The Green Hornet

Weekend Box Office – CONTRABAND Scores $24.1 Million; THE DEVIL INSIDE Gets Exorcised

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: January 15th, 2012 at 9:02 am

Even with Saturday’s family trade and higher ticket prices, Disney’s 3D re-issue of Beauty and the Beast could not catch Contraband this weekend. From its 2,863 locations Universal’s R-rated drama took in an estimated $24.1 million – a figure well above early expectations for the Mark Wahlberg vehicle.  The other BIG news is the changing fortunes of last weekend’s number one film, The Devil Inside.  Estimates have taken the film from number six – down to number eleven – and back up to number seven all within an hour.  We’re hoping to get it right this with this one but, keep in mind, it’s all estimates until Monday morning…

	Title	Weekend	Total
1	Contraband	$24,100,000	$24.1
2	Beauty and the Beast 3D	$18,490,000	$18.4
3	Mission: Impossible 4	$11,500,000	$186.7
4	Joyful Noise	$11,345,000	$11.3
5	Sherlock Holmes 2	$8,410,000	$170
6	The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo	$6,800,000	$87.9
7	The Devil Inside	$7,900,000	$46.2
8	Alvin and the Chipmunks 3	$5,800,000	$118.7
9	War Horse	$5,600,000	$65.7
10	The Iron Lady	$5,386,000	$5.9

Seth Rogen on a GREEN HORNET Sequel: ‘Not Any Time in the Foreseeable Future’

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: September 25th, 2011 at 5:43 pm

With Michel Gondry’s Green Hornet taking in almost $230 million worldwide (before home video), it is one of those films that could easily get a sequel.  After all, studios are always looking for franchises, and I’m sure Sony was hoping Green Hornet would be a big enough hit that everyone involved would want to make another one.  So when I sat down with Seth Rogen for 50/50 at the Toronto Film Festival, I asked about the status of a Green Hornet sequel.  He told me:

“Not any time in the foreseeable future.  It’s just not something we’re interested in right now.  It’s a lot more fun to make cheaper, much dirtier movies.”

Hit the jump for more.

THE GREEN HORNET Blu-ray Review

by Jennifer Smith    Posted: June 6th, 2011 at 4:03 pm

It is really difficult to reboot a franchise that was already kind of boring to begin with. The original Green Hornet 60s TV series, though it boasts incomparable Bruce Lee as Kato, was deadly dull. In fact, the only episode that is somewhat worthwhile isn’t an episode of The Green Hornet at all, but a Batman episode called “Batman’s Satisfaction” (1967). In the story, our visiting heroes Green Hornet (Van Williams) and Kato (Bruce Lee) battle the Dynamic Duo (Adam West and Burt Ward), Kato squaring off against Robin. God bless Burt Ward, but after seeing Bruce Lee fight just once, even pulling his punches for the camera, it’s pretty clear who would win the battle. The Batman scene ends in a draw, but was originally written with Robin prevailing over Kato. Upon seeing the original script Bruce Lee refused to allow Kato to lose the fight to Robin, and it was rewritten the way it was shot, even-Stevens. As if.  My review of the Green Hornet remake starring Seth Rogen and Jay Chou after the jump:

Weekend Box Office – RIO Takes Top Perch with $26.8 Million; MADEA’S BIG HAPPY FAMILY a Close Second with $25.8 Million

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: April 24th, 2011 at 9:50 am

On Easter weekend the animated hit Rio managed to hold on to its number one perch for a second weekend in a row with an estimated $26.8 million.  The padding between Fox’s birds and the Tyler Perry’s bawd was pretty slim, however.  In second place Madea’s Big Happy Family was right behind Rio with an estimated $25.8 million.

