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Tag: Sony Pictures

  • Sony Pictures India unveils 2012 lineup

    Sony Pictures India unveils 2012 lineup

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures India expects 2012 to be a terrific year as it has unveiled its lineup that has five major franchises coming back.

    The lineup includes Men in Black 3 with Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones in 3D (May), The Amazing Spider-Man in 3D (July), the remake of 1991 blockbuster Total Recall with Colin Farrell (August) and Milla Jovovich in Resident Evil: Retribution in 3D (September).

    The next film is the Bond franchise titled Skyfall (November). The lineup will end with Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained that stars Leonardo DiCaprio on 28 December.

    Earlier this month, Sony Pictures released Kate Beckinsale’s fourth instalment of the Underworld series – Underworld: Awakening in 3D.

    Said Sony Pictures India managing director Kercy Daruwala, “After completing 75 years as a studio in India, and ending last year on a high with the tremendous success of The Adventures of Tintin, I can say without a doubt that the best is yet to come. 2012 has a dream lineup with five major franchises coming back. Together these franchises have made over Rs 2.61 billion at the box office in India. I am confident that these new titles are going to create new records. “

    The other films in the lineup include I Hate You Dad, Premium Rush, the claymation comedy The Pirates! Band of Misfits, the 3D animated film Hotel Transylvania and a revival of the cult 80s‘ TV series 21 Jump Street.

    “On the whole, we have an ideal mix of several big blockbuster action movies as well as comedy, drama and family films with an arsenal of great directors and top rung stars,” said Daruwala.

  • Sony puts off release of David Fincher film on censorship issues

    Sony puts off release of David Fincher film on censorship issues

    MUMBAI: Agitated with the Censor Board asking for several cuts in his film, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo director David Fincher has ruled out the release of the film in India.

    Fincher categorically told the producers Sony Pictures that if the film had to release, it should only be without cuts. Sony Pictures approached the director again but he denied permission forthright.

    Said a spokesperson from the production house, “Sony Pictures will not be releasing The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo in India. The Censor Board has adjudged the film unsuitable for public viewing in its unaltered form and, while we are committed to maintaining and protecting the vision of the director, we will, as always, respect the guidelines set by the Board.”

    Lovemaking scenes between computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) and the journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) have become the bone of contention. Besides, there are two lovemaking scenes between Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara) and Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), a lesbian scene featuring Lisbeth and a woman she meets at a bar and a scene where Lisbeth is raped and tortured. In the revenge scene, she tortures him and a video of her being assaulted plays in the background.

    The Censor Board had asked to blur out the scenes that have frontal nudity, but the Sony spokesperson said that scenes were specifically asked to be cut and not blurred.

    Here it may be added that The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo faced similar trouble in Malaysia and the Gulf countries while Japan rejected the first version but okayed the second version with pixilated scenes.

  • Fox Searchlight to distribute The Surrogate

    Fox Searchlight to distribute The Surrogate

    MUMBAI: In a deal, Fox Searchlight has lapped up the rights to distribute Ben Lewin’s The Surrogate in all territories worldwide. A source close to the deal pegs the price at around $6 million.

    In the fact-based film produced by Judi Levine and Stephen Nemeth, John Hawkes plays a 38-year-old poet and journalist in an iron lung who decides to lose his virginity with the help of Helen Hunt’s sex surrogate. William H. Macy plays the priest who provides guidance to the conflicted man.

    It may be remembered that at last year‘s festival, Searchlight bought Martha Marcy May Marlene along with two other films. The Surrogate is the company‘s first purchase at this year‘s festival.

    So far during the fest, Sony Pictures Classics has grabbed North American rights of Malik Bendjelloul‘s competition documentary Searching For Sugar Man while Magnolia Pictures has picked up Lauren Greenfield’s competition doc The Queen of Versailles.

  • Tom Cruise film tops in 3rd week too

    Tom Cruise film tops in 3rd week too

    MUMBAI: Paramount‘s Tom Cruise-starrer Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol kept up its reigning spree in the new year after grossing $31.3 million during the three-day New Year‘s weekend for an accumulated domestic total of $134.2 million.

