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Tag: Top Gun: Maverick

  • ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Copyright Suit Gets Its Wings Clipped By Appeals Court In Win For Paramount

    Tom Cruise and Paramount are cleared for takeoff on more Top Gun thanks to a trio of federal judges.

    Three and a half years after the now David Ellison-owned studio was first buzzsawed by a Top Gun: Maverick copyright infringement from the estate of the journalist who penned the piece the original flyboy flick was based on, an appeals court has shut the whole thing down — at least for now.

    “The question under the extrinsic test is whether the expression in Maverick is substantially similar
    to the original expression in “Top Guns,” and it is not,” writes Judge Eric D. Miller of the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

    Reconfirming the April 2024 decision of  U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson, the unreserved January 2 opinion ruled against the widow and son of Ehud Yonay, who penned “Top Guns” from the now-defunct California magazine’s May 1983 edition. Having sold his work to producers back in the day, Yonay, who died in 2012, was credited in the Reagan Era Top Gun. Common in the Ninth Circuit, the extrinsic test looks at comparison, context and, in a case like this, specific plot elements.

    “The panel affirmed the district court’s conclusion that Maverick did not share substantial
    amounts of the original expression of “Top Guns,” and plaintiffs therefore failed to establish a triable issue as to substantial similarity, as required to establish copyright infringement, Judge Miller also stated, writing for a trio that heard the appeal last year. “The panel concluded that there was a lack of similarity in protectable elements of the article, and plaintiffs did not establish an original and protectable selection and arrangement of elements.”

    The  aforementioned panel of three judges included Trump appointee Miller, as well as Andrew D. Hurwitz, and Jennifer Sung. With the likes of thorn-in-many-a-studio-paw Marc Taboroff and studio go to lawyer Daniel Petrocelli arguing for their respective clients, the trio of Pasadena-based judges heard arguments back in early June.

    Additionally, Judge Miller noted that “the panel held that the district court properly granted summary judgment for Paramount on plaintiffs’ claim that Paramount breached its 1983 agreement with
    Ehud Yonay by not crediting him in the 2022 movie.”

    Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick (Photo: Paramount Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection)

    One of a couple of suits that the Joseph Kosinski directed blockbuster has faced since its 2022 release, Shosh Yonay and Yuval Yonay’s breach of contract, declaratory relief, and copyright infringement action claimed “Top Guns” rights reverted to them in January 2020 under copyright statutes. They alleged the $1.5 billion box office hit violated termination rights and Paramount, Cruise and producers like Jerry Bruckheimer and now Par owner David Ellison had no standing to make the sequel to 1986’s Top Gun.

    While there is still a path for the Yonays to request a to stay the mandate and seek a petition for rehearing, it will be a dog fight. To that, Toberoff did not respond to request from Deadline on the Appellate opinion and his next move, if any.

    Sounding a lot like they did in 2024 when Judge Anderson found in their favor, Paramount kept it short and sweet. “We are pleased that the Ninth Circuit recognized that plaintiffs’ claims were completely without merit, a spokesperson for the WBD bidding company said.

    As for the next move for Paramount, a Top Gun 3 is getting primed for takeoff.

    Dominic Patten

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  • ‘Top Gun 3’ in the Works at Paramount

    ‘Top Gun 3’ in the Works at Paramount

    Paramount is hoping to refuel the Top Gun franchise for liftoff once more for a third film in the storied franchise.

    Top Gun: Maverick co-writer Ehren Kruger is penning a script for what would be a new installment, and sources say Maverick director Joe Kosinski would also return to direct. Puck first reported the news of Kurger’s involvement. The intent is to reunite Tom Cruise with his next gen co-stars Miles Teller and Glen Powell.

    The development comes days after Warner Bros. Discovery announced that Cruise had signed a deal to star and produce movies for Warners, though that pact is non-exclusive. The actor’s recent films have largely been at Paramount, though he did not have a deal there. While some could view the Top Gun news as a tit for tat in the war for Cruise headlines, the reality is this sequel has quietly been in development since late fall.

    Paramount could not be reached for comment.

    Maverick was a massive overperformer at the box office in 2022, earning $1.5 billion globally and sparking Steven Spielberg to credit Cruise with saving the theatrical business, which had been beleagured by the coronavirus pandemic. The feature followed decades after Tony Scott’s 1986 Top Gun, which helped cement Cruise as a rising movie star.

    Don’t expect to see the new Top Gun movie in the near-term. Cruise is currently working on an eighth Mission: Impossible movie, which will keep him occupied until at least its release, currently set for May 2025. And it took a few years of development before Maverick became airborne. Still, this development further cements one thing that became apparent after this week: Cruise is still an in-demand star and studios will be battling his time and attention for years to come.

