“The Hobbit” broke records everywhere, and has $223 million in the bank worldwide after three days. Let’s go back to how all this started. The Weinsteins wanted to make “Lord of the Rings” at Miramax, they had the rights, but Michael Eisner–then head of Disney–wouldn’t allow it. So Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne made the movies at New Line for Warner Bros. with Mark Ordesky supervising.

I can still remember Mark actually doing a one man show for us circa 2002 in the bar at the Regency Hotel, performing all three chapters of “Lord of the Rings.” It was hilarious, but having spent months of his life in New Zealand with Peter Jackson, Ordesky was passionate.

Fast forward to Guillermo del Toro supposed to make “The Hobbit” but ultimately Jackson deciding he might as well turn this into his “Star Wars.”  The 3D and 48 whatever per second are unnecessary. All people really wanted to see was their group of friends back on screen. And in the end, that’s why “The Hobbit,” a slight book. is now a three part extravaganza that has eaten the box office alive.

I only wish Shaye, Lynne, and Ordesky had been at the premiere. Ironically, Alan Horn, then at Warner Bros. is now at Disney. He ‘got’ the whole thing. At the New York premiere, Horn and his successor, Jeff Robinov, were hugging and mugging and toasting each other as well they should.

As for the Weinsteins: “Silver Linings Playbook,” a movie loved by anyone who sees it, is still in 371 theaters. And it remains steady week to week, building word of mouth. And I am told that “The Master” may return to theaters for an Oscar run given its number of awards nomination and critics groups wins. Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and Joaquin Phoenix are all headed to the Oscars, and the film could well be a Best Picture nominee.

Meantime, Shaye and Lynne are readying the August 23, 2013 release of “The Mortal Instruments, Part 1” from their Unique Pictures. I’m told this will be the new franchise to set box office records. Unique also has an original Paul McCartney-scored animation feature maybe for 2014. Keep an eye on Shaye and Lynne–those boys may really know what they’re doing!

You have to give credit to Paul McCartney. He’s 70.5 years old, and he just keeps rocking. Even though he started the year crooning “Kisses on the Bottom,” he’s ending it rocking with the former members of Nirvana. Today the studio version of “Cut Me Some Slack” debuts at http://www.cutmesomeslack.net/. It turns out that McCartney and Dave Grohl used the 12-12-12 concert to debut the song, playing it with Dave Grohl et al on the show.

It’s from Grohl’s upcoming documentary “Sound City” about the grungy recording studio where albums as diverse as Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours” and Nirvana’s “Nevermind” were recorded.

The doc premieres at Sundance. McCartney-Nirvana debuted the song last night on “Saturday Night Live”–so that was the purpose of McCartney’s appearance, I guess. Good for him. I do wish that instead of “My Valentine” he played the other original song from “Kisses” called “Only Our Hearts.” Anyway, it does seem like McCartney will be very involved with the promotion of “Sounds City,” maybe going to Sundance and doing some more live performances with the guys.

“Sound City” has other eclectic guests, including Stevie Nicks and Rick Springfield. Can’t wait to see it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TR3vtXP_WM&feature=player_embedded#!

The cast of Tom Hooper’s “Les Miserables” doesn’t need much encouragement to sing for their supper. In New York this week they did it at lunch; the video is in our player at the bottom of the home page. But last night (Friday) they declined to do so at a Spago dinner celebrating the film after a screening. Our LEAH SYDNEY (who reviews the film below) reports that Hugh Jackman said he was “brokenhearted” about the terrible tragedy in Connecticut and that Anne Hathaway felt the same way.

Leah reports: “There was a definite pall over the night.  Everyone was somber.  They were going to sing, but didn’t out of respect. They were all gracious, and accepting kudos from many members of the Broadcast Film Critics Group, plus Mary Kay Place, Lainie Kazan, and many industry insiders.”

The mega talented Eddie Redmayne, who plays Marius, said that the “Les Miserables” producers had just gifted him a piano, which he is proficient at, and that he just bought a new flat in London.  Eddie said, “It takes up most of the space.”

Leah: “Since you won the Tony for “Red”  and you’re amazing singer and  piano player, is there anything you can’t do?”
Eddie: ” I can’t dance.  Honestly, I just had to twirl Amanda around and around. The choreographer gave up on me.  I can’t put two steps together.”

Sweetest moment: when he met Richard Sherman, of the famed Sherman Brothers, who wrote so many of the songs for the classic Disney Films like “Mary Poppins.”  Eddie was thrilled and bowed to him, and then started singing one of Sherman’s classics, “Chitty, Chitty Bang, Bang,” with some guests.  Richard beamed and joined in.

Hathaway was thrilled to see her good pal and our favorite actor, ‘Covert Affairs’ and Broadway stalwart Peter Gallagher.  Peter told us that he hopes to come back to Broadway in the fall with something new, but he was tight lipped about it and didn’t want to jinx it.

