The early numbers are coming in via Deadline, and Deadpool & Wolverine is opening right about where we expected it to in the predictions we posted on Thursday. The film made a huge $95 million on its first day, and now it looks like it will end the weekend in the $195-205 million range. To put that into perspective, not only will it be the highest R-rated opening ever, but it will also be in the top 10 openers of all time, with it currently on track to land in either eighth or ninth place between The Avengers and Black Panther.

While some may wonder why the movie isn’t opening even bigger, remember that it’s hard-R. As far as records go, it’ll top Deadpool and its sequel, which currently hold the top two positions with $132.4 million and $125.5 million a piece. That’s pretty sensational. The movie also has a rare A CinemaScore rating, meaning audiences love it, but what’s not to love?  It’s an amazing love letter to Marvel fans everywhere, and we raved about it in our review.

So, with Deadpool & Wolverine burning up the box office, how is last week’s champ, Twisters, faring? Pretty decently, with it looking to fall about 56% for a $36 million second weekend. That’s a solid number, but maybe they should have moved it up a week or so to take advantage of the box office lull between Despicable Me 4 and Deadpool & Wolverine, but I digress.

Despicable Me 4, Inside Out 2, and Longlegs should hold on to third, fourth, and fifth place this weekend. Longlegs is close to passing the $60 million domestic box office mark, which is absolutely outstanding.

What did you think of Deadpool & Wolverine? Let us know in the comments below, but let’s avoid spoilers for now!

The post Deadpool & Wolverine may break $200 million this weekend; highest R-rated opening by a long way appeared first on JoBlo.

Ahead of its September 13th release, Blumhouse Productions’ latest horror entry, Speak No Evil, has screened for a limited audience at the San Diego Comic-Con. So, how does this American remake compare to the 2022 Danish movie of the same name?

Following not one but two screenings at SDCC, reactions to Speak No Evil have been quite strong so far. Our own JimmyO – who actually saw the movie prior to these – was a big fan, writing, “Speak No Evil is an eerie and unsettling nightmare. It may not stray very far from the original – aside from a few spoilers that I won’t mention- it works incredibly well. The cast is especially good, James McAvoy, Scoot McNairy, Aisling Francoisi, and Mackenzie Davis shine.” But let’s check out some other reactions as well:

As you can see, Speak No Evil does something that not every American version can do: stand on its own. A viewing of the original may not be necessary, but perhaps could be worth doing just to see how this version – directed by The Woman in Black’s James Watkins – differs. Check out some of the other positive reviews. (To save you a Google Translate visit, the second one states, in part: “Speak No Evil in the remake version is better than expected. It still creates a tense and uncomfortable atmosphere, but it is far from being called a “total copy”. It has its own identity and is really fun and entertaining.”

I was a bit hesitant on a remake of Speak No Evil, as it did seem like Hollywood was just trying to yank another foreign horror movie to bring to American audiences who might be hesitant to watch a movie with subtitles. And while the Danish original – which we gave a 9/10 out of its Sundance Film Festival premiere – has a lot of fans (myself included), these initial reviews might be indicative of something far more than a lazy cash grab.

What do you think of these reviews of Speak No Evil? Do they nudge you to be more accepting of the remake? Are you a fan of the original? Let us know in the comments section below!

The post Speak No Evil SDCC reactions praise McAvoy, say it holds its own against original appeared first on JoBlo.

The opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris was filled with tons of memorable moments. Really, you can’t go wrong with your favorite pick, with everything from Lady Gaga opening the ceremony to the athletes’ arrival on the Seine to the metal beheaded Marie Antoinette (with Gojira!) all worthy answers. But perhaps nothing stood out more from the Olympics opener than Celine Dion’s return to singing, performing Édith Paif’s “L’Hymne à l’amour” two years after unveiling her stiff-person syndrome diagnosis.

