'Avatar' and 3D Films: the Extra 'D' Stands for 'Dollars'
If 'Avatar' makes as much money as 20th Century Fox basically needs it to, we may never see a plain 2D movie again. Variety reports that 3D films tripled their B.O. take this year, to $1.3 billion.
There were more 3D films in 2009 than ever before, and each took advantage of that sweet $2-$3 ticket premium to rack up profits: "Up" was first with $293 million. But "Monsters vs. Aliens," "A Christmas Carol" and "Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" all grossed well over $100 million.
Variety is right, though, in seeing 'Avatar' as the 3D format's biggest test yet: It's the first non-kids movie to be released in 3D, and it remains to be seen if the illusion of things flying out of the screen will inspire in adults the same delighted squeals with which their children filled screenings of 'Up'. (For our ears' sake, we hope not.) [Variety]
•It looks like something good might come out of the "Twilight" craze after all (besides a million Gawker posts): Apparition has picked up distribution rights to Floria Sigismondi's "The Runaways"—which explores Joan Jett and Cherie Currie's friendship before they formed the kick-ass 70s girl band the Runaways. The "Twilight" connection: "Runaways" stars Kristen Stewart (Jett) and Dakota Fanning (Currie) both were in 'Twilight'. This, The Hollywood Reporter points out, must have helped this indie along. Let's just hope the film doesn't ch-ch-ch-ch-cherry bomb! [THR]
•It's the television event literally tens of you have been waiting for: "Teen Wolf" is back! MTV is resurrecting the 1985 Michael J. Fox comedy as a series starring Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, Crystal Reed and Dylan O'Brien. Werewolves are totally the new vampires. [THR]
•We haven't read the book, but we're guessing there will be an explicit masturbation scene in the film adaptation of Philip Roth's latest novel, "The Humbling." Al Pacino has bought the rights to the book, and he will also star as the story's main character: an aging, washed-up film actor. If only Al Pacino were slightly more washed up; the joke would write itself! [NYT]
•The AP has the sad story of a sport which literally no one will watch without its star player. The PGA tour's broadcast deal with CBS and NBC is up for negotiation in 2012, and if Woods isn't back and doing his thing—or some neo-Woods doesn't hack his way into viewers' hearts by then—we're guessing the asking price will be $30 and a case of Miller High Life. [AP]