May 14, 2012

Don Corleone has powerful friends.

The estate of Godfather author Mario Puzo, who died in 1999, has come to terms with Paramount pictures, allowing an all new book about the New York don to be published later this year.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Family Corleone – which chronicles the rise to gang-world dominance of Vito Corleone – will hit store shelves now that the studio has agreed to stop efforts to block its publication.

Earlier this year Paramount sued the late author’s estate, claiming that it had a copyright interest on Puzo’s original Godfather novel and that it had the “sole and exclusive right to make and cause to be made literary and dramatic and other versions and adaptations of every kind and character.”

Paramount claimed that earlier sequel novels published by the estate had tarnished the Godfather legacy and expressed concern that the new prequel novel would do the same.

The agreement has not settled the ongoing dispute between the two parties, however, both sides have merely agreed to allow for the publishing of the one novel. The agreement does not have any bearing on any other books the estate may attempt to release.

Bert Fields, who represents the estate, says Paramount is the bad guy in this scenario. “Paramount extorted this by threatening to shut down the publication unless we agreed to do this… I think what Paramount is doing is outrageous. This is the guy who saved the studio.”

(Image: Paramount)

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May 14, 2012

The head honcho at superhero movie studio Marvel says the company is currently developing two top-secret projects.

Bloomberg reports that studio chief Kevin Fiege has revealed that, along with Iron Man 3, Thor 2 and Captain America 2, Marvel is also at work on the early stages of two other superhero projects based on the comic company’s characters.

The producer says the phenomenal success of The Avengers has emboldened the studio.

“We want to do two films a year,” Feige says. “Avengers is our only film this year. In a week and a half, we begin filming Iron Man 3. By the end of the summer we’ll be working on the next Thor film, early next year the next Captain America film.

“Those are the three we’ve announced so far. We’ve got two beyond that that we haven’t announced yet that we’re working on.”

According to NME, speculation as to what the two new projects may be includes such guesses as a solo outing for Scarlett Johansson’s Avenger Black Widow, a new Hulk movie starring Mark Ruffalo and even a potential Ant-Man film, to be helmed by Scott Pilgrim vs. the World director Edgar Wright.

Avengers, the studio’s current film, just crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office.

(Image: Marvel/Paramount)

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May 14, 2012

Following the global success of The Avengers, Sony Pictures plans to premiere their upcoming superhero blockbuster The Amazing Spider-Man in India before it opens here.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Spidey will swing into Indian theatres June 29, while the picture will appear on North American screens July 3.

The film, which stars Indian actor Irrfan Khan, is expected to do boffo box office in the country, due to the incredible success of Sony’s previous Spider-Man flicks.

“Each of the Spider-Man franchise films has broken records on its release in this territory,” says Sony India exec Kercy Daruwala. “We are very confident that Indian audiences will enjoy the new reboot of the franchise even more because they are watching it before the U.S. and also, as this film has an India connection.”

Spider-Man 3 had been the top grossing movie of all time in India, prior to the release of James Cameron’s Avatar, which now holds the crown.

The movie has likely been fueled in part by the international success of those other Marvel crime-fighters, The Avengers.

The L.A. Times reports that the super-group of super friends has grossed over $1 billion at the global box office, thanks in no small part to the $628.9 million it’s grossed outside of North America.

(Photo by PR Photos)

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May 14, 2012

George Lucas has abandoned plans to transform his estate into a movie studio and instead wants to turn the complex into low-income housing.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Star Wars mastermind is now working with the Marin Community Foundation to build affordable housing at Marin County’s Grady Ranch, following complaints by his neighbours over plans to develop a studio on the site.

The Ranch, located in the Lucas Valley Estates, was to be the site of a 263,701-square-foot “digital technology production complex.” Lucas has now abandoned those plans, blaming the local Lucas Valley Estates Homeowners Association.

“The level of bitterness and anger expressed by the homeowners in Lucas Valley has convinced us that, even if we were to spend more time and acquire the necessary approvals, we would not be able to maintain a constructive relationship with our neighbors,” Lucas writes in a letter explaining his decision, according to Movies.com.

Instead, the filmmaker is now hoping to make the property suitable for low-income homeowners.

Thomas Peters, president and CEO of the Marin Community Foundation, welcomed the news.

“We don’t know yet what might be able to be developed there,” he says. “But the notion of being able to explore his property and see if some beautifully designed family or senior housing can be developed there is too wonderful to pass up.”

Though the same neighbours that protested the studio plans have also said low-income housing is unsuitable for the area, Lucas and Peters reportedly believe the project is viable.

(Photo by PR Photos)

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May 14, 2012

What’s Pee-Wee’s Secret Word of the Day? The word is: SOON – at least according to Paul Reubens, the comedian who created the iconic, beloved and all around wacky Pee-Wee Herman.

Reubens tells Collider that good progress is being made on plans to revive the beloved character in a new feature film to be produced by Bridesmaids producer Judd Apatow. Asked how things are going regarding plans for the film, Reubens couldn’t conceal his excitement.

“It’s going great!” he says. “We have a meeting this coming week, and we just did a very quick little rewrite on it.  As far as I know, it’s getting shot very soon.”

The funnyman, who debuted the character more than thirty years ago on an HBO special and later played the bow-tied Herman in two films (Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure and Big Top Pee-Wee) and a Saturday Morning variety show (Pee-Wee’s Playhouse), says he was supposed to stay quiet about plans for the film, but can’t help himself because of his own enthusiasm.

“I actually wasn’t supposed to talk about it,” he says, admitting the news “got leaked about six months to a year before it was supposed to.

“I’ve been warned not to talk about any of my new projects, but that I can talk about because I blew it and it’s out.  It’s even on IMDB now.  So, that’s supposedly any minute.”

Reubens says that following years of disgrace after an indecent exposure charge in 1991, his career is now firmly back on track. “Right after that, I’m following that up with two incredibly exciting projects.  I would give anything to be able to just brag to you right now and drop some names, but I can’t.”

The actor most recently revived the character in 2010 with the Broadway show The Pee-Wee Herman Stage Show: The Return.

(Photo by PR Photos)

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