News for
Road to Perdition (2002)

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Newman Announces Retirement -- Again
28 May 2007 (StudioBriefing)
Paul Newman, who has not appeared in front of the cameras since The Road to Perdition in 2001 (he was the voice of Doc, a 1951 Hudson, in last year's animated Cars), is again talking about retirement. In an interview with ABC News, Newman, who is 82, said that he has begun to lose his memory, confidence and invention. "So I think [acting is] pretty much a closed book for me." He had made similar comments a year ago, but had suggested he was considering one last screen appearance, setting off immediate speculation that he would team up again with Robert Redford, with whom he had made Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting for the final film. There was no mention of that project during the ABC interview.

Newman To Re-Team with Redford for Final Movie?
21 June 2006 (WENN)
Veteran actor Paul Newman is in negotiations to reunite with his Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid co-star Robert Redford for the last film of his illustrious career. The pair, who have not worked together since 1973, are collaborating on a new project which may entice Newman to return to the big screen in his first major movie role in four years. Despite lending his voice to animated hit Cars, which is currently top of the US box office, Newman has kept a relatively low profile since Road To Perdition, and recently revealed he only has one film left in him. But the 81-year-old hopes his swan song will see him re-team with Redford, revealing, "(We're) working on something but it's not by any means a slam-dunk. (It has to be) either a wonderful character in a wonderful film or a character that was acceptable in a film with some social content." Redford jokes, "The real question is whether he can remember his lines or not."

Newman: "One More Film and I'm Done"
19 June 2006 (WENN)
Film legend Paul Newman has promised his fans to star in one more movie, before retiring from acting for good. The Cool Hand Luke actor, 81, recently took time out of his car racing hobby to provide the voice for a 1951 Hudson Hornet in Pixar's latest movie Cars. Newman, who has been a Hollywood star since the 1950s, says, "I will probably have one film left in me. It's time. When it's time to get out, it's time to get out." Newman last appeared onscreen in drama Road to Perdition, for which he received a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination.

Miller & Law "Working Things Out"
30 May 2006 (WENN)
On/off couple Sienna Miller and Jude Law have confirmed rumors they are giving their relationship a third attempt. The pair ended their seven-month engagement in July 2005 after the Road To Perdition hunk admitted he had slept with his childrens' former nanny Daisy Wright the previous March. The Alfie co-stars reconciled in October, but split again in January. Miller has since been seen with her Factory Girl co-star Hayden Christensen and Argentine model Nico Malleville, while Law was linked to Australian singer/actress Sophie Monk. When asked by the Associated Press if she had reconciled with Law, Miller says, "Well, it's pretty obvious, isn't it? We're working things out."

Miller Confirms Law Split
14 February 2006 (WENN)
British actress Sienna Miller has confirmed reports she has split from on/off boyfriend Jude Law and is loving her new single life. The rising star, 24, and Law, 33, began dating in October 2003 after meeting on the set of Alfie and went on to become engaged on Christmas Day 2004. However, after the Road To Perdition heart-throb admitting sleeping with his children's former nanny Daisy Wright last July, the couple called off their engagement and after a brief split, reunited, until finally splitting last month. Despite being photographed snuggling up to her Factory Girl co-star Hayden Christensen, Miller insists she is single. She says, "My advice to women is to stay single and stick with your female pals. I have no boyfriend at the moment, so that's why I've no special plans for Valentine's."

Mass Merchants in DVD Price War
28 November 2005 (StudioBriefing)
Instead of clearing out their overloaded shelves of DVDs by returning the product to distributors, many retailers were blowing them out at bargain prices to holiday shoppers over the weekend. Home Media Retailing reported Sunday that Wal-Mart was selling some 40 titles, including Minority Report and Road to Perdition, for just $3.44. At The Warehouse, Shark Tale, Shrek, The Ring, Casino, Meet the Fockers and other Universal and DreamWorks titles were going for $5.99. Customers could buy such recent hits as The Incredibles, Kingdom of Heaven, Napoleon Dynamite and Robots for $8.99 at Circuit City. Even new arrivals War of the Worlds and The Polar Express could be had for $14.99 at CompUSA, the trade publication observed.

Law and Frost's Nanny to Tell-all?
10 December 2004 (WENN)
A nanny who worked for Jude Law and Sadie Frost is reportedly in negotiations to sell her secret revelations on the divorced couple to scandal- hungry British newspapers. The Road to Perdition star and fashion designer Frost divorced in October 2003 following a turbulent marriage, and their children's carer hit the headlines for allegedly alerting police to a "domestic disturbance" involving the warring pair. According to London daily the Evening Standard, journalists are also desperate to acquire more details about the near-tragic occasion in 2002 when their daughter Iris swallowed part of an ecstasy tablet during a kids' bash at private members' club Soho House. Earlier this year, movie star Law was reportedly considering using a former nanny as a witness in a custody battle for their three children.

Mendes To Launch 'Shrek' Broadway Musical
19 October 2004 (WENN)
Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes is bringing animation hit Shrek to Broadway in a musical adaptation of the Dreamworks movie. The Road To Perdition star will have creative control of the New York production, while Tony-nominated stage director Jason Moore, who took charges of puppet musical Avenue Q, will direct the show in 2006. Mendes told the New York Times newspaper, "There isn't the sort of corporate pressure being exerted that this has to be done for a set pre-release date." Moore enthuses, "'There's a supreme challenge in bringing an animated world to the stage and making it theatrical. But what's so wonderful about Shrek is that anarchic attitude placed in a fairy- tale world that I think will thrive onstage."

Jude Law Moves In with Sienna
4 November 2003 (WENN)
The ink is barely dry on his divorce papers, but Jude Law is moving in with new love Sienna Miller already, according to reports. The Road To Perdition hunk - whose marriage to Sadie Frost officially ended last week - is moving into a 'love nest' with his Alfie co-star in New York, once filming moves from England to the American city next week. According to British newspaper The Daily Express, Brit Law, 30, plans to share an apartment with Miller, 20, for the three weeks of filming so their burgeoning romance can blossom away from prying eyes. A source says, "They are planning to move into a small apartment in a quiet area of New York for the three weeks of filming so they can have a romantic private time. They can't wait to go somewhere where they will be more anonymous and able to walk down the street holding hands without being photographed. Jude will also be away from the responsibility of his children and can throw himself into his work and new romance." Jude's ex-wife Sadie - with whom he has three young children - has already dismissed his relationship with Miller as a "silly fling." She is currently dating 22- year-old musician Jackson Scott. The new lovebirds will return to Britain on December 3 once filming has finished on the Michael Caine remake.

Frost: Jude Made Me Sick
30 October 2003 (WENN)
Actress Sadie Frost has accused former husband Jude Law of making her ill during their turbulent marriage. The screen beauty - whose six year union with the Road To Perdition hunk was officially terminated at London's High Court yesterday - claims Law treated her so badly, she was forced to seek medical help. Sadie was granted a quick divorce on account of the actor's admitted unreasonable behavior, and, according to friends, she wanted "the world to know" her motives for splitting with Law. In her sworn affidavit, she wrote, "The respondent's behavior increased the effects of postnatal depression, leading me to have to take treatment three times." A pal of the designer says, "She wrote this knowing it would be made public. She wanted the world to know what kind of person Jude is and how she had to go to hospital with baby blues as a result of Jude's bad behavior."

Law and Frost To Divorce Today
29 October 2003 (WENN)
Screen stars Jude Law and Sadie Frost will finally end their marriage today, following months of angry feuds. According to Britain's The Sun newspaper, the acting duo will be granted a divorce in London's High Court - which will be finalized in six weeks - on account of Law's admitted unreasonable behavior. Trouble within their five-year union reached its peak earlier this year when police were twice called to the home of the couple in Primrose Hill, London, after some violent bust-ups. Sadie subsequently filed for divorce from the Road To Perdition star. A pal says, "It is very sad that it has come to this but Sadie felt she had no other choice." The actress-turned-designer recently described her split from her husband as a trip "to hell and back".

