Showbiz Sandbox

Each May all the U.S. television networks invite major advertisers and the media to New York so they can pitch all of the new and returning shows on their fall schedules. Known as the upfronts, a good chunk of the prime time advertising inventory is sold during these meetings as promotional buzz about each series commences in earnest. We’ll take a closer look at some of the big trends coming out of this year’s upfronts. Meanwhile, a much beloved series might be starting a trend of its own by increasing viewership in its 12th season. Usually long-running shows lose audience in their latter years, however “Grey’s Anatomy” is the perfect example of how new technology can boost viewership. Viacom and CBS are likely to have kept a close eye on the recently completed upfronts, given their dominance in television. CBS was originally a Viacom property, but was spun-off more than a decade ago. Now, amidst leadership turmoil at Viacom, there is speculation the two companies may merge, once more becoming a single entity. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including why U.S. presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is criticizing Disney, Spotify’s big success in helping subscribers find new music and why the next James Bond film is in search of a director. comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of May 29, 2016 http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-may-29-2016-300276516.html Fox Under Fire in Italy Over Postponed ‘Independence Day’ Release http://variety.com/2016/film/news/independence-day-release-italy-fox-1201784532/ The 5 Buzziest Television Trends That Defined This Year’s Upfronts http://www.adweek.com/news/television/5-buzziest-television-trends-defined-years-upfronts-171600 Fall TV 2016: The Full Schedule http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/fall-tv-2016-full-schedule-895672 Fall 2016 Broadcast TV Primetime Schedule https://deadline.com/2016/05/tv-schedule-fall-2016-primetime-broadcast-networks-1201759260/ Upfronts 2016: From ‘Hamilton’ To IP Overload – The Week’s Top Trends https://deadline.com/2016/05/upfront-week-2016-hamilton-hot-topics-cbs-nbc-fox-abc-1201759662/ CBS Wins a TV Season Bankrupt of New Broadcast Hits https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/cbs-wins-2015-16-season-in-young-adults-other-ratings-categories-1201781529/#comment-list-wrapper CBS Wins 2015-16 Season in Young Adults, Other Key Ratings Categories http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/cbs-wins-a-tv-season-897015 ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Stars Negotiating New Contracts http://www.hollywoodreporter.

This year’s Cannes Film Festival ended over the weekend with the awarding of the Palm d’Or, the festival’s top prize, to an unlikely, albeit quite solid, movie from director Ken Loach. A critically panned movie from filmmaker Xavier Dolan was given the runner up award, the Grand Prix, leaving many in Cannes baffled over how the jury made its selections. However festival director Thierry Fremaux has always said, Cannes is not set up for critics. The Broadway season also came to a close last week earning a record $1.3 billion in ticket sales. Musical productions took in most of the revenue over the past year, though it was “The Lion King” and not “Hamilton”, which only opened in August, which ruled the box office. Over at HBO Michael Lombardo, the longtime head of programming for the premium cable network is stepping down, whereas at Viacom Sumner Redstone has stirred up a hornets nest by ousting his longtime protogé, the company’s chief executive, from the trust that will eventually control the company. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including whether the wave of summer blockbusters will prove to be too much competition, rumors of Adele’s massive record deal and Bill Cosby gets his day in criminal court. Box Office: ‘Angry Birds’ Hatches $39M Debut; ‘Neighbors 2’ Nabs $21.8M http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-angry-birds-hatches-896333 ‘Batman v. Superman’ Fallout: Warner Bros. Shakes Up Executive Roles (Exclusive) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/batman-v-superman-fallout-warner-895174 Summer Box-Office Guide to ‘Suicide Squad,’ Safe Bets and Potential Misfires http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/summer-box-office-guide-suicide-895245 Universal, Dwayne Johnson, James Vanderbilt Plot Robert Ludlum Cinematic Universe (Exclusive) http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/universal-dwayne-johnson-james-vanderbilt-895575 Ken Loach Stuns at Cannes 2016 with Palme d’Or Win for I, Daniel Blake https://www.theguardian.com/film/2016/may/22/ken-loach-cannes-2016-palme-dor-win-i-daniel-blake Cannes Awards Wrap: How George Miller’s Jury Picked the Winners — And Losers http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes-awards-wrap-george-miller-jury-winners-mads-mikkelsen-20160522 Cannes: ‘Wolf & Sheep’ Rounds up Directors’ Fortnight Prize https://variety.com/2016/film/awards/cannes-directors-fortnight-prize-1201779688/ Broadway Defies the Odds With Another Broadway Defies the Odds With Another Record-Breaking Season http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/24/theater/broadway-defies-the-odds-with-another-record-breaking-season.html?_r=0 National Theatre Scraps ‘Plus Ones’ For Critics https://www.thestage.co.uk/news/2016/national-theatre-scraps-plus-ones-critics/

