Here's the Scoop...

This weekend's box office had audience's scaring up some big dough for Ridley Scott's 'Alien: Covenant'.

Alien: Covenant is the No. 1 movie in North America this weekend, earning $36 million in receipts, BoxOfficeMojo.com announced Sunday.

Coming in at No. 2 is Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 with $35.1 million, followed by Everything, Everything at No. 3 with $12 million, Snatched at No. 4 with $7.6 million and Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul at No. 5 with $7.2 million.

Rounding out the top tier are King Arthur: Legend of the Sword at No. 6 with $6.9 million, The Fate of the Furious at No. 7 with $3.2 million, The Boss Baby at No. 8 with $2.8 million, Beauty and the Beast at No. 9 with $2.4 million and How to be a Latin Lover at No. 10 with $2.2 million.

I still have to see Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 before Alien: Covenent. I must get to the theater!

Be Well,
Steve

Comments? Questions? Nooz? Email Steve



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Chris Cornell honored with moment of silence at Billboard Music Awards
Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell was remembered Sunday with a moment of silence during the 2017 Billboard Music Awards.

The tribute, lead by Dan Reynolds of Imagine Dragons, comes after Cornell died Wednesday after committing suicide at the age of 52.

"Although tonight is a night to celebrate the music and artists of the past year, it's also a time to recall a member of our community we lost this past week. Soundgarden and Audioslave's Chris Cornell was a true innovator, a musical architect and a pioneer on the cutting edge of the Seattle grunge movement," Reynolds said onstage.

"He was a prolific songwriter, a legendary performer, a singer who had a voice for the ages, and a philanthropist whose Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation helped so many children around the world," he continued. "Even though Chris is gone, his legacy endures. We send our respects, as well as our love to Chris' family at this time."

Pictures of Cornell were then displayed onstage during the moment of silence.

Cornell was found dead inside his Detroit hotel room after Soundgarden had performed at a sold-out concert. "The cause of death has been determined as hanging by suicide. A full autopsy report has not yet been completed," the Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office said in a statement. He is survived by his wife Vicky and three children.


Drake named Top Artist at the Billboard Music Awards
Drake was named Top Artist at the Billboard Music Awards show in Las Vegas Sunday.

The Canadian rapper also set a new record for most Billboard Music Award wins in a year -- 13. He took home the prizes for Top Male Artist, Top Rap Artist, Top Rap Tour, Top Rap Album for Views, Top Billboard 200 Artist and Top Hot 100 Artist, among others.

"'I've got my whole family up here. Look at my dad, looking all sharp," Drake said at the end of the evening, putting his arm around a man in a purple tuxedo and white hat.

"I've got the man that is responsible for me being here. I've got the love of my life up here, too," he added, gesturing to Lil Wayne and Nicki Minaj. "I just want to say, 'Hold tight, Adele, because when the new [album] drops, yeah, you're getting the record back.' But I want to say, someone wise once told me that life is like toilet paper: You're either on a roll or you're taking ... "

The rest of the statement was bleeped out by ABC censors.

Beyoncé was also a big winner at the Billboard Music Awards. She won the trophies for Top Female Artist, Top Touring Artist, Top R&B Artist, Top R&B Tour and Top R&B Album for Lemonade.

Zayn was declared Top New Artist, and Twenty One Pilots won for Billboard Chart Achievement Award Presented by Xfinity, Top Duo/Group, Top Radio Songs Artist, Top Rock Artist and Top Rock Song for "Heathens."

Ludacris and Vanessa Hudgens hosted the event.


LOOSE LIPS:
"I don't like getting old. I'm shocked that I can still run across the stage at my age. I thought I'd be dead!"
--Cher, on performing at 70, to Billboard



??? Guess Who ???
Which Spider-Man has been cast as Nathan Drake in the 'Uncharted' video game adaptation?


'SNL:' Dwayne Johnson, Tom Hanks team up for 2020 presidential race
Dwayne Johnson hosted the Season 42 finale of Saturday Night Live this weekend and doubled down on his recent comments about running for U.S. president in 2020.

