LOS ANGELES: Deadpool and his foul-mouthed crew of misfits and malcontents have taken down the Avengers.
Fox’s “Deadpool 2” brought in $125 million this weekend, giving it the second-highest opening ever for an R-rated movie and ending the three-week reign of Disney’s “Avengers: Infinity War” at the top of the North American box office, according to studio estimates Sunday.
“Deadpool 2,” with Ryan Reynolds returning as the title character and co-writing this time, fell somewhat short of the $130 million the studio predicted and the $132.4 million that its predecessor earned two years ago.
Analysts and the studio said the difference can be attributed to the first film opening on a holiday weekend, and could easily be made up with Memorial Day coming, despite the looming competition from “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”
“I think with a holiday on our second weekend we’ll catch ‘Deadpool’ if not exceed it,” said Chris Aronson, distribution chief for 20th Century Fox.
The film grossed $176.3 million internationally and opened better overseas than the first, especially finding audiences in Latin America.
The Avengers are hardly hurting. Disney and Marvel’s “Avengers: Infinity War” brought in an estimated $29 million in North America for a four-week take of $595 million domestically and $1.2 billion overseas. It’s now the fifth highest grossing film of all time worldwide.
In a whole different corner of the cinematic universe, “Book Club” was third with a $12.5 million weekend that exceeded expectations.
It was a successful piece of counter-programming for Paramount, which used the modestly budgeted comedy starring Jane Fonda, Diane Keaton and Candice Bergen to find older audiences and women while “Deadpool 2” dwelled overwhelmingly on young men.
“There are definitely audiences out there for whom superhero movies are not their cup of tea,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore.
“Deadpool 2” follows the proudly foul formula of the first, mixing the usual superhero set pieces with gore, gross-out jokes, 80s power ballads and frequent fourth-wall violations.
The box office of the second film suggests that formula can become a long-term franchise, and builds its possibilities with the addition of antihero teammates from Marvel Comics for the title character, including Josh Brolin’s Cable and Zazie Beetz’s Domino.
“The source material is so vast and rich that I don’t think there’s any question that it just opens the door for more,” Aronson said.
Along with the earnings and acclaim for last year’s R-rated “Logan,” Fox has made itself the early leader in the burgeoning subgenre.
“The R-rating may be restrictive in terms of the audience make-up, but it’s certainly not restrictive in the creative freedom it offers, so when movies like these hit, they can hit big,” Dergarabedian said. “There is a place for the R rating. In the superhero genre it offers endless and really cool possibilities.”
“Deadpool 2” next faces off with “Solo,” but the two films along with the still-earning “Avengers” ought to make for a major Memorial Day for the industry.
“This marketplace is big enough for all these films,” Dergarabedian said.
Deadpool 2 ends Avengers: Infinity War’s box-office reign
Deadpool 2 ends Avengers: Infinity War’s box-office reign
Sony’s Alpha Femme initiative debuts in UAE ahead of Saudi launch
JEDDAH: Sony has brought its Alpha Femme initiative to the UAE for the first time, with several workshops taking place this week ahead of the next edition in Saudi Arabia.
Emirati photographer and Sony’s digital imaging ambassador Amani AlShaali conducted a workshop on fine art photography at Garage Studio in Dubai on Sunday.
The workshops in the UAE are designed to support women across photography, videography, cinematography, and content creation.
Suchismita Bhattarcharjee, category manager, interchangeable lens cameras, Sony Middle East and Africa, spoke to Arab News about the initiative and its goals for the region’s female content creators.
“Bringing a program like Alpha Femme to the UAE was part of our effort at nurturing local creator communities, with a specific focus on supporting women who are shaping visual storytelling in meaningful and impactful ways,” said Bhattarcharjee.
“Access to learning platforms and communities, such as Alpha Femme, play a key role in helping creators build both technical capability and creative direction.”
Sony’s goal for participants, she said, was to “walk away with stronger professional connections, enhanced creative confidence, and practical knowledge that they can apply directly to their work.
“What is equally important is the sense of community and peer exchange that this will offer, creating a network where women can support one another, share experiences, and continue growing together within the region’s evolving creator landscape,” she added.
Alpha Femme in the UAE will organize monthly workshops to empower women across the creative industry.
The workshop topics will revolve around “practical creative skills, real-world workflows, and the evolving needs of the creative economy, ensuring the program remains relevant and responsive to the community it supports.”
These sessions are designed to bring beginner and experienced creators together for hands-on learning, industry knowledge sharing, and direct engagement with Sony ambassadors and speakers.
The launch of the initiative in UAE follows editions in Kuwait, South Africa, Egypt, and Kazakhstan.
“Sony is continuing to expand the initiative across the region, with the next edition set to take place in Saudi Arabia, reinforcing Alpha Femme’s role as a growing regional platform for women in visual storytelling,” said Bhattarcharjee.
