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After just two weeks in theaters,Ne Zha 2is already a massive success. It kicked off its international release on Friday, and with the Presidents’ Day weekend, the movie is on track to pull in over $6 million.

So far, it has crushed expectations, becoming the biggest hit of 2025. The movie has even surpassed major milestones, and it’s not slowing down anytime soon.

By its 18th day,Ne Zha 2had already made over $1.5 billion in China alone. This puts it in the history books as the second-highest-grossing animated film ever, just behindInside Out 2with a total of nearly $1.7 billion.

Along the way, it’s outdoneToy Story 3,Shrek 2,The Super Mario Bros. Movie,andFrozen II.The movie has achieved this feat without even being released outside of China.

Now,Ne Zha 2is racing toward a major milestone: it has already overtaken films likeThe Avengers,...

Ne Zha 2 Box Office: To Beat The Avengers ( Photo Credit –YouTube)

Ne Zha 2stays unhinged by the arrival ofCaptain America: Brave New Worldas it surpasses The Super Mario Bros Movie andAvengers: Age of Ultronin under eighteen days. The film is on track to surpassBarbie,Furious 7,andThe Avengers,along with a few other movies, to achieve interesting feats. Scroll below for the deets.

TheSuper Mario BrosMovie was released in 2023 and was the second highest-grossing film of the year behind Barbie’s $1.44 billion global haul. Avengers: The Age of Ultron is the second installment in the Avengers franchise and collected $1.40 billion in its global run. The movie has once again collected outstanding numbers on its third Friday, which is a record in a single market.

According toLuiz Fernando’s report,Ne Zha2 collected a magnificent $79.6 million over 227K screenings, registering the...

The animation industry is mostly dominated by big names from Hollywood like Disney, andPixarand the only non-Hollywood name that comes to everyone’s mind is none other thanStudio Ghibli’s famed filmmakerHayao Miyazaki.However, there’s a new non-Hollywood competitor in the animation industry. Chinese animation filmNe Zha 2has recently taken the global box office by storm.

A still fromNe Zha 2.| Credit:Beijing Enlight Pictures

Since its debut on January 29, the film has maintained its momentum, surpassingThe Super Mario Bros. Movieto become the third highest-grossing animated film of all time. With a current total exceeding 10 billion yuan ($1.37 billion) and projections of reaching 16 billion yuan,Ne Zha 2is on track to do what no other non-Hollywood animated film has ever accomplished: crossing the elusive $2 billion mark.

The rise ofNe Zha 2:Breaking records and defying expectations

Ne Zha 2,...

This summer,Inside Out 2stormed theaters, achieving the highest global box office gross of 2024. Now joined byMoana 2,it marks the third 2024 release to surpass this milestone.Inside Out 2has ascended to the top of the animated film box office, amassing a staggering $1.69 billion worldwide since its June 14th debut. Both animated films have joined the elite group, surpassing the billion-dollar mark alongside 56 other films.

Related: The Movies That Have Made More Than $1 Billion At The Box Office: Photo Gallery

Eleven other animated films have surpassed a billion dollars in gross revenue.Inside Out 2has become the highest-grossing animated film ever, surpassingFrozen 2,with a current gross of $1.462 billion.Frozen 2(2019) follows with $1.45 billion, andThe Super Mario Bros. Movie(2023) is in third place with $1.3 billion. With the blockbuster success of “Inside Out 2,”Disney holds 4 of the top 5 and 9 of the top 12 highest-grossing animated films in history.

Ne Zha 2 Box Office: 2nd Tuesday Update(Photo Credit –YouTube)

Ne Zha 2is a box office juggernaut, and it is leaving behind Hollywood biggies with its astonishing collection. It has only been released for two weeks and is already in the top 5 highest-grossing animated releases ever. The way it earns it is guaranteed to surpassInside Out 2as the biggest animated feature ever, and that too by a large margin. However, at this rate,James Cameron’sAvataralso seems to be in danger. Keep scrolling for more.

According to reports, theNe Zhasequel was made on a budget of $80 million only, which is even below the budget ofThe Super Mario Bros Movie.Cameron’s Avatar 1 and 2 are among the highest-grossing films of all time, and they both earned over $2 billion. The first film is at #1, the second one is at #3, and the #2 position has been occupied byAvengers: Endgame.

It is an indisputable fact that video game designerHideo Kojimais an auteur in his field. After joiningKonamiin 1986, Kojima designed/wrote the genre-defining "Metal Gear," which rewired the definition of stealth-based combat in video games. The "Metal Gear" series has spawned seminal entries since then, including "Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater" and the inimitable "Metal Gear Solid,"whose impact can be felt to this day. (You might have heard about the long-gestating"Metal Gear Solid"movie adaptation that fans have been clamoring for.)

As a self-proclaimed film buff and a lover of literature, Kojima lovingly poured these artistic influences into his games, being actively inspired by surreal cinema, mecha genre narratives, and classic sci-fi/anime. His love for cinematic cutscenes and rich, open worlds is fully realized in 2019's "Death Stranding,"which boasts a stacked voice and motion-capture cast that includesMads Mikkelsen,Léa Seydoux,and...

