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Weekend Receipts: Think Like a Man Thinks Like a Champ

After nearly a month in first place, The Hunger Games surrendered its banner to another big-league bestseller-adaptation — and not the one that you (or I, for that matter) were expecting. Your eye-opening Weekend Receipts are here. 1. Think Like a Man Gross: $33,000,000 (new) Screens: 2,015 (PSA $16,377) Weeks: 1 Author Steve Harvey’s comic self-help literary phenomenon became director Tim Story’s comic cinematic-infomercial phenomenon over the weekend, soundly shutting down the Nicholas Sparks adaptation The Lucky One . Or maybe “shutting down” is being kind: Any time you can open on a third fewer screens and earn a third more opening-weekend loot — and more than double the per-screen average — than your closest competition, that’s just an ass-kicking. 2. The Lucky One Gross: $22,805,000 (new) Screens: 3,155 (PSA: $7,228) Weeks: 1 And the thing is, these aren’t especially horrible numbers for the Zac Efron potboiler: As the second-best opening for a Sparks movie to date, it would factor strongly overall into the film’s Sparks Quotient . It would also suggest that Zac Efron couldn’t open a packet of cheese let alone a movie full of the stuff. 3. The Hunger Games Gross: $14,500,000 ($356,900,000) Screens: 3,752 (PSA $3,865) Weeks: 5 (Change: -31.3%) God, third place? After five weeks ? Slackers. 4. Chimpanzee Gross: $10,205,000 (new) Screens: 1,563 (PSA: $6,529) Weeks: 1 Now that’s a fine way for Rich Ross to leave Disney : Fourth place on a nature documentary. The guy couldn’t wait two weeks for The Avengers ? I mean, I know they’d moved his personal parking space to a gas station around the corner from the studio, but still. Have some pride, son. 5. The Three Stooges Gross: $9,200,000 ($29,355,000) Screens: 3,482 (PSA $2,642) Weeks: 2 (Change: -45.9%) Someone had to finish fifth. [Figures via Box Office Mojo ] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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Weekend Receipts: Think Like a Man Thinks Like a Champ

On the Heels of Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus Catches the Indie Bug with Paris

Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus debuted her new HBO series Veep over the weekend, and she — along with husband/director Brad Hall — appears eager to add independent filmmaking to her repertoire. The pair hit the Tribeca Film Festival with their new short Picture Paris , teasing the project at an Apple Store event and hinting that this will not be their last foray into the indie space. Starring Dreyfus, the film follows a woman with an extraordinary obsession with Paris and a surprising past. “It was a way to dip our toes into the independent film world,” Dreyfus said at the event co-hosted by Indiewire. “It was like being in our old theater days, so we called in favors from friends and it was a great experience.” “The short is based on true life,” Hall added. “We had a kid heading off to college and it’s a major life-changing event. So I wrote a script by chance and I showed it to Julia. It has a good amount of twists and turns, and Julia said, ‘maybe we should just make it.'” Hall and Dreyfus are used to working together, but noted that this project allowed them to call the shots, which they are hoping to replicate on a future feature. “I’ve written other shorts about Paris,” Hall said, “but then we realized that we can’t really recoup our money making shorts, so we are going to do an independent feature, but keep the same group together.” Hall also contributed a complimentary gush about the French capital where they shot their short over six days, calling it “the Buenos Aires of Europe.” As for Veep , Dreyfus apologized for the onslaught of posters around New York City at the moment promoting the new HBO comedy in which she plays a fictional vice president of the United States. She said the show’s tagline is that the “buck stops somewhere near here,” but noted also that it is decidedly non-partisan. “This is a show about political behavior,” she said. “You’ll never see the actual president, and you’ll never know which party I belong to.” Read all of Movieline’s Tribeca 2012 coverage here .

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On the Heels of Veep, Julia Louis-Dreyfus Catches the Indie Bug with Paris

Welcome Brian Brooks, New Managing Editor, to Movieline!

