Electronic Arts’ (EA) bid to take over Take-Two Interactive, the creators of “Grand Theft Auto,” has failed and EA closed out its $2 billion (USA) offer on Sunday.
“They [EA] made their tender offer numerous times while we have continued to beat our guidance and put out hit games, so you can draw your own conclusions,” Take-Two executive chairman Strauss Zelnick said when asked why the two sides couldn’t reach a deal.
For the first time in two months, Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight,” the sequel to his popular “Batman Begins,” was not found in the top 5 U.S. box office. The film will be re-released in theaters in January to renew interest in those Academy Award voters.
Ethan and Joel Coen’s dark comedy “Burn After Reading” led at this weekend’s domestic box office, debuting to an estimated $19.4 million from 2,651 theaters to give the siblings and Focus Features their biggest opening gross ever.
A hard-line Saudi cleric has issued a fatwa, or religious decree, stating it is permissible for the owners of pan-Arab satellite to be killed after accusing them of broadcasting corrupting programming, or as the cleric put it, encouraging the “deviance of thousands of people.”
OP-ED: In other words, people were actually starting to enjoy their lives, branch out, expand their thinking beyond the ‘party line,’ see how the rest of the world lives and be thoroughly entertained. Why do religious and political leaders always fear the enlightened? Because it lessens their power and hold over the people and there is nothing they fear more than their loss of control over the masses. ~ Samuel K. Sloan
George Takei (71) and his longtime partner, Brad Altman (54), sealed their 21-year long relationship on Sunday with a multicultural wedding ceremony at the Japanese American National Museum. May they both “live long and prosper. Among the many guests were fellow Star Trek actors and long-time friends of George — Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig. See photo.
Danny DeVito will be honored with the Lifetime Visionary Award on October 29, the opening night gala and premiere presentation of the 23rd Israel Film Festival at New York’s Ziegfeld Theater. Irwin Winkler will also be on hand to receive the lifetime achievement award and Edward Zwick for Israel Film Festival’s top honor for achievement in film.
The highly ambious, naughty and flirtatious character Elle from the acclaimed NBC series “Heroes” will finally get her own backstory viewed by the audience sometime after the new season begins on September 22. Elle is played by actress Kristen Bell of “Veronica Mars” fame.
DreamWorks/Paramount Pictures is bundling its upcoming home video release of “Kung Fu Panda” with a direct-to-video companion film and will release the package on a Sunday, November 9. 2008 instead of the traditional Tuesday. “Kung Fu Panda,” starring the voice-stylings of comedian Jack Black, has been a huge domestic and international hit.
“The Simpsons” once again claimed U.S. television’s highest honor for a prime-time cartoon on Saturday at the Creative Arts Emmy Awards, extending the show’s record winning streak. This makes Emmy #10 for the landmark animated series. It holds another record for an animated series — remaining in primetime with all-new episodes for 19 years (seasons) and was named best half-hour animated show.
