‘How to Train Your Dragon’ sequel stays at No. 1 at box office


‘How to Train Your Dragon’ sequel stays at No. 1 at box office

LOS ANGELES

“How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World” topped the North American box office for a second week, but close on its tail was Tyler Perry’s final installment of the “Madea” franchise. Driven by a largely female audience, “A Madea Family Funeral” had a better-than-expected debut.

The third installment in the “How To Train Your Dragon” series grossed an estimated $30 million this weekend according to Universal Pictures on Sunday, bringing its domestic total just shy of $100 million.

“A Madea Family Funeral” took second place at the domestic box office with an estimated $27 million, a third best for the 15-year-old franchise. The “Madea” films have never been all that popular with critics – this one splattered out with a 24 percent on Rotten Tomatoes — but audiences have never seemed to care.

Rounding out the top five at the box office were: “Alita: Battle Angel,” $7 million, third place; “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part,” $6.6 million, fourth place; and “Green Book,” $4.7 million, fifth place.

McKellen apologizes for remarks about Spacey, Singer

LONDON

Actor Ian McKellen has apologized for remarks in which he appeared to suggest that allegations of sexual abuse that have been leveled against Kevin Spacey and Bryan Singer resulted from the entertainers’ unease with their own sexuality.

McKellen tweeted Saturday that comments made during the live #QueerAF podcast were “clumsily expressed.” He said “I suggested that if closeted people were instead open about their sexuality they wouldn’t abuse others. That, of course, is wrong.”

He went on to say that he “would never, ever trivialize or condone abuse of any kind. I deeply regret my careless remarks and apologise unreservedly for any distress I caused.”

Both Spacey and Singer have denied wrongdoing in relation to the allegations.

Garner to speak at university graduation

GRANVILLE, OHIO

Actress Jennifer Garner has announced she will be speaking at the graduation ceremony at her Ohio alma mater, Denison University.

She joked in a video statement to Denison’s graduating class that she guesses the university “couldn’t get Oprah or Michelle Obama or anyone real, and so it’s going to be me.”

The 46-year-old star of HBO’s “Camping” and movies such as “Daredevil” and “13 Going on 30” graduated from the central Ohio school in Granville in 1994.

The Columbus Dispatch reports the May 18 ceremony will be open only to graduating Denison students and their families. It will be the school’s 178th commencement.

Associated Press

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