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“Moana” capsizes with bumpy $43 million U.S. debut, while “Michael” breaks record with $1 billion at global box office
Disney’s live-action remake of the 2016 blockbuster failed to launch, marking a severe downturn after the success of “Toy Story 5.”
Disney spotlights American businesses powering its magic in nation’s 250th year
From Alaska cruise tours to parade floats, Disney is spotlighting the American companies helping power its guest experiences nationwide.
'Moana' loses its way at the box office with a $43-million domestic opening
Walt Disney Co.'s "Moana" lost its way at the box office this weekend as the company's latest live-action remake opened to a sluggish $43 million in the U.S. and Canada.
Don Iwerks, special effects pioneer, dies at 96
The Academy Award-winner created special effects used in Disney films and attractions around the world.
'Moana' loses its way at the box office with a $43-million domestic opening
Disney's live-action remake of 'Moana' came in first at the box office this weekend, but underperformed expectations.
Disney+ Will Be Adding a Live TV Streaming Service From Hulu
So what’s happening to Hulu+ Live TV after the Hulu app shuts down? Disney has announced it will integrate Hulu with Live TV directly into the Disney+ application later this year. This development signals a significant shift in how the company delivers content to millions of subscribers across the United States. The move comes amid […]
Entertainment Stocks To Watch Today
Verizon Communications, Walt Disney, SEA, Take-Two Interactive Software, Roblox, Warner Bros. Discovery, and TKO Group are the seven Entertainment stocks to watch today, according to MarketBeat's stock screener tool. Entertainment stocks are shares of publicly traded companies that make money from
From Moana to Suki Waterhouse: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Dwayne Johnson and Catherine Laga’aia star in the latest Disney animation to get the live-action treatment, and the model-actor-singer proffers more of her signature lush soft rock
Donald Iwerks Dead: Disney Camera Technician and Iwerks Co-Founder Was 96
Donald Iwerks, the Disney camera technician and co-founder of Iwerks entertainment, died July 9. He was 96.
'Moana' is Disney's latest reminder that nostalgia isn't enough
Disney remaking its animated classics as live-action movies has become as much a certainty as death and taxes. It’s a big blue Will Smith genie we just can’t put back
Disney reveals 'Percy Jackson,' 'American Horror Story' and Hulu experiences for San Diego Comic-Con
See what's in store at Disney's San Diego Comic-Con activations, including immersive experiences, major panels and more.
Disney reveals 'Percy Jackson,' 'American Horror Story' and Hulu experiences for San Diego Comic-Con
See what's in store at Disney's San Diego Comic-Con activations, including immersive experiences, major panels and more.
Disney+ explores a free tier as YouTube draws TV viewers
Disney is discussing a free tier for Disney+ as US TV viewers embrace no-cost streamers like YouTube.
Disney Entertainment Television Announces Panels, "Percy Jackson" Offsite, Hulu Animayhem, More
It’s the moment (at least some of us) have been waiting for. As revealed by Deadline this morning, Disney Entertainment Television is heading back to San Diego Comic-Con with a panel and activation schedule that includes Percy Jackson, Futurama, King of the Hill, and more. Up first, they’re bringing back Percy Jackson and the Olympians for another mythological adventure that begins […]
Disney Entertainment Television Sets Comic-Con 2026 Panels, Activities
Disney Entertainment Television will have 'Percy Jackson,' 'American Horror Story' and Animayhem activations with returning shows at panels.
Disney's Debra OConnell on Emmy Noms, 'Dancing With the Stars,' FX/Hulu
New Disney Entertainment TV Chairman Debra OConnell discusses Emmy noms, recognition for 'Dancing With the Stars' and the new FX/Hulu setup.
Will the new 'Moana' live up to the original? What past Disney remakes tell us, in 4 charts.
Live-action remakes have been box office gold, but audiences and critics say most fail to recapture the magic of the animated classics that inspired them.
‘The Cheetah Girls: Next Gen’ gets Disney+ green light, Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon reprising their roles
The Cheetah Girls will be back to usher the next generation: Disney Channel has greenlit a fourth ‘Cheetah Girls’ movie, with Raven-Symoné and Adrienne Bailon reprising their roles.
