Showbiz Sandbox

After COVID canceled the festival in 2020, the Cannes Film Festival is going ahead this year, albeit two months later than usual. Still, it’s remarkable that organizers were able to pull off the world’s largest film festival amid these uncertain times. We’ll tell you about all the COVID protocols at this year’s festival, not to mention all the movies, filmmakers and celebrities that made their way to the French Riviera. Meanwhile, Disney announced that its new film Black Widow made $60 million in its opening weekend… not at the box office, but rather in homes. Subscribers of Disney+ could pay $30 to watch Scarlett Johannson save the day, rather than head to the movie theater. Is this a win for Disney? A loss for cinema? Or is it too soon to draw any conclusions from these COVID crazy times? Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including an increase in comic book sales, David Geffen helps the Yale drama school goes tuition free and Universal Pictures gives Peacock a boost. Disney Claims $215M+ WW Victory At The B.O. & Disney+ Premier With ‘Black Widow’ Weekend https://deadline.com/2021/07/black-widow-opening-weekend-box-office-1234789473/ ‘Black Widow’ Weaves $79M Overseas Debut For $159M WW Theatrical Bow https://deadline.com/2021/07/black-widow-disney-marvel-international-box-office-1234788577/ Quentin Tarantino Buys L.A.’s Vista Theatre https://variety.com/2021/film/news/quentin-tarantino-buys-vista-theatre-los-angeles-1235011904/ Cannes Conquers COVID Challenge https://celluloidjunkie.com/2021/07/09/cannes-conquers-covid-challenge/ The DGA Awards Ditch a Major Pandemic-Era Qualifying Rule https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/06/awards-insider-dga-awards-theatrical-requirement-dune Critics Choice Association To Launch World Movie Awards In 2022, Adds International Branch With Global Footprint https://deadline.com/2021/06/critics-choice-world-movie-awards-international-branch-golden-globes-meltdown-1234784237/ Academy Invites 395 New Members for 2021, Including Robert Pattinson, Andra Day, Steven Yeun https://variety.com/2021/awards/awards/2021-academy-awards-membership-invited-robert-pattinson-bob-chapek-andra-day-steven-yeun-oscars-1235010018/ Netflix, Amazon Must Invest 20-25% of French Revenues in Local Content, France Government Decrees https://variety.com/2021/streaming/global/avms-france-netflix-new-rules-streamers-1235008364/ Netflix Becomes Largest Commissioner of New Scripted European Content

With exclusive theatrical release windows having disintegrated during the COVID pandemic, new movies are being released through so many methods and on so many platforms that it has inevitably confused audiences how and where they can watch a film. Initially, most movie watchers turn to Netflix, assuming most or all titles will be available on the service. That a title might only be offered by another provider at a premium only makes it more puzzling where new releases can be found. There is no question however about where you can find musician Bruce Springsteen these days. He just returned to Broadway for a limited run of his biographical concert where he opened to absolutely no grosses. None! We’ll explain the reason why. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including how the Emmys will allow winners to drop the gender label, why the United Kingdom is putting Channel 4 up for sale and Quentin Tarantino confirms he’ll quit directing after his tenth film. Box Office: ‘F9’ Zooms to Mighty $70 Million Debut, Shattering Pandemic Records https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/f9-opening-weekend-box-office-pandemic-record-1235006116/ ‘F9’ Drives Past $400M Worldwide; ‘Quiet Place 2’ Nears $250M, ‘Peter Rabbit 2’ & ‘Conjuring 3’ Also Hit Milestones https://deadline.com/2021/06/f9-400-million-global-pandemic-records-quiet-place-2-conjuring-peter-rabbit-global-international-box-office-1234782298/ Korea Box Office Weekend Reaches Yearly High Led by Local Thriller ‘Hard Hit’ https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/korea-box-office-weekend-hard-hit-1235006335/ Confused About Where to Watch the Latest Blockbuster? You’re Not Alone https://variety.com/2021/film/news/hbo-max-netflix-disney-plus-streaming-services-confusion-where-to-watch-new-movies-1235002403/ Emmy Rules Change Will Give Actors And Actresses Option To Be Recognized As “Performer”; Oscar Docs No Longer Eligible https://deadline.com/2021/06/emmy-rules-performer-designation-actors-actresses-documentary-eligibility-1234779063/ Quentin Tarantino Jokes About Quitting While He’s Ahead: ‘Most Directors Have Horrible Last Movies’ https://www.moviemaker.com/quentin-tarantino-final-film-most-directors-have-horrible-last-movies/ UK Government Officially Moves To Regulate Netflix, Amazon & Disney https://deadline.com/2021/06/netflix-amazon-disney-uk-regulation-1234779317/ Broadway Shows May Not Report Grosses Upon Return https://broadwaynews.com/2020/11/11/broadway-shows-may-not-report-grosses-upon-return/ John Langley, Creator of ‘Cops,

