Box office: 'Aladdin' takes flight with $105M in North America

LOS ANGELES -- Disney's live-action "Aladdin" is flying high with an estimated $105 million in North America during the four-day Memorial Day holiday weekend.

It's the sixth-highest Memorial Day weekend total ever, topping the 2011 mark of $103.4 million for "The Hangover Part II." The top total came in 2007, when "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" took in $139 million in its first four days. "Aladdin" is also dominating moviegoing internationally with $121 million in 56 markets.

"Aladdin" has outperformed Disney's pre-opening domestic projections, which were in the $75 million to $85 million range, taking in $86.1 million in its first three days. The reboot of the original 1992 animated movie -- which generated $502 million in worldwide box office -- stars Mena Massoud as Aladdin, Will Smith as the Genie, Naomi Scott as Jasmine and Marwan Kenzari as Jafar. Guy Ritchie directed "Aladdin," produced by Dan Lin and Jonathan Eirich.

Comscore's PostTrak general audience survey found that 67% of patrons said they would "definitely recommend" the film to their friends. Notably, 39% said their affection for the original was their primary reason for seeing the film, a high percentage that reflects moviegoers' love for the "Aladdin" brand and the characters in the film.

"A very strong 22% said they would see the film again in theaters -- much higher than the norm of 14%," noted Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore's senior media analyst.

Comscore estimated that total domestic business for the four-day weekend was $226 million. That was about $1.8 million shy of the total for the same frame last year, when "Solo: A Star Wars Story" launched with $103 million. The top Memorial Day weekend took place in 2013 when "Fast and Furious 6" launched and North American moviegoing totaled $314 million for the four days.

"A very solid Memorial Day weekend was led by the bigger-than-expected performance of Disney's 'Aladdin' conjured up huge numbers of moviegoers looking for the perfect family-friendly treat over the extended holiday weekend," he said.

Sony's launch of horror-thriller "Brightburn" should pull in about $9 million for the holiday weekend to finish fifth and United Artists-Annapurna's teen comedy "Booksmart" will open in sixth at around $8 million. Both were positioned as counter-programmers to "Aladdin" and finished slightly below forecasts.

Lionsgate's second session of "John Wick: Chapter 3" should be runner-up with $30.5 million following its surprisingly strong opening of $56.8 million. The actioner will wind up the holiday weekend with $107 million domestically.

Disney's fifth frame of "Avengers: Endgame" will finish third in the $22 million range, increasing its haul to about $803 million domestically by the end of Memorial Day. "Endgame" trails only "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" in domestic gross, with the space saga having grossed $936 million.

Warner Bros.' third weekend of "Pokemon Detective Pikachu" will follow in fourth with about $17 million. The family adventure will finish the weekend at the $120 million mark in North America.

Overall moviegoing for 2019 has hit $4.34 billion as of Sunday, down 10% from the same point last year. The lag is due to a dismal performance during the first two months of this year.

"Aladdin" is the third biggest launch of 2019, following the record-setting $357 million for "Avengers: Endgame" and $153 million for "Captain Marvel."

source: news.abs-cbn.com

Madonna reveals rape at knifepoint when young

LOS ANGELES - US pop icon Madonna was raped at knifepoint when she was a young struggling artist in New York, she revealed in an article published Friday.

The 55-year-old also recalled being held up at gunpoint and having her seedy apartment burgled three times, saying she was "scared shitless" at times before she started making it as a singer and dancer.

In a piece for Harper's Bazaar, she also talked about her time living in Britain married to director Guy Ritchie, saying there is "nothing more beautiful than the English countryside," and revealed that she is now studying the Koran.

Describing her arrival in the Big Apple from the Midwest, where she grew up, she wrote: "New York wasn't everything I thought it would be. It did not welcome me with open arms," and described "paying my rent by posing nude for art classes, staring at people staring at me naked."

"The first year, I was held up at gunpoint. Raped on the roof of a building I was dragged up to with a knife in my back, and had my apartment broken into three times. I don't know why; I had nothing of value after they took my radio the first time.

"The tall buildings and the massive scale of New York took my breath away. The sizzling-hot sidewalks and the noise of the traffic and the electricity of the people rushing by me on the streets was a shock to my neurotransmitters," she added.

She continued: "I felt like I had plugged into another universe. I felt like a warrior plunging my way through the crowds to survive. Blood pumping through my veins, I was poised for survival.

"I felt alive.

"But I was also scared shitless and freaked out by the smell of piss and vomit everywhere, especially in the entryway of my third-floor walk-up."

The "Material Girl" singer, whose career has ranged from "Like a Virgin" to movie roles, the 1992 coffee table book "Sex" and who last toured in 2012, wrote the cover story to accompany a fashion photoshoot of her in typically provocative gear, including a bondage-style mask and a sword.

Moving on a decade a time, she recalled being a pop star in her 20s, embracing Kabbalah in her 30s, before marrying Ritchie and moving to Britain by the age of 45.

"I consider moving to a foreign country to be a very daring act. It wasn't easy for me .. I didn't understand pub culture. I didn't understand that being openly ambitious was frowned upon. Once again I felt alone.

"But I stuck it out and I found my way, and I grew to love English wit, Georgian architecture, sticky toffee pudding, and the English countryside. There is nothing more beautiful than the English countryside."

Madonna and Ritchie were divorced in 2008, and a decade later she is back in New York.

"I have started making films, which is probably the most challenging and rewarding thing I have ever done. I am building schools for girls in Islamic countries and studying the Koran. I think it is important to study all the holy books.

"As my friend Yaman always tells me, a good Muslim is a good Jew, and a good Jew is a good Christian, and so forth. I couldn't agree more."

source: www.abs-cbnnews.com