Spider-Man: No Way Home also took the title of highest-grossing film of 2021.
It beat out Chinese-made Korean War epic The Battle of Lake Changjin, which has grossed more than $905m worldwide.
The last movie to gross more than $1bn was 2019's Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, according to media data analytics firm Comscore.
No other Hollywood production has come near to reaching that box office milestone since the pandemic began two years ago.
Over the weekend, global box office takings for the latest Marvel Cinematic Universe film reached $1.05bn.
The co-production between Sony and Disney hit its milestone less than two weeks after its premier even as the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has spread rapidly around the world, raising fresh concerns about indoor events.
The film has not been released in China, which is currently the world's biggest cinema market.
Spider-Man: No Way Home sees Tom Holland return as the third iteration of Peter Parker alongside Zendaya's MJ and Benedict Cumberbatch as the sorcerer Doctor Strange.
The franchise's 2019 offering Spider-Man: Far From Home was the first Spider-Man film to break the $1bn mark at the box office and is currently the highest-grossing movie in the franchise with $1.132bn in global ticket sales, according to Comscore.
The latest film follows on from Far From Home, in which the villainous Mysterio unmasked Parker before dying.
The series is a collaboration between the Disney's Marvel Studios and Sony.
In 2015, Disney, Marvel Studios, and Sony agreed to share the film rights for Spider-Man, which led to a new iteration of the character being introduced and integrated into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Before No Way Home, MGM's latest James Bond movie No Time to Die, which made $774m at the box office globally, was the highest-grossing Hollywood film of both 2021 and the pandemic.
Actor Keanu Reeves has starred in the movies 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure,' 'Speed,' 'The Matrix' and 'John Wick,' among many other projects.
Who Is Keanu Reeves?
Keanu Reeves was born on September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon, and was raised in Toronto, Canada. He first gained attention for his performance in River's Edge, while the comedy Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure and its sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey, brought him major recognition. Reeves has developed an eclectic film roster that includes the action flick Speed and the sci-fi blockbusters The Matrix and its sequels, as well as more art-house fare like My Own Private Idaho and The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. Reeves made his directorial debut in 2013 with Man of Tai Chi.
Movies
'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure'
Reeves was featured in U.S.-oriented teen movies such as Youngblood (1986), starring Rob Lowe and Patrick Swayze, and River’s Edge (1986). More television and film roles followed before Reeves joined the ensemble cast of the scandalous period drama Dangerous Liaisons (1988), starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich. The following year marked the release of a film for which the young actor would become associated with for quite some time — Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure. Co-starring Alex Winter, the popular comedy followed two high school students and their time-traveling high jinks, eventually spawning a 1990 animated TV series and the 1991 movie sequel, Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey.
'My Own Private Idaho,' 'Point Break,' 'Speed'
Though Reeves would often face criticism for his deadpan delivery and perceived limited range as an actor, he nonetheless took on roles in a variety of genres over the ensuing decade, doing everything from introspective art-house fare to action-packed thrillers.
My Own Private Idaho (1991), directed by Gus Van Sant and co-starring River Phoenix, chronicled the lives of two young sex workers living on the streets, while Point Break (1991) turned the actor into an undercover FBI agent who gets caught up in the criminal lives of surfing bank robbers. Francis Ford Coppola’s adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992), co-starring Gary Oldman, Winona Ryder and Anthony Hopkins, saw Reeves embodying the calm resoluteness of character Jonathan Harker. 1994 saw the actor starring opposite Sandra Bullock in the hit action flick Speed, followed by work that included the romantic drama A Walk in the Clouds (1995) and the supernatural thriller Devil’s Advocate (1997), co-starring Al Pacino and Charlize Theron.
At the close of the decade, Reeves starred in a sci-fi film that would become a genre game changer — The Matrix. Directed by Andy and Lana Wachowski, the 1999 movie followed Reeves as prophetic figure Neo, slated to lead humanity to freedom from an all-consuming simulated world. Known for its innovative fight sequences, avant-garde special effects and gorgeous fashion, The Matrix was an international hit. Two sequels were filmed together and released in 2003 to a more mixed reception, though the second instalment, The Matrix Reloaded, was a bigger financial blockbuster than its predecessor.
