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‘Tenet’ tops $300 million globally, but domestic box office is in crisis mode
Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” willed itself past the $300 million mark globally this weekend even as the overall domestic box office appeared to be on the verge of collapse.
Disney’s “Hocus Pocus,” a Bette Middler comedy that flopped when it was initially released in 1993, but became a cult hit on cable and streaming, almost matched “Tenet’s” grosses in North America and beat those of “The New Mutants.”
Re-released just in time for Halloween,” “Hocus Pocus” picked up $1.9 million from 2,570 theatres. “Tenet” earned $2.7 million from 2,722 venues, pushing its domestic haul to a paltry $45.1 million.
“The New Mutants” eked out $1 million from 2,154 locations, bringing its domestic total to $20.9 million.
“Tenet’ has struggled to attract stateside audiences with the kind of fervor that typically greets Nolan films such as “Inception” and “Dunkirk.”
Audiences seem hesitant to return to cinemas when coronavirus infection rates remain stubbornly high in the U.S., but the weak results are also attributable to the fact that major markets such as Los Angeles and New York haven’t allowed theatres to reopen due to the pandemic.
“Tenet” has fared much better overseas, grossing $14.2 million globally this weekend from 59 markets.
That pushed the international total to $262 million and the worldwide haul to $307 million.
Normally, that figure would signal disaster for a $200 million film with an elaborate marketing campaign. In pandemic times, the results have to be weighed more charitably, even if they suggest “Tenet” will lose millions during its theatrical run.
Warner Bros., the studio behind “Tenet,” believes the film will make more money by launching in theatres than it would have if it had debuted on video-on-demand or on HBO Max.
That strategy would have been a tough, likely impossible sell for Nolan, who is a vociferous champion of the theatrical experience, but it also would have impacted the studio’s ability to maximise ancillary revenues such as digital rentals, sales and television licensing deals.
The situation for theatres, however, remains dire.
On Friday, news broke that MGM, Eon Productions and Universal were delaying the November release of “No Time to Die” until 2021, depriving cinemas of a James Bond film at a time when they have no blockbusters left to release for months.
Then over the weekend, Cineworld announced it was considering closing its U.K. cinemas back down, as well as shuttering Regal Cinemas, the U.S. exhibitor it bought in 2018.
Other theatre chains could follow suit if they believe it will be too costly to keep their marquees lit without major films to play.
If that happens, it will mean the loss of tens of thousands of jobs and could cause both exhibition giants and independently-owned, smaller theatres to go bankrupt. (Reuters/NAN)
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London Property Dispute Exposes Alleged Corruption, Forgery by Nigerian Politician and Lawyer
By Hassan Taiye
A recent judgment by the UK’s First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) has shed light on a complex web of alleged corruption and forgery involving a Nigerian politician and a senior lawyer. The case revolves around a disputed property in North London, valued at 79 Randall Avenue.
The property was purchased in 1993 under the name “Tali Shani,” which is allegedly an alias for late General Jeremiah Useni, a powerful member of the Abacha regime. Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, claimed the property was gifted to him by “Mr. Tali Shani” in 2021 as payment for legal services. However, the tribunal dismissed this claim, describing it as “fabricated” and “fraudulent.”
The tribunal’s ruling highlights the alleged involvement of Ozekhome and his associates in fabricating documents, including a Nigerian passport, National Identification Number (NIN), and Tax Identification Number (TIN). The NIN was reportedly created remotely from Monaco using a non-compliant photograph and bypassing biometric requirements ¹.
The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate Ozekhome and others over alleged fraud, forgery, and unlawful attempt to acquire the London property. The ICPC has launched an investigation, and the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) has also taken notice of the case ²
Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN Senior lawyer accused of forgery and attempting to acquire the property through fraudulent means.
General Jeremiah Useni Late Nigerian General allegedly behind the purchase of the property under the alias “Tali Shani.”
Osilama Ozekhome*: Ozekhome’s son, implicated in the alleged forgery and fraud.
L-r Senate Committee Chairman on Appropriation, Solomon Adeola; Senate Deputy Whip, Onyekachi Nweboyin; Former Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio; Senator Sharafadeen Ali; Deputy Senate President, Jibrin Barau; Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele; Senate Whip Tahir Monguno and Senate Committee Chairman on Financial Institutions, Tokunbo Abiru, after resumption of plenary yesterday. Photo: Senate President’s Office
By: Fabian Apechihin
The Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji, has resigned from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet amid a growing controversy surrounding his academic credentials.
Presidential spokesman Bayo Onanuga confirmed Nnaji’s resignation in a statement issued late Tuesday.
Nnaji’s exit follows mounting allegations that his academic certificates were forged. Investigations revealed that the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), disowned the Bachelor of Science degree he claimed to possess, stating that he never completed his studies at the institution and was therefore not issued any certificate.
According to UNN Vice-Chancellor Prof. Simon U. Ortuanya, Nnaji was admitted in 1981 but failed to meet the requirements for graduation.
In a related development, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) reportedly disowned the certificate of national service presented by Nnaji, describing it as fake.
His resignation marks the latest in a series of controversies to hit the Tinubu administration over questions of integrity and accountability among public officials.
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