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Within days, millions of TikTok videos using music from Universal artists went mute, and since then guessing which side would blink first has become a media-business parlor game. Backing this up, one study found that TikTok users reported experiencing higher levels of flow than Instagram users. Corey Basch, who analyzed 100 popular TikTok videos with the hashtag mentalhealth for a 2022 study, emerged concerned about the looping effect of the algorithm. Cerave Sales increased by more than 60 percent in 2020 after skin care became a lockdown pastime and TikTok users discovered the drugstore mainstay. Cat Crack Catnip It briefly sold out in 2021 after TikTok users posted videos of their cats going crazy for it.

Persons: randos, TikTok, you’ve, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, ”, “ Wonka, Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, —, goofing, cavorting, Sue Fleishman, Z’s Walter Cronkite, Spehar, Donald J, Trump, he’s, Caitlin Clark’s, Joe Biden, Justin Bieber, Abbie Richards, Richards, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Fleetwood Mac, Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Drake, Swift, ByteDance, can’t, Mark Warner, hasn’t, Al, ear on, Li Organizations: Fleetwood Mac, Facebook, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, White, Pew Research Center, YouTube, The New York Times, Kansas City Chiefs, Media, Colgate, Universal Music Group, ByteDance, Intelligence Committee, e Locations: United States, Beijing, Biden’s, TikTok, Singapore, View, Calif, China, American

☆ AMC Theaters, Looking for Movies, Turns to Blumhouse
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Brooks Barnes | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

For five days starting on March 29, people who buy tickets to certain movies at certain AMC Theaters will see video messages starring … Jason Blum? It’s a long way from Nicole Kidman, whose breathy “We come to this place for magic” branding spot has become legend. But Mr. Blum, a horror film producer, has been working to build his entertainment company, Blumhouse, into more of a consumer-facing brand. AMC and Blumhouse, which has made more than 200 horror movies and shows, are teaming up for what they are calling the Halfway to Halloween Film Festival. Previously released Blumhouse horror movies, including “Split,” “Ouija: Origin of Evil,” “The Purge,” “The Invisible Man” and “Insidious,” which will have its 13th anniversary on April 1, will be on offer in 100 AMC theaters in 40 cities.

Persons: … Jason Blum, It’s, Nicole Kidman, Blum, ”, James Wan, Mike Flanagan Organizations: AMC, Marvel, ”

☆ How Young Entertainment Professionals — founded by a former agency assistant — is helping Hollywood up-and-comers chart careers amid disruption
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Young Entertainment Professionals is an online community of more than 10,000 early-career professionals in Hollywood. Young people in the entertainment industry vented that their career growth was stymied by forces outside of their control. At YEP events, Romero added, "there's always people that come up to me who are like, 'When I moved to LA, I didn't know anybody.' In 2023, a Netflix creative assistant founded the monthly newsletter The Hollywood Assistant, telling BI that newcomers have "no blueprint" for how to chart a course to steady employment and success. "They can help through the hard times that we have been having in the industry," Romero concluded.

Persons: Trevor Romero, It's, isn't, he's, Romero, there's, they've, —, people's, Kai Dorsey —, YEP Organizations: Young Entertainment, UTA, Hollywood, LinkedIn, Facebook, United Talent Agency, Business, Paramount, Gersh Agency, Entertainment Partners, BI Locations: Hollywood, California, New York, LA, tatters, Los Angeles

☆ From ‘Barbenheimer’ to Taylor Swift, here are the most important films of 2023 and why they worked
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-27 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Hannah Beier | The Washington Post | Getty ImagesCall 2023 an explosive comeback at the box office. Together, those three films contributed more than $1.5 billion to the domestic box office, according to data from Comscore. But in the meantime, here's a look at some of the most important theatrical releases of 2023 — and why they worked. Meanwhile, Disney has seen its animated content lag at the box office in the wake of the pandemic. "His Only Son," a biblical drama released in early 2023, cost $250,000 to make and generated $12.4 million at the box office.

