EXCLUSIVE (contains update): If you've followed Nic Cage's financial back-and-forth with his business manager, then this will interest you. Plus, if the allegations are true, I think it should rank in the Hall of Fame of entertainment business manager screw-ups. Is it possible that the prominent business manager for a well-known hip hop band has failed to file ANY federal and state tax returns for the group, 
leaving it vulnerable to financial and legal penalties? According to a legal document filed today in Los Angeles Superior Court, Sean Michael Larkin is accused of that and more, including allegations he hid more than $1.4 million in tax refunds due members of that touring group. (Though the legal papers don't identify the band, sources tell me it's the Black Eyed Peas.) The filing also claims he has been obstructing efforts to conduct an audit of his records. It goes on to charge that only recently has Larkin begun creating “necessary accounting ledgers” for the music group. This is all according to the legal filing by Helen Yu, an attorney for several members of the group. Yu was responding to a lawsuit filed last week by Larkin, who accused her of attempting to destroy his reputation.
*UPDATE: As his lawsuit states, "The defendant used lies, falsehoods and baseless accusations seeking to ruin a competitor's business and reputation. Plaintiff Larkin is a successful business manager with ... Read More »
UPDATES Michael Bay's Crew Bitchslaps Megan Fox
Now Michael Bay has personally updated his website with this message:
The Crew Letter
09/12/2009 11:32 PM
I don’t condone the crew letter to Megan. And I don’t condone Megan’s outlandish quotes. But her crazy quips are part of her crazy charm. The fact of the matter I still love working with her, and I know we still get along. I even expect more crazy quotes from her on Transformers 3.
Michael
Michael Bay Speaks Up: "I Don't Condone Crew Letter Or Megan Fox Quotes"
Three of Michael Bay's crew members asked his website last night to post their response to Megan Fox's recent insults of the director made to a magazine for her upcoming Jennifer's Body. (She accused Bay of wanting to "be like Hitler on his sets, and he is. So he’s a nightmare to work for.") Now the crew get even and detail why she's the nightmare. I love when there's honesty in Hollywood. Remember what the crew did to Bruce Willis way back when?:
This is an open letter to all Michael Bay fans. We are three crew members that have worked with Michael for the past ten years. Last week we read the terrible article with inflammatory, truly trashing quotes by the Ms. Fox about Michael Bay. This letter is to set a few things straight.
Yes, Megan has great eyes, a tight stomach we spray with glycerin, and an awful silly Marilyn Monroe tattoo plastered on her arm that we cover up to keep the moms happy.
Michael found this shy, inexperienced girl, plucked her out of total obscurity thus giving her the biggest shot of any young actresses' life. He told everyone around to just trust him on his choice. He granted her the starring role in Transformers, a franchise that forever changed her life; she became one of
... Read More »
I'm sure you are all aware of the protest taking place at the Toronto Film Festival condemning the organizers' choice of Tel Aviv for an inaugural City-to-City Spotlight. Many of the participants have denounced this "celebratory spotlight on a city of "an apartheid regime", and sent an open letter accusing the festival of, "whether intentionally or not, [becoming] complicit in the Israeli propaganda machine". They organized an open letter, and the signatories include Danny Glover, Jane Fonda, David Byrne, Ken Loach and others. Canadian filmmaker John Greyson withdrew his short film after learning of the Tel Aviv spotlight. In response to this, I've learned there will be a full-page ad running Monday in Canada's Globe and Mail signed by Hollywood players on the other side of this issue:
SATURDAY UPDATE: Kevin Spacey is in Washington DC this weekend doing extensive research for is portrayal of Jack Abramoff in the biopic Casino Jack, which starts principal photography this month with director George Hickenlooper. The actor will be meeting with former business associates of the imprisoned Capitol Hill lobbyist. Yesterday, at the prison meeting, Abramoff opened up about his former life, discussing how very little has changed on K Street since he has been in prison (and how very little will). At one point during the meeting, Spacey was sharing his impersonation of Bill Clinton with Abramoff, while Abramoff shared a pretty good impersonation of Ronald Reagan with Spacey.
