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  • First Details on Disney+’s Ad-Supported Model

    First Details on Disney+’s Ad-Supported Model

    There’s been a lot of questions on what exactly the future has in store for Disney+’s ad-supported model. It was announced that they were planning on expanding it worldwide and in an interview with Wall Street Journal, Disney’s President of Ad Sales and Partnerships, Rita Ferro, explained their approach to the new model. It seems their base plan is to keep it at four minutes for every hour, which is quite a bit smaller than traditional TV and other streaming rivals.

    Peacock is only a minute longer while traditional television has between 18 to 23 minutes per hour. The other Disney streaming service, Hulu, has double the amount while HBO Max also sticks to four minutes per hour as well. The big statement Ferro instantly made is that they are not collecting data to target kids using the service. That was a big concern given its family-friendly focus that this could be seen as its USP for advertisers, but they are staying true to it. They’ve also already confirmed that they won’t allow advertising involving politics or alcohol on the service. They also are excluding rival ads, which isn’t unusual.

    They are also highlighting that they will exclude ads when it involves pre-school audiences, which is seemingly running through the profile rather than the actual content being watched. Of course, the cheaper option for those uncertain about subscribing and with a limited amount of ads at 4 minutes may not sound too bad. There’s no word how it may affect GroupWatch functions.

    It’s important to note that child advertising is illegal in specific countries, which is why an international release for the ad-supported version may be rolled out in different stages. They likely may test it out with internal ads for their own shows and offerings, as a way to fill space and see how people respond to the ad tier before rolling it out. The data provided in the service is definitely going to be a big question mark, as it’s not uncommon in the US that this information is sold. They will also have to abide by the GDPR in Europe, which could lead to some challenges on how they integrate ads, but we might find out more as they build up the model.

    Source: Wall Street Journal

  • Kit Harington Joins ’Mary’s Monster’

    Kit Harington Joins ’Mary’s Monster’

    Kit Harington is Mary’s Monster.

    The Game of Thrones alum has joined the cast of Fulwell 73 and Rose Pictures’ Mary’s Monster, a biopic about Mary Shelley. He will join Clara Rugaard (Love Gets a Room), who will play Mary Shelley, while Harington will portray the monster. Also joining the cast are Ferdia Walsh-Peelo (CODA) and Sebastian De Souza (Normal People) who will play Shelley’s husband Percy Bysshe Shelley and the couple’s friend Lord Byron, respectively. 

    “’Mary’s Monster’ is a brilliantly original and fascinating script and I’m relishing the idea of depicting the unique part of The Monster,” Harington said in a statement to the press. “An embodiment of Mary Shelley’s psyche. I’m excited by Farren’svision and passion for the project.”

    The film will be directed by Farren Blackburn who directed episodes of Netflix’s Daredevil and The Defenders. He’s directing from a screenplay by Deborah Baxtrom (Living WithFrankenstein) and Stephen Hallett. Mary’s Monster will go into production in the U.K. later this summer.

    La La Land producer, Marius de Vries, has boarded the project as the executive music producer and an executive producer. While Fulwell 73’s Leo Pearlman and Heather Greenwoodwill produce alongside Rose Picture’s Rose Ganguzza, Max Born, Jake Alden-Falconer and Damon Lane.

    As of this writing a release date has not yet been announced.

    Source: Variety.

  • Netflix Exploring a 45-Day Theatrical Release of ‘Knives Out 2’

    Netflix Exploring a 45-Day Theatrical Release of ‘Knives Out 2’

    It was only a question of time, but it looks like Netflix is opening up its streaming-focused business model to also explore a cinematic release. While they’ve released films in the past, they are now considering a 45-day release window, starting with Knives Out 2. There’s been a lot of back and forth by the streaming service, but the recent scare after they’ve dropped in subscriber count for the first time has pushed them to try out new ventures.

    As of now, Rian Johnson‘s Knives Out 2 and the Alejandro González Iñárritu‘s Bardo are being considered. The former makes a lot of sense considering it pulled in $165M in the United States as well as $311M worldwide back in 2019 with a production budget of $40M. The move to purchase any sequels for $400M was quite the move and with the recent scare, its box office draw makes sense.

