08:00 18.08.2006 | All news from "Tech News and Articles"
"Snakes" flying all over the radar (Reuters)
Ever since the Internet digerati took hold of the title ofthe film, buzz has been unlike anything the Internet has seen,especially for a nonsequel. And since cameaboard, the buzz has climbed to a fever pitch.
But that all began months ago, and there have been no earlyscreenings of the film. The Hollywood premiere was set for 9p.m. Thursday -- too late for most reviewers to file before thefilm bows Friday, though most everyone recognizes that reviewsmatter little for a film fans are hoping will be so bad thatit's good.
New Line remains confident. The studio is opening the filmin 3,555 theaters, the widest release for an R-rated New Linefilm ever -- 630 more than "Wedding Crashers" last year. Evenif it opens at the low end of expectations, most handicappersare confident that "Snakes" will be the top grosser of theframe. Estimates for the $35 million production range from thelow-$20 millions to the low-$30 millions.
The other new wide releases are Universal Pictures'"Accepted" and MGM's "Material Girls."
REPTILES, FEDS AND MOBSTERS
From director David R. Ellis, "Snakes" stars Jackson as an agent escorting a witness on a flight from Hawaii to LosAngeles. A crime lord releases hundreds of snakes on the jet inorder to eliminate the witness before he can testify. co-stars.
From the 10-minute clip shown at last month's Comic-Con tothe video for the overplayed song from Cobra Starship to themany parodies on the Web, "Snakes" has entered the zeitgeist ina manner that is surprising even the studio, which says it isstill trying to catch up with all the publicity.
The PG-13 "Accepted" stars as a high schoolsenior who has been rejected by all the colleges to which hehas applied. He then creates his own university, whereapplicants unexpectedly start showing up by the hundreds.Produced by Tom Shadyac, the film is helmed by Steve Pink inhis directorial debut.
"Accepted" was scheduled to bow August 11 but shied awayfrom the date after Buena Vista's "Step Up" looked like itwould cannibalize its audience -- a wise move, considering thatthe latter opened last weekend to $20 million for the No. 2spot. "Accepted's" gross looks closer to the $13 million-$15million range, and the under-18 crowd might choose it as theiroption when turned away from "Snakes." Jonah Hill, Blake Livelyand Lewis Black co-star.
"Material Girls," MGM's second summer release, featuressisters Hilary and as heiresses to their family'scosmetics fortune who are stripped of their wealth and forcedto work for a living. Martha Coolidge directs the PG comedy,which bows Friday in 1,509 locations. Interest in the film hasbeen underwhelming, and industry insiders don't have much hopefor a solid gross. The distributor is looking at low-singledigits.
LIMITED BOWS
The limited-release market should be interesting. FoxSearchlight is bowing its second summer entry, "Trust the Man,"an acquisition from last year's Toronto International FilmFestival. "Trust" marks the first attempt at comedy bywriter-director Bart Freundlich ("The Myth of Fingerprints,""World Traveler"). With a cast featuring , , and Freundlich's wife and frequentcreative collaborator, , "Man" revolves aroundtwo New York couples and their efforts to keep theirrelationships together. The film bows Friday in 38 theaters ineight cities.
Freestyle Releasing will open the Bob Yari production "TheIllusionist" from Neil Burger. With a stellar cast featuring and , the PG-13 film centers on amagician in early 1900s Vienna who comes under attack by theCrown Prince. Opening in 38 theaters, the film will expand nextweekend before going wide September 1.
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter
http://us.rd.yahoo.com/