Upstart VMA-nominee is joined by Weezer's Rivers Cuomo at raging house party in new clip.
By Jayson Rodriguez

Rivers Cuomo and B.o.B
Photo: Tim Mosenfelder/ Getty Images

You can't blame B.o.B if he wanted to pinch himself.

The VMA-nominated newcomer is riding an enormous wave via his debut album, The Adventures of Bobby Ray, which has spawned three consecutive top 10 singles, "Nothin' on You," "Airplanes" and his latest, "Magic." And for his "Magic" clip, the Atlanta rapper recruited director Sanaa Hamri (Jay-Z, Christina Aguilera) who put B.o.B in the middle of a raucous house party.

But in the video, which premiered Thursday (September 2) at midnight on MTV.com, Bobby Ray can't seem to believe his good fortune, As he and his "Magic" collaborator, Weezer's Rivers Cuomo, jam in the backyard, B.o.B mentally traces back to earlier in the day when the young rapper first wakes up. B.o.B tries to shake awake a sleeping version of himself but to no avail.

The girls, the party, all the happenings do seem to be going on — and all for him. Partygoers run through the house and Bobby Ray snaps pictures with the girl of his dreams. But in an instant — as quick as he's been clicking Polaroid pictures — the party is over and B.o.B awakens.

Turns out he was dreaming.

The sleep-eyed MC, however, takes a look around his bedroom and notices two photos on the ground: two snapshots of him and his leading lady. He's got the magic, indeed.

Last week, "Magic" landed on the Billboard Hot 100 at the #10 position. The track follows "Nothin' on You," which went to the top of the chart, and "Airplanes," a top 5 hit. Also on Thursday, B.o.B opened for Eminem and Jay-Z during the superstar MCs' Home and Home concert series in Detroit; he's scheduled to open for the pair again on Friday (September 3), and later this month in New York.

What do you think of B.o.B's "Magic" video? Tell us in the comments!

• Unplugged: B.o.B

• B.o.B
• Rivers Cuomo

Oscar-winner says he's made story of a man who can't move into an action movie.
By Josh Horowitz

Danny Boyle
Photo: Jordan Strauss/WireImage

At the 81st Academy Awards in early 2008, Danny Boyle's "Slumdog Millionaire" took home eight awards, including Best Director, while Darren Aronofsky's "The Wrestler" lost both categories in which it was nominated.

But that didn't stop Boyle from wanting to emulate Aronofsky's cinematic approach for his next project. Thus, "127 Hours." follows one central character, in much the same way that "The Wrestler" focused on Mickey Rourke's damaged grappler. Boyle's new film is based on the true story of an avid outdoorsman who becomes trapped under a boulder in the wildness and is forced to saw off his own arm to escape. James Franco plays the unfortunate hiker.

The film is one that Boyle has wanted to make for years. Only after virtually sweeping the Oscars, and being inspired by Aronofsky's style, though, did he move forward with the project. As part of MTV News' Fall Movie Preview, Boyle called us to chat about how his career has changed since "Slumdog," the challenges of making a film about a man who can't move, and why "127 Hours" may not be the ideal date movie.

MTV: How are you?

Danny Boyle: Good. We're mixing "127 Hours" at Pinewood, and we've been kicked out of the big theater by "Harry Potter." We're next door in the little theater.

MTV: I guess if you're going to be kicked out by anybody, they have a big thing going on.

Boyle: They're not even here! Do you know what they do? It's a big bank holiday this weekend here in Britain, and we're working right through the weekend to get it ready, and what they do is they book the theater for months and nothing happens! It's like, "Really?"

MTV: Well, it is great to talk to you. So, you had, you know, a little bit of success with "Slumdog Millionaire." Coming off of that, why this one?

Boyle: I'd always wanted to do it. The story has an instant tension that draws everyone's attention to it. So many people remember it vaguely. But it wasn't that. I wanted to make the film and I tried to get it going. Of course, it's a tough subject, but I had a way of doing it that wasn't what you think. It would be compelling and would occupy you completely as a viewer so that the whole barrier — it's just one guy stuck in one place — that wouldn't become an issue because you'd be with him. You would be him, in effect. That was always my take on it. Anyway, once "Slumdog" kicked off, [producer] Christian [Colson] and I thought, "This is our chance to make this." There's no other moment in our careers when we'll get a chance to make something like this, which is really a tricky prospect for any studio or financier. So we worked on it, we prepared a script, and then we had to find an actor. That's the key to this. Beyond our vision of it, you have to have someone who's not only going to share the vision but actually going to carry it much more than any film like "Slumdog" or a thriller or a big love story or anything that has a plot or the dynamics changing between two people. It's just one guy. We got Franco. He's amazing in it.

MTV: There are a couple ways to go off something like "Slumdog." Either you go with the project you've been wanting to make, or I'm sure you were offered every project under the sun.

Boyle: I don't think like that. It's such an amazing thing that happened that you have to take advantage in the right way. It's why we wanted to get ["127 Hours"] ready for Toronto, because that's where we started with "Slumdog." We wanted to take back there a film that had been made in its shadow. It's wonderful to do that, because suddenly it's not an intimidating shadow, it's liberating because it's a success that's allowed you to make something you've always wanted to make and you believe but wouldn't get made otherwise. Even though people, before they see the film, might think it a peculiar choice, but the film is really accessible. Whether they can get people into [the theater], I don't know. If you want to take a girl on a Friday and say, "What should we go and see?" it's tough to say, "It's a film about a guy who cuts his arm off. What do you think?" But once you're in there, it's a big story for everyone. It's a very universal thing.

