Saturday, March 4, 2017

Amazon Announces "Fortitude" for Prime Video

Amazon Studios Orders Original Dramatic Series Fortitude from Sky Vision

Ten episodes of the Arctic thriller, featuring an ensemble cast that includes Richard Dormer and Dennis Quaid, will debut later this year on Prime Video in the US

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--(NASDAQ: AMZN)—Amazon Studios and Sky Vision today announced the addition of Fortitude to Amazon’s lineup of dramatic original series for Prime Video in the US. The first season of Fortitude premiered on Sky Atlantic in 2015 and became the network’s most successful original drama commission to date, with the first episode watched by an accumulative audience of more than 3.2 million.

The first season has also been available on Prime Video in the US since January 2016, with more than 2,000 four and five star reviews from customers. Season two of the series will become an Amazon Original Series and features an ensemble cast, including Richard Dormer (Game of Thrones), Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point), Sofie Gråbøl (The Killing), Luke Treadaway (Clash of the Titans), Darren Boyd (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man), Björn Hlynur Haraldsson (Jar 2pm City), Mia Jexen (Happiness), Alexandra Moen (Strike Back), Verónica Echegui (The Cold Light of Day), Sienna Guillory (Stan Lee’s Lucky Man), Ramon Tikaram (Jupiter Ascending), Parminder Nagra (ER), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones), Robert Sheehan (Misfits) and Ken Stott (The Missing). The series is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video in the US later this year.

    “Amazon is the perfect home for Fortitude in the US”

Fortitude follows Sheriff Dan Anderssen (Dormer) of Fortitude, a small isolated community with a captive population in an environment that is undergoing change and upheaval due to parasite and pathogen activity. After shooting the woman he loved, Dan becomes consumed with guilt, disappears into the wilderness and was presumed dead. Without a sheriff, the people of Fortitude begin to wonder whether Deputy Eric Odegard (Haraldsson), who has spent the last few weeks desperately searching for Dan, can fill his shoes. A new body is discovered on the other side of town and Eric must step up and lead this horrific investigation. As his own police team is trying to figure out who would have killed a man for no apparent reason, Dan suddenly reappears—a violent broken ruin of a man and wild to the point of feral. Quaid stars as Michael Lennox, a fisherman and patriarch of a family living in Fortitude, who is struggling to come to terms with his terminally ill wife, and will try anything to find a cure.

“In Fortitude, our customers will experience Dennis Quaid in a remarkably compassionate role, joined by an ensemble cast that has resonated with audiences globally,” said Joe Lewis, Head of Comedy, Drama and VR, Amazon Studios. “We’re excited to add such a beautiful and captivating series to our originals slate.”

“Amazon is the perfect home for Fortitude in the US,” said Jane Millichip, Managing Director, Sky Vision. “Fortitude is high-end, addictive viewing and perfectly suits Amazon's scripted portfolio. Amazon has been a keen supporter of the series from the outset, having taken an SVOD window on season one. We're delighted to now extend the relationship and make Amazon the home of our most successful returning Sky Atlantic original drama series.”

Fortitude is an Amazon Original Series in the US and Sky Original Production in the UK, produced by Fifty Fathoms, the makers of BAFTA-winning Marvellous, for BBC Two. The series is created and written by Simon Donald, and executive produced by Donald, Faye Dorn (Inspector George Gently) and Patrick Spence (The A Word). Trevor Hopkins (Strike Back) and Susie Liggat (Doctor Who) serve as producers.

Fortitude will be available for Prime members to stream and enjoy using the Amazon Prime Video app for TVs, connected devices including Amazon Fire TV, and mobile devices, or online, along with other Amazon Original Series at Amazon.com/originals, at no additional cost to their membership. Customers who are not already Prime members can sign up for a free trial at www.amazon.com/prime. For a list of all Amazon Video compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.


