Scarlett Johansson was named the top-grossing actor of 2016 on Tuesday thanks to her roles in superhero movie &quot;Captain America: Civil War&quot; and Hollywood satire &quot;Hail Caesar.&quot;

Forbes said Johansson just edged out her &quot;Captain America&quot; co-stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey with box-office earnings of her second 2016 movie, &quot;Hail Caesar&quot;. Johansson&#39;s movies grossed a leading $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office this year, compared with $1.15 billion for &quot;Captain America: Civil War.&quot;

Released in May and featuring a conflict between Marvel comic book heroes like Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Widow and Ant Man, Walt Disney Co&#39;s &quot;Captain America&quot; was the biggest earner worldwide in 2016, according to data from Boxofficemojo.com.

Australian actress Margot Robbie, who enjoyed a break-out year, placed fourth with $1.1 billion thanks to roles in two Warner Bros movies &quot;Suicide Squad&quot; and &quot;The Legend of Tarzan.&quot;

The Forbes list was dominated by superhero and comic book movies, including &quot;Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice&quot; and &quot;Deadpool.&quot;

Britain&#39;s Felicity Jones entered the Forbes list for the first time, with roles in &quot;Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,&quot; thriller &quot;Inferno&quot; and magical children&#39;s story &quot;A Monster Calls.&quot; Jones came in ninth place with $805 million.Forbes made its calculations based on global ticket sales from the films of top Hollywood actors, but it did not count animated movies such as Disney&#39;s &quot;Finding Dory,&quot; the second biggest release of 2016 with $1.02 billion.

(Reuters)

Johansson just edged out her 'Captain America' co-stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey with box-office earnings of 'Hail Caesar'

Scarlett Johansson was named the top-grossing actor of 2016 on Tuesday thanks to her roles in superhero movie "Captain America: Civil War" and Hollywood satire "Hail Caesar." Forbes said Johansson just edged out her "Captain America" co-stars Chris Evans and Robert Downey with box-office earnings of her second 2016 movie, "Hail Caesar". Johansson's movies grossed a leading $1.2 billion at the worldwide box office this year, compared with $1.15 billion for "Captain America: Civil War." Released in May and featuring a conflict between Marvel comic book heroes like Iron Man, Spider-Man, Black Widow and Ant Man, Walt Disney Co's "Captain America" was the biggest earner worldwide in 2016, according to data from Boxofficemojo.com. Australian actress Margot Robbie, who enjoyed a break-out year, placed fourth with $1.1 billion thanks to roles in two Warner Bros movies "Suicide Squad" and "The Legend of Tarzan." The Forbes list was dominated by superhero and comic book movies, including "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" and "Deadpool." Britain's Felicity Jones entered the Forbes list for the first time, with roles in "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story," thriller "Inferno" and magical children's story "A Monster Calls." Jones came in ninth place with $805 million.Forbes made its calculations based on global ticket sales from the films of top Hollywood actors, but it did not count animated movies such as Disney's "Finding Dory," the second biggest release of 2016 with $1.02 billion. (Reuters)

Forbes names Scarlett Johansson top-grossing movie star of 2016

The latest blockbuster installment of the &quot;Star Wars&quot; saga dominated box offices in North America for a second weekend straight, according to early holiday estimates released Sunday.

&quot;Rogue One: A Star Wars Story&quot; raked in $71.55 million Friday-Sunday, Exhibitor Relations said, bringing its total bounty for the region to $293 million.

Cinemas in the United States and Canada saw a slew of new movies open over the Christmas holiday weekend.

&quot;Sing,&quot; an animated musical comedy featuring the voices of several A-listers including Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, burst into second place with $35 million.

The third spot went to &quot;Passengers,&quot; a sci-fi fantasy starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, who play two astronauts accidentally awakened from hibernation on a deep-space mission. It pulled in $14.3 million.

Claiming fourth was &quot;Assassin&#39;s Creed,&quot; which took in $10.3 million, based on the eponymous video game.

At number five was &quot;Why Him?&quot; about a dad feuding with his daughter&#39;s boyfriend, which opened with $9.8 million.

That means &quot;Moana,&quot; a computer-animated musical fantasy about a brave Polynesian teenager, slipped to sixth place from number two, pulling in another $6.5 million.&nbsp;

The film had previously topped the box office for three weekends and has now grossed $179.5 million to date.

Opening at number eight was &quot;Collateral Beauty,&quot; a sentimental drama featuring Will Smith. It managed to pull in $3.6 million.

The number nine spot went to Hindi-language sports drama &quot;Dangal,&quot; which opened with $3.3 million.&nbsp;

Rounding out the top 10 was &quot;Manchester by the Sea,&quot; down from sixth place a week before. It pulled in $3.1 million, bringing its haul to $20 million.

(AFP)

'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' raked in $71.55 million Friday-Sunday

The latest blockbuster installment of the "Star Wars" saga dominated box offices in North America for a second weekend straight, according to early holiday estimates released Sunday. "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" raked in $71.55 million Friday-Sunday, Exhibitor Relations said, bringing its total bounty for the region to $293 million. Cinemas in the United States and Canada saw a slew of new movies open over the Christmas holiday weekend. "Sing," an animated musical comedy featuring the voices of several A-listers including Matthew McConaughey and Reese Witherspoon, burst into second place with $35 million. The third spot went to "Passengers," a sci-fi fantasy starring Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt, who play two astronauts accidentally awakened from hibernation on a deep-space mission. It pulled in $14.3 million. Claiming fourth was "Assassin's Creed," which took in $10.3 million, based on the eponymous video game. At number five was "Why Him?" about a dad feuding with his daughter's boyfriend, which opened with $9.8 million. That means "Moana," a computer-animated musical fantasy about a brave Polynesian teenager, slipped to sixth place from number two, pulling in another $6.5 million. The film had previously topped the box office for three weekends and has now grossed $179.5 million to date. Opening at number eight was "Collateral Beauty," a sentimental drama featuring Will Smith. It managed to pull in $3.6 million. The number nine spot went to Hindi-language sports drama "Dangal," which opened with $3.3 million. Rounding out the top 10 was "Manchester by the Sea," down from sixth place a week before. It pulled in $3.1 million, bringing its haul to $20 million. (AFP)

'Rogue One' maintains stellar course at box office

100 Years: The Movie You Will Never See&nbsp;is a film that, as the name says, you will not be able to see in your lifetime. The movie, which is inspired by the 100 years it takes for a bottle of Louis XIII to get ready, is scheduled to be released in the year 2115.