MTV: What are the challenges for you as a filmmaker, keeping things dynamic, and the challenges for an audience? Do you imagine them feeling what Franco is feeling for the length of the movie?

Boyle: I always thought of it as the opposite of inert. Superficially, it looks inert, because he's stationary. But I'd always thought of it as an action movie. He can't move, but it's an action movie. That's what we've tried to do. I'm not going to brag now. You guys will have to decide whether we've succeeded or not, but that was the intention. I remember when we were doing "Slumdog," and Darren Aronofsky showed up with "The Wrestler." It's one of those films that you look at as a director and think, "That's it. You just follow this one actor around." It's different from his other movies, and it's different from my other movies, but I wanted to make one like that, where it's just you and an actor.

MTV: I heard you talk about the videos that the hiker, Aron Ralston, took when he was stuck, and how he changed over those few days as he became dehydrated. Was the physical transformation difficult for Mr. Franco? How do you accomplish that in the film?

Boyle: You can't, because you can't do it safely. It's not like carbohydrate loss. You hear about an actor losing weight or putting on weight for parts. You can't do that, because it happens over six days. He starts as an incredibly healthy young man and then this footage I saw by the end, when he'd been without water, the difference is shocking. It's a vanishing. The only way you could do it is through CG, and we didn't want to take that approach. We didn't want to use makeup, but so much of the film is so close. It's an intimate film. We tried to shoot in sequence to let James internally track it. We've not been able to move stuff. He was there for six days, and we'd go, "Can you move that line from day two to day four?" You can't move it, because the journey is no nuanced. He becomes completely different. He's a different person on each day. We've done it through James, rather than CG or weight loss.

MTV: What about the moment when he slowly cuts off his own arm? How long a sequence is that in the film? How much do we see and experience?

Boyle: It takes him 45 minutes in reality. It is in the film, obviously. The time it takes is respected by the filmmakers. We don't cut away, pardon the expression, and come back and it's gone. But it is cathartic, and that's the key thing. The whole idea of the film is you enter the journey with him and you don't cut away to a lot of people looking for him. It's an immersive experience, and it's cathartic when he does it because it's a relief for everyone and a triumph in some way as well.

MTV: In terms of the music, it's A.R. Rahman doing the score again after "Slumdog." Can you speak a little about what he's done?

Boyle: We've got a couple of songs, and the rest of the work is more guitar-based. Some of it is solo guitar, which felt appropriate given the nature of the story. Got a couple of wonderful songs. Free Blood ("Never Hear Surf Music Again") at the beginning, which we used for the trailer. Music has always been a big part of a movie for me, and I hope we've done another one justice we've what we've used.

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "127 Hours."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• MTV Rough Cut: 2010 Fall Movie Preview
• Fall Movie Sneak Peeks
• Exclusive Clips From The Fall's Most Anticipated Films

• Fall Movie 2010 Preview Week: Exclusive Photos

Get all of the bloody facts about Robert Rodriguez's action-packed Mexploitation flick!
By Kara Warner

Jessica Alba in "Machete"
Photo: Twentieth Century Fox

At long last! "Machete" is here and ready to blow your mind with every minute of its bloody, action-packed, sexy, slice-and-dicey good times. In brief, the story revolves around Machete (Danny Trejo), an ex-Federale who gets caught up in an assassination plot for which he is framed and must seek vengeance.

We've been following this zany, violent, Mexploitation romp since its humble beginnings as a mock trailer attached to 2007's "Grindhouse." To celebrate its long-awaited arrival in theaters on Friday (September 3), here is everything you need to know about "Machete."

In 2007, Robert Rodriguez unleashed the fake trailer in front of "Grindhouse." It was met with raucous applause and fan demands for a full-length feature. The Internet rumor mill kicked into high gear, with rumblings of a direct-to-DVD release. At SXSW, Rodriguez announced his plans to go ahead with the full-blown feature.

In the months that followed, the "Machete" cast was revealed. A script review later popped up online, as did pleas from the future star himself, Danny Trejo, who asked the Weinsteins to put up the cash so that filming could begin.

Ask and ye shall receive! Production began in fall '09, details of which Rodriguez teased at that year's Comic-Con. From that point on, whenever MTV News found ourselves in the presence of one of the film's stellar castmembers, we peppered them for details about the film, which yielded Trejo's comments about his first day on set and a brief exchange with Jessica Alba during which she weighed in on action-movie hero Steven Seagal.

It's worth mentioning that Alba also talked about how she'd be playing identical twins in the film, which somehow was lost in translation and changed at some point during filming, because Alba plays just one role — that of a sexy immigration officer.

In early July, we got our hands and eyes on the first "Machete" trailer which, as we expected, was every bit as gritty and ballsy as Rodriguez's original.

Shortly thereafter, the cast descended upon the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con with a flurry of activities that included a fun-filled panel and a parking-lot party where Trejo and Michelle Rodriguez served up tacos from a truck. Director Rodriguez and Trejo also stopped by our Comic-Con livestream where they praised co-star Lindsay Lohan's performance in "Machete."

