If you loved the “The Fantastic Mr. Fox,” the new Wes Anderson movie “Isle of Dogs” is for you. One view of the trailer should do it. Can’t Wait!
Tom Cruise’s South Korean Fans Snub “American Made” After Giving “The Mummy” A Record Opening
Something is going wrong with “American Made,” that’s for sure.
Still unspooling overseas before a September 29th American release, Tom Cruise’s latest film finally opened in his most fervent fan country, South Korea, over the weekend.
In June, South Korea gave Tom a record opening with $6.6 million for “The Mummy.” It was that country’s biggest opening ever.
But last weekend, “American Made” did not fare nearly as well. It came in with $1.9 million. More than two thirds of the Cruise fans stayed home and wondered what Rocket Man Kim Jung Un was up to instead.
“American Made” now has a very slight $50 million from plays in nearly every country abroad wit the exception of China and Russia. For “The Mummy,” China was a mega blockbuster with over $90 million. That kind of number would certainly help now.
We’re 10 days out from the US release, and there isn’t much buzz. But critics seem to like it. “American Made” has an 88 on Rotten Tomatoes. But you never know what that means. The Wrap reviewer didn’t much like it, yet the movie got a ‘fresh’ rating. Here’s what he wrote:
“The problem is that Cruise, even when trying to cut loose, is always so tightly controlled that we never truly feel the reptilian survivalism of Barry Seal.”
That doesn’t sound positive, but who knows?
Two Time Oscar Winner Sean Penn Will Star in First TV Series from Creator of “House of Cards”
And now I officially feel old. Sean Penn is going to star in his first TV series, for Hulu and Britain’s Channel 4. It’s from Beau Willimon, creator of “House of Cards.” When Sean Penn goes to TV, you know that’s it. Leo won’t be far behind.
The show is called “The First.” Set in the near future, “The First” will follow the first human mission to Mars exploring the challenges of taking the first steps toward interplanetary colonization. The story focuses not only on the astronauts, but also on their families and loved ones, as well as the ground team on Earth.
Will Madonna be one of the Mars discoveries? That’s probably the next announcement.
Hulu is hot right now having won the Emmy for “The Handmaid’s Tale.” This series won’t appear until 2018, so expect Sean to win the Emmy in 2020.
T3: Early Bird Supper– James Cameron Planning Terminator Movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton
There are no new ideas in Hollywood, that’s abundantly clear.
So James Cameron, who hasn’t actually made a movie since “Avatar” but keeps announcing them, has a plan. He’s going to make a new Terminator movie.
The new film, “T3,” I guess it’s called, will supposedly pick up after “T2” ended in 1991. (There have been other “Terminator” movies, but we should just ignore them.)
Cameron will reunite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton (aka a former Mrs. Cameron). Arnold is 70, Linda Hamilton will be 61 next week. So add 18 months to those ages before this movie comes to a screen. No word yet on the exact setting, but a lanai in Miami Beach sounds about right.
No word either on Edward Furlong, the original John Connor. He’s been in and out of jail and rehab for years. Back when this all started he was 13 and had a relationship with his 26 year old tutor. So maybe that could be worked into the plot.
Actually, here’s a wild guess– they get Arnold’s son with Maria Shriver, Patrick Schwarzenegger, to play John now. You never know…
“Victoria & Abdul” Star Judi Dench Surprises Audience: She’d Rather Be A Slut than a Dame (Which She Is) or A Queen (Which She Plays)
At the west coast DGA screening tonight of Stephen Frears’ “Victoria & Abdul,” an audience member asked Judi Dench during the Q&A: “Would you rather be a Queen or a Dame?” She responded with typical irreverence: “I’d rather be a slut.”
That took the house down.
Director Stephen Frears instantly added: “Well, that’s how I think of you, Judi.”
Co-star Eddie Izzard: “Keep it classy, call yourself Dame Slut. That should be your rapper name.”
I spoke with Eddie before the screening. What did he think about playing complicated Bertie?
IzzardL “Bertie was a dick. But I get it. Bertie wanted to be King. It looked like Mum was eating herself to death. Then this guy Abdul shows up and gives her another 10 years of life. You would feel a little pissed off. If that’s the only way to advance you can become the King. I had to put on 25 pounds, move entirely differently, and drop my voice down. He’s a buffoonish character at the beginning of the film, and then it gets darker and more twisted. It’s quite a fight going on.”
