The Color Purple recorded the second-best Christmas Day opening of all time, bringing in $18M this past Monday. The only Christmas Day opening to do better than The Color Purple was 2009’s Sherlock Holmes, which brought in $24.6M. Furthermore, the film opened to a 88% critic’s rating on Rotten Tomatoes. “Woke up to all the positive reactions to #TheColorPurple. What a blessing!!! Grateful to all who helped me make this film. Let’s continue to pack the theaters y’all,” director Blitz Bazawule wrote on X.
The film is the most recent reimagining of the seminal novel by Alice Walker. After Walker wrote the book in 1982, it was quickly turned into a film in 1985. The film was directed by Steven Spielberg and served as Winfrey’s breakout role. In 2005, an adaptation opened on Broadway and was revived in 2015. This year’s film is more of an adaptation of the musical than the original novel.
Oprah Reveals Original Studio Vision For The Color Purple
Woke up to all the positive reactions to #TheColorPurple. What a blessing!!! Grateful to all who helped me make this film. Let’s continue to pack the Theaters y’all. pic.twitter.com/mp2rxi0Ofa
Meanwhile, Oprah Winfrey has said that when she first approached studios with a pitch to remake The Color Purple, the studio heads wanted to cast someone like Beyonce or Rihanna in the film. “To be completely honest about it, if you were doing this film for $30 or $40 million, the interest in the cast would be very different. Once the film moved to $90 to $100 million, then everybody wants us to bring Beyoncé. Can you get Beyoncé or can you get Rihanna?’ So we’re sitting in a room saying, ‘Listen, we love Beyoncé. We love Rihanna, but there are other actors who can do this job.’ I do remember conversations about, ‘Y’all, Beyoncé is going to be busy this year.’ It wasn’t even a negotiation, because you’re not getting Beyoncé,” Winfrey told The Hollywood Reporter.
Instead, Winfrey was able to assemble an all-star ensemble cast. The film stars Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson, Danielle Brooks, H.E.R., and Halle Bailey just to name a few. The film is being helmed by Blitz the Ambassador, the Ghanian musician and director. He has previously released 2018’s Death of Kojo and the Lion King visual companion Black is King. The screenplay comes from playwright Marcus Gardley.
Everything Beyonce does is larger than life, so why would her recently released concert film be any different? Last year she took a big swing with the house and dance-themed album Renaissance. The project was her first since 2016’s Lemonade and turned out to be a smash success with both fans and critics. So earlier this year when it came time to embark on the Renaissance tour she similarly did it big. At shows across Europe and North America, she unpacked some of her biggest hits to adoring crowds.
With the concerts grabbing headline news nearly every night it’s no surprise that Beyonce captured the glory of it all on film. That eventually became the Renaissance concert film which released in theaters earlier this week. Unsurprisingly, the film soared to impressive box office numbers right away. According to HipHopDX despite being out for just half a month, it’s already landed among the top 5 concert films of all time. Her $30 million at the US box office places her alongside Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Michael Jackson, and Miley Cyrus in the top 5.
It’s no surprise that the film is doing so well after the start it got off to. The film had the biggest December opening weekend of any film in the past 20 years. It came just a few weeks after a different concert film achieved similar success. Much like Beyonce’s Renaissance tour, Taylor Swift’s Eras tour dominated headlines all year.
Taylor’s concert film came out a few weeks before Bey’s and also reached astounding levels of success. Both films had smash premiers that saw them completely taking over the box office from conventional movies. After its first month at the box office had wrapped up she surpassed Justin Bieber to score the highest-grossing concert film of all time. What do you think of Beyonce’s Renaissance film cracking the top 5 highest-grossing concert films of all time in just a few weeks? Let us know in the comment section below.
Beyonce’s Renaissance concert film took a steep tumble at the box office with its second week in theaters. The documentary suffered a 75% drop in earnings and is only projected to take in $5.6 million. It had debuted the week before with $21.8 million, making history for the first weekend in December.