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A general view of Louis XIII 100 Year - &#39;The Movie You Will Never See&#39; installation on May 18, 2016 in Cannes, France. (Getty)
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Inspired by the drink, which is literally &lsquo;One Century in a Bottle&rsquo;, the movie is directed by Robert Rodriguez and stars Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich, who also happens to be the writer of the film.

On November 18, 2015, the duo released three teaser trailers of the film. The teasers show three different possible futures that we are moving towards, from a dystopian world to one that is technology-driven.

However, the filmmakers have not included any actual footage from the movie in the teasers. In fact, they have gone at great lengths to keep the movie&rsquo;s plot a secret.

For instance, they&rsquo;ve kept the final product locked in a high-tech safe, which is itself inside a bulletproof glass casing. The case is time-proof and will automatically open for access on the premiere release date, which is November 18, 2115.

<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/T1ka20sR-o8" width="970"></iframe>

Although the event is nearly a century away, nearly 1,000 invites have already been handed out to people, who will pass them on to their descendants.

(Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

100 Years: The Movie You Will Never See is being kept in a high-tech safe till its release in the year 2115

100 Years: The Movie You Will Never See is a film that, as the name says, you will not be able to see in your lifetime. The movie, which is inspired by the 100 years it takes for a bottle of Louis XIII to get ready, is scheduled to be released in the year 2115. A general view of Louis XIII 100 Year - 'The Movie You Will Never See' installation on May 18, 2016 in Cannes, France. (Getty) × Inspired by the drink, which is literally ‘One Century in a Bottle’, the movie is directed by Robert Rodriguez and stars Oscar-nominated actor John Malkovich, who also happens to be the writer of the film. On November 18, 2015, the duo released three teaser trailers of the film. The teasers show three different possible futures that we are moving towards, from a dystopian world to one that is technology-driven. However, the filmmakers have not included any actual footage from the movie in the teasers. In fact, they have gone at great lengths to keep the movie’s plot a secret. For instance, they’ve kept the final product locked in a high-tech safe, which is itself inside a bulletproof glass casing. The case is time-proof and will automatically open for access on the premiere release date, which is November 18, 2115. Although the event is nearly a century away, nearly 1,000 invites have already been handed out to people, who will pass them on to their descendants. (Contributed by: Zeba Khan)

This movie will release 100 years from now

In a promotional stunt for the Hollywood movie &lsquo;Sausage Party&rsquo;, actor Seth Rogen surprised food shoppers with talking food at a grocery store. Animatronic food was remote controlled with voice and expressions lent by the actor. 
 
 
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SYQNGthCUlg?list=PLmWa9ZZLlCjt0Jlg7kN3JBNX4LH1sRsGh" width="970"></iframe> 
 
 
They were placed strategically at the counters to interact with shoppers and to convey that they have feelings. What ensued was a laughing riot with customers first getting scared and then eventually engaging in a conversation.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

In a promotional stunt for the Hollywood movie ‘Sausage Party’, actor Seth Rogen surprised food shoppers with talking food at a grocery store. Animatronic food was remote controlled with voice and expressions lent by the actor. They were placed strategically at the counters to interact with shoppers and to convey that they have feelings. What ensued was a laughing riot with customers first getting scared and then eventually engaging in a conversation.

Video: These food have feelings and don't want to be eaten

The turbulent life of Britney Spears - who went from teenage pop idol to tabloid fodder - is becoming a television biopic. 
 
Lifetime, a US network geared toward women, said yesterday it had given the green light to a two-hour film on the singer&#39;s life, tentatively called &quot;Britney,&quot; to air next year. 
 
Natasha Bassett, an actress from Australia, will be starring as Spears, one of the most recognisable musicians of her generation. 
 
Bassett started her own career as a child, and recently appeared as a 1950s starlet in the latest film by the Coen Brothers, &quot;Hail, Caesar!&quot; 
 
Lifetime said &quot;Britney&quot; will trace the 34-year-old Spears from her childhood in Louisiana, where her talent was recognised early on. 
 
Spears became one of the most successful stars of the 1990s, topping the charts with songs that combined a squeaky-clean pop sound and undertones of teenage sexuality. 
 
Her career quickly descended amid a messy personal life that included a highly public breakup with fellow star Justin Timberlake, two marriages in 2005 alone, and being caught on camera nearly dropping one of her two children from her lap while driving. 
 
Spears has found more stability since starting a residency show in Las Vegas in late 2013. 
 
Her ninth album, &quot;Glory&quot; is set to release on Friday and&nbsp;two days later she will perform at the MTV Video Music Awards. 
 
(WION with inputs from AFP)

Natasha Bassett will stars as Spears in a two-hour film on the singer's life tentatively called 'Britney'

The turbulent life of Britney Spears - who went from teenage pop idol to tabloid fodder - is becoming a television biopic. Lifetime, a US network geared toward women, said yesterday it had given the green light to a two-hour film on the singer's life, tentatively called "Britney," to air next year. Natasha Bassett, an actress from Australia, will be starring as Spears, one of the most recognisable musicians of her generation. Bassett started her own career as a child, and recently appeared as a 1950s starlet in the latest film by the Coen Brothers, "Hail, Caesar!" Lifetime said "Britney" will trace the 34-year-old Spears from her childhood in Louisiana, where her talent was recognised early on. Spears became one of the most successful stars of the 1990s, topping the charts with songs that combined a squeaky-clean pop sound and undertones of teenage sexuality. Her career quickly descended amid a messy personal life that included a highly public breakup with fellow star Justin Timberlake, two marriages in 2005 alone, and being caught on camera nearly dropping one of her two children from her lap while driving. Spears has found more stability since starting a residency show in Las Vegas in late 2013. Her ninth album, "Glory" is set to release on Friday and two days later she will perform at the MTV Video Music Awards. (WION with inputs from AFP)

Britney Spears biopic coming to TV

Suicide Squad&nbsp;held on for a third straight week as the top money-maker at North American box offices, easily brushing off the competition, industry estimates showed yesterday. Ben-Hur, meanwhile, bombed on its debut. 
 
