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Steven Spielberg’s Next Film Will Be Bradley Cooper’s ‘American Sniper’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Thursday May 2, 2013 @ 12:32pm PDTTags: American Sniper, Big Deals Film, Bradley Cooper, DreamWorks, Steven Spielberg, Warner Bros
Mike Fleming

BREAKING: DreamWorks and Warner Bros will team on Steven Spielberg‘s next film American Sniper, with Bradley Cooper aboard to star in the autobiography of Navy SEAL Chris Kyle. Cooper optioned the book himself, along with Andrew Lazar’s Mad Chance, and it has turned out to be quite a coup for the actor. Jason Hall (Paranoia) wrote the script and will executive produce, with Spielberg, Cooper, Lazar, and Peter Morgan producing. Kyle, an expert marksman who spread his love for weapons by teaching others how to shoot, was recently and tragically gunned down along with a pal by a fellow discharged vet they had taken to a Texas shooting range to deal with his post-traumatic stress disorder.

The film is based on the book American Sniper: The Autobiography Of The Most Lethal Sniper In U.S. Military History by Kyle, Scott McEwan and Jim DeFelice. The film chronicles Texas native Kyle’s journey from rodeo cowboy to SEAL Chief with the highest number of sniper kills in U.S. military history. The book spent 18 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list and 13 weeks at No. 1. Cooper’s production company, 22nd & Indiana Pictures, optioned rights to the book a year ago with Lazar’s Mad Chance. Sheroum Kim overseeing for 22nd & Indiana and Jon Berg is overseeing for Warner Bros. DreamWorks’ Kristie Macosko Krieger and Adam Somner will produce for Spielberg. CAA and WME shared this big deal, with WME repping the book. Hall’s repped by CAA and Management 360.

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Warner Bros Dates Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore Pic ‘Blended’, Shifts ‘Transcendence’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday April 24, 2013 @ 2:59pm PDTTags: Blended, Transcendence, Warner Bros

Blended is the next starring vehicle from Adam Sandler, who is reuniting with Drew Barrymore for the romantic comedy about blended families. Warner Bros said today that the pic has landed a May 23, 2014, release date. … Read More »

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Walmart To Sell Tickets To ‘Man Of Steel’ Advance Screening In Rare Studio-Retailer Deal

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Wednesday April 24, 2013 @ 8:40am PDTTags: Man of Steel, Walmart, Warner Bros

BENTONVILLE, AR, and BURBANK, CA – April 24, 2013 – Walmart announced today that it has partnered with Warner Bros. to give its customers exclusive access to see Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “Man of Steel” in theaters nationwide before the film’s official release. This program marks the first time in entertainment history that a studio has partnered with a retailer to provide such an opportunity for fans. Tickets for the exclusive screening of “Man of Steel,” will go on sale in more than 3,700 Walmart stores starting at 8 a.m. on May 18. Customers will be able to purchase up to four tickets per visit, and have the option to choose between 2D or 3D showings, where applicable. The advance screening will take place in selected local theaters nationwide at 7 p.m. on June 13. In addition to being the first among their friends to see “Man of Steel,” Walmart customers can also take advantage of the following offers:

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Thunder Road Finds Funds In China And Middle East; Sets Up ‘Gang Story’ Remake For Liam Neeson, Daniel Espinosa

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Sunday April 21, 2013 @ 8:00pm PDTTags: Basil Iwanyk, Big Deals Film, China-Based Fundamental Films, Peter Lawson, Thunder Road, Warner Bros
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: After seeing his long affiliation with Warner Bros end late last year, producer Basil Iwanyk has taken his Thunder Road in an intriguing and entrepreneurial direction that might become the way producers embrace the end of studio overhead deals. … Read More »

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Superboy Leaps Warner Bros Legal Hurdle

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday April 18, 2013 @ 7:52pm PDTTags: Superboy, Superman, Warner Bros

The latest Superman reboot Man of Steel is hitting the big screen this summer. But today’s ruling by the U.S. District Court in the studio’s favor means Warner Bros now has full license to … Read More »

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Superman Birthday Present For Warner Bros As Court Ends Co-Creator Heirs Rights Case

By DOMINIC PATTEN | Thursday April 18, 2013 @ 5:54pm PDTTags: Man of Steel, Superman, Warner Bros

On the 75th anniversary today of Superman’s debut, Warner Bros got some more good news about the Man of Steel. The last elements of WB and its subsidiary DC Comics legal issues with the heirs of Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel effectively came to an end Thursday with a US District Court ruling on the rights to Superboy and some Superman ads. “The Court holds that the 2001 settlement agreement between DC and the Siegels re-granted the Siegels’ Superman, Superboy, and a Superman advertisements that ran in the 1930s to DC in return for substantial advances and royalties,” wrote Judge Otis Wright III today (read it here). “The remainder of Defendants’ Motion is therefore Granted and this litigation of superhero proportions now draws to a close,” the federal judge added in not uncharacteristic fashion.