Musician Sal Maida and music writer Mitchell Cohen have been thumbing through record store bins for decades looking for great albums. Now they’ve teamed up to write “The White Label Promo Preservation Society: 100 Flop Albums You Oughta Know,” a book that dives deep into great music which doesn’t make the usual “best of” lists but is definitely worth a listen. Plus, they recruited a lot of their friends like Marshall Crenshaw, Peter Holsapple and Jim Farber. Kevin Feige may be in charge of Marvel Studios but is a little puzzled too about how to add up streaming numbers. He mentioned that since Nielsen doesn’t publish streaming viewership he doesn’t know how to tell if “WandaVision” or “Loki” are hits. Could this be true? We find it a bit unlikely that Disney is hiding such data from Marvel. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including Amazon Studios plans for diversity, Roku claims the Quibi shorts are actually popular after all and the “Book of Mormon” musical may get a rewrite when it reopens. ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Finally Crosses $100 Million at the Domestic Box Office https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/godzilla-vs-kong-box-office-milestone-1235001060/ ‘F9’ Closing In On $300M Overseas Ahead Of Domestic Bow; ‘Quiet Place 2’ Hits $222M WW – International Box Office https://deadline.com/2021/06/f9-300-million-quiet-place-2-conjuring-cruella-hitmans-wifes-bodyguard-global-international-box-office-1234778395/ ‘Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard’ Hits $17M 5-day Debut In Dull Father’s Day Weekend (Which Is Starving For A Pixar Movie) https://deadline.com/2021/06/ryan-reynolds-hitmans-wifes-bodyguard-weekend-box-office-1234777056/ Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners Signs Film Production Partnership With Netflix https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/steven-spielbergs-amblin-partners-signs-film-production-partnership-with-netflix-1234971253/ ‘Loki’ Launch A Home Run For Disney+; Marvel’s Kevin Feige “Still Learning” Streaming Success Metrics https://deadline.com/2021/06/loki-premiere-viewership-kevin-feige-marvel-1234776493/ Zack Snyder’s ‘Army of the Dead’ Tops Streaming Chart for Debut Weekend https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/army-of-the-dead-streaming-ratings-may-17-23-1234969716/?%20Ratings ‘The Book of Mormon’ announces Broadway return in November https://broadwaynews.com/2021/06/16/the-book-of-mormon-announces-broadway-return-in-november/ The Book of Mormon: Why Aren’t More People Offended http://michaelgiltz.

When multi-hyphenate Paul Rudnick isn’t writing hit movies or award winning plays he is working on Broadway musicals with the likes of Elton John or busy writing novels. Rudnick joins us for a detailed and humorous conversation about his work and his latest novel, “Playing the Palace.” We’ll also take a look at the final ratings figures for the primetime television season. Only four network shows increased in total viewers out of over 120 programs that aired during primetime. The numbers for key demographics don’t look much better. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including how Sony Music is changing up how they pay royalties to artists, country singer Morgan Wallen returns to radio and North Korea bans all things K-Pop. Paul Rudnick’s Website https://paulrudnick.com/ ‘Conjuring 3’ & ‘Cruella’ Cross $100M Global, ‘Quiet Place 2’ Hits $185M WW As Pics See Solid Offshore Holds https://deadline.com/2021/06/conjuring-the-devil-made-me-do-it-cruella-quiet-place-part-2-peter-rabbit-china-global-international-box-office-1234774349/ ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ Steals Box Office Beat Away From ‘In The Heights’ With $12M https://deadline.com/2021/06/in-the-heights-peter-rabbit-2-weekend-box-office-1234774162/ Erdrich, Diaz Among 2021 Pulitzer Prize Winners https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/awards-and-prizes/article/86634-erdrich-diaz-among-2021-pulitzer-prize-winners.html HBO Max Isn’t to Blame After ‘In the Heights’ Fizzles at the Box Office https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/in-the-heights-box-office-hbo-max-1234995410/ 2020-21 TV Ratings: Complete 7-Day Ratings for Broadcast Network Series https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/2020-21-tv-ratings-every-network-show-ranked-1234964854/ Morgan Wallen’s Four-Month Ban at Country Radio Is Quietly Lifted https://variety.com/2021/music/news/morgan-wallen-radio-ban-lifted-1234993485/ Chris Harrison Exits ‘Bachelor’ Franchise; Rose Withers On 19-Year Run As Host After Racism Controversy https://deadline.com/2021/06/chris-harrison-leaving-the-bachelor-franchise-controversy-1234771200/ CNNPlus, Anyone? Cable News Preps For Streaming Future https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/cnnplus-msnbc-fox-news-streaming1234964910-1234964910/ Sony Music Is Dregarding Unrecouped Balances For Heritage Catalog Artists...

