"Little Big Soldier" leading Box Offices during Spring Festival

By Siewaun
Reference: CRIENGLISH

CRIENGLISH reports that China's box office earnings during the Spring Festival exceeded 220 million yuan (US$32.2 million) with Jackie Chan\Wang LeeHom's starrer "Little Big Soldier" taking the lead.

James Cameron's 3-D movie "Avatar" which was in its seventh week at Chinese box offices, dominated box offices in numbers of shows, viewers and tickets sold during the Spring Festival with 120 million yuan (US$17.6 million) earnings last week, with the total number of tickets sold on the Chinese mainland exceeding 1.2 billion yuan (nearly US$176 million).

"Little Big Soldier" which was released on the first day of Chinese New Year on January 14 is leading the domestic movies in the past six days.
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Kevin James is Vince Vaughn best pal in Ron Howard film

By Siewaun
Reference: thehollywoodreporter

Kevin James ("I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry," "Paul Blart: Mall Cop") is in talks to star in Universal's yet untitled feature, also starring Vince Vaughn "Couples Retreat."

Ron Howard will direct the movie from Allan Loeb's script which centers on a man (Vaughn) who learns that his best friend's (James) wife is cheating on him and is in dilemma on whether to inform him about it.

Brian Grazer, who came up with the story will co-produce through his Imagine Entertainment banner alongside Vaughn's Wild West Picture Show Productions. Imagine's Kim Roth and Wild West's Victoria Vaughn will executive produce.

Universal's Kristen Lowe is overseeing the project, which Howard will begin shooting in spring in Chicago.

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Four have joined crime drama "The Convincer"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Bob Balaban "Howl", David Harbour "Revolutionary Road", Michelle Arthur "Head Case - Starz TV" and Lea Thompson have joined Greg Kinnear, Alan Arkin and Billy Crudup in indie crime drama "The Convincer."

Jill Sprecher wrote the script with Karen Sprecher, which Jill is directing, now shooting on locations around Minneaopolis and St. Paul.

Movie is about a desperate insurance salesman in the Midwest who got hold of a rare violin and that leads to unforeseen consequences.

Mary Frances Budig, Christine Walker and Elizabeth Redleaf are producing for Werc Werk Works.

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Box Office Feb. 19-21 Results

1 Shutter Island - $40,200,000
2 Valentine's Day - $17,160,000
3 Avatar - $16,100,000
4 Percy Jackson and the Olympians - $15,300,000
5 The Wolfman - $9,846,265
6 Dear John - $7,300,000
7 The Tooth Fairy - $4,500,000
8 Crazy Heart - $3,025,000
9 From Paris with Love - $2,500,000
10 Edge of Darkness - $2,210,000

Boxoffice.com
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Box Office Feb. 20-21 Results (Japan)

1 AVATAR - FOX
2 OCEANS - GAGA
3 About Her Brother (JPN.) - Shochiku
4 IT'S COMPLICATED - Toho Towa
5 The Fallin Angel (JPN.) - Kadokawa
6 The Negotiator The Movie (JPN.) - Toei
7 INVICTUS - WB
8 Golden Slumber (JPN.) - Toho
9 CORALINE - GAGA
10 Shinkenger Vs Goonger (JPN.) - Toe

Source: Cinemanavi.co.jp
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Click on these links for upcoming movie trailers!

Future X-Cops (2010) - Hong Kong RD: February 25, 2010
Bounty Hunter (2010) - USA RD: March 19, 2010
Season of the Witch (2010) - USA RD: March 19, 2010
Just Another Pandora's Box (2010) - Hong Kong RD: March 18, 2010
She's Out of My League (2010) - USA RD: March 12, 2010
Remember Me (2010) - USA RD: March 12, 2010
Green Zone (2010) - USA RD: March 12, 2010
Brooklyn's Finest (2010) - USA RD: March 5, 2010
Alice in Wonderland (2010) - USA RD: March 5, 2010
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Disney begins auditions for Japanese-language version of 'Toy Story 3'

Source: Japantoday.com

"TOKYO — Walt Disney Studios Japan on Thursday began auditions for the Japanese audio track for the Disney/Pixar movie “Toy Story 3,” which will be released July 10.

In “Toy Story 2,” protagonist Woody was played by actor Toshiaki Arasawa, 46, while Tokoro Joji, 55, took over the voice of Buzz Lightyear. For the public auditions, Disney said it will be searching for voice talents for the Green Army Men, and for three new characters, Peas-in-a-Pod. Disney said it wants “someone who can do a slightly stern and threatening voice.”


Disney also held Japan auditions for the 2006 film “The Chronicles of Narnia,” and the 2008 movie “Tinker Bell.” For “Toy Story 3,” Disney will be accepting applications for auditions on their mobile website, toy3.jp, until March 11. Anyone is able to apply, regardless of experience, age or gender.

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Vincent Cassel is leading "The Monk"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

French actor Vincent Cassel ("Irréversible," "Ocean's Twelve") has been cast as the leading actor in 18th century-set suspense feature "The Monk," and will star alongside Deborah Francois "The First Day of the Rest of Your Life", Sergi Lopez "Leaving" and Geraldine Chaplin "The Orphanage".

French-German director Dominik Moll ("With a Friend Like Harry," "Lemming") will direct the movie, which is based on Matthew Lewis' Gothic novel, and depicts the rise and tragic downfall of Capucin Ambrosio, a respected Spanish monk.

The 11 million Euro movie is produced by Diaphana Films' Michel Saint-Jean and Madrid-based company Morena Films' Alvaro Longoria.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in mid-April.

