tagged w/ Sony Pictures
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David Wild, a contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, helped write last weekend's Grammy telecast as he has for the past 12 years. He joins us to discuss how the show was put together, working with host LL Cool J and why performing on the Grammys has become so important to a musician's career. Wild even reveals John Mayer’s secret life as a joke writer.David Wild, a contributing editor for Rolling Stone magazine, helped write last... more
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Once again Hollywood raked in record earnings at the North American box office in 2012, though this time it wasn’t because of increased ticket prices. Both revenue and attendance were up nearly 6% during the year as 1.36 billion tickets were sold to set a new annual box office record of $10.8 billion. The new year is looking up as well since nine films pegged as Oscar contenders are all still raking in big grosses.Once again Hollywood raked in record earnings at the North American box office in... more
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On October 5th- the co-founder of Apple –Steve Jobs- expired from the earth. Many tributes and make shift memorials were dedicated in his honor. The legacy of Steve Jobs touches us all in some small way; whether we are aware of it or not. In the many dedications that were bestowed on Mr. Jobs in the last week- no one thought to ask, what were his last words?On October 5th- the co-founder of Apple –Steve Jobs- expired from the earth.... more
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Los Angeles Times...
Laura Ziskin, 'Spider-Man' producer, dies at 61
Ziskin blazed a trail for women in Hollywood and overcame obstacles to get the 'Spider-Man' films made. In doing so, she paved the way for the superhero fare now standard during the summer filmgoing season.
Laura Ziskin was the primary creative force behind the "Spider-Man" films and shepherded the second and third movies in the franchise while undergoing treatment for cancer. With Katie Couric and studio executive Sherry Lansing, she founded a nonprofit that has raised more than $200 million for cancer research. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times / February 7, 2007)
By Steven Zeitchik and Nicole Sperling, Los Angeles Times
June 14, 2011
When disagreements between some of Hollywood's most powerful people began to roil plans for a fourth "Spider-Man" movie several years ago, some in the entertainment industry were advising filmmakers to walk away.
But Laura Ziskin, the franchise's producer and primary creative force, decided to push forward. Even though it soon became clear the movie would have to be made without its star (Tobey Maguire) and director (Sam Raimi) — losses that would generally be considered deal-breakers — Ziskin took the then-unconventional route of starting over with a new director and actor. The result, "The Amazing Spider-Man," is set to be one of the major releases of 2012.
"She loved a challenge and she had a direct style," Lauren Shuler Donner, a longtime friend and fellow top Hollywood producer, told The Times on Monday. "She would just deal with the issues in a solution-oriented manner."
Or as Gale Anne Hurd, another A-list producer, said of Ziskin, "She was indomitable."
Ziskin, 61, died Sunday at her home in Santa Monica after a seven-year battle with breast cancer, according to a spokesman at Sony Pictures, where she had a producing deal. In interviews with friends and associates, a picture emerges of a woman who faced illness with the same no-nonsense zeal with which she made movies.
After receiving a diagnosis of Stage 3 cancer in 2004, Ziskin worked through the chemotherapy. Shuler Donner, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer four years earlier, told her friend that coming to the office or to a movie set was the best way to fight the disease's psychological effects. Although she was receiving treatments that ravaged her body, Ziskin shepherded two of the most significant pictures of her career, the second and third "Spider-Man" movies, under the shadow of the disease.
She also saw another solution to cancer's problem: using her Hollywood access to raise money. Soon after her diagnosis, Ziskin teamed up with news anchor Katie Couric and studio executive Sherry Lansing to found the nonprofit organization Stand Up to Cancer. The group has since held two televised events and generated more than $200 million for cancer research.
Born March 3, 1950, in the San Fernando Valley, Ziskin graduated from USC's School of Cinematic Arts in 1973. She started out writing game shows and working as a secretary at Playboy Films. Before long, she landed as an assistant to Jon Peters, who was producing films such as the Barbra Streisand remake of "A Star Is Born." Ziskin's first producing gig came when she started a company with actress Sally Field; in 1985 the pair made the dramatic comedy "Murphy's Romance."