Anne Thompson, the editor at large at IndieWire, believes “a lot of things have to go right for the two-hour movie theatrical release to endure.” Thompson said as much in an opinion column she recently wrote for the New York Times. In a detailed opinion column for the New York Times. In a detailed conversation she explains four key challenges movie theaters face as they revive their business after the pandemic, including whether North American box office will ever again reach $11 billion. One theatrical release that is doing better than some expected is Disney’s “Cruella.” The live-action spin-off has been popular enough for Disney to release a fashion line inspired by the outfits Oscar winning costume designer Jenny Bevan created for the film. They probably should have told her first since the Costume Designers Guild is none too pleased. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including the big winners at the BAFTA TV awards, how SpongeBob SquarePants is able to avoid paying taxes and the Russian comedy that is getting lots of local language remake love. The Latest ‘Conjuring’ Chapter Outscares ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ For The Top Spot At The Domestic Box Office With $24 Million https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed258999300/ Reign Of Horror: ‘Conjuring 3’ Leads Weekend As Global Cume Hits $57M; ‘Quiet Place 2’ Grows To $139M WW https://deadline.com/2021/06/quiet-place-part-ii-conjuring-3-f9-cruella-demon-slayer-china-global-international-box-office-1234770121/ AMC’s Wild Week Ends With Nearly 85% Gain in Renewed Meme Stock Craze https://www.reuters.com/business/retail-consumer/amc-falls-6-after-second-share-sale-this-week-2021-06-04/ Alamo Drafthouse Emerges From Bankruptcy, Plans to Open Five New Theaters https://variety.com/2021/film/news/alamo-drafthouse-bankruptcy-end-1234985368/ ‘Cruella’ Designer Snubbed Over Licensing, Costume Designers Guild Decries ‘Unfair Practices’ https://variety.com/2021/artisans/global/cruella-costume-designers-licensing-disney-jenny-beavan-1234986629/ Canceled ‘Jupiter’s Legacy’ Opens as Top Original Series in Nielsen Streaming Charts https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jupiters-legacy-nielsen-streaming-ratings-1234962632/ ‘SpongeBob’ and ‘Transformers’ Cost U.S. Taxpayers $4 Billion, Study Says https://www.nytimes.com/2021/06/01/business/media/viacom-cbs-tax-scheme.html BAFTA TV Awards Winners: ‘I May Destroy You’ Triumphs https://deadline.com/2021/06/bafta-tv-awards-full-winners-list-1234769349/ ‘Holby City’: Stalwart BBC Medical Drama Canceled After 23 Years

In a move that had been rumored for weeks, Amazon became the first tech company to purchase a Hollywood movie studio in an $8.45 million deal. The acquisition will arm Amazon with over 4,000 movies like the Bond Franchise, “The Pink Panther” and “Robocop,” not to mention upwards of 17,000 television episodes. The real question is why did it take so long for a tech giant to buy a movie studio? Meanwhile, a holiday weekend helped spark the post-pandemic North American box office as movies that were originally scheduled for release last year opened in theaters. Some new titles like “Cruella are also available on VOD at the same time. Is day-and-date releases hurting the box office prospects of such films? Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including the Academy Awards returns to its normal schedule, HBO Max is moving into Latin America and why “Friends” was censored in China. How Paramount Resurrected Moviegoing With ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ $57M Opening; ‘Cruella’ Dazzles With $27M https://deadline.com/2021/05/a-quiet-place-part-ii-cruella-memorial-day-weekend-box-office-1234766021/ ‘A Quiet Place Part II’ Shouts To $70M+ Global Debut; ‘Cruella’ Fashions $37.4M WW; ’F9’ Races To $230M Offshore https://deadline.com/2021/05/a-quiet-place-part-2-cruella-opening-weekend-f9-demon-slayer-china-global-international-box-office-1234766618/ AMC, Regal, and Cinemark No Longer Require Masks If You’re Vaccinated https://www.slashfilm.com/masks-at-theaters/ Cannes Travel: U.K. Visitors With Special Certificate Can Enter, But Mandatory Quarantine Still in Place For Now https://variety.com/2021/film/global/cannes-u-k-visitors-quarantine-1234985393/ Rich Greenfield Explains His 1-Cent AMC Entertainment Price Target https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/rich-greenfield-explains-his-1-cent-amc-entertainment-price-target-1030475359 Oscars 2022 Ceremony Moves to Late March, Keeping Pandemic Qualifying Rules and Standard Calendar Year https://variety.com/2021/awards/awards/academy-awards-2022-oscars-dates-eligibility-1234982854/ Charlie Hanson Removed As Producer On Netflix’s ‘After Life’; Ricky Gervais “Shocked & Appalled” By Misconduct Allegations https://deadline.com/2021/05/charlie-hanson-removed-after-life-suspended-bafta-netflix-1234766445/ Kelly Clarkson to Take Over Ellen DeGeneres’ Daytime Slot https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/kelly-clarkson-take-over-ellen-degeneres-daytime-slot-1234959428/ Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Sour’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 Albums Chart With 2021’s Biggest Week

