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They’re back. Rlje Films presents the Stephen King reboot Children of the Corn by Kurt Wimmer on 500+ screens. It’s a redo of the classic 1984 slasher-horror film about kids possessed by a demonic spirit in a dying cornfield, with bloody, rampaging results.

King’s iconic short story features a 12-year-old Nebraska girl who recruits the kids in her small town for a killing spree of all the adults, and anyone else who opposes her. A bright high schooler who won’t go along with the plan is the town’s only hope of survival. There are some new twists, in Wimmer’s version, the corn is genetically modified. Starring Elena Kampouris, Kate Moyer, Callan Mulvey and Bruce Spence.

The story is great, spawning numerous spinoffs beginning with Children of the Corn II: The Final Sacrifice in 1992 followed by Children of the Corn III: Urban Harvest in 1995. Most went direct to video.

There is a casual vibe to The Forger, written and directed by Maggie Peren, that reflects its hero’s stubborn optimism in the face of very real danger. This informal energy feels incongruous to the content at first, lending an uncomfortableness to this true story that proves very effective. Louis Hofmann plays Cioma Schönhaus, a young Jewish man in 1942 Berlin. In order to keep a factory job while the war’s still on, the former art student must endure an anti-semitic boss and brutal conditions so as not to be shipped away to a concentration camp. Meanwhile, his family’s apartment and possessions are set to be taken from him by the government, his parents having already been deported.

Despite all this, his demeanor is pleasant, his manner hopeful. When Franz Kaufmann (Marc Limpach) offers Schönhaus rations and shelter if he’ll forge ID cards that will usher Jews to safety,...

Hayden Panettiere and her family are remembering her late brother and actor Jansen in their first public statement since the Walking Dead actor died suddenly at 28 last week.

In a statement to ABC News, Jansen’s family — including sister and Scream 6 star Hayden, his father Skip and mother Lesley Vogel — celebrated the young performer’s charisma, warmth and compassion. They also championed his many talents beyond the screen, including his appreciation for the visual arts.

“Jansen’s heart could be seen in his eyes, and his charm in his brilliant, engaging smile; his soul in his masterful and revealing paintings, and the joy of life in his dry wit,” the family told ABC News. “His charisma, warmth, compassion for others and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered.”

The family also revealed Jansen’s cause of death as cardiomegaly,...

The family of Jansen Panettiere confirmed to ABC News that the 28-year-old actor’s sudden passing was due to “cardiomegaly (enlarged heart), coupled with aortic valve complications.”

Jansen, the brother of actress Hayden Panettiere, died over President’s Day weekend in New York.

“Jansen’s heart could be seen in his eyes, and his charm in his brilliant, engaging smile; his soul in his masterful and revealing paintings, and the joy of life in his dry wit. His charisma, warmth, compassion for others, and his creative spirit will live forever in our hearts and in the hearts of all whom he encountered,” the family’s statement continued. “We sincerely appreciate the outpouring of love and support towards our family as we navigate this unthinkable loss, and ask that we be gifted our privacy during this time of mourning. We love you so much Jansen and you will be in our hearts forever.

Travel within Europe is returning to normal as the coronavirus pandemic winds down. The same is not yet true in Asia, where some countries are behind the pandemic curve – Hong Kong is currently closed to all travel from nine countries – making FilMart’s online market a viable way of connecting film industry buyers and sellers without the quarantine and testing hassle.

Eight European sales companies make their FilMart debuts this week on the Europe! Umbrella! stand at this year’s third virtual edition of the Hong Kong rights market. In total, 25 European sales outfits, hailing from eight countries have signed up to use the European Film Promotion-operated platform within a platform.

For Asian distributors which did not make it to Berlin and the European Film Market the umbrella allows them to dip into several Berlinale titles where rights in Asia are still available.

These include Coproduction Office’s Berlin competition...

Exclusive: Laurence Fishburne is set to join Liam Neeson to star in the upcoming action adventure film The Ice Road, which Jonathan Hensleigh will direct from his screenplay. Shivani Rawat’s ShivHans Pictures is boarding the action film as producer and co-financier alongside producer/financier Code Entertainment. Pic is underway in Winnipeg, Canada.

Starring with Fishburne and Neeson will be Ray McKinnon (Ford V Ferrari) Marcus Thomas (The Forger), Benjamin Walker (Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), and Amber Midthunder (Hell Or High Water).

The film tells the story of a rescue mission over a frozen ocean to save trapped miners in a collapsed diamond mine in the far northern regions of Canada. Fishburne will plays Goldenrod, the trucking company owner who hires driver Mike (Neeson), and accompanies him on the dangerous mission.

Hensleigh’s credits as a writer include Die Hard with A Vengeance, Armageddon and Jumanji, and he directed The Punisher and Kill The Irishman.

A bloodied Jackson (Scott Eastwood) fights to survive after taking a gunshot to the chest in our exclusive clip from the upcoming Western Diablo, arriving in theaters and VOD platforms including iTunes on January 8. Adam Beach is also featured in this scene as Nakoma, an Indian who uses a bizarre method to help his wound heal. This Indian healer also reveals that his son dragged Jackson here on the back of his horse, and Jackson should be thankful since stories have emerged of a killer on that trail.

