🎬 The Sequel Button

👋 Good morning! Pixar’s ‘Inside Out 2’ is coming in hot with some unexpected inspiration from the intense visual language of the Safdie Brothers' 'Uncut Gems.' Perhaps this isn’t so surprising, as the story follows Riley as she navigates the tumultuous waters of adolescence. With Anxiety now joining the emotional ensemble, the film’s visual style mirrors the chaotic energy of teenage life.

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🎞 Here’s what’s on the reel today:

• Pixar Hits the Sequel Button

• IATSE Wraps Without Deal

• The UK’s New Tax Credit

• 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 Garfield Movie: The lasagna-loving feline makes his way to the top with a $14M domestic weekend, totaling $51.6M domestically and an impressive $152.2M globally.

2. 👽 IF: Edges out ‘Furiosa’ for second place with a $10.8M domestic take, bringing its total to $80M domestically and $138M globally.

3. 🏞 Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga: Dropping to third place, the action-packed prequel gathers $10.8M domestically, reaching $49.6M at home and $114.4M worldwide. A bumpy ride for this road warrior.

4. 🦧 Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: Swinging through its fourth week, this film grabs $8.8M, pushing its domestic total to nearly $140M.

5. 🚗 The Fall Guy: Holding steady in fifth, this action-comedy dives 30% to collect $4.2M, totaling $80.3M domestically.

🎬✨ Pixar is hitting the sequel button hard, hoping to restore its former glory. The studio is focusing on a new plan to drop three movies every two years, with every other film being a sequel or spinoff. The strategy is designed to recapture audience love for classic Pixar characters and stories. But it’s not all fun and games—Pixar’s facing some serious heat from fierce rivals like DreamWorks and Illumination in the animation scene. Plus, leadership changes (like the exit of John Lasseter in 2018), pandemic shifts that trained audiences to expect streaming premieres, and the underwhelming performance of ‘Lightyear’ and ‘Elemental’ have hit hard. It’s clear why the pressure’s on for ‘Inside Out 2’ to prove that Pixar can still reclaim its pioneering status in animation.

🎬🤝 IATSE just wrapped up a round of talks with the AMPTP without striking a deal, but negotiations are set to resume soon. Hollywood insiders are hopeful that once an agreement is inked, production will go into overdrive. The industry’s been dragging its feet post-strike, with many attributing the slowdown to the pending IATSE deal. Union leaders are optimistic about the upcoming Basic Agreement negotiations, seeing it as the final piece of the puzzle. A green light here could mean a flood of new shows and movies, revving up Hollywood’s production machine. Fingers crossed.

🇬🇧🎥 The UK is buzzing with renewed optimism follow the government’s introduction of the Independent Film Tax Credit (IFTC). The tax credit offers a juicy 53% expenditure credit (about 40% tax relief) for films with budgets up to $19M. Kicking in from April 2024, this perk has already lured producers from Germany, the Netherlands, and France. Thanks to strong cross-party backing, the IFTC is here to stay. For the US film and TV scene, this spells stiffer competition as more projects might hop across the pond. Expect a surge in US-UK co-productions, with some crew and creatives heading to the UK, potentially shaking up the traditional production hubs in the States.

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Development 🗒️

• Charlie Hunnam is set to lead Ed Brubaker’s Prime Video series ‘Criminal,’ based on the award-winning graphic novel. (more)

• A ‘300’ series is in the works at Warner Bros. TV. (more)

• ‘Peanut Butter Falcon’ filmmakers Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson will direct Lionsgate’s remake of ‘Riders of Justice.’ (more)

• ‘3 Body Problem’ will end with S3 on Netflix. (more)

• Giancarlo Esposito has joined the cast of Marvel’s ‘Captain America: Brave New World,’ set to release on February 14, 2025. (more)

Business 🤝

• Skydance has made a revised offer for Paramount allowing shareholders to cash out at around $15 per share, a 26% premium over Friday’s closing price. (more)

• Sony shutters TriStar TV, leading to the departure of execs Jennifer Turner and Nicole Norwood as the division merges into the larger Sony TV studio. (more)

Other News 🚨

• Netflix’s Jake Paul-Mike Tyson boxing match is postponed due to Tyson’s ulcer flare-up. (more)

• The Tribeca Festival will debut five short films created using OpenAI’s text-to-video model, Sora, marking the first showcase of this technology at the event. (more)

• ‘Saturday Night Live’ remains the top-rated entertainment show in the 18-49 demographic, surpassing ‘Krapopolis,’ ‘Survivor,’ and ‘Tracker’ for the 2023-24 season. (more)