Tracy Oliver on ‘The Blackening’ Box Office and Why Making Microbudget Movies is ‘Empowering’

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer Four CEOs are set to return to SAG-AFTRA headquarters on Tuesday with a new offer that they hope will break the stalemate in the 102-day actors strike. Among them will be Disney’s Bob Iger, who called SAG-AFTRA’s top negotiator, Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, on Saturday to invite the actors back to the bargaining table. The CEOs — who also include David Zaslav of Warner Bros.

There were two major new entries this weekend at the international box office, one local (Tamil thriller Leo: Bloody Sweet) and one from Hollywood. Starting with the latter, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon from Apple, Paramount and Imperative Entertainment, had a big opening with $21M in 63 offshore markets and No. 1s in 24 of those, including France, Germany, Australia, Spain, Netherlands and Switzerland. The global bow, factoring in its strong domestic opening, was $44M; great for a period movie with a long running time and at a moment when talent could not promote it due to the actors strike.

Naman Ramachandran Lokesh Kanagaraj‘s Tamil-language “Leo: Bloody Sweet,” starring Vijay, debuted in third position at the global box office over the latest weekend, with $31.2 million planetwide, according to estimates released on Sunday by Comscore. The weekend was won by Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon,” starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone, with $44 million, followed by “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” with $41.5 million. However, in terms of worldwide cumulative among new releases, “Leo” scored $48.5 million (after four days) compared with the $44 million earned by “Killers of the Flower Moon.” An homage to David Cronenberg’s 2005 film “A History of Violence,” “Leo” released on Oct.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief “Only the River Flows,” a pitch-black crime noir from auteur Wei Shujun, comfortably topped the mainland China box office on a quietish weekend. The film, ostensibly a murder mystery, but one concerned more with atmosphere than linear plotting, earned $12.6 million (RMB90.8 million) in its opening three days, according to data from consultancy Artisan Gateway, or close to a third of the market. The film had its premiere in Cannes where Variety gave it a rave review, calling it an “inventive riff on Asian-noir” and making comparisons with films by Park Chan-wook and Diao Yinan. “Only the River Flows” has since played at a succession of festivals ever since, including New Zealand, BFI London, Vancouver, Adelaide and last week’s Pingyao event in China. Falling to second place at the box office after three weeks on top was Zhang Yimou’s “Under the Light,” which earned $6.9 million for a four-weekend cumulative of $176 million. Chen Kaige’s war, propaganda film “The Volunteers: To the War” earned $5.3 million in third place.

Emily Longeretta “It’s a Wonderful Lifetime” is right around the corner. Lifetime‘s annual holiday movie event kicks off Saturday, Nov. 18 with 12 new movies, airing every Saturday and Sunday until Christmas.

Naman Ramachandran Trafalgar Releasing’s concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” was on song at the U.K. and Ireland box office, debuting at No. 1 with £5.7 million ($6.9 million), according to numbers from Comscore.

Peter Caranicas Deputy Editor EnergaCamerimage, the cinematography-focused film festival set for Torun, Poland, for Nov. 11-18, has announced that high-profile award contenders “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Black Lies” and “All of Us Strangers” will be featured in its main competition. “Killers of the Flower Moon,” the latest pic from director Martin Scorsese, takes audiences on a journey through 1920s Oklahoma to tell a heartbreaking tale of love, greed and betrayal.

Cannes Palme d’Or winner Anatomy Of A Fall from Neon grossed $125,377 at five theaters for a per screen average of $25,075 — a solid limited opening for the Justine Triet-directed film that made its theatrical debut Friday in NYC, LA and San Francisco. A limited expansion is planned for next week. 

Taylor Swift seems set to do for the UK cinema industry what she has pulled off for the live entertainment industry, ie provide a much-needed cash injection.

Adam Sandler kicked off the fourth leg of his ongoing tour that began back in October 2022.This time around, he’ll perform 24 more shows at venues that he didn’t get around to earlier on the run including Rochester, NY’s Blue Cross Arena on Wednesday, Nov. 8.Appropriately, he’s calling these gigs the ‘We Missed You Tour.’At all shows, the “Happy Gilmore” star will perform his own unique hybrid of stand-up, music and storytelling.A special guest or two may drop in as well.

While walking the picket line Thursday outside of Netflix, SAG-AFTRA‘s Duncan Crabtree-Ireland expressed his frustration over the suspension in talks the studios called last night.

The View have selected a host of emerging acts to support them on their upcoming UK headline tour – find all the details below.The Scottish band have teamed up with promotors, independent record label and new music champions This Feeling to give 21 different artists “their moment in the spotlight” at the shows in England and Wales.Per a press release, the chosen openers “cover the rock ‘n’ roll spectrum” and include indie group Shambolics, indie-soul artist Ruby J, singer-songwriter Lissy Taylor and indie-pop band The Lilacs.The likes of Jonny Ash, Twin City, Cruz, Ben Walker, Oscar Corney and Spangled will also join The View on the road. Ben Walker will open all five shows in Scotland, with Daytime TV set to join as support in Aberdeen and Dundee.In a statement, The View frontman Kyle Falconer said: “It’s great that we’re at a stage where we’ve got the opportunity to help young local talent.

Naman Ramachandran Universal’s “The Exorcist: Believer” debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office with £1.6 million ($2 million), according to numbers released by Comscore. In its second weekend, in second place, Disney’s “The Creator” collected £1 million for a total of £4.1 million.

Emmerdale stars Emma Atkins, Lawrence Robb and Jessie Elland have divulged some of the behind-the-scenes details from filming their first major stunt. Despite being on the soap for more than 20 years, Charity Dingle actress Emma has never been part of a big showpiece like next week's Super Soap Week.

Jordan Moreau In the horror genre, nothing really ever stays dead. Universal and Blumhouse’s sequel, “The Exorcist: Believer,” is launching at the box office this weekend, and it’s made $2.85 million in Thursday previews so far. The R-rated movie is expected to make between $30 million and $36 million in its opening, which will mark the best launch of the horror franchise ever.

All Creatures Great and Small series four airs on Channel 5 tonight as James Herriot and Helen Alderson return to Skeldale House.The couple are settling into life as a newly wed couple while waiting to hear if James will be called up to serve in the RAF. Meanwhile, Siegfried Farnon is getting to grips with his brother Tristan fighting in the war and trying to run the vet surgery without him. Elsewhere a new trainee veterinary student Richard Carmody arrives, causing complications in the house.

EXCLUSIVE: The Eternal Memory, the latest film from Oscar-nominated filmmaker Maite Alberdi (The Mole Agent), has landed a series of international deals for Dogwoof and MTV Documentary Films ahead of its UK premiere this week at the London Film Festival. 

Naman Ramachandran Disney sci-fi epic “The Creator” and Lionsgate U.K.’s horror franchise entry “Saw X” debuted atop the U.K. and Ireland box office — and the race was almost too close to call. “Saw X” won the three-day total with £1.92 million ($2.31 million), while “The Creator” was just behind with £1.89 million ($2.27 million).

Refresh for latest…: Here we are with a sort of hybrid weekend at the international box office: there were fresh entries from the Hollywood studios, as well as major new titles timed to holiday play in local markets, and a holdover that’s continuing to rack up records.

The numbers are in!