The Cannes Film Festival has become one of the most important annual cinema events because it programs a diverse array of movies from all over the world. We’ll head to the French Riviera for this year’s festival to tell you which of the hundreds of films are generating buzz and argue over the elements necessary for the successful exportation of European films. Meanwhile the Marché du Film, or Cannes Film Market, takes place alongside the festival each year. New industry players such as Amazon Studios and other streaming companies have made some bold moves during Cannes, stealing the thunder from veteran power brokers. Speaking of streaming companies, Amazon is opening its video platform to users, allowing them to upload content and make money off ads, just like they do on YouTube. And YouTube is dreaming of selling its many customers a skinny bundle of TV channels. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the Ukrainian winner of the Eurovision song contest, Sean Penn gets an apology from Tyler Perry and Disney sets a historic box office milestone. Captain America: Civil War a Money Monster http://www.boxofficeprophets.com/column/index.cfm?columnID=18394 Woody Allen and Jesse Eisenberg Weigh The Pros and Cons of Fame at the Cannes Film Festival https://medium.com/@sperling/woody-allen-and-jesse-eisenberg-weigh-the-pros-and-cons-of-fame-at-the-cannes-film-festival-a07696054551#.n8v65ia9d Woody Allen Goes Digital With Vittorio Storaro In Cannes https://celluloidjunkie.com/2016/05/11/woody-allen-goes-digital-vittorio-storaro-cannes/ George Clooney Unleashes His Political “Monster” In Cannes https://medium.com/@sperling/george-clooney-unleashes-his-political-monster-in-cannes-96db8bce26a1#.a0psouiwl Spielberg Visits Cannes With A Big Friendly Giant https://medium.com/@sperling/spielberg-visits-cannes-with-a-big-friendly-giant-c3e917450a9c#.bkl89cuwn US Millennials Stream More Than Half of Their TV http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2016050742793/us-millennials-stream-more-than-half-of-their-tv.html Religious Right Is Losing Its Mind About ‘Frozen’s’ Elsa Possibly Being Gay http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/frozen-elsa-girlfriend-religious-right_us_57348595e4b077d4d6f23290 UK Video Streaming, Download Spend Set to Surpass DVD Sales http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2016050742792/uk-video-streaming-download-spend-set-to-surpass-dvd-sales.html Prince’s Addiction and an Intervention Too Late http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/05/arts/music/friends-sought-help-for-princes-addiction-lawyer-says.html Soaring Digital Reaches Three-Quarters of World’s TV Households

Comcast announced last week that it would acquire Dreamworks Animation for $3.8 billion, taking another step toward transforming themselves from a cable giant into a full fledged media conglomerate. Meg James, a corporate media reporter for the Los Angeles Times, join us to discuss how, though the deal may not have been anticipated, it makes a lot of sense for both companies. The purchase is the most recent in a string of acquisitions that have closely mirrored the strategy Disney has executed over the past decade as they gobbled up companies such as Pixar, Marvel and Lucasfilm. Comcast has proven quite adept at turning undervalued assets such as NBCUniversal and Universal Studios theme parks into profitable entities. Meanwhile, as the Tony Awards season officially kicks off, Broadway is suffering from what is being referred to as The Hamilton Effect. This is a condition in which you open a musical that blends hip-hop and history in a way that not only makes the show a cultural phenomenon, but the inevitable winner of this year’s much coveted Best Musical Tony. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the Daytime Emmy winners, why Fox is pulling out of this year’s Comic-Con convention and how French law enforcement is preparing for the Cannes Film Festival. Box Office: ‘The Jungle Book’ Crushes ‘Mother’s Day,’ ‘Keanu’ http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-jungle-book-crushes-889160 Box Office: ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Opens to Huge $200.2M Overseas http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-captain-america-civil-889159 Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ Expanding in Theaters Thanks to Fan Demand http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/princes-purple-rain-expanding-theaters-887775 The ‘Hamilton’ Effect: The hit re-shapes Broadway’s Tony season http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/arts/la-et-cm-hamilton-effect-20160430-story.html Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond, James May to Launch Digital Media Platform DriveTribe https://variety.com/2016/digital/global/jeremy-clarkson-richard-hammond-james-may-drivetribe-1201760319/ Dylan O’Brien’s Injuries Force ‘Maze Runner’ Sequel to Extend Production Shutdown http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dylan-obriens-injuries-force-maze-888970 TCM and Criterion to Offer Streaming Service, FilmStruck http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/27/movies/tcm-and-criterion-to-offerstreaming-service-filmstruck.html Turner to Launch Its Own Movie-Streaming Service, FilmStruck http://techcrunch.com/2016/04/26/turner-to-launch-its-own-movie-streaming-service-filmstuck/ Cannes Faces Backlash Over Chilling Terrorist Simulation Video http://www.hollywoodreporter.

