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☆ Asia stocks bounce gingerly but bank fears lurk
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Tom Westbrook | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. futures rose 0.2% in early Asia trade. A Swiss government-backed buyout of Credit Suisse by UBS has cauterized the immediate concern over European financial stability. But the wipeout of some Credit Suisse bondholders has sent a shockwave through bank debt, and persistent signs of stress at U.S. regional lenders has investors on high alert. Bond markets whipsawed overnight as traders seek to figure out what the bank stress means for rates policy. U.S. interest rate futures have priced in just one more 25 basis point hike before a series of cuts beginning as soon as June.

☆ You won't be able to watch movies and TV shows for free anymore on Peacock
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Peacock is no longer offering its free plan for new subscribers. As of Tuesday, Peacock has turned off its free tier for new users — meaning if you weren't already subscribed to Peacock, you'll now have to sign up for a paid membership. The free plan included ads and limited content compared to the paid tiers. An NBCU spokesperson told Variety that the change was part of the company's growth strategy for Peacock, but that existing users of the free plan will continue to have access to it for now. By Q1 2021, the service had just 9 million paid subscribers.

☆ 'Poker Face' showrunners say guest stars like Joseph Gordon-Levitt 'raised their hand' to appear on the show: 'Everybody wants to work with Rian Johnson'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Poker Face," which premiered on Peacock Thursday, is filled with guest appearances from star actors. "Poker Face" is the second murder-mystery project Johnson has taken on since his highly successful "Knives Out" movies. "I really hope that everybody dips a toe into 'Poker Face' because they're 'Knives Out' fans," Lilla said. "If you are a fan of 'Knives Out,' if you're a fan of 'Glass Onion,' I think you're gonna love 'Poker Face.'" "Poker Face" is now streaming on Peacock.

☆ Here's where you might recognize the cast of the new murder-mystery series 'Poker Face' from
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Natasha Lyonne plays lead character Charlie Cale in the new series. Natasha Lyonne as Charlie Cale in "Poker Face." PeacockIn Rian Johnson's new murder series "Poker Face," we follow human lie detector Charlie Cale as she attempts to solve a series of crimes that she stumbles across. Charlie has the ability to tell when a person is lying, and she ends up using the gimmick to solve murder mysteries. Fans of Johnson's recent movie "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" will also recognize Lyonne since she made a cameo as herself early in the film.

☆ Factbox: Oscar nominations 2023: nominees for 95th Academy Awards
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Harry Shum Jr., Stephanie Hsu, Michelle Yeoh, and Ke Huy Quan pose with the Best Picture award for "Everything Everywhere All at Once" at the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards in Los Angeles, California, U.S., January 15, 2023. REUTERS/Aude GuerrucciLOS ANGELES, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced nominations on Tuesday for the 95th Academy Awards. Winners will be revealed in Hollywood on March 12 in Los Angeles. The following is a list of nominees in leading categories. BEST PICTURE“All Quiet on the Western Front""Avatar: The Way of Water""The Banshees of Inisherin""Elvis""Everything Everywhere All at Once""The Fabelmans""Tár”"Top Gun: Maverick""Triangle of Sadness""Women Talking"BEST ACTORAustin Butler - “Elvis”Colin Farrell - "The Banshees of Inisherin"Brendan Fraser - "The Whale"Paul Mescal - "Aftersun"Bill Nighy - "Living"BEST ACTRESSCate Blanchett - "Tár"Ana de Armas - "Blonde"Andrea Riseborough - "To Leslie"Michelle Williams - "The Fabelmans"Michelle Yeoh - “Everything Everywhere All at Once"BEST DIRECTORMartin McDonagh - "The Banshees of Inisherin"Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert - "Everything Everywhere All at Once"Steven Spielberg - "The Fabelmans"Todd Field - "Tár"Ruben Östlund - "Triangle of Sadness"BEST SUPPORTING ACTORBrendan Gleeson - "The Banshees of Inisherin"Brian Tyree Henry - "Causeway"Judd Hirsch - "The Fabelmans"Barry Keoghan - "The Banshees of Inisherin"Ke Huy Quan - "Everything Everywhere All at Once"BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESSAngela Bassett - "Black Panther: Wakanda Forever"Hong Chau - "The Whale"Kerry Condon - "The Banshees of Inisherin"Jamie Lee Curtis - "Everything Everywhere All at Once"Stephanie Hsu - "Everything Everywhere All at Once"BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY"The Banshees of Inisherin", written by Martin McDonagh"Everything Everywhere All at Once", written by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert"The Fabelmans", written by Steven Spielberg and Tony Kushner"Tár", written by Todd Field"Triangle of Sadness", written by Ruben ÖstlundBEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY"All Quiet on the Western Front", screenplay by Edward Berger, Lesley Paterson and Ian Stokell"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery", written by Rian Johnson"Living", written by Kazuo Ishiguro"Top Gun: Maverick", screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie; story by Peter Craig and Justin Marks"Women Talking", screenplay by Sarah PolleyBEST ANIMATED FEATURE FILM"Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio""Marcel the Shell with Shoes On""Puss in Boots: The Last Wish""The Sea Beast""Turning Red"Reporting by Danielle Broadway; Editing by Mary Milliken and Jonathan OatisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ A busier movie calendar will lead to a 15% jump in box office sales, JPMorgan predicts
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Slow and steady will win the race at the box office this year, according to JPMorgan analyst David Karnovsky. The first is tied to the depressed state of the box office last year . However, if additional movies are released, here's where there could be upside to his box office forecast. DIS 3M mountain Disney shares have gotten a boost from a proxy battle, but box office gains could be ahead. Paramount's "Top Gun: Maverick" topped the box office charts last year, while NBC Universal had new films in the Jurassic Park and Minions franchises.

