HokieRaven5
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2020
- Messages
- 7,837
Correct. Was between them and Apple for a while.
DIS Shareholders and Stock Info ONLY
- Thread starter hhisc16
- Start date
Douglas Dubh
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 13, 1999
- Messages
- 4,638
WDW has 53 rides over 4 parks. It has probably 20 or 30 more non-ride attractions.
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
Looks like some trading activity in DIS common by company insiders.
https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/dis/sec-filings
https://www.secform4.com/insider-trading/1744489.htm
https://www.nasdaq.com/market-activity/stocks/dis/sec-filings
https://www.secform4.com/insider-trading/1744489.htm
- Joined
- Apr 29, 2004
- Messages
- 38,154
Wondering if these are routine transactions to cover the taxes incurred on share distributions.
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
That must be it.
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
https://dapsmagic.com/2022/12/bob-i...-gratitude-and-share-optimism-for-the-future/
December 21, 2022
Bob Iger Emails Disney Fans to Express Gratitude and Share Optimism for the Future
Today Disney fans received an email from recently returned Disney CEO Bob Iger. In the email with the subject heading “A Holiday Message from Bob Iger,” he shares gratitude for the Disney fans. “Disney is fortunate to have the most devoted and enthusiastic fans,” Iger said in the email. He continued on to share about how he was reminded of this when visiting Disneyland for the Candlelight Processional. When he did, he was greeted by cheers from fans that were ecstatic about his return to the CEO role. “We are immeasurably grateful to the generations of fans all around the globe who have invited our stories and characters into their lives,” Iger said.
The email comes as the company prepares to begin its 100th anniversary celebration. As Iger shared about the coming celebration, he also again expressed gratitude for the Disney community that will be celebrating this milestone together. The email continues with a nod towards D23 and the events that it will be holding in the coming year as part of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebration. As he looks to the future he shares that “we love your passion for our company and your enthusiasm for what we create, and we will continue to do our best to exceed your highest expectations.”
Iger also says, “there has never been a better time to be a Disney fan.” He then wraps up the email by expressing how happy he is to be leading Disney again, how grateful he is for the fans, and wishing everyone a “a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and prosperous New Year.”
This is the first email of its kind to be received from a Disney CEO, from that CEO’s own email address. It comes after two years where Disney fans have felt less than appreciated by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Since returning as the Disney CEO, Disney fans have seen spirits climb with hopes that things will change and the focus will return to creativity, people, and making magic instead of only the bottom line. This email of gratitude from Iger is a good step as Disney shows the heart of the company has returned under his leadership.
The full email can be read here:
Dear Mr. Daps,
As we approach the end of 2022, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to the biggest Disney fans in the world – all of you.
Disney is fortunate to have the most devoted and enthusiastic fans, and I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when I visited Disneyland Resort and attended the Candlelight Processional. It was invigorating to be surrounded by so many guests who make what we do possible. We love your passion for our company and your enthusiasm for what we create, and we will continue to do our best to exceed your highest expectations.
As you know, next year Disney will mark its 100th anniversary. We are immeasurably grateful to the generations of fans all around the globe who have invited our stories and characters into their lives, and we look forward to celebrating the groundbreaking moments, the cherished memories, and the creative visionaries that made Disney the most beloved name in entertainment over the past century.
During the coming year, D23 will launch a slate of exciting events to mark this historic milestone. More information can be found here.
Looking at all the opportunities ahead, I can honestly say there has never been a better time to be a Disney fan. It is an extraordinary privilege to lead this remarkable company again, and I am so grateful for your continued passion for Disney. On behalf of all of us at The Walt Disney Company, I wish you a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Best,
Bob Iger
December 21, 2022
Bob Iger Emails Disney Fans to Express Gratitude and Share Optimism for the Future
Today Disney fans received an email from recently returned Disney CEO Bob Iger. In the email with the subject heading “A Holiday Message from Bob Iger,” he shares gratitude for the Disney fans. “Disney is fortunate to have the most devoted and enthusiastic fans,” Iger said in the email. He continued on to share about how he was reminded of this when visiting Disneyland for the Candlelight Processional. When he did, he was greeted by cheers from fans that were ecstatic about his return to the CEO role. “We are immeasurably grateful to the generations of fans all around the globe who have invited our stories and characters into their lives,” Iger said.
The email comes as the company prepares to begin its 100th anniversary celebration. As Iger shared about the coming celebration, he also again expressed gratitude for the Disney community that will be celebrating this milestone together. The email continues with a nod towards D23 and the events that it will be holding in the coming year as part of the Disney 100 Years of Wonder celebration. As he looks to the future he shares that “we love your passion for our company and your enthusiasm for what we create, and we will continue to do our best to exceed your highest expectations.”
Iger also says, “there has never been a better time to be a Disney fan.” He then wraps up the email by expressing how happy he is to be leading Disney again, how grateful he is for the fans, and wishing everyone a “a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and prosperous New Year.”
This is the first email of its kind to be received from a Disney CEO, from that CEO’s own email address. It comes after two years where Disney fans have felt less than appreciated by former Disney CEO Bob Chapek. Since returning as the Disney CEO, Disney fans have seen spirits climb with hopes that things will change and the focus will return to creativity, people, and making magic instead of only the bottom line. This email of gratitude from Iger is a good step as Disney shows the heart of the company has returned under his leadership.
The full email can be read here:
Dear Mr. Daps,
As we approach the end of 2022, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to the biggest Disney fans in the world – all of you.
Disney is fortunate to have the most devoted and enthusiastic fans, and I was reminded of this a few weeks ago when I visited Disneyland Resort and attended the Candlelight Processional. It was invigorating to be surrounded by so many guests who make what we do possible. We love your passion for our company and your enthusiasm for what we create, and we will continue to do our best to exceed your highest expectations.
As you know, next year Disney will mark its 100th anniversary. We are immeasurably grateful to the generations of fans all around the globe who have invited our stories and characters into their lives, and we look forward to celebrating the groundbreaking moments, the cherished memories, and the creative visionaries that made Disney the most beloved name in entertainment over the past century.
During the coming year, D23 will launch a slate of exciting events to mark this historic milestone. More information can be found here.
Looking at all the opportunities ahead, I can honestly say there has never been a better time to be a Disney fan. It is an extraordinary privilege to lead this remarkable company again, and I am so grateful for your continued passion for Disney. On behalf of all of us at The Walt Disney Company, I wish you a wonderful holiday season and a very happy and prosperous New Year.
Best,
Bob Iger
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
New 52 week low today.
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DIS?p=DIS
84.74-2.18 (-2.51%)
As of 12:34PM EST. Market open.
https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/DIS?p=DIS
84.74-2.18 (-2.51%)
As of 12:34PM EST. Market open.
Bovril82
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Nov 21, 2022
- Messages
- 36
And Bob sent an email and everything.
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
In Avatar, Disney Needs a Gift That Keeps on Giving
Blockbuster sequel must show legs to fulfill hopes for a new global franchise
‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ debuts in a universe where streaming platforms tend to quickly pull in movies.Photo: Disney
By Dan Gallagher
Dec. 22, 2022 10:19 am ET
Theater operators say the new “Avatar” movie needs time. But that might not be enough.
The long-anticipated sequel to the biggest blockbuster ever had a mixed opening last weekend. A global bow of $435 million puts Disney DIS -2.30%decrease; red down pointing triangle
‘s “Avatar: The Way of Water” in second place as far as this year’s releases go. But its domestic haul of $134 million on the opening weekend ranks fifth this year and fell short of expectations of $150 million to $175 million. Even Disney expressed disappointment in the film’s $57.1 million opening in China, where fresh Covid outbreaks have sharply limited attendance—leaving the movie to play to near-empty theaters in some cases.
