Tag Archives: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2

“Barbie,” Starring America Ferrera, Becomes Highest-Grossing Movie of the Year in North America

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America Ferrera is a box office champ…

Barbie, starring the 39-year-old Honduran American Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actress, is officially the highest-grossing movie of the year in North America.America Ferrera, BarbieGreta Gerwig’s fantasy-comedy, starring Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling, has generated $575.4 million at the domestic box office, overtaking the previous champion, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, which has collected $574 million domestically.

Barbie has grossed $1.3 billion globally and will soon surpass The Super Mario Bros. Movie (with $1.35 billion globally) as the biggest worldwide release of 2023 as well.

Only two Hollywood blockbusters this year have crossed the $1 billion mark and, notably, neither were superhero adventures or sequels in popular franchises.

Barbie started its record-breaking theatrical run in July with the best debut of the year ($162 million) and remained the No. 1 movie for four consecutive weekends. It also landed the biggest opening weekend for a film directed by a woman and became the highest-grossing movie directed solely by a woman.

At this point, Barbie is the 14th-biggest domestic release and 20th-biggest global release of all time.

Barbie also recently surpassed Christopher Nolan’s superhero epic The Dark Knight ($536 million) as the highest-grossing domestic release in Warner Bros. history. It could eventually eclipse 2011’s Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 ($1.34 billion) as the studio’s highest-grossing worldwide release in 100 years.

Gerwig, the Oscar-nominated director of Lady Bird and Little Women, co-wrote the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach. The cotton candy-colored blockbuster follows the popular doll as she leaves behind the seemingly perfect world of Barbie Land to discover the highs and lows of life in the real world. The cast also includes Issa Rae, Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Simu Liu and Michael Cera.

“Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” Starring Isaac, Breaks Box Office Records

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The Force has proven to be strong for Oscar Isaac…

Star Wars: The Force Awakens, starring the 36-year-old Guatemalan and Cuban American actor as Resistance fighter Poe Dameron, broke every major opening record at the box office.

Oscar Isaac in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The film, which introduced Isaac, Daisy Ridley and John Boyega as new heroes in a galaxy far, far away, tallied $238 million for the weekend, according to studio estimates. It destroys the record of $208.8 million set in June by Jurassic World.

“We’re in territory that we’ve never seen in December,” says Rentrak senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian. “The enormity of this record-breaking weekend cannot be overstated. This is a true watershed event.

Even more impressive: The Force Awakens annihilated the opening-day and all-time Friday records with $120.5 million, helped by a monster $57 million in Thursday night previews. It breaks the $91.1 million mark set by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 2 in 2011, and the new Star Wars is the first movie to surpass $100 million in a single day.

It also set a new high for highest theater average with $57,500 in 4,134 theaters, and posted an extra $279 million internationally (except for China, where it will open in January) for a $517 million global debut.

The blockbuster was buoyed by universal raves: Critics heaped praise — a 95% “fresh” rating on RottenTomatoes.com — and audiences gave it an A at CinemaScore. Add to that acclaim Disney’s “pitch-perfect” marketing, word of mouth through social media, great casting and repeat viewings, and everything came together for an “unprecedented” opening, Dergarabedian says. “If any of those had not been firing properly, you would not be seeing these numbers. The brand can get you really far, but the movie itself had to deliver.

Final figures are expected Monday.

Mars Wins a People’s Choice Award…

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The people have spoken… And, they’re showing the love to Bruno Mars.

The 26-year-old half-Puerto Rican singer/songwriter picked up the Favorite Male Artist trophy on Wednesday night at the 38th annual People’s Choice Awards. Mars beat out Enrique Iglesias, Blake Shelton, Eminem and Justin Bieber for the fan-voted prize.

Bruno Mars

But Mars wasn’t the only Hispanic celebrity to take home a coveted statue.

Demi Lovato received the Favorite Pop Artist award. The 19-year-old part-Mexican singer/actress, who performed her latest single during the awards show, beat out Beyonce, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga and Rihanna.

In the television categories, Glee’s Lea Michele took home the Favorite TV Comedy Actress statue. The 25-year-old part-Spanish actress/singer beat out Courtney Cox, Jane Lynch, Kaley Cuoco and Tina Fey for the award.

Katy Perry—who cancelled a scheduled appearance on the show, held at Los Angeles’ Nokia Theatre—was the night’s big winner with five statues, while Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 nabbed four awards.

In all, a record-breaking 230-million-plus online votes were cast during the voting period at the People’s Choice Awards website and via Facebook and Twitter.

Click here to see the complete list of winners.