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Hugh Jackman becomes the "Avon Man"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Hugh Jackman will be starring in 20th Century Fox's comedy "Avon Man," which director Kevin Lima ("Enchanted," "102 Dalmations") will direct.

Kevin Bisch "Hitch" wrote the script, which centers on a laid-off car dealer (Jackman) who uses his charms and good looks to become an Avon cosmetics top seller. Soon, he schemes to save his family from financial ruin by convincing his buddies to join him and win a regional sales contest.

Jackman is producing the movie alongside John Palermo of Seed Productions and Gary Foster of Krasnoff Foster Entertainment. Chris Chase is executive producing.

Shooting could begin early April in Atlanta.

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Amanda Bynes joins the cast of "Hall Pass"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Amanda Bynes ("She's the Man," "Hairspray") is starring alongside Owen Wilson ("Marley & Me," "Little Fockers"), Jenna Fischer "The Office - NBC" and Jason Sudeikis "Grand Theft Auto IV" in New Line comedy "Hall Pass," being directed by Farrelly brothers.

Script written by the brothers, Kevin Barnett and Pete Jones, the story revolves around two married guys (Wilson and Sudeikis) who get a week of liberty from the obligations of marriage after been given a "hall pass" by their wives. Things become complicated when their wives also go on vacation together, equipped with the same "hall pass."

The Farrellys are producing the movie with their Conundrum Entertainment's partner Bradley Thomas, and with Charlie Wessler.

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Horikita, Tamaki, Abe, Okura join Shibasaki, Ninomiya in "Ooku"

By Siewaun
Reference: Tokyograph

Kou Shibasaki and Arashi's Kazunari Ninomiya will be joined by Maki Horikita, Hiroshi Tamaki, Sadao Abe, and Kanjani8's Tadayoshi Okura in "Ooku," the upcoming feature adaptation of Fumi Yoshinaga's manga of the same title. Kaneko Fuminori "Kisarazu Cat's Eye: World Series" will be directing.

Movie is a gender-reversing historical fiction set in Edo-era Japan, which centers on women being the dominant members of society after a mysterious disease significantly reduces the male population.

Shibasaki is starring as female shogun Tokugawa Yoshimune, while Ninomiya is starring as a young man named Mizuno, who joins the ranks of the "Ooku." Horikita plays O-nobu, the childhood friend of Mizuno who is in love with him.

Tamaki plays Matsushima, a high-ranking member of the elite O-chuurou class. Abe plays Sugishita, a long serving low-ranking member. Okura plays the expert swordsman Tsuruoka who is Mizuno's rival.

Movie is scheduled to be released on 1st of October this year.

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Morgan joins Worthington at "The Fields"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Jeffrey Dean Morgan "Watchmen" has signed on star in Michael Mann's produced murder mystery "The Fields" (originally titled "Texas Killing Fields"). Morgan will star alongside Sam Worthington "Avatar."

Movie is about a detective (Morgan) from New York who teamed up with a local investigator (Worthington) to probe a series of unsolved murders in industrial wastelands surrounding Gulf Coast refineries, where as many as 70 bodies have turned up over the past two decades.

Michael Mann is producing alongside Michael Jaffe, while Mann's daughter Ami Canaan Mann will be making her directing debut as the director of the movie.

Movie is a co-production between Bill Block's QED International and Mann's Forward Pass.

Former DEA agent Donald F. Ferrarone provided the movie script.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in Louisiana on 5th of April.

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The Bureau to co-produce Hurt's and Rossellini's "Late Bloomers"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

The Bureau, a U.K. production company, is in collaborations with Gaumont and Sylvie Pialat's Les Film du Worso of France, and Be-Films of Belgium to produce Julie Gavras' romantic comedy "Late Bloomers."

The English-language movie will star William Hurt and Isabella Rossellini as a married couple in their 50s facing the passage of years.

The Bureau's Bertrand Faivre was quoted as saying, "This is a love story and a comedy aimed at mature audiences."

Shooting is scheduled to begin in North London on the 18th of March.

The Bureau's other produced movies include Alexis Dos Santos's "Unmade Beds," starring Deborah Francois, Asif Kapadia's "Far North," starring Michelle Yeoh, Sean Bean, and Fabienne Berthaud's "Barefoot," starring Diane Kruger and Ludivine Sagnier.

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Eric Brevig and Charlotte Huggins reteam for "17 Days of Winter"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

U.S. director Eric Brevig "Journey to the Center of the Earth" who is now filming "Yogi Bear," and producer Charlotte Huggins are in collaboration with Madmedia Entertainment to make a 3D Korean war epic "17 Days of Winter," the story of the 1950 Battle of Chosin Reservoir. Madmedia's founder Jayson Won is executive producing the movie.

Brevig and Huggins had previously worked together on New Line's 3D movie "Journey to the Center of the Earth."

Brian Iglesias, a combat decorated 14 year veteran Marine Officer and filmmaker, who has made a feature length documentary about the Chosin Battle titled "Forgotten War," is also executive producing "17 Days of Winter," and serves as the movie's military advisor.

According to Variety, the movie which budgeted an estimate of $100 million, centers on the 1st Marine Division over the brutal 17-day battle of Chosin Reservoir, where United Nations forces including 12,000 U.S. Marines and soldiers were encircled by a vastly superior Chinese force. In a brutal battle fought amid rugged mountains and sub-zero temperatures, U.N. forces escaped to safety, though American forces suffered more than 6,000 casualties.

The South Korean government, including the Ministry of National Defense and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Sports will give unprecedented support following the country's preparation for the 60th anniversary of the war.

