The competition came from every which direction. Neither Meryl nor Marvel could take it down! For the second week in a row MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: ROGUE NATION take the top of the Box Office with $29 million for Paramount Pictures, from 3,988 theatres. In two weeks it has surpassed $108 million domestically.
FANTASTIC FOUR, a third attempt at rebooting the Franchise into Film, opens in second with $26 million for 20th Century Fox from 3,995 theatres. This latest Adaptation starring Kate Mara, Miles Teller and Michael B. Jordan failed to please critically with a 9% on the Tomatometer and a C- CinemaScore. Word is that Director/Writer Josh Trank really was displeased with what came of the Film, having originally a completely different vision for it.
THE GIFT opens in third with $12 million for D Films and STX Entertainment, from 2,503 theatres. Critics adored the Thriller with a 93% on the Tomatometer, while Audiences gave it a B CinemaScore. Joel Edgerton stars and directs the Film.
VACATION lands in fourth spot with $9 million in its second week out, now grossing $37 million thus far for Warner Bros.
RICKI AND THE FLASH opens in seventh with $6.7 million from 1,603 theatres for Sony Pictures. The Jonathan Demme Comedy starring Meryl Streep gets a B CinemaScore from Audiences and a mixed 59% from Critics.
SOUTHPAW rounds-out the Top Ten with $4.7 million for eOne Films and The Weinstein Co. In three weeks it has just suprassed the $40-million-mark.
For a second consecutive week, ANT-MAN steals the show at the Box Office with $24.7 million across North America from 3,868 theatres for Disney/Marvel. The Action-Fantasy starring Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas edges-out some pretty stiff competition from debuting Films this weekend.
Opening in second is Toronto-filmed PIXELS from Sony, with $24 million. The ’80s-inspired Action-Comedy starring Adam Sandler played at 3,723 theatres across North America. Audiences gave it a B CinemaScore, while Critics hammered it with an 18% on the Tomatometer.
MINIONS in its third week pulls-in $22 million for Universal Pictures, now in its third week. Thus far it has grossed $261 million domestically.
TRAINWRECK in its fourth week earns $17 million for Universal Pictures. The Comedy starring Comedienne Amy Schumer made headlines after a shooting had taken place during a showing of the Film in Louisiana last week but this certainly did not deter supportive Moviegoers. It now has tallied-in at $61 million in just two weeks.
SOUTHPAW opens in fifth with $16 million from 2,772 theatres for The Weinstein Co./eOne Films. Critics didn’t think much of it with a mixed 58% on the Tomatometer, but Audiences absolutely loved the Boxing Drama starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Rachel McAdams, giving it an A CinemaScore, which will help its word of mouth.
PAPER TOWNS marks Supermodel Cara Delevingne‘s first starring role in a wide release, opening with $12.5 million from 3,031 theatres for 20th Century Fox. Critics had mixed feelings about the Novel Adaptation with a 57% on the Tomatometer, while Audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore.
TERMINATOR: GENISYS rounds-out the Top Ten with $2.4 million for Paramount Pictures, now in its fourth week out. It has made $85 million in its domestic run.
The buzz is feverish for upcoming Boxing Drama SOUTHPAW and Toronto was luckiest of all to host the official Canadian Premiere for the Film. In for the night were Stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Hometown Sweetheart Rachel McAdams and a surprise appearance by Boxing Legend Lennox Lewis. Fans lined a specially set-up Fan Pit outside Scotiabank Theatre and quite a few were lucky to be on the receiving-end of graciousness from the Stars, but in all honesty, many were just happy to be in the presence of the A-List talent.
SOUTHPAW, directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day), tells the story of a Boxer named Billy Hope (Gyllenhaal), who has seen better days. At the urging of his wife Maureen (McAdams) and daughter Leila (Oona Laurence) to spend more time at home, he decides to retire. Upon receiving honours at his retirement gala, tragedy would strike – only the beginning of a downward spiral that would see him lose everything. With the help of a no-nonsense Trainer in Tick (Forest Whitaker), we see a former Champion on a valiant quest for redemption, to regain back what is his and any remnants of what he had left.
We had the opportunity to chat with McAdams, who looked absolutely stunning in pink Dior, and a dapper-suited Gyllenhaal. McAdams plays Maureen, a woman to fight for and Billy‘s reason to live again after she dies prematurely in Southpaw. I ask her about the Women in her life who are worth fighting for and she tells me, “My mom and my sister are at the top of my list. I used to be a figure skater, so definitely Elizabeth Manley.”. We wouldn’t expect a less patriotic answer from the proudly-Canadian Actress who chose consciously Toronto over Hollywood as her home.