In Diablo, Scott Eastwood plays a former Civil War soldier with post-traumatic stress disorder who hits the trail in an attempt to rescue his young wife from kidnappers. Along the way, he begins to unravel as the horrors of war come back to haunt him. With killers around every corner, the lines begin to blur between who the good and the bad are,...

Jansen Panettiere is all grown up! We were first introduced to Hayden Panettiere's adorable little brother when he starred in Disney's Tiger Cruise (11 years ago!), but her sibling is about to turn 21 years old in September and you will not believe how grown up he is. Jansen, who continues to expand his acting career and currently has three projects in post-production (according to his iMDB page), has become quite the handsome young man. And there's no doubt that Jansen has some striking similarities to his older sis (that smiles and those curls!). You might also remember seeing the young celeb in films such as Robots, The Last Day of Summer and The Forger. Back in 2013, he also...

As we look in the rearview mirror of the summer blockbusters, September heralds the start of the fall movie season. Filled with Hollywood heavyweights and A-listers, here’s our Big list of the most anticipated movies coming to cinemas this autumn and during the holidays.

Our exhaustive list includes films that are playing at the upcoming Toronto Film Festival as well the ones that already have a theatrical release date. With the awards season on the horizon, we also added a few bonus films at the end to keep your eye out for in the months ahead.

Pull up a chair, grab a pen and paper and get ready for Wamg’s Guide to the 100+ Films This Fall And Holiday Season.

We kick it off with what’s showing in Toronto at the film festival that runs September 4 – 14.

Maps To The Stars – September 2014 – Toronto International Film Festival; UK & Ireland September...

One of the most iconic figures of Hollywood’s Golden Age is no longer with us. Today, sultry-voiced actress Lauren Bacall died at the age of 89 after suffering a massive stroke, multiple sources confirm.

Bacall is perhaps best known for her partnership with fellow Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart, both on-screen and off. In 1944 classic To Have and Have Not, Bacall’s first big screen role (and the one in which she delivered her most iconic line: “You know how to whistle, don’t you, Steve? You just put your lips together and blow”), the sparks between the two ignited one of the film industry’s most enduring love stories. The pair married the next year and went on to star in such 1940s classics as The Big Sleep, Dark Passage and Key Largo, staying together until Bogart’s death in 1957. Bacall was later engaged to Frank Sinatra and married another acting legend,...

Lauren Bacall passed away at the age of 89 today, after suffering a massive stroke in her Manhattan, New York home. The news was first reported by MSNBC reporter Thomas Roberts, which was confirmed by the estate of her late first husband, Humphrey Bogart, on their official Twitter feed.

Breaking News - actress Lauren Bacall passes away at the age of 89 according to my source who is connected with friends & family.

— Thomas Roberts (@ThomasARoberts) August 12, 2014

Lauren Bacall 89 passed after suffering massive stroke. According to my source she arrived unresponsive this morning at hospital w/dnr order

— Thomas Roberts (@ThomasARoberts) August 13, 2014

With deep sorrow, yet with great gratitude for her amazing life, we confirm the passing of Lauren Bacall. pic.twitter.com/B8ZJnZtKhN

— BogartEstate (@HumphreyBogart) August 12, 2014

Born Betty Joan Perske on September 16, 1924, Lauren Bacall became an overnight star with her role as Marie "Slim" Browning in 1944's To Have and Have Not,...

The Toronto International Film Festival announced more selections Tuesday for the upcoming 2014 edition of the annual awards season kick-off. The majority of the festival's program was announced last month, but this group includes intriguing world premieres from notable directors such as Todd McCarthy ("The Cobbler") and Gina Prince-Bythewood ("Beyond the Lights"). A number of the titles revealed have screened at other festivals including the underrated "Infinitely Polar Bear" and "Laggies" from Sundance as well as Cannes players "Two Days, One Night," "The Search" and "Clouds of Sils Maria." And yes, the presence of "Sils Maria," which is a favorite of this particular writer, means Kristen Stewart will likely hit one of the festival's many red carpets. As you'd expect for Toronto, the world premieres feature some big names including Josh Hutcherson and Benicio Del Toro in "Escobar: Paradise Lost," Jean Dujardin in "The Connection (La French)," Dustin Hoffman in "Boychoir,...

This morning the Toronto Film Festival added several more films to their lineup including the world premiere of Thomas McCarthy's The Cobbler which stars Adam Sandler as a New York City cobbler who, disenchanted with the grind of daily life, stumbles upon a magical heirloom that allows him to step into the lives of his customers and see the world in a new way. The film co-stars Method Man, Ellen Barkin, Melonie Diaz, Dan Stevens, Steve Buscemi and Dustin Hoffman. Additionally, Sundance standouts Infinity Polar Bear and Laggies starring Keira Knightley and Chloe Grace Moretz were added to the Gala selection. Joining The Cobbler as new additions to the Special Presentations field include Olivier Assayas' Clouds of Sils Maria starring Kristen Stewart and Juliette Binoche and Two Days, One Night from Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne and starring Marion Cotillard. Both films made a splash at Cannes earlier this year,...

