Hi, my name is David, and the last straight-to-streaming film I watched was You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah. (Is there anyone besides Adam Sandler who can turn hanging out with his family into a crowd-pleasing, watchable movie?) After editing Entertainment Strategy Guy’s column this week about where to find the movie theater business’ missing billions, I had to think about the streaming movies my family viewed and what might have convinced us to see them at our local multiplex. That was just one of the mysteries we sought to solve this week, so with no further ado, our best of the week, ICYMI:
Fixing Theatrical’s Woes
Though the Oscars featured some strong box-office performers — you have to go back to the third Lord of the Rings movie (2003) for a best picture winner that made more than Oppenheimer — we’re eons away from exhibition’s heyday. Entertainment Strategy Guy evaluates what the solutions are, the superhero fatigue myth, and why it’s not just about inventory. Also: You simply must check out his chart exploring how much 18 streaming films likely would have made if they’d been released in theaters:
Maybe You Should Have Majored in Math?
That’s what Elaine Low saw as she dove into the lukewarm Hollywood job market for Series Business, analyzing current posted jobs for Disney, Warner Bros. Discovery and Amazon. Data and software gigs are in demand; creative execs, not so much (but wait — there are a few plum gigs available!). Elaine will have even more jobs news in tomorrow’s new Series Business (for paid subscribers):
Post-Oscars Enigmas and Analysis
Richard Rushfield
We don’t blame you if you tuned out after “Hollywood’s biggest night” a week ago, but this newsletter is called In Case You Missed It for a reason! After praising last Sunday’s ceremony (and sharing some BTS snapshots), Richard Rushfield asks the tough questions: What was Jonathan Glazer saying? What is Ava DuVernay trying to say? And what the hell was that In Memoriam?
Prestige Junkie’s Gregg Kilday
Todd Williamson’s Oscar photos
Murdoch’s U.K. Missteps
Right-wing media is prevalent in the U.K. — but in print: Television had been BBC turf. The anti-woke movement of a few years ago inspired Rupert Murdoch to try to emulate his Fox News success, but he’s struggled to make his TalkTV venture — soon to be a digital-only service — work. Plus, he’s facing off against Christian conservative billionaire Sir Paul Marshall, who continues to pump money into his own service, GB News:
☀️THE WAKEUP
Don’t miss Sean McNulty ever, but in particular this week with his brilliant analysis of the streaming ad market now that it represents every company’s great hope:
🎧 PODCASTS
THE ANKLER
Disney, WBD and Hollywood's Jobs Shift 'Help wanted' listings reveal a sea change underway:
👓 THE OPTIONIST
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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