Latest news with #StarWars:TheRiseofSkywalker
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside Britain's ‘plane graveyard' filled with 1,400 jets that's used for Hollywood films, Doctor Who & SAS training
AN EERIE plane graveyard in the UK houses more than 1,400 jets that have been used in Hollywood films, Doctor Who and SAS training. The private airfield in Gloucestershire is where jumbo jets from around the world are ditched. Advertisement 4 There's a plane graveyard in Gloucestershire where jumbo jets from around the globe are ditched Credit: Alamy 4 Many of the planes have starred in blockbuster movies and TV series Credit: AFP 4 Mark Gregory's Air Salvage International (ASI) has been disassembling and recycling aircraft for decades Credit: Alamy Mark Gregory's Air Salvage International (ASI) has been chopping, disassembling and recycling planes at the airfield, which sits just two miles from Kemble, for 30 years. In the early 90s, Mark bought his first plane with his redundancy money and spent six months breaking it down into sellable parts. More than 1,400 aircraft later his business is thriving, employing dozens of people to handle growing demand from an expanding aviation industry. Many plane owners send their ageing aircraft to Mark as a commercial jet's MOT costs a whopping £1 million. Advertisement Read more News Mark can sometimes salvage as much as £12 million from them in reusable parts or recyclable materials. But the business doesn't stop there. ASI provides dramatic training scenarios for organisations such as the SAS to help them practice plane-related emergencies. In one mock situation, Mark and his team crushed a van with a plane fuselage as special forces dealt with hijackers and "injured" passengers on board. Advertisement Most read in The Sun The jets have also starred on the big screen. An array of films have been shot at ASI including The Fast and the Furious 6, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mission Impossible and Batman. Four dead after medical jet 'corkscrewed in air & nosedived into ground' at Southend Airport You may also recognise it from small-screen appearances such as The One Show, Casualty and Doctor Who. So the next time you spot a dramatic plane disaster or runway scene on the tele, you may spot the Gloucestershire countryside in the background. Advertisement Many of the firms who send their jets to ASI know what they want back with demand lists that can stretch to 2,000 parts from a single plane. Other aircraft meet a different fate - one big chunk of fuselage was even used for The Swarm rollercoaster at And aviation buffs use pieces to decorate their homes. Through ASI's sister site, you can purchase a pilot's seat for £6,000 or small sections of fuselage with a window up for grabs for £150. Advertisement Cash-stuffed wallets have been found in seat pockets too but most of these find their way back to the owners. On another occasion 15 years ago a large stash of cocaine was found behind some panelling in the rear toilets. "Needless to say, we informed the authorities, police and boarder and they removed," Mark explained. "After the investigation, it was found that the value was fairly high and it would look like the contraband was being smuggled into Europe by a person who must of hidden this rather than getting caught taking it through customs." Advertisement Mark's team are also sometimes called to aviation crash sites. Their expertise in breaking aircraft down makes it useful when it comes to identifying remains and helping determine what went wrong. The team were part of the investigation into the Afriqiyah Airways crash in Tripoli, Libya, in 2010, which killed 104 people. But while flogging off bits of jumbo jet can sometimes fetch millions, Mark can't bear to part with certain flying machines that come his way. Advertisement This includes a VIP-fitted Boeing 727 that was once part of Saddam Hussein's fleet after he instructed Iraqi Airways to steal all of Kuwait Airways' planes during its 1990 invasion of the country. It was kitted out with plush velour seats with extendable footrests and cutting-edge JVC TVs built into mahogany walls. Before the Iraqi forces took over the Kuwaiti fleet, the Kuwaiti family used the plane to jet-set around the globe. The Emir would even sit on a specially constructed throne, using radio equipment to issue commands to his staff from 30,000 feet.# Advertisement Mark's plane graveyard isn't the only in the UK either. Left behind were iconic 4 ASI also provides dramatic training scenarios for organisations such as the SAS Credit: Alamy Advertisement
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside Britain's ‘plane graveyard' filled with 1,400 jets that's used for Hollywood films, Doctor Who & SAS training
The jets are stripped and sold for millions PLANE TO SEE Inside Britain's 'plane graveyard' filled with 1,400 jets that's used for Hollywood films, Doctor Who & SAS training Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) AN EERIE plane graveyard in the UK houses more than 1,400 jets that have been used in Hollywood films, Doctor Who and SAS training. The private airfield in Gloucestershire is where jumbo jets from around the world are ditched. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 There's a plane graveyard in Gloucestershire where jumbo jets from around the globe are ditched Credit: Alamy 4 Many of the planes have starred in blockbuster movies and TV series Credit: AFP 4 Mark Gregory's Air Salvage International (ASI) has been disassembling and recycling aircraft for decades Credit: Alamy Mark Gregory's Air Salvage International (ASI) has been chopping, disassembling and recycling planes at the airfield, which sits just two miles from Kemble, for 30 years. In the early 90s, Mark bought his first plane with his redundancy money and spent six months breaking it down into sellable parts. More than 1,400 aircraft later his business is thriving, employing dozens of people to handle growing demand from an expanding aviation industry. Many plane owners send their ageing aircraft to Mark as a commercial jet's MOT costs a whopping £1 million. Mark can sometimes salvage as much as £12 million from them in reusable parts or recyclable materials. But the business doesn't stop there. ASI provides dramatic training scenarios for organisations such as the SAS to help them practice plane-related emergencies. In one mock situation, Mark and his team crushed a van with a plane fuselage as special forces dealt with hijackers and "injured" passengers on board. The jets have also starred on the big screen. An array of films have been shot at ASI including The Fast and the Furious 6, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mission Impossible and Batman. Four dead after medical jet 'corkscrewed in air & nosedived into ground' at Southend Airport You may also recognise it from small-screen appearances such as The One Show, Casualty and Doctor Who. So the next time you spot a dramatic plane disaster or runway scene on the tele, you may spot the Gloucestershire countryside in the background. Many of the firms who send their jets to ASI know what they want back with demand lists that can stretch to 2,000 parts from a single plane. Other aircraft meet a different fate - one big chunk of fuselage was even used for The Swarm rollercoaster at Thorpe Park. And aviation buffs use pieces to decorate their homes. Through ASI's sister site, you can purchase a pilot's seat for £6,000 or small sections of fuselage with a window up for grabs for £150. Cash-stuffed wallets have been found in seat pockets too but most of these find their way back to the owners. On another occasion 15 years ago a large stash of cocaine was found behind some panelling in the rear toilets. "Needless to say, we informed the authorities, police and boarder and they removed," Mark explained. "After the investigation, it was found that the value was fairly high and it would look like the contraband was being smuggled into Europe by a person who must of hidden this rather than getting caught taking it through customs." Mark's team are also sometimes called to aviation crash sites. Their expertise in breaking aircraft down makes it useful when it comes to identifying remains and helping determine what went wrong. The team were part of the investigation into the Afriqiyah Airways crash in Tripoli, Libya, in 2010, which killed 104 people. But while flogging off bits of jumbo jet can sometimes fetch millions, Mark can't bear to part with certain flying machines that come his way. This includes a VIP-fitted Boeing 727 that was once part of Saddam Hussein's fleet after he instructed Iraqi Airways to steal all of Kuwait Airways' planes during its 1990 invasion of the country. It was kitted out with plush velour seats with extendable footrests and cutting-edge JVC TVs built into mahogany walls. Before the Iraqi forces took over the Kuwaiti fleet, the Kuwaiti family used the plane to jet-set around the globe. The Emir would even sit on a specially constructed throne, using radio equipment to issue commands to his staff from 30,000 feet.# Mark's plane graveyard isn't the only in the UK either. The Sun reported in May how an explorer had revealed the remnants of an abandoned ex-military plane field - including a rotting 1951 Hawker Hunter jet. Left behind were iconic British fighter jets that would've been used in wars dating back to as far as 1951.
Daily Mirror
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Inside the eerie UK 'plane graveyard' where jumbo jets from around the world are ditched
For the past 30 years, Mark Gregory's Air Salvage International (ASI) has been assessing, chopping up, disassembling, and recycling planes at the private airfield, which sits two miles from Kemble in Gloucestershire What connects Saddam Hussein, Tom Cruise and Doctor Who? Cotswolds Airport, of course. The mass murderer, the action star, and the BBC space drama have all starred, in their own way, at one of the most curious pieces of the aviation industry: the plane graveyard. For the past 30 years, Mark Gregory's Air Salvage International (ASI) has been assessing, chopping up, disassembling, and recycling planes at the private airfield, which sits two miles from Kemble in Gloucestershire. Armed with redundancy money in the early '90s, Mark bought his first plane and spent six months breaking it down into sellable bits. More than 1,400 aircraft later, the business is thriving and employs dozens of people to cope with the growing demand from the ever-expanding aviation industry. And there are big bucks at stake. The equivalent of a commercial jet's MOT costs around £1 million, which is why many plane owners decide to send their ageing aircraft to Mark instead. Sometimes as much as £12 million can be salvaged from them, either in reusable parts or recyclable materials. There are a few other strings to the business's bow, Mark explained as he took me on a tour around the facility. ASI puts on dramatic training scenarios for organisations including the SAS, helping them practise plane-related emergencies. One mock-up situation had Mark and his team crush a van with a plane fuselage, creating a tricky day out for the special forces, who also had to deal with hijackers and "injured" passengers on board. The airport and its jets are also movie stars. Countless films have been shot at ASI, including The Fast and the Furious 6, World War Z, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Mission: Impossible, and Batman. You may also recognise it from small-screen appearances on The One Show, Horizon, Inside Out, Terror in the Skies, Engineering Giants, Casualty and, of course, Doctor Who. Look closely the next time you see a dramatic plane disaster or runway scene on screen, and you might spot some suspiciously Gloucestershire countryside in the background — or even Mark's arms. When not making cash out of old planes or hammering away at the drum kit set up in his runway-side office, the ponytail-sporting scrap magnate can be partially seen on the silver screen, 