ITV

Tag: Universal Pictures

  • Charlie Hunnam gets Christian Grey role in Fifty Shades Of Grey

    Charlie Hunnam gets Christian Grey role in Fifty Shades Of Grey

    MUMBAI: Sons of Anarchy star Charlie Hunnam has officially been set to play Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey, the Universal Pictures and Focus Features adaptation of the runaway bestselling book series.

     

    Hunnam, who had been rumored for weeks, more recently starred in the Guillermo Del Toro-directed Pacific Rim. Author EL James made the casting official on her Twitter page. Sam Taylor-Johnson is directing a script by Kelly Marcel and Michael De Luca and Dana Brunetti are producing along with the author.

     

    This follows after the official casting of Dakota Johnson to play the role of Anastasia Steele. Grey is the young, wealthy industrialist with a dark past who favors S&M relationships. His loyalty to the dominant-submissive subset is tested when he meets the young college graduate Anastasia Steele, who seems like the perfect girl for him.

  • Universal’s ‘Despicable Me 2? crosses $800mn worldwide

    Universal’s ‘Despicable Me 2? crosses $800mn worldwide

    MUMBAI: Universal Pictures’ Despicable Me 2 continues to rake it in around the globe. The animated sequel surpassed the $800 million mark with Friday’s estimated domestic grosses of $349.9 million and $451.4 million international bringing the worldwide take to $801.3 million.

     

    The Universal and Illumination Entertainment pic has opened at No.1 in 45 territories and is the second highest grossing pic of 2013 worldwide behind Iron Man 3. Domestically it’s No.2 and internationally only third behind Iron Man 3 and Fast & Furious 6.

     

    Last month NBCUniversal chief Steve Burke declared Despicable Me 2 the studios’ most profitable film in history; it’s also Uni’s second highest grosser of all time worldwide behind Jurassic Park.

  • Vin Diesel to be seen in ‘World’s Most Wanted’

    Vin Diesel to be seen in ‘World’s Most Wanted’

    MUMBAI: Universal Pictures has roped in the famed The Fast and the Furious actor to be the lead of the movie. Dan Mazeau is the script writer who had previously co-written the script for Warner Bros‘ Wrath of the titans. The action adventure movie is being rewritten by him. The original was written by Will Staples and Sean O‘Keefe.

    Neal Moritz will be producing the movie. Moritz and Diesel have worked together on The Fast and the Furious series. Mazeau is represented by CAA, Circle of Confusion and Katz Golden while Diesel is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

  • You On Demand expands to IPTV platform for VoD service in China

    You On Demand expands to IPTV platform for VoD service in China

    MUMBAI: Pay-Per-View (PPV) and Video On Demand (VOD) platform service in China YOU On Demand, has signed a distribution agreement with Tianjin IPTV (Internet Protocol Television), which covers households across 16 major districts and counties in the greater Tianjin metropolitan area.

    You On Demand will officially launch with Tianjin IPTV immediately following the completion of the Chinese New Year celebration which began on 10 February, 2013.

    IPTV is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal and cable television formats.
    The signing with Tianjin IPTV represents an expansion of YOU On Demand‘s services from cable to the IPTV platform, thus increasing the number of customers who can view the wide variety of films YOU On Demand delivers each month through its Transactional Video On Demand (TVOD) and Subscription Video On Demand (SVOD) packages.

    You On Demand chairman, CEO Shane McMahon said, “You On Demand is always seeking to partner with new and exciting distribution platforms in order to deliver the highest quality entertainment experience to the broadest reach of existing and potential new customers.

    “We are honored to partner with Tianjin IPTV and are looking forward to reaching this new consumer base.”

    You On Demand currently has content deals in place with studios including Disney Media Distribution, Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Warner Bros. and Miramax Films as well as a selection of content from Chinese filmmakers.

  • Universal acquires Bigelow’s bin Laden film

    Universal acquires Bigelow’s bin Laden film

    MUMBAI: Universal Pictures International has acquired international distribution rights of Kathryn Bigelow’s yet untitled feature film about the killing of Osama bin Laden. It will distribute the film in the UK, France, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Scandinavia, South Africa and Spain.

    The project from Annapurna Pictures was written by Mark Boal, who had earlier teamed with Bigelow for The Hurt Locker.
     
    Bigelow and Boal will produce alongside Megan Ellison of Annapurna. Greg Shapiro, Ted Schipper and Colin Wilson will serve as executive producers.

    A few days ago, the Obama administration had arranged to get special access to government officials involved in the operation that killed Osama bin Laden for Bigelow and Boal.

  • Golden Lion for Francesco Rosi

    Golden Lion for Francesco Rosi

    MUMBAI: Italian director- screenwriter Francesco Rosi will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 69th Venice International Film Festival scheduled to go underway from 29 August to 8 September.

    Rosi, who will turn 90 on November 15th this year, will be given the award on August 31st, on the occasion of the screening of the restored copy of his masterpiece Il caso Mattei (The Mattei Affair, 1972), a restoration completed by Martin Scorsese‘s The Film Foundation.

    Commented Rosi, “I am honoured and very happy to receive this extremely prestigious acknowledgment, which has been awarded in the past to many great authors whom I love and admire.

