The CLOG - A Clevver Blog

Despite strong ticket sales overseas, Universal Pictures lingered far behind its rivals in 2008 with a $1.12 billion take in U.S. theaters (Warner Bros. led the pack with $1.79 billion).  The studio tries to turn things around with their upcoming slate of features for 2009.

• The Unborn (Jan 9th) - Writer/director David Goyer’s tale of a girl haunted by the ghost of her unborn twin brother.
• Duplicity (Mar 20th) - Julia Roberts returns after a long hiatus to reunite with her Closer co-star Clive Owen in director/writer Tony Gilroy’s tale of two former spies that join together to profit from their corporate company’s secrets.
• Fast & Furious (Apr 3rd) - Vin Diesel and Paul Walker reunite for another high-octane ride.
• State of Play (Apr 17th) - Russell Crowe leads in all-star cast in this political thriller based on the BBC Television Series.
• Fighting (Apr 24th) - a small-town boy battles in underground bare-knuckle fights in New York City for cash.
• Wild Child (May 8th) - Emma Roberts stars as a spoiled Malibu princess that is shipped off to a strict English boarding school.
• Drag Me To Hell (May 29th) - Sam Raimi returns to the horror genre with a tale of a woman’s (Alison Lohman) desperate quest to break an evil curse.
• Land of the Lost (Jun 5th) - Will Ferrell ventures to the land of dinosaurs and sleestaks in the film version of the Sid & Marty Krofft 1970’s cult television series.
• Public Enemies (Jul 1st) - Johnnie Depp takes on the role of legendary outlaw John Dillinger in director Michael Mann’s action-thriller co-starring Christian Bale and Billy Crudup.
• Funny People (Jul 31st) - Adam Sandler stars as a famous comedian who has a near-death experience.  Judd Apatow writes and directs this comedy with Eric Bana, Jason Schwartzman, Seth Rogen and Jonah Hill co-starring.
• The Wolfman (Nov 6th) - Benicio Del Toro stars as a nobleman with a hair-raising problem (Get it? Hair-raising?  Is this thing on?) when he returns home to his family estate when his brother vanishes.
• Green Zone (TBD 2009) - Matt Damon reteams with Bourne director Paul Greengrass for this thriller about the early days of the Iraq war.
• Cirque du Freak (TBD 2009) - a young boy unwittingly breaks a 200-year-old truce between two warring vampire factions.
• Couples Retreat (TBD 2009) - Kristen Bell, Vince Vaughn, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau and Kristin Davis star in this comedy written by Jon Favreau about four couples that go on a vacation together only to find out it’s actually a couples therapy retreat where everyone is required to participate. 
• The Boat That Rocked (TBD 2009) - inspired by the British pirate radio revolution of the 60’s, Philip Seymour Hoffman stars as a brash American DJ transmitting rock-and-roll from a fishing trawler off the coast of England in the 1960’s.
• The Last House on the Left (TBD 2009) - a remake of the Wes Craven classic about a kidnapped girl and the parents who exact revenge on her captors.
• 25/8 (TBD 2009) - Wes Craven writes and directs this thriller about a serial killer that vows to kill the seven children that are born the night he dies. 

Warner Bros. led the 2008 North American box office with $1.79 billion in ticket sales.  What does the studio have in store for 2009?  A few long stagnat franchises, a revered children’s tale and a boy wizard to name a few.

