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‘Don’t Worry Darling’ Shrugs off Drama, Opening with $19.2M

Olivia Wilde attends a special screening of "Don't Worry Darling" at AMC Lincoln Square on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in New York. (AP)
Olivia Wilde attends a special screening of "Don't Worry Darling" at AMC Lincoln Square on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in New York. (AP)
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‘Don’t Worry Darling’ Shrugs off Drama, Opening with $19.2M

Olivia Wilde attends a special screening of "Don't Worry Darling" at AMC Lincoln Square on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in New York. (AP)
Olivia Wilde attends a special screening of "Don't Worry Darling" at AMC Lincoln Square on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in New York. (AP)

After off-screen drama threatened to consume Olivia Wilde’s “Don’t Worry Darling,” the Warner Bros. release opened No. 1 at the box office, debuting with $19.2 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Starring Florence Pugh and Harry Styles, “Don’t Worry Darling” was engulfed by a storm of controversies that revolved around everything from Pugh’s allegedly strained relationship with Wilde to whether Styles might have even spit on co-star Chris Pine at the film’s Venice Film Festival premiere. (Styles denied it.) The movie, too, was torched by critics (38% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and arrived in theaters with more baggage than any recent release.

For an original film that cost $35 million to make, a $19.2 million launch was solid — and slightly more than the studio had forecast. A large number of moviegoers — including plenty of Styles fans — turned up to see what all the fuss was about.

But the release of “Don’t Worry Darling,” playing in 4,113 theaters, was also no home run. Audiences gave it a B- CinemaScore, and ticket buyers fell off on Saturday after more promising results on Thursday and Friday. Warner Bros. said the audience was 66% female. The film added $10.8 million internationally.

Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros., estimated that “the background noise had a neutral impact.” The studio, he said, was “pleased with these results given our modest production budget.”

The audience scores and tapering-off ticket sales suggest “Don’t Worry Darling” may struggle to hold well in the coming weeks. But its good-enough debut means that Wilde’s film didn’t turn into the complete fiasco that some pegged it to be.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for data firm Comscore, said that, ultimately, bad publicity was good publicity for Wilde’s follow-up to her directorial debut, the 2019 teen comedy “Booksmart.”

“The latest from Olivia Wilde benefited from the heightened awareness and mainstream press coverage that made ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ the virtual water cooler film of the moment and raised its FOMO factor to even greater heights and this paid big dividends at the box office,” said Dergarabedian.

Last week’s top film, Gina Prince-Bythewood’s African epic “The Woman King,” starring Viola Davis, slid to second place with $11.1 million in its second weekend of release. That was a modest 42% dip for the Sony Pictures release, a sign of resiliency for the acclaimed action drama.

Third place went to a familiar box-office force. The Walt Disney Co.′ rerelease of James Cameron’s “Avatar” grossed $10 million domestically and $20.5 million internationally, 13 years after its initial run in theaters. Cameron’s remastered “Avatar,” playing in 1,860 theaters, was again especially popular in 3-D, which accounted for a whopping 93% of its domestic sales. A prelude to the upcoming December release of the long-awaited sequel “Avatar: The Way of Water,” the rerelease further pads the all-time worldwide box office record for “Avatar,” which now surpasses $2.85 billion.

Holding well in fourth place was “Barbarian,” the Airbnb thriller from Disney and 20th Century Studios. In its third weekend of release, the film added 550 theaters and fell just 26% from the weekend prior. “Barbarian” has thus far grossed $28.4 million against a $4 million budget.

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Entertainment

Hollywood Stunt Performers Rev Up 'Fall Guy' Premiere

Stunt techniques were on show alongside A-list stars like Ryan Gosling at the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Fall Guy'. VALERIE MACON / AFP
Stunt techniques were on show alongside A-list stars like Ryan Gosling at the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Fall Guy'. VALERIE MACON / AFP
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Hollywood Stunt Performers Rev Up 'Fall Guy' Premiere

Stunt techniques were on show alongside A-list stars like Ryan Gosling at the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Fall Guy'. VALERIE MACON / AFP
Stunt techniques were on show alongside A-list stars like Ryan Gosling at the Los Angeles premiere of 'The Fall Guy'. VALERIE MACON / AFP