Almost three years after Beyoncé made a big splash by releasing a secret album via iTunes, the pop star has snuck up the world once again with her latest work, a video album called “Lemonade”. This time however Beyoncé was strategic in how she distributed her album, premiering it with an HBO special, then exclusively to the streaming music service Tidal, before ultimately turning back to iTunes. More and more, big name acts are controlling how and to whom their music gets distributed. Multi-genre musician Prince was way ahead of his time when it came to controlling how his music reaches the world. The legendary artist died suddenly last week leaving behind a lifetime of work a great deal of which was never released. We discuss the many fascinating ways the unexpected death of Prince was covered by the media and his sometimes unique distribution methods. We’ll also take a look at the introduction of a new cinematic camera that has the potential to revolutionize filming and post-production by allowing to filmmakers “to effectively capture the color, direction and placement of every ray of light”. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including some behind the scenes drama at the morning talk shows, why China shut down some of the Apple iTunes stores and how Hollywood is making its way to West Africa. Huntsman’ Flops With $20M; ‘Jungle Book’ Roars to $61M http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-huntsman-flops-20m-887201 ‘Jungle Book’ A $341.3M Offshore Beast As ‘Huntsman’ Musters $79.1M; ‘Zootopia’ Tops $900M Global http://deadline.com/2016/04/the-jungle-book-huntsman-winters-war-zootopia-batman-superman-international-box-office-weekend-results-1201742754/ India Box Office: ‘Jungle Book’ Becomes Top Hollywood Release Ever http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/india-box-office-jungle-book-885950 Are Hollywood Blockbusters Losing Their Punch at China’s Box Office? http://variety.com/2016/film/asia/china-hollywood-blockbusters-batman-v-superman-1201756790/ ‘Purple Rain’ Returning to U.S. Theaters This Weekend https://variety.com/2016/film/news/purple-rain-returning-to-amc-theaters-this-weekend-1201759183/ “Happy Birthday” Legal Team Seeks to Free “We Shall Overcome” From Copyright http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/happy-birthday-legal-team-seeks-882961 Beyoncé Releases Surprise Album ‘Lemonade’ After HBO Special http://www.nytimes.com/2016/04/24/arts/music/beyonce-hbo-lemonade.html MTV Chief Vows to Restore Music to Programming http://variety.com/2016/tv/news/mtv-music-wonderland-unplugged-sean-atkins-2016-upfront-tv-1201758027/ Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’ Expected to Hit iTunes Sunday Night https://variety.com/2016/digital/news/beyonce-lemonade-itunes-tid...

Movie theater operators from around the world gathered at CinemaCon in Las Vegas last week to see what Hollywood studios have to offer over the next 12 months; from big budget tentpole releases to potential awards contenders. The loudest buzz at this year’s event was caused by The Screening Room, a company that hopes to bring current movie releases into the home, day-and-date with cinemas. Following a year of record theatrical box office grosses, studios, exhibitors and filmmakers alike spoke out en masse against such an idea. Meanwhile, the first weekend of this year’s Coachella Music and Arts Festival took place over the weekend and we’ll fill you in on some of the highlights and musical acts as we debate whether big festivals have become too pricey and elitist. During Inside Baseball, we’ll tackle the growing controversy over acting workshops; the “educational” courses where actors get pointers on how to audition. After a top casting director lost their job over the practice, there is a sense that such workshops feel like scams where struggling actors are conned into paying to audition in front of industry players. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the executive disarray at Disney, how Twitter will stream NFL games next season and why the Golden Globes are tweaking their rules. Does Disney’s ‘Jungle Book’ Success Spell Trouble for Warner Bros. Version? https://variety.com/2016/film/news/jungle-book-disney-warner-bros-remake-1201755271/ Korea’s CJ-CGV Buys Turkey’s Mars Cinema for $800 Million https://variety.com/2016/biz/asia/cj-cgv-to-buy-turkeys-mars-cinemas-1201730296/ CinemaCon: Global Box-Office Revenue Hit Record $38.3B in 2015 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cinemacon-global-box-office-revenue-882947 Global Box Office Soars to Record $38.3 Billion, MPAA Chief Says Hollywood Made ‘Productive Steps’ to Address Diversity https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/hollywood-diversity-mpaa-chris-dodd-1201751465/ Box Office Hits Record, But Number of Frequent Moviegoers Drops 10% https://variety.com/2016/film/news/box-office-hits-record-but-frequent-moviegoers-down-1201751770/ CinemaCon: Who Says Teenagers Don’t Go to the Movies? http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cinemacon-who-says-teenagers-dont-883240 CinemaCon: J.J. Abrams Explains His Support of Controversial Home Movie Service http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cinemacon-jj-abrams-explains-his-882925 Peter Jackson on Sean Parker’s $50 Home Movie Service: “It’s Inevitable” http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/peter-jackson-sean-parkers-50-883905 Warner Bros. CEO: We Won’t Let Screening Room, Other ‘Third Parties’ Control Distribution https://variety.com/2016/film/news/warner-bros-kevin-tsujihara-screening-room-1201752023/

