traitor Tagged Articles at Cinematical

The most exciting news from Labor Day weekend at the box-office -- traditionally a slow period -- is that America seems to have caught on to the scam that Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer have been running for... what is it now? Almost three years? (I'm not counting the Scary Movie franchise, which always retained some redeeming value despite their idiocy.) Anyway, their latest travesty, Disaster Movie, opened to $6.9 million over four days, just over a third of the (nearly identical to each other) first three-day weekends for Date Movie, Epic Movie and Meet the Spartans. Could that be the end of that?

Not that any of Disaster Movie's competitors did spectacularly better. The strongest of them -- the poorly-reviewed sci-fi flick Babylon A.D. -- only managed second place and a $12 million four-day. Don Cheadle's Traitor came in fifth with $10 million, which I actually think is robust for an barely-marketed film opening on just over 2,000 screens. College crashed and burned, landing outside the top 10 with $2.6 million. The best explanation is that there simply wasn't any reason to see it.

The holdovers did well. Mamma Mia!, now in its seventh weekend of release, continues to lurk in the bottom half of the top 10; its take actually grew compared to last weekend, even if you use the 3-day numbers. It's up to $133 million. The Dark Knight barely lost steam, going from fourth place to third and breaking the $500 million threshold. Vicky Cristina Barcelona also continues to do very well on under 700 screens. And of course, Tropic Thunder managed a third weekend atop the charts, leapfrogging past Pineapple Express.

The full estimates after the jump.

Tropic Thunder held onto the top spot for two weeks in a row, followed by The House Bunny and Death Race. Last week's two other newbies The Longshots and The Rocker took the number 10 and 13th spots respectively. Here's what the top five looked like:

1. Tropic Thunder: $16.2 million
2. The House Bunny: $14.5 million
3. Death Race: $12.6 million
4. The Dark Knight: $10.5 million
5. Star Wars: The Clone Wars: $5.6 million

Babylon A.D.
What's It All About: Vin Diesel stars in this futuristic actioner as a bodyguard charged with delivering a young woman from Russia to the U.S. Little does he realize that she is hosting an organism that a cult hopes to use to create a new messiah.
Why It Might Do Well: While not on a par with this Summer's biggest flicks, Babylon A.D. represents the last gasp of the season's eye candy movies and it's getting a really wide release.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Those thinking this might be a big screen version of Babylon 5 may be in for a disappointment. Also, with five reviews in, Rottentomatoes.com is giving this 0% rotten as of this writing.
Number of Theaters: 3,200
Prediction: $23 million

College
What's It All About: Drake Bell from Nikolodeon's Drake and Josh plays one of several high school kids on a college visit looking to party. Hijinks and projectile vomiting ensue.
Why It Might Do Well: Someone must feel nostalgic for those bowl-hugging college days.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Because part of me wants to believe there is justice in the universe.
Number of Theaters: 2,000
Prediction: $5 million

Disaster Movie
What's It All About: Jason Friedberg and Aaron Seltzer, the writer/director team behind Meet the Spartans, Epic Movie and the Scary Movie franchise go to the well once again with a flick that parodies disaster movies, super hero flicks and various pop culture icons.
Why It Might Do Well: Like them or not, Friedberg and Seltzer's movies tend to make a respectable if not stellar profit.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Maybe the public has had enough of these things. I can dream, can't I?
Number of Theaters: 2,500
Prediction: $11 million

Traitor
(opens Wednesday)
What's It All About: Don Cheadle stars in this tale of international intrigue as a deep cover CIA agent under investigation by the FBI as a possible terrorist.
Why It Might Do Well: In addition to Cheadle the impressive cast includes Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels.
Why It Might Not Do Well: Fresh off the Summer blockbuster season, will audiences want a film about such weighty matters?
Number of Theaters: 2,054
Prediction: $9 million

