Author: SD

Lionsgate’s From The World Of John Wick: Ballerina opened below tracking on an estimated $25m in second place through Lionsgate as Disney’s family behemoth Lilo & Stitch held on to top place in its third weekend. Overall North American box office earned an estimated $113.4m per Comscore and the year-to-date has amassed $3.53bn to track a very healthy 26% ahead of 2024 by the same stage. John Wick spin-off Ballerina stars Ana de Armas and while action spin-offs historically have opened significantly below the previous entry in a franchise, the 65% drop-off from John Wick 4 will not make Lionsgate executives happy.…

Lionsgate’s Ballerina leads the new films at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, opening in 571 cinemas. Marketed as From the World of John Wick: Ballerina, the film is the fifth instalment in the John Wick franchise, and takes place between the events of Chapter 3 – Parabellum and Chapter 4. It sees ballerina-assassin Eve Macarro – played by Ana de Armas – train in the traditions of the Ruska Roma, to exact revenge for her father’s death. Anjelica Huston, Gabriel Byrne, the late Lance Reddick, Norman Reedus and Ian McShane are on the cast, alongside Keanu Reeves reprising his role…

Jim Jarmusch’s comedy drama Father Mother Sister Brother is headed to Venice competition, according to Mubi founder Efe Cakarel. Cakarel revealed the film was to feature in competition during keynote speech today (June 6) at SXSW London, telling audiences it is “already confirmed”. Jarmusch’s film, on which Mubi is a producer, is an anthology of three stories starring Cate Blanchett, Adam Driver and Vicky Krieps, which shot last year across the US, France and Ireland. It follows estranged siblings that reunite after years apart. The Match Factory represents sales. Production companies are Saint Laurent Prods, Mubi and the Apartment together…

Fresh from its Cannes Competition world premiere, Ari Aster’s Eddington will open the 29th Fantasia International Film Festival, which begins a day earlier than previously announced and runs in Montreal from July 16 to August 3. Pedro Pascal and Joaquin Phoenix star in the tale of a stand-off between a small town sheriff and the mayor that ignites wider tensions in a New Mexico community. A24 will release in the US on July 18. The second wave of titles announced on Thursday includes three new works from Japanese genre master Takashi Miike led by the world premiere of episodes from…

EXCLUSIVE: Indonesian animated feature Jumbo has become the country’s highest grossing local film of all time and posted strong sales following the Cannes market. The family adventure is on track to hit 10.1 million admissions today (June 4), some 66 days after opening on March 31. It has unseated Awi ASuryadi’s KKN di Desa Penari (aka Dancing Village), a supernatural horror that amassed more than 10 million admissions in post-pandemic 2022. Jumbo has grossed more than $24.7m (Rp402 billion) as of Sunday (June 1), according to independent box office tracker Cinepoint. Overall, the film is only behind Marvel Studios’ Avengers:…

Kent Sanderson has been promoted from president to CEO at Bleecker Street following the death earlier this year of Andrew Karpen. “Andrew set a powerful example in which the filmmaker always comes first, the theatrical window is paramount, and great filmmaking is celebrated and championed,” said Sanderson. “All of us at Bleecker are committed to honouring and carrying that vision forward, and while the company will continue to evolve and grow, his legacy will always remain an inherent part of our DNA.” Los Angeles-based Sanderson, one of the most insightful minds in the independent film sector, joined Bleecker in 2014…

Former Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein will not take the stand in his New York sex crimes retrial, his spokesperson said. According to the Associated Press on Sunday the disgraced former executive was willing to testify, however his legal team deemed it a safer strategic bet to keep him off the stand. The New York court was not in session on Monday and the defence is expected to begin closing arguments on Tuesday, nearly six weeks after the hearing began. Weinstein, 73, is charged with two counts of first degree criminal sexual act and one count of third degree rape, all…

In their second weekends, Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning added an estimated $63m and $27.3m respectively in North America, while Wes Anderson’s Cannes Competition premiere The Phoenician Scheme delivered the highest per-theatre score of the year to date. Comscore reported that total weekend box office amounted to $149.2m as the year-to-date tally reached $3.4bn. Box office is currently tracking 26% ahead of 2024 by the same stage. Lilo & Stitch, Disney Live Action’s reboot of the studio’s popular animation, held on to top spot and now stands at $280.1m after last weekend’s record Memorial Day…

Sony’s Karate Kid: Legends and Black Bear’s The Salt Path lead new releases in UK and Ireland cinemas this weekend. Out in front is Jonathan Entwistle’s Karate Kid: Legends in 552 locations. The sixth entry in the franchise opens wider than its predecessor, 2010’s The Karate Kid, which debuted in 446 sites. That title, a reimagining of the 1984 original, opened on £4.9m. Legends stars Jackie Chan and Ralph Macchio, reprising their roles as Mr. Han and Daniel LaRusso, who must help a Kung Fu prodigy win a Karate competition. UK drama The Salt Path wanders into 525 venues for Black Bear. Gillian Anderson…

The acrimonious dispute between Cineworld-owned Picturehouse Cinemas and the landlord at its flagship Trocadero site in central London looks set to continue. Last Friday (May 23), Picturehouse won a judgment against the landlord London Trocadero LLP over the overcharging of commission on insurance rent at Picturehouse Central, with the landlord now required to repay the cinema operator an amount reportedly above £700,000. However, contacted by Screen, London Trocadero LLP, part of the Criterion Group of companies, confirmed it would be appealing against the judgment. “Whilst we respect the decision of the Learned Judge, we disagree with it. Indeed, no doubt many…