In the Wrap Up this week:
The Box Office boldly goes where no Star Trek film has gone before; Joel Silver sees an Apparition; Keanu Reeves Hydes Jekyll; James McAvoy and Elizabeth Banks have The Details;Val Kilmer, Ray Stevenson and Christopher Walken know The Irishman and Nick Fury is a Pirate.
Box Office
J.J Abrams’ Star Trek reboot’s Spock-tacular $76 million opening ensures that the franchise will live long and prosper. The opening (which includes $7 million from Thursday) took almost as much as most films in the long running series banked in their entire run- unadjusted of course. Look for the film to “engage” with non-Trek fans and expect a sequel to go into production at warp speed. Can (Khan) the film have legs in future weeks? Word of mouth will probably override the initial geek stereotype.
Last week’s box office champion Wolverine felt the wrath of Abrams and had to settle for the runner-up position with a weekend take of $28 million giving the spin-off/ prequel a total gross of $130 million. It looks like the Hugh Jackman film will struggle to get to $200 million, but the film has already crossed that barrier when foreign grosses are taken into account. A 68% drop in its second weekend is nothing to brag about.
Matthew McConaughey’s Ghosts of Girlfriends Past nabbed another $10 million giving the romantic comedy a total gross of $30 million. $50-60 million is now within reach.
Beyonce Knowle’s Obsessed is now knocking at the door of a $60 million total gross as is Zac Efron’s 17 Again. Robert Downey Jr and Jamie Foxx’s The Soloist has now grossed about $25 million while the Russell Crowe/ Ben Affleck starrer State of Play has so far made a disappointing $33 million.
Movie News
1. Joel Silver’s Dark Castle production company has hired Todd Lincoln to write and direct The Apparition.
The horror film is supposedly based on true events (aren’t they all) but the details of the plot are being kept a secret – which I presume means that there will be a twist ending.
I wonder if they’ll market it as “From the makers of Gothika?”
2. Whoa.
Keanu Reeves is attached to star in a new film version of Robert Louis Stevenson’s The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The man behind Revolutionary Road – Justin Haythe will write the script.
Nicolas Winding Refn is in negotiations to direct the Universal Picture which is currently titled Jekyll.
Universal were developing a version of the tale with Guillermo del Toro, but he’s busy making a little film called The Hobbit and then he has about 100 films lined up to direct.
I really think that they should retitle this Jekyll and Hyde’s Excellent Adventure!
3. Wanted‘s James McAvoy, Elizabeth Banks, Laura Linney and Anna Friel are in the frame to star in Jacob Estes’ black comedy The Details.
According to Variety:
“The story concerns a couple, to be played by McAvoy and Banks, who discover an infestation of raccoons in their back yard. Disagreements over how to deal with the animals lead to an escalating series of events.”
The film starts shooting this summer.
4. Val Kilmer, Ray Stevenson and Christopher Walken will star in Jonathan Hensleigh’s The Irishman.
According to Variety:
“The project is based on the life of mobster Danny Greene (Stevenson), who lorded over Cleveland’s criminal underworld during the late 1970s. Walken is onboard to play infamous loan-sharking nightclub owner Shondor Birns, and Kilmer will portray a Cleveland cop who befriends Greene.”
So a Batman and Punisher team-up. Who isn’t excited?
The Irishman starts shooting on May 19th.
5. Nick Fury himself Samuel L. Jackson is taking to the high seas. Jackson’s Uppity Films has purchased the rights to the life story of Andrew Mwangura. Mwangura was a negotiator between pirates and the owners of ships that were hijacked off the coast of Africa.
Jackson plans to play the negotiator – who, get this – wasn’t paid for his negotiating duties. He made his living as a freelance journalist.
Nautical but nice.
That’s it for now. See you at the movies.
