‘Sinners’ surges past ‘Minecraft’ to lead box office
NEW YORK (AP) — Brand names, not filmmakers or stars, are said to rule the box office these days. But Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners,” led by twin Michael B. Jordans, proved a bloody exception to modern movie rules, launching with $45.6 million in ticket sales in U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. “A Minecraft Movie,” the year’s biggest Hollywood hit, followed close behind in second, collecting $41.3 million in its third week of release. That gave Warner Bros., after a handful of disappointments, an enviable one-two punch at the box office with one original, director-driven movie and one IP-based property.
Universal Epic Universe is the theme park resort’s biggest bang yet in Florida
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — From Harry Potter to Super Mario Bros. to Frankenstein, Universal Orlando Resort is pulling out all the pop culture stops at its newest theme park. There are five separate worlds within Epic Universe. The park is set to open in mid-May, just as the Orlando area’s theme parks become jammed with families. It’s the first major theme park to open in Florida since 1999, when Universal Islands of Adventure debuted, though Universal opened a themed water park called Volcano Bay in 2017. Universal’s resort will now have four theme parks, challenging cross-town rival Walt Disney World for Orlando’s annual influx of 74 million tourists.
‘Star Wars’ fans wave lightsabers as an upcoming film gets announced in Japan
CHIBA, Japan (AP) — The Force was with many Japanese, as well as visitors from abroad, at a “Star Wars” event where Lucasfilm announced that the next installation in the franchise will hit theaters in May 2027 starring Ryan Gosling. Gosling and director Shawn Levy appeared on stage Friday before a lightsaber-waving crowd at Makuhari Messe center outside Tokyo. “Star Wars: Starfighter” will not be a prequel or a sequel, but a new standalone adventure with new characters set several years after “Episode Nine.” Filming starts later this year. Only the title was shown on a big screen. The event, called Star Wars Celebration, continues through Sunday.
‘Sinners,’ shot on IMAX film, is a historic first for female cinematographers
Cinematographer Autumn Durald Arkapaw didn’t realize she was going to make history for her profession on “Sinners.” The Ryan Coogler film, now playing in theaters nationwide, marks the first time a female director of photography has shot a movie on large format IMAX film. The format, a favorite of filmmakers like Christopher Nolan, has gained popularity in recent years — not just with directors but with moviegoers seeking it out as well. Coogler quickly fell in love with the format and felt it was fitting for the larger-than-life, genre-bending film about vampires, the blues and life in the Jim Crow south in 1932.
Keri Hilson’s ‘We Need to Talk’ marks her return to music after a 15-year absence
NEW YORK (AP) — The year Keri Hilson released her second album Barack Obama was in his first term as U.S. president, the first iPad was released and Instagram was launched. On Friday, the two-time Grammy-nominated artist released her third, “WE NEED TO TALK: LOVE.” The nine-track album delves into romance and introspection. Hilson embarked on a journey of healing that included therapy, journaling and spiritual retreats before launching her comeback. She’s approaching her music as if she’s “starting over” but now with more control. She says “there were songs in my past that I felt were political moves, songs I didn’t really love that I had to sing.”
Canadian drummer arrested on child sexual abuse material charges in California
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Joseph Seiders, drummer for Canadian indie rock band The New Pornographers, has been arrested and charged with possessing child sex abuse materials. Authorities say Seiders is accused of recording young boys with his phone at a Chick-fil-A bathroom in Palm Desert, California. He was arrested April 9 after sheriff’s deputies responded to two reports of suspicious activity at the fast food restaurant. The New Pornographers said on Instagram that they have immediately severed ties with Seiders, who joined the band in 2014. Authorities believe there may be more victims and are still investigating.
Is he Christ? Is he Moses? Superman’s religious and ethical undertones add to his mystique
James Gunn’s upcoming film “Superman” is generating conversations about the place and relevance of this superhero who turned 87 on Friday, observed as Superman Day. Superman’s origin story of escaping a destroyed homeland is relatable to Jewish people and several other immigrant experiences. Numerous comics and recent films and television shows have also attempted Christ-like portrayals of Superman. But scholars, writers and fans agree that Superman does not belong to one faith tradition or even one nation. Rather, he’s a symbol of hope and transcendence for all.
Jacob Elordi talks weight loss and on-screen romance for ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North’
BERLIN (AP) — Jacob Elordi is gearing up for another busy year. He’s starring in Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” and currently filming Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights,” but will next be seen in Australian TV series “The Narrow Road to the Deep North,” by Justin Kurzel. Adapted from Richard Flanagan’s Man-Booker prize-winning novel of the same name, the series tells the story of medical officer Dorrigo Evans who was forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway in the jungle of a Japanese prisoner of war camp during World War II. Elordi and other actors underwent weight loss to portray the POWs, something Kurzel says made the production step up. The series is now streaming on Amazon Prime.
Katy Perry gears up for sci-fi inspired world tour
ONTARIO, Calif. (AP) — Katy Perry has been busy. In the past year, she’s released an album, campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris and flew to space. As she heads to Mexico City to kick off a world tour on Wednesday, the pop superstar has no intention of slowing down. She cites her willingness to try as a motivating factor, but with that openness comes an acceptance that not every endeavor will be a victory. Perry has embraced Transcendental Meditation over the past 15 years and says it helps her focus on what she can control.
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