As the format continues to gain traction, here’s our regularly-updated list of upcoming 4K Ultra HD disc releases in the UK.

Sitting alongside our list of upcoming DVD and Blu-ray releases (that you can find here), we’re also keeping a calendar for those who support the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray disc format. As we learn of new UK releases, we’ll add them to this list.

We have started adding shopping links too. We’d be obliged if you clicked on them, as it really helps us in our quest to make the Film Stories project of magazines, website and podcast profitable. We’re a 100% independent publisher, and we quite like drinking coffee. It’d be lovely to afford some more.

Without further ado, here are the titles we know about…

Out now

27th January:The Gift(Sam Raimi)

27th January:Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling...

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One ofDwayne "The Rock" Johnson's biggest hits has found new life on Amazon Prime Video nearly seven years after it originally hit theaters. Based on the arcade video game classic of the same name, 2018's "Rampage"is currently sitting firmly in the top ten on the streamer's most-watched movie charts. It seems like people love watching Johnson fight big monsters.

As of this writing, directorBrad Peyton's "Rampage"is sitting at number nine on Prime Video's charts, according to FlixPatrol.Will FerrellandReese Witherspoon's new comedy "You're Cordially Invited"is still firmly sitting in the number one spot, but the fact that a movie that came out years ago and has no obvious reason to be performing better than any other action fare currently available to subscribers is noteworthy. Then again, we regularly see movies...

Chris Pratt’s rise from his TV break-out role asAndy DwyerinNBC’s hit sitcomParks and Recreation,to a bankable Hollywood action star is quite inspiring.

With his effortless wit and not-so-effortless weight loss, the actor has now become a Hollywood staple featuring in some of the biggest movies ever.

Chris Pratt inThe Magnificent Seven| image:Columbia Pictures

Whether it’s voicingMarioor reprising his role as Star-Lord inGuardians of the Galaxymovies, Chris Pratt has proven time and again that he’s a huge box office draw. So today, let’s take a look at 7 movies from the star, through genres like comedy, action, and thriller, becausePratthas left no stone unturned.

7.Onward(2020)IMDbrating Genre Character Streaming7.4/10Animation, comedy, family, fantasyBarley LightfootDisney

If you haven’t watchedOnwardyet, you’re undoubtedly missing out on one ofPixar’s most heartfelt adventures.

Is there anyone as disappointed in their adaptations as master of horrorClive Barker?Okay, part time Wizard and full-time curmudgeonAlan Mooreis probably the most upset at his work being adapted butCliveis a close second. The sad part is that while he has had fewer of his novels or short stories adapted than someone likeStephen King,he has played a part in more of them and been let down more often than not. He also didn’t have a great beginning with film as his first screenplayTransmutationsorUnderworldhe ended up hating. He first adapted his own work with Rawhead Rex in 1986 and hated the end product there too. Other than 1987’sHellraiserwhich he wrote and directed, there hasn’t been something that he was disappointed in or was butchered by the studio and he has become a bit jaded. His films...

Aaron Rabinis set to write Universal Pictures’ film adaptation ofSquare Enixand Avalanche Studio’s bestselling video game franchise,”Just Cause,”TheWraphas exclusively learned.

“Blue Beetle”directorÁngel Manuel Soto,who just wrapped production on Amazon MGM’s “The Wrecking Crew,”is attached to direct.

Kelly McCormickandDavid Leitch,producers of action films “The Fall Guy,”“Bullet Train,”“Nobody”and “Violent Night,”will produce through87North’s first-look deal withUniversal.

The team behind “Tomb Raider”andParamount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog”will also be producing viaStory Kitchen’sDmitri M. Johnson,Mike GoldbergandTimothy I. Stevenson,withDan Jevonsexecutive producing.

Debuting in 2006, the video game series follows the adventures ofRico Rodriguez,an operative for a fictional U.S. covert agency sent to destabilize and overthrow oppressive regimes. “Just Cause”is well regarded for its wide-open sandbox environments, over-the-top action and humor.

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It's official:Sonicis the king of live-action video game movies. In just a handful of years, "Sonic the Hedgehog"has gone from a beloved collection ofSegagames and cartoon series to a global multi-media franchise, led by the big screen adaptations funded byParamount Pictures.Those pictures have been a good investment, as the "Sonic" movies are now a $1 billion property thanks to "Sonic the Hedgehog 3."More importantly, with its theatrical run winding down, the third installment has passed a major milestone.

As of this writing, directorJeff Fowler's "Sonic 3"has made $462.5 million worldwide, with an almost dead even split between domestic and international audiences. With that, it has officially passed 2019's"Detective Pikachu"($450 million worldwide) to become the highest-grossing live-action video game movie in history. While that figure doesn't account for inflation, it does...

Currently, box office is 14 percent ahead of 2024. What’s the key for February continuing that momentum? For now, it’s originality. At $36 million, “Dog Man”(Universal) grossed substantially over expectations, pushing the weekend to $87 million — better than 2024.

