BoxOffice® Pro - January 2011

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E X C L U S I V E !
Star Seth Rogen and
Director Michel Gondry talk
INSIDE HELLO, 2011: A LOOK AT THE UPCOMING HITS—AND MISSES
THE CHALLENGE OF EARLY PREMIUM VOD: WHY WE MUST SPEAK OUT
LET’S TALK ISDCF: THE ESSENTIAL DIGITAL CINEMA DISCUSSION GROUP
The Official Magazine of NATO

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JAN 2011 VOL. 147 NO. 1
BOXOFFICE MEDIA
PUBLISHER
Peter Cane
CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Kenneth James Bacon
BOXOFFICE MAGAZINE
EDITOR
Amy Nicholson
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR
Sara Maria Vizcarrondo
INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTORS
Patrick Corcoran
John Fithian
Jerry Pierce
20 SPECIAL REPORT
HELLO, 2011
We predict the hits—and misses—for the new year
26 BIG PICTURE
THE GREEN HORNET
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWS
Director Michel Gondry & Star Seth Rogen
DEPARTMENTS
6 Industry Briefs
The new and notable in the exhibition
industry
8 Executive Suite
The challenge of early premium
VOD NATO must speak out
By John Fithian
10 Running Numbers
Nobody knows anything Predictions
for the year ahead
By Patrick Corcoran
12 Show Business
Demand and conquer If you’re not
aware of what Eventful does, you
should be
By Phil Contrino
18 Guest Column
Let’s talk ISDCF Join the
conversation in this essential digital
cinema discussion group
By Jerry Pierce
44 Classifieds
AWARDS
14 Front Line
Diane Ludwig / Boise, ID
15 Front Office
Martin McCaffery / Montgomery, AL
16 Marquee Award
Colonial Theatre / Keene, NH
THE SLATE
32 On the Horizon
Sucker Punch / Mars Needs Moms / Battle:
Los Angeles
34 Coming Soon
Season of the Witch / From Prada to Nada
/ The Dilemma / No Strings Attached /
Unknown / The Way Back / The Rite
36 Book It!
Flash reviews and recommendations of
films that should be on your radar
40 Booking Guide
Nearly 150 films that you can book
right now, complete with contact info,
film formats, audio formats and more
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Pam Grady
Ray Greene
Pete Hammond
Cole Hornaday
Mark Keizer
Richard Mowe
Matthew Nestel
Ed Scheid
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Ally McMurray
BOXOFFICE.COM / BOXOFFICEMAGAZINE.COM
EDITOR
Phil Contrino
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Tim Cogshell
Alex Edghill
Joe Galm
Daniel Garris
Barbara Goslawski
Wade Major
John P. McCarthy
Steve Ramos
Vadim Rizov
Steve Simels
Christian Toto
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2 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

HORSESHOES AND HAND GRENADES
STOPPRESS
To those two exceptions to the rule that “close doesn’t count,” I think we should add a third –
2010’s box office receipts. Due to my unfair advantage of writing this page at the last possible
moment before we go to press (it’s good to be the publisher), I can confirm that 2010’s grosses
and attendance figures were slightly off the all-time records set in 2009. Phil Contrino and his
team at BoxOffice.com will have all of the final facts and figures online by the time you read
this, but in our still-shaky economy, it was a very healthy year indeed.
peter@boxoffice.com
PS I usually let the columns from our partners at NATO speak for themselves, but this month
I want to underscore the urgency of John Fithian’s message to the industry. The very real threat
from so-called premium VOD is upon us. This is the type of attack that demands attention from
everyone in and around the exhibition business.
Coming in January to BoxOffice.com and BoxofficeMagazine.com
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JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 3

When it comes to 4K, all eyes are on Sony.
While others are just realizing the benefi ts of 4K, Sony has become the undisputed leader
in 4K technology. We’ve installed thousands of projection systems worldwide, delivering
stunning Sony 4K. And lifelike 3D. But we’re not stopping there. We also provide digital
signage for concessions, box offi ce and lobbies, plus exciting alternative content, digital
surveillance, a network operations center, nationwide support, and fl exible fi nancing.
The advantages of Sony 4K are clear. Now let’s talk about the bigger picture.
Visit sony.com/4K to set up a meeting.
© 2010 Sony Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Features and specifi cations are subject to
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INDUSTRY BRIEFS
Andrew Cripps, President of
Paramount Pictures International
and Millard L. Ochs, President of
Warner Bros. International Cinemas
are slated to give the keynote
addresses as part of CinemaCon’s
International Day. The keynote address
will take place at the International
Day Breakfast on March 28,
2011. “As our industry continues
to evolve around the world it is imperative
that cinema owners and
operators keep up to date with the
ongoing changes within the industry,”
said Managing Director Mitch
Neuhauser. “Both Millard L. Ochs
and Andrew Cripps will be able to
provide valuable insight to the state
of the industry in regards to international
exhibition and the current
state of international distribution.”
The Will Rogers Motion Picture
Pioneers will honor former Walt
Disney Studios Chairman Dick Cook
as its 2011 Pioneer of the Year. The
award presentation will take place
at the launch of CinemaCon at an
all-industry gala dinner on Wednesday
evening, March 30. “From the
outset, NATO’s main objective for
CinemaCon was to create an event
about and for the entire industry.
Our partnership with The Will Rogers
Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation
demonstrates our commitment
to that important goal,” noted
NATO President and CEO John Fithian.
“The most exciting aspect of
course, is having Dick Cook as the
honoree of our first joint effort. Exhibitors
have held Dick in the highest
regard throughout his illustrious
career.”.
EFA Partners, an entertainment
financial advisory firm focused on
providing financing solutions for
movie exhibitors, led and advised
the recently closed financing facility
for Cobb Theatres, a motion
pictures exhibitor operating 210
screens at 17 locations throughout
the Southeastern United States.
The proceeds from the financing
will be used for Cobb’s digital cinema
conversion, refinancing existing
debt and growth capital for future
acquisitions. “We were very impressed
with EFA as their financial
experience with film exhibition and
digital cinema allowed them to lead
our financing effort from start to finish,”
said Bobby Cobb, president
and CEO of Cobb Theatres. “With
Cobb having a tradition of innovative
entertainment, our patrons will
see immediate benefits from this financing
as we continue our conversion
to digital and, in addition, the
facility provides capital for our long
term growth objectives.”
The MPAA issued the following
statement in support of recommendations
made by the President’s
Export Council, a group of business
and labor leaders appointed by
President Obama to offer advice on
how to promote U.S. exports, jobs
and growth. In a letter to President
Obama, the Council urged the Administration
to address what they
call “the inadequate protection and
enforcement of intellectual property
rights of U.S. manufacturers and
service providers in foreign markets.”
The principles outlined in the
letter were deliberated and adopted
at a PEC meeting attended by
President Obama on December 9,
2010. “The Obama Administration
has demonstrated time and again
its commitment to protecting intellectual
property rights in the United
States and these substantive and
practical recommendations will go
far in helping to protect the 2.4 million
American jobs that depend on
a vital film and television industry,”
said President and Interim CEO of
the MPAA Bob Pisano.
Fandango has launched a Fandango
App for iPad, now available on
the App Store. The Fandango App
for iPad refines features of Fandango’s
previous app, and adds new
ones, including a visual representation
of the company’s hottest ticket
sellers; movie reviews and movierelated
tweets from professional
critics and film fans; and map integration
that knows a moviegoer’s
location and helps her find titles,
theaters, showtimes and tickets. “It
was important for us to create an
app that was tailor-made for iPad,
taking advantage of its large, highresolution
display and multi touch
interface,” said Jessica Yi, head of
product for Fandango.
MGM’s restructuring is now effective,
with exit financing of $500
million in place. The company’s plan
of reorganization was confirmed
on December 2, 2010 by the U.S.
Bankruptcy Court for the Southern
District of New York. MGM has secured
lenders exchanging approximately
$5 billion, including accrued
interest and fees, for most of the
equity in the company. As part of
its exit financing, MGM raised $500
million to fund operations, including
production of a new slate of
films and television series. JPMorgan
arranged MGM exit financing.
“MGM is emerging from one of the
most challenging periods of its storied
history,” said Gary Barber and
Roger Birnbaum, cochairmen and
chief executive officers of MGM.
“Beginning today, MGM is a stronger,
more competitive company,
with a solid financial foundation and
a bright future. We look forward
to working with MGM’s dedicated
employees to build upon this company’s
legacy.”
NEC Display Solutions of America
plans to award a total of
$100,000 in NEC products through
a series of new contests. Registrants
of its Star Student (education), Business
Advantage (small-to-medium
businesses), Medical+ (healthcare)
and Cinema Advantage (theater)
programs are each eligible to win
$25,000 for their respective facilities.
In addition, each participating
organization must complete a registration
form and upload a two-tothree-minute
video, detailing why
its classroom, office, lobby or theater
needs a technology makeover.
The deadline for photos and video
entries is February 28, 2011. “We
wanted to give our valued customers
the opportunity to showcase the
energy they exhibit each and every
day to succeed,” said Ashley Flaska,
Vice President of Marketing at NEC
Display. The top 5 entries in each
marketing program will be chosen
by NEC judges and then posted
on NEC’s website for public voting
between March 7, 2011, and March
31, 2011. In addition, runners-up
in all four categories will each be
awarded a 32 inch NEC E321 LCD
display for their respective schools,
offices, medical facilities or theaters.
For more information on
participating, visit www.necdisplay.
com/25KGiveaway.
Miramax and The Weinstein Company
have signed an agreement
to create sequels to some of Miramax’s
best-known properties and to
partner on potential new television
shows and special edition home entertainment
products. The first films
to be produced under the agreement
will be sequels to Bad Santa,
Rounders and Shakespeare in Love.
The other potential sequels and
TV projects are Bridget Jones’s Diary,
Copland, From Dusk Till Dawn,
Swingers, Clerks, Shall We Dance,
and The Amityville Horror. This
partnership augments an existing
relationship between the companies
on such franchises as Scream
4 (to be released April 15, 2011),
Spy Kids 4 (to be released August
19, 2011) and Scary Movie 5. In addition,
Miramax will handle digital
distribution on select sequel projects.
Miramax and TWC have also
agreed to develop new, special edition
materials for Blu-ray releases,
such as roundtables featuring cast
and directors. “We are very close
to these films and the new management
of Miramax also feels that
we are in the best position to create
sequels that are at once worthy
and compelling in their own right,”
said TWC’s Harvey and Bob Weinstein.
“We look forward to working
with Mike and his team on getting
these films into production as soon
as possible, and extending our partnership
in the years ahead.”
MasterImage 3D announced that
veteran cinema industry sales and
marketing executive George Stew-
6 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

art has joined the company as director
of digital cinema. In this role
Stewart will drive MasterImage’s
digital 3D systems and brand in the
worldwide theatrical marketplace.
Stewart brings 20 years of expertise
to MasterImage’s sales and marketing
efforts. She joins the company
most recently from AMC Entertainment,
where she was Vice President
of Distributor Relations. Prior to that
she was Group Marketing/Sales Director
for the Nielsen Company,
where she successfully developed
and integrated new products, services
and strategic partnerships. At The
Los Angeles Times, Stewart oversaw
the Creative Advertising Group
generating record-high revenue and
sponsorship through promotions,
creative and event programs. She
also held senior-level roles at Walt
Disney Studios and Warner Bros.,
supervising film and marketing sales
and overseeing financials for Warner
Bros. Television. “George’s career
has been marked by results,” said
Peter Koplik, MasterImage President
of Digital Cinema. “She has built a
legacy of leading highly productive
teams, driving market share and
building brands to support revenue
goals. Her experience, skill in cultivating
long term relationships and
knowledge of the cinema industry is
going to be invaluable to us as MasterImage
continues to expand our
reach.”
An entertainment industry coalition
representing the major studios
and the independent motion picture
and television programming industry
has filed an amicus brief in the case
of Viacom v. YouTube. The brief
filed by the MPAA and the Independent
Film & Television Alliance
(IFTA) urges the Court of Appeals
for the Second Circuit to overturn
a lower court ruling that dismissed
Viacom’s lawsuit against YouTube.
“The decision of the lower court,
if not overturned, will allow businesses
to profit by inviting massive
amounts of online copyright theft
and avoid liability simply by turning
a blind eye to the direct, illegal effects
of their business models,” said
Daniel Mandil, general counsel and
chief content protection officer of
the MPAA. “We are confident that
the Court of Appeals will recognize
that the lower court’s decision
was entirely inconsistent with the
Supreme Court’s unanimous decision
in Grokster and with the plain
language of the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act. The MPAA is committed
to protecting the jobs of the
2.4 million Americans in all 50 states
who depend on the entertainment
industry for their livelihoods. We do
so in Congress, in the State Houses,
in cooperation with law enforcement
agencies and, as we are doing today,
in the courts.”
Sony Corporation of America has
extended Amy Pascal’s employment
agreement with Sony Pictures
Entertainment. Pascal is Co-Chairman
of Sony Pictures, and together
with Michael Lynton, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer, they are responsible
for overseeing all lines of
business for the studio, including
motion pictures (Columbia Pictures,
Screen Gems and TriStar Pictures),
worldwide television production and
distribution, home entertainment
and digital productions (Imageworks
and Sony Pictures Animation). So far
this year, the studio’s successful slate
of films has generated more than $2
billion in worldwide box office revenues.
Since 2000, Sony Pictures
has had 73 movies open to number
one at the domestic box office, more
than any other studio. Last year,
Sony Pictures enjoyed its best year
ever at the worldwide box office with
nearly $3.6 billion in theatrical ticket
sales. “At Sony Pictures, two heads
are smarter than one, more distinguished
than one and more dynamic
than one,” said Sir Howard Stringer,
chairman, chief executive officer
and president of Sony Corporation.
“There is no doubt Amy is making
Culver City the epicenter of creativity,
and a home away from home for
Hollywood’s finest.”
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 7

EXECUTIVE SUITE
JOHN
FITHIAN
NATO
President
and Chief
Executive
Officer
THE CHALLENGE OF EARLY PREMIUM VOD
Exhibition confronts one of the most significant
challenges in the modern history of the industry:
so-called “premium video on demand.” Despite
NATO’s repeated suggestions that our distribution
partners discuss their potential VOD models
with individual exhibitors prior to executing
them, several leading studio executives appear
determined to roll out early release VOD without
proper consultation with exhibitors, without
the input of the creative community and
NATO has long maintained that
a robust windowing system
provides optimal results for the entire
movie industry. The primacy of
theatrical release enables feature
films to demonstrate their appeal in
the best platform of the big screen
social experience. Success in a
theatrical run drives success in the
ancillary home markets. Consumers
understand that a movie released in
cinemas is different than product
made for television, or for release
solely on DVD or the Internet. Every
ticket sold in the theatrical window
can be effectively priced, something
that cannot be said for the ancillary
windows—even a “premium” early
VOD window. How many viewers
per household will watch each
premium-priced offering? Three?
Five? More? And will the studios be
able to maintain the premium price
points for long? Highly unlikely.
Consider this fact: every previous
model for home release (VHS,
DVD, Blu-ray) has experienced an
unending succession of declining
price points. The theatrical release
has proven to be the only platform
where price points rise, not fall.
Over the past five years, distributors
appeared to understand these
axioms. The average release window
for DVDs remained stable. The average
DVD release window for movies
released theatrically during 2010
currently stands at four months and
ten days—an average that has stayed
fairly stable for six years. And with
a stable window, theatrical revenues
NATO must speak out
have grown to new heights. Theatrical
box office returns have broken
records in each of the past three
years, exceeding $10 billion for the
first time in 2009.
Unfortunately, the DVD market
has struggled. DVD revenues have
declined significantly over the past
few years. In 2009, total revenues
from theatrical releases surpassed
total revenues from the DVD releases
of theatrical movies for the first time
since the at-home technology became
popular. There are many theories to
explain the declining DVD market:
Consumers’ libraries reached maximum
capacity. The recession drove
home movie consumers toward
rentals and away from sales. The studios
shot themselves in the foot by
enabling dollar rentals and unlimited
viewing subscriptions. But whatever
the reason, the golden goose of DVDs
has gone barren and the studio community
is panicked.
Panic often produces proposals
for untested, radical change—and
that is what early premium VOD
models are.
So, will exhibitors stand by and
watch some studios ruin the business?
I don’t think so.
WITHOUT MEANINGFUL
COOPERATION, EXHIBITORS WILL
RESPOND TO PROTECT THEIR
INTERESTS
Exhibitors want the studios to
succeed in the home markets. Sustained
returns throughout all distribution
channels enable continued
without market testing their proposed models
to determine whether or not they work. In response
to this ill-conceived attempted stampede,
NATO and our members have ➊ emphasized
various possible responses of exhibitors;
➋ reached out to the creative community to
discuss shared objectives; ➌ traveled to Wall
Street to challenge the viability of these unworkable
models; and ➍ begun to educate leading
reporters on the dangers of the proposals.
and expanded movie production
and marketing budgets for future
theatrical releases. That is why leading
cinema operators have indicated
a desire to work with their distribution
partners to test new VOD
release models that might grow the
overall movie “pie.” In a published
statement last summer (August
2010), the NATO Executive Board of
Directors made clear its desire that
studios should engage exhibitors
in meaningful conversations about
possible VOD models.
Unfortunately, at least two leading
studio executives have made
public pronouncements about their
premium VOD intentions without
the slightest consultation with exhibition.
In early November, Chairman
and CEO of Time Warner Jeffrey
Bewkes said, “... (W)e will help lead
the industry to launch a premium
video-on-demand service that will
enable consumers to watch recently
released theatrical movies at home
in high definition and eventually, in
3D.” A few weeks later, Chairman of
Fox Filmed Entertainment Jim Gianopulos
said, “We’re still developing
the [premium VOD] offering, but we
think there’s a sweet spot around
$30 and maybe 60 days after the theatrical
release that will create a new
revenue stream for us and a unique
value to consumers.”
If the studios give them no opportunity
to collaborate prospectively on
a mutually beneficial business model,
exhibitors will be forced to consider
defensive options to protect their in-
8 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

terests. The specific responses of exhibitors
will be determined on an individual company
basis. But if past is prologue, we know
that exhibitors will not stand by passively
if studios are too quick to release movies to
the home after their theatrical release.
TRUNCATED THEATRICAL RELEASE
DAMAGES THE CREATIVE COMMUNITY
The most talented producers, directors
and actors aspire to the artistic palette of
the big screen. Creative vision can best be
displayed on the grand and beautiful cinema
screen—not on television, computer
or hand-held device. That is one reason why
the creative community overwhelmingly
supports a robust theatrical window. Another
reason, of course, is that the creative community
profits more from theatrical release
than from home video revenues. During the
most recent Hollywood labor negotiations,
the single most prevalent complaint of the
Guilds concerned the small percentage of
rights their members received from ancillary
home markets. Of all the professional
links in the movie industry chain, the studios
are the only sector that takes a higher
percentage from home video revenues than
from theatrical releases.
Given these factors, NATO and our
members have reached out more aggressively
to leaders in the creative community
to explore and capitalize on our shared
interest in a strong theatrical marketplace.
And the conversations have produced exciting
results. A lawyer for several leading
directors recently told me that he would include
the theatrical window as a new term
in his contract negotiations going forward.
A major producer of leading commercial
movies expressed his strong doubts in the
early VOD model and promised to raise
his concerns with his studio partners. An
agent for a leading star indicated her desire
to protect the window for her client’s movies.
Another leading director asked how he
could speak out about his concerns. Indeed,
of the dozens of conversations I have had
recently with leaders in the creative community,
I have yet to encounter one person
who supports the proposals of a few studio
executives for an early premium VOD release
window. We will continue to build
coalitions with the creative community on
this vitally important issue.
NATO REACHES OUT TO THE FINANCIAL
COMMUNITY
Movie studio executives generally listen
to two types of people first: the producers,
directors and actors who make the movies,
and the financial analysts on Wall Street
who assess the industry’s business models.
Without talent, they can’t have product.
Without a sound business model, they can’t
raise money. Given this reality, NATO is
spending considerable effort in New York,
just as we are in Hollywood.
Recently two of NATO’s key member
executives joined us in New York City to
meet one-on-one with the leading financial
analysts who assess the movie business and
discuss theatrical and VOD windows. We
were quite pleased with the results.
Simply put, analysts want to know how
a new model can make money. (They don’t
care a lick about the creative process.) Our
simple story: the studios’ proposal to release
movies in an early VOD window risks losing
two dimes to make one nickel. Potential lost
theatrical sales are the first dime in danger
as the earlier a VOD release takes place, the
more potential movie patrons will simply
wait and skip the cinema. Of course we
know that most movie patrons come to the
cinema for the big screen experience, the
shared community, or the “night out.” For
them, VOD will not deter their patronage.
But a percentage of movie patrons does
not care how they watch the movie—only
when. And for those consumers, early VOD
will reduce their trips to the cinema.
The second, and perhaps more problematic
concern, is that early VOD will enable
earlier piracy of pristine digital movie copies.
Illegal movie sales occur in two relatively
equal waves: first, the camcorder version,
and second, the pristine digital ripped when
DVDs become available. As Intel has admitted,
high-bandwidth Digital Content Protection
has been hacked. Early VOD simply accelerates
the second problem–illegal pristine
digital copies will always be available substantially
prior to the DVD release and while
movies are still in theaters. This risk has been
described publicly by no less an authority on
movie sales than Frederick Huntsberry, the
COO of Paramount (which explains why Paramount
executives aren’t making any noises
about supporting early VOD releases.)
That describes the two potential lost
dimes. Now what about that nickel? Without
proper testing, can the studios really predict
how many people will purchase the one-time
chance to watch a movie at home for $25, or
$30 or $50 to access the movie a month or
two before the DVD is available to rent for
just one dollar? And won’t that initial premium
price point necessarily come down with
time, as have the prices for every other home
movie release mechanism? When we walked
through the math, the experts on Wall Street
had many questions about the proposals.
AS THE FINAL STEP, NATO IS TAKING
OUR CASE TO THE PRESS
Exhibition has spent—and is spending—
several billion dollars to bring audiences
stadium seating, state-of-the-art digital sound,
digital projection and 3D. The viewing experience
in modern movie theaters is better
than ever. Our industry is undergoing a transformation
from yesterday’s movie theaters to
tomorrow’s entertainment hubs with all the
modern technologies and amenities that our
patrons love. We have a great story to tell.
At the same time, we have stayed relatively
quiet with the press on the threats
posed by early VOD release models. We did
so in the hope that our studio partners would
stop floating their VOD trial balloons in public.
We told the studios that models driven
by comments to the media simply create
confusion and generate bad blood between
partners. We demanded no surprises and a
seat at the table. And then we waited for the
real conversations to begin. And they haven’t.
Given the importance of the issue, NATO’s
Executive Board has decided to wait no longer.
Going forward, NATO and our members
will be sharing with reporters the concerns
described in this column.
Theatrical exhibition has thrived in recent
years as a four-decade trend of growing
ticket sales has continued. We simply cannot
afford to allow a few desperate studio executives
to risk damaging a good, working model
for their panic-driven radicalization of the
business.
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 9

