Box office: 'Thor 2' hammers the competition with $31.6 million on Friday Marvel sequel looking at an $80 million opening weekend

HIT FIX
By Dave Lewis   Saturday, Nov 9, 2013 1:23 PM

Once again, Thor is working his magic at the box office.

Marvel's "Thor 2: The Dark World" ruled the box office Friday night, debuting to a mighty $31.6 million.

The film -- starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Christopher Eccleston and Tom Hiddleston -- is expected to earn around $80 million in its opening weekend.

"Thor" opened internationally last weekend, and it will likely cross the $300 million mark globally this weekend.



The sequel is out-pacing the original, which opened in May of 2011. That film scored $25.4 million on opening day and went out to earn $65.7 million in its debut weekend. However, Thor can't compete with his fellow Avenger Tony Stark. Earlier this year, "Iron Man 3" earned a whopping $68.8 million on opening day, on its way to a $174.4 million opening weekend.

Read more at http://www.hitfix.com/news/box-office-thor-2-hammers-the-competition-with-316-million-on-friday#kdmbmiOqmVfcvM8T.99

Tom Hiddleston dons Loki costume to lord it over children's classroom for Comedy Central spot

MAIL ON LINE
By CASSIE CARPENTER
PUBLISHED: 20:14 EST, 3 November 2013 | UPDATED: 07:50 EST, 4 November 2013

He's received a cult following since playing the nefarious Norse god Loki in Thor and The Avengers.

And Tom Hiddleston donned his wig and costume to lord over a children's classroom in a teaser for a Comedy Central special airing Tuesday night.

The preview shows the 32-year-old Englishman sitting awkwardly on a beanbag chair between four captive seven-year-olds in a parody of AT&T's It's Not Complicated spots.

The action film - due out November 8 - also stars Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Stellan Skarsgård, Kat Dennings, and Anthony Hopkins.

In it, the hammer-wielding superhero desperately needs his wayward brother’s help against a new evil, the dark elf Malekeith (Christopher Eccleston).

The just-released Comedy Central spot featuring young children seems a bit ironic for the sequel rated PG-13.

However, Tom's character is clearly a major hit with the younger generation having scored a Kids' Choice Awards nod for favorite villain.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2486842/Tom-Hiddleston-dons-Loki-costume-lord-childrens-classroom-Comedy-Central-spot.html

David Tennant, Matt Smith: BBC AMERICA to Simulcast ‘Doctor Who’ 50th Anniversary Special on November 23 (trailer)

BBC AMERICA issued this to press today:

Announced today, BBC AMERICA will simulcast the Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special, The Day of the Doctor, in the U.S. on November 23, 2013. For the first time ever, the world’s longest running and most successful sci-fi series will be broadcast simultaneously to millions of viewers worldwide in a global simulcast.

From the U.S. to the U.K., Canada to Colombia, Brazil to Botswana and Myanmar to Mexico, fans in at least 75 countries spanning six continents will be able to enjoy the episode at the same time as the U.K., with more countries expected to be confirmed within the next month. The one-off special stars Matt Smith (the Eleventh Doctor), Jenna Coleman (companion Clara), David Tennant (the Tenth Doctor) with Billie Piper and John Hurt.

In addition, BBC AMERICA will be dedicating an entire week to Doctor Who in November, including the new film An Adventure in Space and Time, marathons and new specials to be announced.

On top of the worldwide TV broadcast, BBC AMERICA will announce in the coming weeks details of select 3D screenings of the anniversary episode in theaters in the U.S.

“Few TV shows can still lay claim to being appointment viewing but Doctor Who takes this to another level. In its 50th Anniversary year we wanted to create a truly international event for Doctor Who fans in as many countries as possible and the simultaneous broadcast and cinema screening of the special across so many countries will make for a fitting birthday tribute to our Time Lord,” states Tim Davie, CEO of BBC Worldwide

READ MORE HERE: http://www.bbcamerica.com/anglophenia/2013/10/bbc-america-to-simulcast-doctor-who-50th-anniversary-special/

David Tennant, Matt Smith: Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Special - what we know so far

RADIO TIMES
Jonathan Holmes
1:13 PM, 26 September 2013

It's called Day of the Doctor, and it's showing on the 23rd November 2013

The feature length episode title was officially revealed as The Day of the Doctor, which frankly doesn't give much away.

