The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Struts With Trend-Setting $10M in Previews

The Devil Wears Prada is already making a big splash at the box office, just like it did almost 20 years ago when it became a surprise hit and made over $326.5 million worldwide. It's also become a big part of pop culture.

The new movie, The Devil Wears Prada 2, made $10 million in previews on Thursday, which is one of the best numbers ever for a movie led by women.

 That’s not far behind some of the biggest movies right now, like Michael and Project Hail Mary.

In August 2023, another movie led by women, It Ends With Us, made $7 million in previews and went on to make over $350 million globally.

 Its opening weekend was $50 million.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 is the first movie led by women in modern times to start the summer box office season.

 Usually, that honor goes to a Marvel superhero movie or a Fast & Furious film.

The movie is pulling in audiences of all ages who are excited to see the original cast come back.

 Meryl Streep plays a powerful fashion magazine editor, Anne Hathaway is back as the popular character, Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt also return. The movie is also directed by David Frankel, who worked with writer Aline Brosh McKenna.

In other countries, The Devil Wears Prada 2 has already made $40.5 million in its first two days from 42 markets, including sneak previews.

 It had the highest opening day of the year in Brazil, Italy, Korea, Australia, as well as Belgium, Bulgaria, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Greece, Ukraine, New Zealand, Taiwan, and the Philippines.

If you're expecting a movie with strong fashion, sharp humor, and a big performance from Meryl Streep as the powerful Miranda Priestly character, you’re probably going to be satisfied.

Oscars Rule Changes Ban AI Actors and Overhaul International Submission Process

The Oscars' Best International Feature Film category is now open to more than one film from the same country, actors can now get multiple nominations in the same category, and Tilly Norwood won't be getting any Academy Awards soon. These are some of the main changes for the 99th Academy Awards, which were announced this week.

When it comes to AI, the new rules say that only roles that are clearly performed by humans with their permission are allowed, and screenplays must be written by real people.

 The Academy also said they might ask for more details if needed to confirm the use of human work.

This is the strongest statement yet from the Academy about not allowing AI to be part of the awards process.

Another change in the acting categories is that actors can now be nominated for more than one role in the same year.

 Before, if an actor received enough votes for two nominations, they would only get one for the film with the most votes. Now, it's more like other Oscar categories, where a person can be nominated more than once.

It's not very common for an actor to have two chances in the same year.

 Only a few actors, like Scarlett Johansson in 2019, have been nominated for two different roles in the same year. Usually, one is for a lead role and the other for supporting. Barry Fitzgerald was a special case, as he was nominated for both lead and supporting roles in "Going My Way," but that rule was changed later.

The biggest change is in the Best International Feature Film category.

 Since the 1950s, each country could only submit one film. This led to some good films not being considered because they weren't chosen as official submissions. Now, there are two ways a film can qualify: either through a country submission or by winning the top prize at one of six major film festivals. These are the Berlin International Film Festival, Busan International Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Grand Jury Prize), Toronto International Film Festival, or Venice International Film Festival.

If this rule had been in place in recent years, some films that didn't get country submissions would have qualified.

 These include Cannes Palme d'Or winners like "Anatomy of a Fall" and "Titane," along with "The Room Next Door" and "Happening" from Venice, "Yellow Letters" and "Dreams (Sex Love)" from Berlin, "Gloaming in Luomo" from Busan, "To the Victory" and "They Will Be Dust" from Toronto, and "Shame and Money" and "Cactus Pears" from Sundance.

This rule is expected to increase the number of films in the category by four or five each year.

 Cannes might not have the biggest effect because its winners are often already submitted for the Oscars by their home countries. This change also helps films that involve input from multiple countries qualify without having to prove one country was the main contributor.

The international award will now be given to the film itself instead of the country of origin.

 For the last few years, the director's name has been on the Oscar statue, and the director accepts the award on behalf of the entire team.

Other changes include increasing the number of possible statuettes in the casting category from two to three and expanding the cinematography shortlist to 20 films.

The changes to campaign rules were not as big, adjusting the number of possible moderators and the restrictions for Board of Governors members and the Academy president.

According to the Academy's press release, these are the most significant changes.

In the Acting category, actors can be nominated for more than one performance if those performances rank in the top five, similar to how other award categories work.

Only roles that are officially listed in the film's billing and performed by real people with their permission can be considered for this category.

In the Casting category, the number of awards given out will now go from a maximum of two to three.

