Showing posts with label World. Show all posts
Showing posts with label World. Show all posts
Monday, 24 August 2015
Tuesday, 18 August 2015
Wednesday, 7 August 2013
CIO interview: David Byrne, Carphone Warehouse - Connected World
Connected World Services is Carphone Warehouse's business-to-business offering, and is taking a platform as a service (PaaS) approach to supporting business partners,
IT chief David Byrne wears two hats: enterprise architecture director at Carphone Warehouse and CIO for the mobile phone retailer's Connected World business.
Carphone Warehouse is known as a mobile phone retailer and, predominantly, it operates in the B2C (business to consumer) sector. "But every so often we have done interesting things [in other areas] which have been a success,” says Byrne.
For instance, in 2003, the company launched the TalkTalk broadband business.
Connected World Services is its B2B division and runs as a one-stop-shop service to the company's clients for all their communication needs. It currently provides business telecoms and communication services, but Byrne says: “Our core business seems to be doing well and we’ve always had interest in other companies who want to do similar things.
"We have huge aspirations for Connected World."
Some of the Connected World processing uses the systems in Carphone's data centres which power the batch processing; reconciliation of the retailer's commission for selling the customer a mobile network contract; and billing on behalf of networks.
These processes run on different IT systems. “We started thinking about how a batch job started in Unix could be passed to another part [of the business process] running on Windows Server and decide what to do,” says CIO David Byrne.
Carphone Warehouse runs hundreds of thousands of scripts every night so scheduling and automating batch jobs is a priority. When the company first started building the batch jobs, Byrne says of the scheduling technology: “They could not operate over heterogeneous platforms.”
So the retailer had to write its own software to support this functionality. It recently switched to a batch scheduler called Automic , which Byrne says has allowed Carphone Warehouse to cut over 100,000 lines of code from its systems. “Automic provides much more visualisation than we had before and we can change the order of tasks.” In addition, it provides visibility and auditing.
Automic is also being used to enable Carphone Warehouse to achieve SEPA (Single European Payments Area) compliance in advance of the February 2014 deadline. The tool was used to automate the direct debit collection process.
In a similar way to how Tesco developed its "Tesco in a box" strategy to encapsulate best practices, technology and services when the supermarket wanted to expand into new regions quickly, Carphone Warehouse is encoding its know-how as a mobile retailer.
It plans to provide knowledge of mobile phone retail to business partners via the Connected World PaaS. Partners will use the platform to create their own mobile phone retail operations.
“We see Connected World Services as enabling retailers, original equipment manufacturers and network businesses around the globe to leverage all the expertise and processes that we have built into our operations over the last 24 years,” says Byrne.
One of the early partnerships was with US retail giant Best Buy. The partnership took Carphone's business competence and its knowledge of mobile phone retail and provided this at Best Buy.
"Previously we took people from our business and had them work in the partner business. We thought about a way to make it more efficient. This is where Connected World Services fits, to put the know-how into business processes packaged as the Connected World Services product,” says Byrne
Selling a phone to the public requires selling both a device and a network contract. The business processes are wrapped up in custom IT that Carphone Warehouse has built up. But, as Byrne explains, there is no off-the-shelf enterprise resource planning (ERP) that provides a system of record to capture the transactions.
The process of the sale of a handset and a mobile phone contract is handled in bespoke batch-based systems (see box), and there is no compelling business driver to modernise.
“In retail IT investment, there is a very strong emphasis on a short time to value so replacing something that works perfectly well, with something that does the same job may reduce TCO (total cost of ownership) in the IT group, but it brings no shareholder value," says Byrne. "So it is hard to make a good argument to replace the systems we have.”
Carphone Warehouse's retail business involves acquiring customers for mobile phone networks. Byrne says: “There are risks attached to different parts of the process in mobile phone retail. We have to make it predictable and error free.”
In retail IT investment there is a very strong emphasis on a short time to value so replacing something that works perfectly well, with something that does the same job may reduce TCO in the IT group, but it brings no shareholder value
David Byrne, Carphone Warehouse
This is not only about providing the correct information for the mobile operators.
He adds: “We are more likely to get customers that the network will accept if we provide a good provider of credit checking or fraud detection.”
Part of the Connected World Services concept is about inserting these providers into the business process for signing up new mobile phone contact customers.
“We build in the steps and get it to work at scale as a PaaS. If we have a predictable and dependable process – every partner gets predictable and reliable service,” says Byrne. In addition, any improvements to the business process only need to be deployed once to benefit to all partners.
He says Connected World Services is built on a typical modern IT architecture.
“It has to be deployable to people around the world. Our main driver for the architecture is we have to go where our business partners need us to go,” he says.
Byrne chose not to build Connected World Services around a traditional three-tier architecture, where an enterprise application is separated into presentation (the user interface), a layer for the business rules and an application server that runs the business rules.
“Three-tier architectures can be somewhat constrained since we would have to invest in our own datacentre space, which would be a capital expenditure,” he says.
Given Connect World Services is a semi-startup, Byrne believes it is better to buy services. As such, cloud computing is the main driver behind the architecture. It takes advantage of standardisation, and is built in a way that is deployed through local cloud providers.
However, he says: “Our cloud strategy balanced against regulatory concerns.”
So the architecture follows a cloud pattern but it may not be possible to deploy in the cloud in every market. He says: “We are building to deploy onto a cloud platform but it is not the right time to go fully into the cloud.”
Byrne believes cloud computing will become a bit like a National Grid for computing, with many providers offering cloud connectivity. He feels that the key players on such a cloud grid will be the brokers rather than the cloud service providers.
So it could be a bit like the business model Carphone Warehouse has pioneered in UK mobile phone retail since 1989.
IT chief David Byrne wears two hats: enterprise architecture director at Carphone Warehouse and CIO for the mobile phone retailer's Connected World business.
Carphone Warehouse is known as a mobile phone retailer and, predominantly, it operates in the B2C (business to consumer) sector. "But every so often we have done interesting things [in other areas] which have been a success,” says Byrne.
For instance, in 2003, the company launched the TalkTalk broadband business.
Connected World Services is its B2B division and runs as a one-stop-shop service to the company's clients for all their communication needs. It currently provides business telecoms and communication services, but Byrne says: “Our core business seems to be doing well and we’ve always had interest in other companies who want to do similar things.
"We have huge aspirations for Connected World."
Some of the Connected World processing uses the systems in Carphone's data centres which power the batch processing; reconciliation of the retailer's commission for selling the customer a mobile network contract; and billing on behalf of networks.
These processes run on different IT systems. “We started thinking about how a batch job started in Unix could be passed to another part [of the business process] running on Windows Server and decide what to do,” says CIO David Byrne.
Carphone Warehouse runs hundreds of thousands of scripts every night so scheduling and automating batch jobs is a priority. When the company first started building the batch jobs, Byrne says of the scheduling technology: “They could not operate over heterogeneous platforms.”
So the retailer had to write its own software to support this functionality. It recently switched to a batch scheduler called Automic , which Byrne says has allowed Carphone Warehouse to cut over 100,000 lines of code from its systems. “Automic provides much more visualisation than we had before and we can change the order of tasks.” In addition, it provides visibility and auditing.
Automic is also being used to enable Carphone Warehouse to achieve SEPA (Single European Payments Area) compliance in advance of the February 2014 deadline. The tool was used to automate the direct debit collection process.
In a similar way to how Tesco developed its "Tesco in a box" strategy to encapsulate best practices, technology and services when the supermarket wanted to expand into new regions quickly, Carphone Warehouse is encoding its know-how as a mobile retailer.
It plans to provide knowledge of mobile phone retail to business partners via the Connected World PaaS. Partners will use the platform to create their own mobile phone retail operations.
“We see Connected World Services as enabling retailers, original equipment manufacturers and network businesses around the globe to leverage all the expertise and processes that we have built into our operations over the last 24 years,” says Byrne.
