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“No Time to Die,” or Report Box Office, But Plenty of Time to Rent Beginning Tuesday, for $19.99

Roger Friedman
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“No Time to Die,” or Report Box Office, But Plenty of Time to Rent Beginning Tuesday, for $19.99

Time to wave the red flag on “No Time to Die.”

MGM will make the latest James Bond movie available on Video on Demand beginning on Tuesday, for $19.99.

The Bond movie has made $136 million at the US box office, and it’s not going to do much better. So rather than let it simmer in theaters and hoping to get up to $150 million, MGM’s United Artists Releasing will throw in the towel and let people at home watch the film.

It’s right on time since today MGM didn’t even report box office figures for Friday night. The numbers are in decline now.

MGM and United Artists Releasing are actually two different entities tied together in a bad marriage. And meanwhile MGM is trying to marry Amazon, although so far there is no sign of their merger on the horizon.

Already this season, MGM/UAR has navigated failures with Sean Penn’s “Flag Day” and the Aretha Franklin biopic, “Respect.” Next up in Lady Gaga and Adam Driver in “House of Gucci,” followed by Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza.”

Last week, “House of Gucci” was screened widely for press, but there’s an embargo on reviews and even on social media. Still, People magazine seems to be running stories about it. “House of Gucci” opens November 24th with a certain Oscar nomination for Lady Gaga as Patrizia Reggiano, the wife of Maurizio Gucci who hired a hit man to kill him. More on all of that this coming week.

Moving “No Time to Die” to VOD is a good idea at this point. I know I’ll take a second look at it. There’s a neat little performance from Ana de Armas in there that I’d like to see again.

 

Friday Box Office: “Eternals” Points to $65 Mil Opening, “Dune” Slowly Approaches $85 Mil, “French Dispatch” Eyes $7 Mil

Roger Friedman
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Friday Box Office: “Eternals” Points to $65 Mil Opening, “Dune” Slowly Approaches $85 Mil, “French Dispatch” Eyes $7 Mil

Friday’s box office showed a slowdown over all in the march toward oblivion.

Marvel’s “Eternals” took in around $21 million plus that $9.5 mil from Thursday previews. Now $70 million for the weekend seems a little high, so we’ll aim lower with $65 mil and be happily surprised if it turns out higher.

“Dune” moves like a sand snail toward $85 million this weekend, probably not quite getting there by Monday. And maybe people who watched it at home are coming to theaters to see what it really looks like. They’ll be pleasantly surprised.

“The French Dispatch” went wider this weekend, to 1,205 theaters. It still hasn’t cracked a $1 million night. Maybe tonight, who knows. Monday through Thursday showed successive declines when it was at 788 theaters. It seems like each time they go wide, the first night is big (people in new cities coming to try it out), then the declines.

“Last Night in Soho” is another quality film with slow demand. Some people hated it, some (like me) loved it. Edgar Wright’s smart horror film is playing, literally, everywhere. Give it a shot.

 

Adele Will Not Be “Chasing Pavements” in CBS Special, Just Featuring 10 Songs Over 2 Hours

Roger Friedman
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Adele Will Not Be “Chasing Pavements” in CBS Special, Just Featuring 10 Songs Over 2 Hours

Fans of Adele’s original hit, “Chasing Pavements,” will be disappointed when her CBS special airs on November 14th. “Adele One Night Only” features only 10 songs spread over 2 hours, and not that one, I’m afraid.

Instead, the special will focus on her new album, “30,” which will be released six days later. Other songs from “30” will be “I Drink Wine,” “Hold On,” and “Love is a Game.”

Adele will sing past hits “Hello,” “when We Were Young,” “Rolling in the Deep,” and “Someone Like You.” She also performs her Bob Dylan cover, “Make You Feel My Love.” Adele will also sing her James Bond theme for “Skyfall,” the last good Bond song.

There will also be a lot of gabbing with Oprah Winfrey, who will call her the best singer of all time. They will walk through gardens, and Adele will use the F word a lot sounding like Eliza Doolittle before Henry Higgins got to know her. Oprah will ask Adele who her interior designer is, and Adele will say, “Oh, darlin’, I did it all me-self! I don’t need no f—in designer! We just went to f—- Tar-jay!”

Oprah will then hand her one of her favorite gift items of the season, a five thousand dollar throw pillow.

SET LIST:

“Hello”
“Easy On Me”
“Skyfall”
“I Drink Wine”
“Someone Like You”
“When We Were Young”
“Make you Feel My Love”
“Hold On”
“Rolling In The Deep”
“Love Is A Game”

Betcha By Golly Wow: November 6th Marks the 50th Anniversary of The Stylistics’ Thom Bell-Produced Classic Debut

Roger Friedman
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Betcha By Golly Wow: November 6th Marks the 50th Anniversary of The Stylistics’ Thom Bell-Produced Classic Debut

This month, November 1971, has a lot of 50th anniversaries of classic albums. Yesterday, November 5th, was Elton John’s “Madman Across the Water,” featuring “Levon,” and “Tiny Dancer.” Alvin Tostig had an album that day!

