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Universal Studios Beijing to Draw Eager Throngs amid Uneasy US-China Ties

People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)
People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)
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Universal Studios Beijing to Draw Eager Throngs amid Uneasy US-China Ties

People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)
People walk past a giant sign of the Universal Beijing Resort ahead of its opening, in Beijing, China August 27, 2021. (Reuters)

Universal Studios’ Beijing resort was set to open its doors to the public on Monday after a two-decade wait, including delays because of COVID-19.

The highly-anticipated opening takes place amid US-China relations that have deeply deteriorated in recent years.

The park will be US-based Universal’s largest and its fifth globally. It is also a first for Beijing, which lacks a big branded theme park to rival the Disney resorts in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

And, it will be the first Universal Park with a section dedicated to the movie “Kung Fu Panda” and includes an area based on the Harry Potter franchise, which is popular in China.

All 10,000 tickets for the opening available in a pre-sale on Sept. 14 sold out in three minutes, according to Trip.com Group.

However, many complained on social media about ticket costs, which range from 418 yuan ($64.76) in the low season to 748 yuan during peak periods.

“This is a rare time in a long while when an America-themed topic has attracted such obvious and widespread praise in China,” the Global Times, a nationalistic tabloid published by the ruling Communist Party’s People’s Daily, wrote last week.

The resort was proposed 20 years ago by the Beijing Tourism Group, according to the official China Daily, and is 30% owned by Comcast Corp’s Universal Parks & Resorts and 70% by state-owned Beijing Shouhuan Cultural Tourism Investment.

The new Chinese ambassador to Washington, Qin Gang, likened its roller coaster ride to ties between the two countries.

“After all the tumbling and shakes, the roller coaster came to a soft landing in the end,” he tweeted on Tuesday.

Universal Studios announced the development of the resort in 2014, saying at the time it would cost $3.3 billion. In 2017, Comcast Chief Executive said the park could provide $1 billion of operating cash flow per year when it opened.

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Entertainment

Jason Momoa Says Having Best Year of His Career

Jason Momoa. (Getty Images)
Jason Momoa. (Getty Images)
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Jason Momoa Says Having Best Year of His Career

Jason Momoa. (Getty Images)
Jason Momoa. (Getty Images)

With several films yet to be released, and riding his success from the global hit "A Minecraft Movie," Hawaiian actor Jason Momoa says he is living a unique moment.

"It's probably my biggest year of my career," Momoa, 46, told AFP in an interview.

The actor said he's enjoying playing a range of roles, including Lobo, the intergalactic bounty hunter in the upcoming "Supergirl" film, which he described as "a childhood dream."

The star also appears in the film adaptation of "Street Fighter" and in the "Dune" trilogy, whose final installment hits theaters in December.

Momoa, who rose to fame thanks to "Game of Thrones," had the opportunity to work with Julian Schnabel, whom he described as his favorite director, in "In the Hand of Dante," which premieres this month on Netflix.

The actor is feeling like he's on a roll after playing a comedic role in last year's box office hit, "A Minecraft Movie," which he starred in with Jack Black.

"Minecraft really was huge, you know?" he said. "We didn't see that coming."

"I always wanted to do comedy. I mean, I've always done action my whole life," where playing superheroes felt "inevitable." But he enjoyed the opportunity to "make people laugh."

The actor said that comedic roles like those in "The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part," in which he voices a parody of Aquaman, a character he has portrayed in several productions, also allowed him to connect with a very special audience: his family.

"It was an epic moment because my kids got to see me do the looping (voiceover)," he said. While they don't seem to care much about his other roles, "when I'm involved with Lego, I'm an all-star."

The actor reconnected with the famous brick brand by debuting this Monday as "the Playmaster," the central figure in Lego's "Never Stop Playing" campaign to encourage families to dedicate more time to playing with their children, as social media and screens gain ground.

"I grew up with Lego. My children grew up with Lego," said Momoa, who sees the colorful pieces and their infinite possibilities as a tool for developing creativity and imagination.

"It's something that makes my heart smile," he said.

The unique role came with a bonus: "Being chosen by Lego to have your own little action figures... for them to make that was pretty special."

