Stan
Lee Media sues Disney for billions over Marvel copyright
et al - 10th October 2012
Pop
culture and comic icon Stan Lee fighting Disney re
Marvel; Not a Marvel video game!; Stan Lee takes gamble
on legal fight with Disney...
Stan
Lee Media (SLM) has launched info a multi-billion
dollar legal lawsuit VS entertainment and media giant
Disney claiming the entertainment king does not own
the rights to the Marvel Comics characters depicted
in its films. Huge claim, we know.
The
company, which Stan Lee himself is no longer associated
with, claims that the comic book icon signed over
the rights to the superheroes and villains he created
to its corporate predecessor in a deal inked back
to 1998.
SLM
claims that an amended version of that agreement was
filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission
in March 2000 - that's almost a decade before Disney
acquired Marvel Entertainment, online publisher Deadline
reports.
The
company is seeking $5.5 billion in damages, an amount
calculated based on the profits from movies such as
The Avengers, X-Men: First Class and Thor, as well
as the Broadway musical Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark.
These are some of the most popular movies of the current
Hollywood era.
"Defendant
The Walt Disney Company has represented to the public
that it, in fact, owns the copyright to these characters
as well as to hundreds of other characters created
by Stan Lee," read SLM's complaint.
"Those
representations made to the public by The Walt Disney
Company are false."
Disney,
which acquired Marvel in a massive financial deal
in 2009, is yet to respond to the allegations.
Stay
tuned to the Media Man agency for more news as it
comes to hand true believers.
News
Media
Man Entertainment News: WWE, Wrestling, Movies, Hollywood,
Casino and more - 4th September 2012
Entertainment
news, WWE, Hollywood, Australia, Sin City, Las Vegas,
gaming and more...
What
an exciting time for entertainment, movies, gaming
and wrestling fans. WWE just completed its Australian
RAW live world tour, Aussie Russell Crowe just got
rescued in New York while boating (publicity stunt)?,
Bwin.Party
has just released a new game, and you must check out
the new Marvel Heroes online game. We've also got
Hollywood box office reports, pro wrestling scoops,
celebrity news and lots more. The Media Man agency
with the latest...
WWE Studios 'The Day' positive movie reviews...
"The
Day" hit theaters this week and the positive
reviews are in on WWE Studios and Anchor Bay Films'
chilling horror film about a day in the lives of a
group of people living in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Variety
by Marc Graser
"
'The Day' is one of the most effective horror movies
made in years, successfully delivering a feeling of
dread that so many films in the genre lack these days,
along with a unique story and captivating characters.
Douglas Aarniokoski doesnt take the easy out
in his direction and never relies on camp or amps
up the gore quotient to thrill audiences. Hes
an impressive filmmaker who is worth keeping an eye
on."
HollywoodLife.com
by Russ Weakland
"WWE
Studios and Anchor Bay Films have always delivered
films all over the spectrum and with 'The Day' they
continue to entertain us with a story of humanity
torn by war, destroying civilizations and most of
all life on earth, which makes those that are the
survivors realize they must do whatever it takes to
stay alive." ...
"So
if you want to go out and see a film that will make
you think and give you some jumps and chills 'The
Day' is your movie. You will not be disappointed!"
The
Los Angeles Times by Mark Olsen
"Luke
Passmore's screenplay is stingy with his explanations
about who these people are or how the world came to
be in this state, and that turns out to be one of
the film's greatest strengths." ...
"As
Mary, the most recent enlistee to the tribe, [Ashley]
Bell has a secretive reserve and steely resolve."
The Rock 'foils would-be burglars in London'...
The
Rock has apparently foiled an attempted burglary in
London.
The
actor - also known as Dwayne Johnson - was working
on his new movie Fast and Furious 6 in Hackney when
he spotted the group of would-be thieves as they attempted
to break into vans.
Johnson,
who was dressed as an FBI agent for filming, was said
to have abandoned a fight scene mid-take in order
to confront the group.
"It
was so funny. The Rock looked like an action hero
because he had his flak jacket on and an FBI badge
in his hand," an insider recalled to The Sun.
"All of a sudden, there was loads of gunfire
and this giant dressed as a copper was about to mow
them down. The lads jumped out of their skin and scarpered
down the canal path and left the crew in peace.
"It
was like the Only Fools [and Horses] 'Batman' sequence
- they must have thought they were in the middle of
a real-life action movie."
The
source also quipped that the crew have suggested that
actor - wrestler Johnson should be single-handedly
responsible for security on the Fast and Furious 6
set.
The
source said: It was so funny. The Rock looked
like an action hero because he had his flak jacket
on and an FBI badge in his hand. All of a sudden there
was loads of gunfire and this giant dressed as a copper
was about to mow them down. The lads jumped out of
their skin and scarpered down the canal path and left
the crew in peace.
It
was like the Only Fools Batman sequence they
must have thought they were in the middle of a real-life
action movie.
Now
the crew are joking that they should drop security
and just have The Rock do it.
Dwayne Johnson wards off burglars...
London
- Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson scared off a gang of would-be
thieves on the set of his latest film.
The
40-year-old actor spotted a group of youths breaking
into a warehouse in Hackney, East London while filming
The Fast and the Furious 6 and stormed off the set
mid-scene - dressed in full FBI agent costume - to
chase the burglars away.
A
source told The Sun newspaper: "It was so funny.
The Rock looked like an action hero because he had
his flak jacket on and an FBI badge in his hand.
Quick
thinking
"All
of a sudden there was loads of gunfire and this giant
dressed as a copper was about to mow them down.
"The
lads jumped out of their skin and scarpered down the
canal path and left the crew in peace. They must have
thought they were in the middle of a real-life action
movie.
"Now
the crew are joking that they should drop security
and just have The Rock do it."
The
former wrestler managed to prevent the theft of expensive
equipment thanks to his quick thinking and his impressive
6'5" frame.
The
Fast and the Furious 6 also stars Vin Diesel, Paul
Walker and singer Rihanna, who is set to play a villain
in the popular film franchise.
Box Office results for new WWE movie...
WWE
Studios's latest movie, "The Day," drew
an estimated $10,100 in its first full weekend in
theaters. The movie, which was shown in 12 theaters,
ranked 52 out of 54 movies tracked over the weekend,
according to BoxOfficeMojo.com. (Pro Wrestling Torch)
- U.S news report
No Holds Barred star facing prison time...
Tommy
"Tiny" Lister, who was back in the spotlight
this summer when WWE re-released "No Holds Barred"
on DVD, faces up to five years of prison time for
alleged mortgage fraud. Lister, who played Zeus in
the WWE movie, pled guilty to "conspiring to
commit mortgage fraud" in federal court on Friday,
according to a TMZ report.
According
to the plea agreement, Lister and other individuals
conspired to obtain mortgages worth $5.7 million,
costing lenders $2.6 million. Lister was also accused
of defrauding lenders of another $1.1 million. Lister
is due back in court in September for sentencing,
which could be up to five years in federal prison.
David Otunga talks WWE and movies...
WWE
wrestler David Otunga said in a recent interview that
he hopes to eventually advance to the top of the card
in WWE. "I am very goal oriented and want to
see my character go to the top. I am hoping to have
the creative freedom to do that and let it pan out
the way I would like. Its exciting for sure
and hopefully in the next few weeks my character continues
to grow," Otunga told ChicagoNow.com promoting
Monday's Raw.
Otunga
also discussed his recent movie role for WWE Studios's
"The Hive." Otunga said, "The film
was unbelievably fun because it came to me second
nature. With the WWE, the acting classes, and the
improv I do it was very easy to blend in. The only
major difference was me having to shave. I havent
shaved in many, many years but it had to be done and
it helped me get into character."
WWE Interested In Lingerie Football Star...
The
WWE NXT website has added a profile for Summer Rae
and in that profile they acknowledge her past career
with the Lingerie Football League. On a related note,
WWE apparently has interest in another LFL star -
Zipporah Chase.
Charleston
Post & Courier columnist Mike Mooneyham's Sunday
column features a review of a new NWA documentary,
"History and Tradition: The Story of the National
Wrestling Alliance," which focuses heavily on
the history and prestige of the NWA World Title. The
story also reviews the current state of the NWA, which
is being re-organized by R. Bruce Tharpe after buying
the rights to the organization. Included are quotes
from PWTorch senior columnist Bruce Mitchell on the
history of and state of the NWA and his view on whether
the organization has a place in today's wrestling
era.
Batista big media tour next week...
PROVIDENCE,
R.I. (Aug. 31, 2012) Former six-time World
Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) champion Dave Bautista
is coming to Providence on Friday, Sept. 7, 2012 to
kick off his press tour in anticipation of his professional
mixed martial arts debut, presented by Jimmy Burchfields
Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc., in association
with June Entertainment and 4zero1 Entertainment Group
on Saturday, Oct. 6, 2012 at The Dunkin Donuts
Center on Direct TV Pay Per View.
Fridays
tour will culminate with a live meet-and-greet and
autograph signing in downtown Providence (time and
venue to be determined) followed by a second public
appearance at Vanity Restaurant & Lounge, located
at 566 South Main St., Providence, at 11 p.m. (EST)
Bautistas opponent, Rashid Evans of Newburgh,
N.Y., will also be attendance.
Specifics
on Bautistas appearance will be released Tuesday.
Both appearances are open to the public and both fighters
will be available for media interviews.
