Showbiz Sandbox

Over the last year the mobile video game “Genshin Impact” has earned over $2 billion. From its anime-like visuals to its bug-eyed characters the role-playing game appears to be Japanese in every way. However, while Japan may have a reputation as the world’s leading video game developer, “Ghensin Impact” was made in China. We explain why this is so significant and what it means for those playing the game. Meanwhile, there is only one week to go before this year’s Oscars ceremony. All the guilds have now weighed in with their top honorees making it even more difficult to predict which movie will win Best Picture. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how HBO Max and Discovery+ will be combined into a single streaming service, Netflix wants you to pay for sharing accounts and the world’s largest movie theater chain is going for the gold (quite literally). ‘The Batman’ Swoops In On $600M WW, Unflappable Despite Tough Break In China https://deadline.com/2022/03/the-batman-bad-guys-ambulance-china-global-international-box-office-1234982700/ China Box Office: ‘The Batman’ Flutters to Muted $12.1M Opening https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/china-box-office-batman-opening-weekend-1235115572/ Box Office: ‘The Batman’ Rules Again, Crosses $300 Million in North America https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/the-batman-box-office-300-million-milestone-1235209949/ Berlin Film Festival Condemns Russia’s ‘War of Aggression,’ Refuses to Boycott Filmmakers Based on Origin https://variety.com/2022/film/global/berlin-film-festival-ukraine-russia-1235206384/ WGA Awards: ‘CODA,’ ‘Don’t Look Up’ Win Best Adapted, Original Screenplays https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/writers-guild-awards-2022-winners-list-1235115399/ PGA Film Awards Push ‘CODA,’ ‘Summer of Soul,’ and ‘Encanto’ Toward Oscar Wins https://www.indiewire.com/2022/03/pga-awards-coda-summer-of-soul-encanto-oscar-wins-1234709658/ The 47TH Annual IRA Film Awards: Holding Out For “A Hero” https://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2022/03/the-47th-annual-ira-film-awards-holding.html The IRAs Best Films of All Time: 2022 Edition https://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2022/03/ira-best-films-of-all-time-2022-edition.html Netflix to Test Adding Fee for Account Sharing Outside of Households https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/digital/netflix-account-sharing-fee-1235112853/ Beating Japan at Its Own (Video) Game: A Smash Hit From China

Frank Marshall is probably best known as a producer of some of Hollywood’s biggest films, but he has also directed four successful narrative features throughout his career. More recently he has turned to directing documentaries, including “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story,” which he co-directs with Ryan Suffern. Marshall joins us to discuss the film, which premiered at this year’s SXSW Film Festival ahead of its theatrical release. Meanwhile, as we inch our way closer to this year’s Academy Awards ceremony, the Directors Guild, BAFTA and the Critics Choice Awards were all announced over the weekend, helping to better define who may take home an Oscar. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how compact disc sales are on the rise (sort of), Amazon launches a live DJ streaming service and this year’s Olivier Award nominations. ‘The Batman’ Nears $500M Global; ‘Sing’ Franchise Tops $1B WW & ‘Uncharted’ Crosses $300M https://deadline.com/2022/03/the-batman-sing-2-uncharted-milestones-global-international-box-office-1234977917/ Box Office: ‘The Batman’ Stays Strong With $66 Million in Second Weekend https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/batman-box-office-robert-pattinson-second-weekend-1235203008/ China Box Office Slips to Lowest Weekend of the Year as COVID Resurfaces https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/china-box-office-lowest-weekend-of-the-year-1235203899/ BAFTA Awards: ‘Power of the Dog’ Wins Best Film, Director, ‘Dune’ Dominates Crafts https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/bafta-awards-2022-winners-list-1235109906/ Critics Choice Awards 2022: ‘The Power of the Dog,’ ‘Ted Lasso,’ ‘Succession’ Win Big https://variety.com/2022/awards/awards/2022-critics-choice-awards-winners-list-1235203301/ ‘Arcane,’ ‘Mitchells Vs. The Machines’ Dominate The Annie Awards https://www.cartoonbrew.com/awards/arcane-mitchells-vs-the-machines-dominate-the-annie-awards-analysis-full-winners-list-214196.html Vietnam Bans ‘Uncharted’ Over Map Showing China’s Controversial Territorial Claims https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/vietnam-bans-uncharted-1235110778/ Discovery Suspends Operations in Russia Amid War on Ukraine, 15 Channels Will Go Off Air https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/discovery-russia-channels-war-ukraine-1235199756/ Nintendo Suspends Shipments to Russia Due to Logistical “Volatility” https://www.gamesradar.com/nintendo-eshop-goes-into-maintenance-mode-in-russia/

