ERC is the first to report weekend estimates--be sure to check here Saturday mornings 8am PST   |   2008's Box Office was on pace with 2007, grossing $9.62 billion--down 0.02% from 2007, with attendance down 4%   |   "The Dark Knight" is the top grossing film of 2008 grossing $997 million worldwide   |   Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke scored the best opening ever for a female director with $69 mil--however, she will not helm the sequel, New Moon
"MARLEY" MELTS HEARTS AGAIN

 
NEW YEAR, SAME FILMS ON TOP Hollywood’s cure for New Year’s hangovers: leftovers. With no new films opening the first weekend ...more
2008 YEAR TO DATE BOX OFFICE
THE DARK KNIGHT LEADS ...
ERC
WRITER'S GUILD NOMINATIONS
2009 WGA NOMINEES ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY ...
WGA
CHAD HARTIGAN'S TOP 10 FILMS OF 2008
2008 was a resilient year for the studios. A ...
Chad Hartigan
PGA NOMINEES
Producer's Guild of America ...
PGA
"MARLEY'S" BOAST
CHRISTMAS CHEERS BOX OFFICE  It ...
Jeff Bock
"MAN" OF THE HOUR
JIM CARREY AND WILL SMITH ARE ...
Jeff Bock
WARNER BROS. 2009 PREVIEW
WB HANGS HAT ON "HARRY" & ...
ERC
COMING SOON
Fri. January 09, 2009

LAST CHANCE HARVEY

 Overture

Starring:
 Dustin Hoffman
Director:
 Joel Hopkins
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 PG-13
Theaters:
 
New Yorker Harvey Shine is on the verge of losing his dead-end job as a jingle writer. Warned by his boss that he has just one more chance to deliver, Harvey goes to London for a weekend to attend his daughter's wedding but promises to be back on Monday morning to make an important meeting--or else. Harvey arrives in London only to learn his daughter has chosen to have her stepfather walk her down the aisle instead of him. Doing his best to hide his devastation, he leaves the wedding before the reception in hopes of getting to the airport on time, but misses his plane anyway. When he calls his boss to explain, he is fired on the spot. Drowning his sorrows at the airport bar, Harvey strikes up a conversation with Kate, a slightly prickly, 40-something employee of the Office of National Statistics. Kate, whose life is limited to work, the occasional humiliating blind date and endless phone calls from her smothering mother, is touched by Harvey, who finds...
1
LAST CHANCE HARVEY LTD

CHE

 IFC FIlms

Starring:
 Benico Del Toro
Director:
 Steven Soderbergh
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 NR
Theaters:
 
November 26, 1956; led by Fidel Castro (Demian Bichir), a band of 80 rebels sails to Cuba. Among these young rebels is Argentine physician, Marxist, soldier, Ernesto "Che" Guevara (Benicio Del Toro). Nation-less, strapped for resources and fueled only by determination, the group engages in swift, bloody battle to free the Cuban people from the corrupt dictatorship of Fulgencio Batista. Che and his soldiers wrestle the nation's resources and affection from Batista's grasp. Though considered a hero by some, Che becomes a hugely controversial figure. At the height of his fame and power, he disappears. Entering South America incognito, Che recruits another band of guerilla fighters in the harsh Bolivian jungles. They embark upon a mission to spark revolution throughout Latin America.
2
CHE LTD

YONKERS JOE

 Magnolia

Starring:
 Chazz Palminteri
Director:
 Robert Celestino
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 R
Theaters:
 
A scam artist has his plans suddenly interrupted when he must take over the care of his son who suffers from Downs' Syndrome.
3
YONKERS JOE LTD

GRAN TORINO

 Warner Bros.

Starring:
 Clint Eastwood
Director:
 Clint Eastwood
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 R
Theaters:
 
Walt Kowalski is a widower, grumpy, tough-minded, borderline-hateful, unhappy old man who can't get along with either his kids or his neighbors, a Korean War veteran whose prize possession is a 1973 Gran Torino he keeps in cherry condition. When his neighbor Tao, a young Hmong teenager, tries to steal his Gran Torino, Kowalski sets out to reform the youth. Drawn against his will into the life of Tao's family, Kowalski is soon taking steps to protect them form the gangs that foul their neighborhood.
4
GRAN TORINO WIDE

THE READER

 Weinstein Co.

