'The Conjuring' scares away competition on its way to a $41.5 million opening

The race to dominate July's most crowded weekend had a clear winner with director James Wan's "The Conjuring" scaring up an massive $41.5 million, according to studio estimates released today (Sunday).

"The Conjuring" grossed $41.5 million.

The total was the second highest opening week for a supernatural horror film, behind only 2011's "Paranormal Activity 3," which grossed $52.5 million in its first weekend, according to figures from Box Office Mojo.

"Despicable Me 2" continued its own stellar run, adding another $25 million to its already gaudy take of $276 million at the domestic box office. The $76 million sequel has pulled in $584 million worldwide.

The same could not be said for newcomer "Turbo," which had to settle for third place in its debut with a weekend tally of $21.5 million. Opening early on Wednesday, the Dreamworks Animation film has a five-day total of $31.2 million. The film's weekend mark is the lowest for the studio since 2006's "Flushed Away" and the first jab of a two-punch knockout for actor Ryan Reynolds, who had two films disappoint this weekend. For comparison, the studio's "The Croods," which opened in a much less crowded March, opened with $43.6 million on its way to a $186 million domestic total.

Adam Sandler's comedy ensemble sequel "Grown Up 2" delivered well in its second weekend, adding $20 million to its now $79.5 million total.

Newcomer "Red 2," the follow-up of the 2010 surprise hit comedy action film starring Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Hellen Mirren and Mary-Louise Parker, grossed $18.5 million, less than the original's $21.7 million opening. That film went on to gross $99 million domestically and $199 million worldwide.

Guillermo Del Toro's Kaiju action film "Pacific Rim" could not build on its rather disappointing start from last weekend, grossing only $15.9 million for a 10-day total of $68.2 million. The film is performing much better overseas, however, with a foreign tally of $110 million so far.

The biggest box office disappointment of the weekend, and perhaps the summer, was "R.I.P.D.," which only drew $12.7 million this weekend. The $130 million comic book adaptation was helmed by "Red" director Robert Schwentke and starred the aforementioned Reynolds alongside Jeff Bridges.

The top 10 was rounded out by three box office success stories in "The Heat," "World War Z" and "Monsters University."

The complete list of the weekend's top 10 grossing films is:

1. "The Conjuring" $41.5 million (New)
2. "Despicable Me," $25 million (Total: $276.1 million)
3. "Turbo," $21.5 million (Total: $31.2 million)
4. "Grown Ups 2," $20 million (Total: $79.5 million)
5. "Red 2," $18.5 million (New) 
6. "Pacific Rim," $15.9 million (Total: $68.2 million)
7. "R.I.P.D.," $12.7 million (New)
8. "The Heat," $9.3 million (Total: $129.3 million) 
9. "World War Z," $5.2 million (Total: $186.9 million)  
10. "Monsters University," $5 million (Total: $248.9 million)

Avengers to face 'Age of Ultron' in 2015

Marvel announced the new title Saturday at Comic-Con.

Marvel's Avengers will be facing the super-villain Ultron in the forthcoming sequel to the 2012's blockbuster superhero team-up film.

Marvel made the announced Saturday during its film panel at San Diego Comic-Con Saturday, revealing the 2015 feature has the title, "The Avengers: Age of Ultron."

According The Hollywood Report, actor Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki in "Thor," "The Avengers" and the upcoming "Thor: The Dark World," started Marvel's panel by arriving in character.

Later, "Avengers" director Joss Whedon introduced a video that revealed Ultron's head, followed by the new title.

Ultron first appeared in 1968 in "Avengers" #54, although his identity was not revealed until the next issue. A robot with artificial intelligence, Ultron has sparred with the Avengers and others off and on for the past 45 years in multiple versions. He most recently appeared in the crossover series "Age of Ultron," in which he enslaves the world and sets out to exterminate the planet's heroes. It is unclear at this time how much this storyline, if any, will be used in the film.

"Iron Man 3" was the first film in Marvel's Phase II series of films leading up to "The Avengers: Age of Ultron," and will be followed by this fall's "Thor: The Dark World" and next year's "Captain America: The Winter Solider."

Batman joining Superman in 'Man of Steel' sequel

In perhaps the biggest Hollywood news to come out of this year's San Diego Comic-Con, Warner Bros. officially announced a "Man of Steel" sequel which will feature none other than Batman himself.

'Man of Steel' has grossed $630 million.

According to multiple reports, director Zack Snyder and actor Henry Cavill joined Warner Bros.'s panel near the end to confirm they were returning for the sequel.

