'Dolphin Tale' swims to the top of box office (BLOG)

Inspired by the true story of Winter, a dolphin who was rescued off the Florida coast after her tail became caught in a crab trap, this film details the unique bond between the dolphin and a young boy. Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jr. star.

Choosing inspirational family dramas over stories about death and breakups, moviegoers made Warner Bros.' "Dolphin Tale" the No. 1 film at the box office this weekend.

Apparently, audiences didn't wantstories about cancer -- the Summit/Mandate dramedy "50/50" had a bummer opening, taking in just $8.9 million.

"Dolphin Tale," the story about a group of Florida do-gooders who fit an injured dolphin with a prosthetic tail grossed $14.2 million in its second weekend.

That was good enough to best not only strong showings from two holdovers, Sony baseball movie "Moneyball" ($12.5 million) and Disney's 3D "Lion King" re-release ($11.1 million).

Arriving in 2,458 theaters with solid reviews, the Summit/Mandate dramedy "50/50" -- which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a young man in a cancer battle -- missed its pre-release target of arond $12 million, grossing just $8.9 million. The movie, which garnered an "A-minus" grade from moviegoer feedback firm Cinemascore, was shot for around $8 million.

Meanwhile, shot by Morgan Creek for around $55 million and distributed by Universal, murder thriller "Dream House" finished its opening weekend with just $8.2 million.

And produced by New Regency for around $20 million and distributed by Fox, the R-rated Anna Faris breakup comedy "What's Your Number" grossed just $5.6 million.

The only newcomer to exceed expectations was "Courageous," a $2 million faith-based family drama, produced by Sherwood Entertainment and distributed by Sony, which grossed $8.8 million."They seem to be dialed into what audiences want," said Sony distribution chief Rory Bruer, noting the remarkable batting average of Sherwood, a small production company owned by a Georgia-based Baptist church.

For example, Sherwood's no-name family drama about firefighters called "Fireproof," took in $33.7 million on a $500,000 production spend three years ago.

With director, writer and star Alex Kendrick now turning his focus to cops struggling to father their sons and keep the streets safe, the PG-13 "Courageous" was marketed heavily in faith communities and achieved its opening in just 1,161 theaters. The film also garnered a rare A-plus grade from Cinemascore.

"It brought a lot of people out who don't often go to the movies," said Bruer. "It was meant to inspire."

Yes, a little inspiration goes a long way, as "Dolphin Tale" proved. Also garnering an A-plus from Cinemascore when it premiered last weekend, the film, shot by Alcon Entertainment for around $37 million, dropped just 25 percent from premiere.

Dismissing any notion that audiences were fleeing from depressing subject matter, Jeff Goldstein, executive VP of distribution for distributor Warner Bros., said simply, "Good movies rise to the top. Strong word of mouth for a family film will almost always make it successful."

"Dolphin Tale," which stars Harry Connick, Jr., Ashley Judd, Kris Kristofferson and Morgan Freeman, has grossed $37.5 million after two weekends in theaters.

With the overall market up about 3 percent from the same weekend last year, Brad Pitt film "Moneyball" finished in second place, dropping just 35 percent in its second weekend.

'Disney's "Lion King" re-release finally gave up its crown (sorry) after two weeks atop the domestic box office, dropping big at 51 percent ... but not before re-igniting the hopes and dreams of 3D cheerleaders from Glendale to the Miracle Mile. The film has added $98.7 million to its original 1994 theatrical tally.

As for "50/50," which co-stars Seth Rogen, Summit distribution chief Richie Fay conceded, "We were expecting a little better. The reviews have been tremendous, and we got an A-minus Cinemascore."

Of course, much bigger pain will be felt by Morgan Creek and distributor Universal, which saw their $55 million thriller "Dream House," starring Daniel Craig and Rachel Weisz, significantly under-perform.

The film, distributed into 2,661 North American locations and directed by Jim Sheridan, arrived with terrible reviews (5 percent on Rotten Tomatoes).

R-rated comedy "What's Your Number?" was also critically mauled (23 percent). And it was the second straight bomb for star Faris -- her "Take Me Home Tonight" opened to just $6.9 million for Relativity in March.

Among limited openings, adult drama "Margaret," starring Anna Paquin, Matt Damon, Matthew Broderick and Mark Ruffalo, opened to a dreadfully quiet $7,496 at two NYC and L.A. locations. The film graded out at only 43 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

And like her political career, Sarah Palin's box office power is waning -- the latest documentary to focus on the former Alaska governor, Freestyle Releasing's "Sarah Palin - You Betcha!" grossed only around $7,000 playing at six locations.

Released in July, Palin doc "The Undefeated," grossed around $70,000 opening in 10 locations -- not strong, but much better than "You Betcha!"

