'Suicide Squad' Opens to Lowly $26.5M

►Below expectations. Heading into the weekend, Warners was predicting a $30 million start in North America for critical darling The Suicide Squad, but the DC pic opened to a less-than-expected $26.5 million from 4,002 amid challenges posed by the Delta variant and a hybrid theatrical-home launch, writes THR's Pamela McClintock. 

And it wasn't much better overseas for James Gunn's R-rated title, after collecting a modest $35 million from 71 markets for a foreign tally of $45.7 million for a total global take of $72.2 million. 

Better news for second place Jungle Cruise, another hybrid release, which earned $15.7 million in its second weekend, a relatively low drop of 55 percent. The Dwayne Johnson-Emily Blunt movie has now earned $65.3 million domestically for a global total of $121.8 million. The full box office report.

—'Fire' keeps burning. With no new Hollywood or Chinese tentpoles hitting cinemas, Donnie Yen’s action thriller Raging Fire easily torched the competition for a second weekend at the top of China’s theatrical box office with a healthy $21.6 million (down only 42 percent from its opening gross). The box office report. 

—Spain still loves Depp. In a move certain to spark controversy, and a potential backlash, Spain’s San Sebastian International Film Festival will honor actor Johnny Depp with its Donostia Award, a lifetime achievement honor that recognizes "outstanding contributions to the film world." The story. 

—A good year. Less controversially, iconic British director Ridley Scott will receive the inaugural Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker award at the 78th Venice International Film Festival. The story.

—Slowed decline. Dish Network reported that it lost about 67,000 net pay-TV subscribers in Q2, compared with a decline of 96,000 in the year-ago period and a drop of 230,000 in Q1 of 2021. The results.

Amid Cuomo Revelation, Time’s Up Accused of "Failing All Survivors"

►"Drifted from the founding mission." A group of sexual assault survivors and victims, current and former Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund clients and former Time’s Up staffers has written an open letter to the gender rights organization’s board accusing the group of prioritizing “proximity to power over mission” in regard to its relationship with embattled New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

THR's Rebecca Keegan reports that the letter was sparked by the revelation in the Aug. 3 New York Attorney General’s report that Cuomo’s office sought advice from Time’s Up chief Tina Tchen and Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund co-founder Roberta Kaplan on how to respond to sexual harassment allegations. The story. 

—Comedy event of the year. Jon Stewart and Pete Davidson have lined up a who’s who of comics, from Dave Chappelle to Amy Schumer, for 9/11 charity gig set to play to a fully-vaccinated crowd at New York’s Madison Square Garden. The story. 

—Quibi legacy. Roku will add 23 more titles from the Quibi library to the Roku Channel this Friday, including the Emmy-nominated Mapleworth Murders, a spoof of Murder She Wrote starring Paula Pell, J.B. Smoove and John Lutz. The story. 

—Bend it like Gromit. Brit director Gurinder Chadha has signed on to direct an animated musical feature for acclaimed Bristol-based studio Aardman. Aimed at a global family audience, Chadha's film tells the story of a young Indian elephant with the impossible dream of becoming a Bollywood dancer. The story. 

—Restraining order. The Suicide Squad star Joel Kinnaman announced he has filed for a temporary restraining order against a model, alleging she has threatened his family and attempted to extort him. The story. 

Kareem: What I Learned Watching the Tokyo Games  

►"A reflection of humanity's social values." With the Tokyo Olympics over, THR columnist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar reflects on the most extraordinary and challenging Games ever held: "This Olympics was especially revealing, rewarding and repulsive, with lessons to be learned for all of us interested in maintaining sports as a pinnacle of a competitive but compassionate community." The column. 

—"The reign continues." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Liesl Tommy's Aretha Franklin biopic Respect. The film, which stars Jennifer Hudson as Franklin, traces the formative years during which the Queen of Soul emerged from the shadow of the controlling men in her life to take decisive ownership of her magnificent voice. The review. 