    Aaron Couch

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  • Cop Pleads Guilty to Pulling Gun on Colleague Threatening to Spoil Top Gun: Maverick

    Cop Pleads Guilty to Pulling Gun on Colleague Threatening to Spoil Top Gun: Maverick

    Top Gun: Maverick took 2022’s Memorial Weekend crown with tons of people contributing to its box office record success. But that doesn’t mean everyone’s seen it yet. One cop pled guilty to pulling a gun on a colleague for threatening to spoil the Top Gun sequel.

    While no one likes movie spoilers, it’s a whole other story to pull a gun on someone for that. According to The Los Angeles Times, 30-year-old Australian police officer Constable Dominic Francis Gaynor pled guilty to carrying a firearm with disregard for the safety of his colleague. Court documents state that 26-year-old Probationary Constable Morgan Royston saw Top Gun: Maverick the previous evening and jokingly threatened to spoil it for Gaynor. As stated by the documents of what the Australian cop did:

    “He pointed his firearm at the vicinity of the complainant and held it stationary for five seconds. The offender’s finger was on the receiver and not the trigger. The offender was laughing throughout this incident.”

    Gaynor appears to have intended the whole thing as a prank. The Australian Broadcasting Company said that Gaynor allegedly told his colleague something along the lines of “Don’t spoil the movie, c—” and “I’ll shoot you.”

    Top Gun: Maverick was one of the top movies of 2022. It was the second-highest-grossing film of that year and the highest-grossing movie for Tom Cruise. It also received six nominations at the 95th Academy Awards (including Best Picture) and managed to win Best Sound. Critics and audiences raved about the Joseph Kosinski movie, who favored it more than the original and felt the flight sequences made it a great theatrical experience.

    What Was the Aftermath Faced By the Cop and His Colleague?

    Probationary Constable Morgan Royston quit the force after that ordeal. He said he wanted to become a police officer despite the dangers that would come. But after Gaynor pulled a gun on him, Royston felt “overwhelming shock and fear.” Sadly, this officer ended up falling into a depression afterward, as he told the court on Thursday.

    “I have completely lost the trust I had and my admiration for the NSW Police Force. When I see a police officer now, I feel compelled to watch them and check their hand is not on their firearm.”

    Gaynor’s lawyer, Chris Micali, made a case for Constable Dominic Francis Gaynor that he was remorseful and that there was no malicious intent. Micali summed up the incident as “skylarking and tomfoolery” that “went awry.” The lawyer pointed out that a conviction would remove him from the police force and cost his client “dearly.”

    The court handed Gaynor not only a conviction but also 100 hours of community service and a two-year community correction order. Earlier in the week, he also experienced suspension without pay. Thankfully, in the aftermath of all of this, no shots were fired, and no one physically got hurt.

    Carly Levy

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  • When USD 600 million star Tom Cruise lost his role to Johnny Depp in iconic 90s movie due to weird questions he asked

    When USD 600 million star Tom Cruise lost his role to Johnny Depp in iconic 90s movie due to weird questions he asked

    Iconic roles are often coveted by A-list actors, and the casting process can be a rollercoaster ride of auditions, negotiations, and unexpected decisions. One such fascinating story revolves around Tim Burton’s beloved fantasy gothic film, Edward Scissorhands. While Johnny Depp eventually won hearts with his portrayal of the titular character, many may not know that Tom Cruise was originally in contention for the role. However, Cruise’s relentless questions about the character’s mundane aspects led to him parting ways with the film’s creative team.

    ALSO READ: Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible 7 takes biggest franchise start at box office India; Netts 64 crores in 5 days

    Tom Cruise almost got the role of Edward Scissorhands

    Tom Cruise, renowned for his brilliant acting and numerous blockbuster films, has made a name for himself as one of Hollywood’s biggest stars. Throughout his career, Cruise has taken on various challenging roles and has a track record that speaks for itself. However, despite his impressive resume, becoming a part of certain movies has proved to be a challenge.

    Edward Scissorhands, a Tim Burton masterpiece, is a fantasy gothic film that captured the hearts of audiences around the world. The film’s central character, Edward, is a unique and enigmatic individual with scissors for hands, portrayed brilliantly by Johnny Depp. What many people might not be aware of is that Johnny Depp wasn’t the original choice for the role. Before Johnny Depp was cast, Tim Burton considered several other A-list actors, including Jim Carrey, Tom Hanks, and even the legendary Michael Jackson. However, it was Tom Cruise who emerged as a top contender, alongside Robert Downey Jr. but the former’s star power and acting prowess made him a strong candidate for the role, but an unexpected turn of events changed everything.