Taylor Swift receives Emmy nomination days after getting married
The newlywed singer has been recognized for her Disney+ concert film “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour: The Final Show.”
Fathom Entertainment Names Disney And Imax Alum Jason Brenek CEO
Specialty distributor Fathom Entertainment has named former Disney and Imax executive Jason Brenek as CEO.
Fathom Entertainment Names Disney And Imax Alum Jason Brenek CEO
Specialty distributor Fathom Entertainment has named former Disney and Imax executive Jason Brenek as CEO. He will take over the top job after the previously announced retirement of Ray Nutt. Fathom’s...
Fathom Entertainment Appoints Jason Brenek As New CEO
The former Disney and IMAX executive takes over as the specialty distributor expands from event cinema into wide theatrical releases.
O2 Strengthens Its TV Entertainment Offering with the Addition of Disney+
O2 Strengthens Its TV Entertainment Offering with the Addition of Disney+
Parents, here's how ESPN and Disney Jr. can help your kids access sports
ESPN's Take Back Sports and Disney Jr. Let's Play are teaming up with Every Kid Sports to cover sports registration fees for families with young kids.
Explaining The Comcast and NBCUniversal Divorce
(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.) I hope everyone had a happy Fourth of July in America, celebrating the country’s 250th birthday. Frankly, I am bummed the 250th wasn’t a bigger celebration, but that’s a different topic for a different Substack. While it was generally a quiet week on the entertainment/streaming/media business fronts, we still had some interesting news stories. Actually, that kinda undersells one of the stories, a huge, huge, huge divestment that could upend the entertainment landscape... So let’s get right to it. In today’s column, I’ll cover Comcast spinning off the rest of NBCUniversal, an entertainment company investing in an LLM company and an LLM-owner investing in a movie studio, the latest round of threats of digital tariffs, and more. Let’s dive in. Subscribe Most Important Story of the Week - Most: Comcast/NBCU Breakup!!!! If I had to describe my reaction to Comcast spinning out NBCUniversal, it feels like a relationship ending, either breaking up or divorcing. Comcast’s decision to spin off the rest of NBCUniversal, after spinning off some of its cable assets into Versant last year, really does feel like a family breaking up under “irreconcilable differences”. Of my stereotypes of the entertainment moguls, my go-to for Comcast CEO Brian Roberts—heir to the Comcast fortune, but a man who’s been at the helm for 24 years now, and president for twelve years before that—is that he likes building empires. He cut his teeth acquiring cable rivals in the 1990s and tried to buy Disney repeatedly, then settled for NBCUniversal after a long court battle. (Contrast this with Rupert Murdoch, a man who also loved to buy, but would also sell when the price is right. Murdoch made Fox out of nothing, but then sold 20th Century Fox to Disney, arguably at the top of the market. So I understood why he sold.) But I don’t understand Roberts’ motivation to sell now. I have some explanations but no single, super-satisfying explanation. Strategically, it would just make more sense to have kept NBCUniversal in-house, especially for a one-time empire builder like Comcast. Yet one powerful force—arguably the decider in modern capitalism—likely overwhelmed all other considerations. At first, I thought I’d arrange my thoughts as a “Five Why” analysis, digging through each layer of the puzzle. But instead, I found myself asking, “But…why?” (And I only ended up with four sections.) So let’s look at Comcast from that angle. Then, at the end, I’ll give my biggest strategic recommendation for every company in Hollywood. It’s obvious, but sometimes, the obvious strategy is the most ignored. But…Why? The Stock Market, Conglomerations, and Sum of the Parts Analysis We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… Why Comcast could never get a “tech company” valuation The not-so-secret motivation for Comcast What Versant has to do with all of this The key strategic advice I think every entertainment exec should follow (though it’s really obvious) Some big AI investment news… Whether we’ll see digital tariffs… And more… ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support.
ABC says FCC pushing Trump politics by targeting 'The View'
Disney-owned ABC on Tuesday urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject a proposal to declare its "The View" subject to federal equal time rules for political candidates.
ABC says Trump agency unfairly targets 'The View'
Disney-owned ABC on Tuesday urged the Federal Communications Commission to reject a proposal to declare its daytime talk show "The View" subject to federal equal time rules for political candidates while ignoring conservative talk radio shows.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is getting some overdue fixes for free alongside paid DLC
Developer Gameloft has revealed the content and fixes you can expect to get for free when the paid Winnie the Pooh Adventure Pack drops tomorrow.