FRIDAY 1 PM PT: My sources tell me that 2-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey and film director George Hickenlooper (Factory Girl, Hearts of Darkness) are right now visiting Washington DC lobbyist Jack Abramoff in Cumberland Federal Prison. Abramoff, of course, was responsible for one of the biggest political scandal to hit the nation's capital since Watergate, and is the subject of a screenplay Casino Jack starring Spacey and directed by Hickenlooper and written by Norm Snider (Dead Ringers) and produced by Bill Marks, George Vitetzakis and exec-produced by Donald Zuckerman and Richard Rionda of Hannibal Pictures. A portion of the project is being financed by Brad Feinstein of Titan Multi Media Group in a deal being negotiated by Paradigm. The story is described to me as a modern day GoodFellas set in Washington DC that plays like a thriller involving Karl Rove and others in former President George W. Bush's inner circle. Cameras will roll ... Read More »
My LA Weekly colleague, film editor Scott Foundas, is foaming at the mouth that nowhere to be found on the Academy's latest Foreign Language Film shortlist is Italian director Matteo Garrone's Gomorrah, which has been credited with single-handedly returning Italian cinema to the world film spotlight. Here's his argument:
How Do You Say "Oscar Scandal" in Italian?
by Scott Foundas/LA Weekly
One year ago this week, I wrote with astonishment and anger about the omission of Romanian director Cristian Mungiu's Cannes-winning abortion drama 4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 9-film "shortlist" for the 2007 Foreign Language Film Oscar. That article was among the first of many similarly outraged essays that held the feet of the Academy's Foreign Language nominating committee to the fire for what was widely seen as an unconscionable oversight by an organization that prides itself on its dedication to the art of cinema. Missing this year is Italy's Gomorrah.
Of course, the history of the Oscars in general -- and the Foreign Language Oscar in particular -- is written in such blunders, which is why it becomes increasingly difficult with each passing year to afford the awards any serious consideration. Many of the best movies produced around the world never even stand a chance of being recognized by the Academy, either because they don't receive commercial distribution in the
... Read More »
Paramount Delaying 2 Oscar-Buzzed Pics
UPDATE: So now we have a glimpse of a new Paramount in the post-DreamWorks divorce, current credit crunch, era. Also the studio finally clarified the job duties of Adam Goodman and Brad Weston which I've already reported. They have the same title, but different duties! And they're not co-heads! (Can't we all get along?) "We now own and control 12 years of DreamWorks development and assure continuity with Adam Goodman staying at Paramount," a bigwig told me this morning. "He'll be the point person interacting with Stacy and Steven." In all there are 100 active DreamWorks projects staying at Paramount, and 35 being developed together with DreamWorks. I'm told that the production and personnel savings to Paramount now that it's "one consolidated organization again" will be $50 million. As an insider summed up, "We're keeping everything that makes money and giving away anything that costs money." Here's the press release:
LOS ANGELES, CALIF., October 15, 2008 -- Paramount Pictures said today it has reduced its release target to twenty films annually to more effectively compete in the changing marketplace and to realize the maximum financial benefit of the series of new operating efficiencies achieved by the studio. Under the new targets, Paramount plans to release twelve films, including MTV Films and Nickelodeon Movies, and up to four additional releases from its Paramount Vantage unit. Paramount will also continue to distribute 2-4 films a year produced by DreamWorks
... Read More »
You may recall that last year the Israeli Academy of Motion Pictures chose The Band’s Visit as the country’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar only to see it disqualified by the Academy Of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for having too much English dialogue. The runner-up, Beaufort, then became the first Israeli film to grab an Oscar nomination in 24 years. Israeli film blogger Yair Raveh tells me that this year Israel’s pick is Waltz With Bashir which debuted in Cannes to much buzz, played at the Toronto and Telluride film fests, and tonight swept the Israel's Academy Awards so it automatically becomes that country's AMPAS Oscar pick. Picked up by Sony Pictures Classics, it's an animated film based on writer-producer-director Ari Folman's real-life memories - or lack thereof - of the first Lebanon war in 1982. (This is Folman’s 2nd movie to win Israel’s Academy Award; 1st was 1997’s Saint Clara.)