    ALSO READ: ‘I was crying, I got emotional’: When Tom Cruise couldn’t stop praising Val Kilmer during reunion in USD 1.49 billion blockbuster movie

    What bizarre question did Tom Cruise ask?

    Tom Cruise’s journey to potentially becoming Edward Scissorhands took an unusual turn. It wasn’t his acting abilities or star status that caused the deviation but rather his relentless questioning of the character’s mundane aspects. Cruise, in a bid to understand the character on a deeper level, began pestering the film’s screenwriter, Caroline Thompson, with a series of perplexing and, at times, bizarre questions.

    One particular query that left Thompson and the creative team flabbergasted was Cruise’s curiosity about how Edward Scissorhands would use the bathroom. These inquiries delved into the character’s everyday life in a way that the team had never contemplated. The delicacy of the story, as envisioned by Tim Burton and the writers, was centered around not answering such mundane questions. Scissorhands was a fantastical creation, and the character’s quirks were part of the charm.

    In Thompson’s own words, “[Tom] wanted to know how Edward went to the bathroom! He was asking the kind of questions about the character that can’t be asked for this character! Part of the delicacy of the story was not answering questions like, ‘How does he go to the bathroom? How did he live without eating all those years?’ Tom Cruise was certainly unwilling to be in the movie without those questions being answered.”

    The decision-making process became clear at this point. Neither Caroline Thompson nor Tim Burton were willing to entertain or provide answers to these questions, which seemed oddly out of place for a character like the now-iconic gothic character. Ultimately, the creative differences between Cruise and the film’s team became insurmountable, leading to the actor’s departure from the project.

    ALSO READ: ‘Seeing Tom Cruise drive up in a Porsche..’: When 22-year old Nicole Kidman fell madly in love with USD 600 million actor in first sight

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  • Oscars 2023: Yes, Some Awards Movies Flopped, but Art Matters

    Oscars 2023: Yes, Some Awards Movies Flopped, but Art Matters

    First there was Tár, then The Fabelmans, then She Said. Empire of Light followed soon after. They were all big fall festival movies, aimed squarely at awards attention—and they all failed to ignite at the box office. Some did well in large cities for a couple of weeks, then faltered in wider release. Others never got off the ground at all, hobbled by weak marketing campaigns and a hard-to-diagnose lack of interest. For years, it has been a locus of worry within the industry: this growing chasm between box office triumphs and the movies deemed, by some anyway, to be the best of the year.

    This year will see hits like Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick, and Avatar: The Way of Water jockeying for awards. But long gone are the days when nearly every film nominated for best picture at the Oscars had a solid financial résumé. In 2022, the situation began to look truly existentially dire. Entertainment outside the home has, apparently, become an unjustified hassle for all but the loudest, biggest spectaculars, like Marvel movies and nefariously ticketed Taylor Swift concerts.

    The box office failure of so many niche films suggests a disheartening sea change in culture, one greeted breathlessly—perhaps even gleefully—by some in the industry’s commentariat class. Maybe, as those pundits suggest, we should stop wringing our hands about this shift and face the couch-bound future with a kind of tech optimism. The thinking seems to be that these artier movies will still be made, they’ll just be relegated to streaming, where potential audiences won’t have to risk quite so much money—or be forced to suffer any time outside of the house. I’m not sure that prognosis is the most clear-sighted, though. It seems more likely that studios, looking at their earnings reports, will gradually stop making these films at all.

    Which would be a loss for everyone. The studios would forsake whatever value acclaim (and, yes, awards) confers on their company. Artists would lose the opportunity to, well, be artists on the scale that best fits their vision. Audiences would be denied intellectually, emotionally, even politically challenging work. Even those who would skip these movies no matter where they’re playing will eventually suffer; styles, modes, and techniques that first develop in smaller films do trickle their way up to the blockbusters.

    The most immediate challenge in preserving the fall movie tradition is convincing the megacorporations who own a large swath of the industry that there is something to gain with loss-leader filmmaking, as was the calculation of the studios of old. I’m sure some filmmakers and film lovers of tomorrow have been inspired by Marvel movies, but how many more might be hooked by films they feel they’ve discovered, that open their minds to nascent passions of which they were previously unaware? The bracing social commentary of Tár, the poignant artistic memoir of The Fabelmans, the righteous empathy of Women Talking, the graceful humanity of Empire of Light—and the even more underwatched but still worthy projects from directors not named Spielberg or Mendes.

    Maybe the most effective appeal would be to simple self-regard: Hollywood loves celebrating itself, reveling in its own mythos. What will that identity be in the future, though, if studios have reduced their output to boilerplate franchise movies whose identities have blurred into one indistinct mass? Perhaps studio executives could persuade Wall Street and shareholders that an aura of magic and majesty, maintained year after year by the stuff that supposedly nobody cares about, is necessary for survival of the business. Box office returns are nice—as are perks and bonuses and dividends—but can you really put a price on legacy?

