Weekly Entertainment & Movie News

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Spider-Man 2 Trailer Debuts on The Apprentice!
Source: USA Today and Coming Soon


USA Today reports that the new 2 1/2-minute trailer for Spider-Man 2 will make its debut on Donald Trump's The Apprentice, airing this Thursday on NBC at 9pm ET. The clip will be shown around the 40-minute mark into the show.

"We've got to look at unconventional ways to get our message across," Geoffrey Ammer, head of worldwide marketing for Sony, told the newspaper. "Running your trailer in a theater is a great place because you've got a captivated, moviegoing audience. But if you want to reach a broader, more general audience, you need to go beyond the theater."

TV certainly has a wider draw than a theatrical trailer. Last week's episode of The Apprentice drew 22.8 million viewers. By comparison, a movie trailer attached to this week's No. 1 movie had an audience of about 4 million.

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Hellboy Heats Up the Box Office
Source: Coming Soon

The Coming Soon! Box Office Report has been updated with the studio estimates for this weekend. Be sure to stay tuned there for the final figures on Monday afternoon.

Writer/director Guillermo del Toro's Hellboy, a $60 million-budgeted adaptation of Mike Mignola's comic books, topped the box office with an estimated $23.5 million from 3,028 theaters. The Ron Perlman-starrer averaged a good $7,760 per location. Hellboy marks the third-biggest opening ever for a film in April, coming in behind 2002's The Scorpion King ($36.1 million) and last year's Anger Management ($42.2 million).

The Rock's Walking Tall opened in the second spot to $15.3 million from 2,836 theaters. The $56 million MGM feature averaged $5,394 per site.

Coming in close in third was last week's champ, Warner Bros.' Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed, which made $15.1 million from 3,312 theaters, for a two-week total of $50 million.

Disney's new animated comedy Home on the Range performed well in the fourth place, earning $14 million from 3,047 theaters, for an average of $4,594. "Range" has the biggest opening for an animated film in April.

Paramount romantic comedy The Prince and Me rounded out the top five with $10 million. That $22 million Julia Stiles film averaged about $2,898.

Mel Gibson's The Passion of The Christ made $9.9 million in its sixth week to push its massive total to $330.1 million. The $30 million-budgeted film has moved up to the 10th spot on the all-time domestic blockbuster list, just behind Finding Nemo's $339.7 million.

Tom Hanks' The Ladykillers added $7 million in its second weekend for a total of $23.4 million, and Kevin Smith's Jersey Girl garnered $5.1 million for a total of $15.8 million in two weeks.

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KELLY OSBOURNE Scores Drugs On Sunset Blvd: Photos Posted Online
Source: Blabbermouth

British tabloid News of the World has published the photos of Kelly Osbourne scoring drugs from a dealer in Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, last Monday (March 29) that prompted Sharon and Ozzy Osbourne to send the 19-year-old into rehab at Promises clinic in Malibu and announce the move on "Larry King Live" on Friday. Check out the pictures: Photo #1 and Photo #2.
According to News of the World, Kelly did the deal just two minutes from her Beverly Hills home. She drove her dad's £37,000 BMW (approx. $68,000) instead of her own Mini Cooper and parked up outside a Citibank to wait for the pusher.

He turned up a few minutes later and sprinted over to Kelly's car, where he leaned in through the window and discreetly handed her the drugs.

Smirking Kelly then sped home, sweeping past the police car stationed outside the house as security.

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More Kill Bill for Quentin Tarantino?
Source: Coming Soon

Empire Online talked to Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and Kill Bill: Vol. 2 writer/director Quentin Tarantino, who says he's up for more.

"Yeah, I've been thinking about revisiting the story in a couple of ways," he says. "I've been thinking about doing it as an anime feature that would tell the entire origin of Bill."

Quentin has also considered telling the story – possibly animated, possibly live action - of Nikki, the five-year-old whose mother was the Bride's first victim in the first installment.

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Producer Lloyd Levin Talks Watchmen
Source: Superhero Hype

Hellboy producer Lloyd Levin talked briefly to the Chicago Sun-Times about Watchmen...

"Hellboy" came in at No. 1, which means the producers of that film are busy getting another comic book adaptation to the big screen. "We're going to do 'The Watchmen,' '' says producer Lloyd Levin. "It's about a group of superheroes who reunite to figure out who is trying to kill them off."

No, it's not Batman, Robin and Wonder Woman. "It's different characters, but it's really a unique story because it deals with the spiritual aspect of being a superhero," he says.

Visit this link for more of the interview.

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Hurd & Arad Still Moving Ahead on Hulk 2
Source: Superhero Hype
About.com talked to producers Gale Anne Hurd and Avi Arad about The Hulk 2.

