Disney's movie business under siege as Marvel actor Jonathan Majors heads to trial

Published

2 years ago

November 30, 2023

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Disney’s movie business is reeling — and it risks yet another blow as Marvel actor Jonathan Majors starts his domestic violence case in Manhattan Criminal Court Wednesday.

The 34-year-old “Loki” actor faces charges that he allegedly assaulted his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, in a March dispute in New York City.

While the actor haspleaded not guiltyto charges of assault and aggravated harassment, the timing couldn’t be worse for Disney, which hasn’t struggled to return to its post-pandemic box office glory.

The lucrative Marvel studio, which is known for churning out blockbuster hits like the “Iron Man” franchise and the wildly successful Avengers: Endgame” that reeled in a whopping $2.8 billion at the box office, has been plagued by a recent spate of box office flops.

The studio’s latest flick, “The Marvels,” which opened on Nov. 10, opened with just $47 million in ticket sales, according to studio estimates.

Variety reported that “The Marvels,” which cost $250 million and sees Brie Larson reprising her role as Captain Marvel, is tracking to open to $75 million-$80 million far below the $185 million Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness took in domestically in its debut weekend last year.

David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Research Entertainment, called it an unprecedented Marvel box-office collapse.

The previous low for a Marvel movie was Ant-Man, which bowed at $57.2 million in 2015.

Critics blamed the pandemic, which not only halted movie-going but also caused Disney to put its Marvel movies on streaming service Disney+, for the change in viewing habits.

Others also called out the grueling schedule that Marvel VFX artists have endured since the pandemic ended by Disney execs who want the cash cow to return to bringing in the big bucks.

Fed up with 14-hour days and no overtime, Marvel VFX workers voted unanimously to unionize in September, sparking an industrywide trend, Variety reported.

Disney execs, including boss Bob Iger, have been “apoplectic” about Marvel’s woes, the publication said.

Earlier this year, Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” starring Majors also proved to be a box office flop grossing $476.1 million worldwide, and became one of the few Marvel flicks to not break even, Variety reported.

The report noted that the movie had a strong start when it debuted on Feb. 17 but fizzled at the box office. Perhaps audiences were turned off by news of Majors’ arrest a month later for allegedly assaulting Jabari inside a private car in Chelsea.

Although Majors’ legal woes and the “Quantumania” flop have worried execs inside Disney, the company has more or less stood by the troubled actor.

The “Creed III” actor has been slated to become the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s overarching new villain, Kang the Conqueror, and he currently remains signed to appear as the supervillain in “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” in 2026 and “Avengers: Secret Wars” in 2027.

While Majors currently retains his high-profile role with Disney, the Mouse House may be souring on the actor. Newsweek reported that Disney has removed the previously much-hyped Searchlight film “Magazine Dreams,” starring Majors, from its release schedule.

Disney did not return requests seeking comment about whether it will continue to stick by the actor.

Meanwhile, others have peeled away from Majors, who, if convicted on all of the counts hes facing, could spend up to a year in jail.

Following his arrest, Majors was dropped by his publicists, the Lede Company, and management, Entertainment 360, as well as the withdrawal of invites to events, according to Newsweek.

Talent agency CAA also reportedly dropped Majors before his arrest for “brutal conduct” towards its staff, Variety reported in a story detailing Marvel’s issues related to the actor and problems at the studio.

Entertainment

Tomorrowland: ‘Devastating’ blaze destroys main stage at major festival – two days before it was due to begin

Published

2 hours ago

July 17, 2025

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Tomorrowland: 'Devastating' blaze destroys main stage at major festival - two days before it was due to begin

A huge fire has destroyed the main stage of a major festival in Belgium – two days before it was due to begin.

Tomorrowland is a dance music event as big as Glastonbury – and David Guetta was due to perform.

Footage showed flames and thick plumes of black smoke engulfing the stage and spreading to nearby woodland on Wednesday.

The annual festival in the town of Boom, north of Brussels, is one of the biggest in Europe and attracts about 400,000 people over two consecutive weekends.

It is famous for its immersive and elaborate designs and attracts big names within dance music – including Guetta, best known for tracks When Love Takes Over and Titanium.

Dutch DJs Martin Garrix and Charlotte de Witte were also due to perform, along with the likes of Swedish House Mafia, Eric Prydz and Alok.

The festival’s website described the creative elements which went into the elaborate main stage.

The theme, described as Orbyz, was “set in a magical universe made entirely out of ice” and “full of mythical creatures”.

Organisers said no one was injured in the blaze but confirmed “our beloved main stage has been severely damaged”, adding they were “devastated”.

Spokesperson Debby Wilmsen added: “We received some truly terrible news today. A fire broke out on the Tomorrowland site … and our main stage was essentially destroyed there, which is truly awful.

“That’s a stage that took years to build, with so much love and passion. So I think a lot of people are devastated.”

