The Daily Paper

Briefed by Night Shift

Friday, September 18, 2026 Evening Edition Entertainment · News · Sports

Above the fold

Executive summary

  • Resident Evil’s Zach Cregger reboot took $8.8M in Thursday previews and is tracking a franchise-record weekend near $53–58M domestic.
  • Couch picks: Paramount+ MobLand S2, Starz Outlander: Blood of My Blood S2, HBO’s Jay-Z × Rick Rubin series, plus Slow Horses S6 and Monster still waiting.
  • Worth knowing: Trump announced a US–Denmark–Greenland Arctic security pact (basing/access, not annexation); signing eyed next week at UNGA.
  • Local: KSE filed $135M Ball Arena renovations; Broncos host Jacksonville Sunday (Harvey questionable, Mims out); Buffs at Northwestern Saturday on FOX.

Entertainment

Box office

Resident Evil aims for a franchise-record opening weekend

Zach Cregger’s Resident Evil reboot is the clear multiplex story this weekend. Media Play News reported Friday that Thursday’s previews brought in about $8.8 million, with BoxOfficeReport projecting roughly $58.5 million for the full opening weekend—enough to top Cregger’s Weapons debut ($43.5M) and smash the franchise’s prior domestic open (Afterlife’s ~$26–27M). Other trackers had been floating a wider ~$44–55M band, so treat the high end as projection until Sunday’s final tally.

Holdovers look quieter: Practical Magic 2 is eyed around $12M for second place, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues into an eighth weekend. Also in theaters: Aardman’s Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe in The Weight, and a 40th-anniversary Transformers: The Movie re-release. If you want one big-screen night this weekend, Resident Evil is the event film the industry is watching.

Sources: Media Play News box office, Box Office Theory tracking

Streaming

Friday couch menu: MobLand, Outlander spinoff, Jay-Z craft talk

Paramount+ premieres MobLand Season 2 tonight, with Tom Hardy, Pierce Brosnan, and Helen Mirren back as Maeve and Conrad’s world turns uglier. Starz returns Outlander: Blood of My Blood Season 2 (8 p.m. ET), pushing deeper into the Jacobite Rising. On HBO, JAŸ-Z In 8 pairs Jay-Z with Rick Rubin on writing and process—the first two episodes of a four-week event.

Still in the pile from this week: Netflix’s Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story (all eight episodes with Ella Beatty), Apple TV’s Slow Horses Season 6 (Lamb’s team forced into hiding), Prime Video’s Neagley (the full Reacher spinoff), and Peacock’s The Traitors: New Blood. Netflix also adds Best of the Best, a dance comedy with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan. Pick one prestige binge or one short satire hit and call it a night.

Sources: TVLine what to watch, Tom’s Guide weekend streaming

News

World

US, Denmark, and Greenland announce an Arctic security pact

President Trump said Friday that the United States, Denmark, and Greenland reached an agreement giving Washington a lasting Arctic security role—framed on Truth Social as “permanent control over security.” A State Department official described permanent access, basing, and overflight rights, plus bars on China or Russia bases, troops, or sensitive investment without U.S. approval, with terms said to continue even if Greenland became independent.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said a formal signing is expected next week at the U.N. General Assembly and cast the deal as strengthening Arctic and North Atlantic security while protecting sovereignty. The United States already holds major rights under the 1951 defense treaty; whether new bases get built was still unclear Friday night. Coverage across WaPo, the Guardian, and CNN stressed that the announcement stops short of U.S. annexation or takeover. Full treaty text is not public yet.

Sources: The Guardian, CNN, Washington Post

World

Ukraine drones toward Moscow as Russia opens wartime Duma elections

Al Jazeera, citing AP and Reuters, reported Friday that Ukraine launched a large drone wave as Russia opened a three-day State Duma election—the first since the full-scale invasion. Moscow’s mayor cited more than 350 drones toward the capital; most were claimed downed at outer defenses, with 64 nearer the city. President Zelenskyy said strikes hit a Yaroslavl oil refinery and a Rostov military airfield. Only pro-war parties are registered for the vote, which is also being organized in occupied Ukrainian territories.

Separately, Reuters reported Kyiv under a Russian missile attack Friday evening. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said air defenses engaged during an alert lasting about 40 minutes, with no immediate Kyiv casualties reported. In Odesa, the governor said two strikes wounded 10 people and damaged an administrative building and vehicles. A lighter travel oddity: Luxembourg Airport briefly suspended flights Friday after unauthorized drones near the field, then resumed Saturday morning with some catch-up delays expected.

Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters (Kyiv), Reuters (Luxembourg drones)

Sports

Denver

KSE files $135M Ball Arena renovation plan through 2028–29

Kroenke Sports & Entertainment announced Friday that Ball Arena—home of the Nuggets, Avalanche, and Mammoth—will get about $135 million in upgrades, and filed a site development plan with the City of Denver. Plans include a reimagined east entrance with a large glass façade, new escalators, expanded team shops, wider concourses, improved point-of-sale systems, and three new premium clubs. Work is phased to limit disruption, with upgrades targeted for the 2028–29 seasons. Suite renovations already underway are expected ready for the upcoming NBA and NHL seasons.

The east entrance ties into a Speer Boulevard pedestrian bridge the city approved in July, eyed for around 2029, and into the broader River Mile district plans west of Speer. Avalanche home opener is September 30 against the Kings; Nuggets’ first home date is October 24 against the Pelicans. Separately this weekend: Billy Strings plays Ball Arena Friday and Saturday while the reno news lands.

Sources: Denver Gazette, Colorado Avalanche / KSE

NFL · CFB

Broncos home opener Sunday; Buffs at Northwestern Saturday

Denver (0–1) hosts the Jacksonville Jaguars (1–0) at Empower Field on Sunday, September 20, kickoff 2:05 p.m. MT on CBS, after Monday’s 31–10 loss in Kansas City. Friday’s injury report lists running back RJ Harvey (hamstring) as questionable and wide receiver Marvin Mims Jr. (foot) out; Elliss and Franklin are expected available. Jacksonville opened with a 34–10 win over Cleveland.

College football Saturday: Colorado (2–0) visits Northwestern in Evanston at 5:30 p.m. MT on FOX after a 14–13 escape at Georgia Tech and a 52–21 win over Weber State. In hockey camp news, Avalanche captain Gabriel Landeskog said he feels as good physically as he has since the 2020 bubble after missing three seasons and returning in the 2025 playoffs; Colorado opens September 30 at Ball Arena against the Kings. At Coors Field tonight, the Mariners visited the Rockies—game still in progress around press time with Seattle ahead early.

Sources: Broncos injury report, Broncos Wire TV map, CU Buffs schedule, NHL.com on Landeskog