For the Cinematography category, the first round of voting will now choose 20 films instead of between 10 and 20.

In the International Feature Film category, there are now two ways to enter a film.

 One is through a country or region submitting it as an official entry. The other is if the film wins a qualifying award at an international film festival. The qualifying festivals for the 99th Oscars include the Berlin International Film Festival (Golden Bear), Busan International Film Festival (Busan Award – Best Film), Cannes Film Festival (Palme d'Or), Sundance Film Festival (World Cinema Grand Jury Prize), Toronto International Film Festival (Platform Award), and Venice International Film Festival (Golden Lion).

Also, the film itself will be listed as the nominee, not the country or region, and the director will accept the award on behalf of the creative team.

 The director's name will appear on the statuette next to the film title and, if applicable, the country or region.

In the Makeup and Hairstyling category, members must attend at least one of the two final meetings to be able to vote in the first round.

For the Original Song category, the rules make it clearer how songs are judged if they appear in the credits.

 If the song comes in first after the credits start, the video must show the last 15 seconds of the film before the credits.

In the Visual Effects category, all Academy members must watch the three-minute Before and After reels from the Visual Effects Bake-Off to be eligible to vote in the final round.

In the Writing categories, the rules say that only human-written screenplays are eligible.

For Governors Awards, each year must include at least three different types of work.

Regarding Generative Artificial Intelligence, the Academy can ask for more information about how it was used and whether humans were involved.

Here are the key dates:  

August 13, 2026: First deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Feature Film, Documentary Short Film, and Live Action Short Film categories  

September 17, 2026: First deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture, and the Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry (RAISE) form  

September 30, 2026: Deadline for International Feature Film  

October 8, 2026: Final deadline for Animated Short Film, Documentary Short Film, and Live Action Short Film categories  

October 14, 2026: Deadline for Music (Original Song)  

October 15, 2026: Final deadline for Documentary Feature Film  

November 4, 2026: Deadline for Music (Original Score)  

November 12, 2026: Final deadline for General Entry categories, Animated Feature Film, Best Picture, and the Representation and Inclusion Standards Entry (RAISE) form  

January 8–10, 2027: Voting events for Casting, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, and Visual Effects  

"Hamnet," "Sinners," and "Weapons" (Credit: Focus Features/Warner Bros.)  

All the 2026 Oscar Winners You Can Stream at Home (and Which Ones You Can Only See in Theaters)

Neon Nabs Bong Joon Ho’s Animated Family Film ‘Ally

Neon has acquired the North American distribution rights for Bong Joon Ho's debut animated film, Ally. The South Korean director, known for his Oscar-winning film Parasite, which won four Academy Awards including Best Picture, is returning to Neon for this new project. Ally is set to be finished in the first half of 2027, with Neon planning a wide theatrical release in North America next year.

Ally has been in development since 2019 and marks Bong's first venture into 3D animation.

 He co-wrote the screenplay with Jason Yu, a 36-year-old filmmaker and protégé who directed the popular Korean horror film Sleep in 2023.

Bong has previously collaborated with younger screenwriters, notably Han Jin Won, his former production assistant, with whom he co-wrote Parasite, the film that made history in 2019.

The story follows a curious and lovable piglet squid living in the south Pacific Ocean, dreaming of seeing the sun and becoming the star of a wildlife documentary.

 When a mysterious aircraft crashes into the ocean, Ally's peaceful world is disrupted, sending him on an adventure with real-life marine creatures. The film explores themes of friendship and bravery.

Financing and distribution for Ally are managed by CJ ENM, Penture Invest, and Pathé, with Barunson C&C handling production.

 Seo Woo-sik is producing the film, marking his third collaboration with Bong after Mother and Okja.

Pathé is responsible for distributing Ally in France, Benelux, Switzerland, and West Africa, while CJ and Penture will handle distribution in South Korea, Vietnam, Turkey, and Indonesia.

 Pathé is also handling international sales, excluding Japan, China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, where CJ and Penture are managing sales.

Sarah Colvin, Neon's senior vice president of acquisitions, negotiated the deal with WME on behalf of the filmmakers.

Bong Joon Ho's filmography includes Snowpiercer, Memories of Murder, The Host, Okja, Mother, and most recently Mickey 17.

Ted Lasso’ Sets Season 4 Premiere Date, Releases First Teaser

Three years and a little more after Ted Lasso ended its third season, the Emmy-winning comedy is coming back.

