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☆ Summer movie preview 2023
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-05 | by ( Dan Heching | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —Most moviegoers can pinpoint one summer movie – or perhaps, a summer of movies – in their formative years that really and truly cemented their love for going to the cinema, whether it be 1975’s “Jaws,” “E.T. And while streaming has clearly siphoned off part of the audience, particularly for more serious films, what we think of as “summer movies” still have the potential to rake in cash just like the old days. (CNN and DC are both part of the same parent company, Warner Bros. Courtesy Warner Bros. PicturesInitially meant for streaming platforms, this vehicle will herald the cinematic arrival of DC Studios’ first Latino superhero, played by Xolo Maridueña of “Cobra Kai” and “Parenthood” fame. If the fast-paced trailer is any indication, the movie looks sure to whisk those dog days of summer doldrums away quite nicely.

☆ Sony teases 2023 film slate, including R-rated 'Kraven The Hunter'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Tom Holland is Spider-Man in the Sony-Marvel film "Spider-Man: No Way Home." LAS VEGAS — CinemaCon kicked off Monday with a major announcement from Sony Pictures — its upcoming "Kraven the Hunter" would mark the first R-rated Marvel film produced by the studio. "F--- yes, it's rated R," said Kraven himself Aaron Taylor-Johnson in a pretaped teaser for the film before Sony showed the first trailer for the profane and bloody action flick. Sony showed 14 minutes of the film — due out June 2 — to CinemaCon audiences, who laughed and cheered for the uniquely animated feature. Sony also showcased a clip from Jennifer Lawrence's upcoming R-rated drama "No Hard Feelings" to raucous applause.

☆ Hollywood agency WME's newest film agent is a twentysomething talent Midas whose must-read comedy newsletter spotted rising stars and launched careers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-18 | by ( Reed Alexander | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

High-powered Hollywood talent agency WME has scooped up a new film agent from outside the company. Daniel Cramer, a former producer at Sony Pictures, was named by Insider as a 2022 rising star of the entertainment business. He became known as a talent spotter with his Cramer Comedy Newsletter, a curated email for industry insiders. As a producer and newsletter writer, Cramer has been an under-the-radar power broker in Hollywood for several years. Do you work in the entertainment industry?

☆ Paleontologists explain the most glaring errors in Adam Driver's new dinosaur film '65'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Erin Heger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Adam Driver stars in a new film "65," which takes place 65 million years ago. But like other Hollywood portrayals of dinosaurs, "65" gets several dinosaur facts wrong, according to paleontologists. The film's title is off my a million yearsThere were probably no dinosaurs around 65 million years ago. SonyLet's start with the title: "65" — named for when the film takes place 65 million years ago. It's a movie, not a science lectureThe film "65" has a 64% audience score on rotten tomatoes, so even if it got the science wrong, it managed to entertain some folks.

☆ Big banks to the rescue
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-17 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Goldman Sachs' decision to charge employees for coffee might not be that outrageous after all! The largest US banks — headlined by Bank of America, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo — just pledged a total of $30 billion in deposits to First Republic Bank. As detailed in a release announcing the news, the 11 banks, which also included Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, believe the move "demonstrates their overall commitment to helping banks serve their customers and communities. I can't imagine the big banks looking to pull the rug out from First Republic four months from now, but this money was a deposit, not a donation. Read more about how big banks came to the rescue of First Republic with $30 billion in deposits.

☆ 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.

☆ Sony's movie chief talks China censorship, upcoming game adaptation 'Gran Turismo,' and how his studio is preparing for a potential Hollywood writers' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +13 min

It was a long-term deal so I don't think we have to confront that yet, but it's gone terrifically for us, actually. If you don't want to compete, don't come in. Can you talk about the synergy with the Whitney Houston movie — she was a Sony Music artist — or "Gran Turismo," a Playstation game? Do you wish HBO Max's "The Last of Us," which is also based on a Sony Playstation game, had been a movie? A lot of big movies come out of it.

