On Location (Season 36 Round 2)

 

Pirouette

- Paris, France

Diary of a Wimpy Kid

- Yonkers, New York, USA

BOX OFFICE BREAKDOWN (SEASON 36 ROUND 2)

 

DIARY OF A WIMPY KID
Budget: $19,000,000
Total Box Office: $18,000,669
Total Profit: -$17,489,101

Despite recognizable source material and a comedic twist on the beloved franchise, Diary of a Wimpy Kid failed to connect with audiences and became one of the weaker commercial starts for a comedy in recent LRF history. The result continues an uneven financial track record for writer Alex Conn in the genre.

BOX OFFICE FACT
Alex Conn has now written 16 comedy films for the studio, but only five have turned a profit, with the most recent success coming from Slowly Dying back in Season 30.

GENRE RANKINGS

Comedy: #94

DONKEY KONG COUNTRY

Budget: $120,000,000

Total Box Office: $720,434,668

Total Profit: $242,043,104

Nintendo’s momentum within LRF continued in dominant fashion as Donkey Kong Country became an instant event film and one of the studio’s strongest animated performers ever. While it fell short of Super Mario’s all-time record, the film comfortably solidified Nintendo adaptations as one of LRF’s safest commercial brands.

BOX OFFICE FACT

Donkey Kong Country now ranks as the #2 highest-grossing animated film in LRF history, surpassing Season 33’s The Legend of Zelda ($471M) and trailing only Season 17’s Super Mario ($879M). All three are Nintendo adaptations.

GENRE RANKINGS

Animation: #2

Adventure: #5

Comedy: #5

PIROUETTE

Budget: $25,000,000

Total Box Office: $39,100,555

Total Profit: -$4,332,122

A strong critical reception and awards potential ultimately failed to translate into financial success for Pirouette, which narrowly missed profitability despite respectable theatrical business for an adult drama. Even so, the loss stands out more because of the names involved than the severity of the underperformance.

BOX OFFICE FACT

Jimmy Ellis and John Malone have now co-written 14 films together, with Pirouette becoming only their third financial loser, joining Paki (-$31M, Season 26) and Blue Ridge (-$21M, Season 23).

GENRE RANKINGS

Drama: #283

Season 36 Round 2 Total Box Office:
$777,535,892

Season 36 Round 2 Total Profit:
$220,221,881

Back-to-back monster rounds have immediately made Season 36 one of the strongest starts in studio history, with Donkey Kong Country accounting for nearly 93% of Round 2’s total worldwide gross.

Season 36 Total Box Office:
$1,601,000,660

Season 36 Total Profit:
$406,349,246

Through just two rounds, Season 36 has already crossed $1.6 billion worldwide, powered almost entirely by the one-two punch of Boba Fett and Donkey Kong Country.

SEASON 36 BOX OFFICE STANDINGS

1. Boba Fett — $763,673,771 👑
2. Donkey Kong Country — $720,434,668 👑
3. Pirouette — $39,100,555 📉
4. Three Rounds — $34,386,590 💣
5. Heartbeat — $25,404,407 💣
6. Diary of a Wimpy Kid — $18,000,669 💣

LRF TRIVIA TIDBITS (SEASON 36 ROUND 2)

 

Round 2 of Season 36 highlights the growing influence of cross-media franchises, performance-driven casting choices, and emerging multi-hyphenate talent stepping into larger creative roles. From expanding gaming universes to actor-director negotiations, each film reflects a different kind of behind-the-scenes leverage.

Donkey Kong Country
With Donkey Kong Country, LRF continues to build out its Nintendo-inspired slate, following the animated Super Mario film from Season 17 and Season 33’s The Legend of Zelda and Metroid. The project signals a clear long-term strategy to develop a shared ecosystem of game-based adaptations across both animation and live-action formats.

Pirouette
Authenticity was key in casting Pirouette, with Monica Barbaro and Emma Mackey both selected in part due to their real-life ballet training. Johnny Depp, meanwhile, signed on for a supporting role largely because of his prior working relationship with director Maiwenn, following their collaboration on Jeanne du Barry.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Finn Wolfhard leveraged his casting in a major way, agreeing to take the lead role only if he could also direct the film—while even cutting his acting fee in half to make it happen. The result is a rare case of a young actor using a studio adaptation to simultaneously establish himself as a filmmaker, particularly with the project’s unexpected R-rated, stoner-comedy twist.