Tickets
for Real Pain, starring Bautista, are
available through www.ticketmaster.com or at The Dunkin
Donuts Center Box Office and are priced at $20.00,
$35.00, $55.00, $75.00, $125.00 and $250.00. The show
features 14 bouts, including the return of John Doomsday
Howard (17-7, 6 KOs), a Boston native and veteran
of seven UFC bouts; nine-time UFC veteran David Loiseau
(20-10, 13 KOs) of Montreal; Providence lightweight
Mike The Beast Campbell (11-4, 7 KOs),
a former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) contender;
Woonsocket, R.I., bantamweight Andre Soukhamthath
(2-1, 1 KO); and Pawtucket, R.I., middleweight Todd
The Hulk Chattelle (10-7, 8 KOs). Real
Pain will also be available on Direct TV Pay
Per View for $29.95. (U.S report)
WWE News: Jericho details WWE's lack of long-term
planning & day-of-TV-changes in interview on his
2012 WWE run...
In
an interview with the Busted Open satellite radio
show, Chris Jericho highlighted WWE's lack of long-term
planning and changes on the day of TV tapings, which
has been exacerbated by Raw shifting to three hours,
in a review of his 2012 WWE run.
Notably,
Jericho said he did not find out about his "Contract
vs. Contract" send-off match against Dolph Ziggler
on the August 20 Raw the night after Summerslam until
ten minutes before Raw started.
"I
didnt know until the day I showed up, actually
ten minutes before Raw started in Fresno that we were
doing this contract vs. contract thing. So, I didnt
even know this was going to happen. I just figured
I would have a match with Dolph and that would be
the end of it," Jericho said.
"So,
people who think that there is some long, drawn-out,
plan, it really wasnt. It was about ten minutes
before the show started and I was like 'Oh, we are
doing a contract vs contract thing? Oh okay.' So there
you go, a little special behind the scenes look."
Jericho
also said WWE did not have a plan for his feud with
Dolph Ziggler when it started after the Money in the
Bank PPV in July. Jericho said he pressed for a back-story
to their feud before their strong opening promo.
"I
couldnt wait to work with Dolph but I needed
a story. Whats the story? They said, 'we will
think of one later.' I said, 'I dont like that.'
I need to think of one now since I have a promo tonight
with Dolph. We can't think about this next week,"
Jericho said.
Jericho
added, "Thats when I came up with the concept
of everyone was bitching that Jericho never won a
match on PPV... I thought it would be real interesting
to go with the 'you cant win the big one' scenario.
But sometimes the writers will write 'this old broken
down guy who is on the last legs of his career.' Im
like, 'Wait a second, broken down? Im in the
best shape of my life, never been hurt, Ive
never missed a match...' I wanted to focus on the
storyline of 'he cant win the big one.' It gave
us a great place to go."
Jericho
has said in recent interviews that he wasn't supposed
to feud with Ziggler in his send-off program culminating
at Summerslam. Jericho expanded on his reaction to
being told he wouldn't be feuding with the other candidates,
Sheamus and Daniel Bryan.
"Originally
I was supposed to feud with Sheamus, and then it was
Daniel Bryan. Then the day of Raw, they said I was
doing something with Dolph. I was like, 'What happened
to Daniel Bryan and Sheamus?' They said it changed
and I was fine with it. Ive been doing this
long enough that I roll with the punches," Jericho
said.
Regarding
future stars on the roster replacing the old guard,
Jericho talked about the uphill battle that wrestlers
like Ziggler and Miz have in front of them not being
having well-rounded wrestling experience outside of
WWE. Jericho said, "When that light bulb comes
on and they already have ninety percent, but that
last ten percent is what makes you a great performer;
some guys never figure out that last ten percent and
when the guys do, thats when they become guys
you can base companies around and put in main events."
Specifically
on whether Ziggler can be a future main-eventer, Jericho
said, "Dolph is one of the best guys on the roster,
but he is still learning as are a lot of the other
guys. People say, 'Oh, Damien Sandow is the next guy
or Kofi.' These guys are still learning. In time,
I think these guys will be amazing, amazing performers.
But, right now they are still on their way up the
learning tree. So, yes, I think Dolph is going to
be an amazing performer. Yes, I think the Miz is going
to be a great performer. Lots of guys are getting
into that zone, but they are still learning... Its
a different world out there right now than the way
it used to be. There is a lot of great, great performers
or potential great performers that are on the way
to getting there."
[
FYI: Busted Open with Dave Lagreca and Doug Mortman
can be heard from 2:00 to 4:00 EST on Sirius 94, XM
208, and Sportszone 860 on the Internet ] (Pro
Wrestling Torch)
Ric Flair Comments On 'Hangover 3' Campaign And His
Daughter Working For WWE NXT...
We
noted before that fans online are trying to get WWE
Hall of Famer Ric Flair a cameo appearance in The
Hangover 3 movie. Scott Fishman of The Miami Herald
spoke with Flair this weekend about the campaign and
The Nature Boy is perfectly fine with it.
"Oh
man, I love my fans. So cool they started this whole
campaign. I could play anything, as long as I'm not
the guy getting married."
Flair
also says he's proud of his daughter Ashley, who is
currently working as Charlotte in WWE NXT. Flair said:
"It's
my hope that people see that her accomplishments aren't
a result of me. She's worked extremely hard for this.
It's a very physically and mentally demanding business,
and I really just couldn't be more proud."
Ric Flair going through fourth divorce, waiting for
WWE call up...
Details
are scarce at the moment, but Dave Meltzer, in this
week's Wrestling Observer Newsletter, reported that
Ric Flair is currently going through a divorce, his
fourth one, with his current wife, Jacqueline Beems.
Apparently, Flair is the one who filed for divorce
and cited irreconcilable differences as the reason
for their break up.
The
news is unsurprising as less than two months ago Flair
was assaulted by Beems at his home, according to a
local police report. This wasn't the first such incident
during their marriage together, as Beems was arrested
for simple assault on February 21st, 2010 after getting
into a fight with Flair upon their return to their
residence after a night out. They managed to patch
things up after that highly publicised and embarrassing
affair, but obviously the second fight that required
police intervention was the straw that broke the camel's
back.
The
cause of their second fight together never came out
publicly. But Ric Flair still living The Nature Boy
lifestyle and their money problems worsening, what
with Flair losing his job with TNA, were all likely
at least partly to blame. Ric's adultery was at the
heart of his divorce with second wife, Beth; while
third wife, Tiffany VanDemark, quickly "had enough"
of his inability to retire gracefully and lead a more
normal lifestyle with her.
Expect
a fifth marriage in the not too distant future for
Flair, as he obviously has a psychological need to
be in a serious relationship at all times, even though
he clearly finds it difficult to fully commit to a
partner and amend his behaviour to ensure that a marriage
lasts the test of time.
Meltzer
also had the latest on his status with WWE:
There
was talk surfacing of Flair replacing [Vickie] Guerrero
with [Dolph] Ziggler but I don't know how serious
that is. Plus, even though Flair can legally start
with WWE on 9/10, WWE has yet to sign anyone from
TNA since the lawsuit was filed.
This
may explain why Ziggler is currently in a holding
pattern of putting over the likes of Randy Orton and
Sheamus on a seemingly weekly basis. WWE may not want
to pull the trigger on him cashing in the Money In
The Bank briefcase and winning the World Heavyweight
Championship until TNA's lawsuit against them for
contract tampering has been dealt with and Flair can
return to WWE as his manager.
I
have mixed feelings on Flair becoming Ziggler's new
manager. Though it should help Ziggler to be taken
more seriously, there is the risk that he will be
overshadowed by Flair and make it more difficult for
him to get heel heat. At least being managed by Vickie
ensures plenty of boos. Personally, I think Flair
would be much better utilised in an onscreen figurehead
role - what do you think Cagesiders? (Cageside
Seats)
'The Wolverine' movie wraps up in Australia; Now shooting
in Japan; Jackman swaps hair for suit...
After
wrapping the filming in Australia, "The Wolverine"
has officially kicked off its production in Japan.
Unveiling a first look at lead actor Hugh Jackman
on the Tokyo set of the Marvel film, a set of photos
featuring the Australian hunk as he filmed a scene
at the Zojoji Temple have made their round onto the
web.
Instead
of sporting unkempt long hair and scruffy look just
like when he was filming in Australia, Jackman was
spotted rocking Wolverine's trademark haircut and
beard. Looking dapper, he donned an all-black ensemble
while filming a scene with a number of Japanese men
at the said Buddhist temple.
Per
Comic Book Movie, the scene Jackman was filming happened
to be a "grand funeral." There were no further
details about whose funeral the actor's character
attended. It was said that the filming at the temple
was wrapped on Sunday, September 2 and Jackman was
expected to continue filming in Hiroshima next.
Taking
its cue from the early 1980s Chris Claremont/Frank
Miller miniseries, "The Wolverine" finds
Logan (Jackman), the eternal warrior and outsider,
in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium
claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his
past in an epic battle that will leave him forever
changed. Serving behind the lens is James Mangold.
Jackman
has stressed that the upcoming film will be a standalone
one and won't be related to 2009's "X-Men Origins:
Wolverine". He told Total Film, "We've deliberately
not called it Wolverine 2 because we want it to be
placed and feel like a standalone picture. With an
all-new cast and setting in Japan, it's going to give
us a whole new visual aesthetic."
"The
approach to character means we won't be overloaded
with mutants and teams and the like, so it'll be more
character-based," he claimed, before adding,
"I think in my ways it will feel like a completely
different X-Men film."
The
anticipated movie is scheduled to open wide in the
U.S. on July 26, 2013.
Joss
Whedon: 'The Avengers isn't a perfect movie'...
Joss
Whedon has claimed that The Avengers isn't "a
great movie".
The
film has met with critical acclaim and outstanding
commercial success, becoming the third highest-grossing
film of all time in just a few months, but Whedon,
the superhero blockbuster's writer and director, is
determined to keep his feet on the ground.
In
an interview with Vulture, the 48-year-old claimed
that the box office numbers became, ultimately, "meaningless".
He
said: "They're large, and you can't really count
that high."
Describing
what his goals were with The Avengers, he claimed:
"I felt like I had a particular mission in making
what I felt was a slightly old-fashioned movie, because
I grew up wanting to make summer movies and wanting
to make superhero movies, and I got to do both at
once.
"I
felt like summer movies haven't been what I remember
them to be, so I felt like I would love to evoke something
that's less hip and ironic and more heartfelt and
character-driven, and apparently, other people cared
about that in a large way."