Brevig was quoted by Daily Variety as saying, "Telling a personal story against an epic background involves bringing the audience into the story with the characters," he said. "The ability to create amazing immersive images that have never been seen before is what makes 3D an exciting and appropriate tool for the story."

Shooting, which producers are planning to begin next winter for a 2012 release, will be taking place in Korea and New Zealand with American, Chinese and Korean casts.

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Box Office Feb. 12-14 Results

This is a regular 3 days results & not counting the 4th day which is today (Monday-President's Day).

1 Valentine's Day - $56,405,000
2 The Wolfman - $31,753,000
3 Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief - $31,400,000
4 Avatar - $23,500,000
5 Dear John - $16,050,000
6 Tooth Fairy - $6,000,000
7 From Paris with Love - $5,520,000
8 Edge of Darkness - $4,825,000
9 Crazy Heart - $4,220,000
10 When in Rome - $3,702,000

Source: Boxofficemojo.com
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Box Office Feb. 13-14 Results (Japan)

1 AVATAR - FOX
2 OCEANS - GAGA
3 About Her Brother (JPN.) - Shochiku
4 VALENTINE'S DAY - WB
5 The Negotiator The Movie (JPN.) - Toei
6 INVICTUS - WB
7 Golden Slumber (JPN.) - Toho
8 Shinkenger Vs Goonger (JPN.) - Toei
9 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - Presidio
10 SAYONARA ITSUKA - Asmik Ace

Source: Cinemanavi.co.jp
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Kate Mara in negotiations for "127 Hours"

By Siewaun
Reference: thehollywoodreporter

Kate Mara ("Brokeback Mountain," "Entourage - HBO series," "Iron Man 2")is in negotiations to star alongside Amber Tamblyn("The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants ," "Stephanie Daley") and James Franco ("Spider-Man trilogy," "Pineapple Express") in Danny Boyle's "127 Hours."

The movie is based on true story of mountaineer Aron Ralston (Franco) who was forced to amputate his lower right arm with a dull knife to free himself after it got pinned under a boulder for nearly five days during a climb in Utah in May 2003. He then scaled a 65-foot sheer wall and hiked out before running into a family that gave him water and food, and alerted the authorities. He was finally rescued by a helicopter search team.

Mara and Tamblyn will star as hikers Ralston meets before his unfortunate ordeal.

Simon Beaufoy wrote the script, which Christian Colson will produce. Searchlight is financing and will distribute the movie in partnership with Pathe.

Shooting is set to begin in March in Utah, and scheduled for release late 2010.

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EuropaCorp to produce 3D sci-fi actioner "Section 8"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Luc Besson's EuropaCorp studio is producing an English-language 3D sci-fi action feature titled "Section 8," which Ireland's Stephen St. Leger and James Mather will direct.

St. Leger, Mather and Besson wrote the script for the movie, which is about a prison that orbits 50 miles above the earth, and houses 500 of the world's most dangerous criminals, kept asleep by sophisticated techniques until they suddenly awaken.

Pierre-Ange Le Pogam, EuropaCorp co-founder was quoted as saying, "When you read the script, you can easily guess how the live-action and 3D will take this sci-fi thriller to a great level and the two guys are very, very talented." He also said that the production budget is about $30 million.

EuropaCorp is in early talks with a major Hollywood company regarding U.S. distribution on the movie, and aims to start filming late spring or early summer.

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John C. Reilly joins Swinton in "We Need to Talk About Kevin"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

John C. Reilly has joined Tilda Swinton in Scottish director Lynne Ramsay's "We Need to Talk About Kevin."

Ramsay ("Ratcatcher," "Morvern Callar") also wrote the script based on Lionel Shriver's acclaimed novel about a mother, desperately attempting to understand why her 15 years old son, Kevin, brutally murdered seven of his fellow classmates, a cafeteria worker and his English teacher in a Columbine-style school massacre, through a series of letters to her estranged husband, Franklin.

Reilly will be starring as Franklin, Kevin's father, while Swinton will star as Eva Khatchadourian, Kevin's mother. The cast for Kevin has not been announced.

Jennifer Fox and Independent’s Luc Roeg are co-producing the movie. BBC Films' creative director Christine Langan and Paula Jalfon developed the movie, and both also executive producing with Steven Soderbergh.

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Firth and Macfadyen join Sturgess in "The Promised Land"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Colin Firth "A Single Man" and Matthew Macfadyen "Pride and Prejudice" will be joining Jim Sturgess "Across the Universe" in Michael Winterbottom's "The Promised Land."

The movie focuses on the Jewish militant groups that launches terror attacks against British forces and Palestinian civilians during their campaign for statehood, and the subsequent 1948 partition of Palestine and the creation of the state of Israel. Sturgess will be starring as a British officer who tracks down Jewish militants.

Winterbottom's Revolution Films partner Andrew Eaton will produce the movie, and Fortissimo Films will handle worldwide sales.

Shooting for the $5 million project will begin on location in the summer.

Winterbottom's previous three movies, "Welcome to Sarajevo," "Wonderland" and "24 Hour Party People," was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

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Brosnan, Harris, Gaffigan in "Salvation Boulevard"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Pierce Brosnan will be starring alongside Ed Harris and Jim Gaffigan in the newly launched Mandalay Vision's "Salvation Boulevard."

George Ratliff "Joshua," who co-wrote the script based on the book of the same name by Larry Beinhart with Douglas Stone, will also direct.

According to Variety, the comedic thriller is set in the world of mega-churches in which a former Deadhead-turned-born again-Christian finds himself on the run from fundamentalist members of his mega-church who will do anything to protect their larger-than-life pastor.

