Fantastic Four News

Now that the smoke has cleared on many of Hollywood's day-and-date action films - which have invaded international territories with mixed results this summer - a pair of slow-rolling family films are quenching audiences' thirsts for something less bombastic. Moviegoers are responding less enthusiastically to "Batman Begins" and the like than they did last year to "Spider-Man," "Harry Potter" or Jesus Christ, leaving studio executives scratching their heads. Over the last three weeks, family movies have dominated internationally. Warner Bros.' "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" led the way last weekend, with nearly $20 million; UIP's "Madagascar" took the previous two weekends against action films "Fantastic Four" and "War of the Worlds." The trend mirrors one in the U.S. in which audiences seem drained by the spate of superheroes and spaceships that have lately been flying by. (Last weekend, at the U.S. box office, four of the top five movies were not actioners but films ranging from gross-out to romantic comedy.)

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When Fox claimed an international box office victory over the weekend for its superhero movie "Fantastic Four," the chest thumping was premature. The film was actually edged out by UIP's "Madagascar," meaning the animal toon movie topped all competition - including UIP's "War of the Worlds" - for the second week in a row, continuing to corral family biz in an action-heavy market. (Buena Vista Intl.'s "Herbie: Fully Loaded" and Warner Bros.' "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" remain in limited release overseas.) A Monday morning reversal of fortune hasn't happened internationally since Buena Vista Intl.'s surprise Vin Diesel breakout "The Pacifier" proved to have edged out UIP's political thriller "The Interpreter," back in April.

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"Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "Wedding Crashers" held on in their second weeks, topping a quartet of new titles, including a disappointing debut for "The Island." Warner Bros. reported "Charlie" grossed $28.3 million, which was off 50% from its opening, to bring its total to $114.1 million. Meanwhile, New Line's "Crashers" held on extremely well, off just 23% to $26.2 million. The comedy has now grossed $80.9 million. DreamWorks' "The Island" posted a disappointing $12.1 million from 3,122 playdates. That put the movie at No. 4 and is the lowest debut on helmer Michael Bay's resume -- lower even than the $15.5 million opening posted by "Bad Boys in 1995. The estimate on "Island" was a hair lower than the third week of 20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four," which brought in $12.3 million. Paramount's remake of "Bad News Bears" opened at No. 5 with $11.2 million, playing at 3,183 theaters. Paramount Classics' "Hustle & Flow" did well in its first week. Released with a 1,013-theater run, the movie grossed $8.1 million to land in seventh place on the box office chart.

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The major studios are not experiencing a box office slump. Thanks to a potent first quarter that has offset a weak summer, the majors have taken in $4.333 billion at the domestic box office. Through the same point in 2004, their box office receipts had amounted to $4.301 billion. This weekend, total box office of $148.9 million -- led by the surprising $56.1 million bow for 20th Century Fox's "Fantastic Four" -- was higher than last year's figure, if only by the slimmest of margins. The weekend-to-weekend comparison has never been the best measure of box office strength (during the so-called "slump" there have actually been several weeks, for instance, where 2005 has outpaced 2004), but the streak has been the basis for many cavalier pronouncements that Americans were no longer interested in going to the movie theater. So, why is total box office down for the year? Look at the indies. Last year, because of the runaway success of "The Passion of the Christ" and "Fahrenheit 9/11," independent distribs took in $633 million through the second weekend of July. This year, without a blockbuster to match those titles, the sector has grossed $189 million, a difference of more than $440 million. That shortfall is the sole explanation for why this year's box office is trailing 2004 by 8.4% or $4.522 billion to $4.934 billion.

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Forced to move off the Fourth of July by "War of the Worlds," 20th Century Fox fields its "Fantastic Four" this weekend at 3,602 theaters. Disney, meanwhile, counterprograms with its horror movie "Dark Water" at 2,657 locations. Even though "Four" is now facing off against the second weekend of Paramount and DreamWorks' "Worlds," there's a bit of a contest for the No. 1 spot. The Steven Spielberg-Tom Cruise alien invasion film grossed $64.9 million over the Friday to Sunday portion last weekend, meaning a 50% second-week dip would put it around $32 million this weekend. Most industry estimates have "Four's" opening slightly higher, but it could end up being close. Tracking on "Four" shows its audience is strongest among males, though it's pretty even between those both over and under the age of 25.

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Fox brass is surely hoping that the "Fantastic Four" preem on Liberty Island on Wednesday night was no harbinger of future success. The first premiere held out by Lady Liberty went from bad to worse with weather and technical difficulties wreaking havoc on the schedule before the screening was cancelled altogether. Guests were scheduled to arrive on the island by 7 p.m. and film's cast by was to arrive at 7:30, with screening to begin at 9. Shortly after 6:30, just as a ferry dropped off at least 150 members of the New York press, a torrential downpour put plans on hold, stranding guests on the mainland and the press and publicists under a wooden, sideless roof on the island.Fox toppers and cast, including Tom Rothman, Hutch Parker and Ioan Gruffudd, holed up in the Ritz Carlton hospitality suite and debated moving preem to Regal Cinemas Battery Park, before electing to go ahead with Liberty Island, where a barbecue, outdoor stage and fireworks show were already set up. Cast didn't show until almost 9, and by then workers had successfully toweled down all the seats and repainted the splotchy screen, which had sent a torrent of white paint into the gutter during the storm. Rangers, ferry workers and SWAT team members, all working overtime, looked on as the reasonably good-natured guests waited for another hour while film's actors and producers ran through the press line. The screening finally got under way around 10:20, after a fireworks show, only to have the projector break down 10 minutes later. The antsy crowd rushed to fill the two boats heading back to shore. The film's actors, such as Jessica Alba and Michael Chiklis, had to hitch a ride back on the same ferry, though they were cordoned off from the hoi polloi on the ship's prow.

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Julian McMahon will go from playing a master of plastic surgery to Dr. Doom, a villain who truly needs some. The "Nip/Tuck" star will play the venerable villain in "Fantastic Four," 20th Century Fox's film adaptation of the Marvel Comics franchise. Doom, a crazed scientific genius who hides his scarred face behind a metal mask, goes up against the title quartet.

Fox has nearly found its "Fantastic Four." The studio has signed Michael Chiklis to play Ben Grimm/the Thing, Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic and Chris Evans as Johnny Storm/the Human Torch. And Jessica Alba, currently shooting Dimension's "Sin City," has emerged as most likely to play Sue Richards/the Invisible Woman, though Rachel MacAdams and Keri Russell are also candidates.

"Barbershop" director Tim Story will helm Marvel Comics' "The Fantastic Four" at 20th Century Fox. Shooting is set to begin as early as August on the pic, which follows the exploits of venerable Marvel Comics characters Reed and Sue Richards, Benjamin Grimm and Johnny Storm -- better known to comics fans as Mr. Fantastic, the Invisible Woman, the Thing and the Human Torch. Budget is estimated at between $85 million and $90 million, according to insiders.

Peyton Reed ("Bring It On") has been brought on to develop and direct "Fantastic Four" for 20th Century Fox. Although the project has been in development at Fox for several years, with scripts written by Sam Hamm ("Monkeybone") and Philip Morton and story credits going to Michael France ("GoldenEye") and Chris Columbus, the producers and Reed are currently seeking a new writer.

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