Jason Bateman saves the day at ‘Mr. Magorium’ premiere

It’s sheer madness when Natalie Portman, Jason Bateman and Dustin Hoffman step out for their Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium premiere held at DGA Theater in NYC. The family fantasy is in theaters Friday.

Natalie struts her stuff, smiling for the cameras as if she’d been doing this since she was 13. A word for the press? Not so lucky, and she dashes in to the theater without a peep. Apparently, she’d like this photo to speak for itself.

Dustin must not be able to hear what we’re saying. His wife Lisa, who tells us she’s wearing Prada, joins him. What’s his favorite role he’s ever played? “My wife,” he says. “That’s my wife.”

Hopefully Jason will save the day. (He’s typically up for it.) He jokes to me about his character, making the toy store fantasy out to be a slasher flick. “That’s a spoiler,” he cautions. Now that he’s a dad, he says he can relate to this role. “I’m in touch with being vulnerable, human,” he says. “I’m in touch with my little person inside.” He tells me he recently celebrated his daughter Francesca’s first birthday by taking her to her favorite places.

Does the movie’s eleven-year-old star, Zach Mills, believe in magic? “A little bit,” he says. “I’m not at the point where I still believe in the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny. I still kind of believe in Santa Claus. I’m a little suspicious.”

Abigail Breslin, who is here with her mom, says she’s never had a magical toy store fantasy, but would take a superpower if they were being doled out. “If I could fly all over the place, that would be cool,” Ab says. “Vroom.”