The worldwide box-office hopped aboard Brad Pitt’s blockbuster express as Columbia Pictures’ action-thriller Bullet Train revved up $62.5M in its opening weekend to capture the No.1 spot globally (US and international) for the August 3 to 7 frame. The UK led all 57 markets with a 5-day total of $3.5M, followed by France with $3.1M. Mexico delivered $3.0M with a Wednesday start, and Australia launched with $2.2M. In the Middle East, Saudi Arabia took in $1.9M, and UAE pulled in $1.3M. Germany bowed at $1.5M while Spain debuted to $1.4M. Taiwan logged $1.3M over 5 days. The film also broke the record...

When Leitch first approached the prospect of directing Bullet Train, he admits that one of the biggest challenges would be how to create a compelling feature-length action film set in one contained environment. “As David was considering it, he thought, ‘How am I going to do action? The train is such a small space,’” says McCormick. “And I said, ‘Isn’t that an opportunity?’ That’s how we like to look at things – turning problems into opportunities.” “The problem is we’re on a train, but the opportunity is we’re on a train,” Leitch explains. “When you confront yourself with problems, when...

L A D Y B U G   Ladybug is an intuitive and skilled but burnt-out operative whose string of bad luck has taken its toll on him. Cajoled into taking what sounds like an easy pick-up job, he unwittingly stumbles into a vipers nest of the most notorious elite assassins in the game.    “You may think Brad Pitt and not necessarily think comedy, but he’s a very smart comedic actor who makes great choices with his physicality and delivery,” says Leitch. “More importantly, Brad plays Ladybug in a way where you do care about him.  He thinks he’s...

Emmy-nominated filmmaker Jessica M. Thompson directs Columbia Pictures’ new horror thriller The Invitation starring Nathalie Emmanuel (Game of Thrones, Fast & Furious 7 & 8). Thompson made her feature writer-directorial debut with The Light of the Moon, which won the Audience Award for Best Narrative Film at SXSW. The film holds a 97% Rotten Tomatoes score, with critics calling it "harrowingly effective" (Variety), "honest and complex" (The Hollywood Reporter), and Film Inquiry stated that "for any filmmaker this would be an unmitigated triumph, but for a first-time filmmaker this is revelatory." The Invitation gave Thompson the chance to work in the horror genre which...

Filipino folk-pop collective Ben&Ben and Indonesian singer-songwriter Pamungkas are teaming up for a two-part music collaboration slated to drop soon. The two music acts filmed a video in an undisclosed studio ahead of their show last August 6 (Saturday) at the 123 Block in Mandaluyong City, Philippines.  Pamungkas is currently headlining his own Southeast Asian tour to promote his fourth studio album, Birdy. His hit single “To The Bone” was a huge regional success, peaking at No. 5 on Spotify Philippines Top 50 chart last year. Ben&Ben is also set to conquer the international stage with their first North American...