Here's how the top 10 finished:
"Dolphin Tale" ($14.2 million)
"Moneyball" ($12.5 million)
"The Lion King 3D ($11.1 million)
"50/50" ($8.9 million)
"Courageous" ($8.8 million)
"Dream House" ($8.2 million)
"Abduction" ($5.7 million)
"What's Your Number?" ($5.6 million)
"Contagion" ($5.0 million)
"Killer Elite" ($4.9 million)

the wrap

Utah theater fined for showing 'Hangover II' movie (BLOG)

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- A Utah movie theater has been fined more than $1,600 for showing "The Hangover Part II" while serving alcohol to patrons.

The state's liquor board says Salt Lake City's Brewvies theater falls under the same laws that govern strip clubs, which are prohibited from having fully nude dancing if they serve alcohol.

The board says the fine was warranted because of explicit scenes in the movie showing female, male and transvestite nudity. Other scenes that violated state law included a monkey simulating a sex act.

Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control Director Francine Giani says she will recommend that fines be lowered for future offenses. Currently, repeat offenders may be fined up to $25,000 and could lose their liquor license for up to 10 days.

'The Avengers' to Present Brand New Footage at New York Comic Con (BLOG)

It has been confirmed that "The Avengers" will take part in upcoming New York Comic Con. Through a panel line-up announcement in the event's official website, it has been revealed that Marvel Studios is set to debut a brand new footage of the much awaited superhero film during the convention.

"Continuing the epic big-screen adventures started in 'Iron Man', 'The Incredible Hulk', 'Iron Man 2', 'Thor' and 'Captain America: The First Avenger', in Marvel's 'The Avengers', the world's greatest Super Heroes must assemble to pull the world back from the brink of disaster when an unexpected enemy threatens global security," so the announcement read. "This special presentation will feature never-before-seen footage and appearances by special surprise guests."

Details of the surprise guests, however, are still kept a secret. It is also unclear whether or not the cast of the movie will be present at the event. Marvel's presentation itself will take place at the IGN Theater of the Jacob Javits Center on Saturday, October 15 from 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M. Meanwhile, the annual convention will run from Thursday, October 13 until Sunday, October 16.

Directed by Joss Whedon, "The Avengers" stars Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth and Robert Downey Jr. who will reprise their roles as Captain America, Thor and Iron Man respectively. Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Samuel L. Jackson and Jeremy Renner are also supporting the cast ensemble. This anticipated summer movie is due to hit U.S. theaters on May 4, 2012.



aceshowbiz

3-D 'Lion King' feels the love with $29.3M opening (BLOG)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It's 1994 all over again, with a re-release of "The Lion King" opening at the top of the box office.

A 3-D version of the wildly popular Disney animated musical earned a surprising $29.3 million in its first weekend in theaters, according to Sunday estimates. The original film made more than $40 million when it opened nationwide 17 years ago.

This huge number stunned many people, including the folks at Disney, who figured "The Lion King" would make somewhere between $10 million and $12 million, said Dave Hollis, the studio's executive vice president of distribution.

He said the movie remains relevant and as entertaining as it was when it first came out.

"But taking a page from the movie, there is a 'circle of life' thing happening," he said, referring to one of the film's themes. "You have children of the '90s who are now parents of the 2010s and they themselves are taking their kids to share what was, for them, a great experience two decades ago."

It also helps that there aren't many options for families at the multiplex right now, said Paul Dergarabedian, box-office analyst for Hollywood.com.

"The post-summer period brings a preponderance of R-rated films and more challenging, esoteric, Oscar-caliber fare," he said. "For kids this is like a dream come true and for parents to be able to revisit 'The Lion King' — especially in 3-D, even though 3-D has taken a bad rap over the past year — just tells you the power that this movie has, how strong it resonates with people."

Hollis said that while the film was also available in 2-D, 92 percent of the opening weekend's business came from 3-D showings.

The story of a wrongly exiled lion prince (voiced by Jonathan Taylor Thomas as a cub and Matthew Broderick as an adult) who must return home to claim his throne, "The Lion King" was the second-highest-grossing film of 1994, behind "Forrest Gump."

It ranks fourth on the all-time animated list with over $784 million. It earned Academy Awards for Hans Zimmer's original score and for original song for Elton John and Tim Rice's "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

Last week's No. 1 movie, Steven Soderbergh's "Contagion," dropped a spot in its second weekend. The Warner Bros. viral thriller made about $14.5 million for a total of $44.2 million.

Among the other new releases, the critical darling "Drive" came in at No. 3 with just over $11 million. Ryan Gosling stars as a stoic wheelman in the retro action picture from FilmDistrict.