Following the ceremonial lighting of the cauldron, Celine Dion – underneath a lit Eiffel Tower and the Olympics logo – broke into the Piaf classic (translating to “Hymn to Love”), surprising the thousands upon thousands in attendance. If you missed it live, do yourself a favor and watch it because it is a stunning performance. Everything is so perfectly aligned here: one of the finest singers of her generation under an iconic landmark, delivering a beautiful version of a song by the host city’s most beloved singer. Top that with Celine Dion battling a disorder that gave her poor odds on ever singing in public again, and you have what could rightfully be considered one of the greatest live performances ever.

Following the Olympics performance, Celine Dion took to social media to offer her thanks and some inspirational words: “I’m honored to have performed tonight, for the Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony, and so full of joy to be back in one of my very favorite cities! Most of all, I’m so happy to be celebrating these amazing athletes, with all their stories of sacrifice and determination, pain and perseverance. All of you have been so focused on your dream, and whether or not you take home a medal, I hope that being here means that it has come true for you!  You should all be so proud, we know how hard you have worked to be the best of the best. Stay focused, keep going, my heart is with you! – Celine xx…”

Celine Dion previously sang at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, performing “The Power of the Dream” soon after Muhammad Ali lit the cauldron. Dion’s home country of Canada has more than 300 competitors at the 2024 Games.

What did you think of Celine Dion closing the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics?

The post Celine Dion surprises Paris –and world– by closing out opening ceremony of 2024 Summer Olympics appeared first on JoBlo.

Some cliche somewhere said that ‘a picture is worth a thousand words.’ This has proven to be the case for me and especially when it comes to fan art. I have always sought out great fan art and have wanted to share it with as many people as possible. “Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net” is the outlet for that passion. In this column, I will showcase the kick-ass artwork of some great artists, with the hopes that these artists get the attention they deserve. That’s the aim. If you have any questions or comments, or even suggestions of art or other great artists, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.

Alien: Romulus by Wax Bones

Babylon by Genzo

Batman Returns by Dan Hipp

Deadpool by Patrick Brown

Deadpool & Wolverine by Youssef Kirah

Full Metal Jacket by Salvador Pombo

Ghost of Tsushima by Handy Kara

Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back by Martin Ansin

Twisters by Alyn Spiller

Wolverine by Ardian Syaf

The post Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net: Batman Returns, Deadpool and Wolverine, Star Wars, Twisters appeared first on JoBlo.

SPOILERS: This article will contain spoilers for Dexter: New Blood.

Just when you thought we had seen the last of Dexter Morgan – no, like, for real this time – comes word that yet another sequel series is in the works. Despite seeing the character killed by his own son in the finale of revival Dexter: New Blood, Morgan will evidently be returning to the franchise that Showtime refuses to let die. Surprise, motherf*cker!

The series, Dexter: Resurrected, was announced at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con, where a panel for Dexter: Original Sin took place. As for that prequel series, Patrick Gibson plays Dexter Morgan in the early ‘90s, learning about the “code” and developing his serial killer tendencies; meanwhile, Michael C. Hall will provide narration/the inner voice, just as he did in the original 2006-2013 series. Original Sin is set to premiere later this year.

So, how can Dexter possibly come back after having been shot in the chest in “Sins of the Father”? It could go a few different ways, really, none of which sound satisfying. One is that we have him as a ghost looming over Harrison, similar to how Dexter’s own father, Harry, was used in the original series. Another is that he didn’t die after all, with the creatives possibly setting up the age-old argument, “Well, you didn’t see his funeral, right?” Either way, I’m not sold, and it’s going to take some truly great writing to make any idea successful without the project seeming like a cash grab – and judging by New Blood, the team has their work cut out for them.

As Chris McCarthy, Paramount Global co-CEO and president/CEO, Showtime & MTV Entertainment Studios said in a statement, “We are thrilled to have the brilliant Michael C. Hall reprise his iconic role as Dexter Morgan in Showtime’s most successful series ever…While Dexter: Resurrection will appeal to the tens of millions of longtime fans, Dexter: Original Sin will introduce a whole new generation of viewers into this iconic series by starting from the beginning, which is sure to satisfy existing audiences as well.”

What do you think about another Dexter series? How do you think the character will return? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.

The post New Dexter sequel series planned with Michael C. Hall appeared first on JoBlo.

