Tom Dusenberry

MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 9/8/24: Exhibitors are smiling over BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE's $110M opening -- except for those who realize the next mega-boxoffice-hit isn't arriving until 10/4 with JOKER: FOLIE À DEUX.   We're living in a tentpole world now and it's feast-or-famine in the Hollywood boxoffice jungle. The studios can thank themselves for today's moviegoer mindset about only paying to see event films. That's the legacy from letting the SAG-AFTRA & WGA strikes drag on-and-on until the product pipeline was nearly dry. That failed strategy forced movie fans to find other ways to stay entertained -- like streaming at home small dramas without big stars, rom-coms, comedies & action films without killer effects.     Exhibs can look forward to a smaller boost 9/20 from Paramount/Hasbro's PG rated animated action adventure TRANSFORMERS ONE, which Hollywood buzz-ards see opening to $45-55M. The kids descending on the multiplexes will be buying plenty of popcorn & candy.   This weekend, however, was definitely one to celebrate. WB/Plan B Entertainment's PG-13 fantasy horror comedy BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE, directed by Tim Burton, debuted to an over-performing $110M at 4,575 theatres ($24,044), per Comscore. BB, which reportedly cost $100M to produce, opened internationally to $35.4M for a worldwide cume of $145.4M.     Hollywood insiders started out looking for an $85M domestic launch and  bumped it up to the high $90M's as the weekend approached. It's tracking best for first choice with over-25 women (28 points over norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics are okay at 76% and audiences are happier at 82%.   Driven by BB, this weekend's domestic marketplace totaled $149.1M, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, up 72.8% from the prior weekend and up 66% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $5.94B, down 13% from $6.84B in 2023. The previous weekend, 2024 was down 14% vs. 2023.   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: The weekend's only other wide release was A24's horror thriller THE FRONT ROOM, which opened #11 to a dismal $1.7M at 2,095 theatres ($794). It's tracking best for first choice with under-25 women (equal to norm). Rotten Tomatoes critics hate it at 51% and audiences are a grim 39%.   Next weekend should be chilly at the boxoffice: Universal/Blumhouse Productions' R rated horror thriller SPEAK NO EVIL opens at about 3,200 theatres. It's tracking for first choice below norm with all demos.   Lionsgate's R rated action comedy thriller THE KILLER'S GAME, starring Dave Bautista, opens at about 2,500 theatres. It's tracking for first choice below norm with all demos.   (See more at www.ZAMM.com)   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #beetlejuice    

