Sunday, December 21, 2025
Donate
Home Blog Page 1280

Broadway Boffo: Disney’s “Frozen” Musical Plays Just 4 Previews, Makes Nearly $1 Million

Roger Friedman
-
0
Broadway Boffo: Disney’s “Frozen” Musical Plays Just 4 Previews, Makes Nearly $1 Million

Bruce Springsteen is still on leave from his Broadway show, so the weekly box office had to rely on a newcomer to make noise.

Disney’s “Frozen” musical based on the hit animated movie played just 4 previews last week and made just over $926,000– it sold out right to the rafters. So imagine if they’d done the 8 regular shows that will be the schedule– $1.8 million would have been the box office. “Frozen” opens in April and by then the weekly box office should give Bruce– who takes in $2.4 million a week from 5 performances — a run for his money.

It was a good week all the way around for Broadway shows. Buoyed by rave reviews, Bernadette Peters in “Hello, Dolly!” cleared $1 million for the second week in a row. Yes, it’s half of the Bette Midler take per week, but the budget is probably half, too. Peters’ consolation is that her reviews were through the roof. The show has benefited from her arrival, and that of Victor Garber.

The big news is that Martin McDonagh’s “The Hangmen” which was supposed to transfer uptown to Broadway before Tony eligibility cut off of April 26th may not make it after all. There’s said to be a glitch in the business end of things. This would clear the way for “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child” to win the Tony for Best New Play. Interesting. “The Hangmen” has been extended to March 25th downtown at the Atlantic Theater Company, which will still likely win Best Musical for “The Band’s Visit.”

Maybe someone on the Great White Way didn’t want the Atlantic to pick up Best Musical and Best Play in the same season. If ya know what I mean…

TV’s “The Bachelor” Headed for a Disaster: if You Follow “Reality Steve” The Worst Is Yet to Come

Roger Friedman
-
0
TV’s “The Bachelor” Headed for a Disaster: if You Follow “Reality Steve” The Worst Is Yet to Come

Do I watch “The Bachelor”? Not really. Not until a couple of years ago, and then I’ve just caught the first and last episodes to see what’s going on.

But if you follow the reliable website Reality Steve, the poo is about to hit the fan on this, the 22nd ‘season’ (seasons used to be years) of a show about basically clueless morons.

The current bachelor is named Arie Luyendyk Jr., a 36 year old part time amateur race car driver and real estate salesman who was exhumed from a previous iteration of “The Bachelorette.”  Arie is the perfect antidote to sleeplessness, so his “journey” to the final rose ceremony hasn’t been too thought provoking until now.

Turns out Reality Steve — who gets the scoop on this stuff— has known the outcome since the show began airing– in other words, when they finish taping, and the participants go silent waiting for the final, live broadcast– that’s when the fun begins.

So what does Reality Steve know? He knows that Arie proposed to one woman, who said yes on the air. Everyone shook hands and parted company until the live show ending. But in the interim, Arie broke off his engagement and started dating a girl he’d rejected on the last show. It’s unclear if they became engaged, or broke up, or if he got back together with the first girl.

And you see, it won’t matter anyway. Because whoever Arie is with now, in six months it will be over. “The Bachelor” is a hallucination. None of it is real. The people don’t really know each other. And they’re almost always geographically at odds; neither of them wants to move to the other’s locale. The on who lives in Maine doesn’t want to up-end their life and move to Arizona, or whatever.

Let’s put it this way– if Jennifer Aniston and Justin Theroux couldn’t figure it out, these losers certainly aren’t going to pull it off.

So it’s all going to end in a snarl, with a lot of snarling. I won’t see it in real time, because tonight there are two movie premieres and next Monday is the night after the Oscars and I will be at Craig’s in West Hollywood commiserating about who was “snubbed.”

But god bless to all of these clowns. Their lives are “on the line.” The real hero anyway is Reality Steve.

“Black Panther” Did Better Than Predicted on Sunday, Finished Weekend with $403 Million US

Roger Friedman
-
0
“Black Panther” Did Better Than Predicted on Sunday, Finished Weekend with $403 Million US

Never bet again T’Challa.

Turns out “Black Panther” did better than predicted for Sunday, coming in closer to $35 million than the prognosticated $31.6 million. So instead of $400 mil plus change, the domestic total is probably $403 million.

At this rate, “Black Panther” will be number 1 all week and weekend, beating all new releases including “Red Sparrow,” which will do well, and “Death Wish,” which will not. “Black Panther” will be number 1 on Oscar night, so look for as many of its cast as the Oscars can persuade to be at the show.

