Cage the Elephant are in a constant state of motion on their new single “Metaverse,” set to appear on their forthcoming studio album Neon Pill, out May 17.
“It’s a natural progression/No need for affection/Just a perfect deflection/When you’ve got no perspective,” frontman Matthew Shultz sings on the chorus. “Every day spent far from my family/Double check checked out I’m half asleep/What the hell, oh well, that’s life/What the hell, I keep running and running/Every day that dream comes back to me/Falling out further,...
“It’s a natural progression/No need for affection/Just a perfect deflection/When you’ve got no perspective,” frontman Matthew Shultz sings on the chorus. “Every day spent far from my family/Double check checked out I’m half asleep/What the hell, oh well, that’s life/What the hell, I keep running and running/Every day that dream comes back to me/Falling out further,...
- 5/3/2024
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Josh Rosenbaum has been promoted to partner at Ken Kao’s Waypoint Entertainment, the production and finance company behind Neon’s upcoming horror thriller Cuckoo.
Rosenbaum, who began his career at WME, joined the company in 2015 and has worked on films that include 2017’s Hostiles, Jared Leto starrer The Outsider, and Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, Mid 90s. Rosenbaum’s appointment to the newly created post comes after the company signed on to a slate deal with Neon that will see the company produce and finance films in the $10 million range with the speciality label.
“Whether advocating for filmmakers or seamlessly collaborating with our partner teams, those fortunate enough to work alongside him can attest to his undeniable creative prowess,” said Kao. “His multifaceted contributions across all areas of the business have been pivotal to our success, and I am excited to have him as a Partner, propelling Waypoint to even greater heights.
Rosenbaum, who began his career at WME, joined the company in 2015 and has worked on films that include 2017’s Hostiles, Jared Leto starrer The Outsider, and Jonah Hill’s directorial debut, Mid 90s. Rosenbaum’s appointment to the newly created post comes after the company signed on to a slate deal with Neon that will see the company produce and finance films in the $10 million range with the speciality label.
“Whether advocating for filmmakers or seamlessly collaborating with our partner teams, those fortunate enough to work alongside him can attest to his undeniable creative prowess,” said Kao. “His multifaceted contributions across all areas of the business have been pivotal to our success, and I am excited to have him as a Partner, propelling Waypoint to even greater heights.
- 5/1/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Neon has hired marketing and publicity veteran Joey Monteiro as EVP, International Marketing and Ashley Hirsch as Manager of International Sales and Marketing. The move further expands the company’s global footprint as it grows its international sales arm headed up by seasoned sales executive Kristen Figeroid.
With a career spanning more than two and a half decades, Monteiro joins Neon from Sierra-Affinity/eOne, where he served as EVP of Marketing and Publicity and was responsible for creative marketing across film markets and festivals as well as international distribution. He handled campaigns on Academy Award-winning titles including: Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, starring Ryan Gosling; Miles Teller starrer Whiplash; Margot Robbie starrer I, Tonya; Manchester By The Sea with Casey Affleck; and Nightcrawler with Jake Gyllenhaal, among others.
Prior to that, Monteiro worked at Warner Brothers Pictures as Director of Digital Marketing and Lionsgate as SVP of International Marketing,...
With a career spanning more than two and a half decades, Monteiro joins Neon from Sierra-Affinity/eOne, where he served as EVP of Marketing and Publicity and was responsible for creative marketing across film markets and festivals as well as international distribution. He handled campaigns on Academy Award-winning titles including: Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive, starring Ryan Gosling; Miles Teller starrer Whiplash; Margot Robbie starrer I, Tonya; Manchester By The Sea with Casey Affleck; and Nightcrawler with Jake Gyllenhaal, among others.
Prior to that, Monteiro worked at Warner Brothers Pictures as Director of Digital Marketing and Lionsgate as SVP of International Marketing,...
- 5/1/2024
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Sydney Sweeney is an up-and-coming young actor who has taken the world by storm because of her brilliant talent. The American actress has been acting from a young age and she has been around the industry for a long time. She has been doing small roles in many big movies but got her big break because of shows like Everything Sucks! and Sharp Objects, but her stardom reached a new level after her HBO series Euphoria came out.
Sweeney has also enjoyed a healthy film career and has her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films which recently produced the psychological horror film Immaculate while she did technically appear in a Marvel film known as Madame Web, let’s ignore that film as best we can. So, if you are also a fan of Sweeney and want to all of her best performances here are the 10 best films and shows she has...
Sweeney has also enjoyed a healthy film career and has her own production company, Fifty-Fifty Films which recently produced the psychological horror film Immaculate while she did technically appear in a Marvel film known as Madame Web, let’s ignore that film as best we can. So, if you are also a fan of Sweeney and want to all of her best performances here are the 10 best films and shows she has...
- 5/1/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Three-time Emmy winner Julia Garner is boarding New Line’s Weapons opposite Josh Brolin. The pic comes from writer-director Zach Cregger. who made the 2022 New Regency horror film Barbarian.
Barbarian, released via 20th Century Studios, opened at No. 1 after pulling in a 93% Rotten Tomatoes critics score. The pic grossed 10 times its production budget of $4.5 million totaling more than $45M worldwide.
Garner won three Supporting Actress Drama Emmys for her turn as Ruth Langmore in the Netflix series Ozark. She is currently in production opposite Christopher Abbott on Blumhouse/Universal’s Wolf Man from filmmaker Leigh Whannell. Garner also stars in Paramount’s upcoming psychological thriller Apartment 7A.
Deadline recently scooped that she was joining the cast of Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four as the iconic comic book character Silver Surfer opposite Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
Her other feature credits count Bleecker Street’s The Assistant, Neon...
Barbarian, released via 20th Century Studios, opened at No. 1 after pulling in a 93% Rotten Tomatoes critics score. The pic grossed 10 times its production budget of $4.5 million totaling more than $45M worldwide.
Garner won three Supporting Actress Drama Emmys for her turn as Ruth Langmore in the Netflix series Ozark. She is currently in production opposite Christopher Abbott on Blumhouse/Universal’s Wolf Man from filmmaker Leigh Whannell. Garner also stars in Paramount’s upcoming psychological thriller Apartment 7A.
Deadline recently scooped that she was joining the cast of Marvel Studios’ Fantastic Four as the iconic comic book character Silver Surfer opposite Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Joseph Quinn and Ebon Moss-Bachrach.
Her other feature credits count Bleecker Street’s The Assistant, Neon...
- 4/24/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Distributor Neon must have the marketing department working overtime to promote the July 12th theatrical release date of Longlegs, the latest horror project from The Blackcoat’s Daughter (a.k.a. February), I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House, and Gretel & Hansel director Osgood Perkins. There has been a ton of cryptic promotional material put together for this movie, and today we’ve gotten our hands on yet another Longlegs teaser, which can be seen in the embed above, and poster, which can be found at the bottom of this article. Along with these comes a poem: “Listen loud the serpents, See the darkness slithering, Tell me what good is that body, If not for hiding shiny red parts.”
Maika Monroe of It Follows and The Guest stars in the film alongside Nicolas Cage (Dream Scenario), Alicia Witt (Urban Legend) and Blair Underwood (Agents of S.H.I.
Maika Monroe of It Follows and The Guest stars in the film alongside Nicolas Cage (Dream Scenario), Alicia Witt (Urban Legend) and Blair Underwood (Agents of S.H.I.