Much closer to the film's release, MTV News attended its press day and spoke once again with Rodriguez, Trejo, Alba and (Michelle) Rodriguez. Some of the best discussions to come out of that day centered on the always hot topic of onscreen nudity. First, Rodriguez revealed his tricks of the trade, and then lovely leading ladies Alba and Rodriguez discussed the art of post-production nipple addition.

Finally, we hit up a special screening of the film in downtown L.A., at which the cast and crew arrived in shiny, tricked-out lowriders. There, we learned who each star would want by their side in a "Machete"-style revolution and got well-wishes for their recently released from rehab colleague, Lindsay Lohan.

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "Machete."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• 'Machete' Clips

• 'Machete' Premieres In Los Angeles

D12, G-Unit, Young Jeezy also hit Comerica Park stage as Em and Hov unleash flurry of hits on first stop of Home and Home Tour.
By Shaheem Reid

Eminem and Jay-Z (file)
Photo: Kristian Dowling/ Getty Images

Detroit hasn't screamed this loud at a baseball park since Kirk Gibson was hitting home runs in the 1984 World Series. Hip-hop history was made as Jay-Z and Eminem co-headlined the Motor City's Comerica Park (home of the D-Town Tigers for the past decade) on Thursday night (September 2), the first of two shows on consecutive nights.

While Jay has been the most lucrative touring act in the music business during the past five years, Eminem took a much-needed sabbatical to deal with a myriad of personal issues. Now beyond his darkest hour, Em had one of his brightest moments ever onstage. Not only did he gift his hometown with a seemingly endless string of hits, he pulled off some major surprises. After D12, 50 Cent and the G-Unit — acts that fans likely expected — came out for performances with Em, Slim Shady pulled off a shocker. Dr. Dre came out, first stunning the people then delighting them with smashes.

After his name appeared on the Comerica big screen, the man heralded by many as the greatest producer of his time came out to the opening notes of his world-famous "Next Episode." Then the familiar first keys of "Still Dre" were played.

"Haters say Dre fell off," the Doc rapped. "How n---a? My last album was The Chronic."

After that, the Shady/Aftermath duo took it back to Dre's Chronic days with "Nuthin' But a 'G' Thang."

"One, two, three and to the fo," Em rapped in Snoop's cadence.

" 'Cause you know we came to rip sh-- up!" Dre spit later.

Dr. Dre appeared to be in the best shape of his life. Wearing a T-shirt with the late Proof's face printed on it, Dre looked strong to enough end the Undertaker's undefeated streak at Wrestlemania.

"Got dammit, Detroit. Do I love you or what?" Eminem asked his fans. "Look what I brought out for you."

Em then told Dre he wanted him to feel the love; Detox chants followed.

"Deeee-tox. Deeee-tox," they yelled from the bleachers to the bullpen. Dre just smiled and said, "I'm Comin'!"

One would-be guest who couldn't attend for obvious reasons was Lil Wayne. But Shady made sure to salute Weezy after "No Love." And the Young Money flag did wave proudly in Detroit as Drake came out for "Forever" and gave a special nod to the Motor City.

"In Detroit, faded off the brown," Drake rapped.

"Nino!!!!" the crowd responded.

"I'm so honored to be here to tonight. This is history in the making. I want y'all to make some noise for the muthaf---in' legend that is Emimem."

Em's legend was largely built off his mastery of music and a catalog made for the kind of environment he played on Thursday: stadiums. The Detroit rapper has been making sing-along anthems throughout his career. Not just tracks you rap in the shower or in the car, but big records like "Sing for the Moment," "Stan" and "Cleaning Out My Closet" — tracks practically begging for an audience of tens of thousands holding lighters up. Em proved he still has that rare connection with his fanbase. Grown men took off their shirts and got rock-n-roll rowdy when he rapped.

"Got dammit, Detroit, I'm back," Em said early on in the night. "Did you miss me?"

It was clear that Em missed his fans as well. He was engaging, lively and energetic on this night. After the "Real Slim Shady" and "Without Me," Em thanked his fans again.

"I love you. This song is for you." "Not Afraid" followed. After screams of "encore, encore," Em brought out the Unit, D12 and Detroit legend Trick Trick who had earlier performed on "Lose Yourself."

Thursday's "Home and Home" show kicked off with B.o.B, who came back later for "Airplanes, Pt. 2," set the tone with a quick set that included "Nothin' on You."

The audience was eventually alerted that the Jiggaman was 10 minutes away from showtime. Two clocks filled two oversize screens on the enormous stage while the Beastie Boys' "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" blared from the speakers. When the countdown hit "0," Jay rose from beneath the stage, the lyrically intricate "Dynasty Intro" being played by his band, the Roc Boys. Then a brief snippet of "Lucifer" played before Jay went into his jaw-dropping verse from Rick Ross' "Free Mason."

During "D.O.A. (Death of Auto-Tune)," Jay rhymed "this might need a verse from Jeezy." On cue, the Snowman came out for the "Dey Know" remix followed by "Soul Survivor." His mini-set ended with "Put on for My City" and "Lose My Mind."

