Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Breaking Dawn Casting Announcement: Meet Benjamin
ET got the scoop at their post Emmy Awards party. Rami Malek (no doubt his IMDB ranking is going through the roof as we speak) will be playing Benjamin. He is probably best known for his roles in 24, The Pacific, and Night at the Museum.
Benjamin, who is mated with Tia, was created by Amun knowing that the boy would be special. Amun has since been trying to turn Benjamin’s ability to manipulate earth, air, fire, and water into a weapon, but Benjamin is very independent and won’t be used. He bonds quickly with many of the covens and nomads gathered at the Cullen’s house and declares that he will stand with them if the Volturi attack. They are all members of the Egyptian coven.
Benjamin, who is mated with Tia, was created by Amun knowing that the boy would be special. Amun has since been trying to turn Benjamin’s ability to manipulate earth, air, fire, and water into a weapon, but Benjamin is very independent and won’t be used. He bonds quickly with many of the covens and nomads gathered at the Cullen’s house and declares that he will stand with them if the Volturi attack. They are all members of the Egyptian coven.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Vampires in Hollywood is A $7 Billion Dollar Business
Hollywood has repeatedly peddled the apocalyptic threat from aliens, machines, comets, viruses and zombies, but who was watching the vampires?
Never exactly absent from the entertainment scene, those eternal bloodsuckers lately have infiltrated everything from big screens and little screens to bookstore shelves, clothing racks, download services, video games and video, record and jewelry stores.
By the numbers
Film: $3 billion
Publishing: $1.6 billion
Merchandising: $600 million
TV, DVDs: $1.2 billion
Other: $600 million
Just this week, the Fox/New Regency “Twilight” parody “Vampires Suck” grossed $20 million, and 5 million regular viewers are rabidly following HBO’s newest hit, “True Blood,” as it swoops toward its season 3 finale Sept. 12. Meanwhile, Justin Cronin’s “The Passage,” Stephenie Meyer’s “Breaking Dawn” and Charlaine Harris’ “Dead and Gone” hover on best-seller lists.
These charming, deadly immortals are everywhere. And as a result, they’re spilling as much green as red — about $7 billion since the “Twilight” film franchise bowed less than two years ago, according to THR estimates.
What started with some ancient, hysterical myths and a pair of spooky 19th century tales — John Polidori’s “The Vampyre” (1819) and Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” (1897) — has bloomed into an entire inexhaustible industry. (Find out which vampire movies we’d like to see remade — and who should star — at the end of this article.)
“By starting with one simple mythological creature that’s been part of our literary universe for centuries, you can create a story that has it all: romance, horror, action, special effects, sex, epic love, wish fulfillment, romantic leading men, delicious bad-boy villains, female badasses, damsels in distress, death, monsters and, ultimately, the perfectly flawed hero who would give it all up if it meant they wouldn’t have to spend eternity alone,” says Julie Plec, writer and exec producer of the CW series “The Vampire Diaries.” It doesn’t get more universal than that.”
That gets to the bloody heart of it. Because they’re not specific to genre, vampires have the freedom to roam not just across mediums but from romance to horror to political commentary to humor. Their versatility is endless, swinging from chaste innocence to sexy violence, so the potential audience is everyone.
No other subject has sunk its teeth into pop culture quite so pervasively.
Let’s start with the current king. Globally, the three “Twilight” films, released in 2008, 2009 and 2010, have a $1.76 billion cume at the global boxoffice. The first two each has grossed another $160 million or so in home video sales (the third hits Blu-ray/DVD in September). That’s more than $2 billion right there.
If the coming two installments of “Breaking Dawn” — which Summit will release in November 2011 and November 2012 — do similar business in theaters and the home-entertainment market, that would add another $1.7 billion to the coffers.
And that’s just from the movie versions of Meyer’s colossally successful book series.
With “Twilight” riding herd, vampire movies have accounted for an average of 3% of total boxoffice the past three years. So, for example, with “New Moon,” “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” and “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” totaling $356.7 million domestic in 2009, that amounted to 3.4% of the industry’s $10.6 billion U.S. haul that year.
The other major flank of the current undead siege consists of “Vampire Diaries” and “True Blood,” HBO’s most successful property since “The Sopranos.” Pinpointing the value of a monster television property is harder than driving a stake through the heart of a nasty beastie, but the longer a show is on the air (at least up to seven seasons), the more money it is going to throw off in ancillaries.
Few TV shows make money upfront; almost all are in deficit until the aftermarket kicks in. Both shows have lots of life left in them and huge fan bases, so sources see buckets of cash eventually pouring into the coffers of the “Diaries” producers, Warner Bros. and CBS, which also happen to co-own the CW.
“True Blood” is harder to quantify because some of its value is in brand-building and bringing more subscribers to the premium cable service. Even so, estimates from two outside sources suggest that if the shows last five years on their respective outlets, domestic and foreign licensing arrangements could generate $100 million-$125 million from “Vampire Diaries” and $50 million-$75 million from “Blood
Never exactly absent from the entertainment scene, those eternal bloodsuckers lately have infiltrated everything from big screens and little screens to bookstore shelves, clothing racks, download services, video games and video, record and jewelry stores.
By the numbers
Film: $3 billion
Publishing: $1.6 billion
Merchandising: $600 million
TV, DVDs: $1.2 billion
Other: $600 million
Just this week, the Fox/New Regency “Twilight” parody “Vampires Suck” grossed $20 million, and 5 million regular viewers are rabidly following HBO’s newest hit, “True Blood,” as it swoops toward its season 3 finale Sept. 12. Meanwhile, Justin Cronin’s “The Passage,” Stephenie Meyer’s “Breaking Dawn” and Charlaine Harris’ “Dead and Gone” hover on best-seller lists.
These charming, deadly immortals are everywhere. And as a result, they’re spilling as much green as red — about $7 billion since the “Twilight” film franchise bowed less than two years ago, according to THR estimates.
What started with some ancient, hysterical myths and a pair of spooky 19th century tales — John Polidori’s “The Vampyre” (1819) and Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” (1897) — has bloomed into an entire inexhaustible industry. (Find out which vampire movies we’d like to see remade — and who should star — at the end of this article.)
“By starting with one simple mythological creature that’s been part of our literary universe for centuries, you can create a story that has it all: romance, horror, action, special effects, sex, epic love, wish fulfillment, romantic leading men, delicious bad-boy villains, female badasses, damsels in distress, death, monsters and, ultimately, the perfectly flawed hero who would give it all up if it meant they wouldn’t have to spend eternity alone,” says Julie Plec, writer and exec producer of the CW series “The Vampire Diaries.” It doesn’t get more universal than that.”
That gets to the bloody heart of it. Because they’re not specific to genre, vampires have the freedom to roam not just across mediums but from romance to horror to political commentary to humor. Their versatility is endless, swinging from chaste innocence to sexy violence, so the potential audience is everyone.
No other subject has sunk its teeth into pop culture quite so pervasively.
Let’s start with the current king. Globally, the three “Twilight” films, released in 2008, 2009 and 2010, have a $1.76 billion cume at the global boxoffice. The first two each has grossed another $160 million or so in home video sales (the third hits Blu-ray/DVD in September). That’s more than $2 billion right there.
If the coming two installments of “Breaking Dawn” — which Summit will release in November 2011 and November 2012 — do similar business in theaters and the home-entertainment market, that would add another $1.7 billion to the coffers.
And that’s just from the movie versions of Meyer’s colossally successful book series.
With “Twilight” riding herd, vampire movies have accounted for an average of 3% of total boxoffice the past three years. So, for example, with “New Moon,” “Underworld: Rise of the Lycans” and “Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant” totaling $356.7 million domestic in 2009, that amounted to 3.4% of the industry’s $10.6 billion U.S. haul that year.
The other major flank of the current undead siege consists of “Vampire Diaries” and “True Blood,” HBO’s most successful property since “The Sopranos.” Pinpointing the value of a monster television property is harder than driving a stake through the heart of a nasty beastie, but the longer a show is on the air (at least up to seven seasons), the more money it is going to throw off in ancillaries.
Few TV shows make money upfront; almost all are in deficit until the aftermarket kicks in. Both shows have lots of life left in them and huge fan bases, so sources see buckets of cash eventually pouring into the coffers of the “Diaries” producers, Warner Bros. and CBS, which also happen to co-own the CW.
