lifestyle SUNDAY, JULY 12, 2015

Features ‘’ Cast sheds panel dodges season 6, light on spoiler questions assive spoiler warning! This article Balance point contains major spoilers for Game of “We’re at the book point and the world in MThrones season 5. If you are yet to the balance point,” said executive producer ‘Star Wars: watch it, then please look away. Carolyn Strauss. “We’ve always tried to main- It may not have provided fans the closure tain a level of surprise for people who watch they so desperately sought, but Friday’s the show... with every season it gets more “Game of Thrones” panel at Comic-Con did and more [difficult].” She did reassure fans give Westeros loyalists a look at some of the that showrunners David Benioff and DB Weiss The Force stars’ memorable audition tapes. still talk to Martin “as much as they have... he’s And yes, Rose Leslie got to utter that line laid out a lot of his thinking and David and in her audition: “You know nothing, Jon Dan have jumped from there.” Snow.” The audition reel features fan favorites The panelists also addressed Sansa’s con- Awakens’ vying for their current roles. Gwendoline troversial rape scene, with Sophie Turner Christie threatens, “And all my life, I’ve been insisting that she doesn’t see her character as knocking men like you into the dust” during a victim despite her season five storyline. her audition, while Natalie Dormer tackles “One thing Sansa is-despite what’s happened Margaery Tyrell’s seductive scene opposite to her-is strong... She has gone through a lot, Renly Baratheon. Pedro Pascal (Oberyn), but she has developed skills from Cersei and Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Michiel Margaery, she’s just as strong as she was Huisman (Daario), Liam Cunningham (Davos) before,” she noted. “This whole series, she’s and Carice van Houten (Melisandre) are been just getting by without doing anything among the other actors on tape. The audi- totally radical, because that could totally ence members at Comic-Con weren’t alone in change her situation-she could die, and with their hunger for Jon Snow news; finale direc- the Boltons that’s a big risk to take. She tor David Nutter recalled recently meeting thought [her marriage to Ramsay] through; President Obama, who put a solemn hand on she could’ve fought back if she wanted to, Nutter’s shoulder and asked, “You didn’t kill but she didn’t. She’s one of those characters Jon Snow, did you?” that does her scheming in her mind, rather Nutter recounted that he had to tell the than outwardly.” Strauss also addressed the commander-in-chief, “Mr President, Jon Snow fan response to scenes of violence towards This photo provided by Disney shows Daisey Ridley as Rey, (left) and John Boyega as Finn, in a scene from the new film, “Star Wars: The Force is deader than dead,” joking that he was afraid women in season five-especially in regards to Awakens,” directed by JJ Abrams. — AP photos that he was about to get shipped off to Stannis burning his daughter Shireen alive. “I Guantanamo Bay. (Another fun fact from think people like to get involved in a conver- he cast and filmmakers of “Star Wars: The was very gratified when I read the script because I between being bad and being right.” Gleeson, Nutter’s meeting with Obama: POTUS’ sation,” Strauss pointed out, noting that peo- Force Awakens” debuted a new behind-the- read something that I thought was really remark- whose character’s name was revealed to be favorite episode is “The Rains of Castamere,” ple get naturally get emotionally invested in scenes reel and teased some new informa- able, really well-written and with some very General Hux, didn’t hesitate to say that he was evil. T which features the Red Wedding.) the journeys of the characters. “When that tion at Comic-Con about the highly secretive film intriguing developments,” Ford said. “I was delight- While talking about getting the role, Gleeson acci- As for who misses Kit Harington most, happened to Shireen, you just feel for this girl, to a rapturous Hall H audience. Filmmaker JJ ed to be involved and I was very happy to be part dentally “spoiled” the name of his command sta- Maisie Williams (Arya) joked: “We couldn’t but just because it’s painful doesn’t mean it’s Abrams and Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy of the story and the cast again.” tion, much to the dismay of Abrams. It’s “Starkiller wait for him to be gone, to be honest. That not a good point in the story. It wasn’t done were eventually joined on stage Friday by “Star “The Force Awakens,” which hits theaters on Dec Base.” hair, that face... so annoying.” Anyone hoping because of the pain, it was done in spite of it.” Wars” veterans and “Force Awakens” stars Harrison 18, picks up about 30 years after the events of Christie, who plays the chrome stormtrooper for any season six spoilers had those dreams She pointed out that