Child trafficking drama “Sound of Freedom” emerged as a surprise independent-caliber blockbuster, and is unwittingly a lightning rod for culture wars/political buzz. The $15 million production has grossed $66 In domestic boxoffice as of July 14 (10 days in release) and is rated PG-13. Most indie films would be happy with half that for final U.S./Canada boxoffice, and “Sound … [Read more...] about Lightning Strikes Indie Hit ‘Freedom’
‘Barbie’ Banned in Vietnam, Naughty in France
A fleeting image of a geographic map of Southeast Asia showing disputed borders was enough to get Warner Bros. Pictures’ “Barbie” banned in Vietnam. Meanwhile, in France, seemingly innocuous marketing messaging for “Barbie’ can have a naughty meaning (double entendre, anyone?). Instead of the usual domestic analysis, here are some overseas marketing developments of … [Read more...] about ‘Barbie’ Banned in Vietnam, Naughty in France
Cinema Forecast: Snap-Back by 2025
Consultancy PwC forecasts that global cinema revenue will surpass pre-pandemic levels in 2025 at a projected $46.6 billion worldwide, compared with $43 billion in 2019. The 2025 figure is the sum of $43 billion in boxoffice (ticket sales) plus another $3.3 billion in on-screen advertising. That’s according to PwC’s mammoth annual “Global Entertainment & Media Outlook” … [Read more...] about Cinema Forecast: Snap-Back by 2025
Labor Strife Crimps Film Marketing
The strike by Hollywood screenwriters might seem distant to film marketing, which focuses on release-ready films, but labor turmoil is taking a toll on cinema premieres. Myriad secondary impacts from Hollywood labor strife are crimping movie marketing: * Uncertainty that film talent will do publicity for finished films. * Awards events are under boycott threat. * TV … [Read more...] about Labor Strife Crimps Film Marketing
Barbie Frenzy: Movie Dolls, Pink Pinch
Pre-release mania for the “Barbie” live-action movie continues as it heads for theatrical premiere July 21. Mattel toys just unveiled a raft of products tied to the movie based on its iconic doll of a blonde beach-loving girl. And the production has allegedly consumed so much pink paint for its movie sets that there’s word of a supply pinch for the Barbie character’s … [Read more...] about Barbie Frenzy: Movie Dolls, Pink Pinch
Discounting Fever Engulfs Film Biz
With recession fears looming, price cuts are beginning to pop up across the movie landscape at video streamers, while being considered by theaters. In some cases, these take the form of bundling multiple streaming services or offering a cheaper advertising-supported streaming service, as Netflix and AMC+ have done recently. NBCUniversal’s mainstream video streamer Peacock … [Read more...] about Discounting Fever Engulfs Film Biz
Docu Review: ‘Back to the Drive-In’
Full-length documentary "Back to the Drive-In” shines the spotlight on owners of drive-in cinemas, who are mostly hardscrabble mom-and-pop locals, in stark contrast to “hardtop” theaters dominated by international chains. “Back to the Drive-In,” which premiered via video-on-demand earlier this year, takes a loving look at outdoor cinemas and their idiosyncratic operators; … [Read more...] about Docu Review: ‘Back to the Drive-In’
Ranking Films by Cost Vs. Boxoffice
The original “Avatar” from 2009 is the all-time boxoffice champ with nearly $3 billion in global boxoffice, but data website Information Is Beautiful (IIB) identifies other cinema high achievers using other metrics. The IIB post “What is the Most Successful Hollywood Movie of All Time?” provides hard-to-get business data on the 500 most significant theatrical films going back … [Read more...] about Ranking Films by Cost Vs. Boxoffice
Oscars Tighten Campaigning Rules
Rules governing campaigning for Oscar awards were tightened in social media and in other areas this week, but loosened allowing “shortlists” to be promoted. Rules tweaks for the Academy Awards are done annually but this cycle are extensive, particularly after a little-known British actress Andrea Riseborough got nominated last year after waging an aggressive social … [Read more...] about Oscars Tighten Campaigning Rules
Exploring Cinema Ticket Price Cuts
Hollywood and movie theater owners spontaneously embraced the benefits of permanent cuts in cinema-ticket prices industry-wide, despite worries about antitrust issues, at a CinemaCon panel discussion. Whether the industry later pursues shaving ticket prices, which averaged $10.53 in the U.S. last year (see accompanying data table), remains to be seen. Anecdotal information … [Read more...] about Exploring Cinema Ticket Price Cuts