Dave's Celeb News

Sunday, 1 January 2012

Harry Potter Dominates 2011 Box Office

'Deathly Hallows, Part 2' among several sequels to make it in the top 10.
By Kevin P. Sullivan

Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Harry Potter said goodbye to Hogwarts and movie theaters in 2011, but not without earning boatloads of cash along the way.

The boy who lived dominated the box office this past year with more than $1.3 billion worldwide, making him the undoubted winner in a less-than-stellar year financially for movies, but "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2" wasn't the only sequel to succeed. Eight of the top 10 earners at the theaters belonged to sequels, prequels or remakes.

This trend is what Jeff Bock, box-office analyst for Exhibitor Relations, sees as the big box office story of 2011, for good and bad. "You can't deny sequels' potency at the box office, with seven of the top 10 grossing films of 2011 being continuing sagas — eight if you count 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes,'" Bock said.

But not every movie with a number slapped onto the back of it fared as well as "Harry Potter." Bock pointed out that holiday sequels like "Happy Feet Two," "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" and "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked," all underperformed compared to their predecessors.

"You could also argue that sequels are part of the problem, too," Bock said. "The domestic box office looks like it's going to come up short in terms of overall grosses and drop 3 percent versus last year, with attendance down nearly 5 percent — which will hit its lowest point in 15 years. That's a no-win for the entire industry."

As for surprise successes and failures, two films stuck out to Bock, the comedy hit "Bridesmaids" and DC's disappointer "Green Lantern."

"Bridesmaids" made $288 million worldwide on a budget of just $32 million, Bock said. "It was finally a coming out party for women of comedy," Bock said of what he called the "female 'Hangover.' " "Universal has already made plans for a sequel, and the brides-to-be are now flirting with A-list status."

Ryan Reynolds' most recent foray into the superhero realm did just the opposite. "This was supposed to be the next Batman for the studio, and it nearly turned into 'Howard the Duck,' " Bock said. "Well, it wasn't that bad, but when you spend $200 million on a film, you obviously expect to make more than $219 million worldwide. And that's not including all the marketing and print advertising that went into the big-budget blockbuster."

For 2012, Bock expects even more sequel domination, especially with the lineup of franchise films coming out next year. He predicts "The Dark Knight Rises" and "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" will top with box office in the #1 and #2 slots, respectively, with "The Hobbit," "The Avengers" and "Men in Black 3" rounding out the top five.

Check out everything we've got on "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Rachel Perry Rachel Weisz Radha Mitchell

Russell Brand Files For Divorce From Katy Perry

Couple calls it quits after a week of swirling rumors.
By Andrea Duncan-Mao

Katy Perry and Russell Brand (file)
Photo: Jeff Vespa/ Getty Images

It appears that one of entertainment's most spirited couples -- Katy Perry and Russell Brand -- are heading for divorce. After the two were spotted separately over the holidays -- neither wearing their wedding rings -- rumors of a split reached a fever pitch Thursday.

Now TMZ is reporting that Russell Brand has filed for divorce in Los Angeles citing "irreconcilable differences."

Brand has released a statement, saying, "Sadly, Katy and I are ending our marriage. I will always adore her and I know we'll remain friends."

The couple, who met at the 2008 VMAs and married in India in 2010, have no children.

Brand recently addressed the breakup rumors with Ellen DeGeneres. "There are always rumors, aren't there? In the end, you have to just not engage with Internet technology, which is difficult because a lot of the nude women websites I quite enjoy," Brand joked. "I've treated the whole Internet now like it's a wicked little liar. Yeah. I am really happily married," he added. "I'm married to Katy. Perpetually, until death do us part was the pledge."

Perry took to Twitter in November to brush off earlier rumblings. "First I'm pregnant & then I'm divorced. What am I 'All My Children'?! #ericakane #pshhh #ifihadadollarforeverytime ...," she tweeted.

As of press time, neither celebrity, both with massive followings, had addressed the court filing on Twitter.

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In Iowa Caucus, Young Voters Could Be Crucial

First electoral event of the year takes place Tuesday, and MTV is on the scene.
By Gil Kaufman

Ron Paul campaigns in Iowa
Photo: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

When it comes to presidential politics, Iowa is #1 in line, no matter what. Though it only serves up around 1 percent of the national delegates in presidential contests, pundits and political junkies have looked to the Hawkeye State for more than 40 years for an early indication of who will represent the party in the race for the White House.