Entertainment

'Backrooms', Based on YouTube Horror Series, Breaks Box Office Records

Kane Parsons, aged 20, is the youngest director with a number one feature film debut in North America. LISA O'CONNOR / AFP
Kane Parsons, aged 20, is the youngest director with a number one feature film debut in North America. LISA O'CONNOR / AFP
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'Backrooms', Based on YouTube Horror Series, Breaks Box Office Records

Kane Parsons, aged 20, is the youngest director with a number one feature film debut in North America. LISA O'CONNOR / AFP
Kane Parsons, aged 20, is the youngest director with a number one feature film debut in North America. LISA O'CONNOR / AFP

A24's "Backrooms," the big screen adaptation of a viral YouTube horror series, smashed several box office records with an $81.5 million North American debut, US media reported Sunday.

Directed by 20-year-old Kane Parsons, who created the "Backrooms" web series as a teenager, the movie's massive opening weekend haul is the largest ever for an original horror film and more than doubles A24's previous best domestic opening, according to Variety.

Parsons also becomes the youngest director ever to debut at number one with a feature film, the entertainment trade publication said.

Starring Oscar nominees Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve, the movie follows a furniture shop owner (Ejiofor) who discovers a mysterious, labyrinthine complex underneath his store, AFP said.

When the man goes missing, his therapist (Reinsve) steps inside the liminal space to try and find him.

The online series, which began in 2022, became part of a phenomenon known as "creepypasta" -- a short horror story reposted and modified around the web, to which other users added details such as monsters and undiscovered dimensions.

Second place went to another horror film, Focus Features' "Obsession," whose strong critic and audience reviews have seen it steadily notch higher earnings in its three weeks out.

Directed by 26-year-old Curry Baker, the film took in another $26.4 million at the domestic box office, Exhibitor Relations reported, and now has a global estimated haul of nearly $150 million on a budget of less than $1 million.

Inde Navarrette has earned particular plaudits for her role as a young woman who becomes dangerously infatuated with a man, played by Michael Johnston, after he makes a magical wish for her affection.

"Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu," Disney's latest entry in the blockbuster sci-fi franchise, plummeted nearly 70 percent in its second weekend in theaters, taking in $25 million and finishing in third place.

The film is a jump to the big screen for the hit streaming series, and the first Star Wars film to be released in theaters since 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker."

Maintaining its place in the top five for a sixth weekend was Lionsgate's "Michael," the biopic about king of pop Michael Jackson, which added $11.7 million.

The film, directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring the late popstar's nephew Jaafar Jackson, has now taken in $340 million at the domestic box office and over $845 million globally, according to Exhibitor Relations.

Fifth place went to Sony's comedy "The Breadwinner," which took in $7.5 million in its debut weekend.

Comedian Nate Bergatze -- one of the highest-grossing American stand-ups with a deadpan act focusing on family life -- stars in the movie as a dad who must take care of the kids while his wife is away on business.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"The Devil Wears Prada 2" ($5.9 million)

"Pressure" ($5.8 million)

"The Sheep Detective" ($4.6 million)

"Passenger" ($2.6 million)

"Mortal Kombat II" ($2 million)

Entertainment

Singer Dua Lipa Marries Actor Callum Turner

Pop star Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner reportedly wed in London on Sunday. Apu GOMES / AFP
Pop star Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner reportedly wed in London on Sunday. Apu GOMES / AFP
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Singer Dua Lipa Marries Actor Callum Turner

Pop star Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner reportedly wed in London on Sunday. Apu GOMES / AFP
Pop star Dua Lipa and actor Callum Turner reportedly wed in London on Sunday. Apu GOMES / AFP

Pop star Dua Lipa and "Fantastic Beasts" actor Callum Turner married in London on Sunday, according to media reports, which said the low-key nuptials may be followed by a three-day party in Sicily.

The Sun and Daily Mail tabloids showed photos of the couple leaving Old Marylebone Town Hall following a civil ceremony with just a handful of family and friends.

Dua Lipa, 30, wore a white hat and dress designed by the Schiaparelli studio for the wedding, reports said. Turner, 36, donned a dark blue suit.

The Sun said that they now plan a "sumptuous" three-day party in Sicily at the end of next week. Representatives of the couple, who have been together since January 2024, did not answer AFP's request to comment.

Dua Lipa, the daughter of Kosovo migrants who has become one of Britain's top singers since her "Be The One" single in 2016, announced in an interview with British Vogue last year that she and Turner planned to marry.

Turner made an international name for himself appearing in the "Fantastic Beasts" films. He is considered a possible candidate to become the next James Bond.