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Jul 19 • 10 tweets • 6 min read
#ThorLoveAndThunder, a box office hit by reasonable standards, had a bigger second-weekend drop than many Marvel movies. Now critics & pundits are speculating about whether Marvel Studios is in a rough patch.

What does this mean for the future of the MCU? latimes.com/entertainment-…
The steep decline between weekends is not surprising, considering the film scored a B+ in CinemaScore audience exit polling. To put that in perspective for a Marvel movie, that’s a little like getting a B+ in P.E. class.

Reviews were similarly middling. latimes.com/entertainment-…
In addition, some recent Phase 4 films like #Eternals have been received less enthusiastically than earlier MCU chart-toppers, with recent films #BlackWidow and #DoctorStrangeMultiverseOfMadness getting somewhat mixed responses. latimes.com/entertainment-…
That has led to a deluge of commentary asking whether Kevin Feige’s hit machine is losing its way. Is Marvel in a creative slump? Is the company spread too thin? Is the firm’s interdimensional plate-spinning act simply getting too unwieldy? latimes.com/entertainment-…
Some of these are understandable concerns, coming after the near-perfect conclusion of the Infinity Saga with “Avengers: Endgame.” Quality control is important. But do such stumbles really justify a crisis of faith for Marvel fans? latimes.com/entertainment-…
Despite the handwringing, we’re talking about a fourth “Thor” movie that grossed $500 million worldwide in less than two weeks.

The MCU remains a license to print money. If audiences are getting sick of Marvel, they have a funny way of showing it. latimes.com/entertainment-…
This is not to say that angst among fans and critics doesn’t matter. Corporate stewards have to take care of beloved properties.

There’s a reason Lucasfilm isn’t rushing out #StarWars movies every year anymore. latimes.com/entertainment-…
The reality is, we’ve never seen a franchise like the MCU. This is a transitional stage for Marvel in which it’s trying to please fans by bringing back old characters while also introducing new ones to keep things going for years to come. latimes.com/entertainment-…
If “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3" or “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” disappoint, then we can talk about whether the MCU is in a real lull. But with Marvel, as fans know, you never want to leave the theater before the end credits are done. latimes.com/entertainment-…
Subscribe to the Wide Shot newsletter for more of @RFaughnder’s analysis of the entertainment industry. latimes.com/newsletters/si…

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More from @latimes

Los Angeles Times Profile picture
Jul 21
In a heartfelt ceremony, dozens of people gathered on the oceanfront property known as Bruce’s Beach to mark the first time the government ever returned land that had been wrongfully taken from a Black family — the triumphant coda to a call for justice.
latimes.com/california/sto… From left, Dean Logan, dire...
“Today, we’re sending a message to every government in this nation confronted with the same challenge: This work is no longer unprecedented,” said Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, who had launched the complex process to transfer the property. latimes.com/california/sto… Image
Hahn told the rightful heirs to the land, “we can’t change the past, and we will never be able to make up for the injustice that was done to your great-great grandparents and great-grandparents Willa and Charles nearly a century ago. But this is a start.”
latimes.com/california/sto…
Read 7 tweets
Los Angeles Times Profile picture
Jul 21
Ricky Martin’s nephew withdrew claims that he was harassed by Martin after calling off their affair.

“This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them,” said Martin’s attorneys. latimes.com/entertainment-…
The “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer had denied the claims early this month: “The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and the dignity that characterize me.” latimes.com/entertainment-…
Ricky Martin is set to play back-to-back shows at the Hollywood Bowl this weekend, with his publicist confirming to The Times this week that the show would “absolutely” still go on amid the controversy. latimes.com/entertainment-…
Read 5 tweets
Los Angeles Times Profile picture
Jul 21
In the 1940s, Pioneertown was built as a movie set for Westerns. In 1982, Claude “Pappy” Allen and his wife Harriet, bought Pappy & Harriet’s, which evolved into a kind of oasis for motorcycling misfits and thirsty desert musicians. lat.ms/3B8tzZA
After Pappy’s death, Harriet sold the bar to a New York couple in 2003, who kept the name, eased their way into the community and built the business into a destination featuring a restaurant and music venue. lat.ms/3B8tzZA Image
In the decades since, Pappy & Harriet’s has hosted musicians including Paul McCartney and Lana Del Rey. Anthony Bourdain shot part of a “No Reservations” episode there, too. lat.ms/3B8tzZA Image
Read 5 tweets
Los Angeles Times Profile picture
Jul 21
Richard Ayvazyan and Marietta Terabelian were the leaders of a family fraud ring that collected $18 million in pandemic relief for sham businesses in the San Fernando Valley.

They were caught and convicted — then they escaped to Europe

Thread ⬇️
latimes.com/california/sto… The FBI sought the public’s...
Their carelessness — it didn’t take long for auditors to flag that many businesses had attached the same employee lists to their loan applications — had done them in earlier.
latimes.com/california/sto…
Prosecutors urged U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson to have Ayvazyan locked up as soon as the trial ended, but Wilson let him stay free on bail.

Two months later, he and his wife sliced off their ankle monitoring bracelets and absconded.
latimes.com/california/sto… Sunset in the Porto Montene...
Read 6 tweets
Los Angeles Times Profile picture
Jul 21
The American film industry is bringing about a change in a small Baltic country that few would have predicted.

“Hollywood has landed in Lithuania … HBO, Netflix, they are all coming.” latimes.com/world-nation/s…
Stranger Things – arguably Netflix’s strongest franchise – filmed roughly a third of its new season in Lithuania.

Now, it’s all many tourists are interested in talking about. latimes.com/world-nation/s… Image
“Vilnius became famous, especially after the Chernobyl series,” said Vaidotas Martinaitis, an actor from “Stranger Things.”

“Now, with the release of 'Stranger Things,' people are talking even more about Vilnius.”

📸Courtesy of Vaidotas Martinaitis
latimes.com/world-nation/s… Image
Read 9 tweets
Los Angeles Times Profile picture
Jul 21
Dave Roberts gave the
@Dodgers an A-minus for their performance during the season's first half.

That seems low,
@helenenothelen writes, but the manager has to leave some incentive to sustain this level and maybe raise it after the All-Star break. latimes.com/sports/story/2… Image
@Dodgers @helenenothelen They have the majors' second-best record, and they did it without injured pitchers Walker Buehler, Daniel Hudson, Andrew Heaney, Dustin May and Blake Treinen, as well as briefer absences of position players Chris Taylor and Mookie Betts latimes.com/sports/story/2…
@Dodgers @helenenothelen The Angels’ first-half performance would get an F-minus or lower, if that’s possible for a team that has two of the game’s best players in Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout but can’t build balance and depth around them. latimes.com/sports/story/2…
Read 7 tweets

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