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- 'Hunger Games': Why The Box-Office Odds Are In Its Favor
Riding high off its $150 million debut, experts predict that 'Hunger Games' isn't going to slow down anytime soon.
By Fallon Prinzivalli
Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: LionsgateMTV News reported earlier this week that "The Hunger Games" opening-weekend sales surprised box-office experts, and we can see why. They originally projected a $70 million debut for the dystopian film. What actually happened was a $150 million weekend that propelled the film to the third-highest opening weekend ever.
That sparks the question: How will the movie fare its second weekend?
The film's debut dominated the sales of the one movie everyone was comparing it to: "Twilight." The vampire franchise's initial film brought in $69 million its first weekend and quickly declined from there. Will "The Hunger Games" suffer the same fate? Phil Contrino from BoxOffice.com doesn't think so.
" 'Hunger Games' is holding up very well. It's quite clear by now that it's not going to suffer from a sharp decline the way that 'Twilight' did," he said. "The reason for that is the fact that adults are into it and they don't always rush out opening weekend." BoxOffice.com is predicting $72 million this weekend — $2 million above predictions for its debut. Contrino continued, " 'The Hunger Games' definitely has a shot at hitting $400 million domestically. It's a great accomplishment for the first film of a franchise to hit that mark."
Gitesh Pandya from Box Office Guru agrees. "Overall, 'Hunger Games' looks on track to finish its U.S. run with $350 to $400 million, which would be higher than the first 'Twilight' and 'Harry Potter' films." He commented that the movie ended its first full week with about $190 million, which is a new record for a non-sequel. "I expect it to easily hold onto the box-office crown this weekend with sales in the neighborhood of $70 million."
While "Wrath of the Titans" and "Mirror, Mirror" aren't slated to surpass "Hunger Games" this weekend, Contrino thinks next weekend will be more of a race. "It'll be interesting to see whether or not 'Titanic 3D' or 'American Reunion' will take it down. It's going to be close." Pandya disagrees, "The April lineup is not too strong, so 'Hunger Games' may just remain #1 for three or four weeks total." The rest of the year, however, gives them some competition. "It may not end the year as 2012's top-grossing film as both 'The Dark Knight Rises' and 'The Avengers' has the potential to become bigger blockbusters that play to broader audiences."
Check out everything we've got on "The Hunger Games."
For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.
Related Videos Related PhotosПереслать - 'Game Of Thrones' Season Two: Hopes And Fears
From Tyrion Lannister's wobbly fate to Daenerys Targaryen's newborn dragons, the MTV News team runs down their hopes and fears
By Josh Wigler
Natalie Dormer as Margaery Tyrell in "Game of Thrones"
Photo: HBO"Game of Thrones" fans have a lot to be excited about. A brand-new 10-episode season is set to premiere Sunday night, bringing viewers back to the wicked world of Westeros for the first time since poor Ned lost his head in the spring of 2011. With the series' de facto protagonist dead and gone, it's time for other characters to step up and fill the void — such as the heroic Robb Stark, the villainous Joffrey Baratheon, and even the morally ambiguous Tyrion Lannister. As "Thrones" moves further along in author George R.R. Martin's original "Song of Ice and Fire" timeline, fans can expect more and more cheers, jeers and flat-out dumbfounding shocks all season long.
All of which is to say that, yes, many "Thrones" fans are hopeful about the new season ... but there are also legitimate concerns to consider. If the series is willing to behead its central character with a full episode to go before the first season finale, who knows what could happen next to the most beloved of characters?
For your reading pleasure, the MTV News team's most devoted "Thrones" fans joined together to share their hopes and fears for the coming season. Read on to see if you share their joys and concerns.
Small People, Big World
Starting with the biggest highlight of "Game of Thrones" — Emmy winner Peter Dinklage's turn as Tyrion Lannister, naturally — our resident Westeros worshipers are all very excited to see not just Tyrion's next adventure, but also the bastard Jon Snow's travels north of the wall."Jon Snow's plotline picks up after a boring first season on the Wall. He finally travels north into the Haunted Forest, and he'll definitely encounter some pretty nasty things," said producer Stacey Sommer. "As for Tyrion, he'll certainly have his hands full with a crumbling King's Landing this season, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of Peter Dinklage on the small screen."
