Latest Movie News From Moviefone |
- J.K. Rowling Mourns Orlando Shooting Victim Who Worked at Harry Potter Ride
- Netflix's Ted Sarandos Reveals What Makes the Perfect Revival Series
- 'ALF' Actor Michu Meszaros Dies at 76
- 'Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie' to Debut in 2017 With Original Voice Actors
- 'Once Upon a Time' Teases 'Exciting' Format Change for Season 6
- Will Jon or Ramsay Die in 'Game of Thrones' Episode 9, 'Battle of the Bastards'?
- 14 Reasons Aria Montgomery Is Our Fave Pretty Little Liar
- 'Wolverine 3' Set Photos Show Jackman, Stewart, Possible Major New Character
- What's New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: June 13-19
- 'Walking Dead' Spoilers Site: AMC Says They'll Sue if Negan Victim Is Posted
- Dwayne Johnson's Maui Tries Hard to Impress in 'Moana' Teaser Trailer
- How 'Conjuring 2' and 'Now You See Me 2' Bucked the Box Office's Sequel Fatigue
- Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda's Beautiful Tony Awards Speech for Orlando
| J.K. Rowling Mourns Orlando Shooting Victim Who Worked at Harry Potter Ride Posted:  The identities of some of the 50 people who were killed in a nightclub shooting in Orlando on Sunday have been released by police, and among them is Luis Vielma, a 22-year-old who worked at the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride at the Universal Orlando theme park. "Potter" author J.K. Rowling has been paying tribute to the young man on her Twitter page, where she's been mourning Vielma and the other victims alongside friends, coworkers, and complete strangers.Rowling posted a photo of Vielma, dressed in his Universal uniform -- which looks like the official Hogwarts uniform -- and sporting a tie in Gryffindor colors. "I can't stop crying," Rowling wrote.
The author also retweeted many messages from both those who knew Vielma well, including friends and coworkers, as well as theme park goers who remembered him from their visits to Universal. One fellow Universal employee tweeted at Rowling that another coworker, named Tony, was also injured in the shooting, and is currently in the ICU. "I'm praying Tony pulls through," Rowling responded. "My thoughts are with all of you." Universal Orlando also released an official statement about Vielma's passing (which Rowling retweeted), saying, "We are deeply saddened over the loss of our Team Member. We are working to support his friends and colleagues here at Universal Orlando. Our thoughts and prayers are with Luis, his family, and all the victims of this tragedy." "[Luis] was a true friend," coworker Olga Glomba told The Orlando Sentinel. "A funny, sweet, nerdy guy without a mean side. He just wanted to make people smile." More information about the other victims of the shooting can be found through The Orlando Sentinel here. [via: J.K. Rowling, Universal Orlando, Orlando Sentinel] Photo credit: J.K. Rowling/Twitter This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Netflix's Ted Sarandos Reveals What Makes the Perfect Revival Series Posted:  Are we about to enter an era where we can check in on our old TV pals Ross and Rachel as they get their AARP cards? Where Jerry and Kramer have the same amount of hair as George? When the Bradys' bunch includes exponentially larger generational broods? Or when the latest crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise reaches the last unexplored planet at the edge of the galaxy?We live in an age of Franchise Entertainment, and while the film industry seems to be leading the charge on an endless stream of revivals, reboots, and re-imaginings, television, too, has proven susceptible to the twin power of brand-name and nostalgia. It's not just a concept or a locale we want to revisit: it's characters we've invested in, and with whom we've shared a good degree of our TV-watching lives. "The idea is if you can present the show so that the people will remember it and it's familiar to them, but it's still new and fresh for the new generation of fans," Ted Sarandos, the Chief Content Officer at Netflix, the game-changing streaming service and wildly successful TV-franchise-reviver, told me recently. "And it's not easy to do with every show and every storyline or every actor." Although famous for its technical algorithms that help the company understand and even predict the tastes of its viewers, there is no hard-and-fast formula employed when it comes to choosing old favorites to revisit -- but certain factors make compelling cases. Consider the "Full House" follow-up "Fuller House," he suggests. "I think 'Fuller House' was a really well-formed new take on the old story, and it could exist as nostalgia, but more importantly, it also has to hold up as a new piece of storytelling," says Sarandos. "So if we can get that sense that that's