TheDreamWorks Animationfilm had the biggest opening of any non-franchise cartoon feature since 2019 (not counting the already established “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”). To be fair: “Dog Man”is a spinoff character that emerged from the “Captain Underpants” universe. However,Dog Mandid not make an appearance in the 2017 “Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie”(which has been the only one to date) and Universal marketing didn’t note the connection.

Its initial estimate just edges out “The Wild Robot,” which went on to collect $143 million. “DogMan” also got an A Cinemascore. At a very thrifty cost of $40 million, it’s a major winner for Universal.

“A Complete Unknown”(Searchlight) and...

Several big-name main characters from theMariofranchise were omitted fromThe Super Mario Bros. Movie;because of this, the Super Mario Movie 2 needs to include them.

First released in 2023,The Super Mario Bros. Moviewowed audiences upon its debut, ushering viewers into an animated take onNintendo's beloved Mushroom Kingdom and breaking a whole whack of box office records while doing it.

That, however, was seemingly just the beginning for theMariomovie franchise, as a sequel was quickly greenlit with an April 6, 2026 release date being eyed by the team atIllumination.

Read full article on The Direct.

The ongoing legal saga surrounding the filmIt Ends With Uslooks – bizarrely – to have put pay to a potentialPac-Manmovie.

Pac-Man is a character used to living in a perpetual state of danger, given that in each of the original game’s 256 levels, there are menacing ghosts out to get our circular yellow hero. However, at least withBlinkyand his crew of spectral companions Pac-Man could pick up a power pill once in a while and turn the tables on them.

Sadly, when it comes to the cutthroat world of Hollywood film production, the videogame icon may be tragically out of his depth. The ghosts of Hollywood are deadlier than those of a 1980s arcade machine.

If you weren’t aware, aPac-Manmovie was announced a couple of years ago, with little else emerging in the way of details apart from the reveal that it would be a live-action project.

Moana 2Ott Release Date Revealed ( Photo Credit –Instagram)

Moana 2recently crossed the $1 billion milestone at the worldwide box office, becoming the third 2024 release to achieve this massive feat. As the sequel crossed the mark, Disney achieved a glorious feat since all three of the past year’s highest-grossing films are from Disney—Inside Out 2,Deadpool & Wolverine,andMoana 2.After surpassing the great milestone, the makers have released the sequel on digital platforms, but there is a twist. Scroll below for the deets.

About the Movie

The animated musical feature is the sequel to 2016’sMoana,which was directed byDavid Derrick Jr.,Jason Hand,and Dana Ledoux Mille. Auliʻi Cravalho asMoana,Dwayne JohnsonakaMaui,Temuera Morrison,Nicole Scherzinger,Rachel House,andAlan Tudykreprised their roles from the first film. In addition to them,Hualālai Chung,Rose Matafeo,David Fane,Awhimai Fraser,Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda,...

“Bluey”was the most-streamed TV show in 2024 in terms of viewing minutes, according toNielsen.(Image courtesy Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

Streamers in the United States opted for familiar television fare on streaming platforms in 2024, with original series failing to break into the top 10 most-streamed show across all popular platforms, according to a year-end report released by Nielsen.

The Australian children’s cartoon “Bluey”topped out the chat as the most-streamed show in 2024 with 55.62 billion viewing minutes on Disney Plus, Nielsen said. The show is produced and distributed by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC Australia), with Disney having exclusive domestic linear TV and streaming rights in the U.S.

“Grey’s Anatomy,”the long-running medical drama that airs on the American ABC broadcast network in the U.S., was the second most-streamed show of 2024 with 47.85 billion viewing minutes acrossNetflixand Disney-owned Hulu plus. “Family Guy,”the adult animated sitcom owned by Disney and aired on Fox,...

“Bluey”and “Grey’s Anatomy”were the most-streamed programs of 2024, according to a year-end Nielsen report. The Australian preschool program racked up 55.62 billion viewing minutes onDisney+,while the long-running hospital drama nabbed 47.85 billion acrossHuluandNetflix.

Animated series on Hulu took the next two spots — “Family Guy”with 42.44 billion minutes viewed and “Bob’s Burgers”with 36.80 billion — followed by “NCIS”with 35.91 billion acrossNetflix,HuluandParamount+.“Young Sheldon”and “The Big Bang Theory”ranked at No. 6 and No. 7, followed by “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit,”“Criminal Minds”and “SpongeBob SquarePants.”

Streaming in general was up 10% from 2023, with 12 trillion minutes in total. That equates to about 8.4 billion dates, or 23 million years’ worth of watching.

No originals debuted on the overall streaming top 10 chart. Netflix’s “Bridgerton”led that list with 21.42 billion viewing minutes, followed by the streamer’s dating series “Love Is Blind”with 16.45 billion. Rounding out the originals chart are “The Boys,...

We streamed 23 million years’ worth of stuff last year,Nielsenreported on Monday.

Specifically, U.S. viewers spent over 12 trillion minutes streaming in 2024, a 10% increase compared to 2023.

