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‘Mission: Impossible’ Box Office: Can ‘Dead Reckoning’ Rebound From Barbenheimer?

Tom Cruise, the star who is credited with saving the box office after Top Gun: Maverick flew to $1.5 billion in global ticket sales, is now facing another kind of reckoning — surviving the Barbenheimer effect.

His Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One tumbled a franchise-worst 64 percent to $19.5 million in its second weekend when going up against Barbie and Oppenheimer, whose dual arrivals transformed into a cultural phenomenon and propelled the domestic box office to historic heights. Revenue for the July 21-23 weekend was the fourth-biggest of all time; in addition, it was the first time ever that one movie opened to $100 million or more and another to $50 million or more. Barbie scored $155 million, followed by $80.5 million for Oppenheimer. No one in Hollywood anticipated such a staggering turnout.

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The seventh installment in Paramount and Skydance’s storied Mission: Impossible series, which finished Sunday with a domestic total of $118.8 million, had hoped to earn as much as $25 million in its second outing.

The question now is whether Dead Reckoning Part One can level out and enjoy a long run as other series installments have done, and just as Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick did. Executives across Hollywood, and not just at Paramount, aren’t ruling Dead Reckoning out just yet, especially since it has a better critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes than Barbie and Oppenheimer, as well as strong audience exit scores.

“I don’t think the story has yet been written,” says one executive at a rival studio.

Mission: Impossible pics have never sported mega-openings, yet expectations were high for Dead Reckoning after Cruise’s Top Gun: Maverick opened to $160.5 million over Memorial Day weekend in 2022, including $126.7 million for the three days. Dead Reckoning had been tracking to open to $90 million in its first five days beginning July 12; instead, it took in a franchise-best $78.5 million, not adjusted for inflation.

Titles in the Mission franchise have always drawn a larger percentage of their global gross from the foreign box office. Dead Reckoning Part One is no exception. It earned another another $55 million from 72 markets in its second weekend for a foreign tally of $252.1 million and $370.9 million globally through Sunday. It is doing especially well in Asia, where Barbie and Oppenheimer aren’t strong players. And in a number of markets, it is pacing 15 percent or more ahead of 2018’s Mission: Impossible — Fallout. In Japan, it debuted to $7.9 million, 23 percent ahead of Fallout, which earned a franchise-best $571.5 million overseas for a global total of $791.7 million, including $220.2 million in North America.

Mission: Impossible 7 had to contend with losing Imax screens for three weeks to Oppenheimer, in addition to losing premium large-format screens to both Oppenheimer or Barbie. The upcharge for Imax and PLFs is significant, and can have a big impact on the bottom line. In early July, Imax screens were dedicated to Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.

Cruise’s latest movie, directed by Christopher McQuarrie, cost nearly $300 million to produce and saw its release date delayed numerous times because of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was initially set to open in summer of 2021, then summer or fall of 2022. Its release date ultimately landed on mid-July of this year, a date dictated by the shooting schedule of Dead Reckoning Part Two and Cruise’s availability to promote Part One (the actor is known for his global marketing efforts).

Adds another observer: “Barbenheimer siphoned off MI7‘s potential this weekend, with Oppenheimer drawing older males away from Dead Reckoning. Not only that, Sound of Freedom is an unexpected force to be reckoned with and is presenting competition from an unlikely source.”

Estimates for the U.S. box office show Angel Studios’ faith-based political thriller Sound of Freedom in beating Dead Reckoning for the weekend with $20.1 million for a cume of $123.4 million (Sound of Freedom opened on July 4), according to Comscore. Paramount and other studios show Dead Reckoning beating Sound of Freedom; Monday actuals will determine the order.

Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part Two is set to open in theaters on June 28, 2024. McQuarrie and Cruise have shot much of the movie, but production is now halted because of the SAG-AFTRA strike in another moment of reckoning for the storied action franchise.

Things looked different in late June, when Cruise — Hollywood’s highest-profile advocate for the theatrical experience — urged audiences to see Dial of Destiny. And, yes, two other movies in a surprisingly effective plea. Wrote the actor on Instagram : “I love a double feature, and it doesn’t get more explosive (or more pink) than one with Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.”

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‘Oppenheimer’ star Cillian Murphy reflects on ‘perfect’ and ‘powerful’ sex scenes with Florence Pugh

“Oppenheimer” has generated buzz for a variety of reasons, including a few brief sex scenes between stars Cillian Murphy and Florence Pugh.