Former Plum Pictures co-CEO Celine Rattray, who now heads Mandalay Vision, will co-produce the movie with Cathy Schulman of Mandalay Pictures.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in April.


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Hughes bros. in talks to direct "Akira"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Allen and Albert Hughes "The Book of Eli" are in negotiations with Warner Bros. to direct Katsuhiro Otomo's graphic novel based live-action movie "Akira."

Warner Bros. acquired the feature rights to Katsuhiro Otomo’s 6-volume graphic novel with Legendary Pictures from publisher Kodansha two years ago.

Leonardo DiCaprio will co-produce the movie with Warner Bros. through his Appian Way's production banner, and he will also be starring as well.

Mark Fergus, Hawk Ostby and Gary Whitta who wrote "The Book of Eli" script, will write the script.

Story is set in New Manhattan, a metropolis that was rebuilt after being destroyed 31 years ago.

Katsuhiro Otomo adapted his novel into anime film in 1988, with its structure and scenes heavily informed by the manga and its serial origins.

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Omar Sharif set to star in "King Lear"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Egyptian veteran actor Omar Sharif who famously starred in "Doctor Zhivago," "Funny Girl" and "Lawrence of Arabia," will be starring in the big screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's classic tragedy "King Lear," which reset in modern-day Egypt.

French producer Frederic Sichler will develop and produce the movie through his Amana Creative banner. He is co-producing "King Lear" with Egypt's Gabriel Khoury's Misr International, while Egyptian state broadcaster Egypt National Broadcast Corp. is in negotiations to also co-produce.

Egyptian writer Khaled Al Khamissi "Taxi" will write the adaptation of the Shakespeare's classic.

Sichler was quoted as saying, "Shakespeare is an icon of European culture, Al Khamissi represents the best of a new generation of Arab writers, and Omar Sharif has been a bridge between our two worlds for half a century."

Sichler will announce in the coming weeks, the director who will take charge of shooting which will begin by the end of the year.

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A star-studded cast for Soderbergh's "Contagion"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Steven Soderbergh's action-thriller "Contagion" looks set to have a star-studded cast, with Matt Damon and Jude Law signed on, and Marion Cotillard and Kate Winslet in negotiations.

Screenwriter Scott Z. Burns ("The Bourne Ultimatum," "The Informant!") wrote the script, which centers on a deadly contagious disease, with multiple plotlines in the same style as Soderbergh's "Traffic," according to Variety.

Soderbergh has been developing the project with producing partner Gregory Jacobs. Jacobs will produce alongside Double Features' Michael Shamberg and Stacy Sher. Participant Media is in negotiations to produce and co-finance the movie.

Soderbergh is planning to shoot the movie later this year.

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Tom Felton's first leading role in "The Apparition"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Tom Felton (Draco Malfoy in "Harry Potter" franchise), will be starring alongside Ashley Greene "Twilight" and Sebastian Stan ("Gossip Girl," "Kings") in Joel Silver's Dark Castle genre label horror feature "The Apparition."

Todd Lincoln wrote the script inspired by true happenings, which he is currently directing.

Movie is about a young couple (Stan and Greene) who are haunted by a supernatural presence unleashed during a college experiment. Felton will star as the main character who is an expert in the supernatural by the name of Patrick.

The movie also stars Julianna Guill, Suzanne Ford and Luke Pasqualino.

Silver is producing with Andrew Rona and Alex Heineman. Steve Richards, Sue Baden Powell and Daniel Alter are executive producing.

Shooting began last week in Berlin, will be followed by Los Angeles in March.

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British comic actor Ian Carmichael dies at 89

Source: Associated Press

LONDON (AP) -- Ian Carmichael, a British comic actor who starred in "I'm All Right Jack" on the silver screen and played Bertie Wooster and Lord Peter Wimsey on TV, has died. He was 89.

Carmichael, who had been ill for more than a month, died Friday at his home in Grosmont in northern England, his family said. The cause of death was not announced.

Carmichael was a master at embodying a certain type of Englishman: diffident, awkward, often put-upon, but unfailingly courteous and well-intentioned.

He appeared in a series of comedies for the Boulting Brothers including "Private's Progress" (1956), "Brothers in Law" (1957), "Lucky Jim" (1957) and "I'm All Right Jack" (1959), in which he played Stanley Windrush, a recent graduate and product of the upper class who takes a factory job and becomes embroiled in labor strife.

Carmichael also played Windrush in "Private's Progress."

"I didn't enjoy 'I'm All Right Jack' as much as 'Private's Progress' because I was simply repeating the part," Carmichael said in a British Film Institute interview in 2002.

"I'd liked to have gone on to pastures new, but that set a stamp on what everybody thought I could do for a very long time, and I was only offered buffoons really."

He had resisted invitations to play P.G. Wodehouse's upper-class twit, Bertie Wooster, agreeing only after a short, unhappy stint in New York in 1965 in the stage version of "Boeing Boeing."

"I'm delighted to say, the play flopped," he said in the BFI interview. "I hated New York, I loathed it."

"The World of Bertie Wooster" was a hit, running to 20 episodes though it didn't soften Carmichael's attitude toward the character. "Bertie had only one facet: he was a complete bloody idiot," he said.

"Cary Grant roles are ones I would love to have played, but I was never given any," he said.

Carmichael was the driving force for the television productions of the Lord Peter Wimsey, which provided him a meatier role as Dorothy L. Sayers' insouciant but keen-minded amateur detective.

"It's the one I wanted to do very much because I wanted to get away from the stupidity," Carmichael said, but typecasting nearly thwarted him.

