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‘Empire’ actor Jussie Smollett has described how he got a little more than he bargained for when he joked on twitter that he might be leaving the hit show. Earlier this month Smollett had posted a cryptic tweet which hinted that his character Jamal Lyon might be leaving the show and fans were so unhappy that creator Lee Daniels even received death threats.

Jussie Smollett caused trouble with fans on twitter when he hinted he may be leaving ‘Empire’.

"I was thinking like my little core group of amazing fans would be like, ‘What?' But it just went so much further. Like there were calls about it and Lee (Daniels) was getting death threats about it," Smollett told Fox at a cast event on Friday (May 20).

Continue reading: 'Empire's' Jussie Smollett Will Think Twice Before He Prank Tweets Again

Film and TV director Lee Daniels has settled the defamation lawsuit brought by Sean Penn, with an apology for insinuating that the actor physically abused his ex-wife Madonna and with a donation to the charity Penn founded.

The 55 year old actor issued a $10 million defamation suit against Daniels, the co-creator of smash TV drama ‘Empire’, last September after the director had leapt to the defence of the series’ star Terrence Howard after he’d received intense criticism after admitting striking his ex-wife.

Sean Penn launched the lawsuit last September

Continue reading: Director Lee Daniels Apologises To Sean Penn Over Madonna Domestic Abuse Comments, Settles Defamation Lawsuit

Madonna has denied that her ex-husband Sean Penn ever struck her during their short-lived marriage in the 1980s, as she offered up evidence on his behalf of his defamation case against the co-creator of the hit TV show ‘Empire.

Lee Daniels, who helped create the hit Fox show, gave an interview to The Hollywood Reporter in September this year defending cast member Terrence Howard, who had come in for criticism after he had admitted hitting his wife. Daniels had said that Howard “ain’t done nothing different than Marlon Brando or Sean Penn,” but because he is black, “he’s some fucking demon. That’s a sign of the time, of race, of where we are right now in America.”

Sean Penn with former girlfriend Charlize Theron in May 2015

Continue reading: Madonna Submits Court Declaration That Sean Penn Never Assaulted Her

On the same day as the nominations for this year's Academy Awards ceremony were revealed, the latest instalment of the ongoing awards season went by at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California, where the 19th annual Critic's Choice Awards honoured the cast and crew of some of last's year's biggest and best films.

Gravity soared to success at the Critic's Choice Awards

The big winner on the night was the space thriller Gravity, which soared to success with seven wins by the end of the night. Among it's credits the film earned Alfonso Cuarón the award for Best Director and the award for Best Editing, shared with co-editor Mark Sanger. The film also earned Sandra Bullock the award for Best Actress In An Action Movie and was crowned as crowned the Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie. The film also scored recognition for Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography and Best Score.

Continue reading: 'Gravity,' 'American Hustle' And '12 Years A Slave' Scoop Major Wins At Critic's Choice Awards: Full Nominees & Winners

The third instalment of the 'Riddick' series, this time called Riddick, has shot to the top of the US Box Office on it's opening weekend with estimated takings of $18.7 million. In what has been a relatively disappointing weekend in terms of box office earnings, Vin Diesel's latest turn as the formidable ex-con Richard B. Riddick out-muscled it's nearest performer by around $10 mil. and managed to bring in less than $10 mil. from overseas markets such as the UK and Hong Kong.

David Twohy (L), Vin Diesel, Katee Sackhoff and Jordi Molla (R) attend the premiere of Riddick

See what our in-house reviewer made of Riddick

Continue reading: 'Riddick' Shines At The Top Of A Weak Box Office Weekend With $18.7 Mil Debut

It was a tense fight, but this weekend’s box office goes to the Vin Diesel sci-fi action Riddick, meaning Lee Daniels’ The Butler has finished its three-week run. Riddick made $18.7 making it the first weekend box office winner of Hollywood’s fall season (estimates according to Hollywood.com). The Butler made around $8.9million and was closely followed in the box office chart by Instructions Not Included, We’re The Millers and Planes.

Watch the Riddick trailer below.

