Tag Archives: WWE

The Rock's Best Movies

It’s been quite a year for Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. The popular WWE wrestler-turned-Hollywood action hero has starred in no less than four films so far in 2013, including sequels in the Fast and Furious and G.I. Joe franchises. But Johnson has been a major player in Hollywood ever since making the jump from wrestling to acting with 2001’s The Mummy Returns. He quickly developed a knack for playing colorful action heroes with a healthy dose of humor and his trademark charisma.

That skill-set was on full display in G.I. Joe: Retaliation, which arrives on DVD this week. To celebrate, we’ve compiled a list of our ten favorite movies featuring The Rock. Whether straight-up action-adventure fare like The Scorpion King or more dramatic efforts like Gridiron Gang, these are the movies that made Johnson a household name, even for those who don’t enjoy a weekly dose of WWE.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Movies

Director Hired for Chris Benoit Movie

Filmmaker Vicente Amorim (Good) is set to direct Crossface, SRG Films’ feature film adaptation of Matthew Randazzo’s book Ring of Hell: The Story of Chris Benoit and the Fall of the Pro Wrestling Industry.

The movie, according to a past press release, “delves into the pressures WWE superstar Chris Benoit faced throughout his wrestling career as the combination of drug-use, depression, and head trauma became increasingly impossible for him to handle. The true story made headline news in 2007 when Chris murdered his wife and young son before taking his own life.”

“Wrestling is showbiz taken to the extreme and Crossface is Limelight on steroids,” Amorim told Deadline. “Chris Benoit’s story is the perfect vehicle for a fiercely honest film that is as much about him and the world of wrestling as it is about America and show business. I am very happy to be on board to help tell this story.”

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Movies

WWE 2K14: A Taste of Immortality

The impossible has become possible.

The “Immortal” Ultimate Warrior, one of the most iconic and legendary wrestlers of all time, has returned to the storied saga of WWE – at least in video game form. Despite that, Warrior remains vague on what else his future holds. Will he return to WWE TV programming? Would he accept entry into WWE’s Hall of Fame? Many answers will only be provided in time. Perhaps it’s fitting that the same could be said about WWE 2K14. After playing basic matches for a couple hours, I have a better sense of how this iteration of the Yukes (and former THQ) franchise will fundamentally play, but no details on new modes, match types or other sweeping changes the developer might be plotting.

The impossible has become possible.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games

WWE Scoring Big Numbers In And Outside Of The Wrestlemania Ring

By Darren Heitner, Contributor

The numbers are in from WWE‘s (NYSE: WWE) WrestleMania 29, held Sunday, April 7, 2013 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, and they show signs of immense strength for the WWE and Wrestlemania brands. According to WWE, WrestleMania 29 brought in an excess of $72 million, establishing it as the highest grossing event in WWE history. Over 1 million pay-per-view buys were made and MetLife Stadium was completely sold out, with 80,676 fans from all 50 states and 34 countries in attendance

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

WWE® To Report 2013 First Quarter Results

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

WWE ® To Report 2013 First Quarter Results

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE (NYS: WWE) announced that it will report its 2013 first quarter results on Thursday May 2, 2013, before the opening of the market. The Company’s Chairman and CEO, Vincent K. McMahon, and senior management will host a conference call beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET to discuss the results.

All interested parties are welcome to listen to a live web cast that will be hosted through the Company’s web site at corporate.wwe.com. Participants can access the conference call by dialing 855-993-1400 (toll free) or 630-691-2763 from outside the U.S. (conference ID for both lines: WWE). Please reserve a line 15 minutes prior to the start time of the conference call.

The earnings release and presentation to be referenced during the call will be available at corporate.wwe.com. A replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after the conference call concludes, and can be accessed on the Company’s web site.

About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYS: WWE) , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Miami, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

Additional information on WWE (NYS: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com. For information on our global activities, go to http://www.wwe.com/worldwide/.

