‘Mufasa’ battles ‘Sonic’ at the box office, Grammys Lifetime Achievement Awards: Today’s Top Stories
Gold Derby rounds up today’s top stories in entertainment for Dec. 20, 2024.
Weekend Box Office: Mufasa battles Sonic 3
There are three new wide releases this weekend, and all are gunning to take down Moana 2 and Wicked at the box office. Angel Studios’ Homestead, Walt Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King, and Paramount Pictures’ Sonic the Hedgehog 3 all debut on Friday. Based on early projections, the third installment of the Sonic franchise will gross between $50 million and $60 million domestically, while Mufasa may have the global victory with an expected worldwide gross of $180 million.
SEE 2025 Oscars calendar update: Here is what’s next on the horizon
Grammy Lifetime Achievement Awards go to …
Frankie Beverly, The Clash, Dr. Bobby Jones, Taj Mahal, Prince, Roxanne Shante, and Frankie Valli will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Erroll Garner, Glyn Johns, and Tania León are Trustees Award recipients. Dr. Leo Beranek is the Technical Grammy Award honoree. They will all be celebrated during a Special Merit Awards ceremony at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre on Saturday, Feb. 1, the day before 2025’s competitive Grammy winners are announced. Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr. said in a statement, “It’s an amazing privilege to honor this eclectic group of music icons during the year’s biggest week in music. Each of this year’s Special Merit Award recipients has left an indelible mark on music, from paving the way for others to innovation that forever has changed the trajectory of the musical landscape. We can’t wait to celebrate this group and their achievements in February.”
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Juror #2 is now streaming on Max
Clint Eastwood‘s latest Oscar contender is a thriller that stars Nicholas Hoult as a juror in a high-profile murder trial, with Toni Collette playing the Assistant District Attorney. Warner Bros. raised eyebrows by releasing the film in limited theaters on Nov. 1 and not reporting box office, as it was always intended to be a straight-to-streaming venture. Juror #2 scored an impressive 93% at Rotten Tomatoes, with the critical consensus being that it’s “another terrific reminder of [Eastwood’s] knack for plain-spoken drama.” On the awards front, the National Board of Review named it one of the top 10 films of 2024, with the AACTA International Awards nominating Collette for Best Supporting Actress.
Costume Designers Guild honors Zoe Saldaña
The star of Emilia Pérez will be honored with the spotlight award at the 27th Costume Designers Guild Awards. This award “celebrates an actor whose talent and career personify an enduring commitment to excellence, including a special appreciation of the importance of costume design,” said the guild. Saldaña is receiving major Oscar buzz this year for her role as Rita Mora Castro, a lawyer who helps a drug lord transition from male to female, in the musical dramedy Emilia Pérez. The 27th annual CDG Awards will take place on Feb. 6, 2025, at The Ebell of Los Angeles.