Murphy plays J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “father of the atomic bomb,” in the film, who engages in an affair with Jean Tatlock, played by Pugh.

In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, Murphy explained the sexual scenes were included by director Christopher Nolan with purpose, and not for any “gratuitous” reason.

“He knew that those scenes would get the movie the rating that it got. And I think when you see it, it’s so f–king powerful. And they’re not gratuitous. They’re perfect. And Florence is just amazing,” Murphy said.

Florence Pugh as Jean Tatlock, left, and Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in a scene from “Oppenheimer,” which features sex scenes between the pair. (Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures via AP)

‘OPPENHEIMER’ STAR MATT DAMON PROMISED WIFE HE’D TAKE A BREAK FROM HOLLYWOOD BEFORE LANDING MOVIE ROLE

The Irish-born actor also had high praise for Pugh and her career, past and present.

“I have loved Florence’s work since ‘Lady Macbeth,’ and I think she’s f–king phenomenal,” he told the outlet. “She has this presence as a person and on screen that is staggering. The impact she has [in ‘Oppenheimer’] for the size of the role, it’s quite devastating.”

Before the film’s release, Murphy spoke with Fox News Digital about the film’s star-studded cast, which includes Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, and Robert Downey Jr.

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“They’re such brilliant, brilliant actors. There’s a reason why they are movie stars, and they’re… just also great people,” he said.

“I’d worked with Emily before on ‘Quiet Place 2’… we were very close. And I think that was smart casting by Chris to put us as husband and wife.”

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Murphy also echoed his praise for Pugh, saying he “really admired” her.

“Every day was a buzz,” Murphy said.

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How To Find The IMEI Number On Your Android Phone

There are three places you can find your Android phone’s IMEI number, two within the phone itself, and one outside of it. The last of them is simply printed on the box that your phone came in — though in all likelihood, you’ve long since thrown that away, so it’s not the best option. The best way to find your phone’s IMEI number within its systems is, surprisingly, within the regular Phone app.

Open your Android phone’s Phone app.Open the manual dialer.Dial in *#06#. You don’t need to press the call button.A window will automatically pop up, showing several codes, including the IMEI number.

That window includes both a numerical IMEI number and a scannable barcode. If you happen to have another phone handy, take a picture of it for your records. Otherwise, just write the number down and keep it somewhere safe. The other way to find your phone’s IMEI number is to check your Settings.

Daniel Trock/SlashGearOpen the Settings app.Swipe up and tap About Phone.Navigate to find your IMEI number.

The IMEI number can be found in the About Phone menu of all Android phones, regardless of manufacturer. The only exception is some older Samsung models, which have a Status menu within the About Phone menu that contains the IMEI number.

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Why Your Android Says Attachment Limit Reached (And How To Fix It)

A simple way to get around the file size restriction on Android is to enable Rich Communication Services (RCS). This form of Android messaging is the answer to the iPhone’s iMessage app. Instead of sending messages via SMS/MMS, RCS bypasses the device’s mobile provider by sending messages via Wi-Fi. However, older Android phones and devices with mobile carriers that don’t support RCS cannot use the feature. There are a limited number of texting apps that support RCS at the time of writing.

How to enable RCS in Google Messages:

Open the Google Messages app or download it from the Google Play Store if you do not have it.Tap the user icon in the top right corner.Select Messages Settings in the drop-down menu.Tap the RCS Chats option, which is listed as Chat Features on some phones.Toggle on the RCS Chats setting.

If you have a Galaxy smartphone, you can use RCS messaging in Samsung Messages instead, but it isn’t as straightforward. The carrier must support the app’s advanced messaging feature, which is what Samsung calls RCS. To check whether it’s enabled:

Open the Samsung Messages app.Tap the three vertical dots.Tap Settings.Look for Chat Settings — if it is grayed out, that means your carrier doesn’t support the Samsung app’s RCS feature. If the feature isn’t grayed out, that means you can use RCS in Samsung Messages.

Activating RCS will allow you to send files up to 100 MB. However, for RCS to function, both you and the person you are messaging must have the feature enabled, and you may need to disable your phone’s built-in power-saving feature for it to work.