Prospective producers, however, wanted someone else to star. "They all felt that I was going to turn him into another Wooster, you see, purely because he wore a monocle every now and again."

Carmichael is survived by his wife, Kate Fenton, and two daughters from his first marriage to Pym Maclean, who died in 1983.

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Box Office Feb. 5-7 Results

1 Dear John - $32,400,000
2 Avatar - $23,600,000
3 From Paris with Love - $8,120,000
4 Edge of Darkness - $7,005,000
5 The Tooth Fairy - $6,500,000
6 When in Rome - $5,504,000
7 The Book of Eli - $4,835,000
8 Crazy Heart - $3,650,000
9 Legion - $3,400,000
10 Sherlock Holmes - $2,630,000

Source: Boxoffice.com
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Box Office Feb. 6-7 Results (Japan)

1 AVATAR - FOX
2 OCEANS - GAGA
3 About Her Brother (JPN.) - Shochiku
4 INVICTUS - WB
5 Golden Slumber (JPN.) - Toho
6 Shinkenger Vs Goonger (JPN.) - Toei
7 The Vanishment of Haruhi Suzumiya (JPN.Animation) - KadokawaShoten/Klock Worx
8 THE LOVELY BONES - Paramount
9 SAYONARA ITSUKA - Asmik Ace
10 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - Presidio

Source: Cinemanavi.co.jp
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McG in negotiations to direct "This Means War"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Director McG ("Charlie's Angels," "Terminator Salvation")is in negotiations with 20th Century Fox to direct the studio's comedy feature "This Means War," which will be starring Reese Witherspoon and Bradley Cooper.

Timothy Dowling "Role Models" wrote the most recent script, which has gone through multiple rewrites over the years since the studio acquired the script in 1998.

Based on Dowling's script, the story is about two spies who are best friends, but their friendship exploded when they fall in love with the same woman.

Will Smith's Overbrook Entertainment, which has produced movies like "The Pursuit of Happyness" and "I Am Legend" is producing.

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Eric Bana joins teen assassin "Hanna"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Eric Bana ("Munich," "Star Trek") will be starring opposite Saoirse Ronan "The Lovely Bones" in Focus Features' teen assassin movie "Hanna," which will be directed by Joe Wright "Atonement."

The movie, which was written by Seth Lochhead, centers on a 14-year-old eastern european girl who is being trained by her own father to be an assassin. She was then assigned to assassinate a high-ranking government official with lot's of secrets.

Marty Adelstein, Leslie Holleran and Scott Nemes are producing.

Shooting is scheduled to begin coming March in Germany.

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Brock and Calderwood reunited for Range's untitled feature

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Jeremy Brock and Andrea Calderwood, writer and producer team of the multiple awards winning movie "The Last King of Scotland" has reunited again to write and produce "Death of a President" British director Gabriel Range's yet untitled feature.

Based on a true happenings, the story centers on the murky world of slave trading in contemporary London.

Wunmi Mosaku "Silent Witness", Isaach De Bankole "Casino Royale", Lubna Azabal "Paradise Now", Hiam Abbass "The Visitor", Igal Naor "Munich", Nonso Anozie "Nanny McPhee and the Big Bang" and Nasser Memarzia "Kingdom of Heaven" are starring in the movie.

Calderwood is producing the feature, while Gail Egan, Liza Marshall, Katherine Butler and Range executive produce.

U.K. Film Council, Channel 4, Film Agency for Wales, Limelight and Molinare financed the project. ContentFilm is handling worldwide sales.

Shooting has already wrapped up in London, and begun on location in Kenya. It is due to complete in May 2010.

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"Avatar" has broken "Titanic's" domestic B.O. record

By Siewaun
Reference: thehollywoodreporter

James Cameron has beaten his own previous all-time high domestic record "Titanic" after "Avatar," which has topped the domestic boxoffice for seven consecutive weeks, broke "Titanic's" $600.8 million record with $601.1 million earnings to become the highest domestic grossing film ever.

On international market, "Avatar" has earned $1.48 billion to become the newest overseas record holder after "Titanic." In total, the 3D sci-fi actioner accumulated a worldwide earnings of $2.08 billion.

"Avatar's" nine Oscar nominations, including best picture and best director, is tied with "The Hurt Locker," and leading other nominees.

Fox domestic distribution president Bruce Snyder was quoted as saying, "I have no idea where we go from here. The only picture that has gotten this high was "Titanic,' but 'Avatar' is coming off of a $30 million weekend while 'Titanic' was ending its theatrical run at the same point in the earnings."

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Mallika Sherawat to star in "Love, Barack"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Indian popular actress Mallika Sherawat, who had just completed Jennifer Lynch's directed supernatural movie titled "Hisss" starring Irrfan Khan "Slumdog Millionaire," will be starring opposite "Avatar" actor Laz Alonso in the political romantic comedy "Love, Barack."

Sherawat will be starring as an Obama 2008 presidential election volunteer coordinator Aretha Gupta who falls in love with her Republican counterpart played by Alonso, who works with the local McCain office.

Ruby Dee "American Gangster", comedian Gerry Bednob "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and Loretta Devine "Crash" will also be starring in the movie.

Producer Doug McHenry "New Jack City" will direct from script written by Gary Goldstein "If You Only Knew."

US-India production company Nuclear Mango's co-founder Govind Menon and William Keenan will produce the movie alongside Split Image Pictures' Vikram Singh and Randolf Turrow "Man in the Chair."

