This just in from Disney HQ: After bashing records across the globe, The Avengers will go from puny Earthbound box office domination to the final frontier, screening for six lucky multinational cosmonauts currently in orbit: “Marvel Studios announced today that they arranged with NASA to transfer their record-breaking blockbuster film Marvel’s The Avengers to NASA’s Mission Control in Houston, which will uplink the film to the International Space Station (ISS), currently orbiting 220 miles above Earth. The film will then be screened for the space station crew’s exclusive enjoyment.” (Take that, Pentagon !) Keep an eye out for Loki up there fellas, eh? [Press release]
Critics were surprised by how much they enjoyed Peter Berg’s film, giving credit to its entertainment factor. By Fallon Prinzivalli Taylor Kitsch and Rihanna in “Battleship” Photo: Universal Pictures Many movie fans have been wary as to whether director Peter Berg could successfully pull of “Battleship.” Inspired by a Hasbro board game giving no hint of any type of plot, the sci-fi epic follows the adventures of an international Navy fleet when aliens begin to invade earth. As the two forces go to battle, each must rely on a crafty, cunning strategy in order to conquer their enemy. The all-star, insanely attractive cast includes Taylor Kitsch , Brooklyn Decker , Alexander Skarsg
‘By the time ‘Avengers’ is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time,’ one box-office expert tells MTV News. By Fallon Prinzivalli Mark Ruffalo as The Incredible Hulk in “The Avengers” Photo: Marvel “The Avengers” sure did assemble! Marvel’s superhero film is still the reigning champion of movie theaters after it smashed box-office records in its first two weeks. Now, it’s rising to the top of the worldwide charts, recently staking claim to the ninth spot, passing George Lucas’ “Star Wars: Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace.” It’s currently the highest earning film of 2012 domestically, stealing the title from “The Hunger Games,” which opened in March. At present, the Joss Whedon-directed summer flick has raked in more than $1 billion across the globe, and the numbers keep rising. The popularity of the movie is overwhelming, but a few questions still remain. For starters, how high will the film go? Gitesh Pandya , the editor of Box Office Guru , told MTV News, “I see Avengers climbing up to #4 on the all-time worldwide blockbusters list by the end of this weekend. That would put it at roughly $1.2 billion, which is astounding. It should pass the final ‘Harry Potter’ to finish its run as #3 all time, which alone is just incredible.” Jeff Bock of Exhibitor Relations agrees: “By the time ‘Avengers’ is done kicking box-office butt, it will easily be the #3 film of all time. Only ‘Avatar’ and ‘Titanic’ will be left untouched, as James Cameron is a superhero unto himself. Both [films] made history by debuting over the holiday season, where popcorn flicks are few and far between. [And] unfortunately for ‘Avengers,’ summer blockbusters invade every weekend, and theaters will soon be flooded with competition.” The competition Bock is referring to is obviously Christopher Nolan’s final Batman installment. “You know what happens when you leave Batman for dead? He gets angry, rises from the dead and pops you right in the kisser,” he said. ” ‘The Avengers’ versus ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ has all the trappings of a big-time Hollywood drama. Let’s face it, ‘TDKR’ is probably the most anticipated threequel since ‘Return of the Jedi.’ All bets are off!” Boxoffice.com ‘s Phil Contrino agrees that Nolan’s film could beat out “The Avengers” in the battle for overall domestic earnings, but ultimately won’t top the opening weekend or worldwide sales for two reasons. It just doesn’t have the widespread family appeal that Captain America and Iron Man brought with them, or the 3-D prices to give it a boost. With “Battleship” sailing into theaters this weekend, Pandya expects “Avengers” to drop by around 40 percent. “[That will put it in] the neighborhood of $60 million,” he said. “That’s a great hold for a movie this big.” But as far as Earth’s mightiest heroes becoming the highest — or even second-highest — film of all time globally, Contrino doesn’t believe it will happen. “When you burn so bright for one weekend, the only place to go is down,” he said. Check out everything we’ve got on “Marvel’s The Avengers.” For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com . Related Videos MTV Rough Cut: ‘The Avengers’ Related Photos ‘Avengers’ Assemble At Los Angeles Premiere ‘Avengers’
They say all good things must come to an end. So, too, must Khloe & Lamar. Amid the surprising downturn in his career, the divorce rumors and reports that the show will end after last night’s season finale, the stakes were high for the beloved couple. Did they persevere, prove that love always conquers all, and end the season (possibly the series) on a high note? Let’s find out in our Khloe & Lamar recap … Khloe Kardashian notices Lamar Odom acting a little off. “I’m not used to this negative, somber man,” she said. Reality TV will do that too a man. Minus 20 . Lamar admits that he’s been holding a lot of pain in, especially after the violent death of his cousin. Okay, Plus 20 to negate our previous snap judgment. “Every time when I’m like really down and out, no matter what, Khlo – is one person I can always count on.” Plus 10 for that genuinely sweet sentiment. Then things quickly turn scripted again when Kim calls about the celebrity gossip story of the week Khloe is not a biological Kardashian. Minus 15 . Rob Kardashian pulls a practical joke related to that topic. Too soon. But Plus 10 . “Wouldn’t you just want to know 100 percent?” Kourtney asks, urging Khlo to take a DNA test to settle the fact that her father is her father. Yawn. Minus 10 . “It’s important to stay strong for each other,” Lamar says. “I just need to be a good husband, be thoughtful and let Khlo know how grateful I am.” Plus 20 . His pre-taped video while Khloe is co-hosting The Talk? Cute. Plus 5 . The giraffe? Now we’re talking dutiful hubby material. Plus 5 more . “Is it bothering you that these rumors about who’s who keep popping up every day?” mom Kris asks. “Because it’s really upsetting me.” Sure it is. Minus 15 . “I am one million percent comfortable with not getting a DNA test and knowing that my father is my father,” she says. “I’m more than happy to live with that for the rest of my life.” Why let fake rumors bother you, it’s true? Plus 10 . “If I had to put a title on this year I would probably call it the Trying Times,” Lamar Odom says, reflecting on the season. “So many things happened.” “Life changed for us. We’ve lost and we’ve gained. But at the end of the day, everything that we’ve been through has just made us closer.” Plus 10 . EPISODE TOTAL: +30. SEASON TOTAL: -195.
