Spilling Spoilers Is a Deathtrap for Indy Extra

Blockbuster numbers in five-day opening

(NEWSER) - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull has struck it rich, racking up the most lucrative international opening of all time and the second highest US weekend box office take ever in a blockbuster weekend for the Steven Spielberg epic. The film grossed $151 million domestically and $160 million overseas, Variety reports. It's Paramount's second summer hit along with Iron Man. More»

John Hurt reveals premiere plan

(NEWSER) - The first new Indiana Jones movie in 18 years will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival before its May 22 release in the US, according to one of the movie's stars. But British actor John Hurt, who spilled the beans on BBC TV, is sworn to secrecy about details of the movie, The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. More»

Lucas spent 15 years persuading Spielberg and Ford of new idea

(NEWSER) - It seems like a sure thing: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, in on 13 of the 100 highest-grossing movies ever, revive the billion-dollar Indiana Jones franchise. But Lucas spent 15 years trying to convince Spielberg and Harrison Ford to do Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, due out May 22. Why the discord? It all came down to what Hollywood calls a MacGuffin, Vanity Fair reports. More»

Successful franchises pay out for their creators in 2008

(NEWSER) - Forbes ranks the entertainment industry’s top earners age 50 and older in the last year:

1. Oprah, 55, $275 million. Viewership for her show may be waning, but Winfrey’s diverse enterprises, from a magazine to satellite radio to her Harpo production company, remain wildly profitable.
2. George Lucas, 65, $170 million. The Indiana Jones and Star Wars franchises continue to pay their creator handsomely.

Stars can't bear to tell public 'don't vote'

(AP) - Leonardo DiCaprio brings out the big guns for a get-out-the-vote video with an A-list cast including Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Harrison Ford, Will Smith, Steven Spielberg, and Justin Timberlake. Leo produces and appears in the spot, in which Spielberg directs the actors to use reverse psychology to get young people into voting booths by telling them not to vote. More»