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Ferrell Urged To Stop Working With Animals After Bear Tragedy
30 April 2008 (WENN)
Funnyman Will Ferrell has been urged to stop working with animals after his bear co-star in basketball comedy Semi-Pro attacked and killed a trainer in California last week. Activists at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) originally sent the Elf star a letter in February, after they were alerted to the fact that Ferrell's new film was to feature a grizzly bear. The actor actually appears to wrestle the bear, Rocky, which fatally bit a trainer in Big Bear, California. In the missive, they warned Ferrell of both the dangers of working with wild animals on a film set how many of these film 'stars' are cruelly treated. But the PETA letter, sent to his agents, was ignored. Now Ferrell is the target of a new PETA campaign. A spokesman says, "It's pretty rare that people catch a glimpse of the way the animals they see in TV shows or movies are really treated... They're often beaten to perform. We're hoping that this incident, sad as it is, will encourage Hollywood actors to take a stand against performing with animals, who want to be movie stars about as much as they want to be stuck in a cage for the rest of their lives. We're asking Will Ferrell to pledge never to act with wild animals again." In the new letter that went out to Ferrell a day after the tragedy hit the headlines last Tuesday, PETA writes, "We know you to be a compassionate person, and we are hoping that this deadly incident will make you have a change of heart about acting with animals in the future." PETA regular Pamela Anderson is already a fervent campaigner when it comes to keeping animals out of movies - she recently refused to take part in a dog scene that had to be cut from her last film, Superhero Movie, because she refused to act with a trained Labrador.

'Prom Night' Slashes Box Office
15 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
After a series of horrible performances at the box office by horror flicks, Sony's Prom Night graduated with honors over the weekend as it took in $20.8 million, far more than the studio said that it expected -- and about what it cost to produce. It beat the Keanu Reeves cop drama Street Kings, which opened with $12.5 million, by a wide margin. Overall, the box office grossed $95 million down from $118 million for the comparable weekend a year ago -- a drop of 19.6 percent. Through the first 15 weeks of the year, ticket sales are off 3.5 percent and attendance, 6.6 percent from last year.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Prom Night, Sony, $20,804,941, (New); 2. Street Kings, Fox Searchlight, $12,469,631, (New); 3. 21, Sony/Col, $10,470,173, 3 Wks. ($61,738,420); 4. Nim's Island, 20th Century Fox, $9,111,667, 2 Wks. ($25,391,566); 5. Leatherheads, Universal, $6,276,665, 2 Wks. ($21,976,580); 6. Horton Hears a Who!, 20th Century Fox, $5,920,566, 4 Wks. ($139,548,920); 7. Smart People, Miramax, $4,092,465, (New); 8. The Ruins, Paramount, $3,385,395, 2 Wks. ($13,548,871); 9. Superhero Movie, MGM, $3,216,247, 3 Wks. ($21,304,164); 10. Drillbit Taylor, Paramount, $2,044,988, 4 Wks. ($28,436,029).

Theaters Celebrate 'Prom Night'
14 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
After months of frightful box-office performances by horror flicks, Sony/Screen Gems's Prom Night debuted with $22.7 million over the weekend at the high end of analysts' predictions. It was the best debut for a horror film this year. In second place was Fox Searchlight's R-rated Street Kings, starring Keanu Reeves and Forest Whitaker, which brought in an estimated $12 million. In its third week, 21 was still showing a strong hand as it took in $11 million. Everything else on the theater marquees looked weak, however, as the box office wound up with less revenue than it did a year ago for the fourth straight weekend. The top 12 films earned $82.6 million, more than 19 percent below what it took in during the comparable weekend last year. The fourth-ranked film, Fox's Nim's Island, brought in $9 million, while the George Clooney comedy Leatherheads rounded out the top five with $6.2 million. The only other film to open wide this weekend, Miramax's Smart People, wound up with $4.2 million, to place seventh.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Prom Night, $22.7 million; 2. Street Kings, $12 million; 3. 21, $11 million; 4. Nim's Island, $9 million; 5. Leatherheads, $6.2 million; 6. Horton Hears a Who!, $6 million; 7. Smart People, $4.2 million; 8. The Ruins, $3.3 million; 9. Superhero Movie, $3.1 million; 10. Drillbit Taylor, $2.1 million.

