Celebrity Status: Means Girls, Arnie, And The Crown
BOX OFFICE _ The Exorcist: Believer dominated the box office, raking in $27.2 million in North America during its opening weekend. The demonic franchise reboot faced no significant competition from new releases and had larger earnings than the next three films combined. Although it nearly made back its reported $30 million budget in just a few days, the debut of The Exorcist: Believer” was underwhelming for the launch of a new trilogy.
- The Exorcist: Believer, $27.2 million
- PAW Patrol: The Mighty Movie, $11.7 million
- Saw X, $8.1 million
- The Creator, $6 million
- The Blind, $3.9 million
TAYLOR SWIFT WAS NOT AT VIKINGS-CHIEFS GAME _ Despite speculation all week about whether or not Taylor Swift would show up to her third straight NFL game, CBS’ Jim Nantz announced that Swift chose not to travel to Minnesota to watch Travis Kelce play against the Vikings. Nantz joked, “Seven words I thought would never leave my lips in my career: Taylor Swift is not at the game.”
CELEBRITY CHEF MICHAEL CHIARELLO DIES AT AGE 61 _ Michael Chiarello, former Food Network star and renowned chef, has passed away at the age of 61. His company, Gruppo Chiarello, announced in a statement that he died at a hospital in Napa, California after being treated for an acute allergic reaction.
… Chiarello opened his first restaurant, Tra Vigne, in 1987 and later founded Chiarello Family Vineyards in 1999. He made his TV debut in 2000 as the host of the PBS cooking series Season by Season. Chiarello also hosted the Food Network show Easy Entertaining with Michael Chiarello from 2003 to 2008 and appeared on Bravo’s Top Chef Masters.
3 MEAN GIRLS REUNITE TO FILM TOP SECRET COMMERCIAL _ In a nostalgic reunion, Lindsay Lohan, Amanda Seyfried, and Lacey Chabert got back into character as Cady Heron, Karen Smith, and Gretchen Wieners from the iconic movie Mean Girls. According to TMZ, the trio came together to film what appears to be a Pepsi commercial, with only Rachel McAdams missing.
… Speculation is that the ad could be airing during the upcoming Super Bowl on February 11.
WILL FERRELL SPINS RECORDS AT FRAT PARTY _ Will Ferrell DJ’ed at a Sigma Alpha Mu frat house at USC, where his son attends school. The party took place during the day before the USC-Arizona football game. Videos of Ferrell behind the DJ booth surfaced online, showing the actor in action. • VIDEO
KUNG FU PANDA 4 SET TO RELEASE IN MARCH _ Kung Fu Panda 4 will still release on March 8, despite ongoing concerns over the Hollywood actors’ strike. The movie’s promotion has already begun. While it’s unclear if the cast has finished their voice work, it is expected that they will return to the recording booth once the strike is resolved. Jack Black, who voices Po, revealed recently that the film will focus on Po’s search for his successor as the new Dragon Warrior.
WRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA APPROVES NEW CONTRACT _ Members of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) have voted in favor of a new film and TV contract, bringing an end to the 148-day strike. The contract was approved by 99 percent of those who voted, marking the official conclusion of one of the longest strikes in the union’s history. The contract, which will run until May 1, 2026, establishes bonuses for writers based on streaming viewership data and sets minimum staffing requirements in TV writers rooms. It also imposes limits on the use of artificial intelligence.
… Meanwhile, the actors’ strike is still ongoing. The Screen Actors Guild‐American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike in July, and the actors’ union has not had any negotiations with the major studios since the strike began.
JOHN CENA TO LEAVE WWE ONCE SAG-AFTRA STRIKE ENDS _ John Cena has confirmed that once the actors strike is over, he will be leaving World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to focus on his Hollywood acting career. Cena, who has made occasional appearances since focusing on larger acting roles, stated that he cannot juggle both commitments due to liability insurance concerns.
THE CROWN FINAL SEASON SPLIT IN TWO PARTS _ The Crown’s final season will be released in two parts. The first four episodes of Season 6 will debut on Netflix on November 16, followed by a nearly one-month break before the final six episodes are released on December 14. This departure from the streaming platform’s usual binge-release model is similar to the release of Stranger Things Season 4 in 2022, which also had a split release.
… Season 6 of The Crown will focus on the late ’90s and early 2000s, including Princess Diana’s death and the blossoming of Prince William and Kate Middleton’s romance. • TRAILER
ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER’S NEW BOOK _ In his new book, Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life, Arnold Schwarzenegger shares his wisdom and advice for leading a successful life. Schwarzenegger emphasizes the importance of having a vision for oneself and setting goals to work towards. He encourages readers to ignore the haters and naysayers who might try to deter them from their dreams. Schwarzenegger also speaks about using perceived flaws to one’s advantage and the importance of creative thinking and willpower. Be Useful is available today (Tuesday). The title came from Schwarzenegger’s father, who would often say, “Be useful.”
