universal

16 Sep

Madonna to Helm Her Own Biopic for Universal

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“Nobody knows what I know and what I have seen. Only I can tell my story. Anyone else who tries is a charlatan and a fool looking for instant gratification without doing the work,” Madonna said of Universal’s previous attempts to make a movie about her life and career, and now it seems that the studio is in full agreement, as it’s been confirmed that she will direct its upcoming biopic, and pen it with Jennifer’s Body and Juno writer Diablo Cody. “I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician,…

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20 Aug

Darkman’s Behind-the-Scenes Struggles with Universal Revealed by Filmmakers

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A groundbreaking entry in the superhero cinema genre, 1990’s Darkman is celebrating its 30th anniversary. While the dark horse hit of a film served as a mainstream breakthrough for Evil Dead horror maestro Sam Raimi and a key headlining gig for star Liam Neeson, it was also the culmination of much behind-the-scenes friction between studio Universal and the filmmakers, who, on this occasion, shed some intriguing light on the experience. Members of the cast and crew of Darkman participated in an oral history interview with THR commemorating the film’s big 3-0; a conversation that proved revelatory regarding a fateful act…

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30 Jul

The Universal AMC Deal Could Change Moviegoing

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How quickly corporate adversaries become fast friends. That is at least the outward appearance Universal Pictures and AMC Theatres wished to project in the announcement of their historic agreement to reduce the theatrical window of Universal releases to as little as 17 days. Under the arrangement revealed Tuesday, films distributed by Universal and Focus Features will play at AMC locations for a 17-day exclusive window, at which point Universal has the option to immediately make such titles available for premium video-on-demand (PVOD), including on AMC Theatres on Demand. However, Universal could just as easily keep films in theaters, including AMC’s,…

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28 Jul

AMC Theatres and Universal Reach Agreement On 17-Day Theatrical Window

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Universal Pictures and AMC Theatres have ended a months-long feud over the distribution of the studio’s movies in both theaters and on premium VOD services. The battle, which began in April with Universal’s decision to premiere Trolls World Tour on PVOD instead of waiting for a theatrical release, had AMC CEO Adam Aron vowing at one point to ban all Universal product from AMC screens. According to Deadline, films released under a new multi-year agreement between the world’s biggest exhibitor and one of its largest content producers will have a 17-day exclusive theatrical window at AMC facilities, after which Universal…

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03 Jul

Skyman: Don Miggs Discusses Universal Sonics

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The mock-documentary Skyman doesn’t tell the usual UFO encounter story. Director Daniel Myrick, who broke on the scene with the groundbreaking horror thriller The Blair Witch Project, does not put this together using found footage. The film examines the aftermath of an alien visitation, and the story is told by a witness and survivor. Carl Merryweather (Michael Selle) was seven years old when he saw the “skyman” in Barstow, a small town in California. The event changed him. He’s spent years obsessively collecting UFO magazines, as well as first-person accounts of other contactees. It made him the neighborhood “character.” Skyman…

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25 Jun

Twister Reboot Set at Universal, Joseph Kosinski Eyed to Direct

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Twister, the 1996 blockbuster hit, is set to conjure a new vaunted vortex on the big screen, thanks to plans for—get ready for it—a reboot movie. Universal Pictures, which co-produced the original film, is spearheading a Twister reboot effort, and is in talks to tap Joseph Kosinski to direct, according to Variety. While there’s currently no script or even plot details in place, the studio is reportedly meeting with writers. Additionally, the legendary Frank Marshall is attached to produce the picture. Manifesting as an archetypal effects-heavy blockbuster, Twister focused on weather-chasing meteorologist Jo Harding (Helen Hunt), who, armed with a…

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20 Jun

Jason Blum: No Plans To Restart Universal Monsters Universe

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It seems like an eternity ago — but it’s only been three years — that Universal Studios’ proposed “Dark Universe” collapsed after its disastrous debut with The Mummy. A proposed slate of interconnected films featuring Javier Bardem as Frankenstein’s monster, Johnny Depp as The Invisible Man, Russell Crowe as Dr. Jekyll (not originally a Universal property, but whatever) and even Angelina Jolie as the Bride of Frankenstein was quietly entombed in the studio’s development crypt after The Mummy unraveled like a…you get the idea. Flash forward to 2020 and Universal took a tentative step back into the monster pool this…

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12 Jun

Bride of Frankenstein Remake Still Happening at Universal

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Bride of Frankenstein was long set for a major remake movie treatment from Universal as part of the “Dark Universe,” a continuity-unified Marvel-esque movie franchise for which the exorbitantly-produced Tom Cruise-headlined 2017 remake of The Mummy was designed as the kick off. Of course, that movie flopped spectacularly, derailing the Dark Universe plans, leaving Bride at the proverbial pre-production altar. However, said Bride remake may still have a chance to scream on the big screen. David Koepp, a veteran screenwriter who previously took a turn—as did several other scribes—on a rewrite of Universal’s Dark-Universe-intended Bride of Frankenstein script, divulged that…

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29 Apr

Can an AMC Theatres Ban of Universal Last?