• Gran Torino (Jan 9th) - Clint Eastwood takes on an Asian gang and develops an unlikely friendship that will change his life forever.
• The Dark Knight (Jan 23rd) - Warner Bros. tries to close the gap on those Titanic numbers and get a few Oscar votes with a rerelease of the biggest movie of 2008 in theaters and IMAX.
• Inkheart (Jan 23rd) - Brendan Fraser stars as a man with the power to bring characters from books to life.
• He’s Just Not That Into You (Feb 6th) - Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston and Drew Barrymore among the all-star cast in this tale of love and life in the digital age.
• Friday the 13th (Feb 13th) - producer Michael Bay brings us a re-imagining of the horror classic featuring the hockey-mask wearing, machette weilding Jason Voorhees terrorizing Camp Crystal Lake.
• Under the Sea 3D (Feb 13th) - Jim Carrey narrates this IMAX film about life “under the sea.”
• Watchmen (Mar 6th) - 300 director Zack Snyder brings one of the greatest graphic novels ever to life.
• Observe and Report (Apr 10th) - Seth Rogen stars as a mall security guard who takes on a serial flasher in order to earn a spot at the police academy and win the heart of his dream girl (Anna Faris).  Think of it as a funny Paul Blart: Mall Cop.
• 17 Again (Apr 17th) - Matthew Perry gets a chance to be seventeen again by becoming Zac Efron in this Freaky Fridayish comedy.
• Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (May 1st) - Matthew McConaughey plays a marriage scrooge that is visited by ghosts of girlfriends past, present and future when he threatens to ruin Jennifer Garner’s wedding.
• Terminator: Salvation (May 22nd) - Christian Bale takes on another iconic role - this time as resistance leader John Connor.  Judgement Day has all but wiped out humanity as a small group of survivor’s must battle Skynet and the the evil terminators.
• The Hangover (Jun 12th) - three groomsmen awake after a bachelor party in Vegas to find a tiger in the bathroom, a baby in the closet and the groom missing with no recollection of what happened the night before.  I hate when that happens!
• My Sister’s Keeper (Jun 26th) - Cameron Diaz, Abigail Breslin and Alec Baldwin star in this drama about the difficult choices one’s make for love of their families.
• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Jul 17th) - fans disappointed with the film being pulled from its original November won’t have much longer to wait as the sixth installment of the popular franchise finally hits theaters.
• Orphan (Jul 24th) - a couple adopt a girl after the loss of their unborn child, but the sweet child turns out to be more than she appears.
• Shorts (Aug 7th) - Robert Rodriguez directs this tale of a town that must be saved from itself when the residents are granted all their wishes.
• Final Destination: Death Trip 3D (Aug 21) - another group of teens cheat death (this time at an auto race) only to find they are being killed off one-by-one.
• Whiteout (Sep 11th) - Kate Beckinsale stars as a U.S. Marshal investigating a murder at an Antartica research station that must find the killer before winter comes.
• The Informant (Sep 18th) - Matt Damon stars in this Steven Soderbergh directed comedy about the true story of the highest-ranking corporate whistleblower in U.S. history.
• Where the Wild Things Are (Oct 16th) - Spike Jonze directs this live-action adaptation of the classic children’s book.
• The Box (Nov 6th) - Cameron Diaz and James Marsden star in this thriller about a couple that are given a mysterious box that will grant them $1 million, but will cost the live of someone they don’t know somewhere in the world.
• Sherlock Holmes (Nov 20th) - Guy Ritchie directs this re-telling of the greatest detective of all time.  Starring Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as his sidekick Dr. Watson.
• Untitled Clint Eastwood Project (Dec 2009) - Clint Eastwood directs this inspiring true story of how Nelson Mandela joined forces with the captain of South Africa’s rugby team to help unite South Africa following apartheid.  Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon star.
• Ninja Assassin (TBD 2009) - Korean superstar Rain plays an assassin out for revenge.

Bride Wars opens this Friday January 9 but we thought we would give you a preview of some of the fashion in the movie.  Obviously being a wedding movie, there is not shortage of beautiful wedding gowns.  Watch the Bride Wars trailer here.

Costume designer Karen Patch, who designed Hudson’s clothes in “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” notes that prospective brides Liv and Emma are very different people when we first meet them, but become more alike by the end of the film. “Liv softens and Emma finds a stronger side to herself,” says Patch. “The costumes and spaces that these two characters inhabit clearly reflect their personalities.”

