Barry Diller: Actor/Writer Strikes Could Lead to Hollywood’s ‘Absolute Collapse

[Pakuni]

So, let's see if it loses steam this weekend. (again, I did not see it so this is based on second-hand info like your OP was.)

Movies typically see a 50% decline in box office in their second week. For major summer releases, it can be closer to 60%.
So, there's your bar.

Love to see these several reviews you're reading. Links?

[Not A Serious Person]

Funny the reviews you’ve seen are from right wing morons who collect paychecks fighting a culture war.

So I should read reviews from the left wing morons who collect paychecks fighting a culture war?

The same ones that said Sound of Freedom is a Qnon conspiracy?

[Uncle Rico]

So I should read reviews from the left wing morons who collect paychecks fighting a culture war?

The same ones that said Sound of Freedom is a Qnon conspiracy?

I don’t, so I wouldn’t recommend reading them

[jficke13]

So I should read reviews from the left wing morons who collect paychecks fighting a culture war?

The same ones that said Sound of Freedom is a Qnon conspiracy?

lol

[jficke13]

Sounds like Ben Shapiro wasn't the only dude burning his Barbie collection this weekend

So much of Ben Shapiro's schtick can be traced to him being a failed screenwriter it would be funny if it weren't both so sad and also hadn't caused so much harm.

[MU82]

So I should read reviews from the left wing morons who collect paychecks fighting a culture war?

The same ones that said Sound of Freedom is a Qnon conspiracy?

I haven't read the reviews you've referenced. But you do know that the star of the film, Jim Caviezel, is a QAnon adherent who has been going on film-promotion junkets and talking about "the whole adrenochrome empire," right?

"It's an elite drug that they've used for many years," Caviezel said on one of Steve Bannon's podcasts. "It is 10 times more potent than heroin."

If Little Mermaid star Halle Bailey went on Rachel Maddow's podcast claiming that everyone in "the whole MAGA empire feasts on children," what would your take be?

[JWags85]

Ask anyone in Hollywood even a few months ago if summer audiences would flock to a heady, intellectual, three-hour history pic with an unknown lead, and they would have laughed you out of the room.

Hold on, we're calling Cillian Murphy an "unknown"?  The lead in one of the most talked about, acclaimed, and watched TV series of the last decade?

[jesmu84]

Hold on, we're calling Cillian Murphy an "unknown"?  The lead in one of the most talked about, acclaimed, and watched TV series of the last decade?

Ya. Wtf? How is he considered unknown?

As an aside, I want to see any interaction if there's a Sound of Freedom and Barbie audience that gets let out at the same time

[Jockey]

Sounds like Ben Shapiro wasn't the only dude burning his Barbie collection this weekend

The question shouldn’t be ‘ why did Shapiro burn his Barbie’s’.

More like ‘Why does a grown a$$ “man” have a Barbie collection?’

[jficke13]

Yeah I noticed the whole Cillian Murphy = unknown and just decided to let it slide. I suppose now he'll say "well it's not one of the bankable megastars so outside of The Rock/Tom Cruise/etc everyone might as well be unknown."

[Uncle Rico]

Yeah I noticed the whole Cillian Murphy = unknown and just decided to let it slide. I suppose now he'll say "well it's not one of the bankable megastars so outside of The Rock/Tom Cruise/etc everyone might as well be unknown."

Also, the buzz around Oppenheimer has been palpable since Nolan announced it

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Is there a signal for Hollywood here ... and, if so, will they take it?

The big action moves, such as Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, and Spider-man, disappointed.

In general, the movies that are part of franchise movies have been disappointing.

So along comes two movies oriented toward different audiences, not part of a franchise, and are not action films, and both have huge opening weekends. 

Ask anyone in Hollywood even a few months ago if summer audiences would flock to a heady, intellectual, three-hour history pic with an unknown lead, and they would have laughed you out of the room.

Except Barbie was not marketed as a woke movie. Now that it has been exposed as a woke movie, as you yourself have noted, let's see how much it does this coming weekend.  Was last weekend the result of a great marketing campaign and "hiding" its wokeness catch up this weekend?

