Upcoming 2012 Home Video Releases

[cakefoo]

http://www.boxoffice.com/statistics/...rm_predictions

They have John Carter doing $60M lifetime domestically. :O

They're not always right or even close for that matter, but they're closer than I could ever predict. Rightly so, I'm pretty sure they have their own sources for trackers, that's got to be how they do it.

[Kosty]

http://www.boxoffice.com/statistics/...rm_predictions

They have John Carter doing $60M lifetime domestically. :O

They're not always right or even close for that matter, but they're closer than I could ever predict. Rightly so, I'm pretty sure they have their own sources for trackers, that's got to be how they do it.

Well that would be a pretty modest release for the hoopla.

But its a strong Blu-ray action science fiction genre that would be a strong summer type release for home video in any case.

Nice link to those predictions.

[Kosty]

Here is the current predictions they have there for titles being released through March 2012.

[Kosty]

From Yahoo Movie Talk

The link has the preview videoclips:

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-...230155530.html

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

By Jonathan Crow | Movie Talk – Thu, Dec 22, 2011 6:01 PM EST




The Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

2012 is right around the corner, and while it may or may not be the year of the apocalypse, it will most certainly be a banner year for blockbusters. Not only will Batman and Spider-Man return to America's megaplexes, but so will James Bond, a Hobbit, and, of course, everyone's favorite moony-eyed sparkly vampire.



"The Hunger Games" (March 23rd)


With "Twilight" coming to an end and with "Harry Potter" wrapping up in '11, Hollywood is casting about for the next big franchise. There are high hopes that "The Hunger Games," based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, will be just that. Jennifer Lawrence stars as a 16-year-old living in a dystopic future who volunteers to participate in the most messed-up reality TV show around: teens battling to the death before live video cameras. Collins has two followup books, too, so if this flick's a hit, expect sequels.



"The Avengers" (May 4th)


And just in case you didn't think there were enough movies out there for superhero enthusiasts, there's "The Avengers." That's right, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk are all joining forces to battle the bad guys. It's a veritable sampler menu of costumed crime fighters. Add to that the fact that Joss Whedon of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is directing the epic, and you have something close to a perfect storm of fanboy-dom.



"Snow White and the Huntsman" (June 1st)


Another sign that Hollywood is looking to cash in on the "Twilight"/ "Harry Potter" audience, there are not one but two movies based on Snow White coming out in 2012. "Snow White and the Huntsman," starring Kirsten Stewart, is more Joan d'Arc than Disney; she spends much of the movie in plate mail and, judging from the trailer, looks pretty handy with a sword. Charlize Theron also stars as the evil Queen.



"Brave" (June 22nd)


Pixar's last movie, "Cars 2," left a lot of people underwhelmed. Thankfully, Pixar is leaving its mildly creepy world of talking cars behind in favor of the Highlands of Scotland. Merida (Kelly MacDonald), a fierce lass with a luxurious head of red hair, chafes against the obligations of being a princess when she makes an ill-fated wish. "Brave" is the first movie in Pixar's long oeuvre to have a girl as a protagonist. Between this movie, "The Hunger Games," and "Snow White," it looks like we'll be seeing a trend of female action heroes in 2012.



"The Amazing Spider-Man" (July 3rd)

As great as Sam Raimi's first two "Spider-Man" movies were, the third felt tired. Marc Webb, director of the emo indie hit "(500) Days of Summer," gives Spidey and the gang a much needed reboot, featuring Andrew Garfield as a skinnier, nervier Peter Parker.



"The Dark Knight Rises" (July 20th)

The giddy anticipation around this movie is hard to overstate. Fans ardently praised "The Dark Knight" for director Christopher Nolan's somber, respectful take on the Caped Crusader and Heath Ledger's mesmerizing performance as the Joker; the movie is, in certain circles, considered the "Citizen Kane" of superhero movies. "The Dark Knight Rises" will be the final Batman movie for both Nolan and lead actor Christian Bale, so expect this one to be bigger, badder, and bleaker than the last. But will it have the same impact without Ledger's Joker?



