BOX OFFICE RECAP

Audiences last weekend decided to take a trip down the rabbit hole, as “Alice In Wonderland” hauled in an enormous $116.3 million domestically. Not only did “Alice” smash analysts’ predictions, but it was the highest opening in box office history for a non-sequel and was a clear personal best for director Tim Burton. Rounding out the top three were cop drama “Brooklyn’s Finest,” which opened with $13.5 million, and last week’s top dog “Shutter Island,” which fell to third place with $13.3 million.

OSCAR RECAP

James Cameron’s “Avatar” might have earned a lot more green at the box office, but Kathryn Bigelow’s “The Hurt Locker” earned more gold Sunday night at the 82nd Academy Awards. “The Hurt Locker” came out on top to win Best Picture, while Bigelow defeated her ex-husband Cameron to become the first woman ever to win Best Director. The chalk held up in the acting categories, as favorites Jeff Bridges and Sandra Bullock won Best Actor and Actress, and Christoph Waltz and Mo’Nique won Best Supporting Actor and Actress. Overall, “The Hurt Locker” totaled six gold statues to lead all films for the night.

Perhaps the most emotional part of the Academy Awards ceremony was the tribute to late screenwriter and director John Hughes. Since his death, much talk has focused on several screenplays that Hughes sold but were never put into production. Rumor has it that Paramount Pictures has obtained one of these screenplays, titled “Grisbys Go Broke.” The family comedy is centered around a rich family who loses all of its money and must move out into the country and live a much different life then it is used to.

MOVIE NEWS

It might be time to start practicing your Blue Steel and Magnum poses again, because Ben Stiller is reportedly working on a screenplay for “Zoolander 2” with friend and “Tropic Thunder” screenwriter Justin Theroux. Jonah Hill (“Superbad”) is in early talks to play the villain in the film. While Stiller has stated previously that a sequel could not be made without Owen Wilson returning as the character Hansel, there is no word yet if Wilson will be co-starring.

Vin Diesel and Paul Walker have signed on to reprise their roles in yet another installment in the “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. Titled “Fast Five,” the film will be set in Brazil and according to a trade report released by Universal, it will follow Diesel and Walker as “fugitives being pursued by legendary lawmen.”

The last installment in the “Indiana Jones” franchise left both critics and fans feeling underwhelmed, but that hasn’t discouraged creators Steven Spielberg and George Lucas from working on a fifth film in the popular series. Harrison Ford recently told the BBC, “Steven and George and I are sort of agreed on a germ of an idea and we’re seeing what comes of it.” It still seems like they are very far away from a first draft of a script, but the project is almost a sure thing to be brought into development in the coming years.