What should we expect at Sundance 2025? We asked the sellers
A quick heads-up to Wide Shot subscribers: The newsletter is going back to Sundance! I will be in Los Angeles but my colleague Matt Brennan…
Focus features chairman talks ‘Nosferatu,’ ‘Conclave’ and Sundance
Before getting into the main topic of this week’s newsletter, we have to acknowledge the story dominating our region. Wildfires have devastated Southern California since…
You survived ’til 2025. Here are the big Hollywood business stories to watch for
Covering the entertainment business is never boring, and 2025 is already shaping up to be another banger as business models that have been around for…
Box office bombs. Cable’s collapse. What went wrong for Hollywood in 2024
Note: The Wide Shot newsletter will be off next week.When chronicling what went wrong in Hollywood in 2024, it’s hard to narrow down the list…
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.…