“True Blood” is harder to quantify because some of its value is in brand-building and bringing more subscribers to the premium cable service. Even so, estimates from two outside sources suggest that if the shows last five years on their respective outlets, domestic and foreign licensing arrangements could generate $100 million-$125 million from “Vampire Diaries” and $50 million-$75 million from “Blood
Cody Wood talks about the Rob, Christoph, Tai and his experience of the Parade!
In unison everyone watching gasped. The noise of our breath was loud and visibly startled the lion back to the darkness. The cage rolled on making room for the star of the parade: Rosie. Wearing a shimmering headband she lumbered down the street. Her trunk swayed back and forth, back and forth. Children laughed with excitement and pointed from the window of the candy store. A man next to me lit a hand-rolled cigarette. I gave a big holler to Rosie and clapped my hands. Back and forth, and back and forth, she lumbered. I rested my right leg on the bumper of an old two-door Ford – a relic from an era passed.
“Great job ladies and gentlemen!” “Back to the top!” The AD had the megaphone again – and for good reason. All of the cages, carts, clowns, and circus animals turned around and walked back to their starting positions. Christoph and Rob slipped into the parade without fanfare. On the next take the two actors walked near each other but not too near. There was a visible tension between them, especially now that Marlena sat atop her prized Rosie. She looked stunning in her silver shimmering costume and waved at the crowd. She looked my direction and I waved back. Who knows, maybe she was looking at me?
The parade continued on for a couple of hours before we returned to our tents and I drank six Dixie Cups of ice water. Some of the Rubes sat in circles and talked, others went to sleep in the grass. I paced. I wanted more. When the next call came I was first in line.
We followed the AD back down to the street and gathered around the corner convenience store. I wondered why they had so many watermelons. A middle-aged Asian man stood high-up on a ladder in cargo shorts and a sweaty t-shirt. He wore a faded blue baseball cap fastened down by an over-sized pair of headphones and held a ten foot long boom mic over the crowd. “Ok folks, make some room!” Out of thin air, Rosie appeared and was walking toward the middle of the crowd. We immediately split and cleared a path. Once she was in position I was so close I could reach out and touch her hind leg.
“Thank you for your patience folks. Here is what’s going to happen. Tai (Rosie) is going to be eating the watermelons and Rob and Camel are going to come and take her away. When she starts to back up, make sure you….” Ptthhhmmpppp. Silence. Laughter. “Ewwww,” a group of people groaned at once. The Rubes directly behind Tai took a few steps back and covered their mouths. Elephant fart.
Once everyone regained their composure the filming began. My job was to look enthralled by the fact there was an elephant eating at the convenience store. How could I not be? Jacob and Camel pushed their way through the crowd and attempted to lure Rosie away with the smell of whiskey. This turned out to be harder than they’d imagined. In between takes Rob stood comfortably in the back of the crowd. He had an undeniable composure and worked diligently to make the scene the best it possibly could be. He inspired all of us to give our best until the sun began to set.
“Great job ladies and gentlemen!” “Back to the top!” The AD had the megaphone again – and for good reason. All of the cages, carts, clowns, and circus animals turned around and walked back to their starting positions. Christoph and Rob slipped into the parade without fanfare. On the next take the two actors walked near each other but not too near. There was a visible tension between them, especially now that Marlena sat atop her prized Rosie. She looked stunning in her silver shimmering costume and waved at the crowd. She looked my direction and I waved back. Who knows, maybe she was looking at me?
The parade continued on for a couple of hours before we returned to our tents and I drank six Dixie Cups of ice water. Some of the Rubes sat in circles and talked, others went to sleep in the grass. I paced. I wanted more. When the next call came I was first in line.
We followed the AD back down to the street and gathered around the corner convenience store. I wondered why they had so many watermelons. A middle-aged Asian man stood high-up on a ladder in cargo shorts and a sweaty t-shirt. He wore a faded blue baseball cap fastened down by an over-sized pair of headphones and held a ten foot long boom mic over the crowd. “Ok folks, make some room!” Out of thin air, Rosie appeared and was walking toward the middle of the crowd. We immediately split and cleared a path. Once she was in position I was so close I could reach out and touch her hind leg.
“Thank you for your patience folks. Here is what’s going to happen. Tai (Rosie) is going to be eating the watermelons and Rob and Camel are going to come and take her away. When she starts to back up, make sure you….” Ptthhhmmpppp. Silence. Laughter. “Ewwww,” a group of people groaned at once. The Rubes directly behind Tai took a few steps back and covered their mouths. Elephant fart.
Once everyone regained their composure the filming began. My job was to look enthralled by the fact there was an elephant eating at the convenience store. How could I not be? Jacob and Camel pushed their way through the crowd and attempted to lure Rosie away with the smell of whiskey. This turned out to be harder than they’d imagined. In between takes Rob stood comfortably in the back of the crowd. He had an undeniable composure and worked diligently to make the scene the best it possibly could be. He inspired all of us to give our best until the sun began to set.
Interview with Alex Meraz In YRB Magazine
Photography by Odessy Barbu.
YRB has an interview with Alex Meraz. He talks Twilight and his artwork.
Love the pics!
Check out the interview and more pics here.
Here is an excerpt:
“I was chasing this acting thing for five years before I got the role as Paul,” the Hollywood star declares. “I was so ready to tell myself that I’d quit being an actor and only think of dancing when I landed the part.” With his first acting experience a very small part in 2005’s The New World, Meraz caught the acting bug and originally auditioned for the role of wolf pack leader Sam Uley. He goes on to explain that he heard, original Twilight director Chris Weitz had already cast an entirely different wolf pack that didn’t include Meraz or any other of the familiar faces fans now know. “He apparently changed his mind after reassembling our head shots to fit characters we didn’t originally try out for. After hearing that, I was utterly gracious and thankful.”
MovieFone’s End of Summer Movies Poll
Moviefone is having an end of summer movies Poll.
Eclipse is included in the following categories:
Which movie was most worth your cash?
What was the best chick flick?
Who was summer’s sexiest woman? (Kristen Stewart)
Who was summer’s hottest leading man? (Taylor Lautner and Robert Pattinson)
Who was your favorite on-screen couple? (Kristen and Robert)
What was the summer’s best sequel/prequel?
What was the best gasp-worthy moment? (Bella and Jacob kiss, ‘The Twilight Saga: Eclipse’)
Go to Moviefone to vote.
Jackson to be on ABC’s TV Show – No Ordinary Family
The EW posted an article with the following:
Coming up necks for Twilight bloodsucker Jackson Rathbone: A potentially recurring role on ABC’s No Ordinary Family.
The 25-year-old actor—whose two summer films, Eclipse and The Last Airbender, collectively grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide—will play Trent Stafford, a high school classmate of Kay Panabaker telepathic Daphne. Trent was recently the victim of a home invasion robbery, and I’m guessing Daphne will join forces with her superhero parents to help catch the perp.
I was looking forward to this show and now I am more excited about it. Learn more about No Ordinary Family here.
Jackson guest starred on an episode of Criminal Minds and was spectacular!!! (The episode was called Conflicted just in case you missed it and can find it to watch somewhere)
Hello Kitty Twilight Tees
Hot Topic has Hello Kitty t-shirts featuring vampires and werewolves. You can get a Hello Kitty Sparkle Tee with the quote “I love boys who sparkle.” or the Hello Kitty Werewolves Tee with the quote “I love werewolves.”
Both t-shirts are online exclusives and you can check them out below:
Hello Kitty Sparkle Tee
Hello Kitty Werewolves Tee
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Nikki Reed: Bella and Rosalie are Like a ‘Divorced Couple’
Nikki Reed has clearly been studying up on Breaking Dawn in preparation for filming this fall. In an interview with MTV, she continues to analyze Rosalie’s love/hate relationship with Bella and Renesmee, saying:
What is that saying? Nothing makes two people bond more than the hate of another? I kind of feel like that, but in relation to love, with ‘Breaking Dawn,’ because they both love this child so much. And I think it’s finally, you know, the one thing that’s strong enough to bring them together — their love for this [baby]. It’s bizarre. It’s like they learn to co-exist for the sake of the kid, almost like they’re a divorced couple.