Last week all the big television networks in the United States went through the old fashioned ritual of inviting advertisers to big presentations of their fall programming. Besides being virtual a lot has changed for the networks, including primetime scheduling, which is now an afterthought. Instead they emphasized streaming and the range of content available through numerous platforms including network, broadcast and their new subscription services. Meanwhile, the global box office is revving its engines with “F9” opening to huge numbers internationally, pushing the “Fast & Furious” franchise over the $6 billion mark. Movie theaters in Europe are reopening just in time to show the movie. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including why Amazon may purchase MGM, this year’s Eurovision contest and the return of music festivals. Italy wins Eurovision Song Contest as the World’s Biggest Music Event Returns in Rotterdam https://www.cnn.com/style/article/eurovision-song-contest-2021-winner-scli-intl/index.html Box Office: ‘F9’ Speeds to Huge $162.4M Start Overseas https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-f9-fast-furious-f9-huge-start-1234957461/ CNN Cuts Ties With Contributor Rick Santorum https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/cnn-rick-santorum-parts-ways-tv-news-1234979497/ Megadeth Fires Bassist David Ellefson After Sexual Misconduct Allegations https://variety.com/2021/music/news/megadeth-david-ellefson-fires-sexual-misconduct-1234980355/ Sky Cancels ‘Bulletproof’ Following Noel Clarke Sexual Misconduct Allegations https://variety.com/2021/tv/global/sky-bulletproof-canceled-noel-clarke-1234978427/ Glenn Gordon Caron Out As ‘Bull’ Showrunner, Deal With CBS Studios Ends https://deadline.com/2021/05/glenn-gordon-caron-out-bull-showrunner-deal-with-cbs-studios-ends-1234762232/ ‘Shadow and Bone’ Makes Solid Debut in Nielsen Streaming Chart https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/shadow-and-bone-nielsen-streaming-april-19-25-2021-1234956706/ BBC To Return BAFTA After Inquiry Savages Fakery Used To Secure Princess Diana Interview https://deadline.com/2021/05/bbc-return-bafta-princess-diana-lord-dyson-1234761012/ Pornhub ‘Remastured’ Vintage Porn Films Using AI Colorizing Technology https://www.inputmag.com/tech/ai-has-been-used-to-colorize-vintage-porn New Owner Set for Chicago Tribune, Daily News and Baltimore Sun