Apple TV announced on Tuesday that the show's fourth season will start on August 5.

 The main character, played by Jason Sudeikis, will return to London to coach AFC Richmond's women's team. The streamer also shared a new image from the upcoming season and a teaser that uses the song "Rubber Band Man" by Mumford & Sons and Hozier.

The teaser shows Ted getting back into his usual routine in London, the women's team playing, and some glimpses of both returning and new cast members.

 Hannah Waddingham, Juno Temple, Brett Goldstein, Brendan Hunt, and Jeremy Swift are coming back, joining new regulars Tanya Reynolds, Jude Mack, Faye Marsay, Rex Hayes, Aisling Sharkey, Abbie Hern, and Grant Feely. The teaser also includes Andrea Anders as Ted's (maybe not anymore) ex-wife, Michelle; Matteo van der Grijn as Matthijs, the Dutchman Rebecca (Waddingham) met in season three; and Tracey Ullman in a guest role that hasn't been revealed yet.

Apple TV ordered the fourth season of Ted Lasso in March 2025, ending a long period of uncertainty about the show's future after season three wrapped up Ted's coaching journey with the men's team.

 In January, Apple confirmed the show would return in the summer.

The 10-episode fourth season will focus on Ted taking on his biggest challenge yet: coaching a second division women's football team.

 The description says, "Throughout the course of the season, Ted and the team learn to leap before they look, taking chances they never thought they would."

Jack Burditt, who has an overall deal with Apple TV, executive produces season four along with Sudeikis, Hunt, Joe Kelly, Jane Becker, Jamie Lee, Bill Wrubel, Goldstein, Leann Bowen, Bill Lawrence, Jeff Ingold, and Liza Katzer.

 Goldstein and Bowen are also writers; Sarah Walker and Phoebe Walsh are writers and producers. Sasha Garron co-produces. Julia Lindon is a writer on season four, and Dylan Marron is the story editor. Warner Bros. TV and Universal TV produce the series.

Banijay Takes Immersive Experience ‘Luminiscence’ to Hamburg, Its Third German Location

Banijay Germany is bringing the immersive experience "Luminiscence" to Hamburg's St. Michaelis Church, working with French immersive producer Lotchi, who created "Luminiscence" and is part of Banijay Live.


Hamburg becomes the third German city, after Münster and Nuremberg, to host the experience, which will start on July 2.
The event will transform the church into "a striking landscape of light, sound, and history," according to Banijay.

Since 2023, "Luminiscence" has welcomed more than a million visitors worldwide.
It has been performed in some of the world's most beautiful cathedrals, churches, and historic sites in eight countries, including France, Spain, the U.K., Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Brazil, and the U.S. The experience has been shown in over 20 cities, with nine productions currently running.

While Banijay Group continues to focus on TV content, it has expanded into live events and sports in recent years and has been successful.
The live experiences and other segment grew by 18.2% last year, increasing from 336 million euros ($393 million) to 397 million euros ($465 million).

For St. Michaelis, "Luminiscence" will use advanced 360-degree projection technology, clever lighting effects, original music, live singing, and organ music.
It will include a group of conductors, organists, and a local choir. The performance will feature singer Lucia Duchoňová and organists Magne H. Draagen and Paul Fasang.

Ingrid Langheld, CEO of Banijay Germany Live, said: "Luminiscence has shown it can attract people from different cultures.
It uses technology and music to bring history to life. Its growth in Germany shows how much people like the creative idea from Lotchi and how skilled our team is at making large-scale events. Bringing Luminiscence to St. Michaelis is a big step in our German journey and shows how working together can help businesses grow and change."

Alexander Röder, senior pastor at St. Michaelis, said: "This project shows our bright and airy Baroque church in a new way and brings the church's rich history to life with light, music, and storytelling.
"

François de Brugada, CEO of Banijay Live, added: "When Lotchi joined Banijay Live, Luminiscence had already worked in four French cathedrals.
One year later, the show is running across Europe, the U.K., the U.S., and Brazil. This success is thanks to Banijay Entertainment's strong network of local talent. St. Michaelis in Hamburg is another excellent match between Luminiscence's bold creative and technical vision and the great local skills of Banijay Germany."

Luminiscence at St. Michaelis is produced by Banijay Germany Live and Cape Cross.

