FilmTake

Comcast and Verizon Join Disney in Bid for Fox Assets

November 16, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Comcast drops its bid to acquire Twenty-First Century Fox. Disney will likely purchase Fox’s film and television assets before 2017 is over.

Hollywood Studios Search For New Money [Part One]

November 14, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

A false narrative is being advanced by news outlets that the reason for multiple failed deals is China’s clampdown on foreign investment.

Netflix’s Sexual Harassment Problems [Update]

November 8, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Many questions remain unanswered about the culpability of Netflix and MRC in the furtherance of sexual abuse by Spacey during House of Cards.

Distribution

Disney Attempts to Buy Fox Film and TV Assets

November 6, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Walt Disney Co has been in talks for the last couple weeks to buy film and television assets from conglomerate Twenty-First Century Fox.

Subscription Video Trends and Challenges [Part Six]

October 25, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

The company regularly raises debt, offering $1 billion in senior notes in April, $800 million a year ago and another $1 billion in February 2015.

Production

Subscription Video Trends and Challenges [Part Four]

October 9, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Netflix is shifting to a less-predictable and far less-profitable business model as they embark on becoming a content creator rather than aggregator.

Subscription Video Trends and Challenges [Part Three]

October 4, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

As the streaming market fragments into dozens of streaming options will Netflix become the Friendster or Facebook of media viewing?

Subscription Video Trends and Challenges [Part Two]

October 1, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Now that Netflix has laid the groundwork, studios will no longer allow third-party streaming services to grow rich by aggregating their content.

Subscription Video Trends and Challenges [Part One]

September 25, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Series viewership outpaces overall growth because Netflix is using vast resources to become a dedicated content creator.

Netflix at TIFF: Film Distribution Savior or Enemy?

September 19, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Netflix didn’t acquire as many titles as sales agents and producers were expecting, but they added to their diminished film library.

TIFF Take Three: Trouble in the UK, Sight Unseen Films…

September 12, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

CBS Films did not acquire I, Tonya after all – Neon and 30WEST will distribute in the U.S. UK’s Icon Film Distribution runs out of money, again!

TIFF Take Two: Presales, New Distributors, Sales Agencies…

September 11, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

TIFF Take Two: Protagonist starts sales on Cumberbatch bare-knuckle adaptation. Ed Arentz launches distributor Greenwich Entertainment.

TIFF Take: Hot Films, Distribution, Streaming…

September 10, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is underway. There are plenty of films to wet the appetite of distributors and streamers alike.

The Latest China-Hollywood Failed Deal

August 30, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

China’s Recon Group fails to close its acquisition of Avi Lerner’s Millennium Films. All Hollywood-China deals are in peril, as many have failed to close this year.

Was Wanda Group’s Chairman Barred from Leaving China?

August 28, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Wanda Group dismissed “vicious rumours” that its chairman Wang Jianlin and China’s richest person, was detained by authorities and forbidden to leave China.

[Part Two] Hollywood Financing is Broke

August 7, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Tang Media is set to purchase Open Road Films for an undisclosed amount. The price might as well be one dollar, given Open Road’s massive debt load.

Production

Hollywood Financing is Broke [Part One]

July 31, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Sony Pictures’ co-financing partner, LStar Capital, informed the studio at the last minute that they would no longer invest in Sony’s slate.

Wanda Group’s House of Cards

July 18, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

A mysterious document that appeared on social media in China places all of Wanda’s Hollywood acquisitions in jeopardy.

Production

Paramount’s China Lifeline is Gone [Update]

July 16, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

If reports from China are to be believed (clearly they cannot), a company with $19 million in revenue was going to finance $1 billion of Paramount’s slate.