Despite the fire, Tomorrowland organisers said they were still expecting 38,000 festivalgoers at DreamVille, the event’s campsite.

Politics

PM criticised over ‘appalling’ decision to suspend four Labour MPs

Published

2 hours ago

July 17, 2025

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Starmer suspends four Labour MPs for breaches of party discipline

Sir Keir Starmer has suspended four MPs for repeated breaches of party discipline.

Brian Leishman, Chris Hinchliff, Neil Duncan-Jordan and Rachael Maskell have lost the whip, meaning they are no longer part of Labour’s parliamentary party and will sit as independent MPs.

The suspension is indefinite pending a review.

Three other MPs have had their trade envoy roles removed: Rosena Allin Khan, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Mohammed Yasin.

Politics latest: Suspended MPs defend their voting record

All seven had voted against the government’s welfare reforms earlier this month. However, it is understood this is not the only reason behind the decision, with sources citing “repeated breaches of party discipline”.

More than 100 MPs had initially rebelled against the plan to cut personal independent payments (PIP). Ultimately, 47 voted against the bill’s third reading, after it was watered down significantly in the face of defeat.

Ms Maskell was one of the lead rebels in the welfare revolt, and has more recently called for a wealth tax to fund the U-turn.

The York Central MP has spoken out against the government on a number of other occasions since the election, including on winter fuel and cuts to overseas aid.

Confirming the suspension, Ms Maskell told Sky News that she “doesn’t see herself as a rebel” but “somebody that is prepared to fulfil (her) role here of holding the executive to account and speaking truth to power”.

She stopped short of criticising the decision, saying: “I hold my hand out to the prime minister and hope he takes that and wants to reach back because I think it’s really important that we work together.”

Ms Maskell was first elected in 2015, while the other suspended MPs were newly elected last year.

Mr Hinchliff, the MP for North East Hertfordshire, has proposed a series of amendments to the flagship planning and infrastructure bill criticising the government’s approach.

Mr Duncan-Jordan, the MP for Poole, led a rebellion against the cut to the winter fuel payments while Alloa and Grangemouth MP Mr Leishman has been critical of the government’s position on Gaza.

Suspended Labour MPs clearly hit a nerve with Starmer

Tamara Cohen

Political correspondent

@tamcohen

After a tricky few weeks for the government, in which backbenchers overturned plans to cut back welfare spending, now a heavy hand to get the party into line.

All four suspended MPs appear to be surprised – and upset.

Three more have lost plum roles as trade envoys – all on the left of the party.

All were active in the rebellion against the government’s welfare reforms, and voted against the changes even after a series of U-turns – but were among 47 Labour MPs who did so.

When MPs were told after the welfare vote that Number 10 was “fully committed to engaging with parliamentarians”, this was not what they were expecting.

We’re told the reasons for these particular suspensions go wider – over “persistent breaches of party discipline” – although most are not high profile.

In the scheme of things, Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell rebelled against the Labour whip hundreds of times under New Labour, without being suspended.

But these MPs’ pointed criticism of the Starmer strategy has clearly hit a nerve.

Read Tamara’s analysis in full here

‘Couldn’t support making people poorer’

Mr Duncan-Jordan told Sky News that he understood speaking out against benefit cuts would “come at a cost” but said he “couldn’t support making disabled people poorer”.

Mr Leishman echoed that sentiment, saying: “I firmly believe that it is not my duty as an MP to make people poorer, especially those that have suffered because of austerity and its dire consequences.”

Both said they remain committed to the Labour Party and its values, suggesting they have no plans to join the new party being set up by former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and ousted MP Zarah Sultana.

Similarly Mr Hinchliff said in a brief statement: “I remain proud to have been elected as a Labour MP and I hope in time to return to the Labour benches.”

The suspensions will be seen as an attempt to restore discipline ahead of the summer recess following a number of rebellions that has forced the government into U-turns.

As well as watering down the welfare bill, some cuts to the winter fuel payment have been reversed, leaving Chancellor Rachel Reeves with a fiscal blackhole to fill.

However, the move risks creating further divisions with a number of Labour MPs criticising the decision.

Starmer ‘rolling out the carpet to Reform’

Ian Byrne, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby, said he was “appalled” by the suspensions as he and 44 others voted against welfare cuts.

He said this isn’t the first time the Starmer leadership has “punished MPs for standing up for what’s right”, as he and six others were suspended last year for voting against the two-child benefit cap.

“These decisions don’t show strength. They are damaging Labour’s support and risk rolling out the red carpet for Reform,” he added.

Richard Burgon, who was also temporarily suspended in the two-child benefit cap revolt, said he had hoped the leadership would take a different approach to backbenchers.

“Sadly, it isn’t yet doing so. To help stop a Reform government, it really must do so,” he said.

Jon Trickett, Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, said “it’s not a sin to stand up for the poor and disabled”, adding: “Solidarity with the suspended four.”

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