Even then, to his credit, Ang Lee is never tempted to domesticate this cat, except briefly, when both boy and beast are starving and at death's door.

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"I don't believe in the chupacabra, " Ayer said, adding that he's been in the midst of a "media blitz" -- receiving 50 phone calls from media outlets and citizens, as well as death threats late at night -- since word got out about the strange beast.

CNN: Texas mystery: 'Defective coyote' or chupacabra?

The studio has two more films scheduled for release this year: Beastly, a modern-day teen version of Beauty and the Beast, and Faster, about an ex-con out to avenge his brother's death.

FORBES: J-Lo's latest is expected to lead a lackluster box office.