In yet another sign that the difference between broadcast and cable networks is eroding, NBCUniversal announced that it would include all of its cable outlets in their traditional upfront presentation to advertisers for NBC. By combining shows from networks such as Bravo, Telemundo and Oxygen with the big primetime hits on NBC, the Comcast owned media giant is signaling that the best way for advertisers to reach viewers is through aggregating audiences. Time Warner Cable, on the other hand, is struggling to distribute its own content through different cable providers. Specifically, none of the other pay-TV companies is willing to force their customers to pay for SportsNet LA, the regional sports network owned by the Los Angeles Dodgers. Could this be an indication that cable operators finally understand that technology will force them to unbundle their basic cable offering? Meanwhile, short, cheap and entertaining books – once called dime store novels or pulp fiction – are making a comeback. As are serialized novels, short stories and lots of things that don’t fit into the 250 pages or more standard of most books today. Technology and the need to hold the attention of readers are the reasons it’s happening. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the controversial film pulled from the Tribeca Film Festival lineup, the death of comedian Gary Shandling and the porn industry gets into virtual reality. China Box Office Grows by 50% in First Quarter https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/china-box-office-up-by-half-in-first-quarter-1201743685/ ‘Batman v. Superman’ Launches DC Superhero Universe With Record $166.1M U.S. Debut http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-batman-v-superman-878505 Screening Room Headed to CinemaCon; Brett Ratner Checks Out Technology https://variety.com/2016/film/news/screening-room-headed-to-cinemacon-brett-ratner-softens-opposition-1201742212/ NBCUniversal to Combine Broadcast and Cable in Dramatic TV Upfronts Shakeup http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/nbcuniversal-combine-broadcast-cable-dramatic-879196 Morning-Show Wars Take a Twist as ‘Today’ Trumps ‘GMA’ in Total Viewers https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/today-beats-good-morning-america-tv-news-nbc-abc-1201743017/ Fox News Posts Record Ratings as Cable News Surges at Top of Election Year http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/fox-news-posts-record-ratings-878908 ‘Wolf Hall’ Leads Nominations Race for BAFTA Television Awards https://variety.com/2016/tv/global/wolf-hall-nominations-tv-bafta-awards-1201741707/ ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ Renewed for Record-Tying Seasons 13 and 14 http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/sunny-philadelphia-renewed-record-tying-879880 NBC to Produce ‘A Few Good Men’ Live, Written by Aaron Sorkin

