscar Isaac is also starring as the film’s title antagonist with Simon Kinberg scripting from a treatment by Mike Dougherty, Dan Harris and Kinberg.
Said to be the conclusion of a trilogy started with X-Men: First Class and continued with X-Men: Days of Future Past, the Bryan Singer directed X-Men: Apocalypse is set for release on May 27, 2016.
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J.K. Simmons Featured in New Terminator Genisys TV Spot
Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions have released a new Terminator Genisys TV spot, this time featuring more of J.K. Simmons’ role in the film as Detective O’Brien, a neurotic accomplice to the film’s heroes. Check it out below!
In the film, when John Connor (Jason Clarke), leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian (Arnold Schwarzenegger), dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…
Also starring J.K. Simmons, Dayo Okeniyi, Matthew Smith, Courtney B. Vance and Byung-Hun Lee, Terminator Genisys is directed by Thor: The Dark World‘s Alan Taylor from a screenplay by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. The movie will hit theaters on July 1, 2015 and is the first in a planned trilogy of films.
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Trailer Released for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare’s Third DLC Pack, Supremacy
Activision and Sledgehammer Games have announced that Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare‘s latest DLC pack, titled “Supremacy,” will debut on June 2, for the Xbox One and Xbox 360. The DLC pack will feature four new multiplayer maps, including a revised version of the fan-favorite map “Highrise,” from 2009’s Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, now transported to the year 2054.
The popular Exo Zombies saga also continues in the all-new episode, “Carrier.” Following the end of the last episode, “Infected,” Bruce Campbell (Army of Darkness, “Burn Notice”) steps in and joins the battle-hardened cast of John Malkovich (RED, Burn After Reading), Bill Paxton (Aliens, Edge of Tomorrow), Rose McGowan (Planet Terror, Scream), and Jon Bernthal (Fury, “The Walking Dead”). In “Carrier,” the four are trapped on an Atlas aircraft carrier. “Carrier” features advanced new weaponry, enemy Atlas Strike teams, Sentinel support squads, and a host of new zombie enemies.
The “Supremacy” DLC will be available first on Xbox Live for $14.99 or as a part of the Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare DLC Season Pass, where fans can purchase all four DLC Packs.
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This Week on Blu-ray and DVD: May 25, 2015
Welcome to ComingSoon.net’s look at all the top entertainment hitting this week on Blu-ray and DVD. Check out the gallery viewer below for a look at all the major new releases, TV series sets and catalogue titles hitting the shelves Tuesday, May 25.
Headlining a relatively quiet week for new releases is Universal Pictures and Legendary’s Seventh Son, reteaming The Big Lebowski‘s Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore in the adaptation of Joseph DeLaney’s fantasy novel, “The Spook’s Apprentice.” Also arriving from recent smaller theatrical runs are the darkly comedic crime thriller Cut Bank (starring Liam Hemsworth, Billy Bob Thornton, John Malkovich, Teresa Palmer and Michael Stuhlbarg) and The Loft, a remake of the 2010 Belgian erotic thriller. The new take offers an ensemble cast that includes Karl Urban and James Marsden opposite the original film’s Matthias Schoenaerts.
It’s a busy week for The Criterion Collection with three brand-new titles hitting shelves. Criterion continues to bring Rainer Werner Fassbinder to HD with the 1971 drama The Merchant of Four Seasons while serving up a double helping of Costa-Gavras thriller with both 1970’s The Confession and 1972’s State of Siege.
Scream Factory, meanwhile, has two double-feature discs hitting this week that bring to HD some cult horror favorites involving animals. The first set offers both 1972’s Frogs (in which a southern estate comes under attack from local wildlife) and 1976’s Food of the Gods (featuring giant killer rats in an adaptation of the H.G. Wells story). Another set, then, offers both 1977’s Empire of the Ants (giant killer ants) and 1981’s Jaws of Satan (wherein the devil himself takes on the form of a cobra to lead a snake attack against mankind).
On the television front, we’re getting History’s full event series Sons of Liberty as well as the second season of Showtime’s Ray Donovan in advance of the series’ return in July.