happening in the script, or in the writers, the passion and enthusiasm for the show with the cast, that's all that has to be there." Hinting that there are even more fan-favorite series revisits in the planning stages, Sarandos said "the thing we're really excited about upcoming is 'Gilmore Girls.' And it's a whole different way of presenting the same stories." The hotly anticipated return -- spearhead by creator Amy Sherman-Palladino, who left the original series in a conflict with its then-network over a creative issue and was denied a chance to bring to the conclusion she planned -- will feature four seasonally-themed, 90-minute episodes. "That's another one that's a multigenerational love for that show has never stopped -- in fact, it's grown," he explained. "That's kind of the magic recipe for these shows. The ones that go away, usually the cult gets smaller and more intense. But sometimes they get bigger, and 'Gilmore Girls' is one where the cult got bigger." One of the key attributes of the "Gilmore Girls" revival that attracted Netflix was that "it was going to be true to the original, which was really important. Everyone was going to participate, everyone was coming back," says Sarandos. But there was a more intangible lure as well. "The thing that I kept hearing leading up to that meeting and to that pitch was how many really amazing mother/daughter moments have happened around that show -- in life and on the show," he explained. "Women who tell the story in our own offices, in my own family, in my own life, are people who have really had special moments watching and enjoying that show with their mother, a very special part of that relationship." It's hardly surprising that television, with its in-home intimacy and its series' often lengthy relationship with viewers, has become to look so favorably -- and successfully -- on delivering new stories starring well-loved characters overseen by their creators and played by the actors who originated them. The landscape of television that's so seemingly infinite today first expanded on the power of the rerun, recycling its most beloved TV shows to fill first whole timeslots during the day and giving them new life "Gilligan's Island" and "The Brady Bunch," for example, may not have been critical darlings during their mildly amusing primetime network runs, made for enduring, engagingly kid-friendly fare in after-school syndication long after they were cancelled, and became classics to generations not yet born when they first aired. Later, in the advent of cable television, whole networks built their identities by re-airing shows of yesteryear, in the way MTV co-opted "The Monkees" for retro-hip music cachet and how Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite was built on '60s-era sitcoms, eventually spawning the broadcast shrine known as TV Land. But soon enough, viewers waned to know: what happened after that final episode? Thus, beyond indulging in viewing nostalgia with reruns, TV fans were also occasionally rewarded with revivals of their most beloved shows, first pioneered by Baby Boomer favorites. The prototypical police procedural "Dragnet" was among to pioneers: after an eight-season run that ended in 1959, it returned with new episodes featuring lead character Sgt. Joe Friday eight years later for another three seasons. "Star Trek" perfected resurrection: following its original rabidly cult-favored but ratings-challenged three seasons, it returned again and again, first as an animated series, followed by a hit movie franchise, a succession of high-rated syndicated series and then back to network, and over again to movies, sometimes with familiar names and faces, sometimes with brand-new casts of characters; now in its 50th year, a bona fide pop culture phenomenon after humbler beginning, Gene Roddenberry's sci-fi parable is a series again, helping launch a new-cutting edge streaming service. Since then, all manner of TV brands were dusted off and revisited, very often giving its faithful following a chance to catch up with favorite characters in fresh new phases of their lives -- these aren't follow-ups in title only: they're specific continuations. Over the years, everything from icons like "Leave It to Beaver" to cult idols like "WKRP in Cincinnati" to pop-culture-reference-generator "The Brady Bunch" (several times over, always in a puzzling new format) with members of the original cast -- and often the creative teams -- on board. Today, largely kicked off by Netflix's resurrection of "Arrested Development" -- another critically admired but low-rated series with a passionate fanbase that, like "Star Trek," only grew in stature and size after its network demise -- in a clever move that helped announce the streaming company as a creator of original content. Since then, Netflix