Last week Harrison Ford and Steven Spielberg announced they are grabbing a whip and fedora and planning one more adventure for Indiana Jones with its original director and star. They haven’t set a start date for shooting, don’t seem to have a script or even a setting or general idea for the movie yet, at least not one they’re sharing. But naturally they have a release date. The next Indiana Jones will be coming to a theater near you on July 19, 2019. If it were up to the Screening Room, you’ll be able to watch the latest Indiana Jones installment from the comfort of your own home. Everyone is weighing in on the new company that wants to make blockbuster movies available in your home the same day they hit theaters. Meanwhile, CBS is turning off their radios. The broadcaster says they are looking to offload their fabled radio group despite it being a stable long-term business. CBS believes radio doesn’t have sexy growth potential so they apparently wants out. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including an explanation of television stacking rights, Mariah Carey gets her own reality series and China cracks down on box office fraud. ‘Divergent 3’ Stalls With Series-Low $29.1M; ‘Zootopia’ Nears $600M Globally https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-divergent-3-stalls-876908 ‘The Revenant’ Opens in China With $33 Million, Nears $500 Million Worldwide https://variety.com/2016/film/news/the-revenant-china-box-office-leonardo-dicaprio-1201734831/ Chinese Film Regulators Penalize ‘Ip Man 3’ Distributor Over Box Office Fraud http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-china-film-ip-man-3-fraud-20160318-story.html Christopher Nolan Comes Out Against Screening Room https://variety.com/2016/film/news/christopher-nolan-comes-out-against-screening-room-exclusive-1201732057/ Top Theater Group Dismisses Sean Parker’s $50 Home Movie Service https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/top-theater-group-dismisses-sean-876014 Hundreds of Cinemas Rally Against Sean Parker’s Plans for $50 Home Movie Service https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/hundreds-cinemas-rally-sean-parkers-875871 European Movie Exhibitors: Screening Room Presents ‘Significant Risks’ http://variety.com/2016/film/global/european-movie-exhibitors-screening-room-significant-risks-1201733731/ 5 Hurdles Facing Sean Parker’s $50 Home Movie Service https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/5-hurdles-facing-sean-parkers-876324 Why Theater Owners Are Rejecting Sean Parker’s Controversial Screening Room http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-theater-owners-sean-parker-screening-room-20160316-story.html

In recent years, Chinese-owned companies have become the film industry’s biggest power players by scooping up production companies and cinema chains. The latest example came when AMC Theatres, owned by China’s richest man Wang Jianlin, announced it will acquire Carmike Cinemas to become the world’s largest motion picture exhibitor. It’s easy to see why the Chinese are so hot on the cinema business given that their box office surpassed that of North America during the month of February for the second time ever. Yet if you were to ask some financial analysts, Hollywood Hollywood is starting to look like the video game industry before it imploded; bigger budgets, fewer winners and more losers. Is Hollywood about to shrivel up like Pac-Man? Then there are those like Sean Parker, one of the founders of Napster and Facebook, who are trying to convince Hollywood that it’s time to start making big movies available in consumer’s homes the same day they hit theaters. Is there any business model in which that could actually work? Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the authors nominated for this year’s prestigious Man Booker Prize, music sales in France plummet and Kevin Spacey won’t be heading up Relativity Media after all. ‘Spotlight’s’ Best Picture Oscar Boosts Box Office Around the Globe https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/spotlight-best-picture-oscar-win-box-office-1201726461/ ‘Zootopia’ Roars to Record $25M Saturday in China, Nears $100M https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-zootopia-roars-record-874827 China Box Office Pulls in Massive $1B in February, Topping North America https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-pulls-massive-871688 ‘The Mermaid’ Reaches $500 Million at Chinese Box Office https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/the-mermaid-500-million-at-chinese-box-office-1201723721/ China Grants Hollywood Films More Favorable Spring Release Schedule http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-grants-hollywood-films-more-873782 From Factory Manager to Chinese Mogul: ‘Ip Man 3’ Financier Shi Jianxiang Draws Scrutiny http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-et-ct-china-box-office-fraud-jianxiang-20160308-story.html ‘Increasingly Dire’ Film Industry Has Fewer Winning Films, Studios https://variety.com/2016/film/news/hollywood-dire-outlook-tentpoles-1201722775/ China Cracks Down on Online Television http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2016/03/03/china-cracks-down-on-online-television/ Three Missing Hong Kong Booksellers To Be Freed On Bail http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/mar/03/three-missing-hong-kong-booksellers-to-be-freed-on-bail-say-police Kevin Spacey Pulls Out of Relativity Chairman Role

