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Tag: christy

  • Box Office: ‘Predator: Badlands’ Starts the Hunt With $15.6 Million Opening Day

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    The sci-fi sequel “Predator: Badlands” is opening atop the theatrical food chain, while a bunch of adult-skewing wide releases like Jennifer Lawrence’s “Die My Love,” Sydney Sweeney’s “Christy” and Russell Crowe and Rami Malek’s “Nuremberg” are debuting further down the charts.

    The “Predator” entry got to the chopper with $15.6 million across Friday and preview screenings in 3,725 locations. That puts it on the path to land well ahead of its pre-weekend projections, which had forecast an opening from $25 million to $30 million. As a comp, “Alien: Romulus” — another Disney revival of a sci-fi property that it acquired in the 20th Century Fox merger of 2019 — earned $42 million in its August 2024 debut.

    Speaking of “Alien,” “Predator: Badlands” even has an outside shot at the biggest theatrical bow ever for the “Predator” franchise if it overachieves Saturday. The record is held by the 2004 crossover “Alien vs. Predator” ($38 million). But it’s worth nothing that the “Predator” series has been out of theaters in recent years. The last two entries — the 2022 prequel “Prey” and this year’s animated anthology “Predator: Killer of Killers” — debuted directly on Hulu and Disney+. Director Dan Trachtenberg, who helmed both of those features, returned for the PG-13-rated “Badlands,” which stars newcomer Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as a young Predator outcast and Elle Fanning as his legless android companion.

    Disney spent $105 million on producing “Predator: Badlands,” plus more on marketing expenses. It’s a considerable budget, but far less than the $180 million that the studio put towards its recent sci-fi flop “Tron: Ares.” “Badlands” will outperform the $33 million opening weekend of “Ares,” plus it has better reviews to boost word-of-mouth in the weeks ahead. Audiences liked it too, as moviegoer survey firm Cinema Score polled an “A-” grade from early crowds.

    Among the weekend’s other new wide releases, Amazon MGM Studios’ “Sarah’s Oil” is faring the best, heading to a fourth place bow after earning $1.7 million across Friday and previews in 2,410 locations. Projections are at $4.4 million for the weekend. The early-1900s-set and PG-rated drama, about one of the first Black women to become a millionaire, comes from Wonder Project and Kingdom Story. Not many critics have reviewed it, though Cinema Score turned in the highest marks possible with an “A+” grade.

    Sony Pictures Classics has the historical courtroom drama “Nuremberg” in 1,802 locations after premiering it at the Toronto International Film Festival in September. It’s in the race for fifth. Grosses hit about $1.4 million across Friday and previews. Reviews lean positive for the James Vanderbilt-directed period piece, though it’s hardly a critical darling. SPC acquired rights from producers Walden Media and Bluestone Entertainment in June.

    Meanwhile, Mubi has Lynne Ramsay’s “Die My Love,” starring Jennifer Lawrence and Robert Pattinson, in 1,983 locations. It’s the widest release ever for the indie-focused banner, which bowed “The Substance” in 1,949 theaters last year for a $3.2 million debut. That horror movie legged out to $17 million domestic and $77 million worldwide, becoming a significant awards season force along the way.

    Here’s hoping Mubi has a similar longterm vision for “Die My Love,” which earned roughly $1 million across Friday and previews. It’s a slim start considering the company acquired the starry drama for $24 million, in what was the most high-profile deal out of this year’s Cannes Film Festival. General audiences didn’t go for the arthouse title, with Cinema Score turning in a terrible “D+” grade.

    In danger of opening outside the top 10, Black Bear Pictures is making its maiden voyage as a distributor with its release of “Christy,” starring Sydney Sweeney as boxer Christy Martin. Playing in 2,011 locations, the drama had a very quiet start, with roughly $670,000 across Friday and previews. Black Bear has looked to position “Christy” as a best actress Oscar contender, kicking off with a festival premiere at Toronto. Much like “Nuremberg,” reviews are respectable but hardly superlative. Audiences like the movie at a “B+” grade from Cinema Score.

    Second place looks to go to Paramount’s drama “Regretting You,” earning another $2.2 million on Friday and projecting a $7.3 million third weekend for a slim 7% drop. The Colleen Hoover adaptation has shown good holds since its opening and looks to hit a $38 million total domestic gross through Sunday.

    In third, Universal’s “Black Phone 2” earned $1.5 million on Friday and is projecting $5.2 million for its fourth outing, down just 38% from its prior frame. The Blumhouse sequel looks to hit a total domestic gross of $70 million through Sunday, pacing a touch behind its 2022 predecessor ($72 million through four weekends).