	Title	Weekend	Total
1	Rio	$26,800,000	$81.3
2	Madea’s Big Happy Family	$25,800,000	$25.8
3	Water for Elephants	$17,500,000	$17.5
4	Hop	$12,500,000	$100.5
5	Scream 4	$7,100,000	$31.1
6	African Cats	$6,400,000	$6.4
7	Soul Surfer	$5,600,000	$28.6
8	Insidious	$5,380,000	$44.1
9	Hanna	$5,275,000	$31.7
10	Soul Surfer	$5,060,000	$44.6

Weekend Box Office – HOP Has 2011′s Best Debut with $38.1 Million

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: April 3rd, 2011 at 9:58 am

Universal’s Hop has just earned 2011’s highest debut weekend – if today’s estimate of $38.1 million from 3,579 locations proves accurate. For now the three-day estimate for the live-action/CGI-animated comedy stands less than one million ahead of Rango’s record from five weeks back.

	Title	Weekend	Total
1	Hop	$38,100,000	$38.1
2	Source Code	$15,000,000	$15
3	Insidious	$13,500,000	$13.5
4	Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2	$10,200,000	$38.3
5	Limitless	$9,400,000	$55.6
6	The Lincoln Lawyer	$7,050,000	$39.6
7	Sucker Punch	$6,085,000	$29.8
8	Rango	$7,560,000	$113.7
9	Paul	$4,335,000	$31.9
10	Battle: Los Angeles	$3,500,000	$78.4

Weekend Box Office – RANGO Has Biggest Debut of 2011 with $38 Million; THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU Strong in Second with $20.9 Million

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: March 6th, 2011 at 9:45 am

Paramount did not quite reach the $50 million they were hoping for with their PG toon Rango.  With an estimated $38 million from its 3,917 locations, however, the 2D animated feature did manage to top The Green Hornet to become the biggest debut of 2011 so far.

	Title	Weekend	Total
1	Rango	$38,000,000	$38
2	The Adjustment Bureau	$20,900,000	$20.9
3	Beastly	$10,100,000	$10.1
4	Hall Pass	$9,000,000	$27
5	Gnomeo & Juliet	$6,900,000	$83.7
6	Unknown	$6,620,000	$53.1
7	The King’s Speech	$6,501,000	$123.8
8	Just Go With It	$6,500,000	$88.2
9	I Am Number Four	$5,702,000	$46.4
10	Justin Bieber: Never Say Never	$4,325,000	$68.8

Weekend Box Office – THE RITE Stays On Top with $15 Million; The Mechanic Ties for Third with $11.5 Million

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: January 30th, 2011 at 10:11 am

After finishing in first on Friday, The Rite stayed on top with a three day estimate of $15 million from its 2,985 locations.  No Strings Attached followed in second place, holding on to 58% of its first weekend total.  The Mechanic opened in third for the weekend with $11.5 million, a figure that was well above most projections for the R-rated action film.

	Title	Weekend	Total
1	The Rite	$15,000,000	$15
2	No Strings Attached	$13,700,000	$39.7
3	The Mechanic	$11,500,000	$11.5
4	The Green Hornet	$11,500,000	$78.8
5	The King’s Speech	$11,100,000	$72.2
6	True Grit	$7,600,000	$148.3
7	The Dilemma	$5,470,000	$40.6
8	Black Swan	$5,100,000	$90.7
9	The Fighter	$4,055,000	$78.3
10	Yogi Bear	$3,165,000	$92.5

Weekend Box Office – NO STRINGS ATTACHED Stays On Top with $20.3 Million

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: January 23rd, 2011 at 10:30 am

After just one weekend of excitement surrounding the release of The Green Hornet, the box office reverted to more modest numbers this weekend.  As the week’s sole new release the romantic comedy No Strings Attached came out on top, bringing in a higher than expected total estimated at $20.3 million from its 3,018 locations.