More from TVLineSquid Game Dominates Nielsen Streaming Top 10 With Nearly 5 Billion Minutes Viewed; Skeleton Crew Still MIATVLine Items:BridgertonSeason 4 Virtual Panel,Trevor NoahBack as Grammys Host and MoreRams-Eagles Draws 37.8M,NBC's 4th-Largest Divisional Playoff Since 1988 - Who Do You Want in Super Bowl?

Which seems like a lot!

The tally comes by way of Nielsen’s annual “Streaming Unwrapped” report, which beginning this year is honoring the most-streamed programs with the rechristened Artey Awards,...

Hollywood has, in recent years, truly begun to crack the code on video game movies. The impressive success of adaptations such as "Sonic the Hedgehog"and"The Super Mario Bros. Movie"has cemented the fact that we've truly turned a corner in that regard. That being the case, just about every major video game is probably going to be targeted by studios in the coming years, andGrand Theft Autowill undoubtedly be on that list. Interestingly enough, though, a truly excellent movie set in the world of GTA recently hit theaters, and with the full support of GTA creatorRockstar Games,no less.

One would be forgiven for not knowing about it since it's kind of a small movie, but the documentary "Grand Theft Hamlet"recently hit theaters via the folks atMubi.For those who aren't aware of it, as the title implies, it mashes together the worlds of GTA andWilliam Shakespeare,...

The Prince of Persia video game franchise was created byJordan Mechnerand kicked off in 1989.Ubisoftacquired the rights in 2001 and rebooted the property with the critically acclaimedPrince of Persia: The Sands of Timetwo years later.

Since then, multiple games have followed, including Prince of Persia: Warrior Within (2004), Prince of Persia: The Two Thrones (2005), Prince of Persia (2008), Prince of Persia: The Forgotten Sands (2010), and Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown (2024).

A big screen adaptation was released in 2010 directed by Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire helmerMike Newell.It starredJake Gyllenhaal,Ben Kingsley,Gemma Arterton,andAlfred Molina.

A live-action take on the 2003 game,Prince of Persia: The Sands of Timewas a critical failure but performed admirably at the box office with a $336.4 million global haul against a reported production budget of $150 million - $200 million.

In fact, it held the record for the highest-grossing...

A fresh, unofficial concept trailer by Kh Studio imagines what it might look like ifSuper Mario BrosandSonic the Hedgehogshared the big screen. This comes after both franchises raked in a combined $2 billion globally, withThe Super Mario Bros. Moviebecoming the highest-grossing video game adaptation ever, surpassing $1 billion worldwide. Meanwhile, theSonic the Hedgehogmovies, including two sequels, added another $1 billion to the tally.

The trailer sets upMarioand Sonic as rivals in a thrilling, high-energy adventure. Using scenes from their individual movies, it hints at a world where the Mushroom Kingdom andSonic’s speedy chaos could collide. It masterfully blends clips from both franchises, showcasing everything from the lush Mushroom Kingdom to Sonic’s lightning-fast moves.

A movie bringing Mario and Sonic together would tap into the growing popularity of video game movies. After the huge success of The Super Mario Bros. Movie,...

A new unofficial concept trailer imagines what a crossover movie betweenSuper Mario BrosandSonic the Hedgehogcould look like. The release comes afterThe Super Mario Bros. Movieand theSonic the Hedgehogfilm franchises earned a combined $2 billion at the global box office. Released in April 2023,The Super Mario Bros. Moviebecame the highest-grossing video game adaptation to date, breaking the $1 billion mark internationally. Meanwhile,Sonic the Hedgehogand its two sequels contributed to the growing success of video game adaptations, combining for gross earnings of $1 billion.

The concept trailer, created by Kh Studio, showcasesMarioandSonicas rivals in a fast-paced, action-packed adventure. Using footage from their respective movies, the trailer teases how their worlds might collide in a future project. The trailer takes full advantage of clips from both franchises, including Mushroom Kingdom landscapes and Sonic’s high-speed, electric blue chaos. Check out the...

Moana 2has officially crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, now solidifying its status as one of 2024’s highest-grossing films. The animated sequel, which premiered on Thanksgiving 2024, continues the journey ofMoana,voiced byAuli’i Cravalho,as she embarks to the far, treacherous seas of Oceania after receiving an unexpected call from her ancestors.Moana 2's voice cast also includes the talents ofDwayne Johnson,Hualālai Chung,David Fane,andRose Matafeo.

According to Variety,Moana 2's box office has now surpassed $1 billion worldwide. Originally, the sequel was developed as a streaming-exclusive series forDisney+.However, it was later shifted to be a film set for theatrical release. This decision has proved a fruitful one, as reaching the $1 billion milestone places the sequel as the third highest grossing Disney film this year, behindInside Out 2andDeadpool & Wolverine.Moreover, its Thanksgiving release set...

The upcoming Mario Kart game for the Nintendo Switch 2 appears to have redesigned Donkey Kong, and a prevalent fan theory is already taking hold online. During the first-look trailer forNintendo's new console, due out later this year, only a single game was shown running on the flashy new hardware: what looks to be the long-awaited Mario Kart 9. Fans were quick to recognize a few features that set it apart from the previous Mario Kart games: hints at a 24-player mode, new vehicles, and, more obviously, an all-new art style.