- 4/24/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
"It will double the size of your heart." Oh yes it will! Neon has finally unveiled the official US trailer for the beloved animated film Robot Dreams, made by director Pablo Berger, which first premiered at the 2023 Cannes and Annecy Film Festivals. The film snuck in and ended up getting nominated for Best Animated Film at the 2024 Academy Awards (after a small qualifying theatrical release in the US last fall). Neon has finally scheduled Robot Dreams to open in US theaters on May 31st - so if you've been waiting to watch it, not too much longer now. A story about friendship, its importance, and its fragility. The wonderful dialogue-free film is based on the popular graphic novel by Sara Varon, about the adventures and misfortunes of Dog and Robot in New York City during the '80s. Dog is lonely so he orders a Robot companion, but then Robot...
- 4/23/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
PBS landed 11 nominations, by far the most of any outlet, as Peabody Awards Board of Jurors announced this year’s 41 nominees across its documentary, news, public service and radio/podcast categories. The pubcaster’s Peabody noms include “20 Days in Mariupol,” which recently won the Oscar for best documentary feature film.
“20 Days in Mariupol” is a production of “Frontline” and the Associated Press. Among PBS series, “Frontline” landed five noms, the most of any program, while “Independent Lens” received three.
Also scoring multiple nominations was the combination of HBO and Max, which received four — including one for the doc “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” which HBO Documentary Films produced with Neon and Participant. That’s notable in light of last week’s news that Participant Media is shutting its operations.
This year’s Peabody Award nominees are selected from stories and projects that were released in broadcast or...
“20 Days in Mariupol” is a production of “Frontline” and the Associated Press. Among PBS series, “Frontline” landed five noms, the most of any program, while “Independent Lens” received three.
Also scoring multiple nominations was the combination of HBO and Max, which received four — including one for the doc “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed,” which HBO Documentary Films produced with Neon and Participant. That’s notable in light of last week’s news that Participant Media is shutting its operations.
This year’s Peabody Award nominees are selected from stories and projects that were released in broadcast or...
- 4/23/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
As part of the 2025 Oscar rule changes for the 97th Academy Awards, animated movies can be simultaneously submitted for Best International Feature and Best Animated Feature. This will simplify the qualifying method for the latter and specifically help animated international films that may not have access to U.S. distribution.
“Previously, animated movies selected as a country’s international feature selection [which do not require U.S. theatrical distribution] were not qualified to enter for animated feature consideration unless they also met the qualifying standards for general entry [which require U.S. theatrical distribution],” an Academy insider told IndieWire.
“This consisted of separate submission forms. Submitters will still need to complete different forms, but now animated movies selected as a country’s international feature selection no longer need to meet general entry standards to be considered for the Animated Feature award. They would, however, still need to be ruled eligible under the Academy’s definition of ‘animation.'”
Two examples of animated international feature...
“Previously, animated movies selected as a country’s international feature selection [which do not require U.S. theatrical distribution] were not qualified to enter for animated feature consideration unless they also met the qualifying standards for general entry [which require U.S. theatrical distribution],” an Academy insider told IndieWire.
“This consisted of separate submission forms. Submitters will still need to complete different forms, but now animated movies selected as a country’s international feature selection no longer need to meet general entry standards to be considered for the Animated Feature award. They would, however, still need to be ruled eligible under the Academy’s definition of ‘animation.'”
Two examples of animated international feature...
- 4/23/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Who says this summer is light on blockbuster fare, despite the strikes holding productions and release dates up?
Big movies coming to theaters in the next hot few months include favorite IP getting a 2024 burnish, from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” to “Alien: Romulus” and “Twisters”. Oh, and a little movie called “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (May 24), which George Miller will first bring to the Cannes Film Festival before opening it in theaters later that month. Plus, poised to be a Netflix hit this summer is Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man” (May 24 in theaters), playing for a couple of weeks in select cities before the crime comedy starring Glen Powell hits the streaming platform.
But those bigger-ticket titles aside, summer 2024 is a time for indies to shine, from Annie Baker’s long-awaited festival hit “Janet Planet” (June 14) to India Donaldson’s wonderful Sundance premiere “Good One” (August...
Big movies coming to theaters in the next hot few months include favorite IP getting a 2024 burnish, from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” to “Alien: Romulus” and “Twisters”. Oh, and a little movie called “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” (May 24), which George Miller will first bring to the Cannes Film Festival before opening it in theaters later that month. Plus, poised to be a Netflix hit this summer is Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man” (May 24 in theaters), playing for a couple of weeks in select cities before the crime comedy starring Glen Powell hits the streaming platform.
But those bigger-ticket titles aside, summer 2024 is a time for indies to shine, from Annie Baker’s long-awaited festival hit “Janet Planet” (June 14) to India Donaldson’s wonderful Sundance premiere “Good One” (August...
- 4/23/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio, David Ehrlich and Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
With two major sci-fi sequels debuting this week to lead the VOD and Netflix charts, the new films also inspired victory laps for the Part Ones of “Dune” and “Rebel Moon.”
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) leads at both iTunes and Fandango, and Netflix’s original “Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver” is #1 at the streamer. iTunes packaged the 2021 “Dune: Part One” with its sequel as a $34.99 purchase, and it ranks second there. (“Dune: Part Two” alone rents for 48 hours for $24.99.) “Rebel Moon — Part One” returned at #7 on Netflix’s top 10.
Three other recent theatrical releases also transitioned to home viewing, with curiously different pricing and availability strategies. The top grosser is Neon’s “Immaculate” (approaching $16 million), but it rents for the lowest price: $9.99. “Late Night with the Devil” (IFC) is $14.99, but for that price consumers own it. “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” (Goldwyn) with Liam Neeson is a standard $19.99 rental.
“Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) leads at both iTunes and Fandango, and Netflix’s original “Rebel Moon — Part Two: The Scargiver” is #1 at the streamer. iTunes packaged the 2021 “Dune: Part One” with its sequel as a $34.99 purchase, and it ranks second there. (“Dune: Part Two” alone rents for 48 hours for $24.99.) “Rebel Moon — Part One” returned at #7 on Netflix’s top 10.
Three other recent theatrical releases also transitioned to home viewing, with curiously different pricing and availability strategies. The top grosser is Neon’s “Immaculate” (approaching $16 million), but it rents for the lowest price: $9.99. “Late Night with the Devil” (IFC) is $14.99, but for that price consumers own it. “In the Land of Saints and Sinners” (Goldwyn) with Liam Neeson is a standard $19.99 rental.
- 4/22/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Vashon Film Institute has set the date for the third annual Vashon Island Film Festival, which is slated to take place Aug. 8-11. The announcement comes with the launch of two new divisions of the Vashon Film Institute and a new donation arm, which accepts restricted funds to be used solely to fund improvements at the Vashon Theatre.
Vfi’s new divisions are the Quartermaster Lab, a collective of filmmaking programs, and VFIpresents, its sales, distribution and release division, which will also focus on organizing community events outside Viff.
“The quintessential goal in founding Vfi was to support independent filmmaking in the Pacific Northwest,” said Mark Mathias Sayre, founder of Vashon Film Institute. “To that end, Viff has already brought compelling indie features and documentaries to local audiences and will continue to do so. But that’s only part of the game plan: We’re equally committed to engendering the...
Vfi’s new divisions are the Quartermaster Lab, a collective of filmmaking programs, and VFIpresents, its sales, distribution and release division, which will also focus on organizing community events outside Viff.
“The quintessential goal in founding Vfi was to support independent filmmaking in the Pacific Northwest,” said Mark Mathias Sayre, founder of Vashon Film Institute. “To that end, Viff has already brought compelling indie features and documentaries to local audiences and will continue to do so. But that’s only part of the game plan: We’re equally committed to engendering the...
