Leonardo DiCaprio Calls Gloria Stuart 'A Force'

Although they never actually appeared onscreen together in "Titanic," Leonardo DiCaprio has fond memories of Gloria Stuart, his co-star from the 1997 blockbuster who passed away at age 100 over the weekend.

"Gloria Stuart was a force both on and off screen," the actor said in a statement about the actress, who was diagnosed with lung cancer five years ago and died in her home in Los Angeles. "An amazingly sweet person, a fantastic actress, and someone who always fought for what she believed in."

DiCaprio added that he felt privileged to have worked with Stuart, who began her career in the 1930s. "She was one of the last great actresses from the Golden era of Hollywood," he continued. "I was honored to have worked alongside her. She will be missed."

In the '30s, Stuart was under contract with Universal and 20th Century Fox and acted alongside big names of the time like Claude Rains, James Cagney and Shirley Temple. But in 1939 her contract with 20th Century Fox was not renewed, and she spent a few years struggling to find work before retiring from film in 1946.

Cameron resurrected Stuart's career in 1997 when he cast her as the elder version of Kate Winslet's character Rose Calvert in "Titanic." Stuart nabbed a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nod for the role; she was 87 at the time, making her the oldest actress to receive an Academy Award nomination. Though "Titanic" won 11 Oscars, including Best Picture, Stuart lost out to "L.A. Confidential" star Kim Basinger. Stuart's "Titanic" scene was later immortalized by Britney Spears in her hit song, "Oops ... I Did It Again."

Stuart was born on July 4, 1910, in Santa Monica, California. She is survived by a daughter, four grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. "When I graduated from Santa Monica High in 1927, I was voted the girl most likely to succeed," she wrote in her 1999 memoir, according to The Washington Post . "I didn't realize it would take so long."

'Wall Street 2' Cheat Sheet: Everything You Need To Know

In the fall of 2008, a few weeks after Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and Washington Mutual collapsed — and the tenor of the U.S. financial crisis turned from panicky to nearly apocalyptic — Fox gave the go-ahead for "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."

Hooray for capitalism! There's always room for shareholders to profit from even the most dismal economic news. Two years later, with the country still shackled by high unemployment and out-of-control debt, "Wall Street 2" bullied its way into theaters Friday (September 24). The Oliver Stone-directed film arrives nearly 23 years after the Oscar-winning original. The first film also opened in the shadow of financial uncertainty, just a few months after the stock-market crash known as Black Monday. Now, as then, the timing is right for a story about greed.

Michael Douglas returns as Wall Street mover-and-shaker Gordon Gekko, fresh off a jail sentence and determined, at least initially, to expose his industry's borderline criminal excesses. Gekko is set, as well, on repairing his relationship with his daughter (Carey Mulligan), a quest that brings him into an alliance with a young trader named Jacob (Shia LaBeouf). Throughout the film, we get both MBA-level corporate discourse and you-abandoned-me familial hurt feelings.

You needn't know the first thing about a credit default swap, though, before you head to the cinema. MTV News has been betting big on this movie for years, and now we're ready to collect — and share our profits with you: Enjoy our "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps" cheat sheet.

Returning to the "Street"
Fox had been developing a "Wall Street" sequel since 2007, when the economy first began its downward spiral. A green light only came in October of '08, amid those bankruptcies and bank failures. Allan Loeb ("21") was tapped to pen the script, and Douglas was reportedly interested in reprising his iconic role.

But in February, Stone told MTV News he had dropped out of the project. "I didn't want to do another 'Wall Street' movie. I think everything I had to say came through," he told us. "I'm just not interested because it's so complex now. I don't think people can understand security derivatives."

By April, however, Stone had changed his mind. He was said to be blown away by Loeb's script and jumped at the chance to helm the sequel. It probably didn't hurt, as well, that Douglas appeared likely to return and that LaBeouf was in negotiations to join up. Josh Brolin, Carey Mulligan, Susan Sarandon and Frank Langella eventually signed on as well.

Getting Down to Business
Shooting kicked off in fall 2009, and we got our first look at Douglas and LaBeouf on set in October: the elder statesman rocking a casual-Friday look, the young buck in some designer duds. Charlie Sheen, who starred in the original, agreed to appear in a cameo for the new flick. "He came in. It was fun for a day. It was good to see him again," Douglas told us later.

The trailer dropped in January, giving us a grizzled, post-jail Gekko, copious shots of the go-go-go Wall Street and the supposition that greed, once good, has become legal. The movie debuted in May at the Cannes Film Festival.

Letting the Bulls Loose
As the release date approached, we got an opportunity to chat with the cast in New York and at the Toronto International Film Festival.

What convinced Stone to return for the sequel, he told us, was the chance to create "a completely new Gekko" and to dramatize an economic crisis he called "a heart attack, a real triple bypass to capitalism."

LaBeouf, meanwhile, was pulled in by the opportunity to work with Stone, whom he dubbed "the most dangerous filmmaker alive" in the 1980s and '90s. Plus, the actor views Gekko as even more compelling than key characters in two of his other starring franchises: Optimus Prime of "Transformers" and Indiana Jones.

"He's got more bite, he's more dangerous, he's the most dangerous of the three," LaBeouf said. "Also the most interesting, I think. There's something in how tangible and visceral it is. Whereas the other films are fantasy films where the suspension of disbelief is necessary for you to get into the movie. This isn't that. It's a very tangible world, and you're living in the midst of the twilight of American economic dominance."

Check out everything we've got on "Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

'Black Swan' Was Custom-Made For Natalie Portman

Director Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" doesn't hit theaters until December, but many of the moviegoers who were lucky enough to see the film on the festival circuit are already predicting Oscar nominations for lead actress Natalie Portman. As Aronofsky explains it, it's not difficult to understand why Portman's portrayal of troubled ballerina Nina Sayers is getting so much praise — after all, the role was constructed for Portman from the very beginning.

"Like the way we kind of knew that Mickey Rourke was going to be in 'The Wrestler' and we were able to construct the material for him, Natalie had been attached to the film for eight or nine years; so when we were thinking about it, we were thinking about Natalie," Aronofsky told MTV News about developing Portman's character. "First and foremost, we just wanted to make the character work and make sense of the character. Then Natalie, through her own work, was able to get to a place where she was able to play it."

Indeed, "Black Swan" buzz has been building for quite some time, thanks in large part to the electric chemistry between Portman and co-star Mila Kunis. But once upon a time, rumors floated around that Portman herself would portray both her own character and Kunis' — the same way that Odette and Odile are typically played by the same ballerina in "Swan Lake." And Aronofsky himself won't exactly deny that rumor.

"There were lots of different versions about what was going on," the director confessed. "It's been a long, long evolution."

In the end, Aronofsky believes that a mixture of ingredients helped to shape Portman's profound performance, not the least of which is the actress herself.

"Having a big movie star like Natalie Portman gets you a lot of advantages," he said. "People want to like her; she's very beautiful and very youthful. That helps when you start to move things towards uncertain ground and darkness."

Check out everything we've got on "Black Swan."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Green Lantern' Star Ryan Reynolds Talks Sequel Possibilities

Aside from the buzz about Ryan Reynolds' claustrophobia-inducing performance in the upcoming thriller "Buried" — for which Reynolds filmed all his scenes within the confines of a wooden coffin — the news about the actor has been almost entirely focused on his superheroic efforts in "Wolverine," a possible Deadpool spin-off and "Green Lantern."

When MTV News caught up with him recently, we couldn't help but ask about possible "Lantern" sequels, as well as which comic book authors he found most helpful in getting into the character of Hal Jordan.

"It's a pretty big universe; there's a lot to explore," Reynolds said of the "Green Lantern" sequel possibilities. "There's a lot to explore with Hal, then without him. You could do a couple movies with Hal and then move on to Guy Gardner or Kyle Rayner or any of those guys."

More "Lantern" without Hal Jordan — and Reynolds? Surely the busy actor isn't ready to give up his ring that quickly.

"Look, I'm saying in success, let's not put the cart before the horse," Reynolds said, emphasizing the fact that the first movie has to come out and be a hit before he can start talking about sequels. "In success, you do another movie, you do two, great. I think [the idea of two sequels] is fantastic, but the first one has got to land and people have got to see it and have to have that appetite for a sequel."

Fair enough. Regarding his go-to source for "Lantern" research, Reynolds cited famed DC writer/ current Chief Creative Officer Geoff Johns.

