True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

After its monster opening, the Tim Burton sequel easily topped the domestic box office charts again with $51.6 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Down only 54% from a week earlier, the North American gross for the Warner Bros. release is already at $188 million. Internationally, it added $28.7 million, bringing its worldwide total to a staggering $264.3 million.

“To drop just 54% is really impressive and indicative of a pretty solid word of mouth,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “Audiences are enjoying the film.”

While its hold was strong, “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” didn’t have much in the way of major new competition. Fresh offerings included the James McAvoy horror “ Speak No Evil,” a satirical documentary following right wing podcaster Matt Walsh; and a new Dave Bautista action pic, “The Killer’s Game.”

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Second place in weekend ticket sales went to “ Speak No Evil,” a remake of a 2022 Danish horror film about an unsuspecting family who decides to spend a weekend with new friends in the country. McAvoy stars in it, along with Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy. With positive reviews and a shrewd release date of Friday the 13th, the Blumhouse production released by Universal Pictures made an estimated $11.5 million from 3,375 locations.

“ Deadpool & Wolverine ” landed in third place in its eighth weekend with another $5.2 million. The Disney and Marvel blockbuster is now up to $621.5 million in North America and $1.3 billion globally.

The Daily Wire movie “Am I Racist?” placed fourth at the box office, with an estimated $4.7 million from only 1,517 theaters. Described as a mockumentary in the style of “Borat,” the movie has conservative columnist Walsh going undercover as a “DEI trainee.” Walsh had a similar gimmick, pretending to be a gender studies professor, in the 2022 movie “What is a Woman?” Both were directed by Justin Folk.

“Am I Racist?” cost a reported $3 million to make. To release it, the Daily Wire — the Ben Shapiro co-founded company — partnered with SDG Releasing, a distribution company founded by “God’s Not Dead” writers Cary Solomon and Chuck Konzelman, who promise the “lowest fees in the business.” Among the trailers playing before “Am I Racist?” is another film targeting conservative audiences: The upcoming Dinesh D’Souza movie “Vindicating Trump.”

Rounding out the top five was “ Reagan,” the Showbiz Direct release starring Dennis Quaid as the former president, which added another $3 million in its third weekend, bringing its total domestic total to $23.3 million.

“The Killer’s Game,” meanwhile, debuted in sixth place with $2.6 million. Bautista stars as a hit man with a terminal illness in the action comedy, which got dismal reviews. The faith-based “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust” also managed to snag a top 10 spot with its $1.5 million launch.

In limited release, Amazon MGM Studios began its rollout of the Sundance breakout “ My Old Ass,” starring Maisy Stella, in seven theaters in New York, Los Angeles and Austin, where it made a combined $171,242. The coming of age movie expands nationwide on Sept. 27.

Next weekend, theaters will get the Optimus Prime origin pic “Transformers One,” but it may be a quiet few weeks at the box office until “ Joker: Folie à Deux ” dances its way onto the big screen on Oct. 4.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $51.6 million.

2. “Speak No Evil,” $11.5 million.

3. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” $5.2 million.

4. “Am I Racist?” $4.8 million.

5. “Reagan,” $3 million.

6. “The Killer’s Game,” $2.6 million.

7. “Alien: Romulus,” $2.4 million.

8. “It Ends With Us,” $2 million.

9. “The Forge,” $2 million.

10. “God’s Not Dead: In God We Trust,” $1.5 million.

The long-awaited Tim Burton sequel is the third-best opening weekend of the year, only behind box office triumphs “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

Michael Keaton returns as the titular spirit and Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder also reprise their roles as Delia and Lydia Deetz, with newcomer Jenna Ortega playing the latter’s daughter, Astrid. Willem Dafoe, Monica Bellucci and Justin Theroux round out the cast.

The Warner Bros. sequel is the second-highest grossing September movie of all time, only behind 2017’s “It,” which opened with a staggering $123 million. The 2019 sequel “It Chapter 2” opened with $91 million and previously held the No. 2 spot for September openings.

The original “Beetlejuice” film earned a mere $8 million in its opening weekend in 1988, unadjusted for inflation, but went on to make $77 million in theaters domestically as it became a cult classic.

“There’s life in the afterlife,” said Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros. “Many things have to happen simultaneously and all the stars are aligning.”

Goldstein, who confirmed the film’s budget of $100 million, said the studio expected an opening weekend of between $80 million and $90 million. Given the early success, he said the film “may get really long legs” with Halloween season approaching.

Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, said September is “not known as a hotbed of $100 million blockbuster debuts,” but attributed part of the film’s success to Burton’s singular style and the star cast.

In addition to the returning cast, Ortega, who starred in the Netflix series “Wednesday” about the Addams family character, likely brought in younger audiences.

“If all this was were a nostalgia play for people who saw the first movie, it wouldn’t really necessarily work,” Dergarabedian said. “Part of the magic formula of ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ is having a great cast of a revered generation of actors and then having young actors who are making their own mark.”

The electric opening weekend kicks off the fall movie season with a bang after a sleepy Labor Day weekend and a relatively slow August that saw newer films struggle as holdover movies ruled the box office.

Beyond “Beetlejuice,” “Deadpool & Wolverine” placed second on the box office charts, making $7.2 million in its seventh weekend. Its cumulative domestic total is now $614 million.

“Reagan,” the Dennis Quaid-led biopic about the 40th U.S. president, continues to beat expectations. Climbing the ranks to third place in its second weekend, the film made $5.2 million.

“Alien: Romulus” and “It Ends With Us,” two more holdovers from the summer, came in fourth and fifth place, respectively. The sci-fi horror film brought in $3.9 million and the romance drama brought in $3.8 million.

The only other new release of the weekend to make it on the box office rankings was “The Greatest of All Time,” an Indian Tamil-language science fiction action film. The movie stars Joseph Vijay and was directed by Venkat Prabhu, who is known for directing and writing other Indian action films. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” $110 million.

2. “Deadpool & Wolverine,” $7.2 million.

3. “Reagan,” $5.2 million.

4. “Alien: Romulus,” $3.9 million.

5. “It Ends With Us,” $3.8 million

6. “The Forge,” $2.9 million.

7. “Twisters,” $2.3 million.

8. “Blink Twice,” $2.1 million.

9. “The Greatest of All Time,” $2 million.

10. “Despicable Me 4,” $1.8 million.

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Losing the weight quickly proved to be mentally “challenging” for the 47-year-old actor, who spoke about the process during an appearance at Variety magazine’s Toronto Film Festival Studio.

“I basically tiered down the food over a three-month period until just before filming, (when) I was at my lightest. I dropped 52 pounds, and I was about 185 when I started,” Bloom said.

“So I dropped quite a lot of weight, and I was very mentally challenged as well. You feed somebody tuna and cucumber long enough…” he added.

Bloom, who appeared on the panel alongside director Sean Ellis and co-stars John Turturro and Caitríona Balfe, recalled being fascinated by the changes he experienced while losing weight.

“I was more surprised about the mental aspect of (it), like the sleep deprivation, and not the depleted calories,” he said.

“There’s a lot going on in your brain … living in that headspace for a while was very challenging,” he added.

“The Cut,” which is set largely in a hotel room, shows Bloom’s unnamed boxer taking diuretics and draining blood from himself in a desperate attempt to reach his goal weight.

The movie’s premiere at the festival Sept. 5 marked the first time the movie’s director and actors saw it alongside audience members.

“Somebody in my row passed out!” Bloom shared.

“Yeah, we had a fainter,” added Ellis. “I think we’ve got to put that on the film poster.”

While at the Toronto Film Festival, Bloom told People that his fiancée, Katy Perry, was “freaked out” when she saw “The Cut.”

“She watched it and was like, ‘I need a stiff drink,’” the actor said, per the publication.

He added, “She was really moved. She knew what it took.”

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True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

The Trump administration separated thousands of migrant parents from their children as it moved to criminally prosecute people for illegally crossing the Southwestern border. Minors, who could not be held in criminal custody with their parents, were transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services.

Facing strong opposition, Trump eventually reversed course in 2018, days before a federal judge in San Diego halted the practice and ordered immediate reunification in a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union.

According to figures released by the Department of Homeland Security, 3,881 children were separated from their families from 2017 to 2021.

The film, which is not in competition at the festival, is based on journalist Jacob Soboroff’s book “Separated: Inside an American Tragedy.” Morris, the Oscar-winning documentarian behind the Robert S. McNamara film “The Fog of War,” made “Separated” in collaboration with NBC News Studios, Participant, Fourth Floor and Moxie Pictures.

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Though focused on what transpired during the Trump administration, it begins with several voices of American presidents speaking about immigration.

“This is not just a problem of the Trump administration, though Trump escalated it to new levels of horror,” Morris said. “There has to be a better way.”

The film was intended it to be both an exploration of the “terrible misdeeds of our recent past” and a “cautionary tale for the future,” he wrote in a director’s statement.

Soboroff, a correspondent with NBC News, said that as a journalist he’s not “here to advocate for one particular policy decision or another.” Their hope, though, is for it to not happen again.

“Separated” includes a dramatic recreation of a family separation, brought to life by actors Gabriela Cartol and Diego Armando Lara Lagunes, as well as interviews with Elaine Duke, the former acting head of the Department of Homeland Security, an employee of the Office of Refugee Resettlement and whistleblower Jonathan White.

“We want people to be able to remember what happened and internalize the truth,” Soboroff said.

On his first day in office in 2021, President Joe Biden issued an executive order to reunite families that were split up. Two years later, the task force had reconnected nearly 700 children with their families; nearly 1,000 remained separated from their families.

The film, which runs only 93 minutes, does not yet have distribution. The moderator asked if they hoped that it might be acquired, and seen, before November’s U.S. presidential election.

“To me it’s essential that this comes out before the election,” Morris said. “I want this to come out before the election with the hope that it could make a difference.”

For more coverage of the 2024 Venice Film Festival, visit https://apnews.com/hub/venice-film-festival.

“It’s strange but in a wonderful way. I can’t quite believe it’s been 10 years already. But it’s fantastic to go back and be a part of it,” Kent says, speaking from Australia. “Considering that it only released on such a small number of screens, I feel proud that it’s still enduring.”

“The Babadook,” a chilling parable of parenthood that ushered in a new era of daring, cinematic horror films, is just one of many movies making an anniversary run in theaters this year. Look at almost any movie theater marquee right now and you’ll probably see not just new titles but a smattering of older films, too.

At a time when nearly everything is available at home with a few clicks, nothing is surging on the big screen as much as yesterday’s movies. Repertory cinema, once the home of the arthouse, is now in the multiplex, too.

And sometimes, the ticket sales can be eye-popping. In the last two weeks, the beloved 2009 stop-motion Laika Studios film “Coraline,” by Henry Selick, has grossed more than $25 million — a staggering sum for a 15-year-old movie. Earlier this year, Disney’s re-release of “Star Wars: Episode One – The Phantom Menace” made $19.4 million globally.

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This fall will see anniversary releases of “Shaun of the Dead,” “Paris, Texas,” “Whiplash,” “Hoop Dreams,” “Interstellar” and many more. It’s not uncommon, of course, for restored classics to return to theaters. ( “Seven Samurai” and “The Conversation” are among those that have this summer.) But it’s a new feature of moviegoing that fairly recent movies are seeing wide re-releases – and that audiences are packing theaters for them.

“The Babadook,” a small independent film propelled to cult status by widespread raves — even William Friedkin hailed it as an instant classic — will very possibly outgross the $1 million it made a decade ago in North America.

“It has grown a new fan base,” says Nicole Weis, vice president of distribution for IFC. “The majority of the fans didn’t see it theatrically. This strategy of bringing it back was so people could see a film they’ve fallen in love with as they should, as it was intended to be, on the big screen.”

Theatrical hasn’t returned to pre-pandemic levels. But that’s partly due to theaters not having enough movies to show. The number of films released nationwide in theaters has lowered for various reasons. The year’s movie calendar was significantly altered by last year’s prolonged work stoppages.

