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Archived News-May 2005
Week 3
| Friday May 20, 2005 | |
| Revenge of the Sith Destroys the Single Day Record! | |
Box Office Mojo has the Thursday opening day scoop! After starting the day with $16,912,367 from midnight shows alone, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith closed Thursday with $50,013,859 from an estimated 9,400 screens at 3,661 theaters. That's the biggest day ever for a single movie in history. Shrek 2 previously held the single day record with $44.8 million on its fourth day of release, a Saturday last May, while Spider-Man 2 had the opening day record at $40.4 million, posted on June 30 of last year. Revenge of the Sith soared past them both with a gross beyond the rosiest of industry expectations. "When I consider it's a Thursday with kids in school, I'd figure it can't do that," distributor 20th Century Fox's head of distribution, Bruce Snyder, told Box Office Mojo. "I did not think we could do $50 million. I was thinking maybe we could catch up to Shrek 2 on Saturday. I'm as surprised as the rest of the world." For further perspective, the biggest opening weekend of the year thus far had been Hitch's $43.1 million, and Revenge of the Sith blew past that in one day. Sith's gross is surprising, in part, because the previous Star Wars installment, Attack of the Clones, had an opening day on par with The Phantom Menace and ultimately made significantly less. In 2002, Clones grossed $30.1 million on its way to $310.7 million, while Phantom earned $28.5 million en route to $431.1 million.Despite the enormity of its opening day, Revenge of the Sith is not a lock to break Spider-Man's $114.8 million opening weekend record. "It's a tough call," Snyder noted. "I don't think that we'll have the 3-day weekend record. I guess if you take Thursday, Friday and Saturday, we'd be bigger. If we opened on Friday, we'd have the weekend record. But after this, you gotta drop. For the 4-day, we'll be the biggest ever." The current four-day champ is The Matrix Reloaded, which nabbed $134.3 million in May 2003. That picture quickly burnt out and ended its run at $281.6 million. Snyder noted several reasons for Revenge of the Sith's success. "For one, it was the culmination of the series," he explained. "The buzz on the picture has been extraordinary in stories and on television, and we were quite a bit wider than Attack of the Clones in terms of number of theaters and prints. And I do think we are getting the adults who had seen the original trilogy." Revenge of the Sith has been seen as the jumpstart to get people back into the moviegoing habit after an uninspiring spring, but it will take more than just one movie. "The answer is if the movies behind it are good," Snyder said. "If there's something that's not interesting behind it, the box office will stall again." |
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| Friday May 20, 2005 | |
| The Empire has risen! | |
Well, I must say that Revenge of the Sith was very satisfying...yet it leaves me yearning for the tales of what is to come in the next 20-some years between EP3 and EP4. I had read the novelization, the graphic novel and the script offered here on Galactic Voyage, and still I was glued to the movie with wonder! Ian (Palpatine/Sidious) had a diabolicly brilliant performance. Even R2D2 was a hero! The new planet scenes were amazing, the betrayal of the Jedi by the clone troopers was outstanding, and at the end of it all I truly felt for Yoda and Obi-Wan for all they had went through and lost. Darth Sidious, Emperor Palpatine...a true villain with awesome power. And in Sith your truly get to see his Darkside! The last of the saga, and yet the beginning, was a very fast past story with much detail. And in my opinion was very well told in script and cinematogrophy. I can only hope that the television series that is suppose to fill the gap between the Prequels and the original Trilogy will do StarWarsFandome justice. I plan on watching the film once a week until it leaves theaters, and be certian I will be first in line to buy the dvd! May the Force be with you all, and beware the Darkside!
