“Superman Returns” Passes $200M Domestic Mark October 23, 2006 7:11 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in Movies, News, Superman Returns.add a comment
“Superman Returns” has surpassed $200,000,000 in domestic box office since its release this past May.
The movie made $173,300 over the weekend frame, passing the mark on Sunday.
Its current domestic box office total stands at $200,006,305 and its current foreign total stands at $190,000,000 for a total worldwide take so far of $390,006,305.
“Superman Returns” is the highest grossing ‘Superman’ movie in both domestic and worldwide takes.
It is the 5th highest domestic grossing movie of the year and is Warner Bros. 10th highest grossing domestic movie of all time, directly behind “Batman Begins'” $205,343,774 of last year. Compared to “Batman Begins”, however, “Superman Returns” has a nearly $20 million advantage in worldwide box office thanks to a higher overseas gross.
A sequel to ‘Returns’ is in the planning stages and is rumored to have a release set for a May 2009 debut.
Free Blu-ray Movie to Be Bundled With PS3 October 20, 2006 10:06 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in Blu-ray Disc, HD DVD, Microsoft, News, Sony, Video Games.add a comment
On launch day, The Playstation 3 will be bundled with a free Blu-ray movie, “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby”, the Nascar racing comedy starring Will Ferrell.
That addition was one of many announcements given at a Sony’s Gamers’ Day conference yesterday, including free online gameplay from launch.
The Sony Playstation 3 will go on sale November 17th in two flavors; a full-featured WiFi enabled version with a 60GB hard drive for $599.99 and a non WiFi enabled 20GB version for $499.99.
Microsoft is expected to release their HD DVD Add-On for $199.99 in mid November. That will enable Xbox 360 users to add HD DVD playback (the other high definition optical disc format). It will also be bundled with a free movie, the 2005 hit “King Kong”.
At 8:00 PM on NBC, It’s Reality Only October 20, 2006 9:54 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in News, Television.add a comment
As part of its restructuring plan announced by NBC Universal, NBC will no longer program any scripted series in the 8:00 PM time-period on weeknights beginning next season.
Citing increased development and production costs as the reasoning, NBC network chief Jeff Zucker has announced plans to replace all drama in the time-period with reality or game-shows only. “It’s good economics,” Zucker says, “concentrate the high-cost shows at 10 p.m. and the inexpensive game and reality shows at 8 p.m., and you won’t need to air as many expensive shows.”
Only time will tell if this strategy will pay off, but one wonders what will happen to the few shows currently airing in the 8PM time-period. Those shows include “Friday Night Lights” on Tuesday, “30 Rock” and “Twenty Good Years” on Wednesday, and “My Name Is Earl” and “The Office” on Thursday nights.
Fox/TBS to Rotate MLB ALCS and NLCS Playoffs [Update] October 20, 2006 8:59 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in News, Sports.add a comment
Update: Final figures reveal that the deal is for $70 million per year.
Original October 20, 2006 article:
In a deal reportedly in the $45-50M range per year, TBS has secured the rights to the 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2013 National League Championship Series and the 2008, 2010 and 2012 American League Championship Series (Fox will air the series’ in the years between).
The CW Picks Up Full Seasons of “The Game” and “7th Heaven” October 20, 2006 8:35 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in News, Television.add a comment
The CW has given a full-season order to its only remaining new show this season, “The Game”. Its other new series, “Runaway”, has already been canceled.
The series hasn’t faired that well in the ratings, but it has done well in one of the networks key demos (W18-34), holding onto 95% of its lead-in “Girlfriends”.
“The Game” has averaged 2.69M viewers through three new episodes this season.
“7th Heaven” was also given a go-ahead on a full season order.
King Of The Hill Returns In January October 20, 2006 7:02 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in News, Television.add a comment
The 11th season of “King of the Hill” will premiere Sunday, January 21st at 7:30 PM on FOX.
Created and exec-produced by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, “King of the Hill” is the second-longest running sitcom behind another Fox show, “Simpsons”.
The season finale this past May was expected to be the show’s last airing, and Fox even decided against returning it, but they had a change of heart late in the game, and decided to return the show as a mid-season replacement.
The 10th season opened with 7.15M viewers, before settling into an average of 5.68M viewers a week through 15 new episodes.
‘Halo’ Movie Loses Studio Backing October 20, 2006 6:39 pm
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in Movies, News.add a comment
Universal Studios and Fox Studios have cut their participation in funding the game-based movie, apparently over budget concerns.
The movie, an adaption of the very successful Xbox series, was said to have been approaching a budget of $200 million, though studio reps will only confirm a pricetag in the neighborhood of $150 million, minus a reduction of 12.5% for shooting in New Zealand.
Its suspected that both studios were uneasy with the deal that Microsoft (the game’s publisher) was set to receive, and were negotiating to lower it. That deal was for a $5 million upfront payment and 10% of the films gross.
“October Road” Picked Up By ABC October 20, 2006 2:01 am
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in New Show Orders, Television.add a comment
ABC has ordered six episodes of the drama “October Road”.
The series stars Tom Berenger as a young novelist who returns home to teach at a local university.
Amazon Adds to Unbox Service With A Few Showtime Series October 20, 2006 2:01 am
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in Television, Video Downloads.add a comment
Amazon has added a few more television shows to their recently debuted Video Download service titled Unbox.
The series, which will be sold individually for $1.99 each or at a slight discount if purchased by season, include “Weeds,” “Sleeper Cell,” and “Penn & Teller: Bullshit!, and the pilot episode of new series “Dexter”, which will be sold for only one cent.
In An Effort To Bring Total Spending Down, NBC Universal Will Cut more than 700 Jobs October 20, 2006 2:00 am
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in News, Television.add a comment
NBC Universal is cutting about 700 jobs to save the company about $750 million in spending.
The restructuring follows a July initiative that NBC Universal Television Group President Jeffrey Zucker billed as a comprehensive review of a media business that needs to change with evolving digital technologies. The company has been challenged by a ratings decline at NBC that is only beginning to turn around, and NBCU last week said second quarter profit dipped 10 percent from a year earlier.
The new plan, dubbed NBCU 2.0, will bring big changes for the news division, which has been the focus of the most persistent job-cut rumors. The boldest stroke will move MSNBC to NBC News’s Manhattan headquarters at 30 Rockefeller Plaza from the cable channel’s New Jersey home of 10 years.
For more on this news, please follow the link to the source.
ABC Gives Full Season Order To “Brothers & Sisters” October 20, 2006 1:59 am
Posted by Rosario T. Calabria in News, Renewals, Television.3 comments
“Brothers & Sisters” will have a chance to play out its full season, as ABC has given the go ahead on the back nine.
Though the series has not been able to match the performance of former time-period holder “Grey’s Anatomy”, it consistently performs well in A18-49, where it is currently the second highest rated freshman series in the demo (behind “Heroes”).
Through 4 episodes, the series has averaged 13.58M viewers and a 4.9 A18-49 rating.
Your Entertainment Now 