June 25, 2017

Diverse Casts Lead to Beaucoup Bucks at the Box Office, Says Extensive New Study

Hollywood fat cats often point to box-office potential as one reason why their films don’t feature more diverse casts. A new study from Creative Artists Agency debunks that theory, according to a Los Angeles Times report, and the results are fairly definitive: “The average opening weekend for a film that attracts a diverse audience, often the result of having a diverse cast, is nearly three times on average a film with non-diverse audiences.”

READ MORE: Why Diversity In the Entertainment Business Will Save Us From Stupid, Offensive Mistakes

CAA’s Christy Haubegger Talitha Watkins put the Motion Picture Diversity Index together. Haubegger stated the results plainly: “One of the interesting things that the most successful movies share is that they’re broadly appealing to diverse audiences,” she said. “People want to see a world that looks like theirs.”

After crunching the numbers — nonwhite people make up 38% of the population but accounted for 45% of theatrical audiences last year — they looked at 413 different movies released between 2014 and 2016. Again, the results were clear: “At every budget level, a film with a cast that is at least 30% non-white — CAA’s definition of a ‘truly diverse’ film — outperforms a release that is not truly diverse in opening weekend box office.”

READ MORE: Marvel Executive Says Comic Readers ‘Didn’t Want Any More Diversity’ or Female Characters

That can be seen in smaller movies like “Get Out” and “Hidden Figures” and in blockbusters like “Rogue One” and “The Fate of the Furious.”

“The hope is that seeing real numbers attached to the success of the inclusion of more voices and diverse casts will be further motivation for studios, networks and others to be really conscious of the opportunity,” said Richard Lovett, president of CAA. More on the study here.

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Source: IndieWire film

June 25, 2017

That Super-Sad ‘Toy Story’ Video About Andy’s Dad Has Been Debunked, Thankfully

The internet was abuzz with a video explaining the sad, sad backstory to “Toy Story” yesterday; unfortunately — or maybe not, given what a bummer it was — the video has been debunked by Pixar’s Andrew Stanton, who co-wrote all three movies in the series. “Complete and utter fake news,” he tweeted. “Everyone go back to your homes. Nothing to see here, folks. #Iwasthere”

READ MORE: Pixar’s Sequel Problem: Studio Tells Audiences Not to Worry About Franchises in Its Slate — SF International Film Festival

Still, it’s a good story. According to Mike Mozart, who served as a toy consultant on the original film, Pixar’s former head writer Joe Ranft (now deceased) confided in him the tragic backstory of Andy’s dad. The long version can be found in the video below, but here’s the gist of it: Andy’s father, also named Andy, had polio as a child. Woody was a one-of-a-kind toy he’d gotten from a cereal box, and he passed it on to his son shortly before dying of Post-Polio Syndrome.

READ MORE: Review: ‘Cars 3’ Is the Best Entry In Pixar’s Weakest Franchise

Slinky and Mr. Potato Head are also gifted to Andy, who finds the three toys in a box that his father gave him the key to on his deathbed; to their toy minds, this Andy is the same one from all those years ago. Watch below for the whole tragic story and be glad that it isn’t true.

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Source: IndieWire film

June 25, 2017

Guillermo del Toro Reveals the One Movie He Wishes He Hadn’t Turned Down — Watch

For every movie Guillermo del Toro makes, there are two or three that he doesn’t. That’s just one topic the Mexican auteur touched on during a 90-minute masterclass at the animation-themed Annecy Festival, which found him in self-deprecating mode: “My statistics are very bad,” he said. “I have written 24 screenplays. I’ve made 10 movies.”

READ MORE: Cannes: Guillermo del Toro Talks Real-Life Monsters in Political-Leaning Speech

That just makes those that do get made all the more special, however: “Every movie I have made was made because I would die to have it made.” He’s done more than just features, of course, including creating the Netflix show “Trollhunters” — an experience del Toro speaks highly of.

“They put out the show we made,” he said of working with the streaming giant. “I’ve made movies that are sold as exactly the opposite of what they were. The show was sold beautifully as what it was and that’s fantastic.”

READ MORE: Guillermo del Toro’s Guide to Creating the Perfect Movie Monster: ‘No Element Must be Accidental’

As for regrets, he’s had a few. “I’ve had the most incredible opportunities to say no to big movies,” said del Toro, but there is one he wishes he hadn’t turned down: “Harry Potter.” Considering what his friend and countryman Alfonso Cuarón did with his take on “Azkaban,” it’s hard not to share that regret. Watch his full masterclass below.

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Source: IndieWire film

June 25, 2017

‘The Big Sick’ and ‘The Beguiled’ Rescue Indie Box Office, Top All 2017 Specialty Openers

Things are looking up at the specialty box office as two festival hits, Sundance breakout “The Big Sick” (Amazon/Lionsgate) and Sofia Coppola’s Cannes director-winner “The Beguiled” (Focus Features) both beat all the 2017 limited openings to date. With $87,000 and $60,000 per theater averages respectively, they both accomplished something only one platform film (“Cafe Society”) achieved all last summer. And they did so the same weekend in some of the same theaters.