has become a television powerhouse, partly due to its successes re-launching "Arrested," "Fuller House," and soon "Gilmore Girls," prompting a diverse group of networks to mimic the trend: traditional broadcaster Fox revived "The X-Files" and has "Prison Break" on deck; pay cable's Showtime has David Lynch's "Twin Peaks" forthcoming. No one's being pitched harder on series revivals than Netflix. "There's a lot of pitches," says Sarandos, who's entertained more than his share of meetings, but has resisted the easy impulse to make the subscription service a reboot specialist even as its vast library of series lends itself ideally to the model. "It's not very practical or even desirable to do many of them," he said, "But the ones that have worked well, I think it's one of those ones like 'Fuller House,' which has been such a success because 'Full House' never really dropped out of the culture. It's been on TV non-stop since it originally aired. So there are two generations of families now who grew up on that show who love it." A double-edged aspect of Sarandos's job includes taking meeting with some pretty legendary television talent with resurrection notions that he has to often say no to, which he admits breaks his heart. "It does, it does," he shrugs. "But it's always such a thrill [to meet with them]." 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| 'ALF' Actor Michu Meszaros Dies at 76 Posted:  Michu Meszaros, the actor who played the alien ALF in the 1980s NBC sitcom, has died. He was 76.The Hollywood Reporter confirmed the actor's passing with his manager, Dennis Varga, who told THR that Meszaros died at Providence Little Company of Mary Medical Center in Torrance, California after being found unresponsive at his Hawthorne, California home a few days ago. No cause of death was given. Meszaros, who was born in Budapest, Hungary, was 33 inches tall, and began his performing career in the circus at age 14. He eventually moved to the United States and joined Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus in 1973, where he caught the eye of Michael Jackson. The pair eventually formed a close friendship, and later starred together in a Pepsi commercial. The actor became a beloved television star when he appeared on "ALF," playing the titular alien -- a.k.a. Alien Life Form -- on a handful of episodes throughout the show's four-season run, wearing the furry costume for full-body "walk around" shots of the character. The rest of the time, ALF was performed by puppeteer Paul Fusco, a co-creator of the series. In addition to his television work -- which also included a role on sitcom "Dear John" -- Meszaros also appeared in several films, including "Waxwork," "Big Top Pee-Wee," "Warlock: The Armageddon," "Look Who's Talking," and "Freaked." Meszaros, who became an American citizen in 1990, is survived by Varga and Varga's wife, Irene, with whom he shared a home. [via: The Hollywood Reporter] This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie' to Debut in 2017 With Original Voice Actors Posted:  Nickelodeon's upcoming film revival of beloved animated series "Hey Arnold!" now has an official title, an official release year, and an official cast that includes 19 voice actors from the original show.The network announced in a press release on Monday that the return of the '90s series would be called "Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie," and that title means exactly what fans are hoping. According to Nickelodeon, "The Jungle Movie" "picks up from where the original series ended in 2004 and will resolve unanswered questions and plotlines--including Arnold finally getting answers about the whereabouts of his missing parents." Most of the original cast will return for the movie, though the actors behind BFFs Arnold and Gerald -- Lane Toran and Jamil Smith -- won't be voicing the protagonists this time around. Instead, they will be back as new characters in several other roles, according to the press release. Other returning original voice actors -- who will be back in their same roles -- are:
And the new actors -- including those playing Arnold and Gerald -- are:
In addition to all those familiar characters, Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2) will play a new one named Lasombra, dubbed the flick's "resident villain" and described as "an infamous river pirate operating from a secret compound in the jungles of San Lorenzo." "Hey Arnold!: The Jungle Movie" is set to hit Nickelodeon sometime in 2017. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Once Upon a Time' Teases 'Exciting' Format Change for Season 6 Posted:
