As if I needed another reason to avoid Texas

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning

I'm not sure how this is a prequel because it looks exactly like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Horrorthon 06 is coming...

Philip Seymour Hoffman to play The Penguin?

From Iwatchstuff, "More Batman news! Does the movie have a title? Yes! It's The Dark Knight, bro! Is Heath Ledger officially The Joker? Sure! Is Philip Seymour Hoffman willing to play The Penguin!? Maybe! (says Batman on Film):

It seems Nolan has been listening to you guys when it comes to casting his other villain, however. I can confirm that an offer has been made to Phillip Seymour Hoffman for the role. Yet Hoffman has indicated that he may not get involved in the sequel.
As much as I like Philip Seymour Hoffman, he almost seems too obvious. When you're picking sort of a pudgy little guy for The Penguin, there aren't that many choices in Hollywood. The beautiful and famous tend to hate fatties. So, in case Philip Seymour Hoffman rejects the role, I'd like to be the first to congratulate Jason Alexander on winning the role of The Penguin by default. Sorry, Louie Anderson."

J.K. Rowling continues to reveal nothing

NEW YORK — Offering no hints about the fate of Harry Potter, author J.K. Rowling said Tuesday that she is "well into" the seventh and final book in her series and predicts, "Some will loathe it, some will love it, but that's the way it should be."
In her first visit to the USA since 2000, Rowling didn't say when the book would be finished or what it would be titled, but "to an extent, the pressure is off." She said she is having fun resolving the story that began with Harry Potter and the Philosopher'sStone in 1997 (Sorcerer's Stone in the USA) and has gone on to sell 300 million copies worldwide.

In June on British TV, she revealed that two of her major characters would die in the final book, triggering speculation and alarm that Potter, the boy wizard, could be doomed. She offered no more hints Tuesday, only that in "an epic saga, the hero has to fight alone."

The book essentially will follow the plot she envisioned when she thought of the series in 1990, although "a couple of characters I expected to survive have died," and one character "has gotten a reprieve."

Rowling is in New York to appear at benefit readings at Radio City Music Hall with fellow authors Stephen King and John Irving. Billed as "An Evening with Harry, Carrie & Garp," it attracted a young, enthusiastic crowd.

Actress Whoopi Goldberg, who opened the program, joked that "Rowling fans are screaming because King's fans told them that Harry is going to bite it."

Earlier at a news conference with Rowling, King and Irving were asked if they had advice about the fate of Potter. Rowling interjected in a stage whisper, "Kill him." Irving said, "I have my fingers crossed for Harry."

King said, " I just want the story to be fair. I love that series. I have total confidence in her." He added, "I just don't want him to go over Reichenbach Falls," the way Sherlock Holmes met his fate.

Asked about complaints that her series encourages Satanism, Rowling replied, "I'm toughening them up for John's and Stephen's books. ... It's a cruel literary world out there."

The readings Tuesday and tonight will benefit relief group Doctors Without Borders and the Haven Foundation, begun by King to help artists left uninsured by accidents or illnesses. They're expected to raise $500,000, "which for three people who write books is a lot of money," King said.

Readings were dressed up as a theatrical production with music and videos. Greeted by a standing ovation, King said, "Is this cool or what?" Adding: "Put a bunch of writers together with a bunch of readers — what a concept."

Video of the program is to be streamed on msn.com Monday through Aug. 31.

King called it "a magic night ... to be able to fill Radio City Music Hall not with guitars, but with book readers."

Jackie Chan and Jet Li are confused

From Darkhorizons, "A movie costarring two of the biggest names in kung fu cinema - Jackie Chan and Jet Li - is nearly a sealed deal, with the only outstanding issue being the script Chan said Tuesday.

"All the hurdles have been overcome. The only problem left is the script. We need a script that he approves and I approve. If that goes well, shooting will start in March or April in Shanghai" Chan told The Associated Press after a press conference to promote his new action comedy, "Rob-B-Hood."

Chan suggested it will be action-oriented fare, saying he and Li must defer to the movie's Hollywood backers - "It will be more American-style. It will be more suited to foreign audiences than Chinese audiences".

