RECORD-BREAKER THANKSGIVING $278M: 'New Moon' $42.5M Weekend/$66M Holiday; 'Blind Side' $40.1M/$57.5M

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Sunday November 29, 2009 @ 9:16am

new moon recent poster blind_side

SUNDAY AM: Official numbers coming in now... Analysis on its way...

1. NEW MOON (Summit Entertainment) Week 2 [4,042 Theaters)
Wed $14.3M, Thurs $9.2M, Fri $17.7M, Sat $16.5M
3-Day Total: $42.5M  (includes Sunday estimate) (-70% over last weekend)
5-Day Total: $66M  (includes Sunday estimate)
Domestic Cume: $230.7M  (includes Sunday estimate)
International Cume: $243M
Worldwide Cume: $473.7M

2. THE BLIND SIDE (Alcon/Warner Bros) Week 2 [3,140 Theaters]
Wed $7.9M, Thurs $9.4M, Fri $16.2M, Sat $15.9M (+18% over last weekend)
3-Day Total: $40.1M
5-Day Total: $57.5M
Domestic Cume: $100.2M

3. 2012 (Sony Pictures) Week 3 [3,444 Theaters]
Wed $3.6M, Thurs $4.0M, Fri: $7.0M, Sat
3-Day Total: $18M
5-Day Total: $25.6M
Domestic Cume: $138.7M
International Cume: $455.8M
Worldwide Cume: $594.5M 

4. OLD DOGS (Disney) NEW [3,425 Theaters]
Wed $3.1M, Thurs $4.1M, Fri: $6.9M, Sat
3-Day Total: $16.8M
5-Day Total: $24.0

5. A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Disney) Week 4 [3,013 Theaters]
Wed $2.7M, Thurs $3.7M, Fri $6.6M, Sat
3-Day Total: $16.0M
5-Day Total: $22.5M
Domestic Cume: $105.3M

6. NINJA ASSASSIN (Warner Bros) NEW [2,503 Theaters]
Wed $3.3M, Thurs $4.5M, Fri $5.6M, Sat $4.9M
3-Day Total: $13.1M
5-Day Total: $21.0M

7. PLANET 51 (Ilion Animation/Sony) Week 2 [3,035 Theaters]
Wed $2.1M, Thurs $1.5M, Fri $4.0M, Sat
3-Day Total: $10.2M
5-Day Total: $13.9M
Domestic Cume: $28.4M

8. FANTASTIC MR. FOX (Fox) Week 3 [2,033 Theaters]
Wed $1.1M, Thurs $1.3M, Fri $2.9M, Sat $2.5M
3-Day Total: $7.0M
5-Day Total: $9.5M
Domestic Cume: $10.1M

9. PRECIOUS (Lionsgate) Week 4 [663 Theaters]
Wed $1.0M, Thurs $1.3M, Fri $2.7M, Sat $2.8M
3-Day Total: $7.0M
5-Day Total: $9.4M
Domestic Cume: $32.4M

10. THE MEN WHO STARE AT GOATS (Overture) Week 4 [1,119 Theaters]
Wed $285K, Thurs $370K, Fri $630K, Sat
3-Day Total: $1.7M
5-Day Total: $2.3M
Domestic Cume: $30.7M

11. THE ROAD (The Weinstein Co) NEW [111 Theaters]
Wed $242K, Thurs $235K, Fri $558K, Sat $584K
3-Day Total: $1.5M
5-Day Total: $2.0M

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Actors Will Do Anything To Land A Role...

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Thursday November 26, 2009 @ 12:44pm

TJ Miller, an LA-based comedian (Cloverfield, Carpoolers) shot this video after two unsuccessful auditions for the Warner Bros' Yogi Bear movie. Studio boss Alan Horn and producer Donald De Line saw this footage and offered him a major part in the film. He's already in New Zealand shooting:

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Oscar Screeners Sent Out So Far...

