Screen International’s Post

It's been a huge week for the film industry with 'Barbie' and 'Oppenheimer' in theaters. The releases were HUGE, making millions of dollars for the #boxoffice . Did you go see either #film ? #barbie #barbiethemovie #oppenheimer #filmindustry #entertainmentindustry #entertainmentnews

YES Fathom Events!!!! I’m happy that there’s a company designed to dedicate some screens to play niche content for smaller (but very dedicated) communities, but how much money is being left on the table by not re-releasing films that masses of people are itching to see in a large format again? Is anyone all that excited to watch a Christopher Nolan movie on their laptop? No, but people are willing to see a 3-hour historical biopic by him multiple times in a theater just for the immersive experience. It’s not only theaters that profit here, either. Lets break down why this is a win-win-win strategy: Let’s look at it from the studio’s perspective: How much money could they save by investing in a re-release versus a $100+ million remake of existing IP? I’m guessing the profit margins are significantly higher with the former. Now they can use this profit to (hopefully) invest more money in young talent with their entire career ahead of them to create memorable (and new!) beloved franchises. I argue the biggest winner here is the consumer. Do these execs understand how much nerds (me) would pay for, say, a re-release of ANY Star Wars movie on May 4th? What about all of the fun BTS content that’s been eliminated in the age of streaming that could be repurposed into these community events? Sometimes it feels like consumer-driven strategies have largely been left out of an industry that heavily relies on consumer sales, but seeing these kinds of results is so promising for the future of movie theaters. Here’s to hoping for more smart, sustainable business practices in entertainment!

Hollywood Has Reached Peak Two-Part Movies   “Splitting a movie in two can serve both commerce and art, say those involved with such projects, but they also come with risks (see: 'Divergent').”   I don’t know, is this expanding creative storytelling? Or milking an IP for more returns? The answer is probably somewhere in the middle if we average it out.   But in a world of franchises and sequels, some things actually work in a more serial fashion: Star Wars, Marvel, etc. But does something like Mission Impossible work as well when it’s not standalone stories?   After “splitting 1 book into 2 movies” seemed to fade away for a bit (consumers really soured on it), this article reminded me that the two-part movie hasn’t really gone away. We just don’t seem to be talking about it as much. (I guess I didn't realize how much it was back, even knowing about films like Dune, Dead Reckoning and Spider-Verse.)   So, which is better? Making a part 1 / part 2, but risk upsetting fans with a cliffhanger a la Across the Spider-Verse? Or doing two connected but succinctly standalone films like Infinity War & Endgame? I choose the latter*.   *Now if Filoni’s Heir to the Empire got split to two parts, I wouldn’t complain there.   https://lnkd.in/eaMvXtY5 #hollywood #entertainment #filmindustry #entertainment #MCU #Marvel #starwars

📢 Capturing Attention: NRG in the Headlines   While theatrical events like #Barbenheimer brought the box office back to pre-pandemic levels this past summer, 2023 as a whole wound up down 20% from the 2015-2019 average.    With an inconsistent slate of theatrical releases–largely due to impacts of the Hollywood strikes–the number of habitual moviegoers is still well off from pre-pandemic, and that will remain a challenge in 2024.    “People still love going to the movies,” says Lionsgate Motion Picture Group Vice Chairman Adam Fogelson, “as long as you give them a movie they truly want to see.”   According to NRG research, most moviegoers (69%) want to see more original movies–and fewer people now believe that franchise films are a "must-see in theaters."   The success of Barbenheimer highlights the impact of delivering upon consumers' desire for more originality, and suggests that making these types of bold bets more frequently could be key for making moviegoing a habit in 2024.   Read Deadline Hollywood’s coverage of our latest insights on the Future of Film at the link below. Interested in unlocking the Future of Film? Reach out to Ray Subers at Ray.Subers@nrgmr.com for more on our syndicated film research.    #boxoffice #futureoffilm #theatrical 