    Richard Lawson

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  • ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Wins PGA Award for Best Picture

    ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ Wins PGA Award for Best Picture

    Momentum is back on Everything Everywhere All at Once’s side. The highest-grossing film in distributor A24’s history was honored with the Producers’ Guild of America’s award for best theatrical motion picture, a major indication of strength. The movie will head into the final week of Oscar campaigning as the clear front-runner. The PGA prize was shared by writer-director-producers Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, as well as their longtime collaborator Jonathan Wang.

    The result is not much of a surprise after Everything Everywhere took home the top award with the directors’ guild last week, and offers evidence that this race has narrowed considerably, despite All Quiet on the Western Front—which was not even nominated by PGA—winning BAFTA’s best film award on Sunday. The producers’ guild tends to disproportionately favor bigger-budget hits—see them choosing 1917 over Parasite, La La Land over Moonlight, and so on—so Everything Everywhere winning over the likes of Top Gun: Maverick and Elvis is notable. Just last year, the micro-budgeted CODA pulled off a huge upset with PGA, a result that led to its Oscar triumph. Most years, this represents the make-or-break moment for blockbuster contenders.

    The PGA uses a preferential balloting system to determine its winner, which is the most similar to the Academy’s method of tabulating votes for best picture. It’s why the likable CODA winning here over the more polarizing Power of the Dog was telling—or to go back a few years earlier, why Green Book’s PGA victory offered sufficient evidence that the industry liked it enough to take it all the way. Everything Everywhere has its detractors, but with a leading 11 Oscar nominations under its belt, should meet an even friendlier audience with the Academy, and it’s now proven it can win under a ranked system. If the cast takes the SAG ensemble prize tomorrow as expected, the film will be in a very strong position to win the top Oscar.

    Underwhelming BAFTA showing aside—it lost every award but editing—Everything Everywhere has enjoyed a serendipitous awards journey since its SXSW premiere about a year ago. A hit with both critics and audiences, the movie has won best-picture honors from top indie-film groups (Gotham Awards), critics organizations (Los Angeles Film Critics Association), and now, several of the most influential industry guilds. Ke Huy Quan is the clear favorite to win best supporting actor, while Kwan and Scheinert are competitive in the directing and original screenplay categories, as is Michelle Yeoh in best actress.

    If any other movie got a PGA boost, even without a win, it’d probably be Top Gun: Maverick. Tom Cruise was recognized with the guild’s David O. Selznick Achievement Award, its highest honor in film, and as at the Oscar nominees’ luncheon earlier this month, he completely stole the show.

    Other film winners included Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio for animated film, the probable Oscar champ there, and BAFTA selection Navalny for documentary. On the TV side, The Bear scored its first major win with the comedy-series trophy, The White Lotus took home drama, and in a nice wrap to its awards run, Hulu’s The Dropout was named best limited series. Check out the full list of winners below.

    Theatrical Motion Picture: Everything Everywhere All at Once

    Episodic Television – Comedy: The Bear

    Episodic Television – Drama: The White Lotus

    Limited or Anthology Series Television: The Dropout

    Televised or Streamed Motion Pictures: Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

    Game & Competition Television: Lizzo’s Watch Out for the Big Grrrls

    Live Entertainment, Variety, Sketch, Standup & Talk Television: Last Week Tonight With John Oliver

    Non-Fiction Television: Stanley Tucci: Searching For Italy

    Documentary Motion Picture: Navalny

    Animated Motion Picture: Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio 

    Innovation Award: Stay Alive, My Son

    Short Form Program: Only Murders in the Building: One Killer Question (Season 2)

    Children’s Program: Sesame Street

    Sports Program: Tony Hawk: Until the Wheels Fall Off 

    Listen to Vanity Fair’s Little Gold Men podcast now.

    David Canfield

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  • For the First Time, Two Sequels Were Nominated for Best Picture

    For the First Time, Two Sequels Were Nominated for Best Picture

    It’s not often that sequels really go up for serious Oscar consideration… and it’s never been the case that two are up for Best Picture at the same time. Both Top Gun: Maverick and Avatar: The Way Of Water have managed to get Oscar nominations, but they face some stiff competition.

    Other films nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars this year include Everything Everywhere All at Once, Elvis, Tár, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Fabelmans, All Quiet on the Western Front, Triangle of Sadness, and Women Talking. Of course, regardless of how this all goes for Joseph Kosinski or James Cameron, we can at least all agree that it’s been a great year for movies.

