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‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ Returns to Cannes 20 Years After Record 22‑Minute Ovation

Director Guillermo del Toro poses for portrait photographs for the 20th anniversary of the film "Pan's Labyrinth" at the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP)
Director Guillermo del Toro poses for portrait photographs for the 20th anniversary of the film "Pan's Labyrinth" at the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP)
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‘Pan’s Labyrinth’ Returns to Cannes 20 Years After Record 22‑Minute Ovation

Director Guillermo del Toro poses for portrait photographs for the 20th anniversary of the film "Pan's Labyrinth" at the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP)
Director Guillermo del Toro poses for portrait photographs for the 20th anniversary of the film "Pan's Labyrinth" at the 79th international film festival, Cannes, southern France, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP)

Mexican director Guillermo del Toro received the longest-ever standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival two decades ago for his historical fantasy "Pan's Labyrinth", which returns this year to the Cannes Classics section.

Speaking to Reuters, del Toro said the 22-minute ovation given to his Spanish-language film 20 years ago produced a "rush of human ‌emotion."

"Alfonso Cuaron ‌was there with me because we ‌produced ⁠the movie together and ⁠he said, 'let it in, man,'" recalled del Toro on Tuesday. "I'm not very good with praise and he said, 'let it in, let love go in' and I experienced it like that."

"Pan's Labyrinth" did not win the top-prize Palme D'Or that year, but del Toro went on to ⁠win the best picture Oscar for his fish ‌monster love story "The Shape ‌of Water" in 2018.

The film, which has been digitally remastered, ‌is set in Spain under the Franco dictatorship and ‌follows a young girl who is enticed by a magical faun to complete three dangerous tasks while also dealing with her ailing pregnant mother and cruel military stepfather.

The concept for "Pan's Labyrinth" came ‌when del Toro was at a low point in his creativity following the September ⁠11 attacks on ⁠the Twin Towers in New York.

"I felt really defenseless," he said, and started to question what the role of a storyteller is in this situation.

"I thought it would be really interesting to have a man of rigidity, a captain, having to face magic - something that seems imaginary, but his own notions of what is right and what is wrong, the captain's notions, are also imaginary," he added.

The cult classic, which will also be shown in 3D, is set to be re-released in theatres later this year.

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Re-Released ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Snaps-up N. America Box Office Lead

This image released by Marvel Studios shows a scene from "Avengers: Endgame." (Marvel Studios/Disney via AP)
This image released by Marvel Studios shows a scene from "Avengers: Endgame." (Marvel Studios/Disney via AP)
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Re-Released ‘Avengers: Endgame’ Snaps-up N. America Box Office Lead

This image released by Marvel Studios shows a scene from "Avengers: Endgame." (Marvel Studios/Disney via AP)
This image released by Marvel Studios shows a scene from "Avengers: Endgame." (Marvel Studios/Disney via AP)

"Avengers: Endgame" dusted competitors in the North American weekend box office, as the 2019 superhero film was re-released in a bid to drum up support for the franchise.

The film holds the title of the second-highest grossing film ever, after earning $2.8 billion, driven by an ensemble cast including Robert Downey Jr., Josh Brolin and Scarlett Johansson.

Over the weekend, the encore presentation of the Walt Disney film took in $26 million in North America, for a global total of $86 million, according to estimates by Exhibitor Relations, a tracking firm.

The re-release comes ahead of the planned December 18 debut of "Avenger: Doomsday," with audiences eager to see four new post-credit scenes setting up the forthcoming film.

"As a marketing exercise, it's an effective way to build early word-of-mouth," said veteran industry watcher David A. Gross.

Taking second place was Sony's "Resident Evil," with an estimated $23.3 million in North America, for a global total over its first two weeks of over $196 million.

"Heart of the Beast," starring Brad Pitt as a former soldier and his loyal but traumatized combat dog as they survive in the Alaskan wilderness, brought in an estimated $20 million on the continent for Paramount on its opening weekend.

Also debuting over the weekend was "Primetime," starring Robert Pattinson as reality TV host Chris Hansen. The film is based on a real-life US show from the mid-2000s called "To Catch a Predator" in which Hansen and his production staff lured would-be pedophiles into sting operations where police were waiting to make on-screen arrests.

The film brought in an estimated $19.2 million for A24 over the weekend.

"Forgotten Island" an animated family film, however, underperformed over the weekend, bringing in just $12.8 million for Universal on its opening weekend.

"This is a weak opening for an original animation film from one of the major labels," Gross said, while noting that reviews were overwhelmingly positive.