There are no better examples of this than Liv’s and Emma’s wedding gowns, on which Patch collaborated with famed designer Vera Wang. Emma, a schoolteacher, is not as financially secure as attorney Liv, so she chooses to wear her mother’s gown. Although it was not a vintage garment, Patch says it could have belonged to another era. “It’s an exquisite taffeta dress with lots of layers, an off the shoulder period gown,” she explains. “Liv, on the other hand, was like the bride on top of the cake. Her gown was styled in a classic, sweetheart neckline with layers and layers of tulle skirt, a long train and lace bodice.”

Great lengths were taken to keep these creations from being photographed until the film’s marketing campaign kicked in. “We made huge white capes to cover the gowns anytime Kate and Anne were outside of their trailer or moving from dressing rooms to the set,” Patch recalls. “We didn’t want them revealed before their time.”

Warner Bros. has released new photos from Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, including two behind-the-scene photos that appeared in Empire Magazine.

Newcomer to the CSI franchise, Laurence Fishburne may be heading down to CSI Miami soon.

E! Online reports that in “the foreseeable future, Fishburne’s intriguing Dr. Raymond Langston may visit a more tropical climate, like, oh, balmy Miami.”

David Caruso spoke with E! News and this is what they report him saying, “I talked to [Fishburne] the other night, and he’s said he’s open to [a crossover].” E! News also reports that Caruso said, “I’ve been on all three CSIs, and I take that as a badge of honor. The [crossovers] really work, so I hope we get to do one.”

On Dec. 11 when Fishburne debuted on CSI it was the highest ratings for CBS since the premiere of CSI this season, so audiences obviously like Laurence Fishburne.

The Dark Knight’s run for an Oscar nomination has improved with a nomination for best picture by the Producers Guild of America.  In contention with the biggest film of the year and second highest-grossing film of all time is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Frost/Nixon, Milk and Slumdog Millionaire.

Nominations for best animated feature include Bolt, Kung Fu Panda and Wall-E.  Documentary nods went to Man on Wire, Trouble the Water and Standard Operating Procedure.

In the television categories, nominations went to Boston Legal, Damages, Dexter, Lost and Mad Men for drama and 30 Rock, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, The Office and Weeds for comedy.

Though the Producers Guild Awards are not a prediciton of the Oscars, voters are often members of both guilds and inclusion in their list of nominees often bodes well for possible Academy Award consideration.  The Producers Guild Awards will be announced on January 24th.

Dreamworks Animation has announced they will air a sneak preview of Monsters vs. Aliens in 3D during the Super Bowl.  The stunt, which will reportedly cost in the “tens of millions of dollars” according to Dreamworks Animation chief executive Jeffrey Katzenberg, will utilize the distribution of 150 million free 3D glasses to be given away at Pepsi/SoBe Life Water displays at 28,000 grocery, drug, electronic and big-box retailers.

Dreamworks Animation is working with NBC on the promotion which will air the Super Bowl on February 1st.  The glasses will also be used during a special 3D episode of Chuck airing on the network on the following night.

Though the television spot will be nothing near the quality to be seen in theaters when Monsters vs. Aliens hits theaters on March 27th, the spot will be superior to previously seen 3D television broadcasts by utilizing Intel InTru 3D and ColorCode 3-D.  As the new system doesn’t use the antiquated red-blue Anaglyph system, viewers without glasses will be able to watch the promo with little to no distortion.

Monsters vs. Aliens follows a group of monsters that are recruited by the U.S. government to thwart an alien invasion.  It stars the voices of Reese Witherspoon, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett, Seth Rogen and Rainn Wilson.

Capcom®, a leading worldwide developer and publisher of video games, has today confirmed that six of its upcoming titles will be released within the first half of 2009. The line-up demonstrates Capcom’s commitment to pursuing a multi-platform strategy while growing its portfolio of titles and includes the latest installments of some of gaming’s most cherished franchises.Throughout 2008, Capcom was at the forefront of digital download titles and is set to continue this trend into 2009 and beyond. Capcom’s first downloadable game of the year, FLOCK!, is scheduled for release in early 2009 and will be available for Xbox LIVE® Arcade for the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, PlayStation®Network and Windows PC platforms. FLOCK! sees players take control of a UFO that is tasked with herding animals to its mothership through a variety of interactive levels utilizing physics-based gameplay. With over 50 levels in single player and co-op modes and a simple yet powerful level editor to extend the experience, FLOCK!’s unique theme, clever humor and easy pick-up-and-play controls will ensure a new twist on the puzzle genre.

