Friday Five

This week, we introduce Mike Check , a new newsletter from Cast & Crew’s Michael Consiglio exploring the stories, history, and ideas shaping entertainment. Then: Sony Pictures Networks India brings TV and streaming closer together, “ Spider-Man: Brand New Day” reaches a historic box-office milestone , MLB teams create new ways to engage fans , and Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner move toward acquir...

In this week’s Friday Five, we look at Martin McDonagh’s upcoming Zurich Film Festival honor and what it says about the global film landscape. Then: Paramount’s Warner Bros. takeover clears a key UK review, Sombr shares his approach to building a new kind of pop career, Bowen Yang makes his Broadway debut in “Oh, Mary!” , and Rush revisits their legacy in a new documentary. Five stories, five minu...

This week, we kick off with Ann-Marie Fitzgerald on Beyond the Budget, breaking down what running production finance on “Ted Lasso” really looks like. Then: Bangkok's new content market logs $65 million in its debut, HBO Max rolls out AI-powered shorts and conversational search, “ Harry Potter and the Cursed Child " marks 10 years in the West End, and the TV Academy and NATAS explore reun...

In this week's Friday Five, Sony Pictures officially confirms it's restoring LA's Cinerama Dome targeting a 2028 reopening, ( IndieWire ), France's National Film Board ties funding to gender parity targets ( Variety ), BAFTA expands its Outstanding British Film Longlist ( Screen Daily ), the World Cup final sets an all-time US ratings record ( Deadline ), and "The Daily Show&q...

In this week's Friday Five, movie theaters are having their best year since the pandemic as unconventional hits like "Project Hail Mary," "Michael," and "Obsession" prove original stories can be blockbusters ( Variety ), New York's film and TV production spend surges 57% to nearly $1.06 billion while California holds its number one spot after doubling its ince...

In this week's Friday Five, the 2026 Emmy nominations are in, with "The Pitt" leading the most nominations at 25 and "Hacks" setting a comedy series record in its final season ( Variety ), Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" holds its world premiere in London, opening in theaters July 17 ( The Hollywood Reporter ), Denis Villeneuve and Timothée Chalamet drop a n...

In this week's Friday Five, the original cast of “Landman” secures rare mid-run salary renegotiations ahead of Season 3, reflecting the show's status as Paramount+'s biggest hit ( Deadline ), Paramount submits concessions to the European Commission — agreeing to exit its Universal distribution joint venture — to clear its $111 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery ( The Hollywo...

In this week's Friday 5, payroll accountants Candy Carstensen and Brad Rees join Beyond the Budget to discuss the production accounting behind “Grey's Anatomy” and the shift from paper timecards to digital workflows ( Cast & Crew ), Sony Pictures Entertainment makes a $100 million investment in Cosm, the immersive dome venue company, to expand experiential cinema ( The Hollywood Report...

In this week's Friday Five, Al Roker and Dete Meserve discuss the making of "Weather Hunters" ( Media Services ), "Toy Story 5" tracks for a $150 million-plus opening weekend that would set a 2026 box office record ( Deadline ), FX formalizes a new strategy debuting all its series simultaneously on linear TV and streaming, ending years of "FX on Hulu" confusion (...

In this week's Friday Five, Greece is named country of honour at the 2027 Cannes Marché du Film ( Screen Daily ), the Directors Guild of America reaches a tentative four-year deal with major studios ( Variety ), “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” crosses $1 billion at the global box office ( The Hollywood Reporter ), NIVA launches a fan-facing tool to fight deceptive ticket resale as 20 states adv...

In this week’s Friday Five: The Academy launches a global cinema recognition program ( Screen Daily ), Hasbro debuts an AI studio for licensed character experiences ( The Hollywood Reporter ), sports continues to dominate the TV upfront market ( Variety ), ad-supported streaming approaches half of all US subscriptions ( The Hollywood Reporter ), and Martin Scorsese joins an AI company as an advise...

In this week’s Friday Five: Western Alliance Bank’s Melanie Krinsky unpacks what makes indie films bankable ( Media Services) , Lionsgate adds its library to Movies Anywhere ( Deadline ), “ Stranger Things” leads the 2025–2026 TV season rankings ( Variety ), Germany boosts production incentives and moves toward investment obligations ( ScreenDaily ), and “ Obsession” delivers a record-breaking sec...

In this week’s Friday Five: Spain celebrates a historic three-film presence in Cannes competition, Lionsgate’s “Michael” moves toward $1B worldwide, and we cover other key developments shaping the entertainment industry.

In this week's Friday Five: UK and Ireland box office is forecast to rise 10%, UK and French unions launch a joint campaign at Cannes against long working hours, and we cover other key developments shaping the entertainment industry.

In this week’s Friday 5: SAG-AFTRA reaches a tentative four-year agreement with studios, and thousands of filmmakers call on the EU to safeguard cinema funding. We also cover other key developments shaping the entertainment industry this week.

In this week's Friday Five: “Michael” sets a new box office record with a $218.7m opening weekend, The CW announces major streaming deals with ESPN and Roku, and more key developments shaping the entertainment industry.

In this week’s Friday Five: FilmLA launches a low-cost permit pilot for indie filmmakers, CinemaCon reports a 23% box office rebound with renewed focus on original storytelling, and more key developments shaping the entertainment industry.

In this week's Friday Five: The Producers Guild rolls out a new Sustainability Toolkit, the “Malcolm in the Middle” revival sets streaming records on Disney+ and Hulu, and other key developments shaping the industry.

In this week's Friday Five: The WGA announces its record $321 million health plan deal, Cannes 2026 features an auteur-heavy lineup, and other key developments shaping the entertainment world.

In this week's Friday Five: The BFI triples funding for its UK Global Screen Fund, US streaming spend holds steady while ad-supported tiers gain ground, and other key developments shaping the entertainment industry.

In this week's Friday Five: The Daytime Emmys unveil sweeping rule changes, Cannes launches a creator economy summit, and other key developments shaping the entertainment industry.

In this week's Friday Five: Gen Z drives the theatrical comeback, Ireland’s screen industry hits record production spend, and other key developments shaping the entertainment industry.

In this week's Friday Five: LA City Council approves film permitting reforms, A+E Global Media launches StoryGround, and other key developments shaping the industry. 

In this week's Friday Five: “Zootopia 2” becomes the highest-grossing animated film ever, UK streaming platforms face new Ofcom regulations, and other key stories shaping the entertainment industry’s next moves.

In this week's Friday Five: UK YouTube viewing continues to shift to television sets, the European Film Market in Berlin posts a 5% attendance increase, and other key developments shaping where the entertainment industry is headed next.