Fresh from the high-profile success of "Barbie," Ryan Gosling used the Los Angeles premiere of his next movie "The Fall Guy" to cede the spotlight to Hollywood's unsung heroes -- stunt performers.
Loosely based on the 1980s TV series of the same name, "The Fall Guy" stars Gosling as a veteran stunt double who must recover from a severe on-set injury to save an old flame (Emily Blunt) from a mysterious real-world threat.
The movie's release comes as pressure is mounting in Hollywood for stunt performers to receive more recognition, including an Oscar category of their own.
"He got set on fire eight times for me," said Gosling, pointing to one of his stunt doubles during Tuesday's red carpet event.
"How do you thank somebody for that?"
In the film, Gosling's hero must draw on all of his impressive stunt tricks and know-how -- navigating high-speed chases, and fighting goons with hastily improvised weapons -- to save the day and win back the girl.
Those techniques were on show alongside the A-list stars at the Los Angeles premiere, as stunt actors roared motorcycles down the red carpet, leapt from a sky-high platform, and brawled through a plate-glass window.
"We just came out and tried to smash some glass and make a fun show for everybody," joked stunt performer Justin Eaton.
"The Fall Guy" -- out in US theaters Friday -- is directed by David Leitch, a former stuntman who took beatings for Matt Damon in "The Bourne Ultimatum" and Brad Pitt in "Fight Club," among others.
Leitch made the leap into directing with 2014's smash hit "John Wick," and has since helmed blockbusters like "Atomic Blonde," "Deadpool 2" and "Bullet Train."
But "The Fall Guy" is Leitch's first movie to specifically highlight and honor his former profession.
And with computer-generated visual effects increasingly used for action sequences in Hollywood movies, Leitch relished the chance to put some of the industry's best to work at the sort of old-school practical stunts that are seldom performed on camera these days.
"It was really important -- we wanted to lean into practical (stunts), because it was a celebration of that artisanship that the stunt communities had," he told AFP.
"So we leaned into the classic stunts, and did them for real."
Stunt Oscars?
Gosling's latest role required multiple specialized stuntmen.
Logan Holladay, a driving stunts expert, broke a world record during the film, by flipping a fast-moving car into an astonishing eight-and-a-half sideways "cannon rolls."
Calls have been growing for a "best stunts" category at the Oscars, with supporters arguing that their input equals that of the sound mixers, makeup artists and visual effects gurus already honored.
"You can get a Best Screenplay Oscar for typing in your shed for a year," said Drew Pearce, the film's writer.
"You have to literally risk death every day -- and not just like 'metaphorical death' death, but real death -- to be a stunt person."
Stunt work is already honored at some prestigious movie and TV ceremonies, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards.
"The Fall Guy" stars Gosling and Blunt paid tribute to stunt performers during this year's Academy Awards, presenting a video montage featuring hair-raising sequences from Charlie Chaplin through to Leitch's "John Wick" films.
"They've been such a crucial part of our community since the beginning of cinema," said Gosling, at April's Oscars.
Whether that campaign will prevail remains to be seen. But for now, the movie has at least raised awareness of the risks of the job.
"(As) people who work in the shadows, we accept that, we signed up for that," said Eaton.
"But just having some recognition from our audience is really the biggest thing."

Entertainment

Iranian-French Artist Marjane Satrapi Wins Spanish Asturias Award for Communication

FILE - Director, illustrator and author Marjane Satrapi poses for photographers as she arrives to present the movie “La Bande des Jotas” at the 7th edition of the Rome International Film Festival in Rome, on Nov. 16, 2012. Marjane Satrapi, the acclaimed Iranian-French filmmaker and artist, has won the 2024 Princess of Asturias Foundation award for communication and humanities, the foundation announced Tuesday April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
FILE - Director, illustrator and author Marjane Satrapi poses for photographers as she arrives to present the movie “La Bande des Jotas” at the 7th edition of the Rome International Film Festival in Rome, on Nov. 16, 2012. Marjane Satrapi, the acclaimed Iranian-French filmmaker and artist, has won the 2024 Princess of Asturias Foundation award for communication and humanities, the foundation announced Tuesday April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
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Iranian-French Artist Marjane Satrapi Wins Spanish Asturias Award for Communication

FILE - Director, illustrator and author Marjane Satrapi poses for photographers as she arrives to present the movie “La Bande des Jotas” at the 7th edition of the Rome International Film Festival in Rome, on Nov. 16, 2012. Marjane Satrapi, the acclaimed Iranian-French filmmaker and artist, has won the 2024 Princess of Asturias Foundation award for communication and humanities, the foundation announced Tuesday April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)
FILE - Director, illustrator and author Marjane Satrapi poses for photographers as she arrives to present the movie “La Bande des Jotas” at the 7th edition of the Rome International Film Festival in Rome, on Nov. 16, 2012. Marjane Satrapi, the acclaimed Iranian-French filmmaker and artist, has won the 2024 Princess of Asturias Foundation award for communication and humanities, the foundation announced Tuesday April 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino, File)

Marjane Satrapi, the acclaimed Iranian-French filmmaker and cartoonist, has won the 2024 Princess of Asturias Foundation award for communication and humanities, the Spanish organization announced Tuesday.

The foundation said Satrapi was “an essential voice in the defense of human rights and freedom.” The judges described her as “a symbol of civic engagement led by women.

“Due to her audacity and artistic production, she is considered one of the most influential people in the dialogue between cultures and generations,” they added, The AP reported.

Satrapi is best-known for her monochrome autobiographical comic book and film “Persepolis,” a coming-of-age tale set against the Revolution in her native Iran.

Her graphic novels also include “Broderies” (“Embroideries”) and “Poulet aux prunes” (“Chicken with plums”), which was also adapted into a film. As a filmmaker, she has directed several works, including “La Bande des Jotas” (“The Gang of Jotas”) and “Radioactive” (“Madame Curie”), a biography about the Polish physicist Marie Curie.

