Box Office: 'Breaking Dawn' stays on top with $42M

North American box office earnings are still down from last year, but "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1" did everything it could to boost numbers, earning a solid $42 million from ticket sales at 4,066 locations, according to Sunday studio estimates.

The first part of the finale scored a strong average of $10,330 per theater, lifting its domestic gross to $221.3 million. At this point, it's safe to say the latest installment in the series is on track to beat the $296.6 million total cume of  "The Twilight Saga: New Moon."

Celebrating a decent start this past week was "The Muppets," which bagged $29.5 million at No. 2 for a five-day total haul of $42 million. Playing at 3,440 theaters, the film landed an average of $8,576 per location. "Happy Feet Two" came in third with $13.4 million ($43.7 million).

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New trailer for 'Puss in Boots'

DreamWorks Animation will release its "Puss in Boots" spinoff Nov. 4, 2011, and here is the new trailer for the computer-animated adventure that features the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton and Amy Sedaris.

Way before he ever met Shrek, the legendary Puss In Boots goes on a heroic journey, teaming up with mastermind Humpty Dumpty and the street-savvy Kitty Softpaws to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs. It's the adventure of nine lifetimes!

Now that "Shrek" has lost his awesomeness, it's time to head into a new direction, and to tell you the truth, I quite enjoyed this trailer. Puss has always been a pretty hilarious character, and it seems like they kept his awkwardness alive. Looks solid at this point.

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First look at 'Puss in Boots' (and Kitty)

DreamWorks Animation is releasing "Puss in Boots" (in 3D) Nov. 4, 2011, but the website for the animated tale is now online, giving you a first look at Puss and his female companion Kitty. See above and below.

Chris Miller, helmer of "Shrek the Third," directed "Puss," which features the voices of Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and funny guy Zach Galifianakis (Humpty Dumpty). Visit the official site right here.

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Zach Galifianakis to voice 'Puss in Boots'?

Zach Galifianakis is the man, mainly because you will soon hear and see him in everything. Now "The Hangover" star is even considering a voice role in the upcoming "Shrek" spinoff "Puss in Boots."

Specifically, Galifianakis is in talks to voice Humpty Dumpty in the film, which follows the adventures of the feline swordsman. The story focuses on what happens to Puss before he runs into Shrek.

Chris Miller, co-director of "Shrek The Third," is helming the DreamWorks Animation title from a script by Tom Wheeler. Antonio Banderas' and Salma Hayek's voices will be featured in the film as well.

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Daily news dose: Bradley Cooper in talks for 'A-Team;' Neil Patrick Harris books two flicks

Here's your dose of film news for June 8, 2009:

• The rumors were indeed true: Bradley Cooper is in talks to star as Lt. Templeton "Faceman" Peck in Joe Carnahan's upcoming "A-Team." If he makes a deal, he will be taking over the role played by Dirk Benedict on the original TV series. The remaining characters still need to be cast. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Neil Patrick Harris ("How I Met Your Mother") has scored roles in two upcoming films, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The first project he will join is "The Best and the Brightest," about a couple who moves to New York and dive into the business of private kindergartens. He also joins "Beastly," a modern retelling of "Beauty and the Beast."

• A "Puss in Boots" origin flick is already in developmental stages, and Moviehole recently talked to screenwriter David H. Steinberg, who had this to say about the project: "It doesn’t overlap with Shrek at all. Partly that was done to tell an original Puss story, but partly because we didn’t know what 'Shrek 4' (and now 'Shrek 5') were going to do with the characters and we couldn’t write conflicting storylines.’’

Daily news dose: Dan Fogler joins 'Mars Needs Moms,' Wheeler set for 'Puss in Boots'

Here's your daily dose of movie news for Jan. 31, 2009:

• Dan Fogler has officially joined Robert Zemeckis' "Mars Needs Moms!," which the director will shoot using the motion-capture technique he used in "The Polar Express," "Beowulf" and his upcoming "A Christmas Carol." As for the story, it follows a young boy who must help his mother when she is abducted by martians. (ComingSoon)

• Tom Wheeler is set to write "Puss in Boots," DreamWorks Animation's upcoming "Shrek" spinoff. Chris Miller worked on an earlier draft. Antonio Banderas voiced the feline swordsman in "Shrek 2" and "Shrek the Third." By the way, "Shrek Goes Fourth" is set for release May 21, 2010. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Jeffrey Dean Morgan has joined Hilary Swank in Antti J. Jokinen's thriller "The Resident," about a doctor (Swank) who moves into a new Brooklyn loft and quickly discovers her landlord is a stalker. Jokinen wrote the script with Robert Orr, and Erin Cressida Wilson recently completed a rewrite. (The Hollywood Reporter)

• Clifton Collins Jr., Josh Lawson, Kevin Sussman, Zoe Boyle, Nat Faxon, Warren Hutchinson, Jane Seymour, Olivia Munn and Dave Foley are set to star in Broken Lizard's comedy "Freeloaders," which focuses on five dudes and a girl who live in a rock star’s mansion until he decides to sell his crib. (Variety)