    The studio estimates that Ghost Protocol will earn another $8.7 million on Monday–a national holiday–for a projected domestic total of $142.9 million. Overseas, the film has sailed past the $200 million mark and all in all, the film will likely earn $600 million globally.

    On the other hand, Steven Spielberg‘s War Horse moved up the box office chart to No. 4 after grossing $16.9 million for the three-day weekend and putting the film‘s eight-day intake to $43 million.

    At the specialty box office, the Weinstein Co.‘s Meryl Streep-starrer The Iron Lady bowed to impressive numbers over the three-day weekend grossing $221,752 from four theaters in New York and Los Angeles for a screen average of $55,438.

    Along with Sony Pictures Classics released Iranian film A Separation that debuted to $66,598 from three theaters for a screen average of $22,199.

    Game of Shadows grossed $22.1 million over the three-day weekend for a domestic cume of $132.1 million. The film grossed $18.3 million for a domestic cume of $94.6 million and it is said that the 3D toon should near $100 million on Monday.

    Both Game of Shadows and Sherlock have made up ground after muted openings over the Dec. 16-18 weekend.

  • Sony acquires rights of Woody Allen’s next

    Sony acquires rights of Woody Allen’s next

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Classics (SPC) has acquired all North American and U.K. rights of Woody Allen’s next, Nero Fiddled. Paris has grossed more than $56 million since its release in May.

    With this acquisition, this is Allen‘s fifth film to be released by SPC following his Midnight in Paris, his biggest success to date.

    “More laughs in this one than you can imagine,” SPC co-presidents Tom Bernard and Michael Barker has been stated to have said. “We know it‘s a bit premature, but thank you Woody and company for granting us the perfect summer comedy of 2012. Keep ‘em coming,” he added.

    Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penelope Cruz, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig and Ellen Page star in the Rome-set story.

    SPC previously released Allen‘s You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, Whatever Works and Sweet and Lowdown.

  • Sony releases 2012 line-up

    Sony releases 2012 line-up

    MUMBAI: After ending 2011 on an encouraging note with the success of The Adventures of Tintin, Sony Pictures has announced the line-up for next year with five major franchises being brought back along with awaited films from directors of the likes of David Fincher and Quentin Tarantino.

    The year begins with the already critically acclaimed and award-nominated The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the first of a trilogy starring Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara on 6 January, and ends with Quentin Tarantino‘s Django Unchained starring Leonardo DiCaprio on 28 December.

    Said Sony Pictures India managing director Kercy Daruwala, “After completing 75 years as a studio in India, and ending this past year on a high with the tremendous success of The Adventures of Tintin, I can say without a doubt that the best is yet to come. 2012 has a dream line-up with five major franchises coming back. Together these franchises have made over Rs. 261 crore at the box office in India.”

    The line-up includes the Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones-starrer Men in Black 3 in 3D that will releases in May, The Amazing Spider-Man in 3D in July, Skyfall, the next film in the Bond franchise in November.

    Also releasing would be the Kate Beckinsale-starrer Underworld: Awakening, the fourth installment of the Underworld series in 3D in January and Milla Jovovich‘s Resident Evil: Retribution in 3D in September.

    Also in the line-up are a remake of 1991 blockbuster Total Recall (releasing worldwide in August), Adam Sandler‘s comedy I Hate You Dad, Premium Rush starring Joseph Gordon Levitt, The Vow starring Rachel McAdams, claymation comedy The Pirates! Band of Misfits, 3D animated film Hotel Transylvania and 21 Jump Streeti, a revival of the cult 80‘s TV serie,s now as a major motion picture.

  • Tintin becomes highest grossing animated film in India

    Tintin becomes highest grossing animated film in India

    MUMBAI: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn has become the highest grossing animated film in India with a total gross of Rs 254.4 million at the box office while in its fourth week in theatres.

    Sony Pictures India managing director Kercy Daruwala said, “The film has been bolstered by strong word-of-mouth and we expect it to play for several more weeks. It is bringing in a lot of bulk bookings and repeat audiences because of the great 3D experience.”

    The film had earlier achieved the highest opening of all time for an animated film with a gross of Rs 73.5 million when it released on 11 November with 351 prints including English and Hindi in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D formats.

