Fans want "Coyote vs. Acme," but Warner Bros. isn't releasing it

Apr 16, 2024
The theory is that the studio is trying to save on its tax bill after merging with Discovery, reporter Teddy Brown says.
"What's a little maddening for folks is that we can see all this stuff happening but still have no way to actually change it," says reporter Teddy Brown about fans' frustration over the studio holding onto the film.
Olivier Chouchana/AFP via Getty Images

What does the indie film market look like in the wake of Hollywood strikes and a pandemic?

Jan 26, 2024
The Sundance Film Festival has seem some big buys, and renewed interest especially for the small screen.
A lot of indie filmmakers are making movies meant to be seen in theaters, but that market doesn't necessarily exist anymore at Sundance, says Variety film critic Peter Debruge.
Mat Hayward/Getty Images

Chinese animation house puts AI capabilities to the test

Aug 21, 2023
Base Media and iQiyi see potential for a creative edge in a competitive market. But U.S. clients worry about copyright infringement.
A screenshot of an animation after AI tools were applied. The brick wall and background are generated by AI.
Courtesy Base Media/iQiyi Wonderworks

Businesses that serve TV and film productions brace for effects of the writers strike

May 3, 2023
If it's anything like the last writers strike, it could halt production for 100 days.
Writers have been on strike for over twenty days. Streaming and AI big topics of contention between writers and major studios.
Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

With the Sundance Festival finally back in person, filmmakers have high hopes for distribution deals

Jan 20, 2023
The majority of films debuting at Sundance are still in need of wide distribution. Some believe having the festival in person for the first time since 2020 will help.
Filmmaker Ebs Burnough and Sundance Institute CEO Joana Vicente speak onstage at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival.
Vivien Killilea/Getty Images

After years of watching movies at home, are audiences ready to return to theaters?

Dec 5, 2022
There have been only 66 films in wide release so far this year, down more than a third from this point in 2019, according to Comscore.
Studios are trying to predict what audiences want — to watch movies at home or in the theater.
Valerie Macon/AFP via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Will Hollywood blockbuster season come roaring back with "Jurassic World Dominion"?

Jun 10, 2022
"Top Gun: Maverick" got things going with it broke box office records on Memorial Day weekend.
A general view of atmosphere at the Universal Pictures' "Jurassic World" premiere at Dolby Theatre on June 9, 2015 in Hollywood, California.
Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

Will movie fans eventually flock back to big screens?

Jan 7, 2022
“Spider-Man: No Way Home” performed well, but adult dramas with smaller budgets have opened to little fanfare.
Sixty-one percent of Americans have not seen a movie in a theater during the past year, according to a new Gallup report.
MixMedia/Getty Images

Memorial Day could be a test for the movie theater industry

May 24, 2021
Movie theaters are reopening in time for summer blockbuster season. Are people ready to go back?
Studios are committing to releasing blockbusters in theaters again. Will it pay off?
Tom Copper/Getty Images