Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Super Mario Galaxy film targets $200M+ opening weekend
Nintendo and Illumination are positioning the upcoming "Super Mario Galaxy" movie to open with more than $200 million domestically over the Easter holiday weekend. The strategy leans on the franchise’s multigenerational appeal and a family‑focused release window, with analysts citing the 2015 "Avengers: Age of Ultron" $191 million opening as a benchmark.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K-Love seeks FCC approval to acquire WFCC
CBS News, owned by Paramount Skydance, announced a 6% workforce reduction—about 60 employees—effective March 20, 2026, to stay competitive in a rapidly changing news landscape. The cuts accompany the shutdown of the nearly century‑old CBS News Radio service, slated to cease operations on May 22. Editor‑in‑Chief Bari Weiss and President Tom Cibrowski framed the moves as necessary to fund digital growth and improve ratings against rivals ABC and NBC. The memo left department‑specific impacts unclear, underscoring a broader industry shift toward streaming and digital platforms.
Udon Entertainment and Pix’n Love will publish the English‑language Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 artbook, with pre‑orders opening on March 23 at 11 a.m. PT and closing May 6. Buyers in the United States must order through Udon, while European customers will use Pix’n Love. The book...
Lion Forge Entertainment announced it has acquired the television rights to Kimberly Ann Harrison’s debut novel *Beyond the Paddock* and will develop it into a young‑adult series. The story follows two foster‑care teens who move from Los Angeles to Kentucky,...
Ticket AG, a Liechtenstein‑based SaaS ticketing provider, launched its new Backstage organizer platform, rebranded the company under a single Ticket AG identity, and opened a Vienna office to serve Austria. Backstage separates event‑management tools from the consumer ticket shop, offering...
Wall Street analysts are divided on Netflix's future after the streaming giant was outbid by Paramount Skydance for Warner Bros. Discovery assets. The $83 billion price tag that Netflix was prepared to pay and the resulting strategic vacuum have sparked fresh...
French cinema produced 290 feature films in 2025, a modest 6.1% decline from the 2024 record. Total investment fell 4.8% to €1.37 billion, with broadcaster contributions dropping 11.8% while distribution mandates grew 15.4%. Canal+ reduced its pre‑purchase financing, but Disney+ increased...
UEFA is planning a direct‑to‑consumer Champions League streaming platform for Asia, targeting a launch as early as the 2027‑2031 media rights cycle. The initiative, developed with partner Relevent, could debut in markets such as Indonesia or India, either supplementing or...
Hollywood studios have thrown their weight behind a Republican‑sponsored bill aimed at overturning Canada’s Online Streaming Act, which obligates U.S. platforms to financially support Canadian film, TV and music production. The Protecting American Streaming and Innovation Act, introduced by Rep....
The Hubert Bals Fund’s HBF+Europe scheme has allocated €60,000 to eight international co‑productions, split between Minority Co‑production Support and Post‑production Support. The programme, backed by Creative Europe‑MEDIA, encourages European producers to partner with filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the...
Eric Wolff has been hired as Chyron's Director of Venues Sales for North America, bringing 35 years of sports‑venue expertise. He most recently oversaw broadcast operations at T‑Mobile Arena, the home of the Vegas Golden Knights. Wolff will concentrate on...
Amazon MGM Studios’ sci‑fi adventure *Project Hail Mary* generated a record‑breaking $12 million from preview screenings on March 19, the highest for any 2026 theatrical release. The film adapts Andy Weir’s bestselling novel, leveraging a built‑in fan base and strong critical reception....
Square Enix announced a Chrono Trigger One Mark Collection of 15 character sprite charms, to be sold in Japanese capsule‑gacha machines starting March 27, 2026. Each of the seven main heroes appears in two poses—neutral and attack—with a hidden secret...
User acquisition costs for mobile‑game publishers are approaching $25 billion in 2025, excluding China, and now represent roughly 32% of net revenue. While the figure has slipped from its 2021 peak, ad‑exchange fees are set to overtake traditional UA spend by...
