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Fox Screws Up 'Slumdog Millionaire' DVD

By Nikki Finke | Category: DVDs | Tuesday March 31, 2009 @ 11:48pm

There was a bad batch of Slumdog Millionaire DVDs released without the special features advertised on the box. Missing are "The Making Of" featurette and the "Deleted Scenes" among other promised content. Needless to say, a lot of buyers are complaining to Amazon about it. The web seller has added this note:

DVD Alert: We are aware that special features were missing from a number of Slumdog Millionaire DVDs. Fox has set up a hotline telephone number (1-888-223-4FOX) for those consumers who may have purchased a version that does not contain special features. Upon calling the hotline, these consumers will be able to have their disc replaced for one containing special features. Fox regrets any inconvenience this has caused.

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CBS: Smaller Shows, Bigger Film Division

By Nikki Finke | Category: Networks | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 10:12pm

UPDATE: You asked, I'll answer. I've just learned that CBS has demanded that each existing TV show -- even the hit ones -- reduce their budgets for next year, if renewed. This may mean smaller writing staffs. Meanwhile, Hollywood has been speculating about the future of the new CBS feature division. I'm told, "All systems go". Not only are there no layoffs, but there are actually additions as the division heads into production. Shooting begins April 7th on its first motion picture, a medical drama starring Harrison Ford. And its second pic, a romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez, starts principal photography in May.

  • Les Is Less: CBS Falls 17% On Downgrade
  • Fishburne Is The $14 Million Man On CBS
  • CBS Only Has Room For 3 or 4 New Shows; Producing 6 Less Pilots
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    I Bet Sacha's 'Bruno' Charms The MPAA Ratings Board On The 2nd Time Around

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Movies | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 7:21pm

    Universal isn't even breaking a sweat. "People don't get the process," one exec told me. "The film isn't even rated yet." So I can't believe some bloggers think it's a big deal that Sacha Baron Cohen's Bruno has received a possible NC-17 rating on its first submission to the MPAA. Because it happens all the time. Just ask Kevin Smith, whose Zack and Miri Make A Porno received a possible NC-17 rating until the helmer made changes and the MPAA appeals board reviewed the film a second time and gave it an official R. This was the 3rd time that Smith won an appeal with the MPAA (Clerks and Jersey Girl came first). Jeez, some people need to get a clue about the biz.

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    Can Redstone Go To Fiscal Hell And Back?

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Rumors | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 6:57pm

    I hear Sumner Redstone is denying those persistent rumors that he's talking to Peter Chernin about replacing Philippe Dauman as No. 2. "Chernin is from the creative side, and Dauman isn't," said a source explaining the whispering. And Sumner has been known to make shocking mogul moves. (Just ask Tom Freston.) Meanwhile, on the financial front, the over-leveraged old coot's auction continues: he's hawking chunks of his family holding company National Amusements' theater chains to pay down his debt. Citigroup, which is handling the auction, sent out sales books to 60 parties for the domestic theaters except the 17 in New England (which are not on the block presumably for sentimental reasons since that's where the company started), and to 20 parties for the overseas theaters in the UK and South America. Sources say so far he's received 60 offers for the U.S. theaters and 20 offers for the UK and South American. I'm told Redstone has also received an offer for the Russian theaters which aren't on the block -- yet. Bids are expected in about a month.

    But it looks doubtful he'll get what he hopes. the 85-year-old Viacom chief still has a $1.4 billion balance left on his original $1.6B loan, some of which has to be paid back by the end of this year, and all in 2010. This crisis began back in October when Viacom and CBS share prices dropped 43% and 52% respectively, forcing the 85-year-old chief to sell stock in both companies worth $233 million. The falling prices put Redstone in violation of debt covenants, forcing him into negotiations with creditors. Because of how hard he was hit by the stock market crash, Redstone's personal wealth dropped from nearly $7B to barely $1B. Will the pity party ever stop?

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    Les Is Less: CBS Falls 17% On Downgrade

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Finance | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 5:01pm

    Just when you think it can't get any worse for Les Moonves, it does. He's already slashed the CBS Inc dividend. Today the stock fell more than 17%. That followed a UBS downgrade of the media stock from neutral to sell because so much of the company's revenues are generated through auto advertising (65%), including local ads which are also dominated by car commercials. So even though CBS shows comprise half of Nielsen's Top 10, the stock closed today at $3.79.