Persons: Barbie, Oppenheimer, Hannah Beier, Mario, Comscore, Greta Gerwig, Christopher Nolan's, J, Robert Oppenheimer, Chris Pratt, Charlie, Luigi, Disney, Kung, Taylor Swift, Michael Jackson's, Buda Mendes, tas23, Swift, Beyoncé, Tim Ballard, Jim Caviezel, Covid, Blumhouse, Cabrini, Saint Francesca Cabrini, Bonhoeffer, Dietrich Bonhoeffer Organizations: Washington Post, Getty, Warner Bros, Mario Bros, Universal, Disney, Pixar, Walt Disney Animation, Swift, AMC, National Football League, Angel Studios, Century Fox, Roman Catholic, Reich Locations: Somerdale , New Jersey, There's, New York, Universal, Hollywood, Colombia

☆ 'Sound of Freedom' studio looks to build on crowdfunding success with new film 'The Shift'
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Angel Studios is set to release "The Shift" this Friday. A relative newcomer to Hollywood, Angel Studios uses a Kickstarter-style method of generating funds. "Innovation and outside the box thinking has put Angel Studios on the map. "Sound of Freedom" isn't the only Angel Studios title to exponentially overperform its budget. A crowdfunding campaign in partnership with Angel Studios raised more than $1.2 million for prints and advertising costs.

Persons: Brock Heasley, Neal McDonough, America, Angel, Jim Caviezel, Covid, Paul Dergarabedian, Blumhouse Organizations: Angel, Hollywood, Angel Studios, Warner Bros

The superhero factory hit a new low with the weekend launch of “The Marvels,” which opened with just $47 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. It was also the rare Marvel movie led by three women — Larson, Teyonah Parris and Iman Vellani. After numerous strike-related delays, the only Marvel movie currently on the studio’s 2024 calendar is “Deadpool 3,” opening July 26. While quite low for a $200 million movie, “Killers of the Flower Moon” is primarily an awards-season statement by Apple of its growing moviemaking ambitions. "The Marvels,” $47 million.

Persons: Brie Larson, Captain Marvel, ”, aren’t, Marvel ”, David A, Gross, Sony’s, Morbius, Nia DaCosta, — Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Bob Iger, ” Gross, “ Barbie, Larson, Taylor Swift’s, Swift, Sofia Coppola's “ Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny, Priscilla Presley, Jacob Elordi, Martin Scorsese's, Alexander Payne's, Paul Giamatti, Comscore, “ Taylor Swift, “ Priscilla, Jake Coyle Organizations: Marvel, Research Entertainment, Walt Disney Co, Disney, Rotten, Warner Bros, “, Universal Pictures, AMC Theatres, Apple Studios, Paramount Pictures, Apple, Sony's Locations: Bethlehem

☆ Hollywood actors' strike is set to end Thursday after SAG-AFTRA reached a tentative agreement with major studios
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Alison Brower | Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative agreement to end its strike against the Hollywood studios. The strike lasted 118 days, and, along with the Hollywood writers' strike, halted most film and TV production. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe actors' union, SAG-AFTRA, announced Wednesday evening that it had secured a tentative deal with Hollywood studios to end a strike of nearly four months, a spokesperson for the guild confirmed to Insider. The guild's national board will review the tentative deal on Friday, November 10, after which the union said "further details" would be released. While 2023 has seen some box office highs, most notably the summer's Barbenheimer phenomenon, movie theaters, and Hollywood studios are still struggling to recover from the pandemic drop in theatergoing.

Persons: AFTRA, —, Netflix —, Bob Iger, Donna Langley, Ted Sarandos, David Zaslav, Debra Messing, Pedro Pascal — Organizations: Hollywood, Service, SAG, Alliance, Television Producers, Writers Guild of America, Warner Bros, Disney, Netflix, Discovery, WGA, Apple, Paramount, Sony, Writers Locations: California, Hollywood, —

The North American box office had one of its slowest weekends of the year, due in large part to “Dune: Part Two’s” absence from the lineup. 1 movie and it would have been a bigger overall weekend,” said Paul Dergarabedian, the senior media analyst for Comscore. “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour" took second place, with fourth weekend earnings at an estimated $13.5 million for the AMC release. "The overall box office is rather quiet, but there are so many interesting films out there," Dergarabedian said. “Independent film can really shine right now.”The effects of the ongoing strike at the box office are not easily quantifiable.

Persons: ”, “ Taylor Swift, Sofia Coppola’s “ Priscilla ”, “ Oppenheimer ”, Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Swifties, Martin Scorsese's, Alexander Payne's “, “, Paul Dergarabedian, Priscilla, ’, It's, That's, “ Priscilla, Priscilla Presley’s, Elvis, Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi, Paul Giamatti, Eugenio Derbez, ” Dergarabedian, “ He’s, Ryan, David Duchovny, exes, Jackson's, Dergarabedian, haven’t, “ Priscilla ”, Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Lashana Lynch, Comscore Organizations: American, Warner Bros, SAG, Comscore, Universal Pictures, AMC, Apple, Paramount, Los Angeles, Marvel, “ Locations: New York, Los, England, Mexican

☆ 'Five Nights at Freddy's' rides PG-13 rating, video game fame to Halloween box office crown
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Mike Calia | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

If anything was going to topple Taylor Swift at the box office, it had to be a killer animatronic bear, right? Swift's "Eras Tour" concert film came second for the weekend, with an estimated $14.7 million, putting its domestic total at $149.3 million. "Five Nights" is also based on a popular horror-survival video game series that gave it a built-in younger audience. That helped it overcome generally awful reviews that left the film with a 26% "rotten" rating on movie-review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes. Data firm EntTelligence said the movie accounted for 65% of foot traffic to theaters during the weekend.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Chuck E, EntTelligence, Audiences, Emma Tammi's Organizations: Universal, Rotten

It hardly mattered that “Five Nights at Freddy’s” was released simultaneously in theaters and on streaming this weekend. Fans flocked to movie theaters across the country to see the scary video game adaptation on the big screen, which made $78 million to top the North American box office, according to studio estimates Sunday. The movie also opened in 64 markets internationally, where it’s expected to gross $52.6 million, giving the film a $130.6 million global launch – the biggest of any horror released this year. Political Cartoons View All 1223 ImagesAnd it paid off: “Five Nights at Freddy’s” is his company’s biggest opening of all time, surpassing “Halloween’s” domestic and global debut. Coppola’s “Priscilla,” about Priscilla Presley’s life with Elvis, also opened on four screens in New York and Los Angeles, where it averaged $33,035 per screen.

Persons: ”, Blumhouse, Emma Tammi, Josh Hutcherson, Mary Stuart Masterson, Matthew Lillard, Freddy Fazbear’s, Scott Cawthon, Jason Blum, “, ” Blum, AP’s Mark Kennedy, “ Taylor Swift, Martin Scorsese's, Alexander Payne’s “, Sofia Coppola’s “ Priscilla, Paul Giamatti, Coppola’s “ Priscilla, Priscilla Presley’s, Elvis, Cailee Spaeny, Jacob Elordi Organizations: American, Universal, Peacock, NBCUniversal, IGN, Rotten, AMC Theatres, Paramount, New Locations: U.S, Canada, New York, Los Angeles, New England

☆ ‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ review: Josh Hutcherson stars in another game-to-screen slice of horror
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-26 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” wants to do for animatronic arcade characters what “It” did for clowns. Fleshing that out, the movie begins by quickly indicating why Freddy’s might need a new employee, and why Mike desperately needs a new job. "Five Nights at Freddy's" turns the game into a horror movie. Even so, the net result is another slice of horror that at best feels a little half-baked. “Five Nights at Freddy’s” premieres October 27 in US theaters and on Peacock.

Persons: ”, Scott Cawthon, Emma Tammi, Seth Cuddeback, ” Josh Hutcherson, Chuck, Mike, Piper Rubio, he’s, Patti Perret, Jim Henson’s, tickle, Hutcherson, Rubio, Elizabeth Lail Organizations: Universal Pictures Locations: Peacock

More was riding on “Killers of the Flower Moon,” a historical crime drama about a string of murders against the Osage nation in the early 1920s. “Killer of the Flower Moon” also marks the best wide-release debut for a film from a streaming company. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm Franchise Entertainment Research, said of the “Killers of the Flower Moon” launch. As dissimilar as “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” and “Killers of the Flower Moon” are, they’re alike in their extended run times. “Killers of the Flower Moon" also reeled in more young moviegoers than one might have expected.

Persons: Barbie ”, “ Oppenheimer, ” Martin Scorsese, Taylor Swift, “ Taylor Swift, ”, Swifties, David Grann’s, Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone, Robert De Niro, mightily, Apple, Ridley Scott’s, Napoleon, Joaquin Phoenix, Matthew Vaughn’s “, ” David A, Gross, David Gordon Green, Tim Burton's, Comscore, “, “ Leo Organizations: Apple Studios, AMC Theaters, Paramount Pictures, Apple, Netflix, MGM, Sony, Universal, Paramount, Entertainment Research Locations: North America, Osage, Venice

"The Exorcist: Believer" possessed the box office during its opening weekend, but industry experts wonder if it will continue to turn heads in the weeks to come. Still, on a production budget of just $30 million, "The Exorcist: Believer" could prove profitable if it continues to lure moviegoers in the coming weeks. "The Exorcist: Believer" fled from its original release date (Oct. 13) because Swift announced her Eras Tour concert film would arrive in cinemas that day. The film quickly snared the coveted, higher priced, premium format screens, leaving little room for "The Exorcist: Believer" to eke out a solid opening. The potential same-day opening was almost immediately shut down when "The Exorcist: Believer" moved its release date up a week.

Persons: There's, Taylor Swift, Swift, Paul Dergarabedian, Comscore ., Oppenheimer, Jason Blum Organizations: Comscore, Universal

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “The Exorcist: Believer” spun heads and drove off all foes at the box office. But while it nearly earned back its reported budget of $30 million in just a few days, the take for “The Exorcist: Believer” was underwhelming after the two companies paid $400 million in 2021 for the rights to a new trilogy. Another horror sequel, “Saw X,” was third for Lionsgate Films, with $8.2 million, and has brought in $32.6 million after two weekends. “The Exorcist: Believer,” $27.2 million. “Saw X,” $8.2 million.

Persons: —, ”, “, William Friedkin, David Gordon Green, “ Hamilton, Leslie Odom Jr, Lidya Jewett, Jake Coyle, “ Barbie, Comscore Organizations: ANGELES, Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions, Paramount Pictures, Lionsgate Films, Rotten, The Associated Press Locations: North America, Venice

Taylor Swift performs onstage during the Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour at Lumen Field on July 22, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. A concert film of Taylor Swift's "The Eras Tour" is hitting movie theaters on Friday, Oct. 13 – the same day as the next installment of the "Exorcist" horror franchise, making for another potential wild movie double feature. Discovery' s "Barbie" and Universal' s "Oppenheimer" hit theaters on the same day, leading to a double-feature cultural event and driving massive box office sales. "The Exorcist: Believer," produced by horror film studio Blumhouse, takes place 50 years after the original film. The film stars Leslie Odom Jr. of "Hamilton" fame and Ellen Burstyn, who starred in the 1973 demonic possession classic.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Lumen Field, Taylor, hashtag, Oppenheimer, Leslie Odom Jr, Hamilton, Ellen Burstyn, Swift Organizations: Warner Bros, Universal Locations: Seattle , Washington

☆ Horror juggernaut Blumhouse to launch video game division
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The world of video games is about to get scarier. Blumhouse, the powerhouse horror movie and TV production company, said Tuesday that it is launching Blumhouse Games. Blumhouse Games will partner with independent game developers and target indie-budget games of under $10 million. To lead Blumhouse Games, the company tapped video game industry veterans Zach Woods as the group's president and Don Sechler as chief financial officer. Wood has been a video game producer for more than 25 years and published games on every platform including Game Boy, Playstation and Xbox.

☆ 'M3gan' is setting the stage for a big year for horror movies at the box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-21 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

UniversalA fashion-forward, murderous doll is ringing up big bucks at the box office. It's the latest success in a string of lucrative theatrical runs for the horror genre. Additionally, fewer theatrical releases have resulted in a smaller overall box office in the last year. The domestic box office reached $7.5 billion in 2022, better than $4.58 billion collected in 2021, but down around 34% compared to 2019. Its newest installment in the Scream franchise took in $81 million in the U.S. and Canada and $137 million worldwide.