The opening weekend of “The Batman” was the anticipated blockbuster everyone was expecting, though an ongoing pandemic and a political crisis in Europe softened its global take. AMC Theatres on the other hand saw an opportunity to raise ticket prices, but only for the latest entrant to the Batman franchise. Is this a strategy that was a long time coming or one that will keep casual moviegoers at home. Meanwhile, the cultural boycott of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine has escalated over the past week with film festivals banning Russian delegations, movie studios pausing new releases and Netflix halting its streaming service in the country. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including video game publisher Epic gets into the music business, Amazon closes its physical bookstores and the big winners at this year’s Spirit Awards. Oscars: Academy Infighting Mounting Over Categories Controversy https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscars-infighting-over-excluding-categories-1235103324/ ‘The Batman’ Lights Up $124M Overseas For $258M Global Bow https://deadline.com/2022/03/the-batman-opening-international-box-office-robert-pattinson-dc-1234969771/ ‘The Batman’ Ushers in New Era of Movie Ticket Price Hikes https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-batman-higher-ticket-prices-amc-1235106136/ Spirit Awards Winners: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘The Lost Daughter’ Wins Best Feature https://www.indiewire.com/2022/03/2022-independent-spirit-awards-winners-list-1234704595/ ‘Flee,’ ‘Summer of Soul’ Top IDA Documentary Awards https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ida-documentary-awards-2022-winners-list-1235104878/ AMC Is Charging More For ‘Batman’ Tickets; CEO On Variable Pricing And “Transformational M&A” ​​https://deadline.com/2022/03/amc-entertainment-ceo-adam-aron-batman-tickets-variable-pricing-box-office-1234968595/ ‘Batman’ AMC Surge Pricing Postmortem: Exhibitor Not The First Major To Hike Ticket Prices On A Superhero Pic https://deadline.com/2022/03/batman-spiderman-movie-ticket-price-increase-amc-1234972159/ Marilyn Manson Sues Evan Rachel Wood Over Alleged “Malicious Falsehood” Of Abuse Claims https://deadline.com/2022/03/marilyn-manson-lawsuit-evan-rachel-wood-abuse-claims-hbo-documentary-1234968988/ Amazon to Close All Bookstores https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/88669...

After Russia invaded Ukraine it didn’t take long for various sectors of the global entertainment industry to respond by canceling concerts, sporting events and film releases in the territory. While this is insignificant in comparison to the loss of life and liberty currently taking place in Ukraine, it still serves to show how art, culture and sports can play a role in protesting unprovoked military aggression. Back in Hollywood, France held it’s annual César Awards and the Screen Actors Guild shook up the awards season race by handing out a few prizes that made history. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why the Oscars are cutting with award presentations from the live telecast, why China’s moviegoing declined from last year during its Spring Festival and CNN gets a new leader. Box Office: ‘Uncharted,’ ‘Dog’ Lead Quiet Weekend as ‘Studio 666’ Flops https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/uncharted-box-office-studio-666-1235100317/ ‘Uncharted’ Darts To $226M WW, ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Tops ‘Titanic’s Original Global Run https://deadline.com/2022/02/uncharted-spider-man-no-way-home-tom-holland-sing-2-global-international-box-office-1234960950/ ‘Lost Illusions’ Wins Best Film at France’s Cesar Awards https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cesar-awards-2022-winners-complete-list-1235099553/ ‘Ozark’ Hits 2-Year High in Nielsen Streaming Rankings https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ozark-hits-high-streaming-rankings-jan-24-30-1235099122 Oscars: Eight Awards Won’t Be Telecast Live This Year https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscars-several-awards-wont-be-telecast-live-this-year-exclusive-1235097888 ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno,’ From ‘Encanto,’ Tops Billboard Hot 100 for Fourth Week https://www.billboard.com/music/chart-beat/we-dont-talk-about-bruno-encanto-number-one-hot-100-fourth-week-1235034194/ Jeff Zucker’s Successor Is… Chris Licht https://puck.news/jeff-zuckers-successor-is-chris-licht/ Eurovision Song Contest Will Still Host Both Russia, Ukraine This Spring https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/eurovision-song-contest-russia-ukraine-1235189397/ Russia Banned From Eurovision 2022 After Ukraine Invasion https://pitchfork.com/news/russia-banned-from-eurovision-2022-after-ukraine-invasion/ IOC Calls for International Event Ban for Athletes From Russia and Belarus

