Thompson on Hollywood

Finke vs. Waxman Redux

Here's the deal. Something's got to give in the trade space. Too many people are jostling for dominance in a very crowded pond.

By Anne Thompson
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April 23, 2010 10:16 AM
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Disney's Rich Ross Meets the Press

New Disney chairman Richard Ross put on a dog-and-pony show at the Burbank lot Thursday to introduce himself to a group of key entertainment reporters. This is what a new studio chairman does to deal with media requests for interviews and meetings and to alert Wall Street to a strong line-up in advance of an upcoming Disney earnings call. About 20 reporters attended, including the trades. Ross announced the breaking news that Pixar was ramping up a Monsters Inc. sequel for a November 15 2012 release and that Disney was dating their film Brave for June 15, 2012.

By Anne Thompson
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April 23, 2010 4:00 AM
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IFC Nabs SXSW Prize-Winner Tiny Furniture

IFC Films has acquired North American and multiple foreign rights to the critical hit of SXSW, writer-director-actress Lena Denham's Tiny Furniture, which marks the emergence of a fresh new voice in American indie film. Dunham not only won the narrative feature jury prize but also took home the festival’s breakout award for emerging narrative woman director. She stars in the semi-autobiographical DIY film, which she shot after graduating from Oberlin College, in familiar Manhattan locations on a miniscule budget.

By Anne Thompson
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April 23, 2010 2:59 AM
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Earth Day Alert: Landmark Theaters Go Green

To celebrate Earth Day--and to do the right thing in general--Landmark Theatres is launching a new line of eco-friendly paper popcorn bags in its 55 theaters. The chain sells almost 2 million bags of popcorn every year.

By Anne Thompson
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April 22, 2010 10:20 AM
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Howl Finds a Home, Will Smith Looks at Sequels, Live Baseball on PS3, Mags See Uptick

Adam Yauch's Oscilloscope Laboratories has finally acquired U.S. distribution for Sundance opener Howl. O-scope had three nominations at the last Oscars, so the Jeffrey Friedman/Rob Epstein Beat biopic adds a little wind to the distrib's sails. James Franco plays Allen Ginsberg in this historic evocation of the young poet's obscenity trial and off-beat lifestyle.

By Cameron Carlson
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April 22, 2010 7:12 AM
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Jim Carrey at Crossroads

Jim Carrey's A Christmas Carol and Yes Man were box-office disappointments and indie gay romance I Love You Philip Morris is currently on the shelf, caught in a distribution quagmire. What should the 48-year-old comedian do? In my ongoing Inside Movies column, I take a look at his career, from Ace Ventura to a bunch of projects that are in stall mode, from Ripley's Believe It Or Not (with Chris Columbus at Paramount) and The Three Stooges (stuck in development at beleaguered MGM) to Damn Yankees --Todd Graff is doing a rewrite and is set to direct for producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron.

By Anne Thompson
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April 22, 2010 6:58 AM
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New York Vulture Adds West Coast Editor Adalian, Newsweek.com Adds Exec Editor Snyder

New York Vulture has made a huge play in its ongoing onslaught on the online entertainment trade space: it has hired ex-Variety television reporter Joe Adalian and his TV MoJoe blog (started at TV Week) to be west coast editor. Adalian is the best-read reporter at Sharon Waxman's TheWrap, which has been seeking additional investment and potential partners. The move suggests that Adalian felt more secure (and presumably, well-paid) moving to a more established media entity.

By Anne Thompson
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April 21, 2010 9:21 AM
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Senate Committee Passes Wall Street Transparency Act Banning Box Office Trading

Whew! Even though the Fed has approved the existence of two companies seeking to market wagers on box office futures, the Senate Agriculture Committee on Wednesday could set back the financial ventures by passing the Wall Street Transparency and Accountability Act, reports the LAT, which includes a provision that bans trading on the box office:

By Anne Thompson
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April 21, 2010 7:30 AM
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SNL Presidents Reunion Funny or Die Video

If you missed this Funny or Die Presidents Reunion video starring Will Ferrell, Jim Carrey, Chevy Chase and Dan Aykroyd as ex-presidents lecturing Obama, it is hilarious (one reason why it's so good: it's directed by narrator Ron Howard):

By Anne Thompson
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April 21, 2010 7:22 AM
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Ted Turner to Speak at Producer's Guild Conference

The Producers Guild has booked Ted Turner, founder and chairman of the UN Foundation, to speak at this year's Produced By Conference to be held June 4-6 on the Fox lot. Turner will share ways to involve the creative community in important social and cultural causes on Saturday, June 5th at 11:30 AM PST. Participants can register here.