LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Disney-Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” remains dominant at U.S. theaters with $72.6 million at 4,426 U.S. locations — the eighth-largest second weekend of all time. George Clooney-Julia Roberts thriller “Money Monster” opened ... More »
The Olympics are such a television ratings juggernaut for NBCUniversal that rival U.S. networks have always watched from the sidelines, airing reruns and other cheap programs that are not going to attract many eyeballs. But not this year. With a growing number... More »
For Walt Disney’s Peter Pan, flying was “all a matter of faith and trust.” Investors in Walt Disney Co showed a lack of both in the company’s stock on Wednesday. Disney’s shares fell 4.5 percent to $101.76 in morning trading and were the biggest drag on the Do... More »
Viacom Inc’s board is considering whether to further cut the pay of its Chairman Emeritus Sumner Redstone, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter. Viacom and CBS Corp board members are also planning to visit Redstone, the chai... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Disney’s “The Jungle Book” showed serious traction at the North American box office, dominating moviegoing for a second straight weekend with $60.8 million at 4,028 locations. The family-friendly tentpole declined only 41% from its ... More »
BRUSSELS Viacom’s (VIAB.O) Paramount Pictures has offered EU regulators concessions aimed at averting a possible fine over geographical restrictions within Europe on movie licensing deals between Sky UK (SKYB.L) and six U.S. studios. The European Commission sa... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “The Jungle Book” dominated the weekend box office, grossing a massive $103.6 million, and extending the Walt Disney Company’s success in making live action versions of its classic animated features. That ranks as the second biggest... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Melissa McCarthy’s star power lifted “The Boss” to an estimated $23.5 million opening weekend despite bad reviews and rough word-of-mouth for the R-rated comedy. If those projections hold, it will be enough to narrowly topple “Batma... More »
LOS ANGELES Tom Staggs, the veteran Walt Disney Co executive who had been widely seen as the media company’s next CEO, will step down on May 6 as the board expands its search for a successor to Bob Iger, Disney said on Monday. The unexpected move came little m... More »
Walt Disney Co Chief Executive Bob Iger could end up extending his term for a third time, analysts said on Tuesday, following the surprise announcement that Chief Operating Officer Tom Staggs, a potential successor, will step down in May. Disney’s shares were ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” appears to be losing steam as it ends its second weekend in theaters. The critically loathed superhero movie topped the box office, picking up $52.4 million. However, that represented a steep 68%... More »
TORONTO Canada’s Rogers Communications Inc (RCIb.TO), the primary national broadcaster of National Hockey League games, said on Thursday it will begin selling its top sports channels online without a cable subscription. Taking its cue from services like Netfli... More »
(Variety.com) – “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” steamrolled past records, debuting to a gargantuan $170.1 million over Easter weekend despite being pilloried by critics. That ranks as the top opening weekend for a DC Comics film, the best March launch eve... More »
(Variety.com) – Disney’s “Zootopia” cruised to another box office victory this weekend, picking up $50 million and barreling across the $100 million mark domestically. After two weeks of release, “Zootopia,” the critically acclaimed story of a plucky rabbit po... More »
It may have been snubbed at the Oscars but the Force awakened on Tuesday for the current “Star Wars” blockbuster with the film gaining a leading 11 nominations for the upcoming MTV Movie Awards. Breakout British star Daisy Ridley, 23, led the way for “Star War... More »
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc (CMG.N), which is trying to recover from a series of food-borne illness outbreaks, temporarily shut a Massachusetts restaurant after four employees fell sick. The restaurant in the town of Billerica, outside Boston, was closed for a ... More »
LOS ANGELES Catholic Church abuse movie “Spotlight” was named best picture, the top award at Sunday’s Oscars ceremony, after a night peppered with pointed punchlines from host Chris Rock about the #OscarsSoWhite controversy that has dominated the industry. In ... More »
LOS ANGELES They were supposed to free up Oscar recipients to say something profound during their 45 allotted seconds on stage. But the thank-you scrolls that ran at the bottom of the screen for the first time at the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday didn’t notice... More »
LOS ANGELES Comedian Chris Rock launched his return stint as Oscar host on Sunday by immediately and unabashedly confronting the racially charged elephant in the room – the furor over the all-white field of performers nominated for Hollywood’s highest honors. ... More »
