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With a dearth of new releases in cinemas, Paramount Pictures' Tina Fey-scripted musical “Mean Girls” pushed its two-week total past $50 million, along with $16.2 million internationally. The top 10 films collectively accounted for just $51.3 million in box office, according to Comscore. The Jason Statham thriller “The Beekeeper,” from Amazon MGM Studios, remained in second place, grossing $8.5 million in its second weekend to bring its total to $31.1 million. Warner Bros. “Wonka,” six weeks into its smash run in theaters, was third, with $6.4 million in ticket sales. In its fourth week of release, the Blitz Bazawule-directed film starring Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P. Henson and Danielle Brooks, grossed just $720,000.

Persons: Oscar, Tina Fey, it's, Ariana DeBose, Jason Statham, “ Wonka, It's, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, Bridget Jones's Baby, Ava DuVernay's “, Aunjanue Ellis, Taylor, Isabel Wilkerson, Yorgos, Emma Stone, Cord Jefferson's, ”, Jeffrey Wright, Jonathan Glazer’s, Oprah Winfrey, Steven Spielberg, Fantasia Barrino, Taraji P, Henson, Danielle Brooks, Comscore, “ I.S.S Organizations: Paramount Pictures, U.S, Bleecker, Audiences, Hollywood, Amazon MGM Studios, Warner Bros, Sony Pictures, Searchlight, Globe Locations: Russia

☆ Jacob Elordi finally sniffed the 'Saltburn' bathwater candle and thinks it smells like detergent
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-19 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Jacob Elordi smelled a "Saltburn"-themed scented candle on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon." Elordi appeared on Thursday's episode of "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," and host Jimmy Fallon gifted him a candle. AdvertisementOliver (Barry Keoghan) puts his face in Felix's (Jacob Elordi) bathwater in "Saltburn." Amazon MGM StudiosAlthough the bathtub scene is not the only explicit scene in "Saltburn," it is the most talked about scene on social media. While viewers found the bathtub scene disturbing, Elordi defended the scene in an interview with USA Today.

Persons: Jacob Elordi, Jimmy Fallon, —, Jacob Elordi's bathwater, Felix, masturbates, Oliver, Barry Keoghan, Elordi, Fallon, Priscilla, Cailee Spaeny, Suzie Davies, Keoghan, Davies, Emerald Fennell, Fennell Organizations: Service, MGM Studios, Business, USA Locations: Felix's

☆ Amazon entertainment layoffs stir 4 big questions for insiders about the tech giant's Hollywood ambitions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-18 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The layoffs hit Prime Video and the Amazon MGM Studios division, with many of the cuts related to Amazon's $8.5 billion acquisition of MGM in 2022, the second biggest deal in the tech giant's history. The layoffs, combined with other factors straining the entertainment business — from strikes to content spending pullbacks — have heightened concerns about the future of the company's entertainment ambitions. These are the questions that came up the most about that future, according to conversations with six people close to Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. As part of the layoffs, two MGM teams were integrated under Chris Brearton, a business-side exec who joined Amazon with the MGM acquisition in 2022. How will sports impact original content spending?

Persons: what's, Jen Salke, Freevee, didn't, Who's, Chris Brearton, Salke, Mike Hopkins, What'll, there's Organizations: Amazon, Amazon MGM Studios, MGM, Amazon's, Hollywood Reporter, Hollywood, Diamond Sports, MLB, NHL, NBA Locations: Salke, Africa, MENA, Northern, Central

☆ 'Saltburn' production designer explains how they made the bathroom scene, from finding a tub that fit Jacob Elordi to creating his bathwater
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-16 | by ( Jason Guerrasio | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Oliver spies on Felix as he pleasures himself in a clawfoot tub. After Felix finishes and leaves the room, Oliver crawls into the tub and drinks the last bit of water from the bath as it swirls down the rusty drain. The scene's shocking nature has led to countless TikToks and jokes, including a cocktail recipe inspired by the moment. "The bathroom was described along with the whole walkthrough scene when Felix walks through showing Oliver the house," Davies told Business Insider. "It was a spare bedroom with tapestry on the walls and a cream color," Davies explained of their chosen room.

