DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ Every single Zendaya movie, ranked
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-26 | by ( Savanna Swain-Wilson | Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

She also returned as MJ in "Spider-Man: No Way Home" (2021). Tom Holland in "Spider-Man: No Way Home." Courtesy of Sony PicturesAudience score: 98%In this follow-up to the 2019 Marvel Cinematic Universe film, the hero's identity is revealed. Again, like the previous installment, the film was lauded by both critics and audience members, with some even calling it the "best" "Spider-Man" movie of all time. Keep in mind this list doesn't include movies that she wasn't credited in, nor does it include films without a score.

Persons: Tom Holland, Peter Parker, Doctor Strange, Benedict Cumberbatch, wasn't, Read Organizations: Sony Locations: Holland

☆ Disney's cinematic drought may have opened a door for activist investor Peltz
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-02 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

DisneyDisney has struggled to return to the lofty box office records of 2019 — and that may have helped open the door for its recent troubles with activist Nelson Peltz. Just four years ago, the studio had seven billion-dollar films, which contributed to a global box office haul of more than $13.2 billion. Sony produced and distributed "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which made $1.9 billion, although Disney's Marvel Studios did serve as a co-producer. "People go to watch a movie or a show to be entertained," Peltz said in recent interview with The Financial Times. Peltz has also taken particular issue with Disney's failed succession plans and what he's described as a disjointed streaming strategy.

Persons: Harrison Ford, Indiana Jones, Nelson Peltz, Disney's, Strange, Peltz, Jay Rasulo, he's, Marvel, Ike Perlmutter Organizations: Disney Disney, Disney, Century Fox, Star, Sony, Disney's Marvel Studios, Guardians, Galaxy, Trian Fund Management, Financial Times, Marvel, U.S . Air Force, Financial, Marvel Entertainment Locations: U.S

The “Last of Us” and “Mandalorian” actor is set to play Reed Richards (also known as Mister Fantastic) in the newest incarnation of “The Fantastic Four,” the studio announced Wednesday. The rest of his squad was revealed, too, with Vanessa Kirby stepping up as Susan Storm (The Invisible Woman), Joseph Quinn of “Stranger Things” as Johnny Storm (The Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach of “The Bear” as Ben Grimm (The Thing). “The Fantastic Four” is among Marvel’s longest-running comics series and the titular crew is one of its most beloved groups. When it debuted in November 1961, it was a refreshing revelation that helped inform the Marvel voice and set a path for Iron Man and Spider-Man. The film is set to be directed by “WandaVision” veteran Matt Shakman, with a planned July 25, 2025, theatrical release.

Persons: Pedro Pascal, Mandalorian, Reed Richards, Vanessa Kirby, Susan Storm, Joseph Quinn, Johnny Storm, Ebon Moss, Bachrach, “, Ben Grimm, Stan Lee, Jack Kirby, Roger Corman, Alex Hyde, Rebecca Staab, Jay Underwood, Michael Bailey Smith, Oley Sassone, Corman's, Tim Story, Chris Columbus, Raja Gosnell, ” helmer Peyton Reed, ” Ioan Gruffudd, Reed, Jessica Alba, Susan, Chris Evans, Johnny, Michael Chiklis, Ben, Kevin Feige, John Krasinski, Strange, “ WandaVision, Matt Shakman Organizations: Star Wars, Marvel, Century Fox

☆ Mads Mikkelsen on His Movie & TV Roles: 'Hannibal,' 'the Promised Land' & 'Indiana Jones'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Caralynn Matassa | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

On his ever-growing collection of billion-dollar franchise roles, and playing with dinosaurs nextMikkelsen as Kaecilius in "Doctor Strange." Did you have that issue at all while filming "Doctor Strange"? We did have that in "Doctor Strange," to a degree. And that there's a very good reason for that because "Doctor Strange" is born from a psychedelic graphic novel, which was very different from the other ones. The most fun must've been "Doctor Strange" because I got to do two things I love: doing magic and flying Kung Fu.