Benioff and Weiss Ford, Mark Hamill and Carrie Fisher. “Return of the Jedi.” Before fans were treated to the Captain Phasma, talked about how neat it was to dashed fairly early on in the panel-since the “are trying to put together the best and most be playing a character in full costume who is “not show has now caught up to George RR realistic” storylines for their (admittedly myth- about the way she looks in the flesh.” Representing Martin’s novels, the cast were even more ic) historical setting, and “things were not the light side of the force were Daisy Ridley, John tight-lipped than usual about what’s ahead. great for a lot of people, male and female” in Boyega and Oscar Isaac, who had spoken previous- “A lot of us at this table are in exactly the the time period they’re trying to portray. “I ly about their roles at the annual Star Wars same boat as you guys,” Dormer admitted. “I feel like in this season, everyone had a hard Celebration event in Anaheim. don’t have an effing clue what’s going to hap- time,” Williams agreed. — Reuters Though not much else was gleaned about pen to Margaery.” She did say that consider- Ridley’s scavenger Rey, Boyega’s stormtrooper Finn ing we left Margaery in a cell at the end of or Isaac’s X-Wing pilot Poe Dameron, all offered season five, “Grandma ain’t around to look anecdotes about their time on set. To prepare for after her anymore ... she’s in trouble.” his role, Isaac asked Ford for some advice about piloting in “Star Wars.” Ford just said, “It’s fake.” There was no new footage to be seen. Abrams is current- ly editing the film and has a cut, but wants to keep tweaking to make it the film “it wants to be.” He also said another trailer will come out in the fall. But Abrams did debut a behind-the-scenes reel that was made available online shortly after the panel concluded. In addition to interviews with Hamill, Ridley and others, it focused on the practi- (From left) Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and Harrison Ford attend Lucasfilm’s “Star Wars: The Force cal effects used in the film - a recurring theme in all Awakens” panel on day 2 of Comic-Con International on Friday, July 10, 2015, in San Diego. of Abrams’ comments about the film, which hopes to re-create the aesthetic of the original trilogy. Ford, making his first public appearance since “Star Wars” veterans, they were introduced to the “Everything’s changed but nothing’s changed,” said his plane crash in March left him hospitalized and newcomers on the light side of the force and, for Hamill in the clip. “That’s the way you want it to be.” injured, assured the audience and host Chris the first time, those on the dark side. Adam Driver, Not to be outdone, Abrams and Kennedy, who had Hardwick that he was fine. The already excitable and Domhnall Gleeson were already treated the ravenous Hall H fans to coffee crowd exploded when Ford, the last to be intro- on hand representing the bad guys. As the mysteri- and doughnuts before the panel started, duced, walked out. Seated next to Hamill, the gruff ous three-pronged lightsaber-wielding Kylo Ren, announced that there was one more surprise: An Ford was not hesitant to talk about his reluctance Driver tried to skirt any questions about his charac- imminent “Star Wars” concert at an adjacent stage. to revisit the world of “Star Wars” and the character ter. All 6,500 Hall H attendees were invited. And their of Han Solo. escorts? Stormtroopers, of course. — AP The dark side ‘Happy to be part of the story’ When pressed, he talked vaguely about the phi- “It should have felt ridiculous, it was 30 years losophy of evil. “We didn’t really have a lot of con- ago,” Ford said. “I sort of grew up.” He never thought versations about bad or evil when we were shoot- (From left) Sophie Turner, Natalie Dormer, Liam Cunningham, Carice van Houten, and that he’d do another film after the original trilogy. “I ing it,” said Driver. “It was more the difference Maisie Williams attend the “Game of Thrones” autograph signing on day 2 of Comic-Con International. — AP

India’s biggest film Baahubali premiere gets rowdy

world premiere at 6am was meant to keep enthusiastic fans from getting too rowdy. But the tactic only partially Asucceeded, as South Indian action epic “Baahubali: The Beginning,” substantially lived up to the hype and got off to a big start at box offices across India. The Sri Bramaramba theater complex in Hyderabad was sur- rounded by thousands - mostly young men - from an hour before Box Office report: ‘Minions’ the start of the show. The crowd surged back and forth at every opportunity, receiving canings from a couple of desperate securi- ty guards with sticks. A glass door was shattered. The police were nowhere to be seen, but other security personnel were surprising- could reach record $118m ly efficient at swiftly spiriting the film’s superstar male lead Prabhas, actress