This Week's Issue

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), photographs from the set of Michael Mann's "Public Enemies"; a chart on the commercial performance of 3-D; Anthony Minghella's In the Queue; The Thermometer; and so much more.

Exclusive Photograph of Ray Park's Snake Eyes and "G.I. Joe" Preview

Ray Park (Toad in “X-Men” and Darth Maul in “Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”) stars as another fearsome, silent type as Snake Eyes, a mute, faceless elite ninja, in an exclusive photograph from Stephen Sommer’s “G.I. Joe” (Aug. 7, 2009). "He's the world's greatest ninja, but he's also next-generation. He's not afraid to use a sword one second, and a split-second later he's pulling out his Glock," says Sommers ("The Mummy," "Van Helsing") of Snake Eyes in an interview with USA Today. "His chief nemesis is arguably the world's other great ninja, Storm Shadow. The two grew up together, were blood brothers and now are mortal enemies." To read the full preview, visit USA Today.

Gleeson Joins "Green Zone"

Brendan Gleeson ("In Bruges") will star with Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, Amy Ryan and Jason Isaacs in Paul Greengrass' "Green Zone," an adaptation of Rajiv Chandrasekaran's nonfiction "Imperial Life in the Emerald City: Inside Iraq's Green Zone," about political and militaristic circumstances within the American enclave in central Baghdad. Brian Helgeland wrote the script. (Variety)

Ratner in Talks for "Harbinger"

Brett Ratner ("Rush Hour") is in discussions to direct "Harbinger," an adaptation of the Jim Shooter's Valiant Comics series in which corporations broadcast war for profit. Alexandra Milchan will produce with Ratner and Jay Stern. (The Hollywood Reporter)

"Meet Dave" Trailer

The trailer for "Meet Dave" (July 11), with Eddie Murphy, is available to view. For more awfulness, I refer to trailers for "Step Brothers" and "The Love Guru." (Yahoo! Movies)

Wolfgang Petersen Vs. Aliens

Wolfgang Petersen ("Troy," "The Perfect Storm") will direct "Uprising," a thriller about a war against extraterrestrial invaders. Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher ("Gladiator") will produce. Charles Leavitt ("Blood Diamond") will write the screenplay. (Variety)

"Drillbit Taylor" Bombs With $10.2 Million; Tyler Perry Scores Again

1. "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!," $25.1 million, $86.5 million total
2. "Tyler Perry's Meet the Browns," $20 million
3. "Shutter," $10.7 million
4. "Drillbit Taylor," $10.2 million
5. "10,000 BC," $8.6 million, $76 million total
6. "Never Back Down," $4.9 million, $16.8 million total
7. "College Road Trip," $4.6 million, $32 million total
8. "The Bank Job," $4.1 million, $19.4 million total
9. "Vantage Point," $3.8 million, $65 million total
10. "Under the Same Moon," $2.6 million, $3.3 million total

Estimates for the weekend of March 21-23, 2008. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

This Week's Issue

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), a report about 3-D, the future of theatrical exhibition; a reminder to register for David Silverman; The Thermometer; and so much more.

Rick Baker in an Interview About Joe Johnston's "The Wolf-Man"

"'The Wolf Man' and 'Frankenstein' were probably the two most important films in my childhood that made me want to become a makeup artist," says Rick Baker in an interview with Entertainment Weekly about Joe Johnston's "The Wolf-Man" (Feb. 13, 2009) an update of George Waggner's 1941 cult classic with Lon Chaney Jr. and Claude Rains. Benicio del Toro is cast as the bitten Lawrence Talbot; Hugo Weaving ("The Matrix"), as Det. Aberline; Anthony Hopkins, as Sir John Talbot; and Emily Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”). To read the interview and to view new photographs, visit EW.com.

"Tropic Thunder" Trailer

The trailer for Ben Stiller's "Tropic Thunder" (Aug. 15), with Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr., Nick Nolte and Steve Coogan, is now available at the official site.