Blockbuster sequel must show legs to fulfill hopes for a new global franchise
‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ debuts in a universe where streaming platforms tend to quickly pull in movies.Photo: Disney
By Dan Gallagher
Dec. 22, 2022 10:19 am ET
Theater operators say the new “Avatar” movie needs time. But that might not be enough.
The long-anticipated sequel to the biggest blockbuster ever had a mixed opening last weekend. A global bow of $435 million puts Disney DIS -2.30%decrease; red down pointing triangle
‘s “Avatar: The Way of Water” in second place as far as this year’s releases go. But its domestic haul of $134 million on the opening weekend ranks fifth this year and fell short of expectations of $150 million to $175 million. Even Disney expressed disappointment in the film’s $57.1 million opening in China, where fresh Covid outbreaks have sharply limited attendance—leaving the movie to play to near-empty theaters in some cases.
Not sure about next year but, if it's long term money, this does seem like a buying opportunity:
https://www.fool.com/investing/2022...hoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
Here's Why You Should Buy Disney Stock Before the End of 2022
https://www.fool.com/investing/2022...hoo-host&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=article
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/18/business/media/streaming-tv-shows-canceled.html
Streaming’s Golden Age Is Suddenly Dimming
After years of breakneck growth, the number of scripted TV series orders made by networks and streamers is in decline.
By John Koblin
Dec. 18, 2022
American television viewers have become accustomed to it: Dozens of premieres every month, hundreds of shows every year, a guarantee from Hollywood that there’s always going to be something new to watch.
The so-called Peak TV era has included unexpected gems (“The White Lotus”), huge hits (“Stranger Things”), meat-and-potatoes fare (nine different series from the “Law & Order” producer Dick Wolf) and the utterly bewildering (five full seasons of the “Full House” reboot, “Fuller House,” on Netflix).
But a new reality has become increasingly clear over the past few months in Hollywood: Peak TV has peaked.
The never-ending supply of new programming that helped define the streaming era — spawning shows at a breakneck pace but also overwhelming viewers with too many choices — appears to finally be slowing.
The number of adult scripted series ordered by TV networks and streaming companies aimed for U.S. audiences fell by 24 percent in the second half of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to Ampere Analysis, a research firm. Compared with 2019, it is a 40 percent drop.
“The second half of the year has really gone off a bit of a cliff,” said Fred Black, a research manager at Ampere.
It may take some time for that to become apparent to viewers — if it becomes apparent at all, given the glut. It is usually months and sometimes more than a year for a TV show to premiere after a network orders it.
The drop is a result of broader reckoning inside the entertainment industry. For years, television executives tossed off billions of dollars on TV series to help build out their streaming services and chase subscribers. The spending has been a boon to high-profile writers and producers, who captured eight- and nine-figure deals, as well as for the actors, directors and behind-the-scenes workers who kept the engine going.
But Wall Street soured on the buy-at-any-cost strategy starting in the spring, when Netflix, the streaming powerhouse, announced that it had lost subscribers for the first time in a decade. Netflix’s stock nose-dived, and other entertainment companies soon watched their share prices fall, too. Hollywood companies quickly shifted, putting a new emphasis on higher profits instead of raw subscriber counts.
Then, in recent months, entertainment companies became increasingly anxious about a slowing economy, the cord-cutting movement and a troublesome advertising market. Since the summer, scores of executives have abruptly been dismissed, strict cost-cutting measures have been adopted and layoffs have taken hold throughout the industry.
The recent decline in show orders tracks that path. The number of series ordered in the first six months of the year showed no signs of letting up — it was shaping up to be just another year of buying in the Peak TV era. In fact, 325 series had been ordered, more than each of the previous three years, according to the research.
That market dried up — and it dried up in a hurry.
Jay Carson, the creator of the Apple TV+ series “The Morning Show,” and who currently has several projects in development at outlets like FX and Peacock, said that his talent representatives had warned him in recent months that it was a “blood bath of a market.”
“They will love and believe in the project and know the material and package are strong, but they’ll tell you that right now if you take it out, you’ll end up like the guys in the opening scene of ‘Saving Private Ryan,’” he said.
Hollywood insiders felt a cutback on series orders was inevitable, particularly when many executives were ignoring profit margins and giving full series orders without so much as seeing a script.
“It’s part cost-cutting and stock price chaos, and part correction for the buying frenzy over the past five years where series were literally ordered over the phone without any proof of concept,” said Robert Greenblatt, the former chairman of NBC Entertainment and WarnerMedia who is now a producer.
For the year, the deepest declines in the number of orders for scripted adult series in the United States were at Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery (which includes HBO and the Turner networks), and Paramount (which includes CBS, Paramount+ and Showtime). The series orders for U.S. audiences have fallen 22 to 27 percent at those three companies, according to Ampere. In the second half of the year, the drop-off in orders from the three companies was even steeper.
After Netflix lost subscribers earlier this year, it vowed to slow its spending on content. Netflix also cut hundreds of jobs and introduced a cheaper advertising tier, overturning the company’s longtime pledge to never allow commercials on the service.
Warner Bros. Discovery, a company that was formed in April, faces a debt of roughly $50 billion, and has been in severe cost-cutting mode. There have been rounds of layoffs companywide, including at HBO and HBO Max, as well as sudden cancellations. The once-popular series “Westworld” was canceled last month — a move that surprised Hollywood — and the lesser-known, raunchy dating series “FBoy Island” was cut a few weeks ago.
And Warner Bros. Discovery-owned basic cable networks like TBS and TNT, which just five years ago had greatly expanded their original programming efforts, have scaled back those ambitions since the merger.
There are a few outliers to this year’s trend: Apple TV+ and Amazon have increased the number of adult scripted series they have purchased this year. So has Disney, according to Ampere’s research. (For the second half of the year, however,
Disney’s buying has declined compared with the same period last year.)
Mr. Black said Amazon and Apple, which get a vast majority of their revenue from their tech products and services, are “obviously not as beholden to the same budget limitations as pure entertainment companies — they have deeper pockets and can weather this storm,” he said.
Although orders for scripted series in the United States are falling, orders for international and unscripted series remain steady, Mr. Black said.
The dip in the United States didn’t come as a complete surprise. John Landgraf, the FX chief executive who coined the term “Peak TV” in 2015, said in August that this year was on pace to have the highest number of scripted TV series to air or stream.
But he also said that he believed this year would be the last one to set a record because fewer networks were investing in scripted content, and because all of the major media companies had already started their streaming services.
“You’re at the point now where you’re not really adding new suppliers, but you are, to some extent, subtracting some suppliers,” he said then.
Indeed, in addition to TBS and TNT, digital giants like Facebook and YouTube, which were investing in original series just a few years ago, have mostly moved on. The CW, which was recently acquired by Nexstar, is looking for lower-cost programming. And there are numerous basic cable networks that in recent years have pulled back from original scripted programming ambitions.
Some writers have found the market conditions so difficult that they are giving up on the idea of turning a project into a TV series — and looking to movies instead.
“In a stark reverse of what happened for 20-plus years, writers are now taking TV projects and converting them to features because they’ll be easier to get done,” said Mr. Carson, the TV writer. “The truth is, a lot of projects for the last 20 years that should have been features were stretched to be TV because that’s just what you did.”
