Tag Archives: Star Wars: Episode VII

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Starring Isaac, Breaks Box Office Records

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The Force has proven to be strong for Oscar Isaac…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, starring the 36-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban American actor as Resistance fighter Poe Dameron, broke every major opening record at the box office.

Oscar Isaac in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The film, which introduced Isaac, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega as new heroes in a galaxy far, far away, tallied $238 million for the weekend, according to studio estimates. It destroys the record of $208.8 million set in June by Jurassic World.

“We’re in territory that we’ve never seen in December,” says Rentrak senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “The enormity of this record-breaking weekend cannot be overstated. This is a true watershed event.

Even more impressive: The Force Awakens annihilated the opening-day and all-time Friday records with $120.5 million, helped by a monster $57 million in Thursday night previews. It breaks the $91.1 million mark set by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 in 2011, and the new Star Wars is the first movie to surpass $100 million in a single day.

It also set a new high for highest theater average with $57,500 in 4,134 theaters, and posted an extra $279 million internationally (except for China, where it will open in January) for a $517 million global debut.

The blockbuster was buoyed by universal raves: Critics heaped praise — a 95% “fresh” rating on RottenTomatoes.com — and audiences gave it an A at CinemaScore. Add to that acclaim Disney’s “pitch-perfect” marketing, word of mouth through social media, great casting and repeat viewings, and everything came together for an “unprecedented” opening, Dergarabedian says. “If any of those had not been firing properly, you would not be seeing these numbers. The brand can get you really far, but the movie itself had to deliver.

Final figures are expected Monday.

Isaac to Star in HBO’s Miniseries “Show Me a Hero”

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Oscar Isaac is a hero in the making…

HBO has officially green-lit for production Show Me a Hero, a six-hour miniseries starring the 35-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban actor, from The Wire co-creator David Simon and Baltimore Sun journalist/The Wire writer William F. Zorzi.

Oscar Isaac

Directed by Paul Haggis and co-starring Catherine Keener, Show Me A Hero is based on the nonfiction book by Lisa Belkin. It centers on Nick Wasicsko (portrayed by Isaac), the youngest big-city mayor in the nation who finds himself thrust into the center of a racial controversy when a federal court orders him to build a small number of low-income housing units in the white neighborhoods of his town, Yonkers, New York. His attempt to do so tears the city apart, paralyzes the municipal government and, ultimately, destroys his political future.

Keener will portray Mary Dorman, an East Yonkers homeowner who comes to a remarkable realization during the battle over where to build low-income housing.

This is Simon’s third miniseries for HBO following 2000′s The Corner, which won an Emmy for Best Miniseries, and Generation Kill, which was nominated in the category. He also co-created HBO’s New Orleans drama Treme, whose five-episode final season is up for a Best Miniseries Emmy this year.

Isaac is currently filming Star Wars: Episode VII.

Isaac to Star in the J.J. Abrams-Helmed “Star Wars: Episode VII”

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May the force be with Oscar Isaac…

The 35-year-old Guatemalan/Cuban actor is among the stars joining the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.

Oscar Isaac

Though casting rumors have been circulating for months about the upcoming prequel from filmmaker J.J. Abrams, an official cast announcement was made Tuesday on the movie’s official website by Disney and Lucasfilm.

Other newcomers to the Star Wars franchise include John Boyega, Adam Driver, Andy Serkis, Daisy Ridley and Max von Sydow.

Original stars returning for the film include Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Kenny Baker and Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca.

“We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII,” Abrams said in a statement. “It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

Disney and Lucasfilm did not reveal who the newcomers will be portraying in the film, but Driver and Boyega are reportedly playing the film’s villain, who will be in the vein of Darth Vader, and the lead, respectively.

Episode VII will take place 30 years after Return of the Jedi.

Star Wars: Episode VII is scheduled to open in theaters on December 18, 2015.