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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: Universal Studios

Universal Studios stories: 19 news summaries

 

 Harry Potter Park 
 Opens This Spring 

Visiting Muggles can buy wands, meet hippogriffs, drink butterbeer

Sep 15, 09 2:12 PM CDT
(Newser) - Get your wands ready: the Wizarding World of Harry Potter opens next spring, Universal Orlando announced. Muggles will enter through the village of Hogsmeade, where they’ll visit Hogsmeade station, Zonko’s joke shop, and the Three Broomsticks pub to sample some butterbeer. But the main event, called Harry Potter... More »

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Florida • entertainment • Harry Potter • Universal Studios • theme park • Wizarding World of Harry Potter


 Funny People Puts 
 Serious Pressure on Sandler 

Box office performance for latest flick a mystery

Jul 31, 09 2:22 PM CDT
(Newser) - Though it’s called Funny People, Adam Sandler’s latest film is a bit more serious than his fans are used to—and its opening-weekend performance is a mystery, Variety reports. Forecasts range from just over $20 million to more like $35 million, Audiences loved director Judd Apatow’... More »

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entertainment • film • comedy • Universal Studios • celebrity • box office • Adam Sandler • James L. Brooks • Judd Apatow • revenue • movies • Funny People

 Universal Turning  
 Atari's '70s Asteroids 
 Game Into Movie 

Crudely drawn '70s arcade classic to become full-length film

Jul 3, 09 6:30 AM CDT
(Newser) - Universal Studios has shot down three rivals to win the movie rights to the classic '70s Atari game Asteroids, reports the Hollywood Reporter. Matt Lopez, writer of Disney's Bedtime Stories, has been tasked with turning the game's story of a spaceship firing at crudely drawn rocks and the occasional... More »

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Universal Studios • movie rights • video games • Asteroids

DreamWorks Nails Down
Disney Deal

Spielberg's studio to get financing, distribution for six films a year

Feb 9, 09 3:10 PM CST
(Newser) - Steven Spielberg’s DreamWorks has secured a distribution deal with Disney, the Wall Street Journal reports. Under the agreement, Disney will handle marketing and distribution for six live-action DreamWorks films per year and give Spielberg’s studio access to $150 million in financing. More »

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Steven Spielberg • Walt Disney Co. • Universal Studios • Disney • DreamWorks • Walt Disney • movie financing • financing

Spurned Spielberg Seeks Disney Deal

Universal scraps Dreamworks plan after demand for more cash

Feb 7, 09 8:35 AM CST
(Newser) - Hollywood's own financial crisis has left Steven Spielberg searching for a home for DreamWorks, the Wall Street Journal reports. Talks over a distribution deal with Universal collapsed yesterday after the studio balked at DreamWorks' request to double its financing commitment to $200 million. DreamWorks is now in talks with Disney,... More »

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Steven Spielberg • Universal Studios • Disney • DreamWorks • credit crisis • movie financing • Mukesh Ambani • Reliance ADA Group • Disney Studios

 Spielberg 
 Strikes Huge 
 Universal Deal 

Universal Studios to distribute up to 6 films a year

Oct 14, 08 10:29 AM CDT
(Newser) - Steven Spielberg is returning to the Hollywood studio where he made his classic blockbusters Jaws and ET.  Spielberg's DreamWorks, backed with $1.4 billion in new financing, has struck a seven-year distribution deal with Universal for as many as six new releases a year, according to the Hollywood Reporter.... More »

MORE ABOUT:
David Geffen • Steven Spielberg • Universal Studios • Jaws • DreamWorks • Stacey Snider • Paramount • E.T.: The Extra Terrestrial

 Summer Movies Smash Record

Blockbusters boost studios to record-breaking sales

Aug 28, 08 9:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - Hollywood studios are reeling in their highest-grossing summer ever, the Los Angeles Times reports. Domestic ticket sales stand at $3.9 billion, up from last year's record-breaking summer. A steady stream of smash hits—and higher ticket prices—accounted for the record take, more than making up for costly flops... More »

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Universal Studios • Disney • box office • The Dark Knight • Warner Brothers • Paramount • movie industry • movies • Hollywood studios • Iron Man • 20th Century Fox

Mummy Sequel Misses Top Spot at Box Office

Dark Knight still rules, banking $43M in third weekend win

Aug 3, 08 5:28 PM CDT
(Newser) - Even the undead can't stop Batman: The Dark Knight defeated The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor in its third weekend win, grossing an unexpected $43.8 million and hitting nearly $400 million. The Mummy sequel took second with $42.4 million, while Kevin Costner's Swing Vote, the only other... More »

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Universal Studios • Universal Pictures • Batman • The Dark Knight • Warner Brothers • Kevin Costner • The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor • Swing Vote

 Hulk Sees Green
 at Box Office 

Marvel and Universal bank $54.4M with monster remake

Jun 15, 08 4:38 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Incredible Hulk stormed the weekend box office, grossing $54.5 million for Universal and Marvel Comics, Variety reports. Kung Fu Panda fell to second with $34.3 million as the R-rated thriller The Happening surprised analysts by banking $30.5 million in third. You Don't Mess With the Zohan... More »

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Universal Studios • Marvel Comics • box office

