‘Get Out’ lands top spot

‘Get Out’ lands top spot

LOS ANGELES

Great reviews and buzz propelled comedian Jordan Peele’s directorial debut, the micro-budget thriller “Get Out,” to a chart-topping opening weekend with $30.5 million according to studio estimates Sunday.

“Get Out” effectively pushed “The Lego Batman Movie” into second place. The animated family picture added $19 million this weekend and is now up to $133 million after only three weeks in theaters.

Rounding out the top five were: “John Wick: Chapter Two,” $9 million, third place; “The Great Wall,” $8.7 million, fourth; and “Fifty Shades Darker,” $7.7 million, fifth place.

Paxton dies at 61 after surgery complications

LOS ANGELES

Bill Paxton, a prolific and charismatic actor who had memorable roles in such blockbusters as “Apollo 13” and “Titanic” while also cherishing his work in “One False Move” and other low-budget movies and in the HBO series “Big Love,” has died from complications due to surgery. He was 61.

A family representative issued a statement Sunday on the death but provided no further details.

Paxton’s movie credits included some of the signature works of the past 40 years, from “Titanic” and “Apollo 13” to “The Terminator and “Aliens.” Television fans knew him for his role as a polygamist, with three wives who expected the best from him, in the HBO series “Big Love,” for which he received three Golden Globe nominations.

Paxton was starring in the CBS drama “Training Day,” which premiered Feb. 2. The network has not yet announced whether it will continue to air the completed episodes.

Paxton is survived by his wife of 30 years, Louise Newbury, and their two children.

Multiple celebrities took to social media to express their condolences and remember the actor before Sunday night’s Academy Awards.

Judge Wapner dies at 97

LOS ANGELES

Joseph Wapner, the retired Los Angeles judge who presided over “The People’s Court” with steady force during the heyday of the reality courtroom show, died Sunday at age 97.

Son David Wapner told The Associated Press that his father died at home in his sleep. Joseph Wapner was hospitalized a week ago with breathing problems and had been under home hospice care.

“The People’s Court,” on which Wapner decided real small-claims from 1981 to 1993, was one of the granddaddies of the syndicated reality shows of today. His affable, no-nonsense approach attracted many fans, putting “The People’s Court” in the top five in syndication at its peak.

Associated Press