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A tiny atomic shift gives scientists powerful control over metals
A team at the University of Minnesota discovered that changing a metal film's thickness by just a few nanometers can dramatically alter how it behaves electronically. The finding reveals a surprising new way to control metals and could help power future advances in electronics, catalysis, and quantum technology.
James Handy's most memorable film and TV roles: A look back at the late actor's prolific career
The veteran character actor, who died on June 3, leaves behind a legacy that includes roles in "Top Gun: Maverick" and "Jumanji."
<i>Scary Movie 6</i> Is Another Hollywood Reboot From Our Childhoods. But Have We Outgrown the Joke?
Shock-value humor used to be able to carry an entire film, but simply being offensive isn't enough anymore. Once the nostalgia of Scary Movie 6 wears off, is there enough to keep us entertained?
Damai Entertainment Sets Int'l Release For $223M Hit ‘Dear You’
Film made in the Chaoshan dialect has become the second highest grossing release of the year in China.
James Handy, 'Jumanji' and 'Top Gun: Maverick' actor, fatally stabbed at 81
Los Angeles police say that actor James Handy, known for his work in films like 'Top Gun: Maverick' and 'Jumanji,' has been fatally stabbed at 81. A suspect is in custody.
Poll: Have you or someone you know experienced difficulty accessing mental health care?
Have you or someone you know experienced difficulty accessing mental health care in western North Carolina?
Spike Lee, Amy Schumer, John Krasinski and More Appear in PSA About Why New York Is ‘The Easiest Place to Film in the Country’
A group of famous New Yorkers — Spike Lee, Amy Schumer, John Krasinski, Natasha Lyonne, Darren Aronofsky and Celine Song — appear in a PSA released by mayor Zohran Mamdani’s office of media and entert...
Cole Hauser Says 106-Degree Texas Heat Made It Tough to Keep Weight on While Filming “Dutton Ranch” (Exclusive)
"I was trying to keep weight on," Hauser tells PEOPLE of filming the 'Yellowstone' spinoff in Texas
After 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession,' these YouTubers could hit Hollywood
A pair of YouTuber-helmed horror films scored big at the box office, and others could follow as Hollywood turns to creators.
Michigan students see their film projects on the big screen
A theater in Royal Oak rolled out the red carpet for these young aspiring filmmakers, finalists in a contest to create their own movie trailers.
Quentin Tarantino rips modern movies from Hollywood's 'flavorless sausage factory,' would 'rather read a book'
Quentin Tarantino slammed contemporary movies, as he called Hollywood a 'flavorless sausage factory' — but named a few recent films he actually liked.
ENTERTAINMENT: ‘Music’ at Wildwood; ‘Aftermaths’ exhibit opens at AMFA Saturday
"Aftermaths: Mat Collishaw," featuring the latest film from British painter, photographer, sculptor and filmmaker Mat Collishaw, opens Saturday in the Fine Arts Club New Media Gallery at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts.
Top 10 Original films and series on Prime Video: See the weekly rankings
From action-packed films to buzzy series, here are the Original titles Prime Video members watched most from May 25-31.
Taylor Swift's 'Toy Story 5' song is one of her savviest business moves yet
Taylor Swift is tying her commercial and promotional power to "Toy Story 5" with an original song for the film's soundtrack. It's a smart business move.
SIFF is bringing back 70mm screenings — and it’s starting with a big movie
Tickets for screenings of “The Odyssey,” the first film shot entirely on IMAX film cameras, at SIFF Cinema Downtown go on sale Thursday morning.
Martin Bashir recalls being 'gobsmacked' by Michael Jackson telling him he slept in the same bed as children
Journalist Martin Bashir appears in the new Netflix documentary 'Michael Jackson: The Verdict,' in which he details filming the controversial 2003 special 'Living With Michael Jackson.'