Release: Pirouette

 

Pirouette

Genre: Drama

Director: Maïwenn

Writers: Jimmy Ellis & John Malone

Cast: Monica Barbaro, Johnny Depp, Emma Mackey, Karl Glusman, Nestor Carbonell, Molly Parker

Budget: $25,000,000

Domestic Box Office: $19,009,555

Foreign Box Office: $20,091,000

Total Profit: -$4,332,122

Reaction: Just a small loss here for a Europe-set drama about a ballerina. Given the context and subject matter, we are happy that this one came as close as it did to breaking even.

“Yes, friends, even the world of ballet is full of politics and tension, especially for Lauren who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Monica Barbaro is fantastic as the ballet dancer on her last slipper and Jimmy and John have managed to craft three separate plot points without any feeling rushed or hackneyed. I don’t know if it’ll be for everybody, but it’s more than worthy of being a leading lady on the stage.” - Mitchell Parker, New York Times

"Pirouette is an elegant, emotionally bruising backstage drama elevated by a terrific Monica Barbaro performance and Maïwenn’s immersive direction. Barbaro convincingly sells both the physical strain and emotional desperation of Lauren’s pursuit of greatness, while Johnny Depp gives quietly compelling work as the demanding, morally ambiguous Jean-Claude. The film occasionally leans into familiar “art demands sacrifice” territory, but its emotional honesty and richly observed ballet world keep it compelling. Emma Mackey is also wonderfully icy as Lauren’s rival." - Jon Farrell, Hollywood Reporter

"Pirouette is the kind of adult, actor-driven drama that Hollywood talks about making and rarely does. Maïwenn’s direction is intimate without being precious, and she understands how obsession curdles into self-mythology. Monica Barbaro gives a career-best performance, capturing both the physical rigor of ballet and the emotional tunnel vision that comes with chasing artistic validation at all costs. Johnny Depp, used sparingly and effectively, plays Jean-Claude Beaufort as a quietly corrosive presence — not a monster, but something more unsettling: a man who mistakes control for mentorship. The film’s final act is bracing in its refusal to offer easy catharsis. Pirouette doesn’t celebrate ambition so much as interrogate what it hollows out, and that restraint is what makes it linger." - Reggie Coscarelli, San Fernando Valley Sun

Rated R for sexual content, language, and some nudity.

Director's Cut: Atlas Shrugged

 

Atlas Shrugged - Director's Cut

Genre: Drama

Director: Cary Joji Fukunaga

Writer: Dwight Gallo

Based on the novel by Ayn Rand

Cast: Charlize Theron, Ben Affleck, Michael Fassbender, Jeremy Renner, January Jones, Edgar Ramirez, Richard Jenkins

Plot: With the American economy visibly decaying, Dagny Taggart (Charlize Theron), Vice President in Charge of Operations for Taggart Transcontinental, works obsessively to keep the nation’s rail system alive. Empty stations, abandoned sidings, and stalled trains tell the story of a country quietly coming apart. While politicians promise relief, Dagny confronts daily shortages, collapsing infrastructure, and an increasingly hostile regulatory environment. Her brother James Taggart (Jeremy Renner), the company’s president, publicly preaches social responsibility while privately maneuvering to protect his own status, avoiding decisions and shifting blame onto Dagny whenever reality intrudes.

Dagny pins her hopes on rebuilding the Rio Norte Line to Colorado, the last region still producing real industrial output. Against the advice of government agencies and her own board, she insists the line can revive the railroad if rebuilt properly. Meanwhile, the San Sebastián Line — a politically motivated investment James championed — collapses when the Mexican government nationalizes it. The copper mines it was built to serve, owned by Francisco d’Anconia (Edgar Ramirez), are revealed to be worthless. James insists Francisco has betrayed them, while Dagny quietly senses that Francisco’s actions may be more deliberate than they appear.

As Taggart Transcontinental teeters, Dagny seeks out Hank Rearden (Ben Affleck), an industrialist whose new invention — Rearden Metal — promises stronger rails at a fraction of the cost. Rearden is under constant attack from regulators, academics, and moralists who accuse him of “unfair advantage.” Dagny sees not a threat, but salvation. Their early meetings are tense and transactional, both recognizing in the other a rare commitment to competence and reality. Against James’s objections, Dagny risks everything on Rearden Metal, fully aware that failure will make her the scapegoat.

The State Science Institute publicly condemns Rearden Metal without testing it, triggering a collapse in Taggart stock and a media feeding frenzy. James retreats into political alliances, while Dagny resigns rather than abandon the Rio Norte Line. Using her own money and reputation, she forms a temporary company to finish the line herself. The rebuilt Rio Norte Line opens under impossible deadlines — and succeeds spectacularly. Trains run faster, stronger, and safer than ever before, proving both Dagny and Rearden right while humiliating the bureaucratic consensus that opposed them.

