Box Office Breakdown: ‘The Secret Life of Pets’ Barks Up $103.2 Million Opening

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July 10, 2016

The Secret Life of Pets was destined to be massive. I knew it was going to do gangbusters, and I feel like you did too. Illumination Entertainment can market a movie better than anyone else out there today. Add some cute anamorphic animals, plushy designs and familiar voice actors, and you have one of the summer’s biggest hits. The dogs have come out to play, and they brought with them a $103.2 million opening. Woof!

The new animated movie was on track to do well, but it’s wasn’t clear just how well it was going to do. Now, estimates note that it has become the best opening for an original animated property ever, beating last year’s excellent Inside Out (which opened with $90.4 million). With a budget of $75 million, this one is already in the black, and it’s only going to make more cash in the weeks to come. Expect a sequel sooner than not; Illumination like to dry their successful properties dry to the bone — just look at how they handle their Minions. Nevertheless, The Secret Life of Pets is a cute, charming and completely slight piece of family entertainment, and its success certainly isn’t the worst thing to come about this past week. So, let’s chalk this one as a success all-around.

Speaking of family entertainment, Finding Dory continues to hold out strong in third place. Now in its fourth weekend, it may not be in the number one spot anymore, but the animated sequel certainly isn’t hurting. It has an additional $21 million in its aquatic pocket, making its current domestic total an astounding $421.6 million. With that, it officially bests Captain America: Civil War as the highest grossing movie of the summer — at least, here in the States. As expected, 2016 is another highly profitable year for Disney. They have the four highest-grossing films of the year under their name. How do you like them apples?

Well, I shouldn’t get ahead of myself just yet, because they still have the underperforming The BFG to their name, and it’s still not gaining a lot of traction in its second weekend. Steven Spielberg’s latest came in eighth place with $8 million during its second swing, making its domestic total a paltry $39 million thus far. With a budget of $140 million, not counting marketing costs, this one is really going to need an overseas boost to do well. And that’s a shame, because it’s a pretty darn good movie and it deserves some love. I’m just saying.

Outside the family fare, the raunchy comedy Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates also did better than expected this weekend. The 20th Century Fox release, based loosely on the book of the same name by Dave and Mike Stangle, grossed $16.6 million to its name, likely thanks to a successful marketing campaign and its appealing young talented cast. With a $33 million budget, it still needs to pull some extra leg work, and the deservedly mixed reviews might hurt its further success, but it’s more than halfway there, and I have a feeling this one is going to make it out in the clear.

Rounding up the weekend, The Legend of Tarzan came in second place with $20.6 million, making its domestic total a respectable $81.4 million. I didn’t really expect this one to be doing kinda okay, but here we are. Meanwhile, The Purge: Election Year came in fifth place with $11.7 million, although it already earned back its $10 million budget and then some last week, and Central Intelligence crossed the $100 million mark in sixth place. Audiences love Kevin Hart and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, it seems. Also, the international release Sultan earned $2.2 million in tenth place over the weekend, with a $7,832 per theater average. That’s not bad at all.

Check out the box office numbers, courtesy of THR and Box Office Mojo, below.

The Secret Life of Pets Weekend: $103.2 million Domestic Total: $103.2 million
The Legend of Tarzan Weekend: $20.6 million Domestic Total: $81.4 million
Finding Dory Weekend: $20.3 million Domestic Total: $422.6 million
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates Weekend: $16.6 million Domestic Total: $16.6 million
The Purge: Election Year Weekend: $11.7 million Domestic Total: $58.1 million
Central Intelligence Weekend: $8.1 million Domestic Total: $108.3 million
Independence Day: Resurgence Weekend: $7.7 million Domestic Total: $91.4 million
The BFG Weekend: $7.6 million Domestic Total: $38.7 million
The Shallows Weekend: $4.8 million Domestic Total: $45.8 million
Sultan Weekend: $2.2 million Domestic Total: $3.2 million

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Watch – Paul Feig’s ‘Ghostbusters’ Red Carpet Interviews

By

Matthew Sardo

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July 10, 2016

Paul Feig’s ‘Ghostbusters’ premiered Saturday night in Hollywood to huge fanfare, with tons of fans dressed as Ghostbusters, celebrity geeks, and original cast members coming out to support the film.