During its most recent earnings call ViacomCBS outlined how they plan on reorganizing the media giant to compete with streaming leaders such as Netflix. First they are bringing content from all of their current services into Paramount+ and retaining the rights to popular programming such as “South Park.” They announced a glut of new projects including a new “Star Trek” movie and to hammer the point home changed the company name to Paramount Global. Wall Street immediately responded by selling off shares. Meanwhile, the Academy Awards announced their COVID health and safety guidelines for this year’s Oscars ceremony. Masks and proof of vaccine will be required, depending on who you are, where you’re sitting and whether you’re appearing on the telecast. Everyone seems to agree, the rules are confusing and don’t seem to make much sense. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how actor Tom Holland is ruling the box office in two different movies, more leadership shakeups at CNN and Netflix strikes a deal with comedian Dave Chappelle. ‘Uncharted’ Levels Up To $139M WW Cume In Expanded Global Play https://deadline.com/2022/02/uncharted-spider-man-tom-holland-china-global-international-box-office-1234957387/ Tom Holland’s ‘Uncharted’ Tops Box Office Charts With $44 Million Debut https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/tom-holland-uncharted-beats-box-office-expectations-1235186607/ At 90, Marla Gibbs Looks Back on Career as a Sitcom Queen ​​https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-features/marla-gibbs-interview-the-jeffersons-norman-lear-1235090818/ Oscars Will Require COVID Vaccine for Most Guests, but Not Presenters and Performers https://www.indiewire.com/2022/02/oscars-covid-vaccine-requirements-1234700601/ CNN Parent Found Allison Gollust’s Remarks on Jeff Zucker Relationship Were Misleading https://www.wsj.com/articles/allison-gollust-resigned-from-cnn-after-warnermedia-determined-her-remarks-on-zucker-relationship-were-misleading-11645219933 CNN Executive Was Ousted After Discussing Interview Topics With Governor https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/18/business/media/allison-gollust-cnn-cuomo.html Netflix Announces 4 New Dave Chappelle Comedy Specials https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/netflix-dave-chappelle-comedy-specials-1235096399/ Goodbye Viacom and CBS: ViacomCBS Changes Corporate Name to Paramount https://variety.com/2022/film/news/viacomcbs-paramount-corporate-name-change-1235182825/ ‘Star Trek’ Cast, Including Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto, Returning for Fourth Film https://variety.com/2022/film/news/star-trek-chris-pine-zachary-quinto-zoe-saldana-1...