☆ What Rom-Coms Teach Us About Love, Life and Meg Ryan’s Hair
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-14 | by ( Tala Safie | Alexis Soloski | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

THE ENDThank you for playing,Photo credits: Sony Pictures (“Jerry Maguire”); Universal Pictures (“Love Actually,” “Marry Me,” “Notting Hill,” “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” “Along Came Polly,” “Bridesmaids”); 20th Century Fox (“Say Anything,” “The Devil Wears Prada,” “There's Something About Mary”); Columbia Pictures (“50 First Dates,” “When Harry Met Sally,” “Hitch,” “The Holiday,” “The Wedding Planner,” “Cruel Intentions”); Miramax (“Bridget Jones’s Diary,” “Kate & Leopold,” “She’s All That”); MGM (“Licorice Pizza”); TriStar Pictures (“Sleepless in Seattle”); Warner Bros. (“You've Got Mail,” “Crazy, Stupid, Love”); Lionsgate (“Shotgun Wedding”); New Line Cinema (“Monster-in-Law”); Buena Vista Pictures (“Pretty Woman,” “10 Things I Hate About You,” “High Fidelity”); Disney (“The Princess Diaries”); Focus Features (“Deliver Us from Eva”); Paramount Pictures (“How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”). A quiz by Tala Safie and Alexis Soloski. Produced by Sean Catangui, Amanda Webster, Alicia DeSantis and Lorne Manly.

☆ Exclusive: Record-breaking 2022 for North Korea crypto theft, UN report says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Michelle Nichols | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

North Korea has previously denied allegations of hacking or other cyberattacks. The United States has long been warning that North Korea is ready to carry out a seventh nuclear test. They also said they have started an investigation into reports of ammunition exports by North Korea. North Korea has rejected the accusation as groundless and Wagner's owner, Yevgeny Prigozhin, denied getting arms from North Korea. Last May, China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-led push to impose more U.N. sanctions on North Korea.

☆ 18 movies with valuable entrepreneurial lessons: From 'Startup.com' to 'Becoming Warren Buffett'
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Vikas Jha | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

Takeaway: This movie shows the effect money, greed and power can have on relationships. "The Social Network" (2010)"The Social Network" shows us that business success requires more than just a great idea. "Becoming Warren Buffett" (2017)In this documentary, Warren Buffett reveals his day-to-day, and his two most important investing rules. Takeaway: This movie shows how two young men were pitted against each other, striving to grow in a cut-throat business. I've found myself feeling motivated after watching a great film with lessons I can transpose to my entrepreneurial journey.

☆ At CES 2023, Sony's 'Gran Turismo' flags new entertainment strategy
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-04 | by ( Dawn Chmielewski | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

It also represents a significant bridging of the divides between Sony Pictures Entertainment, Sony PlayStation and Sony Music, according to a dozen current and former senior executives interviewed by Reuters. “I defined our identity as a creative entertainment company with a solid foundation on technology,” Sony chief executive Kenichiro Yoshida said. Sony’s “creative entertainment” company approach extends beyond content. A Sony-Honda electric vehicle, scheduled to reach consumers by 2026, is being framed as a rolling showcase of Sony’s entertainment, gaming and camera sensor prowess. This August will bring another test of Sony’s strategy when “Gran Turismo” hits theaters after languishing for 12 years.

☆ Here are 22 of the top LGBTQ news stories of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-30 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +12 min

Here are 22 of our top LGBTQ news stories of the year. Ron DeSantis signed the controversial Parental Rights in Education law — or what critics have dubbed the “Don’t Say Gay” bill — on March 28. 'It’s already having an impact': LGBTQ people fear abortion rights reversalA supporter of gay marriage waves a flag in front of the Supreme Court on June 25, 2015. Nicola Goode / Prime VideoAmazon’s “A League of Their Own” series, which debuted Aug. 12 and was inspired by the 1992 cult classic by director Penny Marshall, brought much-needed representation to the screen for lesbians and other queer women, who celebrated how “gay, gay, gay” it was. Biden signs same-sex marriage bill at White House ceremonyPresident Joe Biden signs the Respect for Marriage Act on the South Lawn of the White House on Dec. 13.

