At The Box Office: Beyonce’s Stalker Thriller ‘Obsessed’ Takes #1

After previous weekend takeovers by Zac Efron and Miley Cyrus, a more adult film took this week's box office by a mile.

Sony's stalker thriller "Obsessed," starring Beyonce, Idris Elba and Ali Larter, came in #1 this weekend, leaving the competition in the dust, taking in $28.5 million.

In the film, businessman Idris Elba has his life turned upside down by his obsessive new secretary (Ali Landry), who goes beyond the office crush, while Beyonce vies to keep her husband.

Females flocked to the theaters to see all the dram and catfight. According to Variety, the film's audience was 58% female, while nearly 50% was under age 25.

Right behind the Beyonce thriller, at #2, is last week's top movie "17 Again", which grossed another 11.6 million.

"Fighting" punched its way to #3, doing better than expected by grossing an estimated $11.4 million. The film tells the story of small-town boy Channing Tatum trying to make it big in New York City, featuring bare-knuckle scraps and lots of busted lips.

"The Soloist," starring critical acclaimed actors Robert Downey Jr and Jamie Foxx, came in at #4 with $9.2 million dollars in ticket sales. The film's lackluster debut could be credited to the studio's decision to move its premiere date from late last year to early spring, or the so-so reviews.

Disneynature's "Earth" performed well, grossing an estimated $8.6 million for the weekend to put it at #5, scoring the best domestic opening ever for a nature docu, as well as one of the top openings of all time for any doc. The documentary culls extraordinary nature footage from the BBC's landmark series "Planet Earth.

"Monsters vs. Aliens" lands at #6 with $8.5 million; "State of Play" at #7 with $6.8; "Hannah Montana: The Movie" at #8 with $6.3; "Fast & Furious" at #9 with another $6 million to take its total to $150 million; and "Crank: High Voltage" rounds at the top 10 with $2.4 million.

Another new release, "The Informers" came in at #19, landing just $300,000 in ticket sales. The film, based on the Bret Easton Ellis novel, opened in limited release.

The highly regarded Mike Tyson documentary "Tyson," debuted at $86,000 on just 11 screens.

http://www.ballerstatus.com/2009/04/27/at-the-box-office-beyonces-stalker-thriller-obsessed-takes-1/

Beyonce says "definitely" wants Broadway role

Grammy Award winning singer and actress Beyonce Knowles has a plan to settle down in a couple of years and have some children with her husband, hip hop mogul Jay-Z, do less touring and -- debut on Broadway.

"It's my ideal job," Knowles told Reuters, while promoting her latest film role in "Obsessed," in which she plays a wife who takes on her husband's stalker.

"I'll be able to go to the theater every day and drop my kids off and maybe make some food -- maybe I'll know how to cook by then -- and then go do what I love and have some normalcy and have a regular schedule."

"I definitely want to do Broadway."

Knowles, 27, said she loved playing Sharon Charles in "Obsessed," which opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, her first non-singing film role after performances in screen musicals including "Cadillac Records" and "Dreamgirls."

"I love this role because in most of these movies the man comes in and saves the day. And my character Sharon is the hero. She's strong and doesn't choose to be the victim, call her husband, call the police, hide in the attic -- she fights," said Knowles.

The singer's "I Am..." world tour, which begins this week in Croatia, is dramatic but, "I wouldn't say Broadway," said Knowles , who has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide.

"It's really theatrical and I do, of course, all of the singles."

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE53M6AH20090423

Beyonce thriller "Obsessed" leads new releases

The final weekend of the spring box office season boasts four new pictures in wide release.

As for picking a winner, lots of luck. But it does seem certain "17 Again" will relinquish the box office crown, with an expected second-weekend tally of $12 million or so for the Zac Efron comedy. It's considered likely that at least one or more of the new pictures will register a bit more than that.

But which one will finish first? That's much less clear.

The Sony thriller "Obsessed" looks capable of attracting at least mid-teen millions through Sunday, though its ultimate haul hinges greatly on how it draws outside of core urban demos. The cast includes Beyonce Knowles ("Dreamgirls"), Idris Elba ("28 Weeks Later") and Ali Larter ("Resident Evil: Extinction").

"It has a very solid cast, and Beyonce has an all-audience appeal," Sony domestic distribution president Rory Bruer said.

Paramount's DreamWorks-produced "The Soloist" -- a $40 million-plus production helmed by Joe Wright ("Atonement") and starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx -- is probably the highest-profile picture hitting multiplexes. But the delayed winter release has drawn mixed reviews, so teen millions are certainly doable but not quite guaranteed.

"Fighting," Universal's drama about bare-knuckle brawling that stars Terrence Howard and Channing Tatum, has been tracking in similar terrain as "The Soloist."

The weekend's final wide release is rather anomalous.

Disney opened its James Earl Jones-narrated documentary "Earth" on Wednesday, which was the national eco-holiday Earth Day. The inaugural entry in a planned series of nature documentaries to be branded as Disney Nature releases, "Earth" boasts uncertain box office prospects.

"It's a labor of love, and we'll see," Disney distribution president Chuck Viane mused. "The idea is to bring out something different and try to grow the business."