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82nd Academy Awards Nominees

By Siewaun
Reference: Oscar.org



Actor in a Leading Role

* Jeff Bridges in “Crazy Heart”
* George Clooney in “Up in the Air”
* Colin Firth in “A Single Man”
* Morgan Freeman in “Invictus”
* Jeremy Renner in “The Hurt Locker”

Actor in a Supporting Role

* Matt Damon in “Invictus”
* Woody Harrelson in “The Messenger”
* Christopher Plummer in “The Last Station”
* Stanley Tucci in “The Lovely Bones”
* Christoph Waltz in “Inglourious Basterds”

Actress in a Leading Role

* Sandra Bullock in “The Blind Side”
* Helen Mirren in “The Last Station”
* Carey Mulligan in “An Education”
* Gabourey Sidibe in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”
* Meryl Streep in “Julie & Julia”

Actress in a Supporting Role
* Penélope Cruz in “Nine”
* Vera Farmiga in “Up in the Air”
* Maggie Gyllenhaal in “Crazy Heart”
* Anna Kendrick in “Up in the Air”
* Mo’Nique in “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire”

Animated Feature Film

* “Coraline” Henry Selick
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Wes Anderson
* “The Princess and the Frog” John Musker and Ron Clements
* “The Secret of Kells” Tomm Moore
* “Up” Pete Docter

Art Direction
* “Avatar” Art Direction: Rick Carter and Robert Stromberg; Set Decoration: Kim Sinclair
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Art Direction: Dave Warren and Anastasia Masaro; Set Decoration: Caroline Smith
* “Nine” Art Direction: John Myhre; Set Decoration: Gordon Sim
* “Sherlock Holmes” Art Direction: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
* “The Young Victoria” Art Direction: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Maggie Gray

Cinematography

* “Avatar” Mauro Fiore
* “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” Bruno Delbonnel
* “The Hurt Locker” Barry Ackroyd
* “Inglourious Basterds” Robert Richardson
* “The White Ribbon” Christian Berger

Costume Design

* “Bright Star” Janet Patterson
* “Coco before Chanel” Catherine Leterrier
* “The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus” Monique Prudhomme
* “Nine” Colleen Atwood
* “The Young Victoria” Sandy Powell

Directing

* “Avatar” James Cameron
* “The Hurt Locker” Kathryn Bigelow
* “Inglourious Basterds” Quentin Tarantino
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels
* “Up in the Air” Jason Reitman

Documentary (Feature)

* “Burma VJ” Anders Østergaard and Lise Lense-Møller
* “The Cove” Nominees to be determined
* “Food, Inc.” Robert Kenner and Elise Pearlstein
* “The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers” Judith Ehrlich and Rick Goldsmith
* “Which Way Home” Rebecca Cammisa

Documentary (Short Subject)
* “China’s Unnatural Disaster: The Tears of Sichuan Province” Jon Alpert and Matthew O’Neill
* “The Last Campaign of Governor Booth Gardner” Daniel Junge and Henry Ansbacher
* “The Last Truck: Closing of a GM Plant” Steven Bognar and Julia Reichert
* “Music by Prudence” Roger Ross Williams and Elinor Burkett
* “Rabbit à la Berlin” Bartek Konopka and Anna Wydra

Film Editing

* “Avatar” Stephen Rivkin, John Refoua and James Cameron
* “District 9” Julian Clarke
* “The Hurt Locker” Bob Murawski and Chris Innis
* “Inglourious Basterds” Sally Menke
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Joe Klotz
Foreign Language Film

* “Ajami” Israel
* “El Secreto de Sus Ojos” Argentina
* “The Milk of Sorrow” Peru
* “Un Prophète” France
* “The White Ribbon” Germany

Makeup

* “Il Divo” Aldo Signoretti and Vittorio Sodano
* “Star Trek” Barney Burman, Mindy Hall and Joel Harlow
* “The Young Victoria” Jon Henry Gordon and Jenny Shircore

Music (Original Score)

* “Avatar” James Horner
* “Fantastic Mr. Fox” Alexandre Desplat
* “The Hurt Locker” Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders
* “Sherlock Holmes” Hans Zimmer
* “Up” Michael Giacchino

Music (Original Song)

* “Almost There” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Down in New Orleans” from “The Princess and the Frog” Music and Lyric by Randy Newman
* “Loin de Paname” from “Paris 36” Music by Reinhardt Wagner Lyric by Frank Thomas
* “Take It All” from “Nine” Music and Lyric by Maury Yeston
* “The Weary Kind (Theme from Crazy Heart)” from “Crazy Heart” Music and Lyric by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett

Best Picture

* “Avatar” James Cameron and Jon Landau, Producers
* “The Blind Side” Nominees to be determined
* “District 9” Peter Jackson and Carolynne Cunningham, Producers
* “An Education” Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey, Producers
* “The Hurt Locker” Nominees to be determined
* “Inglourious Basterds” Lawrence Bender, Producer
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Lee Daniels, Sarah Siegel-Magness and Gary Magness, Producers
* “A Serious Man” Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, Producers
* “Up” Jonas Rivera, Producer
* “Up in the Air” Daniel Dubiecki, Ivan Reitman and Jason Reitman, Producers

Short Film (Animated)

* “French Roast” Fabrice O. Joubert
* “Granny O’Grimm’s Sleeping Beauty” Nicky Phelan and Darragh O’Connell
* “The Lady and the Reaper (La Dama y la Muerte)” Javier Recio Gracia
* “Logorama” Nicolas Schmerkin
* “A Matter of Loaf and Death” Nick Park

Short Film (Live Action)

* “The Door” Juanita Wilson and James Flynn
* “Instead of Abracadabra” Patrik Eklund and Mathias Fjellström
* “Kavi” Gregg Helvey
* “Miracle Fish” Luke Doolan and Drew Bailey
* “The New Tenants” Joachim Back and Tivi Magnusson