Trademarks: All WWE programming, talent names, images, likenesses, slogans, wrestling moves, trademarks, logos and copyrights are the exclusive property of WWE and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks, logos and copyrights are the property of their respective owners.

Forward-Looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, which are subject to various risks and uncertainties. These risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, risks relating to maintaining and renewing key agreements, including television and pay-per-view programming distribution agreements; the need for continually developing creative and entertaining programming; the continued importance of

From: http://www.dailyfinance.com/2013/04/11/wwe-to-report-2013-first-quarter-results/

WWE® Tops 100 Million Facebook Fans at WrestleMania

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

WWE® Tops 100 Million Facebook Fans at WrestleMania

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE® (NYS: WWE) today announced it eclipsed 100 million Facebook fans across its network of pages during WrestleMania 29, further cementing itself as one of the most followed brands in the world.

WWE‘s Facebook network currently has more fans than the NFL and its 32 teams combined and MLB and its 30 teams combined. The main WWE Facebook page also has more fans than the NHL, The New York Times, ESPN, Pepsi, Burger King, NASCAR and CNN. Seventeen WWE Superstars rank in the top 100 most-followed athletes on Facebook, with John Cena ® (more than 14 million fans) as the third most-followed athlete in the U.S. behind only Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant.

To drive additional fan engagement, WWE launched “Superfan Showdown,” a Facebook app exclusive to the platform that allows fans from around the world to compete in fast-paced interactive trivia challenges, rapid-fire polls, mind-bending puzzles and much more. As fans go head-to-head, they earn points, climb the global leaderboard and accumulate “WWE cash” that can be spent to purchase exclusive virtual goods, including: limited edition badges, rare Superstar trading cards, and never-before-seen WWE video content.

WWE now has more than 150 million followers across all social media platforms while ranking in the top 20 most social companies according to the Dachis Groups Social Business Index. WWE is also one of only seven brands in the world to obtain a Klout score of 99 from Klout.com, which measures a brands’ social media influence on a scale from 1 to 100. The other six brands include YouTube, The New York Times, Huffington Post, Time, Associated Press and the Los Angeles Dodgers.


About WWE

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYS: WWE) , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 150 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 650 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

WWE Rumbles to New Record With WrestleMania

By Rich Smith, The Motley Fool

Filed under:

The figures are in, and as it turns out WrestleMania 29 was in some respects the most successful live entertainment event in the WWE‘s history.

According to the Stamford, Conn.-based wrestling organization, 80,676 wrestling fans descended upon MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. on April 7. That was the second largest attendance booked at such an event since WrestleMania 3 way back in March 1987, a 26-year record. As New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie confirmed, “WWE put on a show like no other and electrified the capacity crowd.”

WrestleMania 29 grossed $12.3 million for its sponsors, including both box-office and pay-per-view receipts from viewers in 100 countries around the world. The event eclipsed MetLife Stadium’s previous record take of $8.9 million from a U2 concert that played there on July 20, 2011.

Next stop: WrestleMania 30, to be held Sunday, April 6, 2014, at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. Bring a flashlight.

The article WWE Rumbles to New Record With WrestleMania originally appeared on Fool.com.

Fool contributor Rich Smith and The Motley Fool have no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools don’t all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Copyright © 1995 – 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

The Rock Takes Over WWE 2K14 Cover

He may be one of the biggest box office stars in the world, but Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson hasn’t left wrestling video games behind. In addition to being in the main event of last night’s Wrestlemania 29, and headlining several WWE Pay Per Views over the past year, The Rock will be the cover athlete for 2K’s WWE 2K14.

