Disney is culling some of its Pixar staff. The layoffs have been looming since January, as Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, wants to cut spending and return to quality over quantity. Now, 14% of Pixar’s staff, or about 150 people, will be let go.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pixar was mostly spared from the Disney purge last year, during which thousands of jobs were cut, mostly in entertainment. Now that projects have finished, Disney is making cuts.
Recent Pixar films have not performed well, except “Elemental.” While a few films like “Luca” and “Turning Red” were released on the DIsney+ streaming service due to the pandemic, “Lightyear” was given the full theatrical treatment, and it bombed, losing an estimated $106 million.
When the pandemic started in 2020, Pixar films, starting with “Soul,” were only released on Disney+. Even when theaters were reopening, Disney still chose to put Pixar releases on the streaming service.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Pixar was mostly spared from the Disney purge last year, during which thousands of jobs were cut, mostly in entertainment. Now that projects have finished, Disney is making cuts.
Recent Pixar films have not performed well, except “Elemental.” While a few films like “Luca” and “Turning Red” were released on the DIsney+ streaming service due to the pandemic, “Lightyear” was given the full theatrical treatment, and it bombed, losing an estimated $106 million.
When the pandemic started in 2020, Pixar films, starting with “Soul,” were only released on Disney+. Even when theaters were reopening, Disney still chose to put Pixar releases on the streaming service.
- 5/21/2024
- by Kambrea Pratt
- Pirates & Princesses
Animation studio Pixar has let go of 175 employees today, roughly 14 percent of its workforce. More on the story below.
We never enjoy writing these kinds of news stories. Pixar is the latest studio to lay off some of its staff as 175 workers were let go today (21st May).
Deadline reported in January that Pixar was looking to cut some of its workforce to reduce costs, but the layoffs still come as an unpleasant surprise, especially to the workers affected. The cuts were rumoured to affect as much as 20 percent of Pixar’s workforce, but the actual number is the equivalent of 14 percent.
Pixar, like many studios, has been struggling since the pandemic. Three Pixar films – Luca, Turning Red and Soul, all excellent – were released directly on Disney+ and audiences have somewhat come to expect quick access to films, especially as cinema ticket prices soar.
Read more: Dìdi | New, heartwarming trailer...
We never enjoy writing these kinds of news stories. Pixar is the latest studio to lay off some of its staff as 175 workers were let go today (21st May).
Deadline reported in January that Pixar was looking to cut some of its workforce to reduce costs, but the layoffs still come as an unpleasant surprise, especially to the workers affected. The cuts were rumoured to affect as much as 20 percent of Pixar’s workforce, but the actual number is the equivalent of 14 percent.
Pixar, like many studios, has been struggling since the pandemic. Three Pixar films – Luca, Turning Red and Soul, all excellent – were released directly on Disney+ and audiences have somewhat come to expect quick access to films, especially as cinema ticket prices soar.
Read more: Dìdi | New, heartwarming trailer...
- 5/21/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Pixar was hit with layoffs on Tuesday as approximately 175 employees, or 14% of its workforce, were let go.
In a note to staff, Pixar president Jim Morris said that individuals who have been impacted by the layoffs will be notified on Tuesday. “Calendar invites to speak with a leader have already gone out to those individuals, and we anticipate we will have connected with everyone impacted by the end of the day,” he wrote.
Pixar employees have been bracing for layoffs since January, but cuts were smaller than the speculated 20% reduction that was reported at the time.
Once considered the gold standard of family films, Pixar has been struggling since the pandemic when its corporate overlords at Disney used the pedigree of the animation brand to prop up its new streaming service. During that period, new offerings “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turning Red” were sent directly to Disney+ and family audiences became...
In a note to staff, Pixar president Jim Morris said that individuals who have been impacted by the layoffs will be notified on Tuesday. “Calendar invites to speak with a leader have already gone out to those individuals, and we anticipate we will have connected with everyone impacted by the end of the day,” he wrote.
Pixar employees have been bracing for layoffs since January, but cuts were smaller than the speculated 20% reduction that was reported at the time.
Once considered the gold standard of family films, Pixar has been struggling since the pandemic when its corporate overlords at Disney used the pedigree of the animation brand to prop up its new streaming service. During that period, new offerings “Soul,” “Luca” and “Turning Red” were sent directly to Disney+ and family audiences became...
- 5/21/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The long-expected layoffs at Pixar Animation Studios have begun.
Today, leadership at the storied company that traces it origins to the late Steve Jobs and was bought by Disney in 2006 will notify employees of the reductions, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. It is the biggest restructuring in Pixar’s history, although top leadership isn’t impacted.
Approximately 14 percent of Pixar’s workforce, or around 175 employees, will be let go. Before the reductions, approximately 1,300 people worked at the animation studio.
The layoffs are part of Disney chief Bob Iger’s overarching mandate to return to a focus on quality, versus churning out content for streaming which was a priority for his sort-lived successor, Bob Chapek. Disney execs have talked about returning to a focus on quality during numerous earnings calls this year, saying creative teams across the company were stretched too thin in the arms race to feed streamers.
Pixar employees...
Today, leadership at the storied company that traces it origins to the late Steve Jobs and was bought by Disney in 2006 will notify employees of the reductions, The Hollywood Reporter has learned. It is the biggest restructuring in Pixar’s history, although top leadership isn’t impacted.
Approximately 14 percent of Pixar’s workforce, or around 175 employees, will be let go. Before the reductions, approximately 1,300 people worked at the animation studio.
The layoffs are part of Disney chief Bob Iger’s overarching mandate to return to a focus on quality, versus churning out content for streaming which was a priority for his sort-lived successor, Bob Chapek. Disney execs have talked about returning to a focus on quality during numerous earnings calls this year, saying creative teams across the company were stretched too thin in the arms race to feed streamers.
Pixar employees...
- 5/21/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tickets went on sale for Disney and Pixar's Inside Out 2 earlier today, and we're now just one month away from watching the long-awaited sequel to the 2015 hit movie. This follow-up will welcome different Emotions to now-teenager Riley's mind, and a newly released clip shows the returning fan favourites getting acquainted with Anxiety.
Earlier this year, director Kelsey Mann promised Anxiety is going to stir things up within headquarters. "Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, might be new to the crew, but she’s not really the type to take a back seat. That makes a lot of sense if you think about it in terms of what goes on inside all our minds."
Pixar has also shared some new posters for the movie featuring a mix of characters and we'd guess that one final trailer will head our way in the coming weeks.
The studio has struggled since the pandemic,...
Earlier this year, director Kelsey Mann promised Anxiety is going to stir things up within headquarters. "Anxiety, voiced by Maya Hawke, might be new to the crew, but she’s not really the type to take a back seat. That makes a lot of sense if you think about it in terms of what goes on inside all our minds."
Pixar has also shared some new posters for the movie featuring a mix of characters and we'd guess that one final trailer will head our way in the coming weeks.
The studio has struggled since the pandemic,...
- 5/15/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Bob Iger wants you to marvel more at his Marvel films and series. To make them better, he’s making fewer.
On Tuesday, the Disney CEO said Marvel is going to decrease its volume to “probably about two TV series a year” and 2-3 movies annually.
“We’ve been working hard with the studio to reduce output and focus on quality,” Iger said on Disney’s fiscal second quarter (Q2) earnings call. “That’s particularly true with Marvel.”
“We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four, and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two— a maximum of three,” he continued.
Cool, so what you got? Iger said Marvel has “a couple of good films in [2025], and then we’re heading to more ‘Avengers,’ which we’re extremely excited about.”
He says...
On Tuesday, the Disney CEO said Marvel is going to decrease its volume to “probably about two TV series a year” and 2-3 movies annually.
“We’ve been working hard with the studio to reduce output and focus on quality,” Iger said on Disney’s fiscal second quarter (Q2) earnings call. “That’s particularly true with Marvel.”
“We’re slowly going to decrease volume and go to probably about two TV series a year instead of what had become four, and reduce our film output from maybe four a year to two— a maximum of three,” he continued.
