lifestyle TUESDAY, JULY 15, 2014 MUSIC & MOVIES ‘Planet of the Apes’ thumps chest with $73m debut he monkey business is a good business to be Hollywood. The thinness of the summer schedule is in at the box office. “Dawn of the Planet of the a big reason for the drop. Whereas last year had TApes” roared to $73 million on its opening multiple big-budget releases jockeying for position weekend, one of the summer’s best debuts, accord- against each other, many weekends this summer ing to studio estimates Sunday. The 20th Century have had little blockbuster competition. Last year’s Fox sequel easily surpassed the $54.8 million open- same weekend featured the openings of “Grown ing to 2011’s “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” the Ups 2” and “Pacific Rim,” in addition to recent reboot of the fabled chimp franchise. In a summer holdovers like “Despicable Me 2” and “The Heat.” heavy on hype but thin on quality, “Dawn of the Instead, the most notable other new release this Planet of the Apes” has proven to be one of the few weekend was Richard Linklater’s “Boyhood,” an hits that combined both spectacle and substance. independent film Linklater shot over 12 years to Directed by Matt Reeves (“Cloverfield”), the 3-D capture the natural aging of his cast. One of the “Dawn” has drawn enthusiasm from critics and most acclaimed films of the year, the IFC Films moviegoers alike, particularly for the motion-cap- release opened in five theaters for a robust $76,000 ture performance by Andy Serkis as the film’s lead per-screen average. Estimated ticket sales for Friday ape, Caesar. In the film, Caesar’s tribe suspiciously through Sunday at US and Canadian theaters, encounters a colony of surviving humans on a according to Rentrak. Where available, latest inter- planet overrun by intelligent apes. national numbers are also included. “When you get the kind of reviews we got and 1. “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” $73 million. the audience actually agrees, it’s the kind of rare ($31.1 million international.) thing where critics and audiences come together 2. “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” $16.5 million and say this is a great movie,” said Chris Aronson, ($102 million international). head of distribution at Fox. A sequel to be directed 3. “Tammy,” $12.9 million. by Reeves is already in the works to further extend 4. “22 Jump Street,” $6.7 million ($6.3 million inter- the franchise that first began with 1968’s “Planet of national). the Apes,” based on Pierre Boulle’s French novel. This photo released by Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation shows Andy Serkis as Caesar in a 5. “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” $5.9 million ($34.4 Four movies followed in the 1970s, as well as a scene from the film, ‘Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.’ —AP million international). failed 2001 reboot by Tim Burton. But “Dawn of the and marketing. “It combines all the elements of low-budget release has made $57.4 million for 6. “Earth to Echo,” $5.5 million. Planet of the Apes” will easily dwarf previous what a smart summer film should be.” After two Warner Bros in two weeks. 7. “Deliver Us From Evil,” $4.7 million ($1.4 million installments. It added $31.1 million overseas from weeks on top, the Michael Bay action sequel The big opening for “Dawn” helped give the international). 26 markets, for a global opening gross of $104.1 “Transformers: Age of Extinction” slid to second summer box office a shot in the arm, but it wasn’t 8. “Maleficent,” $4.2 million ($13.4 million interna- million. with $16.5 million. Its three-week domestic total is enough to stop an overall downward trend. The tional). “If every summer movie had this kind of release, now $209 million for Paramount. The Melissa weekend’s box office was down nearly 24 percent 9. “Begin Again,” $2.9 million ($750,000 internation- that would be amazing,” said Paul Dergarabedian, McCarthy comedy “Tammy” came in third with from the corresponding weekend last year, accord- al). senior media analyst for box-office tracker Rentrak, $12.9 million. Though bad reviews have dampened ing to Rentrak. The summer overall is down 20 per- 10. “Jersey Boys,” $2.5 million ($1.8 million interna- praising the film’s intelligence, entertainment value the response to McCarthy’s latest, the relatively cent from last year, which was a record season for tional). —AP Drake readies ESPYS skit devoted to WNBA’s Diggins

s host of the upcoming ESPY Awards, rapper Drake will be entertaining a room full of sports stars. One of them could Francois Abe the rapper’s online infatuation, WNBA player Skylar Charon, aka Diggins. She isn’t nominated for Wednesday’s show, which Frah, singer of attracts a who’s who of athletes to the Nokia Theatre in Los the Shaka Ponk Angeles. Drake has yet to meet Diggins, who plays for the Tulsa band, performs Shock and dates former Notre Dame football player Daniel Smith. during a He hasn’t taken too kindly to Drake’s Instagram posts of Diggins, concert in La with Smith posting his own photo of himself with her. “I’m sure it Rochelle at the will be extremely awkward when I do,” Drake said Friday, dis- Francofolies cussing a possible encounter with Diggins. “I guess if she manages festival. —AFP to show up, I probably owe her an apology. It’s all been in good spirits.” Lil’ Wayne, who is teaming with Drake on an upcoming tour, also has admired Diggins. Drake is preparing a mix of music and comedy, including ‘Scandal’ star Tony Goldwyn creates a new drama impressions and pre-taped skits, for the ESPYs, which honor the year’s best athletes and sports moments. He has got a skit devot- ed to his fascination with Diggins lined up. “I don’t know if she’ll ony Goldwyn has displayed a lack of the midst of a network-wide rebranding, be able to take it,” he said on a conference call discussing the ethics in the White House. As claimed “The Divide” as its first-ever script- show. With Tulsa mired in last place, Diggins might need some TPresident Fitzgerald Grant on ABC’s hit ed series - a hoped-for repeat of how, in cheering up. — AP melodrama “Scandal,” he has cheated on his 2007, a new