Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Know What's Happening in Entertainment
Nintendo and Illumination target $200M-plus Easter opening for “Super Mario Galaxy”
The upcoming “Super Mario Galaxy” film is being positioned to generate more than $200 million domestically over the Easter holiday weekend, leveraging the franchise’s multigenerational appeal. Analysts reference the 2015 “Avengers: Age of Ultron” $191 million opening as a performance benchmark.
Also developing:
By the numbers: K‑Love seeks FCC approval to acquire WFCC
The episode examines Nintendo's unconventional $65 price point for Switch 2 upgrades, focusing on the Xenoblade Chronicles X Definitive Edition and the Animal Crossing Switch 2 Edition. It outlines how this $5 premium sits between Nintendo's previous $0 upgrades and $10 upgrades, highlighting the company's variable pricing strategy that weighs gameplay depth, longevity, and technical enhancements. The discussion also compares industry pricing trends, noting $60 as the legacy premium, $70 for current‑gen titles, and occasional $80 experiments, while questioning whether modest graphical upgrades justify the new midpoint price.
Donald Trump’s vow to stay out of the WB sale lasted all of a couple weeks. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-02-21/trump-threatens-netflix-with-consequences-over-rice-board-seat?taid=699a45d18e21f400010da132&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_content=business&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
Square Enix announced that the original Final Fantasy VII has now sold over 15.5 million copies worldwide, up from 15.1 million reported in June 2025. The figure counts only the classic game across all platforms, excluding any remakes or spin‑offs. This makes FFVII...
System 3 announced The Last Ninja Collection + Bonus Games for Nintendo Switch, slated for a March 5 2026 launch. The compilation bundles the three original Last Ninja titles, a Ninja Remix edition, and classic System 3 hits International Karate, IK+, and Bangkok Knights,...
Do you know who else got sexy legs at US #BoxOffice? Yeah, #SamRaimi, as #20thCenturyStudios new original R-rated horror #SendHelp starring #RachelMcAdams & #DylanOBrien grossed STRONG 1.2M on 4th FRI, just a -32.8% drop from last FRI (vs #Old’s...
#GlenPowell is back at the US #BoxOffice arena this time via #A24, this time with comedic crime thriller #HowToMakeAKilling. Despite releasing it in just 1.625 theatres and with not much promo and mixed reviews, it still managed to gross 1.7M...
Negotiations between the WNBA and the WNBPA are stalled by disputed financials, with the league reporting a $50 million loss in 2024 and warning of "hundreds of millions" in losses under the union's latest proposal. Meanwhile, the league has collected nearly...
The #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles are making its comeback earlier, as #Paramount moved animated sequel #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMutantMayhem2 up from SEP 17, 2027! #TMNT: #MutantMayhem2 now debuts on AUG 13, 2027 late SUMMER, similar to 1st #TeenageMutantNinjaTurtlesMutantMayhem, which debuted on AUG 2 back in 2023, what...
BONUS edition of Game File (aka what I planned to send Friday before the big Xbox news)... We talk about $60 games, $70 games... $100 games?? Nintendo, ever the innovator, has tried $65 a couple of times this year https://t.co/7sKoDr80re
Brazilian carrier GOL Linhas Aéreas has appointed Anuvu as its new inflight entertainment partner, aiming to digitize and upgrade its content offering. The partnership brings premium libraries including HBO Max and Formula 1, while promising seamless technical integration with zero service...
This would impact theatrical distributors more than big studios. All studios need to figure out is how to approve IP for distribution and take a share of revenue. Distribution model still looking two fiscal quarters ahead while these AI movies...
As Paramount Skydance careens through one of the more pivotal chapters in its short existence, it appears to have talent problems.... https://t.co/ou55mmDguf via @variety
Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot announced that the studio is actively developing several new Assassin’s Creed and Far Cry titles, covering both single‑player and multiplayer experiences. The projects will be overseen by the Tencent‑backed Vantage Studios, which now serves as the...
Design director Chris Stockman, who led the original 2006 *Saints Row*, disclosed that he was asked to pitch a 1970s‑set pre‑quel but Embracer Group has not responded. The 2022 reboot of the franchise received lukewarm reception, scoring 61‑65 on Metacritic,...
