logo
Taylor Swift gets lucky 13 Madame Tussauds statues

Taylor Swift gets lucky 13 Madame Tussauds statues

CTV News4 days ago
Taylor Swift arrives at the 67th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
LONDON, United Kingdom — U.S. pop megastar Taylor Swift will be honoured with 13 waxworks of her at Madame Tussauds venues around the globe, the museum said on Wednesday.
In honour of Swift's lucky number, 13 of the waxwork museum's 22 branches will each receive a statue of the 'Love Story' and 'Blank Space' singer, in what it called the 'most ambitious project' of its 250-year history.
The statues were inspired by some of the 35-year-old songwriting sensation's looks from her record-shattering 'Eras Tour' from 2023 to 2024.
With 149 shows across the world over nearly two years, the tour raked in US$2 billion, making it the most lucrative in music history to date.
More than 40 artists worked for more than a year on the statues of Swift, one of the most acclaimed artists of her generation with 14 Grammy Awards.
'This is the most ambitious project in Madame Tussauds' 250-year history, which only feels right to reflect the stratospheric status of Taylor Swift,' said Danielle Cullen, the museum's senior figure stylist.
U.K.-based Swifties are well served, with one waxwork slated for London and another for the northern seaside resort town of Blackpool.
Another 10 will find a permanent home at the branches of Madame Tussauds in Amsterdam, Berlin, Budapest, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Las Vegas, Nashville, New York, Orlando and Sydney.
The thirteenth statue, which will travel around the remaining museums, will begin its worldwide walkabout with a residency at Madame Tussauds Shanghai.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025
‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025

CTV News

time6 hours ago

  • CTV News

‘Fantastic Four: First Steps' scores Marvel's first $100 million box office opening of 2025

This image released by Disney shows Pedro Pascal in a scene from "The Fantastic Four: First Steps." (Marvel/Disney via AP) LOS ANGELES — Marvel's first family has finally found box office gold. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' the first film about the superheroes made under the guidance of Kevin Feige and the Walt Disney Co., earned $118 million in its first weekend in 4,125 North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. That makes it the fourth biggest opening of the year, behind 'A Minecraft Movie,' 'Lilo & Stitch' and 'Superman,' and the biggest Marvel opening since 'Deadpool & Wolverine' grossed $211 million out of the gate last summer. Internationally, 'Fantastic Four' made $100 million from 52 territories, adding up to a $218 million worldwide debut. The numbers were within the range the studio was expecting. The film arrived in the wake of another big superhero reboot, James Gunn's 'Superman,' which opened three weekends ago and has already crossed $500 million globally. That film, from the other main player in comic book films, DC Studios, took second place with $24.9 million domestically. 'First Steps' is the latest attempt at bringing the superhuman family to the big screen, following lackluster performances for other versions. The film, based on the original Marvel comics, is set during the 1960s in a retro-futuristic world led by the Fantastic Four, a family of astronauts-turned-superhuman from exposure to cosmic rays during a space mission. The family is made up of Reed Richards (Pedro Pascal), who can stretch his body to incredible lengths; Sue Storm (Vanessa Kirby), who can render herself invisible; Johnny Storm (Joseph Quinn), who transforms into a fiery human torch; and Ben Grimm (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), who possesses tremendous superhuman strength with his stone-like flesh. The movie takes place four years after the family gained powers, during which Reed's inventions have transformed technology, and Sue's diplomacy has led to global peace. Both audiences and critics responded positively to the film, which currently has an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and promising exit poll responses from opening weekend ticket buyers. An estimated 46 per cent of audiences chose to see it on premium screens, including IMAX and other large formats. The once towering Marvel is working to rebuild audience enthusiasm for its films and characters. Its two previous offerings this year did not reach the cosmic box office heights of 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' which made over $1.3 billion, or those of the 'Avengers'-era. But critically, the films have been on an upswing since the poorly reviewed 'Captain America: Brave New World,' which ultimately grossed $415 million worldwide. 'Thunderbolts,' which jumpstarted the summer movie season, was better received critically but financially is capping out at just over $382 million globally. Like Deadpool and Wolverine, the Fantastic Four characters had been under the banner of 20th Century Fox for years. The studio produced two critically loathed, but decently profitable attempts in the mid-2000s with future Captain America Chris Evans as the Human Torch. In 2015, it tried again (unsuccessfully) with Michael B. Jordan and Miles Teller. They got another chance after Disney's $71 billion acquisition of Fox's entertainment assets in 2019. Top 10 movies by domestic box office With final domestic figures being released Monday, this list factors in the estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Comscore: 1. 'The Fantastic Four: First Steps,' $118 million. 2. 'Superman,' $24.9 million. 3. 'Jurassic World Rebirth,' $13 million. 4. 'F1: The Movie,' $6.2 million. 5. 'Smurfs,' $5.4 million. 6. 'I Know What You Did Last Summer,' $5.1 million. 7. 'How to Train Your Dragon,' $2.8 million. 8. 'Eddington,' $1.7 million. 9. 'Saiyaara,' $1.3 million. 10. 'Oh, Hi!,' $1.1 million. Lindsey Bahr And Itzel Luna, The Associated Press