    Yet, there are going to be some issues with this move if they don’t play their cards right. Netflix’s usual bare-minimum marketing strategy won’t pull in the general audience to check out a film, as they may have forgotten it weeks after seeing the initial trailer. Plus, there’s also the fact that while it provides a new revenue stream, there might be some concerns due to moving away from its digital users to embrace a whole new target audience.

    They have released Don’t Look Up and The Power of Dog for two weeks in theaters, but the new 45-day window is becoming the staple for theatrical and streaming hybrid models. The only question will be if Netflix can pull this new model off and start a strong focus to ensure it reaches

    Source: Business Insider

  • Eastern Conference Finals Preview

    Eastern Conference Finals Preview

    The Miami Heat and Boston Celtics got to this point in two different ways. The Heat took Trae Young and the Hawks to school and then broke the Sixers over their knee. The Celtics took out KD, Kyrie, and the Nets then outlasted Giannis and the defending champs. While those paths were different, the teams operated the same. They defended on a level higher than any of the teams they’ve played could reach, and executed on offense more efficiently. Now, these teams play each other. Miami has home court, Boston has some hunger to get to the finals, and this series should be fantastic.

    Tale of the Tape: These teams have a lot of similar qualities. Head coaches who are tacticians that think quick on their feet. Ime Udoka and Erik Spolestra are very adept at figuring out weaknesses and attacking them. It’s a legitimately fascinating chess match. Spolestra has the experience, but Ime has been doing a tremendous job on the fly.

    The Heat and Celtics both rely on talented two way players on the wing. For Boston, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are a more than formidable tandem. For Miami, Jimmy Butler leads a cast of very tough and intelligent guys on the wing. Both teams have hyper athletic defensive big men in Robert Williams and Bam Adebayo. Both teams have guards that are full of intangibles, and guys off the bench who contribute. These teams feel even don’t they? Let’s dive deeper.

    Key Matchup: Robert Williams & Al Horford vs Bam Adebayo

    Now you must be asking, why isn’t this Jimmy Butler vs Jayson Tatum? That’s a matchup that comes into play, but they’re both equally great. There’s a considerable chance that they cancel each other out. There’ll be plenty of time to discuss how each can affect the series as it goes.

    The reason why Timelord and Horford versus Bam is the matchup is because of two years ago. These same teams matched up in the conference finals, and when push came to shove Bam sent the Celtics packing. He would drive the ball from end to end attacking the rim and it felt like he took Boston’s will. It was an Adebayo we’ve never seen before. There was almost a Giannis like quality of him barreling his way to the rim but with the grace of a gymnast. Bam also made the key play of Game 1 of that series when he blocked Jayson Tatum. It was one of the memorable blocks of postseasons past.

    In this postseason though, the Celtics will need their best big men to contain Bam. Robert Williams has been working his way back from a meniscus injury but should be ready for Game 1. Al Horford continues to be a steady presence for Boston as these playoffs go but can he hold up? It’s been a lot of minutes against high level competition. He bears watching in this series. For Bam’s side it would be nice to see him getting aggressive down hill against the Celtics D. He can open up things for the perimeter guys on Miami. This matchup will be a bellwether for how this series goes.

    Here you can see how effective Bam is on a grab and go situation in transition.

    The Prediction: Both of these teams are the cream of the crop on the defensive end. It has potential to be a classic. The Celtics have been the best team in the league since February. The Heat have been the best team in the East all year. Can the Heat create offense in a close game down the stretch? Will the Celtics rotation be able to survive the Heat’s depth? It’ll be interesting to see those questions be answered, and I’ll go Heat in 7. Home court, and the Heat’s defense will be just enough against a very capable Boston Celtics team.

  • ‘League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ To Be Adapted By Hulu as a Film

    ‘League of Extraordinary Gentlemen’ To Be Adapted By Hulu as a Film

    Mortal men are, once more, attempting the unthinkable by adapting an Alan Moore project into a live-action feature. This time, it’s a reboot of the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, the film that not only made Moore swear off from ever signing off on adaptations of his work but also the film that ended Sean Connery‘s esteemed career. The unfortunate mortal tasked with helming this project is Justin Haythe, who penned the acclaimed film Revolutionary Road several years back. Hulu is the studio behind this reboot and the plan is for it to be a feature instead of a series.

