Nov 20 2009 01:56 PM ET

'New Moon' midnight shows break box-office records

Categories: News, Twilight

Summit Entertainment is howling with delight. The Twilight Saga: New Moon has set a new record for opening midnight shows, earning an estimated $26.3 million. The figure passes Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’s midnight take of $22.2 million this past summer. Screening in 3,514 theaters, the film grossed a per-theater average of $7,476. And if that’s not enough, Summit’s one-night re-issue of Twilight last night earned $1.3 million in 2,057 theaters. It’s a remarkable figure considering the movie screened only at 9 p.m. Thursday night. It’s safe to say the Chris Weitz-directed film is going to be a monster hit this weekend.

More ‘New Moon’ box office:
Box-office preview: Can ‘New Moon’ cross $100 million?

‘New Moon’ ticket pre-sales breaking records

Nov 20 2009 12:55 PM ET

Thursday ratings: 'Fringe' still struggling

Rankings were steady last night with ratings drops pretty evenly across the board; The Office continued to top Fox’s drama Fringe, which lost around 40 percent of its lead-in from the going-strong Bones. The Vampire Diaries posted its lowest ratings ever, dropping to below 4 million for the first time.

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8:00 p.m. Survivor: Samoa (CBS)
Bones (Fox)
FlashForward (ABC)
Community (NBC)
The Vampire Diaries (The CW)
12.3
9.8
8.0
5.1
3.7
8:30 p.m. Parks and Recreation (NBC) 4.6
9:00 p.m. CSI (CBS)
Grey’s Anatomy (ABC)
The Office (NBC)
Fringe (Fox)
Supernatural (The CW)
15.0
14.0
7.4
5.9
2.7
9:30 p.m. 30 Rock (NBC) 5.9
10:00 p.m. The Mentalist (CBS)
Private Practice (ABC)
The Jay Leno Show (NBC)
15.8
9.0
4.8
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Nov 19 2009 11:31 PM ET

Taylor Lautner at New York 'New Moon' premiere: 'Werewolves are sexier'

Categories: Film, New Moon, Twilight

Taylor Lautner was loyal to his wolfpack at the New York premiere of New Moon on Thursday night. Asked if vampires or werewolves were sexier, Lautner told EW: “That’s a hard question. They’re sexier in different ways. But, I mean, I’ll stay true to the pack. I’ll go werewolf.” Score one for Team Jacob.

Lautner — and his co-stars including Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Nikki Reed, Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz — continued the promotional whirlwind for New Moon at a Big Apple screening hosted by The Cinema Society and D&G. The stars might have been relieved that the New York event didn’t reach the fan frenzy of the Los Angeles premiere on Monday night — this low-key event was under the radar of most Twihards, attracting about 100 fans who stood patiently in the drizzling rain on Houston Street at the Landmark Sunshine Cinema. Notable audience members included Natalie Portman, Gossip Girl’s Jessica Szohr and Taylor Momsen, Howard Stern, Agyness Deyn, and Patrick Wilson.

Lautner told us that he was happy to see Jacob’s role expanded in the sequel. “It was really exciting for me that Jacob has the opportunity to develop his relationship with Bella in this movie,” he said. “Really it’s setting up this entire series, which is this love triangle. So it was great to have them develop their relationship.” That also meant more bonding time on the New Moon set with Kristen Stewart. “Kristen and I have a very similar relationship to Jacob and Bella. We’re very open and honest with each other, we can tell each other things.”

The pair probably won’t be sharing a row in your local cinema on Friday, though. Stewart was asked if she would be checking out release-day frenzy at a theater. “No!,” she said emphatically. But she did sound appreciative of all the attention directed at her character, Bella. “I think Bella is a really good role model. To be able to play her is just a serious honor.”

Robert Pattinson had a guy’s guy approach when asked about how he chooses which suits to wear to his appearances. “I don’t know, I just see which one fits and see which one looks alright I guess,” the unshaven actor said.

Director Chris Weitz joked that he had a hard time with the paparazzi. “They’re after me all the time. They just want pictures of me holding Rob’s hand,” he said with a laugh.

On a more serious note, it sounded like the director has had his fill of vampires for a while. “I think I’m all out of vampire at the moment so I haven’t been approached with other vampire movies. Everyone out there is welcome to not approach me with more vampire movies,” Weitz told EW.

Ma and Pa Cullen also spoke to us about how New Moon is a much different film than Twilight. “Twilight was like a 30-35 million dollar movie which is not cheap. But for sure, it feels a little more studio-based, this movie. It feels a little crisper, a little more epic,” Peter Facinelli (Dr. Carlisle Cullen) said. “I liked the intimate feel of [Twilight] but I think that for New Moon this works better…Chris Weitz did a fantastic job with the special effects.”