Nexstar Media Group announced a senior secured note offering exceeding $5 billion, aimed at financing its $6.2 billion acquisition of the former Gannett assets. The move follows Nexstar’s effective takeover of TEGNA and the conversion of TEGNA shares into Nexstar’s “NXST” ticker....
The Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) announced it will not adopt the sweeping age‑rating changes introduced by Pan‑European Games Information (PEGI), citing potential confusion for consumers. PEGI’s new framework, effective June, expands ratings to cover paid random items, time‑limited offers,...
Without the #Oscars boost he was hoping for, #TimothéeChalamet didn’t get many exhibitors on board to make #MartySupreme happen in #China’s #BoxOffice, where the sports drama debuted this FRI over extremely limited 6k screenings, in #11 place grossing just $46k,...
IMO: Highly leveraged @NXSTMediaGroup could be buying a melting ice cube that can’t withstand fierce competitive Big Tech vectors that result in diminished ad and retransmission consent revenue fueled by rampant cord cutting. If things like the 39% cap get...
CBS led Nielsen’s Live + 7‑day multiplatform viewership for the week of March 2‑8, 2026, capturing the #1 position in drama, comedy, primetime news and unscripted categories. The network placed two of the top‑two series and eleven of the top‑20 series overall, mirroring its...
Genies, an AI avatar platform, has formed a strategic partnership with Sanrio, the creator of Hello Kitty and over 400 other characters. The collaboration will enable Sanrio’s iconic IP to be rendered as interactive, AI‑driven avatars that can speak, gesture,...
South Korean mobile publisher Supercent and UK developer Sumo Digital have signed a memorandum of understanding to co‑develop next‑generation mobile games, with development slated to begin in early 2026. The partnership blends Supercent’s mobile‑first, data‑driven publishing platform with Sumo’s two‑decade...
On March 19, FCC Media Bureau Chief Erin Boone issued a 40‑page Memorandum Opinion and Order that effectively rewrote the 2004 local television ownership rules. The order granted Nexstar Media Group's merger with TEGNA, providing waivers and divestiture commitments that...
The 2026 World Baseball Classic final between Venezuela and the United States set a new viewership record, attracting 10.78 million viewers on FOX and FOX Deportes. The telecast peaked at 12.15 million during the closing minutes and posted a 128% increase over...
Snapback Sports, a digital sports media firm, has signed with Excel Sports Management to accelerate sponsorship revenue and gain event access. The company posted $2.2 million in 2025 revenue and aims for $3 million in 2026. Excel will handle sponsorship sales across...
Louis Posen, president of Hopeless Records, argues that streaming’s pro‑rata payout model disadvantages mid‑tier musicians by treating all listeners equally and favoring passive, mass‑appeal content. He proposes a tiered artist layer similar to Spotify’s podcast subscriptions, offering fans direct‑access perks...
Amaze, the creator‑powered commerce platform, announced new live‑shopping capabilities that let creators and brands sell products directly within live streams. The tools include instant in‑stream purchasing, real‑time audience interaction such as comments, polls, dynamic product highlights, and time‑limited promo codes....
Comcast‑owned FreeWheel unveiled an AI agent infrastructure to automate premium video ad transactions, anchored by its Model Context Protocol (MCP) Server and a suite of Intelligence tools. The MCP Server provides a secure layer for AI agents to connect directly...
Six Flags announced that visitors 17 and younger must be escorted by an adult over 21 at its Texas and New Jersey parks during spring break. The policy, aimed at curbing disruptive behavior, limits each adult to five minors and...
Australian electronic duo Breathe., together with agency Group Speed, overhauled their Spotify presence by reactivating five‑year‑old catalog tracks and launching a data‑driven artist playlist. The playlist paired Breathe. with slightly larger, stylistically similar acts and was promoted through Spotify’s ad...
Sky has begun a “Taste of Hayu” preview, making more than 150 on‑demand episodes from ten reality franchises available to most TV customers via Sky’s platforms. The early offering excludes Sky Q Essentials and Basic tiers, while the full Hayu...
