Latest news with #JerryBruckheimer
Ottawa Citizen
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Ottawa Citizen
Pellerin: Why can't OC Transpo be more like F1?
Article content It's summertime, and the living should be easy. With carefree sensations like a movie about speed or a new, record-breaking roller coaster. Not a hard, painful Death Spiral of Doom like Ottawa commuting times so long that riders get dinged twice for fares. Article content The movie of the summer, at least for those of us who don't care about superheroes or whatever species Stitch is supposed to be, is Jerry Bruckheimer's ode to fast cars, F1. I went to see it on Monday night with my movie buddy, with whom I've unfailingly enjoyed great films since the summer of Barbenheimer, in sharp contrast with my teenagers who insist on dragging me out to clunkers like the baffling 28 Years Later. Article content Article content Article content Reviews of F1 are generally positive, especially from people who had been feeling the urge to sit in a theatre for 156 minutes of Brad Pitt doing that thing with his lower lip while driving very expensive cars very fast around very pointless bends. Article content I kid, of course. That's in keeping with a mid-summer column in which we are supposed to enjoy the wind in our hair and levity in our hearts and nothing heavy on our minds or infuriatingly slow traffic gumming us up on the bus while our transfer window ticks by. Despite the occasional overflow of corniness, the narrative arc made F1 interesting, and I enjoyed the interplay between Pitt's character and that of his old buddy played by the excellent Javier Bardem and the slightly arrogant rising star portrayed by the impressive Damson Idris. Article content You know what else is fun and happy this summer? The new ride at Canada's Wonderland. I took the teens to experience the brand-new AlpenFury on Tuesday and wow, it's a great (and record-breaking) launch coaster that shoots you straight up 50 metres into the sky at 115 km/h only to drop you right back down but inverted and also spinning. Article content Article content We giggle-screamed the whole entire 80 seconds and spent about 10 minutes putting our hair back together on our heads afterwards. It is, not to put too fine a point on it, a gem of a ride. Article content Article content One big improvement in modern theme parks is the ability to pay extra for quicker access to the big rides so you don't spend your day waiting in line. It's a perfect option for those of us who only care for drops that cause us to regret eating that spicy breakfast burrito back in 2012. And it keeps admission prices down for folks who prefer not to get their skeletons rattled. The kids and I rode a lot and waited little in the course of a 10-hour day. Pure bliss. Article content The complete opposite of riding OC Transpo from the suburbs to work downtown. Recent media stories detailed how an increasing number of commutes are taking so long that riders get charged twice for fares. Article content The transfer window on transit is 90 minutes. That's how long you get to ride when you tap your card upon boarding your first bus or train. One man told CBC he used to take the LRT from the University of Ottawa to Tunney's Pasture, then an express 200-series bus to Barrhaven. That bus route got cancelled so now the man has to take two buses from Tunney's to his home. A journey that can take two hours. OC Transpo can refund passengers who get dinged twice on the same journey, but it takes time and it's a pain. Article content Summertime is when the living is supposed to be easy, not an incredibly slow Proletarian Chariot to Nowhere. At a minimum, the transit window should be extended at once. And express routes brought back. But that's just a Band-Aid. I know a transit system is not like a theme park or a Hollywood movie, but between F1 speeds and two hours to go from UofO to Barrhaven, there's a lot of room for improvement, regardless of season.
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
This 1996 Action Classic Almost Starred Arnold Schwarzenegger Instead of Nicolas Cage
Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't need more movie credits to secure his place as a legend of action cinema. Through films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator, Commando, and True Lies, by the mid-1990s, Schwarzenegger was already an icon of the genre. But there were other classic action films that almost made his resume even more impressive. Looking back now, it's hard to imagine anyone but Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery starring in Michael's Bay 1996 film The Rock, but believe it or not, there's a version of that movie that would have put Schwarzenegger in one of the leading roles. More on Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator 2 was Almost Arnold vs. Arnold The Scene That Was Too Wild for Schwarzenegger's Commando How Stallone and Schwarzenegger Pushed Each Other with 80s Movie Feud Why Arnold Schwarzenegger turned down The Rock According to Schwarzenegger, speaking in to Empire back in 2012, he first heard of The Rock when producer Don Simpson approached him with a of. According to Schwarzenegger, the script was incomplete, and was covered in notes from Simpson's fellow producer, Jerry Bruckheimer. It was all enough to make the action star, who had a packed schedule already, back away from an unfinished concept. '[Simpsons] has 85 pages with him and there are handwritten notes all over it by Jerry Bruckheimer," Schwarzenegger recalled. "He says, 'Here, look at this script. But don't read it! Just, here's what the premise is...' He was all over the place. I said, 'Look, Don. I can't make a commitment based on what you're showing me here. You won't even let me read the script! Why don't you bake it some more, develop it some more and then we'll talk again.' He was very upset." Speaking on Jason and Travis Kelce's New Heights podcast last year, Schwarzenegger elaborated