drama called “Mad Men” her- wife right under her nose and even smoth- alded the revamping of AMC. ered a pesky Supreme Court justice on her Goldwyn and LaGravenese went back to sickbed. But in his behind-the-camera roles work to beef up the narrative in prepara- as producer, director and writer, Goldwyn is tion for adding and reshooting scenes for exposing the ethical minefields of the jus- the pilot. Goldwyn had landed the original tice system in a fine new drama “The Divide.” deal for “The Divide” before committing to This eight-episode series, which premieres “Scandal,” but despite those “presidential” on WE tv on Wednesday (9 pm EDT), teams duties (which he resumes for season four Goldwyn with fellow creator and producer later this month), he says the show was Richard LaGravenese (writer of last year’s generous in giving him freedom to develop HBO film “Behind the Candelabra”), who “The Divide.” And when “Scandal” took a penned the two-hour debut. two-month hiatus in the middle of last sea- Inspired by the real-life Innocence son, Goldwyn was able to head to Toronto, Project (which works to exonerate wrong- where he directed the first two episodes of fully convicted people through DNA test- “The Divide” as it sprang to life again. ing), “The Divide” focuses on a young Marin Ireland (whose credits include the Philadelphia lawyer named Christina Rosa, films “I Am Legend” and “Sparrows Dance” who has joined the Innocence Initiative and (From left) Tony Goldwyn, Executive Producer/Co-Creator of ‘The Divide’, JoAnne and TV appearances on “Homeland” and become obsessed with winning a last-ditch Epps, Temple University Law School Dean, Marin Ireland, actress, Cheryl Bloch, “The Following”) returned to Toronto after appeal for a white inmate soon facing exe- Senior Vice-President of scripted originals at WE tv, Richard LaGravenese, Exec having used her “down time” wisely: Last cution for the murder of a black family. As Produce/Co-Creator of ‘The Divide’, Britne Oldford, actress, Damon Gupton, actor, fall, she starred in an off-Broadway play Christina (series star Marin Ireland) and her Seth Williams, Phila District Attorney, and Marissa Bluestein, Legal Director of the Pa “Marie Antoinette,” and for a month spent boss (Paul Schneider) probe inconsistencies Innocence Project, attend the premiere screening of WE tvís first original scripted her days as an intern at the Innocence in the case, they butt heads with the city’s drama at the Roxy Theater on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 in Philadelphia. — AP Project. charismatic African-American district attor- money and influence.” “On the show, we try Hashing out ideas She found that entering Christina’s ney (Damon Gupton), even as he begins to to come to terms with the ambiguity of When that was done, says Goldwyn, “I world for real was not only instructive, but acknowledge problems with the racially human nature,” adds LaGravenese. “In the wanted to explore the Innocence Project also exhilarating. “It left me thinking I charged verdict, which vaulted him to Writers Room, I said, ‘Let’s get rid of words further. I thought a TV series would be a should quit acting and come to work with prominence a dozen years ago but, if it like “good” and “bad.” That’s not what our great way.” After months of hashing out these people full-time - even though I bare- came apart now, could be his undoing. show is about.” The two first worked togeth- ideas, then crafting a proposal for the series ly knew how to work the fax machine,” she “In the past,” Goldwyn says, “I had er when LaGravenese did a script rewrite they conceived, they landed a deal with the says with a laugh. For now, she’s happy to assumed that if someone’s in prison, they for the Goldwyn-directed 2010 film corporate parent of AMC to film a pilot. play a passionate lawyer trying to find jus- probably did it. I didn’t realize how much “Conviction,” which starred Hilary Swank in Time passed. tice, while Goldwyn, on break from presi- gray area there is in our justice system, and a dramatization of an actual Innocence Then so did AMC on the series. But a sis- dential mischief, presides over his saga of how many cracks catch people without Project case. ter network, WE tv, stepped up. WE tv, in doing the right thing. — AP

Brown exits New In this May 29, 2014 file photo, Jenni ‘JWoww’ Farley, left, and Roger Mathews attend WE tv’s ‘Marriage Boot Camp: Reality Edition tour to Stars’ party in New York. — AP focus on health JWoww of ‘Jersey Shore’ obby Brown is leaving a reunion tour with the group New welcomes daughter Meilani Edition to focus on his health. A spokeswoman for the R&B Bgroup said group members Ricky Bell, , Woww from “Jersey Shore” is a mom. MTV officials say Jenni Ronnie DeVoe, and wish the 45-year- Farley welcomed her first child, daughter Meilani Alexandra File photo shows singers, old singer a speedy recovery. No other details were provided. “At Mathews, early Sunday afternoon in New Jersey. She weighed from left, , this time, Bobby needs to put his health first, and we wish him a J 7 pounds, 13 ounces (3.54 kilograms). A representative for Farley Michael Bivens, Ralph speedy recovery,” said the statement. “We are giving each and says she and her daughter are doing well. The child’s father is Tresvant, Ricky Bell and every show all we’ve got until his return - and will continue giv- Farley’s fiance, Roger Mathews. Ronnie Devoe of the R&B ing the fans 110 percent each night.” The 28-year-old Farley rose to fame on the MTV reality series group Brown was seen struggling to keep up with fellow New Edition “Jersey Shore,” which followed the boozy exploits of hard-partying arriving at the Soul Train members during a dance routine before leaving the stage in a 20-somethings at a beach house. She went on to star in a spinoff Awards at Planet video posted online of the group’s July 2 show in Southaven, show, “Snooki & JWoww,” with her close friend and “Jersey Shore” Hollywood Resort and Mississippi. The other New Edition members will continue for the cast mate, Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi. — AP Casino in Las Vegas.—AP remaining 16 shows of the All Six reunion tour. —AP