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Wednesday November 25, 2009 @ 1:39pm

Among Academy Awards screeners which Oscar voters should have by now:

9
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
ANVIL
AN EDUCATION
A SERIOUS MAN
AWAY WE GO
BRIGHT STAR
CAPITALISM: A Love Story
COCO BEFORE CHANEL
CORALINE
DISTRICT 9
JULIE & JULIA
PIRATE RADIO
TAKING WOODSTOCK
THE BLIND SIDE
THE DAMNED UNITED
The INFORMANT
THE MESSENGER
THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE
THE PROPOSAL
THE STONING OF SORAYA M
THE YOUNG VICTORIA
TRUCKER
WHATEVER WORKS
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

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Photos: Hollywood At Obama State Dinner

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Wednesday November 25, 2009 @ 12:39pm

barack dinner 4 barack dinner2 barack dinner1 barack dinner3

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UTA's David Guillod Leaving Agency Biz

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Wednesday November 25, 2009 @ 10:06am

UTA talent partner David Guillod is leaving UTA and the agency business to supposedly join a content company. According to an email that UTA Chairman Jim Berkus sent out to the agency, “We have enjoyed many successes together with David and very much look forward to working with him in the future.” He reps Liv Tyler, Don Cheadle, Justin Long.

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Official List Of Hollywood Attendees At Obama's 1st White House State Dinner

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Tuesday November 24, 2009 @ 5:45pm

5:45PM: Hollywood VIP David Geffen was seated at President Obama's table.

3PM: Below is a list of expected entertainment industry attendees at tonight’s first White House State Dinner hosted by President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama for guest of honor Dr. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India, & Ms. Gursharan Kaur: Ari Emanuel, David Geffen, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Jeff Immelt, Michael Lynton and wife Jamie, Gayle King, M. Night Shyamalan, Steven Spielberg, Alfre Woodard, Blair E Underwood. For background on why these Hollywood insiders invited, read my previous: Obama Thanks Hollywood With Invites To First White House State Dinner.

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LA Times To Make Staff Cuts In Calendar? Washington Post Closing Its L.A. Bureau

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Tuesday November 24, 2009 @ 3:48pm

WEDNESDAY AM UPDATE: Los Angeles management told editors at a meeting this morning that, yes, more layoffs are planned. But management is claiming the 40 number is too high, and no film writers are involved. If anyone's job has been saved because of adverse publicity, then great. (I've added a question mark about the Calendar staff cuts. But two prominent film writers were targeted, trust me.) Now I'm told there will be a big push LA Times-wide in coming months to turn staff writers into freelance writers.

TUESDAY: More bad news for newspapers: I've learned that the Los Angeles Times expects to make as many as 40 layoffs before the end of this year, and it's likely that two senior film writers with well known bylines will be cut. (Yet the newspaper just hired a Hollywood Reporter film hack on the cheap. It's all about dollars and cents there these days, not quality.) Meanwhile, The Washington Post just announced it will close its Los Angeles Bureau by December 31st. Looks like Hollywood will be covered entirely out of the paper's headquarters now.

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FIRST LOOK! 'Avatar' Interactive Trailer

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Tuesday November 24, 2009 @ 12:30pm

20thCenturyFoxTwentieth Century Fox is calling this is a first-of-its-kind "next generation" trailer because its a dynamic interactive experience allowing viewers to access special additional content embedded in the piece. The trailer also will keep audiences up to date on AVATAR events by providing real-time feeds of film-related conversations on Twitter, real-time updates on official video content on YouTube, and images on Flickr. Updates on ticketing information will also be provided. The trailer is a first-of-its-kind application built on Adobe® AIR® software with technology existing outside of a web browser. AVATAR opens December 18th.

Click on image to access trailer and click "Install Now".

Click on image to access trailer and click "Install Now".