Law To Remove Sadie Tattoo
10 September 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood hunk Jude Law is so desperate to erase all memory of his troubled marriage to actress Sadie Frost, he's planning to remove a tattoo bearing her name. Five years ago, the Road To Perdition star had the words, "You came along to turn on everything, Sexy Sadie" - a quote from The Beatles song "Sexy Sadie" - etched into his arm, but now the actor is desperate to endure the pain and have the marking removed from his forearm. According to Britain's Heat magazine, he's booked into a specialist clinic in Los Angeles to undergo the tricky procedure, and has told friends he doesn't care how much it hurts, because he's determined to avoid sporting any reminders of his failed marriage.

Law Speaks Out on Divorce
18 August 2003 (WENN)
Jude Law wants an "amicable" ending to his troubled marriage with British actress Sadie Frost - despite reportedly forcing his estranged wife to call out the police in the early hours of Thursday. Law's comments follow a vicious row outside their $3.2 million property in London's Primrose Hill, after the actor allegedly screamed abuse at Frost for hiding her new boyfriend inside. The angry fracas meant police had to be called to the stars' shared mansion for the second time in just two months. But Friday the Road To Perdition star says he hopes divorce proceedings - announced by Sadie after the fracas - don't harm their three children Rudy, Iris and Rafferty. He adds, "(We) have been working towards an amicable resolution. The hope is that this will all be as easy and trouble-free for our kids as possible."

Mendes To Take on 'Sweeney Todd'?
21 July 2003 (WENN)
American Beauty director Sam Mendes is the latest director to be linked to the upcoming film adaptation of Sweeney Todd. Mendes, who recently married movie beauty Kate Winslet, is composer Stephen Sondheim's first choice to take on the project after it was abandoned by Tim Burton a few years ago. Sondheim is reported to be in early negotiations with the Road To Perdition film-maker to bring the hit musical to the screen. Steven Spielberg's studio DreamWorks, which financed both Mendes' films, is developing the piece.

Kidman and Law Enjoy "Private Parties"
9 July 2003 (WENN)
Hollywood beauty Nicole Kidman and Jude Law have enjoyed each other's company at a series of "small private parties". The Oscar-winning actress and Road To Perdition hunk Jude went to a photo shoot in New York before driving out to watch some spectacular fireworks in trendy Long Island resort the Hamptons. Nicole's spokesperson says, "They had a photo shoot in Manhattan and then drove out for the fireworks. They did go to a party. They are just friends." Speculation has been rife that the couple are an item since Jude split from wife Sadie Frost, although both deny there is any romance between them.

Coming Soon: 'Shrek -- The Broadway Show'
3 July 2003 (StudioBriefing)
DreamWorks confirmed rumors Wednesday that it plans to turn its animated feature Shrek into a Broadway musical, USA Today reported today (Thursday). The rumors first began appearing last October, then reappeared last week after the New York Post reported that Sam Mendes (American Beauty, Road to Perdition) had agreed to direct the musical. USA Today said that a spokesperson for Mendes could not be reached on Wednesday.

Winslet and Mendes Wed in the Caribbean
10 June 2003 (WENN)
British actress Kate Winslet and filmmaker Sam Mendes have secretly wed. A statement released on the couple's behalf yesterday says they exchanged vows last month during a holiday in the West Indies. Only Winslet's two-year-old daughter Mia and three close friends attended the private ceremony. It's the second marriage for Titanic beauty and the first for 37-year-old Road To Perdition director Mendes. Winslet, 27, split from first husband Jim Threapleton in 2001 after three years of marriage.

Paul Newman Vetoes Tony Awards
30 May 2003 (WENN)
Actor Paul Newman has made it clear he'll be staying away from next month's Tony Awards - despite being nominated for his efforts in Our Town. Newman was also one of the actors who pulled no-shows at the Oscars last month. Nominated for his gangster turn in Road To Perdition, Newman lost the supporting actor award to Adaptation star Chris Cooper. Newman notified the producers of the June 8 Tony awards of his decision by letter to Isabelle Stevenson, chairman of the American Theater Wing, co-presenters of the awards with the League Of The American Theaters And Producers. The actor reportedly stated that not only does he stay away from awards ceremonies nowadays, he no longer owns a tuxedo.

Sadie Locks Out Jude
5 May 2003 (WENN)
Film star Sadie Frost has changed the locks on the London home she shares with hubby Jude Law - because the heart throb actor has run off to New York. The troubled couple have had had very public marriage difficulties since February, amid rumors Jude is involved with movie beauty Nicole Kidman. Now, Dracula star Sadie, 35, is furious that Jude has flown to New York to visit friends, including Nicole. A friend says, "He's gone to visit some friends there, including Nicole Kidman who's filming Birth. "It was the last straw for Sadie who hates Jude for the way he has treated her - so she decided to call the locksmith." Road To Perdition star Jude, 30, is seeking a divorce from Sadie and wants custody of the pair's three children. It is the latest event in a troubled year so far for Sadie - in January the actress sought help following a suicide scare.

Paul Newman: I'm No Icon
1 April 2003 (WENN)
Veteran actor Paul Newman doesn't consider himself an icon - even though he's one of Hollywood's most legendary stars. But although the Cool Hand Luke star plays down his movie achievements, he insists his film career is still far from over. On being labeled an icon, Newman says, "Brando, Lee J. Cobb, Olivier are. I'm not. I really should not have mentioned just those three because there are too many people I admire." And according to the actor, Road To Perdition won't be his swan song. He says, "No, it's probably closer to a vulture than a swan song. I don't seem to be able to retire. I'd love to do another film with (his wife) Joanne Woodward. There's still a little vinegar left in the old dog yet."

And the Other Awards Go To:
24 March 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Other top awards: Best documentary feature: Bowling for Columbine (Michael Moore); Original score: Frida (Elliot Goldenthal); Original Song: "Lose Yourself" from 8 Mile (Eminem); Cinematography: Road to Perdition (Conrad Hall); Foreign-language film: Nowhere in Africa; Special Effects: Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook and Alex Funke.

Academy Awards Results.... and all that jazz
24 March 2003 (IMDb News Flash)
Razzle-dazzle hit Chicago triumphed at the 75th Academy Awards®, taking home six statuettes, including Best Picture and Supporting Actress for Catherine Zeta-Jones (somewhere Bob Fosse is smiling). Surprise winner Adrien Brody nabbed the Best Actor award for his performance in The Pianist (and grabbed a hefty kiss from Halle Berry), while Nicole Kidman won (by a nose?) for her turn as Virginia Woolf in The Hours. Chris Cooper took home Supporting Actor for Adaptation, and another surprise winner, Roman Polanski , won Best Director for The Pianist, which all in all got three Oscars, confounding expectations. Frida and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers won two each, while The Hours, Bowling for Columbine, Road to Perdition, Adaptation, 8 Mile and Spirited Away garnered one Oscar each.