How Disney Cruise Line Entertainment Has Evolved And Continues To Push Boundaries
Disney Cruise Line is pushing the limits of entertainment across its ships, but no where is this more obvious than the Wish class.
Long Reads for the Long Weekend
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Happy Fourth of July weekend! As has been a tradition of mine going back to the beginning of the EntStrategyGuy website, I’m sharing my favorite long reads of the last year, like I did in 2019, 2020, 2021, 2024, and 2025. Let’s dive right in! Subscribe “Different Prices for the Same Ride: How Uber and Lyft Use AI to Get More Money Out of You“ by Derek Kravitz in Consumer Reports I don’t think surveillance pricing, like the kind described in this brilliant Consumer Reports article, is long for the world—it’s toxically unpopular—but we’ll see if either party takes on this issue. If I ran a political party focused on affordability, I would focus on a few pro-consumer and pro-market policies: Banning non-compete agreements. Ending surveillance pricing Eliminating junk fees (read more here...) Ensuring “right to repair” for consumer (and military!) products Capping excessive app store fees Stopping digital/algorithmic price-fixing tools. Preventing automatic subscription price increases. And more. If you want to fight inflation, there are a lot of great ways to do it quickly. Speaking of higher prices... “Secret Documents Show Pepsi and Walmart Colluded to Raise Food Prices Across the Economy“ by Matt Stoller in BIG Again, I think a political party should focus on lowering prices for consumers. And deals like this—Walmart making a deal/forcing Pepsi to offer the lowest prices at its stores and nowhere else—hypothetically lower prices at Walmart...but raise them everywhere else. “15 DUIs, still driving: California’s failure to take repeat drunk drivers off the road“ by Robert Lewis and Lauren Hepler in CalMatters CalMatters does terrific reporting in California, something the Golden State desperately needs more of, and this article is a great example of that. “PugLips: The next insanely popular thing you’ve never heard of…” by Simon Carless in Game Discover Co I thought that this parody article (and yes, it’s a parody, but I was definitely unsure at first) was hilarious and totally nailed how much tech/business journalism feels these days. Actually, three of my favorite articles this year were on hype in the video game industry, including Georg Zoller’s “The Video Game Industries Very Dark Night”—which I linked to recently and wrote a follow-up here—and Owen Mahoney’s “Derek Zoolander, Videogame Exec”. In particular, I like Mahoney’s focus on user experience as a guide to what trends will actually grab hold of customers. “The Matrix Lies“ by Evan Shapiro in Media War & Peace Evan Shapiro’s first person account of his experience with AI was hilarious. I think LLMs capabilities have significantly grown from last summer, and yet...my editor/researcher just had an abysmal experience using an LLM to do a quite basic task (which our LLM normally does each week) and the LLM made a mistake on every single data entry...along with seven different mistakes affecting twelve of the twenty or so entries, including mistakes that are explicitly spelled out in the prompt. That’s a brutal failure rate. Again, if you use AI/LLM for data collection, you need to take a lot of extra steps to verify and check the data. “Ghosts in the Balcony: A Cross-Country Trip to 58 Theaters Fighting to Survive“ by Matthew Frank in The Ankler I thought Matthew Frank’s pitch to head across America to visit theaters sounded insane aggressive at the time—at least it felt that way to someone a decade older than him; man, to be in your twenties again, am I right?—but I knew the result would be great. And it was, a terrific feature by a great young writer. Also, I loved Matthew’s recent article on who’s getting the precious few entry level jobs in Hollywood. (Hint: nepotism.) “Disney erased FiveThirtyEight“ and “Did Las Vegas get too greedy?” by Nate Silver in Silver Bulletin I love media history and analysis, and there’s no one better to get the history of FiveThirtyEight than from Nate Silver, who wrote about his personal experience in one of my favorite pieces from this year. I also loved Nate’s breakdown of what’s causing Vegas’ woes, but I’ll offer one criticism, summarized as “Might I suggest antitrust?” Many centrists/center-right/libertarian thinkers (Nate is self-described as the latter) often don’t consider consolidation or antitrust as factors in policy issues like housing, America’s military