He also revealed his "Rush Hour 3" schedule, spending about a dozen days in France starting in September, followed by ten days of shooting in New York and further filming in Los Angeles. He said the movie will wrap by March or April next year. He is also due to shoot a film in Japan that translates as "Shinjuku Incident" with Hong Kong director Derek Yee."

Family Guy season 5 spoilers at Comic-con

There will be a road show; Road to Rupert. Rupert gets sold at garage sale. A certain Gene Kelly scene will feature Stewie’s head in place of the famed mouse.

January boasts the episode: Barely Legal, in which Meg has no date for a dance. Brian goes with, gets lit, and then makes out with Meg at the dance. Meg remarks that she never knew how flat and wide Brian’s tongue was. Characters from Star Wars will make an appearance.

A fall episode entitled “Prick up your ears,” revolves around a conservative Christian who comes to James Woods High. After all the condoms are taken out of the school, the kids go wild and start fornicating via the ear.

Peter finds out he’s actually a Mexican immigrant. “It’s just awful.”

There will be new characters.

Finally, the 100th episode is called “Stewie Kills Lois” and is a two-parter including a Family Guy-American Dad cross-over with Stewie finding himself at the CIA and meeting some American Dad characters.

In the questions and answers session at the convention the FG production team were asked whether the Evil Monkey and Greased Up Deaf Guy would reappear, to which they answered, “Yes on the Monkey, and ‘Stewie might try to catch the Greased Up Deaf Guy a la Coyote and Roadrunner.’”

American audiences are stupid

Neil Marshall, director of the upcoming SF horror film The Descent, told SCI FI Wire that the film's ending was altered for U.S. audiences from its original U.K. release to make it a bit more upbeat. "The ending that I had when I originally wrote it has been playing in Britain nearly a year now, and they seem to like it just fine," Marshall said in an interview after a screening of the film in Los Angeles last week. "But I had the chance to shoot another ending, so I did, and I think that's fine, too."

The Descent centers on a group of thrill-seeking women who go spelunking in a previously uncharted cave. While inside, they discover some opaque-skinned batlike human-shaped creatures who prey on flesh. When Lionsgate tested the film, the unrelenting dark U.K. ending seemed to irritate Americans, so it was changed. Marshall had time to do it because the release was delayed in the U.S. to avoid the similarly themed The Cave, which was coming out about the same time.

"We had the time to do it, and it gives me as a filmmaker that rare opportunity to have two endings," Marshall said with a laugh. "We never tested both endings with both British and American audiences, so I can't say if one group liked one over the other, but it seems like the American audiences will like the one we're releasing here."

The Descent opens Aug. 4 and stars Shauna Macdonald, Alex Reid and Natalie Mendoza. Which ending does the London-based director prefer? "I prefer the British version," he admitted. The Descent opens wide on Aug. 4.

Mel Gibson is Squiggy

Separated at birth?

AVP 2 moves forward much to the world's disappointment

Fangoria reports that Alien vs. Predator sequel Alien vs. Predator: Survival of the Fittest (new title) starts shooting in Vancouver on September 23 and wraps on December 14:

AVP's Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis of Amalgamated Dynamics, veterans of the first AVP and all the previous ALIEN sequels, will encore on the creature FX. The Shane Salerno script places the battling extraterrestrials on U.S. soil (the Midwest).

Colin and Greg Strauss are making their feature directorial debut on the film, opening December 21, 2007.

The Simpsons and celebrities

Not terribly exciting news, but it's a slow day. From Moviesonline, "Every year the list of celebrities lined up to do guest voices for FOX's record-shattering mainstay hit "The Simpsons" is one impressive name after another. The 2006-2007 season will be no exception. Entering its 18th year on the air, "The Simpson" has amassed a small army of celeb cameos; Kiefer Sutherland ("Taking Lives" and the FOX series "24"), Natalie Portman ("V for Vendetta" and the "Star Wars" prequels), Joe Pantoliano ("Daredevil" and the HBO series "The Sopranos") and Michael Imperioli ("Law & Order" and "The Sopranos"), renowned psychology and relationship expert Dr. Phil, prolific author Gore Vidal whose acting credits include "With Honors" and "Gattaca," authors Michael Chabon and Jonathan Franzen, and famed author Tom Wolfe who has been depicted on the show in the past appearing in his trademark white suit. Jon Lovitz and Eric Idle are also set to reemerge on the show.

