Audiences hold back, even as more movie theaters open
Animated character Raya, voiced by Kelly Marie Tran, left, appears with Sisu the dragon in a scene from "Raya and the Last Dragon." (Disney+ via AP)Theaters reopening in New York City this weekend did not set the box office on fire. Walt Disney Animation's โ Raya and the Last Dragon โ earned an estimated $8.6 million from 2,045 locations in North America. AdWarner Bros. โTom & Jerry,โ which is available to stream free for HBO Max subscribers, brought in $6.6 million from 2,563 North American theaters in its second available weekend. Many areas in North America are not yet fully open, including Los Angeles, and most California counties, Washington D.C., and much of Canada.
New this week: 'Coming 2 America,' Camilo and a dragon movie
(ABC/Paramount+/Amazon via AP)Hereโs a collection curated by The Associated Pressโ entertainment journalists of whatโs arriving on TV, streaming services and music platforms this week. MOVIESโ Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are back in Queens as Prince Akeem and Semmi in โComing 2 America,โ the sequel to the 1988 film, which is now coming straight to your living room Friday on Amazon Prime Video. Set to becoming the King of Zamunda, Murphyโs character returns to the U.S. to find a son heโs never met. Adโ A more family friendly streaming option this week is the Walt Disney Co.โs computer animated โRaya and the Last Dragon,โ featuring the voices of โStar Warsโโ Kelly Marie Tran as Raya and Awkwafina as a dragon. The big-voiced Grammy-winning singer self-produced โBaby, Iโm Hollywood!โ โ which is a mix of soul music, piano ballads and funk sounds.
'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' Special Look: Is Rey Going to the Dark Side?
The new teaser opens with a retrospective on 40 years of Star Wars -- looking back at Luke and Leia, Yoda and Vader -- before cutting to the new footage: Lightsaber battles and planets being decimated, culminating in a final, ominous shot of a hooded Rey (Ridley) looking especially Sith-like as she unsheathes a dual-sided red lightsaber. But could Rey really be turning to the dark side? We see this battle in this character, and it was very fun to play and it will be very fun to watch." Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is in theaters on Dec. 20. RELATED CONTENT:J.J. Abrams Says Working on Final Installment of 'Skywalker' Trilogy Was 'Very Meaningful' (Exclusive)John Boyega Says Carrie Fisher's Scenes in 'The Rise of Skywalker' Are 'Respectful' to Her Legacy (Exclusive)'The Mandalorian' Trailer: First Look at Pedro Pascal in Live-Action 'Star Wars' Series