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Russell Crowe Was A Little Jealous After Seeing The Gladiator 2 Set

Several of the proposed “Gladiator” sequels were pretty out there. Early on, “Gladiator 2” was to be about a character named Lucius, a descendent of Maximus, learning about his father 15 years after his death. While that project was developing, rocker Nick Cave was hired to write an expressionistic “Gladiator” sequel he wanted to call “Christ Killer.” Cave’s story saw Maximus living in Purgatory before he was resurrected as a vengeful Roman deity. The now-immortal Maximus was tasked with assassinating Jesus Christ, as Christianity threatened Roman religions. Maximus would live through multiple wars over many centuries, with the film ending in the present. Cave’s movie sounds like wild fun, but the project was eventually scrapped.

Crowe, meanwhile, wanted to address the rumors that he would return to play Maximus. The actor wanted to assure people that the answer was an emphatic no. Indeed, he spent so much time talking about “Gladiator 2,” Crowe thought it should be cut into his paycheck from the first movie. The actor said: 

“They should be f***ing paying me, for the amount of questions I’ve had to answer about a f***ing film that I’m not even in. It’s got nothing to do with me; in that world, I’m dead, six feet under, and that’s that.”

Crowe is the frontman of a folk-ish band called 30 Odd Foot of Grunts, which he formed in 1992. They have put out three records and tour regularly. While singing in Malta, Crowe saw a full-scale reproduction of the Colosseum set from the first “Gladiator,” and felt a rush of nostalgia. He was jealous of the actors who were lucky enough to have the same experience he had some 25 years prior.

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Taylor Swift laughs while performing song about allegedly forgiving Kanye West during Eras Tour

Taylor Swift can’t help but laugh about her feud with Kanye West.

During the Seattle stop of her Eras tour, Swift performed her song “This is Why We Can’t Have Nice Things,” which is widely believed to be about her beef with West and then wife Kim Kardashian.

After singing the line, “Here’s to you, cuz forgiveness is a nice thing to do,” the 33-year-old let out a hearty laugh as the crowd cheered along.

She paused to recover and said, “I can’t even say it with a straight face,” before launching into the final chorus of the song.

Swift laughing and saying the “I can’t even say it with a straight face” line are both featured on the original recording of the song, from her 2017 “Reputation” album, which came on the heels of a fresh dust up in her feud with West.

TAYLOR SWIFT’S CELEBRITY FEUD HISTORY: FROM KANYE WEST TO KATY PERRY, AND BEYOND

In 2016 West released his track, “Famous,” in which he made the “Shake It Off” singer famous and referred to her as “that b—ch” in the lyrics.

West claimed he had Swift’s permission to mention her in the song, which she denied.

Kanye West and Taylor Swift’s feud has spanned almost 15 years, going back to the 2009 VMAs (Stephane Cardinale – Corbis /)

Then Kardashian, married to West at the time, released a recording of the conversation in which she apparently does ok the lyrics, and called the singer a “snake” on social media.

During her “Reputation” release and tour, Swift embraced the snake label and used snakes in her tour and promotional imagery.

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The feud goes back even further, to 2009, when West interrupted Swift’s acceptance speech for best video by a female artist at the MTV Video Music Awards.

Swift and West seemed to have settled things before he released “Famous,” reigniting the issue for a time.

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 2023, in Seattle, Washington. (Mat Hayward/TAS23/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)

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In 2020, both artists released albums on the same day, “Folklore” for Swift and “Donda” for West, but it didn’t seem to spark any new issues between them.

Earlier that same year, an unknown source put up the alleged full recorded phone call, which appeared to vindicate Swift’s version of events.

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The Reason Why British Aircraft Carriers Have Two Islands

Ultimately, the British developed a simple yet ingenious approach: two separate islands with independent exhaust and air intake systems. The two smaller islands have several advantages over a single large island, including reduced wind turbulence.

The two islands have a smaller combined footprint than a single large island, freeing up space on the flight deck and allowing each unit to be fully constructed off-site. Finally, powerful radar systems can be mounted to each island, reducing the interference that would be present if the radars were mounted closer together in a shared space. 

If there are any drawbacks to this design, it’s that navigation is typically handled from the front island, and aircraft operating is handled from the rear island. Since a joint effort between the two is often required during missions, communication that previously would have been in-person is now carried out via heavy reliance on an intercom. Some aircraft carrier enthusiasts opine that the two islands detract from a carrier’s good looks, but that may simply be a matter of getting used to.

To date, two Queen Elizabeth-class carriers are employing this innovative approach. The lead ship HMS Queen Elizabeth and the later HMS Prince of Wales, were commissioned in 2017 and 2019, respectively. Besides the dual islands, other crew facilities include a cinema, five gyms for exercise, and four galleys with a staff of 27. 