Agents, meanwhile, are recommending a strategy rarely employed in recent years: patience.
“It’s a terrible time to sell right now,” said Rick Rosen, a prominent television agent at WME. “I’m advising my clients, if it’s a really good show and the outlets we want to sell it to are delaying or in not-buying mode, my advice is to wait.”
Within Hollywood executive circles, there is debate about whether buying will pick up in the new year. One complication is the potential for a strike next year by members of the television writers union.
But there is a feeling that when the business stabilizes, the declines will ease, even if the buying doesn’t again reach the highest peaks of the Peak TV era.
And in the end, there could be a silver lining for viewers: Scaling back the volume could make for a higher percentage of quality shows.
“These companies pulling back — thinking longer and harder about each project — is actually good for the business,” said Mr. Greenblatt, the former television executive turned producer. “It will hopefully lead to less waste and more shows worth watching.”
Streaming’s Golden Age Is Suddenly Dimming
After years of breakneck growth, the number of scripted TV series orders made by networks and streamers is in decline.
By John Koblin
Dec. 18, 2022
American television viewers have become accustomed to it: Dozens of premieres every month, hundreds of shows every year, a guarantee from Hollywood that there’s always going to be something new to watch.
The so-called Peak TV era has included unexpected gems (“The White Lotus”), huge hits (“Stranger Things”), meat-and-potatoes fare (nine different series from the “Law & Order” producer Dick Wolf) and the utterly bewildering (five full seasons of the “Full House” reboot, “Fuller House,” on Netflix).
But a new reality has become increasingly clear over the past few months in Hollywood: Peak TV has peaked.
The never-ending supply of new programming that helped define the streaming era — spawning shows at a breakneck pace but also overwhelming viewers with too many choices — appears to finally be slowing.
The number of adult scripted series ordered by TV networks and streaming companies aimed for U.S. audiences fell by 24 percent in the second half of this year, compared with the same period last year, according to Ampere Analysis, a research firm. Compared with 2019, it is a 40 percent drop.
“The second half of the year has really gone off a bit of a cliff,” said Fred Black, a research manager at Ampere.
It may take some time for that to become apparent to viewers — if it becomes apparent at all, given the glut. It is usually months and sometimes more than a year for a TV show to premiere after a network orders it.
The drop is a result of broader reckoning inside the entertainment industry. For years, television executives tossed off billions of dollars on TV series to help build out their streaming services and chase subscribers. The spending has been a boon to high-profile writers and producers, who captured eight- and nine-figure deals, as well as for the actors, directors and behind-the-scenes workers who kept the engine going.
But Wall Street soured on the buy-at-any-cost strategy starting in the spring, when Netflix, the streaming powerhouse, announced that it had lost subscribers for the first time in a decade. Netflix’s stock nose-dived, and other entertainment companies soon watched their share prices fall, too. Hollywood companies quickly shifted, putting a new emphasis on higher profits instead of raw subscriber counts.
Then, in recent months, entertainment companies became increasingly anxious about a slowing economy, the cord-cutting movement and a troublesome advertising market. Since the summer, scores of executives have abruptly been dismissed, strict cost-cutting measures have been adopted and layoffs have taken hold throughout the industry.
The recent decline in show orders tracks that path. The number of series ordered in the first six months of the year showed no signs of letting up — it was shaping up to be just another year of buying in the Peak TV era. In fact, 325 series had been ordered, more than each of the previous three years, according to the research.
That market dried up — and it dried up in a hurry.
Jay Carson, the creator of the Apple TV+ series “The Morning Show,” and who currently has several projects in development at outlets like FX and Peacock, said that his talent representatives had warned him in recent months that it was a “blood bath of a market.”
“They will love and believe in the project and know the material and package are strong, but they’ll tell you that right now if you take it out, you’ll end up like the guys in the opening scene of ‘Saving Private Ryan,’” he said.
Hollywood insiders felt a cutback on series orders was inevitable, particularly when many executives were ignoring profit margins and giving full series orders without so much as seeing a script.
“It’s part cost-cutting and stock price chaos, and part correction for the buying frenzy over the past five years where series were literally ordered over the phone without any proof of concept,” said Robert Greenblatt, the former chairman of NBC Entertainment and WarnerMedia who is now a producer.
For the year, the deepest declines in the number of orders for scripted adult series in the United States were at Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery (which includes HBO and the Turner networks), and Paramount (which includes CBS, Paramount+ and Showtime). The series orders for U.S. audiences have fallen 22 to 27 percent at those three companies, according to Ampere. In the second half of the year, the drop-off in orders from the three companies was even steeper.
After Netflix lost subscribers earlier this year, it vowed to slow its spending on content. Netflix also cut hundreds of jobs and introduced a cheaper advertising tier, overturning the company’s longtime pledge to never allow commercials on the service.
Warner Bros. Discovery, a company that was formed in April, faces a debt of roughly $50 billion, and has been in severe cost-cutting mode. There have been rounds of layoffs companywide, including at HBO and HBO Max, as well as sudden cancellations. The once-popular series “Westworld” was canceled last month — a move that surprised Hollywood — and the lesser-known, raunchy dating series “FBoy Island” was cut a few weeks ago.
And Warner Bros. Discovery-owned basic cable networks like TBS and TNT, which just five years ago had greatly expanded their original programming efforts, have scaled back those ambitions since the merger.
There are a few outliers to this year’s trend: Apple TV+ and Amazon have increased the number of adult scripted series they have purchased this year. So has Disney, according to Ampere’s research. (For the second half of the year, however,
Disney’s buying has declined compared with the same period last year.)
Mr. Black said Amazon and Apple, which get a vast majority of their revenue from their tech products and services, are “obviously not as beholden to the same budget limitations as pure entertainment companies — they have deeper pockets and can weather this storm,” he said.
Although orders for scripted series in the United States are falling, orders for international and unscripted series remain steady, Mr. Black said.
The dip in the United States didn’t come as a complete surprise. John Landgraf, the FX chief executive who coined the term “Peak TV” in 2015, said in August that this year was on pace to have the highest number of scripted TV series to air or stream.
But he also said that he believed this year would be the last one to set a record because fewer networks were investing in scripted content, and because all of the major media companies had already started their streaming services.
“You’re at the point now where you’re not really adding new suppliers, but you are, to some extent, subtracting some suppliers,” he said then.
Indeed, in addition to TBS and TNT, digital giants like Facebook and YouTube, which were investing in original series just a few years ago, have mostly moved on. The CW, which was recently acquired by Nexstar, is looking for lower-cost programming. And there are numerous basic cable networks that in recent years have pulled back from original scripted programming ambitions.
Some writers have found the market conditions so difficult that they are giving up on the idea of turning a project into a TV series — and looking to movies instead.
“In a stark reverse of what happened for 20-plus years, writers are now taking TV projects and converting them to features because they’ll be easier to get done,” said Mr. Carson, the TV writer. “The truth is, a lot of projects for the last 20 years that should have been features were stretched to be TV because that’s just what you did.”
Agents, meanwhile, are recommending a strategy rarely employed in recent years: patience.
“It’s a terrible time to sell right now,” said Rick Rosen, a prominent television agent at WME. “I’m advising my clients, if it’s a really good show and the outlets we want to sell it to are delaying or in not-buying mode, my advice is to wait.”
Within Hollywood executive circles, there is debate about whether buying will pick up in the new year. One complication is the potential for a strike next year by members of the television writers union.
