You are viewing the archive: “Kevin Hart”

CinemaCon: Lionsgate Aiming For Major Studio Status With ‘Hunger Games’ Sequel Leading 2013 Slate

By PETE HAMMOND | Thursday April 18, 2013 @ 7:35pm PDTTags: CinemaCon, Ender's Game, Harrison Ford, Kevin Hart, Lionsgate, Rob Friedman, Summit, The Hunger Games, Twilight Saga
Pete Hammond

After the six major studios wrapped up their turns in front of the CinemaCon convention goers with 20th Century Fox earlier today, it was Lionsgate‘s turn to carry the flag for the indie sector, even though NATO’s John Fithian said last year that in Lionsgate we are seeing the birth of the “seventh major studio”. And although some of the speakers during the company’s relatively brief presentation this afternoon took up that mantle, Lionsgate in its sizzle reel  actually touted the fact that they are the only non-major to actually go over $1 billion in a single year — certainly thanks to the dynamic duo of Summit’s Twilight finales and The Hunger Games, which became the third-highest-grossing film of 2012 with more than $400 million domestically. So are they are a major? A mini-major? A true independent? Or just a money-minting film company with a couple of franchises the real majors would kill for (and in the case of Twilight actually passed on — ouch).

But as befits any wannabe major, a spiffier, more corporate logo was in order, and as Deadline reported earlier they debuted it for the theatre owners here in Las Vegas. As distribution head Richie Fay put it during his turn onstage, “Lionsgate is an overnight success that was 12 years in the making”.

As far as the presentation went, Lionsgate certainly took an independent route from the way the majors have behaved all week, offering a musical-chairs lineup of executives taking their turn in front of delegates who crowded into the Colosseum to check out the product. In addition to Fay, we also heard from CEO and co-founder Jon Feltheimer, co-chairman of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Rob Friedman and AMC theatres exec Elizabeth Frank, who pointed out the company released 20 major films in 2012 and led the field 11 separate weeks. She said her company was looking forward to the 17 movies on tap this year and many of them were showcased for the first time over the course of the 80-minute show emceed by comedian Kevin Hart. READ MORE »

Comments (6)

BET Renews ‘Real Husbands Of Hollywood’ For Second Season

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday March 8, 2013 @ 9:17am PSTTags: BET, Kevin Hart, The Real Husbands of Hollywood
Nellie Andreeva

BET has ordered a 12-episode second season of semi-scripted comedy Real Husbands Of Hollywood. The series, created by Kevin Hart and Chris Spencer, debuted to more than 4 million viewers in January. Labeled the “fakest … Read More »

Comments (5)

Justin Timberlake Returning As ‘SNL’ Host

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday February 21, 2013 @ 10:45am PSTTags: Justin Timberlake, Kevin Hart, Saturday Night Live

Justin Timberlake will make his fifth appearance as host on Saturday Night Live on March 9, pulling double-duty as musical guest. It comes 10 days before his latest album drops. That makes Timberlake a member of SNL‘s Five-Timers … Read More »

Comments (16)

‘Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain’ Concert Pic Set For July 4 Weekend

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday January 3, 2013 @ 12:40pm PSTTags: Codeblack Films, Kevin Hart, Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain

Santa Monica, CA January 3, 2013 – Kicking off Lionsgate’s (NYSE: LGF) new partnership with Codeblack Films to produce and distribute feature films and other projects for the urban market, Codeblack has acquired stand-up comedy mega-star Kevin Hart’s concert film KEVIN HART: LET ME EXPLAIN, the Company announced today. The film is financed and executive produced by Hart and his Hartbeat Productions banner, and produced by Jeff Clanagan via the Codeblack Films banner. KEVIN HART: LET ME EXPLAIN captures the laughter, energy and mayhem from Hart’s 2012 “Let Me Explain” concert tour, which spanned 10 countries and 80 cities, and generated over $32 million in ticket sales. Lionsgate’s Summit Entertainment label is targeting a broad summer theatrical release over the July 4, 2013 holiday weekend.