While overseeing operations in Colorado, Dagny and Rearden grow closer. They sneak off to an abandoned factory to make love away from prying eyes. After, half-naked, they explore the abandoned factory, discovering a mysterious motor that produces limitless energy from static electricity. The machine is damaged but revolutionary. Dagny becomes obsessed with finding its inventor, convinced that whoever created it represents the future the world is actively destroying.

As government “equalization” laws intensify, Colorado becomes a test case for economic strangulation. Production quotas, labor mandates, and material restrictions cripple output. One by one, the most productive figures vanish. Oil magnate Ellis Wyatt sets his wells ablaze and disappears, sending shockwaves through the industry. Dagny begins to believe a hidden force is removing the world’s most capable minds at their moment of greatest need. She calls it “the destroyer,” unable to decide whether he is enemy or savior.

Francisco reenters Dagny and Rearden’s lives, appearing reckless and frivolous, publicly destroying his own remaining fortune. Privately, he challenges Rearden’s endurance under oppression, questioning why he continues to feed a system that despises him. When a fire breaks out at Rearden Steel, Francisco instinctively joins Rearden in fighting it, risking his life for the mill. In that moment, Francisco finally understands Rearden’s devotion — not to money, but to creation itself.

Rearden is arrested for violating one of the government’s ever-shifting laws. During his trial, he refuses to acknowledge the court’s moral authority, calmly stating that they may seize his body but not his mind. The judges, desperate to preserve legitimacy, release him rather than expose the regime’s reliance on brute force. Wesley Mouch (Richard Jenkins), now the unseen architect of economic control, recognizes Rearden as indispensable — and dangerous.

Mouch allies with James Taggart, who is desperate to keep his failing railroad alive. James turns to Rearden’s wife, Lillian (January Jones), who harbors quiet resentment toward her husband’s strength and independence. She reveals Rearden’s affair with Dagny, offering James the leverage he needs. The betrayal is clinical and cruel, devoid of passion — a transaction masquerading as morality.

A sweeping new law is enacted requiring all patents to be surrendered to the state. Mouch corners Rearden, threatening public scandal unless he signs away Rearden Metal. Rearden capitulates — not for himself, but to protect Dagny. Dagny, furious and heartbroken, resigns from the railroad entirely and retreats to a mountain lodge, believing the battle lost.

Her withdrawal is short-lived. A catastrophic accident at the Taggart Tunnel kills hundreds, the inevitable result of political interference. Dagny receives a letter from a scientist she had hired to reverse-engineer the mysterious motor, and realizes he is about to disappear. She follows him in a private plane, chasing answers through a storm — and crashes deep in the mountains.

Dagny awakens in a hidden valley where the missing industrialists live in peace, having withdrawn their minds from the world. She learns they are on strike, refusing to support a society that punishes ability and rewards weakness. She meets John Galt (Michael Fassbender), the architect of the strike and the inventor of the motor. Galt explains that the world is collapsing not from greed, but from the moral condemnation of achievement itself.

Dagny falls in love with Galt — not just romantically, but philosophically. Yet she cannot abandon the railroad, believing her responsibility lies with those still trapped in the collapsing system. She leaves the valley, knowing the cost.

Upon returning, Dagny finds the railroads nationalized. The government demands she deliver a speech to reassure the public. When Lillian attempts to blackmail her, Dagny refuses shame entirely. In a stunning address, she publicly declares her affair with Rearden, exposes the coercion behind the new laws, and warns the nation that it is destroying its own lifeblood.

As chaos accelerates, Francisco destroys the last of his holdings and disappears. The government, panicking, stages a riot at Rearden Steel to seize control. Francisco, having gone undercover among the workers, leads the defense. In the violence, he saves Rearden’s life and convinces him to finally abandon a system that will never stop consuming him.

John Galt hijacks the airwaves, delivering a calm, uncompromising address that lays out the moral foundation of the strike. When the regime collapses into open desperation, they attempt to capture Galt and force him to rule for them. He refuses. They torture him, believing pain will break principle.

Dagny, Rearden, Francisco, and the strikers launch a rescue, overpowering the guards in a final confrontation. Galt is freed. With the government in ruins, Dagny returns to the valley — this time to stay. As the old world collapses entirely, the strikers prepare to return, not as servants, but as builders — ready to rebuild a society worthy of their minds.