The 2014 Toronto Film Festival, which begins Sept. 4, added seven Galas and 17 Special Presentations to its lineup, including a semi-serious Adam Sandler project from Tom McCarthy, the director of The Station Agent and The Visitor. In The Cobbler, Sandler plays a man who has the unique ability to walk in his customers’ shoes. The movie features Dustin Hoffman, who also stars in Boychoir, François Girard’s tale of an orphan’s steep learning curve at a prestigious music school. In Welcome to Me, Kristen Wiig plays a mentally unstable woman who wins the lottery and decides to sink her winnings into a talk show.

Earlier today, the Toronto International Film Festival announced new additions to their Galas and Special Presentations programs. Among the films with new images and synopses are: Boychoir (Directed by François Girard) starring Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Josh Lucas, Kevin McHale, Eddie Izzard, Debra Winger, and Garrett Wareing The Connection (Directed by Cédric Jimenez) starring Jean Dujardin, Gilles Lellouche, Céline Sallette, and Benoît Magimel. Escobar: Paradise Lost (Directed by Andrea Di Stefano) starring Benicio del Toro, Josh Hutcherson, and Claudia Traisac. The Forger (Directed by Philip Martin) starring John Travolta, Christopher Plummer, Tye Sheridan, Jennifer Ehle, Marcus Thomas, Anson Mount, Abigail Spencer, and Travis Wade. Hit the jump to check out the images and synopses. The 2014 Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 4 – 14th. Boychoir An orphaned 12-year-old boy is sent to prestigious music school where he struggles to join an elite group of world-class singers. No one expects this rebellious loner to succeed,...

Get ready Toronto…Adam Sandler is coming to town. The Toronto International Film Festival unveiled a huge batch of new films for it slate today, and anyone doubting the strength of the lineup this year will quickly be silenced. The brace of world premieres coming to the festival is impressive, so let's point out the highlights: Thomas McCarthy's "The Cobbler" with the aforementioned, erstwhile Billy Madison; "Madame Bovary" starring Mia Wasikowska and Paul Giamatti; "Escobar: Paradise Lost" with Benicio Del Toro and Josh Hutcherson; "Boychoir" with Dustin Hoffman; "The Forger" with John Travolta, Christopher Plummer and Tye Sheridan; and "Gemma Bovery" with Gemma Arterton. And as for festival films making a stop in Toronto, there's also the Dardennes' "Two Days, One Night," Michel Hazanavicius' "The Search," Lynn Shelton's "Laggies" and more. Tiff runs from September 4-14. Check out...

Expect to see a bevy of stars on the red carpet at the Toronto International Film Festival this September. Today, more Gala and Special Presentation titles were announced, with some star-studded projects in the mix. Now, Escobar: Paradise Lost, starring Benicio del Toro as the infamous drug lord, will have its world premiere at Tiff, as will The Forger, with John Travolta, Christopher Plummer and Tye Sheridan.

Other promising projects newly announced to be screening at Tiff are Win Win director Thomas McCarthy’s The Cobbler, which finds Adam Sandler taking on a rare dramatic role; Clouds of Sils Maria, which stars Juliette Binoche as an aging actress who confronts the young starlet (Chloe Grace Moretz) taking on the role that made her famous decades earlier; and Gemma Bovery, starring Gemma Arterton as the sensual object of a French food critic’s affection. Check out the full list of new...

The 39th Toronto International Film Festival added another seven Galas and 17 Special Presentations to its September fest lineup running September 4 to 14. Here are the newcomers:

Galas

Boychoir François Girard, USA World Premiere

An orphaned 12-year-old boy is sent to prestigious music school where he struggles to join an elite group of world-class singers. No one expects this rebellious loner to succeed, least of all the school’s relentlessly-tough conductor who wages a battle of wills to bring out the boy’s extraordinary musical gift. Starring Dustin Hoffman, Kathy Bates, Josh Lucas, Kevin McHale, Eddie Izzard, Debra Winger and Garrett Wareing.

The Connection (La French) Cédric Jimenez, France/Belgium World Premiere

Marseille, 1975. Pierre Michel, a young police magistrate with a wife and children, has just been transferred to help crack down on the city’s organized crime. He decides to take on the French Connection, a Mafia-run operation that exports heroin all over the world.

Two-time Academy Award nominee and two-time Golden Globe winner John Travolta (Pulp Fiction, Get Shorty) and Academy Award nominee Salma Hayek Pinault (Savages, upcoming The Prophet) will star in the drama A Three Dog Life, based on thebest-selling memoir by Abigail Thomas, it was announced today by producers J. Todd Harris (The Kids Are All Right) and Clark Peterson (Monster).

The film is written and will be directed by Nick Guthe (Mini’S First Time), who also produces.

