ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

‘Eclipse’ opens ahead of ‘New Moon’ in major foreign countries

Ben Fritz

Los Angeles Times

July 1, 2010

Foreshadowing a potentially huge overseas box-office performance for the latest installment in the fan favorite vampire romance series, “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” had a bigger opening day Thursday than its predecessor “New Moon” had last November in 13 major and mid-sized foreign markets.

The most successful opening was in Russia, where “Eclipse” sold $3.9 million worth of tickets on its first day. Other strong showings for the third “Twilight” movie included Italy, where it collected $3.2 million, Brazil with $2.4 million, and Spain with $2 million.

In Belgium, “Eclipse” beat ”Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix” to record the biggest opening day of all time with $735,000.

“Eclipse” grossed an estimated $16.2 million in total from 21 international markets on its first day, according to distributor Summit Entertainment. By this weekend, it will be playing in a total of 42 foreign countries.

“New Moon” grossed a total of $413 million overseas, $117 million more than in the U.S. and Canada.

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HOLLYWOOD ATTRACTIONS

King Kong roars back to life at Universal Studios Hollywood — in 3-D

The giant gorilla will save studio tour tram riders from an attacking pack of T. Rex in a new attraction created by Peter Jackson.

By Noelene Clark

Los Angeles Times

June 30, 2010

For more than 45 years, the defining experience for Universal Studios Hollywood has been the venerable tram tour through the production facilities and backlot. Now the ride is being brought to the 21st century by filmmaker Peter Jackson and the world’s most famous gorilla.

Beginning Thursday, the tram will take a detour that transports guests to Jackson’s version of Skull Island, where they will be attacked by dinosaurs and rescued by the three-story-tall silverback gorilla.

The new attraction, “King Kong 360 3-D,” replaces the original, which burned in a June 2008 fire that also destroyed several famous backlot sets.

Instead of reviving the 1986 attraction, which brought visitors to 1970s New York to face off with a 30-foot animatronic ape, Universal decided to revamp it based on Jackson’s 2005 remake of “King Kong.” The Academy Award-winning director of “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” jumped at the chance to resurrect a character whose tragic end doesn’t lend itself to a sequel.

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