Zoe Saldana Becomes First Performer to Appear in Top Three Highest Grossing Films Globally

Zoe Saldana is officially a box office blockbuster star…

The 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress’ latest film Avatar: The Way of Water has replaced Titanic as the third-highest grossing film in history.

Zoë SaldañaWhile the director of both films, James Cameron, has two films in the top three, Saldana appears in all three films, a feat not achieved by any other performer.

The sci-fi sequel Avatar: The Way of Water has generated $2.2433 billion globally, enough to overtake Titanic ($2.2428 billion) at the worldwide box office. Now, The Way of Water trails only Avatar ($2.92 billion) and Avengers: Endgame ($2.7 billion) on the all-time charts.

Saldana stars as Ney’tiri in the Avatar films and appears as her Guardians of the Galaxy character, Gamora.

Like the original “Avatar,” the follow-up’s success is attributed to its generation-spanning appeal as well as the incentive to watch the film in premium and 3D formats. On Imax screens, the movie has crossed $250 million. That’s more coinage than many films manage to earn in their entire theatrical runs.

In North America, “The Way of Water” is the ninth-highest grossing movie ever with $657 million to date. In order to fly higher on the all-time domestic charts, it’ll have to take down Titanic (at No. 8 with $659 million) and Avengers: Infinity War (at No. 7 with $678 million).

Elsewhere, “Avatar 2” recently passed Titanic to become the third-highest grossing international release ever with $1.585 billion. It’s behind only 2009’s Avatar ($2.1 billion) and Avengers: Endgame ($1.9 billion) in terms of overseas ticket sales. Standout markets include China ($242 million), France ($144 million), Germany ($135 million) and Korea ($106 million). It ranks as highest-grossing film of all-time in more than 20 countries, including France, Germany, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Rep, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia, Slovakia, Turkey, UAE, Cambodia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Colombia and Puerto Rico.

Disney and 20th Century spent roughly $460 million to produce and promote The Way of Water, which is one of the most expensive films ever. The long-delayed sequel opened on the big screen in December and has remained in the top five on box office charts for 10 consecutive weeks. Saldana and Sam Worthington star in the otherworldly saga about family. A third installment is set to debut in December 2024 with plans for fourth and fifth entries in the coming years.

Bad Bunny Makes Forbes List of ‘World’s 10 Highest-Paid Entertainers’

Bad Bunny is makin’ money moves…

Forbes has revealed its list of the World’s 10 Highest-Paid Entertainers, who, combined, made more than $1.3 billion last year, with the 28-year-old Puerto Rican superstar making the list.

Bad BunnyBad Bunny came in at No. 10 with $88 million, and he can attribute much of his financial success to his massive El Último Tour Del Mundo and The World’s Hottest Tour, plus endorsements from Corona, Cheetos and Adidas.

Topping the list are Genesis and Sting, who made $230 million and $210 million, respectively, thanks to selling their music.

Among the other major artists on the list was Taylor Swift, James Cameron and Brad Pitt.

See the full list of the world’s highest-paid entertainers here.

“Avatar” Producer Jon Landau Discusses Oona Chaplin’s “Avatar 3” Character

Oona Chaplin is preparing to kick ash…

Avatar producer Jon Landau has revealed new details about the half-Chilean Spanish actress’ role in Avatar 3.

Oona ChaplinChaplin, who starred in HBO’s Game of Thrones and is the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin, has been cast in the role of Varang, the leader of the more evil, fire-themed Na’vi tribe known as the Ash People, which will be at the crux of the third installment.

“There are good humans and there are bad humans. It’s the same thing on the Na’vi side,” Landau recently told Empire, echoing comments previously made by filmmaker James Cameron about the subject up for exploration in Avatar 3. “Oftentimes, people don’t see themselves as bad. What is the root cause of how they evolve into what we perceive as bad? Maybe there are other factors there that we aren’t aware of.”

