Summer Movies Become Winter DVDs
Okay, we've checked in with our industry and retail sources, and have obtained what we believe will be the official street dates for a number of upcoming DVD releases for the end of 2005.
Look for 20th Century Fox's 2-disc Kingdom of Heaven to be released on 10/11.
Lucasfilm and Fox will release Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith on 11/1. They'll also release Star Wars: Clone Wars - Volume 2 on 12/6.
Warner Home Video will debut Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants on 10/11, with Batman Begins following on 10/18. Also, look for the new Batman live action special editions (all four films) to be released on 10/18 as well.
Finally, Sony will release MGM's remake of The Amityville Horror on 10/4.
Watch for official announcements on these titles to be made soon.
'Housewives' producer criticizes CTV
BEVERLY HILLS -- Marc Cherry had no idea that CTV used his hit show Desperate Housewives as a Juno Award promotional stunt last season.
"It sounds horrible," was the Emmy-nominated executive producer's initial reaction when the Sun told him of the brazen programming ploy.
Last February, CTV -- the rights holder to Desperate Housewives in Canada -- took an hour-long episode of the hit ABC soap and broadcast it over 90 minutes. Padding it out was red-carpet coverage from Winnipeg -- the site of The Junos -- at the beginning and end of each commercial break.
"I don't think it's the best way to showcase Desperate Housewives," said Cherry. "I think it takes people out of the moment of the show, so I would question the wisdom of doing that in terms of what the fans would like to see."
Viewers who wrote the Sun at the time felt frustrated and "hijacked" by the CTV stunt.
"It's not how I like my show being viewed," Cherry added, while at the same time acknowledging that CTV "bought it, they paid for it and they can show it however they like."
That being said, CTV's Juno coverage may not be so Desperate next time. Despite the unprecedented use of the imported hit to hype a domestic award show, ratings for the annual music industry salute were down for the second year in a row, according to BBM Canada.
Cherry was all over the Television Critics Association's 21st annual award show Saturday night. Besides accepting the critic's nod for Program Of The Year, he stuck around for the rowdy after party, which has descended of late into a tipsy salute to the most intimidating critic on press tour (The Tony Soprano Award), the purveyor of the most useless knowledge (The Cliff Clavin Award) and other frat house funnies.
Cherry took time out from the hijinx to confirm that some new faces are moving on to Wisteria Lane next season.
Former Partridge Family mom Shirley Knight will appear as Marcia Cross' mother-in-law from Hell. Joely Fisher (Ellen) is also confirmed for next season. And Cherry let slip that he recently had lunch with former Knots Landing diva Donna Mills, who could re-team with hottie Nicolette Sheridan.
Crow Runs 'Wild' On New Album
Sheryl Crow has named her new album "Wildflower" after a track on the album inspired by her boyfriend, championship cyclist Lance Armstrong. As previously reported, the set is due Sept. 27 via A&M/Interscope and will be led by the single "Good Is Good," which will be featured in an ad campaign for computer supplier Dell.
In addition, Crow's Web site reports she has recorded acoustic covers of James Taylor's "You Can Close Your Eyes," Willie Nelson's "Blue Eyes Cryin' in the Rain" and Aretha Franklin's "I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Loved You)" for an expanded, Dual Disc edition of her "Artist's Choice" compilation via Hear Music/Starbucks.
Footage of Crow in the studio will be included on the DVD side of the album, which will be available in the fall.
As previously reported, Crow will join such acts as Paul McCartney, Wyclef Jean and Snoop Dogg on a Bee Gees tribute album, due next year via a label yet to be determined.
BROADWAY BOUND
Huey Lewis joining the Broadway production of Chicago as lawyer Billy Flynn, beginning Nov. 1.
Wonka, 'Wedding Crashers' Top Box Office
LOS ANGELES - "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Wedding Crashers" held off a rush of new releases to retain the top two spots at the weekend box office.
But after two straight weekends of rising revenue, Hollywood slid back into the slump that has lingered most of the year. The top 12 movies took in $128.9 million, down 7 percent from the same weekend in 2004.
"The business was there. It just got spread pretty thin among a lot of movies," said Bruce Snyder, head of distribution for 20th Century Fox, whose films include "Fantastic Four."
"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," starring Johnny Depp as candyman Willy Wonka, remained the top movie with $28.3 million, bringing its 10-day total to $114.1 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.
Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn's "Wedding Crashers" held on to the No. 2 spot with $26.2 million, raising its 10-day total to $80.9 million. "Wedding Crashers" held up strongly, its revenues off just 23 percent from opening weekend, compared to a 50 percent drop on "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory."
Michael Bay's cloning thriller "The Island" and the remake of the baseball comedy "The Bad News Bears" both debuted weakly.
"The Island," starring Ewan McGregor and Scarlett Johansson as clones on the run from a facility that has raised them as spare body parts, took in $12.1 million to finish at No. 4. It came in just behind "Fantastic Four," which grossed $12.3 million to lift its 17-day haul to $122.6 million.
Never a critics' darling, director Bay ("Armageddon," "Pearl Harbor") actually earned somewhat better reviews than usual for "The Island." Distributor DreamWorks was puzzled why Bay's action fans failed to turn up.
"I don't know. Clearly, it's a disappointing opening," said Jim Tharp, DreamWorks' head of distribution. "We can only hope the film finds its audience in the next few weeks."
"Bad New Bears," featuring Billy Bob Thornton as a washed-up ballplayer coaching a team of Little League misfits, came in fifth with $11.5 million.
The acclaimed independent film "Hustle & Flow," starring Terrence Howard as a pimp trying to become a rap singer, debuted at No. 7 with $8.1 million. That was a solid opening compared to "The Island" and "Bad News Bears," which played in more than 3,000 theaters, three times as many as "Hustle & Flow."
Rob Zombie's horror tale "The Devil's Rejects," a follow-up to his 2003 slasher flick "House of 1000 Corpses," opened at No. 8 with $7 million.
The Antarctic documentary "March of the Penguins" expanded to 695 theaters, up from 132 the previous weekend, and cracked the top 10 with $4.3 million.
With an $8.8 million weekend, Steven Spielberg and Tom Cruise's "War of the Worlds" climbed to $208.3 million, second-best for the year after "Star Wars: Episode III — Revenge of the Sith," which has hit $376 million.
Here are the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at North American theaters, according to Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. Final figures will be released Monday.
1. "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," $28.3 million.
2. "Wedding Crashers," $26.2 million.
3. "Fantastic Four," $12.3 million.
4. "The Island," $12.1 million.
5. "The Bad News Bears," $11.5 million.
6. "War of the Worlds," $8.8 million.
7. "Hustle & Flow," $8.1 million.
8. "The Devil's Rejects," $7 million.
9. "Batman Begins," $4.7 million.
10. "March of the Penguins," $4.3 million.