
Austin Abrams in ‘Resident Evil‘
Sony
Spike Lee, who directed the music video for Michael Jackson’s “They Don’t Care About Us” and two documentaries about the pop superstar, understands why the 2026 film “Michael” didn’t include the allegations of sexual abuse. Lee told CNN’s Laura Coates he’s seen the movie twice and enjoyed it both times.
“First of all, if you’re a movie critic, and you’re complaining about the stuff— all this other stuff— but the movie ends at ‘88,” Lee said when asked about criticism levied at the film’s team. “The stuff you’re talking about, accusations, happen [later]. So you’re critiquing the film on something that you want in, but it doesn’t work in the timeline of the film. But people showed up. Worldwide, people showed their love.”
He continued, “I miss Mike. I miss Prince. I mean, these are my brothers. I worked with both of them. Both beautiful, beautiful people.”
The allegations against Jackson were originally meant to be part of the story. While speaking to the New Yorker in April, director Antoine Fuqua said, “I shot [Michael] being stripped naked, treated like an animal, a monster.”
He also said he “envisioned a film that might have read as a provocative defense of its subject” before an agreement with the family of one of Jackson’s alleged victims was discovered. The $23 million settlement included a clause that forebade the estate from taking part in depicting the events of the allegation.
Fuqua also told the New Yorker he is “not convinced that Jackson did what he is accused of doing.”
“When I hear things about us — Black people in particular, especially in a certain position — there’s always pause,” he said.
Jackson faced 10 charges in 2005 in relation to the alleged sexual abuse of a second 13-year-old. He denied those allegations and was acquitted on all counts.
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The MTV Video Music Awards are back tonight for the 42nd awards show, celebrating the best music videos of the year.
Hosted by 3x VMA winner Snoop Dogg, the ceremony broadcasts live on Sunday night from the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, with performances from Madonna, Kacey Musgraves, Lisa, Sombr and more.
Madonna leads this year’s nominations with 13 categories, tying Lady Gaga’s 2010 record for most nominations in a year. She’s followed by Taylor Swift (11), Sabrina Carpenter (nine) and Ariana Grande (eight) in earning the most nominations.
Tonight’s awards show will honor Nirvana with the Video Vanguard Award, and Taylor Swift will receive the inaugural MTV VMA Artist Director Honors, with her “Patient Zero” music video from The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore making its world premiere during the simulcast.
This years MTV VMA performances will include tributes to Dolly Parton and George Michael, marking 40 years since his solo debut album Faith.
With all this and more expected for the 2026 MTV Video Music Awards, read on for how to watch or stream the awards show.
The 2026 VMAs will air live from on Sunday, Sept. 27 from 7:30-9:30pm ET/4:30-6:30pm PT on CBS, simulcast on MTV and streaming on Paramount+ (Premium) in the US. The show will be available globally the next day on Paramount+ and MTV.
The VMA presenters include some of this years nominees and winners of VMAs past, as well as a survivor, a superhero, a scream queen and a Saturday Night Live alum.
The lineup features Alex Warren, Belmont Cameli, Brandon Sklenar, Charli xcx, Ciara Miller, David Corenswet, Ella Bright, Isabel May, Jeff Probst, Rachel Dratch, Teyana Taylor, Troye Sivan and Tyla.
Returning to the VMAs stage for her first performance there in 23 years, Madonna will open the awards show with some songs from Confessions II, presented by Spotify.
Following Dolly Parton’s death at age 80 last month, Kacey Musgraves will perform a tribute to the Queen of Country. Meanwhile, Raye, Sombr and Teddy Swims will team up for a tribute performance directed by Adam Blackstone, celebrating 40 years since the late George Michaels’ career-defining album Faith (1987).
Also performing at the 2026 MTV VMAs are Gener8ion & Yung Lean, Lisa, Shaboozey & Gunna and Sienna Spiro.
For more info, visit MTV.com.
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What was old at the global box office this weekend was new as Disney/Marvel Studio’s Avengers Endgame: Encore led in an exceptional take for a re-release of $86M WW.
Beamed Andrew Cripps, Disney’s Global Boss of Distribution, “The success of the re-release reiterates that there’s a massive fanbase for this franchise, and the fact that it’s a seven-year old movie on Disney+, it’s an incredible opening.”
Close to 14% of Encore‘s cash came from Imax which made $13.7M off the superhero pic for $4M domestic and $9.7M abroad.
Yes, with a handful of minutes of extra footage of the Russo Brothers’ upcoming Avengers: Doomsday, Encore was an advertisement for that movie, but one which yielded more bucks to the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe with $35 billion global across 38 titles. After this weekend, the lifetime worldwide take for Avengers: Endgame moves to $2.885B behind Avatar‘s $2.92B and ahead of Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s updated global tally of $2.495B.
With $26M stateside, that repped the third best start for a re-release behind 1997’s re-issue of Star Wars ($35.9M) and 2011’s The Lion King 3D ($30.2M).
Overseas with $60M, Encore was the second highest foreign debut for a re-release behind Titanic 3D in 2012 at current rates. That James Cameron movie at the height of the 3D crazy did $67M boosted by China.
Avengers: Endgame bowed to No. 1 in China ($13.5M), UK ($5.4M), Mexico ($4.2M), Italy ($2.6M), Brazil ($2.2M), Germany ($2M), Australia, and was the best non-local in Japan ($2.6M) and Spain ($1.7M). Disney estimates that Encore was the highest ever opening weekend for a MPA re-release in UK, Mexico and Brazil as well as Netherlands, Greece, S. Africa, Poland, Albania, Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Israel, Kazakhstan, Macedonia, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey, Ukraine, UAE, India, Indonesia, Philippines, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Taiwan and all smaller Latin American territories.
Pic was second highest opening ever for a MPA title in Italy, Australia, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore and Argentina.
Other No. 1 openings were Austria, Belgium, Norway, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Bosnia, Croatia, Czechia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan (non-local), Lebanon, Qatar, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, India (non-local with $2.8M), Indonesia (non-local), Vietnam (non-local), Argentina and all smaller Latin American territories.
The Anthony and Joe Russo directed movie ranked second in Korea in the holiday period of Chuseok holidays (Sept. 24-27) that’s described as the country’s Thanksgiving by sources. The No. 1 pic in Korea was The Assassin in a box office weekend where three local films dominated the top 5.
France did $2.1M, but Paramount’s Heart of the Beast led there with a Brad Pitt wow factor, that David Ayer directed military vet and dog feature seeing $3.8M.