- 4/19/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov and Jack Dunn
- Variety Film + TV
“Sentinel,” by Hollywood legend Phil Tippett, and “Sister Inconnue,” the first solo directorial outing of Rkss’ Anouk Whissell, cold well be two highlights at a 2024 Cannes Frontières Platform that looks set to underscore the robust range of genre as it is embraced by Hollywood, big independents, horror devotees and auteurs alike.
Creator of creatures for “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park,” Tippett may have terrified more people than anybody alive. If a teaser is anything to go by, “Sentinel,” a project, may well pick up on the style of 2021’s experimental and nightmarish stop motion/animation “Mad God.”
“Sentinel” features a battleground reminiscent of WWI hellish horror, giant bugs echoing “Starship Troopers,” Tippett’s last big job, attack droids and the statuesque figures of Osiris, Horus and Anubis, the last of which saves the hero, the gas-masked Sentinel, from a gruesome battlefield.
Sure to be a huge draw, an expanded version...
Creator of creatures for “Star Wars” and “Jurassic Park,” Tippett may have terrified more people than anybody alive. If a teaser is anything to go by, “Sentinel,” a project, may well pick up on the style of 2021’s experimental and nightmarish stop motion/animation “Mad God.”
“Sentinel” features a battleground reminiscent of WWI hellish horror, giant bugs echoing “Starship Troopers,” Tippett’s last big job, attack droids and the statuesque figures of Osiris, Horus and Anubis, the last of which saves the hero, the gas-masked Sentinel, from a gruesome battlefield.
Sure to be a huge draw, an expanded version...
- 4/19/2024
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Metrograph Pictures announced on Wednesday that Good One — the first feature from writer-director India Donaldson, which premiered to rave reviews at this year’s Sundance Film Festival — will open in NY/LA on August 9 and expand nationwide in the following weeks.
That weekend, it will be up against Neon’s horror pic Cuckoo starring Hunter Schafer, Amazon MGM’s boxing drama The Fire Inside starring Brian Tyree Henry, Sony’s It Ends With Us, Lionsgate’s Borderlands, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Warner Bros thriller Trap.
The first title acquired by Metrograph since its recent expansion into theatrical releases under the leadership of former A24 exec David Laub, Good One watches as 17-year-old Sam (newcomer Lily Collias) embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris (James Le Gros) and his oldest friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy). As the two men quickly settle into a gently quarrelsome brotherly dynamic,...
That weekend, it will be up against Neon’s horror pic Cuckoo starring Hunter Schafer, Amazon MGM’s boxing drama The Fire Inside starring Brian Tyree Henry, Sony’s It Ends With Us, Lionsgate’s Borderlands, and M. Night Shyamalan’s Warner Bros thriller Trap.
The first title acquired by Metrograph since its recent expansion into theatrical releases under the leadership of former A24 exec David Laub, Good One watches as 17-year-old Sam (newcomer Lily Collias) embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris (James Le Gros) and his oldest friend, Matt (Danny McCarthy). As the two men quickly settle into a gently quarrelsome brotherly dynamic,...
- 4/17/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Theda Hammel and John Early on the set of Stress PositionsImage: Photos courtesy of Neon
Do you remember the summer of 2020? You might not want to, but unless you’re particularly gifted at repressing memories, you mostly likely do. It was a season of fear, of paranoia, of guilt. It...
Do you remember the summer of 2020? You might not want to, but unless you’re particularly gifted at repressing memories, you mostly likely do. It was a season of fear, of paranoia, of guilt. It...
- 4/17/2024
- by Drew Gillis
- avclub.com
Kick streamer Neon was recently arrested in Dubai, causing big names like Adin Ross to address the 19-year-old's antics.
N3on (aka Neon) is best known for his Fortnite YouTube content and Irl Kick streaming, where he pushes the limits whenever he can.
The young streamer has become the center of several controversies in his short career in content creation, including feuding with several other online personalities, allegedly disrupting the Venom 3 film set, and lying about being terminally ill with Covid-19.
Read full article on The Direct.
N3on (aka Neon) is best known for his Fortnite YouTube content and Irl Kick streaming, where he pushes the limits whenever he can.
The young streamer has become the center of several controversies in his short career in content creation, including feuding with several other online personalities, allegedly disrupting the Venom 3 film set, and lying about being terminally ill with Covid-19.
Read full article on The Direct.
- 4/16/2024
- by Klein Felt
- The Direct
Remember Quibi? The short-lived streaming service-turned-punchline, which vastly overestimated how many people felt compelled to watch bite-sized shows and movies on their phones, seems to have done one thing right before being folded into the Roku Channel: allowing creators to retain ownership of their work after a two-year exclusivity window. Not content to let her 13-part thriller series “The Stranger” disappear along with the platform on which it debuted, “The Killing” creator Veena Sud recut the project into a feature film alongside editor Philip Fowler. Gone are the 8-minute episodes named after the hour in which they take place (beginning with 7 p.m. and ending at 7 a.m.), replaced by a 98-minute Hulu feature that shows no sign of having been overhauled.
Six days after moving to Los Angeles with her dog Pebbles, rideshare driver Clare (Maika Monroe) picks up Carl E. (Dane DeHaan) from a mansion that doesn’t belong to him.
Six days after moving to Los Angeles with her dog Pebbles, rideshare driver Clare (Maika Monroe) picks up Carl E. (Dane DeHaan) from a mansion that doesn’t belong to him.
- 4/16/2024
- by Michael Nordine
- Variety Film + TV
Sony and Columbia Pictures have moved the release of “It Ends With Us,” the upcoming romantic drama starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, from June 21 to Aug. 9. It is the second time that the adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel has received a release date change, as it was previously set to open on Feb. 9 ahead of Valentine’s Day.
Lively stars in the film as Lily Bloom. While living in Boston, she meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni, and believes she may have found her soul mate. Soon questions arise about their relationship — and to complicate matters, her high school love interest, Atlas Corrigan, comes back into the picture, putting her relationship with Ryle in jeopardy.
“It Ends With Us” will have its own lane in the theatrical market in its new late summer slot, as the other wide releases coming Aug. 9 include Lionsgate’s adaptation of the...
Lively stars in the film as Lily Bloom. While living in Boston, she meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid, played by Baldoni, and believes she may have found her soul mate. Soon questions arise about their relationship — and to complicate matters, her high school love interest, Atlas Corrigan, comes back into the picture, putting her relationship with Ryle in jeopardy.
“It Ends With Us” will have its own lane in the theatrical market in its new late summer slot, as the other wide releases coming Aug. 9 include Lionsgate’s adaptation of the...
- 4/15/2024
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Hollywood franchise film Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire topped the box office over the weekend, but the most exciting box office story of the week was all about fresh original horror.
Neon released the Sydney Sweeney horror movie Immaculate into theaters the very same weekend that IFC Films unleashed Late Night with the Devil at the domestic box office. The good news? Both films exceeded expectations in their opening weekends!
Let’s start with Neon’s Immaculate, which broke through the crowded box office schedule thanks to clever marketing, rave reviews from the festival scene, and Sydney Sweeney’s rising star. The nunsploitation horror movie opened in the #4 spot on the domestic charts, scaring up an impressive $5.3 million across 2,354 theaters in its opening weekend here in the States.
Here’s the important context on that number. It’s the highest opening weekend for Neon in the company’s history, surpassing films like Ferrari,...
Neon released the Sydney Sweeney horror movie Immaculate into theaters the very same weekend that IFC Films unleashed Late Night with the Devil at the domestic box office. The good news? Both films exceeded expectations in their opening weekends!
Let’s start with Neon’s Immaculate, which broke through the crowded box office schedule thanks to clever marketing, rave reviews from the festival scene, and Sydney Sweeney’s rising star. The nunsploitation horror movie opened in the #4 spot on the domestic charts, scaring up an impressive $5.3 million across 2,354 theaters in its opening weekend here in the States.