David Tennant and Billie Piper

Former Doctor David Tennant will reunite with former companion and unrequited love Rose (Billie Piper) for the special. They will team up with current Doctor and companion Matt Smith and Jenna Colman. The two Docs apparently love working with each other, proving that the Tardis is big enough for the both of them.

Baddies: Daleks and the Zygons

Come on, the Daleks were never going to miss the Doctor's big day, were they? The tin-pot dictators will return, along with an enemy we've hardly glimpsed since their first appearance almost 40 years ago: the creepy shape-shifting Zygons.

Goodies: UNIT

Kate Stewart (Jemma Redgrave) – daughter of the legendary Brigadier Alistair Lethbridge-Stewart and head of scientific research at the United Nations Intelligence Taskforce – will be returning to fight alongside the Doctor. Fans are hoping that means a rematch between the Zygons and UNIT, who last tangled in 1975's Terror of the Zygons.

Who is John Hurt?

Well, John Hurt is Who. As revealed at the end of the last series, John Hurt plays a previously unknown version of the Doctor. According to costume designer Howard Burden, he is a 'dark' Doctor who fits in between Paul McGann (who starred in the 1990s TV movie) and Christopher Eccleston. He said: “There was a gap between Paul McGann playing the Doctor and Christopher Eccleston, when we didn’t see a regeneration, and John Hurt will fit into that gap. He is a past Doctor, not a future Doctor.”


READ MORE HERE: http://www.radiotimes.com/news/2013-09-26/doctor-who-50th-anniversary-special---what-we-know-so-far

New 'Doctor Who': It's Peter Capaldi

The Scottish-born actor becomes the 12th actor to play the British sci-fi icon.

Brian Truitt

USA TODAY 

3 p.m. EDT August 4, 2013

And the sonic screwdriver goes to Peter Capaldi.

The Scottish actor was named the new star of the British sci-fi franchise Doctor Who on Sunday during a live broadcast on BBC America. He will replace the departing Matt Smith, whose time in the time-traveling police box the TARDIS ends later this year.

"It's so wonderful not to keep this secret any longer," said Capaldi, a lifelong fan of the show. "I haven't played Doctor Who since I was 9 on the playground."

Capaldi, 55, becomes the 12th man to play the Doctor since the cult show debuted in 1963 with star William Hartnell and the fourth Time Lord since executive producer Russell T Davies rebooted Doctor Who in 2005, following Christopher Eccleston, David Tennant and Smith.

Executive producer Steven Moffat had considered Capaldi when they were casting the 11th Doctor. "There comes a right time for the right person to play it," he said.

READ MORE HERE: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/tv/2013/08/04/new-doctor-who-star/2612947/

New 'Thor: The Dark World' poster: Evil looms, Loki cackles, and Jane cuddles

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY

by Anthony Breznican on Aug 1, 2013 at 11:01AM   @breznican

By the beard of Odin! Behold the latest poster for Thor: The Dark World.

Christopher Eccleston’s Malekith the Accursed looms large, the sky falls, Tom Hiddleston’s eternal troublemaker Loki cackles, and Natalie Portman’s Jane Foster squeezes in close to Chris Hemsworth’s hero, sporting her own fetching Asgardian armor.

Fans would argue Loki is really the one who needs a hug.

The poster for the Nov. 8 movie also shows Malekith’s army of dark elves marching forward in silhouette across the bottom. In the lower right, we see a shimmering palace of Asgard, and above it hovers the Fist of Malekith, the name of his invading Black Ark ship.

READ MORE HERE: http://insidemovies.ew.com/2013/08/01/new-thor-the-dark-world-poster-evil-looms-loki-cackles-and-jane-cuddles/#

DOCTOR WHO: The 50th Anniversary Cinema Teaser...

