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Hot Trailer: Jennifer Aniston And Jason Sudeikis’ ‘We’re The Millers’

Jennifer Aniston as a stripper. Ed Helms as a drug lord and Jason Sudeikis as a small-time dealer and his reluctant mule. Nick Offerman as a swingin’ camper. Emma Roberts as a gutter punk. Universal just released the first trailer — a red band — for its summer comedy We’re The Millers, and there’s plenty going on in it. Not the least of which is a lingerie-clad, platinum-wigged, lap-dancin’ Aniston. She, Sudeikis, Roberts and Will Poulter pose a family on a cross-country road trip as they venture south of the border to pick up a “smidge of pot” for Helms — smidge being a relative term. The flick opens wide August 9. Check out the clip:

Hot Trailer: Jennifer Aniston And Jason Sudeikis’ ‘We’re The Millers’

Jennifer Aniston as a stripper. Ed Helms as a drug lord and Jason Sudeikis as a small-time dealer and his reluctant mule. Nick Offerman as a swingin’ camper. Emma Roberts as a gutter punk. Universal just released the first trailer — a red band — for its summer comedy We’re The Millers, and there’s plenty going on in it. Not the least of which is a lingerie-clad, platinum-wigged, lap-dancin’ Aniston. She, Sudeikis, Roberts and Will Poulter pose a family on a cross-country road trip as they venture south of the border to pick up a “smidge of pot” for Helms — smidge being a relative term. The flick opens wide August 9. Check out the clip:

Hot Trailer: Jennifer Aniston And Jason Sudeikis’ ‘We’re The Millers’

Jennifer Aniston as a stripper. Ed Helms as a drug lord and Jason Sudeikis as a small-time dealer and his reluctant mule. Nick Offerman as a swingin’ camper. Emma Roberts as a gutter punk. Universal just released the first trailer — a red band — for its summer comedy We’re The Millers, and there’s plenty going on in it. Not the least of which is a lingerie-clad, platinum-wigged, lap-dancin’ Aniston. She, Sudeikis, Roberts and Will Poulter pose a family on a cross-country road trip as they venture south of the border to pick up a “smidge of pot” for Helms — smidge being a relative term. The flick opens wide August 9. Check out the clip:

Amanda Seyfried to Star in Noah Baumbach’s ‘While We’re Young’ (Exclusive)

Fresh off a SAG nomination for her turn as Cosette in "Les Miserables," Amanda Seyfried is in final negotiations to join Ben Stiller, Naomi Watts and Adam Driver in Noah Baumbach's indie movie "While We're Young," TheWrap has learned.

Seyfried emerged as a potential candidate for the role of Driver's love interest several weeks ago and she has now cleared room in her fall schedule for the movie, which is being produced by Scott Rudin and Eli Bush.

The long-gestating project stars Stiller and Watts as a married couple that strikes up an unlikely friendship with a free-spirited younger couple, to be played by Driver and Seyfried, whose character makes homemade ice cream.

The ensemble cast has undergone several configurations over the years, with Greta Gerwig previously eyed for Seyfried's role.

Seyfried has a voice role in Fox's upcoming animated movie "Epic" and will soon be seen as the title character in "Lovelace," which Radius-TWC acquired at Sundance. She's currently filming Seth MacFarlane's comedy "A Million Ways to Die in the West" and just signed on to star opposite Chris Pine and Chiwetel Ejiofor in "Z For Zachariah."

Seyfried is repped by Innovative Artists and attorney Michael Williams.

Zach Braff Taught Crowdfunding to Woody Allen – and He Liked It

Reaction to Zach Braff's use of Kickstarter to fund his next indie film has been mixed, to say the least. But according to the "Scrubs" star, Woody Allen is "riveted" by it.

During an interview on SiriusXM talk show "Unmasked," Braff said that the Oscar-winning "Annie Hall" director had no idea what crowdfunding was before meeting with him to discuss a project. 

Also read: Are Hollywood Millionaires Ruining Kickstarter? Let's Ask the Internet

"By the way, I'm the one who explained crowdfunding to Woody Allen," Braff said. "He's one of my heroes and I met him because we were talking about doing something together."

Their meeting fell on the same day that Braff's Kickstarter campaign for his upcoming film, "Wish I Was Here," began its quick climb to $2 million and beyond. 

