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'Doctor Strange' Ignites Box Office with $84.9 Million Opening
16 hours ago | Box Office Mojo | See recent BoxOfficeMojo.com news »
The domestic box office got a jolt in a very big way as Disney and Marvel's Doctor Strange led the weekend with an estimated $84.9 million followed by strong performances by both Fox and DreamWorks Animation's Trolls and Lionsgate's Hacksaw Ridge. Beyond just the wide releases, the continued expansion of A24's Moonlight also contributed to a top twelve that was up a whopping 133.6% compared to last weekend, generating over $182 million collectively and a weekend that was up 20.4% compared to last year. Finishing atop the weekend box office, Disney and Marvel's Doctor Strange delivered as expected, with an estimated $84.9 million from 3,882 theaters. This is the tenth largest opening for a Marvel movie finishing just behind Thor: The Dark World, the only other film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe to open in November. Compared to over single-character intros in the McU, Doctor Strange dramatically outperformed Captain America: The First Avenger and Thor, »
- Brad Brevet <mail@boxofficemojo.com>
Denzel Washington, Viola Davis Become Instant Oscar Frontrunners in ‘Fences’
5 November 2016 10:36 PM, PDT | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Denzel Washington’s big-screen adaptation of August Wilson’s “Fences” has arrived, and it’s an Oscar player to reckon with this year. But that’s hardly a surprise for a project based on Pulitzer Prize-winning source material that has landed major Tony Awards in two separate Broadway productions.
The film unspooled for industry audiences Saturday, screening in Westwood before a crowd that included Screen Actors Guild nominating committee members, Academy voters and press. Washington was on hand for a post-screening Q&A moderated by Variety‘s Jenelle Riley, along with co-stars Viola Davis, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Jovan Adepo, Russell Hornsby, Mykelti Williamson and Saniyya Sidney.
When asked what drew him to the role of Troy Maxson, Washington let loose a chuckle and quipped, “The role of Troy Maxson.” Indeed, when producer Scott Rudin first sent him the script for the film, which Wilson had penned himself, Washington wasn’t »
- Kristopher Tapley
‘Saturday Night Live’: Kate McKinnon and Alec Baldwin Break Character to Urge Viewers to Vote
5 November 2016 11:53 PM, PDT | Variety - TV News | See recent Variety - TV News news »
In their last outing on “Saturday Night Live” before the election, Kate McKinnon and Alec Baldwin used the cold open to mock the candidates one final time — and urge viewers to vote.
The segment began as a parody of Erin Burnett’s CNN show “OutFront” with Cecily Strong playing the news anchor, grilling the candidates on the tightening race.
“It might be the bottom of the ninth and it’s tied and it’s raining, but this old Chicago Cub is still gonna bring it home,” said McKinnon as Clinton.
Much to Clinton’s chagrin (“Please be his taxes”), Burnett brought up the big story of the week: Clinton’s emails.
Trump as Baldwin countered that he never uses emails, instead using a “very private site”: “It’s called Twitter.”
Burnett said, “Mr. Trump, everyone can see your tweets.” A surprised Trump replied, “Really? And I’m still in this thing? America »
- Debra Birnbaum
Tyler Perry to Produce English-Language Remake of Korean Film ‘Miss Granny’ With Cj E&M
7 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
“Madea” star Tyler Perry has teamed with Cj E&M, Korea’s largest entertainment conglomerate, to produce an English-language remake of Korean hit film “Miss Granny.”
The production, targeted at the African-American community, will be a co-venture between Cj, and Tyler Perry Studio’s 34th Street Films.
Cj has also pacted with actor-director Eugenio Derbez’s 3 Pas Studios to produce a Spanish-language version. Both films are set for release in 2018 and both are aimed primarily at the North American market.
“Miss Granny” is a body-swap romantic comedy featuring a 70-year-old woman who transforms into a young woman in her 20s. It was released in January 2014 in Korea and earned $53.7 million from 8.65 million admissions, before going on to be remade in Chinese and Vietnamese.