Instead of Renaissance, Hayao Miyazaki’s newest anime film, The Boy and the Heron, led the way with $12.8 million in its opening weekend. In doing so, it became the first original anime production to top the domestic box office. Other releases from last weekend include Poor Things, which pulled in $644,000 from just nine theaters. It’s $72,000 marks the best per-theater average of the fall awards season.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 29: (Editorial Use Only) (Exclusive Coverage) Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at MetLife Stadium on July 29, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood )
Despite the success being short-lived, Beyonce celebrated Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce’s spot atop the box office charts in a statement on Instagram, last week. “I am so deeply thankful to AMC and every team member who worked so hard on this film,” Beyonce began. “I just can’t thank all of you enough for your support. It was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done because of the short turn around time. I practically slept in the edit, color, and mix sessions. The race against time continued in order to get this film out so quickly. But it was so worth all the grind. I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love from my Hive. And WOW! I am so touched and encouraged by the incredible reviews!!!”
She continued: “While I’m often critical and feel my art is never finished, the pendulum swings. I feel gratitude. ‘We did it.’ We have the #1 movie in the country! And a [100 emoji] on Rotten Tomatoes. And it’s because of you and your support! I humbly thank you.” Be on the lookout for further updates on Beyonce on HotNewHipHop.
Last year, Beyonce dropped her highly-anticipated new album Renaissance to rave reviews from critics and fans alike. That’s why hundreds of thousands of fans and even more celebrities packed stadiums all year while she went on the Renaissance world tour. Towards the end of her tour, she announced that the live experience was being captured in a tour film so fans could relive their experiences at the movie theater.
The film hit theaters over the weekend coming about a month after Taylor Swift took the silver screen. The Eras Tour film itself has already soared pass $250 million at the box office and Beyonce is already well on the way to racking up millions of its own. The film officially opened with a $21 million box office in its first weekend. Those numbers are strong for a concert film any time of year, but in particular for the typically slow early December window for new films. According to Uproxx, it’s the first film released in the first weekend of December to cross the $20 million threshold since The Last Samurai in 2003. Check out even more details on the film below.
Last week, Beyonce was in attendance for two high-profile premiere events for the film. Superstars showed out with Jay-Z popping up at the London premiere. A Destiny’s Child reunion took place on the red carpet in LA. The film has also been a hit with fans and critics. It currently sits with a perfect score of 100% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes.
In conjunction with the film’s release, Beyonce also dropped her first brand new single of 2023. The song is called MY HOUSE and was a surprise release that instantly clicked with fans. The track has already racked up more than 5 million streams on Spotify in just a few days since its release alongside the film. What do you think of Beyonce’s extremely impressive opening weekend for the Renaissance tour film? Let us know in the comment section below.
Beyonce’s new concert film, Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce, is currently on pace to top the weekly box office charts with between a $22 and $24 million opening in its domestic debut. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the figure marks the biggest opening for early December in two decades. Before being adjusted for inflation, the largest opening for the first weekend of December remains Tom Cruise’s The Last Samurai with $24.3 million.
After releasing in the United States on Friday, the film is beginning to roll out worldwide. It’s projected to bring in $40 million globally. Renaissance first premiered in Los Angeles, earlier this week, with a star-studded event that featured Taylor Swift, Michelle Williams, Blake Lively, will.i.am, and many more celebrities in attendance.
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – OCTOBER 01: (Editorial Use Only) (Exclusive Coverage) Beyoncé performs onstage during the “RENAISSANCE WORLD TOUR” at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on October 01, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for Parkwood)
Beyonce initially announced that fans can expect the film to arrive after she wrapped up the tour back in October. A summary of the movie says it “accentuates the journey of Renaissance World Tour, from its inception to the opening in Stockholm, Sweden, to the finale in Kansas City, Missouri. It is about Beyoncé’s intention, hard work, involvement in every aspect of the production, her creative mind and purpose to create her legacy, and master her craft. Received with extraordinary acclaim, Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour created a sanctuary for freedom, and shared joy, for more than 2.7 million fans.”
Beyonce’s “Renaissance” Film Is Here
Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce isn’t the only major concert film of the year. Taylor Swift released Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour back in October, hauling in $250 million in the time since. That figure makes for the most successful concert film of all time. Be on the lookout for further updates on Beyonce on HotNewHipHop and check out Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce in theaters now.
