Showbiz Sandbox 615: Warner Bros. Takes Streaming to the Max
April 18, 2023
Warner Bros. Discovery had long promised to merge its two major streaming services HBO Max and Discovery+ into a single, combined offering. This past week the media giant unveiled the name of the new service to the public; Max. Despite having decades of positive brand recognition, HBO will be dropped from the name. The company also announced a ton of new content for the service including a Harry Potter television series.
Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America has authorized a strike against studios, networks and streamers. Producers believe that a strike is now inevitable after the writers’ current contract ends in May.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the latest additions to the Library of Congress National Registry of Recordings, Latin music becomes a $1 billion industry and a proposal for new safety guidelines for film and TV productions.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
‘Super Mario Bros’ Jumps Higher With $693M WW Through Sunday, Will Barrel Past $700M Today; ‘John Wick 4’ Reaches Franchise-Best $350M
https://deadline.com/2023/04/super-mario-bros-movie-second-weekend-global-international-box-office-1235326157/
‘Super Mario Bros.’ Scores $92.5M in Second Weekend, Crosses $700M Globally
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/super-mario-bros-box-office-crazy-great-1235375839/
Theater Advertiser National CineMedia Files for Bankruptcy Protection
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/national-cinemedia-files-us-bankruptcy-2023-04-12/
Gérard Depardieu Accused Of Sexually Inappropriate Behavior By 13 Women In Médiapart Report
https://deadline.com/2023/04/gerard-depardieu-sexually-inappropriate-behaviour-by-13-women-in-mediapart-1235322361/
‘Rust’ California Set Safety Bill Revived: Unions, Studios Near Deal On Language
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/set-safety-bill-rust-unions-management-deal-1235373704/
NPR and PBS Stop Using Twitter After Receiving ‘Government Funded Media’ Label
https://www.cnn.com/2023/04/12/tech/npr-twitter-use/index.html
Actors On Dick Wolf NBC Series Reduce Episodes, Take Pay Cuts Amid Broadcast Budget Tightening
https://deadline.com/2023/04/dick-wolf-nbc-series-cast-reduce-episodes-chicago-law-order-bob-heart-abishola-pay-cuts-1235324737
Latin Music Revenue Passes $1 Billion for All-Time High
https://www.billboard.com/pro/latin-music-revenue-riaa-billion-mark-all-time-high/
Queen Latifah and Super Mario Bros. Make History in National Recording Registry Debut
https://www.npr.org/2023/04/12/1169227901/national-recording-registry
Dorothy Thompson on Invasion Of Poland
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsz8DzcmhMs
Max Streaming App Aims to Win Viewers by Losing ‘HBO’ From Its Name
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/business/media/max-warner-new-streaming-app.html
Warner Bros. Discovery Explains Why It’s Dropping the HBO Max Name
https://www.theverge.com/2023/4/12/23673475/warner-bros-discovery-max-new-name-hbo
Warner Bros. Looks to Close Deal for ‘Harry Potter’ HBO Max Series
https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/harry-potter-hbo-max-series-warner-bros-closing-deal-1235572610/
Anne Perry, Crime Writer With Her Own Dark Tale, Dies at 84
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/12/books/anne-perry-dead.html
Ahmad Jamal, Whose Spare Style Redefined Jazz Piano, Dies at 92
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/16/obituaries/ahmad-jamal-jazz-dead.html
Al Jaffee, Iconoclastic Cartooning Legend of Mad Magazine Fame, Dies at 102
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-04-10/al-jaffee-mad-magazine-cartooning-legend-dies-at-102
Comments