Read More »

Comments (3)

Warner Bros In Talks For ‘Get Hard’ With Will Ferrell And Kevin Hart Attached To Star

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Friday December 7, 2012 @ 3:15pm PSTTags: Big Deals Film, Kevin Hart, Warner Bros, Will Ferrell
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros is negotiating to acquire Get Hard, a comedy pitch package that will be developed as a star vehicle for Will Ferrell and Kevin Hart. The plan is for Ferrell to play a rich, soft-handed investment bank manager who is sentenced to a maximum security prison for a crime he didn’t commit. He hires the streetwise guy who normally washes his car to get him ready to do hard time in the 30 days before he has to report to prison.

The script will be written by Ian Roberts & Jay Martel, who are currently executive producers and showrunners on Comedy Central’s Key & Peele. Gary Sanchez is attached to produce. Read More »

Comments 35

2 New BET Comedies To Premiere Jan. 15

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday November 28, 2012 @ 2:43pm PSTTags: BET Networks, Kevin Hart, Second Generation Wayans

Real Husbands Of Hollywood, based on the Real Husbands sketches on the BET Awards, is set to premiere on Tuesday, January 15 at 10 PM, followed by new scripted comedy Second Generation Wayans at 10:30. Kevin Hart (recently divorced) is executive producer of the semi-scripted Real Husbands, which follows the surreal lives of the men of Hollywood and their take on things from the husband’s point of view. The BET series features Nick Cannon, husband of Mariah Carey; Boris Kodjoe, husband of Nicole Ari Parker; Duane Martin, husband of Tisha Campbell-Martin; J.B. Smoove, husband of Shahidah Omar; and Robin Thicke, husband of Paula Patton. Jay Leno, Shaquille O’Neal, Cedric the Entertainer and Nelly are among those scheduled to make guest appearances. Joining Hart as executive producers are Stan Lathan, Ralph Farquhar, Jesse Collins, Tim Gibbons, Chris Spencer, Dave Becky, along with BET Networks President of Music Programming and Specials Stephen Hill. Read More »

Comments (5)

Warner Bros Gives Green Light To ‘Grudge Match’ With Robert De Niro And Sly Stallone; Kevin Hart Joins Cast

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday October 11, 2012 @ 2:40pm PDTTags: Big Deals Film, Kevin Hart, Robert De Niro, Sylvester Stallone, Warner Bros
Mike Fleming

BREAKING: Warner Bros has set Kevin Hart to play the fight promoter who gets two retired brawlers back in the ring in Grudge Match. Robert De … Read More »

Comments (14)

Steve Pink In Talks To Helm ‘Sexual Perversity In Chicago’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday August 9, 2012 @ 1:31pm PDTTags: Big Deals Film, Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Screen Gems, Steve Pink, Will Gluck, Will Packer
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Steve Pink is in talks to direct Sexual Perversity In Chicago, the Screen Gems remake of the 1986 film About Last Night. I’m hearing that the film, scripted by Bachelorette‘s Leslye Headland, is on a fast … Read More »

Comments (15)

Kevin Hart To Host MTV Video Awards

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Thursday August 9, 2012 @ 8:39am PDTTags: Kevin Hart, MTV Video Music Awards
Nellie Andreeva

Comedian Kevin Hart will host the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards. MTV’s announcement this morning follows a promo with Hart, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West the three tweeted yesterday (video below). Additionally, Pink is set to perform, joining previously announced performers Alicia Keys and One Direction. Nominations were announced … Read More »

Comments (1)

‘Ride Along’ Detours To Universal As Kevin Hart And Ice Cube Vehicle

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Wednesday July 11, 2012 @ 11:31am PDTTags: Big Deals Film, Ice Cube, Kevin Hart, Ride-Along, Tim Story, Universal Pictures
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures has acquired Ride Along out of turnaround from New Line and the studio has set a late October production start with Kevin Hart and Ice Cube starring, and Tim Story directing. The comedy, which has drafts from scribes that include The Dictator co-star Jason Mantzoukas, will get a rewrite from the scribe team of Matt Manfredi & Phil Hay.