Johnson even declared Tom Hanks his running mate when the two-time Oscar winner appeared on the SNL stage after Alec Baldwin presented Johnson with his special, 5 Timers Club smoking jacket.

Baldwin and Hanks are also members of the exclusive group of celebrities who have hosted the show five times or more.

After suggesting Baldwin doesn't have the temperament to work in their potential White House Cabinet and sending him off to break up a conversation between his wife Hilaria and SNL boss Lorne Michaels, Johnson and Hanks began campaigning.

"In the past, I never would have considered running for president. I didn't think I was qualified at all, but now, I'm actually worried that I'm too qualified," Johnson joked.

"The truth is, America needs us," Hanks said. "No one can seem to agree on anything anymore except for two things ... "

"Pizza and us," Johnson chimed in.

"I have been in two movies where a plane crashes and people are still excited to see me on their flight," Hanks boasted.

"True story," Johnson agreed. "And I, one time, ran a red light and the traffic-cam footage alone made a $1 billion."

"Dwayne, together, we would get 100 percent of the vote," Hanks said. "I would get the senior vote because I fought in World War II in, like, 10 different movies."

"And I, of course, would get the minority vote because everyone just assumes that I am, well, whatever they are," Johnson laughed.

The pair then demonstrated what they could offer the people of America -- Hanks by giving a rousing, patriotic speech, and Johnson by explaining how he would single-handedly save the state of California in a natural disaster.

The actors started wrapping up the bit by saying they were just kidding about a run for the White House.

"When it comes to politics, we need more poise and less noise," Johnson said in a more serious tone. "Americans deserve strong, capable leaders. Leaders who care about this country and care about its people."

"Dwayne, that kind of sounds like you and me," Hanks laughed. "I guess we gotta do it."

A banner saying "Johnson/Hanks 2020" then fell from the ceiling. as the actors yelled, "We're doing it!"


Freeform orders 'black-ish' spinoff 'college-ish,' starring Yara Shahidi
Freeform says it has ordered 13 episodes of college-ish, a spinoff of black-ish, starring Yara Shahidi.

Shahidi will reprise her role as Zoey Johnson and Deon Cole will once again play Charlie Telphy in the half-hour, single-camera comedy, which is set to premiere in early 2018.

"I never thought they'd let me put black-ish on the air let alone give me a spinoff. I couldn't be more excited for the opportunity to continue working with Yara and the rest of this talented young cast. To any aspiring writers struggling to make it out there, I highly advise adding an '-ish' to any working title you might have. It seems to be the move," executive producer Kenya Barris said in a statement.

"Our goal at Freeform is to celebrate the power, possibility and inclusivity of youth culture through our shows," added Karey Burke, the cable network's executive vice president of programming and development. "Kenya Barris blazes new trails in the funniest way possible with college-ish and we can't wait to get schooled by the incredibly talented Yara Shahidi, who is the perfect addition to our Freeform family."


??? Guess Who ???
Which Spider-Man has been cast as Nathan Drake in the 'Uncharted' video game adaptation?

Tom Holland has signed on to portray treasure hunter Nathan Drake in Sony's long in development video game adaptation of Uncharted.

Holland will be headlining the project as a younger Nathan Drake as the film is being reworked to explore of the early years of his career before the start of the popular Playstation video game series, Deadline reported.

Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman is said to have come up with the idea after viewing the latest cut of Holland starring in Spider-Man: Homecoming.

Uncharted, set to be directed by Shawn Levy, will be inspired by a sequence in the third entry of the video game series, Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception, in which players discover how the globe-trotter first met his mentor and fellow treasure hunter Victor "Sully" Sullivan.

A completed script by Joe Carnahan will be scrapped as the studio searches for a new script writer to tackle Nathan Drake's past.

The video game series which follows the adventures of Nathan Drake as he explores lost ruins and obtains ancient relics much in the same vein as Indiana Jones, recently wrapped up its main character's story in Uncharted 4: A Thief's End which was released on the Playstation 4 in May 2016.

The series is known for its cinematic presentation that includes action-packed gameplay sequences filled with destructive car chases and close calls.