Thompson on Hollywood

Talking Warrior with Hardy, Edgerton and O'Connor--and Dark Knight, Bronson, Great Gatsby

Lionsgate purposely opted to take an under-the-radar approach with Gavin O'Connor's Warrior, an original drama (a rarity these days) that pits two brothers against each other in an MMA tournament. Commendably, Lionsgate financed this $25-million picture starring two on-the-rise stars: Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton, as well as Nick Nolte as the father they both hate. While the movie is strong enough to warrant festival inclusion, Lionsgate's strategy isn't off-base--the movie will prove a discovery for many critics; expect raves.

By Anne Thompson
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August 30, 2011 8:28 AM
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Hunger Games Teaser: Thrilling or Disappointing?

Reaction has been tepid to this Hunger Games teaser, introduced on video by a low-key Jennifer Lawrence at the Video Music Awards Sunday night, which reaches the film's teen demo. Here's more on the upcoming franchise: details, cast, pictures.Get More: 2011 VMA, Music

By Sophia Savage
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August 29, 2011 3:56 AM
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Jennifer Grey Tweets Her Reaction To #DirtyDancingRemake

The original petite and sassy “Baby” from the 1987 Dirty Dancing, who held her own against Patrick Swayze’s sultry hulk, tweeted yesterday about the upcoming Dirty Dancing remake: “I love @Kennyortega and trust that he will do something special #DirtyDancingRemake.”

By Maggie Lange
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August 10, 2011 8:17 AM
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Video: New Dirty Dancing Director Ortega's Newsies with Singing, Dancing Christian Bale

As we reported Monday, Lionsgate is giving Dirty Dancing (1987) a makeover, directed by original choreographer Kenny Ortega. Lionsgate is revamping the classic after unsuccessfully releasing sequel Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights. The struggle here won't be to charge up teenage interest in the tale of teenage Baby’s forbidden romance with hip-swiveling Johnny Castle, packed with 60s classics from the original plus brand new compositions--just shove it down the willing throats of Glee, HSM and So You Think You Can Dance fans and the studio will make money. The struggle will be in creating a memorable film that has lasting powers of its own. Otherwise people will keep watching the original--nothing's stopping them so far. Do the math: Dirty Dancing was made for $6 million and brought in $213.95 million worldwide.

By Sophia Savage
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August 9, 2011 6:14 AM
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Kenny Ortega to Direct Lionsgate Dirty Dancing Remake

We haven't heard too much of Kenny Ortega since This Is It, his 2009 Michael Jackson documentary, but Lionsgate announced today that it will be producing a remake of Dirty Dancing with Ortega at the helm.

By Jacob Combs
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August 8, 2011 11:52 AM
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Hunger Games Franchise Wasting No Time: Sequel Catching Fire Coming Thanksgiving 2013, Pics

The second installment of The Hunger Games franchise (the first of which is currently shooting with director Gary Ross, stars Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth and Josh Hutcherson and many others), Catching Fire, will be released by Lionsgate November 22, 2013.

By Sophia Savage
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August 8, 2011 7:08 AM
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Lionsgate Acquires The Big Wedding: Big Cast Includes De Niro, Keaton, Sarandon, Seyfried

One of safe thing to greenlight is a wedding movie. Lionsgate has acquired US and UK distribution rights to The Big Wedding, currently shooting in Greenwich, CT, with Robert De Niro, Susan Sarandon, Diane Keaton, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Robin Williams, Ben Barnes and Topher Grace. The film, from writer-director Justin Zackham (The Bucket List) forces a long-divorced couple (De Niro and Keaton) to pretend they are happily married at their son's wedding. The plan goes awry, resulting in a "charming, rollicking movie that promises to be an instant intergenerational family comedy classic,” gushes Lionsgate president Joe Drake.

By Sophia Savage
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August 2, 2011 8:25 AM
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Hunger Games: Inventing a Franchise and Would-Be Heartthrobs With It: Hemsworth & Hutcherson

Lionsgate wants to launch a Twilight-scale franchise with its movie version of the Hunger Games young-adult book series starring it-girl Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen. Now EW is trumpeting two would-be male heartthrobs as well on its second EW's Hunger Games cover while the movie is still shooting. (More details on The Hunger Games here, and additional pics from EW below.)

By Sophia Savage
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July 28, 2011 5:22 AM
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Trailer Watch: Margin Call Spells Out Doom for Wall Street Financial Crisis

Check out this taut trailer for writer-director J.C. Chandor's indie Margin Call, inspired by true events leading to the 2008 financial crisis. Here's our Sundance interview with Chandor and star Zachary Quinto. The all star cast (with also includes Kevin Spacey, Jeremy Irons, Stanley Tucci, Demi Moore, Penn Badgley, Simon Baker and Paul Bettany) worked for next to nothing to get this movie made. Roadside will release the film October 21:

By Sophia Savage
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July 26, 2011 3:33 AM
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Dominic Cooper Talks Devil's Double: "Fast Cars, Sex, & Excitement"

There's plenty wrong with Lee Tamahori's The Devil's Double, but what's right with it is Dominic Cooper. The British actor (The History Boys, The Dutchess, Mamma Mia!, An Education, Tamara Drewe) plays both Saddam Hussein's son Uday Hussein and Latif Lahia, the man forced to be his double. Based on Lahia's memoir, the film takes some loose facts and then runs wildly into male-fantasy land. This is the sexy-music-video-violent-video-game take on Hussein's regime and its byproduct: a psychotic son that rapes, kills and snorts copious amounts of coke without thinking twice.