Leah Sydney’s Review of “Les Misérables”:

Full disclosure, as a devoted fan of the musical “Les Misérables,” I’ve seen the show numerous times in New York, London and LA.  I was thrilled with  Oscar winner Tom Hooper’s superb adaptation of the long-running stage musical, which is based on Victor Hugo’s epic, biblical tale of revolution and romance in 19th Century France.  Gleefully, enormously and unabashedly over the top in every way, “Les Miz,” will knock you over from the beginning and throughout the over two and half hour running time.

Epic in size and intimate in feel, Hooper expertly captures the drama of the misfortune and calamity of that tumultuous time. With most of the dialogue being sung, not spoken, you quickly realize that “Les Miz” is a unique experience, a happening really, of film, theater and art.  Hugh Jackman, with his Broadway pitch perfect voice, plays the reformed thief Jean Valjean. Jackman leads a truly gifted cast, standouts being Anne Hathaway’s break your heart piece de resistance Fantine, Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried as the sincere star crossed lovers Marius and Cosette, and Samantha Barks. When I saw her play Eponine in the Los Angeles Production, Barks garnered a rare standing ovation midway into the show. Samantha, once again, has earned kudos with her raw, gut-wrenching performance of a young woman in unrequited love.

Sasha Baron Cohen and Helena Bonham Carter provide welcome comic relief as Eponine’s parents, the nefarious con artist innkeepers.  Russell Crowe acts the part of Javert admirably as he pursues Valjean throughout the years, but his voice left me a bit wanting for a true Broadway belter. Still though, only minor quibbles in a film has so many lovely, powerful moments. Special notice also to Colm Wilkinson, the original Valjean, who beautifully plays the Bishop, and the impish Daniel Huttlestone as the child hero Gavroche.  Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer’s score is simply timeless.  Even the most jaded moviegoers will find themselves humming the songs way after the movie ends.  Tom Hooper bravely faced a stupendous undertaking and he most definitely wins.  Hooper has created a new crowd-pleasing classic for the ages.”

You hear people talk about branding, but jeez Louise here’s a terrific example. Peter Jackson’s two and a half hour film of “The Hobbit”–essentially part 4 of his billion dollar “Lord of the Rings” trilogy– took in $37.5 million on Friday in the U.S. Altogether with its worldwide sales, “The Hobbit” now has $69 million in the bank. And that’s one day. By Sunday night, yikes.

Using many cast members from “Lord of the Rings,” Jackson has embellished the earlier, shorter, lighter J.R.R. Tolkien book and inflated the whole thing into a new trilogy. Ticket prices are higher because it’s a kind of nauseating 3D that looks like video from 20 years ago but makes the viewer feel as if you’re in the middle of Middle Earth. At this rate, Jackson will be looking to expand Tolkien’s Haikus into mini series. If you film it, they will come!

In other news, three Oscar buzzed movies have crossed the $100 million line– “Argo,” “Lincoln,” and “Flight– which is good news for the Academy Awards. A fourth, “Silver Linings Playbook,” remains in limited release but doing very well. Another, “Life of Pi,” is building slowly toward $100 million. Not doing so well: Brad Pitt in “Killing Them Softly,” which has somehow misfired badly. I really liked it in Cannes, so did many others. But for a Brad Pitt movie, it’s a mess– just $14 million so far.

Coming shortly: Django Unchained, Zero Dark Thirty and Les Miserables. The big guns, as they say.

Tonight Paul McCartney, representing the Beatles, tries to checkmate the Rolling Stones in a very clever chess move in a debate that has lasted 50 years. While the Stones appear in their final show of their “50 and Counting” four episode tour with a massive Pay Per View guest-star laden concert, McCartney is the musical act on “Saturday Night Live.” The PPV costs $39.99.

I announced this Stones show back on October 5th, and it was officially confirmed on October 15th. http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/10/05/exclusive-rolling-stones-will-play-prudential-center-in-newark The Stones are getting $25 million for the four shows–two in London, one in Brooklyn and this one. Tonight Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band, Lady Gaga, the Black Keys and long time Stones guitarist (not bassist) Mick Taylor will join the band on stage. The show kicks off at 9pm Eastern, and should be ending as it overlaps with “SNL.”

McCartney was announced just on November 27th.  He has nothing to promote and no particular reason to appear on “SNL” right now–except to try and draw fans away from the Stones show. His last album, “Kisses on the Bottom,” came out last winter. And his own mini-tour through Canada is over. It’s not like he’s doing it because he happens to be in New York. He lives here and is in New York regularly.

But old feuds die hard, even when you were told they never existed. In interviews after their heyday ended, both McCartney and Jagger said they timed their record releases so they never came out at the same time. But the Beatles vs. Stones debates are like the Yankees vs. the Red Sox, or Taylor Swift vs. Justin Bieber. It’s a timeless debate. And McCartney is extremely shrewd. He does very little by accident or coincidence. What would be extra hilarious: if he performed “I Wanna Be Your Man.” which he wrote with John Lennon and the Stones covered it in 1964 when they were starting out. The Stones have performed the song in the last three shows.

