Weekend Box Office: January 14-16

Courtesy of Box Office Mojo: 

1.  The Green Hornet - $34 million

2.  The Dilemma - $17.4 million

3.  True Grit - $11.2 million

4.  The King's Speech - $9 million

5.  Black Swan - $8.1 million

6.  Little Fockers - $7.1 million

7.  Tron Legacy - $5.6 million

8.  Yogi Bear - $5.3 million

9.  The Fighter - $5.1 million

10.  Season of the Witch - $4.5 million

Did anyone go to the movies this weekend?  Nah, me neither.  It was simply a dud of a holiday weekend at the box office, with ticket sales down 25% from the same weekend last year.  The Green Hornet did all right with $34 million.  That's actually the highest-grossing opening weekend for a superhero comedy (see?  that's why they cast Seth Rogen!), and it's expected to pull in some decent business on the MLK holiday tomorrow.  So that's at least giving people something to do.

Not so good news for Ron Howard's The Dilemma.  A comedy with both Vince Vaughn and Kevin James should be a box office slam-dunk, but this film simply wasn't, bringing in half of The Green Hornet's take with just $17.4 million. 

Last week's champ, True Grit, continues to do well, dropping just 23% to earn $11.2 million.  It's total domestic gross stands at $126 million.  Fellow Oscar hopefuls The King's Speech and Black Swan benefitted from expanded theater counts - particularly The King's Speech, which leaped into fourth place with $9 million.  Black Swan rounded out the top five with $8.1 million.

Next week looks like another slow weekend, with Ben Affleck's The Company Men and the Ashton Kutcher/Natalie Portman comedy No Strings Attached hitting theaters.  Oh well, summer will be here soon.

New Image from 'Captain America: The First Avenger'

Now this is a film that just keeps looking better and better.  Might end up being the best of the summer (but I reserve judgment until I see the trailer).  Thanks to the LA Times for posting the pic.  The film's official synopsis is below:

Marvel Studios’ Kevin Feige will produce CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER. Alan Fine, Stan Lee, David Maisel and Louis D’Esposito will executive produce. The film will be released in the US on July 22, 2011 and distributed by Paramount Pictures.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America.

Born during the Great Depression, Steve Rogers grew up a frail youth in a poor family. Horrified by the newsreel footage of the Nazis in Europe, Rogers was inspired to enlist in the army. However, because of his frailty and sickness, he was rejected. Overhearing the boy’s earnest plea, General Chester Phillips offered Rogers the opportunity to take part in a special experiment… Operation: Rebirth. After weeks of tests, Rogers was at last administered the Super-Solider Serum and bombarded by “vita-rays.” Steve Rogers emerged from the treatment with a body as perfect as a body can be and still be human. Rogers was then put through an intensive physical and tactical training program. Three months later, he was given his first assignment as Captain America. Armed with his indestructible shield and battle savvy, Captain America has continued his war against evil both as a sentinel of liberty and as leader of the Avengers.

New 'Scream 4' Trailer

I have to admit, this actually looks quite good.  With the original cast returning (Neve Campbell, Courtney Cox, David Arquette), Kevin Williamson writing (Scream & Scream 2), and Wes Craven directing, it's hard to imagine this not being a worthy entry to the series.  I think it's going to surprise a lot of skeptics.  Take a look for yourself along with the official synopsis below:

Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell), now the author of a self-help book, returns home to Woodsboro on the last stop of her book tour. There she reconnects with Sheriff Dewey (David Arquette) and Gale (Courteney Cox), who are now married, as well as her cousin Jill (Emma Roberts) and her Aunt Kate (Mary McDonnell). Unfortunately Sidney’s appearance also brings about the return of Ghostface, putting Sidney, Gale, and Dewey, along with Jill, her friends, and the whole town of Woodsboro in danger.

Ridley Scott's Alien Prequel Transforms into Prometheus

Ridley Scott returning to the science-fiction is something for all film-fans to rejoice.

The fact that it was going to be for two 3D Alien prequels, possibly covering the origins of the space-jockey from his 1979 classic, killed my enthusiasm. I'm sorry, but that's territory I preferred left to my imagination and regarding a series best left for someone else to fuck up than the guy who launched it thirty-two years later.

This afternoon 20^th Century Fox officially announced that project is dead, and in its place arises Prometheus. They ain't talking much more beyond that other than Noomi Rapace (from the original Swedish Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, and been long-linked to Alien: Origins or whatever the fuck it was called) is the first to sign on as the lead Elizabeth Shaw and a March 9, 2012 release set.

Here's the press release from Coming Soon:

"Twentieth Century Fox announced today that Ridley Scott will direct Prometheus, an original science fiction epic, for worldwide release on March 9, 2012. The initial draft of the script was written by Jon Spaihts (The Darkest Hour) from Scott's idea. Damon Lindelof ('Lost,' Star Trek) and Scott have since been working together on the current version which has expanded the story into new directions.

Story details are being closely guarded so as not to spoil surprises for moviegoers, but Scott explained the outlines of the film and its genesis as follows: 'While 'Alien' was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of 'Alien's' DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn't be more pleased to have found the singular tale I'd been searching for, and finally return to this genre that's so close to my heart.'

'In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots,’ said Lindelof. 'I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short of a dream come true.'

