🎬 Data Dump

👋 Good morning! Looks like "phone it in" just got a whole new meaning. Danny Boyle's highly anticipated ‘28 Years Later’ just wrapped, and here's the kicker—it was shot entirely on iPhone 15 Pro Max. Yup, this $75M blockbuster was captured on devices that fit in your pocket. Back in '02, Boyle and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle turned heads by shooting '28 Days Later' on Canon XL-1 camcorders, helping kickstart Hollywood's digital revolution. Now they're at it again, swapping those pioneering prosumer cams for supercharged smartphones.

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🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• Netflix’s Data Dump

• Lionsgate Jumps Into AI

• Theaters Get a Facelift

• YouTube Two-Pronged Upgrade

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

• Release Radar: What to watch this weekend

• Video Village 📀

• Martini Shot 🍸

But first, it’s Friday, so let’s take a look at what people were watching this week… 👀

TOP STREAMED THIS WEEK IN THE US

📊🎬 Netflix's data floodgates just burst open. The streaming giant's biannual data reveal—94B hours watched from January to June—is now Hollywood's most anticipated spreadsheet. Ted Sarandos is championing this transparency initiative, pushing out detailed viewing data and challenging rivals to do the same. Here are some takeaways from Netflix’s data dump:

• Universal's pulling serious weight, nabbing 6 of the top 13 movie spots.

• ‘Super Mario Bros’ leapt to #5 globally—proof that theatrical hits have streaming legs.

• Animated flicks are winning big: ‘Boss Baby,’ ‘Minions,’ and ‘Shrek’ all cracked the top 13.

• ‘Leo’ reached 53.9M total views—Netflix originals can go toe-to-toe with studio heavyweights.

• ‘Rebel Moon’ saw a 50% drop between parts—sequel fatigue is real, even in streaming.

• Brit-produced shows swept the top 4 TV spots—time to double down on UK content?

• ‘Peppa Pig’ dominated kids' content with all 6 seasons in the top 100—never underestimate the power of the preschool set.

• Ad-free users are binging 40% more—2.5 hours daily for premium subscribers.

• Niche is the new mainstream: ‘Ashley Madison’ doc hit 20.8M views, ‘Tom Brady Roast’ scored 22.4M—specialized content's got mass appeal.

🎬🤖 Lionsgate's taking a big leap into AI territory. The studio behind 'John Wick' and 'The Hunger Games' is partnering with tech company Runway to create a custom AI model based on Lionsgate's massive 20,000-title library. Their goal? To generate "cinematic video" that filmmakers can customize, streamlining everything from storyboarding to special effects, potentially making Michael Bay's explosions look like pop rocks. Lionsgate Vice Chair Michael Burns is bullish on the tech, seeing it as a way to "develop cutting-edge, capital-efficient content creation opportunities." In plain English, that means using AI to potentially cut costs and boost creativity. They're also eyeing licensing the tech to other studios—a novel way to monetize their library. By training the AI exclusively on their own catalog, Lionsgate also sidesteps the thorny copyright issues plaguing other AI ventures. It's a savvy move, but as Hollywood wrestles with AI's role in the industry, not everyone's thrilled. Critics are side-eyeing the obsession with AI in creative spaces, arguing it might be better suited for behind-the-scenes, administrative tasks.

🎬💰 Cinema's getting a $2.2B facelift. Major chains like AMC, Regal, and Cinemark are betting big on a box office comeback, investing billions over the next three years to spruce up their theaters. The plan includes cutting-edge laser projectors, premium seating, and enhanced concessions—all aimed at reinvigorating the moviegoing experience post-Covid. Some locations are going all out with pickleball courts, ziplines, and bowling alleys, transforming theaters into entertainment hubs. NATO (National Association of Theatre Owners) and its president Michael O'Leary are crossing fingers for a "normal" 2025, the industry's first in five years. With 1,600+ locations and 67% of North American screens involved, it's a calculated bet that "if you upgrade it, they will come."

🎥🤖 YouTube's cooking up a two-pronged upgrade, blending Netflix-style polish with AI wizardry. First, the TV app's getting a streaming makeover: "immersive previews" will auto-play trailers on creator pages, while content gets organized into bingeable seasons—think Netflix, but for your favorite YouTuber. It's a savvy move, given YouTube's surprising 10.6% share of TV viewing time (outpacing Netflix's 7.9%) according to Nielsen. Simultaneously, they're rolling out AI tools powered by Google's DeepMind Veo, letting creators craft quick Shorts, generate video backgrounds, and clone voices for dubbing. Comments are evolving into AI-powered "Communities" too. With these changes, YouTube's clearly gunning for traditional streamers like Netflix and Max. Their revamped TV interface and creator-empowering tools are a clear push to make user-made videos stand toe-to-toe with big-budget TV shows and movies.

