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Richard Romanus -- famous from his memorable role in "Mean Streets" -- has died.

The actor's son, Robert, broke the sad news this weekend, telling THR his father had passed away Dec. 23 at a private hospital in Volos, Greece. The exact circumstances of his death remain unclear, and an official cause has yet to be announced.

Romanus hadn't acted in much since the early 2000s, with his last credited role being in Disney's "The Young Black Stallion" from 2003. Still, his career was noteworthy ... especially his turn as the villain in one of Scorsese's first films.

Of course, he played Michael the loan shark in 'MS' ... his character grows impatient with Robert De Niro's Johnny Boy after constantly ducking/dodging him on a fat debt owed.

Fans might also remember him for playing Richard La Penna in a few episodes of "The Sopranos" ... not to mention roles in other big shows like "Tenspeed and Brown Shoe," "Foul Play," "Strike Force," "Hill Street Blues," "The A-Team," "Cagney & Lacey," "Johnny Bago" and more.

Outside of "Mean Streets," Romanus' movie credits include ... "Wizards," "Sitting Ducks," "Heavy Metal," "Pandemonium," "Strangers Kiss," "Protocol," "Murphy's Law," "Oscar" and many others.

He's survived by his son, his wife and his famous younger brother, Robert. Romanus was 80.

Timothée Chalamet is entering 2024 as king of the box office -- marking the end of what's been been a pretty damn good year in terms of ticket sales at the movies. Go figure!

The actor's latest offering, "Wonka," returned to #1 this weekend -- this after claiming the same spot two weeks ago when it first debuted and slipping to #2 last week after the release of 'Aquaman 2,' which technically came in first ... but still underperformed by a lot.

Those woes continued this week, with 'A2' slipping to second and Timmy's film retaking its position as top dog to end 2023 -- raking in about $24 mil through Sunday ... and bringing its total domestic haul to about $142 mil, and its worldwide gross to a whopping $387 mil.

Considering this thing only cost about $100 mil to make, that's a helluva good return. And considering WB has 3 films in the top 5 slots this weekend, we're sure they're happy too.

If you're wondering what 2023 has been like, generally, at the box office well ... movie fans might be in for a pleasant surprise -- 'cause as it turns out, theaters cleaned up quite a bit.

This year saw a domestic box office gross of over $9 billion -- which is actually great compared to recent years post-pandemic ('21's $4.3B & '22's $7.3B). Now, it does pale in comparison to what theaters used to bring in -- see 2019's domestic haul of $11.4B -- but still solid all things considered, and presumably an encouraging sign that theaters ain't dead!

Of course, there's a select few films we have to thank for this result ... especially "Barbie," which was the highest-earning movie this year by a long shot. Other honorable mentions go to 'Super Mario Bros.,' "Oppenheimer," 'Across the Spider-Verse,' and some Disney additions.

As far as superhero movies, though ... those, by and large, turned out to be major stinkers.

So what have we learned about getting asses in seats going forward? Big IPs are winners, and so are splashy biopics. Now, it seems like folks might be tired of seeing capes and tights, though ... so less of that and newer (familiar) wells of content might be the ticket.

Gary Oldman is considered one of the greatest living actors alive today -- but if you take his own review of his work, it's all pretty trash ... especially as it pertains to 'Harry Potter.'

The Academy Award-winning thespian -- who's range knows no limits -- recently got candid on the 'Happy Sad Confused' podcast over how he feels about some the roles he's taken over the years, including Sirius Black in the 'HP' film series.

He played Black for a total of 4 films ... but as he looks back now, GO says he thinks his acting was actually "mediocre" -- and when the host scoffed, Gary freaking doubled down!

The reasoning behind this apparently lies in the fact that he didn't know his character was going to be killed off. As Gare explains here, he didn't read ahead in the books -- the way the late Alan Rickman did -- and says he would've played Black differently if he'd known.

Still, he goes on to say that he often criticizes his past roles -- and while a lot of people try and give him praise ... Gary apparently doesn't get all the hype. Indeed, very harsh.

Tom Wilkinson -- one of the most recognizable British actors in recent memory -- has died.

His loved ones broke the news to the BBC Saturday, with a statement from the family reading, "It is with great sadness that the family of Tom Wilkinson announce that he died suddenly at home on December 30. His wife and family were with him."

The exact circumstances of his death weren't immediately clear, as no further details were provided. In any case, it's a huge blow to the film community, in which he was beloved.

Wilkinson will likely best be remembered for his role as Gerald in "The Full Monty" -- a popular '90s comedy about a bunch of middle-aged men starting an all-male strip joint. Fact is, though ... he'd been in plenty of other films over the years that were equally as great.

He played Arthur Edens opposite George Clooney in "Michael Clayton," as well as Matt Fowler in 2001's "In the Bedroom" ... plus, the author in Wes Anderson's "The Grand Budapest Hotel."

