Box Office Predictions May 7 - 9

The biggest thing happening this weekend will no doubt be the ridiculously hyped Iron Man 2. I'm expecting Iron Man to beat The Dark Knights opening record of 158 million, but only barely with 160 million. Nightmare On Elm Street should feel lucky to be coming in second this weekend, seeing as it will be it's last time in the top three, It'll take a significant drop form their opening weekend, but should still do ok for what's expected from it, I'd say NOES will be at about 50 million domestically by the end of the weekend. Still hanging in there is How to Train Your Dragon, which should make a modest 7.2 million in its 6th week, landing in the number three spot.

1. Iron Man 2 (Marvel/Paramount) - $160 million

2. A Nightmare on Elm Street (New Line/WB) - $12 million

3. How to Train Your Dragon (DreamWorks Animation/Paramount) - $7.2 millio

4. Date Night (20th Century Fox) - $5.0 million

5. The Back-up Plan (CBS Films) - $4.0 million

6. Furry Vengeance (Summit) - $3.4 million

7. Babies (Focus Features) - $3 million

8. Clash of the Titans (Warner Bros.) - $2.9million

9. The Losers (Warner Bros.) - $2.8 million

10. Death at a Funeral (Sony/Screen Gems) - $2.4 million

Check back to TMT this Sunday for the Box Office estimates, and see how I did.

Kick-Ass 2 going into production in 2011?

Just weeks ago Mathew Vaughn’s Kick-Ass was released to a not so kick ass opening, speculation has swirled as to whether or not the film performed well enough at the box office to warrant a sequel. A recent press release (via Forces of Geek) for the forthcoming CLINT magazine, a joint venture between Millar and Titan Magazines, suggests that the sequel to the film, Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the Wall, will begin production in 2011 for a 2012 theatrical release.

The press release announcing the magazine’s launch also features this tidbit:

Millar is also launching his sequel to the hit Kick-Ass movie in the first issue of the comic. “Kick-Ass 2: Balls to the wall” has been scheduled for production in 2011 for a 2012 cinema release.

The first Kick-Ass was made completely independently and then bought by Lionsgate for distribution, so it’s unclear to me what process a sequel would have to go through to get greenlit (Does Lionsgate have to give the all clear? Can Vaughn just pull together the money independently again?). As for Matthew Vaughn, he’ll be tied up with X-Men: First Class for the near future, but with the way that Fox is fast tracking that film for a June 2011 release, he could conceivably be ready to direct another Kick-Ass film by next year.

As much as I loved the first Kick-Ass, you can read my reveiw HERE, I have find it hard to believe we'll actually be getting a sequel. I'd love to see it happen, but I'm not holding my breath for anything.

Skip Woods Writing Die Hard 5

Back in February, Bruce Willis told MTV a fifth Die Hard was in development. Everyone dismissed this as Willus own wishful thinking, much like Dan Akroyd with Ghostbusters 3. I don't think anyone expected Live Free or Die Hard, to be nearly as awesome as it was. I for one, loved it. More importantly for FOX, it made a truck load of money back in 2007.

Apparently, Willis' comments weren't just a case of meaningless talk. Risky Business reports 20th Century Fox has tapped on the shoulder of Skip Woods to write Die Hard 5. He's been the studio's "Go to" guy as late in the action genre – having written The A-Team, Wolverine and Hitman. In fact, wasn't he one of the fifteen or so writers on Live Free or Die Hard?

No word on a director or release date yet, but I'd say it's quite possible we could see John McClane kicking some ass, as soon as next summer. I think at the latest we might get it late next year, as studious are now starting to realize their big blockbusters don't need to be released strictly in the summer, look at the Superman re-boot in December 2012.

First Clip From Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time 

Disney has released the first clip from director Mike Newell's video game adaptation Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time. Opening in theaters on May 28, the fantasy action adventure stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, Alfred Molina and Toby Kebbell.

In the film, a rogue prince (Gyllenhaal) reluctantly joins forces with a mysterious princess (Arterton) and together, they race against dark forces to safeguard an ancient dagger capable of releasing the Sands of Time—a gift from the gods that can reverse time and allow its possessor to rule the world.

I've never actually played the game, but from the looks of this clip they've brought it to life nicely. That's not to say that I think this clip is good. No, this clip looks retarded, but I always expect something like this from video games adapted into movies. The only thing this clip is missing, is the life meter in the top right corner, and some cheesy video game music.