RUNNING NUMBERS
PATRICK
CORCORAN
NATO
Director of
Media &
Research
California
Operations
Chief
NOBODY KNOWS ANYTHING
Last year at this time, the year was looking like it had
a shot at breaking a box office record. Avatar was
waiting in the wings, the Alvin and the Chipmunks sequel
was likely to do strong business and Sherlock Holmes had
Robert Downey Jr. Everyone knew Avatar was going to do
well, but no one—and I mean nobody—had an inkling
that it would do that well. Going into the last week of the
year, things looked so good that I got a little cocky and
predicted we just might have our first $400 million grossing
week ever. I was wrong. It was the first $500 million
week ever.
But this year, I don’t know. Four weeks out from the
end of the year, box office is running ahead of 2009—as it
has all year—but only by 1.4 percent. At this same point
in 2009, the year still had just over $1 billion dollars in
Predictions for the year ahead
As I write this column for “The Year Ahead” issue, it is exactly four weeks before the end of the year and
I can’t even begin to predict the outcome of the next 28 days, let alone contemplate the year ahead.
$16,411,322
Opening weekend gross on 3,515 screens for Yogi Bear in 3D/2D
$44,026,211
Opening weekend gross on 3,451 screens for Tron: Legacy in 3D/2D
box office left to give. To match 2009’s record total, we
will have to gross $900 million in the weeks remaining.
Will we get there?
By the time you read this, the industry will have
had its first ever simultaneous wide release of two 3D
features—Yogi Bear and Tron: Legacy—on December 17
shared across the now more than 7,900 3D screens available
in the US and Canada. The James L. Brooks comedy
How Do You Know opens the same weekend. Before that,
we have the third installment of the Chronicles of Narnia
and The Tourist with Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie.
The weekend before Christmas brings Gulliver’s Travels,
Little Fockers and the Coen Brothers’ True Grit. That
means seven and possibly eight movies with at least $100
million potential at the box office, without taking into
consideration possible expansions and several movies in
smaller release patterns and holdovers.
So the answer is, yes, 2010 will set another box office
record. Maybe. Don’t hold me to it.
You might have noticed that of the eight wide releases
noted here, seven of them are sequels or remakes. I boldly
predict that in the coming year we will have lots of remakes
and sequels—more than twenty of them. I know
this because they’ve already been slotted into the release
schedule, but I predict it for another reason. Predictability.
Unlike any other business, our inventory changes
constantly. I don’t mean just the latest update or freshening
of a product line, I mean a completely different
product every week. Imagine walking into a shoe store
you patronized last week and discovering they now only
sell coats. Both products are demonstrably outerwear, but
a coat doesn’t keep your feet warm. That’s the prospect
facing our customers every week. While both are undeniably
movies, a patron who thoroughly enjoyed Inception
may be in for a bit of a shock when he walks into your
theater the next week expecting the same experience
from Piranha 3D.
Most moviegoers, of course, don’t approach their
moviegoing choices like that. They, too, understand that
movies are non-repeatable phenomena, which is why
Hollywood spends enormous sums of money to market
their movies. They have to convince our customers over
and over again that what they offer is something the moviegoer
will enjoy. Which is where sequels and remakes
come in. If the audience has demonstrated before that
they enjoyed a certain collection of characters or a certain
story (most clearly demonstrated by their purchase of
hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of tickets), studios
feel more confident that they will likely enjoy them again
in a new, but reassuringly familiar, form. That familiar-
10 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

ity also smooths out the steepest and most
expensive part of the marketing effort—getting
people to know your movie even exists.
Theaters can do their part, as well, to
foster that sense of reliability and comfort
for their patrons. Friendly and courteous
customer service, cleanliness at the concession
stand, the highest standards of presentation
and the behavior of other patrons all
factor into the decision of the moviegoer to
take a chance on the new products we have
to offer week after week.
For the same reason, 3D is not a slam
dunk. Much of the marketing behind 3D
has emphasized that 3D cinema is a new,
premium way of experiencing movies—
and that is true. But 3D alone will not sell
a movie. The audience has to trust that the
premium experience they are paying for
is worth the cost. Gallons of ink have been
spilled over the debate over 3D’s dominance
(or death) because some movies have not
performed as well in the format as others.
Who thought they would? Even if, as it has
not, the quality of the 3D effects in every
3D movie were equal, the movies themselves
still have to convince audiences that
they are worth the time and money to see
them—in whatever the number of dimensions.
In essence, 3D, while adding to the box
office bottom line, has had to leap two marketing
hurdles: is 3D worth seeing, and is it
is worth seeing on this particular movie. And
that last assumes that audiences have been
convinced to see that particular movie in
the first place.
So what is predictable about the movie
business? First, that people have a need to
come together in the dark to have stories
told. It has taken many forms throughout
history, from reenactments of the hunt by
the flickering light of a fire in a dank cave to
vast amphitheaters, and from gilded opera
houses to the cheery, neon neighborhood
movie theater. People need to get out of the
house and come together to share the experience
of being entertained.
Second, I predict that someone will
predict that the movie theater business is
dying, even as box office and attendance
are going up. Box office has risen for four
straight years—the last three all set records
(while domestic theatrical home video
revenue declined 17.78 percent) even in
the teeth of the worst economic downturn
since the Great Depression—and, as I rashly
predicted earlier in this column, we’ll probably
set a record this year, too. Average
yearly attendance has risen for four straight
decades, from 995 million in the ’70s to 1.13
billion in the ’80s, 1.28 billion in the ‘90s
and 1.43 billion this last decade.
Third, that we will continue to hear
complaints about the shocking rise in ticket
prices. We will hear about this despite the
fact that going to the movies remains the
least expensive form of out of home entertainment.
We will hear this despite the
fact that, adjusted for inflation, the average
movie ticket today costs less than the average
movie ticket in 1969. That $1.42 average
movie ticket in the first year of the Nixon
Administration would cost $8.46 in the second
year of the Obama Administration. The
average ticket price today is $7.85. Keep in
mind that with stadium seating, digital audio
and digital and 3D projection, the movie
theater experience is arguably far better in
2010 than it was in 1969.
Finally, I predict that something will
happen in the movie business that nobody
predicted would happen—because that’s
what always happens.
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JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 11

DEMAND AND CONQUER
If you’re not aware of what Eventful does, you should be
SHOW BUSINESS
PHIL
CONTRINO
Editor
BoxOffice.com
Simply put: this San Diego-based company has
changed the way content producers can interact with
potential customers. It’s all thanks to the Demand it! widget,
which allows consumers to request that a movie or a
concert be made available in their section of the world.
And it’s already been done—and done well. Remember
how much money the industry made from Paranormal
Activity? Thank Demand it!, which rallied the voices
of 1.3 million moviegoers eager to get the low budget
thriller in their town. But Eventful, which began as a site
designed to help promote musicians, has only scratched
the surface of how to help the exhibition industry make
smart decisions.
Eventful recently partnered with AMC to help uncover
independent films with the buzz to get a hungry
following on social media sites. Recently, they’ve backed
MOOZ-lum, a new social drama from first time writer/
director Qasim Basir. The film deals with what life is like
for Muslims in America—a tough sell for commercial
acceptance. It’s not the kind of movie that immediately
jumps out as a potential hit, but there are audiences
clamoring to buy a ticket. As we went to press, Demand
it! and AMC announced that they’d be releasing the film
in the 10 US cities who drummed up the most enthusiasm.
New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago
and Detroit were the early leaders.
“One of the things [AMC] noticed as an exhibitor is
that independent films come to them hoping to get on
screens and there’s no efficient barometer on the exhibitor’s
part to determine whether there is consumer
demand for that film. That’s where we fit in nicely,” says
Jordan Glazier, Eventful’s chief executive officer.
“We’d love to work with all exhibitors,” adds Glazier.
“On the studio side we work with all the major ones,
and I see no reason why we shouldn’t do the same with
exhibitors.”
Paul Ramirez, vice president of operations for Eventful,
details how MOOZ-lum came to Eventful’s attention:
“One weekend I got an email from my VP of Marketing
who said, ‘Hey, there’s a movie called MOOZ-lum that
has integrated the Eventful Demand it! button into their
Facebook page and it’s driven several thousand demands
for the movie.’” The company took notice—and took action.
“We contacted the filmmaker and asked them what
they were up to and asked to see the film. We wanted
to get an understanding of how they were using social
media to drive awareness and interest in the movie. In
talking to them we learned about who had financed the
movie and that they didn’t have a distribution partner,
nor did they want a distribution partner. But they were
actively seeking a marketing partner and an exhibition
partner to bring the movie to life. In speaking with them
and learning about the movie, we saw really the first
opportunity to bring something directly to AMC, who,
late last year, specifically tasked us with finding the
independent films that could be brought to exhibition
with Demand it!”
The numbers behind Demand it! don’t lie. It works.
Eventful says that 67 percent of people showing their
enthusiasm for a movie on Demand it! see it on opening
weekend.
Yet helping to get a film into more theaters is only
part of what Eventful does. Glazier stresses that there are
two parts to the company. “One half is Demand It! and
our social media marketing expertise, and the other half
is a service that helps consumers discover what’s happening
in their local market,” he says. “We have an event
discovery platform. Now over 20 million consumers
every month use Eventful to find out what’s happening
and what to do. That provides a built-in audience that
we market entertainment to on behalf of the music industry,
the film industry and the broadcast industry.”
Adds Glazier, “It’s not just grabbing something
and throwing it out there. We actually put campaigns
around it, working with the filmmakers so they can
gather the right data and reach the right audiences.”
Eventful’s services can also drum up the right publicity.
MGM used the company to make sure that early
screenings of Hot Tub Time Machine were filled with
18-25 year old males who liked comedy and were very
active in social media. For Get Him to the Greek, Universal
sent Jonah Hill and Russell Brand out to host screenings/
discussions of the film at the five colleges that most
demanded the pleasure of their company—and the
Weinstein Company did the same with Michael Cera
and Youth in Revolt.
“What used to be a one-dimensional filling of screenings
becomes a social media engagement with a very
specific audience,” says Glazier.
There’s no question that we are now in a new era of
independent film. No longer does a movie need to win
the lottery at a major film festival and be sold for millions
of dollars to a big-name bidder. Eventful is just one
of many assets that filmmakers can latch onto in order
to compel people to pay attention to their films. They
don’t have to waste their time trying to get Harvey Weinstein’s
attention—they have direct access to potential
viewers.
If the last two years of box office receipts have taught
us anything, it’s that moviegoers want films that are
fresh and interesting. Failing that, they’ll just stay home.
District 9, Paranormal Activity and Inception stood out because
consumers truly felt that they were experiencing
something new—and with the tools available to both
filmmakers and exhibitors, they can feel that feeling
more often.
12 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

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FRONT LINE AWARD
GOODWILL
AMBASSADOR
Bright lights, big inspiration
by Cole Hornaday
When patrons walk into a massive
modern-day multiplex like the Edwards
Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX, they’re
too distracted to ponder the story of the
person tearing their ticket or pouring their
soda. But someone like Regal Cinemas Cast
Member Diane Ludwig has a story that is
full of great highs, tough lows and volumes
of inspiration—the kind of life big enough
to be on the screen.
“I’m just an old-fashioned person with
old-fashioned values,” says Ludwig. “I am
passionate about my faith, my family and
life itself.” And she’s been tested in trials
that toppled her once or twice, but have
never stopped her from getting back up and
charging forward.
“I once had malignant melanoma,” says
Ludwig. “My doctors told me that I only
had two weeks to live. This was 23 1/2 years
ago.” From that day forward, Ludwig learned
she couldn’t take life for granted. “We all
have just one chance to make the most of
our lives,” she says. “This reality simply
reinforces my belief that we are all in this
world together—to serve one another, to
encourage and uplift one another, to make a
difference where we can and to look out for
one another.”
Ludwig has penned some positive passages
in her life and written them large. “Diane
has taught me that when you try hard,
you can sometimes achieve the impossible,”
says Regal General Manager Shawn Stroud.
“Before Diane, I did not think an employee
could sign up 238 guests for a Regal Crown
Club Card in a single day. Nor did I think
it was possible to sign up 28,800 guests in
three years!”
Ludwig says her customer service tactics
are pretty basic: smile and greet guests with
the warmest possible welcome. “The customer
you are working with should be made
Diane Ludwig Cast Member
Edwards Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX / Boise, ID
Nominated By Shawn Stroud
General Manager
to feel like they are the most important person
at the moment,” says Ludwig. “Remember
that whatever you do is a reflection on
you, those you work with and the company
you work for. Always strive to do your best,
go the extra mile when possible and treat
others with respect, common courtesy and
kindness.”
Edwards Boise Stadium 22 & IMAX patrons
hail not only from the surrounding
community, but include travelers from the
Boise Airport and personnel from Gowen
Field and Mountain Home Air Force Bases.
Even with such a diverse and transient patron
base, Ludwig’s gotten friendly with her
regulars. “I have a daughter who has had
numerous surgeries out of town at Shriner’s
Hospitals,” says Ludwig. “I’ve sometimes
had to take time off work to travel for her
medical needs. It’s been nice to hear from
our regulars upon returning to work that
they have missed me while I was gone.”
Ludwig loves her job, but the real center
of her life is her family. “One of my favorite
things I have chosen to do in my life was to
home school my three younger children,”
she says. “I home schooled them all the way
from kindergarten to the 12th grade.”
Between working and taking charge of
her children’s education, Ludwig still finds
time to nurture her own spirituality and creativity.
“I also go to church. I enjoy reading,
sewing, crafting, music. I played clarinet in
school and taught myself how to play some
piano which I am still learning—and I love
watching movies, of course!”
“Diane has been a wonderful employee,”
says Stroud. “The reason she is so successful
is due to her outgoing and upbeat attitude.
She is a great ambassador for our theater
and always has a smile, no matter how busy
or slow the theater is.”
In Ludwig’s story, one finds much that
inspires and qualities that touch her family,
co-workers and patrons. “I believe we only
really fail if we choose not to get back up
again,” she says. “We’ve got to continue to
try to do our best and be our best.”
BOXOFFICE is looking for winners—theater employees you consider to be genuine role models making a significant, positive impact on your theater operations. Monthly winners of the
BOXOFFICE Front Line Award receive a $50 Gap Gift Card! To nominate a theater employee send a brief 100- to 200-word nominating essay to cole@boxoffice.com. Be sure to put ‘Front
Line Nomination’ in the subject line.
14 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

Martin McCaffery
Director, Capri Theatre / Montgomery, Alabama
Nominated By Tara Schroeder
Director of Programming & Marketing, Tampa Theatre
BUDGETING
FOR SUCCESS
Hollywood renegade runs an
arthouse in Alabama
FRONT OFFICE AWARD
by Cole Hornaday
Six months in Hollywood was all Martin
McCaffery needed. In the early 80s, industry
connections took him to Tinseltown,
where he landed gigs in Roger Corman’s B
film boot camp that any young filmmaker
would die for. But he took a powder. Cinema
was the whole of his universe; he simply
preferred a more stable orbit.
“I got to do some assistant editing on
Eating Raoul,” sighs McCaffery, “but then,
everyone in Hollywood worked on Eating
Raoul.” Next, McCaffery tried his hand at
Foley work. On Slumber Party Massacre, he
learned how to capture the sound of a power
drill boring through human bone. “You get
yourself a blender, a grapefruit and a 2x4,”
he recalls. “You put the grapefruit in the
blender, turn it on and then shove it down
with the 2x4 until the blender shatters.” A
great sound effect, says McCaffery, which
demolishes one perfectly good blender.
Ultimately, the Hollywood grind took
its toll. “The whole live-and-die-by-the-telephone
is one thing,” he says. “But everybody
is in ‘The Biz’—you can’t buy stamps because
the guy in the post office is too busy working
on his screenplay!”
Heading home to the East Coast, McCaffery
planned to return to work in exhibition.
As a Union Local 224 projectionist, he wasn’t
too concerned about finding work. What he
didn’t foresee was fate calling him south to
Montgomery, Alabama.
Originally a segregated theater, the Clover
Theatre was built in 1941 and meandered
along as a small neighborhood single-screener.
In 1963, it underwent a name change and
became the Capri; years later, it navigated
desegregation. And the Capri kept changing
with the times.
“It went through the usual routine,” says
McCaffery. “Every chain that came through
Montgomery owned and operated it at one
time, but eventually it became an ultra-softcore
porn house.” Though heavily edited, the
soft-core skin flicks caused public moral outrage
among local politicians. “Raids were a
regular routine for the local district attorney
who did that sort of thing when it was time
to get re-elected.”
Raids finally came to a halt when local
film lovers formed the Capri Community
Film Society in 1983. “It was very much ‘Hey
Kids! Let’s put on a show!’” says McCaffery.
“Sadly, nobody involved, other than the landlord,
actually had a clue as to how to run a
movie theater. I came down to visit a friend
and was at one of their fundraisers telling
them everything that was wrong with the
place.” About a month later, McCaffery had
moved to Montgomery, taken a 50 percent
pay cut and was given the run of the place.
“Montgomery is a great place to be
broke,” McCaffery laughs. “There’s nothing
to spend your money on. Rents are cheap,
property tax is non-existent. My property
tax on my house is less than my cable bill—
and I just have basic cable.” But with the
lower cost of living comes a smaller buzz for
arthouse film. “We appeal to a smaller fraction
of the audience which tends to be the
educated types and older audience—the kids
that are actually interested in movies get the
hell out of Montgomery as soon as they can.”
As the only indie arthouse in town (and,
until two years ago, the only arthouse in
the state), Capri audiences are fed in part
by the foreign flight trainees from nearby
Maxwell Air Force base, legal interns from
the federal courthouse and a small but
sturdy core of local supporters. “We don’t
have an audience, we have different audiences,”
says McCaffery. “A really good week
in Montgomery is like a bad opening Friday
in New York.”
In the month of December, audiences become
so slim that the Capri goes black until
after the first of the New Year. It is then Mc-
Caffery indulges in one of his greatest passions;
winding through the back roads and
ghost towns in search of southern exhibition
history. “I take very circuitous routes from
Montgomery to my parent’s place in DC and
take pictures of old theaters,” he says, and as
a contributor to both Cinema Tour and Cinema
Treasures, McCaffery figured indexing
every old movie house throughout Alabama
would be take less than a hundred stops. So
far, he’s tallied over 1,300.
Ironically, as the only full-time Capri
employee managing an extremely limited
budget, McCaffery treads a similar path to
his former budget B movie employer. McCaffery
deeply believes in film’s contribution
to the greater community and is heartened
by the support and validation he’s found in
groups like the Art House Convergence. But
McCaffery holds fast to his sardonic viewpoint,
“I’ve been here 25 years and I hope it
lasts,” he chuckles, “I don’t have much of a
retirement.”
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 15

