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A30 PEOPLE & ARTS
Monday 8 october 2018

‘Venom’ sets October record with $80M; ‘Star Is Born’ soars

By JAKE COYLE it’s not DC,” O’Dell said.
Associated Press “Tonally, it’s its own unique
NEW YORK (AP) — In a direction.”
weekend of perfect coun- While “Venom” attracted a
terprogramming for Hol- younger, majority male au-
lywood, the comic-book dience, crowds for “A Star
movie “Venom” shrugged is Born” were more female,
off bad reviews to shat- at 66 percent, and older, at
ter the October box-office 68 percent over 35.
record with an $80 million “In our older audience, we
debut, while Bradley Coo- had people who hadn’t
per’s “A Star Is Born” soared been to a movie in years,”
to $41.3 million. Goldstein said.
With $174.5 million in tick- Warner Bros., which pre-
ets sold at U.S. and Cana- miered “A Star Is Born” last
dian theaters, according month at the Venice Film
to comScore, it was easily Festival, previewed the film
the best October weekend in special advance screen-
ever thanks to two very dif- This image released by Sony Pictures shows a scene from “Venom.” Associated Press ings in the days ahead of
ferent films that both out- opening, adding an addi-
performed expectations. said Warner Bros. distribu- studio misfire with “cine- success, Smith said, was tional $1.3 million in ticket
“Venom” came in a criti- tion chief Jeffrey Goldstein matic universe” ambitions. the 89 percent “fresh” au- sales. The fifth version of the
cally panned, much- of “A Star Is Born.” ‘’We also Yet audiences flocked to dience score on Rotten To- oft-remade tale, which cost
doubted foray by Sony Pic- knew that every time peo- “Venom” in record num- matoes. “Venom,” which about $40 million to make,
tures to kick-start a Marvel ple saw the movie, they felt bers, giving it a B-plus Cin- cost about $100 million to had been in development
expansion away from “Spi- it, they cried, they loved it. emaScore. The previous make (relatively modest for at Warner Bros. for de-
der-Man.” Warner Bros.’ “A People just like the movie.” best October opening was a superhero film), grossed a cades, with earlier versions
Star Is Born” remake rode a That was more in question 2013’s “Gravity” with $55.7 total of $205.2 million glob- to potentially star Whitney
wave of hype, Oscar buzz for director Ruben Fleisch- million (not adjusted for in- ally. Houston or Beyonce.
and acclaim for Cooper’s er’s “Venom,” starring Tom flation). Adrian Smith, presi- Steven O’Dell, Sony’s presi- With “A Star Is Born” ex-
directorial debut and Lady Hardy as the antihero who dent of domestic distribu- dent of international dis- pected to play a large role
Gaga’s first leading perfor- first appeared in 2007’s tion for Sony, said that even tribution, said the studio in awards season, Gold-
mance. “Spider-Man 3.” The film though the studio was con- wanted to carve out a new stein said the film is sure to
One was a very iffy proposi- earned a dismal 32 per- fident, “I did not see $80 approach for the comic- run through Christmas. The
tion; the other a sure thing. cent “fresh” rating on Rot- million coming.” book adaptation with the movie’s soundtrack also
Both worked big time. ten Tomatoes. In “Venom,” The most telling number PG-13-rated “Venom.” reached No. 1 on iTunes
“We knew we had a hit,” many expected another that explained the film’s “This is not a Marvel style; this week.q

Comedian Katt Williams jailed on

assault charges in Oregon

By ANDREW SELSKY
Associated Press
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Co-
median Katt Williams has
been arrested on suspicion
of assaulting a hired driver
during an argument about
taking him and his dog
from the Portland, Oregon,
airport to a performance
in the city. Williams, who
was in jail Sunday, came
to Portland to perform in
Nick Cannon’s “Wild ‘N In this Dec. 13, 2017, file photo, Katt Williams attends the LA
Out” comedy improv show Premiere of “Father Figures” in Los Angeles.
Friday night. The town car Associated Press
driver had swelling and Monday. He also was ar- if the comedian had an
cuts on his face and was rested for an out-of-state attorney who could speak
treated at a hospital, ac- warrant from Georgia. on his behalf. The incident
cording to Port of Portland A publicist for Williams, happened at Atlantic Avi-
police. The comedian, 47, whose comedy specials ation, which handles pri-
whose real name is Micah have appeared on HBO vate planes at Portland In-
Williams, left in another ve- and Netflix, didn’t immedi- ternational Airport, police
hicle and was arrested Sat- ately respond to messages said. An employee who
urday. Williams has been seeking comment. A jail answered the phone Sun-
charged with assault in the official and a spokesman day said her boss had told
fourth degree, and an ar- for the district attorney’s of- workers not to discuss the
raignment is scheduled for fice said they didn’t know case.q