One of the early partnerships was with US retail giant Best Buy. The partnership took Carphone's business competence and its knowledge of mobile phone retail and provided this at Best Buy.
"Previously we took people from our business and had them work in the partner business. We thought about a way to make it more efficient. This is where Connected World Services fits, to put the know-how into business processes packaged as the Connected World Services product,” says Byrne
Selling a phone to the public requires selling both a device and a network contract. The business processes are wrapped up in custom IT that Carphone Warehouse has built up. But, as Byrne explains, there is no off-the-shelf enterprise resource planning (ERP) that provides a system of record to capture the transactions.
The process of the sale of a handset and a mobile phone contract is handled in bespoke batch-based systems (see box), and there is no compelling business driver to modernise.
“In retail IT investment, there is a very strong emphasis on a short time to value so replacing something that works perfectly well, with something that does the same job may reduce TCO (total cost of ownership) in the IT group, but it brings no shareholder value," says Byrne. "So it is hard to make a good argument to replace the systems we have.”
Carphone Warehouse's retail business involves acquiring customers for mobile phone networks. Byrne says: “There are risks attached to different parts of the process in mobile phone retail. We have to make it predictable and error free.”
In retail IT investment there is a very strong emphasis on a short time to value so replacing something that works perfectly well, with something that does the same job may reduce TCO in the IT group, but it brings no shareholder value
David Byrne, Carphone Warehouse
This is not only about providing the correct information for the mobile operators.
He adds: “We are more likely to get customers that the network will accept if we provide a good provider of credit checking or fraud detection.”
Part of the Connected World Services concept is about inserting these providers into the business process for signing up new mobile phone contact customers.
“We build in the steps and get it to work at scale as a PaaS. If we have a predictable and dependable process – every partner gets predictable and reliable service,” says Byrne. In addition, any improvements to the business process only need to be deployed once to benefit to all partners.
He says Connected World Services is built on a typical modern IT architecture.
“It has to be deployable to people around the world. Our main driver for the architecture is we have to go where our business partners need us to go,” he says.
Byrne chose not to build Connected World Services around a traditional three-tier architecture, where an enterprise application is separated into presentation (the user interface), a layer for the business rules and an application server that runs the business rules.
“Three-tier architectures can be somewhat constrained since we would have to invest in our own datacentre space, which would be a capital expenditure,” he says.
Given Connect World Services is a semi-startup, Byrne believes it is better to buy services. As such, cloud computing is the main driver behind the architecture. It takes advantage of standardisation, and is built in a way that is deployed through local cloud providers.
However, he says: “Our cloud strategy balanced against regulatory concerns.”
So the architecture follows a cloud pattern but it may not be possible to deploy in the cloud in every market. He says: “We are building to deploy onto a cloud platform but it is not the right time to go fully into the cloud.”
Byrne believes cloud computing will become a bit like a National Grid for computing, with many providers offering cloud connectivity. He feels that the key players on such a cloud grid will be the brokers rather than the cloud service providers.
So it could be a bit like the business model Carphone Warehouse has pioneered in UK mobile phone retail since 1989.
Thursday, 25 July 2013
Review: Prime World: Defenders an enjoyable tower-defense game for Mac
Editor’s Note: The following article is reprinted from Macworld UK. Visit Macworld UK’s blog page for the latest Mac news from across the Atlantic.
Prime World: Defenders is enjoyable fun, and if you ramp the speed settings up it can get pretty frantic at times. The game takes the tried-and-trusted tower defense formula and mixes it with elements of a collectible card game.
The storyline is pretty flimsy; a mysterious substance called Prime can be used both to develop new technologies and to power magical spells. Prime is concentrated in an area called the Prime Zone that is also populated by goblin-like baddies called The Touched, so it’s your job to build defensive towers and lob in the occasional magical spell to keep the baddies at bay while you harvest as much Prime as you can. However, building towers and using magic also uses up Prime, so the winning strategy lies in building strong defenses while still hanging on to enough Prime to complete each mission.
Nival
The game’s 3D graphics are neatly designed and colorful and remind me quite a bit of WarCraft, and the various levels are spread across a variety of different landscapes to keep things fresh. At the start of the game you’re equipped with just a couple of basic towers and a single magical spell, and the first mission acts as a tutorial that shows you how everything works and helps to get you started. As you complete missions and collect Prime you’ll gain cards that give you access to new types of towers that do more damage, perhaps hurling poison at your enemies or sticky goo that slows them down and makes it easier to pick them off. You can also learn a small number of powerful spells that can affect multiple enemies all at once, but these spells use up a lot of Prime and take a long time to recharge, so you can only use them as a last ditch defence.
The basic mechanics of the game are simple enough, and Prime World Defenders is certainly suitable for young children. However, you can only hold a few cards in your deck at a time, so you do need to think carefully about the cards you want to use at the start of each mission. Adults who want more of a challenge can also increase the speed of the game so that the waves of enemies come swarming onto the screen more quickly and really force you to think on your feet.
Nival
Prime World Defenders is good fun for both adults and younger players, but it feels like the sort of casual game that would work better sitting on the sofa with an iPad rather than sitting at a desk in front of your Mac. It could be a hit on the iPad, but it’s not an essential purchase for the Mac (it require use of the Steam online gaming service) unless you’re a really avid fan of tower-defense games.
Prime World: Defenders is enjoyable fun, and if you ramp the speed settings up it can get pretty frantic at times. The game takes the tried-and-trusted tower defense formula and mixes it with elements of a collectible card game.
The storyline is pretty flimsy; a mysterious substance called Prime can be used both to develop new technologies and to power magical spells. Prime is concentrated in an area called the Prime Zone that is also populated by goblin-like baddies called The Touched, so it’s your job to build defensive towers and lob in the occasional magical spell to keep the baddies at bay while you harvest as much Prime as you can. However, building towers and using magic also uses up Prime, so the winning strategy lies in building strong defenses while still hanging on to enough Prime to complete each mission.
Nival
The game’s 3D graphics are neatly designed and colorful and remind me quite a bit of WarCraft, and the various levels are spread across a variety of different landscapes to keep things fresh. At the start of the game you’re equipped with just a couple of basic towers and a single magical spell, and the first mission acts as a tutorial that shows you how everything works and helps to get you started. As you complete missions and collect Prime you’ll gain cards that give you access to new types of towers that do more damage, perhaps hurling poison at your enemies or sticky goo that slows them down and makes it easier to pick them off. You can also learn a small number of powerful spells that can affect multiple enemies all at once, but these spells use up a lot of Prime and take a long time to recharge, so you can only use them as a last ditch defence.
The basic mechanics of the game are simple enough, and Prime World Defenders is certainly suitable for young children. However, you can only hold a few cards in your deck at a time, so you do need to think carefully about the cards you want to use at the start of each mission. Adults who want more of a challenge can also increase the speed of the game so that the waves of enemies come swarming onto the screen more quickly and really force you to think on your feet.
Nival
Prime World Defenders is good fun for both adults and younger players, but it feels like the sort of casual game that would work better sitting on the sofa with an iPad rather than sitting at a desk in front of your Mac. It could be a hit on the iPad, but it’s not an essential purchase for the Mac (it require use of the Steam online gaming service) unless you’re a really avid fan of tower-defense games.
Friday, 19 July 2013
The new Chrome App Launcher: Google's backdoor into the offline world
No, Larry Page hasn’t decided to jump into the crowded Windows Start button replacement arena. Instead, Google’s engineers quietly dragged Chrome OS’s App Launcher—the Googlefied equivalent of a Start button—over to Chrome for Windows today. The seemingly simple addition is a major step in Google’s push to bring Web standards to walled gardens.
The Chrome App Launcher is exactly what you’d expect: A taskbar icon that lets you quick-launch Chrome browser apps, such as Gmail, the Play Store, Angry Birds, and yep, even Chrome itself. Simple, right? But the little launcher is a Trojan horse for much bigger ambitions—especially when paired with packaged Chrome apps.