Box office predictions become a much wilder and woolier proposition once blockbuster season ends, making it all the more exciting if you ask me. Here's what I think next week's top five will be:
1. Babylon A.D.
2. Disaster Movie
3. Traitor
4. Tropic Thunder
5. Death Race

Last week's top five took us all by surprise. Most didn't think Tropic Thunder would take another week at number one, and many expected The Rocker to do better. Here's how we all did:
1. LostinaFog: 7
2. I Eat Robots: 6
2. Romel: 6
2. Smiggy: 6
2. Victor de la torre: 6
2. Mike: 6
2. Adam P: 6
2. Vera: 6
3. Matt: 4
3. Chris: 4
3. Alex: 4
3. Liz: 4
3. Vega: 4
3. Zctop: 4
3. NP: 4
3. Ray: 4
3. VP: 4
3. AJ Wiley: 4
3. Greatone: 4

Post your predictions for the top five movies in the comments section below before 5:00PM Eastern Time on Friday. One point for every top five movie correctly named, two points for every correct placement, and one extra point for the top movie.

As I exited the screening of Traitor, the terrorism thriller starring Don Cheadle that opens on Wednesday, I noticed something odd in the closing credits: story by Steve Martin and Jeffrey Nachmanoff. The second guy is the film's director. But that first guy ... Steve Martin? The Steve Martin?

I knew the one-time Wild and Crazy Guy was a renaissance man. In fact, lately I've enjoyed his writing, which is clever, nuanced, and intelligent, more than I've enjoyed most of his movies. He apparently is not as selective about his film projects as he is about his writing. His novella The Pleasure of My Company is one of my favorite recent books, and Shopgirl (which was made into a film) is another surprisingly emotional gem.

But a terrorism thriller about Muslim extremists and FBI investigations? Even with the understanding that "typical Steve Martin" territory extends much further than the casual fan might realize, this was not typical Steve Martin territory. Checking out the film's website, I found this explanation:

"Traitor began its journey to the big screen when Steve Martin presented an intriguing idea to producer David Hoberman while they were working together on the blockbuster comedy Bringing Down the House. Martin's "what if?" scenario immediately captured Hoberman's imagination with its provocative contemporary themes and surprising final twist."

The production notes go on to describe Nachmanoff and Don Cheadle doing a lot of reworking of Nachmanoff's script, which had been based on Martin's original concept, so I don't know how much of Martin's idea is in the finished product. (He's also credited as an executive producer.) But either way, as a huge fan of Martin's, it's always exciting to see him do something new. It's also nice to know that something positive came out of Bringing Down the House.

Maybe I missed something, but since when did releasing films on a Wednesday become a commonplace strategy? I know, for years and years, several titles have opened mid-week, albeit typically on a handful of NY/LA screens or to capitalize on a holiday weekend.

But due to some recent moves, every Wednesday in August now has at least one wide release opening on it instead of Friday. On the 6th, we have Pineapple Express and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2; the 13th brings us Tropic Thunder; the 20th, The Rocker; and then Traitor on the 27th.

There are at least three other wide releases on the last three Fridays of the month, but I see no distinct point at which a two-day head start would make any great deal of difference (although I presume that Pineapple still wanted to have seven days on Tropic instead of five when it comes to their similar target demographic).

Was there a holiday I overlooked somewhere? Is it now cooler for kids to go to the movies on a school night once classes are back in session? Do you guys have any theories, or will you still wait for the weekend to catch any of these regardless?

Cinematical has just received this exclusive poster for Traitor (click to enlarge), starring Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce. Based on an idea from Steve Martin (who you usually don't see take on this sort of high-stakes drama), and a script from Jeffrey Nachmanoff (who also directed), Traitor finds Pearce playing a straight-edge FBI agent who heads an investigation on international conspiracy, where all clues lead back to former U.S. Special Operations officer, Samir Horn (Cheadle).

