Singer Elton John Mints New Record with Commemorative Coin

Elton John mints new record with commemorative coin. (Reuters)
Elton John mints new record with commemorative coin. (Reuters)
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Singer Elton John Mints New Record with Commemorative Coin

Elton John mints new record with commemorative coin. (Reuters)
Elton John mints new record with commemorative coin. (Reuters)

Legendary singer Elton John, who has sold 300 million records and raised almost half a billion dollars in the fight against HIV/AIDS, marked a new milestone on Monday: his own commemorative coin issued by Britain’s Royal Mint.

The coin is the second in the Royal Mint’s Music Legend series celebrating British bands and singers.

John, 73, who was knighted for services to music and charity in 1998, features on a series of coins of different values depicting his iconic glasses and straw boater in a design by artist Bradley Morgan Johnson.

“It really is a fabulous honor to be recognized in this way,” John, whose first number one in the United States was “Crocodile Rock” in 1973, said in a statement on Monday.

“The last few years have contained some of the most memorable moments of my career, and this is another truly humbling milestone on my journey.”

The Elton John AIDS Foundation has donated some $450 million to projects since it was founded in 1992, foundation officials said.

“Elton is without a doubt a British music legend and is recognized as one of the most successful singer-songwriters of his generation,” said Clare Maclennan, divisional director of commemorative coin and The Royal Mint Experience.

The Mint’s first coin in the music series, issued in January, was in honor of the band Queen, led by Freddie Mercury, who died of an AIDS-related illness in 1991.



English Version of Animated Chinese Hit 'Ne Zha 2' Heading to Theaters

FILE PHOTO: Michelle Yeoh poses during the Oscars arrivals at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Michelle Yeoh poses during the Oscars arrivals at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
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English Version of Animated Chinese Hit 'Ne Zha 2' Heading to Theaters

FILE PHOTO: Michelle Yeoh poses during the Oscars arrivals at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: Michelle Yeoh poses during the Oscars arrivals at the 97th Academy Awards in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, March 2, 2025. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni/File Photo

A24 and CMC Pictures are teaming up to bring an English-language version of the globally successful Chinese animated film "Ne Zha 2" to theaters in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand on August 22, the companies said on Wednesday.

The animated blockbuster "Ne Zha 2" overtook Pixar's "Inside Out 2" in February to become the highest-grossing animated film globally, according to data from ticketing platform Maoyan.

"Ne Zha 2" amassed a total box office of 12.3 billion yuan ($1.71 billion) including pre-sales and overseas earnings, making it the eighth highest box office film worldwide, Reuters reported.

The English-language cast will include Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh. No other voice actors have been announced so far.

"I'm honored to be part of Ne Zha 2, a landmark in Chinese animation and a powerful reminder of how universal our stories can be," the Malaysian actor said in a statement.

The sequel film follows the first "Ne Zha" film from 2019 and is based on Chinese mythology.

The story follows Ne Zha, a rebellious young boy, who is feared by the gods and born to mortal parents with wild, uncontrolled powers.

He's faced with an ancient force intent on destroying humanity and must grow up to become the hero the world needs.

The film, which will be released in IMAX and 3D, was written and directed by filmmaker Yang Yu, who also developed the first movie. Over 99% of the mythological movie's box office income came from mainland China, starkly in contrast to Hollywood films, which typically rely on a more global distribution strategy.

"Ne Zha 2" is based on a 16th century Chinese novel "The Investiture of the Gods," depicting a hero boy with magic power who tried to defend Chentangguan, a fortress town.