“Godzilla vs. Kong” had a record-breaking premiere weekend with the best showing since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic threw the standard theatrical rollout into a tailspin. Despite HBO Max subscribers having access to the film, the MonsterVerse movie made $48.5 million in its first five days in theaters. Over the last six years, Legendary
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For anyone who’s been to a shiva, a Jewish mourning ritual, the anxiety-laced comedy “Shiva Baby” feels instantly recognizable: the lox, bagels and rugelach are as plentiful as the overly inquisitive relatives. “Shiva Baby” takes the mishegas up a notch. The film follows Danielle (Rachel Sennott), a college senior accompanying her parents to a shiva.
The box office success of “Godzilla vs. Kong” lifted exhibition industry stocks on Monday, reinvigorating the share prices of leading theater companies such as AMC, Imax and Cinemark. The monster mano a mano grossed a mighty $48.5 million in its first five days in theaters, setting a record for the pandemic era and signaling that
Magnet Releasing, the genre arm of Magnolia Pictures, has acquired U.S rights to “Yakuza Princess,” an action thriller starring Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Japanese American singer Masumi. The film is directed by Vicente Amorim (“Motorrad”) and is adapted from Danilo Beyruth’s graphic novel “Shiro. Magnet will release “Yakuza Princess” later this year. The film unfolds
Wong Kar-Wai’s production firm Jet Tone Films has released the documentary short “One-Tenth of a Millimeter Apart,” which gathers together new behind-the-scenes footage and deleted scenes that narrowly missed the auteur’s final cuts. Wong narrates the 30-minute film, which premiered at the Hong Kong International Film Festival Friday after a screening of a 4K-restored version
MRC Film has launched Landline Pictures, a new label targeting audiences over 50. Veteran producer Amy Baer has been tapped to lead the new venture. According to a release announcing the news, Landline Pictures “will focus on uplifting and entertaining stories that are about and targeting the over 50 demographic, yet commercial and conceptual enough
Edgar Ramirez has been cast in “Borderlands,” a big-screen adaptation of the popular video game. He joins an A-list ensemble that includes Cate Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Jamie Lee Curtis and Jack Black. Ramirez will portray a character named Atlas, a business titan and arms manufacturer who is considered the most powerful person in the universe.
Harvey Weinstein filed an appeal on Monday of his conviction on counts of sexual assault and rape, arguing that the judge made numerous errors that resulted in a rigged trial. Weinstein’s attorney, Barry Kamins, argued that the judge should have excluded Juror 11, saying she could not have been impartial because she had written a
When director Shaka King was looking for an artist to deliver the end credit song for “Judas and the Black Messiah,” he went to Grammy winner H.E.R. Of the qualities that made her the perfect artist to complete the task, he says, “versatility in musicianship, soul, artistic and personal integrity. She’s a throwback.” King’s approach
“Godzilla vs. Kong” proved that buzzy new movies can sell tickets, even if they’re already available to watch at home. After months of new releases bringing in lackluster box office ticket sales, “Godzilla vs. Kong” racked up $48.5 million in its first five days in theaters. It was the best showing, by a landslide, for
The Sun Valley Film Festival has announced its film slate and honorees, who will include Ethan Hawke, Shaka King and Gal Gadot. As SVFF Vision Award Recipients, Hawke and Gadot are recognized for their contributions to the art of cinema. Over his three decades in the industry, Hawke has earned four Academy Award nominations, acted
“Summer of Soul,” an acclaimed documentary about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, will fittingly debut over the summer. Searchlight Pictures is releasing the film in theaters on July 2. On the same day, it will be available to stream on Hulu. Directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson in his feature-film directorial debut, “Summer Of Soul (…Or, When
Top Bollywood star Akshay Kumar has been hospitalized and his much awaited blockbuster “Sooryavanshi” has been postponed as COVID-19 rampages across Mumbai, capital of the Hindi-language film industry. Kumar was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Sunday and he was hospitalized on Monday. According to Indian media reports, along with Kumar, 45 people working on “Ram Setu,”
Campfire, a producer of scripted and non-scripted content, has been on a tear. The company debuted three films at this year’s SXSW, the buzzy documentaries “WeWork: Or the Making and Breaking of a $47 Billion Unicorn,” “Hysterical,” and “The Lost Sons,” and also fielded “A Glitch in the Matrix,” which scored rave reviews at Sundance.
