🎬 IMAX's Nuclear Option ☢️

👋 Good morning! ‘Severance’ S2 has officially dethroned ‘Ted Lasso’ as the streamer's most-watched show ever, and with its eye-watering $20M per episode price tag (that's $200M total), it's proving to be money well spent. The dystopian workplace drama is averaging 3.6M U.S. views per episode, outperforming nearly all of Apple's marquee releases from the past two years

Welcome aboard the Dailies. As you sip your morning brew, we’ll get you caught up with the fast-paced world of Hollywood—no need to chase down a newsstand, we’ve got everything you need right here.

🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• Theatrical Window Wars

• IMAX’s Nuclear Option

• Kathleen Kennedy’s Final Bow

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

• Video Village: The latest trailers

• Martini Shot 🍸

CLOSEUP
🍿 AMC declares war on shrinking theatrical windows…

AMC CEO Adam Aron is pushing back against Hollywood’s shrinking theatrical windows, calling the current 17-30 day standards "too short." Aron insists this isn't just theater chains crying wolf—it's "a very live debate right now" among industry heavyweights.

The theater chief is pushing studios to return to at least 45-day windows, with hopes of eventually stretching to 60 or even the pre-pandemic 74 days. His bold claim: "We believe everybody would make more money if the windows were longer."

The current state of play…

• 📉 The average theatrical window in 2024 was a mere 32 days across 85 wide releases—down 13% from 37 days in 2023.

• 📈 For 2024's top 10 films, the average jumps to 46 days—but that's still a 20% drop from 2023's 58-day average.

• 🏆 The longest windows of 2024 belonged to Disney hits ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ at 67 days each—impressive.

Sean Baker joins the fight…

‘Anora’ filmmaker Sean Baker has become theatrical's unexpected champion, using his recent DGA and PGA wins to implore colleagues to demand 90-day minimums:

Ironically, Baker's own ‘Anora’ hit PVOD 60 days after initial release (30 days post-widest release), and during its final theatrical stretch grossed just $800,000—while likely earning substantially more through digital rentals.

Disney’s swimming upstream…

While most studios sprint to streaming, Disney's going old-school with ‘Moana 2,’ which just announced its Disney+ debut for March 12—a whopping 105 days after theatrical release.

The sequel (originally planned as a Disney+ exclusive) has raked in $458.8M domestic and $1.05B worldwide since Disney Co-Chairman Alan Bergman redirected it to theaters. Other Disney theatrical marathoners:

• ‘Moana 2’ — 105 days

• ‘Inside Out 2’ — 67 days

• ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ — 67 days

• ‘Mufasa’ — 60+ days

Why many studios aren't extending windows:

Despite Aron and Baker's advocacy, most studios prefer shorter windows for a simple reason: money. PVOD rentals give studios an 80% revenue cut versus just 50% from theaters. Plus, they can capitalize on theatrical marketing buzz while it's still fresh.

Most studios want to cash in quickly on digital platforms, while Disney can afford longer windows because films that succeed in theaters boost their theme parks and merchandise—a luxury other studios don't have.

Looking ahead: The window wars will likely intensify as 2025 blockbusters take shape. Theater chains and filmmakers are gaining vocal allies, but economics still favor compression for most studios. For now, expect more of this two-tier system: extended runs for proven franchise hits, express lanes for everything else.

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WIDESHOT
📽️ IMAX’s “Nuclear Option” & Kathleen Kennedy retires…

🎬🔥 US theater chains are revolting against Netflix's Narnia deal with IMAX. Earlier this month, IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond confirmed the streaming giant secured an exclusive two-week theatrical window for Greta Gerwig's ‘Narnia’ adaptation on Thanksgiving 2026. Now, major exhibitors Regal and Cinemark are reportedly threatening to refuse screening the film on their IMAX screens, while studios are furious that Gelfond struck the deal without consulting them first. The theatrical standoff centers on IMAX giving premium holiday screens to a streaming service instead of established studios with decades-long theatrical relationships. Disney is particularly outraged as its animated holiday release loses valuable premium real estate to a competitor whose business model encourages at-home viewing. Gelfond claims to have a mysterious "nuclear option" to force theaters to play ‘Narnia’ on IMAX screens, though it's unclear what that option is. The controversy highlights how premium formats have become valuable battlegrounds, with streamers now competing for once-sacred theatrical windows.

👑🚀 Kathleen Kennedy's Lucasfilm exit kicks off Hollywood's hottest job hunt. The 71-year-old producer is reportedly calling it quits as Lucasfilm president by year-end after a wild 13-year ride that transformed ‘Star Wars’ across both big and small screens. Kennedy, hand-picked by George Lucas himself in 2012 before Disney's $4B acquisition, leaves behind a hit-and-miss legacy that includes the $2B-grossing ‘Force Awakens,’ streaming darling ‘The Mandalorian,’ and plenty of behind-the-scenes drama. Her time at the helm faced relentless fan backlash over storytelling choices, casting decisions, and creative direction, though supporters credit her with modernizing and expanding the franchise. So who's next up to bat? Industry gossip points to Dave Filoni (Lucas's mentee and fan-favorite), Jon Favreau (Mandalorian mastermind), Marvel boss Kevin Feige, or possibly a Filoni-Favreau tag team with split creative/business duties. Disney's got until 2026 to find someone who can steer ‘The Mandalorian and Grogu’ into theaters without crashing the ship.

