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CTV News
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
After buzzy campaign, theatre-less Mississippi town that inspired ‘Sinners' will finally get to see the film
Clarksdale, Mississippi – which serves as inspiration for the setting of the Michael B. Jordan-starring film 'Sinners' – does not have a local cineplex, but the city is finally getting a long-awaited screening. Warner Bros. Pictures confirmed in a press release that screenings of the hit movie will be held in Clarksdale this week, with director Ryan Coogler and other members of the filmmaking team set to attend. (Warner Bros. Pictures, which produced and distributed 'Sinners,' is owned by CNN's parent company Warner Bros. Discovery.) The release stipulated that the screenings and related cultural events will be open and free to the public, but Clarksdale and Coahoma County residents will receive priority access. The drive to have a screening held in Clarksdsle was initially sparked by community organizer Tyler Yarbrough, who earlier this year asked the filmmakers and studio behind the project to host a screening in the city in an open letter. Yarbrough, along with Clarksdale mayor Chuck Espy, previously spoke to CNN's Victor Blackwell for an 'Art is Life' segment earlier this month, and shared their hopes that the screening would become a reality. 'Clarksdale is a ways away from a movie theatre,' Yarbrough said at the time, later adding that it took him about an hour and a half to drive to a theatre that was showing the film. Espy pointed to depopulation and lack of funds as contributing factors to the loss of Clarkdale's two movie theatres, also detailing that most community-and family-centered venues started gravitating toward Memphis, Tennessee, some 80 miles away. 'I'm really excited for the opportunity to have potentially cast members to come and to give people an opportunity to have a real feeling and a real dialogue, so they can immerse themselves in something that the country has not seen,' he shared, referencing the heritage of his city. 'A lot of people are at the table to try to bring this to fruition,' he also said. 'People from over a 2-hour radius are talking about coming to Clarksdale to see this event.' 'We are asking Michael B. Jordan the rest of the cast. We're talking about studio execs,' Espy said. 'Every single person that has touched this wonderful film launched a great release. We're asking them to come to Clarksdale.' 'Sinners,' a period piece/crime thriller/vampire horror hybrid from 'Black Panther' director Ryan Coogler, has dominated the box office and garnered positive reviews. In it, 1930s Mississippi is seen as a burgeoning and fertile place where blues music is created, as characters perform in moving cars and a juke joint is thrown together for the community to enjoy. 'Clarksdale is a melting pot. It has so many people that come from New Zealand, Australia, all around the world for the authentic feel of the blues,' Espy shared, later adding that the city's legacy 'has been going on for over a hundred years about the heritage of the Mississippi delta and the rich legacy of the blues.' 'So people come from all around the world just to touch the sacred soil of this city, to say 'I was there, where the blues was born.'' Yarbrough also mentioned how in a perfect world, he would be able to convince the 'Sinners' production team and cast to not only come for a screening and conversation, but also to explore some of what contemporary Clarksdale has to offer. 'We also wanted the cast to come down and experience our juke joints, to experience our museums like the Blues Museum,' among other things, he said. 'I really love a part of the movie that Coogler captured very well was just showing how the blues is the foundation. And you saw one scene where he intertwined all the different genres, from from hip-hop to pop to rock into this one scene, and there's a lot of power in that that locals need to see,' Yarbrough said. 'And so I think when it comes to this screening and everything, too, we're really trying to connect local folks, Deltans, to that power. So we can remember that we're powerful.' Written by Dan Heching, CNN
Forbes
7 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
How The ‘Sinners' Movie Delivered On Authenticity
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - APRIL 03: (L-R) Li Jun Li, Jayme Lawson, Hailee Steinfeld, Delroy Lindo, ... More Michael B. Jordan, Wunmi Mosaku, Omar Benson Miller, Ryan Coogler, Miles Caton and Jack O'Connell attend the Warner Bros Pictures "Sinners" New York Premiere at AMC Lincoln Square Theater on April 03, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by) Ryan Coogler's Sinners' movie just crossed another milestone, with domestic box office sales passing the $250 million mark. It is now the third highest-grossing horror movie of all time in the U.S., and the highest grossing original horror movie of all time in North America. The representation the film showcased both on screen with the diversity of actors shown, and behind the screen with the director, cinematographer, and other key talent were a big reason why people, including those from underrepresented and underserved communities went to see the film. I recently saw Sinners' for the first time, and then spent a good amount of time going through a bunch of fan commentaries on TikTok and YouTube. The sheer number of