In an age when everyone with GarageBand and a kazoo is releasing a record, finding good new music isn’t always easy. Sal Nunziato, the curator of the Burning Wood music blog and the drummer for The John Sally Ride, tells us about some of the best music he’s discovered over the past year. Nunziato listened to hundreds of records each year to create his list, always coming up with a few surprises like Micky Dolenz and Brian Wilson. None of the performers at this year’s Super Bowl Halftime Show made Nunziato’s list, but that’s because most of the hip-hop artists on stage released their best music over 20 years ago. Even so, it was nice to see the NFL finally invite hip-hop to the big game. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how the Academy Awards are allowing fans to vote for their favorite film, Disney continues to grow their streaming service and MoviePass raises the curtain on its second act. ‘Uncharted’ Hits Early Offshore Waters With $22M; ‘Death On The Nile’ Cruises To $21M Overseas Bow https://deadline.com/2022/02/uncharted-tom-holland-death-on-the-nile-opening-weekend-global-international-box-office-1234932533/ China Box Office: ‘The Battle at Lake Changjin II’ Passes $500 Million on Second Weekend https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/china-box-office-battle-at-lake-changjin-ii-second-weekend-1235180881/ Jennifer Lopez and Owen Wilson’s ‘Marry Me’ Melts Hearts at Valentine’s Day Box Office https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/jennifer-lopez-marry-me-valentines-day-box-office-1235093869/ Disney Plus Ends 2021 With Nearly 130 Million Subscribers, Smashing Growth Forecasts https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/disney-plus-subscribers-2021-earnings-1235175715/ MoviePass Relaunches with Original Founder, New Business Model and Ambitious Moonshot https://celluloidjunkie.com/2022/02/11/moviepass-relaunches-with-original-founder-new-business-model-and-ambitious-moonshot/ Oscars: Twitter Users Can Vote on Favorite 2021 Film, Winne https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/oscars-twitter-favorite-film-spider-man-1235181361/ Disney Plus Ends 2021 With Nearly 130 Million Subscribers, Smashing Growth Forecasts https://variety.com/2022/biz/news/disney-plus-subscribers-2021-earnings-1235175715/ Disney+ Adds 12 Million Customers, a Strong Showing in an Uncertain Streaming Market https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-02-09/disney-handily-beats-subscriber-expectations-amid-question-about-streaming-business

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences brought an end to the endless speculation of countless awards pundits by announcing this year’s Oscars nominations. Now we’ll all have to deal with the griping about who was snubbed along with seven weeks of incessant reports about which Best Picture nominee is gaining momentum with Oscar voters. Perhaps we should thank the Oscars for stealing the headlines from comedian Joe Rogan whose podcast has caused no end of controversy and grief for Spotify, its exclusive distributor. The only good news out of the Rogan mess is that it’s finally brought the band Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young back together, at least in regards to their desire to remove their music from the streaming service. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how a Disney soundtrack is dominating the music charts, viewership of the Winter Olympics plummets and the head of CNN is suddenly ousted. How ‘Jackass Forever’ Thrived In The TikTok Era With A $23M+ Opening & ‘Moonfall’ Fell Out Of Orbit At The Weekend Box Office https://deadline.com/2022/02/jackass-forever-moonfall-box-office-2-1234926709/ Lunar New Year Box Office in China Approaches $950 Million With ‘The Battle at Lake Changjin II’ Dominant https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/lunar-new-year-box-office-in-china-lake-changjin-1235173334/ Alamo Drafthouse Announces Plans for Four New Theaters https://variety.com/2022/film/news/alamo-drafthouse-new-theaters-1235169517/ Jeff Zucker Resigns From CNN After Relationship With Top Executive https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/02/business/media/jeff-zucker-cnn.html Inside Jeff Zucker and Allison Gollust’s Long Relationship: ‘It Was Just Open’ https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/inside-jeff-zucker-allison-gollust-relatonship-cnn-1235170781/ Michael Bass, Amy Entelis and Ken Jautz Named Interim Heads of CNN https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/cnn-michael-bass-amy-entelis-and-ken-jautz-interim-1235170106/ ‘Dune,’ ‘Belfast’ and ‘The Power of the Dog’ Nominated by American Society of Cinematographers https://variety.com/2022/artisans/awards/american-society-cinematographers-full-list-nominations-2022-1235162752/ Cinema Audio Society Announces CAS Awards Nominations for Outstanding Achievements in Sound Mixing During 2021 https://www.shootonline.com/spw/cinema-audio-society-announces-cas-awards-nominations-outstanding-achievements-sound-mixing ‘Dune,’ ‘West Side Story,’ ‘Power of the Dog’ Among 2022 DGA Award Nominees http...