Sound Editing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes and Gwendolyn Yates Whittle
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson
* “Inglourious Basterds” Wylie Stateman
* “Star Trek” Mark Stoeckinger and Alan Rankin
* “Up” Michael Silvers and Tom Myers

Sound Mixing

* “Avatar” Christopher Boyes, Gary Summers, Andy Nelson and Tony Johnson
* “The Hurt Locker” Paul N.J. Ottosson and Ray Beckett
* “Inglourious Basterds” Michael Minkler, Tony Lamberti and Mark Ulano
* “Star Trek” Anna Behlmer, Andy Nelson and Peter J. Devlin
* “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” Greg P. Russell, Gary Summers and Geoffrey Patterson

Visual Effects

* “Avatar” Joe Letteri, Stephen Rosenbaum, Richard Baneham and Andrew R. Jones
* “District 9” Dan Kaufman, Peter Muyzers, Robert Habros and Matt Aitken
* “Star Trek” Roger Guyett, Russell Earl, Paul Kavanagh and Burt Dalton

Writing (Adapted Screenplay)

* “District 9” Written by Neill Blomkamp and Terri Tatchell
* “An Education” Screenplay by Nick Hornby
* “In the Loop” Screenplay by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Armando Iannucci, Tony Roche
* “Precious: Based on the Novel ‘Push’ by Sapphire” Screenplay by Geoffrey Fletcher
* “Up in the Air” Screenplay by Jason Reitman and Sheldon Turner

Writing (Original Screenplay)

* “The Hurt Locker” Written by Mark Boal
* “Inglourious Basterds” Written by Quentin Tarantino
* “The Messenger” Written by Alessandro Camon & Oren Moverman
* “A Serious Man” Written by Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
* “Up” Screenplay by Bob Peterson, Pete Docter, Story by Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy

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Kinnear, Arkin, Crudup attached themselves to "The Convincer"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

The trio of Greg Kinnear "As Good as It Gets", veteran actor Alan Arkin "Little Miss Sunshine" and Billy Crudup "Public Enemies" have come on board the indie crime drama "The Convincer," to be directed by Jill Sprecher ("Clockwatchers," "Thirteen Conversations About One Thing")

The movie which Sprecher will be directing from a script she co-wrote with her sister Karen Sprecher, is about a desperate insurance salesman whose scheme to get a hold of a rare violin leads to unforeseen consequences.

Werc Werk Works' Mary Frances Budig, Christine Walker and Elizabeth Redleaf will produce the movie.

Shooting is scheduled to begin in the Minneapolis area on the 8th of February.

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Box Office Jan. 29-31 Results

1 Avatar - $30,000,000
2 Edge of Darkness - $17,120,000
3 When in Rome - $12,065,000
4 The Tooth Fairy - $10,000,000
5 The Book of Eli - $8,770,000
6 Legion - $6,800,000
7 The Lovely Bones - $4,735,000
8 Sherlock Holmes - $4,510,000
9 Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - 4,000,000
10 It's Complicated - $3,720,400

Source: Boxoffice.com
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Box Office Jan. 30-31 Results (Japan)

1 AVATAR - FOX
2 OCEANS - GAGA
3 About Her Brother (JPN.) - Shochiku
4 Golden Slumber (JPN.) - Toho
5 Shinkenger Vs Goonger (JPN.) - Toei
6 THE LOVELY BONES - Paramount
7 PARANORMAL ACTIVITY - Presidio
8 SAYONARA ITSUKA - Asmik Ace
9 THE IMAGINARIUM OF DOCTOR PARNASSUS - Showgate
10 Nodame Cantabile The Movie I (JPN.) - Toho

Source: Cinemanavi.co.jp
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'Avatar' tops international boxoffice again in it's 7th week

Source: thehollywoodreporter

Hardly resting on its worldwide boxoffice laurels, "Avatar" charged ahead in its seventh weekend on the international circuit, finishing No. 1 with $95.1 million drawn from 11,327 screens in 120 markets.

Overseas gross total stands at $1.45 billion, pushing the 20th Century Fox release's worldwide gross total past the $2 billion mark.

With the domestic gross total registering at $594.5 million through the weekend -- still $6.3 million shy of "Titanic's" U.S. and Canada record of $600.8 million -- 'Avatar's" new global gross record comes to $2.045 billion.

Director James Cameron's mega-budget 3D spectacle broke "Titanic's" all-time overseas gross mark of $1.242 billion on Jan. 23, and notched a new worldwide benchmark $1.859 billion last Monday. It's expected that "Avatar" will break "Titanic's" domestic boxoffice record on Monday or Tuesday.

The weekend gross on the foreign circuit was the first to fall below the $100 million mark but nonetheless the total offshore take was just 12% below the prior weekend's number, indicating "Avatar's" extraordinary staying power at the boxoffice.

Top market was Italy where the third weekend generated $10.9 million from 906 screens for a market cume of $55.7 million. For all the Sturm und Drang in China about "Avatar's" 2D playoff, the weekend there came up with $9.7 million from 1,413 sites for a market cume of $126.3 million.

Other key markets included France (cume $133.9 million so far), Germany ($106.7 million), the U.K. ($104.6 million), Russia ($101.2 million), Japan ($92 million), South Korea ($88.5 million), Australia ($84 million) and Spain ($82.7 million).

No. 2 was Warner Bros.' "Sherlock Holmes," which exceeded the $200 million overseas gross mark (cume actually is $219 million) with a $15.6 million weekend at about 5,400 screens in 57 markets. Director Guy Ritchie's interpretation of Arthur Conan Doyle's classic detective, costarring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as Dr. Watson, opened in Germany to $4.25 million from 675 sites.