Of the five major roles to be cast, Noomi Rapace is the first actor signed to star in the film. The young Swedish actress landed the role of scientist Elizabeth Shaw after Scott saw her portrayal of fictional Lisbeth Salander in the film The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo, for which she was lauded by Time magazine as a 2010 Performance of the Year. Rapace starred in all three entries of the breakout global franchise based on Stieg Larsson's Millennium trilogy of books (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest are the other two entries), which have collectively grossed more than $212 million worldwide."

"TOLDJA" adds that the other female lead Vickers is being circled by Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron; the latter who Vulture revealed a few days back.

Michael Scott Departs Early

It looks like the offices of Dunder Mifflin will be without their fearless leader a little sooner than expected.  Showrunner Paul Lieberstein (better known as the show's as the long-suffering HR rep Toby) tells NYMag's Vulture that Steve Carell's final episode of The Office will be happening four weeks before the season finale in May.

The reason for the early departure?  Well, they don't want it to seem like the entire show is now about Michael Scott being gone.  He'll leave, we'll see how the office handles it, and we get a chance to see what the show is like without him for a few weeks.  And they're hoping we like it enough to come back for next year's first Carell-less season.

What Lieberstein won't say for sure is who will be taking ownership of that World's Best Boss coffee cup once Carell departs, or if we'll even find that out by the end of this season.  It might be someone that Office fans already know - such as rumored possiblities Kelly, Dwight, Darryl and Andy, or it could be a whole new character. 

It does seem like a smart way to handle such a massive change to the cast.  Let's hope it works.

Van Damme Leaning Towards Doing 'Expendables 2'

It looks like Jean-Claude Van Damme's ego is finally starting to come around.

After electing not to be apart of Sylvester Stallone's testosterone-fueled, action-hit, The Expendables (due to reportedly not wanting to share the screen with other stars), Van Damme is apparently gearing up to appear in the film's sequel...under one condition.  Sheldon Lettich, writer/director of Van Damme's 1991 hit, Double Impact (who also stated that film's sequel is getting closer to reality), has stated on 'The Muscles from Brussels' message boards that JC is keen for the film, as long as one particular action star is not there:

”JC seems to be leaning towards appearing in the sequel, as far as I know… If Steven Seagal is not in the sequel”, says the filmmaker, “From what I’ve heard it, [Seagal] won’t be because of Sly but because of producer Avi Lerner, who had a few bad experiences with Steven.”

Well there you have it folks.  Looks like as long as Tubby Steven stays clear of Expendables 2, JC is good to go.  Besides Van Damme, along with the rest of the cast from the first film, other rumored action stars tossed around have been Dwayne Johnson, Chuck Norris, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis (in larger, more distinct roles that in the first film) and...dare I say it...Channing Tatum.  No, I'm not shitting you.  I actually heard his name has been mentioned.

We shall find out more soon as filming on Expendables 2 is expected to begin sometime this year.

Thanks to Moviehole for first reporting this.

Reality TV Gets Pac-Man Fever

Well, this makes me a little sadder that we won't be seeing any new episodes of Mad Men or The Walking Dead for awhile.  Deadline is reporting that Merv Griffin Entertainment has joined forces with Namco Bandai Games America to develop a Wipeout-style show based on Pac-Man, the massively popular video game from the 1980s.  It's currently being shopped around to the networks now.

As video game afficianados know, Pac-Man has ventured out of the arcade before:  in 1982 he starred in his own animated series on ABC and inspired the hit single "Pac-Man Fever," which not only reached the #9 spot on Billboard's Hot 100, it was also performed during an assembly at my elementary school (for the record, not by me).

Now, I haven't played Pac-Man in awhile, but I do recall that the gist of it was that you spent the whole game racing around a maze being chased by ghosts.  Once Pac-Man had eaten all the little pellets in the maze, you moved onto the next maze, where you did...the same thing.  This repeated until you either ran out of quarters or your mom made you turn off the Atari. 

I'm not quite sure what the point is of watching other people play Pac-Man instead of getting to play it yourself (which is much more fun), but I suppose there's some sort of twisted joy to watching some jackass run around a life-size maze being chased around by whatever ghosts and obstacles that only reality TV can provide.  Certainly works for Wipeout.

Captain America Goes Full Costume

Wow. Two heroes suited up in one day. It's like a fanboys wet dream. After getting the first reveal of Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man earlier today we get the first shot of Chris Evans as Captain America in full garb. The photo comes courtesy of this weeks Entertainment Weekly scanned in by ComicBookMovie. They put in the effort so they get the credit.

This is pretty much what I expected and what I hoped for. Suit looks great and Evans is Captain America. Looking forward to the hi rez version of it. Since I consider myself more of a DC guy, it's amazing that I am actually looking forward to this movie. You could say it is one of my highly anticipated flicks of 2011. Go figure. 

Movie Moan TV - 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' (1969)

With James Bond officially back in our lives and heading to the big screen for 2012, it is time for a celebration.

What better way to celebrate than with the two biggest Bond boffins on the Movie Moan crew given their thoughts on, unarguably, the best film in the series until Daniel Craig came along; 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service'.

We've been dying to tackle a Bond film on this series and I hope you enjoy this first entry because we definitely plan to do more.

First Look at Andrew Garfield as Spider-Man!

Sony has just released the first look at British actor Andrew Garfield (excellent in flicks like The Social Network and Boy A) as the new Spider-Man. My reaction is not unlike seeing Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander. It's different enough from the last actor who occupied the role but still recognizable to the character. I like it.

Curious to see the public's reaction to this.