For the second straight year the COVID pandemic forced the Sundance Film Festival to move its 2022 event online. Even so, its organizers did a great job of putting on a virtual festival programmed with movies from emerging filmmakers and important documentaries on timely subjects. Joining us to discuss the 2022 Sundance Film Festival is Stephen Garrett, a writer for the Book & Film Globe and the founder of Jump Cut, a marketing company that specializes in creating compelling trailers and posters for a wide variety of acclaimed motion pictures. We discuss the entries that will surely see some life after the festival, a few that won’t and the likelihood that any of them will ever be seen in movie theaters. As expected, streamers such as Apple, Netflix and Hulu opened up their checkbooks to acquire Sundance titles for their subscription services, perhaps signaling a pause, if not an end, to big theatrical acquisitions being made at the festival. Sundance: The Final Tally https://bookandfilmglobe.com/film/sundance-the-final-tally-2/

When Netflix was just shy of meeting its estimated new subscriber growth during the last financial quarter it faced immediate repercussions as its stock price plummeted over 20% in a single day. We explain why Netflix is not suddenly a failing company, it’s just one in a mature market of its own making. Even so, Netflix’s sudden deflation has given Hollywood’s media giants cause for concern, since most of them followed the company’s lead by launching their own streaming services. Meanwhile the Sundance Film Festival, which usually takes place in Utah each January was forced by COVID forced to go virtual for the second year in a row. However, even remotely, the festival remains one of the premiere launching pads for independent film and, at the halfway point, we’ll tell you what titles are generating all the buzz. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including Microsoft’s big video game acquisition, YouTube stops paying for original content and Adele postpones her Las Vegas residency. International Box Office: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Zips To No. 6 On All-Time Global Chart With $1.69B https://deadline.com/2022/01/spider-man-no-way-home-scream-sing-2-matrix-china-global-international-box-office-1234918151/ ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Returns to No. 1 on Box Office Charts in Sixth Weekend of Release https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/spiderman-no-way-home-box-office-beats-scream-1235160913/ ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’ Star James Snyder Fired From Broadway Show After Independent Investigation https://variety.com/2022/legit/news/james-snyder-harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-star-fired-from-broadway-show-complaint-1235161065/ Jon Stewart to Receive the Mark Twain Prize at the Kennedy Center in April https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2022/01/19/jon-stewart-mark-twain-prize/ Art Directors Guild 2022 Nominations Headed by ‘Nightmare Alley,’ ‘Cruella,’ ‘No Time to Die,’ ‘In the Heights’ https://variety.com/2022/artisans/awards/art-directors-guild-2022-nominations-full-list-1235160949/ Microsoft to Buy Activision Blizzard in All-Cash Deal Valued at $75 Billion https://www.wsj.com/articles/microsoft-to-buy-activision-blizzard-games-11642512435 FCC Moves To Boost Cable Competition in Apartment Buildings https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-01-21/fcc-proposes-to-boost-cable-competition-in-apartment-buildings YouTube Shuts Down Original Content Group https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/youtube-original-content-group-shutdown-1235156299/ Netflix Plummets Over 20%,

Every week it seems another aging artist is selling off their music publishing rights for exorbitant amounts. Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, ZZ Top, David Bowie’s estate and recently Bruce Springsteen. Why are so many back catalogs for sale and are they really worth hundreds of millions of dollars? Ryan Faughnder, a staff writer at the Los Angeles Times discusses his latest article which tackles this very issue. Meanwhile, streaming numbers for television shows, series, and movies for the last few weeks of 2021 were finally published. The top ten original programs were dominated by Netflix, which might be why they decided to “update” their pricing. Translation; they are raising prices, at least in North America. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why the British government is freezing funding for the BBC, Spotify shutters its podcasting studio and this year’s SAG Awards nominations. Music Catalogs Are Fetching Huge deals. Are They Overvalued? https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-01-15/music-catalogs-deals-bruce-springsteen-john-legend-bob-dylan-songwriters-streaming Letterboxd https://letterboxd.com/ Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Tops $1.6B WW & Becomes Biggest Movie Ever In Mexico; ‘Scream’ Shouts With $49M Global Bow https://deadline.com/2022/01/spider-man-no-way-home-scream-matrix-china-global-international-box-office-1234913557/ Box Office: ‘Scream’ Debuts to Bloody Impressive $30.6 Million https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/box-office-scream-results-spider-man-no-way-home-1235155422/ Broadway Box Office Stays Flat At $18.5 Million With Attendance At 66% Of Capacity https://deadline.com/2022/01/broadway-box-office-january-16-18-5-million-attendance-66-of-capacity-1234914722/ The Undoing of Joss Whedon https://www.vulture.com/article/joss-whedon-allegations.html TV Ratings: Netflix’s ‘The Witcher’ Drew 2.2 Billion Viewing Minutes During Season 2’s Debut Week https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/the-witcher-netflix-season-2-nielsen-ratings-1235153818/ Podcasting Hasn’t Produced A Hit In Years https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-01-09/podcasting-hasn-t-produced-a-new-hit-in-years Prince’s Estate Valued at $156.4 Million — Almost Double an Earlier Appraisal https://variety.com/2022/music/news/prince-estate-valued-156-million-1235155577/ Ralph Emery, Country Music Broadcaster and Hall of Fame Member,

