Channing Tatum likely to join X-Men franchise

The model-turned-actor is more than just a pretty face. PHOTO: FILE

Channing Tatum made girls swoon and hearts flutter when he made his acting debut in 2006 movie She’s The Man alongside Amanda Bynes. The former model has been in the spotlight ever since, with a wide range of roles encompassing a number of genres. The actor has starred in Step Up, The Vow, and has played the role of GI Joe. Now, he may be joining one of Hollywood’s most profitable franchises.

Tatum says he might be staring in an upcoming X-Men film, as he’s been meeting with producers about taking on the role of Gambit. The 21 Jump Street star has admitted he’s been meeting with producers of the sci-fi films, and has been discussing the possibility of taking on the role of Gambit, who he says he relates to because of their shared heritage, reportscontactmusic.com.

“I met with Lauren Shuler Donner (the producer of X-Men). And I would love it. Gambit is really the only X-Man I’ve ever loved,” he said.

Gambit, a Marvel character who appeared in 2009 film X-Men Origins: Wolverine, was previously played by Taylor Kitsch, and is often referred to as a ladies man. The mutant has the power to manipulate kinetic energy, and is shown to be fiercely proud of his Louisiana heritage.

“I mean I’ve loved them all, they’re all great, but I guess from being down south – my dad’s from Louisiana, I’m from Mississippi, Alabama, Florida – I don’t know. I just relate to him,” Tatum added.

Karan Johar to do his first meaty acting role in Bombay Velvet

Pictured here are Karan, Ranbir and Anurag with other men of the team at the Bombay Velvet wrap-up party. PHOTO: FILE

MUMBAI: Film-maker Karan Johar has previously made special appearances in films, including Zoya Akhtar’s Luck by Chance. But in Anurag Kashyap’s dream projectBombay Velvet, he will be seen acting in his first full-fledged role.

KJo said that it was great to work under Kashyap’s direction in the film. “It was great to be directed by Anurag. Most of my scenes are with Ranbir Kapoor. So, officially he is my favourite co-star and my favourite director is Anurag Kashyap,” Karan shared while attending a party thrown by the film’s producers to announce the release date of the film. “I don’t have any other choice actually,” the 41 year old quipped.

Without revealing much about the storyline, Kashyap said that Bombay Velvet is a love story. “The first look of the film will release in October,” he said. The film also stars Anushka Sharma.

Initially, a clash between the release dates of Bombay Velvet and the equally awaited PK was expected. Kashyap reportedly wanted to release his film on December 19, the date on whichPK’s director, Rajkumar Hirani wanted his film to come out.

But Kashyap announced that his film will release on November 28. “We have almost finished shooting; only one day’s shoot that has to be done in Kolkata is left. I hope everybody is happy when they see the film,” he said.

Ranbir, who plays the lead in Bombay Velvet, said that it is best if it does not clash with any film. “I think Anurag has put in a lot of effort into the film and it has been his dream since nine years. It would be fair if a wider audience sees the film because he has made it very engaging,” he said.

“So, I think it is the correct release date. We will get more theatres and every film’s business gets affected if there is a clash. We’ve done the best possible thing and hopefully, the audience will give it a chance,” he added

Did you know? : Film on Olympian Hussain Shah to be released this year

Shah is the only boxer in the history of Pakistan, and the first from South Asia, to put his country on the Olympics medals table after winning a historic bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.

Logos Films, a local independent film and media production house has kickstarted the making of its debut feature film, which is based on the life of Pakistani boxer Syed Hussain Shah. The sports biopic is the first in a three-part series of films, based on the stories of forgotten Pakistani heroes. According to a press release, it had been in pre-production since August 2013.

Shah is the only boxer in the history of Pakistan, and the first from South Asia, to put his country on the Olympics medals table after winning a historic bronze medal at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Widely considered to be one of the finest boxers ever to emerge from Asia, Shah also has the distinction of winning the prestigious Asian Boxing Championship and multiple SAF Games Gold medals, while on his unbeaten streak at the top of Asian boxing for a decade.