With President Obama facing no Democratic challenger in his bid for a second term, all the attention at Tuesday's Iowa caucus will be focused on the Republicans vying to come out on top in Iowa: Ron Paul, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Michele Bachmann, Rick Santorum, Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman.

As of press time, libertarian rabble-rouser Paul was in the lead, in part due to his dedicated core of young supporters. Frequently ignored by the national media, Paul is an enigma in this year's GOP field thanks to his views on legalizing drugs and abolishing the departments of Education and Commerce, among others.

But according to the latest Public Policy Poll, Paul was leading the pack at 23 percent, followed by Romney at 20 and the fast-fading Gingrich at 14. Not surprisingly, Texas congressman Paul is well ahead with voters under the age of 45, with 33 percent of their likely votes compared to Romney's 16.

But the Huffington Post reported that what remains to be seen is whether those hard-partying college students intent on casting their votes for Paul will show up to the caucuses after whooping it up on New Year's Eve and slowly making their way back to campus after the long winter break.

Unlike most of the primaries over the next few months and the general election, Iowans will not walk into a voting booth and pull a lever, punch a card or swipe a touch screen to help vault one of the candidates into an early lead. In a quirky throwback to a previous time, they'll gather in meeting halls, school gymnasiums and even living rooms to hash out their choices, a scenario that could be disorienting for young voters who may be casting ballots for the first time.

With 1,774 caucuses statewide, any registered voter can show up at his or her local caucus meeting after pre-registering as a party member. Once there (the events begin promptly at 7 p.m. and last about an hour), they'll hear bids from representatives of the candidates and then chat with friends, neighbors and strangers about the strengths and weaknesses of the various candidates as well as about issues that concern them.

After everyone has said their piece, they'll vote in a paper-ballot straw poll and choose their delegates to the state convention. Those 40 Republican National Convention delegates don't have to immediately declare which candidate they support, but the press will quickly declare a winner based on the percentage of delegates won by each candidate.

Unlike in years past, most of the leading candidates for the GOP nomination have not lavished the same kind of attention on Iowa that past presidential hopefuls have. That's likely the reason why a recent Iowa State University/ Gazette/ KCRG-TV9 poll found that with just one week to go, nearly 38 percent of respondents said they were still trying to decide their vote, with another 34 percent saying they were leaning one way and only 28 percent locked in on the candidate they were definitely supporting.

In other words, no matter who has the lead going into Tuesday night, there could be a major upset in the making if the candidates' last-minute barnstorming blitzes have a big impact on Iowa voters used to lots of face time with their candidates.

Plus, the winner doesn't always take the prize, as in 2008, when former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee came in first in Iowa, despite Romney's lavish spending of around $12,000 per vote. That's why candidates have historically spent months and months meeting Iowa voters and introducing themselves over and over in order to pass the most crucial Hawkeye exam: the likability test.

Once the dust clears, after months of campaigning and 13 televised debates, the national press will anoint a legitimate front-runner and a number of the candidates with the lowest totals will likely hang it up.

MTV is on the scene in Iowa! Head to Iowa.MTV.com for all our Iowa caucus coverage, and stick with PowerOf12.org throughout the presidential election season to follow Andrew Jenks on the campaign trail.

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676619/iowa-caucus-young-voters-impact.jhtml

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'Hunger Games' Soundtrack Lands Taylor Swift, Arcade Fire

Decemberists and Civil Wars also on the disc.
By Gil Kaufman

Taylor Swift
Photo: Getty Images

The soundtrack to "The Hunger Games"  will feature a bumper crop of new and unreleased songs by Taylor Swift, the Arcade Fire and the Decemberists.

The album will be produced by Grammy-winning producer T Bone Burnett and released before the movie hits theaters on March 23. Burnett and the group the Civil Wars got together to write an original tune for the CD with Swift, the first single, "Safe and Sound," which was released to iTunes on December 23. The tune shot to #1 on the iTunes singles list within 24 hours of release.

Also serving up fresh tracks are the Arcade Fire, who collaborated with Burnett on "Horn of Plenty," and the Decemberists, who've offered up the original song "One Engine." The rest of the lineup has not been released, but according to a press release the soundtrack will feature all new songs based on themes that figure into the movie's storyline.

Oscar-winning composer Danny Elfman recently exited the film, citing scheduling issues as he works to finish up the music for "Dark Shadows" and "Men in Black 3." He was replaced by James Newton Howard, who is responsible for dozens of famous scores, including "Batman Begins."