'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Remains Atop U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through June 3
Universal’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie remained No. 1 on the weekly Official Film Chart — the U.K. home entertainment sales chart — through June 3 due to digital transactions. Amazon MGM Studios’ former chart topper Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling as a lone astronaut on a mission to save humanity, remained at No. … Continue reading "‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Remains Atop U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through June 3"
Evoke Entertainment Secures $35 Million Production Financing Facility to Accelerate Expanding Film & Television Slate
Institutional capital partnership strengthens independent studio's ability to finance and produce content across film, television, and streaming platforms Stan Spry CEO Stan Spry, CEO Evoke Entertainment LOS ANGELES, June 03, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Evoke Entertainment has secured a senior secured production financing facility of up to $35 million backed by a leading institutional private credit fund with extensive experience in media, entertainment, and asset-based lending.The revolving produc
Hunter Hawkins Signs With Jonas Group Entertainment & Red Van Records
Singer-songwriter, actor, and filmmaker Hunter Hawkins has signed with Jonas Group Entertainment [...]
NJ Entertainment Lawyers Eye Opportunities as Showbiz Spotlight Falls on Garden State
The Garden State has become a hot spot for major film and television production companies lured by the presence of generous tax incentives, and entertainment attorneys say a shift in the practice area is either already happening or may be waiting in the wings.
The screenless Camp Snap 2 is slimmer and comes with more filters
The digital camera that feels more like a disposable film camera.
Feeling a little bleak about the world? There’s a film festival for that
Bleak Week, a film festival celebrating “cinema of despair,” started as a counter to the demand for feel-good movies after the pandemic.
Remembrance: Larry Larson made a strong mark on Atlanta’s arts scene
An appreciation of the late Larry Larson, the playwright, stage and film actor and radio personality who made a strong mark on Atlanta’s arts scene starting in 1970.
Southampton sticking by manager Eckert after Spygate controversy
In its written reasons published on Monday, an arbitration panel laid bare the influence of Eckert in the scandal, saying it was “a contrived and determined plan from top down to gain a competitive advantage” and analysts who carried out the unauthorized filming “felt pressurised to do the observations that Mr. Eckert and the senior coaches wished them to do.” However, Šolak said in a video message to fans published on Tuesday that the club believes Eckert “is the man to take us forward.”
Lights, Camera, Due Diligence: What International Investors Miss When Buying US Entertainment Assets
Strategic US market entry and careful consideration of asset structure can help international investors as they look to music, film, television, media and talent for long-term recurring revenue opportunities.
Charli XCX announces new album 'Music, Fashion, Film' out in July
Charli XCX has announced 'Music, Fashion, Film,' an 11-track album arriving July 24, with cover art featuring John Cale, Marc Jacobs and Martin Scorsese as its titular muses.
How LA's Fight for Its Entertainment Future May Tilt a Tight City Election
Both the close mayoral primary and a winner-take-all city council race have made Hollywood part of the debate for Los Angeles' future.
25.5M people visited AMC theaters in May, the most since 2019
Six films topped $75M openings as AMC drew 25.5M guests in May, its strongest May since 2019, with 4.2M last weekend and more releases coming.
Horror hits 'Backrooms' and 'Obsession' Beat Star Wars at box office
Low-budget horror films "Backrooms" and "Obsession" are leading the box office, showing the power of internet native culture on the big screen.
Kane Parsons' Backrooms Spells a YouTube Conquest of the Film Biz
Three YouTubers' theatrical hits this year — including Kane Parsons' 'Backrooms' this weekend — hint at a new economic order even many in the business may not be ready for
Low-budget horror films from YouTubers conquer the box office
"Backrooms," a film based on 20-year-old Kane Parsons’s popular YouTube series of the same name, debuted to $81.4 million at the U.S. and Canada box office this weekend, setting a
YouTuber box office boom: ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ draw Gen Z to theaters
An indie horror with internet origins has beaten the legacy franchise Star Wars at the box office this weekend.
Nicolas Cage turned down parts in two big franchise movies for roles he thought were better
Nicolas Cage turned down "Dumb and Dumber" and the Green Goblin in "Spider-Man," opting instead for "Leaving Las Vegas" and "Adaptation" over franchise films.
2026 Stanley Cup Final odds: Carolina Hurricanes open as favorites against Vegas Golden Knights
From Backrooms to Paul McCartney: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
A horror film takes on the internet craze for user-generated paranormal tales, and Macca returns with his most affecting songs in years
Evoke Entertainment Closes $35 Million Production Financing Facility
Evoke Entertainment has closed a senior secured production financing facility of up to $35 million with an eye toward expanding its film & TV output.