    For the uninitiated, the League of Extraordinary Gentlemen is a pulp comic that sees literature’s most famous characters get together to fight global conspiracies. The 2003 film barely resembled Moore and artist Kevin O’Neill’s wildly complex world and it’s a tall order for this feature to live up to the comic. As faithful as Zack Snyder‘s adaptation of Watchmen was, even that film failed to capture the nuances and thematics of Moore’s writing. The least this film can do is not be as bad as the 2003 version.

    Source: THR

  • ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Has Passed $700M Worldwide

    ‘Doctor Strange 2’ Has Passed $700M Worldwide

    There have been a lot of discussions surrounding Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness‘ box office development. Yes, it did face a harsh drop in its second weekend but as The Numbers pointed out, many frontloaded projects have tended to face harsher drops and Forbes made a good point on people expecting either an Avengers-level crossover film or a cameo fiesta like Spider-Man: No Way Home. Throw in the strong horror elements that may not jell with some general audiences, you end up with a B+ CinemaScore and people hoping for more, as such slowing down the word-of-mouth. Throw in a rather dead weekend with little competition.

    Still, the film opened as the 11th highest opening ever at the domestic box office. Even if it’s the second weekend was below The Batman‘s stronghold, the film is still not slowing down as it has now passed the $700M club. As of now, the film has garnered $297M domestically and $406M internationally. So, it managed to pull in the missing $12M to pass the benchmark it just barely missed over the weekend.

    There’s something fascinating about the discussions surrounding box office numbers. Even while Multiverse of Madness will very likely not pass the billion mark, it’s by far still a success for Marvel Studios. It already passed the box office of its original release, which stood at a strong $676M and is very likely going to move around the $900M mark. So, it is a definite increase from one film to the next even if it’s been six years between sequels.

    The MCU’s connected universe gives these films the benefit of sustaining franchises even with larger gaps due to ongoing appearances and staying relevant to viewers. We’ll see if Thor: Love and Thunder may soar with the expectations of the multiverse finally dropped from a new release.

    Source: Twitter, The Numbers, Forbes

  • Anson Mount on Returning as Black Bolt in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    Anson Mount on Returning as Black Bolt in ‘Doctor Strange 2’

    It must’ve been hard for many of the actors that appeared as part of the Illuminati in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness to stay silent. That especially goes for Anson Mount, who was able to return to the role of Black Bolt, which he only briefly got to play in the ill-received 2017 Inhumans series. Now that enough people are talking about the big moments in the film, Mount has taken to his Twitter account to share his enthusiasm for returning to the role, as well as confirm that it was Marvel Studios CEO Kevin Feige that invited him back to return to the role.

    It definitely was a great surprise and a deep cut for those that remembered the failed ABC series, which only ran for one season. Multiverse of Madness managed to not only bring him back to the role but even update his costume to be a lot closer to that from the comics. Yes, he even had his iconic fork on the mark, which Doctor Strange was quick to make fun of. He even went out in the most gruesome way, and it seems he had a lot of fun working with director Sam Raimi on bringing the character to life.

    We even got a comic-accurate version of his powers, which were given a very memorable visual flourish to stand out from the effect used on the ABC series. We’ll see if this brief appearance might also build up to more in the future, as not much is known about where the Inhumans fit within the MCU.

