One of the world’s most popular characters is back on the big screen as a new chapter in the Spider-Man legacy is revealed in The Amazing Spider-Man. Focusing on an untold story that tells a different side of the Peter Parker story, the new film stars Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Campbell Scott, Irrfan Khan, with Martin Sheen and Sally Field. The film is directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay written by James Vanderbilt, based on the Marvel Comic Book by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko. Laura Ziskin, Avi Arad, and Matt Tolmach are producing the film in association with Marvel Entertainment for Columbia Pictures, which will open in theaters everywhere in 3D on July 3, 2012.

The Amazing Spider-Man is the story of Peter Parker (Garfield), an outcast high schooler who was abandoned by his parents as a boy, leaving him to be raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Like most teenagers, Peter is trying to figure out who he is and how he got to be the person he is today. Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone), and together, they struggle with love, commitment, and secrets. As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents’ disappearance — leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father’s former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors’ alter-ego, The Lizard, Peter will make life-altering choices to use his powers and shape his destiny to become a hero.

We can’t blame Jim Carrey for his creepy proclamations of love for Emma Stone. With her disarming smile and raspy voice, the fiery redhead inspires that kind of devotion in a lot of men. In Crazy, Stupid, Love, Stone played a girl so completely perfect that she drove a career playboy to give up the game. The role really wasn’t much of a stretch. When she’s not causing men twice her age to record video testimonials or players to rethink their life plan, the star of the Oscar-nominated The Help is impressing us with her comedic timing and laid-back attitude. So, yeah, Jim, we like her, too.

Check out the first photo of her walking the red carpet right here!

The film starring Viola Davis and Golden Globe winner Octavia Spencer will compete for Outstanding Motion Picture against seven-time nominee “Pariah,” Eddie Murphy’s comedy “Tower Heist,” “Jumping The Broom” and “The First Grader.”

“The Help” stars Viola Davis and Emma Stone will go head-to-head for the title of Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture, while co-stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Spencer and Cicely Tyson are nominated in the Outstanding Supporting Actress field, alongside “Pariah’s’ Kim Wayans and “Bridesmaids” comedienne Maya Rudolph.

Outstanding Motion Picture
“Jumping the Broom” (TriStar Pictures)
“Pariah” (Focus Features)
“The First Grader” (National Geographic Entertainment)
“The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
“Tower Heist” (Universal Pictures)

Outstanding Actress in a Motion Picture
Adepero Oduye – “Pariah” (Focus Features)
Emma Stone – “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
Paula Patton – “Jumping the Broom” (TriStar Pictures)
Viola Davis – “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
Zoë Saldana – “Colombiana” (TriStar Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Bryce Dallas Howard – “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
Cicely Tyson – “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)
Kim Wayans – “Pariah” (Focus Features)
Maya Rudolph – “Bridesmaids” (Universal Pictures)
Octavia Spencer – “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Writing in a Motion Picture – (Theatrical or Television)
Alrick Brown – “Kinyarwanda” (AFFRM)
Ann Peacock – “The First Grader” (National Geographic Entertainment)
Dee Rees – “Pariah” (Focus Features)
Elizabeth Hunter, Arlene Gibbs – “Jumping the Broom” (TriStar Pictures)
Tate Taylor – “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)

Outstanding Directing in a Motion Picture – (Theatrical or Television)
Alrick Brown – “Kinyarwanda” (AFFRM)
Angelina Jolie – “In the Land of Blood and Honey” (FilmDistrict)
Dee Rees – “Pariah” (Focus Features)
Salim Akil – “Jumping the Broom” (TriStar Pictures)
Tate Taylor – “The Help” (DreamWorks Pictures/Participant Media/Touchstone Pictures)

Big congrats to Emma and there’s still some awards for her films to be announced.

In the Jan. 26 episode of the NBC comedy, Jenna (Jane Krakowski) stars in “a movie from the producers of Valentine’s Day and New Year’s Eve called Martin Luther King Day,” says Fey. “I want to lay claim to that bit before anyone gets it. It’s a movie that has everyone in the world in it.” That includes the aforementioned actors from The Help, Saturday Night Live, and Up All Night, who will be seen in a trailer for the faux film.