Wilkinson starred in countless other films over the years, including ... "Batman Begins," "Shakespeare in Love," "Rush Hour," "Wilde," "The Ghost and the Darkness," "The Patriot," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Valkyrie," "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol," "The Lone Ranger," "Selma," "Snowden," "The Titan," "The Samaritan" ... and many, many more.

All told, he had 129 acting credits to his name ... and 2 projects on standby, with one already in post-production -- presumably his last role before he died. Wilkinson was 75.

Jeremy Renner marked a near-fatal anniversary with a return trip to the hospital and medical staff that saved his life.

Jeremy showed up Friday at the Renown Regional Medical Center in Reno ... nearly a year to the day after he was crushed by a snowplow. As you know, Jeremy actually jumped on the runaway plow to stop it, fearing it would run over his nephew. Jeremy fell off and was run over himself.

The 52-year-old actor thanked the doctors, nurses and others who cared for him ... taking photos and shaking lots of hands.

Renner also showed up at the local fire dept. to thank some of the first responders who rescued him.

Jeremy's injuries were gruesome ... more than 30 broken bones, a punctured liver, and one of his eyes popped out of his skill. Just horrific.

His recovery has been remarkable, and at least from the outside, Jeremy appears to be back to his normal self.

The death of "Parasite" star Lee Sun-kyun is hitting his family and friends hard as they lay the South Korean actor to rest.

Lee's funeral was held Friday in Seoul, where a large congregation followed as his coffin was placed in the hearse. His wife broke down in tears during the ceremony and the procession.

As we reported, Lee was found dead in his car Wednesday ... after an apparent suicide -- and his attorney says he'd been under an intense police investigation for a drug blackmail plot. He claimed he'd been tricked into smoking marijuana, and then extorted by the man and woman who allegedly tricked him.

Detectives in the Seoul suburb of Incheon had questioned him last week after detaining the actor for 19 hours. His attorney says Lee begged police not to go public with the investigation.

Lee was best known in America for his role as the father in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite."

The 2 suspects in the plot were arrested the day before Lee was found dead.

Donald Trump is slamming reports he bullied his way into the film, "Home Alone 2: Lost In New York," saying the director begged him to play a role in a famous scene with Macaulay Culkin.

In a statement posted to his Truth Social platform Wednesday, Trump attacked 'Home Alone 2' director Christopher Columbus for hurling the bully accusation at him in a recently resurfaced 2020 Business Insider interview.

The 45th President wrote that Columbus was "begging me to make a cameo appearance" after the movie producers rented NYC's Plaza Hotel, which Trump owned at the time, to shoot a scene for the 1992 comedy.

Trump continued, “I was very busy, and didn’t want to do it. They were very nice, but above all, persistent. I agreed, and the rest is history!"

He added that his brief cameo "took off like a rocket" and, as a result, the movie was a huge success then and now, particularly around Christmas time, noting, "People call me whenever it is aired.”

Columbus, however, saw his encounter with Trump very differently in the 2020 Business Insider interview, which was just rehashed by several media outlets.

At the time, Columbus told Business Insider ... he was unable to rebuild The Plaza Hotel on a soundstage for the scene where Trump bumps into Culkin in the lobby and offers him directions.

Columbus and his team contacted Trump to ask if they could film at 45's then-hotel, assuming they would just have to pay a fee.

Columbus said Trump promised to greenlight their request, but only if he could have a part in the flick.

After agreeing to the deal, Columbus said the "oddest thing" happened during their first screening -- the audience cheered when Trump popped up in the film.

So, Columbus decided to leave Trump in the movie instead of cutting out his scene.

Shia LaBeouf was on daddy duty Christmas Eve ... spending some quality time with his daughter Isabel at Universal Studios Hollywood.

With the one-year-old strapped to his back in a baby carrier ... the actor stirred up more excitement running around following a meet and greet with The Grinch.

Fatherhood clearly suits Shia, who was filmed by onlookers grinning ear to ear ... and stopping to chat with people who recognized him.

Shia welcomed Isabel with actress Mia Goth last year ... revealing months later on Jon Bernthal's podcast, "Real Ones," his daughter makes him want to transform into a stand-up guy.

This comes after his ex-girlfriend FKA Twigs filed a lawsuit against LaBeouf in 2020 for assault and sexual battery.

Lee Sun-kyun – best known for his 2019 role in the Oscar-winning film "Parasite" – has died by suicide while under investigation for using illegal drugs.

The South Korean actor was found dead in his car Wednesday in the capital city of Seoul after Lee's manager reported him missing to police, according to CNN.

Seoul officials told the network Lee's death was "presumed to be suicide," as forensic investigators were seen putting up police tape where Lee's car was discovered.