“Persepolis” won the Film Critics Grand Prix at the Cannes Festival in 2007 and the César Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2008, in addition to being nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2008 Oscars.

According to the foundation's biographical note, Satrapi was born in Rasht, Iran, but her parents sent her to Vienna in 1983 to finish her studies because of the extremism in their country following the 1979 Revolution.

She later returned to Tehran and enrolled in the School of Fine Arts, but in 1994 she moved to France. She studied in Strasbourg and later moved to Paris.

In 2023, she coordinated the book “Femme, vie, liberté” ("Woman, Life, Freedom") together with a group of artists and academics to illustrate the revolts that occurred in Iran after the murder of Mahsa Amini in 2022 at the hands of the so-called “morality police." The work denounces the repression and lack of human rights that Iranian society, especially women, suffers at the hands of the Iranian regime, the foundation said.

Satrapi was elected member of the French Academy of Fine Arts in 2024.

The 50,000-euro ($54,000) award is one of eight prizes, including the arts, social sciences, and sports, handed out annually by the Asturias foundation named after Spanish Crown Princess Leonor. They are presented each fall by the princess in the northern city of Oviedo.

The communication and humanities award was won last year by the late Italian author and philosopher Nuccio Ordine.

Entertainment

‘Shardlake’ Is a Tudor-Era Mystery Series. It’s Also a Win for Disabled Characters, Its Star Says

This image release by Hulu shows Arthur Hughes in a scene from “Shardlake.” (Martin Mlaka/Disney+/Hulu via AP)
This image release by Hulu shows Arthur Hughes in a scene from “Shardlake.” (Martin Mlaka/Disney+/Hulu via AP)
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‘Shardlake’ Is a Tudor-Era Mystery Series. It’s Also a Win for Disabled Characters, Its Star Says

This image release by Hulu shows Arthur Hughes in a scene from “Shardlake.” (Martin Mlaka/Disney+/Hulu via AP)
This image release by Hulu shows Arthur Hughes in a scene from “Shardlake.” (Martin Mlaka/Disney+/Hulu via AP)

Matthew Shardlake steps out of the pages of the late C.J. Sansom's popular historical mystery novels and into a new show, bringing with him disability representation.

“We don’t see a lot of leading disabled characters,” says Arthur Hughes, who plays the title character. “Well, we might, but they might not be played by disabled actors.”

Shardlake is a clever lawyer who solves puzzles and problems during the reign of King Henry VIII. He is also disabled. The character is referred to as a “hunchback” by a rude rival in the books — an example of the attitude of the Tudor period, with no allowance or acceptance of differences.

“I really hope the disabled audience can see that and see maybe some of the parallels with the world we live in today. And also just to show that that a disabled actor can play a leading part,” says Hughes, who was born with radial dysplasia, The AP reported.

Joining him in the show are Anthony Boyle, as codpiece-wearing rogue Jack Barak, and Sean Bean portraying Thomas Cromwell, the notorious and real-life political player who sends Shardlake on a mission to solve a murder at a monastery. The show airs Wednesday on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US.

The cast spoke to The Associated Press about the importance of casting, the comfort of a codpiece and coldness of old castles. The interview was conducted before Sansom's death Saturday at 71. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

AP: So who read the books? BEAN: I read the first three but a long time ago. Forty years or so.

AP: Was the appeal that you already knew this world? BEAN: Yes, when I found out it was based on C.J. Sansom's books, I thought, I’ve read those, you know. It was something I really wanted to be involved with and when I was offered the role of Cromwell, (I was) delighted.

AP: Shardlake himself, he’s a great role. HUGHES: It was a really, really enjoyable role. He’s a complicated guy. Kind of strong but vulnerable and compromised in many ways within himself, within the job he’s got. But I think, ultimately, a really good, just man. And a great story to go through and an interesting world to navigate. It was a lot of fun. We had a ball.

AP: He’s also a very cool character. HUGHES: Yeah, I found reading the books, he’s a very interesting character, but there’s something a little weak and afraid and meek in him and actually, I wanted him to be stronger and stoic. Still vulnerable and lonely and isolated and maybe somewhat awkward, but I wanted him to have a kind of inner strength. This is a disabled man navigating a really difficult world for him and I think he’ll need that kind of inner strength burning inside him.

AP: Codpiece. BOYLE: Yes, let’s talk about it. It’s something.

AP: Was it comfortable? BOYLE: I sort of had to go to myself — this is the leather jacket of the era. It was like getting your codpiece on and going out, like, this looks all right. Once I got over that hurdle, I loved it and I actually felt a bit naked without it. So I did take one from set. It’s in the wardrobe. I’m hoping if the show does well, people will watch it and it will be the new sort of fashion statement this summer. You know, everyone’s knocking about with codpieces.

AP: You’ve been jumping around historical periods quite a lot recently. BOYLE: Someone said to me, I’ve done so many period dramas, it looks like I’ve got a face that just can’t comprehend the internet. And they just keep putting me in these sort of random period dramas because I look like I don’t know how to work Deliveroo.

HUGHES: That’s brilliant.