Nowhere is that art style more noticeable than in Donkey Kong's new design, which was highlighted by X (formerlyTwitter) account DiscussingFilm in a post juxtaposing the classic and original designs. In the trailer, he's seen with a wider, flatter face, a larger dark space around his eyes, and almost comically large arms that extend well beyond the borders of his beleaguered kart.

Wickedmay be winding down its impressive run in theaters, but its latest box-office gross has earned the adaptation a coveted spot amongUniversal's highest-performing movies. The 2024 musical brought the stage show based on the same name asGregory Maguire's work, which exploresThe Wizard of Oz's Wicked Witch of the West and her origins.WickedstarsCynthia Erivoas Elphaba, a talented and magical green-skinned girl who meetsAriana Grande-Butera's Galinda Upland at Shiz University, setting the two on a fateful journey. Since its release, the film has been performing exceptionally well at the box office, even holding strong after over a month in theaters.

ThoughWickedhas landed on home media and is slowly closing its theatrical run after two months, The Numbers has now placedJon M. Chu's musical adaptation within the top-three highest performing movies domestically for Universal. As the total domestic gross reached $459 million,...

As has been well established at this point, video game movies are having a bit of a moment right now. The likes ofThe Super Mario Bros. MovieandSonic The Hedgehoghave smashed it at the box office in recent times, while the imminent release of A Minecraft Movie and announcements of Horizon: Zero Dawn and Helldivers II adaptations shows there's no sign of the trend slowing any time soon. The prospect of a movie based onSony'sUntil Dawnhowever, a choose-your-own-adventure style interactive survival horror set amid a supernaturally spooked ski chalet, did we'll admit have us scratching our heads a little. How would directorDavid F. Sandbergtake such a uniquely gamey experience and make a movie of it? The answer, as we now know, is you keep the title, keepPeter Stormare,and retool the whole thing as a time loop slasher movie — obviously.

It appears there are two ways to make a successful film adaptation of a video game. Either you make it appeal to children ( “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”and “Sonic the Hedgehog”franchise) or you turn it into an adult-focused TV series ( “Fallout”and “The Last of Us”). The folks behind “Until Dawn”are hoping that making it a straight-up horror film will also work.

Continue reading ‘Until Dawn’ First Look Featurette:David F. SandbergReturns To Horror With Film Based On Popular Video Game at The Playlist.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3has crossed a rare box office milestone for a video game adaptation. The movie is the third installment in the live-action franchise bringing the world of Sonic games to the big screen and follows the arrival of the powerful hedgehog Shadow (Keanu Reeves) forcingSonic(Ben Schwartz) and his friends to team up with their enemy Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey). TheSonic the Hedgehog 3release kicked off the weekend before Christmas in 2024, taking No. 1 on the domestic chart for two consecutive weekends.

Per Deadline, as of Saturday morning,Sonic the Hedgehog 3is projected to earn a 3-day total of $8.67 million at the domestic box office by the end of its fourth weekend in theaters. This will bring its cumulative domestic total to $202.1 million, making it only the second video game movie ever to cross the $200 million domestic milestone. The previous title to do so...

'Shrek 5's release date has been pushed back to December 2026.TheDreamWorks Animationmovie was originally due for release on July 1, 2026 but has now been postponed until December 23, 2026.MikeMyers,Cameron DiazandEddie Murphyare all on board to reprise their roles for the next instalment in the franchise, which will be released 16 years after the fourth film, 'Shrek Forever After'.Walt Dohrn, who previously worked as writer and artist on the second and third movies and was Head of Story on the fourth, will direct the film, withBrad Ablesonas co-director.Gina Shayis returning to produce alongsideIlluminationCEO Chris Meledandri.Eddie previously confirmed work had started on the film, and that his characterDonkeywill be getting a spin-off movie.He toldCollider:“We started doing 'Shrek' four or five months ago. “I recorded the first act, and we’ll be doing it this year.

Delays and setbacks are a part of the creative process of filmmaking, but that doesn’t stop them from stinging any less. This is why the news thatShrek 5has been postponed is heartbreaking. This said flick would serve as the fifth installment in the fan-favorite animated film series, and was previously expected to hit the screens by next year, i.e. 2026.

A still from theShrekfilm series. | Credits:Universal Pictures.

It has been years since the Green Ogre graced his presence on the screens with something new, so the anticipation and excitement surrounding the same’s release was pretty high as well. But while the delay is disappointing, four other legendary animation franchises seem to make up for it as they seem to be packing series heat with their releases for 2026 inShrek 5‘s stead.

Shrek 5is delayed, but these 4 other flicks might make up...

Universal Pictureschanged its animation schedule on Friday by moving the release dates for two of its most popular franchises. ‘Minions 3’ will come out earlier than planned, and ‘Shrek 5′ has been pushed back to the winter holidays of 2026.

