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☆ The summer box office is playing catch-up after a rough start to the year
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-25 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —The summer box office is off to a lukewarm start. Last summer, blockbusters “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” combined added nearly a billion dollars to the domestic box office, according to Comscore data. “Barring some major overperformances, this summer looks like it’ll be down 20% to 25% in box office grosses between May and August from last year,” said analyst Shawn Robbins, founder and owner of Box Office Theory. Industry experts agree that the 2024 box office has been sluggish so far , but remain hopeful that the box office can rebound by the end of the year and beyond. “Box office earnings have been down largely because of staggered gaps between widely appealing releases in the first half of the year,” said Robbins.

Persons: “ Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer ”, “, Max, ” Paul Dergarabedian, ”, Shawn Robbins, ” “ Oppenheimer, Barbie ”, Dory, bloomer, Daniel Loria, ” Loria, ” Disney, Loria, “ Deadpool, Fandango, Deadpool, Robbins, “ That’s, ’, ” Robbins Organizations: New, New York CNN, Guild, SAG, CNN, Labor, “, Warner Bros, Warner Bros ., Star, Walt Disney Studios, Disney, Box, showtime, Century Entertainment, Writers Guild of America, Pixar, Marvel, Industry Locations: New York, United States, “

Two giant, shirtless men bow respectfully and then hurl themselves at each other in a violent pas de deux that ends with a victory in seconds. But the setting for this tussle on Saturday night was not Tokyo or Osaka, but the Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City. There, a boisterous, nearly full crowd got an in-person look at sumo wrestling, an ancient Japanese sport that is rarely seen stateside. Before the matches began, Melinda Wilkerson, who like most in the crowd was set to see sumo live for the first time, said she expected to see “some talented athletes.” Her husband, Brett, clarified: “Some big talented athletes.”

Persons: Melinda Wilkerson, ”, Brett Organizations: Madison Locations: Tokyo, Osaka, New York City

☆ 'Joker 2' is a musical starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga — here's everything we know
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Olivia Singh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

A "Joker" sequel titled "Joker: Folie à Deux" is set for release on October 4. "Joker: Folie à Deux" stars Phoenix as the titular DC Comics villain and Lady Gaga as the iconic character Harley Quinn. AdvertisementThe sequel is a musical and will reportedly include at least 15 covers of popular songsJoaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga in Joker: Folie à Deux." The 'Joker 2' plot will focus on the Joker's romance with Harley QuinnLady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix in "Joker: Folie à Deux." AdvertisementThe 'Joker: Folie à Deux' release date is Friday, October 4Joaquin Phoenix as the Joker in "Joker: Folie à Deux."

Persons: Joaquin Phoenix, Arthur Fleck, Lady Gaga, Harley Quinn, —, Joaquin, Todd Phillips, Phoenix, Phillips, Gaga, Sophie Dumond, Arthur, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, John Malkovich, Harry Lawtey, Steve Coogan, Harley, Beetz, Harley Quinn Lady Gaga, Harley's, Richard Gelfond, Jason Guerrasio, Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve Organizations: Service, DC Comics, Warner Bros, Phoenix, Gaga, Variety, Arkham Locations: Las Vegas, Gotham City, Bronx

☆ 'Joker 2' will be available in Imax 70mm, CEO says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Imax CEO Richard Gelfond told BI "Joker: Folie à Deux" will be shown in Imax 70mm. Only 30 theaters in the world can show a movie in Imax 70mm. AdvertisementDirector Todd Phillips' anticipated "Joker: Folie à Deux," the sequel to his hit 2019 movie "Joker," will get the theatrical release treatment previously given to the likes of Christopher Nolan and Denis Villeneuve. "Joker: Folie à Deux" will be shown in Imax 70mm, the company's CEO Richard Gelfond told Business Insider on Tuesday at CinemaCon hours before Warner Bros. world premiered the movie's trailer at the annual movie-theater convention in Las Vegas. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers.