About Amazon Video
Amazon Video is a premium on-demand entertainment service that offers customers the greatest choice in what to watch and how to watch it. Amazon Video is the only service that provides all of the following:

  •     Prime Video: Thousands of movies and TV shows, including popular licensed content plus critically-acclaimed and award-winning Amazon Original Series and Movies from Amazon Studios like Transparent, The Man in the High Castle, Love & Friendship, and kids series Tumble Leaf, available for unlimited streaming as part of an Amazon Prime membership. Prime Video is also now available to customers in more than 200 countries and territories around the globe at www.primevideo.com.
  •     Amazon Channels: Over 100 video subscriptions to networks like HBO, SHOWTIME, STARZ, PBS KIDS, Acorn TV, and more, available to Amazon Prime members in the US as add-ons to their membership. To view the full list of available channels, visit www.amazon.com/channels.
  •     Rent or Own: Hundreds of thousands of titles, including new release movies and current TV shows available for on-demand rental or purchase for all Amazon customers.
  •     Instant Access: Customers can instantly watch anytime, anywhere through the Amazon Video app on compatible TVs, mobile devices, Amazon Fire TV, Fire TV Stick, and Fire tablets, or online. For a list of all compatible devices, visit www.amazon.com/howtostream.
  •     Premium Features: Top features like 4K Ultra HD, High Dynamic Range (HDR) and mobile downloads for offline viewing of select content.

In addition to Prime Video, the Prime membership includes unlimited fast free shipping options across all categories available on Amazon, more than two million songs and thousands of playlists and stations with Prime Music, secure photo storage with Prime Photos, unlimited reading with Prime Reading, unlimited access to a digital audiobook catalog with Audible Channels for Prime, a rotating selection of free digital games and in-game loot with Twitch Prime, early access to select Lightning Deals, exclusive access and discounts to select items, and more. To sign-up for Prime or to find out more, visit: www.amazon.com/prime.

About Amazon
Amazon is guided by four principles: customer obsession rather than competitor focus, passion for invention, commitment to operational excellence, and long-term thinking. Customer reviews, 1-Click shopping, personalized recommendations, Prime Fulfillment by Amazon, AWS, Kindle Direct Publishing, Kindle, Fire tablets, Fire TV, Amazon Echo, and Alexa are some of the products and services pioneered by Amazon. For more information, visit www.amazon.com/about.

About Sky Vision
Sky Vision is the production and distribution arm of Sky. The distribution arm represents around 5,000 hours of quality primetime programming from Sky Originals and independent third-party production, across all key primetime genres (drama, entertainment, factual entertainment and factual). The business also has equity investments in seven production businesses in the UK and US; Love Productions, Blast! Films, Sugar Films and Sky Vision Productions in the UK; and in the US, Jupiter Entertainment, Talos Films and Znak & Co.

In addition to its equity investments, Sky Vision works extensively within dependent producers in the UK and US and has development deals with a number of production companies; including Asylum Entertainment and Peacock Alley in North America; and Avanti Media, Bohemia, Chalkboard, LittleRock Pictures, Merman Films and Spring Films in the UK.

About Fifty Fathoms
Fifty Fathoms was set up by Patrick Spence under Endemol Shine Group in 2010. Patrick now runs the company with Katie Swinden (Peaky Blinders, Marvellous). Filming recently completed on Guerrilla, a 6 x 60' series for Sky Atlantic and Showtime, written and directed by Academy Award winner John Ridley, starring Freida Pinto, Babou Ceesay, Rory Kinnear, Denise Gough, Danny Mays, Zawe Ashton and Idris Elba, about two political activists fighting against a racist police force in 1970s London.

Fifty Fathoms’ 2014 debut production, Marvellous, a 90′ single film written by Peter Bowker, told the incredible true story of Neil Baldwin, a man who refused to accept the label of learning difficulties. Directed by Julian Farino (Entourage, The Office (US) ) and starring Toby Jones and Gemma Jones, it went on to win BAFTAs for Best Single Film, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress; Best Writer and Director, RTS; Best Film and Best Actor, BPG and Best Film, Writers Guild Awards and FIPA. And they have been picked up for a second season of The A Word, Pete Bowker's 6 x 60' series for BBC1 and Sundance, directed by Peter Cattaneo, starring Christopher Eccleston, Lee Ingleby and Morven Christie, a co-production with Keshet.

Source: Amazon.com, Inc.

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Thursday, March 2, 2017

"Anonymous Noise" Sings on March 7th

VIZ MEDIA LAUNCHES NEW SHOJO MANGA SERIES ANONYMOUS NOISE

Music And Teenage Angst Collide In Shojo Manga About A Talented Singer’s Unrequited Love

San Francisco, CA – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), a premier company in the fields of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing, announces the launch of a powerful new shojo manga series about passion, music and unrequited love with the launch of ANONYMOUS NOISE on March 7th, 2017.

