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'Suicide Squad' Threepeats at #1, While 'Ben-Hur' Becomes Latest Big Budget Flop
13 hours ago | Box Office Mojo | See recent BoxOfficeMojo.com news »
It's a repeat at the top of the domestic box office as Suicide Squad and Sausage Party finished one and two respectively for a second weekend in a row and serving as the third straight weekend at number one for the DC Comics adaptation. The rest of the top five is made up of the weekend's three new wide releases*War Dogs, Kubo and the Two Strings and Ben-Hur*as this weekend's top twelve was down 25% from last weekend, though, compared to last year, the top twelve is up nearly 30% with a combined gross of just over $118 million. As already mentioned, with an estimated $20.7 million Suicide Squad took the number one spot at the weekend box office. The film's domestic cume is now up to $262.28 million, ranking fifth among all DC Comics adaptations. Internationally the film added another $38 million this weekend bringing its international total to $310.4 million for a worldwide cume totaling $572.68 million, »
- Brad Brevet <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
‘Pets’ Pushes ‘Suicide Squad’ From #1 Offshore Perch, Collars $675M Ww; Supervillains Gain On $600M – Intl B.O.
43 minutes ago | Deadline | See recent Deadline news »
Update, Writethru: The scrappy crew of Illumination/Universal's The Secret Life Of Pets claimed the No. 1 spot at the international box office this weekend — for the first time since it first went out for a walk in late June, and in what is the picture’s 9th frame of overseas play. With a $45M weekend in 53 markets, Max, Snowball and Duke leapfrogged over another motley bunch as Suicide Squad came in with a $38M third session in 64. In doing so, the Pets deprived Warner… »
Danish Distributor LevelK Launches Sales of Norwegian Festival Thriller Cave’
1 hour ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Danish international distributor LevelK will start world sales of Norwegian director Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken’s action adventure thriller “Cave” at New Nordic Films, the market of the 44th Norwegian Intl. Film Festival in Haugesund. The market unspools at the Scandic Maritim Hall Aug. 23-26.
“Cave,” Dahlsbakken’s third feature, will close the festival Aug. 25. “In Haugesund, we will introduce it to the international market for real,” said LevelK CEO Tine Klint. LevelK handled Norwegian-Kurdish director Halkawt Mustafa’s drama “El Clásico” (2015), which won two prizes at New York’s Tribeca Film Festival, and Norwegian director Aslaug Holm’s documentary, “Brødre” (“Brothers”), licensed to 24 countries.
“I see many talented Norwegian filmmakers and a huge variety of features that we can also market internationally – there is a tremendous curiosity and creativity both in storytelling and financial structures,” Klint said, announcing at Haugesund that she has also acquired the Norwegian director Izer Allu’s feature debut, »
- Jorn Rossing Jensen
George Lucas’ ‘Freiheit’: Watch the ‘Star Wars’ Creator’s Student Film from 1966
1 hour ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Before he was conducting space operas or spraying graffiti across American movie screens, George Lucas was a student at the University of Southern California — one of the first schools in the country with a devoted film program. While there he made a three-minute short called “Freiheit,” humbly introduced onscreen as “a film by Lucas.” Watch the film below.
Read More: Christopher Nolan’s First Released Short Film ‘Doodlebug’: Watch His Twisted 1997 Debut
Opening on the image of a man (Randal Kleiser, who went on to direct “Grease”) running through a field, clearly afraid of something we’ve yet to see, “Freiheit” (German for “freedom”) takes on the divide between East and West Germany. The man’s journey isn’t especially successful, but it does inspire a series chorus of voiceover narrators: “Animals are free. Why shouldn’t man be free?” “Freedom is definitely worth dying for. It’s the only thing worth dying for. »
- Michael Nordine
Nordic Co-Production Market Adds Heft With Eurimages Selection
1 hour ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
The Nordic Co-Production and Finance Market at the Norwegian Intl. Film Festival will open Aug. 23 as the largest edition yet. A record number of 419 participants, and 28 new films in the main program, is given heft by the addition for the first time of the Eurimages Lab Award Project with 20 works-in-progress, adding to with 26 new productions (seven of them in the Nordic Genre Boost program).
“Several films in this year’s festival have been selected as a work-in-progress or project, and producers are increasingly saying it was important for them in order to [get the film made],” said market director Gyda Velvin Myklebust. “We also get positive feedback from sales agents, buyers, festival representatives, film funds and commissioners – and we are pleased to be able to support more cutting edge productions through the new Eurimages Lab Award.”
