A New Generation of Elvis Tribute Artists Compete in the King’s Hometown

The summer box office has seen an unlikely champion as the comedy "Scary Movie" surged to the top spot, raking in an estimated $55 million over the weekend. This success is particularly notable given the genre's recent struggles in theaters and the film's relatively modest $30 million budget.

The return of the Wayans brothers to the franchise, which they co-wrote, has resulted in a franchise-best global launch of $105.5 million. "Scary Movie" even surpassed its satirical target, the "Scream" franchise, which debuted with $97 million worldwide earlier this year. This performance is considered a significant comeback, especially after the previous installment's performance in 2013.

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This is an outstanding opening for a comedy sequel this far into the series.

In stark contrast, the sword and sorcery action-adventure "Masters of the Universe," based on the 1980s animated series and Mattel toys, failed to meet expectations. Despite a hefty production cost of nearly $200 million, the film opened with a disappointing $29.3 million domestically and an additional $25 million internationally. This underperformance positions it as a potential flop for Mattel Studios, especially following the massive success of "Barbie."

Adding to the box office narrative, A24's horror hit "Backrooms," a low-budget film based on a YouTube series, continued its strong run, grossing $25.9 million in its second weekend. It has now become A24's highest-grossing film ever with $212 million worldwide. Focus Features' "Obsession" also performed steadily, earning $25.6 million in its fourth weekend.

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It’s a huge bounceback after the last episode crashed in 2013 when Anna Faris and Regina Hall were excluded.