Kilmer, Cuba Drop Off the Charts

Top Straight-to-DVD Rentals for Week Ending 12/20/09

(Source: IMDb)

1. Santa Buddies
2. Hurricane Season
3. The Accidental Husband
4. Staten Island
5. The Tournament
6. The Maiden Heist
7. Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead

The only difference between the 12/20 chart and the 12/13 chart is that Hardwired has dropped off the overall 50, meaning we are momentarily Cuba and Kilmer-free.

Santa Buddies still on top in sales (week ending 12/26) and as of 12/6 it’s raked in over $23 million.  Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure has made over $45 million.

Michael Ironside Interview: Hardwired and More

Will Harris over at Bullz-Eye has an interview with the man, the myth, the legend Michael Ironside that covers his work on Hardwired, on which he was initially offered the role that eventually went to Val Kilmer, as well as classics like V, Scanners, and, most importantly, Space Hunter: Adventures in the Forbidden Zone.  Be sure to read all the way to the end for an awesome story from the set of Terminator: Salvation.

You can buy Hardwired here.

The Charts: The Tournament Wins the Tournament

Top 10 Straight-to-DVD Rentals for Week Ending 11/8/09

(Source: IMDb – Video Business hasn’t posted yet, for some reason)

1. The Tournament
2. Wrong Turn 3: Left for Dead
3. The Maiden Heist
4. Trick ‘r Treat
5. Hardwired
6. Lies & Illusions
7. The Line
8. Blood & Bone

Well, I guess this answers that question.  The Tournament leading the charts with last week’s leader, The Maiden Heist, dropping to third place.  Hardwired debuts right in the middle, giving the list a healthy dose of Cuba Gooding Jr. and Val Kilmer.  Prior chart-toppers The Line and Blood & Bone hanging in at 7 and 8, respectively.

Click on any of the above titles to buy.

Kilmer and Cuba: Together At Last

Val Kilmer and Cuba Gooding Jr. have become the De Niro/Pacino of straight-to-DVD, so it only seems appropriate that they should finally have their Heat. (Although I’d argue that Eric Roberts is keeping up pace with them – does that make him Dustin Hoffman?) Hardwired, from director Ernie Barbarash (Cube Zero, Stir of Echoes: The Homecoming) and writer Michael Hurst (best. title. ever. Mansquito) tells the tale of a guy (Cuba) with an experimental chip in his head invented by an evil corporation headed by some other guy (Kilmer).

Beyond Hollywood has the red band trailer, which appears to be red band only because there’s a wireframe computer graphic of some dude’s head exploding. Or maybe it’s because of Kilmer’s bloodcurdling hair (not at ALL like on the cover). It will haunt your dreams.

Hardwired drops November 3rd. You can pre-order it here.