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The sense of solidarity between movie studios and movie exhibitors broke down in spectacularly public fashion this week as Universal Pictures, the studio leading the way in shattering the theatrical window, and AMC Theatres, the largest movie theater chain in North America, entered a public relations confrontation. The showdown, which has so far culminated in AMC Theatres threatening to refuse showing any Universal releases across their nationwide network of theaters when they reopen, began Tuesday morning when NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell told The Wall Street Journal, “The results for Trolls World Tour have exceeded our expectations and demonstrated the viability…

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23 Apr

Universal and LEGO Launch Five-Year Partnership

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Universal Pictures finalized a five-year exclusive development, production and theatrical distribution deal with the LEGO Group, according to Deadline. Universal’s animation division, Illumination Entertainment, has been a successful venture, putting out The Secret Life of Pets and Despicable Me film series.The Lego movie franchise has earned $1 billion in box office revenue. LEGO’s 2014 film The Lego Movie grossed $468 million worldwide, leading to spinoffs with diminishing returns like The Lego Batman Movie from 2017, The Lego Ninjago Movie and The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part.  The new deal is the product of Universal Filmed Entertainment Group Chairman Donna…

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20 Apr

Green Hornet Reboot Coming From Universal

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Dust off your fedora and domino mask and make sure there’s gas in the Black Beauty, because the Green Hornet and Kato will once again return to the screen. Despite the fact that the masked vigilantes pre-date Batman and Robin by several years (having first leaped into action on The Green Hornet radio show in 1936), these legendary pop culture figures haven’t had much luck on the screen recently. That’s about to change with Amasia Entertainment partnering with Universal Pictures for The Green Hornet and Kato, the latest attempt to update the pair for a new generation. Michael Helfant and…

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08 Apr

The Night of the Hunter Remake in the Works at Universal

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Charles Laughton’s sole directorial effort, the 1955 suspense classic The Night of the Hunter is getting a modern remake from Universal Pictures, according to Variety. Amy Pascal’s (Spider-Man: Far From Home) Universal Pictures-based banner Pascal Pictures will produce along with Peter Gethers. The screenplay will be written by Matt Orton, best known for the Nazi-hunter film Operation Finale, based on Davis Grubb’s 1953 novel. The original film is iconic, and Robert Mitchum’s portrayal of newly released prison convict Harry Powell is one of the greatest villains of the silver screen. This is the film which introduced the hand tattoos LOVE…

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18 Mar

Cats: Rian Johnson Asks Universal to Release the Butthole Cut

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Cats, the 2019 CGI-laden live-action film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic musical, may have set its paws in the cement of notoriety for a variety of reasons, but it seems that it just provided a freaked, cabin-fever-afflicted world something of timely and intangible value: a cause. This one, however, is centered on the digital buttholes of anthropomorphic singing cats. Do we have your attention yet? In a welcome distraction, this week’s digital release of Cats has facilitated a rumor from writer Jack Waz, who, citing word-of-mouth sources, claims that the extensive process of finalizing the feline features of its…

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16 Mar

Universal Puts Movies in Theaters on VOD

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The times are changing quickly in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, and industries are in upheaval. Just this past weekend, North American box office saw a historic drop-off in attendance, and that was before New York City and Los Angeles mayors announced the closure of all movie theaters Sunday night. Universal Pictures has responded by taking the unprecedented step of releasing its biggest releases currently in theaters on video on demand, as well as its biggest remaining April release. The Comcast-owned company announced Monday that, for the time being, it is switching to what is essentially a day-and-date VOD…

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04 Mar

Universal Monsters: The Invisible Man Shows Life After Dark Universe Death

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Over the last weekend, an eerie thing happened at the box office: Leigh Whannell and Blumhouse Productions’ The Invisible Man brought the Universal Monsters legacy back with a vengeance. Over-performing with a monstrous box office bow of $29 million in the U.S. alone, the horror reimagining of the H.G. Wells novel (and James Whale’s 1933 film) more than quadrupled its $7 million budget in only three days. This is of course good news about a good horror movie, one of the best in a while with its panic attack-inducing allegory about a woman being gaslighted by an abusive ex. But…

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