“Twisters,” Starring Anthony Ramos, Earns Nearly $81 Million on Opening Weekend

Posted on July 22, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Anthony Ramos is celebrating a massive box office performance…

Twisters, a sequel to the almost 30-year-old hit Twister, starring the 32-year-old Puerto Rican actor/singer, blew past expectations to gross $80.5 million in the third-best opening of the year at the box office.

Twisters was projected to rake in roughly $50 million at the box office in its opening weekend but topped that by more than 60%, putting it behind only Dune: Part Two and Inside Out 2 for the year’s biggest opening weekends.

The film, billed as a “stand-alone sequel” to its 1996 predecessor, was liked by 78% of critics and a whopping 92% of audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, earning praise as a “wonderfully mindless adventure” and “fun summer blockbuster.”

The impressive debut gives Twisters the largest opening weekend ever for a disaster movie in unadjusted terms, besting 2004’s The Day After Tomorrow ($68.4 million).

Twisters is helping the summer box office rebound from a lackluster start that threatened to pull down year-end box office projections beyond their already-diminished expectations, adding to a series of surprise summer successes that have so far included Bad Boys: Ride or Die and A Quiet Place: Day One.

In addition to Ramos, who portrays Javi in the film, the film also stars Glenn Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones.

Front Row to Release Fernando Meirelles & Kátia Lund’s “City of Gold” in Middle East for First Time

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Tom Castaneda

Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund acclaimed Brazilian film is heading to Middle East theaters more than 20 years after its release.

Middle East distributor Front Row Filmed Entertainment will release the iconic Oscar-nominated Rio de Janeiro gangland drama City of God across the Gulf countries of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for the first time.

Co-directed by Meirelles and Lund, film made waves back in 2002 for its realistic depiction of the rise of gang violence in the favelas of Rio de Janeiro with a young unprofessional cast.

Front Row originally released the film straight to DVD in the Gulf due to a variety of local restrictions but some two decades later is pushing on with a theatrical release in a sign of how the region is opening up.

Front Row’s planned February 22 release coincides with the 21st anniversary of the movie’s 2003 theatrical release following its Out of Competition world premiere at Cannes in 2002, and also ties in with a global re-release on February 23.

The initiative also coincides with Front Row’s 20th Anniversary.

“The film holds a special place in our hearts; it was our first acquisition, and at the time we couldn’t release it theatrically due to language restrictions imposed by cinemas, and also because we couldn’t afford the budget it needed to stand out, so it went straight to DVD,” says Front Row CEO Gianluca Chakra.

“We’ve come a long way since, and City of God remains an unforgettable masterpiece that deserves to be seen on the silver screen. What better way of celebrating our 20th?”

Front Row is co-distributing City of God with The Festival Agency, led by Leslie Vuchot, who acquired the rights from Wild Bunch.

The partnership is part of drive by Front Row to release a number of classics in the Gulf region that were not presented on the big screen first time round.

City of God was nominated in four categories at the 76th Academy Award but went home empty handed. However, it regularly features on critics lists as one of the top films of all time and is ranked #25 on IMDB with an audience score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Miguel Cazarez Mora to Star in “The Black Phone” Sequel

Posted on December 4, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Miguel CazaMora has answered the call…

The Mexican American actor will star in the Black Phone 2, the sequel to the hit 2022 Blumhouse–Crooked Highway Production–Universal horror film. A theatrical release is set for June 27, 2025.

In addition to Mora, who in his Hollywood debut starred as Robin in The Black Phone, will be joined by Ethan Hawke, Mason Thames, Madeleine McGraw and Jeremy Davies are set to return.

The first film, directed by Scott Derrickson and co-written by Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill racked up over $161M worldwide, becoming a sleeper hit in a rebounding summer last year from the Covid-19 pandemic. The film also made Deadline’s list of most profitable movies last year with an estimated net of $68M.

The duo are back penning Black Phone 2 and are producing with Blumhouse’s Jason Blum.