Sport Klub channels will cease broadcasting in Bosnia and Herzegovina on 1 April 2025, replaced by an expanded suite of Arena Sport services. The change follows Telekom Srbija’s February 2025 acquisition of Sport Klub’s rights, licences and assets from United Group across the Western Balkans....
Sony Pictures Entertainment announced it will wind down Pixomondo, the award‑winning visual effects and virtual production studio it bought in 2022. The closure will affect several hundred staff, with many slated for transfer to Sony Group and the remainder facing...
Josh D’Amaro, Disney’s new CEO, addressed theme‑park pricing at the March shareholder meeting, highlighting a $50 ticket option for children aged 3‑9 and a flexible pricing philosophy. He noted that U.S. park attendance slipped 1% year‑over‑year while overall park revenue...
D.C. Memo: @NXSTMediaGroup-@TEGNA Deal Sails Through @BrendanCarrFCC in a Speedy 121 Days; CEO Sook Makes a Few Minor Concessions But That’s It; Nexstar has two years to sell six TV stations but in the end, it might not...
In #Japan’s #BoxOffice, local SPRING BREAK holiday & positive WOM received #RyanGosling with open arms, as #ProjectHailMary scores STRONG est $1M on BIGGEST FRI Opening Day for Hollywood sci-fi or theatrically original Post-Covid (vs #DunePartTwo’s $405k, #Dune’s $491k, #Oppenheimer’s $800k). BIGGEST...
Elyse Myers, a TikTok creator with 7.1 million followers, emphasizes authenticity over curated personas, even as she sets strict personal boundaries around family content. She selects brand partnerships based on creative control, using a simple metric—whether she’s proud enough to show...
Is a Disney Theme Park in Abu Dhabi Still Going Ahead Despite Middle East Mayhem? https://t.co/2WPrr5MaOh via @variety
My latest exclusive interview with Brian Ward, CEO of Savvy Games Group, about investing in games and acquiring game companies. He still expects to be active in doing deals. https://t.co/5hWlkaV9QO
The Premier League announced it will launch its own OTT platform, Premier League Plus, in Singapore starting the 2026‑27 season. The service was built into a six‑season bid with StarHub in 2022, providing a low‑pressure test market ahead of the league’s...
#DhurandharTheRevenge scored opening day THU in North America of $3.9M incl WED pre-shows. Biggest opening day #boxoffice of all-time for Hindi movie in North America.
"They Banned Me, So I Built A Live Streaming Platform For Us All" - @stephenrbell_ @solstake_tv https://t.co/R33PeqOjVf
Pocket Gamer Connects Summit Shanghai returns on July 29, 2026, positioned just before ChinaJoy to link global developers, publishers, investors and service providers with China’s massive games market. The event offers curated matchmaking, expert panels and market insights, helping attendees...
CBS News also is shutting down @CBSNewsRadio, which serves approximately 700 stations, and laying off those staffers https://t.co/K65d7htHgJ via @variety
New: CBS News is shutting own CBS News Radio, the place where Edward R. Murrow delivered his World War II dispatches.
The offices of the state AGs and DirecTV said their lawsuits seeking to block the Nexstar-Tegna merger will continue to move forward, notwithstanding Nexstar’s announcement that the deal has closed. https://t.co/2Y4mvyhfS4 via @variety
Episode 34: Amy and I explore the job of "Agent Executive" and how to avoid overwhelm in a world of infinite possibility. https://t.co/yD6fpmITU0
In just one day, Crimson Desert has already sold double what Nioh 3 sold in its first two weeks
Just in: CBS News Radio to end May 22, per memo from Bari Weiss and Tom Cibrowski. Service used by about 700 affiliated stations
Netflix is paying the KPop Demon Hunters directors like elite TV showrunners AND giving them a share of merch sales to return for a sequel. All the details ⬇️⬇️ https://t.co/nO22PPaCo7
Do I know anyone here who has worked in or around creators/influencers whose IP is being licenced by a network, platform, or brand? (For an article.)
ABC Scrambles to Delete ‘Bachelorette’ Season 22 Promo Content Amid Taylor Frankie Paul Fallout https://t.co/GNfqNcaea9 via @variety
