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Blade (1998)

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Goldberg: "Snipes Is A Victim"
29 April 2008 (WENN)
Whoopi Goldberg has defended jailed actor Wesley Snipes and insists he has been used to "set an example" to the American people. Last week, the Blade actor was handed a three-year jail term by Florida Judge William Terrell Hodges after, he was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years. But Goldberg is convinced Hollywood stars who break the law are being used as scapegoats by the U.S government in a bid to deter other people from criminal activity. She says, "This is not unusual. With tax evasion, (the Irs) gets very, very agitated and if you're famous they are putting you behind some kind of bar."

Snipes Requests New Jersey Prison
28 April 2008 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes has requested he be allowed to serve his three-year prison sentence at a facility near his New Jersey home. The Blade actor was handed the term by Florida judge Judge William Terrell Hodges after he was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years. His legal team have asked the judge and prison officials to house him in a federal prison as close to his home as possible - and officials have vowed to accommodate his wishes. Bureau of Prisons spokesperson Felicia Ponce says, "We try to house inmates within 500 miles of their residence so they can maintain ties with their family and community."

Snipes Sentenced to Three Years
25 April 2008 (WENN)
Hollywood star Wesley Snipes has been sentenced to serve three years in jail for tax evasion. In February the Blade actor was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years. The star was acquitted of tax fraud and filing a false claim, as well as three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file a tax return. But on Thursday in Florida, U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges sentenced Snipes to three years imprisonment. Earlier this week, Snipes' famous friends, like actors Woody Harrelson and Denzel Washington, sent letters to the judge as character references. The actor's attorneys argued that Snipes' crimes did not warrant a prison sentence, and that the star should be given probation. Details of when Snipes will have to surrender to prison, and where he will serve his sentence have not been released.

Denzel & Woody Offer Snipes Aid
24 April 2008 (WENN)
Denzel Washington and Woody Harrelson have come to troubled pal Wesley Snipes' aid in a bid to keep the Blade star out of prison. The two stars have written letters to the judge overseeing the actor's ongoing tax fraud case, urging him to be lenient on their friend as he passes sentence on Thursday. In February, Snipes was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years. The star was acquitted of tax fraud and filing a false claim, as well as three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file a tax return, but he still faces three years in prison. And Snipes' legal team hopes glowing character references from his famous friends will help keep the actor out of jail. In his letter, obtained by Tmz.com, Oscar winner Washington calls Snipes "a mighty oak." And TV judge Greg Mathis writes, "Unfortunately, it was his honest nature that forced him into these legalities." His TV colleague Judge Joe Brown adds Snipes is "one of those rare individuals possessed of an extremely developed social conscience."

Prosecutors Recommend Snipes Serves Three Years For Tax Evasion
16 April 2008 (WENN)
Hollywood star Wesley Snipes will serve three years behind bars and fined $5 million for tax evasion charges, if U.S. prosecutors get their way. The Blade actor was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years in February, and now prosecutors want a Florida judge to make an example of the star - by handing him the maximum sentence possible as punishment for showing a "brazen defiance" of American tax legislation. In legal papers filed in a Florida court on Monday, U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill says, "This case cries out for the statutory maximum term of imprisonment, as well as a substantial fine, because of the seriousness of defendant Snipes' crimes and because of the singular opportunity this case presents to deter tax crime nationwide." While Snipes was found guilty of not filing his tax returns, he was acquitted of the more serious charges of tax fraud and filing a false claim, as well as three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file a tax return with the Internal Revenue Service . Snipes has yet to comment on the prosecutors' recommendation. He is due to be sentenced on April 24.

Snipes Convicted For Failing To File His Taxes
4 February 2008 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes faces three years behind bars after he was convicted of failing to file his taxes for five years in a Florida court on Friday. The Blade star was acquitted of tax fraud and filing a false claim, as well as three misdemeanor counts of willful failure to file a tax return. But now he must wait to see if he faces prison for not declaring his income from 1999 to 2004 in the proper manner, costing U.S. tax authorities millions of dollars. Outside court, after he was freed on bail, a relieved Snipes told reporters, "I'm feeling great (but) a little confused... It's nice to be out here with you right now." During the course of the two-week trial, Snipes' attorneys agreed the actor was "dead wrong" not to have paid taxes, but no fraud was perpetrated and that a trial was a waste of time.

Snipes' Confident Lawyers Don't Call a Single Witness
29 January 2008 (WENN)
Actor Wesley Snipes' defense team in his tax and conspiracy trial rested on Monday after not calling a single witness. The Blade star stands accused of conspiring to defraud the U.S. out of millions of dollars in 2000 as part of a conspiracy scheme with co-defendants Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas Rosile, and then failing to file tax returns. But Snipes' legal team is so certain the case against the 45-year-old will be thrown out of court, no defense witnesses were summoned to take the stand. The prosecution rested its case on Friday. Snipes' attorney Daniel Meachum says, "We chose not to call witnesses because there was no need to. The government prosecutors have put on a case that simply does not come close to meeting the standard of its burden of proof. It was obvious after we went over the evidence the government presented that we could move on to closing arguments immediately and get a just acquittal for Wesley on all counts listed in the indictment." Snipes faces up to 16 years in prison if convicted, while Kahn and Rosile both face a maximum 10 year sentence.