What is that saying? Nothing makes two people bond more than the hate of another? I kind of feel like that, but in relation to love, with ‘Breaking Dawn,’ because they both love this child so much. And I think it’s finally, you know, the one thing that’s strong enough to bring them together — their love for this [baby]. It’s bizarre. It’s like they learn to co-exist for the sake of the kid, almost like they’re a divorced couple.
Breaking Dawn Brazilian Filming Possibilities
There is some concern within the Brazilian filming commission that recent crime in the Rio de Janeiro(photo credit) area may cost Brazil being used as a filming location. According to the AFP:
“The cast and crew of the hit “Twilight” vampire movie series may abandon plans to shoot scenes from the final movie in Rio after a deadly shoot out there last weekend between police and a gang who took hostages in an upmarket tourist hotel.
Riofilme, the city’s agency for promoting movie production, told AFP that “Twilight”‘s US production company Summit Entertainment was in talks with Rio de Janeiro state officials who were trying to convince them to stay.
The original plans were for scenes from the movie “Breaking Dawn,” the fourth and final installment in the vampire fantasy, to be played out in the Brazilian city which is famed in equal measure for its spectacular beaches and its rampant street crime.
But the real-life drama Saturday of drug gang members taking 35 people hostage in Rio’s Intercontinental Hotel as they tried to escape police has proved scarier to the production crew than the fictional vampires and werewolves they deal with.
After a blazing firefight that killed one person and wounded six others, the gang surrendered. There were 1,550 people in the hotel at the time. About 40 percent were foreigners, though none of them was hurt.”
“The cast and crew of the hit “Twilight” vampire movie series may abandon plans to shoot scenes from the final movie in Rio after a deadly shoot out there last weekend between police and a gang who took hostages in an upmarket tourist hotel.
Riofilme, the city’s agency for promoting movie production, told AFP that “Twilight”‘s US production company Summit Entertainment was in talks with Rio de Janeiro state officials who were trying to convince them to stay.
The original plans were for scenes from the movie “Breaking Dawn,” the fourth and final installment in the vampire fantasy, to be played out in the Brazilian city which is famed in equal measure for its spectacular beaches and its rampant street crime.
But the real-life drama Saturday of drug gang members taking 35 people hostage in Rio’s Intercontinental Hotel as they tried to escape police has proved scarier to the production crew than the fictional vampires and werewolves they deal with.
After a blazing firefight that killed one person and wounded six others, the gang surrendered. There were 1,550 people in the hotel at the time. About 40 percent were foreigners, though none of them was hurt.”
Ashley Greene: Behind the Scenes Instyle and Mark
According to InStyle:
“Ashley Greene knows a thing or two about looking beautiful thanks to many hours logged in the hair and makeup chair, and now as the new face of mark, she’s officially an expert! We went behind-the-scenes of her first photo shoot for the brand, where The Twilight Saga star modeled some of fall’s hottest trends and the newest makeup bag must-haves. To find out the makeup tricks she’s picked up on movie sets and photo shoots, check out our exclusive interview with Greene in the September issue of InStyle, on newsstands now.”
“Ashley Greene knows a thing or two about looking beautiful thanks to many hours logged in the hair and makeup chair, and now as the new face of mark, she’s officially an expert! We went behind-the-scenes of her first photo shoot for the brand, where The Twilight Saga star modeled some of fall’s hottest trends and the newest makeup bag must-haves. To find out the makeup tricks she’s picked up on movie sets and photo shoots, check out our exclusive interview with Greene in the September issue of InStyle, on newsstands now.”
Puerto Rico: Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz Are Coming For Dominoes
Ashley Greene and Kellan Lutz are headed to Puerto Rico for Dominoes, and we don’t mean the pizza chain. Dominoes is a really popular pastime in many Spanish speaking Caribbean islands. So Kellan, Ashley, and a bunch of other celebrities are going to play in a tournament for charity.
According to the translation from the Primera Hora news site:
“A group of Hollywood celebrities is all set to travel to Vieques during Labor Day weekend. They will be participating in this year’s Hollywood Domino A-sea benefit. Hollywood Domino A-sea is a nonprofit foundation that helps children who are burn victims…Dayanara Fernandez, creator of the event, said that among his list of guests this year include at least ten Hollywood celebrities.”
According to the translation from the Primera Hora news site:
“A group of Hollywood celebrities is all set to travel to Vieques during Labor Day weekend. They will be participating in this year’s Hollywood Domino A-sea benefit. Hollywood Domino A-sea is a nonprofit foundation that helps children who are burn victims…Dayanara Fernandez, creator of the event, said that among his list of guests this year include at least ten Hollywood celebrities.”
Robert Pattinson makes Rolling Stone List of Best Vampires on Film and TV
10. Robert Pattinson
The Twilight SagaAdmirers of both sexes might name the Brit actor Number One for his humongous fan base. But as Edward Cullen, he has neither the fangs nor the balls to go for the human jugular when he can hunt Bambi or moon around Bella instead. What Pattinson does have: Byronic good looks that are unfakably hypnotic.
See who else made the list here.
Peter Facinelli made #1 on their worst list, but it wasn’t because of his acting they were making fun of the way Carlisle looked.
Battle of the On-Screen Vampires
These days, Edward has competition from more than just Jacob.
Vampires have become a $7 billion industry, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and “Twilight” isn’t the only phenomenon sucking the dough out of your pocket. HBO has a hit with “True Blood,” and the CW’s “Vampire Diaries” has tweens and teens dreaming of undead heartthrobs.
Team “Twilight” reigns supreme, of course. Globally, the three “Twilight” films have earned an unbelievable $1.76 billion at the box office, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Even the low-budget Fox/New Regency “Twilight” parody “Vampires Suck” grossed $20 million in its first six days.
But with all of these immortals running around, which one is the sexiest? Robert Pattinson, who plays Edward in “Twilight,” is a little pale, isn’t he? Is he really a rival for Brad Pitt, who appeared in “Interview with the Vampire” in 1994? And the ladies aren’t so bad, either. From Ashley to Kate to Salma, female vampires have their fans too.
Vampires have become a $7 billion industry, according to the Hollywood Reporter, and “Twilight” isn’t the only phenomenon sucking the dough out of your pocket. HBO has a hit with “True Blood,” and the CW’s “Vampire Diaries” has tweens and teens dreaming of undead heartthrobs.
Team “Twilight” reigns supreme, of course. Globally, the three “Twilight” films have earned an unbelievable $1.76 billion at the box office, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Even the low-budget Fox/New Regency “Twilight” parody “Vampires Suck” grossed $20 million in its first six days.
But with all of these immortals running around, which one is the sexiest? Robert Pattinson, who plays Edward in “Twilight,” is a little pale, isn’t he? Is he really a rival for Brad Pitt, who appeared in “Interview with the Vampire” in 1994? And the ladies aren’t so bad, either. From Ashley to Kate to Salma, female vampires have their fans too.
Eclipse just $2.6M away from $300M
UPDATE WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25:
Here is a mid-week box office update. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse officially surpassed the domestic total of New Moon several days ago. The film took in another $75,817 on Monday from 557 locations for a per theater average of $136, representing a decrease of 53.5% from Sunday, and $75,445 on Tuesday from 557 locations, representing a 0.5% decrease from Monday. This adds up to a cumulative domestic total of $297,368,060 after 56 days in release. Adding in overseas returns of $380.6M gives Eclipse a current worldwide total of $677,968,060.
Here is a mid-week box office update. The Twilight Saga: Eclipse officially surpassed the domestic total of New Moon several days ago. The film took in another $75,817 on Monday from 557 locations for a per theater average of $136, representing a decrease of 53.5% from Sunday, and $75,445 on Tuesday from 557 locations, representing a 0.5% decrease from Monday. This adds up to a cumulative domestic total of $297,368,060 after 56 days in release. Adding in overseas returns of $380.6M gives Eclipse a current worldwide total of $677,968,060.
Want to Make Money in Hollywood? Be a Vampire
And to think, the screen’s longtime Dracula, Bela Lugosi, died practically broke. But by a brand new count, the current vampire craze – on TV and in movies, books and merchandising – is estimated to be pumping some $7 billion (that’s with a b) into the showbiz economy. Suddenly, money is flowing like blood.
Taking into account the $20 million box-office of this past weekend’s batty Twilight parody Vampires Suck, the 5 million devotees of HBO’s weekly True Blood, and the bestselling titles from authors Justin Cronin (The Passage), Stephenie Meyer (Breaking Dawn) and Charlaine Harris (Dead and Gone), the Hollywood Reporter estimates that in the past two years, bloodsuckers have pumped new life into Tinsel Town, creating what the trade paper terms an “entire inexhaustible industry.”
