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‘Mission: Impossible 4′ crosses $600 million globally, becomes Tom Cruise’s highest grosser

I think those Tom Cruise naysayers have been shut forever. While the actor did struggle with his star-power following the disappointing box-office of ‘Knight & Day’ and a string of personal media appearances, nothing could shoot him up at the top again the way ‘Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol’ did. It’s an excellent action film that swept the holiday box-office even though ‘Sherlock Holmes 2′ was poised to be the big thing. And now, the film has crossed the $600 million dollar mark.

Because of that, two things have happened. Not only has it surpassed the gross of any previous film of the franchise (‘Mission Impossible 2′ held that record with $546.4 million) to become the highest grossing film of the franchise, it has also surpassed the $591.7 million gross of Tom Cruise’s previous highest grossing film  ‘War of the Worlds’ to officially become the highest grossing film of his career.

It’s one of those rare times that a film has not only outperformed expectations in the US and delivered a smash hit there, but the international gross of the film is massive with it earning $36 million in China in less than a week. It’s only days away from reaching the $400 million international gross mark. Plans for a fifth installment with Tom Cruise returning are already underway, but things can’t progress before 2013 since the star’s schedule is jam-packed with some very promising sci-fi and action projects.

Do you think ‘Ghost Protocol’ deserves its success?

Win 30 Tickets To ‘Safe House’

Oscar winner Denzel Washington and Ryan Reynolds star in the action-thriller Safe House. Washington plays the most dangerous renegade from the CIA, who comes back onto the grid after a decade on the run. When the South African safe house he’s remanded to is attacked by mercenaries, a rookie operative (Reynolds) escapes with him. Now, the unlikely allies must stay alive long enough to uncover who wants them dead. For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A “housekeeper” who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he’s had proves to be the most dangerous man he’s ever met, Weston readies for duty. Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA’s known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he’s done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he’s now back on the reservation with a secret. As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston’s safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way. Now it’s up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they’re both eliminated from the game.

Thanks to Gulf Film, we have 30 tickets to the movie to give away.

And now, a Katy Perry 3D concert movie is coming

A 3D concert movie has probably been the safest bet in Hollywood to produce but also the laziest. Slap together 90 minutes of footage from a popular artist’s concert tour with fluff interviews scattered around it and a third dimension for no particular reason, and you’re bound to make money from at least the fans of the band. But then ‘Jonas Brothers’ and ‘Glee’ had both their concert movies flop even though ‘This is It’ and ‘Never Say Never’ were hits. Now Paramount is banking on another one as pop star Katy Perry gets the 3D concert treatment.

The internationally popular singer of songs like “I Kissed A Girl,” “Firework” and “California Gurls” which have sold millions of copies worldwide will be getting her own 3D concert film produced by Paramount, reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Imagine Entertainment is a frontrunner to produce the documentary and they’re still looking for a director.

That’s pretty much all there is to know but I’m assuming it will grace cinemas pretty soon since they’re probably already begun filming bits of it. Perry is a hugely popular artist and definitely has a lot of worldwide fans so it makes sense why the studio decided to make the film, although it will most likely be a vapid experience in general. But the face that it will be in obligatory 3-D makes no sense. Scratch that. I’m resisting the temptation to make an inappropriate joke about a reason to see her film in 3-D, but I think anyone reading this gets the point already.

Look for more on the film in the coming days.

Kanye West scouting UAE for new film project

After the huge success of ‘Ghost Protocol’, looks like UAE is getting the predictable boost by Hollywood and another project is close to being set up in the region although of wildly different aspirations and scope – it’s a short film that rapper Kanye West is planning to make and he’s currently scouting locations in the region for it.

The Observer reports that the singer has sent his reps to scout the Persian Gulf region for a music video/short film that he’s planning to shoot much similar to his previous 30 minute short film ‘Runaway’, and they are meeting officials from Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Doha to talk about it. For those who don’t know, the film bodies inside Dubai and Abu Dhabi aren’t the most friendly towards each other and there’s a constant war to have a production be a part of their city respectively and that’s exactly what’s happening here allegedly.

The report also says that he wants to portray the region in an accurate light:

“His reps seemed genuinely enthusiastic about creating a piece which highlights the culture accurately. There’s a lot of preconceived notions and stereotypes about Emiratis and Qataris, which Westerners often play up. They discussed how Kanye is looking to bridge the cultural divide and break misconceptions.”

There are also rumored plans of casting Sheikhs and other royal family members into the movie as well, but we have no confirmation on that so far. But it will be interesting to see how his representation of UAE differs from how ‘Ghost Protocol’ portrayed the region in an action context (the sandstorm scene was overblown and everyone agrees on that). Being a short filmmaker myself, I believe that there are many stories to tell in this region and I’m glad Hollywood is finally close to realizing this.

What do you think?

A rugged James Bond appears in new ‘Skyfall’ image

The last time we got an image for the upcoming Bond film ‘Skyfall’, it was kind of an anti-climax. But worry not since Sony has gone ahead and provided us with a new image from the movie that thankfully actually serves as the first look for the returning 007 Daniel Craig.

I like how the character looks more roughened up and physical than the suave character he’s had in the last few movies (even though he was still highly physical). In a way, it’s fitting because it will be Bond’s return to the cinema screen after four long years so there’s no better way to portray the passing of time than roughening a character up like this. Hollywood has got you covered.

The film also stars Javier Bardem, Ralph Fiennes, Judi Dench, Albert Finney, Berenice Malohe and Naomie Harris and will be directed by Sam Mendes gearing for a November 2012 release but we here in UAE might get to see it weeks before the US because that’s how this franchise likes to do things.

Are you hyped up for a new Bond movie?

