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New movie 'Southpaw' was created for Eminem — but here's why the role ended up going to Jake Gyllenhaal

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southpaw jake gyllenhaal

Five years ago, father-son producing partners Alan and Peter Riche surveyed the movie landscape and decided it was time for a boxing movie to be made.

The sweet science depicted on screen has always interested the two. Alan still remembers taking a much younger Peter to a repertory theater to see the classic 1931 movie “The Champ,” starring Wallace Beery as a washed-up alcoholic boxer who tries to turn his life around for the sake of his young son, played by Jackie Cooper.

“It’s a favorite of ours,” Alan told Business Insider, “and we decided to do our version of ‘The Champ.’”

Alan has been producing movies since the early 1970s, with credits over the years that include “Empire Records,” “The Family Man,” and the movie version of “Starsky & Hutch.” His son, Peter, has also had his own individual success, first as a talent-and-literary agent, followed by developing over 100 screenplays as VP of production for the company his father headed before the two teamed up to start their own.

Peter and Alan RicheThe Riches have been in the business long enough to know every project has its peaks and valleys, but getting a boxing movie they would call “Southpaw” off the ground turned out to be one of their most challenging yet.

Peter said the initial idea was “The Champ” meets “Raging Bull,” an authentic look at boxing but with a story that would be as gripping and raw as the action displayed in the ring.

Also, they needed to, as Peter put it, “flip it,” to make the story stand out from the classic boxing tales they were hoping to emulate.

He suggested to his father that instead of it being a father-son story, like “The Champ,” that it be about a father and his daughter.

EminemBut Peter also came up with an idea that would make Hollywood stand up and pay attention to the project.

Rapper Eminem should play the boxing father.

“We had both seen ‘8 Mile’ and loved it and thought he was really interesting and had a real presence on screen,” Alan recalled.

“I thought this guy hasn’t done a movie in a number of years, this might be interesting to him and, dare I say, a sequel to ‘8 Mile.’ Not literally in story, but a good fit for him,” Peter told BI. “We knew how important being a father to his daughter is. We didn’t fear going to Eminem and saying this is an amazing role for you and if you got yourself in shape it would be a tour-de-force.”

Perhaps the Riches could catch the reclusive rapper at the perfect moment. Though he came on for one episode to voice a character for the popular Comedy Central phone-pranking show “Crank Yankers” in 2004, and had a memorable cameo in Judd Apatow’s “Funny People” in 2009, Eminem hadn’t starred in a movie since 2002’s “8 Mile,” which was partially based on his life growing up on Detroit's impoverished 8 Mile Road in the mid-’90s. On the music side, he’d just released his seventh album, "Recovery" in June 2010, which debuted No.1 on the Billboard charts and was received well by critics.

8 mile eminemIn October 2010, the duo pitched the idea to Eminem’s manager David Schiff, and, according to Alan, within 24 hours they heard back, with Schiff saying the rapper’s team wanted to do it.

The film would follow boxer Billy Hope, the reigning junior-middleweight-boxing champion, whose life is turned upside down following a horrific event that causes him to lose custody of his daughter and jeopardize his boxing career.

Once Eminem was on board, “Southpaw” was on the fast track. The Riches brought on “Sons of Anarchy” creator Kurt Sutter to write the script. And by December 2010, DreamWorks signed on to make the film. In June 2011, it was reported that Antoine Faqua ("Training Day") would direct. 

“We knew Antoine boxes at least five days a week,” said Peter. “So we knew this person would make the boxing look authentic. He went out to Detroit and had a meeting with Eminem, and the feedback we got back from both camps couldn’t have been better,” Peter recalled. “Basically we were moving like a train to a green-lit movie.”

Antoine FuquaBut according to the Riches, four weeks before Eminem was to begin training for the movie they got a phone call that the rapper no longer wanted to do it.

“We were told that he really loved it, but that he feels he’s a musician first and an actor second and he had a lot of inner energy going on for his next album and that’s where his muse was taking him,” said Alan.

Eminem would go on to make "The Marshall Mathers LP 2," which was released in 2013.

“That was the moment of pain,” Peter said after getting word Eminem was out. "That was the low moment.”

In a recent interview with Zane Lowe for Beats 1 Radio, Eminem said he “wouldn't have been able to do” “Southpaw” due to scheduling issues related to making the album.

With Eminem out, DreamWorks lost interest in the project. Thankfully, Fuqua still wanted to direct.

Following some talks with MGM to take the project, which Alan said “never got into negotiations,” Harvey Weinstein came calling.

“He had read the original script and very much wanted the project originally,” said Alan of the legendary producer who has been behind Best Picture Oscar-winners “Shakespeare in Love,” “The English Patient,” “Chicago,""The King’s Speech,” and “The Artist.

The Weinstein Company bought the film rights in 2013, while the Riches continued looking for their Billy Hope.