“That pink Barbie Land set in last weekend’s blockbuster hit? It was built in the Warner Bros. Studios in London” US studio backed projects totalled $1.36 billion in 2022, an increase 36% on 2021. Because of this the UK Film Production industry in the UK is largely shut down due to the SAG-AFTRA strikes in Hollywood. The Walt Disney Company Lucasfilm have a long term lease agreement with Pinewood Group Limited. Warner Bros. Discovery have a studio in Leavesden, London, Netflix and Prime Video & Amazon Studios film at Shepperton Studions Pinewood Group Limited. Universal Pictures have Elstree Studios. Apple TV+ Paramount 20th Century Studios all film in the UK and have all secured long term investment to make sure they continue filming here in years to come. Why? They get a handsome tax break and work with some of the best Prodution Crew in the world. (who are mostly outside of the USA union systems). The knock on affect to the UK Production industry, UK actors, writers, UK crew and all the small independent business that support the industry is huge, both mentally and financially, with no future benefits even if an agreement is reached by SAG-AFTRA. Is now the time for the UK unions Bectu and Equity UK to look at how the UK unions are under the shadow of the US unions and film studios, even when filming in the UK? Make no mistake, the industry must change in order to keep supplying memorable entertainment and to keep moving forward. The distribution of wealth within the industry has never been greater and new agreements must be put in place to reflect how the industry now distributes content. But if UK representatives are not in the room, then no is negotiating on our behalf. https://lnkd.in/eyiGvs5T washingtonpost.com #filmandtv #sagaftra #filmproduction #strikes #entertainmentindustry #streaming #media #barbiemovie #hollywood #amptp

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 3/24/24: Moviegoers proved once again this weekend, they'll go to the multiplexes to see films they want to see -- like GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE, which they opened to over $40M.   It was a spring thaw at theatres that augers well for the upcoming Easter Weekend when WB's launch of GODZILLA X KONG is widely expected to heat up ticket sales. It's also another indication of how misplaced the studios' faith is in streaming as Hollywood's future.   Moviegoers -- including many families -- put Sony/Bron Studios' PG-13 fantasy adventure comedy GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE in first place with $45.2M at 4,345 theatres ($10,403), per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian. Hollywood handicappers were originally projecting a $45-50M launch, but scaled it back mid-weekend to $42-44M. EMPIRE, which reportedly cost $100M to produce, has done $61.6M worldwide.   It's likely that if not for the major weekend storm system pommeling the entire East Coast from Maine to Florida, EMPIRE would have done better yet. Going into this weekend, it was tracking best with women over 25 (10 points over norm) and equally well with men over 25 (10 points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics may hate it at 43%, but audiences are much happier at 84%.   Driven by EMPIRE, the weekend's overall marketplace, per Comscore, totaled $104.6M, up 16.8% from the prior weekend, but down 12% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $1.47B, down 9% from $1.61B in 2023.    Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: WB/Legendary Entertainment's DUNE: PART TWO was #2 with $17.6M (-38.26%) for weekend three at 3,437 theatres ($5,121). It's done $233.4M domestic with a worldwide cume of $574.4M. D2 reportedly cost $190M (or more) to produce, with Legendary putting up most of it.   Universal/DreamWorks Animation's KUNG FU PANDA 4 finished third in weekend three with $16.8M (-44.28%) at 3,805 theatres ($4,415). It reportedly cost a modest (for animation) $85M to produce. KFP4's done $133.2M domestic with a global cume of $268.2M.   Also arriving this weekend: Neon/Black Bear's R rated horror thriller IMMACULATE placed #4 with $5.4M at 2,354 theatres ($2,277). It reportedly cost about $10M to produce. Going into this weekend, it was tracking below norm in all demos. Rotten Tomatoes critics are a blah 72% and audiences are unhappy at 57%.   Next weekend will see the boxoffice ball bouncing higher as WB/Legendary Entertainment's PG-13 sci-fi action adventure GODZILLA X KONG opens at about 3,800 theatres.   Going into this weekend, KONG was tracking strongly and doing best with men under 25 (11 points over norm) and next best with men over 25 (10 points over norm). No Rotten Tomatoes scores are available yet.   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #ghostbustersfrozenempire #godzillaxkong    

Less is more. Except when it’s not. And in the current case of movies, it is most decidedly not. The film industry is shrinking—by revenue, volume, value and old fashioned chutzpah. The past poor decisions by major executives and the present market realities are creating an ecosystem with heightened risk for theatrical films, a declining number of buyers in the market, and an economic model that favors alternative mediums. That’s bad for business and audiences. Let’s pop a lexapro and take a closer look at how we arrived at this point of diminishing returns, what’s changing, who’s winning and what it means for everyone involved. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gSUpcBwQ By Brandon Katz

  MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 3/17/24: You know things aren't great when a weekend sees two holdovers in a close race for #1 and the winner takes it with just $30M.   That's Hollywood's yo-yo distribution strategy at work, making it feast or famine at the boxoffice every other weekend. Last year's strikes are blamed for today's lack of big movies -- but the crisis reflects how long the AMPTP took to reach a settlement with the striking actors and writers.   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes, Universal/DreamWorks Animation's KUNG FU PANDA 4 was still number one in weekend two with $30M -- down only 48.27% -- at 4,067 theatres ($7,376), per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian. It reportedly was produced for a modest (for animation) $85M. It's done $107.7M domestic with a global cume of $176.5M.   WB/Legendary Entertainment was a close #2 with weekend three of DUNE: PART TWO with $29.1M (-37.03%) at 3,847theatres ($7,564). It's done $205.3M domestic with a worldwide cume of $494.7M. D2 reportedly cost $190M (or more) to produce, with Legendary paying most of it.   Lionsgate's PG-13 stray dog adventure ARTHUR THE KING opened without much bite in third place to $7.5M at 3,003 theatres ($2,498). Hollywood handicappers were talking about a $10M debut. It reportedly cost about $20M to produce. Rotten Tomatoes' critics are a soft 63%, but audiences are cheering at 98%, so word of mouth should be good.   The weekend's overall marketplace, per Comscore, totaled $88.2M, down 37% from the prior weekend and down 6% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $1.33B, down 10% from $1.47B in 2023.    Next weekend will give exhibitors something to help keep the lights on as Sony/Bron Studios launches its PG-13 fantasy adventure comedy GHOSTBUSTERS: FROZEN EMPIRE at about 4,000 theatres. Media pundits are buzzing about a $50-60M debut.   Going into this weekend, EMPIRE was tracking best with men over 25 (11 points over norm) and next best with women over 25 (eight points over norm). No Rotten Tomatoes scores are available yet.   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #kungfupanda4 #ghostbustersfrozenempire    

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 9/24/23: Moviegoing was expendable this weekend as the boxoffice sank to its lowest point this year with weak product and no stars to promote it due to the actors strike.   Lionsgate/Millennium's EXPEND4BLES opened dismally in second place to $8.3M at 3,518 theatres ($2,359), per Comscore. Hollywood handicappers were way high with projections of $15-17M for EX4, which reportedly cost $100M to produce. The buzz is Lionsgate acquired domestic & U.K. rights for just $20M and only spent about $20M to  market the film.   Critics on Rotten Tomatoes hate EX4 with a hideous 16% while audiences are a blah 69%. Going into the weekend, its best first choice tracking was with men over 25 (four points over norm). Next best: men under 25 (three points over norm).   Comscore's total for all films in the domestic marketplace was just $51.8M, 2023's lowest grossing weekend -- down 17.7% from the previous weekend, and down 18% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally puts 2023 at $7.06B, up 26% from $5.61B in 2022.   WB/NL's THE NUN II held on to the top spot in weekend three with $8.4M (-42%) at 3,536 theatres ($2,376). It's done $69.2M domestic & $204.2M worldwide. N2's success reflects the horror genre's strength despite the SAG-AFTRA strike because it typically draws fans for its scares and not for promotion by its actors. Next weekend three wide studio openings and one expansion will hope to bring moviegoers back to theatres:   ·     Disney/20th's PG-13 sci-fi drama THE CREATOR will land at about 3,600 theatres. Analysts expect $16-18M. At this writing, there's no critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Going into this weekend, its best first choice tracking was with men over 25 (equal to norm). All other demos were below norm.   ·     Lionsgate's R rated horror sequel SAW X will kick off at about 3,100 theatres. Media pundits are enthusiastic at $26-30M. At this writing, there's no critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Going into the weekend, its best first choice tracking was with men under 25 (10 points over norm). Next best: men over 25 (eight points over norm).   ·     Paramount/Nickelodeon's PG animated action adventure PAW PATROL: THE MIGHTY MOVIE will open at about 3,500 theatres. The buzz is for a $12-14M launch. At this writing, there's no critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Going into the weekend, its best first choice tracking was with women over 25 (one point over norm). Next best: women under 25 (equal to norm).   ·     Sony/Black Bear's R rated bio-dramedy DUMB MONEY expands to about 2,000 theatres after two weeks of limited release to build favorable word of mouth. This weekend it did $2.5M, per Comscore, at 616 theatres ($4,058). It's grossed $2.8M domestic thus far. Insiders see it doing $9-11M next weekend. Rotten Tomatoes critics are a happy 84%. There's no audience score at this writing. Going into the weekend, its first choice tracking was below norm for all demos.   #movies #martingrove  

Hollywood, you’re gonna need a lower budget. Here’s a suggestion: instead of wasting $168M (exclusive of approx $150M marketing costs) on a CGI orgy that no one really cares about, you should develop and invest a fraction of that budget in European-made, smart and epic movies for a global audience. That being said, A24’s ’Civil War’ is an example of how a compelling, provocative and elevated B-movie (with some clear influences from John Carpenter’s Assault On Prectinct 13 and Escape from New-York) produced on a $50M budget could show the way to the future of US blockbuster cinema. It’s not a low-budget production (at least from a European perspective), it’s disturbingly spectacular, immersive, perfectly casted and has the quality of true indie storytelling. #blockbuster #cinema #movies #hollywood #europe