Suicide Squad&nbsp;hasn&#39;t been a favourite with critics, but moviegoers plunked down $20.7 million over the weekend to see Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie play a band of criminals hired to carry out secret missions. 
 
Since it opened three weeks ago, the movie has earned $262.3 million. 
 
Trailing at number two for a second week was Sausage Party, the raunchy animated comedy with Seth Rogan as the leading voice. It made $15.3 million, down from last week&#39;s $34.3 million take. 
 
War Dogs, a new release with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, opened in third place with $14.3 million in ticket sales its first weekend out. 
 
A comedy-drama about two arms dealers in over their heads supplying weapons to US forces in Iraq, its blend of light entertainment and serious subject matter got mixed reviews. 
 
Kubo and the Two Strings&nbsp;landed in fourth place on its first weekend out, pulling in $12.6 million. 
 
Praised as visually stunning, the 3-D stop-motion adventure fantasy set in ancient Japan is about a one-eyed boy on a quest who must battle the gods with a magical instrument. 
 
The remake of Ben-Hur, meanwhile, went down in flames its debut weekend in North American theaters, earning only $11.4 million and coming in fifth place. 
 
The $100 million epic with Jack Huston as the chariot racing Jewish nobleman Judah Ben-Hur &quot;derailed spectacularly&quot; because it was apparently unable to get beyond its core Christian audience, Variety said. 
 
Rounding out the top ten films of the weekend are: 
 
- Pete&#39;s Dragon&nbsp;($11.3 million) 
 
- Bad Moms&nbsp;($8.1 million) 
 
- Jason Bourne&nbsp;($8 million) 
 
- The Secret Life of Pets&nbsp;($5.8 million) 
 
- Florence Foster Jenkins&nbsp;($4.3 million) 
 
(AFP)

'Suicide Squad' hasn't been a favourite with critics, but the movie has earned $262.3 million since it opened three weeks ago

Suicide Squad held on for a third straight week as the top money-maker at North American box offices, easily brushing off the competition, industry estimates showed yesterday. Ben-Hur, meanwhile, bombed on its debut. Suicide Squad hasn't been a favourite with critics, but moviegoers plunked down $20.7 million over the weekend to see Will Smith, Jared Leto and Margot Robbie play a band of criminals hired to carry out secret missions. Since it opened three weeks ago, the movie has earned $262.3 million. Trailing at number two for a second week was Sausage Party, the raunchy animated comedy with Seth Rogan as the leading voice. It made $15.3 million, down from last week's $34.3 million take. War Dogs, a new release with Jonah Hill and Miles Teller, opened in third place with $14.3 million in ticket sales its first weekend out. A comedy-drama about two arms dealers in over their heads supplying weapons to US forces in Iraq, its blend of light entertainment and serious subject matter got mixed reviews. Kubo and the Two Strings landed in fourth place on its first weekend out, pulling in $12.6 million. Praised as visually stunning, the 3-D stop-motion adventure fantasy set in ancient Japan is about a one-eyed boy on a quest who must battle the gods with a magical instrument. The remake of Ben-Hur, meanwhile, went down in flames its debut weekend in North American theaters, earning only $11.4 million and coming in fifth place. The $100 million epic with Jack Huston as the chariot racing Jewish nobleman Judah Ben-Hur "derailed spectacularly" because it was apparently unable to get beyond its core Christian audience, Variety said. Rounding out the top ten films of the weekend are: - Pete's Dragon ($11.3 million) - Bad Moms ($8.1 million) - Jason Bourne ($8 million) - The Secret Life of Pets ($5.8 million) - Florence Foster Jenkins ($4.3 million) (AFP)

'Suicide Squad' tops box office, 'Ben-Hur' bombs

&quot;Wonder Woman&quot; star Gal Gadot shared the first poster of the movie on Friday, ahead of its highly anticipated introduction before fans at the San Diego Comic-Con convention. 
 
The image features a profile of the Amazonian superhero in her famous red, blue and gold outfit, clasping a sword against a pink and blue sky, above the words: &quot;Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder.&quot; 
 
&quot;A dream come true! Happy to finally share this with you all,&quot; the Israeli actress and model wrote alongside a post of the image on Twitter.&nbsp;Many convention-goers see today&#39;s &quot;Wonder Woman&quot; panel as the big event of Comic-Con. It is expected to premiere the first full trailer for the DC movie ahead of its release next summer. 
 
Reaction to such new material is being watched carefully by industry analysts. &quot;Wonder Woman&quot; is the first modern superhero movie to focus exclusively on a female protagonist.&nbsp;A misogynist social media backlash against the all-female &quot;Ghostbusters&quot; reboot shocked Hollywood, although much of the criticism arose from the fact that the leads in the original film were men. 
 
The reaction to Gadot&#39;s tweet was mainly positive, with Chris Cabin of the Collider film blog calling the image &quot;eye-catching in its use of colour and shadow&quot;.&nbsp;He added, however, that &quot;part of me isn&rsquo;t entirely comfortable with the fact that the image blacks out her face and focuses entirely on her figure.&quot; 
 
But fan account @dceufacts, which is devoted to news from the DC Comics Extended Universe, posted: &quot;This is gorgeous! Best poster for a superhero movie in ages&quot;. 
 
The DC Extended Universe films are distributed by Warner Brothers, which released a new poster on Friday for keenly awaited Harry Potter spin-off &quot;Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them&quot;. 
 
&quot;We&#39;re adding a little magic to (Comic-Con) with this new #FantasticBeasts art,&quot; the film&#39;s official Twitter account said of the poster. 
 
It features Eddie Redmayne as &quot;magizoologist&quot; Newt Scamander, which is also the pseudonym under which JK Rowling wrote the book. A magizoologist, it seems, is one who studies magical creatures.&nbsp;The poster&#39;s artwork highlights the Prohibition-era New York setting of the spin-off, which takes place some 70 years before the events of the Harry Potter films. 
 
