FROM MTV.COM: The astonishing figure of $140.7 million — the total opening-weekend haul of "New Moon" — has been splashed all over the Web since Sunday. The number is hard to wrap your head around, so in an effort to give it some historical context and to see what the future holds, MTV News compared the "Twilight" sequel to other movies that have gone gangbusters at the box office. With help of BoxOfficeMojo.com, here's what we found out:

Continue reading How Do 'New Moon' Box-Office Numbers Stand Up To Other Blockbusters?

"Well I'm really excited," Portman told MTV News. "Kat Dennings is going to be in it with me and she's a good friend and an amazing actress, so I'm looking forward to that."

Continue reading EXCLUSIVE: Kat Dennings Joins 'Thor' Cast, Reveals Co-Star Natalie Portman

News broke over the summer that Sony would be guiding "Uncharted" to a big screen adaptation, with "Hitman 2" (another, as-yet-unreleased game adaptation) writer Kyle Ward delivering a script. Well Ward's now out, according to a report yesterday on Latino Review. Replacing him -- assuming negotiations go well -- are "Conan" reboot writers Thomas Dean Donnelly and Joshua Oppenheimer.

To be fair, Latino Review doesn't reveal a source. They have a great track record with this sort of stuff though, and I'd put my money on the news being accurate. Ward's removal is apparently tied to the fact that he is contractually obligated to deliver a "Hitman 2" script, but Sony, along with producer Avi Arad, wants "Uncharted" turned around quickly. According to the website, "negotiations are underway and it looks like a deal is imminent" with the "Conan" writers.

Normally I'd be concerned hearing about a project like this being shoved onto the fast-track. Video games have enough of a sorry history in Hollywood; the last thing fans want is for one of the most promising adaptation-worthy titles in recent years to get a crummy film treatment. My guess is that Sony's hurry can be attributed, at least in part, to the upcoming, Jerry Bruckheimer-produced "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time," which is looking mighty good.

Arad knows his stuff though. And as long as Sony wants to keep that fast-track lined with budget dollars, it should hopefully be a smooth ride. Now, I just hope they listen to our casting advice.

Are you into the idea of an "Uncharted" movie? Have you played the game? What do you make of the writer change-up? How about the fast-tracking?

Summit Entertainment is reporting that the "Twilight" sequel opened on Thursday night to an unprecedented $26.3 million during its midnight screenings across the country. The film unspooled on 3,514 screens, playing at 12:01 a.m. for die-hard fans — many of whom arrived at the theaters dressed as their favorite characters.

That total handily beats the midnight-screening record of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince." This seems to vindicate "Twilight" star Jackson Rathbone, who famously responded to our question of whether Stephenie Meyer's franchise could take on J.K. Rowling's juggernaut, "I don't know; they've got brooms."

Continue reading 'New Moon' Sets New Box-Office Record For Midnight Screenings

During the past year, film buffs have been up in arms over director Werner Herzog's "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans." Starring Nicolas Cage as the type of at-wit's-end madman who puts a gun to an old lady's temple to get information, the flick co-stars Eva Mendes and Val Kilmer and packs one potent surprise: Although it has little to do with Keitel's movie, it is a deranged, worthy successor.

Recently, we caught up with Cage to discuss a return to his over-the-top roots — and the joys of winning over haters like myself.

Continue reading Nicolas Cage Takes On 'Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans' Haters

Looking for a sequel to the hit summer comedy "Superbad"? Don’t expect to get one anytime soon. The genius producer behind the film, Judd Apatow, revealed as much when he sat down to talk shop with his fans on Funny or Die yesterday. While "Pineapple Express 2" looks like it may hit theaters at some point in the foreseeable future, "Superbad" won’t be getting a sequel.

(Editor's note: I would have embedded the video here, but Judd Apatow is a profane man and the words he uses are too much for members of our reading audience. I welcome you to track it down on the great ship Internets.)