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Box office analysts predict that the comedy‑drama GOAT will edge out competition for the post‑Valentine’s weekend, while the romance Wuthering Heights is expected to lose the holiday boost. I Can Only Imagine 2 earned $1.8 million in previews, but only $475 k on...
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Weekend box office saw "Wuthering Heights" debut at $32.8 M, leading the domestic chart. Sony’s "GOAT" held second place with $27.2 M, expanding to its widest release of 3,863 theaters. New wide releases include "I Can Only Imagine 2" (3,105 theaters) and...
Our industry has been steamrolled for a while, and make no mistake: This is not cosmetics. Microsoft will run through their Xbox business with a bulldozer this year. (For the sake of Xbox employees, I hope I am wrong.)
HBO Max announced that the 2010 supernatural western *Jonah Hex*, starring Josh Brolin, will leave the platform on February 28. The film, which earned only $10 million against a $47 million budget and received 11% critic and 20% audience scores on Rotten...
Netflix’s US library will drop the Stephen King adaptation *Christine* on March 1, 2026, ending the film’s brief streaming window. The 1983 John Carpenter‑directed horror, a 110‑minute cult classic, earned roughly $21 million against a $10 million budget. A planned reboot by Bryan Fuller and...
Friday 20 February 2026 TV ratings show the Winter Olympics commanding the top‑30 slots across both overnight and consolidated measurements. Lifestyle‑focused programmes fell behind sports content in both broadcast and BVOD audiences. OzTAM introduced new metrics that count a minute of broadcast...
Entravision Communications announced the departure of President and Chief Operating Officer Jeffery Liberman, ending a nearly two‑decade tenure with the Spanish‑language broadcaster. Liberman, who rose from radio division president to COO in 2012, oversaw dozens of Univision‑affiliated TV and radio...
Producer Zainab Azizi recounts her rise from a WME mailroom clerk to president of Raimi Productions, detailing how she shepherded the original comedy Send Help from a 2019 logline to a theatrical release. She explains moving the project from Columbia...
Riot Games has launched a pilot program that grants in‑game 2XKO credits, avatar outfits, and a future title to players who attend, repeatedly compete in, or win local and online tournaments. The test is running in select U.S. locations, partnering...
Embark Studios announced a temporary halt to its outbound esports activities for The Finals after community concerns about player conduct surfaced. The studio said it consulted external legal counsel and concluded its actions were appropriate, but chose to pause to...
Creators are moving beyond ad revenue, launching product lines, acquiring startups, and building tangible businesses. MrBeast’s chocolate brand now out‑earns his media arm, and his purchase of fintech startup Step illustrates the shift toward diversified revenue. The TechCrunch Equity podcast...
In this episode of Follow The Money, host discusses how two music‑tech companies—EVEN, a direct‑to‑consumer platform for artists, and Duetti, a music‑rights investment platform—have built scalable infrastructure by first serving the long‑tail of independent musicians before moving upmarket to major...
The U.S. Justice Department has opened an antitrust probe into the $45 billion sale of Warner Bros. to Apex Media Holdings. Regulators are examining whether the deal could curtail competition for independent movie theaters by shifting distribution power toward Apex’s streaming...
The 2026 BRIT Awards will be streamed on ITV’s YouTube channel for the first time, alongside ITV1 and ITVX. The ceremony airs Saturday 28 February from 8.15 pm live on TV, with a global digital simulcast beginning at 8.45 pm on YouTube....
Taco Bell announced a multi‑million‑dollar partnership with Latin music star Myke Towers, integrating his track “Sunblock” into a new Chicken Bacon Ranch Street Chalupas commercial. The campaign rolls out across the United States, Puerto Rico, the Latin America/Caribbean region and...
WWE Friday Night SmackDown moves to SyFy on February 20 while USA Network airs extended Winter Olympics coverage. The episode, staged at Fort Lauderdale's Amerant Bank Arena, features men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber qualifiers that shape the Road to WrestleMania. Viewers...
Ramsey Elkholy’s indie project Monotonic has sued A&R Worldwide’s Pangea Entertainment for allegedly breaching a year‑long marketing and consulting contract. The lawsuit claims Pangea failed to provide promised creative input, bi‑weekly strategy calls, artwork support, and placement of the band’s...
Moby released his new album "Future Quiet" via BMG ahead of a Coachella slot in April, and announced a 28‑date European tour spanning June to August. The 14‑track record features piano minimalism, ambient soundscapes and vocal collaborations, including an orchestral...