My prediction is the new ‘Ghostbusters’ will land a 73% on Rotten Tomatoes, as reviews start rolling out later today. The bulk of the reviews will come in after Tuesday’s press screening. Feig’s ‘Ghostbusters’ will have tough competition at the box office with ‘Secret Life of Pets’ this week and ‘Star Trek Beyond’ next, but the film shouldn’t fail because of content and internet trolls.

Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Paul Feig

Kevin Smith

Ivan Reitman

Ernie Hudson

Dan Aykroyd

Cecily Strong

Andy Garcia

‘Ghostbusters’ makes its long-awaited return, rebooted with a cast of hilarious new characters. Thirty years after the beloved original franchise took the world by storm, director Paul Feig brings his fresh take to the supernatural comedy, joined by some of the funniest actors working today – Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, and Chris Hemsworth. This summer, they’re here to save the world! The film is produced by Ivan Reitman and Amy Pascal, and written by Katie Dippold & Paul Feig, based on the 1984 film “Ghostbusters,” written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis and directed by Ivan Reitman.

‘Ghostbusters’ will be released in theaters nationwide on July 15, 2016

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Genius of Suburbia: Flying Monkeys Brewery – A Brilliant Review

By

Michael Bedford

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July 9, 2016

The Flying Monkeys Brewery is home to a variety of flavour-forward brews, including a previously reviewed beer WMD, Smashbomb Atomic IPA. Looking for a less powerful brew that’s still full of hops flavour? Check out Flying Monkeys’ Genius of Suburbia, a flavourful ISA (India Style Session Ale). Like Flying Monkeys’ other brews, Genius of Suburbia is creatively packaged with psychedelic labels on brown bottles. I grabbed a six-pack of this surprisingly light brew and enjoyed it well outside the city.

Genius of Suburbia – First Sip

I figured that this beer would be a slightly cloudy brown colour. Instead, it pours as pale as the last brew I reviewed. This beer has a relatively high level of carbonation, leaving a 1/2″ layer of head at the mouth of my glass. Genius of Suburbia’s hoppy flavour surprises me. The familiar bitterness of the hops quickly fades to a semi-sweet burnt caramel flavour. I still taste burnt caramel on this beer’s understated finish, due in part to its well-balanced mouthfeel.

This would be a great beer for someone curious about IPA’s but not yet accustomed to the punch that these types of brews usually have. Genius of Suburbia also makes a great hops-forward summer beer with an alcohol percentage lower than that of the ubiquitous summer beer Corona Extra.

Genius of Suburbia – Last Sip

As Flying Monkeys’ website advertises, this beer goes great with a variety of foods, including spicy and pub. And, since this brew comes in at a modest 3.8% ABV, it’s great for an IPA drinker looking to minimize their buzz. As a lifelong hops fanatic, I’m inclined to look for beers that pack a more significant punch. I’ve never met a light beer I liked more than this one though. Where other light brews sacrifice flavour, Genius of Suburbia retains the complex flavour of an ISA.

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Georgian Bay Beer – Hockley Valley Brewing Co: A Colourful Review

By

Michael Bedford

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July 9, 2016

Hockley Valley Brewing Company, based out of Orangeville, Ontario, is another award-winning brewery with lots of great beer for sale. One of those beers is Hockley Valley’s Georgian Bay Beer. You can easily identify this beer by the cans it comes in: 473 mL tall cans that feature the shadow of a windblown pine printed on a unique tartan. The tartan emblazoned on each can is the official tartan of the waters of Georgian Bay.

And, though the unique colours of the tartan become a bit washed out when printed on cans of Georgian Bay Beer, the inspiration for the tartan’s design is printed on each can for posterity. I spent some time on Georgian Bay recently, and made sure to pick up a couple of these light-tasting brews. But enough about what’s on the outside of the can, here’s what I think about what’s on the inside …

Georgian Bay Beer – First Sip

Georgian Bay Beer pours a pale yellow colour. With moderate carbonation, a very thin layer of foam develops at the top of my glass. As I take my first sip, I notice an apple juice smell. This smell complements Georgian Bay Beer’s grainy flavour that finishes with hints of corn and citrus. That said, Georgian Bay Beer’s watery mouthfeel gives it a very light finish that’s easy to miss.