"Skyfall" (November 9th)


It's been three years since James Bond graced the silver screen, due in part to the bankruptcy of MGM. Precious little information has been released about this latest 007 action spectacular except that Daniel Craig is returning as the leaner, meaner Bond and he is facing off against a yet-to-be-named villain played by Anton Chigurh himself: Javier Bardem. There are even rumors that Bond's most famous nemesis, Ernst Blofeld, might make an appearance.



"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" (November 16th)


The "Twilight" series has enthralled millions while leaving millions more befuddled over the appeal of shirtless werewolves and glittering members of the undead. "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" saw Bella, in very short order, get married to Edward, have a picture-perfect honeymoon at a vampire resort in Brazil, and give birth to a baby with supernatural powers. And that's just part one. Part two promises more drama with the evil Volturi and more vampire-on-werewolf tension. Expect Twi-hards to flock to this flick, the last of the series.



"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (December 14th)


Ever since the premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King" back in 2003, fans have been asking when Tolkien's other great Middle Earth tome would get a big-screen, big-budget adaptation. A change of directors, lawsuits, and the aforementioned bankruptcy of MGM delayed things for a while, but the first half of Bilbo's saga will be in theaters next Christmas. The second half will be released the following year.



"Django Unchained" (December 25th)


Quentin Tarantino killed Hitler along with much of the SS in his bizarro WWII thriller "Inglourious Basterds." For his next film, he's taking on an even touchier historical subject: slavery in the antebellum South. Dubbed "a Southern" by the director, the movie is a Spaghetti Western-style tale about an escaped slave and a German bounty hunter looking for vengeance against a Mississippi plantation-owner. The flick stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz. Watch for some serious pundit bloviating about the flick this time next year.

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-...230155530.html

[Kosty]

http://disney.go.com/johncarter/?cmp...video_img_Extl

New John Carter extended commercial that ran during the Superbowl.

[Kosty]

Titanic 3D in theaters in April would put it in home video on Blu-ray 3D in late 3Q 2012 (September) or 4Q 2012.

The New 3D 'Titanic' to Set Sail Earlier Than Planned on April 4


7:43 PM PST 2/7/2012 by Gregg Kilday



Paramount also shifts dates for the Eddie Murphy comedy "A Thousand Words," moving it up to March 9.

The newly-converted 3D version of James Cameron’s Titanic will set sail a few days earlier than originally planned, Paramount said Tuesday.
OUR EDITOR RECOMMENDS

'Titanic' 3D to Preview for Fans on Valentine's Day

Adele Matches No. 1 Run of 'Titanic' at the Top of Billboard 200
The film, which had been scheduled to launch Friday, April 6, is now been slated to arrive in theaters on Wednesday, April 4.

[h0mi]

I'm assuming a 2d version of titanic is also coming out this year on blu-ray? I guess the digital bits was right, this really is the golden age of blu-ray catalog.

[Kosty]

I'm assuming a 2d version of titanic is also coming out this year on blu-ray? I guess the digital bits was right, this really is the golden age of blu-ray catalog.

Well any Blu-ray 3D version of Titanic has to have a 2D Blu-ray version in it as well.

The only question would be if a standalone Blu-ray (2D) sku would be released. Seems to make sense that they would do that as well as a DVD version, but its possible to just release a combo 3D version I suppose.

[h0mi]

I was thinking a 2d only sku of titanic. Obviously the 3d would have everything in it but I wasn't sure if a 2d only was being released.

[Kosty]

This article had interesting info on upcoming releases including The Hunger Games series.

Lions, Vampires And Werewolves: Time To Buy Lions Gate Entertainment Stock


5 comments | January 18, 2012 | about: LGF


The recent announcement of the acquisition of Summit Entertainment by Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF) has been rumored since 2008. Lions Gate Entertainment, the leading independent movie distributor, made the deal final with its $712.5 million buyout. The deal includes $412.5 million in equity and Lions Gate Entertainment taking on $300 million of Summit’s debt. A large portion of the debt was paid off with cash positions from both companies.

