| | | | What's news: Smash Mouth singer Steve Harwell has died. Spanish actor Gabriel Guevara was arrested at the Venice Film Festival. Sofia Coppola's Priscilla received a lengthy standing ovation in Venice. Lea Michele run in Funny Girl has come to an end. French filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz is in serious condition after a motorcycle accident. — Abid Rahman
Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. |
Disney vs. Charter Spectrum: Where Things Stand ►Blackout continues. Over Labor Day weekend — as families gathered for holiday barbecues and as ESPN was televising major sporting events like college football games and U.S. Open tennis — executives from ESPN’s parent company The Walt Disney Co. and the cable giant Charter Communications continued to have discussions about the ongoing carriage dispute that is keeping Disney’s channels off of Spectrum, Charter’s cable TV service. THR's Alex Weprin has the latest on the dispute. The story.
—Strike impact. Warner Bros. Discovery has lowered its 2023 adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization forecast to $10.5b-$11.0b, a hit of $300m-$500m, "predominantly due to the impact of the strikes." In a regulatory filing on Tuesday, the company didn’t detail when it expects the strikes could end but updated its guidance that had previously assumed they would be resolved by early September. The story.
—Star-studded turnout. The stars were out in force once again for Beyoncé’s third and final Renaissance Tour concert at SoFi Stadium on Monday night. The gig coincided with Beyoncé’s 42nd birthday, amping up the hype even more with what may happen and possible guest appearances. Among the stars who joined the thousands of red and black balloon-wielding Beyoncé fans were Zendaya and Tom Holland, Justin and Hailey Bieber, Chris Rock, Adele, Lizzo, Katy Perry, Kate Hudson, Normani, Brandy, Kim and Khloé Kardashian. The story.
—"He loved the fans and loved to perform." Steve Harwell, the founder and singer of hit late 1990s and early 2000s band Smash Mouth, has died. He was 56. A rep for Harwell told THR the musician passed away peacefully and comfortably in his home in Boise, Idaho, on Monday, surrounded by his friends and family. News broke on Sunday that the artist was in hospice care due to liver failure. The obituary. |
'Equalizer 3' Opens to Franchise-Best $42M ►Stellar summer. Sony’s The Equalizer 3 — reuniting director Antonie Fuqua and Denzel Washington — is closing out summer on a high note at the box office. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that the movie’s franchise-best opening provided the final boost needed to push domestic summer revenue past $4b for the first time in the post-pandemic era in a much-needed win for Hollywood studios and theater owners.
The industry achieved the $4b milestone on Friday. The final 2023 summer number looks set to be $4.087b by the time Labor Day wraps, a 19 percent uptick over 2022 but still behind 2019 by 6 percent. Before Barbenheimer, summer revenue was running a worrisome 7 percent behind 2022 and 15 percent behind 2019.
Equalizer 3's estimated $42.3m four-day opening also makes it the second-biggest Labor Day launch by far behind Marvel’s Shang-Chi ($94.7m). Heading into the weekend, Equalizer 3 was tracking to take in $30m for the four days but strong word-of-mouth kicked in as audiences bestowed the threequel with a glowing A CinemaScore.
The first Equalizer opened to $34.1m, followed by $36m for the sequel, not adjusted for inflation. The performance of Equalizer 3 is particularly noteworthy considering Washington couldn’t fully promote the film because of the actors strike. Overseas, the movie opened to a stellar $26.1m from its first raft of markets for a global start of at least $68.4m through Monday. The box office report.
—Warning signs amid summer’s highs. On the subject of the stellar summer at the box office, Pamela writes that studios banked on their big-budget franchise sequels to revive theatrical, but it was fresh and original fare led by Barbie and Oppenheimer that powered domestic revenue past $4b. The analysis. |
Protests Hit Venice ►"We are speaking for those without a voice against the director predators." A group of protesters demonstrating against what they called the “rape culture” of the Venice Film Festival marched past the festival’s red carpet during the world premiere of Woody Allen’s Coup de Chance on Monday night. THR's Scott Roxborough reports that the protestors began their demonstration just as Allen stepped onto the red carpet of his film. They stopped shortly past the carpet, forming a line and taking off their shirts before chanting. The story.
—"No Golden Lion for predators." On Sunday, there were more public protests against Allen and Roman Polanski. A series of banners written in Italian, French and English which, among other things, accuse the festival of hosting “rapists,” appeared Sunday morning on the Lido, at the Giardini della Biennale and at the Santa Maria Elisabetta traffic circle, one of the festival’s main thoroughfares. The story.
—Arrested. Spanish actor Gabriel Guevara, the star of Amazon Prime Video’s hit teen film franchise My Fault, was arrested while attending the Venice Film Festival. Guevara had an active international warrant out on him for an alleged sexual assault in France. Guevara was arrested by Italian state police in Venice on Saturday a day before he was set to receive a best young actor honor given out by Filming Italy on Sunday. The story.