At last year’s Nordic Co-Production and Finance Market, French international sales company Films Distribution picked up international »
- Jorn Rossing Jensen
Haugesund: Scary Movies Get Big Boost From Nordic Genre Boost
2 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Launched last year by the Oslo-based Nordisk Film & TV Fund, which promotes and supports films from the five Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden on an annual $12.2 million budget, the Nordic Genre Boost will this year present seven new projects at New Nordic Films, the market of the Norwegian Intl. Film Festival in Haugesund, Norway, which runs Aug. 20-26.
At the same time, the first feature project presented at the 2015 Nordic Genre Boost in Helsinki will screen in the New Nordic Films program: Finnish director Taneli Mustonen’s ”Lake Bodom,”a horror film produced by Finland’s Don Films, Film Constellation, Post Control Helsinki, with Estonia’s Münchhausen Productions.
Scripted by Mustonen and Aleksi Hyvärinen, it tells the story of four teenagers who were stabbed to death while sleeping in their tent at the lake in 1960. The unsolved mystery turned into an urban legend, and in the present day, »
- Jorn Rossing Jensen
‘The Silence of the Lambs’ Making-Of Documentary: How the ‘Replacement Players’ Made an Enduring Classic
2 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
“The Silence of the Lambs” belongs to an exclusive club: Jonathan Demme’s 1991 thriller is one of only three films to win Academy Awards for Best Picture, Director, Actor, Actress and Screenplay, the other two being “It Happened One Night” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.” For today’s look back into the Indiewire Vault, avail yourself of “Inside Story: The Silence of the Lambs.”
Read More: ‘Night of the Living Dead’: George A. Romero Discusses His Zombie Masterpiece, Asserts Once and for All That ‘Zombies Cannot Run’
The making-of documentary, which premiered on Biography Channel in 2010, tells “the story of a how a group of replacement players came together to turn the horror genre on its ear by transforming a mass-market thriller into a film classic for the ages.” That “replacement players” designation comes from the fact that none of the key players were originally intended »
- Michael Nordine
‘Secret Life of Pets’ Tops Foreign Box Office, ‘Suicide Squad’ Passes $300 Million Overseas
2 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Foreign audiences gave “The Secret Life of Pets” a vigorous belly rub and some welcome scratches behind the ears. The animated hit from Illumination Entertainment and Universal Pictures topped the overseas charts over the weekend, picking up $45 million from 53 territories.
The look at what animals do when their owners aren’t at home has earned a hefty $674.5 million on a $75 million budget, making it one of the year’s biggest hits. It also launches a new franchise, with a sequel slated to come out in 2018.
“The Secret Life of Pets” got a big jolt from Russia, where it opened in first place with $19.5 million. It also opened this weekend in Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lebanon and Portugal. Next week, the film will debut in Brazil, Indonesia and the Philippines. “The Secret Life of Pets” is another success for Illumination, which has scored in recent years with “Despicable Me” and “Minions. »
- Brent Lang
‘Lion Woman’ Producer Jacobsen Sets New Slate of Features
2 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
At last year’s Norwegian Intl. Film Festival in Haugesund, Norwegian veteran producer John M. Jacobsen completed the grand slam in Norwegian film: he was awarded two Amandas – Norway’s national film prize – for producing best Norwegian feature (“Børning,” directed by Hallvard Bræin, which also won the Audience Amanda, and best Norwegian children’s film (“Operation Arctic,” directed by Grethe Bøe-Waal).
A few months earlier he had received the national television award, Gullruten, for best TV drama, for his first miniseries, “The Heavy Water War,” which tells the story of the Allied effort to thwart Nazis from developing an atom bomb during World War II. In 1943, Operation Gunnarside successfully destroyed Norsk Hydro’s Vemork heavy water factory at Rjukan.
The $9.7 million Norwegian-Danish-uk co-production was directed by Per-Olav Sørensen and starred Christoph Bach, Dennis Storhøi, Maibritt Saerens and Espen Klouman Høiner; “The Heavy Water War” set a record of viewers for »
- Jorn Rossing Jensen
‘Planetarium’: Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp Get Dreamy in First Poster
3 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
We didn’t hear much from Natalie Portman for a few years there, but the actor, producer and now writer/director is back in a big way. After “Knight of Cups” and “A Tale of Lover and Darkness,” her busy 2016 is set to continue with Rebecca Zlotowski’s “Planetarium,” which is se to premiere in Venice before stopping in Toronto as well. Find the film’s first poster below.
Read More: Natalie Portman On Her Directorial Debut And the Advice Terrence Malick Gave Her
Lily-Rose Depp and Emmanuel Salinger co-star in the film, Zlotowski’s followup to “Belle Épine” and “Grand Central,” both of which were headlined by Léa Seydoux. “Planetarium” is the story of two sisters in 1930s France (Portman and Depp) who perform as spiritualists and catch the attention of a film producer.
