Showbiz Sandbox 510: Studios Play Hide and Seek With Box Office Data
September 15, 2020
Now that new movies are once again playing in reopened cinemas, studios are reluctant to report their pandemic crippled grosses lest their films be deemed publicly as financial flops. At least two studios are delaying box office reports of their latest releases in what many industry insiders fear is a new trend. Is it appropriate for distributors to break with a decades old tradition of reporting weekend grosses in the midst of COVID-19 or do they have the right to keep box office on their titles confidential?
Meanwhile, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced a new diversity initiative for the Oscars. Now for a film to be eligible for the Best Picture category it has to meet at least two of four diversity requirements. It’s a thoughtful move, even if almost every film made in the last ten years can easily meet the new requirements
Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including why Disney’s “Mulan” is stirring up unwanted controversy, a major talent agency finally agrees to the Writers Guild code of conduct and sales of vinyl records surpass compact discs for the first time in over 30 years.
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Warner Bros. Won’t Share ‘Tenet’ Box Office Data, Angering Rival Studios
https://variety.com/2020/film/box-office/warner-bros-tenet-box-office-studios-1234767113/
Disney’s “Mulan” Is Anything But ‘Loyal, Brave, True’
https://www.moviemaker.com/disneys-mulan-is-anything-but-loyal-brave-true-commentary/
How Disney’s ‘Mulan’ Became One of 2020’s Most Controversial Movies
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2020-09-11/disneys-mulan-debuts-in-china-heres-why-its-controversial
WGA Responds To CAA Deal Claim That Would End Stalemate
https://deadline.com/2020/09/caa-in-deal-with-wga-1234576395/
HBO Max Ad Plan Could Pair Commercials With Movie Classics
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/hbo-max-advertising-commercials-classic-movies-1234762076/
In ‘Jersey Boys’ Ruling, Appeals Court Adopts New Standard for Nonfiction
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/thr-esq/in-jersey-boys-ruling-appeals-court-adopts-new-standard-for-nonfiction
‘Walking Dead’ to End With Expanded Season 11, Daryl-Carol Spinoff Series Set at AMC
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/walking-dead-final-season-11-daryl-carol-spinoff-series-amc-1234762220/
‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ To End In 2021 With Season 20
‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ To End In 2021 With Season 20
Hollywood Reporter De-emphasizing Overnight TV Ratings
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/why-the-hollywood-reporter-is-changing-its-tv-ratings-coverage
‘Project Power’ Blasts Into Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/project-power-blasts-into-nielsens-streaming-top-10
Fauci: We Won’t Go To Theaters Until Year After Vaccine
https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-we-wont-go-in-theaters-until-year-after-vaccine-2020-9
West End Shows Announce a Return, Even as U.K. Coronavirus Cases Rise
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/14/theater/six-west-end-return-coronavirus.html
Music Streaming Revenues on Course to Grow by Over $1BN in the US in 2020
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/music-streaming-revenues-in-the-us-are-on-course-to-grow-by-over-a-billion-dollars-in-2020/
Oscars Announce New Inclusion Requirements for Best Picture Eligibility
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/oscars-inclusion-standards-best-picture-diversity-1234762727/
Legendary Reggae Singer Toots Hibbert, Frontman of the Maytals, Dies at 77
https://variety.com/2020/music/news/toots-hibbert-maytals-reggae-dies-1234767701/
Ronald Harwood, ‘The Pianist’ Screenwriter, Dies at 85
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/ronald-harwood-the-pianist-screenwriter-dies-at-85
Peter Sova, Cinematographer on ‘Diner,’ ‘Donnie Brasco’ and ‘Lucky Number Slevin,’ Dies at 75
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/peter-sova-cinematographer-on-diner-donnie-brasco-and-lucky-number-slevin-dies-at-75
Diana Rigg Dies: ‘Game Of Thrones’, ‘The Avengers’ & Bond Actress Was 82
https://deadline.com/2020/09/diana-rigg-dies-games-of-thrones-the-avengers-bond-actress-was-82-1234574375/
Ronald “Khalis” Bell Dies: Kool & The Gang Co-Founder And ‘Celebration’ Songwriter Was 68
https://deadline.com/2020/09/ronald-khalis-bell-dies-cofounder-of-kool-the-gang-and-writer-of-celebration-was-68-1234574143/
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