Aaron paul coachella“We talked at length with Aaron Paul,” said Alan. “Travis Fimmel from ‘Vikings,’ Charlie Hunnam from ‘Sons of Anarchy,’ but Harvey Weinstein always had it in his head that it would be Jake Gyllenhaal.”

Gyllenhaal had been on a stretch of taking on challenging and physically demanding roles, including 2012’s “End of Watch,” 2013’s “Prisoners,” and 2014’s “Nightcrawler,” in which he dropped 30 pounds to play a freelancer shooting gruesome accidents and crimes to sell to the local news stations.

When the Riches, Fuqua, and Sutter had a meeting with Gyllenhaal about coming on the film, he was still frail from the role and as Alan recalls, “was still in the head of that ‘Nightcrawler’ character.”

gyllenhaal nightcrawler“To Antoine’s credit, he looked into Jake’s eyes and knew he could do the work with him,” said Peter.

Gyllenhaal trained twice a day for six hours, and gained the 30 pounds he lost for “Nightcrawler,” plus adding on 15 more for the role. Then during production, Peter said Fuqua and Gyllenhaal would work out every day before shooting.

gylenhaal southpaw trainingThe Riches were taken aback by the actor's dedication, saying he gave the film everything he had every single day.

It shows on screen. Gyllenhaal's performance in “Southpaw” is as intense as the training he did, already leading to Oscar buzz for the actor. 

He's even received praise from the original actor for the role. “Jake smashed it,” said Eminem in the interview with Lowe.

In fact, Eminem loves the movie so much he made two original songs for the film and is releasing the soundtrack on his label.

Looking back on the last five years, Alan and Peter don’t dwell on the struggle. (“We're doing ‘Tarzan’ for Warner Bros. and that’s taken 13 years to get made," said Alan.) But instead believe the experience has made the trust and love they have for one another even stronger.

“It had its challenges but it was worth every minute," Peter said about the film. “It was grueling but we would do it all over again tomorrow.”

“Southpaw” opens in theaters July 24.

Watch the trailer:

 

SEE ALSO: Here's an incredible hand-written letter and illustration from Eminem to Tupac's mother

Join the conversation about this story »

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Since rock legend Janis Joplin died at 27, producers have spent millions to make a biopic about her — and it's finally happening

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Janis Joplin

In an era when rock and roll was dominated by the likes of the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin broke through as one of the top female singers of the 1960s with her potent, soulful vocals and relatable personality.

Though, on the surface, Joplin inspired millions of female fans with her independent style and ferociously confident stage presence, offstage the singer used her hard partying to mask an aching desire to find a companion. A heroin overdose led to her death at the age of 27 in 1970.

The meteoric rise and all-too-young death of Joplin were ripe for the Hollywood treatment. Yet somehow, 45 years after her passing, a biopic still hasn’t been made about the artist.

But it’s not due to a lack of trying.

Janis_LGB_Still5For decades, numerous projects and actresses have attempted to make films about Joplin's life and career, only to fail miserably. Some of that had to do with the filmmakers not having the proper rights. In other cases, the actresses attached could no longer keep their schedules open for a movie that never seemed to have a start date, or they aged out of the role.

'Joplin,' 20 years on

One producer has stayed the course to make the first-ever Joplin biopic.

Peter Newman, who was a freshman in college when Joplin died, has been working on a movie about the singer since the late 1990s. At the time, he and his producing partners were working with Sony’s TriStar division on the project after the studio accumulated an extensive set of exclusive Joplin music and life rights. But biopics then weren’t as attractive as they are today. So not seeing much in the way of box-office dollars or gold statuettes in their future, Sony shelved it.

In the early 2000s, Newman teamed with a group of investors to buy the project in turnaround from Sony. And thus began the quest to make the film, titled “Janis,” independently.

“There’s sort of five legs to the table to get a film like this made,” Newman told Business Insider over the phone last week. “One is rights, another is a script, you need a director, of course a star, and the final thing is money. I’ve had a combination of all those over the last 20 years, but never all five [at once].”

Newman can’t keep track of all the actresses who have been involved. But he doesn’t have to because the internet is flush with reminders of his attempts over the years.

Amy Adams golden globesLili Taylor, Pink, and Zooey Deschanel have all been attached at one time. Then there are the Joplin projects that Newman isn’t involved with that have had the likes of Brittany Murphy, Renée Zellweger, and Amy Adams attached (more on the latter shortly).

Currently, “Janis” has director Sean Durkin (“Martha Marcy May Marlene”) attached with Broadway star Nina Arianda cast to play Joplin.

Joplin’s legendary status has motivated multiple concurrent projects to keep going. But Newman’s trump card is the nature of the rights he holds, which would likely make his project feel more authentic than any other.