Windows PC Industry Reacts to Apple's Most Affordable MacBook Ever
A few months ago, Apple released the MacBook Neo, its most affordable MacBook ever. At the time, an ASUS executive admitted that the laptop came as a "shock" to the Windows PC industry, which is now in the process of responding. Acer today introduced a Swift Air 14 laptop, with U.S. pricing starting at $699. By comparison, the MacBook Neo starts at $599 with a 256GB SSD and 8GB of RAM, or at $499 for college students and educational staff.
Exploring the Science Behind Pressure
The feature film Pressure, starring Andrew Scott as James Stagg and Brendan Fraser as General Dwight D. Eisenhower, opens today. It tells the story of Stagg, the UK Met Office meteorologist who served…
Backrooms is at the forefront of horror’s YouTube wave
Filmmakers like Kane Parsons are getting their start on YouTube, before moving to bigger productions.
The Best Science Fiction Films From Every Year
Science fiction films have journeyed from 'Metropolis,' showcasing how the genre blends adventure with thought-provoking storytelling throughout cinema history.
Cape Cod's new entertainment hub shows summer films, delays live shows
Bill Hanney's Entertainment Experience in Hyannis will open its live theater a year later than planned, aiming for a Las Vegas feel.
Cape Cod's new entertainment hub shows summer films, delays live shows
Bill Hanney's Entertainment Experience in Hyannis will open its live theater a year later than planned, aiming for a Las Vegas feel.
How accurate is the science in movies? Ciné in Athens offers answers.
Athens theater Ciné pairs popular films with expert science talks to make complex research accessible to everyone.
FOX Entertainment Studios, Access Entertainment sign on to Avi Nesher’s 'Our Lives'
Inspired by true events, Nesher’s film is an emotionally gripping story about the enduring strength of the human spirit and the transformative power of love in the face of the horror of October 7.
An Absurdist Heist Film on the Politics of Shoplifting
In ‘I Love Boosters,’ director Boots Riley’s well-dressed thieves want to make a point about the means of production.
Cherokee Film Institute opens applications for June and October classes
Cherokee Film Institute is now accepting applications for its upcoming June and October sessions, continuing its mission to develop Native and local talent for Oklahoma’s growing film and media industry.
Detroiter Jerome Bettis offers advice to Giants players on politics
Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis offered advice to Giants teammates Abdul Carter and Jaxson Dart after political fallout.
'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Leaps Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through May 27
Universal/Illumination’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the top-grossing box office release ($983.7 million) thus far in 2026, jumped atop the Official Film Chart, the weekly U.K. home entertainment sales chart, through May 27. Amazon MGM Studios’ sci-fi adventure Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, dropped to No. 2 in its second week on the chart, followed … Continue reading "‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Leaps Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through May 27"
'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' Leaps Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through May 27
Universal/Illumination’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, the top-grossing box office release ($983.7 million) thus far in 2026, jumped atop the Official Film Chart, the weekly U.K. home entertainment sales chart, through May 27. Amazon MGM Studios’ sci-fi adventure Project Hail Mary, starring Ryan Gosling, dropped to No. 2 in its second week on the chart, followed … Continue reading "‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ Leaps Atop Weekly U.K. Home Entertainment Sales Chart Through May 27"
Hideo Kojima Collaborates With Prada On AI Slop Short Film
The mind behind Metal Gear and Death Stranding ‘stars’ in a generated ad for the fashion company’s upcoming New York event
Hideo Kojima and Nicolas Winding Refn have teamed up for a Prada mode event teaser exploring "new creative possibilities through AI technology"
The latest collaboration between game developer Hideo Kojima and film director Nicolas Winding Refn is an AI short for a Prada mode event.
'Our Loves': Fox & Access Board Avi Nesher Movie From Sipur
'Our Love', the film from Avi Nesher, has been boarded by Fox, Access Entertainment and Sipur.
Greenwich Entertainment Acquires Fernando Eimbcke’s ‘Olmo’
Greenwich will release the film in theaters across the U.S. on August 7.
Couple quit their jobs to take over their family's cemetery business—it brought in $6.3 million last year
Shayda Frost, 39, and Timothy Amoui, 36, left their jobs in film and PR and moved from Los Angeles to Atlanta to take over Lincoln Memorial Group after Frost's father died.