readiness, or, in this case, Las Vegas. Even if libertarians want to debunk antitrust/consolidation concerns, I’d love to read that debunking. In this case, Vegas is incredibly consolidated (though it also has been for a long time) and I’d have loved to read Nate at least contending with this factor, since he addresses almost every other potential factor for Vegas’ decline. “Why Microsoft’s Carbon Removal Pullback Is Such a Big Deal“ by Robinson Meyer in Heatmap News I’m a big supporter of carbon removal efforts, but this nascent industry faces a lot of headwinds, including this big move most recently. I think it’s clear that solar panels and batteries should be able to get the world to its carbon footprint goals, but effective carbon renewal remains necessary to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. “AI is killing the cheap smartphone“ by David Oks LLMs and AI will impact the world in ways we’re not ready for, and already, third world countries are seeing the prices of cheap cellphones skyrocket due to the cost of chips skyrocketing. This article by David Oks is a terrific breakdown. “100 Days of Madness: Netflix, Paramount, Warner and the Future of Hollywood“ by Wade Major at Hollywood Heretic Wade Major dove deep into Hollywood/streaming’s financials in this must read piece. Not that I agree with everything in this article (read my take on Warner Bros./Paramount here) but the analysis is top notch. I think many people discount how quality thinking, regardless of the argument/conclusion, will make you a better thinker. “Erased by the UFC: Frank Shamrock, The MMA GOAT of the 20th Century“ by Nate Wilcox in The MMA Draw Newsletter Growing up playing the UFC fighting game on the Dreamcast, Frank Shamrock was my favorite MMA fighter, and this history/tribute to him was great. Other Fun Reads “The Hardest Part Of History To Tell Is How It Felt“ by Craig Fehrman at Defector “Unmasking the Sea Star Killer“ by Craig Welch at bioGraphic “What Could Save the Industry? Fin-Syn“ by Richard Rushfield in The Ankler Alex Rollins Berg in Underexposed on movie bumpers, pillow shots, Disney trash cinema, cult films, and Casablanca. David H. Montgomery in YouGov’s The Surveyor on punctuation marks, condiments, dinosaurs, and comic strips and kids media. “How Medium finally pivoted its way to profitability“ and “Why the best journalists on YouTube are all former Vox employees“ by Simon Owens in Simon Owens’s Media Newsletter “It’s Not Just You, Netflix Shows Have Gotten Slightly Shorter: Here’s What the Data Says“ by Kasey Moore at What’s on Netflix “Numlock Awards: How Diane Warren became the biggest loser in Oscar history“ by Nathaniel Rakich and “Numlock Awards: The Oscar Bait era is over. The Oscar Chum era is here.” by Walt Hickey & Michael Domanico at Numlock Awards
Entertainment agency marks 25 years with Disney
UK recruitment agency Excellent Entertainment celebrates 25-year partnership with Disney Cruise Line, sourcing thousands of entertainment professionals.
Ashley Tisdale putting her real-life drama to work in comedy series “Toxic Moms”
The Disney Channel alum wrote a personal essay about her mom group drama for "The Cut" earlier this year.
I got laid off after 31 years at Disney
Chris Bess says a social media post about losing his Disney job reached millions and expanded his professional network.
How YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream subscribers can get a payout from Disney's $50M antitrust settlement
Disney's $50 million class action settlement pays YouTube TV and DirecTV Stream subscribers who had plans between April 2019 and March 2026.
11 Entertainment Brands Owned And Streamed By Disney
Disney is an entertainment behemoth that has been making its mark on pop culture for decades. Today, its wings spread wide to cover a range of streamers.
NEW Pirates Entertainment CONFIRMED for Mickey's Not-So-Scary Hallowee...
There's a new offering coming to Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party this year!
New Captain Jack Sparrow Entertainment Coming to 2026 Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Halfway to the Holidays is over, which can only mean one thing: Halloween is almost here at Walt Disney World!!! Don't roll your eyes or laugh. This isn't a joke. At least, not a funny
Former Disney CEO Bob Iger defends ABC pulling Jimmy Kimmel over Charlie Kirk remark
Bob Iger, who presided over ABC's parent company when Jimmy Kimmel was pulled from the air in 2025, denies that the decision was politically motivated, arguing that Kimmel's comments about Charlie Kirk's murder were 'in bad taste.'