LOS ANGELES Open Road Films, a small movie producer founded by two theater chains just five years ago, upstaged Hollywood’s big studios on Sunday by winning the coveted best picture award and a likely sales boost for its Catholic Church scandal drama “Spotligh... More »
Walt Disney Co’s ESPN sports network and Verizon Communications Inc have made progress in their talks to settle a legal dispute over a TV package that lets customers choose bundles of channels, according to a court filing on Wednesday. The companies asked New ... More »
Hollywood studio DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue and profit, helped by the worldwide television release of its movie “Home” and higher licensing fees. Shares of the company, which produced the popular “Shrek” and “K... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Hollywood fumbled the ball during a quiet Super Bowl weekend at the multiplexes as new releases such as “Hail, Caesar!” and “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” failed to make much noise. For the second weekend in a row, DreamWorks Ani... More »
The E. coli outbreak that affected dozens of Chipotle Mexican Grill customers in nine states last year is expected to be declared over as soon as Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the government’s investigation. Investigator... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Kung Fu Panda 3” showed plenty of power at the U.S. box office with a solid opening weekend of $41 million at 3,955 theaters as the durable family franchise dominated moviegoing. Disney’s launch of Coast Guard rescue adventure “The... More »
Airlines, hotels and cruise operators serving Latin America and the Caribbean are facing growing concern among travelers spooked by the mosquito-borne Zika virus. The outbreak of the virus, linked to brain damage in thousands of babies in Brazil, comes as a re... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Its long reign is over. After four weeks atop box office charts, Disney’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” has ceded first place to Universal’s “Ride Along 2.” The comedy sequel picked up a leading $34 million across 3,175 venues and ... More »
BRUSSELS – NBCUniversal, Disney and four other U.S. studios together with Sky UK on Monday rebuffed European Union charges of anti-competitive movie-licensing deals in a crucial hearing ahead of a decision later this year. The companies’ defense at a three-day... More »
NEW YORK Major U.S. growth mutual funds have been among the largest sellers of Apple Inc (AAPL.O) shares over the past six months, fueling speculation that the company’s days of supercharged growth have come to an end. Amid concerns that iPhone sales may be se... More »
Hackers and musicians ruled at the Golden Globes on Sunday as old television favorites were cast aside for a slew of new shows and rising actors. Amazon Studio’s streaming show “Mozart in the Jungle,” about the backstage lives of New York classical musicians, ... More »
LOS ANGELES “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” shattered box office records with an estimated $517 million in worldwide ticket sales through Sunday, a staggering debut that re-established the celebrated space saga as a global phenomenon under Walt Disney Co. The f... More »
LOS ANGELES “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” collected a galactic $250 million of global ticket sales through Friday and headed toward a historic opening weekend in the United States and Canada as fans around the world reveled in the return of the beloved space ... More »
Walt Disney Co’s shares slumped after BTIG analyst Richard Greenfield cuts his rating to “sell” from “neutral”, saying the likely success of the latest Star Wars movie would not be enough to offset the impact of subscriber losses at ESPN. Disney’ shares fell a... More »
LOS ANGELES Glowing reviews on Wednesday boosted weekend forecasts for Walt Disney Co’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” according to box office analysts who projected the long-awaited film will open near the record set this year by “Jurassic World.” The first ... More »
NEW YORK The verdict is nearly unanimous: The Force is strong with this one. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” won rave reviews on Wednesday with critics saying it has breathed new life into the almost 40 year-old franchise that has spawned three original movies ... More »
LONDON The male-centric universe of the original “Star Wars” gives way to a woman warrior and a female version of Yoda in the much-ballyhooed “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” that will inevitably take the planet – this one – by storm as it opens this week. The t... More »
SAN FRANCISCO Early praise for the newest installment of “Star Wars” gave a boost to shares of Walt Disney and Electronic Arts, which recently launched a videogame based on the hugely popular space opera. Following prequels between 1999 and 2005 that were wide... More »
Satellite radio company Sirius XM Holdings Inc and “shock jock” Howard Stern have renewed their five-year deal for his popular “Howard Stern Show,” ending the uncertainty around the fate of the decade-long association. The news comes after years of Sirius, maj... More »