In the quarter-century that followed, Ziskin made or oversaw a wide range of films, including the 1987 Cold War thriller "No Way Out," the 1991 offbeat Bill Murray comedy "What About Bob?," the 1990 Richard Gere-Julia Roberts romantic comedy "Pretty Woman" and 1997's James L. Brooks' Oscar-contending dramedy "As Good as It Gets." That last film — along with dramatic pieces such as "Fight Club" and "The Thin Red Line" — were movies she oversaw during a stint as a studio executive. Ziskin fought to get money for those films despite fierce resistance from corporate overseers who saw them as too risky.
Another producer and friend, Susan Landau, recalled the epic battles. "She always used to say that 'Every producer should get an Academy Award just for getting her movie made,' " Landau said Monday. "She read something, she grabbed it, and she forced it into existence."
But Ziskin is best known for producing the "Spider-Man" franchise. When she set out to make the first movie a decade ago, many in the industry doubted the broad appeal of comic-book adaptations, especially one with a female producer and a relative unknown actor in Maguire. Ziskin not only cast the young performer, she took the unusual step of bringing on her life partner, Alvin Sargent, an Oscar-winning screenwriter, to write the script. (Sargent, whom she married last year, survives Ziskin, as does a daughter from her first marriage, Julia Barry, who works at her production company.)
Ziskin was vindicated in the summer of 2002, when "Spider-Man" grossed more than $800 million around the world. The film paved the way for the superhero fare now standard during the summer filmgoing season. In a statement, Sony Pictures Entertainment Co-President Amy Pascal called Ziskin an "inspiring warrior."
More than any box-office achievement, Ziskin was instrumental in breaking a glass ceiling. "When you look around those [big summer] movies, there are not a lot of women on them, unless they happen to be married to the director," said "Austin Powers" producer Jennifer Todd, part of the next generation of women producers for whom Ziskin blazed a trail. "She said a lot for what women can be capable of. We don't just have to produce female-oriented material."
Ziskin also produced two Oscar telecasts, in 2002 and 2007. Her first effort was notable for landing Woody Allen, famously averse to awards-show hoopla.
At the Producers Guild Awards in January, Ziskin's voice was weak when she received the group's "visionary" award. "In my world, the hero always defeats the villain, the boy always gets the girl, and cancer is no more," she said.
Perhaps her most lasting legacy will be her admission to the inner circle of A-list producers, for decades considered an all-boys club. In Mollie Gregory's 2002 book about females and Hollywood, "Women Who Run the Show," Ziskin surveyed her new world.
"Men have built the cities, made and defined the culture, interpreted the world. At no time in recorded history have women been culture-makers," she said. "Movies are arguably the most influential, important medium in the world. They have a tremendous cultural impact. Because women are now making movies, then women's ideas, philosophy, point of view will seep into that culture. And that's never happened in history. Ever, ever, ever. We can't even see the impact of that yet."Los Angeles Times...
Laura Ziskin, 'Spider-Man' producer, dies at 61... more
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James Bond 23 almost didn't make it to the big screen, but now Sony Pictures will make sure it gets out November 2012.James Bond 23 almost didn't make it to the big screen, but now Sony Pictures will... more
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Veteran Studio Acquisitions Executive Ellen Pittleman analyzes the strategic implications of Netflix's original online video content move.Veteran Studio Acquisitions Executive Ellen Pittleman analyzes the strategic... more
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Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd, and Jack Nicholson star in How Do You Know, the new comedy written and directed by James L. Brooks that takes a contemporary and romantic look at the question, “How do you know?” Lisa (Witherspoon) is a woman whose athletic ability is the defining passion of her life, having been her focus since early childhood.
http://diversitynewspublications.com/2010/12/how-do-you-know-movie-trailer-reese-witherspoon-star-ceremony/Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson, Paul Rudd, and Jack Nicholson star in How Do You Know,... more
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Sony Pictures has announced that Rhys Ifans (which his CV consist of 20+ films including 'Mr. Nice' and 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows') has been confirmed that he will be in the Spider-Man reboot.