"Geoff Johns is it," Reynolds said. "His 'Secret Origins' book was the one I kind of used as the bible for this. It's an easy thing to reference, because it's an origin story as well. That was the one I sort of stuck to."

Check out everything we've got on "Green Lantern."

For breaking news and previews of the latest comic book movies — updated around the clock — visit SplashPage.MTV.com.

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Zach Galifianakis Talks 'It's Kind Of A Funny Story' Directing Duo

Zach Galifianakis is following up his star-making and outrageous role in last year's "The Hangover" with a slightly more subdued turn in "It's Kind of a Funny Story," the latest film from "Half Nelson" writer/director team Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden.

In the film, which is based on the 2006 semiautobiographical novel by Ned Vizzini, Galifianakis plays Bobby, a patient in the psych ward of the Brooklyn Argenon Hospital, who becomes a mentor of sorts to Craig Gilner (Keir Gilchrist), a potentially suicidal 16-year-old who checks himself into the hospital.

When we caught up with Galifianakis recently, we asked him how having two directors changed the filmmaking process and if he had any questions for the directing duo before he signed onto the project.

"I had a few questions. One of them was: 'When are the lunch breaks?' 'How long are the lunch breaks?' and 'Is this a Pixar film?' Because those are my three rules," he joked. "No, the script was good, I really liked the directors, and that's kind of what I based it on."

Regarding Fleck and Boden's directing style, Galifianakis said the duo were very organized yet laid-back at the same time.

"Ryan does most of the talking, and Anna is in the background a little bit," he explained. "But equally, I think they have the same amount of influence, but they're very, very good directors. They're soft-spoken and nice. It was a pleasure working with them."

"It's Kind of a Funny Story" opens in New York and Los Angeles on October 8 and also features Viola Davis, Lauren Graham and up-and-comer Emma Roberts.

Check out everything we've got on "It's Kind of a Funny Story."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Ryan Reynolds Likens Filming 'Buried' To 'A Fever Dream'

Props to Ryan Reynolds for stepping out of his standard zany comedy and blockbuster action film roles and into the intense — and claustrophobia-inducing — thriller "Buried." The entire film takes place inside a wooden coffin buried under the sand of the Iraqi desert. Reynolds plays Paul Conroy, a desperate man trying to escape, and he is the only actor shown onscreen.

When we caught up with Reynolds and his "Buried" director, Rodrigo Cortes, we wondered what kind of prep the "Green Lantern" actor did to get ready to be in that box for so long.

"This is the only film I've ever done where I did not rehearse a moment of it before stepping onto the set," Reynolds said. "I just don't know if you could. Who wants to? It would be awful to try and rehearse this at home and try to express all of these different kinds of emotions in a close-up.

"It's just something you've gotta do when you're out there, and then it will feel like a fever dream," he continued. "And that's what it was. I walked away thinking it felt like I had a weird nightmare."

So would Reynolds rather get back in a box for a sequel or do another "Van Wilder" movie?

"Gosh, that's a good question," he said. "I'll take another film in a box, because the reward is pretty great doing a film like this."

Speaking of rewards, Reynolds' director had nothing but the highest praise for his star.

"[Ryan is] an actor able to develop very deep and very committed emotions with very small things, in a very organic way," Cortes said. "It's impossible to catch him lying. He never acts; he always is. It's amazing. It's so heartbreaking."

He went on to compare Reynolds to one of the most memorable actors in Hollywood history: Cary Grant.

"He has an alien sense of timing. I haven't seen anyone like that since Cary Grant, so it's a gift for a director," Cortes said. "So from the very first moment, he was a long shot, he was going to say no, it was between 'The Proposal' and 'Green Lantern,' so come on, is he going to come to Barcelona to our little box? But for some reason, he said yes. I still wonder why."

A humbled Reynolds seemed flattered by the compliments. "That is high praise. I've taken it with a grain of salt or a crate of Valium," he laughed. "It was a unique opportunity, and I would have been a fool to not pursue this with everything I had. It was just such an amazing script with an amazing filmmaker and something that had never, ever been done before."

Watching "Buried" with an audience, Reynolds said, is as unique as filming the project. "I've never been a part of a film where you walk into the theater and everybody takes a deep breath before the credits start rolling and you don't exhale until the end," he said. "It's just amazing."

Check out everything we've got on "Buried."

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Marques Houston Talks 'Boogie Town' Sex Scene With Brenda Song

Marques Houston isn't just going to boogie on the dance floor in his new flick, "Boogie Town." He'll also be getting his boogie on with Disney star Brenda Song. You see, the two have one very steamy sex scene in the forthcoming flick. And, Houston jokes, there were no Disney suits on the set while the two got it on.

"I shot my first onscreen sex scene with the lovely Brenda Song. It was an experience," he told MTV News. "Lights, camera, action. There's cameras all around and you're trying to create a moment that looks real. We made it comfortable for each other, but it was very, very nerve-racking. I'll never forget it, and it turned out well. It was professional."

The movie is about rival dance crews that must compete in the underground world of Boogie Town because dancing has become illegal in a futuristic New York. Houston's character eventually falls in love with his rival's sister, played by Song.

Former "Sister, Sister" actor Houston, who has graduated from child star to adult star, says that the "Suite Life of Zack and Cody" actressis growing up as an actress too, thanks to her roles in "Boogie Town" and "The Social Network."

"She was wonderful. She wanted to do the role because it would be a natural transition," he explained. "I think she's making a great transition. I think people will be shocked with her performance."

Houston added that there's a lot more to the flick than sex and fancy dance moves. He described the film as "fresh and new." He explained, "I wouldn't say it's a superhero movie [but] we kind of share this energy or power that is in us. We're kind of genetically created with the dance element."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Breaking Dawn' Won't Be Filmed In 3-D

Despite the continued popularity and rush for film studios to make everything in three dimensions, "Breaking Dawn" — both Part 1 and Part 2 — will not be shot in 3-D.

Gossip Cop broke the news via a source at Summit Entertainment, the studio behind the mega-successful franchise. "Neither film is being shot in 3-D," the source told the site, adding that any other buzz from the rumor mill was "fabricated."

A rep from Summit confirmed the story to MTV News.

Although the two parts of "Dawn" will not be filmed in 3-D, this does not mean that post-production 3-D effects and/or conversion won't be added. It is reportedly too early in production for the studio to make that call.

We already know that a few of the castmembers would be up for a few 3-D elements. Kristen Stewart told MTV News in June that Bella in 3-D would be "awesome."

"I'm probably speaking out of line or whatever, but I think it would be awesome," she said. "Nobody knows what it's like to look through the eyes of a vampire. What if [Bella] opens her eyes to this extraordinary world? It could be cool."

Taylor Lautner seemed a bit more cautious about such an ambitious approach.

"Usually, 3-D is best when it takes you into another world," he explained. "I could see it going both ways. As long as we have the story line down and as long as we bring what was written on the pages in the book to life, then we'll be fine no matter what we do."

What do you think about "Breaking Dawn" not going 3-D? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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'Paranormal Activity 2' Early Screening Could Be Coming To Your City

Right around this time last year, Paramount unleashed a phenomenon via shrewd viral marketing and a very scary film, "Paranormal Activity." Oren Peli's "found footage" horror flick — with a reported $15,000 budget — went on to gross almost $200 million worldwide, the strongest budget-to-box-office earnings ratio in Hollywood history.

Naturally with that kind of reception the powers that be ordered a sequel, and that film's release date, October 22, is quickly approaching.

For fans dying to see "Paranormal Activity 2" first, before any other audiences, Paramount Pictures is hosting an evening of screening parties across the country as a thank you to fans for embracing the first "Activity." All you need to do to help bring a free screening of the film to your city is visit Eventful.com and click the "Demand It!" tab next to the appropriate city. Fans in the 20 most demanded cities will be able to see the film first, for free and with free popcorn and soda, beginning Oct 20 at 11:59 p.m.

At press time, the top 20 cities in the running for the free screenings were: Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Diego, Miami, Boston, San Francisco, Boston, Toronto, Seattle, Atlanta, San Antonio, Denver, Detroit, Las Vegas, Baltimore and Minneapolis.

Also, in case you haven't yet seen the extra-creepy trailer for "Paranormal Activity 2," check it out along with our fancy frame-by-frame trailer and easter-egg analysis.

Check out everything we've got on "Paranormal Activity 2."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Catfish' Trio Discuss Controversial Documentary's Aftermath

Audiences are still talking about "Catfish," the 2010 Sundance darling and one of the year's most heavily hyped documentaries. Now that the film has opened in select theaters across the country, more and more people are joining in on the "Is it real?" debate, as well as looking into the nuts and bolts of how the film came to be.