The
Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Firefly creator then
conceded: "I don't think it's a perfect movie.
I don't even think it's a great movie. I think it's
a great time, and I'm proud of it, but for me, what
was exciting is that people don't go to see a movie
that many times unless it's pulling on something from
within, unless there's a need there. That's very gratifying."
The
film is set to increase its box office even further
this weekend, after being re-released in the US to
take advantage of the Labour Day holiday.
Whedon
will oversee a Marvel-produced SHIELD television show
for ABC, before starting work on the Avengers sequel,
due for a summer 2015 release.
The Avengers Crosses $1.5 Billion At Worldwide Box
Office...
While
the re-release of The Avengers at the U.S. box office
might have failed to break into the top ten Labor
Day weekend movies, it did help The Avengers reach
another major milestone. The Avengers has become the
third movie in history to cross the $1.5 billion mark
at the worldwide box office.
While
retaining its number three position on the worldwide
box office list, The Avengers took in another estimated
$1.7 million over Labor Day weekend, which brought
The Avengers U.S. box office total to $619.5 million
and The Avengers worldwide box office total to $1.501
billion.
Interestingly
enough, The Dark Knight Rises also reached a milestone
today, surpassing $1 billion at the worldwide box
office, which means that combined The Avengers and
The Dark Knight Rises have accounted for $2.5 billion
at the worldwide box office this year. If you add
in The Amazing Spider-Man, which currently sits at
number four on the 2012 worldwide box office list
with $734.9 million, then the total rises to $3.2
billion. Its definitely a good time to be in
the superhero movie making business.
Expendables blitzes box office...
Explosions,
guns and hand-to-hand fighting seem to be the flavour
of the month on Australian cinema screens, with The
Expendables 2 debuting at the top of the box office.
The
film, packed with 1990s action stars (and Liam Hemsworth)
took $2.962 million at the weekend, according to figures
released by the Motion Picture Distributors Association
of Australia.
The
Bourne Legacy held on to its No.2 position on the
box office charts while last week's top place-getter,
Total Recall, fell to third place.
Feel-good
Aussie movie The Sapphires fell one spot to fourth
but still managed to pull in $1.146 million, while
ageing rom-com Hope Springs also dropped a spot to
finish fifth.
The
Dark Knight Rises is still in the Top Ten after seven
weeks and more than $41 million, at sixth place, while
Finding Nemo 3D debuted in seventh.
Wes
Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom dropped one place to eighth,
Will Ferrell's latest comedy The Campaign finished
ninth and Step Up 4: Miami Heat rounded out the Top
Ten.
Top
10 at the Australian Box Office this weekend:
1.
The Expendables 2 - $2.962 million (Roadshow)
2.
The Bourne Legacy - $1.273 million (Universal)
3.
Total Recall - $1.166 million (Sony)
4.
The Sapphires - $1.146 million (Eone/Hopscotch)
5.
Hope Springs - $868,207 million (Roadshow)
6.
The Dark Knight Rises - $570,846 (Warner Bros)
7.
Finding Nemo 3D - $403,700 (Walt Disney)
8.
Moonrise Kingdom - $393,824 (Universal)
9.
The Campaign - $283,950 (Warner Bros)
10.
Step Up 4: Miami Heat - $139,801 (Universal)
2012 Box Office News (U.S Report)...
The
summer movie season started out with a bang, and then
it
Say,
did we mention it started out with a bang?
It
wasn't exactly all downhill after The Avengers kicked
things off in record fashion, but it was close. Overall
domestic ticket revenue this summer will top out at
$4.3 billion, down 2.2 percent from last summer, according
to the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations.
The
Avengers' big return to theaters: a Titanic surprise?
Here
are more findings from the season, which concludes
this holiday weekend:
The
Avengers Wasn't the Most Powerful Movie: Well, all
right, it was, but it didn't make 16 times its production
budget. That honor goes to Channing Tatum's Magic
Mike, which cost $7 million and made $113 million
domestically, per BoxOfficeMojo.com stats. Other bottom-line
wonders: The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which made
13 times its $10 million budget for a worldwide total
of $131 million; and, heywhaddya know?The
Avengers, which did its $220 million budget about
seven times better with a worldwide gross of $1.5
billion.
Men
in Black 3 Was the Most-Valuable Movie: Per a rundown
of the studios' latest fiscal reports, Sony was about
the only major player that saw a significant uptick
in ticket revenue, and that was due to the not-especially
beloved MiB sequel, which grossed $624 million worldwide.
The Dark Knight Rises Outgrossed The Dark Knight Briefly:
We've noted it before, but it's worth noting again.
In the pre-Aurora world, The Dark Knight Rises scored
$30.6 million from opening-day midnight screenings,
and towered above its predecessor, which debuted to
$18.5 million in 2008. In the post-Aurora world, the
movie ran behind The Dark Knight in each and every
successive major box-office period.
Avengers
alternate opening revealed
Total
Recall Outgrossed Total Recall Once: The pricey
Colin Farrell reboot opened to a soft $26 million,
but averaged more per screen ($7,103) than a one-theater-only
rerelease of the 1990 original ($5,788). And thus
concludes the positive things to take away from the
pricey Colin Farrell reboot.
Spider-Man
Isn't British for Nothing: With Andrew Garfield behind
the mask, nearly two-thirds of The Amazing Spider-Man's
$705 million worldwide take came from overseas audiences,
the largest percentage yet for a big-screen Spider-Man.
The
Hunger Games Competed: This was a nifty trick, as
The Hunger Games was not a summer movie, having opened
back in March. But the blockbuster played and played
and played, and from the start of the movie summer,
on May 4, through Wednesday, it grossed another $33
million domestically, a total that on its own was
roughly as big as Adam Sandler's That's My Boy, which,
no, was not big at all.
Adam
Sandler's That's My Boy Was Not an "Unfortunate,
Large Miss": That precise distinction belongs
to Battleship, which was branded as such by the chairman
of Comcast, which runs Universal Pictures. (E! and
Universal are both part of the NBCUniversal family,
which is owned by Comcast.) The $200 million Battleship
did make back its reported budget, grossing about
$300 million worldwide. The same can't be said of
Sandler's That's My Boy ($70 million budget; $50 million
worldwide gross). Or Tom Cruise's Rock of Ages ($75
million budget, $50 million worldwide gross). Or Ben
Stiller's The Watch ($68 million budget; $37 million
worldwide).
Sequels for Prometheus, Snow White, Magic Mike, more?
What
to Expect When You're Expecting Was No Prometheus:
Prometheus, like a number of summer movies, including
Snow White and the Huntsman, Johnny Depp's Dark Shadows
and the aforementioned Battleship and Total Recall,
failed to match or surpass their budgets from domestic
ticket sales alone. The unheralded Jennifer Lopez-led
ensemble comedy, however, grossed $41 million domestically,
and $80 million worldwide, from a $40 million budget.
Ray
Romano Is King of the World, Practically: Among the
summer's animated films, the latest Ice Age sequel,
Continental Drift, ran behind Brave and Madagascar
3: Europe's Most Wanteddomestically. Internationally,
the Romano-voiced wooly mammoth stood alone, grossing
a whopping $660 million-plus for a worldwide total
of about $815 million. That made Continental Drift
the third-biggest overall hit of the season after
The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises. This is par
for the course for the Ice Age movies that probably
have their own postage stamps in countries such as
Germany, Finland and Brazil.
Here's
a rundown of the summer's Top 10-grossing films heading
into Labor Day weekend, per domestic stats from BoxOfficeMojo
and The Numbers:
The
Avengers, $617.8 million
The Dark Knight Rises, $425 million
The Amazing Spider-Man, $258.6 million
Brave, $230 million
Ted, $215.2 million
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, $213.9 million
Men in Black 3, $178.5 million
Snow White and the Huntsman, $155 million
Ice Age: Contiental Drift, $154.3 million
Prometheus, $126.3 million (E! Online)
Global James Bond Day - 3rd September
2012...
LOS
ANGELES, Calif. In celebration of the 50th
anniversary of the James Bond film franchise on the
anniversary of Dr. No, which enjoyed its
world film premiere in London on October 5, 1962,
and in anticipation of the worldwide release of the
23rd James Bond adventure Skyfall, Albert
R. Broccolis EON Productions, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Twentieth
Century Fox Home Entertainment announced today that
October 5, 2012 will be Global James Bond Day,
a day-long series of events for Bond fans around the
world.
A
new feature documentary from Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures,
Columbia Pictures, Passion Pictures and Red Box Films,
Everything or Nothing: The Untold Story of 007,
will be also be unveiled, country-specific details
to follow. Directed by Stevan Riley (Fire In
Babylon), Everything or Nothing
focuses on three men with a shared dream Bond
producers Albert R. Broccoli, Harry Saltzman and author
Ian Fleming. Its the thrilling and inspiring
narrative behind the longest running film franchise
in cinema history which began in 1962.
Further
worldwide events celebrating Bonds golden anniversary
include a global online and live auction charity event
of 50 lots to benefit twelve charitable institutions
organized by Christie´s in London (full details
at www.christies.com/bond), a global survey to discover
the favorite Bond film by country, a film retrospective
at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, a Music
of Bond night in Los Angeles hosted by the Academy
of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and an exhibition,
Designing 007: 50 Years of Bond Style,
at TIFF in Toronto.
Leading
up to Global James Bond Day, for the first
time ever fans can own all 22 films in the franchise
on Blu-ray Disc in one comprehensive collection with
BOND 50, releasing worldwide beginning
September 24. Further updates by country will be announced
in due course on 007.com and facebook/JamesBond007.
Daniel
Craig is back as Ian Flemings James Bond 007
in Skyfall, the 23rd adventure in the
longest-running film franchise of all time.
Jim Carrey joins Kick-Ass 2 cast...