In the first movie, a 13-year old boy, who is abducted by a child killer in a suburban neighborhood and locked in a soundproof basement, begins to receive calls on a disconnected phone from the killer’s previous victims. Derrickson and frequent collaborator Cargill adapted from Joe Hill’s short story. Hill is an executive producer on the sequel.

Black Phone received high marks on Rotten Tomatoes with an 81% certified fresh critics score and 88% with audiences.

A24 Moves Release Date of Jacob Elordi’s New Film “Priscilla” to November

Posted on September 8, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jacob Elordi’s Blue Suede Shoes will have to wait an extra week…

A24’s Sofia Coppola-directed film, Priscilla, starring the 26-year-old half-Spanish Australian actor, will now go wide on November 3 instead of October 27.

The news comes on the heels of a glowing world premiere out of the Venice Film Festival where the movie based on the Priscilla Presley’s memoir Elvis and Me grabbed a 94% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes.

With Dune: Part Two moving off of November 3, it creates more breathing room for others movies and availability of theaters. And, it’s also the last ‘official’ weekend of the Taylor Swift: Eras Concert movie.

Talent and creators of the film including Coppola, Cailee Spaeny and Jacob Elordi are now cleared to promote the film since it was granted a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement ahead of its world premiere.

The film stars Spaeny as Priscilla and Elordi as Elvis. Coppola adapted the memoir. Producers are Coppola, Lorenzo Mieli and Youree Henley.

Melissa Barrera Officially Confirmed for Return to “Scream” Reboot Sequel

Posted on May 14, 2022 by Tom Castaneda

There are more screams in Melissa Barrera’s future.

Spyglass Media and Paramount have officially confirmed that the 31-year-old Mexican actress and singer will be returning for the Scream sequel, with directors Radio Silence (Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett) returning and James Vanderbilt and Guy Busick co-writing the screenplay.

In addition to Barrera, the new generation of actors also coming back include Jenna Ortega, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Mason Gooding.

Cameras will begin rolling early this summer for a theatrical release around the world on March 31, 2023.

In the next installment, the four survivors of the Ghostface killings leave Woodsboro behind and start a fresh chapter.

Scream architect Kevin Williamson and the third member of Radio Silence, Chad Villella, are executive producing alongside Spyglass’ Gary Barber and Peter Oillataguerre, Ron Lynch, Cathy Konrad and Marianne Maddalena.

After celebrating the franchise’s 25th Anniversary, the latest Scream earned a “Certified Fresh” score from Rotten Tomatoes and went on to gross more than $140 million at the global box office; part of Paramount’s proof that there’s appetite among moviegoers for lower budget as we come out of this pandemic.

Also starring in the movie were Kyle Gallner, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jack Quaid, Marley Shelton, Sonia Ammar with original franchise members Courteney Cox, David Arquette and Neve Campbell.

The film is available now on digital, 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray and is currently streaming on Paramount +.

Through five movies the Scream series counts over $744M at the worldwide box office.

Pedro Almodóvar’s “Parallel Mothers” to Have Red-Carpet Premiere at This Year’s AFI Fest

Posted on October 15, 2021 by Tom Castaneda

Pedro Almodóvar is bringing his Mother(s) to this year’s AFI Fest.

After opening the Venice Film Festival and continuing on to the New York Film Festival, the 72-year-old Oscar-winning director’s latest film Parallel Mothers will have a red-carpet premiere at this year’s AFI Fest at the TCL Chinese Theatre on Saturday, November 13.

In the movie, two women, Janis and Ana, played by Penelope Cruz and Milena Smit, coincide in a hospital room where they are going to give birth. Both are single and became pregnant by accident. Janis, middle-aged, doesn’t regret it and she is exultant. The other, Ana, an adolescent, is scared, repentant and traumatized. Janis tries to encourage her while they move like sleepwalkers along the hospital corridors. The few words they exchange in these hours will create a very close link between the two, which by chance develops and complicates, and changes their lives in a decisive way.

Cruz won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice. Parallel Mothers to date is 100% on Rotten Tomatoes.