    The director won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival in 1963 for his film Le mani sulla citt?(Hands over the City) and also won the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival for Il caso Mattei (The Mattei Affair) in 1963.

    Universal Pictures wants director-writer Richard Curtis to come up with a follow-up to hit 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually.

    The film, which focused on different characters trying to find love, was a big hit at the box office and now Universal chief Eddie Cunningham is hoping to convince the film‘s writer to pen a sequel.

    “I think there should be a Love Actually 2. I‘d give it a green light. I think many American movies try to emulate that brilliant format where the stories interweave and no one‘s on screen for more than six minutes, but only Richard has achieved it. It really makes you appreciate the beauty of his writing,” Cunningham said.

    Love Actually boasted an all-star cast, including Hugh Grant, Colin Firth, Liam Neeson, Keira Knightley, Emma Thompson and Alan Rickman.

  • Copyright case against Jodi Breakers makers in Bombay High Court

    Copyright case against Jodi Breakers makers in Bombay High Court

    MUMBAI: The release of The Jodi Breakers is said to be in a limbo with Universal Pictures International France and Ors (a co-producer of Heartbreakers and a part of American entertainment company NBC Universal Inc) filing a case against producers Prasar Visions in the Bombay High Court for infringement of copyright. They have also asked for a compensation of Rs 500 million.

    It has been reported that the Bipasha and Madhavan-starrer has been allegedly inspired from the French film Hertbreakers, starring Romain Duris and Venessa Paradis. It is also reported that Insia Dariwala, a relatively unknown writer-filmmaker, claimed to be the original owner of the idea behind the film.

    It so happened that when several Bollywood filmmakers including Karan Johar were negotiating with the makers of the French film, the producers were surprised to see the promos of Jodi Breakers, the plot of which was strikingly similar to their film.

    Accordingly, the French producers have filed the case against five people – the producer, director Ashwini Chaudhary, the writer and the processing lab. They have also questioned Dariwala’s claim that the producers stole her idea.

    The Neolegal Associates (a leading intellectual property firm which handles litigations for Hollywood studios) is representing the producers of Heartbreakers in the Court case.

    Other films that were caught copying Hollywood content were UTV that made Shoebite, based on Manoj Night Shyamalan‘s Labour of Love, Ravi Chopra‘s Banda Yeh Bindaas Hai that was a copy of Twentieth Century Fox’s My Cousin Vinny, and the makers of Knock Out that was copied from the Twentieth Century Fox film Phone Booth.

  • Universal chalks out 100th birthday programme

    Universal chalks out 100th birthday programme

    MUMBAI: To make its 100th birthday more lively Universal Pictures has chalked out a five-pronged programme.


    The five pronged activities are: Major Film Restoration Commitment: The studio will restore thirteen films over the course of the centennial year. The restoration effort includes films like All Quiet on the Western Front, The Birds, Buck Privates, Dracula (1931), Dracula Spanish (1931), Frankenstein, Jaws, Schindler’s List, Out of Africa, Pillow Talk, Bride of Frankenstein, The Sting and To Kill a Mockingbird.


    The studios second endeavour for its 100 birth anniversary is: Unveiling of New Logo: The studio will unveal an updated animated logo at the February premiere of its upcoming feature film Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax and at its US theatrical debut on March 2.


    The updated logo will be used on all Universal Pictures films going forward and will be integrated into all aspects of the company’s business as well.
     
    The third endeavour is Home Entertainment: Universal Home Entertainment will be introducing a limited edition 100th Anniversary Collector’s Series featuring some of the aforementioned film restorations on Blu-rayTM in collectible, book-style packaging showcasing rare movie memorabilia and brand new 10-minute video featurettes.
     
    In addition, special collections will be released throughout the year culminating in the highly anticipated Blu-rayTM releases of Universal’s Classic Monster and Alfred Hitchcock series.


    Theme Park Celebrations: Universal’s Parks and Resorts will help highlight the campaign with centennial specific content and merchandise throughout both the Orlando and Hollywood locations.


    And finally Website and Social Media Campaign: Universal will be engaging fans across multiple social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Tumblr and Pinterest.

  • Universal Pictures International to launch standalone theatrical

    Universal Pictures International to launch standalone theatrical

    NEW DELHI: Universal Pictures International is to launch a standalone theatrical distribution operation in India and expects to bring some major hits next year.

    “With 2012 bringing us arguably Universal‘s best slate in several years, we have high aspirations for the market,” said Universal President (International) David Kosse, adding that distributing in India had always been an ambition for Universal Pictures International.

    The new unit will be headed by managing director Sarabjit Singh, who previously spent more than a decade with Paramount Films of India as general manager.

    He is credited with overseeing the release of 276 films from Universal and Paramount and of pioneering the Hindi, Tamil and Telugu dubbed release of Jurassic Park, a move which proved a hit with Indian audiences and caused most other Hollywood films to release films with local language voice tracks.

    “Sarabjit has been instrumental in UPI‘s success in India. His experience in setting up distribution operations in the market will be invaluable as we build our team,” said UPI President of Distribution Duncan Clark.