☆ 'It’s corn!,' 'Dark Brandon' and 'girl explaining': A look at the most notable memes of 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-23 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Kahlan-Rosenblatt.Jpg | Kalhan Rosenblatt | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

Here's NBC News' roundup of the 10 most notable memes of 2022. 'Dark Brandon'The meme, which started on Twitter in early 2022, depicts President Joe Biden as a laser-eyed edge-lord. 'Girl explaining'The "girl explaining" meme actually began going viral in 2019 in Spanish-speaking circles, according to Know Your Meme. Whether it's explaining what the Inflation Reduction Act is or why the Brooklyn Library is "fine free," the most shouty memes of 2022 were conveyed through the "girl explaining." That's because the corn kid, a 7-year-old named Tariq, became one of the year's most viral memes.

“I Wanna Dance with Somebody” suffers from thin dialogue and predictability — dull trappings intrinsic to biopics. Naomi Ackie as Whitney Houston in "I Wanna Dance with Somebody." To wit: Whitney Houston was a Black woman — ate Black, slept Black, lived Black, cried Black, walked Black and died Black. The most peculiar aspect of this criticism is the fact that nearly all American music is Black music. While Houston has mostly elided criticism that she wasn’t Black enough or didn’t make Black music, the spirit of this indictment lives on today.

☆ 1 in 5 studio films included an LGBTQ character in 2021, GLAAD report finds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Jo Yurcaba | Jo Yurcaba Is A Reporter For Nbc Out. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +6 min

Sixteen of the 77 films released by those studios (20.8%) featured 28 LGBTQ characters, the report found. That percentage is down slightly from 2020, during which 10 of the 44 theatrical releases (23%) featured 20 LGBTQ characters, according to the report. Of the 16 films that included LGBTQ characters in 2021, 11 films (69%) included gay male characters, four (25%) included lesbian characters and two (13%) included bisexual characters, according to the report. For the second year in a row, GLAAD found that there were zero LGBTQ characters with disabilities or LGBTQ characters living with HIV represented in the year’s films. The majority of the 28 characters, 17, received fewer than five minutes, and six of those characters received less than a minute of screen time.

☆ North Korean cyber spies deploy new tactic: tricking foreign experts into writing research for them
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Josh Smith | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +7 min

The sender was actually a suspected North Korean spy seeking information, according to those involved and three cybersecurity researchers. The email is part of a new and previously unreported campaign by a suspected North Korean hacking group, according to the cybersecurity experts, five targeted individuals and emails reviewed by Reuters. MSTIC said it had identified "multiple" North Korea experts who have provided information to a Thallium attacker account. North Korea's embassy in London did not respond to a request for comment, but it has denied being involved in cyber crime. DePetris said the hackers asked him about issues he was already working on, including Japan's response to North Korea's military activities.

☆ Gen Z loves Minions, horror and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Sarah Whitten | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The short answer: Minions and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, according to new data from decision intelligence company Morning Consult. Minions, Minions, Minions"It might not be too much of a surprise that Gen Z is all over social media," said Saleah Blancaflor, the business of entertainment reporter at Morning Consult. "Minions: The Rise of Gru" is the sequel to the 2015 film, "Minions," and spin-off/prequel to the main "Despicable Me" film series. Those films, and even a lot of the Marvel movies, came out a little bit before Gen Z was starting to come to age." They like to be scaredIn addition to enjoying comedy content, Morning Consult determined that Gen Z likes horror movies significantly more than the general public.

☆ New "Avatar" film gets rare China release
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Casey Hall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SHANGHAI, Nov 23 (Reuters) - The long-awaited sequel to James Cameron's blockbuster "Avatar", will be released in mainland Chinese cinemas on Dec. 16, 20th Century Studios announced on Wednesday on its official Weibo account. "Avatar: The Way of Water" is one of the few foreign films to get access to the Chinese market in recent months, with others including the latest film in the "Minions" franchise and Sony Pictures' "Where the Crawdads Sing". Reporting by Casey Hall; Editing by Tom HogueOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ James Cameron's new 'Avatar' film gets rare China release
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-23 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

“Avatar: The Way of Water” will be released in China on the same day as its global release, the studio said on its official Weibo account. The six latest Marvel movies did not make an appearance in China and earlier this year, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” was also denied a China release. That said, since Chinese movie ticket sales topped US ticket sales for the first time in 2020, the Chinese movie market has been hit by tight Covid-19 curbs. China’s total box office take for this year has reached only 28.27 billion yuan ($4 billion) according to Chinese cinema data app Dengta. It is a sharp fall from 2019’s 64.15 billion yuan or even last year’s 47.04 billion.