(AFP)

The image features her wearing the famous red, blue and gold outfit, clasping a sword above the words: 'Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder'

"Wonder Woman" star Gal Gadot shared the first poster of the movie on Friday, ahead of its highly anticipated introduction before fans at the San Diego Comic-Con convention. The image features a profile of the Amazonian superhero in her famous red, blue and gold outfit, clasping a sword against a pink and blue sky, above the words: "Power. Grace. Wisdom. Wonder." "A dream come true! Happy to finally share this with you all," the Israeli actress and model wrote alongside a post of the image on Twitter. Many convention-goers see today's "Wonder Woman" panel as the big event of Comic-Con. It is expected to premiere the first full trailer for the DC movie ahead of its release next summer. Reaction to such new material is being watched carefully by industry analysts. "Wonder Woman" is the first modern superhero movie to focus exclusively on a female protagonist. A misogynist social media backlash against the all-female "Ghostbusters" reboot shocked Hollywood, although much of the criticism arose from the fact that the leads in the original film were men. The reaction to Gadot's tweet was mainly positive, with Chris Cabin of the Collider film blog calling the image "eye-catching in its use of colour and shadow". He added, however, that "part of me isn’t entirely comfortable with the fact that the image blacks out her face and focuses entirely on her figure." But fan account @dceufacts, which is devoted to news from the DC Comics Extended Universe, posted: "This is gorgeous! Best poster for a superhero movie in ages". The DC Extended Universe films are distributed by Warner Brothers, which released a new poster on Friday for keenly awaited Harry Potter spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them". "We're adding a little magic to (Comic-Con) with this new #FantasticBeasts art," the film's official Twitter account said of the poster. It features Eddie Redmayne as "magizoologist" Newt Scamander, which is also the pseudonym under which JK Rowling wrote the book. A magizoologist, it seems, is one who studies magical creatures. The poster's artwork highlights the Prohibition-era New York setting of the spin-off, which takes place some 70 years before the events of the Harry Potter films. (AFP)

'Wonder Woman' creates buzz as star shares film's first poster

When former NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden&nbsp;met with Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone to discuss a movie on his life, he never thought he would be making his own film debut.

Stone had initially interviewed&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;to include him in DVD outtakes,&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;said via video link on late Thursday in San Diego after a screening of Stone&#39;s &quot;Snowden&quot;, which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the title character.&nbsp;But&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;and Stone ended up filming nine takes for a scene in which he talks about his fears stemming from his actions.

&quot;I spoke at length just about personal values and just what it meant to me with the things that were happening since 2013,&quot; said&nbsp;Snowden. &quot;I guess he liked it. People do seem to respond to that.&quot;

The movie, due out in September, follows the 2013 events that led&nbsp;Snowden, a former contractor with the National Security Agency, to expose the US&nbsp;government&#39;s mass surveillance programs and flee the country after the government filed espionage charges 
against him. 
 
He was granted asylum in Russia later that year, and has lived there since with his girlfriend, Lindsay Mills.&nbsp;&quot;When there is enough in the public record, you don&#39;t really get to decide whether or not the movie gets made,&quot;&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;said.&nbsp; 
 
The film follows&nbsp;Snowden&#39;s discovery of the US&nbsp;government&#39;s mass surveillance programs that digitally monitor unaware citizens.&nbsp;It fictionialises and condenses some events, such as how&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;smuggled the data out of the NSA - dramatised with a Rubik&#39;s Cube in the film - and got it to documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald in Hong Kong.

 
&quot;I admitted that I did not have a plan beyond getting straight out of there (Hong Kong), I planned to ask the world for justice and see what happened. It was kind of surprising how that worked out,&quot; he said.

Asked by an audience member if he was happy,&nbsp;Snowden&nbsp;said: &quot;I actually live a surprisingly free life,&quot; working with organisations such as the American Civil Liberties Union that Gordon-Levitt donated his &quot;Snowden&quot; acting fee to.&nbsp;&quot;Every day, I&#39;m working on something now that I can be proud of. I love my country, I love the things that we try to do,&quot; he said.&nbsp;&quot;The fact that Lindsay&nbsp;has been with me for ten years, is still with me, that&#39;s something that just makes me happy every day.&quot; 
 
(Reuters)

The movie, due out in September, will follow the 2013 events that led Snowden to expose the US government's mass surveillance programs

When former NSA contractor-turned-whistleblower Edward Snowden met with Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone to discuss a movie on his life, he never thought he would be making his own film debut. Stone had initially interviewed Snowden to include him in DVD outtakes, Snowden said via video link on late Thursday in San Diego after a screening of Stone's "Snowden", which stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as the title character. But Snowden and Stone ended up filming nine takes for a scene in which he talks about his fears stemming from his actions. "I spoke at length just about personal values and just what it meant to me with the things that were happening since 2013," said Snowden. "I guess he liked it. People do seem to respond to that." The movie, due out in September, follows the 2013 events that led Snowden, a former contractor with the National Security Agency, to expose the US government's mass surveillance programs and flee the country after the government filed espionage charges against him. He was granted asylum in Russia later that year, and has lived there since with his girlfriend, Lindsay Mills. "When there is enough in the public record, you don't really get to decide whether or not the movie gets made," Snowden said. The film follows Snowden's discovery of the US government's mass surveillance programs that digitally monitor unaware citizens. It fictionialises and condenses some events, such as how Snowden smuggled the data out of the NSA - dramatised with a Rubik's Cube in the film - and got it to documentary filmmaker Laura Poitras and Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald in Hong Kong. "I admitted that I did not have a plan beyond getting straight out of there (Hong Kong), I planned to ask the world for justice and see what happened. It was kind of surprising how that worked out," he said. Asked by an audience member if he was happy, Snowden said: "I actually live a surprisingly free life," working with organisations such as the American Civil Liberties Union that Gordon-Levitt donated his "Snowden" acting fee to. "Every day, I'm working on something now that I can be proud of. I love my country, I love the things that we try to do," he said. "The fact that Lindsay has been with me for ten years, is still with me, that's something that just makes me happy every day." (Reuters)

Edward Snowden talks film debut and dramatising his life in 'Snowden'

Ever since it was announced that the rebooted &quot;Ghostbusters&quot; movie was going to feature an all-female team, there has been criticism online from various camps about taking a much loved franchise and changing it.

At the Los Angeles premiere of the film on Saturday, although to many it was the world premiere, the cast and crew talked about finally releasing the film with its all-female leads finally in cinemas.