Snipes Warned by Advisors About Tax Evasion
17 January 2008 (WENN)
Movie star Wesley Snipes has been accused of ignoring warnings from his advisors about not paying his taxes. The Blade star is currently on trial in Ocala, Florida, on charges of conspiring to defraud the U.S. of millions of dollars in 2000. Snipes, 45, and two other men, Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas P. Rosile, stand accused of tax fraud and conspiracy. The star is also charged with willfully failing to file tax returns from 1999 to 2004, on the advice of Kahn's tax protest groups American Rights Litigators and Guiding Light of God Ministries. Snipes was allegedly convinced by his co-defendants that a loop hole in the law meant he didn't have to pay tax on his multi-million dollar earnings. But prosecutors insisted in the trial's opening arguments that Snipes was warned by his longtime advisor Kenneth Starr that there was no merit to the claims that he could escape paying tax. Snipes faces up to 16 years in prison if convicted. He recently failed in his bid to move proceedings from Ocala, after insisting the townsfolk were racist, and he wouldn't be able to get a fair hearing. Before appearing in court, Snipes took part in a vigil with the leaders of several predominantly black churches, who then followed the actor to court.

Snipes Court Hearing Begins
15 January 2008 (WENN)
Movie star Wesley Snipes kicked off his tax fraud and conspiracy trial in Ocala, Florida on Monday. The Blade star's legal team interviewed almost 70 potential character witnesses as jury selection began. The bizarre list of names included boxing legend Muhammad Ali, moviemaker Spike Lee, Sylvester Stallone and Snipes' White Men Can't Jump co-star Woody Harrelson. Snipes, 45, stands accused of conspiring to defraud the U.S. of millions of dollars in 2000 as part of a conspiracy scheme with co-defendants Eddie Ray Kahn and Douglas Rosile, and then failing to file tax returns. Opening arguments in the trial are expected to start on Tuesday. Snipes faces up to 16 years in prison if convicted. He recently failed in his bid to move proceedings from Ocala, after insisting the townsfolk were racist, and he wouldn't be able to get a fair hearing. Before appearing in court, Snipes took part in a vigil with the leaders of several predominantly black churches, who then followed the actor to court.

Snipes' Attorney Fights for Court Change on Racism Grounds
9 November 2007 (WENN)
Attorneys representing Blade star Wesley Snipes are attempting to move the actor's upcoming tax evasion trial from a Florida court because they fear their client will be judged on his color. In a motion filed in U.S. District Court, Snipes' lawyer argued that the U.S. Attorney's Office willfully selected the Ocala courthouse in Marion County because it's one of the "most racially discriminatory venue available." Lawyer Robert Bernhoft claims the court was picked because the locally-selected jury is likely to be made up of "an all-white Southern jury", adding the area is a "hotbed of (Ku Klux) Klan activity." The attorney asks for the charges against Snipes to be dismissed, or the trial moved to New York. Snipes was served with federal indictment charges for fraudulently claiming tax refunds totaling almost $12 million in 2006. The actor, 45, was also charged with failure to file tax returns for the five years following 1999. His trial is scheduled to begin in January. Chief Assistant State Attorney Ric Ridgway has dismissed the racism claims, stating, "That's perhaps the most outrageous claim I've ever heard made in open court."

Snipes' Tax Evasion Trial Postponed
15 October 2007 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes' tax evasion trial has been postponed until early next year after the actor fired his legal team. U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges accused Snipes of deliberately delaying the trial during a hearing in Florida on Wednesday - but conceded it was within the public interest to postpone the date. The star of the Blade trilogy was last year accused of fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million for income taxes already paid between 1996 and 1997. He was further charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through to 2004. Snipes was expected to stand trial on October 22, but fired attorney William R. Martin last week. Snipes' new lawyer, Robert G. Bernhoft, previously represented him in a paternity case.

Judge Ignores Snipes' Request To Postpone Court Date
8 October 2007 (WENN)
A judge has refused Wesley Snipes' request to postpone his upcoming tax evasion trial, accusing the Hollywood actor of deliberately attempting to avoid facing the charges. The star of the Blade trilogy was last year accused of fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million for income taxes already paid between 1996 and 1997. He was further charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through to 2004. Snipes' new head lawyer, Robert G. Bernhoft, filed the motion to postpone the star's October 22 court date because they feared his former attorney Daniel Meachum would not be physically fit to carry out his responsibilities in the trial. And according to the legal documents, Snipes also felt that trial attorney William R. Martin was ill-prepared for the case. But Senior Judge Terrell Hodges dismissed the claim on Wednesday, saying: "This series of events would lead any reasonable person to suspect that the defendant's dismissal of able counsel is nothing more than a ploy designed to force a continuance of the trial. In any event, it will not have that effect." Snipes will now have to appear in a U.S. court to face the federal charges.

