Picture this: a film studio complex and public entertainment venue in Nashville that would capture the look and feel of Universal Studios Hollywood — only without the rides and with a project pipeline loaded with films targeted at heartland audiences.

That’s the pitch being made to redevelop the Tennessee State Fairgrounds by Woodland, Calif.-based Tower Investments and Nashville’s 821 Entertainment, whose projects include a forthcoming film about the life of the Rev. Billy Graham, as well as a biopic on music legend Hank Williams.

(Tennesean)

Indie film’s easy-money era is over, but new opportunities are emerging.

These days, any seller hoping to land a distribution deal at a fest or market like Toronto in September realizes that only a few lucky winners will land a seven-figure minimum guarantee from a studio specialty division.

(Variety)

Emboldened by this summer’s success with “The Dark Knight,” Warner Bros.’ movie studio is setting a new strategy.

The Time Warner Inc. unit, like some other Hollywood studios, is planning to release fewer films into the crowded marketplace. But the studio, known for making more big, expensive movies than most rivals, plans to make even more of those — some centered on properties from its DC Comics unit, such as Batman.

(Wall Street Journal)

How could this happen? The question springs to mind as 20th Century Fox claims it has the rights to the graphic novel on whichWarner Brothers is basing “Watchmen,” its giant superhero movie.

Peer deeper into the murk of Hollywood’s business practices, though, and the question becomes: How could it not?

The film industry was buzzing last week after a federal judge here allowed Fox to proceed with a lawsuit contending that Warner had filmed “Watchmen” without bothering to acquire rights that Fox says it has owned for 22 years. This eagerly anticipated movie is directed by Zack Snyder, of “300” fame, and is based on the illustrated series (republished as a graphic novel) by Alan Moore and David Gibbons.

Warner, of course, begs to differ with Fox. So the studios are squared off for battle. Fox wants an injunction blocking the movie’s planned release on March 6. Warner wants Fox to go away.

(New York Times)

Ear-shattering explosions? Check. Gore splattered across the screen? No problem. Graphic sex scenes, or maybe a little torture porn? Bring it on. In Hollywood, anything goes these days — except cigarette smoking.

Rarely in the history of motion pictures have the forces of censorship been as successful as anti-smoking crusaders have been recently. Last year, after congressional hearings on the issue and a public call for a crackdown by 32 state attorneys general, the Motion Picture Assn. of America agreed to consider tobacco use along with sex and violence when determining a film’s rating. Most of the major studios, meanwhile, have promised to either discourage or forbid smoking in youth-oriented films.

(LA Times)

A movie boss at Warner Bros studios has apologised to fans for delaying the much-anticipated release of the next film in the popular series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

The film was scheduled to be released in November this year, but Warner Bros rescheduled it to July 17, 2008, an eight-month delay that dismayed many Potter fans.

In a statement released today, Warner Bros CEO Alan Horn apologised to fans for the decision, and said there was a silver lining.

(The Stuff NZ)

Starting in 2009, all of DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc’s films will be in next-generation 3-D.

“This is the next innovation for the movie industry,” Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive of DreamWorks Animation, said in an interview. “It impacts how we make our movies, how movie theaters present our films and how audiences experience our films.”

Katzenberg’s DreamWorks Animation and No. 1 chipmaker Intel Corp announced a 3-D movie image brand called InTru 3D at Intel’s Developer Forum in San Francisco on Wednesday.

The first movie from DreamWorks Animation to use the brand and logo will be “Monsters vs. Aliens,” coming out next March.

(Reuters)

The release date for the sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, was pushed back Thursday to July 17, 2009, from its original slot in November, movie studio Warner Bros. said.

The eight-month delay in the opening date is expected to disappoint millions of Harry Potter fans around the world who have already been waiting more than a year to watch the next big-screen instalment in the international literary and film phenomenon.

Trailers for Half-Blood Prince began circulating last week in advance of the expected November movie release worldwide.

(Globe and Mail)

Who knew Tom Cruise could shake it like a Polaroid picture?

Last week, he rocked audiences with his cameo as a profane, hip-jiggling, Machiavellian movie chief in ” Tropic Thunder.” The role was designed to show the world — and Hollywood insiders — that the one-time king of Hollywood didn’t take himself too seriously and even had comedic chops.

His performance was funny, but somehow as with all things Cruise these days, a black cloud emerged from the silver lining. His tour de force was overshadowed by yet another hellish publicity week, which included debates over whether “Tropic Thunder” was degrading to the mentally disabled as well as an inaccurate story that Sony had replaced Cruise in the film “Edwin A. Salt” with “it” girl Angelina Jolie.

(LA Times)

In a move that ends her longtime business partnership with Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner is stepping down from her post as co-owner and CEO at United Artists.