🎬 Disney's Power Move 🤫

👋 Good morning! Welcome aboard the Dailies.

Whether you're a seasoned subscriber or a new arrival, we're thrilled to have you here. Twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays, we'll deliver the most important industry scoops directly to your inbox.

🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• Closeup: Disney’s Streaming Power Play

• UK Indie Film Scene on the Brink?

• Golden Globes' Comeback

• Disney's Big Win in U.S.-China Relations Thaw

• 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. 🏹 The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes: Launched with a $44M opening domestically, a significant drop from its predecessors, indicating a potentially lower final gross around $115M-$120M.

2. 🎵 Trolls Band Together: Opened with $30.6M domestically, trailing behind the original but outperforming other recent animated titles, and has accumulated $108.1M globally.

3. (tied) 🍗 Thanksgiving: Debuted with a modest $10.2M domestically, slightly behind 2022's ‘Violent Night,’ with potential for growth in major upcoming markets.

4. (tied) 🦸‍♂️ The Marvels: Saw a steep -77% drop in its second weekend, indicating a final domestic total likely lower than ‘Captain Marvel's’ opening weekend.

5. 🎭 The Holdovers: Maintained its position with a mild -16% decline to $2.68M, continuing its steady performance.

6. ⚽ Next Goal Wins: Scored a low $2.5M, falling short of similar comedies like ‘Champions’ and ‘Jojo Rabbit.’

Limited Releases:

• 🌙 Dream Scenario: Expanded to 25 theaters in its second week, earning $275,514 with a solid per-screen average.

• 🔍 Saltburn: Opened with $315,492 in seven theaters domestically, marking a strong debut among 2023 releases.

Disney’s Streaming Power Play
What Disney+ and Hulu’s Merger Will Look Like

Disney is upping its game in the streaming world. They're going all-in against streaming giants like Netflix, merging Disney+ and Hulu into one mega app. They’re calling it the “one-app experience,” and it’s scheduled for a beta launch in December 2023 and a full debut in spring 2024. This move marks a significant shift from Disney's original family-focused streaming ethos.

What to Expect?

The integration isn't entirely new; Disney's Star content hub, available in countries like Canada and across Europe and Asia, offers peek into what this merger could look like. Star includes a variety of content from Disney’s broader portfolio, including 20th Century Studios, FX, and Hulu.

The new user interface will most likely feature Hulu as an additional category within Disney+, similar to Star, positioning Disney+ as a more comprehensive service that aligns with competitors like Netflix and MAX.

Why Merge?

Disney’s game plan? An all-in-one streaming powerhouse. They’re betting this mega merger will be a game-changer in the streaming wars, potentially opening up Hulu's treasure trove to a global audience for the first time. It's not just about launching another streaming platform; Disney's crafting an empire.

Smart Moves and Business Goals

Disney’s not just throwing content together for the heck of it. It’s a savvy business move where Disney aims to crank up the ad revenue while cutting down customer acquisition costs and churn. The integration is designed to appeal to both standalone and bundled subscribers, offering more content with fewer platforms to shuffle between.

The Upside for Advertisers

Disney's counting on a diverse, beefed-up streaming service to attract a broader audience – a dream scenario for advertisers looking to target specific demographics. More content variety means more engaged viewers, and that's where advertisers like to spend their bucks. Plus, having everything under one roof simplifies Disney's marketing efforts, making it easier to promote their expanded content library.

The Challenges

The biggest hurdle? Juggling a diverse content range that caters to both families and adults. Disney needs to maintain its family-friendly charm while incorporating Hulu's more adult-focused vibe. Plus, there's the question of preserving Hulu's unique identity within Disney's fold.

In the end, Disney's not just expanding its library; they're reshaping the streaming landscape. For viewers, it promises more variety and convenience. This bold move could mark the start of a new streaming era, with Disney leading the charge.

🎥📉 UK Indie Film on the Brink? The UK's indie film biz is sounding the alarm of a looming "market failure." The indie powerhouses, represented by Pact, are facing a triple threat: skyrocketing costs, fickle audiences, and the shadow of big-budget American movies and high-end TV series. They're calling on the government for a lifeline, suggesting a tax relief hike to 40% for modestly budgeted films. Paramount and Channel 4, wielding their industry clout, are backing this move, pointing out the struggle for funding and the competition from deep-pocketed streaming giants. Film4, Channel 4's movie arm, is also pushing for more support in sales and distribution. Meanwhile, the global production landscape is heating up, and companies like Amazon warn that the UK needs to step up its game to keep productions local. Fulwell 73, the folks behind ‘The Kardashians,’ sums it up: it's a crucial turning point for the UK film industry – either shoot up to a £10 billion success story or risk a rapid decline.