That is good to hear, especially since they emphasized that Season 6 would allow them to turn "inward" on a lot of the characters we've been following for five seasons. Core OUAT fans have been loyal to the show since Season 1, but overall viewers have been dropping steadily -- from around 11 million in the first season, down to 10, then 9, 8, and an average of just over 6 million total viewers for Season 5. Anything that suggests going Old School, with more time spent with our OGs in Storybrooke, is probably the right way to go, and most of the early reactions to this format "change" have been cautiously optimistic. Are you looking forward to a full-season story, with smaller arcs, or do you worry that it might mean 22 episodes of a storyline you don't want to follow? Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Will Jon or Ramsay Die in 'Game of Thrones' Episode 9, 'Battle of the Bastards'? Posted:
Is that last line from Jon to Ramsay, challenging him to single combat? If so, it doesn't seem to work, based on the front line charges in the promo. But who will be victorious? We'd say obviously Jon and Sansa (whose previous letter was most likely to Littlefinger, asking him to send forces from the Vale), but GoT loves to give victories to Ramsay. "Battle of the Bastards" was written by showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss, and directed by Miguel Sapochnik. In its latest press release, HBO simply presented the title, and the supersized finale title "The Winds of Winter," without further comment, refusing to even offer a vague synopsis for either episode. "Battle of the Bastards" sounds like a quote Ramsay might say, maybe if/when he and Jon ride out to meet before the attack. Since there are so many players on the field for this battle, we're expecting casualties on both sides, certainly minor and possibly major. (Don't kill Tormund, please!) But you don't really think they'd kill off Jon again, do you? No one's really buying that threat, we hope. He hasn't even met Daenerys Targaryen yet.  Whatever the showrunners decide to do, in your esteemed opinion, who SHOULD have the honor of killing Ramsay?Jon? Sansa? Theon, although he's not even here? A total stranger? Melisandre with another shadow? Dany with her dragons, although they're not around yet either? Ramsay's own hungry hounds? No one? As opposed to No One/Arya Stark although, she kills everyone else, so why not him, too? (If you're really curious, you can head to Reddit to try and track down battle and finale spoilers, but it's more fun to just speculate and see.) Earlier in the season, Kit Harington teased to Entertainment Weekly, "There's one episode this season, which is Jon's story, that's the most epic episode we've done." That's gotta be this one. The Powers That Be also teased the extraordinary ambition of this battle: "It's definitely the biggest [action sequence yet]," producer Bryan Cogman told EW. "We've always wanted to get to a place – story-wise and budget-wise and time-wise and resource-wise – where we would be able to do a proper battle, with one army on one side, one army on another side."  The promo only showed the Battle of the Bastards, which hinted to maybe this being like Season 2, Episode 9's "Blackwater," which focused the entire episode on the Battle of the Blackwater. But there's talk that we might also head to Meereen this Sunday, so it may not be totally set on this battlefield.Question: If Team Stark wins, who should rule the North -- Jon or Sansa? She's the Stark, and he didn't seem that fond of ruling after being stabbed to death by his own men. Maybe she should be the Stark of Winterfell and he can focus on keeping the fight going against the White Walkers. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 14 Reasons Aria Montgomery Is Our Fave Pretty Little Liar Posted:  Aria Montgomery (Lucy Hale) is all about book learning, wearing as many feathers as possible, and making out with her former teacher ... but that's not why we love her. We love her because she is the most ***flawless lady in all of Rosewood, PA.Here are the 14 reasons she will always be our favorite on "Pretty Little Liar." (Don't tell Spencer!) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Wolverine 3' Set Photos Show Jackman, Stewart, Possible Major New Character Posted:  Is this our first look at Old Man Logan? Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart are reprising their respective roles as Logan/Wolverine and Professor Charles Xavier in "Wolverine 3," which is now filming for a 2017 release. JustJared posted more than a dozen photos taken June 9 on the New Orleans set. According to the site, the scene showed the actors rushing out of a casino and into a truck, and they were accompanied by an unidentified young actress.Here's a taste:
Check out all of the photos on the site. There were rumors that "Wolverine 3" might cover the "Old Man Logan" storyline, which is set many years in the future -- and these photos do show Professor X looking a little long in the tooth. Fox producer Simon Kinberg recently confirmed that "Wolverine 3" would be rated R and "kind of like a Western in its tone," in a bold, very different way than we're used to. Few other details have been shared about the movie so far, but some fans suspect that girl with the actors in the photo might be playing X-23 (Laura Kinney), who is the female clone of Wolverine, with her own regenerative healing and adamantium claws. It's possible the girl is someone else, and X-23 (if she's definitely involved) is played by an older actress. This final Wolverine film from Hugh Jackman is currently scheduled for release on March 3, 2017. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| What's New on TV, Netflix, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: June 13-19 Posted:  At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's new on Netflix and TV, we've got you covered.New on Netflix "Orange Is the New Black" Season 4 Go ahead and get your panties in a bunch, then give them to Piper for future sale, 'cause OITNB is locking you in for a fourth year. The Netflix original series returns this Friday, June 17, with all 13 episodes available to stream at once. Season 4 brings back old friends, adds new faces, and introduces unexpected alliances. And apparently it's better than ever? Here's the start of a review from TV Guide: "After a sophomore season that was plagued by a conflict that led nowhere (remember Vee?) and a Season 3 that was mixed at best, the fourth season of Netflix's breakout hit matches, and possibly exceeds, its initial outing in terms of quality and binge-ability." Watch and judge for yourself, when you've got tiiii-iiii-iiiiiime!" "All Hail King Julien" Season 3 King Julien is back in this DreamWorks Animation series set before the events of "Madagascar." Season 3 arrives only on Netflix June 17, and here's the official synopsis: "Everyone's favorite dancing lemur brings back the party with Mort, Maurice, and Clover in fun-filled adventures in Madagascar! King Julien sets sail on a wild ride when he is held captive by pirates, performs a booty-shaking dance recital and competes in the Jungle Games. Mort is abducted by aliens, Clover discovers 'fast food,' Julien's needy parents show up, and so much more in this Emmy Award winning original series." Check out this exclusive "Meet the Parents" clip: "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." Season 3 Watch Phil Coulson and the S.H.I.E.L.D. team when the 22 episodes of Season 3 arrive on Netflix on June 16. "Grey's Anatomy" Season 12 Meredith Grey's latest dramatic journey just ended in mid-May, but you can stream all 24 episodes of Season 12 starting June 18. New on DVD and Blu-ray "10 Cloverfield Lane"  After surviving a car accident, Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) wakes up to find herself in an underground bunker with two men (played by John Goodman and John Gallagher Jr.), and she's told a massive chemical attack has left the outside air unbreathable. Watch what happens next when this critically acclaimed thriller from producer J.J. Abrams and director Dan Trachtenberg arrives on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and On Demand on June 14. The Blu-ray includes commentary from Trachtenberg and Abrams, plus more than 30 minutes of behind-the-scenes footage."Eddie the Eagle" Taron Egerton and Hugh Jackman star in this feel-good dramedy based on the real-life story of underdog ski jumper Eddie "The Eagle" Edwards and his incredible showing at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics. The film is out on DVD and Blu-ray June 14, and special features include the documentary "Let The Games Begin: Soaring with Eddie the Eagle." Check out this exclusive clip of Taron and the hair/makeup team discussing the elaborate process it took to transform him into Eddie: "The X-Files: Event Series" Do you want to believe you can bring the "X-Files" event series home, along with tons of special features? You should, 'cause you can! Mulder and Scully's 2016 adventure aired as a six-episode Season 10, and it arrives on DVD and Blu-ray June 14. (You can also now get a re-issued "The X-Files: The Collector's Set," featuring all 10 seasons on Blu-ray.) "The X-Files: The Event Series" bonus features include deleted and extended scenes, a gag reel, commentary, a recap of the wildest monsters of the week from the original series, and a few behind-the-scenes featurettes. "London Has Fallen'" London Bridge is falling down (x3) in this action thriller starring Gerard Butler and several others from "Olympus Has Fallen." It's out on Blu-ray, DVD, and On Demand on June 14, with special features including "The Making of London Has Fallen," and "Guns, Knives & Explosives." Check