ComingSoon.net talked exclusively to director John Hillcoat, Viggo Mortensen and Michael Kenneth Williams about The Road, the adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's beloved, best-selling and Pulitzer Prize winning novel.
The Road is the epic post-apocalyptic tale of a journey taken by a father (Mortensen) and his young son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) across a barren landscape that was blasted by an unnamed cataclysm that destroyed civilization and most life on earth. It opens on Friday.
You can watch the interviews using the player below, and also be sure to read their exclusive extended interview with Hillcoat here.
November 25, 2009
TALKING ABOUT THE ROAD
FX NABS TWILIGHT FILMS
FX has acquired the ad-supported TV rights to the four Twilight movies in a package deal with producer Summit Entertainment that also includes the indie studio's Oscar hopeful The Hurt Locker, and this year's action films Knowing and Push.
FX will start running Twilight, the first movie in the franchise, beginning in late 2011. New Moon, which shattered projections to open at $142.8 million domestically this past weekend, will be available in late 2012. The third film, Eclipse, which is slated for a June 30th release, will have its premiere on FX in early 2013. Summit has yet to greenlight production on Breaking Dawn, an adaptation of the fourth book in the series.
The Hurt Locker, Knowing and Push will debut on FX in mid-2012.
The license fee for the movies is based on their North American boxoffice performance. If the third and fourth Twilight movies continue to go strong, each reaching the $200 million mark domestically, FX could end up paying close to $100 million for the quartet. For a marquee film title, ad-supported networks usually shell out about 12% of the domestic tally and as much per as $24 million if the movie's receipts total crosses $200 million.
The Hollywood Reporter
FIRST LOOK AT SHREK FOREVER AFTER
Even fairy tales must come to an end.
The once-upon-a-time spoofing that began with Shrek in 2001, will conclude when Shrek Forever After, the fourth and final movie in the franchise arrives on May 21st. The first trailer will premiere at showings of Avatar.
Below are the first photos and a couple of hints about what to expect from the film. 
Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz are back as the voices of Shrek, sidekick Donkey and ogress wife Fiona.
The premise is the Brothers Grimm meetIt's a Wonderful Life: After rescuing a princess, getting hitched and fathering triplets, Shrek is feeling over-domesticated. To regain his ogre mojo, he strikes a deal with Rumpelstiltskin (above with Shrek). Of course, the pact goes awry and Shrek must confront what life would be like in Far Far Away if he had never existed. That translates into Donkey being forced into cart-pulling duty, fat and lazy Puss in Boots trading his sword for a pink bow and the underhanded Rumpelstiltskin ruling the kingdom. 
USA Today
November 19, 2009
OPRAH WINFREY SHOW ENDING
In what is shaping to be the biggest change in first-run syndication business in two decades, Oprah Winfrey will announce on her show Friday that she will end her daily syndicated talk show on September 9th, 2011, after 25 years on the air.
Although the announcement has been anticipated for the past several weeks, it still is a blow to local TV stations around the country that have counted on The Oprah Winfrey Show for high ratings, usually as a lead-in to local news programs.
The show has averaged about 7.3 million viewers daily. It also scores a strong 3.0 rating in the key 18-49 demographic. Although that doesn't make Oprah the highest-rated syndicated show (that title belongs to Wheel of Fortune), it's far above anything else in daytime, though it recently finished behind courtroom show Judge Judy.
With local stations across the country already reeling from drastically reduced ad revenue, how incumbents deal with replacing the Winfrey show -- and how rival stations counter with their own programs -- will be crucial to their long-term health once the recession ends.
In addition, Winfrey has been the most successful incubator of new syndie talent, including Dr. Phil, Rachael Ray and Dr. Oz, so it's unclear who among syndie distributors will step up with new strategies for getting shows launched in her absence.
This is anything but a retirement. Winfrey will shift her efforts to OWN: The Oprah Winfrey Network, which she jointly owns with Discovery Communications. The cable network expects to launch at the end of next year in at least 74 million homes.
The Hollywood Reporter
CHUCK'S PREMIERE DATE ANNOUNCED
NBC announced in a press release today that Chuck will return for it's third season on Sunday, January 10th, before moving to Mondays at 8 p.m. starting the next night.
Guest stars this season will include Angie Harmon, Brandon Routh, Kristin Kreuk, Armand Assante, Steve Austin, Robert Patrick and Vinnie Jones.
NBC also released this trailer as well.