Third on the weekend was Fox's "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel," which in its sixth round came up with $10.8 million from 4,719 screens in 45 territories, pushing its foreign gross total to $190 million. An animated opening in Italy generated $2.35 million from 353 locations.

Buoyed by openings in 11 territories, the weekend No. 4 title from Paramount, "Up in the Air," the George Clooney comedy-drama directed by Jason Reitman, flew to $10.5 million from 2,580 spots in 37 territories for an early overseas total of $35 million. A muscular opening in France produced $2.3 million from 311 screens while a Denmark bow generated $152,000 from 16 locations.

Thanks to a strong France debut, Disney Animation's "The Princess and the Frog" finished No. 5 by drawing a total of $9.6 million on the weekend from 2,800 screens in 32 markets, for an international cume of $78.3 million. Of the total, $7.4 million came from 365 situations in France. In the Paris area, "Princess" opened in the No. 1 spot. It also premiered in South Africa for $250,000 from 45 locations.

A forceful Spain opening ($3 million from 306 screens) propelled Warner's "Invictus" to a $9.2 million weekend from about 1,600 screens in 18 markets. International cume for the Clint Eastwood-directed title stands at $29.1 million.

With 25 territories still to play, Universal's "It's Complicated" has rolled up an overseas total so far of $63.7 million. Weekend for the romantic comedy starring Meryl Streep registered $8.1 million from 3,100 situations in 37 markets. A No. 4 opening in Mexico generated $820,000 from 350 sites.

Fox's "Tooth Fairy," a comic fantasy starring Dwayne Johnson, registered $5.6 million from 2,180 sites in 20 markets for an early cume of $25.2 million. An action-packed Russia opening ($3.9 million from 598 screens) propelled Sony's "Legion," director Scott Stewart's action fantasy, to a $4.8 million weekend at 783 locales in five markets.

Tied at $4.2 million each on the weekend were Sony's "Did You Hear About the Morgans?" and the same distributor's "Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs." The romantic comedy with Hugh Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker played 2,045 screens in 41 markets and pushed its overseas cume to $36.7 million. Family-oriented "Cloudy" played 1,443 situations in 21 territories; cume is $94 million.

In the U.K., Icon Film Distribution opened "Edge of Darkness," the revenge drama with Mel Gibson that also opened domestically on the weekend. Playing at 424 screens, "Edge" grossed an estimated weekend take of $2 million, sufficient for a No. 3 market ranking.

In France, Pathe opened "Oceans," co-directors Jacques Cluzaud andJacques Perrin's ecological docu-drama, at 333 screens for $3.3 million and a No. 2 ranking in Paris and suburbs.

Universal's release of Focus Features Int'l.'s local co-production, "Serge Gainsbourg, vie heroique" ("Serge Gainsbourg, Heroic Life"), finished No. 6 in its second round with an estimated $2 million from 499 sites for a market cume of $6.3 million.

Director Quentin Tarantino's World War II anti-Nazi adventure "Inglourious Basterds" has passed the $200 million mark overseas ($200.1 million) and has accumulated a worldwide gross of more than $320 million. One of the two biggest markets for the Weinstein Co./Universal was Germany, where the film grossed $23.2 million. The France cume is $25.8 million.

Other international cumes: Focus Features/Universal's "A Serious Man," $14 million; DreamWorks/Paramount's "The Lovely Bones," $10 million from three markets (including a $2 million Japan opening at 308 screens); Disney's "Surrogates," $80.7 million; Universal's "Couples Retreat," $58.5 million; UGC Distribution's "Une petite zone de turbulences," $3.9 million in three rounds in France only; Disney's "Old Dogs," $38.6 million; Paramount's "Celda 221," $15.4 million from Spain only; Warner's "Io, loro e Lara" ("I, They and Lara"), $22.2 million from Italy only; and Sony's "Friendship," $10.3 million from Germany and Austria only.

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Ginnifer Goodwin is in talks for "Something Borrowed"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Ginnifer Goodwin ("He's Just Not That into You," "A Single Man") is in negotiations with Alcon Entertainment-based 2S Films to star as a Manhattan attorney who becomes involved with her best friend's fiance following her 30th birthday in new romance movie "Something Borrowed."

The movie's script was written by Jennie Urman "Lipstick Jungle," adapted from Emily Giffin's debut novel of the same name. Luke Greenfield "The Girl Next Door" is set to direct.

Hilary Swank and Molly Smith will co-produce through their 2S Films banner alongside Alcon's Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson, and Wild Ocean Films' Aaron Lubin and Pamela Schein Murphy.

Shooting is being fast-forwarded to spring and summer.

"Something Borrowed" marks the second collaboration between 2S Films and Alcon. Their previous collaboration, a romantic comedy "P.S. I Love You," grossed more than $150 million worldwide.

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Ti West to direct another horror "The Innkeepers"

By Siewaun
Reference: Variety

Horror movies director Ti West is set to direct haunted hotel feature "The Innkeepers," which revolves around the last two staffers of a haunted hotel that's going out of business, reports Variety.

West said he intends "Innkeepers" to be "a truly terrifying" follow-up to his 2009 pic "The House of the Devil." His other directed horror movie "Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever" will be released on dvd next month.

MPI Media Group's Dark Sky Films will finance and produce alongside writer-director Larry Fessenden's Glass Eye Pix banner. Derek Curl, Fessenden and Peter Phok will produce.

Production deal was sealed last week at Sundance. Shooting is scheduled to begin this spring in Connecticut.

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