LOS ANGELES The new installment in the “Star Wars” movie saga opens in theaters this month against a formidable force: the galactic hopes of devoted fans who have waited a decade to revisit their beloved universe of Jedi, droids and lightsabers. Can “The Force... More »
U.S. media stocks fell on Friday after Walt Disney Co’s disclosure of a drop in subscribers at ESPN spooked investors, underscoring concerns that viewers are increasingly opting for online streaming over pay TV. Disney’s shares were down 3.6 percent at $114.44... More »
ROME Rome has banned centurion impersonators who charge to scowl in photos around the ancient Colosseum amphitheatre and frequently come under fire for their pushy tactics with tourists. The Italian capital is imposing extra security measures and sprucing up p... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – James Bond is back on top, after “Spectre” led the U.S. box office for the second weekend in a row. Of course, the dashing super spy wasn’t exactly facing off against Ernst Stavro Blofeld. Its main competition was the second weekend... More »
LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) – James Bond and Charlie Brown brought the box office roaring back to life, as “Spectre” and “The Peanuts Movie” attracted big crowds over their opening weekends. “Spectre,” the latest 007 adventure, took first place, debuting to $73... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Illustrating the limits of star power, “Our Brand is Crisis” and “Burnt” were both roundly rejected by audiences despite the presence of Sandra Bullock and Bradley Cooper. “Our Brand is Crisis,” a political satire about a spin-docto... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – It was a pre-Halloween massacre at the multiplexes. Four new films, including “Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension” and Vin Diesel’s “The Last Witch Hunter,” crowded into theaters this weekend and were swiftly pulverized and le... More »
Walt Disney Co’s sports network ESPN said it will not make its content available on YouTube, due to the recently announced ad-free subscription-based offering coined YouTube Red. Alphabet Inc’s YouTube said on Wednesday it will launch YouTube Red, a $10-a-mont... More »
PARIS Vivendi raised its stakes in French video games makers Ubisoft and Gameloft and indicated that it may buy additional shares later and seek board seats. Vivendi sold off its video games business Activision Blizzard in 2013 in the opening salvo of an asset... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Goosebumps” rode a wave of Clinton era nostalgia to the top of the box office charts, as the adaptation of the popular children’s book series earned $23.5 million in its opening weekend. That just edged out Fox’s “The Martian,” the... More »
Big fish Chinese gamblers afraid of a corruption crackdown and poorly paid Walmart workers in the United States might seem to have little in common. But in the global economy, they are in some ways two sides of the same coin, and to understand that is to under... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Pan” walked the plank over the Columbus Day Weekend. Warner Bros. spent $150 million to bring the Neverland adventure to screens and millions more in marketing, but the big-budget fantasy mustered a puny $15.5 million opening. That... More »
NEW YORK U.S. fund managers, hoping that a bit of Hollywood magic goes a long way in China, have been rushing to invest in IMAX Corp, best known for enormous movie screens. Prospects for growth in China, alongside upcoming releases of expected blockbusters tha... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “The Martian” blasted off with a massive $55 million this weekend, nearly surpassing another space-based adventure, “Gravity,” as the highest-grossing October debut in history. The Ridley Scott release was bolstered by rapturous rev... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Hotel Transylvania 2” easily topped the weekend box office, sinking its teeth into an impressive $47.5 million, and providing a big win for star Adam Sandler and Sony Pictures, the studio behind the animated franchise. Both had end... More »
LOS ANGELES HBO shows “Game of Thrones” and “Veep” won the top prizes at the Emmy Awards for the first time on Sunday, bringing a breath of fresh air to television’s biggest night on an evening that also made history for black actresses. Jon Hamm finally snare... More »
LOS ANGELES Premium cable network HBO dominated television’s Emmy awards on Sunday with trophies for best comedy “Veep” and best drama “Game of Thrones,” holding off challenges from the digital upstarts that have shaken up traditional Hollywood. HBO, owned by ... More »
LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) – Mobsters, mountain climbers, and teenage racers piled into multiplexes this weekend, lifting the overall box office, but preventing any one film from dominating ticket sales. “The Maze Runner: Scorch Trails,” a sequel to last year’... More »
