NEWSMAKERS

NEWSMAKERS

‘Home’ tops ‘Get Hard’ at box office with $54M

NEW YORK

Business was brisk at the weekend box-office, where the DreamWorks animated alien adventure “Home” beat out the Will Ferrell-Kevin Hart comedy “Get Hard” with a resounding debut of $54 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Though a distant second, “Get Hard” also opened strongly with an estimated $34.6 million, rewarding the Warner Bros. pairing of two of the most bankable stars in comedy.

Last week’s top film, the young-adult sequel “The Divergent Series: Insurgent,” slid to third with $22.1 million.

The wild card of the weekend was “It Follows,” a critically acclaimed indie horror film. After the film drew packed theaters in limited release, plans for a subsequent video-on-demand release were postponed.

Rounding out the top five were “Cinderella” with $17.5 million, fourth; and “It Follows” with $4 million, fifth place.

Tony winner, Simon director Saks dies at 93

NEW YORK

Gene Saks, a prolific actor-director who teamed with playwright and fellow New Yorker Neil Simon on hit Broadway and movie productions of such Simon comedies as “The Odd Couple” and “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” has died. He was 93.

Saks, who won three Tony Awards for his direction, died from pneumonia Saturday at his East Hampton home in New York, according to his son Daniel.

Saks’ grab bag of hits also included many without Simon. Among them were the musicals “Mame” (1966), starring Angela Lansbury and his then-wife Bea Arthur; “Half A Sixpence,” starting British pop star Tommy Steele (1965), and “I Love My Wife” (1977), as well as such comedies as “Enter Laughing” (1963) and “Same Time, Next Year” (1975).

Destiny’s Child reunites at gospel awards show

LAS VEGAS

A reunited Destiny’s Child took the stage at the Stellar Gospel Music Awards on Saturday as singer Erica Campbell took home six awards, including the night’s top honor.

Beyonce and Kelly Rowland joined Michelle Williams in a surprise performance of Williams’ single, “Say Yes,” which also netted an award for music video of the year.

The awards will be broadcast April 5 on the TV One network.

Associated Press