Cool, so what you got? Iger said Marvel has “a couple of good films in [2025], and then we’re heading to more ‘Avengers,’ which we’re extremely excited about.”
He says...
- 5/7/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Disney+ is back on a growth trajectory, thank goodness. Even better? Disney+ is darn close to actually making money.
After an October 2023 price hike, the core Disney+ service lost 1.3 million subscribers. Not this time. From January-March 2024, it added 6.3 million subscribers — and its Arpu (average revenue per user) increased by 44 cents. Disney+ now has 117.6 million subs, not counting Disney+ Hotstar. More than half of those are outside of the U.S. and Canada.
In February, Disney predicted Disney+ (again not counting Hotstar) would add between 5.5 and 6 million subs from January to March. Underpromise/overdeliver: always a solid strategy in business.
Disney’s direct-to-consumer (Dtc) business lost just $18 million in the quarter, which for the company is its fiscal second quarter of 2024. Last quarter, the loss was $138 million. Disney CEO Bob Iger has previously said Disney+ will be profitable by the final quarter of the company’s fiscal-year 2024 — so, by September 30, 2024 — a timeline he reiterated on Tuesday.
After an October 2023 price hike, the core Disney+ service lost 1.3 million subscribers. Not this time. From January-March 2024, it added 6.3 million subscribers — and its Arpu (average revenue per user) increased by 44 cents. Disney+ now has 117.6 million subs, not counting Disney+ Hotstar. More than half of those are outside of the U.S. and Canada.
In February, Disney predicted Disney+ (again not counting Hotstar) would add between 5.5 and 6 million subs from January to March. Underpromise/overdeliver: always a solid strategy in business.
Disney’s direct-to-consumer (Dtc) business lost just $18 million in the quarter, which for the company is its fiscal second quarter of 2024. Last quarter, the loss was $138 million. Disney CEO Bob Iger has previously said Disney+ will be profitable by the final quarter of the company’s fiscal-year 2024 — so, by September 30, 2024 — a timeline he reiterated on Tuesday.
- 5/7/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Luca Guadagnino Says No Movie Should Have ‘90 Takes’ Per Scene: ‘Why Do You Have to Torture People?’
Many film directors, including the likes of David Fincher and Stanley Kubrick, openly believe in capturing endless takes of their actors as a way of giving space to the unexpected. But Luca Guadagnino is coming out against the philosophy. In a recent New York Times interview for “Challengers”, Guadagnino explained why he’s happy to walk away after one or two takes of a scene. “I hate pushing,” he said. “If it’s great, why do you have to torture people?”
“It’s exciting when you observe performance,” Guadagnino continued. “I will quit the moment in which I know that I’m going to be lazy or bored or I don’t have this energy of seeing performance happening — which, by the way, doesn’t need to take 90 takes. I think this movie is an average of one or two.”
In the realm of filmmaking, this is a surprisingly unique perspective,...
“It’s exciting when you observe performance,” Guadagnino continued. “I will quit the moment in which I know that I’m going to be lazy or bored or I don’t have this energy of seeing performance happening — which, by the way, doesn’t need to take 90 takes. I think this movie is an average of one or two.”
In the realm of filmmaking, this is a surprisingly unique perspective,...
- 4/27/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
The Spiderwick Chronicles made its debut on Roku this past Friday and for the show’s press junket, I got to sit down and have a brief but delightful conversation with two of the show’s stars. Jack Dylan Grazer, best known for the two Shazam films and Pixar’s Luca, who voices the mischevious boggart Thimbletack, and Alyvia Alyn Lind, whose previous work includes The Young and The Restless as well as the Chucky TV series, who plays Mulgarath’s adopted daughter Calliope.
Also Read: The Spiderwick Chronicles (2024) Review – A Fantastical Pleasant Surprise Featured Video:
Alyvia Alyn Lind as Calliope in The Spiderwick Chronicles
“Everything she does is just slightly off.” – Alyvia Alyn Lind
The main thing I discussed with both of these actors is the challenge of playing sympathetic yet antagonistic characters. For instance, Calliope starts the series off as a devoted acolyte of Mulgarath eager to see humanity devoured,...
Also Read: The Spiderwick Chronicles (2024) Review – A Fantastical Pleasant Surprise Featured Video:
Alyvia Alyn Lind as Calliope in The Spiderwick Chronicles
“Everything she does is just slightly off.” – Alyvia Alyn Lind
The main thing I discussed with both of these actors is the challenge of playing sympathetic yet antagonistic characters. For instance, Calliope starts the series off as a devoted acolyte of Mulgarath eager to see humanity devoured,...
- 4/22/2024
- by Callie Hanna
- FandomWire
Will Poulter’s arrival in the Hollywood circuit was a nondescript event followed by a splattering of teenage comic roles and anti-heroic sidekicks. It wasn’t until his arc in Jeremy Allen White’s series The Bear that the audience began seeing the actor as a true male lead, worthy not only of the spot at the top but looking every inch deserving of it. Quiet, focused, centered, and gravitational — something about Poulter’s role as Chef Luca drew the audience in like moths to a flame. The attraction to his character didn’t lie in his composed charm but in the unnamed, unspecified weight that he seemed to silently shoulder in his self-isolated corner of the world.
The Bear [Credit: FX]Now that Poulter is reportedly making a comeback in The Bear Season 3, the urgency attached to the series has grown threefold. The weight of his talent can then be...
The Bear [Credit: FX]Now that Poulter is reportedly making a comeback in The Bear Season 3, the urgency attached to the series has grown threefold. The weight of his talent can then be...
- 4/19/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
The S.W.A.T. Season 7 finale, which wrapped filming last week — just two days after the surprise un-cancellation news came through — as written left things “wide open” for more adventures for Hondo & Co.
S.W.A.T. showrunner Andrew Dettmann had told TVLine ahead of the seventh and “final” season, “Look, it was presented to us as definitively final. But I’ve always said, as I talk to the actors and the other writers here, everybody holds out hope. Your show’s not gone till your show’s gone, right? So, we’re approaching it to make it a wonderful farewell if that turns out to be what it is.
S.W.A.T. showrunner Andrew Dettmann had told TVLine ahead of the seventh and “final” season, “Look, it was presented to us as definitively final. But I’ve always said, as I talk to the actors and the other writers here, everybody holds out hope. Your show’s not gone till your show’s gone, right? So, we’re approaching it to make it a wonderful farewell if that turns out to be what it is.
- 4/16/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
After months of promoting the final season of S.W.A.T., CBS reversed course Thursday afternoon with the following announcement:
S.W.A.T. has been renewed for Season 8!
The news comes midway through what was previously teased as the seventh and final season.
As you’ll recall, S.W.A.T. was canceled a year ago, before the network walked it back a few days later with a renewal.
The latest twist comes as the hit Shemar Moore drama has been (carefully) wrapping up the storylines of some of the drama’s most beloved characters.
Kenny Johnson’s Luca was written out earlier this month. The character retired after revealing he wasn’t too keen on the idea of desk duty after an injury rendered him unfit to go out in the field with his team.
S.W.A.T. Season 7 is currently delivering huge ratings
S.W.A.T. Season 7 is currently averaging 8.8 million total viewers in live + 35-day multiplatform viewing,...
S.W.A.T. has been renewed for Season 8!
The news comes midway through what was previously teased as the seventh and final season.
As you’ll recall, S.W.A.T. was canceled a year ago, before the network walked it back a few days later with a renewal.
The latest twist comes as the hit Shemar Moore drama has been (carefully) wrapping up the storylines of some of the drama’s most beloved characters.
Kenny Johnson’s Luca was written out earlier this month. The character retired after revealing he wasn’t too keen on the idea of desk duty after an injury rendered him unfit to go out in the field with his team.