News of Rock’s starring video game role came this past weekend during WWE‘s Business Partner Summit, a presentation that highlights the broad range of consumer goods that feature WWE‘s branding and athletes.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games

WrestleMania 29 Champion Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson Wins Cover Honors For WWE 2K14

By John Gaudiosi, Contributor

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is not only the busiest man in Hollywood, he’s the most popular WWE superstar in professional wrestling. According to HootSuite, The Rock has dominated the social media space with over 414,000 people talking about his world championship match with John Cena. Cena, who has a larger number of Facebook likes, trails in the conversation with 185,400 people talking about him. …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

WrestleMania Brings 70,000 Fans And Multi-Million Dollar Economic Impact To The New York Metropolitan Area

By Alicia Jessop, Contributor WWE‘s signature event, WrestleMania, is more than bright lights, flashy costumes and the magic of television production.  Rather, over the last 29 years, WrestleMania has become one of the most well-attended entertainment events, with over 100,000 people traveling annually from all ends of the earth to support their favorite WWE stars.  This year’s WrestleMania 29, taking place at MetLife Stadium, will bring not only a large number of tourists to the greater New York metropolitan area, but a significant economic impact. …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

2K Sports Officially Gets Into The WrestleMania 29 Ring With Superstar Challenge

By John Gaudiosi, Contributor

With THQ no longer in business, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has inked a new deal with 2K Sports (a division of Take Two Interactive) to continue the successful lineage of pro wrestling video games. Beginning this fall with WWE 2K14, 2K Sports will usher in a new era of virtual wrestling. …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

Marine 3: Homefront Blu-ray Review

By Matt Fowler

Taken Under the 'Wing' of the Small Magellanic Cloud

Even though Mike “The Miz” Mizanin is a hero – aka “a babyface” – on current WWE TV, the guy still faces an uphill battle with overall likeability. Slowly he’s learned to work the crowd as a good guy, while maintaining most of the cocky, Hollywood A-list persona that’s rubbed people the wrong way, both in front of and behind the camera, for years. So when the news came down that he’d be starring in the direct-to-shelf third installment of the Marine franchise (replacing an ousted, but probably more suited, Randy Orton) the collective groan from the realm of pre-haters was loud enough to be measured.

Not that anyone out there is so fully invested in this particular film series, which stars a new character every outing, that a casting misstep would ruin their day. No one’s overly precious about the freakin’ Marine movies. But I think the best thing that could have possibly happened here, happened. The Miz, or should I say Mike Mizanin, is really good in the role. The movie itself is a bust. It’s stagnant and ugly, and the third act completely falls apart, but with Mizanin’s performance, as hero Jake Carter, we’ve actually been given probably one of the biggest “acting” transformations from any known WWE Superstar appearing in a WWE movie.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Movie Reviews

Is This PSN’s Downloadable Answer to WWE?

When tiny European studio Serious Parody said it wanted to show me its upcoming PSN-exclusive title 5 Star Wrestling, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would this be a realistic wrestling game, or would it be one that prides itself on over-the-top, WWE-like antics? Well, the answer is certainly the latter, because the 15-man team at Serious Parody has put together a game very much designed to catch the attention of wrestling fans that are into the show of it all, just as much as they’re into the technical aspects of the sport.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at IGN Video Games

WWE Hall Of Fame Diva Trish Stratus Talks WrestleMania, Video Games And AJ Lee

By John Gaudiosi, Contributor

Patricia Anne Stratigias is better known to millions of professional wrestling fans as WWE Diva Trish Stratus. On April 6 at Madison Square Garden, Stephanie McMahon will induct Stratus into the WWE Hall of Fame. The seven-time Women’s Champion was a pioneer for female wrestling and one of the icons of the Attitude Era celebrated in the current WWE 13 video game. She’ll be honored in New York City alongside legends like Booker T, Bruno Sammartino, Mick Foley and Bob Backlund. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

Record Social Media Activation Set for WrestleMania® 29

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Record Social Media Activation Set for WrestleMania ® 29

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE today announced a record-level of digital and social media initiatives during WrestleMania Week, providing fans with more access to Superstars and WWE content than ever before. WrestleMania 29 will be broadcast live on pay-per-view Sunday, April 7 at 7 p.m. ET.

WrestleMania 29 digital initiatives include:

VINCE MCMAHON JOINS TWITTER

Last night on Monday Night Raw, WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon officially joined Twitter (@VinceMcMahon). McMahon will reward his followers by making a “big announcement” (#bigreveal) on his official Twitter account on Friday, April 5.

