Six years ago Today in Movie History – January 18 – marked the release of Cloverfield, the found footage monster flick which set the all-time January opening weekend record. That record still stands. Produced by JJ Abrams and directed by Matt Reeves, Cloverfield is still looked at as a model of brilliant marketing with its fantastic trailer and insistence on secrecy that Abrams still employs on its features. Its domestic haul stands at $80 million with a worldwide gross of $170 million. Director Reeves is currently working on Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, out this summer.
As for birthdays, Kevin Costner is 59 today. From the mid 80s through the mid 90s, he was one of the most bankable actors working in the business. High-profile roles during that period include No Way Out, The Untouchables, Bull Durham, Field of Dreams, Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, JFK, and The Bodyguard. In 1990, he would win Best Director with Dances with Wolves, his first feature working behind the camera. The film would also win Best Picture. There’s been some financial disappointments as well: Wyatt Earp, Waterworld and The Postman, among others. Costner has kept himself busy lately with roles in the miniseries “Hatfields&McCoys”, Man of Steel, and this weekend’s Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit.
Jason Segel is 34 today. Many know him best for his gig on the hit CBS sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”. After a supporting role in Knocked Up, Segel would be promoted to leading man status in Forgetting Sarah Marshall in 2008 and I Love You, Man the following year. Recent pics include Bad Teacher, The Muppets, and The Five Year Engagement.
As for Six Degrees of Separation between the actors:
Kevin Costner was in Man of Steel with Amy Adams
Amy Adams was in The Muppets with Jason Segel
And that’s today – January 18 – in Movie History!
All My Life... I Wanted To Be A Blogster 