	Title	Weekend	Total
1	No Strings Attached	$20,300,000	$20.3
2	The Green Hornet	$18,100,000	$63.4
3	The Dilemma	$9,720,000	$33.3
4	The King’s Speech	$9,100,000	$58.6
5	True Grit	$8,000,000	$138.6
6	Black Swan	$6,200,000	$83.5
7	The Fighter	$4,515,000	$73
8	Little Fockers	$4,390,000	$141.1
9	Yogi Bear	$4,060,000	$88.8
10	Tron Legacy	$3,700,000	$163.2

Friday Box Office – NO STRINGS ATTACHED Debuts in First with $7.3 Million

by Nicole Pedersen    Posted: January 22nd, 2011 at 9:19 am

Being the only major wide release of the week has its benefits.  Despite the recent radioactivity of the romantic-comedy genre, No Strings Attached managed a first place debut on Friday with an estimated $7.3 million from its 3,018 locations.  Considering that that estimate is nearly equivalent to the first weekend total of the box office’s last romantic comedy release – Sony’s How Do You Know – No Strings Attached is looking like a winner for Paramount.  The weekend projection for the film is now about $18 million, meaning it is poised to top The Green Hornet for the weekend crown.  Last weekend’s big winner fell to number two on Friday with $5.1 million for an eight day total of $50.4 million.  Full details on the weekend box office tomorrow.

	Title	Friday	Total
1	No Strings Attached	$7,300,000	$7.3
2	The Green Hornet	$5,100,000	$50.4
3	The Dilemma	$3,000,000	$26.6
4	The King’s Speech	$2,100,000	$51.5
5	True Grit	$2,000,000	$132.6

Evan Goldberg Exclusive Interview; Covers THE GREEN HORNET, SAUSAGE PARTY, NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH, and His Untitled Cancer Dramedy

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 18th, 2011 at 7:47 am

With The Green Hornet currently the number one movie in America, it’s time to post the final interview I got to do at the press junket and it’s with co-writer and executive producer Evan Goldberg.  While Seth Rogen gets a lot credit for Superbad and Pineapple Express, both were co-written and executive produced by Evan Goldberg.  He’s Rogen’s partner in crime and a major component in his success.

Anyway, what’s great about talking with Goldberg is that he’s brutally honest.  When I asked him about the online buzz for Green Hornet, he didn’t shy away from talking about it.  In addition, we also talked about what Sally Menke did on the film before she died, deleted scenes, what changed by doing test screenings, what are his motivations right now for making future decisions, and I got updates on future projects like Sausage Party, Neighborhood Watch, his Untitled Cancer Dramedy (previously called Live With It and I’m With Cancer), and a lot more.  If you’re a fan of any of the projects I mentioned, I think you’ll really enjoy the interview.  You can either watch the video or read a transcript after the jump:

Weekend Box Office – THE GREEN HORNET Stings With $34 Million; THE DILEMMA Frets Over $17.4 Million

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: January 16th, 2011 at 10:04 am

January generally isn’t the time for the studios’ best and brightest, but that changes for the Martin Luther King holiday weekend.  This year, Sony successfully pitched the superhero comedy The Green Hornet, which won the weekend with $34 million.  Universal didn’t do quite as well with their high profile release The Dilemma, which came in second with $17.4   million.  Details after the jump:

	Title	Weekend	Total
1	The Green Hornet	$34,000,000	$34.0
2	The Dilemma	$17,418,765	$17.4
3	True Grit	$11,200,000	$127.4
4	The King’s Speech	$9,070,000	$44.6
5	Black Swan	$8,125,000	$73.0
6	Little Fockers	$7,137,582	$134.2
7	Tron Legacy	$5,674,000	$156.9
8	Yogi Bear	$5,125,000	$82.1
9	The Fighter	$5,125,000	$65.8
10	Season of the Witch	$4,500,000	$18.0

Friday Box Office – THE GREEN HORNET Defeats THE DILEMMA With $11.1 Million

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: January 15th, 2011 at 9:04 am

Around Christmastime, we heard The Green Hornet was tracking surprisingly high for a January release.  Could the superhero film really do big business in a desolate box office winter?  The answer is… well, kind of.  The Green Hornet won’t break the record for opening weekend in January nor the Martin Luther King holiday record set by Cloverfield in 2008.  But the film sits comfortably atop the box office charts with a solid $11.1 million on Friday.  The Dilemma had a harder time finding an audience despite its marketable pedigree.  Vince Vaughn.  Kevin James.  Ron Howard directing.  How can you lose?  Still, The Dilemma scored just $6.1 million on Friday, which should make for a moderate opening weekend.  True Grit, The King’s Speech, and Black Swan round out the top five in demonstration of what January is truly good for: catching up on Oscar contenders.  Check back tomorrow for full details.