    Focus Features’ kidnap thriller “Bugonia” is vying for fifth, earning $1.1 million on Friday and projecting $3.7 million for its second weekend of wide release (down 26%). The Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone reunion should hit a $12.5 million domestic total through Sunday.

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    J. Kim Murphy

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  • Montclair Film Fest to Open With ‘Jay Kelly,’ Close With Sydney Sweeney-Starrer ‘Christy’ and Feature Brendan Fraser-Starring ‘Rental Family’ (Exclusive)

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    The 2025 Montclair Film Festival has set its opening night, centerpiece and closing night films.

    The 14th annual New Jersey event, set to run from Oct. 17-26, will open with Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly, starring George Clooney, Adam Sandler and Laura Dern; close with David Michôd’s Christy, starring Sydney Sweeney as real-life West Virginia boxer Christy Martin; and screen Hikari’s Rental Family, starring Brendan Fraser, as its fiction centerpiece movie. And the festival will screen Ryan White’s Come See Me in the Good Light as its documentary centerpiece film.

    Netflix’s Jay Kelly follows Clooney’s titular movie star and his manager, played by Sandler, as they reflect on their life choices, relationships and legacies during a whirlwind journey through Europe. The movie will screen on Friday Oct. 17 at the Wellmont Theater and is set to hit theaters on Nov. 14 ahead of a Dec. 5 Netflix bow.

    The following week, festivalgoers can catch Apple TV+’s documentary Come See Me in the Good Light, which tells the love story of poets Andrea Gibson and Megan Falley amid Gibson’s battle with terminal cancer. Gibson died in July. Come See Me in the Good Light will screen on Friday, Oct. 24 at The Montclair Kimberley Academy Upper School ahead of its Nov. 14 release date.

    Searchlight’s Rental Family sees Brendan Fraser’s actor character work for a Japanese “rental family” agency, as he joins strangers’ worlds and forms real connections. The movie will screen on Saturday, Oct. 25 before its Nov. 21 release date.

    Black Bear’s Christy tells the true story of West Virginia boxer Christy Martin (Sweeney) as she fights both inside and outside of the ring to reclaim her life. The movie also stars Ben Foster, Merritt Wever, Katy O’Brian and Ethan Embry and will screen on Sunday, Oct. 26 at The Montclair Kimberley Academy Upper School. Christy is set to get a Nov. 7 release.

    “We are so excited to announce the opening, closing and centerpiece films of the 2025 Montclair Film Festival,” Montclair Film artistic director Tom Hall said in a statement. “This year’s program reflects the vital role filmmakers play in shaping our culture, and we look forward to continuing to engage our community through the power of film. I cannot wait to share these movies with our audiences.”

    The Montclair Film Festival has long been supported by Stephen Colbert and his wife, Evelyn McGee Colbert, who serves as the president of Montclair Film’s board of trustees, with the Late Show host on an advisory board with J.J. Abrams, Jonathan Alter, Jon Stewart, Richard Curtis, Abigail Disney, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Patrick Wilson, Laura Linney, Julie Taymor and others.

    Stephen Colbert regularly participates in Q&A’s with actors, writers and directors as part of Montclair Film’s programming.

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    Hilary Lewis

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  • Sydney Sweeney Has Abandoned Her Jeans

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    Photo: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

    Sydney Sweeney shan’t talk pant at the Toronto International Film Festival. In the pages of Vanity Fair, the actress shut down all American Eagle jeans ad talk ahead of her appearance at the fest. Sweeney went to TIFF to promote her new movie Christy, a biopic of professional boxer Christy Martin. “I am there to support my movie and the people involved in making it, and I’m not there to talk about jeans,” Sweeney said. “The movie’s about Christy, and that’s what I’ll be there to talk about.”

    Folks want Sweeney to talk denim because of her recent American Eagle ads which some saw as akin to nazi propaganda. The campaign put forward the idea that Sydney Sweeney has “good jeans” that are passed down from generation to generation. Critics of the ads said they were white supremacist and pro-eugenics. Those who defended them said basically the same thing, but in a different font. And Sweeney is saying nothing. She previously refused to talk about jeans at the premiere for Americana.

    Wall Street is still talking about the Sydney Sweeney jeans ad, however. The collection sold out within a week. But American Eagle saw slightly declining sales overall during the last financial quarter, per the New York Times. Gap seemingly responded to the eu-jean-ic controversy with an ad featuring girl group Katseye dancing to “Milkshake” by Kellis. The commercial has seen streams of “Milkshake” going through the roof, as well as a TikTok trend of doing the band’s dance inside actual Gaps. Daren Criss, time to once again get your ass to The Grove. Could be funny.

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    Bethy Squires

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