'Leatherheads' Loses More Yardage
8 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
As expected, Universal's George Clooney starrer Leatherheads was thrown for a bigger loss than studio executives had predicted. The period football comedy, which many analysts had suggested would be a sure winner at the box office over the weekend, came in a disappointing third with only $12.7 million. Analysts had forecast a $15-20-million take for the film. Second place went to the Jodie Foster family film Nim's Island from 20th Century Fox, which opened with $13.2 million. Holding on to the top spot was Sony's gambling flick 21, which raked in $15.3 million. Although comparisons with last year's box office was difficult because it fell on the Easter holiday then, analysts said that the overall gross was down significantly from the comparable weekend in recent years.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. 21, Sony/Columbia, $15,337,418, 2 Wks. ($46,77,0,173); 2. Nim's Island, 20th Century Fox, $13,210,579, (New); 3. Leatherheads, Universal, $12,682,595, (New); 4. Horton Hears A Who!, 20th Century Fox, $9,115,987, 3 Wks. ($131,076,768); 5. The Ruins, Paramount, $8,003,421, (New); 6. Superhero Movie, MGM, $5,417,920, 2 Wks. ($16,899,661); 7. Meet The Browns, Lionsgate, $3,418,255, 3 Wks. ($37,662,502); 8. Drillbit Taylor, Paramount, $3,405,937, 3 Wks. ($25,490,483); 9. Shutter, 20th Century Fox, $2,830,336, 3 Wks. ($23,138,277); 10. 10,000 B.C., Warner Bros., $2,797,409, 5 Wks. ($89,649,915).

Clooney Clobbered
7 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
George Clooney may have wanted to seek treatment in the E.R. over the weekend as he suffered a nasty beating at the box office. Although Leatherheads, the film he directed and starred in, had been expected to earn $15-20 million and thereby win the box office contest, it instead wound up with just 13.5 million and had to settle for second place, according to studio estimates, with some analysts predicting it will actually come in third when Sunday receipts are finally tallied. Sony/Columbia's 21, which surprisingly came in at No. 1 last week, surprisingly came in at No. 1 for the second week in a row with ticket sales of $15.1 million. The Jodie Foster family film Nim's Island from 20th Century Fox came in third with $13.3 million. A third newcomer, the fright film The Ruins placed fifth with $7.8 million. In limited release, Martin Scorsese's documentary concert film Shine a Light, featuring a performance by The Rolling Stones, opened solidly with $1.5 million from 276 theaters, 93 of them giant IMAX venues. Overall, the box office fell 23 percent compared to the same weekend a year ago. Some analysts blamed television's coverage of the NCAA basketball championships, which in particular may have drawn audiences away from the sports-themed Leatherheads.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. 21, $15.1 million; 2. Leatherheads, $13.5 million; 3. Nim's Island, $13.3 million; 4. Horton Hears a Who!, $9.1 million; 5. The Ruins, $7.8 million; 6. Superhero Movie, $5.4 million; 7. Meet the Browns, $3.51 million; 8. Drillbit Taylor, $3.5 million; 9. Shutter, $2.9 million; 10. 10, 000 B.C., $2.8 million.

'21' Aces No. 1
1 April 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Box office forecasters crapped out over the weekend as the film they had bet on to lead the competition came in third and a film they had expected to flop wound up at the top. In fact, Sony's gambling movie 21 far surpassed predictions, taking in $24.1 million over the weekend. Fox's Horton Hears a Who!, meanwhile, continued to take advantage of the kids' Easter break from school and slid just $27 percent to $17.4 million, putting its three-week total well above the $100-million mark. But Superhero Movie clearly did not have the kind of muscle analysts thought it did, winding up with just $9.5 million in its debut -- a far cry from the $15-20 million that had been predicted for it. Paramount's Stop-Loss -- despite generally strong reviews -- was not expected to do well, and it didn't. It came in eighth with just $4.6 million.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. 21, Sony/Columbia, $24,105,943, (New) ); 2. Horton Hears a Who!, Fox, $17,740,106, 3 Wks. ($117,589,254); 3. Superhero Movie, MGM/The Weinstein Co., $9,510,297, (New); 4. Meet the Browns, Lionsgate, $7,481,508, 2 Wks. ($32,549,825); 5. Drillbit Taylor, Paramount, $5,713,585, 2 Wks. ($20,487,226); 6. Shutter, Fox, $5,221,016, 2 Wks. ($18,998,604); 7. 10,000 B.C., $4,947,174, 4 Wks. ($84,992,525); 8. Stop-Loss, Paramount, $4,555,117, (New) ); 9. College Road Trip, Disney, $3,457,756, 4 Wks. ($38,322,829); 10. The Bank Job, Lionsgate, $2,780,168, 4 Wks. ($19,521,672).