Police in Incheon, a city that borders Seoul, interrogated Lee on three occasions during the criminal probe into his possible narcotics use.

Lee admitted to consuming drugs, but claimed he was tricked into taking them and blackmailed, as he ended up suing the extortionist. Cops were allegedly tipped off about Lee's narcotics use just before he filed the lawsuit.

As part of the police investigation, Lee was repeatedly drug tested, but the results always came back negative, CNN said.

Officers last questioned Lee on December 23, keeping him detained for 19 hours before releasing him.

Two suspects – a man and a woman – were arrested in connection with the narcotics investigation.

On Tuesday – the day before Lee was found dead – he requested through his attorney that police administer a lie detector test to him and the two people who were arrested. It's not clear if the three were given the polygraph exam.

In the comedy-thriller, "Parasite," Lee had a starring role as Park Dong-ik – the father of a wealthy family targeted by an indigent clan of schemers who infiltrate their household. The film snagged 4 Oscars at the 2020 Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Lee was 48.

RIP

Barry Keoghan is the total package ... 'cause that was all him in the naked scene of his new movie "Saltburn."

Be wary; there are some spoilers ahead ... near the end of the Amazon Prime flick, Barry's character Oliver bares it all while busting out a celebratory dance -- with fans shocked to learn he wasn't wearing a prosthetic penis.

And, Barry has confirmed no extra props were required ... saying he embraced his "ownership" and "full confidence" -- though only after 11 takes because he wasn't comfortable at first.

It wasn't long before he felt empowered ... asking the crew to re-take the shot over and over again ... adding to Entertainment Weekly he quickly forgot he was in the buff because of the comfortable on-set environment.

Barry also says that disrobing was what his character required ... cause he could do whatever he wanted in the grand manor that features heavily in the movie ... even if that meant stripping to his barest and waltzing around like he owned the place.

"Saltburn" is centered on Oxford scholarship recipient Oliver Quick, taken in for the summer by his wealthy pal friend Felix Catton ... played by Jacob Elordi.

Talk about heartwarming for the holidays ... the former child stars of "The Sandlot" reunited in Florida to play a little ball, and raise money for charity while they were at it.

Fans of the film got to hang out with 'Sandlot' stars Marty York, Tom Guiry, Victor DiMattia, Shane Obedzinski and Grant Gelt for 2 days in New Smyrna Beach ... with movie screenings, meet and greets and a celebrity softball game to cap it all off.

The featured 'Sandlot' characters include Scotty Smalls, Alan 'Yeah-Yeah' McClennan, Bertram Grover Weeks, plus Tommy 'Repeat' Timmons and his twin brother Timmy. Pretty good squad, right?!?

The 2-day charity event followed the 30th anniversary of the iconic movie's release ... and proceeds benefitted Table 2 Committee, a nonprofit that raises money for local youth sports programs.

'Sandlot' writer, director and narrator David Mickey Evans organized the whole shebang ... and it looks like there was quite a turnout.

Hugh Jackman got a bit too much in the Christmas spirit at NYC's Rockefeller Center ... because a security guard had to give him a warning for breaching a police barrier.

The actor was enjoying all the holiday festivities at the cultural landmark in Manhattan – while someone was shooting a video of him walking past all the high-end stores outside.

Check out the clip he posted on Instagram ... Hugh looks happier than ever as he, too, films himself at the tourist attraction.

At one point, Hugh smiles and throws his arms up triumphantly with the Rockefeller Center Xmas tree standing behind him. The video then cuts off.

While we never saw the security guard, Hugh wrote in his IG caption, "I highly recommend getting up really early on Christmas morning and taking a walk to see the Rockefeller Christmas tree."

He continued, "It’s so beautiful and not crowded at all. I did get in trouble for going beyond the barrier but the security guard was nice and let me go with just a warning."

Fantasia Barrino doesn't do anything half-ass, evident in the fact that she was singing her heart out during a table read for her new film ... just imagine how the real thing sounds.

The "American Idol" alum is part of the star-studded cast for "The Color Purple" -- which just got released into theaters today ... and which is stirring up a lot of Oscar buzz, not to mention a ton of praise for the musical performances -- including one from Fantasia.

She handles one big number in there, in particular, called "I'm Here" ... and on Sunday, her costar Colman Domingo posted a video from their final table read as a cast last year.

Check it out ... it's pretty incredible to see. Fantasia is fully in character as Celie, and she's belting out this song with everything she's got -- which makes for an awesome showcasing of her talent. You can tell the other actors were impressed, encouraging her along the way.

Fantasia has sung this song before ... as she played this exact role for the Broadway version of 'TCP' -- and now, she'll be doing it for the big screen -- which is pretty exciting to see.

The reviews for this film are pretty stellar, and it should make a splash at the box office.

Mind you, this version of "The Color Purple" is a full-blown musical ... so we're sure to see/hear a lot more performances like this one -- and the early word is, 'TCP' is a frontrunner for Best Picture at next year's Oscars ceremony since it's so freaking good.

We recently learned Kevin McCallister was, in fact, loaded in 'Home Alone' -- and now, the Internet has its sights set on Clark Griswold ... and that mysterious bonus check.

A Reddit thread that was recently started dives deep into the question of what sorta dough Chevy Chase's character in 'Christmas Vacation' was expecting, what he ended up getting, and what the hell he even did for work ... which is all left unanswered in the film.

It's not nearly as sophisticated or scientific as the NYT piece that broke down the 'Home Alone' finances, but it's interesting ... 'cause a lot of folks seem to have good guesses.

Based on clues dropped in the movie, one user -- who kinda takes the lead on all the sleuthing here -- suggests Clark was some sort of chemical engineer at a cereal company ... and that his salary at the time likely landed in the ballpark of about $75k-$80k in 1989.

If that's true, these online accountants figure Sparky might've been anticipating a fairly high bonus of about 20%-25% ... do the math, and that's likely a bonus of about $20k or so.

He also mentioned putting down a $7,500 deposit for it already, and hoping the check would cover the rest -- and based on some historical data ... people say the number checks out for pool construction in the late '80s. Clark was hoping for (but didn't get) a five-figure bonus.

Of course, that's not exactly how things worked out -- at first, anyway -- in the holiday classic. Clark gets stiffed by his boss, and his cousin Eddie kidnaps the guy to force him to pony up. In the end, the CEO of the company does give out the bonus -- plus an extra 20%.

In the end, the Internet suspects Clark walked away with about $24k in the end ... more than enough to install the pool and pay for it in full. Not bad for the bungling Griswolds!

Film buffs have debated whether 'Die Hard' is a Christmas movie or not for years -- but now, a guy who's very familiar with the art is settling it once and for all ... and he says, yea.

CNN's Jake Tapper featured film historian and author Jeremy Arnold on his show the other day, and they were there to discuss his new book -- 'Christmas in the Movies' -- and eventually JT landed on the age-old question ... is 'DH' actually a holiday classic???

According to Arnold, it absolutely is ... but he also explains that the reason some feel it isn't has to do with how they define Xmas movies, traditionally speaking.

Despite that, though, Arnold argues 'Die Hard' has all the tenets of a Christmas movie from the jump -- starting with the fact that Bruce Willis' John McClain is attempting to reconcile with his estranged wife ... that ends up being the backdrop of everything else that follows.

Tapper agrees, and he points to more evidence that 'DH' undoubtedly rings of Xmas throughout -- even though it's obviously an action flick. He actually points to the climax to make his point. Spoiler alert ... he uses presents to kill the bad guy terrorist, Hans.

All this is to say ... 'Die Hard' has all the trappings of Christmas, albeit embedded in a lot of violence and cool lines through a walkie-talkie. Of course, some still feel differently.

Melissa Barrera is doubling down in her support of Palestine while speaking on the holidays -- and the timing is interesting ... considering the 'Scream' franchise is in shambles.

The actress posted a message to her Instagram Sunday, just ahead of Christmas, and it again put a spotlight on the war going on in the Middle East ... which has claimed countless lives at this point, especially as Israel continues to try and hunt down Hamas.

She threw up a cartoon of Santa on his sleigh passing by a cart carrying dead/wrapped-up bodies -- as political commentary, no doubt -- and she added a very in-your-face caption.

It reads, in part ... "I HOPE THIS CHRISTMAS FEELS... WEIRD. I HOPE YOU CAN'T IGNORE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE CELEBRATING THE BIRTH OF A CHILD WHO WAS PERSECUTED AND TARGETED AND HIS PARENTS FORCED TO FLEE OT EGYPT."

Melissa goes on to say the exact same thing is happening to millions of Palestinians in that same part of the world all these years later ... all while "they are indiscriminately and relentlessly bombed." She ends her message with a simple and blunt "MERRY XMAS."

Of course, her position hasn't changed ... but the fact she's speaking right now is curious, especially since the director who was attached to the new 'Scream' movie she was fired from over her pro-Palestine views *just* announced that he's leaving the project as well.

Christopher Landon broke the news Saturday, saying he exited 'Scream 7' weeks ago without explaining why. What he did say, though, was telling ... writing, "It was a dream job that turned into a nightmare. And my heart did break for everyone involved. Everyone." He added, "I hope Wes’ legacy thrives and lifts above the din of a divided world."

Sounds like he might've bounced over this whole Israel-Palestine issue too -- and many suspect Jenna Ortega did as well ... even though other unrelated reasons were cited.