Theaters Turn to Foreign Films, Stunts to Increase Specialty Box Office in the U.S.

Charlize Theron watches exciting semifinal match between Jannik Sinner, of Italy, and Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament on Saturday (March 18) in California’s Indian Wells Tennis Garden.

“Shazam: Fury of Gods” is anticipated to overtake “Scream VI” and rule the box office this week, but the total gross won’t shatter any records.

Baz Luhrmann says it would be “an amazing historical moment” if Elvis cinematographer Mandy Walker were to triumph at Sunday’s Academy Awards. To quote Lizzo, “It’s been too long,” the filmmaker tells me last night at the Australian Oscar nominees soirée held in the Chateau Marmont’s penthouse suite.

EXCLUSIVE: Veteran producer Stephanie Allain has joined David Gordon Green’s The Exorcist, as executive producer. In addition, the first film in the trilogy from Blumhouse and Morgan Creek for Universal and Peacock has recently wrapped principal photography. The pic hits theaters on Oct. 13.

Oscar nom afterglow for this year’s Best Pictures was largely felt in the home than it was at the box office with a majority of titles already available to be viewed on the couch, except for 20th Century Studios/Disney’s 3D title Avatar: The Water.

Naman Ramachandran Director Siddharth Anand is jubilant at the continuing success of blockbuster “Pathaan,” starring Shah Rukh Khan. The film’s revenues have surpassed those of the Hindi-language dubbed version of S.S. Rajamouli’s “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion” in recent days. “Pathaan,” produced by Yash Raj Films (YRF), has grossed $126.7 million, beating the Hindi dubbed version of “Baahubali 2: The Conclusion,” which had grossed $98.8 million in 2017. “Baahubali 2,” which was made in the Telugu and Tamil languages, earned $278 million worldwide, making it the second highest grossing Indian film of all time behind 2016’s Hindi-language “Dangal” that collected $311 million globally (much of that from mainland China). “Dangal” collected $65.6 million in India and is now the fourth highest Hindi-language grosser in the country after “Pathaan,” and the Hindi dubbed versions of “Baahubali 2” and “K.G.F: Chapter 2.”

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Half a dozen movies in, and the bloodletting hasn’t eased up — or gotten less popular. “Scream VI,” the latest installment in the long-running horror series, looks to slash its way to new opening weekend heights at the box office. Paramount is releasing the film in 3,670 North American theaters on Friday. Based on early estimates, “Scream VI” is projected to debut to at least $35 million and as much as $40 million over the weekend. As of now, 2000’s “Scream 3” remains the franchise’s top opener with $34 million. Records aside, the newest entry is expected to improve upon the start of last year’s hit “Scream” (not to be confused with 1996’s “Scream”), which scored a solid $30 million debut in January. By bringing back franchise stars Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox and David Arquette — and adding in newcomers Melissa Barrera, Jenna Ortega and Dylan Minnette — to the quiet town of Woodsboro, 2022’s “Scream” earned positive reviews and ended its box office run with $81 million domestically and $137 million. Not too shabby, considering it cost $25 million and was released amid the omicron COVID surge.

Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, is opening up about remaining loyal to her ex-husband Prince Andrew, despite the royal's image being tarnished in recent years. "We've been there for each other," the Duchess said of her ex-husband. "When I've gone through really bad times in the past, Andrew's always been there.

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent Sideshow and Janus Films have bought North American rights for “Orlando, My Political Biography,” Paul B. Preciado’s film which won four awards at the Berlinale. In “Orlando, My Political Biography,” Preciado sheds light on Virginia Woolf’s “Orlando,” the first novel in which the main character changes sex in the middle of the story.  A century later, Preciado, who is a trans writer and activist, decides to send a film letter to Woolf, telling her that Orlando has come out of her fiction and is living a life she could have never imagined. Preciado organizes a casting and gathers 26 contemporary trans and non-binary people, from 8 to 70 years old, who embody Orlando.

Sarah Ferguson is set to hand out an award at the Oscars as she looks to reinvent her image, according to reports.The Duchess of York looks increasingly likely to be attending the glitzy ceremony in LA on Sunday, thanks in part to her close relationship with Elvis Presley’s family.The 63 year old royal - known by her nickname Fergie - was especially close to Elvis’ daughter Lisa Marie, the singer and songwriter who died in January aged 54. And with the Elvis biopic up for eight awards at this year’s Oscars, it is now thought Fergie will be at the ceremony to give out a gong.

Alice Winocour‘s “Revoir Paris,” or its English title “Paris Memories,” bowed at the Cannes Film Festival last May to general acclaim. And later on, star Virginie Efira nabbed a César for her performance.

Passionate Derek Ferguson has warned the Rangers board a mammoth rebuild is needed to reignite a "stale" squad and compete with Celtic.

Sideshow and Janus Films have picked up the North American rights to “Afire,” which won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at Berlinale 2023. A theatrical release is planned for Summer 2023.From writer-director Christian Petzold, the film follows four young people who convene at a holiday house by the Baltic Sea.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter It’s the battle of the threequels at the weekend box office. Michael B. Jordan’s sports drama “Creed III” is taking on two-time champ “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” at the movies, though the heavyweight boxer is expected to emerge victorious over Marvel’s tiniest Avenger. “Creed III,” which Jordan directed in his feature filmmaking debut, is projected to earn a trilogy-best $36 million to $40 million from 4,007 North American theaters in its opening weekend. Those ticket sales will easily be enough to defeat Disney’s superhero tentpole “Ant-Man 3,” which looks to add $16 million to $19 million in its third weekend of release. So far, the comic book adventure has grossed $170 million domestically and $366 million globally.

Sideshow and Janus Films have acquired North American rights for German director Christian Petzold’s new film Afire, following its award-winning world premiere in competition at the Berlin Film Festival.

The winter box office continues to have some breadth as MGM’s feature directorial debut of Michael B. Jordan, Creed III, eyes a potential franchise opening high for the Rocky spinoff about Apollo Creed’s son with a $38M-$40M opening at 4,007 theaters.

Sideshow & Janus Films have snapped up North American rights for Mexican director Lila Avilés’s family drama Tótem following its world premiere in competition at the Berlinale last week.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Sideshow and Janus Films have acquired North American rights to the Berlin-premiering family drama “Tótem,” written and directed by “The Chambermaid” helmer Lila Avilés. Winner of the festival’s Ecumenical Jury Prize, the film follows seven-year-old Sol, who spends the day at her grandfather’s home, helping her aunts Nuri and Alejandra with the preparations for a surprise party they’re throwing for her father, Tonatiuh, who is terminally ill. However, as night descends, a strange and chaotic atmosphere takes over, shattering the bonds that hold the family together, and Sol will come to understand that her world will change dramatically.

Cocaine Bear has everyone talking this weekend!

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media Reporter Universal’s horror-comedy “Cocaine Bear” blew past box office projections, earning an impressive $23 million from 3,534 North American theaters in its opening weekend. The blood-splattered animal adventure landed in second place on domestic charts behind Disney’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” which all but collapsed in its sophomore outing. “Ant-Man 3” managed to remain in first place given its huge $106 million opening, but the comic book installment is suffering from negative word-of-mouth. It added $32.2 million from 4,345 venues in its second weekend of release, marking a brutal 69% decline from its debut. Now, “Quantumania” holds the ignominious distinction as the biggest week-to-week drop in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, including “Black Widow” (which plunged 67.8% while debuting simultaneously on Disney Plus) and “Eternals” (which fell 62% after equally bad reviews). Globally, the movie has generated $364 million, including $167 million domestically and $196 million internationally.