MARQUEE AWARD
THE CLEAREST VIEW
The 900-seat Colonial Theatre serves an annual audience of approximately 50,000 people with a combination of touring Broadway, dance, music, theater,
community presentations and art house film. (photo by Jeff Newcomer)
From her office window, Colonial Theatre Director of Marketing
Jessica Reeves can see a flickering legion of jack-o-lanterns. It’s
the Keene Pumpkin Festival and the carved mugs of nearly 24,000
gourds cluster the sidewalks of old Main Street in downtown Keene,
New Hampshire. There’s excitement in the chilly air and it’s focused
around the revitalized 87-year-old theater.
“This downtown, like a lot of small towns across America, had
kind of fallen by the wayside,” says Reeves. “There were a few big
box retailers that came in and attempted to divert attention and
there was a big effort in the early ‘90s to bring people back to the
downtown—the restoration of the theater and getting people excited
about that was a big part of it.”
Opened in 1924, the Colonial Theatre has a story with four distinct
chapters, according to staffer and theater historian Gareth Williams.
In the first, original builder Charles Baldwin went bankrupt
within a year of opening. “I think the first week of his ownership
he gave away 6,000 tickets to the silent film The Hunchback of Notre
Dame,” says Williams. “He was a great promoter but probably not
the greatest businessman in the world. But he’s the one who had the
dream—he’s the one behind the design and the whole enterprise so
we owe him a great deal.”
In 1925, local businessman Demetrious Latchis added the Colonial
to his thriving theater chain. It remained a part of the family
business until 1984. Under his watch, the dual-purpose movie and
vaudeville venue thrived—in its late 20s and early 30s heyday, playwright
Thornton Wilder, Broadway’s Maude Adams, Metropolitan
Opera diva Rosa Ponselle and even Amelia Earhart took bows on the
stage.
When soldiers came home from WWII, vaudeville was long dead
THE NEXT CHAPTER
Paging through the history of the Colonial Theatre
by Cole Hornaday
and Americans devoted themselves to film. The Colonial followed
suit. “They filled in the orchestra pit and installed a screen for Cinerama,”
recalls Williams. “It was pretty much a movie house until
the next chapter.”
During the height of 1950’s prosperity, the Colonial heard the
same, sad refrain as many old movie houses. Babies boomed, people
stayed home and the old theater began to slowly disintegrate.
In 1984, two rock promoters, Steve Levin and Ira Gavrin, purchased
the Colonial. “As Main Street Production Company, they
continued presenting film,” says Williams, “but they also brought in
live entertainment like John Lee Hooker and Joan Baez.” But due to
the cinema’s large screen, the promoters were severely handicapped
by limited performance space. The Colonial limped along, but the
building simply wasn’t a suitable venue for the owners’ needs. “It
had deteriorated,” says Williams, “the roof and the heating were in
bad shape—it just needed a lot of work that these guys couldn’t afford.
So they made the decision to sell it.”
Laughs Reeves, “There was a time when patrons were actually
bringing umbrellas into the theater to protect themselves from falling
plaster, but also because of rain leaking into the auditorium.
Maybe we were at our worst, physically, but the heart was still there
and people were willing to put up with it. I think that’s really what
has borne us out.”
In 1991, a grassroots organization calling itself The Colonial Theatre
Group formed. Within two years, it had secured enough state
grants, loans and gifts from area businesses to save the theater and
launch it into its next chapter. “They started out by addressing the
most important things,” says Williams, “fixing the roof, the heating,
all the real necessities—and then removed the old movie screen and
16 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

STRONG SUPPORT
The Colonial Theatre functions thanks to a devoted throng of six
full-time and two key part-time staffers supplemented by box office,
concessions, projection, stage hands and a large volunteer usher crew.
(photo by Jeff Newcomer)
brought the stage back to its original size.” Now the Colonial can
support not just film but large-scale theatrical theater productions
and community events—even visits by the Moscow Ballet.
“We have a really well articulated membership and patron
base that has been very loyal to us,” says Reeves. “As one of the
oldest businesses in downtown Keene, the Colonial has always
been a substantial component to the area’s economy. I think
everything else kind of grows out of that because there’s just that
much of a commitment from this community to this entity.”
In 1999, Keene’s downtown district was recognized as an official
historic district, which Reeves believes will be key in writing
the next chapter in the Colonial Theatre’s story. “We are embarking
on a process of creating a multi-arts campus with our theater
as the anchor integrating performance, rehearsal and educational
resources under one roof,” she says. “There’s a reason people
here call The Colonial the crown jewel of downtown.”
OPENING NIGHT
Opening its doors in January 29, 1924, the Colonial Theatre has weathered
much in its 85 years but remains the jewel of downtown Keene,
New Hampshire.
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JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 17

GUEST COLUMN
JERRY
PIERCE
Chairman
ISDCF
LET’S TALK ISDCF
Join the conversation in this essential
digital cinema discussion group
Digital Cinema gains momentum every week. More
and more screens are added to the list of new and
improved places for our customers to see great-looking,
print quality presentations. The transition looks smooth,
but there are many organizations behind the scenes doing
the heavy lifting. Like us, the Inter-Society Digital Cinema
Forum. The ISDCF meets once a month in Burbank to
bring together all parts of the professional digital cinema
industry and discuss the challenges, issues and successes
of the digital cinema roll-out.
At an Inter-Society meeting in 2006, John Fithian,
Wayne Anderson and I realized that there was a need for
a forum where digital cinema issues could be discussed
across industries outside of the structure of SMPTE, DCI,
or NATO. From there, ISDCF was formed. I have been
the chairman since the beginning, making use of my
background at Universal Pictures and history with DCI
and SMPTE. ISDCF is under the umbrella of Inter-Society,
which was founded in 1978 to foster interactive dialogue
and joint projects among distribution, exhibition and
trade organizations. This open group is not designed to set
standards—it’s designed to help move the industry forward,
encourage interchangeability and send to others for
formal standard setting (if needed).
Coming to the table—and over the phone—are exhibitors,
studios, hardware manufacturers, integrators and
service providers. The discussion ranges from, “We aren’t
getting our keys early enough,” to the highly technical Facility
List Manager ETMx solutions. It is one place where
participants are encouraged to share the “pain” of digital
cinema and cooperatively find solutions.
As an example, many users, such as projectionists and
theater operators, are unclear if they are using the latest
version of software for their projector or server. ISDCF has
created a web page with a listing of current versions of
manufacturers’ software. It’s already underway and new
listings are being added as the group encourages participants
to provide information.
So what has ISDCF done so far? Lots of little things to
improve digital cinema! Here are three:
Formalizing the naming convention for the Digital
Cinema Packages (DCP). Those long names you see
on the play list screen? They came from a working
group of ISDCF
18 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

the world’s most trusted 3D screen
+ Invisible Seams
+ Smoother, Brighter Finish
PLUG IN
The ISDCF’s website keeps the industry informed
Recommending a format for the hard drives that bring
movies to the theater—not a standard, but has become
common practice.
+ Superior Customer Service
Arranging a demonstration at an AMC theater to show
3D brightness over a wide range, the first time many
were able to see and compare 3D at full 16 ftL brightness
to the more common 4 ftL brightness.
ISDCF still has a full plate working on the transition to
SMPTE-DCP from the now-common Interop-DCP. This will
bring us better standards for closed captions and HI/VI. We’re
also working on better ways to share CERT records for the
theaters, to deliver keys (KDM) to theaters and to ensure that
the captions and subtitles are working as expected.
ISDCF has remained active for five years and shows no
sign of slowing down. As Digital Cinema matures, the industry
will continue needing to address new concerns and ISDCF
is a good forum for those discussions. You are welcome to join
in at our meetings in person or by phone. Start at our website:
www.isdcf.com.
Consistency. Quality. Performance.
Go to Harkness-Screens.com for more information.

WE PREDICT THE HITS—AND MISSES—
FOR THE NEW YEAR
Even calendar-sticklers can agree that cinema’s next decade is underway. This time last year,
everyone’s minds were still in 2009, tallying up Avatar’s grosses. As BOXOFFICE went to print,
2010 had to make nearly $1 billion in three weeks to best 2009’s record-breaking year. But regardless
of the numbers, the industry has seen business solidify and strengthen as every branch
of it learns how to navigate the new technological landscape: manufacturers tweak their digital
and 3D products, studios create content that shows them off (when they should), and exhibitors
entice audiences to switch off their TVs, hibernate their laptops and turn off their smartphones.
We’ve all gotten our sea legs. Ahoy! What lies ahead?
BY AMY NICHOLSON
2011’s first big January release, Unknown,
wants to make a wintry two-fer following
the surprise success of Jan. 2009’s Taken,
the $25 million hustler that pocketed $145
million at the box office. Liam Neeson
again storms through Europe as a man on
a mission of vengeance—this time, the
bad guys have usurped his identity, and
worse, his wife (January Jones) is playing
along. Neeson faces off against Nicolas
Cage headlining the much-delayed Season
of the Witch as a 14th Century crusader
tasked to deliver a witch to an abbey
of witch-exterminating monks. Expect
ticket sales to hover closer to Cage’s 2008
Bangkok Dangerous ($15.3 million) than
his 2009 Knowing ($79.9 million). The next
J A N U A R Y
weekend, The Green Hornet will try to put
the sting on Ron Howard’s new rom com
The Dilemma, which stars Vince Vaughn
in a bromance with Grown Ups’ Kevin
James. Howard’s had four films break $100
million in the last decade, but hasn’t made
a comedy since 1999’s EDtv (a humbling
$22 million). With the buzz from Green
Hornet humming a full month before release,
it’s certain director Michel Gondry
will have the opening of his career. January
21st will see audiences catching up
on their awards season contenders with
Peter Weir’s The Way Back, a WWII trek
from Siberia to Tibet starring Ed Harris
and Colin Farrell, against the Ben Affleck
and Tommy Lee Jones capitalist drama The
Company Men, both entering theaters after
the two hopefuls’ brief 2009 Oscar bow.
January heats up in its final weekend with
three midrange entrants: New Line’s The
Rite has exorcist Anthony Hopkins unleash
his demons. CBS Films posits Jason
Statham as Charles Bronson’s successor in
their remake of The Mechanic and newly
formed Pantelion Films (a joint venture
between Lionsgate and Spanish-language
media company Televisa) launches their
first project, From Prada to Nada, a Latinoflavored
update of Sense and Sensibility
starring teen idols Camilla Belle and Alexa
Vega. With each carving out their own
niche in the weekend, all should score at
least a gentleman’s C.
20 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

F E B R U A R Y
February growls like a cat fight with Screen
Gems’ The Roommate introducing the
month. The girl-on-girl thriller pits an
incoming freshman (Minka Kelly) against
her psycho new BFF (Gossip Girl villainess
Leighton Meester). Two years ago, Screen
Gems returned triple on its $20 million investment
in Obsessed, the Beyonce v. Ali Larter
clawfest, and The Roommate will hold its
own against Sanctum, a 3D deep-sea fright
flick produced by James Cameron. (Sanctum
writer Andrew Wight worked with Cameron
on the Titanic doc Ghosts of the Abyss.)
The multiplex gets packed on February 11
with five wide releases seducing Valentine’s
Day daters. Everyone’s eyes are on the Justin
Bieber 3D concert film Never Say Never
directed by Jon Chu of Step Up 2 the Streets
and the visually delightful Step Up 3D. (Can
the Bieb best Miley Cyrus’ $45K/screen
coup?) But fellows who don’t want a teen
to poach their missus’ attention will plead
their case for the Roman epic The Eagle and
likely settle for Adam Sandler and Jennifer
Aniston’s latest rom com, Just Go With
It. Meanwhile, the cartoon Gnomeo and
Juliet and the Australian murder mystery
In Her Skin, starring Guy Pearce, will duke
it out for the remaining audience. February
18, that heavy footfall you hear is Martin
Lawrence’s Big Mommas: Like Father, Like
Son trundling up to the theater to see if it
can eek another $70.1 million out of the fat
suit franchise, while DreamWorks entrusts
D.J. Caruso with their teen sci-fi flick I Am
Number Four (and with their new male ingenue,
Brit hunk Alex Pettyfer). Transformers
put Shia LeBeouf on the map, but it was Caruso’s
Disturbia (an $80.2 million surprise),
released just months before, that gave him
cool points with teens and made the Caruso
the go-to director for high school-age hijinks
like 2008’s Eagle Eye ($101.4 million). Closing
out the month are Drive Angry, another
Nicolas Cage-meets-supernatural action
flick; Shelter, the Weinsteins’ multiple personalities
thriller starring Julianne Moore
as a psychologist hunting a killer; and Hall
Pass, the Farrelly Bros. long-anticipated
return to comedy after a four year hiatus.
It’s been a decade since they’ve broken the
$70 million mark (last set with 2001’s Shallow
Hal), but Owen Wilson and SNL’s Jason
Sudekis—plus an audience appetite for a
good, nasty comedy—could help put them
back on top.
M A R C H
March springs into action with four eclectic
wide releases on the 4th. In The Adjustment
Bureau, Matt Damon comes off a four-year
string of $37 million or less underwhelmers
to play a congressman smitten with a
mysterious ballerina (Devil Wears Prada’s
Emily Blunt). It shares the screen count with
the faux doc space thriller Apollo 18—a
gamble from the Weinsteins—and the safer
bet Rango, a lizard cartoon comedy voiced
by Johnny Depp and directed by Pirates of the
Caribbeans’ Gore Verbinski, and slightly less
safe Kids in America, an R-rated ’80s-style
WHO GOES THERE?
Amanda Seyfried bundles up for Red Riding Hood
comedy starring Anna Faris and Topher
Grace. On March 11, space monsters come
to earth and earthlings go to space in two
very different intergalactic popcorn flicks.
Battle: Los Angeles besets aliens on the
City of Angels in a grim, gritty war picture
while Disney and Robert Zemeckis’ Image-
Movers Digital tantalize preteens with the
3D cartoon Mars Needs Moms. The young
romantics disinclined to pony up for either
might fall under the sway of Warner Bros.’
Red Riding Rood, a dark and fanciful take
on the Brothers Grimm classic directed by
Twilight’s Catherine Hardwicke. Twilight’s
$192.7 million haul will be near-impossible
to beat, but star Amanda Seyfried made
strong inroads in the teen market with
2010’s Dear John and Letters to Juliet. March
18, CBS Films finally unleashes Beastly,
their own dark fairy tale, with High School
Musical’s Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer
romancing each other in an updated Beauty
and the Beast set in rich and snobby Manhattan.
Beastly has to fend off three grownup
entrants: Robert DeNiro and Bradley Cooper’s
The Dark Field, a black comedy about
a pill that can help you access the 90 percent
of your brain that loiters about unused;
Superbad director Greg Mottola’s sci-fi comedy
Paul; and the Matthew McConaughey
and Marisa Tomei legal drama, The Lincoln
Lawyer. McConaughey has stealthily crept
along as one of the steadiest names in the
industry—his films rarely make a mint, but
they always triple their investment. March
says goodbye by pitting wimpy boys against
kick-ass girls with Diary of a Wimpy Kid:
Rodrick Rules (the sequel to last year’s $64
million kids comedy) up against Zack Snyder’s
latest, Sucker Punch, a knock-down
naughty girls-in-an-asylum brawl that’s gotten
great buzz on the fan boy circuit.
A P R I L
Onward to April where Universal—so far—
has Fools Day to itself for its Easter Bunny
cartoon Hop, directed by Alvin and the Chipmunks’
Tim Hill. The weekend after, Universal
bounces out another comedy for an
older audience, the R-rated Your Highness.
Pineapple Express helmer David Gordon
Green reunites with James Franco and Dan-
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 21

HE’S MET HIS MATCH
Penelope Cruz plays Captain Jack’s ex in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
ny McBride in this stoner comedy about
two princes on a quest to rescue princess
Zooey Deschanel (Elf) from an evil wizard.
Elsewhere in the multiplex kingdom, Focus
Features releases their killer kid drama
Hanna, starring The Lovely Bones’ Saoirse
Ronan as a CIA-trained assassin, and Rio,
where Fox gives their trusty Blue Sky Studios
(whose Ice Age films have been global
blockbusters) a passport for a Brazilian
adventure led by two macaws (Jesse Eisenberg
and Anne Hathaway) and a toucan
(George Lopez). It’s been 11 years since the
last Scream sequel, but its yelp still echos
on the 15th when Dimension opens wide
for Scream 4. The franchise averages $97.8
million a shriek, but the ticket-buying
teens responsible for the post-Scream explosion
of genre spoofs are now old enough to
need babysitters for a night out at the movies.
If Scream 4 can scare up the next generation—with
Emma Roberts and Adam
Brody, it’s definitely trying—then the
weekend is theirs. But Twihards might favor
Water for Elephants, a circus romance
starring Reese Witherspoon and hunky
vampire Robert Pattinson. On April 22nd,
three comedies go head to head: Tyler Perry’s
Big Madea’s Happy Family (among
his glut of new releases—four in the last
two years— his Madea comedies are good
for at least $60 million) and two wouldbe
blockbusters anointed by two comedy
kings: Adam Sandler and Steve Carell.
Their face-off should be interesting—both
need a hit to cement their crown. Sandler’s
written Born to Be a Star, in which perennial
supporting player Nick Swardson
takes the lead as a country boy who moves
to Los Angeles to become a porn star, just
like dear old mom and dad. The safer script
goes to Crazy, Stupid, Love where Carell
mines the success of 40 Year Old Virgin (still
his second biggest hit) to play a newlydivorced
nerd who serves as Ryan Gosling’s
wingman. Carell was christened the savior
of comedy six years ago, and since then has
only cracked $100 million twice in his live
action roles (as a cartoon voice, he’s been
killer). Expectations will be high, reality
lower, but Crazy will make enough to
keep everyone calm. April speeds off with
Fast Five, the fifth (and still furious) entry
in Vin Diesel’s still-sputtering race car
franchise. The fourth, 2009’s Fast and Furious,
made $155 million—its biggest hit to
date. Speeding behind it are Disney’s teen
dramedy Prom (with High School Musical
and Miley Cyrus graduating, can the Mouse
launch a new class of stars?) and the Anna
Faris sex comedy What’s Your Number?
where a single gal searches for her life partner
among her 20 past bed partners—who’s
the diamond ring in the rough? Critics
worship Faris; audiences not so much. But
if Number can break $50 million, it’ll give
Faris the biggest success of her career and a
stay of box office execution.
M A Y
Mighty May starts strong with Thor, the
buzzy Marvel comic flick where the Viking
god (newbie Chris Hemsworth) is exiled to
earth by father Odin (Anthony Hopkins).
With a swing of Thor’s hammer (and its
3D bonus), it should handily crack $100
million—but the twist is director Kenneth
Branagh, a helmer (and star) of half
a dozen Shakespeares, whose intellectual
heft could make it Marvel’s newest heavyweight
franchise, or a leadfoot one-off. One
killer god begets another with the May 13th
benediction for Screen Gems’ long-delayed
Priest. After half-a-dozen release dates, the
post-apocalyptic priest-vs-vampire thriller
finally has its blessing to find communion
with an audience. They’ve at least cast the
right star: Paul Bettany’s best known for
playing the Opus Dei self-mutilator in The
Da Vinci Code. If the ladies make it to the
multiplex at all, they’ll be clinking soda
cups at Bridesmaids, a taffeta brawl starring
SNL’s Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph.
Average out Bride Wars and 27 Dresses, and
the film’s a likely bet for between $40 and
$60 million. Even if Thor falls flat, summer
definitely starts when the Pirates of
the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides sets
sail on the 20th. Rumor is Johnny Depp
was paid $55 million to reprise his role as
Captain Jack Sparrow—with the trilogy
totaling over $2.5 billion at the global box
office, their number-crunchers must be
certain Disney will make back many, many
multiples of his salary. Head pounding?
Take some aspirin before May 26th when
Warner Bros. toasts The Hangover: Part II.
Todd Phillips’ rowdy flick made eight times
its investment—at $277 million, it’s the
highest grossing R-rated comedy of all time.
Phillips’ follow-up Due Date underwhelmed
despite toplining Zack Galifianakis and
Robert Downey Jr., but the studio’s betting
big that they’ve got a surefire hit. It’s made
big noises about scoring cameos from Mike
Tyson, Liam Neeson, Paul Giamatti and
Bill Clinton, and while the script is still
secret, we know that at least a chunk is set
in Thailand, a place where ping-pong balls
fly and anything can happen. And say goodbye
to a successful month the day after on
the 27th with the unleashing of Kung Fu
Panda 2, the ursine martial arts expert who
did decent business here and tremendous
business abroad. The industry’s eyes will
be on Memorial Day intake, but critics will
be aquiver for limited release of The Tree
of Life by filmmaker Terrance Malick. How
much are they anticipating this ambitious
Sean Penn and Brad Pitt drama, delayed for
several years? In December, Fox Searchlight
held a heavily publicized press day on the
lot just to premiere the trailer.
22 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