30 Rock, which kicks off its sixth season Thursday at 8 p.m., will also feature such guest stars as James Marsden, Mary Steenburgen, Will Arnett, Denise Richards, Kelsey Grammer, and Kristen Schaal.

EW.com

Stone had been interested in the script since last summer. It’s a two-hander about a nerdy guy and his wild older sister who travel to Miami to try and sell a million-dollar stash of ’70s cocaine they found in the trunk of their late father’s car. It’s the third recent sale for Diliberti, who sold the pitch The Big Sayonara to Fox as a potential directing vehicle for John Requa and Glenn Ficarra, and an untitled pitch that Warner Bros bought for Todd Phillips to produce. Both Stone and Diliberti are repped by WME; Stone’s managed by Anonymous Content and Diliberti by New School Media.

Deadline.com

The WGA will hold its 2012 Writers Guild Awards on February 19 at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles and a venue to be announced in New York.

ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Descendants, Screenplay by Alexander Payne and Nat Faxon & Jim Rash; Based on the novel by Kaui Hart Hemming; Fox Searchlight
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian; Based on the novel by Stieg Larsson, originally published by Norstedts; Columbia Pictures
The Help, Screenplay by Tate Taylor; Based on the novel by Kathryn Stockett; DreamWorks Pictures
Hugo, Screenplay by John Logan; Based on the book The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick; Paramount Pictures
Moneyball, Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin; Story by Stan Chervin; Based on the book by Michael Lewis; Columbia Pictures

Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

THE ARTIST
Producer: Thomas Langmann

BRIDESMAIDS
Producers: Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel, Clayton Townsend

THE DESCENDANTS
Producers: Jim Burke, Alexander Payne, Jim Taylor

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Producers: Ceán Chaffin, Scott Rudin

THE HELP
Producers: Michael Barnathan, Chris Columbus, Brunson Green

HUGO
Producers: Graham King, Martin Scorsese

THE IDES OF MARCH
Producers: George Clooney, Grant Heslov, Brian Oliver

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS
Producers: Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum

MONEYBALL
Producers: Michael De Luca, Rachael Horovitz, Brad Pitt

WAR HORSE
Producers: Kathleen Kennedy, Steven Spielberg

IMDb’s Top 10 Stars of 2011*

1. Natalie Portman

2. Mila Kunis

3. Johnny Depp

4. Emma Stone

5. Chris Hemsworth

6. Olivia Wilde

7. Jennifer Lawrence

8. George Clooney

9. Ryan Gosling

10. Christian Bale

*List determined by page views.

MarketWatch.com

Stone, 22, appeared in three feature films in 2011 and has an even bigger gig on the horizon for 2012. But what’s been refreshing about Stone’s career boom is where we don’t see her: peering out from mug shots on tabloid covers or denying the latest round of rumors that she is or is not (insert gossipy condition of your choice here).

When Stone made news off-screen, it was for things like saying that she doesn’t do nude scenes because her father would kill her. It’s a refreshing attitude, one that serves her on-screen and off.

The Scottsdale native and Valley Youth Theatre alum had a scene-stealing small-but-hilarious role in “Friends With Benefits,” heated things up with man-of-the-moment Ryan Gosling in “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and proved she knew her way around a drama in “The Help,” one of the most successful movies of the year. Each performance helped further a career that began with good notices in “Superbad” and includes a Golden Globe nomination for 2010′s “Easy A.”

(She was great during the television broadcast of the awards show early this year as well.)

Next year Stone stars in her biggest role yet — as Gwen Stacy in “The Amazing Spider-Man.” It’s the kind of job that, box-office returns willing, should lead to a franchise.

Along with the upcoming “Movie 43″ and “Gangster Squad” also on tap, there’s no reason to think 2012 won’t be a big year for Stone as well. Movie careers are tricky things, of course, and there’s no future in trying to predict them.

Better to enjoy what Stone has accomplished in 2011, then, the year she solidified her status as one of the biggest breakout stars the Valley has seen, with a lot of optimism for the future.