 

 

Rolling Stones Plan European Tour Despite Retirements of Other Rock Stars: “We’re Not Finished Yet”

Roger Friedman
-
0
Rolling Stones Plan European Tour Despite Retirements of Other Rock Stars: “We’re Not Finished Yet”

The Rolling Stones gather no moss and will not retire from performing. They’ve just announced European dates for their No Filter tour this summer. Their combined age is 2,700. Other rock stars like Elton John, Neil Diamond, Paul Simon, Kenny Rogers, Aretha Franklin are ending their tour days. Not the Stones! Keith Richards said in an earlier post: “We aren’t finished yet!”

“Clerks” Director Kevin Smith Survives Massive “Widow Maker” Heart Attack Overnight

Roger Friedman
-
0
“Clerks” Director Kevin Smith Survives Massive “Widow Maker” Heart Attack Overnight

“Clerks” director Kevin Smith has tweeted overnight that he’s survived a massive heart attack. Smith had been performing on Sunday night in Glendale, California at the Alex Theater doing his Comic Book Men stage show. He says that after the first show he had the heart attack. “If I hadn’t canceled the second show 2 go to the hospital, I would’ve died tonight.”

Smith, who’s 47, rose to fame as the director of such unique comedies as “Clerks,” “Mallrats,” and “Chasing Amy.”

I’ve known Kevin for a lot of years, to say the least. Sending him massive Get Well wishes!

“Death Wish” Remake Opens Friday: Bruce Willis MIA and Movie Problematic Considering Parkland

Roger Friedman
-
0
“Death Wish” Remake Opens Friday: Bruce Willis MIA and Movie Problematic Considering Parkland

The remake of “Death Wish” is coming Friday. You remember “Death Wish,” dontcha? Charles Bronson avenging his wife’s death, shooting everything that got in his way?

A remake? Seems like poor timing, no? In the new version, Bruce Willis is probably doing the same as Bronson, only this time the wife is Elisabeth Shue, not Jill Ireland.

Problematic considering Parkland, 17 dead, and the NRA boycott, not to mention coming anti-gun marches all over the place, and high school students walking out of classes.

Not to mention that Bruce Willis, the star, is SILENT. He’s not on any late night talk shows this week. He is MIA on silent media. There’s no premiere for the movie. It’s unlikely we will see or hear from Willis, who has five daughters and probably isn’t waiting for reporters’ questions about kids and gun control.

MGM– yes there is still an MGM — is distributing “Death Wish.” They’ve put it up against Jennifer Lawrence in “Red Sparrow,” the third week of “Black Panther” and Oscar weekend, when most people are frantically catching up on Oscar nominated movies.

Will “Death Wish” go to video pretty quickly? Seems like it. Willis’s last movie, “Acts of Violence,” may have been released somewhere but no one ever reported its box office. “Extraction,” released in 2015, made $16,775. “Rock the Kasbah” made $3 million.

Stay tuned…

Paul McCartney Celebrates George Harrison on His 75th Birthday: “Wonderful memories, Georgie”

Roger Friedman
-
0
Paul McCartney Celebrates George Harrison on His 75th Birthday: “Wonderful memories, Georgie”

Everyone is celebrating George Harrison today on what would have been his 75th birthday. We love George as a Beatle, from “Here Comes the Sun” and “Something” to “Savoy Truffle.” But the George Harrison I celebrate is the man who gave us “All Things Must Pass.” I still have my original box with the vinyl. Those songs–from “I’d Have You Anytime” to “My Sweet Lord,” “What is Life,” “Apple Scruffs,” “Wah-Wah”– how they’ve held up over 48 years. And then there’s “All Things Must Pass,” the title track, which might have been a Beatles song but thank goodness it wasn’t. A masterpiece, a real of art. George had plenty of hits and did many great things but “Beware of Darkness”– particularly the “Bangla Desh” version with Leon Russell– remains magnificent.

So raise a glass to George– and also to his remarkable wife, Olivia, and their tremendous son, Dhani, both of whom have proven to be the most faithful, respectful keepers of the flame. This week, they’re released a new vinyl version of “The Concert for George,” in many configurations. I was lucky enough to be there for this all -star memorial on November 29, 2002. It’s so nice to have a lasting reminder.

Disney Goes Out on a Limb, Predicts “Black Panther” Crossed $400 Mil US Today, $700 Mil Worldwide

Roger Friedman
-
0
Disney Goes Out on a Limb, Predicts “Black Panther” Crossed $400 Mil US Today, $700 Mil Worldwide

Disney is going waaaay out on a limb– let’s see if they’re right. They’re saying that “Black Panther” had such an extraordinary day on Saturday that by the end of the weekend the movie will have crossed the $400 million mark.