Hands Off Our Imp
Speaking of Dinklage, everyone with even the faintest appreciation for "Thrones" can agree that the show would not be the same without Tyrion in tow. But we probably could have said the same thing about Sean Bean's Ned Stark before season one reached its end, couldn't we? To that end, our team was in complete agreement with a Chris Crocker-inspired plea: Leave our Imp alone!"If the first season of 'Game of Thrones' taught us anything, it's that no one is safe — no matter how beloved or seemingly significant their character is," said Amy Wilkinson, editor of Hollywood Crush. "So please, please be careful, Tyrion Lannister. We can't do without your witty one-liners."
Off With Joff's Head
Turnabout is fair play, they say. With that in mind, there's one character that everyone wants to see dead before much longer. "All I want from my 'Game of Thrones' season two is for Joffrey Baratheon to die a miserable, painful and gruesome death," staff writer Kara Warner offered. "I've never wished for a fictional character's demise more than Joffrey, except for maybe Viserys. God, those two are awful.""Is it too much to ask for Joffrey Baratheon's head on a stick?" agreed Amy. "But seriously, vengeance for Eddard Stark's brutal beheading needs to be swift and savage and preferably at the hands of Robb Stark. Or, even better, young sister Sansa."
MTV News producer Ade Mangum chimed in: "I would enjoy a spoiler alert with news that Joffery won't be around much longer. I don't doubt that the directors of 'Thrones' told [actor Jack Gleeson] to channel Draco Malfoy, and maybe even my bratty little sister."
Creedence Blackwater Revival
You'll find no spoilers regarding Joffrey's ultimate fate here, Ade, but at least this much is true: War is coming. There's one particularly epic battle coming up called the Battle of Blackwater, and while it's easily a highlight in the books "Thrones" is based upon, our team is concerned that the scene won't be nearly as epic on the small screen."My one nagging fear is that the Battle of Blackwater is not going to be as epic and awesome — and Tyrion-centric — as it was in the book," said MTV Movies Blog contributing writer Terri Schwartz. Stacey echoed those fears: "The entire season leads up to this moment, so it would be a shame if they shortchanged the action. I would love to see an entire episode dedicated to just the battle! "
(Psst: Considering that the season's ninth episode is titled "Blackwater" and is written by "Ice and Fire" author George R.R. Martin, you just might get your wish, Stacey.)
Fire And Blood
Finally, going into season two, there's one particular cliffhanger that everyone's excited to see more of: wandering queen and khaleesi Daenerys Targaryen's newborn dragons. The return of dragons for the first time in centuries is a major plot point in the continuing tale of "Thrones" — a risky proposition not just for viewers who've become accustomed to the relatively low-level fantasy world of Westeros, but for creators pinning so much importance on a trio of computer-generated characters."I think my biggest fear of all is that the dragons are going to look terrible," Ade said. "I just hope the CGI team is working overtime on season two."
If I can break down the fourth wall for a moment: I've seen the first four episodes of season two, and they're glorious, dragons and all. Dany devotees, if no one else, have nothing to be concerned about in the dragon department.
What are your biggest hopes and fears going into "Game of Thrones" season two? Let me know in the comments section or hit me up on Twitter @roundhoward!
Related Videos Related PhotosПереслать - 'Mirror Mirror': The Reviews Are In!
Critics agree the Snow White adaptation is 'not the fairest of them all.'
By Fallon Prinzivalli
Lily Collins in "Mirror, Mirror"
Photo: Relativity MediaBefore it even hit the box office, "Mirror Mirror" was viewed with a critical eye as two Snow White adaptations had announced their release dates a month apart. But with the release of the trailers, it was clear that the two movies were very different. The Tarsem Singh film is a quirky comedy from the vantage point of the Evil Queen (Julia Roberts) over the traditional Snow White (Lily Collins), while "Snow White and the Huntsman" is about the epic battle Snow White (Kristen Stewart) must fight for her life. Unfortunately for those involved in the former, as the reviews pour in, it's obvious the movie is making critics grumpy.