'Something's Gotta Give,' 'The Day the Earth Stood Still'
Even with mainstream success, Reeves continued working in different genres, as seen with his roles as an abusive man in The Gift (2000), starring Cate Blanchett, a smitten doctor in Something’s Gotta Give (2003) opposite Diane Keaton, and a Brit demon hunter in Constantine (2005). Reeves returned to sci-fi as alien Klaatu in the 2008 remake of the classic The Day the Earth Stood Still, co-starring Jennifer Connelly and Jaden Smith.
'Man of Tai Chi,' 'John Wick,' 'Toy Story 4'
The following decade saw the actor making his directorial debut with Man of Tai Chi (2013). Martial arts–based themes continued in Reeves' next feature, the widely panned 47 Ronin (2013), which was followed in 2014 by the more critically well-received John Wick, co-starring Willem Dafoe and John Leguizamo and its sequel John Wick: Chapter 2 (2017). After co-starring with Winona Ryder in the rom-com Destination Wedding (2018), Reeves faced a busy 2019 with the release of the sci-fi thriller Replicas; a return to action fare in John Wick 3: Parabellum; a supporting role in the Netflix rom-com Always Be My Maybe and his entry into a major animated franchise as the voice of stuntman Duke Caboom in Toy Story 4.
Daughter
In 1999 Reeves and his girlfriend Jennifer Syme had a daughter, Ava Archer Syme-Reeves, born eight months stillborn. The loss of their daughter devastated the couple and caused the end of their relationship.
Two years later, Jennifer was involved in a fatal car accident where she rammed into three cars and was thrown out of her vehicle. It was later reported she was on anti-depressant medication.
Other Interests
His artistic aspirations not limited to film, Reeves co-founded the band Dogstar in the early 1990s. Dogstar enjoyed modest success, releasing two albums during Reeves' decade-long run as its bass player. He later played bass for a band called Becky for about a year.
Reeves is also a longtime motorcycle enthusiast. After asking designer Gard Hollinger to create a custom-built bike for him, the two went into business together with the formation of Arch Motorcycle Company LLC in 2011.
Reported to be one of the more generous actors in Hollywood, Reeves helped care for his sister during her lengthy battle with leukemia, and has supported such organizations as Stand Up To Cancer and PETA.
In August 2018, while promoting Destination Wedding with Ryder, Reeves seemed surprised to learn that he may be legally married to his co-star. Ryder said it was the result of filming their wedding scene for Dracula, as a real Romanian priest had conducted a full marriage ceremony.
Background and Early Career
Keanu Charles Reeves was born on September 2, 1964, in Beirut, Lebanon. Of Chinese-Hawaiian heritage on his geologist father’s side, Reeves’ first name translates from Hawaiian to English as “cool breeze over the mountains.” Reeves’ mom worked in entertainment as a performer and later a costume designer. Upon his parents’ split, the youngster moved with his mother and sister to New York and then Toronto. Reeves developed an ardor for hockey, though he would eventually turn to acting, garnering TV roles and making his big-screen debut in the 1985 Canadian feature One Step Away.
Does Lethal Weapon Meet The Standards Of A Christmas Movie?
Knowing what we know about Die Hard, we can begin to look into just what makes Lethal Weapon a Christmas movie more effectively. Is the film set at Christmas? Like most, if not all of writer Shane Black’s filmography, yes it is. Does the film have a message of selfless devotion to duty and family togetherness? Danny Glover’s Roger Murtaugh exemplifies those values perfectly, and we see that through his relationship with his own family around Christmas time.
But the one big thing that really ties Lethal Weapon into the Christmas movie canon, besides the opening usage of “Jingle Bell Rock,” or even the fact that the film has an action set piece set in the middle of a Christmas tree lot, is Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs. A suicidal mess who’s a loose cannon, Riggs isn’t exactly the jolliest cop on the LAPD beat when we meet him.
