Cinemark buys Argentina screens

BUENOS AIRES - Cinemark Holdings has acquired 95 screens in Argentina from Hoyts General Cinema South America to become the country's leading exhibitor as box office sales grow. The Texas-based company said it acquired the screens in 10 multiplexes in Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Salta for an undisclosed sum. The seller was Chilean asset management company Linzor Capital Partners, which bought the screens in 2007. This boosts Cinemark's screen count to 185 in 20 plexes in Argentina for a 39% market share. Cinemark CEO Alan Stock said in a statement that the move is part of a strategy to expand in Latin America through acquisitions and by building screens. Cinemark now has more than 1,250 screens in Latin America, a quarter of its worldwide total. The purchase comes as B.O. in Argentina grows. Admissions are expected to expand 7.9% to 41 million admissions this year -- the best performance since 2004 -- from 38 million in 2010, while gross will grow 32% to $215 million over the same period, according to estimates. A robust economy -- it is growing at 6%-7% this year -- and rising wages are offsetting concerns about 22% annual inflation to drive the growth, helped by a rise in 3D screenings that carry higher ticket prices. Contact the Variety newsroom at news@variety.com

U.K.'s Mara buys 'Yellow Boots'

LONDON -- Mara Pictures, a boutique distrib concentrating on South Asian designed films, has acquired U.K. theatrical privileges for helmer Anurag Kashyap's "That Girl in Yellow Boots."The Hindi, British and Kannada-language film follows an english lady who requires a journey through Mumbai's underbelly in mission of her missing father. Pic stars Kalki Koechlin and Indian indie veteran Naseeruddin Shah.The film opened in the Toronto Film Festival this past year and it has performed in a number of fests worldwide since.Kashyap is incorporated in the vanguard of India's burgeoning indie film movement and is renowned for edgy fare like "Black Friday," "Dev.D" and "Gulaal."IndiePix will release the film in The United States on Sept. 2. Mara is planning for a U.K. release within the last quarter of the year.Mara has additionally acquired "Kidulthood" helmer Menhaj Huda's coming-of-age drama "Everywhere and Nowhere" for any Sept. 11 U.K. re-release. Pic was launched individually by its producers in May and underperformed in the box office. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com

Visit the Ark from the Covenant in the New Indiana Johnson Exhibit

Creating an the archaeology of gortyn exhibit devoted to Indiana Johnson appears just like a no-brainer. Fortunately, individuals at LucasFilm agree. Together with the Montreal Science Center, they've produced the Indiana Johnson and also the Adventure of The archaeology of gortyn. Featuring a mixture of real items and famous props in the film, Indianapolis fans will have the ability to obtain a firsthand consider the field of an archaeologist. Incorporated within the exhibit would be the Ark from the Covenant from 'Raiders from the Lost Ark,' the Sankara Gemstones from 'Temple of Doom' and also the Ultimate Goal from 'The Last Campaign.' Geneviève Angio-Morneau, who assisted organize the project, had this to say of it: Among the primary ideas was with an exhibition that will focus, yes, about the items and also the props and also the costumes and also the artwork in the Lucasfilm Archive, but additionally to possess real items .... We may be finding site visitors [making] their first connection with real historical objects, so doing an exhibit about the archaeology of gortyn, it was a very important area of the concept for that exhibition. It had been also among the greatest challenges to possess both of these different collections residing in exactly the same space, then when we designed the exhibition, we ensured these objects were in separate actual spaces. We designed the exhibition as type of one effect. You should check out photos in the Indiana Johnson exhibit over about the L.A. Occasions Hero Complex blog.

Cody Horn Cast as Female Lead in Steven Soderbergh's 'Magic Mike'

Cody Horn has became a member of the cast of Miracle Mike, a mans stripper drama in line with the encounters of Channing Tatum, who also stars in theSteven Soderbergh-directed film.our editor recommendsAlex Pettyfer to Star in Steven Soderbergh's Stripper Film 'Magic Mike''True Blood's' Joe Manganiello in Talks for Stripper Movie, 'Magic Mike''White Collar' Star Joins Steven Soderbergh's 'Magic Mike'Mogul Kids Land Film RolesJake Gyllenhaal Indie Drama Casts Cody Horn The actress, lately cast within the Mike Gyllenhaal-starring dramaEnd of Watch, will have the sister of the up-and-coming male dancer performed by Alex Pettyfer, whose character is dependant on Tatum. (He removed for pretty much annually when he was 18 to pay the bills.) Tatum, who's also creating, can look because the film's titular character -- a mentor towards the dancer performed by Pettyfer and also the love interest of Horn's character. Mike will even featureMatthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello and Riley Keough. Also creating are Nick Wechsler, Gregory Jacobs and Reid Carolin, who's writing the script.The project is slated to start production in September in La. Horn, thedaughter of former Warner Bros. Entertainment leader and COO Alan Horn, lately were built with a three-episode arc on NBC's Work as well as were built with a recurring role on FX's Save Me. Horn's casting within the project was initially reported through the Playlist.She's symbolized by Paradigm and Untitled Entertainment. Email: Daniel.Burns@THR.com Twitter: @DanielNMiller Related Subjects Alan Horn Steven Soderbergh

New Tinker Tailor Clips At Big Screen

World firsts from Alfredson's thrillerThere's more than a little excitement in these parts for a little spy thriller called Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, so its presence at Empire Presents.... Big Screen had us donning our espionage casual, gripping our bugging devices* and heading to its panel to watch some world-first footage from the film. Producer Robyn Slovo and screenwriter Peter Straughan were there to introduce three new clips from the film. The first showed the influence of MI6's 'Control' (John Hurt) waning within the agency's HQ. Better known as 'the Circus', it's the setting for some heavyweight acting. Tight and claustrophobic, Hurt and Toby Jones' Percy Alleline slug it out verbally over Alleline's mysterious new 'Witchcraft' intel. The second gave our first look proper at Gary Oldman's Smiley, the character made famous on-screen by Alec Guinness in the 1979 BBC dramatisation. The soft lisp, inscrutable gaze and middle-age slouch disguise an iron will and cat-like intelligence. He's every bit as 'Smiley' as we were expecting: a pitch-perfect reinvention of a literary and screen icon. The scene saw Smiley send his trusted confederate Peter Guillam on what looks like a fool's errand to lift a key dossier from the Circus. It's a nerve-racking and beautifully designed sequence that just sings on the big screen. The third sequence from Tomas Alfredson's thriller flashed back to MI6 agent Ricky Tarr's time in Portugal, and the first revelation of a Soviet mole in the Circus. It's Tom Hardy's chance to shine. The vignette takes up most of an episode in the BBC's '70s adaptation of John le Carré's novel, and the movie looks like giving equal weight to Tarr's pivotal back story. Straughan confirmed that. We had to merge a few characters, explained the screenwriter, but otherwise it's nearly all there. Interestingly, Slovo revealed that it was Alfredson himself who hunted down the directorial gig. Tomas actually came to us, she revealed. He'd heard that we were doing it and put himself forward for it. If you haven't laid eyes on Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy's terrific teaser and equally heavyweight trailer, now's the time. This fantastic-looking spy business will be arriving in UK cinemas on September 16. Circle the date on a piece of paper, then swallow it. *Not literally, legal types

Apes Dominate The US Box Office

The Change-Up loses out.... Cheer up, Caesar! With some solid reviews and positive word of mouth, Rise of the Planet of the Apes was able to make a monkey (har har) out of the competition this weekend, earning a healthy $54 million at the US box office. Last week's place-swapping duo The Smurfs and Cowboys and Aliens both took a tumble, with the little blue creatures down 41% for $21 million and Jon Favreau's Western-meets-sci-fi romp falling 58% for a $15. 7 million second weekend. They were shoved down to second and third place, respectively. There was also a serious lack of good news for new Jason Bateman/Ryan Reynolds comedy The Change-Up, which launched in fourth place with a decidedly average $13. 5 million. It'll have to work to recoup its reported $52 million budget. Captain America: The First Avenger rounded out the top five with $13 million in its third week. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 was sixth with $12. 2 million, Crazy, Stupid, Love slipped to seventh with $12. 1 million, and Friends with Benefits was eighth with $4. 7 million. At ninth we find the other Jason Bateman comedy, Horrible Bosses, which earned $4. 6 million and in 10th place, Transformers: Dark of the Moon, which added $3 million for a running US total take of $344. 1 million. To revolt against your oppressive overlords, start the revolution with figures over at Box Office Mojo.

Aziz Ansari Has Tense Exchange With Audience Member at Stand-Up Gig

Aziz Ansari Aziz Ansari exchanged tense words by having an audience member who requested what he regarded as a "racist" question in a stand-up gig, Entertainment Weekly reviews. The Parks and Entertainment star, 28, designed a surprise appearance Friday in a La comedy club and required questions in the crowd. Things got heated when a crowd member requested, "Why not possess a red-colored us dot in your temple?" Take a look at photos of Aziz Ansari A shocked Ansari requested the lady why she did not possess the word "c--- on her behalf temple," making a comment about how exactly you will find still "racist" people on the planet. In addition to that interaction, Ansari's short set discussed dating, the "dumb" teens from MTV shows and what he searches for inside a girl ("she needs to like Breaking Bad"). Ansari will next come in the film half an hour or Less, which hits theaters now.