Continue reading: Weekend Box Office: "Riddick" Triumphs Over First Fall Weekend For Hollywood

The first shaky reports of the Labor Day holiday box office taking couldn't decide whether Lee Daniel's The Butler or Morgan Spurlock's One Direction documentary This Is Us had sold the most movie tickets across the weekend, so neck and neck they were for a while.

Watch The Butler Trailer:

Initially, it did look as though the 1D concert documentary would race ahead, with a predicted $21 million in takings. However, the boyband movie performed well, raking in $18 million but not well enough to overtake The Butler's massive earnings of $20 million. Not only did the two films collectively help made this year's Labor Day the highest earning ever, with $156 million, compared to 2007's $148 million, reports THR, but  the weekend also helped contribute to a record breaking summer where an incredible $4.7 billion was taken thanks to a wide array of film to entice filmgoers.

Continue reading: 'The Butler' Gives Rivals The Brush Off Over Labor Day Weekend: Why Is Lee Daniel's Movie So Successful?

This year's Labor Day box office takings marked a record year for Hollywood, with an estimated $156 million paid to see movies across the national holiday weekend. One film "steamed" ahead over the weekend to give all other contenders the "brush" off by "sweeping" in $20 million over the four day holiday. Ok, enough of the cleaning puns; if you hadn't guessed, Lee Daniels' The Butler was the highest earning movie of the weekend, advancing its existing domestic earnings to a total of $79.3 million, according to THR.

Watch The Butler Trailer:

Continue reading: The Labor Day Box Office Round-Up: Which Film "Cleaned Up" Over The Record Weekend?

The Butler, the star-studded historical drama by director Lee Daniels, has topped the North American box office for a second week with $17 million in takings, reports BBC News.

Forest Whitaker [L] and Cuba Gooding Jr [R] In 'The Butler

Officially titled Lee Daniels' The Butler owing to a legal battle, the movie stars Forest Whitaker as a long-serving member of the White House team. Despite early Oscars talk, the movie appeared to have taken a knock with several mediocre reviews, though it battled to a box-office win in its first week.

Continue reading: 'The Butler' Serves Up $17 Million Box-Office To Remain No.1

The Butler has outperformed all of its rivals upon its first weekend, having been released on 16th August to much nodding from critics and $25 million (£15.9m) earned. The film showcases an all-star cast, who portray a period of dramatic social upheaval in America, set around the life of the not-entirely-fictional butler, Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker).

A Shot From The Movie Showing The Kennedys Meeting The Whitehouse's Staff.

Gaines serves as a butler in the White House for 34 years and eight presidents and uses his unique position to witness important presidential discussions of national civil rights issues as the historical events play out. The movie charts such landmark events as Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, the Vietnam war, the Nixon resignation, Obama's presidential campaign and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Gaines' character is based upon the life of Eugene Allen who worked in the White House from 1952 to 1986.

Continue reading: 'The Butler' Gives Competitors The Brush-Off In First Weekend Success

Lee Daniels' The Butler has defeated other newcomers Kick-Ass 2 and Jobs in the US Weekend Box Office. The Butler has headed straight to number one whilst Kick-Ass 2 and Jobs have respectively gained 4th and 7th place.

Forest Whitaker and Oprah Winfrey who star in Lee Daniels' The Butler as Cecil and Gloria Gaines at the L.A. premiere.

The Butler has made $25 million in its opening weekend and has gained critical praise. The historical epic is inspired by the true story of Cecil Gaines, a black butler who whilst serving at the White House, saw the offices of eight presidents. His life and family form a touchstone for the audience when addressing such historical events as the Civil Rights Movement and the rise of Black Power in the US. 

Continue reading: 'Lee Daniels' The Butler' Beats 'Kick-Ass 2' And 'Jobs' In US Weekend Box Office

Lee Daniels’ The Butler will only see its US-wide release tomorrow (August 16), but the film, telling the story of a White House butler, who saw eight presidents come and go during his residency, is already being praised across the internet and back.

The Butler might be patchy, but it's not bad, say critics.