Persons: Richard Gelfond, Oppenheimer, —, Todd Phillips, Christopher Nolan, Denis Villeneuve Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, Business Locations: Las Vegas

☆ The first 'Joker 2' trailer looks as chilling and twisted as the first movie
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

The first trailer for "Joker: Folie à Deux" screened at CinemaCon on Tuesday night. Director Todd Phillips said, "Lady Gaga is magic," when asked why she was cast to play Harley Quinn. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementDuring the Warner Bros. presentation on Tuesday at CinemaCon, the annual movie-theater convention in Las Vegas, the trailer for "Joker: Folie à Deux," the sequel to the studio's 2019 hit movie "Joker," was unveiled for the first time and received thunderous applause. The trailer featured Joaquin Phoenix returning to play the role of Arthur Fleck, aka Joker, along with the addition of Lady Gaga to the franchise, as she plays Joker's love interest, Harley Quinn.

Persons: Todd Phillips, Gaga, Harley Quinn, —, Joaquin Phoenix, Arthur Fleck, Lady Gaga Organizations: Service, Warner Bros, Business Locations: CinemaCon, Las Vegas

☆ Joker: Folie à Deux trailer: Lady Gaga’s Harley Quinn makes Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker feel less ‘alone’
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-09 | by ( Alli Rosenbloom | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —Talk about a “bad romance.”Lady Gaga is making her long-awaited debut as Harley Quinn alongside Joaquin Phoenix’s reprisal of his Oscar-winning Joker in the first trailer for “Joker: Folie à Deux” released on Tuesday. The teaser trailer begins with Phoenix’s cuffed and plain-faced Joker – whose name is Arthur Fleck – being escorted through a facility he’s being held in. “I’m nobody,” Gaga’s Quinn later says, as she is seen miming a gun to her head and pulling the trigger. “I’m not alone anymore.”In DC comic book lore, the Joker and Harley Quinn have often been each other’s love interests, with Quinn introduced as the villain’s therapist in Arkham Asylum. “Joker: Folie à Deux” will premiere in theaters on October 4.

Persons: Gaga, Harley Quinn, Joaquin Phoenix’s, Oscar, Phoenix’s, Joker –, Arthur Fleck –, ” Gaga’s Quinn, what’s, ” Fleck, “ I’m, Quinn, Todd Phillips, Folie ”, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener, Zazie, Sophie, ”, “ Organizations: CNN, Phoenix

☆ Rumors Prince William is having an affair with Rose Hanbury are flooding social media again after Stephen Colbert waded into 'Katespiracy'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-16 | by ( Maria Noyen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

As some social media users pointed out, rumors about Hanbury's relationship with William aren't new. Prince William and Rose Hanbury. Pool/Samir Hussein/WireImage, Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty ImagesWhile The Independent's post led to social media chatter about whether Kate's step back from the public is related to an alleged relationship between William and Hanbury, rumors of an affair first surfaced in 2019. No British tabloid, including The Sun, went on to publish articles about a rumored affair, which led to the Daily Beast reporting that the palace threatened legal action against publications that covered it. The rumor mill slowed down significantly after 2019, likely thanks to the royals' long-held "never complain, never explain" PR strategy.

Persons: William aren't, Prince William, Rose Hanbury, Pool, Samir Hussein, Max Mumby, William, Hanbury, Princess, Wales, Moi, Omid Scobie Organizations: Cosmopolitan, British, Sun, Daily, Deux Moi, Entertainment

☆ Together ‘There Was Magic’: Two Fluid Dancers in Our Racing Times
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Gia Kourlas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Ashton Edwards rushed across the stage and straight into Taylor Stanley’s arms on a Sunday afternoon at New York City Ballet. In “The Times Are Racing,” a fervent ballet by Justin Peck, that hug is part of the choreography — a freeze-frame of raw emotion, like a stop sign dropped into a sea of hurtling, sweeping bodies. The embrace is a signal for a new beginning: an intimate pas de deux that unfolds like a dream within a dream. Their performance glowed, and not just because it was newsworthy: This was the first pairing of two nonbinary dancers in a major pas de deux at City Ballet. But what mattered more was the energy between their physical forms; the warmth they radiated even at a distance; and their phrasing, which was so fluid that at times they seemed less two bodies than one.

Persons: Ashton Edwards, Taylor, ”, Justin Peck, “, ” Edwards, Edwards, Stanley Organizations: New York City Ballet, Times, City Ballet Locations: New

☆ ‘Spamalot’ Review: You’ll Laugh in Its General Direction
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Jesse Green | More About Jesse Green | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

If you’ve seen “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” the 1975 movie spoof of all things Arthurian and many things not, you know the coconuts I mean. And if you’re enough of a Python fan to have also seen “Spamalot,” the 2005 Broadway musical “lovingly ripped off” from the film, you’ve probably memorized the whole bit. That’s the one in which Arthur’s trusted patsy, Patsy, slaps coconut halves together so the deluded king can pretend he has a horse. Among many others, so are a troupe of self-flagellating monks, a cart of corpses, a vulgar French taunter and a Trojan rabbit. This one, directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, gives the “ni”-sayers what they want.