However, the guess work on who he'll portray begins as the filmmakers have kept the villian plans under wraps. Director Marc Webb said “What sets the Spider-Man villains apart is the complexity of their relationships with Peter Parker. Rhys' incredible ability to embody both warmth and rage makes him the ideal choice for this character."
UPDATE (October 14th) - It's revealed from 'TheWrap' that he will play "The Lizard"
Source: http://www.deadline.com/2010/10/breaking-rhys-ifans-to-be-spidey-villain/
Updated source: http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/exclusive-sony-new-spider-man-villain-lizard-21693Sony Pictures has announced that Rhys Ifans (which his CV consist of 20+ films... more
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Never Can Say Good-bye is a paranormal romance reminiscent of the Reincarnation of Peter Proud and Fatal Attraction. Elizabeth arrives in Coyote Springs to help a friend. Instead she learns that love and hate survive death.
To read an excerpt go to http://www.theresachaze.comNever Can Say Good-bye is a paranormal romance reminiscent of the Reincarnation of... more
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Thirty years after graduating from high school, five former basketball teammates gather at the lake house where they celebrated their biggest victory to mourn the passing of their late coach. Over the course of the Fourth of July weekend, the five friends realize that just because they’ve all grown up and started families doesn’t mean that they’ve lost that old spark. http://www.moviesreviews2010.com/grown-ups-2010-review/Thirty years after graduating from high school, five former basketball teammates... more
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Kenny Chesney, the biggest ticket-seller of this century in any musical genre, has wrapped his latest concert tour, the Sun City Carnival. This coming spring, Sony Pictures Releasing’s special programming division, The Hot Ticket, will take audiences for another ride.
http://www.moviesreviews2010.com/kenny-chesney-summer-in-3d/Kenny Chesney, the biggest ticket-seller of this century in any musical genre, has... more
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According to reports, Crank creators Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor are in early talks with Sony Pictures on writing up the sequel to Ghost Rider.
It is reported that the details will be under wraps and if any characters returning will be unknown. Nicolas Cage is also in talks in the sequel. Sony Pictures is hoping that it'll start production in the Autumn.
Source: http://uk.movies.ign.com/articles/109/1098331p1.htmlAccording to reports, Crank creators Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor are in early... more
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There's no easy way to say this, friend. If you were just coming around on the mysterious cinematic achievement that was Spider-Man 3 due to it being replayed at all hours on FX, I'm afraid it has been for naught. Sam Raimi and the cast have been jettisoned by Sony Pictures faster than you could say BONG.
So we're getting a franchise reboot for a franchise that's barely nine years old. To wit, Batman had to wait 16 years. Join us as we gaze upon the sinister six types of remakes that Spider-Man could find for itself.
6) Supaidāman!
When Stan Lee was willing to market out his licenses--including ones like Spider-Man, which he only had a partial credit for--he went to extremes to make a buck. So it wouldn't surprise anyone that Lee allowed Toei to purchase two Marvel properties to be remade in Japan. Their version of Spider-Man involved giant robots, alien spiders and monsters of the week. While it's almost impossible to think Sony would pony up the money for the return of Leopardon, it's a perfect idea for any "anime-inspired" omnibus films that Warner Brothers loves to vomit into the mouths of needy fanboys.
As for the second property Toei got? Captain America. That was turned into another Sentai show, but remains important for another reason: it inspired the future formation of other Sentai shows, notably how the Power Rangers would show themselves every season.
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5) "Ultimate" Spider-Man
Marvel launched its' Ultimates line in order to accomplish two things: have modern takes on characters who, by the 2000s, had grown stale and were hemorrhaging popularity in lieu of DC Comics. The Ultimate line would provide the safety of an alternate universe that could be moderized (Peter Parker is a webmaster for the Daily Bugle) while being hip and relevant (i.e. characters die, are teenagers, the Hulk likes to be naked and attacks Freddie Prinze Jr. No, Really.)