The film&#39;s producer Ivan Reitman, who was behind the original two films, had an idea for a sequel for many years although it never came to fruition.

&quot;I never even questioned the gender because the sequel that I&#39;d been working on until unfortunately Harold passed away, Harold Ramis, was a mixed gender, you know, male and female&nbsp;Ghostbusters, and it was a passing the torch version, so this seemed very appropriate,&quot; Reitman told Reuters on the red carpet, invoking the original &quot;Ghostbusters&quot; writer and actor Harold Ramis.

Under sweltering heat, the cast and crew walked the red carpet surrounded by fans and dancers dressed as&nbsp;Ghostbusters&nbsp;as well as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and the film&#39;s hearse. 
 
&#39;Unapologetic about the movie&#39;&nbsp;

Paul Feig who directed the movie told Reuters, he was unapologetic about the film.

&quot;I feel great. I honestly kind of go I think people are going to feel kind of silly after this because after they see the movie, it&#39;s just made to be fun and to make you laugh. And the only controversy I can think of is did we make you laugh too much, or not enough, or did we scare you too much or not enough? That&#39;s all I care about. Listen, I get it. People are very passionate about this project and this property, so that&#39;s a very legitimate thing, but all I can say is, &#39;Give us a chance and see what we did&#39;,&quot; Feig said.

Among the people on the red carpet were actors from the original, including Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd and even Ray Parker, Jr. whose hit title song has become a classic since the original film was released in 1984.

Also there was the director of diversity and social change initiative at University of Southern California, Stacey Smith, who commented on the backlash the film faced including the fact the original trailer for the film was the most disliked in YouTube&#39;s history.

&quot;Well any time in history when you try to create change there&#39;s resistance,&quot;&nbsp;Smith said.

&quot;Paul Feig has been at the epicenter of creating change for women in Hollywood, whether it&#39;s &#39;Bridesmaids&#39;, &#39;The Heat&#39;, &#39;Spy&#39; or now &#39;Ghostbusters&#39;, we really see him challenge all the mythologising that happens in Hollywood and my hope is that this starts to change that thinking, disseminate that women at the box office generate box office not only domestically, but also internationally, and start to challenge and resist the backlash when we put women front and center,&quot; she added.&nbsp;

Her feelings were echoed by new Ghostbuster Kate McKinnon, who said, &quot;I think we should keep making great stories and cast the people that are appropriate, and I think it&#39;s an incredible thing that he&#39;s done with his career and me and many other people have... they owe him a lot for the opportunities he&#39;s provided. So thank you, Paul.&quot;

Ghostbusters&nbsp;is scheduled to be released in cinemas in the US&nbsp;on July 15. 
 
(Reuters) 
 
&nbsp;

The first Ghostbusters film released in 1984, followed by a popular animated series and a sequel in 1989

Ever since it was announced that the rebooted "Ghostbusters" movie was going to feature an all-female team, there has been criticism online from various camps about taking a much loved franchise and changing it. At the Los Angeles premiere of the film on Saturday, although to many it was the world premiere, the cast and crew talked about finally releasing the film with its all-female leads finally in cinemas. The film's producer Ivan Reitman, who was behind the original two films, had an idea for a sequel for many years although it never came to fruition. "I never even questioned the gender because the sequel that I'd been working on until unfortunately Harold passed away, Harold Ramis, was a mixed gender, you know, male and female Ghostbusters, and it was a passing the torch version, so this seemed very appropriate," Reitman told Reuters on the red carpet, invoking the original "Ghostbusters" writer and actor Harold Ramis. Under sweltering heat, the cast and crew walked the red carpet surrounded by fans and dancers dressed as Ghostbusters as well as the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man and the film's hearse. 'Unapologetic about the movie' Paul Feig who directed the movie told Reuters, he was unapologetic about the film. "I feel great. I honestly kind of go I think people are going to feel kind of silly after this because after they see the movie, it's just made to be fun and to make you laugh. And the only controversy I can think of is did we make you laugh too much, or not enough, or did we scare you too much or not enough? That's all I care about. Listen, I get it. People are very passionate about this project and this property, so that's a very legitimate thing, but all I can say is, 'Give us a chance and see what we did'," Feig said. Among the people on the red carpet were actors from the original, including Annie Potts, Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd and even Ray Parker, Jr. whose hit title song has become a classic since the original film was released in 1984. Also there was the director of diversity and social change initiative at University of Southern California, Stacey Smith, who commented on the backlash the film faced including the fact the original trailer for the film was the most disliked in YouTube's history. "Well any time in history when you try to create change there's resistance," Smith said. "Paul Feig has been at the epicenter of creating change for women in Hollywood, whether it's 'Bridesmaids', 'The Heat', 'Spy' or now 'Ghostbusters', we really see him challenge all the mythologising that happens in Hollywood and my hope is that this starts to change that thinking, disseminate that women at the box office generate box office not only domestically, but also internationally, and start to challenge and resist the backlash when we put women front and center," she added. Her feelings were echoed by new Ghostbuster Kate McKinnon, who said, "I think we should keep making great stories and cast the people that are appropriate, and I think it's an incredible thing that he's done with his career and me and many other people have... they owe him a lot for the opportunities he's provided. So thank you, Paul." Ghostbusters is scheduled to be released in cinemas in the US on July 15. (Reuters)

All-female 'Ghostbusters' finally launches

An Indian-origin author&#39;s book on Queen Victoria&#39;s relationship with her trusted Indian aide in the late 1800s will soon be made into a film in which Oscar-winning British actress Judi Dench will play the protagonist. 
 
&#39;Victoria and Abdul: The True Story of the Queen&#39;s Closet Confidant&#39; by author Sharbani Basu was released nearly six years ago. 
 
It captures the relationship between the British monarch and her trusted Indian aide Abdul Karim in the late 1800s. 
 
&quot;I&#39;m absolutely delighted that my book is in such safe hands. To have Dame Judi Dench play Victoria is absolutely perfect. With Stephen Frears directing and the screenplay by Lee Hall, it&#39;s a dream team,&quot; said Basu, the London-based journalist and author of books like &#39;Spy Princess&#39; and most recently &#39;For King and Another Country&#39;. 
 
