Hollywood Weekend Box Office Report 24-01-2005

I wish I could say I’m surprised at the Box Office take of Are We There Yet?, but I’m not. It’s one of the few movies out there aimed at a specific demographic which hasn’t had a film for a while. While it still looks like a rip off of several different movies, you have to give the studio credit for positioning the movie when it has. As the saying goes, timing is everything.

Next week doesn’t seem to offer much to unseat the Ice Cube vehicle (pun intended) either - a couple of horror movies in the dumping grounds of January will most likely take White Noise off the top ten, but might not even do enough to unseat Are We There Yet?. Next week’s real battle will be whether Ice Cube’s comedy can keep Sammy J’s Coach Carter down, a film it didn’t beat by much this weekend.

1. Are We There Yet?* - USD 18.5 Million
2. Coach Carter - USD 11 Million (USD 43.2 M)
3. Meet the Fockers - USD 10.2 Million (USD 247M)
4. In Good Company - USD 8.5 Million (USD 27M)
5. Racing Stripes - USD 7 Million (USD 27 M)
6. Assault on Precinct 13* - USD 7 Million (USD 8.5 M)
7. White Noise - USD 5 Million (USD 49.4 M)
8. The Phantom of the Opera - USD 5 Million (USD 33.5 M)
9. The Aviator - USD 4.8 Million (USD 58 M)
10. Elektra - USD 3.8 Million (USD 20 M)

Michael Douglas to star in Racing the Monsoon

When did Michael Douglas get so serious? Remember Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile? Fantastic fun films. Yet Douglas hasn’t returned to that kind of fun film for some time, and he was so good at it, those movies are great entertainment.

Coming Soon have the story from The Hollywood Reporter that he is to star in a movie called Racing the Monsoon, which is to follow in the vein of these two films. As the title suggests it is set in India, and Douglas is reported to be out there scouting around for locations, as well as courting (and I mean that in a Business sense) Indian stars. (more…)

Nagesh Kukunoor gets Naseer for Iqbal

Guess who is leading the starcast in Nagesh Kukunoor’s next with Mukta Arts Ltd. film?

Yes you guessed it right! Versatile ctor Naseeruddin Shah is spearheading the cast of Nagesh Kukunoor’s next movie titled Iqbal along with Girish Karnad, Kitu Gidwani and newcomer Shreya Talpade.

It seems Naseer impressed Nagesh in “Teen Deewarein”. The movie went on floors last week and will be shot in a six-week schedule in south India.

Ajay Devgan hurts himself

Ajay Devgan has hurt himself badly while shooting in Satara (Maharashtra) for Prakash Jha’s Apaharan based on the kidnappings in Bihar.

Prakash Jha explains how, “It was a heavy-duty action sequence which involved a fisticuff. A hand-to-hand fight with another guy where Ajay lost balance, slipped and fell. Ajay’s body weight feel on his finger and it was crushed. You can imagine how painful it must have been” the bearded Jha raises concern.

“Also he is suffering from a mild joint dislocation,” he adds. “Will his absence cause any mess in shoot schedules? “Not at all, we will have Nana Patekar shoot his portions while Ajay recuperates. Four extra days in February from his end and we can call it a wrap” the director clarifies. (more…)

Aguilera Thinking Of Marrige

The human condition is beset by many an insurmountable task. Not drinking, or bringing about World Peace for example. Now some div is attempting the thankless task of making an honest woman of Christina Aguilera.

The incredibly-named Jason Bratman has apparently been shopping for “the right ring” (News Ed. initiallly read that as “the right wing”). According to the New York Post, a ’source’ said that “He’s been making inquiries about rings with different jewellers, Christina really loves him. She is so happy with him.”

Apparently Bratman has been a good influence on Aguilera, persuading her to remove 10 of her 11 body piercings. Is the chuff one still there? Aguilera said that “He’s the one guy I can credit for making me think about marriage in a whole new light,” though as ever in these situations, a label person denied that nuptials are ensuing.

U2 Euro Tour Dates Announced

According to NME, U2 have finally announced dates for their world tour following the release of their 11th album ‘How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb’.

The band is to kick off their Vertigo 2005 world tour in San Diego on March 28 and, following 13 North American shows, begin the European leg of their tour in Brussels on June 10.

U2’s five British and Irish dates start at the City of Manchester Stadium on June 14.

The European dates are:

06/10 - Brussels King Baudouin Stadium
06/12 - Gelsenkirchen Schalke Stadium
06/14 - Manchester City of Manchester Stadium
06/18 - London Twickenham Stadium
06/21 - Glasgow Hampden Park
06/24 - Dublin Croke Park
06/29 - Cardiff Millennium Stadium
07/02 - Vienna Ernst Happel Stadium
07/05 - Katowice Slaski Stadium
07/07 - Berlin Olympic Stadium
07/09 - Paris Stade de France
07/11 - Zurich Letzigrund Stadium
07/13 - Amsterdam Arena
07/19 - Milan San Siro
07/23 - Rome Olympic Stadium
07/27 - Oslo Vallehovin Stadium
07/29 - Gothenburg Ullevi Stadium
07/31 - Copenhagen Parken
08/03 - Munich Olympic Stadium
08/05 - Nice Parc des Sports Charles Ehrmann
08/07 - Barcelona Camp Nou
08/09 - San Sebastian Anoeta Stadium
08/11 - Madrid Estadio Vicente Calderon
08/14 - Lisbon Alvalade

ALANIS MORRISETTE UK Tour Dates Confirmed

ALANIS MORRISETTE has confirmed details of rare UK shows.

The singer will play her first full-scale UK live dates since 2001 this April, calling at:
London Brixton Carling Academy (April 21)
Manchester Carling Apollo (22)

Tickets for the shows go on sale at 9am on Tuesday January (25), priced Pound Sterling 27.50 for London and Pound Sterling 25 for Manchester.