    Both films are up for a variety of other nominations. For Avatar: The Way Of Water, we have nominations for Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, and Best Production Design. On the other hand, Top Gun: Maverick is sitting pretty with a few more nominations and in some weightier categories. It’s in the running for Best Original Song, Best Sound, Best Visual Effects, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Film Editing.

    Both films made a ton of money at the box office, received rave reviews from critics, and were well-liked by the general public. Unfortunately, when you’re up against such great films, that’s not always a guaranteed win. Luckily, both of these films also arguably have a pretty huge cultural impact, and that can really give them a leg up. Top Gun: Maverick also has nominations in some pretty key categories like Best Film Editing. Even if it doesn’t win Best Picture (which is very unlikely), it could still take home some Oscars in other categories.

    Regardless of how this goes, everyone involved with both movies should be excited to know that they were part of breaking an Oscars record. People frequently push back against the sequel-wave that Hollywood has been riding, but these nominations show that sometimes, sequels really are good.

    The Best Oscar Best Picture Winners Ever

    More than 90 films have earned the title of Best Picture from the Academy Awards. These are the best of the best.

    Cody Mcintosh

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  • ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ Beyoncé Among Obama’s Favorite Movies And Music In 2022

    ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ Beyoncé Among Obama’s Favorite Movies And Music In 2022

    Former President Barack Obama has revealed his favorite music, movies and books from 2022.

    Obama, who annually shares his end-of-the-year favorites lists, shared his most-liked picks from this year on Friday.

    Obama also listed the Netflix documentary “Descendant” as among his favorites and noted that his pick was “biased” as his company Higher Ground – which he co-founded with former First Lady Michelle Obama in 2018 – produced the flick.

    Obama also shared his picks for his favorite songs of 2022 which included Kendrick Lamar’s “The Heart Part 5,” “Break My Soul” by Beyoncé, SZA’s “Shirt” and Steve Lacy’s “Sunshine” featuring Fousheé.

    The former president also shared his favorite books from the past year, as well, which included Michelle Obama’s “The Light We Carry” and Charmaine Wilkerson’s “Black Cake.”

    You can check out Obama’s full list of favorite reads from the past year below.

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  • How the Best Sequences of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Made the Cut

    How the Best Sequences of ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Made the Cut

    Top Gun: Maverick was just a week into production, and editor Eddie Hamilton already had a problem: The flying footage looked too real. With the actors in actual fighter jets piloted by genuine Top Gun pilots and cameras bolted to the cockpits, the aerial photography captured exactly what a fighter pilot ought to do: fly fast, straight, and as efficiently as possible. “It’s actually not that interesting to watch,” Hamilton says. Initially, the actors mimicked their pilots and spoke their lines concisely, with little movement. So Hamilton offered a bit of direction to the cast of young actors: Play it big. “Look, you’re gonna have to exaggerate all your head movements,” he remembers telling them. “So when you look at an instrument, like, really look.” For the actual pilots, Hamilton had to encourage them to undo years of training and fly so that the skyline wasn’t static behind them. “That was the biggest challenge, making sure we had enough energy,” Hamilton says. “In the final mission, we really picked moments where the horizon’s always moving. Because otherwise, it’s a bit boring, frankly.”

    Maverick is not just a $1.5 billion box-office juggernaut but the sequel to a movie with some of the most famously dynamic flying sequences in history—which makes boring possibly the last word anyone would use to describe the franchise. But that’s the magic of editing for you. Hamilton worked closely with Tom Cruise and director Joseph Kosinski to create the film’s gripping action sequences, not just to captivate modern blockbuster audiences but to pay tribute to the groundbreaking original. “We felt that weight of expectation every day for two years,” Hamilton says. “Joe Kosinski and I would sit and kind of look at each other and go, ‘We can’t screw this up.’ ”

    SECOND FLIGHT The original Top Gun used green screen to film the actors’ aerial sequences.PARAMOUNT/EVERETT COLLECTION.

    Hamilton had help maintaining that link to Top Gun’s past in the form of Chris Lebenzon, the editor whose work on the 1986 original snagged him an Oscar nomination. Lebenzon stepped in to help when Hamilton was overwhelmed by the “gigantic tidal wave of material” coming in from the set. The actors were filmed in a vastly different way than in the original, when Cruise, Anthony Edwards, Val Kilmer, and the rest of the crew were on soundstages where the camera could move around the cockpit freely. But the editors on both films had a distinct advantage: With oxygen masks blocking the actors’ mouths, new dialogue could completely transform the story in the editing room. That’s what happened when Lebenzon pitched in on a key moment near the end, when Maverick helps his team avoid surface-to-air missiles by calling out their individual locations. “It’s only 15 seconds or something, but it was really difficult to get right,” says Hamilton, who joined Cruise in London to prep for the new Mission: Impossible while Lebenzon worked with Kosinski back in the States. “That was just created entirely editorially. With brute force, you slowly piece it together.”