You’ve likely spotted a new byline on Movieline in recent days, one that’s overdue for a formal introduction: Welcome Brian Brooks, our new managing editor, to the ML family! Formerly of indieWIRE and our sister site Deadline (where he is still contributing), Brian brings a wealth of film-beat experience to Movieline, and we are thrilled to have him aboard as spring festival season takes off and the summer blockbuster harvest nears. Get to know Brian a little more below, and please greet him and keep an eye out for his splendid work going forward. === As Managing Editor at indieWIRE, Brian Brooks was integral in the execution of IW’s daily editorial news and feature content. Additionally, Brian wrote and edited daily for the site, including biz, interviews, events and other material, as well as photography at events in New York where he is based, and at film festivals around the world. In addition to reporting from festivals, both in the U.S. and abroad (including Sundance, Toronto, SXSW, Tribeca, Cannes, Berlin, Pusan and Reykjavik and more), he has moderated and produced events/panels in New York, Toronto and Austin and on the road and served on numerous festival juries. A native of California, Brian worked in music video at Elektra Entertainment after spending a year and a half living in Japan following graduation from UCLA in the mid-’90s. He also served as a writer for indieWIRE soon after it was founded in 1996, moved to New York City to formally join the indieWIRE staff as an assistant editor in April of 2000. He later became Associate Editor before being promoted to IW’s number two position in 2007. Follow Brian Brooks on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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Welcome Brian Brooks, New Managing Editor, to Movieline!

How Hollywood Scrambled for the Rick Ross Biopic: ‘Like Blow, But With Crack’!

After today’s big Rich Ross news , I can’t pass up the chance to share a Rick Ross item. As in “Freeway” Rick Ross, the notorious ’80s drug lord with ties to Iran-Contra/social networking guru/film producer who has a Nick Cassavetes -penned biopic in the works (not to be confused with Rick Ro$$ the rapper). It’s early yet, but with Scarface producer Martin Bregman allegedly interested, the former drug kingpin gave Shadow & Act an update on the project. Ross and his business partner/attorney/former deputy D.A. Antonio Moore discussed the status of Ross’ biopic, written and set to be directed by Cassavetes: Ross : Let me tell you…I was out of jail one week and I was sitting in the office with Michael Lynton from Sony Pictures, Ari Emanuel from William Morris Endeavor’s office, Jeff Berg, Spencer Baumgarten of CAA and there was another guy who was the president of Universal Pictures at the time but I can’t remember his name…All these guys tried to tell me my movie wasn’t that valuable and I should cut ties with it, let them take it and do it the way they thought it should be done. Moore : I was at the Jeff Berg meeting myself and what he said was this story is very much “new content” and Hollywood right now is having major problems finding new content that resonates. He also said the script right now, which was written by Nick Cassavetes (screenwriter of Blow , director of Johnny Q and The Notebook ), has four nominations. We’ve made contacts with several black actors who we want in the picture, like Mike Epps, but most notably we’ve made a connection with Jamie Foxx. We’re in discussions to get him to play the lead possibly. He’s read the script and talked to Rick about it. One week out of prison and Hollywood was sniffing around. Of course. “It’s like the film Blow but with crack,” Moore explained. (Fun!) “It has narration and it tells the story from three different perspectives.” Ross’s Freeway Productions, meanwhile, has already produced its first feature — the horror pic The Lost Coast Tapes . More over at Shadow & Act . Photo via FreewayRick.com .

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How Hollywood Scrambled for the Rick Ross Biopic: ‘Like Blow, But With Crack’!