The Story
" 'Mirror Mirror' begins with an impressively animated recap of Snow White's predicament: Banished to her castle by a wicked stepmother after her father the king disappears, and being played by such a vacantly pretty ingenue as Lily Collins. Collins conveys a properly Audrey Hepburn princess look and the acting range of a runway model. The damsel's role is always distressed. The queen has run the kingdom into the ground, funding a lavish lifestyle with escalating taxes. After sneaking out for a tour of the squalor, Snow sides with the other 99 percent. Their relationship is further strained with the arrival of handsome Prince Alcott." — Steve Persall, Tampa Bay TimesThe Laughs
" 'Mirror Mirror' is unfair to people expecting more than a few good laughs. Scenes proceed lethargically, with pauses after punch lines where Tarsem must hope for audience laughter. Anachronistic gags (as when the Prince tells Snow White that he has to be the hero because 'it's been focus-grouped — it works') break whatever luscious spell the art direction and costumery might create. On their first meeting in the woods, the Prince tells the dwarfs, 'You're short, and it's funny.' Well, the film is shortish (106 mins.) but it's also epically unfunny. The producers should have handed the script to an actual clever person like Paul Rudnick ('In & Out,' 'Jeffrey') and told him to send it back in a week, with solid jokes and a buoyant spirit." — Richard Corliss, TimeJulia Roberts
"Roberts has had exactly one high point ('Duplicity') since winning her Oscar in 2000, and she acts here as if simply appearing in a floofy dress is high hilarity. Her 'playfulness' seems like work and her cartoony maliciousness is dull. (Charlize Theron, who plays the queen in this summer's more serious 'Snow White and the Huntsman,' needn't fret.)" — Joe Neumaier, New York Daily NewsThe Visuals
"Singh, whose eye-popping tribute to the Silent Era, 'The Fall,' was several years ahead of 'The Artist'/'Hugo' curve, never lets his attention waver from the production design — those beautiful, snowy, birch tree forests; the parapets; cliffs; and opulent palace digs. He lets his stars deliver their lines — some with more flourish and wit than others (among the dwarfs, Jordan Prentice and Danny Woodburn get off the best) — but his eye is mostly on the gilt and the silk, the CG-ed skies, and the eerie, iced-over lake that separates the castle from the town." — Steven Rea, Philadelphia InquirerThe Final Word
"The whole thing lacks tonal cohesion, lurching from Tim Burton-style comic grotesquerie to underpowered action set pieces to a gratuitously self-referential Bollywood production number on the end credits. The impression is that of a director constantly fighting to put his stamp on material that's foreign to him, and unable to figure out what that stamp should be." — David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter"Not the fairest of them all." — Matt Stevens, E! Online
Check out everything we've got on "Mirror Mirror."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related VideosПереслать - 'Twins' May Find Long-Lost Triplet In Eddie Murphy
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito may reunite for 'Triplets,' the sequel to the 1988 comedy 'Twins.'
By Gil Kaufman
Eddie Murphy
Photo: Getty ImagesSome old movie franchises never die, they just go into the deep freeze for, oh, almost a quarter century. Case in point: "Twins." Surely you remember the hit high-concept 1988 comedy starring then-huge actor Arnold Schwarzenegger and his half-sized "brother" Danny DeVito? The goofball premise had the two stumbling through wacky adventures, with the, ahem, intellectual, physically perfect Julius (Arnold) struggling to connect with his long-lost small-time crook fraternal twin bro Vincent (DeVito) after the pair were separated at birth.
Bottom line: The movie grossed more than $200 million worldwide, and now, Universal Pictures is hoping to reboot the franchise nearly 25 years later. There is, of course, a new twist: Not only would the former California governor and the "It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia" star be reprising their roles, but they would find out that the mad scientists who created them also cooked up a third brother.
Cue "Triplets," with third comedic wheel Eddie Murphy. The Hollywood Reporter said no director is connected to the flick yet, but noted that original director Ivan Reitman, would be onboard as a producer through his Montecito Picture Co. banner. The backers are still looking for writers to work up a script, and while the actors are reportedly attached to star, the studios have not yet sat down to discuss the creative aspect of the project.
The film could be a boon for Murphy, who is coming off yet another box-office bomb with the long-delayed "A Thousand Words," while Schwarzenegger is still attempting to revive his acting career after two terms as California governor and a nasty split from his wife, Maria Shriver. DeVito has continued to appear in mostly under-the-radar films for the past five to six years, but has a solid hit on his hands at the moment as the voice of "The Lorax."
Переслать - 'Wrath Of The Titans': The Reviews Are In!
The 3-D may be a step up from 'Clash of the Titans,' but critics are panning the sequel as 'relentlessly mechanical.'