    Hamilton calls Maverick a “seamless emotional experience” for the audience, but he’s frank about what it took to get there: “It starts out like everything creative, which is a bit of a mess.” Producer Jerry Bruckheimer assured Hamilton that Maverick was following in a strong tradition. “He’s like, ‘The first cut of Top Gun was a disaster. We all looked at it going, What is this movie?’ That’s what happens. It’s this weird alchemy of creative people who come up with stuff and somehow it all kind of falls together and works.”

    In Maverick, the actors were seated in real jets.SCOTT GARFIELD.

    Finishing Maverick during the pandemic left the filmmakers flying a little blind, unable to screen it for large test audiences. Cruise had final cut, and Hamilton credits the star’s “impeccable” instincts for guiding the film through its last stages. By the time they unveiled Maverick at a sneak preview at CinemaCon in the spring, Hamilton, Cruise, and Christopher McQuarrie—a writer and producer on Maverick—were all on the set of the next Mission: Impossible adventure in South Africa. Hamilton remembers watching the ecstatic reactions roll in at long last. “We just sat there having breakfast, about to go and do another crazy biplane stunt,” he says. “Just thinking, Oh my word. We live to fight another day.”

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    Katey Rich

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  • ‘Nope’ Gets Major Oscar Boost as AFI Winner for Best Film

    ‘Nope’ Gets Major Oscar Boost as AFI Winner for Best Film

    If you’re an American movie and you don’t make the American Film Institute’s list of the top 10 films of the year, you’re in the danger zone. Last year no eligible production missed AFI’s list of winners before going on to a best-picture Oscar nod, and generally, only one or two movies ever find the room to beat those odds. 

    So if AFI’s 2022 selections are any indication, this is a major development for Nope, this summer’s commercial and critical hit from Jordan Peele, which has been bubbling around as a potential contender and just picked up a major award for star Keke Palmer last week. The news is also good for She Said, Maria Schrader’s biopic of the New York Times journalists who exposed Harvey Weinstein, which bombed at the box office last month. Meanwhile, contenders that missed out, and now clearly face an uphill climb, include Damien Chazelle’s Babylon, which met divisive reactions out of its premiere a few weeks ago; Rian Johnson’s Glass Onion; and Darren Aronofsky’s The Whale.

    The Banshees of Inisherin will be honored with the group’s annual special award, which recognizes strong Oscar players outside of the AFI’s US-exclusive parameters. (Last year’s winner on the film side was Belfast.) Other hopefuls not eligible here include Living, Triangle of Sadness, and the rising RRR.

    A few other points of note: Reviews are still not out for Avatar: The Way of Water, but its inclusion here and on NBR’s top 10 yesterday—plus the ecstatic reactions coming out of this week’s screenings—affirms it is in the thick of this race. While the AFI ignored Babylon and Glass Onion, that does not mean it dismissed audience-friendly films more broadly: Avatar, Top Gun: Maverick, Elvis, and even The Woman King are all here. And in case there was any doubt, following their dominance with the Spirit Award nominations, the indies leading the Oscar charge right now are Everything Everywhere All at Once, Tár, and Women Talking.

    On the studio front, the two arguable surprises, Nope and She Said, are both distributed by Universal—some cheers likely happening over there this Friday morning, with The Fabelmans also ranking in the top 10. The streamers, meanwhile, were blanked entirely, from Apple TV+’s late-breaking Emancipation to Netflix’s array of hopefuls. The possibility that the Oscars’ 10 will exclude them as well, following CODA’s historic win earlier this year, seems increasingly plausible. 

    The AFI also announces 10 annual winners for television, this year naming newly minted Emmy winners Abbott Elementary and The White Lotus, as well as impending 2023 heavy hitter The Bear. The AFI Awards ceremony, taking place at the Four Seasons in Los Angeles on January 13, will gather creators and stars from each recognized film and show for a luncheon full of schmoozing. It’s a major campaign stop—great news for today’s winners, and a tough break for those left behind.  

