Yesterday, Spotify released its annual Wrapped infographics breaking down individual users’ most-listened-to songs and artists. As the Kotaku staff rolled into Slack, we shared our respective results, and the stark difference between how some of us consume music got two of our writers reflecting on their…
Yesterday, Spotify released its annual Wrapped infographics breaking down individual users’ most-listened-to songs and artists. As the Kotaku staff rolled into Slack, we shared our respective results, and the stark difference between how some of us consume music got two of our writers reflecting on their…
Last year, Jamie Foxx was hospitalized under mysterious conditions. Questions, concerns and conspiracy theories arose online when people speculated about the situation when the severity of it came to light. Foxx and his family remained extremely private during that time and Foxx will now tell his story to the world. He explained, “Everybody wants to know what happened, and I’m going to tell you what happened. But I’ve gotta do it in my way. I’m gonna do it in a funny way. We’re gonna be on the stage. We’re gonna get back to the standup sort of roots.” Foxx previewed the audience, saying, “It’ll be called, What Had Happened Was, and it’s got all the things that happened, especially on our side of our community.”
Netflix has released a new trailer to the special that premieres in five days. The official synopsis reads,
“In a heartfelt return, Oscar and Grammy-winning comedy icon Jamie Foxx takes the stage for a groundbreaking special following his 2023 hospitalization. ‘If I can stay funny, I can stay alive,’ he declares, as he sets the record straight with humor and vulnerability. Amidst laughter and applause, Jamie expresses deep gratitude to those who prayed and supported his recovery, turning this performance into a touching thank you to his fans. This comedy event is a celebration of resilience, humor, and the power of community, reminding us all of the healing power of laughter.”
When he first made the announcement of the show, Jamie poked fun at the conspiracy theories that his public appearances during that time was a double, “I dove out of a car to save this Black woman’s purse. That ain’t no damn Jamie, that’s a clone.” The star would also address the new lease on life he’s gained since he was discharged from the hospital, “I’m so thankful. And I just get emotional. Because it was really… it’s beyond the scope. Cherish life. I have some people in my life that really made sure I was here because it was dire straits.” However, Foxx would then joke how insufferable his joy became for his family, “I was drinking some water, like ‘Wow, you taste this water? It’s so wet. This is the wettest water’ [and his daughter responded,] ‘Dad, you’ve gotta chill out.’”
The post Jamie Foxx gets ready to reveal the truth behind his hospitalization in the trailer for What Had Happened Was appeared first on JoBlo.
The first week of December is notoriously dead as far as new movies go. Of course, there’s a reason for this, as traditionally, Thanksgiving is one of the highest-grossing weekends of the year, and the titles released during this corridor tend to do big holdover business. As such, neither of the weekend’s new releases, the A24 horror comedy Y2K or the Frank Grillo action flick Werewolves, are expected to break the bank. That said, I wouldn’t chalk up either as a flop or even disappointing, as they are targeting niche audiences and likely aren’t even aiming at opening in the top five, given their modest promotional pushes and theatre counts.
This weekend, expect Moana 2 to make in the $65 million range, as family audiences will continue to turn out in droves to see this record-breaking sequel. I also expect Wicked, in week three, to hold up exceptionally well, with it likely to perform in the $45 million range as it races towards a final gross in the $5-600 million range. Ironically, this has been a box office phenomenon that’s been uniquely limited to North America, as the foreign gross has only been a fraction of what it’s made here.
By contrast, Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II is doing the opposite. Its box office performance in North America had been solid—if unspectacular—while overseas, it’s a blockbuster, having doubled its domestic gross. This weekend, it should hold on to third place with about $15 million or so. Red One should be behind it with bout $7 million, while Y2K might be able to ride the cult popularity of its home studio – A24 – to a fifth-place finish in the $4 million range.
Here’s what we predict:
Do you think our numbers are accurate? Let us know in the comments!