Persons: who's, Mads Mikkelsen, Ludvig Kahlen, Mikkelsen, Nikolaj, he's, " Mikkelsen, Melina Hagberg, Mus, James Bond, Indiana Jones, Hannibal Lecter, he'd, Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford Mikkelsen, Voller, Daniel, Sean Connery, Sean, it's Bond, Harrison Ford, let's, I'm, geez, I've, He's, Hannibal, Bryan Fuller —, Brooke Palmer, Bryan Fuller, Bryan, It's, we're, Le Chiffre, Strange, Kaecilius, Robert Downey Jr, Mark Ruffalo, You've, Harry Potter, Kung, Rihanna, doesn't, Thomas Vinterberg's, they're Organizations: Business, LucasFilm, Le, Nazi, NBC, Marvel, Star Wars Locations: Nazi, Harrison, Hannibal, Rihanna's

☆ How Disney can save the Marvel Cinematic Universe
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +13 min

CEO Bob Iger suggested as early as March that the company should decrease the number of sequel films Marvel releases in favor of bringing newer characters and stories into the mix. Box office analysts aren't ready to wave the white flag on the MCU, which has left rival DC, owned by Warner Bros. The promise was that the events of the shows would come full circle and influence the content of Marvel's films. Brie Larson stars as Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel in Disney and Marvel's "The Marvels." It is expected that this Deadpool film will follow carry an R rating, which would be a first for a Marvel Cinematic Universe feature.

Persons: Marvel Studios Kevin Feige, Jesse Grant, Captain America, It's, Marvel, Disney, Bob Iger, aren't, Kevin Feige, Paul Dergarabedian, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Wanda Maximoff, Sam Wilson, Loki, Knight, they've, Robert Thompson, Tony Stark, Steve Rogers, Robbins, Paul Rudd, Scott Lang, Johnathan Majors, Kang the, Kang, Jonathan Majors, Shawn Robbins, Josh Brolin, Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Strange, Hugh Jackman, Brie Larson, Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel, James Bond, Marvel hasn't, hasn't, it's, America Chavez, Kate Bishop, Kamala Kahn, Cassie Lang, Riri Williams, Ryan Reynolds, Maya Lopez, Wilson Fisk, Lopez, Agatha Organizations: Marvel Studios, Walt Disney Studios, Disney, Getty, Marvel, DC, Warner Bros, Captain, Syracuse University, Guardians, Rotten, CNBC, Disney Marvel, Sony, Hollywood, Star Wars, Star, Young Avengers, Fox, Hulu Locations: ANAHEIM , CALIFORNIA, Anaheim , Calif, California, Shanghai, Quantumania

☆ Marvel used to reliably churn out billion-dollar hits. Now Disney has a mess on its hands
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-13 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Disney has a mess on its hands to marvel at. The embarrassingly weak debut marked the worst opening for any Marvel Studios film in its history. But, in recent years, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has started to show serious signs of trouble. Those films — all of which were released after “Endgame” — are the four worst-reviewed films in Marvel history, according to Rotten Tomatoes averages. And the movies failed to earn an A-rating from CinemaScore, a feat almost all Marvel films easily accomplished, signaling deeper troubles with audience reception and crushing word-of-mouth.

Persons: CNN —, Marvel, “, ”, ” Shawn Robbins, Loki ’, Brie Larson didn’t, Bob Iger, Iger, ” Iger, Kevin Feige, ” Robert Downey Jr, ” Chris Evans ’, America, Scarlett Johansson’s “, Thanos, Chadwick Boseman’s “, Doctor Strange, Iron, ” Robbins Organizations: CNN, CNN — Disney, Marvel Studios, Marvel, Rotten, Box, “ Guardians, Galaxy, DC Studios, Warner Bros ., Disney, Magic, “, Pixar, “ Marvel

☆ Disney cost cuts exceeding targets but quarterly revenue misses
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The entertainment conglomerate also said it fell slightly behind analyst projections for U.S. subscribers of Disney+. It added 800,000 Disney+ subscribers, 100,000 subscribers shy of analyst estimates, and shed 12.5 million subscribers to the Disney Hotstar service in India, or nearly a quarter of its subscribers, as it gave up rights to Indian Premiere League cricket matches. Disney's traditional television business continued its decline, with lower revenue and operating income across the company's broadcast and cable TV business. TV revenue for the quarter decreased 7% to $6.7 billion, while operating income fell 23% to $1.9 billion. Disney's direct-to-consumer business reported a 9% increase in revenue to $5.5 billion, as the average revenue per subscriber rose at Disney+ and Hulu.

