'Spider-Man' 'Across the Spider-Verse' Crushes at The Weekend Box Office

The new 'Spider-Man' movie went gangbusters at the box office this weekend -- hauling in a bundle ... and proving that having 2 studio parents for this IP might actually be best.

Of course, we're talking about "Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse" ... which took the top spot by a mile over the past three days -- with a final tally of about $120.5 million in ticket sales domestically. That's the 2nd best box office of 2023 ... behind 'Super Mario Bros.'

It's easily the money-maker of the summer thus far ... and the good news is that it exceeded expectations by a ton. 'Across the Spider-Verse' was projected to bring in just $80M-$90M ... but it blew well past that, and lands as one of the best-performing 'Spider-Man' flicks ever.

Not just that, but the reviews are off the charts ... with many calling it the best 'Spider-Man' installment and 'Spider-Man' story told in modern times. So, what do we make of all this???

There's a couple takeaways -- which Twitter seems to somewhat agree with -- and the first is ... Sony holding on to some of the 'Spider-Man' rights over the years has, perhaps, turned out to be for the best. Clearly, they partner with Marvel for all things Spidey ... but many say they've kept the character/IP grounded, despite Disney's overly-grand CBM aspirations.

The other fascinating element here is that Sony/Disney has been able to achieve true diversity in a character that has long been considered a typical white male in Peter Parker.

With the Miles Morales character -- who's Black/Puerto Rican -- there's a new face to Spider-Man (not to mention all the other Spider-Men in the movie) ... and there was little to no outrage over it. Of course, a lot of that might have to do with the fact that Miles and co. are comic canon ... so shout out to the writers who created these characters a long time ago!

It's interesting ... there've been a number of actors who've played Spider-Man (both live-action and animated) over the years -- but Tom Holland says Shameik Moore's Morales might, in fact, be the best out of all of them. He said as much anyway in a recent interview.

As it turns out, there is actually room for all. Take notes, Hollywood ... this is how you do it.

Tyler James Williams 'I'm Not Gay' But Guessing Game Is 'Dangerous' to LGBTQ Members

"Abbott Elementary" star Tyler James Williams is responding to rumors about his sexuality ... and warning that the culture of trying to out people is creating a "dangerous" culture.

Tyler posted a message saying, "I'm not gay," but then quickly explained he's only taking time to address the topic because, "Overanalyzing someone's behavior in an attempt to 'catch' them directly contributes to the anxiety a lot of queer and queer questioning people feel when they fear living in their truth."

It's clear Tyler's read social media posts claiming he exhibits some gay "behavior," and he says that the practice of trying to find some "hidden trait" makes it harder, if not dangerous, for closeted LGBTQ members to be themselves.

His full message is pretty eye-opening, and obviously comes from a place of wanting to remain an ally. He wished everyone "Happy Pride," and added, "I pray that you feel seen in ways that make you feel safe in the celebration that is this month."

The Fugees Reunite at Roots Picnic ... Likely Last Time for a While

The Fugees came together this weekend during Lauryn Hill's headlining set in Philadelphia ... and it might be the last time we see them as a unit for a good long while.

The 3 ex-band members reunited Saturday during the Roots Picnic music festival ... where she was one of the last acts of the night to take the stage. It was a big deal, as she's celebrating the 25th anniversary of her album, "The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill."

It seems Wyclef Jean and Pras realized the significance as well ... 'cause at one point during her performance, they joined her onstage and began performing as The Fugees again.

Indeed ... it was a very cool moment. They performed at least one song of theirs -- "Ready or Not" -- and the crowd was rocking with them. It's unclear if they did any other tracks ... but they certainly had plenty to choose from. The Fugees have tons of hits under their belt.

Sounds like the show went off without a hitch, and the festival's key organizer -- Questlove -- was certainly grateful. He took to IG with a throwback post of one of The Fugees' first gigs, noting this may well be one of the final times they join forces like this in this setting.

He wrote, "@MsLaurynHill did us a solid by letting us not only letting us celebrate with her the classic #MiseducationOfLaurynHill but she also made a moment by bringing together her bredren @WyclefJean & @PrasMichel ... I’m giving all the gratitude for making this miracle of a night happen."