LOS ANGELES New faces and bold story-telling challenge old favorites on television’s biggest night on Sunday as the stars and creators of scores of comedies, dramas and variety shows gather in Los Angeles for the 67th Primetime Emmy Awards. Hosted by former “S... More »
The Walt Disney Co on Tuesday named two executives to newly created positions in its Disney/ABC Television Group to focus on digital media and consumer experience at a time when TV viewing habits are rapidly changing. Cindy Davis, most recently head of global ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Sony’s faith-based drama “War Room” has the edge on N.W.A biopic “Straight Outta Compton” with $9.3 million to lead the modest U.S. box office over the Friday-Sunday weekend. “Straight Outta Compton” took in $8.9 million at 3,094 lo... More »
LOS ANGELES Stephen Colbert has already declared his intention to drop the well-worn persona of the cluelessly pompous conservative pundit he invented for cable television when he debuts this week as host of the CBS “Late Show.” What remains to be seen is how ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – The box office underwent a religious conversion this weekend as Christian crowds flocked to “War Room,” lifting the low-budget salute to prayer above the Zac Efron drama “We’re You’re Friends” and the Owen Wilson thriller “No Escape... More »
BENICASSIM, Spain An American Jewish musician who was controversially barred from a reggae festival in Spain before being invited back to play performed to catcalls from some pro-Palestinian protesters on Sunday, though the concert passed off peacefully after ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Scathing reviews and an indiscreet tweet left “Fantastic Four” on the slab after the franchise reboot flopped at the weekend box office. Fox’s hopes of rejuvenating the comicbook characters and turning the super-team into a cinemati... More »
U.S. media stocks have taken an indiscriminate beating this week, but many big fund managers still like entertainment conglomerate Walt Disney Co while turning negative for the long term on Discovery Communications, owner of several niche television franchises... More »
AMC Networks Inc’s (AMCX.O) shares fell as much as 14 percent despite the company’s strong results, continuing a slide triggered by Walt Disney Co’s (DIS.N) forecast that suggested that more customers were deserting paid TV than expected. Walt Disney Co (DIS.N... More »
New York Times Co reported lower-than-expected quarterly revenue as its print advertising sales fell for the fourth straight quarter. Shares of the company, which also forecast a decline in its current-quarter ad revenue, fell as much as 6 percent on Thursday.... More »
Viacom Inc reported weaker-than-expected quarterly revenue, hurt by lower advertising revenue from its U.S. cable TV business as viewers increasingly shift to online streaming services. The results add to investor concerns over the U.S. cable industry after di... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – Tom Cruise’s “Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation” dominated the U.S. box office this weekend with an impressive $56 million at 3,956 locations. The Paramount/Skydance tentpole generated $20.3 million at the Friday box office, settin... More »
NEW YORK A U.S. judge ruled on Thursday that online television service FilmOn X LLC should be treated like a traditional cable system in order to transmit the programs of the nation’s broadcasters over the Internet. The ruling, coming as consumer TV-watching h... More »
LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) – “Minions” ruled the weekend box office, racking up a massive $115.2 million in North America, for the second biggest animated film opening in history. The Universal and Illumination Entertainment spin-off to “Despicable Me” just mi... More »
LOS ANGELES The “happiest place on Earth” will keep a special tax exemption in Anaheim, California, for 30 more years if the City Council approves the Walt Disney Co’s plan for a $1 billion-plus expansion of its theme park complex in the city. The five-member ... More »
LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – “Inside Out” delivered the firepower at the five-day holiday weekend box office as it finished in first ahead of “Jurassic World” and new entries “Terminator: Genisys” and “Magic Mike XXL.” In a tight race, Disney-Pixar’s animated c... More »
LOS ANGELES, (Variety.com) – The party wasn’t as wild the second time around. Universal’s “Ted 2” debuted to an underwhelming $32.9 million across 3,442 theaters, roughly $15 million less than most analysts had expected the pot-smoking teddy bear comedy would ... More »
ORLANDO, Fla. Walt Disney Co will ban selfie sticks starting next week at its theme parks around the world, the company said on Friday, joining a growing list of attractions that restrict the camera accessories for safety reasons. Beginning Tuesday, the compan... More »
A woman walks past icons for Apple applications at the company’s retail store in San Francisco, California April 22, 2009. REUTERS/Robert Galbraith Tired of the same restaurants and clubs? Not sure if friends would want to venture to a new cafe or bar? New app... More »