S.W.A.T. Season 7 is currently delivering huge ratings
S.W.A.T. Season 7 is currently averaging 8.8 million total viewers in live + 35-day multiplatform viewing,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Paul Dailly
- Monsters and Critics
Before primetime television fans fell in love with Shemar Moore on Criminal Minds, he was a soap opera star. The current star of S.W.A.T. played Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless. The big news for the daytime soap opera’s fans is that Moore said he would return to the show.
Here is what Moore had to say about The Young and the Restless.
Shemar Moore Willing To Return To The Young And The Restless
Shemar Moore starred as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless from 1994 until 2005. He also returned with guest appearances in 2014, 2019, and again in 2023. Malcolm is the half-brother of Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) and had several conflicts with his brother. This includes getting Neil’s wife pregnant. His return in 2019 was after St. John died and Malcolm returned after Neil’s death on the show.
Moore surprisingly returned in May 2023 during The Young and the Restless...
Here is what Moore had to say about The Young and the Restless.
Shemar Moore Willing To Return To The Young And The Restless
Shemar Moore starred as Malcolm Winters on The Young and the Restless from 1994 until 2005. He also returned with guest appearances in 2014, 2019, and again in 2023. Malcolm is the half-brother of Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) and had several conflicts with his brother. This includes getting Neil’s wife pregnant. His return in 2019 was after St. John died and Malcolm returned after Neil’s death on the show.
Moore surprisingly returned in May 2023 during The Young and the Restless...
- 4/10/2024
- by Shawn Lealos
- TV Shows Ace
Universal’s “Kung Fu Panda 4” topped the U.K. and Ireland box office with £2.8 million ($3.6 million), according to numbers from Comscore. The film now has a total of £12.7 million after two weekends.
Also in its second weekend, Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” collected £1.9 million in second place for a total of £9.1 million.
In third place, in its third weekend, Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” added £1.3 million for a total of £12.1 million. In fourth position, in its sixth weekend, Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part II” collected £1.1 million for a total of £36.8 million. Universal’s “Monkey Man,” directed by and starring Dev Patel, debuted in fifth place with £810,253.
There were three more top 10 debuts – Disney’s “The First Omen” in sixth place with £521,573, Entertainment Film Distributors’ “Seize Them!” in eighth with £132,207 and Disney’s “Luca” in 10th with £110,964.
There are three mid-week releases on Wednesday, April 10. To coincide with the Eid festival,...
Also in its second weekend, Warner Bros.’ “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire” collected £1.9 million in second place for a total of £9.1 million.
In third place, in its third weekend, Sony’s “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” added £1.3 million for a total of £12.1 million. In fourth position, in its sixth weekend, Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part II” collected £1.1 million for a total of £36.8 million. Universal’s “Monkey Man,” directed by and starring Dev Patel, debuted in fifth place with £810,253.
There were three more top 10 debuts – Disney’s “The First Omen” in sixth place with £521,573, Entertainment Film Distributors’ “Seize Them!” in eighth with £132,207 and Disney’s “Luca” in 10th with £110,964.
There are three mid-week releases on Wednesday, April 10. To coincide with the Eid festival,...
- 4/10/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (Apr 5-7)Total gross to dateWeek 1. Kung Fu Panda 4 (Universal) £2.8m £12.8m 2 2. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (Warner Bros) £2m £9.2m 2 3. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (Sony) £1.4m £12.1m 3 4. Dune: Part Two (Warner Bros) £1.1m £36.8m 6 5. Monkey Man (Universal) £763,004 £809,767 1
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Universal animation Kung Fu Panda 4 knocked Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire off top spot at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend; as Dev Patel’s Monkey Man started in fifth place.
Kung Fu Panda 4 added £2.8m on its second weekend – a 28% drop that brings it to £12.8m. It is already...
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.26
Universal animation Kung Fu Panda 4 knocked Godzilla x Kong: A New Empire off top spot at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend; as Dev Patel’s Monkey Man started in fifth place.
Kung Fu Panda 4 added £2.8m on its second weekend – a 28% drop that brings it to £12.8m. It is already...
- 4/8/2024
- ScreenDaily
S.W.A.T. fans said goodbye to an original this week as fan-favorite Luca ended up written out of the show. This was a tough pill to swallow for many fans, and it was even harder for actor Kenny Johnson. In an interview after his final episode, Johnson talked about his character’s end and how hard it was to film his final episode.
Here is what Johnson had to say about his S.W.A.T. ending.
S.W.A.T. Says Goodbye To Luca
Heading into this week’s S.W.A.T. episode, many fans believed Luca would die. It was already known that Kenny Johnson was leaving the hit series, and his death would have devastated everyone. it was even worse because Johnson’s real-life daughter Angelica plays his daughter Kelly in the show and her character was with Luca when he was gunned down trying to stop a robbery.
The episode saw Kelly kneeling over Luca crying.
Here is what Johnson had to say about his S.W.A.T. ending.
S.W.A.T. Says Goodbye To Luca
Heading into this week’s S.W.A.T. episode, many fans believed Luca would die. It was already known that Kenny Johnson was leaving the hit series, and his death would have devastated everyone. it was even worse because Johnson’s real-life daughter Angelica plays his daughter Kelly in the show and her character was with Luca when he was gunned down trying to stop a robbery.
The episode saw Kelly kneeling over Luca crying.
- 4/6/2024
- by Shawn Lealos
- TV Shows Ace
Dev Patel’s feature directorial debut Monkey Man leads the new films at this weekend’s UK-Ireland box office, starting in 592 cinemas through Universal.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
Directed, produced, from a story by and starring Patel, Monkey Man follows an anonymous young man who unleashes a campaign of violence against the corrupt leaders who murdered his mother, and continue to systematically victimise the poor and powerless.
Filmed in early 2021, Netflix originally bought worldwide rights to Monkey Man. After Jordan Peele boarded the title as producer through his Monkeypaw Productions, Universal acquired it from Netflix earlier this year. It debuted at SXSW last month.
- 4/5/2024
- ScreenDaily
Disney's long, costly fight to deny activist investor Nelson Peltz seats on the company's board of directors is over (for now). During today's annual shareholders meeting, Disney announced that investors had voted to reelect all 12 current board members. Peltz's Trian Partners investment firm had sought two seats (one for Peltz and another for Jay Rasulo), but according to Disney their bid fell short by a "significant margin."
Vote totals will be released later today, but specifying the apparent magnitude of Peltz's defeat feels like a bit of an endzone dance by CEO Bob Iger (who's repeatedly called this battle a "distraction" for the company) as well as a warning to the 81-year-old malcontent to knock it off.
Peltz has been waging this war since last year, and in theory, had cause to question the direction of the company given its precipitous stock slide in the wake of former CEO Bob Chapek's departure.
Vote totals will be released later today, but specifying the apparent magnitude of Peltz's defeat feels like a bit of an endzone dance by CEO Bob Iger (who's repeatedly called this battle a "distraction" for the company) as well as a warning to the 81-year-old malcontent to knock it off.
Peltz has been waging this war since last year, and in theory, had cause to question the direction of the company given its precipitous stock slide in the wake of former CEO Bob Chapek's departure.
- 4/3/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Funny, this sure doesn’t look like a sequel problem: “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire” (Sony) took #1 with an on-target $45 million weekend. Although that number was below recent openings for “Dune: Part Two” (Warner Bros.) and “Kung Fu Panda 4” (Universal), all exceeded the openings of their immediate franchise predecessors.
“Frozen Empire” achieved this without the advantages of “Dune” and “Kung Fu Panda” (hunger for a fresh family title) — and with potential pitfalls like weak reviews and a so-so B+ Cinemascore (down from A- for “Afterlife” in 2021).
It suggests a positive result for the $100 million-budgeted fantasy comedy, a good sign in a year when most of the biggest new films will be similarly unoriginal. The three sequels grossed $80 million of the $105 million weekend.
Though this weekend was off by about 11 percent from last year, three out of four weeks month totaled over of $100 million. Expect the same next weekend with the debut...
“Frozen Empire” achieved this without the advantages of “Dune” and “Kung Fu Panda” (hunger for a fresh family title) — and with potential pitfalls like weak reviews and a so-so B+ Cinemascore (down from A- for “Afterlife” in 2021).