—Seven and a half minutes! Priscilla, one of the buzziest films heading into this year’s Venice, finally had its world premiere in competition on the Lido on Monday, receiving a rapturous seven-minute 30-second standing ovation for its director Sofia Coppola, young leads and the inspiration herself, Priscilla Presley. The story.
—Seven minutes! David Fincher’s neo-noir action thriller The Killer brought the house down Sunday night at its Venice premiere, drawing a seven-minute standing ovation and showers of bravos. Fincher basked in the reception from the balcony of the Sala Grande cinema solo, since his starring cast, including Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton, were absent from the night’s festivities due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. The story. |
Why 3 Shows Always Dominate the Streaming Charts ►Always on. Somewhere in the U.S., someone is probably watching an episode of Grey’s Anatomy right now, or if not, an installment NCIS. Someone under age 7 is likely streaming Cocomelon. THR's Rick Porter looks into why big libraries and lots of repeat viewing have kept these three shows on Nielsen's top performers' list more than any other projects. The analysis.
—"The role of a lifetime." Lea Michele ended her run as the star of Broadway’s Funny Girl on Sunday. The actress had stepped into the role a year ago, replacing Beanie Feldstein, who had debuted in the title role of Fanny Brice earlier that year. With Michele on board, producers reportedly were able to recoup capitalization costs, with the show boasting almost 600 performances at the August Wilson Theatre in New York. The story.
—"A lot of these ideas were kind of so outlandish." Miley Cyrus has revealed the personal financial sacrifice that what went into making 2014’s Bangerz Tour come to life as well as why it “was an investment in myself.” During a recent edition of her Used to Be Young TikTok series, in support of her latest single of the same name, the pop star admitted that she “didn’t make a dime on this tour because I wanted the tour to be excellent.” The story. |
Marvel Shuffles TV Calendar ►ICYMI. THR's Borys Kit had the scoop on Marvel Studios reshuffling the release dates for its slate of television shows. What If…? Echo, and Agatha: Coven of Chaos, now titled Agatha: Darkhold Diaries, are among the titles receiving new dates. The move comes amid Hollywood’s strikes as well as a general pullback at Disney+. The schedule.
—"Seriously injured." French actor and director Mathieu Kassovitz is in a "worrying" condition after a motorcycle crash on Sunday. According to local media reports, the La Haine filmmaker was "seriously injured" in an accident at a motorcycle training course in greater Paris. Kassovitz was transported to the Kremlin-Bicêtre hospital. The story.
—Strong contender. Japan has picked German director Wim Wenders’ delicate drama Perfect Days, which debuted to rave reviews at Cannes earlier this year, as its entry for the 2024 Oscars in the best international feature category. The film follows the daily routines of a late-middle-aged Japanese man who works as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo. Koji Yakusho won Cannes’ prestigious best actor honor for his nuanced portrayal of this simple, dignified man. The film also took home the Ecumenical Jury Prize from Cannes. The story. |
Film Review: 'Priscilla' ►"An impeccable union of director and subject." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Sofia Coppola's Venice competition entry Priscilla. Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi play Priscilla and Elvis in a film that traces the arc of one of America’s most famous love stories, centering the experience of the young woman caught up in a romantic daydream. The review.
—"For the most part, this slays." THR film critic Leslie Felperin reviews David Fincher's Venice competition entry The Killer. The director's latest work for Netflix features Michael Fassbender and Tilda Swinton in a location-hopping genre exercise that couldn't be more different than Mank. The review.
—"Coup de snooze." Leslie reviews Woody Allen's Coup de Chance. Lou de Laage, Melvil Poupaud and Niels Schneider, star in the director's film about wealthy, adulterous Parisians played out of competition in Venice. The review.
—"Sustained and largely unobjectionable." Leslie reviews the late William Friedkin's The Caine Mutiny Court-Martial. Friedkin's final film features Kiefer Sutherland, Jake Lacy, Jason Clarke, Monica Raymund and the late Lance Reddick in an updated interpretation of Herman Wouk's play. The review.
—"A perceptive take on Hungarian political conflict." Leslie reviews Gabor Reisz's Explanation for Everything. Premiering in Venice's Horizons sidebar, the Hungarian director's latest is reminiscent of the naturalistic films that have come out of neighboring nation Romania recently. The review.
—"A flawed but impressive movie about movies." THR's Caryn James reviews Saverio Costanzo's Venice competition entry Finally Dawn. Set at the Cinecitta studio in the 1950s, the drama about movies and celebrity features Lily James, Joe Keery, Rebecca Antonaci, Willem Dafoe and Alba Rohrwacher. The review. |
Film Review: 'Maestro' ►"A soaring crescendo into sorrow." David Rooney reviews Bradley Cooper's Venice competition entry Maestro. In his second project as director, Cooper makes good on the promise of A Star is Born with a Netflix bio-drama, co-starring Carey Mulligan, as stirringly symphonic and emotional as the subject’s music. The review.
—"A small jewel." David reviews Annie Baker's Janet Planet. Julianne Nicholson, Zoe Ziegler, Sophie Okonedo, Elias Koteas and Will Patton appear in the celebrated playwright’s first feature as writer-director, set over the course of summer 1991 in rural Massachusetts. The review.