You can check out all the cover art in the gallery viewer below alongside a listing of each release’s special features (where applicable):
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Hulu Renews Deadbeat for a Third Season
Hulu announced today that the Hulu Original series “Deadbeat” has been renewed for a third season with a 13-episode order.
The half-hour comedy series stars Tyler Labine (Tucker & Dale vs. Evil, “Reaper”) as Kevin Pacalioglu, a hapless but gifted medium who will go to any lengths to help New York’s ghosts settle their unfinished business. Brandon T. Jackson (Tropic Thunder) plays his savvy best friend, Roofie. Cat Deeley (“So You Think You Can Dance”) stars as Camomile White, a glamorous celebrity medium who is Pacalioglu’s rival and nemesis, and Lucy DeVito as Sue, Camomile’s once put upon assistant.
“Deadbeat is a uniquely imaginative and charming series,” said Craig Erwich, Senior Vice President and Head of Content, Hulu. “We are very happy to bring it back for another hilarious season and look forward to sharing new ghostly stories.”
Produced by Lionsgate Television, the series is co-created by Cody Heller and Brett Konner (“Wilfred,” “The Inbetweeners”) and executive produced by showrunner Dan Lagana. Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner and Sarah Esberg from Brad Pitt’s Plan B Entertainment are producers on the show. A premiere date for season three will be announced at a later time.
Season three of “Deadbeat” will join Hulu’s growing slate of premium original programming, including the additional Lionsgate series “Casual,” a comedy from Oscar-nominated director Jason Reitman, and the first long-form project from Freddie Wong and the RocketJump team; season four of “The Mindy Project”; event series “11/22/63″ from Stephen King and J.J. Abrams starring James Franco; the comedy series “Difficult People” produced by Amy Poehler with stars Julie Klausner and Billy Eichner; and “The Way,” a drama series from Universal Television and Jason Katims’ True Jack Productions.
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The Weekend Warrior: San Andreas, Aloha
Things will probably settle down a bit after a rather lame Memorial Day weekend, but don’t expect that to last for long with a number of big sequels, franchise relaunches and the return of Pixar Animation coming in June. In the meantime, we might have a quieter weekend… that is, if Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson battling an earthquake is your definition of “quieter.”
San Andreas
Distributor: New Line/Warner Bros.
Director: Brad Peyton (Journey 2: The Mysterious Island) Writer: Chad Hayes, Carey Hayes, Carlton Cuse, Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Carla Gugino, Paul Giamatti, Kylie Minogue, Alexandra Daddario, Ioan Gruffudd, Archie Panjabi, Hugo Johnstone-Burt, Art ParkinsonWhat It’s About: The San Andreas Fault starts to give, causing a level 9 earthquake, while helicopter pilot Ray (Dwayne Johnson) desperately tries to save his ex-wife (Carla Gugino) and daughter (Alexandra Daddario) from the devastation and a scientist (Paul Giamatti) tries to find a way to prevent it from doing even more damage. Benefits:
Disaster movies have a storied history going back to silent film era with a surge of movies in the ‘30s like Deluge and San Francisco, but the genre really thrived in the ‘70s with the late Irwin Alllen making people fear high-rise buildings and New Year’s cruises, and the genre really peaked in 1974 with Mark Robson’s box office hit Earthquake, starring Charlton Heston. In recent years, there have been many attempts to revive the genre with the biggest successes coming in the form of Michael Bay’s Armageddon and Roland Emmerich’s The Day After Tomorrow and 2012. Last year, New Line Cinema and Village Roadshow tried to revive the genre with the tornado movie Into the Storm, but it only grossed $47 million domestically and a little twice that amount overseas. Undaunted, they’re following that up with a return to the disaster territory that got audiences thrilled back in 1975, this time putting a similarly popular star as the lead.