commentaries from a broad diversity of people are a signal at how connected people are to the work and the craft. But one aspect of the discussion around the Sinners' movie that is relevant to marketers comes from how so many people referenced the authenticity of it. Ultimately, people from different communities represented in the film, felt that is was an authentic portrayal of cultural elements of their culture. Consumers are increasingly demanding more authenticity from brands, especially as more of them engage in inclusive marketing. But one study showed that many consumers feel brands struggle to deliver authentic marketing, especially when they are trying to engage consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities. Let's look at how Ryan Coogler, who wrote and directed the film, was able to achieve this noteworthy degree of authenticity, especially for the communities and cultures that are not his own. The main vampire in Sinners' is of Irish descent. I saw one TikTok video that went into great detail to connect the historical tales dating back hundreds of years to what we saw on screen. Another woman of Irish descent talked about how moving it was to hear songs she grew up hearing as part of her culture featured in the film. Other commentary came from the inclusion of Asian characters. Many people who saw the film did not know the history of Chinese settlers in the Mississippi Delta during this time period, nor their relationships to the local communities there. And perhaps the commentary that really reeled me in was about the Choctaw Nation, and although their role in the film was brief, it was full of cultural intelligence and left such a lasting impression on the audience, that enough of them are saying they'd love to see a prequel or spinoff movie just about the tribe and their reputation as vampire hunters. All that nuanced and deep history were woven into the story in a way that showed a deep degree of research, cultural intelligence, and storytelling, so as to not tokenize the communities, but to make them feel seen and as a critical pieces of the story in the film. Each of these cultures' presence were intentional, rather than afterthoughts. Their stories, even though not fully told, had depth and complexity to them. There isn't enough of that in media and marketing for people from underrepresented and underserved communities, which is what made this so refreshing. When speaking on The Director's Cut podcast, Ryan Coogler shared 'we had a lot of consultants on this movie, but I tend to work with a lot of them, but it's all an effort to try to get as much right as we could.' He went on to walk through an extensive list of the types of consultants he engaged for Sinners, including twin consultants, Choctaw consultants, musical cultural consultants, a Chinese cultural consultant, a Mississippi Delta historical consultant, and more. Coogler explained, 'it's all these different aspects to it that we wanted to try to nail.' Fans have mentioned that the details elevated the movie for them and allowed them to connect on a deeper level. Coogler's commitment to getting everything right is one that marketers should aspire to. He worked with consultants who hold and or were experts in identities being represented in film. Working collaboratively with these consultants helped Coogler and his team embrace the inclusive marketing principal of 'nothing about us without us.' Because many marketing and advertising teams are often not representative of the broad diversity reflected as end consumers, teams will often find themselves in a position of working to engage a community that isn't represented by lived experiences on the team. As such, to increase your effectiveness (and reduce the likelihood of making mistakes and causing harm), it is recommended that you seek out talent to collaborate and co-create with you who are part of the communities you want to reach. If you don't have the talent on your team who are experts in and or have lived experiences as a part of the communities you are trying to serve, cultural consultants can go a long way in helping you make your communications authentic. The visual imagery your brand uses tells a story. When done well, the imagery you use can help make the stories you are telling and the messages you communicate feel more authentic. For instance, in the Sinners' movie, there was a scene where the characters were negotiating pricing for a sign for their juke joint. The Chinese shop keepers mentioned that the only paint color they had was red, and that impacted the price. One commenter on social media pointed out the significance of the color red in Chinese culture, and how that color was intentionally used as a symbol for some of the events that took place later in the film. Intentionality in ensuring the elements you choose to incorporate in your visual imagery will give it more meaning to people from underrepresented and underserved communities who get the significance of your choices. Doing so will go a long way toward helping them feel seen by you. When it comes to doing inclusive marketing well, don't reinvent the wheel. Follow best practices that have been proven to work to make more of the people you want to serve feel sesen, supported, and like they belong with you. As you commit to excellence in engaging these communities, you'll quickly find that the more you lean into it, the more they will reward you with their loyalty.