ESPN, Disney Jr. team up with Every Kid Sports to get preschoolers moving
Families can now register for preschool sports grants through "Disney Jr. Let's Play!," a global campaign to encourage young children to get laughing, moving and, of course, playing.
ESPN and Disney Jr. team up to help preschoolers discover the joy of sports!
Disney and ESPN are bringing back grants, sports clinics and Mickey-themed programming to help preschoolers stay active.
ESPN and Disney Jr. team up to help preschoolers discover the joy of sports!
Disney and ESPN are bringing back grants, sports clinics and Mickey-themed programming to help preschoolers stay active.
ESPN, Disney Jr. Expand Youth Sports Access for Preschoolers
ESPN and Disney Jr. are again teaming up with Every Kid Sports to expand access to youth sports for income-restricted families. Get the details here.
The best Prime Day Lego deals include 'Star Wars' ships, Disney villain cars, and more — top finds start at $28
Lego fans can save big during Amazon Prime Day, with deals on “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” Lego Technic, and Ninjago sets, plus builds inspired by Marvel, Disney, “Jurassic World,” Minecraft, Formula 1 racing, and more. We've rounded up Prime Day’s 17 best Lego deals, including several at their lowest prices ever
ESPN Fan House Opening As Engagement Hub For College Sports Fanatics
ESPN is bringing the fans home. The Disney-owned sports network has launched ESPN Fan House, a “fan-centric engagement hub” that will “connect fans more deeply with ESPN’s coverage of college sports, brands and moments” ahead of the 2026 season. The hub, powered by Flowcode, is being framed as an interactive space existing across live and …
Disney Opens ESPN Fan House to Help Advertisers Reach Sports Fans
Disney Plans to Open ESPN Fan House to Help Advertisers Reach Sports Fans in New Ways
Young performers to bring 'The Jungle Book' to life in Temple
The jungle will come alive on stage next Saturday as dozens of young performers present Disney's "The Jungle Book KIDS" at the Cultural Activities Center, showcasing a week of intensive
Tom Hanks admits he'll 'get up and leave the room' if this 'painful' scene of his comes on
Tom Hanks admitted that he will 'get up and leave the room' if this 'painful' scene from one of his most beloved movies comes on: 'I do this gesture that I just think is false.'
From Toy Story 5 to The Bear: your complete entertainment guide to the week ahead
Pixar’s enduring animated favourites battle a rogue tablet, and Disney’s anxiety-inducing kitchen drama returns for a final series
Catch Up on the Disney Dreamlight Valley 2026 Summer Showcase Stream!
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Psst! Grab these early Amazon Prime Day Lego deals on collectible sets before the crowds discover them
We found record-low Lego deals at Amazon ahead of Prime Day, including collectible sets from “Harry Potter,” “Star Wars,” Disney, Marvel, Pixar, and “The Lord of the Rings.” Shop favorites like Diagon Alley, a Balrog book nook, and a “101 Dalmatians” puppy while they're at their lowest prices ever
ESPN unveils star-studded summer lineup for Women's Sports Sundays presented by TJ Maxx
ESPN today announced the full schedule for Women's Sports Sundays presented by TJ Maxx, a first-of-its-kind weekly primetime franchise that will place women's sports at the center of the summer sports calendar. Debuting Sunday, June 21, the new franchise will deliver nine consecutive weeks of marquee women's sports programming across ESPN, ESPN2, the ESPN App, Disney+ and ESPN Deportes, featuring the WNBA and NWSL's biggest stars in premium national windows.
Disney's 'Hexed' teaser trailer promises a witchy coming-of-age adventure
Hailee Steinfeld and Rashida Jones lend their voices to Disney's big holiday release.
Secretary Collins: Veterans are a business advantage
VA Secretary Doug Collins told employers at the Disney Veterans Institute Summit to put Veterans at the center of how they think, hire and operate.
Disney wants tech staffers to move fast with AI without 'tokenmaxxing'
Disney is leans into AI under CEO Josh D'Amaro but wants tech staffers to avoid "tokenmaxxing," or wasting tokens.