It suggests a positive result for the $100 million-budgeted fantasy comedy, a good sign in a year when most of the biggest new films will be similarly unoriginal. The three sequels grossed $80 million of the $105 million weekend.
Though this weekend was off by about 11 percent from last year, three out of four weeks month totaled over of $100 million. Expect the same next weekend with the debut...
- 3/24/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
In a busy weekend at the box office, “Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire,” the Sydney Sweeney horror vehicle “Immaculate,” IFC’s “Late Night with the Devil,” and two animated rereleases (“Luca” and recent Oscar winner “The Boy and the Heron“) will compete for the top spots. Meanwhile, a recent box-office smash is hitting digital platforms.
The contender to watch this week: “Bob Marley: One Love“
Reinaldo Marcus Green‘s biopic about the pioneering reggae singer is still riding its theatrical wave ($170 million worldwide and counting), but “Bob Marley: One Love” is also available to purchase or rent on VOD. Kingsley Ben-Adir shed his Kenergy to play Marley, icon of dorm-room posters and pacifistic chill-out vibes, opposite a supporting cast that includes Lashana Lynch, Tosin Cole, “Happy Valley” breakout James Norton, and Michael Gandolfini. “One Love” is a fairly rote retelling enhanced by its subject’s music, but even the weakest biopic tendencies have a groovy appeal.
The contender to watch this week: “Bob Marley: One Love“
Reinaldo Marcus Green‘s biopic about the pioneering reggae singer is still riding its theatrical wave ($170 million worldwide and counting), but “Bob Marley: One Love” is also available to purchase or rent on VOD. Kingsley Ben-Adir shed his Kenergy to play Marley, icon of dorm-room posters and pacifistic chill-out vibes, opposite a supporting cast that includes Lashana Lynch, Tosin Cole, “Happy Valley” breakout James Norton, and Michael Gandolfini. “One Love” is a fairly rote retelling enhanced by its subject’s music, but even the weakest biopic tendencies have a groovy appeal.
- 3/23/2024
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
With just two episodes left in the season — and coming out of last week’s eye-opening “Paul Is Dead” installment — Apple TV+’s Constellation sci-fi thriller this Wednesday will shed even more light on why exactly astronaut Jo Ericsson (played by Noomi Rapace) has been so damn puzzled by the life she returned to following a deadly Iss mission.
Last week’s aforementioned “Paul Is Dead” episode focused on William Catlett’s character, revealing that in one reality Paul Lancaster actually survived the incident aboard the International Space Station, though Jo did not. That Paul similarly returned to a “home...
Last week’s aforementioned “Paul Is Dead” episode focused on William Catlett’s character, revealing that in one reality Paul Lancaster actually survived the incident aboard the International Space Station, though Jo did not. That Paul similarly returned to a “home...
- 3/18/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Halloween is still seven months away, but Blumhouse is hoping to tide horror fans over by putting some of its library titles back into theaters.
AMC Theatres will host the five-day event in more than 40 cities and on 100 of its locations, with tickets going for $8. The lineup includes Split (Friday, March 29), The Purge (Saturday, March 30), Ouija: Origin of Evil (Sunday, March 31), Insidious (Monday, April 1 — which is the film’s 13th anniversary) and The Invisible Man (Tuesday, April 2).
“We wanted to celebrate local communities of horror fans throughout the country with a fun, affordable and slightly evil night at the movies. We’re grateful to our partners at AMC for helping us bring this idea to life,” said Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum in a statement.
Added AMC EVP worldwide programming and Cco: “Blumhouse films terrify and delight horror fans. We are excited to bring these favorites back to the big screen.
AMC Theatres will host the five-day event in more than 40 cities and on 100 of its locations, with tickets going for $8. The lineup includes Split (Friday, March 29), The Purge (Saturday, March 30), Ouija: Origin of Evil (Sunday, March 31), Insidious (Monday, April 1 — which is the film’s 13th anniversary) and The Invisible Man (Tuesday, April 2).
“We wanted to celebrate local communities of horror fans throughout the country with a fun, affordable and slightly evil night at the movies. We’re grateful to our partners at AMC for helping us bring this idea to life,” said Blumhouse founder and CEO Jason Blum in a statement.
Added AMC EVP worldwide programming and Cco: “Blumhouse films terrify and delight horror fans. We are excited to bring these favorites back to the big screen.
- 3/15/2024
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The WGA strike of 2023 has created a fortunate side effect. While writers demanded better pay from studios -- as well as a guarantee that they would not be replaced by clunky automated writing machines -- many films and TV shows halted production. Without writers, the Hollywood system ground slowly to a halt. When the strike was resolved, production began again, but it left a 148-day gap in most studios' production schedules. To fill the gaps, some studios have adopted an ingenious approach: merely re-release some of their biggest hits from years past, allowing audiences to see some of their favorite movies on the big screen again.
In the case of Pixar, films like "Soul," "Luca," and "Turning Red" are being re-released to make up for losses incurred during the pandemic. Those films were all released directly onto Disney+ in the U.S. and only played in select theaters internationally, making...
In the case of Pixar, films like "Soul," "Luca," and "Turning Red" are being re-released to make up for losses incurred during the pandemic. Those films were all released directly onto Disney+ in the U.S. and only played in select theaters internationally, making...
- 3/15/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Officer Dominique Luca “is back in the building!” cheers Hondo in TVLine’s exclusive sneak peek from this week’s new S.W.A.T. But what is weighing heavy on Luca’s mind…?
In the episode “Escape,” airing Friday at 8/7c on CBS, Hondo and the team hunt down three female fugitives — including a serial killer on the verge of a rampage! — after a prison transport van overturns. Elsewhere, with Annie’s return to work, Deacon struggles to maintain a work life balance.
More from TVLineNCIS: Origins Casts Mariel Molino as Female Lead Opposite Austin Stowell - Will 'Sparks' Fly With Young Gibbs?...
In the episode “Escape,” airing Friday at 8/7c on CBS, Hondo and the team hunt down three female fugitives — including a serial killer on the verge of a rampage! — after a prison transport van overturns. Elsewhere, with Annie’s return to work, Deacon struggles to maintain a work life balance.
More from TVLineNCIS: Origins Casts Mariel Molino as Female Lead Opposite Austin Stowell - Will 'Sparks' Fly With Young Gibbs?...
- 3/15/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
The wait is finally over as the night of The Oscars is just one more night away, and with bated breaths, the general public is waiting to see who takes this prestigious awards home. But before this ceremony could start, The Holdovers, nominated for the Best Screenplay and Best Picture category by The Academy, is facing some serious plagiarism accusations.
Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa in a still from The Holdovers
These accusations have come from Simon Stephenson, the screenwriter of the hit Disney animated film Luca, who has accused both the director and the screenwriter of this Oscar-nominated film of copying his work page-by-page. But when given a closer look, it seems like he might be reaching for it a bit since the evidence he provides doesn’t make his case water-tight.
Luca Screenwriter Accuses The Holdovers To Be A Plagiarised Product Of His Script Paul Giamatti in a...
Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa in a still from The Holdovers
These accusations have come from Simon Stephenson, the screenwriter of the hit Disney animated film Luca, who has accused both the director and the screenwriter of this Oscar-nominated film of copying his work page-by-page. But when given a closer look, it seems like he might be reaching for it a bit since the evidence he provides doesn’t make his case water-tight.
Luca Screenwriter Accuses The Holdovers To Be A Plagiarised Product Of His Script Paul Giamatti in a...
