“Spider Man: No Way Home” set a record with the 3rd highest ever Thursday previews at the box office. Total was $50 million.
AMC Theater stock is up 14% on the news. “Spider Man” is on its way to a $150 million weekend, maybe more.
This is despite the pandemic and theater going at a low in recent months. But the audience is piling in to see all the characters from 20 years of these movies return for one big rodeo. Amazing. And the movie is good!
AMC Theaters stock is soaring right now on news of “Spider Man” breaking records last night at their theaters.
Stock is up almost 10%. 15% And still going. Box office news should start coming in around 11am.
Cinemark Theaters already trumpeting biggest preview night in history.
Keep refreshing
It’s Omicron vs. Spider Man.
As the the latest wave of the pandemic seems ready to come in like a Tsunami, the virus may be met with a larger force: “Spider Man” fans.
This morning around 11am we should know if “No Way Home,” the mega-Spidey movie with triple the fun set records last night in previews. It seems likely. Social media is having a volcanic like eruption from people who went last night and loved, loved, loved it. Shows were sold out across the country.
SEE CINEMARK’S TWEET BELOW.
The biggest Thursday previews in the past were in order: “Avengers Endgame” $60 mil, “The Force Awakens” $57 mil, “The Last Jedi,” $45 mil, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt.2” $43 mil, and “The Rise of Skywalker,” $40 mil. So we’ll be looking at those numbers this morning.
Tonight’s shows are almost all sold out. There are single seats here and there, but “No Way Home” is going to break Friday records as well, and weekend ones, too.
Come back around 11:30am.
🚨 JUST IN! 🚨
Spider-Man: No Way Home delivered our best U.S. Box Office Opening of ALL TIME. (Yes, you read that right.)
THANK YOU! 👏 👏 👏 #SpiderManNoWayHome pic.twitter.com/PxWnAsLAr9
— Cinemark Theatres (@Cinemark) December 17, 2021
The new number 1 is a comedy charity single from Elton John, Ed Sheeran and a Brit named LadBaby who’s like their Weird Al combined with Ali G.
“Sausage Rolls for Everyone” is a hoot, and incredibly catchy– a lot catchier than the actual Elton/Ed Christmas song, “Merry Xmas,” which will be forgotten in the wake of this hit.
The video is notable because it features the young sons of Elton and David Furnish wearing Elton-like glasses.
Lots of fun and all for a good cause! And it will knock off Mariah Carey’s insufferable “All I want for Christmas,” which is a gift in itself.
Also, Elton’s voice is prominent, which I love, and it looks like he’s recovering from his hip surgery.
Barack Obama was a great president, But he’s no film critic and frankly, not very loyal where he should be.
Obama issued his own list of Best Movies of 2021 on Thursday. Huge omissions: Jennifer Hudson as Aretha Franklin in “Respect” and Will Smith as Richard Williams in “King Richard.” Not very loyal either since Aretha sang at the 2009 Inauguration. And Hudson is from Chicago. And the Obamas LOVE Serena and Venus. Weird.
If Obama likes to think he has influence on the public, he left out two important Black movies and their stars– frankly the two Black actors who have the best hope of Oscar nods this year.
Obama also left off “Belfast,” one of the very best films of 2021. And he included “Judas and the Black Messiah,” which was technically in last year’s field.
Also: “The Last Duel”? “C’mon C’mon”? Cmon!
Strange list. Mr. Obama, stick to politics please.
Next up are my favorite movies of the year. Each of these films tells a powerful story, and I hope you enjoy them as much as I did. pic.twitter.com/peFGiaTvby
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) December 16, 2021
Actress Zoe Lister Jones has nothing good to say about “Sex and the City” actor Chris Noth. She adds to the accusations made this morning by two anonymous women, revealed in Kim Masters’ report in the Hollywood Reporter. She recalls Noth being “consistently sexually inappropriate” with a female promoter at a nightclub he co-owned. She also recalls him being drunk on set at “Law & Order.” Lister-Jones ends her posting with “Fuck Mr. Big.”
Since the Masters report, Peloton has pulled its cheeky ad sending up “Sex and the City.” They made it in a day and ran for three. Now it’s over. What’s next?
Her post is below.