SUNDAY AM: For most people, this week's stock market fall and rise was enough of a thrill ride. So I thought North American moviegoers would crave fresh comedy by Friday. Nope. They wanted even more suspense, so they turned out for Sony's PG-13 suspense film Lakeview Terrace [in 2,464 theaters] directed by Neil LaBute and starring Samuel L. Jackson. The No. 1 pic opened to so-so reviews but made $5.1 million Friday and $6.5 million (+27%) Saturday for a better-than-expected $15.6M debut weekend. Then again, LaBute has a widening reputation for unusual psychological films. Sony claims Overbrook Entertainment (Will Smith and James Lassiter’s production company) brought in the movie for just $20M. Focus Features' political spoof Burn After Reading [2,657], starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt, held on to more than half its audience from a week ago (-47%) for the 2nd spot. It took in $3.4 million Friday and $4.6 million Saturday to score a $11.2M weekend and new cume of $36.4M. But Lionsgate's R-rated (for racy and rotten) My Best Friend's Girl [2,604]really fell apart at the box office. It opened #3, but what was supposed to be a weekend total in the mid-teens collapsed to just $8.3M. I'm now waiting for Hollywood to realize that Dane Cook is not a movie star. (In fact, a weekly MovieTickets.com poll showed that 37% of its filmgoers thought Cook should stick to stand-up comedy, while 36% believed he should keep acting. I say send him back on that HBO bus tour.)
No. 4 was newcomer Igor [2,339], the Exodus Family Group ... Read More »
1. Lakeview Terrace (Sony) $5.1M Fri [2,464 theaters] NEW, Wkd estimate $15M
2. Burn After Reading (Focus) $3.4M Fri [2,657] -47%, Wkd est $11M
3. My Best Friend's Girl (Lionsgate) $3.0M Fri [2,604] NEW, Wkd est $8.5M
4. Righteous Kill (Overture) $2.3M Fri [3,152] -61%, Wkd est $7M
5. Igor (Exodus/MGM) $2M Fri [2,339] NEW, Wkd est $7M
6. The Family That Preys (Lionsgate) $2M Fri [2,070] -66%, Wkd est $6M.
7. The Women (Picturehouse/Warner) $1.8M Fri [2,995] -49%, Wkd est $5.5M
8. Ghost Town (DreamWorks/Paramount) $1.5M Fri [1,505] NEW, Wkd est $4.5M
9. The Dark Knight (Warner) $750K Fri [1,905] -32%, Wkd est $2.8M
10. The House Bunny (Sony) $750K Fri [2,675] -41%, Wkd est $2.5M
It's looking like an $80M total weekend box office, down 10% from last year.
Los Angeles, CA, September 17, 2008 – Veteran marketing and publicity executive Nancy Kirkpatrick has formally joined Summit Entertainment as the studio’s President of Worldwide Marketing. Kirkpatrick will conceptualize, orchestrate and oversee the marketing campaigns for Summit’s annual slate of 10-12 wide theatrical releases per year as well the campaigns for films as they move through their various ancillary distribution windows. Prior to accepting the position Kirkpatrick served as a consultant to the studio. She will report to Summit’s Chief Operating Officer, Bob Hayward and work closely with Summit Co-Chairmen Rob Friedman and Patrick Wachsberger.
“I have had the great pleasure of working with Nancy for many years prior to our newest journey at Summit,” said Rob Friedman. “Nancy is an incredible strategist who approaches her work with care, creativity and inventiveness and she always keeps the best interest of the films and the studio in mind. We are lucky to have her with us at Summit, and I look forward to this experience being another successful chapter for Nancy in what is already a great career in the filmed entertainment business.”
“I am proud to join Rob, Patrick and the rest of the team of talented professionals who are together building a film studio with a fresh vision and strong point of view," said Kirkpatrick. “The mix of films that Summit is producing offers a wonderful opportunity to work across all genres and provides a big canvas on which to experiment and break new ground.”
