The real story, however, is how well the film was attended by the ladies. The audience was 52 percent female and 64 percent under 25 year-of-age. Lionsgate is reporting that a third of those young girls stated that they were there to see singer Trey Songz try his hand at acting. Horror films are notoriously cheap to produce and when they hit with audiences, it leads to profits larger than anticipated. It only makes sense to revisit the franchise. There aren’t any plot details for the sequel yet but it will likely involve running and chainsaws and maybe Ne-Yo this time around. (Box Office Mojo)

Brian Robbins, the executive producer of Smallville, one of those shows that you think was cancelled five years ago but is probably still on the air, will serve as EP of this new project as well.

No network has gotten on board with Wonderland yet, but expect (hope?) that it finds its way onto cable, as the adaptation is a sexual and dark take on the source material, which is actually pretty dark to begin with, though not all that sexual.

Sexy Alice? That sounds like a character tailor-made for Comic-Con.

In case this is all news to you, allow me to backtrack by saying that there’s going to be a Leprechaun reboot, which is funny, because nobody gives two shits as to whether the next Leprechaun is a reboot, sequel, prequel, reimagining, or just some terrible film that oozes out of the skin of the scaly monster that is the studio system.

Now’s as good a time as any to mention that Lionsgate has an ownership interest in Screen Junkies, in case it appeared I was playing favorites with my above comments.

According to Lionsgate‘s press release, Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Something Something will have Madea confronting a shamed Ponzi schemer played by Eugene Levy, his wife, played by Denise Richards, and his business associate, Tom Arnold.

Before I write any more, please put on some sunglasses so as not to be blinded this film’s starpower.

The press release offers up this promising nugget from Lionsgate’s President of Development, whose name is unimportant:

This is the ultimate fish out of water story, and I believe the funniest Madea story yet. We loved the witness protection concept from the second we heard it, but when Tyler cast comedy icon Eugene Levy and put him under the same roof with Madea and Uncle Joe, he took this movie to a whole new level.

I’ve never known anyone to refer to Eugene Levy as such a gamechanger before.

“I don’t know if this has legs. I mean, office romance comedies are a dime a dozen these days. What’s that? YOU GOT LEVY? HERE’S YOUR FINANCING!”

*empties bag of blood diamonds all over the Lionsgate conference table*

This horror film is drawing rave reviews which means it must have a gimmick. Shot on the cheap as one continuous take, Silent House is a horror tale told in real time. Which means the viewer is essentially front row center as the main character spends the film trying to escape while more and more terrifying mysteries are brought into light. The film was sold to Lionsgate for $2 million after building good buzz at Sundance. That may not seem like a lot of profit in movie terms but keep in mind, they didn’t need to hire an editor.

Following a conference among several other development execs at Lionsgate, they all agreed it didn’t really matter who wrote or directed the sequel ’cause, hey, American Psycho. So they bestowed both writing and directing duties upon one Noble Jones, a second-unit director from The Social Network, who just happened to be the next person to walk through the door into the conference room.

Expect news in the next couple days that the producers, not wanting to overthink things, have decided that Jason Bateman would make a pretty good Patrick Bateman.

“The game centers on vacationers whose island paradise becomes a living hell when a zombie outbreak quickly spreads.  Cut off from the rest of the world, the survivors have only the available materials and the island’s natural ‘weapons’ to protect themselves from the vicious and growing legions of the undead. “

So it’s like Super Mario Sunshine, but with zombies. The movie will undoubtedly follow a similar line, and the filmmakers at Lionsgate promise to preserve that special Dead Island touch with a “focus on human emotion, family ties and non-linear storytelling.”  Also, lots and lots of undead gore.

The Catching Fire announcement was made by Joe Drake, co-COO of Lionsgate and President of its Motion Picture Group. Said Drake of the date:

“The magical thing about the Hunger Games trilogy is that the books have such a vastly broad appeal.  The stories truly offer something for everyone, and the period around the Thanksgiving weekend is such an opportunity for families and friends to make an event of going to the movies.”

So rip off a turkey leg and bring it to the theater with you. There’s no time to enjoy the holiday with your family. Kids are murdering each other and you have to see who wins.

