🎬 Big Bet, Big Win

👋 Good morning! Warner Bros. is setting the pace in Hollywood, racing past the $1B mark at the international box office in a record 15 weeks—beating their previous record of 17 weeks set in 2018. Led by ‘Dune: Part Two’ and ‘Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,’ they're the first studio to hit this milestone this year, with a whopping $1.04B in earnings to date.

Welcome aboard the Dailies. Grab your coffee, and let’s get into the latest from Hollywood—no newsstand needed; we’ve got it all right here.

🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• ‘Civil War’ Shakes Up the Box Office

• Writers Guild Awards 2024

• Concert Films' New Era

• Last Looks: 👀 Bite-sized scoops on developing stories/projects

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

But first, let’s take a look at what happened at the box office this past weekend!

LAST WEEKEND’S
🎟️ BOX OFFICE BREAKDOWN 🎟️

1. 🎖️ Civil War: A24 hits a home run with ‘Civil War,’ raking in a smashing $25.7M domestically from 3,838 screens in its debut, marking the studio's biggest opening ever and outperforming previous estimates. More on ‘Civil War’ in ‘Wide Shots’ below. 👇

2. 🦍 Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire: The monster mashup falls to #2 domestically, earning $15.5M (-50%) in its third week, bringing its domestic total to $157.9M.

3. 👻 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: The supernatural sequel chills at #3, grossing $5.8M (-36%) in its fourth week, with a domestic total of $97M.

4. 🐼 Kung Fu Panda 4: The animated martial arts adventure kicks up $5.5M (-29%) in its sixth week, bringing its domestic total to $173.7M.

5. 🏜️ Dune: Part Two: The epic sci-fi sequel sands down to $4.3M (-42%) in its seventh week, reaching a domestic total of $272.1M.

6. 🐒 Monkey Man: The primate-themed film swings to $4.1M (-59%) in its second week, with a domestic total of $17.8M.

7. 😈 The First Omen: The horror prequel scares up $3.8M (-55%) in its second week, bringing its domestic total to $14.6M.

8. ⛳ The Long Game: This inspirational golf drama tees off with $1.4M from 1,030 screens in its debut weekend.

9. 💚 Shrek 2: The beloved animated sequel earns $1.4M.

10. 🕷️ Sting: This indie horror flick creeps into the top ten with $1.2M from 1,350 screens in its opening weekend.

🎥🚀 Big Bet, Big Win: A24’s ‘Civil War’ Shakes Up the Box Office: A24, traditionally known for its indie sensibilities, has leapt into the mainstream with Alex Garland's ‘Civil War.’ By doubling down with a hefty $50M budget, the highest in its history, A24 has ventured into territory typically reserved for major studios. This strategic risk is already paying off, as ‘Civil War’ shattered expectations with a $25.7M opening weekend. This opening not only doubles the record for any prior A24 wide release but also eclipses the combined debuts of competing films ‘Monkey Man’ and ‘The First Omen.’ The film's success is not just about its hefty budget; it’s also about smart marketing, a gripping war theme that resonates with audiences, positive buzz from critics and a premiere at SXSW. The availability of the film in IMAX also likely boosted both appeal and box office receipts due to the higher ticket prices. If the studio can keep balancing its indie cred with more commercial projects, it might just become a major player in the Hollywood big leagues.

🎬🏆 Writers Guild Awards 2024: The Highlights: The 2024 Writers Guild Awards were celebrated last night with simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York, honoring top writing in film and television. Distinct from other industry awards, the WGAs exclusively recognize scripts meeting strict guild standards, often resulting in a different set of nominees compared to the Oscars. Here are some highlights:

• ‘Succession’ stole the spotlight, winning Best Drama Series and Best Drama Episode for ‘Living+,’ wrapping up its acclaimed run with a bang.

• ‘American Fiction’ swept the adapted screenplay category, with writer Cord Jefferson also snagging the Paul Selvin Award.

• ‘The Bear’ triumphed as the Best Comedy Series, adding a fresh accolade to FX’s celebrated lineup.

• ‘The Last of Us’ emerged victorious in the New Series category, proving its narrative strength on HBO.

• ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’ continued its streak, winning for Comedy/Variety Talk Series, highlighting its sharp and insightful commentary.

• In a surprising twist, ‘I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson’ outpaced ‘Saturday Night Live’ to win Best Comedy/Variety Sketch Series.

🎬🎤 Curtain Rises on Concert Films' New Era: The concert film genre is experiencing a high note, rejuvenated by record-breaking hits like Taylor Swift's ‘The Eras Tour’ and Beyoncé's ‘Renaissance’ film. As these powerhouse performances rake in millions, the industry is abuzz with the prospects of expanding cinematic experiences beyond traditional theaters. Over the weekend, Billy Joel's landmark concert at Madison Square Garden hits CBS and Paramount+, showcasing the enduring appeal of iconic performances on big screens. Meanwhile, IMAX and major music labels are eager to orchestrate similar blockbuster events, highlighting both fresh acts and celebrated classics. With a built-in audience ready to rock out in movie seats, the future of concert films promises a blend of nostalgia and novel thrills, ensuring fans the best seat in the house, without leaving their town.

Development 🗒️

• Justin Lin is set to direct 'Stakehorse,' a crime thriller for Amazon MGM. (more)

• Paul Walter Hauser is set to star in Chris Farley Biopic directed by Josh Gad. (more)

• Helen Hunt and Dustin Hoffman join Peter Greenaway’s new film. (more)

• Dave Bautista and Eric Nam are set to voice lead roles in Paramount and Nickelodeon’s animated ‘Aand: The Last Airbender.’ (more)

• Emma Stone is in talks to star in an untitled Universal Pictures film, potentially directed by her husband Dave McCary. (more)

• CBS is exploring a reboot of the crime procedural 'Cold Case' from original creator Meredith Stiehm. (more)

• Mia Rodgers joins the cast of 'The Sex Lives of College Girls' on Max as Taylor. (more)

• Fox extends 'Rescue HI-Surf' with a seven-episode back order. (more)

• Bokeem Woodbine, Adam Beach, and Sunita Mani join David Oyelowo in Apple TV+'s comedy 'Government Cheese.' (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• CBS announces the 15th and final season of 'The Talk,' set to conclude in December. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Local 728 becomes the 10th IATSE Local to reach a tentative deal on craft-specific issues with Hollywood studios. (more)

• Roku reveals a new data breach impacting 576,000 accounts. (more)