Audiences hold back, even as more movie theaters open
Animated character Raya, voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, left, appears with Sisu the dragon in a scene from "Raya and the Last Dragon." (Disney+ via AP)Theaters reopening in New York City this weekend did not set the box office on fire. Walt Disney Animation's “ Raya and the Last Dragon ” earned an estimated $8.6 million from 2,045 locations in North America. AdWarner Bros. “Tom & Jerry,” which is available to stream free for HBO Max subscribers, brought in $6.6 million from 2,563 North American theaters in its second available weekend. Many areas in North America are not yet fully open, including Los Angeles, and most California counties, Washington D.C., and much of Canada.
Paris Hilton reveals engagement to entrepreneur Carter Reum
FILE - Paris Hilton arrives at the InStyle and Warner Bros. Golden Globes afterparty on Jan. 5, 2020, in Beverly Hills, Calif. Hilton announced her engagement to entrepreneur Carter Reum in her social media post on Wednesday, Feb. 17, 2021, the same day as her birthday. (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)LOS ANGELES – Paris Hilton received a special gift for her 40th birthday: an engagement. Hilton announced her engagement to entrepreneur Carter Reum in her social media post on Wednesday — the same day as her birthday. She said the proposal was followed by a celebration with family and close friends. Hilton shared a series of photos with her wearing a white dress and crown, while 40-year-old Reum sported an all-white suit.
Christopher Nolan calls Warner’s streaming plan ‘a mess’
Christopher Nolan, one of Warner Bros.’ most important filmmakers, has come out strongly against the company’s decision to debut its films on HBO Max and in theaters in 2021. The “Tenet” filmmaker told The Associated Press Monday that it’s not a good business decision and criticized how the company handled it. “I’ve never seen everybody so upset about one particular decision,” Nolan said. And it’s not a good business decision," Nolan said. With major markets like Los Angeles and New York closed, domestic ticket sales fizzled, and Warner Bros. and other studios responded by delaying the year’s remaining major films.
Testing new release strategy, 'The Croods' opens to $14.2M
This image released by DreamWorks shows a scene from the animated film "The Croods: A New Age." “The Croods: A New Age” is expected to shift to the home before Christmas for a $20 rental. “The Croods: A New Age” grossed $9.7 million Friday-Sunday, which rivals even the weekend start for “Tenet” in September. Most have tapped out around $4 million on opening weekend. One of the biggest differences is that Universal spent more heavily to market the $65 million “Croods” sequel from DreamWorks Animation.
'Wonder Woman 1984' to debut in theaters and on HBO Max
“Wonder Woman 1984” isn’t skipping theaters or moving to 2021, but it is altering course. After the first month for free on HBO Max, “Wonder Woman 1984” will play in theaters for an additional few weeks before being made available for rental on demand. Warner Bros. also sent its next big film, “The Witches” straight to HBO Max, which parent company Warner Media launched earlier this year. “Wonder Woman 1984” is a major tentpole for Warner Bros. Is it possible for that to happen again this Christmas with Wonder Woman 1984 between theaters and HBO Max?” Killar wrote Wednesday.
'Tenet' to head to home release in Dec. after theatrical run
NEW YORK – After several months in pandemic-altered theaters, Christopher Nolan's “Tenet” will head to home release on Dec. 15, Warner Bros. said Thursday. Contending with limited capacity regulations and theaters that remained closed in some states, the Warner Bros. release has so far grossed $53.8 million at the U.S. and Canadian box office. In its ninth week of release in the U.S., “Tenet” grossed $885,000 in 1,601 locations last weekend. But following the release of “Tenet," along with rising virus cases in the U.S. and Europe, other big-budget releases moved out of 2020. Warner Bros. didn't announce on-demand or streaming plans for “Tenet.”