Partly to help fill such voids, the nation’s three largest theater chains – AMC, Regal and Cinemark — in 2005 formed Fathom Events. It distributes, among other things, live broadcasts of the Metropolitan Opera and special events like the annual Studio Ghibli Fest, which brings back classics from the Japanese anime studio. Its release of “Coraline,” including 3-D screenings, set a new high mark for Fathom.

“The interest in classic movies has really gone up,” Ray Nutt, chief executive of Fathom says. “This year we’ll see a 75% increase year over year in this category.”

When Fathom started out, they mainly looked to play films on quiet days in cinemas, like Mondays and Tuesdays. But they’ve steadily expanded. Earlier this year, one of their biggest hits was a run of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy over Saturday-Sunday-Monday. Upcoming classics includes anniversary showings of “Rear Window,” “Blazing Saddles,” “Mean Girls” and “The Fifth Element.”

“We joke around here a lot about what is the definition of a classic movie,” says Nutt. “It used to be something like 50 years or whatever, and now we’re talking about ‘Coraline’ at 15.”

Some streaming services tend to hide older film from their home pages. But in such a digital sea of content, how new a movie can sometimes be less relevant. (“Titanic” and “The Equalizer” have both charted this summer on Netflix’s most-watched lists.) The differential between theater and home is becoming less about what’s new and more about the viewing experience. Do you want to see “Jaws” on your couch while flipping through your phone, or on a big screen with an audience collectively on the edge of their seats?

Mark Anastasio, the program director of the Coolidge Corner Theatre, a six-screen non-profit cinema in Brookline, Massachusetts, was struck by the appeal older films had when the Coolidge was reopening from pandemic closure. At the time, there were paltry first-run films to play.

“But the interest in the repertory never went away,” says Anastasio. “We’ve got six screens here. It used to be that once or twice a week we’d run an older film at 7 p.m. And we’ve now increased our repertory offerings so that we’re showing an older movie every single night of the week, including Saturday and Sunday nights. And the demand is there.”

Now, Anastasio is finding he can program increasingly creatively, reaching deeper into filmmaker catalogues — and the crowds keep turning up. This week he had a packed house for Spike Lee’s “Inside Man” in 35mm, the other day Friedkin’s 1977 thriller “Sorcerer” was a success. The Coolidge’s upcoming plans include three weeks of 70mm screenings (“Lawrence of Arabia,” “Inception”) and a “Schlock and Awe” series of William Castle films, complete with their original gimmicks, like seats that buzz during “The Tingler.”

Such programming isn’t new for urban arthouses but it’s expanding. Increasingly, older films are being shown on screens usually reserved for first-run movies. Some of that is out of necessity.

“There’s about 20-30% less films being majorly distributed now than there were just five years ago,” says Jeremy Boviard, the general manager of the four-screen Moviehouse in Millerton, New York. “There’s definitely more holes in certain programming weekends.”

Boviard has had to be more selective about what appeals to Hudson Valley moviegoers, but some choices really click. Last year, that included the 40th anniversary of Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads concert film “Stop Making Sense.” It was released by A24, which prides itself on cutting-edge contemporary films but has begun experimenting with re-releases. “Stop Making Sense” made more than $5 million domestically.

The trend isn’t likely to slow down any time soon. Studios now regularly comb through their archives and patiently await notable anniversaries. For Kent, it’s a positive development in what she otherwise calls “a dark age for cinema.”

“I feel like people still crave that experience,” says Kent. “I went to see on the weekend Dreyer’s ‘Ordet’ and Bergman’s ‘The Seventh Seal.’ Especially in ‘Ordet,’ it’s such a transcendent film. The audience, we were collectively experiencing it. I could hear people crying at the end. It’s the reason that we went to the cinema in the first place — to have an experience. Not to sit on our couch while we’re looking at our phones watching some sort of content. It’s not bringing out the best in us or in the work.

“For me,” she adds, “I take it very seriously, because I think we need it.”

To make the sequel, Tim Burton reunited with several key cast members from his 1988 horror-comedy, including Michael Keaton playing the titular ghoul, Catherine O’Hara and Winona Ryder as Lydia, now mother to her own sullen teen played by Jenna Ortega.

“I’m not out to do a big sequel for money,” Burton said a few hours before the premiere, with his cast alongside him. “I wanted to make this for very personal reasons.”

The reason, he said, was that he’d become disillusioned with the film industry in the past few years. “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was the kick he needed to fall in love with the process again.

“I just realized if I’m going to do anything again, I just wanted to do it from my heart. Something that I wanted to do,” Burton said. “It’s a bit like the Lydia character. Sometimes your life takes a little bit of a turn, you go down a different path. I sort of lost myself a little bit.”

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The film comes 36 years after audiences first met the Deetz family. Though the original “Beetlejuice” was a hit, the tenth highest grossing film of 1988, and remains a beloved staple, Burton said he never quite understood why it was such a success. In fact, he didn’t even watch it to prepare to make this one. He remembered the spirit well enough.

“There are so few opportunities to be in something that you can say is 100% original and unique,” said Keaton, who joked about his character’s evolution.

“I think my character has matured,” Keaton said. “As suave and sensitive as he was in the first, I think he’s even more so in this one.”

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” which Warner Bros. opens in theaters worldwide next week, may be a major Hollywood studio release, but it was made with a scrappy and improvisational energy which extended from the cast to the crew, who were often building puppets on the spot.

“It’s not going to win any Academy Awards for special effects,” Burton laughed. “It doesn’t matter. It’s part of the DNA of the project.”

The film finds Ryder’s Lydia, now the host of a cheesy ghost-hunting television show, her stepmother Delia (O’Hara) and Ortega’s Astrid going back to the old Winter River home after the death of Charles. Astrid is a reluctant presence: Her character is just as surly as Lydia was as a teen, but unlike her mother, she doesn’t believe in ghosts.

“I was a huge fan of the first one,” said Ortega, who met Burton working on the popular Netflix series “Wednesday.” “He’s somebody I trust immensely.”

Ryder, who was 15 when she first played Lydia, found the experience of the sequel very similar even 30+ years later.

“It had been such a special experience, the first one, and just to be able to come back to it was a dream come true,” Ryder said. “My love and trust for Tim runs so deep. There’s a sense of playfulness where you can try things and you know if it’s bad he won’t use it … You feel safe and also completely free.”

In addition to Ortega, new to the world of Beetlejuice are Justin Theroux, who plays Lydia’s sleazy boyfriend and manager, Willem Dafoe as a dead cop/actor, and Monica Belluci as a soul-sucking ghost out for revenge against Beetlejuice, her ex.

Theroux observed that the playful atmosphere on set existed without the “normal downward pressure of a studio film.”

And everything in “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” was special to Burton, from the music to the references and homages to Italian and Spanish cinema and the “dumb movies” he loves.

“(It was) getting back to the things I love doing, the way I love doing them, and the people I love doing them with. I realized that’s the only way for it to be a success. I have to love doing it. It didn’t matter how it turned out. I just enjoyed and loved making it with all of these people,” Burton said. “It’s like a weird family movie.”

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” is premiering at the festival out of competition, kicking off a busy 10 days on the Lido, which will soon be swarming with movie stars, from George Clooney and Brad Pitt, to Lady Gaga and Angelina Jolie.

The Venice Film Festival runs through Sept. 7.

During an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” this week, Sandler revealed that Kelce would have a role in “Happy Gilmore 2.”

“He had mentioned it, and so we have something nice for Travis,” Sandler told Fallon. “He is going to come by.”

Kelce has expressed his admiration for Sandler and “Happy Gilmore.” He said in a May episode of his “New Heights” podcast with brother Jason Kelce that he is a “huge fan of the Sandman” and that he would love to be involved in the movie’s sequel.

“I didn’t even know there was a job opening on ‘Happy Gilmore 2,'” Kelce said. “I’ll be a f—— extra … anything to get around ‘Happy Gilmore,’ an Adam Sandler film or set — count me in.”

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“What a big, handsome guy,” Sandler said about Kelce. “He’s a stud and he’s so funny.”

Production for “Happy Gilmore 2” will begin in a matter of weeks, and Kelce isn’t the only one interested in a part. An open casting call for extras was held in New Jersey, and thousands lined up for a chance to be in the film.

Sandler says shooting will start in New Jersey next month. While Kelce’s Kansas City Chiefs do not play in New York this season, the team has a bye in Week 6 (Oct. 13) that could line up with the film’s production.

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A movie about late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain is in the works with New Jersey actor Dominic Sessa reportedly set to play him.

Deadline reported on Monday that “The Holdovers” actor is in line to star as Bourdain in “Tony,” although it has not been revealed when the biopic will be set.

The biopic will be produced by Star Thrower Entertainment, the same company that produced award-winning films “King Richard,” “The Post” and “Eternity.”

Film company A24 is reportedly in talks to receive rights to the movie.

Fans around the world mourned the death of beloved Bourdain who was 61 when he died of suicide in 2018.

In 2002, Bourdain jumpstarted his onscreen career by hosting “A Cook’s Tour” on the Food Network and kicking off a series called “No Reservations.” He went on to host “Parts Unknown” on CNN — the show he was filming in France when his death was pronounced. 

Bourdain is also best known for the publication of his New York Times best-selling book, “Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly.”

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

The “Merc with a Mouth” is breaking even more box office records.

Over the weekend, Disney and Marvel’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” became only the second R-rated film to top $1 billion at the global box office. And it’s on its way to becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

Currently, that record is held by Warner Bros.’ “Joker,” which tallied $1.078 billion during is theatrical run in 2019, according to data from Comscore. As of Sunday’s estimated numbers, “Deadpool & Wolverine” has tallied $1.029 billion.

“This film set the blueprint for how to create the perfect box office beast, from a novel marketing strategy that included a viral popcorn bucket to a perfect release date, Ryan Reynolds’ tireless promotion of the film and, most importantly, a great movie that was embraced by critics and fans alike, led up to this moment a mere three weeks into the film’s amazing run in theatres across the globe,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “Another great moment for Disney after what was a rather slow post-pandemic period for the studio.”

This third stand-alone feature starring Ryan Reynolds as the regenerating degenerate has already posted the highest opening of any film released in 2024 and holds the record for the highest debut of an R-rated film ever.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is the first R-rated Marvel Cinematic Universe flick, as the previous two Deadpool films were produced and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Disney acquired that studio back in 2019.

It is also the second Disney film to top $1 billion at the global box office this year. Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” has generated more than $1.5 billion since its opening in June. Box office analysts expect “Deadpool & Wolverine” won’t be the last for the company this year, either. “Moana 2” is set to hit theaters over the Thanksgiving holiday and forecasts suggest it could also reach the billion-dollar mark.

These massive box office successes come after a string of misfires from Disney’s traditionally bulletproof franchises, including the lowest opening and lowest haul for a Marvel film ever. As Disney seeks to rebuild its reputation and recapture magic at the box office, it is relying heavily on existing, and beloved, franchises. During the company’s biannual D23 Expo, it shared details about upcoming titles from all of its studios.

This includes major animated sequels like “Toy Story 5,” “Zootopia 2,” “Frozen III” and “Incredibles 3,” as well as a slew of new Marvel titles like “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts*,” “The Fantastic 4: First Steps,” “Blade,” “Avengers: Doomsday” (previously titled “Avengers: Kang Dynasty) and “Avengers: Secret Wars.” There was also footage shown of “The Mandalorian and Grogu,” the first Star War film set to grace the big screen since “The Rise of Skywalker” in 2019.

It’s no surprise Disney is going back to the well with these films. The Toy Story franchise has generated $3.2 billion at the global box office, the two Frozen films surpassed $2.7 billion worldwide, the two Incredibles films tallied $1.8 billion globally, and “Zootopia” reached $1 billion worldwide during its run in 2016.

As for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is the highest-grossing film franchise of all time, topping $30 billion at the global box office since 2008. And Star Wars has a solid track record, too, generating more than $10 billion in ticket sales since “A New Hope” hit theaters in 1977.

“The billion dollar box office club may not be the singular metric by which theatrical success is defined, but it is still emblematic of a film’s ability to capture the global zeitgeist,” said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory, a theatrical and box office consultation and analysis firm. “‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ has done that in a resounding way, making Disney and Marvel’s return to the ten-digit summit worth celebrating.”