"Straw Dogs," a remake of the 1971 Sam Peckinpah thriller from Sony Screen Gems, opened in fifth place with only $5 million. It stars James Marsden and Kate Bosworth as a married couple under siege in the rural South.

"I Don't Know How She Does It," based on the best-seller of the same name, came in at No. 6 with just $4.5 million. The Weinstein Co. comedy stars Sarah Jessica Parker as a wife and mother of two struggling to balance her home life with her demanding job.

Dergarabedian said such disappointing showings aren't all that surprising this time of year. Last weekend was the slowest so far this year at the box office.

"It's been tough marketplace for wide releases. The newcomers are being met with some indifference," he said. "The audience was obviously a family audience that took over the multiplex this weekend."

___

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Hollywood.com. Where available, latest international numbers are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. "The Lion King 3D," $29.3 million. ($700,000 international.)

2. "Contagion," $14.5 million. ($1.3 million international.)

3. "Drive," $11 million.

4. "The Help," $6.4 million. ($1.1 million international.)

5. "Straw Dogs," $5 million.

6. "I Don't Know How She Does It," $4.5 million. ($800,000 international.)

7. "The Debt," $2.9 million. ($1 million international.)

8. "Warrior," $2.8 million. ($400,000 international.)

9. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $2.6 million.

10. "Colombiana," $2.3 million.

___

Estimated weekend ticket sales at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to Rentrak:

1. "The Smurfs," $17.3 million.

2. "Johnny English Reborn," $11.7 million.

3. "Friends With Benefits," $9.2 million.

4. "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," $7.8 million.

5. "Final Destination 5," $6.5 million.

6. "Captain America: The First Avenger," $5.1 million.

7. "Crazy Stupid Love," $4.7 million.

8. "Horrible Bosses," $4.2 million.

9. "Cowboys & Aliens," $4 million.

10. "Mannerherzen 2," $3.5 million.

'Contagion' & 'Warrior' went up against recent favorite 'The Help.' (BLOG)

It was a weekend in which star power clearly made a difference.

Warner Bros.' star-laden "Contagion" matched solid pre-release tracking to win the domestic box office with $23.1 million, according to studio estimates.

Meanwhile, showing up with equally powerful critical buzz, a much more uplifting storyline, but a far less recognizable cast, Lionsgate's "Warrior" got off to a disappointing $5.6 million start at 1,869 locations, according to rival-studio data.

Two other films opened widely this weekend: Sony R-rated comedy "Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star," produced by Adam Sandler's Happy Madison endured a disappointing $1.5 million start at 1,500 locations.

And "Creature," a movie produced by former Universal president Sid Sheinberg's Bubble Factory, endured what Boxofficemojo ranked as the worst opening of all time -- a mortifying $331,000 -- for a film opening in more than 1,500 locations (it started out in 1,507). Without any qualifiers, it's the fifth worst opening of all time, finishing just behind 2010's "Transylmania" and "Virginity Hit."

During a weekend in which the box office was essentially flat with the same weekend last year (down 2 percent, according to one studio), moviegoers finally turned away from "The Help's" feel-good Civil Rights story, and instead opted for Steven Soderbergh's sweeping epic in which about one-eighth the human population get sick and dies.

"Contagion," produced by Participant Media for $60 million, featured solid performances from Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Lawrence Fishburne, Kate Winslet, Bryan Cranston, Marion Cotillard and Jude Law.

"It was almost like a traffic accident that you can't look away from," noted Warner's executive VP of distribution, Jeff Goldstein, remarking on the PG-13-rated "Contagion," which featured stars like Paltrow dying in decidedly unglamorous style.

Yep, with the nation gripped by double-digit unemployment, and the somber decade-on remembrance of 9/11 at hand, audiences somehow embraced an anxious movie in which even Winslet's character, a CDC operative, not to mention a small child, succumb to a vicious virus forged by pigs and bats living together.

"Contagion," which drew an 82 percent fresh ranking from Rotten Tomatoes, arrived in 3,222 North American theaters Friday with tracking data that some summer tentpoles would envy.

Some analysts outside Warner were predicting an opening in the mid-$20 million range -- or even $30 million -- but Warner kept it's guidance at around $18 million - $20 million. Comparative models including "The Town" and "The Social Network" -- both heavy dramas that were critically praised and released at around the same time last year -- suggested the low-20s was the right call.

"One thing Soderbergh is known for is putting together good, marquee casts in movies," Goldstein noted. "In this case, it really did help."

For its part, "Warrior" -- which also drew an 82 percent ranking from Rotten Tomatoes, not to mention a very nice A grade from buzz researcher Cinemascore -- could have used some star power of its own.

