Tuesday, December 28, 2010

'Family Guy' Exclusive: Nine Minutes Of 'Star Wars' Parody 'It's A Trap!'

Back at San Diego Comic-Con this summer, "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane showed off a first-look at "It's a Trap!," the final installment in the animated series' parodies of the "Star Wars" franchise. But unless you were lucky enough to be sitting in those hallowed, geek-filled halls, you've barely seen anything from the hour-long episode, which tweaks "Return of the Jedi" to hilarious effect.

That's why MTV News is happy to present nine minutes from "It's a Trap," which hits DVD and Blu-ray Tuesday. "It's more of exactly the same kind of jokes you've seen in the other two," MacFarlane deadpanned in a Comic-Con chat with us. "So if you like those, this is the same and you'll enjoy it just as much."

That's just a bit of an understatement, but it's also true: The third episode is no letdown from the first two. Once again, young Chris Griffin plays Luke Skywalker. He's joined by Peter as Han Solo, Lois as Princess Leia, Brian as Chewbacca, Stewie as Darth Vader and all manner of other "Family Guy" characters in various roles. (Paraplegic Joe as Jabba the Hut? Well played!)

"It's a Trap!" begins exactly as the episodes that preceded it, with a LOL-tastic take on the "Star Wars" franchise's iconic opening crawl: "Luke Skywalker has returned to his home planet of Tatooine in order to — okay, you know what, we don't care. We were thinking of not even doing this one. Fox made us do it ... I'm sorry. I took a muscle relaxer earlier and it's kicking in."

From there it's off to the Death Star. We see Solo getting a fart-filled release from his carbonite prison, Meg Griffin as the multi-tentacled sarlacc beast, a Stormtrooper bicycle chase, and appearances from "American Dad!" characters Roger the alien and Klaus the fish in "Jedi" character. Random cameos include Pee-wee Herman, Ted Knight ripped from "Caddyshack" footage and the boogie-woogie piano stylings of Ray Charles. The whole production has never looked better. As MacFarlane explained, "It's definitely the most visually stunning of all of the ones we've done."

Just don't expect the "Family Guy" guys to attack the three newest "Star Wars" flicks. Says MacFarlane, "I would rather chew broken glass."

What did you think of the "It's a Trap!" teaser? Let us know in the comments!



‘Star Wars’ Series To Be Re-Released In 3-D

'Tron Legacy' Star Olivia Wilde Talks Sequel Plans

We've long known that Disney has been positioning "Tron Legacy" as the first installment in a revamped take on the dude-gets-sucked-into-a-computer concept the studio pioneered in the early 1980s. Back in April, eight months before the new film was set to hit theaters, news broke that a script for another film already was in the works.

" 'Legacy' definitely ends in a way that there are opportunities to continue the story," producer Justin Springer told MTV News at the time.

Now that "Legacy" has hit the multiplex and the public at large has gotten a chance to see the fresh take on "Tron," the question becomes:Where will the story go from here? We recently asked Olivia Wilde, who plays the digital creature Quorra.

Beware of major spoilers below!

As we find out at the end of the film, Quorra departs the computer world and materializes as a human being in the real world for the very first time. Wilde told us that if a sequel kicks into gear, fans should expect the story to mine her fish-out-of-mainframe tale.

"I'm so thrilled to play with Quorra in the human world. It would be sort of like 'Splash,' " she said, referring to the '80s comedy starring Daryl Hannah as a mermaid unleashed in Manhattan. "I want to see her whispering to laptops and hugging toasters. ... There's a whole other chapter ahead."

Fans should also stay tuned for further development of Cillian Murphy's character. Murphy plays Edward Dillinger, a rising star at ENCOM, the tech company at the center of the franchise's mythology, and the son of one of the first film's key villains. Murphy shows up in just one scene in "Legacy," but his role is likely to expand in the future.

"Cillian Murphy we were so lucky to have in this film. His part in 'Tron Legacy' is so mysterious and cool," Wilde said. "His role really fits into the mythology of 'Tron,' the corrupt environment of ENCOM. It just shows you that this fight is far from over."

Check out everything we've got on "Tron Legacy."

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



Nicolas Cage Says ‘Ghost Rider’ Sequel Will Offer A ‘Very Fresh Take’

'Tron Legacy' Claims Friday Box Office Crown

"Tron Legacy" is on track to turn the Disney sci-fi series into a money-making franchise.

The sequel to the innovative 1982 video-game fantasy flick snagged the top spot at the Friday box office. Jeff Bridges returns as a gifted programmer whose unexplained disappearance prompts his son, played by Garrett Hedlund, to venture into the computer world to search for him. The film ventured into theaters on opening day with $18 million.