The 40-year-old actor, who directed and starred opposite Lively, 36, in the 2024 drama told “Entertainment Tonight” at the movie’s Aug. 6 New York premiere that other filmmakers were better suited to sit in the director’s chair the next go round.

“I think that there are better people for that one,” he said. “I think Blake Lively’s ready to direct, that’s what I think.”

The movie is based on Colleen Hoover’s 2016 novel of the same title. Hoover published a sequel, “It Starts With Us,” in 2022.

The former “Jane the Virgin” star’s comments come amid rumors that he and Lively butted heads while making the movie. The two co-stars haven’t done press events together, nor did they take photos together at the New York premiere.

Baldoni and Lively star in the movie as Ryle and Lily, a couple whose seemingly storybook romance is marred by Ryle’s abusive behavior. The movie also stars Brandon Sklenar as Lily’s former high school boyfriend, Atlas, and Jenny Slate as Lily’s best friend, Allysa.

Baldoni, who also executive produced, said that directing “It Ends With Us” was an “extreme challenge” while speaking to TODAY.com in an interview published Aug. 9

“Every movie is a miracle,” he said. “And then, of course, you’re navigating complex personalities and trying to get everybody on the same page with the same vision. And mistakes are always made, and then you figure out how to move past them.”

He credited Lively, a producer on the film, with contributing ideas that were crucial to its success.

“You can’t summarize Blake’s contribution in a sentence, because her energy and imprint is all over the movie and really, really made the film better, and from beginning to end,” he said.

He added that Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, also helped out, revealing, “Ryan was so generous … he’s a creative genius, that guy. So, you know, his gift is levity, and her gift is levity.”

When Baldoni was asked if he would collaborate with the power couple on another project in the future, he replied, “If they’d have me.”

Lively spoke about her approach to the creative process in a Vogue interview, likening a script to a “treasure hunt.”

“A blank page is not nearly as exciting to me as starting with a script and finding something people have overlooked. Saying no, no, no, there’s something there! To me, it’s a treasure hunt. And so when I can see the treasure, then I get to be an archaeologist. I get to excavate, I get to carve it out and find this thing and show people the value in it. That, to me, is what I love.”

Sony has not announced plans for a sequel movie to “It Ends With Us.”

When asked about a sequel to “Entertainment Tonight,” Brandon Sklenar, who plays Lily’s other love interest, said he’d “love to do” one.

“That ending scene leaves you watching more Lily and Atlas,” Hoover said. 

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

• Justin Baldoni laid his heart on the line for ‘It Ends With Us’
• The ‘It Ends With Us’ cast drama and controversy, explained
• Adele sparks engagement rumors during show: ‘I’m already getting married’

Marvel is back on top.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” shattered box office records this weekend, tallying $205 million in domestic ticket sales during its opening, the highest debut of 2024 and of an R-rated film ever.

The film outpaced analysts’ expectations, which called for an opening haul between $160 million and $180 million.

“The massive debut for ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ should convince those who were throwing in the towel for the big screen back in May that you can never underestimate the power, allure resiliency and, yes, unpredictability of the movie theater experience,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore.

Internationally, the film secured $233.3 million, bringing its estimated global haul to $438.3 million for the full weekend.

“Deadpool & Wolverine” is the 34th film to be released under the MCU banner and the first of the Disney-produced installments to garner an R-rating from the Motion Picture Association. The previous two Deadpool films, both rated R, were produced and released through 20th Century Fox. Disney acquired the company in 2019, bringing the X-Men and Fantastic Four back into the larger Marvel portfolio.

Similar to previous entries in the MCU, “Deadpool & Wolverine” benefitted from fan fervor. Audiences were eager to see the flick in its opening weekend in order to avoid spoilers. Disney kept much of the film’s content secret and provided limited press screenings prior to its debut.

The strong opening of “Deadpool & Wolverine” comes after a post-pandemic box office slump for the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Disney overcrowded the market with superhero streaming content in recent years and its push for quantity at the box office led to a drop in quality.

“Marvel took a mini-break to help rejuvenate their creative direction in the wake of several divisive tentpole films and this return to the arena certainly stuck the superhero landing,” said Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory.

“A record-breaking R-rated debut not only shows that Marvel and Disney can spread their wings a little bit when the content calls for it, but also that Marvel fans and casual audiences alike are still eager for the kind of entertaining and meaningful blockbuster storytelling that has defined so much of their unrivaled success,” he added.

“Deadpool and Wolverine’s” opening coincided with Marvel’s San Diego Comic Con panel which revealed an updated film slate and gave fans a sense of where the franchise will head in the coming years. That includes Sam Wilson, the newly minted Captain American, seeking to rebuild the Avengers after they disbanded in the wake of their fight with Thanos, and the pending arrival of Doctor Doom, which is set to be played by Iron Man himself Robert Downey Jr.

“Every film should be taken on a case-by-case basis, but Deadpool & Wolverine in tandem with this weekend’s Comic Con announcements mark significant steps back onto a path that could reignite enthusiasm for the broader franchise,” Robbins said.

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

The below contains spoilers from “Deadpool & Wolverine.”

This story ends with Blake Lively.

After her role as Lady Deadpool in husband Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman‘s “Deadpool & Wolverine” was revealed, the “It Ends With Us” star shared the incredible journey of how she wound up being cast in the Marvel film.

And the story dates back farther than you’d think. After all, Deadpool comic book creator Rob Liefield already had the actress in mind when he drew his first version of the unmasked superhero in 2010, as he and wife Joy Liefield were huge fans of another iconic character Lively played.

“Joy and I were crazy uber ‘Gossip Girl’ fans (who wasn’t right?), never missing a single episode,” Liefield wrote in a screenshot shared by Lively in a July 26 Instagram post. “Yup, I pleaded a strong case that Wanda Wilson was stunning blonde, no scars and Marvel thought that was a cool idea. Invoked Blake on GG and they gave me the thumbs up.”

Of course, this rendering was created before Lively and Reynolds’ 2012 nuptials and the first “Deadpool” movie adaptation arrived in theaters in 2016. In fact, the “A Simple Favor” actress recalled the “Free Guy” actor pitching the film to her and Taika Waititi that same year.

“It was a ‘meta’ superhero,” Lively explained in the caption of her July 26 Instagram. “Most of us didn’t know what exactly meta meant back then. Except Taika bc he’s always been more brilliant than the rest of us mortals.”

Noting that she felt “murky” on whether Reynolds’ idea would “come together for an audience,” the 36-year-old recalled thinking at the time, “It wasn’t a real dream. The movie was never gonna happen.”

However, Lively was eventually proved wrong, and a year before the third installment of “Deadpool” started filming, she discovered that Liefield envisioned her in the Lady Deadpool role.

“And today it’s in theaters,” she marveled. “The universe has such a magical sense of humor sometimes.”

And while Lively has known she would don the black and red jumpsuit for two years, fans have been left to speculate until the film’s release, with some guessing correctly and some wondering if longtime pal Taylor Swift would make her Marvel debut.

But Reynolds—who shares kids James, 9, Inez, 7, Betty, 4, and Olin, born in 2023, with Lively—didn’t let the latter theory last long.

“I wish!” the 47-year-old said of Swift appearing in the superhero flick during an appearance on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” “Taylor, you know, if I ever stop, she’d make a good Deadpool. She’s funny. Funny!”

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Could Hugh Jackman be ready to hit the big top once again?

The “X-Men” actor — who starred as circus tycoon P.T. Barnum in “The Greatest Showman” alongside Zendaya and Zac Efron—revealed that he’s open to doing a sequel to the 2017 musical movie.

“The first one took us eight years,” Jackman exclusively told E! News at the “Deadpool & Wolverine” premiere July 22. “Maybe we started five years ago, and it’s gonna be another nine years.”

So, Jackman is never saying never, adding, “I love that movie, and I loved everything about it. So yeah, I’m open.”

And no one is more ready to rewrite the stars than Jackman’s BFF and “Deadpool & Wolverine” costar, Ryan Reynolds.

“What are you so afraid [of]?” Reynolds quipped during the interview, airing July 23. “Give us a sequel! My kids want it even!”

Still, Jackman was reticent to give a firm answer, quipping that from now on, “If I say no or yes or anything, no one believes me anymore. I said I was never playing Wolverine again. So, whatever.”

Luckily for fans, in addition to watching Jackman play Wolverine for the first time since his heartbreaking turn in 2017’s “Logan,” they’ll also be treated to a track from “The Greatest Showman” in “Deadpool & Wolverine,” out in theaters July 26.

The 55-year-old even joked that his contract dictates that “no matter how inappropriate, that we have to have some Showman tracks” in his movies.

And as it turns out, Jackman has recently stepped back into the shoes of his “Greatest Showman” character, making a million dreams come true to entertain Reynolds and wife Blake Lively‘s children: James, 9, Inez, 7, Betty, 4, and Olin, who was born in 2023.

“My kids watch Greatest Showman all the time,” Reynolds revealed during a July 22 SiriusXM interview. “I walked into my house, and I’ve come in, I’ve heard “The Greatest Showman” playing, and I come around the corner and there are my kids watching the movie, singing along and there’s Hugh acting it out with them like just this big kid.”

The 47-year-old continued, “It was [one of] the most heartbreaking, beautiful things I’d ever seen. I knew I would never be able to top it, so I’ve started a new life in a new country with a secret family just like everyone’s supposed to.”

But of course, Jackman had the last laugh, adding, “By the way, we didn’t rent it, we bought it on your account. Residuals.”

Peggy, a pug crossed with a Chinese Crested, landed her breakthrough role in “Deadpool & Wolverine” as Dogpool, protagonist Wade Wilson’s canine sidekick. Actor and producer Ryan Reynolds said Peggy caught his eye after she was crowned with the unfortunate title of Britain’s ugliest in 2023.

“I was a huge proponent for her [to be in the movie] because she feels like the animal manifestation of Wade Wilson,” Reynolds, 47, said in an interview with Empire. He described the on-screen moment where Dogpool meets Wilson as “love at first sight.”

Peggy walked the red carpet alongside Reynolds, Hugh Jackman and the rest of the “Deadpool & Wolverine” cast at the movie’s premieres.

“Guys, this is Peggy, aka Mary Puppins, aka Dogpool,” Reynolds said at the London premiere. “Get a good look.”

He held on to the dog, who was outfitted in her signature black-and-red movie costume, complete with boots. Reynolds gave Peggy a kiss on the head.

“Her nipples are the size of children’s fingers,” he said. “She won the ugliest dog in Britain, but we’re not telling her that because she’s a 10 in our hearts, isn’t she?

“And that tongue, by the way, is real, and I have tasted it. She loves to lick. Loves to get right in there. She is really, truly amazing.”

“This dog went through more training than Hugh Jackman did in the gym every single morning, and we love her very, very much — yes we do,” he added. “She’s a big star.”

Holly Middleton, Peggy’s owner, said the pup is “beautiful both inside and out” in an interview with BBC after Peggy secured her “ugliest dog” win.

Middleton, from East Yorkshire, adopted then-6-month-old Peggy online in 2018. She had been the last remaining pup in her litter.

“We loved her the [i]nstant we laid eyes on her with her big brown eyes, little tuft of white hair and her tongue lolling out to one side,” Middleton added. “We tend to forget Peggy isn’t your standard looking dog and we are very aware some people would refer to Peggy as ugly. It’s always in a humorous way and we don’t take offense, and neither does she.”

Though Peggy was not meant to have a starring role in the movie, she earned it, just like her British accolade.

“[It started as] a tiny little afterthought, and it grew,” Reynolds said to Empire. “It was one of those things where you just keep listening to the movie, and Dogpool became a staple.”

Peggy now has more than 180,000 followers on Instagram and her own line of Dogpool stuffed animals. It may simply be a matter of time before she earns her own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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In an Instagram post July 22, Lively applauded Reynolds for his work in the third “Deadpool” film. The actor also shared a photo of herself kissing Reynolds, dressed in his Deadpool costume, on set.