☆ 'Glass Onion' star Dave Bautista has a clear goal for his acting career: 'I never wanted to be the next Rock'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

I can force myself to do things that make me uncomfortable, because I know I'm not gonna get anywhere if I don't. "I'm afraid of things," Bautista said. And I just don't know if I want Drax to be my legacy—it's a silly performance, and I want to do more dramatic stuff." Whether leaving his most iconic character behind dings his marketability as a star or not, Bautista isn't concerned. "I don't care about the spotlight, I don't care about fame.

☆ 'Glass Onion' director Rian Johnson jokes that Netflix secretly funded Twitter's takeover as his fictional idiot billionaire draws comparisons with Elon Musk
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Ryan Hogg | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Glass Onion" director Rian Johnson joked that Netflix might have funded the Twitter takeover. Johnson said this wasn't intentional, saying the character reflected general tech billionaire foibles. I hope there isn't some secret marketing department at Netflix that's funding this Twitter takeover," Johnson said. Johnson told Wired that Norton's character was originally based on an amalgamation of tech billionaire personalities. Asked if he would ever write a sequel about the downfall of Twitter, Johnson responded: "Didn't I just do that?"

☆ 'Glass Onion' director says he didn't want 'A Knives Out Mystery' in the title
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

"Glass Onion" director Rian Johnson said he was "pissed off" about the movie's subtitle. But despite the name recognition, director Rian Johnson still wasn't thrilled to have "Knives Out" in the title of his sequel, "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," which hit Netflix on Friday. Whether it's partly due to the familiar subtitle or not, "Glass Onion" appears to be a hit on Netflix. Netflix nabbed the rights to two "Knives Out" sequels last year, meaning viewers can expect a follow-up to "Glass Onion." During Netflix's most recent earnings call in October, co-CEO Ted Sarandos said: "We're in the business of entertaining our members with Netflix movies on Netflix."

"Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" is now available to stream on Netflix. Serving as a sequel to the 2019 film "Knives Out," "Glass Onion'' features the return of detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig). Check out the trailer for 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'Daniel Craig reprises his role as keen investigator Benoit Blanc. How to watch 'Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery'You can watch "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery" at home exclusively on Netflix. Is 'Glass Onion' a sequel to 'Knives Out'?

☆ What could GOP control of the House mean for U.S.-China tensions?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-18 | by ( Megan Lebowitz | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +10 min

McCarthy also says he plans to create a House select committee on China, the first since the late 1990s. House Republicans will also investigate the origins of the coronavirus and “the CCP’s role in the spread,” the blog post said, although it is unclear whether that investigation would be part of the select committee. Tensions were further inflamed in August by Pelosi’s Taiwan visit, the first by a sitting U.S. House speaker since 1997. The most volatile issue in U.S.-China relations is the status of Taiwan, which Beijing has not ruled out seizing by force. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi speaks with Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen in Taipei, Taiwan on Aug. 3, 2022.