Also read: New Zach Braff Movie Hits Kickstarter Goal, Could It Threaten 'Veronica Mars' Record?

"Everyone else in the room was like, 'Oh my God! Congratulations! That's insane! I can't believe it worked! No one thought it would work,'" Braff said. "And he clearly didn't know what anyone was talking about, so I started explaining it to him."

"He's riveted," Braff continued. "We sat there and talked for about ten minutes with him asking all of these really intelligent questions and having this discourse and it was awesome. It was like, 'Oh my God! I can't believe I just explained crowdfunding to Woody Allen.'"

The lead in to Braff's story came when SiriusXM noted that Allen "goes foreign" to secure financing for his films -- the last eight of which took place in Europe -- and the revered filmmaker might be able to raise enough money from fans on Kickstarter to produce another New York-set classic like the 1979 film "Manhattan."

"I would jump at that in a second," Braff said.

Here's the conversation:

NBC Plans Blake Shelton Tornado Benefit Next Week

The Voice judge and Oklahoma native said last night that he wanted to put together a relief concert in support of victims of the massive Oklahoma tornado that hit earlier this week, killing dozens. Now NBC is working fast to make it happen. If it comes together, I understand the Blake Shelton-led concert would be held early next week — the network is putting together a few more elements, including where the event will be held. Details about the performances are sketchy, but it’s anticipated that several of Shelton’s Voice co-judges would be involved. Shelton performed a song with wife Miranda Lambert during last night’s live episode of The Voice as Red Cross donation information played on the screen. TV benefits like this can come together quickly. In November, NBC hosted a commercial-free live one-hour benefit telethon Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together less than a week after the superstorm made landfall in the U.S. Matt Lauer hosted the show that was carried across several NBC networks including USA, MSNBC, E! and by HBO, Discovery’s Fit & Health and Velocity networks and The Weather Channel and donations went to the Red Cross.

NBC Plans Blake Shelton Tornado Benefit Next Week

The Voice judge and Oklahoma native said last night that he wanted to put together a relief concert in support of victims of the massive Oklahoma tornado that hit earlier this week, killing dozens. Now NBC is working fast to make it happen. If it comes together, I understand the Blake Shelton-led concert would be held early next week — the network is putting together a few more elements, including where the event will be held. Details about the performances are sketchy, but it’s anticipated that several of Shelton’s Voice co-judges would be involved. Shelton performed a song with wife Miranda Lambert during last night’s live episode of The Voice as Red Cross donation information played on the screen. TV benefits like this can come together quickly. In November, NBC hosted a commercial-free live one-hour benefit telethon Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together less than a week after the superstorm made landfall in the U.S. Matt Lauer hosted the show that was carried across several NBC networks including USA, MSNBC, E! and by HBO, Discovery’s Fit & Health and Velocity networks and The Weather Channel and donations went to the Red Cross.

NBC Plans Blake Shelton Tornado Benefit Next Week

The Voice judge and Oklahoma native said last night that he wanted to put together a relief concert in support of victims of the massive Oklahoma tornado that hit earlier this week, killing dozens. Now NBC is working fast to make it happen. If it comes together, I understand the Blake Shelton-led concert would be held early next week — the network is putting together a few more elements, including where the event will be held. Details about the performances are sketchy, but it’s anticipated that several of Shelton’s Voice co-judges would be involved. Shelton performed a song with wife Miranda Lambert during last night’s live episode of The Voice as Red Cross donation information played on the screen. TV benefits like this can come together quickly. In November, NBC hosted a commercial-free live one-hour benefit telethon Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together less than a week after the superstorm made landfall in the U.S. Matt Lauer hosted the show that was carried across several NBC networks including USA, MSNBC, E! and by HBO, Discovery’s Fit & Health and Velocity networks and The Weather Channel and donations went to the Red Cross.

