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Week Of April 9, 2007 - Mon / Wed / Fri
April 11, 2007
The Third Annual THB Survey
WHO ARE THE BIGGEST STARS IN THE WORLD?
(Part Two, released Friday)
This is not easy.We are in a cycle right now where Hollywood is not really creating new stars. Last year's list had 55 actors who I felt were worth salaries $5 million or more. A few more will be added this year. A few more will fall. There will be movement in between. But in the last year, from the start of summer to the start of summer, there has been only one actor who can be said to have moved into this upper echelon of box office performers.
You can probably guess, but look for the actor on Friday's chart of the Top 20.
In the meanwhile, before we get to a list, let's go over last year's odd categories.
SEMI-RETIREMENT
Last year's names - Mel Gibson is still not acting, Arnold Schwarzenegger is still the Governator, and Julia Roberts returns to the big screen in the Mike Nichols directed Charlie Wilson's War in December, with Tom Hanks to cushion her return three years after Closer.Also, Jennifer Garner, Wesley Snipes, Bill Murray, Cuba Gooding, Jr and Britney Murphy seemed to be on hold. Garner is back to work, but Catch and Release couldn't be called a comeback. Britney Murphy may have done the best work of her career in The Dead Girl, but no one paid to see it.
This Year - Jennifer Lopez (#24 last year) has made a couple of small films in the last couple of years, but we're two years away from Monster In Law and she has no studio movies firmly on the schedule.
Jim Carrey has been tightly held in the last couple of years. But he doesn't seem ready to stay there much longer. (The Number 23's $14.6 million opening is a sign of life.)
ON THE COMEBACK TRAIL
Last year's names - Kevin Costner did okay with The Guardian and has a good little indie coming in June, Jack Nicholson was a significant part of the success of The Departed but we'll have to see how his bald head plays in The Bucket List and if he survives Rob Reiner's direction, and Billy Bob Thornton didn't make it back with School For Scoundrels not doing much and the still unreleased Mr. Woodcock is celebrating two years since the start of production this month.STILL SUSPECT
Last Year's Names - Halle Berry has a movie out this week, Kirsten Dunst couldn't open or sustain Marie Antoinette, the only boost Kate Hudson got out of You, Me & Dupree was from Owen Wilson, Scarlett Johansson is quickly moving to has-been status before her 25th birthday, Matthew MacConaughey was in the leggy We Are Marshall but he couldn't open it, and Ewan McGregor is between flops.This Year - Jennifer Aniston has been in some big successes, but always with a power guy by her side, whether Vince Vaughn or Ben Stiller or Jim Carrey or even Kevin Costner, who is still pretty effective drawing women to movies. But without the support?
Gerard Butler has a major cult following and 300 is a huge hit ,,, but there is little to suggest it has much to do with Mr. Butler in a specific way.
Jake Gyllenhaal - Gyllenhaal has an interesting thing about always being considered on the edge of ";happening,"; yet he makes movie after movie that is bigger than his role in the film. Can any financier really credit him with the box office success of Brokeback Mountain or the openings of Zodiac, Jarhead or The Day After Tomorrow? And he hasn't had any of his films gross more than $15 million aside from his career starter, October Sky in 1999.
Jon Heder - Is it him or is it his co-stars? I love his work, but his box office value is still a giant question mark.
Samuel L. Jackson - It's hard not to love and/or respect him, but since 2003's SWAT (and ensemble film), Snakes on a Plane is his second biggest hit after Coach Carter. Great performances, but a box office cipher.
Shia LaBeouf - The star of Transformers has been in some hits ,,, but is anyone paying to see him?
Eva Mendes - She has become The Girl of choice in town lately, along with Ms. Biel. And films with Nic Cage, Will Smith, Matt Damon, and Denzel Washington have all done a bit better than expected with her along for the ride. But can she draw ticket buyers?
Hilary Swank - She has actually had a decent run since the second Oscar. But she's only been the lead twice and neither film will crack $40 million domestic, so ,,,
THE FAMILY MEN (& WOMEN)
Last Year's Names - Tim Allen took a small hit with The Santa Clause 3 but Wild Hogs showed some surprise reasserted muscle, Amanda Bynes next turns up in Harispray, Ice Cube has another eight figure opening last week based almost exclusively on his strength, Vin Diesel has lingered since his Pacifier success, and Hilary Duff slid with Material Girls.This Year - The Step Up and High School Musical crews are in play ,,, where they land, we'll have some sense of by this time next year.
Vin Diesel (#44 last year) - The only category in which he is worth a payday.
