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Cage "Pleased" With Turner Libel Victory
7 April 2008 (WENN)
Nicolas Cage is "extremely pleased" to have won a libel lawsuit against Kathleen Turner after she accused the actor of drunk-driving and theft in her new autobiography. Cage began libel proceedings against his Peggy Sue Got Married co-star at London's High Court in February after claiming Turner's memoir Send Yourself Roses was full of false claims about him. In the book - which was serialized in British newspaper The Daily Mail - Turner alleged Cage deliberately disobeyed his director uncle Francis Ford Coppola on the set of their 1986 movie, adding he also found himself in trouble with police while filming. And the Romancing The Stone star was subsequently forced to apologize to Cage. The newspaper was ordered to make a substantial donation to charity, publish an apology and remove the offending article from its website. Turner has also agreed to insert a correction and apology into copies of her book. Cage's U.K. lawyer Simon Smith insists the star is delighted with the verdict. He says, "(Cage is) extremely pleased, since he has never been arrested for drunk-driving, dog theft or anything else. As an actor who stars in many family-friendly films and who has a young child and teenager of his own, Mr. Cage was understandably upset at having been wrongly depicted as condoning that sort of reckless, dangerous and criminal behavior."

Cage Not Accused of Tax Fraud
25 February 2008 (WENN)
On February 20, 2008, World Entertainment News Network (WENN) distributed a story about actor Nicolas Cage under the headline "Cage Accused of Tax Fraud." WENN has since been advised by Mr. Cage's legal advisors the headline is untrue and he has not in fact been accused of tax fraud, and that, to the contrary, Mr. Cage initiated legal proceedings against the Commissioner of Internal Revenue challenging certain decisions of America's Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and not vice versa. WENN regrets this error and apologizes to Mr. Cage for any distress this erroneous article caused. --WENN Editors

Cage Accused of Tax Fraud
21 February 2008 (WENN)
Actor Nicolas Cage has been accused of using his production company to "wrongly write off $3.3 million in personal expenses." The National Treasure star is fighting an Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payment after allegedly using his Los Angeles-based company, Saturn Productions, to pay for "limos, meals, gifts, travel," reports New York gossip column PageSix.com. However, a spokesman for the star says the items were "security needs." Cage has filed a U.S. Tax Court lawsuit disputing $814,000 in taxes and penalties while Saturn is refusing to pay the IRS $988,000.

Turner Apologizes to Cage Over Book Claims
14 February 2008 (WENN)
Kathleen Turner has apologized to Nicolas Cage for "causing distress" by accusing the actor of drink-driving and theft in her new autobiography. Cage began libel proceedings against his Peggy Sue Got Married co-star in London's High Court last week after claiming her new book Send Yourelf Roses was full of false claims about him. In the book, Turner alleges Cage went to great lengths to disobey his director uncle Francis Ford Coppola on the set of their 1986 movie, adding he found himself in trouble with police while filming. But the 53-year-old actress insists she had no intention for the contents of her book to upset Cage, or anybody else, and is deeply sorry for any hurt caused. She says, "I guess what I can say is I'm truly sorry if I caused distress or harm, because one thing is for sure - I never, ever intended to do that. This is what I remember, these are my thoughts and (they were) certainly not intended to damage anyone else."

Cage To Sue Turner Over "False" Book Claims
11 February 2008 (WENN)
Hollywood star Nicolas Cage has begun legal proceedings against his Peggy Sue Got Married co-star Kathleen Turner after she accused him of drunk driving and theft in her new autobiography. In the autobiography, Send Yourself Roses, the 53-year-old insists Cage went to great lengths to disobey his uncle and the director of the 1986 comedy, Francis Ford Coppola - and even got in trouble with the police while filming. Turner writes, "Everything Francis wanted him (Cage) to do, he went against to show that he wasn't under his uncle's wing. Which was ridiculous. Oh, that stupid voice of his and the fake teeth! Honestly, I cringe to think about it. He caused so many problems. He was arrested twice for drunk driving and, I think, once for stealing a dog. He'd come across a Chihuahua he liked and stuck it in his jacket." On Friday Cage, 44, has issued libel proceedings against the actress at the High Court in London. A spokesman for the actor says, "The libel action follows false allegations that appear in the forthcoming autobiography. As legal proceedings have been commenced, it would be inappropriate to comment further."

Cage Hits Back at Turner's "Difficult" Claims
24 January 2008 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage has hit back after Kathleen Turner accused him of behaving like a diva when they starred in 1986 comedy Peggy Sue Got Married. The film - which earned Turner a Best Actress Oscar nomination - was directed by Cage's uncle Francis Ford Coppola and Turner insisted the actor went to great lengths to disobey his famous relative. In her forthcoming autobiography, Send Yourself Roses, Turner, writes, "Everything Francis Ford Coppola) wanted him (Cage) to do, he went against to show that he wasn't under his uncle's wing. Which was ridiculous. Oh, that stupid voice of his and the fake teeth! Honestly, I cringe to think about it. He caused so many problems." She also went on to accuse the National Treasure star of getting in trouble with the police while they were filming. She adds, "He was arrested twice for drunk driving and, I think, once for stealing a dog. He'd come across a Chihuahua he liked and stuck it in his jacket." But Cage, insists the 53-year-old's book is inaccurate. He tells New York Post gossip column PageSix, "While I recall Kathleen Turner being a great lady and wonderful actress, the credibility of her biography and her memory is at stake . . . Fact credibility should have been exercised on (her) part."

More 'Treasure' in Store at Box Office
28 December 2007 (StudioBriefing)
No new films are scheduled to open wide this weekend, leaving a clear field for National Treasure: Book of Secrets, starring Nicolas Cage, to repeat as the No. 1 film. Traditionally, films that open over the Christmas holiday do not suffer the usual decline of 50-percent or more in ticket sales during their second weekend. Treasure, which opened with $44.8 million over the three-day weekend last week, is expected to take in $35-40 million this weekend. I Am Legend is almost certain to repeat in second place but could be overtaken by Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, which opened on Christmas Day.

Cage Prowler Was Naked
4 October 2007 (WENN)
The man found wandering around Nicolas Cage's California house was naked apart for a jacket stolen from the actor. The Oscar winner called a security guard at his gated community in Newport Beach in the early hours of Monday morning after spotting tailor Robert Furo inside his home. Los Angeles police officer Lieutenant Craig Fox reveals that Cage was upstairs with his son Kal-El when he heard noises downstairs. And he was stunned by what he saw. Fox says, "He was standing there naked - except for the leather jacket." Cage is said to have to told Furo to take off the jacket before escorting him off the premises "without a struggle." Furo has been charged with burglary. He pleaded not guilty at the arraignment and is being held on $50,000 bail.

Cage Confronts Prowler Inside Home
3 October 2007 (WENN)
Nicolas Cage had the shock of his life in the early hours of Monday morning - when he awoke to find a man prowling around his California property. The Oscar-winning Leaving Las Vegas star called a security guard at his gated community in Newport Beach after spotting tailor Robert Furo walking inside his home while wearing one of his jackets. Furo was arrested at 2am and has been charged with burglary. He pleaded not guilty at the arraignment and is being held on $50,000 bail.

Cage Teams Up With Son for New Comic Book Series
4 July 2007 (WENN)
Actor Nicolas Cage is teaming up with his teenage son to launch their own line of comic books. The Ghost Rider star and 16-year-old Weston Cage are releasing their six-issue illustrated series Voodoo Child through Virgin Comics on July 11. When renowned comic fan Cage senior was approached with the idea of starting his own animated series books, he suggested his own son come on board. Cage recalls, "I said I didn't have any ideas, but I told them my son might. He has been drawing comics since he was three. He was a natural to do it." Voodoo Child is set in New Orleans, Louisiana in the aftermath of 2005's Hurricane Katrina, and follows a detective as he investigates the disappearance of several young girls. The title character is Gabriel Moore, a child murdered by secessionist soldiers in the 19th century, who is resurrected by a voodoo priest.

'Ghost Rider' Rides To Top of DVD Charts
21 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The Nicolas Cage comic-book mutation Ghost Rider, a surprise megahit at the box office last February when it opened with $52 million and went on to earn $116 million domestically, had an equally successful debut in the video stores last week. The movie topped both the DVD sales and rental charts, according to Home Media Magazine. The Eddie Murphy comedy Norbit, which headed both lists last week, dropped to fourth place.

September in April at Box Office
30 April 2007 (StudioBriefing)
There was likely to be hand-wringing aplenty at the studios today (Monday) in the aftermath of a weekend in which the top film earned less than $10 million and the top 12 movies took in a combined $62.9 million. Ordinarily, that's the kind of box-office total that analysts expect in September, when kids return to school. Spider-Man 3, which opens Friday, is expected to earn twice that amount -- on its own -- next weekend. For the third week in a row, the Shia LeBeouf peeping Tom horror flick Disturbia held on to the No. 1 position. It's the first time a movie has performed a box-office hat trick since December 2004. Disney's The Invisible opened in second place with $7.6 million. Audiences appeared tired of seeing Nicolas Cage in second-rate movies. His Next debuted in third place with $7.2 million, resulting in Paramount first outright dud this year.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Disturbia, $9.1 million; 2. The Invisible, $7.6 million; 3. Next, $7.2 million; 4. Fracture, $7.1 million; 5. Blades of Glory, $5.2 million; 6. Meet the Robinsons, $4.84 million; 7. Hot Fuzz, $4.8 million; 8. Vacancy, $4.2 million; 9. The Condemned, $4 million; 10. Are We Done Yet?, $3.4 million.

Movie Reviews: 'Next'
27 April 2007 (StudioBriefing)
With Next, Nicolas Cage again receives better reviews than the movie he's appearing in. Only a few weeks ago, Cage starred in Ghost Rider, which received nearly universal condemnation by critics -- who nevertheless gave good marks to Cage, with several wondering about his script choices. The film turned out to be one of the biggest hits of the year, thanks, presumably, to Cage's ability to draw a crowd. "Mr. Cage remains an insistently watchable screen presence, as even this dopey movie proves," Manohla Dargis acknowledges in the New York Times. But besides Cage, Next also features a script based on a short story by sci-fi genius Philip K. Dick, a performance by Oscar nominee Julianne Moore, and a cameo appearance by Peter Falk. David Germain comments for the Associated Press that the movie simply "shows how a solid crew of filmmakers and performers can apply a big-studio budget to a good story idea and still have everything come out wrong." How wrong? Well, Peter Howell in the Toronto Star dismisses it as "this straight-to-DVD wannabe;" Chris Kaltenbach in the Baltimore Sun calls it "the silliest movie of 2007;" Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times concludes: "The title pretty much sums it up." And that title, writes Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe at Nicolas "Cage's rate of production, could be the name of all his upcoming movies."

Cage Holds Breath for Two Minutes on Letterman's Show
27 April 2007 (WENN)
Nicolas Cage held his breath for two minutes on David Letterman's talk show Wednesday night - for the first time in more than 30 years. The 43-year-old actor, whose new movie Next opens Friday in America, last went without air for 120 seconds when he was 12 and decided to give it another go. Before taking a deep breath, Cage said, "We were talking about the fact my character (in Next) can see two minutes into his own future and I said I can't do that. But I do recall when I was 12 I could hold my breath for two minutes. When I was 12. I don't know if I can do it again, but I will try." While he held his breath, television viewers were treated to the trailer for Next. And when a successful Cage finally emerged for air, he quipped, "I'd like to see Spider-Man do that!"

Cage Con Man Sentenced to Jail
25 April 2007 (WENN)
A con man who tricked actor Nicolas Cage out of $300,000 by posing as a classic car salesman has been jailed for five years. Peter Brotman, 47, sold cars including a 1964 Rolls-Royce, a 1988 Aston Martin and a 1954 Jaguar on consignment, but kept the money he received to pay off other debts and fund his lavish lifestyle. The Ghost Rider star became a victim of Brotman in April 2004, when he failed to hand over the full proceeds from the sale of three Ferraris and a Cobra. Brotman was sentenced to five years imprisonment yesterday after pleading guilty to 14 counts of mail, wire and bank fraud charges. He was also ordered to pay $1.8 million in compensation to his numerous targets. Assistant U.S. Attorney Floyd J. Miller says, "The guy was extremely knowledgeable in the classic-car industry. It's a very insular community of mostly wealthy people. They have these auctions at Pebble Beach, Monte Carlo, (and) other places where the rich and famous meet."

Biker Traffic Jam at the Box Office
2 March 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The weekend box office will disclose whether John Travolta, Martin Lawrence, Tim Allen and William H. Macy as motorcyclists in Wild Hogs will be able to overtake Nicolas Cage in Ghost Rider, a movie that has maintained a significant lead over the last two weekends. Hogs won't be helped by road-kill reviews by most critics. David Fincher's Zodiac about the infamous San Francisco serial killer, is also likely to make a strong debut for Paramount and is receiving many critical raves. Meanwhile, Paramount's specialty division, Paramount Vantage, is releasing Black Snake Moan in more limited release.

Glitter at Oscars; Not Much at Box-Office
27 February 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Moviegoers may have had their eyes on the Oscars over the weekend, but they did not have their eyes on the movies themselves. The top 12 films earned a combined gross of only $101.8 million, according to box office trackers Media by Numbers. The figure was virtually flat with the comparable weekend a year ago. So far this year, box office ticket sales are up less than 1 percent over last year while attendance is down 2.2 percent. Leading the box office was the second week of Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage, which earned $20.1 million, despite dropping 56 percent from its debut a week ago. The Number 23 opened in second place with $14.6 million. Other new films also had lackluster openings including Reno 911!: Miami with $10.2 million (fourth place); The Astronaut Farmer with $4.5 million (ninth place); and Amazing Grace with 4.3 million (tenth place).

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1 Ghost Rider, Sony, $20,067,443, 2 Wks. ($79,027,540); 2. The Number 23, New Line, $14,602,867, (New); 3. Bridge to Terabithia, Disney, $14,157,645, 2 Wks. ($46,805,679); 4. Reno 911!: Miami, 20th Century Fox, $10,273,477, (New); 5. Norbit, Paramount, $9,825,021, 3 Wks. ($74,763,394); 6. Music and Lyrics, Warner Bros., $7,652,433, 2 Wks. ($31,715,552); 7. Breach, Universal, $5,994,950, 2 Wks. ($20,304,675); 8. Daddy's Little Girls, Lionsgate, $4,815,337, 2 Wks. ($25,132,757); 9. The Astronaut Farmer, Warner Bros., $4,454,319, (New); 10. Amazing Grace, IDP Films, $4,054,542, (New).

'Ghost Rider' Back In Saddle Again
26 February 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Sony's Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage, galloped ahead of four new entries in the box-office race over the weekend, taking in an estimated $19.7 million in ticket sales, box-office trackers Media by Numbers said Sunday. New Line's The Number 23, starring Jim Carrey, was number two on the list with $15.1 million. (New Line distribution chief David Tuckerman told the Los Angeles Times that although the film opened at the low end of the studio's expectations, it cost only $30 million to make and would therefore earn a profit.) Disney's Bridge to Terabithia slipped to third place with $13.6 million. Reno 911!: Miami, based on the Comedy Central show, debuted in fourth place with $10.4 million. Two other newcomers, The Astronaut Farmer and Amazing Grace failed to make much of an impression. Farmer, starring Billy Bob Thornton, placed ninth with $4.52 million, followed by Grace with $4.3 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Ghost Rider, $19.7 million; 2. The Number 23, $15.1 million; 3. Bridge to Terabithia, $13.6 million; 4. Reno 911!: Miami $10.4 million; 5. Norbit, $9.7 million; 6. Music & Lyrics, $8 million; 7. Breach, $6.2 million; 8. Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls, $5.3 million; 9. The Astronaut Farmer, $4.5 million; 10. Amazing Grace, $4.3 million.

Ghost Rider Fires Up Box Office
20 February 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Thumbing its nose at film critics, Ghost Rider blazed into more than 3,600 theaters over the four-day President's Day weekend and set a record for the holiday. The Nicolas Cage-starring film based on the Marvel comics superhero, which received overwhelmingly negative reviews on Friday, took in $51.5 million, well above the previous record for the holiday -- $45.1 million for 2004's 50 First Dates.Other new releases also performed strongly, especially Disney's Bridge to Terabithia, which placed second with $29 million over the four days. The Warner Bros. romantic comedy Music & Lyrics, which opened on Valentine's Day, scored with $16 million to bring its total for six days to $21.6 million. The opening of Lionsgate's Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls collected $14.3 million. The movie, which also bowed on Valentine's Day, has now earned $20 million. Universal's Breach, the best-reviewed movie of the lot, opened in sixth place with $12.3 million. Among holdovers, Norbit, starring Eddie Murphy, held up well in its second week, slipping from first to third place with $20.7 million. "It has turned out to be a sensational weekend for the business, and that's fabulous news for everybody," Disney's distribution chief Chuck Viane told the Los Angeles Daily News. "When all kinds of movies are seen, that helps the entire business." Added Paul Dergarabedian of Media by Numbers: "Either by design or by accident, this was the perfect mix of films ... Each movie targeted a different audience, which allowed each to do well and culminated in this giant weekend."

'Ghost Rider' Sets Box Office on Fire
19 February 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Box office analysts were marveling over the estimated $44.5 million that Sony's Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage as the Marvel comics superhero, took in over the weekend. It was the most ever earned by a movie over the first three days of the President's Day holiday and was the most earned by any film in its debut this year. The film is expected to earn an additional $7 million today (Monday). The previous three-day record for the holiday was held by 50 First Dates with Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore, which took in $39.9 million in 2004.) In an interview with today's Los Angeles Times, Sony distribution chief Rory Bruer observed that the film beat the studio's projections. "This played like a summer movie," he said. "It's got it all: excitement, action, humor and special effects." The film earned an additional $15.5 million overseas, he said. Disney's fantasy film Bridge to Terabithia also turned in a solid performance with $22.1 million as it captured the family audience. Last weekend's top film, Norbit, starring Eddie Murphy, slipped to third place with about $16.8 million. The romantic comedy Music and Lyrics, starring Hugh Grant and Drew Barrymore, added another $14 million to the $5.5 million that it had taken in since Valentine's Day on Wednesday to place fourth, while Lionsgate's Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls took in $12.1 million, placing fifth. Together, the top 12 films earned $141.4 million, 28 percent above last year's total for the comparable weekend.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Ghost Rider, $44.5 million; 2. Bridge to Terabithia, $22.1 million; 3. Norbit, $16.8 million; 4. Music and Lyrics, $14 million; 5. Tyler Perry's Daddy's Little Girls, $12.1 million; 6. Breach, $10.4 million; 7. Hannibal Rising, $5.5 million; 8. Because I Said So, $5 million; 9. The Messengers, $3.8 million; 10. Night at the Museum, $3.7 million.

Movie Reviews: 'Ghost Rider'
16 February 2007 (StudioBriefing)
There are only a smattering of reviews for Sony-Columbia's Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage in the title role based on the Marvel Comics superhero. Most of the reviews agree that the movie is, well, comical -- and often in unintentional ways. (Variations of the word "cheesy" appear in virtually all the reviews.) Writes Kyle Smith in the New York Post: "When we get a glimpse of [Cage] shirtless, his CGI-built torso is so ridiculously ripped that the effect is like one of those carnival attractions where you stick your head through the hole in the giant photo of a bodybuilder." Peter Howell in the Toronto Star remarks that the movie is "20 minutes too long and the special effects are cheesier than Mickey Mouse's lunch." But Bob Strauss in the Los Angeles Daily News suggests that it's Cage's "oddball" performance that makes the movie work. "Whether you like it, hate it or just don't get it, this at least makes Ghost Rider an intriguing, witty/nutso acting experiment from beginning to end," he writes. And Matt Weiss concludes in the Dallas Morning News that the movie "achieves an emotional resonance and sheer enjoyability that, like a fine wine, complements the accompanying cheese."

Five Films Enter Presidents' Day Election
16 February 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Analysts are predicting a big Presidents' Day weekend at the box office, with three films, each targeting a different demographic group, making their debuts. (Five, if one includes Music and Lyrics and Daddy's Little Girls, which opened on Valentine's Day.) Ghost Rider, based on the Marvel Comics character and starring Nicolas Cage, is expected to take top honors with a gross of around $45 million, analysts said today (Friday). The two other films are likely to earn in the neighborhood of $12-20 million in their debut. They include Bridge to Terabithia, based on the children's book, likely to earn about $20 million, and Breach, a spy drama aimed at older audiences that just screened at the Berlin Film Festival, likely to take in $8-10 million.

Cage Confirmed As Liberace Favorite
24 January 2007 (WENN)
Nicolas Cage has been confirmed as the favorite to play camp showman Liberace in a new movie musical. The actor has been linked to the role for years, but now screenwriters Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer have confirmed Cage is in talks to show off his musical skills as the late pianist. Speaking at the Sundance Film Festival, where the writers are promoting their new comedy Epic Movie, Seltzer says, "We met with Nicolas Cage last year and he really wanted to star in it; he wanted to direct himself in it too."

And the Worst Films Are ...
23 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Meanwhile, the Golden Raspberry Award Foundation, which nominates the worst films of the year the day before the movie academy nominates the best, selected Basic Instinct 2, BloodRayne, Lady in the Water, Little Man, and The Wicker Man as its candidates for worst picture of the year. Tim Allen, Nicolas Cage, Larry the Cable Guy (Dan Whitney), Rob Schneider, and Marlon Wayans and Shawn Wayans were nominated for the worst actor Razzie. Hilary Duff and Haylie Duff, Lindsay Lohan, Kristanna Loken, Jessica Simpson, and Sharon Stone had the dubious honor of being nominated in the worst actress category.

Stone Leads Razzie Awards
23 January 2007 (WENN)
Sharon Stone's Basic Instinct 2 sequel appears to be have been a risk not worth taking after notching up seven nominations at next month's Razzie Awards, including Worst Picture and Worst Actress Of The Year. Competing against the film in the Worst Picture category is BloodRayne, Lady In The Water, The Wicker Man, and the Shawn Wayans and Marlon Wayans comedy Little Man, which also received seven nominations including Worst Director. The Wayans brothers share a Worst Actor nod battling against Little Man co-star Rob Schneider, The Wicker Man's Nicolas Cage, Larry The Cable Guy for Larry The Cable Guy: Health Inspector. And Tim Allen has three nominations in the same category - for The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, The Shaggy Dog and Zoom. Meanwhile, sisters Hilary Duff and Haylie Duff are both nominated for Worst Actress for their roles in Material Girls. They will fight it out with Stone, Jessica Simpson for Employee Of The Month, Lindsay Lohan for Just My Luck and Kristanna Loken for BloodRayne. Stone - who has previously won the Razzie for Worst Actress for The Specialist and Intersection - earns another mention for her "lopsided breasts" in the category for Worst Screen Couple. The awards' founder, John Wilson, says, "She's what we call a Razzie repeat offender. Perhaps even a recidivist."

Cage Puts Bel Air Estate on the Market
17 October 2006 (WENN)
Oscar winner Nicolas Cage is selling his home in the posh Bel Air section of Los Angeles for a whopping $35 million. The brick-walled seven bedroom, seven bath two story estate features a pool, projection room, library, custom built wine cellar and state of the art security system. The property also features a separate two bedroom, two bath guest house. Cage's landmark home is just down the road from another famous estate - the site of the home where classic TV show The Beverly Hillbillies was shot.

Cage Movie Halted by Military Coup
22 September 2006 (WENN)
The producers of Nicolas Cage's new movie have been forced to halt production thanks to a military coup in Thailand. Cage was shooting a remake of 1999 gangster thriller Bangkok Dangerous, called Time To Kill, when cast and crew were advised to take the military situation seriously. Producers insisted all cast and crew members return to their hotels and await further instructions. According to reports, Cage has a private jet on standby at a nearby airport, just in case the situation escalates and he is forced to flee at short notice.

'Invincible' Is -- For Second Week
6 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Disney's football flick Invincible scored another touchdown over the Labor Day weekend, staying well ahead of its rivals for the second week in a row. According to final figures released by Exhibitor Relations Tuesday, the Mark Wahlberg starrer earned $15.4 million over the four days, putting its two-week gross at $38.1 million. Lionsgate's Crank premiered with $12.9 million, just ahead of Warner Bros.' The Wicker Man, starring Nicolas Cage, which earned $11.7 million. Another new film, the basketball-themed Crossover, failed even to make the top ten, fouling out with just $4.4 million. Fox Searchlight, however, continued to beam over the success of the indie Little Miss Sunshine, which raked in $9.6 million -- up 3 percent over the previous week. Also impressing was The Illusionist, which took fifth place with $8.1 million despite playing in only 971 theaters. It produced the weekend's highest per-screen average among the top 10 -- $8,362.

The top ten films over four-day Labor Day weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent the Friday-Sunday totals): 1. Invincible, ($12.2 million) $15.4 million; 2. Crank, ($10.5 million) $12.9 million; 3. The Wicker Man, ($9.6 million) $11.7 million; 4. Little Miss Sunshine, ($7.6 million) $9.6 million; 5. The Illusionist, ($6.3 million) $8.1 million; 6. Talladega Nights. ($6.1 million) $7.6 million; 7. Barnyard, ($4.9 million) $6.6 million; 8. World Trade Center, ($4.6 million) $5.9 million; 9. Accepted, ($4.6 million) $5.62 million; 10. Step Up, ($4.5 million) $5.61 million.

Two Indie Films Make Big Splash on Labor Day
5 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Two small independent films stole the spotlight from the big studio releases over the Labor Day weekend as Yari Film Group's The Illusionist and Fox Searchlight's Little Miss Sunshine earned more per theater than any other films in wide release. The Illusionist earned $8 million despite playing in only 971 theaters. It averaged $8,261 per theater, to place 10th. Little Miss Sunshine played in 1,602 venues, earning $9.7 million and averaging $6,071 per theater, to place fourth. Two new releases had so-so debuts. Lionsgate's Crank opened in second place with $13 million, while Warner Bros.' The Wicker Man, starring Nicolas Cage, opened in third place with $11.7 million. Sony's basketball drama, Crossover, sat on the bench, unable to crack the top ten, as it opened with $4.5 million. Remaining in first place was the Mark Wahlberg football movie Invincible, which raked in $15.2 million. Analysts said that the results were particularly impressive given the fact that raging storms enveloped most of the East Coast over the holiday period.

The top ten films for the Labor Day weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Invincible, $15.2 million; 2. Crank, $13 million; 3. The Wicker Man, $11.7 million; 4. Little Miss Sunshine, $9.7 million; 5. The Illusionist, $8 million; 6. Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, $7.7 million; 7. Barnyard, $6.4 million; 8. Accepted, $5.9 million; 9. World Trade Center, $5.8 million; 10. Step Up, $5.5 million.

'Invincible' Remains Such for Second Week
4 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Because of the Labor Day holiday, several studios did not release estimates for the weekend Sunday, but news reports indicated that the consensus was that Disney's Invincible narrowly held on to the lead for the second weekend in a row, slightly ahead of Lionsgate's new release Crank. Warner Bros.' The Wicker Man, starring Nicolas Cage, reportedly opened in third place. Neither of the two new films were screened for critics in time for their deadlines on Friday. The expected dreadful reviews materialized over the weekend. Kyle Smith in the New York Post figured that Warner Bros. released the Wicker Man remake "without previews because it would rather lose money than be accused of misogyny." Stephen Hunter in the Washington Post recalled that after the original film was released, there were rumors that Rod Stewart, whose girlfriend, Britt Ekland, performed a nude dance in it, tried to buy up all existing copies and have them destroyed. "Only Stewart can say whether this is true, and he's not talking," Hunter wrote. "I do believe that in a few years, Nicolas Cage will buy up all the prints to this Wicker Man and burn them. I'll be happy to help him." Of Crank, Liam Lacey wrote in the Toronto Globe and Mail that it was "so blatantly contrived it could be called The Fast and the Spurious." Roger Moore in the Orlando Sentinel wrote that it was "so hyped up, it's the movie equivalent of a speedball shot straight into a major artery, and every bit as irresponsible." Stephen Hunter in the Washington Post summed it up as, "brutal, nasty and, thank God, short." And Elizabeth Weitzman of the New York Daily News wrote that the movie "has an excellent shot at ending 2006 as the worst film of the year."

Movie Review: 'The Wicker Man'
1 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
The Wicker Man was not screened for critics in the U.S. but Peter Howell of the Toronto Star got a look at it, presumably at a public preview screening. Howell notes that it may be "a tad unreasonable" for the filmmakers to "be burned at the stake for what they've done to The Wicker Man, that most British of cult movies." He accuses star Nicolas Cage and writer/director Neil LaBute of "taking a classic of downbeat cinema, a cautionary tale about conflicting religious values, and transforming it into a feminist encounter session with dialogue akin to a valedictorian speech delivered by Britney Spears."

Expect No Long Lines at Box Office
1 September 2006 (StudioBriefing)
The summer season at the box office comes to an end with this weekend's Labor Day holiday, and, as usual for the holiday, moviegoers are likely to find plenty of good seats in the theaters. The Wicker Man, starring Nicolas Cage, is expected to open in first place, but analysts indicate that it is likely to gross only about $15-17 million, perhaps a million or two more than last week's winner Invincible, which is likely to take second place.

History-Based Movies To Premiere at Venice Film Festival
27 July 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Movies based on historical events will take front and center at this year's Venice Film Festival -- and the stars that appear in them will be on hand for the screenings, festival officials indicated today (Thursday). Nicolas Cage will attend the premiere of Oliver Stone's World Trade Center. Sharon Stone will appear for the screening of Bobby, a film about the hours leading up to the assassination of Robert Kennedy in 1968. Scarlett Johansson will fly in for the festival's opening film, Brian De Palma's The Black Dahlia, about the 1947 murder of Elizabeth Short. And Helen Mirren is due to arrive in Venice for the screening of The Queen, in which she portrays Queen Elizabeth II during the days following the death of Princess Diana.

9/11 Filmmakers Slam "Cashing In" Claims
10 July 2006 (WENN)
Filmmakers working on Oliver Stone's upcoming 9/11 movie World Trade Center have slammed claims they are cashing in on the 2001 terrorist attacks, insisting the movie is about heroism. World Trade Center, which stars Nicolas Cage, tells the story the last two people found alive in the rubble of the collapsed twin towers, and their rescuer. Some relatives of people who died have spoken out against Stone's film, because they do not want to relive their initial pain following the attacks. But producer Moritz Borman says, "I know there is one widow out there who didn't want it to be made because she felt it was too painful to see her husband die. But I am convinced that when she sees it she will be resolved. We never went out to explore the whole story of 9/11 and its impact on America and the rest of the world. Nobody went into this film and thought this was the explanation for why 9/11 happened or its geopolitical impact. It's a tale of heroism."

Biel and Evans Break up
30 June 2006 (WENN)
Jessica Biel and Chris Evans have called it quits after dating for more than two years, according to media reports in the US. Biel, who starred in Stealth and the TV family drama 7th Heaven, also played Evans' girlfriend in two films, Cellular and London. Evans, who starred in Fantastic Four, is currently filming The Nanny Diaries with Scarlett Johansson. A source tells the US edition of OK! magazine that Evans has recently been spotted out in New York City with brunette public relations executive Joyce Sevilla. Meanwhile 24-year-old Biel has been in Los Angeles filming Next with Nicolas Cage.

Arquette Weds Jane
27 June 2006 (WENN)
Emmy award-winning Medium star Patricia Arquette wed her long-time boyfriend, actor Thomas Jane, over the weekend. The couple have a three year-old daughter together, Harlow, and Arquette has a 17-year-old son, Enzo, from a previous relationship. The pair tied the knot in an intimate ceremony at the Palazzo Contarini in Venice, Italy, with only close family members attending. It is the second marriage for both. Arquette, 38, was previously married to actor Nicolas Cage. The Punisher star Jane, 37, was previously married to Aysha Hauer, daughter of actor Rutger Hauer.

9/11 Hero Convinced Gyllenhaal To Take Role
10 May 2006 (WENN)
The wife of a September 11th victim convinced Maggie Gyllenhaal to star in Oliver Stone's World Trade Center, despite comments the actress made about America's 'responsibility' for the terrorist attack last year. The Secretary star decided she would have to meet real-life hero Port Authority Officer William Jimeno and his wife Alison - who she plays - to explain her position, and she was ready to drop out of the hard-hitting drama. The movie, which stars Nicolas Cage, is based on the story of William Jimeno and his partner Sergeant John McLoughlin, who became trapped by falling debris as they attempted to rescue the injured. Alison says of Gyllenhaal after she visited her New Jersey home, "Right away, both Will and I felt comfortable with her and realized how sincere and passionate she is. We had no problem with her in this movie." Gyllenhaal decided to go ahead with the role: "I wanted to tell them the absolute truth of what I meant. If they still didn't want me to play Allison after that, then I wouldn't have."

Presley Marries Guitarist in Japan
17 February 2006 (WENN)
Singer Lisa Marie Presley has married guitarist and music producer Michael Lockwood in a ceremony in Kyoto, Japan. The couple exchanged vows in a traditional Japanese ceremony on January 22, her publicist Paul Bloch announced yesterday. It is the fourth marriage for Presley, who is the daughter of music legend Elvis Presley. She was previously married to Nicolas Cage, Michael Jackson and Danny Keogh, who is the father of her two children. The bride's mother, actress Priscilla Presley, walked her daughter down the aisle and gave her away, according to Bloch. Daughter Riley Keough was maid of honor and her son Benjamin Keogh was a groomsman, while their father acted as best man for Lockwood. Also attending the wedding were Lockwood's parents, Vivian and William Lockwood. Lockwood was Presley's musical director and is listed as executive producer on her 2005 album Now What.

Berry Goes Public with Versace Model
10 February 2006 (WENN)
Stunning actress Halle Berry went public with her new model boyfriend Gabriel Aubry at a Versace party on Tuesday. The twice-divorced actress has been quietly dating 30-year-old Aubry after they met in December while starring in Versace advertisements. Berry, 39, and Aubry, were inseparable at the re-opening of Donatella Versace's Fifth Avenue boutique in New York City, which was also attended by Jennifer Lopez, Kate Hudson, Nicolas Cage, Benicio Del Toro, Cindy Crawford, Sting and Claire Danes. Since her 2003 split with second husband, soul singer, Eric Benet, Berry has also dated her Their Eyes Were Watching God co-star Michael Ealy.

Film May Generate New Controversy Over Gay Marriage
9 February 2006 (StudioBriefing)
Universal is planning to produce a movie that is likely to spark new debate over civil union legislation and domestic partner benefits. Daily Variety reported today (Thursday) that the studio is close to signing Adam Sandler and Kevin James to star in I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, about two straight firefighters in Philadelphia who pose as a gay married couple in order to qualify for domestic partner benefits. The script has passed through the hands of numerous script doctors over the past four years, and rumors about casting plans for the film have circulated broadly over that period. At one time it was expected that Will Smith and James Gandolfini would star (then Smith and Nicolas Cage) making it somewhat ironic that James, who costarred with Smith in Hitch, has now apparently landed the starring role in Chuck and Larry.

No Politics for Stone
31 January 2006 (WENN)
Oliver Stone has hit out at reports his new film will have a political agenda, insisting it will focus on two or three American civilians' fight for survival. Stone's film, which has been given the working title of World Trade Center, will feature Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage in the lead role. The movie-maker has courted controversy in the past with politically-charged Vietnam war films such as Platoon and Born On The Fourth Of July. He says, "This is not about the motives of the terrorists, or who the terrorists were, or the politics of 9/11 in any way. This film is the story of two guys trapped inside, and their families on the outside. It's a no-nonsense, austere, verite document of what they went through in those 24 hours, a procedural, and it should be shot like that."

Stone Promises Sensitivity in 9/11 Film
7 November 2005 (WENN)
Director Oliver Stone promises his forthcoming film about the September 11 terrorist attacks will be respectful to victims of the atrocities. The Platoon movie-maker is confident the Nicolas Cage starring movie will not offend survivors because he is not attempting to glamorize the incident which claimed thousands of lives. Instead, he will focus on the accurate re-telling of just one story from the fateful day - the two policemen who were rescued from the rubble of the Twin Towers 22 hours after they collapsed. Co-producer Michael Shamberg says, "We're not doing the 'Towering Inferno-Titanic' version. We're not doing everyone's story that day. We're trusted with the accuracy of the particular story that we're telling." Both Stone and Shamberg have consulted New York residents and families of the victims to ensure the project is handled sensitively. Most of the film's scenes will be shot out in Los Angeles, and the movie will incorporate television footage of actual events.

Lions Gate's Blood Money
1 November 2005 (StudioBriefing)
The surprisingly strong performance of Lions Gate's horror flick Saw II gave shares in the Canadian-based company an 8 percent boost Monday, cutting almost in half the stock's year-to-date loss of 16 percent. Saw II opened with $31.7 million in ticket sales, much of it derived from teenagers getting into the mood for Halloween. The film cost an estimated $4 million to make. Second place went to The Legend of Zorro, starring Antonio Banderas and Catherine Zeta-Jones. The film took in a middling $16.3 million but is expected to have strong sales on DVD. Two other new releases fared poorly. Prime, starring Uma Thurman and Meryl Streep, placed third with $6.2 million, while The Weather Man, starring Nicolas Cage, drew a paltry $4.2 million. Overall sales for the top 12 films dropped 6.5 percent to $86.3 million from the comparable weekend last year.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Saw II, Lions Gate, $31,725,652, (New); 2. The Legend of Zorro, Sony, $16,328,506, (New); 3. Prime, Universal, $6,220,935, (New); 4. Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story, DreamWorks, $6,132,856, 2 Wks. ($17,374,339); 5. Wallace & Gromit: Curse of the Were-Rabbit, DreamWorks, $4,302,316, 4 Wks. ($49,694,983); 6. The Weather Man, Paramount, 4,248,465, (New); 7. Doom, Universal, $4,228,385, 2 Wks. ($23,034,930); 8. North Country, Warner Bros., 3,560,238, 2 Wks. ($12,109,718); 9. The Fog, Screen Gems, $3,108,668, 3 Wks. ($25,311,280); 10. Flightplan, Disney, $2,727,697, 6 Wks. ($81,277,630).

'Saw II' Wins Duel with 'Zorro'
31 October 2005 (StudioBriefing)
The blades that audiences wanted to see over the weekend did not belong to the dashing hero in The Legend of Zorro but to the slashing villain in Saw II. The horror movie grossed, you'll excuse the expression, $30.5 million -- well above most forecasts by box-office analysts. It was the biggest Halloween weekend opening in history and the best opening for any Lions Gate film, exceeding the $23.9 million earned by last year's Fahrenheit 9/11. By contrast, The Legend of Zorro earned just $16.5 million, well below the $22.5 million earned by the original The Mask of Zorro in 1998. Two other new films were not expected to draw much of a crowd -- and they didn't. The Meryl Streep-Uma Thurman comedy Prime picked up a not-so-prime $6.4 million, while the Nicolas Cage film The Weather Man washed out with $4.2 million, slightly above last week's winner, Doom, which sank to $4.1 million. Once again, the overall box office total slipped below the comparable week a year.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Saw II, $30.5 million; 2. The Legend of Zorro, $16.5 million; 3. Prime, $6.4 million; 4. Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story, $6.3 million; 5. Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, $4.4 million; 6. The Weather Man, $4.3 million; 7. Doom, $4.1 million; 8. North Country, $3.65 million; 9. The Fog, $3.3 million; 10. Flightplan, $2.6 million.

Movie Reviews: 'The Weather Man'
28 October 2005 (StudioBriefing)
The Weather Man is making as much of an impression on critics as real-life weather men make on their audiences -- that is, not very much at all. Most find it amusing in spots, but not enough to produce strong word-of-mouth, which a film like this depends on. "This is a movie you might be able to put up with if you're in a certain mood or be put off by if you're not," writes Mike Clark in USA Today. "Like the chilly winds that blow throughout it, The Weather Man is cold, grim, erratic and eventually just relentless," writes Peter Howell in the Toronto Star.Kyle Smith in the New York Post calls it, "Perhaps the most bitter studio film of the year." To Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal, it's "a guaranteed downer that's devoid of any upside." However, like many of his colleagues, Michael Wilmington in the Chicago Tribune has nice things to say about star Nicolas Cage. "Cage's big, sad, soulful eyes and volatile personality make him ideal for offbeat types like this," he writes. The film itself does have several admirers. Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times calls it "a surprisingly wry, contemplative movie." And Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times spends most of his review excoriating his fellow critics who have negatively reviewed Weather Man, concluding, "The Weather Man seems to offend some critics because it doesn't know its place [as an art film], and wants to be good even though Paramount made it with a star."

Cage Chose Kal-El for "Magical Ring"
26 October 2005 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage decided to call his baby son Kal-El because he believes the name has a "magical ring" to it. Cage, 41, and his 21-year-old wife Alice welcomed the arrival of their first child together earlier this month, and stunned fans when they announced the baby's unusual name, which was originally given to fictional superhero Superman at birth. The Leaving Las Vegas star says, "Alice and I wanted to have a name that was exotic and American and which stood for something good, because our son is exotic and he's American and we both think he's good. But having said that, I always liked the sound of the name. It has kind of a magical ring to it: Abracadabra Kal-El Shazam!"

Cage Forgives Penn for "Not an Actor" Remark
13 October 2005 (WENN)
Hollywood star Nicolas Cage has forgiven his Fast Times At Ridgemont High co-star Sean Penn for blasting his film choices, insisting he welcomes badly received movies. In 1999, Penn famously declared, "Nic Cage is no longer an actor. He's more like a performer", after Cage appeared in several blockbusters movies, including Face/Off and Con Air, over gritty, low-budget dramas. In reflection, Cage admits he has no hard feelings towards Penn and is open to both bad and good movies on his filmography. Cage says, "That was his opinion and, you know, we've since left it all behind us. But I think at any time an actor does something unusual it's going to be met with a certain amount of criticism. I've actively searched for that. When I did Peggy Sue Got Married I wanted to play the character with this ridiculous voice and look, and I knew that it would be criticised, but I thought it's more interesting to take the bad critical hits and know that you've really done something."

Cage Is a Dad Again
4 October 2005 (WENN)
Hollywood star Nicolas Cage is celebrating after his third wife Alice Kim gave birth to their first child together yesterday. The Oscar-winning actor, 41, and Kim Cage, 21, welcomed their son Kal-El Coppola Cage in a New York City hospital yesterday morning. The Leaving Las Vegas star's publicist Annett Wolf confirmed, "They are healthy and happy and it's quite lovely." Cage and Kim wed in July 2004 after a whirlwind six month courtship. They met when the actor visited the Los Angeles restaurant where Kim was employed as a waitress. The actor has previously been married to actress Patricia Arquette and singer Lisa Marie Presley. He has a son Weston, 13, from his relationship with ex-girlfriend Kristina Fulton.

Women Go to 'Heaven'
19 September 2005 (StudioBriefing)
After making box-office analysts look really bad for two weeks in a row, moviegoers reverted to form and landed at movie theaters in more-or-less predicted numbers. They spent $16.5 million to see DreamWorks' Just Like Heaven (analysts figured it would earn $16-19 million). Seventy-seven percent of the audience was female, according to the studio. "That's the highest percentage of women I can ever remember for one of our films," DreamWorks distribution chief Jim Tharp told USA Today.Two other new releases were well off analysts' forecasts. Lions Gate's R-rated Lord of War, starring Nicolas Cage, opened in third place with an estimated $9.2 million, while Rogue Pictures' Cry_Wolf took in only $4.6 million. Last weekend's champ, Sony/ScreenGems's The Exorcism of Emily Rose, performed reasonably well in its second week, landing in second place with an estimated $15.3 million. Meanwhile, in its 13th week, March of the Penguins picked up an additional $2.6 million, putting it in ninth place (up from tenth last week) and bringing its total now to $70.4 million. Exhibitor Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian, noting that Fahrenheit 9/11 holds the record for documentaries -- $119 million, a record most analysts had figured would remain safe for years to come -- told the Associated Press, "It's an amazing run. ... Nobody ever thought this would have a chance of challenging Fahrenheit."

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Just Like Heaven, $16.5 million; 2. The Exorcism of Emily Rose, $15.3 million; 3. Lord of War, $9.2 million; 4. The 40 Year-Old Virgin, $5.8 million; 5. Cry_Wolf, $4.6 million; 6. Transporter 2, $4.0 million; 7. The Constant Gardener, $3.7 million; 8. Red Eye, $2.9 million; 9. March of the Penguins, $2.6; 10. Wedding Crashers, $2.5 million.

Movie Reviews: 'Lord of War'
16 September 2005 (StudioBriefing)
Critics are warring over the Nicolas Cage satire Lord of War about the international gun market. Manohla Dargis in the New York Times calls it "a misfire" even though Cage's performance, she remarks, is "watchable." The problem, she writes, is that writer-director Andrew Niccol "never resolves the disconnect between this star's function (to entertain) and that of his character (to repel)." Michael Phillips in the Chicago Tribune remarks: "The film is morally unsettling on its surface, and then you realize the surface is all you're going to get." Bob Longino in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution describes it as an "often heavy-handed and terminally dull depiction of the violent world of unscrupulous international arms deals." On the other hand, Phillip Wuntch in the Dallas Morning News finds the film compelling. "Lord of War definitely aims to be something more profound than brain candy. It gives moviegoers something to think about," he writes. "If that recommendation sounds too dutiful, let it be known that it's exciting as well as thought-provoking."

Cage Donates Cash to New Orleans Neighbors
2 September 2005 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage has donated $1 million of his own cash to relief efforts residents of New Orleans affected by Hurricane Katrina. The Leaving Las Vegas star, who has a home in the hard-hit Louisiana city, made the donation yesterday to the American Red Cross. In a statement, his publicist, Annett Wolf, says, "(Cage) wishes to help his neighbours during this most devastating time."

Paramount Slammed for Badly Timed 9/11 Movie Announcement
12 July 2005 (WENN)
Paramount studios have been slammed for announcing Nicolas Cage will star in Hollywood's first movie dramatization of the September 11 terrorist attacks - within 24 hours of the London bombings on Thursday. News of the movie, to be directed by Oliver Stone, broke in the Friday edition of showbiz newspaper Variety, the day after the tragedy in the English capital, and a studio insider admits the timing is not "ideal". The movie giants have shocked the public with their inadvertent display of double standards - studios and broadcasters avoided any theme reminiscent of the devastating attacks on New York's World Trade Center, even erasing images of the towers from film stock where possible. The movie, which will feature Cage as real-life policeman Sergeant John McLoughlin, is based on an original screenplay by Andrea Berloff about McLoughlin and his colleague William Jimeno, who were saved from the wreckage of the Twin Towers.

Cage and Wife Expecting Child
16 February 2005 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage and Alice Kim, his wife of nearly seven months, are expecting their first child together. Cage and the 21-year-old former waitress, whose due date has not been announced, met at a nightclub last year before marrying on July 30. The Oscar-winning Leaving Las Vegas actor, 42, already has a 14-year-old son called Weston from a prior relationship with actress Kristina Fulton. Cage was previously married to actress Patricia Arquette and singer Lisa Marie Presley.

Cage Rules Out 007 Role
10 December 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood star Nicolas Cage has laughed off reports he's been lined up as a possible James Bond replacement for Pierce Brosnan, insisting only British actors can fill the role. At the British premiere of his latest film National Treasure, Cage admitted playing 007 would be a dream role, but he has no realistic chance of starring as the superspy. Cage said, "That's the thing - there's no way an American will ever be allowed to play James Bond. You can have a Brit play Batman but you can't have an American play Bond, that will never happen. As much as I'd love to, I will never be invited to that party."

'Treasure' Creates Box Office Trove
22 November 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Box office analysts and critics alike nursed wounded egos as moviegoers controverted the former and confounded the latter over the weekend. Disney's National Treasure, starring Nicolas Cage, which received mostly poor reviews and was expected to earn $20-25 million, wound up as the weekend's most popular movie, earning an estimated $35.3 million. Paramount's hand-drawn animated feature, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, which was expected to earn $25-30 million, came in second with $33.5 million. The Incredibles, which many analysts figured would retain its No.-1 position, fell to third place with $26.8 million, but still earning a little more than the $25 million that analysts thought it would take in. Warner Bros.' The Polar Express chugged along with $15.2 million, although it was playing in 3,650 theaters. Especially noteworthy was the fact that the movie packed the 60 IMAX theaters where a 3D version was showing. In those theaters, the film grossed $2.05 million. In other words, 1.6 percent of the theaters where Express was playing accounted for 13.5 percent of its entire earnings. Overall, the box office took in about $150 million, about 11 percent more than it did over the comparable weekend last year.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. National Treasure, $35.3 million; 2. The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie, $33.5 million; 3. The Incredibles, $26.8 million; 4. The Polar Express, $15.2 million; 5. Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason, $10.1 million; 6. After the Sunset, $5.3 million; 7. Ray, $4.6 million; 8. The Grudge, $3.8 million; 9. Seed of Chucky, $3.1 million; 10. Saw, $3 million.

Melbourne's New Film Studios Finally Land a Tenant
14 September 2004 (StudioBriefing)
Melbourne, Australia's Central City Studios, which was completed earlier this year at a cost of $23 million but has thus far failed to attract a major production, may have landed its first big tenant. According to Australian reports, Sony's Columbia Pictures is planning to shoot the Marvel comic classic Ghost Rider, starring Nicolas Cage, at the studio beginning in January.

Cage Pays Ex for Secret Elopement
26 August 2004 (WENN)
Nicolas Cage's secret elopement to former waitress Alice Kim has cost him $100,000 - after his furious ex-girlfriend insisted on a holiday to make up for his betrayal. The Honeymoon In Vegas star, 40, infuriated Kristina Fulton - mother of his son Weston - for telling her about his wedding plans only a day before the big day last month and reportedly handed over $50,000 for her holiday in Hawaii as an apology. But Cage's spokesperson tells the New York Daily News that Fulton knew about the betrothal for months and it was all quite "amicable".

Cage Starts Married Life Shopping
4 August 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage gave his new wife Alice Kim the ultimate treat after their Friday wedding, by whisking her off to New York for a spending spree. The Leaving Las Vegas star, 40, exchanged nuptials with 20-year-old Kim at a private ceremony on a ranch in northern California, and the following day the newlyweds were spotted enjoying lunch together in San Francisco. They then headed for a private airstrip where they jetted off to the Big Apple for their honeymoon. Their union is the third wedding for Cage, 40, who split with his previous wife Lisa Marie Presley after less than four months in 2002. Before that, he was married for six years to actress Patricia Arquette. First-time wife Kim, a former sushi waitress, met Cage when the actor visited the Los Angeles restaurant where she worked. They started dating in February and reportedly became engaged after two months.

Cage Takes Third Trip Down the Aisle
2 August 2004 (WENN)
Oscar-winning actor Nicolas Cage has married for the third time. The Leaving Las Vegas star, 40, wed 20-year-old Alice Kim on Friday at a private ceremony on a ranch in northern California, says publicist Annett Wolf. It is the third wedding for Cage, 40, who split with his previous wife Lisa Marie Presley after less than four months in 2002. Before that, he was married for six years to actress Patricia Arquette. Kim, a former sushi waitress, met Cage when the actor visited the Los Angeles restaurant where she worked. This is her first marriage. They started dating in February and reportedly became engaged after two months.

Nicolas Cage Makes Divorce Official
26 May 2004 (WENN)
Short-lived couple Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley are officially divorced. In papers filed on Monday Cage, under his birth name Nicolas Coppola, reveals the pair has "amicably resolved" their brief union. The papers, leaked to American showbiz news show Extra, also reveal that both Cage and Presley will not receive any kind of spousal support, and that each will maintain all assets acquired prior to their marriage. Terms of the couple's joint assets were not disclosed in the papers. The couple wed in August 2002 on Hawaii, but split shortly thereafter, citing irreconcilable differences.

Jolie Takes a Lover
18 February 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood babe Angelina Jolie has finally ended speculation about her love life by announcing she has "taken a lover". The Tomb Raider star has been linked to a host of celebrities - including Nicolas Cage, her Alexander co-star Colin Farrell - following her divorce from Billy Bob Thornton last year. Jolie was also photographed last week kissing her first husband Jonny Lee Miller - and she's now has confirmed she is dating again, although she refuses to reveal who the lucky individual is. She says, "I have now taken a lover. I've been relieved every time it's been speculated on in the press, because nobody's got the right guy."

Cruz: I Had Nothing To Do with Tom and Nicole's Divorce
23 January 2004 (WENN)
Penelope Cruz has slammed accusations she caused Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's marriage to collapse. Penelope has been dating the Hollywood star since wrapping their movie Vanilla Sky three years ago - the same time he split with sexy Nicole - and reports have always hinted Cruz caused the rift. And although she is keen to avoid inquiries into how her romance with Cruise blossomed, the sexy star fiercely denies they got together on the set of the 2001 Cameron Crowe movie. She says, "I've been accused of a lot of things regarding the men I've worked with. But the fact is that no relationship ever took place during the making of the film. We weren't together at that point in any other way. It was just work. It may have looked like that. But no." The 29-year-old star has previously been linked to a series of her movie co-stars including Matt Damon and Nicolas Cage, who she worked with on All The Pretty Horses and Captain Corelli's Mandolin respectively.

Cage Gets a New Four-Legged Friend
19 December 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage's 40th birthday party took an unconventional twist on Saturday - when his grandmother waltzed in with a pony. The Adaptation star won't actually turn 40 until January, but opted to get the festivities started early with a Tinseltown bash. While the likes of Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty, Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher drew attention from fellow revelers, the show was stolen by Cage's grandmother, who arrived with a black pony as a birthday treat.

Nicolas & Lisa Marie Return to Romance
17 November 2003 (WENN)
Nicolas Cage and Lisa Marie Presley have fueled speculation they're back together after spending the Halloween weekend in New Orleans, Louisiana. The couple wed and divorced last year, but have become close again - and recently spent time at the New Orleans mansion Cage bought while he was filming Sonny on location. Sources tell American tabloid Star the couple spent time to themselves. And Cage's voodoo priestess pal Miriam Chamani, who performed the blessing at the pair's Hawaiian wedding in August 2002, has confirmed she convinced the actor that bringing his ex to New Orleans was a good idea. She says, "They both believe the second time around might work better. They just needed time to be alone. They have a desire to make it work. There were problems, but now they're back together and the timing is good. Nic and Lisa Marie had a lot of good times together in New Orleans before they got married and they want to recapture some of those feelings."

Could It Be Wedding Bells for Lisa Marie & Nic Again?
10 October 2003 (WENN)
Lisa Marie Presley and Nicolas Cage are reportedly planning to wed again after their first attempt at marriage ended last year, after only a month. Friends claim the rock star is making plans for a spring wedding at her father Elvis' Graceland mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, after reconciling with the Moonstruck star earlier this summer. American tabloid Globe, who broke the story of the reported re-marriage, claim the couple have spent several romantic evenings together, and now the two thirtysomethings want to give their relationship another try. An insider says, "The bottom line came down to both of them realizing they were still very much in love. They both agreed to start fresh and then Nic formally proposed - again."

Cage and Presley Together Again
18 September 2003 (WENN)
Divorced couple Lisa Marie Presley and Nicolas Cage just can't stay away from each other - the pair have enjoyed another intimate meal together. The pair, who split in November after a three month marriage, were spotted together dining in California in late July - and the singer and actor spent more quality time together this month when Cage flew into Las Vegas to see Lisa Marie perform at the Foundation Room's House Of Blues arena. After chatting backstage the couple then headed off for a meal together. A source says, "It has been the talk of the town. Nicolas was the last person anybody expected to see at Lisa Marie's concert. But they were getting on really well and disappeared to the restaurant on their own. It's still too early to know if they're getting back together."

Movie Reviews: 'Matchstick Men'
12 September 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Ridley Scott's Matchstick Men , starring Nicolas Cage, is being faulted for something that Scott himself rarely evidences in his films: sentimentality. "Ridley Scott goes all gooey," Renée Graham writes in the Boston Globe. But that same characteristic of the film appears to work for a number of other critics. A.O. Scott in the New York Times makes this observation about the plot, which, in part, concerns the reunion of a conman with his teenage daughter. "The movie's idea of parenthood is a familiar one, at once cautionary and comforting: having a child, it suggests, will wreck your life, but it will also make you a better person. (This notion, needless to say, is wildly narcissistic, absurdly melodramatic and unconscionably sentimental. It is not, however, altogether inaccurate.)"

Cage Erupts During Snake Dance Story
8 September 2003 (WENN)
Movie star Nicolas Cage left American chat show king David Letterman speechless on Thursday night with a tirade of foul language as he chatted about his new pets - a pair of king cobra snakes. Cage, appearing on the late-night talk show to promote new movie Matchstick Men, began by calmly describing how he likes to sit in a specially-constructed cell he has at home, drinking wine and watching his snakes Moby and Sheba. But the eccentric actor went too far when he tried to describe the look his caged albino, Moby, gives him from time to time. Cage explained, "Sometimes Moby will do this little charming snake dance and show his back to me and he's got this little round, circular pattern on his back and he's doing this dance. Every now and then he'll turn around and go, 'F**k you, motherf**ker. I wanna f**king kill you.' So after that I say good night kids, I have to go upstairs and lie down and think about what just happened. It's kinda like driving 190 miles per hour in a sportscar with a scotch - the adrenalin levels goes up." A shocked Letterman regained his composure and later asked Cage, "What does your snake say again?" Cage revealed he keeps the antidote to a venomous snake bite by the side of his pets' cage - because he has only 15 minutes to live if he's bitten.

Nicolas Cage Back with Ex-Love
21 August 2003 (WENN)
Adaptation star Nicolas Cage has poured scorn on reports he has reconciled with ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley - by going on a string of dates with former flame Kristen Zang. The Oscar-winning actor had been spotted dining out with his ex-spouse, leading to rumors they had patched up the problems that wrecked their short marriage. However, according to gossip website Page Six, Cage has more recently been seen out with Zang - who was the first love of Titanic hunk Leonardo DiCaprio. Cage and the 29-year-old beauty were engaged from 1992 to 1994, but their relationship broke up when he met his first wife Patricia Arquette. Cage's representative Annet Wolff told Page Six, "We don't comment on clients' personal lives."

Angelina Caged?
13 June 2003 (WENN)
Newly-single beauty Angelina Jolie has found a new soulmate in the form of wacky Oscar winner Nicolas Cage - according to reports from Britain. The oddball twosome reportedly met three years ago when they co-starred in the high octane movie Gone In 60 Seconds but hooked up again in February in London while attending the BAFTAs (British Academy of Film and Television Awards). And according to British gossip bible Now magazine, Cage took Jolie to top London restaurant The Savoy Grill for a friendly lunch. Now one pal, close to both stars, admits, "In the beginning, it was supposed to be just friends, but that didn't last long. They had a great time. They talked about how they were both looking for love, but it didn't dawn on them until later that they'd make a perfect pair. After lunch, they said their goodbyes and went on their way." In a curious twist of fate both stars ended up at a the same dinner party later that night and sparks flew. The pal continues, "Nic was in a dinner suit, Angie was in a stunning red dress and they both looked incredible. By the end of the party, they were in each other's arms. Neither of them anticipated it - it just happened."

Hoffman Dreams of Liberace Role
12 June 2003 (WENN)
Oscar-winner Dustin Hoffman is so desperate to play gay pianist Liberace in a new movie - he's prepared to pile on weight for the role. Cary Woods, who's producing a biopic about the flamboyant musician, has lined-up the legendary actor for the part - although he's half-expecting Hoffman to change his mind. Woods says, "Dustin Hoffman really wants to do the job. Dustin says he is prepared to gain like 30 pounds to show Liberace as he got fat late in life, but you never know with Dustin because all his career he has a history of being extremely choosy about roles which is why he makes so few movies." In the event Hoffman backs out of the project, Robin Williams and Nicolas Cage are reportedly contenders for the part.

Nicolas Cage Set for 'Wicker Man' Remake
27 May 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood star Nicolas Cage is gearing up to lead a remake of the classic British horror movie The Wicker Man. In the original 1973 Wicker Man, Edward Woodward plays a Christian policeman sent to a remote Scottish island to investigate a child's disappearance. While there, he inadvertently gets tangled up in pagan rituals. The Shape Of Things director Neil LaBute - who is behind the remake - says, "I'm moving the story from Britain to America. Nick Cage will play a cop who is looking into the disappearance of a young girl and stumbles on a pagan society existing in the modern world. Nick's character ends up on an island that has a very matriarchal society whose members are direct descendants of the Pilgrims. Angelina Jolie and Winona Ryder would be two great choices. It's a great film for actresses."

Cage Still Misses Lisa Marie
3 April 2003 (WENN)
Actor Nicolas Cage deeply regrets divorcing Lisa Marie Presley. The screen star wed Presley after a whirlwind romance in August, only for their union to dissolve by the end of the year. And despite their hurried break-up, Cage admits he'd like to have seen if their relationship truly had a chance of working. He says, "Often times when you have two people who are very strong in their own personalities and rather intense - I'll even use the word stubborn or not willing to compromise - sometimes you can have a hard time meshing. So we got into this unfortunate pattern of breaking up and getting back together again. I miss her every day. Sometimes I wish we couldn't have rushed the marriage and sometimes I regret rushing the divorce, but it just seemed like it wasn't gonna change." But Cage is happy that he and Presley are, at least, friends. He adds, "I think that the thing that we have now is great. In a lot of ways she was like a best friend because I didn't want anything from her and she didn't want anything from me."

Brody's Berry Kiss Praised by Ex-Girlfriend
1 April 2003 (WENN)
Actor Adrien Brody has received a pat on the back for his impromptu and passionate kiss with Halle Berry at the Oscars - from his ex-girlfriend. Brody, who was the surprise best actor winner on March 23 for his efforts in Holocaust drama The Pianist, thrilled audiences when he grabbed beautiful Berry and shared a six-second smooch with her onstage at the Hollywood ceremony. And Brody's former belle Sky Nellor, a model and club DJ who shares the actor's love for hip-hop music, says his actions were just a typical example of his spontaneous personality. She says of her close pal, "That is the Adrien I know. Sensitive and sincere. That passion just came out of him. There was Jack Nicholson and Nicolas Cage all going, 'Damn, I wish that was me. You go boy!' He's on another level now."

Cage's New Girlfriend
27 March 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Nicolas Cage has fond love once again - with a stunning Canadian model. The Con Air star, whose marriage to Lisa Marie Presley ended in 2002, has now taken a shine to Carrie Tivador - who has graced the cover of French magazine Elle, and modeled for cosmetics giant Maybelline and fashion label Buffalo jeans. A source says that Cage, 39, met the blonde beauty on March 18 at Hollywood hot-spot White Lotus, during a Los Angeles Confidential magazine party. The eyewitness says the two were talking throughout the evening "and then they left together." A friend of the Oscar-winning actor isn't shocked about Cage's choice of woman, explaining, "I'm sure Carrie reminds him of Kristen (Zang)," another model to whom he was engaged in 1994.

Nicolas Cage Upset Over Oscar Date Rumors
21 March 2003 (WENN)
Oscar nominee Nicolas Cage is upset with reports he's dating a 23-year-old violinist, and planning to take her to the Academy Awards on Sunday. A British tabloid reported the romance with Hilary Hahn, but Cage is insistent he'll be attending the Oscars alone on Sunday. And he's also keen to point out that he isn't dating the violinist. He says, "Hilary is a friend of mine. I have tremendous respect for her as an artist, however there is no romantic involvement between us." Cage is nominated for his dual role as screenwriter Charlie Kaufman and his brother Donald in the film Adaptation.

Arquette a Mom Again
21 March 2003 (WENN)
Nicolas Cage's ex-wife Patricia Arquette is celebrating after becoming a mom again. The pretty actress gave birth to daughter Harlow last month - a sister for her son Enzo from a previous relationship with Paul Rossi. The father of Arquette's second child is actor Thomas Jane, who is engaged to the Human Nature actress.

Walters Special Will Be MIA
20 March 2003 (StudioBriefing)
ABC announced Wednesday that it still plans to broadcast the Academy Awards on Sunday night, but the annual Barbara Walters interview special as well as the pre- and post-show coverage would be replaced by news programming from the Middle East. The Walters special (Washington Post TV columnist Lisa De Moraes referred to it as a "celebrity suck-up show") was to have included interviews with Julianne Moore and Renée Zellweger, both nominated for best actress, and Nicolas Cage, who is nominated for best actor. The Walters interview program has been a staple on Oscar night for 22 years. In a statement, Walters said; "With such serious issues facing the nation, it is the right decision to postpone the special."

Cage Searches for Oscar Date
20 March 2003 (WENN)
Newly single Oscar nominee Nicolas Cage is searching for the perfect date for Sunday's ceremony - but keeps getting turned down. The Adaptation Best Actor contender was hoping to persuade sexy violinist Hilary Hahn to accompany him to the star studded bash but her parent's had other ideas. They decided that the 16-year age gap between their 23-year old daughter and 39-year old Cage was too big and convinced Hilary that she should politely decline. However, the superstar - who split with wife Lisa Marie Presley after only five months of marriage - remains optimistic. An aide says, "Nic's got a few irons on the fire for his date on the big night."

Bruce and Nic Fight to Get Back Their Identities
18 March 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood superstars Bruce Willis and Nicolas Cage are fighting to stop imposters from using their fame to get rich and break hearts. Both actors have seen fakers exploit their fame for their own purposes - one woman still believes she has fallen in love with the real Bruce. Tennessee songwriter Marria Willard claims she and Die Hard star Bruce shared a four-month tender cyber romance - but the actor insists it wasn't him. Bruce, 47, has filed suit in the Los Angeles Superior Court seeking damages in excess of $300,000 as well as an injunction prohibiting Internet user Katbone1369 from convincing people he's the real Bruce without authority. But Marria, 36, refuses to accept that the emails came from an imposter. She says, "At first I didn't believe it was him. He revealed things only Bruce Willis would know. He talked to me about his brother dying and about looking for a camp for this three daughters." Cage, who has been Oscar-nominated for his dual role as twins in Adaptation, recently discovered an assistant using his name to make endorsement deals. An insider says the imposter was "contacting companies and saying, 'I'll consider wearing your clothing or using your product in my movies.'" The assistant has now confessed to the scam and has promised to reimburse the company.

Oscar Organizers: "The Show Will Go On"
13 March 2003 (WENN)
Oscars organizers have repeated their vow to hold the Academy Awards later this month irrespective of a war on Iraq - although the "tone" of the bash will change. Producer Gil Gates informed a Beverly Hills, California luncheon - which included nominees Nicole Kidman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Sir Michael Caine and Nicolas Cage - that the ceremony will definitely go ahead in a fortnight's time. However, Gates also conceded that if America is at war with Iraq at the time, then the awards in the Kodak Theatre will be altered accordingly. He said, "If we are at war, the Oscar telecast will obviously reflect that reality. It will be reflected in areas that we can control as well as, no doubt, in the parts we can't control, such as your acceptance speeches. The show will go on and our purpose remains the same as it has for 75 years - to celebrate our art form and honor its most accomplished practioneers (sic)." Nominees Daniel Day-Lewis and Ed Harris agreed with Gates' sentiments. Day-Lewis, competing for Best Actor for his performance in Gangs Of New York, commented, "It would seem obscene if we were trouncing up a red carpet grinning and waving while all these people are dying somewhere in the world." The Hours supporting-actor Harris added, "You should still have it but the tone should change. The Oscars are not a political forum but a prayer for peace would be all right."

Oscar Nods -- And All That Jazz
11 February 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Motion picture academy members faced the music and gave Chicago 13 nominations, including best picture, the first time a musical had been so lavishly honored by the academy since the heyday of the genre more than a generation ago. Moulin Rouge was nominated for a best picture Oscar last year and the animated musical Beauty and the Beast was nominated in 1991, but researchers were scouring the record books this morning to see when another musical had been showered with 13 Oscar nominations. At an early morning news conference, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Frank Pierson and Oscar winner Marisa Tomei announced the nominees for the 75th annual awards, set to be handed out on March 24. Other nominees in the best picture category included Gangs of New York, The Hours, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Pianist. Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York, with 10 nominations, came in second, followed by The Hours, with nine nominations. The following are the nominees in the top categories:

Best Actor: Adrien Brody, The Pianist; Nicolas Cage, Adaptation; Michael Caine, The Quiet American; Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York; Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt.

Best Supporting Actor: Chris Cooper, Adaptation; Ed Harris, The Hours; Paul Newman, Road to Perdition; John C. Reilly, Chicago; Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can.

Best Actress: Salma Hayek, Frida; Nicole Kidman, The Hours; Diane Lane, Unfaithful; Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven; Renée Zellweger, Chicago.

Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, About Schmidt; Julianne Moore, The Hours; Queen Latifah, Chicago; Meryl Streep, Adaptation; Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago;

Director: Rob Marshall, Chicago; Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York; Stephen Daldry, The Hours; Roman Polanski, The Pianist; Pedro Almodóvar, Talk To Her.

Adapted Screenplay: About a Boy, Screenplay by Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz; Adaptation, Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman; Chicago, Screenplay by Bill Condon; The Hours, Screenplay by David Hare; The Pianist, Screenplay by Ronald Harwood.

Original Screenplay: Far From Heaven, Written by Todd Haynes; Gangs of New York, Screenplay by Jay Cocks and Steve Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan, Story by Jay Cocks; My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Written by Nia Vardalos; Talk To Her, Written by Pedro Almodóvar; Y Tu Mamá También, Written by Carlos Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón.

Natalie Portman Goes for Coffee
20 January 2003 (WENN)
Star Wars stunner Natalie Portman has become the latest to appear in commercials for Japanese TV - and she's plugging coffee. The 21 year-old actress will join Leonardo DiCaprio, Harrison Ford, Jennifer Lopez and Nicolas Cage promoting products on Japanese television - and she's clinched a reported $1 million for her efforts. According to American tabloid the Star, Portman secretly shot a commercial for the Japanese coffee, Caffe Latte, during her holiday break from the prestigious Harvard University. In it she plays a college student praising the virtues of the foamy java. A source says, "She was a natural. She even speaks a few words of Japanese."

Lisa Marie Returns to Ex
17 January 2003 (WENN)
Just two months after splitting from husband Nicolas Cage, Lisa Marie Presley has run back to the man she left for the actor - singer John Oszajca. Presley's marriage to Cage lasted just three months, before the Leaving Las Vegas star filed for divorce last November. Now pals say the daughter of Elvis Presley has turned to Oszajca for support, and the pair recently spent two days in a luxury California spa patching up their differences. A friend tells British tabloid the Daily Star, "For two days Lisa and John had all their food delivered from room service and kept their curtains shut tight during the day." Presley - who has had three failed marriages, first to Danny Keogh, then Michael Jackson, before Cage - began dating Ozsajca in 1999 and planned to marry him, until she left him for the Oscar-winner. But she has since confessed her relationship with the actor was a "mistake." A source adds to the Star, "When she married Nic, John knew it wouldn't last and told her, 'I'll always love you - I'll wait.'"

The Little Films That Did
13 January 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Four films made the top ten list despite the fact that they were playing in about 1000 theaters or fewer, with a stand-out performance turned in by the musical Chicago, which landed at No. 6, despite the fact that it was being screened at only 362 theaters. It earned $5.6 million, or $15,470 per theater. Also performing well were: About Schmidt, starring Jack Nicholson, which earned $6.25 million at 865 theaters; Antwone Fisher, directed by Denzel Washington, which recorded $3.8 million at 1,006 theaters; and Adaptation, starring Nicolas Cage, which garnered $2.9 million at 560 theaters.

Jacko's Custody Fight Depends on Lisa-Marie
2 January 2003 (WENN)
Troubled pop star Michael Jackson is trying to reunite with ex-wife Lisa Marie Presley in order to retain custody of his three children. The Invincible star reportedly wants to remarry the star, who split her husband of three months, actor Nicolas Cage, in December. Jackson, who ended his two year marriage to Presley in January 1998, apparently believes he has a better chance of evading an investigation into his suitably as a father - prompted by his dangling of baby Prince Michael II over the balcony of a German hotel last month - if he is in a stable relationship.

Websites Warned About Running Overseas Ads with Big Stars
30 December 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Representatives of top Hollywood movie stars who refuse to make commercials for the U.S. market but have no hesitation about filming them for overseas consumption have begun sending cease-and-desist orders to website operators featuring them, the New York Daily News reported today (Monday). The newspaper's "Rush & Molloy" column commented, "Meg Ryan, Leo DiCaprio and Arnold Schwarzenegger don't want you to see the silly ways they make millions flogging products to the Japanese." However, the newspaper observed, Internet surfers can still find spots fronted by Sean Connery, Antonio Banderas and Demi Moore on the www.gaijinagogo.com site, and www.japander.com offers spots aired by Harrison Ford, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Jodie Foster, Nicolas Cage, and Brad Pitt.

Movie Reviews: 'Sonny'
27 December 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Nicolas Cage's first attempt at directing is receiving failing grades from most critics. A.O. Scott in the New York Times calls Sonny: "aimless and awkward. Some moments have a creepy, sleazy intensity ... but the whole thing is emotionally incoherent." Jack Mathews in the New York Daily News writes that Cage is "a great actor, but when it comes to directing other actors, he hasn't a clue." Lou Lumenick in the New York Post comments that with this film, Cage makes "his woeful directing debut" and calls Sonny "an instant candidate for worst movie of the year." Still, Cage receives a fair amount of applause as well. Kevin Thomas in the Los Angeles Times begins his review by remarking: "With the deeply affecting Sonny, Nicolas Cage displays the same sensitivity, emotional resonance and daring in his feature directorial debut that has characterized his splendid work in front of the camera."

Cage Cagey with Cash
27 December 2002 (WENN)
Lisa Marie Presley has revealed the real reason behind her split from husband Nicolas Cage - money. The 34-year-old daughter of late King of Rock'n' Roll Elvis Presley, split from Cage last month - just three months after they tied the knot in Hawaii. And Lisa Marie says their marriage was destined to fail, because cage was stingy with money. She tells British tabloid the Daily Sport, "Look at the amounts Ben Affleck has lavished on Jennifer Lopez. When Nic opens his wallet moths fly out."

Cage Stuck with Film House
24 December 2002 (WENN)
Oscar winner Nicolas Cage has been lumbered with a house in New Orleans, Louisiana, after buying it for his new movie. The actor decided to buy a house for sale to use as a location in his directorial debut Sonny - but now he can't get rid of it. He says, "New Orleans is almost like an historical landmark and because of that you have a lot of controls put on you not to change anything. So buying the house facilitated me in a lot of ways but I haven't really been back in a while. I was able to design my sets and change the paint on the walls and get very customized about how the movie should look and so much of it was shot in the house. But now I don't know what I'm going to do now with it."

Cage Movie Controversy Settled
12 December 2002 (WENN)
TV writer Robert Dellinger has won an out-of-court settlement from Nicolas Cage's production company -after claiming he co-wrote the script for the movie star's directorial debut Sonny. Dellinger sued Cage's Saturn Films, Intermedia and God Circle Films when he discovered he wasn't being credited for his part in the new film, about the life of a male prostitute. The writer claimed he and John Carlen, who is credited for the story, came up with the idea at Terminal Island Prison in Los Angeles where Dellinger was teaching a writing class and Carlen was serving time for bank robbery. Delighted Dellinger says, "I can't mention the amount, but it was healthy. When th