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De Niro and Pacino combo killing box office
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A week after the box office sank to its lowest level in five years, sales should rebound significantly this weekend with five wide openers, including a thriller starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino.
"Righteous Kill," a rare pairing of the longtime A-listers, is a consensus favorite -- though no sure shot -- to top the weekend with an opening in the mid- to high-teen millions. The cop thriller, directed by Jon Avnet, comes from Overture Films, the indie studio behind the arthouse hit "The Visitor."
"We targeted the older male audience, and it looks like they're going to come," Overture marketing chief Peter Adee said. "From the tracking, it looks like the younger males are going to come as well."
Women could be another matter, given the presence of more female-friendly openers among the competition. Overture executives hope the usual appeal of Pacino and De Niro with older women will prompt a late surge in date-night support for "Kill."
The most obvious first choice for women -- Picturehouse's remake of the comedy "The Women" -- looks unlikely to vie for an upper rung in the weekend rankings. "Women" is a swan-song release for Picturehouse, which Warner Bros. is shuttering as the studio largely abandons the specialty-film business.
The likeliest competitor "Kill" will have to fend off for the session's crown appears to be the Coen brothers' comedy "Burn After Reading" from Focus Features and Working Title. Prerelease tracking indicates an opening in the mid-teen millions or higher, which would give Focus its biggest opening.
The first-weekend tally for "Burn" will depend on critical praise more than any of the other new releases. Early reviews have been mostly positive but hardly raves for the filmmakers' first release since their best picture Oscar winner "No Country for Old Men." LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - A week after the box office sank to its lowest level in five years, sales should rebound significan... more -
Nicole Kidman top overpaid Hollywood actress
Kidman's films were estimated to only earn $1 for every dollar the Oscar-winning actress was paid compared with $8 a year ago.
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"Bangkok Dangerous" Tops Weekend Box Office
The Nicolas Cage action-thriller ``Bangkok Dangerous'' needed just $7.8 million to take the top spot at the box office in what was the slowest movie weekend in seven years, according to studio estimates released Sunday. The Nicolas Cage action-thriller ``Bangkok Dangerous'' needed just $7.8 million to take the top spot at the box office in wh... more
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The Dark Night sets Four Guinness World Record at Opening
Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated movie starring the late Heath Ledger (Australia) in the role of The Joker and Christian Bale (UK) as the caped crusader opened last Friday at 0:01 am, securing its first record, for the highest-grossing midnight movie. Next, it secured the one-day box-office gross record, and then the opening weekend and three-day gross records. In addition, it was given the widest release of any movie in history.
Real all Guinness Records of The Dark Night and Movie Premier Video at
http://www.worldamazingrecords.com Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated movie starring the late Heath Ledger (Australia) in the role of The Joker and Christian Ba... more -
'Dark Knight' sets box office record-$155.34 million
Warner Bros. executive says the Batman sequel "The Dark Knight" has taken in $155.34 million to top "Spider-Man 3" for best opening weekend ever at the box office. Warner Bros. executive says the Batman sequel "The Dark Knight" has taken in $155.34 million to top "Spider-Man 3"... more
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Would Batman be as successful without the death of Heath?
I am a film student and saw Batman at midnight of the opening day and thought it was very well done, incredible actually.
But I am not a huge fan of comic book movies and from my stand point I know I wouldn't have cared to see it in theaters if it weren't for the sad death of Heath. And I really think he deserves a huge consideration for the Oscar, hands down. It was incredible.
But my question remains, would this be as successful ($155 million in the first weekend!!) or even as 'incredible' without his death?
I honestly don't believe it would have been... I am a film student and saw Batman at midnight of the opening day and thought it was very well done, incredible actually. ... more -
`Dark Knight' sets weekend record with $155.34M
Batman has sent Spidey packing as king of Hollywood's box-office superheroes.
"The Dark Knight" took in a record $155.34 million in its first weekend, topping the previous best of $151.1 million for "Spider-Man 3" in May 2007 and pacing Hollywood to its biggest weekend ever, according to studio estimates Sunday.
"We knew it would be big, but we never expected to dominate the marketplace like we did," said Dan Fellman, head of distribution for Warner Bros., which released "The Dark Knight." The movie should shoot past the $200 million mark by the end of the week, he said.
Hollywood set an overall revenue record of $253 million for a three-day weekend, beating the $218.4 million haul over the weekend of July 7, 2006, according to box-office tracker Media By Numbers.
"This weekend is such a juggernaut," said Nikki Rocco, head of distribution for Universal, whose musical "Mamma Mia!" debuted at No. 2 with $27.6 million.
Factoring in higher admission prices, "Spider-Man 3" may have sold slightly more tickets than "The Dark Knight."
At 2007's average price of $6.88, "Spider-Man 3" sold 21.96 million tickets over opening weekend. Media By Numbers estimates today's average movie prices at $7.08, which means "The Dark Knight" would have sold 21.94 million tickets.
Revenue totals for "The Dark Knight" could change when final numbers are released Monday.