AP: Thomas Cromwell is a really interesting historical figure — what was your take on him? BEAN: I’m not sure I quite liked him, but I admired his resolute character. He’s very headstrong and very, very sure about himself, about what he was doing. But he obviously takes a lot of pleasure in the dissolution of the monasteries and the robbing and everything that goes on changing the religion completely, to accommodate Henry VIII’s marriage to Anne Boleyn. And he sees Shardlake, he knows he’s a very intelligent, very gifted man and it’s an interesting relationship that we have.

AP: There was talk about doing something with this before, but with an able bodied actor. How important is it for you that Shardlake is represented properly? HUGHES: I think having those leading roles, especially in this Tudor world that Shardlake lives in, which is built in ableism every day, but which is backed up by God and by everything that everyone’s taught. And also to show that that a disabled actor can play a leading part. And he’s written as a disabled man and even some of the smallest things about growing up a bit different, looking different — Shardlake will feel all those things and I’ve felt those things. Maybe I don’t have to kind of manufacture that so much.

AP: What was it like filming the 16th century? It looks really cold. BOYLE: It was very cold. We were up there in freezing Budapest and I was wearing tights and a codpiece. All I can remember from the whole shoot, how cold it was. I remember riding horses, which was a laugh. We had a good fun on those didn’t we?

HUGHES: We did.

BOYLE: It was a good craic. Riding into Scarnsea on the back of these horses. The sets were amazing. It really did make you feel like you were in that time period. Looking round you didn’t really have to act that much because it was 360. We were on set. We were in the muck. We filmed these amazing locations, these castles and monasteries. And you didn’t have to do much thinking, you were just in it.

Entertainment

'Hell's Kitchen' and 'Stereophonic' lead Tony Award Nominations, Shows Honoring Creativity's Spark

 Two Broadway shows celebrating the origins of sonic creativity — The AP/Images by O&M/DKC shows.
 Two Broadway shows celebrating the origins of sonic creativity — The AP/Images by O&M/DKC shows.
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'Hell's Kitchen' and 'Stereophonic' lead Tony Award Nominations, Shows Honoring Creativity's Spark

 Two Broadway shows celebrating the origins of sonic creativity — The AP/Images by O&M/DKC shows.
 Two Broadway shows celebrating the origins of sonic creativity — The AP/Images by O&M/DKC shows.

Two Broadway shows celebrating the origins of sonic creativity — the musical “Hell’s Kitchen” fueled by Alicia Keys songs, and the play "Stereophonic" about a '70s rock band at the edge of stardom — each earned a leading 13 Tony Award nominations Tuesday, a list that also saw a record number of women nominated for best director.

A total of 28 shows earned a Tony nod or more, with the musical “The Outsiders,” an adaptation of the beloved S. E. Hinton novel and the Francis Ford Coppola film, earning 12 nominations; a starry revival of “Cabaret” starring Eddie Redmayne, nabbing nine; and "Appropriate," Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ searing play about a family reunion in Arkansas where everyone has competing motivations and grievances, grabbing eight.

Rachel McAdams, making her Broadway debut in “Mary Jane,” earned a best actress in a play nomination, while “Succession” star Jeremy Strong, got his first ever nomination, for a revival of “An Enemy of the People.” Jessica Lange in “Mother Play,” Sarah Paulson in “Appropriate” and Amy Ryan, who stepped in at the last minute for a revival of “Doubt,” also earned nominations in the best actress in a play category.

"The Big Bang Theory" star Jim Parsons earned a supporting nod for “Mother Play,” and Daniel Radcliffe on his fifth Broadway show, a revival of Stephen Sondheim's “Merrily We Roll Along,” won his first nomination.

Redmayne in his second show on Broadway got a nod as best lead actor in a musical, as did Brian d’Arcy James for “Days of Wine and Roses,” Brody Grant in “The Outsiders,” Jonathan Groff in “Merrily We Roll Along” and 73-year-old Dorian Harewood in “The Notebook,” the adaptation of Nicholas Sparks romantic tearjerker. Harewood, in his first Broadway show in 46 years, landed his first Tony nomination.

Redmayne's “Cabaret” co-star Gayle Rankin earned a nomination for best actress in a musical, as did Eden Espinosa in “Lempicka,” Maleah Joi Moon in “Hell’s Kitchen,” Kelli O’Hara in “Days of Wine and Roses” and 71-year-old Maryann Plunkett, who plays the elderly wife at the heart of “The Notebook.”

Steve Carell in his Broadway debut in a poorly received revival of the classic play “Uncle Vanya” failed to secure a nod, but starry producers who earned Tony nods include Keys, Angelina Jolie (for “The Outsiders”) and Hillary Rodham Clinton (for “Suffs”), The AP reported.

The best new musical crown will be a battle between “Hell's Kitchen,” “The Outsiders,” the dance-heavy, dialogue-less stage adaptation of Sufjan Stevens’s 2005 album “Illinois,” “Suffs,” based on the American suffragists of the early 20th century, and “Water for Elephants,” which combines Sara Green’s 2006 bestseller with circus elements.

