Michael Chaves is celebrating a box office victory…
The 38-year-old Latino filmmaker’s The Nun II topped the box office charts, scaring up $32.6 million this weekend from 3,728 locations.
That was more than enough to unseat Sony’s The Equalizer 3, which features Denzel Washington as a mysterious avenging angel, from the first place perch it held last weekend.
The Equalizer 3 racked up over $12.1 million in its second weekend to push its domestic gross to $61.9 million. Globally, the action sequel crossed $100 million at worldwide box office, bringing its haul to $107.7 million.
Though impressive, The Nun II, which is the ninth chapter in Warner Bros.’ ongoing Conjuring series, couldn’t match the high-water mark set by its 2018 predecessor The Nun, which opened with $53.8 million.
The film sees Taissa Farmiga and Bonnie Aarons return as Sister Irene and the titular Nun, respectively, with newcomers to the franchise, Jonas Bloquet, Storm Reid and Anna Popplewell, rounding out the ensemble of frequently habit-wearing characters.
Chaves, who directed The Curse of La Llorona and The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, slid behind the camera for this installment.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3, the weekend’s other new wide release, opened in third place with $10 million. The film was written and directed by Nia Vardalos, who also stars alongside John Corbett. Focus Features is distributing the film in the North America, while Universal Pictures International has foreign territories. The third chapter in the comedy series follows the eccentric Portokalos family as they travel to Greece for a family reunion.
The 37-year-old Mexican-Lebanese actress will star opposite Seth Michaels and 50-year-old Venezuelan actress and model Patricia Velasquez in Free Dead or Alive, an indie action thriller written, produced and directed by Erik Bernard.
The film follows Eva (Ganem), a beautiful strong-willed young woman who enters a journey to escape her mother’s (Velasquez) arranged marriage to the region’s most dangerous cartel. Her defiance sets off a chain of events that threatens her life. Surviving will require the skills of Dragon (Michaels), a coyote that can protect her during her quest throughout the dangerous world of cross-border cartels who are the law of the lands.
Robert LaSardo, Robert Avellanet, Jonathan Joss, and Al Coronel will co-star. Courtney LeMarco will serve as executive producer.
Ganem’s previous credits include Devious Maids, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The Cleveland Show and Rob.
Velasquez’s previous credits include The Mummy, Saint Bernard and The Curse of La Llorona.
The Spanish filmmaker’s Netflix drama Adú is the frontrunner for this year’s Premios Goya (Goya Awards), Spain’s top film honors.
Calvo’s film earned 14 nominations, including nods for best film and best director.
Calvo’s sophomore feature follows three interconnected stories all set in Africa. Two members of its ensemble cast Álvaro Cervantes and Adam Nourou, picked up Goya nominations for best supporting actor and best newcomer actor, respectively.
The Goyas 2021 best film nominees include Ane Is Missingfrom David Pérez Sañudo, Icíar Bollaín‘s La boda de Rosa, Pilar Palomero‘s The Girls, andThe People Upstairsaka Sentimental, from director Cesc Gay.
In addition to Calvo and Bollaín, the best director category this year includes Juanma Bajo Ulloa, nominated for his horror thriller Baby, and veteran filmmaker Isabel Coixet for It Snows in Benidorm.
Contenders for the best Ibero-American film include Chilean documentary The Mole Agent, Forgotten We’ll Befrom Columbian filmmaker Fernando Trueba, the Guatemalan horror film The Curse of la Llorona, and Fernando Frias‘ Mexican drama I’m No Longer Here.
Last year, Pedro Almodóvar’s semi-autobiographical drama Pain and Glorywas the big winner at the Goyas, winning seven honors, including for best picture, director, original screenplay, and best actor for Antonio Banderas.
The 2021 Goya Awards will be held in a live-streamed ceremony from the Teatro del Soho CaixaBank in Málaga on Saturday, March 6. Banderas will direct this year’s award ceremony and will present the 35th Goya Awards together with Spanish journalist María Casado.
Here’s the full list of nominations for the 35th Goya Awards:
Best Film Adú Ane Is Missing La boda de Rosa The Girls The People Upstairs
Best Director Salvador Calvo for Adú Juanma Bajo Ulloa for Bafrom Icíar Bollain for La boda de Rosa Isabel Coixet for It Snows in Benidorm
Best Novel Adaptation Pilar Palomero for The Girls David Pérez Sañudo for Ane is Missing Bernabé Rico for El inconvenient Núria Giménez Lorang for My Mexican Bretzel
Best Actress Amaia Aberasturi for Coven
Andrea Fandós for The Girls Patricia López Arnaiz for Ane is Missing Candela Peña for La boda de Rosa
Best Actor Mario Casas for Cross the Line Javier Cámara for The People Upstairs Ernesto Alterio for A Normal World David Verdaguer for One for All
Best Supporting Actress Juana Acosta for El inconvenient Verónica Echegui for My Heart Goes Boom! Natalia de Molina for The Girls Nathalie Poza for La boda de Rosa
Best Supporting Actor Sergi López for La boda de Rosa Juan Diego Botto for The Europeans Alberto San Juan for The People Upstairs Álvaro Cervantes for Adú
Best Actress Newcomer Jone Laspiur for Ane is Missing Paula Usero for La boda de Rosa Milena Smith for Cross the Line Griselda Siciliani for The People Upstairs
Best Actor Newcomer Adam Nourou for Adú Chema del Barco for The Plan Janick for Historias lamentables Fernando Valdivielso for Cross the Line
Best Original Screenplay Adu La boda de Rosa Historias lamentables The Girls
Best Adapted Screenplay The People Upstairs Ane is Missing The Europeans Unknown Origins
Best Animated Film Turu, the Wacky Hen
Best Documentary Anatomía de un dandy Drowning Letters The Year of the Discovery My Mexican Bretzel
Best European Film Corpus Christi from Poland The Father from the United Kingdom An Officer and A Spy from France Falling from the United Kingdom
Best Ibero-American Film El agente topo from Chile El olvido que seremos from Colombia La llorona from Guatemala Ya no estoy aquí from México
Best Cinematography Adú Coven Black Beach The Girls
Best Production Design Adú Coven Black Beach It Snows in Benidorm
Best Original Music Adú Coven Baby El verano que vivimos
Best Original Song Adú El verano que vivimos La boda de Rosa The Girls
Best Editing Adú Black Beach The Year of the Discovery The Girls
Best Sound Adú Coven Black Beach The Plan
Best Art Direction Adú Coven Black Beach The Girls
Best Costume Design Coven My Heart Goes Boom! The Girls The Europeans
Best Makeup and Hairdressing Adú Coven My Heart Goes Boom! Unknown Origins
Patricia Velasquez will be tearing-up theSXSW Film Festival…
The SXSW Film Festival has added the horror film The Curse of La Llorona, starring the 48-year-old Venezuelan actress and model, to its robust lineup.
The film, from New Line, is directed by Michael Chavesand written by Mikki Daughtryand Tobias Iaconis.
In addition to Velasquez, the film stars Linda Cardellini and Raymond Cruz and is based on the real-life Mexican folklore of the ghost of a weeping woman who essentially terrorizes and attempts to take children and scares the hell out of anyone who comes in her way.
The 26th edition of the South by Southwest Conference and Festivalruns March 8-17 in Austin.
That was more than enough to unseat Sony’s The Equalizer 3, which features Denzel Washington as a mysterious avenging angel, from the first place perch it held last weekend.