- 3/10/2024
- by Deepak Bisht
- FandomWire
On the eve of the Oscars, Hollywood has been rocked by allegations that "The Holdovers" -- one of the nominees for Best Screenplay -- was "plagiarized line-by-line" from an unproduced script for a film called "Frisco," by "Luca" screenwriter Simon Stephenson. Plagiarism accusations and lawsuits are a dime a dozen in Hollywood, and rarely come to anything. But the language used by Stephenson in a 33-page document shared by Variety makes it sound like there's a real story here:
The meaningful entirety of the screenplay for The Holdovers has been copied from the Frisco screenplay by transposition. This includes the Frisco screenplay's entire story, structure, sequencing, scenes, sequential sub-beats within scenes, line-by-line substance of action and dialogue, characters, arcs, relationships, theme and tone. A majority of this has been done line-for-line, and a large number of unique and highly specific elements created in Frisco are readily and unequivocally identifiable in The Holdover.
The meaningful entirety of the screenplay for The Holdovers has been copied from the Frisco screenplay by transposition. This includes the Frisco screenplay's entire story, structure, sequencing, scenes, sequential sub-beats within scenes, line-by-line substance of action and dialogue, characters, arcs, relationships, theme and tone. A majority of this has been done line-for-line, and a large number of unique and highly specific elements created in Frisco are readily and unequivocally identifiable in The Holdover.
- 3/10/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
A new report in Variety lays out a detailed argument from British screenwriter Simon Stephenson alleging that the Oscar-nominated screenplay for Focus Features’ widely praised “The Holdovers” is extremely similar to his own 2013 Black List spec script, “Frisco” — and that, according to Stephenson, “Holdovers” director Alexander Payne likely read that script.
“The Holdovers” has only one credited screenwriter: David Hemingson, who was an entertainment lawyer before becoming a TV writer and producer in the late ’90s, working on shows such as “Just Shoot Me!,” “Kitchen Confidential,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23.” “The Holdovers” is his first produced feature.
IndieWire has reached out to Focus, WGA West, and to reps for Payne, Hemingson, and Stephenson, but has not yet received a response.
Stephenson is credited as a co-writer on Pixar’s “Luca” and received an “additional material” writing credit for “Paddington 2.” Working Title is developing his novel,...
“The Holdovers” has only one credited screenwriter: David Hemingson, who was an entertainment lawyer before becoming a TV writer and producer in the late ’90s, working on shows such as “Just Shoot Me!,” “Kitchen Confidential,” “How I Met Your Mother,” and “Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23.” “The Holdovers” is his first produced feature.
IndieWire has reached out to Focus, WGA West, and to reps for Payne, Hemingson, and Stephenson, but has not yet received a response.
Stephenson is credited as a co-writer on Pixar’s “Luca” and received an “additional material” writing credit for “Paddington 2.” Working Title is developing his novel,...
- 3/9/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
On Jan. 12, screenwriter Simon Stephenson sent an email to the Writers Guild of America’s senior director of credits Lesley Mackey asking to set up a call to discuss an important matter. The CAA-repped writer, whose credits include Pixar’s “Luca” and StudioCanal’s “Paddington 2,” wrote, “I’ve encountered a credits-related issue on quite a high profile WGA-covered project.” According to the email exchange reviewed by Variety, a call between the two took place, and, in a follow-up missive, Stephenson wrote, “the evidence the holdovers screenplay has been plagiarised line-by-line from frisco is genuinely overwhelming – anybody who looks at even the briefest sample pretty much invariably uses the word ‘brazen.’”
Stephenson was referring to his own screenplay “Frisco,” a drama centered on a world-weary middle-aged children’s doctor and the 15-year-old patient he gets stuck looking after, and David Hemingson’s “The Holdovers” — a drama revolving around a...
Stephenson was referring to his own screenplay “Frisco,” a drama centered on a world-weary middle-aged children’s doctor and the 15-year-old patient he gets stuck looking after, and David Hemingson’s “The Holdovers” — a drama revolving around a...
- 3/9/2024
- by Tatiana Siegel
- Variety Film + TV
Life is about to become pure chaos thanks to every teen’s dreaded emotion: anxiety. (It’s pretty bad for grownups too.)
Maya Hawke joins Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” as Anxiety, the new voice inside tween Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) head. Join the club. Just as Riley is set to start high school, feelings of Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) join in. Actors Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, and Liza Lapira play Riley’s preexisting feelings of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. It’s getting crowded in there….
Lilimar, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, and Grace Lu voice Riley’s friends, while Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan return as her parents. Yvette Nicole Brown voices Coach Roberts, who heads up a summer hockey camp. Additional voice actors include Paula Pell, Sarayu Blue, Flea, Ron Funches, Dave Goelz, James Austin Johnson, Bobby Moynihan,...
Maya Hawke joins Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” as Anxiety, the new voice inside tween Riley’s (Kensington Tallman) head. Join the club. Just as Riley is set to start high school, feelings of Envy (Ayo Edebiri), Embarrassment (Paul Walter Hauser), and Ennui (Adèle Exarchopoulos) join in. Actors Amy Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, and Liza Lapira play Riley’s preexisting feelings of Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust. It’s getting crowded in there….
Lilimar, Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green, and Grace Lu voice Riley’s friends, while Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan return as her parents. Yvette Nicole Brown voices Coach Roberts, who heads up a summer hockey camp. Additional voice actors include Paula Pell, Sarayu Blue, Flea, Ron Funches, Dave Goelz, James Austin Johnson, Bobby Moynihan,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The studio’s in-development project, Ducks, is said to be the first Pixar musical and will focus on ducks, just like the title suggests.
A report has surfaced via Daniel Richtman that claims to have knowledge of a future Pixar project entitled Ducks. Interestingly, Richtman also claims that the project will be Pixar’s first proper musical feature, so not only will you get lots of ducks, but they’ll likely be singing too. And we dare say there might be a Pixar life lesson in there somewhere.
Interestingly, Despicable Me studio Illumination released its own waterfowl-based computer animated film earlier this year – Migration, which was a pleasantly enjoyable adventure.
Little else is known about the project at this stage. We don’t know what point of development its in, or when to expect an official announcement. We do know that Pixar’s upcoming slate includes projects such as Toy Story 5,...
A report has surfaced via Daniel Richtman that claims to have knowledge of a future Pixar project entitled Ducks. Interestingly, Richtman also claims that the project will be Pixar’s first proper musical feature, so not only will you get lots of ducks, but they’ll likely be singing too. And we dare say there might be a Pixar life lesson in there somewhere.
Interestingly, Despicable Me studio Illumination released its own waterfowl-based computer animated film earlier this year – Migration, which was a pleasantly enjoyable adventure.
Little else is known about the project at this stage. We don’t know what point of development its in, or when to expect an official announcement. We do know that Pixar’s upcoming slate includes projects such as Toy Story 5,...
- 2/27/2024
- by Dan Cooper
- Film Stories
Two S.W.A.T. team members will get earlier sendoffs than the rest, as the CBS crime drama unspools its 13-episode final season.
TVLine has learned exclusively that original cast members Kenneth “Kenny” Johnson and Alex Russell, who since Day 1 have respectively filled the series regular roles of Dominique Luca and Jim Street, will only recur during the upcoming Season 7 (premiering Friday, Feb. 16).
More from TVLineSNL's Colin Jost Set to Headline 2024 White House Correspondents' DinnerTVLine Items: The Chi Return Date, We're Here Season 4 Premiere and MoreYoung Sheldon First Look: Mandy Joins the Family in Final Season Title Sequence - Watch Ahead of Premiere!
TVLine has learned exclusively that original cast members Kenneth “Kenny” Johnson and Alex Russell, who since Day 1 have respectively filled the series regular roles of Dominique Luca and Jim Street, will only recur during the upcoming Season 7 (premiering Friday, Feb. 16).
More from TVLineSNL's Colin Jost Set to Headline 2024 White House Correspondents' DinnerTVLine Items: The Chi Return Date, We're Here Season 4 Premiere and MoreYoung Sheldon First Look: Mandy Joins the Family in Final Season Title Sequence - Watch Ahead of Premiere!
- 2/9/2024
- by Matt Webb Mitovich
- TVLine.com
Following an October 12 price increase, the core Disney+ streaming service lost 1.3 million subscribers, the company revealed on Wednesday. Not including India’s Hotstar, Disney+ ended the 2023 calendar year with 111.3 million subscribers.
