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Author Topic:   Night at Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
collocation
Member

Posts: 383
From: McLean, VA, USA
Registered: Feb 2004

posted 05-19-2008 05:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for collocation   Click Here to Email collocation     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Washington Post: The Smithsonian's Movie Role
So, exactly how much did it cost 20th Century Fox to use "Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian" in a movie title? The studio ponied up $550,000, according to figures released by the institution.

It's the first time the Smithsonian name has appeared in a title produced for theatrical distribution-- not just any movie, of course, but the sequel to "Night at the Museum," which made $250 million when it came out two years ago. The studio approached the Smithsonian about setting the film in D.C., and officials spent six months reading scripts until approving the final version last month. Stars Ben Stiller and Amy Adams will be shooting at the National Air and Space Museum this week.

"The reason we did this project is because of what happened in New York -- attendance increased so much and people got really turned on by museums, especially kids," said Air and Space spokeswoman Claire Brown. The original film was set at N.Y.C.'s American Museum of Natural History. Smithsonian officials expect another monster hit that will bring a slew of visitors (and bucks) to Washington.

The studio is also paying $200,000 in location fees to film in and outside the museum for four days, plus an additional $50,000 per day if they fall behind. More checks may come when the movie is released next year: $250,000 if box office sales hit $150 million, another $125,000 at $200 million and $250 million. (Careful of those Hollywood accountants!) Plus 7.5 percent of net receipts from movie-related merchandise with the institution's name.

And yes -- Air and Space is considering a new brochure distinguishing fact from movie-fiction. Seems many of the youngest visitors in New York were surprised to discover that exhibits don't really come to life at night.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 12-23-2008 11:08 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
MTV Movie Blog:
'Night at the Museum 2' Director Reveals Who He Wanted To Bring Alive For Sequel, But Didn’t
There's the Apollo 11 Lunar Module. There's... wait a minute, just where are Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin?

Turns out, Levy wanted to include the pair but, in the end thought that even in a movie where everything comes to life, there are some things that just shouldn’t.

"We actually had a whole Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong thing, where we were going to have them get into a wrestling match at the door of the capsule, like who goes first," Levy said of a planned cameo from the lunar trotting pair. "But we thought it would be historically blasphemous!"

spaced out
Member

Posts: 3110
From: Paris, France
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 12-24-2008 05:51 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for spaced out   Click Here to Email spaced out     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
That's actually a shame. I think everyone would have laughed at a scene like that today - even Buzz and Neil.

DC Giants
Member

Posts: 135
From: Kansas City, MO USA
Registered: Jun 2003

posted 12-30-2008 11:22 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for DC Giants   Click Here to Email DC Giants     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Looks like Clint Howard (uncredited at this point) is reprising his role as Sy Liebergot in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 02-02-2009 03:00 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Here's the movie poster...

Robert Pearlman
Editor

Posts: 42981
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 05-28-2009 10:48 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
"Night At the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" ranked #1 at the box office over Memorial Day weekend, taking in $70 million.

The movie includes many cameos by National Air and Space Museum artifacts (some, like SpaceShipOne, fly by the screen very quickly) and according to curators, captures some of the flagship building's finer details.

The most prevalent space artifact to come to life is Able, the preserved rhesus monkey that, with squirrel monkey Baker, became the first animals to survive a trip to space and back (50 years ago today).

To promote the movie, McDonald's is offering a kid's Happy Meal with toy versions of major characters from the film, including Able:

Gordon Reade
Member

Posts: 334
From: USA
Registered: Nov 2002

posted 05-28-2009 11:23 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Gordon Reade     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
McDonald's is offering a space related kid's Happy Meal?

I am so there!

Seriously, I saw the movie yesterday and Clint Howard did indeed appear as Sy Liebergot which gave me a good laugh.

Sadly the movie was top heavy with way too much special effects. Just because you can make the statue of Abe Lincoln stand up a walk out of the memorial doesn't mean that you should make it happen.

It worked best when it was just people (the human element) like the security guard who was afraid Ben Stiller was going to touch the display. They could have made a very funny movie about the Air and Space Museum if only they hadn’t tried so hard. Too much CGI just becomes oppressive after a point.

All times are CT (US)

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