Robin
Williams has set his next project, The Interpreter. The light-hearted
comedy about a schlub who interprets rather than translates in tense
international negotiations might as well be called Flubber 2,
following his expected hit Thanksgiving release. Ironically, when Robin
was in negotiations to play The Riddler in Batman Forever four
years ago, I asked him why he wanted the part. He said, "If I don't
play a bad guy soon, I'm going to become f***ing Fred MacMurray!"
No word on whether the Double Indemnity remake is on his "To
Do" list.
The Full Monty will be the first late-summer release to go all
the way to profitability. Even though the film's gross has just hit
$6 million, it should pass $15 million in the next two or three weeks,
putting the film into the black considering a $3 million production
cost and an estimated $8 million P&A (Prints & Advertising) budget.
On the flip side, G.I. Jane, September's top drawer (with silk
stocking in it?), is in its fourth week with a $39 million total, making
it a poor bet to even match its production costs in domestic box office,
though it will certainly be profitable in the long worldwide run. Naked
fat guys everywhere rejoice!
Speaking of G.I. Jane, what was with the men in short shorts
and hairless legs? Despite Moore's pointedly feminine physique, Ridley
Scott's vision of the S.E.A.L.S was more about beefcake than a Chippendale's
video.
You think it's easy to be in the movie business? MGM, formerly the lion
of Hollywood, has been singing in red ink for the last five years to
the tune of $1.7 billion. Yes, billion with a B. Even last year, with
The Birdcage and Goldeneye on the release list, MGM dropped
$90.5 million. Fortunately, studio chief Frank Mancuso has taken
home almost $30 million in salary and stock in that same five years.
Makes Michael Eisner's paycheck look pretty reasonable, huh?
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