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Uh Oh: Apple Cuts Clooney-Pitt “Wolfs” to One Week in Theaters Before Streaming– But Orders ‘Sequel’?

Roger Friedman
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Uh Oh: Apple Cuts Clooney-Pitt “Wolfs” to One Week in Theaters Before Streaming– But Orders ‘Sequel’?

Apple Studios has cut “Wolfs” down to one week in theaters.

Two enormous movie stars — George Clooney and Brad Pitt — star in the buddy comedy from “Spider Man” director Jon Watts. But “Wolfs” will be sent to the Apple streaming platform after 7 days in movie houses.

There will never be a box office report, because streamers don’t report numbers.

Apple issued this news couched as secondary to the idea that they’ve greenlit a sequel to “Wolfs.” A sequel? To a movie that won’t be strong enough to have a theatrical run?

This is trouble, no matter how you slice the Apple.

The seven day run just barely covers Oscar eligibility, although that seems unlikely given this news.

What could have gone wrong here? Even if it’s just a popcorn pleaser, “Wolfs” should be able to attract an audience to theaters.

One problem might be the concept: there are no women or romantic interests for these two leading men. It sounds like “Butch Cassidy” without Katherine Ross. Or more like “Lethal Weapon” without Renee Russo and Darlene Love.

Apple is also apparently doing this one week in theaters thing with Steve McQueen’s “Blitz.” Set in World War II London, “Blitz” stars Saoirse Ronan and Harris Dickinson — two hot young actors — and The Jam’s’ Paul Weller — a great rock star — in his film debut.

McQueen won Best Picture for “12 Years a Slave” but can’t have a movie in theaters for more than a week?

If only a Marvel character could have been in these films! It’s really a new world.

Here’s the Trailer for Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” About the First “SNL” Show

Roger Friedman
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Here’s the Trailer for Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” About the First “SNL” Show

To kick off the 50th anniversary season of “Saturday Night Live,” here comes a movie.

Jason Reitman’s “Saturday Night” is all about the first episode of “SNL” in the fall of 1975.

The ensemble cast making up the “Not Ready for Prime Time Players” are not unknowns, but they’re all young and newish to movies.

Willem Dafoe, Matthew Rhys, and JK Simmons are the most recognizable names, playing executives.

The movie will be released on October 11th, which might be the night before the “SNL” Premiere on NBC.

No one knew what to call this movie, I guess. “Saturday Night’ was actually the original name of the TV show because there was already a “Saturday Night Live” on ABC with Howard Cosell.

Why Were Deadpool and Wolverine at the Premiere of “It Ends With Us”? To Protect Blake Lively?

Roger Friedman
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Why Were Deadpool and Wolverine at the Premiere of “It Ends With Us”? To Protect Blake Lively?

It was a little strange a couple of nights ago at the premiere for “It Ends with Us.”

Blake Lively, the star, brought along husband Ryan Reynolds, and his work husband, Hugh Jackman, to the red carpet.

Lively took a lot of pictures with them but none with director and co-star Justin Baldoni.

In fact, no one from the cast has done interviews with or spoken about Baldoni at all.

It almost seemed like Lively brought the Deadpool and Wolverine stars along to distract the press from whatever is really going on with the “It Ends with Us” cast.

There are 224 photos from the premiere on WireImage and not a single one of Baldoni with any of his actors. That alone raises a lot of questions.

Online, in social media, plenty of people have noticed and posted stories about the underlying tensions aimed at Baldoni. In the film he plays a violent and abusive husband. Is it possible that the feelings toward the character have spilled over into real life?

On the red carpet Tuesday night, Jenny Slate really gave a diplomatic non answer when an interviewer asked about working with Baldoni as a director and actor. She basically sidestepped the whole thing, and talked about herself.

Baldoni is already a TV star from “Jane the Virgin,” and he’s a great looking guy who you’d think would be all over the talk shows, etc.

“It Ends with Us” starts tonight in previews and opens tomorrow everywhere. It has a low 54% Rotten Tomatoes.

@deadline #JennySlate on working with #JustinBaldoni, who served as both scene partner and director to the actress in #ItEndsWithUsMovie ♬ original sound – Deadline

Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk, Bill Burr to Star on Broadway in “Glengarry Glen Ross” Next Spring

Roger Friedman
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Kieran Culkin, Bob Odenkirk, Bill Burr to Star on Broadway in “Glengarry Glen Ross” Next Spring

Roman Roy and Saul Goodman are coming to Broadway.

Kieran Culkin and Bob Odenkirk will top line David Mamet’s short but sour “Glengarry Glen Ross” next spring on the big stage. Comedian Bill Burr co-stars.

Culkin is loaded with awards from TV’s “Succession.” Likewise, Odenkirk has been praised up and down for “Better Call Saul.”

Patrick Marber will direct.

The saga of a bunch of nasty real estate agents in their office has had many incarnations on stage, as well as a great movie. Mamet’s script is oft-quoted, and the play itself has become a staple.

Culkin and Odenkirk are inspired casting. Burr might actually be playing himself.

