ITV

Category: International

  • Three producers pitch in for ‘Host 2’

    MUMBAI: Singapore‘s Boku Films, Korea‘s Chungeorahm Films and the Media Development Authority (MDA) have entered into a production agreement that will see the production of Host 2, a sequel of the 2006 hit The Host.

    Host 2 is the first Singapore-Korea co-production which comes after the sealing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2007 between MDA and KOCCA that emphasised the support of co-productions on Asian projects.


    The film scheduled for a 2011 release will be a joint venture of Korean producer Choi Yong-Bae of Chungeorahm Films and award-winning Singapore filmmaker Kelvin Tong of Boku Films.


    Other investors of Host 2 are SK Telecom and the Korea Creative Contents Agency (KOCCA).


    The Host attracted an audience of 13 million in Korea and till date remains the highest-grossing Korean film of all time.


    The monster movie about a mutant creature going on a rampage in Seoul was sold to 134 countries and grossed $90 million worldwide.


  • Venezuelan president considering Venice visit

    MUMBAI: Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez has said that he is considering going to Venice for the premiere of South of the Border. Chavez is the subject of Oliver Stone‘s next film.

    South of the Border which screens on Monday, features interviews with seven other Latin American leaders — including Cuba‘s Raul Castro, Brazilian leader Lula da Silva and Bolivian Evo Morales who talk about Chavez‘s views critical of the U.S.


    The President who has reportedly said that he enjoyed the Stone documentary, on Thursday said that he was considering taking Stone‘s invitation to the world premiere of the film.

  • Bella Thorne in HBO’s Big Love

    MUMBAI: Bella Thorne has been signed to play an important role on the upcoming fourth season of HBO‘s Big Love.

    It is understood that the role Thorne was to play was Christie, Barb‘s (Jeanne Tripplehorn) niece and Cindy‘s (Judith Hoag) daughter who has deep anger issues.


    But sources indicate that Thorne will in fact play Barb‘s daughter Tancy, replacing Jolean Wejbe, who played the role the first three seasons of the polygamist drama.


    Thorne recently played Christian Slater‘s daughter on NBC‘s My Own Worst Enemy and on ABC‘s Dirty Sexy Money.

  • The Twilight Saga: New Moon Midnight to screen at 382 locations

    MUMBAI: Regal Entertainment Group, a picture exhibitor owning and operating the largest theatre circuit in the United States has announced that tickets are now on sale for the midnight screenings of Summit Entertainment`s The Twilight Saga: New Moon.

    Fans will throng 382 Regal Entertainment Group locations in evening of 19 November to enjoy the midnight shows.


    Said Regal Entertainment senior vice president marketing and advertising Dick Westerling, “Our moviegoers can be amongst the first to see New Moon at special midnight shows in 382 Regal Entertainment Group theatres across the country.


    “Regal is excited to present the latest release based on Stephenie Meyer‘s bestselling book series. This film has a tremendous amount of awareness from fans around the world and is one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year.”

  • Warner tops as Hollywood continues bull run

    MUMBAI: Hollywood has had its fourth straight good run overseas, amassing $7 billion during the eight-month period ended August, up from $6.9 billion a year ago.

    Warner Bros. stood at the top, raking in $1.41 billion with the support of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, according to Nielsen EDI. Harry Potter mopped up $611.1 million from the overseas market. Incidentally, Prince emerged as the fifth title in the six-film series to gross more than $600 million internationally.


    The biggest title for Paramount Pictures was DreamWorks‘ Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen that grossed $428.6 million, significantly contributing to the $1.25 billion the production house garnered through August.


    Sony also recently hit the $1 billion international box-office mark with Ron Howard‘s Angels & Demons that grossed $351 million from overseas collections since 13 May. Terminator Salvation grossed $246 million since 27 May, nearly doubling its domestic take.


    Disney has reported total foreign box-office to date of $934.5 million, slightly ahead of its 2008 figure ($926 million) with Pixar‘s Up making $155.5 million abroad.


    This year, Universal has recorded $800 million from the offshore box-office with the action title Fast & Furious jumping the season by opening internationally in April and driving its way to $195 million so far.


    Last year, films from all six major studios grossed a total of $9.9 billion overseas, marginally up by 4 per cent from 2007‘s $9.5 billion.


    Trade analysts hope that the same would continue with a good line up of upcoming titles through the year‘s end.