Aubrey O’Day may not be a slut , but she is out of a job. The outspoken … whatever she is gave it her best all season long, but she was fired Sunday on Celebrity Apprentice, leaving Clay Aiken and Arsenio Hall as the last men standing and vying for the top spot next week. Did Donald Trump make the right call axing Aubrey? The boss man called the singer “transparent,” sending her packing and leaving Arsenio and Clay to battle it out, with former teammates back in the fold. Clay got some help from Penn Jillette, Dee Snyder, Debbie Gibson and Aubrey O’Day . Arsenio, picked Paul Teutul Sr., Teresa Giudice, Lisa Lampanelli and Adam Carolla. Team Clay and Team Arsenio were then told to direct, produce and star in a variety show to raise money for their charities, sell tickets and create a PSA. Clay decided to put on a musical, asking Debbie for musical advice and Penn to help write and conceptualize. Clay and Debbie quickly sparred over it. The former American Idol runner-up was a fan of micromanaging more than Arsenio, but both men were dedicated to raising funds for their causes. Clay, a former special education teacher, was happy and right in his element when working with children for a National Inclusion Project PSA. Arsenio, who was raising money for the Magic Johnson Foundation, took a humorous approach to the task. He even involved Magic in the PSA. Unfortunately for Team Arsenio, a miscommunication with the tech team made much of Magic’s essential shot unusable, possibly dooming him. It’s all about the ticket sales and contributions raised, though, and both will play a key role in who wins the Celebrity Apprentice next weekend. Who do you think it’ll be, Clay or Arsenio? Tell us below.
Here comes the drama. Hanging out by the pool. Doesn’t that sound relaxing? Yes, unless you’re on The Real Housewives of New Jersey. Then it’s pretty much the exact opposite. Then you’ll probably need a stiff drink to get through an afternoon in the sun. We recap all the fussing, feuding, and name calling in our THG’s +/- recap! How can you not love Caroline’s mock phone call between Teresa and Joe? It was hilarious. Plus 10 .
The Avengers soared to new heights over the weekend, blowing past the $1 billion barrier internationally and once again finishing atop the box office in the United States. The superhero blockbuster set another record in the process, finishing with the highest second weekend box office haul in Hollywood history: $102.3 million. Avatar had held the previous mark. It also set the pace by becoming the fastest film to ever earn more than $300 domestically, accomplishing the feat in nine days. Sorry, The Dark Knight . It’s now second place for you. Here’s a look at the top five biggest earners from the weekend: The Avengers : $103.2 million Dark Shadows – $28.2 million Think Like A Man : $6.3 million The Hunger Games : $4.4 million The Lucky One : $4.0 million
Andrew Garfield has passed along comments and notes from his inaugural Spider-Man stint for a while now, but he’s saved his first truly in-depth press foray for a chat with the one guy on Earth who can literally relate to every word: Ex- Spider-Man franchise star Tobey Maguire. The conversation is featured in the new issue of VMan , with numerous highlights from cover boy Garfield confiding to Maguire about the absurdity of the casting process… “I’m friends with a few of the guys who were up for it, and I actually had dinner with Jamie [Bell] the night of my screen test and his screen test. We compared notes and war stories, and we kind of got past the ridiculousness of it all and thought it would be a nice idea to get everyone together and kind of interview each other about how messed up the process is, being against each other, and remember that we’re all in it together, knowing that when you take off that bodysuit someone else is going to be stepping into your sweat immediately after. It’s a weird kind of cattle call. But Marc [Webb] was great. He was very open and encouraging. You have the monitoring area with literally about 30 people judging you, looking at your face and whispering to each other—it’s one of the most disconcerting and kind of humiliating things to go through, if you’re aware of it.” …to Maguire singing his heir’s praises… “When it was coming together, I was particularly excited at two moments: one was when Marc Webb got involved. I think he’s an interesting and cool choice. And then I was certainly curious as to who was going to play Peter Parker. When I heard it was you, I was literally like, fucking perfect! I just want it to be great, and I thought, what a great actor Andrew is, I’m glad that’s what’s happening here.” …to the true confession that we’d all been waiting for from Garfield: “I was 19 when I saw [ Spider-Man ]. I got a pirated DVD at Portobello Market with my friend Terry McGuiness, and we went back to my skanky apartment in North London and we watched it twice in a row and then practiced your final line in the mirror! Terry has this thick and every time I would recite that line he would laugh this very distinct laugh and say, ‘No, man, you could never be fucking Spider-Man. You’ll never be fucking Spider-Man!’ I was so humiliated and upset. But, um… fuck you, Terry!” Aw! Memories. Plenty more hits shelves May 17 in VMan . [Photo: Inez van Lamsweerde & Vinoodh Matadin for VMan]