Starring:
 Kate Winslet
Director:
 Stephen Daldry
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 R
Theaters:
 
When he falls ill on his way home from school, 15 year-old Michael Berg is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. The two begin an unexpected and passionate affair only for Hanna to suddenly and inexplicably disappear. Eight years later, Michael, now a young law student observing Nazi war trials, meets his former lover again, under very different circumstances. Hanna is on trial for a hideous crime, and as she refuses to defend herself, Michael gradually realizes his boyhood love may be guarding a secret she considers to be more shameful than murder.
5
THE READER WIDE

NOT EASILY BROKEN

 Sony

Starring:
 Morris Chestnut
Director:
 Bill Duke
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 PG-13
Theaters:
 
A couple's strength and faith are tested after the wife is injured in a car crash and husband becomes attracted to another woman.
6
NOT EASILY BROKEN WIDE

BRIDE WARS

 Fox

Starring:
 Kate Hudson
Director:
 Gary Winick
Genre:
 Comedy
MPAA Rating:
 PG
Theaters:
 
Two best friends engage in bridal warfare when their weddings end up on the same day and neither one will budge.
7
BRIDE WARS WIDE

THE UNBORN

 Universal

Starring:
 Odette Yustman
Director:
 David S. Goyer
Genre:
 Horror
MPAA Rating:
 PG-13
Theaters:
 
Nineteen-year old Casey Bell is haunted by a dybbuk--the soul of a dead person barred from heaven--in the form of a young boy who perished in Auschwitz.
8
THE UNBORN WIDE
Fri. January 16, 2009

NOTORIOUS

 Fox Searchlight

Starring:
 Derek Luke
Director:
 George Tillman Jr.
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 R
Theaters:
 
This biopic centers on the life of murdered rapper Notorious B.I.G, from his beginnings as a Brooklyn crack dealer to East Coast hip-hop sensation.
1
NOTORIOUS WIDE

HOTEL FOR DOGS

 Paramount

Starring:
 Emma Roberts
Director:
 Thor Freudenthal
Genre:
 Kids/Family
MPAA Rating:
 PG
Theaters:
 
When their new guardians forbid 16-year old Andi and her younger brother, Bruce to have a pet, Andi has to use her quick wit to help find a new home for their dog, Friday. The resourceful kids stumble upon an abandoned hotel and using Bruce's talents as a mechanical genius, transform it into a magical dog-paradise for Friday--and eventually for all Friday's friends. When barking dogs make the neighbors suspicious, Andi and Bruce use every invention they have to avoid anyone discovering "who let the dogs in."
2
HOTEL FOR DOGS WIDE

MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D

 Lionsgate

Starring:
 Jaime King
Director:
 Patrick Lussier
Genre:
 Horror
MPAA Rating:
 R
Theaters:
 
A deranged murderer kills those who celebrate Valentine's Day. Yes, and it's in 3-D. IN YOUR FACE!?!?!
3
MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3D WIDE

PAUL BLART MALL COP

 Sony

Starring:
 Kevin James
Director:
 Steve Carr
Genre:
 Comedy
MPAA Rating:
 PG
Theaters:
 
A single, suburban dad tries to make ends meet as a security officer at a New Jersey mall. It's a job he takes very seriously, though no one else does. When Santa's helpers at the mall stage a coup, shutting down the megaplex and taking hostages (Paul's daughter and sweetheart among them), Jersey's most formidable mall cop will have to become a real cop to save the day.
4
PAUL BLART MALL COP WIDE

DEFIANCE

 Paramount Vantage

Starring:
 Daniel Craig
Director:
 Edward Zwick
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 R
Theaters:
 
Four Jewish brothers living in Nazi occupied Poland escape into the forest where they join up with Russian resistance fighters in battling the Nazis. Throughout the war they built a village inside the forest and saved the lives of more than 1200 other Jews. Based on a true story.
5
DEFIANCE WIDE

CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA

 Warner Bros.