NBC Plans Blake Shelton Tornado Benefit Next Week

The Voice judge and Oklahoma native said last night that he wanted to put together a relief concert in support of victims of the massive Oklahoma tornado that hit earlier this week, killing dozens. Now NBC is working fast to make it happen. If it comes together, I understand the Blake Shelton-led concert would be held early next week — the network is putting together a few more elements, including where the event will be held. Details about the performances are sketchy, but it’s anticipated that several of Shelton’s Voice co-judges would be involved. Shelton performed a song with wife Miranda Lambert during last night’s live episode of The Voice as Red Cross donation information played on the screen. TV benefits like this can come together quickly. In November, NBC hosted a commercial-free live one-hour benefit telethon Hurricane Sandy: Coming Together less than a week after the superstorm made landfall in the U.S. Matt Lauer hosted the show that was carried across several NBC networks including USA, MSNBC, E! and by HBO, Discovery’s Fit & Health and Velocity networks and The Weather Channel and donations went to the Red Cross.

‘Fashion Police’ Strike: Both Sides Dig in on Eve of Rally

With the strike by nine writers on E! Entertainment's "Fashion Police" nearly five weeks old, both sides were digging in for the long haul Wednesday.

While the writers were preparing to set up an 11 a.m. picket line and rally in front of E! TV's Los Angeles headquarters Thursday morning, the network issued a series of bullet points designed to clarify its position.

The writers have been on strike since April 17, after expressing a desire to organize and join the Writers Guild of America West. The writers want the network to recognize the WGA as their bargaining representative, while the network is insisting that a National Labor Relations Board election be held first. 

Also read: 'Fashion Police' Strike: E! President Defends Joan Rivers, Demands WGA Election

The writers maintain that demanding an election before negotiating is a stalling tactic, since they've made their desire to be in the guild clear by signing union cards.

"Requiring an NLRB administered election is a fair and important part of the process," the network said in its statement Wednesday. "E! went so far as to take the unprecedented step of filing the petition with the NLRB ourselves a couple months ago to accelerate the process on the Fashion Police writers' behalf. If the writers had participated we could have been well into negotiations if not done by now."

The network also reiterated earlier statements, which said it was not anti-WGA, and noted that it airs others shows ("The Soup" and "Chelsea Lately") that employ WGA workers that participated in NLRB elections.

An E! representative declined to say who was doing the work normally done by the striking writers.

Weeks before going on strike, the writers filed $1.5 million in wage and hour claims with the California Division of Labor Standard Enforcement against the network and show host Joan Rivers' production company, Rugby Productions. They are seeking payment for unpaid regular and overtime hours worked.

That dispute is moving forward separately from the representation issue. A settlement meeting held at the behest of the state failed to result break the impasse, so a date will be set for hearings on the writers' claims.

While the writers are out of their jobs, the WGA is making emergency loans available as it does to its members when they are on strike, a guild spokesman said Thursday. The WGA is also financing legal work done on their behalf. 
 

Black List Discovery Richard Cordiner Will Adapt ‘Spacesuit’ for Warner Bros.

Richard Cordiner will adapt "Spacesuit" for Warner Bros., his first script in a two-film blind deal, according to two individuals with knowledge of the deal.

Cordiner is a U.K. transplant that moved to the United States a couple of years ago to work for Venables Bell & Partners, a San Francisco-based advertising agency. He previously worked at firms Young & Rubicam and Leo Burnett in London. 

Talent agency Verve and management company Kaplan/Perrone discovered Cordiner off the Black List through the company's new program that lets screenwriters pay to upload scripts for review.

Cordiner posted a script titled "The Shark Is Not Working" that detailed the making of Steven Spielberg's "Jaws."

Cordiner's reps then sold Warner Bros. on his promise, earning him the blind deal. Warner Bros. then assigned him "Spacesuit," an adaptation of Nichols De Michoud's book about a team of bra designers who built the space suits for early moonwalkers Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. Marc Shmuger and Tom McNulty will produce.

A Tale Of Two Movie Tie-In Games: ‘Star Trek’ Flops, ‘Fast & Furious 6′ Tops

The mobile gaming tie-in to Universal’s Fast & Furious 6 launched on the iTunes App Store last week and is #1 among free apps in 45 countries. Created with SF-based studio Kabam, it’s also the #1 overall game in 69 countries, the top racing game in 112 countries, and the #1 action game in 85 countries. Its iPad app version runs comparable if even wider in saturation as the top free app in 81 countries. By contrast, Paramount‘s Star Trek: The Game — tied to the release of Star Trek Into Darkness — stayed in-house and it’s doing lousy since it came out last month. According to VG Chartz, unit sales in its first three weeks are only 140K to date across PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 consoles. It’s also considered a failure because it’s very buggy despite years of development. Critics and users alike gave it poor reviews. So what happened? Insiders say the game originated under Paramount Digital Entertainment president Tom Lesinski who made the decision to develop and produce it in-house vs licensing the intellectual property to a third-party publisher like Electronic Arts, Activision, or Ubisoft. When Lesinski was fired in September 2011, his domain was absorbed by the studio. The Star Trek gaming project was picked up by Paramount Promotions’ Brian Miller, SVP Worldwide Marketing Partnerships and Consumer Products. Insiders ... Read More »