Now Showing: Pirouette

 

Pirouette

Genre: Drama

Director: Maïwenn

Writers: Jimmy Ellis & John Malone

Cast: Monica Barbaro, Johnny Depp, Emma Mackey, Karl Glusman, Nestor Carbonell, Molly Parker

Plot: In the heart of Paris, under the gleaming lights of the Palais Garnier, American dancer Lauren Reeves (Monica Barbaro) stands in the back row of the ballet company’s rehearsal studio, watching as the principal dancers perform the final act of Le Cœur en Feu. She’s just another face in the crowd, an understudy, hoping for a break. She knows this is her last chance. At twenty-eight, she is well past the age where most ballerinas are discovered. The younger dancers whisper about her behind her back, mocking her French, questioning why an American is even here, in their world. But Lauren doesn’t let it shake her. She has the talent, the discipline, and the fire — she just needs the opportunity.

On her way out of rehearsal that night, she bumps into the company’s director, Jean-Claude Beaufort (Johnny Depp), a man whose reputation for discovering and shaping stars is legendary. Jean-Claude gives her a cold, appraising look before walking away, but not without muttering something about needing fresh faces. Lauren watches him disappear down the hallway, determined to make him notice her.

The next morning, Lauren wakes early, rehearsing in front of a cracked mirror in her modest apartment. Her breath fogs the glass as she forces her aching limbs through precise movements, her muscles tight from years of wear and tear. She listens to missed voicemails on her phone while she stretches - she hears her mother's voice urging her to come back home and face reality, that there is no career or future for her in France. Later, when Lauren arrives at the studio, she learns that Jean-Claude has called a special audition for a new role he’s planning—something bigger, more daring. The role of L’Enfant Perdue, a character that symbolizes the struggle between innocence and the overwhelming pressures of the dance world. Lauren's heart races as Jean-Claude describes the role, as she knows it was made for her.

The company's prima ballerina, Isabelle Leclerc (Emma Mackey), walks into the studio with an air of superiority. Isabelle's been at the pinnacle of the ballet world for years, but she feels the pressure of hungrier dancers like Lauren clawing at her heels. Isabelle barely acknowledges Lauren. Then, turning to a fellow dancer, she murmurs something in rapid French something about the American thinking she can lead a ballet. The words are just loud enough for Lauren to hear. Lauren tries to ignore it and focus on her breathing. Jean-Claude watches the dancers closely, his sharp eyes flicking between Lauren’s raw, expressive movement and Isabelle’s perfect but mechanical performance. As Lauren finishes her audition, Jean-Claude nods thoughtfully, his interest piqued. Jean-Claude tells Lauren to come back tomorrow for a private session.

That night, Lauren meets Theo (Karl Glusman), a pianist with the ballet's orchestra. As they sip wine, Lauren rarely takes the subject of conversation away from her ballet dreams. Theo jokes that Lauren talks about ballet as if it is the only thing that matters. Lauren shrugs off the joke. Theo then leans in, and in a flirting manner, suggests that maybe she should leave some room for other passions in her life. That night, as they lie tangled in sheets, he asks her if she is planning to treat this like something temporary, like a brief pause in between rehearsals. Lauren admits that she doesn't know. Kissing Lauren's neck, Theo suggests that she think about it.

The next day, Lauren dances alone in the studio for Jean-Claude, pouring every ounce of emotion and desperation into her performance. Jean-Claude watches, unmoving. When she finishes, he is silent for a moment, then gives her a slow, deliberate clap. He tells her that she has everything he's been looking for in the role - depth, vulnerability - but asks her if she thinks she can handle the pressure that come with it. Lauren nods, eager. Jean-Claude announces to the company that Lauren will be playing the role of L’Enfant Perdue. Not everyone is thrilled with the decision though, with Isabelle opening questioning the choice, insisting she is a better performer than Lauren.

That night, Lauren finally does what she's been avoiding for weeks - she calls home. Her mother (Molly Parker) picks up immediately, her face appearing on the screen. The camera shifts as her father (Nestor Carbonell) joins the call. Her mother doesn't waste time with small talk. She tells Lauren they’ve been worried, asking if she’s eating enough, if she’s resting, if she’s taking care of herself. Lauren deflects, insisting she is fine, just busy. Her father then pleads with her to come home, suggesting she could still have a career in ballet back in the U.S. He lists companies where she could dance, places where she wouldn’t have to struggle so much, where she wouldn’t be alone. Lauren shakes her head - it’s not the same. Her mother presses harder. Lauren tells them they don’t understand - making it in Paris is the pinnacle. If she can't make it in Paris, then she doesn't want to dance anywhere else. Her father tells her they just want her to be happy. Lauren simply tells them she has rehearsal in the morning and ends the call.

