This week:
The Green Hornet stings the top of the box office; Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg say I Hate You Dad; Robert Downey Jr. talks sequels and Sherlock Holmes; Jeffrey Dean Morgan opens the Dibbuk Box for Sam Raimi; Nick Stahl is under Locke & Key and get ready for an Alien Sleeper Cell.
Box Office
Seth Rogen’s often delayed The Green Hornet (read our review here) will top the box office over the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. The film which also stars Jay Chou as sidekick Kato should pull in an estimated $40.5 million over the holiday weekend ($34 million for the three days). While it’s not a disastrous result, it is a bit on the low side for a $100 million plus budgeted superhero film. It’ll be interesting to see how this holds up in the weeks to come.
Ron Howard’s latest directorial effort The Dilemma debuted at number two, with a lacklustre $20.5 million over the long weekend ($17.4 million for the three days). The comedy had a much softer opening than what Vince Vaughn and Kevin James experienced with their last few films. Again, a pricey $70 million budget means that this will need to hold up well to generate a profit for Universal.
True Grit dropped to third place, but still managed to bring in another $12.5 million (an estimated $11.2 over the first three days). With over $127 million in the bank already, it appears that the sky is the limit for this new film from the Coen Brothers.
Colin Firth’s The King’s Speech moved to number four, with a weekend gross of under $11 million (or $9 million from Friday to Sunday). The royal drama has now grossed an impressive $46.3 million.
Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan upped its cume to $74.9 million after banking another $9.9 million ($8.1 over the three day weekend). Again, award momentum should see this do very well by the time it finishes its run.
Little Fockers laughed up another $8 million, and upped its total to $135 million. Tron: Legacy banked another $7 million for a grand total of $158 million and Yogi Bear brought in $7.3 million for a gross of over $84 million. Meanwhile, The Fighter punched up another $6 million for a $66 million cumulative gross.
Disney’s Tangled brought in an estimated $5.7 million giving it an impressive gross over $182 million.
Nicolas Cage’s Season of the Witch dropped down the chart after grossing just $4.8 million. Its total stands at $18.5 million, and it won’t likely bank much more before it hits a DVD shelf near you.
Musical drama Country Strong brought in another $4.2 million and upped its gross to a smidgen under $14 million.
Movie News
1. Adam Sandler is set to star alongside Andy Samberg in I Hate You Dad for Columbia Pictures.
According to THR:
“The story centers on a father who moves in on the eve of his son’s wedding and promptly begins feuding with the bride-to-be.”
A casting move similar to that of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade sees Sandler play the father, while Samberg stars as the son – even though only 12 years separate the pair.
Sandler will produce the film through his Happy Madison production company.
2. The LA Times has a new picture from Robert Downey Jr.’s second go at Sherlock Holmes – check it out below.
The star also talked about the challenges of making a sequel:
“Look, I’ve done a sequel or two now — I feel like I should be in a recovery group for sequel-itis survivors. First, there is a bit of inflation. Then, you say, ‘We have to work harder.’ Then you work harder, but not smarter.”
Jude Law and Noomi Rapace co-star.
3. Jeffrey Dean Morgan will star in horror thriller Dibbuk Box, under the watchful eyes of Ghost House Pictures producers Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert.
According to Variety:
“Morgan will star as a recently divorced father whose youngest daughter becomes strangely connected to an antique wooden box she purchased at a yard sale. As his daughter’s behavior becomes more erratic, the father senses a dark presence building until he discovers that the box was built to contain a dibbuk — a dislocated spirit that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host.”
Ole Bornedal directs the film which is set to open on October 28th.
4. Nick Stahl has signed on to star in the pilot based on Joe Hill’s comic Locke & Key.
The plot follows a single mother and her three children as they encounter spooky goings on in their family mansion of Keyhouse.
Lord of the Rings actress Miranda Otto portrays the single mother, while Stahl plays the brother of her deceased husband.
5. Adrian Askarieh and District 9 producer Bill Block are developing a top secret science fiction project called Alien Sleeper Cell.
Little is known about the project which was conceived by Felipe Linz. Morgan Davis Foehl will write the script for the film which will be independently produced. I’m guessing that there will be a sleeper cell – of aliens!
That’s it for now. See you at the movies.
