'Gran Turismo' barely outraces 'Barbie' in N.America theaters

LOS ANGELES - Sony's sports action film "Gran Turismo" didn't exactly roar to the front of the North American box office, but did make it there on a slow late-August weekend, beating a still-turbo-powered "Barbie."

Based on a popular video game, "Gran Turismo" took in an estimated $17.3 million for the Friday-through-Sunday period, industry watcher Exhibitor Relations reported Sunday.

"This is a lukewarm opening for an action film based on a video game," particularly compared to previous game-based films like "Warcraft" ($439 million in worldwide ticket sales) and "Rampage" ($428 million), analyst David A. Gross said.

The movie stars David Harbour and Orlando Bloom in a story about a racing academy that recruits skilled video gamers to train them as real race-car drivers.

Warner Bros.' "Barbie," meantime, has remained a steady seat-filler, with its $17.1 million take in its sixth week out propelling it to a $594 million domestic total.

The Greta Gerwig film recently overtook "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($574 million) as the year's domestic box office champ. Add to that the $745 million "Barbie" has earned overseas.

Analysts said Sony's accounting of ticket sales for "Gran Turismo" was a bit wonky (including millions in pre-sales) and predicted "Barbie" might, in the final tally, be the weekend's Number One -- as she is Ken's.

Last weekend's leader, superhero flick "Blue Beetle" from DC Studios and Warner Bros., dipped to third, at $12.8 million, a nearly 50 percent drop from the previous weekend. Xolo Mariduena, as the Beetle, became the first live-action Latino protagonist.

In fourth was Universal's "Oppenheimer," earning an estimated $9 million. The atom bomb origin story has now surpassed $300 million in domestic earnings, with an additional $477 million overseas.

And in fifth place was Paramount's animated "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem," the latest chapter in the heroes-in-a-half-shell saga, at $6.1 million.

Rounding out the top 10 were:

"Meg 2: The Trench" ($5.1 million)

"Strays" ($4.7 million)

"Retribution" ($3.5 million)

"The Hill" ($2.5 million)

"Haunted Mansion" ($2.1 million)

Agence France-Presse

‘Barbie Celebrates Day of the Dead’ Controversy

Barbie Celebrates Day of the Dead : Barbie has been many things — from a bathing beauty to an astronaut to even president. Now, she is donning skeleton face paint and a crown of marigolds to honor Mexican culture, but some are crying foul.

Mattel has unveiled a new version of the iconic doll that is inspired by Mexico’s traditional Day of the Dead celebration.

The doll — to be sold for $75 — is based on the famous “Catrina” character drawn by cartoonist Jose Guadalupe Posada in 1912. She wears a black gown decorated with marigolds, butterflies, and skulls.

Diego Rivera also immortalized the character in a mural completed in 1947.

The Day of the Dead festival, celebrated in Mexico on November 1-2, is believed to be when the gateway separating the living and the deceased open, allowing people to pay their respects to those who have passed.

“That the tradition is recognized with this doll, the best known in the world is something that makes me proud,” Mexican toy collector Jaqueline Vidal told AFP in Mexico City, where the collectible doll was officially unveiled on Thursday.

The doll has nevertheless aroused controversy by some who consider it “cultural appropriation” — using a time-honored tradition to make money.

“The design of this Barbie has no elements identical to indigenous clothing,” said Octavio Murillo, director of cultural heritage at the National Institute of Indigenous Peoples (INPI).

“More than plagiarism against indigenous people, it would be plagiarism against those who hold the rights of Guadalupe Posada and Diego Rivera,” Murillo added.

More than one billion Barbies have been sold globally since the American brand’s launch 60 years ago.

bur-yug/rbu/sst

source: usa.inquirer.net