“We could not find a partner more suitable for the English-language remake of ‘Granny,’ than Tyler Perry Studio,” Cj said in a statement. “We expect to see a great English remake, »
- Sonia Kil
Eddie Redmayne: ‘I loved Harry Potter, so I don’t want to screw up’
6 November 2016 1:30 AM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News | See recent The Guardian - Film News news »
He suffers for his art, whether it’s curling his spine into Stephen Hawking’s wheelchair or acting opposite imaginary animals in Fantastic Beasts. But in life, finds Tim Lewis, he’s the easiest, wittiest company
When he was nine years old, maybe 10, a small, freckly, flame-haired Eddie Redmayne auditioned to be in the West End production of the Irving Berlin musical Annie Get Your Gun. Acting was a new thing for him and before the casting call he found himself dreaming – both figuratively and literally – about winning a part. He’d be in the West End! He’d get to wag school! But then, on the day, a reality dawned somewhat murkier. Around 700 children turned up. Many wore Sylvia Young Theatre School T-shirts, and danced and sang precociously behind the scenes. Each child was given a tag, walked on stage and either sang or spoke a single line. When everyone was done, »
- Tim Lewis
Exclusive: Charlie Heaton Dishes on 'Stranger Things' Time Jump in 'Darker' Season 2: 'It's Gonna Be a Ride'
9 hours ago | Entertainment Tonight | See recent Entertainment Tonight news »
The second season of Netflix's breakout hit Stranger Things is on its way, and it sounds like fans have an even bigger adventure waiting for them.
Charlie Heaton, who stars as the reclusive Jonathan Byers, spoke with Et at a junket for his new thriller, Shut In, on Saturday, where he revealed that the upcoming episodes are going to "slightly darker" than the already-terrifying first season.
"You follow these characters a year later, and you're straight back in the world of Hawkins, [Indiana], which we know and love so well," he explained. "The scope feels bigger this year."
The whole cast recently got together for the first table read, and the second season hits the ground running, with Heaton teasing, "From episode one through four, it's gonna be a ride."
While he couldn't »
‘Doctor Strange’ Proves Marvel Is the Gold Standard in Hollywood
13 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Novelist Richard Russo once mused that Cary Grant never won an Oscar because he never seemed to sweat. “He made everything look so effortless,” Russo wrote. “Why reward someone for having fun, for being charming?”
The same logic applies to Marvel, the comic-book juggernaut that scored its 14th consecutive number one opening this weekend with “Doctor Strange.” The company has been successful for so long, that box office profits are almost preordained. It can be easy to take them for granted. Despite routinely earning good reviews, these films aren’t generating awards heat in the way that populist, Spielbergian fare like “E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial” or “Raiders of the Lost Ark” once did.
That’s a shame. Under Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige, the home of Iron Man and the Avengers has been a dazzling model of critical and commercial consistency. Every film the studio has released has been certified “fresh” on Rotten Tomatoes, »
- Brent Lang
‘Hidden Figures’ Composer Pharrell Williams: “When You Push Women Down, You’re Pushing Them To Stand Up” – The Contenders
5 November 2016 5:35 PM, PDT | Deadline | See recent Deadline news »
Pharrell Williams serves as the composer for the Fox 2000 film Hidden Figures that stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe. At Deadline’s the Contenders event today at the DGA Theatre, he told moderator Dominic Patten what attracted him to the project. “It’s three African-American protagonists, female protagonists. The idea that these women were scientists and engineers made it a no-brainer for him. Hidden Figures is based on the true story of Nasa’s… »
‘A Monster Calls’ Becomes Biggest Movie Hit of the Year in Spain
1 hour ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Madrid – A hat trick: “A Monster Calls” has overtaken “The Secret Life of Pets” to become the highest-grossing film in Spain so far this year, besting big Hollywood studio titles and giving director Juan Antonio Bayona his third No. 1 movie of the year, at least for now.
Starring Felicity Jones and Liam Neeson, and distributed by Universal Pictures Intl., “A Monster Calls” grossed €235,341 ($262,057) on Friday at Spanish cinema theaters for a total Spanish gross of €21.9 million ($24.4 million), and counting.
Bayona’s first feature, “The Orphanage,” which was godfathered by Guillermo del Toro, topped Spanish movie charts in 2007, earning €25.1 million ($27.9 million) and again beating all Hollywood contenders; “The Impossible” (€42.4 million, or $47.2 million) followed suit in 2012.
Whether Bayona can hold on to his current title as 2016 box-office champ remains to be seen, however. “A Monster Calls” may face tough competition from “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them” and “Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. »
- John Hopewell
Viacom-Owned U.K. TV Network Channel 5 Delivers Record Revenue, Profit
1 hour ago | Variety - TV News | See recent Variety - TV News news »
Viacom-owned British TV network Channel 5 Broadcasting reported record annual revenue and profit Monday, delivering the first consecutive years of profitability in its 20-year history.
