AMC is developing a spin-off for The Walking Dead with creator Robert Kirkman and show producers Dave Alpert and Gale Anne Hurd. The show would involve new characters and locations not in the current show.
This is a smart choice for AMC, even if some will roll their eyes at it. The Walking Dead is AMC’s highest rated show and a spin-off is logical considering Breaking Bad is ending in a few weeks and Mad Men’s seventh season will be its last. They have already given a go for the Breaking Bad prequel, Better Call Saul.
Insidious Chapter 2 opened on Friday the 13th with $20 million on its way to the second biggest September opening ever with $41 million. Director James Wan followed up his summer hit The Conjuring with an even bigger opening. The Conjuring made $270 million off of a $20 million budget making it one of the biggest box office hits of all time. Insidious Chapter 2 is headed in the same direction. The budget for the horror movie was only $5 million.
Next up for Wan? A slightly bigger movie with Fast & Furious 7.
1. Insidious Chapter 2- $41.0 million/ $41.0 million
Get a look at the first poster for Robocop with The Killing’s Joel Kinnaman as the future of law enforcement. As much as I would like to keep the silver design -which we do get to see a little bit of in the preview- I am coming around to the black armor.
JK Rowling is coming back to the Harry Potter universe although “the boy who lived” will not have anything to do with it. She will adapt Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, a Hogwarts textbook, into a feature film about the book’s author, Newt Scamander. It will take place around 70 years before Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone.
Rowling gave a statement about her first screenplay and returning to the world of wizardry:
“Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for 17 years, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world. The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will start in New York, 70 years before Harry’s gets underway.”
Warner bringing in Rowling to work on anything in the Potter universe is going to mean big business even if Potter himself is not involved. As studios keep trying to find the next Harry Potter type franchise, Warner just went right back to the source.
In case this is still hard to believe, here is Warner Bros. official statement on the team-up of Rowling and the studio.
Warner Bros. Entertainment today announced an expanded creative partnership with world-renowned, best-selling author J.K. Rowling. At the center of the partnership is a new film series from Rowling’s world of witches and wizards, inspired by Harry Potter’s Hogwarts textbook “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” and the adventures of the book’s fictitious author, Newt Scamander. The announcement was made by Kevin Tsujihara, Chief Executive Officer, Warner Bros. Entertainment.
“Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them” will be an original story and will mark Rowling’s screenwriting debut. It is planned as the first picture in a new film series. Set in the wizarding world, the story will feature magical creatures and characters, some of which will be familiar to devoted Harry Potter fans.
“Although it will be set in the worldwide community of witches and wizards where I was so happy for seventeen years, ‘Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them’ is neither a prequel nor a sequel to the Harry Potter series, but an extension of the wizarding world,” said Rowling. “The laws and customs of the hidden magical society will be familiar to anyone who has read the Harry Potter books or seen the films, but Newt’s story will start in New York, seventy years before Harry’s gets underway.”
“We are incredibly honored that Jo has chosen to partner with Warner Bros. on this exciting new exploration of the world of wizardry which has been tremendously successful across all of our businesses,” said Tsujihara. “She is an extraordinary writer, who ignited a reading revolution around the world, which then became an unprecedented film phenomenon. We know that audiences will be as excited as we are to see what her brilliant and boundless imagination conjures up for us.”
In addition to the film series, “Fantastic Beasts” will also be developed across the Studio’s video game, consumer products and digital initiatives businesses, including enhanced links with Pottermore.com, Rowling’s digital online experience built around the Harry Potter stories.
The Studio’s expanded partnership with Rowling also covers the continued expansion of its Harry Potter activities, including the wonderful Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme parks in conjunction with partner Universal Parks and Resorts (currently in Orlando, FL; opening in Hollywood, CA and Osaka, Japan), digital initiatives (including Pottermore), video games, consumer products and visitor attractions.
In addition, Warner Bros. will serve as the worldwide TV distributor (excluding the U.K.) of J.K. Rowling’s upcoming television adaptation for the BBC of “The Casual Vacancy,” her best-selling first novel aimed at adult audiences. This miniseries begins production in 2014.
The relationship will be managed in London by Neil Blair of The Blair Partnership, Rowling’s literary agency, and Josh Berger, President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland and Spain, who will serve as Warner Bros.’ chief business contact for all J.K. Rowling initiatives going forward.
Comedian Pete Holmes has been Batman plenty of times in his series of College Humor videos, but this newest one may be the gem of the collection. He has made a new trailer for Good Will Hunting that takes Ben Affleck’s character and replaces him with Ben Affleck…as Batman.
This new poster for Doctor Who: The Day of the Doctor features tenth and eleventh Doctors, David Tennant and Matt Smith as well as John Hurt, who will be playing a lost, forgotten Doctor. Billie Piper is returning as Rose and Jenna Coleman is back as Clara.
The special will air on November 23rd on BBC One and simulcast in a number of other countries.
For you Christopher Eccleston fans who want their fix just go and check out Thor: The Dark World.
The fourth trip to Jurassic Park may be getting a bit larger than we thought. The movie has been officially titled Jurassic World and has a release date of June 12, 2015.
I am more than ready for another dino adventure and only require three things to get excited.
1. Jeff Goldblum
2. Raptors (the dinosaurs, not the NBA team)
3. Jeff Goldblum
Also, the release date in one week before Batman vs. Superman so it better make its money quick.
How about some more Loki? Who doesn’t want that? Here is a new poster for Thor: The Dark World featuring the mischief master front and center. Now we just need another Natalie Portman poster of her doing interpretive dance again and the set will be complete.
Also, if you live overseas, kingdom sounds better than world. Fact of the day.
Breaking Bad is still a few weeks away from ending, but you super fans can go ahead and pre-order the collector’s set now.
Releasing on November 26th, the set comes with all five seasons in a handy barrel along with a coaster, booklet and apron. Be warned that you will be paying a pretty penny for this set, though I think this won’t deter some Walter White lovers.
September started off on the weak side, but this is the beginning of the fall movie season and summer blockbusters are behind us. Riddick took the top spot with $18.6 million which is not a big take, though it will end up making money since Diesel funded the movie himself with the help of financial backers. It only cost $40 million to make and Universal is on the hook for marketing so we may still get another Riddick movie when all is said and done.