Nia Long’s career in the entertainment industry began in the late ‘80s. Since then, the actress has starred in an impressive number of movies and TV shows. From her breakout film role in Boyz N The Hood to 2023’s thriller, Missing, Nia Long has built an extensive catalog over the years. Moreover, her career has also been diverse, spanning various genres. Still killing it almost four decades later, Long is arguably more stunning and versatile than ever. However, it’s no secret that she is still grossly underrated as an actress.
Nonetheless, Nia Long shows no signs of taking her foot off the gas, and it’s always worth recognizing her talents. Even though she’s still everyone’s crush, her star power on screen is undeniable. Throughout her time in the industry, Long has also starred in a number of box office hits. While we wait, with fingers crossed in hopes for more from the actress, here’s a list of her seven biggest films to date.
7. Are We Done Yet? (2007)
With Ice Cube reprising his role as Nick Persons, this family comedy film is a sequel to the 2005 movie Are We There Yet? The story picks up where the last movie left off after Nick marries Nia Long’s character, Suzanne. Along with Suzanne’s two children from a previous marriage, the couple start living together as a family. However, in their cramped apartment, it’s impossible to conveniently accommodate all four of them. As a result, following Suzanne’s revelation that a baby is on the way, the family moves to a bigger home in the suburbs. Unfortunately, what seemed to be the perfect house turns out to be a massive fixer-upper, and is a lot more than Nick signed up for. Are We Done Yet? is a hilarious movie, and was loved by viewers upon its release. The film grossed $58.4 million at the box office.
Featuring a phenomenal cast of talented stars, The Best Man Holiday is a sequel that goes above and beyond expectations. Over a decade after The Best Man (1999) was released, this comedy-drama sequel reunited the beloved characters from the first film. The story follows the friends, now in their 40s, as they come together for a Christmas celebration at Lance (Morris Chestnut) and Mia’s (Monica Calhoun) house. The reunion brings joy, but it also stirs up old rivalries and unresolved issues. Making $72.8 million at the box office, this sequel grossed more than the original movie.
5. Stigmata (1999)
Stigmata is a supernatural horror film directed by Rupert Wainwright. The main cast consists of Patricia Arquette, Gabriel Byrne, Jonathan Pryce, Nia Long, Rade Šerbedžija, and Enrico Colantoni. After receiving a rosary as a gift from her mother, Frankie (Arquette) begins to experience strange and terrifying phenomena. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she starts exhibiting signs of stigmata, which are the wounds of Christ, such as bleeding from the wrist or feet. In the movie, Nia Long takes on the role of Frankie’s best friend, Donna Chadway. Despite the outrage from several Catholic circles upon the film’s release, Stigmata was a box-office success. It earned $89.4 million, making it one of Long’s highest-grossing films.
4. Are We There Yet? (2005)
Before their big move in Are We Done Yet?, Suzanne’s two kids went on a thrilling and hilarious road trip with their soon-to-be step-father. In this story, Nick (Ice Cube) meets Suzanne (Long), a divorced mother of two. Nick is attracted to Suzanne, but she is hesitant to enter a new relationship. Despite Suzanne’s reservations, Nick offers to drive her children from Portland to Vancouver to spend New Year’s Eve with their mother. However, the trip doesn’t quite go as smoothly as Nick hopes as the kids sabotage him at every turn. However, as the trip progresses, the trio develops a newfound understanding and bond. Are We There Yet? grossed $98 million worldwide.
When Zora Matthews (Nia Long) discovers that she was conceived through artificial insemination, she expresses a desire to meet her biological father. Although her mother Sarah (Whoopi Goldberg) convinces her that her father is a Black man, Zora soon learns that he is Hal Jackson (Ted Danson), a white man. As Zora navigates her new relationship with her biological father, Sarah and Hal find themselves grappling with unexpected emotions as well. Also starring Will Smith as Tea Cake Walters, Zora’s best friend, Made In America was a commercial success. The movie grossed $104.9 million at the box office.
