After a rough start to the summer, we can finally say with some confidence that the box office slump is over – at least for the time being. Pixar’s sequel, Inside Out 2, blew away industry expectations (including ours) to post the second-biggest animated opening of all time, just behind The Incredibles 2, which opened with $182.6 million. With a $155 million domestic opening, it’s by far the biggest opening of the year and marks a strong return to form for Pixar Studios, who’ve suffered through a series of embarrassing flops since the pandemic decimated their release schedule. With an A CinemaScore rating, word-of-mouth on this one should be great, with it looking like it’ll do strong business over the next two weekends, with very little in the way of competition until Despicable Me 4 on the July 4th holiday weekend.
Another success story this weekend is Bad Boys: Ride or Die, with the film having a fantastic hold with the $33 million weekend, only a 42% dip, which is an amazing result, with the film posting a strong $112 million domestic total. Will it pass $200 million domestically and $400-500 million internationally? We’ll have to wait and see, but clearly, this (rather good) franchise still has a lot of life left in it.
Meanwhile, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes leapfrogged over its competition last weekend to take the third place spot, with a $5.2 million weekend and a $157 million domestic total. That’s a solid result, with it looking like Disney/ 20th Century Studios will be continuing the franchise in some fashion, with it actually out-grossing the last film in the saga, War for the Planet of the Apes.
Due to Inside Out 2 eating up the family audiences, both The Garfield Movie and John Krasinski’s IF posted big declines this weekend. The Garfield Movie made $5 million, with the $78 million domestic tally making it clear that the animated movie won’t cross $100 million domestically. IF, which overcame terrible reviews, has proved to be a word-of-mouth hit, with it making $3.45 million in sixth place, and officially crossing $100 million domestically.
Ishana Night Shyamalan’s The Watchers slipped to fifth place, with a $3.65 million weekend and a $13 million total. This one won’t crack $20 million domestically, which is undoubtedly disappointing for distributor Warner Bros. The studio’s had bad luck this summer (after having huge hits with Dune: Part 2 and Godzilla x Kong this winter and spring), with Furiosa only making $2.42 million this weekend with a terrible $63 million total. This one seems likely to finish under $75 million domestically and will likely be sent to PVOD within a few weeks.
Speaking of VOD, Universal’s The Fall Guy added another $1.5 million to its coffers this weekend despite being available digitally. With a $87 million total, it should manage to cross $90 million domestically, but it will finish short of $100 million by the end of its run. Renny Harlin’s The Strangers: Chapter 1, which also recently hit VOD, made another $ 760k this weekend for ninth place, with the $33 million domestically total very strong for the first entry in Lionsgate’s already shot trilogy. The top 10 was rounded out by the re-release of The Fellowship of the Ring, which made $632k this weekend, which is impressive if you consider many theatres are only showing it once or twice a day.
Do you think the upward trend at the box office is going to continue over the next few weeks? Let us know in the comments!
The world of animation is one of the most creative and unique. Growing up, when you think of cartoons, it may have been anime, Pixar, Bugs Bunny, or Mickey Mouse, but there is far more to offer. Over the decades, filmmakers have taken audiences to brave new worlds too vast to imagine. Even before the advent of CGI, animators created incredible stories for decades that ran the gamut of imaginative tales. And over the past few years, Netflix has proven to be a powerhouse for animated tales. With the successful Academy Award win for last year’s exceptional Pinocchio from Guillermo del Toro, you can expect much more.
I recently attended the Next on Netflix: Animation Preview, which included something for the entire family. The event took place at the Netflix Tudum Theater in Los Angeles. And our announcer? That would be “Lola” from the hilariously crude animated series Big Mouth. And what a joy that was! Throughout the presentation, the fine folks at Netflix and a series of celebrity presenters led us through all that is coming in the next few months. From entertainment geared towards the more mature crowds to the very young, Netflix is thinking BIG! Just ask Lola.
