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Clooney and Netflix Team Up for Venice Festival Spotlight

George Clooney travelling in style on Wednesday in Venice. Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP
George Clooney travelling in style on Wednesday in Venice. Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP
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Clooney and Netflix Team Up for Venice Festival Spotlight

George Clooney travelling in style on Wednesday in Venice. Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP
George Clooney travelling in style on Wednesday in Venice. Stefano RELLANDINI / AFP

Hollywood stars and Netflix are set to take the spotlight Thursday on the second day of the prestigious Venice film festival, with George Clooney, Adam Sandler and Emma Stone preparing for high-profile premieres.

The rainy skies that dampened the red carpet at Wednesday's opening night of the 11-day festival are forecast to continue, but they aren't likely to put off eager fans willing to brave the weather for a glimpse of charismatic leading man Clooney, AFP said.

The actor -- who entertained crowds in Venice alongside co-star Brad Pitt at the premiere of "Wolfs" last year -- returns to the watery city for the unveiling of the comedy "Jay Kelly" from director Noah Baumbach.

Clooney had little research to do for the role which sees him play a famous Hollywood actor, albeit one going through an identity crisis, with Sandler playing his manager.

The film is the first of three Netflix-produced features at the festival, with the heavy-hitting US streaming giant seen as desperate to find a strong contender for a first Best Picture award at the next Oscars.

Its big hope at this year's ceremony -- "Emilia Perez" -- saw its campaign for Academy Award glory derailed by a racism scandal involving leading actor Karla Sofia Gascon.

Having sat out Venice in 2024, the platform has two other productions in the 21-film top competition, "A House of Dynamite" by Oscar-winning thriller specialist Kathryn Bigelow and a star-studded remake of "Frankenstein" by Guillermo del Toro.

Adding to the Tinseltown firepower on Thursday will be "Bugonia" by Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos who has teamed up again with Stone, hoping to repeat the successful formula from 2023 when they landed Venice's top prize for "Poor Things".

In their latest collaboration, Stone plays a high-powered pharmaceutical executive kidnapped by a pair of conspiracy theorists convinced she is an alien in the zany remake of the South Korean film "Save the Green Planet!" from 2003.

Anti-war

Alongside the glitz came protest on the festival's opening day, with demonstrators near the red carpet unfurling a "Free Palestine" and "Stop the Genocide" banner to denounce Israel's war in Gaza.

A group of Italian film professionals have also called on festival organizers to openly condemn Israel's bombardment and siege of Gaza, while a larger protest is scheduled for Saturday.

The festival's artistic director, Alberto Barbera, has called the movie showcase a place of "dialogue", but has ruled out rescinding invitations to pro-Israel actors.

The festival has selected a film about the war for its main competition -- "The Voice of Hind Rajab" by Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania, which has the backing of Hollywood A-listers from Pitt to Joaquin Phoenix.

It will premiere next Wednesday.

Jury president Alexander Payne ("Sideways") dodged questions on Wednesday about his personal views on the war in Gaza and he questioned aloud whether films could really "change society or culture".

"I don't know. Doubtful. At least though, when we make films which are relevant to the times, we leave a document that someone was thinking about it," he said.

Elephants

German arthouse giant Werner Herzog spoke passionately about his search for "truth in unusual ways" as the acclaimed documentary maker received a lifetime achievement award during Wednesday night's opening ceremony.

"I have always tried to strive for something that goes deeper beyond what you normally see in movie theatres, a deep form of poetry that is possible in cinema," the 82-year-old told the star-studded audience in an acceptance speech.

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Entertainment

'Resident Evil' Tops Box Office with Franchise Best Debut of $60 Million

Cast member Milla Jovovich speaks during a panel for "Resident Evil: Retribution" during the Comic Con International convention in San Diego, California July 13, 2012. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/Files
Cast member Milla Jovovich speaks during a panel for "Resident Evil: Retribution" during the Comic Con International convention in San Diego, California July 13, 2012. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/Files
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'Resident Evil' Tops Box Office with Franchise Best Debut of $60 Million

Cast member Milla Jovovich speaks during a panel for "Resident Evil: Retribution" during the Comic Con International convention in San Diego, California July 13, 2012. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/Files
Cast member Milla Jovovich speaks during a panel for "Resident Evil: Retribution" during the Comic Con International convention in San Diego, California July 13, 2012. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/Files

Zach Cregger’s “Resident Evil” gave the North American box office a shot in the arm in its first weekend in theaters. The Sony Pictures release earned $60 million in ticket sales from 3,684 locations in the US and Canada, according to studio estimates Sunday.

That’s a best for the video game inspired franchise, of which there have been seven prior movies dating back to 2002, and for the filmmaker behind “Weapons” and “Barbarian.”

It’s also more than most of the previous films made in their entire domestic runs. The only exception is “Resident Evil: Afterlife,” which was released in 2010 and netted out with $60.1 million, not accounting for inflation.