Georgian Bay Beer – Last Sip

I did a double-take at the label after taking my last sip. It’s hard to believe that this easy-drinking beer weighs in at the usual 5% ABV. With its smooth flavour and pale colour, Georgian Bay drinks like a light beer. Although it looks great in a glass, its moderate carbonation level make it a good beer to enjoy straight from the can, which makes drinking on your dock that much more convenient.

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Honda Targets The Cosplay Market In Newest Ad

By

Matthew Sardo

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July 9, 2016

Attention cosplayers! Honda would like you to buy a Civic.

In its most recent #AskAnyHondaDriver video the car company interviews Laura from Northern California about her new car and hobby as a cosplayer.

The commercial focuses on trunks space and how great it is for traveling to different conventions with your gear. The 2016 Honda Civic sedan has 15.1 cubic feet of trunk space compared to 13 cubic feet in a Toyota Corolla, but the Nissan Sentra also has 15.1 cubic feet. Either way, you probably would want a compact SUV or a vehicle with a hatchback for lugging around your all your equipment and gear for a four-day convention.

Do you think about your cosplay gear when buying a car?

30-second commercial:

Extended version:

Honda felt it was needed to explain what cosplay was to the general public in this video.

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The UnPOP Podcast Plays Games With Game of Thrones

By

Curtis Waugh

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July 9, 2016

Curtis and Brock travel to lands of Westeros and the Seven Kingdoms to provide you their unique insight into the world of Game of Thrones.

This episode of UnPOP will take you deeper into the world of HBO’s hit drama than you’ve ever been, or wanted to go before. Hear which house the guys think the other would belong to, which warriors would stand above the rest at the end of the world and even a special round of Screw, Marry, Kill for all you heathen Dornish-folk out there.

Also, Tyrion Trivia, Game of Thrones Quote-O-Rama, What’s Cookin’ in The Rock’s Kitchen and so much more!

Sit back, enjoy a goblet of wine and take in this fiendish grab-bag episode of the UnPOP Podcast!

*Warning: more than most weeks, some content here is extremely NSFW.

00:00 Upfront spoiler warning

2:00 New UnPOP Studio and Producer

14:06 What makes Game of Thrones special

20:30 Which GoT families do we belong to?

24:05 Making up our own houses

28:08 Game of Thrones Quote-O-Rama

40:15 Who is your Game of Thrones Champion?

47:21 Screw, Marry, Kill: Game of Thrones Edition

50:12 What’s Cookin’ in The Rock’s Kitchen

58:00 Game of Thrones Wrap-up

Have a topic you’d like to hear UnPOPPED? Send any comments/love/vitriol to unpopentertainment@gmail.com

At long last, The UnPOP Podcast is on iTunes! Check us out there!

We’re on Stitcher! Add us to your playlist and rate and review our show!

Subscribe to our Soundcloud page!

Give the Facebook page a big ol’ “Like”

Follow the show on Twitter @UnpopPodcast and the guys @curtwaugh and @thebrockyroad!

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‘Batman: The Killing Joking’ Breaking Theater Records

By

Matthew Sardo

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July 9, 2016

Fathom Events has booked 1,075 U.S. cinemas — its widest rollout of all time — for the big-screen debut of the animated film “Batman: The Killing Joke” on July 25, according to Variety. There will be two screenings Monday night at 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. local time.

“There’s a level of excitement that’s been generated because of the iconic nature of the film,” said Tom Lucas, VP of studio relations at Fathom.

‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ will beat the June 8 release of the original ‘Ghostbusters’ by 215 screens.

Tickets for “Batman: The Killing Joke” can be purchased online beginning Friday, June 17 by visiting FathomEvents.com or at participating theater box offices.