In a year when the Academy Awards were faulted for a lack of diversity among its nominees, ceremony host Chris Rock addressed the #OscarsSoWhite controversy head on in his opening monologue by mixing pointed criticism with biting humor. Anne Thompson, Indiewire’s editor at large, brings us along as she attends the 88th annual Oscars and explains just how difficult it was to predict this year’s winners. Mind you, award season never really ends. France handed out their own awards for last year’s top movies and we’ll tell you who won all the big prizes at the Cesars. We even look at the nominations for the Olivier Awards, the London theater equivalent to the Tonys. Literally hours after winning his first Oscar, Mark Rylance was nominated again, this time for his performance in “Farinelli and the King”. Meanwhile, Barnes & Noble is planning to imitate its online rival Amazon by, oddly enough, opening new brick and mortar stores. And a reissue of the Alex Haley bestseller Roots brings up everything from copyright to the question of when a book goes out of print to ebook pricing. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Netflix and other streaming services have decimated video sales, PBS will launch its own cable network and Adele tops the Brit Awards. Oscar Winners 2016: How ‘Spotlight,’ ‘The Revenant,’ and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’ Dominated the Academy Awards http://blogs.indiewire.com/thompsononhollywood/oscar-winners-2016-how-spotlight-the-revenant-and-mad-max-fury-road-dominated-the-academy-awards-20160229 ‘Deadpool’ Success Leads to Big Paydays for Ryan Reynolds and Team https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/deadpool-success-leads-big-paydays-868636 ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ Becomes China’s Biggest Animated Film Ever https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kung-fu-panda-3-becomes-871149 DreamWorks Animation Blasts Past Expectations; Stock Rise https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/dreamworks-animation-blasts-past-expectations-868808 DreamWorks Animation Shares Spike on Stronger Than Expected 2015 Earnings https://variety.com/2016/film/news/dreamworks-animation-shares-2015-earnings-1201713122/ Imax Earnings, Revenue Skyrocket Thanks to ‘Star Wars’ https://variety.com/2016/film/news/imax-earnings-q4-star-wars-the-force-awakens-1201713996/ Philippe Dauman: Viacom Looks to Sell Stake in Paramount to ‘Strategic Minority Investor’ https://variety.com/2016/film/news/paramount-viacom-stake-minority-investor-1201712909/ Cesar Awards: The Complete Winners List https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2016-cesar-awards-full-winners-867094 Nominations Announced for 2016 Olivier Awards

Kanye West is making headlines for exhibiting manic behavior around the upcoming release of his latest album, “The Life of Pablo”. Is it erratic behavior or a canny promotional tactic? And is West’s album actually finished, or are the many changes he’s making before its official release all part of an intentional, yet public, artistic process. In more serious news, music heavyweights are beginning to speak out about the court battle between artist Kesha and music producer Dr. Luke. The musician is attempting to break free of a record contract which ties her to a man Kesha says “sexually, physically, verbally and emotionally” abused her for years. Meanwhile, we’re going to look at a worldwide box office phenomenon that has set records in the United States and around the world. Not “Deadpool”, but rather China’s “The Mermaid,” which had the highest per screen average of any movie in North America this past week. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the new owner of movie review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, Amazon’s plans to distribute Woody Allen’s next movie and new rules for the Eurovision song contest. ‘Deadpool’ Bedevils ‘Risen,’ ‘The Witch’ With $55M https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-deadpool-bedevils-4919m-868066 China Box Office: ‘Mermaid’ Becomes Top-Grossing Film Ever With $400M-Plus https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-chows-mermaid-highest-grosser-867913 China Box Office: ‘Mermaid’ Becomes Top-Grossing Film Ever With $400M http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/stephen-chows-mermaid-highest-grosser-867913 ‘WarGames’ and Cybersecurity’s Debt to a Hollywood Hack http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/movies/wargames-and-cybersecuritys-debt-to-a-hollywood-hack.html Adam Sandler, ‘Fifty Shades’ Lead Razzies Nominations http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2016-razzie-award-nominees-867140 Berlin Film Festival 2016: Full List of Winners http://www.screendaily.com/5100694.article Kanye’s Beautiful, Haphazard Yeezy Season 3 Spectacle http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2016/02/kanyes-beautiful-haphazard-yeezy-season-3-spectacle/462546/ Kanye West Had Epic Meltdown Backstage at ‘SNL’ http://pagesix.com/2016/02/15/kanye-west-has-epic-meltdown-backstage-at-snl/ Kanye West Says He’s $53 Million in Debt https://variety.com/2016/music/news/kanye-west-says-hes-53-million-in-debt-removes-new-album-download-to-keep-tidal-exclusive-1201706161/ Kanye West Is Fixing His Album in Public. You’ll Want to Read the Edits. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/21/arts/music/kanye-west-life-of-pablo-tlop.html Kesha Sobs As Judge Refuses to Cancel Contract With Producer Dr. Luke and Sony