I ask her about getting into Maureen‘s headspace and preparation required for the memorable role, which had her working out of Pittsburgh. “I got to spend a bit of time at facilities Billy and her would’ve grown up at” she explains, “I spent time with Boxers and the Boxers’ families and got to know the Sport and how much people give to it, the sacrifices they make and the difficult paths they take to get there.”.
McAdams filmed an intriguing Movie titled Spotlight in the City last Fall, just one of several she’s made in her native Toronto. She sheds some light on it, hinting “It likely will do the Festival Circuit maybe – but it’s not announced”. “It’s great to shoot here. Tom McCarthy (Director) is the best and I love him to bits”. She explains, “It’s an important story that hasn’t been told enough about the Church – a new side, which has an investigatory crew at The Boston Globe and there’s four of them. I got to play the one woman on the team.”. McAdams adds, “She’s just incredible and my hero – generous and gracious with her time, taking me under her wing.”. Spotlight is due in theatres this November, with a likelihood of premiering at TIFF ’15.
Although there wasn’t much time for Gyllenhaal to speak to Digital Media, we were able to sit-in on a couple questions he fielded about his role as Billy Hope and his new perspective on Professional Fighting since making Southpaw. “The Mayweather-Pacquiao fight – I was in rapture for the first four rounds”, he recalls. “Now I think ‘Ooh, what punch is thrown and who’s getting knocked-out.’. I’m watching technique and what the Trainer is up to.”. Gyllenhaal is devastatingly-good, transforming physically and mentally into Billy Hope completely for the Film, just one of a few great Films he’s made these past couple years. A Career Renaissance if you will.
With an inspired interest in Boxing, Gyllenhaal states, “When you become a fan of the Sport, you become a fan of the people in the Sport and it becomes about the story about the particular athlete.”. On his greatest inspiration building Billy‘s character he says, “My most motivating Fighter was Miguel Cotto. He’s so devoted to his family and been in the ring so many times. So many odd things have happened.”. “The Movie’s all about Family. He was my inspiration.”.
eOne Films release SOUTHPAW on Friday, July 24, 2015.
Review to come soon.
More Snaps below:
#JakeGyllenhaal + #RachelMcAdams catching-up at the Canadian #Southpaw Premiere. A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
#JakeGyllenhaal and a surprise appearance by #LennoxLewis at the Canadian #Southpaw Premiere.
A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
“You sneakin’ a pic of me?”, #LennoxLewis at the Canadian #Southpaw Premiere. #Boxing A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
#RachelMcAdams just glowing at the Canadian #Southpaw Premiere. Had a lovely chat with her.
A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
Video of our Chat:
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Christina Miguel)
eOne Films + Mr. Will are gonna turn-up the heat this Summer with a chance to see eagerly-awaited SOUTHPAW, starring both Jake Gyllenhaal + Rachel McAdams!
Screenings take place Monday, July 20, 2015 in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Halifax, Victoria.
As an exclusive for Toronto Readers, there will be a Red Carpet Screening held on Thursday, July 9, 2015 with Rachel McAdams and Jake Gyllenhaal in-attendance. A Fan Pit also will be set-up for you to see for those who come early enough!
Official Synopsis:
From acclaimed director Antoine Fuqua (TRAINING DAY) and starring Academy Award® nominated Jake Gyllenhaal (NIGHTCRAWLER, BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN) comes a story of tragedy, loss and the painful road to redemption… Billy “The Great” Hope (Gyllenhaal) is the reigning Junior Middleweight Champion whose unorthodox stance, the so-called “Southpaw,” consists of an ineloquent, though brutal, display of offensive fighting…one fueled by his own feelings of inadequacy and a desperate need for love, money and fame. With a beautiful family, home and financial security, Billy is on top both in and out of the ring until a tragic accident leaves his wife dead and sends him into a downward spiral. His days now an endless haze of alcohol and prescription drugs, his daughter taken by Child Services and his home repossessed by the bank, Billy’s fate is all but sealed until a washed up former boxer named Tick agrees to take the bereaved pugilist under his wing so long as he agrees to his strict ethos. Relentless and utterly committed to a fighter that thinks as much as he throws punches, Tick rebuilds Billy into a new man: one that is agile, fearsome and uncompromising in the ring while thoughtful, loving and disciplined outside of it. Now, as he works to regain custody of his daughter and mounts a professional comeback, Billy must face his demons head-on as he learns that, sometimes, your greatest opponent can be yourself.
See the Trailer:
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. Indicate for us your City also. You may click “share” on this Post for an extra shot or Tweet out the below:
http://www.mrwillwong.com/southpaw @MRWILLW wants us to #win Passes to see #SOUTHPAW. In theatres 7/24!
Mr. Will, Antoine Fuqua, Rachel McAdams + Jake Gyllenhaal:
G’luck, Willionaire$!
eOne Films release SOUTHPAW on Friday, July 24, 2015.
(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)
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