AZCentral.com

Best Drama
The Help
Hugo
Ides of March
Moneyball
War Horse
The Descendants

The 18th annual SAG Awards show will be televised live from Los Angeles January 29th.

Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
THE ARTIST (The Weinstein Company)
BRIDESMAIDS (Universal Pictures)
THE DESCENDANTS (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
THE HELP (DreamWorks Pictures / Touchstone Pictures)
MIDNIGHT IN PARIS (Sony Pictures Classics)

BEST PICTURE
The Artist
The Descendants
Drive
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
The Help
Hugo
Midnight in Paris
Moneyball
The Tree of Life
War Horse

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Artist
Bridesmaids
The Descendants
The Help
The Ides of March

BEST COMEDY
Bridesmaids
Crazy, Stupid, Love
Horrible Bosses
Midnight in Paris
The Muppets

Motion Picture
Moneyball, Columbia
The Descendants, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Drive, Filmdistrict
The Artist, The Weinstein Company
Shame, Fox Searchlight Pictures
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, Focus Features
Hugo, Paramount Pictures
War Horse, DreamWorks Pictures, Touchstone Pictures
The Help, DreamWorks Pictures, Touchstone Pictures
Midnight in Paris, Sony Pictures Classics

Make sure you vote for Emma Stone in the categories below – head on over to PeoplesChoice.com to vote! Also, don’t forget to vote on Facebook and Twitter too!

You can vote as many times as you want, so keep on voting until the day ends!

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway
Emma Stone
Jennifer Aniston
Julia Roberts
Reese Witherspoon

FAVORITE MOVIE
Bridesmaids
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Help
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

FAVORITE DRAMA MOVIE
The Adjustment Bureau
The Help
Limitless
Moneyball
Water for Elephants

FAVORITE COMEDY MOVIE
Bad Teacher
Bridesmaids
Crazy Stupid Love
Friends With Benefits
The Hangover Part II

FAVORITE COMEDIC MOVIE ACTRESS
Cameron Diaz
Emma Stone
Jennifer Aniston
Mila Kunis
Natalie Portman

FAVORITE BOOK ADAPTATION
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Help
I Am Number Four
Soul Surfer
Water For Elephants

FAVORITE MOVIE ACTRESS
Anne Hathaway
Emma Stone
Jennifer Aniston
Julia Roberts
Reese Witherspoon

FAVORITE MOVIE
Bridesmaids
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Help
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
Transformers: Dark of the Moon

FAVORITE DRAMA MOVIE
The Adjustment Bureau
The Help
Limitless
Moneyball
Water for Elephants

FAVORITE COMEDY MOVIE
Bad Teacher
Bridesmaids
Crazy Stupid Love
Friends With Benefits
The Hangover Part II

FAVORITE COMEDIC MOVIE ACTRESS
Cameron Diaz
Emma Stone
Jennifer Aniston
Mila Kunis
Natalie Portman

FAVORITE BOOK ADAPTATION
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
The Help
I Am Number Four
Soul Surfer
Water For Elephants

The comedy focuses on a social media savvy girl who is pessimistic about love and vets her friends’ dates to find flaws. When that process leads her to uncover the perfect guy, she decides to use her internet research skills to turn herself into his perfect match. The film will be produced by Gary Sanchez’s McKay and Will Ferrell. The Gary Sanchez team helped her hone the script and gave her notes to help shape it.

The script wasn’t even supposed to be shopped. It was sent by Gary Sanchez directly to Stone, in hopes she would become attached. Then it leaked and got passed around the development community. Suddenly, Fox 2000 was among four studios making bids, and Gary Sanchez and Kahn’s WME reps had an auction. Fox 2000′s Elizabeth Gabler and Rodney Ferrell were most aggressive, but the sellers wanted to wait a day so that two other studios could get in the mix. When Fox 2000 upped the ante–a seven-figure offer with a 90-minute expiration–they took the deal. Kahn had gotten some seasoning at Gary Sanchez, writing, performing and directing numerous shorts for their Funny Or Die website. Kahn also just made an untitled NBC pilot deal for a Gary Sanchez.