Newman doesn’t just hold the Joplin life rights and the rights to 21 of her best-known songs — he also owns the life rights to Joplin’s old band, Big Brother and the Holding Company (there are two surviving members), the life rights to Joplin’s close friend Peggy Caserta (as well as the rights to a book she wrote about her time with Joplin), and the rights to a collection of letters Joplin wrote to her friends and family.

In total, Newman said, he and his partners have invested over $2.5 million in the Joplin rights that they’ve accumulated over the last 20 years. To put that in perspective, the total cost to make and deliver to a distributor the 2005 Oscar-nominated film that Newman produced, “The Squid and the Whale,” was $1.5 million.

But that didn’t sway music producer-turned-screenwriter Ron Terry from getting his own Joplin biopic off the ground. In November 2014, it was announced that he had attached director Jean-Marc Vallee ("Dallas Buyers Club") and Amy Adams to star in the project titled “Get It While You Can.” But the film hit a speed bump when Terry was sued by the film's producers in March for breach of contract. 

"It is possible to make a Janis Joplin movie without portraying a majority of people in her private life and a majority of her music,” Newman said. “But in my mind it would be deficient and I can't conceive how it would get done.” (Attempts to reach Terry for comment for this story were unsuccessful.)

Finding the 'real' Janis

“You can’t force this. I want a movie to make us really believe all her different complexities,” said filmmaker Amy Berg, who knows a bit about trying to capture the true Joplin. Her documentary “Janis: Little Girl Blue” is finally being released in theaters this Friday after eight years of work.

In fact, Berg used the services of Newman to get a few people who knew Joplin to talk for the film. The letters Berg features in "Little Girl Blue" are the same ones Newman has the rights to (he was happy to allow Berg to use them in her film).

A number of hurdles kept the doc from completion, Berg says, including finding a backer and working out the rights for footage to be included in the film. But she admits the biggest struggle was finding the right actress to be the Joplin voiceover. Though most of the film is made up of archival footage of the real Joplin, for the Joplin letters, Berg needed someone with a voice close to the real Joplin.

Amy Berg John Phillips Getty“I would get suggestions from all the agencies, and some of the singers that I interviewed for the film wanted to do it,” Berg said. “I couldn't find someone that didn't have — I hate to say chip on their shoulder — but there's a certain kind of energy that would go into reading these letters that had an agenda attached to it.”

It wasn’t until March of this year that she came across singer-songwriter Chan Marshall (aka Cat Power).

“I showed the movie to the Big Brother and the Holding Company band members and they told me they thought it was Janis reading the letters,” Berg said.

“The image of Janis dims with age, so seeing Janis up there blew me away,” Janis’ sister Laura Joplin told Business Insider of the Berg film. Laura and her brother Michael handle Janis’ estate. “I hope I feel the same way when a narrative film about her comes out. I hope one gets made. Janis has been important for women and I hope whoever does it allows that aspect to be shown.”

Berg is happy she went the documentary route to highlight Joplin. Namely, because of the wealth of archival material at her disposal.

She recalled the time she was offered the opportunity to make a biopic of another musician who died young, '90s singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley. But after going through his archive, she declined to do it because she thought the best way to tell Buckley’s story was as a documentary.

“I would always lean toward doc in these circumstances,” Berg said.

The Joplin biopic gets some good news

Newman, however, has never been motivated over the past two decades to pivot to nonfiction.

And that resilience may have finally paid off. It appears that Newman finally has all five legs he needs at the same time.

This week, Newman disclosed to Business Insider that he has secured a $20 million budget for “Janis” through financier Start Motion Pictures (which just bankrolled the upcoming Jennifer Lawrence/Chris Pratt sci-fi thriller “Passengers”). Respected British production company Film 4 (“12 Years a Slave”) has also come onboard.

Durkin is currently in the UK working on the script with British playwright Clara Brennan. The plan is to make neither a traditional "cradle-to-the-grave" biopic nor a wholly unconventional work in the style of Aaron Sorkin's "Steve Jobs," but something possibly in the middle. According to Newman, a start date on the film shooting has been set for August 2016.

After dozens of scripts thrown into the waste basket and millions spent on development costs, Newman remains unwavering in his dedication to the Joplin project. He attributes this to the usual "moral obligation" to his investors, but when pressed further, the answer he gives is very simple:

“I never give up on a film.”

Millions of Joplin fans wouldn't have it any other way.

Watch the “Janis: Little Girl Blue” trailer:

SEE ALSO: "Beasts of No Nation" director Cary Fukunaga talks Netflix's mysterious streaming numbers and more

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25 Wall Street movies to watch over Thanksgiving

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The market is closed. The world is at a standstill. It's Thanksgiving Day and you've probably just stuffed your face with turkey and pumpkin pie. 

That doesn't mean you can't get a little Wall Street in your day, though. Why not kick back on the couch and watch one of these Wall Street movies?

You'll definitely enjoy yourself, and you might even learn something.

 

 

"It's A Wonderful Life" (1946)

In a sentence: It's a heartwarming classic that will never get old. 