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The Title Of The Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks Crossover Episode Has A Hilarious Origin

Paramount+

This post contains spoilers for the latest episode of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.”

In the “Star Trek: Lower Decks” episode “No Small Parts” (October 8, 2020), the characters make a cute reference that served as a wink to the Trekkies watching. 

“Lower Decks” is, of course, replete with references, and often goes well out of its way to incorporate ultra-obscure “Star Trek” nods that only deep-cut nerds would spot. It helps that the characters on “Lower Decks” are intimately familiar with Starfleet history, and are armed with the same kind of Trek-nerd knowledge possessed by the audience. As such, when the ensigns on the U.S.S. Cerritos look back to the “Star Trek” events from 120 years prior — Kirk’s time — they refer to it as “the TOS era.” What does “TOS” stand for? “Those old scientists,” one of them explains. 

Of course, Trekkies gave a hearty chuckle, as “Star Trek: TOS” is common shorthand when writing about the 1966 “Star Trek” series. For many Trekkies, “TOS” stands for “the original series.” Along that line, TNG is used for “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” DS9 for “Deep Space Nine,” VOY for “Voyager,” ENT for “Enterprise,” SNW for “Strange New Worlds,” LD for “Lower Decks,” and PIC for “Picard.” Frustratingly, “Star Trek: Prodigy” doesn’t seem to have a similar abbreviation. And, yes, without a hint of self-awareness “Star Trek: Discovery” is sometimes referred to as STD. Each of the “Star Trek” movies has shorthand as well, but we won’t get into that here. 

The “those old scientists” gag carried over onto the title of the latest episode of “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” which is a crossover with “Lower Decks.” The characters from the latter are thrown back in time 120 years to meet characters from the former. They finally get to meet Those Old Scientists.

When references to Trek become Trek references Paramount+

The incorporation of real-life references to “Star Trek” journalism is, of course, a game “Lower Decks” plays a lot. In addition to the myriad references to “Star Trek” lore — Ensign Rutherford (Eugene Cordero) once wore an outlandish sweater last seen on the torso of Jake Sisko on “Deep Space Nine” — there are winks to fans who pay attention to the writings about “Star Trek.” In one episode, for instance, Captain Riker (Jonathan Frakes) returns to the bridge of the U.S.S. Titan having just spent a few minutes on the ship’s holodeck. He says he was spending time with simulated versions of the crew of the very first Enterprise, NX-01. This was a reference to the final episode of “Star Trek: Enterprise,” wherein Riker was seen serving as the older ship’s chef while he conversed with holodeck versions of the show’s characters. 

Riker, however, then noted that he was feeling wistful and that “it’s been a long road, getting from there to here.” Fans of “Enterprise” will immediately recognize that phrase as the opening lyric to the show’s notorious theme song performed by the equally notorious Russell Watson. 

This was also a series that depicted its main characters playing a board game that very, very much resembled 1993’s “Star Trek: The Next Generation Interactive VCR Board Game – A Klingon Challenge.” There was even an episode wherein the animators included a Spock helmet in the background. The Spock helmet may be one of the weirdest pieces of “Star Trek” merchandise ever produced, as it was not an object from the show, nor was it extrapolated from the show’s aesthetic. It was a white helmet with a light on the top and the word SPOCK emblazoned across the forehead. 

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‘Jersey Shore’s’ Nicole ‘Snooki’ Polizzi opens up about ‘scary’ weight struggles, slams ‘a–hole’ body-shamers

“Jersey Shore” star Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi opened up about her past struggles with weight and body image in a viral TikTok video.

The 35-year-old television personality also slammed online critics, who she implored to “stop commenting about people’s bodies” in a three-minute clip that she shared on Wednesday.

“I know it’s an issue for a lot of people. Men, women, everybody—it’s an issue. And it’s called weight,” Snooki began her video.

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi blasted body-shamers in a video that went viral on TikTok. (Nicole Polizzi TikTok/Getty)

She continued, “I have struggled with my weight my entire life. High school—not great. Wasn’t eating. Underweight. Had no energy. It was getting scary. So, high school was not a good place for me with weight.”

‘JERSEY SHORE’ STAR NICOLE ‘SNOOKI’ POLIZZI SAYS FILMING THE REALITY SHOW GAVE HER ‘A LOT OF ANXIETY’

“I wanted to be size 0 and so skinny and fit in the jeans,” Snooki added. “But, oh, my God, I was so sad and, like, not eating, no energy.”

