SATURDAY, APRIL 2, 2016 ‘Batman v Superman’ hits $530 million globally atman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” Avengers, and there are a number of standalone continued to dominate the global films centered on the likes of Wonder Woman “Bbox office on Wednesday, picking up and the Flash that are slated to hit theaters in $28 million worldwide. The superhero match- the coming years. up’s total stands at $530.4 million. Domestically, Reviews for “Batman v Superman” have been it earned $8.1 million, pushing the stateside harsh, with critics faulting the film for being haul past $200 million after six days of release. over-stuffed. Audiences have been gentler, In China, “Batman v Superman” has earned handing the film a B CinemaScore. Despite the $69.4 million since opening last weekend. reviews, “Batman v Superman” is expected to In this Tuesday, March 22, 2016 photo filmmaker Patrick O’Brien, who was diagnosed with The numbers are impressive, but Warner easily top the box office this weekend, pulling in ALS in 2005 at age 30, sits for a portrait in Chelsea. — AP Bros needs the film to be a juggernaut. The stu- roughly $66 million. Zack Snyder directs dio invested $250 million to produce the film “Batman v Superman,” with Ben Affleck taking with the hopes that it would inspire an inter- on the Dark Knight and Henry Cavill reprising Using just his eyes, filmmaker connected series of comic-book films to rival the role of the Man of Steel. — Reuters those made by Marvel. “Batman v Superman” is intended to lead into two Justice League films, a captures his fight with ALS super-team that is DC Comics’ answer to the atrick O’Brien was a young, budding New O’Brien to join him at the Leonard Florence Center York City filmmaker and DJ known as for Living, said the film shows the “harsh reality” of P“TransFatty” when his legs suddenly started ALS, a gradually debilitating disease affecting trembling uncontrollably. Walking became a motor neurons that allow the brain to control vol- struggle. He’d lose his balance and often fall down. untary movements. Then, in 2005, came the diagnosis: amyotrophic The rate and progression of ALS, also known as lateral sclerosis, or ALS. The 30-year-old native of Lou Gehrig’s disease, varies. But loss of speaking, Kensington, Maryland, was given two to five years eating and breathing functions is common. Senses to live. like sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell aren’t But rather than let it defeat him, O’Brien - generally affected. whose DJ name came from his love of junk food - turned the cameras on himself and wrote, directed Disables superhero and produced an acclaimed new documentary. O’Brien’s mother, Bonnie O’Brien, said it was “TransFatty Lives” captures O’Brien’s rapid deterio- hard for the family during the filming, but they ration and the unexpected turns his life took over never once considered asking him to stop. “This the next decade, including a whirlwind relation- kept him going,” Bonnie said from her home in ship that led to the birth of his son, Sean, and his College Park, Maryland. “It’s our life on that film.” eventual breakup with Sean’s mother. No longer The roughly 1 1/2-hour-long film is framed as a let- able to speak or move, O’Brien finished the docu- ter from father to son. mentary by communicating to his family and film “I don’t want you to be afraid of me,” O’Brien collaborators Lasse Jarvi, Doug Pray and others says at the film’s outset, using his computer-gener- using a computer system that lets him type out ated voice. “I want you to know your dad, who I John Green words through eye movements. used to be and who I am now.” He expresses hope producing The film won the audience award for best doc- he’ll be there when his son is older. “We have a lot umentary at last year’s Tribeca and Milan film festi- to talk about. Trust me,” O’Brien says at the film’s vals. It had a short theatrical release in New York close. “I’ve had an amazing life so far, and I’m underdog soccer film and Los Angeles, and is available for download on thankful for all the people that have helped me digital platforms. A screening is slated for Sunday through it - most of all you.” at the Showcase Cinemas in Revere, But it’s been years since O’Brien has seen his ox 2000 is developing a British soccer story, about the greatest underdog sports sto- Massachusetts. son. He’s not even sure Sean, now 8, has seen the movie with “The Fault in Our Stars” ry you’ve never heard, starring a bunch of film. The boy lives in Largo, Florida, with his