The post Box Office Predictions: Moana 2 and Wicked to lead holdovers post Thanksgiving appeared first on JoBlo.
Infinity Nikki, the fifth installment in the long-running dress-up franchise, is making a lot of waves with its gorgeous open world filled with seemingly endless activities to do. If scoring the most stylish fit while platforming through a magical land sounds like it’s right up your alley, you certainly won’t want to…
Infinity Nikki, the fifth installment in the long-running dress-up franchise, is making a lot of waves with its gorgeous open world filled with seemingly endless activities to do. If scoring the most stylish fit while platforming through a magical land sounds like it’s right up your alley, you certainly won’t want to…
Stephen King‘s novel The Institute (which can be purchased HERE) reached store shelves on September 10, 2019 – and that same day, it was announced that David Kelley and Jack Bender, the duo behind the King series adaptation Mr. Mercedes, were working on a limited series adaptation of The Institute. Five years have gone since then and Kelley has dropped off the project along the way, but The Institute is moving forward at MGM+ – and Variety reports that a trailer for the show was screened at Content London on Thursday. Michael Wright, the head of MGM+, director / executive producer Jack Bender, and creator / executive producer Benjamin Cavell were also in attendance to talk about the show, including the decision to age up the characters for the adaptation and the story’s connection to The Shining.
Set to run for eight episodes, The Institute will tell the following story: When young genius Luke Ellis is kidnapped, he awakens at The Institute, a facility full of children who all got there the same way he did, and who are all possessed of unusual abilities. In a nearby town, haunted former police officer Tim Jamieson has come looking to start a new life, but the peace and quiet won’t last, as his story and Luke’s are destined to collide. King is an executive producer on the series, which is set to premiere in 2025.
The series stars Mary-Louise Parker of Weeds (and Mr. Mercedes), Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone), Simone Miller (Detention Adventure), Jason Diaz (The 100), Julian Richings (Supernatural), Fionn Laird (Under the Banner of Heaven), Hannah Galway (Sex/Life), Robert Joy (Land of the Dead), Viggo Hanvelt (Our Christmas Mural), Arlen So (Something Rotten), Birva Pandya (The Umbrella Academy), Dan Beirne (Ginny & Georgia), Martin Roach (Suits), Jane Luk (Streams Flow from a River), and – in the lead role of Luke Ellis – Joe Freeman. This is the first screen acting role for Freeman, who is 18 years old, six years older than Luke was in the book.
Bender explained that they aged up the young characters because, “We were very aware of not wanting this to be as awful as it can be, what these kids go through. We didn’t want it to be a sadistic experience. There’s a fine line and, God knows, as storytellers we didn’t want to go there.“
Cavell mentioned that The Institute is connected to The Shining because the youngsters in the story all have a version of “the Shine.” “Kids with ‘the Shine’ are being kidnapped by some shadowy organization that we don’t fully understand. But the kids ultimately are able to find a way to rescue themselves. There isn’t some external force that comes and saves them, the kids have to band together and through their own ingenuity and ability, find their way out.“
Wright said that MGM+ is planning to release episodes of the show on a weekly basis, making it appointment viewing. He also confirmed that a second season is already being discussed.
As for the trailer that was shown, Variety provided the following description: The trailer gave a first look at the Institute itself, a cement, brutalist-style building where kids with telekinetic powers are taken after being mysteriously abducted. Luke, played by newcomer Joe Freeman, is seen meeting the fellow children in the Institute as well as villain Ms. Sigsby (Mary-Louise Parker) for the first time, who encourages him that he is doing something good for the world as he is hooked up to machines and made to move objects. “You’re not kids, not here. There’s no bedtime, there’s no chores,” a sinister Parker says in the trailer as clips flash of the children being abused and tortured. “But here, if you break a rule, there’s grown-up consequences.”
They also shared the image that can be seen at the bottom of this article.