A few days earlier, a new trailer for the film gave a split-second look at Deadpool’s female counterpart, Lady Deadpool. Lively’s appearance on set in a red outfit in her photo had many fans trying to make a connection between her and Lady Deadpool.

Celebrity couples Jul 22

Blake Lively jokes Ryan Reynolds is a ‘millenial girl'

Movies Jul 22

Ryan Reynolds playfully reacts to Blake Lively Lady Deadpool rumors

“Okay it’s her. They keep posting stuff like this it’s gonna be her,” one account commented on her post.

“It’s time! Lady Deadpool,” another wrote.

Lady Deadpool can be seen in the trailer sporting a perky blond ponytail and a red and black outfit that’s similar to Deadpool’s.

While it’s unclear who plays Lady Deadpool for sure, online theories have ranged from Lively to her close pal Taylor Swift. (Reynolds has denied Swift is Lady Deadpool.)

(Note that there’s profanity in the trailer.)

In her Instagram post, Lively expressed her admiration for her husband’s work on the film, writing, “Brb I’m buying milky pens to write your name on my hand @vancityreynolds.”

The mother of four also shared a video of herself saying, “Tell me Deadpool’s married to a millennial girl in real life without telling me.”

The rest of the video is a montage of some of Deadpool’s most entertaining pop culture references that millennials would appreciate, ranging from an Avril Lavigne song to a “Harry Potter” reference.

“My y2k girlies, I should be competitive bc @itendswithusmovie is coming out in 3 weeks BUT when your middle school obsessions, your feelings post baby, or about Nice men who use feminism as a tool, your love of the Wizard of Oz, Succession, Sandy & Danny, driving with Avril blasting, the way the choreography of a certain boy*band song got me, of Baz Luhrmann fireworks to punctuate a moment, even down to the fact that our hair color is determined by seasons and the French method by which it’s painted are all so seen… MY WORD… it’s hard not to encourage my ladies to spot all the ways we’ve influenced @deadpoolmovie I’ve never been more proud. And I’ve given birth 4 times,” she captioned the post, adding a crying-laughing emoji at the end.

Only adding fuel to the fire, Lively accompanied Reynolds to the “Deadpool & Wolverine” premiere in New York City on July 22 — and her outfit gave off Lady Deadpool vibes.

The actor seemingly took inspiration from the character with her red carpet look, donning a red jumpsuit. She also wore her hair in a high ponytail.

So is Lively really Lady Deadpool? She and Reynolds have mastered the art of trolling each other on social media. Now, they may be honing their skills of dropping not-so-subtle hints online. Or they’re throwing fans off the scent of the character’s real identity. Either way, we can’t wait to find out once “Deadpool & Wolverine” is in theaters July 26.

This article first appeared on TODAY.com. Read more from TODAY here:

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The supremacy of “ Despicable Me 4 ” was hardly a surprise, as the Universal and Illumination franchise added $44.7 million and pushed the film over $200 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. But the big upset came further down the charts with “ Longlegs ” more than doubling the debut of the Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum romantic comedy “ Fly Me to the Moon.”

“Longlegs,” an original horror about a serial killer starring Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, made an estimated $22.6 million from 2,510 theaters. That’s the best ever start for indie outfit Neon (most famous for releasing the Oscar-winning “Parasite”), which acquired the $10 million film for distribution. Written and directed by Osgood Perkins, “Longlegs” also scored the best opening for an R-rated film this year.

Neon deployed an innovative marketing strategy for the film, including touches like placing cipher messages in local newspapers and posting a Los Angeles billboard with a phone number that played an “unnerving” message. In its first 48 hours, the number received over 250,000 calls.

“Longlegs” was well-received by critics (it has an 87% on Rotten Tomatoes), but audiences gave it a less enthusiastic a C+ CinemaScore.

“Fly Me to the Moon,” an Apple Original Films production, launched with only $10 million over the weekend. It trailed holdovers “Inside Out 2,” in third with $20.8 million; and “A Quiet Place: Day One,” in fourth place with $11.8 million.

Sony distributed “Fly Me to the Moon,” the Greg Berlanti-directed film about a marketing executive brought in to sell the space race to the American public, and, later, stage a fake moon landing just in case. Apple has not yet announced when it will debut on its streaming service.

Movies Jul 7

‘Despicable Me 4' debuts with $122.6M as boom times return to the box office

News Jun 30

‘Inside Out 2' tops $1 billion at the global box office, first film to do so since ‘Barbie'

The movie opened in 3,356 locations this weekend, attracting an audience that was mostly over 45. In this case, the audience was kinder than the critics, giving it an A- CinemaScore against a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes, suggesting that word-of-mouth may work in its favor over the long run.

The year-to-date gap between box office performance this year and last is getting moderately slimmer. It’s now down 16.1% from 2023 thanks to a run of recent successes. But performance still pales in comparison to pre-pandemic standards. On July 14 in 2019, the annual box office take was at $6.2 billion. This year it’s at $4.1 billion so far.

“A very unpredictable summer movie season continues,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “And after a slow start in May (it) has continued to surprise and impress with expected as well as unexpected hits adding bottom-line dollars to the industry’s most important season.”

In limited release, A24 opened “ Sing Sing,” an early Oscar contender, in four theaters in New York and Los Angeles. With sellouts in both locations, it made $137,119, one of the best limited openings of the year. The film from director Greg Kwedar is about an arts program at the prison and features many real life participants, including Clarence Maclin in his film debut. “Sing Sing” will continue playing on four screens through July and expand nationwide in August.

Finally, “Twisters,” which opens in North America on Thursday, began its international rollout this weekend, earning $11.5 million from 38 markets including in Australia, Mexico and Brazil.

In its wake comes “Deadpool & Wolverine,” the first Marvel release of the summer.

Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Despicable Me 4,” $44.7 million.

2. “Longlegs,” $22.6 million.

3. “Inside Out 2,” $20.8 million.

4. “A Quiet Place: Day One,” $11.8 million.

5. “Fly Me to the Moon,” $10 million.

6. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $4.4 million.

7. “Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1,” $2.4 million.

8. “MaXXXine,” $2.1 million.

9. “Indian 2,” $2 million.

10. “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot,” $1.3 million.

Start peeling that onion, because we’re getting another layer of everyone’s favorite ogre.

“Shrek 5” is officially in the works, according to a July 9 press release from Dreamworks Animation and Universal Pictures, and is set to hit theaters on July 1, 2026, just in time for the 25th anniversary of the first Shrek film.

While plot details are still under wraps, the original trio will return, with Mike Myers, Eddie Murphy and Cameron Diaz reprising their roles as Shrek, Donkey and Princess Fiona, respectively.

The original 2001 film followed Shrek as he set out on a quest with his noble steed — Donkey — to rescue Princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a dragon. But the fairytale took a turn, when it was revealed that Fiona herself turned into an ogre after dark, an appearance she kept after she and Shrek fell in love.

Over the years, the story was expanded in followup films: 2004’s “Shrek 2,” 2007’s “Shrek the Third” and the last entry in the franchise, 2010’s “Shrek Forever After.”

And while fans are no doubt excited about revisiting Far, Far Away once again after 13 years, Myers himself has talked about how much making the films was an incredible part of his life — especially when it came to the unique storyline.

“I love the idea of taking a fairytale and turning it on its head,” he told GQ in 2022, “and having it be that all the traditional bad guys are good guys, and all the traditional good guys are bad guys.”

He continued, “And I realized it’s a dramatic role. I mean halfway through I went, ‘There’s an emotional center here.'”

But more than anything, Shrek’s theme of acceptance is something he found he could relate to.

“You know the old joke, ‘I wouldn’t want to be a member of a club that would have me as a member.’ I have always felt that way,” he said. “The concept of going from a self-loathing ogre to a self-accepting ogre was meaningful to me.”

“I loved playing Shrek,” he added. “If I had to do one Shrek a year I’d be thrilled.”

So, while we wait for “Shrek 5,” grab some waffles and keep reading for all the behind-the-scenes secrets about the first movie.

(E! and Universal Pictures are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

“Despicable Me 4,” the Illumination Animation sequel, led the way over the holiday weekend with $75 million in ticket sales Friday through Sunday and $122.6 million since opening on Wednesday, according to studio estimates Sunday.

The Independence Day holiday weekend haul for the Universal Pictures release further extends the considerable box-office reign of the Minions, arguably the most bankable force in movies today. And it also kept a summer streak going for Hollywood.

Though overall ticket sales were down more than 40% from levels prior to the COVID 19 pandemic, heading into the summer moviegoing season, theaters have lately seen a succession of hits. After Sony’s “Bad Boys: Ride or Die” outperformed expectations, Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” rapidly cleared $1 billion in ticket sales worldwide, making it the first release since “Barbie” to reach that mark. Last weekend, the Paramount prequel “A Quiet Place: Day One” also came in above expectations.

With “Deadpool & Wolverine” tracking for a $160 million launch later this month, Hollywood’s summer is looking up.

“If you look at the mood of the industry about eight weeks ago, very different than today,” says Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “The song says what a difference a day makes. What a difference a month has made.”

It helps to have the Minions at your disposal. Since first debuting in the 2010 original “Despicable Me,” each entry of the franchise — including two sequels and two “Minions” spinoffs — has been seemingly guaranteed to gross around $1 billion. The four previous movies all made between $939 million (2022’s “Minions: Rise of Gru”) and $1.26 billion (2015’s “Minions”) globally.

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That run has helped give Illumination founder and chief executive Chris Meledandri one of the most enviable track records in Hollywood. “Despicable Me 4,” directed by Chris Renaud and Patrick Delage, returns the voice cast led by Steve Carell and Kristen Wiig and doubles down on more Minion mayhem. Reviews (54% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) weren’t particularly good for the latest installment, which includes a witness protection plot and a group of Minions transformed into a superhero squadron. But in their 12-year run, little has slowed down the Minions.

“This is one of the most beloved franchises, quite frankly, in the history of film, and certainly animation,” said Jim Orr, distribution chief for Universal. “Chris Meledandri and Illumination have their finger on the pulse of what families and audiences around the world want to see.”

Family movies are powering the box office. “Despicable Me 4” performed strongly despite the still considerable drawing power of “Inside Out 2.” In its fourth weekend of release, the Pixar sequel added another $30 million domestically and $78.3 million overseas.

“Inside Out 2,” with $1.22 billion in ticket sales thus far, is easily the year’s biggest hit and fast climbing up the all-time ranks for animated releases. It currently ranks as the No. 5 animated release worldwide.

Instead of cannibalizing the opening weekend for “Despicable Me 4,” “Inside Out 2” may have helped get families back in the habit of heading to theaters.

“What happened, I think, is the release calendar finally settled into a nice rhythm,” said Dergarabedian, referencing the jumbled movie schedule from last year’s strikes. “It’s all about momentum.”

The continued strong sales for “Inside Out 2” were enough to put the film in second place for the domestic weekend. Last week’s top new film, “A Quiet Place: Day One,” slid to third with $21 million in its second weekend, with another $21.1 million from overseas theaters. That was a steep decrease of 60%, though the Paramount prequel has amassed $178.2 million worldwide in two weeks.

The run of hits has caused some studios to boost their forecasts for the summer movie season. Heading into the most lucrative season at theaters, analysts were predicting a $3 billion summer, down from the more typical $4 billion mark. Now, closer to $3.4 billion appears likely.

The weekend’s other top new release was Ti West’s “MaXXXine,” the third in a string of slasher films from A24 starring Mia Goth. In 2,450 locations, “MaXXXine” collected $6.7 million in ticket sales, a franchise best. The film, which follows “X” and “Pearl” (both released in 2022), stars Goth as a 1980s Hollywood starlet being hunted by a killer known as the Night Stalker.

Angel Studios, which last year released the unexpected summer hit “Sound of Freedom,” struggled to find the same success with its latest Christian film, “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot.” It debuted with $3.2 million.