The first trailer for Traitor is now live over at Yahoo, and I have to say I'm really enjoying the film's fast-paced edge. Cheadle looks pretty badass in this, and I don't believe we've seen him this tough on screen in quite some time. Pearce (who's always reminded me of a more disturbed and intense Val Kilmer) is on his game as usual, so I expect good things from Traitor. I like a film that makes the audience work a little and think a little. You?

Traitor is set to hit theaters on August 27.

UPDATE: We've been asked to take down the trailer as it hasn't been approved for distribution yet.

Note: You might want to kick up the speakers a bit here; this one comes in a tad low.

Above you will find the first trailer for the film Traitor, starring Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce and Jeff Daniels. The wild thing about this film is that Steve Martin (yes, THE Steve Martin) came up with the idea for Traitor, though he left scripting duties to writer-director Jeffrey Nachmanoff. Based on what we see above, Traitor seems like one of those "have fun figuring it out" types. Pearce plays a straight-edge FBI agent who heads an investigation on international conspiracy, where all clues lead back to former U.S. Special Operations office, Samir Horn (Cheadle). Thus begins what appears to be a dangerous cat and mouse game between the two -- with Daniels playing a veteran CIA contractor with his own agenda.

What I'm liking about this one is that Cheadle looks pretty rough, tough and ready to rumble -- and we don't get to see him much in roles where he can beat the living hell out of anyone within shouting distance. Go Don Cheadle! That guy always gives a tremendous performance, so no matter what I believe Traitor will be worth the watch just to see Cheadle in action. But let us know what you think.

Traitor hits theaters on August 29.

It's kind of funny if you think about it, but Steve Martin really does have two entirely different careers. First, there is the goofy family friendly guy who stars in middling comedies like Bringing Down the House and Cheaper By the Dozen; and then there is the acerbic wit who writes abstract New Yorker pieces and stars in David Mamet films. Plus, occasionally he comes up with an idea for a movie of his own. RowThree.com is now hosting two new stills from the political thriller, Traitor. Martin will not be starring in this film, although he will serve as an executive producer. Originally Disney had lined up to produce the film back in 2002, but after a few staff changes at "mouse headquarters," the project was dropped.

Traitor stars Guy Pearce, Don Cheadle, and Jeff Daniels. Jeffrey Nachmanoff directed the film and the plot is is described as a "topical, politically relevant story dealing with international terrorism and U.S. traitors." Pearce plays FBI agent Roy Clayton; a straight arrow type who is drawn into a political conspiracy when everything points to a Special Operations officer (Cheadle). From there on it sounds like your usual espionage fare and, "obsessed with discovering the truth, Clayton tracks Horn across the globe as the elusive ex-soldier burrows deeper and deeper into a world of shadows and intrigue."

Nachmanoff isn't exactly a household name, but you might recognize him as the man who wrote The Day After Tomorrow (which isn't exactly good news, now is it?). But, I'll rely on the reputations of Pearce and Cheadle to guarantee me at least a decent popcorn movie if nothing else. Nachmanoff also wrote the script for Traitor before heading off to work on pre-production for Jerry Bruckheimer's video game flick, Prince of Persia. Traitor is still in post-production so a release date has not been set. Stay tuned to Cinematical for any updates that come our way.

Replace Rwandan refugees with dogs and what do you get? Don Cheadle's next film. The actor, who earned an Oscar nomination for Hotel Rwanda, has been cast in the similarly titled yet very differently themed movie Hotel for Dogs. It isn't just the title of the new project that reminds us of the earlier film; the synopsis provided by Variety tells us that Hotel for Dogs features a hotel that serves as a refuge and sanctuary for beings that would otherwise be dispose of. Of course, this time they are in fact dogs and not human victims of a civil war in Africa. Last month, when Monika brought you the story of Hotel for Dogs, it was said that Emma Roberts (I'll continue reminding you that she's Julia's niece) would star as one of two orphaned teens who hide stray dogs in an abandoned hotel. We had also learned that it was based on a 1971 children's book by Lois Duncan and that it would be effects artist Thor Freudenthal's directorial debut. The adaptation has been scripted by Jeff Lowell (John Tucker Must Die) and is being produced by Jon Gordon, Lauren Shuler Donner (Unaccompanied Minors) and Jack Leslie.

