ITV

Tag: Hollywood film

  • The Batman soars to a solid box office opening

    The Batman soars to a solid box office opening

    Mumbai: Actor Robert Pattinson’s childhood dream of playing Batman turned into box office success and a dream-come-true for Warner Bros as “The Batman” packed a punch, exceeding expectations and grossing $128.5 million domestically in its opening weekend. It was the best opening weekend for a film since Sony Picture Entertainment’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home” earned $260.1 million in its December debut, according to box office tracker, Comscore. 

    The opening also served as a signal light of hope that moviegoers are eager for a return to theatres. Warner Bros has reportedly committed to a 45-day window of exclusivity in theatres. Following that 45-day period, “The Batman” will hit HBO Max for streaming.
    Internationally, “The Batman” loomed large collecting $120 million in box office receipts in 74 overseas markets. The film had the best turnout in the United Kingdom, where it earned $18.4 million, followed by Mexico, where it earned $12 million. Other top territories include Australia ($9.2 million), Brazil ($8.8 million), France ($8.5 million), Germany ($5.1 million) and Korea ($4.4 million). The Batman doesn’t open in China, which is currently the world’s biggest theatrical market, until 18 March. It won’t play at all in Russia after Warner Bros opted to pull its release following the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

    In India, “The Batman” opened on 4 March to enthusiastic audiences and, according to BoxOfficeIndia, the film has raked in Rs 7.5 crore net on the second day of its release. Now, the total collection of the film in India is Rs 14 crore. The film is doing well in the metro cities and with Maharashtra allowing cinema halls at 100 per cent occupancy, this has boosted the collections.

    The dark take on the character, in which Batman investigates corruption in Gotham following the murders of several of the city’s prominent figures by the sadistic serial killer, the Riddler, has earned positive reviews. Variety’s Peter Debruge naming it a critic’s pick and writing that the “grounded, frequently brutal and nearly three-hour film noir registers among the best of the genre, even if, or more aptly because  of its willingness to dismantle and interrogate the very concept of superheroes.” 

    Audiences are also being extremely receptive, with the film scoring an ‘A-‘ CinemaScore, indicating strong approval from general ticket buyers. In addition, critics have praised Robert Pattinson for his fresh/gritty interpretation of the character. 

    Pattinson, who rose to global fame with the Twilight movies, follows in the footsteps of Adam West, Val Kilmer, Michael Keaton, Christian Bale and, more recently, Ben Affleck, among others, to play Bruce Wayne/Batman. Zoë Kravitz, who plays Catwoman was also singled out for critical commendation. Directed by Matt Reeves, “The Batman” also stars Colin Farrell, Andy Serkis and Paul Dano. 

    As reported in Variety, domestic audience demographics revealed a heavily male crowd for “The Batman” at 67 per cent, with the 18-34 crowd at 62 per cent, per PostTrak. Diversity draw was 41 per cent Caucasian, 26 per cent Latino and Hispanic, 17 per cent Black, and 16 per cent Asian/other. 

    Other CinemaScore audience diagnostics are showing males at 65 per cent, giving the movie an A-, females a B+ at 35 per cent. Those over 35 factored at 31 per cent of the crowd, while those over 50 showed up at 11 per cent. A- grades largely throughout all demos.

    Prior to this weekend, Tom Holland’s video game adaptation “Uncharted” held the title for the biggest opening weekend of the year with $44 million in initial sales. Now in second place, the Sony Pictures film pocketed $11 million from 3,875 theaters between Friday and Sunday, pushing “Uncharted” past $100 million at the domestic box office. Overseas, the PG-13 “Uncharted” added another $17.4 million from 64 foreign markets. Those revenues take the film to $171.3 million internationally and $271.5 million globally. 

    Elsewhere, Channing Tatum’s canine adventure “Dog” landed in third position with $ six million from 3,507 theaters. The road-trip buddy comedy is somewhat of an anomaly because it has managed to entice audiences without involving superheroes or intense CG-action sequences. “Dog” continues to surprise at the box office, crossing $40 million in North America over the weekend.

    Holdovers “Spider-Man: No Way Home” and “Death on the Nile” took spots four and five on domestic box office charts.

