Theater Owners Chief Praises David Zaslav for Commitment to Theatrical Release

Lizzie Cundy has revealed she was involved in a "car smash" on the M25 while on her way to do an interview on TalkTV on Monday 9 May.The 54 year old, who recently claimed Meghan Markle "ghosted" her and branded Prince Harry "weak", took to her Instagram stories to first tell her 65,500 followers that she would be "doing tonight's @TalkTV from 7pm .." She then added: "Gridlock traffic so could be from the car ! Tune in folks". Wearing a white shirt with a blue blazer over it, Lizzie appeared happy and relaxed during the initial part of her journey.

Ben Croll Playing a foundational role in the history of film and benefitting from enough picturesque locales to launch a thousand postcards, France has long attracted directors and crews from across the globe.Keeping them on site for more than a few days, however, was once a different story altogether.The 2009 passage of the Tax Rebate for Intl. Production (TRIP) and the subsequent 13 years of refinements both incremental and substantial have fundamentally reshaped that logic.

Ben Croll For some time, the French VFX sector suffered an acute case of brain drain, as young professionals would graduate from internationally admired institutions and nearly immediately take their talents abroad.“Years ago, when I spoke with students from [the renowned school] ArtFX, something like 95% of them planned to leave after graduation,” says VFX supervisor Emmanuel Pichereau. “Only when I consulted with this year’s graduating class, I saw many of them change their mind about staying in France.”What changed, of course, has much to do with France’s newly revamped tax plan, which now offers a 40% rebate to productions that spend at least $2.27 million with local VFX studios.

Ryan Thomas has wowed fans as he showed off the results of his incredible 12-week body transformation. He's best known for playing Jason Grimshaw in Coronation Street but this week viewers are seeing him in a different role as he competes in a new ITV show.

She’s been loved-up with Billy Delbosq for nearly a year, but Amy Childs sparked split rumours last week when OK! spotted she’d deleted all traces of her boyfriend from social media. The TOWIE favourite, 31, was quick to pour cold water over the speculation, taking to Instagram Stories to post a snap of herself alongside Billy as they enjoyed a champagne-fuelled weekend at Claridge’s hotel in London. And now a source close to the reality star has confirmed that while they’re still together, their romance has gone through a turbulent time in recent weeks.

As another exciting week in Emmerdale gets underway, many fans have been left wondering what the week long flash forward episode arc could hold for their beloved characters. Ahead of the nail biting week which is due to begin tonight, Monday 9 May, the soap released a dramatic teaser trailer to give viewers at home a glimpse of what was in store.

Some of Emmerdale and Coronation Street ’s biggest soap stars have joined forces this week as they took on a team of former professional football players in a charity match at Chorley FC’s Victoria Park training ground. Stars such as Corrie’s Andy Whyment and Alan Halsall, who play Kurt and Tyrone in the popular soap, teamed up with colleagues from Emmerdale including Sam Dingle actor James Hooton to try and raise money for the Rosemere Cancer Foundation and the Len Johnrose Trust. "For us as actors, we just kind of know that fear the crowd will turn up to see us type thing," said Alan.

Emmerdale star Jeff Hordley has shared his prediction that his character Cain Dingle, may be the one to stand by his nephew Noah Dingle, after the youngster’s disturbing stalker secret is finally exposed. Viewers have been left horrified in recent days as Noah obsessively fixated on his ex-girlfriend Chloe Harris in a bid to win her back.

Michelle Pfeiffer has been cast as the lead in Peter Craig’s directorial debut Wild Four O’Clocks. Craig most recently wrote The Batman for Warner Bros. and worked on Paramount’s upcoming Top Gun: Maverick, which is screening at the 75thCannes Film Festival this month.

Most stocks and sectors closed down Thursday in a massive and broad market selloff that thrashed media and tech shares from big showbiz conglomerates to Amazon, Apple and Meta to Roku, Endeavor, Cinemark and the New York Times.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentPaolo Sorrentino’s Oscar-nominated autobiographical drama “The Hand of God” took top honors at Italy’s 67th David di Donatello Awards, winning best picture, director, supporting actress and tying for the best cinematography statuette.Sorrentino’s Naples-set film about the personal tragedy and other vicissitudes that drove him to become a top notch film director had been the frontrunner along with young helmer Gabriele Mainetti’s second feature, the elegant effects-laden historical fantasy “Freaks Out.”“Freaks Out” won six prizes, including for its producer, Andrea Occhipinti, as well as cinematographer, set design, and effects.The cinematography prize, which was a tie, was split between “Hand of God” DP Daria D’Antonio, marking the first time this David goes to a woman, and Michele Attanasio for “Freaks Out.” The Davids were held as a fully in-person ceremony at Rome’s Cinecittà studios just as the famed facilities undergo a radical renewal being implemented by former Sky and Warner Bros. executive Nicola Maccanico.Italian Culture Minister Enrico Franceschini took the stage at the start of the ceremony to reaffirm the Italian government’s support for the local film industry, shortly after announcing plans to widen the window between a movie’s theatrical release date and the time it can drop locally on a streaming platform.

Facebook and praised director Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month ahead of Warner Bros. releasing the film theatrically on June 24.The “Naked Gun” actress said she saw the movie with her late ex-husband’s longtime pal Jerry Schilling and was impressed by Austin Butler taking on the titular role.“The story is about Elvis and Colonel Parker’s relationship,” Presley wrote. “It is a true story told brilliantly and creatively that only Baz, in his unique artistic way, could have delivered.

Priscilla Presley gave a new biopic about Elvis Presley her stamp of approval. The 76-year-old recently took to Facebook and praised director Baz Luhrmann’s "Elvis," which will premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next month ahead of Warner Bros. releasing the film theatrically on June 24.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentCinecittà CEO Nicola Maccanico, who is a former Warner Bros. and Sky Italia senior exec, is implementing a major upgrade and expansion of the iconic Rome studios where he recently installed Europe’s largest LED Wall on the lot near the large Studio 5 that was once Federico Fellini’s second home.

Carson Burton “The Ellen Show” has officially wrapped its final episode.Ellen DeGeneres announced on a Twitter thread last night that the highly popular daytime talk show concluded filming its final episode. The host also offered up some personal reflections about the show and how it has evolved since its beginning.“Today we taped the final episode of ‘The Ellen Show’ which airs on May 26th,” Degeneres wrote on Twitter. “When we started this show in 2003, the iPhone didn’t exist.

Twitter thread concluded.DeGeneres first shared her decision to end the show back in May 2021, saying it was time for a break.“I want you to know that I’ve thought a lot about this decision,” she said on her show at the time “I sat with it for a while. I meditated on it.

Imax EVP Megan Colligan had a difficult time navigating the existential challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. But in a conversation with TheWrap ahead of Thursday’s earnings, she said there was a silver lining: it forced everyone to stop debating over cinema’s future and work together.

Margot Robbie is all smiles in the first look at her as Barbie for the upcoming film of the same name. The highly-anticipated live-action adventure movie about the famous doll is set to be released on July 21, 2023.On Tuesday, Warner Bros.

Barbie is coming!

#BARBIEJuly 21, 2023Only in theaters pic.twitter.com/mauCGpizD1“Barbie” has been in development since 2014, with Amy Schumer at one point attached to star.The cast for Gerwig’s film includes Ryan Gosling as Ken alongside Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Simu Liu, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Michael Cera, Hari Nef, Kingsley Ben-Adir and Emerald Fennell.Robbie is also a producer on the film via LuckyChap Entertainment with producing partner Tom Ackerley. “Harry Potter” producer David Heyman is also attached to the film along with Mattel Films’ Robbie Brenner.In addition to “Barbie,” Warner Bros.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film Writer“Barbie” is parking her pink convertible in U.S. theaters on July 21, 2023.The release date for the anticipated live-action adventure from the iconic doll, played by Margot Robbie with a juicy supporting cast, was announced on Tuesday during the Warner Bros. presentation at Las Vegas’ CinemaCon.Notably, this movie will open against Christopher Nolan’s sprawling ensemble film “Oppenheimer” — but Barbie came to play, and has a dream cast of her own.

Matt Donnelly Senior Film WriterThe trade organization representing American movie theater owners isn’t gloating about Netflix’s recent stock misfortunes — they’re opening their arms, they say.At CinemaCon, the annual Las Vegas convention of theatrical exhibitors, leadership from the National Association of Theatre Owners touched on Netflix’s recent subscriber losses and subsequent jaw-dropping $54 billion loss in market cap.Netflix’s sign of softening brought a screeching halt to the prevailing industry logic that going all-in on streaming investment was the way to please shareholders. While some speculated this would benefit traditional theatrical releases, Warner Bros.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaThe movie theater industry’s top lobbyist said that the persistent experimentation that saw studios release movies in cinemas at the same time they landed on streaming or on video-on-demand is over. “I am pleased to announce that simultaneous release is dead as a serious business model, and piracy is what killed it,” John Fithian, head of the National Association of Theatre Owners, told a packed auditorium of exhibitors on Tuesday at CinemaCon. Fithian didn’t claim that release windows, industry parlance for the length of time that movies are available exclusively in theaters, is going to get longer.

Theatrical windows are back as the pandemic wanes, and National Association of Theatre Owners President and CEO John Fithian was unabashed to underscore that.

National Association of Theater Owners President/CEO John Fithian declared that “simultaneous release is dead” during his opening speech at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. “Robust theatrical windows protect against piracy.

Before NATO Boss John Fithian and MPA Chief Charles Rivkin took the stage this AM at CinemaCon in Las Vegas,  The Batman director Matt Reeves started things off, praising exhibition, and promising theater owners, he’s in for the long haul when it comes to making movies for the big screen.

the Q1 earnings were released. “As you’ve heard me say, we are not trying to win the direct-to-consumer spending war,” the WBD chief said, instead promising that the newly combined WarnerMedia-Discovery company would “invest in scale smartly.”He already made the first difficult choice within the first week after Discovery closed its $43 billion acquisitor of the larger WarnerMedia: Zaslav, notorious in the industry for being a no-nonsense cost-cutter, decided to close down the much-hyped CNN+.

Cynthia Littleton Business EditorDavid Zaslav has spent a lot time in the past year studying the movie business. Now that he’s taken the reins of Warner Bros. Discovery, he’s less and less inclined “to really collapse the entire motion picture business on streaming.”Zaslav’s remarks came Tuesday morning during Discovery’s Q1 earnings call with Wall Street analysts.

Jennifer Maas TV Business WriterIn the wake of big spender Netflix’s Q1 shocking subscriber loss news, David Zaslav made a point to say Warner Bros. Discovery “will not overspend to drive subscriber growth” during Discovery’s first-quarter earnings call Tuesday.“As you’ve heard me say, we are not trying to win the direct-to-consumer spending war,” the WBD CEO said, instead promising that the newly combined WarnerMedia-Discovery company would “invest in scale smartly.”Warner Bros.

In Warner Bros Discovery’s first earnings call with Wall Street analysts, CEO David Zaslav re-emphasized his plan to take a prudent approach to streaming as he guides the newly merged company.

Disruption will continue to weigh on the international theatrical system as the Russia-Ukraine war drags on and well over half of China’s theaters are shuttered in the latest Covid crackdown.

Here’s some great news as CinemaCon kicks off today, underscoring the value of a 45-day theatrical window.

In the last three years, we’ve seen every major studio launch their own streaming service (Apple TV+, HBO Max, Disney+, Paramount+, Peackock) in order to stay competitive. But streaming, which just seemed like it was hitting a new golden age, has hit a few major speedbumps.

CinemaCon, studios will land in Sin City with a renewed appreciation for the money that can be made in cinemas.After experimenting with different release strategies and launching their own streaming services, many studios better understand that there’s no substitute for the attention and treasure that comes with a big, old-fashioned theatrical launch. Bold moves like Warner Bros.’ decision to send its entire 2021 slate to HBO Max at the same time the films opened in cinemas proved to be a mixed bag, and every major studio has opted to have some kind of exclusive theatrical window for the foreseeable future.That means that the palpable tension that hung over last year’s gathering will have lifted, even as the box office has failed to recapture its pre-pandemic stride.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterUniversal’s kid-friendly caper “The Bad Guys” pulled off a heist for the ages, capturing the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office.The animated comedy has collected $24 million from 4,009 North American theaters in its debut, enough to take the crown from “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.” In its second weekend of release, the latest chapter in the “Harry Potter” prequel series plummeted to third place with $14 million, a troubling sign for the Warner Bros.’ Wizarding film franchise.“The Bad Guys” may have towered over the competition, but it was not the only newcomer to movie theater marquees.