The deal between the two brings the Twilight series, which has already generated $2.5 billion in worldwide box office, together with the highly anticipated Hunger Games movies series. The Hunger Games series will be released as four movies, similar to Twilight ---as the last book will be split into two movies due to the amount of content in the book, but also to maximize revenue from the movie franchise.

An article I wrote about Lions Gate Entertainment recently highlighted the potential of the Hunger Game franchises. In that article for some reason I had three movies listed rather than the anticipated four, due to the two part finale. Below is my box office predictions with the fourth movie added into the equation. All dollar figures are in millions.

Movie Opening Weekend (US) Total (US) International Total Box Office
The Hunger Games $75 $210 $200 $410
Catching Fire $83 $265 $300 $565
Mockingjay Part I $90 $290 $375 $655
Mockingjay Part II $100 $300 $400 $700

The first movie, The Hunger Games, was shot with a production budget of $75 million. The movie is scheduled to be released March 23rd of this year. The book series is put out by Scholastic (SCHL), who also released the Harry Potter books. A look at the Bestsellers list on Amazon (AMZN) today also shows the following:

1. The Hunger Games
2. Catching Fire
3. Mockingjay
7. The Hunger Games Trilogy Box Set

Along with its valuable movie distribution library, Lions Gate Entertainment has a television segment that has had hit franchises for several years including:
Mad Men
Weeds
Nurse Jackie
House of Payne
Are We There Yet?

Summit Entertainment was best known for the Twilight series, and it came at the perfect time as the company was borrowing money to finance pictures after a recent string of flops. Along with Twilight, the company performed well with The Hurt Locker, which won an Oscar for Best Picture, RED, Letters to Juliet, Warrior, and Abduction.

The combined companies are now scheduled to release 22 to 27 movies a year. Lions Gate Entertainment will scale back that number to make it more comparable to Time Warner (TWX), who aims to release 18 to 22 a year.

Before any changes in release dates, the current lineup looks like this for the new company:
January 27 - One for the Money (Lions Gate)
January 27 – Man on a Ledge (Summit)
February 24 – Gone (Summit)
February 24 - Good Deeds (Lions Gate)
March 23 – The Hunger Games (Lions Gate)
April 13 – Cabin in the Woods (Lions Gate)
April 27 – Safe (Lions Gate)
May 11 – What to Expect When You’re Expecting (Lions Gate)
July 27 – Step Up 4 (Summit)
July 27 – The Marriage Counselor (Lions Gate)
August 17 – The Expendables 2 (Lions Gate)
August 24 – Sinister (Summit)
September 21 – Dredd (Lions Gate)
October 5 – The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D (Lions Gate)
October 19 – The Big Wedding (Lions Gate)
November 16 – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2 (Summit)

2013
January 18 – The Last Stand (Lions Gate)
January 18 – Now You See Me (Summit)
February 22 – I, Frankenstein (Lions Gate)
March 15 – Endgers Game (Summit)
March 29 – We the Peeples (Lions Gate)
July 26 – Dirty Dancing (Lions Gate)
August 13 RED 2 (Summit)
November 22 – Catching Fire (Lions Gate)

It was, of course, the right time for shareholders of Summit Entertainment to cash out as their leading franchise is coming to a close. The loss of the Twilight series has the potential to hurt Summit going forward if it can not produce any more box office successes. Given its management team and its integration with Lions Gate, a leader in independent movies, I think Lions Gate benefits as well.

Lions Gate is buying at a high price, but still has one more Twilight movie to release, which could turn its purchase profitable by 2013. In my most recent article about Lions Gate Entertainment, I called shares under $8 a gift and recommended purchasing them. I am once again recommending shares and placing a target price of $12 on the shares. The analysts' estimates for fiscal 2013 are $0.47 a share, which would signify a price to earnings ratio of 18. During the acquisition press release it was stated that the deal would “significantly boost earnings beginning in April”. Significantly boost earnings is not a dollar amount and varies from one person to the next.

