"THE BOURNE LEGACY" CONTINUES TRADITION AT TOP OF BOX OFFICE



Still from The Bourne Legacy

If there was every any doubt that the Bourne Series would survive without its most recognizable face, Matt Damon, then away with that as The Bourne Legacy tops the Box Office this weekend in its debut with $40.3 million in North America for Universal Pictures. Opening in 3.745 theatres, the Film starring brilliant Jeremy Renner, is the third-strongest opening for the Franchise behind the second and third installments released in 2004 and 2007 respectively.

The Campaign starring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis seems to have benefited from its ambitious and rowdy Whistle Stop Tour, including a stop in Toronto recently, earning $29 million for Warner Bros. The Political-Comedy opened in 3,205 theatres to a positive 66% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

Three-week Champion The Dark Knight Rises finally falls to number three in this its fourth week of release, earning $19.5 million this weekend also for Warner Bros., just ahead of Sony Pictures' Hope Springs starring Thespian Queen Meryl Streep and Steven Carrell. It made $15.5 million this weekend after opening solidly on Wednesday; strong reviews for this one also with 74% on the Tomatometer.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, the third in the Franchise finds itself in fifth spot this weekend with $9 million, ahead of a disappointing Total Recall which in its second week only earned $8.1 million despite some high expectations with its $250 million budget. Still waiting on Overseas numbers where it continues to expand and should fare well...

Universal Pictures' Ted still is going strong in ninth spot in its seventh week with $3.5 million, now breaking the $200 million mark.  Meanwhile The Amazing Spider-Man rounds out the Top Ten with $2.4 million.

"ICE AGE 4" FREEZES THE COMPETITION AT TOP OF BOX OFFICE

Still from Ice Age 4: Continental Drift

20th Century Fox's Ice Age 4: Continental Drift debuts on-top this weekend with $46 million from 3,879 theatres. Although this number is by no means a shame, it is far off the mark of 2006 Sequel, The Meltdown. Critics unfortunately aren't responding well, with the Animated Feature which showcases the voices of Jennifer Lopez, Ray Romano, Queen Latifah and more, garnering only 40% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer.

The Amazing Spider-Man slips to second this weekend with $35 million for Sony Pictures. Thus far in North America it has made $197 million in just over two weeks of release - hardly the record-breaking numbers it might've anticipated with its $230 million budget. Overseas though, it continues to wow with $208 million earned thus far.

Universal Pictures' Adult Comedy Ted continues to perform exceedingly well in third this weekend with $22 million. In three weeks it has earned $156 million.

Disney's Brave trails in a distant fourth with $10.6 million, just ahead of Magic Mike in fifth with $9 million and Oliver Stone's disappointing Savages in sixth with $8.2 million.

Katy Perry's Part of Me 3-D sits in eighth in its second week of release with $3.7 million, earning a total $18.8 million - hardly the big numbers Paramount Pictures was hoping for.  Meanwhile, Moonrise Kingdom and Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted round out the Top Ten with $3.6 million and $3.5 million respectively.

"SPIDER-MAN" AMAZES IN DEBUT: NO RECORDS THOUGH

Still from The Amazing Spider-Man

Although many doubted the need for re-telling Spider-Man, The Amazing Spider-Man starts off with a bang earning $65 million in its debut weekend from 4,318 theatres. Opening on Tuesday, the Film since then has grossed a total $140 million domestically for Sony Pictures. Critics are responding fairly well, with the Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone-starring Reboot earning 73% on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer. No records though here, although a second installment is on-the-way. By comparison, 2002's Spider-Man earned $114 million in its debut weekend from 3,876 theatres.

Ted continues to exceed expectations, pulling-in $32.5 million this weekend for Universal Pictures. The Teddy Bear Adult-Comedy starring Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis in just two weeks has grossed a superb $122 million and it was made only for $50 million by comparison.

Disney's Brave is still going strong in third with $20.1 million this weekend in this its third week of release.  Domestically, it has now garnered $178.3 million. Overseas it has earned $26 million ($11 million from Russia) so far, but will continue to expand in various territories.

Oliver Stone's Savages, which debuts in fifth with $16.6 million for Universal Pictures. Critics haven't been so kind to the Film with an Allstar Cast including John Travolta, Taylor Kitsch, Salma Hayek, Blake Lively, Benicio del Toro and Aaron Johnson. It earned 52% on the Tomatometer. Magic Mike follows closely behind with $14.9 million earned and $75.7 million earned in two weeks for Warner Bros.

