2008 in film
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The year 2008 involved many major movie events. Its highest-grossing films included Kung Fu Panda, The Dark Knight, WALL-E and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.
Highest-grossing films
Rank | Title | Distributor | Worldwide gross |
---|---|---|---|
1. | The Dark Knight | Warner Bros. | $997,000,000[2][3] |
2. | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull | Paramount | $786,636,033 |
3. | Kung Fu Panda | $631,744,560 | |
4. | Hancock | Columbia | $624,386,746 |
5. | Mamma Mia! | Universal | $609,841,637 |
6. | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Paramount | $603,900,354 |
7. | Quantum of Solace | MGM / Columbia | $586,090,727 |
8. | Iron Man | Paramount | $585,174,222 |
9. | WALL-E | Disney | $533,281,433 |
10. | The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian | $419,665,568 |
On August 4, The Dark Knight reached a $400 million domestic gross in a record time of 18 days. The previous record was held by Shrek 2, which reached it in 43 days.[4] On August 31, after 45 days in release, The Dark Knight reached $500 million domestically, becoming only the second film in history after Titanic to cross the half-billion-dollar domestic milestone, as well as the first film of the 2000s decade. For 2008, the top ten films consisted of three superhero films, three animated films, three action films and one musical film. Mamma Mia! became the highest-grossing film in UK history until it was surpassed by Avatar in 2010. In the domestic box office, 2008 came very close in passing 2007 as the highest grossing year, falling short by just $30 million. "WALL-E" became the highest grossing hybrid film of all time with $533.3 million, surpassing Happy Feet $384.3 million.
Events
Month | Day | Event |
January | 7 | Due to the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America Strike, NBC and the Hollywood Foreign Press Association scrap plans to hold its 65th Golden Globe Awards ceremony and instead hold a press conference announcing the winners |
13 | The 65th Golden Globe Awards winners were announced. | |
16 | The 61st BAFTA Awards nominations were announced with Atonement the leading film with 14 nominations closely followed by No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood, both with 7 nominations | |
17 - 27 | The 26th Sundance Film Festival is opened with the world premiere of Martin McDonagh's In Bruges and screens over 120 films. The Grand Jury and Audience Award prizes are awarded to Frozen River and The Wackness respectively. The festival is closed by the world premiere of Bernard Shakey's CSNY/Déjà Vu | |
22 | The 80th Academy Awards nominations were announced with No Country for Old Men and There Will Be Blood the leading films with 8 nominations each, closely followed by Atonement and Michael Clayton, both with 7
The Oscar nominated actor Heath Ledger, 28, is found dead at his home in Manhattan, New York City, from an accidental prescription pills overdose | |
23 - 3 | The 37th Rotterdam International Film Festival is opened with the world premiere of Lucía Cedrón's narrative feature-film debut Lamb of God (Cordero de Dios). | |
26 | The 60th Directors Guild of America Award dinner is held in the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza, Los Angeles. The Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Feature Film prize is awarded to Joel and Ethan Coen | |
27 | The 14th Screen Actors Guild Awards ceremony is held in the Shrine Exposition Center, Los Angeles. | |
February | 7 - 17 | The 58th Berlin International Film Festival is opened with the world premiere of Martin Scorsese's Shine A Light and screens over 350 films. The Golden Bear prize is awarded to Elite Squad. The Silver Bear prizes are awarded to Paul Thomas Anderson, Best Director, Reza Naji, Best Actor and Sally Hawkins, Best Actress. The festival is closed by the international premiere of Michel Gondry's Be Kind Rewind |
8 | The 35th Annie Awards ceremony is held in the UCLA's Royce Hall, Los Angeles. The Best Animated Feature prize is awarded to Ratatouille | |
9 | The 60th Writers Guild of America Awards are announced in a brief statement. The Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Screenplay prizes are awarded to Joel and Ethan Coen (No Country for Old Men) and Diablo Cody (Juno), respectively | |
10 | The 61st BAFTA Awards ceremony is held in the Royal Opera House, London. Anthony Hopkins is honoured with the Academy Fellowship. | |
12 | The members of the WGA agree a three-year deal with the AMPTP and vote to end the 3-month 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America Strike | |
23 | The 28th Golden Raspberry Awards ceremony is held in Santa Monica, California.