“By starting with one simple mythological creature that’s been part of our literary universe for centuries,” Julie Plec, writer and exec producer of the CW series The Vampire Diaries, says of novelist Bram Stoker’s 1897 Count Dracula, “you can create a story that has it all: romance, horror, action, special effects, sex, epic love, wish fulfillment, romantic leading men, delicious bad-boy villains, female bad asses, damsels in distress, death, monsters and, ultimately, the perfectly flawed hero who would give it all up if it meant they wouldn’t have to spend eternity alone It doesn’t get more universal than that.”
Breaking down the numbers, the Reporter” calculates that recent vampire movies have generated $3 billion ($1.76 billion from the three Twilight flicks alone, along with another $160 million thanks to their home-video sales); vampire books, $1.6 billion; vampire merchandising (including vampire video games), $600 million; vampire TV shows and DVDs, $1.2 billion.
Vampire books, says one literary agent, “are just growing There is no one area in which it’s stagnating. It goes from fiction to [young adult] fiction to genre fiction – they are king.”
And still on the horizon: the November 2011 and November 2012 screen installments of Breaking Dawn, which are expected to make $1.7 billion, and several more movies now in development.
They include an adaptation of Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian, Justin Cronin’s The Passage, Dracula Year Zero, Castlevania and something called Vamps.
Talk about immortal life.
Taking into account the $20 million box-office of this past weekend’s batty Twilight parody Vampires Suck, the 5 million devotees of HBO’s weekly True Blood, and the bestselling titles from authors Justin Cronin (The Passage), Stephenie Meyer (Breaking Dawn) and Charlaine Harris (Dead and Gone), the Hollywood Reporter estimates that in the past two years, bloodsuckers have pumped new life into Tinsel Town, creating what the trade paper terms an “entire inexhaustible industry.”
“By starting with one simple mythological creature that’s been part of our literary universe for centuries,” Julie Plec, writer and exec producer of the CW series The Vampire Diaries, says of novelist Bram Stoker’s 1897 Count Dracula, “you can create a story that has it all: romance, horror, action, special effects, sex, epic love, wish fulfillment, romantic leading men, delicious bad-boy villains, female bad asses, damsels in distress, death, monsters and, ultimately, the perfectly flawed hero who would give it all up if it meant they wouldn’t have to spend eternity alone It doesn’t get more universal than that.”
Breaking down the numbers, the Reporter” calculates that recent vampire movies have generated $3 billion ($1.76 billion from the three Twilight flicks alone, along with another $160 million thanks to their home-video sales); vampire books, $1.6 billion; vampire merchandising (including vampire video games), $600 million; vampire TV shows and DVDs, $1.2 billion.
Vampire books, says one literary agent, “are just growing There is no one area in which it’s stagnating. It goes from fiction to [young adult] fiction to genre fiction – they are king.”
And still on the horizon: the November 2011 and November 2012 screen installments of Breaking Dawn, which are expected to make $1.7 billion, and several more movies now in development.
They include an adaptation of Elizabeth Kostova’s The Historian, Justin Cronin’s The Passage, Dracula Year Zero, Castlevania and something called Vamps.
Talk about immortal life.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Robert Pattinson #10 on Rolling Stone’s list of the Best Vampires on Film and TV
BEST
10. Robert Pattinson
The Twilight Saga
Admirers of both sexes might name the Brit actor Number One for his humongous fan base. But as Edward Cullen, he has neither the fangs nor the balls to go for the human jugular when he can hunt Bambi or moon around Bella instead. What Pattinson does have: Byronic good looks that are unfakably hypnotic.
10. Robert Pattinson
The Twilight Saga
Admirers of both sexes might name the Brit actor Number One for his humongous fan base. But as Edward Cullen, he has neither the fangs nor the balls to go for the human jugular when he can hunt Bambi or moon around Bella instead. What Pattinson does have: Byronic good looks that are unfakably hypnotic.
Pathways the Breaking Dawn Movie Could Explore
The Twilight Examiner has a great article discussing things we could see in the movie that we don’t get to see in the book because we don’t get to see these characters viewpoint.
Check out the article here to see what she lists.
‘Alice’ and ‘Jasper’:
When “Alice” and “Jasper” leave Forks, they are on a mission. “Bella” knows this, thanks to the handy clues left behind for her, and this aides her in seeking potential paths of rescue. But what were they doing and who did they speak to while away? This is a question that many fans would love to see answered, and it is one which the film version of Breaking Dawn could easily elucidate.’
MSN Argentina Names Rob One of the New Hollywood Heartthrobs
A classic is always a classic, Brad Pitt, George Clooney or Johnny Depp, occupy a privileged place in women’s sighs, but gradually new names are added to the list of most attractive and talented men in Hollywood. Come on girls, the more the better!
Pattinson is the undisputed favorite of the new leading men of Hollywood. His success has been overwhelming, so much that even George Clooney is jealous of this young vampire, star of the Twilight saga, and is sure to give us plenty to talk about in the future.
Pattinson is the undisputed favorite of the new leading men of Hollywood. His success has been overwhelming, so much that even George Clooney is jealous of this young vampire, star of the Twilight saga, and is sure to give us plenty to talk about in the future.
Movie Star Magazine Scans (Japan) and Translation
Q: Do you think that from early on being pushed into the public spotlight has made you more aware than other people that you have to be sure to live your own life?
Rob: It’s true that I was put in a place where I had to be more mindful and take more responsibility for everything. I couldn’t just be aimless. Also, the direction of my career has finally moved in a positive direction and I’ve tried to make a bit of progress. Thanks to the fact that I’ve had the time to think about a lot of things during this period, life itself is now free of the anguish that I felt in my past. I’m also now aware of just how lucky I am. I think that’s why I can enjoy it more and be more aware of what’s interesting to me and experience it all.
Q: When some people attain the kind of enormous success that you have they develop a sense of guilt over how much they’re blessed. Do you have any sense of guilt?
Rob: Sense of guilt? No. I just think it’s luck. I’ve just wanted to get the most out of all my opportunities and build a long career. That’s why now I have my feet firmly planted on the ground and I try to concentrate on the work I’m getting and try to enjoy the situation I’m in without getting bothered by all the stuff that’s happening around me. After all, the most important thing to me as a human and as a professional is to evolve.
Q: Is it possible to realize your own desire to have great acting skills as an actor and only as an actor even when you’re in the midst of all this popularity?
Rob: The majority of people who are criticized by the public for this and that are the people who are constantly putting themselves in the public eye. So I guess that means I could say that it’s better not to show oneself in public too much. I’d like to think that if you work hard to make high quality movies then you won’t be evaluated as a “meaningless celebrity,” but rather by other factors. If you’re seen as a celebrity, then it becomes more difficult to be evaluated based on the level of excellence of the movies you act in. But, to give one example, Johnny Depp has been winning that battle. He’s the kind of person you can’t evaluate based on image right? The object of evaluation is always his acting skills. That requires a lot of self-discipline, and the ability to hide from the public eye has also become important. You just have to get used to that.
Q: If you look back on your current self 10 years from now, what will you think?
Rob: I’ll probably think that I should have enjoyed everything more during this completely amazing moment in my life. But it’s just now that I’ve finally begun to be able to really enjoy everything.
Rob: It’s true that I was put in a place where I had to be more mindful and take more responsibility for everything. I couldn’t just be aimless. Also, the direction of my career has finally moved in a positive direction and I’ve tried to make a bit of progress. Thanks to the fact that I’ve had the time to think about a lot of things during this period, life itself is now free of the anguish that I felt in my past. I’m also now aware of just how lucky I am. I think that’s why I can enjoy it more and be more aware of what’s interesting to me and experience it all.
Q: When some people attain the kind of enormous success that you have they develop a sense of guilt over how much they’re blessed. Do you have any sense of guilt?
Rob: Sense of guilt? No. I just think it’s luck. I’ve just wanted to get the most out of all my opportunities and build a long career. That’s why now I have my feet firmly planted on the ground and I try to concentrate on the work I’m getting and try to enjoy the situation I’m in without getting bothered by all the stuff that’s happening around me. After all, the most important thing to me as a human and as a professional is to evolve.