Landau went on to share that Avatar 4 will feature “a big time jump,” before reiterating that the fifth film will make the leap from the moon Pandora for some time on Earth. The Earth of Avatar is not unlike our own, per the producer — ruled by “over-population and a depletion of our natural resources that make life harder.”

Landau clarifies, though, that the Avatar team doesn’t “want to paint a bleak picture for where our world is going. The films are also about the idea that we can change course.”

Landau’s comments come amid the global release of Cameron’s long-awaited sequel Avatar: The Way of Water, which hit theaters 13 years after his original sci-fi epic. Cameron said prior to The Way of Water’s release that if the film were to fail at the box-office, it would lead the franchise’s future in doubt, in spite of the fact that he’s already wrapped production on Avatar 3 and part of the fourth film.

But to the relief of both Cameron and 20th Century Studios, the sequel has more than delivered, thus far grossing over $2.1B worldwide, to become the fourth highest-grossing movie of all time. The film also recently scored four Oscar nominations, including Best Picture.

Zoe Saldana’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” Becoming No. 1 Worldwide Film Release of 2022

Zoe Saldana is celebrating a special honor…

James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, has now officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the international box office with Tuesday’s grosses included.

Zoë SaldañaWith its $1,482.5M worldwide total through Tuesday, the epic sci-fi sequel from 20th Century Studios/Disney is next on its way to yet another milestone and will top $1.5B global when today’s numbers are factored.

In doing so, it will become the No. 1 worldwide release of 2022, surpassing Top Gun: Maverick’s $1.489B.

The overseas sum through Tuesday is $1.025B, after adding $28.3M in 52 international markets yesterday (a 44% drop from last Tuesday). WoW is the No. 1 offshore release of 2022 and No. 2 of the pandemic era.

It stands as the No. 9 international release of all time, moving up from No. 11 having just passed The Fate of the Furious and Jurassic World after 21 days in movie theaters.

Globally, it is the No. 12 biggest release ever, now overtaking Disney’s own Frozen II.

First Full Trailer Released for Zoe Saldana’s “Avatar” Sequel, “Avatar: The Way of Water”

Zoe Saldana is heading the way of water

The first full official trailer for James Cameron’s Avatar: The Way of Water, starring the 44-year-old Puerto Rican and Dominican American actress, has been released.

Zoë SaldañaDisney will begin the overseas rollout of the sequel to the highest-grossing film ever on December 14 with its U.S. release set for December 16.

The Way of Water is set more than a decade after the events of the first Avatar film. It follows the Sully family (Jake, Neytiri [Saldana] and their kids), the trouble that follows them, the lengths they go to keep each other safe, the battles they fight to stay alive and the tragedies they endure as they fight for their home on Pandora. Brimming with stunning visuals and new creatures, the trailer also features a callback to the original movie with the signature Na’vi line: “I see you.”

Zoe Saldana, Avatar: The Way of Water,The sequel stars Sam Worthington, Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Kate Winslet, Michelle Yeoh, Edie Falco, Stephen Lang, Giovanni Ribisi, Oona Chaplin, Jermaine Clement and more.

Disney previously previewed a teaser trailer at CinemaCon in April before playing it exclusively in theaters on Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madnessand then put it online in May.

The studio, Cameron and producer Jon Landau have been making the rounds with footage from the film, screening during June’s CineEurope conference in Barcelona and at D23 in September as well as for executives from China Film Group (a release there is still unconfirmed).

Disney also released a remastered 4K HDR version of the original film in September to set the table for the sequel, and included sneak footage tagged onto the end.

Sources indicate The Way of Water will clock in at more than three hours, but no exact final run-time has been decided. The original was two hours and 41 minutes.

In total, four sequels are planned. Said Landau in Vegas, “The journey across all four movies will create a connected saga.”

Said Cameron at the time, the new films are “pushing limits even farther with high frame rate, higher resolution 3D and greater reality in our visual effects. I wanted our return to Pandora to be something really special. Every shot is designed for the biggest screen, highest resolution and most immersive 3D available. I think we pulled it off.”