Anushka Shetty, director SS Rajamouli and pro- inions” is heading for a powerful performance at Russia launched with $3.8 million Thursday-setting records for ducer Shobu Yarlagadda from their cars and into the theater. (Co- the US box office with a whopping $118 million top opening day for Universal titles in those markets. stars Tamannaah and Rana Daggubuti had been dispatched for “Mopening weekend, according to late Friday after- “Minions” is written by Brian Lynch, directed by Pierre Coffin other premieres in Mumbai.) noon forecasts. Earlier Friday estimates had placed the 3D ani- and Kyle Balda, and produced by Chris Meledandri and Janet Early morning outings are standard practice in Tollywood on mated slapstick comedy at about $110 million, but that number Healy. heads the voice cast as the villainous the first day of a big film, but this was a benefit show and some was revised upwards several hours later. “Minions” showed plen- Scarlett Overkill. With a relatively modest $74 million price tag, 850 fans had paid some $30 apiece for the privilege of being at ty of punch in Thursday night previews with $6.2 million at 2,985 “Minions” will be enormously profitable for Universal. A trio of the same show as their screen heroes. They felt they had a right to US locations-the highest preview gross ever for an animated film holdovers will battle for the second slot in the US-Disney-Pixar’s get a close up. Inside the split level hall, more beefy types provid- and the revised estimates showed an impressive $45 million fourth weekend of “Inside Out,” Universal’s fifth frame of “Jurassic ed a cordon around the cast and crew. Few fans bothered to look Friday total, including the preview gross. World” and Paramount’s sophomore weekend of “Terminator at the screen or sit until the opening credits had finished. Recent forecasts earlier this week for the Universal- Genisys.” “Inside Out” was leading forecasts with $14 million, fol- Throughout the movie’s two and a half hours fans participated Illumination Entertainment movie have estimated at least $100 lowed by “Jurassic World” with $13 million. That would push with wild catcalls. Whistles split the air, competing with the meaty million in its opening weekend at 4,302 locations. That will make “Inside Out” past $280 million domestically by the end of the soundtrack. Handfuls of ticker tape were tossed and remained the “Despicable Me” spinoff the fourth film this year to debut weekend, while the dino thriller should eclipse $585 million in aloft, adding flicker that the pristine 4K projection lacked. A 20 above the $100 million mark-joining “Furious 7” ($147 million), the US. minute battle scene after the intermission drew cheers and “Avengers: Age of Ultron” ($191 million) and “Jurassic World” Warner Bros.’ found-footage horror film “The Gallows” took in shouts. ($208.8 million). The first “Despicable Me” opened with a $56.3 $900,000 in Thursday night previews. Produced by micro budg- As the film finished with a cliff-hanger ending, Rajamouli and million weekend in 2010 and went on to finish with $251 million et specialist Jason Blum and Entertainment 360, “The Gallows” Yarlagadda looked tearful and gave each other grateful hugs in the US, while the sequel launched with $83.5 million in 2013 opens at 2,720 theaters, where it should materialize with a week- before retiring to a cast and crew breakfast in the morning sun- on its way to a $368 million domestic total. end around $11 million. Gramercy’s sci-fi thriller “Self/Less,” star- shine of a carefully hidden open-air food court. There, leading ring Ryan Reynolds and Ben Kingsley, grossed $325,000 at 1,600 producer and cinema owner (and father of Rana) Daggubuti Massive hit theaters in previews-a sign that the film has little traction as it Suresh Babu told Variety that substantially all cinemas in South Should the forecasts hold, “Minions” will become the second goes into 2,353 theaters Friday. Early forecasts showed a Friday India, including most of his own, were playing “Baahubali,” with best animated opener in the US The record for an animated film gross in the $1.2 million range and a paltry weekend total of tickets to the opening three days all pre-sold. That was to be opening weekend is “Shrek the Third’s” $121.6 million in 2007, about $3.1 million-far below already modest projections of $6 expected, but the ambitious film is also a test of how far South followed by “Toy Story 3’s” $110.3 million in 2010. “Minions” has million. — Reuters Indian film can push back the boundaries within India and crossed the $200 million mark internationally from 43 markets abroad. Awaiting firmer numbers, Yardlagadda said he was after opening in 18 international new markets on Wednesday pleased as reports came in of sell-out shows in Mumbai - albeit and Thursday. France opened with $6.2 million in two days, and without the near rioting. — Reuters