What's news: After what feels like an age, we have some good box office news as Free Guy opens ahead of expectations and scores a sequel. Chip and Joanna Gaines' Magnolia Network is going renewal crazy, bringing back nine original series. Bob Chapek's ears are ringing after Shang-Chi star Simu Liu took exception to his "experiment" comment. Plus: Paul Schrader is taking a break from trolling on Facebook — Abid Rahman
Huzzah! 'Free Guy' Opens With Stellar $28.4M
►Shot in the arm. In much-needed good news, Disney and 20th Century Studios' Free Guy opened well ahead of expectations and grossed a healthy $28.4 million from 4,165 North American theaters to easily win the weekend. Despite continued concerns over the delta variant around the world, the Ryan Reynolds-Jodie Cromer movie took in an additional $22.5 million from 41 markets for a global start of $51 million (all without China).
THR's Pamela McClintock writes that Free Guy, buoyed by strong reviews, great word-of-mouth, an 'A' CinemaScore and Reynolds' star power bested the domestic launch of The Suicide Squad a week ago. One major caveat though, Shawn Levy’s film is receiving a 45-day exclusive theatrical release before going to Disney+, unlike Suicide Squad which was made available simultaneously on HBO Max.
Of the weekend's other big new releases, Sony's home-invasion horror pic Don’t Breathe 2 debuted in second place with $10.6 million and MGM/UA's Aretha Franklin biopic Respect opened in fourth place with $8.8 million. The full box office report.
—Birth of a franchise. No doubt convinced by the critical love and early box office success, Disney wants a Free Guy sequel, Reynolds confirming the news in a brief tweet on Saturday. "Aaaannnnd after 3 years messaging as an original IP movie, Disney confirmed today they officially want a sequel," he wrote on Twitter, adding: "Woo hoo!! #irony." The story.
—"Please do not be silent: They are coming to kill us." Sahraa Karimi, the Afghan filmmaker and general director of the country’s national film company Afghan Film, has called for support from the global film community to protect artists inside Afghanistan as the country falls to the Taliban. The story.
—Foot in mouth. Simu Liu has responded to a comment made by Disney CEO Bob Chapek, who said the upcoming Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was an “experiment” for the company: “We are not an experiment. We are the underdog; the underestimated. We are the ceiling-breakers." The story.
Magnolia Network Renews 9 Series
►Not slowing down. Lesley 'Scoops' Goldberg has the, well, scoop on Chip and Joanna Gaines' fledgling Magnolia Network handing out season two renewals for eight of its original series and a fourth and fifth season for flagship series Magnolia Table With Joanna Gaines. Additionally, Magnolia Network has picked up three new titles that will launch on the Discovery+ platform in the fall. The story.
—"Upsettingly loud idiots." As kids across the country start heading back to schools, John Oliver opened his HBO show Sunday night addressing those parents who are upset that their children are being required to wear masks: "You can’t help thinking that some of the fuss over masks is more about the parents than about the kids." The story.
—"I finally got Christian in bed!" Alicia Silverstone re-created a scene from her classic film Clueless with Christian (Siriano, the designer not Justin Walker, sadly). The story.
—Golden Leopard winner.Vengeance is Mine, All Others Pay Cash, Indonesian director Edwin’s homage to and deconstruction of 1980s ultra-violent Asian action movies, has won best film at the Locarno Film Festival. The story.
—Punk'd. Xolo Maridueña learned he landed the role of Blue Beetle, DC’s first latino superhero role, at a "Punk’d-style" dinner. The Cobra Kai star thought he was attending a meet-and-greet dinner with only DC Films president Walter Hamada and Warners' Galen Vaisman but was shocked to see Blue Beetle director and team when he arrived. The story.
Depp Says He's Being Boycotted by Hollywood
►"One man, one actor in an unpleasant and messy situation." Johnny Depp says he feels he is being boycotted by Hollywood as his latest film, Minamata, has yet to be released in the United States, calling his fall from Hollywood graces as an “absurdity of media mathematics.”
In an interview with the Sunday Times (a sister paper to the Murdoch title The Sun, which lest we forget was the source of his legal and professional woes), Depp discussed the “surreal five years” he has experienced during his fallout from the Hollywood community. The story.
—Why are Euro festivals rushing to rehabilitate Depp? Scott Roxborough, THR's man in Europe, considers why the acclaimed San Sebastian and Karlovy Vary Film Festivals are doubling down on their decisions to honor Johnny Depp and whether this could be the beginning of a comeback for the controversial star. The story.
—"Witch hunt." Two-time Palme d'Or winner Ken Loach’s revelation over the weekend that he had been expelled from the U.K.’s Labour Party has been met with an outpouring of anger from across the political and film worlds. The story.
—Double your fun. Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic Dune will get two scores from Hans Zimmer thanks to the film’s behind-the-scenes companion book. The soundtrack marks the first time the celebrated composer has written original music for a book. The story.
Polka-Dot Man's Emotional Message For James Gunn
►"I'm a superhero!" If you've seen The Suicide Squad, then you'll know that one of the highlights of this deliriously fun film is David Dastmalchian playing the troubled but heroic Polka-Dot Man. The actor spoke to THR's second nicest guy Aaron Couch about the inner turmoil he felt when it came time to his character's biggest moment, and how his friend, director James Gunn, swooped in to save the day. The story .
—Bonza! Australia’s Western Sydney will get a new 96-acre film and TV studio complex, dubbed Lakeside Studio, amid “growth in demand for new content,” including from streaming services. The story.
—Return off-color comedy.THR's Abbey White reports from the first of Louis C.K.’s two NYC shows, an oddly normal night in the disgraced comedian's latest comeback: "Though he never directly addressed his sexual misconduct allegations in the hourlong set... elements of his show did seem to speak to the scandal, both appropriately and inappropriately." The story.
—S***-poster hiatus. Veteran filmmaker and Facebook provocateur Paul Schrader announced a one-month sabbatical from posting on the social media platform as of Aug. 3. The timing was not coincidental: He’s got a new film and the distributor asked him to cut it out. The story.
—"Mike White Accepts the Criticism: The White Lotus Creator Understands If You Feel Conflicted About That Ending. So Does He." [Vulture]
—"OnlyFans Creates Its First App With a Twist: No Nudity, No Cost" [Bloomberg]
—"Inside the Heartbreaking Conservatorship Battle Of A Star Trek Legend" [Los Angeles Times]
—"Heels Is a Family Drama, With Body Slams" [New York Times]
—"Former Staffers Say Problems at Time’s Up Run Deeper Than Cuomo" [Daily Beast]
Today...
Today's birthdays: Angela Bassett (63), Taika Waititi (46), Steve Carell (59), Cristin Milioti (36), James Cameron (67), Cam Gigandet (39), Reginald VelJohnson (69), Cameron Monaghan (28), Lesley Ann Warren (75), Bob Balaban (76), Rumer Willis (33), Laura Innes (64)
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