With nominees representing a wide range of genres including pop, country, hip-hop, R&B and rock, this year’s Grammy Awards had a little something for everyone. David Wild, one of the writers responsible for this year’s Grammy telecast and a contributing editor at Rolling Stone, takes a few minutes from his busy schedule to discuss Rihanna’s no-show, Kendrick Lamar’s electric performance and more. It would seem that anyone who wasn’t watching the Grammys was at the movie theater watching “Deadpool”. The R-rated superhero movie that transformed from a comeback vehicle for Ryan Reynolds to a box office hit to a phenomenon, all in the space of five days. Meanwhile China was also breaking box office records thanks to the Golden Week holiday associated with Chinese New Years. Plus, the Oscars are getting closer and we’ll report on the latest buzz generated by the BAFTAs and the WGA Awards. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including an autobiography from rocker Bruce Springsteen, Disney is sending “Frozen” to Broadway and why media stocks have suddenly taken a nosedive. David Wild’s Work in Rolling Stone http://www.rollingstone.com/contributor/david-wild David Wild’s Twitter Account https://twitter.com/wildaboutmusic David Wild’s Facebook Page https://www.facebook.com/David-Wild-118025828231134/ ‘Deadpool’ Makes History With $132.4M Weekend, Colossal $152.2M Holiday https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-deadpool-makes-history-865143 China Has Biggest Ever Day At Box Office https://variety.com/2016/film/asia/china-biggest-day-at-box-office-1201700835/ China Box Office Breaks World Record With $548M in One Week https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-breaks-world-865319 China Box Office: Stephen Chow’s ‘Mermaid’ Nears $200M at Record Pace https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-stephen-chows-864665 Michael Moore’s ‘Where to Invade Next’ Marks Career Low http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-michael-moores-invade-864721 WGA Awards: ‘Spotlight,’ ‘The Big Short’ Take Top Film Prizes https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2016-wga-winners-complete-list-856955 Writers Guild TV Winners: ‘Mr. Robot,’ ‘Better Call Saul’ Gain Steam in Emmy Race https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/mr-robot-better-call-saul-writers-guild-awards-1201705815/ ‘The Revenant,’ Leonardo DiCaprio Dominate BAFTA Awards https://variety.com/2016/film/news/bafta-awards-winners-2016-complete-list-british-academy-film-television-1201706004/ ‘The Late Late Show With James Corden’ Breaks YouTube Record With Adele ‘Carpool Karaoke’

The movie awards season remains as confusing as ever, with the Directors Guild handing out its top honor to “The Revenant”. Will this have any impact on an Oscar race in which “The Big Short” and “Spotlight” also look like major contenders? No one knows but we’ll try and sort it out. Meanwhile, it appears Time Warner wants to join Disney, Fox and NBCUniversal as an owner of the streaming service Hulu. There’s only one catch; they’d like Hulu to stop showing all episodes from the current season of a TV series. Maybe they want to buy it so they can shut it down. Over at Viacom, Sumner Redstone stepped down last week after a court mandated the 92-year-old would submit to a medical exam to determine his competency. Bowing to reality, Redstone resigned from his position as chairman of CBS and Viacom. Leslie Moonves is officially taking over CBS, but after daughter Shari Redstone publicly announced it wasn’t a good idea for Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman to take over, he did just that. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including how Amazon plans to enter the retail space, ESPN plans to enter China and Matt LeBlanc is named as the new host of the popular automotive TV program, “Top Gear”. ‘The Good Wife’ to End After Current Season https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/the-good-wife-canceled-cbs-1201699671/ ‘Hail, Caesar!’ Fumbles With $11.4M; ‘Pride and Zombies’ Lifeless https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-hail-caesar-fumbles-862324 Lionsgate Stock Plunges After ‘Mockingjay 2’ Disappoints https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/lionsgate-stock-plunges-mockingjay-2-862397 ‘Inside Out’ Dominates Annie Awards With 10 Wins – Complete Winners List http://www.cartoonbrew.com/award-season-focus/inside-dominates-annie-awards-10-wins-complete-winners-list-135437.html 2016 DGA Awards: The Complete Winners List https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2016-dga-winners-complete-list-856953 Alejandro G. Inarritu’s ‘Revenant’ DGA Win Keeps Oscar Guessing Game Going https://variety.com/2016/film/in-contention/alejandro-g-inarritus-revenant-dga-win-keeps-oscar-guessing-game-going-1201699312/ Time Warner Talks With Hulu Zero In on Current Seasons http://www.wsj.com/articles/time-warner-talks-with-hulu-zero-in-on-current-seasons-1454276633?cb=logged0.13502618530765176 Meet the Guy Behind Amazon’s Secret Retail Store Plans https://recode.net/2016/02/03/meet-the-guy-behind-amazons-secret-retail-store-plans/ Amazon Plans To Open Hundreds of Bookstores, Mall Operator Says http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/feb/02/amazon-opening-hundreds-bookstores-us-mall-barnes-noble Is Amazon Opening More Bookstores?