Inspired by the best-selling young-adult novel by Suzanne Collins, "The Hunger Games" follows the path of 16-year-old Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), who is chosen to compete in a vicious televised tournament in which 24 teenagers from a post-apocalyptic society fight to the death for the entertainment of the masses. The film also stars Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth, as well as Woody Harrelson and rocker Lenny Kravitz. 

Lawrence will not only star in the movie, but she will also lend her vocals  to the soundtrack. Producer Burnett had high praise for her singing, telling MTV it was "beautiful. She did great. She's singing great. Killer actor too."

Fans are totally geeked about the new big-screen adaptation that could be the next-generation "Twilight" series, which is why we put together our list of the top 10 "Games" moments of 2011.

What other artists do you think would fit on The Hunger Games soundtrack? Tell us on Facebook!

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Kings Of Leon's Caleb Followill Expecting First Child

'We can't wait to meet the new addition to our family,' Followill and wife Lily Aldridge say in statement to MTV News.
By James Montgomery

Lily Aldridge and Caleb Followill
Photo: Getty Images

Kings of Leon frontman Caleb Followill and his wife, model Lily Aldridge, are expecting their first child, a spokesperson for the band confirmed to MTV News on Thursday (December 29).

"We are thrilled to announce that we are expecting our first child together," the couple said in a statement. "We can't wait to meet the new addition to our family."

The official confirmation comes one day after E! Online cited a source that said Aldridge was "approximately three months along" in her pregnancy. The two were married in May, at a ceremony held at the San Ysidro Ranch in Montecito, California after dating for more than two years.

"It was the perfect day," Followill said of the event.

The announcement of the couple's first child puts a happy cap on what was, by all accounts, a rather interesting year for the Kings, who came into 2011 riding their Come Around Sundown album, feuded with "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy (who would subsequently apologize for calling the band "self-centered a--holes") and released a well-received documentary, "Talihina Sky."

In the summer, after a much-publicized incident at a Dallas concert in which Followill claimed to suffer "heat exhaustion," the band scrapped the remainder of their U.S. tour in support of Sundown, before returning to the road in September for a run of Canadian shows. They wrapped the year with a tour of Australia and a pair of Grammy nominations: A Best Rock Album nod for Sundown and a Best Long Form Music Video nom for "Talihina Sky."

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Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1676594/caleb-followil-lily-aldridge-expecting-child.jhtml

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'Hunger Games' Hopes And More: 2012 Movie Wish List

MTV Movies team has high hopes for 'The Avengers,' 'Looper' and more.
By MTV News staff

Jennifer Lawrence in "The Hunger Games"
Photo: Lionsgate

As we while away the last few days and hours of 2011, looking back upon all the great, unforgettable fare that descended upon our cineplexes this year, we can't help but get excited for what the new year will bring us.

We might not get another "Harry Potter," but there's a lot coming down the pike to fill the void: a new "Alien"-esque film in "Prometheus," the gritty and ruthless "Hunger Games," the superhero spectacle "The Avengers," and a brand new Batman, via "The Dark Knight Rises." Here's a brief rundown of what we hope delivers on the hype and makes our "Best of 2012" lists this time next year.

A Successful "Avengers" Assembly
I have a lot of high hopes for movies in 2012. I need "Prometheus" to be as awesome as it appears to be, and Christopher Nolan has to send Batman off in style, but perhaps my biggest concern comes in the form of "The Avengers." Bringing Earth's Mightiest Heroes together under one cinematic roof is a lofty idea, and one that could easily explode in Marvel's face. A successful "Avengers" would mean ambitious, world-building films that extend across multiple franchises can exist. An "Avengers" that fails both critically and commercially is nothing short of a gut shot for comics on the big screen. Too much effort and passion, both from filmmakers and fans, has been put into "The Avengers" over the past few years. Marvel absolutely has to get it right ... and I've got all my fingers, toes and what-have-you's crossed that they will. - Josh Wigler

Taylor Kitsch Solidifies His Movie-Star Status
Fans of the dearly departed drama "Friday Night Lights" know Taylor Kitsch as big Tim Riggins, the football-playing, bad-boy-with-a-big-heart from Dillon, Texas. But if you've never spent four quarters with the state champion Panthers, you may not be well-acquainted with Kitsch's sizeable acting chops (and even bigger biceps). After all, his big-screen turns ("X-Men Origins: Wolverine," "The Bang Bang Club") haven't left such an indelible mark as his TV alter ego. But that could (and should) all change in 2012, as the 30-year-old headlines two big-budget popcorn flicks: Disney's "John Carter" and the boardgame-cum-potential-blockbuster "Battleship." Here's hoping clear eyes and full hearts really can't lose. - Amy Wilkinson

