Movie News Monday for July 8, 2013.

Welcome to this week’s edition of “Movie News Monday!” (“MNM!”)!!

What is ‘MNM’ all about?

In case this is your first time here, “Movie News Monday!” (MNM) is the place to visit every Monday for a quick recap of trending entertainment news! I’ve collected info, rumors, etc from all over just for you to keep you updated on movies being released, actors/actresses in roles, dvd releases to keep a lookout for, which movie won in the box office over the weekend, etc! Are you ready for your weekly update? Here it is!

This Just In!!…

#1- “The Weekend Winner.”  Last weekend, 3 wide new releases entered the Top Ten of the box office arena. The Lone Ranger fought against the power of The Heat, Monsters and Minions…and came out in second place amid scathing reviews. Currently being considered another Disney flop, it only managed to earn a fraction back of its $215M budget. Congrats to Monsters University for passing $200M over the weekend as well. Also this past weekend, Star Trek Into Darkness and Fast & Furious 6 finally stepped out of the Top Ten.

Here are the weekend’s estimated results for Fri, July 5-Sun, July 7:

1. Despicable Me 2 ~$82.5M
2. The Lone Ranger ~$29.4M
3. The Heat ~$25M
4. Monsters University ~$19.6M
5. World War Z ~$18.2M
6. White House Down ~$13.5M
7. Man of Steel ~$11.4M
8. Kevin Hart: Let Me Explain ~$10M
9. This is the End ~$5.8M
10. Now You See Me ~$2.8M

*Actuals may vary as earnings are updated much later on Monday afternoons. For updates, visit boxofficemojo.com.

Congratulations to Despicable Me 2 (My review will post soon).

What did YOU watch this weekend?

#2- “Taken from Twitter.” Stars and directors in Hollywood love to give fans little teases and glimpses of the productions they are working on all the time. This past month, several have hit the headlines of Twitter. From the sets of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Transformers 4 and Hercules, here are a few of the latest additions to the Twitter treasure trove. (Click any image to enlarge)

Hercules: The Thracian Wars (Not to be confused with the upcoming Hercules 3D starring Kellan Lutz) stars Dwayne Johnson alongside Ian McShane, Joseph Fiennes, Rufus Sewell and more and is scheduled for a July 25, 2014 release.

X-Men: Days of Future Past, directed by Bryan Singer, is currently filming and stars James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and more. Prepare for it on May 23, 2014.

Transformers 4, directed by Michael Bay is also currently filming and stars Shia La…just kidding, it stars Mark Wahlberg, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammar and more. Currently its release date is June 27, 2014.

Are you looking forward to either of these?

#3- “Wrath in the Works.“ DreamWorks is currently looking at bringing the John Steinbeck novel The Grapes of Wrath to the big screen once again. According to Deadline.com, Steven Spielberg is also interested in producing (not directing) the remake as the 75th anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel is next year. 

The Grapes of Wrath is about a poor family of tenant farmers forced to move off its land in Oklahoma because of drought and hopeless economic conditions. Spurred by the promise of high wages for farm workers, the Joads head to California, but are beaten down by poverty and hunger in the Great Depression. 

Spielberg’s involvement is interesting as one of his influences, John Ford, directed the 1940 rendition of the classic novel. Perhaps Baz Luhrmann will want to direct it?? He did bring back The Great Gatsby afterall.

Are you interested in seeing this remade?

#4- “The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition” Did you already buy The Dark Knight Trilogy? Well, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is giving it the good ol’ George Lucas treatment by releasing a new collector’s edition with tons of extra goodies.

Check it out excerpts from the press release.

Now on September 24, Nolan’s three Batman films – Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and The Dark Knight Rises – will be released by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment as The Dark Knight Trilogy: Ultimate Collector’s Edition. The six-disc set will feature all three films with their existing extra content, two new featurettes and exclusive new collectible memorabilia. This must-own collection for fans of DC Comics’ Caped Crusader is available in premium packaging and will sell for $99.97 SRP.

There are more details giving you a lot of information of what to expect. Check out all of the information by clicking on the “press release” link above.

Look for it to pre-order soon and then to be in stores on September 24, 2013.

Will you be picking this special edition up? 

#5- “This Week’s Blu-ray release.” This week, look for the following films on Blu-ray to possibly add to your collection:

Spring Breakers- This one wasn’t a hit with me, but fans of director Harmony Korine and films similar to his will find something to like in this spring break adventure starring James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens and more. It was only good to me when Franco was onscreen, but other movielovers found it to be better than I. You can check out my full thoughts in my review for this film HERE and decide if it’s a movie you wish to watch. (It may actually still be the best choice out of all the other releases coming out this week…and that’s not saying much.)

Several other films also release this week. Check it out!

Also releasing:

• Admission
• The Host (read my REVIEW)
• Tyler Perry presents Temptation: Confessions of a Marriage Counselor (read my REVIEW)
• Dead Man Down (read my REVIEW)
• …and more.

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Well, that’s it for this round of “Movie News Monday!”

Thanks for reading! Happy Watching!

-T, The Focused Filmographer

up next: ”Time to Vote Tuesday!”