The real McCoy– Jack McCoy — is coming back to “Law & Order.”
Sam Waterston, who never stops working (thank god) will join the revival of the Dick Wolf mothership show on February 24th. It’s a victory lap for Waterston, who was with the show for 16 seasons first as ADA McCoy and then moved up to District Attorney. (We still miss Steven Hill as his boss and pal.)
waterston has just finished 7 seasons on “Grace and Frankie” with Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Martin Sheen. He has all kinds of awards: 1985 Oscar nominee for “The Killing Fields.” One Emmy and seven other nominations. I Golden Globe and 5 other nominations. He has 1 Tony nom and 1 Drama Desk win and 1 Drama Desk nomination. Whew!
So where has McCoy been since he left the DA’s office years ago? I hope the writers have come up with a great backstory for him. Waterston will be joined by Anthony Anderson, who arrived on “L&O” years ago as he was leaving, plus Jeffrey Donovan from “Burn Notice” and Camryn Manheim and Hugh Dancy. Hopefully we’ll see more faces from the show’s past as well.
So welcome back, Jack. Crime in New York is much worse in many ways now.
Add “MJ: The Michael Jackson Musical” to the list of Broadway shows hit with COViD. They’ve canceled today’s matinee and tonight’s show as well.
All of Broadway is suffering from breakout COVID in casts and crews. They’re all being tested and require vaccinations. But who knows about the audiences? They’re coughing in those theaters. Is anyone presenting fake info?
Please tell COVID to Beat It. Get vaxxed.
UPDATE: The “Tina Turner” musical has canceled again today because of COVID.
“Hamilton” has canceled again for today and tomorrow.
Broadway Struggles with COVID Outbreaks as Even “Hamilton” Shuts Down for a Day
Adele’s run at number 1 with her “30” album is over, at least for today.
Kelly Clarkson’s “When Christmas Comes Around” has overtaken it on iTunes and is number 1. “30” falls to number 2.
Clarkson’s album was pushed by her TV special last night which looked pretty good. It was an encore– repeat- and the numbers aren’t in yet, but it obviously had some effect on album sales.
Adele is also completely out at number 1 on the singles chart. “Easy On Me” has fallen to number 5 after two months. Adele has no follow up single so far from “30” to replace it. “Oh My God” is at 84, and isn’t coming back. Strangely, her “Water Under the Bridge” from 2015 is at number 54. I don’t know why.
Adele’s “30” album will have a little extra sales over the next two weeks but unless a second single can be cultivated, I think the novelty is over. Now she goes to Vegas, where ticket prices are between $1,000 and $30,000 depending on how crazy you are. That’s where she’ll make her money, playing to people who don’t have it.
Joni Mitchell’s all star concert is coming on January 30th and it’s going to be big. Joni is being celebrated by Musicares as their Person of the Year, which means a bunch of stars will assemble at the LA Convention Center in front of a glittering crowd of more stars and execs and fans (yes, you can buy tickets).
So far, Brandi Carlile and Jon Batiste, producers for the night have assembled quite a group. Two of Joni’s ex boyfriends will perform, James Taylor and Graham Nash. Carlile will also perform. They’ve also got Herbie Hancock, Leon Bridges, and Pentatonix,the Black Pumas, Jon Batiste, Maggie Rogers, and Mickey Guyton.
More will be announced later. I wish they’d get Judy Collins to sing “Both Sides Now.” But that probably won’t happen.
“We are crafting a once-in-a-lifetime evening in honor of Joni,” said Laura Segura, Executive Director of MusiCares, in s statement. “I thank each of these artists for lending their talents to celebrate Joni and her impact on the music community.”
The event will be produced by live event broadcast company Lewis & Clark, made up of Joe Lewis and R.A. Clark. Renowned American producer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Mike Elizondo will also serve as Music Director for the 2022 Person of the Year gala. Tickets are available to purchase at www.musicares.org/person-year. For more information about MusiCares Person of the Year, please visit www.musicares.org or email personoftheyear@musicares.org.
If you’re in LA and you can be there, this is the event of a lifetime. And it’s quite a tribute to Joni, who’s fought her way back from illness and is thriving. (You can also get her new Archives, Volumes 1 and 2, from Rhino, not to be missed!)