In real life, Mamet has gone from being a critics darling to a PR nightmare as he’s expressed more and more right wing, off the wall political views that have startled his former friends

This should be good!

Two Time Oscar Winner Cate Blanchett’s New Movie “Borderlands” Scores a ZERO on Rotten Tomatoes

Roger Friedman
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Two Time Oscar Winner Cate Blanchett’s New Movie “Borderlands” Scores a ZERO on Rotten Tomatoes

Cate Blanchett never makes a misstep.

Sometimes the two time Oscar winner has made errors of judgement, but none like “Borderlands.”

There are 11 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes of Eli Roth’s adaptation of a game. The critics are unanimous: they hate it. AwardsWatch wrote: “Borderlands is the worst kind of bad movie; the type devoid of any offbeat quirks that could propel it to a second life as a cult classic, feeling insufferable and overlong at a brisk 102 minutes because of its sheer lack of originality.”

“Borderlands” has a unique zero so far. That’s 0. It’s by far the lowest rating Blanchett has received in her nearly 30 year career. The worst before this was for George Clooney’s convoluted “Monuments Men” which had 31%.

It’s been a little more than a decade since Blanchett won her 2nd Oscar, for Woody Allen’s “Blue Jasmine.” She’s made consistently odd choices since then of mostly B level material. “Borderlands,” however, is the worst by far. What’s gone wrong? First of all, there is not a lot of quality material for women. But also, obviously, there is some miscommunication. Blanchett should be doing only top quality material with A list directors and writers. She’s on the level of Meryl Streep and Viola Davis.

“Borderlands” reviews will no doubt rise slightly before it hits theaters tonight. But it’s time for Blanchett to do a reset. One movie might be to come to Broadway in a great play and pick up a Tony Award. That usually works!

Philippe Petit Walks the High Wire 50 Years Later Inside Cathedral of St John the Divine, Accompanied by No Less than Sting

Roger Friedman
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Philippe Petit Walks the High Wire 50 Years Later Inside Cathedral of St John the Divine, Accompanied by No Less than Sting

Fifty years ago on Wednesday (last night) Philippe Petit made history walking on a highwire between the Twin Towers at the World Trade Center. It was illegal, of course, but it made headlines around the world.

Last night, exactly five decades later, Petit — a few days short of his 75th birthday– commemorated his magical moment. This time it was inside, at New York’s majestic, soaring Cathedral of St. John the Divine, where he produced an evening called “Towering” that left the audience breathless.

Petit’s long time friend, the musician Sting, provided the music, accompanying the great artist with two songs, “Fragile,” and “Fields of Gold,” with a classical ensemble. At the end of the evening, Sting returned with a gorgeous new song from a musical work in progress about Petit called “Let the Great World Spin.”

There were other performers, as well, all of whom were greeted with cheers by an audience that included Sting’s wife, Trudie Styler, plus the legendary singer Judy Collins, actors Griffin Dunne and Tony Danza, plus author Susan Cheever, and everyone’s favorite rapper, Shaggy.

After a selection of musicians and dancers opened the show, Petit himself climbed several dozen feet in the capacious cathedral, took a balance bar, and began his first walk back and forth along the wire. The first walk was done slowly and with precision, and I think the audience was satisfied he still had his game on.

But then came subsequent walks in which Petit abandoned any apprehension, walking sprightly and sometimes sitting down in the center of the suspended wire. A couple of times, he lay down on his back as if he were on chaise longue and kicked one leg with abandon. He was mesmerizing, to say the least.

As for this fellow, Sting, he certainly has a career in front of him. Considering that he is always on tour, the famed rock star’s voice proved to be as supple as Petit’s athletics. They’re a good match. And Sting’s acoustic guitar, made up of strings not unlike the one Petit crosses, provided a poetic juxtaposition, although not quite as dangerous. So did the choice of one song in which he sings, “How fragile we are.” Indeed.

After he’d dazzled the crowd, Petit spoke of his 1974 walk. He said he had some confessions to make. The principal one was that he had not practiced for six years before pulling off the Twin Towers feat. He admitted he’d only arrived in the US six months before the event.

Petit also corrected the record regarding his best friend, Jean-Louis Blondeau. He said that Blondeau did shoot the arrow between the towers — mapping out the path — and was responsible for holding one end of the wire when others had given up. The admission may be late, but it’s here.

It was a sublime night, and will be performed again tonight (Thursday) for those lucky enough to score a ticket.

Kanye Konquered as “Vultures 2” A Sales Stiff with No Streaming, Toppled by Summer Female Pop Phenom

Roger Friedman
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Kanye Konquered as “Vultures 2” A Sales Stiff with No Streaming, Toppled by Summer Female Pop Phenom

Kanye West’s “Vultures 2” is a bust.

Released on Friday night, it’s over by Wednesday afternoon. No one is streaming it. The tracks haven’t caught on.

“Vultures 2” debuted on iTunes at number 1, but has quickly fallen to number 2. It’s been toppled by female phenom force that’s been building for months: Chappell Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwestern Princess” — released last September — is now finally number 1.