Jim
Carrey has been offered the role of Colonel Stars
in Jeff Wadlow's superhero comedy, director Jeff Wadlow
has strongly hinted.
Director
Jeff Wadlow and creator Mark Millar have hinted that
the 50-year-old funnyman has landed the coveted role
of Colonel Stars in the sequel to 2010's wacky superhero
comedy.
Jeff
tweeted: "6 days till we start shooting... and
we officially have our Colonel. Alrighty f'n then!
@ChloeGMoretz @MintzPlasse @donald_faison #kickass2.
(sic)"
After
Christopher Mintz-Plasse replied asking who his new
co-star was going to be, the original comic book's
author Mark replied: "Clue - he lives with 200
raccoons and parrots, owns the mask of Loki and named
by spielberg as a genius. (sic)"
During
Jim's 1994 film 'Ace Ventura: Pet Detective', which
sees him play the titular character, his alter-ego
is a private investigator who specialises in the retrieval
of captive animals.
'The
Mask' star Jim is reportedly a big fan of the original
'Kick-Ass' film by Matthew Vaughn and was being courted
to play the born again Christian superhero, who assembles
a motley crew of superheroes to help fight evil.
The
sequel will see several new additions to the cast,
including 'Scrubs' actor Donald Faison as Doctor Gravity
and John Leguizamo as Red Mist's bodyguard, Javier.
The
comedy will begin shooting this Friday (07.08.12)
and sees Aaron Johnson returning as the lead Kick-Ass,
while co-stars Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz
and Nicolas Cage are also reprising their roles from
the first film.
'Kick-Ass
2' is set for release in June 2013.
US actor Michael Clarke Duncan dies - 4th September
2012...
Michael
Clarke Duncan's fiancee says the Oscar nominee for
The Green Mile has died while being hospitalised following
a July heart attack.
Publicist
Joy Fehily released a statement from Clarke's fiance,
the Reverend Omarosa Manigault, saying the 54-year-old
actor died on Monday morning in a Los Angeles hospital
after nearly two months of treatment following the
July 13 heart attack.
The
196-centimetre tall, 136 kilogram Duncan appeared
in dozens of films, including such box office hits
as Armageddon, Planet of the Apes and Kung Fu Panda.
Duncan
had a handful of minor roles before The Green Mile
brought him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting
actor.
The
1999 film, based on the Stephen King novel of the
same name, starred Tom Hanks as a corrections officer
at a penitentiary in the 1930s.
Duncan
played John Coffey, a convicted murderer.
Russell Crowe bailed out by Coast Guard...
Russell
Crowe needed some help from the U.S. Coast Guard late
Saturday night during a kayaking trip that went awry
off New York's Long Island.
The
actor was enjoying some water recreation in Long Island,
where he's filming -- irony alert! -- the Darren Aronofsky
epic "Noah" (as in Ark). He took off in
a kayak from Cold Spring Harbor Saturday afternoon,
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Robert Swieciki told
the Associated Press. When it got dark, he and a friend
apparently got lost but managed to make their way
to shore, beaching their kayaks in Huntington Bay
-- nearly 10 miles from where they had set out.
The
coast guard was patrolling the area and heard the
48-year-old actor calling out from the shore around
10 p.m. According to Swiecki, the officer did not
recognize the actor but paddled over and brought them
to Huntington Harbor.
"It
wasn't really a rescue," Swieciki told the AP.
"Really, more of just giving someone a lift."
The two men were wearing life vests and sustained
no injuries.
For
his part, Crowe was grateful for the assistance, tweeting
at 1:30 a.m. Sunday morning, "Thanks to Seth
and the boys from the US Coast Guard for guiding the
way ... 4 hrs 30 mins, 7m(11.2km)."
And
he later expounded, writing, "We knew where exactly
where we were, paddling around from csh into wind,
we ran out of day. Grand adventure eh."
Aussie actors Crowe and Jackman at war...
Russell
Crowe and Hugh Jackman are at war!
According
to various news reports, the actors having been fighting
like catty tween girls while shooting the new Les
Miserables movie.
They
refuse to be in the same room trying to get
them to promote a film together is a nightmare,
a source tells Star magazine.
Theyve
known each other for a decade, but during this shoot,
any shred of civility was thrown aside. They cant
stand each other, each calling the other an embarrassment
to the profession.
Russell
sneers at Hughs musical-theater background.
But Hugh says Russell embarrassed his country with
his bad reputation in Hollywood.
Costar
Anne Hathaway has tried to mend fences, but the actors
wont budge.
Producers
hope she can convince them to come to a truce, but
its not looking very promising, said the
source.
Idea
of the moment: Crowe VS Jackman at WWE WrestleMania
(Jackman is a known massive WWE fan and has participated
in a physical WWE angle in the past, so here's hoping).
Howzat: Kerry Packer's war on cricket may be missing
Dennis Lillee...
Many
in media and sports circles are now buzzing that the
true founding father of one-day cricket was not Kerry
Packer but Dennis Lillee - yet the TV smash Howzat!
whitewashes him from history, one of the original
World Series directors has revealed.
In
an rocket on Channel 9's ratings blockbuster, World
Series Cricket director Austin Robertson - who also
featured as a character in the mini-series - said
Australians should thank Lillee for creating the one-day
game.
In
response, the show's producers launched a broadside
of their own, claiming they asked Lillee to contribute
but the bowling superstar refused to because he wouldn't
get any money.
Mr
Robertson, who worked closely with the former Nine
king and the rebel team, also defended "the Big
Fella" and said he was not the bully he was portrayed
to be. Nor was the late batting star David Hookes
the simpering and indecisive vacillator depicted in
the show.
Mr
Robertson said Howzat! was great entertainment and
brilliantly produced but riddled with inaccuracies.
"The
producers made a nonsense of the way they treated
the man really responsible for the whole thing - Dennis
Lillee," he said.
"Dennis
was visible enough but he is not given the acknowledgement
for having the idea in the first place, and his contribution
in putting the entire thing together. Other people
have put their hands up for having the brainchild
of WSC but I am here to say that, without Lillee,
it would never have happened at the time.
"Though
Packer was determined to get the precious television
rights, they would never have been delivered at that
time without having the best fast bowler in the world
in his corner.
"Curiously,
the producers of the show, in the curtain-call of
the program, in the segment 'Where are the main players
today,' DKL was again overlooked.
"I
had to ask myself, why did they do that? It was Lillee
who delivered the players and, while it was great
to be playing on the Packer team, without Lillee it
would have never got off the ground."
Southern
Star producer John Edwards, who made the show, hit
back at Mr Robertson. He said Lillee boycotted the
show and "shut down" Mr Robertson after
learning no money was on offer.: "He (Robertson)
was invited. There's nothing more to say really. He
was mad keen on being involved and Dennis got to him
and he was shut down. Dennis wanted money.
"We
tried to speak to everybody and not everybody wanted
to speak. Some people had grievances and grudges.
"(Writer)
Chris Lee tried to involve them as much as as possible
in the story and they chose not to be involved."
Mr
Robertson confirmed he and Lillee had been approached
but declined to take part. He declined to comment
further or say whether money was an issue.
Lillee
could not be reached but he has consistently refused
to comment on Howzat!.
Mr
Robertson praised Mr Packer and revealed the media
tycoon was not as aggressive as the show portrayed:
"The portrayal of Kerry as a constant bully and
user of foul language is far from the truth. He could
bully. I saw him on many occasions rise up like an
out-of-control bull elephant and reduce a grown man
to tears. I heard him swear like a storm trooper when
out of control. But I never saw him chuck a plate
of food.
"I
thought Kerry was in the main a humble man, often
revealing great compassion, a gentle giant who would
talk issues out for hours before making a decision,
and then following it through.
"The
mini-series gave everybody the impression he was a
loud, foul- mouthed bully and we saw precious little
of his other side."
Channel
9 declined to comment however sources at the network
said they felt the show was spot on in capturing Mr
Packer.
Mr
Robertson also rejected Howzat!'s portrayal of friend
David Hookes, who died after an altercation with a
bouncer in Melbourne in 2004.
"David
was not a weak, indecisive and nervous character who
'spilled the beans' to The Age's Peter McFarline."
And
as for his own portrayal Mr Robertson said: "From
birth, and throughout the many years I have enjoyed
on the earth I have never had a moustache."
Prince Harry; casino tycoon Steve Wynn and fun and
games in Las Vegas and beyond...
As
the UK's Daily Mail states it's a rare man who walks
away from Las Vegas with nothing to regret.
Prince
Harry counts the cost of his escapades in Sin City,
he may just be coming to regret the day he ever made
the acquaintance of casino tycoon Steve Wynn.
Wynn,
the self-proclaimed King of Las Vegas, is the billionaire
owner of the five-star Encore Wynn resort, the opulent
hotel-casino in whose eight-room, £5,100-a-night
suite the prince was photographed playing strip billiards.
Unsubstantiated
reports this week have suggested that cocaine was
snorted in the suite, and that a known prostitute
was among the guests. There are even rumours of a
video tape capturing the night's events. So how did
the third-in-line to the throne come to meet
even befriend a septuagenarian gambling mogul?
Steve
Wynn, a flamboyant showman with a surgically-enhanced,
wrinkle-free face, carefully coiffed hair, a volcanic
temper and a trophy wife, is famous for befriending
celebrities whose patronage would be good for business.
Last
November, 70-year-old Wynn was spotted having dinner
with the prince in one of his Vegas steakhouses while
the Prince was enjoying a weekend break from an advanced
helicopter training course in Arizona.
Waiving
the bills of celebrities is common practice in Vegas,
and it remains unclear who paid the estimated £30,000
bill for Harry's recent stay. According to Wynn's
spokesman, the tab was not picked up by either the
tycoon or his hotel.
Is
the prince welcome to return? I can't see why not,'
the spokesman said.
Wynn
is unlikely to be perturbed by Harry's naked shenanigans,
but if drugs do turn out to have been involved, he
may swiftly seek to distance himself from the events.