Here’s the important context on that number. It’s the highest opening weekend for Neon in the company’s history, surpassing films like Ferrari,...
- 3/25/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” ruled over the domestic box office and arrived on the higher end of expectations.
The latest installment in Sony’s supernatural comedy series has collected $45.2 million in its debut in 4,345 North American theaters. Earlier in the weekend, “Frozen Empire” looked like it would top out with $42 million but estimates were revised up after a bigger-than-expected Sunday. At the international box office, the film ignited to a tepid $16.4 million from 25 markets for a global start of $61 million.
Still, those domestic ticket sales are just barely ahead of its 2021 predecessor, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which earned $44 million to start while the box office was deep in pandemic recovery mode. It’s a sign that the 30-year-old franchise hasn’t expanded its constituency beyond the original (and aging) core fans of the business of busting ghosts.
Plus, “Frozen Empire” carries a bigger budget than the last one, costing $100 million to produce and many millions more to market.
The latest installment in Sony’s supernatural comedy series has collected $45.2 million in its debut in 4,345 North American theaters. Earlier in the weekend, “Frozen Empire” looked like it would top out with $42 million but estimates were revised up after a bigger-than-expected Sunday. At the international box office, the film ignited to a tepid $16.4 million from 25 markets for a global start of $61 million.
Still, those domestic ticket sales are just barely ahead of its 2021 predecessor, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which earned $44 million to start while the box office was deep in pandemic recovery mode. It’s a sign that the 30-year-old franchise hasn’t expanded its constituency beyond the original (and aging) core fans of the business of busting ghosts.
Plus, “Frozen Empire” carries a bigger budget than the last one, costing $100 million to produce and many millions more to market.
- 3/24/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Sony’s Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire had no trouble winning a relatively quiet weekend at the box office: Stronger-than-expected Saturday turnout rescued the movie from opening behind the franchise’s last installment.
Sunday estimates show Frozen Empire launching with $45.2 million in North America thanks to multi-generational turnout and families. In 2021, the pandemic-challenged Ghostbusters: Afterlife debuted to $44 million. The new movie will need to have decent legs, considering it cost more to make — $100 million, versus $75 million for Afterlife. And there’s still concern that the film hasn’t broadened out to any notable degree in terms of new fans.
Overseas, the Sony tentpole started off with $16.4 million from 25 markets — it has a staggered rollout for competitive reasons — for a global start of $61.6 million. In like-for-like markets, Sony says it is pacing 15 percent ahead of Afterlife. The U.K. leads with $5.3 million, followed quickly by Mexico with $5.2 million.
On Saturday, rival studios showed...
Sunday estimates show Frozen Empire launching with $45.2 million in North America thanks to multi-generational turnout and families. In 2021, the pandemic-challenged Ghostbusters: Afterlife debuted to $44 million. The new movie will need to have decent legs, considering it cost more to make — $100 million, versus $75 million for Afterlife. And there’s still concern that the film hasn’t broadened out to any notable degree in terms of new fans.
Overseas, the Sony tentpole started off with $16.4 million from 25 markets — it has a staggered rollout for competitive reasons — for a global start of $61.6 million. In like-for-like markets, Sony says it is pacing 15 percent ahead of Afterlife. The U.K. leads with $5.3 million, followed quickly by Mexico with $5.2 million.
On Saturday, rival studios showed...
- 3/24/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ghostbusting is back at the box office!
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” the fifth and latest movie in the frightening franchise, has made $4.7 million at the box office in Thursday previews.
Sony and Columbia Pictures’ new movie, which reunites the original stars of the ’80s classic and the cast from the 2021 “Afterlife” sequel, is expected to top the box office this weekend with an opening between $43 million and $45 million. That launch is in line with the previous film that revived the franchise, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which had a $45 million opening amid the pandemic. “Frozen Empire” will need to outperform its predecessor to turn a profit due to its $100 million price tag (“Afterlife” only cost $75 million).
“Frozen Empire’s” Thursday box office haul is slightly up from “Afterlife,” which made $4.5 million in previews back in 2021. At the end of its run, “Afterlife” made $129.3 million in North America and $204 million worldwide.
Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon,...
“Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” the fifth and latest movie in the frightening franchise, has made $4.7 million at the box office in Thursday previews.
Sony and Columbia Pictures’ new movie, which reunites the original stars of the ’80s classic and the cast from the 2021 “Afterlife” sequel, is expected to top the box office this weekend with an opening between $43 million and $45 million. That launch is in line with the previous film that revived the franchise, “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which had a $45 million opening amid the pandemic. “Frozen Empire” will need to outperform its predecessor to turn a profit due to its $100 million price tag (“Afterlife” only cost $75 million).
“Frozen Empire’s” Thursday box office haul is slightly up from “Afterlife,” which made $4.5 million in previews back in 2021. At the end of its run, “Afterlife” made $129.3 million in North America and $204 million worldwide.
Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
The Ghostbusters are back in action.
Sony’s spring event pic Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is opening everywhere Friday in North America following select Thursday previews. It also begins its international rollout this week. The studio is betting on an opening in the $43 million to $44 million range, while tracking services are suggesting $45 million or more.
The movie is a direct sequel to director Jason Reitman’s 2021 feature Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which succeeded in restoring the luster to the franchise created by his father, the late Ivan Reitman.
Set two years later after the events in last film, Frozen Empire includes returning castmembers Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor and Logan Kim, alongside Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and William Atherton, who starred in the original 1980s films. Series newcomers include Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt. The new Ghostbusters only has one week to itself in...
Sony’s spring event pic Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is opening everywhere Friday in North America following select Thursday previews. It also begins its international rollout this week. The studio is betting on an opening in the $43 million to $44 million range, while tracking services are suggesting $45 million or more.
The movie is a direct sequel to director Jason Reitman’s 2021 feature Ghostbusters: Afterlife, which succeeded in restoring the luster to the franchise created by his father, the late Ivan Reitman.
Set two years later after the events in last film, Frozen Empire includes returning castmembers Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, Mckenna Grace, Celeste O’Connor and Logan Kim, alongside Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts, and William Atherton, who starred in the original 1980s films. Series newcomers include Kumail Nanjiani and Patton Oswalt. The new Ghostbusters only has one week to itself in...
- 3/20/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“The Boy and the Heron” director Hayao Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki weren’t on hand to accept their Best Animated Feature Oscar Sunday night — the second for the Japanese animation master — but Suzuki issued a statement to press gathered backstage at the Academy Awards instead.
“We’re very honored to receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. We thank the Academy for the award,” Suzuki said in his statement. “I would also like to give my thanks to those who were involved in the production of this film and those who worked to distribute the film worldwide.”
Studio Ghibli’s chief operating officer Kiyofumi Nakajima appeared backstage to issue the statement via a translator, apologizing for Suzuki and Miyazaki’s absence, saying, “Please forgive them. They’re kind of up there in the age bracket.”
In the statement, Suzuki also attributed his and Miyazaki’s age to why...
“We’re very honored to receive the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. We thank the Academy for the award,” Suzuki said in his statement. “I would also like to give my thanks to those who were involved in the production of this film and those who worked to distribute the film worldwide.”
Studio Ghibli’s chief operating officer Kiyofumi Nakajima appeared backstage to issue the statement via a translator, apologizing for Suzuki and Miyazaki’s absence, saying, “Please forgive them. They’re kind of up there in the age bracket.”
In the statement, Suzuki also attributed his and Miyazaki’s age to why...
- 3/11/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Hayao Miyazaki’s “The Boy and the Heron,” likely his final film, has won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature.