This shows that core specialty audiences are starving for cinematic nourishment they aren’t getting from mainstream studio fare.

The two new films join “Beatriz at Dinner” (Roadside Attractions), which expanded well in its third week. A box office rebound for specialized non-mass-audience film is finally under way.

Opening

The Big Sick (Lionsgate) – Metacritic: 87; Festivals include: Sundance, South by Southwest, Seattle 2017

$435,000 in 5 theaters; PTA (per theater average): $87,000

Amazon strikes again with its $12-million Sundance acquisition marking the biggest limited opening of the year, at a high end for any release period. Bolstered by strong reviews and released by Lionsgate, these are stunning results.

Pakistani-American comic Kumail Nanjiani co-wrote (with wife Emily Gordon) and stars in this autobiographical romance about the inter-family crisis that ensues when his ex-girlfriend (Zoe Kazan) contracts a mysterious illness and he interacts with her parents (Holly Hunter and Ray Romano).

Rave reviews alone don’t explain how well this authentic family drama/culture clash connected with audiences: a 27 percent Saturday increase shows that initial word of mouth is strong.

The significance of a top festival film opening theatrically and so well (Amazon is a critical supporter of traditional release patterns) can’t be underestimated. Will this click nationally? Lionsgate has the capacity to maximize it as they did with Oscar-contender “La La Land.” And this comes at a time when the general public is not responding to a series of pricey franchise releases.

The mastermind behind Amazon’s theatrical marketing and distribution is Bob Berney, who has steered his share of runaway indie hits, including “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” 15 years ago. This has a long way to go before match that success, but it’s off to a great start.

What comes next: A big city limited expansion this week with the 1,600 or more national break in mid-July.

The Beguiled (Focus) – Metacritic: 76; Festivals include: Cannes, Los Angeles, Provincetown 2017

$240,545 in 4 theaters; PTA: $60,136

Sofia Coppola’s sixth film boasts the strongest initial PTA of any of her previous openings. The previous two (“Bling Ring” and “Somewhere”) also opened in only a handful of theaters, with her latest, a Southern Gothic Civil War melodrama easily besting earlier results.

The timing clearly helped, weeks after not only Coppola’s Cannes prize but the “Wonder Woman” increased awareness of female directors. But these numbers is nearly double of any other 2017 earlier week opening (though below “The Big Sick”) prove that Coppola has established herself as a marquee auteur.

A cast led by Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst helped as well, and its outside-the-box story added to its appeal.

One initial concern is that the numbers fell nine per cent on the second day (the opposite of the initial response to “The Big Sick”). That is due partly to the director’s first-day appearances at two New York theaters.

What comes next: Focus will aggressively expand this as soon as this Friday, much more quickly than “The Big Sick.”

The Bad Batch (Neon) – Metacritic: 62; Festivals include: Venice, Toronto 2016; also available on Video on Demand

$91,074 in 30 theaters; PTA: $3,036

Ana Lily Amirpour’s second feature after her acclaimed vampire thriller “A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night” opened both streaming and in multiple major cities. The numbers for a day-and- ate release in this many theaters are positive, although the theater role is mainly to give the film exposure for its home purchases.

What comes next: VOD will be its main arena.

Food Evolution (Abramorama) – Festivals include: DOC NYC 2016, Seattle 2017

$3,311 in 1 theater; PTA: $3,311

An issue-related documentary about the dangers of food modification opened in New York to modest results.

What comes next: As is increasingly common from Abramorama, this will be more of a special event/one day screening release rather than full-week bookings with outreach to interested audiences.

Courtesy of Cohen Media Group

My Journey Through French Cinema (Kino Lorber) – Metacritic: 87; Festivals include: Cannes, Telluride, New York 2017

$11,000 in 3 theater ; PTA: $(est.) 3,667

This nearly four-hour documentary from director Bertrand Tavernier about his predecessors in French cinema opened in three New York/Los Angeles theaters. Its length tempered audience response, but it more than doubled its figure of Saturday, which is a positive sign.

What comes next: Niche dates ahead in appropriate cinephile locations before a likely long library and at home viewing opportunities.

International releases

DJ Duvadda Jagannadham (Big Sky) – $(est.) 950,000 in 190 theaters

Week Two

The Book of Henry (Focus)

$936,995 in 646 theaters (+67); PTA: $1,450; Cumulative: $3,094,000

Though still below its hoped for result, the second weekend for Colin Trevorrow’s mother/precocious son thriller dropped a respectable third with a small increase in theaters. Look for it to eke out some more time at the best of these though still falling short of expectations.

Maudie (Sony Pictures Classics)

$93,610 in 28 theaters (+4); PTA: $3,343;  Cumulative: $2,793

This Canadian/Irish rural love story expanded in its U.S. dates (it has played up north for weeks) to a respectable $80,033 in 12 locations. The older appeal could help it in broader dates, with word of mouth in these initial dates crucial for its future.

The Journey (IFC)

$(est.) 15,000 in 18 theaters (+16); PTA: $(est.) 833; Cumulative: $(est.) 51,000

The initial New York positive response to this Northern Ireland political drama didn’t repeat itself as IFC went to other top theaters.

