Hollywood Ink: Industry Has its First $10 Billion Year

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· Amid anguished cries of poverty from studios, distributors and production companies around Hollywood, the film industry yesterday broke the $10 billion-annual-gross barrier for the first time ever. But $10,008,000,000 with 11 days to go, a few questions remain, like: How much of that is inflated by 3-D and IMAX surcharge boosts? (Answer: Probably between 3 and 4 percent.) And how much of that will your miserly boss float you for a belated holiday bonus? (Answer: You're kidding, right?) Expect above-the-line salary warfare to ensue in 2010. Should be fun! [The Wrap]

James Cameron wins the only award that really matters, 2010's best film title is officially taken, and more Hollywood Ink after the jump.

· For once, a cluster of flacks has happily confirmed news about James Cameron: The filmmaker will receive this year's Motion Picture Showmanship Award, the highest civilian honor bestowed by Hollywood union publicists. Congrats to him. [Variety]

· Killer Films, which has helped bring you Boys Don't Cry, Far From Heaven, I'm Not There, and many other extraordinary films of the last decade-plus, is getting 2010 off on the right foot by co-producing the documentary Fake Orgasm. That's right: A documentary, one featuring an international collection of women explaining their sexual hangups that usually result in the titular event. Mo'Nique? Are you in? [Variety]

· Ex-PayPal executive Jack Selby is among a group of three entrepreneurs launching Horsethief Pictures, a digital production/distribution shingle that already has the Western The Last Rites of Ransom Pride in the works. Peter Dinklage, Scott Speedman, Lizzy Kaplan and others star. [Variety]

· During one of the recent GOP filibusters against a vote on the national health-care bill, an apparently bored Sen. John Kerry dashed off a letter asking Time Warner Cable and News Corp. to settle this carriage-fee dispute once and for all. That should do the trick. [LAT]



Comments

  • Well, if Kerry's letter is written as he speaks, Time Warner and News Corp. will settle just to get the pain to stop.

  • CiscoMan says:

    For some reason, the idea of "union publicists" has me in stitches. "If you want five tweets per hour on top of Facebook status updates, we want 40-minute lunches. Do you want social media? WELL, DO YOU?"

  • Martini Shark says:

    The $Ten Bill annum is not reflective of the actual tickets purchased, and might also fold in concession sales. Last time I ordered a large bucket of popcorn I had to clear a credit check.