Cheadle apparently will not be a hotel manager this time. Instead, he will play a social worker who keeps the teens out of trouble. I can't find a plot description of the book, but I have a feeling that his role will not be too huge. Seeing as how he mostly appears in R-rated films (including his other 'Dog' title, The Dog Problem), Cheadle is probably just doing this for his preteen daughters. Despite coming from a book by Duncan, who also wrote the source of I Know What You Did Last Summer, this movie will likely be more family friendly. Hotel for Dogs begins shooting in early November, which is probably just after Cheadle finishes the espionage thriller Traitor and should fill some time while he continues to wait on start date announcements for the biopics about Toussaint L'Ouverture and Miles Davis.

While it might be interesting to see Guy Pearce and Don Cheadle run around in an espionage thriller without any other characters, that isn't very realistic. Variety is reporting that more have been added to the cast of Traitor -- the big names being Jeff Daniels and Neal McDonough. The former is coming off some higher-cred films like Infamous and The Lookout, and recently completed a role in Mama's Boy -- the slacker romcom with Diane Keaton and Jon Heder. The latter was last seen in LiLo's latest flop -- I Know Who Killed Me, but also flicks like Flags of Our Fathers. (This also reunites McDonough with Pearce -- both were in Antonia Bird's Ravenous.)

As for the rest of the names added to the cast -- there's Archie Panjabi (A Mighty Heart), Aly Kahn (Osama) and Said Taghmaoui (Hidalgo). While it would be nice to see these actors as fellow CIA or FBI agents, methinks you can guess what sort of roles they are getting. If you're foggy on the plot -- Steve Martin (yes, that one) came up with an idea that Jeffrey Nachmanoff has since written and will direct -- a CIA operative (Cheadle) is undercover in a terrorist group and becomes a terror suspect. Pearce plays an FBI agent who investigates terrorist activities. You can imagine where things go from there. The feature will head into production this Monday as TIFF zooms into high gear.

No, there's not another Steve Martin out there who specializes in espionage thrillers. I'm talking about the funny Steve Martin -- the guy who's starred in films like Father of the Bride, My Blue Heaven and The Jerk. Yes, that Steve Martin. Apparently, while on set filming Bringing Down the House, Martin came up with an idea for an espionage thriller and pitched it to producers David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman. At first however, both men thought Martin was joking (and who wouldn't), but once they learned he was serious -- and heard the idea -- they immediately hopped onboard. After winding up at Disney (where it was eventually placed into turnaround), the flick has now found a home with Overture Films, as well as two highly-talented male leads. The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Don Cheadle and Guy Pearce have signed on to star in Traitor, with Jeffrey Nachmanoff directing off his own script (which is based on Martin's original idea). Go figure, huh?

In the film, Cheadle will play a CIA operative working undercover with a terrorist group who somehow becomes a terrorist suspect as well. Pearce, on the other hand, will star as an FBI agent investigating terrorist activities. At some point, I imagine one man will be searching for the other, unaware that they're both on the same team. That is unless Cheadle's undercover work takes him in a little too deep (hence the title) ... if you know what I mean. On the tone of the film, Hoberman says: "The movie deals with the subject of terrorism evenhandedly. It's not black and white but gray and religious-based." Nachmanoff, who's known for writing big-budgeted epics such as The Day After Tomorrow and the upcoming Prince of Persia: Sands of Time, will begin shooting Traitor this September in Toronto and Morocco. Pic marks the sixth one Overture Films has picked up for distribution this year; they're also set to release the Robert De Niro/Al Pacino thriller, Righteous Kill.