After that though, it was the Jay hit parade — with assistance from Memphis Bleek. The Brooklyn duo rocked with a flurry of big records, including "You Don't Know," "99 Problems" and "(Originator 99)." During "Big Pimpin'," Jay delivered Pimp C's verse in pimp's cadence.

"What y'all know about them Deetroit boys?" Hov asked.

A tribute to hip-hop's fallen soldiers ensued, as the audience shouted in unison, "Prrrrrooooooooof!"

"I know y'all going through a lot, but Detroit has heart and Detroit will be back," Jay said.

Hov and Slim Shady shared but a few minutes of stage time as Jay emerged for "Renegade" during Em's set.

The Home and Home Tour continues Friday night (September 3) at Comerica Park and comes to the Bronx, New York, on September 13 and 14 at Yankee Stadium.

Were you at Jay and Em's Detroit stop? Tell us what you thought of the show!

• Jay-Z And Eminem: Other Megastar Concert Pairings
• MCs And Their Hometown Stadiums
• Jay-Z And Eminem: Stadium Face-Off

• Eminem
• Jay-Z
• Dr. Dre

Find out how singer bounced back just in time for 2009 subway performance, in special airing Saturday at 11 a.m.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

Kanye West and Taylor Swift at the 2009 Video Music Awards
Photo: Jeff Kravitz/ FilmMagic

With one swift swipe of the mic, Kanye West went from just another tipsy rapper at an awards show to a pop-culture pariah at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards. Jaws dropped and boos were lobbed when Kanye infamously interrupted Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video, leaving behind a shell-shocked teen country starlet.

Swift composed herself and gracefully left the stage but the experience was apparently as hard for the Grammy-winner to take as it was for viewers to watch. And to pile on the pressure, Swift was set to pull off a complex performance of "You Belong With Me" involving scores of extras raging through a New York City subway station just minutes after the onstage debacle. In addition to her preternatural professionalism, Swift had a secret weapon to help her through the set: her fans.

"The fans behind her were going crazy," choreographer Danielle Flora recalls in the special "The VMAs: Revealed - Presented by New 5 React Gum," which premieres Saturday at 11 a.m. Dancer Keltie Colleen agreed: "It was like they were her army."

Eventually, it all worked out. Beyoncé, who appeared almost as uncomfortable as Swift when 'Ye insisted the 'Single Ladies' singer deserved the Best Female Video Moonman, asked the country star to finish her acceptance speech when she later won for Video of the Year. Swift went on to lampoon the drama on "Saturday Night Live" and West has used the incident as material for some of his latest work.

To learn exactly how Swift pulled off one of the craziest performances in VMA history, tune in to "The VMAs: Revealed - Presented by New 5 React Gum."

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12. The party starts with MTV News' VMA Pre-Show at 8 p.m., followed by the main event at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 if they are Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through September 12.

'I play a pharmaceutical sales rep who is very, um, outgoing,' Alba tells MTV News of the Ben Stiller/ Robert De Niro comedy.
By Kara Warner

Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers"
Photo: Paramont

In addition to kicking butt in Robert Rodriguez's "Machete," Jessica Alba is also appearing among the star-studded cast of "Little Fockers," the third installment in the franchise that features Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro playing out their often awkward son-in-law vs. overprotective father-in-law relationship.

"I play a pharmaceutical sales rep who is very, um, outgoing and has no sense of personal space," Alba recently told MTV News. She hinted that her character might inadvertently try to get a little too close to Stiller's lovable Gaylord Focker. "She says exactly what's on her mind and she has no filter at all," the actress explained. "She was really fun because I'm pretty much the opposite of that."

Alba admitted that keeping a straight face on set was a big challenge, since most of her scenes were with funnyman Ben Stiller. Still, she had a blast, she said, particularly with her character's freewheeling ways. "It was just fun and pretty liberating to play someone who was just so open and so free and totally crazy."

"Little Fockers" is set a few months after the events of the last installment, "Meet the Fockers," as Stiller and Teri Polo's parents-to-be busily prepare for baby. Producer Jay Roach told MTV News earlier this year that Stiller's attempt to remain calm is thwarted by a familiar face (and former nemesis).

"It's Owen Wilson coming back with a new passion for Ben's wife, Teri Polo," Roach said. "And of course it's hidden and it's all under the surface, but it causes a lot of new wrinkles in the relationship between all of them," the producer explained.

In addition to Alba and Wilson, "Fockers" will also feature Dustin Hoffman in the role of Stiller's father opposite Barbra Streisand, an addition to the cast that was only recently made due to the film reportedly coming in under budget.

"Little Fockers" is due in theaters December 22.

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "Little Fockers."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• Fall Movie Sneak Peeks
• MTV Rough Cut: 2010 Fall Movie Preview

• Fall Movie 2010 Preview Week: Exclusive Photos

Before their Home and Home Tour kicks off, we size up the superstars' stats.
By Gil Kaufman

Cincinnati Bengals wide-receiving duo Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens refer to themselves as the Batman and Robin of the NFL, but in the hip-hop world, Jay-Z and Eminem are more like the Batman and Superman of music. And just like it's rare to see the two titans of comics together in the same panel, you know it's a special occasion when Slim Shady and Jigga team up for a live show.

