Your weekly bowl of entertainment chaos, served hot.
Resident Evil Devours the Box Office
Zach Cregger’s relaunch of the classic game series did not just open, it feasted. With its B+ CinemaScore and a 95-96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Cregger’s remake of Resident Evil broke through expectations with a franchise-best domestic debut of $60 million for the 24-year-old series. The movie, in which actor Austin Abrams starred as a medical courier who fights infected creatures in Raccoon City, earned strong marks from audiences and critics alike, making it the year’s best-reviewed horror title.
A sequel seems to be inevitable. Cregger’s last two films, Barbarian ($46 million on a sub-$5 million budget) and Weapons ($270 million worldwide) have both been hits. The $75 million production has already recouped almost half its cost in North America, and international receipts of $48.3 million have brought the global total to $108.3 million.
However, Practical Magic 2 did not have as much magic as Warner Bros. hoped. The reunion of Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock was not as effective as expected; it opened to a mediocre $28–$30 million, far below the $40 million or more the studio had hoped for, and received a miserable 37% rating from critics. A weak point in a poor year for the studio.
Rihanna’s Stage Return Sparks a Different Kind of Noise
It was at a concert by A$AP Rocky this week in Copenhagen, and it was not the grand return that was expected. The 38-year-old pop star appeared at the final night of his Don’t Be Dumb World Tour at the Royal Arena, holding her and Rocky’s 3-year-old son, Riot Rose, while he sang “Lord Pretty Flacko Jodye 2” through a megaphone.
The scene, in which he gave his mic to Riot to greet the crowd, was caught on camera by a fan and the footage went around the world. But the response was not so warm, and there was a flood of people on social media expressing concern for the child’s hearing in this high-decibel environment.
“A billionaire and millionaire couldn’t get soundproof headphones for their kid?!?” one commenter wrote.
Others criticized the decision more broadly: “STOP PUTTING YOUR SMALL CHILDREN ON STAGE! THEY ARE NOT PROPS! THEY NEED MORE EAR AND EYE PROTECTION THAN ADULTS!”
According to the Danish music outlet Soundvenue, this moment was a bright spot in an otherwise fairly average concert. Rocky’s voice was “far from the flawless rapper” of his recordings—but “his wife, Rihanna, delivered the concert’s most memorable moment.”
Carrot Top Hospitalized, Comedy Community Rallies
Comedian Carrot Top (Scott Thompson) was hospitalized in Las Vegas on Friday following an apparent suicide attempt, according to reports. The 61-year-old performer, known for his signature red hair and prop-heavy comedy, has been a fixture on the Vegas strip with a long-running residency at the Luxor.
His representative Jami Schlicher has stated that the performer is recovering in hospital, that he is receiving “the care and support he needs” and that “his family requests privacy.”
The comedy world was overwhelmed by support. Dane Cook posted a video calling him an outstanding human being. Brad Garrett put up a picture calling him a “beautiful, talented friend.” Jeff Ross asked his followers to send messages of support, while Debbie Gibson urged people to “check on their friends, particularly those who regularly bring joy to others.”
His Friday and Saturday Luxor performances were cancelled.
Kim Soo-hyun Returns to the Korean Stage-to Mixed Reception
The actor Kim Soo-hyun made his first major public appearance in South Korea in about 18 months at The Fact Music Awards in Busan, where he presented an award to the singer Lim Young-woong. This came after police decided not to forward allegations against him to prosecutors regarding his past relationship with the late actress Kim Sae-ron, citing insufficient evidence.
After the legal resolution and the indictment of the YouTuber who amplified the accusations on defamation charges, some K-pop fan groups maintained a boycott of the ceremony on the grounds that his presence was “offensive.” When Kim appeared on stage and received loud applause, some people on social media questioned what the cheering was for.
The future of his Disney+ series Knock-Off is uncertain. The platform has kept the $40 million production on hold indefinitely, with no release date in sight.
Iseop’s Romance Loses Both Leads
The tvN upcoming drama Iseop’s Romance is in trouble. After the actor Lee Jong-suk stepped down for scheduling conflicts this month, the actress Choi Yoon-ji also withdrew. The production team is now recasting both main roles.
Hwang Min-hyun is reported to have been offered the male lead. However, his agency says nothing has been decided yet. The drama based on a webtoon is scheduled to premiere in 2027.
Brad Pitt Brings Hollywood to Bristol
At the Bristol Motor Speedway on Saturday, Brad Pitt served as Grand Marshal alongside Johnny Morris, founder of the Bass Pro Shops, giving the command to start the NASCAR Cup Series event. Mr. Pitt, a native of Springfield, Missouri, was there to promote his upcoming film Heart of the Beast, an Alaskan survival thriller opening September 25.
SNL Season 52 Announces Musical Guests
Saturday Night Live has announced its first four musical guests of Season 52:
- September 26 (host Jalen Brunson): KATSEYE — their SNL debut.
- October 3 (host Dakota Johnson): Turnstile – first-time performance
- October 10 (host Shane Gillis): Rosalía – second appearance
- October 31 (host Inde Navarrette): Gracie Abrams — second appearance
That’s your weekend soup. Serve it hot, come back hungry.
BOB LAMPTON