Assuming the films are good and have something epic to showcase, I’m all for it. But let’s be careful that this doesn’t become the norm in Hollywood. I’m perfectly content with Alvin & The Chipmunks capping it as a Shrillogy.

4 photosLet’s Have A Look At January Jones’ Boobs And Some Other ‘X-Men: First Class’ Stuff

The Hunger Games slaughters its way into theaters March 23, 2011. (Lionsgate’s Twitter)

Seems like The Terminator is always battling for the future. Now it’s time for Terminator to take a breather and let other folks battle over his future for a change. You earned it, big guy.

Arnold Schwarzenegger has come back to the Terminator franchise — [Insert "I'll Be Back" Joke] — and Fast Five direct Justin Lin is also attached. Interest is clearly heating up like a vat of molten steel, because Lionsgate has competition for buying the rights from hedge fund Pacificor: Megan Ellison. You may remember hearing about Ellison on this very website, because the wealthy heiress is financing tons of interesting projects, like Kathryn Bigelow‘s Osama Bin Laden movie and Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master, along with last year’s True Grit. Lionsgate bid $29.5 million, but Ellison’s Annapurna Films bid higher. *Tension*

Who will control the new Schwarzenegger Terminator? Still waiting to see if Skynet throws in a bid. (Movieline)

A plot synopsis has also been released. It’s after the poster, in case you don’t want to spoil the “plot” of a movie about seeing people’s arm break in crazy ways. Sylvester Stallone will return (to star, not to direct) along with “most of the original cast,” though no specific announcements have been made. Judging from the plot synopsis, I can tell you one cast member who either won’t appear or will have very limited screen time. *Seals Lips*

The Expendables 2 burst into your skull August 17th, 2012. (FirstShowing, Cinema Blend)

The Expendables are back and this time it’s personal! After Tool (Mickey Rourke), the heart and soul of the Expendables, is brutally murdered on a mission, his comrades swear to avenge him. They’re not the only ones who want blood. Tool’s beautiful young and wild daughter Fiona embarks on her own revenge mission, complicating matters when she is captured and ransomed by a ruthless dictator plotting to destroy a resistance movement. Now Barney and the Expendables must risk everything to save her and humanity.

It’s official: Woody Harrelson has joined the cast of The Hunger Games, the endlessly-buzzed about Lionsgate adaptation of the first in a series of popular, dystopian tween novels by Susanne Collins. Harrelson will play Haymitch (“Hey, Mitch…’sup?”), the drunken winner of the 50th Annual Hunger Games, which took place over 20 years ago. Is Haymitch just a code name his character chose, in place of Woody Boyd? Does The Hunger Games take place in the “Cheers” universe? If so, I’m way more interested. Also, if so, which year did Norm win?

The Hunger Games, directed by Gary Ross and starring Jennifer Lawrence, hunts people in theaters March 23, 2012. (Hollywood Reporter)

Lionsgate‘s Conan The Barbarian stars Jason Momoa, Stephen Lang and Ron Perlman. Directed by Marcus Nispel, it’s coming to you in GrimaceVision 3D on August 19, 2011. Conan‘s violence-filled quest is the last hope for saving the Hyborian world from the forces of evil. Meanwhile, I’d like to take this opportunity to remind you that “Conan The Librarian” exists. I bet that Conan at least got two or three paper cuts. (IGN)

Jacqueline Emerson, best “known” as voice on the animated cat-tastrophe “Father of the Pride” (see what I did back there?), will play Foxface in Lionsgate‘s upcoming adaptation. Ironically, given her biggest credit, Foxface’s character never says a word in the book, though she’s supposedly very clever. I guess while everyone else in the Hunger Games is yap-yapping away, she’s out there killing people and winning in silence. I can respect that. Meanwhile, stunt actor Chris Mark has been cast as her “fellow District 5 tribute,” who is not given the dignity of a name.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth Banks confirmed she’s playing Effie Trinket via Twitter. May it go well for her. (EW)

The above trailer for Lionsgate‘s Th Devil‘s Double kicks some serious ass. Dominic Cooper plays Saddam Hussain’s son Uday, and Latif Yahia, a lookalike he forces to be his body double. The trailer’s like a Whitman’s Sampler of Badassery: gun play, reckless abuse of power, women who will sleep with you for said power, more gun play. There’s also that mustachioed guy George W. Bush didn’t like so much. The film’s been called “Scarface of Arabia,” so if you’re ready to say As-Salamu Alaykum to Uday’s little friend, definitely check out the video.

