The Last Jedi is box-office winner for 2017
On the last day of the calendar year, Star Wars: The Last Jedi surpassed Beauty and the Beast as the top grossing film in North America in 2017. It also topped the charts for the weekend for the third time, but just barely — Dwayne Johnson’s Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle is close on its tail.
According to studio estimates on Sunday, The Last Jedi added $52.4 million (U.S.) over the weekend bringing its domestic total to $517.1 million. Beauty and the Beast, also a Disney release, netted out with $504 million for the year.
With the weekend’s earnings, The Last Jedi will also cross the $1-billion mark globally — even before it opens in China on Friday.
But Star Wars is facing some hefty competition still, from the likes of the Rock, Jack Black and Kevin Hart, whose Jumanji sequel took in $50.6 million in its second weekend in theatres to take second place.
The Columbia Pictures film has earned a stunning $169.8 million to date and could even reach $300 million domestically by the end of its run.
Pitch Perfect 3 took third place in weekend two, with $17.8 million, bringing its total to $64.3 million.
The year as a whole will surpass $11 billion again, with comScore projecting $11.12 billion, which is down 2.3 per cent from last year’s recordbreaking grosses ($11.4 billion), and almost on par with 2015’s $11.14 billion.
Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theatres, according to comScore. 1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi, $52.4 million. 2. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, $50.6 million. 3. Pitch Perfect 3, $17.8 million. 4. The Greatest Showman, $15.3 million. 5. Ferdinand, $11.7 million. 6. Coco, $6.6 million. 7. All the Money in the World, $5.5 million. 8. Darkest Hour, $5.3 million. 9. Downsizing, $4.6 million. 10. Father Figures, $3.7 million. The Associated Press
Conductor takes on N.Y. Philharmonic
Joshua Weilerstein will conduct a series of New York Philharmonic concerts in January, after Charles Dutoit stepped down from the podium following sexual-assault allegations.
The Associated Press has reported that four women claimed Dutoit sexually assaulted them in incidents between 1985 and 2010. He denied the accusations, but severed ties with many orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in London. Dutoit, 81, had also been tapped to conduct the New York Philharmonic’s Ravel-centered program. Weilerstein was appointed assistant conductor at the New York Philharmonic in 2011. The New York Times
Indie film force Daniel Talbot dies
Daniel Talbot, a force in the independent film world who distributed art-house movies and co-founded New York City’s influential Lincoln Plaza Cinema, has died.
Talbot’s death was announced Friday in a post on the movie theatre’s Facebook page. He was in his 90s and had been in declining health in recent months, according to trade publication Variety.
Two weeks ago, it was reported that the theatre’s lease was up and it could close in January after operating for nearly four decades. Talbot and his wife and business partner, Toby Talbot, started and ran the six-screen theatre tucked into a basement in Manhattan’s Upper West Side neighbourhood.
The couple would determine which films passed muster, flagging them for wider attention, Toby Talbot said in a recent interview with the website Deadline.
“We acted as kind of first readers. If a film opened at Lincoln Plaza, it had to be worthwhile,” she said. The Associated Press
Roseanne declares ‘I retire’ on Twitter
Roseanne Barr, who is scheduled to return to TV in late March, announced on Twitter Friday that she’s fed up and retiring. Maybe.
“i won’t be censored or silence chided or corrected and continue to work. I retire right now. I’ve had enough. bye!-- Roseanne Barr,” read one of her tweets.
Even if Barr follows through on her retirement threat, it shouldn’t affect the revival of her classic sitcom Roseanne, which is scheduled to premiere on ABC on March 27. The final studio taping of the nine-episode season took place two weeks ago. USA Today
Jay-Z unveils video for ‘Family Feud’
Jay-Z premiered his much-awaited “Family Feud” music video Friday on his Tidal music-streaming service and it delivers big in stars and revelation. The stellar cast includes his wife, Beyoncé, along with Thandie Newton, Brie Larson, Jessica Chastain, Michael B. Jordan, Mindy Kaling and David Oyelowo.
Tidal tweeted a teaser for the video Thursday. The full video is available to subscribers.
The film, directed by Ava Duvernay, takes a historical trip in reverse, starting in 2444 and ending up in 2018 with Jay-Z and daughter Blue Ivy in church. His wife, Beyoncé, then appears. USA Today
Graphic mural removed in N.Y.C.
At the end of a year dominated by debates about gender relations and reports of sexual misconduct, a fourstorey mural of a penis was put up and removed within a few days on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
The painting appeared on the wall of a building on Broome St. on Christmas Eve. By Thursday, it had completely disappeared. An outcry by neighbours and elected officials led to the mural’s removal.
In a statement to Hyperallergic, the mural’s painter, Carolina Falkholt, explained her intention for the work: “Talking about these subjects in public space is a must for a healthy, nonviolent community/world. . . . Art is one of the only places left where we can truly be free and discuss whatever difficult topics there are.” The New York Times