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Obamas' White House State Dinner Entertainment: Jennifer Hudson, AR Rahman, Kurt Elling, Marvin Hamlisch, Bay Area Empire Bhangra

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Tuesday November 24, 2009 @ 12:29pm

obama ent

From Michelle Obama's remarks today: "There's also more to the dinner than just the food, even though that's going to be exciting.  Dinners like these also need great entertainment.  So who do we have tonight?  We've got someone you guys probably know a lot about:  Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson is going to sing tonight -- yay!  But also have A.R. Rahman.  He's also an Oscar winner and he helped create some of the music for the film "Slumdog Millionaire."  I don't know if you guys got to see that movie -- incredible movie.  We're also going to have Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, who's a Chicago hometown guy and we're pleased to have him.  And we're also going to have the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Marvin Hamlisch, who's one of the greatest composers in this country." Mistakenly left off the list was the Bay Area Empire Bhangra dance group.

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SHOCKER! Carolina Lightcap Named President Of Disney Channels Worldwide; Heir Apparent Gary Marsh Passed Over

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Tuesday November 24, 2009 @ 9:15am

disney channels logoUPDATE: Hollywood is buzzing this morning as Disney made another unexpected in-house management move. It had been assumed that Disney Channels Worldwide entertainment president Gary Marsh would take over from his boss Rich Ross to head the whole she-bang. After all, Marsh has spearheaded Disney's lucrative franchises including Hannah Montana and High School Musical among other successes and has been considered a golden boy within Disney. But nooooooooooooo. Instead, Latin American VP and chief marketing officer Carolina Lightcap was leapfrogged over him. Heck, she was working out of Buenos Aires, not even Burbank. As a sop, Marsh gets an extra title, Chief Creative Officer, which is relatively meaningless since he still has to report to Lightcap:

Burbank, Tuesday, November 24, 2009 -- Carolina Lightcap has been promoted to President, Disney Channels Worldwide, it was announced today by Anne Sweeney, Co-chair, Disney Media Networks and President, Disney/ABC Television Group, to whom she will report. A highly-regarded executive with more than 20 years in the media/entertainment industry, Ms. Lightcap joined The Walt Disney Company in 2000 and most recently served in the dual roles of senior Vice President, Programming and Creative Affairs, Disney Channels Latin America, and Chief Marketing Officer, The Walt Disney Company, Latin America. She will assume her new position within the Disney/ABC Television Group effective immediately and will relocate from Buenos Aires to Burbank.

A versatile and well-regarded executive who, during her career, has been based in Los Angeles, Miami and New York, Ms. Lightcap will be charged with shepherding Disney Channels Worldwide, the global leader in kid-focused, family-inclusive entertainment, through its next period of growth. The Disney Channel global executive team representing Programming and Production, Business Affairs, Business Planning and Development, Marketing, Brand Management, Advertising Sales and Radio Disney, will report to her.

And in recognition of his extraordinary and continuing contribution, Gary Marsh will assume the new title of Chief Creative Officer in addition to his current title of President, Entertainment, Disney Channels Worldwide, remaining in charge of all program development, creative and production, reporting to Ms. Lightcap.

In making the announcement, Ms. Sweeney stated: “Carolina has made enormous contributions to Disney over the past decade, especially in launching and building Disney Channel Latin America into the #1 cable channel in the region. She’s a highly respected member of our global team and her wealth of experience,

... Read More »

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Wash Post: Jennifer Hudson To Perform At Obama's First White House State Dinner

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Monday November 23, 2009 @ 6:16pm

UPDATES: Obama Sends Hollywood Invites To 1st White House State Dinner

Story is here about the entertainment Tuesday night. A Chicago native, Jennifer Hudson belted out the national anthem for the Obamas at the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

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FX Buys 'Twilight Saga' Broadcast Rights

By Nikki Finke | Category: Uncategorized | Monday November 23, 2009 @ 5:30pm

fx_logo_150FX has acquired the television broadcast premiere rights to THE TWILIGHT SAGA series from Summit Entertainment. Twilight will air in late 2011, New Moon in late 2012, and Eclipse in early 2013, with Breaking Dawn to be determined by its theatrical release date. FX also has purchased the broadcast rights to The Hurt Locker for mid-2012, Knowing in mid-2012, and Push in 2012. All the pics will broadcast on FX after Summit's Showtime pay TV window.

twilightsaga1

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