Entertainment – International

‘Lion King’ fends off Tarantino to top N.America box office

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “The Lion King” maintained its reign over North American theaters, taking in $76.6 million over the three-day weekend, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Monday. The massive haul brings its domestic total to $351.9 million and extends a streak of successes for Disney after its “Avengers: Endgame” was last week named the highest-grossing movie of all time. Directed by Jon Favreau, “The Lion King” is a remake of the 1994 […]

Disney’s ‘Lion King’ roars as Cameron salutes new ‘Avengers’ record

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “The Lion King” roared to a huge $191.8 million opening weekend in North American theaters, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Monday, consolidating Disney’s record-breaking reign at the box office. It was the eighth-biggest domestic opening of all time, surpassing “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” Disney said. Director Jon Favreau’s update of the classic 1994 animated film employs hyper-realistic computer-generated images and has a voice cast including Donald Glover as Simba […]

‘Avengers’ to break ‘Avatar’ all-time record this weekend: Disney

SAN DIEGO, United States (AFP) — Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” will become the highest-grossing film of all time this weekend, parent company Disney said in a statement Saturday. The smash hit was just $500,000 behind the decade-old $2,789.7 million record set by James Cameron’s “Avatar” as of Friday, and “will close this gap by tomorrow,” it said. The announcement was timed to coincide with the appearance of Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige at San Diego Comic-Con, […]

Tom Cruise shocks Comic-Con with new Top Gun footage

SAN DIEGO, United States (AFP) — Tom Cruise swooped into San Diego Comic-Con on Thursday to unveil the world-first trailer for “Top Gun: Maverick,” which he described as a “love letter to aviation.” The Hollywood A-lister arrived unannounced in the pop culture gathering’s cavernous Hall H along with footage of the long-awaited sequel to the 1986 smash action film that made him a household name. “You all have asked for many, many years.. I travel […]

‘Game of Thrones’ and Netflix tipped to sweep Emmy nominations

by Andrew MARSZAL LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Game of Thrones” and Netflix are tipped by TV industry watchers to dominate Tuesday’s Emmy nominations as Hollywood gears up for awards season. The Television Academy’s 24,000 members sifted through a record number of entries for this year’s Emmys, the small-screen equivalent of the Oscars. After nominations are announced final-round voting will begin to pick winners who will be revealed at a glitzy Los Angeles show […]

‘Spider-Man’ retains top spot at N. America box office

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Spider-Man: Far From Home” beat back competition from two debut films at the North American box office, winning for a second week straight by raking in an estimated $45.3 million, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations said Sunday. The latest installment in the blockbuster superhero franchise, which picks up where “Avengers: Endgame” left off, has earned an impressive $846.5 million worldwide. Retaining its number two spot was Disney/Pixar film “Toy Story […]

R. Kelly arrested on child pornography charges: report

  WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) — R. Kelly has been arrested on child pornography and other charges, the New York Times reported, in the latest criminal investigation into the R&B superstar dogged by allegations of sexual misconduct. The 52-year-old, whose legal name is Robert Kelly, was taken into custody by federal agents in Chicago late Thursday, the newspaper said. Federal prosecutors have issued a 13-count indictment against the singer, which also includes enticement of a […]

Rip Torn, ‘Larry Sanders Show’ star, dead at 88

NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Oscar-nominated actor Rip Torn, best known for his roles in the cult TV series “The Larry Sanders Show” and the Hollywood blockbuster “Men in Black”, died at the age of 88 on Tuesday, his publicist said. Torn built a reputation as a formidable actor in film, TV and theater, and was also known for his volatility — he once admitted he “got angry easily”, according to The New York […]

Disney star Cameron Boyce suffered from epilepsy: family

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Disney star Cameron Boyce, who died last week in his sleep following a seizure, suffered from epilepsy, his family confirmed Wednesday. The 20-year-old actor, best known for his starring role in the “Descendants” TV movies, passed away “due to a seizure as a result of an ongoing medical condition, and that condition was epilepsy,” the family told People magazine. “We are still trying to navigate our way through this […]

Spain court rules 43-year-old man is son of Julio Iglesias

  by Daniel SILVA Agence France Presse MADRID, Spain (AFP) — A Spanish court ruled Wednesday that Grammy award-winning singer Julio Iglesias is the biological father of a 43-year-old man after a protracted paternity battle with the star. The judge in the case refused to admit DNA evidence obtained surreptitiously by a private detective working for the claimant and his lawyer. But he ruled that the man’s mother had provided credible details of her affair […]

‘Stranger Things’ breaks Netflix viewing records

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Retro sci-fi series “Stranger Things” has broken Netflix viewing records with the global launch of its third season, the streaming giant said in a rare tweet publishing viewing data. The nostalgic 1980s show about a gang of suburban adolescents battling supernatural monsters had been watched by 40.7 million accounts since Thursday, it said. That figure for season three was “more than any other film or series in its first […]

‘Spider-Man’ swings to top of North America box office

LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Once again Spider-Man is trapping everything that flies by: “Spider-Man: Far From Home” took an impressive $185.1 million in North America over the long US holiday weekend period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Monday. The latest smash hit in the Spider-Man franchise, made by Sony and Disney-owned Marvel, has already passed the half-billion-dollar mark worldwide. Its story line follows on from blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame” to focus on how Spider-Man […]