The movie's release was preceded by months of buzz and speculation over the performance of the late Heath Ledger as the Joker, Batman's nemesis. Ledger, who died in January from an accidental prescription-drug overdose, played the Joker as a demonic presence, his performance prompting predictions that the role might earn him a posthumous Academy Award nomination. Batman has sent Spidey packing as king of Hollywood's box-office superheroes. ... more -
Batman film takes a record $66.4m
Batman film The Dark Knight has set a single-day box office record by taking $66.4m (£33.2m) on its opening night, distributor Warner Bros has said.
The movie, which debuted in the US on Friday, has surpassed the previous record of $59.8m (£29.9m) set last year by Spider-Man, the studio said.
Directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale as Batman, it cost $185m (£92.5m) to make.
Critics have praised the film, which also stars the late actor Heath Ledger.
'Proud'
"We have been thrilled by the response to The Dark Knight, first from the critics and now from audiences," said Dan Fellman, Warner's head of distribution.
Ledger, who died following a drug overdose in January aged 28, played the Joker.
Some supporters have suggested that he should get a posthumous Oscar nomination.
Last week Ledger's co-stars paid tribute to him at the world premiere of the film in New York.
"We're very proud of the film," said Fellman.
"It's the magic of the movie business, how one film just stands out above the others."
The Dark Knight will be premiered in the UK on 21 July.
The last Batman movie, Batman Begins, in 2005, grossed nearly $49 million (£24.5m) in its first weekend in North America.
It went on to collect about $372 million (£186m) worldwide. Batman film The Dark Knight has set a single-day box office record by taking $66.4m (£33.2m) on its opening night, distributor Warner ... more -
Midnight stampede to 'The Dark Knight' sets record
Nothing dark about Batman's first night at the box office.
"The Dark Knight" lit up cash registers during its midnight debut, stealing away with a record $18.5 million from 3,040 theaters, distributor Warner Bros. said Friday.
That bested the 2005 performance of "Star Wars Episode III: The Revenge of the Sith," which took in $16.9 million during its midnight debut in 2,915 venues.
"The Dark Knight" figure did not include any of its 3 a.m. or 6 a.m. showings.
And while Batman only strikes at night, all indications are that "The Dark Knight" will keep landing blows: Advance ticket sales were booming.
The early numbers mean "The Dark Knight" will likely join the ranks of 10 other films that debuted on non-holiday weekends and cleared more than $100 million from Friday to Sunday, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of tracking firm Media By Numbers LLC.
"There is an unbelievable demand for this movie," he said. "The Heath Ledger factor is a major part of this. Beyond that, the movie is so good, it's worthy of all these accolades."
The movie directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Christian Bale as Batman cost $185 million to make, excluding money spent marketing, said Dan Fellman, Warner's head of distribution.
Critics have heaped praise on the movie — especially the late Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker, which has already generated whispers of a posthumous Oscar nomination.
"We're very proud of the film," Fellman said. "It's the magic of the movie business, how one film just stands out above the others." Nothing dark about Batman's first night at the box office. ... more -
Holy single day gross Batman!
According to studio estimates, 'The Dark Knight' has earned a record shattering $60 million in one day.
Cash like that has got to make the Joker smile.
(By the way, go see it. I caught it this morning and it was INCREDIBLE!) According to studio estimates, 'The Dark Knight' has earned a record shattering $60 million in one day. ... more -
Critics Trash The Love Guru
The best of the worst reviews for Mike Myer's latest flop.
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Original Get Smart TV series stands test of time
The Tequila Mockingbird came late in Get Smart's TV run, in 1969, long after it had already established itself as one of TV's most prolific wellsprings of popular '60s catchphrases, from "Would you believe . . .?" and "Sorry about that, Chief," to "Missed it by THAT much," and " . . . and LOVING it." The Tequila Mockingbird came late in Get Smart's TV run, in 1969, long after it had already established itself as one of TV'... more
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'Iron Man' makes super-strong debut - CNN.com
"Iron Man" makes it at the box office.
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The ebb and flow of movies
Even box offices experience tides, with summer blockbusters and Oscar buzz making up the bulk of revenue each year. The New York Times has put together this cool visual to illustrate how well movies from 1987 to 2007 did, adjusted for inflation.
Click the link to see the interactive chart. Even box offices experience tides, with summer blockbusters and Oscar buzz making up the bulk of revenue each year. The New York Times... more -
Cloverfield grabs top spot
After massive success in the US, Cloverfield has topped the UK and Ireland film box office on its opening weekend.
The film about a group of five American college students stars previously unknown actors and was filmed entirely from the perspective of a hand-held camera, similar to that as evident in the Blair Witch Project, as well as sharing more than a few similarities to Lars von Trier's Danish film movement, Dogma.
The film reportedly took £3.5m in ticket sales in its opening weekend, beating Johnny Depp ' performance as Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber by nearly more than double. After massive success in the US, Cloverfield has topped the UK and Ireland film box office on its opening weekend. ... more
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