Cillian Murphy is hardly an unknown lead.

Edit:  that horse was already beaten pretty well.

[reinko]

Is there a signal for Hollywood here ... and, if so, will they take it?

The big action moves, such as Indiana Jones, Mission Impossible, and Spider-man, disappointed.

In general, the movies that are part of franchise movies have been disappointing.

So along comes two movies oriented toward different audiences, not part of a franchise, and are not action films, and both have huge opening weekends. 

Ask anyone in Hollywood even a few months ago if summer audiences would flock to a heady, intellectual, three-hour history pic with an unknown lead, and they would have laughed you out of the room.

Except Barbie was not marketed as a woke movie. Now that it has been exposed as a woke movie, as you yourself have noted, let's see how much it does this coming weekend.  Was last weekend the result of a great marketing campaign and "hiding" its wokeness catch up this weekend?

Apparently $700 million worldwide is "disappointing"

[Uncle Rico]

Apparently $700 million worldwide is "disappointing"

It was too woke

[jficke13]

Apparently $700 million worldwide is "disappointing"

Covered this earlier in the thread when I was being generous to Sound of Freedom by comparing box take to budget. By certain measures, execs will try to spin movies that don't 3x their budgets as disappointing. It's more of a marketing/future negotiation tactic than it is an objective measure of success.

[Hards Alumni]

Jayzuss Hardship, you are the Progressive version of Archie Bunker. Can there ever be a thread where you don’t denigrate anybody who disagrees with Your truth?

Yes of course, but not one where you're involved.

[Not A Serious Person]

He does not mince words ... he fears that AI/Robots are going to put him out of a job.

July 26, 2023
Bryan Cranston slams artificial intelligence during SAG-AFTRA rally: 'We ask you to hear us'
https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/celebrities/2023/07/25/bryan-cranston-sag-aftra-rock-the-city-rally-speech/70464165007/

During his speech, Cranston called out Disney CEO Bob Iger, who previously called actors' strike activity "disturbing."

"I know, sir, that you look (at) things through a different lens," Cranston said. "We don’t expect you to understand who we are. But we ask you to hear us, and beyond that to listen to us when we tell you we will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots. We will not have you take away our right to work and earn a decent living. And lastly, and most importantly, we will not allow you to take away our dignity."

----

Cranston said during his speech that the economic landscape of "our industry has changed exponentially."

"We are not in the same business model that we were even 10 years ago," Cranston said. "And yet, even though they admit that that is the truth in today's economy, they are fighting us tooth and nail to stick to the same economic system that is outmoded, outdated. They want us to step back in time. We cannot and we will not do that."

[MU82]

Heisenberg quotes Heisenberg. Well done!

[Hards Alumni]

Heisenberg quotes Heisenberg. Well done!

It's turtles all the way down

[mu_hilltopper]

My wife is watching a 3-season series on Netflix that is awful.   She concedes this point, and is just "trying to get to the end."

As I've suffered through this show playing in the living room, I have zero point zero zero doubt that it could be written equal to or better by our AI overlords.

[jficke13]

My wife is watching a 3-season series on Netflix that is awful.   She concedes this point, and is just "trying to get to the end."

As I've suffered through this show playing in the living room, I have zero point zero zero doubt that it could be written equal to or better by our AI overlords.

which series?

[mu_hilltopper]

which series?

Sweet Magnolias, three godawful seasons.

[21Jumpstreet]

So I should read reviews from the left wing morons who collect paychecks fighting a culture war?

The same ones that said Sound of Freedom is a Qnon conspiracy?

I know you’ll catch flack for this, but you’re not wrong. Even if I have my opinions on Sound of Freedom, your first statement reminds us that everyone has an agenda. It’s a matter of do we choose to let someone else craft our thoughts or do we put in the effort to craft our own.

Read both.

[Pakuni]

Barbenheimer has a stellar second weekend 

https://variety.com/2023/film/box-office/barbie-box-office-oppenheimer-second-weekend-records-1235681039/

[MU82]

Yep. Make good movies, and people will come back to the theaters.

My wife and I just saw and enjoyed Oppenheimer. Barbie is next.