But there is a feeling that when the business stabilizes, the declines will ease, even if the buying doesn’t again reach the highest peaks of the Peak TV era.
And in the end, there could be a silver lining for viewers: Scaling back the volume could make for a higher percentage of quality shows.
“These companies pulling back — thinking longer and harder about each project — is actually good for the business,” said Mr. Greenblatt, the former television executive turned producer. “It will hopefully lead to less waste and more shows worth watching.”
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
https://www.nfl.com/news/nfl-google-nfl-sunday-ticket-youtube-tv-youtube-primetime-channels
NFL, Google announce agreement to distribute NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, Primetime Channels
Published: Dec 22, 2022 at 09:19 AM
The National Football League today announced a multi-year agreement with Google granting YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels the right to exclusively distribute NFL Sunday Ticket to consumers in the United States starting with the 2023 NFL season. This strategic partnership will provide fans greater access to NFL Sunday Ticket while tapping into the best of YouTube's technology and product innovation.
"We're excited to bring NFL Sunday Ticket to YouTube TV and YouTube Primetime Channels and usher in a new era of how fans across the United States watch and follow the NFL," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said. "For a number of years we have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games and this partnership is yet another example of us looking towards the future and building the next generation of NFL fans."
"YouTube has long been a home for football fans, whether they're streaming live games, keeping up with their home team, or watching the best plays in highlights," said Susan Wojcicki, CEO of YouTube. "Through this expanded partnership with the NFL, viewers will now also be able to experience the game they love in compelling and innovative ways through YouTube TV or YouTube Primetime Channels. We're excited to continue our work with the NFL to make YouTube a great place for sports lovers everywhere."
Starting next season, NFL Sunday Ticket will be available on two of YouTube's growing subscription businesses as an add-on package on YouTube TV and standalone a-la-carte on YouTube Primetime Channels.
Consisting of all out-of-market Sunday regular-season NFL games (based on viewer's location) broadcast on FOX and CBS, NFL Sunday Ticket allows fans in the United States the ability to follow all their favorite teams and players no matter where they live. Updated NFL Sunday Ticket product features and functionality will be announced ahead of the 2023 NFL season.
NFL Sunday Ticket launched in 1994 and has been distributed on DirecTV's satellite service since its inception. The NFL and YouTube will work together to determine additional ways to support distribution of NFL Sunday Ticket in commercial establishments such as bars and restaurants.
The NFL and Google have been partners since the League first launched its official NFL channel on YouTube in 2015. Since then, the NFL YouTube channel has grown to more than 10 million subscribers who enjoy clips, highlights, game-day compilations and exclusive original content series like NFL Follies and NFL Films' two-time Emmy winning flagship series Gameday All-Access, a mic'd up players show bringing fans inside the huddle and on the sidelines for exclusive access during the game.
Since 2015, the NFL's presence on YouTube has increased to include channels for all 32 NFL clubs, as well as ten official League channels including NFL Films, NFL Network, and the NFL's Hispanic channel, Mundo NFL. Since the start of the NFL/YouTube partnership, NFL content on YouTube has generated billions of views.
In 2020, the NFL expanded its partnership with a carriage agreement to bring NFL Network and NFL RedZone to YouTube TV subscribers. Under the expanded relationship, the carriage agreement has been extended.
YouTube remains an important outlet for NFL fans globally to access NFL content, and this new agreement will see a broader commitment to work together to engage with the NFL's international fanbase. This will include increased content on the NFL channel, the creation of a NFL International show available on the YouTube platform, and the creation of a creator content program for select top YouTube creators globally.
"As the ways fans enjoy NFL football evolve in a changing media landscape, partnerships with innovators like YouTube will ensure that more games are available to more fans, said Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots and chairman of the NFL's Media Committee. "This partnership will grow our game for future generations and allow them to follow their favorite sport."
Additionally, as part of the agreement, YouTube and the NFL will facilitate exclusive access to official content and attendance opportunities for select YouTube Creators at key NFL tentpole events. YouTube is now also the presenting sponsor of both Back Together Saturday as well as NFL Kickoff Weekend. Back Together Saturday is the League's official start to training camp when all 32 NFL clubs hold practices with club-led fan events. YouTube's presenting sponsorship of NFL Kickoff Weekend marks the first time a League partner will have a presence from the kickoff of the season on
Thursday night through the weekend games and Monday night, driving excitement for the start of the season.
YouTube TV is a subscription streaming service that lets viewers watch live and on-demand TV from over 100 channels through a simple and award-winning experience. Viewers have access to local and national live sports, breaking news, shows, movies, and more, and can tune in on any screen (phone, tablet, TV, computer). With over 5 million subscribers and trialers, YouTube TV offers features such as unlimited cloud DVR storage space, the ability to view key sports plays, hide spoilers, and check out real-time stats.
YouTube Primetime Channels is a new way for users to subscribe and watch content from their favorite streaming services right on the YouTube app. With over 30 channels, users can browse, sign up for, and watch their favorite shows, movies, sports, and more. With so many streaming options today, Primetime Channels makes it easier for viewers to watch their content in one place without having to jump from app to app, while also managing their subscriptions all in one place.
The NFL is the most popular live television content in all of sports and entertainment. Over the last five years, 49 of the top 50 and 92 of the top 100 most-watched programs on U.S. television have been NFL games.
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
https://www.investopedia.com/nfl-de...te-yahoo&utm_source=yahoo&utm_medium=referral
YouTube's NFL Deal Is a Score for Streaming, Sack for Cable
Google unit will pay $2 billion a year for the Sunday Ticket package of out-of-market games
By Igor Greenwald
Published December 22, 2022
The National Football League (NFL) will move its Sunday Ticket package of live games to YouTube from DirecTV, marking the latest exit for a cable industry already losing subscribers to streaming services.1
The deal will apply only to out-of-market games, meaning viewers won't be able to see games taking place in their local area. YouTube, a unit of Alphabet-owned Google (GOOG), will pay the NFL about $2 billion annually under a seven-year contract after outbidding Amazon (AMZN) and Walt Disney (DIS) subsidiary ESPN.2
"We have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "This partnership is yet another example of us looking towards the future and building the next generation of NFL fans."1
The television package costs $300 a year and $400 with premium features at DirecTV, hasn't been available previously in detached homes without the satellite dish service.3 DirecTV parent, AT&T (T), paid $1.5 billion annually under an eight-year deal expiring this year.4
NFL Expanding Playbook
Last year, the NFL awarded a weekly national Thursday game to Amazon's Prime Video for a $1 billion annual fee in its first streaming foray. Including TV deals with ESPN, Comcast (CMCSA) unit NBC Universal, New Corp (NWSA, NWS) subsidiary Fox, and Paramount's (PARA) CBS, the league secured some $100 billion over 11 years.5
NBC and CBS stream the games they televise on their own streaming services, Peacock and Paramount+ respectively. The NFL also streams games on the NFL+ app, though subscribers can only watch live regular season and playoff contests on phones and tablets.