Read More: First Look: Natalie Portman And Lily-Rose Depp In Rebecca Zlotowski’s ‘Planetarium’
Depp »
- Michael Nordine
Norwegian Film Festival Celebrates Local Pics in Global Mix
3 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
With a program of 75 films from 25 countries, the 44th Norwegian Intl. Film Festival in Haugesund, which opened Aug. 20, is now filling the cinemas in the West Norwegian town (the Edda multiplex, the Festiviteten and the Maritim Theatre) with a selection that festivalgoers have dubbed the “Nordic Cannes.” The festival is also screening films that were launched on the Côte d’Azur: Woody Allen’s “Café Society,” Pedro Almodóvar’s “Julieta,” Cristi Puiu’s “Sieranevada,” Hirokazu Koreeda’s “After the Storm,” Mia Hansen-Løve’s “Things to Come,” and Italian director Stefano Sollima’s “Suburra.”
“I am particularly pleased with the three Norwegian entries in the main competition – Norwegian directors Vibeke Idsøe’s “The Lion Woman,” Benjamin Ree’s documentary “Magnus,” and Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken’s “Cave” — and also with the films in the Nordic Focus,” said festival and program director Tonje Hardersen. Swedish actress-turned-director Pernilla August will be here with her second feature, »
- Jorn Rossing Jensen
‘Ben-Hur’: 5 Reasons the Biblical Epic is Summer’s Biggest Flop
4 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Like “The Lone Ranger” or “Battleship,” “Ben-Hur” is one of those massive box office wipe-outs that defies easy comprehension. How could something go this disastrously wrong?
After all, 1959’s “Ben-Hur” was an Oscar-winning smash that remains beloved. Posters for the Charlton Heston epic proclaimed that the film offered “An entertainment experience of a lifetime,” and its chariot races are still considered to be a high-point in action choreography.
In contrast, the new “Ben-Hur” wasn’t even the “entertainment experience of the third weekend of August.” After debuting to a paltry $11.4 million, it is certain to go down as one of the summer’s biggest flops. “The Bfg” just breathed a huge sigh of relief.
It’s not for lack of trying. When it came to “Ben-Hur,” Paramount and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer didn’t stint on spectacle. The partners shelled out $100 million to recreate the arena and bring viewers back in time to »
- Brent Lang
Strong Slate of Norwegian Films Fuels Festival’s Selection
4 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
The 44th Norwegian Intl. Film Festival kicked off its main program Aug. 21 with the world premiere of a local film, Vibeke Idsøe’s “The Lion Woman” (“Løvekvinnen”), and it will close Aug. 25 with the launch of another domestic production, Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken’s “Cave.” On Aug. 22, Benjamin Ree will have the first Norwegian presentation of his documentary “Magnus” after it has toured five international festivals including Tribeca-New York, Munich and Moscow.
But not only the main competition has Norwegian entries: a total of 19 local films have been selected for this year’s showcase, with Peder Hamdahl Næss’ “Little Grey Fergie – Full Throttle” (“Gråsass gir gass”), the fifth film about Norway’s most famous tractor, a Ferguson TE20, in Cinemagi, the children’s festival, others in the documentary, short film, Next Nordic Generation and Norwegian National Film School sections. Three Haugesund films sneak-opened the festival: Karl Johan Paulsen’s documentary “Gold »
- Jorn Rossing Jensen
Drake Doremus Lines Up Another ‘Unique Love Story’ With Charlie Hunnam and Léa Seydoux
4 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
With his sci-fi romance “Equals” still in theaters, writer/director Drake Doremus has already lined up his next project. Described as “a unique love story,” the untitled film will star Charlie Hunnam and Léa Seydoux. No plot details are being revealed at this time. The Hollywood Reporter first broke the story.
Read More: ‘Equals’ Review: Kristen Stewart Is The Only Bright Spot In This Dull Dystopian Romance
Rich Greenberg, best known for his theater and television work, is writing the screenplay. Prior to “Equals,” which stars Nicholas Hoult and Kristen Stewart as two members of a future society in which all emotional displays are verboten (they fall in love, natch), Doremus came to attention for writing and directing “Breathe In” and “Like Crazy.”
Read More: ‘Equals’ Exclusive Featurette: Kristen Stewart & Nicholas Hoult Go Behind The Scenes of Their Dystopian Love Story
Hunnam will soon appear in both James Gray’s »
- Michael Nordine
Ben-Hur trampled underfoot at Us box office as Suicide Squad defies critics
4 hours ago | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
The big-budget remake of the sword-and-sandals epic cost $100m to make but took only $11.4m on its opening weekend, according to estimates
A big-budget remake of Ben-Hur was trampled under a herd of holdovers and new releases at the box office, the latest casualty in a bruising summer for Hollywood.