Though subscriber numbers decreased, the rate increase at ad-free grew Disney+ Arpu (average revenue per user) by 14 cents. Growth was even greater in the U.S. and Canada, where the Arpu rose by 25 cents to $8.15. For Disney, October-December represented the first fiscal quarter of 2024.
Hulu, which was also subject to a rate increase on its own ad-free tier, managed to add some members in the quarter. Its Arpu also increased; the SVOD-only version grew its revenue per subscriber. Hulu now has 49.7 million subs.
Like Hulu, Disney+ Hotstar membership rose by 2 percent in the quarter. The Hotstar service now has 38.3 million subscribers; ESPN+ has 25.2 million subs.
One quarter earlier, the core Disney+ service added 6.9 million subs. Disney on Wednesday said...
Though subscriber numbers decreased, the rate increase at ad-free grew Disney+ Arpu (average revenue per user) by 14 cents. Growth was even greater in the U.S. and Canada, where the Arpu rose by 25 cents to $8.15. For Disney, October-December represented the first fiscal quarter of 2024.
Hulu, which was also subject to a rate increase on its own ad-free tier, managed to add some members in the quarter. Its Arpu also increased; the SVOD-only version grew its revenue per subscriber. Hulu now has 49.7 million subs.
Like Hulu, Disney+ Hotstar membership rose by 2 percent in the quarter. The Hotstar service now has 38.3 million subscribers; ESPN+ has 25.2 million subs.
One quarter earlier, the core Disney+ service added 6.9 million subs. Disney on Wednesday said...
- 2/7/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
In a battle of two Universal titles at the U.K., Ireland box office, animation film “Migration” flew to the top, besting star-studded caper “Argylle” in the process.
“Migration” debuted with £3.5 million ($4.4 million), according to numbers from Comscore. “Argylle,” a global under performer, bowed in second place with £2 million.
In third position, in its third weekend, Paramount’s “Mean Girls” earned £843,601 for a total of £6.8 million. Disney’s “All of Us Strangers” collected £797,004 in fourth place in its second weekend for a total of £2.7 million.
Rounding off the top five was A24’s “The Zone of Interest,” which debuted with £585,855. The only other bow in the Top 10 was Curzon-Amazon MGM’s “American Fiction” with £389,375.
Coming up, opening mid-week on Wednesday Feb. 7 is horror-comedy “Dagr” from Fizz and Ginger Films. Feb. 8 sees the release of Tamil-language sports and gangster drama “Lal Salaam,” headlined by Indian superstar Rajinikanth.
There are a plethora of releases on the Friday.
“Migration” debuted with £3.5 million ($4.4 million), according to numbers from Comscore. “Argylle,” a global under performer, bowed in second place with £2 million.
In third position, in its third weekend, Paramount’s “Mean Girls” earned £843,601 for a total of £6.8 million. Disney’s “All of Us Strangers” collected £797,004 in fourth place in its second weekend for a total of £2.7 million.
Rounding off the top five was A24’s “The Zone of Interest,” which debuted with £585,855. The only other bow in the Top 10 was Curzon-Amazon MGM’s “American Fiction” with £389,375.
Coming up, opening mid-week on Wednesday Feb. 7 is horror-comedy “Dagr” from Fizz and Ginger Films. Feb. 8 sees the release of Tamil-language sports and gangster drama “Lal Salaam,” headlined by Indian superstar Rajinikanth.
There are a plethora of releases on the Friday.
- 2/6/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
Just consider us Wade Garrett (Sam Elliott) to Doug Liman’s John Dalton (Patrick Swayze). Get your popcorn ready.
All IndieWire needed was a two-minute, 48-second trailer to declare the director 100 percent right about his “Road House” remake being tailor-made for movie theaters. Liman’s larger point, presented in a first-person essay on Deadline touting the importance of theatrical, is also correct — but it seems to be especially accurate for this film, which he’s already touted as possibly his best effort to date.
The trailer, released on Thursday, opens with a many-on-1 (the one is protagonist Jake Gyllenhaal) parking lot brawl. It then takes it to the cage; some of the matches are sanctioned, others are definitely not. Later comes the many bar fights, some gunplay, an alligator attack, a high-speed Ferrari chase, arson, a head-on boat collision, and Conor McGregor going nutso with a golf club.
In other words,...
All IndieWire needed was a two-minute, 48-second trailer to declare the director 100 percent right about his “Road House” remake being tailor-made for movie theaters. Liman’s larger point, presented in a first-person essay on Deadline touting the importance of theatrical, is also correct — but it seems to be especially accurate for this film, which he’s already touted as possibly his best effort to date.
The trailer, released on Thursday, opens with a many-on-1 (the one is protagonist Jake Gyllenhaal) parking lot brawl. It then takes it to the cage; some of the matches are sanctioned, others are definitely not. Later comes the many bar fights, some gunplay, an alligator attack, a high-speed Ferrari chase, arson, a head-on boat collision, and Conor McGregor going nutso with a golf club.
In other words,...
- 1/25/2024
- by Tony Maglio
- Indiewire
Toho International’s sleeper hit Godzilla Minus One grossed an estimated $853k this weekend for a cume of $50.9 million at 605 locations in week seven as arctic blasts buffet much of the nation.
The film about the giant reptilian monster passed the $50 million market Saturday, becoming the highest grossing Japanese language live action or animated film in the U.S. It’s also the fifth highest grossing non-English-language film at the U.S. box office. The pic currently on track to hit $100 million globally.
It was a weekend with some few notable expansions as Oscar-nominated hopefuls continue runs through awards season, and with another strong showing by a duo of Indian films.
Jonathan Glazer’s Zone of Interest from A24 made an estimated $300k for the four-day weekend, for a cume of $1 million on 25 screens (up from four) in limited expansion. The riveting Holocaust drama about a Nazi commandant and his...
The film about the giant reptilian monster passed the $50 million market Saturday, becoming the highest grossing Japanese language live action or animated film in the U.S. It’s also the fifth highest grossing non-English-language film at the U.S. box office. The pic currently on track to hit $100 million globally.
It was a weekend with some few notable expansions as Oscar-nominated hopefuls continue runs through awards season, and with another strong showing by a duo of Indian films.
Jonathan Glazer’s Zone of Interest from A24 made an estimated $300k for the four-day weekend, for a cume of $1 million on 25 screens (up from four) in limited expansion. The riveting Holocaust drama about a Nazi commandant and his...
- 1/14/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
Layoffs are expected to hit Disney-owned Pixar Animation Studios later this year.
Tech Crunch, which first reported the news, suggested that this could affect as much as 20 percent of Pixar’s 1,300 workforce, though The Hollywood Reporter understands this estimate is higher than what is actually being planned. According to Tech Crunch, layoffs may include employees hired to create content for Disney+.
THR has reached out to Pixar for comment.
If layoffs do occur, it would follow another rare round of layoffs at the Disney-owned studio. Last June, Pixar was hit by the Disney layoffs, which affected 75 employees, including Lightyear director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman.
Since the start of the pandemic, Pixar — which maintains its campus in Emeryville, outside San Francisco — has seen its remarkable success streak suffer. That includes Lightyear, its 2023 return to theatrical exhibition, which flopped.
It rebounded with 2023’s Elemental, which brought in nearly $500 million worldwide...
Tech Crunch, which first reported the news, suggested that this could affect as much as 20 percent of Pixar’s 1,300 workforce, though The Hollywood Reporter understands this estimate is higher than what is actually being planned. According to Tech Crunch, layoffs may include employees hired to create content for Disney+.
THR has reached out to Pixar for comment.
If layoffs do occur, it would follow another rare round of layoffs at the Disney-owned studio. Last June, Pixar was hit by the Disney layoffs, which affected 75 employees, including Lightyear director Angus MacLane and producer Galyn Susman.
Since the start of the pandemic, Pixar — which maintains its campus in Emeryville, outside San Francisco — has seen its remarkable success streak suffer. That includes Lightyear, its 2023 return to theatrical exhibition, which flopped.