The series, by creator Ryoko Fukuyama, is rated ‘T’ for Teens and will be published under the Shojo Beat imprint. Volume 1 will carry a print MSRP of $9.99 U.S. / $12.99 CAN. ANONYMOUS NOISE also launches digitally via VIZ.com and the VIZ Manga App, as well as from the Nook, Kobo, Kindle, iBooks, comiXology, and GooglePlay stores. Subsequent volumes of ANONYMOUS NOISE will be published in English on a bi-monthly basis.

In the series, Nino Arisugawa, a girl who loves to sing, experiences her first heart-wrenching goodbye when her beloved childhood friend, Momo, moves away. And after Nino befriends Yuzu, a music composer, she experiences another sad parting! Both boys promised Nino that they would find her one day through her singing, so she holds on to that hope and continues to reach out with her voice. Now in high school, Nino serendipitously reunites with Yuzu, but she yearns to see Momo again…

“Creator Ryoko Fukuyama’s energetic pacing and stylized artwork help create a powerful story that showcases the longings of the heart,” says Amy Yu, Editor. “With a focus on the pangs of unrequited love and a developing love triangle, this new shojo series explores how music can help channel and enhance love. As Nino’s conflicted feelings emerge, the stage is set for an engrossing read that is sure to captivate both new and veteran shojo manga fans!”

Creator Ryoko Fukuyama is the author of Nosatsu Junkie, Monochrome Shonen Shojo and Shinzou ga Tarinai (Not Enough Heart). Her series, ANONYMOUS NOISE, will be adapted into an anime in the spring.

For more information on ANONYMOUS NOISE or other manga titles available from VIZ Media, please visit VIZ.com.


About VIZ Media, LLC
Established in 1986, VIZ Media is the premier company in the field of publishing, animation distribution, and global entertainment licensing. Along with its popular digital magazine WEEKLY SHONEN JUMP and blockbuster properties like NARUTO, DRAGON BALL, SAILOR MOON, and POKÉMON, VIZ Media offers an extensive library of titles and original content in a wide variety of book and video formats, as well as through official licensed merchandise. Owned by three of Japan's largest publishing and entertainment companies, Shueisha Inc., Shogakukan Inc., and Shogakukan-Shueisha Productions, Co., Ltd., VIZ Media is dedicated to bringing the best titles for English-speaking audiences worldwide.

Learn more about VIZ Media and its properties at VIZ.com.

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Image Comics Announces Its Emerald City Comic Con 2017 Plans

IMAGE COMICS AT EMERALD CITY COMIC CON

Creator-owned panels, con exclusive variants, and signings for the #FutureOfComics

Image Comics is pleased to return to Seattle this year for Emerald City Comic Con on Thursday, March 2nd through Sunday, March 5th 2017. Please note: updates to the schedule may appear online during the show. Please refer to the www.imagecomics.com post for the most up-to-date information.

LIMITED* CONVENTION EXCLUSIVE VARIANTS SOLD AT THE IMAGE BOOTH (#1510):
* Quantities will be limited by customer and per day on a first come, first served basis. Please ask at the Image booth about availability.

    ROYAL CITY #1 by Jeff Lemire, $10 (+tax)
    THE OLD GUARD #1 by Greg Rucka & Leandro Fernandez, $10 (+tax)
    RAT QUEENS #1 by Kurtis Wiebe & Owen Gieni, $10 (+tax) (sold at Artist Alley table F10 only)
    MAGDALENA #0 by Tini Howard, Ryan Cady & Christian Dibari, $2 (sold only at Artist Alley table S-1)
    SEVEN TO ETERNITY, VOL. 1 hardcover by Rick Remender & Jerome Opena, $35 (+tax)
    KILL OR BE KILLED, VOL. 1 hardcover by Ed Brubaker, Sean Phillips & Elizabeth Breitweiser, $35 (+tax)
    GLITTERBOMB, VOL. 1 trade paperback by Jim Zub & Djibril Morissette-Phan, cover by Ray Fawkes, $15 (+tax), (sold at Artist Alley table V3 only)

LIMITED* MERCHANDISE:
* Limited quantity available for sale at the Image booth.

