Hollywood year in review: Who won in 2024?
There were plenty of things that went wrong for Hollywood in the year 2024. There were box office flops (sorry, “Joker: Folie à Deux” and…
How YouTube and Netflix are changing the business of kids’ shows
It’s 7 a.m. Do you know what your kids are streaming?Although the splashiest shows of the direct-to-consumer video era tend to target grownups, children —…
Disney and Bob Iger reached a pivotal stage in streaming. What’s next?
It took billions of dollars in losses, a company-wide overhaul, cost-cutting and price hikes to get there, but Bob Iger and Walt Disney Co. appear…
Hollywood execs salivate over dealmaking under Trump. Should they?
To much of Hollywood’s decidedly liberal base, Donald Trump is truly the enemy from within, a former reality show host who used the power of…
California’s film and TV tax credit boost. What are the pros and cons?
Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proposal to more than double the size of California’s film and television tax credit program won’t fix all of the Golden State’s…
How ‘Smile 2’ director Parker Finn created a Hollywood horror franchise
Parker Finn’s filmmaking career blew up in 2022 with the release of “Smile,” a breakout horror hit for Paramount Pictures about a woman plagued by…
Wanda exited Legendary and AMC. But China’s Hollywood legacy endures
Legendary’s deal, announced Monday, to buy out the remaining stake owned by Chinese conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, marks the start of a new era for…
Is streaming a ‘terrible business?’ Not for Netflix
One question this column frequently asks is: Is streaming a good business?The answer depends on whom you ask. Craig Moffett, a prominent Wall Street media…
Box office momentum, AI hype and more Hollywood business storylines to watch
Here are some signs that disruption may be coming to an industry near you. Power consolidated and dominated by a few major players. Tepid decision-making…
What’s behind Hollywood’s latest wave of layoffs?
Editor’s note: Wide Shot will be off next week, with Hollywood Inc. senior editor Ryan Faughnder taking vacation. Last year, Hollywood braved the summer of…
Attica Locke left Hollywood for fiction writing. Now she’s bringing her book to the screen
A great crime novel doesn’t just tell a story of wrongdoers being forced to answer for their misdeeds. It doesn’t stop at the whodunit aspect…
In defense of Disney adults
There are two words that will strike fear in a grown-up fan of a Disney theme park: Disney adult.While some may wear the designation as…
AI ate the metaverse’s hype-cycle. The internet’s future may still be in 3D
Remember the metaverse? It was just a couple of years ago when it seemed as if every technology, media and entertainment company was scrambling to…
Why Chicken Soup couldn’t heal Redbox
Chicken soup may soothe the soul, but it can’t cure what ails the beleaguered DVD rental business. The parent company of Redbox — the onetime…
‘Inside Out 2’ is a blockbuster. But what’s happening with original animation?
“Inside Out 2” is a bigger box office hit than even Pixar’s staunchest believers had dared to expect, turning down the anxiety dial for fans…
Hollywood gets the crummy summer box office it paid for
A Hollywood movie can be two things at the same time. It can be a great piece of art and also a poor business decision.…
What the Live Nation suit is really about (Hint: It’s not Taylor Swift)
The fees Ticketmaster charges concertgoers have long been among the most universally despised music industry practices, perhaps only rivaled by paltry streaming royalties, the overuse…
How Hollywood’s tepid recovery is hurting jobs for writers and crew
This year has been rough for the entertainment industry so far. Not just at the box office and on Wall Street, as we‘ve covered in…
Hollywood’s bleak summer box office takes shape after ‘Fall Guy’ miss
Movie critics may be tired of superheroes, sequels and remakes. But Hollywood and the nation’s movie theaters are finding out what a lack of spandex,…
Producer Cathy Schulman on ‘The Idea of You’ and the state of Hollywood
Despite her success, film producer Cathy Schulman has never exactly had an easy go of it in Hollywood. Even having won the best picture Oscar…