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Some will argue that Birds of Prey was never meant to be a big pic like Suicide Squad with its lower-than-DC-budget (around $97M gross, $84M net). Hogwash. It’s a brand, and that’s a lot of money to spend, according to finance sources, on a movie that’s intended to be an event film in the offseason. While spinoffs in their grosses have traditionally shown to be down in their grosses from the core franchise (i.e., Hobbs & Shaw‘s $60M opening was off 39% from Fate of the Furious’ first weekend, and Fantastic Beasts was off 56% from Harry Potter and the...

Margot Robbie’s “Birds of Prey” is set to open well below forecasts, with about $34 million at 4,236 North American sites, early estimates showed on Friday. Estimates for “Birds of Prey,” a spinoff of 2016’s “Suicide Squad,” had been in the $45 million to $55 million range, with Warner Bros. projecting an opening closer to $45 million. “Birds of Prey,” which carries a reported $80 million price tag, touched down with $4 million on Thursday night. Reviews have been strong, earning the film a 84% rating on Rotten Tomatoes — a reversal from “Suicide Squad’s” 27%. The film made $7.8...

Forty years ago the big holiday hit was Superman, Hollywood’s very first superhero blockbuster. Warner Bros marketed the movie by promising the sky to moviegoers: “You’ll believe a man can fly.” Now, four decades later, that promise should be rewritten to reflect a new era of superhero blockbusters: “You better believe a woman can fly, too.” Deadline broke the news this week that Sony is ramping up a Spider-Women film that will feature three female iterations of Marvel’s wall-crawling Spider-Man and a script by Bek Smith. The project joins a growing wave of female superhero projects in the works that...

The San Diego Comic-Con (which, believe it or not, used to actually feature comic books) is an annual celebrity fest these days. One such notable, Liev Schreiber, was in attendance this year, partly to promote, but also to parent. Schreiber took his young sons to the entertainment spectacle this year, both in costume. His oldest son, 9-year-old Sasha, went dressed as a Jedi, and his youngest, 8-year-old Kai, decided to channel the unfettered persona of Harley Quinn. As one would quickly assume, the child’s costume choice and the parent’s willingness to let him go as he pleased, inspired a fair...

In a rather appalling move, DC Comics is holding a talent search for artists that requires the entrants to draw DC character Harley Quinn in various suicidal tableaus, one of which is also naked. Here are the panel submission requirements: PANEL 1 Harley is on top of a building, holding a large DETACHED cellphone tower in her hands as lightning is striking just about everywhere except her tower. She is looking at us like she cannot believe what she is doing. Beside herself. Not happy. PANEL 2 Harley is sitting in an alligator pond, on a little island with a...

Lois Lane shacking up? Superman graphically tortured in an electric chair? Batman and Catwoman having sex on a roof? DC Comics has relaunched 52 of its comic book series, with popular characters and story lines starting over from scratch and getting a decidedly edgy makeover. In the six weeks since the rollout began, more than 5 million copies have sold, stimulating a stagnant market. DC officials say sales are the highest in 20 years.