Star Wars: The Last Jedi Box Office Explodes to $450 Million Worldwide!

Star Wars: The Last Jedi box office explodes to $450 million worldwide!

Walt Disney Pictures and Lucasfilm‘s Star Wars: The Last Jedi exploded to a global opening of $450 million! The film entered the record books with an estimated domestic opening of $220 million to become the No. 1 debut of 2017 and the No. 2 debut of all time behind only Star Wars: The Force Awakens‘ $247.9 million. Internationally, excluding China (it opens there on January 5), Star Wars: The Last Jedi grossed $230 million from 54 markets.

The $450 million global debut ranks as the No. 5 opening of all time, behind only The Fate of the Furious (including China), Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Jurassic World (including China), and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2. The new Star Wars movie had a $40.6 million global IMAX debut from 776 screens, which is the second-best global debut ever in IMAX history (excluding China) after Star Wars: the Force Awakens.

Here’s the market breakdown so far: UK $36.7M; Germany $23.6M; France $18.1M; Australia $15.9M; Japan $14.4M; Russia $8.5M; Spain $8.3M; Brazil $7.2M; Italy $7.0M; Mexico $7.0M; Sweden $6.0M; and Korea $5.1M.

Like Star Wars: The Force Awakens and Rogue One, Star Wars: The Last Jedi received an A CinemaScore from audiences, which should mean a healthy road ahead for the film’s box office.

Timaya; Singer might just win a Grammy in 2018

Timaya is on his way to making history at the Grammy Awards.

The Nigerian dancehall act featured alongside Stonebwoy, Chubb Rock, Stylo G, Bunji Garlin, Dre Zion & Jaheil on Morgan Heritage’s new “Avrekedabra” album.

“Avrekedabra” was nominated for the Best Reggae album award and will come up against “Chronology” by Chronixx, “Lost In Paradise” by Common Kings, “Wash House Ting” by J Boog and “Stony Hill” by Damian “Jr. Gong” Marley.

If the album wins in its category at the 60th Grammy Awards which holds on January 28, 2018, Timaya will be the first Nigerian-based act with a Grammy.

Video Legendury Beatz - 'Sori Re' ft Simi

Video via youtubeSimi walks through the streets of Lagos in this new video.
Off their "AfroPop 101" EP, producer group Legendury Beatz release the visuals to standout track 'Sori re', featuring Simi.

FG is broke – Minister says

The minister for information and culture, Lai Mohammed has said that the Federal Government lacks the funds to implement capital votes in the 2017 budget.

The minister said this on Tuesday, December 12, 2017, while defending the 2018 budget at the Senate, Tribune Online reports.

Mohammed said “it is not that government is deliberately withholding releases to fund the 2017 budget or starving us. It is because we do not have enough money to do that.

“When budgets are made, they are made based on certain assumptions and if you are not able to get enough to meet your assumptions, there will be poor release.

“At least, there is an improvement in different sectors like the Nigeria Customs Service, while the price of crude oil is getting better. There is also more peace in the Niger Delta. So we can produce more.”

Arsenal thrash BATE, Marseille qualify

Jack Wilshere starred as Arsenal romped to a 6-0 thrashing of BATE Borisov at a half-empty Emirates Stadium in their final Europa League group game on Thursday, while Marseille booked their place in the last 32.

Arsene Wenger made 11 changes to the team that were beaten by Manchester United at the weekend, but the Frenchman's second string put in promising displays to give him a 700th win as Arsenal manager.

After injury-plagued Mathieu Debuchy started the rout in the 11th minute by drilling home his first goal for 1 082 days and Theo Walcott tapped in, two minutes before the break Wilshere ended his Arsenal goal drought that dated back to the final day of the 2014-15 Premier League season.

A Denis Polyakov own goal made it four early in the second period, before Olivier Giroud scored his sixth goal this term from the penalty spot and Mohamed Elneny completed the rout with 16 minutes left.

"It's a bit of a relief (that I scored). It's one of those games – it didn't mean anything because we had topped the group," Wilshere told BT Sport.

"It's one of those games you need to be in the right mind – we enjoyed it. We're happy to go into the next round. All we can do when we get our opportunity is give the manager a headache."

Arsenal finished four points clear of Red Star Belgrade at the top of Group H, as the Serbs joined them in the knockout stage with 1-0 win over struggling Bundesliga outfit Cologne.

Cologne, still waiting for a first Bundesliga win of the season, only needed a draw in Serbia to qualify after beating Arsenal last time out, but a Slavoljub Srnic goal sent their season from bad to worse.

French side Marseille sealed their spot in Monday's draw with a 0-0 draw against Salzburg to join the Austrians in progressing from Group I.

Rudi Garcia's Ligue 1 team moved into the last 32 for the second straight season.