The 23rd Independent Spirit Awards ceremony is broadcast. The Best Film award is given to Juno. The Best Actor and Best Actress awards are given to Philip Seymour Hoffman and Ellen Page respectively | |
24 | The 80th Academy Awards ceremony is held in the Kodak Theater, Hollywood. | |
March | 3 | The 28th Genie Awards |
9 | The 13th Empire Awards is held in the Grosvenor House Hotel in London, England. | |
13 - 21 | 7th Tiburon International Film Festival | |
April | 4 - 13 | 10th Sarasota Film Festival |
23 - 4 | 7th Tribeca Film Festival
| |
24 - 8 | 51st San Francisco International Film Festival | |
May | ? - ? | 8th Silver Lake Film Festival |
14 - 25 | Entre les murs wins the Palme d'Or while Gomorrah receives the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival. | |
22 - 15 | 34th Seattle International Film Festival | |
26 | Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull earns $126 million in the United States and Canada, becoming the highest grossing debut of 2008 and the second highest for a Memorial Day weekend debut behind Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End. | |
June | 1 | The 2008 MTV Movie Awards winners were announced
A massive fire destroys portions of facilities at Universal Studios in Universal City near Los Angeles, California. |
14 - 22 | 11th Shanghai International Film Festival | |
18 | Iron Man becomes the first movie of 2008 to earn $300 million in the United States and Canada. | |
18 - 29 | 62nd Edinburgh International Film Festival. The festival launches a new sidebar celebrating the spirit of discovery, including selections Bigga Than Ben, Blood Car, Crack Willow, Spike, Strange Girls, and The Third Pint.[5] | |
July | 17 - 26 | 8th Era New Horizons Film Festival |
August | 4 | The Dark Knight reached $400 million in record time at 18 days. The previous record was held by Shrek 2, which reached it in 43 days.[4] |
6 - 16 | 61st Locarno International Film Festival | |
21 - 1 | 32nd Montreal World Film Festival | |
27 - 6 | 65th Venice International Film Festival | |
September | 4 - 13 | 33rd Toronto International Film Festival |
15 -20 | 33rd Polish Film Festival in Gdynia | |
18 - 27 | 56th San Sebastián International Film Festival | |
23 -30 | 6th Bangkok International Film Festival | |
October | 1 - 12 | 16th Raindance Film Festival |
15 - 30 | 52nd London Film Festival | |
18 - 26 | 21st Tokyo International Film Festival | |
November | 18 - 28 | 32nd Cairo International Film Festival |
December | 5 - 14 | 10th Jakarta International Film Festival |
4 - 14 | 23rd Mar del Plata International Film Festival |
Awards
2008 Wide-release films
January–March
April–June
July–September
October–December
Notable deaths
Month | Date | Name | Age | Country | Profession | Notable films |
January | 1 | Peter Caffrey | 58 | UK | Actor | |
2 | Brice Mack | 90 | USA | Background Artist | ||
2 | George MacDonald Fraser | 82 | UK | Screenwriter | ||
4 | Edward Richardson | 63 | USA | Art Director | ||
10 | Vampira | 86 | Russia | Actress | ||
15 | Brad Renfro | 25 | USA | Actor | ||
17 | Allan Melvin | 84 | USA | Actor | ||
18 | Lois Nettleton | 80 | USA | Actress | ||
19 | Suzanne Pleshette | 70 | USA | Actress | ||
22 | Kevin Stoney | 87 | UK | Actor | ||
22 | Roberto Gari | 88 | USA | Actor | ||
22 | Heath Ledger | 28 | Australia | Actor | ||
25 | Christopher Allport | 60 | USA | Actor | ||
28 | Mary Ruth Smith | 57 | USA | ADR Supervisor | ||
30 | Ronnie Fox Rogers | ?? | UK | Camera Operator | ||
February | 2 | Barry Morse | 89 | Canada | Actor | |