    BLACK SCIENCE statue, $150 (+tax)
    Exclusive ECCC DESCENDER print, $5 (+tax), (proceeds to benefit the ACLU)
    Image Comics' 25th Anniversary commemorative enamel pin, $10 (+tax)

PANELS HOSTED BY IMAGE COMICS:

Image Comics Announcements
Thursday, 4:15PM – 6:15PM
Image Comics is bringing the Future of Comics to Emerald City Comicon in 2017 with this special two-hour presentation. Featuring a keynote speech by publisher Eric Stephenson about the past, present, and future of comics and a full slate of brand-new series to be announced, this panel is sure to set the tone for the year and give you plenty of great comics to look forward to reading.

Image Comics: 25th Anniversary Founders Panel
Friday, 1PM- 2:30PM
Twenty-five years ago, a group of comics artists looked at the difference between what they were capable of and what they were being given, and left the promise of steady work for new pastures. The result was Image Comics, which has grown from an upstart group to a comics publisher that has changed the course of the industry. Image's 25th anniversary year begins with this special event, a rare gathering that is not to be missed.

The Future Of Comics: Cultivating Identity
Friday, 4PM – 5PM
The comics you love the most tend to have a personal touch, something that helps you relate to the characters, or makes a fantastic situation more believable. Corinna Bechko (INVISIBLE REPUBLIC), Ray Fawkes (UNDERWINTER: SYMPHONY), Gabriel Hardman (THE BELFRY), and a few more special guests make works that use the personal touch to great effect, and they're ready to share their insights with you.

The Future of Comics: Your Brand-New Favorites
Saturday, 12:15PM – 1:15PM
Your favorite comics don't look anything like those of your parents, siblings, or even your friends. There is such a wide variety of material out there that you can grab a comic on nearly any subject and find something to fall in love with. The work of Charles Soule (CURSE WORDS), Kurtis Wiebe (RAT QUEENS), Daniel Warren Johnson (EXTREMITY), and Joe Harris & Megan Hutchison (ROCKSTARS) is fantastic, no matter the genre they're working in. Come find your new favorite comics at this panel, and discover a few new favorite creators, too.

The Future of Comics: Pure Storytelling
Sunday, 1:15PM – 2:15PM
Curious about making comics? Want to give your storytelling talents a boost? Image Comics is pleased to present Kaare Andrews (RENATO JONES: THE ONE%), Jeff Lemire (ROYAL CITY), Emi Lenox (PLUTONA), Steve Lieber (THE FIX), and a few special guests. These cartoonists are incredibly talented, and experts in storytelling. Come pick the brains of the masters and enjoy a lively conversation about telling stories in comics.

SIGNINGS* HOSTED AT IMAGE COMICS BOOTH (#1510):
*wristbands will be available for fans to pick up as soon as doors open, first come, first served, at the Image booth on the day of the desired ticketed signing.

FRIDAY, MARCH 3
11 - 12 PM, Robert Kirkman* (wristband required, 3-item limit)
12 - 12:45 PM, Joseph Keatinge & Wook-Jin Clark
2 - 2:45 PM, Justin Jordan + surprise creator
3 - 3:45 PM, Joe Casey

3:00–4:30 PM: Image Comics Founders Signing in the Grand Ballroom at the Sheraton Hotel located next door to the Washington State Convention Center.* (ECCC will coordinate a ‘lottery system’ where badge-holding fans will submit their names and a lucky 300 fans will win a limited edition poster and admission to have it signed by the founders. Lottery applications are open on the Emerald City Comicon website until February 21. Details here).

4 - 4:45 PM, Kurtis Wiebe + Owen Gieni
5 - 5:45 PM, Donny Cates
5 - 5:45 PM, John Layman

SATURDAY, MARCH 4
11 - 11:45 PM, surprise creators
11 - 11:45 PM, Chris Sebela
12:15 - 1:15 PM, Robert Kirkman* (wristband required, 3-item limit)
1 - 1:45 PM, surprise creators
2 - 2:45 PM, Jeff Lemire* (wristband required, 3-item limit)
3 - 3:45 PM, Rick Remender* (wristband required, 3-item limit)
3 - 3:45 PM, Daniel Warren Johnson
4 - 4:45 PM, Declan Shalvey + Jordie Bellaire
5 - 5:45 PM, surprise creators