R-Rated Cinco de Mayo Trailer for "Machete"

Ain't It Cool News has premiered a Cinco de Mayo trailer for Robert Rodriguez and Ethan Maniquis' Machete, opening in theaters on September 3. The feature version of the "fake" trailer from Grindhouse stars Danny Trejo, Jessica Alba, Robert De Niro, Michelle Rodriguez, Lindsay Lohan, Cheech Marin, Jeff Fahey, Don Johnson and Steven Seagal.



The fact that a studio was actually willing to let him make this, blows my mind. I can't tell if this is going to be hilariously awesome, or ridiculously stupid. The trailer doesn't give much away, but there's obviously something about it. How else would they have gotten such an amazing cast? Everyone involved just felt like doing something ridiculous and stupid, you know, just for a change of pace.

If this turns out to be the giant peice of crap it looks like, I'll be really dissapointed in DeNiro most of all for getting involved. He seems to be doing shitty movie, one after the other lately. Get back together with Scorsese, and give us something good again.

Inception's official Plot Synopsis Revealed

At this point just about everyone already knows what Inception is about, or at least we have a good idea. Leonardo DiCaprio is running around stealing people’s dreams. But even though we’ve seen trailers much of the film’s plot has remained veiled in shadows. No more.

Warner Bros has released the official plot synopsis:

Acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan directs an international cast in an original sci-fi actioner that travels around the globe and into the intimate and infinite world of dreams. Dom Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb’s rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible—inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. This summer, your mind is the scene of the crime.

Check back to TMT in July for our official review.

scott pilgrim heading for re-shoots

According to Production Weekly via twitter, Scott Pilgrim Vs the World, is headed back to Toronto for 3 days of additional photography (re-shoots).

This news should come as no surprise to anyone that's been following the film through out it's development.

IESB reported just last week:

Sadly, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, according to two very reliable sources, also belongs in the category with Hex and Hornet. IESB has been told that the folks over at Universal have seen the film. And they don't like it. The word spreading around the studio is how bad it is. "How bad are we talking," you ask? Upper level management are going to be fired over this. Even more troubling, the film's been deemed "unreleasable." I'm sure the "unreleasable" part is just a figure of speech but it's clear the movie has some problems.

You'll hear Universal (most likely via publicists) deny the Hell out of this and using their online "tools" to try to debunk this. Nothing wrong with that and, if the shoe was on the other foot, I'd do the exact same thing. But, of course they're going to deny this. It's their job to do so.

To which Universal Pictures Co-President of Marketing Michael Moses issued this statement:

"Usually we let this kind of unsupported whisper nonsense go by without comment but the claims made in IESB's post about SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD are so hilariously absurd that they couldn't be ignored. If IESB had contacted anyone at the studio, they'd know just how much love for and confidence in this film we all have. I have a feeling they may want to revisit this post by the end of summer."

With the re-shoots now happening in Toronto, it appears that IESB's original report was more accurate then what Universal would have us believe. That's not to say Universal won't issue another statement now, defending their reasons for re-shoots.

Update on Wed, May 5, 2010 by Mitch Anderson

Devin Faraci of CHUD contacted Edgar Wright via email who commented on the "Scott Pilgrim vs The World" reshoots:

"To be honest - I'm excited about it. We have material from Vol 6 that is impossible to resist and so even after a nearly a year of editing - it's going to be fun to put some icing on the cake. We are not even redoing one full scene, just some bits and bobs and new jokes and beats that I wrote with Bacall & O'Malley. Both Shaun & Hot Fuzz had two and three days respectively of additional shooting. One of those bits was the granny being kicked in the face. I think we can all agree that was a good pickup."

McDreamy Joins Transformers 3

The Wrap has confirmed that Patrick Dempsey has joined the cast of Transformers 3.

Dempsey told reporters in Brazil that he'll be shooting his role in the sequel later this month.  Entertainment Weekly is reporting that he will be playing the boss of Megan Fox's character in a role that is "significant to the plot."

A plot?  Transformers 3 will have a plot?  This gives me faint hope that they might be trying to make this movie at least somewhat better than the 2-1/2 hours of noise that was Transformers 2. (then again, it couldn't get much worse)

But will the Grey's Anatomy heartthrob be playing a villian too?  Dempsey says his character will be a "darker character than the other humans in the franchise."  Hmmm...Dr. Shephard as a bad guy?  That could get interesting.  Although with John Malkovich already cast in the bad-guy role, I'm not sure how many other villians they need of the non-robot variety.

Another rumor swirling around the new Transformers film has been confirmed as untrue, for now:  Jamie Kennedy will not be appearing in the film.  In a recent radio interview, Kennedy said he auditioned for a role in the film, but his publicist has confirmed that has not yet been cast.

Transformers 3 will again be directed by Michael Bay, and begins filming this month in the US and Africa.  It is scheduled for release in Summer 2011.