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| Friday May 20, 2005 | |
| Coruscant Courier Special Drinking Edition | |
Arianaeirlys has provided a Special Edition Coruscant Courier to celebrate the rise of our new Empire. "With celebrations galore over the newly formed Imperial Alliance and the viewing of said alliance going on all over this great big universe of ours starting to be available May 19, we at the Courier would be remiss in not celebrating our Glorious Emperor’s rise to power. With that in mind we delved deep into our archives and our most requested recipe files and came up with some of our more fun and entertaining recipes. This was originally going to be a drinking and eating edition but there were so many recipe requests and there are so many species out there in this great big universe that we decided to concentrate our efforts on drinking and leave the rest of the parties up to your creative imaginations dear readers. So here we have some of the best kept secrets in the Galaxy. Some of the greatest questions on the minds of all the readers are answered (Just exactly how do those Jedi unwind?). Feel free to use these ideas and to come up with your own. Yes we did actually get the recipes while doing our interviews so don’t ask how we got the recipes or who from, that is a trade secret." You can enjoy DEXTER’s Diner Specialties, JEDI Specialty drinks, and SENATORIAL Specialty Drinks. Find out all about them today! Also, don't forget to read the other issues of the Coruscant Courier. |
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| Friday May 20, 2005 | |
| Revenge of the Sith Draws $16.5M at Midnight | |
Box Office Mojo has the the report on how well Revenge of the Sith did last night. Star Wars: Episode III—Revenge of the Sith drew an estimated $16.5 million from midnight showings alone on its opening day, according to 20th Century Fox. The early figure stands as the biggest midnight launch on record. "There are a lot of absentees today," Bruce Snyder, Fox's head of distribution, quipped to Box Office Mojo, referring to those who skipped work and school to see Star Wars. "Lots of people went through the turnstiles last night, and the matinees right now are fabulous. There's a very good chance of breaking the single day record." Approximately 2,900 of Revenge of the Sith's 3,661 theaters showed the motion picture at midnight, with those 3,661 venues receiving over 9,000 prints, making the movie one of the most highly circulated releases of all time. The previous Star Wars episode, Attack of the Clones, which also opened on a Thursday, earned $6.2 million during its premiere midnight showing in over 1,400 theaters in 2002. That contributed to a then record weekday gross of $30.1 million. Last May's Shrek 2 holds the single day record with $44.8 million at 4,163 theaters on its fourth day of release (a Saturday), while Spider-Man 2 is the current opening day champ with $40.4 million at 4,152 theaters. Because the midnight showings, though perceived by many as occurring on Wednesday night, were actually shown on Thursday, May 19, they will be counted towards Revenge of the Sith's opening day gross. Among other recent event pictures, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King rang up $8 million at about 2,100 theaters on its opening midnight in 2003, which led to a $34.5 million first day. In 2002, Spider-Man did around $7 million on its way to a then record $39.4 million opening day. |
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| Thursday May 19, 2005 | |
| My take on ROTS | |
I thought the film was very well done. I wish they had left in the Qui-Gon scene. The conversation between Obi-Wan and Yoda would make a little more sense then. For the casual viewer, they may wonder why Grievous goes out like such a punk and so easy. If you haven't seen the Clone Wars cartoon series, then he wouldn't seem as such an awesome foe. Other than that, I think it was great. I will be going again at 3:50 today to try and catch some things I may not have seen the first time. |
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| Wednesday May 18, 2005 | |
| New Galactic Voyage | |
Welcome to the new and improved Galactic Voyage! It has been a long time in coming, but all of the work has paid off I think. I would like to give a special thank you to Kevin Graham of our staff who came up with the template for the site. If you see any broken links or a misdirected page, please let me know. Also, tell me what you think about the site! If anyone is using Netscape or Firefox, I would love to hear from you. I want to make sure those users can see the news and other features, because I have had problems with those browsers in the past. Only a little more than 10 hours to go! See you at Midnight! Enjoy the site and the movie. |
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| Tuesday May 17, 2005 | |
| Re-vamped Galactic Voyage | |
Tomorrow marks the release of the latest (and last) Star Wars movie, so I felt it fitting to completely re-vamp Galactic Voyage for the occasion. Just to let you know, this is not just another re-skin. Until now, I have been basically using the same website design that I began with in 1999. When I finish, I will have a fresh new design that will be much eaiser to change in the future now that I am actually using CSS. The navigation should be much eaiser to use and there will be some new things. The theme also goes right in line with the movie, so I hope that you will join me tomorrow as I release the new site. I am still working on the last pages to finish before the movie, but I would look for it early tomorrow or no later than tomorrow afternoon. Then you can let me know what you think about the changes. Take care! |
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| Tuesday May 17, 2005 | |
| Natalies new do... | |
 From
Episode I to Episode III fans have been graced with the beauty and
stylish hair-do styles of Padme Amidala's Natalie Portman. All
over the news during cover of the Cannes Festival, fans were
witness to a shaven Portman- sporting a Sinead O'Conner-esque
look. Why did she do it?? A crazed hair-stylist? A new fad?
Hopefully it was just for a new movie-project...who knows. She
didn't say much in the coverage I saw on televisions EXTRA
last night accept that it was different. And it surely is
different.
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| Tuesday May 17, 2005 | |
| SITH Search | |
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SOURCE: Yahoo!News The final chapter of the Star Wars (+172%) saga is nearing theaters and its buzz is impressive -- most impressive. With positive reviews popping up in print and online, searches are exploding on the saga, not to mention its cast, characters, soundtrack, videogames, action figures...the list doesn't end. Take pretty much any word, put "Star Wars" in front of it, and odds are it's being searched on by somebody, somewhere. Trust us. Even though Episode III isn't yet out, fans are already looking for the newest residents of a galaxy far, far away. Which character will become a household name this time around? In The Phantom Menace it was Jar Jar Binks, arguably the biggest comedic misfire since The Day the Clown Cried. In Attack of the Clones it was Count Dooku, smooth talking lackey to Darth Sidious. Now, in Revenge of the Sith, General Grievous is the star of the show. Searches on the Jedi-smokin' half-man, half-machine are up 101% this month. If creator George Lucas' (+48%) history of liberal licensing continues, expect Grievous to get his own breakfast cereal and reality show (possibly opposite Kevin Federline) in the near future. Of course, people don't love Star Wars for the actors or their ability to say "m'lady" with a straight face. They love it for the wookiees, the droids, and most of all, the bad guys. Our list of the top 20 searched Star Wars heroes and villains should end any arguments over who really rules the galaxy. Click the below links of the top Star Wars searches on Yahoo!
and may the Force be with you! 1.