A lot of people are getting back into Fallout 76, or enjoying the new Final Fantasy 14 expansion, or trying out The First Descendent. There’s a lot of games to play this summer, and it’s normal if you get stuck on them. That’s what we’re here for. Click through for all the best tips of the week.

Read more…

A lot of people are getting back into Fallout 76, or enjoying the new Final Fantasy 14 expansion, or trying out The First Descendent. There’s a lot of games to play this summer, and it’s normal if you get stuck on them. That’s what we’re here for. Click through for all the best tips of the week.

Read more…

This week, the long-anticipated Fallout: London mod finally arrived. That’s cool! Less cool is the Cybertruck showing up in Fortnite. Also, a Call of Duty game has finally arrived on Game Pass, some time after Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but the specific series entry that’s kicking…

Read more…

This week, the long-anticipated Fallout: London mod finally arrived. That’s cool! Less cool is the Cybertruck showing up in Fortnite. Also, a Call of Duty game has finally arrived on Game Pass, some time after Microsoft completed its acquisition of Activision Blizzard, but the specific series entry that’s kicking…

Read more…

Director Fede Álvarez’s contribution to the Alien franchise, Alien: Romulus, is set to reach theatres on August 16th – and with the release date just a few weeks away, the film was promoted with a panel at Comic-Con today, with Álvarez in attendance alongside cast members Cailee Spaeny (Civil War), David Jonsson (Agatha Christie’s Murder Is Easy), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Isabela Merced (The Last of Us), Spike Fearn (Aftersun), and Aileen Wu (Away from Home).

The San Diego Comic-Con panel for Alien: Romulus began with a sizzle reel showing the desperate state of the future world. The young protagonists are confused as they explore their new surroundings. Alan Seeger’s “I Have a Rendevous with Death” begins to play. The reel then cuts to the group battling a swarm of Face Huggers. It’s the same footage guests saw at CinemaCon earlier this year.

Addressing the crowd, Fede Álvarez said he wanted fresh faces in the film. He wants to create a mood in which you think anyone could die at any moment. Cailee Spaeny spoke at the panel, saying she’d auditioned for Álvarez before, and he kept her in mind while casting Romulus. One of the reasons she wanted to make the movie was because of the practical effects (an actor after my own heart). David Jonsson says it was challenging taking on the part of a “Synthetic.” Álvarez corrected Johnsson, saying his character is an “artificial person.”

Interestingly, Ridley Scott submitted a question for the group to answer, asking, “What new elements are you bringing into Alien: Romulus?” Álvarez says the theme of his film is siblinghood, with Spaeny and Jonsson’s characters being brother and sister, despite Jonsson’s character being an “artifical person.” Would you die for a sibling who isn’t technically real? Álvarez also said that when a particular actor auditioned, they said they’d only seen the first two movies in the franchise, Prometheus and Covenant. This actor did not land the gig.

When this project was announced near the start of 2022, it was said that Álvarez pitched the idea to Ridley Scott years before and it stuck with Scott. He called Álvarez in late 2021 and asked if he still wanted to make an Alien movie. Clearly, the answer was yes. 20th Century Studios division president Steve Asbell told The Hollywood Reporter that they picked up the project “purely off the strength of Fede’s pitch. It was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.“

It has also been said that the story Álvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues crafted for Alien: Romulus is not connected to the other films in the Alien franchise – but it’s not ignoring any of the other entries, either. Álvarez has been clear about the fact that his story takes place within the established franchise continuity. In fact, it slots right in between the events of Alien and Aliens. It has the following official logline: The sci-fi/horror-thriller takes the phenomenally successful “Alien” franchise back to its roots: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.

Merced has previously said there’s a scene in the film that’s so disgusting that a lot of viewers will have to look away. Graphic and gruesome is what we expected from this movie as soon as it was announced that it was being made by the director of Evil Dead 2013 and Don’t Breathe. It has received an R rating for bloody violent content and language.

Are you looking forward to Alien: Romulus? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

Updating…

The post Alien: Romulus bursts into San Diego Comic-Con for a closer look at Fede Álvarez’s anticipated sci-fi thriller appeared first on JoBlo.