This year’s Sundance Film Festival wrapped up over the weekend in historic fashion by awarding the dramatic competition grand jury and audience prizes to “The Birth of a Nation”, a historical biopic a Virginian slave revolt. The film made headlines earlier in the week when Fox Searchlight purchased the film for a record $17.5 million after beating out Netflix in a heated bidding war. We’ll tell you about all the big Sundance awards and continue the Oscar season slog, in which this year’s front runners are as mixed up as a Republican presidential primary. SAG added to the confusion, making “Spotlight” this week’s hero, after “The Big Short” looked like a winner the week before. Meanwhile the Federal Communications Commission is about to vote on ending the monopoly of set top boxes for US cable subscribers, a decision that could have big ramifications for everything from what you watch to the stock prices of numerous tech companies, including Apple and Roku. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including Louis CK bypasses television networks and brings his new series directly to viewers, Pope Francis gets ready for his closeup in a feature film and sales of new music were outpaced by catalogue titles over the past year. ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Nears $2 Billion in Worldwide Box Office https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/star-wars-the-force-awakens-worldwide-box-office-2-billion-1201693347/ ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ Scores Biggest Animated Film Opening in China https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/kung-fu-panda-china-box-office-opening-1201693281/ SAG Awards: The Complete Winners List https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lists/2016-sag-winners-complete-list-856945 France’s Cesar Awards Nominations Spotlight Women and Ethnic Minorities http://variety.com/2016/film/news/cesar-awards-nominations-2016-france-diversity-1201689840/ Michael Douglas to Receive Honorary Cesar Award From French Academy http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/michael-douglas-honorary-cesar-award-859737 ‘Golden Years,’ ‘Marguerite,’ ‘Dheepan,’ ‘Mustang’ Lead Cesar Nominations https://variety.com/2016/film/global/golden-years-marguerite-dheepan-mustang-lead-cesar-nominations-1201689761/ ‘The Birth of a Nation’ Sweeps Top Prizes https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/sundance-film-festival-awards-1201693027/ Sundance Wrap: Why Netflix and Amazon Dominance Matters https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/sundance-wrap-why-netflix-amazon-860987 The 21 Best Films of Sundance 2016 https://variety.com/2016/film/festivals/best-films-of-sundance-2016-1201693354/ Sundance: 19 Biggest Breakthrough Performances

Anyone who is anyone in the indie film world is presently in Park City, Utah attending this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Of course, it’s impossible to see all the nearly 200 films making their debut at Sundance. As we explain, seeing some of the hottest titles at the festival requires hours of waiting in line for screenings that are often over capacity, thus leaving dozens out in the cold. Literally and figuratively. Some of the biggest headlines at this year’s Sundance were made by Amazon and Netflix. Though both distributors have previously had a presence at Sundance, this year they went on a buying spree, shelling out big bucks to snap up a number of buzzworthy films. The industry now is watching closely how the distribution of these acquisitions is handled and whether the companies are capable of turning them into financial successes. Meanwhile, the controversy over the lack of diversity for this year’s Oscar nominations continues to boil over. With talk of boycotts and accusations of racial bias, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced some drastic steps it plans on taking to rectify the situation. Unfortunately, this only caused the debate to become even more boisterous. Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the Grammy Awards will go live, Bette Midler will be going to Broadway and actress Gillian Anderson balks at being paid half of what David Duchovny makes for the “X-Files” reunion. Broadway Shows Cancelled, Movie Theaters Darkened Due to Blizzard https://variety.com/2016/legit/news/broadway-shows-cancelled-blizzard-1201686973/ ‘The Revenant’ Tops International Box Office https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/the-revenant-international-box-office-star-wars-1201687476/ China Box Office: ‘Kung Fu Panda 3’ Earns Impressive $6.4M in Previews https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-kung-fu-858877 Box Office: ‘The Revenant’ Survives Storm Jonas to Win Weekend With $16M http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/box-office-revenant-survives-storm-858764 ‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ Gets New Release Date https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/star-wars-episode-viii-gets-857601 Steven Spielberg’s New Amblin Chief Reveals Who Has Greenlight Power https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/steven-spielbergs-new-amblin-chief-854838 Ticket Prices Hit Record High in 2015 https://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/ticket-prices-2015-record-1201683031/ MPDAA Confirm 2015 Best Year Ever for Australian Film http://www.screenaustralia.gov.au/news_and…. So Far, Amazon and Netflix Are Sundance’s Top Buyers http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/26/business/media/so-far-amazon-and-netflix-are-sundances-top-buyers.html Sundance: ‘Birth of a Nation’ Lands at Fox Searchlight in Re...