Merchandise licensees for the Disney “Star Wars” property can look at game play usage data by country to help forecast demand for products ranging from key chains to toys. The data comes from “Star Wars Commander,” which is a free-to-play mobile game that has been downloaded 5 million times, according licensing data authority EPM Communications. Merchandise … [Read more...] about Merchandise Follows ‘Star Wars’ Game Play Data
Sponsors Bankroll Creature Comforts at Fests
Here’s a way to make the tough slog of a film festival more bearable. A press release for the upcoming fifth anniversary of the Indie Lounge at the Sundance film festival Jan. 22-25, 2015 touts the amenities at this sanctuary from the hustle and bustle. “Guests are greeted at the front entrance by an Indie Lounge Ambassador who gives a brief tour of their numerous … [Read more...] about Sponsors Bankroll Creature Comforts at Fests
Tracking Data Crisis Intensifies
Audience tracking surveys are increasingly failing to predict box office, notes Deadline.com’s Anita Busch, who catalogs a succession of recent wrong calls. For example, tracking surveys predicted roughly $20 million in domestic box office for the three-day premiere weekend for The Weinstein Co.’s young-adult “The Giver,” which ended up with just $12.3 million. That’s a … [Read more...] about Tracking Data Crisis Intensifies
Horror Flicks Transplanted in Theme Parks
Halloween is weeks away but already several horror attractions based on scary movies are being announced by the Universal theme parks in Los Angeles and Florida. These entertainment destinations each mount numerous fright attractions for Halloween known as mazes and scarezones. The attractions that transplant movies or other familiar horror properties (including TV series) … [Read more...] about Horror Flicks Transplanted in Theme Parks
Huckster Antics Dull Stars
It's unimaginable that Jimmy Stewart, Kirk Douglas or John Wayne would have endorsed a perfume at the height of their careers. But it's a new era where movie stars routinely are pitchmen/women for wrist watches (Leonardo DiCaprio for the Tag Heuer brand), cars (Laurence Fishburne for Kia) and fashion (Nicole Kidman for designer Jimmy Choo). And don't forget the stinky … [Read more...] about Huckster Antics Dull Stars
Product Placement Beef for ‘Transformers’ in China
A hotel chain in China is suing two product placement brokers claiming foul over a deal with Paramount Pictures release “Transformers: Age of Extinction.” The sci-fi movie will premiere China and in the U.S./Canada June 27. The big-budget fourth installment of the “Transformers” series is rated PG-13 in the U.S. Beijing Pangu Investment Co., which owns a dragon-shaped … [Read more...] about Product Placement Beef for ‘Transformers’ in China
Regal Bundles VOD with ‘Transformers’
Regal Cinemas is offering two digital download-to-own movies to own for an extra $15 for patrons to “Transformers: Age of Extinction” at its theaters. What is the fourth “Transformers” sci-fi yarn will premiere June 24 via Paramount Pictures (the $15 VOD offer ends July 10). “For only $15 more (on top of a regular cinema ticket), guests get a Super Ticket including two … [Read more...] about Regal Bundles VOD with ‘Transformers’
Film Apps For ‘Spidey,’ ‘Other Woman’
Food marketer Kellogg’s and a cyberspace fashion commerce company are mounting separate movie apps. Kellogg’s offers a free casual video game for mobile devices tied to “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” and fashionista enabler StylePic links to “The Other Woman.” Apps are applications, which are shortcuts to websites that size video and maximize functionality on mobile devices … [Read more...] about Film Apps For ‘Spidey,’ ‘Other Woman’
Fandango Buys Movieclips
Online film ticketing outfit Fandango agreed to buy Movieclips for an undisclosed price in a bid to expand from commerce to becoming a broader movie content destination. Movieclips collects revenue from advertising around its YouTube video, which relies heavily on film distributor-supplied content. “The entire network encompasses a catalog of 45,000 curated film clips, … [Read more...] about Fandango Buys Movieclips
Fishburne Projects ‘Matrix’ in Kia Commercial
Viewers of Kia car commercials see presenter Laurence Fishburne projecting his character in “The Matrix” movies as he appears in a leather trench coat and sun glasses. But surprisingly, Kia did not license the “Matrix” character, though it did pay Fishburne to be presenter, says the carmaker. A Variety story by Marc Graser notes Kia breaks with the normal approach of car … [Read more...] about Fishburne Projects ‘Matrix’ in Kia Commercial