My dreams for a feature-length version of Funny or Die’s “Bat Fight” are one step closer to reality. The comedy website started in 2007 by Will Ferrell , Adam McKay and Chris Henchy has partnered with Turistas and The Lincoln Lawyer producer Scott Steindorff’s Scott Pictures to produce two or three branded movies a year. The story comes via The Hollywood Reporter on the same day that Funny or Die marked another company milestone — surpassing 5 million Twitter followers — via a video featuring Ferrell sporting another one of his memorable mustaches, touting his knowledge of Singapore, dropping the f-bomb and firing an intern. (“You are shit-canned. It’s a can full of shit, and you are in it.”) On the subject of his lip broom, can anyone out there tell me if that baby is real or not? If it is, Ferrell should really do a how-to book on facial hair. THR reports the deal could make Funny or Die the 21st Century comedy brand equivalent of National Lampoon and its Vacation film franchise. Funny or Die Hard , anyone? I’d love to see that, even if its just a clip on the site, and I bet Bruce Willis would be game. And, by the way, with 20 million unique views per month, I would say Funny or Die has already surpassed National Lampoon as a brand. It’s more like the Original Space Bag of comedy. Here’s Ferrell’s Twitter video, and after that, what I hope will be the first feature to emerge from this joint venture: “Bat Fight,” starring Ferrell and Hot Tub Time Machine actor Craig Robinson . [ Funny or Die , The Hollywood Reporter] Follow Frank DiGiacomo on Twitter. Follow Movieline on Twitter.
‘It’s a bit of a hyperreality … very violent, at the same time, it’s very funny,’ star tells MTV News at South by Southwest film festival. By Kara Warner Despite the fact Matthew McConaughey is a homegrown Texan, this is the first year he’s attending Austin’s annual South by Southwest film festival in support of a film of his that was selected. And McConaughey isn’t just in town for one premiere — he’s here for two: “Killer Joe” and “Bernie.” In “Joe,” the “Lincoln Lawyer” star plays a contract killer hired by a young man (Emile Hirsch) who’s trying to get rid of his mom for stealing his drugs. Sound outrageous? It is. So much so that the castmembers revealed that while watching some of the scenes, they didn’t know if they should laugh or be offended. “It’s a comedy, but everyone played it straight,” McConaughey told MTV News at the SXSW premiere Saturday night. “It wasn’t a comedy where you played the joke. The situations are absurd. It’s a bit of a hyperreality like in some good Tarantino films — very violent, at the same time, it’s very funny.” Co-star Gina Gershon added, “The wonderful thing about it is that you could be watching a scene and … one person watching is totally horrified and the other is laughing their head off. Sometimes, it’s like, ‘This is kind of sexy.’ ‘No, it’s horrible!’ ‘No, it’s funny.’ It really screws with your emotions a lot.” Hirsch admitted that the fact that his character hires a hitman to kill his mom is extreme, but she asked for it when she stole his drugs. “It’s kind of crazy. I think the MTV crowd — whoever those Music Television-loving people are out there — could like it,” he said. “I don’t know. I’m not going to tell them they will.” The “Into the Wild” star said he liked the insanity of the story — and that he got to act with a limp. “It was good. [Director William] Friedkin kept coming up to me and was like, ‘Don’t forget the pain. Let me see that limp, let me see that leg.’ ” McConaughey said he expects a lot of delayed laughter from audiences because people can’t decide whether they should find the situations funny: “It’s the kind of late laugh that you go, ‘I’m not supposed to be laughing, but I just found myself laughing, and is it OK for me to laugh at that ’cause I just did?’ I like it.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos South by Southwest 2012 Related Photos SXSW 2012
While the kids-friendly sequel ruled the weekend, “Just Go With It” became the 12th Adam Sandler movie to gross more than $100 million. By Ryan J. Downey Grayson Russell in “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” Photo: FOX In the weekend battle of the flashy, hyper-stylized action flick versus the kid-movie-franchise sequel, it turned out that Rodrick did, in fact, rule. “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules” bested “Sucker Punch” at the box office to become the #1 movie in the United States with a $22.4 million debut. Based on the second installment of the kid-friendly book series, “Wimpy Kid” bested the debut of its predecessor, which took in $21.8 million when it was released around this same time last year. All figures are according to studio estimates. The $19 million opening of “Sucker Punch,” meanwhile, was less than the debuts of director Zack Snyder’s previous movies “300,” “Watchmen” or “Dawn of the Dead.” While the latter three films were based on preexisting sources, “Sucker Punch,” a loud music-driven action fantasy about a group of girls in a mental institution who lead dream-world lives as action heroines, was Snyder’s first wholly original concept. A mere 22 percent of critics reviewed it positively, according to Rotten Tomatoes. News that the 45-year-old director has cast Amy Adams as Lois Lane in his forthcoming superhero reboot “Superman: Man of Steel” overshadowed talk of “Sucker Punch” across Twitter and film blogs on Sunday. Last week’s #1 movie, “Limitless,” brought in another $15.2 million, for a domestic total of $41.3 million. With an estimated production budget of $27 million, the movie’s numbers are great news for Bradley Cooper, who chose the flick as his first real starring vehicle since finding fame. The modest success of “The Lincoln Lawyer” is great news of a different kind for Matthew McConaughey. It’s his best-reviewed film in years. Telling the story of a conflicted lawyer working cases from his car, the movie has reminded critics that the sometimes-ridiculed leading man does have real talent. “The Lincoln Lawyer” brought in $11 million to land at #4, with a $29 million total. Johnny Depp’s animated “Rango” was one of two movies to cross the $100 million mark over the weekend. The movie landed in fifth place with a $9.8 million take, for a $106.4 million total. Meanwhile, “Just