Stone wrapped The Amazing Spider-Man and is shooting Gangster Squad with her Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer. She doesn’t have her next movie, so it is possible this film could find its way into production very quickly (there will surely be a title change). I’ve covered this business long enough to recall the heyday of the big spec script deals of the 1990s, when struggling writers became wealthy overnight, like Jeff Maguire, whose electricity was getting turned off when he scored a huge spec payday for In the Line of Fire. Studios don’t pay those big bucks much anymore, and it has been a long while since I’ve heard a rags to riches writer story this good.

He’s Fuckin’ Perfect becomes another priority project for Gary Sanchez, whose Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters with Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton will be released March 2 by Paramount. They are about to start production on the Jay Roach-directed comedy Dogfight at Warner Bros with Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis. Their Spanish language comedy Casa De Mi Padre was just acquired by Pantelion Films, and writer/director Leslye Headland just wrapped the Kirsten Dunst-Isla Fisher comedy Bachelorette.

WME reps both Stone and Kahn, and Stone is managed by Anonymous Content.

Source

Emma Stone will be hosting the show airing on November 12th. The show starts at 11:30 PM on NBC!

You can pre-order the Three-Disc Combo: Blu-ray/DVD + Digital Copy, the Two-Disc Blu-ray/DVD Combo or the DVD version.

The film is based on a series of articles in the L.A. Times by Paul Lieberman that was picked up soon after its publication in 2008 by Warner Bros. who, in turn, hired former L.A. cop-turned-novelist Will Beall to adapt. The major focus of Lieberman’s article was a specialized L.A.P.D. unit set up in the ‘40s to fight the growing influence of the East Coast Mafia, namely that from infamous gangster Mickey Cohen, a mogul who started as muscle for Al Capone in Chicago. Penn will play Cohen with Gosling and Brolin as the two cops determined to bring him down. And as the ensemble around them suggests—it also includes Holt McCallany, Robert Patrick, Frank Grillo, Sullivan Stapleton and Mirielle Enos—this will be one sprawling tale.

The film is currently in front of cameras with “Zombieland” and “30 Minutes Or Less” director Ruben Fleischer stepping up his filmography in a major way.

Source

The widely accepted paradigm in movies (not to mention TV) is having an out-of-shape or mildly attractive but funny husband and his hot, not-as-funny wife. And it’s getting stale, baby. In order for a woman to go against that grain takes massive ovaries, the ability to generate her own material, and absolutely no fear of looking stupid.

2. Emma Stone
As the youngest actress on the list, Stone is in demand because her inspired, precocious talent has already put her on-screen with the Judd Apatow players in “Superbad,” Bill Murray in “Zombieland,” and in her own star vehicle, carrying “Easy A” squarely on her shoulders and earning a Golden Globe nod in the process. Stone’s M.O. was always to be a comedian like her idols Gilda Radner, Steve Martin and John Candy. “Friends With Benefits” was fine, but Stone continued her hot streak with this summer’s “Crazy, Stupid, Love.”

Source

Carlos de Abreu, the Founder and Executive Director of the event, says that no fewer than a dozen of the film’s actors — including all of those who play its principal characters — have indicated that they will collect the award in-person at a gala ceremony on October 24, 2011, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. They include: 2009 best supporting actress Oscar nominee/current best actress Oscar hopeful Viola Davis, best supporting actress Oscar hopeful Octavia Spencer, and Jessica Chastain, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Chris Lowell, Ahna O’Reilly, Emma Stone, 1981 best actress Oscar winner Sissy Spacek, 1981 best supporting actress Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen, 1973 Oscar nominee Cicely Tyson, and Mike Vogel.

Previous casts honored with this award include Crash (2005), which went on to win the best picture Oscar, as well as Bobby (2006), Hairspray (2007), The Secret Life of Bees (2008), and best picture Oscar nominee The Social Network (2010).

In recent weeks, de Abreu announced the recipients of several other prizes — Rango for the Hollywood Animation Award; Oscar nominee Emmanuel Lubezki (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) for the Hollywood Cinematographer Award; Oscar winner Stephen Mirrione (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) with the Hollywood Editor Award; Oscar nominee James Murakami (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) for the Hollywood Production Designer Award; and Oscar winner Scott Farrar (Transformers: Dark of the Moon) for the Hollywood Visual Effects Award — and says that the remaining honorees will be announced over the next few weeks.