It’s Miyazaki’s second Oscar after the Japanese animation master won for “Spirited Away” in 2002. Miyazaki is the most nominated director in the Best Animated Feature category (tied with Pete Docter) with four nominations, including for “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “The Wind Rises.” Miyazaki is now also the oldest winner in the category ever, at 83, with the previous record holder being Mark Gustafson for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
“The Boy and the Heron” beat out an impressive field that included Pixar entry “Elemental,” Neon’s “Robot Dreams,” Netflix’s “Nimona,” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” from 2018.
Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki were not present at the Academy Awards ceremony to accept the prize. Their Oscar was accepted on...
It’s Miyazaki’s second Oscar after the Japanese animation master won for “Spirited Away” in 2002. Miyazaki is the most nominated director in the Best Animated Feature category (tied with Pete Docter) with four nominations, including for “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “The Wind Rises.” Miyazaki is now also the oldest winner in the category ever, at 83, with the previous record holder being Mark Gustafson for “Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio.”
“The Boy and the Heron” beat out an impressive field that included Pixar entry “Elemental,” Neon’s “Robot Dreams,” Netflix’s “Nimona,” and Sony’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” the follow-up to the Oscar-winning “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” from 2018.
Miyazaki and producer Toshio Suzuki were not present at the Academy Awards ceremony to accept the prize. Their Oscar was accepted on...
- 3/10/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
So much political gamesmanship goes into an Oscar campaign that the notion of a “best” picture at all has been nearly emptied of meaning. Though, with nearly 10,000 voting members, the Academy is the one sampling reflective of the industry to get closest to what its artists and talent believe the best to be. That is, after plenty of other worthy contenders are eliminated in the nominations process.
Seven of this year’s 10 Best Picture nominees showed up in IndieWire’s ranking of the best films of 2023, which suggests that critics and audiences are more aligned than ever in terms of the year’s finest films. Many of which, here, were championed by critics, from “Past Lives” all the way back to Sundance 2023 to “Anatomy of a Fall,” beloved since winning the Palme d’Or (Neon’s fourth consecutively) at Cannes 2023. The teams behind titles like “Past Lives” (though unlikely to...
Seven of this year’s 10 Best Picture nominees showed up in IndieWire’s ranking of the best films of 2023, which suggests that critics and audiences are more aligned than ever in terms of the year’s finest films. Many of which, here, were championed by critics, from “Past Lives” all the way back to Sundance 2023 to “Anatomy of a Fall,” beloved since winning the Palme d’Or (Neon’s fourth consecutively) at Cannes 2023. The teams behind titles like “Past Lives” (though unlikely to...
- 3/8/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio and David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Weekly Commentary: “The Creator” has the advantage, but honesty, any film can win.
“Godzilla Minus One” is in the discussion and could be a cool choice for the Academy to make, similar to “Ex Machina.” However, don’t count out the power...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Weekly Commentary: “The Creator” has the advantage, but honesty, any film can win.
“Godzilla Minus One” is in the discussion and could be a cool choice for the Academy to make, similar to “Ex Machina.” However, don’t count out the power...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Screenplay Past Lives, from left: Teo Yoo, Greta Lee, John Magro, 2023. © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: Following its victories at the Golden Globes for best screenplay and the BAFTA for original screenplay, it appears almost inevitable that “Anatomy of a Fall” will secure the Oscar for its co-writers,...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2023 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Screenplay Past Lives, from left: Teo Yoo, Greta Lee, John Magro, 2023. © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: Following its victories at the Golden Globes for best screenplay and the BAFTA for original screenplay, it appears almost inevitable that “Anatomy of a Fall” will secure the Oscar for its co-writers,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Actress in a Leading Role Emma Stone in “Poor Things”
Weekly Commentary: In best actress, the competition is as fierce as it gets. Emma Stone’s transformation into a woman with a child’s brain surgically implanted in Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi comedy “Poor Things” has garnered substantial support.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Actress in a Leading Role Emma Stone in “Poor Things”
Weekly Commentary: In best actress, the competition is as fierce as it gets. Emma Stone’s transformation into a woman with a child’s brain surgically implanted in Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi comedy “Poor Things” has garnered substantial support.
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Actor The Holdovers, Paul Giamatti, 2023. ph: Seacia Pavao / © Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: The realm of lead actor has been ruled by Cillian Murphy’s captivating portrayal in Nolan’s cinematic opus “Oppenheimer.” However, the final stretch of voting has seen two seasoned industry...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Actor The Holdovers, Paul Giamatti, 2023. ph: Seacia Pavao / © Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: The realm of lead actor has been ruled by Cillian Murphy’s captivating portrayal in Nolan’s cinematic opus “Oppenheimer.” However, the final stretch of voting has seen two seasoned industry...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Directing The Zone Of Interest, 2023. © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: Christopher Nolan… in a walk. It’s not really worth going over any other potential upsets, but if you prefer — Jonathan Glazer for “The Zone of Interest.”
After a year hit with Hollywood...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Directing The Zone Of Interest, 2023. © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: Christopher Nolan… in a walk. It’s not really worth going over any other potential upsets, but if you prefer — Jonathan Glazer for “The Zone of Interest.”
After a year hit with Hollywood...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Cage the Elephant have confirmed the release of their new album, Neon Pill, along with an extensive North American tour.
Neon Pill, the band’s sixth full-length album, arrives on May 17th via RCA Records. Spanning 12 tracks, the album was recorded following a series of traumatic events, including the deaths of several close family members and friends (including Matthew and Brad Shultz’s father), as well as Matthew’s mental health breakdown.
“To me, Neon Pill is the first record where we were consistently uninfluenced, and I mean that in a positive way,” Matthew said in a statement. “Everything is undoubtedly expressed through having settled into finding our own voice. We’ve always drawn inspiration from artists we love, and at times we’ve even emulated some of them to a certain degree. With this album, having gone through so much, life had almost forced us into becoming more and more comfortable with ourselves.
Neon Pill, the band’s sixth full-length album, arrives on May 17th via RCA Records. Spanning 12 tracks, the album was recorded following a series of traumatic events, including the deaths of several close family members and friends (including Matthew and Brad Shultz’s father), as well as Matthew’s mental health breakdown.
“To me, Neon Pill is the first record where we were consistently uninfluenced, and I mean that in a positive way,” Matthew said in a statement. “Everything is undoubtedly expressed through having settled into finding our own voice. We’ve always drawn inspiration from artists we love, and at times we’ve even emulated some of them to a certain degree. With this album, having gone through so much, life had almost forced us into becoming more and more comfortable with ourselves.
- 2/29/2024
- by Alex Young
- Consequence - Music
Another year, another savior movie. “Dune: Part Two” opens Thursday, and there’s a real chance that its opening weekend will outrank the total domestic gross of any film that’s opened this year. However, this savior doesn’t travel solo: It’s one of four films in March that could pass $100 million in domestic gross — something that hasn’t happened since last July.
The new “Dune” should be the month’s top film, particularly with a March 1 debut, but “Kung Fu Panda 4” (Universal) on March 8 also looks strong. There’s also potential in fellow sequels “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”.
All told, it’s likely that March’s total will meet or exceed the approximately $650 million grossed last year for the same month. That’s essential to reverse the box office’s terrible start to 2024. Through February, grosses will be off more than 20 percent compared to last year.
The new “Dune” should be the month’s top film, particularly with a March 1 debut, but “Kung Fu Panda 4” (Universal) on March 8 also looks strong. There’s also potential in fellow sequels “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” and “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”.
All told, it’s likely that March’s total will meet or exceed the approximately $650 million grossed last year for the same month. That’s essential to reverse the box office’s terrible start to 2024. Through February, grosses will be off more than 20 percent compared to last year.