The Solution Entertainment Group (“The Solution”) will represent international rights at the ongoing European Film Market in Berlin. CAA and Wme Global are co-representing Us rights.

When Abigail Thomas’ (Hayek Pinault) husband, Rich (Travolta), gets hit by a car, his brain is shattered and he has no memory of his past life. Subject to hallucinations, rage and terror, he is forced to live in an isolated institution to control the side effects of his near-death accident.

Today's latest casting news can be gleaned at a glance below: Stef Dawson (6 years, 4 Months & 23 Days) has joined the final two installments in The Hunger Games films, playing Annie Cresta in Francis Lawrence's The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1 & 2. Tye Sheridan (Mud) will star alongside John Travolta in Philip Martin's heist film, The Forger. Scott Eastwood (Chicago Fire) has joined the cast of David Ayer's World War II tank-battle picture, Fury, starring Brad Pitt, Shia Labeouf, Michael Pena, Logan Lerman and Jon Bernthal. Hit the jump for more on each story. First up in the latest casting news for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Parts 1 & 2 is the addition of Dawson as Annie Cresta. She'll likely be the object of some fan jealousy as her character just so happens to be the love interest of one Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin) in addition to being a former victor of the games.

We return with the latest edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting the recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes news on Herschell Gordon Lewis’s next film, Zombificador, details on a feature-length version of The Little Mermaid short film, a Truth or Dare teaser trailer, and much more:

Feature-Length Version of The Little Mermaid Announced: “The Little Mermaid is a live-action, supernatural thriller set in the 1930s Oklahoma dust bowl. This dark fantasy centers around a sideshow of “living aquatic oddities” in which the Little Mermaid herself is both a captive victim, and an incredibly powerful catalyst. As a character-driven thriller, the film transcends traditional indie “pick ‘em off in the dark one by one” offerings. Impacting each of the ensemble cast in a unique way, this is not the Little Mermaid you remember from your childhood!

In 2011, the principals of Done Four Productions produced a...

"The Lord of the Rings" was one of the most popular series in film history, earning over $2.9 billion worldwide and raking in an amazing 17 Oscars.

And, to nobody's surprise, the stars of "The Lord of the Rings" have since gone on to become major film and television stars: Viggo Mortensen has had acclaimed turns in movies like "A History of Violence," Orlando Bloom topped the box office again with the "Pirates of the Caribbean" trilogy, Dominic Monaghan anchored the cult classic TV show "Lost." The list goes on and on.

But one name is conspicuously absent from that list: Billy Boyd.

Boyd, of course, played the lovably naive hobbit Pippin. And even before "The Lord of the Rings" was out of theaters, he seemed on the verge of major stardom, appearing in the 2004 Best Picture nominee "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World" (which lost to "The Return of the King...

If you want to see Josh Hutcherson in a much different role than “The Hunger Games” character Peeta, check out “The Forger,” which is out on DVD now. The film , which also stars “Heroes” star Hayden Panettiere and Hollywood legend Lauren Bacall, tells the story about a troubled boy who discovers his talents while dealing with the world of art forgery: “Troubled, homeless 15-year-old Joshua (Josh Hutcherson, ‘The Hunger Games’) lives from hand to mouth on the streets. He lands in Carmel by the Sea, a small town in California known for its local art community, where his prodigious art skill is discovered. As his talent flourishes, Joshua is [ Read More ]...

We have an exclusive clip from the upcoming Big Air Studios thriller The Forger, debuting on DVD July 3. The Hunger Games star Josh Hutcherson portrays Joshua, a homeless drifter who gets caught up in the high stakes world of art forgery, while falling for an affluent young woman (Hayden Panettiere). Take a look at this scene where Alfred Molina tries to impart some wisdom onto young Joshua.

The Forger - Exclusive A Necessity

Troubled, homeless 15-year-old Joshua (Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games) lives from hand to mouth on the streets. He lands in Carmel by the Sea, a small town in California known for its local art community, where his prodigious art skill is discovered. As his talent flourishes, Joshua is lured into the underground world of high dollar art forgery. At the same time, he falls in love with Amber, played by Hayden Panettiere (Heroes). Amber is a privileged...

If you’re a Clint Eastwood fan who is hoping to catch more than just an occasional glimpse of the director/actor on his wife’s new E! show, you’re out of luck: Mrs. Eastwood & Company is not about the J. Edgar helmer.

Talking to reporters on Wednesday in Pasadena, Calif., Eastwood’s wife Dina said that while her husband of 16 years will appear in some episodes of the new unscripted show that bows May 20, the focus is on her life as a mom and her work with a South African band named Overtone – not her marriage to a Hollywood star.

Stanley Tucci as Caesar Flickerman, Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Everdeen, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games has topped the Us/Canada box office for the fourth weekend in a row. Starring Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone), the Gary Ross-directed blockbuster scored $21.5 million according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. The dystopic action-drama was down a relatively modest 35% compared to Easter weekend. Prior to The Hunger Games, the most recent movie to achieve the four-weekend-in-a-row feat was James Cameron / Sam Worthington's Avatar in early 2010. In fact, Avatar remained at the top for seven consecutive weekends. The Hunger Games, however, won't get that far. Next weekend, it'll surely be unseated by Zac Efron / Taylor Schilling's The Lucky One. Among the nearly 30 movies that have managed to be no. 1 for four weekends in a row are Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale / Heath Ledger's The Dark Knight (2008), Peter Jackson / Elijah Wood...

Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games has topped the Us/Canada box office for the fourth weekend in a row. Starring Jennifer Lawrence, the Gary Ross-directed blockbuster scored $21.5 million according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. The dystopic action-drama was down a relatively modest 35% compared to Easter weekend. Prior to The Hunger Games, the most recent movie to achieve the four-weekend-in-a-row feat was James Cameron / Sam Worthington's Avatar in early 2010. In fact, Avatar remained at the top for seven consecutive weekends. The Hunger Games, however, won't get that far. Next weekend, it'll surely be unseated by Zac Efron / Taylor Schilling's The Lucky One. Among the nearly 30 movies that have managed to be no. 1 for four weekends in a row are Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale / Heath Ledger's The Dark Knight (2008), Peter Jackson / Elijah Wood / Viggo Mortensen's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King...

Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games In all likelihood, The Hunger Games is going to top the North American box office for the fourth weekend in a row. Starring Winter's Bone / X-Men: First Class' Jennifer Lawrence, Gary Ross' film adaptation of Suzanne Collins bestselling novel is expected to score approximately $20 million at 3,916 theaters by Sunday evening after having taken in $6.45 million on Friday as per studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. The most recent movie to achieve that feat was James Cameron / Sam Worthington's Avatar in early 2010. In fact, Avatar stayed at the top for seven consecutive weekends. The Hunger Games, however, won't get that far. Next weekend, it'll surely be unseated by Zac Efron / Taylor Schilling's The Lucky One. Among the nearly 30 movies that have managed to be no. 1 for four weekends in a row are Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale / Heath Ledger's The Dark Knight...

Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games will likely top the North American box office for the fourth weekend in a row according to early, rough estimates found at Deadline.com. Gary Ross' film adaptation of Suzanne Collins bestselling novel is expected to gross $20 million at 3,916 theaters over the weekend after taking in an estimated $6.5 million on Friday. The most recent movie to achieve that feat was James Cameron / Sam Worthington's Avatar in early 2010. In fact, Avatar stayed at the top for seven consecutive weekends. Among the nearly 30 movies that have managed to be no. 1 for four weekends in a row are Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale / Heath Ledger's The Dark Knight (2008), Peter Jackson / Elijah Wood / Viggo Mortensen's The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003), James Cameron / Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), James L. Brooks / Shirley MacLaine / Debra Winger / Jack Nicholson...

A bikini-clad Hayden Panettiere and her boyfriend, New York Jets wide receiver Scotty McKnight, enjoyed a relaxing day in Hawaii earlier this week. The pair spent some time with friends in the sun and weren't shy about sharing Pda during their island getaway. Hayden, in a coral bikini, was seen throwing her arms around Scotty and kissing him as they lounged by the beach. Later on, she swapped her bright two-piece for a black one to fit in a game of tennis with her guy. The pair have been dating for almost a year. Hayden previously dated another athlete, wrestler Wladimir Klitschko, but they split up in 2011. On the work front, Hayden hasn't been seen on the big screen since last Summer's Scream 4, but she did lend her voice to the recent animated movie Hoodwinked Too!. Her indie film Carmel, with costar Josh Hutcherson, is expected to hit theaters next.

Kate Winslet as Rose, Titanic 3D The Hunger Games will easily top the North American box for the third weekend in a row. Gary Ross' dystopic adventure tale collected $12.9 million on Friday, April 6, according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. The film will likely earn somewhere between $35-$40 million over the Easter weekend. If so, it will be down around 30-35% compared to a week ago — or about half its 62% drop-off rate last (non-holiday) weekend. The Hunger Games should cross the $300 million mark at the domestic box office on Sunday. Its current total is $282.23 million. Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg's American Reunion landed at no. 2 on Friday. At 3,192 locations, the R-rated comedy took in $9.2 million — including $660,000 earned at Thursday midnight screenings. Its weekend total could reach $25 million. If those estimates are correct, Universal will claim that American Reunion far surpassed the $18.7 million earned by the original...

Gary Ross may still come back for Catching Fire, the sequel to The Hunger Games, reports Deadline.com. Yesterday, an "exclusive" by indieWIRE/The Playlist's Kevin Jagernauth asserted that Ross had "officially exited the franchise and will not direct the sequel, formally giving Lionsgate and Summit his notice earlier this week, that he will not be coming back." The article went on to claim that Ross had left the movie franchise-to-be not because of money (despite a "lowball salary offer"), but because "the burning desire simply isn't there to spend another couple of years with Katniss in the Capitol." Be that as it may, Deadline's Nikki Finke and Mike Fleming say they've heard "from multiple sources close to Catching Fire that director Gary Ross has not formally withdrawn from The Hunger Games sequel. Ross is off on a family vacation and couldn’t be reached, but these internet reports that...

