Guilty pleasures
By NewsPress Now
‘Twisters’ whips up $80.5M at box office
Moviegoers ran toward the tornadoes this weekend, propelling “Twisters” to a blockbuster opening. The standalone sequel to the 1996 hit made $80.5 million in ticket sales from 4,151 theaters in North America, according to studio estimates Sunday.
That’s about $30 million more than analysts expected initially, and makes for the biggest opening of a live-action movie yet this summer.
“We had big aspirations for it to begin with, and it certainly exceeded those,” said Jim Orr, who heads distribution for Universal. “We’re seriously over-indexing between coasts which is fun to see as well.”
Its overperformance recalled “Oppenheimer’s” debut last year on the same weekend. There are some similiarities: The studio, Universal, and the numbers. But there are also important differences: “Oppenheimer” was 3-hours long, R-rated (“Twisters” is PG-13) and historical, not to mention the collective enthusiasm around its release date companion, “Barbie.”
“Twisters,” meanwhile, is a franchise. It may not be a direct sequel to “Twister” but it is benefiting from the brand recognition. The original Jan de Bont-directed film starring Helen Hunt and Bill Paxton was a financial hit at the time and has only become more beloved over the years. This film, directed by Lee Isaac Chung, does not include any of the characters from the original and introduces a new crowd of storm chasers.
“This is just further evidence that when you create something that’s compelling and interesting and has broad appeal, that all across the country people will show up,” said Michael O’Leary, the president and CEO of the National Association of Theatre Owners. “I think the word of mouth on this movie is going to be exceptional.”
The Universal, Warner Bros. and Amblin production cost $155 million to produce and millions more to promote. Part of the push included a country music heavy soundtrack, with a new Luke Combs single “Aint No Love in Oklahoma” which has racked up more than 56 million audio streams. The soundtrack as a whole, featuring the likes of Bailey Zimmerman, Tucker Wetmore, Tanner Adell, Lainey Wilson, Tyler Childers, Thomas Rhett and Miranda Lambert, has over 75 million streams.
Critics were mixed but mostly positive about the 2-hour thriller. Audiences gave it an enthusiastic A- CinemaScore and 4.5 stars on PostTrak. Also of note: 24% of moviegoers polled by PostTrack said actor Glen Powell was a main draw.
“Our director crafted exactly what audiences want to see in theaters: A very immersive, exciting, mayhem everywhere story with a charming cast,” Orr said.
Bob Bagby, the chair of the theatre owners association and the CEO of Kansas City-based B&B Theatres, which has about 580 screens, said their 4DX auditoriums have been nearly sold out all weekend. 4DX is an “immersive” presentation format for films that includes seat-shaking and wind effects.
“Twisters” has also whipped up some spirited online discourse and debate, some about the film not explicitly referencing climate change and some about the lack of a kiss between Powell and Daisy Edgar-Jones. A video showing the kiss that was left on the cutting room floor made the rounds on social media over the weekend.
Bagby appreciated that there was no “surprise political or social agenda.”
“I’m in the movie business. We show everything. There’s been many movies about global warming and that’s important,” he said. “But sometimes you go to the movies and you don’t want to be brought back to reality and lose your escape. You just want to have a good time.”
Universal also had the No. 2 movie in the country with “Despicable Me 4,” now in its third weekend. It added $23.8 million from North America, where it is still playing in over 4,000 theaters, bringing its domestic total to $259.5 million.
Third place went to another animated juggernaut: Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2,” now in its sixth weekend, and boasting a global total of $1.4 billion. It is quickly closing in on “Frozen 2” to earn the title of the biggest animated movie of all time.
Last year on this weekend “Barbenheimer” helped propel the box office to over $311 million. This weekend was never going to match that, but progress is still being made after a difficult start for the crucial summer moviegoing season.
“Things have really turned around since May,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore.
And another force is storming theaters next weekend in “ Deadpool & Wolverine,” which is tracking to open in the $160 million range. That would be enough to unseat “Inside Out 2” for the biggest opening of the year. How it will affect “Twisters” in its second weekend is a big unknown. O’Leary said he believes it’s a plus having compelling movies going head to head.
Dergarabedian added: “We could be looking at a weekend where people want to go see two blockbusters back to back. It’ll give that second weekend of Barbenheimer a run for its money.”
