Latest Movie News From Moviefone |
- Vin Diesel Reveals 'Fast & Furious 8' New Title, NYC Setting
- What's New on TV, Netflix Streaming, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: January 18-24
- Linda Perry Says Lady Gaga Didn't Write Oscar-Nominated Song
- 'Deadpool' Banned From China Release Over Graphic Violence, Nudity
- Spike Lee Announces Boycott of 'Lily White' 2016 Oscars
- Netflix Reveals 2016 Premiere Dates, Renewals, Casting News, Spinoff Rumors
- 11 Times Hayley Atwell Was the Goofball of Our Dreams
- Kevin Hart's Snowball Kicks Bunny Butt in New 'The Secret Life of Pets' Trailer
- 12 Reasons Stephanie Tanner Is the Most Underrated Part of 'Full House'
- 'Captain America: Civil War' Is a 'Psychological Thriller' But Funny and... Romantic?
- 'High School Musical' Cast Reunion: See 10-Year Anniversary Photos
- Yes, This Is How Will Forte Looks Now! Here's a Hint to Why
- Adam Driver's 'Star Wars Undercover Boss' Is an Instant SNL Classic
- 'From Dusk Till Dawn': 10 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Clooney's Cult Hit
- What Happened to '13 Hours' at the Box Office?
| Vin Diesel Reveals 'Fast & Furious 8' New Title, NYC Setting Posted:
That line coincides with the flick's position as the start of a new "Fast" trilogy, one that will purportedly bring the entire series to an end after 10 total films. It's also fitting as "Fast 8" will also be the first film in the franchise made entirely without original star Paul Walker, who died in a car crash during a break in the filming of "Furious 7," and whose role in that movie had to be completed through a combination of stand-ins (including his lookalike brothers) and CGI magic. "Fast 8" is currently slated to open on April 14, 2017. (The new poster lists the release date simply as April 2017; it's unclear if the exact date has changed.) [via: Vin Diesel] Photo credit: Vin Diesel/Instagram %Slideshow-275086% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| What's New on TV, Netflix Streaming, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: January 18-24 Posted:  At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.New on DVD and Blu-ray "Straight Outta Compton"  Yeah, the Oscars snubbed it for major awards, but who cares what the "Academy" thinks? Bye, Felicia! Critics and audiences loved this bio-drama about the creation of N.W.A., and it's available on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand January 19. The Blu-ray (and Digital HD, which is already out) includes the Unrated Director's Cut, with 20 additional minutes of the film. Bonus features exclusive to Blu-ray include deleted scenes, feature commentary with director/producer F. Gary Gray, and several behind-the-scenes featurettes on the making of the film."Everest" "Everest," which documents two different expeditions challenged by one of the fiercest snowstorms encountered by man, is out on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand January 19. The film's all-star cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Keira Knightley, Jason Clarke, Josh Brolin, John Hawkes, Robin Wright, Michael Kelly, Sam Worthington, and Emily Watson. The DVD and Blu-ray are packed with bonus features, following the actors and filmmakers through the arduous production process. Check out this exclusive behind-the-scenes clip with Jake Gyllenhaal and other cast members talking about the harsh filming conditions and the importance of realism:  "Diary of a Teenage Girl"Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgard, and Kristen Wiig star in this funny, honest, coming-of-age story -- and festival favorite -- which arrives on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD January 19. Blu-ray and DVD special features include deleted scenes; the making-of featurette, "Marielles Journey: Bringing The Diary To Life"; and the L.A. Film Festival Q&A with Bel Powley, Alexander Skarsgard, and writer/director Marielle Heller. New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only "Spectre" Bond -- James Bond -- is arriving Friday, January 22 with the "Spectre" Digital release. Daniel Craig's latest 007 adventure doesn't shake or stir on Blu-ray and DVD until February 9, so this gives fans a nice head start. In "Spectre," a cryptic message from the past sends Bond on a rogue mission to Mexico City, followed by trips to Rome, London, Austria, and Morocco. (Send some postcards next time, man!) Sam Mendes's PG-13 thriller co-stars Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes, Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw, Léa Seydoux, and Monica Bellucci. "Mad Dogs" (Amazon) Amazon's new dark comedy launches January 22 on Prime Video. It's based on the U.K. series of the same name, and follows the bizarre Belize reunion of a group of 40-something old friends. Steve Zahn, Michael Imperioli, Billy Zane, Romany Malco, and Ben Chaplin star in the 10-episode series. This NSFW sneak peek should give you an idea of the tone and