SUNDAY, MARCH 5
11 - 11:45 AM, Becky Cloonan
11 - 11: 45 AM, Stefano Gaudiano & Tony Akins
12 - 12:45 PM, Doug Wagner
1 - 1:45 PM, Rick Remender* (wristband required, 3-item limit)

IMAGE CREATORS IN ARTIST ALLEY:
Andrews, Kaare Kyle: F-9
Bautista, Gabriel: DD13
Bechko, Corinna: N1
Belanger, Andy: U6
Bergin, Joseph: Y3A
Brisson, Ed: U11
Casey, Joe: N9
Christmas, Johnny: U13
Dalrymple, Farel: E-7
DeConnick, Kelly Sue: J8
Dodson, Terry: A1/A2
Fairbairn, Nathan: DD16
Fawkes, Ray: J4
Fraction, Matt: J7
Gaudiano, Stefano: B3
Gerads, Mitch: C-2A
Giarrusso, Chris: V9
Greenwood, Justin: U11
Haberlin, Brian: Booth 1601
Hardman, Gabriel: N1
Harren, James: D7
Harris, Joe: V14
Hawkins, Matt: S-1
Haun, Jeremy: R4
Hutchison, Megan: V14
Kelly, Joe: N10
Latour, Jason: P7
Lemire, Jason: G1
Lieber, Steve: H16
Mahfood, Jim: U7
McClaren, Meredith: Booth 208
Norton, Mike: U-8
Robinson, Andrew: FF11
Rouleau, Duncan: N11
Seagle, Steven T.: N12
Schirmer, Brian: B9
Wagner, Matt: L12
Ward, Malachi: E5
Wiebe, Kurtis: F10
Zub, Jim: V3


ABOUT IMAGE COMICS
Image Comics is a comic book and graphic novel publisher founded in 1992 by a collective of best-selling artists. Image has since gone on to become one of the largest comics publishers in the United States. Image currently has five partners: Robert Kirkman, Erik Larsen, Todd McFarlane, Marc Silvestri and Jim Valentino. It consists of five major houses: Todd McFarlane Productions, Top Cow Productions, Shadowline, Skybound and Image Central. Image publishes comics and graphic novels in nearly every genre, sub-genre, and style imaginable. It offers science fiction, fantasy, romance, horror, crime fiction, historical fiction, humor and more by the finest artists and writers working in the medium today. For more information, visit www.imagecomics.com.

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2017 Independent Spirit Awards; "Moonlight" Wins "Best Feature of 2016"

Film Independent’s Spirit Awards (formerly known as the Independent Spirit Awards) were founded in 1984 and are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers.  Film Independent is the non-profit arts organization that produces the Spirit Awards and also the Los Angeles Film Festival.

The 2017 / 32nd Film Independent Spirit Awards were announced at the Spirit Awards on Saturday, February 25, 2017.  [Nominations were announced November 22, 2016.]  The awards ceremony was held as a daytime luncheon in a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, just north of the Santa Monica Pier.  The show was broadcast live exclusively on IFC at 2:00 pm PT/ 5:00 pm ET.

2017 Film Independent Spirit Award winners:

BEST FEATURE – Award given to the producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.
Moonlight
Producers: Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, Adele Romanski

BEST DIRECTOR
Barry Jenkins – Moonlight

BEST SCREENPLAY
Moonlight - Barry Jenkins; Story By Tarell Alvin McCraney   

BEST FEMALE LEAD
Isabelle Huppert - Elle

BEST MALE LEAD
Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE
Molly Shannon - Other People

BEST SUPPORTING MALE
Ben Foster - Hell or High Water

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Moonlight - James Laxton

BEST EDITING
Joi McMillon, Nat Sanders - Moonlight

BEST FIRST FEATURE – Award given to the director and producer.
The Witch
Director: Robert Eggers
Producers: Daniel Bekerman, Jay Van Hoy, Lars Knudsen, Jodi Redmond, Rodrigo Teixeira

BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY
The Witch - Robert Eggers

JOHN CASSAVETES AWARD – Given to the best feature made for under $500,000. Award given to the writer, director and producer. Executive Producers are not awarded.

Spa Night
Writer/Director: Andrew Ahn
Producers: David Ariniello, Giulia Caruso, Ki Jin Kim, Kelly Thomas

ROBERT ALTMAN AWARD – Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast.

