By JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer On the day of Austin Butler’s final screen test for “Elvis,” director Baz Luhrmann threw everything at him. Butler had spent five months building up to that moment, workshopping the role with Luhrmann, doing hair and make-up tests, rehearsing the songs. Against the odds, Butler had emerged as the … Read more
ROME (AP) – Film director Paul Haggis was detained on Sunday for investigation of allegations that he sexually assaulted a woman in southern Italy, Italian news media said, quoting local prosecutors. The Canadian-born, Oscar-winning Haggis, 69, has been in Italy for a film festival that begins on Tuesday in Ostuni, a tourist town in Puglia, … Read more
By LINDSEY BAHR, AP Film Writer “Lightyear” did not go to infinity (or beyond) in its first weekend in theaters: Pixar’s first major theatrical release since March 2020 blasted off with $ 51 million in its debut weekend in North America, according to studio estimates on Sunday. Not only did it open lower than expected, … Read more
By JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) – On the eve of Juneteenth, the Tribeca Festival came to close with the Rev. Al Sharpton documentary “Loudmouth” in a premiere that united on stage Sharpton and Spike Lee – two towering New York figures who have each been both vilified and celebrated for careers … Read more
By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – Authorities across much of the Muslim world have barred Disney’s latest animated film “Lightyear” from being played at cinemas after the inclusion of a brief kiss between a lesbian couple, the company said Thursday as the movie premiered . Thirteen nations and the Palestinian … Read more
By JON GAMBRELL, Associated Press DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) – The United Arab Emirates on Monday banned the upcoming Pixar animated feature “Lightyear” from showing in movie theaters amid reports that the film includes a kiss between two female characters. The Emirates, home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, announced through its Media Regulatory Office … Read more
NEW YORK (AP) – The Latest on the Tony Awards (all times local): Simon Russell Beale has won the Tony Award for best leading actor in a play for his work in “The Lehman Trilogy.” Stefano Massini’s play about what led to the collapse of Lehman Brothers – adapted by Ben Power and directed by … Read more
Move over Maverick, the dinosaurs have arrived to claim their throne. “Jurassic World: Dominion” took a mighty bite out of the box office with $ 143.4 million in North American ticket sales, according to studio estimates Sunday. Including earnings from international showings – the film opened in various markets last weekend – “Jurassic World: Dominion,” … Read more
By ELISE RYAN, Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) – Fans outside New York’s Beacon Theater were cheering for Taylor Swift before she arrived, belting her songs before she stepped onstage. That energy remained throughout her stop at the 21st Tribeca Festival on Saturday, where Swift discussed transitioning into the director’s chair, the nuances of visual … Read more
By JAKE COYLE, AP Film Writer NEW YORK (AP) – A new documentary about Rudy Giuliani premiering at the Tribeca Festival weaves in musical performances to give the ups and downs of the man once commonly referred to as “America’s Mayor” an operatic flavor. “Rudy! A Documusical, “directed by Jed Rothstein, is in large part … Read more