عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Entertainment

Hiroshima Residents Hope ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscars Draw Attention to A-Bomb Reality 

A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)
A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)
TT
TT

Hiroshima Residents Hope ‘Oppenheimer’ Oscars Draw Attention to A-Bomb Reality 

A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)
A report issued on the atomic bomb program before the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima, and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer and others in the program, is displayed at RR Auction House in Boston, Massachusetts, on March 8, 2024. (AFP)

Half a world away from Hollywood, citizens in Hiroshima, Japan, reacted to the best picture win for "Oppenheimer", the blockbuster that depicted the race to develop the atom bomb that devastated their city 78 years ago.

The biopic about physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer took in seven Oscars at Sunday night's Academy Awards after grossing $954 million worldwide. But the film has yet to screen in Japan, the only country to have suffered nuclear bombing, with US strikes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki near the end of World War Two.

"I myself would definitely like to watch this movie," said Yasuhiro Akiyama, a 43-year-old teacher.

"I hope more people around the world who have seen the movie would want to visit Hiroshima and come to the Peace Memorial Park and the Atomic Bomb Dome," he added.

"Oppenheimer" will finally open in Japan on March 29, about eight months after its debut. The opening last summer came just weeks before memorials of the blasts that claimed more than 200,000 lives.

Controversies over the film's content, which some criticized as glossing over the human toll of the bombings, and marketing cast doubt on whether the film would get shown in Japan.

Many Japanese were offended by a fan-created "Barbenheimer" campaign online that linked the movie to "Barbie", another blockbuster that opened around the same time.

Teruko Yahata, a survivor of the Hiroshima bombing, last week told Reuters that she was eager see "Oppenheimer" and hoped it would reinvigorate debate over nuclear weapons.

That sentiment was echoed by several Hiroshima residents interviewed after the film reaped Oscar gold.

"I think it's important to have a peaceful world where people no longer fight each other, so I hope this movie will give everyone an opportunity to learn about peace," said Miyuki Hirano, a 44-year-old nurse.

Yoshito Ihara said he doubted nuclear-armed nations would ever let go of the weapons, but he hoped the movie could educate individuals and motivate them to press for change.

"I have not seen the movie, but I think it's a chance for ordinary Japanese people to learn (about the bombing)," said Iwata, a 63-year-old real estate agent. "I think it is an issue every single person in the world must continue to fight against."

Most Viewed

 
 
Entertainment

Lionel Richie Takes a Break from Performing after Heart Procedure

Lionel Richie attends The King's Trust Global Gala at Casa Cipriani on Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lionel Richie attends The King's Trust Global Gala at Casa Cipriani on Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
TT
TT

Lionel Richie Takes a Break from Performing after Heart Procedure

Lionel Richie attends The King's Trust Global Gala at Casa Cipriani on Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
Lionel Richie attends The King's Trust Global Gala at Casa Cipriani on Thursday, May 2, 2024, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Lionel Richie is taking a break from touring as he recovers from a heart procedure, a representative for the singer confirmed in a statement to The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Richie underwent a common procedure for atrial fibrillation, or A-fib, and the “doctor said everything went perfectly,” it read. “Lionel is doing great but will take some time off and will be back on stage soon.”

A-fib is a quivering or irregular heartbeat that is a worrisome stage-setter for blood clots, stroke and heart failure. Some researchers believe more than 10 million Americans have it — most of them older.

The 77-year-old singer also postponed two concerts earlier this year, in June, after falling ill. And in August, reports of Richie checking himself into a hospital after a performance in St. Louis made the rounds online.

Richie was scheduled to perform with Earth, Wind & Fire Saturday in San Francisco, Sept. 30 in Chicago and Oct. 3 in Columbus, Ohio.

According to his website, he is currently scheduled to launch his “King of Hearts” residency shows at Las Vegas’ the Wynn in October and November.