Best Picture:

Chicago - Marty Richards

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Adrien Brody for The Pianist

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

Nicole Kidman for The Hours

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

Chris Cooper for Adaptation.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:

Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago

Best Director:

Roman Polanski for The Pianist

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:

Talk to Her - Pedro Almodóvar

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published:

The Pianist - Ronald Harwood

Best Animated Feature:

Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi - Hayao Miyazaki

Best Foreign Language Film:

Nowhere in Africa(Germany)

Best Cinematography:

Road to Perdition - Conrad L. Hall

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration:

Chicago - John Myhre, Gordon Sim

Best Costume Design:

Chicago - Colleen Atwood

Best Editing:

Chicago - Martin Walsh

Best Sound:

Chicago - David Lee, Michael Minkler, Dominic Tavella

Best Music, Original Score:

Frida - Elliot Goldenthal

Best Music, Song:

8 Mile - Eminem, Bass, Jeff (III), Luis Resto(For the song "Lose Yourself".)

Best Makeup:

Frida - Beatrice De Alba, John E. Jackson

Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing:

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Ethan Van der Ryn, Mike Hopkins

Best Effects, Visual Effects:

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook, Alex Funke

Best Documentary: Feature:

Bowling for Columbine - Michael Moore, Michael Donovan

Best Documentary: Short Subject:

Twin Towers - Bill Guttentag, Robert David Port

Best Short Film: Animated:

The Chubbchubbs - Eric Armstrong

Best Short Film: Live Action:

Der er en yndig mand - Martin Strange-Hansen, Mie Andreasen

Academy Awards Results... and all that jazz
23 March 2003 (IMDb News Flash)
Razzle-dazzle hit Chicago triumphed at the 75th Academy Awards®, taking home six statuettes, including Best Picture and Supporting Actress for Catherine Zeta-Jones (somewhere Bob Fosse is smiling). Surprise winner Adrien Brody nabbed the Best Actor award for his performance in The Pianist (and grabbed a hefty kiss from Halle Berry), while Nicole Kidman won (by a nose?) for her turn as Virginia Woolf in The Hours. Chris Cooper took home Supporting Actor for Adaptation, and another surprise winner, Roman Polanski , won Best Director for The Pianist, which all in all got three Oscars, confounding expectations. Frida and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers won two each, while The Hours, Bowling for Columbine, Road to Perdition, Adaptation, 8 Mile and Spirited Away garnered one Oscar each.

Best Picture:

Chicago - Marty Richards

Best Actor in a Leading Role:

Adrien Brody for The Pianist

Best Actress in a Leading Role:

Nicole Kidman for The Hours

Best Actor in a Supporting Role:

Chris Cooper for Adaptation.

Best Actress in a Supporting Role:

Catherine Zeta-Jones for Chicago

Best Director:

Roman Polanski for The Pianist

Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen:

Talk to Her - Pedro Almodóvar

Best Writing, Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published:

The Pianist - Ronald Harwood

Best Animated Feature:

Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi - Hayao Miyazaki

Best Foreign Language Film:

Nowhere in Africa(Germany)

Best Cinematography:

Road to Perdition - Conrad L. Hall

Best Art Direction-Set Decoration:

Chicago - John Myhre, Gordon Sim

Best Costume Design:

Chicago - Colleen Atwood

Best Editing:

Chicago - Martin Walsh

Best Sound:

Chicago - David Lee, Michael Minkler, Dominic Tavella

Best Music, Original Score:

Frida - Elliot Goldenthal

Best Music, Song:

8 Mile - Eminem, Bass, Jeff (III), Luis Resto(For the song "Lose Yourself".)

Best Makeup:

Frida - Beatrice De Alba, John E. Jackson

Best Effects, Sound Effects Editing:

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Ethan Van der Ryn, Mike Hopkins

Best Effects, Visual Effects:

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers - Jim Rygiel, Joe Letteri, Randall William Cook, Alex Funke

Best Documentary: Feature:

Bowling for Columbine - Michael Moore, Michael Donovan

Best Documentary: Short Subject:

Twin Towers - Bill Guttentag, Robert David Port

Best Short Film: Animated:

The Chubbchubbs - Eric Armstrong

Best Short Film: Live Action:

Der er en yndig mand - Martin Strange-Hansen, Mie Andreasen

Winslet Shoots Down Wedding Reports
21 February 2003 (WENN)
Titanic actress Kate Winslet is highly amused at reports she's set to wed her film-maker boyfriend Sam Mendes. The British beauty, 27, who divorced film-maker Jim Threapleton in 2001, has stepped forward to insist once again that she and 37-year-old Road To Perdition director Mendes have made absolutely no plans to walk down the aisle together. She says, "It's absolutely hilarious! There were articles that he'd proposed with a ruby engagement ring. Hello? I've never had a ruby in my life! Sam's never even given me a ring! We've never even had this conversation."

No Sweet Smells for Frost and Law
21 February 2003 (WENN)
The troubled marriage of Jude Law and Sadie Frost shows no signs of mending - despite $1,500 of designer candles being set up in their bedroom. Interior designers at the British couple's new North London home purchased 40 of the bespoke $38 candles to be placed around a curved wall of their luxury bedroom. However, since their return from a holiday to Thailand over Christmas, a source claims, "They have not spent a single night together in their new home." Instead, Frost is living at the family home while Road To Perdition star Law is around the corner at their old house.

Posthumous Award to Cinematographer Hall
18 February 2003 (StudioBriefing)
The American Society of Cinematographers on Sunday bestowed its annual award on Conrad L. Hall for last year's Road to Perdition. The award was presented posthumously following Hall's death from bladder cancer at age 76 last month. Accepting the award, his son, Conrad W. Hall, remarked, "I guess if you're going to go, [it's best] to go out on top."

Kidman's Oscar Fear
13 February 2003 (WENN)
Oscar-nominee Nicole Kidman fears gossip about her and Jude Law may sabotage her chances of picking up an Academy Award next month. The Antipodean star is nominated in the Best Actress category for her portrayal of author Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry directed movie The Hours. However, British tabloid The Sun reports those close to the star fear her entanglement in the divorce of Sadie Frost and Road To Perdition star Jude could prejudice her opportunity to pick up her first Oscar. A source close to Nicole says, "There's always so much emotion and politics involved in voting for Oscar winners. Nicole has been made to look like a man-eater and a home wrecker and we are not sure how well that will go down with the mostly older voters in the Academy, even though she strongly denies the allegations. She will need to lobby hard in the coming weeks."

Oscar Nods -- And All That Jazz
11 February 2003 (StudioBriefing)
Motion picture academy members faced the music and gave Chicago 13 nominations, including best picture, the first time a musical had been so lavishly honored by the academy since the heyday of the genre more than a generation ago. Moulin Rouge was nominated for a best picture Oscar last year and the animated musical Beauty and the Beast was nominated in 1991, but researchers were scouring the record books this morning to see when another musical had been showered with 13 Oscar nominations. At an early morning news conference, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences President Frank Pierson and Oscar winner Marisa Tomei announced the nominees for the 75th annual awards, set to be handed out on March 24. Other nominees in the best picture category included Gangs of New York, The Hours, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, and The Pianist. Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York, with 10 nominations, came in second, followed by The Hours, with nine nominations. The following are the nominees in the top categories:

Best Actor: Adrien Brody, The Pianist; Nicolas Cage, Adaptation; Michael Caine, The Quiet American; Daniel Day-Lewis, Gangs of New York; Jack Nicholson, About Schmidt.

Best Supporting Actor: Chris Cooper, Adaptation; Ed Harris, The Hours; Paul Newman, Road to Perdition; John C. Reilly, Chicago; Christopher Walken, Catch Me If You Can.

Best Actress: Salma Hayek, Frida; Nicole Kidman, The Hours; Diane Lane, Unfaithful; Julianne Moore, Far From Heaven; Renée Zellweger, Chicago.

Best Supporting Actress: Kathy Bates, About Schmidt; Julianne Moore, The Hours; Queen Latifah, Chicago; Meryl Streep, Adaptation; Catherine Zeta-Jones, Chicago;

Director: Rob Marshall, Chicago; Martin Scorsese, Gangs of New York; Stephen Daldry, The Hours; Roman Polanski, The Pianist; Pedro Almodóvar, Talk To Her.