J U N E
Before we’re wholly o vercome by summer’s
suntan lotion and slick big blockbusters,
June, too, sneaks in grownup counter-programming
starting with the June 3 release of
Mike Mills’s sensation Beginners, scooped
up by Focus Features at the Toronto Festival.
Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer
star in a dramedy about a 75-year-old father
who announces he has terminal cancer...
and he’s gay. Though TIFF loved it, Beginners
must battle the über-hyped X-Men: First
Class. British director Matthew Vaughn
(Kick-Ass) shoots movies designed to wallpaper
billboards. The prequel creatively casts
pedigreed actors James McAvoy and Michael
Fassbender to supplement a core base that
guarantees $150 million. Will the mutants
back off for the unveiling of J.J. Abrams’
super-secret Super 8 on the 10th? Rumor
is it’s a Roswell flick produced by Steven
Spielberg—combine that with Paramount’s
gift for marketing mysterious thrillers
(Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity) and Super
8 could be the sleeper of the summer. As a
bonus, it won’t be squabbling with Warner
Bros’ Something Borrowed, a beachy, bitchy
melodrama starring Kate Hudson and Ginnifer
Goodwin as two life-long girlfriends
fighting over one fiance. June 17th, Ryan
Reynolds lives up to his People-endorsed
billing as the sexiest superhero in The Green
Lantern. Warner Bros. will pull out all the
punches trying to build their new billion
dollar franchise and star. Director Martin
Campbell (Casino Royale) is a safe, uninspired
pairing for the most far-fetched DC
Comics character, but if Reynolds can carry
it across the $200 million threshold, Green
Lantern 2 will make him filthy rich. The
same week, Bad Teacher schools raunchy
comedy fans with Jason Segel and Cameron
Diaz as foul-mouthed educators. Columbia
pushed its initial release date from April
to June to pit it against Lantern, a risk that
hints that Teacher is testing great and they
smell blood in the water. Is Fox crazy for
sending out their Planet of the Apes prequel
Rise of the Apes against the new Pixar on
June 24th? Apes star James Franco could put
up a fight—or at least defend his honor—
against Cars 2, the sequel to Pixar’s biggest
critical disappointment. But even the worst
Pixar could be a box office Ferrari—the first
Cars made $244 million. Plus John Lasseter,
Pixar’s spiritual guru and Yoda, is directing
Cars 2, his first time at the helm since Toy
LIGHT UP THE NIGHT
Ryan Reynolds’ Green Lantern wants to be the bright spot of summer
Story 2. And Cars 2 has a one month buffer
in both directions from any other straightout
animated movie, meaning parents won’t
have a choice but to get behind the wheel
and drive to the multiplex.
J U L Y
Beware, people of earth. On July 1st, Michael
Bay will make them cower in the face of his
3D Transformers: Dark of the Moon. (Hey,
if the sound’s too obnoxious, bring in headphones
and Pink Floyd.) The third—and
supposedly last—in the series, it’s certain
to do what the first two have done: double
its money and make a lot of noise doing it.
Who dares challenge it for Fourth of July
riches? Only a pair of box office royalty,
Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts, combining
forces for Larry Crowne, Universal’s dramedy
about a downsized man who enrolls in
college in search of a new career. What he
finds is a crush on Roberts’ leggy red-haired
professor. Let’s hope they fare better than
their last coupling in Charlie Wilson’s War,
which made only $66.6 million on its $75
million investment. July 8th is the return
of Katherine Heigl, continuing to fend for
her leading lady reputation with another
crime comedy after last summer’s ho-hum
Killers, which lost Lionsgate nearly $30 million.
That the studio’s willing to gamble on
her again as a bail bondswoman in One for
the Money shows they believe in her, even
if the box office has yet to bear witness. At
least this weekend she won’t face any direct
competition from Adam Sandler’s The Zookeeper,
a cartoon about animal matchmakers
featuring the voices of Sandler, Kevin
James, Rosario Dawson, Cher and Sylvester
Stallone. Frank Coraci of Click directs. Fox’s
teen comedy Monte Carlo slips in mid-week
on the 11th in the hopes of letting Selena
Gomez and Leighton Meester get a toe-hold
in July before the climatic Harry Potter and
the Deathly Hallows: Part II sucks up all
the oxygen in the multiplex. Deathly Hallows:
Part I is about to break $300 million
domestically, and adding 3D to the grand
finale means it should make Warner Bros.
even more. Disney and Fox have cojones for
trotting out two flicks against it, especially
since there’s an overlapping audience both
with young’uns for Walt’s Winnie the Pooh
and twenty-somethings for the Jonah Hill
comedy The Sitter, where the beaky comedian
has his own wild one-night adventure in
babysitting. If director David Gordon Green
connects with both this and Your Highness,
he’ll be the hottest comedy commodity in
Hollywood. And we’re just halfway through
July. On the 22nd, we’re back to Marvel
madness with Captain America: The First
Avenger. Chris Evans of Fantastic Four slips
off his history as the Human Torch to suit
up for the title role. Director Joe Johnston’s
redo of The Wolfman stumbled, but fanboys
have been slavering for this flick for years.
Up against it is the Justin Timberlake and
Mila Kunis coupling Friends With Benefits.
Screen Gems is loving director Will
Gluck ever since his $8 million comedy
Easy A scored $58.4 at the box office, and
Friends should make friends despite its
intense competition. On the 29th, there’s a
new sheriff in town with Iron Man director
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 23

HELLO, 2011! (continued from page 25)
Jon Favreau helming one of 2010’s rarest
commodities—a big-ticket blockbuster not
based on a franchise or comic book. Still, his
genre smashup Cowboys and Aliens rides
into summer with plenty of ammo: Daniel
Craig and Harrison Ford saddling up as the
stars with Sam Rockwell and Tron: Legacy’s
Olivia Wilde as support, not to mention
an all-star production team that includes
Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard, Brian Grazer
and a screenplay penned by the writers behind
Star Trek. If it does well—and it will—
hopefully it’ll free up studio execs to invest
in more fresh ideas. With all crosshairs
focused on its success, the New Line comedy
Horrible Bosses is going to have to do
handstands to get attention, even though its
premise (a workplace murder) and cast (Jennifer
Aniston, Jason Bateman, Colin Farrell
and Jamie Foxx) would make it one to beat
in the calmer fall season. Aniston and Bateman
can’t go on much longer without a hit,
and their August ‘10 teaming, The Switch,
was middling at best with just $27.7 million
domestically. Director Seth Gordon (Four
Christmases) will do his darndest to give
everyone a boost, though a July 29th release
date means they’ve got to save themselves
from the lion’s den.
A U G U S T
August 1, the big question is: can the
Smurfs make as much as Alvin and the
Chipmunks ($217 million)? Failing that, can
they at least avoid making a Yogi Bear-sized
bellyflop ($21.7 million and clawing)? On
the 8th, Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman
try to follow up their summer flicks with
another solid—or redeeming—success. In
The Change-Up, they switch places for a
good old ’80s-era body-snatching comedy.
Rising star Olivia Wilde and Funny People’s
Leslie Mann play their missuses; David
Dobkin of Wedding Crashers directs. Against
it is the summer’s most unusual thriller,
Summit Entertainment’s The Darkest Hour
in 3D, an alien thriller centered on a group
of American tourists adrift in Russia. Director
Chris Gorak’s first film was the gritty,
poisoned-air chiller Right at Your Door—he’s
good at mixing big concepts with small
budgets, and hipster actors Olivia Thirlby
and Emile Hirsch should add heft. It’s
2010’s contender to be a District 9-style surprise.
August 12th has three eclectic wide
releases: Jim Carrey’s kiddie adventure Mr.
Popper’s Penguins; the ‘60s racial drama
HOWDY, PLUTO
The unusual stand-off in Cowboys and Aliens
The Help starring Academy Award nominee
Viola Davis, which gets a shot of youthful
appeal from Emma Stone and Twilight’s
Bryce Dallas Howard; and 30 Minutes or
Less, director Ruben Fleischer’s followup
to 2009’s surprise hit Zombieland ($75.5
million). 30 Minutes reunites Fleischer
with Jesse Eisenberg (a near-certain Oscar
nominee for The Social Network), here playing
a kidnapped pizza deliveryman forced
to rob a bank. If Thor made audiences
bloodthirsty for barbarian-style blockbusters,
here comes Conan 3D to quench their
thirst on the 19th. Hawaiian TV star Jason
Momoa has been bulking up to steal Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s copper crown—or
at least The Rock’s. That same weekend,
a joke trailer from the 2009 BET Awards
becomes a feature-length comedy with
Martin Lawrence and Jamie Foxx’s sexying
up to play female crooks in The Skank
Robbers. Will a good 90 seconds stretch to
a solid 90 minutes? Saturday Night Live has
bet (and mostly lost) millions on that same
risk. Also in the 19th’s four-way standoff
are Fright Night, a remake of the 1985
vampire comedy starring Colin Farrell and
Terminator: Salvation’s Anton Yelchin, and
Robert Rodriguez’s Spy Kids 4: All the Time
in the World, which should be good for at
least $80 million. And with 5nal Destination—the
fifth in $50 million-averaging
franchise—we say goodbye to August and
goodbye to summer.
S E P T E M B E R
Fall tiptoes in with the haunted house
thriller The Apparition, which tests out the
starring potential of two sexy young things:
Twilight’s Ashley Greene and Gossip Girl’s
Sebastian Stan. September 16, Rowan “Mr.
Bean” Atkinson returns in the spy comedy
Johnny English Reborn, the sequel to 2003’s
$28 million disappointment. Why resurrect
a reject? Abroad, Johnny English scored
$132.5 million—enough for Universal
to launch this latest in the U.S. and see if
it floats. Staring it down is 2010’s oddest
remake: Straw Dogs, a redo of Sam Peckinpah’s
1971 marital horrorshow. It’ll be hard
to top the original’s brutal violence—and
interesting to see if director Rod Lurie (Resurrecting
the Champ) tries. On September
23rd, another Twilight star tries his luck at
breaking away from the wolfpack when
Taylor Lautner leads Abduction as an adult
who discovers he might have grown up
with his kidnappers. John Singleton (Boyz
in the Hood, Four Brothers) adds critical heft,
if not box office clout. The much-delayed
Moneyball—a baseball comedy about the
Oakland A’s statistical analysis—has a better
chance of hitting a home run thanks to the
clout of star Brad Pitt and a script by Aaron
Sorkin, one of the best bets for this year’s
screenplay Oscar. There hasn’t been a big
baseball hit since 2002’s The Rookie ($75.6
million), but the flick should at least round
third base. September shivers to a close on
the 30th with two sophisticated thrillers.
The first, Anonymous, mixes Elizabethan
court intrigue with the mystery of who really
wrote Shakespeare (their answer: the Earl
of Oxford), while the modern chiller Dream
House follows what happens when Daniel
Craig and Rachel Weisz discover that their
new digs were the site of a brutal murder.
With Naomi Watts as a ghost.
O C T O B E R
The pace picks up in October with four
wide releases on the 7th. Budding marine
biologists will perk up for Dolphin Tale,
the true-life story of a dolphin fitted with a
prosthetic tale. Morgan Freeman plays the
veterinarian who makes the aquatic mammal’s
dreams come true. Rough and tumble
kids will insist on a ticket to Real Steel, a
sci-fi flick about a father and son who engineer
a 2000 pound robot for a bot-boxing
contest. Think Rocky meets Robot Wars.
24 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

Prefer your bruises real? In Warrior, Nick
Nolte coaches son Tom Hardy (Inception) for
a mixed martial arts tournament against his
own brother (Australian stunt man Joel Edgerton).
Anyone in the mood for something
frothy has but one choice: WanderLust,
a Jennifer Aniston and Paul Rudd comedy
about a married couple who moves into a
commune. David Wain of Role Models ($67.2
million) directs. Ahoy! Here come two remakes
and an adaption duking it out for the
16th. It’s ‘80s fever with redos of Footloose
and The Thing dialing for nostalgia dollars.
Extrapolating from their original box office,
Footloose wins in a rout—but don’t get too
cocky as 2009’s Fame sweated out just $22.4
million. Rounding out the weekend is Summit
Entertainment’s The Three Musketeers.
In 1993, the tale of Athos, Porthos, Aramis
and d’Artagnan made just $53.8 million
despite starring Kiefer Sutherland, Oliver
Platt, Charlie Sheen and Chris O’Donnell—
all strong names in their day. This latest is
led by unknowns, so it’s up to genre director
Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil, Alien vs.
Predator) give it nasty, fun life. October 23rd
starts spook season with the under-wraps
Paranormal Activity 3 (the second cost
$3 million, made $84.4) and the pedigreed
biological thriller Contagion, in which
Matt Damon, Jude Law, Kate Winslet and
Gwyneth Paltrow fend off a global outbreak.
Steven Soderburgh directs so the box office
is anyone’s guess: his last four films have
made $33.3 million, $695K, $1.49 million
and $117.1 million—but with stars who
cost that much, he’s got to be aiming high.
And with the Saw franchise finally (?) laid
to rest, Lionsgate has to retain control of
Halloween weekend. This year’s weapon:
Dibbuk Box, a based-on-a-true story frightshow
about a wooden box possessed by an
evil Jewish spirit. (The real-life box was seen
for sale on eBay where it was purchased by
an unflappable museum curator from Missouri.)
N O V E M B E R
On November 4th, the breakout star of
the Shrek franchise struts into his starring
role in Puss in Boots. Last summer’s Shrek
Forever After was the lowest-performing
sequel in the series, but don’t cry for Dream-
Works—it still made $238.3 domestically
and another $501 million abroad. Puss is
one cat who ain’t scared of flopping. Still,
he’s facing Tower Heist, Brett Ratner’s first
action-comedy since 2007’s Rush Hour 3,
which made $140 million in a blink. Eddie
Murphy and Ben Stiller star as two bitter
employees who plot to rob their boss of
millions. Murphy and Stiller are jonesing
for an adult hit (Murphy needs one most of
all—besides Dreamgirls, he hasn’t played a
serious role in nine years), so let’s see if this
kicks them back to the big leagues or keeps
them trapped in the kiddie circuit. Prepare
to be dazzled on November 11th with Immortals
by visual auteur Tarsem Singh (The
Cell). A retelling of the myth of Theseus as
a 3D spectacle, if it can get audiences in, it’s
sure to wow them. Mickey Rourke plays villain
King Hyperion. Two surefire hits have
laid claim to Thanksgiving week: Happy
Feet 2, the sequel to the $384.3 worldwide
charmer, and The Twilight Saga: Breaking
Dawn Part I where—omg!—Bella and Edward
get married. Unless teens have soured
on vampire romance (odds are they haven’t)
it’ll be good for at least $250 million. With
that weekend out of the way, it’s time for
Hollywood to deck the halls with the first
holiday release of the year: Sony’s cartoon
Arthur Christmas, about a boy who discovers
Santa’s sci-fi trick for delivering all those
presents in one night. Kids will be conflicted
between that and The Muppets, the first full
Muppet movie since 1999’s Muppets in Space,
which made a miserly $16.6 million. Their
parents—many of whom helped make The
Muppet Movie a hit in 1979—will give the
flick a push, and the script by Jason Segal
and Get Him to the Greek’s Nicholas Stoller
should score it cool points with teens. For
the last slot of the month, Warner Bros.
has booked a comedy so top secret, they’ve
yet to give it a name. What we do know is
“Project X,” as it’s being called, is a véritéstyle
teen flick produced by The Hangover’s
Todd Phillips and Joel Silver. Bloggers have
been pulling teeth to get the inside scoop,
but have so far only yanked out two nuggets:
it has a $12 million budget and a cast of
unknowns.
D E C E M B E R
So far, no one’s claimed the first weekend
in December, but the month is fast filling
up. On the 9th, Martin Scorsese’s 3D kiddie
fantasy Hugo Cabret should also sell seats
to adults eager to see what magic he makes
of this period piece about a 19th century
Parisian orphan who gets tangled up with
Ben Kingsley, Jude Law and Sacha Baron
Cohen. Alongside it, Garry Marshall tries to
top the $110.4 million triumph of the critically
trashed Valentines Day with another
ensemble holiday comedy, New Year’s Eve.
Ashton Kutcher and Jessica Biel return and
are joined by Robert DeNiro, Michelle Pfeiffer
and Hilary Swank. Three sequels square
off on the 16th: Alvin and the Chipmunks:
Chip-Wrecked (good for at least $200 million
domestically, and an equal number of
groans at its punny title); Sherlock Holmes
2, in which all parties return to try to top
the original’s $209 million; and—most intriguingly—Mission:
Impossible—Ghost
Protocol, wherein director Brad Bird (The
Incredibles) and screenwriter J.J. Abrams join
forces to see if they can rescue Tom Cruise’s
action hero career. Cruise’s 2006 meltdown
was credited for Mission: Impossible III’s barely
breakeven domestic success (it did better
abroad, far from the reaches of Star Magazine).
If it’s a hit, will Cruise get the thanks?
On December 21, David Fincher—on a high
after The Social Network’s sweep of awards
nominations—launches The Girl With the
Dragon Tattoo, the first in a trilogy of thrillers
based on the Swedish novels, and later
films. The Swedish flicks made between $4.8
and $10 million stateside and many millions
more abroad—enough to ensure that Fincher’s
got an audience waiting for his English
remake. December 23rd, Steven Spielberg
challenges all comers with Adventures of
Tintin: Secret of the Unicorn, his first flick
since 2008’s lucrative but lazy Indiana Jones
and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Tintin,
a plucky young reporter, is a bigger hero in
Europe than he is here, but there’s no risk
of his tale making less than $180 million by
New Years. Against it, there’s slim chance for
Black Gold, an Antonio Banderas-Arabian
oil drama, and Cameron Crowe’s heartwarmer
We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt
Damon and Scarlett Johansson, to break
big. The only director who can take on Steven
Spielberg is...Steven Spielberg, who on
December 28th releases his second film in
two weeks. Based on a novel which became
a best-selling London play (even Queen
Elizabeth came by the theater), War Horse
follows a horse sold—or really, enlisted—in
the French Army during World War I. As
he attempts to survive death and disease,
the boy who once owned the horse tries to
track him down. With a sweep both young
and old, hopeful and dark, Spielberg’s apt to
have two hits on his hands—and some very
happy exhibitors.
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 25