For the year to Sept. 30, the free-to-air broadcaster recorded an operating profit of £58.4 million ($72.4 million) against £14.9 million ($18.5 million) for the previous financial year. Revenue increased 19% year-on-year to £383.6 million ($475 million) against £322.7 million ($400 million) in 2015. Channel 5 Broadcasting retained a profit after tax and extraordinary items of £42.3 million ($42.3 million) against £36.5 million ($45.2 million) in the previous financial year.
The company’s revenue, which is generated largely by advertising, benefited from a strong ratings performance compared with its main free-to-air competitors. For the second financial year running, Channel 5’s family of channels was the only terrestrial portfolio to grow its share of total TV viewing in the U.K. in the year to Sept. 30, gaining 2% to record a 6.13% share.
This ratings uplift is more impressive given the high-profile sports events that were being hosted by rival channels, including »
- Leo Barraclough
Hollywood Film Awards: De Niro, Portman Support Clinton on Eve of Election
2 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
With the presidential election less than two days away, several celebrities used Sunday’s Hollywood Film Awards to stump for Hillary Clinton.
The event — which host James Corden jokingly called “the last awards show before the apocalypse” — honored some of the biggest names in film, including Matthew McConaughey, Natalie Portman, Tom Hanks, Mel Gibson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro.
Despite the looming election, the mood inside the Beverly Hilton ballroom was light, not tense.
Corden opened the show with a few political jokes. “This year they brought back ‘Star Wars with a female lead. They rebooted ‘Ghostbusters’ with a female lead. And I pray to God they reboot the Clinton presidency with a female lead,” he quipped during the monologue.
“Bernie Sanders is here tonight,” Corden announced. “I’m joking, I’m joking. I just wanted to see the look of terror on Clint Eastwood’s face.”
Throughout the night, »
- Lawrence Yee
Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro Get Political at Hollywood Film Awards
3 hours ago | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
At the Hollywood Film Awards, the butts of many of the jokes were the impending presidential election and the awards themselves. The untelevised awards show took place at the Beverly Hilton on Sunday night and was hosted by James Corden, who opened the night with a confession: "This is my second year hosting the show, and I still have no idea what it is. Literally none of this is real. It’s the awards-show equivalent of a Donald Trump campaign promise." He continued: "This year they brought back Star Wars with a female lead. They rebooted Ghostbusters with a
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Afm: Mars Distribution Scoops French Rights to ‘Disobedience’ (Exclusive)
4 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Stephane Celerier’s Paris-based Mars Distribution has scooped French rights to Sebastián Lelio’s “Disobedience,” one of the hottest projects being pitched at the Afm.
Repped in international markets by FilmNation Entertainment, “Disobedience” stars Rachel McAdams and Rachel Weisz, who is also producing. The film is expected to start shooting early next year.
“Disobedience,” based on Naomi Alderman’s novel, follows a woman who returns to her Orthodox Jewish home after learning about the death of her estranged father and sparks an upheaval within the community. The script was written by Lelio and Rebecca Lenkiewic.
Ed Guiney at Element Pictures is producing with Frida Torresblanco at Braven Films and Film 4.