"Jeopardy!" great Amy Schneider won the show's Tournament of Champions in a game aired Monday, securing the title by knowing what comedic play was the talk of Washington, D.C., in 1864. Entering the “Final Jeopardy” round on Monday's show, Schneider led with $15,600, while He was in second at $14,200 and Buttrey was within striking distance at $8,000. The tournament title came with a $250,000 grand prize for Schneider. In second place, He pocketed $100,000, while Buttrey won $50,000 for third place.

☆ Korean-American superhero 'Silk' comes to small screen
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Nov 17 (Reuters) - Silk, a Korean-American superhero, will be coming to MGM+ and Amazon Prime Video in a live-action television series based on Sony Pictures' universe of Marvel characters, Amazon said Thursday. Deal terms were not disclosed for this first installment in a multi-series agreement Amazon struck with Sony. It will be distributed globally on Prime Video in more than 240 countries. Angela Kang, a Korean-American television writer and producer who is showrunning "The Walking Dead," will serve as showrunner. She developed the series with "Into the Spider-Verse" producers Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal, who will serve as executive producers.

☆ I got my big break as a Lionsgate screenwriter after I moved 2,000 miles from Hollywood. Here's how I made connections and worked my way up from security guard to my dream career.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Ken Miyamoto | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +14 min

Ken Miyamoto was a security guard at Sony, and worked his way up to story analyst for the studio. In 1996, I took one University of Wisconsin screenwriting class, and that was the extent of my screenwriting education. I moved to California from Wisconsin with my wife in late 1999 to pursue a career in screenwriting. The apartment was way overpriced and much smaller than others we looked at, but we signed the lease that day. Lastly, don't write for free.

☆ FTX's future went from being in the hands of the young disrupters to grizzled veteran lawyers
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Dan Defrancesco | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The two key lawyers involved — who were profiled here by Insider's Jack Newsham — have quite the track record, including stints working with Enron, Michael Milken, and Elon Musk. In other news:Mia Lee decided to become a professional girlfriend for a living after her Wall Street accounting job left her burnt out. Here's where they say Wall Street got it wrong when it comes to VC. Salesforce evaluated employees in a way that actually set up some of its top salespeople to get axed, insiders say. "You can take the girl off Wall Street, but you can't take the banker out of the whore."

☆ 'Interview With the Vampire' review: AMC pumps fresh blood into Anne Rice's story
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-30 | by ( Review Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Desperate to replace “The Walking Dead,” AMC might have completed an improbable baton pass from zombies to another kind of undead. In that sense, this seems to have been produced at least as much with AMC+ in mind as the linear network AMC. Sam Reid as Lestat Du Lioncourt and Jacob Anderson as Louis De Pointe Du Lac in "Interview with the Vampire." “Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire” premieres October 2 at 10 p.m. ET on AMC and AMC+.

☆ Analysis: 'Abbott Elementary' is back in session
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Three things to watch‘Abbott Elementary’ Season 2(From left) Quinta Brunson, Janelle James, Lisa Ann Walter, Tyler James Williams, Chris Perfetti and Sheryl Lee Ralph in a scene from "Abbott Elementary." Gilles Mingasson/ABCNot enough great things can be said about “Abbott Elementary” creator Quinta Brunson. “Abbott Elementary” airs Wednesday nights on ABC; episodes will also be available to stream the following day on Hulu. ‘Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story’Evan Peters stars as Jeffrey Dahmer in "Dahmer -- Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story." ‘The Kardashians’ Season 2Kim Kardashian in a scene from the second season of Hulu's "The Kardashians."

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