In brief, the documentary revolves around NYC-based photographer Nev Schulman and the series of curious events that occur when he begins an online friendship with a precocious 8-year-old artist from a small town in Michigan and a romantic relationship with her older sister.

When MTV News caught up with filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, along with Nev, we asked them — without spoiling anything — how the film's supporting characters are doing back in Michigan.

"Things in Michigan are good," Joost said. "We still have friends there, and they are becoming involved in the marketing of the film in a cool way, designing posters. We're pretty excited about that." Joost also said those friends were part of a small art show tied to the film's New York premiere.

Regarding the strong reactions both audiences and critics have had to the film, Joost said there is a common theme.

"I'd say maybe not the most common reaction, but a very common reaction is 'Wow. Now let me tell you what happened to me; let me tell you what happened to my friend or my cousin or my mom,' " he said. "It's incredible how many stories there are like this out there, and I think the film is kind of an open door to tell those stories now, that are sometimes embarrassing but often lead to good things."

Joost added that their goal in making the film was to just get people talking.

"We just wanted to start a conversation with this film and just continue the conversation we've been having in the editing room for two years," he said.

What do you think of the buzz surrounding "Catfish"? Did the film make you rethink your approach to social networking or online relationships at all? Let us know in the comments!

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Catfish' Subject Is A 'Bit More Wary' When It Comes To The Web

The much-buzzed-about little indie that could, "Catfish," is finally in theaters. Despite the unusual approach Universal took with the marketing campaign — i.e., setting up the Sundance darling as a genre or horror-like film — it is a must-see movie with a very timely and unique message.

The heavily hyped documentary revolves around NYC-based photographer Nev Schulman and a series of curious events that occur when he begins an online friendship with an 8-year-old girl and a romantic relationship with her older sister.

When MTV News caught up with the filmmakers, Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman, they addressed the persistent "is it real?" debate. A few weeks later, we had the opportunity to sit down with all three of the "Catfish" guys: the filmmakers and the movie's star/subject, Nev Schulman.

Because the film exposes a very real and, at times, emotional real-life experience related to the realm of online relationships and social networking, we asked Nev if he has since changed his virtual presence or approach (without revealing any spoilers, of course).

"Through all of this, basically, I'm trying to stay true to my regular behavior," Schulman said. "I like to take risks, putting myself out there, saying yes to things. I have certainly a new appreciation for where that can lead when it comes to the Internet," he explained. "So when it comes to meeting new people online, I'm definitely a little bit more wary now as far as getting to know them too personally before I actually meet with them in person, but as far as using the Internet and Facebook and Twitter and YouTube and having accounts on all these social-networking websites, I think it's great. I think that there's a lot of good that can come from it."

Nev Schulman added that until you really know someone, it's best to err on the private side of things. At least in the beginning of a virtual relationship — no matter if it's platonic or romantic.

"Basically, what it comes down to is, keep it private, because you can always share with people once you're ready to, but there's no reason to willy-nilly share everything about yourself with anybody."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Chris Pine Surprised By George Clooney Movie Reports

With all the high-speed Internet connections and mobile devices out there, we receive breaking news at blistering speeds these days. And in movie news, one rumor can spark a million stories. Case in point: when New York magazine's Vulture blog reported that George Clooney was planning to follow through with his plans to adapt the play "Farragut North" into a feature film, with Chris Pine attached to star.

But we here at MTV News like to take every possible opportunity to clarify or confirm rumors. And when the very pleasant Pine called to chat about his upcoming thriller "Unstoppable" a few days after the Clooney news surfaced, we had to ask his thoughts about it.

"I have, I mean, I don't know what you're talking about," he said with some hesitation.

So, we told him the short version of the story.

"Wow!" he responded, sounding genuinely shocked. "Um ... that would be another dream come true," he said, having mentioned earlier that working with Denzel Washington and Ridley Scott on "Unstoppable" was just that.

"Farragut North," written by former Democratic political operative Beau Willimon, revolves around the shady tactics a young presidential campaign wunderkind named Stephen Myers uses to get his candidate the nomination against a rival senator.

"I love that part, I love the story," said Pine, who received rave reviews in the lead role of "Farragut" onstage last year. "I think it's a wonderful, wonderful story about a really intelligent young guy who's kind of hyper-articulate, and spinning a bunch of plates at once, that's obviously hiding a lot of trauma and a lot of insecurity and a lot of hurt. And to work with George Clooney, that would be pretty f---ing awesome."

We then mentioned the report that Clooney is eyeing Philip Seymour Hoffman and Paul Giamatti as Pine's potential co-stars.

His reaction? He laughed out loud in disbelief.

"Jesus Christ! Well, you can't get better than that," he said. "I hope it works out. That would be a lot of fun."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Kanye West Reveals More Details About 'Runaway' Film

For several weeks, Kanye West fans have been wondering, "What's he building in there?" We know Yeezy has been filming some kind of movie in Prague, and based on the snippet that was debuted at the VMAs on Sunday, we know it looks arty and involves images of deer and killer explosions, but that's about it.

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Marilyn Manson 'Obsessed' With 'Eastbound And Down,' Director Says

Marilyn Manson has made a career out of creating creepy music, so it might come as a surprise to many that he has a funny side and is in fact a huge fan of the HBO series "Eastbound and Down," starring Danny McBride as Kenny Powers. Interview magazine spoke to the director of the hilarious series and learned about Manson's obsession with the show.

"Yeah, Marilyn Manson, he's f---ing obsessed with the show," David Gordon Green explained. "He goes so far as to dress up like Kenny."

"I think David's actually frightened for Danny," said Adam Bhala Lough, who is directing Manson in the flick "Splatter Sisters," due out next year. "Because Manson wants to kidnap Danny on some King of Comedy sh--. Danny should be scared.

"Whenever I see Manson, he's repeating entire chunks of dialogue and dressed like Kenny," Lough continued. "He just walks around dressed like this and f---s with people on the street. If a waiter or valet tells him, 'Have a nice day,' he'll respond, 'Don't tell me what to do.' Stuff like that. He's even dressed like this when I'm at his house watching Béatrice Dalle films and 'Hoarders.' " Lough managed to get a hold of a photo of Manson out of his makeup and dressed as Kenny Powers; the photo is featured on the Interview website.

When Manson isn't dressed up like Kenny, he's busy going back to his darker roots for "Splatter Sisters," a gory road-trip slasher. "His character is named Lars, the leader of a death metal band," Lough said. "He places two beautiful, young drifter girls under mind control to commit heinous acts of murder across the West Coast."

One of those girls happens to be his on-again, off-again fiancée, Evan Rachel Wood. "All of the slaying is for a bizarre 'art project' VHS tape," Lough said. "I'm trying to capture the look and feel of the best 'Skinemax' flicks from my childhood. Manson says he's going to holler at Elizabeth Berkley."

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'Resident Evil: Afterlife' Comes Alive At Box Office

The Box-Office Top Five

#1 "Resident Evil: Afterlife" ($10.9 million)
#2 "The American" ($1.79 million)
#3 "Takers" ($1.78 million)
#4 "Machete" ($1.33 million)
#5 "Going the Distance" ($1.30 million)

The "Resident Evil" series proved it's still filled with life at the box office. The latest installment in the undead-packed sci-fi franchise, "Resident Evil: Afterlife" pulled in $10.9 million during its first day on screens. Moviegoers checking out the return of zombie-fighter Alice (Milla Jovovich), who scours a bleak planet for survivors in the wake of a vicious virus that ravaged the globe five years earlier, placed the film at the top of the box office. Since its 2002 debut, the series has been reinvigorated with 3-D effects and, as Jovovich recently told MTV News, "In this movie, I have a lot more guns. That was fun too."

George Clooney's turn in "The American," as a hitman on the run after an assignment goes south, continued to draw action fans during its second week in theaters. Although the flick opened at #1 last week, the film was far behind Friday's box-office victor "Resident Evil," scoring $1.79 million in ticket sales.

"Takers" continued to maintain a strong presence in theaters, running neck and neck with "The American" for third place with an estimated $1.78 million in ticket sales. Moviegoers are still heading to multiplexes to catch the slick heist flick crammed with stunts that star and producer T.I. has called "outstanding."

"I think all of this is just a result of the hard work that was put into the project. Everybody gave 150 percent. Nobody laid back, nobody took off — everybody went hard. This is the result of that," the rapper and actor told MTV News in August.