Chyron has launched Paint 10.3, adding AI‑driven active graphics, a flexible speedometer tool, and an enhanced zone blur feature for live sports production. The active graphics layer can animate visuals using AI player‑tracking or manual key‑framing, reducing manual effort. The...
Tubular Labs’ analysis of U.S. YouTube activity shows a clear “primetime” window from 7 a.m. to noon ET, with the highest average daily views (6.1%) occurring at 8 a.m. ET. Early‑morning uploads also generate the most views per video, suggesting untapped potential...
The episode announces that Downtown Music Holdings has finalized its $775 million acquisition and merger with Virgin Music Group, a deal first revealed in December. Founder Justin Kalifowitz is exiting Downtown, marking a leadership transition as the combined entity positions itself...
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has introduced hyper‑local public‑service announcements that thank individual legislators for backing the AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act. The spots are customized for each of the 49 states, DC, Puerto Rico and the U.S....
Canela Media has teamed up with LiveRamp to let advertisers use LiveRamp’s interoperable RampID for seamless access to Canela’s over‑the‑top (OTT) inventory and broader digital destinations. The partnership opens a LiveRamp Data Marketplace offering more than 1,000 audience segments that...
Meta users have asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to revive antitrust claims that Facebook monopolized the personal social network services market. A district judge dismissed the lawsuit after ruling the plaintiffs lacked expert testimony proving harm. The plaintiffs argue...
Imagine Dragons has officially left talent agency Wasserman, joining a wave of departures linked to the agency’s scandalous ties to Ghislaine Maxwell. The band’s 2025 tour generated $241.6 million, highlighting the financial impact of losing a top‑grossing act. Wasserman, now owned...
The music industry saw a wave of senior appointments and hires across multiple firms as of February 20, 2026. Culture Wave added several managers and a digital marketing coordinator while promoting an artist manager. Warner Chappell Music Italy elevated internal A&R...
Universal Music Group’s Virgin Music Group has completed its $775 million acquisition of Downtown Music Group, finalizing the deal 14 months after announcement and shortly after EU approval. Pieter van Rijn, former Downtown head, is appointed COO of Virgin Music, reporting...
Blacklyte announced it will serve as the exclusive desk and chair sponsor for the Rocket League Championship Series 2026 Boston Major. The company’s Athena Pro Gaming Chair RLCS edition and Atlas Lite Desk will be featured onstage during the finals...
Sinclair Broadcast Group has received Federal Communications Commission approval to acquire three stations it already operates under shared services agreements. The transactions include the Howard Stirk Holdings NBC affiliate in Flint, Michigan, a Cunningham Broadcasting station in Traverse City, Michigan,...
Live Nation is intensifying its push for a settlement after the Department of Justice dismissed the concert‑promotion portion of its antitrust case. Executive Vice President Dan Wall argues that the remaining claims—exclusive ticketing contracts, a deal with Oak View Group,...
The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) has filed reply comments urging the FCC to limit the upcoming upper C‑band reallocation to the statutory minimum of 100 MHz, warning that any additional clearing threatens broadcast infrastructure. The FCC is considering auctioning up...
The 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan is drawing about 20 million U.S. viewers each day, with NBC’s Peacock platform delivering more streaming hours than the last two Games combined. Advertisers are abandoning traditional “Be Right Back” filler and deploying real‑time, native...
Zacks Equity Research examined Gray Television (GTN) and found its shares have risen 20.8% year‑over‑year but remain well below the 2021 trading range. The research note highlights the company’s solid cash‑flow generation from local broadcast advertising and a dividend yield...
This weekend, despite new releases, #WutheringHeights & #GOAT should fight among themselves for the #1 at US #BoxOffice, as #Lionsgate faith sequel #ICanOnlyImagine2 grossed $1.8M in total previews (1.3M last SAT early screenings + 475K THU Previews). Back in 2018, #ICanOnlyImagine...
Anderson Cooper, Stephen Colbert and Sean Strickland Draw Scrutiny to Paramount While Bid for Warner Plays Out https://t.co/ou55mmDguf via @variety
This has been another noisy week in the Warner Bros. sale, and yet it still comes back to the same question. Will Paramount Skydance increase its offer? If it does, by how much? And, will Netflix match?