Packaged apps are available now, but since Google has yet to highlight them in the Chrome Web Store, you might not be familiar with them. Packaged apps are programs built on the bones of the Chrome browser. They use traditional Web languages such as HTML5 and CSS, but they run as separate, standalone software that can also be used offline, unlike traditional browsers.
You could consider packaged apps to basically be desktop Web apps, as odd as that sounds.
“For quite some time, we’ve had a dichotomy between Web apps and native apps, and one of the things that sets them apart is the ability [for native apps] to be launched from the desktop and have a degree of persistence and independence from the browser,” says Ross Rubin, principal analyst at Reticle Research. “The availability of the Chrome App Launcher for Windows helps to further blur the line.”
With the arrival of packaged apps and the Chrome App Launcher, no longer will you need to connect to the Internet, open the Chrome browser, and launch the Web app you want to use. Now, there’s a Web-app Start button right on your taskbar, and the packaged apps don’t even require an Internet connection.
“Clearly, one of the missions of the whole Chrome initiative is to serve as an incentive for people to adopt HTML5 and create cross-platform or Web applications,” says Rubin. “People want to interact with their Web apps as easily as they do with their desktop apps. Having the [Chrome App Launcher] available helps to ease the transition.”
It’s made even easier by the App Launcher’s Chrome tie-in. All your Chrome apps seamlessly travel with you to any Windows PC on which you’ve installed the Chrome App Launcher, even the locally stored package apps (though those take a few moments to download to new installations). Download a Chrome app once, and it’s available anywhere.
What’s more, the Chrome App Launcher lets you pin shortcuts for specific apps to the Windows taskbar or the desktop—mimicking native software functionality even further. It doesn’t matter whether the app is packaged or a Web native, either. Blurring the lines, indeed.
As a Web-focused company, Google gains whenever more people start using the Web more often. But beyond generally coaxing the world to Web services, Google has a direct interest in getting people in front of Google’s Web services. That’s the reason the Chrome App Launcher comes chock full of links to YouTube, Chrome, Gmail, Google Drive, Google Search, and the Chrome Web Store (whose third-party apps often include Google Ads).
Sunday, 14 July 2013
Angelina Jolie to Direct Actor Jack O'Connell in World War II Film Unbroken
Angelina Jolie is a woman on the go! The actress, activist, and mother-of-six will be donning a director's cap once more this fall after confirming that her sophomore directorial effort, Unbroken, has both a distributor and a lead, British actor Jack O'Connell.
Jolie, 37, will begin filming for the World War II-era drama this fall, and was seen scouting for locations in Hawaii as recently as Monday, July 8.
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The film will also have some major Hollywood writing muscle behind it. Oscar winners Joel and Ethan Coen -- who took home the top prize for No Country for Old Men in 2008 -- will be adapting the script, based on a novel by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand called Unbroken: A World War II Story of Surivival, Resilience, and Redemption.
Jolie's first film was 2011's In the Land of Blood and Honey, which told the story of Danijel, a soldier fighting for the Serbs in the Bosnian War.
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The tale will follow the life story of Olympian and war hero Louis "Louis" Zamperini (O'Connell) as he survives a fatal plane crash aboard a raft for 47 days before being captured by the Japanese Navy and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.
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"I've had the privilege of spending a great deal of time with Louie Zamperini, who is a hero of mine, and now -- I am proud to say -- a dear friend," the actress said in a statement, according to Yahoo News. "I am deeply honored to be telling his extraordinary story, and I will do my absolute best to give him the film he deserves. I am grateful to Universal for making this film a priority."
Unbroken will mark Jolie's first major project since undergoing a double mastectomy earlier this year, a preventative procedure that dropped her chances of developing breast cancer from 87 percent to 5 percent.
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"I can tell my children that they don't need to fear they will lose me to breast cancer," she wrote in an op-ed for the New York Times in May. "It is reassuring that they see nothing that makes them uncomfortable. They can see my small scars and that's it. Everything else is just Mommy, the same as she always was."
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
Big World Pictures Takes Karlovy Vary Winner 'The Almost Man'
COLOGNE, Germany – Newly minted Brooklyn-based distributor Big World Pictures has picked up U.S. rights to Norwegian feature The Almost Man as its first theatrical release.
The debut feature from Norwegian director Martin Lund won the Crystal Globe best picture award at last year's Karlovy Vary film festival.
FILM REVIEW: The Almost Man
The dramedy focuses on Hendrik, a 35-year-old man child who finds out he is about to become a father and is forced to give up his own childish behavior. Star Henrik Rafaelsen won best actor at Karlovy Vary for his performance.
“The Almost Man is one of the finest -- and most enjoyable -- films I’ve seen in the past year. We’re proud to have it leading the inaugural slate for Big World Pictures,” said Big World’s Jonathan Howell in a statement.
The Almost Man will be Big World's first release. The specialty distributor plans 3-4 theatrical bows per year. The deal for The Almost Man was signed with sales group LevelK. SF Norway released The Almost Man locally last September.
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Mandela Is 'Inspiration To The World,' Obama Says
Friday in Pretoria, South Africa, people gathered outside a hospital to pray
for former President Nelson Mandela. He remains in critical condition with a
lung infection.
Hailing Nelson Mandela's "moral courage," President Obama on Saturday paid tribute to the anti-apartheid icon and former South African president, who remains hospitalized in critical condition. Doctors have been treating him for a lung infection for the past three weeks.
Speaking in Pretoria at a joint news conference with South African President Jacob Zuma, the American leader said "Madiba" (Mandela's clan name, by which he is affectionately known in South Africa) and South Africa's transition to a "free and democratic nation" have been "a personal inspiration to me ... [and] an inspiration to the world."
Mandela, whose 95th birthday is July 18, has been hospitalized since June 8. In his welcome to Obama on Saturday, Zuma said South Africans "continue to pray for Madiba's good health and well-being." Zuma's office has not updated its information about Mandela's health since Thursday, when it reported that he had improved somewhat but remained in critical condition.
Obama is to meet with Mandela's family privately during his visit to Pretoria, but will not be going to the hospital where Mandela is being treated. According to a statement from the White House, "out of deference to Nelson Mandela's peace and comfort and the family's wishes, [the Obama family] will not be visiting the hospital."
The president told reporters Friday that "the last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned about Nelson Mandela's condition."
On Sunday, Obama and his family plan to visit Robben Island, where Mandela and others were imprisoned during the long struggle against apartheid.
As we've previously written:
Outside the hospital where Mandela is being treated, "supporters have been gathering," as South Africa's News 24 reports:
Follow me on Twitter @ sajilpl
Hailing Nelson Mandela's "moral courage," President Obama on Saturday paid tribute to the anti-apartheid icon and former South African president, who remains hospitalized in critical condition. Doctors have been treating him for a lung infection for the past three weeks.
Speaking in Pretoria at a joint news conference with South African President Jacob Zuma, the American leader said "Madiba" (Mandela's clan name, by which he is affectionately known in South Africa) and South Africa's transition to a "free and democratic nation" have been "a personal inspiration to me ... [and] an inspiration to the world."
Mandela, whose 95th birthday is July 18, has been hospitalized since June 8. In his welcome to Obama on Saturday, Zuma said South Africans "continue to pray for Madiba's good health and well-being." Zuma's office has not updated its information about Mandela's health since Thursday, when it reported that he had improved somewhat but remained in critical condition.
Obama is to meet with Mandela's family privately during his visit to Pretoria, but will not be going to the hospital where Mandela is being treated. According to a statement from the White House, "out of deference to Nelson Mandela's peace and comfort and the family's wishes, [the Obama family] will not be visiting the hospital."
The president told reporters Friday that "the last thing I want to do is to be in any way obtrusive at a time when the family is concerned about Nelson Mandela's condition."
On Sunday, Obama and his family plan to visit Robben Island, where Mandela and others were imprisoned during the long struggle against apartheid.
As we've previously written:
Mandela, NPR's Jason Beaubien reminds us, was born in a country that viewed him as a second-class citizen. But from his childhood as a herd boy, Mandela went on to lead the African National Congress' struggle against the racially oppressive, apartheid regime of South Africa. For his efforts, he spent 27 years behind bars as a political prisoner, finally being released in 1990.
In 1993, Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize with former South African President Frederik Willem de Klerk — the nation's last white leader. They were recognized for "their work for the peaceful termination of the apartheid regime, and for laying the foundations for a new democratic South Africa."
Then, in 1994, Mandela was elected president in South Africa's first democratic elections. He pledged to serve just one term and left office in 1999.
Outside the hospital where Mandela is being treated, "supporters have been gathering," as South Africa's News 24 reports:
" 'I came to pray for our father Nelson Mandela. We are wishing for our father to be fine,' said Thabo Mahlangu, aged 12, part of a group from a home for abandoned children who travelled to Pretoria.
"A wall of handwritten prayers for Mandela's recovery has become the focal point for South Africans paying tribute to the father of their nation, with singing and dancing by day and candlelight vigils at night.
"One message read: 'If you can fight prison, you can beat this.' "
Follow me on Twitter @ sajilpl
Friday, 28 June 2013
Warner Bros. Nabs Rights to YA Novel 'The Young World' (Exclusive)
After a heated auction Friday, Warner Bros. won a bidding war to secure the rights to The Young World, the first in an original trilogy of post-apocalyptic YA novels by filmmaker turned novelist Chris Weitz.
Weitz will adapt the books and also will direct and produce from his original novel, which will be published in 2013 by Little Brown. Depth of Field will produce, along with Andrew Miano.
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The books center on teenage survivors who inherit a destroyed and desolate earth, after a cataclysmic event kills off every person on earth not between the ages of 12 and 21. Ill-equipped to restore society to working order, the surviving residents of New York City must try to rebuild their world from the ground up.
Weitz directed the film adaptation of the novel The Golden Compass, a major international hit, and the film adaptation of New Moon from the series of Twilight books (the film grossed more than $700 million worldwide). Weitz most recently directed 2011's A Better Life, for which Demian Bichir was nominated for a best actor Oscar.
Chantal Nong brought the project into the studio and will oversee with Lynn Harris.
Weitz is reposed by WME and attorney Alex Kohner of Morris Yorn Barnes & Levine.
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'A World Not Ours' Wins Edinburgh International Film Festival Prize
LONDON -- Mahdi Fleifel’s A World Not Ours won the best film in the international competition at this year's Edinburgh International Film Festival.
The festival's awards were dished out Friday ahead of Sunday’s closing night gala Not Another Happy Ending, which brings the curtain down on this year's 12-day event in the Scottish capital.
Fleifel’s movie, a Lebanon/UAE/Denmark/U.K. co-production, was awarded the plaudit by an international jury chaired by South Korean director Bong Joon and that included actress Natalie Dormer and film critic Siobhan Synnot.
Fleifel said: "I have lived, studied and worked in the U.K. for 13 years, but I've never managed to screen any of my work at a single British film event - not even my short films which were pretty successful internationally."
He said he hopes the recognition "will help bring our film to a wider audience in the U.K. and I would like to thank the jury for this wonderful honor."
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The festival's Michael Powell award for best British film went to Lucien Castaing-Taylor and Verena Paravel’s documentary Leviathan, a U.K./USA/France production.
The winner was chosen by the Michael Powell jury, chaired by Iranian director Samira Makhmalbaf and including actor and director Kevin McKidd and film critic Derek Malcolm.
Castaing-Taylor and Paravel said the award would give them "the courage and conviction to continue to keep pushing at the envelope - of cinema, of documentary, of art."
The nod for best performance in a British movie was shared by Jamie Blackley and Toby Regbo for their performances as the dysfunctional schoolboys in uwantme2killhim?
Reinstated in 2013 after a two-year absence, the audience award went to Fire In the Night (U.K.) directed by Anthony Wonke for his documentary detailing the 1988 Piper Alpha disaster in the North Sea.
Wonke said: "It’s 25 years ago this July that Piper Alpha exploded and sunk into the North Sea and we hope that with this film the memory of that fateful night that affected so many lives will act as a suitable remembrance."
EIFF artistic director Chris Fujiwara said: "The Audience Award, which we reinstated this year after a two-year hiatus, is not only one of the most significant of EIFF’s initiatives designed to engage audiences with cinema, it’s also one of the most fun."
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Thursday, 27 June 2013
Box Office Report: Brad Pitt's 'World War Z' Opens to $3.6 Million Thursday Night
Paramount's zombie extravaganza World War Z grossed $3.6 million as it began its North American assault Thursday night, competing for attention with the final NBA championship game between the Miami Heat and the San Antonio Spurs.
Disney and Pixar's Monsters University, the weekend's other new entry, also began rolling out at 8 p.m., grossing $2.6 million. The long-awaited sequel is widely expected to top the North American box office chart with a debut in the $70 million-plus range. Earlier this year, Disney's Oz the Great and Powerful did $2 million in Thursday night business on its way to a $79.1 million weekend.
PHOTOS: 'Night of the Living Dead' to 'World War Z': The Evolution of Zombie Films
Pointing out that World War Z is an original property, Paramount is projecting a $40 million to $45 million domestic debut for the movie, starring and produced by Brad Pitt. But other box office observers says the film, based on Max Brook's 2006 novel of the same name, is likely to open in the $45 million to $50 million range.
Earlier this summer, The Great Gatsby took in $3.3 million in midnight shows on its way to a $50.1 million North American opening.
In addition to Monsters U, World War Z will have to compete with holdover Man of Steel, which could earn anywhere from $50 million to $60 million in its second outing.
Thursday night's basketball game no doubt kept many moviegoers at home. Hollywood studios -- including Paramount -- blanketed the game with ads promoting their movies, including two spots for World War Z.
World War Z, rated PG-13, cost $190 million to produce after tax incentives. Extensive reshoots bumped up the budget, which was originally at $150 million. The pic, directed by Marc Forster, was initially slotted to open in December 2010.
PHOTOS: 'World War Z' Premiere: The Zombie Apocalypse Starts in London
Overseas, World War Z is already scaring up strong business, scoring $5.7 million on Thursday and pacing in line with Christopher Nolan's original event pic Inception.
In South Korea, World War Z grossed $1.5 million, ahead of the $1.1 million earned a week ago by Man of Steel. Inception's opening-day gross in South Korea was $941,000.
World War Z grossed $1.1 million in Australia, in line with Inception. And the movie made the record books in Argentina, grossing $710,000, double the Man of Steel and the third-best Thursday of all time.
Twitter: @sajilpl
Box Office Report: 'Monsters U' Zooms to $82 Million Debut; 'World War Z' Nabs $66 Million
Affable monsters and hordes of zombies converged at the North American box office over the weekend to create a perfect storm for moviegoing.
Disney and Pixar's long-awaited sequel Monsters University opened to a sizzling $82 million, the No. 2 Pixar opening of all time after Toy Story 3 ($110 million). Overseas, Monsters U took in an early $54.5 million from 35 markets for a worldwide debut of $136.5 million.
Brad Pitt zombie pic World War Z, from Paramount, also overperformed in opening to $66 million, the top launch for an original live-action tentpole since Avatar. It also marks Pitt's largest opening domestically, easily outpacing the $50.3 million launch of Mr. & Mrs. Smith in summer 2005. Internationally, World War Z debuted to $45.8 million from its first 25 markets for a worldwide total of $111.8 million.
