🎬 Paramount Peaks, Apatow Freaks

👋 Good morning! Over the weekend, the indie film scene witnessed something downright eerie. ‘Late Night With the Devil’ made exactly $666,666 on Sunday as reported by Variety. Creepy coincidence — or a marketer’s dream! 😬😈

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🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• OpenAI Hits Hollywood

• Paramount Peaks, Apatow Freaks

• IMAX at the Olympics

• 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. 🚫👻 Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire: The squad is back with a $45.2M domestic opening, nudging the franchise past the $1B global mark. Internationally, it grabbed $16.4M, leading to a worldwide total of $61.6M.

2. 🌌 Dune: Part Two: Grabs $17.6M domestically, total $574.4M worldwide. Sands of success continue to shift.

3. 🐼 Kung Fu Panda 4: Earns $16.8M in the U.S., with a global punch of $268.1M. Slipping but still kicking.

4. 🙏 Immaculate: Opens with $5.36M. A modest start for this horror tale.

5. 🖼 Arthur the King: Fetches $4.36M, running towards a $14.63M total. Staying in the race.

6. 📺 Late Night with the Devil: Surprises with $2.83M debut. Small budget, big screams.

7. 🤔 Imaginary: Gathers $2.8M, reaching a $23.62M total.

8. 💔 Love Lies Bleeding: Takes in $1.59M, totaling $5.68M.

9. 🏙 Cabrini: Sinks to $1.43M, total $16.16M. Urban legend struggling to stand tall.

10. 🎵 Bob Marley: One Love: Makes it to $1.1M, total $95.32M.

🎬🤖 OpenAI Hits Hollywood: OpenAI, the company known for creating ChatGPT, wants to break into Hollywood. Bloomberg reports that the AI startup has lined up meetings this week in Los Angeles with studios, media execs, and talent agencies. With CEO Sam Altman even showing up to Oscar parties earlier this month, their goal is to forge industry partnerships and persuade filmmakers to adopt its new AI video generator Sora for their project, say sources in the know. This news comes as the film ‘Late Night with the Devil’ receives backlash over its use of AI to create ‘70’s-style title cards, underscoring the industry’s apprehension about AI replacing human jobs. OpenAI’s move is part of a larger race with other tech giants like Google and Meta, who are also exploring AI in movies.

🎬💥 Paramount Peaks, Apatow Freaks: Paramount has claimed the throne as Netflix’s prime source of licensed content, outpacing Warner Bros. Discovery with hit shows like ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ and ‘The Legend of Korra.’ Paramount shows led an 8.3% demand of Netflix’s TV catalog, despite constituting only 1.8% of it. This development points to a recent broader trend in content strategy that prioritizes the licensing of proven, audience-loved shows over sheer volume. Judd Apatow recently spoke out about this, calling the trend a double-edged sword. He’s afraid that an over-reliance on licensing, evidenced by Netflix’s recent acquisition of HBO classics, could stifle new content creation. He critiques the shift towards 'cheaper' nostalgic content, fearing a future where platforms merely shuffle existing shows, sidelining fresh, innovative projects.

🎥🍿 IMAX at the Olympics: NBC’s live broadcast of the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony will hit IMAX theaters, marking a first in Olympic history. On July 26, spectators in over 150 U.S. locations will experience the grandeur of the games like never before, as athletes parade down the Seine against a backdrop of Parisian landmarks in stunning IMAX detail. This innovative partnership not only showcases the enduring appeal of the IMAX experience but also sets a new standard for live event broadcasting. Amidst a growing renaissance for large-format cinema, this Olympic spectacle spotlights IMAX’s unique ability to bring collective, awe-inspiring moments to life, possibly pointing to a bright future for big-screen events.

Development 🗒️

• Ryan Coogler is set to produce Universal’s Prince-inspired jukebox musical, an original story leveraging the late artist's hits, not a biopic. (more)

• 'Joker 2: Folie à Deux' to feature at least 15 cover songs with a potential for original tracks. (more)

• A 'Happy Gilmore' sequel script is in the works from Adam Sandler. (more)

• David Ayer is set to direct Paramount’s thriller 'Heart of the Beast,' produced by Damien Chazelle. (more)

• Disney Channel is launching a 'Wizards of Waverly Place' sequel series with Selena Gomez and David Henrie returning. (more)

• James Zimmerman's celebrated book 'The Peking Express' gets a cinematic twist with DaMing Chen directing and Chris Lee producing. (more)

• Kelvin Harrison Jr. will star in a Universal musical directed by Michel Gondry and produced by Pharrell Williams, with Da’Vine Joy Randolph in talks to join. (more)

• Grindstone Entertainment acquires North American rights to 'Mob Cops,' a crime drama directed by Danny A. Abeckaser, featuring David Arquette and Kevin Connolly. (more)

Business 🤝

• Michael Eisner supports Disney and Bob Iger against activist investors. (more)

• A court has rejected a legal claim against Disney about special effects tech in 'Avengers' movies (more)

Other News 🚨

• SAG-AFTRA members overwhelmingly approved a new TV animation contract with a 95% vote. (more)

• Joana Vicente steps down as Sundance Institute CEO, with Amanda Kelso taking over as acting CEO (more)

• Netflix's '3 Body Problem' sparks controversy in China. (more)

• Malaysia is considering expanding its Film Censorship Board's authority to include streaming services. (more)

• UTA amends its lawsuit against ex-MediaLink CEO Michael Kassan, moving most claims to arbitration. (more)