The Devil‘s Double was directed by Lee Tamahori (Die Another Day) and invades theaters July 29th.

The Hunger Games is all about a group of teens with odd names you love and care about, like Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Prim (Willow Shields). But who gave them those goofy, post-apocalyptic monickers? I assume their mother, who it’s now confirmed will be played by Paula Malcomson from SyFy‘s “Caprica.” If the movies are like the books, and who knows if that’ll be the case, Malcomson’s character is worried about her children participating in the life-threatening Hunger Games. Even in the future, moms worry too much.

Other actors in Lionsgate‘s adaptation of the Suzanne Collins novel include Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth and possibly John C. Reilly & Elizabeth Banks. Now for the deadliest game of all: waiting and reporting on more Hunger Games news. (Hollywood Reporter)

The story follows “a  smoking hot nurse” who does normal nurse stuff during the day, but then spends her nights seducing and murdering philandering men. Umm, no. Don’t do that. Philandering rules, and to all of a sudden murder a guy because of it is a real dick move. Can’t she just like steal their pants, or something? The embarrassment alone would be enough to teach a lesson. (Deadline)

Levinson wrote the screenplay with Michael Wallach, so it’s a safe bet that he wouldn’t have too much trouble getting this project pushed through, especially considering the low budget of these types of films. Levinson has proven to be scattershot in his project selections over the last decade, and we all hope that that this cinematic release can offset his last two features, Man of the Year, and What Just Happened.

This project was originally shopped as Isopod, but has since been adopted as The Bay, despite what those rascals as IMDB would have you believe. Hopefully this project will find Levinson back in his old form. (THR)

However, Gillespie seems to have eaten his way back to the top of the list. The rumor is that Lionsgate has told all the other potential directors “thanks, but really no thanks,” and that Gillespie will soon be signed. Jane Austen but with zombies, here he comes? We’ll soon find out. (Deadline)

Perry will write, produce, direct, do makeup for and star in Good Deeds. The title is a pun. See if you can figure it out: the film concerns Glen Deeds (did you catch it?), a successful businessman who must choose between his high class fiancée and a “down-on-her-luck” single mother who floats his boat Knowing romantic comedies, I assume he’ll end up with the rich woman he was intending to marry in the first place. That sounds more logical.

Good Deeds will be released by his new perma-home Lionsgate, and production begins late this month. (Variety)

After venturing out on his own for I, Alex Cross, gigantor has returned to Lionsgate with an exclusive contract promising two new Madea movies and a whole bunch of other excellent work, including something called We the Peeples, which I can tell from the name is going to be uh-mazing.

Because I’m too forlorn from this news to come up with anything prosaic, here’s a list of things we can expect to see Madea doing for years and years and years to come:

• Ride a bus
• Put on more “church clothes”
• Slap a young ‘un
• Provide a quick “info-taining” segment before every screening about what is and isn’t appropriate behavior in movie theaters, sparing white theater managers an awkward moment with their patrons
• Be gassy
• Gross $150 million domestically and about $0 in Europe
• Be sassy
• Offset a significant amount of the progress made by the civil rights movement

(Deadline)

Up next for Mclean is 6 Miranda Drive. The micro-budget film is part of Lionsgate‘s new initiative to make cheaper films in the hopes that they will yield gigantic profit. It tells the story of a family who unknowingly bring a supernatural force home with them when returning from vacation. The unseen evil feeds off their fears and secrets. And that is exactly why I refuse to go to Steamboat Springs. That and the pollen. Definitely pollen first, ghosts second. (Deadline)

“Ben and Lindsey try to reestablishing their sandwich cart business. Beyond the occasional blood rainstorm and talking locusts that surface occasionally, the sandwich sellers have a new problem: the Anti-Christ (Robinson) decides he wants to take Lindsey as his bride.”

This sounds a little like an indie-comedy version of Little Nicky, the Adam Sandler movie about the devil‘s son that featured Henry Winkler covered in bees. Still not that good though, so hopefully Rapturepalooza will be better.