Anthony Minghella, 54, Dead

Director Anthony Minghella, an Academy Award winner for "The English Patient" (1996), is dead at the age of 54. A spokesman said Minghella died from a brain hemorrhage at 5 a.m. Tuesday morning at Charing Cross Hospital in London while the director was in routine surgery. Minghella's other credits include "The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999), "Cold Mountain" (2003) and "Breaking and Entering" (2006), all with Jude Law. Minghella was in production on "The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency," a BBC adaptation of Alexander McCall Smith's novel. Minghella was a partner with Sydney Pollack in Mirage Enterprises.

"Horton" a $45 Million Smash, "Doomsday" Not So Lucky

1. "Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who!," $45.1 million
2. "10,000 BC," $16.4 million, $61.2 million total
3. "Never Back Down," $8.6 million
4. "College Road Trip," $7.8 million, $24.3 million total
5. "Vantage Point," $5.4 million, $59.2 million total
6. "The Bank Job," $4.9 million, $13.3 million total
7. "Doomsday," $4.7 million
8. "Semi-Pro," $3 million, $29.8 million total
9. "The Other Boleyn Girl," $2.9 million, $19.2 million total
10. "The Spiderwick Chronicles," $2.4 million, $65.4 million total

Estimates for the weekend of March 14-16, 2008. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any red letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

This Week's Issue

Dear readers of The Scout, if you would like a full-color print version of The Scout to read at your leisure or would like to catch up with a past print edition of The Scout, send your e-mail address to shawnw@app.com and you'll be put in a directory to have a PDF edition sent to you once a week. Or, if in a hurry, click on the rough at left for a quick read.

Reminder: A new edition of The Scout (pdf) is available at www.app.com/entertainment in the WebExtras queue, in Friday's Jersey Alive! or can be sent to you per instructions above. In it (above), a sneak peek at The Comedian in Zack Snyder's "Watchmen," The Thermometer, an investigative comparison between the advertisements for "300 and "10,000 BC," and so much more.

"Incredible Hulk" Trailer

The teaser trailer for Louis Leterrier's "The Incredible Hulk" (June 13), with Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Tim Blake Nelson and William Hurt, is now available to view at MTV.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows" to be Two Tentpoles

Either for profits or artistic justice, Warner Bros. will develop "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," J.K. Rowling's final chapter in the series of children's novels, as two tentpoles, reports Jeff Robinov, President of Warner Bros. Pictures Group. David Yates ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," November's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," now in production) will direct "Part I" (November 2010) and "Part II" (Summer 2011). Steve Kloves ("Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone") will write the scripts. David Heyman will produce, with David Barron.

"Over ten years ago, we made a commitment to Jo Rowling that, above all else, we would be faithful and true to the spirit of her books, and ever since we have endeavored never to compromise on the creative ambitions of the films. 'The Deathly Hallows' is so rich, the story so dense and there is so much that is resolved that after discussing it with Jo, we came to the conclusion that two parts were needed to do it justice," said David Heyman. "I am thrilled that David Yates is returning to direct 'The Deathly Hallows.' He is both inspired and inspiring and is a passionate fan of the remarkable world and characters Jo has created. I know he will lead our incomparable cast and crew—most of whom have been with us since the very beginning—in bringing the series to the unforgettable conclusion it deserves."

Cusack, Li Travel to "Shanghai"

John Cusack is in talks with The Weinstein Company to star with Gong Li in "Shanghai," a period piece Mikael Hafström ("1408") will direct, reports Variety. Hossein Amini will write the script, in which an American returns to Shanghai, in occupation of the Japanese, to unravel a murder mystery. Mike Medavoy and Barry Mendel will produce, with Arnie Messer as executive producer.

Mark Ruffalo as Investigator in Scorsese's "Shutter Island"

Mark Ruffalo will star with Leonardo DiCaprio in Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island," an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel, reports The Hollywood Reporter. Ruffalo is cast as U.S. Marshal Chuck Aule, sent to an eponymous Massachusetts island with his new partner in 1954 to investigate the disappearence of a patient from a mental hospital. Laeta Kalogridis wrote the script. Mike Medavoy, Arnold Messer, Brad Fischer and Scorsese will produce. Lehane, Kalogridis and Louis Phillips will executive produce. Production will start in March.

"Kingdom of the Crystal Skull": The Whip-Cracking First Photographs

New photographs: Harrison Ford (below) and Shia LeBeouf (with Ford, above) in Steven Spielberg and George Lucas' "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" (May 22, 2008). Click for a bigger version.

