Reese Witherspoon launches new banner

WitherspoonPapandrea Reese Witherspoon and "Warm Bodies" producer Bruna Papandrea have teamed to launch a new production banner, Pacific Standard. Duo will fold a number of projects into the partnership from their pre-existing shingles Type A Films and Make Movies. Pacific Standard has several properties prepped to go out to the market, including an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's upcoming "Wild," which tells the story of an 1100-mile solo hike that breaks down a young woman reeling from catastrophe and brings her back to life. Witherspoon and Papandrea look forward to utilizing the relationships they've forged with filmmakers, actors and writers to make smart, character-driven, commercial films both large and small. "I've always been impressed by Bruna's taste and her skills as a producer," said Witherspoon. "I'm very excited to be working with her. It's a pleasure to collaborate with someone so smart, fun and formidable." "In Reese I have found a like-minded and incredibly passionate partner who genuinely shares the same goals," added Papandrea. "I've had a wonderful time producing movies independently but I couldn't be more excited about the company and brand we will create together." Witherspoon earned her first producing credit for "Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde," and went on to produce "Four Christmases" and "Penelope" through her Type A shingle. Thesp acquired Peggy Lee's life rights and partnered with Marc Platt on a biographical film that Nora Ephron will write for Fox 2000. She also set up the original comedies "Who Invited Her?" in partnership with Gary Foster at DreamWorks, "My Husband's Wife" with Ryan Seacrest's company at Universal and the Courtney Hunt-directed indie "Rule #1" with Brad Epstein at Emmett/Furla Films. Papandrea recently produced Jonathan Levine's zombie pic "Warm Bodies" for financier Summit Entertainment. Pic, which stars Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer, is skedded for release Feb. 1, 2013. Papandrea's development slate includes Jennifer Smith's upcoming novel "The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight" and Emily Giffin's best-selling book "Love the One You're With." Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

'Lorax' draws $70.7 million opening

'The Lorax''Project X'Backed with a hostile marketing and advertising campaign, Universal's "The Lorax" acquired a boffo $70.7 million domestic opening and hang up a slew of Stateside records, like the best-ever debut for just about any nonsequel toon.Stalwart family holdover "Journey 2: The Mysterious Island," meanwhile, reclaimed the overseas weekend title, tallying an thought $14.7 million with an worldwide cume of $184.5 million.Basically a few areas within the center East saw "The Lorax" open a couple of days ago U has timed a substantial overseas push for your toon to coincide with Easter time some time and summer time break over the following handful of several days.Playing second fiddle to "Lorax," Warner Bros.' R-rated counterprogrammer "Project X" handled a hearty $20.8 million domestic bow. "X," which cost $12 million to produce, was forecasted by most pre-weekend monitoring services to land somewhere inside the mid-to-high teens.The combined B.O. might of "Lorax" and "Project X" lifted domestic box office up greater than 23% over this time around around a year ago, creating the ninth week back to back through which box office was greater in comparison to the identical frame a year ago year-to-date B.O. is outpacing 2011 by roughly 19%, with admissions up much more by 21%.The niche biz saw mixed is because of new and growing game game titles, however.Focus Features' "Being Flynn" opened up as much as some disappointing per-screen average of $11,386 from four locations in NY and L.A.Meanwhile, the Weinstein Co.'s "The Artist," getting a cume of $37 million, did well within the first publish-Oscars frame by getting one more 790 playdates, improving by 34% with an thought weekend gross of $3.9 million."The Academy recognition is opening entrance doors for your film in additional compact areas," mentioned Weinstein distribution chief Erik Lomis.TWC's other Oscar-winning title, "The Iron Lady," at $27 million in your area, was up 29% with 11 less locations versus. a week ago.Becoming a member of on 'Lorax'In the run-around its country wide release, U signed greater than 70 global partners round the $70 million enviro-designed "Lorax," gathering as much as $60 million on tv value. Marketing partners incorporated the Environment protection agency, H . P ., Whole-meals Market, Seventh Generation and Mazda."Audiences were alert to this movie because the marketing campaign first sprouted a year ago,Inch mentioned U prexy of domestic distribution Nikki Rocco. "Still, Never imagined it could open to $70 million-plus."The pic's boffo perf needs to be credited for the studio's distribution strategy too.As opposed to a summer season bow (just like "Wretched Me"), U chosen for just about any first-quarter release, given such past family accomplishments as "Ice Age: The Meltdown," which first demonstrated to $68 million throughout this month in 2006, and 2010's "Alice's adventures in wonderland," the all-time March leader getting a bow of $116 million."We needed a difficult have a look at each weekend inside the twelve several weeks,Inch Rocco mentioned, "and there's been some huge accomplishments around this time around around."Furthermore towards the toon benchmark, "Lorax" now stands since the finest Stateside debut for just about any Dr. Seuss adaptation, besting 2000's "How a Grinch Stole Christmas" at $55.millions of, together with the finest opening for Chris Meledandri's Illumination Entertainment. Their previous two game game titles, "Wretched Me" and "Hop," first demonstrated at $56.4 million and $37.5 million, correspondingly."Lorax" acquired 52% of the opening from 3d, including 8% in Imax. That's within the top finish of recent 3d animated fare: "Happy Foot Two" acquired 48% from 3d, "Puss in Boots" 50%.B.O.'s X-factorWhile "The Lorax" skewed heavily toward families, parents and ladies, there's furthermore a considerable contingent of non-parents or parents with teens. "Lorax" received a b - CinemaScore rating. "Project X," meanwhile, averaged a b - -, but males under 25 gave the pic a b -.Regardless of its mainly male turnout, "Project X," from producer Todd Phillips and first-time director Nima Nourizadeh, acquired a effective 42% female contingency. Pic's age breakdown, however, was weighted more heavily toward under-25 moviegoers at 67%.Warner distribution professional Rob Goldstein recognized the filmmakers, saying, "Todd mentored this youthful director, and so they both did an admirable job. This really is really the film to party by."The weekend's top holdover, Relativity Media's "Act of Valor," dropped 44% within the second frame with an thought weekend take of $13.7 million. Similarly male-specific "Safe House" adopted in ranking getting a forecasted $7.2 million, lower just 34%. "Valor" has cumed $45.2 million in your area, while "Safe House" joined the $100 million mark in four days.Lionsgate's "Good Deeds" saw the steepest drop among the weekend's top players, lower 55%. Tyler Perry's latest thought $7 million through Sunday, getting its Stateside cume with a tepid $25.7 million."Journey 2," meanwhile, held remarkably well, lower 48%, given "Lorax's" entrance to the family market. The Warner-New Line follow-up needed an thought $6.9 million, pushing cume to $85.6 000 0000 in your area. "Journey 2" has become probably the most notable box office accomplishments of 2012, getting a worldwide cume just north of $270 million -- already greater than 10% more than its predecessor's lifetime cume worldwide. Contact Andrew Stewart at andrew.stewart@variety.com