Plot: A guardian angel shows businessman George Bailey what life would be like if he never existed. 

Genre: Family



"Trading Places" (1983)

In a sentence: No movie about Wall Street is funnier than the 1983 comedy "Trading Places."

Plot: Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd are at their best as director John Landis tells the tale of how one man's fall from Wall Street is another man's blessing. Watching Murphy talk about futures and markets is hilarious and unparalleled in humor.

Genre: Comedy



"Trader" (1987)

In a sentence: Brilliant ... If you can find it.

Plot: Made in 1987 during the raging bull market, this little-known documentary stars Paul Tudor Jones and chronicles his day-to-day life as an active investor. Jones uses techniques like historical chart reading, taken from Jesse Livermore, to predict the Black Monday crash on film. Even though it portrays Jones in a positive light, finding a (legitimate and legal) copy of this movie is nearly impossible to find as it's rumored that Jones bought all 1,000 copies in existence.

Genre: Documentary



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Everything you need to know about the 'Rocky' franchise before seeing 'Creed'

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balboa creed

There aren't many rivalries in movies as rich in history as that of boxers Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) and Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers).

For four films in the "Rocky" franchise, the two went from mortal enemies to best of friends. Now with the series getting a rebirth with the film "Creed," which tracks the rise of Apollo's son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan) in the boxing world, it's a good time to look back on the history behind the sequel. Specifically the link between Rocky and Creed.

Here's a refresher on the two boxers' relationship, which is referenced more than a few times in "Creed" (currently in theaters).

SEE ALSO: Why "Creed" is a strong contender for this year's Oscar race

We first meet Apollo Creed in "Rocky." Then the undefeated heavyweight champion of the world, he must find a replacement for his match in Philadelphia after his original opponent injured his hand.



He chooses to face Rocky Balboa, a southpaw fighter from Philly who was known better on the streets as a loan shark than a boxer.



Not taking his opponent seriously, Creed comes to the fight unprepared, thinking it will be an easy win.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

Director Cary Fukunaga still hasn't watched season 2 of 'True Detective'

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Cary Joji Fukunaga Kevin Winter Getty

Before making the critically acclaimed Netflix movie “Beasts of No Nation,” Cary Fukunaga was known best for directing the complete first season of “True Detective.”

His efforts not only got him an Emmy, but showed off his stunning visual eye, with gorgeous wide shots of Louisiana bayou country and the now-famous six-minute single shot in the finale of one of the episodes.

But along with the praise came rumors that he and the show’s creator, Nic Pizzolatto, never got along during the making of the season.

Fukunaga never intended to take the directing reins for season two of the anthology series, as it moved to Los Angeles to focus on the shady dealings of city officials, police, and the underworld. Though he did stay on as an executive producer.

But Fukanaga can’t escape the “True Detective” questions. And it turns out he still hasn't gotten around to watching season two.

True Detective Vernon“They finished it right when we started [‘Beasts of No Nation’],” Fukunaga told Vulture in late September about why he hadn’t watched season two yet. “I like to binge-watch.”

So last week, we asked Fukunaga if he’s binged it.

“I have not,” he said.

He’s not curious that Pizzolatto supposedly based a character on him this season?

“No. Not really,” he said. “And me not watching it is not a statement. I haven’t had the time.”

But he did have time to check out the newest original comedy series on Netflix.

“The only think I’ve binged is Aziz Ansari’s 'Master of None,'” he said. “It’s great.” 

SEE ALSO: "Beasts of No Nation" director Cary Fukunaga talks Netflix's mysterious streaming numbers and more

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A new documentary blows the lid off the shady underpinning of the Taser industry

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killing them safely movie posterAmid debates on America's policing methods, Nick Berardini's debut feature "Killing them Safely" explains how two brothers revolutionized law enforcement by building the world's largest Taser manufacturer, arming and training America's police, and becoming millionaires in the process.

Startling archival footage accompanies candid interviews with cardiologists, lawyers, police officers, politicians, families who lost a loved one from a deployed Taser, and a spokesperson from Taser International.

Rick and Tom Smith founded Taser International in 1993 and have sold their stun gun to almost all of the US' 18,250 law-enforcement agencies (only about 450 police departments do not deploy the Taser), according to the company.

As the film progresses, these seemingly innocuous figures appear more and more sinister as we see them jump through hoops to avoid taking responsibility for the potential harm their product inflicts.

smith brothersThe film makes a salient point when it juxtaposes the Smith brothers' apathetic depositions and the upsetting police dash-cam footage showing the death of Stanley Harlan.

Harlan, 23, died after he was stunned for 31 seconds outside of his home in Moberly, Missouri.

In 2008, Harlan was pulled over by officers for suspicion of either speeding or drunken driving (the reason remains unclear). Harlan appeared to cooperate with police, but within seconds multiple cops grabbed him and walked him off camera. He was then stunned three times and entered cardiac arrest, according to a police handout obtained by CBS News.