There will be a Hulk 2.Producers Gale Anne Hurd and Avi Arad both confirmed, with Hurd saying, "Right now we are meeting with writers to discuss the sequel. I think the key thing is come up with the right story."

For more on what the sequel will be like, hit this link.

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Lions Gate Films Books Flight of the Dead
Source: Coming Soon


Lions Gate Films is fast-tracking a new zombie film, Flight of the Dead, for a September start date.

The film follows the tale of two zombies being shipped back to their homeland after they are captured. But when the deadly creatures come unexpectedly to life aboard an airplane, the begin to wreak high-altitude havoc.

The original draft of the "Flight" screenplay was written by Gary Parker and Tom Lavangnino, with rewriting done by Dunning and Lorenzo Ozouri. No director is on board yet.

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National Geographic is Erupting Krakatoa
Source: Coming Soon


National Geographic Feature Films is gearing up to film a Titanic-style epic adventure/love story set amid the 1883 Krakatoa volcanic explosion off the coast of Java, reports Variety.

Gavin Scott is writing an original script to focus on relationships that take place against the turbulent backdrop of the decline of Dutch imperial power; the rise of Islamic fundamentalism; the advancing role of science and technology; and the cataclysmic eruption.

Simon Winchester, author of bestselling nonfiction book "Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded," will consult on the project, although his book was not optioned.

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Ron Perlman Says Hellboy 2 is a Go
Source: Superhero Hype
Thanks to all the fans for writing in about this one. Hellboy star Ron Perlman appeared on Fox's The Best Damned Sports Show Period where he said, "We got the news this morning and God willing, and [Guillermo del Toro] writes a decent script (snaps his fingers) BOOM!, and I'm sure he will".

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MARS movie may be out of Rodriguez`s orbit
Development jeopardizes A PRINCESS OF MARS
Source: Cinescape

Director Robert Rodriguez may be in danger of not directing A PRINCESS OF MARS, Paramount Pictures' big budget sci-fi actioner based on the Edgar Rice Burroughs classic novel. The story first broke last evening on IGN FilmForce where a longtime source told the website that the movie studio and the director have had a "falling out" due to Rodriguez resignation from the Directors Guild of America. The filmmaker recently resigned so he could share a co-director's credit with SIN CITY comic creator Frank Miller on the Miramax movie of the same name now filming. The Guild doesn't allow its members to share a credit on a film with a non-guild individual, which forced Rodriguez to resign so he could make the SIN CITY film with Miller.

The problem is that Paramount Pictures cannot hire someone to direct one of their films unless they are a member of the DGA -- which Rodriguez is now not.


FilmForce attempted to seek confirmation of denial of the rumor from Rodriguez's camp as well as Paramount and Alphaville Pictures, the MARS movie producing partner. After a time Rodriguez's publicist returned FilmForce's call and issued the following statement: "As of today, we are not dropping out. We are still very much making that movie."


The story took on a larger role when today's Variety hit the web. The trade magazine is also reporting that Rodriguez's resignation from the guild has now jeopardized the development of the film. Furthermore, Variety reports that the director has no intention of rejoining the Guild once work is complete on SIN CITY. There is a possibility, albeit a remote one, that the Guild may allow a concession and the way could be paved for Rodriguez to direct A PRINCESS OF MARS for Paramount. The studio remains hopeful that a solution can be found.

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Mary-Kate and Ashley ponder post-twin future
They want media to stop referring to them as a single ''Olsen twins'' entity, and they're talking about working solo.
Source: Entertainment Weekly



DOUBLE VISION Get it straight, Ashley (at left) is the blond one; Mary-Kate is newly brunette

Are Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen going their separate ways? They're still promoting their upcoming movie together (''New York Minute,'' opening May 7), appearing on magazine covers together (most recently, Allure), and even heading off to college together (to New York University), but there are a few signs that the twin teen tycoons are ready to go solo. For one, their publicist has issued a statement asking the media to stop referring to them as a single entity, the ''Olsen twins,'' and to refer to them by their own names. Also, Mary-Kate recently dyed her hair brunette -- so now you have no excuse for not being able to tell them apart.

It could be a while before the 17-year-olds start working on separate projects, but Ashley told TV's ''Entertainment Tonight'' that she's looking forward to doing her own thing, ''when we're older, because we can't do twin movies forever. I'm sure it will be strange, but it will be a good experience.'' Ashley didn't say whether she'll continue acting while she's earning a degree, but Mary-Kate said, ''I'm going to try and do both. We want to get comfortable with the situation and see what we can handle and take on."

No word on whether Ashley is still smarting over Mary-Kate's being nominated for a Daytime Emmy in 2002 (for Outstanding Performer in a Children's Series, for ''So Little Time'') while Ashley was passed over.

(Posted:04/08/04)