Adapted Screenplay: About a Boy, Screenplay by Peter Hedges and Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz; Adaptation, Screenplay by Charlie Kaufman and Donald Kaufman; Chicago, Screenplay by Bill Condon; The Hours, Screenplay by David Hare; The Pianist, Screenplay by Ronald Harwood.

Original Screenplay: Far From Heaven, Written by Todd Haynes; Gangs of New York, Screenplay by Jay Cocks and Steve Zaillian and Kenneth Lonergan, Story by Jay Cocks; My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Written by Nia Vardalos; Talk To Her, Written by Pedro Almodóvar; Y Tu Mamá También, Written by Carlos Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón.

Jude and Sadie Call in Divorce Lawyers
11 February 2003 (WENN)
The marriage between Jude Law and Sadie Frost is over for good - and the Road To Perdition actor has called in the divorce lawyers. Law, who is reportedly enjoying a new romance with Cold Mountain co-star Nicole Kidman, has told his fashion designer wife there is no hope for their five- year marriage and that they must make the next step by divorcing. Frost, who was admitted to a London hospital two weeks ago after suffering post-natal depression, is said to be distraught at the news and was hoping that she could reconcile with Law. But friends of the pair have revealed that Law has no intention of looking back. A friend tells British tabloid The Sun, "This is her worst nightmare. Sadie does not want to get divorced but Jude is adamant. He has spoken to lawyers and told them to get the ball rolling. She is trying to keep things going but Jude doesn't seem to be interested. He has been telling friends he is not doing Sadie any favors by sticking around. There have been meetings between Jude and Sadie but they have been for crisis talks rather than anything else. Jude loves his children and wants to make a divorce as painless as possible for them. He called in divorce lawyers first and Sadie had no choice but to follow suit. She is not happy. She is desperate to keep her family together. But Jude cannot see any way back - even though he feels terrible for the children."

Sadie Frost in Clinic for Post Natal Depression
30 January 2003 (WENN)
Actress Sadie Frost is being treated in an exclusive clinic for "severe" post natal depression. The wife of Hollywood heartthrob Jude Law has checked into London's $1,500-a-night Cromwell Hospital and Jude has flown home from America to be at her side. Speaking for the first time about the state of the couple's relationship, the Road To Perdition star admitted he and Sadie - whose fourth baby Rudy was born five weeks premature in September - had problems. But he vowed to do everything in his power to save their five-year marriage. Speaking via his publicist Simon Halls, Jude said, "When Sadie arrived back in England at the weekend she went straight into a clinic. She has been suffering a severe bout of post-natal depression. Her treatment does not involve taking drugs - just seeing doctors, talking and recuperating. She is there because she is feeling very blue." The 30-year-old star added, "This depression can be a serious thing and it has left Sadie feeling very sad and run down and she is just trying to get a handle on it. She has had so much on her plate recently and realizes she needs help and to catch her breath. Not only does she have to look after four children - including a baby - she runs a successful business and has been overseeing the refurbishment of our new house." Halls continued, "Sadie will be in the clinic for a couple of days more and it is doing her the power of good. Her stay there is already paying dividends." Jude and Bram Stoker's Dracula star Sadie have three children together - Rafferty, seven, Iris, two, and four-month-old Rudy. Sadie also has a 12-year-old son, Finlay, from her marriage to Spandau Ballet's Gary Kemp.

Are Kate and Sam Getting Married This Weekend?
20 November 2002 (WENN)
Kate Winslet and her director boyfriend Sam Mendes look set to wed this weekend. According to Britain's Daily Telegraph newspaper, the Hollywood couple have told friends to keep the weekend free and be ready to leave their homes at a moment's notice. One says, "We've been told not to leave the country and stand by our beds. Surely you wouldn't expect these sort of instructions unless they were getting married. It would most likely take place near their new home in Gloucestershire. I think Kate's sister Betty is already staying there." There has already been much speculation that the Titanic actress and American Beauty director are engaged, with Mendes said to have offered his English belle an antique diamond and ruby ring in August. At the premiere of his last film Road To Perdition in September, Mendes was asked if they were engaged and would only say, "Ah, that would be telling, wouldn't it." Winslet's publicist, Peter Garlick, refused to comment yesterday.

Paul Newman in Race Drama
11 October 2002 (WENN)
Hollywood superstar Paul Newman narrowly escaped injury when he was involved in a speedway crash. The 77-year old actor, a keen speedway enthusiast, frightened onlookers at the Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, North Carolina recently when his car spun out and did a 360-degree turn. However, the Road To Perdition actor remained characteristically cool as the drama unfolded. An eyewitness says, "He was pretty calm and collected, and no one got hurt."

Hanks Quits Directing
18 September 2002 (WENN)
Oscar winning star Tom Hanks is hanging up his clapboard for good - after deciding his future lies in front of the camera. The Road To Perdition star has taken a few breaks from his glittering acting career to direct movie That Thing You Do and TV hit Band Of Brothers. However, Hanks says he can't see himself finding the time to make more movies because he wants to put his family first. He explains, "It takes a substantial amount out of you. I'm still in my child rearing years and I'd like to be around a little bit more - not only physically but also mentally for my family. If you're directing a movie, you're never there. You're always thinking about what you've got to do. As soon as you say you're gonna direct a motion picture the risks just keep piling up. It just goes on and on and on and never lets up until the movie comes out. The stuff of your worst nightmares, you know."

Minghella Limits Jude's New Dad Time
13 September 2002 (WENN)
Hollywood movie-maker Anthony Minghella and Jude Law has a huge bust- up on the set of their new movie - over paternity leave. The Road To Perdition star was being directed by Minghella in Cold Mountain in North Carolina, and asked Minghella if he could have time off to spent time with his then-pregnant wife Sadie Frost. A film insider told Britain's Daily Mail, "Jude has had massive rows with Anthony Minghella and the film's producers told him it was too expensive to let him have any longer than four days off." However actress and lingerie designer Sadie went into labor five weeks early and delivered a healthy baby boy Rudy on Tuesday. Jude halted filming immediately and managed to get the first plane back to London to be at Sadie's side at the birth. When Jude will return to America to commence filming is unknown.

Hanks Hankers After Bond
6 September 2002 (WENN)
Hollywood A-Lister Tom Hanks hankers there's only one role he'd still love to play - James Bond. Currently staring in Road To Perdition, Hanks would do anything to become the British super agent. He says, "I wanted to be James Bond when I was growing up and I have always wanted to be James Bond." Hanks would also go so far as taking his clothes off if that is what a role requires.

'Wedding' Makes It To No. 1
4 September 2002 (StudioBriefing)
IFC's My Big Fat Greek Wedding finally reached the top of the box-office chart on Monday, Labor Day, as it took in $3.7 million to overtake Disney's Signs, which earned $3.6 million on Monday but was the top film over the four-day holiday. Signs posted a total of $17 million against Wedding's $14.8 million for the period. It was Wedding's 20th weekend in release, Signs' fifth. Analysts indicated that, with little competition next weekend, Wedding is likely to remain in the number-one spot for the rest of the week -- and may even cross the $100-million mark by Sunday. The indie film, which cost just $5 million to make, has now taken in $82.6 million and, given its big fat gross, is likely to spur executives at major studios to reappraise timeworn formulas for box-office success.