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MARTIN GROVE'S HOLLYWOOD REPORT FOR 6/9/24: BAD put exhibitors in a good mood with a turbo-charged $56M launch that left theatrical naysayers in the dust.   Hollywood handicappers originally buzzed that the R rated Sony/Jerry Bruckheimer Films' BAD BOYS: RIDE OR DIE would drive off with $40-50M and then upped it to $45-50M -- and mid-weekend went to $53M! Sony lowballed expectations with a $30M estimate.   Driven by BAD, the weekend marketplace totaled $103.5M, per Comscore, up 54% from the prior weekend and down 38% vs. this time last year. Comscore's year to date tally has 2024 at $2.83B, down 26% from $3.81B in 2023. Last weekend, 2024 was down 24% vs. 2023.   BAD hammers home that people haven't stopped moviegoing. When  there's something playing they want to see, they show up -- despite high ticket costs, oversized concession prices and inflated related costs like transport, babysitters and dinners out.   This bummer summer reflects the retreads, prequels and worn out IP Hollywood tried to get away with. The coming summer weeks should sizzle with Disney/Pixar's INSIDE OUT 2 (6/14), Universal/Illumination Entertainment's DESPICABLE ME 4 (7/3) and Disney/Marvel's DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE (7/26).   Meanwhile, back at the multiplexes: BAD, which reportedly cost $100M to produce, opened to a wildly overperforming $56M at 3,885 theatres ($14,414). Internationally, per Comscore Senior Media Analyst Paul Dergarabedian, it debuted to "$48.6M for a global opening of $104.6M."   BAD's tracking for first choice is best with men over 25 (16 points over norm) and next best with under-25 men (15 points over norm). Women over 25 are 11 points over norm and women under 25 are five points over norm. Critics on Rotten Tomatoes are a blah 64%, but audiences are cheering at 97%.   WB/NL's PG-13 horror thriller THE WATCHERS opened #4 to $7M at 3,351 theatres ($2,089). It's the feature directorial debut for Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, whose thriller TRAP, starring his daughter Saleka Shyamalan, opens 8/9 via WB. WATCHERS' first choice tracking is below norm for all demos. RT critics hate it at 29% and audiences are a scary 52%. WATCHERS did $4.7M internationally for a global cume of $11.7M.   Sony/Alcon Entertainment's PG animated family appeal THE GARFIELD MOVIE was #2 in weekend three with $10M (-29%) at 3,959 theatres ($2,526). It reportedly cost just $60M and has done $68.6M domestic and $192.7M worldwide.   As for next weekend: Disney/Pixar's PG animated "INSIDE OUT 2" is opening at about 4,200 theatres. Some pundits see an $85-95M debut. It's tracking best for first choice with women under 25 (20 points above norm) and next best with over-25 women (eight points over norm).   Roadside Attractions' R rated historical drama "FIREBRAND" is opening in limited release. RT critics are executing it at 52%.   #movies #boxoffice #martingrove #badboys    

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“The major labels have made a number of commitments around AI to artist and musician members of US performer union SAG-AFTRA via a new code of fair practice. They are, says artist manager, Irving Azoff, “a great first step to make sure artists have creative control and get paid” “US performer union SAG-AFTRA has announced a new deal with the major record companies that includes some protections for artists and musicians around the use of artificial intelligence, in particular “digital replications” of an artist’s voice. A statement from the union explains, “In this agreement, clear and conspicuous consent, along with minimum compensation requirements and specific details of intended use, are required prior to the release of a sound recording that uses a digital replication of an artist’s voice”. #SAGAFTRA #Artists #RecordLabels #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #Legal #GenerativeAi #GeAi #Music #MusicBusiness #Musicians #Musica #MusicIndustry #Musique #Musik #MusicLicensing #WMG #MusicVideos ##SonyMusic #VoiceClones #WarnerMusicGroup #UMG #SonyMusicEntertainment #UniversalMusicGroup #DisneyMusicGroup #Disney #Warner #Sony #Universal

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The Film Industry’s Real Lessons from Summer 2024 — by Trace De La Torre As we wrap up another summer of box-office successes and failures, the question on everyone’s mind is, “What can we learn?” It’s tempting to scrutinize which films soared, which flopped, trying to tap what “the audience wants”— but it’s too narrow and pushes us to chase fading trends, losing sight of the bigger picture. Here’s the truth: Storytelling is not an assembly line—nor should it be. Yeah, yeah…data can be a helpful tool, but if we rely on it too much, we end up cloning soulless copies of past successes. And that’s where the industry starts to yo-yo. Think about it. How often have we heard that audiences are shrinking? That films are “overscreened”? Ok. So, where’s the hard data to back that up? Are there really too many screens, or is this just convenient corporate spin? The lesson this summer isn’t about following trends or shrinking markets. It’s about honing audiences’ diverse film tastes and individuality of EACH film. As creators, we must remember that audiences CRAVE AUTHENTICITY. Films that break through the noise are often the ones that take risks, challenging the norms of genre and storytelling. That’s the true lesson here. #filmindustry #summer2024 #film #business #trends #variety

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KWP #TrendWatch - The coming #LBXCollective #SoundOff #28 podcast will cover the history of and the resurgence of the #arcade gun game - along with other trends shaping the sector.

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