    The Adventures of Tintin has grossed approximately $221.6m internationally in box-office collections through its recent release in select territories, with several major territories such as the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Latin America yet to release.

  • Sony, FilmDistrict to distribute Evil Dead remake

    Sony, FilmDistrict to distribute Evil Dead remake

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and FilmDistrict in association with Ghost House Pictures will distribute the upcoming remake of The Evil Dead to be directed by Fede Alvarex.

    While Sony will handle the worldwide distribution, except for France and the UK, FilmDistrict will handle the distribution in North America.

    The film will be produced by Rob Tapert, Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead star) and the original director Sam Raimi.

    For 30 years, Sam, Bruce and I have been looking for the right home where we could return the deadites to the big screen,” Tapert has been quoted to have said. “Amy Pascal and Jeff Blake at Sony and Peter Schlessel at FilmDistrict have always been incredible partners who share our passion for great storytelling as well as our obsession for scaring the pants off the audience. Together, we are looking forward to terrorizing a whole new generation,” he added.

    The shooting of the film is expected to star next year.

  • Tintin records Rs 73.5 million in opening weekend

    Tintin records Rs 73.5 million in opening weekend

    MUMBAI: The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn has become the highest opening animated film in India, according to Sony Pictures India.


    The film garnered approximately Rs 73.5 million at the three-day box office with a 90 to 100 per cent occupancy in most centres. The film released with over 350 prints, a record-breaking number for an animated film in both English and Hindi in 3D, 2D and IMAX 3D formats.


    Said Sony Pictures India Managing Director Kercy Daruwala, “Not only is the animated genre gaining ground amongst all age groups in India, but Tintin is unique in the sense that the franchise is enjoyed and appreciated by a very wide audience right from kids to adults who grew up on Tintin.


    There is an amazing passion for both the franchise and the film in India with even celebrities like Aamir Khan giving the film an enthusiastic thumbs-up. Naturally, this is reflected in the wide release the film is getting in the country. The film’s collections have increased day upon day and we expect to see the film sustain strongly based on excellent word of mouth.”


    The film also garnered 3.5 to 4 ratings amongst all major reviewers.


    The film is also the first animated film to have made new inroads into smaller centres, having opened simultaneously across India in smaller cities such as Alwar, Gwalior, Akola, Amravati, Madurai, Salem and Trichur.


    The Adventures of Tintin has already garnered over $159m at the box office in Europe alone and has broken several records in countries like France and Belgium.

  • Zucker to retire as Sony Pictures Releasing International prez

    Zucker to retire as Sony Pictures Releasing International prez

    MUMBAI: Sony Pictures Releasing International president Mark Zucker is retiring and the company has promoted Steven O‘Dell to fill that role.

    The announcement was made by Sony Pictures Entertainment president, Worldwide Distribution Rory Bruer.

    Zucker was with Sony Pictures since last 27 years. He has worked closely with Bruer and Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing and Distribution chairman Jeff Blake, to build an international distribution team.

    O‘Dell, who joined Sony Pictures in 2005 as a VP, was promoted to senior vice president in 2009. In his most recent role, he oversaw Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain, Portugal, and Scandinavia.

    Bruer said, “Mark is one of the most highly regarded, well-respected, and well-liked executives in our company and industry. We are sorry to see him go, but we are happy for him – he‘s worked hard for this moment. We all dream of retiring when we‘re on top, but Mark has been on top for many years – we are thrilled to see him enjoy this next chapter. We also are thrilled to have Steven as our new International President. Steven is innovative, collaborative, and a strong leader. His promotion is well-earned and he is ready to step into this important role.”

    Among the many hits in his career, Zucker orchestrated the international releases of the Spider-Man franchise, The Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons, as well as the two most recent James Bond films, which were the highest-grossing films in franchise history.

    In recent years, Zucker has also overseen the distribution of international hits like The Smurfs, 2012, Hancock, and upcoming releases like The Adventures of TinTin.

    Under Zucker‘s leadership, Sony Pictures has surpassed $1 billion at the international box office in 11 of the past 12 years, including 2011. Since Zucker took over the reins of international distribution in 2001, SPRI has delivered 36 $100 million-plus releases and over $14 billion in box office.