Q: Is it possible to realize your own desire to have great acting skills as an actor and only as an actor even when you’re in the midst of all this popularity?
Rob: The majority of people who are criticized by the public for this and that are the people who are constantly putting themselves in the public eye. So I guess that means I could say that it’s better not to show oneself in public too much. I’d like to think that if you work hard to make high quality movies then you won’t be evaluated as a “meaningless celebrity,” but rather by other factors. If you’re seen as a celebrity, then it becomes more difficult to be evaluated based on the level of excellence of the movies you act in. But, to give one example, Johnny Depp has been winning that battle. He’s the kind of person you can’t evaluate based on image right? The object of evaluation is always his acting skills. That requires a lot of self-discipline, and the ability to hide from the public eye has also become important. You just have to get used to that.
Q: If you look back on your current self 10 years from now, what will you think?
Rob: I’ll probably think that I should have enjoyed everything more during this completely amazing moment in my life. But it’s just now that I’ve finally begun to be able to really enjoy everything.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Rob is "sweet" in "The Bad Mother's Handbook"
Okay Twis, who here remembers Robert Pattinson before he won our hearts and the hearts of ladies all across the globe for playing "dazzling" Edward Cullen in the Twilight Saga: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse? Anyone? I remember him as handsome and stoic Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at least. But it turns out Robert has been busy since Harry Potter leaving his mark on the big screen. We've just been deprived.
Turns out there was a dramatic comedy called "The Bad Mother's Handbook" that premiered in 2007 with our dear Rob, but will just now be going on sale in the U.S. for our enjoyment. The date is set for August 24th.
Rob plays Daniel Gale, a teenager that falls for one Charlotte Cooper, played by Holly Grainger. In a turn of events, Daniel discovers than Charlotte is pregnant and in the course of nine months, Daniel gets to know Charlotte's family. Especially Charlotte's mother, Karen, played by Catherine Tate, who also had her own daughter as a teenager.
Our British heartthrob has been in plenty of other movies, and of different genres, before Twilight, that let's the world know just how talented he is. Most recently, Rob was praised for his dramatic portrayal in "Remember Me" alongside Emilie de Ravin. That one, as I'm sure we all know by now, is happily available on DVD too for us to enjoy in the comfort of our homes.
And let's not forget just how Rob transformed himself with his incredible portrayal of Spanish artist Salvador Dali, in the independent drama "Little Ashes". I think we'll be seeing plenty of Rob in the future--his career looks dazzling, but again, he'll always be our Edward Cullen. And I like to think he likes it that way.
Turns out there was a dramatic comedy called "The Bad Mother's Handbook" that premiered in 2007 with our dear Rob, but will just now be going on sale in the U.S. for our enjoyment. The date is set for August 24th.
Rob plays Daniel Gale, a teenager that falls for one Charlotte Cooper, played by Holly Grainger. In a turn of events, Daniel discovers than Charlotte is pregnant and in the course of nine months, Daniel gets to know Charlotte's family. Especially Charlotte's mother, Karen, played by Catherine Tate, who also had her own daughter as a teenager.
Our British heartthrob has been in plenty of other movies, and of different genres, before Twilight, that let's the world know just how talented he is. Most recently, Rob was praised for his dramatic portrayal in "Remember Me" alongside Emilie de Ravin. That one, as I'm sure we all know by now, is happily available on DVD too for us to enjoy in the comfort of our homes.
And let's not forget just how Rob transformed himself with his incredible portrayal of Spanish artist Salvador Dali, in the independent drama "Little Ashes". I think we'll be seeing plenty of Rob in the future--his career looks dazzling, but again, he'll always be our Edward Cullen. And I like to think he likes it that way.
Billy Burke to Return to Rizolli and Isles
According to EW:
“He made a quick — and sexy! — appearance in the series premiere of TNT’s new Rizzoli & Isles. Now Billy Burke (who, of course, plays Bella’s dad in the Twilight films) is back for more crime-fighting fun with series star Angie Harmon, and from the look of things, the sparks are definitely flying between Harmon’s hard-striving Det. Jane Rizzoli and Burke’s broody F.B.I. agent Gabriel Dean in the episode airing Aug. 30. But count on Rizzoli’s serial-killing nemesis, Hoyt, to ruin the mood.”
Pel got hooked on the series, which airs on TNT on Monday nights, after she saw the premiere with Billy Burke. You can get full episodes via the TNT official page. Billy Burke figures heavily in the first one.
“He made a quick — and sexy! — appearance in the series premiere of TNT’s new Rizzoli & Isles. Now Billy Burke (who, of course, plays Bella’s dad in the Twilight films) is back for more crime-fighting fun with series star Angie Harmon, and from the look of things, the sparks are definitely flying between Harmon’s hard-striving Det. Jane Rizzoli and Burke’s broody F.B.I. agent Gabriel Dean in the episode airing Aug. 30. But count on Rizzoli’s serial-killing nemesis, Hoyt, to ruin the mood.”
Pel got hooked on the series, which airs on TNT on Monday nights, after she saw the premiere with Billy Burke. You can get full episodes via the TNT official page. Billy Burke figures heavily in the first one.
Stephen Moyer’s Apology to Rob: “Dude, I hope you realise that this is a joke”
The fangs are back in – or are they? True Blood hunk Stephen Moyer revealed he apologised to Twilight star Robert Pattinson for calling him the “Diet Coke of vampires”.
The fight began last year, when Brit actor Stephen made the comments about Robert when the heartthrob refused to let his character drink human blood in the popular films.
Stephen, who plays blood-sucking Bill Compton in TV series True Blood, admitted: “I sent him a message saying, ‘Dude, I hope you realise that this is a joke’.
“I did call him a wuss. But I didn’t call HIM that. I referred to his character.”
However, 40-year-old Stephen has put his foot in it again by admitting he has never seen the Twilight films or read the books.
He also hasn’t ever met Robert. He said: “I haven’t even seen Twilight. I don’t even know the books.
“All I know is that one thing – I think he drinks cow blood instead of human blood.”
The fight began last year, when Brit actor Stephen made the comments about Robert when the heartthrob refused to let his character drink human blood in the popular films.
Stephen, who plays blood-sucking Bill Compton in TV series True Blood, admitted: “I sent him a message saying, ‘Dude, I hope you realise that this is a joke’.
“I did call him a wuss. But I didn’t call HIM that. I referred to his character.”
However, 40-year-old Stephen has put his foot in it again by admitting he has never seen the Twilight films or read the books.
He also hasn’t ever met Robert. He said: “I haven’t even seen Twilight. I don’t even know the books.
“All I know is that one thing – I think he drinks cow blood instead of human blood.”
Colton Haynes (Auditioned for Edward) Doesn’t Hate Rob
Colton Haynes wants everyone to know that he doesn’t hate Robert Pattinson. In fact, he’s never even met R.Pattz.
Why would people think he has a problem with Rob? Well, because Mr. Haynes auditioned for a certain starring role in Twilight…
Soon after Haynes started getting press for his work as a werewolf on ABC’s Sunday-night vampire series The Gates, word got out that the 22-year-old former Abercrombie & Fitch model had read for the part of Edward Cullen.
“It’s funny because I auditioned for it but it’s not like it came down to me and Rob,” Haynes told me earlier today. “But the headlines are ‘Colton Hates Robert Pattinson!’ or ‘Colton On Hating Robert Pattinson.’ I’m like, Are you kidding me? I don’t even know him. It’s more like, Congrats to him. He has a career that’s going to last forever.”
Why would people think he has a problem with Rob? Well, because Mr. Haynes auditioned for a certain starring role in Twilight…
Soon after Haynes started getting press for his work as a werewolf on ABC’s Sunday-night vampire series The Gates, word got out that the 22-year-old former Abercrombie & Fitch model had read for the part of Edward Cullen.
“It’s funny because I auditioned for it but it’s not like it came down to me and Rob,” Haynes told me earlier today. “But the headlines are ‘Colton Hates Robert Pattinson!’ or ‘Colton On Hating Robert Pattinson.’ I’m like, Are you kidding me? I don’t even know him. It’s more like, Congrats to him. He has a career that’s going to last forever.”
‘Boys Like Girls’ vocalist Martin Johnson says the band is Team Edward
Martin Johnson tweeted the photo of Paul (above):
paul caught the fever a little late. blg is team edward. http://twitpic.com/2gmugh
paul caught the fever a little late. blg is team edward. http://twitpic.com/2gmugh
Thursday, August 19, 2010
'True Blood' Vs. 'Twilight', Are There Really Any Comparisons?