The Street Fighter® series makes a very welcome return with Street Fighter® IV, which comes to the Xbox 360 and Sony Computer Entertainment’s PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system on February 17, 2009, followed by a Windows PC version set for release at a later date. The series which has amassed combined global sales of over 25 million units aims to put the fun back into the fighting genre and reignite the passion of the Street Fighter II era. Everything that made the legendary Street Fighter II a global hit is back in Street Fighter IV, with the addition of new characters (including fighters added just for the console version of the game), special moves and gameplay elements, providing challenges for even the most seasoned Street Fighter pro.

Infecting gamers and completing Capcom’s list of releases for February is Dead Rising^TM: Chop Till You Drop for the Wii, scheduled for release on February 27. Based on the smash Xbox 360 game (over one million copies sold to date), the humor and challenge that made the original a hit with gamers remains, while many core elements have been totally redesigned for the Wii platform and audience, taking zombie bashing to a whole new level. With the added functionality of the Wii Remote^TM, players will be able to shake off zombie attacks and swing and throw dozens of makeshift weapons (everything from chainsaws to baseball bats, soccer balls to café umbrellas) in order to survive.

Gamers around the globe have already written Friday the 13th, March 2009 on their calendars in blood red ink in order to mark the release of Resident Evil® 5. One of the industry’s most successful franchises brings the next generation of fear to Xbox 360 and PLAYSTATION 3 systems. Resident Evil 5 promises to set a new standard in action gaming with amazing graphics and both online and split-screen co-operative gameplay on a single console.

Also scheduled for release in March is MotoGP^TM for the Wii. Due to hit retail in the middle of March to coincide with the pre-season activity for the 2009 MotoGP^TM season, the title turns the Wii Remote into a set of virtual handlebars as players compete across the three race classes in single races, a full championship or a series of challenge stages. Different handling models and AI rider characteristics allow ease of entry for riders of all skills whether a seasoned bike racing fan or new to the genre.

Completing this impressive line up is Bionic Commando, the true sequel to the retro classic with an injection of next gen power, coming within the first half of the year. The title will be initially available for gamers on Xbox 360 and Sony Computer Entertainment’s PLAYSTATION®3 computer entertainment system, with the Windows PC version following shortly afterwards. Bionic Commando harnesses the power of the latest generation of hardware to fully exploit the swing mechanic that made the original title so unique. Using the powers of the bionic arm to swing between towering skyscrapers, punch cars, pummel opponents and grab distant enemies, players can gain a tactical advantage to progress through the compelling single player campaign and take on all comers in online multiplayer modes.

Despite having sold less tickets than in 2007, increases in overall ticket prices has given the North American box office a record gross of $9.78 billion for the year, a 2% increase over last year’s record.

The record box office has The Dark Knight to thank with its $531 million domestic box office tally which has solidified itself as the 2nd largest theatrical release behind Titanic’s $600 million take in 1997.

With the success of The Dark Knight, Warner Bros. came out on top as the top grossing studio for the year, despite pushing Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince’s release to next summer.  Other hits included Sex and the City and Get Smart.  The overall gross for the studio was $1.79 billion.

Paramount Pictures came in second with $1.60 billion with hits summer hits Iron Man and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

Sony Pictures finished in third for the year with $1.28 billion with modest hits like Hancock, Pineapple Express and Quantum of Solace.

Quentin Tarantino’s World War II film called “Inglourious Basterds” will hit movie theaters August 21 2009.

Inglourious Basterds stars actor Brad Pitt and is about a U.S. army lieutenant (Pitt) leading a group of soldiers operating behind Nazi lines, terrorizing the enemy.  The movie began filming in Europe in October.