"The Hunger Games" Takes Out "Twilight"
The end of the "Twilight" film franchise is bittersweet. We'll miss our favorite vampires and werewolves, but 2012 marks the arrival of a new franchise that deserves just as much attention and adoration as Stephenie Meyer's fangtastic fantasyland. "The Hunger Games" is not "Twilight" and shouldn't ever be compared as such, but it deserves that blockbuster status. This is a story about survival, self-reliance and discovery, with a female protagonist who is strong, resilient, independent, intelligent and real. In short, Suzanne Collins' creation has everything modern youth-targeted fiction lacks. I pray to the movie powers for Gary Ross' big-screen adaptation to be the biggest success story of the year and that the fan fervor for the "Games" doubles that of "Twilight." - Kara Warner

Luck For "Looper"
Looking ahead to 2012, it's impossible to not stop in awe when considering the sheer number of blockbusters I can't wait to see. This is "stars aligning" material. We're talking Batman, Bilbo and Bond, but if I have my way, people will turn out in droves to see a movie they probably haven't heard of yet: Rian Johnson's "Looper." A sci-fi/crime movie hybrid, "Looper" takes place in the near future where mobsters send their enemies back in time where waiting hitmen finish the job. In the film, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis play the younger and older versions of the same character, and if that and the story don't completely sell it, I'm afraid you're lost, my friend. Test screenings left critics raving, and Johnson has made consistently interesting work since his indie debut "Brick." If there is any justice at the movies, people will see "Looper." - Kevin Sullivan

Keira Knightley Kelly Brook Kelly Carlson

Tom Cruise 'Impossible' To Beat At Box Office

'Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol' easily wins #1 spot over long holiday weekend.
By Ryan J. Downey

Tom Cruise in "Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol"
Photo: Paramount

This Christmas, Tom Cruise was "impossible" to beat at the box office.

"Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol" was the #1 movie over the long holiday weekend, easily beating competition from two competing sequels with an additional $46.2 million as it expanded into wide release. The fourth entry in the Tom Cruise franchise, this one directed by Brad Bird ("The Incredibles"), has racked up $78.6 million in domestic receipts since it debuted in limited release 11 days ago.

"Ghost Protocol" is the best-reviewed entry in the franchise, which kicked off in 1996 with an inaugural film (based on the popular late '60s TV series) directed by Brian De Palma ("Scarface"). Action maestro John Woo ("The Killer") helmed "M:I 2" four years later. The J.J. Abrams-directed "Mission: Impossible III" grossed $134 million during its theatrical run in 2006.

Meanwhile, "Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows" was reviewed far less favorably than its 2009 predecessor. The film, which reunites Robert Downey Jr. in the title role with Jude Law as his faithful partner, Watson, was #2 at the box office with $31.8 million for a two-week total of $90.6 million. "Downey may think this interpretation is an insight, or funny, but it pushes what was already a rude rewriting of the classic characters into eye-rolling camp," wrote the Newark Star Ledger. The first film sits at 70 percent on film review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes' "Tomatometer," while "Game of Shadows" was at a "rotten" 59 percent at press time.

The #3 movie at the box office, itself the third in a series, continues a franchise-long tradition of poor reviews. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked" carried a series worst 13 percent score on the "Tomatometer" as it collected $20 million for an 11-day $56.9 million total. Neither "Game of Shadows" nor "Shipwrecked" appear likely to get anywhere near the $200 million grosses of their predecessors.

Four of the other five new releases in theaters were from major filmmakers.

"The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," the highly anticipated American adaptation of the popular Swedish book from director David Fincher ("Fight Club"), has made $27.7 million since it opened Tuesday night. Steven Spielberg has two new movies out, "The Adventures of Tintin" and "War Horse," which landed at #5 and #7 on the box office chart, respectively. "Tintin" has made $24.1 million while "War Horse" has made $15 million. The latest from director Cameron Crowe opened even lower than his last movie, "Elizabethtown." "We Bought a Zoo," at #6, earned just $15.6 million despite star power in the form of Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson. Rock journalist turned filmmaker Crowe has worked with box-office topper Tom Cruise twice: first with "Jerry Maguire" in 1996 and later with "Vanilla Sky" in 2001.

Finally, alien invasion horror flick "The Darkest Hour" opened at #8 with just $5.5 million. The film was not screened in advance for critics, but The Hollywood Reporter, which reviewed the movie, blamed a "flatlining screenplay and the absence of even a single compelling character."

Check out everything we've got on "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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