Last year consumers listened to more music than ever before. However, according to a report from the analytics firm MRC Data, catalog music, albums and songs at least 18 months old accounted for 75% of music listening on streaming services. When it came to new music, artists such as Morgan Wallen, Olivia Rodrigo, Drake and Doja Cat, dominated streaming services. Maybe there’s a reason big legacy acts keep selling their back catalogs. Speaking of legacies, unfortunately the first week of 2022 saw a number of beloved and legendary entertainment figures die, including actor Sidney Poitier, comedian Bob Saget and filmmaker Peter Bogdanovich. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how a spike in COVID cases has canceled an in-person Sundance and indefinitely postponed the Grammy Awards. Meanwhile, the Golden Globes were announced and we’ll tell you who won and whether anyone actually cares. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Leaps To $1.53B WW For No. 8 On All-Time Global Chart https://deadline.com/2022/01/spider-man-no-way-home-fourth-weekend-japan-encanto-china-global-international-box-office-1234906918/ Box Office: ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Rules Again, ‘The 355’ Misfires https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/box-office-spiderman-no-way-home-the-355-flops-1235149739/ Golden Globes: ‘The Power Of The Dog’, ‘West Side Story’, ‘Succession’ Lead Way https://deadline.com/2022/01/golden-globe-winners-list-movie-tv-awards-1234907035/ Morgan Wallen, Olivia Rodrigo and Older Songs Dominated U.S. Music in 2021: MRC Year-End Report https://variety.com/2022/music/news/morgan-wallen-olivia-rodrigo-2021-mrc-year-end-report-concludes-1235148043/ Sundance Cancels In-Person Festival for 2022 https://celluloidjunkie.com/2022/01/05/sundance-cancels-in-person-festival-for-2022/ Berlinale’s European Film Market Set to Go Online, Festival Will Stay In-Person https://variety.com/2022/film/global/berlin-2022-european-film-market-1235148830/ Over 73% of the US Music Market Is Now Claimed by Catalog Records, Rather Than New Releases Over 73% of the US music market is now claimed by catalog records, rather than new releases (UPDATE) Pause and Play Website https://www.pauseandplay.com/ Sidney Poitier, Who Paved the Way for Black Actors in Film, Dies at 94 https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/07/movies/sidney-poitier-dead.html Jay Wolpert, ‘Price Is Right’ Producer Turned ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Screenwriter, Dies at 79