The best new play Tony will pit “Stereophonic” against “Mother Play,” Paula Vogel’s play about a mother and her kids spanning 1964 to the 21st century; “Mary Jane,” Amy Herzog’s humanistic portrait of a divorced mother of a young boy with health issues; “Prayer for the French Republic,” Joshua Harmon’s sprawling family comedy-drama that deals with Zionism, religious fervency and antisemitism; and “Jaja’s African Hair Braiding,” Jocelyn Bioh’s comedy about the lives of West African women working at a salon.

The nominations marked a smashing of the Tony record for most women named in a single season. The 2022 Tony Awards had held the record for most female directing nominees, with four total across the two races — musical and play. Only 10 women have gone on to win a directing crown.

This year, three women were nominated for best play direction — Lila Neugebauer (“Appropriate”), Anne Kauffman (“Mary Jane”) and Whitney White (“Jaja’s African Hair Braiding”) — while four were nominated in the musical category — Maria Friedman (“Merrily We Roll Along“), Leigh Silverman (“Suffs”) Jessica Stone (“Water for Elephants”) and Danya Taymor (“The Outsiders”).

A spring barrage of new shows — 14 shows opened in an 11-day span this year — is not unusual these days as producers hope their work will be fresh in the mind of voters ahead of the Tony Awards ceremony on June 16.

There were some firsts this season, including “Here Lies Love” with Broadway's first all-Filipino cast, which earned four nominations, including best original score for David Byrne and Fat Boy Slim. And seven openly autistic actors starred in “How to Dance in Ohio,” a first for Broadway but which got no Tony love.

Academy Award winner and Tony Award-nominee Ariana DeBose, who hosted both the 2023 and 2022 ceremonies, will be back this year and will produce and choreograph the opening number.

This year’s location — the David H. Koch Theater — is the home of New York City Ballet and in the same sprawling building complex as Lincoln Square Theater, which houses the Broadway venue Beaumont Theater.

Like last year, the three-hour main telecast will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+ from 8 p.m.-11 p.m. EDT/5 p.m.-8 p.m. PDT with a pre-show on Pluto TV, and some Tony Awards handed out there.

This season's Broadway numbers — about $1.4 billion in grosses and 11.1 million tickets — is running slightly less than the 2022-23 season, off about 4% in grosses and down 1% in tickets.

Entertainment

Saudi Documentary Film 'Horizon' Wins Platinum Hermes International Creative Award for 2024

Saudi Documentary Film 'Horizon' Wins Platinum Hermes International Creative Award for 2024
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Saudi Documentary Film 'Horizon' Wins Platinum Hermes International Creative Award for 2024

Saudi Documentary Film 'Horizon' Wins Platinum Hermes International Creative Award for 2024

The Saudi documentary film "Horizon" has won the prestigious Platinum Hermes International Creative Award for 2024 in the Strategic Campaigns Category. The film faced tough competition from several other renowned international works.

Produced by Saudi Arabia’s Konoz Initiative, one of the initiatives of the Government Communication Center of the Ministry of Media in collaboration with the National Center for Wildlife (NCW), the film showcases a diverse range of wildlife, including the dugong (sea cow), dolphins, the Arabian leopard, various gazelle species, and oryx.

It also highlights Saudi Arabia's rich biodiversity, with over 10,000 species, each uniquely adapted to its environment.

Filming for the documentary took over 200 days, with a specialized crew of 50 people traveling over 4,700 km to shoot in 28 locations. The project involved 13 Saudi wildlife experts.

The Konoz initiative is part of the Human Capability Development Program under the Kingdom's Vision 2030 realization programs. It aims to visually document the Kingdom's treasures and contribute to an artistic shift in film production.

The initiative has produced several works, such as "A Difficult Stage," "Nawras Al-Arab (Arabian Gull)," "Ala Hadden Sawa (Alike)," "What Do Saudis Eat," and "Saudi Atlas."

"Horizon" aims to raise awareness of about the Kingdom's environmental diversity, introduce its unique geographical areas, showcase efforts to protect wildlife and conserve rare species by highlighting the breathtaking nature teeming with plant and animal life.

The Kingdom is committed to environmental protection as a program and goal of Vision 2030, prioritizing wildlife conservation and enacting strict regulations to protect it under NCW supervision.

The Hermes Creative Awards have received over 325,000 entries from 135 countries since their inception. The American International Award was launched 27 years ago and is among the oldest and largest international creative competitions.

The awards honor the most distinguished entries from individuals and media institutions each year for their excellence in marketing, creativity, communication, advertising, and impact.

Entertainment

Start Me up: The Stones Kick off North America Tour in Houston

Mick Jagger of the rock band The Rolling Stones performs, as the band kick off their 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, US April 28, 2024. (Reuters)
Mick Jagger of the rock band The Rolling Stones performs, as the band kick off their 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, US April 28, 2024. (Reuters)
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Start Me up: The Stones Kick off North America Tour in Houston

Mick Jagger of the rock band The Rolling Stones performs, as the band kick off their 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, US April 28, 2024. (Reuters)
Mick Jagger of the rock band The Rolling Stones performs, as the band kick off their 2024 Hackney Diamonds tour at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas, US April 28, 2024. (Reuters)

The Rolling Stones kicked off their North America tour at a sold-out venue in Houston on Sunday, with people traveling from various cities to watch one of the world's most enduring rock bands amid worries that this could be their last tour.