Elizabeth Reaser (Esme Cullen) agreed there was a “huge difference” between Twilight and New Moon. “I thought the first one was kind of big and crazy, and this is just different. It’s a whole other level.” – Reporting by Jean Bentley

Photo Credit: Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images

Nov 19 2009 09:30 PM ET

Is Dustin Hoffman out of 'Little Fockers'?

Categories: Film, Movie Biz, News

Those of you looking forward to seeing Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand reunite as Bernie and Roz Focker, you may have to just rent Meet the Fockers again. It’s looking like Hoffman isn’t returning to the third installment in the Meet the Parents franchise. Sources tell EW.com that there has been strife between Hoffman and the studio over the size of the part, the scheduling of the days on set and other difficulties. Hoffman had tentatively agreed to appear in what was to be a very funny cameo at the end of the film. That seems to have now fallen apart, due to either salary issues or scheduling problems, or both. The studio, Universal, declined to comment. At this point, we do know that Streisand still has a prominent role in the movie as Ben Stiller’s mother but alas, Papa Focker’s role is looking much more unstable. Hoffman’s rep didn’t immediately return EW’s call for comment.

Nov 19 2009 06:03 PM ET

Box-office preview: Can 'New Moon' cross $100 million?

Preordained success is a tricky thing. Anything less than perfect and your movie is considered a disappointment. Lucky for Summit Entertainment and the filmmakers behind New Moon, teenage girls have got their back. At this point only a natural catastrophe (and I’m not talking 2012) could derail the second installment of Twilight from being a major box-office hit. Movie websites are reporting record sales. Teenagers are already lined up for midnight showings. And there is a good possibility this film could gross in the $100 million range, putting it on par with such juggernauts as Iron Man, Indiana Jones and Harry Potter. Not bad for a $50 million movie about teenagers and vampires. But this is one crowded weekend at the box office — Hollywood wasn’t willing to let Summit have all the glory. Some crafty counter-programming includes kid flick Planet 51 and the Sandra Bullock football drama The Blind Side, which is appealing to male audiences. Read on for my predictions. (Read full post)

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Nov 19 2009 01:11 PM ET

Ratings: CBS wins Wednesday, ABC and NBC fight for second

Categories: News, TV Biz, TV Ratings

CBS continued to dominate Wednesday in the ratings, with CSI:NY and Criminal Minds standing as the evening’s most-watched programs, according to preliminary Nielsen numbers. The race for second place, however, is also something worth tuning in for: ABC averaged 7.3 million viewers, led by Modern Family, Cougar Town, The Middle, and Robin Roberts’ sit down with Janet Jackson; NBC averaged 7 million viewers, with freshman drama Mercy topping the 8 p.m. hour.

 

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8 p.m. Mercy (NBC)
The New Adventures of Old Christine (CBS)
Modern Family (ABC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
America’s Next Top Model (The CW)
7.8
7.5
6.2 (repeat)
5.7
3.7
8:30 p.m. Gary Unmarried (CBS)
The Middle (ABC)
7.2
7.1
9 p.m. Criminal Minds (CBS)
Modern Family (ABC)
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (NBC)
Glee (Fox)
America’s Next Top Model (The CW)
13.5
9.2
8.4
7.3
1.8
9:30 p.m Cougar Town (ABC) 7.9
10 p.m. CSI: NY (CBS)
In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts (ABC)
The Jay Leno Show (NBC)
13.7
6.6
4.8

Read more:
Janet Jackson interview: Michael Jackson was ‘in denial,’ and why she won’t see This Is It
Glee recap
America’s Next Top Model finale recap
So You Think You Can Dance recap
Modern Family recap

Nov 19 2009 11:34 AM ET

Aaron Sorkin's next TV project still a ways off, rep says

Categories: Deals, Television

It appears that reports yesterday that West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin is working on another TV project may be a bit premature. According to his rep, “There is nothing to discuss at this point,” because Sorkin is plenty busy as is: He’s in production on The Social Network, the Facebook origin story starring Justin Timberlake, and he’s in the process of adapting Moneyball, starring Brad Pitt, and The Challenge, starring George Clooney.

Nov 19 2009 06:02 AM ET

'New Moon' ticket pre-sales breaking records

No surprise here: Twilight fans are salivating in preparation to sink their teeth into the franchise’s much-anticipated sequel, New Moon. The film, which will be in theaters Friday, is already attracting record audiences for ticket sellers and venues across the country.