Javier Bardem to Receive Maltin Modern Master Award at This Year’s Santa Barbara Film Festival

Javier Bardem is officially a master

The 52-year-old Spanish Oscar-winning actor will be honored with the prestigious Maltin Modern Master Award at the 37th annual edition of the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

Javier BardemBardem will be feted alongside his Being the Ricardos co-star Nicole Kidman on Thursday, March 10 when they’ll engage with veteran film historian and critic Leonard Maltin for an in-person conversation about their careers leading up to this year’s performances as Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin’s acclaimed film from Amazon Studios.

Bardem and Kidman recently received individual SAG Award nominations in the lead actor and actress categories.

Bardem and Kidman, who have never before worked together, previously won Oscars for No Country for Old Men (2007) and The Hours (2002), respectively. Each has a long career of acclaimed performances.

“Nicole Kidman continues to challenge and reinvent herself year after year. Javier Bardem’s talent is a gift to the world. Only in Hollywood could these actors find themselves playing America’s all time favorite TV couple. It’s cause for celebration,” Maltin said.

Santa Barbara International Film Festival

The Modern Master Award was established in 1995 and is the highest accolade presented by SBIFF. Created to honor an individual who has enriched our culture through accomplishments in the motion picture industry, it was re-named the Maltin Modern Master Award in 2015 in honor of longtime SBIFF moderator and renowned film critic Leonard Maltin.

Past recipients include Bill Murray, Brad Pitt, Glenn Close, Denzel Washington, Michael Keaton, Bruce Dern, Ben Affleck, Christopher Plummer, Christopher Nolan, James Cameron, Clint Eastwood, Cate Blanchett, Will Smith, George Clooney and Peter Jackson.

This is the first time a pair of actors will be honored together.

Other Santa Barbara tributes previously announced include Benedict Cumberbatch with the Vanguard AwardKing Richard stars Will Smith and Aunjanue Ellis for Outstanding Performers of the Year, Kristen Stewart for the American Riviera Award, and collectively named for Virtuoso Awards are West Side Story’s Ariana DeBoseCODA actors Emilia Jones and Troy KotsurRed Rocket’s  Simon RexLicorice Pizza’s Alana Haim, and Saniyya Sidney from King Richard.

The 37th Santa Barbara Film Festival is set to take place in-person March 2-12. Official events including screenings, filmmaker Q&As, industry panels and celebrity tributes will be held throughout the city including at the historic Arlington Theatre.

Erica Hernandez to Star in CBS’ Drama Pilot “True Lies,” An Adaptation of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Action Comedy

Erica Hernandez is living a Lie(s)

The Latina actress has been cast as a series regular in CBS’ drama pilot True Lies, the television adaptation of James Cameron’s 1994 action comedy movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Erica Hernandez

Hernandez will star opposite Omar Miller, Mike O’Gorman, Steve Howey and Ginger Gonzaga in the series.

Written by Matt Nix and to be directed by Anthony Hemingway, the pilot’s plot is true to its movie roots: Shocked to discover that her bland and unremarkable computer consultant husband (Howey) is a skilled international spy, an unfulfilled suburban housewife (Gonzaga) is propelled into a life of danger and adventure when she’s recruited to work alongside him to save the world as they try to revitalize their passionless marriage.

Hernandez will portray Maria, another of the operatives working with Harry (Howey). Tough and capable, she is a cool-headed, first class spy. But she never misses a chance to get in a dig at Luther’s expense, reminding him of something that went down between them while on a mission in Berlin.

20th Century Fox Television is the studio.

Hernandez can currently be seen as a series correspondent on the Emmy-nominated CBS show Mission Unstoppable, and in a recurring role on Epix series Bridge and Tunnel.

Her other television and film credits include NBC’s The Brave and New Amsterdam, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Brittany Runs a Marathon.

