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‘Conjuring 3’ tops ‘A Quiet Place 2’ as moviegoing returns Posted: 07 Jun 2021 05:11 AM PDT THE domestic box office is getting back to normal, with moderate wins and sizable second weekend drops. After its triumphant first weekend, "A Quiet Place Part II" fell 59 percent at the North American box office leaving room for the third movie in the "Conjuring" franchise to take first place. Warner Bros.' "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" earned an estimated $24 million, according to studio estimates Sunday, making it the biggest R-rated opening of the pandemic. Paramount's "A Quiet Place" sequel, meanwhile, earned $19.5 million in ticket sales, bringing its domestic total to $88.6 million. "You normally don't see two horror movies at the top of the chart. But it was a solid weekend for both movies," said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. "The movie theaters are coming back and Memorial Day was no flash in the pan ... It feels like summer again." "The Conjuring 3" has Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga returning as paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. Although there's a whole extended universe set around these films that have thus far grossed over $1.8 billion, this is the first "Conjuring" since 2016, and the first to be helmed by someone other than James Wan (Michael Graves directed). With an additional $26.8 million from international territories, globally, the R-rated pic has grossed over $57.1 million. "It's a terrific result," said Jeff Goldstein, the head of domestic distribution for Warner Bros. "We're continuing to see a ramp up of return to life outside of our homes. It was never going to be a light switch." In a pre-pandemic world, "The Conjuring 3" might have been considered a bit disappointing -- the previous installments both opened around $40 million. But, as Goldstein noted, the third films in a horror franchise often take a hit. It has another caveat too: The film is also currently streaming free for subscribers on HBO Max. Warner Media did not say how many people watched it on streaming over the weekend or how many new customers signed up for the service. It has become more normal than not for films to embrace a hybrid day-and-date release strategy, with the major studios using their biggest titles to drive potential subscribers to their streaming services. "A Quiet Place Part II" had the rare distinction of being exclusively in theaters, but even so it will be a shorter stint than usual before it hits Paramount+. The Walt Disney Co.'s "Cruella," which opened in theaters last weekend, was also made available to rent on Disney+ for $29.99. The Emma Stone and Emma Thompson pic added $11.2 million from 3,922 theaters this weekend to take third place. Disney also did not say how much it earned from streaming rentals, but the company did note the drop from last weekend was only 48%. Globally, "Cruella" has earned $87.1 million thus far. The animated family film "Spirit Untamed" also opened wide theatrically this weekend in 3,211 theaters to an estimated $6.2 million. The DreamWorks Animation film features the voices of Isabela Merced, Eiza González, Julianne Moore, Marsai Martin and Jake Gyllenhaal. Most family films have gone straight to streaming over the past year and many big studios are opting to continue with the strategy for the near future. Disney and Pixar's "Luca" is skipping theaters and going straight to Disney+, where it will be free for subscribers on June 16. DreamWorks Animation's "Boss Baby" sequel is also debuting on Peacock Kids and in theaters on July 2. The North American theatrical landscape is still a bit hobbled by the pandemic. Most Canadian theaters remain closed and around 27% of U.S. locations are still shuttered too. Many chains have also said vaccinated customers can now go mask free in theaters. Hollywood titles have also started performing better than they have been internationally during the pandemic over the past few weekends. In particular, Universal's latest in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, "F9," continued to pick up speed prior to its US debut on June 25. This weekend "F9," which has already grossed $256 million from eight territories, became one of only 19 US movies to have earned more than $200 million in China. And although release strategies continue to differ company by company in unprecedented ways, Dergarabedian said the numbers are promising for the theatrical business even with the at-home viewing options. "Over the past two weeks, the industry has been able to test out theatrical only ('A Quiet Place Part II'), a day and date with a (pay) subscription model ('Cruella') and a day and date that's part of a subscription ('The Conjuring 3'). The numbers have been solid," Dergarabedian said. "As long as we keep getting solid movies released, we're going to see the box office ramp up week after week." *** Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Where available, the latest international numbers for Friday through Sunday are also included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday. 1. "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It," $24 million. 2. "A Quiet Place Part II," $19.5 million. 3. "Cruella," $11.2 million. 4. "Spirit Untamed," $6.2 million. 5. "Raya and the Last Dragon," $1.3 million. 6. "Wrath of Man," $1.3 million. 7. "Spiral," $890,000. 8. "Godzilla vs. Kong," $463,000. 9. "Demon Slayer the Movie: Mugen Train," $450,000. 10. "Dream Horse," $230,053. (AP) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

Meghan and Harry welcome second child, Lilibet 'Lili' Diana Posted: 07 Jun 2021 05:07 AM PDT PRINCE Harry and Meghan may have stepped away from their royal duties — but family appeared to be top of mind in naming their second child, Lilibet "Lili" Diana Mountbatten-Windsor, who was born Friday in California. The name pays tribute to both Harry's grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, whose family nickname is Lilibet, and his late mother, Princess Diana. "Thank you for your continued kindness and support during this very special time for our family," Harry and Meghan, also known as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, wrote in a statement that accompanied the birth announcement Sunday. The baby is "more than we could have ever imagined, and we remain grateful for the love and prayers we've felt from across the globe," they continued. The baby girl was born at 11:40 a.m. at the Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital in Santa Barbara, California, and weighed in at 7 lbs, 11 oz, a spokesperson for the couple said. The child is eighth in line to the British throne. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the queen; Harry's father, Prince Charles; his brother, Prince William; and other members of the family had been informed and are "delighted with the news of the birth of a daughter for The Duke and Duchess of Sussex." UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also congratulated the couple in a tweet. Harry and Meghan Markle — formerly an actor — married at Windsor Castle in May 2018 and welcomed their son, Archie Harrison Mountbatten-Windsor, a year later. No photos of the newborn or the Sussexes accompanied the announcement. The couple has said that in lieu of gifts, they request those interested learn about or support nonprofit organizations working for women and girls, including Girls Inc., Harvest Home, Camfed or Myna Mahila Foundation. The birth of the healthy baby girl opens a happy chapter for the couple following a miscarriage in July 2020. Meghan gave a personal account of that traumatic experience in hope of helping others. Months before the miscarriage, the couple announced they were quitting royal duties and moving to North America, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media. They live in Montecito, an upscale area near Santa Barbara, California. In the wake of quitting royal duties, they gave an explosive TV interview to Oprah Winfrey in March, in which the couple described painful comments about how dark Archie's skin might be before his birth and Meghan talked about the intense isolation she felt inside the royal family that led her to contemplate suicide. Buckingham Palace said the allegations of racism made by the couple were "concerning" and would be addressed privately. Winfrey and Harry recently collaborated on the Apple TV+ mental-health series "The Me You Can't See." In the interview with Oprah, Meghan also talked about the fact that her son was not given the title of prince. Harry said the royal family cut him off financially after he announced plans to step back from his roles — and that he was able to afford security for his family because of the money his mother left behind. Despite leaving royal duties, Harry's place in the order of succession to the throne remains. The first seven places remain unchanged: Prince Charles; Prince William; William's children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis; Prince Harry, and his son, Archie. Lilibet's birth moves Prince Andrew, who was born second in line in 1960, down to ninth place. (AP) This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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