Actor Joe Mantegna will return as Fat Tony in the season premiere ("The Mook, The Chef, The Wife and His Homer"), and he will be joined by the "Sopranos" co-stars and fellow mobsters Pantoliano and Imperioli. The following Sunday, The band The White Stripes will show up on an episode called "Jazzy and the Pussycats," and they will be performing at a benefit concert Bart organizes to raise money for an operation on his arm. On November 5th, the annual Halloween special "Treehouse of Horror" will debut its 17th episode, and it will have its own celebrity guest list with Dr. Phil, Fran Drescher ("The Nanny") and comedian Richard Lewis ("7th Heaven" and "Robin Hood: Men in Tights"). The following Sunday, Sutherland appears as an angry Army colonel when Homer gets recruited in "GI (Annoyed Grunt)" and doesn't respond to basic training the way an officer or even a CTU agent would like.

The new guests join an endless roster of past celebrity appearances; Mel Gibson, Ron Howard, Kim Basinger, Alec Baldwin, Brendan Fraser, Mel Brooks, Glen Close, Michelle Pfeiffer, Ernest Borgnine, Larry King, James Earl Jones, Mark Hamill, Lucy Lawless, Pierce Brosnan, Patrick Stewart, Steve Martin, Sam Neill, James Woods, Winona Ryder, Drew Barrymore, Richard Gere, Bob Hope, Bette Midler, Stephen Hawking, John Updike, Thomas Pynchon, Venus and Serena Williams, Andre Agassi, Dick Clark, Johnny Cash, Smashing Pumpkins, R.E.M, The Who, and every Beatle save for John Lennon to name just a small fraction of all the stars who have voiced a character or themselves in the 17 years the show has been going strong.

"The Simpsons" kicks off Season 18 early in the fall season on September 10th at its usual time, 8PM."

A pirate rescues movies

By Scott Bowles, USA TODAY
Finally, a hot summer at the movies. After three years of declining sales, the box office has surged ahead of last year, thanks to a blistering season.
Oh, and a guy in a pirate costume. It's hard to overestimate the effect of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest, analysts and studio execs say. The Johnny Depp adventure has seized $358.5 million in U.S. ticket sales so far, and helped propel overall summer ticket sales above $2.84 billion, 6% ahead of last year.

And though it's unlikely Pirates will eclipse Titanic's record of $600 million at the box office, it should sail past $400 million, making it one of the five biggest movies ever.

"A movie like that becomes bigger than itself," says Rory Bruer, distribution chief for Sony Pictures. Competing studios reported that moviegoers who could not get into sold-out Pirates theaters bought tickets for their films.

Despite the box-office rebound, there were still duds. Horror movies scared up pittances. Little films stayed small. And some costly pictures promised more than they could deliver.

"This summer has proven that less can be more," says Gitesh Pandya of boxofficeguru .com. "Movies that market themselves everywhere can turn audiences off. People want movies to speak for themselves."

Here, USA TODAY offers a summer box-office report card:

Animation draws families
Grade: A

Parents and theater owners have been calling for more family-friendly movies for years, and Hollywood finally delivered in the form of cartoons. No fewer than a dozen are scheduled for this year.

And most are paying off, if not with the dividends of a Finding Nemo or Shrek 2. Take a look at the top 10 movies of 2006, and three are animated features. Cars has been the third-biggest film of summer and the year, raking in $234.8 million. And Monster House shocked industry execs by handily beating Lady in the Water in their opening weekends with $23 million.

Despite their often juvenile themes, animated movies are resonating at the box office with adults because they're not "parent punishers," says Don Harris, a vice president with Paramount.

"The really big movies draw families," he says. "And animation works because it's delivering on two levels: visually for the kids and story-wise with humor that works for adults."

Frat pack guys go it alone
Grade: A-

Breaking up is hard to do, unless you're getting rich doing it.

