The Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix movie collected nearly $1 billion (the ninth-highest grossing film of all time) and still came in at a loss.
Seriously. After loans, distribution costs and interest charges the film comes in $167m in the red.
Time to send in the demontors!
Click for a larger pic of the P&L report.
I had no idea there was a Yogi Bear movie coming. (Thanks to scannain.com for telling letting it slip) Can’t say that I’m too convinced by the CGI Yogi and Boo Boo but… it’s Yogi Bear!
Be smarter than the average bear… watch the trailer!
The Temple Bar Cultural Trust is making some noise this summer with The Summer Sensational – and it all sounds like fun… especially the IFI Family Festival.
Yup – the Irish Film Institute are opening their doors for workshops, screenings and panel chats. Sounds like every other festival I’ve posted of late? But wait… the festival is showing Toy Story 3 (8 days before release) and will have some Disney film folk on hand to answer questions – namely director Lee Unkrich and producer Darla K Anderson.
There’s an open-air screening of The Secret of Kells and an animation workshop and screening of Oliver Jeffers’ Lost and Found.
If that didn’t get you gasping for tickets – nothing will! Find out more – g’wan!
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – in two parts – with the first hitting screens in November. Vampire? What vampire?
News. It’s just like a bus. Nothing for days and then WHAM! four of ‘em turn the corner. I’m jabbering on about movie news of course – first there was Judy Moody, then the Muppets then Horrid Henry and now… 3 more projects are announced!
David Bowers (Astro Boy) has been named as the man to helm Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Roderick* Rules, the follow-up to The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. The sequel is to film in August in Vancouver and release in March 2011. *Yes sports fans – the film company have randomly added an ‘e’ to Rodrick’s name.
Amber Entertainment (the folks backed by Tesco remember) have picked up the rights to Rebecca Stead’s Newbery winning novel When You Reach Me. This could be great! (And if you haven’t read When You Reach Me yet – go get a copy!) More here.
Classic American picturebook Mr Popper’s Penguins has a long list of hopeful lead actors – including Jim Carrey, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Jack Black. More at the Press Association
The clever folks at Vertigo Films have had the horrid idea to make a Horrid Henry movie.
Oh, this can only go horridly! At least Perfect Peter and Moody Margaret are going to get some screen-time too.
In the film, Henry will fight “his ever constant battle against the tyranny of adults” which forces him into “an unlikely alliance with his irritating little brother Perfect Peter and the infuriating girl next door, Moody Margaret”.
Nick Moore will be behind the camera (Wild Child) and rumour has it they’ll be casting kids from the UK to play the leading roles…
First Judy Moody, then the Muppets and now Horrid Henry! (Can we have news on the Amy Green movie next please?)
If books aren’t flying from the shelves fast enough (see last post) – Variety reports that the number of movie deals held steady this year for vampire and zombie books, comic tomes and for kids’ fantasy (tomes in the style of Percy Jackson and How to Train Your Dragon).
The biggest growth area for Hollywood acquisitions however was in Young Adult books – picking up a whopping 41%
Nobody can predict what’s going to happen,” one New York lit agent cautions, invoking the “Twilight” phenomenon. “If you had asked a random assortment of Hollywood executives five years ago if the biggest film franchise at the beginning of this decade was going to be a franchise whose primary audience is teenage girls, they would have said you’re being absolutely ridiculous.”
Decemeber 2011. Mark it in the calendars – keep it free – and then remind yourself about it at least once every day! For the first time in more than a decade there will be a new Muppet movie.
Yup – Kermit, Piggy, Rizo, Gonzo, Ralph, Fozzy, Beaker and the gang are back! (And there’s a new muppet addition to look forward to!)
In a screenplay by Jason Segel (Knocked Up, I Love You, Man) and Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall) the new flick will feature Sean Penn, Ann Hathaway, Ben Stiller, Maaaaatt Damon and George Clooney.
The story follows the Muppets, who must save their theater from destruction by the evil Tex Richman who wants to drill for oil underneath it. Humans, including Segel, try to defeat the oil tycoon.
But wait… it gets better. The director is none other than James Bobin – of Fligh of the Conchords fame.