Part of the reason The Fugees might not reunite like this again for quite some time is because Pras is likely going to prison after he was convicted in his illegal foreign influence scheme case ... and he faces up to 20 years behind bars. He hasn't been sentenced yet.

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READY OR NOT
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Enjoy 'em while you can.

Bam Margera Family Says He's Been Located ... After Scary Early AM Texts

UPDATE

4:44 PM PT -- Jess has provided an encouraging update on his brother's whereabouts, saying they've located Bam ... and that he's unharmed. This follows what he says was a scary text sent to him and other Margera family members that he claims sounded suicidal in nature.

UPDATE

10:26 AM PT -- Bam Margera's attorney, Peter Thompson, tells TMZ that Bam came to L.A. -- before going off the radar -- in an attempt to reunite with his son, whom we're told he hasn't seen in 2 months ... without any contact whatsoever.

UPDATE

We're already aware Bam has desperately wanted to touch base with his kid -- and that he's claimed his estranged wife, Nikki, isn't letting that happen -- but now ... Thompson says the separation may have driven Bam to force a meeting in person. Of course, we know Nikki doesn't want that right now -- at least not without Bam entering some kind of rehab program ... Thompson says he isn't sure if Bam is in one or planning to enter one anytime soon. However, he does say he thinks a FaceTime call, at the very least, would go a long way in putting Bam's mind at ease.

UPDATE

He says he was last in contact with him yesterday, and that he's going to try reaching out again to see where he might be.

Bam Margera's family seems to be fearing the worst, and his brother's putting out a Twitter APB to find him before he can harm himself.

Jess Margera tweeted early Sunday morning, "If anyone in the LA area knows of Bams current whereabouts or a hotel he might be at please call the LAPD immediately."

Jess says he's trying to get police to ping Bam's phone in order to find his location, but he's hitting some red tape -- which is why he's asking for everyone to spread the word on Twitter.

As he put it, "I don't think we have that kind of time" to wait for police.

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LET ME SEE HIM

As we reported, the former "Jackass" star had a total meltdown 3 days ago over not being able to see his son, Phoenix, amid his divorce from Nikki ... and vowed to smoke crack until he dies.

One clue to Bam's current whereabouts came in a video TMZ obtained and posted on Saturday.

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ALL SMILES
TMZ.com

In the clip, Bam is hanging with some random folks at a Pennsylvania bar and grill. Witnesses say he told them he was getting ready to fly to L.A. to check into rehab.

Jess clearly believes Bam did get on a plane to L.A., but he's not buying the rehab part.

Originally Published -- 8:35 AM PT

Matty Healy Plants Kiss on Concert Security ... Good Looking Out, Guy!!!

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STEALING A KISS
Storyful

No Taylor Swift, no problem for Matty Healy, who planted a kiss on a security guard right in the middle of his band's Denmark concert.

The 1975 were cranking out their song, "Robbers" at the NorthSide Festival when their frontman, Matty, locked eyes with the guy who was standing watch Friday night near the front of the stage -- and then, he gave the guard some lip action.

The security guard was definitely into it, and even came back for more. He didn't get to double dip -- sorry, guy ... Taylor's got a leg up on ya!

For the uninitiated, this is kinda Matty's thing -- he's been known to kiss random concertgoers when they perform "Robbers" live.

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LATE-NIGHT RENDEZVOUS
Tik Tok/@brandeegaar

Of course, Matty's romantic moves have been reserved for T-Swift lately. We've seen him attend several of her concerts ... even hanging with Taylor's dad during one.

Plus, Matty and Taylor have been on multiple dates around NYC, and in the recording studio.

Britney Spears 'Memba Jayden Being This Little ... Nostalgic Amid Sons' Hawaii Move

Britney Spears is feeling some sorta way about her 2 boys moving out of state ... or so it seems based on the 13-year throwback pic she posted of her youngest.

Brit's emotions came through Saturday afternoon when she shared the 2010 shot of herself carrying a then 4-year-old Jayden on her hip.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

She didn't use any words to describe her feelings in the caption, instead she only used 2 rose emojis 🌷🌷 -- and she also turned off comments.