Austin Abrams in ‘Resident Evil‘
Sony
Second place worldwide is a fight between zombies and Pitt. Sony/Constantin’s Resident Evil posted a second frame of $50.3M, $27M of that coming from 65 overseas markets on 12,500+ screens. Cume abroad in both Sony and Constantin territories is $93M with an overall $196.5M WW.
UK, Mexico, and Australia each set franchise records in just the second weekend with market totals of $11.5M ($2.9M weekend), $9.0M ($2.2M weekend), and $5.4M ($1.7M weekend), respectively. France (Metropolitan) earned $1.8M (-39%) for a market take of $5.0M, and Germany (Constantin) grossed $1.5M (-40%) for a local cume of $4.5M cume. Next stops are China on Oct. 5 and Japan on Oct. 9 for the flesh eating beings.

Brad Pitt and Odin in ‘Heart of the Beast’
Paramount Pictures
Heart of the Beast barked up $50.1M WW with $30.1M abroad from 63 markets. As we told you, France was tops, but also New Zealand and this is the ultimate outdoors film for them ($454K including previews from 128 sites. Also big was United Arab Emirates where a lot of yank moviegoers are with $1M, No. 1 at 58 sites. Middle East grossed $2.6M on the pic.
Rest all including previews (except Argentina) were UK (No. 3, $2.7M at 559 locations), Mexico (No. 2, $2.4M), Australia (No. 3 with $1.6M at 307), Spain (No. 3, $1.5M at 326), Italy (No. 3 $1.2M at 370), Japan (No. 4, $1.2M at 344), Germany ($1M, No. 3 at 428 sites), Brazil (No. 4 $925K at 585 locations), Colombia (No. 2 $872K at 210), Netherlands (No. 3 $574K at 116 locations), Taiwan (No. 3 $419K at 90 sites), Poland (No. 3 grossing $407K at 178 locations), India (opened at #5 grossing $392K at 345 locations, Peru (No. 3 $304K at 108 locations), Ukraine (No. 1 $306K at 171 locations), Argentina (No. 3 $292K at 180 locations), Portugal (No. 1 $290K at 48 locations), Hong Kong (No. 4 $285K at 57), and Belgium (No. 3 grossing $276K at 80 locations).
A24’s Primetime with $19.1M stateside, had a limited launch abroad with $1.2M in France, Germany, Austria, India, Taiwan, Baltic’s and Iceland for an overall $20.3M WW. Of that France did $530K and Germany/Austria was $325K. What’s interesting is some distribution sources believe, at least stateside, that Heart of the Beast is going to have a fantastic multiple off that A- CinemaScore, while Primetime is front loaded with a B. I beg to differ as Primetime sells itself when you sit in theater, however, the truth will be in the numbers.

(from front) Raissa (Liza Soberano), Prince Mermahn (Kevin McCann), Raww (Dave Franco) and Jo (H.E.R.) in DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island, directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado.
Universal’s second weekend foreign, first weekend in North America of DreamWorks Animation’s Forgotten Island did $18.4M WW ($5.6M foreign from 34 territories and $12.8M domestic).
Philippines led with No. 1 $1.5M this weekend at 280 locations, well above major tentpoles Super Mario Bros, Despicable Me 4, Zootopia 2 and Minions: The Rise of Gru. It’s the biggest opening of the year for a Universal title there ahead of Odyssey. Spain did $500K at 390 sites for a No. 5 rank. The film has received a strong 7.3 FilmAffinity Score, just below The Wild Robot (7.5) and above Inside Out 2 (7.1) and Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (7.0). Italy was also No. 5 bow with $500K at 372. Brazil did $400K, No. 6 at 682. That includes $190K in previews. Israel posted No. 1 with $300K at 70 sites in line with Trolls and above Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish, Wish, Hoppers and The Wild Robot. Forgotten Island opens into Sukkot Holidays, which run from Sept. 25 to Oct. 3. Korea bowed to $219K at No. 10 at 550 sites, which includes $117K in previews. The film has received a strong CGV Egg score (96%). Sweden saw $150K at 132 in No. 5, an opening at this level is in line with Elio, Goat and Puss In Boots: The Last Wish. Australia held over with $737K in weekend 2 for a $1.8M cume. School holidays are taking place in 50% of the market, with the remaining 50% starting next Monday. Forgotten Island ranks No.4, as the top family film in the market, above Coyote vs. Acme (No.8), PAW Patrol (No.7) and Shaun the Sheep (No.10). Mexico added $300k in weekend dos to reach $1.4M cume. Forgotten Island ranks No.7 in the market.
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