A Tale Of Two Movie Tie-In Games: ‘Star Trek’ Flops, ‘Fast & Furious 6′ Tops

The mobile gaming tie-in to Universal’s Fast & Furious 6 launched on the iTunes App Store last week and is #1 among free apps in 45 countries. Created with SF-based studio Kabam, it’s also the #1 overall game in 69 countries, the top racing game in 112 countries, and the #1 action game in 85 countries. Its iPad app version runs comparable if even wider in saturation as the top free app in 81 countries. By contrast, Paramount‘s Star Trek: The Game — tied to the release of Star Trek Into Darkness — stayed in-house and it’s doing lousy since it came out last month. According to VG Chartz, unit sales in its first three weeks are only 140K to date across PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 consoles. It’s also considered a failure because it’s very buggy despite years of development. Critics and users alike gave it poor reviews. So what happened? Insiders say the game originated under Paramount Digital Entertainment president Tom Lesinski who made the decision to develop and produce it in-house vs licensing the intellectual property to a third-party publisher like Electronic Arts, Activision, or Ubisoft. When Lesinski was fired in September 2011, his domain was absorbed by the studio. The Star Trek gaming project was picked up by Paramount Promotions’ Brian Miller, SVP Worldwide Marketing Partnerships and Consumer Products. Insiders ... Read More »

A Tale Of Two Movie Tie-In Games: ‘Star Trek’ Flops, ‘Fast & Furious 6′ Tops

The mobile gaming tie-in to Universal’s Fast & Furious 6 launched on the iTunes App Store last week and is #1 among free apps in 45 countries. Created with SF-based studio Kabam, it’s also the #1 overall game in 69 countries, the top racing game in 112 countries, and the #1 action game in 85 countries. Its iPad app version runs comparable if even wider in saturation as the top free app in 81 countries. By contrast, Paramount‘s Star Trek: The Game — tied to the release of Star Trek Into Darkness — stayed in-house and it’s doing lousy since it came out last month. According to VG Chartz, unit sales in its first three weeks are only 140K to date across PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 consoles. It’s also considered a failure because it’s very buggy despite years of development. Critics and users alike gave it poor reviews. So what happened? Insiders say the game originated under Paramount Digital Entertainment president Tom Lesinski who made the decision to develop and produce it in-house vs licensing the intellectual property to a third-party publisher like Electronic Arts, Activision, or Ubisoft. When Lesinski was fired in September 2011, his domain was absorbed by the studio. The Star Trek gaming project was picked up by Paramount Promotions’ Brian Miller, SVP Worldwide Marketing Partnerships and Consumer Products. Insiders ... Read More »

A Tale Of Two Movie Tie-In Games: ‘Star Trek’ Flops, ‘Fast & Furious 6′ Tops

The mobile gaming tie-in to Universal’s Fast & Furious 6 launched on the iTunes App Store last week and is #1 among free apps in 45 countries. Created with SF-based studio Kabam, it’s also the #1 overall game in 69 countries, the top racing game in 112 countries, and the #1 action game in 85 countries. Its iPad app version runs comparable if even wider in saturation as the top free app in 81 countries. By contrast, Paramount‘s Star Trek: The Game — tied to the release of Star Trek Into Darkness — stayed in-house and it’s doing lousy since it came out last month. According to VG Chartz, unit sales in its first three weeks are only 140K to date across PC, Xbox 360, and PS3 consoles. It’s also considered a failure because it’s very buggy despite years of development. Critics and users alike gave it poor reviews. So what happened? Insiders say the game originated under Paramount Digital Entertainment president Tom Lesinski who made the decision to develop and produce it in-house vs licensing the intellectual property to a third-party publisher like Electronic Arts, Activision, or Ubisoft. When Lesinski was fired in September 2011, his domain was absorbed by the studio. The Star Trek gaming project was picked up by Paramount Promotions’ Brian Miller, SVP Worldwide Marketing Partnerships and Consumer Products. Insiders ... Read More »

‘Falling Skies’ Star Noah Wyle on Showrunner’s Departure: ‘It’s a Tough One’

It came as a surprise to the "Falling Skies" fandom (and some within TNT) when news that the series' showrunner, Remi Aubuchon, had resigned ahead of Season 3's June 9 premiere date.

