- Swiatek 'staying humble' for French Open after third Rome title
- Chinese director Jia mines leftover footage for top Cannes film
- Zelensky expects Russia offensive in northeast Ukraine to intensify
- Bengaluru win six in row to make IPL play-offs, Chennai out
- Klopp joins social media to cement Liverpool 'love affair'
- Bengaluru beat Chennai to seal IPL play-off berth
- Inter chief Zhang says 'stability' threatened by debt deadline
- Santa Claus helps Celtic celebrate Scottish title
- UN says 800,000 have fled fierce fighting in Rafah
- Formula One pays tribute to Senna, 30 years after tragic death
- S.Africa's Zuma stages rally despite candidacy doubts
- Narco sex-change musical early favourite at Cannes
- Olympic champion Jacobs wins on Rome return
- Schauffele tees off with lead at PGA with Scheffler close behind
- Sale stun Saracens to secure play-off spot despite Tuilagi injury
- Seven fashion moments on the Cannes red carpet
- 'We want it over', says Mueller after Bayern hit 13-year low
- 'Can I kill someone?': Richard Gere's dilemma in 'Oh, Canada'
- Ferrari under-estimated rivals pace at Imola - Leclerc
- Leverkusen become first team to complete Bundesliga season unbeaten
- Alonso is 'why we are successful', says Leverkusen's Tah
- Verstappen 'still pumping' after equalling Senna pole record
- Swiatek demolishes Sabalenka to win third Rome title
- AI deepfake Putin film sells big at Cannes
- Scheffler's attorney denies golfer assaulted police officer
- Fierce fighting on streets of Gaza's Rafah
- Chelsea crowned Women's Super League champions as Hayes bows out in style
- Pink panther Pogacar extends Giro lead after time trial
- Leverkusen complete Bundesliga season unbeaten, Cologne relegated
- Bologna's Motta claims undecided on future with Juventus lurking
- Verstappen matches Senna pole record at Imola
- Major-record 78 make record-tying low 1-under cut at PGA
- Celtic celebrate Scottish title with comeback win over St Mirren
- Brighton boss De Zerbi to leave at end of season
- New Caledonia 'under siege' as French troops bid to restore order
- Retiring Hart thanks Celtic fans for making him feel 'special'
- Threats and bullets: Mexico's candidates risk lives to compete
- 'Poor Things' director Lanthimos is my muse, says 'feminist' Emma Stone
- PGA Championship resumes at Valhalla after delay for heavy fog
- Film director Mohammad Rasoulof fled Iran on foot: Guardian
- Slovak PM shooting: 'positive' health outlook, suspect in detention
- Heavy fog delays restart of PGA Championship
- Piastri on top at Imola as McLaren lead Ferrari in final practice
- Sevilla confirm coach leaving, captain Navas decides to stay
- Barca convey me 'calmness and confidence': coach Xavi, despite sack reports
- Germany cleans up after massive floods
- Pope leads forum for peace in Italy's Verona
- Man City's Foden named Premier League Player of the Season
- Vietnam nominates public security minister to be new president
- Slovak PM shooting: doctors upbeat, suspect arrives in court
N.America moviegoers fall for Gosling, Blunt in 'The Fall Guy'
Universal's new action film "The Fall Guy" opened atop the North American box office this weekend, taking in an estimated $28.5 million at a time moviegoing has hit a slump, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.
Based on a 1980s TV series, the film from stuntman-turned-director David Leitch features stunning action sequences, including one already Guinness-certified record stunt. It also benefits from the star power of recent Oscar nominees Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt.
Analysts called the film's opening disappointing given its $130 million production cost, but David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research said he viewed it as "the potential start of an action comedy series."
In second was Disney and Lucasfilm's "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," scoring $8.1 million, a surprising amount for the re-release of a 25-year-old film, one available for viewing at home and which was hardly the most popular in the "Star Wars" franchise.
Liam Neeson, Ewan McGregor and Natalie Portman star.
Last weekend's list-topper, MGM's tennis-based romance "Challengers," slipped to third at $7.6 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period.
Singer/actor Zendaya plays a tennis star who retires after an injury, then later helps her husband (Mike Faist) prepare for a key match against her former lover and his erstwhile friend (Josh O'Connor).
Fourth place went to a new horror film, "Tarot" from Sony and Screen Gems, at $6.5 million. While critics' reviews have been poor -- the film "leaves no horror cliche unturned," Variety said -- the film cost just $8 million to make, so producers shouldn't be having nightmares.
And in fifth was Warner Bros.' "Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire," at $4.5 million in its sixth weekend out. The battling monsters have so far grossed $188 million domestically and an additional $337 million globally.
Looking back, April was a "rough" month for Hollywood, with the domestic box office down 48 percent from the three pre-pandemic Aprils, Gross said.
"There's no way to make this pretty," he said, adding that the industry is still suffering the aftereffects of last year's strikes.
Rounding out the top 10 were:
"Civil War" ($3.6 million)
"Unsung Hero" ($3 million)
"Kung Fu Panda 4" ($2.4 million)
"Abigail" ($2.3 million)
"Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire" ($1.8 million)
I.Meyer--BTB