Box Office Report: 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Scores Big with $54 Mil Opening

The apes have conquered the multiplex.our editor recommends'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Featurette: 'This Film Is Not Possible Without Andy Serkis' (Video)'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' Trailer Beats Its Chest Fueled by great word of mouth, 20th Century Fox's Rise of the Planet of the Apes opened to $54 million at the domestic box office-$20 million more than the best forecast. The pic easily placed No. 1. Overseas, the prequel also exceeded expectations, grossing a stellar $23.4 million from 25 territories, including only four major markets, Australia, Spain, Russia and Taiwan, where it came in No. 1 Rise of the Apes is particularly drawing notice for its photo-realistic apes, which were created by Peter Jackson's Weta Digital using advanced performance capture technology. Andy Serkis plays the ape Caesar, and is the movie's lead character. "The combination of never-before-seen special effects combined with a powerful, emotional story made for a supremely satisfying epxerience at the movies," Fox senior vice president of domestic distribution Chris Aronson said. GALLERY: Rise of the Planet of the Apes First Look: The Many Faces of Andy Serkis Directed by Rupert Wyatt, Rise of the Apes successfully relaunches the cult sci-fi franchise, and is a big win for the filmmakers and Fox's marketing operation. Heading into the weekend, tracking suggested that the movie-also starring James Franco, Frida Pinto and John Lithgow--would open to $30 million to $35 million, tops. But the movie took on a life of its own when receiving an A- CinemaScore, in addition to rave reviews. Exit polls showed the movie appealing to all age groups, including younger audience members who don't remember the franchise. More women than expected turned out, making up 46 percent of the audience. The origins pic was down 2% from Friday to Saturday, pointing to the pic's growing buzz. REVIEW: Rise of the Planet of the Apes Rise of the Apes also is a big win for Peter Chernin and Dylan Clark's Chernin Entertainment, since it's the company's first title. "We're thrilled to launch Chernin Entertainment with a film that so positively resonated with audiences We're proud of the artistic achievement of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, as it is a testament to a smart script, great direction by Rupert Wyatt, stellar actor performances, the amazing visual effects created by the Weta team and the passion and dedication of the entire crew and our partners at 20th Century Fox," Chernin and Clark said in a statement. The movie, made for $93 million, was co-financed by Fox, Dune Entertainment and Ingenious. The weekend's other new offering, Universal's R-rated Ryan Reynolds-Jason Bateman body switching comedy The Change-Up, didn't fare as well, grossing a soft $13.5 million and coming in No. 4. Directed by David Dobkins, Change-Up entered a saturated market for raunchy comedies, and scored the lowest opening of the summer for its genre. The movie only received a B CinemaScore, and played older, with 50% of the audience over the age of 30. Universal and Relativity Media co-financed Change-Up, which cost $52 million to produce. Sony's surprise hit The Smurfs stayed strong in its second weekend, declining less than 42% to an estimated $21 million for a domestic cume of $76.2 million. The 3D kids pic placed No. 2. Smurfs began rolling out in earnest at the international box office over the weekend, grossing an impressive $45.2 million from 30 territories, including Mexico, Brazil, France and Germany, for a foreign cume of $52.7 million and worldwide total of $128.9 million. Universal and DreamWorks' Cowboys & Aliens continued to struggle in its second outing, trailing Smurfs and grossing $15.8 million for a domestic total of $67.4 million. The movie fell 57%, a big drop considering the film is playing best to an older audience. Adult-skewing films generally build momentum, and see minimal drops if they are working. Related Topics

Here's Your First Look at Constantine Maroulis in Rock of Ages

You’ve already seen Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Sebastian Bach in character on the set of Adam Shankman’s upcoming Rock of Ages, but this pic is sure to get you really excited for the musical adaptation. Constantine Maroulis — who originated the Rock of Ages lead role of Drew on Broadway, and earned a Tony nomination for his performance — officially has a small part in the film as well! When it came to the big screen adaptation, Shankman decided that the 35 year-old would not be a convincing 20 year-old and cast Diego Gonzalez Boneta instead. But he did give Maroulis a cameo role as a slick ’80s record exec. Here is the first photo of Maroulis in character flanked by the director (left) and the film’s producer Matt Weaver. Shankman Tweeted the photo last night. [@adammshankman via Deadline]