Are you looking forward to The Institute? Share your thoughts on this Stephen King series by leaving a comment below.
The post The Institute: Makers of the Stephen King series explain the decision to cast older and the connection to The Shining appeared first on JoBlo.
Sony Pictures Classics announced BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN will be released exclusively in IMAX on February 7, 2025, in almost 200 theaters. Ahead of the release, IMAX Theatres will be holding one night only early access screenings in eighteen markets on February 5, 2025. Tickets are on sale for both dates now at imax.com/ledzeppelin.
BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN explores the origins of this iconic group and their meteoric rise in just one year against all the odds. Powered by awe-inspiring, psychedelic, never-before-seen footage, performances and music, Bernard MacMahon’s experiential cinematic odyssey explores Led Zeppelin’s creative, musical, and personal origin story. The film is told in Led Zeppelin’s own words and is the first officially sanctioned film on the group.
The hybrid docu-concert film also unveils a huge amount of rare and unseen Led Zeppelin performance footage. The result is a visceral musical experience that will transport audiences into the concert halls of Led Zeppelin’s earliest tours, accompanied by intimate, exclusive commentary from the famously private band.
Director Bernard MacMahon said: “The cinematic power of IMAX paired with the film’s authentic sound creates an immersive and transportive viewing experience letting audiences feel like they are there, in the venues with the band.”
BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN is a movie that almost didn’t come to fruition – the filmmakers were up against epic challenges, including the fact that hardly any footage from the band’s early period existed. MacMahon and McGourty embarked on a global detective search for material to illustrate the band’s story.
“We spent five years flying back and forth across the Atlantic scouring attics and basements in pursuit of rare and unseen film footage, photographs and music recordings,” writer/producer Allison McGourty said. “Then we transferred each piece of media with custom techniques, so that in IMAX, these 55-year-old clips and music would look and sound like they came out of the lab yesterday.”
“We couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with IMAX and Sony Pictures Classics to bring this film to big screens for all audiences, Zeppelin fans, of course, but also all music lovers and anyone looking for an inspiring, uplifting story with amazing music,” McGourty added.
Tom Bernard, co-president and co-founder of Sony Pictures Classics, said “I had a mind-blowing experience seeing Led Zeppelin for the first time in August 1969 at the Texas International Pop Festival in Grapevine, Texas and it has stayed with me ever since. This legendary group merits a spectacular North American theatrical release of this incredible film! I cannot think of a single movie that more brilliantly draws you into an artist’s story, shows you how their music was made, and makes you experience it as if it was brand new. I know it will be inspirational to young people and legacy defining for generations to come.”
BECOMING LED ZEPPELIN is directed by the award-winning, Emmy and BAFTA nominated Bernard MacMahon (AMERICAN EPIC), and written by
MacMahon and BAFTA-nominated producer Allison McGourty. It is produced by McGourty and Paradise Pictures in association with Big Beach, alongside executive producers Michael B Clark, Alex Turtletaub, Cynthia Heusing, David Kistenbroker, Duke Erikson, Simon Moran, and Ged Doherty. Editing is by Dan Gitlin, sound supervision is by Nick Bergh, sound restoration is by Grammy Award winner Peter Henderson, with archival research from Kate Griffiths and Rich Remsberg.
The post Witness the genesis of the legendary rock band Led Zeppelin in the trailer for the documentary Becoming Led Zeppelin appeared first on JoBlo.
Disney Dreamlight Valley initially launched with a smorgasbord of unique ingredients to find and harvest to make its many meals.Its collection has only grown in the years since its release. So it goes without saying that major expansions like The Storybook Vale are likely to offer up a ton of fresh stuff to discover…
Disney Dreamlight Valley initially launched with a smorgasbord of unique ingredients to find and harvest to make its many meals.Its collection has only grown in the years since its release. So it goes without saying that major expansions like The Storybook Vale are likely to offer up a ton of fresh stuff to discover…