“Spoiler Alert” opened in U.S. theaters Dec. 2. “Women Talking” opened in select U.S. theaters Dec. 2. “The Whale” opens in U.S. theaters Dec. 9. “Babylon” opens in U.S. theaters Dec. 23. “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” opens in U.S. theaters Dec. 23.

☆ 'Glass Onion' could have made $200 million, but Netflix only let it play in theaters for a week
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Netflix probably left hundreds of millions of dollars on the table by not keeping Rian Johnson's "Glass Onion" in theaters. "Glass Onion" leaves theaters Tuesday. The truncated run for "Glass Onion" also prompted industry insiders to again question the streamer's theatrical release strategy. The first film's performance at the box office has provoked questions about why Netflix has limited the release of "Glass Onion" to just one week in a limited number of theaters. "Glass Onion" earned a 93% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 238 reviews and an audience score of 92%, suggesting that it too could have generated the same kind of word of mouth.

☆ HBO is No. 1 as 14 TV insiders rank the streamers where they want to sell shows: Apple's a big spender and 'there's a sheen when you're a Hulu show,' but there's 'fear in the air' at Netflix
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Elaine Low | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

"It's definitely been not the most exciting and robust year," said one TV agent at a major agency. Around 70 people at HBO and HBO Max have been let go this year, and their comedy development teams have merged. While WBD doesn't break out streamer-specific figures, it said on Thursday's earnings call that HBO Max, HBO, and Discovery+ have a combined 94.9 million subscribers, ensuring that any show on HBO Max has the chance to get a lot of eyeballs. They'll also take smaller swings in the genre department, do things at a lower budget," said the second TV agent. Echoed the first TV agent: "You pitch and sell to them if no one else wants it."

☆ Disney is the biggest winner — and loser — at the Thanksgiving box office
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

This year's Thanksgiving box office was both feast and famine for Walt Disney . The week of Thanksgiving is typically a robust time at the box office. This year, the domestic Thanksgiving box office tallied around $121 million. The streamer declined to share box office receipts for the latest Rian Johnson film, although it is believed to have tallied between $13 million and $15 million during the five-day stretch. These decisions have led to a lot of confusion for audiences when animated Disney films have been released theatrically.

☆ ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery’ Review: Daniel Craig Solves a Puzzle on a Greek Isle
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Kyle Smith | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +2 min

Still, the nattily attired Blanc is not only a detective dandy, he’s a dandy detective, and “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is breezy holiday entertainment. All of them accept the offer to be guests at the lavish Greek island property of a jovial billionaire, Miles Bron ( Edward Norton ). We learn that he used to hang out with all of them at a tavern called the Glass Onion before he launched the tech business that made his fortune. Now he’s doing well enough to have built himself an enormous mansion topped by a palatial structure shaped like a glass onion. He boasts to his old friends that, unknown to his insurers, he has installed an override button that removes the protective glass housing around the masterpiece.

☆ Netflix's best Thanksgiving movie is not streaming: 'Glass Onion'
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-24 | by ( Ani Bundel | Ani Bundel Is A Cultural Critic Who Has Been Writing Regularly Since Her Work Can Also Be Found At Elite Daily | Weta'S Telly Visions | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” is a bit of a clunky title. But the film itself, which only ever calls itself “Glass Onion” on screen, is a delightful trifle of a mystery movie, a laugh-out-loud comedy that deserves to be a mass market theatrical hit. Perhaps “Glass Onion” is better experienced on streaming — at least philosophically. But perhaps “Glass Onion” is better experienced on streaming — at least philosophically. That being said, “Glass Onion” is as wonderfully enjoyable as its predecessor, even though there’s little need to connect the two.

REUTERS/Mario AnzuoniNov 23 (Reuters) - "Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery," a sequel to 2019's "Knives Out," brings together a new cast in Greece for a fresh murder mystery and case for sharply-dressed detective Benoit Blanc, played by Daniel Craig. Rian Johnson, who directed both movies, helped peel back one of the franchise's biggest mysteries this week when he explained what "Glass Onion" means. He told Reuters, "Well it's a Beatles song first and foremost and it's kind of a Beatles song about a mystery that's not actually a mystery." He added: "I ended up working in the idea of the glass onion of this thing that seems densely layered but in reality, it's pretty transparent. "I can't think of a film that I've been in in quite a while where the costumes had such a presence in the film," Norton said.