British actor Thandiwe Newton is reverting to the original Shona spelling of her name, after decades of being known and credited as “Thandie Newton.” The Emmy-winning “Westworld” actor was born Melanie Thandiwe Newton Parker. “That’s my name. It’s always been my name. I’m taking back what’s mine,” the actor said in an interview with British
The first official trailer for “In the Sun,” a documentary executive produced by Kerry Washington, has landed. The documentary, which will premiere on April 27 for streaming and on-demand, highlights seven families who face the consequences of living life in the sun. It spotlights an array of characters from all walks of life bound by
Amitabh Bachchan and Deepika Padukone will star in the Bollywood remake of Warner Bros.’ “The Intern.” Bachchan replaces the late Rishi Kapoor who was due to star in the project alongside Padukone, but died in 2020. Directed by Nancy Meyers, “The Intern” (2015) collected $194 million globally. Bachchan (“Gulabo Sitabo”) and Padukone (“Chhapaak”) will play
“Hi, Mom” begins as a pleasant enough comic fantasy about a young Chinese woman who time-travels from 2001 to 1981 and becomes friends with her late mother. That’s before it flicks an inspired story-telling switch and turns into a top-notch tearjerker that will have viewers everywhere reaching for the tissues. The deeply personal debut feature
Usually the SAG Awards are the first of the major peer groups to hand out statues in the new year, but 2021 is proving to be even more change-inducing than 2020. The 27th Annual SAG Awards were pushed a couple of times, first due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and then when the Grammys decided
In a pandemic year where most viewers consumed movies and TV shows from their couches, Netflix had a big night Screen Actors Guild Awards on Sunday with “The Trial of the Chicago 7” winning best motion picture and “The Crown” being named best TV drama. Pop TV’s “Schitt’s Creek” continued its hot streak on its
The parents of one of the victims of the nightclub fire featured in the Romanian documentary “Collective” have spoken of their hope that the film’s Oscar and BAFTA nominations will mean more people know about the scandal, its director Alexander Nanau tells Variety. “They posted a message on Facebook to their son saying: ‘We failed
With vaccinations rising and COVID restrictions easing, movie theaters are slowly getting their grove back. This weekend saw the debut of the first pandemic-era hit in “Godzilla vs. Kong,” a sign that people are ready, even eager to return to their local multiplexes after a year spent streaming movies at home. But there are still
“Godzilla vs. Kong” muscled its way to a pandemic-era box office record, giving Hollywood studios and theater owners alike hope that people are ready to return to the movies after a year of watching Netflix at home. The tentpole, from Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment, generated $32 million over the weekend and $48.5 million in
The famed Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen led the first expedition to reach the South Pole (on Dec. 14, 1911), so when you watch “Amundsen: The Greatest Expedition,” you may think you’ve got a good idea of the movie you have in store: an adventure at once exciting and treacherous, set in the frozen wilderness, with
Musician, DJ and director Moby is getting the documentary treatment in a new behind-the-scenes film. “Moby Doc” is described as a surrealist look, narrated by Moby himself, as he reflects on his turbulent personal life and iconic music from underground punk bands to chart-topping solo artist, and from struggling addict to vegan activist. [embedded content] Directed
Zendaya is voicing the character of Lola Bunny in the upcoming film “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” The news was confirmed via the film’s official Twitter account on Saturday. “Welcome to the Jam, @Zendaya,” the tweet reads, alongside a basketball emoji and a gif of Lola Bunny. Entertainment Weekly was the first to report the
Leading arthouse sales agency The Match Factory has acquired “The Box” (La Caja), the second feature of Mexican filmmaker Lorenzo Vigas, winner of Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion with “From Afar.” “The Box” is likely to find a berth at Cannes or Venice. The film follows Hatzin, a teenager from Mexico City, who travels to
Following a recent premiere date delay, Marvel Studios has released a new trailer for “Black Widow.” “One thing’s for sure, I’m done running from my past,” Natasha Romanoff, AKA Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), says over a flurry of fight sequences. The spy thriller sees Black Widow face the darker parts of her ledger when a
In the 1970s, Marlon Brando was unforgettable as “The Godfather” and shocked filmgoers with his powerful performance in “Last Tango in Paris.” The two-time Oscar winner, who would have turned 97 on April 3, made the role of Colonel Kurtz his own in “Apocalypse Now” and negotiated a stunning payday to play Superman’s father Jor-el.
After 25 years, Bugs Bunny and the Toon Squad are back! Warner Bros. has released the first official trailer for “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” the long-awaited sequel to the 1996 basketball classic that mixed NBA players with Looney Tunes icons. The film will release theatrically in the United States and on HBO Max on