Source

Other VIPs hitting Zurich’s red carpet include Oscar winners Jeremy Irons and Maximilian Schell and the long list of fest award winners: Sean Penn, Paul Haggis, Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu and, arriving two years and a day after he was arrested in Zurich, Roman Polanski. Polanski’s arrest first put the fledgling Zurich festival on the map.

This year, the Swiss event is staking its place among the festival majors. It’s star-studded attendee list, which also includes jury president Laurence Fishburne, is complemented by a greatest-hits lineup combining the buzziest of this year’s festival titles (Shame, A Dangerous Method, Melancholia) with some of the biggest recent Hollywood releases.

In addition to The Help, these include George Clooney’s political drama Ides of March and Steven Soderbergh’s viral thriller Contagion, which opens Zurich Sept. 22.

Source

Emma Stone knows how to make the whole “geek chic” look work. Rather than make a minimal effort and just wear a nerdy T-shirt like Megan Fox, Emma really commits: In the new campaign for Stand Up 2 Cancer, she wears Yoda on her chest and Princess Leia buns on her head.

(Who else thought “Emma Stone dresses up as Princess Leia” meant that she’d be rocking the Slave Leia look? Perhaps a small disappointment for some of you, but then again, you’d be too distracted to hear the message about cancer.)

The Star Wars T-shirts are part of a new promotion meant to raise awareness about SU2C and coincide with the release of the Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray. SU2C’s done two telethons — the one in 2008 featured Patrick Swayze before his death — but it looks as if they’re smartly extending their reach to the Internet.

Source

Friends With Benefits, which also features Richard Jenkins, Patricia Clarkson and Jenna Elfman, opened in theaters on July 22 in third place with $18.6 million through its first three days. The modest $35 million film went on to make over $55.5 million domestically and $84.7 million worldwide by the end of its theatrical run.

The Blu-ray version of Friends With Benefits will be presented in 1080p video and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, and also include the DVD version in the same package. Both stars offer up their thoughts on the film via a commentary track as part of these bonus features:

* Commentary with Writer/Director Will Gluck, Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis
* Bonus Benefits: A Pop-Up Trivia Track
* Deleted Scenes
* Outtakes
* On Set With FWB
* In A Flash: Choreographing A Mob

Source

The drama about white women and their black maids in Civil Rights-era Mississippi polished off three new films based on four-day estimates released by movie studios on Monday, the U.S. Labor Day holiday that ended a record summer at U.S. and Canadian theaters. “The Help,” a critics favorite that debuted a month ago in the No. 2 spot, was produced by DreamWorks and distributed by Walt Disney Co.

Newcomers including two horror flicks generated modest sales on a weekend traditionally slow for movie-going.

Spy thriller “The Debt,” starring Helen Mirren, took second place with a better-than-expected $12.6 million in the North American (U.S. and Canadian) market. The film tells the story of the hunt for a Nazi war criminal and how the mission haunts a trio of secret agents three decades later. The film drew an older audience with 70 percent of moviegoers over age 40, distributor Focus Features said.

The studio released the movie on Wednesday, and estimated domestic sales since it debuted reached $14.5 million.

Space mystery “Apollo 18,” a new release that purports to use “found footage” of an ill-fated trip to the moon, came in third for the weekend with $10.7 million. That fell within studio projections for a film that cost less than $5 million to make, said Erik Lomis, president of distribution for The Weinstein Co, which released the film.

Following behind at No. 4 was new thriller “Shark Night (3-D),” a tale of nightmarish fresh-water shark attacks at a Louisiana lake house, with $10.3 million, at the higher end of industry expectations. Aimed at teens, the film drew 57 percent of its audience from an under-25 crowd.

Sci-fi flick “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” stayed strong, rounding out the top five with $10.3 million during its fifth weekend in theaters.

“Apes,” a revival of the classic tale of chimps launching a revolution, and “The Help” stood out as two surprise summer hits. “Apes” has rung up $162.5 million in domestic sales and $186.5 million in international markets, for a combined total of $349 million.