Possibly the best thing going for the movie is the presence of Dwayne “Franchise Viagra” Johnson in his first movie since the global blockbuster Furious 7 with the former wrestler having become an A-list star in recent years thanks to a number of hit movies. His last solo movie Hercules opened with $29.8 million last summer, a decent opening that grossed a less-than-spectacular $73 million. San Andreas reunites Johnson with his Journey 2: The Mysterious Island director Brad Peyton, but it’s been the “Fast and Furious” franchise and Johnson’s casting as Roadblock in G.I. Joe: Retaliation which have helped turn him into an A-list star even while frequently returning to the WWE wrestling where he got his start.
Combining Johnson with a popular movie genre is a smart move, because if the actor doesn’t get people into theaters, then they have movie’s spectacular visual FX to fall back on, because this is very much the type of movie that audiences tend to enjoy going to see during the summer.
Drawbacks:
As mentioned above, last year’s Into the Storm, an attempt at updating Twister for modern audiences, was the last disaster movie, and it pretty much bombed with just $47.6 million after an opening weekend of $17.4 million, but that also didn’t have “The Rock” as its lead.
It’s doubtful reviews will be that good because critics tend to be cynical of these sorts of movies, and frankly, they’re rarely very good in terms of the writing/acting because the people making them know that the audience are mainly there for the destruction.
This doesn’t have nearly as much buzz as some of the other movies coming out this summer, even last week’s Tomorrowland, and that grossed just $32.2 million despite opening on a great weekend for summer fare. Can San Andreas fare much better than that with everyone returning to work?
Prediction:
With last week’s movies failing to deliver in a big way, San Andreas should be able to take the top spot with ease with somewhere between $33 and 35 million on its way to roughly $100 million or slightly less.
My Thoughts… (Coming Soon!)
Aloha
Distributor: Sony Pictures
Writer/Director: Cameron Crowe (Almost Famous, Jerry Maguire, We Bought a Zoo, Say Anything…) Cast: John Krasinski, Alec Baldwin, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, Bradley Cooper, Danny McBride, Emma Stone What It’s About: Military contractor Brian Gilcrest (Bradley Cooper) returns home to Honolulu, Hawaii where he reconnects with an old girlfriend (Rachel McAdams) while falling for the Air Force liaison (Emma Stone) assigned to keep an eye on him. Benefits:
Offered as counter-programming to Dwayne Johnson and his earthquake flick is the latest from celebrated filmmaker Cameron Crowe, who first found fans with his ‘80s movie Say Anything… starring John Cusack and then was nominated for two Oscars for his 1996 movie Jerry Maguire before winning an Oscar for the screenplay for 2000’s Almost Famous. His last movie, We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon, was released over the holidays in 2011 and grossed $75 million after an opening weekend of $9.4 million, showing that Crowe’s work still can find an audience if not opening weekend.
Despite its rather generic rom-com premise, what Crowe really has going for him with his latest is that he has cast two of the biggest stars working today with Bradley Cooper coming off the two biggest movies of his career, American Sniper, for which he received his third and fourth Oscar nominations, and Guardians of the Galaxy, for which he provided the voice of Rocket Racoon. He’s had huge success in recent years with David O. Russell, starring in American Hustle and Silver Linings Playbook, both which grossed over $100 million and got Cooper previous Oscar nominations. And we can’t forget Cooper’s big breakout in the summer comedy The Hangoverthat lead to two sequels, the first more successful than the other. Clearly, he’s an actor who has a pretty wide fanbase of men and women, generally the same 30-somethings that are fans of Crowe’s work, and one assumes Cooper doing a romantic comedy will primarily be a draw for women than men.
Emma Stone is also doing decently in her career, having also been nominated for an Oscar for last year Birdman, and that’s in the same year that she returned as Gwen Stacy in Sony’s hit franchise The Amazing Spider-Man 2. Stone’s fanbase is probably slightly younger than that of Cooper and Crowe, although she’ll be appearing in her second Woody Allen movie in a row this summer after last year’s somewhat disappointing Magic in the Moonlight. The pairing of Cooper with Stone is certainly more promising than his other female lead, Rachel McAdams, although she has appeared more in this type of movie than the other two actors.