'piloting' the Boeing 727 in its latest movie escapade. Although many of the firms that send their planes to ASI know exactly what they want back — a demand list that can stretch to 2,000 parts from a single jet — other aircraft meet less formulaic fates. One big chunk of fuselage ended up in the shadows of The Swarm rollercoaster at Thorpe Park. Others are sent out to aviation buffs who want to decorate their homes with various bits and pieces. Through ASI's sister site, you can buy a redundant pilot's seat for £6,000, or small sections of fuselage with a window for £150. The money raised is spent on the staff Christmas party. Seat pockets filled with cash-stuffed wallets also occasionally bolster the coffers, although most of these find their way back to their owners. Another offshoot of the business is crash site investigation. Although downed planes rarely make it to ASI due to the extent of the damage, members of Mark's team are occasionally called out to inspect the aftermath of major aviation tragedies. Their expertise in breaking aircraft down makes them particularly useful when it comes to identifying remains and helping determine what went wrong. They were part of the investigation into the Afriqiyah Airways crash in Tripoli, Libya, in 2010, which killed 104 people. While most of the firm's planes get broken down and flogged off — sometimes for £10 million for a single jet — Mark Gregory can't bear to give up certain flying machines that come his way. One such plane is a VIP-fitted Boeing 727 that was once part of Saddam Hussein's fleet, after he instructed Iraqi Airways to steal all of Kuwait Airways' planes during its 1990 invasion of the country. Mark loves the historical significance of the aircraft and its classic '80s interior. When owned by the Kuwaiti royal family, the 189-capacity jet was stripped of its standard bum-numbing plane seats and kitted out with enough chintzy furniture to fill a retirement village. We're talking plush velour seats with extendable footrests, cutting-edge JVC TVs built into mahogany walls, and glass vases filled with plastic roses next to still-unopened bottles of bubbly. Before Iraqi forces swooped in and took over the Kuwaiti fleet, Emir Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and other well-heeled royals used the plush plane to jet-set. On a patch of carpet now taken over by mould spores, the Emir would sit in a specially constructed throne, using radio equipment to issue commands to his staff from 30,000 feet.
Miami Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
Regal makes a clever move to compete with AMC
While going to the movies will likely always be an activity people enjoy, tearing people away from Netflix and actually getting them to the theater has been a challenge ever since the pandemic. Before Covid hit the U.S., the movie industry sold well over a million tickets a year. This was when a movie ticket still cost less than $10, which seems like a steal compared to today's prices. Don't miss the move: Subscribe to TheStreet's free daily newsletter But something happened during Covid. As people coped with their fears about the pandemic and were forced to stay home, they connected more deeply than ever to streaming content. It was nice to simply enjoy movies in your pajamas - and it cost a lot less than paying for overpriced drinks and popcorn at the concession counter. Related: AMC hopes bold new offers will get customers back into theaters So despite people flooding out into the world again once vaccines became available and stay-home mandates were removed, the movie industry wasn't able to regain its footing in quite the same way. While tickets sold have slowly increased over time, movie theater giants like AMC and Regal have had to come up with new ways to entice people to come back. Now Regal's made its latest move, and it's a clever one. AMC was first to start the saga of the collectible popcorn bucket with its R2D2 combo popcorn and drink vessel, which it debuted in 2019 to accompany "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker." At $49.99, it was a pricey buy, but when they sold out within 48 hours, AMC realized there was customer demand. Then in February 2024, the company debuted a "Dune: Part Two" bucket modeled on the mouth of the sandworms from the film. It went viral, and the true war of the popcorn buckets began. AMC reported that it made a mindblowing $65 million in revenue from the sales of movie-themed merchandise alone, and soon enough, all its competitors were getting in on the craze, trying to outdo one another with even wilder designs. Related: Regal, AMC make a genius move to get people to the theater Now you can find dedicated popcorn bucket pages on Cinemark, AMC, and Regal, as the companies duke it out over who has the best designs. Regal may have won that battle with its latest offering. By now, many of you have likely seen the trailer for the reboot of '80s comedy classic "The Naked Gun," which hits theaters August 1. To accompany the release of the new film, Regal has announced a popcorn bucket in the shape of a beaver, which is truly a joke aimed at the fans of the original film. It riffs on the scene when Lieutenant Frank Drebin (Leslie Nielsen) meets Jane Spencer (Priscilla Presley) and watches her climb a ladder, looks up her skirt, and says, "Nice beaver," to which Spencer replies by handing Drebin a taxidermied beaver and saying, "Thanks, I just got it stuffed." Since the new puns from the reboot have been limited to the ones shown in the trailer, opting for one of the old classics is a genius move - and one fans seem to like, if the Instagram comments on the bucket are any indication. "I just started watching the originals and now I need this," user cjseess wrote. Regal did not announce a price or a release date for the beaver bucket, but it's likely to be released alongside the movie. Related: Another popular movie theater chain files Chapter 11 bankruptcy The Arena Media Brands, LLC THESTREET is a registered trademark of TheStreet, Inc.