‘Stretch Armstrong’ movie moves to new studio for 2014 release, Taylor Lautner out

After the huge success of ‘New Moon’, young Twilight star Taylor Lautner signed up for a lot of hot projects in Hollywood including a movie adaptation of Max Steel as well as an adaptation for ‘Stretch Armstrong’ which was one of the most ridiculous adaptation announcements we’d heard. Now after the failure of his first solo effort ‘Abduction’, looks like Hollywood is finally getting more grounded and the first project to officially change hands is Stretch Armstrong.

The film was originally set at Universal to be directed by Rob Letterman (Gulliver’s Travels) with Lautner as the lead but Deadline has reported that the project has now shifted studios and is now being set up at Relativity Media. And they’re starting fresh apparently with a whole new direction, hence Taylor Lautner is out of the project but rumors suggest that he has been off it for months after the flopping of ‘Abduction’. The studio has already set up a release date of April 11, 2014, but has nothing to reveal about directors or release dates.

The general idea of a movie based on a toy who can be stretched to any lengths is a stupid one on its own but having that guy be Taylor Lautner made it even more laughable. Now that Lautner is out, there is a chance that the studio might give it a more grounded approach and we might end up seeing a half decent movie out of it. But most likely, it will be a stupid cash-in if we’re being really honest. I mean, really? A movie about Stretch Armstrong?

Read the entire press release below which tells you more about the property itself:

Relativity Media has partnered with global branded play company Hasbro, Inc. to develop and produce a live-action tent-pole film based on Stretch Armstrong, the iconic action hero figure launched in the 1970s, it was announced today by Relativity’s Co-President, Tucker Tooley and Hasbro’s President and CEO, Brian Goldner.

Relativity will be the domestic distributor and will release the film internationally through its network of foreign output partners. The film is targeted for an April 11, 2014 release date.

The film will be produced by Relativity’s CEO, Ryan Kavanaugh (The Fighter), Hasbro’s Goldner (Transformers) and Bennett Schneir, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Motion Pictures (Battleship). Tooley (Immortals) will serve as executive producer.

Hasbro has become an entertainment powerhouse by creating hit movies and television shows from its rich portfolio of world class brands. Since 2007, Hasbro’s Transformers and G.I. Joe franchises have grossed nearly $3 billion at the worldwide box office. 2012 is shaping up to be another stellar year for Hasbro with its partners Universal Pictures releasing Battleship in April and Paramount Pictures releasing G.I. Joe: Retaliation in June. In television, Hasbro Studios produces shows like Transformers Prime and My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic that can be seen on the HUB television network in the U.S. and in more than 140 countries globally.

“We are absolutely thrilled to partner with Hasbro, a company whose global reach and ability to innovate has made them immensely successful in the arena of brand re-imagination– as evidenced by their legacy of creating such franchises as Transformers and G.I. Joe,” said Tooley, “We look forward to bringing Stretch Armstrong to audiences worldwide.”

“Stretch Armstrong is a great example of Hasbro’s rich portfolio of intellectual properties that we are continuing to develop globally,” said Goldner, “We are excited to partner with Relativity on this movie as they are a growing and innovative studio.”

Stretch Armstrong is the classic action hero figure first launched by Hasbro in 1976 and re-launched in the 90’s, sold successfully throughout North America and in markets across the world. The original Stretch’s unique design broke free of traditional action figures, as he could be stretched over and over and always returned back to his original size. The nostalgic toy is considered to be rare and collectible to this day.

 

Win 30 Tickets To ‘Beauty and the Beast 3D’ Premiere

Walt Disney Animation Studios’ magical classic “Beauty and the Beast” returns to the big screen in Disney Digital 3D™, introducing a whole new generation to the Disney classic with stunning new 3D imagery. The film captures the fantastic journey of Belle (voice of Paige O’Hara), a bright and beautiful young woman who’s taken prisoner by a hideous beast (voice of Robby Benson) in his castle. Despite her precarious situation, Belle befriends the castle’s enchanted staff—a teapot, a candelabra and a mantel clock, among others—and ultimately learns to see beneath the Beast’s exterior to discover the heart and soul of a prince.

Thanks to Italia Films, we have 30 tickets to the advanced screening of the 3D re-release to give away.

Premiere details:
Venue: Reel Cinemas, The Dubai Mall
Date: 11:00am, February 11th

Joe Carnahan to write/direct LA-set ‘Death Wish’ remake

Revenge thriller is a genre that always resonates with audiences because there’s just something about the feeling itself that everyone can identify with. One of the earliest was Michael Winner‘s 1974 urban thriller ‘Death Wish’ starring Charles Bronson which an architect to takes up fire-arms and vigilante justice on the streets after his wife is raped and killed during a home invasion. It was a successful film which then managed to spawn quite a few sequels of varying quality. Now, director Joe Carnahan who gave us the must-see ‘The Grey’ this weekend (review here) is set on helming a reboot.

The director himself tweeted the following which reveals a lot about the direction he wants to take the reboot in:

Guys. I’m doing ‘Death Wish.’ But this version is a re-imagining of the book and set in present day Los Angeles. The L.A. of ‘Collateral.’ It’s on buses, cabs, metro trains. I want to show an unseen version of L.A. L.A. on foot. Prowling. Hunting. The vast emptiness of downtown. … Refn did a phenomenal job shooting L.A. It took on a different dimension. That’s the key. … The only role I’m writing in ‘Death Wish’ which will mark the ONE time I’ve ever written exclusively for an actor, will be for @FrankGrillo.

Frank Gillo can be seen in a very interesting role in ‘The Grey’ and can definitely work as a star here in a role that’s probably best fit to a less familiar face like him. Considering how amazing ‘Drive’ and ‘Collateral’ are, it certainly helps to hear that the film will use those two movies as inspiration.

What do you think?

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