'Yes Man' is No. 1 in U.S. theaters
LOS ANGELES, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Three new movies, led by "Yes Man," led the way in U.S. movie theaters this weekend, Box Office Mojo said Sunday.
"Yes Man," a comedy starring Jim Carrey and Zooey Deschanel, made an estimated $18.16 million. It was followed by "Seven Pounds," a Will Smith thriller that pulled in about $16 million. Stepping out at No. 3 was "The Tale of Despereaux," an animated offering about a mouse featuring the voices of Matthew Broderick, Dustin Hoffman, Emma Watson and Tracey Ullman, Kevin Kline and William H. Macy that raked in $10.51 million.
Last week's No. 1 movie, "The Day the Earth Stood Still," was No. 4 with $10.15 million in estimated gate receipts. "Four Christmases" was No. 5 with $7.75 million.
Rounding out the Top 10 were: "Twilight," $5.23 million; "Bolt," $4.26 million; "Slumdog Millionaire," which jumped up from 11th to No. 8 with $3.15 million in its sixth week in theaters; "Australia," $2.33 million; and "Quantum of Solace," the James Bond flick that took in another $2.15 million for a six-week total of $161.3 million.
Attenborough recovering from alarming fall
LONDON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- Richard Attenborough is "doing very well" since being knocked unconscious in a London fall, the British actor's niece says.
Attenborough's niece, Susan, said her uncle may be hospitalized through Christmas after tumbling in his London home and hitting his head, temporarily sending him into a coma, The Sunday Times of London reported.
"He had a fall and banged his head. He's 85 and falls hurt, you know … He was in a coma but has come out now," the daughter of naturalist David Attenborough said.
"He's doing very well. We don't know when he will be released or whether he will be in home in time for Christmas but we all hope so."
Last week's fall marks the most recent health scare for the "Jurassic Park" actor, who lost consciousness this summer after suffering a heart irregularity.
The BBC said last week's accident also caused Attenborough to miss a Thursday ceremony honoring "Brief Encounter" actress Celia Johnson.
Edge says new U2 album sounds different
LONDON, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- U2 guitarist, The Edge, says the Irish rock band's newest album, "No Line on the Horizon," offers a different musical approach.
The guitarist, whose real name is David Howell Evans, said that while the group's 12th studio album will remind fans of the band's usual sound, it also will plow new ground, the BBC reported Friday.
"It sounds like a U2 album but it doesn't sound like anything we've done before and it doesn't really sound like anything that's happening at the moment," Evans said of "Horizon," which has been scheduled for a March 2009 release.
Evans also said the album, U2's first since 2004's "How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb," features two distinctive parts.
The guitarist said the rockers used their regular musical collaborators, Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, on only half the album's tracks, the BBC reported.
"It's a record of two halves," Evans said. "One half is songs that came virtually fully-formed out of sessions we did with Brian and Danny."
"Then the other half is material we've kicked around a while and went through the usual cycle of versions and incarnations."
Failed talks prompt Warner to pull videos
NEW YORK, Dec. 21 (UPI) -- The Warner Music Group has pulled its videos from YouTube after negotiations regarding the U.S. music company's music videos fell apart, the Web site says.
The online video-sharing Web site announced on its blog last week that talks between the two groups had reached an impasse regarding a licensing contract, the Los Angeles Times said Sunday.
The online message did not confirm which side officially ended the failed negotiations, resulting in all Warner-based music videos being pulled from YouTube.
"Sometimes,if we can't reach acceptable business terms, we must part ways with successful partners," YouTube said.
Warner, which initially was among the first music labels to sign a licensing deal with YouTube, manages such big music industry names as Madonna, the Red Hot Chili Peppers and rapper T.I.
The Times said YouTube's contractual deals with labels typically allow labels to earn minimum fees or part of advertising revenue each time one of their music videos is watched on the Web site.