What Genres and Streamers Won 2025? And Who Lost? Plus Six Strategy Thoughts
(Welcome to the Entertainment Strategy Guy, a newsletter on the entertainment industry and business strategy. I write a weekly Streaming Ratings Report and a bi-weekly strategy column, along with occasional deep dives into other topics, like today’s article. Please subscribe.) Okay, time for the tenth and final article in my ten-part series recapping 2025. As I wrote two articles ago, my barometer for whether these articles are worth writing/publishing is whether they yield strategic insights, and once again, every subsection in this article has a strategic takeaway (or two). Honestly, these are the most important takeaways, since I step back and look holistically at the streaming wars in 2025. After I declare which streamers won and lost the year and which genres won and lost the year, I have six bonus thoughts. If you’d like to review the whole series... You can find the film flops here and here. You can find the TV shows flops here and here. You can find the top films here. You can find the top TV shows here, here and here. Then I declared my winners and losers in various categories here. You can find my 2024 recaps here. You can find the 2023 recaps here and here. And my 2022, 2021 and 2020 are all stored here. Yeah, it’s halfway through the year, and I’m just finishing this series up now. This year, I tried to space things out to not clog up my writing calendar, plus I had to wait for Fallout to (finally) drop off the charts. Well, that ended up pushing this series wayyyyy too far back on the calendar. Oh well. Next year, the goal will be to finish this series in March, but frankly, I just need more staff to make that happen. So please subscribe. Or, if you’re an advertiser (movie studio, FYC firm, or other), please reach out. Subscribe Streamer of the Year: Netflix Honorable Mention: Paramount (and CBS) So, just last week, I wrote about how Netflix has lost seven of its top twelve scripted shows in the last year. And I shared two very dour looks at Netflix’s potential slowdown this year and last. Guess what? They’re still the number one streamer in America. In 2025, they dominated new streaming shows (even if most of those new hit shows aren’t coming back for future seasons), they had the two biggest films, and they had the top returning TV show by a mile. The world is complicated, nuanced and messy. There may be warning signs of a future Netflix slowdown, but in 2025, Netflix was still the number one streamer. Note what I didn’t say? That Netflix has “won” the streaming wars, because obviously the streaming wars are still ongoing and, more importantly, YouTube is still growing—so now YouTube has “won” the streaming wars?—while Netflix’s share of TV consumption has stalled out. Avoid simplistic talking points, especially if they’re constantly repeated and could fit on a bumper sticker. I had trouble picking the second-place streamer this year, because all of the candidates for second place—Prime Video, HBO Max, and Paramount+—had some hits, but no one stood out. Then I saw this update from Nielsen on the top shows on TV in the 2025-206 season. Sure enough, Netflix had five of the top ten shows! And they had ten of the top 31 shows and fifteen of the top fifty. But CBS/Paramount+ actually had more shows in the top thirty and the top fifty. Paramount+/CBS had twelve of the top thirty shows and nineteen of the top fifty. Let me emphasize that: CBS/Paramount+ had more top shows in the 2025-2026 season than Netflix. And this look was just for TV shows, not live sports, an arena Netflix barely plays in. Meanwhile, Paramount-Skydance’s market cap is a fraction of Netflix’s. That’s weird, right? Streaming Loser of the Year, TV… We’re just getting started with this issue, but the rest is for paid subscribers of the Entertainment Strategy Guy, so if you’d like to find out… ...what streamer lost the year in TV... …whether Netflix could win the title for “film” streamer too… …who won the Disney vs Warner Bros. battle for theaters… ...what TV genres won and lost the year... ...what film genres won and lost the year... ...what film genre people think is thriving on streaming but isn’t… …why F-BOSSS TV shows don’t hold the same sway in the 2020s… …what it means to “flop” as a film on streaming… …UK shows underperforming on streaming… And a lot more... ...please subscribe! We can only keep doing this great work with your support. If you’d like to read more about why you should subscribe, please read this article about the Streaming Ratings Report, why it matters, why you need it, and why we cover streaming ratings best.