Sources say the film was inspired by the World War II movie “The Inglorious Bastards ,” from Italian director Enzo Castellari which was released in 1978.

Is Miley Cyrus going back to High School?  Look likes a High School Musical this New Year’s Eve for this pop star.

According to E! News, Miley Cyrus will perform a concert at the gymnasium of Beckman High School in Irvine, California.

This past summer, MTV held a contest for high school students to win a live New Year’s Eve concert headlined by no other than Miley Cyrus herself.

E! News reports that the winners name is Alison Kaprielian.  Alison is a senior who has worked for the Pink Ribbon Club for breast cancer awareness which in turn has won her school the Miley Cyrus concert.

Miley and her best friend Mandy even suprised Kaprielian on Tuesday at her home according to MTV.  But there is one catch to tonights concert:  All audience members must wear pink both males and females alike.

EOnline reports that actress Heather Locklear has been approached to reprise her role as Amanda Woodward on the revamp of Melrose Place for The CW.

“The CW is courting Heather Locklear,” said a source.  “I don’t think anyone else from the original has been approached yet.”

The original series was a spinoff from Beverly Hills 90210 and aired from 1992 to 1999 on FOX.  In addition to Locklear, the cast included Desperate Housewives’ Marcia Cross and Doug Savant, 90210’s Rob Estes and Locklear’s current beau Jack Wagner.

The pilot script is reportedly being written by One Tree Hill’s writer Mark Schwahn for a Fall 2009 premiere.

Arrested Development creator and executive producer Mitch Hurwitz recently spoke with Fancast and hinted at rumors regarding stars Will Arnett and Michael Cera as being the lone holdouts for a planned big screen reunion.

“I don’t want to talk about who is holding out right now because we might still work that out and I don’t want to pressure anyone through the press,” said Hurwitz. “Although I will say that Will Arnett is gung-ho, so there’s a big clue!”

As for possible story ideas the film may follow?  “I think in some respect it would have to pick up where the show left off,” he said. “Maybe the benefit of that would be, if nothing else, just to recap everything. There are a couple of ways to get into it. I was even thinking about a big animated sequence to start. Kind of like how the Blake Edwards movies used to start - to kind of catch everyone up.”

“I’ve also been playing with the idea of doing a prequel for a while, which could be kind of interesting,” explained Hurwitz.

No matter what the story may be, Hurwitz is happy to see the film moving along and explains how the fans have a lot to do with it.  It’s a really low budget film and it’s going to be a ton of work, but it just kind of feels like…well, people are so great about responding to this.”

Time Warner Cable and MTV Networks are in a battle that may end up causing their customers to be the biggest losers this New Years.  As Time Warner Cable customers tune into MTV tonight to see their coverage of the Times Square ball drop, they may instead see a black screen.  As of midnight tonight, MTV Networks may pull MTV and all its sister networks form the cablers lineup.

“Christmas is over, but Viacom is still playing Scrooge,” wrote Glen Britt, the President and CEO of Time Warner Cable on the company’s website.  “Threatening to pull its MTV Networks off of Time Warner Cable at midnight tonight unless we ask our customers to pay exorbitant price increases.  Viacom claims their demands equate to “pennies,” but that is misleading and insulting to our customers, from whom Viacom is trying to extort another $39 million annually – on top of the hundreds of millions of dollars our customers already pay to Viacom each year. That doesn’t sound like pennies to us. Demanding that our customers pay so much more for these few networks would be unreasonable in any economy, but it is particularly outrageous given the current economic conditions.”

As for MTV Networks side of the dispute?  A pop-up on the various network’s websites warns customers of the impending loss of channels and gives a phone number to call in order to “Demand (Time Warner Cable) keep your channel!”

With television ratings steadily declining, can MTV Networks afford to lose millions of customers?  Unless an agreement between the two giant companies can be reached soon, we’ll see if MTV’s threat is just that.

Paramount Pictures has released new photos from the upcoming Star Trek film, including a shot of the new Enterprise.