Aubuchon decided to leave the show after two seasons to pursue his dream of writing a science fiction novel – something that he would be unable to do while on the very challenging show.

"This is a very difficult show to work on," Aubuchon admitted to TheWrap. "And the truth is I did feel burnt out after this season."

Also Read: Turner Upfront: TNT, TBS to Offer Nationwide Live Streaming, Debut New Slates

"There were a lot of reasons why the last season was frenetic and chaotic and difficult," series star and executive producer Noah Wyle told The Wrap. "But, much like the alliance with [the show's new aliens] the Volm, it's proven to be advantageous."

"It's a tough one," he said. "Remi, in a lot of ways, knew our show like nobody has and saw greater possibilities for the storytelling than anyone has ever envisioned."

Aubuchon leaves after a very ambitious third season for the TNT series as it jumps seven months and reveals that the group stays on in Charleston -- with Wyle's Tom Mason as the Resistance's new President -- and makes alliances with the rebel skitters and the newly arrived (and technologically advanced) Volm.

Also read: TNT Orders Rebecca Romijn, Jon Tenney Private-Eye Series

"The proof's in the pudding," Wyle told TheWrap. "We created a really good season and Remi is directly responsible for it. So, I'm sorry to see him go."

Former "Battlestar Galactica" executive producer and "Caprica" co-creator David Eick will replace the departing showrunner. Aubuchon personally recommended his replacement and told us that while he won't have a formal role on Season 4, Eick has already bounced ideas off of him.

Wyle met with the new showrunner last week. "I have great confidence in David Eick coming on," Wyle said.

"He's coming with great passion and a lot of really great ideas. And the truth is this show has had a lot of fathers along the way already and maybe that's just the nature of the beast."

‘Fast & Furious’ Expected to Outmuscle ‘Hangover Part III’ at Holiday Box Office

After a nearly four-month dry spell, Hollywood is finally giving moviegoers something to laugh about.

The third and final installment in Warner Bros.' raunchy R-rated "Hangover" franchise is kicking off a very busy Memorial Day weekend at the box office. "The Hangover Part III" opens late Wednesday and will be in 3,555 theaters nationwide by Thursday, one day before Universal's "Fast & Furious 6" and Fox's animated "Epic" debut.

"Fast & Furious 6" could drive off with north of $80 million over the long weekend, analysts say, with "Hangover Part III" looking at around $75 million. "Epic" is likely to land between $30 million and $35 million. And if last week's No. 1 movie, Paramount's "Star Trek Into Darkness," can manage half of its opening week grosses, it will come in at around $35 million, too.

All of this is good news for the box office, which has been running about 12 percent behind last year.The four-day holiday period could finish between $80 million and $100 million over last year's $190 million Memorial Day weekend.

"Fast & Furious 6" is the front-runner, but if absence makes the funny bone more sensitive, audiences should be ready to scream. Just a handful of comedies have been released so far this year, and most have landed with a thud. That bodes well for director and co-writer Todd Phillips and the Wolf Pack of "The Hangover Part III.".

Also read: 5 of Summer's Biggest Box-Office Smackdowns

"It's been a long time since people have gotten their kicks from a comedy," Exhibitor Relations vice president and senior analyst Jeff Bock told TheWrap, "and 'The Hangover' is something people know they can count on, so I think this weekend could be closer than people are expecting."

It's been a bleak year for comedies.

"Identity Thief," with stars Melissa McCarthy and Jason Bateman, was a pleasant surprise for Universal, taking in more than $133 million domestically and another $38 million overseas since opening in January. Marlon Wayans' horror spoof "Haunted House," which opened that same month, brought in $40 million for Open Road.

But other than those two films, even big names haven't been able to generate enough chuckles to register at the box office.