Did Eddie, known to like to dress up in women’s clothes, ever want to wear Judi’s costumes?
“No,” he laughed. “I’m not into that if you look at my style. What I wear is the stuff that women stole from men, which is jackets jeans and boots, that kind of thing. Which is not Queen Victoria. She’s strapped into a load of corsets. Even Bertie’s costumes I wouldn’t wear, but I liked the cane. The canes were cool. “ What’s up next for him? “I wrote my first film ‘Six Minutes to Midnight’ which I’m doing next year, still working on that. I’m developing my next stand up show in French in Paris.”
I then spoke to Dame Judi about re-visiting the character she played in her Oscar nominated ‘Mrs. Brown.’ How did I feel to play her again?“ “Lovely,” she answered. “ I didn’t know this story like many people didn’t. Suddenly to find she had a further life and a reason to go on living. Stephen Frears directing, and the very, very good script. So I was thrilled to re-visit her.”
“Victoria and Abdul” — the story of Queen Victoria and her Indian consort– opens September 22nd.
photo c2017 Showbiz411 of panel by Bethany Ader
photo c2017 Showbiz411 of Judi Dench, Eddie Izzard
Exclusive: “Battle of the Sexes” Star Emma Stone Meets Real Life Battle of the Sexes Star Hillary Clinton Backstage at “Colbert”
“Battle of the Sexes” star Emma Stone met last year’s so called Battle of the Sexes Star Hillary Clinton last night backstage at the Stephen Colbert show. Emma plays Billie Jean King in the great new movie opening Friday. She defeated Bobby Riggs (Steve Carell) in 1973. It was the high point of the women’s lib movement and helped set into play all kinds of equal rights.
Hillary, of course, ran against the Bobby Riggs of politics– the self promoting, self aggrandizing hustler, Donald Trump. The ladies had a lot to say to each other. The movie’s co-director Jonathan Dayton took this photo. It’s exclusive here c2017Showbiz411, by the way.
After Colbert, Emma, Dayton, and co-director Valerie Faris (the director are husband and wife, and made “Little Miss Sunshine”) headed downtown to the SVA Theater for a New York premiere. A Q&A followed with Stone, Faris, Billie Jean King, Elisabeth Shue (she plays Riggs’s wife), and Shonda Rhimes. Shue’s brother, Andrew, the “Melrose Place” star turned philanthropist, and his 14 year old son joined her at the party at La Sirena.
PS Fox Searchlight may have three Best Actress nominees this season with Stone, Frances McDormand for “Three Billboards,” and Sally Hawkins for “The Shape of Water.” Kudos to Nancy Utley and Steve Gilula. Pretty cool.
photo c2017 Showbiz411 by Jonathan Dayton
Demi Lovato Dormant Single “Sorry Not Sorry” Jumps Up iTunes Chart After Gushing “Tonight” Show Appearance
If you watched Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight” show last night, it was an infomercial for Demi Lovato and her new album. Either Jimmy really likes Lovato’s new song “Sorry Not Sorry” or something else was going on.
The result was like magic. “Sorry Not Sorry” was at number 78 on iTunes when the show started. This afternoon it’s at number 13. No one is sorry about that! The single was released back on July 11th and had been sitting around like a lox all summer!
Fallon had Lovato on as a guest, then did a game with her, and then she performed. His other guest was John Cleese of Monty Python, who was hilarious.
I like Demi Lovato, she has a great voice and she’s a straight shooter. She’ll be writing Jimmy “thank you notes” for years to come.
Sean Hannity Starts Plugging Christian Movie He Exec Produced and Appears In Starring Kevin “Hercules” Sorbo and Family
Are you ready for “Let There Be Light”?
The Christian faith-based movie is executive produced by Fox News’s Sean Hannity, and he’s already promoting it on Twitter. Hannity is also IN the movie, for god’s sake, plugging himself and Fox News. Religiously.
“Let There Be a Light” looks like quite the vanity production. Remember Kevin Sorbo, who played Hercules? He and his entire family are in it. That’s an acting dynasty we didn’t know about before. (No sign of Xena, but maybe in the sequel.)