Heath Ledger's Madman The Joker in Nolan's "The Dark Knight"

Empire Magazine's latest issue (at left) submits a new photograph of Heath Ledger as The Joker in Christopher Nolan's "The Dark Knight" (July 18, 2008). Click the image for a closer examination.

Willis to Face "The Surrogates" in Jonathan Mostow's Thriller

Bruce Willis will star as a detective in "The Surrogates," an adaptation of Robert Venditti and Brett Weldele's graphic future-shock thriller of a novel in which humans, in isolation, use surrogate robots to interact, reports Variety. Jonathan Mostow ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") will direct. Michael Ferris and John Brancato ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") wrote the script, and David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman, Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks will produce for Touchstone Pictures.

Independent Spirit Awards Sings Along to "I'm Not There"

Todd Haynes’ impressionistic Bob Dylan retrospective “I’m Not There” is a nominee in four 2008 Film Independent's Spirit Award categories — Best Feature, Best Director, Best Supporting Male (Marcus Carl Franklin) and Best Supporting Female (Cate Blanchett) — and won one honorary award — the inaugural Robert Altman Award — given to the director, casting director and ensemble cast. Also contenders with four nominations: Julian Schnabel’s “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly,” Jason Reitman’s “Juno,” and Tamara Jenkins’ “The Savages.” Flashback: “Little Miss Sunshine” swept last year’s awards with wins for Best Feature, Best Director, Best First Screenplay and Best Supporting Male (Alan Arkin).

"Watchmen" Sets a Dead Ringer for Dave Gibbons' Illustrations

On a New York City backlot built in Vancouver, B.C., Zack Snyder (“300”) is in production on “Watchmen” (March 6, 2009), an adaptation of Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ deconstructive apocalyptic epic novel to star Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Malin Akerman, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Matthew Goode. For set photographs and commentary about the production, visit the official site for “Watchmen.” Note: The Scout will match the production design on the set with the source material in Friday's issue.

Brad Pitt Leaves "State" in Disarray

Brad Pitt is out in a pay or play deal as a participant in Kevin Macdonald's "State of Play," an adaptation of Paul Abbott and David Yates' BBC miniseries to star Edward Norton, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren, Jason Bateman and Robin Wright Penn, reports Variety. Russell Crowe is in talks to replace Pitt as a political journalist in a breach of ethics. Norton will star as a congressman under suspicion in the murder of a mistress; Mirren, as a steely newspaper editor; Penn, as the congressman's wife; and Bateman and McAdams, as reporters. Matthew Michael Carnahan ("Lions for Lambs") wrote the script. Andrew Hauptman will produce with Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner. Abbott will executive produce. The production, in a state of flux, must begin to shoot Thursday, or Macdonald will lose other participants in the project.

"Enchanted" Claims Thanksgiving Weekend Crown With $35 Million

1. "Enchanted," $35.3 million, $50 million total
2. "This Christmas," $18.6 million, $27.1 million total
3. "Beowulf," $16.2 million, $56.3 million total (C+)
4. "Hitman," $13 million, $21 million total
5. "Bee Movie," $12 million, $112 million total
6. "Fred Claus," $10.7 million, $53 million total
7. "August Rush," $9.4 million, $13.3 million total
8. "American Gangster," $9.2 million, $115.7 million total (C+)
9. "The Mist," $9 million, $13 million total
10. "No Country for Old Men," $8.1 million, $16.6 million total (A)

Estimates for the weekend of November 23-25, 2007. For the absolute best in statistics, commentary and analysis, visit Box Office Mojo. Any blue letter denotes The Scout's critical assessment, or grade, of each film.

Christian Bale: From "Batman" to John Connor in "Terminator"

Christian Bale will star as John Connor in "Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins" (2009), the first sequel in a new trilogy to recalibrate the futuristic saga of man versus machine, reports Ain't It Cool News. Victor Kubicek, Derek Anderson and Moritz Borman will produce. John Brancato and Michael Ferris ("Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines") wrote the script. Peter D. Graves will executive produce. McG ("Charlie's Angels") will direct.