out this behind-the-scenes clip: "45 Years" Charlotte Rampling was nominated for the Best Actress Oscar for this highly acclaimed drama, out on DVD/Blu-ray June 14. As her 45th wedding anniversary approaches, a woman's (Rampling) view of her marriage is altered when she learns that her husband (Tom Courtenay) was once engaged to someone else. New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital "Eye in the Sky"  Here's another critical darling you should check out, starring Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Jeremy Northam, and the late great Alan Rickman in his final on-screen performance. The ethical dilemmas of modern warfare are examined from all sides in this taut thriller out on Digital HD June 14, and on disc/demand June 28. Extras include "Perspective" and "Morals" featurettes with Mirren, director Gavin Hood, and producer Colin Firth."Get a Job" An all-star cast made this comedy about four years ago, and it only just surfaced this past year, arriving on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD June 14. Watch Miles Teller, Anna Kendrick, Bryan Cranson, Marcia Gay Harden, Brandon T. Jackson, Nicholas Braun, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in this story about college graduates navigating a tough economy. Extras include in-character video resume outtakes, and the featurette "Where it All Began: the Cast of Get a Job." Check out this exclusive behind-the-scenes clip with Bryan Cranston and Miles Teller talking about Cranston's role as Teller's father: "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" (Crackle) Jerry Seinfeld's Emmy-nominated original series is back for its eighth season, with a new episode arriving every Thursday morning starting June 16 on Sony's free streaming network, Crackle. Guests set to appear this season include Margaret Cho, Lorne Michaels, Jim Gaffigan, John Oliver, JB Smoove, and Judd Apatow. TV Worth Watching "Wrecked" (Tuesday on TBS at 10 p.m.)  Yep, this is supposed to remind you of "Lost." Co-creators Justin and Jordan Shipley said the iconic series was the "touchstone" for "Wrecked," a comedy offering a new perspective on the whole plane-crashes-on-an-island thing. "On 'Lost,' there were, like, 40 people who survived on the island, but you really only followed the 10 most attractive and most equipped [to get by]," Justin told TVLine, "But what about the other 30? Most flights are filled with people who have no [survival] skills whatsoever — how do they grapple with this larger-than-life scenario? And then we unpacked it from there." Plus, in this version, there is no Smoke Monster and no Others. The first episode airs June 14 with the cheeky title "All Is Not Lost." Here's the synopsis: "A British ex-special forces agent leads a rescue mission after a commercial flight crashes on an uninhabited island; the survivors make a discovery that could change everything.""Aquarius" (Thursday on NBC at 9 p.m.) If you want more David Duchovny after getting the "X-Files" event series on disc, check him out as a 1960s L.A. officer investigating cult leader Charles Manson. Season 2 starts June 16 with a two-hour (commercial free) premiere combining three episodes: "I'm So Tired," "Happiness Is a Warm Gun," and Why Don't We Do It in the Road." Here's the general synopsis: Hodiak tackles a new case involving missing young women. Also: Charmaine takes on a risky undercover operation; and Manson and his growing family move into the home of their new benefactor." Check out the promo: "Animal Kingdom" (Tuesday on TNT at 9 p.m.) TNT's new drama, based on the Australian film of the same name, follows a 17-year-old boy who moves in with his wild relatives in a surf community after the death of his mother. Ellen Barkin plays the lead role of Janine "Smurf" Cody, the character Jacki Weaver played her way to a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination in the 2010 movie. Here's the pilot synopsis: "An upcoming heist is planned and Joshua 'J' Cody (Finn Cole) discovers the intense nature of his estranged grandmother." "Another Period" (Wednesday on Comedy Central at 10 p.m.) "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" meets "Downton Abbey" in this hilarious (and shameless) comedy starring Natasha Leggero and Riki Lindhome, with backup from Michael Ian Black, Jason Ritter, Christina Hendricks, Paget Brewster, David Wain, and more. The Season 2 premiere, airing June 15, is called "Tubman" with this Comedy Central synopsis: "Lillian and Beatrice meet Harriet Tubman, who gives them advice on how to become famous; Peepers hires a new servant; Chair gives birth to baby Kermit." Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 'Walking Dead' Spoilers Site: AMC Says They'll Sue if Negan Victim Is Posted Posted:
There's no official premiere date yet for TWD Season 7; that October date is usually confirmed (along with the first major trailer) at San Diego Comic-Con, which is being held this year from July 21-24. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Dwayne Johnson's Maui Tries Hard to Impress in 'Moana' Teaser Trailer Posted:
"Moana," directed by Ron Clements and John Musker ("The Little Mermaid" "Aladdin," "The Princess & the Frog") will be released into U.S. theaters on November 23, 2016. Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| How 'Conjuring 2' and 'Now You See Me 2' Bucked the Box Office's Sequel Fatigue Posted:  2016 has been a disappointing year for sequels at the box office, from "Zoolander 2" to last week's "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows." With two more of them out this weekend -- "The Conjuring 2" and "Now You See Me 2" -- there was a lot of talk that both movies would tank as well, that sequel-itis had set in for good.Yet "Conjuring 2" outperformed expectations, topping the chart with an estimated $40.4 million, just a hair shy of the $41.8 million debut of the original "Conjuring" three years ago. And "Now You See Me 2," for which predictions ran as low as $16 million, opened with an estimated $23.0 million. That's below the $29.3 million debut that made the first "Now You See Me" a surprise hit three years ago, but it's still at the high end of expectations. It's also just $1.4 million below the premiere of "Warcraft," the highly anticipated online game adaptation, which debuted in second place with an estimated $24.4 million. Why are there so many sequels this year -- 17 in wide release so far? Why are most of them failing? And why are a few, like this weekend's newbies, bucking the trend? The usual reason cited for the abundance of sequels is Hollywood's aversion to risk. Properties that already have name recognition in the marketplace and at least some proven fan base seem less risky than original scripts. Indeed, of this weekend's top 13 movies, seven are sequels, four are adaptations of previously existing titles, and only the two at the bottom of the list ("The Nice Guys" and "Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping") are original screenplays. Nonetheless, even sequels have to start with an original idea somewhere. It's worth remembering that "Now You See Me" was an original screenplay, and so was "Neighbors" which spawned the current No. 11 film, "Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising." Someone at the studios took a chance on both of these ideas a couple years ago, and the gamble paid off, not just by launching a hit, but by launching a franchise. And that's the business the studios are in now: not the sequel business, but the franchise business. Even before this weekend's results were in, it was clear that there were likely to be a third "Conjuring" and "Now You See Me" in the pipeline. Not every franchise can be "Star Wars" or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but no title will rest until the studio behind it has milked every last drop of spinoff possibility out of it. Conversely, this is a reason why Hollywood doesn't make more movies like romance "Me Without You" (in sixth place this week). Doesn't matter that the film cost just $20 million to make but has grossed $36.8 million here and another $18.4 million abroad. There's no sequel possibility for this or most other movies that center on romance (notable exceptions: "Twilight" and "Bridget Jones's Diary," whose long-awaited third installment is due this fall). It's not because of Hollywood sexism (or at least, not just because...). After all, horror movies lend themselves well to franchises, and they tend to appeal primarily to women. "Conjuring 2" star Patrick Wilson has earned a following by starring in two horror series ("Insidious" is the other). Of course, it helps if the sequels are actually good. Most of this year's flop sequels got terrible reviews and weak word-of-mouth. "Conjuring 2" actually got pretty good reviews for a horror movie and earned an A- grade at Cinemascore, indicating very strong word-of-mouth. Critics. We're much harsher on "Now You See Me 2," but audiences gave it an A- as well. It also helps if the sequels are cheap to make. "Conjuring 2" cost a reported $40 million, which is a lot for a horror movie (the first "Conjuring" cost half that) but a relative bargain by summer blockbuster standards. Given its $40.4 million domestic debut, plus the $50.0 million the movie has already made abroad, it's more than justified its cost. Similarly, "Now You See Me 2" cost a reported $90 million, still low for a summer popcorn movie. Even so, with only $45.8 million earned worldwide so far, the magician caper sequel is looking like a much bigger gamble than the paranormal