☆ ‘Glass Onion’ sharpens the ‘Knives Out’ formula in a polished Netflix sequel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Rising to the challenge of matching its successful predecessor, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” maintains the razor-sharp formula, with a setup that feels even more conspicuously like an Agatha Christie homage before an extremely clever series of twists kick in. Writer-director Rian Johnson again assembles a solid cast behind Daniel Craig, but it’s his use of language – where nary a word is wasted – that finally gives the sequel its edge. Netflix opportunistically stepped up to acquire the “Knives Out” franchise and, departing from its usual “Stroke the filmmakers’ egos” approach to theatrical distribution, will actually give the movie a wide one-week-only release before it hits the streaming service in late December. Happily, “Glass Onion” finds new layers to explore, in a way that makes the prospect of a new “Knives Out Mystery” every few years sound like a perfectly reasonable idea, wherever and however one chooses to consume it. “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” premieres November 23 in US theaters and December 23 on Netflix.

☆ A Failed Test Led AC/DC Frontman Brian Johnson to Discover the Power in His Voice
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Marc Myers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Brian Johnson, 75, has been the lead singer of the rock band AC/DC since 1980. He is the author of “The Lives of Brian: A Memoir” (Dey Street). My first public appearance as a singer was a command performance. Our church choirmaster named me head choir boy and had me sing “Silent Night” solo at a candlelit midnight Mass on Christmas in 1960. When I finished, I heard sighs and ahhhs.

☆ Bob Iger needs to fix Disney's 'Star Wars' problem
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( Travis Clark | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

He said then that a movie-a-year strategy for "Star Wars" was "too much, too fast." But Disney might have slammed on the brakes a little too hard: The only "Star Wars" movie to be released since then has been "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker," in 2019. And now, there isn't a "Star Wars" film on the theatrical release calendar until 2025. It's unclear if Iger foresaw a six-year wait, at least, when he said back in 2018 that "Star Wars" movie output would slow. But Lucasfilm hasn't made any public commitment to any of them as the next stage of "Star Wars" on the big screen.

☆ Daniel Craig unleashes his inner disco diva in Taika Waititi-directed vodka commercial
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Toyin Owoseje | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

London CNN —Since ending his 15-year run as James Bond with “No Time to Die” last year, Daniel Craig has not been sitting idle. The British star has been busy brushing up his fancy footwork, which he enthusiastically showcases in a new vodka commercial directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Taika Waititi. Belvedere Presents Daniel Craig, Directed by Taika Waititi: Director’s CutIn the tongue-in-cheek ad for Belvedere Vodka, which premiered last week and runs for more than two minutes, Craig goes from brooding and enigmatic to swaggerlicious and even … fun. The ad opens with a white-suited Craig standing on a bridge, back to the camera, gazing moodily out at the water. The ad ends with Craig taking a drink of Belvedere and commenting “finally.” Dancing is thirsty work.

☆ 14 TV insiders rank the streamers where they want to sell shows now as Apple TV+ closes in on HBO Max amid turmoil at Warner Bros. Discovery
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-08 | by ( Elaine Low | Lucia Moses | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +19 min

HONG KONG — Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s first two terms in power were marked by intensifying competition and tensions with the United States. The United States does not seek conflict with China, Biden told a meeting of his top military advisers Wednesday. “China stands ready to work with the United States to find the right way to get along with each other in the new era,” he said. But China under Xi has a “superficial stability,” Johnson said. Hulton Deutsch / Corbis via Getty ImagesAt 69, Xi has appointed no obvious successor, indicating he may plan to stay in power indefinitely.

☆ ‘Star Wars’ movie in development from 'Watchmen' showrunner and 'Ms. Marvel' director, reports say
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-24 | by ( Stefan Sykes | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A new "Star Wars" movie is under development with a pair of buzzy names already attached, according to media reports. Damon Lindelof, showrunner for "Lost," "The Leftovers" and "Watchmen," is co-writing the new Lucasfilm movie, with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy of "Ms. Marvel" signed on to direct, according to media entertainment site Deadline. But the upcoming feature marks the first "Star Wars" film set for theaters since 2019's "The Rise of Skywalker." "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" was a massive success for the franchise, grossing $1 billion at the global box office. Other "Star Wars" film projects from Taika Waititi, Rian Johnson and Kevin Feige have yet to be officially announced by the studio or given release dates.

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