Celebrity News
Reigning champ “The Final Destination’’ fended off a challenge from Sandra Bullock’s latest romantic comedy to lead the Labor Day holiday box office in North America for a second weekend, according to yesterday’s studio estimates. “The Final Destination,’’ the fourth movie in a horror franchise about disastrous occurrences, earned $12.4 million during the three days beginning Friday. The 10-day haul for the Warner Bros. release rose to $47.6 million, buoyed by premium pricing for 3D screenings. “All About Steve,’’ a critical bomb starring Bullock as a lovelorn crossword-puzzle expert, followed with $11.2 million, the best performance among three weak newcomers. That marked a considerable drop from the $33.6 million launch of her previous hit, “The Proposal,’’ in June. “All About Steve’’ costar Bradley Cooper did even better that month with the $45 million debut of his summer smash “The Hangover.’’ But the new picture played in 2,251 theaters, about 900 fewer than “The Proposal,’’ “The Final Destination,’’ or “The Hangover.’’ It was also released at a time - the dying days of summer - when the studios are clearing out underperformers so they can focus on their awards-season hopefuls. “We’re thrilled with the number,’’ said an official at 20th Century Fox. Bullock also produced the movie, whose audience was about two-thirds female, according to Fox. “Inglourious Basterds’’ slipped one place to No. 3 with $10.8 million, taking the three-week tally for Quentin Tarantino’s World War II picture to $91 million. It needs just $17 million more to become his biggest film in North America, a title currently held by his 1994 breakthrough “Pulp Fiction’’ ($108 million). The new film’s foreign total stands at $83 million, and it already ranks as Tarantino’s highest-grossing release in eight markets, including Germany, Russia, and Turkey. Of the other two new releases, both targeted at males, “Gamer’’ opened at No. 4 with $9 million, and “Extract’’ at No. 10 with just under $4.2 million. Lionsgate’s “Gamer’’ stars Gerard Butler (“300’’) as a heroic killer frantically reducing the population count. Miramax Films’ “Extract,’’ another workplace satire from “Office Space’’ director and “Beavis and Butt-Head’’ creator Mike Judge, stars Jason Bateman and Mila Kunis. (Reuters)
Selleck’s horse sense
Actor Tom Selleck has been awarded more than $187,000 after a California jury found the actor was duped into buying a lame horse. Selleck accused Del Mar equestrian Dolores Cuenca of trying to pass off a show horse with a medical condition as fit to ride in competitions. The defense had argued that Selleck didn’t check the veterinarian records of the 10-year-old Zorro. The bulk of the San Diego County jury’s award is for the price of the horse. The rest is to cover boarding costs. A second trial next week will determine how much Selleck should be paid in punitive damages. (AP)
Reality TV star charged
The widower of British reality TV star Jade Goody has appeared in court on a rape charge. Police in London say they charged 22-year-old Jack Tweed after receiving a complaint from a woman. At a court hearing Saturday he was ordered detained until a further appearance Sept. 21. Tweed and Goody married in February, a month before her death at 27 from cervical cancer. Weeks later Tweed was jailed for 12 weeks for attacking a cab driver. He has said he has struggled to cope with Goody’s death. Goody was a brash former dental nurse who became famous in 2002 when she appeared on reality TV show “Big Brother.’’ Her public life and death became a national soap opera, and the cause of soul-searching about the nature of celebrity. (AP)
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