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David Friend, The Canadian Press – Mar 24, 2024 / 11:18 am | Story: 478631
Photo: The Canadian Press
Aysanabee steps on stage to accept the Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year at the Juno Awards in Halifax, on Saturday March 23, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
Nelly Furtado is bringing the party to the East Coast as the Juno Awards get underway in Halifax tonight.
The “I’m Like a Bird” hitmaker is set to work double duty as a musical performer and host of this year’s celebration of Canadian music.
The Junos broadcast live on CBC from Halifax’s Scotiabank Centre arena with performances by Toronto band the Beaches, country star Josh Ross and Canadian Music Hall of Fame inductee Maestro Fresh Wes.
Headed into the show, Charlotte Cardin and Daniel Caesar are among the leading nominees as both contend for album of the year and the Junos’ fan choice award. Punjabi-Canadian artists Karan Aujla and Shubh are also up for two categories on the show.
On Saturday, an eclectic group of Canadian talent emerged as top winners at an industry ceremony where most Junos are handed out.
Rapper Tobi, alternative singer Aysanabee and pop star Tate McRae all won two awards for their work.
Jake Coyle, The Associated Press – Mar 24, 2024 / 11:17 am | Story: 478630
Photo: The Canadian Press
Ernie Hudson, from left, Paul Rudd, Finn Wolfhard, McKenna Grace and director Gil Kenan pose for photographers at the photo call for the film ‘Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire Photo Call’ on Thursday, March 21, 2024 in London. (Photo by Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP)
Ghost busting is still a good business.
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” collected $45.2 million in ticket sales over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing Sony Pictures the studio’s first No. 1 film since last summer.
The opening weekend for “Frozen Empire,” in 4,345 theaters, was nearly exactly the same as the $44 million launch for “Ghostbusters: Afterlife” in 2021. “Afterlife” rebooted the franchise with a sequel built around the descendants (Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace) of Harold Ramis’ Egon Spengler, along with Paul Rudd’s seismologist Gary Grooberson.
Neither film has been a hit with critics, but audiences have been more receptive. “Frozen Empire” garnered a B+ CinemaScore from moviegoers, a tick down from the A- score for “Afterlife.” “Frozen Empire” isn’t assured of profitability, but it will hope for sustained business over spring break.
“Ghostbusters” films tend to make a low impact internationally. In 25 overseas markets, “Frozen Empire” added $16.4 million.
The latest “Ghostbusters” cost about $100 million to make. After Jason Reitman took over directing duties from his father, Ivan Reitman, to helm “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” “Frozen Empire” is directed by Gil Kenan, co-writer of “Afterlife.”
Those two sequels took “Ghostbusters” in a more family-oriented, albeit PG-13 rated, direction, with original cast members Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson and Bill Murray returning in supporting roles. After the 2016 female-led “Ghostbusters” prompted a backlash, Sony rebooted the franchise.
The weekend’s other new wide release was “Immaculate,” the horror film starring Sydney Sweeney as an American nun at a remote Italian convent. The film, released by Neon following a premiere at SXSW, debuted with $5.4 million on 2,354 screens. Sweeney’s ascending star power helped make “Anyone But You” one of the most successful rom-coms in years. But “Immaculate,” an independent production that cost less than $10 million make, isn’t getting the same bounce.
“The movie features the popular Sydney Sweeney, but horror movies are not cast-driven,” wrote David A. Gross for the consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research. “They’re driven by the hook: the evil doll, the wicked smile, the invisible or silent presence, the found footage, the possessed child. That’s what terrifies the horror crowd. The hook is not completely clear here.”
The No. 2 spot went to “Dune: Part Two,” which continues to hold well. The Denis Villeneuve-directed sci-fi sequel starring Timothée Chalamet added $17.6 million in its fourth weekend of release, bringing the Warner Bros. release’s domestic total to $233.4 million. Overseas sales are just as strong, adding up to a $574.4 million worldwide haul.
After two weeks atop the box office, Universal’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” slid to third place with $16.8 million over its third weekend. The well-performing DreamWorks animated sequel is up to $133.2 million domestic. It debuted with $25.7 million in China, where the movies have historically been popular. When the 2008 “Kung Fu Panda” was released, its success partly inspired China to expand its own film production.
Estimated ticket sales are for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore. Final domestic figures…
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