Not even three years after AT&T spent $85 billion to purchase Time Warner and form WarnerMedia, the telecom giant is calling it quits, agreeing to merge the content side of its business with Discovery. The deal would create a new media company positioned well to compete in the streaming market and a management team that is well versed in the entertainment business. The original acquisition of Time Warner always seemed questionable for AT&T, and ultimately left Warner Bros. in a bit of a mess. Meanwhile, some music streaming services are adding hi-def audio to their offerings and, perhaps more importantly, not increasing the cost to subscribers. Since most new music can be found on all the streaming platforms, will high quality audio become a differentiator that attracts new customers or causes them to switch providers? Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including why Ellen DeGeneres is leaving her daytime television show, Disney’s new theatrical release strategy and this year’s entrants into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Angelina Jolie’s ‘Those Who Wish Me Dead’ DOA as ‘Spiral’ Claims No. 1 https://variety.com/2021/film/news/those-who-wish-me-dead-box-office-spiral-1234974067/ ‘Wrath Of Man’ Drives To $56M Global https://deadline.com/2021/05/wrath-of-man-spiral-peter-rabbit-2-the-runaway-f9-china-global-international-box-office-1234757835/ ‘Cliff Walkers’ Holds Off ‘Wrath of Man’ at China Box Office https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/cliff-walkers-wrath-of-man-china-box-office-1234974515/ Eastern Promise: How Russia’s Screen Sectors Are Recovering In The Face Of The Pandemic https://deadline.com/2021/05/eastern-promise-how-russia-screen-sectors-recovering-in-face-pandemic-1234751699/ Media & Entertainment CEO Salaries Flourished In Pandemic 2020 As Industry Cratered https://deadline.com/2021/05/2020-media-ceo-salary-pay-richest-executives-1234752049/ Apple Music Announces Hi-Fi Streaming at No Additional Cost https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/9573517/apple-music-high-fidelity-lossless-streaming-price/ The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Reveals Class of 2021 https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/awards/9571011/rock-roll-hall-of-fame-class-of-2021/ Ellen DeGeneres Is Ending Her Show After Years of Dancing and ‘Be Kind’ https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/12/business/media/ellen-degeneres-quit-talk-show.html ‘Annie Live’ to Air on NBC This Holiday Season; Bob Greenblatt and Neil Meron Producing

It’s hard to believe we are still talking about the Golden Globes in May, when an argument could be made that they hardly matter in January. The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, the group behind the Globes, said they would be adding 45 new members over an unspecified period of time with a focus on people of color in an attempt to overcome diversity issues in their ranks. However, this didn’t satisfy Hollywood studios, streamers and TV networks who have publicly begun walking away from the annual awards ceremony. Meanwhile, the stars and filmmakers behind some upcoming movie releases are crying foul. With theaters at limited capacity and studios sending films to streaming services in as little as 17 days, box office for these titles will surely be depressed. This will, in turn, impact the money creative talent receives if their compensation is tied to a movie’s gross. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including when Broadway will raise the curtain again, rankings of the top streaming content and the Chinese box office just won’t quit, even if it’s hard to figure out which movies are earning all that money. Chinese Films Lead Again After Record May Day Frame; ‘Wrath Of Man’ Cumes $18M In Early Offshore Release https://deadline.com/2021/05/international-box-office-wrath-of-man-china-1234752523/ With Jason Statham’s ‘Wrath of Man’ at #1, It’s Another Testosterone Weekend at the Box Office https://www.indiewire.com/2021/05/jason-statham-wrath-of-man-weekend-box-office-1234636049/ A Teenager Mistakenly Moved Into a Senior Living Complex. TikTok Loves It. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/03/us/madison-kohout-tiktok-retirement-community.html Awards HQ May 3: My Ambitious Oscars Plan https://variety.com/2021/tv/awards/awards-hq-may-3-newsletter-emmys-1234965573/ HFPA Members Approve Sweeping Overhaul for Embattled Golden Globes Group https://variety.com/2021/awards/awards/hfpa-golden-globes-overhaul-1234968168/ ‘Thunder Force’ Opens With Thunderous Viewership on Weekly Streaming Lists https://variety.com/2021/tv/ratings/tv-ratings-thunder-force-them-falcon-and-winter-soldier-1234968310/ Report Urges Library Leaders to Address Decline in Public Library Usage Stats https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/libraries/article/86256-report-urges-library-leaders-to-address-decline-in-public-library-usage.html ‘A Quiet Place’ Stars Think Paramount Owes Them Money https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-06/-a-quiet-place-stars-emily-blunt-john-krasinski-want-more-money-from-paramount Tawny Kitaen,

Roku and YouTube TV are locked in a very public dispute over a distribution agreement. Roku claims YouTube is playing games with its user data, while YouTube says it won’t share its user data with Roku. Now the YouTube TV app has been removed from the Roku channel store and if the fight escalates Roku could block the service entirely. We explain how this dispute could shape how viewers access streaming services in the future. Meanwhile the Grammys are dumping the nominating committees which made the big decisions on major categories. These secret committees were originally created because the voters at large were missing obvious critical and commercial successes like The Weeknd. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including how SAG-AFTRA is creating a certification for on-set intimacy coordinators, John Mayer will host his own music program and hockey gets a streaming payday. Box Office: ‘Demon Slayer’ Edges Out ‘Mortal Kombat’ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/box-office-demon-slayer-edges-out-mortal-kombat-4177140/ Local Titles Lead China Holiday & Global Chart; Hollywood On Deck To Rev Up Offshore Biz https://deadline.com/2021/05/china-may-day-movies-godzilla-vs-kong-f9-global-international-box-office-1234748485/ ‘Sexual Predator’: Actor Noel Clarke Accused of Groping, Harassment and Bullying by 20 Women https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2021/apr/29/actor-noel-clarke-accused-of-groping-harassment-and-bullying-by-20-women SAG-AFTRA Launches Sexual Harassment Reporting Site & New Standards For Intimacy Coordinators https://deadline.com/2021/04/sag-aftra-launches-sexual-harassment-reporting-site-new-standards-for-intimacy-coordinators-1234746592/ NHL Turner Sports Deal Includes Live Game Rights for HBO Max https://www.engadget.com/nhl-warnermedia-streaming-deal-234502007.html Roku Removes YouTube TV From Channel Store as Dispute with Google Escalates https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/30/22411711/roku-removes-youtube-tv-channel-store The Recording Academy Announces Major Changes For The 2022 GRAMMY Awards Show https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/2022-grammys-recording-academy-announces-major-changes Spotify to Increase Some Subscription Prices In The US, Europe and the UK https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/spotify-to-increase-some-subscription-prices-in-the-uk-europe-and-the-us/ Tencent Could Be Hit With $1.5 billion Fine and Forced to Sell Two Music Apps In China

Delayed by two months due to the COVID pandemic and with almost no blockbuster studio films to nominate, it’s a small miracle this year’s Oscars ceremony took place at all. This year the Academy honored the most diverse slate of nominees in its 93 year history. Anne Thompson, Indiewire’s editor-at-large, joins us to discuss the night’s winners, the awkward telecast and the unusual awards season we just lived through. Meanwhile, thing’s keep getting worse for producer Scott Rudin. Not only has he stepped back from all film and television work, but he also left the Broadway League which may have a serious impact on his ability to stage a comeback down the road. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including why YouTube and Roku can’t get along, why Apple is headed to court over ownership of the music they sell on iTunes and Netflix continues to spend record amounts on new content. How the History-Making 2021 Oscars Went Down, from Chloé Zhao to Anthony Hopkins’ No-Zoom Anticlimax https://www.indiewire.com/2021/04/oscars-2021-oscar-wins-hollywood-1234632017/ Oscars 2021: 5 Final Takeaways from an Unpredictable Night https://www.indiewire.com/video/oscars-2021-recap-screen-talk-331-1234633516/ ‘Mortal Kombat’ & ‘Demon Slayer’ Overperform On Sunday After Intense Box Office Brawl; Anime Pic Busts Past $21M https://deadline.com/2021/04/mortal-kombat-demon-slayer-weekend-box-office-battle-1234742886/ ‘Godzilla Vs Kong’ Thrashes Past $400M Global; ‘Demon Slayer’ Reaches New WW Milestone https://deadline.com/2021/04/godzilla-vs-kong-demon-slayer-milestones-mortal-kombat-global-international-box-office-1234743062/ Oscar Ratings Plunge Nearly 60 Percent https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/04/26/oscar-viewership-nielsen-numbers/ Falcon & Winter Soldier’s First Two Episodes Top Nielsen Streaming Chart https://screenrant.com/falcon-winter-soldier-show-nielsen-streaming-chart-ranking/ The Short, Unhappy Life of Europe’s Super League Apple Lawsuit Over ‘Buy’ and ‘Rent’ Labels for Digital Content Can Continue, Rules Federal Judge https://www.theverge.com/2021/4/23/22399008/apple-lawsuit-over-buy-and-rent-labels-for-digital-content-can-continue-rules-federal-judge Winners and Losers of Roku Going to War With YouTube TV https://www.fool.com/investing/2021/04/27/winners-and-losers-of-roku-going-to-war-with-youtu/ Why Don’t Some TV Shows Sound the Way They Used To?