That also means worldwide the number would be $700 million.

There’s a thin line here– the Disney number puts “Panther” up over $400 mil by just $422. If they’re wrong, and they’re under, they got a Sunday headline that’s wrong, but will correct itself by Monday night. So it might have turned out to be fake news for 24 hours. Very Trump-like.

Still, “Panther” made $100 million minimum for the weekend, which is more than the rest of the top 50 movies combined by zillions. So that can be the headline for the day.

The countdown begins to Disney’s next release, “A Wrinkle in Time,” on March 9th. The buzz is getting iffy– we may have to iron that out soon.

Sony Music’s Coming Shake Up Sends Industry Giant Doug Morris to Start New Label

Roger Friedman
-
0
Sony Music’s Coming Shake Up Sends Industry Giant Doug Morris to Start New Label

There’s so much trouble at Sony Music right now, forget-about-it. The result, as revealed Saturday afternoon, is that Doug Morris, chairman of the company, is leaving at the end of March to start his own new label.

You do know that Doug– who once ran Universal Music Group and Warner Music Group– is 79 years young. But he’s in great shape, he’s an industry giant. What’s he gonna do, go home?

Hitsdailydouble.com, the industry trade, says Doug is joining up with Steve Bartels, who ran Island Def Jam and Def Jam Records to huge success. They’re going to call it 12 Tone Records. Hits got a little overwrought and first reported that Jimmy Iovine, who’s leaving Apple, was involved, too. But Iovine straightened that out: he is not nuts. He’s taking his Beats headphones and his new wife and gettin’ out of Dodge.

But the music biz is in Doug’s blood, and Bartels was forced out of Def Jam for no particular reason, so this is a pretty exciting story with lots of potential. For Morris it’s smart– Sony is in hot water. They have no hits from Columbia Records. They haven’t had one in months. I’ve heard Rob Stringer is in trouble, too. The one legacy artist that might have given Columbia-Epic a shot in the arm– Sade– has surfaced on the “Wrinkle in Time” soundtrack on Universal’s Disney label. That must be a shock.

In Japan, Sony’s CEO Kaz Hirai was replaced by Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony Corp.’s chief financial officer, who will take over as president-CEO as of April 1. The party is over.

Indeed, the industry is changing fast. LA Reid has started his Hitco with Charles Goldstuck. We may see more new smaller labels looking for hits, trying to deal with radio’s fractionalization (a word I made up) as I Heart Radio and other companies struggle to pay back ginormous loans. Everyone’s buzzing about streaming now. 12 Tone doesn’t even have to put out physical product– no one wants it anyway unless it’s from a legend or it’s a special boxed set. The whole thing can be digital.

So many people in the industry are loyal to Doug and to Steve. Will their company entice away Sylvia Rhone, who’s worked for Morris at every company and currently runs Epic Records? Could be. Epic has been on a roll lately. But Yoshida may pull the plug, combine Columbia and Epic (a rumor for decades), make Epic an imprint, and give it all to newly appointed Ron Perry. Where does that leave Stringer, who played me Adele’s album long before anyone know what was coming, and announced that it was a mega hit?

Suddenly, the world is spinning!

“Black Panther” Soundtrack Number 1 for 2nd Week Thanks to Streaming, Which is Now Completely Hip Hop and Rap Oriented

Roger Friedman
-
0
“Black Panther” Soundtrack Number 1 for 2nd Week Thanks to Streaming, Which is Now Completely Hip Hop and Rap Oriented

The soundtrack to the hit movie “Black Panther” is number 1 for the second week in a row. Total sales were roughly 125,000 copies according to Buzz Angle and hitsdailydouble.com.

But only around 39,000 of those were sales of CDs or digital downloads. The bulk of sales came from streaming services like Spotify and AppleMusic, maybe even a few from Tidal.

This isn’t unusual for hip, rap or urban music these days. Most of the streaming chart is taken up with this music. No one talks about it, but streaming has become the official delivery system for black music fans. And young ones.

By contrast: the soundtrack to the Hugh Jackman  movie “The Greatest Showman” is number 2. It sold 60K copies, with no streaming whatsoever. The entire top 50 Streaming Songs chart is hip hop, or rap-pop. The only white artist is Ed Sheeran, with his “Perfect” lodged at number 11.

The music biz overall remains in the doldrums right now. No major releases are expected before May 11th, when Charlie Puth releases his new album. But no BIG stars are coming any time soon– unless someone surprises us!

1...1,2791,2801,281...2,324Page 1,280 of 2,324

Hollywood to the Hudson

Company

Trending

Categories

© Showbiz411.com