Kevin Costner’s big-budget gamble, “Horizon: An American Saga,” didn’t do much to turn around its fortunes in its second weekend. The first chapter in what Costner hopes will be a four-part franchise – including a chapter two Warner Bros. will release in August – earned $5.5 million in its second weekend. The film, which cost more than $100 million to make, has grossed $22.2 million in two weeks.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Despicable Me 4,” $75 million.

2. “Inside Out 2,” $30 million.

3. “A Quiet Place Day One,” $21 million.

4. “MaXXXine,” $6.7 million.

5. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $6.5 million.

6. “Horizon: An American Saga, Chapter 1,” $5.5 million.

7. “Sound of Hope: The Story of Possum Trot,” $3.2 million.

8. “Kaiki 2898,” $1.8 million.

9. “The Bikeriders,” $1.3 million.

10. “Kinds of Kindness,” $860,000.

Seven-time F1 champion Lewis Hamilton is a co-producer of the project, which collected footage at several F1 circuits around the world this year and last.

Footage was taken at Silverstone — home of the British Grand Prix — and at the Hungaroring near Budapest; as well as the historic Spa Francorchamps in Belgium; Japan’s popular Suzuka track and Abu Dhabi’s Yas Marina circuit.

Pitt plays a former driver who returns to Formula 1 alongside a rookie teammate, who is played by London-born actor Damson Idris. Their fictional F1 team is called APXGP.

The film is directed by Joseph Kosinski of “Top Gun: Maverick” fame.

Formula 1 said in a statement that the film will be released next June.

In a recent interview with People, Kidman and her “A Family Affair” co-star Zac Efron revealed the movie’s explicit working title.

“Originally, it had a different title,” Kidman said, as Efron chimed in with the original name: “It was called Motherf—–.”

“Beeped out,” Kidman clarified. “Somehow that didn’t make it onto the Netflix title.”

The raunchy original title is what caught the actors’ eyes and drew them to the script.

“That made the script stay at the top of the pile. It’s like, what on Earth could this be about?” Efron said.

The PG-13 film “A Family Affair,” which hit Netflix June 28, marks Kidman and Efron’s second time playing onscreen love interests. The actors originally worked together more than a decade prior in the 2012 movie “The Paperboy.”

The “Iron Claw” star said that the enthusiasm to work together again was mutual and said they both “jumped at” the opportunity.

“It was like, this is perfect,” he said. “What better way to reconnect? And we get to have fun.”

The actor also revealed that he was “still so enamored” with Kidman after all these years.

“There’s a part of me that pinches myself when I realize who I’m working with a lot,” he said.

“I think that was more pronounced during ‘The Paperboy’ because I was a lot younger,” he added. “I was very nervous back then.”

The romantic comedy stars Kidman and Efron alongside Kathy Bates and Joey King. In the movie, Efron takes on the role of movie star Chris Cole with King portraying his personal assistant, Zara. Kidman plays Zara’s mom, Brooke, while Bates plays her grandmother, Leila.

Chris proves to be a high maintenance boss for Zara. After cleaning up one too many of his messes, she deems him too self-centered to ever promote her and decides to quit. When he tries to get Zara to return to work with a new title, he ends up meeting Brooke. A whirlwind romance ensues, which Zara tries to personally shut down.

While Efron was excited to reunite with Kidman again, for King, working with him was a dream come true.

The “Kissing Booth” star said during an interview with “Etalk” that “obsessed is an understatement” when it came to the “High School Musical” franchise.

“Zac was my everything when I was younger, and you still are, Zac. There’s so many moments that are pinch me over the years and this is definitely one of them,” she said, before joking, “And I never want to work with you again.

“You lived up to the hype, man,” she added.

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Tom Hanks and Robin Wright – who starred in the iconic movie “Forrest Gump” released 30 years ago – have reunited in the upcoming film “Here.”

And they look as young as they did back when Forrest was running around Greenbow, Alabama.

The trailer for their new film was released Wednesday by Sony, showing the de-aging technology used on Hanks, 67, and Wright, 58, while capturing the passage of time over the course of their relationship from high school sweethearts to elderly spouses. 

As decades pass and appearances change in the movie, the camera used stays firmly in place throughout, with no zooming or spinning. Viewers get one vantage point during the 104-minute film, which is set entirely in the New England location that becomes the couple’s living room. 

“The single perspective never changes, but everything around it does,” director Robert Zemeckis, who also directed “Forrest Gump,” told Vanity Fair. “It’s actually never been done before. There are similar scenes in very early silent movies, before the language of montage was invented. But other than that, yeah, it was a risky venture.”

The trailer shows the location of the living room from when it was a plot of land during the age of dinosaurs, to when the house was constructed, to when an elderly Hanks and Wright, in their roles as Richard and Margaret, have seemingly moved out.

“This was our home,” Hanks tells Wright in an empty living room. “We lived here.”

Here’s everything you need to know about the movie “Here.”

When does “Here” come out?

“Here” will be released in theaters on Nov. 15.

Who stars in “Here”?

Tom Hanks and Robin Wright portray the main characters in “Here.” The movie also stars Paul Bettany, Kelly Reilly and Michelle Dockery.

The film reunites the stars of “Forrest Gump” with the 1994 movie’s director Robert Zemeckis, who is “Here’s” director and script co-writer.

Their new movie comes as “Forrest Gump” – which won six Academy Awards – marks its 30th anniversary this summer.  

What is “Here” about?

“Here” captures the relationship of Richard and Margaret, played by Hanks and Wright, over the course of decades strictly from within the setting of their living room.  

The movie is based off Richard McGuire’s graphic novel of the same title.

According to Sony, “Here is an original film about multiple families and a special place they inhabit. The story travels through generations, capturing the human experience in its purest form.”

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True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

Not only is it the second-highest opening weekend in Pixar’s 29 years of making films and the second-biggest animated opening ever (behind only the $182.7 million launch of “Incredibles 2” in 2018); It’s also the biggest of 2024, and since “Barbie.” With an estimated $140 million from international showings, “Inside Out 2” had a staggering, and record-breaking, $295 million global start.

Tony Chambers, who heads theatrical distribution for Disney, was confident that the film would do “extremely well.” But even he was surprised at how much it exceeded already high expectations.

“People go to the theaters for great movies,” Chambers said. “The reviews, the word of mouth just helped build this momentum … It’s becoming a bit of a phenomenon.”

Importantly, “Inside Out 2” audiences spanned ages and all demographics. Post-COVID, he said, breakout successes depend on attracting multicultural audiences.

The success is significant for Pixar, marking a much-needed return to form for a studio that has had a string of underwhelming launches including “ Elemental,” which did eventually become a success, and “ Lightyear,” which didn’t. It’s also vitally important for the greater Hollywood ecosystem and the health of theatrical exhibition, which had been running at a 26% deficit.

“Everybody needed this because success begets success,” said Chambers, who has been getting excited calls from exhibitors and fellow studios alike. “It’s great for the industry, great for Pixar and great for the business overall.”

Disney was already having a good summer, with “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which this weekend was in third place in its sixth weekend with $5.2 million (bringing its global total to $374.5 million). And next up is “ Deadpool & Wolverine ” (July 26).

Kelsey Mann directed “Inside Out 2,” which picks up with Riley as she turns 13. That means the arrival of new emotions like Anxiety (Maya Hawke) and Envy ( Ayo Edebiri ) to Joy’s (Amy Poehler) party. It got glowing reviews from critics (92% on Rotten Tomatoes) and polled audiences who gave it an A CinemaScore, suggesting that this won’t be a first-weekend wonder. With kids out of school and an open market until “Despicable Me 4” enters the ring over the Fourth of July, “Inside Out 2” is just getting started.

“This is a monumental weekend for movie theaters,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.

“Inside Out 2” is estimated to have cost around $200 million to produce, which does not account for the millions spent on marketing. Going into the weekend, it was tracking for a debut in the $90 million range, which would have been in line with “Inside Out’s” first weekend in June 2019. Even that would have been considered a terrific achievement, and enough to claim the biggest opening of the year — finally unseating March releases like “ Dune: Part Two ” and “ Godzilla x Kong.”

“For the entire industry that works for theatrical, this is a huge turning point for 2024,” said Daniel Loria of Boxoffice Pro. “This is the sort of weekend we’ve been waiting for.”

As the only major release of the weekend, its theatrical footprint was equally impressive playing on 400 IMAX screens, over 900 “premium large format” screens and over 2,500 3D screens.

This recommitment to theatrical comes after Disney sent several Pixar films straight to its streaming service, Disney+, over the pandemic including “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turning Red.” Last month, the New York Times reported that Pixar had decided to return its focus to feature films (and not producing shows for Disney+) and that it had laid off 14% of its workforce (about 175 employees).

“As important as this weekend is for the industry at large, for Pixar this is huge. They’ve been trying to get their groove back since the pandemic,” Dergarabedian said. “They’ve really come back big.”

Second place went to Sony’s “ Bad Boys: Ride or Die, ” now in its second weekend with $33 million, down only 42% from its opening. In just 12 days, it’s already earned over $112 million domestically and $214 million globally. As of Friday, the four-film franchise had crossed the $1 billion mark.

“Bad Boys’” success last weekend was the start of a higher-earning turnaround for the lagging summer movie season. For Hollywood, the summer season, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day, usually represents about 40% of the yearly box office. The deficit is still significant, with ticket sales down 28% for the summer and 24% for the year (and this is still before “Barbenheimer”) but it’s progress in a more promising direction nonetheless.

“We’re not going to get there overnight,” Dergarabedian said. “But it’s good news for theaters. And we have some big movies on the way.”

On the ground, theater owners saw their cineplexes come to life this weekend.

“It has been magical,” said Jeff Whipple, a vice president for Megaplex Theaters. “We have seen literally generations of families brought together for this movie.”

Megaplex Theaters operates 15 locations and 173 screens in Utah and Southern Nevada. And the energy was palpable, Whipple said. Not only have families been hanging around after the showtimes to discuss the film; They’ve also been scoping out what’s coming next with kids taking pictures of the “Despicable Me 4” posters and displays and dads taking note of the “Deadpool & Wolverine” date.

“I think word is going to spread on this film and help draw people into theaters throughout the summer,” Whipple said.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

1. “Inside Out 2,” $155 million.

2. “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” $33 million.

3. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” $5.2 million.

4. “The Garfield Movie,” $5 million.

5. “The Watchers,” $3.7 million.

6. “IF,” $3.5 million.

7. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” $2.4 million.

8. “The Fall Guy,” $1.5 million.

9. “The Strangers: Chapter 1,” $760,000.

10. “Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring,” $632,910.

Warner Bros. shared the news in a June 10 TikTok clip featuring one of the most famous scenes from the original movie.

In the TikTok post, stars Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman dance around with their midnight margaritas to the song “Coconut” by Harry Nilsson. The text over the snippet reads, “Me & the girls finding out that Practical Magic 2 is happening.”

The caption confirms the news: “It’s official… Practical Magic 2 is coming!”

Since the announcement, Warners Bros. has shared several other videos with clips from the first film with captions like, “You asked for it!” with the hashtag #PracticalMagic2 and, “Can’t talk, busy summoning Practical Magic 2.”

The movie studio teased the impending announcement on TikTok June 9, sending fans into a tailspin. Three candles lit one by one in the video, set to a spooky track from composer Alan Silvestri’s film score. 

Text over the video directed users to return to TikTok at midnight, which fans clocked as a reference to the film’s midnight margarita’s scene, memorably set to Harry Nilsson’s “Coconut.” 

“Something magical is brewing…” the post’s caption read.

Based on the book “Practical Magic” by Alice Hoffman, the movie stars Bullock and Kidman as witchy sisters Sally and Gillian Owens. Sally and Gillian attempt to break their family’s curse, which dooms any man who loves an Owens woman to death.

Blood oaths, resurrection possession and the formation of a small-town Massachusetts coven ensue, culminating in a dramatic exorcism.

The film premiered in 1998 and endures as a cult classic today.

Spinoff murmurings surrounding “Practical Magic” picked up in 2019 after Max (then HBO Max) ordered a one-hour pilot for “The Rules of Magic,” a prequel series focusing on siblings Franny, Jet and Vincent Owens.