“Disobedience” spurred a bidding war among a flurry of French distributors. The project is the latest buzzed-about title to join Mars Distribution’s slate. The company, which is minority-owned by Vivendi’s StudioCanal, also recently acquired Barry Jenkins’ “Moonlight” and »
- Elsa Keslassy
MTV Europe Music Awards Brings Out the Stars (Photos)
5 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
Music fans chose their favorites in genres and disciplines ranging from Best World Stage Performance to Best Video The MTV Europe Music Awards (EMAs) are held every year in a different country. This year, the host was Rotterdam, Netherlands on Nov. 6. Bruno Mars debuted his new single, “24K Magic.” G-Eazy flashed a golden smile. Jaden Smith rubbed elbows with his fans. Jin Joo Lee, Joe Jonas, Jack Lawless and Cole Whittle wowed the crowd. Bebe Rexha had 15 costume changes. The Weeknd took home the best video prize for “Starboy.” OneRepublic performed “Let’s Hurt Tonight” while rain poured down on the stage, »
- Rosemary Rossi
Hollywood For Hillary Hits the Phone Banks With Rising Optimism
5 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
A loud hum arose from a Santa Monica storefront crammed with folding tables and chairs where actors, producers, lawyers, moms with babies, marketing executives, retirees and teenagers doggedly worked the phones for Hillary Clinton in the waning days of the election. Anxious or optimistic but mostly determined to stop Donald Trump from winning the presidency, the energy in the room on the Sunday before the election was palpable. “Stop calling Wisconsin! You’re calling Nevada!” instructed a volunteer leader in a checked overshirt, addressing a table of volunteers. Also Read: Hollywood Democrats 'Terrified' as Polls Show Clinton-Trump Race Tightening Many of them came from. »
- Sharon Waxman
Film Review: ‘A Wedding’
6 hours ago | Variety - Film News | See recent Variety - Film News news »
Few things are more difficult to get right than a film about a sensational subject, “inspired by true events,” that doesn’t pander to clichés. Belgian director Stephan Streker begins his honor killing drama “A Wedding” in a way that makes audiences feel that, finally, here’s a refreshingly un-stereotypical depiction of an immigrant Pakistani family in Europe. Unfortunately, the feeling doesn’t last. Streker strives hard to offer a balanced view of a traditional family in Belgium forcing their daughter into an arranged marriage, yet in the end he delivers an issue-of-the-week cautionary tale that, though well-made, hits far too many expected buttons. Thankfully the luminous presence of lead actress Lina El Arabi compensates for the disappointment. Topicality, plus awards in Angoulême and Namur, presage a strong Francophone rollout in February 2017.
Like it or not, “A Wedding” cannot be viewed in a vacuum: It’s impossible to ignore the »
- Jay Weissberg
‘Walking Dead': Negan Is Big Bad Wolf in New Sneak Peek (Video)
6 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
(Spoiler Alert: Do not keep reading if you have not seen this week’s episode of “The Walking Dead”) “The Walking Dead” returns to Alexandria next week, and a new sneak peek makes it clear this won’t be a happy homecoming. In next week’s special 90-minute episode, we will see Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) appear at the walled community to collect his tribute, quoting a line from the Three Little Pigs when he says, “Little pig, little pig, let me in.” Negan quickly established himself as an evil force to be reckoned with in his bloody debut, and »
- Joe Otterson
‘Doctor Strange': What You Need to Know About Strange’s Next Villain
6 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
(Warning: Major spoilers for “Doctor Strange” ahead. Please do not read unless you have seen the film) A common criticism of the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been its dearth of memorable villains. Aside from Loki and the looming specter of Thanos, there’s not much to write about. But “Doctor Strange” does things a little differently. While the Doc does battle with the misguided zealot Kaecilius, the plot slowly unveils the origins of Strange’s archnemesis, who will undoubtedly play a major role in Strange’s future as he begins to interact with other McU heroes. That nemesis is Baron Mordo, »
- Jeremy Fuster
‘Walking Dead’ Fans Want Show to Leave Daryl Alone
6 hours ago | The Wrap | See recent The Wrap news »
(Spoiler Alert: Do not keep reading if you have not seen this week’s episode of “The Walking Dead”) “The Walking Dead” fans were none too happy to see way their beloved Daryl (Norman Reedus) was treated in this week’s episode. We see Daryl being held prisoner at The Saviors’ compound, forced to undergo a torturous existence that includes having music blasted at him night and day and being given nothing but dog food to eat. The much-beloved character got plenty of support from fans online, with one writing, “You touch Daryl, you risk your life.” Also Read: ' »
- Joe Otterson
China Box Office: 'Doctor Strange' Revives Local Market With $44.5M Debut
6 hours ago | The Hollywood Reporter | See recent The Hollywood Reporter news »
Marvel and Disney's Doctor Strange gave the sagging Chinese box office a much-needed jolt of energy over the weekend. The film opened to a healthy $44.5 million from Friday to Sunday, surging way ahead of the weekend's second-place finisher Hide and Seek, a thriller from Enlight Pictures and Village Roadshow Asia. Doctor Strange, which stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Tilda Swinton, debuted to $12 million Friday, before nabbing $17.7 million Saturday and $13.5 million Sunday, according to local box office monitor Ent Group (the company's full-weekend estimate was slightly lower than Disney's at $43.8
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