No info on the rest of the cast yet – maybe some of the Phelps clan want to get into acting? (via Deadline)

Jackson has starred in several Tyler Perry films for the studio, including Why Did I Get Married?, Why Did I Get Married, Too? and Madea Goes To Mars. Okay, I made up one of those titles, but I bet you can’t guess which one it was.* While you’re figuring it out, the Queen of the Malfunctioning Wardrobe had this to say about her 1-picture deal:

“My experiences of working with the creative group at Lionsgate have been powerful and exciting,” Jackson said in a statement. “We’ve made three films together so far, directed by the gifted and prolific Tyler Perry. There is genius at this studio in every department. They don’t just make films, they nurture artists who want to make great films.”

No argument about the “prolific” part. Also, no word on what the project will be, or even how nasty it will be. Only that she’ll be in control of the development process and is attached to produce. (TheWrap)

*It was Why Did I Get Married, Too?

Thanks to a release date change, Clash of the Titans 2 will go head-to-head at the box office with the red hot dystopian teen novel-turned-Lionsgate-is-praying-franchise Hunger Games. They will now both open on March 30th, 2012. I guess the thinking is that teen girls will go see Hunger Games, and teen boys will see Wrath of the Titans – but what about teen couples? Will the decision of what movie to see that weeken break apart poor Tyler and Jessikka? Nah, probably Jessikka will win, freezing plans for any and all make-out sessions unless her hunger is satiated.

Damn you, Jessikka. Damn you and your crazily spelled version of a perfectly good first name. (Deadline)

However, it looks like one actress is emerging victorious. 20-year-old Jennifer Lawrence has Winter’s Bone-d her tough competition and is currently the closest to nabbing the part. Lawrence would play Katniss, a young girl in a shitty future, participating in a televised survival death match. I assume many of the ripped male contestants in these so-called “Hunger Games” compete with their shirts off. Maybe that’s why the Oscar nominee is so anxious for the role? It’s why I’ll probably be anxious for it to leave theaters as soon as possible.

Hunger Games will be directed by Gary Ross (Pleasantville) for Lionsgate. (Variety)

Update: Sources at Lionsgate claim Jennifer Lawrence has not been given an offer, but is pulling ahead of the pack. So Steinfeld still has time to shoot her in the belly.

“I have every intention of making the show when they decide to work out their business with Lionsgate. I can’t wait to come back to work. I have said over and over in public that I want the show to go on and on and on until it has worn out its welcome with viewers and we can’t think of anything more for the characters to do.”

Weiner then took a contemplative sip of his Old Fashioned, stared off into the distance with a mixture of regret and longing, and sexually harassed his secretary.

That’s why it looks like Jeffrey Dean Morgan will have to think on his feet when he stars in Dibbuk Box. The movie stars Morgan as a recently-divorced dad who notices strange behavior in his daughter after she buys an antique box from a yard sale. The heirloom turns out to be a box built to imprison a dibbuk – a spirit from Jewish folklore that inhabits and ultimately devours its human host. In other words, it’s a total jerk.

The Sam Raimi-produced Ghost House film will fill Lionsgate‘s Halloween release slot left empty by the now completed Saw series. Look for it on DVD and Blu-ray in time for Hanukkah. (Variety)

_{Say hello to my little friend!}

Do you like Muppet movies? Do you like murder movies? Or perhaps you’ve always wanted to murder a Muppet? Well, in any case, it looks like you’re in luck. Lionsgate has signed on to Happytime Murders, a murder-mystery featuring Muppets (or something very similar) created by the Jim Henson Company.

Happytime grounds us in a world where humans and puppets live side by side, albeit with the puppets as second-class citizens. The furry cast of once-popular kids’ show The Happytime Gang are being picked off one by one, and the only ones who can figure out who’s behind the deaths is a drunken, washed-up private eye puppet and his former LAPD partner, a human being.

That sounds a lot like Chinatown mixed with Who Framed Roger Rabbit. That is to say, it sounds like the greatest story in all of human history. Oh, and if you answered "yes" to wanting to kill a Muppet, rot it hell. I love those furry bastards more than my own family. (Empire Online)