logo
Lilo & Stitch' stays on top in third week

Lilo & Stitch' stays on top in third week

Express Tribune09-06-2025

The Disney film beat the latest 'Mission: Impossible' and 'Ballerina'. PHOTO: File
Disney's family-friendly Lilo & Stitch kept up its dominance of the early summer North American box office, winning for a third week in a row with $32.5 million in ticket sales, industry estimates showed Sunday, as reported by AFP.
The live-action remake of a 2002 animated film of the same name has so far raked in $335.8 million in the United States and Canada, and another $436 million abroad, Exhibitor Relations said.
Debuting in second place at $25 million was Lionsgate's Ballerina, a John Wick spin-off starring Ana de Armas as a dancer turned contract killer, and co-starring Anjelica Huston. Keanu Reeves makes a brief appearance as the hitman Wick.
"This is a weak opening for an action thriller spin-off," said David A. Gross of Franchise Entertainment Research.
Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning – the latest, and ostensibly last, in the hugely successful Tom Cruise spy thriller series based on a 1960s TV show – took third place with $15 million.
The Paramount film has now grossed more than $449 million worldwide.
In fourth place was Sony's Karate Kid: Legends, a sequel featuring Ralph Macchio - the star of the original 1984 classic - and action flick icon Jackie Chan, along with Ben Wang in the title role.
It made $8.7 million at the domestic box office in its second week in theaters.
And finishing up the top five was Warner Bros. and New Line's horror film Final Destination: Bloodlines, at $6.5 million. It has grossed $123.6 million so far at the domestic box office.
Rounding out the top 10 were: The Phoenician Scheme ($6.25 million), Bring Her Back ($3.5 million), Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye ($3.1 million), Sinners ($2.9 million) and Thunderbolts ($2.5 million).

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Going loco for Labubu
Going loco for Labubu

Express Tribune

time20 hours ago

  • Express Tribune

Going loco for Labubu

The viral dolls are said to be quirky, ugly, and inclusive. Photo: AFP Small, fuzzy and baring sharp teeth, Chinese toymaker Pop Mart's Labubu monster dolls have taken over the world, drawing excited crowds at international stores and adorning the handbags of celebrities such as Rihanna and Cher. Beijing-based Pop Mart is part of a rising tide of Chinese cultural exports gaining traction abroad, furry ambassadors of a "cool" China even in places associated more with negative public opinion of Beijing such as Europe and North America. Labubus, which typically sell for around $40, are released in limited quantities and sold in "blind boxes", meaning buyers don't know the exact model they will receive. The dolls are "a bit quirky and ugly and very inclusive, so people can relate", interior designer Lucy Shitova told AFP at a Pop Mart store in London, where in-person sales of Labubus have been suspended over fears that fans could turn violent in their quest for the toys. "Now everything goes viral... because of social media. And yes, it's cool. It's different." While neighbouring East Asian countries South Korea and Japan are globally recognised for their high-end fashion, cinema and pop songs, China's heavily censored film and music industry have struggled to attract international audiences, and the country's best-known clothing exporter is fast-fashion website Shein. There have been few success stories of Chinese companies selling upmarket goods under their own brands, faced with stereotypes of cheap and low-quality products. "It has been hard for the world's consumers to perceive China as a brand-creating nation," the University of Maryland's Fan Yang told AFP. Pop Mart has bucked the trend, spawning copycats dubbed by social media users as "lafufus" and detailed YouTube videos on how to verify a doll's authenticity. Brands such as designer womenswear label Shushu/Tong, Shanghai-based Marchen and Beijing-based handbag maker Songmont have also gained recognition abroad over the past few years. "It might just be a matter of time before even more Chinese brands become globally recognisable," Yang said. TikTok effect Through viral exports like Labubu, China is "undergoing a soft-power shift where its products and image are increasingly cool among young Westerners," said Allison Malmsten, an analyst at China-based Daxue Consulting. Malmsten said she believed social media could boost China's global image "similar to that of Japan in the 80s to 2010s with Pokemon and Nintendo". Video app TikTok — designed by China's ByteDance — paved the way for Labubu's ascent when it became the first Chinese-branded product to be indispensable for young people internationally. Joshua Kurlantzick from the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) told AFP that "TikTok probably played a role in changing consumers' minds about China". TikTok, which is officially blocked within China but still accessible with VPN software, has over one billion users, including what the company says is nearly half of the US population. The app has become a focus of national security fears in the United States, with a proposed ban seeing American TikTok users flock to another Chinese app, Rednote, where they were welcomed as digital "refugees". A conduit for Chinese social media memes and fashion trends, TikTok hosts over 1.7 million videos about Labubu. Labubumania Cultural exports can "improve the image of China as a place that has companies that can produce globally attractive goods or services", CFR's Kurlantzick told AFP. "I don't know how much, if at all, this impacts images of China's state or government," he said, pointing to how South Korea's undeniable soft power has not translated into similar levels of political might. While plush toys alone might not translate into actual power, the United States' chaotic global image under the Trump presidency could benefit perceptions of China, the University of Maryland's Yang said. "The connection many make between the seeming decline of US soft power and the potential rise in China's global image may reflect how deeply intertwined the two countries are in the minds of people whose lives are impacted by both simultaneously," she told AFP. At the very least, Labubu's charms appear to be promoting interest in China among the younger generation. "It's like a virus. Everyone just wants it," Kazakhstani mother-of-three Anelya Batalova told AFP at Pop Mart's theme park in Beijing. Qatari Maryam Hammadi, 11, posed for photos in front of a giant Labubu statue. "In our country, they love Labubu," she said. "So, when they realise that the origin of Labubu is in China, they'd like to come to see the different types of Labubu in China."