Talking Central Florida: DeSantis vs. Disney
On a recent episode of Talking Central Florida, Gabrielle Russon from Florida Politics discusses her recent piece, “The Untold Story of Ron DeSantis vs. Disney.”
From YouTube to Disney+: Preschool hit 'Gracie's Corner' lands streaming and development deal
The educational series “Gracie’s Corner” is joining Disney+.
From YouTube to Disney+: Preschool hit 'Gracie's Corner' lands streaming and development deal
The educational series “Gracie’s Corner” is joining Disney+.
Planting Magic at Disney World
Alumna Neva Grace Brescia, who majored in agroecology and sustainable food systems, has spent the last six months sowing a bit of wonder as a plant science intern at Walt Disney World.
Confirmed Entertainment Showtimes for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party
Disney has confirmed the entertainment showtimes for Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party, the special ticketed event that takes place on select nights at Magic Kingdom this fall.
Aaliyah Auginash places in top three overall at Native American Youth Science and Engineering Fair in Pine Point, MN
Red Lake Tribal Council: Congratulations to Aaliyah Auginash, enjoy DisneyWorld!! Aaliyah placed in the top three overall in the Native American Youth Science and Engineering Fair (NAISEF) in Pine Point, MN and earned herself a free trip this summer with her "Dancing Roots" experiment. Native American Youth Science and Engineering Fair Bemidji Midd...
Race to Erase MS Gala Honors Disney's Naomi Bulochnikov
Ty Dolla $ign, Richie Sambora and Rachel Platten performed at the 33rd Race to Erase MS Gala, which raised more than $1.8 million.
\"Star Wars\" franchise has a rocky road back to relevance [Unscripted column]
I regret having to say it, but my main thought while leaving the new “Star Wars” movie was that Disney is far, far away from a galaxy that contains any
Peabo Bryson dead: R&B singer known for Disney classics was 75
R&B singer Peabo Bryson died Tuesday in Marietta, Ga., after suffering a stroke over the weekend, according to his familiy.
Disney reveals new entertainment offering for Oogie Boogie Bash amid ‘Coco’ construction
Disneyland is making changes to its entertainment lineup for Oogie Boogie Bash. Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake, a new entertainment offering, will replace the popular Frightfully Fun Parade this year…
Disneyland construction forces Oogie Boogie Bash to replace Frightfully Fun parade
The new Madame Leota’s Swinging Wake street party joins the 2026 Halloween after-hours event at Disney California Adventure.
Disney's property tax fight draws protests from Orange County unions
The showdown comes as Orange County schools are struggling with enrollment.
Jimmy Kimmel, 'Andor,' ABC News and more honored at the 2026 Peabody Awards
Jimmy Kimmel, "Andor," "Dying for Sex," ABC News and more Walt Disney Company programs were recognized for their impactful work at Peabody Awards!
Disney magic helps SoCal children's hospital with MRI scans for young patients
Children often require sedation to conduct MRI scans, but one SoCal hospital is using Disney magic to make scans less intimidating by blending medical imaging with familiar characters.
Atlanta R&B singer Peabo Bryson under medical care following stroke
The 75-year-old R&B balladeer is best known for "A Whole New World" and "Beauty and the Beast," two Grammy-winning duets from Disney movies.
Disney is poised to ramp its already booming advertising business. Rita Ferro is behind the push
Disney is selling ads for the Super Bowl, Oscars and Grammys in 2027, all major advertising revenue drivers. Global ad president Rita Ferro is leading the charge.
📲 Big Sunday with Brazil, Brasileirão and more; see the schedule
Today's Highlights 🔥International Friendlies07:25 – Japan vs. Iceland – SporTV12:30 – Poland vs. Ukraine – SporTV15:45 – Germany vs. Finland – ESPN, Disney+ Premium16:30 – United Stat...
Disney World Makes Change to Bluey Attraction After One Week
Soon, guests will no longer need a virtual queue reservation to visit Bluey’s Wild World at Conservation Station.
Philips partners with Disney to incorporate iconic characters in MRI exams
The Amsterdam-based imaging manufacturer said it will utilize beloved animated characters and stories as part of the Philips Ambient Experience.