That's why fans are freaking out about the first of four planned joint concerts between the dynamic duo, which kick off at Em's hometown stadium, Comerica Park, on Thursday night and wind up next weekend in Jay's backyard at Yankee Stadium on September 12 and 13. Nobody knows who the pair will bring onstage as special guests or what they'll play, though we did learn Wednesday that VMA nominee B.o.B will open all four dates.

But how do the massive careers of these two titans measure up? Both have sold tens of millions of albums and played to hundreds of thousands of fans during their decade-plus in the public eye, and each brings a unique strength and style.

Let's break down their numbers to get a sense of what led up to this historic collabo:

On the Charts
Eminem has been a chart titan for his entire career, posting six #1 albums in a row on the Billboard 200, along with four #1 singles on the Billboard singles chart. According to Nielsen SoundScan, his U.S. album sales are 38.3 million, with an additional 30.5 million U.S. downloads on songs where he's the lead artist.

His best-selling download to date is "Lose Yourself," which SoundScan reports has sold 2.9 million copies, while his feature on the Akon tune "Smack That" pads his résumé with another 3 million in downloads credited to 'Kon. Marshall's best-selling album is The Marshall Mathers LP, which has banked more than 10 million copies.

Jay has some equally gaudy numbers, beginning with a jaw-dropping 11 #1 albums on the Billboard 200, along with four #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, comprised of one solo #1, "Empire State of Mind," and three features.

Though Eminem has stronger overseas sales, Jigga's not far behind in total U.S. album sales, with Nielsen SoundScan reporting that the Yankees fan has sold 31.4 million discs to date, including collaborative works with R. Kelly and Linkin Park. He's also no slouch in the download department, clocking 21.4 million downloaded tracks as a lead artist, with the Alicia Keys-featuring track "Empire State of Mind" ringing up his biggest digital numbers at 3.9 million, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

The Black Album stands as Jay's best-selling album to date, with sales of more than 3.3 million.

When Nielsen SoundScan released the list of the best-selling artists of the decade so far, Em topped it at 31.1 million, with Jay rounding out the top 10 at #10 with 19.4 million.

The pair are almost even when it comes to Grammys, with Eminem edging out Jay 11-10. But when you tally up total worldwide sales, it's clear that Slim Shady holds the crown, with more than 80 million units shifted to Jay's 40 million.

On the Stage
"Rap, as a genre, does not translate as well to a concert stage as bands in the recorded music world," Pollstar Editor in Chief Gary Bongiovanni said. "And not a lot of acts have that strong a touring career, but among touring rap artists, I'd have to say these two, along with 50 Cent, are among the most successful touring rap artists of their time."

Eminem has the lighter touring résumé, according to Bongiovanni. Unlike Jay, who has toured more than half a dozen times in this decade, Em, 37, has only really had a handful of major outings, starting with some non-headlining dates in 2001 on the Up in Smoke Tour, as well as taking the lead on the inaugural dates of his Anger Management package.

In 2002, he headlined the second Anger Management outing, hooking up with Papa Roach, Ludacris and Xzibit and the X-Ecutioners, which Bongiovanni said averaged around 23,000 fans per show and grossed $1.3 million per date and, like the first effort, also went overseas for some European dates.

There were a few sporadic shows in 2003, and then Em brought Anger Management back in 2005 with Ludacris, G-Unit, Lil Jon and 50 Cent for a 24-show swing that, according to the data on the 22 shows reported to Pollstar, averaged more than 15,000 fans and grossed more than $1 million per show. The planned European dates were scotched when Em checked into rehab for treatment of an addiction to prescription medication.

Since then, Shady has only performed a handful of times. "There's something to be said for pent-up demand," Bongiovanni said of Eminem's success at drawing major crowds during his sporadic touring career.

Jay, 40, on the other hand, has lately made touring an intricate part of his career. He's gone from headlining 3,000- to 6,000-seat venues in 2001 to playing to an average of more than 10,000 on his aborted Best of Both Worlds double-bill with R. Kelly in 2004 — which grossed more than $1.4 million per stop — and right around that for his 2009 Blueprint 3 Tour with N.E.R.D., Wale and J. Cole. That tour hit arenas and played to an average of 8,500 fans, grossing $543,000 per show.

While he continues to be a big draw in Europe, with his high-energy, full-band presentation, Jay solidified his place as one of the premier rap touring acts in the U.S. in 2010 by hooking up with Young Jeezy and Trey Songz for a sold-out arena tour that averaged 12,900 fans and around $1 million per show, according to Pollstar. Jay will also open some dates for U2 in November and made stops at the Coachella and Bonnaroo festivals this summer.

The Scorecard
That puts the two rap giants around even, so you can expect them to bring the goods at what promises to be a historic four-night stand.

What special guests do you hope Em and Jay will bring out at the hometown shows? Let us know in the comments!

Photos of the singer from the movie's set surface online.
By James Dinh

Rihanna on the set of "Battleship" on Wednesday
Photo: Splash News

While rumors of a new single spread across the Internet, Rihanna is already beginning work on the set of her feature film debut in "Battleship." Photos of the Barbadian songstress surfaced online yesterday showing a brunette Rihanna dressed in character.

Donning a traditional U.S. Navy getup with gloves and work boots, the singer was spotted in Hawaii on the set of the Peter Berg-directed science-fiction movie, wearing a nametag with the name "Raikes." The board-game adaptation is the story of naval officers who use Earth's ships to fight against alien intruders.