He may be Las Vegas's most revered casino owner, but
he still has his gambling licence and his reputation
to think about. It is a reputation that Wynn is eager
to protect. He has worked hard to erase the stains
of the past.
Today,
he is widely credited as the man who single-handedly
cleaned up' Vegas and made it into a place in which
Wall Street could invest and young families could
holiday (if parents don't mind their children collecting
the prostitutes' calling cards which litter the pavement).
Yet
for all his denials, Wynn, who is worth $2.5 billion,
has never shaken off accusations that he was linked
for many years to the mobsters who once ruled Las
Vegas.
He
has weathered successive U.S. investigations over
everything from drug-dealing to money-laundering,
and has never been found to have committed any wrong-doing.
In
Britain, the authorities have proved harder to convince.
When he tried to open a casino in London to exploit
the influx of rich Arabs in the early Eighties, Scotland
Yard denied him a licence. But in the desert city
of Las Vegas, he remains a swaggering icon. He has
a reputation for being sophisticated' but that's by
Vegas standards.
This
is a man who bought Impressionist masterpieces only
to hang them on the walls of his casinos; who reputedly
blew his finger off while playing with a gun given
to him by a former Mob hitman, and who boasts that
his wife Andrea has the greatest butt in the world'.
Money
is no object. In 2005, Wynn sank $2.7 billion into
building just one hotel the curved glass and steel
Wynn Las Vegas. He then did the same again a few years
later with the Encore.
So
enamoured is he with the idea of himself as Sin City
royalty that he arranged his wedding last year to
coincide with that of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
Hollywood
star Clint Eastwood was best man and lingerie model
Caprice a bridesmaid. The reception, held in the ballroom
of Wynn's Encore resort, boasted a 500-strong guest
list which included Sylvester Stallone, Steven Spielberg,
Lionel Richie, Sir Philip Green and Celine Dion.
Each
guest left with a five-inch high replica of the tiered
wedding cake, but it's unlikely Wynn or his rake-thin
new wife enjoyed much of the banquet. Both are vegans,
and the youth-obsessed Wynn, who exists on a diet
of vitamin pills, liquidised walnuts and the occasional
indulgent dribble of olive oil, boasts that he still
has a 32in waistline.
After
years of hard graft and wheeler-dealing, he has earned
the right to behave as he wishes. The son of an East
Coast bingo parlour operator and hardened gambler,
the brash and handsome Wynn Jnr expanded the family
business to Las Vegas with a string of clever investments
and ambitious hustling.
In
the Seventies and Eighties, when Wynn was building
his empire, Las Vegas was full of the mobsters who
had originally built its gambling industry.
Some
say it was impossible to work in the city and not
come into contact with mafiosi, even unwittingly.
Others have suggested that, even so, Wynn had an unusually
large number of brushes with the Mob.
Wynn
himself has vigorously denied any involvement with
the Mob, and none of the numerous law enforcement
investigations for gambling licences have ever concluded
that he worked for or with organised crime.
In
1967, he was with some business associates of noted
mobsters on a private yacht cruise on a lake in Nevada
when a naked young woman somehow fell over the back
of the boat and was chopped almost in half by the
propeller blades. Her death prompted an investigation,
but everyone on board denied having seen the incident.
And
he had trouble with officials in Atlantic City, New
Jersey, in 1986 after investigators discovered mobster
Tony Castelbuono, a friend of Wynn, was laundering
the profits of heroin trafficking at his gambling
tables. Wynn almost lost his gambling licence.
Today,
such tales of the Mob are just water under the bridge.
Wynn has re-invented himself as the business genius
who demolished seedy gambling joints along the Vegas
Strip and replaced them with slick hotel-casinos such
as the Mirage (the city's first 3,000-bed hotel),
the Treasure Island and the Bellagio.
Part
of his success has been his ability to turn on the
charm with important people. But Wynn is notorious,
too, for his temper. In 1991, he reached an out-of-court
settlement for an undisclosed sum with the former
president of Wynn's Golden Nugget casino, who described
Wynn as a womanising, brutal boss.
In
allegations made in documents lodged at court, it
was said that he would get so angry that his eyes
bulged and he started screaming at the top of his
lungs and banging his head on the table'. There was
no admission of liability by Wynn, who denied the
allegations.
His
mother Zelma claims his tyrannical behaviour is the
result of frustration over his failing eyesight. The
tycoon suffers from retinitis pigmentosa, a progressive
genetic disease which effectively gives him tunnel
vision by destroying his ability to see peripheral
images. In a dark room, he is completely blind.
His
vision may be failing, but for years he was infamous
for his roving eye, keeping keys to empty rooms at
his various hotels for trysts. He was known to favour
his female blackjack croupiers.
All
that came to a stop when he met the beautiful Mrs
Wynn. Usually described as a British socialite, 48-year-old
Andrea was, in fact, born in New York but, as her
proud husband likes to stress, was raised in England
and France. Tres sophistique.
It
all sounds rather less chic when you learn that the
family moved to France because her father, a wheeler-dealer
named Victor Danenza, fled there in 1976 to escape
an FBI fraud investigation.
Before
becoming the second Mrs Wynn, Andrea had lived in
London with her first husband, Texan banker Robert
Hissom, a former polo-playing friend of Prince Charles.
She
met Wynn in 2008 in St Tropez, where he keeps a yacht,
and the couple began a very public romance. Wynn divorced
his long-suffering first wife Elaine, after 46 years
of marriage, and wed Andrea last year.
Elaine
made around $740 million from the settlement one of
the biggest payouts in U.S. divorce history. The costly
divorce appears not to have troubled Mr Wynn, who
is delighted with his new wife.
It's
like God made a woman for me,' he once said, before
pointing out the part of his wife he most admired
the greatest butt in the world'.
It
all goes to show that money can buy you neither taste
nor manners. Even Wynn's attempts to acquire a collection
of old masterpieces have invited accusastions that
he was vulgar and greedily acquisitive.
He
has, since the late Nineties, spent hundreds of millions
of dollars on paintings by Picasso and Degas, Caravaggio
and Titian. He has several times scooped the world's
great galleries at auction, only to horrify the art
world by hanging his purchases in his casinos.
At
70, he shows no sign of slowing down though controversy
continues to dog him. He is embroiled in a three-year
court battle with Joe Francis, founder of the soft
porn video empire Girls Gone Wild.
In
documents lodged at court, Francis claims Wynn threatened
in an email that he would kill him over a $2 million
gambling debt. Wynn is alleged to have written that
he would hit Francis in the back of the head with
a shovel'.
Wynn
denies the allegations and claims no such email exists.
In
Asia, where Wynn now earns 70 per cent of his profits
from the gambling mecca of Macau, a resort on the
South China Sea, he is embroiled in a battle with
a former business partner, Kazuo Okada.
This
week, Okada sued Wynn for $140 millino for libel after
each accused the other of paying bribes within the
Asian gambling industry. No amount of black marble
and old masters can hide the sleaziness at the heart
of Las Vegas.
It
is hard to believe Wynn when he claims he could just
as easily have gone into family theme parks if Walt
Disney hadn't done it first. Indeed, it seems about
as likely as Prince Harry settling for free entry
to Sleeping Beauty's Castle rather than a weekend
with his colourful acquaintances in Sin City.
One
ponders if the prince may be planning to visit in
any casino - hotels in the near future, and little
doubt that Australia's The Star or Crown Melbourne
would love to have him. The smart money say's Prince
Harry will no be stepping into any casino in Australia
or anywhere else in the near future, perhaps more
positive PR appearances will be on the cards however.
Soprano
tops bill for Ten Days festival...
Internationally-renowned
soprano Dame Kiri Te Kanawa will perform at next year's
Ten Days on the Island Festival in Tasmania.
The
New Zealand singer is one of two top international
acts secured by the organisers.
Dame
Kiri will perform in Launceston, Hobart and Burnie
during the festival next March.
Festival
director Jo Duffy says the Tasmanian performances
will give the acclaimed performer a very intimate
experience.
"She's
performed at the Royal Albert Hall, she's won Grammy
awards, she's performed at La Scala, she's performed
for the Queen and various members of the Royal Family,"
she said.
"But
really a lot of performers, when they reach a certain
stage in their career, they want to almost get back
to were they began, to be able to look their audiences
in the eye and really relate to them very closely."
Award-winning
New York theatre company Elevator Repair Service will
open the festival with a performance based on an Ernest
Hemingway novel.
Ms
Duffy says interest is already huge.
"We
have already had people interested in coming to Tasmania
specifically to see this show."
"It's
only doing six performances and it's travelled around
the world to many of the very large international
arts festivals and it's not been to anywhere else
in Australia."
The
loss-making 60-year old Israeli daily Maariv plans
to stop appearing as a weekday newspaper and convert
to a digital-only edition unless a major new injection
of investment can be found to sustain it in printed
form.
But
its plight also likely to cast a fresh spotlight on
the runaway successat least in circulation termsof
its newest competitor, the right-wing free paper Israel
Hayom, which is financially backed by US casino magnate,
Sheldon Adelson.
While
the paper is likely to continue printing a weekend
edition for the foreseeable future, the planned move
comes amid fears by journalists at the paper of significant
possible layoffs.
Nir
Hefetz, Maarivs editor-in chief told Army Radio
yesterday: "We've been looking at the digital
direction for a number of months and it's all just
a matter of timing. If we won't have any oxygen, we
will be forced to make the move quickly."
Discount
Investments, which has a 62 per cent holding in the
paper and is part of the financially troubled IDB
conglomerate has agreed to back a £2.3m bank
loan, but one which is apparently conditional on a
halt to weekday printing and other cost cutting measures.
Israel
Hayom, which strongly supports Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, is owned and funded by Mr Adelson,
the American casino billionaire who is a major Republican
Party benefactor, and opponent of a two state solution
to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. After supporting
the unsuccessful GOP primary candidate Newt Gingrich,
he indicated he could spend up to $100m on Mitt Romneys
presidential campaign.
While
Israel Hayom also has paid delivery to homes it is
handed out for free by seemingly ubiquitous newsboys
across the country. It says that "reaching every
citizen and every venue in Israel is one of the key
tenets of the papers mission.2
The
paper survived an unsuccessful attempt in 2009 by
Knesset members to block majority newspaper ownership
by foreigners. An unnamed Yedhiot Ahronot executive
was recently quoted in the business daily Globes saying:
"Adelson has simply brought ruin to the Israeli
newspaper market, and the Israeli politicians who
benefit from its flattering coverage have allowed
this unprecedented phenomenon to occur."
While
the paper has a range of established columnists and
is highly professionally produced, it was criticised
over its deletion of an insulting reference to Mr
Netanyahu in its report of the letter left by Moshe
Silman, who set fire to himself during a social protest
in Tel Aviv in July.
Like
other media, Israel Hayom provided readers with an
illustration of the letter written by Mr Silman, who
later died of his injuries. And it said that Mr Netanyahu
and his finance minister Yuval Steinitz were among
those Mr Silman blamed for his financial plight. But
unlike other media it displayed an image which failed
to include the letters two lines describing
the two politicians as scumbagsor
literally stinking dead bodies.
According
to the latest authoritative survey by the market research
organisation TGI Israel Hayom, which boasts a weekday
distribution of 275,000 copies, has a 38.1 per cent
share of that market, compared to its closest rival,
Yedhiot Ahronot, with 36.1 per cent and Maariv with
11.1 per cent. The left-leaning daily Haaretz has
a market share of 7.2 per cent. (Belfast Telegraph)
Sam Razavi Wins 2012 APPT Melbourne Main Event - 03
Sep 2012
The
second Main Event of the Asia Pacific Poker Tour (APPT)
wrapped up this weekend at the famed Crown Casino
in Melbourne, Australia as the final nine players
competed for the AUD $326,125 first prize. In the
end, it was Englands Samad Sam Razavi
who emerged triumphant for his first ever APPT title.
Razavi
entered the nine-handed final table second in chips
with 1.318 million, one of four players over the million
chip mark. He had a bit of a gap to make up, though,
as Tom Grigg led the remaining field with 2.271 million
chips.
It
took Razavi about three hours to make his big move,
but as they say, good things come to those who wait,
right? Throughout much of the final table, he was
basically just one of the crowd, not really doing
much to distinguish himself aside from eliminating
Brendon Rubie in 9th place, but Rubie was down to
just 30,000 chips at that point, anyway. In the meantime,
other players had made runs at the top, including
Wayne Bentley and Keith Walker. But finally, with
just four players remaining, Razavi made his move.
Bentley
raised pre-flop to 60,000 and Razavi called. Razavi
then check-called a 150,000 bet after the flop landed
Q diamonds-6 diamonds-4 diamonds. The check-bet-call
pattern was the same on the turn A hearts and river
8 clubs (but for 250,000 and 400,000 chips, respectively).
Apparently, Razavi wasnt too worried about losing
the hand, quickly revealing Q spades-T clubs for just
second pair (or maybe he wanted to end the pain quickly,
like tearing off a bandage). If that was confidence,
it was spot on, as Bentley mucked, handing the sizable
pot to Razavi. That hand sent Razavis stack
up to 2.5 million, while Bentleys fell to 1.1
million.
Twenty
minutes later, Razavi grabbed another 200,000 chips,
this time from Grigg, who was seeing his fortunes
decline. Just a few minutes later, though, Grigg took
a large sum of chips while eliminating Wayne Bentley
in 4th place. Bentley had gotten all of his chips
in on the turn with a flush draw and Grigg had made
the call with top pair. The flush, obviously, never
came to fruition.
Going
into three-handed play, it was a very close race with
Razavi holding 2.74 million chips, Grigg claiming
ownership to 2.6 million, and Walker clutching 2.2
million. After more than an hour, it looked like Grigg
was going to run away with the tournament, as his
stack was up to 5 million, while Razavi had 1.5 million
and Walker had just 1.2 million.
But
Razavi doubled-up with 9-9 versus Griggs A-K,
followed by Walker winning an 800,000 chip pot from
Grigg. And then, just like that, it was Sam Razavis
tournament. In what may have been the turning point
of the tournament, Grigg opened pre-flop to 105,000
and Razavi called. Grigg again bet 105,000 on the
K-T-T flop and Razavi again called. They both checked
the 4 on the turn and Grigg checked the 3 on the river,
but Razavi bet 500,000. Grigg went deep into the tank
and finally made the call, though his cards were never
revealed as Razavi flipped over 3-3 for a rivered
full house. That was nearly a one million chip pot
for Razavi, sending him up to 2.65 million chips.
And
then, after having led for much of the final table,
Tom Grigg was gone. Grigg raised a hand pre-flop to
100,000 and was once again called by Razavi. Just
like before, Grigg bet 105,000 on the 7-7-5 flop and
Razavi called. When a Queen landed on the turn, Grigg
threw down 215,000 chips and Razavi made the call.
The river was a 3 and Grigg checked, only to be shocked
when Razavi moved all-in. Obviously a huge decision,
Grigg pondered it so long that Razavi had to call
clock on him. Grigg eventually made the (crying) call
and Razavi instantly showed that he had 5-5 and flopped
a boat. Grigg was eliminated and Razavi took a 5.9
million to 1.8 million chip lead into heads-up play
against Keith Walker.
Heads-up
play was short and sweet. On one of the opening hands,
Walker three-bet all-in pre-flop with pocket Jacks
and Razavi called with K-T of spades. The flop presented
two spades, giving Razavi a flush draw, and the turn
brought third, clinching the hand and the tournament
title for Sam Razavi.
The
AUD $326,125 first prize is the largest cash of Razavis
career. He has had success in the past, placing sixth
in the 2011 Aussie Millions Main Event for $222,530
and winning the 2011 UK & Ireland Poker Tour
Cork Main Event for $100,628. He has now earned over
$800,000 on the live tournament circuit.
2012
Asia Pacific Poker Tour Melbourne Final Table
Results (AUD$)
1.
Sam Razavi $326,125
2. Keith Walker $205,345
3. Tom Grigg $114,750
4. Wayne Bentley $87,575
5. Gary Benson $72,475
6. James Bills $57,375
7. Kristian Lunardi $45,300
8. Nigel Andrews $36,240
9. Brendon Rubie $27,175 (Poker News Daily)
Bwin.party losing its poker face...
LONDON
(SHARECAST) - Online gaming titan bwin.party says
revenues in the first half of 2012 grew at its casino
and gaming offerings but poker has been hit by strong
competitors and difficulties in southern Europe.
The
group was formed last year by the merger between German
outfit bwin Interactive Entertainment and British
firm PartyGaming and still has co-Chief Executives
Norbert Teufelberger and Jim Ryan.
On
a pro forma basis (comparing the results of both companies
before the merger), total revenue increased by 3%
to €410.0m (2011: €398.0m). This was achieved
despite an 11% increase in gaming taxes so that the
pro forma clean earnings before interest,
tax, depreciation and amortisation increased 13% to
€92.3m (2011: €81.9m). This is better than
the forecast of €89m made by analysts at Peel
Hunt.
Bwin.party
has also had to take a nasty one-off charge of €31.5m
after the Spanish authorities contacted all of the
major online gaming operators making clear any online
operator that had ever accepted customers from Spain
had an obligation to pay Spanish taxes.
The
group offers four online experiences:
sports betting produced revenues of €128.1m in
the first half, versus €125.7m in 2011; casino
and games delivered €139.7m, against €124.3m
in the prior year; bingo was down from €33m to
€31.5m; while the weakest performance was from
poker,
which fell from €104.9m to €96.4m.
In
a joint statement, Ryan and Teufelberger said they
were "determined to return [poker] to growth
through execution of a detailed plan that includes
pooling our poker liquidity as well as repositioning
our flagship PartyPoker
brand.
The
interim dividend has been increased by 10% to 1.72p
per share although the company warned that net gaming
revenue since June has fallen 8% as the end of the
Euro 2012 Championships and a late start to the Bundesliga
hit takings.
Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment: PartyCasino gets
new 'Under the Sea' slot game
Check
out PartyCasino
via the Media Man network for more on this exciting
new slot game which can be played for free or played
for money. Bwin.Party is one of the most financially
stable gaming companies on the planet and is listed
on the London Stock Exchange. They also high security
and high excitment online poker, sports betting and
more.
New Trailer For Marvel Heroes...
Gazillion
Entertainment is proud to show off a new trailer for
Marvel Heroes. The new trailer announces 3 new playable
heroes in the game Daredevil, Punisher, and
Squirrel Girl. The trailer made its debut at the Marvel
Heroes panel at PAX 2012. The panel featured Gazillion
President David Brevik (one of the creators of Diablo!),
legendary Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis (Ultimate
Spider-Man! Avengers vs. X-Men! And) and Marvels
mighty VP of Games Production TQ Jefferson. If you
look closely, youll also see a bunch of villains
were also revealed in the trailer, including Mr. Fisk
the notorious crime lord.
Marvel
Heroes is a FREE-TO-PLAY action-packed massively multiplayer
online game created by David Brevik, the visionary
behind Diablo and Diablo 2. Set in the iconic Marvel
Universe, Marvel Heroes combines the core game-play
style of Diablo and MMOs with the expansive library
of heroes from the Marvel Universe. In the game, players
can collect and play as their favorite Marvel Superheroes
(including Iron Man, Thor, Wolverine, Hulk, Spider
Man, Captain America and many others). Team up with
friends and try to stop Doctor Doom from devastating
the world with the power of the Cosmic Cube in a story
crafted by comic-book super-scribe Brian Michael Bendis.
The Main Event's top 10 best MMA fights of the rest
of 2012...
This
weekend has been more about the fight that didnt
happen than any that did.
UFC
151 was canceled Aug. 23 and the the finger of blame
has been pointed in every which direction. The basics
are that Dan Henderson partially tore his MCL and
was unable to compete in the main event against Jon
Jones. Jones was given a fill-in opponent in Chael
Sonnen, but turned it down, causing the UFC to cancel
the show altogether and inciting president Dana White
to go all medievel on Jones in a media conference
call.
White
blames Jones and his coach Greg Jackson. Jones has
blamed the UFC, himself and Henderson (or that
old man, according to a tweet Saturday). Theres
more finger pointing here than in the Republic National
Convention. Just not as many empty chairs or old,
senile actors.
But whats done is done. Jones will face Vitor
Belfort at UFC 152 on Sept. 22. UFC 151 will forever
be known as the event that wasnt and its
time to move on.
There
are plenty of exciting fights to look forward to before
2013. Heres a look at our top 10 (barring injuries):
10.
Rich Franklin vs. Cung Le (UFC on Fuel TV 6, Nov.
10 in Macau)
This one isnt as much about the fight as it
is about the significance of the event the
UFCs first in China. Neither of these guys is
currently in their prime, but they always give crowd-pleasing
performances. Le, a native of Vietnam, should have
a massive Asian following.
9.
Eddie Alvarez vs. Patricky Freire (Bellator 76, Oct.
12 in Windsor, Ontario)
Alvarez might have dropped the Bellator title last
year to Michael Chandler, but hes still one
of the top 15 lightweights in the world. This also
could be his last Bellator fight with his contract
expiring dont be surprised if hes
in the UFC in 2013. Explosive knockout artist Freire
will be a game opponent.
8.
Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson, UFC flyweight
title (UFC 152, Sept. 22 in Toronto)
Dont blink. These are two of the fastest guys
in MMA and both challenged for the bantamweight title
before the UFC created its flyweight division. This
bout will determine the companys first-ever
flyweight champion and these are legitimately the
top two guys in the world at 125.
7.
Shane Carwin vs. Roy Nelson (TUF 16 finale, Dec. 15
in Las Vegas)
Theres very little chance this one leaves the
first round. Carwin and Nelson love to slug it out
and after coaching against one another on The
Ultimate Fighter they probably wont be
too friendly. Itll be nice to see Carwin, a
former heavyweight top contender, back in the cage.
6.
Daniel Cormier vs. Frank Mir (Strikeforce: Mir vs.
Cormier, Oct. 27 in TBA)
This might be a Strikeforce fight, but it has UFC
implications. Mir, the former UFC heavyweight champion,
takes on Strikeforce champ Cormier in somewhat of
a crossover matchup. But Cormier will be in the UFC
right after this fight courtesy of Strikeforce's heavyweight
division being disbanded and a win here puts him on
path for a title shot in 2013.
5.
BJ Penn vs. Rory MacDonald (UFC on Fox 5, Dec. 8 in
Seattle)
The trash talk has already been fun between the two,
but things will really heat up when they enter the
Octagon. Think of this as something of a passing of
the torch fight. Penn, in the twilight of his career,
will put up a strong challenge against the young lion,
but the multi-faceted MacDonald is nearing superstardom
in the welterweight division.
4.
Benson Henderson (c) vs. Nate Diaz, UFC lightweight
title (UFC on Fox 5, Dec. 8 in Seattle)
This could easily be a Fight of the Year candidate
if it goes how its supposed to. Neither of these
guys gives an inch both Henderson and Diaz
are perpetually moving forward. A win here, against
a superior standup fighter in Diaz, would put Hendersons
name among the top pound-for-pound fighters in the
world.
3.
Jose Aldo (c) vs. Frankie Edgar, UFC featherweight
title (UFC 153, Oct. 13 in Rio)
Well, this is a pleasant surprise. Aldo was supposed
to defend his title against Erik Koch, but Koch had
to pull out with an injury and his loss is the fans
gain. Edgar was the UFC lightweight champion for more
than a year and his last two losses were by the slimmest
of margins. Aldo, meanwhile, is a buzzsaw one
of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
This is, indeed, a superfight.
2.
Georges St. Pierre (c) vs. Carlos Condit, UFC welterweight
unification (UFC 154, Nov. 17 in Montreal)
It seems like its been forever since St. Pierre
has fought. One of the best MMA fighters of all time
has not competed in more than a year and a half due
to injuries, including a torn ACL. He returns to face
red-hot Carlos Condit, who is coming off a win over
Nick Diaz in January. St. Pierre, a dominant champ,
has never faced anyone with the combination of speed,
athleticism and technique that Condit has.
1.
Junior dos Santos (c) vs. Cain Velasquez, UFC heavyweight
title (UFC 155, Dec. 29 in Las Vegas)
This time, well get the incredible battle of
wills that we were promised last year. Velasquez lost
his title to dos Santos last November in just over
a minute via stunning knockout. To make matters worse,
it was the UFCs first show on Fox and the company
took undeserved criticism for the quick, flash KO.
Who
knew that dos Santos-Velasquez wouldnt be a
war? This one will make up for it, closing the year
on a huge high note the two best heavyweights
in the world trading in the center of the cage. Only
one will be standing at the end. (New
York Post)
Captains agree it's Manly or Dogs to win - 3rd September
2012...
The
NRL competition is a two-horse race between last year's
premiers and this year's minor premiers, according
to the eight captains taking part.
The
pair, going head to head at ANZ Stadium in a qualifying
final, were the overwhelming favourites in a poll
of the team leaders at Monday's captains' call.
Premiership
favourites the Sea Eagles were favoured by Canterbury's
Michael Ennis and Cronulla's Paul Gallen as the team
to beat, while North Queensland's Johnathan Thurston
and Canberra's Terry Campese like the chances of this
year's minor premiers.
'I
can't go past Manly obviously with the side that they've
got,' Gallen said.
'It's
a pretty good side and they've been there and done
it before.'
South
Sydney's Michael Crocker summed up this year's premiership
race perfectly when he admitted he couldn't pick a
favourite between the two.
The
Raiders only just squeezed into the finals on the
back of a five-game winning streak, but they've been
dubbed the dark horse of the competition, alongside
the Rabbitohs, who emerged from a slump with two wins
to finish the regular season.
'Souths
have got a really good style of play and I reckon
they're the smokies,' Thurston said.
'They've
flown under the radar.
'Every
team goes through a period like that (where they lose
a few) but they've bounced back.'
After
witnessing the Raiders pile on 36 unanswered points
against last year's grand finalists the Warriors,
Crocker admits he will be keeping one eye on the Green
Machine.
'The
way the Raiders have been playing, they're a scary
prospect,' he said.
'If
you look at their performance in the second half yesterday,
when they were 22-6 down at halftime, to come out
and score 36 points, they've got that ability and
so many class players across the park.'
Ben
Barba was unanimously anointed this year's Dally M
Medal winner for his scintillating season with the
Bulldogs, and was tied with Thurston on two votes
a piece as the player most oppositions will fear these
finals.
Manly's
Jason King declined the opportunity to participate
in the poll.
News
Entertainment
news, WWE current and future legends, NWO, Hollywood,
Australia, Sin City, Las Vegas, Olympics, gaming and
more... - 30th July 2012
Kevin
Nash teases NWO - New World Order return...
Kevin
Nash, who was likely joking, teased an nWo reunion
on his Twitter account recently, writing, "A
lot of you wanted an NWO reunion,there will be one.As
you know we only come in take over mode.Stay tuned!!!"
The message was then re-tweeted by TNA Executive Eric
Bischoff.
Nash later wrote, "Rock will never walk out of
the Rumble with the belt we got Phils back... Sorry
@CMPunk we got your back!!!!"
Nash
also stated that Punk would be the leader and that
the nWo army would be there "to protect the gold."
Wrestling legend Rey wants Pacquiao-Floyd in WWE ring...
During
Rey Mysterio's tour stop in Manila, Philippines, Mysterio
teased a mixed tag match with top boxing stars Manny
Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather, Jr., who "competed"
at WrestleMania 24 four years ago. I love Manny.
In fact, Manny, if youre watching right now,
Im inviting you to join forces with Rey Mysterio
in the WWE to take on Money (Floyd) Mayweather,"
Rey said on Manila TV, playing off Mayweather and
Pacquiao unable to come together on a dream boxing
fight. "I know you dont need me to take
him on but this is just a teaser: me and you versus
him and Alberto Del Rio."
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin and 'Iron' Mike Tyson at
WWE Summerslam weekend function...
WWE
Hall of Famers "Stone Cold" Steve Austin
and Mike Tyson are scheduled to attend a Summerslam
Weekend function in Los Angeles, according to WWE
announcer Jim Ross. Ross wrote in his latest blog
on jrsbarbq.com: "If you see me wandering around
L.A. Summerslam weekend, I'm there for a major, THQ
function at the Grammy Museum the night before the
PPV. Among those scheduled to attend the private affair
are @steveaustinBSR and @miketyson, among many others."
WWE Announcer Legend Jim Ross Blog Update...
WWE
Hall of Famer Jim Ross is back with his latest blog
about Monday's 1,000th episode of RAW, here are just
a few highlights:
RAW
1000: "Memorable week especially kicking it off
with RAW1000 in St Louis. No guarantees that any of
us will be around for RAW2000 so I particularly enjoyed
my experiences Monday night.
"The
reality of the matter is this...it is highly unlikely,
thanks Gorilla, that exact collection of performers
will EVER be under the same roof again. I look back
upon my attendance at RAW1000 as a privilege and am
grateful to have had the opportunity to see so many
old friends that have meant a great deal to me over
my long career."
Inducting
Mick Foley in the WWE Hall of Fame: "@RealMickFoley
when asked who would induct him if/when Mick goes
into the WWE HOF mentioned Terry Funk and yours truly.