BIG PICTURE
To know thy enemy, become thy enemy. That’s the vow of millionaire slacker Britt Reid (Seth Rogen)
when he swears to make up for his wasted youth by destroying the criminals who killed his father. Reid
straps on a mask and befriends the bad guys as the Green Hornet, the city’s newest crook. But he can’t
do it alone: he needs Kato (Jay Chou), his genius valet with a gift for crazy inventions. And writer and star
Seth Rogen also summoned his secret weapon—wild French director Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of
the Spotless Mind), an odd and brilliant choice to take Rogen’s favorite hero to the big screen. BOXOFFICE
asks the dynamic duo about their fight to make a truly unique superhero flick. by Amy Nicholson
I LOVE YOU,
MANSERVANT
Seth Rogen loves being
smartest dolt in the room
The films you’ve written—Superbad and
Pineapple Express—are centered on a
strong guy-to-guy friendship. And here,
you’re writing about another one with
the bond between your Green Hornet
and Jay Chou’s Kato.
It seems like there’s a million different types
of movies that you can do and use them to
explore these friendships, which I guess are
the friendships that me and Evan [Goldberg,
his steady co-writer] have had our whole
lives. It’s what interests us. This movie is
about a partnership—a professional partnership—coupled
with a friendship, which
is obviously something that we really relate
to. It’s interesting as writers what kind of
crazy movies you’re able to inject with
something that you feel very personally
about. That’s kind of the fun of it.
And it’s interesting how the role of Kato
has evolved. In the ‘30s and ‘40s, he
was more like a manservant. Now, he’s
cooler than you—even if he still makes
you coffee.
We tried to take a lot of stuff that was from
the original radio shows and serials and
comic books and make it organically part
of the emotional story of the movie. What
Evan and I kept noticing is that Kato, as
much as he was Britt Reid’s partner as a
crime fighter, he was always put in this
26 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

subservient role in their real lives—and how ridiculous that always seemed. So we tried to
make that a real part of the movie and a part of the emotional story of the movie, and tried
to explain emotionally what that might be like if you were this guy who was out there
building these cars and kicking the crap out of these dudes, and then as soon as your mask
came off, you were forced to make coffee for someone.
You’re a really smart guy. And compared to Kato—just like in most of your films—
you’re playing the dumb guy. What’s it like to act like you have fewer brain cells?
It’s fun! It’s just funnier to make movies about dumb people than smart people, I think. I
could never write Good Will Hunting.
I’d love to see you play a Mensa scientist.
That would be interesting! One day—the next one! The Green Hornet is not that, I will tell you.
1940s MOTION PICTURE SEIALS
ROGEN ON
HORNET HISTORY
“The serials were amazing—I literally
have the DVD in my TV right
now in my office. The mask was
really cool and scary—it covered
his whole face. We actually designed
the impact of our gas bullets
inspired by the visual effects they
used for the gas gun, these amazing
composited gas effects where every
time the Hornet shoots the gas gun,
this puff of smoke explodes in front
of the person it hits.”
Kevin Smith also worked on an earlier version of The Green Hornet back in 2004.
When you shot Zack and Miri Make a Porno with him, did you talk about your draft?
We did talk about it a little bit. He told me what his version was like; I told him what our
version was like. That was pretty much it, but we had a few conversations about it. We had
pretty into our film at that point already, so we were already doing our thing.
You’re a post-3D converted film. You’ve been working on it far longer than Clash of
the Titans had a chance to, but with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows making
headlines when they decided to scrap the 3D conversion, are you anxious about any
blowback?
I think the negative rap is in very limited circles. I know when I talk to my friends in Canada,
they don’t even know what that means. Amongst snobby film people, it’s something
that is very in-fashion to have strong opinions on, even though most people have very
little actual knowledge of the merits and downfalls of conversion versus shooting in 3D.
So honestly, it’s not something I worry about that much. I know that I’ve had many conversations
with film people who know more than most people and they can argue both
sides of that argument. It’s a personal, creative preference as far as I’m concerned. I personally
prefer the look of conversion as opposed to something shot in 3D because I prefer the
look of film to digital.
Fair enough. Tell me about some of the 3D footage you’re excited to show off to
people.
When Gondry first conceptualized a lot of his ideas for the action n the fight scenes and the
way Kato conceptualizes these fight scenes before they happen, it was all conceived of for a
3D movie—we all wanted it to be in 3D, we just couldn’t get the money from the studio to
shoot it in 3D at the time. And back then, we didn’t know that much about the fact that we
didn’t need to. Alternately, it’s all worked out great and the more we see of these fight scenes
as they come together in 3D and the different kind of flashback sequences that Gondry’s
designed, it’s incredible and it’s completely unlike anything I’ve ever seen. It’s really exciting
to know that that stuff’s going to be in the movie.
And you fought hard for Gondry to be your director—is that because you knew he’d
invent something out-of-the-box?
We did. I knew when I go to an action movie, what I need is just to see something I’ve never
seen before. To me, that’s the bar: it needs to show me something that visually I’ve never experienced.
And the idea to us of Michel Gondry directing a 3D action movie guaranteed that
we’d be shown something that we’d never seen before—and he’s really made good on that.
(continued on page 30)
1966 TELEVISION SHOW 1950s ERA COMIC
1990s COMIC
2011 GREEN HORNET
“Those are hard to find. I have one
or two, but I don’t read them that
often because they’re in such bad
shape, I’m afraid I’m going to rip
them. The original Green Hornet
Black Beauty was a Zephyr and we
have one of those in the movie just
to give a nod to the old comic.”
“The TV show we took the most influence
from. A lot of the dynamics
were inspired by the idea that Kato
was so much more charismatic and
awesome than the Green Hornet.
Kato does all the ass-kicking and is
relegated to the role of butler when
they’re in their alter egos. That was
the inspiration for our emotional
story in the movie.”
“They get a little weird—Kato’s a
movie star in some of them and he
actually has a drug problem! The
‘90s was a weird time for comics.”
“We take a lot of the essential ideas
that all of these have had, and I
think we just explore more how everyone
would be realistically acting
with these superhero things. And
we keep an eye on how to make
that funny while also keeping it
realistic. We tried to make it so our
guys could fit in any version—the
only difference is that our guys
were constantly talking about how
they feel about what’s happening.”
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 27

BIG PICTURE > THE GREEN HORNET (continued from page 27)
He does have a very big budget sensibility
when it’s applicable—it’s not all cardboard
and string. I think one of the things that will
surprise people the most is how crisp and
slick the movie is. Even though it has a lot of
creative ideas, it looks like a real big movie.
You wrote an interesting character
for Christoph Waltz: a villain going
through a mid-life crisis.
GONDRY-VISION
The French director on changing
action movies forever and the
Green Hornet’s surprise pop star
fan
You grew up in Versailles—what did you
make of the palace when you were a kid?
To us, just as it’s important to tell the story
of Britt Reid becoming a hero, we wanted to
tell the story of a guy becoming a super villain,
so to speak. We wanted to play with the
general motivations in these movies, so we
thought it would be interesting if our villain’s
motivation was born more out of selfconsciousness
and crisis than some kind of
maniacal plan. The more the Green Hornet’s
star rises in the criminal world, he feels like
he may be not interesting enough and he
has to up his game more and more.
You buffed up to play the Green Hornet.
How does it feel to have your weight
analyzed in the tabloids like Renee Zellweger’s?
[Laughs] Luckily, I don’t read any of those
things, so it doesn’t feel like anything.
After your athletic training, if somebody
came up to you in an alley, what would
you do?
I would run. I’m now equipped to run away
much better. That’s what’s good—I’m a
faster flee-er.
Is there another TV show you would
love to see made into a movie?
Me and Evan have brilliant idea for an R-
rated Carebears movie that no one will let us
make. A really violent Carebears movie.
What are you and Judd Apatow talking
about next—any collaborations you’re
kicking around?
Not really, no, honestly. He’s working on
some stuff and we’re working on some stuff.
I’ve shown him Green Hornet, actually, to get
some notes. But no—he’s kind of in post-
Funny People land and I’ve been thinking of
little other than the Green Hornet. I’ll call
him after this!
WET AND WILD
Gondry challenged himself to paint more than a
thousand watercolors, reprinted in his book
1000 Portraits. On the bottom right corner, the
blonde in the black hat is BOXOFFICE Editor
Amy Nicholson.
I used to go very often to the gardens. Every
week, because I loved the gardens. I think it
gave me a sense of geometry I like to use in my
work. I would only go inside the castle when
my cousins were visiting, which was once a
year. I don’t like the things related to the king—
it would gross me out, all these gaudy murals,
and the places where he slept and the royalty
stuff. Even the paintings would scare me, repulse
me. The chapel, I didn’t like any of it. But the gardens were amazing. There was an old
square in the middle of the park that you could never access—an ancient forest. It was mysterious
and dark, a spot that was sort of wild. It was very intriguing and exciting to me when
I was a kid. In 2000, there was a huge storm in France and they lost 10,000 trees in the park
that they had to replant, but I guess it’s going to be back to normal in 50 years, maybe.
Hearing you describe it, I picture Bjork’s “Human Nature.”
Yes, only this was more organized. I like nature better.
The Green Hornet was the first script you worked on when you came to Hollywood in
1997. How has the story changed—or how has the way you see the story changed?
It’s a completely different movie. If I had directed it then, it would have be inventive and a
little bit absurd. But the characters are much more involved and intriguing and deep in this
version. It’s really about the relationship between a sidekick and his superior when they are
friends, and all that comes with.
The character of Kato has evolved so much since he was created in the ‘40s.
It’s true. Initially, he was Japanese. But then after the war with Japan, he was changed to
Filipino. Then he was Chinese, or from Hong Kong, when he was Bruce Lee. The past was a
racist time, we have to admit. We’ve all evolved to be less racist. At the time, there was a lot
of condescension towards an Asian character. Of course, we had to change that. And now,
they’re treated as equals—if not the other way around because Kato is in fact much more
capable than Britt. Britt is energy. He reminds me of my brother, who had a band when he
was a kid. This guy, his best friend, was the bass player. He was a terrible musician and they
ended up firing him. But when he was gone, the band collapsed because they failed to realize
that this guy was so enthusiastic that he was holding the band together. I think of Britt this
way. He’s not very capable, but he has such a positive energy that he’s the one who drives
the story, and drives Kato and gets the best out of Kato. So I think it’s a very touching dynamic
because I always think of this event in my childhood with this bass player who got fired. I
always think of these guys, sort of incompetent, but they have a quality that is very hard to
finger. But they are the engine. They bring the dynamic and the joy.
The hype man, like they call it in hip-hop.
Exactly. But with less attitude. (continued on page 32)
28 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

2011
01.14.11 Sony The Green Hornet
02.04.11 Universal Sanctum
02.11.11 Miramax Gnomeo and Juliet
02.11.11 Paramount
Justin Bieber:
Never Say Never
02.25.11 Summit Drive Angry
03.11.11 Disney Mars Needs Moms!
03.25.11 Warnr Bros. Sucker Punch
04.08.11 20th Century Fox Rio
05.06.11 Paramount Thor
05.13.11 Screen Gems Priest
05.20.11 Disney
05.26.11
Paramount
(DreamWorks)
Pirates of the Caribbean: On
Stranger Tides
Kung Fu Panda:
The Kaboom of Doom
06.24.11 Disney Cars 2
07.01.11
Paramount
(DreamWorks)
Transformers:
Dark of the Moon
TBA Lionsgate Norm of the North
07.15.11 Warner Bros.
07.22.11 Paramount
Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows: Part II
Captain America:
The First Avenger
08.03.11 Sony The Smurfs
08.19.11 The Weinstein Company
Spy Kids 4:
All the Time in the World
08.19.11 DreamWorks Fright Night
08.19.11 Lionsgate Conan the Barbarian
08.26.11 New Line Final Destination 5
09.02.11 Relativity Media Untitled 3D Shark Thriller
09.16.11 The Weinstein Company Piranha 3DD
09.16.11 Warner Bros. Dolphin Tale
10.14.11 Summit The Three Musketeers
10.21.11 Warner Bros. Contagion
11.04.11 DreamWorks Puss in Boots
11.11.11 Universal Immortals
11.18.11 Warner Bros. Happy Feet 2
11.23.11 Sony Arthur Christmas
12.09.11 Sony Hugo Cabret
12.16.11 20th Century Fox
12.23.11 Paramount
2012
Alvin and the Chipmunks:
Chip-Wrecked
The Adventures of Tintin:
The Secret of the Unicorn
01.20.12 Screen Gems Underworld 4
02.17.12 Sony Ghost Rider 2
03.02.12 Universal Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax
03.09.12 Disney Frankenweenie
RELEASE CALENDAR
03.30.12 DreamWorks The Croods
03.30.12 N/A Clash of the Titans 2
04.06.12 Sony/Columbia Pirates!
05.18.12 DreamWorks Madagascar 3
05.25.12 Sony Men in Black 3
06.08.12 Disney John Carter of Mars
06.15.12 Disney Brave
06.22.12 20th Century Fox
Abraham Lincoln:
Vampire Hunter
07.13.12 20th Century Fox Ice Age: Continental Drift
09.21.12 Sony Hotel Transylvania
11.02.12 Disney Monsters Inc. 2
11.21.12
Paramount’s
Thor
opens May 6, 2011
Paramount
(DreamWorks)
The Guardians
(working title)
11.21.12 Universal 47 Ronin
12.12.12 20th Century Fox Life of Pi
2013
03.22.12 Disney Reboot Ralph

BIG PICTURE > THE GREEN HORNET (continued from page 30)
The Green Hornet is a good guy pretending
to be evil. How do you explore that
line between right and wrong?
I think it’s a different approach to the superhero
function. They pose as gangsters and
outside, people think he’s doing bad when
inside he’s helping people. The villain is
pretty interesting, but his character is based
on his lack of confidence, which is a new
take on villains—he’s not a typical, crazy
mean guy. But he sees a new generation that
makes him look obsolete. It’s different than
good and evil. We want to explore these
ideas in a new way that hasn’t been done in
hundreds of superhero movies.
Did you consider any other villains from
the Green Hornet’s lore before you decided
on Christoph Waltz’s Chudnofsky?
I remember when I worked on the film 13
years ago, the villain was a guy coming
from Asia who had this superpower. It was
really a different story. I think Seth and
Evan wanted to have a villain with a midlife
crisis, which I think is pretty funny. He
does bad stuff—he’s a real bad guy—but
he’s having an identity crisis.
What is Kato-vision?
The fight, before it occurs, he sees it in slow
motion. It’s like a video game where he
picks all of the weapons and the people, and
then when this is done, time resumes and
he can jump on people. There is a time relationship
between him and his opponents
where sometimes he moves faster, they
move slower. They move at different speeds
in the same frame. It’s pretty striking what
he does.
I heard that when Seth Rogen pitched
you to the studio to direct, you
spent two days at home and made
a short film to visually explain the
style you were imagining.
It was very successful in convincing
the studio. We used this
camera called the Phantom that shot 1000
times per second—the type of camera isn’t
new. What’s new is to have that camera
moving in space and have people moving
at different speeds. It gives it new dimension.
The actors move normally, we do it by
changing the ratio of the speed of the film.
The difficulty is the camera is
moving, so they should not
move into the same place. It’s
quite complicated; it’s a long
process. But it looks really nice.
What people might not know about
you is that you invented bullet time for
a commercial before the Wachowsky
Brothers made it famous in The Matrix.
I was frustrated that they would use so
much. It’s part of the film language now to
stop time and go around a thing. It’s true,
I did it for a Smirnoff commercial in 1994.
But that’s life.
And here for a big action film, you tried
to keep the blue screen and the special
effects to a minimum. Talk about the
challenges—and the fun—of that.
We did a lot of the fights practically. We
didn’t want to have everything done in
a computer because we wanted it to feel
engaged with the story. We wanted to recreate
the movies of the ‘80s where you really
feel engaged in the action. There is only the
minimum CGI we had to use.
The Swamp Thing is scary because
you know the actress is really getting
chased, even if it’s just a guy in a funny
suit.
I think if I had to do a movie with a creature,
I would do a combination. I did a movie
called Tokyo where I transformed a girl
into a chair. But how to move the chair? Her
head was attached to the chair. I think it’s
kind of creepy. You need digital technology
to finalize it, but at the base of the image,
you want practical effects.
And on top of it, you decided to
convert the film into 3D.
Yes, we chose early on to do 3D.
The studio met us and said we had to
shoot in 2D, so we thought okay, forget
it, nevermind. But then they changed
their minds. We’re doing a conversion,
but we’re doing it carefully. On top of it, the
way it was shot—and my style of shooting,
the way I put the camera, that I don’t overedit
or choose to artificially enhance the energy—works
very well for 3D. We’re really
paying a lot of attention to getting the optimum
3D and I think it’s really going
to
be looking good. I just saw a scene
today at the funeral where you’re looking
down at a statue of Britt’s father and Seth
is sitting in front of it. It really looks as if it’s
going deep into the screening room—you’re
really looking down on Seth. Sometimes the
smoke from the screen goes into the theater
and stays in the theater like real smoke. And
when we use the Kato-vision, there is this
outline that comes from the room past the
screen. There is perspective where we use
light to infinity. We use the lines in a strong
way. Everything that we’re using, we’re doing
very elegant.
Are you open to doing a sequel? Is there
any talk of it?
Of course. It’s a complex process because
everybody needs to agree, but everybody
is being nice. I think the good thing when
you’re doing a movie is when people don’t
like something, they tell you right away. I
don’t like this feeling that people are pretending
to like it to not upset you—there’s
no such thing. It’s like a bunch of dogs
barking at the same time. Out of that comes
good ideas. I’d be excited to work more on
the Green Hornet and make some crazy
stories.
Are there other directions you’d like to
take the story after this one?
Yes, because once you have established the
character, then you can have more fun with
more villains, more gadgets, more gadgets
on the car, the craziest stuff we could see in
the world. There’s lots of stuff in it—I think
it would be fun to play with.
People don’t know the Green Hornet as
well as they do Superman or Batman,
but there’s a lot of depth to him.
When you see all these angry people saying
we’re not doing the right thing, it’s weird
because I never heard people talk about him
before. I always thought I was the only one
who cared about the Green Hornet. I guess
there are more people. There is an interesting
quote from Prince, because Seth met
Prince once, and he said he always preferred
the Green Hornet over Batman because he
was a fancy man—Batman was too serious.
So it’s a different approach. We’ll see how
people respond to it.
30 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