With a string of hit, award winning movies like “Parasite” and global pop-phenoms like BTS, Asian culture is having a moment in the spotlight. Thus it may be an opportune time for the publication of “The Good Asian,” a new comic book series about a detective in San Francisco’s Chinatown in 1936. We talk to Pornsak Pichetshote, its creator, who is a big player in comics, having edited top titles for DC’s Vertigo and helping launch its new TV division. Meanwhile, as Broadway tries to reopen after the pandemic, powerhouse producer Scott Rudin is facing some fallout after a media profile about his past abusive, bullying behavior. Rudin says he will now step away from day-to-day oversight of his ongoing and future productions to prevent talent from backing out. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including London’s West End prepares to reopen, Univision and Televisa announce a merger and the 46th annual IRA Awards. The Good Asian by Pornsak Pichetshote https://imagecomics.com/comics/series/the-good-asian ‘Godzilla Vs Kong’ Nears $400M Worldwide; ‘Detective Conan: The Scarlet Bullet’ Wins Weekend Round https://deadline.com/2021/04/godzilla-vs-kong-detective-conan-the-scarlet-bullet-lord-of-the-rings-mortal-kombat-china-global-international-box-office-1234739006/ Bollywood Locked Down As Mumbai Government Halts Film & TV Shoots For Two Weeks Due To Soaring Covid Cases https://deadline.com/2021/04/bollywood-locked-down-indian-government-halts-film-tv-shoots-two-weeks-soaring-covid-cases-1234735715/ Arclight Cinemas, Pacific Theatres Will Close Permanently https://variety.com/2021/film/news/arclight-cinemas-pacific-theatres-covid-1234949832/ ‘Soul’ And ‘Wolfwalkers’ Dominate 48th Annie Awards; ‘Hilda’ Led On Series Side https://www.cartoonbrew.com/ideas-commentary/soul-and-wolfwalkers-dominate-48th-annie-awards-204408.html The 46th Annual IRA Awards https://popsurfing.blogspot.com/2021/04/the-iras-say-metoo-but-in-good-way-at.html ‘Moulin Rouge!’ Star Karen Olivo Won’t Return To Broadway Production In Rudin Protest https://deadline.com/2021/04/moulin-rouge-karen-olivo-scott-rudin-broadway-production-protest-industry-silence-1234734448/ After Bullying Reports, Scott Rudin Says He’ll Step Back From Broadway https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/17/theater/scott-rudin-bullying-broadway.html Imprisoned Belarus Film Festival Director Tatsiana Hatsura-Yavorska Released After International Outcry

After remaining dormant for most of the past year “Godzilla vs. Kong” revived the box office with the best opening weekend since the COVID-19 pandemic bega. The monster movie has taken in over $350 million globally despite being available on HBO Max. in $38 million despite being available on HBO Max. Does this mean big blockbuster movies can open day-and-date and score big even if they’re available online via a streamer? Uh, no. Meanwhile, politics is stressing out Hollywood. Whether it’s human rights issues in China or voting rights issues in Georgia, Hollywood is not happy about being forced to take sides. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including producer Scott Rudin being exposed as a bully after decades of bad behavior, “Game of Thrones” may be headed to Broadway and singer Lil Nas X stirs up some controversy with his latest chart topper. ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’ Tops $350 Million at Global Box Office https://variety.com/2021/film/news/godzilla-vs-kong-box-office-1234948917/ China Box Office: ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ Knocked Down Again by Local Comedy ‘Sister’ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-godzilla-vs-kong-knocked-down-again-by-local-comedy-sister Netflix Buys ‘Knives Out’ Sequels for $450m https://variety.com/2021/film/news/netflix-buys-knives-out-sequels-450-million-1234941995/ DGA Awards: Chloe Zhao Wins for Nomadland https://variety.com/2021/film/news/dga-awards-winners-list-directors-guild-1234948698/ ‘Nomadland’ Wins Big at Diverse BAFTAs https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/11/movies/baftas-winners-nomadland-zhao.html SAG Awards 2021: ‘Trial of the Chicago 7,’ ‘The Crown,’ ‘Schitt’s Creek’ Win Big https://www.indiewire.com/2021/04/2021-sag-awards-show-winners-list-1234627755/ Scott Rudin’s Ex-Staffers Speak Out on Abusive Behavior https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/features/everyone-just-knows-hes-an-absolute-monster-scott-rudins-ex-staffers-speak-out-on-abusive-behavior After Scott Rudin Bullying Exposé, There Are Mostly Crickets https://apnews.com/article/business-theater-scott-rudin-50906cef1770db71278220f8565e0a04 ‘Coming 2 America’ Repeats as Nielsen Streaming Leader https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/coming-2-america-repeats-nielsen-streaming-leader Supreme Court Backs FCC, Allows Relaxed Media-Ownership Limits https:/...