After teaming up in such hit comedies as Wedding Crashers, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story and Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, the frat pack, which includes Jack Black, Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson, are striking out on their own and striking gold.

Vaughn helped power The Break-Up to $117 million, a blockbuster few analysts saw coming. Wilson lent his voice to the lead in Cars, and Black powered Nacho Libre to $79 million, more than double its production cost.

The pack "has an easygoing-ness that works," says Nikki Rocco of Universal, which distributed Break-Up. "In interviews, on talk shows, there's an everyday, normal-guy accessibility that people relate to."

Superheroes defend the box office
Grade: B+

Tired of superheroes and those comic-book adaptations? Too bad, because you're going to be seeing a lot more of them.

The genre remains one of Hollywood's most bankable. X-Men: The Last Stand enjoyed a whopping $103 million debut and went on to $233 million, making it the second-highest-grossing film of the year.

Although Superman Returns held the top spot for only one weekend, it still has mustered $185.8 million domestically and $291 million worldwide. The only real blemish has been My Super Ex-Girlfriend, which opened to a disappointing $8.6 million.

"We need to stop calling them superhero or comic-book movies," X-Men producer Avi Arad says. "These are movies like any other movie, whether they're action, or romance or comedy. They just make more money."

Disinterest sinks water themes
Grade: B

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, audiences beached some of the most-anticipated underwater films. Not counting those Pirates of the Caribbean, of course.

Poseidon, the remake of the 1972 classic, sank fast with only $60 million. M. Night Shyamalan's Lady in the Water is treading even more treacherous waters, opening to a measly $18 million and taking in $32.2 million so far. Poseidon, analysts say, overestimated the public appetite for disaster films, and Lady miscalculated its hunger for big-screen fairy tales. Lady "is playing well on the coasts but weaker in the Midwest and South," says Dan Fellman of Warner Bros., which distributed both movies. "We're hoping Night's fans still turn out."

The only life raft for the category, of course, is Pirates, which set a record with a $135 million debut and made the seagoing life "a cultural phenomenon we never expected," says Chad Hartigan, a box-office analyst with the industry tracking firm Reelsource. "I don't think anyone could have predicted pirate chic."

Book adaptations jump off the page
Grade: B

They're never quite as good as the books, but Hollywood's adaptations of popular novels don't have to be to rake in the dough.

The Da Vinci Code entered the year considered a contender for biggest film of 2006 but stands at No. 4 so far. Still, $216 million isn't bad for fourth place. And The Devil Wears Prada was supposed to be a minor chick-flick hit, but it has crossed the $100 million mark.

"With some of these big books, all you need to do is get the readers into theaters to have success," says Gitesh Pandya of boxofficeguru.com. "You want more than that, of course. But that's a strong starting point."

Not all readers are moviegoers, though. The Way of the Peaceful Warrior was a smash self-help book, but the film adaptation has taken in only $925,000.

Star vehicles lose their luster
Grade: C

In the early 1900s, theaters put sandwich boards with images of Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in front of their doors to lure moviegoers to their new films. Titles, directors and concepts were beside the point.

Those days are long gone. Even stars such as Tom Cruise and Adam Sandler need a good marketing campaign, and sometimes even that's not enough. Cruise's $150 million Mission: Impossible III did a middling $133 million in the USA. Sandler had a little more luck with Click, which did $132 million with an $85 million budget. Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock mustered $51 million with The Lake House, a respectable if unspectacular haul.

"Special effects and big names are only going to go so far with today's audiences," says Brandon Gray of Box Office Mojo. "If a picture doesn't have the story to go along with it, people will find out pretty quickly. They're getting harder to impress."

Grown-ups feel left out
Grade: B-

Spring offered so much promise for adults. Spike Lee's mature heist film Inside Man did a surprising $88.5 million, powered by audiences 35 and older.

But by summer, teens and children had taken over. A Prairie Home Companion, which starred Meryl Streep and Lindsay Lohan, garnered solid reviews but did a so-so $19.2 million. Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth became the fourth-highest-grossing documentary with $19 million, but some thought it would become the next March of the Penguins.