Steve Carrell and Jim Carey sent up the Las Vegas magic scene in Warner Bros.' "The Incredible Bert Wonderstone," but that one failed to connect, taking in just $22 million domestically. Universal's "Admission," starring Tina Fey as a college administrator, flunked at $17 million. And Lionsgate's "Big Wedding," with Robert De Niro and Katherine Heigl topping an ensemble cast, misfired at $20 million.

There is neither wedding nor bachelor party in "Hangover Part III," but Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis are back in Las Vegas, along with Justin Bartha and Ken Jeong (below), and Heather Graham from the first film. 

John Goodman joins the cast, and Melissa McCarthy has a cameo. Craig Mazin, who did the screenplay for "Identity Thief," co-wrote the script with Phillips.

The previous two "Hangover" films are among the most successful comedies ever at the box office, taking in more than $1.5 billion worldwide. Two years ago, "Hangover II" drove a record Memorial Day weekend with an $85 million debut, and went on to take in $254 million domestically, $332 million overseas and $586 million globally.

The first film brought in $467 million worldwide in 2009, with $277 million of that coming from the U.S. 

Also read: 'The Hangover Part III' Review: Thank God for Peculiar, Perverse - and Outrageously Funny - Galifianakis

Expectations are lower for this installment, and both its domestic and international numbers are unlikely to match the grosses of "Part II," analysts say. They point to the domestic decline of the second film vs. the first, and its cool critical reception (34 percent positive on Rotten Tomatoes), along with this summer's relentless competition.

Phillips is producing, and Legendary chief executive Thomas Tull and Scott Budnick are executive producers.

"Fast and Furious 6" sees Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson returning for Justin Lin's fourth lap as director. Jordana Brewster, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Sung Kang, Gal Gadot, Chris "Ludacris" Bridges and Elsa Pataky all return, with Luke Evans and Gina Carano joining the cast.

The PG-13-rated "6" is running hot on social media, particularly Facebook. Three days away from its opening, it had nearly 24 million "likes," according to BoxOffice.com.

The previous entry in the franchise, "Fast Five," was its highest grossing with $209 million domestically and a whopping $416 million overseas for a $626 million worldwide haul.  Overall, the "Fast and Furious" franchise has brought in $1.6 billion globally. 

Also read: Fast & Furious 6' Review: Bypasses Logic and Drives Straight to the Pleasure Center

And "6" is off to a sensational start overseas, delivering Universal's biggest U.K. opener ever with $13.2 million last weekend. The movie is set in London, and premiered there, an indicator of how the franchise has evolved from its 2001 origins as a street-racing potboiler set in the subculture of East L.A. into an action spectacle on a global scale.

Universal rolls out "6" in 59 international markets on Friday, including 62 Imax theaters in 21 territories.. It will be in roughly 3,659 theaters in the U.S.

Neal H. Moritz produces, as he has since the series debuted 12 years ago, alongside Clayton Townsend and Diesel. Universal and Elliot Inc. financed the $160 production budget.

As for "Epic," Fox is rolling out the 3D family tale of fairies, creatures and tiny soldiers from its in-house animation unit Blue Sky Studio in more than 3,800 theaters. Blue Sky's founder -- and thecvoice of Scrat in Fox's "Ice Age" movies -- Chris Wedge directs.

Beyonce Knowles, Colin Farrell, Josh Hutcherson, Amanda Seyfried, Christoph Waltz, Aziz Ansari and Jason Sudeikis provide the voices in "Epic."

"As the only PG-rated movie out there, we'll be the clear family choice," Fox's president of domestic distribution Chris Aronson told TheWrap. He speaks from recent experience.

Also read: 'Epic' Review: Moments of Delight Pep Up a Crushingly Familiar Story

Fox has had the only cartoon in the marketplace since March, when it debuted DreamWorks Animation's "The Croods." That film, with the box-office field to itself in both the U.S. and abroad, has rolled up $177 million domestically and $370 million overseas, particularly impressive for an original animated film.

And "Epic" won't face any domestic competition until June 21, when Disney rolls out "Monsters University."