3 | Charles Fawcett | 92 | UK | Actor | ||
6 | John Alvin | 59 | USA | Poster Artist | ||
7 | Tamara Desni | 94 | Germany-UK | Actress | ||
8 | Eva Dahlbeck | 87 | Sweden | Actress | ||
8 | Jane Lumb | 65 | UK | Actress | ||
9 | Robert DoQui | 73 | USA | Actor | ||
10 | Roy Scheider | 75 | USA | Actor | ||
11 | James Quinn | 88 | UK | Producer | ||
12 | Vernon Chapman | 84 | Canada | Actor | ||
13 | Kon Ichikawa | 92 | Japan | Director | ||
12 | Oscar Brodney | 100 | USA | Screenwriter | ||
12 | David Groh | 68 | USA | Actor | ||
13 | Lionel Mark Smith | 62 | USA | Actor | ||
14 | Perry Lopez | 76 | USA | Actor | ||
14 | Billy Worth | 30 | UK | Stuntman, Actor | Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban | |
18 | Alain Robbe-Grillet | 85 | France | Screenwriter, Director | Last Year at Marienbad | |
19 | David Watkin | 82 | UK | Cinematographer | ||
19 | Mary Barclay | 91 | UK | Actress | ||
21 | Ben Chapman | 82 | USA | Actor | Creature from the Black Lagoon | |
22 | Dennis Letts | 73 | USA | Actor | ||
27 | Larry Pizer | 82 | USA | Cinematographer | ||
28 | John Bliss | 77 | USA | Actor | ||
29 | Gayne Rescher | 83 | USA | Cinematographer | ||
March | 4 | Leonard Rosenman | 83 | USA | Composer | |
6 | Alex Sharp | 86 | USA | Stuntman, Actor | ||
6 | Gustaw Holoubek | 84 | Poland | Actor | ||
8 | Carol Barnes | 63 | UK | Actress | Shaun of the Dead | |
11 | Dave Stevens | 52 | USA | Illustrator, Producer | The Rocketeer | |
11 | David Nettheim | 83 | Australia | Actor | Paws | |
12 | Erwin Geschonneck | 101 | Germany | Actor | Jacob the Liar | |
16 | Ivan Dixon | 76 | USA | Actor, Director | ||
18 | Anthony Minghella | 54 | UK | Director, Screenwriter | ||
18 | Philip Jones Griffiths | 72 | UK | Photographer | The Deer Hunter | |
19 | Arthur C. Clarke | 90 | Sri Lanka | Writer, Actor | ||
19 | Paul Scofield | 86 | UK | Actor | ||
24 | Rafael Azcona | 81 | Spain | Screenwriter | ||
24 | Richard Widmark | 93 | USA | Actor | ||
25 | Tony Church | 77 | UK | Actor | ||
25 | Abby Mann | 80 | USA | Screenwriter | ||
25 | Art Aragon | 80 | USA | Actor | ||
31 | Jules Dassin | 96 | USA | Director | ||
April | 1 | Floyd Simmons | 84 | USA | Actor | |
3 | Frosty Freeze | 44 | USA | Singer, Actor | Flashdance | |
5 | Charlton Heston | 84 | USA | Actor | ||
5 | Alex Grasshoff | 79 | USA | Director | Young Americans | |
6 | Jack Roe | 77 | USA | First Assistant Director | ||
8 | Stanley Kamel | 65 | USA | Actor | ||
9 | Lloyd Lamble | 94 | Australia | Actor | The Belles of St Trinian's | |
11 | Willoughby Goddard | 81 | UK | Actor | ||
14 | Ollie Johnston | 95 | USA | Animator | ||
14 | June Travis | 93 | USA | Actress | ||
15 | Hazel Court | 93 | UK | Actress | ||
18 | Joy Page | 83 | USA | Actress | ||
20 | Bebe Barron | 82 | USA | Composer | Forbidden Planet | |
23 | Dave Atkins | 67 | UK | Actor | ||
24 | Tristram Cary | 82 | UK | Composer | ||
29 | Julie Ege | 64 | Norway | Actress | ||
29 | Lewis Croft | 88 | USA | Actor | The Wizard of Oz | |
May | 1 | Bernard Archard | 91 | UK | Actor | |
1 | Terry Duggan | 76 | UK | Actor, Wrangler | ||
2 | Beverlee McKinsey | 72 | USA | Actress | ||
4 | Fred Haines | 72 | USA | Screenwriter, Director | ||
7 | Lydia Bruce | 77 | USA | Actress | ||
8 | Chris Gampel | 87 | USA | Actor | ||
12 | Claudio Undari | 73 | Italy | Actor | ||
12 | Robert Russell | 71 | UK | Actor | ||
12 | Burton Zucker | 91 | USA | Actor | ||
13 | Jill Adams | 77 | UK | Actress | ||
13 | John Phillip Law | 70 | USA | Actor | ||
14 | John Forbes-Robertson | 80 | UK | Actor | ||
15 | Alexander Courage | 88 | USA | Composer, Orchestrator | ||
