All articles by Jeremy Kay – Page 1416
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MGM shareholders approve Sony-led takeover
MGM shareholders have approved of the proposed studio takeover bythe LOC Acquisition Company consortium.The consortium comprises Sony Corp of America, Providence EquityPartners, Texas Pacific Group, Comcast and DLJ Merchant Banking Partners.The merger plan was adopted at a special meeting of stockholderson Dec 17. Consummation remains subject to clearance under the ...
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WBITD signs free-TV deal with TVN in Norway
Warner BrosInternational Television Distribution (WBITD) has signed a multi-year deal withNorway's TVN, granting the broadcaster free television rights in Norway to aslate of current and library feature films and television series.The deal meansTVN viewers will eventually get access to such titles as Ocean's Twelve, Troy and The Last Samurai, as ...
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Bridget approaching $200m at international box office
Universal/WorkingTitle's Bridget Jones: The Edge Of Reason is expected to pass $200m atthe worldwide box office this week after an estimated $8.6m weekend haul on3,100 screens in 31 territories raised the international running total to$154m.The romantic comedy sequel has grossed $145.5m through UIP and opens in Italyon Jan 7 2005. ...
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2006 Oscars return to March
The Oscars are moving back to theirtraditional March slot in 2006 to avoid a potential scheduling conflict with the winterOlympics.The 78th Academy Awards were originally set for Feb 26 but Academychiefs switched to Mar 5 after learning that NBC's US broadcast of the winterOlympics closing ceremony in Turin, Italy, would ...
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Record debut for Warner Bros Japan's Windstruck
Warner Bros Japan hasreported that Kwak Jaeyong's Korean love story Windstruck scoredthe biggest ever opening for a Korean-language title in Japan when it opened on$2.3m on Dec 11."We are very proud of Windstruck'sphenomenal opening in Japan, which is a strong indication of the country'increasing appetite for both Chinese and Korean-language ...
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Snicket rules the roost with $30.2m debut for Paramount
Lemony Snicket's A Series OfUnfortunate Events gave Paramount a much-needed number one opening at theweekend as it swooped to the top on an estimated $30.2m.Brad Silberling's adaptation ofDaniel Handler's bestselling children's books centres on a pair of orphans andheirs to a fortune who are sent to live with a bizarre ...
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Snicket rules the roost with $30.2m debut for Paramount
Lemony Snicket's A Series OfUnfortunate Events gave Paramount a much-needed number one opening at theweekend as it swooped to the top on an estimated $30.2m.Brad Silberling's adaptation of Daniel Handler's bestselling children's bookscentres on a pair of orphans and heirs to a fortune who are sent to live with abizarre ...
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Paramount 's Lemony Snicket tops US charts on $30.2m
Lemony Snicket's A Series OfUnfortunate Events gave Paramount a much-needed number one opening at theweekend as it swooped to the top on an estimated $30.2m.Brad Silberling's adaptation of Daniel Handler's bestselling children's bookscentres on a pair of orphans and heirs to a fortune who are sent to live with abizarre ...
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Ocean's Twelve makes off with $29m international swag
Powered by severalprestigious number one launches at the weekend Ocean's Twelve tookapproximately $29m in 27 countries through Warner Bros Pictures Internationalto raise its international running total to more than $35m.The crime caper sequel opened top in France on an estimated $7.5m on 719screens, top in Germany on $5.3m on 810 ...
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Ocean's 12 targets Europe, Snicket hits UK, Australia
Ocean's Twelve gets its first big international push this weekend when WarnerBros Pictures International launches the star-clad caper sequel in a quartet ofmajor European markets.The picture went out in Franceon Dec 15 and Germany on Dec 16 followed by Italy and Spain a day later and isexpected to build strongly ...
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Mayer named 2004 recipient of Jean Hersholt Award
Turner Entertainmentpresident Roger Mayer is to receive the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award fromthe Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences.Mayer will collect thehonour at the 77th Academy Awards on Feb 27."Throughout a more thanhalf-century-long career in the motion picture industry Roger has been afixture on the boards of a wide ...
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Charlie to open on IMAX the same day as 35mm
Warner Bros continued tonurture its growing relationship with IMAX Corp with news yesterday (16) thatTim Burton's Charlie And The Chocolate Factory will open on IMAX and 35mm simultaneously on Jul 152005.The announcement follows onthe heels of the successful release of The Polar Express on IMAX 3D. As with that title, ...
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Coach, Ladies bookend Palm Springs festival
The 16th Annual Palm SpringsInternational Film Festival (PSIFF) will open on Jan 6 2005 with ThomasCarter's high school basketball drama Coach Carter starring Samuel L Jackson, and closes with the USpremiere of Charles Dance's feature directorial debut Ladies In Lavender, which stars Judie Dench and Maggie Smith.Jackson will receive theCareer ...
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Evans joins Focus as senior vp of physical production
Jane Evans has joined FocusFeatures as senior vice president of physical production, taking charge ofphysical production on all in-house projects for Focus and its genre bannerRogue Pictures as well as overseeing post production on those titles andacquisitions.Based at the company'sManhattan offices, Evans will report to Focus chief operating officer AndrewKarpen ...
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Seven films shortlisted for visual effects Oscar
The Academy of MotionPicture Arts And Sciences has named the seven pictures that will be consideredfor the best visual effects Oscar at the 77th Academy Awards in February.The titles are: TheAviator; The Day After Tomorrow; Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban; I,Robot; Lemony Snicket's A Series Of Unfortunate Events; ...
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Mobius acquires script about games tournaments
Production andinternational sales house Mobius Entertainment has acquired the comedy project Rockit, which centres on the competitive worldof rock, paper, and scissors tournaments.The pitch wasbrought in by Mobius executive Amanda Blue, who will oversee the development ofthe project.Styled as being in the vein of Dodgeball, the picture exposes the burgeoning ...
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TLA picks up domestic rights to gay festival hit Dorian Blues
TLA Releasinghas picked up US theatrical and home entertainment rights to TennysonBardwell's award-winning gay coming-of-age tale Dorian Blues.TLA partner and director of acquisitions Richard A Wolffnegotiated the deal with attorney Steven C Beer on behalf of Day Dreamer Films.The distributorplans a September 2005 release for Dorian Blues, which stars Michael ...
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Harper promoted to vice chairman at Fox
Robert Harperhas been promoted to vice chairman of Fox Filmed Entertainment (FFE), where hewill assume new global strategic, creative and managerial responsibilities withparticular focus on interdivisional synergy.Harper joinedthe Fox marketing department in 1985, rising to president four years later. Hewent on to become an independent producer based on the lot ...
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Ghobadi to consult on the rebuilding of cinema in Iraq
Bahman Ghobadi's Iranianforeign language Academy Award entry Turtles Can Fly yesterday (15) became the first picture to open inan Iraqi theatre since the end of the war.Ghobadi was due to attendthe screening at the Crystal Theatre in Arbil City and has also been invited bythe interim Iraqi government to conduct ...
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Miami unveils 118 film-heavy lineup in Feb
The MiamiInternational Film Festival (MIFF) presented by Miami Dade College will open onFeb 4 with Modiglianistarring Andy Garcia and closes on Feb 13 with Joaquin Oristrell's Spanishfarce Unconscious (Inconscientes).All in all 118 pictures, including seven world and 15international, North American and US premieres, will screen at the festival,which will run ...