Sofia Coppola’s Bling Ring Cop Caught Between Rocks and a Hollywood Place

LAPD detective Brett Goodkin helped bring down the infamous “Bling Ring” of young thieves who lifted jewels and other valuables from the homes of the Hollywood elite (and Paris Hilton). That made him an ideal consultant for Sofia Coppola’s dramatization of the affair, currently underway with Emma Watson (pictured on set) in the leading role. Well, sort of ideal, except for one huge conflict of interest. From the LAT : Police officers have served as paid consultants on Hollywood projects since the dawn of the crime genre. But experts said Goodkin’s actions are highly unusual because the case is still in court, where his financial interest in the film is certain to become an issue raised by the defense. Goodkin never notified prosecutors of his work on the movie, though his testimony is likely to be central at the trial of three remaining defendants. Informed by The Times of Goodkin’s role, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office expressed shock: “We did not know, and now that we do we have to evaluate what impact this may have.” Legal experts said Goodkin’s consulting work could significantly complicate the prosecution’s case. “This looks very unsavory, and it could make a big difference in attacking the credibility of the investigator,” said Thomas Mesereau, a criminal defense attorney who defended Michael Jackson in his 2005 child molestation trial. “Clearly, it presents a conflict of interest if someone’s investigation becomes oriented toward creating a story or entertainment. It’s certainly going to taint the investigation’s motives and make them look unprofessional.” Goodkin reportedly is distancing himself from the project henceforth, while prosecutors may yet be legally compelled to bargain with the remaining defendants awaiting trial. Tough break. But come on! They broke into Paris Hilton ‘s house! Those kids should have pleaded no contest months ago and been sentenced to 30 days of desperately needed taste rehab. Let’s make a deal, already. [ LAT ] Follow S.T. VanAirsdale on Twitter . Follow Movieline on Twitter .

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Sofia Coppola’s Bling Ring Cop Caught Between Rocks and a Hollywood Place

Director Francis Lawrence Offered Hunger Games Sequel Catching Fire

Well, it looks like Lionsgate has picked their pony in the Catching Fire directing race ; I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence has reportedly been offered the job to helm the Hunger Games sequel, which is set to start filming on a tight schedule this August. Lawrence has three features under his belt, in addition to music videos for the likes of J. Lo and Britney Spears; he most recently directed Robert Pattinson and Reese Witherspoon in Water for Elephants (but also made 2005’s Constantine ). Lawrence is said to have gotten the offer over Moneyball ‘s Bennett Miller, who Deadline reports was “very interested” in the gig but wanted to take time to film his Foxcatcher first. So what is there to say about Lionsgate’s choice? At least Lawrence has experience handling visual effects, building devastated but slick near-futuristic worlds, and working with teen heartthrobs. And hey, he won a Grammy (for directing Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” video)! So there’s that. If Katniss Everdeen finds herself besieged in a techno bathhouse in the Simon Beaufoy-penned sequel, he’ll know what to do. And hey, maybe he can get Gaga to play Johanna Mason… Catching Fire is already set for release for November 22, 2013. Muse away on the Lawrence hire in the comments below! [ Deadline ]

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Director Francis Lawrence Offered Hunger Games Sequel Catching Fire

Cannes 2012: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Shia LaBeouf Officially Join the Competition