He started his life as a homeless child on the streets of Lyari, an impoverished neighbourhood in Karachi, and used to make his living as a daily wage labourer while sleeping on a footpath at night. Unfortunately, soon after his retirement, he was forgotten by the public and media alike and his story buried in obscurity.

Lahore-based musician Adnan Sarwar is playing the role of Shah after attending a six-month-long training programme, in which he was guided by the boxer himself. Logos Films acquired the life rights for the sports biopic last year and the film is expected to be released in late 2014. The film production is taking place in Pakistan, United Kingdom and Japan.

Warner Bros. Pictures Crowned Studio Number One

Year 2013 has been a record breaking year for Warner Bros. Pictures.  They have emerged as the top-grossing studio for 2013, ranking number one in domestic, international and worldwide market shares.  The announcement was made by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution; Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution; and Sue Kroll, President of Worldwide Marketing and International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

The Studio took in an estimated combined global Box Office gross of $5.035 billion, setting a new Warner Bros. benchmark and becoming only the second studio ever to cross the $5 billionthreshold.  It also marked the fifth consecutive year Warner Bros. has surpassed $4 billionworldwide, which is an industry record.  Globally, the Studio has now ranked number one or number two in nine of the past ten years, also an industry record.

Warner Bros. Pictures boasts of several box office hits such as The Conjuring, Man Of Steeland Gravity. In fact, both Gravity and The Conjuring have witnessed hundred days and fifty days respectively at Indian cinemas, a rare feat for English films in India.

Dan Fellman stated, “We are extremely proud of all the remarkable benchmarks reached in 2013.  These terrific numbers speak to the diversity of our slate, which has enabled us to deliver great entertainment to a broad range of audiences throughout the year.”

Veronika Kwan Vandenberg added, “This incredible achievement is a testament to not only the consistent quality of filmmaking at our studio, but also the creativity and hard work of our teams here and around the world.”

Among the other worldwide Box Office highlights for 2013 were Pacific Rim, The Hangover Part III,The Great Gatsby and last but not the least We’re The Millers.

Moving into 2014, the Studio’s First Quarter titles include Her, that slated for a January 10, 2014 release; The LEGO Movie, in partnership with Village Roadshow Pictures, slated for February 07, 2014; Winter’s Tale, also with Village Roadshow Pictures, on February 14, 2014 andWarner Bros. Picture’s and Legendary Picture’s 300: Rise Of An Empire, due out March 07, 2014.

N.P.Singh, The New CEO Of Sony Entertainment Television

The Chief Operation Officer (COO), Mr. N.P.Singh Sony Entertainment Television has been announced the Chief Executive Office (CEO) on January 03, 1014. Singh will replace the current CEO Man Jit Singh who had taken over as the CEO Sony Entertainment Television in September 2009. N.P. Singh will report to Andy Kaplan, who is the President Of Sony Pictures Television, Worldwide Network, MSM.

MSM has a bouquet that comprises of channels like: The Hindi General Entertainment TelevisionSony Entertainment Television (SET); Hindi Movies and Special Events Channel SET MAX; Family Comedy Entertainment Channel SAB TV; English Movie Channel Sony PIX; Music ChannelSony MIX; Sports Entertainment Channel Sony SIX and last but not the least Sony LIV where in you can watch your favourite TV serials online featured on Sony, Sab and Max available on demand.

N.P. Singh served as COO since December 2004 and oversaw the operations of Sony Entertainment Television and Set MAX. Prior to his appointment as COO, N.P. Singh served as Chief Financial Officer of Sony Entertainment Television.

However Man Jit Singh, would now become the non-executive chairman of the company and would relocate to Los Angeles to assume other responsibilities.

Man Jit Singh said, “NP and I have worked closely together as equal partners these last five years and the success of the company is largely due to his efforts. The time has come for him to lead the company to the next level and as CEO I am sure that he will ensure that we have years of success ahead. As the non-executive chairman of MSM, I look forward to supporting NP and will continue to remain involved with the Indian television industry.”

“I wish him all success in his new role as CEO of MSM. I would also like to thank Man Jit for the huge contribution he has made in growing our business in India,” Andy Kaplan said in his statement.