"There's not a lot out there this time of year for adults who want something without explosions and special effects," says Bob Berney, head of Picturehouse, which released Companion. "When you don't have the big budgets, it can be pretty tough to be heard in all the tent-pole movies."

Horror can't scare up much interest
Grade: D

If grown-ups thought the pickings were slim, fans of horror must have found their options even bleaker. Once a profitable staple of summer, horror is getting thrashed.

Despite heavy marketing campaigns on the Internet and teen cable TV networks, horror movies such as An American Haunting and See No Evil failed to bring in even $20 million.

Russell Schwartz, president of domestic marketing for New Line Cinema, says the reason is simple: too much of a "gotcha" thing.

"The market has been over-saturated," he says. "Kids get sick of things fast, and they are tired of mildly violent horror movies. They're moving on.

Little movies that couldn't
Grade: F

Where is our My Big Fat Greek Wedding? Our March of the Penguins? Movies that open slowly in spring and blossom into hits by summer? This season has been The Little Movies that Couldn't.

Akeelah and the Bee had all the makings of the feel-good sleeper hit of the year, but it stalled at $18.8 million. American Dreamz seemed to have the right blend of political satire and American Idol parody to be a hit but managed only $7 million. The Guy Pearce Western The Proposition won rave reviews and a cult audience but took in a meager $1.7 million.

Analysts are stymied but hopeful for an underdog win. "I'm not sure why we haven't had that small, word-of-mouth hit," says Gitesh Pandya of Box Office Guru. "We seem to have one every summer. But maybe there's still time. It's been a good summer for most other things."

No joke, Heath Ledger will take on The Dark Knight

From AICN, "All the rumors have been confirmed. Heath Ledger is the Joker in the BATMAN BEGINS sequel, officially announced as THE DARK KNIGHT, which is a badass title. Remember back when Sony was going to go with AMAZING SPIDER-MAN for Spidey 2? The thought being they could go on with SPECTACULAR SPIDER-MAN and PETER PARKER, SPIDER-MAN, etc... for the other sequels? Well, they wussed out and WB didn't. Great news! I'm quite a fan of Ledger's work so far. I don't quite see him as The Joker, but I'm more than willing to let him prove that he is worthy to wear the purple suit! Here's the press release from WB!!!

BURBANK, CA, 31 July 2006 – As a follow up to last year’s blockbuster Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan is set to direct Warner Bros. Pictures’ The Dark Knight, written by Jonathan Nolan, based on a story by Christopher Nolan and David Goyer. The film will be produced by Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan. Additionally, Christian Bale will resume his role as Bruce Wayne and Academy Award nominee Heath Ledger has been cast as The Joker. The announcements were made today by Jeff Robinov, President of Production, Warner Bros. Pictures.

Christopher Nolan revamped the Batman franchise in 2005 with the immensely successful Batman Begins, starring Christian Bale in the title role, which chronicled the early years of the superhero. Nolan first garnered attention from critics and fans in 2000 with the groundbreaking drama Memento, which he wrote and directed. He went on to direct the thriller Insomnia, starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams, and recently wrapped production on The Prestige, with Hugh Jackman and Bale.

Bale was most recently seen in the ensemble cast of Terrence Malick’s The New World. His other credits include Little Women, Portrait of a Lady, Metroland, American Psycho, Laurel Canyon and Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun, which was his first starring role.

Ledger most recently earned Oscar Golden Globe, BAFTA and SAG Award nominations and won the New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Ennis Del Mar in the award-winning drama Brokeback Mountain. His other credits include Casanova, Monster’s Ball, Lords of Dogtown, The Brothers Grimm and The Patriot.

“Chris’ unique vision is what made Batman Begins such an outstanding film and we could not imagine anyone else at the helm of The Dark Knight,” said Robinov. “We also can’t wait to see two such formidable actors as Christian and Heath face off with each other as Batman and The Joker.”

“I'm excited to continue the story we started with Batman Begins,” added Nolan. “Our challenge in casting The Joker was to find an actor who is not just extraordinarily talented but fearless. Watching Heath Ledger's interpretation of this iconic character taking on Christian Bale’s Batman is going to be incredible.”

Production is set to begin on The Dark Knight in early 2007."