PHOTOS: 'World War Z' Premiere: The Zombie Apocalypse Starts in London
World War Z's performance is a notable victory for Paramount, considering many in Hollywood left the film for dead after its release was pushed back from December 2012 in order to allow for numerous reshoots required to reshape the ending. Directed by Marc Forster and co-financed by Skydance Productions, World War Z was a passion project for Pitt, who produced the tentpole.
Domestic box office revenue for the weekend reached an estimated $236 million, the second best of the year after Memorial Day weekend and among the top 10 weekends of all time.
Heading into the frame, box office observers believed World War Z would end up in a closer battle with Zack Snyder and Christopher Nolan's Man of Steel, with many giving Superman an edge over zombies.
As it turned out, Man of Steel fell more than expected domestically, even as it jumped the $200 million mark in North America and nearly $400 million worldwide. The movie grossed $41.2 million domestically, a 65 percent decline, pushing its domestic total to $210 million.
Overseas, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures' Man of Steel towered over the competition, grossing $89 million from 52 markets for an international cume of $188.3 million and global total of $398.3 million. Highlights included China, where the tentpole took in $25.5 million.
Coming in No. 4 in North America was Sony's innovative comedy This Is the End, which fell just 37 percent in its second weekend. The R-rated pic grossed $13 million for a domestic cume of $57.8 million.
Rounding out the top five was Summit's sleeper hit Now You See Me. The magician heist pic has enjoyed a great hold, grossing $7.9 million in its fourth weekend for a domestic total of $94.5 million.
The might of Monsters U, directed by Dan Scanlon, continues Pixar's winning streak at the box office and marks the 14th Pixar title to open to No. 1. The sequel returns Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Frank Oz in the roles of Mike Wazowski, James P. Sullivan, Randall Boggs, and Jeff Fungus, respectively.
"The consistency of the quality that comes from Pixar and John Lasseter and his team is extraordinary" "This movie had to live up to a very had to live up to a very high bar, and it did," said Disney executive vice president of distribution Dave Hollis, also noting that the animated tentpole did strong nighttime business in a sign that adults were turning out in addition to families.
One downer -- onlyl 31 percent of the revenues came from 3D screens.
Monsters U will have plenty of competition in the coming weeks as a record number of 3D summer toons open at the North American, but a glowing A CinemaScore should help fuel word of mouth.
Overseas, the 2013 summer animation war began over the weekend in Australia, where Monsters U debuted opposite University's Despicable Me 2 in advance of the winter holidays. Despicable 2 was the victor, grossing $4.3 million. Combined with previews, the toon has earned a total of $6.4 million. Monsters U took in $3.5 million.
STORY: 'Monsters,' 'Despicable Me 2,' 'Turbo': Summer's Brutal Animation War
Paramount is hoping that World War Z -- following the lead of other successful original tentpoles -- enjoys a better-than-usual multiple. Avatar debuted to $77 million in December 2009 on its way to cuming $760.5 million domestically, or 10 times its opening number. And in summer 2010, Christopher Nolan's Inception grossed $292.6 million, nearly five times its $62 million debut.
"This was an original movie in a summer that's been full of sequels and remakes. I think it captured the public's imagination. Certainly, Brad gave a superb performance," said Paramount vice chairman Rob Moore.
Rated PG-13, World War Z earned a B+ CinemaScore.
World War Z, based on Max Brook's 2006 novel of the same name, was a sizeable gamble for the studio, costing $190 million to produce after tax incentives. The budget was originally $150 million, but the additional work -- shepherded by Pitt and Forster alongside Paramount Film Group president Adam Goodman and his team -- bumped up the number.
In the film, Pitt plays a retired U.N. employee who must return to work and stop a worldwide pandemic that is turning humans into zombies. The Killing's Mireille Enos stars as his wife.
World War Z opened in 25 foreign markets this weekend, including the U.K., South Korea and Australia.
At the specialty box office, Sofia Copolla's The Bling Ring came in No. 11 as it made a major push in its second weekend, upping its theater count from five theaters to 650. The indie film, from A24 films, grossed $1.8 million from 650 theaters for a cume of $2.1 million.
Box Office Preview: 'Monsters University' Pacing to Beat 'World War Z'
Families are expected to flock to the multiplex in big numbers this weekend as Disney and Pixar open Monsters University, the long-awaited sequel to the 2001 pic Monsters, Inc.
Based on pre-release tracking, box observers believe the 3D toon has a strong shot at grossing $70 million or more in its debut, likely enough to beat out Brad Pitt's high-profile zombie pic World War Z and holdover Man of Steel. Both Monsters U and World War Z roll out in select theaters at 8 p.m. Thursday.
PHOTOS: From 'Toy Story' to 'Brave': Your Essential Guide to Pixar's Movies
Paramount is predicting an opening in the $40 million to $45 million for World War Z, which is rated PG-13. But more bullish box office observers with access to tracking believe the movie -- produced by and starring Pitt -- could open in the $50 million range, while Man of Steel could earn anywhere from $50 million to $60 million in its second outing.
Versus a big opening, Paramount and co-financing partner Skydance Productions is banking on World War Z to have a better-than-usual multiple, similar to other original tentpoles. Avatar debuted to $77 million in December 2009 on its way to cuming $760.5 million domestically, or 10 times its opening number. And in summer 2010, Christopher Nolan's Inception grossed $292.6 million, nearly five times its $62 million debut.
Paramount insiders point out that very few original event pics open to $50 million or higher. And while Pitt may be one of the world's most recognizable stars, his biggest opening was the $50.3 million earned by Mr. and Mrs. Smith in summer 2005.
FILM REVIEW: World War Z
World War Z, based on Max Brook's 2006 novel of the same name, is a sizeable gamble for the studio, costing $190 million to produce after tax incentives. The budget was originally $150 million, but extensive reshoots bumped up the number. (It was initially slotted to open in December 2010.)
Directed by Marc Forster, the apocalyptic horror pic is a passion project for Pitt, who produced the movie via his Paramount-based production company Plan B. In the film, he plays a retired U.N. employee who must return to work and stop a worldwide pandemic that is turning humans into zombies. The Killing's Mireille Enos stars as his wife.
World War Z, which has received generally positive reviews, will need to make a strong showing overseas, where it opens in 25 foreign markets this weekend, including the U.K., South Korea and Australia.
STORY: Brad Pitt Surprises Fans at Four 'World War Z' Screenings in One Day
Monsters U, directed by Don Scanlon, returns Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Frank Oz in the roles of Mike Wazowski, James P. Sullivan, Randall Boggs, and Jeff Fungus, respectively.
The animated tentpole will have plenty of competition in the coming weeks as a record number of 3D summer toons open. Next up is Universal's Despicable Me 2 on July 3.
New offerings at the specialty box office include Somali pirates drama A Hijacking, from Danish writer-director Tobias Lindholm. Magnolia is distributing the film in the U.S.
Among holdovers, Sofia Copolla's The Bling Ring expands from five theaters to more than 500 locations on Friday.
Box Office Report: 'World War Z' Opens Strong in Australia, South Korea
Paramount's World War Z is scaring up strong business as it begins rolling out overseas, scoring stellar opening-day numbers in South Korea and Australia on Thursday.
The Brad Pitt zombie extravaganza took in $1.1 million in Australia, on par with Christopher Nolan's Inception, likewise an original tentpole. Inception posted a weekend opening gross of $6.7 million.
PHOTOS: 'World War Z' Premiere: The Zombie Apocalypse Starts in London
In South Korea, World War Z grossed $1.2 million, just ahead of the $1.1 million earned a week ago by Superman tentpole Man of Steel on its way to an $8.6 million weekend. Inception's opening-day gross in South Korea was $941,000.
"These markets look great," remarked one top Paramount executive.
World War Z, directed by Marc Forster, begins rolling out in North America at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Paramount is predicting a domestic opening in the $40 million to $45 million range for World War Z, which is rated PG-13. But more bullish box-office observers with access to tracking believe the movie -- produced by and starring Pitt -- could open in the $50 million range, while holdover Man of Steel could earn anywhere from $50 million to $60 million in its second outing.
