Shang-Chi Remains Undefeated
It’s been a while since we last had a blockbuster film stay at the top of the weekend box office three weeks in a row. But here it is: in its third week in movie theaters, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings remained undefeated by its competition. According to the Box Office Mojo, Marvel’s latest superhero flick grossed $21,7 million last weekend, increasing its domestic earnings up to $176,9 million. This box office haul may be unimpressive by the pre-pandemic standards, but in the age of COVID, it is quite something!
In second place at the last weekend’s box office is once again Ryan Reynolds’ action-comedy Free Guy, with $5,1 million. After six weeks in cinemas, the film is still among the top five highest-grossing movies of the weekend. Its current domestic cum stands at $108,5 million. Third place belongs to this week’s sole newcomer – Clint Eastwood’s neo-Western drama Cry Macho, based on the 1975 novel by N. Richard Nash. Besides starring in the film, Eastwood also produced and directed it. In its first weekend, Cry Macho grossed $4,4 million. Nia DaCosta’s horror film Candyman is in fourth place with $3,5 million. After four weeks in cinemas, this $25 million movie earned $53,2 million. And, in fifth place is James Wan’s latest horror film Malignant with $2,7 million and a total domestic gross of $9,8 million.
NoTime to Die and Dune Secure Release in China
SlashFilm reports Dennis Villeneuve’s Dune adaptation and Cary Fukunaga’s latest James Bond movie No Time to Die have been approved for a release on the Chinese market. Dune will premiere on Friday, October 22, 2021. No Time to Die will follow a week later, on October 29, 2021. These releases will come in weeks after the Chinese National Day on October 1. During this time, cinemas primarily play government-funded Chinese films praising that same government. Therefore, by late October, moviegoers will likely be looking for some escapism instead of propaganda.
With almost 1,4 billion people, many of whom are eager for movie entertainment, China has increasingly become the most important film market outside the United States. But the access to it is regulated by the Chinese government and its censors. For example, Marvel’s latest superhero films Black Widow and Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings haven’t reached China, except through movie piracy. This means these otherwise successful titles failed to gain anything on the world’s largest movie market. So, it’s a big deal when a film gets approved for release on the Chinese market. Corporations may loathe communists, but they sure love their money.
Showtime Orders Let the Right One In TV Series
Showtime officially ordered a 10-episode season of the vampire horror series Let the Right One In, says BloodyDisgusting. This news comes after Tomorrow Studios – the production company behind the show – has been trying to develop the project for years. Andrew Hinderaker (Away, Penny Dreadful) will serve as the showrunner, and TV veteran Seith Mann (Elementary, Homeland, Raising Dion) will direct. The rest of the cast includes Jacob Buster (Colony), Kevin Carroll (The Walking Dead), Anika Noni Rose (Little Fires Everywhere), Grace Gummer (American Horror Story), and others.
Let the Right One In tells the story of a man (played by Demián Bichir – Hateful Eight) trying to raise his daughter (Madison Taylor Baez – Selena: The Series) a decade after she became a vampire. Stuck at the age of twelve, she can go out only at night. Her father tries to provide her with human blood to survive.
This series is a variation on a story told in the 2008 Swedish horror film of the same title. In it, a bullied boy befriends an unusual girl who turns out to be a vampire. The movie – based on a novel by John Ajvide Lindqvist – got its US remake. Let Me In came out in 2010 and featured Kodi Smit-McPhee (X-Men: Apocalypse) and Chloë Grace Moretz (Suspiria).