Luckily for all involved “Let There Be Light” opens just as Hannity moves to 9pm on Fox News to take on Rachel Maddow. Since Fox News is featured in the film, my guess is we’ll be seeing a lot of the film on Fox News.
Get ready.
PS Dionne Warwick makes a cameo as her son, Damon Elliott, is listed as a producer. If she sings, I’ll see it.
My first movie as Executive Producer "Let There Be Light" wins best Picture. In theaters October 27!! pic.twitter.com/Rs6g1jxJEy
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) September 19, 2017
Bill O’Reilly Says Firing by Fox News “A Political Hit Job,” “I Never Mistreated Anyone on My Watch in 42 Years”
Bill O’Reilly told Matt Lauer this morning that he has no idea why he was fired from Fox News. He tells Lauer “It was a business decision. There are billions of dollars at stake. They could prosper more without me.”
He calls his firing six months ago “a hit job, a political hit job.” He says, “I never mistreated anyone on my watch in 42 years.”
O’Reilly denies having any sexual harassment cases against him. He told Lauer that he never had a problem with Human Resources in his 42 years on the air. He explains why”You can’t win those lawsuits. I could do that but the collateral damage…every allegation is a conviction.”
Why didn’t he sue the women who filed complaints against him or sued Fox? “Those lawsuits involved many other people. You don’t have this story, Lauer, correct.”
Watch. Sad!
Nice People — Bruce Dern, Michael Kelly– Who Play Ruthless People Sample the Wares at Emmy Salon
Bruce Dern makes no bones about how he feels about the infamous patriarch Joe Kennedy, whom Dern portrays in the upcoming movie, “Chappaquiddick.” The film deals with the death of Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara) who was in a car driven off a bridge by Joe’s son, Senator Edward Kennedy (Jason Clarke) in 1969. After two assassinations made the Kennedys American royalty, the Chappaquidick incident nearly turned them into America’s Most Wanted.
That moment when Ted escaped and Mary Jo drowned would haunt Ted Kennedy until his dying day and prevent him from ever being president of the United States. Dern told me at the recent GBK Emmy Suite, “Joe Kennedy was a vile human being. When Ted went to him to tell him what happened, and the thinking is that Mary Jo could very well have been still alive at that point trapped in the car, all they could think about was Ted’s political future. Joe — who had just had a stroke and was wheelchair boun — his first word to Ted after Ted told him what had just happened, was ‘alibi.’ They were heartless.”
Dern, nominated for Best Actor for his beautiful work in Alexander Payne’s “Nebraska,” got a chance to sample the wares at Gavin Keilly’s A list event during Emmy weekend, sponsored by Pilot Pen.which did an incredibly kind act when it was needed most. Gavin said “It’s always a pleasure to partner up with such an amazing company and fine writing tool.” Pilot Pen made a donation in name of celebrities attending the lounge to hurricane survivors in addition to a $5,000 donation to the celebrities’ charity of choice. In the nature of “giving “GBK had three different causes on site , so they would have the opportunity to educate press and celebrities and on their causes in hopes of getting them involved.
The charities that benefited were the rescue Animal Wellness, Face Forward and the International Society of Human Unity. Highlights were Blooming Skin Care’s Gadget, Taryn Rose for Enrico Cuini shoes, Cali Flour foods, Crown of Light jewelry, Eva’s gems, Entrepreneur Kori Nartey’s Sellebrity, Bodascious concierge, TexereSilk robes, and pajamas, Art Naturals, Au Mieux, Vita Cup, Bouquet Bar, Bullets 4 Peace, Chateau Boswell Wine and Eva Gems. Other buzzy items were iMaxAlarm, Mission Belts, Two Gypsy Souls rock and roll clothing, Kofi Nartey’s book “Sellebrity,” Caribbean Living and more.
Also lurking about was the delightful actor Michael Kelly, who plays the ruthless villain Doug Stamper on “House Of Cards.” Kelly enjoyed himself tremendously at the popular spa Burke Williams booth. Michael told me of “House of Cards”: “The show is all about power. It’s set in the political world, but it’s all about who has the most power.”