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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 8 July 2019

‘Spider-Man’ soars with $185.1M over six-day holiday weekend

By JAKE COYLE from Friday to Sunday in and “Captain Marvel.”
Associated Press North American theaters. Paul Dergarabedian, senior
NEW YORK (AP) — It pays The opening gave Sony media analyst for Com-
to have one of the biggest Pictures one of its best score, thinks “Far From
lead-ins ever. weeks ever. “Far From Home” may have turned
“Spider-Man: Far From Home,” which opened the tide. “This movie was
Home,” the first Marvel overseas before landing in exactly the shot in the
movie after “Avengers: the U.S., has grossed $580 arm the summer needed,
Endgame,” swung past million worldwide in 10 days emotionally and spiritu-
any franchise fatigue to of release. ally if not financially,” said
dominate the July Fourth It also came with an assist Dergarabedian, who not-
holiday weekend, raking from Disney’s Marvel Stu- ed the weekend overall
in an estimated $185.1 mil- dios, which has partnered This image released by Sony Pictures shows Jake Gyllenhaal, was roughly equal to the
lion since opening Tuesday with Sony on this and its left, and Tom Holland in a scene from “Spider-Man: Far From same timeframe last year.
and earning $93.6 million last two “Spider-Man” re- Home.” “The whole notion of fran-
Associated Press chise fatigue, while true
leases: 2017’s “Spider-Man: Cinematic Universe. (“End- in some cases, is not in all.
Homecoming” and last game” still narrowly trails When movies aren’t great,
year’s animated spinoff “Avatar,” unadjusted for that’s when people get
“Spider-Man: Into the Spi- inflation, with $2.77 billion.) fatigued.” Perhaps just as
der-Verse.” The strong performance of cheering for the industry is
Though “Far From Home” “Far From Home,” which how well a number of films
fell short of the $117 million cost approximately $160 are holding.
Friday to Sunday domestic million to produce, along After two weeks atop the
opening of “Homecom- with the sustained interest box office, “Toy Story 4” slid
ing,” its unconventional in holdovers like “Toy Story a modest 43% to second
Tuesday opening paid 4,” ‘’Yesterday,” ‘’Anna- place, with $34.3 million.
off. The film’s $39.3 mil- belle Comes Home” and It has now taken in $650
lion opening day set a re- “Aladdin,” helped the in- million globally. Universal
cord for any movie on a dustry knock down the def- Pictures’ Beatles-themed
Tuesday. To help whet the icit compared with this time romantic comedy “Yes-
appetites of Marvel fans last year about a percent- terday” dropped only 37
— and to approach the age point. percent in its second week-
record $2.79 billion gross Due in part to a number of end, with $10.8 million.
of “Avatar” — Disney re-re- underperforming sequels The Warner Bros. “Conjur-
leased “Endgame” in the- including “Godzilla: King ing” spinoff sequel “An-
aters the weekend ahead of Monsters” and “Men in nabelle Comes Home”
of “Far From Home.” Black International,” the snagged $10.8 million in its
Part of the draw of the film, year is running 8.4% behind second weekend. And Dis-
starring Tom Holland as Spi- last year. But Marvel has ney’s “Aladdin,” with $7.6
der-Man and Jake Gyllen- been immune to the ups million in its seventh week
haal as Mysterio, was see- and downs of sequel mak- of release, has accumu-
ing the first installment in a ing — it’s behind the year’s lated $921.7 million world-
new chapter of the Marvel top two films: “Endgame” wide. q

Allman Betts Band feels staid on ‘Down

to the River’

By RON HARRIS nifty lead guitar riffs and
Associated Press nice slide guitar work from
Allman Betts Band, “Down Johnny Stachela. And the
to the River” (BMG) down-tempo self-titled
Southern comfort blues- track is well done with a
rock has never been about bluesy cool.
bluster, but Allman Betts But songs like “Try” and
Band could have ramped “Melodies Are Memories”
things up a notch on “Down feel tired and listless. It’s one
to the River,” a lackluster thing to play with a rever-
album from a group that ence to early ‘70s rock. It’s
should have more to offer. This cover image released another to be mired in its
Devon Allman and Duane by BMG shows “Down To often uninventive delivery
Betts, the sons of legend- The River,” a release by The and fall victim to its pat-
ary Allman Brothers Band Allman Betts Band. terned complacency.
co-founders Gregg Allman Associated Press Allman Betts Band can cer-
and Dickey Betts, have tracks that provide little tainly play southern rock.
been around enough all- more than a vague tapes- But they’re playing an old
star talent that southern try of southern trope. “Shin- version of it and bringing
rock is certainly in their DNA. in’” is about as close as we nothing new to the table.
But the listener is left search- get to that sweet southern They should and could
ing a bit through middling rock groove. There are have reached for more.q