Leonardo DiCaprio, Titanic The Hunger Games will easily top the North American box office once again this weekend — its third time as no. 1 — according to Deadline.com's "sources." As per Deadline's early, rough estimates, The Hunger Games is expected to collect $12-$14 million on Friday, and could reach $40 million over the Easter weekend. If so, Gary Ross' movie would be down close to 30% compared to last weekend — or less than half its drop-off rate last (non-holiday) weekend. It seems that Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg's American Reunion will be the no. 2 movie on Friday, with somewhere between $8-$10 million at 3,192 locations, and an estimated $25 million by Sunday evening. That includes $660,000 earned at Thursday midnight screenings in North America. If those estimates are correct, Universal will claim that American Reunion far surpassed the $18.7 million earned by the original American Pie at 2,508 sites in 1999. There is, however, a pesky little thing known as inflation,...

Gary Ross, The Hunger Games Gary Ross won't be directing The Hunger Games' sequel Catching Fire, according to various online reports. The Pleasantville and Seabiscuit director wanted more money than Lionsgate was offering him, though some sources claim that Ross wasn't too keen on revisiting Katniss Everdeen and pals. Now, would a more generous offer have sparked his interest in spending extra time with Katniss? And was the "low" offer a means for Lionsgate to get rid of Ross? Either way, some have already begun suggesting various — quite disparate — names to replace Ross. Among those are Alfonso Cuarón, who directed Harry Potter and the Prince of Azkaban in 2004, and Debra Granik, who directed The Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence in the Oscar-nominated Winter's Bone. Considering that the Hunger Games movies focus on Jennifer Lawrence's Katniss, surely Granik won't be the only woman mentioned as a welcome Ross replacement.

The Hunger Games passed the $250 million milestone at the North American box office on Monday, April 2, according to figures found at Box Office Mojo. Although Gary Ross' futuristic adventure tale reached that milestone one day after the studio had predicted, that's an impressive feat all the same. After 11 days, The Hunger Games has collected $253 million in the Us/Canada. Ignoring inflation, only six movies have reached $250 million at the domestic box office in 11 days or less. In addition to The Hunger Games, the others are: Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight in 8 days (Christian Bale / Heath Ledger / Maggie Gyllenhaal) David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 in 9 days (Daniel Radcliffe, Ralph Fiennes / Emma Watson / Rupert Grint) Michael Bay's Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen in 9 days (Shia Labeouf / Megan Fox / Josh Duhamel) Gore Verbinski's Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest in 10 days (Orlando Bloom...

Jennifer Lawrence / Josh Hutcherson's The Hunger Games Box Office: $250M Milestone Not Reached Last Weekend. Another consequence of The Hunger Games' lower-than-expected weekend box-office performance was that its drop-off rate was slightly higher than originally thought. At close to 62%, The Hunger Games drop was about the same as that of Catherine Hardwicke / Robert Pattinson / Kristen Stewart's original Twilight movie in fall 2008 — even though Ross' film version of Suzanne Collins' novel received much better reviews. For comparison's sake, among non-sequels: James Cameron / Sam Worthington's Avatar was down a minuscule 2% on its second weekend. Sam Raimi / Tobey Maguire / Kirsten Dunst's original Spider-Man was down 38%. Chris Columbus / Daniel Radcliffe's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was down 36%. Michael Bay / Shia Labeouf / Megan Fox's Transformers was down 47.5%. Tim Burton / Mia Wasikowska's Alice in Wonderland was down 46%. When it comes to sequels, David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2...

Four movies have reached $250 million (not adjusted for inflation) at the domestic box office in ten days or less. The Hunger Games isn't one of them. Although The Hunger Games easily topped the North American box office this weekend, Gary Ross' futuristic adventure tale grossed $58.55 million — or about $2.5 million less than studio estimates published yesterday. (This is the second weekend in a row that studio estimates for The Hunger Games are considerably inflated.) As a result of its "underperformance," The Hunger Games failed to reach the $250 million milestone. That should happen some time today, however, on the film's eleventh day out. For the record, the four movies that have reached the $250 million milestone (once again, ignoring inflation) are The Dark Knight, Deathly Hallows 2, Revenge of the Fallen, and Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. At the international box office, The Hunger Games is lagging way behind its North American popularity.

Woody Harrelson, Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games topped the North American box office this weekend with $61.1 million according to studio estimates found at Box Office Mojo. That represents a 60% drop from last weekend — which, admittedly, had the advantage of Thursday midnight screenings and IMAX surcharges. Even so, that's considerably less than the $75 million Deadline.com's sources had estimated last Friday night. For comparison's sake (among non-sequels): James Cameron's Avatar was down a minuscule 2% on its second weekend. Sam Raimi / Tobey Maguire's original Spider-Man was down 38%. Chris Columbus / Daniel Radcliffe's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone was down 36%. Michael Bay / Shia Labeouf / Megan Fox's Transformers was down 47.5%. Tim Burton / Johnny Depp's Alice in Wonderland was down 46%. And Catherine Hardwicke / Robert Pattinson / Kristen Stewart's original Twilight was down 62%. Among sequels, Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale's The Dark Knight was down only 52.5% on its second weekend.