Here's some of NBC's press release:
UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. – November 19, 2009 – NBC’s action-comedy series “Chuck” returns to the NBC lineup on Sunday, January 10 with all-new missions and two action-packed, back-to-back original episodes in its season premiere (9-11 p.m. ET) before the series -- starring Zachary Levi in the title role -- moves to its regular day and time (Mondays 8-9 p.m. ET) beginning January 11.
In addition, "Chuck" returns with guest stars galore in its third season. These include: Angie Harmon (NBC’s “Law & Order”), who will play Sydney, an enemy operative; Brandon Routh (“Superman Returns”), who is set to play CIA Agent Daniel Shaw; Robert Patrick (“Terminator 2: Judgment Day”) will play Colonel Keller, a soldier and spy from Casey’s past; Kristin Kreuk (“Smallville”), who will portray Hannah -- a potential love interest for Chuck; Armand Assante (“Judge Dredd”) as dictator Premier Goya, who is the target of an assassin; Steve Austin (“WWE Smackdown!”) will portray Hugo Panzer, who becomes entangled in Chuck’s first solo mission; and Vinnie Jones (“Snatch”) will play Carl Stromberg, an arms dealer.
There's more press release at The Hollywood Reporter.
THE LAST LOST PREMIERE
ABC announced today that the sixth and final season of Lost will kick-off with a special all-night event on Tuesday, February 2nd. A recap special will kick off the night from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ET, followed by the much anticipated two-hour premiere from 9:00-11:00 p.m.
The series will then air in its regular time period Tuesday nights from 9:00-10:00 p.m., ET beginning the following week, on February 9th.
Below is a teaser trailer.
November 15, 2009
2012 DESTROYS
Roland Emmerich kicked off the holiday season in earnest with the biggest single movie weekend box office take since July, as 2012 brought in an estimated $65 million over the weekend, making it the seventh biggest November opener ever. At the same time 2012 also brought in $160 million outside the United States for a 3-day worldwide gross of $225 million.
In its second weekend, Disney's A Christmas Carol had a moderate drop of 26% to end up in second place with $22.3 million. It has grossed $63.3 million in ten days playing in regular, IMAX and digital 3D theaters.
Grant Heslov's political comedy The Men Who Stare at Goats, starring George Clooney and Ewan McGregor remained in third place with an estimated $6.2 million and $23.4 million total gross.
Precious: Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire expanded into 174 theaters and did well enough to end up in fourth place with $6.1 million, averaging over $35 thousand per site. The indie drama reportedly made for $10 million has grossed $9 million so far with plans to expand even wider over the next two weekends.
The Top 10 movies this week grossed roughly $126 million, which was down 6% from last year when Quantum of Solace topped the box office with $67.5 million.
ComingSoon.net
November 12, 2009
WATERS OF MARS TRAILER/CLIP
Okay, Sunday marks the second of the final four David Tennant episodes of Doctor Who. Last fall Tennant announced he was leaving the show after four seasons, but first the fans would see him in four specials this year.
The first special (Planet of the Dead) aired at Easter. Next month the other two specials (The End of Time and the as-yet-named last episode) will air on Christmas and New Year's Day respectively when we will see Tennant regenerate into Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor.
Here's the latest trailer and three-minutes of clips from this weekend's special The Waters of Mars, an episode that would've been more festive had it aired two weeks ago but will no doubt get a lot of UK and online viewers.
EXTENDED AVATAR TV SPOT
Everything is coming out of the woodwork now for James Cameron's Avatar. And why not? with a little more than five weeks until it launches, as well as the shroud of secrecy surrounding the film, releasing trailers spots and clips all at once is to be expected.
Fox aired a new extended TV spot for the film during Glee and you can now watch the video using the player below! The spot may look like the trailer at first, but if you stick with it, you'll see new footage from the anticipated film.
ComingSoon.net
November 10, 2009
RODDENBERRY TO ENTER HALL OF FAME
Late Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry, comedy duo Tom and Dick Smothers and actress Candice Bergen will be among those inducted into the Television Academy's Hall of Fame in January.
The Television Academy said today they would be joined by Saturday Night Live and game show announcer Don Pardo, The Price is Right game show creator Bob Stewart and Emmy-award winning art director Charles Lisanby for the annual ceremony.
"This year's inductees have challenged and shaped popular culture and entertained us royally while doing so," said Television Academy chairman John Shaffner.
Bergen is best known for her role in the 1990s CBS comedy Murphy Brown, while the Smothers brothers started their TV career in the 1960s and are still performing for audiences around the United States.
Roddenberry's Star Trek franchise includes 10 movies and 7 TV series stretching back to 1966. He passed away in 1991.
Reuters
CLASH OF THE TITANS TEASER
A little bit 300 mixed in with a little bit of Beowulf and you get the first teaser for next years Clash of the Titans.