	Title	Friday	Total
1	The Green Hornet	$11,100,000	$11.1
2	The Dilemma	$6,100,000	$6.1
3	True Grit	$3,200,000	$118.4
4	The King’s Speech	$2,500,000	$38.0
5	Black Swan	$2,400,000	$67.3

THE GREEN HORNET Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: January 14th, 2011 at 8:46 am

Last year on our podcast, Running Dialogue, /Film’s Russ Fischer described Iron Man 2 as a “happy drunk”, which was a fitting description for the sloppy, yet joyful superhero movie.  I would like to steal his phrase and begrudgingly give him credit as I think Michel Gondry’s The Green Hornet is a happy drunk as well as a happy stoner and at times a happy cokehead.  The film is colorful, vibrant, and has enough of Gondry’s stylistic flourishes without becoming oppressively whimsical.  Even when the film starts to drag or the plot becomes muddled and we’re forced to spend time with underdeveloped characters, Seth Rogen’s infectious enthusiasm keeps the mood of the picture light and fun even though his character is an unethical, egotistical jerk.  The Green Hornet is a film that succeeds in spite of itself and it’s a happy drunk that won’t leave you with too much of a hangover (despite the unnecessary 3D).

Exclusive: Producer Neal Moritz on THE GREEN HORNET, BATTLE: LOS ANGELES, and His Thoughts on Comic-Con

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 13th, 2011 at 7:24 pm

Last weekend I sat down with producer Neal Moritz to talk about his latest movie The Green Hornet (which is a lot of fun).  Since we covered so many of his projects during the interview, I decided to break up the conversation by movie.  I started with the Total Recall news (Colin Farrell is starring, films in Toronto, not in 3D), then we covered Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Killer, Ryan Reynolds R.I.P.D., and Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum’s 21 Jump Street, and yesterday’s installment was about Fast Five and future sequels. Now, with The Green Hornet getting released, it’s time for the last part of the interview and covers The Green Hornet, Battle: Los Angeles, and his thoughts on Comic-Con.

The main thing I wanted to ask him about were his thoughts on all the buzz on his film.  Because if you’ve been reading cyberspace, you know Green Hornet has been the subject of a lot of speculation.  Moritz told me that the most frustrating part was that no one had seen the film, so everyone was wondering where the buzz was coming from.  In addition, we also talked about what Sally Menke did for the film before she died and how Battle: Los Angeles has been going. We ended the interview talking about Comic-Con.  Specifically, does doing great at Comic-Con mean anything at the box office.  Hit the jump for the interview:

Michel Gondry Exclusive Video Interview THE GREEN HORNET; Plus an Update on His Animated Noam Chomsky Documentary

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 12th, 2011 at 8:19 pm

With Sony’s The Green Hornet arriving in theaters this weekend, I got to sit down with the cast and the filmmakers on the Sony lot last weekend.  Over the past two days I’ve posted  Seth Rogen/Cameron Diaz and Jay Chou (Kato). For tonight’s installment, I’ve got director Michel Gondry.

What I especially loved about talking to Gondry was how relaxed it was.  When I sat down, I noticed that he’d created a Green Hornet TV microphone flag and attempted to run the interview like we were on TV.  It’s how the interview started and ended.  Which was very different and a lot of fun.

Anyway, during our extended conversation we talked about his haircut (really), the buzz on Green Hornet, what did editor Sally Menke bring to the film, how he edited a very cool scene, what might be on the DVD/Blu-ray, and he gave me an update on his animated documentary that he’s doing on Noam Chomsky. So what are you waiting for, hit the jump to watch, read or listen to Green Hornet TV with Michel Gondry!

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