The intended release date for “Minions 3”was June 30, 2027, but it will now be July 1, 2026. This move puts it during the busy Independence Day weekend. The choice came after the huge success of theDespicable Mefranchise. It has made over $5 billion at the box office worldwide, making it the highest-grossing animated film series ever.

The creative people of the first two films will return to the thirdMinionsfilm. You can count onPierre Coffinto return as the movie’s director and to voice the famous yellow figures.Brian Lynchwrote the script. He is known for writing “The Secret Life of Pets.”The movie is also being worked...

Shrek and the Minions will both be on the big screen in 2026.

Universal Picturesannounced Friday that the highly-anticipated animated movies are swapping their theatrical release dates, withDreamWorks Animation’s “Shrek 5”pushing back from July 1, 2026 to Wednesday, Dec. 23, while Illumination’s “Minions 3”moves into that summer 2026 window from its planned June 30, 2027 date.

Universalhas also shifted the release of an untitled Illumination event film from March 19, 2027 to the June date.

While December 2026 might seem far, far away, “Shrek 5”arrives in time for the franchise’s 25th anniversary and marks the grand return of original “Shrek”starsMike Myers,Eddie MurphyandCameron Diazto voiceShrek,DonkeyandFiona.

Beginning with 2001’s “Shrek”(which won the first Oscar for best animated feature), the four “Shrek”films have earned more than $2.9 billion worldwide, spawning a global live-touring show and an award-winning Broadway musical that earned eight Tony nominations and 12 Drama Desk nominations,...

WickedNorth America Box Office: Set To Beat MCU’sBlack Panther: Wakanda Forever( Photo Credit –Instagram)

Wickedis in rampage mode at the US box office even several weeks after its release. It has hit a remarkable mark in North America and is close to beatingBlack Panther:Wakanda Forever’s exceptional domestic haul. It will achieve an amazing feat after beating the MCU flick. Scroll below for the deets.

The MCU movie is the second installment in theBlack Pantherfranchise. The first was led byChadwick Boseman,but due to his death, the second film’story was changed. It featuresLetitia WrightasShuriand the newBlack PantheralongsideLupita Nyong’o,Danai Gurira,Winston Duke,Florence Kasumba,Dominique Thorne,Michaela Coel,Mabel Cadena,Tenoch Huerta Mejía,Martin Freeman,Julia Louis-Dreyfus,andAngela Bassett.It collected $453.8 million at the US box office and $405.37 million overseas. The...

Wicked Beats TheSuper Mario BrosMovie’s First Week PVOD Collection ( Photo Credit –Instagram)

Wickedis one of the biggest films of 2024. It might not be the highest-grossing of the year, but it is surely setting new records. The musical fantasy has collected record numbers in the first seven days on Premium VOD. It featuresAriana GrandeandCynthia Erivo,who are loved by the fans in their respective roles in the movie. Scroll below for the deets.

It was directed byJon M Chuand is the first installment of a two-part film adaptation of the stage musical of the same name. The movie featured an excellent cast, with Ariana andCynthiain the lead. The supporting cast comprisedJonathan Bailey,Ethan Slater,Bowen Yang,Marissa Bode,Peter Dinklage,Michelle Yeoh,andJeff Goldblum.

Wickedhas broken the record ofThe Super Mario Bros Movie’s record as...

Wickedhas broken an at-home viewership record. The movie is an adaptation of the stage musical opf the same name, which tells the origin story ofThe Wizard of Oz'sWickedWitch of the West, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo), and her friendship withGlinda(Ariana Grande-Butera), the future Good Witch of the North. TheWickedtheatrical release kicked off the weekend before U.S. Thanksgiving in 2024 and has since risen past a total of $675 million worldwide, breaking the record as the highest-grossing Broadway musical of all time both in North America and worldwide.

Per Deadline,Wicked's at-home release, which kicked off on December 31, 2024, has earned $70 million during its first full week, which it kicked off by earning $26 million by the end of its debut day. This marks the largest first day ever and largest first week ever for aUniversalat-home release. On its first day, it earned double...

The remarkable box office success of “Wicked”has spilled over into its first week of release on premium on-demand (PVOD), asUniversalannounced on Thursday thatJon M. Chu’s musical has earned a studio record $70 million from its first week on home platforms.

Released on New Year’s Eve for $20 to rent and $30 to own, “Wicked”earned $26 million in just its first 24 hours of availability. It then blew past the previous first week PVOD studio record of $44 million set by “The Super Mario Bros. Movie”in 2023.

Universal’s current PVOD release model was created in 2020 as part of an agreement made withAMCand other top theater chains following the studio’s decision to release “Trolls: World Tour” on home platforms as theaters closed during the pandemic.

The agreement gives Universal the option to release a film on PVOD 17 days after theatrical release or 31 days if the film has...

Universalis pulling back the curtain on whatJon M. Chu’sWickedhas earned in premium VOD sales, numbers often kept a closely guarded secret by the major Hollywood studios.