‘House of the Dragon’ Season 3 Gets a June Premiere Date, New Teaser

"House of the Dragon" Season 3 is set to start on HBO on June 21.

Earlier, it was already known that the series would come back in June.

 But on Monday, the network officially announced the exact date for the return. HBO also shared a new teaser trailer for the upcoming season.

In this new teaser, Daemon Targaryen (played by Matt Smith) says, "You now have a power no man has ever wielded.

 You will have an empire unassailable, Rhaenyra. And our children will rule it forever and a day." 

The trailer then shows the Targaryens and Alicent Hightower's (played by Olivia Cooke) forces getting ready for war.

Michael’ Now on Course to Near $90 Million in Record-Smashing Domestic Opening

This method has the function of serving as a history-making moon walk, Antoine Fuqua's Michael Jackson biopic is now on course to launch light-years ahead of expectations at the domestic box office with a debut approaching $90 million.

Michael looks to earn $37 million to $38 million on Friday alone for a projected three-day opening of $88 million or more.

 A milestone victory for Lionsgate, according to those with access to grosses, the pic could easily clear $180 million in its debut, considering Jackson is an even bigger draw overseas, where Michael is likewise off to a record start (Universal is handling the film internationally).

Heading into the weekend, Michael was tracking to open in the $65 million-$70 million range domestically, which would have already been enough to boast the biggest opening of all time for a music biopic, not adjusted for inflation.

 The current record-holder is Universal's Straight Outta Compton ($60.1 million) followed by Fox's Freddie Mercury biopic Bohemian Rhapsody ($55 million).

An inkling of Michael's true potential was revealed when the film earned $12.6 million in Wednesday and Thursday previews, on par with 2026 box office hit Hail Project Mary, and ahead of such event pics including Dune: Part II and Oppenheimer, which both reported preview grosses in the $10 million range.

The big unknown was how front-loaded Michael would be.

 At the same time, it was clear moviegoers were over-the-moon for the film, which boasts a coveted 96 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

On Thursday, headlines focused on Michael's worrisome RT critics' score, which bounced between 29 percent and 33 percent.

 Many of the reviews seemingly took issue with the fact that producer Graham King, along with Lionsgate, had decided to end the movie before Jackson became engulfed in allegations of child sexual abuse (the Jackson estate backed the project). The film's initial budget of $155 million came in closer to $200 million after tens of millions were spent on additional photography to make that decision a reality.

"Fuqua and screenwriter John Logan don't exactly break the mold with Michael, nor do they stuff it with major revelations.

 But they tap into a vein of melancholy underlaying the stratospheric success that's surprisingly affecting," THR chief film critic David Rooney writes in its review. "The online mob will be sharpening their pitchforks given the movie's failure to address the accusations of child sexual abuse that tarnished Michael Jackson's legacy. But the filmmakers get around that by focusing on his early career, ending with the 1988 Bad World Tour concert in London, years before allegations first surfaced. The epilogue card reading 'His story continues' does some heavy lifting."

By Thursday night, the critics' score had risen to 40 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

 While that's far from ideal, strong audience exits are more than making up for it.

When Michael first came on tracking three weeks ago, the domestic opening range was $55 million to $60 million.

 While still a great number, the subsequent spike signals that Michael may be benefiting from the nostalgia factor that is inspiring infrequent moviegoers to return to the multiplex in droves for the first time since the pandemic, or sparking interest among the most avid moviegoing demo, Gen Zers.

Overseas, Michael is opening in 82 markets, excluding Japan.

 It unfurled in most key markets on Wednesday, earning $16.6 million for a running total of $18.5 million, including previews.

International Wednesday highlights included:

France ($2.6 million): Biggest opening day ever for a biopic, coming in well above the Wednesday openings of both Oppenheimer and Bohemian Rhapsody.

U.K. & Ireland ($2.6 million): Biggest opening day for a musical biopic of all time, ahead of the Wednesday opening of Bohemian Rhapsody and well above the Friday openings of Elvis and Rocketman.

Italy ($1.3 million): Biggest opening day ever for a musical biopic, above Bohemian Rhapsody.

Australia ($1 million): Biggest opening day for a musical biopic ever, beating Elvis.

Brazil ($651,000): Michael added another $651,000 in previews for a running total of $2 million.

 The combined preview result represents the biggest ever for a non-superhero, non-franchise film in the market. It continues to rank No. 1, with a 68 percent market share.