Shark flick ‘The Meg’ reigns at box office

Shark flick ‘The Meg’ reigns at box office

NEW YORK

Adding to Hollywood’s sizzling summer, the shark thriller “The Meg” opened well above expectations with an estimated $44.5 million in ticket sales, while Spike Lee had his best debut in a decade.

With an international cast led by Jason Statham and featuring Li Bingbing, Rainn Wilson and Winston Chao, “The Meg” cost at least $130 million to make.

Following hits like “The Shallows” and “47 Meters Down,” the shark movie – 43 years after Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws” – has been showing surprising bite at the box office. Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros., said late summer was ideal timing for “The Meg.”

Rounding out the top five at the box office were: “Mission: Impossible – Fallout,” $20 million, second place; “Christopher Robin,” $12.4 million, third place; “Slender Man,” $11.3 million, fourth place; and “BlacKkKlansman,” $10.8 million, fifth place.

Timberlake book coming in October

NEW YORK

Justin Timberlake is looking back.

The actor and Grammy-winning singer has a book out this fall, Harper Design announced Friday. “Hindsight & All the Things I Can’t See in Front of Me” will feature images from his personal archives and “anecdotes, reflections and observations.” The book comes out Oct. 30. It was co-written with Sandra Bark and designed by Michael Bierut. Timberlake said the book would highlight some of the “important people and places” behind his career. He also said the book would include tributes to his wife, actress Jessica Biel, and 3-year-old son Silas.

According to Harper, Timberlake will touch upon everything from his years with *NSync to his skits on “Saturday Night Live.”

Will Elba be the first black Bond?

LONDON

British actor Idris Elba is stoking speculation he may take over the role of James Bond when Daniel Craig steps aside, offering an enigmatic Twitter post that fueled the buzz about him becoming the first black Bond.

The star of shows such as “The Wire” and “Luther” on Sunday posted an artistic selfie under the words “my name’s Elba, Idris Elba,” echoing the spy’s famous catchphrase.

American film producer Antoine Fuqua stoked long-running speculation about Elba taking on the role last week, when he told Britain’s Daily Star that Bond movie boss Barbara Broccoli had said “it is time” for a nonwhite actor to play agent 007.

Associated Press