THE BODIES
Last Year - Jessica Alba is still better on a beach with a bikini and a paparazzo's long lens, Kate Beckinsale gave a little to be The Girl to Adam Sandler in Click and will turn up in Vacancy shortly, and The Rock opened Gridiron Gang, even if it was a two weekend movie.This Year - Eva Green is still hot off of Bond, but may have nowhere to go with it.
ARE THEY COMING?
Last Year - Jessica Biel still isn't box office and will have a hard time getting any credit for I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry, Jon Heder didn't do much on the Billy Bob train, but has done well with The Benchwarmers and with Will Ferrell, Phillip Seymour Hoffman got nada from M:I3 except a payday and is back to smaller films, Terrence Howard is getting his payday for doing Iron Man but will need to rebuild again after that, Colin Farrell is flailing, Keira Knightley has been in one film for the last couple of years, and Bernie Mac has actually faded a little.This Year - Michelle Monaghan didn't get the expected boost from M:I3, but she has the female money role in The Heartbreak Kid, the Farrelly Bros remake of the Elaine May classic due in the fall. Then next year, she will be the object of passion in a sex reversed spin on My Best Friend's Wedding with Patrick Dempsey trying to do on screen what he's done on TV in Grey's Anatomy.
Katherine Heigl - The heat around Knocked Up is so intense that Universal was willing to fight for her hiatus movie this summer, teaming her with the director of last summer's surprise hit, Step Up.
And now ,,,
E Me.
Week Of April 3, 2006 - Life In the Bubble - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of April 10, 2006 - List Week - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of April 17, 2006 - Review Week - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of April 24, 2006 - Overlooked Week - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of May 1, 2006 - Mystery Week - Tue / Wed / Fri
Week Of May 8, 2006 - How We Watch Week - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of May 15, 2006 - Premature Week - Oscar Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of May 22, 2006 - B-13 Mon / Inconvenient Wed / Fri
Week Of May 29, 2006 - Wed / Fri
Week Of June 5, 2006 - 666 Tue / Iraq Doc Wed / Seattle Fri
Week Of June 12, 2006 - SIFF Mon / SIFF Wed / Fri
Week Of June 19, 2006 - Cinevegas Mon/Deliver Us Wed/Prada Fri
Week Of June 26, 2006 - Pirates Mon / Super Again Wed / Fri
Week Of July 5, 2006 - Wed
Week Of July 12, 2006 - M. Night Mon | You, Me & Wed | Monster House Fri
Week Of July 17, 2006 - 8 A Year Mon / Water Wed / Revamp Fri
Week Of July 24, 2006 - Comic-Con Mon / Gossip Wed / Fri
Week Of July 31, 2006 - Mel G Mon / Talladega Wed / Fri
Week Of August 7, 2006 - Mon / Wed
Week Of August 14, 2006 - No Column Mon / Wed / Snakes Fri
Week Of August 21, 2006 - Snakey Mon / Anniversary Wed / Scoundrels Fri
Week Of August 28, 2006 - Mon Love / Berloff Wed / Fri
Week Of September 4, 2006 - Thur
Week Of September 11, 2006 - TIFF Mon / Bobby Wed / Fr
Week Of September 18, 2006 - Mon / TIFF 1 Wed / TIFF 2 Fri
Week Of September 25, 2006 - Mon / Wed
Week Of October 2, 2006 - Atonement Mon / Wed / Indie Fri
Week Of October 9, 2006 - Flags Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of October 16, 2006 - Mon / Epagogix Wed
Week Of October 23, 2006 - TCIFF Mon / Wed / Catch A Fri
Week Of October 30, 2006 - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of November 6, 2006 - Mon / Dead Girl Wed / Fri
Week Of November 13, 2006 - Bond Mon / Wed / TomKat Fri
Week Of November 20, 2006 - Mon / Thankful Wed
Week Of November 27, 2006 - Mon / Auteur Wed / Blood D Fri
Week Of December 4, 2006 - Mon / Wed
Week Of December 11, 2006 - Mon / Wed
Week Of December 18, 2006 - Mon / Wed / COM Fri
Week Of December 27, 2006 - Wed / Worst of 2006 Fri
Week Of Janiuary 3, 2007 - Best Of 2006 Wed
Week Of Janiuary 8, 2007 - Mon / COM Book Wed
Week Of January 17, 2007 - Little Red Writing Hood Wed
Week Of January 29, 2007 - Mon
Week Of February 5, 2007 -This Thing We Do Wk - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of February 12, 2007 - Mon / Wed / Fri
Week Of February 26, 2007 - Rough Oscars Mon / Zodiac Wed / Doc & Foreign Fri
Week Of March 5, 2007 - Mon / Fri
March 14 / March 21/ March 28
Week Of April 4, 2007 - Wed / Grindhouse Fri
