Bollywood celebrates rocking year, riding high on action flicks, unbridled masculinity and misogyny
Bollywood, Indiaโs Hindi language movie industry, made an impressive comeback in 2023 after a pandemic-driven slowdown, audience fatigue, and the streaming platforms taking away a big chunk of viewership.
โMission: Impossibleโ debuts with $80M over five days, igniting box office but missing expectations
After a globe-trotting publicity blitz by star Tom Cruise, โMission: Impossible โ Dead Reckoning Part Oneโ launched with a franchise-best $80 million over five days, though it came in shy of industry expectations with a $56.2 million haul over the three-day weekend.
Rihanna, Martin Scorsese hype Paramount movies at CinemaCon
Paramount Pictures, still riding high on the success of โTop Gun: Maverickโsโ nearly $1.5 billion in worldwide ticket sales, brought a slew of stars from Rihanna to Martin Scorsese to CinemaCon for its presentation to theater owners Thursday.
New this week: Brooke Shields, 'Grease' prequel and NF album
This weekโs new entertainment releases include an album from Michigan rapper NF, a two-part documentary about Brooke Shields on Hulu, and Kathryn Hahn portraying a character inspired by writer Cheryl Strayed in the series โTiny Beautiful Things.โ.
New this week: Mariah Carey special, 'Maverick,' 'Best Man'
This weekโs new entertainment releases include Mariah Carey in concert on CBS singing Christmas songs, a free stream of the beloved 1965 animated special โA Charlie Brown Christmasโ and megahit "Top Gun: Maverickโ lands on Paramount+ on Thursday.
'Elvis,' 'Top Gun' tie for box-office crown with $30.5M each
Baz Luhrmannโs Elvis Presley biopic โElvisโ shook up theaters with an estimated $30.5 million in weekend ticket sales, but โ in a box-office rarity โ โElvisโ tied โTop Gun: Maverick,โ which also reported $30.5 million, for No. 1 in theaters.
Back to normal? Cannes Film Festival prepares to party
After the 2020 Cannes Film Festival was canceled by the pandemic and the 2021 edition was scaled back โ even kisses were forbade on the red carpet โ the lavish French Riviera cinema soiree is set to return with a festival that promises to be something like normal.
Movies love a comeback story. This summer, it's their turn.
Hollywood is bringing out some of its biggest and most reliable players for the 2022 summer movie season, which unofficially kicks off this weekend with the help of Marvel and Disneyโs โDoctor Strange and the Multitverse of Madnessโ and runs through the end of August.
John Travolta selling $5M oceanic mansion with 20 bedrooms
FILE - In this Aug. 22, 2019 file photo, actor John Travolta attends the LA premiere of "The Fanatic" at the Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles. The Maine mansion that Travolta shared with his late wife, actor Kelly Preston, has been put up for sale. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)ISLESBORO, Maine โ The Maine mansion that actor John Travolta shared with his late wife, actor Kelly Preston, has been put up for sale. Built in 1903, the 10,830-square-foot home has 20 bedrooms and sits on a 48-acre estate along the ocean. Travolta became a Hollywood star in the 1970s and was nominated for an acting Oscar for his 1977 performance in โSaturday Night Fever.โ He was nominated again for his role in 1994's โPulp Fiction.โ
1st private space crew paying $55M each to fly to station
On Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, Axiom announced they will be the first private space station crew, a year ahead of the planned launch. (Courtesy Axiom Space via AP)CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. โ The first private space station crew was introduced Tuesday: Three men who are each paying $55 million to fly on a SpaceX rocket. โThis is the first private flight to the International Space Station. Itโs never been done before," said Axiom's chief executive and president Mike Suffredini, a former space station program manager for NASA. Russia has been in the off-the-planet tourism business for years, selling rides to the International Space Station since 2001.
Q&A: Clooney on 'Midnight Sky' and his twilight as an actor
โThe Midnight Sky,โ which Clooney directed and stars in, is an apocalyptic sci-fi drama with some striking solitude. Debuting Wednesday on Netflix, โThe Midnight Sky,โ based on Lily Brooks-Dalton's novel โGood Morning, Midnight," is Clooney's seventh film as director and his biggest scaled production yet. ___AP: You finished shooting โThe Midnight Skyโ in February, right before the pandemic began. AP: What drew you to โThe Midnight Skyโ? I know people who are older -- older than me, even -- who live with real regret.