The blockbuster film and Oscar hopeful has earned nearly $700 million at the global box office to date, or $686 million worldwide through Wednesday, as well as racking up more than $70 million in premium video-on-demand sales in the U.S. and Canada in its first week in the home.

It may seem counter-intuitive, but going in the home as early as 30 to 40 days doesn’t mean it hurts a tentpole’s box office profile.

In 2020, Universal’s Filmed Entertainment Group became the first studio to strike a landmark deal with top exhibitors that formalized a plan for a premium transactional window that would allow consumers to watch first-run movies in the home far sooner than the norm. (It was previously 75 days...

“Wicked”is “very very popular” — on the big screen, and now on video-on-demand. In a rare display of transparency for downstream revenues,Universalreported the big-budget musical has racked up $26 million in its first day and $70 million in its first week of digital release in the United States and Canada.

“Wicked”debuted on home entertainment on Dec. 31, for $30 to buy and $20 to rent the original or sing-along version of the film. According to the studio, the Broadway adaptation delivered the largest first day and initial week of sales for any Universal theatrical title. For comparison, the studio’s second-largest video-on-demand (VOD) launch was 2023’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie,”with $44 million from its first week of digital rentals and sales.

And Universal expects the Oz-related riches to grow: “Wicked”still has more than two months of exclusivity on home entertainment platforms before the song-and-dance extravaganza will be available on Peacock,...

Video game movies and TV shows have come a long way, with many exciting projects on the horizon promising to adapt many popular franchises. For a long time, Hollywood-made adaptations of video games were deemed cursed, with major flops like 1993'sSuper Mario Bros.or underwhelming franchises like theResident Evilseries proving as much. But in recent years, plenty of projects have proven the video game curse is broken, with record-breaking animated movies and award-winning live-action TV shows being adapted from video games.

There are a multitude of upcoming video game movies and TV shows that promise exciting adaptations of existing games, in many cases for the very first time. While classic video games most general audiences are familiar with, likeMarioand Sonic, have been the target of many adaptations, the success of projects likeFive Nights at Freddy'sorThe Last of Usprove that producers are...

The success ofMoana 2has set the stage for Disney's eventual approach to the franchise's third animated installment, Moana 3.Auli'i CravalhoandDwayne Johnsonlead the ensemble cast ofMoana 2,which also features voice performances byAwhimai Fraser,Temuera Morrison,Nicole Scherzinger,Alan Tudyk,and Jermaine Clement. After releasing in theaters on November 27, 2024,Moana 2earned a five-day Thanksgiving gross of $221 million domestically, which surpassed the record set byThe Super Mario Bros. Movie.for the best five-day weekend of all time.

Moana 2's box office was one of the largest of 2024, earning just under $962 million worldwide and becoming the fourth highest-grossing movie of the year.Moana 2's box office surpassed the original's box office of $643.3 million, showing massive growth for the franchise. Initially, Disney had planned forMoana 2to be a streaming series on its streaming platformDisney+.Fortunately, Disney changed the plan and got a nearly $1 billion hit,...

The ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ movie franchise has crossed $1 billion at the global box office.The latest entry into the series ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ - which is inspired by theSegavideo game franchise of the same name - has so far grossed $336.5 million worldwide since its theatrical release on 20 December 2024, bringing the series' total earnings up to $1.06 billion since ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 2’ and its 2020 predecessor raked in $405 million and $320 million respectively.This major milestone has cemented ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ as one of the most profitable video game movie adaptations in Hollywood history, alongside the likes of ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, ‘Pokemon’ and the ‘Resident Evil’ films.Due to the success of ‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3',Paramount Picturesis working on a fourth film, with the studio aiming for a Spring 2027 release.‘Sonic the Hedgehog 3’ follows the titular hero (voiced byBen Schwartz) as he,Tails(Colleen O'Shaughnessey...

Ben Schwartz,who voicesSonicin the successful ‘Sonic the Hedgehog‘ film series, recently shared his enthusiasm for a potential ‘Super Smash Bros.’ movie. In an interview with Variety,Schwartzexpressed his admiration forChris Pratt’s portrayal ofMarioand the idea of bringing various video game characters together on the big screen.

Schwartz mentioned that while a ‘Sonic andMarioat the Olympic Games’ crossover would be enjoyable, he envisions something more ambitious. He said, ‘What I really think could be bananas is if we get a “Super Smash Bros.” spinoff.‘ However, he acknowledged the challenges, noting that it would require collaboration among multiple studios.

The actor emphasized his excitement about expanding the Sonic franchise, stating, ‘The idea that we get to build our own franchise that lives on its own… that’s what I’m concentrating on, and that’s what I love.’ He also expressed interest...

Is MCU’s The Marvels The Most Expensive Movie Per Minute Under Two Hours? ( Photo Credit –Instagram)

In a world where blockbusters seem to stretch on forever, The Marvels just shattered expectations—by being incredibly short. At 105 minutes, it’s not only the shortest film in the MCU but also holds the crown for being the most expensive film per minute under two hours. Here’s the kicker: The Marvels had a hefty $220M budget. With that price tag, you’d expect a sprawling epic. But no, directorNia DaCostakept stuff brisk.