So what would this do? Well, you could easily get away with Peter Parker being played by a younger actor. Especially one who looks young and could act. You could easily introduce other characters, as in The Ultimates, and you could...do what Sam Raimi did with the first two films.
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4)From Our Facebook Group
Peter or Mary or both are teenage immortal vampires... but they never knew, just asked themselves why they didn't need to use any make up or cream for wrinkles. they awake to consciousness because of an alien invasion, wich by the way is happening because Predators went distracted watching to much crap on tv and let they new pets escape. Since Predators have become lazy, instead of chasing them themselves, they recycle old mythical robots that happen to lay dormant on ther planet by centuries for no evident reason. Then (back on Earth) comes a comet or something that smashes the moon or crushes on a mountain, and there's to much dust in the air that spider's web isn't sticky anymore and Peter goes into depression because he feels useless. Mary tries to warm him up by showing him brand new silicon breasts, witch by the way happen to appear into five or six other scenes without any logical reason. Then comes Megan Fox (played by Megan Fox) and bytes her neck with intense pleasure. mary goes into a coma. peter shaken by sorrow awakens from dark becoming much more darker, finds a way to merge with one giant spider-robot, starts to kick the bad guy in the ass (we don't know who he/it is, he just comes out of Megan's belly and grows up rapidly). While doing this, he smashes down the entire town and since the movie in in 3D a lot of schrapnels come towards you until you're totally covered in dust and dirt. victory. than kisses mary. mary awakens but her eyes are evil because Megan has possessed her.
-Cesare Molin
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3) "I'd probably just embezzle that money."
So says Josh Heller, our Online Comedy producer.
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2) CLONES OF CLONES OF CLONES OF CLONES OF CLONUS
The Clone Saga is a notorious chapter in the history of Spider-Man. It took two years to sort through and screwed an entire fanbase over when it made them question whether the Peter Parker they knew and loved was nothing more than a close. It got worse when a "new" Spider-Man appeared, took the name "The Scarlet Spider" and was nothing more than Peter Parker with blonde hair. Worse, it even has a dead baby, reveals Norman Osborn is behind the entire thing--despite being "dead"--and it changes nothing.
It is widely considered one of the worst ideas ever. Therefore, it's perfect to reboot a franchise.
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1) Sam Raimi's Spider-Man
The all-out odds favorite of what we'll be seeing in 2012. It's impossible to think about what someone will change in the origin story that Raimi crafted. You can't re-imagine Spider-Man in a Christopher Nolan Begins format; there's nothing that dark and tortured about him. Peter Parker is the eternal loser damned to repent for having a brief moment of frivolity when he realized he had an inkling of power. It got worse once he did, since the world around him escalated to keep him from treating his powers as benefits. Instead, he was locked into a thankless position that even had the devil take his unborn child from him.
Why?
Because he was happily married. And for some reason, the editors and writers of Spider-Man
There's no easy way to say this, friend. If you were just coming around on... more
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Harry Knowles demands you not see X-Men Origins: Wolverine since he didn't get to see it earlier. But he'll still see it today around 1pm.
Sony Pictures will release the live-action Blood: The Last Vampire film this summer. Warner Brothers has Death Note adaption rights.
The winners at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival were announced.
Jim Carrey may be attached to The Beaver, which is about a man with a beaver puppet on his arm. Shockingly, Rob Schneider isn't in this. Yet.
Thor may start shooting in 2010. No one cast yet.
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Harry Knowles demands you not see X-Men Origins: Wolverine... more
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The New York Times is reporting that Google has been working with some technology heavyweights to produce a set-top box that will compete in the digital TV market. Intel is said to be offering their Atom processor architecture which is used primarily for mobile computers like netbooks. While its not quite clear what Sony is contributing, the fact that they sell televisions and are a content provider with their Sony Pictures unit make sense for them. In fact, Sony has been trying to integrate digital TV functionality since 2008.The New York Times is reporting that Google has been working with some technology... more
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