Based on the DC graphic novel of the same name, Batman: The Killing Joke takes a journey into the dark psyche of the Clown Prince of Crime – from his humble beginnings as a struggling comedian to his fateful encounter with Batman that changes both of their lives forever. Years later, and now escaped from Arkham Asylum, The Joker devises a plan to prove that one bad day can make anyone as insane as he is – setting his sights on Commissioner Gordon. It’s up to the Dark Knight to put a stop to The Joker’s latest scheme and save one of Gotham City’s finest. Following a gripping prologue introducing Barbara Gordon’s heroic adventures alongside Batman as Batgirl, Batman: The Killing Joke stays true to the authentic tale that has held fans’ imaginations for nearly three decades – spotlighting the birth of a Super-Villain, the fortitude of a Super Hero and the punchline that will leave you speechless.

‘Batman: The Killing Joke’ stars the voice talent of Kevin Conroy, Mark Hamill, Tara Strong (Batgirl) and Ray Wise (Commissioner Gordon).

The R-Rated movie will premiere at San Diego Comic-Con International followed by a digital release on July 26 and via DVD and Blu-ray on Aug. 2.

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‘Gambit’ To Start Production In Spring Of 2017

By

Matthew Sardo

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July 9, 2016

Last time we checked, the X-Men Cinematic Universe spin-off ‘Gambit’ was on hold and possibly in doubt, but Executive Producer Simon Kinberg gave an update on the Channing Tatum led film.

“We have a great script on that and hope to shoot that movie at the beginning of spring of next year,” said Kinberg to The Hashtag Show.

With a spring 2017 production schedule fans can expect an early 2018 release. ‘Deadpool’ hit theaters on February 12, 2016.

Doug Liman is still in line to direct the film, Monkeys Fighting Robots will post more news on “Gambit’ as it becomes available.

Kinberg in the video below also confirms ‘Deadpool 2’ will begin production early next year, after which he’ll begin writing the next ‘X-Men’ film which would presumably be the ‘Dark Phoneix Saga.’

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Mike Judge, ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ Possible Live Action Series

By

Matthew Sardo

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July 9, 2016

Mike Judge who has brought us ‘Office Space,’ ‘King of the Hill,’ and now ‘Silicon Valley’ might want to revive his first series ‘Beavis and Butt-Heat’ as a live-action series.

“Maybe it could be a live-action someday,” said Judge to the RadioTimes.com.

It may only be seven words but it’s a start. Asked who could play the duo Judge said he had no idea, although he did suggest that Beavis might be “homeless” by now.

The MTV animated series warped American youth from 1993 to 1997, with an animated film in 1996, ‘Beavis and Butt-head Do America.’ The series was revived in 2011, but by then MTV’s demographics had changed drastically and the show only lasted one season.

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Robert Downey Jr. Excited For Riri Williams As Iron Man

By

Matthew Sardo

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July 9, 2016

Marvel announced Wednesday Tony Stark is stepping down as Iron Man after the events of Civil War II and 15-year-old MIT student Riri Williams is taking over, according to a Brian Michael Bendis interview in Time.

The man who made Iron Man a household name, Robert Downey Jr. took to Twitter to give his support for the change and the new character.

Get ready for a new generation of Marvel BAMF… pic.twitter.com/nMChfQkh0n

— Robert Downey Jr (@RobertDowneyJr) July 7, 2016

Marvel’s statement – Making her debut earlier this year in the pages of Invincible Iron Man, Riri Williams will explode out of the pages of Civil War II and into the boots of the Armored Avenger. Reverse-engineering her own set of armor to make the world a better place, Riri will lead the charge as Iron Man! Well, for now. She’s working on the name! But what has become of Tony Stark? What could have happened during Civil War II to make him hang up the repulsors?

“We’re in the middle of a very big Tony Stark storyline – actually three storylines converging. His best friend died, his company is collapsing, and he’s finding out who his biological parents were all at the same time. How that all shakes out such that Tony is no longer in the armor? You’ll have to wait to find out for the end of Civil War II. But it does create a path for Riri Williams, who Tony will know and will be interacting with very shortly in the comics,” said Brian Michael Bendis.

Invincible Iron Man #1 written by Brian Michael Bendis with art by Stefano Caselli will be in your local comic shop this fall.

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