The Robert Rodriguez-directed "Machete" upholds the action-heavy trend among Friday's box-office winners. Touting a diverse ensemble that includes Jessica Alba, Don Johnson and Lindsay Lohan, the flick scored $1.33 million, just squeaking ahead of sunny rom-com "Going the Distance," which kicked off its second week in theaters in fifth place with $1.30 million.

Check out everything we've got on "Resident Evil: Afterlife" and "The American."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Sofia Coppola Calls 'Breaking Dawn' Love Story 'So Romantic'

While the "Breaking Dawn" director's chair for both parts 1 and 2 is officially occupied by Bill Condon, "Twilight" fans know that there were several other high-profile names attached to the project before Condon signed on.

Among them was "Lost in Translation" and "Marie Antoinette" director Sofia Coppola. When we caught up with the writer/director to discuss her upcoming Chateau Marmont-set film, "Somewhere," we asked her if there was any truth to the "Dawn" director rumors.

"Yeah, yeah, I talked to them about that," Coppola revealed to MTV News. "I was interested in doing something but I didn't end up doing it. But I love, I'm impressed by Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattison pulling it off in that whole story," she said. "And my friend's kids love the story so much that I thought it would be fun to make something that they love so much."

Asked what she liked best about the blockbuster vampire franchise, Coppola admitted she goes weak in the knees for romance.

"I just love that it's so romantic," she told us. "I'm always a sucker for a love story and also to do something for teenagers, because I feel like, why not have beautiful cinematography and all these things in a kid movie? Usually it looks like it's not crafted very sophisticated, and I feel like it'd be nice to bring that kind of style into a younger film."

Perhaps the studio heads can line up Coppola for the talked-about film version of the "Eclipse" novella, "The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner"?

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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George Clooney's 'The American' Triumphs Over Labor Day Box Office

The Box-Office Top Five

#1 "The American" ($16.4 million)
#2 "Machete" ($14 million)
#3 "Takers" ($13.5 million)
#4 "The Last Exorcism" ($8.8 million)
#5 "Going the Distance" ($8.6 million)

As people said goodbye to summer across the country, box-office activity was relatively quiet throughout the Labor Day weekend — but many of the moviegoers who did manage to find their way into theaters made sure to honor the "American" way.

George Clooney's "The American" was the weekend's first-place finisher, yielding a respectable if not overly lucrative $16.4 million haul from Friday through Monday. The film got a head start on the competition with its Wednesday opening, bringing the moderately priced thriller's total to $19.5 million in less than a week. Made on a reported $20 million budget, "The American" is nothing short of a modest success.

Hot on the heels of "The American" was "Machete," the self-professed Mexploitation revenge flick from the deliciously deranged mind of co-director, producer and writer Robert Rodriguez. An extended version of the trailer filmed for Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's "Grindhouse," the Danny Trejo-starring "Machete" sliced and diced its way to a $14 million debut. Just like "The American," "Machete" is virtually guaranteed to recoup its $20 million production budget, and the door is wide open for possible sequels to the R-rated action movie down the line.

Rounding out the weekend's newcomers was "Going the Distance," Drew Barrymore and Justin Long's romantic comedy about a couple's struggle to maintain a long-distance relationship. Long and Barrymore's chemistry wasn't enough to go the distance, however, with the rom-com settling for an $8.6 million fifth-place finish.

Last weekend's top performers "Takers" and "The Last Exorcism" proved their staying power with $13.5 million and $8.8 million, respectively.

Upcoming Releases
Next weekend sees the return of Milla Jovovich as Alice in "Resident Evil: Afterlife," the fourth entry in the video game movie franchise directed by Paul W.S. Anderson.

Check out everything we've got on "Machete" and "The American."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Waiting For Superman' Director Hopes Film Will Help U.S. Schools

"Waiting For Superman," like "Catfish," is a documentary that came out of this year's Sundance Film Festival with major buzz. But the two films couldn't be more different. Directed by Davis Guggenheim ("An Inconvenient Truth"), "Superman" sheds a glaring and startling light on the crippling flaws of America's school system.

MTV caught up with the award-winning director while he was in the midst of a promotional blitz that has included appearances and screenings at schools across the country — one of which MTV was proud to host in conjunction with our Get Schooled campaign. Despite a hectic schedule (which explains why he didn't have the time to do that Justin Bieber concert movie), Guggenheim sat down with us to talk education reform, the reasons why MTV viewers should care about their neighborhood schools and what the average person can do to sustain the conversation he hopes to start with his film.

MTV: Why tackle this subject now?

Davis Guggenheim: Well, I'm a parent and I have three kids. I worry about what education they're going to get. ... Everyone knows the world has changed, but our schools haven't changed. They're not built to prepare our kids for this new economy. Right now, if you don't graduate high school and don't go to a four-year college, your chances are really limited. We're failing too many kids. Kids who watch MTV should be really worried about whether they're getting the right education and whether their friends and siblings are getting a good education, so they can have a good life and a piece of the American dream.

MTV: With a film like this, people feel outrage, depression, etc. What is the message or emotion you want people to take away from it?

Davis Guggenheim: There are two feelings when you see this movie. The movie climaxes in a scene where the kids I follow end up at a lottery and you realize that their future is going to be determined by how a bingo ball bounces, literally. They are there holding a card with a number, but instead of winning a lot of money, you win a chance to have a future in America, and it's heartbreaking and it's really un-American. You say, "Wait a minute. This is not our country; we shouldn't have to play bingo to get a good education." That's the harsh realization, but the other emotion that comes out of the movie is a sense of hope. In the last 10 years, there is a new generation of reformers who are doing an amazing job, in every city across the country. They're starting to break the code on how you can educate kids, even in the toughest neighborhoods. So there's a lot of hope if we focus on these reforms and smart reforms, and put away all the adult problems, we can actually start helping kids.

MTV: Is there a call to action at the end?

Davis Guggenheim: Yeah, there really is. The call to action is, "The stakes are even higher than we thought; it affects all of us. But we can do it and it takes people stepping up, being outraged, and demanding that our schools are great for every kid."

MTV: What is the first thing the average American who sees the film and wants to do something can do?

Davis Guggenheim: The first step is to be informed. What I find is that a lot of people think they know what's going on but really don't. With No Child Left Behind, you can actually go on and learn the scores of your school. But I think that the best way is to go see this movie. Like "An Inconvenient Truth," it became this primer, this experience people had and they shared with each other and became empowered to fight for change. When that happens, anything is possible. Some people might go in and tutor a kid, another might want to become a teacher, other people might want to reform their school district. That's what a film does — it creates a conversation and inspires people to incite change.

MTV: What has the response been like so far?

Davis Guggenheim: Even moreso than "An Inconvenient Truth," and I never thought I'd have an experience that would surpass "An Inconvenient Truth." But even more than [that film], there has been this rallying around the movie. Paramount, a major movie studio, decides to release it. At Sundance there were standing ovations, tears, people are coming up to me and saying "I want to help this one kid, I want to pay for their private school," "I want to reform my district." It's very exciting to see a movie like this have this effect on people.

MTV: Moving forward, aside from having made the film and getting the word out, what is next?

Davis Guggenheim: Well I'm trying to raise three good kids and make sure, even with a private school, that they have a great education. But it's not enough to make the movie, I'm on a campaign to fix our schools. ... Next month I'm in a different city every day getting people to join our conversation on how to fix our schools.

MTV: Well, now it's understandable why you were a little too busy to tackle the Justin Bieber concert movie.

Davis Guggenheim: [ He laughs. ] I think they found someone more talented than me. [But] my daughters love him and my 4-year-old still thinks she's going to marry him. ... It's so cute. I like his music.

MTV: So it was just a matter of too-busy schedules and timing?

Davis Guggenheim: Scheduling, timing and I needed to serve this movie first. I have to spend the next six months on this.

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films'biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "Waiting for Superman."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Chris Brown, Michael Ealy Interpret Final 'Takers' Scene

Chris Brown and T.I.'s new film "Takers" had another hefty haul this past weekend, bringing in close to $12 million after last week's $20 million-plus #1 finish. We've given you ample time to see it, so now we can reveal a spoiler. Warning: Stop reading now if you haven't seen the flick. We'll catch you on the rebound.