Persons: Monty Python, “, you’ve, Arthur’s, patsy, Patsy, James, Eric Idle, John Du Prez, ”, Josh Rhodes, sayers Organizations: St Locations: England

☆ At Ballet Theater, a Thrilling Puck and a Moment to Take Stock
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Brian Seibert | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Where “The Dream,” a Ballet Theater staple in recent decades, is a reliable showcase for the company’s theatricality, George Balanchine’s “Ballet Imperial,” on the same program, is good for displaying the troupe’s classical chops across its ranks. Unlike New York City Ballet, which has called the work “Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2” since the 1970s, Ballet Theater doesn’t downplay the imperial Russian associations, using a backdrop of St. Petersburg. That’s a choice that might disturb some viewers, but Ballet Theater’s rendition also had aesthetic problems. De la Nuez goes for it, too.

Persons: George Balanchine’s, ”, That’s, Skylar Brandt, Isabella Boylston, James Whiteside, Alonzo King’s, Alexei Ratmansky’s “, Jason Moran, Robert Rosenwasser, Jim French, Brandt, Calvin Royal III, King, Michael de la, De la Nuez Organizations: Ballet, New York City Ballet, Dnipro ” Locations: St . Petersburg

☆ Manet and Degas: A Masterful Pas de Deux at the Met
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-21 | by ( Holland Cotter | More About Holland Cotter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

And if gestures of tribute speak louder than words, Degas made a powerful one. In his increasingly reclusive later years he set about assembling a personal collection of Manet’s work, a sampling of which, in a section called “Degas after Manet,” concludes the show. The painting was so polemically pointed that Manet had to keep it hidden in storage. Degas and Manet, at the start of their careers, first met in the galleries of a grand public museum. In the end, they kept company in a small private one, the shadowy rooms of Degas’s Paris apartment.

Persons: Degas, “ Degas, Manet, ”, Berthe Morisot, Bizet’s, Carmen ”, Maximilian, Austrian archduke, Napoleon III Locations: Austrian, Mexico, London, Paris

☆ A Languid, Atmospheric Thriller Steeped in Postwar Melancholy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( Leah Greenblatt | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

Fate convenes our two friendless protagonists one morning in the walled gardens there, where Henri has been sent to collect a £5,000 packet of cash for delivery. While he looks on unseen from a balcony, Louise simply scoops up the money and walks away. Henri can’t quite conjure a reason; his cousins aren’t the forgiving kind, and there is no question there will be consequences. There are endless glasses of cognac and solitary meals in cafes; even a scattering of faceless lovers who melt away in the morning, unmissed. The result is a collection of lovely, haunted images that never fully coalesces into compelling narrative.

Persons: Henri, Louise, Henri can’t, Mangan, Agatha, “, Christie, She’ll Locations: Granada, Paris, Belgrade, Oran, French

France has used an anti-terrorism unit to question some climate activists, the police confirmed to Reuters. Britain’s National Police Chiefs’ Council did not immediately respond to a request for comment and its interior ministry did not comment. Germany does not have a national policy targeting climate activists, who the government considers mainly non-extremist, a spokesperson for the country’s interior ministry said. "Climate protesters can perhaps be locked away, but the climate catastrophe will come anyway," Lachner said after being convicted in Berlin in July for glueing incidents last year and fined 2,700 euros. In the January newspaper interview, the local office of the interior ministry confirmed both devices had been installed.

Persons: Yves Herman, Simon Lachner, he'd, “ radicalisation ”, Lachner’s, Lachner, Regensberg, Lafarge Holcim, SLT, Julien Le Guet, Le Guet, Pascale Leglise, Riham Alkousaa, Juliette Jabkhiro, Andrew MacAskill, William James, Katy Daigle, Frank Jack Daniel Our Organizations: REUTERS, GPS, Bavaria, Reuters, Britain’s National Police Chiefs ’, Los, Prosecutors, Bavarian, Berlin, Military, National Commission, Control, Thomson Locations: France, Sainte, Soline, BERLIN, Lachner, Britain, Germany, Berlin, Europe, Los Angeles, Brandenburg, Bavaria, Bavarian, Regensberg, French, Deux, Sevres, Nouvelle Aquitaine, SLT, Paris, London