For once, everyone seems to agree what’s so great about the film. The story of Cecil Gains is captivating in many ways, not least of all for its portrayal of the civil rights movement, but for Forest Whitaker in the title role, who steals the show.

Continue reading: Lee Daniels' 'The Butler' Already Aiming At The Distant Glow Of The Oscars

The big news this week was that Harrison Ford will join the Expendables for their third film adventure. Sylvester Stallone tweeted the announcement, then went on to mention that Bruce Willis won't be around this time, apparently because he asked for too much money. Stallone was also caught on camera poking fun at Arnold Schwarzenegger's "big ego". Before they re-team for the next Expendables movie, they're costarring in the prison-break thriller Escape Plan. Watch Sly talking about Arnie at Comic Con here.

The next big superhero blockbuster will be Thor: The Dark World, and we got a more detailed look at the film in a new trailer this week. Pretty much everyone is back, including Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Idris Elba and Stellan Skarsgard. The movie looks like a huge-scale action adventure with a sense of humour about it. It opens in October. Watch the trailer for Thor: The Dark World here.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Ford Joins The Expendables, Thor Strikes Back, And Get Ready For The Biopics

Lee Daniels has earned his reputation as the director of difficult, socially loaded pictures and his latest, The Butler, is no exception to the rule. The film, based on a true story, details the life of Eugene Allen, a butler, who worked in cotton fields, before being employed by the White House for 34 years and serving during several presidential administration. In the script, Allen has been renamed to Cecil Gaines and the number of presidents, as well as some other details, has been changed, but the film still maintains historical accuracy. The film offers an intimate perspective of the dramatic twists of African-American history in the 20th century.

Watch the trailer for Lee Daniels' The Butler below.

Continue reading: Lee Daniels' The Butler" Premiere Gathers Celebrities For Some Heavy Social Commentary [Trailer] [Pictures]

Hollywood and the film industry seem more confident in taking on the issue of slavery in a cinematic context. Last year saw Django Unchained and Lincoln prove popular, and this year will see more films of that ilk, including Lee Daniels' The Butler, which enjoyed its premiere last night (Monday, Aug 5) in New York.

Whitaker is The Butler

The film follows Cecil Gaines (Forest Whitaker) – an African-American White House butler who, due to his close proximity, was privy to many of the political events that helped shaped contemporary America. The film is based on the real-life account of Eugene Allen.

Continue reading: Lee Daniel's 'The Butler' Is A Clear Oscar Contender [Stills + Clips]

'The Butler' looks set to be one of the most memorable movies of the year with an all-star cast that glittered on the red carpet at the New York premiere  last night (August 5th 2013).

Sparkling the brightest was Oprah Winfrey in a pretty pink sequined gown with her hair in full afro form, alongside her onscreen husband Forest Whitaker who plays the title role, and her real partner Stedman Graham. Nursing a dislocated shoulder in a funky studded sling was Mariah Carey, who has not been letting her injury get in the way of anything she does at the moment as this wasn't the first time she has stepped out in a quirky bling sling. Some of the presidents from the movie also showed up, including Liev Schreiber who played Lyndon B. Johnson and James Marsden who was John F. Kennedy, as well as First Ladies Minka Kelly as Jackie Kennedy and Jane Fonda as Nancy Reagan.

Forest Whitaker plays the title character in 'The Butler'

Continue reading: Oprah And Forest Hit 'The Butler' NY Premiere, While Mariah Carey Makes A Fashion Statement Out Of An Arm Injury [Photos]

Bad things happen when Warner Bros. gets crossed regarding copyright, that much is a given, but director Lee Daniels isn’t letting the company intimidate him. While the case against his movie The Butler is slowly getting dragged through the lawyer machine (because of a nearly century-old Disney short by the same name) Daniels is taking his appeal directly to the top. In a heartfelt email, obtained by Deadline, Lee pleads his case with Warner Bros Entertainment CEO Kevin Tsujihara in an attempt to secure the right to screen his own film. And that’s how you know Warner has more expensive lawyers than the Winestein company.

Daniels is also known for directing The Paperboy and Precious.