So who will you watch? McCartney/Beatles or the Stones? And think of the late night after parties–McCartney with the “SNL” cast, and the Stones and their celebrity guests. Apocalypse now.

Paramount Pictures has postponed the Pittsburgh premiere of “Jack Reacher” with Tom Cruise out of deference to the victims and survivors of Friday’s Connecticut school shooting. In the movie, Reacher investigates the murder of five people with six shots from a sniper. The film is based on a novel by Lee Child.

It’s not the first time this year that real life events have derailed the marketing of a movie. The Ben Stiller movie “The Watch” was originally called “Neighborhood Watch.” It was about a group of suburban dads who protect their streets, and it was supposed to be a comic take ending in them discovering aliens. But months before it was released, George Zimmerman killed Trayvon Martin and the story became an overnight sensation. This column first reported the situation. The movie’s title was changed to “The Watch” but it was too late. The film was DOA.

http://www.showbiz411.com/2012/04/09/ny-times-follows-up-on-our-neighborhood-watch-story

“Reacher” has nothing to do with the current situation but the timing is bad. The Connecticut shooting is less than day old, and it’s a massive tragedy. It will involved, if you think about it, 27 funerals, many of children, in a small town. Meanwhile, “Reacher” is committed to opening on Friday, December 21st. Today there is a press junket–already set to be without Cruise–here in New York. Tomorrow–Monday–Cruise and the film are set for a screening and tribute at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Cruise’s only American media appearances for the movie are this week, too, on David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon’s shows. Now what? “Reacher” is coming, premiere or not.

UPDATE: Voting for Oscar nominations begins Monday at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. See below for the press release.

The Motion Picture Academy sent out a list today of 282 films they say are eligible for Best Picture. They include “Here Comes the Boom” and “Paranormal Activity 4.” But seriously there are like 20  films or so on any real list. Here they are:

Argo

Silver Linings Playbook

Lincoln

Les Miserables

Django Unchained

Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Zero Dark Thirty

The Master

Skyfall

The Sessions

Moonrise Kingdom

The Dark Knight Rises

Promised Land

Quartet

Cloud Atlas

The Intouchables

Amour

Rust and Bone

Beasts of the Southern Wild

Promised Land

Life of Pi

BEVERLY HILLS, CA – Nominations voting for the 85th Academy Awards® will open at 8 a.m. PT, Monday, December 17, for the 5,856 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.  Members will have until 5 p.m. PT, Thursday, January 3, 2013, to vote electronically or mail in a paper ballot. Any paper ballots received after the deadline will not be counted.

Nominations and final Awards ballots will be tabulated and verified by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) to ensure that all aspects of the balloting process are accurate and secure.

This will be the first year the Academy is providing its membership the opportunity to vote electronically. Several voting resources will be available to members, including assisted voting stations in Los Angeles, New York and London, and a 24-hour support call center during voting periods.

The 85th Academy Awards nominations will be announced live on Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 5:30 a.m. PT in the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater.

Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2012 will be presented on Oscar Sunday, February 24, 2013, at the Dolby Theatre™ at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live on the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide.

The hunt for Tom Cruise continues: the man so many consider “the biggest star in Hollywood” is remaining off limits to press for his latest film, “Jack Reacher.” Even though “Reacher” has pretty good reviews, and should be a Christmas hit for Paramount Pictures, Cruise is keeping it low key. He’s skipping the entire press junket for “Reacher” this weekend in New York.

A call sheet went out to press today and the “available” talent will be Rosamund Pike, David Oyelowo (who told me recently how much he loved working with Cruise on the movie), plus author of the “Reacher” books Lee Child, and writer-director Christopher McQuarrie.

But no Cruise. Tom is making an appearance in Pittsburgh tomorrow afternoon at a “premiere” for “Reacher”–he’ll likely sign autographs and wave and smile, sort of like the politician in Robert Altman’s classic film “Nashville.” Next week he appears on both David Letterman and Jimmy Fallon, which are usually live shows and not taped in advance. But Cruise will otherwise not be available for interviews on “Reacher.”

So far “Reacher” has six positive reviews and one extremely negative one on rottentomatoes.com. It has good buzz. But the real reviews from all the junketeers won’t come until after they’ve seen the movie this weekend and registered their reactions–which may not be until right before the movie opens next Friday, December 21–the same day the world is supposed to end.

Meantime Paramount is riding high with “Flight”– which should be nominated for Best Picture, it’s excellent–and David Chase’s rocking musical  “Not Fade Away” which premieres Tuesday and will be a welcome addition to the Christmas releases.

PS I’ve never read these “Reacher” books, where the main character is supposed to be six foot five. If Cruise is good in the role it won’t matter. Jack Reacher is a fictitious character. It’s a non issue. If Reacher were a basketball player it might be a different story. But he’s not.