WRESTLEMANIA PAY-PER-VIEW NOW AVAILABLE GLOBALLY ON MOBILE, PLUS XBOX AND SAMSUNG SMART TVS

For the first time, WWE is streaming WrestleMania 29 across all Apple, Android and Windows 8 devices and Kindle Fire tablets. The pay-per-view will also be available on Xbox consoles and Samsung Smart TVs, inside “Xbox Live” and the Samsung “Smart Hub.”

WWE FORGES PARTNERSHIPS WITH YAHOO! AND AOL, OFFERS WRESTLEMANIA DIGITAL TOOLKIT TO BLOGGERS

In anticipation of WrestleMania 29, Yahoo! Screen (http://screen.yahoo.com/wwe-wrestlemania-29/) and AOL have launched all-new channels featuring video content of WWE‘s most popular Superstars. Also, for the first time ever, WWE is providing blogs and news sites an embeddable content widget that delivers up-to-the-minute news, photos and videos of WWE events leading up to and through WrestleMania.

NEW FACEBOOK GAME LETS FANS COMPETE TO LEAD THE WWE UNIVERSE

WWE‘s new Facebook application, “Superfan Showdown,” lets players from around the world compete in fast-paced interactive trivia challenges, rapid-fire polls, mind-bending puzzles and much more. As fans go head-to-head, they earn points, climb the global leaderboard and accumulate “WWE Cash,” which can be spent to purchase exclusive virtual goods, including: limited edition badges, rare Superstar trading cards, and never-before-seen WWE video content.

WRESTLEMANIA 29 INTERACTIVE PRESS CONFERENCE

The WrestleMania 29 press conference at Radio City Music Hall will live stream on YouTube, Facebook and WWE.com on Thursday, April 4 at 1 p.m. ET. The interactive press conference will feature fan questions submitted via Twitter and answered live by WWE …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

WWE® and The Rock Unveil "Rockpocalypse" Mobile Game

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

WWE ® and The Rock Unveil “Rockpocalypse” Mobile Game

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE, in partnership with WWE Champion Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, today announced its first-ever 3D action mobile game titled WWE Presents: Rockpocalypse. The free mobile app is available for download from Apple iTunes and Google Play for use on iOS iPad, iPhone, iPod Touch and Android devices.

“This is WWE‘s first ‘action strategy’ game and we’re thrilled that WWE Champion The Rock is right at the center of it,” said Perkins Miller, Executive Vice President of Digital Media, WWE. “Our fans have come to expect compelling content from WWE on every platform and this high energy game with customizable experiences will once again deliver.”

“I am excited to partner with WWE and some of the best game developers in the world to bring something cool for fans to play,” said The Rock. “Boots to Asses style app…this will be fun!”

The game takes place on the set of a fictional Hollywood studio where The Rock is filming his latest blockbuster. Without warning, everyone around him is infected with a disease and starts changing into destructive personalities. The Rock must discover the truth behind the contagion and put an end to it. Players control The Rock as he powers through each battle, all the while looking for clues to help unravel the mystery and stop the contagion. Available in-app purchases for equipment and skills allow players to enhance their game play.

The app was built in partnership with Thruster, a division of BottleRocket.

For more information on the app, go to iTunes, Google Play or visit WWE.com.

About WWE:

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYS: WWE) , is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 600 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo. Additional information on WWE (NYS: WWE) can be found at wwe.com and …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

WrestleMania® Takes over New York and New Jersey

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:


WrestleMania
® Takes over New York and New Jersey

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– Fans from all 50 states and more than 30 countries will converge on the New York/New Jersey region for a week-long lineup of festivities in celebration of WrestleMania 29, taking place this Sunday, April 7live on pay-per-view at 7 PM ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ. WWE® will take over New York and New Jersey beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, April 2 with the following events:

WWE‘s Be a STAR anti-bullying initiative was co-founded by The Creative Coalition and WWE in April 2011. (Photo: Business Wire)