☆ 'M3GAN' is getting a sequel after smashing the box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

"M3GAN" is getting a sequel, set for release in 2025. It shows the power of a potential merger between its production companies, Blumhouse and Atomic Monster. Production studios Blumhouse and Atomic Monster announced on Wednesday that they've greenlit a sequel to their hit horror movie, about an AI-powered doll that torments any humans she thinks will harm her owner. The sequel, titled "M3GAN 2.0," is set for release on January 17, 2025. "M3GAN" has been a box-office smash since debuting on January 6, earning $95 million at the global box office so far, $60 million of which is from the US.

☆ 'M3GAN' star Allison Williams has no problem being called a nepo-baby: ' It's not a level playing field'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Eboni Boykin-Patterson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

'M3GAN' star and executive producer Allison Williams is unbothered by the 'nepo-baby' conversation. In a new interview, Williams said she had great opportunities from her father's connections. In a new interview with New York Mag, Allison Williams, daughter of former NBC anchor Brian Williams, says acknowledging her privilege is just fine with her. She doesn't think the nepo-baby conversation is coming from a bad place either — she said, "All that people are looking for is an acknowledgement that it's not a level playing field." Williams told Wired in a December interview that acknowledging the advantages of being a nepo-baby comes down to trusting her skills.

☆ 21 production companies that are acquisition targets as streamers race to get profitable and private equity bets big on Hollywood content
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Lucia Moses | Elaine Low | Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The streaming wars have fueled a wave of deal-making for Hollywood production companies. Private equity is leading the charge, with firms like Apollo and Blackstone spending big on content. Insider identified 21 top production companies that could attract buyers or investors in 2023. Media companies need fresh content to win and keep subscribers who have more options than ever to choose from. Insider spoke with five industry dealmakers, consultants, and other experts who named 20 companies that could be hot acquisition targets as the drive for content continues.

Sam Zimmerman, AMC NetworksZimmerman. AMCWant to break bread with Zimmerman, VP of programming at AMC Networks' horror destination, Shudder? One of the first original documentary projects he commissioned for Shudder was "Horror Noire," focused on Black stories and creators. Zimmerman oversees a team of creatives who acquire and develop feature films and television series. "She taught me a lot about building audiences for films and when they'll reject new discoveries," Zimmerman said.

☆ It’s a scary time in Hollywood. But the horror studio behind hits like ‘Halloween Ends’ is making a killing
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-14 | by ( Frank Pallotta | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

That includes hits like “Get Out,” “The Black Phone,” “The Purge,” “Paranormal Activity,” and the rebooted “Halloween” trilogy. “Halloween Ends,” the trilogy’s final film, hits theaters and streaming this weekend. Scary low budgets, scary good results"Get Out" was one of Blumhouse's biggest commercial and critical hits. For Jason Blum, the company’s CEO and founder, making movies on low budgets is more than just about saving money. “We’re really known for low budgets because low budgets are profitable,” he told CNN Business.

☆ How Bryan Lourd became one of the most powerful people in the history of Hollywood
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-25 | by ( Alex Sherman | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +18 min

Lourd, 61, isn't a household name, but he wields a stunning amount of influence in Hollywood. Lourd's Hollywood clients aren't just A-listers, they're A+-listers: Brad Pitt. An old-fashioned talent agent who loves discussing old movies and doesn't mind pointing out the flaws in his own clients' work, Lourd has become arguably the most powerful person in Hollywood. "He's one of the most powerful people in the history of Hollywood," said Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos. But Lourd's clients are such bankable stars that it's equally important for Hollywood executives to be friendly with him as it is beneficial for Lourd and CAA.

☆ Kevin Hart sold a $100 million stake in his media company to private equity firm Abry. Here are 10 more Hollywood production shops that are hot M&A targets.
▼ + stars: | 2022-05-19 | by ( Natalie Jarvey | Elaine Low | Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

Abry Partners' $100 million stake in Kevin Hart's company HartBeat is the latest big M&A move in Hollywood. Dealmakers said production companies are valuable amid the streaming wars and demand for content. The M&A activity had top Hollywood dealmakers telling Insider in early 2022 that practically every independent production company is a target. Many production companies make work-for-hire or don't control the rights to a project once it is sold off to a studio distributor. Based on January interviews with five entertainment industry experts and insiders, Insider identified a list of 10 production companies that could be compelling acquisition targets as M&A activity continues.

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