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    R.I.P. Steven Bach

    By Nikki Finke | Category: R.I.P. | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 5:00pm

    The former United Artists exec wrote what I consider to be the best books about the lunacy of the entertainment business -- Final Cut, about how Michael Cimino's disastrous 1980 Heaven’s Gate brought down the studio. Bach also wrote biographies of Marlene Dietrich, Moss Hart and Leni Riefenstahl. He died of cancer at his home in Vermont.

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    Gersh Hires Former Endeavor Agent Wu

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Agents | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 2:33pm

    Before she was let go, Endeavor talent agent Daisy Wu's client list included Oscar winner Mira Sorvino, DL Hughley, Alexander Skarsgard, Lindsay Sloane, Chris Eccleston, Mary Lynn Rajskub, Alex Pettyfer, and Amelia Warner. I'm told it’s not confirmed at this time which clients will follow her to The Gersh Agency. Daisy was fielding offers from many agencies. Before Endeavor, she'd worked at ICM.

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    Warner Bros Woes With Abu Dhabi Deal

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Foreign, Studios | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 1:05pm

    abudhabi.jpg

    When the pact was announced 18 months ago, I noted that, if a sucker is born every minute, all eventually land in Hollywood. And that, after exhausting the German dentist money, then the American tycoon scion money, warnerbroslogo-200.jpgthen the Greenwich hedge fund money, Tinseltown was now exploiting the Abu Dhabi real estate money. A lot was made of the Warner Bros announcement of a "long-term, multi-faceted strategic alliance" calling for a theme park, hotel, multiplex cinemas and joint fund to finance films, develop video games, and build out the infrastructure for Abu Dhabi's new media. I was told it was a multibillion dollar deal, with the film and video game funds alone worth $500 million each, made with Abu Dhabi’s leading real estate developer ALDAR and the newly established Abu Dhabi Media Company. But that was then, and this is now.

    BusinessWeek's excellent LA Bureau chief Ron Grover is reporting that the Warner Bros-Abu Dhabi Media overall deal is being renegotiated, and the $500 million agreement to jointly fund movie projects has stalled. "Sources in Hollywood and the financial industry say that Abu Dhabi Media and the Time Warner-owned studio are in talks to restructure their agreement but are not close to a resolution. The only movie Abu Dhabi has invested in under the deal is Shorts, a family film staring Jon Cryer and William H. Macy that is scheduled for release this summer. That movie was put into production shortly after the financing deal was announced. According to sources, the two sides haven't discussed new film projects in months. Although unlikely at this point, Abu Dhabi could walk away from the film portion of the deal."

    "In light of the current economic climate, we are working with our partners in Abu Dhabi to ensure each company's business objectives are mutually aligned," Warner Bros said in a statement to BusinessWeek.

    Grover continues: "Under the deal, announced on Sept. 26, 2007, Adu Dhabi and Warner agreed to split 50-50 the financing of films, with Time Warner retaining its rights to a generous distribution fee. The films receiving funds were to be "mutually agreed upon," but sources say Warner had placed off limits its successful Harry Potter franchise. There are differing accounts as to what went wrong with the film deal. One source with knowledge of the ongoing talks says that because oil prices have fallen sharply in the last ... Read More »

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    ICM Signs Emmy Rossum

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Agents | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 11:51am

    As I reported back on March 20th, Emmy Rossum left CAA. She took meetings with several top agencies and has now signed with ICM.

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    DHD Advisory: 72 Hours Light Posting

    By Nikki Finke | Category: DH update | Monday March 30, 2009 @ 11:39am

    I'll be in and out over the next 3 days so cut DHD some slack. Will file when I can. But expect lighter than usual posting and late stories. Keep those tips coming!