Persons: —, Barry Keoghan's Oliver slurps, Felix, Jacob Elordi, Oliver, Jill, Jacob Elordi's Bathwater, Jacob Elordi's bathwater, I've, Suzie Davies, Davies, Fennell's, Oliver's, Fennell, Emerald Fennell, Jacob, Barry slurping, Barry Keoghan, Linus Madekwe's, Barry Organizations: Service, Business, Oxford University, Drayton House, MGM, Amazon MGM Locations: Drayton, Northamptonshire

☆ Amazon is laying off 'several hundred' employees across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios — read the memo
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Lucia Moses | Kylie Kirschner | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The company is laying off "several hundred" employees across Prime Video and Amazon MGM studios. "As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization." In April 2023, Amazon Studios (now Amazon MGM Studios) and Prime Video teams cut about 100 people — a tiny fraction of Amazon's 27,000 layoffs last year. As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization. Prime Video is one of the most popular benefits for Prime members, and one of most widely used entertainment destinations in the world.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, Hopkins, Amazon's, Jen Salke, Freevee, We've, we've, Amazonians who've, Mike Organizations: Service, Prime, MGM, Amazon MGM Studios, Business, Hollywood Reporter, Bloomberg, Hollywood, Amazon Studios Locations: Americas, Hollywood

☆ Amazon will cut hundreds of jobs, including at game streaming firm Twitch
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Clare Duffy | Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

New York CNN —Amazon on Wednesday cut hundreds of jobs across two different business units: streaming platform Twitch and its film and television studios division. Amazon is cutting “several hundred” roles across Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, according to an internal note shared with CNN. In addition, video game streaming company Twitch, which is owned by the tech giant, said Wednesday it is laying off 500 workers as part of ongoing cost-cutting efforts. Wednesday’s announcement comes after Twitch laid off 400 workers in March of last year as part of broader cuts at parent company Amazon. The layoffs point to ongoing challenges at Twitch, although Amazon does not break out specific results for the unit.

Persons: Mike Hopkins, “, ”, Hopkins, Dan Clancy, Twitch, we’ve, ” Clancy, Clancy, Dataminr Organizations: New, New York CNN, Amazon, Amazon MGM Studios, CNN, MGM, Amazon Prime, Bloomberg, Google, Spotify Locations: New York

☆ Amazon cuts hundreds of jobs in Prime Video and MGM Studios: Read the memo to employees
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Annie Palmer | In Annierpalmer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Here's the full memo from Hopkins:Team,We've taken significant steps towards our long-term vision of making Prime Video the first-choice entertainment destination for customers worldwide, and I'm proud of everything we've accomplished as a team to date. And, through our acquisition of MGM, we've increased our investments in theatrical films and driven growth in MGM+ and our licensing and third-party production businesses. As a result of these decisions, we will be eliminating several hundred roles across the Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios organization. It is hard to say goodbye to talented Amazonians who've made meaningful contributions on behalf of our customers, team and business. Prime Video is one of the most popular benefits for Prime members, and one of most widely used entertainment destinations in the world.

Persons: We've, we've, Amazonians who've, Mike Organizations: Amazon, Hopkins, MGM, Prime, Amazon MGM Studios Locations: Americas

☆ Amazon insiders are bracing for changes at Freevee now that Prime Video is adding ads
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-08 | by ( Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewSpeculation about the future of Amazon's free, ad-supported streamer Freevee is swirling now that sibling service Prime Video is about to launch ads itself. People who work for the service have been reassigned or told they'll add Prime Video duties, said three insiders familiar with the matter. Ryan Pirozzi, who previously ran the business side of Freevee, is now head of Prime Video Channels, US. People who worked on Freevee teams will be doing double duty for Prime Video, a sign that Amazon no longer sees Freevee as a freestanding business. Amazon describes Freevee as a service, with Amazon MGM Studios, Amazon's film and TV division, developing the content for Prime Video and Freevee.

Persons: —, Lauren Anderson —, Ryan Pirozzi, Freevee, James Marsden, It's, Jenny Burke Organizations: Service, Business, Amazon MGM Studios, Amazon, Freevee . Company, Hollywood, Prime, Freevee, Video Locations: Freevee

☆ Hunger Games prequel, 'Napoleon' lead as Thanksgiving box office shows signs of life
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-26 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

LionsgateThis year's Thanksgiving box office was both feast and famine for the theatrical industry. Meanwhile, Disney's latest animated feature "Wish," which celebrates the company's 100th anniversary, fell startlingly short of box office expectations, tallying just $31.7 million over its first five days in theaters. "It wouldn't be a holiday box office season without some occasional upsets and this weekend is delivering on that front," said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. Overall, the Thanksgiving box office secured around $172 million, an improvement over the previous three years of pandemic-pressured ticket sales. Prior to the coronavirus outbreak, the five-day Thanksgiving spread — consisting of the Wednesday before Thanksgiving through Sunday — had resulted in more than $250 million in ticket sales each year.

Persons: Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Coriolanus Snow, Lucy Gray Baird, Napoleon, Disney's, Shawn Robbins, Robbins, — Organizations: SONY, Lionsgate, Sony, Apple, MGM, Warner Bros Locations: Lionsgate's

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