Thanks to the magical dream and creative nature of Stephanie Meyer, Edward and Bella were born...ok, and those other people in Twilight too hehe :) Twilight captures the essescence of first love and in Bella and Edward's case, eternal love. Then on the other hand, following suit with the latest vampire craze, there is True Blood. Sex, lies, blood, greed and passion fuel the craze over this adult series. Obviously with combined efforts from the author (Charlene Harris) and creators of the show, True Blood is most definitely driven toward a much more mature auidence. Both series are constantly being compared...but is there any compairison?
Stephanie's target auidence was intended to be teens, but this story hits home for anyone that has ever experienced that first love and how powerful of a feeling it was. She didn't find it necessary to use sterotypical characteristics of vampires to make her stories stand out. It was a nice breath of fresh air to read about a vamp who wasn't so evil and sex driven. A vampire with a heart? What a new concept!
For those of you who have read or watched True Blood, you are aware that the only likenesses are the presence of vampires :) Don't get me wrong, I love True Blood very much, but on a very different level for very different reasons. But somehow the two of these always seem to be in a "Whose the Best" competition.
Recently the main characters of True Blood pasted their naked bodies covered in blood splatters all over the cover of Rolling Stone. Definitely a "different" approach but VERY effective. As guessed, the cover is turning out to be very controversial. The creator made a statement about what "real" vampires should be.
True Blood creator Alan Ball says all the racy sex scenes and nudity are necessary. "To me, vampires are sex," he says. "I don't get a vampire story about abstinence. I'm 53. I don't care about high school students. I find them irritating and uninformed."
Well well, sounds to me like Mr. Ball has never met his Bella! Under most circumstances, comments like this against Twilight get me on the defensive, but these two series are as different as night and day. Let's look at it this way ladies...Edward is the guy every girl wants to love her and that would treat her like a queen and Eric is the guy every girls wants, but has no business having :) and one we "should" only enjoy on a much more mature level hehe. Although I must add I would not have any issue with a naked Twilight cover (as long as its Rob) ;)
Stephanie's target auidence was intended to be teens, but this story hits home for anyone that has ever experienced that first love and how powerful of a feeling it was. She didn't find it necessary to use sterotypical characteristics of vampires to make her stories stand out. It was a nice breath of fresh air to read about a vamp who wasn't so evil and sex driven. A vampire with a heart? What a new concept!
For those of you who have read or watched True Blood, you are aware that the only likenesses are the presence of vampires :) Don't get me wrong, I love True Blood very much, but on a very different level for very different reasons. But somehow the two of these always seem to be in a "Whose the Best" competition.
Recently the main characters of True Blood pasted their naked bodies covered in blood splatters all over the cover of Rolling Stone. Definitely a "different" approach but VERY effective. As guessed, the cover is turning out to be very controversial. The creator made a statement about what "real" vampires should be.
True Blood creator Alan Ball says all the racy sex scenes and nudity are necessary. "To me, vampires are sex," he says. "I don't get a vampire story about abstinence. I'm 53. I don't care about high school students. I find them irritating and uninformed."
Well well, sounds to me like Mr. Ball has never met his Bella! Under most circumstances, comments like this against Twilight get me on the defensive, but these two series are as different as night and day. Let's look at it this way ladies...Edward is the guy every girl wants to love her and that would treat her like a queen and Eric is the guy every girls wants, but has no business having :) and one we "should" only enjoy on a much more mature level hehe. Although I must add I would not have any issue with a naked Twilight cover (as long as its Rob) ;)
Fight Training for "BD" to Start in Sept
Kellan Lutz recently told the Examiner that training for fight scenes may begin as early as next month in September.
“I believe we might start rehearsals in September fight training, and then I think start production in November until March in Vancouver and Baton Rouge. I love doing stunts, I love doing action movies.”
Lutz, who portrays the sexy bulk of a vampire, Emmet, also stated how much he enjoys the company of his cast-mates. He referred to filming the movies as a sort of family reunion.
“We just have a really great group of actors who are real people who can just have fun. We have so many inside jokes now, and we don’t get sick of each other because these movies are only three to four months of shooting and then we’re off doing our own thing. And then we get excited to come back and it’s like a great family reunion. I can’t wait."
He also admitted to wanting a much needed vacation before filming begins.
“I want to go to Turkey really bad, and Istanbul, Iceland and Ireland,and somewhere to get away and get a tan before I have to be all pale for a while to play vampire Emmett Cullen. But I just want to relax because Breaking Dawn is going to be a big movie to shoot.”
“I believe we might start rehearsals in September fight training, and then I think start production in November until March in Vancouver and Baton Rouge. I love doing stunts, I love doing action movies.”
Lutz, who portrays the sexy bulk of a vampire, Emmet, also stated how much he enjoys the company of his cast-mates. He referred to filming the movies as a sort of family reunion.
“We just have a really great group of actors who are real people who can just have fun. We have so many inside jokes now, and we don’t get sick of each other because these movies are only three to four months of shooting and then we’re off doing our own thing. And then we get excited to come back and it’s like a great family reunion. I can’t wait."
He also admitted to wanting a much needed vacation before filming begins.
“I want to go to Turkey really bad, and Istanbul, Iceland and Ireland,and somewhere to get away and get a tan before I have to be all pale for a while to play vampire Emmett Cullen. But I just want to relax because Breaking Dawn is going to be a big movie to shoot.”
Jackson Rathbone in Troix magazine
Jackson Rathbone will be featured in the October issue of Troix magazine!
Here is some info from Jackson Rathbone Online:
The quicker we reach our subscriber goal (1,000), the quicker we’ll post the video for everyone’s enjoyment. It shows a unique, genuine, and comical side of Jackson which I think his fans would truly appreciate.
Our Youtube channel is:
www.youtube.com/TroixTV
Jackson’s issue will launch on September 15th. He also autographed several items to give away to our readers including a beautiful white ESP electric guitar.
Did Eclipse Merchandise Not Make a Splash?
Hot Topic, one of the biggest retailers of Twilight Saga licensed gear is reporting a hefty loss: According to Business Week:
“Fashion retailer Hot Topic Inc. said Wednesday that its second-quarter loss nearly doubled from a year earlier and topped what Wall Street expected.
The company lost $6.3 million, or 14 cents a share, in the three months that ended July 31, compared with a loss of $3.2 million, or 7 cents a share, a year earlier.
Quarterly revenue dropped 5 percent to $150 million from $157.8 million in the previous year. Sales at stores open at least a year fell 6.4 percent.”
Previously, Hot Topic sales were notably boosted in an otherwise lackluster economy by Twilight, but once New Moon rolled around there were a lot more vendors in the market, notably Walmart, and things we’re the same.
Now this next part isn’t very scientific, but it’s based on our observations on fandom dress, tweets and emails,and our own general impressions. For New Moon there was a solid six month roll out in Twilight Saga gear starting just after Comic Con footage debuted, through the New Moon release, and well into Christmas. There was lots of hype and PR. Everyone wanted New Moon gear and there were lots of places to get it.
For Eclipse, we barely noticed when the new merch came out in mid-May, and as of today there’s barely three pages still being shown. In general, for Eclipse, there was no months in advance, huge fanfare on merchandise or anything else for that matter. Given how there were no set visits by any outlet (fan or professional) no one had anything to talk about, other than pure conjecture, to build the buzz. By the time Mid May hit there finally was actual PR with the actors and any merchandise literally got Eclipsed by the actual stars.
For Eclipse, in our opinion, not many things really that had that “wow factor”. We’ve seen lots of fans at conventions, and most aren’t coming in wearing Eclipse shirts. Frequently they’ll buy something on site, but they didn’t have it ahead of time. Most are wearing New Moon merchandise or things they’ve made on their own or gotten at CafePress. Plus, the economy being what it is, buying more Twilight merchandise may not be realistic for many people.