Opening Day to Banana Ball: The Evolution of ESPN Wide World of Sports
Since its opening in March of 1997, ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World Resort has hit the ground running, growing into one of the most dynamic sports destinations in the country. Beginning as an ambitious Disney World expansion in the late 1990s, this 260+ acre multi-sports wonderland offers amateur, collegiate, and
How Disney World Cast Members Maintain 260+ Acres at ESPN Wide World of Sports
Play ball! But what’s a game without a field to play on? Here at Walt Disney World, we have a team of cast who are growing the game – literally! Year round, the Sportscape (that’s sports + landscape) team maintains more than 30 fields at the 260+ acre ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex which
Jonah Jeovany Vasquez is going for Disney-like ending at state track championships
In his first season of track, Jonah Jeovany Vasquez of Cathedral High has qualified to run in the 1,600 at state finals.
Disney Helped Make the Star Wars Fandom Toxic for Women
Why 'Star Wars' fandom became socially toxic for women amid Disney’s sequel trilogy backlash, culture wars, and brand fatigue under Kathleen Kennedy.
Inaugural K-Entertainment Summit Shares K-Pop Business Strategies, Insights
Industry insiders from Universal Music, HYBE, Disney, AEG and more gathered at CJ ENM's first K-Entertainment Summit to discuss the Korean entertainment business.
Inaugural K-Entertainment Summit Shares K-Pop Business Strategies, Insights
Industry insiders from Universal Music, HYBE, Disney, AEG and more gathered at CJ ENM's first K-Entertainment Summit to discuss the Korean entertainment business.
Dudamel on his life as he prepares to leave L.A. Phil for New York
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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:
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How Disneyland Remade American Politics
America is turning 250, and The Free Press is marking the occasion with a yearlong series of events, conversations, and stories celebrating our country’s history. Today, we’re taking a journey with historian Beverly Gage to Southern California. Beverly traded the archives for the open road for her new book, This Land is Your Land: A Road Trip Through U.S. History. We’re proud to publish an excerpt, on the theme park that shaped American politics—and the presidents who loved it. —The Editors On July 17, 1955, Ronald Reagan stood near a mocked-up wood-plank town in Anaheim, California, where a 13-star flag flew incongruously over an “Old West” landscape, and introduced the world to Disneyland. He had been invited by Walt Disney himself to co-host the park’s live ABC broadcast, alongside Art Linkletter and Bob Cummings—three Hollywood actors who seemed to embody a wholesome, all-American ethos. From the imagined past of Frontierland, the show leaped ahead to Tomorrowland, set in the far-off year of 1986, emphasizing the technical marvels yet to come: nuclear energy harnessed for civilian purposes, human beings riding rocket ships into space. Disney foretold great things for a 1980s in which the United States would serve as “a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.” But even he could not predict the most important political fact of the age: that his genial co-host would become president. Southern California was a strange place to build a park about the past, because the region at the time was all about newness and abundance and growth. For a lot of its history, Orange County had been Southern California’s version of flyover country: a vast agricultural expanse between two desirable places, Los Angeles and San Diego. But Disneyland was changing that. Before long, 50 miles south of deep-blue Hollywood, Orange County would become a region famed for its right-wing politics—but also for its mythmaking skills. Those two things, it turned out, went naturally together. ADVERTISEMENT The two presidents Southern California gave America both understood this instinctively. Richard Nixon and Reagan each built a national career on invoking a version of the American past in which the specificities of historical context mattered less than the big picture. For Nixon, progress meant proclaiming a “New American Revolution” on the eve of America’s bicentennial while dismantling the federal programs that had built the postwar middle class. For Reagan, it meant recapturing a lost optimism and an old-fashioned faith in America as an exceptional nation. Both men were less interested in history as it actually happened than in history as it felt—and Orange County, a place that had built itself almost entirely from scratch, turned out to be exactly where the myth of America’s future was getting made. I’m a historian—and historians tend to be myth-busters. With the country’s 250th birthday on the horizon, I figured it was a good time to step out of the ivory tower and check in with the past as it exists here and now, at the museums and monuments and roadside attractions where Americans go to learn about their history. After all my travels—to Davy Crockett’s Tennessee and Texas, to the real Erie Canal, to the birthplace of the American automobile and the actual Old West—I couldn’t miss out on Disneyland, the single most influential historic attraction in U.S. history.