moth- Fauthor John Green, Rosianna Halse Rojas middle-aged people with absolutely no ath- Story to share er, a family friend named Laura Silverthorn, accord- and Temple Hill Entertainment. The story cen- letic talent. And today, an agreement was O’Brien, now 41 and living in a center for ALS ing to Bonnie O’Brien. “People tell me Sean is a lit- ters on the AFC Wimbledon’s origins in 2002 announced, so I wanted to drop by Medium patients in nearby Chelsea, Massachusetts, said the tle too young for the film, but I’m not sure. Sean is and how, over the course of just a few years, a and explain why my next film project is about response has been his “wildest dream come true.” tough,” O’Brien wrote to the AP. “Maybe Sean will rag-tag group of underdogs managed to not American teenagers, but a lower league “We knew we had a story to share,” he wrote to hate the film. He doesn’t have to love it. The one climb five tiers and become a professional English football club.” Green was an executive The Associated Press this week using the same person I was hoping would like it is Laura. If she team in the Football League. producer on Fox’s 2015 adaptation of his nov- typing system that allowed him to complete the liked it, I just might die with a smile on my face Temple Hill, which produced the hit 2014 el “Paper Towns,” which Temple Hill pro- film. “Witnessing friends, family and strangers after all.” movie “The Fault in Our Stars,” and Green duced. An adaptation of his novel “Looking come together to help shoot, edit and produce the The couple broke up not long after Sean’s birth. both have first-look deals at the studio. Erin for Alaska” has been in development at film is just as much a part of the story as is my get- O’Brien and his family say the breakup wasn’t acri- Siminoff and Molly Saffron are overseeing the Paramount for several years with Rebecca ting ALS.” monious; it just became too much for Laura to care project for Fox 2000, while Isaac Klausner is Thomas coming on board to direct last June. The film unflinchingly captures how O’Brien for both O’Brien and a new baby. It was O’Brien’s overseeing for Temple Hill. Temple Hill is also producing. — Reuters lost control of his legs and arms, needed a feeding decision to return to his family as his health wors- The club’s origins stem from Wimbledon FC, one of the oldest and most storied British tube after losing the ability to swallow, and was ened, they say in the film. Since moving to John Green placed on a ventilator when he could no longer Massachusetts in 2010, O’Brien has found a meas- football organizations, being moved 56 miles expand and contract his diaphragm. O’Brien bal- ure of comfort. north to Milton Keynes in 2002, despite mas- ances those emotionally wrenching moments with During a recent visit, he sported flaming pink sive opposition. In response, a group of die- an impish sense of humor. hair that matched his room’s hot pink paint. His hard fans decided to start a new amateur club He has beers poured into his feeding tube. He wheelchair console let him control everything in from scratch at the bottom of the ninth tier- sits in his wheelchair naked in front of the White the room, from the television to the window with the aim of the newly formed AFC House to raise awareness about ALS. He takes the shades, temperature and lights. But O’Brien’s time Wimbledon always being owned by its fans. now-famous “ice bucket challenge” surrounded by is limited. Lately, he fears his eyesight is failing him, Green announced the news on his Twitter young women. possibly robbing him of his last means of contact. account. He also described the project in a “I know how difficult it was for him to make “I’m worried about getting locked in,” O’Brien post titled “The Greatest Sports Story Never that movie, both emotionally and physically,” said wrote. “I have to tell myself to not be afraid.” Until Told” on Medium. “Most of my professional Barry Berman, CEO of the Chelsea Jewish then, he’s looking for new stories to tell. “I have a life has been devoted to telling stories for and Foundation, which runs the ALS home where few ideas brewing,” he wrote. “One is about a dis- about teenagers,” he wrote. “But after my O’Brien now lives. “Hopefully, Patrick will inspire abled superhero.” — AP novels ‘The Fault in Our Stars’ and ‘Paper others to keep moving through their own adversi- Towns’ were adapted into movies, I pitched ties.” the producers (Temple Hill) and studio (Fox Steve Saling, who also has ALS and encouraged 2000) of those movies a somewhat different.