Prior to joining Summit, Kirkpatrick spent the balance
... Read More »
Inexplicable why it took until today for this lawsuit to be filed in Manhattan federal court because it was a total "duh". Here's the backstory: the Sheldon Abend Revocable Trust holds the copyright to the short story by Cornell Woolrich which is the basis for the 1954 suspense classic Rear Window after Alfred Hitchcock and actor James Stewart obtained the movie rights. The lawsuit argues that Disturbia's maker DreamWorks, its parent company Viacom, Steven Spielberg and others should have done the same to avoid copyright infringement. (I'm told that 1998 TV remake of Rear Window, starring Christopher Reeve, obtained the Trust's permission.)
The Best Actress Oscar winner will be repped now by a team of UTA agents headed by Tracey Jacobs, the board of directors member and co-head of the agency's talent department. Gwyneth Paltrow was previously handled by CAA. 
She left after appearing in a series of critically and/or financially disappointing movies until Marvel's Iron Man, and every tenpercentery has been pursuing her for months. Signing a major Academy Award-winning thesp is hard as hell these days for any agency. But I have no doubt that Jacobs can do for Paltrow what she did for Johnny Depp because, like Depp, Paltrow has real talent. The actress continues to be managed by Aleen Keshishian of Brillstein Entertainment Partners.
So The Dark Knight posts still another best-ever. Media By Numbers is reporting that Warner Bros' latest Batman installment crossing the $500 million domestic gross milestone today after only 45 days in release. It's already the second-highest grossing pic of all time behind only the $600.8 million domestic haul of Titanic which took 91 days to pass $500M. The projected domestic cume for Dark Knight is $502,421,000 after this weekend. Interestingly, Wednesday, August 27th (its 41st day of release) was the first single day that the film earned below $1 million. In all, Dark Knight has set 14 major movie records since its release July 18th:
MEDIA BY NUMBERS: DARK KNIGHT SELECTED RECORDS THUS FAR (IN ORDER OF OCCURRENCE):
1. LARGEST NUMBER OF OPENING THEATRES WITH 4,366 (MORE THAN THE 4,362 DEBUT THEATRES OF PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: AT WORLD'S END IN 2007).
2. BIGGEST MIDNIGHT PREVIEW GROSS WITH $18.489 MILLION IN 3,040 THEATRES (THIS BEATS STAR WARS EPISODE III: REVENGE OF THE SITH AT $16.9 MILLION IN 2,915 THEATRES IN 2005).
3. BIGGEST IMAX MIDNIGHT PREVIEWS SET AN NEW RECORD WITH $640,000 (THIS AMOUNT WAS APPROPRIATELY INCLUDED IN THE $18.489 MILLION PREVIEW NUMBER).
4. BIGGEST SINGLE-DAY GROSS IN BOX-OFFICE HISTORY WITH $67,165,092 (THIS BEATS THE $59,841,919 SET BY SPIDER-MAN 3 IN 2007).
5. BIGGEST OPENING WEEKEND GROSS IN BOX-OFFICE HISTORY WITH $158,411,483 MILLION (THIS BEATS THE $151,116,516 SET BY SPIDER-MAN 3 IN 2007).
6. BIGGEST OPENING WEEKEND GROSS FOR AN IMAX RELEASE IN BOX-OFFICE HISTORY WITH $6,214,061 MILLION IN 94 THEATRES ($66,107 PER-THEATRE!) (THIS BEATS THE $4.7 MILLION SET BY SPIDER-MAN 3 IN 2007) - IMAX SHOWING ... Read More »
The Pulitzer-prize winning New Orleans local newspaper thinks it's an outrage that Lionsgate is releasing Disaster Movie on the 3rd anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The studio that has hawked torture porn for years has now decided to make a buck off the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people, and on the eve of another terrible storm about to strike the Gulf states. 