&quot;As a writer, one spends years sitting in archives and researching a piece of forgotten history. It&#39;s a great feeling when the book goes out into the world and you can share the story. The film will take it to an even wider audience,&quot; she said. 
 
Karim was just 24 when he arrived in England from Agra to wait at table during Queen Victoria&#39;s golden jubilee in 1887. He grew close to Queen Victoria, becoming her teacher - or munshi - and instructing her in Urdu and Indian affairs. 
 
Award-winning British filmmaker Frears, behind Helen Mirren starrer &#39;The Queen&#39;, will now transform the tale for celluloid with Oscar-winning Dench. 
 
The film will mark the second time 81-year-old Dench is to play the historical figure after &#39;Mrs Brown&#39; in 1997, for which she received an Oscar nomination.&nbsp; 
(PTI)

Sharbani Basu's 'Victoria and Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closet Confidant' will be made into a film featuring Judi Dench

An Indian-origin author's book on Queen Victoria's relationship with her trusted Indian aide in the late 1800s will soon be made into a film in which Oscar-winning British actress Judi Dench will play the protagonist. 'Victoria and Abdul: The True Story of the Queen's Closet Confidant' by author Sharbani Basu was released nearly six years ago. It captures the relationship between the British monarch and her trusted Indian aide Abdul Karim in the late 1800s. "I'm absolutely delighted that my book is in such safe hands. To have Dame Judi Dench play Victoria is absolutely perfect. With Stephen Frears directing and the screenplay by Lee Hall, it's a dream team," said Basu, the London-based journalist and author of books like 'Spy Princess' and most recently 'For King and Another Country'. "As a writer, one spends years sitting in archives and researching a piece of forgotten history. It's a great feeling when the book goes out into the world and you can share the story. The film will take it to an even wider audience," she said. Karim was just 24 when he arrived in England from Agra to wait at table during Queen Victoria's golden jubilee in 1887. He grew close to Queen Victoria, becoming her teacher - or munshi - and instructing her in Urdu and Indian affairs. Award-winning British filmmaker Frears, behind Helen Mirren starrer 'The Queen', will now transform the tale for celluloid with Oscar-winning Dench. The film will mark the second time 81-year-old Dench is to play the historical figure after 'Mrs Brown' in 1997, for which she received an Oscar nomination. (PTI)

Indian-origin writer's book on Queen Victoria to be filmed

After pulling off a large-scale bank heist masked as a complex magic trick in 2013&#39;s Now&nbsp;You&nbsp;See&nbsp;Me,&nbsp;the cast are back again with new tricks and sleight of hand, this time&nbsp;with a little &quot;Harry Potter&quot; magic.

Now&nbsp;You&nbsp;See&nbsp;Me&nbsp;2,&nbsp;out in US&nbsp;theatres on Friday, picks up three years after the 2013 film and shows the &#39;Four Horsemen&#39; magicians use their illusions to try and stop a sinister tech tycoon and his unethical practices.&nbsp;

The cast, which includes Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo and Lizzy Caplan, were put through &#39;magic camp&#39; in order to learn sleight of hand and other tricks to perform on screen.

&quot;It was literally like three card tables set up in a dirty production room covered with half eaten food,&quot; Ruffalo said.

&quot;But the idea of &#39;magic camp&#39; is like a great idea and I think that idea could be huge,&quot; Harrelson quipped.

Harrelson, who plays Horseman&nbsp;Merritt &#39;The Hermit&#39; McKinney, showed off his magic skills at the film&#39;s New York press event by guessing the card a reporter picked out of a deck. Former Harry Potter&nbsp;star Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the villainous Walter Mabry, proudly demonstrated a card trick he learned during filming.

&quot;We&#39;re not like a shoot-em-up (movie),&quot; Radcliffe said. &quot;There are some&nbsp;amazing sequences that involve the sleight of hand and the magic.&quot;

Radcliffe, who has eight films&#39; worth of magic experience as boy wizard Harry Potter, fondly looked back on the franchise that catapulted him to fame.

&quot;If I was getting angsty about being recognised as Potter, or being associated with Potter I think I would waste a ton of energy like worrying about that. People are always going to associate&nbsp;mewith it and I&#39;m very happy about that,&quot; he said.

The cast of 2013's 'Now You See Me' are back again with new tricks and sleight of hand, this time?with a little "Harry Potter" magic

After pulling off a large-scale bank heist masked as a complex magic trick in 2013's Now You See Me, the cast are back again with new tricks and sleight of hand, this time with a little "Harry Potter" magic. Now You See Me 2, out in US theatres on Friday, picks up three years after the 2013 film and shows the 'Four Horsemen' magicians use their illusions to try and stop a sinister tech tycoon and his unethical practices. The cast, which includes Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Mark Ruffalo and Lizzy Caplan, were put through 'magic camp' in order to learn sleight of hand and other tricks to perform on screen. "It was literally like three card tables set up in a dirty production room covered with half eaten food," Ruffalo said. "But the idea of 'magic camp' is like a great idea and I think that idea could be huge," Harrelson quipped. Harrelson, who plays Horseman Merritt 'The Hermit' McKinney, showed off his magic skills at the film's New York press event by guessing the card a reporter picked out of a deck. Former Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who plays the villainous Walter Mabry, proudly demonstrated a card trick he learned during filming. "We're not like a shoot-em-up (movie)," Radcliffe said. "There are some amazing sequences that involve the sleight of hand and the magic." Radcliffe, who has eight films' worth of magic experience as boy wizard Harry Potter, fondly looked back on the franchise that catapulted him to fame. "If I was getting angsty about being recognised as Potter, or being associated with Potter I think I would waste a ton of energy like worrying about that. People are always going to associate mewith it and I'm very happy about that," he said.

Cast of 'Now You See Me 2' return with bigger tricks and villain

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows&nbsp;finished on top of the U.S. box office this weekend, grossing more than $35 million in the movie following the crime-fighting reptiles Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael as they battle bigger and meaner villains.

&quot;Ninja Turtles&quot;, which stars Megan Fox and Will Arnett, opened on June 3 in 4071 theaters.

In its second week in theaters, &quot;X-Men Apocalypse&quot; made more than $22 million, totaling $116 million for its run, according to Box Office Mojo website.

The romantic drama &quot;Me Before You&quot; grossed more than $18, million in its opening weekend, the website reported.