Disney and Pixar's Monsters University is widely expected to win the weekend with a $70 million-plus debut.
FILM REVIEW: 'World War Z'
Versus a big opening, Paramount and co-financing partner Skydance Productions are banking on World War Z to have a better-than-usual multiple, similar to other original tentpoles. Avatar debuted to $77 million in December 2009 on its way to cuming $760.5 million domestically, or 10 times its opening number. And in summer 2010, Christopher Nolan's Inception grossed $292.6 million, nearly five times its $62 million debut.
Paramount insiders point out that very few original event pics open to $50 million or more. And while Pitt may be one of the world's most recognizable stars, his biggest opening was the $50.3 million earned by Mr. and Mrs. Smith in summer 2005.
World War Z, based on Max Brooks' 2006 novel of the same name, is a sizable gamble for the studio, costing $190 million to produce after tax incentives. The budget was originally $150 million, but extensive reshoots bumped up the number (it was initially slotted to open in December 2010).
The apocalyptic horror pic is a passion project for Pitt, who produced the movie via his Paramount-based production company Plan B. In the film, he plays a retired U.N. employee who must return to work and stop a worldwide pandemic that is turning humans into zombies. The Killing's Mireille Enos stars as his wife.
World War Z, which has received generally positive reviews, is opening in a total of 26 foreign markets this weekend.
Twitter: @sajilpl
Tuesday, 25 June 2013
Where in the World Is Edward Snowden?
Edward Snowden left Hong Kong on Sunday on a flight for Moscow. He has applied for asylum with the countries of Ecuador and Iceland. Image courtesy of the GuardianNSA whistleblower Edward Snowden managed to escape the clutches of U.S. authorities over the weekend by being spirited out of Hong Kong on a plane for Moscow with the help of WikiLeaks.
Snowden was supplied with a “refugee document of passage” by the Ecuadorian government before being whisked out of Hong Kong on Sunday, according to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, speaking to reporters by phone on Monday from his hold-up at the Ecuadorian embassy in London. The U.S. revoked Snowden’s passport while he was still in Hong Kong.
Snowden has been charged with espionage and theft of government property.
Assange wouldn’t say how Snowden escaped, saying it was a “fascinating story” that would “one day be told.” Snowden’s departure from Hong Kong was entirely legal, Assange noted, citing statements made over the weekend by Hong Kong authorities who said that Snowden was allowed to leave because the U.S. request for his detainment did not comply with Hong Kong law.
Snowden apparently had no contact with Russian authorities prior to his departure from Hong Kong, according to Assange. He reportedly arrived in Moscow around 5 p.m. local time on Sunday with the intention of flying on to Ecuador through Cuba.
But either his plans changed or false news was fed to reporters, because new reports today say that Snowden was not on the Cuba-bound flight that had been booked in his name.
Snowden was reportedly barred from leaving Moscow’s Sheremtyevo airport since he had no Russian visa and was forced to spend the night in a $15-an-hour capsule hotel at the airport. WikiLeaks paid for Snowden’s flight out of Hong Kong and is also covering his legal expenses and lodging, according to Assange, but his stay in Hong Kong was not financed by the organization. Assange also said that documents that Snowden obtained from the National Security Agency before leaving his job, and that have not been published yet, had been “secured by the relevant journalist organizations” prior to Snowden’s departure from Hong Kong to ensure they wouldn’t be seized by authorities if he’s captured.
Assange would not reveal Snowden’s current whereabouts or discuss his travel plans, but said he was safe and healthy and in high spirits.
According to Assange and Michael Ratner, president of the Center for Constitutional Rights and the U.S. attorney for WikiLeaks and Assange, Snowden has applied for asylum with Ecuador and Iceland. Ratner also suggested that applications had been made to other countries as well, but would not specify, presumably because U.S. authorities have been pressuring countries not to grant Snowden asylum.
Ratner and Assange condemned the Obama administration for attempting to interfere with Snowden’s asylum requests and making “bellicose” statements accusing him of being a traitor.
“The U.S. is bullying countries all over the world to get Edward Snowden rendered to the U.S. where he can be prosecuted,” Ratner told reporters.
Ratner said that whistleblowing was a protected activity recognized by the refugee convention under the United Nations. “The U.S. itself has recognized that,” Ratner noted, and has protected whistleblowers from China and Africa who tried to expose the criminality and corruption of those governments. He said that whistleblowing “trumps any efforts to extradite” Snowden.
“Every person has the right to seek and receive political asylum,” Assange said. “Those rights are enshrined in the United Nations’ agreements, of which the U.S. is a party. It is counterproductive and unacceptable for the Obama administration to try and interfere with those rights. It reflects poorly on the U.S. administration, and no self-respecting country would submit to such interference or such bullying by the U.S. in this matter.”
Asked why Snowden didn’t approach Congress to disclose the wrongdoing he wanted to expose, or remain in Hong Kong or come to the U.S. to fight the charges against him, Assange cited the treatment of previous whistleblower Thomas Drake who attempted to report wrongdoing through internal routes and through Congress and was charged under the Espionage Act. Jennifer Robinson, a legal adviser for WikiLeaks in London, also cited the treatment that Bradley Manning received in prison during his lengthy, years-long incarceration prior to his trial.
Hong Kong authorities said that Snowden left “on his own accord for a third country through a lawful and normal channel” and said that Snowden had been allowed to leave because a request from the U.S. government to detain him and issue a provisional warrant of arrest “did not fully comply with the legal requirements under Hong Kong law.”
Snowden boarded an Aeroflot flight from Chep Lap Kok airport at 11.04 in the morning Hong Kong time, traveling on a one-way ticket with a companion believed to be human rights attorney Sarah Harrison.
Hong Kong authorities notified the U.S. after Snowden left.
“We will continue to discuss this matter with Hong Kong and pursue relevant law enforcement cooperation with other countries where Mr. Snowden may be attempting to travel,” a U.S. spokesman said.
Monday, 24 June 2013
Dolce & Gabbana to Outfit Bruno Mars' Next World Tour
Fresh off their tax evasion conviction, the day seems to have gotten a wee bit brighter for Italian designers Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, who just announced that they'll outfit stylish crooner Bruno Mars for his "Moonshine Jungle" world tour.
Kicking off with a sold out Washington D.C. show on June 22 and finishing up in Auckland next March, the Grammy-winning singer will tour the globe in a series of exclusively-designed black tuxedos and white button downs by the high-end Italian label. Midway through each concert, fans can expect to see the R&B artist in a bright red suit and ocelot-printed shirt.
Story: Dolce & Gabbana Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion
"Bruno’s style and music are so eclectic that oftentimes we have taken inspiration directly from his work to create looks that were at the same time in line with his very personal taste, as well as with the DNA of Dolce & Gabbana," the designers said in an official statement. "With time, we have managed to establish with him a relationship of absolute faith in each other and mutual trust, that allows us to create and work together in an atmosphere of complete harmony."
This isn't the first time the duo — who have dressed everyone from Kate Moss to Amy Adams on the red carpet — have costumed a major music show. In 1993 they outfitted Madonna's "Girlie Show" tour, a role they reprised for her 2000 "Music" tour — the same year they provided Mary J. Blige's stadium show costumes. Kylie Minogue's "Fever" tour followed suit in 2002, and Beyonce and Missy Elliott wore glittery wares by the label while performing in Verizon's Ladies First concert series in 2004.
Kicking off with a sold out Washington D.C. show on June 22 and finishing up in Auckland next March, the Grammy-winning singer will tour the globe in a series of exclusively-designed black tuxedos and white button downs by the high-end Italian label. Midway through each concert, fans can expect to see the R&B artist in a bright red suit and ocelot-printed shirt.