"Around these Katrina-scarred parts, Aug. 29 is still -- and will be for some time -- a black-armband kind of day," criticized Mike Scott, the movie writer for the local newspaper The Times-Picayune. "For Lionsgate studios, however, Aug. 29 isn't quite as sacred. For them, the third anniversary of the day the levees were breached and New Orleans slipped under is something on the order of perfect timing: a ripped-from-the-headlines release date." Lionsgate is quick to point out that the pic's disaster isn't meteorological; it's an incoming meteor and claims the opening date is an unfortunate coincidence. "The film does not depict or parody any actual natural disaster, and the release date of 'Disaster Movie' is in no way a reference to or joke about the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina," read a studio statement prepared for The Times-Picayune. As the newspaper noted, "That's a hard line to swallow. Tasteless humor and B-movie comedies have their place. But this confluence of dates isn't just a cheap laugh. It's a cheap shot to an entire region still digging out from an all-too-real ... Read More »
There's more bad news for the movie studio part-owned by Tom Cruise and Paula Wagner with MGM. Last summer, 11 extras dressed in Nazi army uniforms fell out of the back of a World War II-era troop carrier truck as it swung around a corner in central in Berlin during the filming of Tom Cruise's biopic Valkyrie, sending the actors to the hospital with injuries. Now, the actors are suing Cruise's United Artists for $11 million, according to the German magazine Der Spiegel. It reports that the extras' lawyer claims United Artists knew the trucks used in the filming were not entirely safe because there was an internal studio memo about the rickety railings.
UPDATE: Universal late today moved the Paul Rudd-Seam William Scott comedy Role Models from November 14th to November 7th because Bond moved from November 7th to November 14.
I usually leave announcements of movies changing dates to the trades. But it's interesting how the pushback of Harry Potter And The Half Blood Prince to 2009 has had such a ping-pong effect on this coming holiday's North American release schedule. Not only did Summit Entertainment's Twilight move up into Harry's vacated slot of November 21st, but now Sony/MGM's James Bond No. 22, Quantum Of Solace, has moved back a week. Sony said today: "We believe November 14th is a great date that allows us to play straight through Thanksgiving and right into Christmas. The Bond films have a long history of entertaining audiences in this holiday corridor going back to Goldeneye in 1995. The studio enjoyed tremendous success opening Casino Royale in North America on November 17, 2006.” Quantum of Solace begins its worldwide roll out on October 31st. Unrelated to Harry, UA's Valkyrie has moved up from Presidents Weekend 2009 to December 26th (because, when moviegoers think Christmas, they think Nazis...). And Sony moved Will Smith's Seven Pounds back a week to December 19th, prompting Paramount to slide The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button to Christmas.
Say you're a downsized Hollywood studio that recently laid off almost all your employees. Well, if you're New Line you throw the annual summer staff party for those remaining few. Ex-New Liners are emailing me that the pool party on Thursday at Skybar will cost $35,000 and "all 48 employees will be there to swim in the blood of the 550 employees who were massacred." 
(Hey, they have a right to be bitter because their severance was less than they were told it would be.) I'm assured it was an "agonizing" decision by Toby Emmerich and Richard Brenner whether to hold the fete this year. In the old days, New Line co-founder Bob Shaye was famous for these fancy parties held in NY and in LA at summer and Christmas in swanky settings like Malibu beach houses with all-you-can-eat steak and lobsters.
"Even in the worst years New Line always had that party," a studio insider tells me. "Senior management didn't want to be disrespectful of the circumstances. We're still mourning the hurt and difficulties of so many of our former colleagues. But Toby felt like the summer party is part of New Line's DNA and to change that is a mistake." So the studio decided to lower the party's budget, telling me that the price tag is only "one third" of what the laid-off employees claim. New Line senior management also thinks the studio's got something to celebrate because of the recent grosses on Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay (a Mandate film), ... Read More »
If you're the type who likes to read Hollywood contracts for fun and profit, then this will make your day: here are all the Watchmen contracts and court documents.
Carl Icahn Now Wants ALL Of Lionsgate 
Action Comedy TV: Showrunner Matt Nix 
SAG National Board Approves Joint Bargaining … 
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