16 | David Mitton | 69 | UK | Writer, Producer, Director | ||
16 | Sandy Howard | 80 | USA | Director, Producer | ||
18 | Irma Córdoba | 94 | Argentina | Actor | ||
18 | Joseph Pevney | 96 | USA | Director | ||
19 | Vijay Tendulkar | 80 | India | Screenwriter | ||
22 | Harry Lange | 77 | Germany | Production Designer | ||
24 | Rob Knox | 18 | UK | Actor | Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince | |
24 | Dick Martin | 86 | USA | Actor | ||
26 | Sydney Pollack | 73 | USA | Actor, Director, Producer | ||
28 | Earle Hagen | 88 | USA | Composer, Orchestrator | ||
29 | Harvey Korman | 81 | USA | Actor | ||
June | 1 | Ted Manson | 81 | USA | Actor | |
2 | Mel Ferrer | 90 | USA | Actor, Director, Producer | ||
2 | Bo Diddley | 79 | USA | Actor, Musician | ||
5 | Bruce Purchase | 69 | UK | Actor | Macbeth | |
6 | Bobby Anderson | 75 | USA | Actor | It's a Wonderful Life | |
7 | Dino Risi | 91 | Italy | Director, Writer | ||
10 | Derek Murcott | 83 | USA | Actor | The Kentucky Fried Movie | |
11 | Jean Desailly | 87 | France | Actor | ||
15 | Stan Winston | 62 | USA | Director, Makeup Artist | ||
17 | Henry Beckman | 86 | Spain | Actor | ||
17 | Cyd Charisse | 86 | USA | Actress, Dancer | ||
18 | Jean Delannoy | 100 | France | Director | ||
19 | Michael Rougas | 77 | USA | Actor | ||
21 | Kermit Love | 91 | USA | Puppeteer, Costume Designer | The Muppet Movie | |
22 | George Carlin | 71 | USA | Actor, Comedian | ||
22 | Dody Goodman | 93 | USA | Actress | ||
23 | John Furlong | 75 | USA | Actor | ||
24 | William Vince | 45 | Canada | Producer | ||
29 | Don S. Davis | 67 | USA | Actor | ||
July | ?? | Christopher Lancaster | 77 | UK | Dubbing Editor | |
2 | Elizabeth Spriggs | 78 | UK | Actress | ||
4 | Evelyn Keyes | 91 | USA | Actress | ||
6 | Nonna Mordyukova | 82 | Russia | Actress | ||
7 | Bruce Conner | 74 | USA | Director | ||
9 | Charles H. Joffe | 78 | USA | Producer | ||
11 | Breno Mello | 76 | Brazil | Actor | Black Orpheus | |
14 | Hugh Lloyd | 85 | UK | Actor | Quadrophenia | |
17 | Paul Sorensen | 82 | USA | Actor | ||
22 | Estelle Getty | 84 | USA | Actress | ||
22 | Patrick Connor | 81 | UK | Actor | ||
25 | Randy Pausch | 47 | USA | Author, Professor, Actor | Star Trek | |
25 | Mikhail Pugovkin | 85 | Russia | Actor | ||
27 | Youssef Chahine | 82 | Egypt | Director | ||
27 | Marisa Merlini | 84 | Italy | Actress | ||
29 | Luther Davis | 91 | USA | Screenwriter | ||
August | 1 | Gertan Klauber | 76 | Actor | ||
7 | Bernie Brillstein | 77 | USA | Producer | ||
9 | Bernie Mac | 50 | USA | Actor | ||
10 | Isaac Hayes | 65 | USA | Actor, Singer, Songwriter | ||
11 | George Furth | 75 | USA | Actor | ||
11 | Terence Rigby | 71 | UK | Actor | ||
14 | Priscilla Allen | 70 | USA | Actress | Total Recall | |
15 | Molly McClure | 89 | USA | Actress | ||
21 | Fred Crane | 90 | USA | Actor | Gone with the Wind | |
24 | Peter Sutton | 65 | ?? | Sound Mixer | ||
25 | Marpessa Dawn | 74 | USA | Actor | ||
31 | Ken Campbell | 66 | UK | Actor, Writer, Director | ||
31 | Jerry Reed | 71 | USA | Actor, Singer, Songwriter | ||
September | 1 | Don LaFontaine | 68 | USA | Voice actor | Prolific and iconic voice-over actor featured in over 5,000 movie trailers |
1 | Michael Pate | 88 | Australia | Actor, Director | ||
2 | Bill Melendez | 91 | Mexico | Animator, Director | ||
6 | Anita Page | 98 | USA | Actress | ||
8 | Celia Gregory | 58 | UK | Actress | ||
17 | Humberto Solás | 67 | Cuba | Director | Lucía | |
18 | James Gavin | 88 | United States | Actor | ||
19 | Jun Ichikawa | 59 | Japan | Director | Tony Takitani | |