☆ Tesla's Cybertruck is finally starting production, 2 years behind schedule. Here are 6 other projects Elon Musk promised to deliver by now.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-17 | by ( Sebastian Cahill | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Tesla's Cybertruck is finally beginning production two years behind schedule. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been known to make lofty promises that go undelivered for years at a time. In 2017, Inverse reported, Musk expanded the promise, assuring buyers that it would be just two more years before self-driving Teslas could be used to travel cross-country while passengers sleep. An 'everything' social media app, XIn late 2022, Musk tweeted that his purchase of Twitter was an "accelerant" to the creation of 'X,' the "everything app." According to the same CNBC article, in its most productive year, 2022, Tesla only installed an average of 21 solar system installations per week.

Persons: Elon Musk, —, Tesla, Musk, Musk's, Will Organizations: Tesla, CNBC, Boring Company, SpaceX, Twitter, University of Cincinnati Locations: Giga , Texas, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Southern California

☆ Rupert Murdoch Can Do Whatever He Wants. It’s Becoming a Problem. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( William D. Cohan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Mr. Murdoch’s heir apparent, Lachlan, defended Fox and the Dominion settlement when speaking to investors on May 9. Contrast Mr. Murdoch with, say, Jamie Dimon, the chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, the nation’s largest bank. Does anyone at Fox or News Corp hold Mr. Murdoch accountable in the same way? One way to rein in Mr. Murdoch may lie with Smartmatic. Smartmatic, or even the recently filed shareholder lawsuit against Fox, could end up pressuring Fox, and indirectly News Corp, to scrap their dual-class stock structures.

Persons: Murdoch’s, Lachlan, ”, “, ” Ms, Minow, Roberts, Shari Redstone, Murdoch, Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase, Joaquin Duato, Johnson, Dimon, he’s, Duato Organizations: Fox, Fox News, Fox Corporation, Comcast, Paramount Global, JPMorgan, Mr, News Corp Locations: America

☆ It’s Story Time at Ballet Theater, With a Best Seller Twist
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-17 | by ( Marina Harss | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The partnering grows increasingly steamy — an intimacy consultant was brought in to ensure that everyone felt comfortable. (On the Ballet Theater website, the production comes with a parental advisory, advising discretion for children under 13.) “People are sometimes afraid because they don’t know exactly what ballet is,” he said. “But maybe we can bring in new audiences because they think they’re going to get a theatrical and dynamic experience. Maybe they’ll be able to experience ballet through the art of storytelling, which is more accessible.”

Persons: “, Wheeldon, ”, Cassandra Trenary, Tita, they’ll Organizations: Ballet Theater

☆ ‘Like He Was Going to Live Forever’: Making Jerome Robbins’s Last Ballet
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-06 | by ( Roslyn Sulcas | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Jerome Robbins wasn’t feeling well in winter 1995. He had created “West Side Story Suite” — a condensed adaptation of his 1957 hit Broadway musical — for New York City Ballet earlier that year and started work on a new pas de deux with two principal dancers, Lourdes Lopez and Nikolaj Hübbe. Nonetheless, he continued to work with City Ballet on a new dance over the next two years. The 40-minute dance offered a bucolic idyll — a playful, youthful group, sporting with charm and what looks like spontaneity. The reviews were enthusiastic — “Choreographically, he has outdone himself here,” Anna Kisselgoff wrote in The New York Times — as were audiences.

☆ Science has finally figured out how fast and loud you should talk on Zoom
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The result is the largest-ever database of one-on-one Zoom conversations. It may shed new light on what we talk about when we talk about talking today — the conversation of the future. And while the average loudness of speakers didn't change across bad or good conversations, the "good" talkers varied their decibel levels more than the "bad" talkers did. The machine found that women rated as better Zoom conversationalists tended to be more intense. Good conversationalists are those who appear more engaged in what their partners are saying.

☆ Researchers just created the largest-ever database of how we interact on Zoom. Here are their tips for making everyone like you on video chats.
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

The result is the largest-ever database of one-on-one Zoom conversations. And while the average loudness of speakers didn't change across bad or good conversations, the "good" talkers varied their decibel levels more than the "bad" talkers did. The machine found that women rated as better Zoom conversationalists tended to be more intense. Good conversationalists are those who appear more engaged in what their partners are saying. Studying Zoom calls may help us have better conversations on Zoom.

