☀️LIONSGATE Q1 shows the 💰 power of having a Studio-caliber Library
NEW LINE sets Jack Quaid to lead horror pic / MAX JJ Abrams series shuts down / Top AMC Scripted execs jump to NETFLIX
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect here on LINKED-IN if ya like) and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on FRIDAY May 26, 2023.
Where let’s toast our Friday Morning Coffee ☕️ to the end of the 2022-2023 Broadcast TV season. We’ll see ya again in ‘23-’24… this side or the other.
ALTHOUGH: As we all know, the true buzz this weekend is around the huge weekend for IPL Cricket! The semi-final match this morning will determine who will face off against the CHENNAI SUPER KINGS in the IPL Cricket Final on Sunday! (which is expected to have a viewing audience well over 3X the size of the SUPER BOWL).
36 of the initial 57 IPL matches had over 30 Million viewers on DISNEY STAR linear TV.
JIO CINEMA streaming hit 25 Million viewers for a recent match (in addition to the tens of millions of DISNEY STAR viewers on Linear as well).
DISNEY STAR reported a +44% pop in TV ratings for Week 6 of the tournament vs. a year ago (they’ve also put select matches as free-to-air this year for the first time), and set sizable ratings records into Week 7 of the tournament as well.
SO: If you’re in NYC, swing on by this morning with some bagels (I have the mimosas covered) for my Watch Party at 10a! I just hope my uh… WILLOW TV Streaming service (🤷♂️) doesn’t have the same tech support as TWITTER 🤞.
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL RESULTS
Well, we’ve got a weekend of extremes on Little Mermaid thinking it seems… with the bulls winning but not by much - here’s where ya’ll landed. Happy moviegoing everyone!
IN TODAY’S EDITION:
LIONSGATE shows some solid Q1 numbers now that a large (very unprofitable) portion of their STARZ Int’l biz has been written-off/shut down from the business.
And it turns out - it pays to have a solid Film & TV library full of titles people know! Who knew?
But uh yeah - still no idea what’s gonna happen with splitting the company in… 4 months. #MediaNerd🤓 does one final Q1 Earnings Season breakdown.
NEW LINE sets Jack Quaid in a leading role.
DIRECTV gets their NFL Sunday Ticket bar business back.
EMMYS get a new producer, plus a look at the new things to watch & stream this weekend and more!
🪧 STRIKE UPDATES
MAX’s JJ Abrams / LaToya Morgan series Duster has shut down production in NEW MEXICO due to picket line troubles. /Deadline
DISNEY is hitting pause on production of the MARVEL Thunderbolts pic, which was to begin shooting in June. /Deadline
LIONSGATE is not factoring a “prolonged strike” into their financials at this point, joining the Q1 Earnings Call chorus from other studios… But they did mention the 2007 strike as a realistic comp here for a duration (3 months-ish) 🧐.
Granted their Film Division had a huge Q1, and Film is likely to be less affected, but they also produce CBS’s hit Ghosts and have a Jon Cryer show on NBC’s Fall sched so… may be some hit here to the LGF TV line if the strike goes into the Fall.
📽 THE SILVER TV