On a mission: Tom Cruise insists on social distancing on set
FILE - In this Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2020 file photo, actor Tom Cruise wears a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as he greets fans during a break from shooting Mission Impossible 7, along Rome's Fori Imperiali avenue. Tom Cruise has launched an expletive-laden rant at colleagues on the set of his latest Mission: Impossible movie after he reportedly spotted two workers failing to abide by social distancing rules. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, file)LONDON โ Tom Cruise has launched an expletive-laden rant at colleagues on the set of his latest "Mission: Impossible" movie, after he reportedly spotted two workers failing to respect social distancing rules. Many movies have either been delayed until after the pandemic is over or because of COVID-related delays on set, including the seventh instalment of the โMission: Impossibleโ franchise. During his outburst, Cruise notes the higher costs for insuring a movie in these times.
World's space achievements a bright spot in stressful 2020
The European and Russian space agencies skipped the 2020 Mars launch window, their life-sniffing Mars rover grounded until 2022 because of technical issues and COVID-19 restrictions. Three weeks later, SpaceX launched its biggest cargo shipment yet to the space station for NASA. If the repairs work and the capsule finally reaches the space station, the first Starliner astronauts could be flying by summer. The actor was in talks with NASA this year about filming a movie at the space station. โWhatever else can be said about the four years of the Trump administration, they have been positive for the U.S. civilian space program,โ noted John Logsdon, professor emeritus at George Washington Universityโs Space Policy Institute.
Final goodbye: Recalling influential people who died in 2020
The world also said goodbye to U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a lion of the civil rights movement who died in July. Other former political figures who died this year include Egyptian leader Hosni Mubarak, New York Mayor David Dinkins, Arizona Gov. Here is a roll call of some influential figures who died in 2020 (cause of death cited for younger people, if available):___JANUARY___David Stern, 77. The guitarist who supplied the scratching, seething sound that fueled the highly influential British punk band Gang of Four. He fused African rhythms with funk to become one of the most influential musicians in world dance music.
Venice reclaims spotlight as 1st COVID-era film fest opens
Festival attendees cycle in front of the main cinema ahead of the start of the 77th edition of the Venice Film Festival in Venice, Italy, Tuesday, Sept. 1, 2020. The 77th edition of the worlds oldest film festival opening Wednesday looks nothing like its predecessors. Italys strict 10-week lockdown largely tamed the virus, but infections are now rebounding after summer vacations. Guests to the glamorous film festival are not exempt. Italian films are well represented, including the first Italian opening-night film in years, the out-of-competition family drama Lacci by Daniele Luchetti.
Katie Holmes Says She and Daughter Suri Cruise 'Grew Up Together'
Katie Holmes is opening up about her life with her daughter, Suri! As Suri entered her teens, Holmes entered her 40s, something that, she says, did "not really" change her perspective on life. You dont know their past." RELATED CONTENT: Katie Holmes Takes Suri Cruise to Paris Fashion WeekKatie Holmes Helps Kick Off NYFW -- See All the Fashionable Pics! Katie Holmes Just Made the Cardigan Subtly Sexy -- See Her Chic LookKatie Holmes Steps Out in NYC in First Sighting Since Jamie Foxx Split News
Ukraine's Zelensky talks movies with Tom Cruise amid political storm
Volodymyr Zelensky may have been swept into the center of a major political storm in Washington, but the Ukrainian President still made some time to meet Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise this week. (CNN) - Volodymyr Zelensky may have been swept into the center of a major political storm in Washington, but the Ukrainian President still made some time to meet Hollywood A-lister Tom Cruise this week. Zelensky hosted Cruise in his office in Kiev on Monday evening, his administration said in a statement. "At the invitation of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky, the world-famous American actor, film director and producer Tom Cruise arrived in Kiev," the administration said Tuesday. In the video, Cruise mentions seeing cobbled streets.
Virginia's basketball coach turns down big raise after championship title
You have to wonder if the Virginia head basketball coach has ever viewed the 1990s Tom Cruise flick, famous for its "show me the money" catchphrase. Bennett, who led the Virginia men's basketball team to its first national title earlier this year, declined what the university described as a "substantial" raise. Instead the coach asked that financial investments be made to improve the basketball program he's run for a decade, and other sports under the school's athletic program. "This just does not happen in our industry," said Virginia athletic director Carla Williams, who was tasked with making revisions to Bennett's contract. Instead of taking the big raise, Bennett got another year tacked onto his current deal, which now runs for seven years.