The Cannes Film Festival revealed its 2012 lineup this morning in Paris, with a competition heavy on male auteurs — and films featuring Croisette-ready stars like Robert Pattinson ( Cosmopolis ), Kristen Stewart ( On the Road ), Brad Pitt ( Killing Them Softly ), Shia LaBeouf and Tom Hardy ( Lawless ). Lee Daniels’s Precious follow-up The Paperboy (starring Zac Efron and Nicole Kidman) is also among the 22 films screening in competition, along with Wes Anderson’s opening night film Moonrise Kingdom . Other competition highlights include new work from veterans David Cronenberg, Michael Haneke, Ken Loach, Cristian Mungiu, Thomas Vinterberg, Walter Salles and Abbas Kiarostami. They are joined by fellow Cannes returnees Bernardo Bertolucci and Takashi Miike, who will screen their new films out of competition. And 2012 Sundance Film Festival competition winner Beasts of the Southern Wild by Benh Zeitlin joins the festival’s Un Certain Regard lineup along with 16 other titles. Competition : Moonrise Kingdom by Wes Anderson (Opening Film) Amour by Michael Haneke The Angels’ Share by Ken Loach After The Battle by Yousry Nasrallah Beyond the Hills by Cristian Mungiu Cosmopolis by David Cronenberg Holy Motors by Leos Carax The Hunt by Thomas Vinterberg Killing Them Softly by Andrew Dominik In Another Country by Hong Sang-soo In the Fog by Sergei Loznitsa Lawless by John Hillcoat Like Someone in Love by Abbas Kiarostami Mud by Jeff Nichols On the Road by Walter Salles The Paperboy by Lee Daniels Paradise: Love by Ulrich Seidl Post Tenebras Lux by Carlos Reygadas Reality by Matteo Garrone Rust and Bone by Jacques Audiard Taste of Money by Im Sang-soo You Haven’t Seen Anything Yet by Alain Resnais Out of Competition : Thérése Desqueyroux by Claude Miller (Closing Film) Me and You by Bernardo Bertolucci Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted by Eric Darnell, Tom McGrath, Conrad Vernon Hemingway & Gellhorn by Philip Kaufman Midnight Screenings: Dario Argento’s Dracula by Dario Argento Ai To Makoto by Takashi Miike 65th Birthday: Une Journée Particuliére Un Certain Regard : 7 Days in Habana by Benicio del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem, Elia Suleiman, Juan Carlos Tabio, Gaspar Noe, Laurent Cantet 11.25 The Day He Chose His Own Fate by Koji Wakamatsu Antiviral by Brandon Cronenberg Beasts of the Southern Wild by Benh Zeitlin Confession of a Child of the Century by Sylvie Verheyde Después de Lucia by Michel Franco The Pirogue by Moussa Toure La Playa by Juan Andrés Arango Laurence Anyways by Xavier Dolan Le grand soir by Benoit Delepine, Gustave Kervern God’s Horses by Nabil Ayouch Loving Without Reason by Joachim Lafosse Miss Lovely by Ashim Ahluwalia Mystery by Lou Ye Student by Darezhan Omirbayev Trois Monde by Catherine Corsini White Elephant by Pablo Trapero Special Screenings : A Musica Segundo Tom Jobim by Nelson Pereira Dos Santos The Central Park Five by Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon Polluting Paradise by Fatih Akin Journal de France by Claudine Nougaret, Raymond Depardon Les Invisibles by Sebastien Lifshitz Mekong Hotel by Apichatpong Weerasethakul Roman Polanski: A Film Memoir by Laurent Bouzereau Villegas by Gonzalo Tobal

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Cannes 2012: Robert Pattinson, Kristen Stewart, Shia LaBeouf Officially Join the Competition

Daniel Craig’s Lament: No Heineken, No Skyfall

“We have relationships with a number of companies so that we can make this movie. The simple fact is that, without them, we couldn’t do it. It’s unfortunate but that’s how it is. This movie costs a lot of money to make, it costs as nearly as much again if not more to promote, so we go where we can. The great thing is that Bond is a drinker, he always has been, it’s part of who he is, rightly or wrongly, you can make your own judgment about it, having a beer is no bad thing, in the movie it just happens to be Heineken.” Somewhere in Hell, Frank Booth weeps . (Link NSFW, obvs.) [ Moviefone via NYT ]

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Daniel Craig’s Lament: No Heineken, No Skyfall

Hollywood’s Poker Clowns Exposed

It’s difficult to single out the best part of Mark Ebner’s fascinating new Hollywood poker-culture expos

Is John Cusack The Next Mo’Nique?

Director Lee Daniels made Oscar magic tapping Mo’Nique for Precious ; the comic and talk-show host took the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress that year in addition to a slew of festival awards (including an acting prize at Sundance, where the film premiered in 2009). Now, Daniels has asked John Cusack to join his anticipated The Butler , playing the role of Richard Nixon. What does Cusack have in mind, and does his own masterpiece await? Good question, as the actor explained to Vulture at Monday’s premiere of The Raven . “I don’t know yet,” Cusack said. “I haven’t figured it out yet. We’re still working on it. You can never really do one definitive thing on a person. Not one movie or even one novel can really sum up a person — it’s just one angle. So I need to get in Lee’s head about what he has in store, because the perspective on [the movie] is people who worked for the president, so it’s a different angle, you know?” Cusack will join Forest Whitaker, who will play the White House butler who served eight U.S. presidents, while Jane Fonda will portray Nancy Reagan (gasp!). Cusack, who will be seen in the upcoming Adult World , is also set to star in another Lee Daniels project, The Paperboy , along with Zac Efron and Matthew McConaughey. [ Vulture ]

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Is John Cusack The Next Mo’Nique?