Starring:
 Akshay Kumar
Director:
 Nikhil Advani
Genre:
 Comedy
MPAA Rating:
 
Theaters:
 
Sidhu, a simple cook from Chandni Chowk, longs to escape his dreary existence and looks for shortcuts with everything from astrologers and tarot readers to a magic potato, believing in anything and everything except himself. His fate changes when two strangers from China claim him to be a reincarnation of a war hero from the past and enlist him to come back with them to their village in China. His opportunistic translator, Chopstick, tells Sidhu of the women, wine and princely existence that await him in foreign lands; what Chopstick doesn't tell him is that he has become the village's best hope to take on the vicious gangster Hojo, who has been terrorizing them. Along the way, Sidhu meets Sakhi, a stunning TV model who has embarked on her own adventure to pay homage to the land of her birth, her dead father and twin. Padukone also portrays Sakhi's long-lost twin sister, Meow. Soon, Sidhu realizes he is in way over his head and faces imminent d...
6
CHANDNI CHOWK TO CHINA LTD
Fri. January 23, 2009

INKHEART

 Warner Bros.

Starring:
 Brendan Fraser
Director:
 Iain Softley
Genre:
 Adventure
MPAA Rating:
 PG
Theaters:
 
Mo Folchart possesses a secret ability to bring characters from books to life when he reads them aloud. But when Mo accidentally brings a power-hungry villain from a rare children's fable to life, the villain kidnaps Mo's daughter and demands Mo bring other evil fictional characters to life. In an attempt to rescue his daughter, Mo assembles a disparate group of friends --both real and magic--and embarks on a journey to save her and set things right.
1
INKHEART WIDE

KILLSHOT

 Weinstein Co.

Starring:
 Diane Lane
Director:
 John Madden
Genre:
 Drama
MPAA Rating:
 
Theaters:
 
When a husband and wife witness a shakedown, they discover that the Witness Protection Program is no match for a pair of ruthless killers who want them dead.
2
KILLSHOT LTD

UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS

 Sony

Starring:
 Michael Sheen
Director:
 Patrick Tatopoulos
Genre:
 Horror
MPAA Rating:
 R
Theaters:
 
Explores the origins of the centuries-old blood feud between the aristocratic vampires known as Death Dealers and their onetime slaves, the Lycans.
3
UNDERWORLD: RISE OF THE LYCANS WIDE
Want more? Subscribe to the Feature Release Schedule
 
THE TICKER YEAR-TO-DATE BOX OFFICE (Jan 1-Jan 8)
 Year to Date Earnings%Gain/Loss +0.08
   2008         $9,629,393,156
   2007         $9,621,900,000
 Ticket Sales%Gain/Loss -3.97
   2008         1,342,956,764
   2007         1,398,531,977
TITLEDIST.SITESGROSSAVGTOTAL
1
MARLEY & ME Fox · 3505 · $24,263,763 · $6,923 · $106,664,046
2
BEDTIME STORIES Walt Disney · 3684 · $20,501,339 · $5,565 · $85,539,168
3
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON Paramount · 2988 · $18,691,248 · $6,255 · $79,297,086
4
VALKYRIE MGM · 2711 · $14,094,617 · $5,199 · $60,743,921
5
YES MAN Warner Bros. · 3434 · $13,910,477 · $4,051 · $79,507,388
6
SEVEN POUNDS Sony · 2758 · $10,068,518 · $3,651 · $60,147,298
7
THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX Universal · 3091 · $6,939,295 · $2,245 · $43,661,775
8
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL Fox · 2337 · $5,049,698 · $2,161 · $74,424,256
9
DOUBT Miramax · 1287 · $5,000,893 · $3,886 · $18,705,481
10
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Fox Searchlight · 612 · $4,690,769 · $7,665 · $28,676,598
11
TWILIGHT Summit · 1888 · $4,648,642 · $2,462 · $176,922,850
12
BOLT Walt Disney · 1729 · $3,291,944 · $1,904 · $109,917,145
Jan. 8, 2009
TITLEDIST.SITESGROSSAVGTOTAL
1
MARLEY & ME Fox · 3505 · $1,507,382 · $430 · $109,743,046
2
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON Paramount · 2988 · $1,494,030 · $500 · $82,232,354
3
VALKYRIE MGM · 2778 · $1,124,884 · $405 · $62,956,543
4
YES MAN Warner Bros. · 3434 · $983,454 · $286 · $81,557,039
5
SEVEN POUNDS Sony · 2758 · $761,507 · $276 · $61,634,065
6
BEDTIME STORIES Walt Disney · 3684 · $748,226 · $203 · $87,327,163
7
DOUBT Miramax · 1287 · $465,579 · $362 · $19,582,809
8
SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE Fox Searchlight · 612 · $436,096 · $713 · $29,494,758
9
TWILIGHT Summit · 1888 · $411,695 · $218 · $177,766,840
10
THE DAY THE EARTH STOOD STILL Fox · 2337 · $352,281 · $151 · $75,148,785
RELEASE DATE CHANGES

