George Clooney | featured news

1. Machete (Fox) NEW [2,670 Theaters]
Friday $3.9M, Estimated 4-Day Holiday $14M)

2. The American (Focus Features) NEW [2,823 Theaters] Opened Wed
Friday $3.8M, Estimated 4-Day Holiday $16M, Estimated Cume $15M

3. Takers (Screen Gems/Sony) Week 2 [2,206 Theaters]
Friday $3.1M (-60%), Estimated 4-Day Holiday $14M, Estimated Cume $40M

This week at the movies, we've got a legendary detective (Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law); matriculating rodents (Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, starring David Cross and Jason Lee); a middle aged love triangle (It's Complicated, starring Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin); turbulent business travel (Up in the Air, starring George Clooney and Vera Farmiga); and a directionless director (Nine, starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Penelope Cruz). What do the critics have to say?

FRIDAY PM/SATURDAY AM: If there's a Christmas-themed movie opening in November, then it's the official start of the holiday box office. In 1st place: Disney's A Christmas Carol. You may know it better as Charles Dickens' novel, but Disney had a problem with title rights, so now it's their pic. Hollywood predicted the 3-D family film to make at least $35M and possibly even $40M this weekend because of its wide release into 3,683 theaters domestically, including 2,035 3-D locations and 181 IMAX screens).

This Week's Ketchup includes news about movies based upon Micronauts, Arabian Nights and The Berenstain Bears, as well as casting news for Sir Anthony Hopkins, Johnny Depp, George Clooney and Owen Wilson; and a new movie for the director of Slumdog Millionaire.

FRESH DEVELOPMENTS

#1 J.J. ABRAMS WANTS TO PLAY WITH YOUR OLD MICRONAUTS TOYS
Hot off the success of his reimagining of Star Trek, J.J. Abrams is in negotiations to produce a movie based upon the popular 1970s-1980s Japanese toy franchise Micronauts, which was also a long-running Marvel Comics series.

While he's one of the main men of superstardom, George Clooney also keeps one foot firmly in the world of quirk and strangeness. He may be Mr. Ocean, but he's also the dude who was in Return of the Killer Tomatoes and The Men Who Stare at Goats. Clooney knows how to be ridiculous, and now he's jumping into a whole new world of quirk.

Celebrities George Clooney and Oprah Winfrey and prominent lobbyists and fundraisers were among the first to visit the Obama White House, newly released records show.

Frank Sinatra is still what many (if not all) red-blooded man aspire to be. Playing him in a Martin Scorsese biopic is not only a dream job for any actor, it's wish fulfillment on the highest level. Is it any surprise that the some of the biggest names in Hollywood are said to by vying for the role of Old Blue Eyes?

When the series "ER" airs its finale on Thursday, the event will not only mark the completion of one of NBC's most successful shows, but it can also be viewed as the end of an era for the network.

As most of you hoped, George Clooney will be returning to ER for one more episode. He is filming with his love interest Julianna Margulies today and tomorrow in LA, and it is expected to air in February.