According to Fandango, who notes that their numbers are increasing every second, several thousand New Moon showtimes have sold out, making it the most the company has ever sold prior to a film’s release date. (And, yes, that means the film has even topped The Dark Knight, and movies from both the Harry Potter and Star Wars franchises.) AMC and MovieTickets.com report the same information. Both the movie chain and the online ticket buying service have said the film has broken records set by Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. (New Moon even nabbed the No. 1 spot on MovieTickets.com’s list of top 10 advance ticket sellers of all time, breaking a nearly five-year-old record set by Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith. The service is also reporting over 2,150 sellouts for the film, with over 200 in Los Angeles and New York.)

“You could say that Edward and Jacob slayed The Dark Knight and put a spell on Harry Potter to take the advance ticketing crown at Fandango,” says Fandango rep Harry Medved, who also says that 42 percent of 2,000 ticket buyers surveyed are younger than 24 years old. “Theater owners are continually adding new showtimes and posting them to keep up with fan demand.”

So why have the numbers grown so much since the first film? Obviously, the tabloid fodder surrounding its three stars — Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner—surely hasn’t hurt matters. But the first film also drove 55 percent of Fandango’s surveyed ticket buyers to read Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight series. Add to that the fact that most of the film’s audience is young and female — MovieTickets.com reports that 87 percent of their ticket buyers are female — and it’s no surprise that the sequel is beating its predecessor.

Hoping to profit even further over the fervor, AMC is planning on offering New Moon collector’s cups, as well as T-shirts, tote bags, and posters at their cinemas. The fans, however, might not need any additional garb. According to Fandango, ten percent of fans plan on dressing up as characters from the film. And if you’re one of the lucky few who have scored Thursday night tickets — the majority of tickets sold on Fandango — be sure to cover your ears: The company says their stats show 51 percent of fans say they’re prepared to scream as soon as lights go down in the theater. Does that mean we’ll be deaf by the time we get to Eclipse?

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Nov 18 2009 12:35 PM ET

Ratings: Heather Locklear slightly boosts 'Melrose Place' viewership

Categories: News, Ratings, TV Biz, TV Ratings

The return of Heather Locklear’s character Amanda Woodward drew in 200,000 more viewers to Melrose Place than last week’s episode, and also improved on its Adults 18-34 rating from last week. Other than an 8 p.m. NBC special Merry Madagascar, it was business as usual for NBC and CBS on a Tuesday night. For ABC, viewership for Dancing With the Stars: The Results went up a bit from last week, while viewership and key demographic ratings for V continue to drop. Twelve percent fewer people tuned in for this week’s V than last week’s.

Time Show Viewers (in millions)
8:00 p.m. NCIS (CBS)
V (ABC)
Merry Madagascar (NBC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
90210 (The CW)
20.2
9.3
9.0
6.5
2.1
8:30 The Biggest Loser (NBC) 9.6
9:00 Dancing With the Stars: The Results (ABC)
NCIS: Los Angeles (CBS)
The Biggest Loser (NBC)
So You Think You Can Dance (Fox)
Melrose Place (The CW)
15.9
14.8
9.5 (continued)
5.4 (continued)
1.5
10:00 The Good Wife (CBS)
The Forgotten (ABC)
The Jay Leno Show (NBC)
12.7
7.7
6.1

‘Dancing With the Stars’ recap: You should be dancing
‘V’ recap: The visitors’ reach gets broader
‘The Biggest Loser’ recap: Makeover madness
‘So You Think You Can Dance’ recap: Getting better
‘Melrose Place’ recap: Amanda’s back!

Nov 18 2009 12:15 PM ET

Ratings: CBS delivers 12 of Top 20 shows for the week

NBC’s Sunday Night Football franchise—which saw New England take on Indianapolis this past weekend—was on the top of the weekly ratings chart for the broadcast networks for the week ending Nov. 15, drawing 22.4 million viewers to watch the pigskin showdown. But the overall winner on the Top 20? Without question: CBS, which served up 12 of the shows in the Top 20. The No. 2 spot went to the high-performing network, as TV’s top scripted show, NCIS, drew 21.0 million viewers. ABC’s Dancing with the Stars was still strong, though, and landed at No. 3, with a still-distant-from-NCIS 17.6 million viewers.

The rest of the Top 20, however, packed few surprises, and is instead filled with the usual suspects, including CBS’ The Mentalist (No. 6), ABC’s Desperate Housewives (No. 10), CBS’ Two and a Half Men (No. 12), CBS’ newbie The Good Wife (No. 14), and even ABC’s long-running Extreme Makeover: Home Edition (No. 20). The one out-of-the-ordinary special that did make the list was the country star-studded CMA Awards, which landed in a plum spot at No. 5, drawing a very healthy 17.2 million viewers.

The full Top 20—complete with viewership totals—is after the jump.

(Read full post)

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