But today, November 6th. is incredibly important in R&B and pop history. It marks the 50th anniversary of the release of “The Stylistics,” the debut album of the Philly based falsetto strong combo produced by Thom Bell.

“The Stylistics” album contained the hits “Betcha By Golly Wow,” “Stop, Look and Listen,” “People Make the World Go Round,” and my favorite of all their many hits, “You Are Everything.”

It was Russell Thompkins Jr.’s sweet high notes that quickly became the signature sound of The Stylistics, a glossy vibe that was kind of the flip side of 60s soul as a new decade was ushered in. Where singers like Otis Redding, Sam Moore, and Wilson Pickett marked the heaviness of the decade just ended, Thompkins aimed for a romantic gesture that belied the anguish of war and rioting. He also brought the drama in every readying of each lyric.

All of this worked: the songs from “The Stylistics” remain pop fixtures on oldies radio. Even Prince covered “Betcha By Golly Wow.” (Believe it or not, the original version was recorded by Connie Stevens a year earlier.) Thom Bell is considered one of the premiere songwriters-producers-arrangers in pop history. Just like to “People Make the World Go Round.” It’s lightyears ahead of its time.

Bell followed up with more hits like “You Make Me Feel Brand New,” which had a chart-shattering run at number 1 the next year. His co-writer was Linda Creed, who died much too young a decade later at age 37. Creed wrote Bell’s lyrics, also wrote hits for the Spinners, and penned the words to Michael Masser’s eventual Whitney Houston hit, “The Greatest Love of All.”

 

Awards Update: Buzzy New Film Fest 919, Diane Warren Has Two Hats in the Rings for Possible 13th Oscar Nomination

Leah Sydney
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Awards Update: Buzzy New Film Fest 919, Diane Warren Has Two Hats in the Rings for Possible 13th Oscar Nomination

Diane Warren looks well on her way to garner her 13th Oscar nod with her “Somehow You Do” sung by Reba McEntire from the film “Four Good Days.”  She was recently honored with a way cool laser show with the Spotlight Award from Film Fest 919 in Chapel Hill North Carolina.

(Warren actually has two hats in the Oscar ring this year. She just received nominations frm the Hollywood Music in Media Awards: the Reba song, and “(Never Gonna) Tame You” from The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses,” sung by Blanco Brown.

The Fest, founded by industry vets Carol Marshall and Randi Emerman, has just completed their fourth year, is quickly becoming one of the prestige festivals for filmmakers to showcase their works as the awards seasons gets into full swing.

“King Richard” and C’Mon C’mon” were voted as Audience favorites.  The Distinguished Screenwriter Award was presented to Sean Baker and Chris Bergoch for their “Red Rocket” a Cannes favorite.

Warren recently poked fun of herself on the ABC special “A Night At In The Academy Museum” where she walked through the Oscar Experience and was finally able to hold an Oscar Statue.  She recently joked to Showbiz411, “the Museum is amazing and I was so proud that I got to be the one ironically showing what it’s like to give an acceptance speech having not gotten near that stage to give an acceptance speech after 12 nominations! I joked at the end that I wasn’t going to give the Oscar back and there was a second there that I was going to walk out with that little gold man!  They had to pry it out of my hands!”

Kudos to Film Fest 919, their credo is ‘Catch The Films Before They Catch On’ and Hollywood is wisely catching on to them as a must stop on the awards circuit.

Huh? “Black Panther” Sequel Shuts Down Production Over 2 Month Old Letitia Wright Minor Injury

Roger Friedman
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Huh? “Black Panther” Sequel Shuts Down Production Over 2 Month Old Letitia Wright Minor Injury

Peculiar stuff going on down in Atlanta on the set of the Black Panther sequel, “Wakanda Forever.”

They’ve reportedly shut down production for the the time being because actress Letitia Wright sustained an injury while shooting in Boston at the end of August.

It is now the beginning of November, more than two months have passed since Wright’s unspecified injury was termed “minor” by the production. At the time they said she was briefly hospitalized but she was fine and had returned to work.

That was almost ten weeks ago.

Wright became notorious last December and again recently not because of her injury but because of her anti-vaccination stand. At the beginning of October there was a report from the set in The Hollywood Reporter  that Wright espoused anti-vaccine thoughts on set. She went on to deny that on her Instagram page October 13th.

Almost a year ago, in early December 2020, before the vaccine was available was just in discussion, Wright posted a clip titled “COVID-19 Vaccine, Should We Take It?” from Light London Church leader Tomi Arayomi’s YouTube channel, “On the Table.”

The 69-minute video — which has since been removed from YouTube and Wright’s Twitter feed — sees Arayomi making transphobic remarks, stating several unfounded claims blaming China for the pandemic, downplaying the threat of climate change and discouraging people from getting vaccinated for the flu and COVID-19.

Wright Tweeted: “[I]f you don’t conform to popular opinions. but ask questions and think for yourself….you get cancelled.” She included  a crying-laughing emoji.