2. Big Momma’s House 2 (2006)
Continuing the adventures of FBI agent Malcolm Turner from the original film, Big Momma’s House 2 sees the agent go undercover once more. Martin Lawrence stars as the titular character, reprising his role from Big Momma (2006). Nia Long also returned to play Sherry Pierce-Turner, Malcolm’s wife in this sequel. While not as well-received as its predecessor, Big Momma’s House 2 has found an audience since its release. It was a commercial success, grossing $141.5 million against a $40 million budget.
In the original Big Momma film, Martin Lawrence and Nia Long team up, and it’s a hilarious affair. Lawrence’s character, Malcolm Turner, goes undercover as the titular character for the first time. Turner and his partner John Maxwell (Paul Giamatti) are tasked with capturing a dangerous escaped convict, Lester Vesco (Terrence Howard). To do so, Turner devises a plan to get close to Vesco’s ex-girlfriend Sherry (Long), who he suspects is aware of Vesco’s whereabouts. Taking on an elaborate disguise, he transforms himself into Hattie Mae “Big Momma” Pierce, Sherry’s grandmother. As Turner juggles the challenges of maintaining his disguise and keeping the truth hidden from Sherry, he grows closer to her. With a box office gross of $174 million, Big Momma’s House is Nia Long’s biggest movie yet.
Barbie has officially surpassed the $1 billion mark at the box office, as its success continues three weeks into its run. According to official Warner Bros estimates cited by CNN, the film’s global box office earnings are currently at $1.03 billion.
The figure comes after the film’s titular star, Margot Robbie, recently revealed that she predicted it would reach a billion dollars while originally meeting with studios. “I think I told them they’d make a billion dollars which, maybe I was overselling, but we had a movie to make!” she told Collider.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JULY 09: Margot Robbie attends the World. Premiere of “Barbie” at Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall on July 09, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore, told CNN that Barbie’s marketing campaign was “unprecedented” and “unpredictable.” He explained: “The marketing campaign for ‘Barbie’ set into motion a chain of events that led to the word ‘Barbenheimer’ being added to the popular lexicon by virtue of its shared release date with ‘Oppenheimer,’ and that’s when we all knew something very special and unique was going to create a much bigger than expected outcome for the film not only for the opening weekend, but for its global run in theaters.” He also noted that only approximately 50 films in history have hit the billion-dollar mark when not adjusted for inflation.
BoxOffice Pro chief analyst Shawn Robbins explained Barbie’s popularity by citing the broad appeal of its story. “Driving that discourse is the film’s embrace of what generations of women have both loved and hated about the brand and what it’s often represented in the past,” Robbins said while adding that it “has tapped into cultural conversations about gender roles and female empowerment that aren’t bound by international borders.”
Barbie first hit theaters on July 21, 2023, coinciding with the release of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. Alongside Robbie, the film stars Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, as well as Will Ferrell.
The Little Mermaid is certainly not a flop for Disney. The opening weekend of the film was anticipated to generate a domestic box office revenue ranging from $120 million to $130 million. The movie premiered in the United States last week and features Halle Bailey as the titular character. It was expected to achieve Disney’s fourth highest-grossing opening weekend. That would have left it trailing behind Top Gun: Maverick, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. In the end, The Little Mermaid film pulled in around $117 million domestically. That makes it one of the most successful Memorial Day weekend releases of all time.
Back in 2019, Disney made an initial announcement regarding the selection of Halle Bailey for the lead role in their live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid. Unfortunately, the decision to cast a black woman sparked a wave of controversy. Halle’s community understandably celebrated the success of the talented 23-year-old actress. However, racists seized the opportunity to express their objections on social media, opposing the call for diversity. Yara Shadidi also faced a similar backlash when she secured the role of Tinkerbell in Peter Pan & Wendy. Nonetheless, both young actresses have admirably silenced their critics through their exceptional performances, showcasing their skills and talent.