And speaking of hosts, Days of Our Lives star – and something announced by Lola before he came on stage, upcoming “Playgirl” cover model – Christopher Sean stepped into the role. Do they still print that magazine? Either way, Christopher was a solid host and the star of the new animated feature Ultraman: Rising. Throughout the afternoon panel, Zack and Deborah Snyder, Nick Kroll, Emilia Clarke, Natalie Portman, John Derderian, Ali Wong, Craig Robinson, Nathan Lane, and various others offered up previews of their projects.
That morning, they offered animation fans several fun surprises and cool treats. The variety of entertainment ran the gamut for the young and the old. They include:
Adult series from action with Arcane, Twilight of the Gods, and Terminator Zero to over-the-top antics of Exploding Kittens and the final season of Big Mouth.
New films including The Imaginary, Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie, Spellbound, That Christmas, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl, The Twits, K-Pop: Demon Hunters, Plankton: The Movie, Pookoo; and series like Motel Transylvania and Jurassic World: Chaos Theory.
Preschool treats like CoComelon, CoComelon Lane, and Gabby’s Dollhouse..
Anime series include Tokyo Override and Leviathan,as well as films Pretty Guardian, Sailor Moon Cosmos: The Movie, and My Oni Girl.
With all that, here are a few highlights from the evening, starting with Twilight of the Gods.
TWILIGHT OF THE GODS
Zack and Deborah Snyder were on hand to discuss their latest Twilight of the Gods, which will begin airing on September 19th. And yes, we were given a short sneak peek at the new series. While the footage was brief, it promises an exciting adventure heavily influenced by Norse Mythology.
ZACK SNYDER: Twilight of the Godswas a show that we’ve been working on for quite some time – years in the making, actually. I’ve always been obsessed with Norse mythology. I think it’s an amazing place. I love mythology in general, and so the idea of actually being able to dig into this rich tapestry of heroes and gods was an incredible opportunity for both of us. And this show is really a story. It’s a story about love and revenge, and it just takes us across this massive and beautiful landscape in pursuit of, well, you’ll have to see now.”
DEBORAH SNYDER: “This is the first time anyone’s going to see anything. And as Zack said, it’s been about just over four years in the making, developing these scripts and then having an in-house team of about 48 artists who developed all the characters and the worlds. And in animation, nothing is for free. Every prop and everything, as you know, has to be created. And we were so lucky to be able to work with this group of very global artists, and then even more lucky to have Xilam do the animation through layout and compositing.”
TERMINATOR ZERO
The wonderful world Jim Cameron created with The Terminator is back with this futuristic adventure in animated form. During the presentation, they screened a short clip from the upcoming series. The vibe it offered harkened back to Cameron’s original, so here’s hoping the series takes a few risks to create something special with this particular property.
The biggest news for Terminator Zero was the revelation that Timothy Olyphant voices the Terminator. And yes, more than a little excitement was generated at this news. As a fan of the actor, he is a fantastic choice to return to the mad world of Terminators and Skynet.
Terminator Zero is created by Mattson Tomlin, and animated by Production IG Studio and will hopefully fill the void that many were left with after the recent spat of less-than-stellar sequels. Audiences everywhere will have the opportunity to witness the “Judgement Day,” on August 29th. He did say he’d be back.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 06: Craig Robinson speaks onstage during Next On Netflix: Animation at Netflix Tudum Theater on June 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)
SAVING BIKINI BOTTOM: THE SANDY CHEEKS MOVIE
Another franchise that I’m fond of is returning to Netflix. And it appears that Bikini Bottom may be in trouble, folks. Spongebob and crew are back, but Sandy Cheeks has the spotlight this time. Craig Robinson was on hand to discuss his role in not one but two projects. The series In Your Dreams and Saving Bikini Bottom: The Sandy Cheeks Movie (Premiering on August 2nd) both feature the comedic actor. Yet he also spilled the beans on another SpongeBob-inspired tale called Plankton: The Movie.