New Shot Of Tom Hiddleston's Loki On The THOR: THE DARK WORLD Display (COMIC BOOK MOVIE) By Mark "RorMachine" Cassidy - 7/18/2013

It's not much, but the Thor: The Dark World screen at Comic-Con has been pretty bare of anything new to whet fan's appetites for the sequel thus far, so now we have a new image of fan favorite Loki (Tom Hiddleston) for you.

Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Idris Elba, Christopher Eccleston, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Kat Dennings, Ray Stevenson, Zachary Levi, Tadanobu Asano and Jaimie Alexander with Rene Russo & Anthony Hopkins as Odin, “Thor: The Dark World” is directed by Alan Taylor, and hits theaters November 8, 2013.

 Read more at http://www.comicbookmovie.com/fansites/notyetamovie/news/?a=83515#xxGb077IrvvLFZP6.99

David Tennant: Doctor Who 50th anniversary: David Tennant confirmed as only returning Doctor (THE TELEGRAPH)

By Alice Vincent,
Entertainment writer,

After months of speculation about which, if any, previous Doctor Who actors would return for the show's 50th anniversary episode, David Tennant alone has been confirmed.

The new issue of Doctor Who Magazine, out today, states: “Although David Tennant has returned to his role of the Tenth Doctor, the other old Doctors will not be taking part.”

The hour-long 3D episode, which will air in November, began filming in April. However, rumours in February suggested that all 11 Time Lords would be involved, with those who have died recreated using technology.

However, in April, the BBC released a statement confirming that Christopher Eccleston, who played the ninth doctor, would not be appearing despite having been in talks with Doctor Who writer Steven Moffat.

Previous Doctor actors Paul McGann, Sylvester McCoy, Colin Baker, Peter Davison and Tom Baker have all discussed appearing in the episode, but say they haven't been asked.

READ MORE: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/doctor-who/10033112/Doctor-Who-50th-anniversary-David-Tennant-confirmed-as-only-returning-Doctor.html

Tom Hiddleston, Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman: First Poster For ‘Thor: The Dark World’ (FLICKS AND BITS)

With the film’s teaser trailer set for release on April 23rd, Marvel has debuted this first poster for ‘Thor: The Dark World.’ In the sequel, the likes of Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Idris Elba, Ray Stevenson, Kat Dennings, Jaimie Alexander, Tadanobu Asano, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston and Natalie Portman reprise their roles from the first film, while Zack Levi is confirmed to play Fandril, Christopher Eccleston will play the villainous Malekith The Accursed, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje will be playing Algrim the Strong and Kurse.

Set one year after ‘The Avengers,’ Thor battles to save all the Nine Realms from a mysterious enemy older than the universe itself. However, a primeval race led by Malekith, who is out for revenge, intends to descend the universe into darkness. Confronted by an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot overcome, Thor must reunite with Jane Foster and set out on a dangerous journey that will force him to make the ultimate sacrifice.

Alan Taylor, an accomplished TV director whose credits include ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ ‘Mad Men,’ ‘The Sopranos’ and ‘Nurse Jackie,’ takes over directorial duties from Kenneth Branagh, who helmed the first ‘Thor’ film. Don Payne, who co-wrote the first film, penned the original draft with Robert Rodat doing the most recent polish. ‘Thor: The Dark World’ is set for a November 8th release. The official synopsis for ‘Thor: The Dark World’ can be read below.

Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” continues the big-screen adventures of Thor, the Mighty Avenger, as he battles to save Earth and all the Nine Realms from a shadowy enemy that predates the universe itself. In the aftermath of Marvel’s “Thor” and “Marvel’s The Avengers,” Thor fights to restore order across the cosmos…but an ancient race led by the vengeful Malekith returns to plunge the universe back into darkness. Faced with an enemy that even Odin and Asgard cannot withstand, Thor must embark on his most perilous and personal journey yet, one that will reunite him with Jane Foster and force him to sacrifice everything to save us all

READ MORE: http://www.flicksandbits.com/2013/04/19/first-poster-for-thor-the-dark-world/45154/