Moments later, Harlan's body was dragged back into view of the dash cam. Officers attempted to wake him up during the next 14 minutes, but it was too late. Harlan died of cardiac arrest in front of his home and his screaming parents.

"That seemed so aggressive to me and such an obvious misuse of force that I became really sympathetic towards the family," said Berardini, who at the time of Harlan's death was 24 years old and aspiring to be a filmmaker.

stanley3

Still, the Smith brothers contend in the film that the Taser is perfectly safe and simply cannot do any serious harm.

taser brightenedIn their depositions, as well as in a Canadian Parliament hearing on the matter, the brothers assuredly deny all assertions their product can kill.

When asked about a specific instance involving a death by Taser, Rick Smith responds, "What I'm saying is that to the best of our knowledge it does not appear that the direct electric effects of the Taser would be the most likely cause of the cardiac arrest."

Rick's brother echoes this later on: "In terms of the studies that have been done we have not seen anything conclusively that has come back scientifically that has said a Taser has killed."

According to the company's running tally, of the more than 2.7 million Taser deployments, about 141,000 lives have been saved.

In 2009, however, Taser International updated its training procedures to include that officers should not aim for the chest.

taser update

After issuing the update, the company scheduled a nationwide call, featured in the film, with its police-department clients to explain the need for the adjustment. Then-CEO Rick Smith is heard on the call telling officers: "Are chest hits with a Taser dangerous? The answer to that is definitively no."

There are a few other unfathomable moments in the film that truly have to be seen to be believed. "Killing them Safely" highlights the ineptitude not only of Taser International but also of the governing bodies and police departments that have allowed this organization to essentially have a monopoly over the training and safety of the device.

"Killing them Safely" is a painstakingly researched and compelling film that demands to be seen. It's bigger than some true-crime story that affects the lives of a handful of people — the horrors brought to light in this film have an effect on every American citizen.

Here is the trailer for "Killing them Safely":

Killing them Safely opens at IFC Center in New York, for tickets and showtimes please click here.

Brett Arnold contributed to this report.

Disclosure: Brett Arnold and Amanda Macias are former classmates of the filmmakers.

SEE ALSO: How a then-24-year-old filmmaker exposed the Taser industry in a bombshell new documentary

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J.K. Rowling just set the record straight on the most controversial character in the 'Harry Potter' series

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severus snape, alan rickman, harry potter and the order of the phoenix 152084

"Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling just weighed in on a raging debate over the character of Severus Snape.

After years of hating the Dark Arts professor and Slytherin advisor, fans had their minds blown when it was revealed by the conclusion of the books that Snape was actually working with headmaster Dumbledore the entire time and protecting Harry – all because he loved Harry's mother.

But does that mean the bullying and coldness he subjected the children to, especially Harry, was to be forgiven? Or that he should be given a pass for allowing (and standing by) the Death Eaters' murderous ways?  Some fans don't think so. In a buzzfeed poll, about 20% of respondents didn't believe Snape was a hero.

Early on Friday, Rowling took to Twitter to give her take on the debate. And you probably guessed that it's complicated, not black or white.

 

 She also addressed her decision to have Harry name one of his children after Snape, the man who tortured him for years while at the same time helping to protect him. According to Rowling, Harry did it to honor Snape's love for his mother and to show forgiveness for how Snape treated him.

 

 

SEE ALSO: Tickets to the new Harry Potter play sold out in less than an hour and fans are having a meltdown

MORE: All of the Harry Potter books with lots of extra bells and whistles are finally available on Apple devices exclusively

Join the conversation about this story »

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'Creed' is rising at the box office, expected to take $42 million in opening week

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Creed Movie

"Creed" is rising as a strong competitor after raking in $6.45 million on Thursday, a 7% increase from Wednesday.

During the Thanksgiving holiday, "Creed" came in third at the box office, following behind "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2" and Pixar's "The Good Dinosaur," as Deadline reports. It's rare to see a film's box-office haul rise from its opening day before the holiday, as with "Creed."

The film is an extension of the "Rocky" franchise, featuring Michael B. Jordan as Adonis Creed, the son of Apollo Creed, and Syllvester Stallone reprising his role as Rocky Balboa.

Since its November 25 release, the film has earned $12.4 million. 

The film has received near-universal critical praise, currently holding a 93% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and as we've said, it's a strong contender for the Oscars.

"Creed" is projected to make around $42 million in its first five days, a big win for its $37 million budget.

SEE ALSO: Why 'Creed' is a strong contender for this year's Oscar race

Join the conversation about this story »

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Meet 27-year-old Alicia Vikander, star of 'The Danish Girl,' on her way to superstardom

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Alicia Vikander

Just in 2015, Swedish actress Alicia Vikander has played a famous painter, a secret agent, and an artificial intelligence that wants to be human.

