Hollywood Reporter

Jesse Eisenberg takes on 'Zombieland'

By Leslie Simmons and Gregg Goldstein — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Jesse Eisenberg may soon be traveling from Adventureland to Zombieland.

'5th Quarter' tackles real-life football drama

By Gregg Goldstein — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

A college football player's tribute to his late brother inspired his team to a record season, and the poignant true story is now headed for the big screen.

NYFF the last stop for distributors

By Gregg Goldstein — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

As the art house arena is faltering and changing, the New York Film Festival is assuming a more crucial role on the commercial side of indie distribution.

Foursome in for 'Unthinkable' mission

By Gregg Goldstein — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Brandon Routh, Gil Bellows, Martin Donovan and Carrie-Anne Moss are doing the "Unthinkable."

CBS Films taps Mimi Slavin

By Steven Zeitchik — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT

CBS Films is beefing up its staff, hiring Mimi Slavin as senior vp of strategic planning and promotions.

Former 'N Sync member joins 'Cowboys'

Staff report — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 11:00:00 EDT

JC Chasez, a former member of 'N Sync, has joined the cast of "Kerosene Cowboys," director Mario Van Peebles' action-thriller about an elite Navy attack squadron.

Rio fest market going on the road

By Ray Bennett — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 07:22:00 EDT

The Festival do Rio market will take its show on the road next year with a conference in Europe and a traveling promotional tour of the United States tied to the annual Premiere Brazil event at New York's Museum of Modern Art in July.

'Mamma' wards off competition overseas

By Frank Segers — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:53:00 EDT

Universal's "Mamma Mia!" again reigned over an increasingly scattered international circuit with an estimated $14.1 million from 4,406 screens in 47 markets, hiking its cumulative overseas take to $377.2 million.

SAG's strike call was no balk

By Leslie Simmons — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 05:48:00 EDT

When SAG's negotiating committee sent the strike-authorization decision back to the guild's national board, some members suggested internal politics were the driving force behind the move.

Bribery charges added in Green case

Staff report — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 04:45:00 EDT

The federal government has added bribery charges to its growing investigation into the dealings of Film Festival Management executives Gerald and Patricia Green.

'Chihuahua' top dog at boxoffice

By Gregg Kilday — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:15:00 EDT

Disney's "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" broke out of a crowded pack to take best of show at the weekend boxoffice.

Kat Dennings negotiating to play 'Defendor'

By Gregg Kilday — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 09:30:00 EDT

Kat Dennings, who stars in "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," which bowed in theaters this weekend, is in negotiations to join Woody Harrelson and Sandra Oh in "Defendor."

Canadian Comedy Awards fetes Jason Reitman

By Etan Vlessing — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 03:53:00 EDT

Canada has finally embraced Jason Reitman's Oscar-winning "Juno" as its own.

Disney India planning quartet of action films

By Nyay Bhushan — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:49:00 EDT

In another sign of Hollywood's growing interest in the Indian film industry, the Walt Disney Company India is planning a quartet of live-action features under its local banner, Walt Disney Pictures India.

Trio joins Grandin project

By Borys Kit — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Julia Ormond, David Strathairn and Catherine O'Hara have joined the cast of HBO's Temple Grandin project.

Garcia lines up 'Mother' trio

By Gregg Goldstein — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Rodrigo Garcia is ready to tango with his three amigos for the ensemble drama "Mother and Child."

Overture to remake 'Jar City'

By Steven Zeitchik and Jay A. Fernandez — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Overture Films has bought remake rights to the Icelandic whodunit "Jar City."

'Ghosts' haunt RealD move to 3-D

By Carolyn Giardina — Fri, 03 Oct 2008 12:00:00 EDT

Now that the Digital Cinema Implementation Partners, representing the top theater chains, have signed an agreement with five studios, the digital-cinema rollout should gather momentum.

'Wrestler,' 'Che' to play AFI fest

Staff report — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:45:00 EDT

Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" and Steven Soderbergh's "Che" will both play AFI Fest 2008 in the film festival's centerpiece screening slots. "Che" will have its West Coast premiere on Nov. 1 at the Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, and "The Wrestler's" West Coast premiere will take place Nov. 6 at the Chinese.

SAG to honor James Earl Jones

Staff report — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:23:00 EDT

James Earl Jones will be the recipient of SAG's 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award for career achievement and humanitarian accomplishment.

Broadway to salute Newman

By Gregg Kilday — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:09:00 EDT

Broadway's marquees will go dim for one minute at 8 Friday night in memory of Paul Newman.

Priciest films the most profitable, says study

By Carl DiOrio — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:00:00 EDT

Hollywood movies seem to get ever more expensive to produce, but there is a silver lining: The priciest films tend to be the most profitable.

Godsick has dual posts at Walden, Fox

By Leslie Simmons — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:31:00 EDT

Fox Walden head Jeffrey Godsick is rejoining Fox Filmed Entertainment as executive vp marketing and digital content as part of the continued restructuring of the joint venture between the companies.

ShowEast to honor Zwick

By Carl DiOrio — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 08:22:00 EDT

Multihyphenate Edward Zwick -- writer, director and producer on Paramount Vantage's upcoming World War II drama "Defiance" -- will be given the Kodak Award for excellence in filmmaking at ShowEast 2008.

'Chihuahua' has paws on the prize

By Carl DiOrio — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:19:00 EDT

It's looking like a dog of a weekend at the boxoffice. "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" could fetch up to $30 million during its opening frame.

Sony makes 4K play

By Carolyn Giardina — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 06:40:00 EDT

Sony Pictures Entertainment has adopted a new strategy that would offer higher-resolution 4K content to digital cinema theaters.

More ban for the buck in China

By Karen Chu and Steven Schwankert — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:08:00 EDT

BUSAN, South Korea -- When is it worth it for a Chinese filmmaker to forgo the Chinese authorities' approval process and bring a film to the international stage without the motherland saying you may go?

'Bolt' strikes first at 3DX in Singapore

By Janine Stein — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 07:00:00 EDT

SINGAPORE -- Disney's animated feature "Bolt" will open the inaugural 3DX: 3D Film & Entertainment Technology Festival in Singapore on Nov. 19, two days before its U.S. bow.

PaleyDocFest to kick off with 'Toots'

Staff report — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 09:24:00 EDT

The Paley Center for Media's PaleyDocFest, which runs from Oct. 16-27 in New York, will kick off with Kristi Jacobson's "Toots," a documentary about the celebrated saloon keeper Toots Shor.

Helmer wins 'Battle' with filmed pitch

By Borys Kit and Leslie Simmons — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 01:00:00 EDT

Jonathan Liebesman is in negotiations to direct "Battle: Los Angeles," a sci-fi actioner Neal Moritz and his Original Films are producing for Columbia.