Another visual effects extravaganza, "Yogi Bear," debuted in the top five as well, scoring the second-place slot. The CGI-enhanced revamp of the beloved animated Hanna-Barbera series, which features Dan Aykroyd and Justin Timberlake voicing the picnic-basket-snatching duo or Yogi and Boo Boo, grabbed $4.6 million on Friday.

Debuting nationwide in third place is the pugilism drama "The Fighter." Mark Wahlberg's portrayal of scrappy Massachusetts-born welterweight boxer Micky Ward, which is backed by performances from Christian Bale and Amy Adams, nabbed $3.9 million on Friday.

"Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" headed into the weekend closely behind "The Fighter" with $3.5 million. The glossy onscreen adaptation of the classic literature series has pulled in an estimated $33.9 million since hitting theaters last week.

Rounding out the top five is the star-studded romantic comedy "How Do You Know." Boasting a top-flight lineup that includes Jack Nicholson and focuses on Reese Witherspoon, Owen Wilson and Paul Rudd who are caught up in an increasingly messy love triangle, the flick picked up $2.5 million as it headed into the weekend.

Check out everything we've got on "Tron Legacy,""Yogi Bear" and "The Fighter."

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



‘Chronicles Of Narnia’ Journeys To Top Of Friday Box Office

'Pink Panther' Writer/Director Blake Edwards Dies At 88

Blake Edwards, the highly regarded director behind "Breakfast at Tiffany's" and many of the "Pink Panther" films, died Thursday (December 16) at the age of 88, according to Variety.

Edwards began his career in Hollywood in the mid-1940s, when he co-wrote a Western called "Panhandle." He went on to write several other films and created a popular radio series, "Richard Diamond, Private Detective." He assembled a résumé of feature-film directing credits as well, but his first breakout success came on the small screen in 1958 with "Peter Gunn," a TV series about a detective that was known for its Henry Mancini score.

At the turn of the decade, he hopped into the director's chair for "Breakfast at Tiffany's" after John Frankenheimer dropped out. The movie became a critical and box-office smash, earning five Oscar nominations, including one for Audrey Hepburn. The next year, Edwards directed another Oscar-nominated flick, the drama "Days of Wine and Roses," which nabbed five nods.

Over the course of his career, Edwards would garner one Oscar nomination (in 1982, for writing "Victor/Victoria") and an honorary Oscar in 2003 "in recognition of his writing, directing and producing an extraordinary body of work for the screen."

After mixing dramatic and comedic work, Edwards turned his energies toward slapstick comedy, co-writing and directing 1964's "The Pink Panther" with Peter Sellers as Jacques Clouseau in what became an iconic recurring role for the actor. Edwards would go on to direct other films in the series, including "A Shot in the Dark," "The Return of the Pink Panther" and "The Pink Panther Strikes Again."

Born in 1922, Edwards had a son and daughter with his first wife before they divorced. He married "Mary Poppins" star Julie Andrews in 1969 and the couple adopted two Vietnamese children. Andrews and his children were reportedly by his side when he died.

Share your well-wishes for Edwards' family in the comments.



Dino De Laurentiis, Oscar-Winning Film Producer, Dies At 91

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

'Chronicles Of Narnia' Opens With $24.5 Million

It appears that fantasy trumped finesse at the weekend box office.

The whimsical "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" beat the sleek espionage thriller "The Tourist." The third installment of the classic book series' reimagining onscreen rang up $24.5 million in theaters over the weekend.

Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp's sexy caper through Paris and Venice, "The Tourist," arrived in second place. Despite the 'incredible chemistry' between the screen stars director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck spoke to MTV News about, Jolie and Depp's rapport was not enough to overtake the fanciful adventure and technological brawn of "Narnia," making $17 million its debut weekend.

Disney's "Rapunzel" revamp, "Tangled." continued to charm audiences, finishing the weekend in the third-place slot. The movie, which boasts voiceover performances from Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, scored $14.6 million its third week on screens. The flick's total estimated tally now stands about $115 million.

In a top-five lineup big on big-budget fantasy flicks, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" continued to stack box-office cash, coming in fourth place. The seventh film in the "Potter" series nabbed another $8.5 million over the weekend. The figure nudges the movie's total estimated gross to a lofty $257 million.

"Unstoppable" refused to quit at the box office, maintaining a top-five presence during its fifth week in theaters. The Denzel Washington vehicle picked up around $3.8 million over the weekend. The film's total estimated haul now stands at about $74 million.

Check out everything we've got on "Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of Dawn Treader,""The Tourist" and "Tangled."

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



‘Chronicles Of Narnia’ Journeys To Top Of Friday Box Office

'Chronicles Of Narnia' Journeys To Top Of Friday Box Office

It looks like Liam Neeson's globe-trotting efforts to pin down the correct feline sensibilities for his role in "Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" were not in vain. Neeson recently told MTV News that he traveled to Africa to observe real-life lions to help craft his portrayal of a CGI jungle monarch in the fantasy flick, and when the film hit theaters Friday it ruled the box office. The third installment in the series opened at the top spot, picking up $8.2 million.

Behind "Narnia" is another hotly anticipated debut: Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp's Europe-based caper "The Tourist." Even though Jolie's large brood teased her "funny" accent in the flick, the camera-friendly A-listers' thriller arrived in theaters in second place. The film, which also features Paul Bettany and Timothy Dalton, kicked off the weekend with $6.1 million.

The animated family-friendly flick "Tangled" continued to nab moviegoers at the box office. Disney's reimagining of the classic fairy tale "Rapunzel," which features the vocal talents of Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi, raked in $3.4 million at the box office. Friday's haul pushes the film's total estimated gross to $104 million.

"Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 1" added a few coins to its already stuffed bank on Friday, coming in fourth place. The latest flick in the blockbuster wizard saga pulled in $2.4 million, a figure which nudges the "Potter" tally to around $251 million.

"Unstoppable" still pumped along in theaters, coming in fifth place on Friday. Denzel Washington and Chris Pine's locomotive thriller rang up around $1.2 million in ticket receipts as it entered the weekend. The film's total estimated gross now stands at about $71 million.

Check out everything we've got on "Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of Dawn Treader,""The Tourist" and "Tangled."

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



‘Jackass 3D’ Crowned Friday Box-Office Winner

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Mila Kunis Bans Her Dad From 'Black Swan' Sex Scenes

It seems the only thing anyone can talk about when it comes to "Black Swan" is the much-hyped sex scene between Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis. Even Kunis and her dad found themselves discussing the nitty-gritty details.

Their conversation amounted to this: Mr. Kunis was banned from watching the scenes in question.

"He was like, 'I don't think I should see the movie,' " Kunis told MTV News. "I was like, 'See the movie. There's going to be a point; get up and leave.' "

And so that's exactly what happened. When the no-holds-barred sex session came up — a scene Portman previously told us was "not explicit in any way," but which is undeniably steamy — Kunis gave her dad the signal, and off he went. "I don't think any dad should see. It's just not necessary," she explained.

While Kunis avoided some familial awkwardness in that situation, she's found it more than a little uncomfortable to constantly discuss the sex scene with the press. "Doing [the scene], you never judge your character, so you always have justification for it," the 27-year-old said. "When you do it, it makes sense while you're doing it. You don't feel like it's you doing it."

She added, "The more I talk about it, the more I have to think about it. We never discussed it. It was like the pink elephant in the room that was never touched upon until it was the day to shoot. Then we just did it really quickly and called it a day."

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

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



Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis Support Co-Star James Franco As Oscar Host

Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis Support Co-Star James Franco As Oscar Host

News broke Monday morning that Anne Hathaway and James Franco had been tapped to host the 83rd annual Academy Awards, but those reports never reached two of Franco's co-stars.

That evening, at the red-carpet premiere for "Black Swan" in New York, MTV News asked Natalie Portman, who stars alongside Franco in the upcoming comedy "Your Highness," what she thought of the hosting news.

"I didn't hear about that!" she told us. "That's awesome. That's really cool."

Earlier in the day, Franco's "Date Night" co-star Mila Kunis (who also happens to star with Portman in "Black Swan") stopped by the MTV Newsroom, and when we asked for her thoughts on the Oscar development, she too confessed she hadn't heard.

"What? That's awesome," she said. "I think they're going to do a great job."

Both women will likely be on hand for the festivities, as "Black Swan" is a front-runner to nab nominations in a slew of categories, from Best Picture to Best Actress for Portman. There's even an outside chance Kunis could reel in a Best Supporting Actress nomination. Franco, meanwhile, has been a leading contender for an acting nod based on his turn as a trapped hiker in "127 Hours." How his hosting duties will affect his chance of receiving a nomination and then winning the award is anyone's guess.

All Portman knows is that with Franco and Hathaway emceeing the ceremony, the 83rd Oscars should be a whole lot more entertaining than past versions of the show.

"That'll be more fun to watch than usual," she said.

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

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



Dino De Laurentiis, Oscar-Winning Film Producer, Dies At 91