Story: Dolce & Gabbana Sentenced to Prison for Tax Evasion
"Bruno’s style and music are so eclectic that oftentimes we have taken inspiration directly from his work to create looks that were at the same time in line with his very personal taste, as well as with the DNA of Dolce & Gabbana," the designers said in an official statement. "With time, we have managed to establish with him a relationship of absolute faith in each other and mutual trust, that allows us to create and work together in an atmosphere of complete harmony."
This isn't the first time the duo — who have dressed everyone from Kate Moss to Amy Adams on the red carpet — have costumed a major music show. In 1993 they outfitted Madonna's "Girlie Show" tour, a role they reprised for her 2000 "Music" tour — the same year they provided Mary J. Blige's stadium show costumes. Kylie Minogue's "Fever" tour followed suit in 2002, and Beyonce and Missy Elliott wore glittery wares by the label while performing in Verizon's Ladies First concert series in 2004.
Sunday, 23 June 2013
Paramount, Brad Pitt Set Sights on 'World War Z' Sequel
Has Brad Pitt caught franchise fever?
With the successful $111.8 million worldwide debut of zombie extravaganza World War Z -- a passion project for the actor -- Paramount actively will turn to developing a sequel, studio vice chairman Rob Moore tells The Hollywood Reporter. The tentpole earned $66 million in North America, the best opening for an original live-action tentpole since Avatar, and $45.8 million from its first 25 foreign markets.
BOX OFFICE REPORT: 'Monsters U' Zooms to $82 Million Debut; 'World War Z' Nabs $66 Million
World War Z initially was envisioned as a trilogy, but those plans were shelved when the movie ran into trouble, requiring extensive reworking of the last act. Initially set to open in December 2012, the movie's release date was pushed back to June, prompting many in Hollywood to anticipate a blood bath.
But in a happy reversal of fortune, World War Z is off to a strong start, both in terms of its commercial and critical appeal. It will need to stay strong to make up for its $190 million budget, however. Paramount appears confident it will, judging by the fact that its reviving plans for further installments. It's the biggest debut of Pitt's career.
Skydance Productions co-financed World War Z, which also was made in association with Hemisphere Media Capital and GK Films. Pitt produced via his company Plan B, with Marc Forster directing.
Franchises are incredibly important to Hollywood studios and can likewise reap huge rewards for talent in terms of pay. And a World War Z series could mark a big win for Pitt in terms of his aspirations as a producer.
Pitt -- one of the world's most recognizable stars -- has spent much of his career pursuing prestige projects, versus more commercial event pics. Exceptions were Troy and the Ocean's Eleven franchise, although those were ensemble films.
His previous best box office opening, not accounting for inflation, was Mr. & Mrs. Smith in summer 2005 ($50.3 million). A year before, in May 2004, Troy opened to $46.9 million, now his third best debut.
Pitt has starred in a number of two-handers (Spy Game, Interview With a Vampire, The Devil's Own), as well having a relatively small -- but memorable role -- in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. His last two films were indie mob pic Killing Them Softly, which bombed, and the critically acclaimed Moneyball.
Pitt aggressively helped market World War Z, attending numerous screenings across the country, as well as turning up at industry events, such as CinemaCon, the annual convention of theater owners in Las Vegas. He also has jetted around the world to attend various premieres of the movie.
"The great thing about this process was that it showed what a great partner and producer Brad is," says Moore. "He made a true commitment."
Moore said that when the studio deemed that there problems with the movie, Pitt and Forster worked closely with Paramount Film Group president Adam Goodman to "find the right movie. He stayed and worked when he could have gone off and shot another movie."
PHOTOS: 'World War Z' Premiere: The Zombie Apocalypse Starts in London
The result -- World War Z drew a fairly even ratio of males (51 percent) and females (49), while 33 percent of those buying tickets were under the age of 25, and 67 percent were over.
In addition to Pitt's appeal, Moore says that females were drawn to the film's storyline. In World War Z, a U.N. worker who is torn between protecting his family and leaving to find a cure for a worldwide pandemic turning humans into zombies.
Last week, when attending the Moscow premiere, Pitt himself hinted at a sequel and said there is plenty of material left over from Max Brooks' novel, upon which the movie is based.
"I think the movie captured the public's imagination with something that is fresh and different," says Moore. "And certainly, Brad gave a superb performance."
With the successful $111.8 million worldwide debut of zombie extravaganza World War Z -- a passion project for the actor -- Paramount actively will turn to developing a sequel, studio vice chairman Rob Moore tells The Hollywood Reporter. The tentpole earned $66 million in North America, the best opening for an original live-action tentpole since Avatar, and $45.8 million from its first 25 foreign markets.
BOX OFFICE REPORT: 'Monsters U' Zooms to $82 Million Debut; 'World War Z' Nabs $66 Million
World War Z initially was envisioned as a trilogy, but those plans were shelved when the movie ran into trouble, requiring extensive reworking of the last act. Initially set to open in December 2012, the movie's release date was pushed back to June, prompting many in Hollywood to anticipate a blood bath.
But in a happy reversal of fortune, World War Z is off to a strong start, both in terms of its commercial and critical appeal. It will need to stay strong to make up for its $190 million budget, however. Paramount appears confident it will, judging by the fact that its reviving plans for further installments. It's the biggest debut of Pitt's career.
Skydance Productions co-financed World War Z, which also was made in association with Hemisphere Media Capital and GK Films. Pitt produced via his company Plan B, with Marc Forster directing.
Franchises are incredibly important to Hollywood studios and can likewise reap huge rewards for talent in terms of pay. And a World War Z series could mark a big win for Pitt in terms of his aspirations as a producer.
Pitt -- one of the world's most recognizable stars -- has spent much of his career pursuing prestige projects, versus more commercial event pics. Exceptions were Troy and the Ocean's Eleven franchise, although those were ensemble films.
His previous best box office opening, not accounting for inflation, was Mr. & Mrs. Smith in summer 2005 ($50.3 million). A year before, in May 2004, Troy opened to $46.9 million, now his third best debut.
Pitt has starred in a number of two-handers (Spy Game, Interview With a Vampire, The Devil's Own), as well having a relatively small -- but memorable role -- in Quentin Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. His last two films were indie mob pic Killing Them Softly, which bombed, and the critically acclaimed Moneyball.
Pitt aggressively helped market World War Z, attending numerous screenings across the country, as well as turning up at industry events, such as CinemaCon, the annual convention of theater owners in Las Vegas. He also has jetted around the world to attend various premieres of the movie.
"The great thing about this process was that it showed what a great partner and producer Brad is," says Moore. "He made a true commitment."
Moore said that when the studio deemed that there problems with the movie, Pitt and Forster worked closely with Paramount Film Group president Adam Goodman to "find the right movie. He stayed and worked when he could have gone off and shot another movie."
PHOTOS: 'World War Z' Premiere: The Zombie Apocalypse Starts in London
The result -- World War Z drew a fairly even ratio of males (51 percent) and females (49), while 33 percent of those buying tickets were under the age of 25, and 67 percent were over.
In addition to Pitt's appeal, Moore says that females were drawn to the film's storyline. In World War Z, a U.N. worker who is torn between protecting his family and leaving to find a cure for a worldwide pandemic turning humans into zombies.
Last week, when attending the Moscow premiere, Pitt himself hinted at a sequel and said there is plenty of material left over from Max Brooks' novel, upon which the movie is based.
"I think the movie captured the public's imagination with something that is fresh and different," says Moore. "And certainly, Brad gave a superb performance."
Box Office Report: 'World War Z' Eyeing $52 Million to $58 Million Debut
Captivating families, Monsters University is eyeing a stellar $71 million-plus debut, and World War Z is scaring up enough business possibly to beat Man of Steel.
Based on early Friday returns, World War Z appears on track earn a strong $52 million to $58 million in its domestic debut, enough to beat the holdover Superman pic.