According to one of Rihanna's latest tweets, the singer is scheduled to continue work in Hawaii for two weeks. "HAWAII...Hawaii...hawaii......who wouldn't want to work here for 2 weeks," she tweeted, along with a photo of her posing on a balcony.

In addition to the pop star, the film's cast lineup includes "True Blood" star Alexander Skarsgård, Taylor Kitsch of "Friday Night Lights" and bombshell supermodel Brooklyn Decker.

Skarsgård told MTV News that the film will be "quite different from the board game," and added that he doesn't think "Battleship" will follow the latest trend of filming in 3-D. Skarsgård will play a commander of one of the Navy destroyers in the film.

Universal has set "Battleship" for May 25, 2012, release.

What type of character do you think Rihanna will play in the movie? Share your thoughts in the comments.

Check out everything we've got on "Battleship."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

Director Daniel Stamm explains the controversial ending to the #2 movie in country this week.
By Adam Rosenberg

Ashley Bell in "The Last Exorcism"
Photo: Lionsgate

SPOILER WARNING: Before you read past this point, be warned: This article discusses the end of "The Last Exorcism" in depth, so stop reading if you intend to see the movie and don't want to know how it ends.

Director Daniel Stamm's mock documentary concludes on an open-ended note. As predicted earlier in the film by Nell's (Ashley Bell) paintings, the cinematographer gets his head chopped off, the producer is hacked to pieces and the preacher, Cotton (Patrick Fabian), his faith seemingly restored, walks into the flame to ward off Hell, his cross held high and his ultimate fate left unclear. That ending has spurred quite a bit of discussion among many who have seen it.

MTV News talked to Stamm about that response and his reaction to it. "I don't mind the passion that the discussion has spurred," he said. "I'm getting threats now, which is a whole new thing for me. People are [tweeting] me, telling me to jump headfirst off the Empire State Building, really hateful [comments], which I can only take as a compliment. Which movie do you care about so much that you get so hateful and so passionate about it?"

Of the dialogue that's sprung up, the director admits that he understands where the dissenters are coming from. "I think that a lot of the people that are upset by the movie [feel] that they are paying for you to enlighten their world a little bit with an answer about what's going on around them," he said. "They want a statement that is clear. That is a very legitimate position to me, but that is not what the movie does. The movie leaves you with a question. And it was very true to the format of the documentary style that you don't understand everything."

By "staying true to the documentary style," Stamm is referring specifically to the death of the camera operator in the film's final scene. "Yes, it's abrupt, because your point of view is gone, you'll never find out what happened after that. There is no scene that neatly ties it all together and explains it all to you because that's not how it would go down. I think the rest of the movie is naturalistic enough ... that it would be a complete betrayal of the movie [to tie things together]."

He appreciates that the film's conclusion has a very definable impact on the scale of the story, from an intimate gathering of concerned individuals and one troubled little girl to a community full of Devil-worshipping Satanists. "I understand that people are maybe overwhelmed by the openness of the ending, but at the same time ... I can't think of a different ending to this movie. I think it completely does it justice and I think it does the characters justice."

Check out everything we've got on "The Last Exorcism."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

'I think pressure is always a good thing,' Phillips says about expectations for Robert Downey Jr. flick.
By Eric Ditzian

Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis in "Due Date"
Photo: Warner Bros.

Robert Downey Jr. is convinced that "Due Date" is a better movie than "The Hangover," for the simple reason that, as director Todd Phillips explained to MTV News, "Due Date" is about something, whereas "Hangover" just follows a bunch of groggy dudes around Las Vegas.

Phillips doesn't necessarily agree with Downey, but he'll take the compliment, just as he accepts the pressure of following up the $467 million worldwide success of "Hangover." His mission after that flick broke big last year was to get right back to work. For that task, he hauled Zach Galifianakis back into the mix and recruited Downey. "Due Date" follows Downey's character, Peter Highman, whose wife is about to go into labor, forcing him to hitch a ride with Ethan Tremblay (Galifianakis) in an attempt to get to the hospital before his child is born. Their road trip does not, to say the least, go smoothly.

As part of MTV News' ongoing Fall Movie Preview series, Phillips called us up to chat about working with Downey on a straight comedy, the "anti-chemistry" of his two stars and the difficulty of pulling off a cinematic stunt as surprising as the naked Asian who jumped out of a trunk in "The Hangover."

MTV: I take it you've locked picture a while ago, right?

Todd Phillips: Yeah, we have. This movie could have come out in the summer, but because of "Iron Man 2" and Robert's press requirements for a movie that size, we had to space them out.

MTV: If it's been done for a while, do you ever wake up and say, "Crap, I need to use a different take! I should have done this differently!"

Phillips: It's funny you say that, because just yesterday we watched one of the release prints at the Arclight [theater in Los Angeles]. You want to see how the prints look, so you go to a regular theater. There was actually a little sound issue. So we went back in and fixed something with the sound. But that was more of a technical thing than a creative choice. When you look back at movies, you always go, "God, I would have done that differently, or I wished we had tried this," but this one is still too close for me to do that.

MTV: Right, it's when "Road Trip" comes on TBS that you go, "Damn!"

