Showbiz Sandbox 575: Should Movie Theaters Charge More For Blockbusters?
March 8, 2022
The opening weekend of “The Batman” was the anticipated blockbuster everyone was expecting, though an ongoing pandemic and a political crisis in Europe softened its global take. AMC Theatres on the other hand saw an opportunity to raise ticket prices, but only for the latest entrant to the Batman franchise. Is this a strategy that was a long time coming or one that will keep casual moviegoers at home.
Meanwhile, the cultural boycott of Russia over its invasion of Ukraine has escalated over the past week with film festivals banning Russian delegations, movie studios pausing new releases and Netflix halting its streaming service in the country.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including video game publisher Epic gets into the music business, Amazon closes its physical bookstores and the big winners at this year’s Spirit Awards.
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Oscars: Academy Infighting Mounting Over Categories Controversy
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/oscars-infighting-over-excluding-categories-1235103324/
‘The Batman’ Lights Up $124M Overseas For $258M Global Bow
https://deadline.com/2022/03/the-batman-opening-international-box-office-robert-pattinson-dc-1234969771/
‘The Batman’ Ushers in New Era of Movie Ticket Price Hikes
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/the-batman-higher-ticket-prices-amc-1235106136/
Spirit Awards Winners: Maggie Gyllenhaal’s ‘The Lost Daughter’ Wins Best Feature
https://www.indiewire.com/2022/03/2022-independent-spirit-awards-winners-list-1234704595/
‘Flee,’ ‘Summer of Soul’ Top IDA Documentary Awards
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/ida-documentary-awards-2022-winners-list-1235104878/
AMC Is Charging More For ‘Batman’ Tickets; CEO On Variable Pricing And “Transformational M&A”
https://deadline.com/2022/03/amc-entertainment-ceo-adam-aron-batman-tickets-variable-pricing-box-office-1234968595/
‘Batman’ AMC Surge Pricing Postmortem: Exhibitor Not The First Major To Hike Ticket Prices On A Superhero Pic
https://deadline.com/2022/03/batman-spiderman-movie-ticket-price-increase-amc-1234972159/
Marilyn Manson Sues Evan Rachel Wood Over Alleged “Malicious Falsehood” Of Abuse Claims
https://deadline.com/2022/03/marilyn-manson-lawsuit-evan-rachel-wood-abuse-claims-hbo-documentary-1234968988/
Amazon to Close All Bookstores
https://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/industry-news/bookselling/article/88669-amazon-to-close-all-bookstores.html
Waterstones Acquires Blackwell’s, the UK’s Biggest Independent Bookseller
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2022/feb/28/waterstones-acquires-blackwells-the-uks-biggest-independent-bookseller
Surprise four Secret Novels by Brandon Sanderson
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/dragonsteel/surprise-four-secret-novels-by-brandon-sanderson/
Broadway Covid Vaccine & Mask Requirements To Remain Through April Despite Easing Of Citywide Mandates
https://deadline.com/2022/03/broadway-covid-vaccine-mask-requirements-through-april-1234970964/
HBO Max Officially Gets Into Live Sports With $200M U.S. Soccer Deal
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/hbo-max-soccer-streaming-deal-1235102211/
‘Neighbours’ Canceled After 37 Years With Fremantle Unable To Find New Home For Ramsay Street
https://deadline.com/2022/03/neighbours-officially-cancelled-after-37-years-with-fremantle-unable-to-find-new-home-for-ramsay-street-1234969654/
Epic Games Acquires Bandcamp as ‘Fortnite’ Maker Expands Into Music
https://variety.com/2022/digital/news/epic-games-acquires-bandcamp-1235194180/
Why Disney Won’t Say Much About Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/disney-florida-dont-say-gay-bill-1235103165/
Universal Music Group Surpassed $10 Billion in Revenues Last Year. It’s Now Double the Size It Was a Decade Ago.
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/universal-music-group-crashed-past-10-billion-in-revenue-last-year-its-now-double-the-size-it-was-a-decade-ago/
WarnerMedia Will Seek $5.99 per Month for CNN Plus as News Outlet Vies for Broadband Views
https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/cnn-plus-launch-warner-media-1235194803/
Strong Stance on China and Peng Shuai Helps Land WTA a New Title Sponsor
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/sports/tennis/wta-hologic-china.html
Statement From the Festival De Cannes on the Situation in Ukraine
https://celluloidjunkie.com/wire/statement-from-the-festival-de-cannes-on-the-situation-in-ukraine/
Venice Biennale Issues Statement in Support of Ukraine, But Fest Will Not Ban Russian Filmmakers
https://variety.com/2022/film/festivals/venice-ukraine-russia-boycott-1235193956/
Roman Abramovich to Sell Chelsea Soccer Club, Proceeds to Go to Ukraine War Victim Charity
https://variety.com/2022/sports/global/roman-abramovich-chelsea-sale-1235194373/
Tony Walton Dies: Oscar-, Tony- & Emmy-Winning Set & Costume Designer Was 87
https://deadline.com/2022/03/tony-walton-dead-obituary-set-costume-designer-broadway-film-1234969925/
Tim Considine, Actor on ‘My Three Sons’ and ‘Spin and Marty,’ Dies at 81
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/tim-considine-my-three-sons-spin-marty-1235104594/
Ned Eisenberg, Attorney Roger Kressler on ‘Law & Order: SVU,’ Dies at 65
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/ned-eisenberg-dead-law-order-svu-1235101408/
Alan Ladd Jr., ‘Star Wars’ Savior and Oscar Winner for ‘Braveheart,’ Dies at 84
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alan-ladd-jr-dead-star-wars-braveheart-dies-1235102885/
Billy Watson, Child Actor in ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ and ‘In Old Chicago,’ Dies at 98
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/billy-watson-mr-smith-goes-washington-1235104694/
Mitchell Ryan, Actor in ‘Lethal Weapon’ and ‘Dharma & Greg,’ Dies at 88
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/mitchell-ryan-lethal-weapon-dharma-greg-1235104831/
Duvall Hecht, Founder of Books on Tape, Is Dead at 91
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/03/business/duvall-hecht-dead.html
Elsa Klensch, Longtime Fashion Correspondent for CNN, Dies at 92
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/business/story/2022-03-05/elsa-klensch-longtime-fashion-correspondent-cnn-dead
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