It’s Eric Carle as never before imagined:
VS 
Advantage (based on covers): Very Hungry Caterpillar
I am a Ninja Turtle*. I have been since 1987. (Family and friends can vouch for my credentials)
News that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are to return to the silver screen is a double edged sword though… Do I want (need?) to relive the eighties? Will Michael Bay mess it up as he did with Transformers? Nightmare on Elm Street? Texas Chainsaw Massacre?
Does it matter? Not really… all that is important now is the theme tune:
*I was Raphael. Not fun enough to be Michaelangelo. Or smart enough to be Donatello. And who wants to be Leonardo? The leader? Pffft.
Scott Pilgrim Vs The World. The world needs to see this:
“Break out the L word.”
M Night Shyamalan*’s new film – an adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender – is coming in August. How about a sneak peak at the Japanese trailer? Oh, g’wan then.
*Fingers crossed for a return to form from the man who brought us Signs. The Village. Sixth Sense.
The blogasaurus is bunched after the CBI Conference and other events (lots of work and not enough sleep) so I’m taking a day or two off. In the meantime – enjoy these bits and pieces:
This one via the guys at Brown Bag
Tyger from Guilherme Marcondes on Vimeo.
Back on Monday for Bisto Book of the Year announcement and lots more!
The blogasaurus is bunched after the CBI Conference and other events (lots of work and not enough sleep) so I’m taking a day or two off. In the meantime – enjoy these bits and pieces:
How about a trailer for JJ Abrams’ upcoming Super 8
Back on Monday for Bisto Book of the Year and lots more!
The blogasaurus is bunched after the CBI Conference and other events (lots of work and not enough sleep) so I’m taking a day or two off. In the meantime – enjoy these bits and pieces:
Combining two of my favourite and guilty pleasures – Watchmen and Two and a half men:
Back on Monday for Bisto Book of the Year announcement and lots more!
The blogasaurus is bunched after the CBI Conference and other events (lots of work and not enough sleep) so I’m taking a day or two off. In the meantime – enjoy these bits and pieces:
Henry’s Cat – Good News Day:
Back on Monday for Bisto Book of the Year announcement and lots more!
The blogasaurus is bunched after the CBI Conference and other events (lots of work and not enough sleep) so I’m taking a day or two off. In the meantime – enjoy these bits and pieces:
Paperman Trailer (this movie looks gooooooood!)
Back on Monday for Bisto Book of the Year announcement and lots more!
The blogasaurus is bunched after the CBI Conference and other events (lots of work and not enough sleep) so I’m taking a day or two off. In the meantime – enjoy these bits and pieces:
And baby makes three – here’s one way to tell the world…
Back on Monday for Bisto Book of the Year announcement and lots more!
First there were whispers in back alleys. Then rumours spread through Bologna like wild fire. There was a glimmer of hope on IMDB. And today Walker Books have announced the news that Megan McDonald’s Judy Moody is to hit the silver screen in 2011.
With a screenplay written by McDonald and Kathy Waugh – with John Schultz (Aliens in the Attic) directing the flick (due to start filming in LA this Autumn).
Walker Books have more on it – and there’s a heap of coverage elsewhere too – including moviejungle and The Wrap.
The Telegraph reports that filming on the new James Bond film has suspended – with doubts about the future of MGM studios.
The producers behind the film have released a statement saying that they do not know when development will resume and do not have a date for the release of Bond 23.
Bond is the longest running film franchise in history – currently fronted by Daniel Craig.
And we’re back – live and in technicolour. Here’s a quick round-up of shiny bits and pieces from the intertubes in no particular order (the regular paper review will follow):
Bad parents are ruling the roost in fiction – Alison Flood investigates the prevalence of incompetent parents in fiction.
USA Today rounds-up some of their favourite picture books – while School Library Journal takes a look at media tie-ins.
In the Ticket, Anna Carey looks at everything there is to know about Girly Teen Flicks – you know you want to. Don’t deny it – from Princess Diaries to Superbad – it’s all there.
Not that this is in fact news but… Tim Burton’s shame knows no bounds as he takes on an animated version of The Addams Family.
What is to come in children’s lit – Publishers Weekly let a panel decide.
Quill & Quire cover The Shepherd’s Granddaughter controversy as the book stays on the shelves of Toronto libraries.
Standalone books or series - the bookseller reports that retailers are seeing a rise for single novels.
In a world where there is not enough vampires – one UK academic is fighing the fight for the British vampire.
And finally – iPad meet kids books.
Oh no wait! Louis Sachar is back! /that is all/
The 1903 film version of Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland has been restored by the BFI National Archive (or at least 8 of the original 12 minutes have!)
Directed by Cecil Hepworth and Percy Stow (based on John Tenniel’s illustrations) have a look at Alice in Wonderland (1903):
I’m off to see Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief this morning.
Hope you’re enjoying the weekend 
It’s what any fan-boy/girl could have told you. That Batman and Robin – George Clooney’s take on the caped crusader – is the worst movie ever made.
Thanks to an Empire Magazine poll – the truth is out. Runners-up in the race to the bottom were John Travolta’s Battlefield Earth and Mike Myers’ The Love Guru.
And as if that wasn’t enough to turn any comic fans stomach:
How about the news that DC Comics are looking at making Watchmen prequels, sequels, spin-offs, and movies.
That crackling sound you can hear is Alan Moore setting fire to his beard.
Supermarket chain Tesco have thrown their weight behind Amber Entertainment and entered themselves in the film industry. Amber have signed a multi-million pound deal with Tesco – and works in line for production include adaptations from Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman and Judy Blume.
Fear not – Tesco are leaving the movie-making to Ileen Maisel and Amber Entertainment (producers behind Northern Lights)
Apart from telling the film-makers what I don’t want to see in Tesco, then there is no interference in the subject matter. Of course, I don’t want anything too risqué. Nothing that would be 18-rated and that would not sit well on our shelves. Other than that, though, there is no editorial involvement from us. We have been sent a script of the first film, so we know the story. That’s it. – Rob Salter, Tesco’s entertainment director.
According to the Guardian Martin Scorsese is planning an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s award winning (and stunning) The Invention of Hugo Cabret.
The Oscar-winning director is reportedly in talks to shoot an adaptation of Brian Selznick’s 2007 story, which went on to win the Randolph Caldecott medal for children’s fiction. The film will be independently produced by Britain’s Graham King, who oversaw Scorsese’s work on the Oscar-winning 2006 thriller The Departed, with a script by John Logan, who wrote The Aviator.
The book is part illustrated and part text with an incredible filmic flavour – and I can’t recommend it high enough to anyone.
So – word on the web is that Pirates of the Caribbean 4 (subtitled On Stranger Tides) with Johnny Depp reprising his roll as Jack Sparrow. Plans to start filming later this year are already advancing and Disney are hoping to have the flick on screeens for Summer 2011.
Are you wondering what Tim Burton has planned next (after his remake of Alice in Wonderland)?
Rumour has it that he plans to nab Johnny Depp to star in his Dark Shadows remake later this year (Depp is busy with Pirates though – could get messy!)
And there have been whispers that Burton might be planning a revisit to Sleeping Beauty – focussing on Maleficent according to ‘aint it cool.
/I feel dirty with all this gossip.
Plans are afoot to see Random House Children’s Books stepping onto the silver screen – and with Jacqueline Wilson, Philip Pullman, Terry Pratchett and Quentin Blake on the books why not?!
Random House Children’s Screen Entertainment (RHCSE) is trying to raise $100 million to develop cartoons, live action movies, video games, toys and television series based on Random House Children’s Books properties.
The honeymoon is over. As noted earlier, Spiderman 4 has been having some trouble – namely Sam Raimi didn’t like the script and production deadlines were looming dangerously close. Well it looks like Raimi, Dunst and Maguire are all set to go their separate ways and the silverscreen spidey is to be rebooted with Peter Parker being sent back to school.
While it makes fiscal sense to turn back the clock for the friendly neighbourhood webslinger – I can’t say it sounds too thrilling. A continuing story arc – while losing momentum – is far better than rehashing the same old lines.
Click for more from Ben Child in the Guardian.
The ‘aulest, crankiest, loveliest granny in Ireland has dug herself up some competition. Like all stars – there will inevitably be a prequel – and Astrid has stepped in before Brown Bag could cash in.
Of course it is never too late to visit the authentic, one-and-only original Granny O’Grimm.
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