Phillips: Right. I'll see "Old School" sometimes on TV and I'm like, "Oh, if only we'd had more time that day we could have done that better."

MTV: You do have this great history with Warner Bros. and you're coming off the huge success of "The Hangover." When you said you wanted to do "Due Date," were they ever like, "Todd, man, maybe hit 'Hangover 2' first?"

Phillips: You know, being at Warner, not to sound like a corporate kissass, but Warner Bros. is like being on the Yankees.

MTV: I'm a Mets fan, my friend.

Phillips: It's still like being on the Yankees! They just have it so wired. The filmmakers that they choose to work with they support wholeheartedly, as evidenced by gambling on a movie like "Inception," which was so brilliant but so big a gamble in studio terms. But they trust Chris Nolan because he's f---ing amazing and they just let him do it. It's pretty much the most supportive studio I've ever been involved with. They were excited to do "Hangover 2," but once I had spoken to Robert Downey about "Due Date," they totally got it.

MTV: Getting someone like Downey, does that alleviate some pressure — if there is any — about following up such a massive hit?

Phillips: I think pressure is always a good thing. A lot of guys make a big hit movie on the size of "The Hangover" and they get gun-shy. They wait a few years in a weird way, and I wanted to do the opposite. I wanted to do something again and not worry if it was going to be as big as "The Hangover" because "The Hangover" was lightning in a bottle. You can't judge other successes or other movies based on it. I just didn't want to get into that headspace. That was part of the reason for striking out and doing something real quick like "Due Date." It's something I had been developing — it's not like it's rushed — but it went quicker because I was like, "Let's just go do it." For me, I choose movies based on who I can get in it. Comedies are so about casting. Obviously I wanted to work with Zach again after "The Hangover" and Downey is pretty much the best there is out there. Once he said yes, we were like, "Let's just go."

MTV: We haven't seen Downey do much straight comedy in a long time. I guess you could say "Tropic Thunder," but that's hardly something typical and straightforward.

Phillips: Yeah, you haven't seen Robert Downey be Robert Downey. A lot of great actors — you see this with someone like Johnny Depp, who's a huge f---ing talent, and Robert Downey — where they play parts where they're putting on masks or accents or hats and wigs. They kind of like to lose themselves in a role. In "Tropic Thunder," which I think is great, he's in blackface and you're not really seeing Robert. What was fun for Robert about this, and what was fun for me to make it, is Robert Downey just being Robert Downey. There's no makeup, wigs. It's just Robert playing such a real character.

MTV: Was that one of the reasons he signed on, to get back to something with less artifice?

Phillips: I'm not sure why he makes his choices. I know he loved "The Hangover." I know he loves Zach and was a fan of my films. Actors like to play. For a guy like Downey, he loved the idea of not being on a green screen for 60 days and just coming in and f---ing around with a guy like Zach and a guy like me. It's a real loose environment, as opposed to something like "Iron Man 2," just by nature of the effects.

MTV: A movie like this lives and dies on the chemistry of those two dudes.

Phillips: Or the anti-chemistry, in this case. It's interesting, because before "The Hangover" came out, people could dismiss it or say, "Oh, it's a movie about bachelor parties and Vegas. I've seen that before." And a movie like this, you go, "Oh, it's two guys on the road. It's 'Tommy Boy' or it's 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles.' " And it's really not. It works on this whole other level that I think people are going to be surprised by. It connects on a different level.

MTV: It's probably hard to put into words what that level is, but what were you aiming for?

Phillips: This is how Robert explains it, which is sort of a backhanded compliment. He goes, " 'Due Date' is a better movie than 'The Hangover' because 'Due Date' is about something." I know what he means. There's another dimension. As proud as I am of "The Hangover," it's a two-dimensional film. It's a comedy that works as good as any comedy could work. But there are some character moves in "Due Date" that Robert and Zach go through that I think will be surprising on a film that you think you have figured out by the trailer or the poster.

MTV: You mentioned that people look at it and think "Planes, Trains" or "Tommy Boy." Did you go back and look at any of those road trip movies for inspiration or in terms of what to avoid?

Phillips: I love "Planes, Trains," and I seriously love "Tommy Boy," which is one of my favorites. But one movie all three of us looked at is "Midnight Run." That might be the best of the bunch. It's not so much to emulate or avoid, it's just to be inspired in some way. "Midnight Run" was a big one for me.

MTV: The Dan Band has popped up in a bunch of your movies. Any chance we're going to see them in "Due Date"?

Phillips: The Dan Band is not in "Due Date," and it's just by the nature of what the movie is about and where it winds up. There was no way without it feeling incredibly forced. But you could argue it's a little forced in "The Hangover." But I love them so much. They're the best.

MTV: I don't know if this is one of those questions you get a lot, but where do you go from a naked Asian man jumping out of a trunk in "The Hangover"? How do you top that?

Phillips: That is a tough one to top. The key with comedies in general is they work when there are surprises. So a naked Asian man jumping out of a trunk is a perfect example of a surprise. It goes back to what I was talking about before with even just the nature of "Due Date." There are a lot of surprises in the film that I think take the movie to another level. The surprises won't be a naked Asian man or the Dan Band, but I think there are enough surprises that it will connect with people. But that is the challenge, because comedies work so well when they are surprises.