The returning human cast includes Shia Lebeouf, Megan Fox, Kevin Dunn, Julie White, Tyrese, Josh Duhamel, and just about anyone who was not blown up in the first film. 

'X-Men First Class' Arrives Summer 2011

HeatVision reports, Fox has closed a deal with Matthew Vaughn to direct “X-Men: First Class” and has set a date of June 3, 2011, for the film.

Vaughn’s involvement had been on and off, with negotiations resuming yesterday thanks to the involvement of producer Bryan Singer. Another factor had been Fox’s desire of wanting to have a finished film for next summer, making the search for a director who can deliver a quality film a priority.

Singer, who conceived the story for "First Class" and was to initially direct the movie before choosing to focus on “Jack the Giant” for Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures, is producing along with Lauren Shuler Donner and Simon Kinberg.

According to Fox, “First Class” will “chart the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were the closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.”

June 2011 is starting to get very pack with competition, on June 3 DreamWorks Animation's “Kung Fu Panda: The Kaboom of Doom.” Warners’ comic book movie “Green Lantern” opens two weeks later, June 17. And the sequel to “The Hangover” opens June 5.

After X-Men 3 and Wolverine, I'm not convinced that First Class will be putting up amazing numbers come next summer. How actually relevant and popular are X-Men now, certainly not what they once were. Next Summer we'll see if Vaughn has what it takes to resurrect the franchise.

"Cloverfield 2" trailer with Iron Man 2?

I personally thought that the shaky cam first person shot 'Cloverfield' was annoying and stupid. So when they started talking about a sequel, I wasn't at all interested. Where can you really take it from where it was left off.

Rumors of a sequel have been circling in the two-plus years since its release and with the success of last summer's Star Trek, Abrams is pretty much Paramount's golden boy and can now make any film he wishes. Those rumors are starting to look a lot like reality with the news that a sneak peek of Abrams' secret Super 8 will be unveiled when Iron Man 2 hits this weekend. The trailer is said to be so top secret that theaters aren't even allowed to open the film canister that contains it and the Iron Man 2 post-credits sequence until Thursday afternoon, meaning projectionists will have to hustle to prepare and attach it for midnight screenings.

According to Hit Fix:

Prints of "Iron Man 2" are already showing up at theaters nationwide, and all of those prints come with a final reel locked in a film canister that has a coded electronic lock on it.

 ...I can tell you that the film is called "Super 8."  I can also tell you that it is rumored to be a "Cloverfield" sequel.  How it ties in to the first film is unclear at this point, but I would imagine the trailer will make that connection explicit so that audiences basically walk out after two hours of amazing Iron Man action talking about a two minute trailer as the most exciting thing they saw.  What I can't tell you is what you're actually going to see in the trailer, and frankly, I don't want to know yet.

It appears that Abrams will not be directing this film, and the more I've poked into it, the more convinced I am that this is not the movie that Abrams is rumored to be teaming with Steven Spielberg to make.  At first, I thought they were connected, but if this is a "Cloverfield" follow-up, I have trouble believing Spielberg would suddenly jump onboard now.  Instead, that's most likely a different secret Abrams project.

Noone knows for sure yet, that this is in fact a trailer for the cloverfield sequel, but after this weekend I would expect the trailer to hit the internet. If your not already seeing IronMan 2 like everyone else, wait until after this weekend and I'm sure you'll know soon enough.

Update on Tue, May 4, 2010 by Mitch Anderson

Vulture has exclusive details on the trailer for the J.J. Abrams–produced Super 8, which will unspool at 12:01 am Thursday night in front of Iron Man 2.

Insiders familiar with the trailer tell us that it shows a bunch of kids who are shooting a movie with a Super 8 camera in the seventies or eighties. When they develop the film, they notice that there's an alien creature in the frame. Our sources also say that Super 8 is absolutely connected to 2008's Cloverfield (possibly a prequel, but not a sequel).

Whether the actual Super 8 movie will be set in the seventies, eighties, or present day is anyone's guess. And yet, just this scrap of information will have fans obsessing for months. Advantage yours, Abrams.

As much as I hated Cloverfield, this does sound very cool. Well played Abrams, well played.

Update on Wed, May 5, 2010 by Mitch Anderson

Vulture was able to catch up with J.J. Abrams last night and asked him about his secret trailer that is attached to prints of Iron Man 2 this weekend.

Abrams said, "You have to check [out the trailer]. But it has nothing whatsoever to do with 'Cloverfield,' despite your expert reporting." So what is Super 8 about? "I won't be able to tell you until it's done," he said.