Zemeckis’ ‘The Witches’ heads to HBO Max for Halloween
The Robert Zemeckis adaptation of “Roald Dahl’s The Witches” has found a new home on HBO Max this month just in time for Halloween. Warner Bros. said Friday that “The Witches” will debut on the subscription streaming service, owned by parent company WarnerMedia, on Oct. 22. Dahl’s 1983 novel about an orphaned boy who discovers a coven of witches that hate children was previously adapted for the big screen in 1990 by director Nicolas Roeg. It starred Angelica Huston, Mai Zetterling and Rowan Atkinson and was a box office flop, despite its critical acclaim. This new version has actor Jahzir Bruno playing the boy who must try to stop the witches from turning the world's children into mice.
'The Batman' resumes UK production after positive COVID case
The U.K. production of “The Batman” is starting up again after being shut down earlier this month when an individual tested positive for COVID-19. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. said Thursday that filming had resumed after a hiatus for quarantine precautions. Robert Pattinson stars in the film from director Matt Reeves which had been on hiatus for almost six months because of the coronavirus pandemic. The positive case came just three days after “The Batman” had initially resumed shooting. “The Batman” was originally supposed to hit theaters in June 2021 but was pushed back to October 2021 because of the delays.
Pandemic chases 'Wonder Woman 1984' to Dec. 25
NEW YORK – Following the less-than-stellar theatrical debut of Christopher Nolan's “Tenet,” Warner Bros. is delaying its next big release, “Wonder Woman 1984," to Christmas. The postponement of the “Wonder Woman” sequel, which had been scheduled to hit theaters Oct. 2, comes on the heels of Hollywood's strongest attempt to lure moviegoers back to theaters during the pandemic. Warner Bros.' $200 million “Tenet" fared well in its international-first release, but found ticket sales harder to come by in the United States. The “Wonder Woman 1984” postponement suggests Hollywood's fall may go little better than its summer. “Wonder Woman 1984,” one of many blockbusters originally set for the summer, had been the next big-budget release on the calendar.
DeGeneres vows candor as clouded talk show charts its return
LOS ANGELES Ellen DeGeneres says she'll be ready to talk when her daytime show returns this month after a staff shake-up prompted by allegations of a toxic workplace. And, yes, were gonna talk about it, DeGeneres said in a statement announcing the show's Sept. 21 start of its 18th season. Tiffany Haddish will join DeGeneres for the kick-off episode, with The Ellen DeGeneres Show to be taped at Warner Bros. minus an in-studio audience, which is commonplace during the pandemic. Stephen tWitch Boss, a longtime guest DJ on the show and among those who have publicly supported DeGeneres, will guest host some fall episodes. Last month, three of the show's producers exited amid allegations of a dysfunctional workplace that harbored misbehavior including sexual misconduct and racially insensitive remarks.
Launching in U.S. theaters, 'Tenet' tallies $20.2 million
NEW YORK In a litmus test for American moviegoing in the pandemic, Christopher Nolan's Tenet brought in an estimated $20.2 million through the holiday weekend in U.S. and Canadian theaters. Theaters in Canada, where COVID-19 cases are much lower than in the U.S., began showing Tenet a week earlier. In two weeks of release, its overseas total is $126 million, with a global tally thus far of $146.2 million. The film, which cost $200 million to make and at least $100 million to market, will need to get close to $500 million to break even. Disney's The New Mutants," a long delayed X-Men spinoff, collected about $7 million in 2,412 locations last weekend.
Tenet to screen early at theaters in some U.S. cities
Some U.S. moviegoers will be able to see Christopher Nolans Tenet a few days early. Warner Bros. on Tuesday said that it would be offering early access screenings starting Aug. 31 as a gesture of support to the domestic theaters that are reopening after five months of being closed because of COVID-19. Tenet is the first major new Hollywood movie to be released in theaters since most locations shuttered in mid-March. Warner Bros. is proud to support our partners in exhibition as they reopen their doors, said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution, in a written statement. Early domestic screenings of Tenet will be scheduled on the evenings of Aug. 21, Sept. 1 and Sept. 2 where theaters are open in the U.S. Tickets go on sale Friday.