CRAIG ROBINSON: “If you want even more SpongeBob on Netflix, you’re in luck because they’ve got another movie coming out next year! This one’s called Plankton: The Movie, and it’s about…Plankton. And SpongeBob. And maybe Sandy Cheeks, too. All I know is I’m not in it.
But as awesome as it was to finally reach a place in my career where I got to voice a Squirrel Dad, it pales in comparison to my next role. I think it proves I’m at the top of my game: A stuffed giraffe. I was told by the filmmakers that I was their first and only choice. They said, “Craig, you were born to play this part.”
His name’s Tony… Baloney Tony — because he’s stuffed with processed meat. Oh, and he can shoot laser farts. Damn, that’s awesome. Daniel Day-Lewis had Lincoln; I got Baloney Tony. I’m already working on my Oscar speech.”
WALLACE AND GROMIT: VENGEANCE MOST FOWL
Wallace and Gromit are favorites of mine. And anytime we get a new story about these lovable characters, it brings a smile to my face. Joining the conversation, Nick Park and Merlin Crossingham announced the upcoming Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl. And thankfully, the two shared a few details before revealing the short clip. I’m completely sold.
MERLIN CROSSINGHAM: “We start with Wallace in the thick of an inventing spree that turns Gromit’s world upside down when the latest invention – a “smart” gnome – is much more than even Wallace had ever hoped. At the heart of it, this is a story about technology and how great it can be – but also the danger of it getting in the way of our relationships.”
NICK PARK: “As directors, it’s our obsession to never stop pushing ourselves to tell the funniest, most unique, and absurdly compelling stories that we can imagine. Working on this new adventure, it seemed only right in figuring out this story that we bring back to the screen a massive fan favorite, one of cinema’s most nefarious villains – a penguin everyone loves to hate: Feathers McGraw.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 06: Nathan Lane speaks onstage during Next On Netflix: Animation at Netflix Tudum Theater on June 06, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)
And yes, they did reveal a few projects that we cannot name at this point due to embargos. Even still, there is something here for everybody. Massive thanks to everyone at Netflix for making us all feel so very welcome. Which of the upcoming entries are you most excited about? Let us know in the chat below!
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is almost here, so we’ll help you make sure you’re ready to access and conquer the DLC when it arrives. We’ve also got details on four new bosses who were recently added to Octopath Traveler II, as well as suggestions for those looking to get caught up on Dragon Age before The…
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is almost here, so we’ll help you make sure you’re ready to access and conquer the DLC when it arrives. We’ve also got details on four new bosses who were recently added to Octopath Traveler II, as well as suggestions for those looking to get caught up on Dragon Age before The…
With Inside Out 2‘s huge box office numbers re-establishing Pixar as an animation powerhouse, we figured now would be a good time to ask our readers what their favorite Pixar movie is. Do you prefer the early Pixar films like Toy Story or A Bug’s Life, or maybe something from their 2000’s heyday like The Incredibles or WALL-E, or is their more daring, recent output more your style? Let us know by taking the poll and leaving a comment.
With a sixth Pirates of the Caribbean movie slowly heading for the high seas, the biggest question is who will be serving as captain. Johnny Depp would of course easily get fans on board, but there’s so much bad blood and spilled rum between him and Disney that it seems like such a long shot anymore. Now, one whose name has been circling the deck – Austin Butler – is addressing the rumors surrounding him taking over the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
Speaking with Entertainment Tonight, Austin Butler couldn’t deny his involvement in the future of Pirates of the Caribbean…because he hadn’t even heard about the rumors. “Oh really, I haven’t heard about that.”
With Pirates of the Caribbean 6 confirmed to be a reboot, Depp’s position – if any – would certainly be reduced, leading the way for a fresh face who may have a difficult time winning over the crowd simply by not being Captain Jack Sparrow. Outside of Austin Butler, The Bear’s Ayo Ederbiri – or rather an Ederbiri “type” – was being sought. On this, Butler added that whoever is legitimately in the running for leading the franchise has huge shoes to fill. “It’s a hard one to touch because they did it so well. I loved what Johnny did with that.”
