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By Kat Giantis
MSN Entertainment
March 12, 2004
That
old adage about reaping what you sow has proved on the money -- literally -- for
Mel Gibson. According to the Wall Street Journal, the devout
Oscar winner's prayers have been answered at the box office now that he's
looking to personally pocket a miraculous $350 million to $400 million from "The Passion of the Christ," a sum the paper calls "one of the
biggest individual windfalls in Hollywood's long history of oversized payouts."
Mel ponied up $30 million of his own moolah to make the controversial flick,
which is on track to exceed $250 million at the box office
already.
The paper breaks down Gibson's profits thusly, emphasizing these are conservative estimates that could rise higher: $108 million from projected domestic box office sales; $100 million from foreign box office; $100 million-plus from DVD and video sales (hey, just consider the Christmas and Easter marketing potential!); $20 million from the TV rights; $10 million from CD sales; and several million more from ancillary licensing deals, including mugs and jewelry.
Will Gibson's profitable strategy, which reportedly rivals only George Lucas's take from "Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace," prompt other well-paid celebs to follow the self-financing route? And does this mean we can expect, say, a Tom Cruise-financed retelling of Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's final days? Either way, the Journal reports that the once and possibly future "Mad Max" star hasn't yet decided on his next project, but adds there are other Biblical tales he would like to tell.
Britney: Smell Ya Later
Are you in the market for a
perfume that's rich with the smell of titillation, but has subtle undertones of
confusion and desperation, plus just a hint of sadness? Then you might want to
check out the new scent from Britney Spears. The pop tartlet has announced a new licensing
deal with Elizabeth Arden to create and market perfume, makeup, and skin care
products. "I love perfume and cosmetics," Britney said in a statement, "and am
so excited to develop my own line with Elizabeth Arden."
ABC Delays Janet
ABC is determined to keep America
safe from nipple attacks. The network will add a 5-second delay to Janet Jackson's March 31 performance on "Good Morning America,"
her first televised concert appearance since Boobie-gate, reports the New York
Daily News. Janet has been booked on the show since November, and ABC opted to
go ahead as scheduled, but with the delay in place for protection. According to
the paper, Janet will likely end up on the interview hot seat, despite rumors
that Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson had agreed to go easy on her. A source says
they will "ask the questions that need to be asked."
Sharon Stone Single
Sharon Stone is officially back on the market. Entertainment
Tonight reports that the "Basic Instinct" star finalized her divorce from
newspaperman Phil Bronstein on Jan. 29 in San Francisco Superior Court. The
couple, who wed on Valentine's Day in 1998 and adopted a baby boy, Roan, two
years later, split last summer.
Divorce court probably seemed like a walk in the park for Sharon and Phil,
who had their share of hardships during the union. Stone, 46, almost died after
suffering a brain hemorrhage in October 2001, four months after Bronstein nearly
had his big toe chomped off by a 7-foot Komodo dragon at the Los Angeles zoo
during a special V.I.P. tour arranged by the actress.
While details
of the divorce are being kept under wraps, both parties have reportedly waived
spousal support. Sharon, who is in desperate need of a hit, will bare her claws
opposite Halle Berry in "Catwoman," opening July 23.
Role Call: Paris, Aniston, Babs & More
Charlize Theron is getting some solid post-Oscar career advice,
wisely mixing sexy tough girl roles with award bait prestige pics. The actress,
who's currently on a whirlwind tour of her native South Africa (she was so
moved during a visit with Nelson Mandela she broke into tears), has signed
on to star in "Class Action" for "Whale Rider" director Niki Caro, reports Variety. Charlize will start work on the
drama, which centers on the woman behind the first successful sexual harassment
suit in the U.S., after wrapping the stunt-heavy futuristic thriller "Aeon
Flux."
It's a neurotic baby boy for Barbra Streisand! The old school diva is in final negotiations to play Ben Stiller's mom in "Meet the Fockers," report the trades. This will mark Babs' first film role since 1996's beautifully lit "The Mirror Has Two Faces," which she also directed. Dustin Hoffman will join her as Mr. Focker, with Robert De Niro, Blythe Danner, and Teri Polo all reprising their "Meet the Parents" roles. This time out, cultures clash when the laid-back Fockers meet their uptight future in-laws. The comedy hits theaters Dec. 22.
It's been quite a week for Paris Hilton. First, the extroverted "Simple Life" heiress, 23, won the highly coveted Best Celebrity DJ prize at the prestigious DanceStar Awards in Miami, beating out such stiff competition as Cameron Douglas (son of Michael) and Rosanna Arquette. Now the trades report she's nearing a deal to give her screaming skills a workout in a remake of the 1953 Vincent Price horror classic "House of Wax." Paris would join eye candy actors Elisha Cuthbert and Chad Michael Murray in the pic, which centers on a group of friends who take a very wrong turn on the way to a football game. Filming begins in Australia in May, with an October release planned.
Joan Rivers won't have to worry about tussling with Russell Crowe on the red carpet at next year's Academy Awards. According to the Hollywood Reporter, the grumpy Oscar-winner's boxing movie "Cinderella Man" has been bumped from its original high-profile Dec. 17 release date to the far less agreeable March 18, 2005, which means it will miss the cutoff for the next Oscar race. The move is ostensibly to give Universal more time to wage a marketing campaign. Filming on the Ron Howard-directed flick was delayed until April after Crowe dislocated his shoulder.
Jennifer Aniston probably won't be on the stork's delivery route any time soon. The soon-to-be-former "Friends" megastar is cashing in on her "Along Came Polly" momentum by lining up another big screen project. Variety reports that Jen is set to star in "Diary," playing a married woman whose journal is stolen and used against her. Brad Pitt's better half will jump into the project as soon as she completes work on the still-untitled Ted Griffin-directed comedy about a woman who believes her family inspired "The Graduate," which is set to begin filming this summer.
Sarah Jessica Parker also isn't taking a breather now that her series has come to an end. The Hollywood Reporter says the "Sex and the City" star may topline a remake of the classic comedy "The Man Who Came to Dinner," although her participation hinges the male lead (Steve Martin passed). If the deal goes through, the former sexpert will fill the sensible shoes once occupied by Bette Davis, playing the patient but unfulfilled secretary of an ornery and meddlesome critic (essayed in the original by the incomparable Monty Woolley -- trust us, it's worth a rental). Parker's last movie role was 2001's straight-to-video comedy "Life Without Dick."
50 Cent's Straight Talk
50 Cent is a friend to lesbians, but gay men seem to freak him
out. "I ain't into f*****s. I don't like gay people around me, because I'm not
comfortable with what their thoughts are," the seemingly insecure rapper tells
Playboy. "I'm not prejudiced... I'd rather hang out with some straight dude. But
women who like women, that's cool."
