‘Mockingjay’ Feasts On Another ‘Hunger Games’ Box Office Win
The third film in the franchise boasts over $56 million in its second weekend for an easy win over DreamWorks Animation’s The Penguins of Madagascar, which came in with an opening of $25.8 million. (SSN)
Last Week’s Hack Attack Continues To Cause Sony Major Headaches, as Movies Are Leaked Online
WWII actioner Fury, as well as upcoming films Annie, Mr. Turner and Still Alice, plus 2015 release To Write Love On Her Arms have all surfaced on file-sharing platforms over the Thanksgiving break as Sony emails remained incapacitated across the studio. (DH
Slamdance Announces Its 2015 Competition Lineup. Is Your Film On The List?
The festival, launched as an alternative to Sundance, has unveiled its narrative and documentary competition lineups for the 2015 fest on Jan. 23-29. It will be fest’s 21st year. (VAR)
Reports Of Kirk Douglas’s Death Have Been Grossly Misrepresented
People.com accidentally posts its pre-written obituary for the legendary actor and producer, even though it clearly reads, “DO NOT PUB” in the headline. Douglas turns 98 next week. (VAR)
On the Heels Of His Triumphant Directorial Debut, Dan Gilroy Lands a Big Writing Gig
The Nightcrawler helmer has signed on to adapt John Huddy’s non-fiction book Stomring Las Vegas for Antoine Fuqua. Story follows the rags-to-riches story of Jose Vigoa, who has been described as a modern-day Robin Hood. (EMP)
It Should Come as No Surprise That There Is a ‘Frozen’ Sequel “In the Works”
The film’s star, Idina Menzel, confirms that Disney is working on a new chapter in the Frozen world, as well as a stage show. She says she is signed up for the former, but not the latter. (TG)
The ‘Peanuts’ Movie Coming Out Next Year Has Revealed Its Voice Cast
The film from producer Paul Feig and director Steve Martino will highlight the vocal stylings of talents like Noah Schnapp, Hadley Belle Miller, AJ Tecce, and Venus Schultheis, among others. The film will be in theaters November 6th, 2015. (COL)
Trailer Buzz: ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’
In the off chance you haven’t seen the first teaser trailer for Episode VII of George Lucas’s decades-spanning space opera, directed by J.J. Abrams, here it is, in all its splendor. Film arrives in theaters December 18th, 2015. (MF)
First Look: ‘Southpaw’
The initial image from the new drama, written by Sons of Anarchy creator Kurt Sutter, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring a transformed and almost unrecognizable Jake Gyllenhaal. The movie does not yet have a release date, but will be out in 2015. (TP)
Screenwriters: Must Your Hero Have a Story-Level Goal?
A lot of screenwriting books explain how screenplays must be structured around goals such as stopping the villain, finding the murderer, freeing someone, stealing something, etc. But there are films that are not constructed using this “required” element and still work. (SM)