There are two items we think that should have been a run away hit don’t seem to be making a dent on the convention circuit either, and that’s the Bella’s bracelet and Bella’s engagement ring. We haven’t seen lots of folks decked out in the Bella NCEA jewelry. Now we’ll admit we are kind of biased. We prefer the version that was made by Infinite Jewelry that Stephenie Meyer had a direct hand in rather than the ones produced by NECA and sold via Hot Topic and other places like Amazon. Take the ring for example. For relatively the same price you can have something designed by Stephenie Meyer that is impressive without being HUGE, with quality, sizable stones and have an option to upgrade into real gold or real stones. On the NCEA version (see side by side comparison above) you have a ring that is really wide and takes up the space from the bottom of your hand to your knuckle, doesn’t have a yellow gold option, and as one of our readers put it “It looks like a shower head”.
So as a potential buyer of Twilight gear, what’s your take? What products do you have? What products do you wish were available, and what do you think accounts for the sales dip? Who knows, maybe some buyers will read this and gain consumer insight.
“Fashion retailer Hot Topic Inc. said Wednesday that its second-quarter loss nearly doubled from a year earlier and topped what Wall Street expected.
The company lost $6.3 million, or 14 cents a share, in the three months that ended July 31, compared with a loss of $3.2 million, or 7 cents a share, a year earlier.
Quarterly revenue dropped 5 percent to $150 million from $157.8 million in the previous year. Sales at stores open at least a year fell 6.4 percent.”
Previously, Hot Topic sales were notably boosted in an otherwise lackluster economy by Twilight, but once New Moon rolled around there were a lot more vendors in the market, notably Walmart, and things we’re the same.
Now this next part isn’t very scientific, but it’s based on our observations on fandom dress, tweets and emails,and our own general impressions. For New Moon there was a solid six month roll out in Twilight Saga gear starting just after Comic Con footage debuted, through the New Moon release, and well into Christmas. There was lots of hype and PR. Everyone wanted New Moon gear and there were lots of places to get it.
For Eclipse, we barely noticed when the new merch came out in mid-May, and as of today there’s barely three pages still being shown. In general, for Eclipse, there was no months in advance, huge fanfare on merchandise or anything else for that matter. Given how there were no set visits by any outlet (fan or professional) no one had anything to talk about, other than pure conjecture, to build the buzz. By the time Mid May hit there finally was actual PR with the actors and any merchandise literally got Eclipsed by the actual stars.
For Eclipse, in our opinion, not many things really that had that “wow factor”. We’ve seen lots of fans at conventions, and most aren’t coming in wearing Eclipse shirts. Frequently they’ll buy something on site, but they didn’t have it ahead of time. Most are wearing New Moon merchandise or things they’ve made on their own or gotten at CafePress. Plus, the economy being what it is, buying more Twilight merchandise may not be realistic for many people.
There are two items we think that should have been a run away hit don’t seem to be making a dent on the convention circuit either, and that’s the Bella’s bracelet and Bella’s engagement ring. We haven’t seen lots of folks decked out in the Bella NCEA jewelry. Now we’ll admit we are kind of biased. We prefer the version that was made by Infinite Jewelry that Stephenie Meyer had a direct hand in rather than the ones produced by NECA and sold via Hot Topic and other places like Amazon. Take the ring for example. For relatively the same price you can have something designed by Stephenie Meyer that is impressive without being HUGE, with quality, sizable stones and have an option to upgrade into real gold or real stones. On the NCEA version (see side by side comparison above) you have a ring that is really wide and takes up the space from the bottom of your hand to your knuckle, doesn’t have a yellow gold option, and as one of our readers put it “It looks like a shower head”.
So as a potential buyer of Twilight gear, what’s your take? What products do you have? What products do you wish were available, and what do you think accounts for the sales dip? Who knows, maybe some buyers will read this and gain consumer insight.
Summit Clears Up Rumors On ‘Breaking Dawn’
Summit has just cleared up several rumors that have been circulating about The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Parts One and Two. Check them all out below!
1. There is NO open casting right now for Breaking Dawn. There are no local or national auditions. The casting director is Deborah Zane, and if you do not see her name attached to any future casting audition, then it is not legitimate. So any ads you are currently seeing, are not real. Deborah has kindly set up an email for Breaking Dawn casting inquiries at BreakingDawnCast@gmail.com.
2. There was a rumor that Renesmee’s name was going to change for Breaking Dawn, this is completely FALSE.
3. Xavier Samuel’s IMDB page listed him as being a part of the Breaking Dawn cast, this also is FALSE. Riley will not be appearing in Breaking Dawn.
via Twilighterz
Also, as we mentioed via Twitter last week, there has not been a US release date set for the DVD of Eclipse. Unless you are international and have it confirmed by an international distributor, it is all just rumors.
1. There is NO open casting right now for Breaking Dawn. There are no local or national auditions. The casting director is Deborah Zane, and if you do not see her name attached to any future casting audition, then it is not legitimate. So any ads you are currently seeing, are not real. Deborah has kindly set up an email for Breaking Dawn casting inquiries at BreakingDawnCast@gmail.com.
2. There was a rumor that Renesmee’s name was going to change for Breaking Dawn, this is completely FALSE.
3. Xavier Samuel’s IMDB page listed him as being a part of the Breaking Dawn cast, this also is FALSE. Riley will not be appearing in Breaking Dawn.
via Twilighterz
Also, as we mentioed via Twitter last week, there has not been a US release date set for the DVD of Eclipse. Unless you are international and have it confirmed by an international distributor, it is all just rumors.
Rob Is On McAfee’s List Of The Most Dangerous Celebrities To Search Online
For the third year in a row, McAfee researched Hollywood’s glamorous stars and pop culture’s most famous people to reveal the riskiest celebrities on the Web. McAfee’s latest report found that searches for Barack or Michelle Obama posed a lesser threat compared to others.
“Cybercriminals are star watchers too – they latch onto popular celebrities to encourage the download of malicious software in disguise,” said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee Avert Labs. “Consumers’ obsession with celebrity news and culture is harmless in theory, but one bad download can cause a lot of damage to a computer
Young Hollywood – Just as Dangerous to Search as They Are Famous
Young Hollywood starlets (and popular tabloid subjects) Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale and Lindsay Lohan all edged out Heidi Montag and Jessica Alba who appeared on last year’s list. They also ranked higher than other young personalities including “Twilight” stars Robert Pattinson (#30) and Kristen Stewart (#20), the Jonas Brothers (#23), Taylor Swift (#16), Lauren Conrad (#25) Vanessa Hudgens (#17) and Zac Efron (#21).
“Cybercriminals are star watchers too – they latch onto popular celebrities to encourage the download of malicious software in disguise,” said Jeff Green, senior vice president of McAfee Avert Labs. “Consumers’ obsession with celebrity news and culture is harmless in theory, but one bad download can cause a lot of damage to a computer
Young Hollywood – Just as Dangerous to Search as They Are Famous
Young Hollywood starlets (and popular tabloid subjects) Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale and Lindsay Lohan all edged out Heidi Montag and Jessica Alba who appeared on last year’s list. They also ranked higher than other young personalities including “Twilight” stars Robert Pattinson (#30) and Kristen Stewart (#20), the Jonas Brothers (#23), Taylor Swift (#16), Lauren Conrad (#25) Vanessa Hudgens (#17) and Zac Efron (#21).
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Marc Malkin Interviews Matt Lanter, Talks Twilight, Edward, and Rob
Matt Lanter jumped at the chance to star as the Edward Cullen character in the new Twilight parody, Vampires Suck.
“I just had to get on board,” Lanter tells me. “Let’s face it, Twilight is kind of an easy thing to make fun of.”
Yup, Twi-hards, he said “easy thing to make fun of”…
“Bring it on, bring it on,” Lanter cracked about the possible Twilight fan backlash. “But honestly what’s been cool though is on Twitter and things like that, a lot of people have been really into it. A lot of Twilight fans have a good sense of humor about it and are saying they’re going to see it.”
But he does want everyone to know that he is not poking fun at RPattz. “I’m making fun of Edward, not Rob Pattinson,” he said. “Rob seems like a cool guy and I’m sure he’s got a sense of humor about it.”
As for the dude who’s spoofing on Taylor Lautner Jacob, Lanter said, “Our guy is actually really ripped and worked really hard on it , too. It’s all real. There’s no makeup abs or anything like that.”
“I just had to get on board,” Lanter tells me. “Let’s face it, Twilight is kind of an easy thing to make fun of.”
Yup, Twi-hards, he said “easy thing to make fun of”…
“Bring it on, bring it on,” Lanter cracked about the possible Twilight fan backlash. “But honestly what’s been cool though is on Twitter and things like that, a lot of people have been really into it. A lot of Twilight fans have a good sense of humor about it and are saying they’re going to see it.”