Entertainment

MTV VMAs Are Here with Taylor Swift Making History, Madonna Leading the Nods

Madonna appears at an awards ceremony on May 4, 2019, in New York. (AP)
Madonna appears at an awards ceremony on May 4, 2019, in New York. (AP)
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MTV VMAs Are Here with Taylor Swift Making History, Madonna Leading the Nods

Madonna appears at an awards ceremony on May 4, 2019, in New York. (AP)
Madonna appears at an awards ceremony on May 4, 2019, in New York. (AP)

The 2026 MTV Video Music Awards are here and Swifties, it looks like the night is already yours.

Earlier this week it was announced that Taylor Swift will receive the inaugural Artist Director Honors, becoming the most awarded artist in VMA history.

Swift is currently tied with Beyoncé for the title of most-awarded musician in VMA history. They have 30 each. Eminem is the male artist with the most VMAs with 15. The new award, which according to the VMAs is meant to recognize artists “whose work behind the camera has expanded the possibilities of music video and advanced the art of visual storytelling,” will bring her total to 31.

She will also debut the music video for her new song, “Patient Zero,” during the award show. Swift directed the visual, which stars Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson.

“Patient Zero” is also her first single since marrying Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce at Madison Square Garden in July.

Snoop Dogg, a 13-time VMAs nominee and three-time winner, will host. Snoop made his debut on the VMAs stage in 1994. He closed the show in 1999 with Dr. Dre and Eminem and returned for a tribute to the Notorious B.I.G. and again for a performance with Eminem in 2022.

Madonna leads the 2026 MTV Video Music Award nominations. The pop superstar has been nominated in every decade of her musical career. She has 19 competitive MTV VMA wins and in 1986 became the first solo female artist to receive the Video Vanguard Award.

She is up for 11 awards at this year’s ceremony, including video, artist and song of the year, as well as best collaboration, dance, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects.

Taylor Swift follows with the second-most nominations with nine. She is up for video and artist of the year as well as best pop, direction, art direction, cinematography, editing, choreography and visual effects.

Madonna and Swift are followed by Ariana Grande and Sabrina Carpenter with seven nods each to their names, as well as Bruno Mars, PinkPantheress and Zara Larsson with five. Blackpink’s LISA has four and Shakira, Tate McRae, GENER8ION and Yung Lean are tied for three.

Madonna will open the show. It will mark her first performance at the VMAs in 23 years.

Kacey Musgraves will pay homage to the late, great Dolly Parton. The country music icon, whose soaring vibrato vocals, poignant songwriting and sparkling costumes defined her rise from a log cabin in the Tennessee mountains to the height of stardom and acclaim, died in Nashville of cancer in August. She was 80.

Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims will pay tribute to George Michael, who died 10 years ago on Christmas Day. He was 53.

It's double duty for Raye, who also will perform solo.

Other performers include GENER8ION with Yung Lean, Shaboozey with Gunna, as well as Lisa and Sienna Spiro.

Alex Warren, Belmont Cameli, Charli xcx, Ciara Miller, David Corenswet, Ella Bright, Isabel May, Jeff Probst, Rachel Dratch, Teyana Taylor, Tyla and Troye Sivan will present.

Entertainment

Taylor Swift Releases 'Encore' to her Hit 'Showgirl' Album

Taylor Swift attends a premiere for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Los Angeles, California, US, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
Taylor Swift attends a premiere for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Los Angeles, California, US, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
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Taylor Swift Releases 'Encore' to her Hit 'Showgirl' Album

Taylor Swift attends a premiere for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Los Angeles, California, US, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
Taylor Swift attends a premiere for Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour in Los Angeles, California, US, October 11, 2023. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo

Pop music superstar Taylor Swift released four new songs that she added to her 2025 hit album "The Life of a Showgirl" including the single "Patient Zero" about a toxic relationship.

The expanded album called "The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore" debuted at midnight US Eastern Daylight Time (0400 GMT) on Friday.

A music video for "Patient Zero" is set to debut on ⁠Sunday during MTV's Video ⁠Music Awards, where Swift will be honored with the inaugural artist director trophy.

Actors Colin Farrell and Dakota Johnson play roles in the video. "If you're sick of him, I've got you. I ⁠was patient zero," Swift sings in the track.

Other new songs included "Cleveland!," a reference to the hometown of Swift's husband, Kansas City Chiefs player Travis Kelce. "My baby likes what he likes," she sings. "He already took me to Cleveland."

The pair married in July after a three-year romance.

"Showgirl" broke several records when it was released in October ⁠2025. ⁠It became the first album in history in which each of its 12 songs landed in the Billboard top 12 simultaneously.

Its first week set a sales record for the modern music era, based on album sales and streams.

Swift said she wrote the new tracks when she went to Sweden to celebrate the success of "Showgirl" with producers Max Martin and Shellback.