With North American movie theaters starting to reopen with limited capacity and European cinemas set to follow in the months ahead what new theatrical releases will be available to them, and for how long, is becoming more apparent. Studios are not only deciding when they are going to release their blockbusters, but more importantly whether they will launch them simultaneously on streaming platforms. In the process they are reaching agreements with cinema operators over the future of theatrical release windows. Meanwhile, what counts as this year’s awards season continues to chug along with the Producers Guild handing out their awards. Though many of the same movies keep taking home the big prizes with each new ceremony, it’s always important to remember that this doesn’t mean they are guaranteed Oscar trophies. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including the list of this year’s new entries to the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress, Warner Bros. Music heads to China and who is guest hosting the television game show Jeopardy in the absence of the late Alex Trebek. ‘Nobody’ Takes No. 1 With $6.7M; Los Angeles Market Leads B.O. Again With $1.1M https://deadline.com/2021/03/nobody-weekend-box-office-opening-bob-odenkirk-1234723375/ ‘Godzilla Vs. Kong’ Has Monster $123M Overseas Debut, Sets Record Start For Hollywood During Pandemic https://deadline.com/2021/03/godzilla-vs-kong-opening-weekend-china-international-box-office-1234722557/ CBS Critiques Itself Over “Legitimizing” Woody Allen Interview https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cbs-critiques-itself-over-legitimizing-woody-allen-interview Sharon Osbourne Is Out at ‘The Talk’ https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sharon-osbourne-is-out-at-the-talk ‘Ginny & Georgia’ Opens at No. 1 on Nielsen Streaming Charts https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/ginny-georgia-opens-no-1-nielsen-streaming-charts Warner Music Teams Up with Tencent to Crack China https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/warner-music-teams-up-with-tencent-to-crack-china/ar-BB1eR5KN Janet Jackson and Kermit the Frog Added to National Recording Registry https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/24/arts/music/national-recording-registry-janet-jackson.html Country Star Morgan Wallen Has Had the No. 1 Album for 10 Weeks — and the Industry Is Happy He’s Nowhere in Sight https://variety.com/2021/music/news/morgan-wallen-when-comeback-number-one-album-streak-country-radio-1234936739/ Justin Bieber Debuts at No. 1 on Hot 100 With ‘Peaches,’ Becomes 1st Solo Male to Open Atop Hot 100 & Billboard 200 in Same Week

With world-wide subscriptions surpassing 1 billion last year, every movie studio and every television network is pouring money into streaming video services. They’re hoping to make more money with subscribers than the untold billions they’ve been raking in for decades at the box office, through advertising, in syndication or sales of Blu-Rays. And while these services are quick to tell us how many subscribers they have, it’s anyone’s guess as to how many people are actually tuning in to their programming. Theatrical box office is another statistic that has gotten harder to track during the pandemic with many distributors delaying the reporting of grosses. Even so, the Motion Picture Association added up all the numbers for 2020 and reported that global box office was down over 70 percent to $12 billion. Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including the NFL’s new relationship with Amazon, Hollywood agencies are getting into celebrity estate management and a trip to this year’s SXSW Film Festival. China Box Office: ‘Avatar’ Leads With a Further $14 Million https://variety.com/2021/film/box-office/avatar-china-box-office-21-bridges-1234935360/ L.A. Box Office Blasts Off To $1.55M https://deadline.com/2021/03/weekend-box-office-kelly-marie-tran-los-angeles-raya-and-the-last-dragon-1234718593/ SXSW Film Awards: ‘The Fallout’ and ‘Lily Topples the World’ Win Top Prizes at Festival https://www.indiewire.com/2021/03/sxsw-film-awards-2021-1234624681/ ‘Promising Young Woman’ and ‘Borat’ Win at Writers Guild Awards https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/21/movies/promising-young-woman-borat-writers-guild-awards.html Oscars Broadcast in China in Jeopardy Over Nomination of Hong Kong Protest Documentary https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/oscars-broadcast-in-china-in-jeopardy-over-nomination-of-hong-kong-protest-documentar Class Action Claims “Sweetheart” Deal Between Writers Guild, Viacom Over Streaming https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/class-action-claims-sweetheart-deal-between-writers-guild-viacom-over-streaming WME Moves Into the Celebrity Estate Business With Legends Group: Andy Kaufman, Eartha Kitt, Peter Tosh, CBGB First Up https://variety.com/2021/film/news/wme-legends-celebrity-estate-reps-andy-kaufman-eartha-kitt-1234931914/ Beijing Asks Alibaba to Shed Its Media Assets https://www.wsj.com/articles/beijing-asks-alibaba-to-shed-its-media-assets-11615809999 What the NFL’s New TV Deal Means for the League, Fans and Networks