"Terminator" Rights Sold!
Previously on the "Terminator" saga, Halcyon Holding Corp was looking for interested buyers to spend cash to own the rights to film future "Terminator" films, TV shows, and other spin-offs. Both Lionsgate and Sony were pouncing on the chance to own "Terminator," but neither won!
Oh, but Sony supposedly exclaimed "I'll be back!"
So who won? Our friend Nikki Finke from Deadline Hollywood exclusively revealed that "Halcyon Holding Corp accepted the $29.5 million bid from, of all parties, the debtholder which pushed it into bankruptcy, Santa Barbara-based hedge fund Pacificor. (This is the same Pacificor whom Halcyon accused in a lawsuit of extortion, bribery, and fraud and demanded $30M in damages.)"
Ooooh salacious! Read more on the titillating story right here.
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So the fantastic Steven Soderbergh is focusing on "Contagion," an action-thriller about the outbreak of a deadly virus. The Playlist told us that it's going to be a multi-strand film that will take place over four continents. And yes, it's supposed to be terrifying!
The script by Scott Z. Burns is so good, coupled with the prospect of working with Soderbergh, that the project is attracting big name Oscar-caliber stars such as Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Marion Cotillard, and Jude Law.
Right now, the director and Participant Productions are shopping the project around for co-financing, but with a film already being billed as "Traffic" meets "Bourne," and with a great cast in tow, they should not have a problem selling the concept.
I, for one, am intrigued, just don't call it "Outbreak Part 2!"
So what will happen to Soderbergh's "Liberace" project? Don't worry Liberace fans, Michael Douglas and Damon are still attached to the film which is supposed to follow "Contagion's" schedule in early 2011.
But right now, the director is busy at work finishing his martial arts spy film "Knockout."
Oh that Soderbergh is one prolific filmmaker!
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Universal Pictures has announced that Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Joel Edgerton will star in the studio's remake of "The Thing." Based on the 1938 short story, "Who Goes There?," the project has been adapted twice. First, as the 1951 film "The Thing From Another World" from director Howard Hawks, and then the 1982 John Carpenter flick called "The Thing" starring Kurt Russell.
Matthijs Van Heijningen is directing the remake from a script written by Ronald D. Moore and Eric Heisserer. The Hollywood Reporter is saying that "Winstead will play a Ph.D. candidate who joins a Norwegian research team in Antarctica after it discovers an alien ship in the ice. When a trapped organism is freed and begins a series of attacks, she is forced to team with a blue-collar mercenary helicopter pilot (Edgerton) to stop the rampage."
The film is set to start shooting March 15 in Toronto.
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While the rest of America was getting ready for Super Bowl weekend, romantic drama lovers fell happily in line to watch the ultra-sappy "Dear John," thus ending the long reign of James Cameron's "Avatar" at the box office.
(Check out my movie review of "Dear John" right here)
The film adaptation of Nicholas Sparks' novel starring Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried debuted at No. 1 with $32.4 million, while "Avatar" fell to No. 2 with $23.6 million raising its domestic total to $630.1 million, surpassing Cameron's own "Titanic" which held the all-time domestic high of $600.8 million until, well, "Avatar" came into the picture.
Meanwhile, "From Paris With Love" starring John Travolta opened at No. 3 with $8.1 million. But the good news of the weekend belonged to the Academy Award-nominated country-music flick "Crazy Heart." The Jeff Bridges starrer came in at No. 8 with $3.7 million and entered the Top 10 for the very first time.
Here's the complete Top 10 box office list for weekend of Feb. 5:
1. "Dear John," $32.4 million.
2. "Avatar," $23.6 million.
3. "From Paris With Love," $8.1 million.
4. "Edge of Darkness," $7 million.
5. "The Tooth Fairy," $6.5 million.
6. "When in Rome," $5.5 million.
7. "The Book of Eli," $4.8 million.
8. "Crazy Heart," $3.7 million.
9. "Legion," $3.4 million.
10. "Sherlock Holmes," $2.6 million.
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"Up" from Disney/Pixar won the top honor at the 37th Annual Annie Awards. The fantastic film received the Best Animated Feature Award beating out "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs," "Coraline," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," "The Princess and the Frog," and "The Secret of Kells."