It rebounded with 2023’s Elemental, which brought in nearly $500 million worldwide...
- 1/12/2024
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Soul, Turning Red, and an empty theater about to play TenetPhoto: Disney/Pixar, Daniel Pockett (Getty Images)
2020 is a forgotten year at the movies. Namely because the movies and, more specifically, movie theaters barely existed. After Trolls: World Tour broke the dam for movies to bypass theaters and go straight to VOD,...
2020 is a forgotten year at the movies. Namely because the movies and, more specifically, movie theaters barely existed. After Trolls: World Tour broke the dam for movies to bypass theaters and go straight to VOD,...
- 1/11/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
Can “Mean Girls” make fetch happen at the box office?
Paramount’s new take on the teen classic is aiming to generate $30 million from 3,800 North American theaters over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. The studio is projecting a debut in the high $20 million range, while independent tracking services estimate a start closer to $35 million. Those ticket sales would, indeed, be fetch because “Mean Girls” cost just $36 million to produce. It was originally commissioned to stream on Paramount+, but executives opted to release the film theatrically after audiences responded enthusiastically during test screenings.
The Plastics 2.0 won’t be the only newcomers to keep movie theaters bustling over the holiday frame. Amazon MGM’s “The Beekeeper,” an action thriller directed by David Ayer and starring Jason Statham, is expected to score a solid $17 million to $19 million over the four days. Another new release, Sony’s biblical comedic drama “The Book of Clarence,...
Paramount’s new take on the teen classic is aiming to generate $30 million from 3,800 North American theaters over Martin Luther King Jr. weekend. The studio is projecting a debut in the high $20 million range, while independent tracking services estimate a start closer to $35 million. Those ticket sales would, indeed, be fetch because “Mean Girls” cost just $36 million to produce. It was originally commissioned to stream on Paramount+, but executives opted to release the film theatrically after audiences responded enthusiastically during test screenings.
The Plastics 2.0 won’t be the only newcomers to keep movie theaters bustling over the holiday frame. Amazon MGM’s “The Beekeeper,” an action thriller directed by David Ayer and starring Jason Statham, is expected to score a solid $17 million to $19 million over the four days. Another new release, Sony’s biblical comedic drama “The Book of Clarence,...
- 1/10/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
The 2023 Christmas season was a crowded one at the box office. "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," the rom-com "Anyone But You," and A24's acclaimed wrestling drama "The Iron Claw" all opened heading into the weekend, with "The Color Purple," Michael Mann's "Ferrari," and George Clooney's "The Boys in the Boat" arriving on Christmas Day. Moviegoers had plenty to choose from. Amidst all of this, Universal and Illumination unleashed an original animated film in the form of "Migration." Unfortunately, it didn't make as big of a splash as many in the industry were hoping it would.
Director Benjamin Renner's "Migration" had to settle for third place on its opening weekend behind "Aquaman" ($27.7 million) and "Wonka" ($18 million), taking in $12.4 million, per The Numbers. When adding in its Christmas haul, the film's domestic total stands at $17.8 million. It has also pulled in $21.9 million overseas thus far, giving it a...
Director Benjamin Renner's "Migration" had to settle for third place on its opening weekend behind "Aquaman" ($27.7 million) and "Wonka" ($18 million), taking in $12.4 million, per The Numbers. When adding in its Christmas haul, the film's domestic total stands at $17.8 million. It has also pulled in $21.9 million overseas thus far, giving it a...
- 12/27/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
2023 has been, broadly speaking, a very good year at the box office. The domestic total for the year will be at or near $9 billion — far exceeding 2022's $7.366 billion total, representing an increase of more than 20 percent year-over-year. More than that, the top three movies of the year, which are "Barbie" ($1.44 billion), "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" ($1.36 billion), and "Oppenheimer" ($953 million), were not sequels. It's the first time in decades that this has been the case. Unfortunately, the party is going to come to a screeching halt in January as the 2024 release calendar is a barren wasteland, at least for the first chunk of the year.
The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that the 2024 domestic box office could take a hit as large as $2 billion. That would be devastating, to put it lightly. Movie theaters have been operating on anything but stable ground since the pandemic arrived in 2020. The good news is...
The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that the 2024 domestic box office could take a hit as large as $2 billion. That would be devastating, to put it lightly. Movie theaters have been operating on anything but stable ground since the pandemic arrived in 2020. The good news is...
- 12/18/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
This year marks the first since 2014 that Disney has not had a movie hit the $1 billion mark at the box office, so the move should bring much-needed revenue.
The solidarity displayed by striking actors and writers in Hollywood this year was truly impressive. Standing up to multi-billion dollar corporations, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA both secured deals with concessions that outside observers thought they’d never get, and even now studios like Disney are back at work trying to get new scripted TV and movies produced.
Disney is putting three already-released Pixar movies into theaters in early 2024: “Luca,” “Soul” and “Turning Red.” The releases could help Disney improve on a dismal 2023 box office, and assuage viewers angered by strike-induced release delays of other movies. The three Pixar films can be streamed on-demand any time with a subscription to Disney+. Sign Up Now $7.99+ / month disneyplus.com
Get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN...
The solidarity displayed by striking actors and writers in Hollywood this year was truly impressive. Standing up to multi-billion dollar corporations, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA both secured deals with concessions that outside observers thought they’d never get, and even now studios like Disney are back at work trying to get new scripted TV and movies produced.
Disney is putting three already-released Pixar movies into theaters in early 2024: “Luca,” “Soul” and “Turning Red.” The releases could help Disney improve on a dismal 2023 box office, and assuage viewers angered by strike-induced release delays of other movies. The three Pixar films can be streamed on-demand any time with a subscription to Disney+. Sign Up Now $7.99+ / month disneyplus.com
Get Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN...
- 12/6/2023
- by David Satin
- The Streamable
Release will increase anticipation for June’s ’Inside Out 2’, help bolster slimmer release calendar caused by production stoppages.
Disney said on Tuesday it will release the Pixar films Soul, Luca and Turning Red theatrically for the first time in 2024 after all three went straight to Disney+ during the pandemic.
Soul will open on January 12 accompanied by the SparkShort Burrow. Turning Red arrives on February 9 preceded by the SparkShort Kitbull, and Luca is scheduled for release on March 22 alongside the classic Pixar short For The Birds.
The move is designed to ramp up anticipation for the release of Inside Out 2...
Disney said on Tuesday it will release the Pixar films Soul, Luca and Turning Red theatrically for the first time in 2024 after all three went straight to Disney+ during the pandemic.
Soul will open on January 12 accompanied by the SparkShort Burrow. Turning Red arrives on February 9 preceded by the SparkShort Kitbull, and Luca is scheduled for release on March 22 alongside the classic Pixar short For The Birds.
The move is designed to ramp up anticipation for the release of Inside Out 2...
- 12/6/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
We saw more than a few movies make their debut on streaming services during the pandemic, including three Pixar movies which will finally get their chance to experience the big screen. Pixar announced today that Soul, Turning Red, and Luca will be released in theaters early next year to set the stage for Inside Out 2.
Soul will hit theaters on January 12th. The film features the voice of Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. “But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth,” reads the official synopsis. “Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22, who has never understood the appeal of the human experience.
Soul will hit theaters on January 12th. The film features the voice of Jamie Foxx as Joe Gardner, a middle-school band teacher who gets the chance of a lifetime to play at the best jazz club in town. “But one small misstep takes him from the streets of New York City to The Great Before – a fantastical place where new souls get their personalities, quirks and interests before they go to Earth,” reads the official synopsis. “Determined to return to his life, Joe teams up with a precocious soul, 22, who has never understood the appeal of the human experience.
- 12/5/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Thanks to the studios shooting themselves in the foot, not striking a fair deal with the writers and actors as soon as possible, and subsequently delaying many of their planned releases, the first few months of 2024 are going to feel pretty barren at the box office. It's not exactly ideal timing for pumping the brakes, given that the industry was finally starting to regain some momentum after the pandemic took its legs out from underneath it. To help shore up the release calendar, Disney announced today that the studio will be releasing three Pixar films -- "Soul," "Turning Red," and "Luca" -- in theaters nationwide for the first time in the first quarter of 2024.