investigator sequel. It's where the sequels' budgets climb into the nine figures that the math starts to become questionable, as this column noted regarding the new $135 million "Turtles" movie last week and the $170 million "Alice Through the Looking Glass" two weekends ago. These days, with marketing and distribution costing as much as production, and with theaters taking about half the grosses, a movie's worldwide earnings have to be about four times its budget to break even. So any movie that costs $125 million to produce has to gross more than half a billion to be profitable. That's a tall order for most sequels. But then, that's where the final piece of the puzzle comes in, which is the overseas market. Lately, studios have been far too reliant on foreign grosses to make up for weak domestic sales. Nonetheless, audiences abroad tend to be more forgiving of sequels, more eager to see movies in 3D, and more tolerant of movies that rely more on spectacle than dialogue or character development. Take the new "Warcraft," for example. (Not a sequel, of course, but still an adaptation of a familiar property with a built-in worldwide fanbase.) It cost a reported $160 million to make and earned less than $25 million here. But it earned $156 million in its China debut this week, beating the record set there last summer by "Furious 7." Already, the fantasy game adaptation has grossed $286.1 million around the world, with 92 percent of its sales coming from outside North America. At this rate, the movie should ultimately turn a profit, even at a global break-even point of $640 million, and ensure that Universal's plans for a "Warcraft" franchise move ahead, no matter how little American audiences or critics cared for the initial installment. It's at this point where the studios' sequel math begins to make sense. They're going to keep turning movies (and books, and video games) into franchises, no matter how few of them please reviewers or audiences here. Because they're not making them for us. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Watch Lin-Manuel Miranda's Beautiful Tony Awards Speech for Orlando Posted:  "...love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside..."The 2016 Tony Awards were presented on the same night as the tragedy in Orlando, the worst mass shooting in U.S. history. In his monologue, host James Corden addressed the shooting, which killed 50 people and wounded 53 others in a gay nightclub. "Our hearts go out to all of those affected by this atrocity. ... You're not on your own. Your tragedy is our tragedy. Hate will never win. We have to make sure of that. Tonight's show stands as a symbol of that principle." The awards show ended up earning the highest ratings in 15 years, with "Hamilton" taking home 11 wins from its historic 16 nominations. When he won for Best Original Score, "Hamilton" creator and star Lin-Manuel Miranda said he wasn't going to freestyle, he wrote a "sonnet" instead. He got emotional as he read it to the audience: "My wife's the reason anything gets done. She nudges me towards promise by degrees. She is a perfect symphony of one. Our son is her most beautiful reprise. We chase the melodies that seem to find us until they're finished songs and start to play. When senseless acts of tragedy remind us that nothing here is promised -- not one day. This show is proof that history remembers. We live through times when heat and fear seem stronger. We rise and fall and light from dying embers, remembrances that hope and love lasts longer. And love is love is love is love is love is love is love is love cannot be killed or swept aside. I sing Vanessa's symphony. Eliza tells her story. Now fill the world with music, love and pride." Backstage, Entertainment Weekly reported, Miranda explained why he went with that sonnet speech: "I hadn't written anything going into today. I hadn't heard about the day's events until after our Tony rehearsal. I'd always had this time between rehearsal and tonight to think about what I'd say if I was lucky enough to be called up, and it sort of informed all of it." He also added this beautiful note: "We live in this world where beautiful and horrible things exist at the same time and often on the same day. ... Theater doesn't exist without the LGBTQ community. It's the cornerstone of our industry." Want more stuff like this? Like us on Facebook. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
Instead of crushing hearts, 
Gods be good, HBO should send ravens to each individual 
Look at the flowers, spoilers?
What's a demigod gotta do to impress the tough crowd of a young girl and her pig pal? How about magically transform into a pueo? That was pretty cool!| 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 |
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