LAST LOOKS
Film Development 🗒️

• J.K. Simmons joins Brad Pitt in David Ayer’s ‘Heart of the Beast,’ a Paramount thriller about survival in the Alaskan wilderness. (more)

• ‘White Lotus’ breakout Sam Nivola leads Bobby Farrelly’s comedy ‘Driver’s Ed,’ joining Kumail Nanjiani and Molly Shannon. (more)

• Charlie Kaufman will write and direct ‘Later the War,’ starring Eddie Redmayne and Tessa Thompson. (more)

• Teresa Palmer joins Russell Crowe and Nina Dobrev in ‘Bear Country,’ an action-thriller currently filming in Australia. (more)

• Disney has greenlit a fifth ‘Descendants’ movie, continuing the story of ‘The Rise of Red’ with Kylie Cantrall and Malia Baker returning. (more)

• Ayo Edebiri will write—and potentially star in—the adult-oriented, live-action Barney movie for Mattel, A24, and producer Daniel Kaluuya. (more)

• Eric Appel will direct ‘The Breadwinner’ for TriStar Pictures, starring comedian Nate Bargatze in his feature film acting debut. (more)

• ‘Arrow’ star Katie Cassidy will lead ‘Nanny Cam,’ a psychological thriller directed by ‘Jersey Shore’ alum Jenni “JWoww” Farley. (more)

• Amazon MGM Studios and Safehouse Pictures are developing a feature adaptation of Lincoln Child’s ‘Jeremy Logan’ novel series. (more)

• Josh Duhamel will direct and star in ‘Preschool,’ a comedy about two dads battling for a spot at an elite preschool. (more)

• Jon Bernthal will return as the Punisher in a standalone Marvel special for Disney+, which he is co-writing with director Reinaldo Marcus Green. (more)

• Tracee Ellis Ross will star in and produce ‘Blow the Horn,’ a psychological drama directed by Nacho Arenas about a tense group therapy session. (more)

• Edward Berger will direct a film about reporter Evan Gershkovich’s wrongful imprisonment in Russia, with Scott Stuber and Amy Pascal producing. (more)

TV Development 📺

• Drew Starkey joins Anya Taylor-Joy in Apple TV+’s limited series ‘Lucky.’ (more)

• Lizzy Caplan is set to star in a buzzy crisis PR drama from Halley Feiffer and A24, with multiple streamers vying for the series. (more)

• A24 lands its first Channel 4 series with ‘It Gets Worse,’ a flatmate comedy from comedian Leo Reich, co-produced for Canada’s Crave. (more)

• Keith Urban will headline ‘The Road,’ CBS’s new music competition series from Blake Shelton and Taylor Sheridan, premiering this fall. (more)

• Amazon is developing a ‘Consider Phlebas’ sci-fi series from Charles Yu, Chloé Zhao, and Plan B, based on Iain M. Banks’ ‘Culture’ novels. (more)

• John Lithgow confirms he will play Dumbledore in HBO’s upcoming ‘Harry Potter’ series, calling it a career-defining role. (more)

• Patrick Wilson joins Javier Bardem and Amy Adams in Apple TV+’s ‘Cape Fear’ series, a modern reimagining of the classic thriller. (more)

• John C. McGinley reunites with ‘Scrubs’ creators Bill Lawrence and Matt Tarses, joining Steve Carell’s upcoming HBO comedy. (more)

Renewed & Canceled ✅ ❌

• ‘Dark Winds’ gets an S4 renewal ahead of its S3 premiere at AMC. (more)

• ‘Baylen Out Loud’ is renewed for S2 by TLC. (more)

Business 🤝

• AMC Theatres narrowed its quarterly loss and saw revenue rise to $1.3B, driven by a box office rebound and increased attendance. (more)

• Leslie Siebert becomes the first woman to lead a major talent agency as Gersh names her sole president in a leadership restructuring. (more)

• Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia’s Seven Bucks Productions has signed a first-look TV deal with 20th Television. (more)

• MSNBC is set to lay off 99 union staffers amid a network overhaul, with the WGA East demanding reassignment instead of job cuts. (more)

• Disney led TV viewing in January with a 12% share, extending its lead over YouTube, boosted by College Football Playoff broadcasts. (more)

Other News 🚨

• The Film Independent Spirit Awards will leave their longtime Santa Monica beach location in 2026 due to prep for the 2028 Olympics. (more)

• Sick of the news? Join 4M Americans who get clear, unbiased updates from 1440's free newsletter. (more)*

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INTERMISSION: A MESSAGE FROM OUR SPONSOR
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VIDEO VILLAGE
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MARTINI SHOT
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