—"Irksomely unsatisfying." David reviews Kevin Macdonald's High & Low: John Galliano. The film digs into the controversy surrounding the anti-Semitic tirade in 2010 that got the Brit designer booted out as creative director of Dior. The review.
—"Rome is burning." THR's Jordan Mintzer reviews Stefano Sollima's Venice competition entry Adagio. The latest feature from the writer-director stars a trio of Italy’s finest actors, including Pierfrancesco Favino, as men on opposite sides of the law. The review.
—"Lots of theories, not enough big bangs." Jordan reviews Timm Kröger's Venice competition entry The Theory of Everything. The German director’s second feature, which premiered in competition in Venice, follows a young physicist attending a conference in the Alps. The review.
—"A quietly touching tale of grief and ghosts." Jordan reviews Élise Girard's Sidonie in Japan. Oscar-nominated French actress Isabelle Huppert stars in this latest feature from the writer-director, which premiered in the Venice Days sidebar. The review. |
Film Review: 'Poor Things' ►"Sheer bedazzlement." David Rooney reviews Yorgos Lanthimos' Venice competition entry Poor Things. Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe and Ramy Youssef star in a genre-defying film that starts as absurdist comedy but evolves into an unconventional reflection on female freedom. The review.
—"Mesmerizes in and out of the water." THR's Stephen Farber reviews Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin's Nyad. The Oscar-winning documentary filmmakers direct their first narrative feature, about Diana Nyad's history-making swim from Cuba to Florida at age 64, starring Annette Bening and Jodie Foster. The review.
—"A striking memory piece." THR film critic Sheri Linden reviews Jeff Nichols' The Bikeriders. Inspired by a work of New Journalism about a 1960s motorcycle club, the Chicago-set drama — starring Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy, Austin Butler and Mike Faist — combines material from that book with a fictional narrative. The review.
—"Food for action." Sheri reviews Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo's Food, Inc. 2. Following up on the 2008 documentary, part two tracks promising breakthroughs and deepening problems in American agriculture and the multinational food industry. The review.
—"A sometimes joyful, sometimes somber celebration of spirit." THR's Dan Fienberg reviews Matthew Heineman's American Symphony. The documentarian's latest follows musician Jon Batiste and his life partner, Suleika Jaouad, through a year of professional highs and personal lows. The review.
—"Not peak Morris, but a solid portrait of a master storyteller." Dan reviews Errol Morris' The Pigeon Tunnel. The renowned documentarian pairs an interview with espionage-flavored re-enactments for a portrait of the life and work of beloved spy novelist John le Carré. The review.
In other news...
—Netflix teases The Crown final season will feature a royal wedding
—Mrs. Tweedy returns for more fowl play in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget teaser
—Amazon Prime Video’s new releases coming in September 2023
—Kristin Chenoweth marries musician Josh Bryant
—VMAs: Sean “Diddy” Combs to be honored with Global Icon Award
—African streamer Showmax’s CEO Yolisa Phahle exits
What else we're reading...
—James Greig explains why social media hates Burning Man and Burners so much [Dazed]
—Ben Sisario looks at how Smash Mouth’s enduring hit "All Star" got a second wind from meme culture [NYT]
—Lucas Shaw has a deep dive on the incredibly profitable ABBA Voyage virtual tour, that's making a monster $2m a week and has made more than $150m in London [Bloomberg]
—Great Dan Kois interview with Barbara ‘Barbie’ Oppenheimer, a retired professor and distant relative of J. Robert through marriage who has had an interesting summer at the movies [Slate]
—Monocle-popping report from Anne Steele and Sarah Krouse on how Spotify's $1b bet on podcasting has proved a huge bust [WSJ]
Today...
...in 2008, Lionsgate released Danny and Oxide Pang's Bangkok Dangerous. Personal opinion here, but this Thailand-set Nicolas Cage action flick was rather good! The original review.
Today's birthdays: Michael Keaton (72), Rose McGowan (50), Werner Herzog (81), Paddy Considine (50), Graham Yost (64), Emmy Raver-Lampman (35), Annabelle Wallis (39), Carice van Houten (47), Kat Graham (34), Laura Bertram (45), Kristian Alfonso (60), Michael Horton (71), Gage Golightly (30), Brittany Furlan (37), Joey Kern (47), Yu Nan (45), Lucy Decoutere (53), Loudon Wainwright III (77), Amanda Ooms (59), Debbie Turner (67), James Ponsoldt (45), Christine Marzano (37), Korrina Rico (36), Liam Lynch (53), Vidhu Vinod Chopra (71), Tom Vaughan (54), Chris Gore (57) |
| Robert Klane, who wrote the screenplays for the irreverent comedy classics Weekend at Bernie’s and Where’s Poppa? and directed the disco-era favorite Thank God It’s Friday, has died. He was 81. The obituary. |
|
|
|
| | | | | | | | | | |