- 2/28/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Neon announced on Tuesday that it will bring Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay’s acclaimed drama Origin back to 500 U.S. theaters on February 28, for a one-night-only special screening event, featuring an exclusive pre-recorded introduction and post-screening Q&a with DuVernay.
Released wide on January 19, Origin has recently been awarded Best Drama, Best Director and Best Actress by the African American Film Critics Association, also securing NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Motion Picture, Directing in a Motion Picture, Actress in a Motion Picture, and Youth Performance in a Motion Picture.
Written and directed by DuVernay, the film explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance, and a fight for our future. While investigating the global phenomenon of caste and its dark influence on society, a journalist faces unfathomable personal loss and uncovers the beauty of human resilience.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor leads a cast also including Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts,...
Released wide on January 19, Origin has recently been awarded Best Drama, Best Director and Best Actress by the African American Film Critics Association, also securing NAACP Image Awards nominations for Outstanding Motion Picture, Directing in a Motion Picture, Actress in a Motion Picture, and Youth Performance in a Motion Picture.
Written and directed by DuVernay, the film explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance, and a fight for our future. While investigating the global phenomenon of caste and its dark influence on society, a journalist faces unfathomable personal loss and uncovers the beauty of human resilience.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor leads a cast also including Jon Bernthal, Niecy Nash-Betts,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“Oppenheimer” continued to steamroll its path to Oscar glory on Sunday night, claiming the top prize at the 2024 Producers Guild of America Awards.
Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Chuck Roven and their producing team took home the Darryl F. Zanuck Award, which recognizes excellence in producing for a theatrical feature film. The prize has become perhaps the most important precursor to nabbing the Academy Award for best picture.
Thomas told the crowd that many may not know that Nolan, the film’s writer and director, excelled most in his role as producer: “He’s absolutely brilliant, we’ve worked on 12 films now.”
Nolan himself noted that he and Thomas had never won the Zanuck award, despite previous nominations. “Every time we’ve been in this room, we’ve felt so much support,” he said.
Another unstoppable awards force which won big at this weekend’s Screen Actors Guild Awards — Hulu’s...
Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas, Chuck Roven and their producing team took home the Darryl F. Zanuck Award, which recognizes excellence in producing for a theatrical feature film. The prize has become perhaps the most important precursor to nabbing the Academy Award for best picture.
Thomas told the crowd that many may not know that Nolan, the film’s writer and director, excelled most in his role as producer: “He’s absolutely brilliant, we’ve worked on 12 films now.”
Nolan himself noted that he and Thomas had never won the Zanuck award, despite previous nominations. “Every time we’ve been in this room, we’ve felt so much support,” he said.
Another unstoppable awards force which won big at this weekend’s Screen Actors Guild Awards — Hulu’s...
- 2/26/2024
- by Matt Donnelly and Jordan Moreau
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Lionsgate has acquired world rights to under-the-radar thriller Amber Alert, which will star Golden Globe nominee Hayden Panettiere (Scream VI). Golden Globe winner Tyler James Williams (Abbott Elementary) co-stars.
In Amber Alert, which is in post-production, an ordinary ride share becomes a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. The story will follow Jaq (Hayden Panettiere) who is eager to get to her first day at a new job, and her driver, Shane (Tyler James Williams), who is just trying to earn a little extra at his side hustle. An alert of a child abduction on their phones will change all that when they discover they are behind a car that matches the description of the kidnapper’s. Unable to let a possible child trafficker escape, they begin a pursuit that will put their own lives at risk.
Kerry Bellessa directs the film which is written by Kerry Bellessa and Joshua Oram.
In Amber Alert, which is in post-production, an ordinary ride share becomes a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. The story will follow Jaq (Hayden Panettiere) who is eager to get to her first day at a new job, and her driver, Shane (Tyler James Williams), who is just trying to earn a little extra at his side hustle. An alert of a child abduction on their phones will change all that when they discover they are behind a car that matches the description of the kidnapper’s. Unable to let a possible child trafficker escape, they begin a pursuit that will put their own lives at risk.
Kerry Bellessa directs the film which is written by Kerry Bellessa and Joshua Oram.
- 2/22/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman and Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Throughout the history of the Academy Awards, there are plenty of external historical events that have influenced when, how and why a lucky winner is chosen. When future awards watchers look back on this year’s 96th ceremony, where might the contentious Hollywood labor battles of 2023 fit into the story?
For most of last year, the town was gripped by devastating work stoppages thanks to strikes launched by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild emerged with new contracts that stretched the studios on issues like residuals and provided protections around emerging technology like artificial intelligence. The path to those new deals, however, was lit by burning bridges: Ugly public dustups between figures like Disney CEO Bob Iger and SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher created friction between powerful check-writing executives and the stars they rely on to open movies and promote them for awards such as the Oscars.
For most of last year, the town was gripped by devastating work stoppages thanks to strikes launched by the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA. SAG-AFTRA and the Writers Guild emerged with new contracts that stretched the studios on issues like residuals and provided protections around emerging technology like artificial intelligence. The path to those new deals, however, was lit by burning bridges: Ugly public dustups between figures like Disney CEO Bob Iger and SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher created friction between powerful check-writing executives and the stars they rely on to open movies and promote them for awards such as the Oscars.
- 2/22/2024
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Julia Fox is set to star as the female lead alongside Marlon Wayans and Tyriq Withers in Monkeypaw’s Goat for Universal Pictures. Justin Tipping is directing.
The project, based on a Black List script by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie, centers on a promising young athlete who is invited to train with a team’s retiring star. The film will be produced by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, and Jamal Watson. Executive producers are David Kern and Kate Oh.
Executive Vice President of Production Development Sara Scott and Director of Development Tony Ducret will oversee the project for the Studio.
Best known for her New York Times best-selling book Down the Drain, Fox had her breakout role opposite Adam Sandler in the Safdie Brothers’ thriller Uncut Gems. She followed that up with Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move and is reuniting with Soderbergh for his upcoming thriller Presence,...
The project, based on a Black List script by Zack Akers and Skip Bronkie, centers on a promising young athlete who is invited to train with a team’s retiring star. The film will be produced by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, Ian Cooper, and Jamal Watson. Executive producers are David Kern and Kate Oh.
Executive Vice President of Production Development Sara Scott and Director of Development Tony Ducret will oversee the project for the Studio.
Best known for her New York Times best-selling book Down the Drain, Fox had her breakout role opposite Adam Sandler in the Safdie Brothers’ thriller Uncut Gems. She followed that up with Steven Soderbergh’s No Sudden Move and is reuniting with Soderbergh for his upcoming thriller Presence,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days,” which is nominated for best international feature film at the Oscars, has smashed the all-time global box office record set by the German director’s previous films. While it has yet to be released in all territories, “Perfect Days” has amassed a worldwide box office total of $24.3 million as of Feb. 18, according to Comscore.
Among his previous films, “Paris, Texas” earned $2.26 million, “Wings of Desire” took $3.5 million, “Pina” took $18.7 million, and “Buena Vista Social Club” grossed $23.1 million, according to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo.
“Perfect Days” premiered in competition at Cannes Film Festival where Koji Yakusho, who plays a restroom cleaner in Tokyo, won the best actor prize. The Match Factory sold the film to all territories worldwide.
Neon released the film in the U.S. on Feb. 7, earning $497,787 after its second weekend. “Perfect Days” opened in Germany on Dec. 21 through Dcm with 3.6 million Euros ($3.87 million) so far.
Among his previous films, “Paris, Texas” earned $2.26 million, “Wings of Desire” took $3.5 million, “Pina” took $18.7 million, and “Buena Vista Social Club” grossed $23.1 million, according to IMDb’s Box Office Mojo.