On a 2010 episode of “Jersey Shore” Snooki revealed that she had struggled with an eating disorder in high school and admitted that her weight had plunged to 80 pounds at one point. 

In her TikTok video, the reality star said that her issues continued until she was cast on Jersey Shore at the age of 21 in 2009.

“I wasn’t working out but I was like, you know what? I’m going to enjoy my life,” Snooki remembered. “Enjoy it with like not worrying about what I’m eating, and I can only eat at this time and only eat this many calories. No girl, I enjoyed myself. I said, you know what, 21 years old. I’m going on a reality TV show, how freaking cool. I’m just gonna enjoy myself.”

The mother of three recalled that though she gained weight while starring on the hit MTV show, she felt like she was “always confident in my skin, no matter what size I was.”

“I could be a size 0, size 5, size 8, and I was like okay, because no matter what size I was, I’m confident,” Snooki explained. “I know that I’m beautiful, I’m amazing, no matter what size I am.”

The “Jersey Shore” star also opened up about her past struggles with weight. (Jason Merritt)

Snooki went on to say that “everyone fluctuates with their weight” before venting her frustration at body-shamers.

“Who are you to call people pigs and fat and disgusting? And your body looks terrible? Like, no, this is an education for you,” she said heatedly. “If you think those things, which I’m sure a lot of people have opinions—everyone has an opinion about everybody—you want to judge people’s looks, people’s bodies?” 

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“Do it in the own comfort of your a–hole mind, or just like call somebody,” Snooki added. “Call your a–hole friend to gossip about somebody’s weight. But don’t comment it on the internet.”

The “Dancing With The Stars” alum cautioned that “people are sensitive” especially those that have struggled with eating disorders and had “trouble” with body image in the past. 

Snooki urged online critics to “stop commenting on people’s bodies” and “be kind.” (Amy Sussman/Getty Images)

“And they finally are starting to love themselves and then, oh my God, they gained 5 pounds. ‘You’re a fat pig.’ ‘You’re disgusting.’ ‘You gained weight.’ ‘Wow, what happened to you?’ she said, imitating comments made by trolls.

Snooki continued, “That’s not okay because you could put people in a hole again after they finally got out of it.”

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“So, this video is for everyone out there. Stop commenting on people’s weight. It doesn’t matter,” the “Snooki & Jwoww” alum said. “It doesn’t matter if you gain 10 pounds, 5 pounds, or if you lost 20 pounds. Who the f— cares? As long as you’re a good person and you feel good in your own body. Who cares! So, stop commenting on people’s bodies. It’s not nice.”

“Please! I love you. Be kind to each other,” Snooki concluded.

Ashley Hume is an entertainment writer for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to ashley.hume@fox.com and on Twitter: @ashleyhume

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The Best Throwaway Joke In The Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks Crossover Makes A Big Fan Theory Canon

In “Those Old Scientists,” Ensign Boimler (Jack Quaid) and Ensign Mariner (Tawney Newsome) have been thrown back in time 120 years, and have immediately become careful about tainting the timeline. Boimler, to undo some damage he incurred, sneaks aboard a shuttlecraft where he is startled by Ensign Mariner (Tawney Newsome). He exclaims “Holy Q!” and Mariner immediately shushes him. In her usual flip fashion, she then explains that the people in this timeline haven’t met Q yet. “They sort of had a Trelane thing going on.” 

Trekkies enacted the “Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood” meme. If Trelane isn’t a Q, the characters within “Star Trek” at least acknowledge the similarities. Surely they have made the same connection theories as fans.

Trekkies, with their instincts toward canonical nitpicking, have long held that Trelane was a Q. At the end of “The Squire of Gothos,” Trelane’s “parents” appeared to scold him for playing too rough with his human “pets.” Trelane whines like a child and vanishes into the ether. His parents — depicted as glimmers of light — apologize to Captain Kirk for their child’s behavior. Were they Qs?

In “Encounter at Farpoint,” Q explains that he is a member of the Q Continuum, a panoply of ineffable space deities that have existed for an untold amount of time. They can do anything and know everything. Q is also fixated on the darker chapters of Earth’s history, pointing out to Picard that humans have a distressing tendency toward war and death. Both Q and Trelane know a lot about tactics and battles and war. Trelane sees such activities as fun hobbies while Q uses them to condemn humanity. Q puts humanity on trial for its crimes, using Picard as the primary defendant. 

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