But he does want everyone to know that he is not poking fun at RPattz. “I’m making fun of Edward, not Rob Pattinson,” he said. “Rob seems like a cool guy and I’m sure he’s got a sense of humor about it.”
As for the dude who’s spoofing on Taylor Lautner Jacob, Lanter said, “Our guy is actually really ripped and worked really hard on it , too. It’s all real. There’s no makeup abs or anything like that.”
Twilight soundtracks are helping change the industry
Looking back on the way that the three Twilight series soundtracks have been composed, marketed, and revealed, there is certainly a trend.
With Twilight’s soundtrack, artists like Paramore and Robert Pattinson contributed exclusive songs for the album, and they themselves became a part of the process – doing interviews, promotions, and the like.
Do you think it is possible that the reason why Twilight’s soundtrack success so vastly outweighs the recent two (which were also successful, for sure) is because so many new fans came in and saw the film before purchasing the album – thusly getting that association concept mentioned by Patsavas? Or do you think that it is because it had two songs sung by Robert Pattinson, who has been chosen the “World’s Sexiest Man” for two years running? Hint hint (Breaking Dawn can circle back on this, cough cough).
With Twilight’s soundtrack, artists like Paramore and Robert Pattinson contributed exclusive songs for the album, and they themselves became a part of the process – doing interviews, promotions, and the like.
Do you think it is possible that the reason why Twilight’s soundtrack success so vastly outweighs the recent two (which were also successful, for sure) is because so many new fans came in and saw the film before purchasing the album – thusly getting that association concept mentioned by Patsavas? Or do you think that it is because it had two songs sung by Robert Pattinson, who has been chosen the “World’s Sexiest Man” for two years running? Hint hint (Breaking Dawn can circle back on this, cough cough).
Monday, August 16, 2010
Eclipse to Break New Moon Sales Total
After the Monday box office numbers are in, in all probability, Eclipse will break the box office total set by New Moon. If not Monday, it will no doubt have it by Tuesday.
New Moon capped its box office run of 133 days with a figure of $296,623,634 domestically.
Twilight capped off its 147 day box office run with a figure of $192,769,854 domestically.
As of right now Eclipse, is on day 47 with a domestic total of $295,842,444.
The movie has been pulling in roughly $300,000 during weekdays the last week. So, assuming that pattern continues, Eclipse will over take the New Moon total by the time figures are released tomorrow afternoon or Tuesday at the latest.
After this benchmark, it will be interesting to see if it can be the first primarily female driven film to crack the $300,000,000 mark since Titanic.
New Moon capped its box office run of 133 days with a figure of $296,623,634 domestically.
Twilight capped off its 147 day box office run with a figure of $192,769,854 domestically.
As of right now Eclipse, is on day 47 with a domestic total of $295,842,444.
The movie has been pulling in roughly $300,000 during weekdays the last week. So, assuming that pattern continues, Eclipse will over take the New Moon total by the time figures are released tomorrow afternoon or Tuesday at the latest.
After this benchmark, it will be interesting to see if it can be the first primarily female driven film to crack the $300,000,000 mark since Titanic.
Gossip Cop: ‘Breaking Dawn’ Production Schedule Confirmed
Over the past few days, rumors about Breaking Dawn’s production have picked up as filming on the final installment of The Twilight Saga nears.
While some speculation about casting — and alleged “delays” — is far from true, a reported timetable for work on the films is accurate.
A source close to the production confirms to Gossip Cop that filming will begin in November (as we reported last week) and extend until roughly March 15.
Although the expansive nature of Bill Condon’s two-parter (and size of his cast) means there could be minor schedule tweaks, the timetable is set.
While some speculation about casting — and alleged “delays” — is far from true, a reported timetable for work on the films is accurate.
A source close to the production confirms to Gossip Cop that filming will begin in November (as we reported last week) and extend until roughly March 15.
Although the expansive nature of Bill Condon’s two-parter (and size of his cast) means there could be minor schedule tweaks, the timetable is set.
FAME: Robert Pattinson (Second Printing!!)
Though his star meter skyrocketed with the global sensation Twilight, Robert Pattinson’s ability and dedication to acting has him poised for lasting success beyond this series of vampire flicks. Unlike a simple chronological biography, this Fame book uses an ambrosial, sensory approach to deconstruct each of Robert Pattinson’s roles.
Don’t miss out a second time. Pre-order your copy today!
Note: Different covers shipped randomly.
Don’t miss out a second time. Pre-order your copy today!
Note: Different covers shipped randomly.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Kellan Lutz Reveals Breaking Dawn Schedule
Kellan Lutz has confirmed some news on when Breaking Dawn will start gearing up, telling OK! magazine:
I believe we might start rehearsals in September – fight training – and then I think start production in November until March. In Vancouver and Baton Rouge.
He also reveals that he keeps in touch with many of his Twilight co-stars (not just Ashley Greene, presumably) when not filming:
That’s the really cool thing about acting. You build these friendships and anytime you can spend time with a person for months, and hours on set, you really learn a lot about someone. And you’re going to be there for a while you might as well make some best friends out of it. It’s a dream to be in an industry that’s very fickle and to find friendships.
I believe we might start rehearsals in September – fight training – and then I think start production in November until March. In Vancouver and Baton Rouge.
He also reveals that he keeps in touch with many of his Twilight co-stars (not just Ashley Greene, presumably) when not filming:
That’s the really cool thing about acting. You build these friendships and anytime you can spend time with a person for months, and hours on set, you really learn a lot about someone. And you’re going to be there for a while you might as well make some best friends out of it. It’s a dream to be in an industry that’s very fickle and to find friendships.
Have Lunch With Peter Facinelli
Peter Facinelli took to Twitter to raise money for charity by auctioning himself off for lunch. No, you cannot eat Peter. Jennie Garth wouldn’t appreciate that, nor probably would his kids.
However you can win lunch with Peter. Check it out on EBay.
However you can win lunch with Peter. Check it out on EBay.
Rob Nominated for ‘Favorite Movie Star’ in Australian KCA’s
Premieres Friday October 8 at 7pm
Favorite Movie Star
Robert Pattinson
Voting opens today, with kids allowed to vote as many times as they like between now and September 26 on www.nickelodeon.com.au. or direct voting link HERE.
RULES
Must be a kid and live in Australia to vote
Favorite Movie Star
Robert Pattinson
Voting opens today, with kids allowed to vote as many times as they like between now and September 26 on www.nickelodeon.com.au. or direct voting link HERE.
RULES
Must be a kid and live in Australia to vote
Friday, August 13, 2010
Kirsten Prout Interview
Portrait Magazine was an interview with Kirsten Prout.
Check it all out here.
Here is an excerpt:
Had you read the books prior to auditioning?
I flew through each one months beforehand. They’re a fun read, and what’s so wonderful about the series is seeing so many young people picking up books and losing themselves in literature. I think this generation needs more of that.
What was your favourite character in the whole Twilight series?
I would have to say that since the book is entirely focused on Bella’s inner struggle, I was most captivated by her journey.
Are you a Team Edward or a Team Jacob?
Team Edward! He’s the attainable unattainable! What woman can resist that?
Who were you most excited to be working with in the films?
It was such a pleasure working with Jackson. I can’t emphasize enough what a fantastic artist and person he is. His focus on family, what he loves, and what’s important is admirable
EW: Semifinals Sexy Beast 2010
Stop using sex as a weapon,” the philosopher Pat Benatar once sang. But that mantra has no use here in EW.com’s Sexy Beast single-elimination bracket tournament, where today, we feature a steamy semifinal showdown between Twilight‘s Edward Cullen and Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles‘ Cameron. So stop what you’re doing and click through past the jump to vote for your favorite and to get a look at lists of the 16 seeded players (and the actors who portray ‘em) in all four of our beastly divisions. (A whopping 60 of our original 64 beasts have their names crossed out…totally tragic!) Plus, you can click here to see the entire 64-player bracket (then click again on the image for a zoomed-in view). Polls are open for 72 hours only, so support your candidate in battle; you wouldn’t want ‘em to get this close and fail now! [Related: Voting in round 1 of the semifinals (Wolverine vs Damon) is still open
VOTE HERE!
VOTE HERE!
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