“Perfect Days” premiered in competition at Cannes Film Festival where Koji Yakusho, who plays a restroom cleaner in Tokyo, won the best actor prize. The Match Factory sold the film to all territories worldwide.
Neon released the film in the U.S. on Feb. 7, earning $497,787 after its second weekend. “Perfect Days” opened in Germany on Dec. 21 through Dcm with 3.6 million Euros ($3.87 million) so far.
- 2/20/2024
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Four years of writing about domestic box office during “a challenging period” makes it tempting to go with the glass half-full view (and even more). This weekend, Paramount’s “Bob Marley: One Love” provides the necessary evidence with an estimated $49 million gross by Monday, six days into its Valentine’s Day opening run. Its three-day total is about $27.7 million.
That’s a terrific performance against a $70 million production cost, and it’s an original biopic. Despite a depressed marketplace, there’s an audience for mainstream movies that can make a profit. “Bob Marley” showed a strong cross-demographic draw, female slightly ahead of male, among all ages and ethnic groups. Reviews were not good (43 Metacritic), but it has an A Cinemascore and two weeks with little competition. It could become the first domestic $100-million grossing film of 2024.
There’s also compelling evidence for a glass half empty (or worse). The estimate...
That’s a terrific performance against a $70 million production cost, and it’s an original biopic. Despite a depressed marketplace, there’s an audience for mainstream movies that can make a profit. “Bob Marley” showed a strong cross-demographic draw, female slightly ahead of male, among all ages and ethnic groups. Reviews were not good (43 Metacritic), but it has an A Cinemascore and two weeks with little competition. It could become the first domestic $100-million grossing film of 2024.
There’s also compelling evidence for a glass half empty (or worse). The estimate...
- 2/18/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
The Oscar-frontrunning Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” was the big winner at Asifa-Hollywood’s 51st Annie Awards (held February 17 at UCLA’s Royce Hall), grabbing seven awards, topped by best animated feature. As a 66 percent Oscar predictor, the Annie win bodes well for Sony and producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller.
The other “Spider-Verse” awards were for FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.
The Oscar-nominated dark horse, “Robot Dreams” (Neon), from Pablo Berger, won best independent feature, and “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” (ElectroLeague) took best short. The prestige short got a boost in its race for the Oscar. It’s directed by Pixar alum Dave Mullins and executive produced by Sean Ono Lennon, in partnership with Peter Jackson and his Wētā FX Limited animation team.
Hayao Miyazaki’s summary film, “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), won two Annies for Takeshi Honda...
The other “Spider-Verse” awards were for FX, character design, direction, music, production design, and editorial.
The Oscar-nominated dark horse, “Robot Dreams” (Neon), from Pablo Berger, won best independent feature, and “War Is Over! Inspired by the Music of John & Yoko” (ElectroLeague) took best short. The prestige short got a boost in its race for the Oscar. It’s directed by Pixar alum Dave Mullins and executive produced by Sean Ono Lennon, in partnership with Peter Jackson and his Wētā FX Limited animation team.
Hayao Miyazaki’s summary film, “The Boy and the Heron“ (Studio Ghibli-GKids), won two Annies for Takeshi Honda...
- 2/18/2024
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
The road to the Oscars is checkered with awards group accolades, but uncertainties still lie ahead. Honors are imminent from several industry bodies — DGA, PGA, BAFTA and SAG — all of which share AMPAS members, setting the stage for potential surprises and maybe more question marks. The biggest one of all: Will the Academy go its own way, or will it unanimously favor Christopher Nolan’s epic “Oppenheimer,” potentially setting a record for most wins for a best picture winner since “Slumdog Millionaire” took eight in 2008. Setting aside that known unknown, here’s a look at the races that are firmly in flux as the big night fast approaches.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
Best Actor
Maestro. Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein (Director/Writer/Producer) in Maestro. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.
Crowding this category are five esteemed actors, each championing a compelling narrative.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscars predictions in all categories.
Best Actor
Maestro. Bradley Cooper as Leonard Bernstein (Director/Writer/Producer) in Maestro. Cr. Courtesy of Netflix © 2023.
Crowding this category are five esteemed actors, each championing a compelling narrative.
- 2/8/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Osgood Perkins, known for his uniquely dark and unsettling approach to horror in films like The Blackcoat’s Daughter and Gretel & Hansel, is set to terrify audiences once again with his latest project, Longlegs. Scheduled for release on July 12, 2024, by Neon, the film stars Maika Monroe, Nicolas Cage, Alicia Witt, and Blair Underwood in a story that mixes psychological thriller elements with a dash of the occult.
Every year there is another. pic.twitter.com/WbskWKPtat
— Neon (@neonrated) January 5, 2024
Just last month,Longlegs‘ marketing strategy took an intriguing turn when the studio released a cryptic teaser on its X (formerly Twitter) account, initially leaving fans puzzled about which film it was promoting. The teaser featured a deeply unsettling family photo gradually zooming in, accompanied by a distorted 911 call. The obscured audio hinted at a sinister narrative, with phrases like “my daughter” and “that’s not my daughter” chillingly whispered before...
Every year there is another. pic.twitter.com/WbskWKPtat
— Neon (@neonrated) January 5, 2024
Just last month,Longlegs‘ marketing strategy took an intriguing turn when the studio released a cryptic teaser on its X (formerly Twitter) account, initially leaving fans puzzled about which film it was promoting. The teaser featured a deeply unsettling family photo gradually zooming in, accompanied by a distorted 911 call. The obscured audio hinted at a sinister narrative, with phrases like “my daughter” and “that’s not my daughter” chillingly whispered before...
- 2/4/2024
- by NOFS STAFF
The nominations for the 96th Oscars revealed Tuesday included a diverse mix of Best Picture contenders, from box office blockbusters and festival favorites to sweeping streamer epics and indie darlings.
Deadline reviewed all 10 of the nominees, beginning with Past Lives, when it captured all the Sundance buzz in January; followed by Killers of the Flower Moon, eventual Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest in May at Cannes; tracking the Barbenheimer duo of Barbie and Oppenheimer dominating the summer box office; and seeing Poor Things, Maestro, The Holdovers and American Fiction during the fall festival whoosh of Venice, Telluride and Toronto.
Click on the titles to read the Deadline critics’ full reviews of the films that will be vying for the marquee statuette in March.
Related: All The Best Picture Oscar Winners – Photo Gallery
American Fiction ‘American Fiction’
Distributor: Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
Producers: Ben LeClair,...
Deadline reviewed all 10 of the nominees, beginning with Past Lives, when it captured all the Sundance buzz in January; followed by Killers of the Flower Moon, eventual Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest in May at Cannes; tracking the Barbenheimer duo of Barbie and Oppenheimer dominating the summer box office; and seeing Poor Things, Maestro, The Holdovers and American Fiction during the fall festival whoosh of Venice, Telluride and Toronto.
Click on the titles to read the Deadline critics’ full reviews of the films that will be vying for the marquee statuette in March.
Related: All The Best Picture Oscar Winners – Photo Gallery
American Fiction ‘American Fiction’
Distributor: Orion Pictures/Amazon MGM Studios
Producers: Ben LeClair,...
- 1/24/2024
- by Pete Hammond, Valerie Complex, Damon Wise and Stephanie Bunbury
- Deadline Film + TV
Netflix beat streaming rival Apple in the studio race for most Oscar nominations, scoring 19 including one for best picture for “Maestro.” That total topped Apple, which nabbed 13 nods.