While I would love to honor Mick on that special occasion,
there is no way that I would ever put myself in the
same category with Terry Funk. Terry mentored Mick
and treated Mick like a son. While I'd love to induct
Mrs. Foley's Baby Boy into the WWE HOF, I think that
Terry Funk is the best choice. However, I stand ready
if called upon."
If
CM Punk would reform the nWo: "A follower on
@JRsBBQ on Twitter asked if I thought @CMPunk would
reform the nWo. I have no idea if this topic is any
thing more than speculation based on my friend Kevin
Nash having some fun with the subject on Twitter.
Bottom line is that I don't know but I would be surprised
if Punk headed up a faction at this time because he
seems to be such a solitary man. The only way that
I see that ever happening at this stage of Punk's
career is if he had complete control on who comprised
the group."
Pro Wrestling giant Great Khali has tumor removed...
WWE
wrestler Great Khali (Dalip Singh) had a tumor removed
on Wednesday, which will put him out of action for
2-3 months. The tumor was on Khali's pituitary gland,
which caused him to increase in height to over seven-feet-tall.
However, if left untreated, the tumor could have been
fatal, according to WWE's chief medical director,
Dr. Joseph Maroon. It's the same issue that affected
Andre the Giant. Surgery was performed at UPMC Presbyterian
in Pittsburgh, Pa.
TNA Video: Funny or Die Olympic training featuring
Kurt Angle and Rob Van Dam...
LONDON
It began as a goof two brothers horsing
around, dreaming up exotic wrestling moves straight
out of the Vince McMahon WWE handbook and trying them
out on each other.
The
move has since gone viral as a YouTube sensation,
become a nickname and, before the 2012 London Games
are over, it might become part of U.S. Olympic lore
a highlight burned into our minds forever.
Ellis
Coleman and his older brother, Lillashawn, used to
wrestle with each other at their high school outside
of Chicago when they would dial up crazy moves to
use on each other.
The
best of them was called the Flying Squirrel.
Ellis never forgot it, and now has turned it into
a cottage industry for himself.
Coleman,
at age 21 the youngest member of the six-man U.S.
Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling team, has used the move
about a dozen times in competition.
Perhaps
the highest profile time he used it was in last years
Junior World Championships to come back and beat his
opponent in the semifinals. ESPN ranked the move third
on its Best of the Best Highlights
for 2011.
Its
been crazy, Coleman said yesterday. Every
time someone sees it, kids are reaching out to me
on Facebook and Twitter asking me to show them the
move.
In
the words of Coleman, one of a host of athletes at
these Olympic Games representing the New York Athletic
Club, heres how the move is executed: You
snap the opponents head down, leap over him
and, as you land on your feet, you grab his waist,
pull him over, pick him up and throw him down.
In
Greco-Roman wrestling, the competitors get points
for their various moves. Five points is the most you
can get for one move. Coleman said he has used the
move about a dozen times and usually gets at least
three points for it.
He
first unveiled it out of desperation in a match he
was losing, stunned his opponent with it and went
on to win it.
Coleman
said he likes to use the move as an element of surprise
and isnt sure if he will use it in the Olympics.
If
Im losing, though, youll definitely see
it, he said. Its a risky move.
Its a spur-of-the-moment thing. Its so
sudden you cant stop it. I always pictured myself,
even in the Olympic setting and losing in the finals
match, third period with 15 seconds left, hitting
the Flying Squirrel and everyone going
crazy. I still picture it.
Though
Colemans teammates chide him for the move, they
also embrace his guts for using it.
They
should probably put him on medication for even trying
that, teammate Justin Lester said jokingly.
Hes crazy for doing it, but thats
whats going to make him good in the long run.
Youve got guys like him who are innovative and
arent afraid to wrestle.
Its
definitely a move of desperation, said
Dremiel Byers, the elder statesman and heavyweight
of the Greco-Roman team at age 37.
Its
his wild card. It lets the opponent know hell
do anything to win.
U.S.
Wrestling Greco-Roman coach Steve Fraser said Colemans
flash has brought a lot of attention to wrestling
and Greco. Hes talented, hungry and young
and a pleasure to work with. Hes a very coachable
kid. We love him.
The
Flying Squirrel craze reached such
a pitch that Coleman recently bought himself a live
flying squirrel pet and named him Rocky, who is about
45 days old and eats lot of apples and seeds.
They
bond with their owners, Coleman said.
He sleeps during the day and is very nocturnal,
so Ill take him out of his cage and hell
crawl on me and fly to the curtains. Eventually, when
he bonds with me, Ill be able to take him out
in my pocket and hell stay there without flying
away.
Coleman
dreams of flying away from these Olympics with some
hardware. Something gold, perhaps. (The New York Post)
NSW govt investigates 'floating casino'...
The
NSW government is investigating whether cruise company
P&O operated an illegal floating casino off the
NSW coast.
Hospitality
Minister George Souris on Wednesday said a government
authority was investigating an allegation that passengers
could play blackjack, pontoon, poker and roulette
on a cruise that left Sydney on Friday night.
The
cruise ship also had 40 poker machines onboard and
let passengers charge $5000 on their credit cards
for gambling, News Ltd reported.
"I've
asked the Office of Liquor and Gaming to investigate
whether a casino operation was under way in NSW territorial
waters or whether gambling operations were under way
in commonwealth waters," he told reporters in
Sydney.
"It
may be that NSW jurisdiction was breached, it may
be that the commonwealth jurisdiction was breached.
It may be even that both were breached."
He
said NSW had no jurisdiction beyond 12 nautical miles
from shore.
"Those
are international waters," he said.
"In
international shipping after the 12-nautical-mile
limit it opens boats to gambling but also to duty-free
liquor sales."
James Packer to speak at tourism conference in Canberra...
Billionare
James Packer will be the drawcard for hoteliers, resort
operators and owners attending a tourism conference
in Canberra in late October. Mr Packer will open the
Tourism & Transport Forum's annual "Leadership
2012" conference.
The
gaming tycoon is a major tourism player given his
Crown resorts in Perth and Melbourne attract 25 million
visitors a year...
Jackman to Begin Filming Wolverine in
Australia...
Hollywood
star Hugh Jackman will begin filming the next installment
of his X-Men spin-off movies in Sydney
next week, even though the female lead is yet to be
confirmed.
Jackman,
who admitted struggling to get into shape after packing
on the pounds to play Jean Valjean in Les Miserables,
said his role as Wolverine, which he first played
12 years ago, was the backbone of my career.
I
love the character. I still love the character,
he said. I had no choice at the time, I was
going to take anything that came along, but I happened
to have walked into probably the most interesting
and complex of the superhero characters.
Ive
always loved playing it and when I stop loving it
Ill stop doing it, he added.
Melco Crown Project Gets Red Light on Casino...
Macau
casino operator Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. MPEL
+2.32% still doesn't have permission to build a casino
at its latest project, according to a revised government
contract published Wednesday.
The
Macao Studio City project, in which Melco Crown has
a 60% equity interest, is designated for a five-star
hotel and film facilities, indicates the latest government
contract detailing various revisions to the agreement.
But the document doesn't mention any casino facilities
despite the company's earlier statements they hope
to open up to 400 gambling tables at the property.
It's possible the government could give the green-light
on a casino later, but the uncertainty could complicate
the company's efforts to finance the project.
Melco
Crown, backed by Lawrence Ho and James Packerthe
sons of Macau gambling tycoon Stanley Ho and the late
Australian casino-and-media magnate Kerry Packeris
one of six casino license holders in Macau, where
it already runs two casino-resort properties in the
world's largest gambling hub.
A
representative for Melco Crown didn't respond to requests
for comment.
In
June 2011, Melco Crown signed a $360 million deal
to gain control over the Macao Studio City project,
resolving a bitter dispute between the project's earlier
partners that had escalated to the Hong Kong courts,
stalling development for years. New Cotai Holdings
LLC, an arm of U.S. investment firms Oaktree Capital
Management L.P. and Silver Point Capital L.P., retained
its 40% stake in the project.
Earlier
this month Melco Crown announced plans to enter the
burgeoning Philippines market by teaming up with local
property developer Belle Corp. BEL.PH -0.20% to partner
on a casino resort that will cost at least $1 billion
in an area the Philippines hopes will become Manila's
version of the Las Vegas Strip. (The Wall Street Journal)
First Second unveils André the Giant comic...
First
Second has confirmed its André the Giant biography.
Cartoonist
Box Brown is working on the book charting the life
of the professional wrestler and actor, reports ICv2.
André
Roussimoff was a star and one-time champion of the
World Wrestling Federation (now WWE).
He
is also known for his role in cult classic movie The
Princess Bride.
Roussimoff
has the condition acromegaly, which saw him grow to
7'4" in height. He died of heart failure in 1993
at the age of 46.
Box
is the author of Xeric grant-funded graphic novel
Love Is a Peculiar Type of Thing.
The
untitled André the Giant biography is scheduled
for release in 2014. (Digital Spy)
The Expendables 2 slapped with R rating for extreme
violence...
Action
star-laden sequel The Expendables 2 has been given
an R rating for its violent and sexual content in
the US.
Bruce
Willis, Sylvester Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger
and co will even be throwing some bad language into
the mix as they bat off hostile attackers in this
follow-up to the 2010 action-packed extravaganza.
Lionsgate
was rumoured to have been considering a PG-13 rating
for the film, which is due for release in the States
on August 17th.
Once
again, Stallone assembles his hardened team of old-school
mercenaries for a special mission - taking revenge
after one of their squad is murdered on the job.
Director
Simon West was never in any doubt that the film would
receive such a high rating, given the 'very hard'
violence and language perpetrated by the all-star
cast throughout the film.
'I'm
sure there were some financial people who wanted it
to be PG-13 because they thought it would somehow
make more money or have a broader audience, but there
was no way,' he told wegotthiscovered.com.
'When
you get these guys on the set, they can't say a line
without putting the F-bomb in it, and they can't pick
up a gun without blowing several limbs off.' (Metro)