Score: A Film Music Documentary (Gravitas Ventures)

$13,000 in theaters (+1); PTA: $6,500; Cumulative: $21,000

Los Angeles opened this documentary about composing movie scores after its initial New York date. The latter stayed steady, with its west coast date also showing some initial positive response.

Hare Krishna!: The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It All (Abramorama)

$8,334 in 2 theaters (+1); PTA: $4,167; Cumulative: $37,386

The strong core of interested viewers in Manhattan for this documentary (where it grossed over $22,000 in a single theater) decreased but it still drew an at least average crowd for a niche topic with a Los Angeles date added.

Lost in Paris (Oscilloscope)

$4,000 in 1 theater; PTA: $4,000; Cumulative: $10,562

Though not a standout gross, this French comedy (with the late Emanuelle Riva) fell only $500 from its opening New York weekend total.

Ongoing/expanding (Grosses over $50,000 in under 1,000 theaters)

Beatriz at Dinner (Roadside Attractions) Week 3

$1,818,000 in 491 theaters (+414); Cumulative: $3,011,000

Miguel Arteta’s drama about a clash of two dissimilar West Coast worlds continues to show strength, with an eleventh place overall showing though under 500 theaters. This hasn’t reached crossover status yet, but is positioning itself to go wider.

Paris Can Wait (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 7

$612,057 in 408 theaters (-39);  Cumulative: $4,192,000

In what is certainly the first time mother and daughter directors have had two feature films in release at the same time, Eleanor Coppola’s tale of Diane Lane meandering through Paris. This continues to look like it will end up somewhere above $6 million, or 50 per cent better than any SPC release in over a year.

READ MORE It’s a Coppola World: Inside the Filmmaking Co-op that is Sofia, Eleanor, Roman and Francis

The Hero (The Orchard) Week 3

$324,663 in 81 (+54) theaters;  Cumulative: $582,627

Sam Elliott’s portrayal of an aging actor expanded well as core older audiences seem to be responding to its gentle story.

My Cousin Rachel (Fox Searchlight) Week 3

$200,000 in 163 theaters (-368);  Cumulative: $2,431,000

Despite its director/star pedigree and on paper appealing gothic/romantic period story, this has been a significant disappointment. Losing the large majority of its theaters in its third week, this won’t even reach $3 million despite wider than usual initial release.

The Exception (A24) Week 4

$138,134 in 48 (+34) theaters; Cumulative: $250,468

Pre-World War II German political intrigue with Christopher Plummer as the exiled Kaiser hit most top cities with continued modest results. Its strong Saturday jump suggests it is reaching some of its target older audience.

The Women’s Balcony (Menemsha) Week 17

$92,811 in 32 theaters (+5);  Cumulative: $631,082

This Israeli film continues its lengthy slow release with continued success.

Gifted (Fox Searchlight) Week 12

$50,000 in 76 theaters; Cumulative: $24,419,000

Still in play and setting the mark for “The Big Sick” and “The Beguiled” to try to match among top limited releases this year.

Also noted:

The Wedding Plan (Roadside Attractions) – $31,400 in 34 theaters; Cumulative: $1,352,000

Chasing Trane (Abramorama) – $19,821 in 7 theaters; Cumulative: $323,678

Dawson City – Frozen Time (Kino Lorber) – $12,000 in 6 theaters; Cumulative: $47,000

Kedi (Oscilloscope) – $10,500 in 10 theaters; Cumulative: $2,745,000

Source: IndieWire film

June 25, 2017

Oliver Stone’s Vladimir Putin Interview Criticized by Pussy Riot Member

It isn’t just Megyn Kelly who’s taking heat for interviewing Vladimir Putin. Oliver Stone’s two-part, four-hour “The Putin Interviews” has been divisive as well, with the Oscar-winning filmmaker receiving criticism for his sit-down with the Russian President. Among the critics is Pussy Riot’s Nadezhda Tolokonnikova, who says Stone “comfortably forgot” to ask Putin any difficult questions, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

READ MORE: Oliver Stone Defends Vladimir Putin In Bizarre, Seemingly Edited ‘Late Show’ Appearance

Stone also defended Putin in a recent “Daily Show” appearance, much to the bewilderment of many.

“He’s a well-known leftist and some Western leftists, unfortunately for me because I’m a leftist, think the enemy of your enemy is your friend,”Tolokonnikova continued. “I think he’s part of the global oligarchy and it’s pretty weird to me that a person who is supposedly supporting the left like Oliver Stone would interview Vladimir Putin.”

Tolokonnikova says she met Stone, who was “upset” at the fact that she doesn’t count herself among Putin’s supporters, six months ago. “It was very obvious that [Stone] is very comfortable in this position and he doesn’t want any critics, so there wasn’t really any ground for discussion.”

READ MORE: Pussy Riot Brace for First Days of Trump Presidency in ‘Make America Great Again’ Video — Watch

She isn’t a fan of Trump, either, in case you were curious: “I don’t even like to say his name because he really likes when people say his name, this guy that’s the president, it’s like the C-word but it’s the T-word.” More details at THR.

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Source: IndieWire film