UPI NewsTrack Entertainment News

Batman still reigns at No. 1

LOS ANGELES, July 27 (UPI) -- Movie-goers kept "The Dark Knight" No. 1 in U.S. theaters this weekend for a second week in a row, Box Office Mojo said Sunday.

The Batman movie, starring Christian Bale and the late Heath Ledger, raked in another $75.63 million in estimated ticket sales, bringing its two-week total to an astounding $314.25 million.

Two new movies couldn't come close to touching the caped crusader in their opening weekends. No. 2 "Step Brothers," a comedy starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly, grossed an estimated $30 million and No. 4 "The X-Files: I Want to Believe," the science-fiction thriller featuring David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, pulled in $10.2 million.

"Mamma Mia!" slipped one spot to No. 3 with $17.87 million in estimated ticket sales and "Journey to the Center of the Earth" was No. 5 at 49.42 million.

Filling out the Top 10 were "Hancock," $8.2 million; "Wall-E," $6.5 million; "Hellboy II: The Golden Army," $4.93 million; "Space Chimps," $4.38 million; and "Wanted," $2.73 million.

Audiences lost interest in "Get Smart," which fell out after five weeks in the top tier, and "Kung Fu Panda," which exited after seven weeks.



Producer: Character to die in 'Chronicles'

SAN DIEGO, July 27 (UPI) -- Someone on the TV series "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" will die this season, a producer said at San Diego's Comic-Con International convention.

"Chronicles" Executive Producer John Wirth told attendees of the San Diego event Saturday that one recurring character on the FOX series will die during the upcoming second season, Zap2it.com reported.

Wirth revealed the news while standing on stage with "Chronicles" stars Lena Headey, Thomas Dekker, Summer Glau, Brian Austin Green, Garret Dillahunt, Richard T. Jones, Shirley Manson and James Middleton.

"One of the people you see before you, and it's not James, is going to die this season," Wirth said.

The science fiction series is based on the popular "Terminator" trilogy and follows lead character Sarah Connor as she attempts to protect her son, John, from killer robots. Middleton plays John Connor in the series.

Middleton meanwhile, detailed the new direction the series will take during its second season, Zap2it.com reported.

"Fissures are developing. ... We'll see a lot more of what that stress does to a woman, a warrior and a mom," the actor said.



Sources: LaBeouf injured in accident

LOS ANGELES, July 27 (UPI) -- Actor Shia LaBeouf will need surgery to repair his left hand, which he injured in a two-vehicle accident in Los Angeles Sunday, law enforcement sources say.

The unidentified sources said the "Transformers" star was arrested for allegedly driving while drunk and colliding with another car while attempting an illegal turn, TMZ.com reported.

The 22-year-old actor sustained significant injuries to his hand and his unidentified passenger suffered minor injuries. A third victim, who was inside a car into which LaBeouf allegedly crashed, also sustained minor injuries.

TMZ.com said the accident allegedly happened when LaBeouf tried to turn in front of the other car, causing the vehicles to collide and LaBeouf's car to roll.

The Web site said police were waiting to learn the full condition of the third victim in the case before deciding whether to charge the actor with felony or misdemeanor charges.



SAG board nixes AMPTP offer

LOS ANGELES, July 27 (UPI) -- The Screen Actors Guild national board has voted to endorse its negotiating committee's rejection of what Hollywood producers called their final contract offer.

In a unanimous vote Saturday, the board said it agreed with the negotiators' position that the offer is not acceptable because it would permit non-union performers to work in new-media productions, Daily Variety reported.

The board adopted a resolution that the union said would serve as "guidance" for the SAG negotiating committee.

"It is a core principle of Screen Actors Guild -- That no non-union work shall be authorized to be done under any Screen Actors Guild agreement and; That all work under a Screen Actors Guild contract, regardless of budget level, shall receive fair compensation when reused," the resolution said.

SAG national Executive Director Doug Allen said in a statement the resolution reinforces what he has been telling the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

"For some time, we have been telling the industry how important it is for all new media productions under our contract to be done union and how important residuals for made-for new media programming are when programs are re-run on new media," Allen said.

The AMPTP extended the June 30 offer as its feature film and prime time TV contract with SAG was about to expire.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International