“I can't get [Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg] to make the ‘Superbad’ sequel. I begged, but they don't want to ruin it. They think it's a gem of a movie and they don't want a crappy second," Judd said. He later stated, "There's a little talk about a 'Pineapple Express' sequel if that's your cup of tea... your bowl of smoke. You probably have a better shot of seeing that [than any 'Superbad 2' or any other Apatow sequel]."

Beg more, Judd! We want a sequel! Despite Rogen and Goldberg’s stubbornness on making one, I have to agree that “Superbad” was a crown jewel. Since sequels often turn out way worse than the original, maybe skipping it is best. But surely after a long, thought out process, a screenplay could materialize into something that would be worthwhile to see.

For a movie that made nearly $200 million at the box office and served as a launch pad for the careers of Jonah Hill, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Emma Stone, there is surely money to be made. Just make it not suck. Simple.

Personally, I’ve been longing to see what happens to Seth (Hill) and Evan (Michael Cera) next. They kind of left us hanging at the end of "Superbad" with questions to be answered about the boys and their love interests. They could Rogen and Goldberg could show us Seth and Evan moseying through their college lives with the infamous McLovin (Mintz-Plasse) tagging along. Upping the stage from high school to college is certainly an idea.

Apatow recently finished off “Get Him to the Greek,” a spin-off of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” Russell Brand will reprise his role as Aldous Snow while Jonah Hill will be taking on a whole new character, playing a music label intern tasked with escorting Snow to his a LA show.

Still, director Chris Weitz hopes fans appreciate the way he has decided to craft the "New Moon" finale for the big screen.

"The final scene is extraordinarily emotional, and it leads to a very potent climax," he told MTV News on the red carpet of the NYC screening of "New Moon." "And it's kind of a spoiler, which I hope people won't give away."

Continue reading 'New Moon' Director Chris Weitz Hopes Fans Won't Spoil The Ending

"Bel Ami" is an adaptation of 19th-century French writer Guy de Maupassant's short story of the same name. The plot follows Georges Duroy (Pattinson), a Parisian journalist and notorious ladies' man who overcomes a poverty-stricken childhood to become one of the city's foremost movers and shakers. Thurman is set to play the wife of Duroy's friend who eventually marries him after assisting in his personal and professional rise in French society.

Continue reading Uma Thurman To Join Robert Pattinson In 'Bel Ami'

An auction recently went live benefiting Muse Elementary – a non-profit school in Malibu founded by Cameron’s wife Suzy Amis four years ago to help educate children on issues of global awareness. Among the drool-inducing items that will be won by lucky Cameron fans:

See Avatar in Style - Join James Cameron for a private screening of “Avatar” in his personal screening room at Lightstorm. Following the screening, the director will participate in a Q & A. The screening will be on December 17th, the day before “Avatar” opens to the public.

Grammy Tickets - Watch the "the biggest night in music" from the privacy of a fully-catered luxury suite. inTune Media has donated two tickets to their luxury suite at the 52nd annual awards show, to be held at the Staples Center on January 31, 2010.

Hobnob With Cameron - Tickets to a Muse event on Nov. 21st. The winner will receive tickets to the event, the reception, an opportunity to meet James Cameron and two tickets to the cast & crew screening on Dec. 15th. NOTE: This is a limited auction, which ends Friday, November 20th. So bid fast!

Maybe You Could Sit Next to Sigourney – Another auction consists of four tickets to the cast & crew screening on Dec. 15th, with James Cameron and stars of the film attending.

Other Goodies – Be sure to check out the auction site for additional opportunities, including the chance to be transformed into your own avatar (!), a tour of Weta workshop in New Zealand, and more.

Which of these items would you most want to win? If anybody places a bid, good luck – and let us know how it goes!

Still, the project sails forward. Depp's not a lock until he signs off on the script, which he hasn't yet seen, but Captain Barbossa actor Geoffrey Rush told MTV in late September that he's been told to keep his schedule open for cameras to roll next spring.

Continue reading 'Pirates 4' Director Rob Marshall 'Excited' To Work With Johnny Depp