Thompson on Hollywood

CinemaCon: Disney Showcases Mighty Labels, 'Lone Ranger' Trailer and Q & A Live Stream, 'Monsters U' (VIDEO)

Box Office

It's hard not to be impressed with the Disney empire that Bob Iger has assembled at the movie studio. It's a label strategy that assumes that if you buy the best and the brightest properties and manage them well you will come out ahead--from John Lasseter's Pixar and Ike Permutter's Marvel to Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks and Kathleen Kennedy's Lucasfilm. At the CinemaCon Disney presentation, new studio chief Alan Horn, who took over the Disney reins from ousted rookie Rick Ross, was well-known to the exhibitors, as he had been the warm and genial head of Warner Bros. for 11 years. He started out, rather oddly, stating his support of the long windows status quo, given boss Iger's known desire to squash ancillary windows and other studios' hard work behind the scenes to push back on this issue.

By Anne Thompson
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April 22, 2013 6:00 AM
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Casting Watch UPDATE: Morgan Freeman On Board for Wally Pfister's 'Transcendence,' Starring Depp, Hall, Bettany and Mara

News

The cast continues to grow for Wally Pfister's directorial debut, "Transcendence." Morgan Freeman is in final talks to star alongside Johnny Depp, Rebecca Hall, Paul Bettany and Kate Mara. The sci-fi film centers on a scientist (Depp) whose brain is posthumously uploaded to a supercomputer.

By Beth Hanna and Sophia Savage
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April 12, 2013 12:10 PM
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Sony Pictures Classics Nabs 'For No Good Reason,' Documentary on Gonzo Cartoonist Ralph Steadman with Johnny Depp

News

Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American rights to Charlie Paul's directorial debut, "For No Good Reason." The documentary centers on British cartoonist Ralph Steadman, best known for his artwork with author Hunter S. Thompson, and features Johnny Depp observing Steadman's working process at his home studio.

By Beth Hanna
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January 30, 2013 11:44 AM
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Filming Hunter S. Thompson's Writing: New Animation and Old Clips

Video

A decades-long history of mixed visuals represent the Gonzo journalist's exuberant words on film. In honor of Piotr Kabat's fantastic new animation of Hunter S. Thompson's work (posted here and below), we rifle through a few other films attempting to get to the heart of this wild figure.

By Maggie Lange
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January 17, 2013 11:18 AM
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Johnny Depp Signs on for Nolan Cinematographer Wally Pfister's Directorial Debut, 'Transcendence'

News

Johnny Depp is set to star in cinematographer Wally Pfister's directorial debut, "Transcendence." Written by Jack Paglen, and developed at Straight Up Films, the story is currently being kept a secret. Pfister did, however, drop these details...

By Sophia Savage
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October 24, 2012 12:40 PM
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Johnny Depp is Delving Into the Book Business

News

Johnny Depp is going to help run a publishing imprint and he's already got a big billing on the roster: Bob Dylan has signed on with "The Unraveled Tales of Bob Dylan," adapted from interviews with best-selling historian Douglas Brinkley.

By Maggie Lange
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October 16, 2012 11:59 AM
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Watch: Johnny Depp in Eye Liner in 'The Lone Ranger' Trailer

Video

One glance at this trailer for "The Lone Ranger" (July 3, 2013) and there's no need to announce that the remake comes from the filmmaking team behind "Pirates of the Caribbean." Per usual these days, Johnny Depp is in heavy character makeup as the brave and brilliant fool to his stalwart fair-haired companion (Armie Hammer).

By Maggie Lange
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October 3, 2012 11:32 AM
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Watch: Paul McCartney's Short 'My Valentine' Stars Portman & Depp; Screening with 'The Intouchables'

Video

Paul McCartney's debut short film (aka music video), "My Valentine," stars Johnny Depp and Natalie Portman and will screen in front of all showings of the Weinsteins' "The Intouchables," which opens this weekend.

By Sophia Savage
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May 25, 2012 11:49 AM
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Career Watch: The Commodification of Johnny Depp

Features

Johnny Depp's career has been set on cruise control for years, and it's worked splendidly. He's Hollywood's highest-paid actor along with Will Smith, received not one but two Golden Globe nominations in 2011 (for two of his worst films) and is happy getting paid stupid amounts of money even though he agrees it's ridiculous and does not find it stimulating.

By Sophia Savage
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May 14, 2012 4:12 PM
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Burton and Depp's 'Dark Shadows': Review Round-Up

Reviews

Warner Bros.' trailer for Tim Burton's eighth collaboration with Johnny Depp, "Dark Shadows," had me salivating for a witty 70s romp at the movies. And the movie looks and sounds great, with a witty Danny Elfman 70s score and a strong cast. So why is the film such an enervating disappointment?