Shutting an entire production down for a ten week old minor injury seems highly unusual. Atlanta, as I well know, has had a lot of unreported COVID trouble on sets. Earlier this fall, I reported that actor Colin Firth had contracted COVID on the set of his HBO mini series, “The Staircase.” He was laid up for two weeks after a driver faked a vaccine card. Everyone around the production worked to cover up what happened, but I was able to verify it again.

“Wakanda Forever” is a Disney-Marvel production. Disney now has a strict vaccine mandate for all cast and crew on all productions. This has resulted in the ousting of actor Emilio Estevez from the Disney Plus series, “The Mighty Ducks: Game Changers” because he refused to be vaccinated. (His father, Martin Sheen, must be reeling from this insanity.) This has also led to upheaval on ABC’s soap, “General Hospital,” which is said to be offloading two big cast members over the same thing.

So what is really going on with “Wakanda Forever”? If you know anything, please email me in confidence at showbiz411@gmail.com. If it’s just a back spasm that’s shut down a $200 million movie, so be it.

 

“9 to 5” Reunion Set for Final Season of “Grace and Frankie” as Dolly Parton Joins Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin in Series

Roger Friedman
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“9 to 5” Reunion Set for Final Season of “Grace and Frankie” as Dolly Parton Joins Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin in Series

Netflix has saved the best for last.

Dolly Parton is joining Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin for the seventh and final season of “Grace and Frankie.”

This will be a 40th year reunion of the gals from “9 to 5,” who made that comedy such a smash hit when it was released in 1980.

Since then, Jane, Lily, and Dolly have remained close friends. There was a TV spin off on ABC of “9 to 5” that ran for one season, and on which Fonda made a special appearance. There was always talk of a sequel to the famed film, but nothing ever developed.

The news that the ladies will reunite on the final 12 episodes of “Grace and Frankie” should make the show’s drop day — that’s when Netflix reveals an entire series at once — a big one.

PS What about Dabney Coleman? He was the co-star in “9 to 5,” who played the boss, Franklin Hart. Coleman — with a long celebrated career — will turn 90 on January 2, 2022. His last listed credit was playing Kevin Costner’s dad in “Yellowstone” in 2019.

Was The Abba Comeback Worth It? New “Voyage” Album is Terrible Disappointment After Almost 40 Years

Roger Friedman
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Was The Abba Comeback Worth It? New “Voyage” Album is Terrible Disappointment After Almost 40 Years

You can try listening to ABBA’s first album in almost 40 years. I wouldn’t recommend it. “Voyage” is everything ABBA was not: pedantic, childish, amateurish, devoid of the hooks or choruses that made ABBA such an appealing Top 40 enterprise.

The three singles already released were like that, too, so I don’t know why I thought the rest of the songs on “Voyage” would be any different. It’s as if Benny and Bjorn, who wrote songs like “Dancing Queen” and “SOS” and “Take a Chance on Me” completely forgot how to write catchy hits.

Instead, the album is like gloppy sugar, more Muzak-y than ever before. The ballads are drags, the few uptempo songs don’t have enough melodic construction to carry them. You lost interest as the album unfolds.

Of course, aside from Greatest Hits, ABBA was never an album group. They were all about singles. Benny and Bjorn have forgotten that, too. And there’s some weird one called “Keep an Eye on Dan.” Is Dan a kid? A dog? What the heck is going on? And why do I care?

Stick to the hits, fans. Stay away from this.

Pop Fizz: Ed Sheeran’s “Equals” Debuts Almost 30% Lower than Last Release, Adele Single Returns to Number 1

Roger Friedman
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Pop Fizz: Ed Sheeran’s “Equals” Debuts Almost 30% Lower than Last Release, Adele Single Returns to Number 1

The numbers are in for the week.

Ed Sheeran’s “Equals” debuts at number 1 today, but sales are 30% lower than  than his last release.

“Equals” came in at 123,000 copies sold, vs. “No. 6 Collaborations” project from July 2019 which sold 173,000 copies the week it came out. The latter album had a lot of guest stars, the new one is all Ed.

Sheeran is the musical guest this weekend on “Saturday Night Live,” after recovering from COVID. He’ll only get this week at number 1, as Taylor Swift and then Adele are coming for the charts.

Meantime, Adele has returned to number 1  on the singles chart after a brief detour thanks to the gaming of the iTunes chart by “Let’s Go, Brandon” fans. That ship has now sailed.

Bad Reviews Be Damned: Marvel’s “Eternals” Scores $9.5 Mil Preview Night Despite Critics’ Panning

Roger Friedman
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Bad Reviews Be Damned: Marvel’s “Eternals” Scores $9.5 Mil Preview Night Despite Critics’ Panning

Critics didn’t like it. They gave it a lowly 49% on Rotten Tomatoes.

And no one cares.

Marvel’s “Eternals” overcame bad buzz last night and scored $9.5 million in preview showings. They are off to the races!

Marvel will need big box office to pay that huge cast starting with Angelina Jolie, of all people. But they should have a $70 million weekend.

For director Chloe Zhao, the box office should make up for the reviews. And it’s certainly a contrast to her Oscar winning “Nomadland,” which only six months ago won the Academy Award but best picture and director but made only $40 million worldwide, most of it in the U.S. Now she can buy the RV she always dreamed of!

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