Lionsgate's creepy drama “The Housemaid” is tracking toward a decent $35 million premiere weekend, helped in part by star Sydney Sweeney ginning up publicity with a topless photo. The pretty blonde actress released the still image of getting makeup applied while topless, though artfully concealing her bare breasts. That behind-the-scenes staged photo was given to fans Dec. … [Read more...] about Celebrity Skin Sells Films
Kids Demographic Saving Cinema
Despite the naysayers, cinema’s outlook continues to gradually improve as it recovers from the pandemic, video streaming competition and interrupted movie flow from Hollywood labor strikes. The key favorable trends are wide-release film output expected to return to pre-pandemic levels next year, the children’s demographic embraces movie-going (children's blockbuster … [Read more...] about Kids Demographic Saving Cinema
Serious Thrust Trips Up ‘Running Man’
“The Running Man” is a rare example of a film suffering declining audience interest the more that its marketing campaign rolls out. Starring up-and-comer leading man Glen Powell, the dystopian drama got knocked for being too serious , which hews close to its source Stephen King novel, a dark thriller. The 1987 film adaptation with the identical title starring Arnold … [Read more...] about Serious Thrust Trips Up ‘Running Man’
Dialing In Fickle Film Audiences
Conventional wisdom holds only one out of four mainstream films is profitable, but Hollywood veteran Kevin Goetz says that industry would hit three of four if it paid more attention to the audience. “Shouldn’t every movie make money?” Goetz posits in his new book, suggesting Hollywood needs to dial in the audience at early stages. “When the decisions are made about how much … [Read more...] about Dialing In Fickle Film Audiences
Instagram Adopts Filmdom’s PG-13 Rating
Instagram will police content for ages 18 and under using Hollywood’s PG-13-rating standard, as the website is under regulatory and legal pressure over child protection. Implementing the off-the-shelf PG-13 standard (image above), which is proven in decades of cinema use, aims to blunt complaints that Instagram makes it too easy for sex predators to connect with teens and for … [Read more...] about Instagram Adopts Filmdom’s PG-13 Rating
‘Wicked’ Merch Casts Magical Spell
“Wicked” was a surprise theatrical boxoffice hit last year, so Universal Pictures is ready with a licensed-merchandise extravaganza for sequel “Wicked: For Good.” Some 300 movie-themed items are licensed by Universal Products & Experiences, including two models of singing toy dolls from Mattel. Universal hopes that the movie about a wizard, witches and a mythical land … [Read more...] about ‘Wicked’ Merch Casts Magical Spell
Film Schools, Universities Besieged
The higher-education industrial complex is under siege from both within and outside, and film schools are experiencing collateral damage. Two former executives of the Los Angeles Film School have filed a civil lawsuit that recently surfaced claiming the for-profit entity misstated the employment success rate for its graduates. Those insiders allege this was done to keep … [Read more...] about Film Schools, Universities Besieged
Distributor Going Public Validates Indies
Smallish independent film distributor Angel Studios went public earlier this month at a hefty $1.6 billion in pro forma enterprise value (sum of stock value and borrowings). That’s an amazing validation of economic value for a company in domestic theatrical distribution, which is a hardscrabble business outside of Hollywood’s five major movie studios, and also video streaming, … [Read more...] about Distributor Going Public Validates Indies
Film Talent Stars as Hucksters
Top Hollywood film talent is increasingly comfortable endorsing products and services, evidenced most recently by Timothée Chalamet and director James Mangold shilling for Lucid electric cars. The actor and the director/writer collaborated for hit theatrical movie “A Complete Unknown,” with both getting Oscar nominations for the Bob Dylan-biographical flick. Above, Chalamet … [Read more...] about Film Talent Stars as Hucksters
Experiential Adaptations Tout Filmdom
Movie properties are being transplanted into other venues, for fun and profit. Beloved 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz” is being staged in an immersive experience at the mammoth Las Vegas Sphere arena (screen grab pictured above of a promotional image). Also, Netflix is soon launching Netflix House, which is envisioned as a retail chain of permanent physical entertainment … [Read more...] about Experiential Adaptations Tout Filmdom