  • Zee TV tries to recapture the 8.30 pm slot with Do Dil…

    Zee TV tries to recapture the 8.30 pm slot with Do Dil…

    MUMBAI: Indian soaps have in the past brought stories from the big screen to the small screen and Zee TV is doing so for its upcoming show – Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se. The story – loosely based on the Hollywood film The Bodyguard – revolves around the adjustments one needs to make in his/her married life. Do Dil…will replace the long-running Hitler Didi from 12 August at 8.30 pm.

     

    The 8.30 pm slot is reportedly not a big one for most Hindi GECs and apart from apart from Sab’s Tarak Mehta ka oolta chasma and Madhubala ek ishq ek junoon on Colors, the others aren’t getting high ratings.

     

    However, Zee is optimistic about its upcoming primetime drama which delves a little deeper into the heart of a woman who marries a man who is unequal to her in every respect. The story unfolds in Jodhpur where Shivani and Raghu share a master – servant equation, respectively. Circumstances conjure up a situation where Shivani, the girl born to riches is married to an underprivileged Raghu.

     

    Says Zeel content head Ajay Bhalwankar: “The beauty of Do Dil Bandhe Ek Dori Se is its simplicity. The protagonists from two different backgrounds had different dreams while destiny etched out quite another plan for them. Raghu and Shivani are suddenly bound together by the design of destiny. It’s a wonderful and poignant story that showcases Raghu and Shivani’s journey from resistance to acceptance and embracing their destinies.”

     

    Producer Kalyan ‘Pintoo’ Guha and his wife Rupali of Film Farm Productions have signed on an impressive cast for the show. Says Rupali: “It’s with Zee TV that we began our television journey. We had produced Chausat Panne followed by Tumhari Disha and Rakhi. It’s an honor to produce our next show for Zee TV.”

     

    Arhaan Behl will enact the role of Raghu and Mansi Shrivastav will play the female lead, Shivani. Shivani’s grandfather will be enacted by veteran actor, Alok Nath as Balwant Rana. Rucha Gujarati and Vikas Sethi will be seen as Mahima and Jaswant Rana (Shivani’s bhabhi and bhaiyya) respectively.

     

    At the time of telecast, the drama series will be having 10 episodes in the can. There are two sets at Elora Studios, Dahisar – one being Raghu’s house with the second being Shivani’s house.

     

    The channel promises to go big on digital platforms like Facebook and Twitter. Apart from that the launch campaign of the show will include the use of audio visual mediums such as TV, DTH and cable in the Hindi speaking markets (HSM). Differentiated properties will be used in DTH such as shifting LCN, whereby a new channel will be created between any two existing channels where the show-related content will be telecast, and live streaming where as soon as one switches on their TV set and set top box, they will be diverted to the channel. Dish TV and Airtel subscribers will be able to experience this on the show’s launch day. Marketing initiatives have also been aligned around upcoming movies like Chennai Express.

     

    Media professionals say that Do Dil will do well, if the storyline and treatment is gripping and that is maintained through its life cycle. . Explains Maxus national director (insights) Priti Murthy: “Today there are two kinds of storylines which grace the screen – progressive and regressive. If the show has “entertainment” value and is able to excite the people it will work. It doesn’t matter if the show is old school or not. It should be able to excite people.”

     

    The folks at Zee TV and Film Farm clearly have their task cut out for them.

  • Anupam Kher’s Hollywood film gets People’s Choice Award

    Anupam Kher’s Hollywood film gets People’s Choice Award

    MUMBAI: Anupam Kher‘s well-applauded Hollywood film David Russell‘s Silver Linings Playbook has won the prestigious ‘People‘s Choice‘ award at the Toronto Film Festival.
    Kher‘s role in Silver Linings Playbook is the most substantial role by an Indian actor in a Hollywood film. Taking things cool, Kher says, “I‘m not saying anything about my role. I neither want to raise expectations of my audience back home nor play down my part. I know what it is. And I am very happy.”
    “The profile of my part is what matters. I could be in Woody Allen‘s You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger or I could be in Kyaa Super Kool Hain Hum. I enjoyed doing both. I‘ve done more than 450 films so far. I was only 26 when I played a 67-year old man in Saaraansh. From then on, I have tried to break the mould in Indian films. No one has helped me get where I am. I did it on my own, fearlessly.”