We quit our jobs to run a cemetery business – it now brings in $6 million a year
Shayda Frost was a film producer and her husband, Tim Amoui, worked in PR in LA. But when Frost's father died unexpectedly, the couple flew to her hometown of Atlanta, quit their jobs, and took over the family business: cemeteries. Frost and Amoui are now the owners of Lincoln Memorial Group, which operates four working cemeteries Georgia's capital. In 2025, the business brought in over $6 million in revenue.
Scientists found a dead whale 1,288m deep in the Pacific. They filmed it for 20 years – and discovered this
Researchers studied a whale decomposing at the bottom of the ocean and found that its body sustains deep-sea creatures for decades.
Star Wars movie The Mandalorian and Grogu gets a glowing review from Hideo Kojima: "An entertainment spectacle"
Hideo Kojima is a fan of The Mandalorian and Grogu
A 'Jesus Christ lizard' has been filmed running on water – and the footage is incredible | BBC Science Focus Magazine
Meet the 'Jesus Christ lizard' that can run on water (science hasn't yet discovered if it can turn that water into wine, as of yet)
Alfred Hitchcock biography sheds new light on ‘The Birds’ most controversial scene (exclusive)
'A Century of Hitchcock: The Man, the Myths, the Legacy' sheds light on 'The Birds' controversial scene in which the film's star, Tippi Hedren, was attacked by real birds. Read an exclusive excerpt
In ‘Pressure,’ the story of the meteorologist who helped save D-Day
The film “Pressure” explores the tense 72 hours before D-Day, highlighting the crucial role of Scottish meteorologist Capt. James Stagg.
What to Stream: Paul McCartney, John Travolta, Tina Fey, Latto and Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man
Paul McCartney reflecting on the “Days We Left Behind” with his 18th studio album and John Travolta writing, directing and narrating an ode to the glamorous days of 1960s air travel are some of the new television, films, music and...
Latest ‘Star Wars’ Film ‘Mandalorian’ Debuts at $102 Million
"The Mandalorian and Grogu," the first film in the Star Wars franchise in seven years, was the highest-grossing movie in the U.S. and Canada over the four-day holiday weekend with
Star Wars has big opening weekend with "The Mandalorian and Grogu"
After nearly seven years out of theaters, the latest Star Wars film, "The Mandalorian and Grogu" topped the box office, showing the franchise can still bring in audiences.
Box Office: ‘Mandalorian and Grogu’ tops charts and ‘Obsession’ grows in second weekend
Studio estimates on Sunday say “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” has made $82 million in ticket sales in the U.S. and Canada over the weekend.
Cate Blanchett looks striking at Cannes Film Festival
The actor wore a black gown from Louis Vuitton with a black ruff that elegantly framed her face.
Cristian Mungiu's 'Fjord' wins Palme d'Or at Cannes Film Festival
In a squeaker race for Cannes' top prize, Romanian director Cristian Mungiu prevailed on Saturday, taking the Palme d'Or for his tense community drama "Fjord." The movie, a widely admired
Black Women, Beauty Politics and the Power of Rage in 'Is God Is'
In one of the film’s most surreal scenes, the twins at the center of *Is God Is*—Racine, “the Rough One,” and Anaia, “the Quiet One”—pretend to be strippers for a room full of men. But while Racine is welcomed, Anaia is rejected because her scarred face disrupts the men’s fantasies. That moment crystallizes one of the film’s central questions: What happens when Black women refuse to shrink themselves for the comfort of others? In Aleshea Harris’ Gothic revenge thriller, ugliness becomes both a burden and a source of power, as the film transforms into a stereotype-busting meditation on misogynoir, beauty politics and righteous rage. As the twins travel cross-country seeking vengeance against the father who burned their mother alive, Harris layers the conventions of the revenge genre with distinctly Black feminist aesthetics. The film moves between absurd comedy, trap music, intimate sisterhood and brutal violence while interrogating the ways Black women are expected to manage their pain, suppress their anger and perform acceptability. Anaia’s scarred face and Racine’s consuming rage become mirrors of the same misogynoir that shapes Black women’s lives—whether through beauty standards, domestic violence or the demand to remain silent. What makes *Is God Is* so striking is its refusal to look away from the “ugly.” Harris insists that Black women marked by violence, scars and fury still deserve visibility, complexity and even divinity. The film embraces the “angry Black woman” and the “ugly” Black woman as figures worthy of space, power and humanity. In doing so, it expands the tradition of Black feminist filmmaking by asking viewers to confront the realities dominant culture would rather ignore—and to recognize the beauty, dignity and selfhood that exist beyond respectability.