In total, AFI Fest counts 115 titles (48 Features, 1 Episodic, 49 Short Films and 17 Conservatory Showcase Shorts) of which 51% are directed by women, 40% directed by BIPOC filmmakers and 13% are directed by LGBTQIA+ filmmakers. This year’s program represents 50 countries and includes six World Premieres. The festival runs from November 10-14.

“We are excited to celebrate AFI Fest 2021 in person at the historic TCL Chinese theater and showcase both master filmmakers and emerging voices,” said Sarah Harris, Director of Programming, AFI Festivals. “In a time when we need movies more than ever, we look forward to audiences being inspired by the best films from around the world screening at this year’s AFI Fest.”

Returning filmmakers to AFI Fest are Hany Abu-Assad (Huda’s Salon), Andrea Arnold (Cow), Jacques Audiard (Paris, 13th District), Sean Baker (Red Rocket), Michel Franco (Sundown), Miguel Gomes (The Sugua Diaries), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Lingui, The Sacret Bonds), Céline Sciamma (Petite Maman), Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Memoria), and Zhang Yimou (One Second).

HBO Max Renews Rosie Perez’s “The Flight Attendant” for Second Season

Posted on December 25, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Rosie Perez will be logging more Flight hours…

HBO Max has renewed The Flight Attendant, starring the 56-year-old actress, choreographer and community activist and Kaley Cuoco, for a second season.

The series, based on the book of the same name by bestselling author Chris Bohjalian, centers on alcoholic, globe-trotting flight attendant Cassie Bowen (Cuoco) who becomes embroiled in an espionage plot following her affair with a first class passenger, who winds up murdered after their night together.

Flight Attendant was originally intended to be a limited series, but series creator and EP Steve Yockey knew there was more string he could pull upon.

The series finale leaves Cassie in a position to encounter more global intrigue.

HBO Max reports that the first season of Flight Attendant saw week-over-week growth and ranked as the streamer’s No. 1 series overall during its run. The eight-episode first season debuted November 6.

Flight Attendant has a 98% fresh score on Rotten Tomatoes and Cuoco has received high praise for her comedic-dramatic turn as a woman continually coming to terms with her torturous past.

The series also stars Perez, Michiel Huisman, Zosia Mamet, Michelle Gomez, T.R. Knight, Colin Woodell, Merle Dandridge, Griffin Matthews and Nolan Gerard Funk.

The Flight Attendant is produced by Warner Bros Television, Berlanti Productions & Yes, Norman Productions.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Starring Isaac, Breaks Box Office Records

Posted on December 21, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

The Force has proven to be strong for Oscar Isaac…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, starring the 36-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban American actor as Resistance fighter Poe Dameron, broke every major opening record at the box office.

The film, which introduced Isaac, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega as new heroes in a galaxy far, far away, tallied $238 million for the weekend, according to studio estimates. It destroys the record of $208.8 million set in June by Jurassic World.

“We’re in territory that we’ve never seen in December,” says Rentrak senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “The enormity of this record-breaking weekend cannot be overstated. This is a true watershed event.

Even more impressive: The Force Awakens annihilated the opening-day and all-time Friday records with $120.5 million, helped by a monster $57 million in Thursday night previews. It breaks the $91.1 million mark set by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 in 2011, and the new Star Wars is the first movie to surpass $100 million in a single day.

It also set a new high for highest theater average with $57,500 in 4,134 theaters, and posted an extra $279 million internationally (except for China, where it will open in January) for a $517 million global debut.

The blockbuster was buoyed by universal raves: Critics heaped praise — a 95% “fresh” rating on RottenTomatoes.com — and audiences gave it an A at CinemaScore. Add to that acclaim Disney’s “pitch-perfect” marketing, word of mouth through social media, great casting and repeat viewings, and everything came together for an “unprecedented” opening, Dergarabedian says. “If any of those had not been firing properly, you would not be seeing these numbers. The brand can get you really far, but the movie itself had to deliver.

Final figures are expected Monday.

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