It's been quite a year for the 27-year-old, and it might all end with her receiving an Oscar nomination.

Playing artist Gerda Wegener in "The Danish Girl" (opening in theaters this weekend), Vikander gives a scene-stealing performance as the wife of fellow artist Lili Elbe (played by Eddie Redmayne), one of the first identifiable recipients of sex-reassignment surgery.

But it's just the latest in a stellar series of performances Vikander has done, which also includes the hit indie film "Ex Machina."

Let's learn more about this star on the rise.

SEE ALSO: The fast-rising career of 26-year-old Brie Larson, 'Room' star and Hollywood's new 'it girl'

Vikander's first taste of success came in 2007 with the Swedish soap opera "Andra Avenyn" ("Second Avenue"), which looked at the lives of a group of people living in the second-largest city in Sweden.



In 2009, she starred in her first feature film, "Pure," in which she plays a troubled 20-year-old who, in leaving her family life, ends up in the arms of a married man.



Vikander then found notice in the US playing Kitty in the 2012 adaptation of the Tolstoy classic "Anna Karenina," starring Keira Knightley in the lead role.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider

'Creed' has second-biggest box office opening ever for a 'Rocky' movie

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jennifer lawrence hunger games mockingjay part 2

It looks like many took to the multiplexes after enjoying Turkey Day. 

Winner of the competitive five-day total was "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2," which took in an estimated $75 million, according to The Wrap.

But the big winner of the weekend was the film that took the third place spot, "Creed."

The "Rocky"-inspired film — which looks at the son of Rocky Balboa's rival, Apollo Creed, and stars Sylvester Stallone once more as the iconic Balboa and Michael B. Jordan as the young Creed — took in an estimated $42.60 million over the five days. The $30.12 million it made over the weekend alone makes it the second-biggest domestic opening of any of the previous six movies in the "Rocky" franchise (factoring in inflation, "Rocky IV" is still tops). "Creed" was made for $37 million, according to reports.

Creed Warner BrosAlso doing well this holiday weekend was the latest Pixar movie, "The Good Dinosaur," which earned $55 million over the five days to come in second place.

In fact, the top 20 titles of the year had a 112% spike in ticket sales on Black Friday over Thanksgiving day's box office, according to Deadline (also helpful was an unseasonably warm holiday weekend on the east coast).

The final chapter of the successful "Hunger Games" franchise starring Jennifer Lawrence took in $10.4 million on the holiday and then earned another $21.5 million on Black Friday. That's lower than what "Mockingjay - Part 1" did last year, but it's still an impressive tally.

However, the weekend's feel-good story line is that it's pretty certain the "Rocky" franchise is having a comeback.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about the "Rocky" franchise before seeing "Creed"

Join the conversation about this story »

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Why 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' is rated PG-13

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A First Order Stormtrooper in The Force Awakens

The “Star Wars” saga has always been fun for the whole family, but at the end of the day the buzzkills at the Motion Picture Association of America still need to do their job. Most “Star Wars” films to date have merely been classified as PG, but the dark, somber tone of “The Force Awakens” means that the latest entry to the “Star Wars” universe will garner a somewhat stricter rating.
 
Variety has confirmed that “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has officially received a PG-13 rating from the MPAA, primarily for "sci-fi action violence." This is pretty much the exact reason one would expect an installment in the “Star Wars” saga to receive such a rating. Despite being largely bloodless affairs – lightsabers and blasters conveniently cauterize wounds – the “Star Wars” films are still about wars at the end of the day; as a result of this they tend to rack up some fairly impressive body counts. It also puts to fears – or hopes? – that we may get a wookiee nude scene at some point in the film.
 
This rating is not exactly an unprecedented decision for the franchise. While the first two prequel films were primarily geared towards younger audiences, the most recent – and arguably darkest – entry to the “Star Wars” saga (“Revenge of the Sith”) garnered a PG-13 rating as well. It’s also worth noting that the original trilogy was released during a time when the PG-13 rating did not exist, and as such, it seems likely that a film like “The Empire Strikes Back” would have also received a PG-13 rating if the option had been available. Check out the final trailer for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” below to see if it deserves a PG-13 rating.

PG-13 seems to be the go-to for most major blockbusters of the modern era. Movies like “Avatar,” “The Dark Knight,” and every installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe have opted for a PG-13 rating because it seemingly casts the widest possible audience net. Even Warner Bros. recently came out stating that the entirety of their DC Extended Universe would be rated PG-13 to ensure tonal cohesion – therefore killing our dreams of an R rated “Suicide Squad.”
 
At the end of the day, we cannot exactly say that the rating surprises us. “The Force Awakens” was always going to be a darker affair that felt more in line with the tone of the original trilogy than the kid friendly prequels. We will know for sure if “The Force Awakens” earns its PG-13 rating on December 18 when the film finally blasts its way into theaters.