From the saucy Jessica Alba in "Little Fockers" to James Franco's grueling journey in "127 Hours," the MTV Movies team is delving into the hottest flicks of fall 2010. Check back daily for exclusive clips, photos and interviews with the films' biggest stars.

Check out everything we've got on "Due Date."

For breaking news, celebrity columns, humor and more — updated around the clock — visit MTVMoviesBlog.com.

• MTV Rough Cut: 2010 Fall Movie Preview

• Fall Movie 2010 Preview Week: Exclusive Photos

Federal probation office 'is in the process of determining what happened,' according to reports.
By Mawuse Ziegbe

T.I.
Photo: Moses Robinson/ Getty Images

With another album heading down the pike, a hit movie in theaters and a new bride on his arm, T.I.'s post-jail future was looking very bright. However, in the wake of his Wednesday night arrest for suspicion of possession of a controlled substance, the MC's lawyers said they are not sure whether the ATL rapper will head back to prison.

"T.I. is going to be back on his way to Atlanta in the next 24 hours," Don Samuel, one of T.I.'s lawyers, told theAtlanta Journal Constitution on Thursday (September 2). "It's almost certain he'll end up appearing before the court here. But without knowing all the facts, it's premature to speculate what the court is likely to do."

Another member of T.I.'s legal team, Dwight Thomas, echoed Samuel's assertions and told The Associated Press that, "We don't have a full grasp of the facts, circumstances. We don't know the violation." Thomas added, "I will remain optimistic until this matter is favorably resolved."

"We're not making any observations at this time," said T.I.'s defense attorney Ed Garland. "This is an unfortunate occurrence, and we do not know what the outcome will be."

T.I. and his wife, Tameka "Tiny" Cottle, were arrested Wednesday in Los Angeles after the Grammy-winning MC made an illegal U-turn. Officers searched the car and its passengers after smelling marijuana emanating from the vehicle. An unspecified number of pills "resembling ecstasy" were found and the couple were taken into custody. They were released early Thursday morning after posting $10,000 bail each.

At press time, it was not clear whether the incident is a violation of T.I.'s (born Clifford Harris Jr.) three-year probation. The rapper has remained under supervised release after wrapping a prison stint for felony gun charges he picked up in 2007.

U.S. Attorney Sally Yates told the AP that officials were still reviewing the situation. "The probation office is in the process of determining what happened and will make a recommendation regarding Mr. Harris when they have all the facts," she said.

A former United Nations Ambassador and high-profile T.I. advocate, Andrew Young, expressed concern upon hearing of the rapper's latest brush with the law. "I assume that you're innocent until you're proven guilty," Young told the AP. "If he was driving and smoking marijuana, that is absolutely stupid. But why was he pulled over in the first place? Because he had a Maybach? Because he was black? Because they know who he is and resent his success?"

Young was one of many supporters present in Atlanta when T.I. was sentenced to one year and one day in 2009 for felony weapons charges. The length of the sentence was part of an exceptional plea deal that would have allowed the rapper the possibility to be released earlier for good behavior. T.I. ended up serving seven months before being transferred to a halfway house to ride the remainder of his sentence. After entering the halfway house in December, Tip had his full-term release this past March.

The star is also obligated to complete approximately 400 hours of community service, meet with a probation officer regularly and obtain permission to travel. DNA testing, drug counseling and the agreement to submit to reasonable searches are also conditions of his probation.

• T.I. And Tameka 'Tiny' Cottle

• T.I.

Host of the 2010 VMAs is jealous of Bieb's flirtation with Kim Kardashian
By Kyle Anderson, with reporting by Jim Cantiello

Chelsea Handler
Photo: MTV News

Though 2010 MTV Video Music Awards host Chelsea Handler likes to joke that she will have no idea who anybody is when she plays the ringmaster of the biggest party of the year on September 12, she has quite a history with a handful of the artists who will be sharing the stage with her. She says most of the hip-hop stars on the show have "slapped her ass," and one of her more notable guests on her E! talk show "Chelsea Lately" has been with none other than Justin Bieber.

The last time Bieber appeared on the show, the 16-year-old joked that the two of them should get together. "You know, last time I was serious about that date too and it never happened," he told the host, referencing his first appearance on the show a few months prior.

But if Handler was seduced before, she has certainly changed her tune now. "He's a two face is what he is," Handler joked to MTV News' Jim Cantiello during a conversation backstage at Handler's show this week. "He acted like we were in a committed relationship, and then he was prancing around with Kim Kardashian on the beaches like they're a couple."

Handler resolved to no longer be seduced by the Canadian pop sensation's charms. "He's using the flirty card with everybody he meets, and I'm not gonna fall for that," she said. "I'm 35 years old. I only have about five good years left in me, and I'm not going to waste my time on that guy."

The love triangle could come to a head at the VMAs, as Kardashian recently tweeted that she will be appearing at the show. Still, Bieber has been one of Handler's most reliable foils on her show, so the combination of the two at the VMAs should make for some interesting television.

The 27th annual MTV Video Music Awards will be broadcast live from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles on September 12 at 9 p.m. ET. Fans can go to VMA.MTV.com (or text VMA to 97979 for Verizon subscribers) to vote for Best New Artist from now through September 12.

• MTV News Extended Play: Chelsea Handler

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• Justin Bieber