And yet, through the caper that throws him together with Murtaugh as a partner, Riggs goes through a Christmas Carol style journey that helps him become a better man. Making a friend in Roger Murtaugh, Martin Riggs eventually becomes a better person after a harrowing Christmas, and even spends Christmas with the entire Murtaugh family; allowing him to give a symbolic gift that proves he’s a changed man. Does Lethal Weapon meet the standards of a Christmas movie? It absolutely does, and to help prove that fact we have evidence provided by none other than Die Hard writer Steven de Souza, who freely admits that thanks to Lethal Weapon, Die Hard was inspired to become a Christmas classic in the making!
Ask any red-blooded man who the hottest Hollywood star is, they'd likely pick from a small handful of sexy actresses that would include 50 Shades of Grey sex bomb Dakota Johnson or the saucy Jennifer Lawrence. Giving those two a run for their money for hottest Hollywood female is my personal favourite - Margot Robbie.
MUBI, the theatrical distributor and global curated film streaming service is thrilled to announce the UK and Ireland theatrical release date for Great Freedom, from acclaimed director Sebastian Meise, on 4 March 2022.
Featuring rising star Franz Rogowski (Luzifer, Transit), Berlinale Silver Bear winner Georg Friedrich (Bright Nights, Wild), Anton Von Lucke (Frantz, Bad Banks) and Thomas Prenn (Why Not You, Biohackers), Great Freedom had its world premiere at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, where it picked up the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize Award. A searing depiction of love in the face of injustice, the film has also recently been selected as Austria’s submission for Best International Feature FIlm at the 2022 Academy Awards®.
In post-war Germany, liberation by the Allies does not mean freedom for everyone. Hans has been found guilty for his homosexuality, deemed grounds for imprisonment under Paragraph 175. Over the course of decades, he is spied on and repeatedly jailed as a result.
As Hans returns to prison again and again, he develops an unlikely bond with his cellmate Viktor, a convicted murderer. What begins as revulsion blossoms over time into something far more tender.
MUBI WILL RELEASE GREAT FREEDOM IN CINEMAS IN THE UK AND IRELAND ON 4 MARCH 2022
Star Wars Eclipse™ is an upcoming video game in development by award-winning studio Quantic Dream in collaboration with Lucasfilm Games.
Star Wars Eclipse™ is the first video game to be set in an uncharted region of the Outer Rim during The High Republic era, known as the golden age of the Jedi. The game will build upon Quantic Dream's expertise in delivering deeply branching narratives and will go beyond their already established acclaim. Player’s choices will be at the heart of the experience, as every decision can have a dramatic impact on the course of the story.
Crafted by a diverse team of writers, game creators, and interactive storytelling experts, all with a deep affinity for the Star Wars™ franchise, Star Wars Eclipse™ will feature new places to explore through untold stories with unique characters, each with their own path, abilities, and roles to play.
Star Wars Eclipse™ is currently in early development in Paris, France, and Montreal, Canada and will be published globally by Quantic Dream. The team is recruiting in both locations for top talents in the world to work on this exciting new project.
Visit StarWarsEclipse.com to stay up to date on the latest news about the game.
After a whistleblower informed PETA US that a pig was shot and killed for Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn’s upcoming Danish Netflix series, the group sent a letter to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings asking for the scene be cut.
“No animal should suffer or die for human entertainment,”
says PETA Vice President of International Programmes Mimi Bekhechi.
“Taking the life of a sentient animal for a series is unacceptable and
may be illegal. Netflix needs to cut any footage that might glorify this
pig’s needless, senseless death.”
PETA
US has been told that the farmer who supplied live pigs admitted that
one was going to be killed specifically for a scene in the show. Copenhagen
Zoo confirmed it received a dead pig from the production, and Danish
police are currently investigating. Danish animal welfare law states,
“Animals shall not be trained or used in shows, circus performances,
film shootings, or the like if the animal thereby suffers significant
discomfort.”
PETA
urges anyone who witnesses cruelty to animals in the entertainment
industry to report it by calling the PETA US whistleblower hotline at
001 323-210-2233 or by visiting PETA.org/Report. Whistleblowers’ anonymity will be taken very seriously.