George Lucas finally comes to Comic-Con to give a preview of his new museum
George Lucas finally comes to Comic-Con to give a preview of his new museum

CTV News

time11 hours ago

  • CTV News

George Lucas finally comes to Comic-Con to give a preview of his new museum

George Lucas arrives for the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to Francis Ford Coppola on Saturday, April 26, 2025, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File) SAN DIEGO — George Lucas is finally coming to the stage at Comic-Con. And while 'Star Wars' is sure to get a mention, the 81-year-old is making his debut appearance at the San Diego pop cultural extravaganza for a more earthbound reason: a preview of his long-in-the-works Lucas Museum of Narrative Art in Los Angeles. The Sunday panel discussion in Comic-Con's vaunted Hall H will act as a relatively quiet closing act to the four-day festival that brought its usual series of big, bombastic looks at upcoming sci-fi and superhero projects. The museum-centered session is also meant to be a broader discussion of the new institution's subject matter: the histories and traditions of narrative art across time and cultures. Lucas will be joined by fellow filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro and art director Doug Chiang, who has worked on a steady series of 'Star Wars' films starting with the Lucas-directed prequels in 1999. Queen Latifah will act as moderator. Lucas is easily on the Mount Rushmore of figures whose work has had the greatest inspiration on the kind of films and other pop cultural celebrated annually in Hall H at Comic-Con. But the convention wasn't a common showcase for blockbuster films when he was directing them himself. And he sold 'Star Wars' and Lucasfilm to the Walt Disney Co. in 2012, and Disney has used different venues to make big splashy presentations about its properties. The museum founded by Lucas and his wife, businesswoman Mellody Hobson, is set to open next year in Exposition Park, near the Los Angeles Coliseum, several of the city's other museums, and the University of Southern California. The 11-acre campus and 300,000-square-foot building designed by architect Ma Yansong includes galleries, two theaters and related spaces. Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press

Staff for King Charles and Prince Harry met. Is a royal reconciliation in the air?
Staff for King Charles and Prince Harry met. Is a royal reconciliation in the air?

CBC

time15 hours ago

  • CBC

Staff for King Charles and Prince Harry met. Is a royal reconciliation in the air?

