Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LinkedIn here if ya like), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on WEDNESDAY Aug 16, 2023.
Where since APPLE has already claimed your ‘face print’ to open your phones (although I’m still a code punch-in guy myself), AMAZON is now coming for your handprint.
They’re installing hand scanners at all WHOLE FOODS by end of year as a method of payment (um, you do keep your hand – your palm-print can just be linked to your PRIME account/credit card etc).
But at this point, I don’t even wanna know what body part GOOGLE and META are going to ask for… 😳.
AND: Madonna’s US tour dates have been rescheduled starting Dec 13 in NYC, and a couple dates in Vegas & SF have been canceled as a result.
PLUS: AMAZON MUSIC’s Unlimited plan for PRIME subs is going up $1 to $10 a month, and the family plan is also going up $1 to $16 a month… about a year after its last $1 price hike 🫤. Annual plans are going up $10 for each as well.
Non-Prime folks already got their price hike in Feb to $11 a month (same as APPLE MUSIC & SPOTIFY).
ALSO: This Blind Side thing is starting to sound pretty sad… wherever the truth lies – read between the lines yourself as ya like… as the Tuohy’s lawyer, Marty Singer, responded with claims of a $15 million shakedown before his petition was filed among other statements.
🪧 STRIKE FORCE
Lo and behold – the WGA already brought its thoughts back to the AMPTP on its proposal from Friday – those writers sure do quick notes 👏.
Shockingly, the WGA’s response wasn’t “Wow looks great! Glad that’s over, amirite? 😂”… but seemingly rather more of a “The second act needs more work” variety – so it appears the ball is likely back in the AMPTP’s court.
Elaine has ya covered here on all the things to know 👇 at Strikegeist as always, which just crossed 6,000 subscribers 👏 – again, it’s totally free to read/subscribe.
No Deal (Yet): Writers, Studios Meet Again – Strikegeist
The Sean Penn / Dakota Johnson TIFF/Fall Fest indie pic Daddio is the latest to get a SAG-AFTRA publicity waiver. First Adam Driver, now Sean Penn – not exactly going with the ‘publicity loving’ crowd so far with these waiver choices. /Deadline
SAG-AFTRA said that any buyers at the Fall film fests will have to adhere to the SAG Interim Agreement deal points (including the profit-sharing thing) if they acquire any films that have received the interim agreement. /Variety
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL, PT1:
Ok we’ll do Blue Beetle first this week, tracking has it at $28 Mil to $32 Mil. It’s on 3800 screens, taking all the IMAX screens from Oppenheimer and will have plenty of PLF screens too.
NFL+ Update, Part Two: Thanks to another reader’s note yesterday, I basically studied the NFL+ offering vs. my previous consumer-level glance… so an always great clarification on a correction: only NFL REDZONE is avail on your TV (for $80 a season via NFL+Premium) – your local NFL team’s games will still only be avail via NFL+ on Phone & Tablet, not on your TV.
HOWEVER: The NFL+ app is avail on your TV – you just can’t watch your local team’s games there… i.e. the one thing you actually want NFL+ for.
The TV app gives you highly coveted… live game audio on your TV 🥳 , post-game highlights, and the NFL Network, which uh… is also essentially filled with highlights, and reruns of old playoff games. Definitely worth $40.
Yes Janice, Sports Media is kinda f*cked as the 2020s progress.
We’ll see what the NBA learns from all of this in its new mid-decade TV & Streaming deal tactics. NBA on ABC isn’t looking too shabby after all.
ALSO: GOOGLE/YOUTUBE is now giving you 4 months of free MAX if you signed up for NFL Sunday Ticket (and don’t already have MAX) – thanks for the heads up, Rich. Gotta get creative when you’ve spent $2 Billion a year for out of market NFL games.
IN TODAY’S EDITION
Major film financier brings ‘self dealing’ lawsuit against DISNEY.
How Gal Gadot’s new big NETFLIX action pic stacked up against the 2023 competition thus far.
Plus – what 2013 movie is #3 in the US in its… 10th week on NETFLIX, and updates on their big Int’l titles.
AMAZON adds another film to their Fall theatrical plans, and more.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
NETFLIX Films Weekly Global Viewership Chart
Week of Aug 7 thru Aug 13:
usual caveats: back of the napkin math, assumes everyone finished the movie (including the credits), no one watched twice, or that a bunch of folks didn’t rewind certain parts, etc. so consider these minimum numbers. and it’s based on NETFLIX’s self-reported numbers.
Gal Gadot Opens Strong
The uh, not so great reviews for Gal Gadot action pic Heart of Stone did not hurt it on NETFLIX…