That's interesting, because, as we've reported ... Britney's relationship with Jayden and her eldest, Sean Preston, has been strained to say the least.

TMZ broke the story, Kevin Federline plans to move to Hawaii this summer with his wife, Victoria, along with the boys. He asked Britney to sign off on the relocation plan, and she finally did last week, through her attorney Mathew Rosengart.

Britney hasn't seen the boys in more than a year, but you could view her post as a sign she's open to reconciling with her sons before they move.

As we reported, she recently had a great face-to-face meeting with her mother Lynne Spears ... and that once seemed impossible.

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CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY
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Remember, Britney was particularly annoyed by Jayden telling Australia's "60 Minutes" he hopes his mother gets better -- but her harkening back to Jayden as a toddler might be another family olive branch.

Ariana Madix & Scheana Shay Striking Back Post-'Scandoval' ... Recruits for Baseball Honor

Tom Sandoval cheating on Ariana Madix is sorta paying off for her and her friends -- the whole 'Scandoval' thing landed her and Scheana Shay on a baseball diamond.

The "Vanderpump Rules" stars were drafted Saturday by the San Diego Padres to throw out their ceremonial first pitch before a game against the Chicago Cubs ... and they were pretty giddy about the gig.

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HEADING TO THE FIELD
Instagram / @scheana

Ariana and Scheana were rocking matching Padres jerseys and brown ball caps at Petco Park, where Scheana said, "This has been a dream of mine."

As for their actual pitches -- not exactly strikes from either of 'em, but they did reach the vicinity of home plate. Much better than several other celebs we've seen on a pitching mound. Definitely not looking at you 50 Cent. 😉

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OPENING PITCH
Instagram / @xcarlamae

Mind you, neither Scheana or Ariana are San Diego natives, but you get why the Padres recruited them -- 'VPR' is hotter than ever since Tom's affair with Raquel Leviss came to light.

TMZ broke the story ... Ariana and Tom broke up in March after she learned of the months-long affair.

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HURTFUL BETRAYAL
Bravo

As a result, the 'VPR' reunion is drawing huge ratings for Bravo, Tom's band is selling out venues ... and Ariana is cashing in with brand deals, "Dancing with the Stars" and now baseball.

We're guessing the first pitch advice she got was to imagine Tom's face in the catcher's mitt.

NYC Shooting Gunman Opens Fire in Restaurant ... Patrons Duck, Run for Cover

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STORMING THE STORE

A brazen gunman is on the loose in NYC after going on a wild west style rampage through a restaurant, taking down one victim ... and it was all caught on security video.

The shocking footage starts out calmly with customers scanning food trays at a hot bar inside Boishakhi Restaurant Saturday afternoon in Queens.

Suddenly, the red-hoodie-wearing assailant dashes into the joint, brandishing a handgun and chasing after a man in a red shirt while firing shots at him.

The video, first obtained by the NY Post, shows others ducking for cover ... including a terrified family that scooped up their child and ran down a flight of stairs to protect themselves.

Meanwhile, the suspect continued to pursue the man, circling the hot bar and firing his handgun as he went. He eventually struck his target once ... in the butt, and then fled.

The victim was taken to a hospital, where he was listed in stable condition. No one else was injured.

By the time cops got on the scene, the shooter was long gone.

Police haven't revealed the motive, if they know of one, and despite the video showing the gunman chasing one man ... cops aren't sure he was the intended target.

Jonathan Majors & Meagan Good We're Taking Our Romance Overseas ... Shopping In Morocco

Jonathan Majors and Meagan Good are going strong overseas ... popping up in Morocco, where they're shopping for pottery.

TMZ obtained these photos of Jonathan and Meagan perusing a pottery shop in Fez, Morocco.

Folks who were there tell us the couple stopped by a shop called Art Naji, where they appeared to take an interest in a fountain and a fireplace.

The shop hails itself as the biggest handmade factory shop of pottery and zellige, Morrocan tiles, in the country ... and we're told Jonathan and Meagan seemed to be negotiating a deal with staff, though it's unclear if they pulled the trigger.