Persons: Mike Blake, Walt Disney, Bob Iger, Iger, Disney, Strange, Disney's, Dawn Chmielewski, Chavi Mehta, Aditya Soni, Peter Henderson, Sayantani Ghosh, Matthew Lewis Organizations: Disney Studios, REUTERS, Disney, Indian Premiere League, Hulu, Guardians, Shanghai Disney Resort, Walt Disney World, Thomson Locations: Burbank , California, U.S, India, Orlando , Florida, Los Angeles, Bengaluru

☆ The 2023 movie box office will need a strong second half after an inconsistent first six months
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-04 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Hit and missOf course, quality is a big factor in a film's box office success, too. That pullback has already begun with the 2023 summer movie season. Starting the first Friday in May and running until Labor Day weekend, the summer movie season typically represents 40% of all movie ticket sales for the year. So far through July 2, the summer box office has tallied $1.88 billion. In summer 2022, the box office got a boost from Tom Cruise's "Top Gun: Maverick," a Paramount and Skydance feature.

Persons: that's, Mike Polydoros, clamoring, It's, Universal's, Mario, haven't, Shawn Robbins, Robbins, Tom Cruise's, Paul Dergarabedian, Strange, Indiana Jones, Ruby Gillman, Oppenheimer, Dergarabedian, Kraven, Hunter Organizations: PaperAirplane Media, CNBC, Warner Bros, Mario Bros, Guardians, Galaxy, Sony, BoxOffice.com, Labor, Paramount, Comscore, Universal, Disney, Lionsgate

☆ This is about to be the summer of Tom Cruise — again
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-13 | by ( Madeline Berg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tom Cruise looks like he's headed for another summer on top at the box office. A China opening could add millions of dollars to the film's gross — and to Cruise's pockets. Tom Cruise had a pretty great 2022, with a top-grossing film, a best picture nomination at the Oscars, and a slew of good press. But this isn't just good for "Mission Impossible" — it will also boost Cruise's payday, which is likely linked to the film's performance. But for Cruise, every dollar — or Yuan — that the films brings in means more money to his pocket.

Persons: Tom Cruise, Ethan Hunt, Strange, It's, Cruise, Yuan —, lister, Hunt Organizations: Epoch Times, Dominion, Variety, Cruise Locations: China, Middle Kingdom

☆ DC Studios' future begins with Marvel's 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-04 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +15 min

And, for once, the success of a Marvel film could bode well for the future of its longtime adversary. On the theatrical side, DC Studios has announced five new projects that will roll out starting in 2025 with Gunn's own "Superman: Legacy." "And I think Marvel Studios, sooner rather than later, needs to tell us what's going on with Spider-Man." He sees this as the result of predictable plotlines within the genre that are repeated across both studios' films. Marvel Studios

☆ The first movie to cross $1 billion so far this year wasn't a superhero movie — it's 'The Super Mario Bros.'
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Will Gendron | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

'The Super Mario Bros. Movie' continues to dominate the global box office. It has become the first movie of 2023 and the first video game movie ever to reach this benchmark. Over the weekend, "The Super Mario Bros. Movie" officially surpassed the $1 billion mark at the global box office. It grossed more than double the box office of the second highest-grossing movie of the year, Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania," per Box Office Mojo. Meanwhile, "The Super Mario Bros." has a tight run time of just 92 minutes.

☆ Disney Lays Off Marvel Entertainment Chairman Ike Perlmutter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Walt Disney Co. has laid off Isaac “Ike” Perlmutter, chairman of Marvel Entertainment LLC, and plans to fold the comic-book publishing business into Disney Entertainment, the company’s content-production division. Mr. Perlmutter, who remains one of Disney’s largest individual shareholders, has long had a rocky relationship with Chief Executive Robert Iger . In 2015, Mr. Iger removed him as head of Marvel Studios after a power struggle with current studio chief Kevin Feige . Those layoffs began this week, and included the elimination of Disney’s metaverse unit. The moves represent reversals of the agenda championed by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek , who was close with Mr. Perlmutter and who championed the metaverse initiative.