It’s a new year but the entertainment industry is contending with the same coronavirus pandemic that has decimated theatrical box office, shuttered Broadway productions and stalled concert tours. The news wasn’t all bad however, with global box office in 2021 creeping halfway back to its once record level. China remains the top market in that regard, though is relying mostly on homegrown hits to drive revenue. And as we turn the page to 2022 we join many who were saddened by the death of actress Betty White just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday. This led us to take a closer look at whether we pay more attention to the passing of entertainment figures during the holiday season than we do ordinarily. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how the Oscars failed to make the list of top telecasts of 2021, the Hugo Awards honor the best in science fiction and fantasy, and Winnie-The Pooh enters the public domain. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Swings To $1.37B Global, Now 12th Biggest Film Ever WW https://deadline.com/2022/01/spider-man-no-way-home-third-weekend-matrix-sing-global-international-box-office-1234903579/ ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Continues Box Office Domination, Crosses $600 Million in North America https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/spiderman-no-way-home-box-office-new-years-1235145892/ China Retains Global Box Office Crown With $7.3B in 2021, Down 26 Percent From 2019 https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/china-tops-global-box-office-2021-1235069251/ Hollywood’s Ability to Influence Its China Box Office Destiny Has Never Been Weaker https://variety.com/2022/film/news/hollywood-never-weaker-in-china-1235145588/ Ontario Movie Theaters Closing Due To Omicron Surge https://deadline.com/2022/01/ontario-canada-movie-theaters-closing-omicron-toronto-1234903811/ France Bans Popcorn Sales at Movie Theaters Amid Omicron Surge https://fortune.com/2021/12/31/france-bans-popcorn-sales-movie-theaters-covid-omicron/ Chris Noth Accused of Sexual Assault by a Fifth Woman https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/chris-noth-sexual-assault-allegations-gloria-allred-sex-and-the-city-beverly-johnson-1235142754/ The 2021 Hugo Awards http://www.thehugoawards.org/hugo-history/2021-hugo-awards/ ‘Winnie the Pooh,’ Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’ and 400,000 Sound Recordings Enter the Public Domain ‘Winnie the Pooh,’ Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’ and 400,000 Sound Recordings Enter the Public Domain ...

The opening of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” toppled box office records around the world on its way to a $600 million debut. And this is without China and Japan where the film has yet to bow. This is just what the industry needed to help pump up 2021 grosses. Especially as surges of a new COVID variant begin to shut down cinemas and live theater venues in various regions. The Los Angeles Film Critics Association named their best movie of the year and we predict it will have no impact on the Oscars race. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the sale of Bruce Springsteen’s back catalog, the latest entries to the National Film Registry and Disney settles a carriage dispute with YouTube. ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Weaving $500M+ WW Debut https://deadline.com/2021/12/spider-man-no-way-home-opening-weekend-international-box-office-1234891616/ ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Swinging to Massive $240 Million-Plus Debut After Record-Breaking Opening Day https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/box-office-spider-man-no-way-home-1235135493/ Gower Street Announces Early 2022 Global Box Office Estimate https://celluloidjunkie.com/wire/gower-street-announces-early-2022-global-box-office-estimate/ When the Show Doesn’t Go On: Broadway Is Rattled by Covid Cancellations https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/15/theater/broadway-coronavirus-cancellations.html Musicals, Plays and Pantos Cancel Shows After Covid-19 Outbreaks https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59638954 ‘Drive My Car’ and ‘The Power of the Dog’ Win Top Prizes at L.A. Film Critics Association Awards 2021 https://variety.com/2021/film/news/lafca-winners-list-2021-1235137273/ YouTube TV Settles Its Contract Dispute With Disney, Credits Customers $15 https://techcrunch.com/2021/12/20/youtube-tv-settles-its-contract-dispute-with-disney-credits-customers-15/ ‘Return of the Jedi,’ ‘Pink Flamingos,’ ‘Cooley High’ Enter National Film Registry https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/national-film-registry-return-jedi-pink-flamingos-cooley-high-1235061843/ Bruce Springsteen Sells His Masters and Music Publishing to Sony in $500M Deal https://www.billboard.com/pro/bruce-springsteen-sells-masters-publishing-sony/ Peloton Removes Viral Chris Noth Ad After Sexual Assault Allegations https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/peloton-chris-noth-sexual-assault-allegatio...

