Page 30 - ARUBA TODAY

A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 16 July 2018

'Hotel Transylvania 3' tops charts, 'Skyscraper' stumbles

By LINDSEY BAHR global release and it got
LOS ANGELES (AP) — "Hotel a terrific start," said Jim
Transylvania 3: Summer Va- Orr, Universal's president of
cation" has checked into domestic distribution. "We
the No. 1 spot at the box have great faith in a more
office in its opening week- than terrific run at the do-
end and left the Dwayne mestic box office going for-
Johnson action thriller, "Sky- ward." Internationally, "Sky-
scraper," in the dust. scraper" grossed $40.4 mil-
Sony Pictures estimated lion from 57 territories for a
Sunday that the animated global total of $65.9 million.
family movie earned $44.1 Second place went to
million from North Ameri- Disney and Marvel's "Ant-
can theaters. As the first Man and the Wasp," which
in the franchise to open in brought in an additional
the summer, it's just slightly $28.8 million in its second
under the previous install- weekend, down 62 per-
ment's $48.5 million debut cent from last week. It's
in September 2015. one of the steeper second
Worldwide, "Hotel Tran- This image released by Sony Pictures Animation shows a scene from "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer week falls in the Marvel Cin-
sylvania 3" has already Vacation." ematic Universe. The first
earned more than $100 mil- Associated Press "Ant-Man" fell 53 percent.
lion. "It's really terrific," said "Incredibles 2" took fourth
Adrian Smith, Sony's head 3," ''Skyscraper" and "Ant- America. The Universal ous films opened in the $35 place with $16.2 million and
of domestic distribution. Man and the Wasp," but Pictures film brought in million range, and while "Jurassic World: Fallen King-
"We're positioned to take the family film won by a only $25.5 million domesti- "Jumanji" went on to be a dom" rounded out the top
advantage of the valuable large margin. cally. "Skyscraper" cost a worldwide box office jug- five with $15.5 million.
summer weekdays and "There haven't been a lot reported $125 million to gernaut, "Rampage" pe- A handful of smaller releas-
there are six weeks of sum- of options for families this produce, not accounting tered out domestically just es made notable splashes
mer left." summer," said comScore for marketing costs. John- under $100 million. As with this weekend including
The successful series has senior media analyst Paul son has been a consistent "Rampage," however, the Annapurna's buzzy dysto-
grossed over $900 million Dergarabedian. "They be- presence in movie theaters studio is expecting the ma- pian satire "Sorry to Bother
worldwide to date. come instant hits." John- this year with both "Juman- jority of "Skyscraper" profits You," which opened in lim-
Going into the weekend, son's "Skyscraper," a rare ji: Welcome to the Jungle" to come from international ited release last week and
experts expected a three- original summer blockbust- and "Rampage" prior to audiences. "'Skyscraper' added 789 locations this
way race to the top be- er, remained earthbound "Skyscraper." Both previ- is really engineered for a weekend.q
tween "Hotel Transylvania in its first weekend in North
Ellison Cooper's 'Caged'

punctuated with believable twists

neuroscientist Sayer Altair. start to caring about others
Cooper's relentless ener- once more.
getic storytelling elevates Sayer would rather be con-
"Caged" beyond the typi- tinuing her research into
cal serial killer novel as the brain patterns of mur-
the author weaves in real derers, but her supervisor,
science to create some FBI Assistant Director Jan-
unique twists. Cooper also ice Holt, forces her to put
wisely avoids the overly that work on hold to take
gruesome details that mar charge of a high-profile
many serial-killer novels as investigation. The body of
she makes her story more ambitious Sen. Charles Van
about people and their Hurst's daughter, Gwendo-
personalities. lyn, who disappeared a
The prickly Sayer makes year ago, has been found
a fine heroine for this new locked in a cage in a Wash-
This book cover image
released by Minotaur shows series. Sayer usually is the ington, D.C., house. The
"Caged," by Eliison Cooper. smartest person in the senator, a potential presi-
Associated Press room, with a complicated dential candidate, tries to
background that adds tex- hijack the investigation,
By OLINE H. COGDILL ture to the story. Her career holding press conferences
Associated Press takes priority as she grap- and naming suspects who
"Caged" (Minotaur Books), ples with the pain of losing are merely witnesses. Sayer
by Ellison Cooper loved ones, leaving her in- doesn't have time to play
The FBI's hunt for a serial kill- credibly lonely. Her spur- politics or soothe egos as
er fuels Ellison Cooper's in- of-the-moment decision she learns another young
tense debut that introduc- to take home a little dog woman may be held in a
es FBI special agent and found at a crime scene is a different location.q