Related: Hot Trailer: ‘Man Of Steel’ Read More »

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CinemaCon: Warner Bros Wins Strong Exhibitor Reaction To Summer Slate

By PETE HAMMOND | Tuesday April 16, 2013 @ 8:10pm PDTTags: Big Deals Film, CinemaCon, Dan Fellman, Jeff Robinov, Pacific Rim, Superman: Man of Steel, The Great Gatsby, The Hangover Part III, Warner Bros
Pete Hammond

It was Warner Bros Pictures’ turn for studio slate presentations at the CinemaCon convention in Las Vegas Tuesday and President of the Warner Bros Pictures Group Jeff Robinov unveiled the studio’s packed summer lineup with its familiar mix of comedy, horror, superheroes, monsters, and sequels. Robinov looked to the future and thanked all the studio’s partners: New Line, Legendary, Village Roadshow, Alcon, and MGM (on the Hobbit trilogy). He also thanked his new boss Kevin Tsujihara who won the job of Chief Executive Officer replacing Barry Meyer. ”All of us share his vision and this will be an exciting time under his leadership,” Robinov said. Distribution head Dan Fellman initiated a bunch of baseball analogies after the success of Legendary Pictures/Warner Bros’ Jackie Robinson biopic 42 last weekend. It followed a string of 5 straight box office disappointments for Warner Bros and occasional other partners (like New Line). ”Consistency has always been a hallmark of Warner Bros Pictures. But even the most consistent player can hit a few fouls,” Fellman told exhibitors. Fellman emphasized that Warner Bros is the only studio to score $1 billion box office gross domestically 12 years in a row. And International Distrib topper Veronika Kwan Vandenberg pointed out that the studio in 2012 grossed over $4 billion worldwide thanks to hits like The Dark Knight Rises  and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey. Add to that the 85th Oscar-winning Best Picture success of Argo. Plus, this year Warners Bros is celebrating the 90th anniversary of its founding by the Brothers Warner in 1923.

The season starts out May 10th with the 3D drama from Baz Luhrmann, The Great Gatsby, originally intended for the 2012 awards season but held for Summer 2013 instead. Luhrmann is still tweaking the movie which will open the Cannes Film Festival on May 15th, but sent along a pre-taped introduction – complete with music underscoring  to the film’s trailer. Footage was shown at last year’s CinemaCon but this was much different and in 3D. No question it looks like another visual triumph for the director of Moulin Rouge  and Romeo And Juliet which starred his Gatsby lead Leonardo Di Caprio. Luhrmann said he was inspired to use 3D when he saw a 3D screening of the Alfred Hitchcock 1950s drama Dial M For Murder (also released by Warners). Even though he said the most special effect in this movie is the acting.

Director Todd Phillips publicly chided Luhrmann before introducing The Hangover Part III trailer. “It would be nice if Baz showed up. There are a lot of directors backstage. We showed up,” he said. Phillips then fed the exhibitors’ egos by saying that comedies should be seen in theaters where everyone can laugh together. Warner’s is now referring to his sleeper smash as the Hangover Trilogy.

Next was Zack Snyder, director of Man Of Steel, who turned up with the world premiere of the film’s new trailer which will play before Oblivion starting on Friday. “There’s no competition between superheroes obviously. But if there were, he would win,” said the unabashed fan of the comic book hero. “I am sorry to even have to say this now but we shot the movie on film and anamorphic. We wanted to give your cinemas a big giant movie movie.” He also acknowledged producer Christopher Nolan’s help during their first meeting in steering him in the right direction on the film. Nolan and his co-producers Emma Thomas and Chuck Roven were in the audience but oddly not introduced to the crowd. The trailer played well and Nolan seemed pleased with the reaction when I saw him afterwards. Read More »

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Hot Trailer: ‘Man Of Steel’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Tuesday April 16, 2013 @ 5:29pm PDTTags: Man of Steel, Warner Bros

On the heels of this morning’s unveiling of the third Star Trek Into Darkness trailer from Paramount comes Warner Bros’ own summer superhero tentpole movie due June 14. This is the third trailer from Zack Snyder’s reboot Man Of Steel, which duked it out with another summer tentpole, … Read More »

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Tom Cruise Stays In Sci-Fi With Warner Bros’ ‘Yukikaze’ After Big ‘Oblivion’ Bow Abroad

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Monday April 15, 2013 @ 4:40pm PDTTags: Big Deals Film, Chohei Kambayashi, Tom Cruise, Warner Bros, Yukikaze
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: With a $61 million opening weekend overseas on Universal Pictures’ Oblivion, who could blame Tom Cruise for wanting to stay in science fiction mode? He’s just made a deal to become attached to star in … Read More »

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Global Showbiz Briefs: Lovefilm & Warner Bros’ UK Deal; Alex Williams Joins ‘The Reckoning’; Critics’ Week In Cannes

By NANCY TARTAGLIONE, International Editor | Friday April 12, 2013 @ 9:00pm PDTTags: Alex Williams, Cannes Film Festival, Lovefilm, Warner Bros