FANBOYSMGM
Fanboys, unite! Your geek-flag flies yet again. After being kicked around more than Jar Jar Binks, Fanboys finally settles on a release date...with the director's vision in tact! That's the word on the street, we'll see though, it's been a long, strange trip for the ultimate Star Wars fan film, and February is still far, far away.  If it really does make it to theatres, be sure to give thanks to "The Great Creator," George Lucas.

ALSO OPENING: DANCE FLICK, HE'S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU, PINK PANTHER 2, PUSH
IN:
Fri 2/6/09
OUT:
NEW
 
JONAS BROTHERS 3-D CONCERT MOVIEWalt Disney

Tell me you didn't see this one coming. Walt Disney, fresh off the success of Hannah Montana 3-D, bring us Jersey's finest, delivering vestal harmonies...into your lap. Hordes of tweenie boppers are no doubt already screaming and attempting to purchase tickets online. Jonas-mania will reach an apex February 27th. Take cover!

ALSO OPENING: OBSESSED, STREET FIGHTER
  

IN:
Fri 2/27/09
OUT:
NEW
 
FAST AND FURIOUSUniversal
Is this a franchise reset? Sorta. The only thing missing from this fourth installment are two "the's." Call it a sleaker, more tightly modified version, that sees Tokyo Drift helmer Justin Lin return to the driver's seat, as well as the cast from the original. Good move, considering Vin Diesel and Paul Walker's careers have come to a screeching halt. 

ALSO OPENING: THE UGLY TRUTH

UPDATE: Universal boldly goes where no big sequel has gone before: Not Summer! Savvy move, since the slate in April is extremely weak. Should have no problem lapping the competition in the weeks leading up to the summer blockbuster slate. NOS me!
IN:
Fri 4/3/09
OUT:
Fri 6/12/09
 
EARTHDisneynature
Disney goes green in a big way on Earth Day, announcing the first film in a series of nature documentaries headed to the big screen under their new label: Disneynature. No word yet whether or not GREEN DAY will supply the soundtrack, but this we know fo' sure: The mouse is officially outta the house!

ALSO OPENING: VANILLA GORILLA, THE GOODS: THE DON READY STORY
IN:
Wed 4/22/09
OUT:
NEW
 
GHOSTS OF GIRLFRIENDS PASTWarner Bros.
Mathew McConaughottie and Jennifer Garner will face Wolverine as the two films kick off the 2009 Summer Season. Looking to build on the moderate counter-programming success of Made of Honor, which opened against Iron Man and still grossed nearly $15 mil ($46 mil total), expect this rom-com to double that gross and then some if all the pieces come together for talented director Mark Waters (The Spiderwick Chronicles, Mean Girls).

ALSO OPENING: X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
IN:
Fri 5/1/09
OUT:
NEW
 
MY LIFE IN RUINSFox Searchlight

"Know Thyself" is a well-known Greek aphorism that is at the heart of philosophical and moral principles. Nia Vardalos, who shot to brief stardom in My Big Fat Greek Wedding understands this, and has embraced her Greekdom once again. However, this time, she goes straight to the Acropolis in search of love. Fox and Playtone provide some of that feminine counterprogramming that has been storming the box office lately, and this time the estrogen army boldy goes where no women have gone before...up against Kirk, Spock, Scotty, and the rest of the Trekkies.  Live long and persperate! Summer 2009 is heating up.