☆ 'Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania' box office suffered steep decline in second week
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

That's the sentiment from box office analysts after the Marvel Cinematic Universe's latest film "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" saw the sharpest decline in ticket sales from opening weekend to second weekend in franchise history. To be sure, "Quantumania" is one of the worst reviewed Marvel films, with a 48% "rotten" critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes. "Thor: Love and Thunder," "Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness" and "Spider-Man: No Way Home," a co-production with Sony , all saw second week drops in excess of 67%. The film also has more counter-programming than other Marvel films released in the last few years. He pointed to "Violent Night" and "M3gan," in addition to "Cocaine Bear," as films that have outperformed expectations at the box office.

☆ All 31 Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked by how much money they made at the global box office
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Travis Clark | Samantha Delouya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Universal Pictures Worldwide box office: $264.7 million Total domestic box office: $134.8 million Domestic opening weekend: $55.4 million Budget: $150 million 29. Disney/Marvel Worldwide box office: $370.6 million Total domestic box office: $176.7 million Domestic opening weekend: $65 million Budget: $140 million 28. "Ant-Man" (2015) Marvel Worldwide box office: $519.3 million Total domestic box office: $180.2 million Domestic opening weekend: $57.2 million Budget: $130 million 23. Marvel Studios Worldwide box office: $644.8 million Total domestic box office: $206.4 million Domestic opening weekend: $85.7 million Budget: $170 million 19. Marvel/Sony Worldwide box office: $880.2 million Total domestic box office: $334.2 million Domestic opening weekend: $117 million Budget: $175 million 11.

☆ ‘Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania’ Review: Where More Is Less
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Anyone who has been to a comic-book movie lately can tell you that should any interlude dare to linger more than about 37 seconds in a situation where not much is taking place except people talking, the theater will start twinkling like a galaxy as viewers take out their phones to check their messages. To forestall such fidgeting, superhero sagas grow increasingly desperate not to let any period appreciably longer than a Toyota commercial elapse without a frenzied chase, thunderous battle, jolly musical interlude, display of things not seen on this earth, or instance of the universe being turned inside out. The latest hectic example, “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania,” inaugurates Phase Five of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which is as financially hale as it is creatively tired. Thanks to a few sweet father-daughter moments and a relatively direct plot, this entry is a notch better than some even-more-febrile recent efforts such as “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” and “Thor: Love and Thunder.” But overall it’s another lackluster blockbuster. It does contain one genuinely awe-inspiring visual spectacle (the face of Paul Rudd , the only American man who looks nearly as good now as he did during the Clinton administration) and one truly scary concept (teen activist daughters bent on achieving universal social justice when you wish they’d just do their homework).

☆ I flew first class for the first time ever—here's why the upgrade from economy was worth it
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( Celia Fernandez | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Flying first class for the first time has convinced me that it's worth the money for longhaul flights. I've been flying my entire life — to the Dominican Republic, to Italy, to Morocco — but it's always been in economy class. That all changed in January when my partner and I were traveling to San Francisco and got upgraded to first class. On our way to the airport, we got a notification that we'd be upgraded from economy to Delta's Comfort+. I got a free upgrade to fly in Delta's first class cabin on a recent flight to San Francisco, California.

☆ '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.

☆ Disney's Marvel movies are returning to China after almost four years with 'Black Panther' and 'Ant-Man'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-19 | by ( Michelle Toh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” will open in China on February 7, roughly three months after its global debut, while “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” will open on February 17, Marvel Studios announced on Chinese social media Tuesday. Since then, Marvel’s last eight movies have not been shown in the country, though that will drop down to seven with the upcoming “Black Panther” release, Dergarabedian said. Stars of Marvel Studios' "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" attending the film's European premiere in London on Nov. 3, 2022. “This likely played a part in this welcome shift in playability for Marvel films in the country.”China’s box office generally rakes in billions of dollars a year. That put North America’s box office ahead once more in 2022, generating more than $7.5 billion compared with China’s $4.4 billion, according to Comscore data.

