Weekend Box Office Wrap-up: July 10, 2016
Coming in first this week is The Secret Life of Pets, which brought in $103.1 million in its first three days. This is another notch on Illumination’s belt, as the studio has quickly become one of the leading figures in family films. (SR)
U.F.C. Sells Itself For $4 Billion
The league, which promotes mixed martial arts, has sold itself to a group led by the talent giant WME-IMG for about $4 billion. (NYT)
Will ‘Secret Life of Pets’ Make Chris Meledandri A Household Name?
The animated film’s massive $103.2 million launch this weekend solidifies Meledandri among the most successful people in the animation space and reaffirms his status as one of the movie industry’s biggest hit-makers. (VAR)
Goldie Hawn Is Going Back To Her Adventure Movie Roots With Amy Schumer
Scribe Katie Dippold is writing an untitled adventure comedy along with Kim Caramele and Amy Schumer, and Goldie Hawn is set to appear as one half of a mother/ daughter semi-eponymous duo with Schumer. (IW)
Dean Norris Joins ‘Girlboss’ Netflix Comedy Series
Breaking Bad alum Dean Norris has booked a recurring role opposite Britt Robertson and Ellie Reed in Girlboss, Netflix’s 13-episode comedy series inspired by Sophia Amoruso’s popular autobiography. (DH)
Showtime Secures Rights To Air Amblin, DreamWorks, Participant Films
Steven Spielberg’s Amblin Partners has signed an output deal with Showtime that will give the premium cable network rights to air feature films released by the company through 2021. (VAR)
‘Hunters’ Canceled at Syfy After One Season
The NBCUniversal-owned cable network has canceled the straight-to-series adaptation of Whitley Strieber’s best-selling novel Alien Hunter. (THR)
How The Lionsgate-Starz Merger Could Completely Change The Shape Of The Industry
It was announced last week that Lionsgate is going to spend $4.4 billion dollars to purchase the pay cable network Starz. The smart networks have their own streaming services already up and running, which gives them the escape route needed to insure continued viewership. (TB)
Screenwriters: ‘All is Lost’ Moment Equals Opportunity For Character
Jen Grisanti explains how your character’s “all is lost” moment is an essential step for both the plot of your story and character growth. (SM)