At YouTube, Sunday Ticket and its live coverage of all games out-of-market games will be available as an add-on to the $65 a month YouTube TV service and as a standalone on YouTube Prime Channels. YouTube has declined to say how much it plans to charge for Sunday Ticket. "We're going on an increasingly attractive platform that is growing on a global basis,” Goodell told The Wall Street Journal.2 Alphabet is counting on growth in subscriptions to offset a recent advertising slowdown at YouTube.6
Streaming's Threat to Cable
Added competition for sports rights from tech giants including Google, Amazon, and Apple (AAPL) has squeezed TV sports broadcasters, whose audience has been shrinking amid consumer defections from cable.7 Apple, which the New York Times said was involved in bidding on the Sunday Ticket package before bowing out, streams Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer games on AppleTV.6
The pressure of rising rights fees and diminished TV revenue is likely to force recently rehired Disney CEO Bob Iger to initiate spinoffs of ESPN and ABC in 2023, Well Fargo analysts said this week.8
DirecTV lost $500 million a year on Sunday ticket, and major sports TV rights have also increasingly become loss leaders for the broadcast networks.59
The deal with YouTube, which has more than 5 million YouTube TV subscribers, grants the NFL incentives based on subscriber growth and other performance metrics, according to the Times, which estimated the contract's annual value at $2.5 billion.6 YouTube's deal covers only residential Sunday Ticket subscribers, allowing the NFL to cut a separate deal, likely with DirectTV, to continue delivering the service to bars and restaurants.10
Article Sources
National Football League. "NFL, Google Announce Agreement to Distribute NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, Primetime Channels."
The Wall Street Journal. "YouTube Paying Roughly $2 Billion a Year for NFL Sunday Ticket."
DirecTV. "Get Sunday Ticket."
Fierce Video. "DirecTV and NFL Ink Sunday Ticket Deal: 8 Years at $1.5B per Year."
CNBC. "NFL Finalizes New 11-year Media Rights Deal, Amazon Gets Exclusive Thursday Night Rights."
The New York Times. "YouTube Reaches Deal for NFL Sunday Ticket."
IBISWorld. "Number of Cable TV Subscriptions."
Morningstar. "Disney Will Spin Off ESPN in 2023, Allowing It to Stream Directly to Sports Fans, Analysts Predict."
Sportico. "Sports Broadcast Rights Pacts Becoming 'Loss Leaders' for Networks."
CNBC. "NFL Sunday Ticket Goes to YouTube in $2 Billion Deal."
YouTube's NFL Deal Is a Score for Streaming, Sack for Cable
Google unit will pay $2 billion a year for the Sunday Ticket package of out-of-market games
By Igor Greenwald
Published December 22, 2022
The National Football League (NFL) will move its Sunday Ticket package of live games to YouTube from DirecTV, marking the latest exit for a cable industry already losing subscribers to streaming services.1
The deal will apply only to out-of-market games, meaning viewers won't be able to see games taking place in their local area. YouTube, a unit of Alphabet-owned Google (GOOG), will pay the NFL about $2 billion annually under a seven-year contract after outbidding Amazon (AMZN) and Walt Disney (DIS) subsidiary ESPN.2
Key Takeaways
- Google subsidiary YouTube landed a seven-year contract with the National Football League to stream out-of-market NFL games
- The contract for the NFL Sunday Ticket package will pay the league about $2 billion annually, up from $1.5 billion a year under a previous deal with AT&T's DirecTV.
- The shift dramatically expands Sunday Ticket's potential audience and poses a further threat to cable networks, which are losing subscribers to streaming services.
- YouTube and rival streaming platforms are paying up for premium content in pursuit of long-term growth amid a recent slowdown in advertising revenue.
"We have been focused on increased digital distribution of our games," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "This partnership is yet another example of us looking towards the future and building the next generation of NFL fans."1
The television package costs $300 a year and $400 with premium features at DirecTV, hasn't been available previously in detached homes without the satellite dish service.3 DirecTV parent, AT&T (T), paid $1.5 billion annually under an eight-year deal expiring this year.4
NFL Expanding Playbook
Last year, the NFL awarded a weekly national Thursday game to Amazon's Prime Video for a $1 billion annual fee in its first streaming foray. Including TV deals with ESPN, Comcast (CMCSA) unit NBC Universal, New Corp (NWSA, NWS) subsidiary Fox, and Paramount's (PARA) CBS, the league secured some $100 billion over 11 years.5
NBC and CBS stream the games they televise on their own streaming services, Peacock and Paramount+ respectively. The NFL also streams games on the NFL+ app, though subscribers can only watch live regular season and playoff contests on phones and tablets.
At YouTube, Sunday Ticket and its live coverage of all games out-of-market games will be available as an add-on to the $65 a month YouTube TV service and as a standalone on YouTube Prime Channels. YouTube has declined to say how much it plans to charge for Sunday Ticket. "We're going on an increasingly attractive platform that is growing on a global basis,” Goodell told The Wall Street Journal.2 Alphabet is counting on growth in subscriptions to offset a recent advertising slowdown at YouTube.6
Streaming's Threat to Cable
Added competition for sports rights from tech giants including Google, Amazon, and Apple (AAPL) has squeezed TV sports broadcasters, whose audience has been shrinking amid consumer defections from cable.7 Apple, which the New York Times said was involved in bidding on the Sunday Ticket package before bowing out, streams Major League Baseball and Major League Soccer games on AppleTV.6
The pressure of rising rights fees and diminished TV revenue is likely to force recently rehired Disney CEO Bob Iger to initiate spinoffs of ESPN and ABC in 2023, Well Fargo analysts said this week.8
DirecTV lost $500 million a year on Sunday ticket, and major sports TV rights have also increasingly become loss leaders for the broadcast networks.59
The deal with YouTube, which has more than 5 million YouTube TV subscribers, grants the NFL incentives based on subscriber growth and other performance metrics, according to the Times, which estimated the contract's annual value at $2.5 billion.6 YouTube's deal covers only residential Sunday Ticket subscribers, allowing the NFL to cut a separate deal, likely with DirectTV, to continue delivering the service to bars and restaurants.10
Article Sources
National Football League. "NFL, Google Announce Agreement to Distribute NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, Primetime Channels."
The Wall Street Journal. "YouTube Paying Roughly $2 Billion a Year for NFL Sunday Ticket."
DirecTV. "Get Sunday Ticket."
Fierce Video. "DirecTV and NFL Ink Sunday Ticket Deal: 8 Years at $1.5B per Year."
CNBC. "NFL Finalizes New 11-year Media Rights Deal, Amazon Gets Exclusive Thursday Night Rights."
The New York Times. "YouTube Reaches Deal for NFL Sunday Ticket."
IBISWorld. "Number of Cable TV Subscriptions."
Morningstar. "Disney Will Spin Off ESPN in 2023, Allowing It to Stream Directly to Sports Fans, Analysts Predict."
Sportico. "Sports Broadcast Rights Pacts Becoming 'Loss Leaders' for Networks."
CNBC. "NFL Sunday Ticket Goes to YouTube in $2 Billion Deal."
Last edited:
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/12/23/avatar-the-way-of-water-box-office-second-week.html
Sarah Whitten@sarahwhit10
Key Points
James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel to the highest-grossing film of all time fell short of initial box-office expectations during its debut last week. The film snared $134 million domestically, short of the $175 million that industry analysts had predicted, and just under the $135 million to $150 million range that Disney had forecast.
While “The Way of Water” tied with Warner Bros.′ “The Batman” for the fifth-highest opening of the year and nearly doubled the opening weekend of its predecessor, the softer-than-expected opening has left many box-office analysts wondering whether the film will be able to meet Cameron’s lofty goal of $2 billion at the global box office.
As of Thursday, the film had tallied more than $600 million worldwide, a little more than one-fourth of the way to Cameron’s target for profitability.
The movie’s second week will help clarify its longer-term box-office prospects. Showbiz analysts often look to the second week drop as an indicator of whether a film will have longevity at the box office or may fizzle quickly.