The Walt Disney Company Set For A Rocking 2014

The Walt Disney Company announced that it will select ten startup companies for a three month mentorship and seed stage investment program. Disney Accelerator, which will be based in Los Angeles and powered by Techstars, is now accepting applications from early-stage companies with innovative consumer media and entertainment product ideas.

Participants will receive $120,000 in investment capital to develop their ideas, along with mentor support from top Disney executives, including Chairman And CEO Robert A. Iger, and leaders from Pixar, Marvel, Lucasfilm, ABC, ESPN and Walt Disney Imagineering, among others.

Mentors will also include other entertainment industry leaders, venture capitalists, and Techstars’ extensive network of entrepreneurs, investors and executives. Participants will have access to stories, characters, technology and other resources from across The Walt Disney Company. The program begins June 30, and it concludes with an Investor Demo Day in September where each team will present their company to industry leaders and investors.

“Disney has always been defined by innovation, leveraging the technology required to build the future of entertainment,” said Kevin A. Mayer, Executive Vice President, Corporate Strategy And Business Development, The Walt Disney Company.

“Disney Accelerator offers a unique collaboration between some of the best creative minds in the entertainment industry and the modern-day visionaries who are starting businesses on the strength of exciting new ideas.” Overseeing the Disney Accelerator program is Michael D. Abrams, Disney’s Senior Vice President, Innovation.

Coming to its revenues, The Walt Disney Company reported revenues of $12 billion, up 9% from last year, and net income of $1.8 billion, up 33% over first quarter 2013. Much of that growth was driven by franchises like The Avengers, Doc McStuffins and the company’s newest franchise,Frozen.

If Frozen doesn’t strike you as a franchise movie, you’re not alone. The film didn’t exactly leave a lot of room for a sequel at the end. But for Disney, the word franchise means much more than just sequel potential. The film has already spawned a successful sing-a-long version, which is helping to keep the film in the top five at the Box Office.

Toys from the movie are selling like hot cakes at Disney Stores which have been reoriented around franchises and the characters are helping draw crowds at Disney’s theme parks. While the movie might not spawn a sequel, Disney’s most creative employees are likely thinking about television show potentials and there’s little doubt that a Broadway version of the show is in the works.

The company is busy re-launching one of the biggest franchises of all time: Star Wars. The management expects to profit from new Star Wars not just at the Box Office but also on television, in publishing and at theme parks.

Samsung partner with Oscar

Samsung‘s newest phone Galaxy S5 got a huge shot of publicity at the Oscars 2014. This year at the Oscars, Samsung played a huge role during the broadcast of the gala event.

This year’s Oscars broadcast was a key one for Samsung, which unveiled a new ad campaign showcasing the Galaxy S5, updated Gear Smart Watches and the Gear Fit. The devices are expected to launch globally in April 2104.

Samsung decided to make a good publicity call and market their new devices to the public during one of the most watched shows on television; The Oscars.

Known as a time when America tunes in to see their favourite actors and actresses get recognised for their hard work, the Oscars were a perfect opportunity for Samsung to get the word out and they did.

Oscars host Ellen Degeneres sent messages on twitter around the world and a few other updates using Twitter for Android, the operating system used on Samsung devices. ForSamsung, the tweet was a PR bonanza.

“Samsung’s unique product placement, woven into the moment, front and center, without seeming ham-handed, generated the type of positive buzz that is rarely seen and is actually hard to buy. Kudos to Ellen for pulling it off.” stated and ecstatic Ammiel Kamon, Executive Vice President Of Products And Marketing For Kontera, post the ceremony.

Kontera has assembled an instant analysis of the social media response to Samsung‘s advertising and PR efforts during the Oscars. Among the highlights: Samsung garnered more than forty thousand social mentions throughout the event. But the highlight was the 1.2 million re-tweets on a phone from one of the broadcast’s official sponsors.

With that tweet, consumer consumption of the Samsung name instantly multiplied twenty seven times over, with Samsung mentions topping nine hundred per minute during the stunt, said the analysis.

While the actual tweet did not contain a Samsung mention, the phone and logo were front and centre during the taking of the photo and it will forever be known as the Samsung photo.

Meanwhile, it was also a huge night for Twitter, which says there were 14.7 million tweets shared worldwide during the broadcast.