Moonlight
Director: Barry Jenkins
Casting Director: Yesi Ramirez
Ensemble Cast: Mahershala Ali, Patrick Decile, Naomie Harris, Alex Hibbert, André Holland, Jharrel Jerome, Janelle Monáe, Jaden Piner, Trevante Rhodes, Ashton Sanders

BEST DOCUMENTARY – Award given to the director and producer.
O.J.: Made in America
Director/Producer: Ezra Edelman
Producers: Deirdre Fenton, Libby Geist, Nina Krstic, Erin Leyden, Tamara Rosenberg, Connor Schell, Caroline Waterlow

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM – Award given to the director.
Toni Erdmann (Germany and Romania)
Director: Maren Ade

20th ANNUAL PIAGET PRODUCERS AWARD – The 20th annual Producers Award, sponsored by Piaget, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality, independent films. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Piaget.

Jordana Mollick

23rd ANNUAL KIEHL’S SOMEONE TO WATCH AWARD – The 23rd annual Someone to Watch Award, sponsored by Kiehl’s Since 1851, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant funded by Kiehl’s Since 1851.

Anna Rose Holmer
Director of The Fits

22nd TRUER THAN FICTION AWARD – The 22nd annual Truer Than Fiction Award is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition. The award includes a $25,000 unrestricted grant.

Nanfu Wang
Director of Hooligan Sparrow

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Wednesday, March 1, 2017

"Kong: Skull Island" Soundtrack Thunders into Stores March 3rd

Kong: Skull Island Soundtrack Available March 3, 2017

Features Music from Composer Henry Jackman

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--WaterTower Music today announced the March 3, 2017 release of the soundtrack to Kong: Skull Island – the Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures and Tencent Pictures film that reimagines the origins of one of the most powerful monster myths of all time. Directed by Jordan Vogt Roberts, the film will be released worldwide in 2D, 3D in select theatres, and IMAX beginning Friday, March 10, 2017.

Composer Henry Jackman (X-Men: First Class; Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Captain America: Civil War; the Kick-Ass films) created the film’s lush symphonic score. His music highlights Kong’s emotional connection with some of the characters by giving specific moments in the score what he says is “a bit of humanity and sensitivity. The great thing about a monster movie is that it opens the door to use the symphony orchestra in its most sumptuous way.” Jackman continues, “(Director) Jordan Vogt-Roberts was happy to celebrate the gravity and history that comes with a full orchestra, but we also explored less traditional elements. That’s a field day for a composer.”

In a nod to the film’s ‘70s period setting, Jackman infused the score with the bold, classic tones of the decade’s psychedelic guitars.

The music, which serves to both heighten the film’s emotion and underscore the action, was one of the final creative elements to fall into place during post-production. It was the culmination of a massive undertaking that had taken the production to three continents. Throughout the process, everyone involved in the film was intent on being respectful of Kong’s history, even while crafting a next-generation iteration of the mythic beast.

Listen to "The Island" from the Kong: Skull Island soundtrack. The album is now available for preorder on iTunes and on CD.


ABOUT KONG: SKULL ISLAND:
Kong: Skull Island tells the story of a diverse team of scientists, soldiers and adventurers uniting to explore a mythical, uncharted island in the Pacific, as dangerous as it is beautiful. Cut off from everything they know, the team ventures into the domain of the mighty Kong, igniting the ultimate battle between man and nature. As their mission of discovery becomes one of survival, they must fight to escape a primal Eden in which humanity does not belong.

The film stars Tom Hiddleston (“The Avengers,” “Thor: The Dark World”), Oscar nominee Samuel L. Jackson (“Pulp Fiction,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), John Goodman (“Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Argo”), Oscar winner Brie Larson (“Room,” “Trainwreck”), Jing Tian (“Police Story: Lockdown”), Toby Kebbell (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”), John Ortiz (“Steve Jobs”), Corey Hawkins (“Straight Outta Compton”), Jason Mitchell (“Straight Outta Compton”), Shea Whigham (“The Wolf of Wall Street”), Thomas Mann (“Me and Earl and the Dying Girl”), with Terry Notary (“Dawn of the Planet of the Apes”) and Oscar nominee John C. Reilly (“Chicago,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”).