a bit more on what happened next. With him out of the picture, the lead in The Rock of Dr. Stanley Goodspeed went to Nicolas Cage, fresh off his Oscar win for Leaving Las Vegas and primed for a blockbuster run. With Cage on board, the script was doctored and re-tooled to better fit Cage's style, and the results were, for Schwarzenegger, hard to argue with. "Even though I was not in it, Nicolas Cage did a fantastic job," Schwarzenegger said. "Sean Connery was great. The directing, the writing, everything was really a straight 10. So I really enjoyed the movie but that was one movie for instance that I thought I wished I would have taken.' Of course, Schwarzenegger went on to many more films, and now it's hard to imagine The Rock without Cage as the nervous, overwhelmed Goodspeed, a scientist inserted into a world of soldiers and master criminals. It would have been a very different movie if Schwarzenegger had taken the role, but as the man himself said, what we got turned out to be pretty great. airs Monday, July 21 on SYFY. for complete listings. Solve the daily Crossword
Screen Geek
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Screen Geek
2000s Movie Might Get A Sequel Over 25 Years Later
The 2000s were a great time for many original movies and IPs. As we move further into the 2020s, however, the movies begin to resonate with fans in a more nostalgic manner. It's no surprise, then, that another 2000s movie might be receiving a sequel – and more than 25 years after it was originally released! At the time of this writing, nothing is set in stone, but the film's original producer insisted that a follow-up is a possibility. In fact, he's teased that they've even considered a television spin-off based on the property. Either way, it looks like this fan-favorite cult classic from 2000 is set to make a comeback. Jerry Bruckheimer teased as much while speaking with ScreenRant. During their conversation, Bruckheimer was asked about an earlier film he produced from 2000 and whether or not it could receive a sequel. Here's what he shared: 'Ah, that's a good idea. Thanks for that,' Bruckheimer replied, referring to Coyote Ugly . He continued to share that they have been developing some kind of Coyote Ugly project for television: 'We've been trying to do it for television. It hasn't quite happened yet – maybe we'll get it together.' With his response in mind, it seems as though a Coyote Ugly sequel still isn't in the works completely. However, he seems open to the idea, having previously explored the possibility with a TV series. Perhaps if there's enough interest from fans – they'll be able to get a continuation off the ground in one form or another. The original Coyote Ugly film was directed by David McNally from a screenplay by Gina Wendikos with uncredited contributions from Kevin Smith in addition to a number of other writers. The story revolves around a group of friends at the Coyote Ugly Saloon in New York City. The flick did well at the box office, and while it didn't receive positive reviews at the time of its release, it did eventually develop a cult following. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any additional updates regarding Jerry Bruckheimer's plans to potentially revive the 2000s movie Coyote Ugly with a sequel. As for now, we'll have to see what other projects he has on the way, including the highly-anticipated F1: The Movie .
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Apple races to box office glory with Brad Pitt's F1 blockbuster
More than three years since Apple's film CODA won the best picture Oscar, the tech company has hit another Hollywood milestone: its first summer blockbuster. F1, starring Brad Pitt and Damson Idris, has taken in more than $200mn at the global box office since it opened on June 27 and is expected to pass $300mn this weekend. 'This is a movie that will run and run and run,' said Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief at Warner Bros, Apple's partner on the film. 'There's a lot of gas left in the tank.' It gave Pitt the best opening weekend in his 37-year acting career and is by far Apple's best box office showing. By pairing Jerry Bruckheimer — the producer behind hits Top Gun and Beverly Hills Cop — and Joseph Kosinski, the director of Top Gun: Maverick, Apple showed it was serious about filling cinema seats this summer. Apple is also nearing another potential milestone: making money from a big-budget movie. F1, co-produced by Pitt's Plan B Entertainment (now controlled by French media group Mediawan) and Jerry Bruckheimer Films, had a production budget of more than $200mn, and distribution costs are estimated at more than $50mn. The company's decision to release the film as a premium on-demand video before it moves to the Apple TV+ streaming service should bring in additional revenue. 'With F1, they were looking for something very commercial,' said a person close to the studio. 'This has proved that they can do theatrical [releases].' Apple had a lot to prove on that point. In 2023, chief executive Tim Cook travelled to Cannes for the premiere of Martin Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon before it was rolled out to more than 3,600 cinemas in the US and thousands more worldwide. With a budget of more than $200mn, Killers seemed to be a statement of Apple's intent in the movie business — but it generated only about $160mn in gross box office receipts worldwide. It was followed by two other big-budget releases, Argylle and Ridley Scott's Napoleon. Both were considered commercial disappointments. The performance of those films compounded questions in Hollywood about whether Apple could become a major producer of blockbuster films and streaming shows. Some wondered why it had not bought a Hollywood studio to build up the scale of Apple TV+. As with Amazon, it is viewed by Hollywood studios as something of an outsider, thanks to a corporate culture that remains firmly rooted in tech. But with the release of F1, it has followed more Hollywood conventions than in the past. It made Cook and other executives available for a small number of pre-release interviews — the kind of publicity push that is typical for traditional studios but has not previously been employed by Apple. 