Snipes Ordered To Pay Up in Talent Agency Battle
20 September 2007 (WENN)
Hollywood star Wesley Snipes has been ordered to pay $1.7 million in fees to a talent agency who helped him land roles in four films, according to court documents released on Tuesday. The Blade star, 45, must hand over the outstanding amount to the United Talent Agency (UTA), which filed a lawsuit against the actor in Los Angeles Superior Court last year. It is the latest financial wrangle involving Snipes, who faces a court case in Florida later this year on tax evasion charges. The court documents claim UTA helped Snipes secure film roles in Blade 3, Chaos, Middle Man and The Shooter. Under an agreement with the actor, UTA was to be paid 10 percent of any money he received for the roles - but the lawsuit alleged the star failed to hand over the cash.

Snipes: "Race Influenced Tax Charges"
11 June 2007 (WENN)
Hollywood star Wesley Snipes has accused prosecutors of targeting him on federal tax evasion charges because of the color of his skin. The star of the Blade trilogy was last year accused of fraudulently claiming refunds totaling nearly $12 million for income taxes already paid between 1996 and 1997. He was further charged with failure to file returns from 1999 through to 2004. But Snipes believes he is the victim of "unscrupulous tax advice" and his attorneys will argue that prosecutors filed additional tax evasion charges against him and not against two other defendants because they are "Caucasian, while Mr. Snipes is African-American." According to the indictment, Snipes' taxes were prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients. A federal judge is set to consider the motion.

Goyer To Direct 'X-Men' Spin Off
30 April 2007 (WENN)
Batman Begins writer David S. Goyer is setting his sights on another superhero property - he is directing the spin-off movie to the X-Men trilogy, Magneto. The movie will focus on the young Magneto, the villain of the X-Men pictures played by Gods and Monsters star Ian McKellen, and how he became mortal enemies with character Professor X, played by Star Trek: The Next Generation actor Patrick Stewart in the trilogy. The main characters in the spin-off will be played by actors in their twenties instead of the original cast. Goyer has previously worked on superhero movies Batman Begins and the Blade trilogy.

Snipes Reaches Settlement on Tax Charges
3 November 2006 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes has reached a settlement with the Internal Revenue Service in the US regarding his tax fraud charges. The agreement will likely see Snipes surrender to federal authorities when he next returns to America. In return for agreeing to a payment plan, Snipes will not be jailed and will be allowed both to continue working and to travel abroad. According to a October 17 indictment, Snipes tried to unsuccessfully claim nearly $12 million in false refunds for taxes he paid in 1996 and 1997. The Blade star had his taxes prepared by accountants with a history of filing false returns to reap payments for their clients. Snipes is currently in Namibia shooting the horror film Gallowwalker. The film's director Andrew Goth says, "We are happy that he continues to turn up on set each day. If his indictment creates this amount of press, it shows he is a star."

USA Not Seeking Snipes Extradition
25 October 2006 (WENN)
Authorities in the US have made no attempt to extradite Wesley Snipes from Namibia on tax fraud charges, according to the African nation's government. The Blade actor was indicted last week on eight counts of tax fraud over allegations he tried to cheat the US government out of $12 million in false refund claims. But he has been shooting new horror movie Gallowwalker in Namibia since August and has no immediate plans to return to America, where a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Lidwina Shapwa, Namibia's Ministry of Justice permanent secretary, insists there has been no American contact seeking extradition, and that the two countries do not have an extradition treaty. Writer/producer Joanne Reay said on Monday, "We are shooting and we are continuing to shoot. We are aware of the issue around the tax charges but we are not discussing it."

Snipes Stays Put in Namibia
24 October 2006 (WENN)
Defiant movie star Wesley Snipes is refusing to return to America and face tax fraud charges, insisting he'll continue shooting new film Gallowwalker in Namibia. Tax officials have issues a warrant for the Blade star's arrest, but the actor has decided his career must come first. Screenwriter Joanne Reay insists Snipes is filming in the Namibian desert and has no plans to flee justice before he completes the shoot. She says, "We are shooting and we are continuing to shoot. We are aware of the issue around the tax charges but we are not discussing it." Snipes has been indicted on eight counts of tax fraud, accused of trying to cheat the government out of nearly $12 million.

Snipes Paternity Case Dismissed
10 October 2005 (WENN)
Actor Wesley Snipes has been cleared of fathering the child of a mystery woman after authorities dropped a claim against him. The Blade star stood accused of impregnating a woman in Chicago, Illinois, three years ago - but maintained the pair had never even met before the legal proceedings. The case was dropped by the New York City Law Department when another man took a paternity test establishing him as the child's biological father. It was also revealed the woman had a history of fabricating stories about celebrities. Snipes, who had refused to undergo a paternity investigation, said outside court, "The good Lord says 'Thou shall not bear false witness against thy neighbor'. These are the tenets I live by." The movie star plans to sue the woman next month over the false claims. His lawyer Robert Bernhoft says, "What we have here is factual vindication, legal vindication is still to come."

Snipes Detained in South Africa
15 July 2005 (WENN)
Hollywood star Wesley Snipes was held against his will in a South African airport last month after trying to leave the country using a fake passport. The Blade actor was attempting to return to his home in the United States on June 1 when immigration officials decided to detain him at Johannesburg International Airport. The star entered the country hassle free on May 23 but the computer system later rejected his passport identity number alerting officials to the possibility the passport was false. Home Affairs spokeswoman Nkosana Sibuyi says, "He explained that he had applied for the South African documents for himself and his family through his American attorneys. During the interview it was established that Mr. Snipes did have fraudulent South African documentation in his possession. Mr. Snipes and his attorney agreed to cooperate with the Inspectorate of the National Immigration Branch in their investigation in this matter. During this interview it transpired that Mr Snipes was in possession of a valid American passport." The actor was later allowed to exit the country but his immigration status has been reduced to 'undesirable' and the false passport confiscated.

Snipes Set To Lose Second Florida Home in Tax Sting
14 April 2005 (WENN)
Action man Wesley Snipes is reportedly set to lose a second Florida home in a tax sting. The Blade star lost one estate in 2003 through a foreclosure sale and now he has another property at risk near Orlando, according to US news show Celebrity Justice. Officials claim the fallen star owes more than $23,000 in back taxes, interest and fines on the house. The property, assessed at $257,843, was scheduled to be auctioned off on Tuesday, but the sale has been rescheduled to June. It's one of many headaches for Snipes, who is also in the middle of a two-year-old paternity battle with an Indiana woman. Lanise Pettis, claims Snipes is the father of her son, Israel, and has demanded the actor take a DNA test. When Snipes failed to show for a court-ordered test, a warrant for his arrest was issued. The actor will now be arrested if he sets foot in New York, where the case is being tried. Meanwhile, Snipes has filed his own appeal to get out of the DNA test.

Snipes Loses Bid To Overturn Arrest Warrant
27 January 2005 (WENN)
Blade star Wesley Snipes' request for a federal judge to cancel an arrest warrant stemming from an Indiana paternity case was rejected yesterday. US District Judge Loretta Preska threw out Snipes' suit asking her to nullify a warrant for his arrest in New York City, stating she had no jurisdiction in the state court matter. The actor's suit, filed last month in New York's Manhattan federal court, sought a ruling invalidating the warrant issued by a New York family court judge. Since Snipes lives in Florida, the New York court has no jurisdiction, the actor's lawyer argued. The warrant stemmed from a paternity suit filed in Indiana by a woman who claimed Snipes fathered her young son. In his suit, Snipes said the woman was a mentally ill former crack addict who has made similar claims against other celebrities.

Snipes Sues New York City
21 December 2004 (WENN)
Blade: Trinity star Wesley Snipes filed a lawsuit against New York City yesterday, charging its officials with having no jurisdiction to arrest him as part of an Indiana paternity case. The suit, filed in Manhattan federal court, seeks a court ruling invalidating an arrest warrant issued by a New York family court judge. The Manhattan judge took the action on an interstate paternity petition filed in Indiana by a woman who says the actor fathered her young son. In his suit, Snipes accused the woman of being a mentally ill former crack addict who has made other claims she's the mother of many celebrities' children. He claims the woman began having delusions about him after watching his movie Blade. Emily Sweet, a lawyer for the city says, "The city has seen preliminary papers in this case. We are evaluating them thoroughly, but cannot comment further, as this is now a pending legal matter." The suit also names LaPorte County, Indiana, as a defendant.

Anderson Dating Dorff?
1 December 2004 (WENN)
Busty beauty Pamela Anderson has allegedly stayed the night at Stephen Dorff's home - fuelling speculation the couple are secretly dating. The former Baywatch star was spotted leaving the Blade hunk's Hollywood apartment wearing the same clothes she wore the day before, according to gossip website Pagesix.Com. An insider tells the website, "Pam strolled out of Stephen's house at around 10:30am. Her hair was a bird's nest - it was obvious she had just gotten out of bed. She was wearing knee-high boots, black leggings, a sweater and dark sunglasses - the same outfit she was wearing when she came over the night before. It looked like she had a rough night." A friend of Dorff adds, "As far as I know, they're still just friends."

Wesley Pulls Out of Press Duty
16 November 2004 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes has pulled out of all press duties for his third Blade movie Blade: Trinity. The moody actor was so insistent on not talking to the media about the movie, he signed up for another film in Bulgaria as soon as shooting finished and he has been incommunicado ever since. Trinity producer Peter Frankfurt says, "Wesley is in Bulgaria shooting a movie. He's done three movies in Bulgaria. Actually I haven't talked to Wesley. Wesley won't return my calls? He hasn't called me to talk about it. If he was genuinely unhappy with the film we would have heard something. There's a lot going on in his life and he's got a lot of issues at hand so who knows. The guy is an awesome Blade. We've made three movies. Sometimes the paths of communication between us are fantastic and sometimes they're non- existent. If Wes doesn't want to do press that's a career choice he's made." Snipes also insisted on having total control on the set, green-lighting all scenes in which he appeared, and he stayed in character as the brooding vampire anti-hero throughout the movie. Frankfurt adds, "Wesley has script and director approval of all the Blade movies. He had to sign off on absolutely everything we were doing."

Paternity Test Arrest Warrant for Snipes
2 March 2004 (WENN)
Hollywood tough guy Wesley Snipes is a wanted man, after twice refusing to submit to a paternity test. The Blade star is said to have fathered a three-year-old Indiana boy following a romp with Lanise Pettis, 32, in a Chicago crack house in 2000. Snipes, 41, had a warrant for his arrest issued by a New York judge on July 25 last year, with bail set at $250,000. Pettis, a former prostitute and cocaine addict who claims to have known Snipes "all my life", says, "I don't think he might be the father because he's refused the test. It's because he and I had sexual activity. I would have thought that anyone who has denied it to the hilt would have done anything to clear his name." Police are believed not to be actively searching for Snipes as the order is bench warrant in a civil case, reports American website Pagesix.

Wesley Snipes Named As Halle Berry Abuser
15 January 2004 (WENN)
Actor Wesley Snipes has been exposed as the abusive ex-lover of Halle Berry, who struck the actress so hard, she lost most of the hearing in her right ear. R&B singer Christopher Williams - who dated Berry in the early 1990s - has made the startling accusation against the Blade star after getting upset with the number of people who assume it was him who dealt the screen beauty the damaging blow. He tells entertainment news website Eurweb, "The stuff they wrote about (me) and Halle was totally false. They said something like I busted her eardrum, and I'm tired of it. I never said it (before) but I'm so tired of people thinking I'm the guy (who did it). Wesley Snipes busted her eardrum, not me." Williams, who has a child with ex-girlfriend Stacey Dash, also takes a swipe at Berry - insisting the twice-married star may have personality problems which have contributed to her string of broken relationships, most recently from Eric Benet. He adds, "I have (men) come up to me like, 'How could you just leave Halle Berry' I'm like, how could you just leave the last relationship you was (in)? (Halle) is just a woman, but because her name is in lights, people are damned near ready to bare their souls. "They would probably crucify Jesus again just to get with her. It's funny because the stars that get all of the good write-ups, you go and meet them and they are total a**holes."

Bale Is New Batman
12 September 2003 (WENN)
Holy Bale, Batman! Variety reports that Christian Bale, star of American Psycho and Laurel Canyon, has been tapped to play Batman in Christopher Nolan's reworking of the Caped Crusader saga, set for a 2005 release; the official announcement came Wednesday afternoon from Warner Bros. Bale bested a slew of hot young actors for the part, most notably Jake Gyllenhaal, Joshua Jackson, Cillian Murphy, and Eion Bailey, all of whom also tested for the role of the comic book hero. Nolan, best known for the indie thriller Memento, is slated to direct the film (currently known as Batman 5) early next year from a script by David Goyer, writer of the Blade films. --Prepared by IMDb staff

Bale Is New Batman
11 September 2003 (WENN)
BREAKING NEWS: Variety reports that Christian Bale, star of American Psycho and Laurel Canyon, has been tapped to play Batman in Christopher Nolan's reworking of the Caped Crusader saga, set for a 2005 release; the official announcement came Wednesday afternoon from Warner Bros. Bale bested a slew of hot young actors for the part, most notably Jake Gyllenhaal, Joshua Jackson, Cillian Murphy, and Eion Bailey, all of whom also tested for the role of the comic book hero. Nolan, best known for the indie thriller Memento, is slated to direct the film (currently known as Batman 5) early next year from a script by David Goyer, writer of the Blade films. --Prepared by IMDb staff

Jude Law Laps Up the Ladies at Hollywood Party
31 July 2003 (WENN)
Hunky actor Jude Law has been celebrating his new found status as a single man at a celebrity-packed party hosted by Blade hunk Stephen Dorff. Jude acrimoniously split from actress wife Sadie Frost earlier this year and has been repeatedly linked to Tom Cruise's ex-wife Nicole Kidman - but was seen with a bevy of mystery beauties at Tony's Taverna in Malibu on Saturday. A party insider reveals, "Jude came with Jonny Lee Miller and talked to all the girls. Let's just put it this way - he is very single." Legally Blonde 2: Red, White And Blonde star Luke, who once dated Drew Barrymore, brought his unnamed new girlfriend to the party - a tattooed lady he met at a party held by Sean 'P Diddy' Combs last month. The source adds, "Luke wouldn't let anyone near her, he was very protective." Last week British magazine Heat suggested Wilson's mystery love was Vogue model Missy Rayder. Other party-goers at Dorff's event included Sharon Stone, Dennis Quaid, Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Natalie Imbruglia.

'Blade' Star in More Financial Trouble
5 May 2003 (WENN)
Blade star Wesley Snipes is in more financial trouble after upsetting one of Hollywood's biggest talent agencies. The movie star lost his Florida mansion last year due to non-payment of his mortgage and now he's being sued for $100,000 by the William Morris Agency in payments. In a new suit filed against Snipes, WMA bosses claim he has failed to honor an agreement to pay them the money he owes. Ironically, the new suit comes days after the $1.7 million Florida home a court ordered foreclosure on last year was sold for just $685,000.

Boxing Wesley Took The Blows
13 August 2002 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes took a beating in his new boxing movie - because he wanted to know exactly how it feels to fight a heavyweight. The blows the Blade star takes from Ving Rhames in new film Undisputed are for real, and Snipes admits he went through days of mind-pounding pain to play a jailed boxer. He says, "When you get hit, you get hit and it hurts. You have to do that for two or three minutes at a time." Snipes even tried to follow a boxer's training regimes, working out for hours every day and giving up sex. He adds, "I tried my best to give it up. I gave it all I could give." The actor, who turned 40 on July 31, says despite his bumps and bruises, which took a while to heal, he feels like he's in the best shape of his life - and it's all down to a healthy appetite and his training regime. The fifth degree karate Black Belt, who practices hardcore Brazilian martial art capoeira, explains, "I feel like I'm in my 20s. It's all in your mind - how you eat, how you live, how you think. I'm a seafood guy - I see it and I eat it. I'm allergic to shellfish but I'll eat anything else."

Movie Reviews: Blade II
22 March 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Critics are generally giving the vampire movie Blade II less biting reviews than they gave the original Blade. But that's not saying a whole lot. Liam Lacey in the Toronto Globe and Mail writes, for example: "Though superior to the original Blade, the superiority is mostly in the myriad ways the 'suck-head' enemies can be blown up, melted and dismembered." Noting that "it's not quite the bloodbath" that the first Blade presented, Lou Lumenick in the New York Post adds that the movie "seems mainly aimed at hard-core comic book and action fans who check their brains at the popcorn stand." Joe Morgenstern in the Wall Street Journal begins his review by calling the film "mass-market junk" and remarking: "You may wonder why I'm giving it space on the front page of this august section." But the film is receiving quite a number of enthusiastic reviews as well. Elvis Mitchell in the New York Times calls the movie "a rocking, dexterous piece of genre-busting." Roger Ebert describes it as "a really rather brilliant vomitorium of viscera." And Stephen Hunter in the Washington Post, while conceding up-front that "there is no possible adult justification for the picture," goes on to say, "It is pure pagan glee, a raptor's flesh fest, a zesty paprika of cannibal stew, stylized toward almost total abstraction, beyond describing, beyond imagining except by its makers. And that is why it's so good."

Wesley Snipes' Home Loss Nightmare
19 March 2002 (WENN)
Blade star Wesley Snipes has a good reason to be distraught about the collapse of the World Trade Center on September 11 - because he lost his home. The 39-year-old actor's fourth floor New York apartment suffered extensive structural damage, causing many of his precious belongings to be destroyed. Luckily, on the day of the devastating attacks, Snipes was at his other home in Marina del Ray, California, taking care of his third child Iset who arrived on her father's birthday on July 31st. He says, "My apartment got blown out. I lived right across the street from Ground Zero. The most damaged part of the building was where my baby boys slept. If my daughter hadn't been born, I would've been here. When I got back to New York, I was homeless for a while. No one believes me, but it's true."

Wesley Snipes Burned On Set
24 April 2001 (WENN)
Hollywood star Wesley Snipes has been admitted to the hospital for burns treatment. The White Men Can't Jump actor is filming the sequel to vampire thriller Blade in Prague, in the Czech Republic. Wesley suffered from burns after spending six hours under spotlights on set. He complained that his skin was inflamed and his eyes kept watering.

Will Goss Die As Villainous Vampire?
29 December 2000 (WENN)
Scriptwriters are refusing to tell Luke Goss if they're going to kill him off in Wesley Snipes' Blade (1998) sequel. The actor plays chief villain vamp Nomack in Blade 2 (2001), which starts filming in Prague, Czech Republic next year, and Goss has agreed to sign a confidentiality agreement not to reveal anything about the plot. And, to make absolutely sure cast members don't blurt out the surprise planned ending, producers are refusing to give them details of what will happen. The role has forced Goss to pull out of plans to appear in another sequel, Matrix 2, The (2002), because it's being shot at the same time as Blade 2 (2001). Spokesman David Wood says, "The Matrix people have taken their time in coming back, and now there's no way Luke can fit both films into his schedule. We're not ruling out a part in Matrix 3, The (2003), however." Meanwhile, Goss teams up with Snipes on January 9th when they start filming "Zig Zag" in Hollywood. Again the former pop star plays a bad guy, this time a corrupt nightclub boss, in the hard-hitting drama.

Wesley Snipes In Legal Battle Over Guns
16 May 2000 (WENN)
Wesley Snipes plans to buy a huge swath of rural land and build a camp to train security guards for celebrity protection. The Blade (1998) actor is negotiating to buy 300 acres of land near Macon, Georgia, according to Victor McGauley vice-president of Snipes' production company, AMEN RA FILMS. He says, "Wesley is a high-profile person, and he saw that specific security needs were not being met." But Snipes has a fight on his hands to win permission for the idea, because local laws don't permit weapons storage on land designated as agricultural. Putnam County chief building inspector J.D. ADAMS said a security school is not permitted on the property. However, lawyers appealing the ruling say a firing range is a permissible use of agricultural land.

New Line Cuts Contract For Blade
3 February 1999 (StudioBriefing)
New Line Cinema has signed a deal with Wesley Snipes to produce and star in a sequel to Blade (1998), based on the Marvel Comics superhero.

Car Chase At The Box Office, Too
29 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
It was a weekend of rush-hour traffic and car chases as the two top films, New Line's Rush Hour (1998) and MGM's Ronin (1998), dominated the box office, taking in $21.2 million and $12.7 million respectively. The low-budget horror flick Urban Legend (1998) also debuted well, earning $10.5 million a heartening figure given the movie's $8-million cost. But there was a steep drop-off in interest for the rest of the current releases, with all of them earning about $4 million or less. The top ten films this past weekend, according to final figures provided by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Rush Hour (1998), New Line, $21, 202, 929; 2. Ronin (1998), MGM, $12, 697, 641; 3. Urban Legend (1998), Sony, $10, 515, 444; 4. One True Thing (1998), Universal, $4, 438, 980; 5. There's Something About Mary (1998), 20th Century Fox, $4, 430, 566; 6. Simon Birch (1998), Buena Vista $2, 591, 857; 7. Saving Private Ryan (1998), DreamWorks, $2, 511, 565; 8. Rounders (1998), Miramax, $2, 364, 717; 9. Blade (1998), New Line, $2, 009, 627; 10. Ever After (1998), 20th Century Fox, $1, 315, 700.

Fox Grabs Rush Hour, Other New Line Flicks
29 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
Despite not having a regular movie feature on its schedule, Fox has picked up a package of New Line films that includes the current hits Rush Hour (1998) and Blade (1998) as well as Lost in Space (1998), among other titles, the Washington Post reported today (Tuesday), citing unnamed network executives. Turner Broadcasting, like New Line, a Time Warner sibling, had already picked up rights to broadcast the package on its cable channels ahead of the network telecasts. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Traffic Heavy Again For Rush Hour
28 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
New Line's Rush Hour (1998) would have set a record for a September opening this past weekend if it hadn't already done so a week earlier. The film took in an estimated $21.1 million over the the three days, bringing its 10-day total to about $64 million. Before the film's $33-million debut last week, the previous record for a September opening was $18.9 million, earned by Paramount's First Wives Club, The (1996). MGM's Ronin (1998), starring Robert De Niro, was in second place with a solid $13 million. In the third spot was the negatively reviewed horror film Urban Legend (1998) from Phoenix Pictures, released by Sony. Continuing to amaze was 20th Century Fox's There's Something About Mary (1998), which wound up in the fourth spot with $4.5 million for a total-to-date of $153 million. Analysts noted that the strong overall performance at the box office came despite hurricane threats in the Southeast and intense interest in the closing weekend ofbaseball, during which Mark McGwire hit two home runs on closing day to bring his season total to a record 70. The top-ten films, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:1. Rush Hour (1998), $21.1 million; 2. Ronin (1998), $13 million; 3. Urban Legend (1998), $11 million; 4. One True Thing (1998), $4.5 million; 4. There's Something About Mary (1998), $4.5 million; 6. Simon Birch (1998), $2.7 million; 7. Saving Private Ryan (1998), $2.6 million; 8. Rounders (1998), $2.5 million; 9. Blade (1998), $2 million; 10. Ever After (1998), $1.2 million.

Rush Hour Traffic Sets Record
22 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
Final weekend box-office figures released Monday revealed that New Line's Rush Hour (1998) exceeded earlier studio estimates by some $2 million, as it chalked up $33 million in ticket sales -- the most ever earned by a New Line release and the most ever earned by a film from any studio during the months of August, September or October. It left the previous record holder for that period, 1993's Fugitive, The (1993), which collected $23.8 million, in the dust. Although such action fare generally falls off rapidly after opening week, today's Los Angeles Times observed that word-of-mouth about the movie should be strong enough to carry it to $100 million. Coming in second was Universal's One True Thing (1998), which earned a solid $6.6 million for the struggling studio. Fox's There's Something About Mary (1998) continued to display strong legs in its tenth week with $5.8 million, bringing its total to $147.1 million. But the Matt Damon movie Rounders (1998), which finished first last week, was forced to cash in with only $4.7 million, a 44 percent drop. The top-ten films for the weekend, according to final results from Exhibitor Relations:1. Rush Hour (1998), New Line, $33, 001, 803; 2. One True Thing (1998), Universal, $6, 606, 455; 3. There's Something About Mary (1998), 20th Century Fox, $5, 634, 385; 4. _Rounders (1998)_, Miramax, $4, 731, 197; 5. Simon Birch (1998), Buena Vista $3, 744, 801; 6. Saving Private Ryan (1998), DreamWorks, $3, 405, 161; 7. Blade (1998), New Line, $3, 263, 253; 8. Ever After (1998), 20th Century Fox, $1, 778, 716; 9. Armageddon (1998), Buena Vista $1, 254, 927; 10. Snake Eyes (1998), Paramount, $920, 173.

Chan, At Last, Earns A Little Respect In U.S.
21 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
The results must have particularly surprised -- and cheered -- Rush Hour (1998) co-star Jackie Chan, who was quoted in Sunday's Toronto Star as saying, "I don't have confidence in American audience. I have confidence in me. In Asia, I have full confidence in my movies." Chan said that he had been in talks with studio execs about three future films. "We've had lots of meetings, everyone's saying they want to do this and that. But I know they're waiting for this weekend." The top-ten films according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:1. Rush Hour (1998), $31 million; 2. One True Thing (1998), $6.6 million; 3. There's Something About Mary (1998), $6 million; 4. Rounders (1998), $4.8 million; 5. Simon Birch (1998), $3.9 million; 6. Saving Private Ryan (1998), $3.4 million; 7. Blade (1998), $3.3 million; 8. Ever After (1998), $1.7 million; 9. Armageddon (1998), $1.2 million; 10. Snake Eyes (1998), $950, 000.

New Line Execs Earn Industry Praise
21 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
Rush Hour (1998) is the latest in a string of hits for New Line that include Blade (1998), The Wedding Singer (1998) and Lost in Space (1998). Entertainment analyst Dave Davis of Houlihan Lokey Howard & Zukin told Bloomberg News Sunday, "I'm speechless about the performance of Rush Hour (1998). ... To come out of nowhere with $31 million in September is unheard of, and just shows how well New Line has its finger on the pulse of the American movie-going public." New Line distribution chief Al Shapiro told today's (Monday) Hollywood Reporter, "Releasing a movie is like a giant jigsaw puzzle. When all the pieces fall into place, it's exhilarating." (Bloomberg observed that the continued success of New Line -- which Time Warner acquired during the Turner Broadcasting merger -- has helped offset weakness at Warner Bros.)

Rounders' Winning Hand
15 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
Final weekend box office figures indicated Monday that Rounders (1998), the gambling drama starring Matt Damon, collected $8.5 million, nudging 20th Century Fox's There's Something About Mary (1998) into second place with $7 million. (Nevertheless, after nine weeks Mary's total winnings amount to an astounding $139.2 million.) The fourth weekend of New Line's Blade (1998) produced another $5.2 million for the superhero-horror flick, bringing its total to a far-higher-than expected $56.4 million. The top ten films for the weekend, as compiled by Exhibitor Relations:1. Rounders (1998), Miramax, $8, 459, 126; 2. There's Something About Mary (1998), 20th Century Fox, $6, 952, 863; 3. Blade (1998), New Line, $5, 193, 323; 4. Saving Private Ryan (1998), DreamWorks, $4, 504, 502; 5. Simon Birch (1998), Buena Vista $3, 321, 370; 6. Ever After (1998), 20th Century Fox, $2, 296, 421; 7. Knock Off (1998), Sony, $1, 922, 829; 8. Snake Eyes (1998), Paramount, $1, 583, 354; 9. Armageddon (1998), Buena Vista $1, 58, 1421; 10. How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), 20th Century Fox, $1, 483, 946.

Rounders Comes Up Aces
14 September 1998 (StudioBriefing)
Movie patrons anteed up an estimated $8.8 million at the box office to see Rounders (1998), starring Matt Damon, over the weekend, making it the top grosser. As usual during this time of year, business was well off the summer level with only about $50 million spent overall at the box office. There's Something About Mary (1998), which rose to number one last week after eight weeks in release, fell back to second place with about $8 million, still a remarkable figure considering the length of its run. (In an interview with the Associated Press, 20th Century Fox distribution chief Tom Sherak explained the success of Mary this way: "She's nice, she's warmhearted, she's everybody's girl next door. ... And one joke after another makes it funny, and people want to laugh.") New Line's Blade (1998) continued to exhibit staying power, too, finishing third with $5 million in its fourth weekend. The top ten films, according to studio estimates released by Exhibitor Relations Sunday:1. Rounders (1998), $8.8 million; 2. There's Something About Mary (1998), $8 million; 3. Blade (1998), $5.2 million; 4. Saving Private Ryan (1998), $4.7 million; 5. Simon Birch (1998), $3.3 million; 6. Ever After (1998), $2.4 million; 7. Knock Off (1998), $1.9 million; 8. Snake Eyes (1998), $1.7 million; 9. Armageddon (1998), $1.6 million; 9. How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), $1.6 million.

Above At First Bite
24 August 1998 (StudioBriefing)
New Line's Blade, based on Marvel Comics' vampire-superhero, finally cut down DreamWorks' Saving Private Ryan (1998) at the box office over the weekend, earning an estimated $17 million against 10.1 million for Ryan (bringing Ryan's total over five weeks to $143 million). Three other new films, Dance with Me (1998), Dead Man on Campus (1998) and Wrongfully Accused (1998), all flopped. However, in a stunning surprise, There's Something About Mary (1998), in its sixth week, moved up a notch into third place, with earnings of about $7.9 million, bringing its total to date to $104 million, and making it one of a rare breed of films to cross the $100 million mark without ever placing first. Avengers, The (1998), meanwhile, saw its second-weekend gross plummet 66 percent to only $3.5 million, dropping out of the top ten after debuting in second place last week. The top-ten films according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:1. Blade, $17 million; 2. Saving Private Ryan (1998), $10.1 million; 3. There's Something About Mary (1998), $7.9 million; 4. How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998), $6.6 million; 5. Snake Eyes (1998), $5.1 million; 6. Dead Man on Campus (1998), $4.7 million; 7. Dance with Me (1998), $4.5 million; 7. Ever After (1998), $4.5 million; 9. Parent Trap, The (1998), $3.8 million; 10. Halloween: H20 (1998), $3.7 million.