You’re not thought of as a comedy director,
but here are your recent leading
men: Dave Chappelle, Jack Black, Jim
Carrey, Seth Rogen.
I like comedy. I always liked comedy. I don’t
like stupid comedy. I have to say that French
humor is very close to broad American
humor. If it was not for the difference of
language, French comedy would be very successful
in America. But of course, they have
to be re-shot because people will never read
subtitles. In a way, I like American-language
humor better because it can be more refined.
There are great movie with Jean-Paul Belmondo,
a comedian who became an action
hero in France. He’s pretty old now, but he
was awesome. He did a lot of movies with
humor and great action. Seth reminds me
of him.
In your book, You’ll Like This Film Because
You’re In It, there’s this idea that
people are most creative when they’re
bound by a lot of rules. Why is that true?
Yeah. It’s a comfort zone that allows you to
be creative. Unless you’re somebody who
it’s your job to be creative, you don’t think
you have much to say. My argument is that
to the contrary, people are not aware of
their creativity. Their creativity interests me
because it’s going to reveal stuff that I don’t
know about them, but also it’s going to be
really surprising. They just need a comfort
zone. If you ask them right away to tell a
story, they will be too shy to come up with a
story. So the idea is to start with the simplest
question. I just developed it because I wanted
to work with random people because I
always felt that I had this privilege of being
a director that was sort of given to me, and
maybe I created, but a lot of people could
be great film directors and great artists, and
they just have no idea—no opportunity.
For them to be creative, I just had to give
them enough rules to feel limited so they’d
feel comfortable. It’s like when you write
a poem in rhyme, you use words that you
would never use in normal language. You
have to fit the rhyme. And this contrivance,
this restriction, allows you to be more free
in your choice of words. I applied that and it
worked very well.
When 2010 hit and critics wrote up their
Best-of-the-Decade lists, your Eternal
Sunshine of the Spotless Mind was at the
top of dozens of them. How did you react?
It’s very nice. It’s nice. The movie had a good
response at the time—it was not a huge
box office, but it was pretty great for a $20
million dollar movie. But I remember at
the time, for some reason I never interacted
with Oscar season. We always put my movie
out in March when it’s really too early. But
still now that a lot of people could identify
to the problem we were talking about, it was
very nice to see that the movie grew and
became higher in the rankings. I remember
in 2010 reading those lists, it was very
overwhelming.
It must be one of the greatest
goals of movie-making: to
strike such a nerve that
people still remember
your movie years later.
Yeah, it’s good. But now the next stage
is doing something that would get people
to forget about this movie. Sometimes they
think too much of it.
People who love that movie feel like it’s
their movie more than it’s yours.
It’s true. That happens sometimes.
Do you keep up with the new crop of
music video directors?
When I look at YouTube, it’s amazing. I see
stuff I’ve never seen. There’s a guy called Pez
who does amazing animation. He animates
food and objects to create a crazy world—it’s
very entertaining. There is a guy called Muto
(Buto?) who is Portuguese and he paints on
the walls and animates this monster that
moves. Moving graffiti. It’s one of the most
fascinating things I have seen in years.
Are there any other classic TV shows you
would like to turn into a movie?
I remember when my son was a kid, he was
watching this half-shark, half-human—I
think they called him Street Shark. I always
wanted to make that into a film. They
were swimming into the concrete and eating
concrete. Very surreal. I would like to
work on a more personal story on my next
project just to alternate, but why not in the
future?
BUZZ, BUZZ, BUZZ
Get fans humming about
The Green Hornet
Few other superheros thrill to classical
musical. But the Green Hornet announced
his arrival on his signature radio serial
with a stirring of, what else, “Flight of
the Bumblebee.” Cast an auditory spell
over your opening weekend audience by
mixing Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's frenzy
of violins into your soundtrack—or better
yet, snatch up a box set of the original
radio episodes and let the adventures of
Britt Reid and Kato play out across the
multiplex. It's a smart way to remind movie-goers
to snatch up their Green Hornet
tickets and let them feel that they're a
part of 75 years of Hornet history.
For three-quarters of a century, the
unusual friendship between Reid and
his valet Kato has been the heart of the
franchise—and with Seth Rogen and
Taiwanese star Jay Chou taking over the
roles, their bromance is the comedy's
pulse. Let your patrons show their love for
their best friend by hosting a Partners in
Crime competition: slip a superhero mask
on your contestants and pit these male
(and female) duos against each other in
games of skill (think an obstacle course,
a relay race, a teamwork challenge) or a
funny friendship quiz a la The Newlywed
Game. Sample question: Who's most
likely to pick up the tab? The bestest best
buds get a pair of tickets to Green Hornet
and a free popcorn large enough to share
every time they both show up to the theater
together....wearing their masks.
Seth Rogen alone will be a solid draw for
adult addicts of his R-rated blockbusters
like Pineapple Express and Knocked Up.
But as this is his first starring role in a
live-action PG-13 comedy, exhibitors also
need to build awareness with a younger
movie audience—and their parents—that
Green Hornet's fun and family-appropriate.
One creative route is by emphasizing
that the Hornet is more into gadgets than
guns—in fact, Kato discourages him from
handling real bullets. Instead, Britt and
Kato shoot guns loaded with knock-out
gas and drive a souped-up car loaded with
cool tricks like tire-shredding hub caps,
color-changing paint and blinding strobe
lights. Tell kids and teens to put on their
inventors caps and sketch a crime-fighting
weapon designed to astound and confound.
Post entries on your wall, website
or Facebook, invite the public to vote, and
award the brains behind the most-popular
contraption with a mini-movie party for
them and their five favorite friends. You'll
be rewarding smarts, championing science
and building buzz for Hornet—a triple
masterstroke worthy of an evil genius.
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 31

ON THE HORIZON
LOOK OUT, FELLAS
The fighting femmes of Sucker Punch
SUCKER PUNCH
GIRLS KICK ASS
DISTRIBUTOR Warner Bros. CAST Emily Browning, Carla Gugino, Vanessa Hudgens, Abbie Cornish, Jamie Chung, Jena Malone, Oscar Isaac, Scott Glenn DIRECTOR Zack Snyder SCREENWRITERS
Zack Snyder, Steve Shibuya PRODUCERS Deborah Snyder, Zack Snyder GENRE Action/Fantasy RATING R for violence, language and some sexual content. RUNNING TIME TBD RELEASE DATE March
25, 2011
> Last summer, forecasters predicted that the big news coming out of Comic-Con would be Tron: Legacy and
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. Both true enough, but no one expected that a girls-only brawler scheduled a full eight
months away would poach the headlines. Then again, director Zack Snyder—an action auteur—always makes
waves. His fierce, controlled and cartoonish fights vaulted him to the top of the pack after his second feature, 300.
That launched a thousand imitators; his next, Watchmen, was a triumph of ambition. After detouring into kiddie
adventures with last fall’s Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga’hoole (“I wanted to make something my children
could watch,” he explained at ShoWest ‘10), Snyder and Warner Bros. are betting big bucks that Sucker Punch will
crown him king of carnage.
And along the way, he could end up anointing a few new box office princesses. What The Expendables was to
‘80s heroes, Sucker Punch is to tough chicks. In an asylum for girls, Baby Doll (Lemony Snicket’s Emily Browning)
has been committed by her dastardly stepfather and sentenced to a lobotomy by the cruel staffers (Jon Hamm
and Carla Guigino). The young beauty uses her imagination to escape, dreaming up worlds where she and fellow
prisoners Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Rocket (Jena Malone) and Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens) take out their anger by
roughing up dragons and orcs and stand-ins for their captors. (During training, the ingenues muscled up until they
could dead-lift 210 pounds.) Expect to see several rounds of editorials asking if scantily clad female asskickery is
good or bad for feminism...and expect to see guys and girls alike lined up opening weekend.
32 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

SORRY, CHILDREN OF EARTH
Aliens scheme in Mars Needs Moms
MARS NEEDS MOMS
EARTH KIDS TO MARS: “TAKE OURS!”
DISTRIBUTOR Walt Disney Pictures CAST Seth Green, Joan Cusack, Dan Fogler, Mindy Sterling DIRECTOR Simon Wells SCREENWRITERS Simon Wells, Wendy Wells PRODUCERS Robert Zemeckis, Jack
Rapke, Steve Starkey GENRE Family/Animation RATING TBD RUNNING TIME TBD RELEASE DATE March 11, 2011
> Cartoonist Berkeley Breathed is best
known for creating Bloom County, aka the
political comic strip with the penguin and
the screeching cat. (It won him a Pulitzer
for Editorial Cartooning in 1987.) But
when he left newspapers, he turned his pen
to kids’ books, the most recent of which
was snatched up by Robert Zemeckis’
ImageMovers Digital for this intergalactic
epic about a nine-year-old boy (Seth Green)
who sets out to rescue his mom (Joan
Cusack) from Mars. (They’re in short supply
of authority figures who can—lovingly—
get kids to eat their spinach.) Director and
screenplay adapter Simon West has worked
with Zemeckis since he was a supervising
animator on 1988’s Who Framed Roger
Rabbit? and is best known for helming An
American Tail 2: Fievel Goes West and The
Prince of Egypt. (His one live-action flick,
2002’s The Time Machine, was his last time at
the reins.)
Zemeckis put the cartoon together with
Disney, but halfway through the studios
decided to shutter ImageMovers upon
completion of Mars Needs Moms and fold
their future films—Yellow Submarine, The
Nutcracker, and a rumored Roger Rabbit
sequel—into a long-term deal with Disney
proper. Mars Needs Moms could be a solid
salute to Zemeckis and Disney’s partnership,
or a confirmation that both parties made the
right call by parting ways.
BATTLE: LOS ANGELES
FIGHT FOR THE STARS
DISTRIBUTOR Columbia CAST Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Pena, Bridget Moynahan,
Ne-Yo, Michael Pena, Ramon Rodriguez, Taylor Handley, Cory Hardrict, Jadin Gould,
Bryce Cass. Joey King DIRECTOR Jonathan Liebesman SCREENWRITERS Christopher Bertolini
PRODUCERS Jeffrey Chernov, Neal H. Moritz GENRE Action/Sci-fi RATING TBD RUNNING TIME
TBD RELEASE DATE March 11, 2011
> Up in the sky! It’s a bird, it’s a plane, it’s—an alien attack!
Columbia’s galactic thriller claims inspiration from a true-life
panic that happened on the California coast in February 1942,
three months after Pearl Harbor. Dubbed the Battle of Los Angeles,
for one hour, the night was lit up by anti-aircraft fire. When the
smoke cleared, three Angelenos were dead from friendly fire, three
from heart attacks. An investigation concluded it was a false alarm
triggered by a weather balloon. Conspiracy theorists claim it was a
hushed-up alien attack. And in this thriller: they’re back.
“Battle: Los Angeles is what these UFOs have been preparing
for—that invasion,” explained director Jonathan Liebesman during
Comic-Con. And the final product is a hybrid of war flick and sci-fi
that envisions an alien attack as a gritty, Fallujah-esque civic scuffle.
The Dark Knight’s Aaron Eckhart stars as a Marine staff sergeant
commanded to keep order during an all-out assault on the City
of Angels. Under his watch are Avatar’s Michelle Rodriguez and
newcomer Lucas Till, next seen as Havok in X-Men: First Class.
ANOTHER DAY IN LA
Aaron Eckhart has courage under laser fire
After last November’s underwhelming Skyline, this latest makes
the second Los Angeles attack flick in four months. (Skyline directors
Greg and Colin Strause did effects on Battle, causing Sony Pictures to
consider filing legal action against the pair in case they’d poached
inspiration.) Still, with Battle costing over five times Skyline’s budget,
there’s no contest which studio has the grander vision—and the
deeper pockets. Liebesman is packing the film with real explosions.
And, in a quirky twist, during shooting near Shreveport, Louisiana,
the filmmakers detonated a bomb which unfurled a mushroom
cloud that startled the locals. Lucky they didn’t reach for their
weapons.
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 33

COMING SOON
SAY ADIOS TO MONEY
Going broke in From Prada to Nada
FROM PRADA TO
NADA
HABLA JANE AUSTEN?
DISTRIBUTOR Pantelion CAST Adriana Barraza, Camilla Belle,
Alexa Vega, Wilmer Valderrama, Kuno Becker DIRECTOR
Fina Torres SCREENWRITERS Fina Torres, Luis Alfaro PRODUC-
ERS Gary Gilbert, Linda McDonough, Gigi Pritzker, Chris
Ranta GENRE Romance/Comedy RATING TBD RUNNING TIME
TBD RELEASE DATE January 28, 2011
I PUT A SPELL ON YOU
Nicolas Cage goes on a Witch quest
SEASON OF THE WITCH
SON-OF-A-
DISTRIBUTOR Relativity Media CAST Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman, Stephen Campbell Moore, Claire Foy, Robert Sheehan,Ulrich
Thomsen, Stephen Graham, Christopher Lee DIRECTOR Dominic Sena SCREENWRITER Bragi Schut PRODUCERS Alex Gartner,
Charles Roven GENRE Thriller/Supernatural RATING PG-13 for thematic elements, violence and disturbing content.
RUNNING TIME TBD RELEASE DATE January 7, 2011
This murky frightshow sends Nicolas Cage and Hellboy’s Ron Perlman
out in the wilds of 14th century Europe to collect and transport
a deadly witch. Director Dominic Sena’s wintry thriller Whiteout
was one of 2009’s catastrophes, and Witch was subsequently
postponed 10 months. Cage is a perennial strong draw, but it appears
that the distributor is as scared as the audience.
After their father’s death, two sisters are
wrenched from their estate and forced to
live working class. Sense and Sensibility,
meet Sense and Sensibilidad. Alexa Vega and
Camilla Belle star as rich girls whitewashed
by Beverly Hills uprooted to Boyle Heights
where they learn Spanish, embrace their
heritage, meet the right (and wrong) love
matches, and unearth their repressed Frieda
Kahlo—with well-plucked eyebrows, natch.
THE
DILEMMA
YOUR CHEATIN’ HEART WILL TELL ON YOU
DISTRIBUTOR Universal Pictures CAST Vince Vaughn, Kevin
James, Winona Ryder, Jennifer Connelly, Channing Tatum,
Queen Latifah DIRECTOR Ron Howard SCREENWRITER
Allan Loeb PRODUCERS Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, Vince
Vaughn GENRE Romance/Comedy RATING PG-13 for mature
thematic elements involving sexual content. RUNNING TIME
TBD RELEASE DATE January 14, 2011
Vince Vaughn’s got a secret he can’t spill: best
friend Kevin James is being cuckolded by
wife Winona Ryder. (With a tattooed Channing
Tatum, no less.) In a curious pairing
of talents, director Ron Howard and screenwriter
Allan Loeb take a hiatus from their
highbrow thrillers for this romantic comedy
of manners, errors and marital terrors.
34 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

NO STRINGS
ATTACHED
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS
DISTRIBUTOR Paramount CAST Natalie Portman, Ashton
Kutcher, Greta Gerwig, Kevin Kline, Ophelia Lovibond,
Ben Lawson, Lake Bell, Guy Brannum, Cary Elwes DIREC-
TOR Ivan Reitman SCREENWRITER Elizabeth Meriwether PRO-
DUCERS Ivan Reitman, Joe Medjuck, Jeffrey Clifford GENRE
Romance/Comedy RATING TBD RUNNING TIME TBD RELEASE
DATE January 21, 2011
Two handsome kids, Ashton Kutcher and
Natalie Portman, dig each other as friends
and more. They could date. But love is perilous
(and time-consuming). In Ivan Reitman’s
comedy of convenience, his first romcom
in five years (he’s let son Jason own the
screen), the two draw a border between their
bed and beyond, and try to hem their emotions
to fit.
WHEN A CARD WON’T DO
Natalie Portman wants No Strings Attached
UNKNOWN
SAY MY NAME
DISTRIBUTOR Warner Bros. CAST Liam Neeson, January
Jones, Diane Kruger, Frank Langella DIRECTOR Jaume
Collet-Serra SCREENWRITERS Oliver Butcher, Stephen
Cornwell PRODUCERS Joel Silver, Leonard Goldberg,
Andrew Rona GENRE Thriller RATING PG-13 for some intense
sequences of violence and action, and brief sexual content.
RUNNING TIME TBD RELEASE DATE January 7, 2011
THE WAY BACK
COUNTRY ROADS, TAKE ME HOME
DISTRIBUTOR Newmarket CAST Colin Farrell, Ed Harris, Jim
Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan, Mark Strong DIRECTOR Peter Weir
SCREENWRITER Peter Weir PRODUCERS Peter Weir, Joni Levin,
Duncan Henderson, Nigel Sinclair, Scott Rudin GENRE Drama
RATING PG-13 for violent content, depiction of physical
hardships, a nude image and brief strong language. RUN-
NING TIME 133 min. RELEASE DATE January 21, 2011
At 52, brainy, brawny Liam Neeson is huffing
through a career rebirth as an action
hero, primarily one who specializes in
foreign adventures (see The A-Team, Taken).
Here, he’s a doctor abroad in Berlin who
awakens from a coma to find another man
has stolen his name, life and wife. How to
get it back? Fists.
TIBET OR BUST
Jim Sturgess heads for safety in The Way Back
In 1942, seven men escaped from a snowy
Siberian camp and walked to safety. With
China also under Communist rule, they had
to survive 6500 miles of travel through biting
blizzards and the desiccating Gobi Desert.
Master and Commander’s Peter Weir returns
from semi-retirement to tell their true tale.
The story’s tough; the scenery is gorgeous.
THE RITE
TWO WRONGS MAKE ONE
DISTRIBUTOR New Line Cinema CAST Anthony Hopkins,
Colin O’Donoghue, Ciarán Hinds DIRECTOR Mikael Hafstrom
SCREENWRITER Michael Petroni PRODUCERS Beau
Flynn, Tripp Vinson GENRE Thriller RATING TBD RUNNING
TIME TBD RELEASE DATE January 28, 2011
Is that a devil in your body, or
are you just happy to see me?
Anthony Hopkins leads this
chiller which posits that the
Vatican repurposes CIA tech
to survey for satanic terrorism.
But is their latest case the real
deal, or just a very sick girl?
EXORCISE YOUR DEMONS
Anthony Hopkins is bedeviled in The Rite
JANUARY 20101 BOXOFFICE 35

BOOK IT!
SMALL FILMS, BIG POTENTIAL
CHINA AFTER THE GAMES
Beijing Taxi
WHERE DOES THIS ROAD GO?
Questioning Chinese modernization in Bejing Taxi
DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER Miao Wang PRODUCER Robert M. Chang, Icana Stolkiner, Miao Wang GENRE Documentary; Mandarin-language, subtitled RATING Unrated RUNNING TIME 78 min.
Matthew Nestel says … The mainstream media touted the good-looking and glossy modern
China during the lead-up to its handsome Summer Olympics. In defiance, female filmmaker
Miao Wang hatched Beijing Taxi to spotlight the hidden-away frayed edges and splotches. Shadowing
the ups and bunny-hill downs of three cabbies in the crowded capitol city, Wang’s documentary
entreats audiences to get first hand-to-mouth evidence that a nation’s prosperity doesn’t
turn every bean into magical stalk.
CONTACT
Three Waters Productions / threewaters@gmail.com
Brighton Rock Go, go Graham Greene
CAST Sam Riley, Andrea Riseborough, Helen Mirren, John Hurt, Phil Davis, Nonzo Anozie, Craig Parkinson, Andy Serkis, Sean Harris, Geoff Bell DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER Rowan Joffe PRO-
DUCER Paul Webster GENRE Thriller RATING Unset RUNNING TIME 111 min.
Pam Grady says … Graham Greene’s great 1939 novel comes to startling life in
Rowan Joffe’s elegant, suspenseful thrillera bout an ambitious teen psychopath
ascending the gangland ladder and his dark plans for the pliable girl who crosses
his path. Control’s Sam Riley steps into a role young Richard Attenborough made
unforgettable in the 1947 original—and he makes it his own, slipping into the
character like a second skin. Surprisingly, this terrific adaptation left the Toronto
International Film Festival without a U.S. distributor. With a cast that includes
Helen Mirren and John Hurt and a well-told tale with equal appeal to Greene and
HERE’S THE DEAL
No guts, no glory in Brighton Rock
suspense fans, the savvy distributor that picks this up will be in happy possession
of a potential sleeper.
CONTACT
StudioCanal / +31 (0) 1 71 35 35 35
36 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