By Kevin P. Sullivan
Sam Worthington in "Wrath of the Titans"
Photo: Warner Bros.If you've read any Greek mythology, you know that after the Titans' clash comes their wrath. Two years have passed (10 years in movie time), and Sam Worthington is back as Perseus to once again save humanity from the gods who would destroy it.
The makers of the Greek sequel (Greequel?) have cleaned up the messy 3-D from "Clash of the Titans," but according to most critics, "Wrath of the Titans" doesn't do much else to improve upon the original.
Here is our roundup of what the critics are saying about "Wrath of the Titans."
The Story
"Now widowed, Perseus is living as a fisherman and raising his son, Helius (John Bell). But upheaval lurks when he's approached by Zeus for help. Apparently, humanity isn't as devoted to worshiping the gods as they were, and the pantheon is in danger of losing its immortality. Armageddon looms. Perseus initially avoids entering the fray, but soon he's thrust into a struggle involving Hades and Ares, who have joined forces and captured Zeus, aiming to siphon off his godly powers." — Claudia Puig, USA TodaySam Worthington
"Maybe it's just my imagination, but Sam Worthington seems to be getting slightly less stiff as an actor. He now smiles occasionally, and he's at least risen to the soulful inexpressiveness of the young Ryan O'Neal. For a movie like 'Wrath of the Titans,' which is basically 'Gladiator' crossed with 'Lord of the Rings' crossed with a special-effects demo reel (call it 'Lord of the Rinky-Dink'), he's the perfect actor. And that's because he never threatens to overshadow all that fire." — Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment WeeklyThe Action
"But this is a movie in which whole sequences consist of nothing but guys fighting stiff computer images. Such scenes would be boring even were they done well, but these scenes aren't done well. There's an elaborate sequence inside a labyrinth-like cave, in which the stone walls and floors are constantly shifting. But even this has no impact, because we can practically see it on a computer screen." — Mick LaSalle, San Francisco ChronicleThe 3-D
"I should have added that the movie is in 3-D. This is not a help. 'Wrath of the Titans' is to begin with a dusty, murky pictorial confusion, not helped by dim underworld scenes, and although I'm sure the focus must be excellent, it had an imprecise feeling to me. Then the 3-D glasses did their bit to reduce the light level from the screen, and unlimited clouds of smoke, dust and sand were generated by the explosions." — Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-TimesThe Final Word
"Serving up more action and better visual effects and 3-D than the 2010 'Clash of the Titans,' along with a barely-there screenplay that merely functions to notify Perseus which enemy or monster he should hack or skewer next, this is a relentlessly mechanical piece of work that will not or cannot take the imaginative leaps to yield even fleeting moments of awe, wonder or charm." — Todd McCarthy, Hollywood ReporterCheck out everything we've got on "Wrath of the Titans."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
Related VideosПереслать - 'Game Of Thrones' Season Two: The Reviews Are In!
Critics are raving about new season, with one reviewer describing HBO fantasy series as 'spiritual heir' to 'The Sopranos.'
By Josh Wigler
Carice Van Houten as Melisandre in "Game of Thrones"
Photo: HBOWinter is behind us in real life, but in the brutal realm of Westeros, it's just days away.
When "Game of Thrones" returns Sunday for its second season, the days of Lord Eddard Stark of Winterfell will be behind us, with the reign of Tyrion Lannister (and another Emmy-worthy performance from Peter Dinklage) in our future. Based on the second novel in George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series, "A Clash of Kings," season two of "Thrones" promises even more political intrigue, warfare, sex and violence than ever before — and given the show in question, that's certainly saying something!