“The Help” has pulled in about $123.4 million since it hit U.S. and Canadian theaters, exceeding forecasts from box-office watchers. The film is an adaptation of a best-selling novel by Kathryn Stockett.

The two movies helped Hollywood rack up record sales for the four-month summer season measured from early May through Labor Day, when studios bring in as much as 40 percent of annual revenue. Domestic totals hit an estimated $4.4 billion for the period, a 0.7 percent increase from last year, according to figures from Hollywood.com Box Office.

The revenue gain was helped by slightly higher average ticket prices as movie attendance fell 1.4 percent.

“Though attendance figures are down, the performance is still impressive given the intense competition” for audiences posed by a range of entertainment options, said Paul Dergarabedian, head of Hollywood.com Box Office.

Summer hits included big sequels such as “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2″ and “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” plus superhero tales such as “Captain America: The First Avenger” and family film “The Smurfs.” Adult comedies, including “Bridesmaids” and “The Hangover 2″ also scored with audiences.

“The Debt” was released by Focus Features, a unit of Comcast Corp’s Universal Pictures. Privately held Weinstein Co released “Apollo 18.” Closely held Relativity Media released “Shark Night (3-D)” in the United States and eOne distributed the film in Canada.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” was released by 20th Century Fox, the film studio of News Corp.

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The historical drama grossed $3.6 million so far this weekend, on its way to $14 million for the frame. The film, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Viola Davis and Emma Stone, is closing in on $120 million after three weeks.

Meanwhile, Weinstein Company’s low-budget found footage thriller “Apollo 18″ scared up a decent $2.8 million, and is projected to earn $11 million for the weekend, just below the studio’s expectations.

Another debut, “Shark Night 3D,” earned $2.8 million, aided by playing on 3D screens. The film should earn around $8 or $9 million over the three-day.

However, the more specialized thriller “The Debt,” powered by Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington, may give “Shark Night” a run for its money. The film earned an impressive $1.9 million Friday, from significantly less screens.

Source

The $25 million period drama starring Emma Stone has been one of the summer’s surprise breakout hits, winning the domestic box office during its second and third weekends of release.

“We went from opening not No. 1 to being No. 1, which is unusual in itself,” Dave Hollis, Disney’s executive VP of distribution, told TheWrap. Disney handles distribution for DreamWorks.

Three weeks into its run, “The Help” is actually adding locations: It opened with 2,534 theaters in the U.S. and Canada, expanded by 156 in its second week, by another 88 in its third and is going up by some 65 more this weekend, Hollis said.

And as time goes on, the demographics of its audience are changing.

Hollis said that during the first weekend, the movie played well in urban, heartland and upscale theaters, but skewed older and female.

In the weeks since, it has expanded its reach and is now drawing old and young, male and female, Hollis said.

“We hope that what we’ve seen to date is something that can continue into the end of summer and into fall,” he said. “We’ve been fortunate to have what I can only describe as the movie to see in recent weeks.”

The movie opens in its first international territory, Australia, this weekend.

“The Help” is the story of friendship among African American maids in 1963, and offers an unsparing look at the way their employers treat them.

In a written statement, writer-director Tate Taylor said, “We never imagined this film, which began its journey inspired by the enthusiasm of a small group of Mississippi friends, would ever even get made. Now to have it seen and embraced by so many people is just beyond our wildest dreams.”

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PETA’s 2010 Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity Olivia Wilde and shelter dog advocate Emma Stone have another (synthetic) feather to put in their nonwool caps.

The ladies each earned a PETA Kind Choices Award for promoting cruelty-free cosmetics from Revlon, one of the first cosmetics companies to ban all animal testing.

Olivia and Emma are gorgeous living proof that women can save animals’ lives with every mascara, eye shadow, and blush product they purchase. In addition to Revlon, hundreds of other companies, including Almay, Kiss My Face and ELF, refuse to test their products on animals. Check out PETA’s handy cruelty-free guide for the complete list.

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But while The Help managed to withstand Mother Nature, the overall market took a beating. According to the box office reporting service Rentrak, as many as 1,000 theaters closed at some point during the weekend due to Irene. AMC Theatres, for instance, shut down all of its theaters in New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington, D.C.