Then actor Henry Lennix, who played General Swanick in "Man of Steel," recited the following line: "I want you to remember, Clark, in all the years to come, in all your most private moments, I want you to remember my hand at your throat. I want you to remember the one man who beat you."

Comic fans will recognize the line from Frank Miller's epic graphic novel "Dark Knight Returns," which was recently adapted itself into animated form.

The panel then closed with a logo featuring Superman's shield over the Batman logo.

There is no word as of yet on who will play Batman in the new film, although Christian Bale, who filled the role in Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" trilogy, has said on multiple occasions he will not be reprising the role.

After the panel, Warner Bros. released the following press release:

On the heels of the worldwide success of “Man of Steel,” director Zack Snyder is bringing together the two greatest Super Heroes of all time—Batman and Superman—for the first time on the big screen. The announcement was made today by Greg Silverman, President, Creative Development and Worldwide Production, and Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution,Warner Bros. Pictures.

Film review: 'Pacific Rim'

A snippet of my review of Guillermo Del Toro's sci-fi action film "Pacific Rim" is now online at PerryNewspapers.com. The full review is behind the paper's paywall.

Elijah Wood faces elementary school zombie outbreak in horror comedy 'Cooties'

Five teachers have joined the cast of "Cooties," which is set to star Elijiah Wood ("Wilfred"), who attempts to lead a group of survivors to safety after a virus turns the students at their elementary school into a mob of savages.

Alison Pill

According to Deadline, Alison Pill ("Scott Pilgrim vs. the World"), Rain Wilson ("The Office'), Jack McBrayer ("30 Rock"), Jorge Garcia ("Lost") and Nasim Pedrad ("Saturday Night Live") has signed onto the horror comedy, which began filming Monday.

"Cooties" is being directed by newcomers Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion, based on a script from Leigh Whannell ("Insidious," "Saw") and Ian Brennan ("Glee").

'Chuck' movie 'a couple years' away, but star Zachary Levi wants it to happen

Actor Zachary Levi, who is at San Diego Comic Con for the third straight year with his Nerd HQ setup, believes a movie based on the NBC series "Chuck" is "a couple years" away.

"Chuck" ran from 2007 to 2012 on NBC.

In an interview with TV Line's Michael Auisello, Levy said of the movie, "I want it to happen. I've talked to Warner Bros. about it. I think that it sits right now in everyone's head as 'yeah, that could definitely be something we could do together.'

"It's not going to happen for a couple of years," he said, pointing out that the series, which ran for five seasons, is still on the air in some countries, and he doesn't was "spoil" the finale for them.

Asked about the Kickstarter route, which has been successful recently for several projects, including the "Veronica Mars" movie, Levi said was more interested in creating a new model, akin to video games in which players pre-buy the game before release and, for a premium, get a "special edition."

He specifically pointed to the situation in which people who paid $10,000 toward other projects earned a walk-on role, adding that he was more interested in a "flat rate" approach. Additionally, he didn't want the project to be entirely dependent on raising a certain amount of money from fans.

Levy will return to Broadway after Comic Con to his part in the comedic musical "First Date," which gave him a week off from previews so he could meet his Nerd HQ committments.

He will next be seen on the big screen in Marvel's "Thor: The Dark World," in which he will be playing Fandral, taking over the part from Josh Dallas, who couldn't appear in the comic book sequel due to his commitments to ABC's "Once Upon a Time."

Britt Robertson joins 'Tomorrowland' in lead role

Director Brad Bird's "Tomorrowland" has landed "Under the Dome" actress Britt Robertson, who joins George Clooney and Hugh Laurie in the Disney production.

Britt Robertson

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Robertson will play a lead role as a school girl with an "unconventional understanding of technology who is launched on a journey to reclaim her future."

Bird, who made his live-action directorial debut with 2011's "Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol," is best known for his animated films, including "The Iron Giant," "The Incredibles" and "Ratatouille."

"Tomorrowland" is produced by Bird and Damon Lindelof ("Lost"), and written by Bird, Lindelof and Jeff Jensen, a writer at Entertainment Weekly.

The cast also includes Raffey Cassidy and Thomas Robinson. The film is set for a Dec. 12, 2014.

'How to Train Your Dragon 2' adds Cate Blanchett, Kit Harinton, Djimon Hounsou

Dreamworks Animations upcoming "How to Train Your Dragon 2" had added three members to its voice cast, including "Game of Thrones" actor Kit Harington.

The first film was released in 2010.

As Entertainment Weekly reports, Dreamworks announced today (Thursday) at Comic Con that Harington, Cate Blanchett ("The Hobbit" and Djimon Hounsou ("Gladiator") have joined the animated sequel.

