Entertainment

Showcasing Hollywoods Big Action Films

Published

16 years ago

June 12, 2010

This summer is full of big action films, pricey sequels and 3-D extravaganzas. But one of the most buzzed-about films is a low-budget comedy called MacGruber. According to the Los Angeles Times, the film “brought down the house” when it was screened recently at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Tex.

MacGruber, starring Saturday Night Live cast member Will Forte, is based on an SNL sketch about a MacGyver-esque agent who tries (in vain) to defuse bombs using ordinary household items. Forte was able to make the film edgier than the sketches (including a villain named Dieter Von Cunth), earning MacGruber an R rating.

If the film is a box-office success when it comes Forte could be on his way to joining the pantheon of SNL members who have succeeded at the box office. Many have tried to make the leap, but only a few have become box-office heroes.

Topping our list is Eddie Murphy. The comedian performed on SNL during some of its strongest seasons from 1980 to 1984. From there he went on to star in successful movies like Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America and The Nutty Professor.

But it was his work in the animated Shrek series from DreamWorks Animation that has propelled him to No. 1 on our list. As the voice of Donkey, Murphy has become a key player in a franchise that has earned $2.2 billion at the box office so far. That total will jump later this month when the final film, Shrek Forever After, hits theaters in 3-D (opposite MacGruber, which will likely attract a more mature audience).

Over the last 10 years Murphy’s films have earned $3.6 billion at the box office. In addition to the Shrek films, he’s starred in box-office winners like Daddy Day Care and Dr. Dolittle 2. Lately Murphy’s box-office prowess has come into question, though, with a series of duds including Meet Dave and Imagine That, both of which failed to earn back their production budgets at the box office.

To compile our list we looked at SNL cast members’ film work over the last 10 years and added up global box-office earnings. Usually we don’t count animation roles in these sorts of lists because the audiences often don’t know or care who is voicing the characters. We made an exception this time because Murphy and Mike Myers are so inextricably linked with the Shrek movies that the series has become as much about the actors as about the characters (which is why Murphy, Myers and Cameron Diaz earn upwards of $10 million each for their work in each film).

The Shrek films helped land Myers, who voices the green ogre, in second place with $3 billion. Like Murphy, Myers has had a rough couple of years outside of the Shrek films, culminating with the 2008 box-office bomb The Love Guru. From Viacom studio Paramount Pictures, the comedy earned only $40 million at the global box office on an estimated budget of $60 million.

In third place is Adam Sandler. Few actors are as successful at the box office as Sandler. His films have earned $2.1 billion in the last 10 years without the help of a successful animated franchise like Shrek. His 2008 film Bedtime Stories earned $213 million at the global box office.

Robert Downey Jr. ranks fourth with $2 billion. The Iron Man actor was only a cast member for one year in 1985 when the show was in a ratings free fall. After his run on SNL he appeared in well-received movies like Less Than Zero and Chaplin, but struggles with drugs temporarily derailed his career. In the last few years Downey has enjoyed one of the greatest career resurgences Hollywood has seen with hits like Iron Man and Sherlock Holmes. Iron Man 2 last weekend had the fifth-highest opening of all time, taking in $134 million at the U.S. box office.

The only woman who makes our list is Tina Fey, whose films have earned $340 million at the box office, ranking her ninth. Her most recent movie, Date Night, is also her most successful, with $116 million at the box office so far.

Entertainment

Why Fans No Longer Faint For Musicians – Paul Okoye

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Nigerian singer and half of the defunct P-Square duo, Paul Okoye, aka Rudeboy, has claimed that social media has reduced the prestige and value fans attached to musicians due to the mystique that artistes had before the era of social media.
Speaking in a recent interview with Lun Lifestyle TV, Rudeboy argued that social media, despite all its benefits, has shattered the illusion of artistes being mysterious and godlike.
This he said has reduced the buzz artistes previously enjoyed whenever their fans got the opportunity to see them whether physically or visually.
The ‘Reason With Me’ crooner explained that because artistes are no longer mysterious, fans are no longer eager to watch them in music videos.
He claimed that shooting music videos is now a waste of money.
Rudeboy said, “Music videos somehow now, because of this generation, is a waste of money. I am sorry to say this. But do you remember us [P-Square] before? You don’t see us anywhere. You just watch music videos, you see us and that’s it, or we come to your country, you see us.
“The reason you don’t see people faint for artistes anymore is because they see them on TikTok every day dancing and promoting your music. If Michael Jackson was alive now and doing promotional content on social media, nobody would see him and faint.
“Unfortunately, it’s too late for us to bring back the era of artistes being mystiques. How can you advise an artiste to post every day? How? Post what? You don’t need to.
“Social media brought positive change to the industry but it also led to ‘see-finish.’ Artistes are now too exposed. Fans see how they eat, cry. Before when artistes go to club, they stay in restricted VIP areas, but now when they are clubbing, everyone is filming.”

Entertainment

Davido’s Aide Offers Cash Reward For Missing Phone At Zlatan’s Wedding

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Afrobeats superstar, Davido’s aide, Damilare Aladegbola, popularly known as Dre, has offered a cash reward to whoever returns his phone, which he claims went missing during rapper Zlatan Ibile’s wedding ceremony.
Dre made the appeal in a post on his Instagram page on Monday, pleading with the person who allegedly took the device to return it in exchange for money.
“If na u carry my phone for Zlatan wedding, abeg return am, I go give you money please,” he wrote.
The aide also expressed frustration over what he suggested was a method being used to take phones at social gatherings.
He said he would no longer tolerate waiters asking whether guests had finished eating so they could clear their plates, alleging that the practice could provide an opportunity for phones left on tables to be taken.
“From now on, if I go any party or dey any party and any stupid waitress tell me say are you done eating so I can pack your plate, na swear I go swear for you cause na pattern wey una dey use pack phone for table be that now,” he added.
However, Dre did not identify anyone suspected of taking his phone or provide further details about how the device went missing.
Zlatan Ibile tied the knot with his longtime partner, Davita Lamai, during a traditional wedding ceremony on Saturday, October 24, 2026.
The ceremony, held in Lagos, attracted several celebrities, fans and well-wishers, with Davido among the prominent guests and leading the groomsmen.

Entertainment

I Ran Away From Nigeria, Never Wanted To Come Back-Chidinma

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2026

The Tide

Popular singer, Chidinma Ekile has revealed that before transitioning from secular music to the gospel genre, she “ran away” from Nigeria.
Speaking at a recent Eezee Conceptz event, Chidinma explained that she travelled abroad and wanted to secure permanent residency because she didn’t want to return to Nigeria, but failed.
She revealed that while she was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only person calling her from Nigeria, so she decided to work with him upon her return.
“I travelled. I ran away from Nigeria. I was processing my papers not to come back to Nigeria, but for some reason, it didn’t work.
“While I was abroad, the CEO of Eezee Conceptz was the only one who was calling me from Nigeria. He kept encouraging me, and I found the strength to come back to Nigeria. When I came back, I asked him to give me a gospel music contract because I want to spend time with God. And he gave me a contract that even my lawyer said seemed like a charity,” Chidinma stated.
The music star added that she did not transition into gospel music because she wanted to make gospel, but because she wanted a serious relationship with God.