  • Empire State Building Lighting Photo Op – Tuesday, April 2, New York, NY

    WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Alberto del Rio, and his personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez, will pose for photos on the Empire State Building‘s world-famous 86th floor Observatory. On Sunday, April 7, the exterior lights of the Empire State Building, above the 72nd floor, will be lit in the WrestleMania logo colors of blue and yellow, starting at sunset through 2 AM ET the next day in honor of WrestleMania 29 which airs live on pay-per-view at 7 PM ET from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ.
  • Military Meet & Greet – Wednesday, April 3, Lexington Avenue Armory

    WWE will hold a meet and greet reception for NY National Guard First Responders to 9/11 and Hurricane Sandy. WWE Superstars and Divas will participate in the event, sign autographs and take photos.
  • Children’s Hospital Visits – Wednesday, April 3

    WWE Superstars, along with Elvis Duran, from Z-100’s Elvis Duran show, will visit St. Mary’s Hospital in Bayside. Also on Wednesday April 3, WWE Superstars and Divas will visit with patients at New York Presbyterian, Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital in New York City. On the other side of the Hudson River, WWE will visit children at Hackensack University Medical Center’s Don Imus Building and Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center.

WWE Legend Kane Talks Wrestlemania 29, Team Hell No And 2K Sports Video Game Challenge

By John Gaudiosi, Contributor

Like many WWE superstars and divas, Kane is a big gamer. He also happens to be a big guy (7 feet tall and 323 pounds). That makes things interesting when he plays games online and takes on unsuspecting gamers who have no idea who they’re going up against. Born Glenn Thomas Jacobs, Kane is the current WWE Tag Team Champion with Daniel Bryan as Team Hell No. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Forbes Latest

Maria Menounos to Induct Bob Backlund into WWE® Hall of Fame

By Business Wirevia The Motley Fool

Filed under:

Maria Menounos to Induct Bob Backlund into WWE ® Hall of Fame

STAMFORD, Conn.–(BUSINESS WIRE)– WWE (NYS: WWE) announced today that Extra Host Maria Menounos will induct Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame. The ceremony will be held at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, April 6, 2013 as part of WrestleMania® Week.

Maria Menounos competed at WrestleMania 28 in Miami, FL on April 1, 2012. She will induct Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall Of Fame Class of 2013 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, April 6, 2013. (Photo: Business Wire)

Menounos has made multiple appearances on WWE programming dating back to 2009 when she made her in-ring debut and co-hosted Monday Night Raw with Nancy O’Dell. In 2011, Menounos appeared at WWE Tribute to the Troops where she teamed with Eve Torres, Kelly Kelly and Alicia Fox to defeat the team of The Bella Twins and WWE Divas Natalya and Beth Phoenix. Menounos continued her feud after Phoenix and Eve Torres interrupted an interview segment with Kelly Kelly on Extra. This led to a tag team match at WrestleMania 28 where she teamed with Kelly Kelly to defeat Torres and Phoenix.

Menounos, a lifelong WWE fan, idolized Backlund while growing up and met him through partner Keven Undergaro, who as Head Writer of MTV’s Singled Out, cast Backlund to guest star alongside Jenny McCarthy and Chris Hardwick. Menounos then worked with Backlund on the comedy feature, In the Land of Merry Misfits, and the two have been close ever since. Backlund was present at Menounos Miss Massachusetts USA competition and ran alongside her at the Nike Celebrity Road Race.

“It is an honor to induct my good friend Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame,” said Maria Menounos. “Watching him carry the title for a since unmatched five years and then stage such an incredible comeback with a reinvented persona puts him in a class all his own. Add in his incredible work ethic and high moral caliber, and you have everything that defines the word champion. And astonishingly, he can still wrestle with guys a third his age! He’s my hero and my friend. I can’t wait for the ceremony on April 6.”

“I am truly humbled to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame,” said Bob Backlund. “Maria has been a friend for years and I can’t think of someone I would rather have induct me at Madison Square Garden.”

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance