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      • Roger Moore Dies 5/23/2017
      • Weekend Results... 5/20-5/22
      • There’s a New Media Mogul Tearing Up Hollywood: ‘Zas Is Not Particularly Patient’
      • After disrupting TV and upending Hollywood, Netflix could be looking more like a cable network and movie studio
      • ‘Avatar 2’ Renews Push for 3D Format in Movie Theaters
      • June Boxoffice Heading to Infinity & Beyond
      • March Date Means Another Long Oscar Season
      • Studio Releases... 5/27-6/2
      • Studio Releases... 6/3-6/9

      Roger Moore Dies 5/23/2017

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      Sir Roger Moore, who died May 23, 2017, at 90, is remembered for succeeding Sean Connery as James Bond — which he did and didn’t do.

      As Bond buffs well know, George Lazenby briefly followed Connery as Bond in 1969’s ON HER MAJESTY’S SECRET SERVICE. Lazenby, who hadn’t meshed well with Eon Productions partners Albert R. Broccoli & Harry Saltzman, thought Bond would fade with the rise of youth appeal hits like THE GRADUATE & EASY RIDER. Telling his agent that he was uncertain about continuing led to his demise — despite having previously been offered a deal to play Bond in seven episodes.

      Connery was persuaded to return as Bond for the sixth time in 1971’s DIAMONDS ARE FOREVER — after which Moore actually did take over for Connery, starting with 1973’s LIVE AND LET DIE. Moore couldn’t have done so any sooner than fully committed to British TV mogul Lew Grade’s hit series THE SAINT. He played Simon Templar, an English Robin Hood type crime-fighter created in the 1920s by British novelist Leslie Charteris, and also was a series producer & director. THE SAINT, which aired 118 episodes from 1962-to 69, made Moore the perfect solution to recasting Bond.

      Moore has said he didn’t want to think about playing Bond until it was settled that Connery had definitely decided to give it up. And when Moore came on board, he was no Connery carbon copy. Where Connery, a famously proud Scotsman, was a departure from the English gentleman in the pages of Ian Fleming’s Bond novels, Moore fit the role splendidly well. Moore’s Bond was a custom-tailored playboy type who always seemed to have a gadget on hand to save the day. The Moore/Bond became known for witty one-liners since, as Moore once explained, he played the role “mostly for laughs” and not as a “cold-blooded killer type.”

      Roger-Moore-As-James-BondTo play Bond on screen, however, Moore had to lose weight and cut his hair, about which he made no secret of being unhappy. But in return, he starred in six more Bond films — THE MAN WITH THE GOLDEN GUN (1974), THE SPY WHO LOVED ME (1977), MOONRAKER (1979), FOR YOUR EYES ONLY (1981), OCTOPUSSY (1983) & A VIEW TO A KILL (1985).

      On Dec. 3, 1985, Moore revealed that he was retiring as Bond; he’d had the role for over a dozen years. Moore’s seven times as Bond is the record for Eon’s franchise. However, technically Moore’s tied with Connery because Connery played Bond one more time in 1983’s non-Eon production NEVER SAY NEVER AGAIN, which became Connery’s seventh time out as Bond.

      “I spent my life playing heroes because I looked like one,”  – Roger Moore

      Box Office Results

      Weekend Results... 5/20-5/22

      Despite another sizable drop of 49%, DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS was still able to hold on to first place at the box office for a third consecutive weekend by taking in $31.6M. This performance comes one week after the most disappointing second week in Disney/Marvel history when it dropped 65.5% from its opening weekend.  That exceeded the 64.6% drop of BLACK WIDOW in its week two last July.  DOCTOR STRANGE’s win this weekend was only possible due to a disappointing opening for DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA, which could only muster $16M.

      The original DOWNTON ABBEY movie produced a solid opening weekend gross of $31M when it opened on 9/20/2019 in pre-pandemic days.  The film based on the critically acclaimed PBS series went on to earn a very robust $97M.  Amidst this year’s recovery in moviegoing, the 45+ segment is the demographic which has been slowest to return to theatres and this is the core audience for DOWNTON ABBEY’s pre-WWII story of British aristocracy.   The original had an 84% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes compared with A NEW ERA’s 80% score.  The comparative 52% performance of the sequel can only be due to the effect of 45+ moviegoers still holding back from a night out at theatre. Had it performed close to 2019 results, the period drama would have won the weekend.

      The only other new wide release was A24’s MEN, which opened to $3.3M for a fifth place finish. The horror, suspense thriller was directed by filmmaker Alex Garland, who had a track record of directing box office hits with EX MACHINA and ANNIHILATION, as well as writing credits for 28 DAYS LATER.  However, it appears that MEN failed to tap into same audience.  On the other hand, the indie distributor A24 continues to rack up solid results for EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, which earned another $3.1M this weekend, lifting its cume to a very satisfying $52.3M. We expect that EVERYTHING still has a few more weeks in the tank, and will wind up earning approximately $55M for its total box office run when all is said and done.

      With the rapid decline from DOCTOR STRANGE 2 and the less-than-stellar openings of DOWNTON ABBEY 2 and MEN, the total gross for all films for the weekend was $75.2M, only 51% of the same weekend in 2019 which saw JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3 open to $57M.  It goes without saying that theatre owners are already looking at next week’s opening of TOP GUN: MAVERICK for a comeback in the momentum that has faded over the last two weeks.

      RankTitle (Distributor)Week# TheatresWeekend $ Per Theatre Average $Total $
      1Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (Disney/Marvel)34,536$31,600,000$6,966$280,776,802
      2Downton Abbey: A New Era (Focus Features)13,820$16,020,000$4,194$16,020,000
      3The Bad Guys (Universal Pictures)53,705$6,100,000$1,646$62,895,895
      4Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (Paramount Pictures)72,943$3,940,000$1,339$143,217,491
      5Men (A24)12,212$3,293,030$1,489$3,293,030
      See More Details

      There’s a New Media Mogul Tearing Up Hollywood: ‘Zas Is Not Particularly Patient’ (Wall Street Journal)

      Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslov

      Now that the merger of Warner Bros. and Discovery has closed, David Zaslav has assumed his new role as the company’s President and CEO.  The Wall Street Journal published a profile of “Zas,” emphasizing his management approach and how different it is from how the media conglomerate was run under AT&T.

      Zaslav uses a decidedly hands-on approach to running the company’s many television channels, streaming services, and news/media outlets.  He intends on increasing the number of new movies Warner Bros. releases theatrically from seventeen in 2022 to “20-25” in 2023.  The expansion is based on an assessment of financial profitability since his analysis indicates that theatrical releases provide more profit upfront and increased viewership on HBO Max.  Exhibitors are thrilled with a strong vote of confidence coming from the CEO of one of Hollywood’s major studios…and streaming providers.

      After disrupting TV and upending Hollywood, Netflix could be looking more like a cable network and movie studio (Fortune)

      Still reeling from a disastrous Q1 earnings report, Netflix is considering making fundamental changes to its business model.  “Initiatives” that the streamer is said to be pursuing include a crackdown on widespread password sharing, introducing an ad-supported tier of service, and live-streaming popular reality shows to boost interest in these original series.

      Another intriguing development is the possibility of Netflix distributing some of its feature films to cinemas with a 45-day exclusive theatrical window.  Netflix may test this new strategy later this year with a theatrical release for KNIVES OUT 2 and an untitled project from Alejandro González Iñárritu.

      If these prove successful, Netflix may release as many as twelve films within a 45-day window next year.  This is a shocking departure from Netflix’s previous approach to releasing its original films. There is some skepticism that Netflix will adopt the distribution strategy of a traditional movie studio.  However, the current turmoil in financial markets has forced all players in media and entertainment to re-consider their long-held positions.

      ‘Avatar 2’ Renews Push for 3D Format in Movie Theaters (Hollywood Reporter)

      Disney has hit a marketing home run by showing an exclusive in-theatre teaser trailer for AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER with their blockbuster release of Marvel’s DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS.  The trailer has sparked buzz around the upcoming sequel to the 2009 original, especially its use of 3D technology.  AVATAR 2 will be the first time in years since many will have seen a movie in 3D.

      James Cameron’s AVATAR was a box office phenomenon because of its innovative use of special effects.  After an initial wave of interest, 3D lost its luster as Hollywood rushed to bolt the format onto many special effects blockbusters, beginning with CLASH OF THE TITANS, released only four months after AVATAR.  Many viewers came to feel that 3D was a gimmick used to justify higher ticket prices.

      At its peak in 2010, 3D accounted for $1.85B in domestic ticket sales, representing 18.2% of the total box office.  Since then, 3D’s market share has fallen dramatically, with even large-format specialist IMAX dropping the format.

      However, Disney believes that audiences are ready once again to embrace 3D based on advancements in technology and the creative impact of director James Cameron.  Exhibitors are also enthusiastic since it promises a theatrical-only experience at a premium ticket price.

      June Boxoffice Heading to Infinity & Beyond

      With twin tentpoles on deck for June, exhibitors should soon be seeing ticket sales to infinity & beyond!

      In Universal/Amblin’s JURASSIC WORLD: DOMINION, opening 6/10, dinos & humans co-exist on earth. A week later, when Disney/Pixar’s LIGHTYEAR lands, astronaut Buzz will be ready to co-exist with dinos at the multiplexes.

      Both films are tracking well, but LIGHTYEAR (pictured) should play younger than DOMINION. It’s good news that -25M, the demo driving our boxoffice recovery, are both movies’ top demos, and they’re each about four times the norm. At week’s end, the dinos’ next best demo was a tie between +25M (12 points over norm) & +25F (13 points over norm). DOMINION’s weakest demo is -25F, but they’re 12 points over the norm.

      LIGHTYEAR’s next best demo is -25F at 5 points over the norm. Older demos aren’t as excited about seeing this animated Buzz Lightyear origin story. +25F is 2 points over the norm, while +25M is only up by 1 point.

      Unaided awareness tracking scores for -25M & -25F show the LIGHTYEAR brand’s strength from its origins in Disney/Pixar’s TOY STORY franchise. People know LIGHTYEAR without being prompted about it. Younger men were 3 times the norm, while younger women were nearly as strong.

      March Date Means Another Long Oscar Season

      We finally know that 2023’s Oscars will take place on 3/12, but that’s not good news.

      Once again, the Academy’s picked a March date that guarantees another bloated & extended awards season. Oscar campaigning starts with May’s Cannes Film Festival, where studios use costly premieres to put films into the early best picture conversation — like TOP GUN: MAVERICK (pictured) & ELVIS. Because Academy members are notoriously reluctant to nominate mainstream movies for best picture, being in the global media spotlight is step one.

      But frontrunners must survive nearly a year of combat. As all the Oscar bellwethers start ringing, there’s an endless pre-Oscars parade of the same contenders. The sameness of it all works against the Oscars since viewers feel they’ve already seen it all by March.

      The Academy’s far-flung membership — over 25% are now based in 75 countries — favors small international dramas. Many of them are only streaming, making it hard to get U.S. moviegoers to boost Oscar’s sagging ratings. However worthy these films are, unless American audiences know them, they don’t have a rooting interest in who wins.

      The Academy would benefit from earlier dates for future festivities since shrinking the awards season could heighten interest in Oscar’s sealed envelopes.

      Studio Release Calendar

      Studio Releases... 5/27-6/2

      Title (Distributor)RatingRuntimeDistribution
      Top Gun: Maverick (Paramount Pictures)PG-13Wide
      The Bob’s Burgers Movie (20th Century Studios)PG-13102Wide
      A Taste of Whale (Greenwich Entertainment)NR85Limited
      The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (Iconic Releasing)R104Event Cinema
      See More Details

      Studio Release Calendar

      Studio Releases... 6/3-6/9

      Title (Distributor)RatingRuntimeDistribution
      Eiffel (Blue Fox Entertainment)R108Moderate
      Crimes of the Future (Neon)R107Moderate
      Neptune Frost (Kino Lorber)NR105Limited
      Watcher (IFC Films)R91Limited
      Frank and Penelope (Independent)RLimited
      See More Details
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      LOOKING AHEAD, EXHIBITORS CAN EXPECT SIZZLING JULY FOURTH WEEKEND TO FOLLOW POWERFUL MEMORIAL DAY & BLAZING HOT JUNE TICKET SALES. PERFECT TIMING THAT 7/4 FALLS ON MONDAY THIS YEAR. THAT MEANS FOUR DAY WEEKEND WITH MANY PEOPLE OFF FROM WORK. GOOD NEWS IS HOLIDAY TENTPOLE LAUNCH, UNIVERSAL/ILLUMINATION ENTERTAINMENTS' PG ANIMATED COMEDY ADVENTURE "MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU," IS PERFECT FAMILY FARE. SERIES' ORIGINAL EPISODE, "MINIONS," WHICH REPORTEDLY COST $74M TO MAKE, OPENED 7/10/15 TO $115.7M. WOUND UP DOING $336M/DOM + $823.4M/INT = $1.2B/WW....
      MEMORIAL DAY'S LOOKING BETTER WITH MID-WEEK PROJECTIONS BY EXHIBITORS & HOLLYWOOD HANDICAPPERS UP FROM CAUTIOUS ORIGINAL $75-100M FOUR DAY RANGE FOR PARAMOUNT/SKYDANCE MEDIA'S "TOP GUN: MAVERICK." EXHIBS NOW THINK $81-92M FOR THREE DAYS WITH SOME MOVING UP TO $125M FOR FOUR DAYS. MEDIA ESTIMATES VARY, BUT GENERALLY PUT FOUR DAY HOLIDAY FRAME AT $92-100M+ ADDING THAT IT COULD COME IN ABOVE $100M. "MAVERICK," WHICH REPORTEDLY COST $170M TO PRODUCE, IS GOING INTO 4,732 DOMESTIC THEATRES, MAKING IT ALL-TIME WIDEST THEATRE TOTAL....
      ANYTHING OVER $64.9M THAT TOM CRUISE'S "WAR OF THE WORLDS" OPENED TO 6/29/05 WILL BE NEW CAREER BEST FOR HIM. WHATEVER HAPPENS THIS WEEKEND, HEADLINE WILL BE: "MAVERICK" IS BIGGEST OPENING EVER FOR CRUISE. IN AGE WHERE MARVEL MOVIES ROUTINELY KICK OFF TO $150-$200M, WORTH NOTING CRUISE IS SUPERSTAR NOT SUPERHERO. SO WE SHOULDN'T BE COMPARING "MAVERICK" TO DOCTOR STRANGE OR SPIDER-MAN. WILL DEFINITELY HELP "MAVERICK" ROTTEN TOMATOES SCORES ARE THROUGH THE ROOF -- 97% CRITICS & 99% AUDIENCE, WHICH MEANS GREAT WORD OF MOUTH!...
      LATE WEEK TRACKING SHOWS "MAVERICK" INCHING UP WITH -25M DEMO. FIRST CHOICE SCORES FOR -25M ARE NOW FIVE POINTS OVER NORM. EARLIER THIS WEEK, THEY WERE FOUR POINTS OVER NORM. -25F ARE NOW FOUR POINTS OVER NORM, BUT THEY WERE SEVEN POINTS UP EARLIER IN WEEK. OLDER DEMOS ARE BOTH DOWN SLIGHTLY FROM EARLIER THIS WEEK. +25M ARE STILL TOP DEMO WITH 12 POINTS OVER NORM VS. 15 POINTS OVER NORM BEFORE. +25F ARE NOW 10 POINTS OVER NORM COMPARED TO 11 POINTS OVER NORM BEFORE. ...
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      WB/ROADSHOW ENTERTAINMENT'S OSCAR CONTENDER "ELVIS" PREMIERED MID-WEEK AT 75TH ANNUAL CANNES FILM FESTIVAL, RECEIVING 10 MINUTE STANDING OVATION. THAT'S SAID TO BE LONGEST THUS FAR FOR ANY PICTURE THIS YEAR. BAZ LUHRMANN'S MUSICAL BIO-DRAMA STARS AUSTIN BUTLER AS PRESLEY & TOM HANKS AS COLONEL TOM PARKER, WHO DISCOVERED ELVIS & MANAGED HIS CAREER FOR 20 YEARS. CANNES MEDIA SPOTLIGHT WILL HELP DRIVE "ELVIS" OPENING 6/22 INTERNATIONALLY & 6/24 DOMESTICALLY. BEST DEFINITE INTEREST DEMO IS +25M, BUT AT THIS EARLY POINT THEY'RE STILL ONE POINT UNDER NORM. NEXT BEST ARE -25F, WHO ARE TWO POINTS UNDER NORM. PLENTY OF TIME LEFT FOR DOMESTIC MARKETING CAMPAIGN TO HEAT UP PRE-OPENING. ...
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      MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU
      Top Gun: Maverick
      Top Gun: Maverick
      Top Gun: Maverick
      ITEM5 - THE BOB'S BURGERS MOVIE - POSTER 2022(1)
      ITEM6 - ELVIS - (L-r) AUSTIN BUTLER as Elvis and TOM HANKS as Col. Tom Parker(1)
      MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU
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