TV, Film & Media Industry International News Roundup, Weekend 3-4 August 2024
Austria submits 'The Devil's Bath' for Oscars; Roku cuts Q2 loss; Janet Yang re-elected; 'Kneecap' for Oscars; BAFTA adds award; Apple, Amazon, Snap earnings; US loves UK shows; Bette Midler shines.
Today’s Highlights:
Austria Submits the Berlinale Prizewinning Thriller 'The Devil's Bath' for the International Feature Film Oscar race.
Roku Slashes Q2 Net Loss 68% to $34 Million - Roku reports a 68% reduction in Q2 net loss and a revenue increase.
Janet Yang Re-Elected Motion Picture Academy President for 3rd Term—Janet Yang has been re-elected president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
'Kneecap' Selected as Ireland's Entry for the 2025 International Film Race—Ireland selected "Kneecap" for the 2025 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.
BAFTA Introduces Children's and Family Film Award for 2025, Reduces Jury Interventions - BAFTA announces a new award category and reduces jury interventions.
Apple Services Revenue Rises to $24.2B, Beating Expectations - Apple's services business reports increased earnings, beating Wall Street estimates.
Amazon Q2 Ad Revenue Up 20% to $12.8 Billion, Short of Wall Street Forecasts - Amazon's ad revenue rises but falls short of expectations.
Snap Grows User Numbers But Misses Quarterly Revenue Expectations - Snap increases daily active users but misses revenue expectations.
Revealed: How American Viewers Have Flocked To British Content On Netflix & Prime Video Since The Strikes - New research shows a significant increase in American viewers watching UK streaming content.
Bette Midler on Her Life of Raunch and Rock' n' Roll: "I Had Such Fun" - Bette Midler reflects on her career and continued success in entertainment.
Plus: News, Insights, Executive Moves, In Development, Deals, and Jobs with Seven West Media, SBS, ABC, ITV, Sony, Channel 4 & Audible.
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NEWS
Austria Submits Berlinale Prizewinning Thriller ‘The Devil’s Bath’ for Oscars International Feature Film Race
Austria has submitted “The Devil’s Bath,” a period psychological thriller by directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, for the international feature film Oscar race. The film, which won the Silver Bear for best cinematography at the Berlin Film Festival, is set in rural Austria in 1750. It stars Anja Plaschg as Agnes, a young married woman who feels oppressed and trapped, leading her to commit a shocking act of violence.
From: Variety
Roku Slashes Q2 Net Loss 68% to $34 Million
Roku reported a 68% reduction in its Q2 net loss, bringing it down to $34 million. The company’s revenue increased by 11% year-over-year to $847.2 million, surpassing Wall Street estimates. Active accounts rose to 73.5 million, with streaming hours reaching 25.1 billion. Roku credits its success to improved ad sales and operational efficiencies despite ongoing challenges in the advertising market.
From: The Wrap
Janet Yang Re-Elected Motion Picture Academy President for 3rd Term
Janet Yang has been re-elected as president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for a third term. Elected by the Academy's Board of Governors, Yang continues her leadership with a focus on advancing its mission and supporting its global membership. Her film credits include "The Joy Luck Club" and "Over the Moon."
From: The Wrap
'Kneecap' Selected as Ireland's Entry for Oscars 2025 International Film Race
Ireland has selected "Kneecap" as its entry for the 2025 Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category. Directed by Rich Peppiatt and starring Michael Fassbender, the film is a drama about the Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, exploring their rise to fame and the political turmoil they navigate.
From: Screen Daily
BAFTA Introduces Children's and Family Film Award for 2025, Reduces Jury Interventions
BAFTA has announced a new award category for Children's and Family films for the 2025 awards. Additionally, the organisation is reducing jury interventions in voting processes to streamline operations and ensure a more straightforward selection procedure. These changes aim to recognise diverse talent and content in the industry better.
From: Screen Daily
Cinemark Reports Q2 Earnings with Revenue Growth but Faces $32 Million Loss
Cinemark's Q2 earnings reveal a $32 million loss despite a revenue increase to $744 million, up 6% from the previous year. The cinema chain's performance was impacted by the ongoing challenges at the box office and slower-than-expected recovery from the pandemic. CEO Sean Gamble remains optimistic about future growth.
From: The Wrap
AMC Theatres Reports $32 Million Loss Amid Q2 Box Office Slump
AMC Theatres reported a $32 million loss in Q2 due to a box office slump. Despite increased revenues of $1.34 billion, up 15.6% from last year, the company struggled with lower attendance and higher operating costs. AMC remains focused on recovering and adapting to market challenges.
From: The Wrap
Apple Services Revenue Rises to $24.2B, Beating Expectations
Apple’s services business reported earnings of $24.2 billion in its fiscal third quarter, up from $21.2 billion a year ago, beating Wall Street estimates of $23.96 billion. Overall revenues were $85.8 billion, with a net income of $21.4 billion. Apple did not disclose specific contributions from Apple TV+ and Apple Music. CEO Tim Cook highlighted the new June quarter revenue record and announced updates to software platforms, including Apple Intelligence, a generative AI system, emphasising continued investment in customer-enriching innovations.