Franny and Jet become Sally and Gillian’s spell-casting aunts, played by Stockard Channing and Dianne Wiest in the 1998 movie.

In February, “Practical Magic” producer Denise Di Novi told UPI the Max TV series was no longer development but teased another “secret.” 

“There is something else that’s going to happen that is still a secret. But, I think the fans are going to be thrilled,” Di Novi said. 

“It’s not ‘The Rules of Magic,’ which I did develop for television, but it’s in the world of ‘Practical Magic,’” Di Novi added at the time. “Something is in the works.”

The cast or release date have not been confirmed. TODAY.com has reached out to Kidman and Bullock about their potential return but has not heard back at the time of publication.

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Expectations were all over the map for “Ride or Die” given the dismal moviegoing market thus far this summer and Smith’s less certain box-office clout. In the end, though, the Sony Pictures release came in very close to, or slightly above, its tracking forecast.

“Ride or Die,” produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and directed by Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, is Smith’s first theatrical test since his 2022 slap of Rock earned him a 10-year Oscar ban. The “Bad Boys” film was in development at the time and was momentarily put on hold, but ultimately went forward with about a $100 million production budget.

Smith starred in the Apple release “Emancipation,” but that film — released in late 2022 — was shot before the slap and received only a modest theatrical release before streaming.

This time around, Smith largely avoided soul-searching interviews looking back on the Oscars and instead went on a whistle-stop publicity tour of red carpets from Mexico to Saudi Arabia, where he attended what was billed as the country’s first Hollywood premiere. The 55-year-old Smith, who for years was one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, appeared on “The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon,” the YouTube series “Hot Ones” and on Friday, made a surprise appearance at a Los Angeles movie theater.

Given that “Bad Boys” trailed May disappointments like “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” and “The Fall Guy” – both of which struggled to pop with ticket buyers despite very good reviews – the “Ride or Die” opening counts as a critical weekend win for the movie business.

“The fact that a movie overperformed is the best possible news,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore. “It seems like all we’ve been doing over the past few weeks and almost since the beginning of the year, with a couple of exceptions, is try to figure out why seemingly well-marketed, well-reviewed movies have underperformed. This ignites the spark that the industry has been waiting for.”

“Ride or Die” still didn’t quite manage to match the opening of the previous “Bad Boys” film: 2020’s “Bad Boys for Life.” That movie, released in January 2020, debuted with $62.5 million. After the pandemic shut down theaters, it was the highest grossing North American release of that year, with $204 million domestically.

“Ride or Die” added $48.6 million internationally. Though reviews were mixed (64% on Rotten Tomatoes), audiences gave the film a high grade with an “A-” CinemaScore. Black moviegoers accounted for 44% of ticket buyers, the largest demographic.

In the film, which comes 29 years after the original, Smith and Lawrence reprise their roles as Miami detectives. The plot revolves around uncovering a scheme to frame their late police captain (Joe Pantoliano). In one of the movie’s most notable scenes, Lawrence slaps Smith and calls him a “bad boy.”

Movie theaters will need a lot more than “Bad Boys: Ride or Die,” though, to right the ship. Ticket sales are down 26% from last year and more than 40% below pre-pandemic totals, according to Comscore. A big test comes next weekend with the release of Pixar’s “Inside Out 2.” After sending several Pixar releases straight to Disney+, the studio has vowed a lengthy, traditional theatrical rollout this time.

Last weekend’s top film “The Garfield Movie,” slid to second place. Also from Sony, the family animated comedy collected $10 million in ticket sales over its third weekend, bringing its domestic gross to $68.6 million.

The weekend’s other new wide release, “The Watchers,” failed to click with moviegoers. The horror film, directed by Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, is about a stranded 28-year-old artist in Ireland. Following poor reviews, the Warner Bros. release grossed $7 million in 3,351 theaters.

That allowed “If,” the Ryan Reynolds imaginary friend fantasy, to grab third place in its fourth weekend of release, bringing the Paramount Pictures cumulative domestic total to $93.5 million. Rounding out the top five was “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which added $5.4 million in its fifth weekend of release. It has grossed $150 million domestically and $360 million worldwide.

Moana, our favorite wayfinder, is back in a brand-new animated adventure that premieres Nov. 27. The trailer just dropped and it will get your heart beating just as fiercely as the Polynesian drums.

“This is a call from the ancestors,” Moana’s voiceover begins, “to sail to new skies, and reconnect our people across the entire ocean.”

This journey certainly seems more ambitious than the first.

After we see a slightly older Moana saying farewell to her village — and maybe even a younger sibling — she confidently sets sail, encountering giant sea creatures, strong waves and the Kakamora. (In case you’ve forgotten, the Kakamora are the coconut-looking “murdering little pirates” from the first film.)

The Kakamora aren’t the only familiar faces you’ll see. Moana’s trusty sidekicks, Hei Hei the rooster and Pua the pig are once again in the mix.

And how could the movie be complete without the larger-than-life Maui?

In the trailer, he appears as a shark, then as a hawk before he transforms into human form.

“Boat snack!” he says, grabbing Hei Hei. “Boat snack upgrade!” he says after Pua falls into his free hand. “Bacon and eggs? Why didn’t you bring the pig last time?” he asks Moana.

While Lin-Manuel Miranda penned standout songs from the first film, like “How Far I’ll Go” and “You’re Welcome,” Abigail Barlow, Emily Bear, Opetaia Foa’i and Mark Mancina will oversee the music for the sequel. Foa’i and Mancina previously worked on songs for the first animated flick.

Barlow and Bear are the first female songwriting duo — and the youngest — to compose for a Disney feature film. Based on the fervent fan base these Grammy winners attracted for the unofficial “Bridgerton” musical, we’re guessing their tunes will likely appear in our favorites list during the holiday season and beyond.

The film opens the day before Thanksgiving, just in time for holiday viewing. How far will you go to join Moana on her next adventure?

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The two actors, who last appeared onscreen together 16 years ago in the 2008 crime comedy “Burn After Reading,” remain uncomfortably silent as they travel in a car together in the seemingly tense 30-second trailer, released May 28.

Clooney sits behind the wheel looking annoyed while Pitt fidgets with the car’s visor and then opens the glove box, prompting Clooney to slam it shut. Throughout the trailer, the car’s windshield wipers squeak excruciatingly slowly over the car’s windshield.

A new (and hopefully longer) trailer for “Wolfs” will be released May 29.

What is ‘Wolfs’ about?

“Wolfs,” written and directed by “Spider-Man” franchise director Jon Watts, tells the story of two lone-wolf fixers who attempt to cover up the same high-profile crime, according to GQ.

The movie also stars Amy Ryan, Austin Abrams and Poorna Jagannathan.

When is ‘Wolfs’ coming out?

The movie is scheduled for a theatrical release September 20, according to GQ.

Will we see Clooney and Pitt in any other movies?

Clooney told Deadline in December 2023 that he, Pitt and Watts were “already talking about a sequel” for “Wolfs,” calling the filming of the movie a “great shoot.”

“We had a blast doing it and we’ve seen it. It’s an off-the-charts great film and it’s fun to work with Brad again. We had a really good time,” said Clooney.

Pitt and Clooney have appeared onscreen together several times in the past. In addition to 2008’s “Burn Before The Reading,” the pair co-starred in the “Oceans” franchise.

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It was a close race, but the wasteland warrior of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” came out slightly ahead of the plump orange cat with an estimated $32 million in ticket sales over the four-day weekend according to studio estimates Monday. “The Garfield Movie,” a Sony release, earned $31.1 million in its first four days.

The dust won’t officially settle on the showdown until Tuesday when final numbers are reported, but for now at least Warner Bros. has the No. 1 movie in the country. Including international showings, its running global earnings are at $64.8 million. But victory is a long way off for the $168 million production starring Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth. George Miller’s prequel stormed theaters riding on great reviews and was expected to have at least a slightly stronger debut.

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For Sony, the launch of the more modestly budgeted “The Garfield Movie” is a win even without the bragging rights of being in first place. The animated film featuring the voice of Chris Pratt is likely to have a long life at the box office the summer holiday beginning for school age children. With its early international release, “The Garfield Movie” has already earned over $91.1 million against its $60 million production budget.

But this weekend has also been a sobering one for Hollywood as one of the worst Memorial Day weekend box office showings in decades, excluding 2020 when theaters were closed. Ticket sales are down 22% from 2023 and the gap may just get bigger as the summer goes on. Remember, at this point last year “Barbenheimer” hadn’t even happened.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Monday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures will be released Tuesday.

1. “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” $32 million.

2. “The Garfield Movie,” $31.1 million.

3. “IF,” $21 million.

4. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” $17.2 million.

5. “The Fall Guy,” $7.7 million.

6. “The Strangers: Chapter 1,” $6.9 million.

7. “Sight,” $3.6 million.

8. “Challengers,” $1.8 million.

9. “Back to Black,” $1.4 million.

10. “Babes,” $1.2 million.

One of the most iconic movie homes in the Chicago area was placed on the market Friday, which could make a popular Christmastime attraction your home for a hefty sum.

Made famous for appearing in the 1990 Christmas classic “Home Alone,” the red brick Georgian home at 671 North Lincoln Avenue in Winnetka is now officially for sale at $5,250,000.

Those interested in owning the McCallister family’s residence may notice upon looking at the home’s listing that much of the more than 9,000-square-foot house bears little resemblance to the home in the film, which can be attributed to interior scenes being shot at the shuttered New Trier Township High School and a recent renovation.

While key spaces such as the foyer and instantly recognizable entry staircase were largely unchanged, the home is now also loaded with luxurious amenities — including one feature that the home’s Zillow listing considers to be “the ultimate wow factor.”

Consisting of five bedrooms and a whopping six bathrooms, the residence has a number of notable features — like a luxurious primary suite with a gas fireplace, two laundry rooms and an attic-turned-junior suite that offers “a magnificent treetop escape.”

There’s also a recent addition complete with a sun-drenched family room with sweeping 10-foot, 4-inch tall coffered ceilings and walls of French doors that open to the inviting backyard.

If you’re already impressed, wait for the basement.

The lower level is packed with a fully equipped gym, a recreation space, a full bath, wet bar and a state-of-the-art movie theater, according to the listing.

If you didn’t think that was enough to live inside a part of local film history, there’s also a state-of-the-art indoor basketball court featuring a realistic three-point line.

If you’re wondering, the current owners purchased the residence for $1,585,000 in March of 2012. While the home isn’t open to the public, some lucky folks did get a chance to stay there in recent years.

Reservations for a one-night stay were available through Airbnb just ahead of Christmas in 2021, and unsurprisingly, they sold out quickly.

Renters were able to enjoy the family house as they knew it — filled with Christmas decorations, booby traps, a candlelit dinner of highly nutritious microwavable macaroni and cheese, Kevin’s dad’s aftershave, ’90s junk food, “Chicago’s finest pizza” and more.

The trailer for the movie dropped on May 15.

The trailer features Ariana Grande’s Glinda and Cynthia Erivo’s Elphaba forging a friendship after meeting at Shiz University.

“You’re the one the wizard has been waiting for,” Michelle Yeoh, as headmistress Madame Morrible, says as she works with Elphaba.

Things then take a dark turn when Glinda gives Elphaba a black hat to wear and Elphaba encourages her to accompany her on a trip to Emerald City. Elphaba seems to sense trouble in Oz, while the Wizard of Oz — played by Jeff Goldblum — offers some strong words.

“The best way to bring folks together is to give them a real good enemy,” he says over images Elphaba, who remains loyal to herself.

“I’m not afraid. It’s the Wizard who should be afraid of me,” she says shortly before the trailer ends.

In the movie, Erivo plays Elphaba, “a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power,” according to a Universal press release about the film.

Grande portrays Glinda, “a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.”

The pair become friends only to see their lives go in different directions after they meet The Wizard of Oz.

“Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future,” the release said.

“Wicked,” based on the Gregory McGuire book of the same name that became the basis for a hit Broadway musical, is directed by Jon M. Chu, who helmed “Crazy Rich Asians” and “In the Heights.”

The movie also stars Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang and Peter Dinklage.