One of the climactic scenes in the film features brother bank robbers Chris Brown and Michael Ealy having a showdown with the police. The Takers' identities have been discovered, and police officers are dispatched to take them out. At the heist-master's hangout, a jazz club, Ealy arrives and learns that his girlfriend has been murdered by T.I.'s character, Ghost. Minutes later, the police amass in front of the venue. Ealy asks his brother, Brown, whether he wants to leave through the back door or through the front, where a SWAT team is waiting. The duo choose the front, and are subsequently gunned down. You don't actually see them die, but it is highly implied.

So, why not slip out through the back?

"I think it was that inevitable circumstance. We had to be like, 'You know what? We're gonna get caught, and we don't wanna do life in prison,' " Brown explained about the last scene. "We knew the risk we were taking when we did it. 'Let's go out in a blaze of glory.' "

"I had nothing else to live for," Ealy said about his character.

"Yeah. His girl was all dead," Brown added. "That's bad. He didn't wanna see me get locked up."

Ealy jokingly said his character really wanted to take an alternate escape route, but Brown's character wouldn't listen.

"I tried to tell him to go through the back door," Ealy said with a laugh. "But, even the back door, they had us surrounded. There was no getting around it."

Check out everything we've got on "Takers."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Justin Long Shares His 'Die Hard 5' Ideas

The last time we heard any news on "Die Hard 5," Bruce Willis assured us that an official green-light for the film was "imminent." Given that small but hopeful tidbit, when we caught up with Willis' "Live Free or Die Hard" co-star Justin Long recently, we had to ask whether the "Going the Distance" star had yet been approached to reprise his role in the fifth film.

"I had a meeting recently at Fox about doing a romantic [comedy]," Long recalled. "And the guy in the office next door, he was in charge of the new 'Die Hard,' [so] I said, 'Do you mind if I pop my head in?' So I met him and I was like, 'Ummm?' " the actor explained, gesturing with his hands in a motion that suggested "What about me?"

"He was equally vague in his gesture back to me," Long said. "So I didn't get a good feeling that I was going to be a part of the imminent 'Die Hard.' I don't know if I'm going to get my hands on it." He added, "I would love to."

Whether the film happens with or without Long is still up for debate. Regardless, Long offered up some unique ideas regarding a possible story line for the fifth film.

"For a while, there was talk of, they were going to combine 'Die Hard' with '24,' " Long said. "It was going to be Kiefer Sutherland's character in it [to which we responded with a very suspicious, raised brow]. I'm not kidding!" Long insisted. "I think there was a script that had been imminent," he said seriously — and then veered off course completely. "Now it's going to be 'Die Preciously Hard,' so it's going to be Gabourey Sidibe and Bruce teaming up, finally," Long joked.

Perfect. Bruce Willis and Gabourey Sidibe in a "Die Hard" movie ... it's about time!

"That's what the fans are saying, it's about time! It's 'Die Hard Based on the Novel "Push" by Sapphire.' "

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more -- updated around the clock -- visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Adam Brody Says His Kristen Stewart Comments Were 'Ungentlemanly'

It was the comment that launched a thousand hate e-mails and lit up "Twilight" message boards across the World Wide Webs. Previously adored, charming guy-next-door actor Adam Brody backhandedly told Kristen Stewart to "quit" acting if being famous bothered her so much.

The firestorm was sparked by an interview Brody gave on Diablo Cody's online chat show, "Red Band Trailer." When Cody asked Brody whether he enjoyed his celebrity or if he would prefer to be known as just "an actor," referencing Stewart's comments about wanting to be left alone, his response was a bit testy.

"It's only gotten worse, I'm sure, being a celebrity," Brody, who is in the "Scream 4" cast, said. "At the same time, I don't have a lot of patience for people who moan about it too much. Because there are many things you could do. ... It's like, quit ... you don't need to be an actor, so it's like, if it's that much of a problem ... there's the door."

And with that, the hate-on-Adam-Brody campaign began. When MTV News caught up with the man in question to talk about his upcoming ensemble flick "The Romantics," we asked him whether his response might have been taken out of context.

"I, no, I just, I, this is horrible," he started, seemingly uncomfortable addressing the hot-button issue. "It wasn't taken out of context. I saw [the episode] and thought I sounded like an idiot. I did," Brody admitted. "Regardless of how anyone else took anything, I would think that sounds very ungentlemanly and I sounded like a jackass."

A Hollywood actor who publicly acknowledges a gaffe? Well done, Mr. Brody. Points to the former "O.C." star for his honesty!

What do you think of Adam's latest response to the KStew flap? Tell us in the comments!

Check out everything we've got on "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1."

For young Hollywood news, fashion and "Twilight" updates around the clock, visit HollywoodCrush.MTV.com.

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Angelina Jolie's 'Gravity' Role Reportedly Offered To Natalie Portman

Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan" premiered at the Venice Film Festival last week, and critics are still buzzing over the ballet-centric thriller and star Natalie Portman's standout performance. Also in the news last week was Angelina Jolie's departure from Alfonso Cuaron's sci-fi drama "Gravity," in which she was set to star alongside Robert Downey Jr. With the role vacated, a long list of potential replacements surfaced, including "Swan" star Portman.

Now it seems that Portman may be the top choice to step in for Jolie. The young star received a formal offer from Warner Bros., according to The Hollywood Reporter . The next step is for her to read the script and make a decision.

"Gravity" is an "$80 million [budgeted] 3D survival story," which Cuaron will direct. The male and female leads play astronauts who are stranded after a disaster leaves their space station inoperable. Downey's role is a small one in comparison to the one Portman is now up for — the story primarily revolves around her character's desire to get back to Earth, where her daughter is waiting.

Portman already has a 2011 jam-packed with work. She'll be promoting three features — medieval stoner comedy "Your Highness," romantic comedy "No Strings" and Marvel superhero summer blockbuster "Thor" — and continuing development on the adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies," which David O. Russell is writing/directing and Portman will produce/star in. THR also reports that Terence Malick is after the young actress for a role in a "Jerry Lee Lewis-related project" that he is developing with Brad Pitt, and that Tom Stoppard is seeking her out for yet another project.

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'The American' Wins Labor Day Box Office

The Box-Office Top Five

#1 "The American" ($12.9 million)
#2 "Takers" ($11.4 million)
#3"Machete" ($11.3 million)
#4 "The Last Exorcism" ($7.5 million)
#5 "Going the Distance" ($6.9 million)

"The American" staged a last-minute takeover of the weekend box office after sliding into second place on Friday. According to The Hollywood Reporter , George Clooney's turn as a hitman dodging danger in Italy to carry out one last mission, raked in an estimated $12.9 million, besting "Machete" at the close of its first weekend in theaters.

After landing in third place on the Friday kickoff of Labor Day weekend, last week's #1 movie, "Takers" also toppled Robert Rodriguez's graphic Mexploitation pic. Featuring hip-hop and Hollywood names like Chris Brown, Hayden Christensen and T.I., the action flick about a smash-and-grab job by suave crew of thieves, snatched up $11.4 million in ticket sales for second place.

After barely edging past "The American" on Friday, "Machete" will wrap up its debut weekend right behind "Takers" with a third-place finish. Featuring Jessica Alba and Danny Trejo, and boasting a much-hyped appearance from Lindsay Lohan, the film pulled in $11.3 million.

"The Last Exorcism" held steady in the top five with $7.5 million. The fourth-place picture, which follows a film crew charged with documenting the creepy developments at a rural exorcism, has made a total of $32.3 million since hitting theaters last week.

Drew Barrymore and Justin Long's date-night pic, "Going the Distance," lagged behind stronger debuts like "The American" and "Machete." The rom-com, featuring the two real-life, off-and-on lovers playing a couple working to keep a long-distance romance afloat, rang up $6.9 million in ticket sales to land in fifth place during its opening weekend.

Check out everything we've got on "The American" and "Machete"

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Raekwon Co-Directing 'C.R.E.A.M.' Movie

2010 is turning out to be a major year for Raekwon. After pulling off successful appearances with the rest of the Wu-Tang Clan at this summer's Rock the Bells Tour and jumping on a remix of Justin Bieber's "Runaway Love" with Kanye West, the Chef has been cooking up a lot of buzz. Now, the Wu O.G. is setting his sights on Hollywood. The hip-hop luminary has revealed that he's stepping behind the lens for a new flick.

"I'm working on a movie called 'C.R.E.A.M.' that I co-directed with one of my partners. We teamed up with [Damon] Dash," Raekwon told New York Magazine in an interview published Friday (September 3). "Y'all gonna be hearing more about this movie that we're putting together called 'C.R.E.A.M.' It's called 'Cash Rules Everything Around Me.' It's a lot of things transpiring right now, but I just want to continue to stay in my zone, stay focused and keep working."