Meantime, Universal will be hoping for strong second session for Russell Crowe's "State of Play," which bowed softly at No. 2 last weekend with $14.1 million. The $60 million adaptation of a British miniseries, "Play" also has an important U.K. opening this weekend.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE53N0O520090424

Beyonce voice hoax creator says he was 'trying to make a point'

The creator of the hoax Beyonce soundboard clip that Howard Stern played on his radio show earlier this week has revealed why he made the tape.

Matthew Zeghibe said “I was just trying to make a point. I wanted to show people how easy it is to manipulate someone’s voice. If I can do it with a clip I pulled off of TV, imagine what they are doing on records and during live performances. The entire industry has been so manipulated, because there’s such an emphasis on perfection, so when something like this happens, it causes such a stir.”

Zeghibe, an art student from Connecticut, made the clip sound as if it was the real soundboard recording of Beyonce’s voice on ‘If I Were a Boy’ during a performance on the ‘Today’ show in November last year.

He said he made it as joke for his friends, and put it on YouTube. “It was just for a good laugh. It was a goof, just for fun. I do a lot of parodies on my YouTube channel, and it just so happens this one got a little out of hand,” he told Rolling Stone.

Beyonce responded to the hoax by saying she was grateful, as it drew publicity to two upcoming TV performances she was gearing up for.

http://www.nme.com/news/beyonce/44228

Beyonce announces U.S. tour dates

In support of her latest, chart-topping album, "I Am ... Sasha Fierce," Beyonce has announced her 2009 world tour dates in North America this summer. The trek starts at New York's Madison Square Garden in June and wraps with a four-night residence at Encore at Wynn Las Vegas July 30-August 2.

Beyonce will be backed by her all-female band. Winners of her "Single Ladies" video dance contest will see themselves onscreen during one of the tour concert's centerpiece sections.

Tickets will be available as pre-sale for members of Beyonce's Fan Club on Monday, April 20. Tickets for the general public will go on sale through Ticketmaster on Saturday, April 25. Beyonce is making 2,000 seats available at each venue for $20 (plus applicable service charges).

Tickets for the four-night residence at Encore will go on sale at an as-yet unannounced date.

Beyonce's "I Am ..." world tour comprises her first full-length concerts since 2007's "The Beyonce Experience" tour.

http://www.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUSTRE53H08C20090418

Beyonce, Hudson win early Image Awards

Beyonce kicked off the 40th annual NAACP Image Awards with a wind-swept performance of her song "Halo" — and then glided to victory in the outstanding female artist category.

Her "Dreamgirls" co-star Jennifer Hudson, who's set to perform later during the Shrine Auditorium ceremony, picked up the trophy for outstanding new artist.

"This is where we come from," Hudson said accepting the award. "So it's always an honor to come home and feel welcome and to feel the love. I really cherish this and appreciate it."

Some of the winners were awarded before the live ceremony, including "Grey's Anatomy" co-star Chandra Wilson for actress in a drama series and singer-actor Jamie Foxx for male artist. Chris Brown, who's accused in a domestic dispute that reportedly involves pop superstar Rihanna, was one of four men up against Foxx for the outstanding male artist trophy.

Hill Harper from "CSI: NY" and Tracee Ellis Ross from "Girlfriends" also picked up TV acting awards early on during the ceremony Thursday, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and will kick off a yearlong centennial celebration.

Over 30 awards honoring television, film, music and literature are to be handed out in categories such as outstanding reality series, literary work, jazz artist, music video and documentary. - AP

Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, will.i.am do Image Awards

Fox TV says Beyonce, Stevie Wonder and will.i.am are among the performers set for Thursday's NAACP Image Awards.

They join previously announced singers Jennifer Hudson and Seal, Fox said Wednesday. Other celebrities scheduled to take part include Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button") and Sean "Diddy" Combs.

Halle Berry and screenwriter-actor Tyler Perry are hosts of the 40th annual Image Awards, airing Thursday from 8-10 p.m. EST on Fox.

The awards coincide with the 100th anniversary of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and will kick off a yearlong centennial celebration. - AP

Etta James 'can't stand' Beyonce

We saw Beyonce play Etta James. We probably won't soon see the singing divas duet.

The 71-year-old singer says in an audio clip that surfaced online Thursday that she would "whip" Beyonce for singing "her song" "At Last" at an inaugural ball for President Barack Obama.

"The great Beyonce ... I can't stand Beyonce," James said in the clip from a Jan. 31 concert at the Boulevard Casino in Coquitlam, British Columbia. "She has no business up there, singing up there on a big ol' president day, gonna be singing my song that I've been singing forever."

Beyonce portrayed James — and sang the 1941 song written by Mack Gordon and Harry Warren — in the film "Cadillac Records" last year.

Spokespeople for James and Beyonce declined to comment. - AP

Beyonce of Rihanna?

For this edition of “Who Owns the Look” we have Beyoncé and Rihanna both rocking the same Armani Privé dress from his Fall 2007 Collection. Rihanna was spotted wearing the dress first on the red carpet of the 2007 American Music Awards, while Beyonce brought it back for an unknown photo shoot from this year.

So I must ask the question … WHO OWNS THE LOOK?