WARNER HAVING A HOT SUMMER NO FLOPS AMONG STUDIO RELEASES.Byline: Greg Hernandez Staff Writer ``Batman Begins,'' set to cross the $200 million mark in domestic grosses on Friday, puts an explanation point on what has been a surprisingly stellar summer for Warner Bros BROS Brothers BROS Benefits and Retirement Operations Section (King County, Washington) BROS Barnes and Richmond Operatic Society (London, UK) . amid an overall industry box office slump. Without a ``Harry Potter'' or ``Matrix'' installment as a sure-fire summer hit, Warner Bros. has managed to score blockbuster numbers with ``Batman,'' ``Charlie and the Chocolate Factory'' and the current No. 1 movie in the marketplace, ``The Dukes of Hazzard.'' ``Things are very good for us at Warner,'' acknowledged Dan Fellman, the studio's president of domestic distribution. ``We've had a fabulous summer and should have a record year.'' Although rival studio 20th Century Fox has been on a tear with ``Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith,'' ``Mr. & Mrs. Smith'' and ``Fantastic Four'' and will outgross Warner Bros. this summer, Fox also released megabomb ``Kingdom of Heaven'' and the comedy clunker clunk·er n. Informal 1. A decrepit machine, especially an old car; a rattletrap. 2. A failure; a flop. ``Rebound.'' Warner Bros. stands out for not having a single flop FLOP - 1. An early system on the IBM 701. [Listed in CACM 2(5):16 (May 1959)]. in its entire summer slate. Last weekend, the studio had three movies in the top five: ``Dukes,'' which had earned $38.5 million in its first five days and gave Warner Bros. the biggest August opening in its history; ``Charlie,'' which has earned a stellar $173.2 million and seems to have plenty of steam remaining; and ``Must Love Dogs,'' a romantic comedy that has taken in $28.1 million in less than two weeks. The studio's lowest-grossing release has been ``Sisterhood sisterhood: see monasticism. of the Traveling Pants,'' a modestly-budgeted June release that earned a solid $38.3 million. ``Obviously Warner Bros. is doing something very right and it is working,'' said box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations Co. ```The Dukes of Hazzard' is a great way for them to wind up their summer.'' The best news for Warner Bros. is still ahead: ``Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'' is set for release Nov. 18. The first three ``Potter'' films have grossed a combined $829.1 million domestically. Fandango fandango (făndăng`gō), ancient Spanish dance, probably of Moorish origin, that came into Europe in the 17th cent. It is in triple time and is danced by a single couple to the accompaniment of castanets, guitar, and songs sung by the .com film commentator Richard Horgan said Wednesday that the studio's two biggest hits, ``Batman'' and ``Charlie,'' could have potentially been hard sells to the mass audience. ``Batman,'' for example, came eight years after the franchise had come to a grinding halt with the critical and commercial failure of ``Batman & Robin'' with George Clooney George Timothy Clooney (May 6, 1961) is an American actor, director, producer and screenwriter who gained fame as the lead doctor in the long-running television drama, ER as the caped crusader. But it ended up outgrossing three of the four previous ``Batman'' movies. The current Batman, Christian Bale, while well-respected, was not a marquee name and director Christopher Nolan was best known for edgier fare (``Momentum,'' ``Insomnia insomnia, abnormal wakefulness or inability to sleep. The condition may result from illness or physical discomfort, or it may be caused by stimulants such as coffee or drugs. However, frequently some psychological factor, such as worry or tension, is the cause. .''). ``Neither was an obvious choice,'' Horgan said. ``I don't think Christian Bale would have been cast if not for a director like Christopher Nolan. At least on paper, legitimacy was brought back to the franchise and Nolan's street (credibility) revived the excitement.'' The Tim Burton-directed ``Charlie,'' starring Johnny Depp John Christopher Depp II[1] (born June 9 1963) is an American actor. Biography Early life Depp was born in Owensboro, Kentucky, to John Christopher Depp Sr., a city engineer, and Betty Sue (Wells), a waitress. as Willy Wonka, had to compete with people's memory of the classic Roald Dahl Roald Dahl (IPA: /ˌroʊld ˈdɑːl/) (13 September 1916 – 23 November 1990) was a UK novelist, short story author and screenwriter of Norwegian parentage, famous as a writer for both children and book it is based on as well as the 1971 movie ``Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory'' starring Gene Wilder Gene Wilder (born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933) is an American actor who is perhaps best known for his role as Willy Wonka and his collaborations with Mel Brooks, most notably Blazing Saddles, The Producers, and Young Frankenstein . There was also no guarantee that today's kids would be interested. But they were, and so were their parents. ``It really transcended its origins,'' Horgan said. ``People didn't care about the Dahl dahl n. 1. See pigeon pea. 2. or dal A thick creamy East Indian stew made with lentils or other legumes, onions, and various spices. book or the Gene Wilder film. Everyone was excited to see how Depp would take that character and spin it. His popularity is what took it into the adult demographic. ``People just like risk-taking creativity and Warner Bros. allowed in these two films a couple of great actors and unique directors to just kind of go to town and take it in a less obvious direction.'' Greg Hernandez, (818) 713-3758 greg.hernandez(at)dailynews.com |
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