Joss Whedon has always kept his devout cult following close, even as his projects have made it big (or not — right, Dollhouse fans?). So with the mega-huge success of Avengers , maybe some of the Whedon faithful were right to worry that fame might alter their idol’s true path — the one that takes a step back from a big time Hollywood future to focus on Dr. Horrible 2 and homemade Shakespeare adaptations, for instance. And so Whedon took to his blog to thank the fans who’d been Whedonettes/Whedonheads/Whedonwhatevers all along, and also to link to a poop-related internet video he appeared in last week. Oh, that Joss. But really, now that he’s hit the big time, will Whedon stay true to the core demo that hungers for his quirky musicals and side projects and the promise of Air Bud playing jai alai? All this and more (it makes sense, trust) in his totes Whedonesque appreciation post. “People have told me that this matters, that my life is about to change. I am sure that is true. And change is good — change is exciting. I think — not to jinx it — that I may finally be recognized at Comiccon. Imagine! Also, with my percentage of “the Avengers” gross, I can afford to buy… [gets call from agent. Weeps manfully. Resumes typing.] …a fine meal. But REALLY fine, with truffles and s#!+. And I can get a studio to finance my dream project, the reboot of “Air Bud” that we all feel is so long overdue. (He could play Jai Alai! Think of the emotional ramifications of JAI ALAI!!!!)” Seriously, how would Air Bud hold the basket? In his mouth?? Would he wear the funny little helmets and everything? The mind reels. “A lot of stories have come out about my ‘dark years,’ and how I’m ‘unrecognized’… I love these stories, because they make me seem super-important, but I have never felt the darkness (and I’m ALL about my darkness) that they described. Because I have so much. I have people, in my life, on this site, in places I’ve yet to discover, that always made me feel the truth of success: an artist and an audience communicating. Communicating to the point of collaborating. I’ve thought, ‘maybe I’m over; maybe I’ve said my piece.’ But never with fear. Never with rancor. Because of y’all. Because you knew me when.” Joss belongs to you, Whedonites! No matter how many “Revengers” he makes. Later, Whedon answers a Q&A with himself. The subject of being in the superhero business alongside the likes of Chris Nolan and Co. comes up. “THIS IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAME. Our successes, whoever has the mostest, are a boon to each other. We’re in the business of proving that superhero movies aren’t just eye-candy (they’re eye-TRUFFLES!). People seem intent on setting us against each other, and though I’m proud to be Woody Strode to Nolan’s Kirk Douglas, I think they’re missing the point. Whatever TDKR does on its first weekend, the only stat that matters to me is the ticket I’M definitely buying. Nolan and Raimi INVENTED the true superhero flick, yo. (Special mention to Jon Favreau and James Gunn.) Happy to be in the mix.” Uh-oh, fanboys. Are you ready for this? PILE-ON IN 3, 2, 1… (Where have we heard this before ?) ” The Avengers is notably IMperfect, which makes its success mean so much more to me — because it’s striking a chord that matters MORE than its obvious flaws. Like the team, it appears to be more than the sun [sic] of its parts. Boo-yah!” On the other hand, I think we can all agree with Whedon’s greatest Avengers accomplishments: “Getting “mewling quim” out there to the masses. Also, Hulk.” I’ll give him bonus points forever for that much, and for sneaking in that Newsies reference. Read Whedon’s full post here , but first! He takes a break from fame and truffles to share pooping advice on the internet. [via Whedonesque ]
The Avengers will officially assemble again. Disney announced the obvious today: following a record-shattering opening weekend , the superhero blockbuster will come out with a sequel at an undetermined date in the future. In related, even less obvious news, Kim Kardashian likes money. ” The Avengers isn’t just a film,” said Disney Chairman and CEO Bob Iger to CNBC. “It’s a franchise from our perspective. Obviously, it was helped a lot by the success of the Iron Man movies and of Tho r and Captain America . From The Avengers we get a chance to make Thor 2 and Captain America 2 and