Additionally, writer/director Dean DeBlois gave new story details about the film, which will follow Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel) and his viking village as they begin to explore their world further with the help of their new dragon allies, including, of course, the Night Fury Toothless.

They soon discover a people who have enslaved dragons rather than partnering with them and are creating an army to conquer their neighbors.

According to EW's report, Hounsou plays the invading army's leader, while Harington plays a dragon trapper. Blanchett, meanwhile, will voice a vigilante who is trying to free the enslaved dragons.

'Chronicle' writer Max Landis not involved with sequel

"Chronicle" scribe Max Landis is no longer involved with 21st Century Fox's planned sequel to the found-footage take on the superpowers genre.

"Chronicle" was released in Jan. 2012.

As Comingsoon.net reports, Landis posted on Twitter that he has not been involved with the project for months, adding that "Chronicle" director Josh Trank, who has been tapped for the upcoming "Fantastic Four" reboot, was never attached to the sequel.

"I've been off Chronicle 2 for months now. Fox had a different direction they wanted to take the series, Josh was never attached," Landis said.

"Ultimately, I'm just very grateful to Fox for making a film as close to my original script as Chronicle was. For making the film at all. So yeah it's sad that as of right now I'm not involved in the sequel, and don't know what it's about even, but ultimately I can't complain.

"Chronicle 2 is still probably happening, just not with my involvement as of now. It's a bummer, but there are no real hard feelings. They hired new writers on it. I'm sure they'll announce soon. Just hope this answers the questions I've been getting everyday."

"Chronicle" followed three teens who gain superpowers after making contact with a strange object underground. The film, which was made on a $12 million budget, went on to gross $64 million domestically and another $62 million in foreign markets.

Sony adapting Dan Brown's 'Inferno' for a December 2015 release

Author Dan Brown's latest novel, "Inferno," the fourth to feature professor Robert Langdon, is set for adaptation by Sony, which is targeting a Dec. 18, 2015, release date.

The novel was released in May.

According to Deadline, Ron Howard, who directed both "The Da Vinci Code" and "Angels & Demons," based on the first two novels in the series, as well as Tom Hanks, who played Langdon in both films, are set to return.

Howard had announced he would not direct the adaptation of Brown's third novel, "The Lost Symbol," and Mark Romanek ("One Hour Photo") had been pegged to helm the project.

Now it appears "The Lost Symbol" is being skipped altogether with "Inferno" next up for adaptation.

"Inferno," which was released in May, is described as follows on Brown's official website:

In the heart of Italy, Harvard professor of symbology Robert Langdon is drawn into a harrowing world centered on one of history’s most enduring and mysterious literary masterpieces...Dante’s Inferno.

Against this backdrop, Langdon battles a chilling adversary and grapples with an ingenious riddle that pulls him into a landscape of classic art, secret passageways, and futuristic science. Drawing from Dante’s dark epic poem, Langdon races to find answers and decide whom to trust...before the world is irrevocably altered. 

"The Da Vinci Code," released in 2006, grossed $758 million worldwide, while "Angels & Demons," released three years later, earned $485 million.

Three join zombie comedy 'Life After Beth'

Filming is underway on the upcoming zombie comedy "Life After Beth," and three actresses have joined the production, which is "I Heart Huckabees" writer Jeff Baena's directorial debut.

Anna Kendrick

Deadline is reporting that Anna Kendrick ("Pitch Perfect"), Molly Shannon ("Saturday Night Live") and Cheryl Hines ("Curb Your Enthusiasm") are now in the cast.

The story follows Dane DeHaan ("Chronicle") as a man whose girlfriend (Aubrey Plaza, "Safety Not Guaranteed") dies and then comes back.

The cast also includes John C. Reilly ("We Need to Talk About Kevin"), Matthew Gray Gubler ("Criminal Minds") and Paul Reiser ("Mad About You").

John Lithgow ready to go 'Interstellar'

The cast continues to grow for Christopher Nolan's "Interstellar," with actor John Lithgow joining the project.

John Lithgow

TheWrap broke the story, which has not been confirmed by either Nolan or the ator. Like with Mackenzie Foy, who joined the cast just days ago, the details of Lithgow's character are being kept sealed for now.

The film's cast also includes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine and Casey Affleck.

"Interstellar," like most of Nolan's films, was co-written by himself and his brother Jonathan Nolan, and is said to follow an interstellar voyage to the edge of our scientific knowledge, involving wormholes and other dimensions.