what might happen. Warning: Expletives ahead! "Suffragette" Not sure if you were aware, but there's a major U.S. election in 2016. It's hard to believe, but not even 100 years ago, one half of the population wasn't even allowed to vote. That changed thanks to the hard work of the women featured in stories like "Suffragette." Yeah, this story is set in the U.K., but the fight for equality kicked into high gear in several countries in the early 20th Century, not just the U.S. Meryl Streep, Helena Bonham Carter, Carey Mulligan, Romola Garai, Ben Whishaw, Anne-Marie Duff, and Natalie Press star in this inspiring drama, and it's available on Digital HD January 19 and Blu-ray/DVD on February 2. "The Knick" "The Knick: The Complete Second Season" -- from executive producer Steven Soderbergh, who directed all 10 episodes -- is out on Digital HD January 18. In Season 2, The Knick faces an upheaval: Dr. John Thackery's (Clive Owen) absence due to his hospitalization for cocaine addiction, a dearth of affluent patients, and financial missteps have led to the board's decision to shutter the hospital in favor of a new building uptown. The Digital HD includes bonus content with new, never-before-seen footage, including "The Knick Under Construction," "Inside the Costume Shop," and "Invitation to the Ball." New on Netflix "Chelsea Does" Chelsea Handler's topical four-part documentary series hits Netflix on January 23. This doc is separate from Chelsea's upcoming talk show, which is showing up later. Here's how Netflix is teasing this week's debut: "In her new documentary film series, Chelsea Handler delves into four topics that fascinate her: marriage, racism, Silicon Valley, and drugs." Based on this NSFW trailer, this should be hot button but hilarious: "Curve" Julianne Hough plays a bride-to-be who deliberately crashes her car off a deserted highway to try and escape a charming, but predatory hitchhiker. But the plan backfires, trapping her in an overturned vehicle. Teddy Sears co-stars in the 2015 horror thriller, which was produced through Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions banner. "Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!" You know what you're going to get with this one, but in case you kinda care about the plot, it's about a monster tornado that unleashes sharks from Washington D.C. down to Orlando. Ian Ziering, Tara Reid, Cassie Scerbo, Frankie Muniz, David Hasselhoff, and Bo Derek star. But the sharks and camp comedy are the real stars. TV Worth Watching "The X-Files" (Sunday on FOX at 10 p.m.)  Yaasssss. Scully and Mulder are back and we want to believe this new six-episode miniseries will be perfect. The fun starts January 24, with "X-Files" Chris Carter promising all-new stories and answers to some burning questions. David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back, along with Mitch Pileggi as Skinner, and even William B. Davis as The Smoking Man."War & Peace" (Monday on Lifetime at 9 p.m.) Maybe you've read Tolstoy's masterpiece and maybe you haven't. Either way, you can check out this four-part miniseries event, which premieres on Lifetime, A&E, and History on January 18. The all-star cast includes Paul Dano, Lily James, James Norton, Gillian Anderson (again!), and Jim Broadbent. Here's Lifetime's Episode 1 tease: "After Napoleon's invasion of Austria, Pierre Bezukhov inherits his father's fortune, leaving him at the mercy of fortune seekers, especially Helene Kuragin. Prince Andrei Bolkonsky goes off to war, leaving his pregnant wife at home while Natasha Rostova is left worrying about her brother Nikolai who has also gone off to fight in the war." "DC's Legends of Tomorrow" (Thursday on The CW at 8 p.m.) More superheroes, yay! In this new series -- starring Arthur Darvill, Victor Garber, Caity Lotz, Brandon Routh, Ciara Renée, Dominic Purcell, and Wentworth Miller -- time-traveling rogue Rip Hunter assembles a group of heroes and villains to prevent the world's destruction. Fans of "Arrow" and "The Flash" have been looking forward to this one, so check out the January 21 pilot episode and see if it was worth the hype. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-357583% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Linda Perry Says Lady Gaga Didn't Write Oscar-Nominated Song Posted:  Lady Gaga became a first-time Oscar nominee (and possible EGOT contender) last week for co-writing the song "Til It Happens to You," from the documentary "The Hunting Ground." But according to another singer-songwriter, Gaga doesn't deserve the nomination.Linda Perry, the former lead singer of '90s band 4 Non Blondes, took to Twitter early Monday morning to allege that the tune, co-written by multi-time Oscar nominee Diane Warren, was in fact wholly written by Warren, who then gave Gaga co-writing credit in an effort to get the song more attention. Perry said that she heard Warren's original demo of the tune, and it only featured one line that was different