Skip to content

Avengers: Endgame is returning to the big screen to do battle with sophomore holdover Resident Evil as a slew of prominent titles newcomers look to make this an interesting weekend at the box office.

Disney releases Avengers Endgame: Encore on 3,060 North American screens on Friday, seven years after Marvel Studios‘ 2019 superhero blockbuster first hit theaters. The rerelease scored $3.8 million in Thursday previews, with the studio projecting that the film’s return will gross around $25 million domestically and another $25 million to $30 million from overseas markets. In its initial run, Endgame launched in April 2019 to a record-setting opening weekend of $1.2 billion globally before claiming No. 2 on the all-time worldwide chart with a cume of $2.7 billion.

Avengers Endgame: Encore includes an exclusive look at the action from Marvel Studios’ Avengers: Doomsday, set to hit theaters Dec. 18. Both films come from directors Anthony and Joe Russo and will be available on Infinity Vision screens, as the new certification for premium large format theaters launches this weekend.

Elsewhere, Robert Pattinson plays journalist Chris Hanson in Primetime, which A24 releases in more than 2,800 North American theaters. Collecting $2.7 million in Thursday previews, the movie is tracking to open with a domestic sum between $12 million and $16 million. It holds an 86 Rotten Tomatoes score from reviewers, with The Hollywood Reporter chief film critic David Rooney calling it a “peak Sleaze TV rerun, for whoever wants it.” Merritt Wever, Skyler Gisondo and Phoebe Bridgers round out the cast for director Lance Oppenheim.

Brad Pitt stars as a Special Forces officer stranded with his combat dog in the wilderness in Heart of the Beast, hitting 3,400 North American theaters from Paramount Pictures. David Ayer’s feature grossed $2 million in Thursday previews, and the studio expects it to end up with $17 million to $20 million domestically for the weekend. Carrying an $82 million budget after being greenlit by the previous Paramount regime, Heart of the Beast stands at 87 percent critical approval on Rotten Tomatoes, with THR critic Frank Scheck writing that it “packs a surprising emotional punch.”

DreamWorks Animation unveils Forgotten Island, with Universal Pictures releasing the original animated feature in 3,548 North American locations. H.E.R., Liza Soberano and Dave Franco lead the voice cast for the movie that the studio is projecting to open in the mid-teens.

Forgotten Island grossed $1.8 million from Thursday previews, combined with paid advance screenings on Sunday and Monday. Carrying a budget of $80 million, the film focuses on two friends magically transported to an island rooted in Philippine mythology. Forgotten Island has a 96 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with Scheck writing for THR that it is “an exciting original.”

Also battling at the box office this weekend is Screen Gems’ Resident Evil after director Zach Cregger’s video game adaptation raced to $60.1 million to set a franchise record in its opening weekend.

The major television networks resumed White House pool coverage of President Donald Trump on Friday, ending a dayslong suspension after the administration barred CNN from participating in the rotation.

The five networks that make up the pool — ABC News, CBS News, CNN, Fox News and NBC News — resumed pool coverage after CNN regained access to the White House grounds on Thursday.

CNN had a pool assignment Friday at the National Archives, where Trump was set to tour the complex with Chinese President Xi Jinping, while CBS was handling pool coverage at the White House. The White House approved CNN’s credentials for the National Archives event, according to the Associated Press.

The networks suspended their rotating pool coverage Monday after the White House prevented CNN from carrying out its scheduled duties. Rather than replace CNN, the other four networks declined to participate, leaving several presidential events without the independent television footage normally distributed to news organizations around the world.

The resumption comes one day after U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the Trump administration to restore White House access to CNN, MS NOW and Politico, all three of which had sued after Trump barred them from the White House last week. Reporters from the outlets were initially turned away Thursday morning despite the order before eventually being allowed back onto the grounds around noon.

Kelly’s ruling did not directly address CNN’s place in the television pool, and the networks continued withholding pool coverage Thursday while seeking assurances that CNN would be permitted to resume its regular duties. As a result, there was no network pool coverage of Xi’s White House visit Thursday.

The return of the pool follows another confrontation Thursday night, when CNN and MS NOW said some of their journalists were denied access to cover Xi’s arrival for a White House state dinner despite regaining their general clearance earlier in the day.

CNN said the White House allowed a photojournalist and audio technician into the event but excluded the network’s reporter and producer. MS NOW White House correspondent Laura Barrón-López was also denied entry.

The broader legal fight remains unresolved. Kelly’s temporary restraining order lasts 14 days as CNN, MS NOW and Politico’s lawsuit proceeds.