Lithgow's most recent work was in the comedy "This is 40." He also starred in "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" as well a season of the Showtime series "Dexter," in which he played a serial killer.

Two new promo images revealed for 'Riddick'

Actor Vin Diesel posted this image on his Facebook account Monday.

With less than two months before the release of "Riddick," the third film in the sci-fi action series starring Vin Diesel in the title role, two new promo images have been revealed by the film's Twitter account as well as Diesel himself.

The film's Twitter account revealed this promo image.

In the Sept. 9 release, Riddick (Diesel) is left for dead on another barren world and must fed off an attack of not only a band of bounty hunters but the planet indigenous, and deadly, inhabitants. "Riddick" brings the series back to its roots with a story very similar to 2000's "Pitch Black." Just how the new film ties into the 2004 sequel "Chronicles of Riddick," which ended with the Furyan as the new leader of the Necromonger empire, remains to be seen.

The new film also stars Karl Urban ("Star Trek"), Katee Sackhoff ("Battlestar Gallactica"), Dave Batista ("The Man with the Iron Fists"), Nolan Gerand Funk ("Awkward") and Noah Danby ("Defiiance").

"Riddick" was written and directed by David Twohy, who was also responsible for the first two films.

Hattip to Comingsoon.net for the finds.

Mackenzie Foy joins Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar'

Young actress Mackenzie Foy, best known as the daughter of Bella and Edward in the "Twilight" franchise, has joined Christopher Nolan's upcoming "Interstellar."

Mackenzie Foy

According to the Hollywood Reporter, which broke the story, details on Foy's character are not yet known.

Foys joins a cast which already includes Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Michael Caine and Casey Affleck.

"Interstellar," like most of Nolan's films, was co-written by himself and his brother Jonathan Nolan, and is said to follow an interstellar voyage to the edge of our scientific knowledge.

Foy will next be seen in the horror film "The Conjuring," which hits theaters this Friday.

'All You Need is Kill" is now 'Edge of Tomorrow'

“Edge of Tomorrow” has been announced as the title of the upcoming sci-fi thriller starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt, directed by Doug Liman ("The Bourne Identity") and based on the book "All You Need is Kill."

Warner Bros. also released a new poster.

The movie, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, is set for release on June 6, 2014, and the first look at footage from the film will be unveiled by the Studio at this year’s International Comic-Con: San Diego on Saturday, July 20. The announcement was made today (Monday) by Sue Kroll, president, Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

“We are extremely pleased to be able to give the Comic-Con audience, who’ve always been so supportive of us, the first peek at footage from ‘Edge of Tomorrow.’ The movie has all of us at the Studio very excited, and we can’t wait to see the reactions of fans who know and love the sci-fi genre so well,” Kroll said.

The action of “Edge of Tomorrow” unfolds in a near future in which an alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world.

Fox acquires self-published hit, 'CyberStorm'

Deadline is reporting 20th Century Fox has acquired the self-published book "CyberStorm" by author Matthew Mather.

According to the report, Chernin Entertainment will produce the project. Cherrin's most recent project was "The Heat," the cop comedy starring Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock, which opened in June.

The official description of the book summarizes it as follows: "Sometimes the worst storms aren't from Mother Nature, and sometimes the worst nightmares aren't the ones in our heads. Mike Mitchell, an average New Yorker already struggling to keep his family together, suddenly finds himself fighting just to keep them alive when an increasingly bizarre string of disasters start appearing on the world's news networks. As the world and cyberworld come crashing down, bending perception and reality, a monster snowstorm cuts New York off from the world, turning it into a wintry tomb where nothing is what it seems..."

Mather is also author of the six-part series "Atopia Chronicles." He is a member world's cybersecurity community who started out his career working at the McGill Center for Intelligent Machines. He went on to found one of the first tactile interface companies, which became the world leader in its field, as well as creating a major award-winning brain training video game.

Marquee Entertainment reborn

A year ago today, I made my last post on Marquee Entertainment. My day job's responsibilities coupled with my other obligations and commitments simply did not leave me enough time to properly devote this blog and maintain it at a level I felt was sufficient.

Now, a year later, I feel that my life is a point that not only do I have the time, but if there are days I don't, I will make the time.

I do plan to continue provide news stories on movies in the sci-fi, fantasy, comic book and similar genres, as well as those projects that interest me enough to write about them. Additionally, there are several features I plan to unveil over the next few weeks, including trailer reviews and more.

I will also post links to shortened versions of my film reviews that are now being posted online at PerryNewspapers.com.

Once again, I hope you enjoy this blog and find it entertaining and informative.