Jessica Alba to Begin Filming Netflix’s “Trigger Warning” This Fall

Jessica Alba is pulling the Trigger

The 40-year-old half-Mexican American actress and entrepreneur will begin filming the action thriller Trigger Warning for Netflix in New Mexico this fall, starring and executive producing her first feature film in a few years.

 

Mouly Surya is directing from a script by Josh Olson and John Brancato.

Alba plays a traumatized veteran who inherits her grandfather’s bar, and is faced with a moral dilemma after discovering the truth behind his untimely death.Jessica Alba

This is believed to be a possible franchise starter with high hopes for its success, considering the reception of the streamer’s other action films, including Spenser Confidential and Extraction.

Best known for her work on James Cameron’s Dark Angel TV series, and the films Sin City and Fantastic Four, Alba recently starred and executive produced Spectrum Originals’ “LA’s Finest,” alongside Gabrielle Union. The series, an action-packed spinoff from Jerry Bruckheimer’s Bad Boys universe, returned for its second and final season this June.

Alba is also attached to the Disney+ documentary series with the working title Parenting Without Borders, which she will host and executive produce. She’s also the entrepreneur behind the billion-dollar Honest Company and Honest Beauty.

Natalia Reyes to Star in the Post-Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Thriller “Tomorrow Before After”

Natalia Reyes has big plans for tomorrow

The 34-year-old Colombian actress has signed on to star in Tomorrow Before After, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller that’s scheduled to start shooting this month in Colombia.

Natalia Reyes

The film, from writer/director Alfonso Quijada (El Suspiro del Silencio), centers on a woman with no name (played by Reyes) who struggles to survive on her own in a post-apocalyptic world, searching for others, with only a stray dog by her side.

In her quest, she collides with a world that is collapsed and utterly destroyed, and it seems, for a long time, that she is the only survivor in the world—until she discovers one day that she is pregnant. Not understanding how this could be possible, she then begins to question her own existence.

Reyes is best known for her turn as Dani Ramos in Tim Miller’s Terminator: Dark Fate, which James Cameron produced for Skydance and Paramount.

She also starred in the crime drama Birds of Passage, directed by Cristina Gallego and Ciro Guerra, which premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2018 Cannes Film Festival.

Among her television credits is Sony’s hit Latin American series Lady, La Vendedora de Rosas, in which she played Lady Tabares.

United Talent Agency (UTA) Signs Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba has new representation…

United Talent Agency (UTA) has signed the 39-year-old half-Mexican American actress, entrepreneur, and best-selling author.

Jessica Alba

Alba has made more than 25 feature films, earning a combined box office total of over $800 million. After breaking out in James Cameron’s Fox series Dark Angelshe went on to star in Fox/Marvel’s Fantastic Four

Her features also include Valentine’s DayRobert Rodriguez’s Machete and Machete Kills, Little Fockers, The Love Guru, Into the Blue, Spy Kids 4-as well as Sin City: A Dame to Kill For.

Recently, Alba has starred and executive produced the action drama L.A.’s Finest.  Up next, she will host and produce a docuseries, Parents Without Borders, for Disney+ and she will star in and executive produce the Netflix action thriller Trigger Warning.

In 2011, Alba founded The Honest Company, a mission-driven company dedicated to inspiring everyone to love living consciously through its clean, sustainable, effective and thoughtfully designed baby, personal care, household and beauty products. The Honest Company is committed to ensuring all families have access to basic necessities and the latest health information for safe growth and development—a commitment reflected in its ongoing partnership with nonprofit organizations like Baby2Baby. Since its inception, The Honest Company has donated over 25 million products and over 18,500 employee participation hours through its Honest to Goodness program.

Alba’s first book The Honest Life is a bestselling how-to handbook based on her mission to create a natural, authentic, and non-toxic life for her family.

Among her awards, she has received the March of Dimes Grace Kelly Award, the Entertainment Media Association’s Green Parent Award, and the Mount Sinai Children’s Environmental Health Center Champion for Children Award.