Go With It” became the 12th Adam Sandler movie to gross more than $100 million domestically. Although the romantic comedy is no longer in the top 10 at the box office, it has earned a total of $100.3 million. Sci-fi action flick “Battle: Los Angeles” was #6 with $7.6 million, for a $72.6 million total. The loving sci-fi homage “Paul” dropped roughly 45 percent in its second weekend of release, earning $7.5 million to land at #7 while upping its total earnings to $24.6 million. The Nick Frost/ Simon Pegg comedy cost about $40 million to make. “Twilight” director Catherine Hardwicke’s “Red Riding Hood” was #8 with $4.3 million, for a $32.5 million total. Matt Damon’s “The Adjustment Bureau” was #9 with $4.2 million, for a $54.9 million total. International tickets, after-market sales and a built-in diehard fanbase will probably save “Paul” from being remembered as a failure, but the weekend’s #10 movie, which shares an alien theme, likely won’t escape that fate. The animated “Mars Needs Moms” made $2.2 million, bringing its total take to $19.2 million against an estimated $150 million production budget. Next weekend’s new releases include “Moon” director Duncan Jones’ “Source Code,” starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan and Vera Farmiga; the Easter-themed kid’s movie “Hop,” featuring the voice of Russell Brand; the haunted-house flick “Insidious”; and the action/comedy “Super,” with Rainn Wilson, Ellen Page, Liv Tyler and Kevin Bacon. Check out everything we’ve got on “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Rodrick Rules,” “Sucker Punch” and “Limitless.” For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘Sucker Punch’ ‘Sucker Punch’ Clips Related Photos ‘Sucker Punch’ Premiere In Los Angeles ‘Sucker Punch’
Since Darren Aronofsky recently decided to vacate the director’s chair of The Wolverine (presumably to tend to his fabled scarf collection ), there hasn’t been too much buzz as to who might replace him at the helm of the mutant -prequel sequel reboot -whatever it is. Because we here at Movieline are nothing if not servicey, allow me to offer up five suggestions as to who might take over America’s favorite Canadian mutant as he travels to Japan, fights ninjas and falls in love with the daughter of Yakuza crimeboss.
It was a three-way opening battle for the box office this weekend, but in the end it was the Bradley Cooper’s clever d-bag that overpowered the sincere attorney and the sassy alien as Limitless took the top spot. Said attorney and alien took fourth and fifth place respectively, as hold-overs Rango and Battle: Los Angeles took second and third place. Your weekend receipts are here.
Matthew McConaughey should always play lawyers. There’s something smirky, cocky and untrustworthy about his demeanor — he slides through every movie like a greased weasel, but in The Lincoln Lawyer , it works. As Mick Haller, a Los Angeles lawyer who does business from the back of his Town Car, the superefficient McConaughey is something of a marvel. Modesty isn’t his thing — he’s the hardest-working laid-back man in show-business — but this time around, at least, his self-assurance by itself is magnetic. McConaughey bills by the minute, but at least he delivers.
Ryan Phillippe is not pleased. Alexis Knapp , the woman who claims Ryan is the father of her unborn child, is already casting him as a deadbeat because he hasn’t paid her expenses. According to sources close to Ryan, not only is this unfair, as it hasn’t even been established that the baby is his, he HAS supported Knapp financially. Not only that, Alexis said that if Ryan supported her during her pregnancy, she wouldn’t go blabbing to the media … which he says she has anyway. Alexis Knapp, who is due in June, says her baby is definitely Ryan’s. Phillippe will take a DNA test as soon as the baby is born and support it if it’s his. Sources connected to Alexis claim while she’s pregnant, she hasn’t received a dime from Ryan and is hurting financially because she’s unable to work. People close to Ryan say Alexis is lying and that he is paying Alexis’ expenses, despite having no obligation to do so until a judge establishes paternity. Short story, this isn’t going well. As a source connected to The Lincoln Lawyer star put it, “File it under the category, ‘No good deed goes unpunished.'” [Photos: Pacific Coast News]
SMH at this Ryan Phillipe character “spreading” his love juice around very loosely: Just as things are heating up again between Ryan Phillippe and Amanda Seyfried comes a potentially serious complication. Alexis Knapp, an actress who dated Phillippe last summer, is pregnant and, a source says, “Alexis has told friends that the child is Ryan’s.” The baby is said to be due in June. Reps for Knapp and Phillippe did not have any comment. But the source tells PEOPLE that “Ryan is aware of the situation [and] totally prepared to take responsibility should the child be his.” Phillippe, 36, who has two children with ex-wife Reese Witherspoon, 34, was spotted last week cozying up to on-again girl Seyfriend after the premiere for her movie Red Riding Hood., as well as at the opening of his The Lincoln Lawyer on Thursday. And this cat was just trying to beat up Rihanna’s guts last month … Source
I had never heard of this Katie Cassidy chick until I saw her dad David Cassidy get fired off the Celebrity Apprentice for basically being the size of a teenage girl. Poor little dude. But after I looked her up I have to say that I’m impressed, she’s pretty damn hot. Apparently David managed to bang a few models in his day and lucky for us one of his sperms could swim… Katie is a sexy little by product. Well done. Anyhow, here she is out the other night showing off her long skinny legs in some tight jeans and high heels. Send me more pics princess.
It doesn’t take a genius to realize that Marisa Miller and Camila Alves make a good pair, they’re both really damn sexy, it’s like saying gin and tonic make a good pair. It’s a no brainer. Here they are at the premiere of Camila’s husbands new movie Lincoln Lawyer getting all touchy feely with each other. How about a little open mouth kiss girls? Pretty please? Well, it’s happening in my mind with or without you. To be honest, Marisa Miller and pretty much any height/wieght proportionate woman would make a good pair… She’s that hot.