Several critics have already seen the first episode of the new season of "Thrones," and with very few exceptions, their reactions have been overwhelmingly positive. Here's a taste of the reviews:
The Story "It's a pleasure to see that 'Game of Thrones' hasn't lost a grip on its ability to tell a vast, interconnected story without slowing down the pace. What's truly impressive is that as life is breathed into these storylines, 'Game of Thrones' just gets better and more fulfilling as a top-tier television series. The intrigue of the plot and the keenly drawn characters — plus the sense instilled in Season 1 that absolutely anything can happen and no one is safe — makes the show all the more compelling." — Tim Goodman, The Hollywood Reporter
Accessibility for Non-Readers "I had read the first volume of George R.R. Martin's saga 'A Song of Ice and Fire' (the source material for this series) before I watched the first season of 'GoT' so I would be familiar with the vast array of characters and plots that would develop. But I intentionally did not read the epic's second volume, 'A Clash of Kings,' before watching the start of 'GoT' season 2, because I wanted to see if I'd have trouble following the new intricacies. And I'm here to report that my lack of homework in no way prevented me from becoming enthralled with this series all over again. That's a testament to what adapters David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have accomplished in whittling down and reshaping Martin's novels for weekly TV. It's difficult enough to hook a viewer like me, who resists sprawling, noncontemporary narratives; it's another level of pop culture wizardry to make such storytelling seem so vivid, so vital, and just plain fun." — Ken Tucker, Entertainment Weekly
Blood and Boobs " 'Thrones' creates such a rich visual feast — replete with plenty of gratuitous nudity and blood-letting — as to almost obscure its fundamental storytelling pleasures, which are as much a mob drama as anything else, having traded bullets for broadswords. By that measure, this really might [be] the closest spiritual heir to 'The Sopranos' HBO has delivered since the show's notorious whiteout." — Brian Lowry, Variety
The New Guys in Town "Even though I'm a fan of Martin's novels, I must confess that I always found the Stannis retainer Davos Seaworth fairly bland and boring, but Liam Cunningham, like Emilia Clarke, ably brings to life a character who could seem rather remote on the page. Several other smaller roles have been filled with lively specificity, but I have to wonder if we'll get enough time with each of these people. Will the plight of Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie), a stoic warrior who nurtures an unrequited love for royal contender Renly Baratheon, be as sadly evocative as it was in the books? Will there be time for the show to do more than lightly sketch the dilemmas of minor but interesting characters like her?" — Maureen Ryan, Huffington Post
The Bottom Line "As with the novels, this 'Game of Thrones' is breathtakingly ambitious, an ever-unfurling tapestry that threatens, at times, to overwhelm its frame. That it does not is a testament to the power of piecework — art is not defined by the space it occupies but by its details, the truth it captures. Many heads bend over this adaptation, each belonging to a master of his or her craft, and what emerges is a truly new, and miraculously accurate, definition of epic television." — Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times
Are you excited for more "Thrones" action? Tell us in the comments section or hit me up on Twitter @roundhoward!
Related Videos Related PhotosПереслать - Snow White Puts Up A Fight In 'Mirror Mirror'
Lily Collins tells MTV News her Snow is a 'young woman who found out that she can save a prince as much as a prince can save her.'
By Kara Warner
Lily Collins
Photo: MTV NewsIf you're looking for a fun, fantastical, family-friendly movie to see this weekend, Tarsem's "Mirror Mirror" has you covered. The visually appealing and star-studded film is a new spin on an old classic, featuring an exuberant "man child" of a prince played by Armie Hammer, Oscar winner Julia Roberts as an unhealthily vain Evil Queen and Lily Collins as a more independent and self-assured Snow White.
When MTV News caught up with Roberts and Collins recently, we asked them to explain how their characters differ from the familiar fairy-tale mold.
"I think she's deeply misunderstood," Roberts said of her Evil Queen. "And I think she is correct in her ambition and drive and desire and focus to annihilate Snow White. And I don't think there's anything wrong with that. She's clear," she joked. "She's exacting."
Collins explained that her Snow White is not your typical damsel in distress. "She really becomes a fighter, emotionally and physically, and turns into this young woman who found out that she can save a prince as much as a prince can save her," she said. "She really becomes this fighter, and I got to swordfight and fence and wrestle and do all these cool things that you don't normally associate with a princess."
Speaking of fighters and swordfights, we couldn't help but ask for the castmembers' opinions on the fact that another Snow White-centric film, "Snow White and the Huntsman," will be hot on the heels of "Mirror Mirror" when it opens June 1 and how it might fare against their film.
"I'm interested to see what they did," Hammer admitted. "I think what we did is make a movie that's family-friendly. The parents are going to go to it and enjoy it almost as much as the kids are. Plus our movie kicks that movie's ass, let's be honest," he added with a grin. "Yeah. And we're out first. And we're gonna kick their ass!" he joked, clearly not concerned with competing against "Huntsman." "We're gonna make so much more money than they are! Our Rotten Tomatoes score is gonna be so much higher."
Check out everything we've got on "Mirror Mirror."
For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.
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