SEE ALSO: The new "Star Wars" game has an Easter Egg only the most serious "Star Wars" fans understand

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The star of 'Creed' wants a sequel — here's why it will probably happen

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Creed Warner Bros final

After earning the second-biggest box-office opening of all the “Rocky” films, “Creed” has certainly made its claim for why there should be more movies focused on the son of Apollo Creed under the tutelage of Rocky Balboa.

And it seems “Creed” star Michael B. Jordan agrees.

“A character so rich as this, and the world he’s in, I want to see what happens to him next and what he does,” Jordan told the Associated Press. “Especially the way it ends off, it’s pretty cool. I think with success and time and circumstances, it would be exciting to come back.”

But the structure of the film has already laid the ground work for at least one “Creed” sequel.

(Spoiler alert: Tread lightly if you haven’t seen “Creed” yet.)

In the movie, before going to Philadelphia to seek out Balboa, Adonis Creed (Jordan) goes to the gym where his father trained to begin his path to becoming a professional boxer. But he’s turned down by the head trainer of the gym (who happens to be the son of the manager of Apollo Creed).

And to make things worse, when Adonis tries to prove he has what it takes — offering to fight all comers at the gym — he’s knocked out by one of the top-ranked fighters who trains there, Danny “Stuntman” Wheeler (played by real boxer Andre Ward).

wheeler creed warner brosThat’s the same boxer who was unable to fight the champion, “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, because Conlan broke Wheeler’s jaw at the press conference for their fight.

Conlan Creed warner brosThis gave Adonis his shot at Conlan at the end of the movie.

So a logical plotline for the sequel is Creed taking on Wheeler (trained by Creed’s manager’s son).

And, of course, a sequel can further delve into the relationship Adonis has with Bianca (Tessa Thompson) and Rocky (Sylvester Stallone), still recovering from non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

This all would have been moot if “Creed” bombed at the box office, but now that it’s a hit (and may have some Oscar nominations in its future), keep looking for a sequel announcement.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about the "Rocky" franchise before seeing "Creed"

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Jennifer Lawrence builds a business empire from nothing in new 'Joy' trailer

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Joy 20th Century Fox final

You don't want to get in Jennifer Lawrence's way in the latest trailer for her upcoming movie, "Joy."

Once more teaming with director David O. Russell ("Silver Linings Playbook,""American Hustle"), Bradley Cooper, and Robert De Niro, Lawrence plays single mom Joy Mangano, who is the real-life inventor of the "Miracle Mop," which led her and her family into a business dynasty.

In this trailer, we see the hard road Mangano took to get her product off the ground. It also shows off her resolve to never give up.

Watch it here. "Joy" opens in theaters on Christmas Day.

 

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The filmmakers behind 'Gods of Egypt' apologize for casting white stars in the Africa-set epic

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gods of egypt gerard butler

"Gods of Egypt" director Alex Proyas and Lionsgate, the studio behind the film, have apologized following criticism received as a result of the lack of diverse casting in the fantasy epic.

The feature, which is set for release Feb. 26, 2016, has come under fire for casting predominantly white actors in the Africa-set period epic. Gerard Butler, Geoffrey Rush, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Brenton Thwaites, each of whom is white, all star. Actress-singer Bette Midler tweeted of the film, "Movie, #GodsOfEgypt in which everyone is white? Egyptians, in history and today, have NEVER been white. BRING BACK GEOGRAPHY!! It's Africa!" Lionsgate and Proyas both issued individual statements on Friday, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, addressing the casting decisions.

Lionsgate: We recognize that it is our responsibility to help ensure that casting decisions reflect the diversity and culture of the time periods portrayed. In this instance we failed to live up to our own standards of sensitivity and diversity, for which we sincerely apologize. Lionsgate is deeply committed to making films that reflect the diversity of our audiences. We have, can and will continue to do better.​​

Proyas: The process of casting a movie has many complicated variables, but it is clear that our casting choices should have been more diverse. I sincerely apologize to those who are offended by the decisions we made.

A day following the release of the statements, "Selma" director Ava DuVernay took to Twitter to comment on the public apologies. "This kind of apology never happens - for something that happens all the time. An unusual occurrence worth noting," she first tweeted, followed by, "GODS OF EGYPT makes me value Abrams' STAR WARS choices more. Makes me cheer more for Coogler's CREED. We all deserve icons in our own image."

In June, "Aloha" director Cameron Crowe apologized for casting white actress Emma Stone in the role of a quarter Asian and a quarter Hawaiian character.

Forbes first reported the statements. 

SEE ALSO: 'Creed' has second-biggest box office opening ever for a 'Rocky' movie

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George Lucas explains one of the most controversial scenes in 'Star Wars' history

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There's a scene in the 1977 "Star Wars" that has been driving fans mad since then.