The top ten films over the four-day Labor Day weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Signs, Disney, $17,000,000, 5 Wks. ($195,582,456); 2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, IFC Films, $14,800,000, 20 Wks. ($82,556,992); 3. XXX, Sony, $13,100,000, 4 Wks. ($123,876,260); 4. Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, Miramax, $8,300,000, 4 Wks. ($70,051,675); 5. FearDotCom, Warner Bros., $7,100,000, (New); 6. Austin Powers in Goldmember, New Line, $7,070,000, 6 Wks. ($203,471,220); 7. Blue Crush, Universal, $5,600,000, 3 Wks. ($34,712,525); 8. Serving Sara, Paramount, $4,400,000, 2 Wks. ($11,949,391); 9. The Good Girl, Fox Searchlight, $3,800,000, 4 Wks. ($7,544,746); 10. Road to Perdition, DreamWorks, $3,500,000, 8 Wks. ($99,332,314).

'Wedding' Gets Fatter
3 September 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Continuing its steady rise, IFC Films' My Big Fat Greek Wedding moved into second place at the box office over the Labor Day weekend as it earned an estimated $14.6 million -- nearly three times more than it cost to make. After 20 weeks, it has now earned $82.3 million. M. Night Shyamalan's Signs remained in first place with $16.5 million, but by Sunday Wedding had begun to show signs of overtaking Signs. On the third day of the four-day weekend, Wedding took in $4.49 million to Signs' $4.98 million. Moreover, Wedding was playing on only 1,619 screens versus 3,437 for Signs but taking in twice the per-theater gross. FearDotCom, the only film to premiere over the weekend, rang up $7.1 million to finish in fifth place. Last year, another horror film, MGM's Jeepers Creepers, led the box office with $15.8 million, the most ever earned for a Labor Day debut. Last weekend's top 12 movies grossed $82.2 million, a drop of 12.4 percent from the $94.7 million earned during the same four-day period a year ago, when the box office set a Labor Day record.

The top ten films for the four-day holiday weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Signs, $16.5 million; 2. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, $14.6 million; 3. XXX, $13.1 million; 4. Spy Kids 2, $7.3 million; 5. FearDotCom, $7.1 million; 6. Austin Powers in Goldmember, $7.1 million; 7. Blue Crush, $5.4 million; 8. Saving Sara, $4.2 million; 9. The Good Girl, $3.6 million; 10. One Hour Photo/Road to Perdition (tie), $3.3 million.

Hanks Bans Kids from New Movie
3 September 2002 (WENN)
Tom Hanks has banned his two young sons from watching his new movie Road To Perdition - because it's too violent. The Oscar-winner has confessed he's happy to let 12-year-old Chester and Truman, seven - from his marriage to Rita Wilson - watch sex on screen. But Hanks - who also has a son, Colin, 25 and daughter Elizabeth, 20, from his first marriage to Samantha Lewes - feels his role in the Sam Mendes movie is too gory for the young boys. The Cast Away star plays a hitman whose son witnesses him on a killing spree in the flick. He says, "My kids will not see this film - the violence is one aspect of it. Pictures that deal with affection and sex I do let my kids see because that is more a part of life."

Firth's 'No Audition' Rule Loses Poet Part
2 September 2002 (WENN)
British actor Colin Firth missed out on the chance to play poet Ted Hughes opposite Gwyneth Paltrow in a new film - because he refused to audition for the part. The Bridget Jones's Diary star, currently starring in The Importance Of Being Earnest, was first choice to star in Ted And Sylvia, a twin biopic about the lives of Hughes and his American poet wife Sylvia Plath. Firth believed his distinguished acting career and the fact that he starred in Pride And Prejudice - one of the BBC's most successful period dramas ever - would be enough to convince the publicly-owned broadcaster to give him the part without a screen test. Instead the role went to lesser-known Road To Perdition star Daniel Craig. A film insider says, "Daniel Craig gave a fantastic screen test. When we played Gwyneth the videotape she was incredibly excited by his performance. It's a shame Colin won't be part of the project but everyone is convinced Daniel will be exceptional in the role." The movie ran into problems earlier this month director Paul Pavlikovsky left after a disagreement about the script.

'XXX' Rating: No. 1
20 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Sony's XXX continued to hold on to the top spot at the domestic box office over the weekend as new releases Blue Crush and The Adventures of Pluto Nash failed to pose a significant challenge. XXX, starring Vin Diesel, took in $22.1 million in its second week, followed in second place with Disney's Signs, which garnered $19.4 million. There was no crush at the box office to see the premiere of Blue Crush, although the film performed respectably with $14.2 million. Pluto Nash, however, turned out to be an unmitigated flop, tanking in its opening with just $2.2 million. Sales for the top 12 films totaled $99.2 million, 4.1 percent below results for the comparable weekend a year ago.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. XXX, Sony, $22,111,421, 2 Wks. ($83,963,506); 2. Signs, Disney, $19,362,674, 3 Wks. ($150,513,131); 3. Blue Crush, Universal, $14,169,455, (New); 4. Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, Miramax, $11,520,234, 2 Wks. ($45,608,793); 5. Austin Powers in Goldmember, New Line, $8,729,738, 4 Wks. ($183,897,219); 6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, IFC Films, $5,700,072, 18 Wks. ($52,777,170); 7. Blood Work, Warner Bros., $4,807,836, 2 Wks. ($15,310,030); 8. Road to Perdition, DreamWorks, $3,800,097, 6 Wks. ($90,302,959); 9. The Master of Disguise, Sony, $3,163,909, 3 Wks. ($30,288,416); 10. The Adventures of Pluto Nash, Warner Bros., $2,182,900, (New).

XXX-tended at No. 1
19 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
XXX extended its stay at the top of the box-office list, as it earned and estimated $23 million in its second week. The figure, however, like that for last week's premiere, fell below many analysts' expectations. Disney's Signs remained in second place with around $19.5 million in its third week. Universal's Blue Crush, which some analysts had predicted would revive surfing movies -- and which received decent reviews on Friday -- failed to make much of a splash, debuting in third place with about $15.2 million. But the real dog turned out to be The Adventures of Pluto Nash, the Eddie Murphy movie, which just made the top-ten list with barely $2.15 million in ticket sales -- the worst debut for any major studio movie in nearly three years. Continuing to surprise was IFC Films' My Big Fat Greek Wedding, which finished sixth with $5.82 million, to bring its total to $53 million. (It opened 18 weeks ago.) Total sales for the top 12 films reached $101.4 million, down about 2 percent from the comparable weekend a year ago.

The box office has been running behind last year's totals for the past five weeks. The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. XXX, $23 million; 2. Signs, $19.5 million; 3. Blue Crush, $15.2 million; 4. Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams, $11.6 million; 5. Austin Powers in Goldmember, $8.7 million; 6. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, $5.8 million; 7. Blood Work, $4.8 million; 8. Road to Perdition, $3.8 million; 9. The Master of Disguise, $3.3 million; 10. The Adventures of Pluto Nash, $2.15 million.

XXX-Rated August?
13 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
For a weekend in August, the box office performed XXXceptionally well, with the Vin Diesel starrer XXX taking in $44.5 million -- making it the fourth-biggest August debut in history. Moreover, with little competition during the weeks ahead (XXX faces the surfer-girl movie Blue Crush and Eddie Murphy's long-shelved The Adventures of Pluto Nash next weekend), the film is likely to remain on top through the rest of the month. Today's (Tuesday) Los Angeles Daily News observed that until last year, when Rush Hour 2 and American Pie 2 had blockbuster debuts, no film opening in August had ever taken in as much as $30 million during its first weekend. "Suddenly August is a real hot month," Exhibitor Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian told the newspaper. "You can't call this the dog days of August any more."

