☀️APPLE commits $1B to Theaters; the state of Theatrical Strategy everywhere else
A24 sets Y2K youth comedy / AMAZON Int'l hints at OP budget trims / TWITTER axes free Blue Checks
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect here on LINKED IN if ya like) and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on FRIDAY March 24, 2023.
Where here on Yellowjackets season 2 premiere day… a 👏 goes out to the SHOWTIME marketing crew for this re-creation of a 90s MTV News break with an AI 90s Kurt Loder doing a piece on the “missing Yellowjackets team”.
Remember when this was the main source of news for teenagers? Somehow I think we were better informed then.
Anyway - fun idea! Great job. (also - anyone else get a twinge of nostalgia for a weekend full of MTV Spring Break in late March every year? Free idea PARAMOUNT+ 🥳! #ripMTV)
INSPIRATION: If you need a kick in the butt to get moving today, look no further than Mr. Pickles! The 90 year-old turtle at the HOUSTON ZOO just became “Dad” to 3 new young’uns with Mrs. Pickles, a turtle 37 years his junior at 53 years-old. I’ll let you make your own HOLLYWOOD joke on this one. The kids’ names? Dill, Gherkin and Jalapeño of course.
SOME MORE POSITIVITY: Talent such as Paul Feig, Krista Vernoff, Chris Cooper, Ramy Youssef and more are supporting an effort for HOLLYWOOD to hire more disabled writers & creatives for their projects through the INEVITABLE FOUNDATION, which offers a Concierge service to connect disabled creative talent with executives & fellow talent.
BUT… CUE ELON: You’ll have to pay-up to be Blue-check verified on TWITTER as of April 1 (next Saturday). All legacy blue checks will be removed next weekend for Individuals who don’t pay the $96 a year… as well as removing the gold checks for Businesses & Organizations who don’t pay the $1,000 a month or $12,000 a year charge.
SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE NEW SMOKING?: The Salt Lake Tribune noted that UTAH just passed a law that… well, couldn’t sound more “UTAH” but has good intentions, restricting social media use among minors from 1030p and 630a, limiting data farming of minors and requiring parental approval to open an account (🤷♂️).
Although given the huge increases in teen depression as well as the rise in teen suicides since the advent of the social media era #coincidence, and the fact that TIKTOK itself has set a one-hour default limit for folks under 18, it’s hard not to see parallels to things like sugar or smoking.
Now, where to place Scrolling on the list at the Federal division of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms? 🤔
WAKEUP Box Office Poll results:
Not much question from ya’ll on John Wick Chapter 4, as 83% of you are thinking Wick clears $68 Million this weekend.
FWIW it did about $8 Million in “previews” yesterday, a 1/3 bump from Part 3.
ALSO: A thank you to LIONSGATE for inviting me to the NYC premiere last week. I can vouch that IMAX is really a great way to go for Wick 4 - come for the big screen visuals… but stay for an amazing sound experience (especially as the dialogue is a bit uh, sparse).
IN TODAY’S EDITION:
APPLE is the latest to shift its thinking on Theatrical, with a reported $1 Billion commitment (mirroring AMAZON’s - Silicon Valley does love an original idea). So - let’s take a look at the various strategies Studios & Streamers have now committed to, as pandemic-era policies & strategies are now fully in the rearview. Except on sets.
A24 greenlights a coming-of-age comedy with a former SNL cast member at the helm.
NETFLIX is courting Nicole Kidman & Liev Schreiber for limited series based on best-seller.
FCC wants Cable TV companies to break out costs for consumers on their bills.
A look at the new TV & Movies to watch this weekend, some really good new trailers and more.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