The movie is scheduled to be released Nov. 27, with “Wicked Part Two” due to come out Nov. 26, 2025.

Erivo and Grande were filled with emotions when they found out they had been cast in the film.

“It’s been a really long journey here and I’m really grateful for it,” Erivo said in a video after she learned she had gotten the role of Elphaba.

“I never thought in my lifetime that I would get to be a part of something like this.”

Grande was equally in awe when she was told she had been tapped to play Glinda.

“Oh my God, thank you,” she told Chu while crying. “I love her so much. I’m going to take such good care of her. Thank you so much!”

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For the first time since 2009, the box office doesn’t have a Marvel film to kick off the summer movie season — and it shows.

Since the 2008 release of “Iron Man,” Marvel Cinematic Universe films have consistently launched during this highly lucrative moviegoing season, with only two films generating openings of less than $100 million — not including pandemic years.

This year, the headline film for the first summer weekend was Universal’s “The Fall Guy.” And despite strong marketing efforts and solid reviews, the movie failed to drum up ticket sales during its opening last weekend. The film tallied less than $28 million during its domestic debut.

“‘The Fall Guy’ had quality co-stars in Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, but the lack of a known franchise brand and a niche storyline made it too narrow to attract a mass summer-like audience,” Eric Handler, managing director at Roth MKM, wrote in a note to investors Monday.

That stumble doesn’t bode well for the summer box office, which was already set to decline from last year’s $4.1 billion haul after dual Hollywood labor strikes halted production and clogged the pipeline of new film releases.

The result could send the 2024 summer box office down as much as $800 million compared with 2023, according to Comscore’s Paul Dergarabedian, and have ripple effects for the whole year. After all, the key summer period, which runs from the first weekend in May through Labor Day, typically accounts for 40% of the total annual domestic box office.

A limited and unsteady stream of new films means moviegoers haven’t been exposed to film trailers and poster promotions at their local cinemas and may not be aware of the features heading to the big screen. Additionally, this summer’s movie slate is not as strong as that of prior years, with fewer blockbusters and major franchise films.

There’s only one superhero film slated for the summer — “Deadpool and Wolverine,” the first R-rated Disney Marvel flick — and it doesn’t arrive until late July.

At present, analysts believe the summer movie season will exceed $3 billion in ticket sales, but just barely. Before Covid, the summer box office consistently topped more than $4 billion. The last time ticket sales were as low as $3 billion during this season was in 2000, according to data from Comscore.

“Even with the inevitable year-over-year revenue downturn, the summer of ’24 should be judged more by the quality and value of the moviegoing experience than the quantity of box office cash in the drawer,” said Dergarabedian.

A lackluster summer

So far this quarter, the box office is tracking down 48% year-over-year, Handler noted. While he expects the May slate to help strengthen ticket sales, the box office “will need to see some big splashes” to “reclaim some lost ground.”

“Right now, cinema operators are in need of a significant content infusion,” Handler wrote. “Not only is the volume of content down in 2Q, but it also lacks sizzle.”

For the rest of May, Disney’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is currently tracking for a domestic opening weekend of between $55 million and $60 million. Paramount’s “IF” is looking at around $40 million. And Warner Bros.’ “Furiosa” is expected to hit between $40 million and $50 million.

However, those forecasts pale compared with major releases during the same month last year. Universal’s “Fast X” tallied $67 million during its opening, and Disney’s live-action film “The Little Mermaid” opened to $96 million.

It’s yet to be seen if this summer will have any breakout hits, such as Angel’s “Sound of Freedom” last year, that could bolster the overall box office.

A strong finish

What the summer 2024 slate has going for it is more family-friendly fare. A slew of animated features from established franchises should draw out parents and kids during summer vacation and time off from school.

Currently, Universal’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” is the second-highest-grossing film domestically for 2024, with $188.4 million in ticket sales. Warner Bros. and Legendary Entertainment’s “Dune: Part Two” is the highest-grossing domestic release so far this year with $281.3 million.

And some heavy hitters are coming during the last stretch of the year.

“Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” arrives in early September, “Joker: Folie a Deux” hits in October alongside “Venom: The Last Dance,” and November sees “Gladiator II,” “Moana 2” and “Wicked.” Additionally, December will have “Kraven the Hunter,” “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” and “Mufasa: The Lion King.”

Notably, the first “Joker” tallied $335 million domestically in 2019. Both “Venom” films generated $213 million apiece. “Moana” in 2016 took in $248.7 million, and the two previous “Sonic” movies scored $146 million and $190 million during their runs in theaters.

“Ultimately the race is won at the multiplex and not on a spreadsheet,” said Dergarabedian.

Disclosure: Comcast is the parent company of NBCUniversal and CNBC.

According to a press release, the event, Sundance Institute x Chicago 2024, will take place June 28, 29 and 30. The event will make Chicago the first U.S. city to host a Sundance film and artist event outside of Park City, Utah, the home for the well-known annual Sundance Film Festival, the release said.

“This collaboration between Choose Chicago, the City of Chicago, and the Sundance Institute is a momentous occasion for our city,” a statement from Mayor Brandon Johnson said in the release. “It not only celebrates our rich filmmaking heritage, but also provides an unparalleled platform for our local talent to engage with industry leaders and decision-makers.”

“This event is a shining example of our commitment to enriching Chicago’s cultural landscape and fostering an environment where the arts can thrive,” the statement continued.

The summer event will include screenings of four films from the 2024 Sundance Film Festival in January, along with Q&As with filmmakers, the release said. It’s also set to include panel discussions, presentations, and a film program and masterclass for emerging and underrepresented filmmakers, the release added.

“To know the history and landscape of independent storytelling is to know that Chicago has always been a home and a source of inspiration for artists, many of whom have ties to Sundance through our Festival and artist support programs,” Eugene Hernandez, festival director and head of public programming at the Sundance Institute said in the release. “All of us at the Institute are very much looking forward to deepening our connection to this unique community of film lovers, film champions, and filmmakers through this weekend of events designed for and with the city of Chicago.”

Chicago currently boasts more than 50 film festivals each year, the release stated.

Information on tickets, venues and films has not yet been released. More information can be found here.

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

Paramount Pictures is moving ahead with a long-gestating remake of “Naked Gun,” the studio announced Wednesday. Liam Neeson will star as the bumbling police detective Debin in the role made famous by Leslie Nielsen.

Akiva Schaffer (“Hot Rod,” “Pop Star: Never Stop Stopping”) will direct the film, set for release in July 2025. The script is by Dan Gregor, Doug Man and Schaffer, who collaborated on 2022’s “Chip ‘N Dale: Rescue Rangers.”

The “Naked Gun” films, derived from the TV series “Police Squad!”, were high-water marks for slapstick comedy. They ran over six years: “The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad” (1988), “The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear” (1991) and “Naked Gun 33 1/3: The Final Insult” (1994).

Nielsen died in 2010 at the age of 84. Before playing Lt. Drebin, Nielsen had been largely a dramatic actor.

“It’s been dawning on me slowly that for the past 35 years I have been cast against type,” Nielsen once said, “and I’m finally getting to do what I really wanted to do.”

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

Things change. The Hoosier Gym doesn’t.

About 35 miles east of Indianapolis is the little town of Knightstown, which most people probably aren’t too familiar with. Basketball fans, however, are likely very aware of the place that brings more people into the town than anything else — a small brick building that the Hickory Huskers of the movie “Hoosiers” called home. It’s still there, still iconic nearly four decades after the film’s release, hosting more than 50,000 visitors and dozens of high school games each year.

“When you get that many people coming here every year,” said Larry Loveall, one of the volunteers that keeps the gym running, “you know you’re doing something right.”

The movie — ranked as the No. 1 sports film of all-time by The Associated Press in 2020 — was released in 1986. Gene Hackman starred as coach Dale, a man who was given a second chance at coaching after his first one ended for striking one of his players years earlier. Hackman famously thought the movie would end his career; he didn’t think it would be a success.

He was very, very wrong. The tale of the Huskers, a small-town team that in the movie version took on the big-city South Bend Central in the 1952 Indiana state championship game and won in a David vs. Goliath story with Chitwood — a sharpshooter who initially didn’t want to play for the team — hitting the buzzer-beater to win the state title, still resonates. It’s an underdog story, a Cinderella story, one loosely based on the real-life story of small-school Milan winning Indiana’s 1954 state championship.

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“It’s about basketball, obviously,” said Brad Long, who plays Buddy Walker in the film. “But it’s about redemption and anytime you have a movie where the underdog does well and overachieves, it makes people feel good about themselves. That formula always works.”

It still does.

The movie plays on a loop in the lobby of the building, which was Knightstown High’s home gym until 1966. The court, which is meticulously maintained, has been down since 1936 and there isn’t a single dead spot to thwart dribblers. Down the steep staircase at the far end is the Hickory locker room; people have wanted to repaint it over the years but have smartly resisted — because the faded white walls and scuffed-up gray floor is how it looked in the movie, and so it shall remain.

There have been some upgrades, of course. The backboards are glass, not wood like they were in the film. There are digital scoreboards. Electric heat was added to the locker room. The playing surface was slightly widened to make it conform to current standards.

That’s about it.

“I’ve been maintaining this gym since 1998,” Loveall said. “It’s our pride and joy.”

The gym is in Knightstown, though the movie isn’t about the town. The school — enrollment of nearly 400, not quite the 64 that Hickory famously had in the movie — goes by the nickname Panthers, not Huskers. The Panthers don’t play their home games in The Hoosier Gym, and there has been a time or two where the gym and the school have disagreed on where some items like a long-abandoned victory bell belong; it’s displayed at the gym, in a room filled with Knightstown memorabilia and not artifacts from the movie.

The place remains open largely because fans keep visiting. It has been the site of everything from political rallies to fundraising dinners. The court can be rented for $100 an hour — and groups come from all over to play or just get shots up.

“It’s always an honor to be back,” actor Maris Valainis, who plays Chitwood in the movie, said when the team was assembled in Knightstown for a 35th anniversary gathering a couple years ago.

Of the many lines in the movie that resonate, one — “Welcome to Indiana basketball,” the line uttered by Dale as he fixes his tie before stepping onto the court for his first game as coach — might stand out a bit more than most others.

Thing is, the court isn’t just about Indiana basketball anymore.

High school teams from across the country come to play there now, and from that was born a new tradition. They leave a jersey behind, all signed by players. They hang in the locker room and other parts of the building, more than 300 of them now in a collection that’s constantly growing. Some leave little notes behind on the jerseys as well; Cale Leitch of Talawanda High in Ohio hit a shot at the buzzer to give his team a 48-46 win there last year and scrawled “Game winner” under his name and number.

“I envisioned it,” Leitch told the Southwest Ohio Sports Daily after his winning shot.

There have been more famous visitors as well. LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony were there once as their NBA careers were starting, posing at midcourt with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Chris Mullin has gotten shots up there, while Greg Oden and Mike Conley Jr. played there as high schoolers.

The movie even got talked about at NBA All-Star weekend in Indianapolis. Commissioner Adam Silver and No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama were on stage together at the tech summit discussing how artificial intelligence can change the way people view the game. Part of their presentation included a clip from “Hoosiers,” a movie that Wembanyama had just been introduced to.

“It’s based in Indiana,” Silver told Wembanyama. “Parts of it were filmed right down the street here.”

Maybe fittingly, there’s still the whole David vs. Goliath thing going on, just like in the movie.

New Castle — like Knightstown, part of Henry County — boasts the biggest high school basketball arena in the country, the 8,400-seat New Castle Fieldhouse. The Hoosier Gym might hold 400, tops.

“They’ll always tell us that they’ve got the world’s largest high school gym,” Loveall said. “And I said, ‘Isn’t that amazing, in the same county we’ve got the world’s largest — and the world’s most famous.’”

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

True to form, she won’t be playing favorites between her sons, Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce. “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” revolves around a “fan of the year” contest for the team, while “Christmas on Call” features a die-hard Eagles fan who helps his love interest get to know Philadelphia, according to a release from the Hallmark Channel this week.

