SSN Box Office Trending Report for 4/29/16: ‘Jungle Book’ to Hold Strong this Weekend While ‘Captain America: Civil War’ Prepares for Battle
While Mother’s Day and Keanu will be newcomers this weekend, it looks extremely likely that Jungle Book will remain king of the box office, that is until, Captain America: Civil War takes the battlefield next weekend. (SSN)
On the Set for 4/29/16: Nicholas Hoult Starts ‘Rebel in the Rye’, Elizabeth Olsen & Jeremy Renner Wrap ‘Wind River’
X-Men: Apocalypse’s Nicholas Hoult and Kevin Spacey start shooting Rebel in the Rye while Avengers Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner wrap shooting on Wind River. (SSN)
Amidst Backlash, Will Ferrell Jumps Ship on ‘Reagan’ Film
Ferrell was set to play the lead role in Reagan, a satirical comedy about the former president, but he’s no longer attached to the project. This follows objection from Reagan’s family, conservatives and Alzheimer’s advocates. (LAT)
Netflix Promises Castle Will Be “Locked and Loaded” in New ‘Punisher’ Spin-off Series
Netflix announced the news Friday on Twitter, writing, “The Punisher is back. Locked and loaded.” Jon Bernthal will reprise his role as the titular vigilante — aka soldier Frank Castle — who was introduced in the current season of Daredevil. (VAR)
‘Angry Birds’ Director Fergal Reilly Signs With UTA
Fergal Reilly, who is making his directorial debut co-helming The Angry Birds Movie, has signed with UTA. He is a longtime storyboard artist with credits including Hotel Transylvania and Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs. Those credits also include Spider-Man 2, which he boarded after Sam Raimi ID’d his ability to blend comedy and action elements. (DL)
Hot Pilots: The Pre-Screenings Buzz on the 2016 Offerings
We are heading into the pilot screening stage of pilot season, an annual binge-viewing ritual that started long before binge viewing existed. Over the next week or so, the broadcast networks will hold marathon screenings of their pilots for some extra feedback before the final pickup and scheduling decisions are made. Here is where things stand according to industry chatter. (DL)
20-Year Disney Theatrical Exec David Schrader Leaving to Start New Company
David Schrader, the longtime executive at Disney Theatrical Productions, will depart his current position as the company’s exec vice president/managing director next month to strike out on his own as an independent stage producer. Schrader will call his new, independent producing firm Murray & Kean LLC. (VAR)
How Comcast’s DreamWorks Deal Could Impact Paramount, Lionsgate & Other Studios
Lionsgate and Viacom could be among the major Hollywood studios benefiting from Comcast-owned NBCUniversal’s $3.8 billion takeover of DreamWorks Animation. Analysts debate additional deal-making after Comcast’s high valuation for DreamWorks Animation. (THR)
Disney Claims Fairy-Tale Territory with ‘Jungle Book’ Success (Among Others) & Tells Studios to ‘Pick a Lane’
“Our people work in this space all the time. Some studios are really comfortable making R-rated comedies; that’s not what we do. Picking a lane and becoming students has its value,” says Walt Disney Studios production president Sean Bailey. (THR)
Good News, Bad News- Streaming Up 19%, But DVD Falls by 9%
The industry organization says that consumers spent $4.55 billion in the period, down just 1.8% from early 2015. But that folds in spending on fast-growing subscription streaming services including Netflix that some analysts say doesn’t belong in the tally. (DL)