“Our key large urban East Coast markets were really killed and many theaters closed or were dead even if they remained open,” said FilmDistrict exec Bob Berney in a statement, whose studio released the horror flick Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark. “The E-Walk on 42nd Street in Manhattan gross was $20,800 on Friday and $0 on Saturday.” The weekend box office was down an estimated 23 percent from last year, and is running neck and neck with Super Bowl weekend (Feb. 4-6) as the slowest of the year. (It’s too early to say which weekend will claim the dubious title.)

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However, domestic box office grosses are depressed across the board because of Hurricane Irene, and will only become more as the weekend unfolds and theaters close in Philadelphia and New York.

Distributors expect the overall box office to be down as much as 25 percent because of Irene, resulting in what might be the worst weekend of the year.

Among the three new releases, the Luc-Besson action pic Colombiana, starring Zoe Saldana, did the best, grossing an estimated $3.8 million and receiving a pleasing A- CinemaScore. TriStar is distributing the film, which placed No. 2.

The Katie Holmes-Guy Pearce horror pic Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, produced by Guillermo Del Toro and distributed by FilmDistrict, followed with $3.6 million to come in No. 3. However, the film received a C- CinemaScore, which will impact word of mouth.

The new R-rated ensemble comedy Our Idiot Brother, released by the Weinstein Co., came in No. 5, edged out by holdover Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which placed No. 4.

Idiot Brother grossed $2.4 million, and received an C+ CinemaScore. The comedy headlines Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer.

Apes grossed $2.6 million for a new domestic total of $142.2 million.

By some estimates, Hollywood could forfeit as much as $30 million in box office revenues as a result of the storm, which is sparking theater closures all along the East Coast.

Normally, distribution executives are able to predict a film’s weekend gross based on Friday’s numbers, but Hurricane Irene is making that difficult.

The Help may gross $11 million to $12 million for the weekend, followed by Colombiana at perhaps $10 to $11 million. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark could earn $8 million; Our Idiot Brother, $6 to $7 million.

“It’s horrendous out there,” one distribution exec noted.

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Small (7″) stuffed breast cancer awareness bear with tag signed by Emma Stone. This bear also comes with a 4×6 print of the above photo. (bear received is not bear in photo)

In October, I’ll be walking in my 21st Avon Walk for Breast Cancer and, since I started walking in 2002, I’ve raised more than $150,000 to fight breast cancer. Project Teddy Bear has been a huge part of my fundraising and all proceeds (after fees and costs) from this auction will go to The Avon Foundation.

Because I donate the money from these sales, all sales must be final.

If I do not receive payment from you within a week of your winning the auction, I’ll consider your auction forfeited and the bear may be opened for auction again.

Please note: The photo that is part of this auction is not an exclusive item; additional copies of the photo may be made available in exchange for donations or as contest prizes related to promoting auctions.

Visit eBay.com to place your bid today! The auction ends on August 24th!

“The Help” (Touchstone Pictures), starring Emma Stone and Viola Davis, earned $20.5 million over its second weekend in theaters.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” a 20th Century Fox release, placed second with $16.3 million.

“Spy Kids: All the Time in the World,” the fourth entry in director Robert Rodriguez’s family franchise, earned $12 million. The Dimension Films release is being touted as “4D,” combining 3D presentation with a scratch-and-sniff card that allows the audience to smell odors from the film.

Two remakes of 1980s films rounded out the top five. “Conan the Barbarian,” from Lionsgate, brought in $10 million, and Touchstone’s “Fright Night,” starring Colin Farrell, made $8.3 million over the weekend.

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Reps for Stone denied the attachment, although one individual close to her conceded that the actress has read — and likes — the script.

“Corvette” is an independent film about a nerdy guy and his wild older sister who team up to sell $1 million of cocaine that they find in the trunk of their deceased father’s sports car.

Diliberti wrote Columbia’s “30 Minutes or Less,” which stars Jesse Eisenberg, Danny McBride and Aziz Ansari.

The movie is being produced by Scott Aversano and Michael De Luca.

