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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.

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Greene returning to Reds rotation for playoff push

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Greene returning to Reds rotation for playoff push

Hunter Greene will return to the Cincinnati Reds‘ rotation Wednesday night.

The right-hander will start against visiting Philadelphia after being out since June 4 with a strained right groin. The same injury sidelined Greene for two weeks in May.

Greene is 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA in 11 starts this season. The 26-year-old was selected to the All-Star Game last year for the first time.

In three rehab starts for Triple-A Louisville, Greene allowed 11 runs in 11 innings.

Cincinnati (61-57) entered Sunday 2½ games behind the New York Mets for the third wild-card spot in the National League.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Phillies call up Robertson, 40, for bullpen assist

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Phillies call up Robertson, 40, for bullpen assist

ARLINGTON, Texas — The Philadelphia Phillies recalled 40-year-old reliever David Robertson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Sunday, three weeks after he signed a free agent deal with the National League East leaders.

Robertson made six relief appearances with Lehigh Valley and had a 10.13 ERA, though he had four scoreless outings. He struck out six, walked one and allowed 11 hits and six runs in 5⅓ innings.

The Phillies made the move before their series finale at Texas, where Robertson was 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA in 68 games last season.

Right-hander Alan Rangel was optioned to Triple-A to make room on the 26-man roster.

Over his 16-year major league career, Robertson has a 2.91 ERA in 861 games, all but one of those in relief. This is his third stint with the Phillies, first as a free agent before the 2019 season and then after being acquired in a trade from the Chicago Cubs in 2022. He played nine seasons with the Yankees over two different times in New York, which drafted him in the 17th round of the 2006 amateur draft.

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Yankees’ Rosario put on IL with shoulder sprain

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Yankees' Rosario put on IL with shoulder sprain

NEW YORK — The Yankees put Amed Rosario on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder sprain Sunday, two days after he crashed into a right-field fence.

The veteran is optimistic it will not be a lengthy absence.

“Right now, I think we should be able to come back exactly when the time is due,” Rosario said through an interpreter before the Yankees concluded a three-game series against the Houston Astros on Sunday. “I feel day to day physically, but at the same time, we can’t be sure, so that’s why the 10 days, but the idea is to come back when the 10 days is due.”

The Yankees recalled catcher J.C. Escarra from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre to replace Rosario.

Rosario sustained the injury to his SC joint in the 10th inning of Friday’s loss to the Astros. He was attempting to make a leaping catch in front of the chain link portion of the fence on a ball hit by Yainer Diaz.

Rosario raced back for the ball, collided with the fence and fell backward as center fielder Trent Grisham backed up the play and threw the ball to shortstop Anthony Volpe for the force out at second base. Rosario was checked out by manager Aaron Boone and a trainer but stayed in the game.

Rosario is 3-for-7 in four games for the Yankees after being acquired July 26 in a trade with the Washington Nationals.

Escarra made the Opening Day roster and batted .205 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 39 games. He was optioned to the minors on July 30.

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