I think the following events make the shares a strong buy in the short term:

1. Analyst’s Upgrades – Since the news of the deal happened close to the weekend, no analysts released any upgrades or downgrades on the new company. I think the long weekend has given time for people to digest the move, and I expect some to update the shares on Tuesday or Wednesday.

2. Earnings Beat – Over the last three quarters Lions Gate Entertainment has beat analysts’ predicted earnings by an average of 126%. The predictions for the current quarter (ending December 2011) are all over the place, with nine analysts predicting $-0.18 to $0.24. The average consensus is $0.09 and I will be watching on February 6th to see if the company passes that number.

3. Raised Guidance – During the February 6th earnings release, I am expecting raised guidance from the company, which could shoot shares higher on Tuesday, February 7th.

4. Release of Breaking Dawn Part 1 on DVD – The movie, which is still in select theaters earnings money for Summit, will be released on DVD February 11th. Since Summit does not have a deal with Netflix (NFLX) to delay renting movies out for 28 days, the movie will also be available in the red envelopes the same day. The previous movies have all sold well on dvd as fans look to build their collections and watch the movies over and over again.

5. Double Weekends – Since the deal just happened, Lions Gate does not have time to change two upcoming release weekends in January and February. The weekend of January 27th will see Man on a Ledge and One for the Money, both now owned by Lions Gate, competing against each other and The Grey . According to the Hollywood Stock Exchange, where users predict box office, the movies are predicted to make the following over four weeks:

Man on a Ledge $28.8 million
One for the Money $27.7 million
The Grey $34.3 million

Several weekends later the company will pit two movies against each other once again on February 24th. Tyler Perry’s Good Deeds and Gone will compete with Universal’s (CMCSA) Wanderlust. The predicted box office for those movies over four weeks is:

Good Deeds $35.4 million
Gone $18.3 million
Wanderlust $35.8 million

Look for the company to receive plenty of press and buzz since movie companies do not usually place movies in competition against each other, but will dominate the box office both weekends with two releases.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/3202...tainment-stock

[Kosty]

About The Hunger Games

New Movie Franchise Has The Potential To Transform Lions Gate Films


2 comments | August 22, 2011 | about: LGF, includes: AMCX, DIS, NWS, SCHL, SNE, TWX, VIA

Lions Gate Entertainment (LGF) is the company behind several movie franchises and television shows. The company is a small movie distributor compared to larger movie companies like Time Warner (TWX), Disney (DIS), Viacom (VIA), News Corporation (NWS) and Sony. With a market capitalization of under a billion dollars one movie or franchise has the potential to move the needle a lot more at Lions Gate then these larger media conglomerates that have other branches.

The company has been releasing movies since the 1990s and has recently started to distribute movies that cross the $100 million mark on a regular basis. The company’s highest grossing movies to date have been Fahrenheit 9/11 ($222m), the Saw franchise (I: $103m, II: $148m, III: $165m, IV: $139m, V: 114m, VI: 68m, VII: 136m), and The Expendables ($275m). The studio has been successful with the Saw series, Transporter movies and Tyler Perry’s Madea films.

The company has a huge possibility in its Hunger Games franchise. The movies will be based on the best-selling book series by Suzanne Collins. The plot of the books center around a post apocalyptic World named Panem. The world has an annual televised competition that pits children against each other in a last person survived contest for all to see. The idea actually came to the author while channel surfing between reality television and footage from the Iraq War. The book series consists of three books: Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. The distribution rights worldwide for these movies are with Lions Gate Films.