  • Aishwarya to co-star with Billy Zane in Hollywood film

    MUMBAI: If talks in film parleys are to be believed, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will soon be seen in a Hollywood film that will co-star Billy Zane of Titanic fame.

    “The actress has been approached by director Daniel Silva for his upcoming film along with TV actress Sarah Khan and singer Lucky Ali,” sources said.

    On her part Sarah has confirmed the story by saying, “I have signed the film. I have been told that the makers have approached Aishwarya. We will start shooting in Los Angeles from 13 September. It‘s a thriller and I will play Billy‘s wife.”

  • Lea Dizon offered to helm Hollywood film

    Lea Dizon offered to helm Hollywood film

    MUMBAI: Los Angeles-based 22-year old director-writer Lea Dizon has been offered to produce a Hollywood film. The offer came two months after Dizon secured her master‘s degree in Film and TV Production from the University of Southern California (USC) last year.

    GMA News Online, in its report has posted that Dizon related that a sci-fi movie project was broached to her by her graduate school classmates Matthew Breault and Alex George Pickering of the Fifth Floor Balcony Pictures.

    “I met both of them while taking my masters at USC. We were all in the same class. I have worked with Matt before and I think he is a talented director. When he pitched me the idea, which he co-wrote with Alex, I thought it was fantastic,” she has reportedly said.

    Impulse Control centers on the life of a family trying to survive in a world engulfed by a strange epidemic that immensely reduces human control over violent impulses. The report noted that the filmmaker will start rolling for Impulse Control later this year with release date set sometime in December next year.

    Originally from Angeles City, Pampanga, Dizon earned her Broadcast Communication degree from the University of the Philippines. Prior to chasing her American Dream in Los Angeles in 2007, Dizon initially worked as a writer and a producer in ABC 5 (now TV5) and ABS-CBN. Then, she became part of the creative department of ABS-CBN‘s film production arm Star Cinema.

  • DAM 999 gets two Oscar listings

    DAM 999 gets two Oscar listings

    MUMBAI: Despite getting a lackluster treatment from Indian audiences, director Sohan Roy‘s debut venture DAM 999, is looking to make it big at the Oscars. The film has been shortlisted among the 265 films that made to the ballot list for the 2012 Academy Awards.

    Incidentally, the film has made it to the Oscar shortlist as a Hollywood film.

    As if that was not enough, three songs of the film have found a place among the final 39 selected for the Academy‘s Original Songs category.
     
    The songs selected from DAM 999 are its theme song, Dakkanaga Dugu Dugu and Mujhe Chodke. While the lyrics have been penned by Roy himself, the music has been composed by Ousephachan.

    Commenting on the development Roy exclaimed, “This is a crowning achievement for DAM 999. I am happy that my dream project has attained the true recognition it deserves.”

    Malayalam film Adaminte Makan Abu is India‘s official entry.

  • British Olympic promo to become Hollywood film

    British Olympic promo to become Hollywood film

    MUMBAI: Inspiration, the three-minute promotional film created for London’s 2012 bid, will be transformed into a full length feature film. Moongate Films’ producer and founder Caroline Rowland and director Daryl Goodrich have signed an agreement in this regard with Paramount/Nickelodeon. 

    The producers have zeroed in on the working title Legend of the Rings for the film.

    Relating the story of four young Olympic hopefuls from across the world, the short film formed part of London’s successful presentation to the International Olympic Committee in Singapore last July. It highlighted London 2012’s commitment to inspire youth to take up sport through the Games.This full-length feature is intended for release to coincide with the Beijing Games in 2008, said an official release.

    London 2012 organising committee Chair Sebastian Coe says: “We are extremely proud of the Singapore film as it brought to life so perfectly the vision we created for the London Olympic Games to inspire the youth of the world.”

    “We are delighted that vision has captured the imagination of Hollywood.” Rowland adds. “It’s a universal story of triumph, tragedy and heroism that will appeal to children and families all over the world and, hopefully, inspire many who see it to follow their dreams.”

    This will be the U.K.-based production company’s first feature. Their sister-company, New Moon, specializes in commercials, promotional films and documentaries, adds the release.