    Full list of winners below:

    Film

    • Avatar: The Way of Water
    • Elvis
    • Everything Everywhere All at Once
    • The Fabelmans
    • Nope
    • She Said
    • Tár
    • Top Gun: Maverick
    • The Woman King
    • Women Talking
    • Special award: The Banshees of Inisherin

    TV

    • Abbott Elementary
    • The Bear
    • Better Call Saul
    • Hacks
    • Mo
    • Pachinko
    • Reservation Dogs
    • Severance
    • Somebody Somewhere
    • The White Lotus

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    David Canfield

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  • Weekend Box Office: ‘Ticket To Paradise’ Nabs $16 Million As Terrifier 2’ Jumps 84%

    Weekend Box Office: ‘Ticket To Paradise’ Nabs $16 Million As Terrifier 2’ Jumps 84%

    Universal’s Ticket to Paradise finally opened in North America with a refreshingly robust $16.3 million weekend. The last of Universal’s four live-action comedies this year, after Marry Me, Easter Sunday and Bros, showed that the sub-genre (even without music, action or fantasy) isn’t dead yet. Ol Parker’s $60 million rom-com, about two bitterly divorced parents (George Clooney and Julia Roberts) who team up to sabotage their daughter’s wedding, should be leggy. Oscar season expansions aside, there’s nothing for adults who don’t like superheroes or horror films until Thanksgiving weekend. It has already earned $80 million overseas, on par with The Lost City’s $85 million lifetime cume, following a month of slow international rollout. This gives the indifferently reviewed (I liked it, and your parents will too) studio programmer a $96 million global cume.

    It’s not a blockbuster, as it’s mostly winding down overseas and may end up with over/under $145 million global. But that will still be 2.45x its budget, with plenty more to come from PVOD rentals courtesy of older audiences either not caring about theaters or not wanting to pay for a babysitter. It may be a grim example of the modern theatrical business that a Julia Roberts/George Clooney romantic comedy barely scraping by is considered a sign of hope, but that’s where we are in the streaming era. Besides, if Hollywood were better at making new stars, we wouldn’t have to rely on the Tom Hanks, Tom Cruises and Julia Roberts of the world 20 years past their relative prime. That’s what Top Gun: Maverick, which finally fell out of the top ten on weekend 22, is subtextually about.

    Paramount’s
    PARA
     Smile remains the scary movie of the scary season, earning $8.35 million (-34%) while adding 142 theaters in weekend four. With $84.5 million domestic, it has passed Scream ($81 million) and will soon pass Halloween Kills ($92 million) next weekend as it races past the $100 million milestone. Heck, at the rate it’s going, it might pass Bullet Train ($103 million) *and* Jordan Peele’s Nope ($123 million) to become the biggest R-rated domestic earner of the Covid era. Oh, and it has earned $150 million worldwide, meaning it’ll soon pass Nope ($171 million) as this year’s biggest live-action Hollywood original. Hell, it may even pass $200 million worldwide before leaving theaters. Not bad for a $17 million, R-rated original initially intended for Paramount+. It will be more valuable to Paramount+ via its theatrical success.

    Universal and Blumhouse’s Halloween Ends took a massive 80% drop in weekend two, grossing just $8 million for a $54.177 million ten-day total. The poor review, divisive word-of-mouth and concurrent Peacock availability killed this one quick. Again, Peacock didn’t help, but it’s not like either Halloween Kills ($92 million from a $49 million debut) or the well-received and Peacock-free Halloween ($159 million/$77 million) were remotely leggy. I’m also old enough to remember when the biggest Halloween movies earned $47 million (Halloween in 1978), $55 million (Halloween: H20 in 1998) and $58 million (Rob Zombie’s Halloween remake in 2007) in total. Come what may, the $33 million slasher threequel has earned $82 million worldwide and should crack $110 million global before exiting theaters. The new Halloween trilogy should end with over/under $500 million worldwide on a combined $63 million budget.

    Sony’s Lyle Lyle Crocodile earned $4.2 million (-43%) in weekend three for a disappointing $28.7 million 17-day cume. Sony’s The Woman King earned $1.93 million (-48%) for a $62.9 million domestic and $83 million worldwide cume. The $50 million Viola Davis-led action drama may not be a theatrical hit. Still, it’s doing great domestically and is the sort of film Sony can justify making for theaters thanks to the first-window pay-tv deal they signed with Netflix
    NFLX
    . Warner Bros. Discovery’s Don’t Worry Darling has earned $44 million domestically and $80 million worldwide on a $35 million budget. 20th Century Studios’ all-star (and $80 million) Amsterdam has grossed just $14 million domestically and $21 million worldwide. 20th Century Studios’ $4 million, R-rated original Barbarian will cross $40 million domestic this weekend, even while Smile stole much of its buzz.

    Bloody Disgusting’s Terrifier 2 got oodles of mainstream media attention this week, as reports of audiences fainting or vomiting led to petitions to ban the film. Those petitions are no more serious than the morons advocating for a remake of Halloween Ends or the idiots who tried to raise $200 million to remake The Last Jedi. It’s nice to see that an old-school video nasty-type flick can still get the torches and pitchforks in this fragmented media culture. Art the Clown’s 138-minute epic slasher sequel earned $1.895 million (+85%) in weekend three for a $5.256 million domestic cume. Even accounting for the notion of demographically specific event movies (think RRR, Christmas with the Chosen, BTS: Permission to Dance, etc.), this is entirely unexpected. Art the Clown’s Terrifier 2 is turning into The Greatest Showman of unrated slasher epics.

