Cinemark Isn’t Sold on AMC-Universal Early VOD Deal

Todd Spangler NY Digital EditorEmbattled podcaster Joe Rogan said he isn’t planning to exit his Spotify deal to bring his popular — and controversial — show to Rumble, a video platform startup catering to right-wing personalities.Rogan, in a stand-up performance Tuesday in Austin, Texas, told the crowd he would not be moving “The Joe Rogan Experience” to Rumble, which earlier this week publicly offered him a $100 million deal. Rogan’s exclusive multiyear Spotify deal is reportedly worth more than $100 million.“No, Spotify has hung in with me, inexplicably,” Rogan said in answer to an audience member’s question about whether he was taking Rumble up on its offer, as reported by THR.

Angelique Jackson America Ferrera has signed on to play opposite Margot Robbie in “Barbie,” the upcoming movie from Warner Bros., Mattel and Robbie’s LuckyChap Entertainment.Greta Gerwig is directing the movie, from a script she co-wrote with Noah Baumbach, with Robbie playing the titular doll and Ryan Gosling playing Ken.

Manchester United have been advised how to deal with Paul Pogba and his ongoing contract dilemma.

Angelique Jackson Bleecker Street has secured North American rights to Catherine Hardwicke’s new action-comedy, “Mafia Mamma,” starring Toni Collette, Monica Bellucci and Rob Huebel.Collette stars in the film as a suburban American woman, who inherits her grandfather’s mafia empire and must learn navigate her new role as the head of the family business, defying everyone’s expectations.Based on an original idea by acclaimed French novelist, screenwriter and filmmaker Amanda Sthers, Hardwicke directs from a screenplay written by Debbie Jhoon and Michael J. Feldman (Peacock’s “AP Bio,” Hulu’s”Deadbeat”).

Wilson Chapman editorWith the Super Bowl taking place in Los Angeles for the first time in over 30 years, celebrities, NFL stars and musical acts will be descending onto the city for a week of parties, concerts, galas and private VIP events.But one can’t forget omicron. While the 2022 Super Bowl weekend once seemed like something of a return to normal for these events after a much quieter 2021, the recent COVID surge has caused several event companies to alter their plans for the upcoming celebrations.

Manori Ravindran International EditorYou can’t say we weren’t warned.When the omicron wave hit in December, the Berlin Film Festival frantically pivoted to ensure a physical event went ahead, and organizers cautioned that heavy COVID restrictions would be in place at the 72nd edition of the fest.True to form, those measures are keenly felt on the ground in Berlin, where COVID-testing buses and strict vaccination and booster checks will be de rigueur over the next week. Depending on where you’re coming from, that may be a shock to the system, but it appears to be a lot more straightforward than it looks — and rest assured you’ll be spared the indignity of spitting into test tubes.A day before Thursday’s opening ceremony, which screens Francois Ozon’s “Peter von Kant,” the main festival grounds are noticeably subdued, with the Berlinale Palast red carpet still in the process of being set up.

A number of Bolton Wanderers supporters have been banned from future matches after anti-social behaviour at recent games.

Two people in England have been diagnosed with Lassa fever, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has announced.

Ed Meza @edmezavarOrganizers of the upcoming Berlinale continue to plan for a physical festival under strict safety measures, but with the EFM already moved online due to rising COVID-19 cases, this year looks set to be another gloomy gathering, not only for Germany’s dispirited film sector, but also for Berlin businesses bracing for more lost revenue.Local cinema operators and distributors have welcomed the move, but the condensed event and ongoing Omicron scare is likely to keep attendance on the low side.“This is such an important signal for the entire culture and film industry,” says Christian Bräuer, chairman of independent cinema association AG Kino – Gilde and managing director of Berlin’s Yorck-Kino group. “Of course, as social venues, we are aware of our responsibility.

Joe Otterson TV ReporterAnthony Ramos has joined the upcoming Marvel series “Ironheart” at Disney Plus, Variety has confirmed with sourcesRamos was most recently seen in the film adaptation of “In the Heights.”Marvel Studios declined to comment.More to come…

A money-saving expert has discovered a simple kettle trick that can reduce your annual energy bill by hundreds of pounds.

Katcy Stephan “When you watch this show, you’re probably thinking, ‘Gosh, this is a bit crazy.’” So says David Oyelowo of his character in HBO Max’s twisty psychological thriller “The Girl Before.”In the four-episode series, Oyelowo stars as Edward Monkford, the brooding architect behind a one-of-a-kind ultra-minimalist home in London that comes with a daunting set of rules. Viewers follow two women, Jane (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and Emma (Jessica Plummer), during separate timelines in which they inhabit Edward’s house and subsequently enter relationships with the mysterious owner.In exchange for affordable rent, the women are expected to live according to Edward’s stipulations: no pictures, no ornaments, no children, no books—the list goes on, to the tune of 200 rules.

Such tragic news.

Jason Segel) — in mourning, following the sudden death of her older sister, Bailey. «After she loses Bailey, she finds it really hard to pursue the things that she's passionate about,» Kaufman says of her character. «It's really challenging for her to find that momentum.»Lennie finds a friend in Joe, who shares her love for music and is an instant hit with her family, helping them all to start moving past their grief. However, their relationship is complicated by Lennie's feelings for Bailey's fiancé, Toby (Pico Alexander).

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaLeonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions has signed a first-look deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment, reuniting the actor with the studio behind his recent hit “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” Appian Way previously produced “The Revenant, “The Wolf of Wall Street,” and “Shutter Island.” It is co-run by Jennifer Davisson. The deal is described as “multi-year” and the companies are already in development on two projects.Sony Pictures chief Tom Rothman was effusive in his praise for DiCaprio.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaAMC Theatres has just endured one of the most traumatic periods in its hundred-year history. As the theater chain looks to reopen 100 of its locations on Aug.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaMost cinemas in the U.S. are closed, major summer films have been pushed back indefinitely, and studios keep selling their movies to Netflix.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and MediaAMC Entertainment lost $561.2 million during a quarter where the world’s largest exhibitor’s cinemas were closed to moviegoers and virtually its entire staff was laid off or furloughed. Revenues at the company topped out at $18.9 million, a 98% plunge from the year-ago period.

Last week, a landmark deal between AMC Theatres and NBCUniversal rocked the film industry, as the two agreed to shorten the exclusive theatrical windows for films from nearly three months to merely 17 days, allowing for the film studio to release features on Premium VOD less than three weeks after they debut on the big screen. Needless to say, this was a divisive move, not just in the minds of analysts and film fans, who might see this as an inevitability, but also with theatrical exhibitors and cinema chains, such as one of AMC’s biggest competitors, Cinemark.

Cinema giant Cinemark Holdings swung to a loss for its second quarter due to the financial hit from the novel coronavirus pandemic. The company, led by CEO Mark Zoradi, on Tuesday reported a loss of $170 million, compared with a year-ago profit of $101 million.

Anthony D'Alessandro Editorial Director/Box Office EditorCinemark CEO Mark Zoradi weighed in this morning on all the noise that Universal and AMC stirred up last week with their plan to crunch the theatrical window to 17 days.“Consistent with our past practices, Cinemark does not comment on the actions of our competitors. That said we believe an exclusive theatrical window is critically important.