For most films, a 50% to 70% drop is the norm. Major tentpole features from Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe often see box-office ticket sales fall in this range after reaching sky-high opening weekend numbers. While those kinds of films can continue on toward billion-dollar or higher theatrical runs, this metric can indicate whether word-of-mouth is bringing new audiences to theaters or whether interest is waning.
A key example is Paramount
and Skydance’s “Top Gun: Maverick” which saw ticket sales decline just 29% in its second week in theaters. The film has generated more than $1.4 billion at the global box office, and played in theaters for more than 200 days before being made available on Paramount+.
“I think ‘Avatar 2’ will continue to slay all day through the year and into the next,” said Jeff Bock, senior analyst at Exhibitor Relations. “The drop will be sizable, sure, but not like a traditional Marvel drop as Cameron’s film is really the only game in town for families for weeks, if not months.”
The next major blockbuster — Disney and Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” — doesn’t hit theaters until Feb. 17, leaving “The Way of Water” a long stretch at the box office without hefty competition.
Not to mention, the days between Christmas and New Year’s eves can account for as much as 5% of the year’s total box-office receipts, according to data from Comscore. Prior to the Covid pandemic, that week averaged between $400 million and $600 million in ticket sales.
Of course, in the wake of the pandemic, the box office has been trailing 2019 levels by around 35%. Without a slew of typical holiday releases, the final stretch of the year could be significantly lower than previous years.
Compounding this is mixed word-of-mouth about “The Way of Water.” While critics have lauded Cameron’s visuals, saying that the movie needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, a large portion have also expressed disappointment in Cameron’s script and its more than three-hour run time. Still, the movie received high marks in audience surveys, including an “A” from CinemaScore and a 93% “fresh” audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Still, few in the industry are betting against Cameron. The filmmaker has a history of long-running hits at the box office, including the original “Avatar” (2009) and “Titanic” (1997).
“This second weekend has long been destined for deflated numbers due to Christmas Eve, but that’s why it’s so critical to view the film’s run based on the strength of weekdays and weekends combined over the long holiday corridor,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “There have been a number of pre-determined headlines about this sequel for years, but let’s wait and reserve judgment based on what the global numbers tell us over the next couple of weeks.”
Aiding the film’s box office has been a significant push for 3D and premium format tickets, which are more expensive than traditional seats. The average ticket for “The Way of Water” is projected to be around $14.76 this weekend, according to data from EntTelligence. Meanwhile, Universal’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” Sony’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and Paramount’s “Babylon” are expected to generate around $11 per ticket.
“James Cameron is no stranger to the importance of the long game when it comes to box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “His films [have previously relied] heavily on the currency of audience excitement building over time rather than an opening weekend pop.”
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ needs a strong second week at the box office
Published Fri, Dec 23 20227:00 AM ESTUpdated 5 Hours AgoSarah Whitten@sarahwhit10
Key Points
- This weekend and the week afterward will go a long way in determining whether James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” will have a dominant box-office run.
- The Disney movie is slated to be the first of four sequels to 2009′s “Avatar,” which is the highest-grossing film of all time.
- Box-office analysts often look to the second week drop as an indicator of whether a film will have longevity at the box office or may fizzle quickly.
James Cameron’s long-awaited sequel to the highest-grossing film of all time fell short of initial box-office expectations during its debut last week. The film snared $134 million domestically, short of the $175 million that industry analysts had predicted, and just under the $135 million to $150 million range that Disney had forecast.
While “The Way of Water” tied with Warner Bros.′ “The Batman” for the fifth-highest opening of the year and nearly doubled the opening weekend of its predecessor, the softer-than-expected opening has left many box-office analysts wondering whether the film will be able to meet Cameron’s lofty goal of $2 billion at the global box office.
As of Thursday, the film had tallied more than $600 million worldwide, a little more than one-fourth of the way to Cameron’s target for profitability.
The movie’s second week will help clarify its longer-term box-office prospects. Showbiz analysts often look to the second week drop as an indicator of whether a film will have longevity at the box office or may fizzle quickly.
For most films, a 50% to 70% drop is the norm. Major tentpole features from Disney’s Marvel Cinematic Universe often see box-office ticket sales fall in this range after reaching sky-high opening weekend numbers. While those kinds of films can continue on toward billion-dollar or higher theatrical runs, this metric can indicate whether word-of-mouth is bringing new audiences to theaters or whether interest is waning.
A key example is Paramount
and Skydance’s “Top Gun: Maverick” which saw ticket sales decline just 29% in its second week in theaters. The film has generated more than $1.4 billion at the global box office, and played in theaters for more than 200 days before being made available on Paramount+.
“I think ‘Avatar 2’ will continue to slay all day through the year and into the next,” said Jeff Bock, senior analyst at Exhibitor Relations. “The drop will be sizable, sure, but not like a traditional Marvel drop as Cameron’s film is really the only game in town for families for weeks, if not months.”
The next major blockbuster — Disney and Marvel’s “Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” — doesn’t hit theaters until Feb. 17, leaving “The Way of Water” a long stretch at the box office without hefty competition.
Not to mention, the days between Christmas and New Year’s eves can account for as much as 5% of the year’s total box-office receipts, according to data from Comscore. Prior to the Covid pandemic, that week averaged between $400 million and $600 million in ticket sales.
Of course, in the wake of the pandemic, the box office has been trailing 2019 levels by around 35%. Without a slew of typical holiday releases, the final stretch of the year could be significantly lower than previous years.
Compounding this is mixed word-of-mouth about “The Way of Water.” While critics have lauded Cameron’s visuals, saying that the movie needs to be seen on the biggest screen possible, a large portion have also expressed disappointment in Cameron’s script and its more than three-hour run time. Still, the movie received high marks in audience surveys, including an “A” from CinemaScore and a 93% “fresh” audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
Still, few in the industry are betting against Cameron. The filmmaker has a history of long-running hits at the box office, including the original “Avatar” (2009) and “Titanic” (1997).
“This second weekend has long been destined for deflated numbers due to Christmas Eve, but that’s why it’s so critical to view the film’s run based on the strength of weekdays and weekends combined over the long holiday corridor,” said Shawn Robbins, chief analyst at BoxOffice.com. “There have been a number of pre-determined headlines about this sequel for years, but let’s wait and reserve judgment based on what the global numbers tell us over the next couple of weeks.”
Aiding the film’s box office has been a significant push for 3D and premium format tickets, which are more expensive than traditional seats. The average ticket for “The Way of Water” is projected to be around $14.76 this weekend, according to data from EntTelligence. Meanwhile, Universal’s “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” Sony’s “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” and Paramount’s “Babylon” are expected to generate around $11 per ticket.
“James Cameron is no stranger to the importance of the long game when it comes to box office,” said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. “His films [have previously relied] heavily on the currency of audience excitement building over time rather than an opening weekend pop.”
Us shareholders will be happy to know our tax dollars went to this very important Disney related study:
The libertarian-leaning Kentucky Republican channeled ornery “Seinfeld” patriarch Frank Costanza Friday in releasing his annual “Festivus Report” laying out nearly $500 billion in wasteful spending — including $118,000 from the National Science Foundation for a study on whether the Marvel movie villain Thanos could actually snap his fingers while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/23/sen-rand-paul-airs-grievances-in-festivus-report-on-waste/
The libertarian-leaning Kentucky Republican channeled ornery “Seinfeld” patriarch Frank Costanza Friday in releasing his annual “Festivus Report” laying out nearly $500 billion in wasteful spending — including $118,000 from the National Science Foundation for a study on whether the Marvel movie villain Thanos could actually snap his fingers while wearing the Infinity Gauntlet.
https://nypost.com/2022/12/23/sen-rand-paul-airs-grievances-in-festivus-report-on-waste/
Suger Mag
MamaBear
- Joined
- Nov 12, 2008
- Messages
- 2,567
Typical political grandstanding ... seize upon a tiny part of a study (like a single line in an introduction) and use it for sensational purposes without actually reading the study...
