MAY, 13

MOVIES RELEASED

1-LONDON UNDERGROUND

Horror / Slasher
Directed by Stephen Sommers
Starring Liv Tyler, Ryan Gosling, Julie Delpy, Sean William Scott
Box Office: 25 mill.
Net Loss: 6 mill.


CMP Reaction: At least net gains were expected… The bad streak goes on…

2-SPACE QUEST: TIME FOR SURVIVORS

Sci-Fi / Action
Directed and Produced by Roland Emmerich
Starring Kiefer Sutherland, Rachel Weisz, Morgan Freeman, Matthew McGouneghy, Milla Jovovich, Gabriel Byrne
Box Office: 42 mill.
Net Gains: 8 mill.

CMP Reaction: A poor breakdown. It had it all to be a record breaking franchise… but the truth is that it never got to be.

THE CRITICS CORNER

1-LONDON UNDERGROUND

“There’s nothing new in this movie. The premise takes a lot from 80’s and 90’s teen horror franchises such as ‘I Know What You Did Last Summer’. A sequence of common places is not enough to make an appealing movie”
-Anne Roman

“Probably, Wes Craven could have done something with this material but, probably, Stephen Sommers is not the right director for a horror movie. Nothing to say about the cast: they just show the correct expressions of fear”.
-Jack Carter

“I loved ‘Cursed Neverland’. Probably, the best horror movie I’ve seen in a long time. Matt Kubrick wrote a brilliant screenplay for that one. This time, I have the feeling that the plot was not elaborated enough and it just stayed in quite a few clichés. “
-Lilly Stevens

2-SPACE QUEST: TIME FOR SURVIVORS

“Emmerich and Connors have been brave enough to develop an original story in a time where it seems that all the movies have to be based in a comic or a computer game. Things are much easier if audiences previously know the material. But they took the risk of creating a whole new saga and that deserves my applause”.
-Charlie Kiggs

“Space Quest definitely is not Star Wars. I’m not sure if they pretended it or not. The truth is that, after three movies, Emmerich has not been capable of creating a whole new universe, just a galactic adventure sustained on decent special effects and a weak storyline that does not trap as much as it pretended”.
-Roy Winslow

“This saga is like those episodic B-series movies of the 50’s. In that sense, I enjoyed it as an old way of making a sci-fi adventure movie. I personally think it deserved a better luck.”
-Will Hart

AWAITING RELEASE

1-HITMAN: THICKER BLOOD

The Cast: Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Paul Bettany, Patrick Stewart, Sean Bean

The Director: Tony Scott
The Screenwriter: John Daws

The Plot: After the events of the last movie and the danger that came to Father Michaels JJ left and moved out to lead a simple 'normal' life.
He has met Louise Carter and they are becoming good friends but she finds him quite mysterious and strange. Either way things seem quite a lot better for him now.
Until Sean Bean is found responsible for an explosion of Scotland Yard. Father Michaels is once again compelled to get JJ into action to once again work with the Police to bring down Sean Bean. A series of other bombings at parliament an trafalgur square starts to send JJ on a wild goose chase.
The main point is distraction for what is simply a robbery of the bank of england.
Meanwhile JJ is fighting demons and the innocent deaths are giving him horrid nightmares and flashbacks of brutal way Lisa Offen went in the previous film. Louise who is oblivious to the problems is there to console him seemingly unaware of his other life he is currently leading.
Soon they realise that it is Paul Bettany who is behind this. Why is JJ being bought into this and why is Bettany after money? He already has a fortune from previous dealings and does not need to take this risk.
With JJ fighting emotional battle and worried for Lousies and Father Michaels safety he foils the plot and brings Sean Bean in.
Meanwhile Father Michaels is once again captured.
JJ arrives to tell him the trouble is over only to see Michaels in the same device that took Lisa Offens life. He however is already dead possibly from heart attack. A heart renching scene shows the pure emotion when he is buried and given a ceremony which only he and Louise attends.
At the end of the ceremony the priest recognises Louise but cannot place where he had seen her. She tells him he is mistaken.
JJ realises Bettany must be behind it. He now needs to seek revenge and does not relent in tracking down the clues left at the murder scene. Louise is bought in on who JJ is and proceeds to help JJ. They finally track Bettany down and JJ confronts him. As he pulls is ready to kill Bettany Louise pulls a gun at JJ
He cannot understand what is happening and she tells him that she is in fact Louise Offen and sister to Lisa. She blames him for her death after Paul Bettany had found her and told her the false truth that JJ had done the killing in the chair with nails. Bettany had used her as a spy and a plot device to get JJ into the open on a trail that led him to his death.
Reasoning does not help JJ as he soon sees Blood is thicker than the truth...it becomes apparent that Louise had killed Father Michaels as revenge for Lisa. JJ is fuelled with emotion and anger and it is unsure if he is going to kill Louise, Bettany or both.
He quickly overpowers Louise and goes for Bettany. JJ is shot by Louise and Bettany runs to her. JJ gets up and Bettany grabs Louise and uses her as a shield.
JJ still angry explains he no longer cares for her safety as she is a cold murderer as well. He cannot forgive her. She does not understand Bettanys actions and Bettany tells her how she has been misled and that it was Bettanys work that led to her sister’s death.
She cannot believe what she has done but promptly struggles free and gives JJ the free shot which he takes.
JJ is now left with one killer and he points the gun to her head.
He tells her this is where he shot her sister. He did this so that she did not feel pain, did not feel the pain his 'Father' had done. He tells her that he now lives with his actions everyday and how it is like being in that same chair that she was in all day long.
He pulls the gun away and proceeds to lift Louise up. They kiss and slowly walk away.
The end.

The Comment: A brilliant and twisting action screenplay. The Hitman saga has grown up from movie to movie until becoming one of CMP’s most popular franchises. In this one, Keira Knightley is gone, but it doesn’t have to be a reason for not expecting an enormous success.


2-VISIONARIES

The Cast: Hugh Jackman, Hillary Swank, Ben Kingsley, Joaquim Phoenix, Jeremy Irons, Benicio Del Toro, Lucy Liu

The Director and Producer: Bryan Singer
The Screenwriter: Marcus Trax

The Plot: Based on the 1980's cartoon of the same name. On the planet Prysmos the two suns align and suddenly all the technology on the planet ceases to function. In it's wake sorcerers and witches emerge from a millenium old slumber to usher in a new Age, an Age of Magic. In the aftermath after the fall of the Age of Technology laws crumble and criminals rise to power as warlords, only those who remember civilization represent the old ways. Two of these factions one lead by Leoric (H.Jackman) a Spectral Knight (in that faction: Hillary Swank, Joaquim Phoenix) and one lead by Lord Darkstorm (J.Irons) a Darkling Lord (in this faction Benicio del Toro, Lucy Liu), each vie for control of what was once the capital city. A sorcerer (B.Kingsley) however offers both of them and their inner circles great magic, the magic to do great deeds and transform themselves into magical animals, their totems. With this magic the war has truely begun.

The Comment: One of the big bets of CMP for this Season. A mythological and fantasy adventure that may lead to a saga. Extremely high budget and extremely high expectations.


THE INTERVIEW SERIES – MATT KUBRICK
By Amy Ratched

What else can be said about Matt Kubrick by now. Writer of countless CMP’s movies, successful director, three times GMA nominee and now Head of his own Production Company, ‘Midnight Movies’. Probably, CMP would have never taken off without his hard work and his talent. Prolific and versatile, Kubrick’s name has been behind all kind of movies from horror to animation, sci-fi, action, love and drama.

A.R.:You are one of the most experienced and prolific writers of CMP. How do you feel about your screenwriting career? What movies do you feel more proud of?
M.K.: Oh man, I am so proud of my screenwriting career! it has been a great experience and am happy with the opportunities I have recieved because of them. What movies am I most proud of? well that is a hard one because I put a lot of hard work into everything I write but I am most proud with Home, Cursed Neverland and Wild Cards, The company.

A.R.:There are rumours about a twist in the story of one of your most popular franchises, ‘Wild Cards’. Can you tell us something about it?
M.K.: You'll just have to see the movie (laughs)

A.R.:You have teamed up with people like Oliver Stone, Michael Bay, Quentin Tarantino… What is true about the rumours of resurrecting Ace Banner together with Tarantino?
M.K.:It is true that I am at the moment writing a screenplay with Quentin for the new Ace Banner. I can't discuss plot details at the moment but I am happy with the way things are going and we are taking the character in a new direction.

A.R.:And how about ‘Robotech’? That’s such a profitable franchise and the only not live action movies that have worked for CMP. Do you still plan to write six movies for this franchise, as you one said?
M.K.:Well of course Robotech is one of the greatest animated cartoons of the 80s and I plan on doing all six of them. I have some ideas I want to take the next half of the storyline in and it won't be based on any of the stories from the TV series but it will take place after the events of the first three and will include an aging Rick Hunter as a commander.

A.R.:We have to touch a controversial issue. You are the author of the screenplay of ‘The Company’. How do you feel about the whole controversy? Do you think it is justified?
M.K.:That is a very good question there and while I was writing the screenplay I knew that there would be some people who would be mad about it. Religion is a touchy subject for a lot of people. I wanted to write a screenplay that would make people think and question who they are what they believe in. I don't want them thinking in a bad way and wasn't trying to put religion down I just wanted to write something that would make people think for themselves and maybe look at the world a little different like all good movies do.

A.R.:It is obvious you are a big fan of horror movies. You created Darkman and also wrote ‘Cursed Neverland’ and ‘London Underground’. Why do you like horror so much?
M.K.:Well I think horror has been burned into my mind by my parents (Laughs) I remember when I was about 6 I saw Poltergiest and there is this scene in the movie where this guy starts peeling of the skin from his face and it just scared the crap out of me and my mom was outside she comes in and I was terrified as hell. Sleepaway camp, that twist ending also gave me more than a few nightmares when I was younger. My point is kids love to be scared, they know they'll have nightmares, they'll stay up late and watch these. But later on they go back for more.

A.R.:Your debut as director was with a Friday 13th’s movie. Was that a satisfactory experience?
M:K::Well looking back at it, it could have been a little better. But I've learned a lot from that experience so yeah. It was a great time and I got to work with a talented cast. How come the reviewers didn't point out how well the cast played their parts?

A.R.:Let’s talk more about your directing career. I was surprised to see you directing a movie like ‘Home’. I thought you were more interested in horror or sci-fi. How was that you decided to make ‘Home’?
M.K.:Well I wanted to make a movie for the troops over in Iraq putting the lives on the line. I love Horror and sci fi but I also want to tell good stories and make people care.

A.R.:You have been nominated for the GMA a few times. Are you looking forward to win it some day or you don’t care about awards?
M.K.:It would be nice to win an award someday but I'm not to worried about it. If I win one I win one. That is about it really.

A.R.:What can you tell us about future projects?
M.K.: Well, there is a lot of screenplays that I've written and are waiting for the greenlight. A children's comedy about a summer camp, Voorhees 2, I would like to direct or produce a Dungeons and Dragons film at some point but I'm on the fence about it and waiting to see how the other ones turns out first. Oh yeah and also a new project I haven't told the studio yet, I am in the middle of negotiations for another comic series I can't say the name yet but I'll give you a hint: it's Top Cow's most famous comic

MOVIES IN DEVELOPMENT

WARLAND: Alter quite a few years without working in front of the cameras, Mel Gibson will return to the screens as an actor playing a veteran, cynical and alcoholised war journalist and the third side of a love triangle with Julia Roberts and Edward Burns. Gibson has stated about it: ‘’In so many ways it is like revisiting the character I played in ‘The Year Of Living Dangerously’ something like 25 years later: this guy is wiser but also tired and much more sceptical”.

DUNGEONS & DRAGONS: Expect another neverending cast for this one. Claire Danes will play the main female role. And she’ll have to do it quickly as Danes has to join the shooting of the new episode of ‘The Great War Series’ that will begin soon.

NINE: It seems like Antonio Banderas will be the only man in the set of Rob Marshall’s musical. The plot focuses in the complex relationships between Banderas, a famous movie director, and the women in his life: a patient wife, a sexy lover, an erotic obsession and a tough producer. This last one, the producer, will be played by Catherine Z. Jones. She already worked with Banderas in the Zorro movies and with Marshall in ‘Chicago’.

EUREKA!: The comedy will have a funny cameo. Christopher Lloyd will appear in the story playing himself. As the movie is a comedy about scientists, it looks as if Lloyd will make a tribute to his remembered character in the ‘Back to the future’ franchise. Seth Green has also joined the cast in a supporting role.

RETURN OF THE LAST LAWMAN: The Lawman movies were conceived to be major blockbusters. The first one only got a decent box office. But Robert Rodriguez, Jack Hammer and Will Smith are decided to do everything possible to launch the franchise with this second one. It is said that CMP’s Marketing Department is making a huge (and very expensive) marketing plan to attract audiences to this one.

THE GROTTO: Green light for this original horror story from Marcus Trax that will offer a dark, very dark vision of Santa Claus. Once again, after what happened with Peter Pan in ‘Cursed Neverland’, it seems like CMP wants to destroy all our childhood myths.

CAROUSEL: Green light too for the third CMP’s musical of the season. Ted Froats has adapted the Rodgers & Hammerstein’s dark story. It is expected to be a big (and expensive) production. The name of movie and stage director Sam Mendes sounds as the most certain candidate to turn the story into images.

THE COMPANY: After the end of the trilogy ‘The Heirs’, it seems like Sean Penn has decided to accept every offer he is made. Just finished ‘Dakota North’, Sean Penn will play the main role of the story (the character Russell Crowe rejected to play): a modern version of the biblical Cain. Latest news about the controversy in the ‘Rumours and Gossips’ section.

PAPERBACK STORY: Woody Allen’s muse in his latest movies will also be in this one. Scarlett Johansson (‘Chevrolet’, ‘The Little Sister’) returns to CMP to be Sean Connery’s young lover in this comedy about crossed relationships. The shooting has started in a peculiar location: Stockholm.

STAR WARS: MYSTERIES OF THE SITH: Finally, here is the complete (and long) cast of the most expected sequel: Tobey Maguire, Catherine Z. Jones, Katie Holmes, Adrien Brody, Patrick Stewart, Daniel Craig, Gary Oldman, Michael Chiklis, Tilda Swinton and Ron Pearlman. Exhausting, isn’t it?

COMING SOON – THE ADD


RUMOURS AND GOSSIPS

Jack Hammer will make a turn in his writing career. We are used to see him related to pretty classic concepts. But next season Hammer will direct an adventure movie with plenty of digital effects based in a popular computer game. Hammer has already directed for CMP the film noir ‘The Little Sister’.

The Vatican has rejected to make an official press release about ‘The Company’, although some religious lobbies asked them to. In a brief statement, its Press Office rejected to make a moral pronouncement about the movie and only demanded respect for the institution, the feelings of believers and the values and principles they represent.

After directing the successful ‘Deep Silence’ and producing the flop ‘Minos’, James Cameron is already working in his new movie as director and producer for CMP. It will be released in Season 5 and the only thing known about it is that it will be a very ambitious sci-fi production about the colonization of a new planet.

According to CMP’s internal sources, Bryan Singer has spent way beyond the approved budget for ‘Visionaries’. In fact, the movie has become the most expensive CMP’s production ever, even superior to ‘Star Wars: New Order’. Some throats may be cut in the Studio if it does not work well enough.

INSIDE CMP

Alter last box office breakdowns, Julian Jones has admitted that it will be very hard for CMP to repeat the financial results of past Season. In the next few weeks, the main productions of this Season will be released and there’s still a slight hope that benefits will be high enough to present a nice balance sheet by the end of the Season.

The production schedule for Season 5 is almost closed, although some variations can still be done depending on possible sequels and new pitches. Harry Stark has only said about it: “In Season 5, we have some great novelties waiting. There are a few big productions that probably will become major CMP’s franchises. We want to work on new concepts and there’s a lot of that in the production schedule”. Beside that, it is confirmed that CMP will use Smirkworthy’s databases from Season 5, although slight changes will be introduced in the databases to include some talents missing in them.

Hard to believe but absolutely true. Some amazing coincidences (and Harry Stark can swear they are coincidences). According to www.imdb.com, a remake of ‘Westworld’ is in development phase by a Hollywood’s Studio. Will they also transform robots in clones like CMP did in its own remake? And another coincidence even more ubelievable (but Stark swears again it's absolutely true): just a few minutes after CMP decided that Rob Marshall would direct ‘Nine’, Harry Stark was looking at IMDB and he founded that Rob Marshall is attached to a movie in production phase as choreographer. Its title? NINE!

SEASON 4 WORLWIDE GROSS TOP 5

1. ROBOTECH 3 – 85 mill.
2. SOUTH EAST – 75 mill.
3. UNCOMMON VALOUR: A SHOW OF CONFIDENCE – 71 mill.
4. THE LAW – 68 mill.
5. THE HEIRS - PART 3 – 63 mill.