 Blowtorch Ignited Studio Fire 

Universal Sudios reopen after blaze

Jun 3, 08 2:43 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Universal Studios theme park reopened yesterday after a disastrous fire on the back lot destroyed sets, a video archive and the King Kong attraction. Investigators believe the blaze was caused by workmen using a blowtorch on a New York City street set, reports the Los Angeles Times. Low water... More »

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Universal Studios • King Kong • Desperate Housewives • fire • roofing shingles • water pressure • Back Lot • sprinkler system

 Fire Ravages
 Universal
 Studios Backlot 

King Kong exhibit burns, 2 outdoor sets also ablaze

Jun 1, 08 11:44 AM CDT
(Newser) - Fire broke out early this morning in the Universal Studios backlot, destroying priceless movie memorabilia and damaging at least one sound stage and two outdoor sets, reports the Los Angeles Times. The blaze began during filming on the lot, and consumed the King Kong exhibit that has long been a... More »

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California • Universal Studios • King Kong • fire

 Studios Gamble on
 Hulk's Quick Return 

Execs think buzz for June release can overwhelm stink of '03 bust

May 9, 08 6:30 PM CDT
(Newser) - Studio executives are hoping that The Incredible Hulk, due out June 13, will roar in dollar-sign green—and not the sicklier shade of moviegoers still recovering from Ang Lee's 2003 version, the Los Angeles Times reports. Funders Universal and Marvel promise more action in the new version, and bigger names... More »

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Universal Studios • Marvel Comics • trailers • Ang Lee • action movie • movie remakes • The Incredible Hulk

Dubai Is the New Mecca
for Theme Parks

Abu Dhabi, Shanghai also among locations planning impressive amusements

Apr 3, 08 3:56 PM CDT
(Newser) - The big US amusement companies—Six Flags, Universal, SeaWorld, Warner Bros., MGM—have all seen the future, and it's in Dubai. That's where the world's largest playland—a sprawling $64-billion collection of theme parks, golf courses, museums and hotels—is going up, but it's only the most dramatic of projects... More »

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South Korea • Universal Studios • Dubai • amusement parks • Singapore • Abu Dhabi • DreamWorks • theme park • Shanghai • Six Flags • Dubailand

 NBC Splits Off Studio for Cable 

Shake-up hands key role to Sci-Fi channel boss

Mar 25, 08 2:55 AM CDT
(Newser) - NBC is splitting its TV production unit into two companies. The units will share the same resources, but will be divided into separate cable and broadcast operations, according to the Hollywood Reporter. NBC's cable channels have been reaping the profits of hits like Battlestar Galactica and Monk, while its broadcast... More »

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television • NBC • cable TV • NBC Universal • Jeff Zucker • Universal Studios • broadcasting • Bonnie Hammer

Warner Bros. Backs Blu-Ray

Future of HD DVD format now in question

Jan 5, 08 6:59 AM CST
(Newser) - Warner Bros. will release new high-def films exclusively in Blu-ray format, the Wall Street Journal reports. The decision marks a major setback for the embattled rival HD DVD format—now adopted by only two studios, Universal and Paramount—and could be a tipping point in the ongoing format war that... More »

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HD DVD • Universal Studios • Blu ray • Warner Brothers • Paramount

Boo! Where to Go for Halloween

Oct 22, 07 5:56 PM CDT
(Newser) - If you like being scared, this is your time of year. Here are nine of the best sites to visit in the US and Canada in honor of Halloween, according to Reuters:
  1. Six Flags Parks in the US and Canada
  2. Universal Studios, Hollywood
  3. The Haunted Adventure, Toronto
More »

MORE ABOUT:
travel • list • Universal Studios • Halloween • Six Flags Magic Mountain • Camp Blood • Great Halloween Grave Dig • The Haunted Adventure • Busch Gardens

Peacock Flies Burbank Coop

NBC is moving operations to new studios near Universal

Oct 11, 07 4:03 AM CDT
(Newser) - NBC Universal is pulling up stakes at its legendary Burbank studio home of 50 years and moving to new facilities across from Universal Studios in Hollywood. The company will switch operations to a massive new complex in 2011. The center will have a street-side studio modeled after the "Today"... More »

MORE ABOUT:
television • California • Hollywood • NBC • NBC Universal • Los Angeles • Universal Studios • NBC News • Burbank

'Potter' Finale Deathly for
Book Business

Final chapter casting spell on readers, but sellers don't feel magic

Jun 25, 07 9:06 AM CDT
(Newser) - The final Harry Potter installment will likely fly off the shelves like a Quidditch player, but retailers are feeling decidedly grounded. Facing megasized hype, chains and websites will sell Harry for cost, leaving independent bookstores practically out of the selling loop. And Business Week reports Scholastic's lodestone is diverting attention... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Harry Potter • profits • literature • Universal Studios • Scholastic • theme park • book • Amazon.com

Hollywood Prays for Laughs from the Faithful

With 'Evan Almighty,' Universal skews pious
in comedy division

Jun 20, 07 4:54 AM CDT
(Newser) - God is returning to the big screen this Friday in Universal's Evan Almighty, a big-budget comedy aimed at the churchgoing. The LA TImes recalls that Hollywood used to balk at religiously-inflected films, but saw the light when Mel Gibson's spiritual blockbuster The Passion of the Christ raked in $370M in... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Hollywood • Morgan Freeman • film • religion • God • Evan Almighty • comedy • church • Noah's Ark • spirituality • Universal Studios • Steve Carell • movies

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