Premiere Daily

1.1.08: A Look Back at 2007's Biggest Critical and Commercial Hits

Once, Ratatouille find critical mass as 2007's best

While Glenn Kenny has his picks and then some, the critical consensus on Rotten Tomatoes gives the nod to Once (98% fresh) and Ratatouille (97% fresh) as the year’s best films from 100 or more reviews. Other films receiving over 90% fresh marks included No Country for Old Men (95%), Away From Her (95%), In the Shadow of the Moon (94%), The Bourne Ultimatum (93%), Sicko (93%), Juno (93%), Gone Baby Gone (93%), Enchanted (93%), Hairspray (91%), The Host (92%), Rescue Dawn (91%), The Savages (91%), Knocked Up (90%) and Michael Clayton (90%). For the complete list, head to Rotten Tomatoes here.

12.31.07: 'Star Trek' meets Madea; 'Treasure' still a trove

Perry steers Star Trek's Starfleet Academy, National Treasure 2 doubles up at the box office, Borat's Cohen set to play Abbie Hoffman

Perry goes from Madea to master commander of the Starfleet Academy

According to UGO, Tyler Perry has been cast in his first role in a Hollywood film after his success with Diary of a Mad Black Woman and Why Did I Get Married? – and what a role it is. He will play the small, but pivotal role of the leader of the Starfleet Academy in J.J. Abrams’ reboot of Star Trek. More at UGO.

12.28.07: ‘Close Encounters’ with the National Film Registry

Library of Congress goes Back to the Future, Golden Globes consider going off the air, Fox joins iTunes, and more

Close Encounters, 12 Angry Men among 25 films to be preserved by Library of Congress

Twenty-five film classics, including Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Oklahoma!, and 12 Angry Men, have been selected for preservation by the Library of Congress. The films bring the total of the National Film Registry to 475 films that will be guarded against the deterioration that occurs to film stock and represent motion pictures that are “culturally, historically, or aesthetically” significant. Other films selected this year include Steve McQueen’s Bullitt, Back to the Future, In a Lonely Place, Dances With Wolves, Naked City, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance among others. More at the Associated Press.

First Pics from "The Incredible Hulk"!

Universal Studios' 2008 Preview Images have been released, and we've got our first official glimpse inside their re-imagining of The Incredible Hulk.

Want to see what Big Green looks like...?

12.27.07: 'High School Musical 3' May Not Be Saved By the Bell

High School Musical and Hannah Montana's big screen debuts to be delayed, Pixar's Up with Don Quixote-inspired tale, and more

Strike delays High School Musical 3

Zac Efron’s contract dispute and Vanessa Hudgens’ nude picture scandal may not have derailed the eagerly anticipated High School Musical 3 from coming to the big screen, but the ongoing writers’ strike may. According to Disney watchdog Jim Hill Media, production on the senior year at East High flick has been delayed indefinitely because the script isn’t in shooting shape yet. And worse yet for the Mouse House, The Hannah Montana Movie doesn’t look likely to make its April production start, meaning Disney will have to somehow hope they won’t lose the two franchises’ legions of fans before they turn 15. More at Jim Hill Media. And for more on the strike, check out Portfolio’s Hollywood Deal.

12.26.07: 'National Treasure 2' books $65M through Christmas

Cage finds $65M in Treasure sequel, Smith clears up Hitler controversy, and more

National Treasure 2 rings in the holiday with $65 million

National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets continued its box office rampage with an estimated total of $65 million through Christmas Day, followed by I Am Legend in second with $47.5 million ($150.8 million overall), Alvin and the Chipmunks in third with $32.8 million ($88.7 million overall), and the debuts of Charlie Wilson’s War in fourth with $14.75 million and Sweeney Todd in fifth with $12.75 million. More at Yahoo.