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Development 🗒️

• Nicole Kidman and Jamie Lee Curtis team up for Prime Video’s two-season mystery thriller ‘Scarpetta,’ based on Patricia Cornwell’s popular book series. (more)

• Jennifer Lee steps down as Disney Animation’s chief to direct ‘Frozen 3’ and ‘Frozen 4,’ with Jared Bush taking over as head of the studio. (more)

• KJ Apa will star as Bradley Nowell in a Sublime biopic directed by Justin Chon, with the film produced by 3000 Pictures and Chernin Entertainment. (more)

• A docuseries on Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ career and ongoing sex trafficking scandal is set to premiere on Investigation Discovery and Max in 2025. (more)

• Vertical acquires U.S. rights to Paul W.S. Anderson’s ‘In the Lost Lands,’ starring Milla Jovovich and Dave Bautista. (more)

• A Queen Latifah biopic is in development as the first project from a new slate of Hip Hop biopics produced by Flavor Unit, Westbrook Studios, and Jesse Collins Entertainment. (more)

• Lukas Gage, Jameela Jamil, and more join Netflix and 3000 Pictures’ adaptation of ‘People We Meet on Vacation’, starring Emily Bader and Tom Blyth. (more)

• Netflix’s ‘Black Mirror’ sets its S7 cast with 19 stars, including Issa Rae, Paul Giamatti, Harriet Walter, and Awkwafina. (more)

• Jo Nesbø teams up with ‘Snabba Cash’ director Jesper Ganslandt and ‘A Man Called Otto’ producer Fredrik Wikström Nicastro for a U.S.-set horror adaptation of Nesbø’s novel ‘The Night House’. (more)

• Sabrina Carpenter’s Netflix holiday special set for Dec. 6 premiere. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• ‘Industry’ is renewed for S4 at HBO. (more)

• ‘Orphan Black: Echoes’ is cancelled after S1 by AMC Networks. (more)

Business 🤝

• Jon Watts signs a first-look deal with Disney, reuniting with the studio after his $3.88B ‘Spider-Man’ trilogy success. (more)

• Lionel Messi launches 525 Rosario, a Miami and LA-based production company. (more)

• Kumail Nanjiani and Emily V. Gordon launch Winter Coat Films with a first-look deal at Sony Pictures Television, tapping Dani Melia as president. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Amazon joins the Motion Picture Association, becoming the first new member since Netflix in 2019. (more)

What to watch this weekend? 👀

🎥 THEATRICAL

• The Substance: Body horror thriller directed by Coralie Fargeat, starring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley.

• Never Let Go: Survival horror film directed by Alexandre Aja, starring Halle Berry.

• Transformers One: Animated Transformers prequel directed by Josh Cooley, starring Chris Hemsworth and Brian Tyree Henry.

• Wolfs: Limited release of Apple’s action comedy directed by Jon Watts, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.

📺 STREAMING

• The Penguin: (Max) Crime drama spinoff of ‘The Batman’ (2022), starring Colin Farrell as the Penguin.

• Child Star: (Hulu) Doc directed by Demi Lovato and Nicola Marsh, featuring interviews with former child stars like Drew Barrymore and Raven-Symoné.

• Agatha All Along: (Disney+) Marvel Studios spinoff series starring Kathryn Hahn as Agatha Harkness.

• His Three Daughters: (Netflix) Drama directed by Azazel Jacobs, starring Carrie Coon, Natasha Lyonne, and Elizabeth Olsen.

🔮 BOX OFFICE PREVIEW

'Transformers One' is set to lead this weekend with a projected $30-35M opening, while 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' aims for $25-30M in its third weekend. The animated prequel hopes to revive the franchise, but Tim Burton's sequel is still going strong. It's shaping up to be a close race for the top spot.

In the battle for third place, Halle Berry's 'Never Let Go' ($4-8M) competes with MUBI's wide-release debut 'The Substance' ($3-5M). The overall box office is expected to cool down compared to recent weeks, with a potential total in the $65-95M range. The big question: will 'Transformers' appeal to both longtime fans and new audiences?