'The Aeronauts': Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones Brave High-Flying Danger in New Trailer
Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones are once again co-starring in a film based on incredible real events. On Thursday, a new trailer for The Aeronauts was released teasing a death-defying adventure in the name of science. Redmayne plays James Glaisher, a scientist who wishes to explore the possibilities of gas balloons in the 19th century. He enlists the help of Amelia Wren (Jones), a pilot to help him reach new heights in aeronautics -- and make history. As the clip draws to a close, glimpses are shown of the toll the high-flying journey takes on the two.
Why Kirsten Dunst Stands By Calling Brad Pitt 'Interview With the Vampire' Kiss '
It's been 25 years since Kirsten Dunst starred alongside Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire -- and the actress' opinion of the film (and her kiss with Pitt) hasn't changed at all. At the Los Angeles premiere of Becoming A God In Central Florida on Tuesday, ET surprised Dunst with an interview of her child self calling the Pitt kiss "gross." Despite the less-than-ideal kiss with Pitt, 18 years her senior, Dunst couldn't have better memories of her time on set of the 1994 film. "The braces are just little clip-ons, but the spray tan was every Sunday night for six months, and then you have to sleep in it. So, I always had brown sheets in the morning and couldn't hold my baby at night because I'd get spray tan on him," she confessed.
Kirsten Dunst Says Former Co-Stars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise Treated Me Like a Little Sister
Kirsten Dunst has fond memories of her former co-stars, Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise. I watched Tom in I feel like I watched Brad in A River Runs Through It, and Tom was in Far and Away, which I loved. So it was more like romantic fans.MoviepixDunst, who plays the young vampire Claudia in the film, added, They treated me like a little sister. Though she didnt name her new son Tristan, she did welcome little Ennis with her fianc, Jesse Plemons, last May. You clean one and theres another one to clean!Calling Plemons, a very good dad, Dunst noted, He cleans [the bottles] too!For more from Dunst, watch the clip below:RELATED CONTENT:Kirsten Dunst Makes Red Carpet Debut Just 4 Months After Giving BirthKirsten Dunst and Jesse Plemons' Baby Name RevealedKirsten Dunst Gives Birth to First Child With Fiance Jesse Plemons
Kelly McGillis Says She Wasn't Asked to Be Part of 'Top Gun' Sequel (Exclusive)
Kelly McGillis won't be making an appearance in Top Gun: Maverick. I have no idea because I don't know where I'll be." I don't really keep in touch with anybody," she continued, adding that she has yet to see the trailer for the sequel. Top Gun: Maverick hits theaters June 26, 2020. RELATED CONTENT:Comic-Con 2019: Jennifer Connelly Shares Update on 'Extraordinary' 'Top Gun' Sequel (Exclusive)Tom Cruise Makes Surprise Appearance at Comic-Con, Premieres First 'Top Gun: Maverick' TrailerTom Cruise Feels the Need for Speed on Set of 'Top Gun' Sequel -- See the Pic!
Quentin Tarantino Says Tom Cruise Nearly Played Brad Pitt's Role in 'Once Upon a Time in
While Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio are one of the hottest on-screen duos of the year in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, director Quentin Tarantino recently revealed that another major A-lister was approached to star. Sitting down with Josh Horowitz on his Happy Sad Confused podcast, the filmmaker admitted that, at one point, he reached out to Tom Cruise to play the role of stuntman Cliff Booth, which eventually went to Pitt. In the film, DiCaprio plays a fading movie star named Rick Dalton, while Pitt plays his close friend and stunt double. I love Brad Pitt in this film but I also desperately want Tom Cruise in a QT film. In this chat Tarantino confirms Tom Cruise nearly played Brad Pitt's role in ONCE.
Comic-Con 2019: Jennifer Connelly Shares Update on 'Extraordinary' 'Top Gun'
"I think the trailer looks amazing, I have to say," Connelly told ET's Kevin Frazier while sitting down with the cast of Snowpiercer at Comic-Con 2019 in San Diego, California, on Saturday morning. Watching the trailer, being on the set, my experiences shooting -- it's been phenomenal." Cruise told fans, speaking about the original 1986 film. Cruise, 57, confirmed to ET in June 2018 that Connelly had been cast in the film, gushing how perfect she was for the role. RELATED CONTENT:'Maverick' Mania at Comic-Con 2019: Tom Cruise Talks Top Gun SequelJay Ellis Says Tom Cruise Has 'Been a Mentor' on 'Top Gun: Maverick' Set (Exclusive)Jennifer Connelly Dishes on 'Top Gun' Motorcycle Scene With Tom CruiseTom Cruise Feels the Need for Speed on Set of 'Top Gun' Sequel -- See the Pic!