The Paramount Pictures release, which cost about $100m to make, debuted with just $11.4m, according to studio estimates on Sunday. That makes it one of the season’s pricier flops, albeit one that never had anything like the ambition of 1959’s Charlton Heston epic.
Continue reading »
- Associated Press
Werner Herzog Has Some Thoughts on Internet Trolling and Virtual Reality
5 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Werner Herzog’s “Lo and Behold, Reveries of the Connected World” is now in theaters, meaning we finally have the chance to hear the singular auteur wax rhapsodic about the internet as he once again reveals the ecstatic truth about his chosen subject. Vice spoke to him about virtual reality, how humanity’s future will be impacted by our increasing dependence on the internet and even online trolls. Among several highlights from their discussion is Herzog’s description of the first time two computers “spoke” to one another: “a beautiful vision of the future, like a biblical event: lo and behold, there was internet.”
Read More: ‘Lo and Behold’ Exclusive Promo: Werner Herzog Dives Into The Heart of The Internet
Asked about virtual reality and the potential impact it could have on his work, the director says that Vr is “not an extension of documentary filmmaking” but “a tool that »
- Michael Nordine
Arthouse Audit: Natalie Portman’s ‘A Tale of Love and Darkness’ Tops Limited Openers
5 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Late August is not prime release time for top-end specialized films. While the quality of new entries this week is better than usual, two Sundance premieres, A24’s “Morris from America” and Werner Herzog’s documentary “Lo and Behold” are also hitting prime exposure on Video on Demand.
The best limited theatrical opening went to rookie director Natalie Portman’s “A Tale of Love and Darkness” (Focus), shot in her native Israel. The breakout of the month is CBS Films’ second-week expanding “Hell or High Water” (Lionsgate), which looks headed for Top Ten-level grosses over upcoming weeks.
Opening
“A Tale of Love and Darkness” (Focus World) – Metacritic: 55; Festivals include: Cannes, Toronto 2015
$36,000 in 2 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $18,000
Natalie Portman’s Israeli-made drama did not garner strong critical response at its Cannes debut last year. But the movie star is campaigning hard to make it work, with appearances on both »
- Tom Brueggemann
‘Suicide Squad’ Back On Top For Third Straight Week, Wheels Fall Off ‘Ben-Hur’ [Box Office]
5 hours ago | The Playlist | See recent The Playlist news »
The last few weeks of summer are always a bit fallow, as studios mostly release their leftover pictures, or the movies that might not fare as well with stiffer competition. And without much in the way of heavyweights to contend with, Warner Bros.‘ “Suicide Squad” has had some room to flex its muscle. For the […]
The post ‘Suicide Squad’ Back On Top For Third Straight Week, Wheels Fall Off ‘Ben-Hur’ [Box Office] appeared first on The Playlist. »
- Kevin Jagernauth
Dwayne Johnson Says New ‘Jumanji’ Is Not a Reboot
6 hours ago | Indiewire | See recent Indiewire news »
Brace yourselves, ’90s kids, for another crucial piece of your childhood is at risk of being corrupted by the careless, pocket-lining fat cats of Hollywood. That, at least, seems the only reasonable response to the news that a new “Jumanji” movie is in the works, but Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is here to assuage our fears. In a typically hashtag-laden Instagram post marking the completion of production on “Fast and Furious 8,” the actor included a tidbit that should come as small comfort to many: “For the record we are Not making a reboot, but rather a continuation of the awesome ‘Jumanji’ story.”
Read More: Dwayne Johnson Blasts His ‘Candy Ass’ Male ‘Fast 8’ Co-Stars In Furious Social Media Post
The original film, released in 1995 and starring Robin Williams, was a staple of many a twenty-something’s cinematic youth. As such, the fact that it’s being remade or otherwise revived »
- Michael Nordine
‘Westworld’ Images: Where You Can Be Whoever You Want
6 hours ago | Slash Film | See recent Slash Film news »
After a delay and some production issues, Jonathan Nolan, J.J. Abrams, and Lisa Joy‘s reimagining of Michael Crichton‘s 1973 film Westworld is finally coming to HBO. The show was originally scheduled to arrive in 2015, but Nolan and all involved were allotted more time to get the show back on track. The latest trailer for the series — which is […]
The post ‘Westworld’ Images: Where You Can Be Whoever You Want appeared first on /Film. »
- Jack Giroux
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