🌟📺 Golden Globes' Comeback: Securing a Spot at CBS: After a tumultuous period marked by scandals and diminishing appeal, the Golden Globes have made a surprising rebound, securing a broadcast spot on CBS for their 81st show in January 2024. This move follows a multi-month quest for a new partner after parting ways with NBC. The Globes, now run as a commercial venture following the dissolution of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, hope to revitalize their standing by airing live on CBS, streaming on Paramount+, and leveraging a major marketing push. Despite facing the second-lowest ratings ever in 2023, the Globes' shift to CBS, which also hosts the Grammys, marks a significant turn in their journey. This new chapter for the once-prestigious awards show, coupled with efforts to diversify their voting body and implement a new code of conduct, suggests a potential revival of their former glory in the Hollywood awards landscape.

🌏🎥 Disney's Big Win in USA-China Relations Thaw: With Presidents Xi Jinping and Biden chatting in California, some analysts on Wall Street predict that companies like Disney could see a big boost. Disney's deep roots in China, from its 1980s product licensing to theme parks and box office hits, place it in a prime spot. Though Hollywood blockbusters in China have hit a bit of a snag recently, a détente could mean a resurgence in box office and retail mojo in China. And let's not forget about the cultural exchange - think of it as a modern-day "Ping-Pong Diplomacy," but with Netflix's upcoming $200M sci-fi series ‘3 Body Problem’ and Chinese entertainment apps potentially making waves in U.S. living rooms. It's like a cultural handshake that could lead to bigger and better things for everyone involved.

Development 🗒️

• Ciarán Hinds and Odessa Young join Jacob Elordi in the Prime Video Australia Original series ‘The Narrow Road to the Deep North.’ (more)

• Kim Kardashian is set to star in and produce the comedy ‘The 5th Wheel,’ with multiple studios vying for the film package. (more)

• Searchlight Pictures has acquired the comedy-drama 'Rental Family,' directed by 'Beef's' Hikari. (more)

• ‘Creed IV’ is in the works with Michael B. Jordan set to direct. (more)

• ‘Amateur,’ starring Rami Malek, is among the first major studio films to restart production in the UK post-U.S. strikes. (more)

• 'Yellowstone' will resume filming its final episodes in late spring 2024, with the second half of its fifth and final season set to premiere in November 2024. (more)

• Jon Hamm and producer Shawn Ryan are adapting the podcast ‘American Hostage’ into a live-action TV series. (more)

• Mike Flanagan's non-horror adaptation of Stephen King's ‘The Life of Chuck’ has completed production. (more)

• Netflix U.S. acquires streaming rights for ‘Young Sheldon,’ sharing them with HBO Max as Warner Bros. Discovery expands content licensing. (more)

✅ Renewed & Canceled ❌

• ‘Ride’ is cancelled by Hallmark after one season. (more)

• ‘Unstable’ starring Rob Lowe is renewed for S2 at Netflix. (more)

• ‘Harley Quinn’ is renewed for S5 at MAX. (more)

• ‘SEAL Team’ is set to end with S7 at Paramount+. (more)

• ‘Love Island USA’ is renewed for 2 more seasons at Peacock. (more)

Releases 📅

• ‘Dune: Part Two’ will now release on Mar. 1, 2024, two weeks earlier than planned. (more)

• 'The First Omen,' a prequel to the classic horror film 'The Omen,' is set to release on April 5, 2024. (more)

• ‘Mr. and Mrs. Smith’ will release on Prime Video on Feb. 2, 2024. (more)

• Apple Original Films' ‘Napoleon’ will release in China on Dec. 1 through Sony. (more)

• ‘The Exorcist: Believer’ will debut on Peacock on Dec. 1. (more)

• Focus Features' film ‘Housekeeping for Beginners’ is set for a limited theatrical release on Jan. 26. (more)

Business 🤝

• Michelle Mendelovitz joins Mattel Television Studios as its head, aiming to expand TV content based on iconic Mattel IPs like Barbie and Hot Wheels. (more)

• Artificial intelligence and metaverse tech company Futureverse signs with CAA to expand opportunities in web3, virtual games, and AI, leveraging partnerships with global IP and entertainment properties. (more)

Other News 🚨

• A New York judge dismissed Warner Bros. Discovery's consumer protection claims against Paramount in a lawsuit over 'South Park' streaming rights, but breach of contract and other claims remain. (more)

• ‘The Fall Of The House Of Usher’ became the only show to outperform ‘Suits’ on the Nielsen streaming charts for two consecutive weeks. (more)