Showbiz Sandbox 294: As Box Office Grows In China, So Do Claims of Fraud
September 14, 2015
China continues on its torrid pace toward become the number one movie market in the world having already surpassed its record $4.7 billion box office from last year. However, some Chinese distributors, and even some moviegoers, are claiming cinema owners are manipulating reported grosses on behalf of the government.
Recently a propaganda film titled “The Hundred Regiments Offensive” managed to sell more tickets than was possible based on its number of showings and theater count. Industry executives now say releases such as “Terminator:Genisys” are being unfairly robbed of their true earnings. Yet the market is so big, when “Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation” debuted last week it gave Tom Cruise the biggest box office opening of his career.
Meanwhile, parts of the world are entering autumn, a time when leaves fall from the trees and Broadway shows fall from the marquees to make way for new shows. We’ll tell you which shows have announced closings, which ones will follow soon and take a brief look at some new productions opening soon.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including the return of Stephen Colbert to late night television, the new owner of National Geographic and how the late Billie Holiday and Whitney Houston will perform once again… as holograms.
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‘Perfect Guy’ Takes Weekend #1 With Shyamalan’s ‘Visit’ a Close Second
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=4105&p=.htm
‘Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation’ Opens to Huge $86M in China
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mission-impossible-opens-huge-86m-822702
Local Blockbuster ‘Monster Hunt’ Unseats ‘Furious 7’ as Highest Grossing Film Ever
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/monster-hunt-overtakes-furious-7-822468
China Readies Film Promotion Law As Box Office Overtakes 2014 Total
https://variety.com/2015/film/asia/china-readies-film-law-as-box-office-overtakes-2014-total-1201587741/
China Film Execs Claim ‘Terminator’ a Victim of Box-Office Fraud to Boost Propaganda Movie
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-film-execs-claim-terminator-820874
How My Negative Review of Legend Was spun Into Movie Marketing Gold
http://www.theguardian.com/film/filmblog/2015/sep/09/legend-review-movie-marketing-false-advertising
Summer Movie Ad Buys: ‘Mission: Impossible,’ ‘Mad Max’ Get Biggest U.S. Spend
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/summer-movie-ad-buys-mission-821043
‘From Afar’ By Venezuelan First-Time Director Lorenzo Vigas Scoops Venice Golden Lion
https://variety.com/2015/film/news/venice-film-festival-winners-announced-1201591867/
Hand To God Sets Broadway Closing Date
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/09/hand-to-god-sets-broadway-closing-date/?_r=0
Sales Down, Losses Up at Barnes & Noble
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/financial-reporting/article/67998-sales-down-losses-up-at-barnes-noble.html
New Barnes & Noble Chief Touts “Omni-Channel” Approach
http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/68041-new-b-n-chief-touts-omni-channel-approach.html
National Geographic and Fox Form a Commercial Media Company
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/10/business/media/national-geographic-and-fox-form-a-commercial-media-company.html
Sam Smith Confirmed To Sing James Bond ‘Spectre’ Theme Song
https://variety.com/2015/film/news/sam-smith-confirmed-to-sing-james-bond-spectre-opening-song-1201587695/
Billie Holiday, via Hologram, Returning to the Apollo
http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/09/09/billie-holiday-hologram-to-debut-at-apollo-this-year/?_r=0
Whitney Houston To Return as Hologram in 2016
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-whitney-houston-to-return-as-hologram-20150911-story.html
‘Kong: Skull Island’ Moving From Universal to Warner Bros.
https://variety.com/2015/film/news/kong-skull-island-moving-from-universal-to-warner-bros-1201590301/
Stephen Colbert Tops Late Night With Strong ‘Late Show’ Debut
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/tv-ratings-stephen-colbert-tops-821230
Star Wars: The Force Awakens To Open in Europe Before US
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/sep/09/star-wars-the-force-awakens-europe-us-british-jj-abrams?CMP=ema_565
‘Star Wars’ Sections of 2 Disney Parks Will Break Ground in 2016
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-disney-s-star-wars-plan-20150910-story.html
New Zealand Bans Award-Winning Teenage Novel After Outcry From Christian Group
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/07/new-zealand-bans-into-the-river-teenage-novel-outcry-christian-group
Bon Jovi Abruptly Cancels China Tour. Is Support for Dalai Lama To Blame?
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/posts/la-et-ms-bon-jovi-cancels-china-tour-dalai-lama-taipei-20150909-story.html
WME | IMG Acquires Donald Trump’s Miss Universe Organization
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/wme-img-acquires-donald-trumps-822906
Arnold Schwarzenegger Named New ‘Celebrity Apprentice’ Host
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/arnold-schwarzenegger-named-new-celebrity-822950
Aretha Franklin Amends Lawsuit After Secret ‘Amazing Grace’ Screening
http://variety.com/2015/film/news/aretha-franklin-amazing-grace-lawsuit-amended-1201592697/
Apple Unveils A More Powerful Apple TV, Shipping In October
http://techcrunch.com/2015/09/09/apple-unveils-a-more-powerful-apple-tv/#.9hywpk:o0Ko
Martin Milner, Clean-Cut Star of ‘Route 66’ and ‘Adam-12,’ Dies at 83
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/08/arts/television/martin-milner-dies-at-83-actor-made-his-name-on-route-66.html
Frank D. Gilroy, Who Had Smash Debut With ‘Subject Was Roses,’ Dies at 89
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/14/theater/frank-d-gilroy-playwright-behind-the-subject-was-roses-dies-at-89.html
Judy Carne, ‘Sock It to Me’ Girl on ‘Laugh-In,’ Dies at 76
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/08/arts/judy-carne-sock-it-to-me-girl-on-laugh-in-dies-at-76.html?_r=0
Lorimar Co-Founder and TV Mogul Merv Adelson Dies at 85
https://variety.com/2015/tv/news/merv-adelson-dies-dead-full-house-lorimar-1201589568/
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