Rogue One soars to second-best December debut with $155 million
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story soared to the top of the weekend box office, scoring the second-best December opening ever with $155 million in estimated ticket sales. After the biggest Thursday debut of the year, the intergalactic adventure blasted past industry expectations for a $130 million weekend, according Sunday's studio estimates. Rogue One opened at No.1 in all markets globally, though it has yet to do so in China and Korea. The record-setter was Star Wars: The Force Awakens, the space saga's seventh instalment, which debuted to $247.9 million in the United States and Canada last December. The weekend's other new release, the critically panned Will Smith drama Collateral Beauty, opened in fourth place with $7 million. - AP
Singer Marc Anthony divorcing Venezuelan model wife
Grammy-winning singer Marc Anthony and his wife have announced they are divorcing after two years of marriage. A brief statement reported that the decision to end the marriage was made mutually by Anthony, a New York-born singer of Puerto Rican roots, and Shannon de Lima, a Venezuelan model. Anthony wed de Lima in 2014 at his residence in the Dominican Republic resort of Case de Campo. It was the third marriage for Anthony, who has six children from previous relationships. In 2011, he divorced from pop star and actress Jennifer Lopez. Anthony is also an actor, appearing in television and films. He starred with Lopez in the 2007 film El Cantante, about the life of salsa pioneer Hector Lavoe. - AP
Liam Payne confirms One Direction return
Singer Liam Payne has given One Direction (1D) fans hope by telling them the English-Irish pop boy band will definitely be getting back together. During a Twitter Q&A with his followers on the weekend, he was asked by an eager fan if 1D would ever get back together, reports mirror.co.uk. “I’m (100 per cent) certain we will,” he tweeted in response. The boys recently came together to show their support for grieving Louis Tomlinson after his moving X Factor performance following his mother’s death. - IANS
Priyanka Chopra head back to Indian for new projects
Taking a break from her international ventures, actress Priyanka Chopra is heading back to Mumbai. The actress, who had a busy year working on her American TV show Quantico and her Hollywood debut project Baywatch, tweeted: "Mumbai calling! So excited to be going home. Fly fly, Happy holidays." The Bajirao Mastani actress also shared an image of herself relaxing on the flight. - IANS
Bollywood actress Kajol to do Tamil films
Actress Kajol is heading back to the Tamil film industry after two decades with her new project Dhanush's VIP 2. The mother of two took to Twitter to share a glimpse of how her first day of the photo-shoot went. She posted: "Finally 1st day photoshoot! Back to Tamil after 20 years. The new team." Kajol, who was last seen in Dilwale with superstar Shah Rukh Khan, also shared an image of herself with Dhanush and actress Soundarya. VIP 2 is being directed by Soundarya, megastar Rajinikanth's daughter. Kajol's last Tamil project was Minsara Kanavu, which also featured Arvind Swamy. - IANS