Entertainment Commission Scrapped in Mayor's Proposed Budget
The commission — hatched as a city hub for film and music promotion — has been dogged by political fights and procedural issues
Pittsburgh-area students create animated film amid growing teen mental health crisis
‘Hacks’ Bosses on Deborah’s Legacy Following Failed MSG Show
Plus, they reveal whether they really filmed in the famed venue or not.
Outdoor movies return to King County's Marymoor Park with food trucks, entertainment, dog-friendly activities
Outdoor movies return to King County’s Marymoor Park on July 8, as the KeyBank Movies at Marymoor series launches its 22nd season of outdoor films, entertainment, and food trucks. Events run weekly through Aug. 26.
Adrian Yang Signs With AAO Entertainment (EXCLUSIVE)
Filmmaker Adrian Yang has signed with AAO Entertainment for management. He has no other reps.
What Is Stephen Colbert Doing Next After ‘Late Show’s Ending?
The talk-show emcee has big ideas for his future, and we’re not just talking about his upcoming ‘Lord of the Rings’ film.
Imax surges on report it’s approached entertainment companies for a sale
Imax shares climbed more than 15% in premarket trading on Friday....
New movies to watch this weekend: See 'Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu' in theaters, rent 'Wasteman,' stream 'Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair'
The latest "Star Wars" film disappoints, "The Super Mario Galaxy Movie" hits home screens and horror fans can look to "Passenger" or "Lee Cronin's The Mummy."
Seattle’s IMAX theater at Pacific Science Center pauses feature films, no return planned in 2026
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Prime Video: ‘That business is growing, it’s profitable, and it’s still early’
Jassy discussed Prime Video's momentum during a recent Q&A with shareholders, pointing to original films, live sports, and streaming partnerships.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy on Prime Video: ‘That business is growing, it’s profitable, and it’s still early’
Jassy discussed Prime Video's momentum during a recent Q&A with shareholders, pointing to original films, live sports, and streaming partnerships.
Big science and uncanny prescience: Laurie Anderson’s greatest songs
Forty years since her pioneering concert film Home of the Brave, and ahead of a European tour, we count down the best of a surprisingly poppy avant garde catalogue
Vertical drama series filmed in Knoxville debuts in June. How to watch
RIVR Media, a Knoxville-based production company, is expanding into mobile streaming entertainment with a new series filmed entirely in Knoxville.
Ruben Östlund Shoots New Scene of 'The Entertainment System Is Down'
The two-time Palme d'Or winner, who ruled himself out of this year's Cannes race, makes a festival pit stop to launch MyList, a film recommendation site he's launched in Sweden.
Opinion | A Teochew hit film shows what’s ailing Chinese entertainment
A new box-office surprise is a warning to the industry that visually stunning fare featuring ‘traffic stars’ is not good enough.
Brand-new teen drama series filming in Hawaii this summer
Filming runs July 20 through mid-September
Interstellar's most-discussed scene is treated as exotic science fiction, but the family-separation problem it dramatises is one of the more actively studied subjects in long-duration mission planning.
The scene that has stayed with most viewers of Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar is not the wave-planet, or the visualised black hole, or the climactic library of moments. It is the one in the middle of the film where Matthew McConaughey’s character, Cooper, watches twenty-three years of his children’s recorded video messages, having lost that span […]
Jeff Bezos Defends Melania Movie, Says It Was Good Business
The Amazon founder reiterated that he had nothing to do with the documentary film, but said that its performance justified the cost. He also defended the radical changes made at The Washington Post.
‘The Traitors’: Rob Rausch Addresses ‘DWTS’ Rumors & Reality TV Future
Would he ever film a show about his life in Alabama?
‘The Traitors’: Rob Rausch Addresses ‘DWTS’ Rumors & Reality TV Future
Would he ever film a show about his life in Alabama?
Eddy Cue Honored as Entertainment Person of the Year at Cannes Lions
Apple's Eddy Cue will be honored as Entertainment Person of the Year at next month's Cannes Lions festival in a nod to Apple's growth in TV and film.