As COVID cases rise in various parts of the world, local governments are quick to restrict movie theater attendance, while at the same time allowing restaurants and pubs to operate normally. Patrick von Sychowski, editor of Celluloid Junkie, explains why these rules unfairly target movie theaters and discusses a new study that highlights which moviegoers are reluctant to return to cinemas. Plus, we’ll shine a light on LED movie screens and whether they’re the future everywhere…or just in China. Meanwhile, the Golden Globes announced this year’s list of nominees, but since the ceremony will not be televised it remains to be seen whether they will still influence the ongoing awards season. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how the United Kingdom will get its own version of “Saturday Night Live,” Adele helps revive the sale of compact discs and all the big winners at this year’s video game awards show. ‘West Side Story’ Goes South In Offshore Debut, But Is There A Place For It Over Time? https://deadline.com/2021/12/west-side-story-opening-weekend-venom-eternalsi-global-nternational-box-office-1234889589/ Box Office: Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’ Sings Off-Key With $10.5M Opening https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/west-side-story-box-office-off-key-1235061443/ China Box Office: ‘Schemes in Antiques’ Conspires to Hold Top Spot https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/schemes-in-antiques-week-two-china-box-office-1235131761/ Universal Movies Could Hit Peacock as Early as 45 Days After Theatrical Release https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/universal-movies-hit-peacock-early-1235059998/ Will Jussie Smollett Be Sentenced to Prison for Lying to the Police? French Director Luc Besson’s Rape Case Dismissed After Judicial Investigation https://variety.com/2021/film/global/luc-besson-rape-case-dismissed-1235129822/ AFI Awards: Top Films and Shows Include ‘Dune,’ ‘The Power of the Dog’ and ‘Schmigadoon!’ https://variety.com/2021/awards/awards/afi-awards-2021-winners-1235129224/ ‘West Side Story,’ ‘Belfast’ Lead 2022 Critics Choice Film Nominations https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/critics-choice-2022-film-nominations-nominees-list-1235061580/ Quo Vadis, Aida? Takes Best Picture at European Film Awards https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/dec/11/quo-vadis-aida-wins-best-film-at-european-film-awards

It’s that time of year when Film Critics Start Selecting the Best Movies of 2021 for newspapers, magazines and websites begin naming their favorite movie releases. The National Board of Review named its favorite film of the 2021, then proceeded to name 32 more in various categories. The New York Film Critics were tougher however, naming five top films in categories like nonfiction, debut film, animated feature and foreign language. We discuss where any awards season favorites are beginning to stand out. Thankfully, movie theatres around the world are mostly open, allowing audiences to catch up with some of the critics top picks. However, a new COVID variant named after what would appear to be a character out of a Transformers movie, is temporarily shuttering cinemas in various parts of the world such as China and Russia. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including why CNN fired the host of its highest rated news program, the Grammys clarify who can be nominated as a songwriter and the reason Middle Eastern countries won’t show Steven Spielberg’s take on “West Side Story.” Encanto’ Leads Sluggish Offshore Studio Weekend; ‘House Of Gucci’ Fashionable https://deadline.com/2021/12/encanto-house-of-gucci-venom-china-global-international-box-office-1234885076/ Disney’s ‘Encanto’ Leads Another Quiet Weekend at Box Office https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/box-office-disney-encanto-house-of-gucci-1235124375/ ‘Christmas With The Chosen’ Nabs Miraculous $9 Million Weekend https://www.forbes.com/sites/scottmendelson/2021/12/05/box-office-weekend-christmas-with-the-chosen-paul-verhoeven-benedetta-wolf-flee/ National Board of Review Winners 2021: ‘Licorice Pizza’ Takes Best Picture and Best Director https://www.indiewire.com/2021/12/national-board-of-review-winners-2021-licorice-pizza-1234682925/ ‘Drive My Car’ Named Best Picture by NY Film Critics Circle https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/nyfcc-2021-winners-list-1235056982/ Inside CNN’s Decision to Fire Chris Cuomo: ‘He gave me his word’ https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2021/12/06/cuomo-cnn-dismissal-misconduct-zucker/ WTA Suspends Tournaments in China Over Treatment of Peng Shuai https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/01/sports/tennis/wta-china-peng-shuai.html Steven Spielberg’s ‘West Side Story’ Will Not Play In Saudi Arabia, UAE & Other Parts Of Middle East https://deadline.com/2021/12/west-side-story-banned-saudi-arabia-kuwait-bahrain-oman-qatar-uae-steven-spielberg-disney-1234885442/ CJ Marquee – There Is Still Hope For Cinemas This Winter