Jonathan and Meagan have been traveling a bunch since they linked up ... we've also seen them on both coasts, but now they're going international.

Elon Musk Backs Family Opposing Biological Male In Daughter's H.S. Locker Room

Elon Musk says a Vermont high school student and her family are getting a raw deal ... as they've been punished for demanding a biological male student -- who identifies as female -- be barred from the girls' locker rooms.

Former University of Kentucky swimmer, and now political activist, Riley Gaines amplified the Allen family's battle on Saturday -- tweeting Blake Allen had been suspended from school, and her father had been fired from his job.

Those were the consequences for the Allens who said Blake and some of her volleyball teammates were uncomfortable undressing in front of a fellow student who identifies as female ... but was born male.

Elon replied to Riley's tweet, "Incredibly unjust." Blake got a 2-day suspension and was reportedly told she couldn't return to school before apologizing for her feelings. Meanwhile, her father -- a middle school soccer coach -- had been suspended without pay because he publicly defended Blake, according to the Daily Signal.

The Allens did win some relief in the form of a lawsuit they filed against the school district ... which was recently settled. They'll reportedly get $125k in damages and attorney fees, plus Blake's suspension has been scrubbed from her record, and her father got back his coaching job.

As we reported, there's a similar legal battle at the University of Wyoming, where Kappa Kappa Gamma sisters are suing their sorority for allowing transgender Artemis Langford into the group.

They've also said they're uneasy due to Langford -- a biological male -- allegedly staring at women getting out of the shower.

IG Model Liziane Gutierrez Small Dog Maced, Hospitalized During Vegas Burglary

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BRAZEN BREAK-IN
TMZ.com

Instagram model Liziane Gutierrez and her 10-lb pooch fell victim to some nasty crooks who not only broke into her home but decided they also needed to mace the pup in the process.

Check out the video, obtained by TMZ, showing 3 men break into Liziane's Vegas home Thursday night through a back door. You see her maltese, Duchess, approach the intruders in a friendly manner only to be blasted with pepper spray.

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COMPLETELY RANSACKED
TMZ.com

From there, the men rush upstairs and into Liziane's bedroom, ransacking her closet and making away with Gucci bags, a Rolex, a gold chain and designer sneakers.

Thankfully, Liziane was at the gym at the time of the incident ... but she tells us the men made away with over $50K in luxury goods. She called the cops as soon as she got home.

As for Duchess, she was taken to the vet -- given a bunch of baths and some medication for her lungs and eyes -- we're told she's still having a tough time recovering and isn't yet back to 100% ... though things are looking good.

Cops tell us the incident is still under investigation, and no arrests have been made.

Aaron Gordon Gifts Jamal Murray 'JM27' Pendant ... Ahead Of NBA Finals

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ARROW BLING
Instagram / @milehighjewelers

Aaron Gordon is a helluva basketball player and apparently one whale of a teammate too ... 'cause TMZ Sports has learned the Nuggets star gifted Jamal Murray a sick diamond pendant before the start of this week's NBA Finals.

We're told AG was so thrilled over the way Murray's helped lead Denver this season ... he hit up Mile High Jewelers to make a custom piece to show his appreciation.

Gordon wanted the new bling to represent Murray's signature on-court celebration ... and the jeweler certainly delivered.

You can see the piece features a bow and arrow ... with Murray's initials and jersey No. 27 in it. We're told it's all filled with 10 carats of white and blue VVS diamonds.

We're also told it took 10 days to make, which is an expedited time as Gordon wanted to be sure Murray had it before the start of the NBA Finals on Thursday.

And, check out the video, Murray was pumped to receive it earlier this week!!

"[Aaron] wanted to show his appreciation for his outstanding play, effort and being a great teammate/brother during his time in Denver," the jeweler told us.

Murray is certainly deserving of the present from Gordon -- the 26-year-old averaged 20 points, 6.2 assists and 4 rebounds per game in the regular season ... and has absolutely balled out this playoffs.

Up next for Jamal ... pairing a new NBA championship ring with the necklace? Stay tuned!

