BTS will return in spring 2026 with a new album and world tour

From lacrosse myths to kilts: 5 things you may not know about Canadian symbols

Canada’s Branstine falls to world No. 1 Sabalenka in Grand Slam debut at Wimbledon

‘F1’ opens with $55 million, delivering Apple its biggest big-screen hit. “F1 The Movie” debuted with $55.6 million in North American theaters and $144 million globally over the weekend, according to studio estimates Sunday, handing the tech company easily its biggest opening yet.

Though Apple Original Films has had some notable successes in its six years in Hollywood -- including the 2021 Oscar-winner “CODA” -- its theatrical results have been decidedly mixed. Misfires like “Argylle” and “Fly Me to the Moon” and big-budget awards plays like Ridley Scott’s “Napoleon” and Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” have been better at driving viewers to Apple TV+ than movie theaters.

But “F1” was Apple’s first foray into summer blockbuster territory. It won a bidding war for the project from much of the production team behind the 2022 box-office smash “Top Gun: Maverick.” Apple then partnered with Warner Bros. to distributed the film starring Brad Pitt, Damson Idris and Kerry Condon.

With a production budget over $200 million, “F1” still has several laps to go to turn a profit. But for now, “F1” is full speed ahead.

“The film’s outstanding debut reflects both the excitement of Formula 1 and the deeply emotional and entertaining story crafted by the entire cast and creative team,” said Zack Van Amburg, who heads worldwide video for Apple with Jamie Erlicht. “Their dedication and innovation have fueled an unforgettable cinematic experience.”

Car racing movies have often struggled in theaters; crash-and-burn cases include Ron Howard’s “Rush” (2013) and Michael Mann’s “Ferrari” (2023). But “F1” built off the Formula 1 fandom stirred up by the popular series “Formula 1: Drive to Survive.” And it leaned on “Top Gun: Maverick” director Joseph Kosinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer to deliver another adult-oriented action thrill ride.

Rihanna produced ″Smurfs″ and voices Smurfette in the summer family film, a live-action animated reboot that takes the little creatures on a Smurfette-led rescue mission to save Papa Smurf.

At Saturday’s showing in Brussels, the pregnant Grammy winner chatted with children, linked arms with someone dressed as her cartoon alter-ego, and joined the audience arm in arm with A$AP Rocky.

Film director Chris Miller held Smurf toys and other cast members at the premiere included James Corden and Dan Levy. Many of the guests wore a shade of Smurf-ish blue.

The movie premieres in the U.S. on July 18.

Belgian comics artist Peyo created the Smurfs — known here as ″Schtroumpfs″ — and the Belgian capital embraced the premiere with a weekend of events.

It took place in central Brussels, not far from a Smurf museum. The city’s famed Mannekin Pis statue was dressed for the occasion as No Name Smurf. The city’s Grand-Place held Smurf-themed events all weekend, and tourist buses and train cars were decorated in blue.

The Springboks have suffered an injury blow as lock Jean Kleyn has been ruled out of the remainder of the July home Test season after Saturday’s Test against the Barbarians in Cape Town.

Veteran actress Kate Henshaw condemned age-shaming in Nigeria, urging youths—especially men—to stop mocking age. She emphasized that ageing is a blessing, noting many don’t get the chance to grow old.

Shohei Ohtani throws fastest pitch of career at 101.7 mph in 3rd mound start for Dodgers

The Super Falcons have landed at the battleground, Morocco, ahead of the kickoff of next month’s African Women’s Championship, where the team would be pursuing a historic 10th title.

Ashley Tisdale says her toddler thought Zac Efron was her real-life dad while watching ‘High School Musical’. The “High School Musical” star opened up about how her young daughter Jupiter, born in 2021, got a little confused as to who her parents are when watching her famous mom onscreen.

During an interview with React for the upcoming season of her series “Phineas and Ferb” on Tuesday, Tisdale said that while Jupiter knows her mom’s voice and face are on the screen, she still wonders why her dad, composer Christopher French, isn’t also on screen.

“She did think Chris was Zac (Efron) in ‘High School Musical’ (was) her dad,” Tisdale said with a laugh. “She’s like, ‘Daddy!’ I was like, ‘No, that’s not daddy.’”

Tisdale also talked about how Jupiter is just now “starting to understand” that her mom is an actor.

“In the last couple months her whole world has changed,” she joked, referring to her daughter recently getting into “Phineas and Ferb,” on which she voices the character of Candace Flynn.

Efron and Tisdale starred in the popular 2006 teen musical movie “High School Musical.” Tisdale’s character Sharpay Evans and Efron’s Troy Bolton played love interests in the film. Efron and Tisdale both went on to appear in the subsequent sequels, in 2007 and 2008, with Tisdale again returning to the franchise in 2011 for spinoff movie “Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure.”

Tisdale and French wed in 2014 and share two children, Jupiter and new arrival Emerson, who was born last year.

The new season of “Phineas and Ferb” is available to stream on Disney+