Atalanta, coming off the back of a stunning 5-1 win at Everton a fortnight ago, edged out in-form Lyon 1-0 to finish top of Group E as Andrea Petagna scored his fourth goal of the season in the 10th minute.

Lyon could now be drawn to face one of the eight sides slipping down from the Champions League in the last 32, including Atletico Madrid and Napoli.

The Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Trailer is Here!

Universal Pictures has released the first trailer for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, featuring the return of Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard

With all of the wonder, adventure and thrills synonymous with one of the most popular and successful franchises in cinema history, this all-new motion-picture event sees the return of favorite characters and dinosaurs—along with new breeds more awe-inspiring and terrifying than ever before. Welcome to Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.

Stars Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard return alongside executive producers Steven Spielberg and Colin Trevorrow for Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment’s Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. Pratt and Howard are joined by co-stars James Cromwell, Ted Levine, Justice Smith, Geraldine Chaplin, Daniella Pineda, Toby Jones, Rafe Spall, while BD Wong and Jeff Goldblum reprise their roles.

Directed by J.A. Bayona (The Impossible), the epic action-adventure is written by Jurassic World’s director, Trevorrow, and its co-writer, Derek Connolly. Producers Frank Marshall and Pat Crowley once again partner with Spielberg and Trevorrow in leading the team of filmmakers for this stunning installment. Belén Atienza joins the team as a producer.

Check out the Fallen Kingdom trailer below!
Jurassic World Trailer via Youtube

Diezani Ex-Minister loses 2 Lagos properties valued at $4.8m to FG

The federal high court sitting in Lagos ordered the temporary forfeiture of two penthouses which are linked to the ex-minister.

Diezani Alison-Madueke, former minister of petroleum resources has lost two of her prized properties situated in Lagos to a court order.

According to a report by TheCable, the federal high court sitting in Lagos ordered the temporary forfeiture of two penthouses which are linked to the ex-minister.

The properties, located in Lagos, are said to be valued at $4.760 million.

At its sitting on Tuesday, Mojisola Olatoregun, the presiding judge, ordered that the two properties be temporarily forfeited to the federal government pending investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)

President says he's confident of winning reelection

President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed his confidence of winning another election while speaking to a crowd of supporters in Kano State on Wednesday, December 6, 2017.

The president made the comment while he was visiting the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, at his palace as part of his 2-day visit to the state.

While addressing the crowd, the president noted that the reception fills him with the confidence that he could win another election.

"I am overwhelmed by the sea of people I see, and by what I see today, if elections are contested I will no doubt win it," he said.

Courtney B. Vance Joins Julia Roberts in Ben is Back

Courtney B. Vance joins Julia Roberts in Ben is Back

Emmy Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Courtney B. Vance (The People vs. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story) has joined Academy Award winner Julia Roberts, Academy Award nominee Lucas Hedges, and Kathryn Newton in the film Ben is Back, which was written and will be directed by Academy Award nominee Peter Hedges. Color Force and Black Bear Pictures are producing alongside Hedges, with 30WEST and Black Bear fully financing. Principal photography began today in New York.

‘Critics should be careful with Ronaldo’

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane warned Cristiano Ronaldo's critics not to write off the Portuguese, who is expected to pick up his fifth Ballon d'Or this week.

Ronaldo has scored just twice in 10 La Liga matches this season as a stumbling start by Madrid has left them eight points adrift of leaders Barcelona.

However, Ronaldo leads the goalscoring charts in the Champions League with eight in five games and Zidane expects that form to soon return on league duty.

"He is so good that when things don't go as he is used to then people start to talk about him," Zidane said on Tuesday ahead of Real's Champions League dead rubber against Borussia Dortmund.

"He will keep trying until the goals come. Not long ago, only last year, he had a phenomenal season.

"There is a long way to go, we are only nearly halfway though the season. Be careful with Cristiano."

With Karim Benzema also failing to find the net regularly, a lack of goals has blighted Real's season so far.

Until September, Zidane's men had scored in 73 straight games.

However, they have now drawn blanks in three of their last nine La Liga outings against Real Betis, Atletico Madrid and on Saturday in a 0-0 stalemate at Athletic Bilbao.

Zidane, though, rejected widespread suggestions, most recently from Valencia coach Marcelino Garcia Toral, that Madrid's squad is poorer this season for the loss of Alvaro Morata, James Rodriguez and Pepe in the off-season.

"It is true that we need to score more goals because, being eight points behind in La Liga, the situation isn't ideal," added Zidane.

"But I am calm because I know that sooner or later that will change. No matter what people on the outside say, possibly they aren't seeing what I am.

"We also can't forget what this team has achieved. I certainly haven't."

With Madrid already assured of second place in Group H behind Tottenham Hotspur, Zidane is expected to heavily rotate his side against Dortmund ahead of a busy end to the year for Real.

The European champions host Sevilla on Saturday before jetting off to Abu Dhabi for the Club World Cup and then face Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on December 23