Even still, Austin Butler was a huge fan of the Pirates of the Caribbean movies growing up, adding a fun personal anecdote to the rumors. “That just reminded me of when I was a kid. In elementary school, we had to make these posters that had like your favorite music, your favorite actors. And at that time – I don’t know what grade, it must have been fourth grade, third grade or something – but it was – Pirates of the Caribbean was on there.”
It has been seven years since Dead Men Tell No Tales was released, leaving enough time for two key things: 1) Disney to want to reboot the property, and 2) audiences to lose interest. One does have to question the need for more Pirates installments; and with Depp likely out, will fans of the core movies even want another movie?
How do you think Austin Butler would do leading the future of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise? Could he be the right guy or should Disney walk the plank on the whole idea?
We all know Wes Anderson has his repertoire of actors: Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, Owen Wilson, and on and on and on. And over the course of his career, they have all grown accustomed to – and perfectly fit – his signature style. But that’s really hard to do early on, when none of this has been established and you’re just trying to get that first film completed. Now imagine doing it while a sometimes short-tempered Oscar nominee watches it all unfold.
Wes Anderson recalled that when making his first movie, James Caan didn’t understand just what this rinky-dink, $5 million production was even going for (then again, neither did those at the first screening). “I remember James Caan came to the set of Bottle Rocket, and he was really saying, ‘What are you guys doing?’ We were doing things that he thought, ‘This is not how movies are made,’ but he sort of adapted to us.”
Wes Anderson has built on his visual style in a way that has made him singular in the movie industry and, now more than a quarter-century into his career, built a stock that knows the ins and outs of what working with him means. “And so having people who we formed our way of working together, that means things happen quickly, and we inspire each other maybe more easily and readily. We’ve already kind of smoothed the road a bit.” Even still, he recognizes that any newbies might be just as jarred as James Caan was on Bottle Rocket. “People who are newcomers on the set or [to] the process of making one of my movies find it strange. It’s not necessarily the way movies are normally made. Probably every director is like that. We have our own strange methods, which began in some ways with the first film I made.”
Wes Anderson will bring both veterans and newcomers to his next picture, The Phoenician Scheme, which is set to star the likes of Murray, Tom Hanks, Benicio del Toro, Michael Cera, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scarlett Johansson, Willem Dafoe, Bryan Cranston, and many, many more. Plot details are slim at this point but production reportedly wrapped earlier this month.
What is your favorite Wes Anderson film? Which one does his style most come through? Drop your pick below!
Paul Atreides said that fear was the mind-killer and bringer of total obliteration. But David Lynch may attribute that more to studios. As Dune marks its 40th anniversary – Denis Villeneuve actually does justice to the Frank Herbert property – David Lynch is reflecting on the nightmare that was dealing with the suits while making his 1984 sci-fi film.
Speaking with NPR, David Lynch said that Dune was the failure he learned from the most – and it came down to him making the mistake of trusting the studio. “I knew already one should have final cut before signing on to do a film. But for some reason, I thought everything would be OK, and I didn’t put final cut in my contract. And as it turned out, Dune wasn’t the film I wanted to make, because I didn’t have a final say.”
David Lynch hasn’t made a movie in 18 years (unfortunately his cryptic tease for something new was an album and not a new film) but took his lesson from Dune and put it to use for the seven features that followed. “So that’s a lesson I knew even before, but now there’s no way. Why would anyone work for three years on something that wasn’t yours? Why? Why do that? Why? I died a death. And it was all my fault for not knowing to put that in the contract.”
David Lynch’s Duneno doubt has its supporters but what Villeneuve has done with the works transcends even the most visionary of his predecessors. The story behind Lynch’s Dune is, to many, far more interesting than the film itself – it’s just too bad it broke its director to the point where he blamed himself. Even still, that he could use the lessons he learned to insist on creative control on his future projects – whether in film, television, music, and beyond – might have been worth all of the headaches.
What do you think the legacy of David Lynch’s Dune is 40 years on? Is it the colossal failure most think or does it have merit? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
