NEWS AND UPDATES

The second Saturday morning of 2010. That’s when that weekend’s first-day box-office grosses should be in, and when we should have answers to a couple of intriguing questions.

One, can Miley Cyrus open a movie without Hannah Montana?

And, two, can a Hollywood movie open with Chris Brown’s baggage?

Disney has pegged Cyrus’ The Last Song for a Jan. 8, 2010, opening, opposite the Brown-featuring Takers, the box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations noted on its site today.

The films aren’t expected to compete for the same business. They are expected, however, to make things interesting.

Written by novelist Nicholas Sparks (The Notebook), The Last Song is a father-daughter drama—or, considering Cyrus is the star, a daughter-father drama. The rest of the cast has yet to be announced. Shooting is scheduled for the summer.

“This is definitely a departure from Hannah Montana,” Exhibitor Relations’ Jeff Bock said in an email, “one that will allow the industry to gauge Miley’s fanbase, and allow her to evolve as an actress.”

Takers is an in-the-can ensemble cops-and-robbers movie (formerly titled Bone Deep) with Paul Walker, Matt Dillon, Hayden Christensen, T.I. and Brown. Following Brown’s arrest for his alleged assault of Rihanna, there was a report the film’s studio intended to “erase” the entertainer from its promo campaign. T.I., who’s also an executive producer, denied a Brown-out plan was in the works.

T.I., of course, has his own issues. The rapper has been sentenced to a year and a day in prison on a weapons charge. It’s unknown if he’ll be available, as it were, for the premiere.

Brown’s troubles came as the 19-year-old, once wholesome enough for the “Got Milk?” campaign, was picking up more film work. At 16, Cyrus already has two No. 1 movies on her resume: ast year’s Hannah Montana concert movie, and, yes, the still-running Hannah Montana comedy.

Brown and Cyrus were both supposed to perform at this past year’s Grammys. In the end, only Cyrus sang. Brown ended up being otherwise engaged.

Now, the teen idols’ summit will be staged at the box office.
SOURCE: E! Online

Should be very interesting. Go CB!