☆ Manhattan DA warns staff they might hear 'fictional explosions' as Lady Gaga films 'Joker' sequel nearby and threats loom over Trump investigation
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg warned his already nervous staff that they might hear "fictional explosions" near their office. The Manhattan office has faced threats amid the hush-money investigation into Donald Trump. There's been crowds of media and police, increased security measures, violent threats, a package of "suspicious white powder," and now, warnings of "fictitious explosions" from a movie shoot. Bragg's warning came after a package with "suspicious white powder" arrived at the address where the grand jury is meeting. "You may see reports about an envelope of white powder that was sent to the office.

☆ Here's what every major analyst thought of Tesla's investor day
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Alex Harring | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Analysts aren't budging on Tesla coming off an investor day that they see as offering little detail on the electric vehicle maker's future plans. Bernstein analyst Toni Sacconaghi, a noted bear on the stock, called the meeting "somewhat disjointed and fairly technical." The investor day came as investors grow increasingly cautious following Musk's chaotic purchase of Twitter and recent price cuts to some Tesla models . Wells Fargo Analyst: Colin Langan Price target: $190, a downside of 6.3% from Wednesday's close Rating: Staying equal weight "It's unclear how long the recent Model3/Y price cuts will sustain demand. There was also no comment on a Model 3/Y refresh or any major update on Tesla Bot or FSD.

☆ Tesla shares down 8% after Investor Day despite positive analyst sentiment
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Rohan Goswami | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Tesla shares continued sliding Thursday morning, a movement that began the prior day during Tesla's Investor Day event, which provided investors with a long-term vision but lacked detail on new products or services. The electric-vehicle manufacturer's stock fell over 8% in the pre-market, despite positive analyst reaction to CEO Elon Musk's presentation and to Tesla's overall outlook. Jonas has an overweight rating and set a $220 price target for the stock. Goldman Sachs maintained a buy rating and a $200 price target, with analyst Mark Delaney writing Thursday that "the event reinforced our positive view of the company's long-term competitive positioning." Tesla shares are up over 80% year-to-date but remain well off of the 2021 high, which propelled the stock price above $400.

☆ Elon Musk presents Tesla 'Master Plan 3' with emphasis on sustainable energy
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Electric vehicle maker Tesla laid out its long-term vision at a 2023 Investor Day presentation in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday. CEO Elon Musk took the stage to share his "Master Plan 3," and to discuss how Tesla plans to scale up in the face of increasing competition. Musk said, "Earth can and will move to a sustainable energy economy, and will do so in your lifetime." To start, Musk was joined on stage by Senior Vice President of Powertrain and Energy Engineering at Tesla, Drew Baglino. Tesla shares have rebounded from declines during 2022, and are up more than 60% for the year so far.

☆ Tesla's investor day brings hopes Elon Musk will reveal cheap cars, robotaxis, and a new Master Plan. Here's what people are watching for.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-01 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Hopes are building for big announcements from Elon Musk and Tesla at its investor day Wednesday. Master Plan 3, robotaxis, cheap EVs and solar power are thought to be high on Musk's list. Speaking on CNBC's "Squawk on the Street" on Monday, Ark Invest CEO and Tesla backer Cathie Wood said this would be a cornerstone of the Investor day. Solar PowerTesla may also continue to build out its symbiotic relationship with renewable energy generation at its investor day, targeting sustainable sources to pump electricity into its vehicles. In a tweet last month, the company teased the idea of a Tesla ecosystem: energy generation, energy storage & electric vehicles.

1 EV maker worldwide in 2022, but China's BYD (002594.SZ) and others are closing the gap fast, according to a Reuters analysis of global and regional EV sales data provided by EV-volumes.com. In fact, BYD passed Tesla in EV sales last year in the Asia-Pacific region, while the Volkswagen Group (VOWG_p.DE) has been the EV leader in Europe since 2020. Reuters GraphicsThe most significant challenges to Tesla are coming from established automakers and a group of Chinese EV manufacturers. Tesla's vehicles offered features, such as the ability to navigate into a parking space or make rude sounds, that other vehicles lacked. IDRA, the Italian company that builds huge presses to form large one-piece castings that are the building blocks of Tesla vehicles, said it is now getting orders from other automakers.

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