Christopher Nolan's 'Tenet' again delays big summer release
LOS ANGELES With reported cases of the coronavirus surging, Warner Bros. on Thursday postponed the release of Christopher Nolans Tenet, further delaying Hollywood's summer kickoff. The sci-fi thriller starring John David Washington and Robert Pattinson will move from July 31 to Aug. 12, a Wednesday. Movie theaters had been pinning their hopes on the film as a major July release that could bring audiences back to theaters. Warner Bros. had planned to re-release Nolan's 2010 blockbuster Inception in early July as a way to lead in to Tenet." Inception will now open on July 31, the studio said.
Warner Bros to hold massive virtual event for DC Comics fans
LOS ANGELES Comic-Con may be canceled this year, but Warner Bros. will convene a 24-hour virtual gathering of the biggest names in the DC Comics universe. The studio announced Tuesday that DC FanDome will be held on August 22 starting at 10 a.m. PDT. The event will feature talent announcements and reveal new content from WB games, comics, film and television. The announcement comes a couple months after Comic-Con, which attracts tens of thousands of comics fans to San Diego, was canceled due to the coronavirus-related restrictions around large gatherings. FanDome will be spread out across six different areas on the event's website: Hall of Heroes, DC WatchVerse, DC YouVerse, DC KidsVerse, DC InsiderVerse and DC FunVerse.
Movie theaters, shuttered for months, plan July reopening
AMC Theaters, the world's largest theater operator, said Tuesday that it expects to have 97-98% of its theaters worldwide reopened by mid-July. It will be up to movie theater operators to convince moviegoers that its safe to once again sit in the dark among strangers. Only recently have state guidelines allowed the reopening of theaters in California (including in the countrys top market, Los Angeles, where local officials have yet to agree). Before Tenet arrives, theaters will play just as those that are currently open are showing recent and classic catalog offerings. Though a handful of movies have been steered to streaming or on-demand platforms during the pandemic, most studio films have been postponed until theaters reopen.
'Just Mercy,' drama of racial injustice, to be free in June
NEW YORK The 2019 film Just Mercy, which chronicles courtroom struggles against racial injustice and mass incarceration, will be made free on digital platforms throughout June in the wake of George Floyd's death, Warner Bros. said Tuesday. In the film, Michael B. Jordan plays attorney Bryan Stevenson, founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, who helps a character played by Jamie Foxx. We believe in the power of story, Warner Bros. said. The rider was initiated as a way to change long-term under-representation of people of color and women in Hollywood. Recent studies have shown that films like Just Mercy are starting to reshape the film industry.
Lady Gaga to Oprah: Bradley Cooper dating rumors were 'silly'
Courtesy of Warner Bros. via CNN(CNN) - Lady Gaga's memorable performance with Bradley Cooper at the Academy Awards was just that -- a performance. Oprah Winfrey interviewed Gaga for the new issue of Elle magazine, and asked about the romance speculation that followed the intimate duet between the "Star is Born" co-stars. "Quite frankly, I think the press is very silly," Gaga said. For me, as a performer and as an actress, of course we wanted people to believe that we were in love. In her interview with Winfrey, Gaga also that it look a "long time" to shake her "Star is Born" character, Ally, because of the parallels to her real life.
For an encore, 'Joker' is No.1 again at the box office
Todd Phillip's R-rated comic-book hit regained the top spot at the weekend box office in its fourth week of release, narrowly besting "Maleficent: Mistress of Evil." The Warner Bros. sensation, starring Joaquin Phoenix, took in $18.9 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday. "Mistress of Evil," starring Angelina Jolie, is performing better overseas, where it grossed $64.3 million over the weekend. With such a close race at the top between "Joker" and "Mistress of Evil," the order could switch when final figures are released Monday. But ticket sales have continued to surge well past expectations for "Joker."
'Joker' laughs its way to October box office record
Warner Bros. said Sunday that "Joker" grossed an estimated $93.5 million in ticket sales from 4,374 screens in North America. Internationally, "Joker" earned $140.5 million from 73 markets, resulting in a stunning $234 million global debut. "This was a much larger result at the box office than we had ever anticipated globally," said Jeff Goldstein, Warner Bros. president of domestic distribution. While some worried this would impact the box office, it did not ultimately detract audiences from turning out opening weekend; the box office surpassed industry expectations and may rise even higher when weekend actuals are reported Monday. Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for box office tracker Comscore, said that the convergence of critical acclaim and controversy actually helped the film become bigger than expected at the box office.