The film will be produced by Cube Vision’s Ice Cube, LBI Entertainment’s Matt Alvarez with Rainforest Films’ Will Packer, and by Larry Brezner. The project had languished at New Line, partly over trying to figure out the leads, but Universal was ready to move quickly in reteaming Story, Hart and Packer after Think Like A Man, a sleeper hit that has grossed $91 million domestic for Screen Gems. Hart will play a second-grade teacher who is ready to get married, but first he must survive a Training Day-like ride-along experience with his fiancee’s tough cop brother, who doesn’t want the marriage to happen and tries to scare off the suitor. Read More »

Comments (13)

Kevin Hart In Talks To Join Kevin James In ‘Valet Guys’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday May 24, 2012 @ 11:04am PDTTags: Big Deals Film, Kevin Hart, Kevin James, Valet Guys
Mike Fleming

Kevin James Valet GuysKevin Hart Valet GuysEXCLUSIVE: Think Like A Man star Kevin Hart is in talks to join Kevin James in Valet Guys, the Sony Pictures … Read More »

Comments (9)

‘Entourage’s Jerry Ferrara Hops Fright Flight ‘7500’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday November 8, 2011 @ 2:20pm PSTTags: Amy Smart, Christian Serratos, Gabrielle Union, Kevin Hart, Leslie Bibb, Michael Ealy, Ryan Kwanten, Takashi Shimizu
Mike Fleming

Entourage‘s Jerry Ferrara has joined the cast of the Takashi Shimizu-directed CBS Films thriller 7500. He stars with Ryan Kwanten, Amy Smart, Leslie Bibb, Jamie Chung, Christian Serratos, and Scout Taylor-Compton. It is Ferrara’s second film since the end … Read More »

Comments (14)

Screen Gems Casts ‘Think Like A Man’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday May 24, 2011 @ 6:40am PDTTags: Gabrielle Union, Gary Owen, Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Steve Harvey, Tim Story, Will Packer
Mike Fleming

Screen Gems has set the cast to surround Kevin Hart in Think Like A Man, the comedy based on Steve Harvey’s bestselling book. Michael Ealy, Jerry Ferrara, Taraji Henson, Romany Malco, Gary Owen and Gabrielle Union have joined the cast. … Read More »

Comments (1)

Tim Story Set To Direct Screen Gems Comedy ‘Think Like A Man’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday April 26, 2011 @ 1:37pm PDTTags: Kevin Hart, Screen Gems, Steve Harvey, Tim Story, Will Packer
Mike Fleming

UPDATE: Sony has given the film a wide-release date: April 6, 2012.
PREVIOUS, EXCLUSIVE: Screen Gems has set Tim Story to direct Think Like A Man, the ensemble comedy based on Steve Harvey’s bestselling 2009 book Act Like A … Read More »

Comments (14)

Screen Gems Sets Kevin Hart To Star In Steve Harvey Pic ‘Think Like A Man’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday April 19, 2011 @ 5:43am PDTTags: Clint Culpepper, Kevin Hart, Screen Gems, Steve Harvey, Will Packer
Mike Fleming

Kevin Hart will star in Think Like A Man, the Screen Gems comedy based on Steve Harvey’s bestselling 2009 book Act Like A Lady, Think Like A Man. The book is a male-perspective self-help manual for relationships, with topics that included everything from why men cheat, to why men are in the fixing business and not in the talking business, to how to get the wedding ring and why independent women should reconnect with their girlish side to make their men feel necessary. Like I said, it’s from a male perspective. In the film, Hart will play a self-professed relationship expert who is quick to give advice to his crew of friends, even as he watched his own marriage crater and head toward divorce. The comedy’s scripted by Keith Merryman & David A. Newman, and Screen Gems’ Clint Culpepper is out to directors for a July production start. Will Packer’s producing through his Rainforest Films banner and Harvey is exec producing with Rushion McDonald and Rob Hardy. Read More »

Comments 25

Comedian Kevin Hart To Star In Fox Pilot ‘Little In Common’, Prep Concert Movie

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Tuesday February 22, 2011 @ 7:40pm PSTTags: Fox, Kevin Hart, Little In Common
Nellie Andreeva

Kevin Hart is set to star opposite Rob Corddry in Rob Thomas’ single-camera comedy pilot for Fox Little in Common. The WBTV-produced pilot is about 3 families united through their kids’ little league sports. It centers on the Wellers … Read More »

Comments 39