Hammond On Cannes: Elizabeth Taylor’s Memory Lives On At Festival As ‘Cleopatra’ Premieres And AIDS Event Hits 20th Anniversary

There are lots of stars in Cannes this year but I don’t think any of them are shining brighter at the festival than one who is no longer with us.  Elizabeth Taylor may have died over two years ago at the age of 79 but she lives on, not only on the big and small screens where her many films still play, but also for all the amazing charitable work she did in her lifetime, particularly her fight against AIDS. Her presence is really being felt here in Cannes this year. Tomorrow night amFAR will certainly be remembering her at the 20th anniversary of Cinema Against AIDS, the signature event set during the Cannes Festival she helped start. And Tuesday night 20th Century Fox World Premiered their meticulous 2K digital restoration (it took nine months to complete) of the 1963 film, Cleopatra, infamous for the torrid off-screen love affair between its stars Taylor and Richard Burton. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary the studio pulled out all the stops with a black tie premiere of the four- hour movie ( that ironically almost bankrupted the studio),  followed by a lavish party sponsored by Bulgari, the jeweler who supplied Taylor with so many of the baubles she was famous for collecting.  In fact as you entered the party on the J.W. Marriott ... Read More »

Hammond On Cannes: Elizabeth Taylor’s Memory Lives On At Festival As ‘Cleopatra’ Premieres And AIDS Event Hits 20th Anniversary

There are lots of stars in Cannes this year but I don’t think any of them are shining brighter at the festival than one who is no longer with us.  Elizabeth Taylor may have died over two years ago at the age of 79 but she lives on, not only on the big and small screens where her many films still play, but also for all the amazing charitable work she did in her lifetime, particularly her fight against AIDS. Her presence is really being felt here in Cannes this year. Tomorrow night amFAR will certainly be remembering her at the 20th anniversary of Cinema Against AIDS, the signature event set during the Cannes Festival she helped start. And Tuesday night 20th Century Fox World Premiered their meticulous 2K digital restoration (it took nine months to complete) of the 1963 film, Cleopatra, infamous for the torrid off-screen love affair between its stars Taylor and Richard Burton. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary the studio pulled out all the stops with a black tie premiere of the four- hour movie ( that ironically almost bankrupted the studio),  followed by a lavish party sponsored by Bulgari, the jeweler who supplied Taylor with so many of the baubles she was famous for collecting.  In fact as you entered the party on the J.W. Marriott ... Read More »

Hammond On Cannes: Elizabeth Taylor’s Memory Lives On At Festival As ‘Cleopatra’ Premieres And AIDS Event Hits 20th Anniversary

There are lots of stars in Cannes this year but I don’t think any of them are shining brighter at the festival than one who is no longer with us.  Elizabeth Taylor may have died over two years ago at the age of 79 but she lives on, not only on the big and small screens where her many films still play, but also for all the amazing charitable work she did in her lifetime, particularly her fight against AIDS. Her presence is really being felt here in Cannes this year. Tomorrow night amFAR will certainly be remembering her at the 20th anniversary of Cinema Against AIDS, the signature event set during the Cannes Festival she helped start. And Tuesday night 20th Century Fox World Premiered their meticulous 2K digital restoration (it took nine months to complete) of the 1963 film, Cleopatra, infamous for the torrid off-screen love affair between its stars Taylor and Richard Burton. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary the studio pulled out all the stops with a black tie premiere of the four- hour movie ( that ironically almost bankrupted the studio),  followed by a lavish party sponsored by Bulgari, the jeweler who supplied Taylor with so many of the baubles she was famous for collecting.  In fact as you entered the party on the J.W. Marriott ... Read More »

Hammond On Cannes: Elizabeth Taylor’s Memory Lives On At Festival As ‘Cleopatra’ Premieres And AIDS Event Hits 20th Anniversary

There are lots of stars in Cannes this year but I don’t think any of them are shining brighter at the festival than one who is no longer with us.  Elizabeth Taylor may have died over two years ago at the age of 79 but she lives on, not only on the big and small screens where her many films still play, but also for all the amazing charitable work she did in her lifetime, particularly her fight against AIDS. Her presence is really being felt here in Cannes this year. Tomorrow night amFAR will certainly be remembering her at the 20th anniversary of Cinema Against AIDS, the signature event set during the Cannes Festival she helped start. And Tuesday night 20th Century Fox World Premiered their meticulous 2K digital restoration (it took nine months to complete) of the 1963 film, Cleopatra, infamous for the torrid off-screen love affair between its stars Taylor and Richard Burton. On the occasion of its 50th anniversary the studio pulled out all the stops with a black tie premiere of the four- hour movie ( that ironically almost bankrupted the studio),  followed by a lavish party sponsored by Bulgari, the jeweler who supplied Taylor with so many of the baubles she was famous for collecting.  In fact as you entered the party on the J.W. Marriott ... Read More »