Vogt-Roberts directed the film from a screenplay by Dan Gilroy and Max Borenstein and Derek Connolly, story by John Gatins. Kong: Skull Island is produced by Thomas Tull, Mary Parent, Jon Jashni and Alex Garcia, with Eric McLeod and Edward Cheng serving as executive producers.

Warner Bros. Pictures/Legendary Pictures and Tencent Pictures present a Legendary Pictures Production, a Jordan Vogt-Roberts Film, Kong: Skull Island. The film will be released worldwide in 2D, 3D in select theatres, and IMAX and is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. This film has been rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action, and for brief strong language.

kongskullislandmovie.com

ABOUT LEGENDARY
Legendary is a leading media company with film (Legendary Pictures), television and digital (Legendary Television and Digital Media) and comics (Legendary Comics) divisions dedicated to owning, producing and delivering content to worldwide audiences. Legendary has built a library of marquee media properties and has established itself as a trusted brand which consistently delivers high-quality, commercial entertainment including some of the world's most popular intellectual property. In aggregate, Legendary Pictures-associated productions have realized grosses of more than $13 billion worldwide at the box office. To learn more visit: www.legendary.com

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Beware the Ides of Negromancer March 2017

Welcome to March 2017. Welcome to Negromancer 2.0.  This is the rebirth of Negromancer, the former movie review website as a new movie review and movie news site.

Support me on Patreon.

All images and text appearing on this blog are © copyright and/or trademark their respective owners.

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LEGO Dark Knight Eclipses Worldwide Box Office

“The LEGO® Batman Movie” Builds at the Box Office, Crossing $200 Mllion Worldwide

BURBANK, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Audience enthusiasm continues to build for “The LEGO® Batman Movie,” pushing the latest LEGO animated adventure to $202 million in global box office after just two weeks in release. The announcement was made today by Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

    “We are proud and happy to mark another resounding success for our LEGO film franchise. Congratulations to our partners at the LEGO Group, to director Chris McKay and to the multitude of talented individuals who made this film such an extraordinary cinema experience for the whole family.”

Scoring the biggest box office opening of 2017, the new film from director Chris McKay and the team behind the 2014 blockbuster “The LEGO Movie” took the top spot in its first weekend in North America, and registered an A- Cinemascore. It ranked first again in its second weekend, and has so far earned over $118 million on the domestic front.

It simultaneously made a robust debut in day-and-date engagements in 60 markets across Europe, Asia and Latin America. The film has maintained the number one spot in the UK since its opening, and has continued to hold strong overseas for an international cume of $84 million, to date.

Just as much a hit with critics as with fans, “The LEGO Batman Movie” is Certified Fresh at 91% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The film will continue its international run in additional territories yet to open, including Japan, China, Australia and New Zealand.

In making the announcement, Kroll said, “We are proud and happy to mark another resounding success for our LEGO film franchise. Congratulations to our partners at the LEGO Group, to director Chris McKay and to the multitude of talented individuals who made this film such an extraordinary cinema experience for the whole family.”

In the irreverent spirit of fun that made “The LEGO Movie” a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham City, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up.

“The LEGO Batman Movie” stars Will Arnett, Zach Galifianakis, Michael Cera, Rosario Dawson and Ralph Fiennes. Directed by Chris McKay, it is produced by Dan Lin, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, and Roy Lee. The executive producers are Jill Wilfert, Matthew Ashton, Will Allegra and Brad Lewis. The screenplay is by Seth Grahame-Smith and Chris McKenna & Erik Sommers and Jared Stern & John Whittington; story by Seth Grahame-Smith, based on LEGO Construction Toys and based on characters from DC. Batman is created by Bob Kane with Bill Finger; Superman is created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

From Warner Bros. Pictures and Warner Animation Group, in association with LEGO System A/S, a Lin Pictures/Lord Miller/Vertigo Entertainment production, “The LEGO Batman Movie” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company.

It will play in theaters in 3D, 2D and IMAX. This film is rated PG for rude humor and some action. www.legobatman.com

BATMAN and all related characters and elements are trademarks of and © DC Comics.

LEGO, the LEGO logo, the Minifigure and the brick and knob configuration are trademarks of the LEGO Group. © 2017 The LEGO Group. Used with permission. All rights reserved.

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