The first movie will be released by the company in March of 2012. The other two books will be turned into movies as well and currently rest with Lions Gate Films unless someone of course buys out Lions Gate due to the success of the first movie. The movie has a current budget of $75 million and is shooting now. The movie stars Jennifer Lawrence, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Donald Sutherland, Woody Harrelson, and Lenny Kravitz. For a look at how this movie could do at the box office I am using the following for comparison. ($ in millions)

Movie Year Domestic Worldwide Total
Twilight 2008 $193 $200 $393
Death Race 2008 $36 $39 $75
Harry Potter 2001 $318 $657 $975
I am Legend 2007 $257 $329 $585
Saw 2004 $55 $48 $103

For this example I used Twilight due to the fact it is based on a book and centers around a love triangle much as Hunger Games does. Death Race is an example of killing and being the last person standing to win something. Harry Potter was based on a best-selling book and part of a series as well. I am Legend is the top grossing movie based in an apocalyptic world. Saw was the first movie in the successful series from Lions Gate. What does looking at the success of these movies say for the future results of Hunger Games? Here are my predictions ($ in millions):

Movie Opening (US) Domestic Worldwide Total
Hunger Games (2011) $75 $210 $200 $410
Catching Fire (2012) $83 $265 $300 $565
Mockingjay (?) $90 $290 $375 $665

Total projected worldwide box office gross - $1640 million. The potential for over $1.5 billion from three movies could significantly impact a company with a market capitalization of under $1 billion. The seven movies in the Saw franchise have brought in $873 worldwide and have helped put Lions Gate on the map of film distribution companies.

Along with its movie library the company has the successful television shows Weeds, Nurse Jackie, House of Payne and Mad Men. While the company waits on the success of Hunger Games it has these television shows to help pad the bottom line.

Lions Gate Film has been the speculation of takeovers with activist Carl Icahn on its board. Icahn even at one time offered $7.50 per share in a hostile takeover attempt. Icahn continues to accumulate shares and pressure the company to get the most value for shareholders. The company is attractive with its lower market capitalization and its large library of films and upcoming movies. The company would fit in well with a larger media conglomerate and Icahn is likely to push for any attempt made by a competitor. A large amount of debt with over $750 million may deter likely suitors.

In 2008 Lions Gate Films was in the process of merging with Summit Entertainment. Summit is the company behind the Twilight movies, which ended up being turned into five movies based on four books. Looking back it is too bad that the deal fell through for Lions Gate. The sequel movies, which would have been part of the merged company, have been more successful at the box office worldwide than the original Twilight movie. The deal with Summit Entertainment fell through due to issues concerning how to transfer content.

I wrote in a previous article that Lions Gate Films and AMC (AMCX) should merge together. The combined company would own the AMC Channel, TV Guide Channel, IFC, Sundance Channel and WeTV. These combined channels would give the company a place to showcase a movie and television show library while capitalizing on advertising revenue and cable subscription fees.

How to play the success of the Hunger Games trilogy would be to buy shares of undervalued Lions Gate Films. Shares of Lions Gate under $8 are a gift. The shares are undervalued and have been for quite a long time. The company's all time high price for shares is around $12 and the shares could meet that mark by the release of the second movie.

Scholastic (SCHL) is the publisher of the book series and will see a benefit in increased reading interest around the time of release for all the movies. Scholastic also has the rights to the Harry Potter movies and has been successful with owning several large book series that do well in the movie theater. Also look at Scholastic shares on dips.

Box office figures are obtained from boxofficemojo.com. All $ amounts are in millions unless otherwise specified.
Disclosure: I have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

http://seekingalpha.com/article/2890...ons-gate-films

[Kosty]

Announced Disney 2012 releases on Blu-ray.

See link for video clips.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=8139

[Kosty]

Some more deeper classics for Blu-ray.

See link for video clips.

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=8069

[Kosty]

http://movies.yahoo.com/movie/john-c...-28319676.html

New John Carter video preview clip:

[g_block]

Aladdin won't be til 2013? I thought Finding Nemo was suppose to be out this year on Blu-Ray too? Well crap, after The Muppets, there's really nothing to look forward to from Disney on the ol' Blu that I don't have already