The good news is this feels like the end week for studio dumps. The other good news is that I partied with some of the cast of Community last night, and didn’t pay for drinks. What. What. To that I should say Community is one of the best TV shows ever.

ODDS AND SODS

– New Line is going from six movies to four movies a year. I think this is partly because Warner Brothers had been using the group as a boutique label, but after shutting down the main operations after The Golden Compass had films like Sex and the City and Friday the 13th make a pile of money. After the last year, with Going the Distance, Sex and the City 2, and the perceived shortcomings of Hall Pass, they’re looking to tighten the leash even further. Though Warner main has been one of the few studios to back directors like Christopher Nolan and Zack Snyder, New Line is likely something they would like to shed. I have no idea if that’s true, but the company has not done well with satellite groups – like Warner Independent.

– Though I liked Drive Angry, the release feels awkward. Summit should be getting into their grove when it comes to marketing, if only because they have two more $300 Million dollar domestic grosses (Breaking Dawn Parts Uno and Deuce), and then they have to make a world for themselves. I can see how Drive Angry might be a hard sell in some ways, and I think critical response is going to be mixed, but now is the time to figure out this shit.

– March looks to be dire, from the reports on the upcoming releases. Next week features Beastly and Take Me Home Tonight, both of which have been sitting in cans for a while. Rango is tracking – word I’ve heard runs the gamut while The Adjustment Bureau has been screening to some disappointment. It also got bumped from last year. Relativity has Take Me Home, which is partly Rogue. Universal then has two movies opening the same weekend. That strikes me as no confidence. Battle: Los Angeles screened this week. Mars Needs Moms is screening a couple days before release, and I’ve heard that Warner Brothers isn’t letting horror sites cover Red Riding Hood. The next week looks weak, though I just read some tweets that said good things about – of all things – The Lincoln Lawyer, and you know I’m stoked for Paul. And then comes Sucker Punch, which is a huge question mark. April looks to be interesting as Your Highness, Arthur, and Hanna could be great but weird – or terrible and what have you.

I CAN’T HELP IT IF I PREDICTED TO, I COULDN’T HELP IT, EVEN IF I COULD

It’s possible that Gnomeo could take the weekend. It’s possible that Hall Pass, which does have some star power, could open okay if the TV spots sell couples. I think Drive Angry’s got some ad problems. I worry for those guys, but it’s too late now. Hall Pass seems a little better off, but not by much.

Cold Case:

  1. Hall Pass – $13 Million
  2. Gnomeo and Juliet – $12.9 Million
  3. Unknown – $11.5 Million
  4. Drive Angry – $10 Million
  5. I Am Number… five? – $9.3 Million

Sunday is the Oscars. I’ll be on twitter at a party watching them. I normally don’t watch award shows, but a party, and you guys. I’m @houx on the twitters. Where I’ll be talking that shit.