Stone is a compelling young star who’d be a great get for the comedy. In addition to “The Help,” she’s starred in this year’s “Crazy, Stupid, Love” and “Friends With Benefits.”

And she stars as Gwen Stacy in Sony’s 2012 “The Amazing Spider-Man” and as Jean in Warner Bros.’ 2013 film “The Gangster Squad.”

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On average, only two movies per year garner an “A+” rating from CinemaScore, a market-research firm that surveys moviegoers on a picture’s opening day. Since 2004, just 15 films have scored an “A+” grade. They are, in chronological order: The Passion of the Christ, Ray, The Incredibles, The Polar Express, Diary of a Mad Black Woman, Cinderella Man, Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Akeelah and the Bee, Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married?, Up, The Blind Side, Tangled, Soul Surfer, and now The Help.

CinemaScore ratings, however, sometimes have to be taken with a grain of salt. After all, the moviegoers who rush out to see a new film on its opening day are likely predisposed to enjoy that particular film. It’s probably safe to assume that many of the CinemaScore graders for The Help were already big fans of the novel, and it’ll be interesting to see whether their enthusiasm spreads to those unfamiliar with the book.

Regardless, The Help has started its theatrical journey strongly and has the potential to become a real late-summer hit. Check back later today for EW’s weekend box-office predictions.

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“Revlon recognizes that every woman is multifaceted and magnificent in their own way and the expression of individuality is as important to Revlon as it is to me,” Stone, who has been known to experiment with makeup in the past, said in a statement. And for her, the connection to the brand stems from childhood. “I have been familiar with Revlon for as long as I can remember,” she added. “I vividly recall my mom wearing Revlon makeup and I remember getting to the age when I was finally able to wear Revlon myself.”

For Wilde, being the face of a brand that’s committed to helping others was key. “I have always admired Revlon and their commitment to giving women the confidence and tools they need to feel beautiful, both inside and out,” she said. “Creatively, Revlon has never been afraid to push the envelope, which is important to me. I also love that they use their tremendous recognizability around the world to do good as one of the industry’s biggest champions of women’s health. It’s exciting to join a company with a big heart and big ideas!”

The duo’s first campaigns will be tied to the launch of new color cosmetics and nail enamel products. They’ll also participate in Revlon’s fundraising efforts for women’s health issues; the brand has raised more than $65 million for women’s cancer research in the past 10 years.

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Sony’s decision to reboot the franchise has taken some heat since Sam Raimi’s version hit theaters less than a decade ago, and many consider those efforts (especially I and II) the definitive film version of the character. It does seem rather soon for a “reboot” of such a familiar franchise, especially if it’s going to detail the origin again. Why bother? That story is pop culture legend by now.

Trailers for The Amazing Spider-Man appeared earlier this year to mixed reactions. Some thought the trailers looked good enough, but others felt there was too much CG on display, making things seem artificial. The first-person perspective used in the trailer looked like a video game, which was distracting. Also, it seems director Marc Webb is going for a “grittier” tone in this reboot. That doesn’t seem like the best approach for a character known for his sarcasm and wisecracks.

For all the questions about the film, The Amazing Spider-Man must be scoring well with test audiences. Otherwise, why would Sony announce a sequel before the first film is even released? If history is any guide, that could mean great success for the webslinger. Paramount green-lit a sequel to their Star Trek reboot before it premiered, thanks to positive audience feedback. As they say, the rest is history.

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“From your lips to God’s ears! But I don’t think anything is official yet,” director Ruben Fleischer said of the rumor when being asked by Celebuzz at 2011 San Diego Comic-Con. When talking about the progress of the movie, he said, “We are in pre-production.”

“Gangstar Squad” is set in a chaotic and corrupt Los Angeles where gangsters are brazenly engaged in shootouts and drive-by shootings. To keep East Coast Mafia out of the city, LAPD formed an anti squad. Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Michael Pena are confirmed to join Gosling in the cast ensemble.

While moviegoers have to wait at least until 2012 to see the gangster movie in theaters, it won’t be long for them to watch Gosling in his romantic comedy. The movie about the “Blue Valentine” actor dealing with marriage problems will arrive in the U.S. on July 29.

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