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    'Monsters vs Aliens' Blasts Off #1 For Biggest 3D Opening: $58.2M Weekend

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Box Office, Movies | Saturday March 28, 2009 @ 12:02am

    SUNDAY AM: Feel that heat? It's another hot weekend at the box office, +40% over last year for $140 million in overall grosses. And it's mostly due to the blistering North American performance of 3-D blockbuster Monsters vs Aliens. Despite so-so elite reviews, the pic totalled $58.2M this weekend, performing almost as huge as producer DreamWorks dared to hope, but better than distributor Paramount thought possible. (See below) It was the biggest pic of the year so far, and blasted through the record for a 3-D opening (held by Spy Kids 3-D) and RealD estimated it contributed  $25M of the gross. Also, 9% of the box office came from 143 IMAX screens. Monsters vs Aliens debuted to $16.8 million Friday and then soared to $24.3 million Saturday and an estimated $17 million Sunday thanks to crowded kiddie matinees in the widest release yet of a 3-D title -- 4,104 theaters, including 1,550 3-D venues which had $3 to $4 premiums. This was almost the biggest non-sequel toon opening for DWA, behind 2008 summer hit Kung Fu Panda, but also one of the top non-sequel animation openings of all time. So 3-D is paying off for DWA chief Jeffrey Katzenberg (who's constantly preaching about the technology's superiority after pledging to make all future toons in 3-D).

    As for Lionsgate's The Haunting in Connecticut, it's overperforming. The horror flicks' late shows really picked up Friday night with $9.5 million Friday and $8.7 million Saturday and an estimated $4.7 million Sunday for a $23M debut weekend and 2nd place. As expected, the Fox-distributed WWE's 12 Rounds starring John Cena was knocked out with a pathetic $5.3M opening weekend and #7. There also were strong holdovers:

    1. Monsters vs Aliens (DWA/Par) OPENER, [4,104], Wkd $58.2M
    2. Haunting in Connecticut (LG) OPENER [2,732], Wkd $23M
    3. Knowing (Summit) Week 2 [3,337], Wkd $14.7M (-40%), Cume $46.2M
    4. I Love You Man (Par) Week 2, [2,717], Wkd $12.6M, Cume $37M
    5. Duplicity (Uni) Week 2, [2,579], Wkd $7.5M, Cume $25.6M
    6. Witch Mountain (Dis) Week 3, [3,268], Wkd $5.6M, Cume $53.2M
    7. 12 Rounds (WWE/Fox) OPENER, [2,331], Wkd $5.3M
    8. Watchmen (WB) Week 4, [2,010], Wkd $2.7M, Cume $103.2M
    9. Taken (Fox) Week 9, [1,961], Wkd $2.7M, Cume $137M
    10. Last House (Rogue/Uni) Week 3 [2,251], Wkd $2.6M, Cume $28.4M

    FRIDAY AM: This is certainly a rarity in the run-up to movie openings recently -- a Hollywood studio that's trying to raise expectations for how its film will perform. I'm told that distributor Paramount behind-the-scenes is trying to lower producer DreamWorks Animations' forecast that its Monsters vs Aliens will do $60 million at this box office ... Read More »

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    Digital Changes For News Corp: Ex-AOL'er Jon Miller Becomes Digital Media CEO, FIM Prez Peter Levinsohn To "Big Studio Job"

    By Nikki Finke | Category: Digital | Friday March 27, 2009 @ 4:19pm

    EXCLUSIVE & UPDATED: Sources tell me that outcast AOL CEO Jon Miller has agreed to join News Corp in a newly created role as CEO, Digital Media. He will report to Rupert Murdoch and be based in NYC and in charge of Internet and mobile businesses in a global role driving digital strategy across all News Corp business. This is a really big job, I'm told, because he will collaborate with the heads of the other News Corp businesses. Post-AOL, Miller became one of the founding partners at the VC firm Velocity. But his former employer Time Warner had a contractual hold on him until the end of this month. The digital media veteran served from 2002 to 2006 as Chairman/CEO of AOL. He was brought in to create a new business model so he restructured AOL's core business lines, and focused the company on online advertising (including the 2004 acquisition of Advertising.com). Previously, Jon was President/CEO of USA Information and Services, now IACI and Expedia (the company split in two in 2005), and, before that, Managing Director of Nickelodeon International, a unit of Viacom's MTV Networks.

    Meanwhile, Peter Levinsohn, who has been President of News Corp's Fox Interactive Media (FIM) since 2006 will return to the studio with a promotion "in a big job" under chairmen Jim Gianopulos and Tom Rothman. Levinsohn had been President of Digital Media for the Fox Entertainment Group and negotiated deals to spread Fox content across available digital platforms.

    And here's the answer to a trivia question: Miller was partners in Velocity with Ross Levinsohn, the former head of FIM who lost his job to his cousin Peter.

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