Darth Vader |
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| Tuesday May 17, 2005 | |
| FIRST LOOK: The Joiner King | |
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SOURCE: starwars.com
A colony of mysterious aliens is expanding toward the edge of
Chiss space. The leader of the alien nest is resolute. Adept in
the Force, he is drawing old friends to his side, compelling them
to join the colony and meld their Force-abilities with his, even
if it leads to all-out war.... Thus begins the Dark Nest trilogy by author Troy Denning. Here's a first look at the cover art by Cliff Nielsen. Dark Nest I: The Joiner King is slated for paperback release from Del Rey Books on July 26, 2005. And included as a special bonus: the short story Ylesia by Walter Jon Williams, previously only available in ebook format. Yet another alien delimma in the EU of Star Wars, the Dark Nest Trilogy may proove to be an interesting continuation in the exploits of our classic heroes. The bookstores have been flooded with Clone War era novels and comics, and I forsee a line of post Episode II story-lines hitting the shelves to fill the 20-some year gap between Revenge of the Sith and A New Hope. There are about 9 novels slated for publication in the post New Jedi Order era to occupy Star Wars across the galaxy and I will be sure to everyone updated as news of these books come out. |
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Luke
Skywalker is worried: A handful of Jedi Knights, including his
nephew and niece, Jaina and Jacen Solo, have disappeared into the
Unknown Regions in response to a strange cry for help that only
they could hear. The isolationist Chiss have angrily lodged a
formal complaint, accusing the missing Jedi of meddling in a
border dispute between the Chiss and an unidentified aggressor.| Monday May 16, 2005 | |
| Whats your personality? | |
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Are you cuddly like an Ewok? Have the temperment of a Wookiee?
Haggle like a Toydarian? Diplomatic as a Senator? Wise as a Jedi
or as rutheless as a Sith? Well as it turns out I am like Darth Sidious and would
eat my own children! Head on over to liquidgeneration.com
and take your Star Wars personality test and see what your
personality would most reflect in a galaxy far, far away! Needless
to say, I re-took the quiz with the opposite answers and I was
saved from the Darkside and came back most like Qui-Gonn
Jinn! A friend of mine also took the quiz...(more faithfuly and
truthfuly than I) and well, as I suspected all along, she is an
Ewok in disguise! Thanks to my friend and intergalactic cohort, Bernardo, who
sent this to me today! May the Force be with him and you, always!
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| Sunday May 15, 2005 | |
| "The Science of Star Wars" on Discovery | |
SOURCE: starwars.com The characters of Star Wars may live in a galaxy far, far away,
but how close are we to having droids drive us to work or cook us
dinner on this planet? Starting May 16, fans can watch a three-day
miniseries on Discovery Channel called "The Science of Star
Wars" to learn about real-life robots, high-tech weapons and
even hot rods of the future. Monday, May 16, 8-9
p.m. Tuesday, May 17, 8-9 p.m. Wednesday, May 18, 8-9 p.m. We haven't yet made a clone army, but we're getting there. From
the Future Force Warrior (FFW-Army) to the Berkeley Lower
Extremity Exoskeleton (BLEEX), we are equipping our fighters with
clone trooper-like gear. Laser blasters being tested by the U.S.
military are directed-energy weapons that use a laser beam to send
an electric charge to the object of our disaffections. If that
doesn't do the job, the Close Quarters Shock Rifle projects
ionized gas or plasma at the subject -- neutralizing a whole group
of mobile attackers and killing their electronic ignition getaway
systems at the same time. Throughout the miniseries numerous members of ILM
(Industrial Light & Magic) and Lucasfilm, including the
filmmaker himself George Lucas, are interviewed along with
inventors, NASA engineers, scholars and others about the various
technology created to open our minds towards the possibilities of
what the future could hold in any galaxy. "George Lucas really is a space cowboy," Executive
Producer Tomi Landis says. "He's a man who is not afraid to
think differently from others, and who has inspired generations of
inventors. But I was most pleased with the interview with Nic Hoza.
At 15 years old, this robot builder and computer programmer is
entering the DARPA challenge, to compete with a robot that can
travel across all types of terrain. Nic reminds me of Anakin
Skywalker, who began his inventing, around the same time!" Also featured in the program is New Zealander Will MacPherson
who scavenges the junk heaps of to build remarkable vehicles. More information on this series, including international and
HD-broadcast air-times, can be found at Discovery.com. Also playing on the Discovery Channel on May 18th is ANIMAL ICONS: Star Wars Creatures. Discovery will be airring several special episodes related to animal icons, and on Wednesday, May 18th at 8pm EST they will air a special Star Wars episode dedicated to creatures and aliens from a galaxy far, far away! To get a sneak peek at what the tv special will entail, head on over to the Discovery Channel's Animal Planet Section. |
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