Tribeca Film Festival to kick off June 3 with huge lineup of films, talks and more
New York City’s film community is gearing up for the return of the Tribeca Film Festival, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
The Truth About the Entertainment Industry and Israel
It’s hard not to enjoy seeing someone speak actual truth to actual power in the entertainment industry. So when the celebrated Hungarian filmmaker Laszlo Nemes was asked by the Guardian...
Southampton joins a list of sports teams to be punished for spying on rivals
Southampton has been expelled from the second-tier Championship playoff final after admitting to the unauthorized filming of other clubs' practice sessions.
John Travolta Explains His New Look at the Cannes Film Festival: ‘I’m Going to Play the Part’
John Travolta was in costume at the Cannes Film Festival. The Hollywood icon, 72, raised eyebrows wearing round glasses and a series of jaunty berets while in France to promote his directorial debut, ...
Electric Entertainment acquires exclusive North American rights to feature film All There Is
Directed by Emmy Award-winner Kit Williamson, the award-winning coming-of-age feature stars Jason Priestley, Mena Suvari, Elsie Fisher, and breakout actress Laurel Marsden.
Whoa! Netflix is Sending Narnia Heading to Theaters...What This Means for the Future of Film
(Welcome to the “Most Important Story of the Week”, my bi-weekly strategy column analyzing the most important (but often not buzziest) news story of the last two weeks. I’m the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a former streaming executive who now analyzes business strategy in the entertainment industry. Please subscribe.) Here’s a funny thing about the debate over whether streamers should release their movies in theaters first: Both sides think the other side represents the “conventional wisdom”. If you’ve been reading me for any amount of time, or even just scanned my front page, you know I think movies make more money by having a robust theatrical window compared to going straight-to-streaming. I’ve published thousands of words on this topic. And for years, I felt like I was standing up to a wave of opposition. See, while the “put your films in theaters to make money” take was obvious at any point before 2019, post-streaming revolution, most of the trendy thinkers took the opposite point of view. Big names argued that Netflix putting their film straight-to-streaming (“S-to-S” from here on out) actually made more money. Netflix was “disrupting” theaters, just as they disrupted Blockbuster Video, and since innovation is always good, this too was a great idea. This thinking then leaked into the mainstream business outlets like the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. I read many articles whose take boiled down to “Netflix makes tons of money from S-to-S releases” and “theaters were in structural decline” anyways. Covid-19 shutting down theaters and the 2023 strikes shutting down film production seemingly justified this point of view, as the box office struggled to return to 2017-2019 heights. Yet I’ve also read folks arguing the opposite point: the conventional wisdom says to put films in theaters! From some writers’ points of view, “everyone” actually agrees/agreed with my “send your films to theaters” take—especially the stodgy traditional studios—and folks still didn’t understand Netflix’s genius. I feel like, for the last two years, many people have argued this point as if it’s conventional wisdom. You know what? I may have been wrong. At this point, the “S-to-S strategy makes money” might be the minority viewpoint. Especially with the news this month that Netflix will put at least one film—Greta Gerwig’s Narnia film The Magician’s Nephew—in theaters in 2027 for a full 49-day run is big news. So that’s the story of the week, but I’ll also explain why they’re making this move now and why Netflix may not completely embrace theaters, along with other topics, like how I don’t buy Disney’s “super app” strategy, the latest good news out of the unions, my take on the latest attacks against free speech, and a whole lot more. Let’s get started. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Netflix Goes to Theaters! Listen, I promise not to victory lap too hard today. As I just wrote, I’ve argued against sending films straight-to-streaming for—checks calendar—eight years now. Since 2018. Yikes. That’s a long time. And for years, others painted my thinking as “conventional” in that I was standing up for the status quo against trendy, cool disruption. And that’s not cool! But math is math, and I never could make the S-to-S numbers work. The only thing that ever enabled that model was Wall Street’s brief exuberance for it. It seems like the heads of Netflix now agree with me. (There were always rumors that former head of film for Netflix Scott Stuber argued internally for theatrical releases as well.) As they announced: “The Magician’s Nephew_—the first film in a Narnia series of films—will open on 12-Feb-2027, with a 49 day theatrical exclusive run.”