    Source: Twitter

  • New ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Concept Art Offers a Closer Look at Scarlet Witch Design

    New ‘Multiverse of Madness’ Concept Art Offers a Closer Look at Scarlet Witch Design

    There is no denying that Elizabeth Olsen‘s Scarlet Witch is one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most powerful characters. Her recent turn to the side of chaos in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness cemented her as a terrifying force of nature in the eyes of many fans, and a new piece of concept art from visual developer Andy Park reflects this perfectly. The longtime Marvel Studios artist often uses social media to promote his previously unreleased artwork for the company’s shows and feature films, and it delivers every time. Most recently, Park has revealed a new look at Wanda Maximoff’s suit from the Doctor Strange sequel:

    The image displays Maximoff in all her scarlet glory, highlighting the immense amount of power she has gained from fully embracing the use of dark magic. Park comments that the intention of the new design was to stay true to WandaVision‘s grand finale outfit while also giving the character a “darker” spin overall. It would appear the artist was able to do just that, with the help of the film’s Visual Development Supervisor Ian Joyner and the rest of Marvel Studios’ talented concept team. Park started his career designing creatures and characters for the acclaimed God of War franchise, before moving over to Marvel in 2010. Since then, he has worked on a number of films including The Avengers, Captain America: Civil War, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

    Source: Twitter

  • Samuel L. Jackson Teases Nick Fury’s Evolution in ‘Secret Invasion’

    Samuel L. Jackson Teases Nick Fury’s Evolution in ‘Secret Invasion’

    All eyes are on Ms. Marvel and She-Hulk as the next Marvel Studios releases on Disney+. Yet, they’ve also been really busy working on other shows such as the Samuel L. Jackson-led Secret Invasion. Nick Fury finds himself at odds with a Skrull invasion and it looks like the series will take the character to places that we haven’t seen from him yet.

    In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, he talked about learning new things about Fury, and also giving him the chance to “explore something other than the badass-ery” sounds like a promising direction for the series.

    There are things that even I really didn’t know about Nick Fury that I just found out, that the minds behind what happened during the Blip are fantastic. That’s part of what we’re uncovering when we do this series now. The place that Nick Fury is in, the evolution of his story, or the devolution of his story, as maybe we wind it down or maybe we crank it up. It’s kind of hard to tell. But, giving me an opportunity to explore something other than the badass-ery of who Nick Fury is. I’ve had a good time doing that, and I’m looking forward to people sharing that aspect of who he is when this series does happen.

    Samuel L. Jackson

    It definitely sounds like a promising direction for the series, as it was unclear if it’ll act as an ensemble piece or further develop Nick Fury, who has been the guiding light of the franchise since his first appearance back in 2008’s Iron Man. Jackson‘s excitement to continue playing the character also pushes him to be the currently longest member of the MCU and we’ll see just what is heading his way once we get a first look at the series trailer.

    Source: Twitter via The Direct

  • Kathleen Kennedy Discusses Star Wars Hiatus From Theatrical Releases

    Kathleen Kennedy Discusses Star Wars Hiatus From Theatrical Releases

    The Star Wars franchise is in the midst of its relaunch into cultural prominence with the upcoming release of Obi-Wan Kenobi on Disney Plus the next big step. In an interview with Vanity Fair, President of Lucasfilm Kathleen Kennedy discussed the turning point for how the company managed their franchise with a mass hiatus from films in 2019 after the release of The Rise of Skywalker.

    We all recognized, every single one of us, that this was a new chapter for the company and that we needed to all work together to create the architecture for where we were going.

    Kathleen Kennedy

    Before the hiatus, Star Wars was in an era of releasing annual big blockbuster films such as the sequel trilogy in addition to spin-off films Rogue One and Solo. While it was reaping Lucasfilm with some strong financial benefits at the box office, this time served as some of the most critically divisive for the franchise. Kennedy felt that a reset was in order to recalibrate the future of the franchise. In addition to creating a new architecture, a focus on committing to the franchise was firmly established.

    Anyone who comes into the Star Wars universe needs to know that it’s a three-, four-, five-year commitment. That’s what it takes. You can’t step in for a year and shoot something and then walk away…. It requires that kind of nurturing.

    Kathleen Kennedy

    This is certainly in reference to some of the issues pertaining to the sequel trilogy that lacked a singular direction throughout its run in flip-flopping the director chair between JJ Abrams and Rian Johnson. At least on a surface level, it appears Lucasfilm is prepared to learn from past mistakes when it comes to further establishing this universe. With the hiatus past them, it will be a story worth following whether or not this reset ended up being fruitful for the future of the Star Wars franchise.

    Source: Vanity Fair