The
Illusionist
L’illusionniste
French force
DISTRIBUTOR Sony Pictures Classics DIRECTOR
Sylvain Chomet SCREENWRITERS Jacques Tati,
Sylvain Chomet PRODUCERS Sally Chomet,
Bob Last GENRE Animation; English- and
French-languages, subtitled RATING PG for
thematic elements and smoking. RUNNING
TIME 90 min. RELEASE DATE December 25 NY/
LA
FOR MY NEXT TRICK
The Illusionist is a French cartoon by way of Jacques Tati
Richard Mowe says … An
unproduced 1950s script
by the great French comic
Jacques Tati is the perfect
synergy for Sylvain Chomet’s
meticulous animation
style in his follow-up five
years after to The Triplets
of Belleville. Like Tati’s Mr.
Hulot’s Holiday—or even the
first third of Wall*E—it’s
near silent and ready for
adoration by all languages
and ages, a cartoon kids and
adults can both dig, even if
for different reasons. And
for all lovers of old style animation
it should build up
the same cultish following
as the multi-Oscar nominated
Triplets.
BE GOOD TO THE LITTLE PEOPLE
The smug marrieds in Mike Leigh’s Another Year
Another Year
And another Mike Leigh winner
DISTRIBUTOR Sony Pictures Classics CAST Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville, Ruth Sheen, Oliver Maltman, Imelda Staunton
DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER Mike Leigh PRODUCER Georgina Lowe GENRE Drama RATING Unrated RUNNING TIME 130 min. RELEASE
DATE December 29 NY/LA
Richard Mowe says … This touching and beautifully nuanced drama from Mike Leigh
(Happy-Go-Lucky, Vera Drake) collects lonely characters who revolve around a self-satisfied
and happy middle-aged couple. Does despair feed off joy, or does joy thrive on measuring
itself against others’ despair? Leigh is England’s master of cinematic improvisation and the
ensemble is high caliber. (As we go to print, Lesley Manville is getting Oscar buzz.) After a
rapturous welcome at the Cannes Film Festival, it’s been touted as his best work since 1996’s
Secrets and Lie.
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 37

BOOK IT! (continued from page 37)
A GOOD-LOOKING MESS
Javier Bardem falls apart in Biutiful
Biutiful
Not to be missed
DISTRIBUTOR Focus Features CAST Javier Bardem, Maricel
Álvarez, Eduard Fernández, Diaryatou Daff, Taisheng
Cheng DIRECTOR Alejandro González Iñárritu SCREENWRIT-
ERS Alejandro González Iñárritu, Armando Bo, Nicolás Giacobone
PRODUCERS Alejandro González Iñárritu, Alfonso
Cuarón, Jon Kilik, Guillermo del Toro, Fernando Bovarira
GENRE Drama; Spanish-language, subtitled RUNNING TIME
148 min. RATING R for disturbing images, language, some
sexual content, nudity and drug use. RELEASE DATE December
29 ltd.
Pete Hammond says … Director Alejandro
González Iñárritu eschews the multi-character
and layered storylines of his previous
films (Babel, 21 Grams) and goes it alone
without constant screenwriter Guillermo
Arriaga in the linear and powerful Biutiful. A
complex man named Uxbal, magnificently
played by Javier Bardem, learns he has only
two months to sort out his life for the sake
of his family. Shot in Spanish in the underbelly
of Barcelona, this Cannes Festival competition
entry is dark and depressing, but is
also clearly the heartfelt and very personal
achievement of a master filmmaker (with
a potentially award-winning performance
from his star). Strong critical support will be
needed, but flogging Bardem’s name could
turn this cinematic gem into a modest arthouse
success.
If I Want to Whistle,
I Whistle
Eu cand vreau sa fluier, fluier
Pucker up and blow
DISTRIBUTOR Film Movement CAST George Pistereanu, Ada
Condeescu, Clara Voda, Mihai Constantin, Marian Bratu
DIRECTOR Florin Serban SCREENWRITERS Catalin Mitulescu,
Florin Serban PRODUCERS Catalin Mitulescu, Daniel Mitulescu
GENRE Drama RUNNING TIME 93 min. RELEASE DATE
January 5 NY/LA
Ed Scheid says … Another notable film
from Romania with the blessing of the Berlin
festival’s Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize. A
young man in a juvenile detention center
is two weeks from release, but mounting
strain and a family crisis cause him to lash
out with dangerous consequences. Firsttime
director Florin Serbin shoots with a
gritty realism—actual juvenile inmates
are in the cast—and this very promising
debut sustains a raw tension as the central
character becomes increasingly desperate.
The accessible story and fast-paced action
scenes could draw a good arthouse audience,
particularly as other recent Romanian films
have paved its way.
The Time That
Remains
What’s so funny about
Palestine?
DISTRIBUTOR IFC Films CAST Ali Suliman, Elia Suleiman and
Menashe Noy DIRECTOR/SCREENWRITER Elia Suleiman PRO-
DUCERS Michael Gentile, Elia Suleiman GENRE Drama; Hebrew-
and Arabic-languages, subtitled RUNNING TIME 105
min. RELEASE DATE January 7 ltd.
Mark Keizer says … Working autobiographically,
Palestinian director Elia
Suleiman blends sardonic humor and
bitter poetry to provide a fresh reading of
his countrymen’s six decades of suffering
since the creation of Israel in 1948. Using a
locked-down camera and deadpan staging,
he externalizes the mindset of Palestinians
long estranged from the land where they
still live. Based on the diaries of Suleiman’s
father, the masterful film is broken up into
vignettes that span the decades. It’s mordant
38 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

and slightly absurd, a black tragedy that begins with Elia as a boy
and resolves with him as a silent, helpless, older man stuck in eternal
limbo. Suleiman’s standing in world cinema should result in better
than average coin.
Blue Valentine
Great performances, failed romance
DISTRIBUTOR The Weinstein Company DIRECTOR Derek Cianfrance SCREENWRITER Derek Cianfrance,
Cami Delavigne, Joey Curtis CAST Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams, Mike Vogel, John
Doman, Faith Wladyka PRODUCERS Jamie Patricof, Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky GENRE Drama
RATING R strong graphic sexual content, language, and a beating RUNNING TIME 120 min.
RELEASE DATE Dec 31 ltd.
Ray Greene says … The kind of grim, character-based movie that
needs a strong actor as an anchor. Fortunately, director Derek Cianfrance
has landed two: Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. While
LOVE HURTS
Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine
this portrait of a shipwrecked marriage is both despairing and perhaps
a bit slighter than it postures, there isn’t a false moment in it.
Though it’s hard to see the film finding much of a mainstream audience—thankfully,
Harvey Weinstein at least argued the rating down
from an NC-17—it’s another strong pillar in Williams and Gosling’s
impressive bodies of work.
Urville
Utopia by any other name…
DIRECTOR Angele Christlieb PRODUCERS Helge Albers, Roshanak Behesht Nedjad GENRE Documentary/Drama
RATING Unrated RUNNING TIME 82 min.
Matthew Nestel says … Angela Christlieb’s offers fuel for the imagination
with her docu-fantasy, Urville. Three French towns, all named
Urville, boast no crime, no homeless and no unhappiness. Her comparative
study of each Urville with their cow pastures and local kooks
makes for a quirky feature that challenges conventional wisdom
about utopia—and even what utopia could look like. In one town,
the mayor is besieged by a political rival who dubs himself Lonesome
Wolf and struts about with a cardboard cutout of Bill Clinton; in another,
the mayoress stockpiled iodine pills in the event of nuclear war.
It all feels sublime and a bit uncanny. Still, plenty of spectators will
swoon at the clever play with fiction and reality.
CONTACT
Flying Moon Filmverleih GbR
+49 030 322 9718 13
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 39

BOOKING GUIDE
Action = Act Arthouse = Art Documentary = Doc Family = Fam Horror = Hor
Adventure = Adv Biography = Bio Drama = Dra Fantasy = Fan Kids = Kids
Animated = Ani Comedy = Com Epic = Epic Foreign Language = FL Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgend. = LGBT
FILM RELEASE DATE STARS DIRECTOR(S) RATING GENRE RT FORMAT
CBS FILMS Lauren Douglas / 310 575 7052 / lauren.douglas@cbs.com
THE MECHANIC Fri, 1/28/11 Jason Statham, Ben Foster Simon West R Act/Cri/Dra 100 Scope
BEASTLY Fri, 3/18/11
Neil Patrick Harris, Vanessa
Hudgens
Daniel Barnz PG-13 Fan/Hor/Rom
DISNEY 818 560 1000 / ask for Distribution / 212 536 6400
GNOMEO AND JULIET Fri, 2/11/11 Emily Blunt, James McAvoy Kelly Asbury G Ani/Fam/Com Digital 3D
I AM NUMBER FOUR Fri, 2/18/11 Alex Pettyfer, Timothy Olyphant D.J Caruso NR Act/SF Quad
MARS NEEDS MOMS! Fri, 3/11/11 Seth Green, Joan Cusack Simon Wells NR Ani/SF/CGI Digital 3D/IMAX/Quad
AFRICAN CATS Fri, 4/22/11
Alastair Fothergill/Keith
Scholey
NR Doc Quad
PROM Fri, 4/29/11 Danielle Campbell, Aimee Teegarden Joe Nussbaum NR Com Quad
PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES Fri, 5/20/11 Johnny Depp, Astrid Bergès-Frisbe Rob Marshall NR Act/Adv Digital 3D/IMAX/Quad
CARS 2 Fri, 6/24/11 Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt Brad Lewis/John Lasseter NR Com/Fam Digital 3D/IMAX
WINNIE THE POOH Fri, 7/15/11 Craig Gerguson, Jim Cummings
Stephen J. Anderson/
Don Hall
NR Ani/Fam Quad
THE HELP Fri, 8/12/11 Bryce Dallas Howard, Emma Stone Tate Taylor NR Dra
FRIGHT NIGHT Fri, 8/19/11 Colin Farrell, Toni Collette Craig Gillespie NR Com/Hor Digital 3D
REAL STEEL Fri, 10/7/11 Hugh Jackman, Evangeline Lilly Shawn Levy NR Act/Dra
(646)543-3303
DRIVE Fri, 9/16/11 Ryan Gosling, Carey Mulligan Nicolas Winding Refn NR Act/Dra
FOCUS Christopher Ustaszewski / 818 777 3071
SOMEWHERE
Wed, 12/22/10 EXCL.
NY/LA
Stephen Dorff, Elle Fanning Sofi a Coppola R Com/Dra 98 DTS/Dolby SRD/Flat
THE EAGLE Fri, 2/11/11 Channing Tatum, Jamie Bell Kevin Macdonald PG-13 Dra 114 DTS/Dolby SRD/Scope
JANE EYRE
Fri, 3/11/11 LTD.
Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender
Cary Fukunaga PG-13 Rom/Dra Dolby SRD/Flat
HANNA Fri, 4/8/11 Cate Blanchett, Saoirse Ronan Joe Wright NR Adv/Thr DTS/Dolby SRD/Scope
BEGINNERS
Fri, 6/3/11 LTD.
Ewan McGregor, Christopher
Plummer
Mike Mills NR Dra/Gay DTS/Dolby SRD
FOX 310 369 1000 / 212 556 2400
GULLIVER’S TRAVELS Wed, 12/25/10 Emily Blunt, Jason Segel Rob Letterman PG Com 3D/Scope
BIG MOMMAS: LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON Fri, 2/18/11 Martin Lawrence, Brandon T. Jackson John Whitesell PG-13 Com
DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2: RODRICK RULES Fri, 3/25/11 Rachael Harris, Steve Zahn David Bowers NR Com/Fam
RIO Fri, 4/8/11 Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg Carlos Saldanha NR Ani/CGI 3D
WATER FOR ELEPHANTS Fri, 4/15/11 Reese Witherspoon, Robert Pattinson Francis Lawrence NR Dra
WHAT’S YOUR NUMBER? Fri, 4/29/11 Anna Faris, Chris Evans Mary Mylod R Com
X-MEN: FIRST CLASS Fri, 6/3/11 James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender Matthew Vaughn NR Act/SF/Thr
RISE OF THE APES Fri, 6/24/11 James Franco, Freida Pinto Rupert Wyatt NR Adv/Act/SF
MONTE CARLO Fri, 7/1/11 Selena Gomez, Leighton Meester Tom Bezucha PG Rom/Com
THE SITTER Fri, 7/15/11 Jonah Hill, Ari Graynor David Gordon Green NR Com
MR. POPPER’S PENGUINS Fri, 8/12/11 Jim Carrey, Carla Gugino Mark Waters NR Com
NOW Fri, 9/30/11 Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried Andrew Niccol NR SF/Thr
FOX SEARCHLIGHT 310 369 1000
CEDAR RAPIDS Fri, 2/11/11 LTD. Sigourney Weaver, Ed Helms Miguel Arteta R Com
WIN WIN Fri, 3/25/11 LTD. Melanie Lynskey, Paul Giamatti Thomas McCarthy NR Com 106
THE TREE OF LIFE Fri, 5/27/11 LTD. Sean Penn, Brad Pitt Terrence Malick PG-13 Dra/Fan
FREESTYLE RELEASING 310 456 2332
THE HEART SPECIALIST Fri, 1/14/11 Zoe Saldana, Wood Harris Dennis Cooper NR Com/Dra 99 Flat
WAITING FOR FOREVER Fri, 2/4/11 LTD. Rachel Bilson, Tom Sturridge Keach, James PG-13 Rom/Dra
FRANKIE & ALICE Fri, 2/4/11 LTD. Halle Berry, Stellan Skarsgard Geoffrey Sax NR Dra 102
SKATELAND Fri, 3/25/11 LTD. Ashley Greene, Heath Freeman Anthony Burns PG-13 Dra 98 Dolby SRD/Scope
LIONSGATE 310 449 9200
FROM PRADA TO NADA Fri, 1/28/11 LTD. Camilla Belle, Alexa Vega Angel Garcia PG-13 Rom/Com 107 DTS/Dolby SRD/Flat
THE LINCOLN LAWYER Fri, 3/18/11
Matthew McConaughey, Marisa
Tomei
Brad Furman NR Cri/Dra
TYLER PERRY’S MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY Fri, 4/22/11 Tyler Perry, Loretta Devine Tyler Perry NR Com
ONE FOR THE MONEY Fri, 7/8/11 Katherine Heigl, John Leguizamo Julie Ann Robinson NR Act/Rom/Com
CONAN THE BARBARIAN Fri, 8/19/11 Jason Momoa, Stephen Lang Marcus Nispel NR Act/Adv/Fan 3D
WARRIOR Fri, 9/9/11 Tom Hardy, Nick Nolte Gavin O’Connor NR Act/Dra Scope
ABDUCTION Fri, 9/23/11 Taylor Lautner, Lily Collins John Singleton NR Act/Sus
DIBBUK BOX Fri, 10/28/11 Ole Bornedal NR Hor/Sus
PARAMOUNT 323 956 5575
TRUE GRIT Wed, 12/22/10 Matt Damon, Jeff Bridges Ethan & Joel Coen PG-13 Dra/West 110 Scope/Quad
NO STRINGS ATTACHED Fri, 1/21/11 Ashton Kutcher, Natalie Portman Ivan Reitman NR Rom/Com
JUSTIN BIEBER: NEVER SAY NEVER Fri, 2/11/11 Justin Bieber, Miley Cyrus Jon Chu NR Mus 3D
RANGO Fri, 3/4/11 Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher Gore Verbinski NR Ani/Act/Adv
THOR Fri, 5/6/11 Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins Kenneth Branagh NR Act/Adv
KUNG FU PANDA: THE KABOOM OF DOOM Thu, 5/26/11 Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman Jennifer Yuh Helson NR Ani/Com/Fam/Act Digital 3D
SUPER 8 Fri, 6/10/11 Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka J.J. Abrams NR SF
TRANSFORMERS: DARK OF THE MOON Fri, 7/1/11 Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhammel Michael Bay NR Act 3D
THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICA Fri, 7/22/11 Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell Joe Johnston NR Act/Adv/Fant
FOOTLOOSE Fri, 10/14/11 Julianne Hough, Chace Crawford Craig Brewer PG-13 Com/Dra/Mus
PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 3 Fri, 10/21/11 NR Hor/Sus
PUSS IN BOOTS Fri, 11/4/11 Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Peter A. Ramsey NR CGI/Ani/Fam 3D
RELATIVITY MEDIA Adam Keen 424 204 4144
SEASON OF THE WITCH Fri, 1/7/11 Nicolas Cage, Ron Perlman Dominic Sena PG-13 Act/Dra/Hor 98 DTS/Dolby SRD
TAKE ME HOME TONIGHT Fri, 3/4/11 Topher Grace, Anna Faris Michael Dowse R Com/Dra Quad
LIMITLESS Fri, 3/18/11 Bradley Cooper, Robert DeNiro Neil Burger NR Dra/Thr Quad
UNTITLED 3D SHARK THRILLER Fri, 9/2/11 Sara Paxton, Alyssa Diaz David R. Ellis NR Hor 3D
SONY 310 280 8000 / 212833 8500
COUNTRY STRONG Wed, 12/22/10 LTD. Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim McGraw Shana Deste PG-13 Dra
THE GREEN HORNET Fri, 1/14/11 Seth Rogen, Enzo Cilenti Michel Gondry NR Act/Adv 3D/Dolby Dig/IMAX
40 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

Live Action = LA Performance = Per Science Fiction = SF Suspense = Sus Urban = Urban
Martial Arts = MA Political = Poli Stop-Motion Animation = SMAni 3D = 3D War = War
Mystery = Mys Romance = Rom Sports = Spr Thriller = Thr Western = Wes
FILM RELEASE DATE STARS DIRECTOR(S) RATING GENRE RT FORMAT
THE ROOMMATE Fri, 2/4/11 Cam Gigandet, Leighton Meester Christian E. Christiansen NR Cri/Mys Scope
JUST GO WITH IT Fri, 2/11/11 Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston Dennis Dugan NR Rom/Com
BATTLE: LOS ANGELES Fri, 3/11/11 Michelle Rodriguez, Aaron Eckhart Jonathan Liebesman NR Act/SF Dolby Dig/DTS/SDDS
SOUL SURFER Fri, 4/15/11 AnnaSophia Robb, Dennis Quaid Sean McNamara PG Act/Dra
BORN TO BE A STAR Fri, 4/22/11 Christina Ricci, Stephen Dorff Tom Brady NR Com
JUMPING THE BROOM Fri, 5/6/11 Paula Patton, Tasha Smith Salim Akil NR Rom
PRIEST Fri, 5/13/11 Paul Bettany, Maggie Q Scott Charles Stewart NR Adv/Hor 3D
BAD TEACHER Fri, 6/17/11 Cameron Diaz, Jason Segel Jake Kasdan NR Com Dolby Dig/DTS/SDDS
THE ZOOKEEPER Fri, 7/8/11 Kevin James, Rosario Dawson Frank Coraci NR Com
FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS Fri, 7/22/11 Mila Kunis, Emma Stone Will Gluck NR Com
SMURFS Wed, 8/3/11 John Lithgow, Julia Sweeney Colin Brady NR Ani/Fam 3D
30 MINUTES OR LESS Fri, 8/12/11 Danny McBride, Aziz Ansari Ruben Fleischer NR Adv/Com
COLOMBIANA Fri, 9/2/11 Zoe Saldana, Michae Vartan Olivier Megaton NR Act/Adv/Dra/Thr
STRAW DOGS Fri, 9/16/11 Alexander Skarsgard, James Marsden Rod Lurie NR Dra
MONEYBALL Fri, 9/23/11 Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill Bennett Miller NR Dra
ANONYMOUS Fri, 9/30/11 Xavier Samuel, Rhys Ifans Roland Emmerich NR Dra
COURAGEOUS Fri, 9/30/11 LTD. Alex Kendrick, Kevin Downes Alex Kendrick NR Dra
SONY PICTURES CLASSICS 212 833 8851
THE ILLUSIONIST
Sat, 12/25/10 EXCL.
NY/LA
Jean-Claude Donda, Edith Rankin Sylvain Chomet PG Dra/Ani 80 Dolby SRD/Scope
ANOTHER YEAR
Wed, 12/29/10 EXCL.
NY/LA
Jim Broadbent, Lesley Manville Mike Leigh PG-13 Com/Dra 129 Dolby SRD/Scope
BARNEY’S VERSION
Fri, 1/14/11 EXCL.
NY/LA
Minnie Driver, Dustin Hoffman Richard J Lewis R Dra 132 Dolby SRD/Scope
OF GODS AND MEN
Fri, 2/25/11 EXCL.
NY/LA
Lambert Wilson, Michael Lonsdale Xavier Beauvois R Dra/FL 122 Dolby SRD/Scope
WINTER IN WARTIME
Fri, 3/18/11 EXCL.
NY/LA
Martin Lakemeirer, Yorick Van
Wageningen
Martin Koolhoven R Dra/Hist/War 103 Dolby SRD/Scope
INCENDIES
Fri, 4/1/11 EXCL.
NY/LA
Lubna Azabal, Melissa Desormeaux-
Poulin
Denis Villeneuve NR Dra 130 Dolby SRD/Flat
SUMMIT 310 309 8400
DRIVE ANGRY 3D Fri, 2/25/11 Nicolas Cage, Amber Heard Patrick Lussier NR Thr 3D
THE BEAVER Wed, 3/23/11 LTD. Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster Jodie Foster PG-13 Com/Dra
SOURCE CODE Fri, 4/1/11 Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga Duncan Jones PG-13 Dra/SF
THE DARKEST HOUR Fri, 8/5/11 Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby Chris Gorak NR SF/Thr 3D
THE THREE MUSKETEERS Fri, 10/14/11 Christoph Waltz, Logan Lerman Paul W.S. Anderson NR Act/Adv 3D
UNIVERSAL 818 777 1000 / 212 445 3800
LITTLE FOCKERS Wed, 12/22/10 Robert De Niro, Ben Stiller Paul Weitz PG-13 Com 98 Dolby Dig/Flat/Quad
THE DILEMMA Fri, 1/14/11 Vince Vaughn, Kevin James Ron Howard PG-13 Com Scope/Quad
SANCTUM Fri, 2/4/11 Richard Roxburgh, Alice Parkinson Alister Grierson R Adv/Dra/Thr 3D/Flat/Quad
THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU Fri, 3/4/11 Matt Damon, Emily Blunt Geogre Nolfi PG-13 Rom/SF 99 Quad/Flat
PAUL Fri, 3/18/11 Seth Rogen, Jane Lynch Greg Mottola R Com/SF 116 Scope/Quad
HOP Fri, 4/1/11 Russell Brand, James Marsden Tim Hill NR CGI/Act/Rom/Com Flat/Quad
YOUR HIGHNESS Fri, 4/8/11 James Franco, Natalie Portman David Gordon Green R Com/Fan/Adv 102 Scope/Quad
FAST FIVE Fri, 4/29/11 Vin Diesel, Paul Walker Justin Lin NR Act/Cri/Dra Scope/Quad
BRIDESMAID Fri, 5/13/11 Kristen Wiig, Rose Byrne Paul Feig NR Com Scope/Quad
LARRY CROWNE Fri, 7/1/11 Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts Tom Hanks NR Rom/Com Quad
COWBOYS & ALIENS Fri, 7/29/11 Oliva Wilde, Daniel Craig Jon Favreau NR Ani/Act/Fan Quad/Dolby Dig/DTS/SDDS
THE CHANGE-UP Fri, 8/5/11 Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds David Dobkin NR Com Quad
JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN Fri, 9/16/11 Rowan Atkison, Gillian Anderson Oliver Parker NR Com
DREAM HOUSE Fri, 9/30/11 Daniel Craig, Rachel Weisz Jim Sheridan NR Sus 110 Scope/Quad
WANDERLUST Fri, 10/7/11 Paul Rudd, Jennifer Aniston David Wain NR Com
THE THING Fri, 10/14/11
Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ulrich
Thomsen
Matthijs Van Heijningen Jr. NR Hor/Mys/SF Scope/Quad
TOWER HEIST Fri, 11/4/11 Ben Stiller, Charles Q. Murphy Brett Ratner NR Act/Com Scope/Quad
WARNER BROS. 818 954 6000 / 212 484 8000
THE RITE Fri, 1/28/11 Anthony Hopkins, Colin O’Donoghue Mikael Håfström NR Dra Quad
UNKNOWN Fri, 2/18/11 Liam Neeson, January Jones Jaume Collet-Serra NR Dra/Thr Quad
HALL PASS Fri, 2/25/11 Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis Peter & Bobby Farrelly NR Com Quad
RED RIDING HOOD Fri, 3/11/11 Amanda Seyfried, Max Irons Catherine Hardwicke NR Thr Quad
SUCKER PUNCH Fri, 3/25/11 Vanessa Hudgens, Emily Browning Zack Snyder NR Act/Fan/Thr IMAX
ARTHUR Fri, 4/8/11 Helen Mirren, Russell Brand Jason Winer NR Com Quad
BORN TO BE WILD Fri, 4/8/11 TBD NR IMAX/Quad
SOMETHING BORROWED Fri, 5/6/11 Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin Luke Greenfi eld R Com/Dra Quad
THE HANGOVER 2 Thu, 5/26/11 Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms Todd Phillips NR Com Quad
GREEN LANTERN Fri, 6/17/11 Ryan Reynolds, Jackie Earle Haley Martin Campbel NR Act 3D
HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS: PART 2 Fri, 7/15/11 Alan Rickman, Daniel Radcliffe David Yates NR Adv/Fan/Dra 3D/IMAX
CRAZY, STUPID, LOVE. Fri, 7/29/11 Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling Glenn Ficarra/John Requa NR Com Quad
HORRIBLE BOSSES Fri, 7/29/11 Jason Bateman, Charlie Day Seth Gordon NR Com Quad
FINAL DESTINATION 5 Fri, 8/26/11 Emma Bell, David Koechner Steven Quale NR Hor/Sus 3D/Quad
THE APPARITION Fri, 9/9/11 Ashley Greene, Sebastian Stan Todd Lincoln NR Hor Quad
DOLPHIN’S TALE Fri, 9/23/11 Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd Charles Martin Smith NR Dra 3D/Quad
CONTAGION Fri, 10/21/11 Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow Steven Soderbergh NR Act/Thr 3D/IMAX/Quad
WEINSTEIN CO. / DIMENSION 646 862 3400
BLUE VALENTINE Fri, 12/31/10 LTD. Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams Derek Cianfrance R Rom/Dra 113 Dolby SRD/Flat
THE COMPANY MEN Fri, 1/21/11 LTD. Ben Affl eck, Tommy Lee Jones John Wells NR Dra 109 Dolby Dig/DTS/SDDS
SHELTER Fri, 2/25/11
Julianne Moore, Jonathan Rhys
Meyers
Mans Marlind/Bjorn Stein R Hor/Mys/Thr 112
APOLLO 18 Fri, 3/4/11 Gonzalo López-Gallego NR Hor
MIRAL Fri, 3/25/11 LTD. Hiam Abbass, Freida Pinto Julian Schnabel NR FL/Dra
SCREAM 4 Fri, 4/15/11 Neve Campbell, David Arquette Wes Craven NR Hor/Sus Dolby Dig/DTS/SDDS
SPY KIDS 4: ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD Fri, 8/19/11 Antonio Banderas, Alexa Vega Robert Rodriguez NR Act/Adv 3D
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 41

CHRISTIE DIGITAL SYSTEMS
10550 Camden Dr.
Cypress, CA 90630
Craig Sholder
714-236-8610
craig.sholder@christiedigital.com
www.christiedigital.com
INSIDE FRONT COVER
CLOUD INDUSTRIES
P. O. Box 35
Lawson, MO 64062
816-296-3354
PG 43
DOLBY LABORATORIES
100 Potrero Ave.
San Francisco, CA 94103
Christie Ventura
415-558-2200
cah@dolby.com
www.dolby.com
PG 13, 20
DOLPHIN SEATING
313 Remuda St.
Clovis, NM 88101
575-762-6468
www.dolphinseating.com
PG 7
FRANKLIN DESIGNS
208 Industrial Dr.
Ridgeland, MS 39157
601-853-9005
franklindesigns@aol.com
www.franklindesigns.com
PG 1
HARKNESS SCREENS
Unit A, Norton Road
Stevenage, Herts
SG1 2BB
United Kingdom
+44 1438 725200
sales@harkness-screens.com
www.harkness-screens.com
PG 17, 19
HURLEY SCREEN
110 Industry Ln.
P.O. Box 296
Forest Hill, MD 21050
Gorman W. White
AD INDEX
410-879-3022
info@hurleyscreen.com
www.hurleyscreen.com
PG 43
MAROEVICH, O’SHEA & COUGHLAN
44 Montgomery St., 17th Fl.
San Francisco, CA 94104
Steve Elkins
800-951-0600
selkins@maroevich.com
www.mocins.com
PG 3
METROPOLITAN THEATRES
8727 West 3rd St, 3rd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90048
310-858-2800
www.metrotheatres.com
PG 44
NATIONAL TICKET COMPANY
P.O. Box 547
Shamokin, PA 17872
Ginger Seidel
ticket@nationalticket.com
www.nationalticket.com
PG 44
NEC CORPORATION OF AMERICA
6535 North State Highway 161
Irving, Texas 75039
www.necam.com
INSIDE BACK COVER
PACKAGING CONCEPTS, INC.
9832 Evergreen Industrial Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63123
John Irace
314-329-9700
jji@packagingconceptsinc.com
www.packagingconceptsinc.com
PG 11
READY THEATRE SYSTEMS
4 Hartford Blvd.
Hartford, MI 49057
Mary Snyder / 865-212-9703x114
sales@rts-solutions.com
www.rts-solutions.com.com
PG 42
RETRIEVER SOFTWARE
7040 Avenida Encinas
Ste. 104-363
Carlsbad, CA 92011
760-929-2101
www.retrieversoftware.com
PG 42
SCREENVISION
1411 Broadway 33rd Fl.
New York, NY 10018
Darryl Schaffer
212-497-0480
www.screenvision.com
BACK COVER
SENSIBLE CINEMA SOFTWARE
7216 Sutton Pl.
Fairview, TN 37062
Rusty Gordon
615-799-6366
rusty@sensiblecinema.com
www.sensiblecinema.com
PG 44
SONY ELECTRONICS
One Sony Dr.
Park Ridge, NJ 07656
201-476-8603
www.sony.com/professional
PG 5
STERIFAB
NOBLE PINE PRODUCTS COMPANY
PO Box 41
Yonkers, NY 10710-0041
800-359-4913
www.sterifab.com
PG 43
USHIO AMERICA, INC.
5440 Cerritos Ave
Cypress, CA 90630
800-326-1960
www.ushio.com
PG 39
WHITE CASTLE
555 West Goodale St.
Columbus, OH 43215
Timothy Carroll
614-559-2453
carrollt@whitecastle.com
www.whitecastle.com
PG 18
Complete Theatre Management at Your Fingertips
Fast & Accurate Touch Screen Sales
Internet Ticketing & Kiosk Ordering
Dual Ticketing & Concession Sales
Reserved Seating
Customized Graphical Order Screens
Gift Cards & Customer Reward Programs
Credit Card Sales — faster than cash!
Gift Certificate Bar Code Scanning
Kitchen Prep System
Corporate Site Management
Real-time Report Updates
Remote Backup Support
Easy-to-Use Windows Back Office Software
Full Management Security
Real-Time Inventory & Cash Control
Employee Time Clock, Payroll & Labor Scheduling
Extensive Daily Management Reports
Automated Film Gross uploads
& Rental Calculation
Detailed Settlement History
Box Office, Concessions & Directional Signs
The best choice in
Touch Screen Ticketing,
Concessions and Complete
Theatre Management.
42 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011

Theatre equipment
supplier specializing
in full line theatre
stage and drape for
new construction
and remodels. Digital
installation available.
816-296-3354 office
916-296-7733 fax
www.cloudindustries.com
You’re not alone!
LICE
MOLD
GERMS
BED BUGS
FLEAS
BACTERIA
VIRUSES
®
800 359-4913 • STERIFAB.COM
JANUARY 2011 BOXOFFICE 43

CLASSIFIED ADS
DRIVE-IN CONSTRUCTION
DRIVE-IN SCREEN TOWERS since 1945. Selby Products
Inc., P.O. Box 267, Richfield, OH 44286. Phone: 330-659-
6631.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE
ASTER AUDITORIUM SEATING & AUDIO. We offer the
best pricing on good used projection and sound equipment.
Large quantities available. Please visit our website,
www.asterseating.com, or call 1-888-409-1414.
BOX OFFICE TICKETING AND CONCESSIONS EQUIP-
MENT. Stand-alone ticketing or fully integrated theater
ticketing and/or concessions systems are available. These
fully tested, remanufactured Pacer Theatre Systems have
extended full-service contracts available. Complete ticketing
and concessions systems starting at $2,975. Call Jason:
800-434-3098; www.sosticketing.com.
WWW.CINEMACONSULTANTSINTERNATIONAL.
COM. New and used projection and sound equipment,
theater seating, drapes, wall panels, FM transmitters, popcorn
poppers, concessions counters, xenon lamps, booth
supplies, cleaning supplies, more. Call Cinema Consultants
and Services International. Phone: 412-343-3900;
fax: 412-343-2992; sales@cinemaconsultantsinternational.
com.
CY YOUNG IND. INC. still has the best prices for replacement
seat covers, out-of-order chair covers, cupholder
armrests, patron trays and on-site chair renovations!
Please call for prices and more information. 800-729-
2610. cyyounginc@aol.com.
DOLPHIN SEATING At www.dolphinseating.com Find
today’s best available new seating deals 575-762-6468
Sales Office.
TWO CENTURY PROJECTORS, complete with base,
soundheads, lenses. Pott’s 3-deck platter,like new. Rebuilt
Christie lamp,goes to 150 amps. Model H-30. 603-747-
2608.
EQUIPMENT WANTED
OLD MARQUEE LETTERS WANTED Do you have the
old style slotted letters? We buy the whole pile. Any condition.
Plastic, metal, large, small, dirty, cracked, painted,
good or bad. Please call 800-545-8956 or write mike@
pilut.com.
MOVIE POSTERS WANTED: Collector paying TOP $$$
for movie posters, lobby cards, film stills, press books and
memorabilia. All sizes, any condition. Free appraisals! CASH
paid immediately! Ralph DeLuca, 157 Park Ave., Madison,
NJ 07940; phone: 800-392-4050; email: ralph@ralphdeluca.
com; www.ralphdeluca.com.
POSTERS & FILMS WANTED: Cash available for movie
posters and films (trailers, features, cartoons, etc.). Call
Tony 903-790-1930 or email postersandfilms@aol.com.
OLDER STEREO EQUIPMENT AND SPEAKERS, old
microphones, old theater sound systems and old vacuum
tubes. Phone Tim: 616-791-0867.
COLLECTOR WANTS TO BUY: We pay top money for any
1920-1980 theater equipment. We’ll buy all theater-related
equipment, working or dead. We remove and pick up anywhere
in the U.S. or Canada. Amplifiers, speakers, horns,
drivers, woofers, tubes, transformers; Western Electric, RCA,
Altec, JBL, Jensen, Simplex & more. We’ll remove installed
equipment if it’s in a closing location. We buy projection and
equipment, too. Call today: 773-339-9035. cinema-tech.com
email ILG821@aol.com.
AMERICAN ENTERTAINMENT PRODUCTS LLC is buying
projectors, processors, amplifiers, speakers, seating, platters.
If you are closing, remodeling or have excess equipment in
your warehouse and want to turn equipment into cash, please
call 866-653-2834 or email aep30@comcast.net. Need to
move quickly to close a location and dismantle equipment?
We come to you with trucks, crew and equipment, no job too
small or too large. Call today for a quotation: 866-653-2834.
Vintage equipment wanted also! Old speakers like Western
Electric and Altec, horns, cabinets, woofers, etc. and any tube
audio equipment, call or email: aep30@comcast.net.
AASA IS ASTER AUDITORIUM SEATING & AUDIO. We buy
and sell good used theater equipment. We provide dismantling
services using our trucks and well-equipped, professional
crew anywhere in the United States. Please visit our website,
www.asterseating.com, or call 1-888-409-1414.
FOR SALE
First run movie theater. Vibrant Vermont college town.
Vaudeville stage, 3 screens, 298 seats, renovated. $850,000.
802-999-9077.
FOR SALE Independent owned & operated, eight-screen,
all stadium-seating theater complex located in suburban Chicago.
Completely renovated in 2004. Seating capacity for
1,774 people within a 48,000-square-foot sqft building on
5.32 acres. Preliminary site plan approval for expansion of additional
screens. Proximate to national/regional retail and dining.
Strong ticket and concession revenues. Excellent business
or investment opportunity. Contact Kevin Jonas at 305-631-
6303 for details.
FIVE-PLEX, FULLY EQUIPPED AND OPERATIONAL:
$735,000, land, bldg., equip., NW Wisconsin. Priced $50,000
below appraised value. 715-550-9601.
THEATER FOR RENT 1,500 seating capacity. No hanging
balconies. Largest single screen in Chicagoland. Over 500,000
potential patrons, serving NW side of Chicago and suburbs.
Contact dkms72@hotmail.com.
THEATERS FOR SALE Three screens (370 seats), North Florida.
First-run, no competition 60 miles. Additional large multipurpose
room (75 seats), with HD projector on 13.5-by-7-foot
screen for birthday parties, conferences, receptions and café.
Contact 850-371-0028.
HELP WANTED
GENERAL MANAGER IN TRAINING AT CARMIKE CINE-
MAS All applicants must have prior managerial experience in
restaurant or theater, must be available to relocate, no bankruptcy
in past 7 years, pass a criminal/credit check. This position
requires working all holidays and weekends. Salary position
($24K/yr start) with benefits. Email resumes to tbauer@
carmike.com, no phone calls or faxes. EOE.
PARTNER AND/OR EXPERIENCED GM NEEDED for
ground floor opportunity in Arizona. New and popular “Brew
and View” concept in outstanding area. Contact Stadiumtheatres@aol.com
CARMIKE THEATERS IS LOOKING FOR EXPERIENCED
MULTIPLEX THEATER MANAGERS FOR IMMEDIATE
PLACEMENT. Candidates must have movie theater management
experience and be able to pass a criminal and credit
background check. We offer competitive salaries and benefits.
Please email resumes to tbauer@carmike.com.
GREAT ESCAPE THEATRES is a regional motion picture exhibition
company with 24 individual locations that include 275
screens throughout the Midwestern United States. Founded
in 1997, Great Escape is one of the fastest-growing movie
theater operators in the country. We are currently seeking a
motivated individual to fill our position as the chief financial officer
or vice president of finance and accounting. Please send
resumes to amccart@alianceent.com.
HELP improve movie-goer experiences and the industry, go to
movie-goer-rights.org or youtube.com/user/moviegoerrights
SERVICES
DULL FLAT PICTURE? RESTORE YOUR XENON REFLEC-
TORS! Ultraflat repolishes and recoats xenon reflectors. Many
reflectors available for immediate exchange. (ORC, Strong,
Christie, Xetron, others!) Ultraflat, 20306 Sherman Way, Winnetka,
CA 91306; 818-884-0184.
FROM DIRT TO OPENING DAY. 20-plus years of theater experience
with the know-how to get you going. 630-417-9792.
SEATING
AGGRANDIZE YOUR THEATER, auditorium, church or
school with quality used seating. We carry all makes of used
seats as well as some new seats. Seat parts are also available.
Please visit our website, www.asterseating.com, or call 888-
409-1414.
ALLSTATE SEATING specializes in refurbishing, complete
painting, molded foam, tailor-made seat covers, installations
and removals. Please call for pricing and spare parts for all
types of theater seating. Boston, Mass.; 617-770-1112; fax:
617-770-1140.
DOLPHIN SEATING At www.dolphinseating.com, find today’s
best available new seating deals: 575-762-6468 Sales Office.
THEATERS WANTED
WE’LL MANAGE YOUR THEATER OR SMALL CHAIN FOR
YOU. Industry veterans and current exhibitors with 40-plus
years’ experience. Will manage every aspect of operations and
maximize all profits for you. Call John LaCaze at 801-532-3300.
WELL-CAPITALIZED, PRIVATELY HELD, TOP 50 THE-
ATER CHAIN is looking to expand via theater acquisitions.
We seek profitable, first-run theater complexes with 6 to 14
screens located anywhere in the USA. Please call Mike at
320-203-1003 ext.105 or email: acquisitions@uecmovies.com
DIRECTOR OF FOOD AND BEVERAGE METROPOLITAN THEATRES, a fourth-generation, family-owned company
based in Los Angeles, is seeking a self-motivated professional to ensure premiere guest service and optimize food and
beverage profit at its 18 locations in California, Colorado, Idaho, Utah and British Columbia, Canada. Goal-oriented
and budget-minded candidates must have prior food and beverage experience, be available for
limited travel and possess excellent analytical, leadership and communication skills. Please send
resume and salary requirements to: jobs@metrotheatres.com
44 BOXOFFICE JANUARY 2011