Donald Sutherland as President Snow, The Hunger Games That The Hunger Games would easily top the North American box office this weekend was a given. Now, how much exactly Gary Ross' film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel would earn was open to debate. Perhaps that still is. Last night, Deadline.com reported early estimates of $24 million for Friday and $75 million for the weekend, as The Hunger Games is still playing at 4,137 venues (minus IMAX screens). However, it turns out that the futuristic adventure tale collected a much more modest — though still impressive — $18.85 million on Friday as per studio estimates. That's down 72% compared to a week ago, which also included $19.5 million from Thursday midnight screenings. Taking those into account, The Hunger Games actually dropped 61%. Anyhow, instead of the previously announced $75 million for the weekend, The Hunger Games is now expected to earn around $60 million. If so, it'll be down 61% compared to last weekend.

Stanley Tucci, Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games will easily top the North American box office this weekend. That's no news. Now, how much exactly Gary Ross' film adaptation of Suzanne Collins' novel will earn is still open to debate. [Revised The Hunger Games box-office estimates.] According to Deadline.com, The Hunger Games is poised to take in $75 million from 4,137 venues by Sunday evening, after grossing an estimated $24 million today. If those figures are correct, The Hunger Games will have dropped 51% compared to last weekend's $152 million. That's not bad at all, considering the film's $19.5 million earned from Thursday midnight screenings last week and the fact that it'll have lost numerous IMAX screens this weekend (though the theater count remains the same). Additionally, that would mean The Hunger Games has passed the $200 million mark at the domestic box office some time earlier today. The film's cume after 8 days would be $214 million. Ignoring inflation (or,...

Post-Peeta, the actor has a horror/comedy film and 'Red Dawn' on the horizon.

By Kara Warner

Josh Hutcherson in "The Hunger Games"

Photo: Lionsgate

Those of you who've seen "The Hunger Games" will more than likely agree with our sentiment that there are a number of things to love about the weekend's box-office dominator. The film's success is first and foremost due to author Suzanne Collins' brilliance, followed by director Gary Ross' sleek and stylish take on the adaptation and, of course, the performances of the very talented cast.

One of those standout performances is Josh Hutcherson's portrayal of loyal and lovable boy with the bread Peeta Mellark. He's so good in the film we just can't wait to see what he does with the character's arc in "Catching Fire." Unfortunately, we have to wait about 20 months until that happens, so in the meantime,...

Post-Peeta, the actor has a horror/comedy film and 'Red Dawn' on the horizon.

By Kara Warner

Josh Hutcherson in "The Hunger Games"

Photo: Lionsgate

Those of you who've seen "The Hunger Games" will more than likely agree with our sentiment that there are a number of things to love about the weekend's box-office dominator. The film's success is first and foremost due to author Suzanne Collins' brilliance, followed by director Gary Ross' sleek and stylish take on the adaptation and, of course, the performances of the very talented cast.

One of those standout performances is Josh Hutcherson's portrayal of loyal and lovable boy with the bread Peeta Mellark. He's so good in the film we just can't wait to see what he does with the character's arc in "Catching Fire." Unfortunately, we have to wait about 20 months until that happens, so in the meantime,...

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games Gary Ross' highly successful film version of Suzanne Collins' bestseller The Hunger Games took in $152.53 million (including $19.75 million from Thursday midnight screenings) at 4,137 locations in North America this weekend, March 23-25, according to box-office actuals found at Box Office Mojo. That's about $2.5 million less than Lionsgate's estimates released yesterday morning. The film's per-theater average was $36,871. Even so, as reported yesterday The Hunger Games had the third biggest debut ever in the Us/Canada in terms of box-office receipts (ignoring inflation). The futuristic adventure saga starring Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, and Liam Hemsworth is now behind only the $169.2 million earned by David Yates / Daniel Radcliffe / Ralph Fiennes' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and the $158.4 million earned by Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale / Heath Ledger's The Dark Knight. If inflation is taken into account* — as it always should, for...

Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson, Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games: Far Ahead of Catherine Hardwicke / Robert Pattinson / Kristen Stewart's Twilight The Hunger Games reportedly cost between $78-80+ million, in addition to $45 million in distribution / marketing expenses. The film's production budget sounds credible, but the reported marketing costs feel suspiciously low. An article in the Los Angeles Times stating that "according to a person familiar with the picture’s economics" The Hunger Games needed $100 million to break even seems absurdly off the mark — unless Lionsgate managed to get for itself a one-of-a-kind deal with exhibitors. On average, studios get 50-55% of a film's gross, though usually they take a bigger cut from the opening weekend receipts. Even so, The Hunger Games would have to earn at least $120 million to break even — if Lionsgate were to get itself 66% of the film's opening weekend take. And that doesn't include marketing / distribution expenses.

Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games movie The Hunger Games: Behind Tobey Maguire / Kirsten Dunst's Spider-man, Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale's The Dark Knight If estimates are accurate, The Hunger Games has already become Lionsgate's biggest box-office hit ever. By Sunday evening it'll have surpassed Michael Moore's Palme d'Or winner Fahrenheit 9/11, the current Lionsgate champ — thanks to Disney's Michael Eisner, who refused to release the anti-George W. Bush/Iraq War film. Moore's political documentary cumed at $119.19 million in 2004 (or about $152 million today). The Hunger Games is also the biggest March blockbuster ever, far surpassing (in both box-office receipts and ticket sales) Tim Burton / Johnny Depp / Mia Wasikowska's Alice in Wonderland's $116.1 million. In fact, it's the biggest non-summer opening ever, ahead of New Moon and Breaking Dawn Part 1. It's also officially the biggest opening for a non-sequel ever, though as pointed out above, Spider-Man sold more...

The Hunger Games: Liam Hemsworth as Gale Hawthorne The Hunger Games Box Office: Behind Christopher Nolan / Christian Bale's The Dark Knight, Tobey Maguire / Kirsten Dunst's Spider-man 3 The Hunger Games averaged $16,497 at 4,137 locations. Without taking inflation into account, that's the fourth-highest opening-day per-theater average ever, behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (which had the added advantage of 3D surcharges), New Moon, and Breaking Dawn 1. Even while ignoring IMAX surcharges, if inflation is taken into account The Hunger Games falls behind a handful of other titles, such as The Dark Knight ($15,384; $17,014 today) and George Lucas / Ewan McGregor / Natalie Portman's Revenge of the Sith ($13,661 in 2005; $16,912 today), which opened at 3,661 locations. Distributed by Lionsgate, The Hunger Games will surely become the studio's biggest box-office hit ever — possibly by Sunday evening. Michael Moore's Palme d'Or winner Fahrenheit 9/11 is the current Lionsgate champ — thanks to Disney's Michael Eisner,...

Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games should open with approximately $66 million at 4,137 locations in North America on Friday, according to Deadline.com. West Coast showings haven't been tallied yet, so figures could go up or down somewhat before official studio estimates are released Saturday morning. According to Deadline's "sources," The Hunger Games will likely score around $138 million by Sunday evening — placing it on a par with the most recent Twilight movie, Bill Condon's The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1, while easily surpassing (both in box-office receipts and ticket sales) the Tim Burton / Johnny Depp / Mia Wasikowska fantasy Alice in Wonderland — $116.1 million at 3,728 locations in 2010 — to become the biggest March blockbuster ever. Now, if The Hunger Games truly reaches $138 million, it'll have collected less than 50% of its total weekend take on opening day: a rarity for such big openers, though the vast majority of...

Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games The Hunger Games Box Office: Twilight Opening-Weekend Pattern? The Hunger Games to beat the $138 million opening-weekend debut of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1? According to Deadline.com, that's what "rival studios" are predicting based on matinee screenings. Now, before The Hunger Games fans start rejoicing and Twilight Saga fans start suffering seizures, let's chill a bit. Those rough, early predictions have oftentimes been quite a bit off the mark. For instance, just a few weeks ago The Lorax raked in about $15 million more than expected based on Friday figures. Other movies bring in way less. In other words, it's just too early to tell, really. [Watch The Hunger Games clip: President Snow / Seneca Crane.] What seems pretty certain is that The Hunger Games will surpass Tim Burton / Johnny Depp / Mia Wasikowska's Alice in Wonderland's $116.1 million opening-weekend take in March 2010, thus becoming the record-holder for the month of March — even in number of ticket sales,...

Clint Eastwood, the new Bruce Jenner? "Dirty Harry" star Eastwood's family is starring in E!'s latest reality TV venture, "Mrs. Eastwood & Company." The series will follow Eastwood's wife, Dina Eastwood, and his daughters Francesca and Morgan, as they make their merry way "from their hometown of Carmel, Calif. to Los Angeles and beyond." Also read: Clint Eastwood on Super Bowl Ad: I'm Not Obama's Puppet Oh, and there's also a six-piece South African vocal band, dubbed Overtone and managed by Dina, thrown into the mix. Yes, that is a real thing. Though actor-director...

There's a new royal family of reality TV, and they're not even slightly related to the Kardashians. The reality series "Mrs. Eastwood And Company," starring Clint Eastwood's wife and her daughters, is set to premiere on Sun., May 20 on E!

The series, which was announced in December 2011, will follow the life and career of Dina Eastwood, her teenage daughters Francesca and Morgan, and the six-member South African vocal group Dina manages, Overtone.

Over the course of the 10 episodes, the family will travel from their home in Carmel, California, to Los Angeles, with the promise of a few tiffs between 15-year-old Morgan and her mother, an inside look at the relationship of 18-year-old Francesca with her 29-year-old boyfriend, and the inner-workings of Overtone.

"Nothing is more important to me than my family, no matter how you define that," Dina said in a statement. "People might be surprised by how we...