The rest of the cast is just as good with Alec Baldwin, Bill Murray, John Krazinski and Danny McBride all bringing something to the mix, and considering how little Baldwin and Murray these days, it’s pretty obvious that this cast is probably going to do more to get people into seats than Crowe himself.
Other than Pitch Perfect 2, there aren’t a lot of movies in theaters specifically for women, and this is being offered as counter-programming to those who have already seen it and won’t be as interested in Dwayne Johnson or San Andreas.
Drawbacks:
It’s been a while since there’s been a successful romantic comedy, and though Crowe is a master of the genre, it doesn’t seem like something the market has necessarily been demanding. Having not seen the movie at this writing, it’s hard to tell whether this might have decent word-of-mouth, but there are better ones in limited release this weekend, both which have strong reviews from their festival screenings (see below).
Pitch Perfect 2 is still going fairly strong as well and is likely to continue to bring in at least younger women because it’s a known commodity. This doesn’t seem strong enough to make anyone rush out to theaters to see it.
Sony seems to have taken their sweet time marketing this movie, barely even doing a regional junket, instead focusing on other territories, and because of that, it’s doubtful the movie has much awareness with moviegoers with commercials only really making the film’s presence known a few weeks back. The studio has also decided to hold the movie for the Tuesday of release, meaning that there will be no reviews before Wednesday or Thursday, which again, will limit the amount of awareness going into the weekend, a plan that could end up backfiring.
Prediction:
It’s hard to have high hopes for this romantic comedy even with Crowe at the helm and the great cast he’s assembled. Moviegoers have plenty of other choices in theaters so this one will be lucky to make $10 million this weekend, but if it’s any good, it should have decent legs and gross somewhere in the $30 million range.
Aloha Review (Coming Soon!)
This Weekend Last Year
Angelina Jolie took on the horned mantle of Sleeping Beauty baddie Maleficent (Disney) for the summer blockbuster which far exceeded any expectations with an opening weekend of $69.4 million in 3,948 theaters or $17,586 per theater for an easy #1 win. On the other hand, Seth MacFarlane’s comedy-Western A Million Ways to Die in the West (Universal), his follow-up to the blockbuster comedy hit Ted, failed to find much of an audience, tanking with just $16.8 million for third place behind X-Men: Days of Future Past, which dropped 64% after its Memorial Day opening. The Top 10 grossed $157.7 million, but since neither of the new movies are likely to do as well as Maleficent, this is probably going to be a down weekend, as we said before.
This Week’s Predictions
1. San Andreas (New Line/WB) – $33.7 million N/A
2. Tomorrowland (Disney) – $16.2 million -49% 3. Pitch Perfect 2 (Universal) – $14.3 million -53% 4. Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.) – $14 million -44% 5. Avengers: Age of Ultron (Marvel Studios/Disney) – $11.3 million -52% 6. Aloha (Sony) – $10.6 million N/A 7. Poltergeist (20th Century Fox) – $9.5 million -58% 8. Hot Pursuit (New Line/MGM/WB) – $1.9 million -48%9. Far from the Madding Crowd (Fox Searchlight) – $1.5 million -35% 10. Furious 7 (Universal) – $1.2 million -43% Next Week:
The month of June kicks off with a triple threat match between three very different movies which will likely divide up moviegoing audiences pretty evenly. Melissa McCarthy and Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, The Heat) reunite for their third film together, the action-comedy Spy(20th Century Fox), Leigh Whannell takes over the directing duties for the horror threequel Insidious Chapter 3 (Gramercy Pictures/Focus), and the HBO boys are back with Entourage (New Line/WB).
This Week’s Must-Sees
Results (Magnolia)
Director: Andrew Bujalski (Funny Ha Ha, Computer Chess) Stars: Guy Pearce, Cobie Smulders, Kevin Corrigan, Giovanni Ribisi, Brooklyn Decker, Anthony Michael Hall, Tishuan Scott Genre: Comedy, RomanceWhat It’s About: Fitness-obsessed gym owner Trevor (Guy Pearce) and his top trainer Cat (Cobie Smulders) must come to terms with their relationship when a wealthy overweight divorcee (Kevin Corrigan) with way too much money and time on his hands hires Cat to get him into shape, and then becomes obsessed with her. Directed by the “Godfather of Mumblecore” Andrew Bujalski, Results opens in New York, Toronto and Austin on Friday as well as on iTunes and On Demand. You can find out where it’s playing theatrically on the official site.