(Check my interview with Annie Award-winner Pete Docter for "Up" held at Pixar Animation Studios right here)
Walt Disney Animation took home six other Annies including three for "The Princess and the Frog" and three for its television production "Prep and Landing."
Created in 1972 by veteran voice talent June Foray, the Annie Awards is considered the highest and most prestigious honor given in animation by the animation industry.
The Annie Awards is also a great predictor of the annual Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. So yes, "Up" will win that category at the Oscars!
Here's the complete list of winners (highlighted) and nominees of the 37th Annual Annie Awards:
Best Animated Feature
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs — Sony Pictures Animation
Coraline — Laika
Fantastic Mr. Fox — 20th Century Fox
The Princess and the Frog — Walt Disney Animation Studios
The Secret of Kells — Cartoon Saloon
Up — Pixar Animation Studios
Best Home Entertainment Production
Curious George: A Very Monkey Christmas — Universal Animation Studios
Futurama: Into the Wild Green Yonder — The Curiosity Company in association with 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
Green Latern: First Flight — Warner Bros. Animation
Open Season 2 — Sony Pictures Animation
SpongeBob vs. The Big One — Nickelodeon
Best Animated Short Subject
Pups of Liberty — Picnic Pictures
Robot Chicken: Star Wars 2.5 — ShadowMachine
Santa, The Fascist Years — Plymptoons
The Rooster, The Crocodile and The Night Sky — Barley Films
The Story of Walls — Badmash Animation Studios
Best Animated Television Commercial
Goldfish: In The Dark — Blur Studios, Inc.
Idaho Lottery “Twiceland” — Acme Filmworks, Inc.
McDonald's Nutty Trade — Blue Sky Studios
Spanish Lottery “Deportees” — Acme Filmworks, Inc.
The Spooning — Screen Novelties /Acne Media
Best Animated Television Production
Glenn Martin, DDS — Tornante, Cuppa Coffee Studios & Rogers Communications
Merry Madagascar — DreamWorks Animation
Prep and Landing — ABC Family/Walt Disney Animation Studios
The Simpsons — Gracie Films
Best Animated Television Production for Children
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse — Disney Television Animation
SpongeBob SquarePants — Nickelodeon
The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack — Cartoon Network Studios
The Mighty B! — Nickelodeon/Polka Dot Pictures/Paper Kite Productions
The Penguins of Madagascar — Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT CATEGORIES
Animated Effects
Scott Cegielski “Monsters vs. Aliens” — DreamWorks Animation
Alexander Feigin “9” — 9 L.L.C.
Eric Froemling “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Tom Kluyskens “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” — Sony Pictures Animation
James Mansfield “The Princess and the Frog” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Character Animation in a Television Production
Mark Donald “B.O.B.'s Big Break” — DreamWorks Animation
Mark Mitchell “Prep and Landing” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Kevan Shorey “Merry Madagascar” — DreamWorks Animation
Tony Smeed “Prep and Landing” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Phillip To “Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space” — DreamWorks Animation
Character Animation in a Feature Production
Andreas Deja “The Princess and the Frog” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Eric Goldberg “The Princess and the Frog” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Travis Knight “Coraline” — Laika
Daniel Nguyen “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Bruce Smith “The Princess and the Frog” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Character Design in a Television Production
Bryan Arnett “The Mighty B! - Catatonic” — Nickelodeon/Polka Dot Pictures/Paper Kite Productions
Ben Balistreri “Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends” — Cartoon Network Studios
Craig Kellman “Merry Madagascar” — DreamWorks Animation
Bill Schwab “Prep and Landing” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Character Design in a Feature Production
Daniel Lopez Munoz “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Shane Prigmore “Coraline” — Laika
Shannon Tindle “Coraline” — Laika
Directing in a Television Production
Pam Cooke & Jansen Yee “American Dad: Brains, Brains & Automobiles” — 20th Century Fox/Fuzzy Door/Underdog
Rob Fendler “Popzilla” — Animax
Bret Haaland “The Penguins of Madagascar - Launchtime” — Nickelodeon and DreamWorks Animation
Jennifer Oxley “The Wonder Pets: Help The Monster” — Nickelodeon/Little Airplane Productions
J.G. Quintel, John Infantino “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack: Candy Casanova” — Cartoon Network Studios
Directing in a Feature Production
Wes Anderson “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — 20th Century Fox
Pete Docter “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Christopher Miller, Phil Lord “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” — Sony Pictures Animation
Hayao Miyazaki “Ponyo” — Studio Ghibli
Henry Selick “Coraline” — Laika
Music in a Television Production
Michael Giacchino “Prep and Landing” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Kevin Kiner “Star Wars: The Clone Wars “Weapons Factory” — Lucasfilm Animation Ltd.