19 | David Jones | 74 | UK | Director | ||
20 | William Fox | 97 | UK | Actor | ||
26 | Paul Newman | 83 | USA | Actor, Director | ||
26 | Margot Thomas | 89 | UK | Actress | Bullseye! | |
27 | Mahendra Kapoor | 74 | India | Playback Artist | ||
29 | Louis Guss | 90 | USA | Actor | ||
October | 5 | Kim Chan | 90 | USA | Actor, Producer | |
5 | Ken Ogata | 71 | Japan | Actor | ||
7 | Peter Copley | 93 | UK | Actor | ||
8 | Bob Friend | 70 | UK | Actor | ||
11 | Neal Hefti | 85 | USA | Composer | ||
11 | Mark Shivas | 70 | UK | Producer | ||
11 | Gil Stratton | 86 | USA | Actor | ||
13 | Guillaume Depardieu | 37 | France | Actor | ||
15 | Edie Adams | 81 | USA | Actress | ||
15 | Nathan Davis | 91 | USA | Actor | ||
15 | Mona Bruce | 83 | UK | Actress, Writer | To Sir, with Love | |
15 | Vicki Graef | 57 | Canada | Costume Designer, Costume Execution | ||
18 | Xie Jin | 84 | China | Director | ||
18 | Peter Gordeno | 69 | UK | Actor, Choreographer | Carry On Columbus | |
19 | Rudy Ray Moore | 81 | USA | Actor | ||
20 | John Ringham | 80 | UK | Actor | V for Vendetta | |
22 | John Axon | 48 | UK | Actor | ||
24 | Milton Katselas | 75 | USA | Director | ||
26 | Delmar Watson | 82 | USA | Actor | Mr. Smith Goes to Washington | |
27 | Roy Stewart | 83 | UK | Actor | ||
31 | John Daly | 71 | UK | Producer | ||
31 | Jonathan Bates | 68 | UK | Supervising Sound Editor | ||
November | ?? | Stephen Dalby | 97 | UK | Sound Re-Recording | |
5 | Michael Crichton | 66 | USA | Writer, Producer, Director | ||
5 | Michael Higgins | 88 | USA | Actor | ||
14 | Peter Lazer | 62 | USA | Actor | ||
16 | Reg Varney | 92 | UK | Actor | ||
17 | Ennio de Concini | 84 | Italy | Screenwriter | ||
19 | John Michael Hayes | 89 | USA | Screenwriter | ||
20 | June Vincent | 89 | USA | Actress | ||
26 | De'Angelo Wilson | 29 | USA | Actor | ||
28 | John Hewitt | 57 | UK | Actor | ||
December | 1 | Paul Benedict | 70 | USA | Actor | |
1 | James Bree | 85 | UK | Actor | On Her Majesty's Secret Service | |
2 | George Pelling | 94 | USA | Actor | ||
5 | Nina Foch | 84 | USA | Actress | ||
5 | Beverly Garland | 82 | USA | Actress | ||
8 | Robert Prosky | 77 | USA | Actor | ||
8 | Bob Spiers | 63 | UK | Director, Producer | ||
11 | Maddie Blaustein | 48 | USA | Actress | ||
11 | Reid Cruickshanks | 85 | USA | Actor | ||
12 | Van Johnson | 92 | USA | Actor | ||
15 | Hank Stohl | 81 | USA | Actor | ||
16 | Sam Bottoms | 53 | USA | Actor, Producer, Soundtrack | ||
16 | Richard Coleman | 78 | France | Actor | ||
18 | John Costelloe | 47 | USA | Actor | ||
18 | Majel Barrett-Roddenberry | 76 | USA | Actress | ||
18 | Jack Douglas | 81 | UK | Actor | ||
20 | Robert Mulligan | 83 | USA | Director | ||
24 | Harold Pinter | 78 | UK | Writer, Actor, Director | ||
25 | Eartha Kitt | 81 | USA | Actress, Singer | ||
27 | Patricia Kneale | 83 | UK | Actress | A for Andromeda | |
30 | Bernie Hamilton | 80 | USA | Actor | ||
31 | Donald E. Westlake | 75 | Mexico | Writer | ||
31 | Brad Sullivan | 77 | USA | Actor |
See also
Sources
References
- ↑ "2008 Worldwide Grosses". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
- ↑ Gray, Brandon (February 20, 2009). "Billion Dollar Batman". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ↑ "The Dark Knight Re-Release IMAX Locations". ComingSoon.net. CraveOnline. January 22, 2009. Retrieved January 30, 2014.
- 1 2 "The Dark Knight Breaks $400 Million in Record Time". 2008-08-05. Retrieved 2008-08-06.
- ↑ Adam Dawtrey (2008-04-28). "Edinburgh Launches Cult Film Sidebar". Variety. Retrieved 2010-04-14.