The film, starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, follows the the romance between a paralyzed man who has decided to commit suicide and his caregiver.

&quot;Alice Through the Looking Glass&quot; took in $10.6 million, to bring the film starring Johnny Depp and Sacha Baron Cohen $50.7 million for its two-week run, according to Box Office Mojo.

And &quot;Angry Birds&quot; rounded out the top five, pulling in $9.75 million over the weekend for a gross of $86.6 million over three weeks.

?"Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows" finished on top of the U.S. box office this weekend, grossing more than $35 million in the movie following the crime-fighting reptiles

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows finished on top of the U.S. box office this weekend, grossing more than $35 million in the movie following the crime-fighting reptiles Michelangelo, Donatello, Leonardo, and Raphael as they battle bigger and meaner villains. "Ninja Turtles", which stars Megan Fox and Will Arnett, opened on June 3 in 4071 theaters. In its second week in theaters, "X-Men Apocalypse" made more than $22 million, totaling $116 million for its run, according to Box Office Mojo website. The romantic drama "Me Before You" grossed more than $18, million in its opening weekend, the website reported. The film, starring Emilia Clarke and Sam Claflin, follows the the romance between a paralyzed man who has decided to commit suicide and his caregiver. "Alice Through the Looking Glass" took in $10.6 million, to bring the film starring Johnny Depp and Sacha Baron Cohen $50.7 million for its two-week run, according to Box Office Mojo. And "Angry Birds" rounded out the top five, pulling in $9.75 million over the weekend for a gross of $86.6 million over three weeks.

Ninja Turtles take first place and $35 million at weekend box office

Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson is reportedly in &quot;early talks&quot; to play Captain Marvel, one of Marvel`s most popular female superheroes, in an upcoming standalone film. 
 
It is unknown where negotiations stand, but sources claim that Larson is Marvel`s first choice, and that she is leaning toward playing the role, reported variety.com.&nbsp; 
 
No director is currently on board. Marvel, however, had always planned to have an actress lined up early, with the idea of possibly introducing her in one of its upcoming films before the &quot;Captain Marvel&quot; movie. 
 
Writers Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman are currently penning the script, which follows Carol Danvers, an airforce pilot whose DNA is fused with that of an alien during an accident. The resulting alteration imbues her with the super powers of strength, energy project and flight. 
 
Kevin Feige is producing the film.&nbsp;

The Oscar-winning actress is reportedly in 'early talks' to play Captain Marvel in an upcoming standalone film

Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson is reportedly in "early talks" to play Captain Marvel, one of Marvel`s most popular female superheroes, in an upcoming standalone film. It is unknown where negotiations stand, but sources claim that Larson is Marvel`s first choice, and that she is leaning toward playing the role, reported variety.com. No director is currently on board. Marvel, however, had always planned to have an actress lined up early, with the idea of possibly introducing her in one of its upcoming films before the "Captain Marvel" movie. Writers Meg LeFauve and Nicole Perlman are currently penning the script, which follows Carol Danvers, an airforce pilot whose DNA is fused with that of an alien during an accident. The resulting alteration imbues her with the super powers of strength, energy project and flight. Kevin Feige is producing the film.

Brie Larson in talks to play 'Captain Marvel'

Britain&#39;s beloved cinematic singing nanny Mary Poppins will once again grace the big screens, this time with Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of the Broadway smash-hit &quot;Hamilton,&quot; as her sidekick, Walt Disney Co&nbsp;said on Tuesday. 
 
&quot;Mary Poppins Returns,&quot; a sequel to the 1964 classic film &quot;Mary Poppins,&quot; is scheduled for release in theatres on Christmas Day 2018 and will star British actress Blunt in the titular role made famous by Julie Andrews.&nbsp; 
 
Miranda, who recently won a Pulitzer Prize for creating and starring in Broadway`s historical, hip-hop musical &quot;Hamilton,&quot; will play a new character named Jack, a street lamplighter. 
 
&quot;Mary Poppins,&quot; the movie based on the popular children`s books by author P.L. Travers, followed a magical flying British nanny as she improved the lives of the unhappy Banks family with the aid of chirpy Cockney chimneysweep Bert, played by Dick Van Dyke. 
 
The new film will be set in Depression-era London, the setting of Travers` stories, and will see Mary Poppins return to the now grownup Jane Banks, Michael Banks and his three children after they suffer a personal loss, Disney said.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives,&quot; the studio said. 
 
The studio did not say in its statement whether Andrews, now 80, or Van Dyke, 90, will appear in any capacity and representatives for the actors did not immediately respond to Reuters` request for comment. 
 
&quot;Mary Poppins Returns&quot; is the latest in a slate of reboots from Disney, which last year remade animated fairytale &quot;Cinderella&quot; into a live action film. Disney will also release the live action &quot;Beauty and the Beast,&quot; starring Emma Watson, next year. 
 
The studio also owns George Lucas` &quot;Star Wars&quot; science-fiction adventure franchise and the Marvel superhero franchise.

Britain's beloved cinematic singing nanny Mary Poppins will once again grace the big screen, this time beside Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of Broadway smash-hit "Hamilton".

Britain's beloved cinematic singing nanny Mary Poppins will once again grace the big screens, this time with Emily Blunt and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the creator and star of the Broadway smash-hit "Hamilton," as her sidekick, Walt Disney Co said on Tuesday. "Mary Poppins Returns," a sequel to the 1964 classic film "Mary Poppins," is scheduled for release in theatres on Christmas Day 2018 and will star British actress Blunt in the titular role made famous by Julie Andrews. Miranda, who recently won a Pulitzer Prize for creating and starring in Broadway`s historical, hip-hop musical "Hamilton," will play a new character named Jack, a street lamplighter. "Mary Poppins," the movie based on the popular children`s books by author P.L. Travers, followed a magical flying British nanny as she improved the lives of the unhappy Banks family with the aid of chirpy Cockney chimneysweep Bert, played by Dick Van Dyke. The new film will be set in Depression-era London, the setting of Travers` stories, and will see Mary Poppins return to the now grownup Jane Banks, Michael Banks and his three children after they suffer a personal loss, Disney said. "Through her unique magical skills, and with the aid of her friend Jack, she helps the family rediscover the joy and wonder missing in their lives," the studio said. The studio did not say in its statement whether Andrews, now 80, or Van Dyke, 90, will appear in any capacity and representatives for the actors did not immediately respond to Reuters` request for comment. "Mary Poppins Returns" is the latest in a slate of reboots from Disney, which last year remade animated fairytale "Cinderella" into a live action film. Disney will also release the live action "Beauty and the Beast," starring Emma Watson, next year. The studio also owns George Lucas` "Star Wars" science-fiction adventure franchise and the Marvel superhero franchise.