Guy Moon “The Fairly OddParents: “Wishology-The Big Beginning” — Nickelodeon
Music in a Feature Production
Bruno Coulais “Coraline” — Laika
Michael Giacchino “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Joe Hisaishi “Ponyo” — Studio Ghibli
John Powell “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” — Blue Sky Studios
Production Design in a Television Production
Mac George “Prep and Landing” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Andy Harkness “Prep and Landing” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Janice Kubo “Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends” — Cartoon Network Studios
Production Design in a Feature Production
Christopher Appelhans “Coraline” — Laika
Ian Gooding “The Princess and the Frog” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Tadahiro Uesugi “Coraline” — Laika
Christophe Vacher “9” — 9 L.L.C.
Storyboarding in a Television Production
Sunil Hall “The Mighty B!: Catatonic” — Nickelodeon/Polka Dot Pictures/Paper
Robert Koo “Merry Madagascar” — DreamWorks Animation
Brandon Kruse “The Fairly OddParents: Fly Boy” — Nickelodeon
Joe Mateo “Prep and Landing” — ABC Family/Walt Disney Animation Studios Kite Productions
Adam Van Wyk “The Spectacular Spider-Man: Final Curtain” — Culver Entertainment
Storyboarding in a Feature Production
Sharon Bridgeman “Astro Boy” — Imagi Studios
Chris Butler “Coraline” — Laika
Ronnie Del Carmen “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Tom Owens “Monsters vs. Aliens” — DreamWorks Animation
Peter Sohn “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Voice Acting in a Television Production
Danny Jacobs - Voice of King Julien - “Merry Madagascar” — DreamWorks Animation
Nicky Jones - Voice of Chowder - “Chowder: The Dinner Theatre” — Cartoon Network Studios
Tom Kenny - Voice of SpongeBob - “SpongeBob SquarePants — Truth or Square” — Nickelodeon
Dwight Schultz - Voice of Mung Daal - “Chowder:The Party Cruise” — Cartoon Network Studios
Willow Smith - Voice of Abby - “Merry Madagascar” — DreamWorks Animation
Voice Acting in a Feature Production
Jen Cody - Voice of Charlotte - “The Princess and the Frog” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Dawn French - Voice of Miss Forcible - “Coraline” — Laika
Hugh Laurie - Voice of Dr. Cockroach Ph.D. - “Monsters vs. Aliens” — DreamWorks Animation
John Leguizamo - Voice of Sid - “Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs” — Blue Sky Studios
Jenifer Lewis - Voice of Mama Odie - “The Princess and the Frog” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Writing in a Television Production
Daniel Chun - “The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XX” — Gracie Films
Kevin Deters, Stevie Wermers-Skelton - “Prep and Landing” — Walt Disney Animation Studios
Valentina L. Garza - “The Simpsons: Four Great Women and a Manicure” — Gracie Films
Billy Kimball and Ian Maxtone-Graham - “The Simpsons: Gone Maggie Gone” — Gracie Films
Billy Lopez - “The Wonder Pets - Save the Honey Bears” — Nickelodeon Productions/Little Airplane Productions
Writing in a Feature Production
Wes Anderson and Noah Baumbach - “Fantastic Mr. Fox” — 20th Century Fox
Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Tom McCarthy - “Up” — Pixar Animation Studios
Timothy Hyde Harris and David Bowers - “Astro Boy” — Imagi Studios
Christopher Miller and Phil Lord - “Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs” — Sony Pictures Animation
JURIED AWARDS
Winsor McCay Award — Tim Burton, Bruce Timm, Jeffrey Katzenberg
June Foray — Tom Sito
Ub Iwerks Award — William T. Reeves
Special Achievement — Martin Meunier and Brian McLean
Certificate of Merit — Myles Mikulic, Danny Young and Michael Woodside
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