“There are so few depictions of strong black families in our cinematic history and it was of paramount importance to make this movie about a family who endured and survived unimaginable discrimination in their quest for the American Dream,” reads one particularly powerful passage from the letter “Through the eyes of this loving and hard-working African American family, the film tells the story of the Civil Rights Movement from the sit-ins and the Freedom Riders, to Selma, Martin Luther King’s assassination, and the election of the first Black President. THE BUTLER is not only a story about a black family and black history; it is a universal story about family and OUR history.”

Continue reading: Lee Daniels' Battle With Warner Over 'The Butler' Title Continues Via Email

The first trailer for 'Precious' director Lee Daniels' new movie The Butler starring Forest Whitaker has rolled out online. It has always been assumed that Harvey Weinstein believes the film is one of his better chances of tasting Oscars success this season and the trailer certainly appears to confirm that. It stars Whitaker as Eugene Allen, the man who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler. It's over-the-top, patriotic and, well, Oscar bait.

In the mould as The King's Speech and The Iron Lady, the historical biopic is set for release on October 18th - just in time to be wafted under the nose of the Academy. As well as Whitaker returning to a leading role, 'The Butler' boasts one of the more spectacular casts of the year, including Robin Williams (Dwight Eisenhower), John Cusack (Richard Nixon), James Marsden (JFK), Liev Schreiber (Lydon B. Johnson), Alan Rickman (Reagan), Cuba Gooding Jr (Carter Wilson). David Oyelowo (Loius Gaines) and Oprah Winfrey (Gloria Gaines) are among the supporting cast though this one appears to be set up for Whitaker.

Watch 'The Butler' Trailer!

Speaking to Indiewire last year, Daniels hinted that his movie might be a little too focused on awards, "I'm trying to keep it [The Butler] PG13 which is not easy for me. It's very un-Precious and un-Paperboy... I can't go into my bag of tricks on this one [...] I felt like I directed the film in handcuffs and a muzzle," he said.

Continue reading: Forest Whitaker As 'The Butler' Could Be A Recipe For Success [Trailer]

The first trailer for 'Precious' director Lee Daniels' new movie The Butler starring Forest Whitaker has rolled out online and Harvey Weinstein's ambitions of taking this film all the way to the Oscars couldn't be more apparent. Whitaker stars as Eugene Allen, the man who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler.

The movie is clearly Oscar bait. Firstly, it's a typical Weinstein movie in the same mould as The King's Speech and The Iron Lady and secondly it's set for release on October 18th - just in time to be wafted under the nose of the Academy. Oh, and there's a pretty strong cast with plenty of Oscar winners and several up-and-coming stars. Robin Williams (Dwight Eisenhower), John Cusack (Richard Nixon), James Marsden (JFK), Liev Schreiber (Lydon B. Johnson), Alan Rickman (Reagan), Cuba Gooding Jr (Carter Wilson), David Oyelowo (Loius Gaines) and Oprah Winfrey (Gloria Gaines) are among the supporting cast though this one appears to be set up for Whitaker.

Continue reading: Forest Whitaker's 'The Butler' Clearly Has Oscar Glory In Its Sights [Trailer]

Nicole Kidman's latest film, The Paperboy has caused controversy, as she refused to utter the N-word, after an instruction from the film's director to do so, reports The Los Angeles Times.

It's no secret that Lee Daniels sets out to "discombobulate" actors on set, but Kidman was having none of it, and flat out refused to say the N-Word for the upcoming movie. "I didn't feel like it was right for the character," she explained. "I have a son who's African American and I just didn't feel it was right. It wasn't right." That wasn't all Daniels did to throw his stars. "I thought when am I going to shoot the film if we're all doing our own hair and makeup?" explained Kidman after he indeed asked her to do her own makeup, which he thought "freaked her out at the beginning." He also "expected Zac Efron at catering." Fun.

The Paperboy, which also stars Matthew Mcconaughey and John Cusack, sees a reporter return to his Florida hometown to investigate a case involving a death row inmate. Early reactions have been mixed, with the film scoring an unimpressive 6.5 on IMDB, and an even less impressive 45% on review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes. The film is due for limited release today (October 5th 2012).