AWARDS HEADLINES
A Day Later, Six Silver Linings to the Oscar Nominations: From ‘Mad Max’ to Charlotte Rampling
Looking beyond the surface of things, and beyond the most obvious, self-aggrandizing contenders, which, to its credit, the Academy managed to do in at least a few categories. Here are six silver linings from this morning’s announcement — those happy little surprises, or semi-surprises, that flew gratifyingly in the face of conventional wisdom. (IC)
Speaking Of ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, the Movie Just Became the Most Decorated In Australian History
The stunning 10 nominations have set a new benchmark, making it the most-nominated Australian film in Oscar history. George Miller’s dystopian road movie surpassed Baz Luhrmann’s musical extravaganza Moulin Rouge, which previously held the record. Moulin Rouge received eight Oscar nominations in 2001, going on to win the honors for best costume design and art decoration for Luhrmann’s wife and collaborator, Catherine Martin. (HRA)
OTHER HEADLINES
SSN Box Office Trending Report for 1/15/16: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Still Reigns While ‘The Revenant’ Fights for Ground
In our latest weekly series, SSN Insider will take a deep dive into the film ticket sales of the week leveraging data from the powerhouse ticketing website, MovieTickets.com. Not only will the infographic pinpoint which movies are claiming the largest piece of the pie from day to day in terms of sales but also which film had the biggest uptick in terms of a percentage variance surge and which had the biggest downtick or steepest dive between any two points. (SSN)
On the Set for 1/15/16: Christina Hendricks Starts ‘Bad Santa 2’, Matt Damon & Alicia Vikander Wrap on Jason Bourne Sequel
Several projects get up and running this week, including the Untitled STX Mom Comedy Project from Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, and starring Mila Kunis, Christina Applegate, Kristen Bell, Jada Pinkett Smith and Kathryn Hahn. Meanwhile, Dax Shepard’s CHiPs and Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu Yoga are among the projects wrapping up. Click the link for more info. (SSN)
Matthew Vaughn’s ‘Flash Gordon’ Project Just Took a Big Step Forward
Mark Protosevich, the writer of Thor and I Am Legend, has joined the project, which Vaughn is on board to direct. Before Protosevich, J.D. Payne and Patrick McKay took a crack at the Flash Gordon script based on a treatment by George Nolfi. John Davis is reportedly producing, and the project is set up at 20th Century Fox. (SF)
Anne Hathaway’s Comedy ‘The Shower’ Finds a Home At Warner Bros.
The studio is in final negotiations for the sci-fi action comedy, which has Hathaway attached to star in and produce Jac Schaeffer’s script, which made last year’s Blacklist, the annual listing of best not-yet made screenplays in Hollywood. The story is set at a baby shower that gets upstaged by a massive meteor shower. These meteors, however, bring with them blood-sucking aliens from outer space that crash the party. (THR)
‘Wonder Woman’ Casts Princess Diana’s Mother, In the Form Of Connie Nielsen
Actress has come on board to play Hippolyta, the queen of the Amazons and mother of Princess Diana, aka Wonder Woman in the Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment pic. She joins Gal Gadot, who plays the superhero; Chris Pine, who portrays Steve Trevor; Danny Huston, Robin Wright, David Thewlis and Ewen Bremner. Pine recently said the movie is set during World War I. Patty Jenkins will direct the film, which will be released on June 23, 2017. (VAR)
In What Should Come as a Surprise To No One, Fox Has Renewed ‘Empire’ For Season Three
Network announced today that it has renewed the ratings juggernaut for a third season. Although down from its Season 1 highs, Empire remains a force to be reckoned with in the Nielsens; it ranks as broadcast TV’s No. 1 show in 18-49 and its cumulative weekly audience exceeds 20 million viewers. The show resumes its current sophomore season on Wednesday, March 30th. (TVL)
Jamie Foxx Teams Up with Amy Pascal for TV Crime Drama Series on Atlanta’s First Black Police Officers
Foxx is teaming with Pascal and Sony Pictures TV to executive produce an adaptation of the upcoming new crime novel Darktown by author Thomas Mullen. The 1940s story is set in Atlanta and will follow the city’s first black police officers. The newly minted policemen are met with deep hostility by their white peers and their authority is limited: They can’t arrest white suspects; can’t drive a squad car and can’t even use the police headquarters. (SAA)
Fox Is Bringing Back Both ‘Prison Break’ and ’24’, but Only the Former Will Have Its Original Cast
Fox had announced in August that it was developing the Prison Break event series, and has now confirmed it, with Wentworth Miller and Dominic Purcell on board to reprise their roles and the original producing team of Paul T. Scheuring, Neal Moritz, Marty Adelstein, and Dawn Olmstead are back as well with Scheuring serving as showrunner/writer. Meanwhile, 24: Legacy will have an entirely new cast, but retain the real-time format. (VUL)