'I think this is a step forward for them in terms of how they want to live in this world,' said an executive at a traditional studio. Apple also leaned heavily on its technology and platforms with F1, using iPhone camera tech in real race cars to film high-resolution footage. To encourage people to come and see the film, it offered ticket discounts through Apple Pay and there were special appearances by Cook and Pitt at its flagship retail store in New York. Movie producers describe Apple as aiming for the 'elevated mainstream' but dismiss the idea that it only has art house aspirations. The company also appears to be picking up the pace of releases. Spike Lee's Highest 2 Lowest — a collaboration with indie film studio A24 — will be in cinemas from August 15 and on Apple TV+ from September 5. Apple is also working on Matchbox, a live-action feature based on Mattel's toy car brand and starring John Cena. Matchbox is the first of what is expected to be a number of films based on Mattel products following the massive success of Barbie for Warner Bros. Kosinski and Bruckheimer are working together on another as-yet untitled project for Apple. And it is developing Mayday, an adventure film starring Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh. F1 was clearly a step up in its ambitions to create a box office winner, but the movie did not have the easiest of starts: production ground to a halt after a few weeks because of Hollywood strikes in 2023. Restarting the film added extra costs: it was shot on location at racetracks in the UK, US and Abu Dhabi during F1 practice races. Now, with the success of the film, Apple may have the potential for sequels and its first franchise, said a person close to the studio. Just as importantly, it is expected to increase subscriber numbers on the Apple streaming platform. '[F1] really validates what Apple's doing,' said Kevin Walsh, whose production company has made several films with Apple, including Napoleon and Echo Valley. 'They're in the business to stay and are ready to expand.' Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2023 © 2023 The Financial Times Ltd. All rights reserved. Please do not copy and paste FT articles and redistribute by email or post to the web. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Tom Cruise Celebrates ‘Days of Thunder' as ‘F1' Director Teases Possible Crossover Sequel
Tom Cruise is embracing the need for speed… but not of the 'Top Gun' variety. On X June 27, Cruise wrote a congratulatory message to producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who not only is the man behind this weekend's box office hit 'F1,' but also the Cruise-starring NASCAR film 'Days of Thunder' — released in theaters 35 years to the day of the new Brad Pitt-led Formula One action drama. 'I always love the fun and adrenaline of a racing film,' Cruise wrote. 'Today marks two racing milestones for my friend Jerry Bruckheimer, the release of 'F1' and the 35 year anniversary to the day of our collaboration with the great Tony Scott on 'Days of Thunder.'' More from IndieWire Ari Aster Says 'We Have No Say' in How AI Will Impact the World: It's 'Already Too Late' How Victoria Mahoney's Groundbreaking 'Star Wars' Directing Gig Guided Her Work on 'The Old Guard 2' Cruise posted a series of photos from the production of 'Days of Thunder,' all on the race track. 'Incredible to look back on this film today, and congratulations to Jerry, Brad, Joe and the whole F1 team on their release,' Cruise added. The comparisons between Cruise and Pitt's action prowess was also made earlier this month at the 'F1' premiere, when Pitt responded to the suggestion that he star alongside his fellow box office champ in a 'Mission: Impossible'-style thriller. 'Well, I'm not gonna hang my ass off airplane shit like that,' he said in an interview with E! News. 'When he does something again that's on the ground.' The pair have known one another for decades, and racing has helped define their friendship since the beginning — albeit in not quite as high stakes a venue. 'He's sweet,' Pitt said of Cruise. 'Yeah, we did have our go-cart days back in the '90s,' though he said that Cruise usually beat him on the go-cart track. 'F1' director Joseph Kosinski, who also led 'Top Gun: Maverick' in 2022, said there is a possibility 'Days of Thunder' could be woven into a future 'F1' sequel. 'Well, right now, [the sequel would] be Cole Trickle, who was [Cruise's] 'Days of Thunder' character,' Kosinski told GQ (via Movieweb). 'We find out that he and [Brad Pitt's] Sonny Hayes have a past. They were rivals at some point, maybe crossed paths… I heard about this epic go-kart battle on 'Interview With the Vampire' that Brad and Tom had, and who wouldn't pay to see those two go head-to-head on the track?' Pitt and Cruise almost paired together in a racing drama based on the book 'Go Like Hell' by A.J. Baime. In 2013, THR reported that Pitt and Cruise were in talks to star in that movie, which would take six more years to actually make it to the screen. Even before that, the project had been through several potential incarnations, with Pitt rumored to be on the casting list as early as 2009. In the end, neither would end up starring in the movie, and 'Go Like Hell' was a title that eventually was scrapped, too. It instead became 'Ford v. Ferrari,' starred Christian Bale and Matt Damon, netted four Oscar nominations (including Best Picture), and raked in over $225 million at the box office. Best of IndieWire Guillermo del Toro's Favorite Movies: 56 Films the Director Wants You to See 'Song of the South': 14 Things to Know About Disney's Most Controversial Movie Nicolas Winding Refn's Favorite Films: 37 Movies the Director Wants You to See