College Football 25 hits the market
EA Sports College Football 25, among the most highly anticipated sports video games of all time, has flooded the market as gamers who waited more than a decade for the franchise’s next installment rush to play.
The game officially launched Friday, with EA Sports increasing its server capacity ahead of time to handle the crush. More than 2.2 million people had already played the game during an early-access period before launch.
“To say we’ve been blown away by the excitement, energy and anticipation around College Football 25 over the past few months would be an understatement,” EA Sports said in a blog post this week. “Just like you, our team has had July 19 circled for months as the culmination of so much work and dedication to build this game, and the chance to see it in players’ hands for the first time.”
EA Sports’ college football games used to be released annually, a cultural icon in American sports for much of the franchise’s existence. The company froze future editions in 2013 when athletes began questioning why they weren’t getting paid to be featured in the games.
With athlete compensation rights sorted out in court and now allowed by the NCAA, EA Sports announced in 2021 it would be reviving the franchise. The video-game developer offered Bowl Subdivision players a minimum of $600 and a copy of the game to have their likeness included in it. More than 11,000 players accepted offers.
The National College Players Association, a group that has long advocated for college players to be paid, celebrated the game as a milestone for its mission.
“It’s exciting for me, my teammates, and my friends from other schools to be in the game and get paid,” Washington defensive back and NCPA leader Dyson McCutcheon said in a press release. “I’ve been playing this game all week. I know lot of people before me fought for this and I’m grateful.”
EA Sports has said its goal for the game was “to feel like a love letter to college football and its fans.”
UCLA, Mississippi State, San Diego State and Colorado were among the schools hosting College Football 25 events this week. Across social platforms, athletes such as LeBron James, Tim Tebow and Michael Vick — even comedians Shane Gillis and Dan Soder — were live-streaming head-to-head matches in the game.
Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, one of the cover athletes, said in May some of the best moments of his childhood involved playing EA Sports college football with his best friend.
“Just for it to be back, as well as to be on the cover of it, it’s an awesome feeling,” he said.
The game’s other standard-edition cover athletes are Texas quarterback Quinn Ewers and Colorado two-way player Travis Hunter. The deluxe edition features the backs of numerous players in a stadium tunnel, including Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe, Georgia quarterback Carson Beck and Ohio State running back Quinshon Judkins.
EA Sports’ college football franchise dates to the 1990s. It grew in popularity in the early 2000s as gaming systems became more advanced, allowing for revolutionary game modes such as the popular Race for the Heisman create-a-player that was introduced in NCAA Football 06.
That edition also featured historic teams, including the 1992 Alabama squad that Clemson coach Dabo Swinney played on.
“Sleeping on me a little bit,” Swinney joked about the 70 overall rating for his player, “WR No. 88,” which did, however, have a 91 speed rating. “They must have my going down the Hill speed. I appreciate the love they gave me on that.”
Disneyland workers authorize potential strike ahead of contract negotiations
ANAHEIM, Calif. | Thousands of workers at Disney’s theme park and resort properties in California voted late Friday to authorize a potential strike, as contract negotiations drag on over wages, sick leave and other benefits.
The strike authorization was approved by an overwhelming margin, nearly 99% of the members who cast votes, according to a union statement. The election was held by a coalition of four unions, which represents 14,000 Disney ride operators, store clerks, custodians, candy makers, ticket takers, parking attendants and other employees.
The vote does not mean a strike will happen, only that union leaders now have the option to call a strike in the event that they are unable to negotiate a new contract deal with Disney. Leaders from both sides return to the bargaining table starting Monday.
“We greatly appreciate the important roles our cast members play in creating memorable experiences for our guests, and we remain committed to reaching an agreement that focuses on what matters most to them while positioning Disneyland Resort for growth and job creation,” the company said in a statement.
Elizabeth Gonzalez, a day custodial cast member at Disney California Adventure, said in the union statement that she knows colleagues who work two and even three jobs or live in a car to make ends meet.
“I am worried as a future mom for the family I’m creating right now,” she said. “Disney can’t call themselves a family friendly company while so many cast members and their families are struggling.”
Union members have been in talks with Disney over wage increases, safety measures, attendance policies and other benefits since April.
—From AP reports