from the final, Gaga-performed product -- a difference so minor that she doubts Gaga had much to do with writing the song at all. It's unclear why Perry felt the need to publicly call out Gaga and Warren (she wrote on Twitter that she knew who was originally supposed to sing the song before it was offered to Gaga, though she didn't name any names), but one possible explanation could be sour grapes: Perry had submitted a song she wrote for the movie "Freeheld," called "Hands of Love," for Oscar consideration, and the tune did not receive a nomination. She tweeted about her disappointment last week, and thanked singer Miley Cyrus for her performance of the song. Oddly, Perry also tweeted a special shout-out to both Warren and Gaga on their nomination, even retweeting an excited post from Warren. Warren struck back at Perry's allegations on Monday with her own tweets, denying the artist's claims (though she didn't mention Perry specifically). "The song is the result of a special collaboration between myself and Lady Gaga. As Lady Gaga and I have [consistently] said," Warren wrote. Warren and Gaga gave a joint interview to The Hollywood Reporter earlier this month, explaining how the song came about. Here's how they described their songwriting process at the time: Gaga has yet to comment on Perry's claims, though her Little Monsters have already given Perry an earful on Twitter. The Oscars will be handed out on February 28 on ABC. [via: Linda Perry, Diane Warren, The Hollywood Reporter] Photo credit: Getty Images %Slideshow-321951% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Deadpool' Banned From China Release Over Graphic Violence, Nudity Posted:  The filmmakers behind "Deadpool" have prided themselves on the flick's "hard R" rating, promising to deliver a different, more graphic breed of superhero movie to fans. Now, that plan has prevented the film from debuting in China, the second-biggest movie market on the planet.According to local media reports (as translated by The Hollywood Reporter), Chinese officials have denied "Deadpool" permission to screen in the country, despite its Marvel affiliation. The country often works to assure Marvel movies release in China, since the flicks are quite popular there; unfortunately for "Deadpool," its self-boasted coarse language and graphic violence and nudity were its undoing. Here's how the decision unfolded, per THR: Though the folks at Marvel (and parent company Disney) are no doubt bummed over missing out on the lucrative Chinese market, we have a feeling that those closely involved in the "Deadpool" production are probably pretty proud of their movie being banned. The Merc With a Mouth would no doubt approve. "Deadpool," starring Ryan Reynolds as the titular antihero, is due in U.S. theaters on February 12. [via: Mtime, h/t The Hollywood Reporter] Photo credit: Joe Lederer %Slideshow-204061% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Spike Lee Announces Boycott of 'Lily White' 2016 Oscars Posted:  "Chi-Raq" director Spike Lee announced today -- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day -- that he and his wife will not be attending the 2016 Oscars, due to the lack of any non-white acting nominees for the second year in a row. Lee started his Instagram post by thanking the Academy for his own honorary Oscar, given just this past November at the Governors Awards, but said it's time to take a stand.The Academy Award nominations were announced on January 14, and immediately revived the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag commenting on the lack of diversity in the nominations. Here's Lee's full post, which also uses the hashtag:
The 88th Academy Awards will air Sunday, February 28 on ABC, hosted by Chris Rock. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-356767% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Netflix Reveals 2016 Premiere Dates, Renewals, Casting News, Spinoff Rumors Posted:  Netflix did not chill this weekend, it was busy dropping tons of info on upcoming shows -- including spring/summer 2016 series premiere dates, and updates on renewals and new series.Netflix just announced the premiere dates of these 11 series:
Get more details on each show. And check out the new OITNB teaser: • Don't forget the previously announced Netflix series coming up: "Love" premieres February 11, "Fuller House" arrives February 26, "House of Cards" Season 4 premieres March 4, and "Daredevil" Season 2 premieres March 18. • "Marvel's Jessica Jones" was renewed for Season 2. • "Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt" was picked up for a third season. • Neil Patrick Harris is reportedly in negotiations to star in Netflix's "A Series of Unfortunate Events." The Hollywood Reporter shared the news (have to assume NPH would play Count Olaf) and added that the series just lost its showrunner, Mark Hudis, and a replacement has yet to be named. • According to TVLine, Netflix is prepping to spin off Jon Bernthal's "Daredevil" badass The Punisher into his own series. The character of Frank Castle has yet to make his debut -- he'll show up when "Daredevil' Season 2 starts March 18 -- but apparently the buzz is so positive they're close to OK-ing "The Punisher" as a spinoff. No comment from the brass on that, though. • While at the TCAs, Netflix chief Ted Sarandos reacted to the supposed Netflix viewership numbers shared by NBC Universal, calling it "remarkably inaccurate data." Which Netflix shows are you most excited to see return/premiere? Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-354515% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 11 Times Hayley Atwell Was the Goofball of Our Dreams Posted: %Slideshow-357941% Hayley Atwell is best known for kicking a-- on "Marvel's Agent Carter," but behind the scenes, she is probably the funniest woman alive. She's always messing around and making us laugh, and for that we are thankful. Here's the 11 times Hayley Atwell was a total goofball. We love her.  This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Kevin Hart's Snowball Kicks Bunny Butt in New 'The Secret Life of Pets' Trailer Posted:  As any "Monty Python and the Holy Grail" fan could warn you, you don't want to mess with a rabbit. They may look cute, but just watch what happens when two guards underestimate Kevin Hart's widdle white Snowball in this new character-focused trailer for "The Secret Life of Pets.""Liberated forever! Domesticated never! Yeaaaaah!" The cat toying with the poop is the best part. The animated comedy, which hits theaters July 8, also stars the voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Steve Coogan, Ellie Kemper, Bobby Moynihan, Lake Bell, Hannibal Buress, and Albert Brooks. The story is set in a Manhattan apartment building, as a terrier named Max (Louis C.K.) sees his life as a favorite pet turned upside down, when his owner brings home a sloppy mongrel named Duke (Eric Stonestreet). But they have to put their differences aside they find out that Snowball the bunny is building an army of abandoned pets to take revenge on all happy-owned pets and their owners. The first trailer for this movie was adorable and sold us immediately. Since they singled out Snowball in this preview, maybe they'll launch others for Duke, Max, and the other pets before the summer release. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-322407% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 12 Reasons Stephanie Tanner Is the Most Underrated Part of 'Full House' Posted:  Well, pin a rose on her nose.Don't you dare overlook middle sis and dancing machine Stephanie Judith Tanner. Here are 12 reasons she makes "Full House" great. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Captain America: Civil War' Is a 'Psychological Thriller' But Funny and... Romantic? Posted:  "Captain America: Civil War" is not meant to be a romantic comedy or anything, but directors Anthony Russo and Joe Russo told Collider the movie will be "funnier than Winter Soldier," and they told Comicbook.com Cap (Chris Evans) may finally get some lovin' (but probably not with Tony or Bucky).Throw Robert Downey Jr.'s Tony Stark into anything and it instantly becomes funnier (and better) than it would be without him, but we know "Civil War" will also have the tension of Iron Man vs. Captain America, and the directors said they consider the 2016 Marvel movie to be a "psychological thriller." The Russo brothers shared updates on "Civil War" and the two-part "Avengers: Infinity War" movies after Collider's IMAX screening of "Winter Soldier." Here's a portion of their comments comparing the third "Captain America" film to the second one:
So there's a tonal balance of light and dark, with a solid chunk of comedy.  Speaking of light, for those wondering about Cap's romantic life, Comicbook.com asked the Russos about potential romantic interests in "Civil War." Here are the responses:
We'll see the results when "Civil War" comes out on May 6. Let's jump ahead to "Avengers: Infinity War." The Russos are in pre-production on those 2018 and 2019 films, and clarified some previous comments about the huge number of characters that will be in that Marvel extravaganza. Here's part of what they told Collider:
Whew. That sounds pretty exhausting, but these guys know what they're doing by now. One film at a time, though, and the promotion for "Civil War" is really just getting started. Expect to see the full "Avengers" lineup promoting the heck out of this "funnier" but still psychologically deep new movie in the next few months. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-356768% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'High School Musical' Cast Reunion: See 10-Year Anniversary Photos Posted:  Go Wildcats! Believe it or not, it has been 10 years since "High School Musical" danced its way into our lives on January 20, 2006.That became the most successful Disney Channel Original Movie, leading to both TV and film sequels; a best-selling soundtrack; multiple stage productions; a sold-out concert tour; "High School Musical: The Ice Tour"; a themed show at Disneyland Parks and Resorts in Anaheim, Orlando, and Paris; a ton of merchandise; and even a best-selling junior novel. The franchise just rolls in money. "High School Musical" stars Vanessa Anne Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Grabeel, Corbin Bleu, and Monique Coleman just reunited to celebrate the 10-year-anniversary for a special telecast of the movie airing Wednesday, January 20 (8 p.m. EST) on Disney Channel.  According to Disney, the group taped the nostalgic interstitial segments January 17 at a high school gymnasium in suburban Los Angeles. Don't worry, Zac Efron isn't blowing this off -- he will join the telecast in a pre-taped message to "High School Musical" fans. Radio Disney's Ernie D also interviewed the cast, to be seen during "Radio Disney Insider" Thursday, January 21 on Disney Channel and the Radio Disney app.  Gary Marsh, President and Chief Creative Officer, Disney Channels Worldwide, offered this statement:
Awwww. It helps that the cast is cute, too. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-321951% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Yes, This Is How Will Forte Looks Now! Here's a Hint to Why Posted:  This is the kind of look that really only works on the last man on earth. Will Forte stars in FOX's "The Last Man on Earth," but he's not actually the only survivor of that show's outbreak, and it turns out he's not the only one with this ... uh ... bold new hairstyle.Will Forte showed off his half-hairless self during the 2016 FOX Winter TCA All-Star Party, held Friday, January 15 at the Langham Hotel in Pasadena, CA.  As you can see in the photo above -- showing Forte with co-stars January Jones, Kristen Schaal, Mary Steenburgen, and Mel Rodriguez -- Mel Rodriguez has the same look. (His looks like a half-Hitler, which is extra disturbing.) So something must happen in the next eight episodes of "The Last Man on Earth" Season 2 that affects both Phil (Forte) and Todd (Rodriguez).It didn't just take the hair off of their heads, either. You can see in this photo that Forte no longer has hair on one arm, and we have to assume one leg is also hairless. (He must get so many questions, or at least stares, at the supermarket.)  Here's a bit of a hint on when we'll get the answer to what the heck did that hair damage. In December, Will Forte talked to Entertainment Weekly about the rest of Season 2:
This has to be it, since it's hard to believe anything can get dumber-looking. But props to both guys for this level of half-hair commitment! Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-349122% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Adam Driver's 'Star Wars Undercover Boss' Is an Instant SNL Classic Posted:  The Force is not always strong with "Saturday Night Live," but on January 16, host and "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" star Adam Driver brought the deadpan humor we were looking for. Arguably the strongest of Driver's sketches was the taped bit sending his "Star Wars" villain Kylo Ren undercover at Starkiller Base for an episode of "Undercover Boss."Kylo went undercover as radar technician "Matt," to gauge what rank-and-file Stormtroopers and Starkiller personnel thought of Kylo Ren. But as much as Ren changed his look -- and tried to convince everyone that Kylo Ren is "ripped" with an eight-pack -- his super-intense attitude, anger management issues, and suspicious possession of Kylo Ren's lightsaber tip off a few employees that he was, indeed, Kylo Ren. Still, Kylo came away with a new appreciation for his staff, and even secretly sent an absurdly sweet "After the rain comes the rainbow" card to one of his grieving colleagues. "Hearing that Zack lost his son really struck a nerve with me ... especially since I'm the one that killed him." The whole thing is pretty great, but Leslie Jones's muffin line is a personal favorite: Yeah, Key & Peele just did an "Undercover Boss" sketch last year, but this is a different angle, and the perfect way to get Kylo Ren on SNL without making him the center of every sketch. This wasn't the only hit of Driver's first hosting gig; check out this Golden Globes parody with Driver and Vanessa Bayer as self-absorbed winners (and parents) who leave their kids home alone to attend after-parties ... and have some fun with the "huge" Liev Schreiber, whose cameo was one of the night's highlights: Do you think Adam Driver should return to host SNL again? Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. %Slideshow-356768% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'From Dusk Till Dawn': 10 Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About Clooney's Cult Hit Posted:  "From Dusk Till Dawn" looked like a box office misfire for hot young filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez when it was released 20 years ago this week (on January 19, 1996). But like the strip-club vampires who ambush the fugitive Gecko brothers, "Dawn" has proven surprisingly resistant to death.Despite its modest ticket sales, the bloody film became a cult hit that spawned a theatrically-released making-of documentary ("Full Tilt Boogie"), two straight-to-video sequels, and a horror series on Rodriguez's El Rey cable channel that will soon begin its third season. More important, it gave George Clooney his first big break in movies after his TV success on "ER." It also marked the first full-length collaboration between Tarantino and Rodriguez, and gave Salma Hayek the most iconic scene of her career, as a snake-wielding table dancer/queen of the vampires. In honor of the film turning 20 years old this week, here are 10 things you need to know about this entertaining vampire flick.  1. "Dusk" was actually Tarantino's first paid screenwriting gig. It was commissioned in 1990 by makeup artist Roberto Kurtzman as a calling-card project that would show off his monster-movie makeup skills. For his effort, Tarantino received $1500 -- and Kurtzman's invaluable assistance, when Tarantino made his directing debut the following year with "Reservoir Dogs," in the notorious ear-slicing scene.2. The Gecko brothers' reptilian name should have been a tip-off that Clooney's Seth and Tarantino's Richie would be fighting vampires. After all, they're named after the bloodsucker-battling Frog brothers (Corey Feldman and Jamison Newlander) in "The Lost Boys."  3. Earl McGraw, the Texas ranger played by Michael Parks (above), may not live long in "Dusk," but Tarantino and Rodriguez brought him back in "Kill Bill, Vol. 1" and "Death Proof."4. Scott Fuller's (Ernest Liu) "Precinct 13" T-shirt is an homage to horror director John Carpenter, a Rodriguez idol, whose early film "Assault on Precinct 13" is also the story of a siege. 5. Rodriguez shot many of the interior scenes in an abandoned Lawry spice factory in Los Angeles.  6. In an early draft of Tarantino's script, the vampire queen's name was Blonde Death. But when Hayek landed the part, the screenwriter renamed the character Santanico Pandemonium, after "Satanico Pandemonium," a 1975 Mexican horror film he remembered seeing on the shelves during his video-store clerk days.7. Producers initially didn't want Hayek for "Dusk," according to co-star and Rodriguez mainstay Danny Trejo; her breakthrough role in Rodriguez's "Desperado" didn't hit screens until just after "Dusk" wrapped shooting. In fact, Hayek didn't want the part either because she had a phobia about snakes. But when Rodriguez told her he was considering giving Madonna the role of the boa-wearing dancer, Hayek went to a therapist for two months to overcome her fear.  8. Rodriguez came up with an ingenious way of keeping the ratings board from branding the ultraviolent film with an NC-17 rating: He made the vampires' blood green. Apparently, buckets of gore are okay as long as they're not red.9. The film reportedly cost between $15 and $20 million to make. It earned back just $25.8 million in American theaters.  10. Clooney won the MTV Movie Award that year for Best Breakthrough Performance. Tarantino, however, was nominated for a Razzie for Worst Supporting Actor. He lost to Marlon Brando, for his flamboyant turn in "The Island of Dr. Moreau." This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| What Happened to '13 Hours' at the Box Office? Posted:  Michael Bay, emperor of the action blockbuster, king of the fireball, may demand that everything in his life be awesome. So why were the opening weekend grosses of "13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi" anything but awesome?Here was Bay's biggest stab at seriousness since "Pearl Harbor" 15 years ago: a based-in-fact war drama about recent events, staged with the kind of movie mayhem that no one does better (or at least bigger and louder), with the bonus of being tied to a hot-button issue that has much of red-state America up in arms. Plus, it follows on the heels of other patriotic, pro-military hits released during January, like "Lone Survivor" and "American Sniper." Yet, it came in fourth with an estimated $16.0 million, ranked behind "Ride Along 2." "13 Hours" came in behind modest projections of $18 to $20 million. It's the lowest opening for the "Transformers" franchise director since his sci-fi flop "The Island" 11 years ago (which debuted with $12.4 million) and a big come-down for a filmmaker accustomed to premieres of $70 million or more. What went wrong? Here are 8 reasons why "13 Hours" struck out at the box office. 