From: The Hollywood Reporter
Amazon Q2 Ad Revenue Up 20% to $12.8 Billion, Short of Wall Street Forecasts
Amazon’s initiative to insert ads into Prime Video drove its advertising revenue up 20% to $12.77 billion for Q2 2024, though it fell short of analysts’ expectations of $13 billion. In April, CEO Andy Jassy announced Prime Video had surpassed 200 million monthly viewers, highlighting the addition of advertising starting in January. The company also revamped the Prime Video user interface to boost engagement.
From: Variety
Snap Grows User Numbers But Misses Quarterly Revenue Expectations
Snap reached 432 million daily active users in Q2 2024, a 9% year-over-year increase. Revenue rose to $1.24 billion from $1.07 billion, though it missed Wall Street expectations due to weaker brand advertising in certain sectors. Shares fell 22% after hours. Net loss decreased to $249 million from $377 million, and monthly active users hit 850 million. Snapchat+ subscribers grew to 11 million from nine million last quarter.
From: The Hollywood Reporter
INSIGHTS
Revealed: How American Viewers Have Flocked To British Content On Netflix & Prime Video Since The Strikes
New research reveals a 40% increase in American viewers watching UK streaming content on Netflix and Prime Video, amounting to an additional 400 million hours from Q2 2023 to Q1 2024, according to Digital i. This surge marks the highest figure since tracking began three years ago. Popular British shows included Fool Me Once, Bridgerton, Baby Reindeer, The Gentleman, 3 Body Problem, Clarkson’s Farm, and The Grand Tour.
From: Deadline
Moral Madam
Rachel Griffiths stars in "Madam," a New Zealand dramedy about an American woman who starts an ethical brothel after discovering her husband's infidelity and financial troubles. Based on Antonia Murphy's unpublished memoir, the show explores themes of women's rights and the realities of running a business. Griffiths compares her role to real-life single mothers making tough choices for their families, emphasising the relatability and practicality of her character's decisions.
From: Drama Quarterly
Holding On in Hollywood: Assistant Director
An assistant director shares their experience surviving in Hollywood's challenging environment. The article discusses the assistant director's journey, the unpredictable nature of the industry, and the strategies used to stay resilient and succeed in a highly competitive field.
From: The Wrap
Batman: Caped Crusader’ Interview with Bruce Timm
Bruce Timm discusses the new "Batman: Caped Crusader" series coming to Amazon Prime Video. He highlights the show's darker tone, inspiration from the original 1990s animated series, and collaboration with notable creators like J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves. Timm aims to revisit Batman's noir roots, focusing on the character's detective skills and psychological complexity.
From: The Wrap
'Rebel Moon' Director's Cuts: Zack Snyder Interview
Zack Snyder discusses his upcoming Netflix film "Rebel Moon," revealing plans for director's cuts. The film, a sci-fi epic inspired by classic space operas, will feature extended versions to provide deeper storytelling and character development. Snyder emphasises his creative freedom on the project and his excitement for the expansive narrative.
From: The Wrap
Bette Midler on Her Life of Raunch and Rock ‘n’ Roll: “I Had Such Fun”
A quarter-century ago, Bette Midler, frustrated by Hollywood's lack of roles for middle-aged women, declared, "Movies are over for me." At 78, with a new comedy in theatres and more projects in development, she's clearly reconsidered. Midler's versatile talent—singing, acting, comedy, and dancing—has fueled a career spanning music, movies, Vegas, Broadway, and TV. Despite some setbacks, she thrives. Beyond entertainment, she's a philanthropist, founding the New York Restoration Project, which creates parks and green spaces for underserved NYC communities.
From: The Hollywood Reporter
How (and Why) ‘Dirty Pop’ Deepfaked Lou Pearlman
Backstreet's back, along with NSYNC, O-Town, and other Lou Pearlman boy bands, in Netflix's hit docuseries “Dirty Pop: The Boy Band Scam.” Directed by David Terry Fine and executive produced by Pearlman boy band member Michael Johnson, this three-part series revisits Pearlman's crimes with a modern storytelling twist. Despite Pearlman's death nearly eight years ago, actor Chris Banks and machine learning technology bring his narration to life.
From: IndieWire
I Also Do This: How A Plunge Into Painting Saved Producer Denise Di Novi’s Life
Producer Denise Di Novi, known for hits like Heathers, Edward Scissorhands, and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, will showcase a different talent with her art exhibit Portal. Running from August 10 to September 14 at the Honarker Foundation Gallery in Laguna Beach, the exhibit features her paintings. Di Novi describes her art as a spontaneous expression that provided a creative outlet during her grief over losing her husband.
From: Deadline
The Secrets Behind Casting the 'House of the Dragon' Actors | Vanity Fair
House of the Dragon casting director Kate Rhodes James walks us through her casting process and shares her foresight for each character's future on the show. From Emma D'Arcy as Rhaenerya to Matt Smith as Daemon Targaryen, Kate breaks down the intricacies of creating the show's vision through her stellar casting.
Kneecap Director Rich Peppiatt Discuss His Wild Modern-Day Trainspotting
Director Rich Peppiatt discussed his new film Kneecap with MovieWeb's Julian Roman. The film is a modern-day Trainspotting based on the Irish rap group of the same name and starring its members. When Belfast schoolteacher JJ meets Naoise and Liam Og, Kneecap becomes the Civil Rights Movement's unlikely figurehead. Battling police, paramilitaries, and politicians, they rally for native cultures in this sex, drugs, and hip-hop biopic.
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