The MC didn't divulge too many details about the project, which shares its title with a classic banger from the 1993 Wu LP Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). He did, however, insist that he's going to stay behind the scenes and has no plans to appear onscreen.

"I'm playing the outskirts on this one because I kind of feel like that's where I'm at. You know, I don't know. At this point, I probably won't be in it, but we don't know," Rae said, "I want to more or less capture the scenes from the outside looking in, because I want it to be something that people say is a classic, and they respect the storyline of where we went with it."

Raekwon also announced on Twitter that fans may be getting a taste of the flick very soon. "Believe it or not hopefully this week and nyc we will be shooting a trailer for the movie C.R.E.A.M so lookout for it!" the Wu MC tweeted on Friday.

The Immobilarity lyricist said he's been looking to kick off the project for a minute and believes the time has come to make the film happen.

"This is something I've been wanting to do for a long time, even when we was making [the 2009 release] Cuban Linx II, I was already making it my business to obligate time to that, to putting the script together. It's where it needs to be right now," Rae said. "I'm just trying to be a machine. A roller coaster machine, man."

In addition to the "C.R.E.A.M." movie, Rae has been working on his upcoming effort Shaolin vs. Wu-Tang which he's planning to drop later this year.

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'Machete': The Reviews Are In!

"Machete" is everything "The Expendables" could have been but isn't: vicious, witty, funny, ridiculous, engrossing.

The sight of Sly Stallone cavorting with Dolph Lundgren and Jet Li in "Expendables" wears off pretty quickly, and what you're left with is dull dialogue, explosions-by-numbers action sequences and characters that you never get to know enough to actually care about. "Machete," by contrast, springs from the same creative well as "Expendables" — wacky and hyper-violent and fanboy-friendly — but there the similarities end. As nutty as "Machete" is, it's actually smart, with snappy dialogue, clever kills and a story line crackling with social commentary about the heated immigration debate in North America.

Why, then, did "Expendables" open to $34.8 million in ticket sales, while "Machete" won't even cross the $20 million mark over this Labor Day weekend? Credit Stallone and his '80s action pals. All we can say is that "Machete" delivers one of the most purely fun movie experiences of the summer. And most of the critics agree. Here's what they're saying about the film, which should hold the #1 box-office spot after the weekend.

The Story
"Three years after his wife and daughter were murdered by the druglord Torrez (Steven Seagal), the deadly Mexican Federale known as Machete (Danny Trejo) is working as a day laborer when he's hired to assassinate the racist Texas Senator McLaughlin (Robert De Niro) in a plot to take down the network of illegal immigrants by the mysterious Shé. With the help of an immigration agent (Jessica Alba), a cook named Luz (Michelle Rodriguez), his preacher friend Padre (Cheech Marin) and a socialite named April (Lindsay Lohan), Machete must get to the bottom of the Senator's plan to put up a fence separating the United States and Mexico." — Edward Douglas, ComingSoon.Net

Machete Himself
"Danny Trejo plays the long-haired, craggy-faced titular Machete with a combination of swift ferocity and baleful kindliness. And the ladies love it. ... Trejo invests his character with an engaging blend of swagger, gravity and terse humor. When Alba's INS agent instructs him to contact her, he snarls, 'Machete don't text.' It's an instant catchphrase." — Claudia Puig, USA Today

The Supporting Players
"Other bits that get a giggle are the casting of action-icon Steven Seagal as a Mexican drug lord and Robert De Niro as a murderously xenophobic U.S. senator whose abortive assassination Machete is framed for, setting the bloody, ridiculous plot in motion. You read that right. The Academy Award winner — De Niro, not Seagal — tears into the part of Texas Sen. John McLaughlin with all the relish and finesse of a starving man given a burrito. He has great, messy fun playing a corrupt politician whose aide (Jeff Fahey) arranges for him to be shot at in order to stir up anti-Mexican sentiment, and get him reelected. So, for that matter, does Cheech Marin as a foul-mouthed, gun-toting priest. He's Machete's brother. What did you expect? But just wait until you see Lindsay Lohan. Playing a campier, trampier version of herself — or at least her tabloid image — she at one point gets to dress up as a nun and shoot people. Don't ask. It's complicated (not to mention fairly random). For much of the rest of her 'performance,' she's naked." — Michael O'Sullivan, The Washington Post

The Dissenters
"An aggressively overstated mashup of testosterone-fueled melodrama, comically exaggerated violence and babe-o-licious action femmes, 'Machete' marks yet another attempt by multihyphenate Robert Rodriguez to simultaneously revive and burlesque the excesses of '70s exploitation pics. Heralded three years ago with a fake trailer in 'Grindhouse,' then developed into a standalone feature, this slam-bang B-movie pastiche is wildly uneven as it doggedly strives (sometimes with obvious strain) to sustain a free-wheeling, anything-goes air of exuberant junkiness." — Joe Leydon, Variety

The Final Word
"[R]est assured that the political satire and commentary merely provide backdrop for flying bullets, swinging blades, spurting arteries, naked babes and tough-guy one-liners ("Machete don't text" is tattoo-worthy). The film takes absolutely wild-eyed delight in viscera, gore and grotesquerie (to wit, one poor fellow's intestine is used as an escape rope, while another man is quite explicitly crucified). ... You can't always count on Rodriguez to get the balance of lunacy, competence and coherence right. But here he more or less gives you exactly what you were looking for: 100 or so minutes as bloody, excessive and ridiculous as those initial 150 or so seconds." — Shawn Levy, The Oregonian

Check out everything we've got on "Machete."For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Danny Boyle Says 'The Wrestler' Inspired His '127 Hours'

At the 81st Academy Awards in early 2008, Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" took home eight awards, including Best Director, while Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" lost both categories in which it was nominated.

But that didn't stop Boyle from wanting to emulate Aronofsky's cinematic approach for his next project. Thus, "127 Hours" follows one central character, in much the same way that "The Wrestler" focused on Mickey Rourke's damaged grappler. Boyle's new film is based on the true story of an avid outdoorsman who becomes trapped under a boulder in the wildness and is forced to saw off his own arm to escape. James Franco plays the unfortunate hiker.

The film is one that Boyle has wanted to make for years. Only after virtually sweeping the Oscars, and being inspired by Aronofsky's style, though, did he move forward with the project. As part of MTV News' Fall Movie Preview, Boyle called us to chat about how his career has changed since "Slumdog," the challenges of making a film about a man who can't move, and why "127 Hours" may not be the ideal date movie.

MTV: How are you?

Danny Boyle: Good. We're mixing "127 Hours" at Pinewood, and we've been kicked out of the big theater by "Harry Potter." We're next door in the little theater.

MTV: I guess if you're going to be kicked out by anybody, they have a big thing going on.

Boyle: They're not even here! Do you know what they do? It's a big bank holiday this weekend here in Britain, and we're working right through the weekend to get it ready, and what they do is they book the theater for months and nothing happens! It's like, "Really?"

MTV: Well, it is great to talk to you. So, you had, you know, a little bit of success with "Slumdog Millionaire." Coming off of that, why this one?

Boyle: I'd always wanted to do it. The story has an instant tension that draws everyone's attention to it. So many people remember it vaguely. But it wasn't that. I wanted to make the film and I tried to get it going. Of course, it's a tough subject, but I had a way of doing it that wasn't what you think. It would be compelling and would occupy you completely as a viewer so that the whole barrier — it's just one guy stuck in one place — that wouldn't become an issue because you'd be with him. You would be him, in effect. That was always my take on it.

Anyway, once "Slumdog" kicked off, [producer] Christian [Colson] and I thought, "This is our chance to make this." There's no other moment in our careers when we'll get a chance to make something like this, which is really a tricky prospect for any studio or financier. So we worked on it, we prepared a script, and then we had to find an actor. That's the key to this. Beyond our vision of it, you have to have someone who's not only going to share the vision but actually going to carry it much more than any film like "Slumdog" or a thriller or a big love story or anything that has a plot or the dynamics changing between two people. It's just one guy. We got Franco. He's amazing in it.

MTV: There are a couple ways to go off something like "Slumdog." Either you go with the project you've been wanting to make, or I'm sure you were offered every project under the sun.