In fact, Netflix’s haul was most bolstered by the Bradley Cooper-helmed Leonard Bernstein biopic, which scored seven nominations including best picture. Apple made a run for the title with a slew of nominations for “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Napoleon.” And overall, the Walt Disney Co. nabbed 20 nominations via its various content brands and platforms representing 20th Century Studios, Disney+, Hulu, Lucasfilm Ltd., Marvel Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, Pixar Animation Studios and Searchlight, but Variety counts each label separately.
Netflix and Apple’s big day capped off a year of extravagant awards-season spending from all of the studios, with some films going all out with eight-figure budgets. Last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes forced studios to...
In fact, Netflix’s haul was most bolstered by the Bradley Cooper-helmed Leonard Bernstein biopic, which scored seven nominations including best picture. Apple made a run for the title with a slew of nominations for “Killers of the Flower Moon” and “Napoleon.” And overall, the Walt Disney Co. nabbed 20 nominations via its various content brands and platforms representing 20th Century Studios, Disney+, Hulu, Lucasfilm Ltd., Marvel Studios, National Geographic Documentary Films, Pixar Animation Studios and Searchlight, but Variety counts each label separately.
Netflix and Apple’s big day capped off a year of extravagant awards-season spending from all of the studios, with some films going all out with eight-figure budgets. Last year’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes forced studios to...
- 1/23/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Leading New Zealand film executive Jasmine McSweeney is joining Australian producer- distributor -streaming platform Umbrella Entertainment, as its first New Zealand-based head of sales and acquisitions, as part of the company’s ambitious expansion plans.
Umbrella had a hit with its Australian and New Zealand release of local horror title Talk To Me in 2023, released with Maslow Entertainment.
McSweeney has been head of marketing at the New Zealand Film Commission for a decade and oversaw its digitisation program and the launch of a transactional video on demand platform. She will start her new role on February 5.
Umbrella general manager Ari Harrison...
Umbrella had a hit with its Australian and New Zealand release of local horror title Talk To Me in 2023, released with Maslow Entertainment.
McSweeney has been head of marketing at the New Zealand Film Commission for a decade and oversaw its digitisation program and the launch of a transactional video on demand platform. She will start her new role on February 5.
Umbrella general manager Ari Harrison...
- 1/22/2024
- ScreenDaily
A winter freeze has set in at the domestic box office as theater owners and studios grapple with a slowdown in product due to last year’s labor strikes and resulting production delays.
For the Jan. 19-21 weekend, Paramount’s Mean Girls musical stayed in first place in its second outing with an estimated $11.7 million from 3,826 locations for a domestic total of $50 million. The Tina Fey-penned musical fell more than the filmmakers would have liked, dropping 59 percent.
The only new wide release was Bleecker Street’s I.S.S., a thriller about warring astronauts in their rival space stations. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the film stars Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina.
I.S.S., playing in 2,250 locations, all but crashed to earth with a $3 million domestic debut to come in at No. 7. The pic could have a second life on home entertainment, as well as do solid business in some overseas markets.
For the Jan. 19-21 weekend, Paramount’s Mean Girls musical stayed in first place in its second outing with an estimated $11.7 million from 3,826 locations for a domestic total of $50 million. The Tina Fey-penned musical fell more than the filmmakers would have liked, dropping 59 percent.
The only new wide release was Bleecker Street’s I.S.S., a thriller about warring astronauts in their rival space stations. Directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the film stars Ariana DeBose and Chris Messina.
I.S.S., playing in 2,250 locations, all but crashed to earth with a $3 million domestic debut to come in at No. 7. The pic could have a second life on home entertainment, as well as do solid business in some overseas markets.
- 1/21/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The “Mean Girls” movie musical topped a sleepy box office as “I.S.S.,” a sci-fi thriller that takes place aboard the International Space Station, misfired in its opening weekend.
“Mean Girls” added $11.7 million in its second weekend of release, bringing its domestic tally to $50 million. Ticket sales dropped a steep 59% from its debut. However, the film’s decline is cushioned by its modest $36 million budget, which makes its box office performance outsized.
Overall, it’s been a desolate weekend for the movie theater business. To punctuate the box office doldrums, three movies in the top five were released around Christmas.
“With no big studio release, this weekend is the kind of ‘hole’ in the 2024 release schedule left by the strikes and pandemic,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research.
This weekend’s only newcomer “I.S.S.” crash-landed in seventh place, collecting just $3 million from 2,520 theaters in its debut.
“Mean Girls” added $11.7 million in its second weekend of release, bringing its domestic tally to $50 million. Ticket sales dropped a steep 59% from its debut. However, the film’s decline is cushioned by its modest $36 million budget, which makes its box office performance outsized.
Overall, it’s been a desolate weekend for the movie theater business. To punctuate the box office doldrums, three movies in the top five were released around Christmas.
“With no big studio release, this weekend is the kind of ‘hole’ in the 2024 release schedule left by the strikes and pandemic,” says David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research.
This weekend’s only newcomer “I.S.S.” crash-landed in seventh place, collecting just $3 million from 2,520 theaters in its debut.
- 1/21/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Neon is opening Origin on 130 screens and plans to expand the Ava DuVernay film, which premiered in Venice and had a excellent qualifying run in December.
Neon took global rights on Origin before its Venice premiere where it received an eight-minute standing ovation and DuVernay became the first Black American woman to have a selection there. Deadline reported the film tested well with audiences, landing a 91 total positive in the top two boxes, with an 81 definite recommend, the highest for both Neon and DuVernay. With the theatrical release, the distributor is looking to pull in the arthouse and “smarthouse” (mainstream crossover) audiences and Black audiences with targeted bookings including theaters in regional markets like Atlanta, Chicago and Baltimore. It’s a hard film to comp but it is everywhere that recent films The Color Purple and American Fiction have done well.
Origin is based on New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning...
Neon took global rights on Origin before its Venice premiere where it received an eight-minute standing ovation and DuVernay became the first Black American woman to have a selection there. Deadline reported the film tested well with audiences, landing a 91 total positive in the top two boxes, with an 81 definite recommend, the highest for both Neon and DuVernay. With the theatrical release, the distributor is looking to pull in the arthouse and “smarthouse” (mainstream crossover) audiences and Black audiences with targeted bookings including theaters in regional markets like Atlanta, Chicago and Baltimore. It’s a hard film to comp but it is everywhere that recent films The Color Purple and American Fiction have done well.
Origin is based on New York Times’ Pulitzer Prize-winning...
- 1/19/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Distributor Neon has spent the first few weeks of 2024 teasing one of the horror movies they’ll be unleashing this year, and the campaign has been particularly interesting because they’re not telling us what movie they’re even promoting. Some think it’s the Hunter Schafer-starring Cuckoo, while most believe it’s the Nicolas Cage-starring Longlegs.
Our best guess is that it’s indeed Longlegs, a serial killer horror movie from director Osgood Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Gretel & Hansel). Nicolas Cage stars alongside Maika Monroe, with Monroe playing an FBI agent and Cage playing a serial killer.
For what it’s worth, Bloody Disgusting has heard that the official teaser trailer for Longlegs is coming soon, which lends credence to the belief that these teases are also for Longlegs.
In the film, “FBI Agent Lee Harker (Monroe) is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case...
Our best guess is that it’s indeed Longlegs, a serial killer horror movie from director Osgood Perkins (The Blackcoat’s Daughter, Gretel & Hansel). Nicolas Cage stars alongside Maika Monroe, with Monroe playing an FBI agent and Cage playing a serial killer.
For what it’s worth, Bloody Disgusting has heard that the official teaser trailer for Longlegs is coming soon, which lends credence to the belief that these teases are also for Longlegs.
In the film, “FBI Agent Lee Harker (Monroe) is a gifted new recruit assigned to the unsolved case...
- 1/19/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
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