And Here’s Ke$hit Drinking Her Own Piss

I know that what you really needed today was a video of come-to-life subway seat stain Ke$hit pissing into a cut off plastic water bottle before drinking it. On last night's Ke$ha: My Crazy Life, a co-production between the CDC and MTV, Ke$hit's frien...

Why Does Hollywood Hate The Future?

A few weeks ago, Chris Dixon tweeted something thought-provoking: "What were the last Hollywood movies you saw about technology & the future that were optimistic? They seem to be systematically dystopian." I happened to be sitting in a movie theater waiting for Iron Man 3 to start, so I tried to come up with a good counter-example. It’s a lot harder than I thought it would be. Then the pre-movie trailers starting playing. The new Will Smith (and son) flick, After Earth: dystopia. The new Guillermo del Toro flick, Pacific Rim: dystopia. Even the new Superman flick, Man of Steel, could be classified as a technological dystopia (more below).

Warner Bros Tells Space Story, From The Bra Designers Who Made Moon Mission Possible

EXCLUSIVE: Warner Bros has hired Richard Cordiner to script Spacesuit, based on the book by Nicholas de Monchaux. This tells the true story of the unsung heroes of the Apollo space program — a team of bra and girdle designers from Playtex who successfully built the iconic spacesuit that enabled Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to walk on the moon. This improbable band of outsiders — led by a former TV repairman, a car mechanic, and their crew of spirited seamstresses — accomplished what all the aerospace giants couldn’t. It’s a long way from the shop floor of Playtex to the surface of the moon, and this incredible story tracks how it happened. Marc Shmuger’s Global Produce brought the project to the studio, and Shmuger and Tom McNulty will produce with Alexandra Loewy overseeing development. Kat Likkel and John Hoberg are exec producers and Jon Berg and Racheline Benveniste are overseeing for the studio. Cordiner works in advertising in San Francisco, but things changed when his script The Shark Is Not Working circulated. He was signed after that by Verve, Kaplan Perrone and attorney Karl Austen, and all this led to a double blind script deal at Warners. Shmuger’s Global Produce has the Alex Gibney-directed Julian Assange docu We Steal Secrets coming through Focus World and The Spectacular Now from A24.

Haven Entertainment Lit Department Adds 3

Brendan Bragg, Jordana Mollick and Dan Ventresca have joined the literary department at LA-based Haven Entertainment. Bragg and Mollick come to Haven from Black Sheep Management & Productions which they founded in 2009 and Ventresca moves from Gersh. Bragg and Mollick are currently in production on Life Partners starring Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs and Adam Brody. They’re also producing Beth Schacter’s feature A Virgin Mary starring Abigail Breslin, Addison McQuigg’s Sonata and Steven Feder’s Hooking Up. Ventresca joins Haven as a literary manager. His clients at Gersh included Olympus Has Fallen scribes Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt. Haven Entertainment most recently produced A Band Called Death which won the 24 beats per second Audience Award at SXSW and sold to Drafthouse and the documentary Milius which also screened at SXSW.

Haven Entertainment Lit Department Adds 3

Brendan Bragg, Jordana Mollick and Dan Ventresca have joined the literary department at LA-based Haven Entertainment. Bragg and Mollick come to Haven from Black Sheep Management & Productions which they founded in 2009 and Ventresca moves from Gersh. Bragg and Mollick are currently in production on Life Partners starring Leighton Meester, Gillian Jacobs and Adam Brody. They’re also producing Beth Schacter’s feature A Virgin Mary starring Abigail Breslin, Addison McQuigg’s Sonata and Steven Feder’s Hooking Up. Ventresca joins Haven as a literary manager. His clients at Gersh included Olympus Has Fallen scribes Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt. Haven Entertainment most recently produced A Band Called Death which won the 24 beats per second Audience Award at SXSW and sold to Drafthouse and the documentary Milius which also screened at SXSW.