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. XXX, Sony, $44,506,103, (New); 2. Signs, Disney, $29,454,603, 2 Wks. ($117,718,640); 3. Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, Miramax, $16,711,716, 1 Wk. ($25,040,870 since Wednesday); 4. Austin Powers in Goldmember, New Line, $13,059,448, 3 Wks. ($167,779,791); 5. Blood Work, Warner Bros., $7,312,413, (New); 6. Master of Disguise, Sony, $5,107,640, 2 Wks. ($23,762,214); 7. The Road to Perdition, DreamWorks, $4,203,196, 5 Wks. ($84,275,972); 8. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, IFC Films, $3,133,316, 17 Wks. ($45,063,979); 9. Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, Paramount, $3,124,258, 2 Wks. ($13,134,620); 10. Stuart Little 2, Sony, $2,675,155, 4 Wks. ($53,001,249).

Diesel Is The 'XXX' Factor
12 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
As the New York Daily News observed today (Monday) the XXX in the title of the weekend's top movie could very well have been replaced with A Star Is Born. The estimated $46 million that the movie took in appeared to assure its star, Vin Diesel, of a place in the Hollywood firmament. "People are looking for the next generation of action heroes," Tom Sherak of Revolution Studios, which produced the movie, told the Daily News,"and I think Vin is establishing himself as a strong candidate." In an interview with the Associated Press, Exhibitor Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian commented: "This guy can open a movie, and he has strong appeal to teens and early 20-somethings, who are the target audience in the summer." (Some analysts had in fact predicted an even bigger opening.) At the same time, the weekend appeared to presage the end of the career of Clint Eastwood as an action star. His Blood Work, which he also directed, opened with a disappointing $7.2 million to finish fifth. Last week's box-office favorite, the Mel Gibson starrer Signs, slipped to second place with a hefty $30 million, while Spy Kids 2, which opened on Wednesday, earned about $17 million to finish third. In all, the box office was off 9.5 percent from the comparable weekend last year -- the fourth straight weekly decline. "At the beginning of the summer, we figured we'd be up from last year every weekend, '' Dergarabedian told Bloomberg News. "Now it seems last year there was more depth."

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. XXX, $46 million; 2. Signs, $30 million; 3. Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams, $17 million; 4. Austin Powers in Goldmember, $13 million; 5. Blood Work, $7.2 million; 6. The Master of Disguise, $5.1 million; 7. The Road to Perdition, $4 million; 8. Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, $3.17 million; 9. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, $3.15 million; 10. Stuart Little 2, $2.7 million.

Dollar 'Signs'
6 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
A movie thriller touching on the crop circle phenomenon was in the winner's circle over the weekend as Signs, starring Mel Gibson, took in $60.1 million in its debut. Austin Powers in Goldmember dropped to second place with $31.1 million. Audiences ignored the universal pounding that critics meted out to Dana Carvey's low-budget, low-brow comedy The Master of Disguise, which came in third with $12.5 million. The concert film Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, which opened in limited release, took in an impressive $7.3 million for fourth place. The film cost only $3 million to produce.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Signs, Disney, $60,117,080, (New); 2. Austin Powers in Goldmember, New Line, $31,119,108, 2 Wks. ($141,678,328); 3. The Master of Disguise, Sony, $12,554,650, (New); 4. Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, Paramount, $7,374,049, (New); 5. Road to Perdition, DreamWorks, $6,600,143, 4 Wks. ($77,153,318); 6. Stuart Little 2, Sony, $6,111,359, 3 Wks. ($46,867,219); 7. Men in Black II, Sony, $4,807,311, 5 Wks. ($182,077,620); 8. The Country Bears, Disney, $3,141,436, 2 Wks. ($11,797,008); 9. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, IFC Films, $3,002,241, 16 Wks. ($40,172,975); 10. K-19: The Widowmaker, Paramount, $2,854,111, 3 Wks. ($30,741,870).

'Signs' Overpowers 'Powers'
5 August 2002 (StudioBriefing)
All signs had indicated that it would be a big weekend for Signs, the latest Mel Gibson movie, written and directed by M. Night Shyamalan. But no box-office analyst had predicted it would rake in what it did -- $60.3 million, according to studio estimates, the biggest opening ever for a Gibson movie. "It used to be called the 'dog days of August, '" Exhibitor Relations chief Paul Dergarabedian told the Associated Press. "It was a slowdown period. Well, this is no slowdown period anymore." Last week's top film, Austin Powers in Goldmember also performed strongly -- even as its take dropped 60 percent to $32.4 million. Even The Master of Disguise, the worst-reviewed film of the year (the website Rotten Tomatoes, which posts excerpts of reviews from 48 print and online critics, said that the movie did not receive a single positive review), performed decently given its relatively low budget, taking in $13 million for third place. The Martin Lawrence concert film, Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat opened in limited release (752 screens) to $7.5 million, good enough for fourth place.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Signs, $60.3 million; 2. Austin Powers in Goldmember, $32.4 million; 3. The Master of Disguise, $13 million; 4. Martin Lawrence Live: Runteldat, $7.5 million; 5.Road to Perdition, $6.6 million; 6. Stuart Little 2, $6 million; 7. Men in Black 2, $4.7 million; 8. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, $3.01 million; 9. (tie) K-19: The Widowmaker, $3 million; 9. (tie) The Country Bears, $3 million.

Goldmember Powers Box Office
30 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
The goldnumber for Goldmember last weekend was $73.1 million, a record for July, a record for a comedy, and a record for a New Line film. The figure was particularly impressive given the fact that the original Austin Powers movie took in only $9.5 million when it opened in 1997, while the first sequel, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, earned $54.9 million in 1999. The question remains, however, whether Austin Powers in Goldmember, given the stiff competition it will have to face in the weeks ahead, will exceed the $205.4 million that Shagged raked in during the course of its run three years ago. Analysts pointed out that clearly the film faced little competition this past weekend, as evidenced by the fact that the box office as a whole was down slightly from the same weekend a year ago, despite higher ticket prices.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Austin Powers in Goldmember, New Line, $73,071,188, 1 Wk. ($76,624,907 Opened Thursday); 2. The Road to Perdition, DreamWorks, $11,106,213, 3 Wks. ($65,647,145); 3. Stuart Little 2, Sony, $10,612,127, 2 Wks. ($34,724,638); 4. Men in Black II , Sony, $8,477,202, 4 Wks. ($173,380,738); 5. K-19: The Widowmaker, Paramount, $7,266,631, 2 Wks. ($24,961,696); 6. The Country Bears, Disney, $5,309,675, (New); 7. Mr. Deeds, Sony, $4,247,371, 5 Wks. ($116,163,991); 8. Reign of Fire, Disney, $3,469,035, 3 Wks. ($36,406,517); 9. Minority Report, 20th Century Fox, $3,124,360, 6 Wks. ($123,375,096); 10. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, IFC Films, $3,004,597, 15 Wks. ($35,417,552).

Yeah, Baby!
29 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Defying critics and box-office prognosticators alike, New Line's Austin Powers in Goldmember, starring Mike Myers and Beyoncé Knowles, took in an estimated $71.45 million over the weekend, making it the highest-grossing July debut in history and the best debut for a comedy film ever. The film also earned $3.6 million during preview performances on Thursday. The opening alone nearly covered the cost of making the film, said to be $80 million, $25 million of which went to Myers. The Tom Hanks starrer Road to Perdition remained in second place, earning $11 million to increase its gross to date to $65.6 million. Stuart Little 2, which remained the favorite during weekdays last week, attracting out-of-school kids, came in third with $10.7 million, to bring its total to $34.8 million. But it remained a disappointment given its production cost of about $130 million. The only other film to open wide was the poorly reviewed Disney movie The Country Bears, which earned $5.2 million -- not all that bad, considering the fact that it cost only $20 million to make.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Austin Powers in Goldmember, $71.5 million; 2. Road To Perdition, $11 million; 3. Stuart Little 2, $10,7 million; 4. Men In Black II, $8.7 million; 5. K-19: The Widowmaker, $7.3 million; 6. The Country Bears, $5.2 million; 7. Mr. Deeds, $4.2 million; 8. Reign of Fire, $3.3 million; 9. Minority Report, $3.1 million; 10. My Big Fat Greek Wedding, $3 million.