Boyle: I don't think like that. It's such an amazing thing that happened that you have to take advantage in the right way. It's why we wanted to get ["127 Hours"] ready for Toronto, because that's where we started with "Slumdog." We wanted to take back there a film that had been made in its shadow. It's wonderful to do that, because suddenly it's not an intimidating shadow, it's liberating because it's a success that's allowed you to make something you've always wanted to make and you believe but wouldn't get made otherwise. Even though people, before they see the film, might think it a peculiar choice, but the film is really accessible. Whether they can get people into [the theater], I don't know. If you want to take a girl on a Friday and say, "What should we go and see?" it's tough to say, "It's a film about a guy who cuts his arm off. What do you think?" But once you're in there, it's a big story for everyone. It's a very universal thing.

MTV: What are the challenges for you as a filmmaker, keeping things dynamic, and the challenges for an audience? Do you imagine them feeling what Franco is feeling for the length of the movie?

Boyle: I always thought of it as the opposite of inert. Superficially, it looks inert, because he's stationary. But I'd always thought of it as an action movie. He can't move, but it's an action movie. That's what we've tried to do. I'm not going to brag now. You guys will have to decide whether we've succeeded or not, but that was the intention. I remember when we were doing "Slumdog," and Darren Aronofsky showed up with "The Wrestler." It's one of those films that you look at as a director and think, "That's it. You just follow this one actor around." It's different from his other movies, and it's different from my other movies, but I wanted to make one like that, where it's just you and an actor.

MTV: I heard you talk about the videos that the hiker, Aron Ralston, took when he was stuck, and how he changed over those few days as he became dehydrated. Was the physical transformation difficult for Mr. Franco? How do you accomplish that in the film?

Boyle: You can't, because you can't do it safely. It's not like carbohydrate loss. You hear about an actor losing weight or putting on weight for parts. You can't do that, because it happens over six days. He starts as an incredibly healthy young man and then this footage I saw by the end, when he'd been without water, the difference is shocking. It's a vanishing. The only way you could do it is through CG, and we didn't want to take that approach. We didn't want to use makeup, but so much of the film is so close. It's an intimate film. We tried to shoot in sequence to let James internally track it. We've not been able to move stuff. He was there for six days, and we'd go, "Can you move that line from day two to day four?" You can't move it, because the journey is no nuanced. He becomes completely different. He's a different person on each day. We've done it through James, rather than CG or weight loss.

MTV: What about the moment when he slowly cuts off his own arm? How long a sequence is that in the film? How much do we see and experience?

Boyle: It takes him 45 minutes in reality. It is in the film, obviously. The time it takes is respected by the filmmakers. We don't cut away, pardon the expression, and come back and it's gone. But it is cathartic, and that's the key thing. The whole idea of the film is you enter the journey with him and you don't cut away to a lot of people looking for him. It's an immersive experience, and it's cathartic when he does it because it's a relief for everyone and a triumph in some way as well.

MTV: In terms of the music, it's A.R. Rahman doing the score again after "Slumdog." Can you speak a little about what he's done?

Boyle: We've got a couple of songs, and the rest of the work is more guitar-based. Some of it is solo guitar, which felt appropriate given the nature of the story. Got a couple of wonderful songs. Free Blood ("Never Hear Surf Music Again") at the beginning, which we used for the trailer. Music has always been a big part of a movie for me, and I hope we've done another one justice we've what we've used.

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "127 Hours."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Camp Rock 2' Cast Excited For Musical Showdown

Before the summer ends, the Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato will return to the wilderness one more time in "Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam." While on "Good Morning America" and on tour, they've teased fans with new songs from the movie's soundtrack. But what's the most exciting thing about the flick itself? MTV News caught up with some of the "Camp Rock 2" stars to find out.

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'Skyline' Director Is Proud Of His Alien Effect

The geeks packed into the San Diego Convention Center in July were prepared for "Green Lantern" and "Thor" and "Captain America." They knew to expect lots of cool footage and A-list panels, and their expectations were more than fulfilled. What almost no one had on their radars was "Skyline," an independent alien-invasion flick that swooped into Comic-Con virtually unnoticed and came away with the some of the festival's most positive buzz.

Greg Strause, who co-directed the flick with his brother and fellow founder of visual effects house Hydraulx, said that he met that skeptical-turned-astonished viewpoint again and again during the production process.

"People would be like, 'What are you doing next?' " he told MTV News. "And we'd be like, 'Shooting this little indie we're financing ourselves. We're shooting it in my house.' So you tell all these people, and they say, 'Oh, that's cute.' And when they actually see it, their jaws drop."

Among the jaws that dropped were those at Sony Pictures, which had hired Hydraulx to do effects work on "Battle: Los Angeles." Both films feature aliens invading Los Angeles, and Sony accused Hydraulx of stealing equipment and ideas for use on "Skyline," according to TheWrap.com. Those are charges Strause strenuously denies.

"It's total bullsh--," he said. "We work on a movie with aliens involved with it, if not every year, then every other year. We worked on 'Avatar,' 'The Day the Earth Stood Still,' 'Invasion.' It's all about aliens. That's what our company does. And everyone knows that."

Strause and his brother, Colin, directed the much-derided "Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem," and Greg finds it particularly frustrating to be the target of such accusations at a time when one of his directorial projects is finally getting such great buzz. "Colin and I catch a lot of crap for 'AVPR,' " he said. "And ['Skyline'] is us. It's us."

What the brothers have accomplished is no doubt impressive. Inspired by Oren Peli's "Paranormal Activity," they set out to make a low-budget version of an alien invasion movie that never once felt low-budget. Aided by the capabilities of their effects company and top-of-the-line digital cameras, they holed up in a house in Marina del Ray, California, and filmed the bulk of their story, which focuses on how a group of friends react to the arrival of nefarious aliens. The finished film contains 800 visual effects and employed just one day of green-screen work.

"We have a character drama that plays out in this claustrophobic space," Strause explained. "Whenever we do leave the space, we have huge shots. The teaser [trailer] is the big, epic, visual side of it. When you see the next trailer, you'll get a sense of the claustrophobic, character side."

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Wes Craven Praises Young Additions To 'Scream 4' Cast

Wes Craven fans have a lot to be excited about these days, as the beloved writer/director has not one, but two highly anticipated projects on his plate, the first of which is a horror/thriller due October 8.

The second project is "Scream 4." the long-awaited fourth chapter in Craven and screenwriter Kevin Williamson's hugely popular franchise, which not only reunites the original cast (David Arquette, Neve Campbell and Courteney Cox), but includes a slew of popular young stars, including Emma Roberts, Hayden Panettiere, Anna Paquin, Kristen Bell, Rory Culkin, Shenae Grimes and Lucy Hale.

When we caught up with Craven to discuss "My Soul to Take," we couldn't help but prod the man in charge for some "Scream 4" scoop, beginning with how he managed to assemble his original stars.

"Well, I could take credit for it, but it wouldn't be accurate," he said.

By the time Craven was asked to direct, Dimension studio head Bob Weinstein had already secured Cox, Arquette and Campbell.

"It was just a matter of me saying, 'Sure,' " Craven added.

For the director, the allure of rejoining the team to work on a good script was icing on the cake.

"I think all of us wanted to do something written by Kevin [Williamson] and to work together again," he said. "We all had such wonderful times on the first three. It has been a return to a great deal of fun — just the pleasure of working together again. We know each other inside and out. There's a lot of shorthand and a lot of fun memories from our past escapades."

Regarding the new additions to the franchise, Craven was full of praise for his young stars.

"The young cast is amazing," he said. "They're extremely bright and a very varied cast. ... They're just great to work with. It's fun to be doing that combination of the sort of classic actors of the first three and this new group of kids. [They] have very different and fresh personalities and great acting talent."

And what about the plot? How does it fit within the franchise, and how does it differ?

"It's a clear and/or pretty well-known [fact] that it's a return to Woodsboro for Sydney Prescott, who is Neve's character," Craven said. "Courteney and David have, as they did in real life, have gotten married and are living in Woodsboro, so it's the story of Sid's return to Woodsboro and the series of events that take place there where those three are thrown together in a wild and crazy way, and then a group of kids that get meshed in the plot."

Speaking of that group of kids, Craven went on to say that managing the appearances of all his young stars — most of whom are speculated to be making quick cameos — has been a pleasure rather than a headache.

"Well, that's the great joy — it's fun," he said. "A lot of these actors I didn't know that well or have not worked with most of them, or any of them, as a matter of fact," Craven explained. "They always say, 'It's great working with you. I've wanted to work with you for a long time,' but it's wonderful working with actors like this that are very young and have a large following already because of their talent, and just to spend one or two days with them to do these kind of set/bit pieces is a lot of fun."