HONG KONG — Marvel films are set to be released on screens in mainland China for the first time in more than three years, the endgame for an apparent ban in the world’s second-largest movie market. The China Film Administration, a division of the ruling Communist Party’s propaganda department that approves all foreign film releases, gave no official explanation for the blocking of those films. Marvel’s brief announcement did not mention the earlier films or say why “Black Panther” and “Ant-Man” were being released. Marvel fans in China welcomed news of the two new releases. Others lamented the films that had not made it to Chinese theaters.

☆ Marvel movies are set to return to China, but Covid could weigh on ticket sales
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Marvel films are returning to China in February, marking the first time in nearly four years that Disney's comic book cinematic universe landed a release in the country. Since 2012′s "The Avengers," China has been the second-highest-grossing box office market for all Marvel movies, just behind the U.S. and Canada. The last Marvel film to open in China was 2019's "Spider-Man: Far From Home." There are also concerns about muted ticket sales from China as the coronavirus once again roils the region since the government lifted its "zero Covid" policy. For comparison, the first "Avatar" collected around $250 million in ticket sales during its run in 2009 and 2010.

☆ China lets Marvel movies back in, sets dates for Black Panther, Ant-Man sequels
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Danielle Broadway | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LOS ANGELES, Jan 17 (Reuters) - Walt Disney Co's (DIS.N) Marvel Studios on Tuesday announced February release dates for "Black Panther" and "Ant-Man" sequels in China, marking the first time in nearly four years that the Communist country has allowed Marvel movies into its cinemas. "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" will arrive in Chinese theaters on Feb. 7 followed by "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" on Feb. 17, Marvel announced on Chinese social media network Weibo. "Wakanda: Forever," the sequel to 2018's blockbuster hit "Black Panther," debuted in global theaters in November. The first "Black Panther" took in $105 million at Chinese theaters, while the second "Ant-Man" movie generated $121 million, according to Box Office Mojo. The February releases will be the first Marvel films to play in Chinese theaters since "Spider-Man: Far from Home" in July 2019.

"Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" will start streaming exclusively on Disney Plus on February 1. Check out the trailer for 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'Though the original "Black Panther'' movie starred the late Chadwick Boseman as T'Challa, Boseman does not appear in the sequel. How to watch 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever'You can watch "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever" at home on Disney Plus starting February 1. Is 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' worth watching? Letitia Wright in "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever."

☆ China continued to reject Marvel movies in 2022, and the country's box office plummeted 36%
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

China's box office dropped 36% in 2022 compared to the previous year. Chinese film officials also continued to reject many Hollywood releases, particularly Marvel movies. China's box office dropped 36% to $4.35 billion in 2022, according to Deadline, which cited figures that China's Film Administration released to state media. The 2022 North American box office rose to an estimated $7.5 billion, according to Comscore, a 64% increase from the previous year. To make matters worse for its box office, China also didn't have a local smash hit last year, like it did in 2021 with "The Battle at Lake Changjin."

It’s not that theatrical film exhibition was in a particularly good place before the pandemic. Yet the astounding box-office figures of 2022 tell a different story: Movie theaters didn’t become obsolete. It offered up the best of the moviegoing experience: spectacle, plus quality, plus rewatchability. But best of all, the hunger for the overly familiar was not the only story to be told this year. But if the pandemic-era absence of theatrical releases proved one thing, it’s that people love going to the movies, really love it, and not just to see Marvel movies.

☆ Hits Like ‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Buoyed 2022 Movie Box Office, to a Point
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-26 | by ( Robbie Whelan | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Total domestic box office grosses through Christmas show an increase of 68% from 2021, but are still off by roughly a third compared with 2019. The combined superpowers of the Batman, Doctor Strange, the Minions, Maverick and Na’vi warriors couldn’t save Hollywood from a lackluster 2022 box office. Once the new year arrives, the domestic box office total for 2022 will likely come in at around $7.35 billion, Comscore said. Total domestic box office grosses through Christmas of this year represent an increase of 68% over 2021, when many theaters remained closed and audiences were largely still apprehensive about returning to theaters for fear of Covid-19. But 2022 grosses are still off by roughly one-third compared with 2019, the last prepandemic year, when the total North American box office totaled $11 billion.

Search resuls for: "Doctor Strange"

25 mentions found