Originally published June 5, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
Early projections for Wonder Woman‘s opening were around $65 million, which then dropped to nearly $40 million when the pre-order numbers were released. However, due to some great reviews and positive word of mouth, Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman has opened huge for the DCEU. The movie debuted in several big territories – including China, South Korea and the UK – and pulled in $223 million worldwide. The domestic opening of $100 million makes Jenkins the first female director to hit that mark in her first weekend. Read more here.
During the press tour for Wonder Woman, star Chris Pine has said some harsh words against Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. “Within this genre, it’s difficult to do something new, and usually you just see a bunch of people killing one another in outfits, and blowing up cities,” said Pine. “Like I know there’s a thing called Infinity War coming out, which is like “Really? Like, Infinity War? We need more war for all time?” So I thought at the heart of this is a woman who’s about love and compassion, and love trumps all, and how great is that? That’s a pretty crazy, awesome thing.” Read more here.
Speaking of harsh words, and original Ghostbusters writer and star Dan Aykroyd was on British TV on Sunday and had some choice words for Ghosbusters reboot director Paul Feig. It had been reported that Ghostbusters had gone under huge reshoots which cost a lot of money, and Aykroyd revealed it was because Feig wouldn’t list to advice. “He spent too much on it,” Aykroyd said. “He didn’t shoot scenes we suggested to him and several scenes that were going to be needed and he said ‘nah, we don’t need them’. Then we tested the movie and they needed them and he had to go back. About $30 to $40 million in reshoots. So he will not be back on the Sony lot any time soon.” Interestingly, Aykroyd’s comments were edited off the Channel 4 hour delay repeat of the show. Read more here.
Although her latest movie Baywatch hasn’t exactly done well at the box office, Bollywood star Priyanka Chopra has had a rather successful transition into Hollywood. In a new interview with OK Magazine, Chopra has said her big dream in the industry is to star in a comic book movie. “My dream part is, now that I’m working in America, I definitely want to do a superhero part. When I think of American movies, they’ve had superheroes for eons right? So I definitely want to play a superhero and I want to have an interesting superpower. I don’t know… Batgirl would be so cool!” Read more here.
Oh dear. A few years ago it was announced that District 9 director Neill Blomkamp was going to helm Alien 5 for 20th Century Fox, with returning stars Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn and Lance Henriksen. Sadly for Blomkamp, Ridley Scott expressed interest in returning for Prometheus 2 (which later became Alien: Covenant) and it was reported that Fox had put Blomkamp’s plans on hold with Scott finished his movies, and Blomkamp wasn’t sure if it his movie would ever happen. In a new interview, Blomkamp revealed over the weekend that Alien 5 is now officially dead. “I think it’s totally dead, yes,” he said. “That would be an accurate assumption at this point. It’s sad. I spent a long time working on that, and I feel like it was really pretty awesome. But politically, the way it’s gone now, and the way that it all is — it’s just not going to live.” Read more here.
On the other side of the Alien universe, it has been revealed that Shane Black has finished production of The Predator. Read more here.
With news of Power Rangers 2 possibly getting green lit off the back of some impressive toy sales, Neil Calloway argues that merchandise figures shouldn’t dictate movie making. Read his thoughts here.
