Domestic box office in crisis mode
ChristopherNolan’s “Tenet” willed itself past the $300 million mark globally thisweekend even as the overall domestic box office appeared to be on the verge of collapse.
Disney’s “Hocus Pocus,” a Bette Midler comedy that flopped when itwas initially released in 1993, but became a cult hit on cable and streaming, almost matched “Tenet’s” grosses inNorth America and beat those of “TheNewMutants.” Re-released just in time forHalloween, “Hocus Pocus” picked up $1.9 million from2,570 theaters. “Tenet” earned $2.7 million from2,722 venues, pushing its domestic haul to a paltry $45.1 million. “TheNewMutants” eked out $1 million from2,154 locations, bringing its domestic total to $20.9 million.
“Tenet” has struggled to attract stateside audiences with the kind of fervor that typically greetsNolan films, such as “Inception” and “Dunkirk.” Audiences seem hesitant to return to cinemas when coronavirus infection rates remain stubbornly high in theU.S. But the weak results are also attributable to the fact that major markets such as Los Angeles andNewYork haven’t allowed theaters to reopen due to the pandemic.
The situation for theaters remains dire. On Friday, news broke that
MGM, Eon Productions andUniversalwere delaying theNovember release of “No Time to Die” until 2021, depriving cinemas of a James Bond film at a time when they have no blockbusters left to release for months. Then over the weekend, Cineworld announced itwas considering closing itsU.K. cinemas back down, aswell as shut
tering RegalCinemas, the U.S. exhibitor it bought in 2018.
Iconic fashion designer dies:
KenzoTakada, the iconic Franco-Japanese fashion designer famed for his jungle-infused designs and free-spirited aesthetic that channeled global travel, has died. Hewas 81.
The family said in a statement to French media Sunday that Takada died from complications fromCOVID-19.
“It is with immense sadness thatKENZOhas learned of the passing of our founder,” the fashion house said in a statement. “For half a century, Mr. Takada has been an emblematic personality in the fashion industry— always infusing creativity and color into theworld.”
Though Takada had been retired fromhis house since 1999 to pursue a career in art, Kenzo remains one of the most respected fixtures of the high Paris fashion.
“Schitt’s Creek” surprise:
The final season of the award-winning sitcom “Schitt’sCreek” has arrived toNetflix a few days earlier than planned.
“Schitt’s Creek” creator and starDaniel Levy tweeted out the news Saturday morning alongside aMoira gif, writing: “Surprise! Season 6& the BestWishes, Warmest Regards documentary just dropped early onNetflix! Have a greatweekend!”
The show’s final season was originally supposed to release on the streaming platform Oct. 7.
“Schitt’s Creek” won big at this year’sEmmy Awards, taking home all four awards in the comedy category.
Oct. 5birthdays: Actor Glynis Johns is 97. Singer Arlene Smith is 79. Director Clive Barker is 68. Astrophysicist and “Cosmos” hostNeil deGrasse Tyson is 62. Actor Guy Pearce is 53. Actor ParminderNagra is 45. Actor Kate Winslet is 45. Actor Jesse Eisenberg is 37.Actor Joshua LoganMoore is 26.