Tom Hiddleston talks Loki, Ray Stevenson on Volstagg Tuesday, 19 March 2013 (FLICKERING MYTH)

After menacing the God of Thunder and Earth's Mightiest Heroes as Loki in Thor and The Avengers, Tom Hiddleston has become a firm favourite among fans of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Hiddleston is set to return to Asgard this year alongside Chris Hemsworth in the solo sequel Thor: The Dark World from director Alan Taylor (Game of Thrones), and speaking to Zap2It, the British actor has expressed his love for the God of Mischief, stating that he's happy to continue portraying Loki for as long as Marvel and the audience will have him:

"It is a rare thing to be connected to a character that people enjoy watching. I never expected it my wildest dreams. You don't dare sign up for that as an actor. All any actor can see is they might play a character that somehow ignites the public imagination and it is thrilling when you do. It is in good fun. The fun of playing Loki is the character itself constantly keeps people guessing. And he provokes a double-edged sentiment in the people who allegedly he has invested in, and who he cares about. As someone, who was then cast out as the black sheep of the royal family, whether he can be accepted into that fold is a question that remains to be answered. Just how dark and evil he has become is another question I hope the film will answer."

Meanwhile, at the premiere of G.I. Joe: Retaliation, Red Carpet News TV caught up with fellow Brit Ray Stevenson, who briefly spoke about returning as Volstagg in November's Thor sequel, along with Christopher Eccleston's (G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra) new bad guy Malekith the Accursed, and the possibility of the Warriors Three popping up in 2015's The Avengers 2:

READ MORE: http://www.flickeringmyth.com/2013/03/tom-hiddleston-talks-loki-ray-stevenson.html

Tom Hiddleston discusses ‘Thor: The Dark World’ March 16, 2013 by Andrew Flynn (FILMONIC)

Tom Hiddleston (Thor, The Avengers) recently spoke to Red Carpet News about reprising his role as the ever-popular antagonist, Loki, in the forthcoming sequel Thor: The Dark World. The actor revealed that the character is faced with intriguing new challenges due to the introduction of the villainous Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), and the two may struggle to adhere to each other’s own devious agendas.

READ MORE: http://filmonic.com/tom-hiddleston-discusses-thor-the-dark-world#.UUXa5hwp_3M

Hugh Grant gets an apology from Murdoch Duchess of York and Christopher Eccleston also settle hacking cases in High Court JAMES CUSICK (INDEPENDENT)

The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson, actors Hugh Grant and Christopher Eccleston, and the Catholic parish priest of singer Charlotte Church, Father Richard Reardon, were among 17 phone-hacking victims offered  public apologies in the High Court  today by News International.

The “sincere” contrition and undisclosed “substantial” damages for a total of 144 cases, means that 26 victims of the News of the World’s illegal phone-hacking activities, have yet to settle with Rupert Murdoch’s UK newspaper division in the latest wave of claims.

Among the claimants who opted for a court-room apology were singer James Blunt, Uri Geller, Geoffrey Robinson, the former Labour minister, and Colin Stagg, the man wrongly accused of the murder of Rachel Nickell. Mr Stagg, one of the few to have his damages disclosed, was awarded £15,500.

Those who settled, but opted to keep the terms of the arrangement private, included Cherie Blair QC, the wife of the former prime minister, Ukip leader Nigel Farage, TV presenters Jamie Theakston and Chris Tarrant, Ted Beckham, the father of the former England football captain, former Tory minister Lord Blencathra, actor James Nesbitt, footballer Wayne Rooney, and BBC reporter Tom Mangold.

READ MORE:  http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/hugh-grant-gets-an-apology-from-murdoch-8486935.html

David Tennant Is Geek Smash Readers’ Favorite Doctor! (GEEK SMASH)

It really is no surprise that the Tenth Doctor, David Tennant was chosen as the winner of Geek Smash’s “Which Doctor Is Your Favorite?” survey. He received 29% of the votes. Christopher Eccleston, The Ninth Doctor, came in second with 14%. Fourth Doctor Tom Baker followed close with 12% The current, Eleventh Doctor, Matt Smith, came in with 8%.

Why, though? What makes David Tennant more special than Eccleston? Okay, I personally like the Ninth Doctor. He’s more macho, more of a soldier than his successors (I’m not too familiar with the classic Doctors just yet). Considering the long hiatus through the 90′s, and the fact that David Tennant’s reign as the iconic Time Lord was longer than the other, newer Doctors, I think he is still stuck in everybody’s mind as being THE Doctor.



READ THE REST: http://geeksmash.com/entertainment-news/david-tennant-best-doctor-who-336

Tom Hiddleston: Details on Loki's role in Thor: The Dark World (411 MANIA.COM)

Will he be an ally or an enemy?

It appears that, despite not being the main villain, Loki will be at odds with his brother for at least a portion of Thor: The Dark World. As we've previously reported, Tom Hiddleston is confirmed to be returning as Loki and Christopher Eccleston (Doctor Who) is playing the primary villain in Malekith the Accursed. Now, the Icelandic website Visir reports that the production filmed a scene that sheds a tiny bit of light on Loki's actions in the film.

According to the site—which notes that Thor 2 is the fourth film to be shot in Iceland this year following Oblivion, Darren Aronofsky's Noah and Ben Stiller's The Secret Life of Walter Mitty—the film crew shot "a big fight scene between Thor and Loki" that involved about 500 people on-set. That obviously suggests some kind of larger battle scene as opposed to a one-on-one skirmish.

Read more at http://www.411mania.com/movies/news/259727/[Movies]-Details-on-Loki%5C%5Cs-Role-in-Thor:-The-Dark-World.htm

Tom Hiddleston Talks THOR: THE DARK WORLD, How He Differs from Loki and What Fans Can Expect from the Sequel by Dave Trumbore Posted: August 6th, 2012 at 9:08 am (COLLIDER)

Not to be upstaged by potential villainous newcomer, Christopher Eccleston, Tom Hiddleston recently commented on his own villain, Loki, in the upcoming Marvel sequel, Thor: The Dark World.   After starring as the trickster in both Thor and The Avengers, Hiddleston talks at length about the character’s complexity, how he feels about director Alan Taylor’s vision for Thor 2 and what fans can expect to see in the sequel.  Hit the jump to see what Hiddleston has to say.

Also starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Zachary Levi, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba, Ray Stevenson, Jaimie Alexander, Stellan Skarsgard and Kat Dennings, Thor: The Dark World will open November 8th, 2013.


After receiving his fan award for “Hottest Actor” from the Total Film Hotlist Awards (via CBM), Hiddleston talked in depth about playing Loki in Thor: The Dark World.  Here’s a sample of what he had to say (for the full interview, head over to Total Film):

On the topic of Loki’s mental state:

“Underneath the steely cold veneer of his trickster charm is a certain vulnerability and sensitivity – the wounded fragility of an outcast brother and son. His mind IS a box of cats though! But I love him.”


READ THE REST:  http://collider.com/thor-2-sequel-tom-hiddleston/186696/

Ewan McGregor: 'Shallow Grave' review: a beautifully filmed thriller that keeps you guessing Chris Sawin Houston Movie Examiner (EXAMINER)

Danny Boyle has come a long way in his rather lengthy filmmaking career. He gained a cult-like following with fan favorites "Trainspotting" and "28 Days Later," "Slumdog Millionaire" won him an Oscar, and "127 Hours" was pretty outstanding but was perhaps blown up more than it should have been. It was a film called “Sunshine,” a personal favorite, about a team of astronauts sent on a mission to re-ignite the sun that really made this critic keep a keen eye on everything Boyle put his fingers on. Before all of that though, Danny Boyle made his debut as a director with a little thriller called "Shallow Grave."

READ MORE:  http://www.examiner.com/review/shallow-grave-review-a-beautifully-filmed-thriller-that-keeps-you-guessing

Top Ten Actors in the World - according to somebody (IMDb)

By Aditya Rangroo
December 1, 2011 7:17 AM GMT

Number 1

(Photo: Reuters )

Trained at the prestigious London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA), Benedict Cumberbatch met Professor Stephen Hawking twice before filming Hawking (2004) (TV) to prepare for the role.He is the son of actor Timothy Carlton and actress Wanda Ventham.