While Mama Kelce is no stranger to the camera, having appeared in Jason Kelce’s documentary and many a gameday photo, the two movies mark her acting debut. In “Holiday Touchdown,” she plays the manager of a barbecue restaurant. And while it’s unclear whether she’s playing a character or herself in “Christmas on Call,” her role is to ensure one of the leads “orders her Cheesesteak the authentic way – ‘whiz wit.’”

The cameo announcements follow Travis Kelce’s own forays into Hollywood — having hosted “Saturday Night Live” in early 2023, before his relationship with Taylor Swift sent his profile stratospheric, he’s now set to act in Ryan Murphy’s “Grotesquerie” and host “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity?” He also earned his first producer credit this year.

Jason Kelce, meanwhile, has joined ESPN as an analyst. He’ll also have a song in one of his mom’s movies: “Christmas on Call” will feature “Santa Drives an Astrovan,” by The Philly Specials — also known as Jason Kelce and Eagles players Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson — featuring Mt. Joy, the release said. It’s from an upcoming album from which proceeds will go to the Children’s Crisis Treatment Center and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The Kelce brothers also recently inked a blockbuster deal with Amazon’s Wondery for their popular “New Heights” podcast.

The two-minute trailer shows “Industry” and “Barbie” star Marisa Abela playing Winehouse in the British singer’s signature beehive hairstyle and winged eyeliner. Winehouse’s 2006 classic “Rehab” plays over scenes showing her gritty early life and relationships away from the stage. Abela recorded and performs the songs in the movie.

“You need to know this,” she says over the phone at one point. “I ain’t no Spice Girl.”

The clip shows the alternately tender and turbulent relationship between Winehouse and her husband, Blake Fielder-Civil, played by Jack O’Connell. It also gives a look at actor Eddie Marsan playing Winehouse’s father, Mitch Winehouse.

The movie is named after Winehouse’s 2006 hit album, which won five Grammys. Winehouse died of alcohol poisoning in 2011.

“I don’t write songs to be famous,” she says in the trailer. “I write songs because I’ve got to make something good out of something bad.”

The movie, which was directed by Sam Taylor-Johnson (“Fifty Shades of Grey”), is set to be released on April 12 in the U.K. and on May 17 in the U.S.

This story first appeared on TODAY.com. More from TODAY:

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You go, Glen Coco.

Paramount’s “Mean Girls,” a musical film adaptation of the Broadway show and beloved 2004 film of the same name, opened to an estimated $28 million at the domestic box office, on its way to a $32 million take for the holiday weekend.

The haul comes in on the high end of expectations and exceeds the $24.4 million opening that the Lindsay Lohan-led original snared two decades earlier. It’s particularly impressive considering Paramount had initially commissioned the $36 million-budgeted film for a straight-to-streaming release.

“It seems that ‘Mean Girls’ in any format and on every platform has a message that resonates strongly with audiences,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “Whether as a feature film comedy, a Broadway musical or a new big screen adaptation, Tina Fey’s vision for these characters has truly struck a chord with audiences some two decades after the release of the original on the big screen.”

The movie musical genre has struggled to appeal to moviegoers in recent years, but with Warner Bros.’ “Wonka” and “The Color Purple” alongside the new adaptation of “Mean Girls” it seems like audiences have reversed course.

Combine the musical talent and charisma of star Renee Rapp with the pervasive nostalgia of the original film, and the new “Mean Girls” had a lot to offer cinemagoers over the weekend.

“The success of Mean Girls this weekend is a case study in nostalgia successfully paired with a fresh and modern hook for today’s female audience,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “Many who grew up with the original film returned for this revival alongside younger audiences and fans of the Broadway musical.”

The film skewed toward the female audience, with 75% of ticket sales being bought by women, but played well outside of the teen demographic, said Steve Buck, of movie data firm EntTelligence. In fact, the biggest percentage of ticket sales were for those aged 26 to 35, who accounted for 34% of all opening weekend ticket sales. Meanwhile, the coveted 18 to 25 demographic represented 26% of ticket sales.

“This is another showcase of how important it is for Hollywood to embrace Gen Z alongside their fellow Millennial moviegoers as the two key demographics driving theatrical box office right now,” said BoxOffice.com’s Robbins. “The cinema is a communal hub, and what’s more communal than the marriage of music with movies? Mean Girls is truly an [intellectual property] that’s evolved into a multi-threat pop culture standout.”

Slashed free of Disney’s copyright as of Monday, the iconic character from “Steamboat Willie” is already the focus of two horror films. On Monday, just hours after the 1928 short entered the public domain, a trailer for “Mickey’s Mouse Trap” dropped on YouTube. Another yet-to-be-titled film was announced Tuesday.

“Steamboat Willie” featured early versions of both Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Directed by Walt Disney and Ub Iwerks, it was the third cartoon featuring the duo they made but the first to be released. In it, a more menacing Mickey, bearing more resemblance to rat than mouse, captains a boat and makes musical instruments out of other animals.

It’s perhaps fitting, then, that the first projects announced are seemingly low-budget and campy slasher movies — and not unprecedented. Winnie the Pooh — sans red shirt — entered the public domain in 2022; scarcely a year later, he was notching up a heavy body count in the microbudget “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey.”

In the trailer for “Mickey’s Mouse Trap,” directed by Jamie Bailey, what appears to be a human in a comically small Mickey mask terrorizes a group of young people at an arcade.

“A place for fun. A place for friends. A place for hunting,” text flashed during the trailer reads. “The mouse is out.”

“We just wanted to have fun with it all. I mean it’s Steamboat Willie’s Mickey Mouse murdering people,” director Jamie Bailey said in a statement cited by trade publications. “It’s ridiculous. We ran with it and had fun doing it and I think it shows.”

No release date has been set.

The second movie is from director Steven LaMorte, who previously directed a horror parody of “The Grinch,” which is not in the public domain (the movie is thus called “The Mean One”).

“A late-night boat ride turns into a desperate fight for survival in New York City when a mischievous mouse becomes a monstrous reality,” is the logline for the untitled film, per a post on LaMorte’s Instagram.

“Steamboat Willie has brought joy to generations, but beneath that cheerful exterior lies a potential for pure, unhinged terror,” LaMorte said in a release cited by the trades. The movie has yet to begin production.

With the expiration of the 95-year copyright, the public is allowed to use only the initial versions of Mickey and Minnie — not the more familiar character designs.

“We will, of course, continue to protect our rights in the more modern versions of Mickey Mouse and other works that remain subject to copyright,” Disney said in a statement ahead of the characters entering the public domain.

LaMorte told Variety that the producers of his film are working with a legal team so as not to run afoul of Disney, and will call their raging rodent Steamboat Willie instead of Mickey Mouse.

“We are doing our due diligence to make sure there’s no question or confusion of what we’re up to,” he said.

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Greta Gerwig’s smash hit ended the year as the highest-grossing film of 2023, having raked in more than $1.4 billion since hitting theaters in July.

It’s the first time in years that a non-sequel has topped the year-end box office. Indeed, of the 10 highest-grossing films of the year, half are part of an ongoing series. “The Little Mermaid,” meanwhile, is a remake.

But the top two films, “Barbie” and No. 2 “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,” are both standalone properties (for now). Christopher Nolan’s historical drama “Oppenheimer” rounded out the top three with its $951 million haul.

“I think audiences are really showing what they want are films that are a little different,” Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, tells CNBC Make It.

After topping the 2022 box office charts with “Top Gun: Maverick” — “Avatar: The Way of Water” split its $2.3 billion box office haul between 2022 and 2023 — Tom Cruise made another appearance in the top 10 with his latest “Mission Impossible” sequel.

Marvel Studios, which in recent years has topped the year-end box office on multiple occasions with “Spider-Man” and “Avengers” films, claimed two spots in the top 10.

These are the highest-grossing films released in 2023, according to Comscore data pulled on December 18.

10. ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’

Worldwide gross: $476.3 million

Release date: February 17, 2023

9. ‘Elemental’

Worldwide gross: $479.8 million

Release date: June 16, 2023

8. ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’

Worldwide gross: $567.5 million

Release date: July 12, 2023

7. ‘The Little Mermaid’

Worldwide gross: $568.8 million

Release date: May 26, 2023

6. ‘Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Worldwide gross: $684.9 million

Release date: June 2, 2023

5. ‘Fast X’

Worldwide gross: $707.6 million

Release date: May 19, 2023

4. ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3’

Worldwide gross: $845.4 million

Release date: May 5, 2023

3. ‘Oppenheimer’

Worldwide gross: $951.4 million

Release date: July 21, 2023

2. ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’

Worldwide gross: $1.34 billion

Release date: April 5, 2023

1. ‘Barbie’

Worldwide gross: $1.44 billion

Release date: July 21, 2023

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Perhaps the ultimate coming-home movie, “Apollo 13,” and the ultimate staying-home one, “Home Alone,” are both being honored this year, selected for preservation in the National Film Registry. They’re part of an annual group of 25 that this year spans more than 90 years of filmmaking.

The 2023 collection includes the sci-fi sequel “Terminator 2: Judgment Day,” the Disney animated classic “Lady and the Tramp” and the searing, Oscar-winning drama “12 Years a Slave.” Just in time for the holidays, “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is included.

The oldest film is from 1921: “A Movie Trip Through Filmland,” a very early look at the impact of movies. The newest are both from 2013: “12 Years a Slave” and the Oscar-winning documentary “20 Feet From Stardom,” which is about backup singers.

The registry is housed at the Library of Congress, which since 1988 has selected movies for preservation based on their cultural and historic importance. The current picks bring the registry to 875 films — some, but not all, among the 2 million items in the library’s collection. Turner Classic Movies will host a TV special on Thursday, screening a selection of this year’s movies.

A look at some of the films entering the registry:

”The Wedding Banquet” (1993): Ang Lee’s romantic comedy about a gay man from Taiwan trying to hide his orientation from his family, featuring an over-the-top wedding banquet.

”Bamboozled” (2000): Spike Lee’s stinging satire about race in entertainment, with Damon Wayans as a program executive at a cable network.

”Maya Lin: A Strong, Clear Vision” (1994): Freida Lee Mock’s Oscar-winning documentary about the artist who created two famous memorials.

“Apollo 13” (1995): Ron Howard’s impeccably told chronicle of the near-tragedy involving U.S astronauts trying to get back to Earth, featuring Tom Hanks and the famous (and slightly altered) quote: “Houston, we have a problem.”

“Desperately Seeking Susan” (1985): Susan Seidelman’s uniquely New York saga featuring Rosanna Arquette and none other than Madonna as the elusive Susan.

“Matewan” (1987): John Sayles’ tale of efforts in 1920 to unionize a company town in West Virginia.

“Home Alone” (1990): Chris Columbus’ holiday classic about, let’s face it, deeply questionable parenting that made wide-eyed Macaulay Culkin — aka Kevin — a star.

“Alambrista” (1977): Robert M. Young’s story of a Mexican migrant laborer in the United States.

“Fame” (1980): A story of students seeking fame at the High School of Performing Arts in New York City, and known for Irene Cara’s version of the title song.

“Lady and the Tramp” (1955): The classic Disney canine love story, featuring surely the most famous spaghetti kiss in animated film.

The full list

“A Movie Trip Through Filmland” (1921); “Dinner at Eight” (1933); “Bohulano Family Film Collection” (1950s-1970s); “Helen Keller: In Her Story” (1954); “Lady and the Tramp” (1955); “Edge of the City: (1957); “We’re Alive” (1974); “Cruisin’ J-Town” (1975); “Alambrista” (1977); “Passing Through” (1977); “Fame” (1980); “Desperately Seeking Susan” (1985); “The Lighted Field” (1987); “Matewan” (1987); “Home Alone” (1990); “Queen of Diamonds” (1991); “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” (1991); “The Nightmare Before Christmas” (1993); “The Wedding Banquet” (1993); “Maya Lin: A Strong Clear Vision” (1994); “Apollo 13” (1995); “Bamboozled” (2000); “Love & Basketball” (2000); “12 Years a Slave” (2013); “20 Feet From Stardom” (2013).