Rehearsals begin and Jean-Claude immediately pushes Lauren to her limits, beyond exhaustion. He tells her that success isn't handed out - it is taken. As she performs the routine over and over, Jean-Claude constantly reminds Lauren that the audience must believe she is truly suffering, because only then will they feel something real. Jean-Claude being isolating Lauren from the other dancers, working her out separate from the rest of the company. When Lauren questions this, Jean-Claude insists that she must be alone to reach the level she aspires to. Lauren believes him, isolating herself even further and pushing her body through the pain as her ankles swell, her legs ache, and her feet bleed. Theo notices what is happening and tries to warn Lauren that she is destroying herself for a show, but Lauren refuses to listen to his concerns.

Isabelle's anger at missing out on the role to Lauren grows. She begins spreading rumors to the other dancers that she is sleeping with Jean-Claude in order to gain his favor. One night Isabelle confronts Lauren as she is leaving her private rehearsal. Isabelle tells Lauren that she will fail and is taking roles away from more deserving dancers. Lauren is clearly bothered by Isabelle's comments, but stands firm and says that she is not there to take anything away from the other dancers, she is simply trying to make her own path.

On the eve of opening night, Lauren finds her ballet slippers slashed in her dressing room. Lauren frantically begins breaking in her backup pair when her phone buzzes with a message from Jean-Claude. He wants her to meet him at a small café on Rue de l’Opéra. She hesitates, worried that based on Jean-Claude's reputation, he may be expecting her to give her body to him away from the stage. She walks to the cafe in the cold Paris night. When she arrives, Jean-Claude is already there, sitting at a corner table, his cigarette smoldering in the ashtray beside him. He doesn’t stand, doesn’t gesture for her to sit — he simply tilts his head slightly, indicating the seat across from him. Nervous, Lauren sits and waits for him to speak. Jean-Claude simply nods toward a large window of the cafe. Confused, Lauren follows his gaze. And then she sees it. Across the street, stretching high above the boulevard, is a massive billboard for L'Enfant Perdue. Dominating the image is Lauren - her form, mid-pirouette, 20 feet tall. Lauren is speechless. Jean-Claude finally speaks, telling her that tomorrow everyone in Paris is going to know her name - but that greatness comes at a price and Lauren is only at the beginning.

The night of the premiere, the Palais Garnier is packed with Paris’ elite. Theo and the rest of the orchestra warms up below. Backstage, Lauren stands alone in the wings, steadying her breath. When the house lights dim, the overture begins. Lauren steps out onto the stage, the lights, blinding. She enters with a bourrée, her feet gliding in tiny, rapid steps, as if she is floating. Her arms extend in a graceful port de bras. She loses herself in the grueling choreography, her body bending and folding in the intricate ways Jean-Claude demanded of her. The audience is in awe as Lauren moves about the stage. Lauren falls into a controlled collapse, her knees striking the floor - while it is part of the choreography, Lauren feels the pain. She rises shakily. By the end, Lauren is drenched in sweat and the pain no longer matters. She holds her final pose as the music slowly fades. The audience rises to their feet in an explosion of applause. Jean-Claude watches from the wings, a proud but conflicted expression on his face. Lauren remains frozen in place soaking it in. From the wings, Isabelle watches with resentment and jealousy.

As Lauren steps off the stage, still dizzy from the ovation, she sees her parents. They are standing near the back of the corridor, waiting for her. Lauren's mother is the first to speak, telling her how incredible she was and that they wouldn't miss her first headlining role for anything in the world. Her father nods, adding that she proved them wrong. Lauren stiffens and tells them that they had no right to be here. They weren't invited for a reason. She reminds her parents that they never supported her, that they told her to come home, that they never believed she could do this. She made it without them. Theo watches the exchange from a distance, seeing that Lauren is lost to the stage. Lauren's mother cries but doesn't argue. As Lauren's parents turn to leave, Lauren watches them go before disappearing back into the theater.

After opening night, Lauren is the toast of Paris. She's offered new roles and courted by the world's top ballet companies. She stares at her own reflection in the dance studio.

Top 10 Dwayne Johnson Films

 

Sherman J. Pearson here for another Top 10. Dwayne Johnson is now at 10 films on his LRF resume - interestingly half are live-action while the other half are animated, so it seems like a good chance to make a Top 10 list....

Top 10 Dwayne Johnson Films

10. Rookie's Road

9. The Banded Ants 2 - The Mortal Enemy

8. AGOS: A Game of Survival

7. Kazaria: Burns of the Lavita

6. The Banded Ants 3 - Showdown

5. Scrappy

4. The Banded Ants

3. The Fall Guy

2. The Fall Guy: Trouble in Tahiti

1. Donkey Kong Country