Paramount Pictures' Katy Perry: Part of Me 3-D only could muster a debut of $7.3 million in eighth this weekend from 2,730 theatres, after a July 4th Opening. Critics surprisingly loved the Film with it earning 75% on the Tomatometer.

Woody Allen's latest, To Rome with Love, rounds out the Top Ten with $3.2 million in its third week of release. The panned Comedy (45% on the Tomatometer) stars Alec Baldwin, Penélope Cruz and Jesse Eisenberg.

"THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN": RECORD-POISED AND NOW IN-THEATRES!

Andrew Garfield & Mr. Will-W.

How could I forget about this Photo from TIFF 2010 with Andrew Garfield?  Although you couldn't tell he was particularly friendly, I swear he was the nicest.  In fact, he even took two Photos with me, but simply misjudged when to look away from the Camera.

Already pulling-in a whopping $50.2 million Overseas in Germany, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, India and The Philippines, Sony Pictures' The Amazing Spider-Man is set to open wide tomorrow in North America and many are expecting Records to be broken.  Already in South Korea, Spider-Man has bested the performance of Marvel's The Avengers in its debut there, earning $13.4 million there alone.   Public Screenings were made available this evening in Toronto as early as 8:00 PM and soon we'll know the numbers as Fans line their local Cinemas for Midnight Shows.

But are Critics loving it?  Although on the positive side (77% on Rotten Tomatoes), Reviews haven't been overly outstanding.  Toronto Star's Peter Howell feels, "The Amazing Spider-Man is at least better than Raimi's Spider-Man 3, which was a mess".  Rolling Stone's Peter Travers says, "I don't really see why the Spidey reboot was needed right now, but The Amazing Spider-Man has its virtues. Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are stellar and director Marc Webb has crafted a Spider-Man that touches the heart.".  Time Magazine's Mary F. Pols praises, "None of this is new to us, but Garfield and Webb make it feel convincingly fresh and exciting.".  The Chicago-Sun Times' Roger Ebert states, "If we didn't really need to be told Spidey's origin story again, at least it's done with more detail and provides better reasons for why Peter Parker throws himself into his superhero role.".   In a nutshell, The Amazing Spider-Man tugs more at Heartstrings than rely on technical Trickery.

On a side note, Onlookers at the Thompson Hotel's Rooftop Lounge in Toronto apparently spotted Star and real-life Girlfriend of Spider-Man (Garfield) himself, Emma Stone, earlier this evening.  No word though on whether she's here for Work or Leisure, although it doesn't appear it's so much the former with no scheduled appearances in the City tomorrow.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

EMMA STONE SIGNS-ON FOR "LITTLE WHITE CORVETTE"

Emma Stone in The Amazing Spider-Man

It's good to see she still knows how to have fun! As reported by Deadline, red-hot Emma Stone has just signed-on to star in Little White Corvette, snatching yet another role right out of Lindsay Lohan's hands. The Brother/Sister Comedy which is scheduled to begin filming this Summer, will be in theatres for mid-2013.  Its premise surrounds a pair of siblings who venture to Miami to sell-off a million dollar stash of Cocaine they discover in their late Father's Corvette.  Little "White" Corvette... get it?

2012 will be another big year for Stone with the July 3, 2012 release of Sony Pictures' The Amazing Spider-Man and also the October 12, 2012 release of Warner Bros.' Gangster Squad, teaming-up once again with Crazy.Stupid.Love Co-star Ryan Gosling and also, Sean Penn.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures)

ANDREW GARFIELD AT COMIC-CON FOR "THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN"

Andrew Garfield at TIFF 2010

With the Trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man (due July 2012 via Sony Pictures) surfacing the other day, many Fans including myself are asking the question - why they have to re-tell Peter Parker's transformation to Spider-Man all over again?  Although this question remains to be answered, the entire Cast including Emma Stone and Director Marc Webb, made an appearance earlier today  at Comic-Con in San Diego.  Star Andrew Garfield even showed-up dressed as Spider-Man - enough of a distraction from the burning question ...for me at least!

Garfield had nothing by praise for Tobey Maguire's interpretation of the coveted role telling attendees, “When I watch that first Spidey film, I lost my mind. I watched it back to back, twice in a row when I first saw it.”.  He also confirmed that Maguire has been supportive, revealing “He (Maguire) gave me his blessing. It meant the world to me, because I respect him so much in general and also what he did with the role.".

"THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN" TRAILER SURFACES

Still from The Amazing Spider-Man

The Trailer for 2012's The Amazing Spider-Man has finally surfaced and this Reboot appears to be a bit darker than 2002's Spider-Man.  Although I fear Motion Sickness, the first-person Camera sequence seen in this Trailer is mighty cool, I must say.  Andrew Garfield really looks like he's giving it his all here and Emma Stone, whom I am hearing a lot of great things about for her work in Disney's The Help, as always is great to see.  The Amazing Spider-Man opens in theatres July 3, 2012.

Watch the Trailer below:

EMMA STONE COVERS AUGUST 2011 ISSUE OF "VANITY FAIR"

Emma Stone on August 2011 issue of Vanity Fair

Must have. A Blonde Emma Stone stone covers the August issue of Vanity Fair with stunning Photos by Patrick Demarchelier. Stone tells Alexandra Wolfe about a Paparazzo who tried striking a deal with her, telling her "‘If you ever go to the beach with your friends or walk out of your house in your pajamas, call me'". She says, "These guys try to strike up a deal with you so you feel like they’re your friend. I didn’t even know that was a thing—that people would call them.”.

Stone also talks about auditioning for NBC's Heroes in a role which went eventually to Hayden Panettiere, her addiction to FarmVille and her Spider-Man Diet.  Read more here.

(Photo credit: Patrick Demarchelier/Vanity Fair)

FIRST LOOK: ANDREW GARFIELD IN "SPIDER-MAN"

Andrew Garfield

Introducing your new Spider-Man, Andrew Garfield.  Sony Pictures just released this first look at The Social Network star in-character - the bangs, the abs, the whole deal.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures)

ACTOR INJURED IN PREVIEW OF "SPIDER-MAN" MUSICAL

Okay, is anybody else with me in that the Musical Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark is a bad idea altogether? Musicals should be about communicating the power of a Story through Song, Dance and Dialogue. When the safety of Actors is risked at the expense of wowing an audience, we have a serious problem at hand.  A Musical shouldn't have to depend on stunts and trickery to be good.

Poor Aerialist Christopher Tierney was injured on a Preview of the Spider-Man Musical last night at Foxwoods Theatre in New York City. TMZ has acquired a Video Clip recorded by an audience member on their Cell Phone as Tierney's cord had snapped less than ten minutes before the end of the show, before he had dived several feet into the audience.  He was rushed to the Hospital right after the incident.  Horrific.

The Musical co-penned by Julie Taymor, responsible for the disastrous adaptation of Shakespeare's The Tempest in theatres right now, and U2's Bono and The Edge, has faced multiple setbacks and delays.  This is yet another setback in what seems like a doomed venture from the start.  As of this time, tomorrow's Matinee Preview of Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark has been postponed to allow a more careful safety evaluation for the Show.

Watch the clip of the accident below from TMZ:

EMMA STONE AS A BLONDE

Emma Stone

Who knew?  Before today I had no idea that red hotness Emma Stone is actually a Blonde.  Stone who is now filming the latest installment of the Spider-man franchise alongside Andrew Garfield, showed her true colours last night at TREVOR LIVE.  The Awards ceremony in Los Angeles was held in honour of The Trevor Project, which promotes visibility and understanding of the LGBTQ Community.  Learn more about the event here.

US Weekly posted the above photo of Stone with her new original hair colour (required for her role as Gwen Stacy) and I hate to say it, but red suits her so much more.  Have a better look at the side-by-side comparsion here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/US Weekly)

ANDREW GARFIELD CHATS WITH TERRY GILLIAM ON OCTOBER'S INTERVIEW MAGAZINE

Andrew Garfield on October issue of Interview

You snooze you lose.  One of the things I was asked most frequently about my TIFF 2010 experience was, "Who is that?" when people would stumble across my photos of Andrew Garfield.  If you still don't know who he is, it won't be long before you will be all too familiar.  With David Fincher's The Social Network on the verge of Oscar success with its release this Friday, in addition to a loyal cult following for Mark Romanek's Never Let Me Go, Garfield is at the forefront of this generation of actors although it does seem he is peaking a bit later than expected.  His performance, aside from that of The Social Network star Eisenberg, is one of the biggest highlights of the film.

The 27 year-old Los Angeles-born actor who hails from London has been tapped to play the coveted role of Spider-Man taking over the iconic role most recently owned by Tobey Maguire.   As an aside, the latest instalment in that franchise is to be directed by Marc Webb, who brought us last year's phenomenal yet bittersweet (500) Days of Summer.  Garfield sits down and chats with acclaimed Director Terry Gilliam on this month's Interview Magazine on what life was like prior to being now on the brink of stardom.