_ I’m a little surprised at how little coverage this big change actually got. Credit to Bloomberg for leading with it and Matt Belloni’s The Town for highlighting it with the provocatively titled podcast “Hell Hath Frozen Over”. But after that? Instead of getting as much coverage as, say, the FCC’s latest egregious crackdown on free speech, this news story got crickets. But it’s massively more important for the future business of entertainment. So let’s start with the obvious question… Why Put Your Movies in Theaters? So…why should Netflix put (some!) of their movies in theaters? Well, I’ve already written that in a very, very, very long article from 2022: [ ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) [ The Data Is In: Theatrical Films Massively Outperform Straight-To-Streaming Films ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) Entertainment Strategy Guy · April 5, 2023 [ Read full story ](https://entertainment.substack.com/p/the-data-is-in-theatrical-films-massively) To summarize, theatrical runs make much more money, especially blockbusters, because they earn more money per viewing,1 and that helps boost home entertainment sales. Theatrical films also perform as well or better than the streaming-only films. Now, partially this is driven by increased marketing for said films, but said marketing ultimately boosts the awareness of the movies and drives improved streaming and library performance as well. Again, I’ve made this case after reviewing the economic models and streaming data for years. Just last week, Emily Horgan also made the case for kids films! Yes, it is probably conventional wisdom, but that’s also because it’s true! I’d also argue we’ve seen a lot of data in the various studios’ behavior. As I’ve noted before, the more a studio needs to make money, the likelier they are to put films in theaters. As such, Disney, Universal, Warner Bros., Paramount and Sony all send their major films to theaters. Even if they once made a big S-to-S push (*cough* Disney *cough*), they’ve since relented and returned to theaters. The tech companies don’t need to make money, per se, so it took them years to embrace theaters. Apple doesn’t need to make money because it doesn’t disclose their (likely) Quibi-sized losses each year. (They fear bad press more than losing money.) Amazon announced two years ago that they planned to make Amazon-MGM Studios/Prime Video profitable on its own, and guess what? Now they’re putting films in theaters. That leaves Netflix. They’re in between the “no need to make money at all” and the “desperately need to make money to offset linear TV declines”, so they had less pressure to put some films in theaters. Plus, for years, they were the sexy disruptor, and Wall Street rewarded them for that. (Honestly, they still do.) Yet, even Netflix likely saw the money they were leaving on the table (I’ve estimated it at an easy billion dollars before) so they changed their course. I heard one pundit argue that, because Netflix already makes so much money, they don’t need to make more money, which sort of goes against everything I’ve ever learned about business and economics. Again, to be super-nuanced, sending “films to theaters” does not mean EVERY film. TV movies have been a thing for decades. Lifetime films, Hallmark holiday films, Disney Channel Original Movies, and so on, don’t need theatrical runs. But films above a certain budget level (say $25 to 50 million) almost certainly need theaters to maximize their revenue. The Scenarios (with a Dose of Skepticism) Now time for some skepticism: it won’t surprise me at all if Netflix re-changes course. Specifically, Netflix announced that their Narnia film will go to theaters. And I’d bet anything we see KPop Demon Hunters 2: The Huntering2 also goes to theaters, cause it’s the surest hit outside of a Disney animated sequel right now. But how much does Netflix truly commit to theaters? They’ve already tried to emphasize that this is a one-off move. I see three broad scenarios:
7 massive box office hits that vanished from cultural memory
Movie lovers dig up the films that nobody remembers despite making $400M+ at the box office.
Cannes standout 'Paper Tiger' reveals a new side to Miles Teller
One of only two American films competing for the Palme d'Or, James Gray’s “Paper Tiger” has been one of the standouts of this year’s Cannes | KMBZ
Hope review – non-stop gonzo alien battling is top-quality entertainment
Cannes film festival: Na Hong-jin’s melee of running, chasing and shouting at the angry invaders is uproarious fun, mixing digital work with old-school spectacle
Cannes fashion in pictures: Kristen Stewart brings her edge, Bella Hadid does Hollywood glamour, Cate Blanchett goes backless and more unmissable moments
The Cannes Film Festival has always been about more than movies — and these stars prove it.
Eric André just dropped an insane classical album — and it's actually pretty brilliant
Eric André, host of the prank-filled "Eric Andre Show," conducted the Colburn Orchestra at a surreal concert blending genuine musicianship with comedy, promoting his new album "Film Scores for Films That Don't Exist."
Entertainment: Musician Jack Johnson debuts new film
A special screening of Johnson's new documentary SURFFILMMUSIC is set to take place at the Neal S. Blaisdell Center.