'21' Blackjacks Its Rivals
31 March 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Defying analysts' odds, the gambling flick 21 topped the box office over the weekend with $23.7 million. Superhero Movie, which most industry forecasters had picked to win the competition, wound up with just $9.5 million to place third. The third week of Horton Hears a Who turned out to be music to the ears of Fox executives as it wound up with $17.4 million, taking it well past the $100-million mark to $117.2 million. Meanwhile, Stop-Loss, the best-reviewed new film, became the latest anti-Iraq-war movie to be shot down at the box office, as it opened in eighth place with just $4.5 million. Not even making the top-ten list was the Picturehouse comedy Run, Fat Boy, Run, which barely got off the blocks with $2.4 million in ticket sales.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. 21, $23.7 million; 2. Horton Hears a Who!, $17.4 million; 3. Superhero Movie, $9.5 million; 4. Meet the Browns, $7.8 million; 5. Drillbit Taylor, $5.8 million; 6. Shutter, $5.3 million; 7. 10,000 B.C., $4.9 million; 8. Stop-Loss, $4.5 million; 9. College Road Trip, $3.5 million; 10. The Bank Job, $2.8 million.

Fans of 'Fanboys' Claim They Beat the Weinsteins
31 March 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Fans of the as-yet-unreleased movie Fanboys who launched an Internet campaign against Superhero Movie in reaction to reports that The Weinstein Company had reedited and reshot pertinent Fanboys scenes claimed victory Sunday after Superhero Movie's disappointing opening. Small groups of protesters staged a demonstration in Los Angeles and New York Friday, even as they stepped up their campaign against Harvey Weinstein on their website at www.StopDarthWeinstein.com. "If you release your mutilated anti-fan version of Fanboys in any form, you can look forward to a lifetime boycott of your studio by every Star Wars fan on the planet," the site warned the Weinsteins. The Weinstein Co. said later that the fans' reaction had little to do with Superhero Movie's box-office performance. About eight protesters showed up at an AMC theater in Los Angeles and were taken out for pizza afterwards by Fanboys producer Matthew Perniciaro. Perniciaro later told the Hollywood Reporter: "We've been working on this movie for many years and if someone is going to take time out of their personal life and support our film, whatever that support may be, at the very least what we can do is say thank you and buy them a couple of slices of pizza."

Elephant Stalkers
28 March 2008 (StudioBriefing)
There's no consensus among box-office prognosticators on which film will likely emerge as the top box-office draw over the weekend. Four new films will be entering the fray, hoping to displace Horton Hears a Who!, which has held the top spot for the past two weeks and could do so again, with many kids winding up their Easter-week holiday. No film is expected to take in more than $20 million in ticket sales, however. Each film has a lot going against it. The Weinstein Co.'s Superhero Movie, which many analysts predict will come out ahead, was not even screened for critics and faces the possibility of a boycott and/or picketing by angry Star Wars fans, who object to the Weinsteins' handling of the unreleased film Fanboys. The drama 21, about young math whizzes who tackle the odds in Las Vegas, may have a lot going for it in terms of story and stars, but not in general awareness, according to tracking surveys, or reviews. The R-rated Stop Loss may also have some glamorous stars, but films about the Iraq war have been roadside bombs at the box office. The PG-rated comedy Run, Fat Boy, Run comes to the U.S. after a successful run in the U.K., where it was produced, but British comedies traditionally struggle at the U.S. box office.

'Star Wars' Fans Call for 'Superhero Movie' Boycott
25 March 2008 (StudioBriefing)
An announcement by The Weinstein Co. that it now plans to release two versions of its comedy Fanboys -- one featuring the original cut; the other the cut ordered by Harvey Weinstein -- has failed to mollify supporters of the original version, who are threatening to boycott and picket the Weinstein's Superhero Movie, which opens on Friday. "This [the Weinstein announcement] is more about avoiding picket lines at Superhero than it was about making a decision about the release of our movie," Kevin Mann, one of the producers, told the Hollywood Reporter. The movie concerns a group of Star Wars fans who break into George Lucas's studios to see an advance screening of The Phantom Menace. In the original version, one of the fans is battling cancer. In the revised one, references to cancer have been removed. "The original reason we wanted to get involved with this script was because it was a comedy with heart," Mann told the trade paper. "In my opinion, when the cancer was taken out, the heart went with it." On their website, http://committed.to/stopdarthweinstein, fans who had seen the rough cut of the movie and/or clips at Star Wars conventions, vowed that their protest "will continue until the Weinstein Co. announces that they are returning control of Fanboys to the Star Wars fans who made it, releasing the original version in theaters and doing away with their anti-fan version of the film altogether."