—Trevor Moore, a comedian, actor, writer and producer who co-founded the sketch comedy group The Whitest Kids U Know, died on Friday after suffering an accident. He was 41. The obituary. 

—Goodbye from Dan. ABC News anchor Dan Harris, who leads Good Morning America's weekend edition GMA Weekend, will leave the network, he said on the program Sunday morning. The story. 

Tokyo 2020 Comes to a Predictably Surreal, Somber End  

►"Japan's Olympic legacy may take some time to become clear." As the curtain fell on the 2020 Olympic Games, THR's Tokyo-based Asia bureau chief Patrick Brzeski considers the determined efforts of the host nation to end the Games on a high with Sunday's Closing Ceremony. Despite the pomp and circumstance, Patrick writes that the legacy of the COVID-afflicted event on Japan will linger for years to come. The story. 

—Surge in cases. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival has canceled its fall 2021 dates due to surging COVID-19 cases in Louisiana. The festival was canceled last year because of the coronavirus pandemic. The story. 

—Missing apology. DaBaby appears to have deleted the apology he posted on Instagram following homophobic remarks he made at a music festival two weeks ago. The rapper's longer statement, which he posted on Aug. 2 and in which acknowledged that he “needed education” and guidance is gone. The story. 

—On the spot. Modern Family star Julie Bowen and her sister Annie, a doctor, recently came to the aid of a woman who fainted while hiking in Arches National Park, Utah. The story. 

In other news...

—Film review: PAW Patrol: The Movie. 

—Markie Post, actress known for The Fall Guy and Night Court, dies at 70.

—Gale Anne Hurd on empowering female voices in action, horror and sci-fi.

—Hollywood flashback: David Attenborough’s extraordinary BBC run began in 1952.

—Script to scene: Girls5eva creator breaks down creating a character’s not-so-glamorous lifestyle.

—Bonding star talks BDSM and its "vibrant, complex, dynamic community."

—Die Hart star Natalie Emmanuel on how action heroines have become "less tropey or stereotypical."

—How the sound team behind Bee Gees: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart revived trio’s music for the present. 

—Adrian Grenier on how life outside L.A. has changed his outlook on acting.

—Director Frank Marshall on revisiting Bee Gees in HBO doc: "Their story was one about survival."

—Dennis ‘Dee Tee’ Thomas, Kool & the Gang saxophonist and co-founder, dies at 70.

—Lynyrd Skynyrd show canceled after guitarist tests positive for COVID-19.

—How The Suicide Squad villain Starro helped inspire the Marvel Universe. 

—The Thompson Hotel makes Hollywood debut.

—Soho House’s first Texas outpost and5 more new hotspots to check out in Austin.

What else we're reading...

—"Blizzard Turned Game Developers Into Rock Stars. Misbehavior Followed" [Bloomberg]

—"Reservation Dogs Is A Successful Heist" [Salon]

—"Olympic Magic Cut Through The Pandemic Gloom, But The Tokyo Games’ Legacy Is Complex" [Washington Post]

—"The Real Story Behind the Phoenix Lights Scandal in J.J. Abram's New Docuseries UFO" [Esquire]

—"Facebook's First-ever Paid Movie Premiere" [Axios]

Today... 

... in in 2013, TriStar released Neill Blomkamp's ambitious, visually spectacular and given the billionaire-led space race somewhat prescient sci-fi thriller Elysium. The film starred Matt Damon, Jodie Foster and Sharlto Copley and made $286 million worldwide. The original review.

Today's birthdays: Gillian Anderson (53), Dan Levy (38), Anna Kendrick (36), Justice Smith (26), Ashley Johnson (38), Bill Skarsgård (31), Melanie Griffith (64), Sam Elliott (77), Eric Bana (53), Thomas Lennon (51), Kevin McKidd (48), Audrey Tautou (45), Kate Siegel (39), Kenya Barris (47), McG (53)