Interview with Andrew Bujalski (Coming Soon!)
Video Interviews with Guy Pearce and Cobie Smulders (Coming Soon!)
Gemma Bovery (Music Box Films)
Director: Anne Fontaine (Coco Before Chanel) Stars: Fabrice Luchini, Gemma Arterton, Jason Flemyng, Mel Raido, Pip Torrens, Niels Schneider, Isabelle Candelier, Elsa Zylbrerstein Genre: Comedy, Drama, RomanceWhat It’s About: This adaptation of the graphic novel from Posy Simmonds (“Tamara Drew”) stars Gemma Arterton as the title character, a British woman who moves to the French countryside with her husband (Jason Flemyng) where a local baker (Fabrice Luchini), who is obsessed with Flaubert’s literary classic “Madame Bovary,” eventually becomes obsessed with Gemma as well. Other Limited Releases of Note:
Survivor (Alchemy)
Director: James McTeigue (V for Vendetta) Stars: Milla Jovovich, Pierce Brosnan, Angela Bassett, Dylan McDermott, Robert Forster Genre: Action, ThrillerWhat It’s About: UK security agent Kate Abbot (Milla Jovovich), in charge of giving Visas to those wanting to get into the country, is framed for a terrorist bombing that puts her on the run from an assassin (Pierce Brosnan) as she tries to find out who is really responsible.
Interview with James McTeigue (Coming Soon!)
Barely Lethal (A24)
Director: Kyle Newman (Fanboys) Stars: Hailee Steinfeld, Sophie Turner, Samuel L. Jackson, Jessica Alba Genre: Action, ComedyWhat It’s About: Megan Walsh (Steinfeld) is a teenage special ops agent and assassin trying to have a normal adolescence, so she fakes her own death and enlists as an exchange student at a suburban high school. Little does she know that her handler Victoria (Jessica Alba) has hired Heather (Sophie Turner) to go undercover and bring Megan back into the fold.
I Believe in Unicorns (Gravitas Ventures)
Writer/Director: Leah Meyerhoff Stars: Natalia Dyer, Peter Vack, Julia Garner, Amy Seimetz, Genre: DramaWhat It’s About: Yet another coming-of-age film, this one about Natalia Dyer’s Davina who gets into a relationship with an older boy (Peter Vack) as the two run off together on a road trip leaving her disabled mother behind.
Heaven Knows What (RADiUS-TWC)
Director: Ben and Josh Safdie Stars: Arielle Holmes, Caleb Landry-Jones, Buddy Duress, Necro, Yuri Pleskun, Eleonore Hendricks Genre: DramaWhat It’s About: Arielle Holme’s autobiography “Mad Love in New York City” is adapted by the directors of Daddy Long Legs with Holmes playing herself, a homeless junket who gets involved with all sorts of men who have a bad impact on her.
Sunset Edge (CAVU Pictures)
Writer/Director: Daniel Peddle Stars: William Dickerson, Andy Foltz, Liliane Gillenwater Genre: Drama, ThrillerWhat It’s About: Set in an abandoned trailer park in the South known as Sunset Edge as four teens rummage through the remains as they’re haunted by a “tormented soul with a horrific past.”
Unfreedom (Dark Frames)
Writer/Director: Raj Amit Kumar Stars: Victor Banerjee, Bhanu Uday, Bhavani Lee, Preeti Gupta, Seema Rahmani, Ankur Vikal Genre: Drama, Romance, CrimeWhat It’s About: From Bollywood comes this two-tiered story about fundamentalism and intolerance that shifts between New York where a Muslim terrorist kidnaps a scholar and New Delhi, where a young woman forced into an arranged marriage by her father even though she’s in love with another woman.
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Copyright 2015 Edward Douglas
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