“I really wanted it to be under two hours,” she told Digital Spy. And that wasn’t by accident. DaCosta argued, “I just feel like there’s no need to have it long if you don’t need to, because one hour 45 minutes is pretty average for a movie.” And she’s got a point—who says...

Sonic The Hedgehog 3 Box Office (Italy): Opening Day Update ( Photo Credit –Instagram)

Sonic the Hedgehog 3is debuting in international markets, and although it opened in several places overseas, there are still countries left. It was recently released in Italy, and like in the US, it made a splendid opening. It reportedly collected two times more thanMufasa: The Lion King.Scroll below for the deets.

Sonic 3 was released in December, a few days before Christmas, and surpassedMufasa: The Lion Kingat the US box office. The film’s opening-day collection is on par withThe Super Mario Bros. Movie’s. It has surpassedWonkaand The Little Mermaid’s release-day numbers.

The Super Mario Bros Movie was released in 2023 and was the second highest-grossing movie of the year. It collected over $1.3 billion worldwide.Sonic the Hedgehog 3collected a similar number at the box office in Italy.

Not even the dynamic duos of Joy and Anxiety, Deadpool and Wolverine, Gru and his minions or Paul Atreides and those massive sandworms could push the 2024 box office to pre-pandemic heights.

Domestic ticket sales have wound up at $8.7 billion for the year, down than 3.3% from 2023 (when revenues hit $9.04 billion) and 23.5% from 2019 (when revenues reached $11.3 billion), the last normal year at the box office, according toComscore.Admissions, expected to hit approximately 800 million, also declined from pre-covid heights of roughly 1.3 billion. It’s the first post-pandemic year that overall revenues didn’t improve upon the last, though box office prognosticators attribute the downturn to the lighter release schedule that resulted from 2023’s actors and writers strikes.

“The 2024 box office was healthy for six months, and unhealthy for the other half. During the summer and year-end, big franchise series worked and records were broken,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research.

For many years, the high-water marks for movies based on video games werePaul W.S. Anderson's 1995 fight film "Mortal Kombat"and his 2002 zombie flick"Resident Evil."One can see what a sorry state we were in if those two mediocre films were the high-water marks of anything. Adapting video games to the big screen has long been tricky for Hollywood. These films are often lambasted as terrible and have typically bombed (" Kombat "and" Resident "notwithstanding). Alternatively,Rocky MortonandAnnabel Jankel's 1993 adaptation of "Super Mario Bros."is deeply beloved by a passionate cult of weirdos who love its zany ideas (a cult I belong to), but most folks didn't like how far the film strayed fromShigeru Miyamoto'sNintendoproperty.

There are many reasons why it's hard to adapt video games into good movies. For one, most video games are predicated on action and interactivity, while films...

Futurama'sBenderandAdventure Time's Jake are mashed together in a new piece ofJohn Dimaggiocharacter crossover art.FuturamaprecedesAdventure Timeby about 11 years, premiering in 1999 and following pizza delivery driver Philip J. Fry (Billy West), with Dimaggio's Bender, a foul-mouthed robot, playing an important role in just about every episode.Adventure Time,on the other hand, didn't premiere until 2010, with that animated sitcom following a 12-year-old boy as he goes on various adventures with his wise dog, Jake.

@bornreadydesigns onInstagramnow combines Bender from Futurama and Jake fromAdventure Timeinto one character. The art features key aspects of Bender, including the metallic coating and limb design, with Jake's dog-like face. The caption for the image jokes that this new hybrid character could be called either "Bender the dog" or "Jake the robot." Check out the art below:

View this post on InstagramA post...

Warning! This article contains spoilers forSonic the Hedgehog 3!

The post-credits scene forSonic the Hedgehog 3confirmed thatAmy Rosewill be joining theSoniccast in the next film, but who will play the fan-favorite character remains to be seen. Sonic 3's post-credits scene, as well as the overall Sonic lore, gives us some idea of whatSonic the Hedgehog 4will be about. Based on the actors that play the other characters, there are a variety of different ways things could go.

Amy could be played by a big-budget star, similarly to how the character of Knuckles the Echidna is played byIdris Elba.Another route they could take with the character of Amy is to cast the actor who currently plays her in the games,Cindy Robinson,as this is how they cast the character of Miles "Tails" Prower. Regardless, it will be exciting to...

Mark O’Meara, a Virginia-based movie theater owner, wonders and worries constantly about what exactly his customers will buy tickets to see on any given weekend. It’s not that people have fallen out of love with the big screen, he says, they’ve just gotten out of practice. In fact, in the 30-plus years O’Meara has worked in the business, he’s had a front-row seat as the audiences who habitually went to the movies turned to streaming services instead.

“I’ll see people at the grocery store, and they’ll tell me, ‘You have nothing we want to see.’ I don’t blame them on certain weekends,” says O’Meara, who operates two venues in Fairfax County. “Nobody denies they consume content. That’s never been the issue. We’re competing with the convenience of the couch. Good movies sell no matter what the hell is going on.