Kesha drops new single "Attention!" ahead of PERIOD album release
Kesha drops new single "Attention!" ahead of PERIOD album release

Express Tribune

timea day ago

  • Express Tribune

Kesha drops new single "Attention!" ahead of PERIOD album release

Kesha has released her latest single, "Attention!", featuring Slayyyter and Rose Gray, offering another glimpse into her forthcoming album, PERIOD (set to drop on July 4, 2025). This new track follows previously released singles like "Yippee-Ki-Yay" featuring T-Pain and "Boy Crazy," and it marks a continuation of Kesha's bold, sleaze-pop style. Although "Attention!" doesn't appear on the original tracklist for PERIOD, its presence in Kesha's campaign is marked by the signature pink period motif, suggesting it may be a bonus track. The song, produced by Pink Slip, pairs sleek house beats with a rowdy attitude and catchy lyrics. It's being described as a playful, rebellious anthem with a nod to the 2010s, featuring lyrics like, "T**s out riding with the windows down / They're playing me on the radio right now." The track has drawn comparisons to Charli XCX's "Guess" for its fun, energetic vibe. Kesha confidently asks, "Do I have your attention?" reminding listeners that she never lost it. Additionally, Kesha is gearing up to support her new album with the T**s Out Tour, set to kick off in North America on July 1, 2025. The tour will feature co-headliners Scissor Sisters, with support from Slayyyter and Rose Gray. Following the North American leg, the tour will head to the UK and Europe in spring 2026. Fans can expect Kesha's high-energy performances and bold new music on the road. Tickets for the North American dates are available now.

Midjourney AI: Midjourney launches first AI video tool to animate images
Midjourney AI: Midjourney launches first AI video tool to animate images

Express Tribune

timea day ago

  • Express Tribune

Midjourney AI: Midjourney launches first AI video tool to animate images

Midjourney has launched its first public video generation tool, allowing users to create animated clips from still images. The new feature, announced on Midjourney's website, enables the generation of five-second videos from either uploaded images or those created within the Midjourney platform. Once an image is selected, an 'animate' button appears, offering a standard motion option or a manual setting for customising movement. The animation can be extended in four-second increments, with a maximum length of 21 seconds. Motion settings allow users to determine whether the subject, the camera, or both are animated. The feature is currently limited to subscribers, with plans starting at $10 (USD) per month. Introducing our V1 Video Model. It's fun, easy, and beautiful. Available at 10$/month, it's the first video model for *everyone* and it's available now. — Midjourney (@midjourney) June 18, 2025 Midjourney says the cost of video generation is approximately eight times higher than that of image rendering, equating to roughly one image's worth of cost per second of video. The launch comes amid an ongoing copyright lawsuit filed by Disney and Universal. The two entertainment companies argue that Midjourney's training process may have included unauthorised use of copyrighted works. Legal filings specifically flagged the video tool as a concern, with plaintiffs describing the company's output as a 'virtual vending machine' for unlicensed content. Midjourney founder David Holz described the release as 'a stepping stone' in the company's development of real-time, open-world simulation models. The startup is one of several firms racing to develop AI-powered video tools, with competitors such as Google, OpenAI, and Meta also releasing systems that generate video content from text prompts. Social media users have been sharing their first reactions, including early videos, with many hailing it as a 'game-changer'. Midjourney Video is on another level. — AI Breakfast (@AiBreakfast) June 19, 2025 Created with Midjourney + Recraft + Figma in just under one hour. Get psyched. — DANN© (@DannPetty) June 19, 2025 How well does Midjourney Video handle complex environments? It's (almost) flawless: — Alex Patrascu (@maxescu) June 19, 2025 While Midjourney's current offering focuses on animating static images, the company has indicated that expanded capabilities will be introduced in future updates.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store