Little Was Littler
23 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
When the clock struck one (or thereabouts) on Monday, the mouse ran down the clock, forced into second-place as final box-office ticket sales revealed that DreamWorks' Road to Perdition was the highest-grossing film over the weekend, not Sony's Stuart Little 2 as estimates had indicated. Perdition reached the top spot despite the fact that it was screened in only 2,159 locations, against 3,255 for Little and 3,641 for the No. 3 film, Men in Black II.Overall, the box office tallied $119.8 million, down 18 percent from the same weekend a year ago.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date): 1. Road to Perdition, DreamWorks, $15,412,515, 2 Wks. ($47,304,790); 2. Stuart Little 2, Sony, $15,115,152, (New); 3. Men In Black II, Sony, $14,552,335, 3 Wks. ($158,127,629); 4. K-19: The Widowmaker, Paramount, $12,778,459, (New); 5. Reign of Fire, Disney, $7,317,994, 2 Wks. ($29,246,331); 6. Mr. Deeds, Sony, $7,312,128, 4 Wks. ($107,630,816); 7. Eight Legged Freaks, Warner Bros., $6,485,458, 1 Wk. (Opened Wednesday), ($9,080,158); 8. Halloween: Resurrection, Miramax/Dimension, $5,520,536, 2 Wks. ($21,952,979); 9. Lilo & Stitch, Disney, $4,973,660, 5 Wks. ($128,431,916); 10. Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, MGM, $4,667,895, 2 Wks. ($18,726,625).

Even at No. 1, Stuart Little Lives Up to Its Name
22 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
The scorching hot summer box office suddenly cooled off over the weekend. Although Stuart Little 2 opened as the weekend's top film, its $15.6-million take could not have brought much pleasure to executives at Columbia, who reportedly okayed expenditures of more than $130 million on the mouse movie. (Many analysts had predicted a $25-million opening for it.) Sony distribution chief Jeff Blake told today's (Monday) Los Angeles Times: "With a family film, you hope for a good opening and great legs. ... You hope for seven-day-a-week business, where whatever you lose in opening weekend you hope to pick up in the longevity of the picture." But the biggest disappointment may have been the tanking of Harrison Ford's submarine thriller, K-19 -- The Widowmaker, which opened in fourth place with just $13.1 million, about half of Ford's salary for the movie, which reportedly cost a total of $100 million to make. In its second week DreamWorks' Road to Perdition came within about $30,000 of taking the lead (and it still might end up there when final figures are released late Monday). With an estimated gross of $15.57 million, the Tom Hanks-Steven Spielberg collaboration remained in second place. Eight Legged Freaks, the only other movie to debut over the weekend, produced the kind of horror at the box office that critics said it lacked on the screen, as it earned only $6.7 million ($9.3 million since its opening on Wednesday). After two weeks at No. 1, Men in Black II dropped to third place with just $15 million.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations: 1. Stuart Little 2, $15.6 million; 1. Road to Perdition, $15.57 million; 3. Men in Black II, $15 million; 4. K-19: The Widowmaker, $13.1 million; 5. Mr. Deeds, $7.3 million; 6. Reign of Fire, $7.1 million; 7. Eight Legged Freaks, $6.7 million; 8. Halloween: Resurrection, $5.4 million; 9. Lilo & Stitch, $5.1 million; 10. The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, $4.8 million.

Road To Remuneration
16 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
DreamWorks' plan to open Road to Perdition modestly, allow word-of-mouth to build, and increase the number of theaters slowly may have appeared unnecessarily conservative given last weekend's results, which showed audiences packing theaters showing the Tom Hanks/Paul Newman feature. Exhibited in 1,797 theaters, the film averaged $12,287 per location. That compares with the $6,760 average that the No. 1 film, Men in Black II, earned at 3,611 theaters. Nevertheless, MiB2 was able to add $24.4 million to its take to bring its total gross after two weeks to $132.7 million. Road to Perdition followed with $22.1 million.

The top ten films over the weekend, according to final figures compiled by Exhibitor Relations (figures in parentheses represent total gross to date):
1. Men in Black II, Sony, $24,410,311, 2 Wks. ($132,688,511); 2. Road to Perdition, DreamWorks, $22,079,481, (New); 3. Reign of Fire, Disney, $15,632,281, (New); 4. Halloween: Resurrection, Miramax/Dimension, $12,292,121, (New); 5. Mr. Deeds, Sony, $10,842,415, 3 Wks. ($93,975,613); 6. Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, MGM, $9,537,123, (New); 7. Lilo & Stitch, Disney, $8,024,738, 4 Wks. ($118,411,367); 8. Like Mike, 20th Century Fox, $7,833,279, 2 Wks. ($32,819,934); 9. Minority Report, 20th Century Fox, $7,216,069, 4 Wks. ($110,137,457); 10. The Bourne Identity, Universal, $5,761,380, 5 Wks. ($99,026,945).

A Road More Traveled
15 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Road to Perdition, starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman, failed to unseat Men in Black II from the top spot at the box office over the weekend, but it did earn more money than most analysts had expected -- $22.1 million, despite playing in half the number of theaters that featured MiB2. The Will Smith/Tommy Lee Jones sequel, nevertheless, took in $25 million, bringing its total after 12 days to $133.3 million. In a remarkably hot weekend (figuratively and climatologically) Reign of Fire also performed strongly, taking in $16 million despite mostly negative reviews. Halloween: Resurrection resurrected the Halloween franchise effectively, earning $12.3 million. The only other film to open wide, The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, earned $10 million -- not bad considering its relatively low cost. Ticket sales for the top 12 films totaled $130.75 million, up nearly 20 percent from the comparable weekend a year ago, according to Exhibitor Relations.

The top ten films for the weekend, according to studio estimates compiled by Exhibitor Relations:
1. Men in Black II, $25 million; 2. Road to Perdition, $22.1 million; 3. Reign of Fire, $16 million; 4. Halloween: Resurrection, $12.3 million; 5. Mr. Deeds, $11 million; 6. The Crocodile Hunter: Collision Course, $10 million; 7. Like Mike, $7.6 million; 8. Lilo & Stitch, $7.6 million; 9. Minority Report, $7.4 million; 10. The Bourne Identity, $5.8 million.

Jude Law Mistaken for Car Thief
15 July 2002 (WENN)
Jude Law found himself on the defensive as an irate Romanian politician accused the actor of stealing his brother's car. Senator Dinu Patriciu spotted the handsome Road To Perdition star at the Bucharest airport last Thursday as he was climbing into a Land Rover with his bodyguard. Patriciu tells the Associated Press that he recognized the car as his brother's and began yelling at Law. Words were exchanged and, according to local media reports, Patriciu threw a few punches, but Law's bodyguard stepped in to prevent the fight from escalating. Patriciu, one of Romania's richest businessmen, later found out his brother's car had been sold to a rental company and apologized to the actor, who was unhurt in the scuffle. No charges were pressed, but Patriciu was embarrassed by the incident, although he claims Law didn't help the situation. "I was very unhappy because he started swearing. I am not a native English speaker but I understood what he was saying," he tells the AP. "He kept telling me that he had come to bring money to the country. Later, I was told he was a Hollywood star." Law is in Romania to shoot the new Anthony Minghella film Cold Mountain with Nicole Kidman and was reportedly sporting a full beard for the role at the time of the incident.

Movie Reviews: Road To Perdition
12 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Critics are preparing moviegoers for a rough time ahead of them if they decide to take in Road to Perdition, the highly anticipated film starring Tom Hanks and Paul Newman and directed by Sam Mendes (American Beauty). Given early raves for the film, today's mixed reviews may come as a surprise and disappointment for DreamWorks, the studio releasing it. Acknowledging that it may wind up receiving multiple Oscars, Lou Lumenick in the New York Post comments nevertheless that the movie "is too often a gloomy, self-conscious exercise in style for style's sake that wears its aspirations and the reputations of its Oscar-winning team ... like a shroud." Likewise, Carrie Rickey concludes in the Philadelphia Inquirer: "One wishes that [Mendes's] film had as much heart as it does art." Wesley Morris in the Boston Globe remarks that the film's "seriousness is welcome. It's also a burden the film can't completely surmount." To be sure, most reviewers heap high praise on the film. Some, in fact, turn the negative comments on their head. Michael Wilmington in the Chicago Tribune calls it "a rare recent example of a big-budget Hollywood studio movie made with self-conscious artistry and ambition." Eleanor Ringel Gillespie in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes: "Road to Perdition, a few stumbles aside, is all there. The lighting, the score, the costumes, everything. You can almost see Mendes and company getting together before a single frame had been shot and collectively vowing, 'This is going to be something really good.' And it is." Stephen Holden in the New York Times calls it "a period gangster film that achieves the grandeur of a classic Hollywood western." Writes Robert W. Butler in the Kansas City Star: "Superbly photographed and staged by Mendes with a series of riveting set pieces the likes of which mainstream audiences have rarely seen, this film creates its own world, its own style, its own detached-but-compelling ambience." And Kenneth Turan in the Los Angeles Times concludes his review this way: "This is a story with a will to move us and the ability to do whatever it takes to make that happen." Several reviewers seem to suggest that they just don't know what to make of the film, not the least of whom is the Chicago Sun-Times' Roger Ebert, who writes: "After I saw Road to Perdition, I knew I admired it, but I didn't know if I liked it. I am still not sure."

Movie Reviews: Reign Of Fire
12 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Richard Zanuck, who produced Road to Perdition, certainly has his bets hedged. He's also the producer of Reign of Fire, a popcorn, special-effects thriller that few critics like but could well beat the perdition out of Perdition. All of the critics like the dragon that the special effects team created for the film, but Gene Seymour in Newsday writes that the film "basically one great set piece surrounded by thickets of iron filings, oily hair and knotty-pine acting." Elizabeth Weitzman in the New York Daily News describes it as feeling "more like a cross between a video game and the latest installment of the Highlander series." George Thomas in the Akron Beacon Journal says that while he was watching the movie, "I counted at least 10 people who walked out of this one. Unfortunately, movie critics don't have that luxury." Still, the film does receive enough positive reviews to fill a modest-sized ad, including one from Elvis Mitchell in the New York Times, who comments: "It has a jamming B-picture buzz--the kind of swift filmmaking and high spirits that have been missing from movies for a while."

Law Hated 'Perdition' Look
12 July 2002 (WENN)
Jude Law was so disgusted with his rat-like look for new movie The Road To Perdition that he insisted on wearing a cap to hide his head when he wasn't on camera. For his role as a sleazy reporter-cum-assassin in the gangster film, the British actor had his teeth stained and hair ripped from the top of his head so his hair would appear to be thinning, and director Sam Mendes made sure Law always looked paler than castmates Tom Hanks and Paul Newman. Law says, "I thought it looked great in the film, but I couldn't bear to look at myself once the filming stopped. I wore a cap everywhere." Meanwhile, his pregnant wife Sadie Frost admits she was worried about her man's look in the film. She says, "When he told me about the film, I expected him to look really disgusting, but when I saw it, he still looked beautiful. He still has those beautiful lips."

Will 'Road' Make Inroads on 'MiB II'?
11 July 2002 (StudioBriefing)
Box office analysts have turned out to be less enthusiastic than movie critics about the appeal that the Tom Hanks-Paul Newman-Jude Law thriller The Road to Perdition is likely to generate when it is released this weekend. They point out that the film will be up against some stiff competition, including the second week of Men in Black 2 and three other wide releases. (In particular, Reign of Fire reportedly offers all the excitement that the summer crowd of popcorn crunchers has been looking for but has yet to find.) Perdition also is rated R, is being released in only 1,790 theaters, and features Hanks playing an unsavory figure. "How many summer moviegoers will be in the mood for a dark and serious drama will be the interesting question," commented Gitesh Pandya on his Box Office Guru website. Most analysts are forecasting that the film will take in between $14 million and $18 million, putting it well behind MiB2, which is expected to retain the box-office lead with about $25 million to $30 million.

Worried Jude Feared for Pregnant Sadie's Health
10 July 2002 (WENN)
Sadie Frost had husband Jude Law terrified when a mystery morning sickness left her starving shortly after she fell pregnant with her fourth child. The actress thrilled movie fans in New York last night when she joined Law at the premiere of his new movie Road To Perdition - even though she's less than a month from giving birth. Although she looks stunning and healthy now, Law admits he was really worried for her health when she first became pregnant with their third child, her fourth. The British actor says, "She couldn't eat anything because she couldn't keep anything down. She hasn't been like that before. It was worrying. Thankfully, now she's enjoying her food and enjoying her sleep."

Smith's Big Willie To Battle With Hanks' Hanky Panky
3 July 2002 (WENN)
Hollywood actors Will Smith and Tom Hanks are gearing up for a fierce box office battle - and they've even named the weekends of their movie releases after themselves. Smith is set to release his action flick Men In Black II on Wednesday, in time for Independence Day, while Hanks' Road To Perdition will hit screens on July 12. And a confident Smith has already named the upcoming weekend 'Big Willie Weekend,' stating, "You can go and eat some food with your family, watch the fireworks and then go and see the Will Smith movie. What could be more American?" As a result, the weekend of the release of Hanks' film has been dubbed 'Hanky Panky Weekend.' But the Big star admits he's a little apprehensive about how much Hanky Panky he'll be able to get up to. He explains, "I'll be recovering from the Big Willie weekend - I don't think I'm gonna be in shape for the Hanky Panky Weekend."

McCourt Helps Newman With Accent
8 October 2001 (WENN)
Angela's Ashes author Frank McCourt has helped screen legend Paul Newman with his latest role. Newman plays a veteran Irish mobster in The Road To Perdition, which also stars Tom Hanks, Jude Law and Alfred Molina. Paul says, "I got Frank McCourt to put all my words on tape. He's been in the US a long time, but there's still that hint of the accent. I invited him around to my house and asked him to read the script. He did and he was very kind."

Paul Newman Voted World's Best Actor
16 January 2001 (WENN)
Legendary Hollywood star Paul Newman has been voted the greatest movie actor of all time - beating the likes of Marlon Brando, Cary Grant and James Stewart. Newman, famed for his blue eyes, topped the list, which was complied by a group of experts for this week's edition of British listings magazine Radio Times. The panel took into account such criteria as box office success, Oscar nominations, acting range and marriage appeal when deciding who made it on their list of honor. Newman, 75, was nominated for the best actor Oscar seven times during his career, winning it in 1986 for Color of Money, The (1986). A poll among readers of the Radio Times disagreed with the experts, putting Scottish legend Sir Sean Connery, 70, at the top of the list. Sir Sean star only made it to number eight in the experts' league table. Tom Hanks, 44, who is to star alongside Newman in new film Road to Perdition (2001), came second in the list. He was followed by James Stewart (1908-1997), Harrison Ford, 58, Marlon Brando, 76, Cary Grant (1904-1986), Robert Redford, 63, Connery, Tom Cruise, 38, and Gary Cooper (1901-1961).