Hello, royal watchers. This is your regular dose of royal news and analysis. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this delivered to your inbox. After representatives of King Charles and Prince Harry were spotted chatting al fresco the other day, the meeting set off all manner of speculation over whether reconciliation might be in the air for the monarch and his younger son. Despite no official comment from anyone, the U.K. media quickly took to calling the get-together at a private London club that promotes international friendship a "peace summit" or "secret talks." As much as there was intense interest in even a hint of rapprochement between father and son, observers were also quick to note that there was no apparent representation at the meeting from Harry's elder brother and heir to the throne, Prince William. "There's a strong public interest in King Charles III, Prince William and Prince Harry in terms of this being a family saga," Toronto-based royal author and historian Carolyn Harris said in an interview. Many people have felt as though they watched William and Harry grieve the death of their mother, Diana, Princess of Wales, and grow up, Harris said. People have also seen the influence of both parents on some of the charitable causes the brothers championed. "And then when Prince Harry became estranged from his family when he wrote his memoirs, that attracted a great deal of comment," Harris said. "So I think there is interest in whether there is a way back for him on a personal level, whether he can reconcile — particularly with his father." Reconciling with William might prove more difficult. "William also fiercely protects the privacy of his family, and there were private moments that were shared in Prince Harry's memoirs, so it's possible the two brothers will never be able to reconcile," Harris said. Harry, who lives in California with his wife, Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and their two children, is expected to be back in the U.K. in September for charitable work and other engagements. Whether Harry and Charles will meet at that time is unknown — while Harry did make a quick trip back and had a short visit with Charles after his cancer diagnosis early in 2024, the father and son didn't meet when Harry was in London a few months later. Harry recently lost his legal challenge to the British government regarding his security arrangements in the U.K. after he stepped down from official royal duties. At the time of that ruling in May, he told the BBC he hoped for reconciliation with members of his family. Harry's return in September would come at a busy time for King Charles, ITV royal correspondent Chris Ship noted. "But most people might agree that the breakdown in the relationship between father and son is very sad, and if they could attempt to patch things up, given the King's ongoing cancer treatment, it would be best for both sides," Ship wrote. That there might be a meeting between senior staff of various members of the Royal Family is nothing new. "There's a long tradition of members of the Royal Family communicating through their offices," Harris said. That, however, has its advantages and disadvantages. "Everything's on record, and there can be a common narrative about what's been discussed and what's taken place," she said. "But we know from Prince Harry's own writing that he has been quite suspicious of some of the officials surrounding members of the Royal Family." Royal rifts — and reconciliations — are nothing new, but there are differences in the current saga. "What's unusual in this case is that it's a younger son in conflict with his reigning father, whereas if we go back in time historically ... often it's between the monarch and the heir to the throne," Harris said. "Often what fuelled these conflicts in the past was the heir to the throne wanting to have more independence and more autonomy, and if anything — in the case of King Charles III and Prince Harry — the conflict between the King and his younger son has brought the King and his heir closer together." There are other differences, too, Harris suggested. "This is a different kind of conflict in the 21st century where we're seeing a combination of official grievances in terms of security and the Royal Family's relationship with the press but also personal grievances in terms of how Prince Harry feels that he has been treated over time." Attempts now at reconciliation would make sense, Harris suggested, because when conflicts within the Royal Family fester, they can cast a long shadow. The abdication crisis surrounding King Edward VIII, who gave up the throne in 1936, is a "prime example" of that, she said. "Efforts at reconciliation between Prince Harry and his father at this time may be an effort to avoid the reign of the eventual King William V being overshadowed by a long-standing estrangement with Prince Harry." A Canadian on Camilla's reading list When the Royal Family posted a picture of Queen Camilla to social media as it thanked those who wished her a happy 78th birthday, a Canadian mystery writer's work was in the frame. The photo posted to Instagram and Facebook the other day shows Camilla — an avid reader — holding a copy of The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny. The royal nod came as a surprise to Penny, CBC Books reported. "I was floored when a friend in the U.K. forwarded me the photo," the author told CBC Books via email. "I knew she'd read the book, since she sent me a lovely note, but to see it in the birthday post was astonishing." Camilla's love of reading — and efforts to promote it — are well-known and came to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic, when people were unable to leave home. "Camilla was giving radio broadcasts about how she was spending time at home sharing her favourite books, [and] we see the efforts that would eventually develop into the Queen's Reading Room," Harris said. The Queen's Reading Room is a literary charity that undertakes various initiatives and events to support reading and literacy, along with providing reading lists and supporting authors. For Camilla, Harris suggested, reading is more than taking in a story from the written page. "It's not simply people taking the opportunity to read these books themselves but to come together in book clubs to discuss these books so there's a community-building effort here as well as promoting authors and reading." And maybe — just maybe — there was something else going on in the photo, too. Little happens by chance when it comes to photos the Royal Family chooses to post to social media, and this photo includes a Canadian author. Over the past six months or so, in the face of the repeated 51st state rhetoric from U.S. President Donald Trump, there have been subtle signals of support for Canada from the Royal Family. "In itself that Queen Camilla is reading Louise Penny, that's not necessarily a strong signal on its own," Harris said. "But when it's added to all of these other moments like King Charles III planting a maple tree or Michael Bublé being included in the list of Commonwealth songs that King Charles III publicized on Commonwealth Day, there's this emphasis on engaging with Canadian culture." That effort was on display during the whirlwind visit Charles and Camilla made to Ottawa in late May, Harris said. Penny herself was invited to Canada House in London and met the King there just before that visit a few weeks ago. "It was a very fun experience all around," she said in a post on Facebook. The 'honour and privilege' of a royal visit As Lt.