'Joker' shatters box office records
(CNN) - "Joker" broke box office records this weekend, even as its controversial depiction of violence made some potential theatergoers anxious. "Joker" is the largest opening for Warner Bros. this year as well as one of the biggest openings for a R-rated film. "Warner Bros. believes that one of the functions of storytelling is to provoke difficult conversations around complex issues," a statement from the studio said last month. The record-setting box office performance from "Joker" is great news for Hollywood, which could use more hits as the year goes on. The domestic box office is down roughly 5% compared to last year, but there are many potential blockbusters still on the schedule.
Movie Theater Showing 'Joker' Is Shut Down After Cops Receive 'Credible Threat'
A California movie theater showing the film Joker shuttered its doors after receiving what police called a credible threat, officials said. Moviegoers planning to see Joaquin Phoenixs controversial film at the Century Huntington Beach and XD Theater in the Bella Terra shopping center Thursday instead found a closed theater surrounded by police. We took the threat seriously, and were investigating, Officer Angela Bennett, a spokeswoman for the Huntington Beach Police Department, told the Times. The FBI and U.S. Army also issued internal warnings about possible threats related to the movie. In 2012, a gunman killed 12 people after opening fire during a screening of the Batman film The Dark Knight Rises at a movie theater in Aurora, Colorado.
'Joker' hits movie theaters with controversy, extra security
(CNN) - The "Joker" hit movie theaters this week despite a wave of criticism that it glorifies a killer and could encourage copycat attacks nationwide. Even before its release, Warner Bros. faced protests from the families of mass shooting victims who feared it would lead to violence or copycat attacks. Heightened concern about the movie's premiere grew because of the 2012 mass shooting at an Aurora, Colorado, movie theater on the opening night of "The Dark Knight Rises" -- another Batman movie. Stepped up security nationwideIn a joint bulletin, the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security warned law enforcement after online threats called for mass shootings at movie showings. "When I first heard about the mass shooting controversy, it didn't really bother me.
'It: Chapter Two' trailer news stirs excitement
Warner Bros. via CNN(CNN) - It's scary how excited people are for "It: Chapter Two." The sequel to the hit 2017 horror film isn't out until Sept. 6, but the release of a new poster and news of a new trailer has folks in a frenzy. Warner Bros. (which is owned by CNN's parent company) released a teaser trailer a few months ago that just whetted the appetite for more. A new trailer has been announced to debut Thursday. The-CNN-Wire & 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company.
Fire breaks out at Warner Bros. studio, home of Harry Potter films
Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images via CNN(CNN) - Firefighters have put out a blaze at the Warner Bros. studio near London, where all eight Harry Potter movies were filmed, after tackling the fire for over twelve hours. "Hertfordshire County Council's Fire and Rescue Service were called to reports of a fire at Warner Bros Studios in Leavesden in Hertfordshire at 11.29 p.m. (6.29 p.m. The studio, which occupies a sprawling complex in Leavesden, offers popular tours of the sets and sound stages used in the Harry Potter films. CNN has contacted Warner Bros. for comment. Warner Bros. and CNN share a parent company, WarnerMedia.
'Toy Story 4' stays at the top of the box office
Universals President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution Jim Orr says he tries to use the word thrilled judiciously, but that it applies here. 1 film was once again Toy Story 4, which added $57.9 million from domestic theaters, down 52% from its debut last weekend. Of the top grossing films of 2019, Disney now occupies the top four spots with Avengers: Endgame, Captain Marvel, Aladdin and Toy Story 4.In second place was the third Annabelle film, Annabelle Comes Home, which debuted on over 3,500 screens Wednesday. The Warner Bros. horror earned $20.4 million over the weekend and $31.2 million in its first five days. It added an estimated $5.5 million, bringing its domestic total to $841.3 million.