Yahoo
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
24 Hilarious, Unhinged Tweets From The Week To Make Your Soul Finally Feel Something Again
Editor's Note: While we can't endorse what X has become, we can bring you the worthwhile moments that still exist there, curated and free of the surrounding chaos. Howdy, y'all. If you're here to take a break from this ever-erratic news cycle, welcome. This is a safe place filled with laughter, tears, knee-jerks, giggles, and snickers. We could all use a little more of that right now, no? So go ahead, treat yourself to these 24 funny tweets from the week: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Related: 51 People Who Quickly Discovered Why Their Hilariously Clueless Partner Was Single Before Meeting Them 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. Related: 26 People Who Had Overwhelming Gut Instincts They Couldn't Were Right 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. The reference. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. Warner Bros. / 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks / @LRNROSE / Via Twitter: @LRNROSE 23. 24. Well, as always, I'll see you back here again next week. For more funny tweets, feel free to peruse our most recent weekly roundups: 27 Hilarious Tweets From The Week Because Despite Everything, People Are Very, Very Funny 33 Funny Tweets From The Week That Reminded Me That Even In The Worst Times, People Are Very, Very Funny Also in Internet Finds: 51 Wildly Fascinating Photos Of Disorders, Injuries, And Variations In The Human Body That I Cannot Stop Staring At Also in Internet Finds: 19 Things Society Glorifies That Are Actually Straight-Up Terrible, And We Need To Stop Pretending Otherwise Also in Internet Finds: 27 Grown-Ass Adults Who Threw Such Unbelievable Temper Tantrums, Even The Brattiest Toddler Couldn't Compete
News18
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- News18
Harry Potter Series: Meet Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout, And Other Cast Members
Last Updated: HBO announced Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Arabella Stanton as Hermione, and Alastair Stout as Ron. HBO has officially announced the three young actors who will portray the iconic trio: Harry Potter, Hermione and Ron. Earlier in April, Warner Bros also revealed the actors cast in key roles for the new Harry Potter TV Series. Here's a look at the entire cast. Harry Potter Series: Meet Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton, Alastair Stout, And Other Cast Members Priyanka Chahar Choudhary Oozes Oomph In White Bikini, Check Out Her Sizzling Hot Photos 'Make My Blouse Tight': Why Hema Malini Made This Request During 'Baghban' Shooting Jackie Chan Has So Far Donated Rs 4,000 Crore. Will His Son Get Nothing? A Look Back At All Harry Potter Films In Chronological Order As HBO Announces New Cast This Is The Most Successful Pairing In The History Of Indian Cinema As Per Guinness World Record Remember Joe From 'Kana Kaanum Kaalangal'? This Is What He's Doing Now Deepika Padukone Makes Dazzling Presence At Cartier Event in Stockholm, See Pics More Photogallery top videos View All
New York Post
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Kevin Costner sued by stunt performer over alleged unscripted rape scene in ‘Horizon 2'
Kevin Costner has been slapped with a lawsuit from a stunt performer who had worked on his film 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two.' Devyn LaBella filed a complaint against the 70-year-old actor and the production companies behind the 2024 film, alleging sexual discrimination, harassment, and the creation of a hostile work environment, according to a legal filing obtained by The Hollywood Reporter on Tuesday. In legal documents, the 34-year-old claimed that she was 'the victim of a violent unscripted, unscheduled rape scene' which she noted was directed by Costner on May 2, 2023. Advertisement 4 Kevin Costner has been slapped with a lawsuit from a stunt performer who had worked on his film 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two.' Warner Bros. Costner's legal team has since shut down the claims, saying LaBella's allegations have 'absolutely no merit.' 'Kevin Costner always wants to make sure that everyone is comfortable working on his films and takes safety on set very seriously,' Costner's attorney, Marty Singer, told The Post in a statement. Advertisement 'However, this claim by Devyn LaBella has absolutely no merit, and it is completely contradicted by her own actions — and the facts.' Costner's legal team also shared screenshots of text messages allegedly sent by LaBella following a cast dinner that took place after a rehearsal of the scene in question in May 2023. 'She [LaBella] was in good spirits and made no complaints to them,' Singer told the outlet. 'She continued to work on the movie for a few more weeks until her wrap date, and she took the stunt coordinator to a thank-you dinner.' 4 Costner's legal team has since shut down the claims, saying Devyn LaBella's allegations have 'absolutely no merit.' ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection Advertisement 4 The Western film franchise saw appalling box office numbers when it premiered in June 2024. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection 'She also sent him a cordial thank you text illustrated with happy heart emojis (copy attached),' he added. In her filing, LaBella — who had previously worked on projects including 'Barbie,' 'American Horror Stories,' 'CSI: Vegas,' 'Yellowjackets,' and 'The Rookie' — said she 'experienced shock, embarrassment and humiliation while attempting to process the situation,' in the days that followed after filming. She further claimed that she was 'not hired back to continue her role or at all as a stunt double for Horizon 3, which began filming in early 2024.' Advertisement Start your day with all you need to know Morning Report delivers the latest news, videos, photos and more. Thanks for signing up! Enter your email address Please provide a valid email address. By clicking above you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Never miss a story. Check out more newsletters In her personal statement to The Hollywood Reporter, LaBella said she was 'left exposed, unprotected, and deeply betrayed by a system that promised safety and professionalism' following the scene. 'What happened to me shattered my trust and forever changed how I move through this industry,' she told the outlet. 4 Like its predecessor, 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two' got mostly negative reviews from critics after its release. ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection The Western film franchise, which also stars Sienna Miller, Sam Worthington, Luke Wilson and Giovanni Ribisi, saw appalling box office numbers when it premiered in June 2024. Like its predecessor, 'Horizon: An American Saga — Chapter Two' got mostly negative reviews from critics after its release.
