Here’s an attention-getting assortment of character-specific movie posters for “Aquaman,” which Warner Bros. Pictures yarn Dec. 21. The sci-fi fantasy drama is rated PG-13. “With the release of James Wan’s Aquaman a little over a month way, Warner Bros. has decided that it’s time for audiences to start familiarizing themselves with the main players in the underwater drama,” … [Read more...] about ‘Aquaman’ Makes Splash with Character-specific Posters
Biometrics Researcher Gets Hollywood Funding
A neuro-analytics startup, which is hired by Hollywood movie studios to conduct exotic audience research, bagged $13.5 million in venture-capital funding from an impressive list of investors. The company, Spark, received early Series A investments from former Disney chief Michael Eisner, actor Will Smith, and Silicon Valley financier Peter Thiel. “The New York-based company … [Read more...] about Biometrics Researcher Gets Hollywood Funding
Marketing Embraces Activations With Real Sensory Experience
Cyberspace conjures up magical worlds online so it’s interesting that in-the-flesh experiences are getting a big buzz at fanboy show Comic-Con. Activations that allow consumers to interact with brands through real-life interaction are show stoppers, writes Thom Forbes at Media Post. A Taco Bell restaurant mockup with neon lighting and a futuristic feel that recreates a scene … [Read more...] about Marketing Embraces Activations With Real Sensory Experience
Pepsi investment in ‘Uncle Drew’ pays off
Soft drink marketer Pepsi seems to have hit the jackpot producing urban basketball comedy-yarn movie “Uncle Drew,” which cracked the top 10 grossers in two consecutive weekends and rolled up a respectable $30 million in domestic box office June 29-July 8. That’s for a movie, which is distributed by Lionsgate, costing only about $20 million to produce -- cheap by major-studio … [Read more...] about Pepsi investment in ‘Uncle Drew’ pays off
Canadian Circuit Diversifies into Movie-less Complexes
Leading Canadian theater circuit Cineplex is diversifying into entertainment complexes -- what used to be arcades. Cineplex will overhaul a 10-screen multiplex in Brampton, Canada, later this year and replace with its Playdium entertainment concept. “The new Brampton location will feature a selection of classic and new-to-market video and redemption games, as well as … [Read more...] about Canadian Circuit Diversifies into Movie-less Complexes
‘Tonya’ Source Demands Journos Avoid Controversy
Arm-twisting reporters so they don’t ask talent about touchy subjects is a shadowy part of celebrity press interviews but has popped into the open for the movie “I, Tonya.” The drama with bursts of deadpan comedy stars Margot Robbie portraying ice skater Tonya Harding during the real-life crime perpetrated by Harding's entourage that maimed her main rival in 1994. “The … [Read more...] about ‘Tonya’ Source Demands Journos Avoid Controversy
Did Angry Fanboys Rip ‘Jedi’ for Feminism?
There's a buzz questioning whether riled-up fanboys drove down user-ratings for “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” for its alleged feminist-friendly orientation. A Variety article by Todd Spangler notes that movie rating website Rotten Tomatoes reported that film critics gave “Jedi” a lofty 92% rating, but the website’s users just 54%. There were claims that automated bots unleashed … [Read more...] about Did Angry Fanboys Rip ‘Jedi’ for Feminism?
Disney Retaliates Against Newspaper By Blocking Reviewers
Walt Disney Studios won’t give customary access to film critics from the “Los Angeles Times” for advance screenings because of displeasure for the newspaper questioning in questioning if an area Disney theme park pays its fair share of local taxes. The “Los Angeles Times” published a note to readers that accompanies its holiday movie section: “This year, Walt Disney Co. … [Read more...] about Disney Retaliates Against Newspaper By Blocking Reviewers
Dissecting ‘Geostorm’ Flop: Reshoots Couldn’t Save It
Warner Bros. disaster yarn 'Geostorm' bombed and a Deadline.com analysis lays the blame on an incoherent on-screen story that furious behind-the-scene scrambling did not completely repair. The $120+ million production grossed just $13.3 million domestically in its premiere three-day weekend to tepid reviews from critics and audiences exiting theaters. Warner Bros. Pictures … [Read more...] about Dissecting ‘Geostorm’ Flop: Reshoots Couldn’t Save It
Overseas BO Props Up Domestic Flops
Three recent big-budget Hollywood movie stumbles are getting bailed out by booming overseas box office -- “The Mummy,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” and “Transformers: The Dark Knight.” The don’t-worry-foreign-will-save-us syndrome is much discussed, but usually not true. A bomb domestically is typically a dud overseas too. But the recent trio are … [Read more...] about Overseas BO Props Up Domestic Flops