ALSO OPENING: STAR TREK

IN:
Fri 5/8/09
OUT:
NEW
 
DRAG ME TO HELLUniversal

Sam Raimi returns next summer! No, not Spider-Man 4, but back to his low-budget horror roots. Opening as counter programming to Pixar's Up is a bold choice, but that move should pay off positioning itself as the first horror film of the summer. Will Bruce Campbell make a cameo? Does a bear deficate in the woods?

ALSO OPENING: UP 

IN:
Fri 5/29/09
OUT:
NEW
 
LAND OF THE LOSTUniversal

Harry Potter pushes Will Farrell's space-time vortex comedy out of late July, and now lands in June, where it is competition-free. They say you have to first be lost to be found. Great move by Universal, especially considering that they now have the jump on two comedies that open the following week--Eddie Murphy's Nowhereland and Todd Phillips' Hangover.

IN:
Fri 6/5/09
OUT:
Fri 7/17/09
 
THE TOOTH FAIRYFox
Dwayne Johnson in a tutu with a magic wand? Not exactly. Ah, shucks. The midsummer comedy will face heady competition though, as it opens against fellow comedy The Year One with Jack Black and Michael Cera, as well as the romantic comedy, The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. Three comedies on one weekend...that's no laughing matter. Expect someone to budge.

UPDATE: The Proposal jumps ship...a week earlier to 6/12.

ALSO OPENING: THE YEAR ONE
IN:
Fri 6/19/09
OUT:
NEW
 
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCEWarner Bros.
Poof! And just like that...there will be no Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hannakah, or Kwanzaa this year. Okay, let's get this out in the open: Who's been naughty? Fess up! Because all the muggles around the world just got a lump of coal in their stockings!?! Harry Potter has disappeared from 2008, and resurfaced opposite Will Farrell's Land of the Lost (Universal can't be too pleased about that) in Summer '09. The entire holiday calendar just got a lot lighter, and family fare is looking pretty slim. It's going to be awfully difficult to break 2007's record breaking tally ($9.6 billion) without this box office behemoth. 

UPDATE: As expected, Land of the Lost has jumped ship to early June, leaving Harry & Co. all by themselves. Smart move, going up against the JK Rowling juggernaut is kinda like trying to block a Killing Curse. "Avada Kedavra!"
IN:
Fri 7/17/09
OUT:
NEW
 
FINAL DESTINATION 4Warner Bros.

The horror franchise goes to heights never previously attempted in order kill off its cast...the third dimension! That's right, in-your-face spills and chills! Somehow, going 4-D would seem more appropriate here...

IN:
Fri 8/21/09
OUT:
Fri 8/14/09
 
WOLFMANUniversal

Benico Del Toro fans will have to wait to see his full transformation into a werewolf until Novemeber. Surprisingly, Universal didn't opt to go for Oct. 30, the Friday before, to maximize the haunting season. Currently, no films are scheduled for that date. I assume they fear Jigsaw: Lionsgate drops SAW VI on Oct. 24th. 

ALSO OPENING: THE BOX, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE FANTASTIC MR. FOX

IN:
Fri 11/6/09
OUT:
Fri 4/3/09
 
SHERLOCK HOLMESWarner Bros.
Yo, Holmes...welcome to the 21st century!  Director Guy Ritchie will definitely ratchet Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous dick up a notch or two, and with Robert Downey Jr. in the leading role and Jude Law as his trusty sidekick, Watson, expect this to be Scotland Yard's finest hour. I do say, this is likely to be an enormous hit next holiday season. Cheerio!
IN:
Fri 11/20/09
OUT:
NEW
 
NEW MOONSUMMIT
Summit Entertainment has officially announced the release date of their Twilight sequel, New Moon, and it comes as no surprise that it will be exactly one year after the original was released. Yes, it's on the fast track with a March start! Mark it in blood on your calendar now, fanggirls! No way Twilighters will be under the radar this time. Expect a couple of titles to jump ship on their release date, now that Twilight is a blockbuster that has serious bite!