What’s worse for “Vultures 2” is that is has no streaming. None of its tracks are on the iTunes top 100 for downloading. But on Spotify, the the numbers are sad. “Field Trip” has done the best, with 8.5 million streams. All the other tracks are way below. If this were a hit album, streaming business would be booming.

As I wrote a few days ago, “Vultures 2” is tepid and timid. The tracks are throwaway. The album sounds like sketches for an album that will never be heard.

But on a larger scale, the response to “Vultures 2” may have more to do with the public being done with West, his antisemitism, his right wing politics, and overall hubris. He’s photographed wife Bianca — who is almost completely naked — while his head is covered in masks or netting. No one takes him seriously, and he’s offended Blacks (“slavery is a choice”), Jews, and everyone else.

We’ll wait til hard numbers come in on Friday.

PS Wait til Taylor Swift wins at the Grammys next winter, and West is ignored once again.

Trump Predicts Biden Return at DNC to Take Nomination Away from Popular Kamala, Truth Media Stock Price Keeps Falling

Roger Friedman
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Trump Predicts Biden Return at DNC to Take Nomination Away from Popular Kamala, Truth Media Stock Price Keeps Falling

There may be a connection between Donald Trump’s flailing on social media, and the downward price spiral of his Truth Media.

Today, Truth Media is down another 5%, to $25.55 at 1:15pm. That’s almost 6% down from yesterday as the rest of the markets are up.

But yesterday, Trump wrote on Truth Social, supported by the stock, that he thinks Joe Biden will return at the Democratic National Convention and retake the nomination from Kamala Harris.

He wrote: “What are the chances that Crooked Joe Biden, the WORST President in the history of the U.S., whose Presidency was Unconstitutionally STOLEN from him by Kamabla, Barrack HUSSEIN Obama, Crazy Nancy Pelosi, Shifty Adam Schiff, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, and others on the Lunatic Left, CRASHES the Democrat National Convention and tries to take back the Nomination, beginning with challenging me to another DEBATE. He feels that he made a historically tragic mistake by handing over the U.S. Presidency, a COUP, to the people in the World he most hates, and he wants it back, NOW!!!”

This is Trump not knowing what to say in his attacks anymore. He’s ignoring today’s long lines in Wisconsin for Harris and Walz’s rally. The idea that Biden will return to usurp Harris is something out of “Games of Thrones,” not reality.

Watch this stock as it continues to drop.

Anna Wintour’s Vogue September Issue Gambles Big Time on Blake Lively Potential Movie Bomb

Roger Friedman
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Anna Wintour’s Vogue September Issue Gambles Big Time on Blake Lively Potential Movie Bomb

It looks like Anna Wintour gambled big time on her September issue.

Published today are photos and videos featuring Blake Lively and Hugh Jackman — the Ryan Reynolds fan club — in a very lavish and expensive project involving director Baz Luhrmann.

It appears that the whole gang made a mini movie which now takes over Vogue’s social media. It’s also the cover of the September issue.

Jackman is hot right now as one half of the “Deadpool and Wolverine” team making box office history.

But Lively stars in “It Ends with Us,” a movie adaptation of commercial novelist Colleen Hoover’s novel — one of many in her airport reading series.

Unfortunately, “It Ends with Us” may really end with this movie for Hoover, Lively, et al as early reviews are dreadful. Rotten Tomatoes has it at “rotten” with just a 54%. My spies tell me the movie is mostly not watchable.

Wintour gambled that “It Ends with Us” would be a big hit, although who knows why? Hoover is a best selling writer the way that Campbell’s soup is popular in winter. Her ‘works’ are as important as bath rugs.

Does it matter? Probably not. “It Ends with Us” will be over before September 1st. “D&W” will still be doing big business. Vogue, which no longer depends on newsstand sales, just needs the hits on social media.

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Vogue (@voguemagazine) • Instagram photos and videos

“Deadpool and Wolverine” Crosses $420 Mil Mark, Looks at $650 Mil Total

Roger Friedman
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0
“Deadpool and Wolverine” Crosses $420 Mil Mark, Looks at $650 Mil Total

“Deadpool and Wolverine” has become the biggest Marvel juggernaut since “Black Panther.”

Shawn Levy’s MAD magazine send up of Marvel movies hit $420 million last night in the US after less than two weeks in release. Experts are saying the target finish will be around $650 million.

How many times have fans gone back to see “D&W”? It would have to be more than a half dozen. This will just go on and on until September 6th, when “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” comes in to scare it off.

Will there be a “D&W” sequel? There will be something, that’s for sure. Since Marvel has run out of ideas to propel anything forward, this kind of remix meta thing has life in it. Why not squeeze the orange until all the juice is gone?

Meantime, Levy and Marvel have just ‘revealed” all the spoilers and cameos and what they mean — even though millions of people already know them since they’ve spent so much seeing the movie. But it’s a good PR plan — tell everyone everything they already know, again!

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