Both new films are turning in stellar performances at the box office.
Disney and Pixar's Monsters University is on its way to earning $25 million to $28 million Friday as it moves toward easily topping the weekend's North American box office with a total of more than $71 million.
If the family film tops that mark, it will claim the second-biggest opening weekend for any Pixar release. Toy Story 3 holds the No. 1 spot with its phenomenal $110.3 million bow in 2010, and the No. 2 slot is held by 2004's The Incredibles, which earned $70.5 million in its North American debut.
PHOTOS: 'Night of the Living Dead' to 'World War Z': The Evolution of Zombie Films
Opening in 4,004 theaters, Monsters University is directed by Don Scanlon and sees the returns of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Frank Oz voicing the roles of Mike Wazowski, James P. Sullivan, Randall Boggs, and Jeff Fungus, respectively.
The 3D animated pic began rolling out at 8 p.m. Thursday in select theaters, grossing $2.6 million on the night.
The weekend's other new entry, Paramount's zombie pic World War Z, is heading toward a $21 million Friday. The PG-13 film, starring and produced by Brad Pitt, earned $3.6 million as it began its North American debut Thursday night in select theaters.
PHOTOS: 'World War Z' Premiere: The Zombie Apocalypse Starts in London
Based on Max Brooks' 2006 novel of the same name, the action film cost $190 million to produce after tax incentives. Extensive reshoots bumped up its original $150 million budget. The pic, directed by Marc Forster, initially was slotted to open in December.
Paramount and co-financing partner Skydance Productions are banking on World War Z to have a better-than-usual multiple, similar to other original tentpoles. Avatar debuted to $77 million in December 2009 on its way to a $760.5 million domestic cume, nearly 10 times its opening number. And in summer 2010, Christopher Nolan's Inception grossed $292.6 million, nearly five times its $62.8 million debut.
Paramount insiders note that few original event pics open to $50 million or higher. And while Pitt might be one of the world's most recognizable stars, his biggest opening has been the $50.3 million earned by Mr. & Mrs. Smith in summer 2005.
Monsters University and World War Z both are likely to beat Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, which could earn about $50 million in its second outing.
Overseas, World War Z already is drumming up strong business, scoring $5.7 million Thursday and pacing in line with Inception. In South Korea, the film grossed $1.5 million, ahead of the $1.1 million earned a week earlier by Man of Steel. Inception's opening-day gross in South Korea was $941,000.
World War Z also grossed $1.1 million in Australia on Thursday, in line with Inception. And the movie entered the record books in Argentina, grossing $710,000 -- doubling Man of Steel's Thursday take there and posting the third-best Thursday to date in that market.
Based on early Friday returns, World War Z appears on track earn a strong $52 million to $58 million in its domestic debut, enough to beat the holdover Superman pic.
Both new films are turning in stellar performances at the box office.
Disney and Pixar's Monsters University is on its way to earning $25 million to $28 million Friday as it moves toward easily topping the weekend's North American box office with a total of more than $71 million.
If the family film tops that mark, it will claim the second-biggest opening weekend for any Pixar release. Toy Story 3 holds the No. 1 spot with its phenomenal $110.3 million bow in 2010, and the No. 2 slot is held by 2004's The Incredibles, which earned $70.5 million in its North American debut.
PHOTOS: 'Night of the Living Dead' to 'World War Z': The Evolution of Zombie Films
Opening in 4,004 theaters, Monsters University is directed by Don Scanlon and sees the returns of Billy Crystal, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi and Frank Oz voicing the roles of Mike Wazowski, James P. Sullivan, Randall Boggs, and Jeff Fungus, respectively.
The 3D animated pic began rolling out at 8 p.m. Thursday in select theaters, grossing $2.6 million on the night.
The weekend's other new entry, Paramount's zombie pic World War Z, is heading toward a $21 million Friday. The PG-13 film, starring and produced by Brad Pitt, earned $3.6 million as it began its North American debut Thursday night in select theaters.
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Based on Max Brooks' 2006 novel of the same name, the action film cost $190 million to produce after tax incentives. Extensive reshoots bumped up its original $150 million budget. The pic, directed by Marc Forster, initially was slotted to open in December.
Paramount and co-financing partner Skydance Productions are banking on World War Z to have a better-than-usual multiple, similar to other original tentpoles. Avatar debuted to $77 million in December 2009 on its way to a $760.5 million domestic cume, nearly 10 times its opening number. And in summer 2010, Christopher Nolan's Inception grossed $292.6 million, nearly five times its $62.8 million debut.
Paramount insiders note that few original event pics open to $50 million or higher. And while Pitt might be one of the world's most recognizable stars, his biggest opening has been the $50.3 million earned by Mr. & Mrs. Smith in summer 2005.
Monsters University and World War Z both are likely to beat Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, which could earn about $50 million in its second outing.
Overseas, World War Z already is drumming up strong business, scoring $5.7 million Thursday and pacing in line with Inception. In South Korea, the film grossed $1.5 million, ahead of the $1.1 million earned a week earlier by Man of Steel. Inception's opening-day gross in South Korea was $941,000.
World War Z also grossed $1.1 million in Australia on Thursday, in line with Inception. And the movie entered the record books in Argentina, grossing $710,000 -- doubling Man of Steel's Thursday take there and posting the third-best Thursday to date in that market.
Marco Beltrami's 'World War Z' Score: Pig Skulls and Emergency Sirens
For composer Marco Beltrami, World War Z’s opening scene, a chase through gridlocked Philadelphia, was the first spark of scoring inspiration for a specific reason.
“It ended cutting to the emergency broadcast signal and a black screen,” Beltrami tells The Hollywood Reporter. And with that, the U.S. Emergency Broadcast System siren became the basis for his score to the latest Brad Pitt starring vehicle, which has already earned $3.6 million in domestic box office since opening in select theaters on Thursday, June 20. It's eyeing a $21 million Friday putting it on track to hit between $52 million to $58 million this weekend.
How do you replicate the sound of the siren’s S.O.S. tone? The composer bought tuning forks to figure out the exact note and it turns out to be two -- doubled pitches "that are a whole step apart,” he explains. “We bought the tuning forks because it’s just a pure frequency -- nothing else.”
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Those pitches developed into the melodies and harmonies of Beltrami’s compositions, but it was the zombies’ snapping teeth that informed the score’s rhythm and percussion.
No joke -- Beltrami decided he wanted the sounds of actual teeth in the music. Tommy Lee Jones -- whose upcoming directorial effort The Homesman Beltrami is scoring -- recommended trying the javelina.
“I didn’t know what a javelina was,” Beltrami recalls of the wild pigs, found in Jones’s native Texas, which communicate with their long canine teeth. Beltrami experimented with attaching microphones to javelina skulls and clicking the jaws shut. “It’s sort of a two-phased sound,” he says. “When [the mouth] opens or closes, there’s this scraping sound as the canine teeth go together, and then there’s the actual impact when the molars hit.”
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Beltrami recorded with javelina, lion, and raccoon skulls, the latter of which he “attached to sticks and then used them almost like shakers,” he says, adding that the orchestral percussion also draws from these bony rhythms.
The music was recorded with two ensembles, a full orchestra in Abbey Road and a smaller group at British Grove studios. Says Beltrami: “There were two lines of thinking: one being that, yeah, this is a big summer blockbuster movie, and the score needs to be big epic to accompany it. But simultaneously, there was also this idea of it being a more gritty, rosin-on-the-bow, chamber-like ensemble, so that it could provide some of the up-close intensity and the intimacy.”
Beltrami credits his process -- skulls, sirens and all -- to his composing idol, Ennio Morricone.
“He would take sounds that really were not traditional orchestral sounds -- grunts, or somebody whistling, or the ticking of a clock -- and incorporate those things into, as musical elements in a score,” Beltrami says. “That’s one of the things I love about film scoring.”
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