Yahoo
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Charlize Theron is turning 50 soon. The 'Old Guard 2' star can't wait.
Charlize Theron is staring down 50 in just about a month. And 50 should be scared. The Oscar-winning actress ("Monster"), who reprises her butt-kicking, comic-book inspired role of Andromache of Scythia, or Andy, in "The Old Guard 2" (streaming July 2 on Netflix), simply has no time for society's judgmental ageist critiques. As long as Charlize thinks Charlize is hot, all is well. "Listen," she says with a smile as she peppers her comments with expletives. "I wore fishnets last night because I felt awesome in them, and that's where I'm heading right now, it's like, I don't give a ..." well, you know what. "I have limited time left, and I'm going to do it up the way I want to do it up, and that's it," she says, contrasting her feelings today with half a lifetime ago when she felt her on-screen sexuality was her stock-in-trade. "I have no more time to pretend to live my life for other people." Join our Watch Party! Sign up to receive USA TODAY's movie and TV recommendations right in your inbox Not that Theron doesn't sizzle in "Old Guard 2," where she and a bevy of other seductive and powerful women − including Uma Thurman as Discord and KiKi Layne as Nile Freeman − battle immortal figures who are bent on humanity's destruction. A highlight and hallmark of the sequel is bringing together talented female actors under the direction of Victoria Mahoney, who made a name for herself as second-unit director on 2018's "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," a first for a woman on that series. "When I started my career, I never saw a woman in such positions," Theron says of Mahoney, adding that many of the producers and crew on "Old Guard 2" were women. "Early on as an actor, if I heard that Gwyneth (Paltrow) or Cameron (Diaz) or any of my generation got cast, I didn't even bother to look at the script again because I figured the one role was taken," she says. "We still have a long way to go. There are so many talented women, but so few opportunities. But that said, it feels better these days, more inclusive. It feels like you're not alone out there, that's the best way I can put it." Theron is a doting mom to daughters Jackson, 12, and August, 9. The girls, however, are not impressed by Theron's on-screen exploits; the actress told Jimmy Kimmel her kids were far more dazzled by Tom Cruise's "Mission: Impossible" stunts than her own in "Old Guard 2." Theron adopted the girls from South Africa, a country in which she continues to invest time and money. Just a few days ago, she hosted another block party to raise money for the Charlize Theron Africa Outreach Project, which helps community-based organizations that provide health, education and other support for young people in need. "Women in South Africa are facing femicide at a high rate and it's something nobody is talking about," Theron says. "So we do our small part, partnering with organizations in the trenches, coming up with answers and not waiting around for policy changes. And that's not a Black or white thing, we don't look at people's needs in that way. But it just so happens, though, that minorities of color are the others that usually fall between the cracks." Theron has a lot of irons in the fire. Her production companies, Denver and Delilah Productions (named after her dogs) and Secret Menu, are busy pursuing a range of projects with a particular focus on her favorite genre, documentaries. Secret Menu announced it would produce a new film on the Alexander brothers, real estate moguls who have been accused of serial sexual abuse. But she's also just wrapped filming another movie for Netflix that will find her buff and taking no guff. In "Apex," Theron plays a rock climber who loses her husband (played by Eric Bana) and goes to Australia to deal with her loss. "She heads into nature to let it beat her up a bit," Theron says. "She meets a man who looks like someone who can help her, but he turns out to be a serial killer (Taron Egerton) and he hunts her through the outback wilderness." Let's just say in Hollywood's not-so-distant past, 50-year-old women were not cast doing battle with serial killers. If Theron has her way, she will be entertaining us with such gritty turns well into her Social Security years. And it seems she's got her mother, Gerda, to thank for that. "My mom is − well, we're not 100% sure how old she is, she's from a small town in South Africa and the records were written in pencil, I think − but she's maybe 74 or 72," she says with a big laugh. "I told my mom that I was looking forward to 50, and she said, 'Oh, honey, it gets so much better when you hit your 70s.' So, yeah, I feel like I got lucky with good genes. I think life's going to be OK for me from here on out." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Charlize Theron, 'Old Guard 2' star, can't wait to turn 50