Actually the study studies the physics of a finger snap, looking at friction forces etc. with the intent to design better robotics for prosthetics. You know, nothing useful like maybe for vets who lose limbs etc to be able to replicate complex hand motions.. but go ahead, use Thanos as the main motivation... sigh
"Their results might one day inform the design of prosthetics meant to imitate the wide-ranging capabilities of the human hand. Bhamla said the project is also a prime example of what he calls curiosity-driven science, where everyday occurrences and biological behaviors can serve as data sources for new discoveries."
a better description of the study
https://beta.nsf.gov/news/snap-record-breaking-motion-our-fingertips
and the actual study...
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2021.0672
wabbott
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Aug 4, 2021
- Messages
- 6,480
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3950117892/?ref_=bo_at_a
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Surges To $881 Million Worldwide Cume, Newcomers Open Soft As Storm Takes Toll on Christmas Weekend Box Office
December 25, 2022 12:45 PST - By Sam Mendelsohn - Box Office News
This Christmas weekend box office looked a lot like last year’s, with a megablockbuster (Spider-Man: No Way Home then, Avatar: The Way of Water now), leading the way, a modest grossing toon in second place (Sing 2 then, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish now), and a slew of other contenders that largely failed to find an audience. The weekend was depressed by having the historically low-grossing Christmas Eve fall on Saturday rather than a weekday (last year the holiday weekend was likewise down as the 24th fell on Friday) and by Storm Elliott which has afflicted a large chunk of the country. The numbers could improve with the actuals, but for now the total box office for the weekend is estimated at just $82.8 million, which is down from last year’s $144 million. The weeks ahead still have strong potential, particularly for the season’s big ticket title Avatar 2, but there’s no denying that the overall slate is not connecting with audiences once again this season.
James Cameron’s epic sci-fi sequel brought in $56 million this weekend (a drop of 58%) and including Monday estimates it grossed $82 million for the four-day, bringing the cume to $280 million after 11 days. That’s the fourth best 11 day cume of the year, behind Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s $294 million, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ $297 million, and Top Gun: Maverick’s $308 million. TWOW may pull ahead of those two MCU films in the coming week, though catching up to Maverick is more of a long shot. By its 11th day, the first Avatar 2 was at just $237 million, but that film just kept playing and playing for months to come as it went on to become the highest grossing film of all time, finishing its initial run with $750 million. Avatar 2 may not have the same juice, but we’re still looking at what may be a top three film since the start of the pandemic.
2016 was the last time Christmas fell on a Sunday, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which also opened a week before the Christmas weekend, was the number one film. Rogue One and The Way of Water saw similar numbers following the opening day (the more frontloaded Star Wars film boasted a considerably larger first Friday), though Rogue One pulled ahead once again in its second weekend grosses, unencumbered by disastrous weather. It had a cume of $318 million by its 11th day and it finished with $532 million, becoming the seventh highest grossing film of all time (now it is 15th). It wouldn’t be a surprise if Avatar: TWOW were to catch up in the weeks ahead, but that’s far from a guarantee and would require much stronger than average holds from the film. Of course, for a James Cameron film, anything less would be a disappointment.
Internationally the film fell 42%, and in many markets the drops were negligible. In both South Korea and France, the second and third biggest international markets respectively, it dropped just 7% bringing the cumes in both countries over $50 million. China remains the biggest market, though unfortunately it dropped a steep 55% owing to the country’s Covid outbreak (take away China and the international drop was just 38%). Still, at $100 million after two weekends, it certainly beats not releasing in China, a fate that has bestowed most Hollywood blockbusters of late. Worldwide the cume is now $881 million, with $1 billion right around the corner, and it will soon be the year’s second highest global grosser after Top Gun: Maverick ($1.489 billion). The holds over the next few weeks should give us a sense of if it can become number one for the year and possibly even approach the $2 billion mark which Cameron claims is the break-even.
The second place film over the Christmas weekend is Universal’s animated Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which opened Wednesday and grossed $11.4 million for the three-day and $18.6 million for the four-day, bringing the cume to $24.7 million through Monday. The best comp is last year’s Sing 2, which also opened in the shadow of a huge franchise film the Wednesday ahead of the Christmas weekend, but unfortunately the gross of Puss in Boots 2 isn’t holding up. Sing 2 was at $47 million at the end of its sixth release day, almost double The Last Wish’s cume. The Last Wish also can’t match up to the first Puss in Boots, which opened to $34.1 million back in 2011. The opening on the toon’s sequel is comparable to Disney’s recent Strange World, which was a box office disaster as it opened to $18.9 million over the long Thanksgiving five-day weekend and has since tallied just $35.9 million.
The good news for the Puss in Boots franchise is that the budget on the sequel is more modest ($90 million) than the costly Strange World, and the legs should be better given the Shrek-spinoff’s strong word of mouth, having received a great A CinemaScore compared to Strange World’s B. There are no major animated films in the first quarter of 2023, so like Sing 2, which legged out to $163 million, Puss in Boots 2 should play long, and with the holidays it could catch up to the solid box office of this year’s earlier animated titles The Bad Guys and DC League of Super-Pets (both films opened at $23-24 million and finished in the mid-$90 millions). Worldwide the total is $57.2 million.
Sony’s Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, which opened Friday, came in third place with a cume of $5.3 million for the three-day and $7.5 million for the four-day. That’s a poor start for the $45 million budgeted biopic, but the strong audience response (A CinemaScore) could give it some solid holiday legs. Worldwide the total is $10.1 million.
Coming in fourth place is Paramount’s Damien Chazelle directed period epic Babylon, which stars Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie and looks at the period of Hollywood’s history when it was transitioning between silent and sound filmmaking. Unfortunately, hopes that this $80 million budgeted film wouldn’t be another Amsterdam (another expensive period piece with an $80 million budget and a star studded cast that includes Margot Robbie) turned out to be in vain. Babylon, which came out Friday, opened to just $3.5 million for the three-day and $5.4 million for the four-day. That’s even worse than Amsterdam’s $6.4 million opening, and the audience response is worse as well, with a C+ CinemaScore compared to Amsterdam’s B. Even adjusting for Christmas Eve and the poor weather, and even if this legs out better than Amsterdam (which finished with just $14.9 million domestic and $31.2 million worldwide), this still looks like one of the year’s biggest flops. The film opens internationally next month, though it’s hard to imagine other markets making up for the poor domestic showing.
Rounding out the top five is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever which continues to add to its already large cume. The $3 million three-day and $4.7 million four-day puts it at $427 million through Monday, and the worldwide total is $801 million.
The notable specialty box office release is The Whale, which expanded from six to 603 theaters and grossed $921k over the three-day and $1.3 million over the four-day, bringing the cume to $2.9 million. These aren’t huge numbers for the much buzzed about Darren Aronofsky directed film, which stars Brendan Fraser as a morbidly obese man trying to connect with his estranged teenage daughter, after it scored best of the year theater averages in its opening weekend. However, we’ll see if it can leg out better from here than the season’s other Oscar hopefuls.
‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ Surges To $881 Million Worldwide Cume, Newcomers Open Soft As Storm Takes Toll on Christmas Weekend Box Office
December 25, 2022 12:45 PST - By Sam Mendelsohn - Box Office News
This Christmas weekend box office looked a lot like last year’s, with a megablockbuster (Spider-Man: No Way Home then, Avatar: The Way of Water now), leading the way, a modest grossing toon in second place (Sing 2 then, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish now), and a slew of other contenders that largely failed to find an audience. The weekend was depressed by having the historically low-grossing Christmas Eve fall on Saturday rather than a weekday (last year the holiday weekend was likewise down as the 24th fell on Friday) and by Storm Elliott which has afflicted a large chunk of the country. The numbers could improve with the actuals, but for now the total box office for the weekend is estimated at just $82.8 million, which is down from last year’s $144 million. The weeks ahead still have strong potential, particularly for the season’s big ticket title Avatar 2, but there’s no denying that the overall slate is not connecting with audiences once again this season.
James Cameron’s epic sci-fi sequel brought in $56 million this weekend (a drop of 58%) and including Monday estimates it grossed $82 million for the four-day, bringing the cume to $280 million after 11 days. That’s the fourth best 11 day cume of the year, behind Black Panther: Wakanda Forever’s $294 million, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ $297 million, and Top Gun: Maverick’s $308 million. TWOW may pull ahead of those two MCU films in the coming week, though catching up to Maverick is more of a long shot. By its 11th day, the first Avatar 2 was at just $237 million, but that film just kept playing and playing for months to come as it went on to become the highest grossing film of all time, finishing its initial run with $750 million. Avatar 2 may not have the same juice, but we’re still looking at what may be a top three film since the start of the pandemic.
2016 was the last time Christmas fell on a Sunday, and Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, which also opened a week before the Christmas weekend, was the number one film. Rogue One and The Way of Water saw similar numbers following the opening day (the more frontloaded Star Wars film boasted a considerably larger first Friday), though Rogue One pulled ahead once again in its second weekend grosses, unencumbered by disastrous weather. It had a cume of $318 million by its 11th day and it finished with $532 million, becoming the seventh highest grossing film of all time (now it is 15th). It wouldn’t be a surprise if Avatar: TWOW were to catch up in the weeks ahead, but that’s far from a guarantee and would require much stronger than average holds from the film. Of course, for a James Cameron film, anything less would be a disappointment.
Internationally the film fell 42%, and in many markets the drops were negligible. In both South Korea and France, the second and third biggest international markets respectively, it dropped just 7% bringing the cumes in both countries over $50 million. China remains the biggest market, though unfortunately it dropped a steep 55% owing to the country’s Covid outbreak (take away China and the international drop was just 38%). Still, at $100 million after two weekends, it certainly beats not releasing in China, a fate that has bestowed most Hollywood blockbusters of late. Worldwide the cume is now $881 million, with $1 billion right around the corner, and it will soon be the year’s second highest global grosser after Top Gun: Maverick ($1.489 billion). The holds over the next few weeks should give us a sense of if it can become number one for the year and possibly even approach the $2 billion mark which Cameron claims is the break-even.
The second place film over the Christmas weekend is Universal’s animated Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, which opened Wednesday and grossed $11.4 million for the three-day and $18.6 million for the four-day, bringing the cume to $24.7 million through Monday. The best comp is last year’s Sing 2, which also opened in the shadow of a huge franchise film the Wednesday ahead of the Christmas weekend, but unfortunately the gross of Puss in Boots 2 isn’t holding up. Sing 2 was at $47 million at the end of its sixth release day, almost double The Last Wish’s cume. The Last Wish also can’t match up to the first Puss in Boots, which opened to $34.1 million back in 2011. The opening on the toon’s sequel is comparable to Disney’s recent Strange World, which was a box office disaster as it opened to $18.9 million over the long Thanksgiving five-day weekend and has since tallied just $35.9 million.
The good news for the Puss in Boots franchise is that the budget on the sequel is more modest ($90 million) than the costly Strange World, and the legs should be better given the Shrek-spinoff’s strong word of mouth, having received a great A CinemaScore compared to Strange World’s B. There are no major animated films in the first quarter of 2023, so like Sing 2, which legged out to $163 million, Puss in Boots 2 should play long, and with the holidays it could catch up to the solid box office of this year’s earlier animated titles The Bad Guys and DC League of Super-Pets (both films opened at $23-24 million and finished in the mid-$90 millions). Worldwide the total is $57.2 million.
Sony’s Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody, which opened Friday, came in third place with a cume of $5.3 million for the three-day and $7.5 million for the four-day. That’s a poor start for the $45 million budgeted biopic, but the strong audience response (A CinemaScore) could give it some solid holiday legs. Worldwide the total is $10.1 million.
Coming in fourth place is Paramount’s Damien Chazelle directed period epic Babylon, which stars Brad Pitt and Margot Robbie and looks at the period of Hollywood’s history when it was transitioning between silent and sound filmmaking. Unfortunately, hopes that this $80 million budgeted film wouldn’t be another Amsterdam (another expensive period piece with an $80 million budget and a star studded cast that includes Margot Robbie) turned out to be in vain. Babylon, which came out Friday, opened to just $3.5 million for the three-day and $5.4 million for the four-day. That’s even worse than Amsterdam’s $6.4 million opening, and the audience response is worse as well, with a C+ CinemaScore compared to Amsterdam’s B. Even adjusting for Christmas Eve and the poor weather, and even if this legs out better than Amsterdam (which finished with just $14.9 million domestic and $31.2 million worldwide), this still looks like one of the year’s biggest flops. The film opens internationally next month, though it’s hard to imagine other markets making up for the poor domestic showing.
Rounding out the top five is Black Panther: Wakanda Forever which continues to add to its already large cume. The $3 million three-day and $4.7 million four-day puts it at $427 million through Monday, and the worldwide total is $801 million.
The notable specialty box office release is The Whale, which expanded from six to 603 theaters and grossed $921k over the three-day and $1.3 million over the four-day, bringing the cume to $2.9 million. These aren’t huge numbers for the much buzzed about Darren Aronofsky directed film, which stars Brendan Fraser as a morbidly obese man trying to connect with his estranged teenage daughter, after it scored best of the year theater averages in its opening weekend. However, we’ll see if it can leg out better from here than the season’s other Oscar hopefuls.
So we watched The Santa Clauses on D+ this weekend. Did any catch how it seemed to tell the recent story of Disney corp's CEO shuffle?
The Tim Allen Santa who recently retired, finally acknowledges that he chose the wrong successor, who was only interested in the bottom line, instant gratification, absorbed with data, and had no Christmas magic. Tim returns, pushing out the successor and all the magic and spirit of Christmas returns.
This had to be written a year or two ago but, wow, was it a writer's commentary on the state of Dis corp or just an amazing coincidence?
This had to be written a year or two ago but, wow, was it a writer's commentary on the state of Dis corp or just an amazing coincidence?
Jrb1979
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2018
- Messages
- 5,081
It's just coincidence cause I don't buy anything Iger is selling. This was Iger's plan. He picked Chapek do to all the dirty work. Chapek's only failure was D+ losing so much money. The parks are more profitable as they even have been and they implemented everything they wanted to do on that level.
It blows my mind how much fans want to believe Iger is back to fix things. He was the one who started all these changes when he left.
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