Heat vs. Nuggets NBA Finals WAGS ... It's All or Nothing!!!

The NBA Finals are underway ... and while most of the sports world is focused on Nikola Jokic and Jimmy Butler, it's time to put the spotlight on the REAL stars of the series -- the wives and girlfriends of the Miami Heat and Denver Nuggets!!

Jokic's wife, Natalija, has been supporting the 2-time MVP ever since he was in high school ... and continues to do so in the stands throughout her man's pro career (alongside his famous brothers).

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope's pregnant wife, McKenzie, might pull up to a few games with her growing baby bump ... and DeAndre Jordan's "boo bear", Bethany, will certainly be pulling for her man as well.

When it comes to the Heat, expect to see Udonis Haslem's wife, Faith ... considering this may very well be her last chance to watch his games before he retires.

Kevin Love's model wife, Kate, knows her way around the Finals dating back to his days in Cleveland ... and there's hope Katya Elise Henry will get to catch Tyler Herro come back from injury and get some minutes.

It's not just the players with beautiful partners -- Erik Spoelstra's wife, Nikki, has been there every step of the way ... and we're sure she helped keep him calm throughout the Eastern Conference Finals.

The only downside?? One team -- and their ladies -- will go home without the Larry O'Brien trophy ... but hey, that's how the cookie crumbles.

Pete Davidson Good Genes Or Good Docs?!

Pete Davidson's looks over the years have made quite the 'transformation!'

Here is a younger 17-year-old version of the "Bupkis" star when he'd just begun his comedy journey ... already thriving on stage at a comedy club back in 2011 (left). This was just a few years prior to him scoring big on "Saturday Night Live."

And, 12 years later the comedian-turned-actor recently brought his charming smile to "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" just ahead of his next movie premiere, "Transformers: Rise Of Beasts" (right).

It's a fact, some of Hollywood's hottest stars are down for some Pete, but the question here is ...

Pete Davidson...

Tom Sandoval Fans Show Love in KY ... Screw Scandoval, Sign My Body!!!

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SOMEBODY TO LOVE
TMZ.com

Tom Sandoval may be the most hated guy in reality TV, but he sure as hell is king when he's performing onstage ... as evidenced by his latest concert!!

Tom and his crew hit the stage Thursday at Headliners Music Hall in Louisville, Kentucky for the latest stop of the "Tom Sandoval & The Most Extras" tour -- and one eyewitness told us he brought the house down ... with fans showing him a ton of love during his hour-long set.

Throughout the night, he played a number of '70s, '80s and '90s hits ... including "Somebody to Love" by Queen and "Groove Is in the Heart" by Deee-Lite, and the fans ate it up.

Sandoval busted out his go-to moves -- going shirtless and snapping photos with fans, and before the night ended ... he signed "Stay Fancy" in marker on a woman's arm.

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TRASHING TOM
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Of course, all the love he's getting while performing is a huge contrast to the way things are going IRL.

As you know, the "Vanderpump Rules" star has been in very hot water ever since word got out he was cheating on his longtime partner Ariana Madix with their friend/costar Raquel Leviss.

Naturally, that put a hard stop on their 10-year relationship, and almost all of his cast members have been ripped left and right, in public and on the "Vanderpump Rules" reunion.

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SIGN OF THE TIMES
BACKGRID

Despite all this, we were told he's still selling out shows. You'll recall, his security team kicked out one fan from his Pittsburgh show after she held up a #TeamAriana sign.

For the most part, though, ticketholders to his shows seem to be proudly #TeamTom!!!

Celebrity Scramble Guess Who!

Behind this altered image is a Dallas, Texas native who started his first band back when he was fresh out of high school, and even though he's toned down his spikey hair over the years, he's now rockin' a pink-slick 'do!

This guitar-playing-guy first became popular in the early 2000s ... you may have jammed out to his hit song, "On The Way Down" back in '04 or perhaps saw him make a cameo on MTV's "The Ashlee Simpson Show" ... can you guess the star behind the scrambled pic?

"On the way down, I almost fell right through, But I held onto you!"