The show was the first of 16 performances, set across the US and Canada through July.

Fans flocked to the NRG Stadium in Houston in Rolling Stones T-shirts showcasing the band's iconic lips and tongue logo.

The band, formed more than six decades ago, opened with "Start Me Up" with Mick Jagger walking onto the stage in a shiny striped jacket, a gray sequined shirt and black jeans. People immediately started to dance along to the 1981 classic.

Jagger, who is 80, danced, skipped and ran across the stage while showcasing his vocal range.

"Hello Houston, it's good to be back in the lone star state," Jagger said, adding that band visited NASA's Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston and making quips about Texas-based convenience store chain Buc-ee's.

He performed alongside Keith Richards, 80, and Ronnie Wood, 76, the surviving core of the band.

"Every time I see them, it's such a joy. They're amazing. They take such true joy in playing," said Greta Brasgalla, 56, who traveled from El Paso, Texas, to watch the band for the seventh time. She also plans to watch the Rolling Stones in Atlanta in June.

The band attracted people of all ages to the stadium, with a significant proportion of the audience over 60.

The 18 songs played over two hours included a mix of classics and three from the latest record "Hackney Diamonds", the Stones' first album of original material since 2005 and the first recording since drummer Charlie Watts died in 2021.

Other songs they played included "Jumpin' Jack Flash", "You Can't Always Get What You Want" and "Out of Time", all to massive applause.

Richards, whose song-writing partnership with Jagger is one of the most enduring and successful in rock, sang "Little T&A."

The Stones closed the show with "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction". They head to the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival for a special performance this week.

Fans, however, worried that this could be one of the last tours by the Stones.

"Every time we see them, we wonder if it's going to be the last. That's our fear," said Savannah Welch, who traveled from Austin and brought along her son Charlie.

Entertainment

This Summer, John Krasinski Makes One for the Kids with the Imaginary Friend Fantasy ‘IF’

Actor/director John Krasinski appears at the 81st Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2024. Krasinski directs the upcoming film "IF." (AP)
Actor/director John Krasinski appears at the 81st Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2024. Krasinski directs the upcoming film "IF." (AP)
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This Summer, John Krasinski Makes One for the Kids with the Imaginary Friend Fantasy ‘IF’

Actor/director John Krasinski appears at the 81st Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2024. Krasinski directs the upcoming film "IF." (AP)
Actor/director John Krasinski appears at the 81st Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Jan. 7, 2024. Krasinski directs the upcoming film "IF." (AP)

John Krasinski doesn’t usually fret about reviews. But for his new film “IF,” he is terrified of the response from two people: His 7 and 10-year-old daughters.

“I’ve never been worried about two reviews more in my life,” Krasinski told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “I’m genuinely terrified. I hope it goes well.”

“IF,” about a young girl (Cailey Fleming) and her neighbor (Ryan Reynolds) who can see everyone’s imaginary friends including those that have gotten left behind, is one of this summer’s major studio releases opening on May 17.

In a landscape full of brands and franchises, it’s the rare original idea that has the backing of a big studio, Paramount, and an ambitious scale and scope. It was shot largely in New York by Oscar-winning cinematographer Janusz Kaminski and blends live-action and animation with an army of celebrity voices including Steve Carell, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Matt Damon, Jon Stewart, Maya Rudolph and the late Louis Gossett Jr.

The idea to make a film about imaginary friends started and evolved with his kids, whom he shares with actor Emily Blunt (who also voices a character). At first, it just sounded like a fun, family friendly idea.

“My kids are extremely imaginative,” Krasinski said. “I always used to say to Emily, ‘I just, I wish we could go wherever it is they go, just for a little bit.’”

Paramount agreed and in October 2019 signed on to help make and distribute the film, with Krasinski and Reynolds’ Maximum Effort. Then the pandemic hit and like so many parents of young children, he saw his daughters’ worlds alter dramatically.

“They started asking questions like, ‘Are we going to be okay’ and ‘what’s going on?’ I got so panicked. I just said, no way, we’ve got to do something about this,” he said. “That’s when it hit me to make this movie about something a little bit more, a little bit deeper than just imaginary friends.”

When he started to look into the psychology behind imaginary friends, he began to understand that these weren’t just whimsical creations. They were in fact coping mechanisms to “metabolize” daily life, whether it’s bullies at school, a divorce at home, a projection of dreams and ambitions, or any number of stressors that find their way into young minds. He understood it now as a sacred place.

“Once I realized that we were dealing with some high-level stuff, some highly imaginary, flammable stuff, I was like, this is really, really exciting,” he said. “I knew we were on to something special, and I just wanted to take it as seriously as I could.”

DIRECTING WITH FIGMENTS OF THE IMAGINATION To play the young girl, Bea, Krasinski cast 15-year-old Cailey Fleming (she’s now 17), an actor who “Walking Dead” fans will know as Judith Grimes. She’d just wrapped season 11 of the show and was getting ready to take a break and go back to high school when she got the call that Krasinski wanted her to audition.

“I’ve never had a lead role in a movie,” Fleming said. “I was so nervous. But I couldn’t have asked for a better cast or crew.”

On a set where most of the characters would be added in post-production, Krasinski took pains to ensure that they weren’t just acting with tennis balls as stand-ins. Sometimes he’d have puppets, or a picture, or even a friend to be Carell’s character, Blue. Other times he’d just jump in and do it himself (in addition to directing and playing Bea’s dad).

“Cailey is Meryl Streep-level. She could have acted with a hot dog on a stick,” Krasinski said. “I’ve been there, I’ve acted with the tennis ball. You just try to create a world where everyone feels not only safe and excited, but also feels like their imagination takes over.

“My job as a director is to try and make every day feel like you’re doing a play rather than a movie, that it feels intimate and it feels for today only,” he added.

Many of the starry voice actors are people whom Krasinski considers friends. He wasn’t sure how they’d respond to his idea, but he said he got some of the quickest “yesses” in his career whether they had kids or not.

“It’s about this little girl but it has adults asking when they gave up on their imaginary friends and imaginations and dreams,” he said. “The beauty of the movie is it tells you that all you’ve got to do is turn around and you can always go back.”

Recently a friend of his said “IF” reminded them of “Some Good News,” the popular web series Krasinski started during the pandemic. He hopes that like “Some Good News, “IF" is something that can bring people a little joy.

GIVING UP ‘A QUIET PLACE’ Taking on “IF” also meant passing the torch on the new “A Quiet Place” prequel. “A Quiet Place” helped put Krasinski on the map as a filmmaking force and its sequel was an early and important boon to struggling movie theaters during the pandemic. But between “IF” and the “Jack Ryan” show, something had to give.

He’d developed a story about the first day of the invasion in New York City, and sought out “Pig” filmmaker Michael Sarnoski to see if he was interested.

“(John) really helped me early on. Then he let me run free and explore things,” Sarnoski said. “He came to set the first day and sort of passed the baton symbolically. I got really lucky that he was like, ‘Hey this is a Michael Sarnoski film. Make this your own.’”

Far from being bittersweet, Krasinski said it’s exciting and an honor “to have created a sandbox that anyone can play in.” Another big summer release, “A Quiet Place: Day One” opens in theaters on June 28.

Both films he’s done in partnership with Paramount, a studio he credits for trusting and supporting his vision.

“Once ‘IF’ became more emotional and had more of a backbone to it, I think they leaned in even further. Some studios would go like, ‘Oh, no, we want the zany version,’” Krasinski said. “I think because ‘A Quiet Place’ had that same backbone, that same emotional motor, they just said, ‘Go do what it is you’re seeing in your head.’”

Krasinski has just put the finishing touches on “IF,” which means that his daughters will be seeing it very soon. They’re planning to do “a little family premiere.”

“We’re going to get all dressed up,” he said. “Basically, we’re going to pretend it’s their own special premiere. Don’t tell them that it’s not the real thing.”

Entertainment

Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Hits No. 1, Experiences Largest Streaming Week Ever

Taylor Swift. (Getty Images/AFP)
Taylor Swift. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Taylor Swift's 'The Tortured Poets Department' Hits No. 1, Experiences Largest Streaming Week Ever

Taylor Swift. (Getty Images/AFP)
Taylor Swift. (Getty Images/AFP)

Taylor Swift continues to dominate in the week following the release of her 11th album, “The Tortured Poets Department.” The 31-track album has hit No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, tying Swift with Jay-Z for second-most No. 1 albums at 14. Only The Beatles, with 19 No. 1 albums, have had more.

The double album has amassed 2.61 million equivalent album units, according to Luminate, the industry data and analytics company. A shocking 1.91 million of those units come from traditional album sales — people purchasing downloads, CDs, cassettes and vinyl. Vinyl accounts for 859,000 units sold, the highest number of vinyl sales in modern history.

It is the top-selling album of 2024, eclipsing Beyoncé's “Cowboy Carter,” which sold 228,000 units. (But streaming was a boon: “Cowboy Carter” hit 407,000 equivalent album units, a combination of pure album sales and on-demand streams, earned in the U.S. in its first week.)

“The Tortured Poets Department" hit 891.34 million album streams, according to Luminate, the biggest streaming week for an album in history.

She's broken the highest single-week mark for an album, passing Drake's 25-track “Scorpion” with 745.92 million in 2018, his 21-track "Certified Lover Boy" with 743.67 million in 2021, and her own “Midnights” in 2022 with 549.3 million streams.

“My mind is blown. I’m completely floored by the love you’ve shown this album,” Swift wrote on X. “2.6 million are you actually serious? Thank you for listening, streaming, and welcoming Tortured Poets into your life. Feeling completely overwhelmed.”

Entertainment

French Actor Gerard Depardieu Questioned Over Alleged Sexual Assaults

In this file photo taken on June 25, 2018, French actor Gerard Depardieu waves as he arrives at the Town Hall in Brussels for a ceremony as part of the Brussels International Film Festival. (Briff). (AFP)
In this file photo taken on June 25, 2018, French actor Gerard Depardieu waves as he arrives at the Town Hall in Brussels for a ceremony as part of the Brussels International Film Festival. (Briff). (AFP)
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French Actor Gerard Depardieu Questioned Over Alleged Sexual Assaults

In this file photo taken on June 25, 2018, French actor Gerard Depardieu waves as he arrives at the Town Hall in Brussels for a ceremony as part of the Brussels International Film Festival. (Briff). (AFP)
In this file photo taken on June 25, 2018, French actor Gerard Depardieu waves as he arrives at the Town Hall in Brussels for a ceremony as part of the Brussels International Film Festival. (Briff). (AFP)

French screen legend Gerard Depardieu was detained for questioning on Monday in connection with alleged sexual assaults against two women on separate film sets, police sources said.

Depardieu, one of France's top movie stars, has been at the center of a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years that have tarnished his legacy and exposed broader divisions about sexual conduct in France.

Lawyers for Depardieu, who has consistently denied wrongdoing, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Two senior police sources told Reuters Depardieu was being held at a police station in Paris' 14th arrondissement, where he is being questioned by judicial police.

Investigators are probing alleged groping by Depardieu on two film sets, with one alleged case in 2014 and the other in 2021, one of the sources said.

Paris police and the public prosecutor's office both declined to comment.

Depardieu's case has become a dividing line in French society, with some women viewing him as a symbol of the country's inability to tackle sexual abuse by powerful men in the wake of the #Metoo movement.

Others, including French President Emmanuel Macron and several well-known actors, have rallied to his defense.

"He's an immense actor, a genius of his art," Macron said late last year. "He makes France proud."

Entertainment

Zendaya Tennis Movie ‘Challengers’ Scores at Weekend Box Office

Mike Faist, from left, Zendaya and Josh O'Connor pose for a portrait to promote "Challengers" on Friday, April 19, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP)
Mike Faist, from left, Zendaya and Josh O'Connor pose for a portrait to promote "Challengers" on Friday, April 19, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP)
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Zendaya Tennis Movie ‘Challengers’ Scores at Weekend Box Office

Mike Faist, from left, Zendaya and Josh O'Connor pose for a portrait to promote "Challengers" on Friday, April 19, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP)
Mike Faist, from left, Zendaya and Josh O'Connor pose for a portrait to promote "Challengers" on Friday, April 19, 2024, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (AP)

The tennis drama “Challengers” won the box office this weekend with $15 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Zendaya and castmates Mike Faist and Josh O’Connor have been on a globetrotting press tour to get the word out about Italian director Luca Guadagnino's original film, which opened in 3,477 locations in the US and Canada.

Ticket sales from large format screens, including IMAX, made up about 40% of the opening weekend grosses. According to PostTrak exit poll reported by Deadline, 55% of audiences said they went to see the film because of Zendaya. In fact, this weekend, Zendaya movies accounted for around 26% of the overall box office with the re-release of “Dune: Part Two” in IMAX.

The 27-year-old actor has been part of some of the most successful franchises of the last few years, including the “Spider-Man” and “Dune” movies. In both cases those were supporting roles in massive brand-name properties, but her eye-catching red carpet looks also often make headlines. “Challengers” would be the first real test of her ability to “open” a film on her own star and MGM and Amazon were not going to risk doing it without her.

The studio had originally planned to release “Challengers” in the fall of 2023, with a picturesque launch at the Venice Film Festival. But when the actors went on strike last July, the studio made the decision to scuttle the festival premiere and move the film to this weekend when they could safely assume the strike would be resolved. Zendaya sported many tennis-themed looks, styled by Law Roach, for her appearances.

Reviews have been largely positive for the R-rated movie, which teases a steamy and competitive love triangle between the tennis players. It currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and got a B+ CinemaScore from opening day audiences. Women made up 58% of ticket buyers, who also skewed younger overall: 41% were between the ages of 18 and 24.

Guadagnino’s last film “Bones and All,” starring Zendaya’s “Dune” co-star Timothée Chalamet made $15.2 million in its entire run. By mid-week, “Challengers” expected to surpass “Call Me By Your Name” ($18 million) to become Guadagnino's highest grossing film.

For Amazon MGM Studios, the value also extends beyond the box office driving a “downstream value” for Amazon, including when “Challengers” eventually makes its way to Prime Video.

Second place went to the faith-based film “Unsung Hero,” which made an estimated $7.8 million from 2,832 locations. It’s based on the true story of the Smallbone family, and the rise of their children Rebecca St. James, and sons Joel and David (for KING + COUNTRY) in the country music scene. Joel Smallbone directed, co-wrote and portrays his father David.

The Lionsgate film, which was made for only $6 million, scored a rare A+ CinemaScore and has a 100% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The critic’s score is a much more tempered 58%. Audiences were overwhelmingly female (69%) and over 25 (91).

A24's “Civil War” also added $7 million in its third weekend, bringing its domestic total to $56.2 million.