ALSO OPENING: PLANET 51, SHERLOCK HOLMES, UNTITLED 3 STOOGES PROJECT
IN:
Fri 11/20/09
OUT:
NEW
 
BOOK OF ELIWarner Bros.
The Hughes Bros. return to the director's chair for the first time since 2001's "From Hell." Denzel Washinton stars in what is being described as a post-apocalyptic Western.  Y'know, the kind where the fate of humankind hangs in the balance. Apparently, Will Smith has already walked in these shoes...

ALSO OPENING: CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF MEATBALLS, HOODWINKED 2
IN:
Fri 1/15/10
OUT:
NEW
 
IRON MAN 2Paramount
Marvel studios jumps into summer, and now goes up against The Chronicles of Naria: Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Don't expect that match-up to last, as Disney learned their lesson this summer with Prince Caspian. Expect the Narnia threequel to push back to fall, as the family-friendly film doesn't have the cajones or the credentials to go up against a film that wil likely debut with $150+ million.
IN:
Fri 5/7/10
OUT:
Fri 4/30/10
 
PRINCE OF PERSIA: THE SANDS OF TIMEWalt Disney

The Jake Gyllenhaal starrer has been bumped from a very crowded '09 summer marketplace and has landed on Memorial Day Weekend 2010. Currently, the Jerry Bruckheimer produced video game adaptation is the only film on the release schedule over the lucrative holiday.

IN:
Fri 5/28/10
OUT:
Fri 6/19/09
 
THE GREEN HORNETSony
Seth Rogen writes and stars as the titular character in Sony's comic book adaptation which has officially locked down a summer release date. No definitive word on who will play Kato, but Stephen Chow has been rumored. As for the role of the car, "Black Beauty," Knight Rider's Kitt would seem to have the inside track. Expect balls-to-the-wall action, balls-to-the-wall comedy, and if Judd Apatow has any input, balls, in general, will be present. Yes, crime fighting with a dash of manly tenderness.

UPDATE: Stephen Chow has been confirmed! Not only will he play Kato, but he will direct. This project is now officially 2 legit 2 quit. GO HAMMER! GO HORNET! GO GREEN!
IN:
Fri 6/25/10
OUT:
NEW
 
THORParamount

Mighty Marvel goes for another two-fer in 2010, as they line up the cast for 2011's The Avengers. No word yet on who will swing Thor's hammer, but don't expect Kevin Sorbo or Fabio to be in the running. Ramp up those casting rumors, this is the role of a lifetime.

IN:
Fri 7/16/10
OUT:
NEW
 
THE FIRST AVENGER: CAPTAIN AMERICAParamount
We all saw this coming when we got a sneak peek at Cap's shield  in Iron Man. Kicking off the summer of 2011 is quite an honor, as superheroes take over for sequels as Hollywood's safety net. So, when will Superhero burnout take effect?
IN:
Fri 5/6/11
OUT:
NEW
 
KUNG FU PANDA SEQUELParamount

Ready for some more Kung Foolery? It's on path to theatres...summer 2011. Paramount has locked down a flurry of prime summer release dates this week as they position their tentpoles in 2010 and 2011. DreamWorks is using a "brick and mortar" title currently, but the message boards have  already revealed several obvious titles: Kung Fu Panda: Way of the Panda, Kung Fu Panda: Escape 2 Outer Mongolia, and Kung Fu Panda: Boot 2 the Head.

IN:
Fri 6/3/11
OUT:
NEW
 
THE AVENGERSParamount
Earth's mightiest heroes -- sorry, X-Men-- finally take the screen as a collective. Should be a trip, and hopefully, Marvel will churn out these team-ups with a revolving cast every couple years. The only thing that is more exciting than an Avengers movie, is a Justice League movie with Angelina Jolie as Wonder Woman, Christian Bale as Batman and Adrian Grenier as Aquaman. 
IN:
Fri 7/15/11
OUT:
NEW