1. Less-Than-Great Marketing Paramount, Bay, and the film's cast have been promoting "13 Hours" with two opposing messages. To the mainstream media and the mass audience of moviegoers, the message was: Forget the controversy surrounding Benghazi. This film is just an apolitical salute to the heroism of the American military-trained mercenaries who fought and died there. But to audiences of conservative media outlets, the message was: Here's a true story that will once again cast a negative light on the Obama administration and on then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's State department for their security failures in Benghazi that left four Americans dead. So, which is it? Paramount seemed to think that kind of ambiguity worked for last year's smash "American Sniper" and apparently tried to emulate it. The studio even held the premiere in the stadium where the Dallas Cowboys play -- which was also the site of "Sniper" subject Chris Kyle's funeral. But "Sniper" had a lot going for it that "13 Hours" doesn't, as you'll see below. One asset was that the controversy actually made people more interested in seeing it, rather than confusing them, as the "13 Hours" campaign seems to have done.  2. Michael BayAnother thing "Sniper" had in its favor was Clint Eastwood, a director known for his thoughtful and nuanced filmmaking. There's nothing thoughtful or nuanced about Bay or his directing. Some moviegoers love his bombast; some think he's Uwe Boll with more money to spend on explosions. But no one thinks of him as a master of subtlety or documentary-style realism. Even the film's producer, according to an interview with Rolling Stone, thought Bay lacked the tone necessary to deliver what the subject matter deserved. The lesson here is: If you want serious war drama success, get someone else. If you want racist alien robots or exploding everything, get Bay. 3. Weak Reviews Critics have never liked Bay's style, but since he presented the real-life siege at Benghazi with the same sonic and visual flourishes he uses in films about marauding giant robots from space, "13 Hours" wasn't going to change critics' minds about him. (See Rotten Tomatoes' 59 percent rating.) The moviegoers who ignored the reviews seem to have really enjoyed the film, giving the film an A grade at CinemaScore and providing strong word-of-mouth recommendations. But to reach viewers who weren't Bay fans or already inclined to see it, "13 Hours" needed more positive reviews than it earned.  4. Lack of Star PowerThe star of a Michael Bay film is usually Michael Bay (or Optimus Prime), but he's had a lot of help over the years from an impressive list of A-Listers. But "13 Hours" stars... John Krasinski. Nothing against the "Office" alumnus, who buffed up admirably to star in the movie, but he's not the first guy (or 51st) you'd think of to play the lead in a combat film, and he's never played the male lead in a movie that opened higher than $14 million or grossed more than $43 million over its theatrical run in North America. 5. "Star Wars" Even a month into the run of "The Force Awakens," there's really no shame in failing to beat the highest-grossing movie in American history. "Star Wars" continues to smash records at the box office and remains, well, a force of nature.  6. Tough CompetitionBut it wasn't just "Star Wars." "Ride Along 2" earned $10,721 per screen and "The Revenant" earned $8,289 per screen, and both were playing in at least 800 more theaters than "13 Hours" (which earned $6,697 per screen). In fact, "Revenant" added IMAX screens to its theater count this weekend, raking in the enhanced-format surcharges. It also benefited from Oscar noms this week, attracting crowds curious to see what all the buzz was about. Having huge box office draw DiCaprio headlining doesn't hurt, either. 7. Bay's Bloated Running Time Bay hasn't made a movie under two hours in decades. At 144 minutes, "13 Hours" may have lost sales by screening fewer times per day than a shorter movie would. Then again, a running time of more than two hours hasn't hurt "Star Wars" or "Revenant." Which only shows that ticket buyers won't be put off by a movie's length if they're already inclined to see it.  8. Benghazi FatigueBottom line: Maybe audiences just weren't very interested in revisiting the subject matter. Maybe they were back when Paramount greenlit the movie, but, in recent months, we've seen Benghazi hashed over by eight Congressional investigations, and we've seen Hillary Clinton withstand an 11-hour grilling over the event. At this stage, when liberals consider Benghazi a settled issue and conservatives consider it yet another Obama scandal for which no one will ever be held accountable, many Americans may no longer be interested. Certainly no one is likely to change their minds, or learn anything that doesn't confirm their pre-existing opinions, from watching a Michael Bay movie. %Slideshow-355901% This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
New details have emerged about the upcoming eighth installment of the "Fast & Furious" franchise, including its official name, and confirmation of one of the flick's main settings.| You are subscribed to email updates from Moviefone News RSS Feed - Moviefone.com. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment