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The Bourne Ultimatum (2007)

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Damon & Wife Expecting Second Child
10 March 2008 (WENN)
Hollywood actor Matt Damon is to become a father for the second time. The Bourne Ultimatum star and wife Luciana will welcome the new addition to their family later this year. Damon's spokesman Jennifer Allen tells People.com, "They couldn't be happier. They're so excited!" The couple announced the news after attending the Empire Film Awards in London on Sunday night. They already have a daughter, Isabella, one. Damon is also stepfather to Luciana's nine-year-old daughter Alexia.

Oscars Favor No Country for Old Men
25 February 2008 (IMDb News Flash)
No Country for Old Men was the big winner at the 80th Annual Academy Awards, winning four Oscars including Best Picture. The gritty thriller, a favorite among critics, also won top awards for directors Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (the second duo to win the Best Direction award), adapted screenplay (also for the Coens), and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem. Surprisingly, the next movie to win the most awards was The Bourne Ultimatum, which took home three technical awards, while the two movies to win top acting honors earned two awards each. There Will Be Blood was the recipient of Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, while La Vien En Rose nabbed Best Make-Up and, in a bit of a surprise, Best Actress for Marion Cotillard, who thanked both life and love upon receiving her Oscar. Michael Clayton's Tilda Swinton was the winner in the highly-contentious Best Supporting Actress category, while Juno was, as expected, the winner of the Original Screenplay award.

There were a few more surprises in other categories, as Elizabeth: The Golden Age won for Best Costume Design, and Taxi to the Dark Side was named Best Documentary over favorites Sicko and No End in Sight. Best Picture nominee Atonement won a single award for Original Score, with Best Song going to "Falling Slowly" from Once. Other single-award winners included Ratatouille for Best Animated Feature, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for Art Direction, and The Golden Compass for Visual Effects. Art Director Robert Boyle, nominated for such films as North by Northwest and Fiddler on the Roof, was presented with an honorary Oscar.

Hosted by Jon Stewart, the ceremony went along smoothly with few hiccups, though more than one presenter slid on the floor on their way to the podium. For home viewers, the show went only about 20 minutes or so over the expected time. You can check out photos from the Academy Awards, courtesy of WireImage.

Get the full list of winners in our Road to the Oscars section.

Oscars Favor No Country for Old Men
24 February 2008 (IMDb News Flash)
No Country for Old Men was the big winner at the 80th Annual Academy Awards, winning four Oscars including Best Picture. The gritty thriller, a favorite among critics, also won top awards for directors Joel Coen and Ethan Coen (the second duo to win the Best Direction award), adapted screenplay (also for the Coens), and Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem. Surprisingly, the next movie to win the most awards was The Bourne Ultimatum, which took home three technical awards, while the two movies to win top acting honors earned two awards each. There Will Be Blood was the recipient of Best Actor for Daniel Day-Lewis, while La Vien En Rose nabbed Best Make-Up and, in a bit of a surprise, Best Actress for Marion Cotillard, who thanked both life and love upon receiving her Oscar. Michael Clayton's Tilda Swinton was the winner in the highly-contentious Best Supporting Actress category, while Juno was, as expected, the winner of the Original Screenplay award.

There were a few more surprises in other categories, as Elizabeth: The Golden Age won for Best Costume Design, and Taxi to the Dark Side was named Best Documentary over favorites Sicko and No End in Sight. Best Picture nominee Atonement won a single award for Original Score, with Best Song going to "Falling Slowly" from Once. Other single-award winners included Ratatouille for Best Animated Feature, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street for Art Direction, and The Golden Compass for Visual Effects. Art Director Robert Boyle, nominated for such films as North by Northwest and Fiddler on the Roof, was presented with an honorary Oscar.

Hosted by Jon Stewart, the ceremony went along smoothly with few hiccups, though more than one presenter slid on the floor on their way to the podium. For home viewers, the show went only about 20 minutes or so over the expected time. You can check out photos from the Academy Awards, courtesy of WireImage.

Get the full list of winners in our Road to the Oscars section.

BAFTAs Pick Atonement for Best Film
11 February 2008 (IMDb News Flash)
Literary adaptation Atonement took home the Best Film award at this year's BAFTAs, though it was La Vie En Rose and No Country for Old Men which won the most awards. While Atonement received just one other award, for Production Design, La Vie En Rose was the top winner overall with four honors, including Best Actress for Marion Cotillard and three technical awards for Music, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair. The Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men, which is heavily favored for the upcoming Academy Awards, won three top awards, including Best Direction, Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem and the cinematography award. The only other film to win more than one award was The Bourne Ultimatum, which received the Sound and Editing honors.

Oscar favorite Daniel Day-Lewis was named Best Actor for There Will Be Blood, while Tilda Swinton was the surprise winner in the Best Supporting Actress category for Michael Clayton. Screenplay awards went to Juno (original) and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (adapted), and This Is England was named Outstanding British Film of the Year. Other winners included The Lives of Others (Best Film not in the English Language), The Golden Compass (Visual Effects), Ratatouille (Animated Film), Shia LaBeouf (the Orange Rising Star Award), and Control screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh (Most Promising Newcomer).

Get the full list of winners in our Road to the Oscars section.

BAFTAs Pick Atonement for Best Film
10 February 2008 (IMDb News Flash)
Literary adaptation Atonement took home the Best Film award at this year's BAFTAs, though it was La Vie En Rose and No Country for Old Men which won the most awards. While Atonement received just one other award, for Production Design, La Vie En Rose was the top winner overall with four honors, including Best Actress for Marion Cotillard and three technical awards for Music, Costume Design and Make Up & Hair. The Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men, which is heavily favored for the upcoming Academy Awards, won three top awards, including Best Direction, Best Supporting Actor for Javier Bardem and the cinematography award. The only other film to win more than one award was The Bourne Ultimatum, which received the Sound and Editing honors.

Oscar favorite Daniel Day-Lewis was named Best Actor for There Will Be Blood, while Tilda Swinton was the surprise winner in the Best Supporting Actress category for Michael Clayton. Screenplay awards went to Juno (original) and The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (adapted), and This Is England was named Outstanding British Film of the Year. Other winners included The Lives of Others (Best Film not in the English Language), The Golden Compass (Visual Effects), Ratatouille (Animated Film), Shia LaBeouf (the Orange Rising Star Award), and Control screenwriter Matt Greenhalgh (Most Promising Newcomer).

Get the full list of winners in our Road to the Oscars section.

SAG Stunt Awards Go To 'Bourne Ultimatum' & '24'
29 January 2008 (WENN)
Stunt performers from The Bourne Ultimatum and 24 also won big at the Screen Actors Guild Awards in Los Angeles on Sunday night. The tough men and women that added the action to the film and TV drama picked up SAG awards for Outstanding Performance by a Film and Television Stunt Ensemble. The announcement was made on the red carpet at the 14th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards by 3:10 To Yuma star Ben Foster and SAG President Alan Rosenberg.

Depp Top Draw in 2007
4 January 2008 (StudioBriefing)
Johnny Depp, who was once relegated to relatively low budget films because producers thought him too outré to attract sizable audiences, was named Top Money Making Star for the second year in a row in the 76th annual Quickley Publishing Co. poll. Depp starred in 2007 in Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The poll. which surveys motion picture exhibitors, put Will Smith (I Am Legend) in second place. Other top finishers: 3: George Clooney (Ocean's Thirteen, Michael Clayton); 4. Matt Damon (Ocean's Thirteen, The Bourne Ultimatum); 5. Denzel Washington (American Gangster, The Great Debaters).

Lohan Tops AOL Moviefone Poll
3 January 2008 (WENN)
Lindsay Lohan gave the poorest acting performances in 2007, according to a poll of nearly four million British movie-goers. The actress - who was honored for her contribution to the film industry at the Capri Film Festival in Italy on Sunday - was criticized for her performance in thriller I Know Who Killed Me. Eddie Murphy also featured in the AOL Moviefone poll for his role in Norbit, while the film was considered to be the biggest waste of the price of a ticket. Matt Damon was recognized for his good acting in The Bourne Ultimatum and Ocean's Thirteen, and Shia LaBeouf was named best newcomer. He also won best screen duo along with Megan Fox for Transformers. The survey, which attracted more than 3.8 million votes, offered users a choice of five nominees in each category.

Top Pirated Film in 2007: 'Transformers'
2 January 2008 (StudioBriefing)
The No. 1 film downloaded illegally via BitTorrent over the past year was Transformers, according to the website TorrentFreak. Most of the top films were directed at young males. Knocked Up placed second, 300 third, and The Bourne Ultimatum fourth. The top TV shows downloaded at torrent sites was Heroes, followed by Battlestar Galactica, Lost, and 24.

'Ultimatum' Is the Ultimate
18 December 2007 (StudioBriefing)
DVD sales of The Bourne Ultimatum are expected to pass the $100-million mark today (Tuesday) by selling more than 5.5 million units, according to Universal Studios Home Entertainment. The figure exceeds sales of each of the previous two Bourne movies at this stage of their release. The original The Bourne Identity sold 3 million; sequel The Bourne Supremacy, 5 million.

'No Country for Old Men' Named Best Picture by National Board of Review
6 December 2007 (WENN)
In a year with no one film as a specific front-runner of the awards season, the National Board of Review has given a leg up to the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men, honoring it as Best Picture, as well as with the group's ensemble cast award and adapted screenplay honor. In a reflection of the lack of heavyweight pictures and performances favored for potential Academy Award nominations, the National Board spread around its awards to a number of movies and actors. Tim Burton was named Best Director for Sweeney Todd, while former Oscar winners George Clooney (Michael Clayton) and Julie Christie (Away From Her) were honored as Best Actor and Actress; the supporting awards went to two highly acclaimed performances: Casey Affleck for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone (which also starred Affleck). The Diving Bell and the Butterfly won the Foreign Film Award, with Body of War and Ratatouille named the best documentary and animated films, respectively. A group of film aficionados and academics, the National Board is not a critics' group per se, but has gained its fame by handing out the first honors of the awards season. Winners named by critics' groups in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles will follow in the next week, with the Golden Globe nominations being announced on Thursday, December 13.

Other awards include: Breakthrough Performance by an Actor - Emile Hirsch, Into The Wild; Breakthrough Performance by an Actress - Ellen Page, Juno; Best Directorial Debut - Ben Affleck, Gone Baby Gone; Best Original Screenplay (tie): Diablo Cody, Juno and Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl.

In addition to its Best Picture award, the National Board of Review also names the top ten films of the year, in alphabetical order: The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, Atonement, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bucket List, Into The Wild, Juno, The Kite Runner, Lars And The Real Girl, Michael Clayton, and Sweeney Todd. --Mark Englehart, IMDb staff

'No Country for Old Men' Named Best Picture by National Board of Review
5 December 2007 (WENN)
In a year with no one film as a specific front-runner of the awards season, the National Board of Review has given a leg up to the Coen brothers' No Country for Old Men, honoring it as Best Picture, as well as with the group's ensemble cast award and adapted screenplay honor. In a reflection of the lack of heavyweight pictures and performances favored for potential Academy Award nominations, the National Board spread around its awards to a number of movies and actors. Tim Burton was named Best Director for Sweeney Todd, while former Oscar winners George Clooney (Michael Clayton) and Julie Christie (Away From Her) were honored as Best Actor and Actress; the supporting awards went to two highly acclaimed performances: Casey Affleck for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford and Amy Ryan in Gone Baby Gone (which also starred Affleck). The Diving Bell and the Butterfly won the Foreign Film Award, with Body of War and Ratatouille named the best documentary and animated films, respectively. A group of film aficionados and academics, the National Board is not a critics' group per se, but has gained its fame by handing out the first honors of the awards season. Winners named by critics' groups in Boston, New York, and Los Angeles will follow in the next week, with the Golden Globe nominations being announced on Thursday, December 13.

Other awards include: Breakthrough Performance by an Actor - Emile Hirsch, Into The Wild; Breakthrough Performance by an Actress - Ellen Page, Juno; Best Directorial Debut - Ben Affleck, Gone Baby Gone; Best Original Screenplay (tie): Diablo Cody, Juno and Nancy Oliver, Lars and the Real Girl.

In addition to its Best Picture award, the National Board of Review also names the top ten films of the year, in alphabetical order: The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward Robert Ford, Atonement, The Bourne Ultimatum, The Bucket List, Into The Wild, Juno, The Kite Runner, Lars And The Real Girl, Michael Clayton, and Sweeney Todd. --Mark Englehart, IMDb staff

Damon Beats Dempsey, Reynolds & Pitt To Be Sexiest Man Alive
15 November 2007 (WENN)
Matt Damon has topped a new poll to be named the Sexiest Man Alive. The Bourne Ultimatum star, 37, beat Grey's Anatomy hunk Patrick Dempsey - who is nicknamed Doctor McDreamy on the hit medical series - and Blade: Trinity actor Ryan Reynolds to the top position on the annual People magazine hotlist. The title will be a welcome accolade for Damon - he recently revealed it has been his longtime ambition to beat pal George Clooney - a frequent entrant in such surveys - to the coveted number one spot. But married Damon, who became a first-time father earlier this year, remains coy about his win. He tells People, "You've given an aging suburban dad the ego-boost of a lifetime." The magazine cites Damon's "irresistible sense of humor," "rock solid family man" and "heart-melting humility" for landing him the title. The top 10 Sexiest Men are as follows: 1. Matt Damon; 2. Patrick Dempsey; 3. Ryan Reynolds; 4. Brad Pitt; 5. James McAvoy; 6. Johnny Depp; 7. Dave Annable; 8. Will Smith; 9. Javier Bardem; 10. Shemar Moore.

Jolie and Pitt Team Up for TV Series
23 October 2007 (WENN)
Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are teaming up to produce a new TV series based on the lives of aid workers. The couple is working on a new small screen project - their first together - for TV network HBO, which will go behind the scenes of an international aid organization. The series is being written by The Bourne Ultimatum co-writer Scott Burns, who also produced An Inconvenient Truth.

Damon Prepared To Take on 'Bourne' Identity Again
18 October 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Matt Damon indicated Wednesday that he would make another Bourne sequel if only to express his gratitude. In an interview in Tokyo with the French news agency Agence France Presse, Damon said, "Personally, the character means a lot to me because the character has done so much for my career. You know, it put me in the position where I have a lot more choices of kind of movies I want to make." He said that if director Paul Greengrass asked him to take on the character again, "then I would do it, too. ... I don't think either of us completely put the character to bed yet."

French Rat Reigns in Germany
8 October 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Franco-German relations improved over the weekend as a German-language version of Disney/Pixar's Ratatouille opened at No. 1 in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The film earned $12.2 million in Germany alone. David Kornblum, who heads Disney's international sales and distribution, told Reuters that the animated film, whose plot takes place at a French restaurant, was "like a vacuum cleaner in Germany," sucking up most of the business there. The Bourne Ultimatum, which had led the overseas box office for six of the seven previous weeks, dropped to third place with about $5.7 million, edged out of second place by I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, which grossed $6.7 million.

The 'Bourne' Miscalculation
2 October 2007 (StudioBriefing)
A final tally of overseas box-office results indicated Monday that The Bourne Ultimatum continued to rule as the No. 1 film. Preliminary results had put I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry in first place. But Bourne, which has held on to the top spot for six of the past seven weeks, was reported to have taken in $9.4 million, edging out Chuck, which took in $9.3 million.

'Bourne' Knocked From Overseas Perch
1 October 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The month-long reign of The Bourne Ultimatum at the top of the overseas box office ended this past weekend as the Adam Sandler movie, I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, took over the lead. The comedy took in $9.3 million. Meanwhile, Ang Lee's controversial Lust, Caution, opened in 95 theaters in Taiwan with $2.9 million, a September record.

More Than 300 Movies on Google Video, Group Alleges
27 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Video piracy is going "mainstream," with more than 300 apparently copyrighted movies available on Google video, according to the National Legal and Policy Center. The videos, it said, have been viewed more than 22 million times during the past year. Among the videos, it said, were recent summer releases including Shrek the Third, Ocean's Thirteen, The Bourne Ultimatum, and Knocked Up. In a statement on Wednesday, the group urged members of Congress "to continue taking strong and enforceable measures to protect the intellectual property of American businesses." In an interview with the Associated Press, NLPC Chairman Ken Boehm said, "What [Google is] doing is inexcusable corporate behavior. When big companies do something unethical, it sends a message to everyone else that it's OK." However, MarketWatch.com said that it had checked Google Video and discovered that "only clips and trailers of the movies mentioned" by the NLPC could be accessed, not the entire movies.

'Resident Evil: Extinction' Beats Out Predecessors
25 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Resident Evil: Extinction inched ahead of Resident Evil: Apocalypse on the opening-weekend box-office charts over the weekend, with the latest installment of the franchise earning $23.68 million versus $23 million for the previous sequel in 2004. The original Resident Evil took in $17.7 million in its 2002 debut. The higher result for the new film was attributed to inflation; Apocalypse actually sold more tickets. Coming in second was Lionsgate's Good Luck Chuck, with $13.65 million. Another newcomer, Universal's Sydney White, tanked with just $5.2 million, and, expanding into wide release, Focus Features' Eastern Promises landed in fifth place with just $5.64 million. In limited release, the Sean Penn-directed Into the Wild from Paramount Vantage raked in $212,440 in just four theaters. With an average of $53,110 per theater, it outperformed all wide-release films over the weekend.

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. Resident Evil: Extinction, Sony, $23,678,580, (New); 2. Good Luck Chuck, Lions Gate, $13,652,001, (New); 3. The Brave One, Warner Bros., $7,313,437, 2 Wks. ($25,003,347); 4. 3:10 to Yuma, Lions Gate, $6,157,624, 3 Wks. ($37,718,878); 5. Eastern Promises, Focus Features, $5,641,788, 2 Wks. ($6,443,748); 6. Sydney White, Universal, $5,196,380, (New); 7. Mr. Woodcock, New Line, $4,923,896, 2 Wks. ($15,648,584); 8. Superbad, Sony, $3,110,322, 6 Wks. ($116,181,146); 9 . The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $2,872,565, 7 Wks. ($220,239,735); 10. Dragon Wars, Freestyle Releasing, $2,596,278, 2 Wks. ($8,657,527).

'Evil' Resides at No. 1
24 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The Resident Evil franchise seemed far from extinct this weekend as Resident Evil: Extinction, starring Milla Jovovich, opened with a better-than-expected $24 million, making it the highest grossing debut of the series, according to studio estimates. It topped 2004's Resident Evil: Apocalypse by some $1 million. The original movie grossed $17.7 million in 2002. In second place, the comedy Good Luck Chuck managed to take in about $14 million in its initial outing, performing about as analysts had expected. But the David Cronenberg-directed Eastern Promises had a less-than-promising opening, with just $5.7 million to place fifth, and the Amanda Bynes' teen comedy Sydney White, a take-off on the Snow White tale, appeared to have been cursed by the evil queen, taking in only $5.3 million to place sixth. Last week's top film, The Brave One, starring Jodie Foster, dropped 45 percent as it racked up $7.4 million in ticket sales, landing in third place. And the previous week's No. 1 film, 3:10 to Yuma was on track to take in $6.4 million, to land in fourth place. For the second week in a row films opening in limited released performed exceptionally well, despite otherwise near-vacant theaters at some multiplexes. The Sean Penn-directed Into the Wild opened in just four theaters with an impressive $206,596, or $51,649 per theater. (By comparison, Resident Evil: Extinction wound up with about $8,500 per theater.) And The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, starring Brad Pitt and Casey Affleck, earned $144,000 in five theaters, or an average of $28,800 per theater. However, Sony Classics' The Jane Austen Book Club attracted few members, taking in only $141,000 in 25 theaters or just $5,600 per theater.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Resident Evil: Extinction, $24 million; 2. Good Luck Chuck, $14 million; 3. The Brave One, $7.4 million; 4. 3:10 to Yuma, $6.35 million; 5. Eastern Promises, $5.7 million; 6. Sydney White, $5.3 million; 7. Mr. Woodcock, $5 million; 8. Superbad, $3.1 million; 9. The Bourne Ultimatum, $2.8 million; 10. Dragon Wars, $2.5 million.

'Bourne' Reborn at No. 1 Overseas
24 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Overseas, The Bourne Ultimatum continued to show impressive staying power, taking in $13 million in its fifth week and continuing to lead the pack. The Matt Damon starrer has now earned $144 million overseas, according to Daily Variety.The trade publication predicted that it will wind up making almost as much as the previous two installments of the Bourne franchise made together. In second place, The Simpsons Movie continued its impressive roll, adding another $6 million to its overseas loot, which now stands at $332 million.

'Brave One' Braves Lackluster Box Office
18 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Demonstrating that even a winner can be a loser, the Jodie Foster starrer The Brave One opened at the top of the box office over the weekend with just $13.5 million. The vigilante flick, which reportedly cost $50 million to make and another $30 million to market and distribute, performed well below Foster's other recent releases, including Flightplan, which opened in 2005 with $25 million and Panic Room, which earned $30 million in its bow in 2002. But if The Brave One was regarded as a disappointment, the Billy Bob Thornton comedy Mr. Woodcock was deemed an utter disaster, taking in just $8.8 million and winding up in third place slightly behind last week's winner, 3:10 to Yuma, which took in $8.9 million. The fifth week of Superbad took the fourth spot with $5.1 million, bringing its gross to $111.2 million. Rounding out the top five, the Korean fantasy hit Dragon Wars proved to be a dud with an opening take of just $5 million.

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. The Brave One, Warner Bros., $13,471,488, (New); 2. 3:10 to Yuma, Lions Gate, $8,930,889, 2 Wks. ($28,330,228); 3. Mr. Woodcock, New Line, $8,761,369, (New); 4. Superbad, Sony, $5,105,184, 5 Wks. ($111,241,228); 5. Dragon Wars, Freestyle Releasing, $5,041,239, (New); 6. Halloween, MGM, $4,867,522, 3 Wks. ($51,120,587); 7. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $4,125,380, 7 Wks. ($216,167,260); 8. Balls of Fury, Focus Features, $3,324,001, 3 Wks. ($28,859,451); 9. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $3,303,341, 6 Wks. ($133,158,932); 10. Mr. Bean's Holiday, Universal, $2,726,475, 4 Wks. ($28,545,470).

Megaplexes Empty; Art Houses Packed
17 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Theaters showing mainstream movie fare were mostly empty over the weekend, a traditionally slow period at the box office. On the other hand, those showing art-house fare were doing a land-office business. The Jodie Foster vigilante flick The Brave One was the top earner with an estimated $14 million in 2,755 theaters, or about $5,100 per theater. By contrast, David Cronenberg's Eastern Promises took in $553,000 in 15 theaters, or an average of nearly $37,000 per theater. The Beatles drama/musical Across the Universe, directed by Julie Taymor, racked up about $685,000 in 23 theaters, or nearly $30,000 per theater. Paul Haggis's In the Valley of Elah earned a solid $150,000 in nine theaters, averaging $17,000 per theater. Among films in wide release only The Brave One earned more than $10 million. Studio figures indicated that the debuting Billy Bob Thornton comedy Mr. Woodcock and last week's winner 3:10 to Yuma were virtually tied for second place with about $9.1 million each. (Final results will be published here on Tuesday.) Dragon Wars opened in fourth place with $5.4 million. Superbad continued to exhibit super legs, taking in another $5.2 million to place fifth and bringing its gross-to-date to $111.3 million. (It cost only $20 million to produce.)

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. The Brave One, $14 million; 2. 3:10 to Yuma, $9.2 million; 3. Mr. Woodcock, $9.1 million; 4. Dragon Wars, $5.4 million; 5. Superbad, $5.2 million; 6. Halloween, $5 million; 7. The Bourne Ultimatum, $4.2 million; 8. Balls of Fury, $3.3 million; 9. Rush Hour 3, $3.3 million; 10. Mr. Bean's Holiday, $2.7 million.

'Bourne' Again -- Overseas
17 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Even as the Matt Damon spy flick The Bourne Ultimatum continued to show solid strength at the domestic box office in its seventh week -- taking in $4.2 million to bring its total domestic receipts to $216.2 million -- the film showed impressive staying power overseas as well. In its fourth week, Bourne still led the pack, earning $20.8 million and bringing its foreign gross to $122 million. Also performing solidly abroad was The Simpsons Movie, which placed second with $10.5 million, to raise its total gross to $321 million overseas.

'Yuma' Arrives; Carries a Lot of Freight
11 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Lionsgate's 3:10 to Yuma arrived at the box office on schedule over the weekend, taking in about what analysts thought it would -- $14 million. But the film, which reportedly had cost $50 million to produce and another $30 million to market and distribute, seemed already to be out of steam. Studio reports indicated that the film appealed mostly to an older audience, and while reviews were mostly positive, exit comments were only so-so. Several analysts commented that the film was unlikely to revive the traditional Western movie, as others had forecast. Performing far worse was New Line's Shoot 'Em Up, which was shot down in its opening with ticket sales of only $5.7 million, about half what analysts had predicted. The performance was particularly worrisome to New Line, which has been reeling from a series of recent failures. Last week's top film, Halloween, also took a huge tumble to $9.5 million, to place second. The brightest spot on the results sheet was Sony's Superbad, which took in another $7.6 million in its fourth week and crossed the $100 million mark. It cost only about $25 million to make. Rounding out the top five was Universal's The Bourne Ultimatum, which garnered $5.7 million in its sixth week.

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. 3:10 to Yuma, Lionsgate, $14,035,033, 1 Wks. ($14,035,033); 2. Halloween, MGM, $9,513,770, 2 Wks. ($43,709,854); 3. Superbad, Sony, $7,551,822, 4 Wks. ($103,219,381); 4. Shoot 'Em Up, New Line, $5,716,554, 1 Wks. ($5,716,554); 5. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $5,673,850, 6 Wks. ($210,294,605); 6. Balls of Fury, Focus/Rogue, $5,652,852, 2 Wks. ($24,241,209); 7. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $4,883,334, 5 Wks. ($128,721,208); 8. Mr. Bean's Holiday, Universal, $3,413,785, 3 Wks. ($25,089,420); 9. The Nanny Diaries, MGM, $3,194,396, 3 Wks. ($20,877,849); 10. Stardust, Paramount, $1,800,127, 5 Wks. ($34,594,712).

'Bourne 'Stays On Top Overseas
10 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Overseas, the fourth week of The Bourne Ultimatum performed better than any new film released domestically. The film took in $16.5 million, well ahead of its two closest rivals, the animated film Ratatouille and Shrek the Third. Bourne's international total now stands at $98.8 million. Overall the overseas box-office performed beyond expectations for this time of year. According to Daily Variety, the top five films together grossed $43 million, 43 percent higher than the $30 million recorded during the comparable week a year ago.

'Yuma' Leads Box Office
10 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
3:10 to Yuma chugged into the lead position at the box office over the weekend, but on a weekend that has traditionally produced below-average ticket sales, the film grossed only $14.1 million. With kids heading back to school, the western drew mostly older moviegoers. The only other new film to open in more than 1,000 theaters, Shoot 'Em Up, misfired, opening in sixth place with just $5.5 million. Meanwhile, last week's top film, Halloween, followed the downward course of most other horror films in their second week. It dropped 62 percent to $10 million. Sony's Superbad fell only 36 percent, however to $8 million, taking the third-place position and crossing the $100-million mark. Marking yet another severe setback for Revolution and Sony, their The Brothers Solomon debuted in 700 theaters with just $525,000 -- amounting to an average of just $750 per theater.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. 3:10 to Yuma, $14.1 million; 2. Halloween, $10 million; 3. Superbad, $8 million; 4. Balls of Fury, $5.7 million; 5. The Bourne Ultimatum, $5.5 million; 6. Shoot 'Em Up, $5.5 million; 7. Rush Hour 3, $5.3 million; 8. Mr. Bean's Holiday, $3.4 million; 9. The Nanny Diaries, $3.3 million; 10. Hairspray, $2 million.

Will the Western Ride Again?
7 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Kids are starting school again and may be unlikely to head for the movie theaters this weekend, but their parents and grandparents may give the traditional Western 3:10 to Yuma a substantial boost, some box office analysts are predicting. Tracking companies are forecasting that the movie, starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, will earn $13-17 million over the weekend to take the lead from last weekend's winner, Halloween. The latter film is expected to fall to second place with about $10-13 million, followed by the spoofy Shoot 'Em Up, with about $9-11 million and the third week of the raunchy comedy Superbad with about $8-10 million. The Bourne Ultimatum is expected to round out the top ten with $6.5-9 million.

Box Office Hot; Theaters Air-Conditioned
5 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Record high temperatures in several parts of the country were credited with helping to drive air-conditioning seekers into theaters over the Labor Day holiday. Final figures confirmed that the industry set records for both the three-day and the four-day period. The No. 1 film, Halloween, from MGM and the Weinstein Co., sold more tickets than any film ever released over the Labor Day period -- $30.6 million worth.

The top ten films over the four-day Labor Day weekend, according to final figures compiled by Media by Numbers (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1 Halloween, MGM, $30,591,759, (New); 2. Superbad, Sony, $15,852,355, 3 Wks. ($92,687,150); 3. Balls of Fury, Focus Features, $14,111,454, (New); 4. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $13,390,340, 5 Wks. ($202,810,455); 5. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $10,83,9063, 4 Wks. ($122,695,339); 6. Mr. Bean's Holiday, Universal, $7,933,690, 2 Wks. ($20,934,120); 7. The Nanny Diaries, MGM, $6,567,907, 2 Wks. ($16,719,283); 8. Death Sentence, 20th Century Fox, $5,337,257, (New); 9. War, Lions Gate, $5,326,797, 2 Wks. ($18,166,199); 10. Stardust, Paramount, $4,135,246, 4 Wks. ($32,144,100).

Columnist Warns Hollywood on Sequels Reliance
5 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Although the movie business chalked up a record $4 billion in revenue this past summer season, it may be facing a severe downturn next year if it continues to rely on hits of the past, New York Daily News entertainment writer David Hinckley commented today (Wednesday). Hinckley observed that $1.5 billion of the $4 billion total came from just five sequels: Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, the latest Pirates of the Caribbean, the latest Harry Potter , and The Bourne Ultimatum. "That's why Hollywood shrugs when those silly purists talk about 'fresh ideas,'" Hinckley wrote. "Since Hollywood made more money than ever with fewer original films than ever, what's the incentive to gamble on something untested? Just this: You can't make a 'threequel' in the future if you don't have an original today." Hinckley concluded: "You can eat the grain stored in your barn and it's an easy meal. If you stop planting the fields, future winters get tougher."

'Halloween' -- A Box-Office Treat
4 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The 2007 summer movie season went out with a bang over the Labor Day weekend as the box office posted $119.6 million in ticket sales -- well above the previous record of $106.1 million for the holiday set in 2003, according to box-office trackers Media by Numbers. Halloween, the top film over the four-day period, also set a record for the holiday as it raked in an estimated $31 million, nearly twice the earnings of the No. 2 film, Superbad (which had held the top spot over the previous two weekends. Balls of Fury, the ping-pong/martial arts comedy, debuted in third place with $13.8 million, slightly ahead of The Bourne Ultimatum, which took in $13.2 million, bringing its gross into blockbuster territory with $202.2 billion over five weeks. Rush Hour 3 rounded out the top five with $10.4 million in its fourth week. All other films took in less than $10 million.

The top ten films for the four-day Labor Day weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Halloween, $31 million; 2. Superbad, $15.6 million; 3. Balls of Fury, $13.8 million; 4. The Bourne Ultimatum, $13.2 million; 5. Rush Hour 3, $10.4 million; 6. Mr. Bean's Holiday, $8.1 million; 7. The Nanny Diaries, $6.4 million; 8. Death Sentence, $5.2 million; 9. War, $5.1 million; 10. Stardust, $3.9 million.

'Halloween' Scares Up Record
3 September 2007 (StudioBriefing)
There was more treat than trick about the decision to screen Rob Zombie's remake (the studio called it a "re-imagining") of Halloween over the Labor Day holiday. By Sunday, the film had already grossed more than any other film ever released over the holiday -- $26.5 million. The previous record was set two years ago when Transporter 2 opened with $16.5 million. (Labor Day is typically the slowest holiday period of the year at the box office, as young moviegoers are preparing to head back to school.) The film also gave a boost to the horror genre, which had come upon hard times this year. As MGM distribution chief Clark Woods observed in an interview with the Los Angeles Times: "Only a couple weeks ago, people were talking about the death of the horror movie. ... The genre sure wasn't dead this weekend." Coming in second was Sony's Superbad, which had reigned as the top box-office attraction during the previous two weeks. It grossed $12.2 million, slightly more than the No. 3 film, Universal's Balls of Fury, which debuted with $11.5 million. The rest of the box office looked as frightful as No. 1, with most other films drawing a piddling amount and pulling the average down below what it was a year ago. Nevertheless, the weekend will cap an extraordinary summer for the box office, which is expected to finish with a total haul of about $4.15 billion (first weekend of May through Labor Day).

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates: 1. Halloween, $26.5 million; 2. Superbad, $12.2 million; 3. Balls of Fury, $11.5 million; 4. The Bourne Ultimatum 10.1 million; 5. Mr. Bean's Holiday, $5.9 million; 6. Rush Hour 3, $5.3 million; 7. The Nanny Diaries, $5.1 million; 8. Death Sentence, $4.1 million; 9. Stardust, $3 million; 10. War, $2.3 million.

Despite Piracy, Box Office Sets Record
28 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Media By Numbers President Paul Dergarabedian confirmed Monday that North American ticket sales for the summer had risen above the $4 billion mark for the first time in history. The gross exceeded the previous record of $3.95 billion set in 2004. However, Dergarabedian observed, the number of actual tickets sold was actually 4.8 percent below 2004's total. On average, movie fans paid 10 percent more for a ticket this year than they did three years ago, with prices rising an average of 30 cents this year alone -- the largest increase in seven years. Much of this year's success could be attributed to a slew of blockbuster "three-quels" such as Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third and The Bourne Ultimatum, Dergarabedian told Bloomberg News. "Hollywood will likely put out more sequels given the success this summer," he said. "There's a comfort factor with sequels for audiences. They know what they're getting."

'Superbad' Reigns Over Box Office for Second Week
28 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
As is customary at the end of August, the box office lost steam over the weekend, with the top film, Superbad, hanging on to first place for the second week in a row with only $18 million, about half of what it earned the previous weekend. The fourth week of The Bourne Ultimatum took second place with $12.5 million, followed by Rush Hour 3 with $11.7 million. Of five films making their debut, only one made a solid impression. The Rowan Atkinson comedy Mr. Bean's Holiday placed fourth with $9.9 million at just 1,714 theaters -- accumulating an average per-theater gross that was only slightly below Superbad's.

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. Superbad, Sony, $18,044,369, 2 Wks. ($68,616,643); 2. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $12,472,215, 4 Wks. ($185,253,615); 3. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $11,706,643, 3 Wks. ($108,469,646); 4. Mr. Bean's Holiday, Universal, $9,889,780, (New); 5. War, Lionsgate, $9,820,089, (New); 6 . The Nanny Diaries, MGM, $7,480,927, (New); 7 . The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $4,317,689, 5 Wks. ($173,354,858); 8. Stardust, Paramount, $3,872,560, 3 Wks. ($26,374,432); 9. Hairspray, New Line, $3,265,384, 6 Wks. ($107,271,846); 10 . The Invasion, Warner Bros., $3,093,428, 2 Wks. ($11,468,121).

Box Office: Not Super Bad But Not Super Good, Either
27 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The summer box office is believed to have inched past the $4-billion mark over the weekend, thereby surpassing the record of $3.95 billion set in 2004. (Last year's total was $3.63 billion.) It occurred over a late-August weekend, which studios still consider a time when young moviegoers are preparing to return to school and have had their fill of expensive Hollywood productions. (In fact, the new record was attributed to higher ticket prices; the number of tickets sold was well below 2004's.) As it turned out, the studios dumped five relatively low-budget films into the megaplexes and none could beat the better holdovers. The one that performed the best was the one that few analysts held out much hope for. Rowan Atkinson's G-rated Mr. Bean's Holiday raked in $10.1 million in just 1,714 theaters. That works out to about $5,900 per theater, slightly less than the per-theater average of $6,100 taken in by the No. 1 film, Superbad, which grossed $18 million in 2,948 theaters in its second week. (The film, which has already taken in $189 million overseas, is now poised to cross over the $200-million worldwide mark early this week.) The fourth week of Universal's The Bourne Ultimatum placed second with $12.3 million in 3,679 theaters (the movie was also tops overseas with $14.4 million), while New Line's Rush Hour 3 finished in third place with $11.5 million in 3,442 theaters.

'War' -- It's Not Good for Much
27 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Lionsgate's War, starring Jet Li and Jason Statham, which many analysts had expected would be the primary contender for box-office honors, went down to ignominious defeat, taking in just $10 million in 2,277 theaters. Although the martial-arts saga was not screened for critics in the U.S., they entered the fray over the weekend and administered some devastating blows. For example, Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe wrote: "You could fill a small junkyard with the films Jet Li and Jason Statham have made separately. Perhaps to cut down on waste, they've teamed up for a single trip to the dumpster." And Peter Hartlaub in the San Francisco Chronicle warned that people from his fair city hoping to catch a few glimpses of it in a big movie should be aware that "San Francisco looks like Vancouver" (where most of the exterior scenes were actually shot).

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Superbad, $18 million; 2. The Bourne Ultimatum, $12.4 million; 3. Rush Hour 3, $12.3 million; 4. Mr. Bean's Holiday, $10.1 million; 5. War, $10 million; 6. The Nanny Diaries, $7.8 million; 7. The Simpsons Movie, $4.4 million; 8. Stardust, $4 million; 9. Hairspray, $3.5 million; 10. The Invasion, $3.1 million.

'Superbad' Results More Super Than Expected
21 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Sunday's ticket sales for Sony's Superbad practically equaled Saturday's. The result was that the film's actual weekend gross wound up almost $2 million higher than the studio had estimated. Sony attributed the $33.05-million final count to "fantastic word-of-mouth." Two other films, however, flopped in their debuts. Warner Bros.' The Invasion, a remake of The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, starring Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, earned just $5.95 million, while The Last Legion from the Weinstein Co., set during the decline of the Roman empire, declined and fell to only $2.75 million. Meanwhile, last week's No. 1 film, New Line's Rush Hour 3, dived to second place, falling 57 percent in its second week to $21.35 million, barely edging out the third week of Universal's The Bourne Ultimatum, which took in $19.87 million and placed third. Overall, the box-office tallied $130 million in total ticket sales, up 17.4 percent over last year's total of $110.7 million for the comparable weekend.

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. Superbad, Sony, $33,052,411, (New); 2. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $21,353,361, 2 Wks. ($87,676,529); 3. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $19,874,370, 3 Wks. ($164,694,690); 4. The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $6,829,648, 4 Wks. ($165,271,443); 5. The Invasion, Warner Bros., $5,951,409, (New); 6. Stardust, Paramount, $5,651,343, 2 Wks. ($19,493,894); 7. Hairspray, New Line, $4,502,455, 5 Wks. ($100,805,456); 8. Underdog, Disney, $3,848,791, 3 Wks. ($31,927,488); 9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $3,656,379, 6 Wks. ($278,762,117); 10. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $3,601,545, 5 Wks. ($110,484,335).

Raunch Wins at the Box Office
20 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Success was an equal-opportunity employer over the weekend as the wholesome High School Musical 2 set cable records as it arrived on television (see separate item) and the raunchy comedy Superbad performed beyond analysts' expectations at the box office. Judd Apatow's Superbad, a high-school comedy that -- at least officially -- could not be seen by many high-schoolers because of its R-rating, took in an estimated $31.2 million. It had cost only $20 million to produce. Apatow's last movie, Knocked Up, opened with $30.6 million just two months ago -- and has now grossed $147 million domestically. Meanwhile, Warner Bros.' The Invasion snatched few bodies into theaters, grossing just $6 million, according to estimates, to place fifth. Placing second was last week's winner, Rush Hour 3, which dropped to $21.8 million, down a steep 56 percent from its opening gross. The Bourne Ultimatum slipped to third place in its third weekend to $19 million, while The Simpsons Movie landed in fourth place with $6.7 million. After four weekends, the family family comedy has now earned $165.1 million. The only other new film, The Weinstein Co.'s The Last Legion, was still waiting for its first legion -- of moviegoers, that is. It opened out of the top ten with just $2.5 million. Although it featured an impressive cast, including Ben Kingsley and Colin Firth, it was not screened for critics, presumably because the studio feared negative reviews. They turned out to be right. Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe summed up the general critical reaction: "There's no fun to be had here," he wrote on Saturday. Also opening in four theaters was the Leonardo DiCaprio environmental documentary The 11th Hour, which earned a respectable $41,000 in just four theaters. The film received mostly favorable reviews. Kevin Crust in the Los Angeles Times called it "a harrowing account of the planet's current condition."

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Superbad, $31.2 million; 2. Rush Hour 3, $21.8 million; 3. The Bourne Ultimatum, $19 million; 4. The Simpsons Movie, $6.7 million; 5. The Invasion, $6 million; 6. Stardust, $5.2 million; 7. Hairspray, $4.3 million; 8. Underdog, $3.6 million; 9. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $3.54 million; 10. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, $3.5 million.

Even When It's Euros, It's Pronounced "D'Oh"
20 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Who would ever have thought that The Simpsons Movie would become a bigger smash overseas than in the U.S.? But that's what has happened. According to Daily Variety, the animated movie remained in first place overseas for the fourth straight weekend, taking in $23.4 million to bring its gross to $270 million, 64 percent above its domestic total of $165 million. The movie remained in front of The Bourne Ultimatum as it became the only movie of the summer to win four straight weekends. Not even Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End or Spider-Man 3 could do that.

Traffic Slows for 'Rush Hour 3'
14 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Ordinarily a film that grosses $49.1 million in its opening weekend is considered a probable moneymaker, but some box-office analysts are suggesting that the results for Rush Hour 3 are not only disappointing but probably point to an inevitable loss for Time Warner-owned New Line. They point out that the film cost more than $100 million (some suggest it cost as much as $150 million) to make and that as much as 40 percent of the gross has been promised to the two stars and the director -- including 20 percent that will go to Chris Tucker, 15 percent to Jackie Chan and 5 percent to director Brett Ratner. (The movie sold one-third fewer tickets than Rush Hour 2 did six years ago.) Meanwhile, last week's top film, The Bourne Ultimatum, slipped to second place in its second weekend with $32.9 million, while The Simpsons Movie moved to third place in its third weekend with $11.3 million. Three other films that opened over the weekend were outright flops. Paramount's Stardust, which reportedly soared way over budget to close to $200 million, earned just $9.2 million. Sony's Daddy Day Camp, which had initially been planned as a low-budget, straight-to-video release, earned just $3.4 million, while the horror film Skinwalkers took in a mighty skinny $753,520 (to come in at No. 17 on the list of top attractions).

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. Rush Hour 3, New Line, $49,100,158, (New); 2. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $32,879,125, 2 Wks. ($131,552,425); 3. The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $11,269,651, 3 Wks. ($152,381,993); 4. Stardust, Paramount, $9,169,779, (New); 5. Hairspray, New Line, $6,396,666, 4 Wks. ($92,139,670); 6. Underdog, Disney, $6,352,377, 2 Wks. ($24,643,289); 7. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $5,877,915, 4 Wks. ($103,777,170); 8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $5,432,130, 5 Wks. ($272,047,388); 9. No Reservations, Warner Bros., $3,855,029, 3 Wks. ($32,025,018); 10. Daddy Day Camp, Sony, $3,402,678, (New).

'Rush Hour' Traffic Slows a Bit
13 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Traffic was fairly heavy but not all that heavy for Rush Hour 3, which opened over the weekend with an estimated $50.2 million -- much less than the $67.4 million its predecessor, Rush Hour 2, earned six years ago. New Line said it performed as expected. Last week's winner, The Bourne Ultimatum, lost about half its audience in its second week as it pulled in about $33.7 million, bringing its ten-day total to $132.3 million. It appears headed toward becoming the only summer "three-quel" besides Live Free or Die Hard to exceed its predecessor's total gross. Other new releases crapped out, with the all-star Stardust pulling in an estimated $9 million and Daddy Day Camp managing to bring in a dismal $3.6 million (versus $27.6 million for the original Daddy Day Care in its debut weekend). The werewolf film Skinwalkers, which opened in 737 theaters, had no bite whatsoever as it scraped up an estimated $565,000. Still, the weekend's total gross was about 37 percent higher than the comparable weekend a year ago. "We've been riding a wave of momentum that started with Transformers in July," Media by Numbers President Paul Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. "We already stand at $3.6 billion at the box office. The $4 billion summer, once thought an impossibility, is definitely within reach."

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. Rush Hour 3, 50.3 million; 2. The Bourne Ultimatum, $33.7 million; 3. The Simpsons Movie, $11.1 million; 4. Stardust, $9 million; 5. Underdog, $6.5 million; 6. Hairspray, $6.4 million; 7. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, $5.9 million; 8. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $5.4 million; 9. No Reservations, $3.9 million; 10. Daddy Day Camp, $3.6 million.

It's 'Rush Hour 3 'Vs. 'Bourne 3'
10 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The "three-peats" are back -- this time in the form of Rush Hour 3, which analysts are predicting will knock The Bourne Ultimatum from its perch at the top of the box office. The last Rush Hour, which also opened in August, debuted in 2001 with $67.4 million, setting a record for the month that would hold until last week when Ultimatum scored $69.3 million. Two other films opening this weekend, Stardust and Daddy Day Camp, have been tracking poorly, according to box-office analysts.

'Bourne' A'Plenty
7 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Final weekend box-office results for The Bourne Ultimatum came in somewhat below studio estimates but were still well above those for any other film ever released during August. Universal said that the movie earned $69.3 million. In second place was Fox's The Simpsons Movie with $25.1 million. Disney's Underdog debuted in third place with $11.6 million. Two other new films, however, barely made it into the top ten. Paramount's Hot Rod opened in ninth place with $5.3 million, while Lionsgate's Bratz: The Movie wound up with just $4.2 million. Meanwhile Forbes.com said Monday that Matt Damon, the star of Bourne, has become Hollywood's best investment, taking in $29 for every dollar he's paid.

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. The Bourne Ultimatum, Universal, $69,283,690, (New); 2. The Simpsons Movie, 20th Century Fox, $25,110,873, 2 Wks. ($128,060,578); 3. Underdog, Disney, $11,585,121, (New); 4. I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry, Universal, $10,626,345, 3 Wks. ($91,795,450); 5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros., $9,522,220, 4 Wks. ($261,027,397); 6. Hairspray, New Line, $9,225,378, 3 Wks. ($78,854,798); 7. No Reservations, Warner Bros., $6,588,375, 2 Wks. ($24,175,203); 8. Transformers, Paramount, $6,021,472, 5 Wks. ($296,379,328); 9. Hot Rod, Paramount, $5,310,711, (New); 10. Bratz: The Movie, Lions Gate, $4,208,455, (New).

Universal Sells Broadcast Rights to 11 Movies for $60 Million
7 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Universal has struck a $60-million deal with USA networks for 11 movies that will begin airing in 2009. Two of the films, The Bourne Ultimatum and I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, are currently running in theaters and the total amount of the deal could go higher depending on the total domestic box office for each of those films. (USA has agreed to pay 12 percent of the domestic box office for each film.) Chuck & Larry is due to air on UA in December, 2009; Bourne, one month later. Other films in the package include The Good Shepherd, Children of Men, Man of the Year, and Ali G. Indahouse.

'Simpsons' Continue To Rule Overseas
6 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Overseas, the Simpsons remained the first family as The Simpsons Movie piled up an additional $47.3 million in 75 countries, according to Daily Variety. (Universal plans to begin rolling out The Bourne Ultimatum overseas next week.) The trade publication noted that four other pictures also produced solid results overseas, including Transformers, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Ratatouille and a Korean monster flick, D-War, which together raked in $100 million. As expected of a Disney film set in France, Ratatouille took in $11.2 million in that country, making it the second-largest opening for a Disney film after Finding Nemo.

A 'Bourne' Leader
6 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Matt Damon's latest movie proved that it was a Bourne leader at the box office over the weekend. In fact, The Bourne Ultimatum led all movies ever released in August as it drew an estimated $70 million and helped lift the overall box office 35 percent over the same weekend a year ago. The original Bourne movie, The Bourne Identity, registered $27.1 million in 2002. It was followed in 2004 with The Bourne Supremacy, which took in $52.5 million. In its second week, 20th Century Fox's The Simpsons Movie -- the box-office winner last weekend -- plunged 65 percent to $25.6 million. Nevertheless, its strong midweek grosses brought its domestic total to $128.5 million over 10 days. It has earned almost the same amount overseas. Arriving in third place was Disney's Underdog, which was not screened for critics (see below). The film grossed an estimated $12 million -- about what Disney had expected. Two other newcomers fell flat. The comedy Hot Rod starring former Saturday Night Live costar Andy Samberg earned only $5 million to wind up in ninth place, while the "tween" film Bratz: The Movie went blatz with $4.3 million to finish tenth.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Media by Numbers: 1. The Bourne Ultimatum, $70.2 million; 2. The Simpsons Movie, $25.6 million; 3. Underdog, $12 million; 4. I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, $10.5 million; 5. Hairspray, $9.3 million; 6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, $9.3 million; 7. No Reservations, $6.6 million; 8. Transformers, $6 million; 9. Hot Rod, $5 million; 10. Bratz: The Movie, $4.3 million.

Movie Reviews: 'The Bourne Ultimatum'
3 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
British director Paul Greengrass (United 93, The Bourne Supremacy) continues to impress critics, this time with The Bourne Ultimatum, starring Matt Damon. "Greengrass brings a degree of honesty to a completely implausible fantasy that's remarkable," writes Carina Chocano in the Los Angeles Times. "Mr. Greengrass shatters movie space like glass," says Manohla Dargis in the New York Times, adding, "Mr. Greengrass knows how to do his job, and there's no one in Hollywood right now who does action better." Comments Claudia Puig in USA Today: "Let's just say it now: Paul Greengrass should direct every action thriller. The world of movies would be better for it." And Lou Lumenick in the New York Post, while calling the film, "far and away this summer's best three-peat," remarks that Greengrass "knows how to stage and edit bravura action sequences, generating almost unbearable suspense while deploying a superb cast." But Stephen Hunter in the Washington Post comments that the film makes no sense, is "frenetic to the point of crazy while achieving a mark that barely exceeds the mediocre," and that Greenglass's style is "sorely overused nere, never settling down to give us poor protoplasm sacks a chance to rest." And Jan Stuart in Newsday, while writing a mostly favorable review, concludes, "I'm definitely swearing off bologna before the next Paul Greengrass movie."

Bourne To Chase Simpsons
3 August 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The reign of the Simpsons at the box office is likely to be shortlived as Matt Damon arrives with The Bourne Ultimatum this weekend. Most analysts are predicting that the thriller will wind up with about $60 million, while The Simpsons Movie will slip to second place with $35-40 million. (It crossed the $100-million mark on Thursday.) Three other films will be making their debut this weekend, including Disney's Underdog, which was not screened for critics ("a sure sign that the movie is a dog," remarked Kyle Smith in the New York Post). It's expected to place third with about $15 million. Expectations are not high for the other two, either. Paramount's Hot Rod and Lionsgate's Bratz: The Movie. The two movies are each expected to earn less than $10 million.

Universal Chiefs Knocked Out Over 'Knocked Up'
6 June 2007 (StudioBriefing)
After a series of duds, Universal's Marc Shmuger and David Linde, who have the titles of chairman and co-chairman respectively, are rejoicing over the box-office success of Knocked Up, which, despite tough competition, brought in more than $30 million in ticket sales over the weekend. "We were all very eager to get back in the game in a big way," Shmuger told today's (Wednesday) Los Angeles Times. "It feels good." The newspaper observed that since the two took over the reins at the studio a year ago from Stacey Snyder they have been compelled to make some complicated decisions, including shelving a movie based on the videogame Halo; pouring $175 million into Evan Almighty as it went over budget (and persuading the profit participants to change their deals); and doling out at least $125 million to complete production of the latest Jason Bourne sequel, The Bourne Ultimatum, as it, too, went over budget. Meanwhile, it was announced Tuesday that NBC Universal has signed Universal Studios President and COO Ron Meyer to a new five-year contract.

British Film Industry Makes Comeback
15 January 2007 (StudioBriefing)
The hard-hit British film industry came roaring back to life in 2006 as spending on film production rose 48 percent to $1.64 billion, largely due to Hollywood-backed movies like Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, The Bourne Ultimatum, and The Golden Compass. Hollywood films accounted for 60 percent of the total, or $984 million. However, spending on domestic film productions dropped 11 percent to $290 million, according to the British Film Council. John Woodward, chief executive officer of the Film Council, said in a statement: "We are back in business with British film-makers winning international awards, a crop of great British films produced and British talent and facilities in demand from filmmakers around the world. The new tax credit which came into force this year will ensure that the U.K. stays one of the best places in the world to produce a film."

Greengrass To Helm 'Bourne Ultimatum'
15 March 2006 (WENN)
Hollywood movie-maker Paul Greengrass has signed up to direct Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum - the third installment of the action franchise. Speaking at Monday night's Empire Awards in London, the director, who also helmed The Bourne Supremacy after The Bourne Identity director Doug Liman pulled out, insisted The Bourne Ultimatum will be bigger and better than its predecessors in every way. He says, "We've got a script and we're underway. It's a new story, completely different from the novel. It was written by Tony Gilroy and Tom Stoppard. It's going to have all the excitement you'd expect from a Bourne film and all the intensity you'd expect from a Bourne story. I can't wait - it's just going to be f**king fantastic. It's going to rock. That's honestly what it's going to do. What direction? We'll have a better car chase, have more exciting action, more intensity and just generally be a f**king classy film. I think Matt Damon's looking forward to it like I am. It's going to be an absolute laugh."