Cregger’s “Resident Evil” stars Austin Abrams (who also played a pivotal role in “Weapons”) as a medical courier whose last job of the night finds him battling infected creatures in Raccoon City. Reviews were overwhelmingly positive; it currently boasts a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.

The audience was primarily male (66%) and under 35 (75%), according to PostTrak exit polls, and gave it a B+ CinemaScore. Cregger’s previous films have defied a lot of box office logic when it comes to horror movies, whose earnings tend to be front-loaded and drop sharply after the first weekend.

“Barbarian” grossed over $46 million on a budget under $5 million. “Weapons” made $270 million on a $38 million budget.

“Zach Cregger is a household name in the world of horror,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the head of marketplace trends for Rentrak. “There are certain directors who become the star of the movie.”

“Resident Evil” cost a reported $75 million to produce, which does not include marketing and promotion expenses. Internationally, it earned $48.3 million, bringing its global launch to $108.3 million.

“Zach Cregger plus big franchise equals big bucks,” The Associated Press quoted Dergarabedian as saying. “And he made it feel fresh and new.”

According to Rentrak, horror movies this year, including hits like “Obsession” and “Backrooms,” have generated over $1.1 billion at the domestic box office.

Second place went to “Practical Magic 2,” which fell about 59% from its lackluster opening weekend with $12.2 million from 4,163 theaters in North America. An additional $7 million from international showings brings its running global total to $76.8 million.

“Spider-Man: Brand New Day” landed in third place with $6.5 million in its eighth weekend, pushing its domestic total to $944.5 million. “The Odyssey,” in its 10th weekend in theaters, added another $4.9 million to take fourth place. “Coyote vs. Acme” rounded out the top five with $4.5 million.

One notable limited release was “The History of Concrete,” a documentary from comedian John Wilson, which earned $90,000 from one screen (the IFC Center in New York). The only film to make more in a single weekend at that venue was “Parasite,” which made $119,407.

Entertainment

For Palestinian Aid Groups, Macklemore’s $1M Pledge Brings Relief and Attention to Ongoing Suffering

A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)
A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)
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For Palestinian Aid Groups, Macklemore’s $1M Pledge Brings Relief and Attention to Ongoing Suffering

A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)
A mural by Palestinian artists depicts US rapper Macklemore on the ruins of homes in Gaza City, 19 September 2026. (EPA)

For the Palestinian relief nonprofits behind a $1 million pledge from rapper Macklemore, the Grammy winner's latest contributions offer more than just money.

Macklemore committed to donate his net earnings from Ed Sheeran's Loop Tour after he was dropped for making pro-Palestinian comments onstage at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium. The goal, he wrote in a Wednesday post on social media, was to “bring the conversation back to where it belongs” — the Palestinian people — after a 48-hour period that saw four supporting acts quit in solidarity and confusion over who held responsibility for the decision.

The six donation recipients included Medical Aid for Palestinians, Palestine Children’s Relief Fund and the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. In addition to the funding windfall, their leaders welcomed the renewed public awareness of the perilous living conditions faced by the Palestinian people they treat regularly.

“Even if you don’t see bombs falling every night, the rubble is still there,” said Alicia Phillips Mandaville, the acting CEO of Anera, another beneficiary. “And the traumatized children are still traumatized.”

Attention on continued pleas for help

Tareq Hailat, the director of strategic engagement at Palestine Children's Relief Fund, said his phone rings “all the time” with calls from people in Gaza “bleeding and asking for help.”

“There’s this notion that there’s a ceasefire. But it’s not true. There are children dying every single day. There’s our team that is constantly in danger on the ground every single day. There’s people we have to feed," he said. "So to have this attention on it is incredible.”

Israeli operations have killed more than 1,000 Palestinians since a fragile ceasefire took effect last October. Hundreds of thousands of Palestinians struggle to get healthcare in the West Bank. Palestinians say water shortages persist. The world’s leading authority on food insecurity warned in July that most Gaza families still weren't getting nearly enough to eat even as Israel allowed more aid.

The Palestinian Children's Relief Fund medically evacuates children who can’t get the care they need because of crumbling healthcare infrastructure and flies outside physicians in to treat others inside Gaza.

The nonprofit will put its share of Macklemore's gift into an unrestricted fund, according to Hailat. The donation allows leaders to more fluidly direct money based on the evolving circumstances inside Gaza.

Anera — a humanitarian aid group working in Palestine, Lebanon and Jordan — noted its donation also came with no requirements for how to use the money. Mandaville said that flexibility is important when “the way people live” and “the rules we work inside" change on a monthly basis.

“If there’s flooding again this year like there was last year, we can deal with that. If there is an acute hunger crisis again, like there has been in the past, we can meet that,” she said. “We can buy more blankets because people want their grandparents to be warm at night.”

Macklemore has long supported Palestinians

This week's gift wasn't the first time Macklemore has donated to some of the recipients.

The rapper has long advocated for the plight of Palestinians. He previously pledged the proceeds and streaming royalties from his protest anthems “Hind's Hall” and “Hind's Hall 2" to UNRWA.

More than $509,000 in support has come through those royalties, according to UNRWA USA CEO Mara Kronenfeld.