With regard to those one- or two-day roles, we tried to get Craven to reveal a few specifics about two recently announced "guests" in particular: Anna Paquin and Kristen Bell.

"I don't know what I'm allowed to say," he laughed. "They do have a very significant and exciting role in the film, let me put it that way."

What do you think of the star-studded "Scream 4" cast? Who do you think will be the villain? Tell us in the comments!

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "Scream 4."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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'Harry Potter,' 'Tron,' 'True Grit' Top Celebs' Fall Movie Wish List

MTV News' Fall Movie Preview Week has been chock-full of the juiciest exclusive goods any eager moviegoer could hope for. Chills (courtesy of Wes Craven's "My Soul to Take"), thrills (thanks to Chris Pine talking about Tony Scott's "Unstoppable") and exclusive stills. There was also some interesting talk about the secrets of onscreen nudity and post-production nipple addition (thanks, "Machete" cast!).

In celebration of the upcoming season of highly anticipated films, we've compiled a little list of the films the Hollywood set is most anxious to see.

"I am a huge Harry Potter nerd," Chloe Bridges ("Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam") told us at the premiere of the Disney sequel. "To obnoxious levels, it's kind of sad, you have no idea, but yeah, I'm very excited for it. Part 1 of 'The Deathly Hallows'!"

" 'Tron' for sure," director M. Night Shyamalan said of the film he's most looking forward to. "Because I don't know what it's going to be, and that's so exciting. I know it's based on the original movie, but I'm starving for original stuff as an audience member," he said.

"Gulliver's Travels" star Jack Black begged to differ on the "Tron" excitement, however.

"Yeah, that one's not gonna be any good," he said. "I don't wanna see that." And moments later Black changed his tune. Literally. He busted out a few bars of the original "Tron" theme for us.

"Look, I'm a 'Tron' guy," Black confessed. "Yeah, I like 'Tron.' I played the 'Tron' video game when I was a kid. Yeah! I'm in, I'm a nerd."

Black went on to say that he is equally excited for Jeff Bridges' other fall film, "True Grit."

"Jeff Bridges plus the Coen brothers equals genius," he said. "If you saw 'The Big Lebowski,' you know what I'm sayin."

"Somewhere" director Sophia Coppola also expressed enthusiasm for "True Grit," as well as Darren Aronofsky's "Black Swan."

"I'm excited to see 'Black Swan,' and I know the Coen brothers have a movie coming out," she said. "It's always fun this time of year to go to the movies because there's so much to see."We couldn't agree more!

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'The Last Exorcism' Leads The Way At The Box Office

[ Editor's note: After this story was published, recalculated box-office numbers put "Takers" over "The Last Exorcism," with $20.5 million to the horror movie's $20.3 million. "Takers" star T.I. called MTV News to thank fans for making his heist flick #1. ]

The Box-Office Top Five
#1 "The Last Exorcism" ($21.3 million)
#2 "Takers" ($21 million)
#3 "The Expendables" ($9.5 million)
#4 "Eat Pray Love" ($7 million)
#5 "The Other Guys" ($6.6 million)

It was a close weekend race at the box office, but in the end the powers of evil overtook the powers of, well, less evil. The Eli Roth-produced, Daniel Stamm-directed horror mockumentary "The Last Exorcism" took the #1 position this weekend with $21.3 million in ticket sales spread out over 2,874 screens. Trailing only slightly behind in the #2 position was the heist flick "Takers," with a take of$21 million from 2,206 screens.

Even though it emerged on top, "Exorcism" is a bigger winner than it seems to be. While no budget has been reported, the single camera format, absence of big stars and minimal special effects couldn't have driven the film's cost very high. Even factoring in marketing — which has been largely focused online with viral campaigns like — a $20+ million box-office take is a considerable win.

"Takers," by comparison, boasts a star-studded ensemble that draws from both Hollywood and the music biz. Chris Brown and T.I. star alongside Hayden Christensen, Idris Elba, Matt Dillon and Zoe Saldana in a crime drama about a high-level, high-stakes bank robbery. The film's budget is reported to hover around $20 million.

It's a sharp dip after that for positions three through five, which are filled by movies that came out earlier in August. The action throwback "The Expendables" came in at #3 with $9.5 million, slightly more than half of what it earned last week. Still, with a total gross of roughly $82 million — more than double its reported budget — in just 17 days, the Sylvester Stallone-directed/ written/ starring flick is no small success.

Spots four and five went to a pair of Sony releases, "Eat Pray Love" and "The Other Guys," which brought in $7 million and $6.6 million, respectively. The surprise for the weekend was the theatrical re-release of "Avatar." Opening on roughly 800 screens with the benefit of 3-D and an added nine minutes of footage, the movie only managed to pull in $4 million, good enough for a #12 spot on the weekend list.

Check out everything we've got on "The Last Exorcism,""Takers" and "The Expendables."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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Mandy Moore's 'Tangled' Heroine Not 'Typical Disney Princess'

While the fall-to-Thanksgiving film season is usually rife with Oscar bait, it's also prime time for releasing family films. One such movie is the highly anticipated "Tangled," Disney's updated and traditionally animated take on Rapunzel, starring the vocal talents of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi.

Kicking off our Fall Movie Preview, we bring you a delightful chat we had with the ever-gracious and lovely Moore, during which she discussed non-typical femmes fatales, singing in front of a 65-piece orchestra and Levi's powerful pipes.

MTV: How is Rapunzel different from the typical femme-fatale characters?

Mandy Moore: She's not the typical femme fatale or the typical Disney princess even, because: A) She doesn't know she's a princess. I think she sort of has this inkling that something isn't quite right in her life, [but] she's just really sort of motivated to find out what else is out there beyond this crazy tower she's lived in for 18 years. Having said that, she's very independent, she can take care of herself, and she's definitely come up with really entertaining ways to keep herself busy.

MTV: Is the Disney take on Rapunzel the same as the original fairy tale?

Moore: Pretty much. She has an overprotective mother who tells her she's not missing out on anything, and it's a big bad world out there and it's too scary and dangerous and she'll be eaten alive, literally, if she decides to venture out into the world.

MTV: What was your reaction to Disney changing the film's original title, in an effort to lure in more young boys?

Moore: I think I was initially a bit taken aback, only because people know the story of Rapunzel, so when you say you're working on "Rapunzel," it's sort of a no-brainer, you don't have to explain it to people. But as the title sort of sunk in, I understood the decision behind changing it. The movie is so great and so cute, and people are going to see the trailer and know what the story is about. I guess you sort of have to leave it up to the brains at the top. They know what they're doing.

MTV: What can you tell us about this particular story? Can you tease any romance?

Moore: She sort of comes face to face with this stranger who precariously ends up in her tower, and he's very handsome [and] he knows it. He's quite the ladies' man, if you will. Somehow, they get roped into going on this adventure together and start to see a different side of one another, and potentially a romance ensues. There's [also] a few musical moments.

MTV: What was that experience like, recording with legendary Disney composer Alan Menken?

Moore: That was fun. I'm definitely the quintessential girl who grew up watching "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aladdin" and the like, so it was probably one of the coolest things I've done thus far, being in the studio with Alan Menken and a 65-piece orchestra. It was such a moment in time. I kept telling myself: "Just be in the moment. Remember this. You're going to want to think about this for years to come." It was really magical and sort of everything you'd want a Disney animated experience to be. As one of the players involved, I was like, "Oh my God!" ... To watch it all come to life, because so much of your job — you're looking at storyboards, you're having things explained to you, but there's nothing tangible to see or get, it has to form in your imagination, which is one of the slightly taxing parts, but also the most fun — to get to be a kid again and go into the depths of your imagination and play around. This, being there with the orchestra and hearing the score sort of come to life and what the feel of the movie was going to be at different parts was like, "Oh, OK, now I really get what we're doing." So that was definitely a moment for me. It was the first time I met Zach [Levi].

MTV: Does Zach actually sing in the film?

Moore: He does, and he's amazing! Oh my God, we had one rehearsal before we went into the studio, and I was so interested [in him], because they wanted to cast actors in the roles who could also sing, and I had no idea that he sang, and it turns out he's like a big musical-theater nut and had that in his background. He has a beautiful voice, but he has the perfect voice for something like this. He's such a sweet guy, and he's so funny in the movie, but I think his voice will astonish people, like, "Wow, where did that come from?"

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "Tangled."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

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