Early estimates from around the web are predicting that Twilight brought in as much as $7 million from midnight screenings and that it could have grossed more than $30 million on Friday. In addition, Fandango is reporting that they've been selling a staggering five Twilight tickets per second since early Friday morning. The film finished in the #5 spot on MovieTickets.com's Top 5 Pre-Sellers of All-Time list. As of 12 p.m. EST on Friday, the site is reporting that 848 upcoming shows are sold out. On a MovieTickets.com poll, a whopping 94% out of 6,944 respondents answered that they would like to see a sequel. Stay tuned...
Read moreIn 1995, director John Lasseter revolutionized animation with Pixar Animation Studio's Toy Story. This weekend, he plans to do it again with the release of Bolt, the first Disney cartoon to be conceived in 3D. Now the Chief Creative Officer of both Pixar and Disney, Lasseter has the momentum to move the industry in the direction he thinks is smartest and he's firmly thrown his weight behind 3D technology, announcing that from Bolt onward, all of Disney's computer-animated films will be in 3D. "I love 3D," says Lasseter. He's not kidding: Even the photos from his 1988 wedding to wife Nancy were in 3D.
Read moreEven though Dr. Hunter S. Thompson committed suicide on February 20, 2005, his impact is still felt today. Thompson's life has been chronicled on film before thanks to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Where the Buffalo Roam and in documentary form via Breakfast with Hunter and Buy the Ticket, Take the Ride: Hunter S. Thompson on Film. With Gonzo: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson, director Alex Gibney's used some never-before-seen footage in order to show Thompson's life in the context of the often turbulent times that surrounded it.
Read moreDocumentary filmmaker Nick Broomfield has become accustomed to the controversy his films seem to attract. Whether it’s his feud with Courtney Love over her involvement with Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain in Kurt and Courtney or the questions he raises regarding the LAPD in Biggie and Tupac, Broomfield is used to stirring things up. Still, the director sees controversy as a handicap at times. He feels that bad publicity can equal the death of a film, especially when it’s a small, independent project looking to be sold to a distributor. People get scared by bad press and don’t want to buy the film, resulting in zero offers.
Read moreAs 2008 nears an end, it looks as though the year as a whole has a decent shot at topping 2007's record-setting box office haul of $9.62 billion. As long as this weekend's estimates don't fluctuate too much, 2008's box office haul of $8.154 billion is currently around 1% higher than 2007's haul at the same point in the year. 2008 achieved early success in January with films like Cloverfield ($80 million domestically) and 27 Dresses ($76.8 million). February boasted strong grosses from Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds ($65.3 million) and Fool's Gold ($70.2 million). In addition, March featured 10,000 B.C.
Read moreAccording to weekend estimates, Quantum of Solace easily represents the #1 Bond opening weekend of all time. No other Bond film has even come close to what Solace delivered this weekend, which means that the decision to take the series in a new, darker direction is paying off big time. Top 10 James Bond Opening Weekends: 1. Quantum of Solace (2008): $70.4 million (estimated) 2. Die Another Day (2002): $47 million 3. Casino Royale (2006): $40.8 million
Read moreVisionary filmmaker Danny Boyle recently continued his reputation as one of the most gracious and down- to-earth directors during a San Francisco visit to promote his latest endeavor, Slumdog Millionaire. Boyle continues to challenge himself and his audience by experimenting with different genres and techniques, never pigeonholing himself for too long. Whether it’s his first two British hits, Shallow Grave and Trainspotting, or his last three radically different films, 28 Days Later, Millions and Sunshine, Boyle never seems to repeat himself.
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