‘Spiral’ takes another turn as top film
“Spiral” remained at the top of the North American box office this weekend by grossing $4.55 million, according to industry estimates on Sunday.
The latest edition to the “Saw” horror franchise beat out the Jason Statham-starring action film “Wrath of Man,” which earned another $2.93 million in theaters in the United States and Canada, Comscore reported.
Angelina Jolie’s action film, “Those Who Wish Me Dead,” was third with $1.83 million Friday through Sunday, followed by “Raya and the Last Dragon” with $1.662 million and “Godzilla vs. Kong” with $1.435 million.
Rounding out the top 10 domestic releases, as estimated by Comscore, were “Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” ($1.3 million), “Mortal Kombat” ($935,000), “Dream Horse” ($844,279), “Finding You” ($670,330) and “Profile” ($500,000).
Internationally, it was huge weekend for “F9” — the latest installment in the long-running “Fast & Furious” franchise. The new film starring Vin Diesel, John Cena and Michelle Rodriguez raked in approximately $162.4 million in eight foreign markets, including China, where it made more than $135 million, Comscore reported.
The film is scheduled to open in the United States on June 25.
Queen Elizabeth gives new UK warship a royal sendoff
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth visited the country’s new aircraft carrier on Saturday before it leads a flotilla of British, U.S. and Dutch ships to Asian waters on its maiden operational voyage.
The 95-year-old monarch stepped aboard the HMS Queen Elizabeth in Portsmouth, seven years after she named the vessel alongside her late husband Prince Philip, who died last month.
The Queen spent her time aboard “meeting crew members and wishing them luck in what will be an unforgettable life experience by being part of naval history,” the UK Defense Ministry said in a statement.
A tweet from the royal family showed the crew giving the monarch a rousing salute as she prepared to leave the ship, with sailors shouting: “Three cheers for the Queen! Hip hip, hooray, hip hip hooray, hip hip, hooray!”
The 65,000-ton warship will carry eight British F-35B fighter jets and 10 U.S. Marine Corps F35s as well as 250 U.S. Marines as part of a 1,700-strong crew.
It will lead the flotilla alongside two destroyers, two frigates, a submarine and two support ships on its journey of 26,000 nautical miles over 28 weeks. The group will be joined by a U.S. Navy destroyer and a frigate from the Dutch navy.
The Defense Ministry said the flotilla will be the largest concentration of maritime and air power to be deployed from the UK in a generation.