    In Oscar rollout news, Martin McDonagh’s terrific The Banshees of Inisherin debuted in four theaters yesterday, earning $181,000 in its opening weekend. That will give Searchlight’s dark Brendan Gleeson/Colin Farrell/Kerry Condon/Barry Keoghan dramedy a promising $45,250 per-theater average. The film opened with $1.62 million in the United Kingdom. United Artists’ Till expanded to 104 theaters in advance of its nationwide rollout next weekend. The acclaimed true-life drama, for which Danielle Deadwyler is earning serious Oscar buzz, earned $376,000 in weekend two (+55%) for a $3,617 per-theater average and $666,500 ten-day cume. Cate Blanchett’s TÁR will also go wide next weekend. It expanded to 141 theaters and made $470,000 (+42%) for a $3,333 per-theater average and $1.175 million 17-day cume. We’ll see how many of this year’s critically acclaimed Oscar contenders can outgross Terrifier 2 ($5.3 million and rising rather than falling).

    Scott Mendelson, Forbes Staff

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  • Friday Box Office: ‘Smile’ And ‘Terrifier 2’ Hold But ‘Amsterdam’ Drops 66%

    Friday Box Office: ‘Smile’ And ‘Terrifier 2’ Hold But ‘Amsterdam’ Drops 66%

    In holdover news for Friday, Paramount’s
    PARA
     Smile held its own against the mighty Michael Myers. Parker Finn’s buzzy breakout earned $3.73 million (-31%) on Friday for a likely $12.7 million (-31%) third-weekend gross. That will give it a jaw-dropping $71.5 million 17-day total. One more hold like this, and it’s sure to pass $100 million domestic (a milestone Halloween Ends may not reach since both previous Blumhouse entries were uber-frontloaded).

    In other ‘horror is good’ news, Barbarian earned $406,000 (-36%) on Friday for a likely $1.33 million (-39%) weekend and $38.9 million domestic cume. It’ll pass $40 million next weekend, a fine achievement for an R-rated, star-free grindhouse original. Bloody Disgusting’s Terrifier 2 earned $340,000 (-5%) while adding theaters in an extended theatrical engagement. We can expect a $810,000 (+1%) weekend and $2.255 million 11-day cume. That’ll do Art. That’ll do.

    Meanwhile, Columbia and Sony’s delightful Lyle, Lyle Crocodile earned $2 million (-45%) on Friday for a likely $7.6 million (-34%). That gives the $50 million family-friendly comedy a mediocre $23 million ten-day cume. I wish it were doing better, but the IP wasn’t as big a deal as Peter Rabbit, Paddington or Clifford the Big Red Dog.

    Sony’s The Woman King earned another $1 million (-24%) on Friday for a $3.91 million (-24%) weekend and $60 million 31-day cume. It should crawl to $70 million in the end, give or take Oscar season attention, with its overseas prospects still mostly unknown. It’s not a blockbuster, but it’s a great film pulling its domestic theatrical weight.

    Alas, David O. Russell’s Amsterdam crashed hard, earning just $888,000 (-66%) on Friday. We can expect the Christian Bale/Margot Robbie/John David Washington comic thriller to make just $2.85 million (-56%) for a miserable $12 million ten-day total. I liked this one a lot, but audiences no longer automatically show up for star-packed non-franchise films unless almost everything (reviews, high concept, ensemble cast, marquee director, promise of escapism) goes right.

    Warner Bros. Discovery’s Don’t Worry Darling earned $740,000 (-36%) on Friday for a likely $2.29 million (-35%) weekend and $42.5 million 24-day total. Again, it’s not a blockbuster or a franchise starter, but the $35 million Olivia Wilde-directed thriller will make money. Universal’s Bros earned $290,000 (-57%) on Friday for a $900,000 (-58%) weekend and poor $10.9 million 17-day total.

    Paramount and Skydance’s Top Gun: Maverick remained in the top ten with a $730,000 (-9%) weekend and a bonkers $716 million cume. By tomorrow, the Tom Cruise legacy sequel will have sold more tickets in North America than Black Panther. This will be its 21st consecutive weekend in the top ten, the first film to do so since Titanic in 1997 and Forrest Gump in 1994. I imagine this will be its last such weekend (at least consecutively), but we’ll see.

    Scott Mendelson, Forbes Staff

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