Benedict's first ever acting role was when he was still at school. He played Titania, Queen of the Fairies, in the Shakespeare play "A Midsummer Night's Dream". During his gap year before going to Manchester University, he spent some time teaching English at a Tibetan monastery.

Number 2 

(Photo: Reuters )

Bryan Lee Cranston is an American actor, voice actor, writer and director. He is perhaps best known for his role as Walter White in the AMC drama series Breaking Bad, for which he has won three consecutive Drama Series Awards for Outstanding Lead Actor.

Number Three

(Photo: Reuters )

Eldest of 6 children born to photographer Mark Fiennes. British actor Ralph Fiennes is well known for his portrayals of infamous villains, such as Nazi war criminal Amon Göth in Schindler's List, serial killer Francis Dolarhyde in Red Dragon, and Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter film series. Most recently, he appeared in The Reader (2008), In Bruges (2008) The Hurt Locker (2009) and as Hades in Clash of the Titans (2010).

Number 4

(Photo: Reuters )

Born into an academic family - his father is a history lecturer at Winchester University College (formerly King Alfred's College) in Winchester and his mother is a comparative religions lecturer at the Open University - Colin Firth's first acting experience came in infant's school when he played "Jack Frost" in a Christmas pantomime. His first professional role was as "Bennet" in the West End production of "Another Country". He went on to play a variety of character parts in both film and television. For his portrayal of "Robert Lawrence" in the 1989 TV production Tumbledown (1988) (TV), he received the Royal Television Society Best Actor award and also a BAFTA nomination. He also received a BAFTA nomination for "Mr. Darcy" in the 1995 TV version of "Pride and Prejudice" (1995). In 2011, he won the Oscar for Best Actor for his commanding leading role, playing British King George VI in The King's Speech (2010).




Number 5

(Photo: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ )

Alun Armstrong was a member of the original London cast of Cameron Mackintosh's stage production "Les Miserables" which opened in 1985.  He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Theatre Award in 1994 (1993 season) for Best Actor in a Musical for his performance in Sweeney Todd at the Royal National Theater.

Number 6

(Photo: Reuters )

Even though he had burned up the London stage for nearly a decade--and appeared in several films--Michael Sheen was not really "discovered" by American audiences until his critically acclaimed turn as 'Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart' in the 1999 Broadway revival of "Amadeus".

Number 8

(Photo: http://www.facebook.com/pages/ )

Born in Salford, Lancashire. Christopher Eccleston trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and first came to public attention as Derek Bentley in Let Him Have It (1991). However, it was a regular role in the TV series "Cracker" (1993) that made him a recognizable figure in the UK. He appeared in the low-budget thriller Shallow Grave (1994) and in the same year won the part of Nicky Hutchinson in the epic BBC drama serial "Our Friends in the North" (1996). It was the transmission of the latter series on BBC Two that really made him into a household name in the UK.

Number 9

(Photo: Reuters )

Mark Strong was born in London. He first intended to pursue a career in law but returned after studying in Munich for one year to the Royal Holloway Univeristy of London (where he studied English and Drama) before he went to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has appeared in numerous British stage productions, including at the Royal National Theatre and the RSC.

Number 10

(Photo: Reuters )

With his breakthrough performance as "Eames" in Christopher Nolan's 2010 science fiction thriller, Inception (2010), English actor Tom Hardy has been brought to the attention of mainstream audiences worldwide. But the versatile actor has been steadily working on both stage and screen since his television debut in the 2001 miniseries "Band of Brothers" (2001)




International Business Times

(Photo: Reuters )

Peter Stormare began his acting career at the Royal National Theatre of Sweden, performing for eleven years. In 1990 he became the Associate Artistic Director at the Tokyo Globe Theatre and directed productions of many Shakespeare plays, including "Hamlet". In 1993 he moved to New York, where he appeared in English productions. He continues to work in both the United States and his his homeland of Sweden.

Number 7