Users Say “The Little Mermaid” Screening Video Only Hurts The Cause
In the video above, someone who attended a screening of The Little Mermaid had their viewing experience interrupted. A fight broke out in the middle of the film. It’s unclear what the altercation was about. One woman can be heard yelling at another saying that she asked her to politely stop doing something. What the other viewer was doing was not revealed in the video. Many took to the comments on the post by The Shade Room. According to them, the outlet should not have posted the video. In their eyes, it takes away from the triumph of the film.
In a recent interview with Glamour, Halle opened up about seeing videos of young black girls reacting to her as Ariel. “When I saw those for the first time, I just cried,” she told the magazine. “I was sobbing uncontrollably. The fact that these babies are looking at me and feeling the emotions that they’re feeling is a really humbling, beautiful thing.” The actress will no doubt continue to inspire more children for generations to come. Hopefully, situations like the one in the video above will not mar the success of the adaptation. What do you think of the video? Sound off in the comments below!
The Little Mermaid is expected to make between $120-$130 million dollars domestically over it’s opening weekend. The film, starring Halle Bailey, premiered in the U.S. yesterday. The Little Mermaid is projected to see Disney’s fourth highest-earning opening weekend, behind Top Gun: Maverick, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Disney believes the film should also bring in around $80 million overseas this weekend, bringing the total to around $200 million.
In an interview with Glamour, Bailey also recently shared her experience watching young black girls react to seeing her play Ariel. “When I saw [the videos] for the first time, I just cried,” she revealed. She went on to say, “I was sobbing uncontrollably. The fact that these babies are looking at me and feeling the emotions that they’re feeling is a really humbling, beautiful thing.”
Bailey also shared more about her relationship with DDG, amid recent rumors the pair had split. Bailey called the rapper her “prince charming,” adding that she thinks “the best thing about young love is that you’re able to continue to find yourself through this journey of loving somebody else.” The performer continued, “You’re discovering new parts of yourself and maybe things that you didn’t notice before about your heart.” “I feel like things change when love gets more involved in your life,” she revealed. “I have definitely discovered more within myself as a woman.…It’s a really cool thing to go through, but a transformative experience.”
She also shared her experiences dating in the public eye recently. She shared, “The biggest thing I’ve learned in dating when it comes to dating in the public eye, is that everybody’s gonna have an opinion about you, whether it’s good or bad.” Bailey added, “I’ve had this since I was younger. I think because I’ve grown up, kind of in the public eye, people think they have this sort of… I don’t know, that they can say what they feel about my life. Like they do with everyone in the public eye.” “I’ve realized, for me, I just go with my heart,” she revealed.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie has officially broken the $1 billion mark at the box office. At the time of writing, the joint project between Nintendo and Illumination Studios has grossed $1.045 billion worldwide. It is now the eighth-highest-grossing Universal release of all time. Furthemore, it is just $7 million shy of becoming Universal’s second-ever film to gross $500 million at the box office.
The film is also still being received incredibly well. While it still holds a 59% critics rating, it also has a 96% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The film has proven to be a smash-hit, both with fans of the games and general audiences alike. But where does the genre go from here?
What’s Next For Video Game Adaptations?
‘THE SUPER MARIO BROS MOVIE’ has passed $1 billion worldwide.
2023 has been a year of both critical and financial success for the video game adaptation genre. On the financial side, you have The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the first video game adaptation to make $1 billion at the box office. But 2023 has also seen critical successes. The primary example of this is HBO’s The Last Of Us. Also upcoming is the much-anticipated third season of The Witcher. Elsewhere, Season 2 of Halo is reportedly in production, despite middling reviews for the first. In short, video game adaptations are big business right now.
So now the genre stands at a crossroads. On the one hand, this year’s successes have shown that there is a market for well-received, financially successful video game adaptation. But to find that success, you need to invest the time, effort, and money to create an adaptation that the engrained fanbase you are inheriting will enjoy. Because at the end of the day, while mass appeal is all well and good, the driving force behind the success of your video game project is getting the long-standing fans on board. For example, the Jason Mamoa-led Minecraft has been relentlessly mocked on social media after it was announced. There are dozens of reported video game adaptations in the works. However, the current “golden age” of the genre depends on studios learning the right lessons from the successes of Mario and The Last Of Us.
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