Richard Crouse's weekend watch list
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CTV News
an hour 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
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Film critic Richard Crouse chats about the movies of the week
Watch From 'Fantastic Four' to 'Oh, Hi!', Film critic Richard Crouse shares his thoughts about the movies released this week in theatres.
CTV News
5 hours ago
- CTV News
The appeal of the blind box experience, explained
Pop Mart's latest line of Labubu, Big Into Energy, is a popular blind box toy sold by the Chinese retailer. Pop-up events selling the toy have shown up, like at Ocha Boba, in Edmonton on July 24, 2025. (Adrienne Lee/CTV News Edmonton) The hunt is on for a piece of treasure, hidden away under layers of colourful packaging to deliver a mystery – and people are buying into the blind box experience. Shoppers who purchase a blind box don't know what item they will exactly get inside. 'Everyone's buying,' 203 Collectibles store owner Steven Phu said at the KDays expo on Thursday morning. Phu said he originally brought 30 boxes with him to his vendor booth at the fair grounds. It was all snatched up in less than two days. 'We don't have any left. We had to bring extra from the store and those are all gone, too.' The hobby store owner said he was unprepared for the demand at the carnival, but he has noticed a surge in interest for the mystery toy items, especially with brands like Pop Mart's Labubu. 'In March, that's when they started becoming popular and then it completely exploded over the summer,' Phu said, adding the fuel has been lit by social media and influencers buying full sets to unbox online. 203 Collectibles had a booth at KDays in Edmonton 203 Collectibles sold out of their blind boxes in less than two days at their vendor's booth at KDays in Edmonton. Store owner Steven Phu spoke with CTV News Edmonton on July 24, 2025. (Dave Mitchell/CTV News Edmonton) Heather Thomson, VP of economy and engagement at the Edmonton Chamber of Commerce, attributes the surge in interest with marketing toward our 'primal root of nesting' and our nature to want something that's hard to find. 'Large retail chains spend a lot of time and effort ensuring that people are experiencing the hunt,' she said. 'There's a scarcity angle there and consumers really like that.' 'We can see that, not just from the data, but from the dollars being earned by a lot of these different retailers.' This image provided by Pop Mart, shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. (Pop Mart via AP) This image provided by Pop Mart, shows Labubu, the plush toy from China's Pop Mart. (Pop Mart via AP) Pop Mart, the Chinese toy company that partnered with artist Kasing Lung to bring Labubu to life as a plush bag charm sold in the blind-box format, is one retailer cashing in. According to the company's annual report, Pop Mart's revenue more than doubled in 2024 to 13.04 billion yuan (US$1.81 billion). There are variations of the Labubu, but all come in a blind box, which means the buyer doesn't know which one of the pointy-toothed monsters they will get. Throw in the chances of finding a secret one that is in limited production and it becomes even more of a hunt. 'I think people want to feel like they're winning,' Thomson said. 'They want to feel like they won through a purchase whether that's Black Friday and someone gets a great deal, or it's the one Christmas tree at Costco left in August … you just want to be able to be part of purchasing something that you feel is good value for your money.' She added that packaging plays into the 'entertainment' of blind boxes. 'If the packaging is beautiful, that really increases the value of whatever that mystery is and people will spend more money on it.' 203 Collectibles has a shop in Mill Woods Town Centre in south Edmonton, but they recently brought blind boxes to sell at a pop-up event last week at a local cafe. Phu said the event brings groups of people together to enjoy unravelling the mystery at the same time. 'You each get a blind box, each get a drink, sit there, you sip, and you just rip open the bag.' He added that there are a lot of variety of blind boxes now from anime to unique characters. But most people keep buying for a specific character. 'People want the secret rare one and I think that's what the appeal is,' Phu explained. Pop Mart Labubu bag charm Steven Phu, 203 Collectibles store owner, wears a Labubu plush charm on his bag. The vendor said the demand is high for blind boxes and they sold out of their inventory at KDays in Edmonton on July 24, 2025. (Dave Mitchell/CTV News Edmonton) That's where price point comes into play with repeat purchases and trends, according to Thomson. 'It's a mini form of gambling and some people have a higher tolerance for that based on their economic circumstances, and some people have no tolerance for that,' Thomson said, adding you will see a bigger pool of people willing to risk $15 versus $50 on an unknown item. And while toy trends come and go, there is some basic marketing with blind boxes that will not. 'The thing that is going to remain is this notion for the consumer to feel like they're getting in on the fun – they want the mystery, they want the hunt, they want the exclusivity – those principles are not going away.' With files from CTV News Edmonton's Alex Antoneshyn, Dave Mitchell and