It remains to be seen whether this tactic will be enough to reestablish Pixar as a theatrical brand in the minds of consumers, but it's a tangible admission on Disney's part that the studio screwed up...
It remains to be seen whether this tactic will be enough to reestablish Pixar as a theatrical brand in the minds of consumers, but it's a tangible admission on Disney's part that the studio screwed up...
- 12/5/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Look, we all made mistakes during Covid. Disney was no exception, banishing “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” to streaming as Disney+ exclusives. It will now spend the first quarter of 2024 making it up to Pixar with what Disney called “special engagement” theatrical runs for each.
“Soul” was the first and truest Covid casualty of the bunch, and it will be the first to (finally) arrive in theaters on January 12. “Turning Red” is set for a February 9 release; “Luca” will arrive on March 22. All three movies will be screened along with Pixar shorts, just like in the good ‘ol days.
Despite the “special engagement” designation, end dates have not been booked in advance, a source with knowledge of the plan told IndieWire. If a film performs at the box office, by all means, run free. Speaking of free, the movies are also expected to remain on Disney+ while they play in theaters.
“Soul” was the first and truest Covid casualty of the bunch, and it will be the first to (finally) arrive in theaters on January 12. “Turning Red” is set for a February 9 release; “Luca” will arrive on March 22. All three movies will be screened along with Pixar shorts, just like in the good ‘ol days.
Despite the “special engagement” designation, end dates have not been booked in advance, a source with knowledge of the plan told IndieWire. If a film performs at the box office, by all means, run free. Speaking of free, the movies are also expected to remain on Disney+ while they play in theaters.
- 12/5/2023
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
The Super Bowl is going under the sea.
Nickelodeon will offer a “slime-filled” simulcast of Super Bowl Lviii on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 (at 6:30 pm Et), in which CBS Sports’ Nate Burleson and play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle are joined in the booth by animated characters SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks and Larry the Lobster.
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The special presentation comes following Nickelodeon and...
Nickelodeon will offer a “slime-filled” simulcast of Super Bowl Lviii on Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024 (at 6:30 pm Et), in which CBS Sports’ Nate Burleson and play-by-play announcer Noah Eagle are joined in the booth by animated characters SpongeBob SquarePants, Patrick Star, Sandy Cheeks and Larry the Lobster.
More from TVLineSquid Game: The Challenge Renewed for Season 2 at NetflixLeverage: Redemption Renewed for Season 3, Makes Move to Prime VideoSo You Think You Can Dance Renewed for Season 18 With a New Judging Panel - Including Nigel Lythgoe (Exclusive)
The special presentation comes following Nickelodeon and...
- 12/5/2023
- by Vlada Gelman
- TVLine.com
Pixar is making a major theatrical comeback in 2024. Disney has announced that three films from the storied animation studios will hit theaters screen nationwide for the first time ever next year including 2020's "Soul," 2021's "Luca," and 2022's "Turning Red." These aren't new movies, mind you, but they are all movies that went direct-to-streaming largely due to the pandemic. Now, they're finally getting the chance to shine on the big screen.
Billed as "special engagement theatrical runs," these movies will all arrive in the first quarter of 2024 ahead of the release of Pixar's "Inside Out 2," which will hit theaters in June. Audiences will be treated to a Pixar animated short film ahead of each of the features. "Soul," opening in theaters on January 12, will be accompanied by the SparkShort "Burrow." "Turning Red," opening February 9, will be preceded by the SparkShort "Kitbull." "Luca," which hits the big screen on March...
Billed as "special engagement theatrical runs," these movies will all arrive in the first quarter of 2024 ahead of the release of Pixar's "Inside Out 2," which will hit theaters in June. Audiences will be treated to a Pixar animated short film ahead of each of the features. "Soul," opening in theaters on January 12, will be accompanied by the SparkShort "Burrow." "Turning Red," opening February 9, will be preceded by the SparkShort "Kitbull." "Luca," which hits the big screen on March...
- 12/5/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
In an intriguing move, yet retro, move for Disney on the 2024 theatrical release calendar which is starving for product, three Pixar movies –2020’s Soul, 2021’s Luca and 2022’s Turning Red –which were sidelined on Disney+ during the pandemic, are getting special engagement theatrical runs. We hear all three will receive moderate to wide theatrical runs. The titles will remain in play on Disney+ during their new theatrical window.
The Oscar winning animated movie Soul will open on Jan. 12, while Turning Red will play on Feb. 9, followed by Luca on March 22. Tickets go on sale Jan. 2. All three will precede Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 which opens on June 14.
The press release reads that the studio invites “moviegoers to experience three Pixar films the way they were meant to be seen”. Disney’s re-release of older animated titles was a huge cash cow business that they practiced for decades even into the DVD era.
The Oscar winning animated movie Soul will open on Jan. 12, while Turning Red will play on Feb. 9, followed by Luca on March 22. Tickets go on sale Jan. 2. All three will precede Disney/Pixar’s Inside Out 2 which opens on June 14.
The press release reads that the studio invites “moviegoers to experience three Pixar films the way they were meant to be seen”. Disney’s re-release of older animated titles was a huge cash cow business that they practiced for decades even into the DVD era.
- 12/5/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Pixar’s Soul, Luca and Turning Red — which bypassed the big screen and went straight to Disney+ because of the pandemic — will play in theaters for the first time, Disney announced Wednesday.
Soul, Pete Docter’s Oscar-winning 2020 animated film about a middle-school band teacher who is transported to the “Great Before,” will be released in cinemas on Jan. 12. Turning Red, Domee Shi’s 2022 Oscar-nominated movie about a teen who turns into a red panda, debuts Feb. 9, followed by Enrico Casarosa’s Oscar-nominated sea monster story Luca on March 22.
Luca will be paired with Pixar’s classic short For the Birds (2000), which won an Oscar for best animated short. Soul will be preceded by Pixar’s Oscar-nominated 2020 SparkShort Burrow; and Turning Red, with Academy-Award-nominated 2019 SparkShort Kitbull.
Pixar’s first post-pandemic theatrical release was Lightyear in 2022, followed by last spring’s Elemental.
The studio’s next theatrical release will be Inside Out 2,...
Soul, Pete Docter’s Oscar-winning 2020 animated film about a middle-school band teacher who is transported to the “Great Before,” will be released in cinemas on Jan. 12. Turning Red, Domee Shi’s 2022 Oscar-nominated movie about a teen who turns into a red panda, debuts Feb. 9, followed by Enrico Casarosa’s Oscar-nominated sea monster story Luca on March 22.
Luca will be paired with Pixar’s classic short For the Birds (2000), which won an Oscar for best animated short. Soul will be preceded by Pixar’s Oscar-nominated 2020 SparkShort Burrow; and Turning Red, with Academy-Award-nominated 2019 SparkShort Kitbull.
Pixar’s first post-pandemic theatrical release was Lightyear in 2022, followed by last spring’s Elemental.
The studio’s next theatrical release will be Inside Out 2,...
- 12/5/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"You fell in love with them... now experience them on the biggest screen possible." It's official! Disney has announced that the three beloved Pixar movies made & released during the pandemic directly to streaming (on Disney+) will get proper theatrical releases in early 2024. This is a surprise from the Mouse House, especially considering they don't seem overly confident in Pixar anymore, with many of Disney's animated release not doing well in theaters. Fans have been complaining for years, and word is many workers at Pixar also complained about missing out on theatrical releases. "Disney & Pixar's Soul, Turning Red, and Luca are coming to theaters in 2024!" These three excellent Pixar movies are getting release starting on January 12th (Soul with the short film Burrow), February 9th (Turning Red with the short film Kitbull), March 22nd (Luca with the classic short film For the Birds). These are three of Pixar's best in years...
- 12/5/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
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