The Oscar and four-time Grammy Award-winning Richie launched his career with The Commodores before becoming a successful solo artist. In addition to his well-known hits like “Hello,” Richie co-wrote the iconic charity single “We Are the World” with Michael Jackson and has sold over 100 million records.

He is also a judge on “American Idol.”

Entertainment

Paramount Wins Warner Bros Takeover After Settling States, Union Lawsuits

The Paramount logo is shown on one of the studio's structures at the Paramount studio lot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, February 26, 2026. (Reuters)
The Paramount logo is shown on one of the studio's structures at the Paramount studio lot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, February 26, 2026. (Reuters)
TT
TT

Paramount Wins Warner Bros Takeover After Settling States, Union Lawsuits

The Paramount logo is shown on one of the studio's structures at the Paramount studio lot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, February 26, 2026. (Reuters)
The Paramount logo is shown on one of the studio's structures at the Paramount studio lot in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, US, February 26, 2026. (Reuters)

Paramount Skydance emerged victorious on Monday from a legal battle over its $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros Discovery after settling with a California-led group of US states and a Hollywood writers union, paving the way for one of the largest media mergers in history.

The settlement marks a major win for Paramount CEO David Ellison, who battled the states for months to finalize a deal that would dramatically concentrate power across Hollywood's film, TV, streaming and news businesses.

Paramount agreed to abide by temporary film quotas and a news oversight committee, avoiding a forced sale of cable assets such as CNN or any of its lucrative film franchises.

The settlement delighted Warner Bros shareholders, but drew criticism from opponents of the merger who say it will hurt Hollywood jobs. Shares ‌of Paramount pared ‌back earlier gains on Monday, while Warner Bros Discovery surged more than 10%.

The Writers ‌Guild ⁠of America settled ⁠its parallel case against Paramount, while saying it still believes the deal will damage the industry. The states' settlement forced the union to "contend with the reality of forging ahead alone, with no backing from government enforcers" in a complex case that would have cost millions of dollars.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta called the settlement "a strong antitrust outcome."

"More production, more choice, and guardrails that keep this industry competitive. I don't think these two companies should merge, but that's not something that we are focused on with our resolution here," he said at a press conference in Los Angeles.

Paramount ⁠promised in the state settlement to bring more film production to the US — ‌spending at least $300 million more each year in domestic production — and adhere ‌to US theatrical release quotas for five years.

The company will produce 30 movies in each of the first two years ‌of the deal, and 32 movies in each of the following three years, Bonta said. Each year, ‌at least four of those films must be independent films and at least 20% must be blockbusters. If it falls below that threshold, it will pay $30 million per film, most of it into funds to support workers.

Paramount also promised not to raise rates on theater operators for three years.

Under the settlement terms, Paramount will establish a news editorial independence board to ensure independence ‌at the CBS and CNN networks.

Reuters first reported on Friday that Paramount and the states could settle as soon as the weekend.

Ellison thanked the states and ⁠California Governor Gavin Newsom for ⁠his support throughout the process.

"Our goal has always been to build a stronger Hollywood — one with more stories told, greater choice for consumers and stronger competition," he said in a statement.

While Trump administration regulators cleared the deal, a coalition of 12 state attorneys general, led by California's Bonta, sued in July to block the merger, arguing it would reduce competition and create a media behemoth with the power to raise prices in movies and television.

The Writers Guild also sued to stop the deal, arguing it would decrease pay and worsen working conditions for film and TV writers.

The companies said earlier this year the merger will mean $6 billion in savings, through moves including cost cuts that would likely affect jobs across Hollywood as well as in the CNN and CBS newsrooms. The combined company is expected to hold $80 billion in debt.

The settlement helps Paramount avoid a $7 million-a-day "ticking fee" it would have owed Warner shareholders for each day the deal does not close past September 30.

Antitrust regulators in other jurisdictions globally, including the European Union and Britain, have already cleared the deal.

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
TT
TT

'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.