For years, they debated whether Han Solo (Harrison Ford) or Greedo took the first shot in the famous Cantina scene, until an updated version released in 1997 in which Lucas edited it to make it clear that Greedo shot first.

This decision drove fans crazy.

In an interview with the Washington Post, Lucas finally justified his decision. He wanted to make sure that Solo was a hero, and having him shoot first just didn't seem to be in the character's nature. 

"Han Solo was going to marry Leia, and you look back and say, 'Should he be a cold-blooded killer?'" he said. 

"Star Wars" is first and foremost a space Western and Han Solo has frequently been compared to a cowboy. In Lucas' mind, the best Western characters don't shoot first.

"Because I was thinking mythologically — should he be a cowboy, should he be John Wayne? And I said, 'Yeah, he should be John Wayne.' And when you’re John Wayne, you don't shoot people [first] — you let them have the first shot. It's a mythological reality that we hope our society pays attention to," Lucas said. 

See Han Solo's continued adventures in "The Force Awakens" on December 18th.

Story by Ian Phillips and editing by Stephen Parkhurst

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Warner Bros. just debuted a new 'Batman v Superman' clip showing the Man of Steel unmask Batfleck

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Warner Bros. just debuted a new "Batman v Superman" clip during the fall finale of "Gotham" and it shows the Man of Steel in a way you've never seen him before.

The Dark Knight is tied up in some sort of cellar setting along with a few others.

batman bvsbatman ben affleck

Superman enters shortly after looking pretty angry, and tears off Batman's mask revealing Ben Affleck's Bruce Wayne underneath.

superman man of steelbatman mask

The clip is a teaser for a new trailer which will debut Wednesday night on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Check it out below.

We've seen some of this footage before in other trailers.

Superman appears to have his own Man of Steel militia and Batman wears that post-apocalyptic "Mad Max" getup as he attempts to fight off some of the Superman supporters. (From the new clip, it doesn't look like that works out in Batman's favor.)

superman miliarybatman v superman desert

Why does Superman seemingly have Batman captive and why is he so angry?

Our best guess is that none of this is actually happening. It's most likely a dream sequence.

While at New York Comic Con, we came across a new Batman toy donning the same clothes as the Dark Knight in the above clip. The upcoming Mattel toy went by the name of "Knightmare Batman."

knightmare batmanknightmare batman v superman

What we're most likely seeing is a "nightmare" scenario Bruce Wayne anticipates will happen if Superman isn't brought to justice after the destruction wrought at the end of 2013's "Man of Steel."

"Batman v Superman" will hit theaters March 25, 2016.

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David Spade reveals how Chris Farley came up with classic 'Fat Guy in a Little Coat' scene from 'Tommy Boy'

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chris farley david spade

The world lost Chris Farley way too soon, at the age of 33 in 1997, and it hasn't stopped missing the comedian.

On Monday night, David Spade appeared on "Conan" and he and Conan O'Brien remembered working with Farley on "Saturday Night Live" in the show's '90s heyday. Spade was Farley's close collaborator, and O'Brien was a writer on "Saturday Night Live."

According to O'Brien, Farley was just as "wild and crazy" as he was on TV. "Chris was all of that," he said.

Spade remembered how Farley could never let go of the much-beloved "fat guy in a little coat" routine.

"He'd go, 'David, turn around,' and I'd go, 'If this is 'fat guy in a little coat,' it's not funny anymore," Spade said. Sure enough, Farley fooled Spade and ripped his coat.

"Fat guy in a little coat — don't you quit on it!" Farley said, according to Spade.

Eventually the two put the routine into their movie "Tommy Boy," and it became the best-remembered scene in Farley's brilliant comedy career cut short.

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J.J. Abrams says Adam Driver's 'wonderful ferocity' and yelling made him the perfect 'Star Wars' villain Kylo Ren

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kylo ren adam driver

To get into his villainous character Kylo Ren in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," Adam Driver would yell before shooting, sometimes resulting in sound guys turning their microphones down.

This "wonderful ferocity" made him "perfect" for the role, director J.J. Abrams revealed during a Sirius XM Town Hall recording with People and Entertainment Weekly editorial director Jess Cagle after being asked which actor was more like their character. 

“Adam Driver, there are times when he’s so hard on himself as an actor,” Abrams said. Driver would have to rile himself up as mental preparation. 

In a 2014 cover story for GQ, Driver (also from "Girls,""Lincoln," and "Inside Llewyn Davis") is described as having "equal amounts of twitchy intensity and feral grace," applying both his military background and Julliard training to the roles he takes on. 

Abrams added that all of the actors, both old and new, "all brought themselves in an incredible way to each of the characters." 

The full Sirius XM Town Hall with Abrams will premiere December 14 at 6 p.m. ET on EW Radio Sirius XM 105.

Listen to the clip below: 

SEE ALSO: George Lucas hasn't looked at the internet in 15 years — this is why

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