While critics generally lavished praise on leads Joel Edgerton and Tom Hardy, it was generally conceded that the two actors have not yet reached the kind of profile needed to carry a major marketing campaign.

Lionsgate also understood that mixed martial arts, as a sport, has not acheived the kind of mainstream acceptance that, say, boxing has.

Paramount's "The Fighter," also produced for around $25 million with similar fraternal themes, starred Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, and grossed $12.1 million last December when it went wide.

With that in mind, Lionsgate set its expectations at around $8 million. Coming up a few million short of that mark, Lionsgate officials are a little disappointed, but not deterred.

"We're banking on the fact that word of mouth is so tremendous for this movie that ultimately we're going to find an audience," said David Spitz, executive VP of distribution for Lionsgate.

Here's how the top 10 finished this weekend:
"Contagion" ($23.1 million)
"The Help" ($8.7 million)
"Warrior" ($5.3 million)
"The Debt" ($4.9 million)
"Colombiana" ($4 million)
"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" ($3.9 million)
"Shark Night 3D" ($3.5 million)
"Apollo 18" ($2.9 million)
"Our Idiot Brother" ($2.8 million)
"Spy Kids: All the Time in the World" ($2.5 million)

the wrap

Arnold Schwarzenegger, Bruce Willis Sign Up for 'Substantial' Roles in 'Expendables 2' (BLOG)

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis have reportedly been locked for "The Expendables II". According to Deadline, the "Terminator" movie franchise hunk and the John McClane of "Die Hard" films have closed deals to take "substantial" roles in the follow-up to "The Expendables".

Schwarzenegger and Willis previously appeared as cameos in the 2010 hard-hitting action movie, with the former playing Barney Ross' (Sylvester Stallone) rival mercenary leader Trent Mauser and Willis portraying a man who hires Ross for a mission in Vilena. Stallone will additionally reprise his role in the upcoming film, but he will not return as the director.

Other original stars such as Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke and Terry Crews are also expected to return to the sequel, while Chuck Norris, John Travolta, Donnie Yen and Jean-Claude Van Damme have been rumored to be added to the line-up.

"The Expendables II" is set for August 17, 2012 release in the United States. Principal photography will reportedly take place in China with Simon West serving behind the lens.

Beside "Expendables II", Schwarzenegger is also on board Kim Jee-Woon's English-language debut "The Last Stand" which was recently rumored to nab Peter Stormare as the former Governor's on-screen foe. As for Willis, he can next be seen in "Looper" and reportedly lands a role as General Joe Colton in "G.I. Joe: Retaliation".



aceshowbiz

'The Help' At #1 For Third Straight Weekend (BLOG)

Despite three new wide releases -- including "Apollo 18," "The Debt", and "Shark Night 3D" -- it was "The Help" that held down the #1 at the weekend box office for the third weekend in a row.

The film added another $14.6 million over Labor Day Weekend, taking its domestic total $118.9 million. It's an adaptation of Kathryn Stockett's novel about black Southern maids sharing stories about white employers amid the civil-rights movement.

"The Help" has grown through word of mouth. It originally opened at #2 four weeks ago, behind "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," but has sat at the top spot since then.

"The Debt," a Holocaust action drama, had a better-than-expected debut, performed better than expected, taking the #2 slot with $9.9 million over the weekend, and $12.6 million including Monday. It's also a remake of a small 2007 Israeli picture, "Ha-Hov".

The science-fiction film "Apollo 18" took in $8.7 million ($10.7 million counting Monday) to land at #3. It purports to show "found footage" from a U.S. space mission, and boasted no major stars. It also had a mysterious marketing campaign, which revealed little about the film's story.

The thriller "Shark Night 3D," debuted at #4 with $8.3 million ($10.3 million with Monday). It's a Jaws-like horror flick in which a shark that targets vacationers.

Closing out the top 5 is "Rise of the Planet of the Apes," falling from #3 to #5 with $7.9 million. To date, its grosses over $160 million.

That's a wrap for this weekend. Next weekend, look out for the release of the Stephen Dorff and Christina Ricci comedy "Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star," the Warner Bros. action/thriller "Contagion" starring Matt Damon, and the action film "Warrior."

This weekend's top 10 is as follows:

1. "The Help," $14.6 million.
2. "The Debt," $9.9 million.
3. "Apollo 18," $8.7 million.
4. "Shark Night 3D," $8.3 million.
5. "Rise of the Planet of the apes," $7.9 million.
6. "Colombiana," $7.4 million.
7. "Our Idiot Brother," $5.4 million.
8. "Don't Be Afraid of the Dark," $5.1 million.
9. "Spy Kids: All the Time in the World," $4.8 million.
10. "The Smurfs," $4.1 million.