    Among Sony‘s upcoming titles are Julie & Julia starring Meryl Streep and disaster film 2012 directed by Roland Emmerich. From the Disney stable, later this month, comes a Bruce Willis sci-fi thriller Surrogates followed by director Robert Zemeckis‘ 3D animated film based on A Christmas Carol with Jim Carrey.


    The trade expects Universal‘s Inglourious Basterds, directed by Quentin Tarantino, will continue its running streak till December and so will Pixar/Disney‘s Up.



  • Michael Jackson cremated at private ceremony


    MUMBAI: More than two months after his death, Michael Jackson was buried at a private ceremony in the presence of 200 family and friends yesterday night.


    It was a simple and tasteful affair which saw the singer‘s mother Katherine Jackson was seen overcome with grief.


    As Jackson‘s brothers carried his golden casket from an outdoor seating area into the mausoleum, Mrs. Jackson had to turn backwards.


    Jackson‘s golden coffin, draped in flowers with a crown perched on top had not been put into the vault by the time the mourners left. Celebrities had come in much earlier than 7 pm when the outdoor service was scheduled to begin.


    Parents Joe and Katherine Jackson and the singer‘s children, 12-year-old Prince Michael, 10-year-old Paris Michael and 7-year-old Prince Michael II were all seated in the front rows for the service.


    Nearly 435 media credentials were issued to reporters and film crews who remained at a distance from the service.

  • Liam Neeson not to attend Toronto Film Fest

    MUMBAI: Irish actor Liam Neeson will not to attend the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival for the world premiere of his new film Chloe, it is understood.
    Festival organizers had previously announced that the actor would grace the awards but Neeson is said to be busy filming The A-Team in Vancouver and the scheduling of the shoot wouldn‘t allow him to attend the fest.

    But some speculate it‘s the actor‘s


    grief that‘s keeping him from traveling to Toronto. Neeson was filming Chloe in the city when his wife, Natasha Richardson suffered a head injury in a ski accident in Montreal last March. Neeson left the set to be by bedside his wife in the hospital in New York where she succumbed to her injuries.

    The film‘s co-stars Julianne Moore and Amanda Seyfriend are expected to attend the festival.

  • Venice Film Festival kicks of in style

    MUMBAI: The Venice Film Festival that began last Wednesday will premiere Michael Moore‘s documentary on the U.S. economic meltdown and a drama starring Matt Damon

    Capitalism: A Love Story sees Michael Moore take on the corporate bosses with his trademark combative style, bringing the hot topic of economic gloom to the picturesque Lido waterfront while The Informant! directed by Steven Soderbergh featuring Matt Damon as a real-life crooked executive who exposed his company‘s price-fixing tactics, will be screened outside of competition.


    This year‘s jury is headed by Ang Lee.


    As usual, the film fest promises a global line-up with Egypt‘s The Traveller featuring Omar Sharif. Films from China, Austria, Israel, Japan, France, Hong Kong, Germany and Italy are also likely to be featured at the festival.


    The festival will run till 12 September.

  • Dark Film’s Husk – a horror film

    MUMBAI: Best known for playing the teenage Dexter in Showtime‘s Dexter, Devon Graye, along with CJ Thomason and Wes Chatham will star in Husk a horror film from After Dark Films.

    The story sees five friends on a weekend trip who get stranded in isolated farmland when crows attack their SUV. They soon realize that the cornfields are inhabited by re-animated human scarecrows who reproduce by killing and force their undead victims to join their ranks.


    Brett Simmons has also written the script is directing the project based on Simmons‘ short film.


    While Graye plays the head of the group, Thomason plays the blue-collar guy and Chatham is the jockey.


    The film has been produced by Courtney Solomon, Stephanie Caleb, Moshe Diamant and Limor Diamant for After Dark Films.

  • Michel Moore in fray for Venice’s Golden Lion award

    MUMBAI: This year the Venice,Film Festival has an impressive line up of films vieng for the Golden Lion prize.Filmmaker Michael Moore is using the fest to premiere his newest film Capitalism: A Love Story that centers around the US economic meltdown.

    Another hugely anticipated film is A Single Man directed by Tom Ford. It will star Colin Firth and Julianne Moore in the lead.

    Film personalities like Nicolas Cage, George Clooney, Oliver Stone, Charlize Theron, Eva Mendes, Richard Gere and Sylvester Stallone are expected to attend the festival which ends on 12 September.