-Col. Chris Michaud watched his regiment's colonel-in-chief greet its members, he couldn't help but be impressed. Michaud, the regiment's commanding officer, was at Prince Edward's side as the Duke of Edinburgh met members of the Prince Edward Island Regiment during his recent visit helping the regiment mark its 150th anniversary. "One of the biggest takeaways is how he engages with people. It's fascinating," Michaud said in an interview. He was with Edward as he met members at a royal regimental ball at a Charlottetown hotel. "He must have met 300 people that evening, and he took a moment to speak with each one, exchange a couple of questions with them and ... it was really interesting to see how somebody of such a stature [would] take the time to engage with each person they get an opportunity to meet," Michaud said. "As a leader, that's something you take away." Michaud had been prepared for a few nerves to kick in as he met Edward for the second time — he'd attended a regimental visit about a decade ago — but he found it got easier as the recent visit progressed through engagements with cadets, a stop at Abegweit First Nation, the ball, a regimental breakfast and a freedom of the city parade in Charlottetown. Still, Michaud did forget a couple of things — something that didn't go unnoticed by Edward. "From the dais, he's standing up there with a big smile, he goes: 'You forgot I was going to give remarks, didn't you?'" he recalled Edward saying. "It was just a sign of his sense of humour, too, that I got to see over those two-and-a-half days." The visit was a "huge honour and privilege," Michaud said. "To have a member of the Royal Family who is engaged and interested and is aware of their connections to Canada's military and Canada's military history as well — it's just a huge opportunity." During the visit, Prince Edward presented members of the regiment with custom-made wool blankets woven by MacAusland's Woollen Mills in Bloomfield, P.E.I. The striped blankets incorporate the regimental colours of black and gold and include a commemorative label. The gift was arranged by the Canadian Wool Council and the Campaign for Wool in Canada, a patronage of Edward's elder brother, King Charles. "Wool has always had a deep connection with the military," Matthew Rowe, CEO of both organizations, said in an interview. Planning for the commemorative blankets began several months ago and brought together several focuses for the Campaign for Wool. "Prince Edward Island is home to one of the last blanket mills in Canada that makes product in 100 per cent Canadian wool, and wouldn't it be wonderful to create something special for this anniversary," Rowe said. "We wanted something that was ... meaningful, but that was also tangible.... it's also practical, it's something that can speak to that moment and speak to that affiliation but that will be a treasured and functional heirloom going forward for the men and women of the regiment." Enough custom blankets were woven to ensure one for every serving member of the regiment, plus others. Prince Edward also received one. "It's just such a great way ... of celebrating a great Canadian manufacturer, a great Canadian product and showing how Canadian wool can keep us safe and warm in many different levels of interpretation," Rowe said. Prince Edward praises Canada's achievements in July 1 speech 26 days ago Prince Edward capped off a weeklong visit to Canada with a stop in Ottawa, where he gave a speech to Canada Day revellers at LeBreton Flats Park. 'Today is truly a celebration of you, your home and your land, strong and free,' he said to cheers from the crowd. Royally quotable "It's the best therapy in the world." — Queen Camilla, referring to gardening, during a visit to an annual flower show. Royal reads King Charles says the world needs to better respect and understand the Muslim faith at a time of fractured global relations. [ITV] A summit at King Charles's Highgrove estate that was a celebration of his philosophy of harmony with nature brought together representatives from Indigenous peoples, including from tribes in the Amazon, along with environmentalists, climate campaigners, organic farmers, herbalists, educators, crafts people and philanthropists. [BBC] Staying at Highgrove, King Charles's passion for gardening and nature is well-known, but it has emerged that his exacting standards may have ruffled more than a few feathers among staff. [Daily Mail] King Charles has invited U.S. President Donald Trump for an unprecedented second state visit in September, scheduling the trip for three days when Parliament is not sitting and removing the possibility of Trump addressing Parliament. [The Guardian] The changing fashions of the late Queen Elizabeth are to go on show in a major exhibition next year at Buckingham Palace. The exhibition, featuring items from her childhood through to the decades of her long reign, will coincide with the centenary of her birth. [BBC] A new photograph of Prince George has been issued by Kensington Palace to mark his 12th birthday. A short video of George, with his sister, Princess Charlotte, and brother, Prince Louis, was also posted to social media. [BBC] Prince Harry visited Angola to back the landmine charity supported by his late mother, Diana, Princess of Wales. [ITV] Swan numbers have begun to recover on the River Thames after a couple of years of worrying decline, according to an annual royal survey of swans. [BBC] WATCH | Prince Harry follows in the footsteps of his late mother: Prince Harry recreates Diana's landmine walk in Angola 10 days ago Prince Harry retraced his late mother's footsteps on Wednesday as he walked through an active landmine field in Angola to raise awareness for a charity working to clear explosives from old war zones. Princess Diana's advocacy and the images of her landmine walk in 1997 helped to mobilize support for a landmine ban treaty that was ratified later that year.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store