“He has been contributing to saving probably hundreds of thousands of lives in Gaza through his contributions already," she said.

This latest donation is already catalyzing more gifts. Ms. Rachel, a YouTube star and music teacher, announced Thursday that she would donate $1 million to the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund and called on others to match the gift.

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft — whose Kraft Group also owns Gillette Stadium, where Sheeran is scheduled to perform later this month — said in a Wednesday Instagram post that he would match Sheeran's own $2 million donation for aid “in the region.” The post did not specify the gift’s recipients.

Macklemore has said his removal was the result of an effort led by Kraft. Kraft said in a statement Monday that the decision to cancel Macklemore was a result of the rapper’s recent comments “and a broader history of antisemitic rhetoric and imagery.” Macklemore has asserted that criticism of the Israeli government should not be conflated with antisemitism.

Others inspired to donate

Everyday donors appear to be joining efforts like Ms. Rachel's. Online progressive influencers have helped raise more than $72,000 more for the Palestinian Children’s Relief Fund.

Anera reported that the donations it received Wednesday through social media platforms were more than triple this month's daily average. The nonprofit has also gained more than 8,000 followers since Macklemore tagged its account in his post. Mandaville hopes that exposure will introduce new, younger audiences to the nonprofit's work.

“I would guess that our traditional donor does not know the lyrics to ‘Thrift Shop,’” she said, referencing Macklemore's breakout 2012 hit.

UNRWA USA's Kronenfeld said the spike reflects an existing trend. Her organization has gained 203,000 donors since October 2023, she said, allowing them to send more than $117 million.

“The contributions keep coming in because Americans care," she said. "It will increase that much more with Macklemore’s extremely humane gesture.”

Entertainment

Singer Ed Sheeran Says Gaza Situation 'Unjustifiable' Following Controversy

Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)
Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)
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Singer Ed Sheeran Says Gaza Situation 'Unjustifiable' Following Controversy

Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)
Ed Sheeran appears at the fifth annual Academy Museum Gala in Los Angeles on Oct. 18, 2025. (AP)

Pop star Ed Sheeran said Saturday the situation in Gaza is "unjustifiable," following a wave of criticism that he had failed to back his opening act who was booted from the tour after making pro-Palestinian comments.

The singer, who had previously maintained an apolitical stance, broke his silence on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in his first show since the controversy involving US rapper Macklemore.

"What is happening in Gaza is catastrophic and unjustifiable and disproportionate," Sheeran said in Philadelphia.

"Our hearts have been broken by the scale of devastation and loss of civilians' lives, children's lives, and the systemic injustice we're seeing unfold in the West Bank cannot be overlooked."

Macklemore had declared "Free Palestine" at a New Jersey concert this month, drawing backlash from owners of US stadiums hosting future dates of Sheeran's Loop Tour.

The British artist, 35, has denied being behind the decision to remove the rapper, instead blaming the tour promoter.

Four supporting acts subsequently walked out on the "Shape of You" singer, issuing public statements citing their support for Palestinians.

"I've had to take and make difficult decisions, and I am making mistakes, and I'm so so sorry," an emotional Sheeran told his audience, who responded with cheers.

As the show was coming to an end, Sheeran said that this week had been the "hardest of my life" and that he had been afraid people would "throw things" at him.

Thanking the audience for their support, he called this show the "best night" of his life and shed some tears.

Sheeran had been accused by critics of failing to stand up to the stadium owners -- led by billionaire businessman Robert Kraft -- and was targeted by boycott calls.

The singer said he was "deeply worried" about the idea of venues pre-approving the content of performances.

"This happens in so many places that I perform around the world, but it should never happen in the free world."

A few dozen pro-Palestinian protesters rallied peacefully outside Lincoln Financial Field ahead of the concert, waving Palestinian flags and chanting "Free, free Palestine."

Some of the fans streaming into the stadium said they had hesitated about coming due to the controversy, but ultimately decided to attend and enjoy the music, AFP reported.

"He could have easily walked away from all of this, and he stood up, and he spoke up," said one fan after the show.

But others like Brandon Ateke changed their plans.

The 18-year-old Brown University student accused Sheeran of "complicity" with Kraft and others in silencing Macklemore.

"I decided to not attend the concert and instead attend the protest to bring light to the genocide going on in Gaza today," he told AFP.

The stadium was close to capacity, despite an uptake in ticket resales this week and a sharp drop in prices.

On Saturday, a pro-Palestinian group urged artists, fans and crew members to stay away from Sheeran's concerts.

"We now extend our call for boycotting Ed Sheeran's entire world tour, including the upcoming Latin American dates, and the as-yet-unannounced European leg," the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) said.

Sheeran started his show Saturday night alone on stage, without an opening act.

He later brought on five musicians who he said had learned his songs in three days, thanking them for joining him "in a week when no one wants to stand on stage with me."

The groups that quit the tour included Sheeran's backing band as well as performer Finneas, who rose to fame collaborating with his pop superstar sister Billie Eilish.