Out on March 26th, Clash of the Titans is the second Greek god themed film releasing in as many months. Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief comes out February 12th.
You can watch the trailer below.
In the film, the ultimate struggle for power pits men against kings and kings against gods. But the war between the gods themselves could destroy the world. Born of a god but raised as a man, Perseus (Sam Worthington) is helpless to save his family from Hades (Ralph Fiennes), vengeful god of the underworld. With nothing left to lose, Perseus volunteers to lead a dangerous mission to defeat Hades before he can seize power from Zeus (Liam Neeson) and unleash hell on earth. Leading a daring band of warriors, Perseus sets off on a perilous journey deep into forbidden worlds. Battling unholy demons and fearsome beasts, he will only survive if he can accept his power as a god, defy his fate and create his own destiny.
ComingSoon.net
November 8, 2009
AVATAR TV SPOT
We’ve had a couple of trailers now for James Cameron’s Avatar and so far it’s focused more on the battle with the Na’vi. This new TV spot that has a nice Disney-style voice over on it where we get to see a bit more footage.
The movie releases on December 18th, 12 years to the day that Cameron's last release Titanic, graced the screens.
CHRISTMAS CAROL WINS THE WEEKEND
A Christmas Carol bowed during the weekend to an estimated $31 million at the North American boxoffice. That number wasn't as big a holiday gift as the studio was hoping for, but with Christmas seven weekends away, the 3D movie has time to spread cheer.
For moviegoers in the mood for darker material, Precious: Based on the Novel 'Push' by Sapphire, opened at No. 13 after earning a hefty $1.8 million in just four cities. Lionsgate's acclaimed tale of a young, black, overweight, illiterate incest survivor will expand nationally on November 20th. The film took in top honours this year at the Toronto International Film Festival, causing it to generate Oscar buzz similar to that of last year's winner Slumdog Millionaire.
Taking second spot was This Is It, the Michael Jackson documentary, with $14 million, taking its 12-day North American total to $57.9 million. The foreign total for the release overseas rose to $128.6 million.
George Clooney's military comedy The Men Who Stare At Goats opened at No. 3 with a solid $13.3 million. The Box, a thriller starring Cameron Diaz, opened at No. 6 with just $7.9 million. Also new was the alien-abduction thriller The Fourth Kind at No. 4 with $12.5 million.
Reuters
November 7, 2009
SHERLOCK HOLMES FEATURETTE
Now that I've gotten A Christmas Carol out of my system (saw it, really liked it, will see it again), I can now continue on with my major obsession of the year: Sherlock Holmes.
It's out on Christmas Day and here is a new behind the scenes featurette featuring cast and crew interviews.
November 4, 2009
PIRATES 4 STILL A GO, DEPP CIRCLING TOURIST
News from the Johnny Depp front has the actor still busy at work with future projects. Amongst those projects is the fourth Pirates installment On Stranger Tides, which has been the subject of speculation that because of Dick Cook's ousting from Disney in September, Depp was backing out. Word from Jerry Bruckheimer this week begs to differ with that.
Collider.com got to talk to the mega-producer after a screening for the Prince of Persia trailer. Bruckheimer told the website that despite the recent surprise departure of Dick Cook, that the project was still definitely on-track. Apparently a script has been delivered, the Disney management shakeup will not affect the production and that principal photography is still expected to commence in 2010.
That's not all. Depp is still on board to play Tonto in Disney's remake of The Lone Ranger, plus news now comes that he is also circling around Spyglasses upcoming film The Tourist, it's believed that Depp is in negotiations to replace Sam Worthingtom as the male lead. 
But that film is having it's fair share of issues: Director Florian von Donnersmarck has exited the project over creative differences, and Alfonso Cuaron (Children of Men, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban) is in early talks to step in. Angelina Jolie -- herself a recent replacement for Charlize Theron, who was long attached to the project -- remains in the lead female role.
The revamp of the 2005 French spy thriller Anthony Zimmer involves a female Interpol agent who ropes an everyman American tourist visiting France into being bait in the hunt for a wanted criminal who's also her former lover.
The rumour is that On Stranger Tides is the frontrunner for Depp (and Bruckheimer's revelation seems to confirm that), however there's still no official word on a director, and Depp has said that he'll only return if the script is good. We know that it's based on Tim Powers' novel which sounds like a good fit for the franchise; undead pirates, the Fountain of Youth and the legendary Edward "Blackbeard" Teach, it's kind of a return to the basics of the first movie. But with everything that's in the pipeline for Depp, maybe, just maybe, a July 2011 release is a bit of a reach.
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