''Mary Poppins Returns'' with Blunt, ''Hamilton'' star Miranda

Fox`s &quot;X-Men: Apocalypse&quot; and Disney`s &quot;Alice Through the Looking Glass&quot; squared off over Memorial Day weekend, but both blockbuster hopefuls emerged bruised from this box office clash of the titans. 
 
The latest X-Men adventure easily topped the weekend, earning an estimated $65 million. It is on pace to pull in over $76 million over the four-day spell. That`s a solid start, but a significant drop off from the $110.5 million that the previous film, &quot;X-Men: Days of Future Past,&quot; racked up over the 2014 Memorial Day holiday. 
 
Things were much bleaker for &quot;Alice Through the Looking Glass.&quot; The follow-up to 2010`s &quot;Alice in Wonderland,&quot; which racked up more than $1 billion during its run, stumbled out of the gate, bombing with $28.1 million and a projected $35 over the four-day period. That`s a disastrous start for a film with an $170 million production budget. 
 
The fantasy adventure will try to staunch the bleeding overseas, where &quot;Alice Through the Looking Glass&quot; grossed an estimated $65 million from such major territories as Italy, Russia, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Brazil. The film has opened in 72 percent of the international market, with France (June 1), Japan (July 1), and South Korea (Sept. 8) still on deck. 
 
&quot;Alice`s&quot; opening is bad news for Johnny Depp, whose star has waned in recent years, its luster diminished by flops such as &quot;Mortdecai&quot; and &quot;Transcendence.&quot; The actor was in the headlines over the weekend after his wife Amber Heard filed for divorce, alleging abuse. 
 
Both new releases failed to hit tracking, with some analysts expecting &quot;X-Men: Apocalypse&quot; to debut to between $80 million and $100 million, and many box office sages projecting an &quot;Alice&quot; launch in the $55 million range. The competition appeared to take a chunk out of both film`s ticket sales. 
 
Some analysts believe that the &quot;Alice in Wonderland&quot; sequel couldn`t compete in the crowded summer season. The first film debuted in the spring, when there were fewer major studio releases vying for attention. 
 
&quot;`X-Men` destroyed Alice, no question,&quot; said Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations. &quot;That`s what happens when a spring fling attempts to go fult-tilt summer blockbuster. We`ve seen this happen in the past and it usually doesn`t work out.&quot; 
 
Sony`s &quot;The Angry Birds Movie&quot; took third place in its second weekend of release, earning approximately $19 million, to bring its domestic haul to roughly $72 million.&nbsp; 
 
In fourth place, &quot;Captain America: Civil War&quot; added $15.1 million to its total. The super hero film has earned $377 million domestically, pushing it past &quot;Deadpool&quot; to become the year`s highest-grossing stateside release. &quot;Neighbor`s 2: Sorority Rising&quot; rounded out the top five, nabbing $9.1 million to push its domestic gross to $40.4 million after two weeks in theaters. 
 
&nbsp;

Fox`s "X-Men: Apocalypse" and Disney`s "Alice Through the Looking Glass" squared off over Memorial Day weekend, but both blockbuster hopefuls emerged bruised from this box office clash of the titans. The latest X-Men adventure easily topped the weekend, earning an estimated $65 million.

Fox`s "X-Men: Apocalypse" and Disney`s "Alice Through the Looking Glass" squared off over Memorial Day weekend, but both blockbuster hopefuls emerged bruised from this box office clash of the titans. The latest X-Men adventure easily topped the weekend, earning an estimated $65 million. It is on pace to pull in over $76 million over the four-day spell. That`s a solid start, but a significant drop off from the $110.5 million that the previous film, "X-Men: Days of Future Past," racked up over the 2014 Memorial Day holiday. Things were much bleaker for "Alice Through the Looking Glass." The follow-up to 2010`s "Alice in Wonderland," which racked up more than $1 billion during its run, stumbled out of the gate, bombing with $28.1 million and a projected $35 over the four-day period. That`s a disastrous start for a film with an $170 million production budget. The fantasy adventure will try to staunch the bleeding overseas, where "Alice Through the Looking Glass" grossed an estimated $65 million from such major territories as Italy, Russia, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Brazil. The film has opened in 72 percent of the international market, with France (June 1), Japan (July 1), and South Korea (Sept. 8) still on deck. "Alice`s" opening is bad news for Johnny Depp, whose star has waned in recent years, its luster diminished by flops such as "Mortdecai" and "Transcendence." The actor was in the headlines over the weekend after his wife Amber Heard filed for divorce, alleging abuse. Both new releases failed to hit tracking, with some analysts expecting "X-Men: Apocalypse" to debut to between $80 million and $100 million, and many box office sages projecting an "Alice" launch in the $55 million range. The competition appeared to take a chunk out of both film`s ticket sales. Some analysts believe that the "Alice in Wonderland" sequel couldn`t compete in the crowded summer season. The first film debuted in the spring, when there were fewer major studio releases vying for attention. "`X-Men` destroyed Alice, no question," said Jeff Bock, an analyst with Exhibitor Relations. "That`s what happens when a spring fling attempts to go fult-tilt summer blockbuster. We`ve seen this happen in the past and it usually doesn`t work out." Sony`s "The Angry Birds Movie" took third place in its second weekend of release, earning approximately $19 million, to bring its domestic haul to roughly $72 million. In fourth place, "Captain America: Civil War" added $15.1 million to its total. The super hero film has earned $377 million domestically, pushing it past "Deadpool" to become the year`s highest-grossing stateside release. "Neighbor`s 2: Sorority Rising" rounded out the top five, nabbing $9.1 million to push its domestic gross to $40.4 million after two weeks in theaters.

Box Office: ''X-Men: Apocalypse'' hits $65 million, ''Alice Through the Looking Glass'' flops

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