12.24.07: 'National Treasure: Book of Secrets' opens to $45.5M

National Treasure sequel is worth $45.5 million, Simpson's Ambition leads to disaster, Berg remakes Dune

Cage remains America’s National Treasure at the box office

National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets picked up where it left off, in more ways than one. The Nicolas Cage adventure film topped the box office with $45.5 million, which was good enough to send Will Smith’s I Am Legend to second place with $34.2 million ($137.4 million overall). In third place, Alvin and the Chipmunks kept singing with $29 million ($84.8 million overall) , followed by the debut of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts’ political satire Charlie Wilson’s War with $9.6 million. Johnny Depp’s Sweeney Todd came in fifth in limited release with $9.3 million while the Hilary Swank romantic comedy P.S. I Love You scored $6.5 million. Walk Hard, the weekend’s other new release, disappointed in eighth place with just $4.1 million. More at Yahoo.

12.21.07: 2008 Screen Actors Guild Award nominations are out

Into the Wild, Blanchett earn multiple nominations from SAG, writers plan to dress up for Golden Globes protest, and more

SAG Awards are 'Wild' about Penn's film

Despite being largely ignored by the Golden Globes, Into the Wild picked up some much needed momentum with four nominations for the Screen Actors Guild Awards. The Sean Penn-directed film will compete in the best ensemble category with Hairspray, No Country for Old Men, American Gangster, and 3:10 to Yuma. A full list of the film nominees, after the jump:

12.20.07: Raimi headed to 'Hell' before 'Hobbit'

Raimi gets dragged to Hell, Latifah, Hudson buzz around Bees, Golden Globes may be rickety if writers get pickety, and more

Raimi’s next film is straight from Hell, will likely follow with Hobbit

Sam Raimi will next direct the supernatural thriller Drag Me to Hell before likely seguing to direct the Peter Jackson-produced The Hobbit for New Line and MGM. Raimi co-wrote the Hell script with his brother Ivan and the film, about a mysterious curse, will be the first time Raimi has directed a film for his genre production company Ghost House. More at CHUD.

New "Hellboy II: The Golden Army" Pics!

Universal Pictures has just released some new glimpses of the Hellboy sequel in time for the debut of the first trailer (which'll be hitting the interwebs tomorrow).

Check out Hellboy II: The Golden Army's new, improved B.P.R.D...

12.19.07: Pitt climbs up the right 'Tree'

Pitt is a Life saver, Affleck carpetbags Norton's State, Jackson has $40 million more to spend on Christmas gifts, and more

Pitt gives new Life to Malick’s latest

Brad Pitt will star in Tree of Life, the latest film from legendary director Terrence Malick. The plot has long been kept under wraps, but Pitt would replace Heath Ledger in the lead role. Sean Penn has been attached to the project as well, though he has also signed on to the biopic Harvey Milk for director Gus Van Sant, which could complicate matters. More at Variety.

12.18.07: Return to the 'Ring': Jackson, New Line, MGM to make 'Hobbit'

Peter Jackson returns to the shire, will make The Hobbit for New Line and MGM

'Nuff said. Here's the press release:

Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:

* MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The Hobbit.” New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

* Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on “The Hobbit.” New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.

* Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the “Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) Trilogy.

12.18.07: Unlucky strike for Oscars and Golden Globes?

Oscars and Golden Globes set to be victims of the writers' strike, McGregor is Carrey's Love, Keener rents a room in Holofcener's latest, and more

There Will Be Blood, but will there be Oscars this year?

The Writers Guild of America rejected requests from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association to issue waivers for the use of guild writers for the Oscars and Golden Globes, respectively, since the Writers Guild is still on strike. The result could be catastrophic for both awards ceremonies, which rely on celebrities who may not cross the writers’ picket lines to attend. The WGA had previously given a waiver to the Screen Actors Guild Awards, but the actors’ union is an ally of the Writers’ Guild. More at The Los Angeles Times.

12.17.07: Smith's 'Legend' Continues to Grow with $76.5 million

Legend pulls in $76.5 million, AFI announces top ten films of 2007, Yoakam and McGraw saddle up to Witherspoon's Four Christmases, and more

$76.5 million opening is the stuff of Legend

Will Smith’s post-apocalyptic thriller I Am Legend broke records this weekend with an astounding $76.5 million haul, which shatters the previous record of $72.6 million held by The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. The weekend’s runner up, Alvin and the Chipmunks, didn’t do too shabby either, taking in an estimated $45 million, though the same can’t be said for New Line’s The Golden Compass, which dropped to first to third place with a meager $9 million ($40.9 million overall) and all but assuring that the film won’t recoup its $180 million-plus budget. In fourth place, Disney’s Enchanted continued to cast its spell with $6 million ($92.2 million overall) and rounding out the top five, the awards contender No Country for Old Men earned another $3 million, bringing its total to $33.5 million. More at Yahoo.

Batman and Joker "Dark Knight" Posters Revealed

In anticipation of the online debut of the first official Dark Knight trailer (not counting the dialogue-only teaser they put out around Comic Con), Warner Brothers has released a twin set of Dark Knight posters: One featuring Batman, the other his nemesis, the Joker.

(For those who can't wait for the online debut, go and see I Am Legend this weekend--which is exactly what WB hopes you'll do--and you'll catch it on the big screen. Web viewers will have to wait until early next week)

12.14.07: The next Bond is tied to 007?

Craig spills on what may be lucky number seven for Bond, Golden Globes reaction, Jackass 2.5's online debut, and more

Is the next James Bond title no longer for their eyes only?

Daniel Craig said he may have spoken too much when during the course of an interview for The Golden Compass he revealed that the title reflects his status as a 007 since in the first film, he was just a 00 and that the title may simply be numerical. More at Ain’t It Cool News.

In case you didn’t hear yesterday…

We have Golden Globe nomination news here, and Variety gets reactions from the stars here. And The Hollywood Reporter has even more here.

12.13.07: 2008 Golden Globes Nominees Announced

Atonement was the big winner at this morning's Golden Globe nominations as Golden Globes voters decided there were enough good dramas to expand the best picture (drama) category to seven films, though it wasn't enough to keep the survival tale Into the Wild from being snubbed. While the Keira Knightley-James McAvoy romance Atonement scored seven nominations, including best picture, best director for Joe Wright, and acting nominations for Knightley and McAvoy, despite the early announcement of two nominations for Eddie Vedder's score and original song for Into the Wild, the Sean Penn-directed film didn't land any of the top nominations in the best picture, best director or best actor category for Emile Hirsch. Here's a list of the nominees:

Best Picture - Drama

American Gangster
Atonement
The Great Debaters
Eastern Promises
Michael Clayton
No Country For Old Men
There Will Be Blood

Best Picture - Comedy or Musical

Across the Universe
Charlie Wilson's War
Hairspray
Juno
Sweeney Todd

Best Director

Tim Burton - Sweeney Todd
Joel and Ethan Coen - No Country For Old Men
Julian Schnabel - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Ridley Scott - American Gangster
Joe Wright - Atonement

Best Actor - Drama

George Clooney - Michael Clayton
Daniel Day-Lewis - There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy - Atonement
Viggo Mortensen - Eastern Promises
Denzel Washington - American Gangster

Best Actor - Comedy or Musical

Johnny Depp - Sweeney Todd
Ryan Gosling - Lars and the Real Girl
Tom Hanks - Charlie Wilson’s War
Phillip Seymour Hoffman - The Savages
John C. Reilly - Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Best Actress - Drama

Cate Blanchett - Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Julie Christie - Away From Her
Jodie Foster - The Brave One
Angelina Jolie - A Mighty Heart
Keira Knightley - Atonement

Best Actress - Comedy or Musical

Amy Adams - Enchanted
Nikki Blonsky - Hairspray
Helena Bonham-Carter - Sweeney Todd
Marion Cotillard - La Vie En Rose
Ellen Page - Juno

Best Screenplay

Diablo Cody - Juno
Joel and Ethan Coen - No Country for Old Men
Christopher Hampton - Atonement
Ronald Harwood - The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Aaron Sorkin - Charlie Wilson's War

Best Supporting Actor

Casey Affleck - The Assassination of Jesse James
Javier Bardem - No Country for Old Men
Philip Seymour Hoffman - Charlie Wilson's War
John Travolta - Hairspray
Tom Wilkinson - Michael Clayton

Best Supporting Actress

Cate Blanchett - I'm Not There
Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Amy Ryan - Gone Baby Gone
Julia Roberts - Charlie Wilson's War
Tilda Swinton - Michael Clayton

Best Foreign Language Film

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (U.S./France)
4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days (Romania)
The Kite Runner (U.S./Afghanistan)
Lust, Caution (Hong Kong)
Persepolis (France)

Best Animated Feature

Bee Movie
Ratatouille
The Simpsons Movie

Original Score

Michael Brook, Kaki King, Eddie Vedder - Into the Wild
Clint Eastwood - Grace Is Gone
Alberto Iglesias - The Kite Runner
Dario Marianelli - Atonement
Howard Shore - Eastern Promises

Original Song

“Despedida” - Music and lyrics by Shakira, Love in the Time of Cholera
“Grace Is Gone” - Jamie Cullum, Music by Clint Eastwood and lyrics by Carole Bayer Sager, Grace Is Gone
“Guaranteed” - Music and lyrics by Eddie Vedder, Into the Wild
“That's How You Know” - Music and lyrics by Alan Menken, Enchanted
“Walk Hard” - Music and lyrics by Marshall Crenshaw, John C. Reilly, Judd Apatow, Jake Kasdan, Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story

Go to GoldenGlobes.org for a full list of the nominees, including television here.

12.12.07: Critics Choice Awards Gone 'Wild'!

BFCA is where the Wild things are, Del Toro isn't afraid of Hater, Singleton wants to reunite The A-Team, and more

It’s a Wild world for Broadcast Critics Choice Awards

The Broadcast Film Critics Association announced their nominees for the 13th annual Critics Choice Awards Tuesday and Sean Penn’s survival tale Into the Wild scored seven nominations to lead all nominees, including nods in best picture and best director for Penn. The best picture nominees also included American Gangster, Atonement, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, Juno, The Kite Runner, Michael Clayton, No Country for Old Men, Sweeney Todd, and There Will Be Blood. VH1 will air the ceremony from the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium on January 7th. More at the Broadcast Film Critics Association home page.

12.11.07: 'Knowing' locks in Cage

Cage is Knowing his next project, New York Film Critics hail Old Men, New Indiana Jones poster, and more

Cage is a Know it all

Nicolas Cage will star in the apocalyptic thriller Knowing for Dark City director Alex Proyas. Summit Entertainment is producing the film about an educator whose findings from a time capsule leads him to believe that he may responsible for the impending end of the world. More at Variety. Also make sure to check out our gallery of Cage's latest, National Treasure Book of Secrets here.

12.10.07: 'Blood' runs deep in L.A., Boston appreciates 'Old Men'

There Will Be Awards: L.A. and N.Y. Online Critics are out for Blood, Boston has No Country

Film critics played film advocates in the Oscar race this weekend as the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics Online and the Boston Society of Film Critics gave out their annual year end awards. Paul Thomas Anderson’s greedy oilman tale There Will Be Blood earned best picture from the L.A. critics and the New York Film Critics Online, in addition to netting a best director award for Anderson and a best actor award for Daniel Day Lewis from both groups. In L.A., the best actress award went to La Vie En Rose’s Marion Cotillard for her portrayal of Edith Piaf, which also earned her a nod from the film critics in Boston. Thompson on Hollywood has a full list of the winners here.

12.07.07: Will and Rosario Gain 'Seven Pounds', First Look at 'Speed Racer' and 'X-Files 2' Casting Info

Clearly enraptured by the Oscar nomination he picked up for The Pursuit Of Happyness, Will Smith is hooking up again with Happyness's director, Gabriele Muccino, for more heavy-handed torment with an uplifting twist, playing a guilt-ridden man intending to top himself in a motel, only to fall in love with Rosario Dawson. Who, it turns out, suffers from a congenital heart condition. Kleenex mandatory, for sure... More at Variety.

12.06.07: 'Prince Caspian' Trailer Prevails, New Bond Villain Identified and Go, 'Speed Racer', Go!

“One year for them, 1300 years for Narnia,” read titles to the new Prince Caspian trailer, presumably not referring to how long it felt like sitting through The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe. The first Caspian trailer kicks off with the four Pevensie tykes being sucked out of mucky old London to arrive at The Beach, before boldly going where Lord Of The Rings has gone before (is that a Nazgul? And what’s Gandalf doing in Narnia?). Still, it does look a zillion times more exciting than the first film, with tidied-up effects and some top-notch smackdowns…
More at YouTube.

'Dark Knight' Six-Minute IMAX Prologue Shown in L.A.

Warner Bros. and IMAX debuted the six-minute opening scene from the Batman Begins sequel The Dark Knight to a group of Los Angeles journalists tonight with director Christopher Nolan in attendance to personally introduce the footage and grab a cocktail or two afterwards (a similar event was held in New York two nights ago).

So how is it? Well, let's just say that July can't get here soon enough.

National Board of Review Picks 2007's Best

The National Board of Review, a nonprofit organization dedicated to film appreciation and education, has just released its list of the best and the brightest of 2007.

'G.I. Joe' Appears to Have Found its Snake Eyes

Fan-favorite character Snake Eyes - a mute, black clad ninja warrior - is to G.I. Joe what Wolverine is to the X-Men, so as the big screen adaptation of the popular '80s television series and toy line ramps up, all eyes on who gets to play the mysterious badass.

Well, we appear to have our answer.

12.05.07: Jolie Lands Action Franchise, Norton Plays Twins and New 'Dark Knight' Poster

Angelina Jolie’s hunting down her own Bourne-style action franchise after Paramount Picture snapped up the life rights to Kathi Lynn Austin, a globe-trotting intelligence operative who was recently under contract to the UN Security Council. The film’s franchise-sparking Dr Evil will be a nefarious Russian arms dealer based on a real dude named Victor Bout. More at Variety.

12.04.07: Depp May Play Dillinger, Katherine Hiegl Blasts 'Knocked Up' and The Joker Rules IMAX

After blood-bathing in Sweeney Todd, Johnny Depp is eyeing up another gorehound role, that of infamous bank robber John Dillinger. With the writer’s strike putting his do-gooder-in-the-slums project Shantaram into deep freeze, he’s currently interfacing with director Michael Mann over a potential adaptation of Brian Burrough’s book about the Depression-era crime wave, Public Enemies. Depp and Mann: now that's an actor-director combo we’d love to see hooking up… More at The Hollywood Reporter.

John C. Reilly to Take 'Cox Across America'

While out promoting the film Walk Hard, multi-talented star John C. Reilly explained that he's taking his alter ego - embattled but amazingly prolific musical legend Dewey Cox - on the road for a series of live concert events.

12.03.07: Castingpalooza! Bale In 'Terminator 4' and 'Justice League' Stocks Up

Blogosphere fantasies came true over the weekend when Christian Bale was confirmed as the new John Connor in Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins, fourth instalment in the cyborg-scuffle franchise. Taking over from Edward Furlong and Nick Stahl before him, Bale’s battle against the machines is being primed for a summer 2009 release, a year after his reprise of the Caped Crusader in The Dark Knight. More at Yahoo News.