Godzilla and Kong Continue Their Box Office Rampage
In its second weekend in US cinemas, Godzilla vs. Kong continued to dominate the box office, earning almost $13,9 million. And while this may sound modest, its worldwide gross is anything but. Released overseas a week before the United States, Godzilla vs. Kong earned over $288 million so far. According to the Box Office Mojo, its combined gross currently stands at almost $339 million. Besides its titular monsters, the film features an ensemble cast including Kyle Chandler (King Kong), Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Rebecca Hall (Iron Man 3), and Alexander Skarsgård (True Blood).
In second place at the last weekend’s box office is the action thriller Nobody with $2,7 million and a total worldwide gross of $28,8 million. Directed by Ilya Naishuller (Hardcore Henry), it features Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul) in a leading role. Horror flick The Unholy is in third place with $2,4 million. Its story about a journalist (Jeffrey Dean Morgan – Supernatural) investigating alleged miracles in a small town features Katie Aselton (Legion), Cary Elwes (Stranger Things), and William Sadler (Bill & Ted Face the Music). Disney’s CGI fantasy adventure Raya and the Last Dragon is in fourth place with $2,2 million and total worldwide earnings of $90 million. And in fifth place with $1,4 million is the sole newcomer among the top five this week – science fiction film Voyagers by director Neil Burger (The Illusionist, Limitless).
Martial Arts TV Series Warrior Moves to HBO Max
GeekTyrant reports that Cinemax martial arts crime series Warrior has been renewed for a third season – on HBO Max. Warrior was the network’s final scripted TV show before it ceased the production of all original programming. Then HBO Max stepped in, renewing the show.
Set in San Francisco in the 1870s, Warrior follows Ah Sahm (Andrew Koji), a martial artist who emigrates from China searching for his sister. Instead, he finds himself embroiled in the Tong Wars. But this is just a start of an epic story about crime, corruption, bigotry, betrayal, and, yes, the American Dream. The series was co-created by Jonathan Tropper, whose previous show Banshee was a pulpy fun featuring sex, violence, and the Amish mafia. Warrior was based on an idea that legendary Bruce Lee came up with fifty years ago. According to his widow Linda Lee Cadwell, the concept was later retooled into the martial arts/Western series Kung Fu starring David Carradine.
Warrior was co-produced by the Fast & Furious director Justin Lin and Bruce Lee’s daughter Shannon. It premiered on Cinemax in April 2019, where it aired for two seasons.
Dave Bautista to Play an Intergalactic Bounty Hunter in Universe’s Most Wanted
Dave Bautista, best known for playing Drax the Destroyer in Guardians of the Galaxy and other Marvel movies, has found another role fitting his image – an interstellar bounty hunter. According to SlashFilm, Bautista will portray a galactic peacekeeper in Universe’s Most Wanted. In this science-fiction action film, a ragtag group of the universe’s most dangerous criminals crash-lands in a small American town. Overwhelmed by villains from a galaxy far, far away, the sheriff and his son soon team up with Bautista’s character – a bounty hunter sent to re-capture the criminals.
Universe’s Most Wanted will be filmed by Brad Peyton, best known for directing Dwayne Johnson in movies like Journey 2: The Mysterious Island, San Andreas, and Rampage. F. Scott Frazier (Collide, The Numbers Station, xXx: Return of Xander Cage) will co-write the script alongside writer and producer Jimmy Loweree. STXfilms is producing the movie. In the past, Bautista worked with this company on the action-comedy My Spy.
Universe’s Most Wanted is currently in the pre-production with the shooting about to take place in Australia this July.
