Premiere's Movie News and Views

03.31.08: '21' Cashes In, New 'Valkyrie' Pics & Martin And Keaton Get 'Happy'

21 stormed to the top of the box-office charts over the weekend, cashing in its chips for a $23.7 million haul. Inspired by the true story of six MIT students who swindled Vegas casinos for millions, Robert Luketic’s drama easily trounced the weekend’s other new entries, spoof-com Superhero Movie, which underperformed with $9.5 million to land at No. 3, and Stop-Loss, the latest Iraq War-themed project to be avoided at all costs by moviegoers. Kimberly Pierce’s drama ended up with an estimated $4.5 million and the No. 8 spot. Meanwhile, Horton Hears A Who continued its competition-trouncing run, vacuuming up another $17.4 million to bring its total to $117.2 million. It’s the first film to break the $100 million barrier in 2008. More at Variety

03.28.08: Quaid Joins 'Legion', Bello Replaces Gyllenhaal & The Lone Ranger Returns

Dennis Quaid is joining Tyrese Gibson, Charles S Dutton, Lucas Black and Paul Bettany in Legion, which will mark the directorial debut of Scott Stewart. The faith-based thriller casts Bettany as the archangel Michael, the only one defending mankind against a forthcoming apocalypse after God loses faith in humanity. Their only hope is a group of strangers who must deliver a baby who may be Christ in his second coming. More at Variety

03.27.08: Meet George 'W's Parents, Clooney Feels The 'Burn' & Maguire Gets 'Afterburn'

Oliver Stone is casting thick and fast on W, his fact-based foray into the formative years of George W. Bush. Having just hired Elizabeth Banks as Laura Bush, the tyro director has now set James Cromwell and Ellen Burstyn to play George Herbert Walker Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush. Shooting on Stone's drama kicks off at the end of April in Shreveport, Louisiana. More at Variety

03.26.08: Stone Casts Banks As Laura Bush, 'Wolfman' Producer Talks & Ritchie Planning 'RocknRolla' Trilogy?

Oliver Stone has hired Elizabeth Banks (Fred Claus, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) to portray Laura Bush in W, his biopic about the life and presidency of the White House’s current squatter. Josh Brolin will play George Bush and Stone plans to start shooting in late April. More at The Hollywood Reporter

03.25.08: Jackman’s A Real 'Nowhere Man', Marsden & Keener Get 'Nailed'

Hugh Jackman is teaming up with Eli Stone co-creator Marc Guggenheim and Virgin Comics to fashion an original comic-book series called Nowhere Man that will eventually become a big-screen franchise for the X-Men star. The story’s still under wraps but apparently will feature a protagonist in a futuristic world where humanity has swapped privacy for security. “I’ve had so much fun in the graphic novel world with the X-Men franchise,” says Jackman, who’s currently shooting the Wolverine prequel in Australia, “that I wanted to get even more involved.” More at Variety

03.24.08: 'Horton' Stays On Top, Gandolfini’s The Mayor & Spielberg Finds Tintin

Horton Hears A Who refused to budge from its perch atop the box office, adding another $25.1 million to its $86.5 million haul and knocking newcomers Tyler Perry’s Meet The Browns, Thai horror rehash Shutter and Owen Wilson comedy Drillbit Taylor into second, third and fourth place with $20 million, $10.7 million and $10.2 million respectively. Drillbit’s debut was particularly disappointing, the second letdown in a row for the Judd Apatow comedy factory after Walk Hard’s Christmas season flop-out. More at Variety

03.21.08: Scott & DiCaprio Go 'Low', Giamatti Joins 'Duplicity'

Ridley Scott and Leonardo DiCaprio, who recently worked together on Body Of Lies, may reteam for The Low Dwelling. Brad Ingelsby’s script is set in 1986 Indiana, where a man imprisoned for murder is released only to discover his loser brother has been killed after becoming involved in a seedy gambling racket. Rather than staying straight, he decides to avenge his brother’s death. With its No Country For Old Men-like storyline, Ingelsby’s dark thriller was snapped up for $1.1 million by Relativity Media, who envisage a short shoot that Scott and DiCaprio can squeeze in between bigger projects. More at The Hollywood Reporter

03.19.08: Sci-Fi Legend Arthur C. Clark RIP, Jack Ryan Back in Business, Michael Cera Gets Graphic

Sci-Fi Legend Arthur C. Clark Dies at 90
Science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke died early Wednesday, after reportedly suffering from breathing problems and post-polio syndrome.  During his career, Clarke wrote roughly 100 sci-fi books, most notably 2001: A Space Odyssey, which he and Stanley Kubrick adapted into a screenplay for the classic 1968 film of the same name.  In addition to his prolific career as a writer, he also was an inventor, scuba diver, visionary and all-around futurist. More at NPR.

03.18.08: Director Minghella Dies, 'Dark Knight' Stars Celebrate Ledger

Director Anthony Minghella, Dead at 54
Oscar-winning filmmaker Anthony Minghella, renowned for his lavish literary adaptations including the The English Patient, Cold Mountain and The Talented Mr. Ripley is dead, his agent has confirmed.  According to a spokesman, he was undergoing surgery for a routine neck operation when he suffered a brain hemorrhage.  His most recent project, telepic No 1 Ladies Detective Agency, will air on BBC One this Sunday. More at BBC News.

03.17.08: Seuss Rules at the Box Office, Universal's Dark Horse

Seuss Rules at the Box Office
Horton Hears a Who! won big at the box office this weekend, raking in $45.1 million — that'll buy a lot of Truffula seeds! Meanwhile, 10,000 BC roared in at #2 with $16.4M. Read Premiere's review of 10,000 BC here. Djimon Hounsou's butt-kicking flick Never Back Down picked up $8.6M, and College Road Trip came in at #4 with $7.89 million. Vantage Point rounds out the top five with $5.4 million in the bank. Check out Premiere's review of Vantange Point here.