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 […]
Tag: entertainment
‘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 […]
Marvel re-releases ‘Avengers’ as box office record looms
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Marvel announced plans Tuesday to re-release “Avengers: Endgame” with bonus material in theaters, as the summer’s biggest blockbuster drew agonizingly close to breaking the global box office record. “Endgame” has pulled in $2.749 billion around the world, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations — the second-highest haul of all time, trailing James Cameron’s “Avatar” by around $40 million. But from Friday, Marvel hopes to entice die-hard fans back […]
‘Hunger Games’ prequel book and film planned
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — A new “Hunger Games” novel set decades before the original best-selling trilogy will be published next year, its publisher said Monday, with plans for an accompanying film already under way. The book will revisit the macabre post-apocalyptic world of Panem created by Suzanne Collins’ young adult novels, which were adapted into one of Hollywood’s biggest movie franchises starring Jennifer Lawrence. The original books, which sold more than 100 million […]
Latest ‘Men in Black’ leads box office but fails to wow critics
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Men in Black: International” led North American box offices over the weekend, but the new sci-fi comedy was not as far into the black as Sony would have liked, taking in an estimated $28.5 million, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported. In this spinoff to the three earlier “Men in Black” installments, the roles of black-suited alien-fighters pass from their originators, Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones, to the younger […]
BTS, Korean pop titans who conquered the West
by Charlotte MASON PARIS, France (AFP) — Paris’s Stade de France stadium is packed. The crowd is a sea of screaming teenagers in sporty hoodies, colorful rabbit ears and — as it starts to rain — plastic ponchos. In a puff of smoke, BTS bursts onto the stage from behind two giant inflatable leopards. Dressed in white suits, they jump around to pumping hit “Dionysus”, to the delight of fans clutching smartphones and flashing globe […]
‘Secret Life of Pets 2’ defeats ‘X-Men’ to top box office
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Universal’s new animation “The Secret Life of Pets 2” managed to lead North American box offices this weekend with an estimated take of $47.1 million even while earning less than half what the first “Pets” film did just three years ago. “Pets 2,” produced by Illumination studio, edged out another new release, Fox’s “X-Men: Dark Phoenix,” to top the three-day weekend, according to industry watcher Exhibitor Relations. “Pets” could […]
Empire State of Mind: Jay-Z becomes hip-hop’s first billionaire
NEW YORK, United States (AFP) — Jay-Z is officially hip hop’s first billionaire, Forbes declared Monday, founding his kingdom on entertainment but also reaping earnings from liquor, art and real estate. The rapper born Shawn Carter, who grew up in one of Brooklyn’s most notorious housing projects, “has accumulated a fortune that conservatively totals $1 billion, making him one of only a handful of entertainers to become a billionaire — and the first hip-hop artist […]
Disney’s ‘Aladdin’ woos North America box office
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — Disney’s “Aladdin” soared at the North American box office over the holiday weekend raking in nearly $117 million and leading all other offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Tuesday. The film, released on the American four-day Memorial Day weekend, earned $116.8 million from Friday through Monday and $91.5 million from Friday to Sunday, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million. The live-action movie, directed by Guy Ritchie, stars […]
Disney’s live-action ‘Aladdin’ casts a box-office spell
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Aladdin” apparently still has the old magic, as the new Disney film took in an estimated $86.1 million in the Friday-to-Sunday period in North America to lead all box-office offerings, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported. The film, released on the US’s four-day Memorial Day weekend, is expected to earn $105 million when Monday’s ticket sales are included, well beyond earlier estimates of around $80 million, according to the Hollywood […]
GoT finale draws staggering 19.3 million viewers
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — The finale of “Game of Thrones” drew a staggering 19.3 million viewers in the US Sunday evening, cementing the fantasy epic’s status as the most watched television series in HBO history. The streaming service said the record number of viewers was across all platforms — HBO, HBO Go, and HBO NOW — and exceeded the previous series high of 18.4 million viewers set last week. “Season 8 of Game […]
‘John Wick’ opens strongly as ‘Avengers’ nears historic mark
LOS ANGELES, United States (AFP) — “Avengers: Endgame” finally yielded the top spot at the North American box office this weekend to the latest “John Wick” action film, but the Marvel Studios/Disney blockbuster edged closer to historic status as the all-time No. 1 grossing film. “Avengers” took in a domestic total of $30 million in its fourth weekend out, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations said Monday, bringing its worldwide total to $2.62 billion, just shy of […]