Lovefilm & Warner Bros Strike UK Deal
Netflix competitor Lovefilm has entered what it calls a “milestone” deal with Warner Bros. International Television Distribution for the UK. From today, library content that includes The West Wing, One Tree Hill, Nip Tuck and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles will be available to subscribers. The Amazon-owned streaming service has 2M+ subscribers across Europe. Netflix entered the market in January 2012 where Sky also continues to build its business. The three companies each have deals with the major U.S. studios. In November, Netflix signed its own multi-year pact with WBITD that included shows like The Vampire Diaries and Gossip Girl. Read More »

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Charlie Sheen Returns To Warner Bros. Lot

By NELLIE ANDREEVA | Friday April 12, 2013 @ 7:19am PDTTags: Charlie Sheen, Warner Bros
Nellie Andreeva

Charlie Sheen was famously banned from the Warner Bros. lot, where Two And A Half Men is filmed, at the height of his 2011 public meltdown after the actor vowed to show up for work even following CBS and the studio’s decision to pull the plug on the … Read More »

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Morgan Freeman Boards Wally Pfister’s ‘Transcendence’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday April 11, 2013 @ 2:22pm PDTTags: Mogan Freeman, Transcendence, Wally Pfister, Warner Bros

Morgan Freeman is in final negotiations to join Johnny Depp, Paul Bettany, Rebecca Hall and Kate Mara in Wally Pfister’s directorial debut Transcendence ahead of a scheduled May start date for production. Freeman, repped by CAA, was … Read More »

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Hot Trailer: ‘The Hangover Part III’

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Thursday April 11, 2013 @ 10:36am PDTTags: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, The Hangover Part III, Warner Bros

Warner Bros has just dropped the new trailer for The Hangover Part III. Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis star in the third and final film in the comedy franchise. This time, there’s no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when … Read More »

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Ron Howard Whaling Tale ‘In The Heart Of The Sea’ Casts Tom Holland

By JEN YAMATO | Wednesday April 10, 2013 @ 3:21pm PDTTags: In The Heart Of The Sea, Tom Holland, Warner Bros

EXCLUSIVE: Brit youngster Tom Holland is moving from his breakout debut The Impossible to another watery high profile project. He’s been cast in Warner Bros.’ In The Heart Of The Sea, the long-gestating seafaring adventure helmed by Ron Howard from a script by Charles Leavitt (Blood Diamond). Chris Hemsworth is starring in the pic adapted from Nathaniel Philbrick’s award-winning book In The Heart Of The Sea: The Tragedy Of The Whaleship Essex, an account of a whaling ship that was stalked and destroyed by a sperm whale in 1820. The tragedy left the crew of the Essex adrift for 90 days in the Pacific during which they turned to cannibalism before eight survivors made it home, an ordeal that partially influenced Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick.
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‘Tarzan’ Dying On The Vine At Warner Bros?

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Wednesday April 10, 2013 @ 1:02pm PDTTags: Alexander Skarsgard, David Yates, Jessica Chastain, Tarzan, Warner Bros
Mike Fleming

Alexander SkarsgardEXCLUSIVE: Things are not looking very good right now for Tarzan, the re-imagining of the Edgar Rice Burroughs tale that has Harry Potter helmer David Yates preparing to make it this year, with True Blood‘s Alexander … Read More »

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Keen Leaving Relativity For Warner Bros

By NIKKI FINKE, Editor in Chief | Tuesday April 9, 2013 @ 10:18pm PDTTags: Adam Keen, Relativity, Warner Bros

EXCLUSIVE… UPDATE: Despite the ups and downs of Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity, one thing has remained constant – the media’s respect for its in-house flack Adam Keen. Now the EVP of worldwide publicity and corporate communications is leaving … Read More »

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Warner Bros Buys Daniel Kunka Spec ‘The Bermuda Triangle’

By MIKE FLEMING JR | Tuesday April 9, 2013 @ 12:43pm PDTTags: Charles Roven, Daniel Kunka, The Bermuda Triangle, Warner Bros
Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros has closed a mid-six figure deal for The Bermuda Triangle, a spec script by Daniel Kunka. The film will be a co-production between Atlas Entertainment and Madhouse Entertainment. Atlas’s Charles Roven and Richard … Read More »

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‘Man Of Steel’ First TV Spot: Superman Film

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Monday April 8, 2013 @ 9:54pm PDTTags: Henry Cavill, Man of Steel, Warner Bros

The first TV spot has dropped for Warner Bros‘ hotly anticipated movie reboot Man Of Steel. No new Superman footage — it’s basically a shorter version of the trailer that’s been out for a few months and aired tonight during the NCAA championship game. Henry Cavill stars along with Amy … Read More »

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Sally Hawkins Joins ‘Godzilla’ Cast

By THE DEADLINE TEAM | Friday April 5, 2013 @ 12:24pm PDTTags: Godzilla, Legendary Pictures, Sally Hawkins, Warner Bros

EXCLUSIVE: Sally Hawkins has nabbed the final lead role in Godzilla, the monster movie that Legendary and Warner Bros kicked off shooting last week … Read More »

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