Disney Archives » FilmTake

Starz Lost Access to Pay-One Rights for Major Studio Films

September 5, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Starz’s access to third-party content was severely diminished when it lost Pay-One rights to films released by Sony Pictures after Netflix swopped in last year. Starz only has Pay-One rights to films released by its sibling company, Lionsgate, which HBO and FX previously held.

Universal’s Unique Deal Bifurcates Pay-One Rights Between Multiple Streamers

July 31, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Universal Pictures bifurcates the 18-month Pay-One Film Licensing Window for its streaming service Peacock and Amazon. After four initial months on Peacock, Universal’s live-action films will stream exclusively on Amazon’s Prime Video for ten months before returning to Peacock for the final four months.

Amazon’s MGM+ Could Emerge as a Formidable Streaming Service After Acquiring Lionsgate

July 28, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

By absorbing Lionsgate and Starz into MGM+, which is available and promoted worldwide to hundreds of millions of Amazon subscribers, MGM+ could emerge as a leading streaming service. Besides Amazon, Paramount Global is said to be considering Starz.

Lionsgate Faces Substantial Financial Risks and Capital Requirements

July 26, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Lionsgate has failed to deliver on long-touted plans for cash injection by spinning off Starz. Despite ongoing delays and several missed deadlines, Lionsgate is reportedly one of three final suitors vying for Canada’s eOne.

The Never-Ending Story: Lionsgate’s Financial Maneuvers and the Fate of Starz

June 28, 2023 FilmTake Comments Off

Time will tell if the never-ending story Lionsgate has been spinning about Starz and the acquisition of eOne will come to fruition or if they’re merely maneuvering to manipulate its share price.

AT&T Loses Over $50 Billion on Half-Baked Content Distribution Ambitions

September 27, 2021 FilmTake Comments Off

After losing over $50 billion on a series of failed forays into content production and distribution, AT&T was forced to start selling stakes in its recently acquired media assets or risk weakening its monopolistic grip on telecom and internet delivery.

Movie Theater Attendance Roars Back to Life Despite Ongoing Restrictions

September 12, 2021 FilmTake Comments Off

Embracing this day-and-date strategy follows seismic industry shifts last year that led WarnerMedia to release all its films on HBO Max when theaters were more or less closed due to lockdowns.

Regal Shutters All 663 Theaters

October 6, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

British exhibitor Cineworld, the parent company of Regal Cinemas in the US, said on Monday that it would shutter all 663 of its theaters in the US and the UK starting October 8th.

Coming Soon to a Living Room Near You

September 30, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Day-and-date and other alternative film releasing models have been around for over a decade. Still, most major studios have avoided a strategy that skips the theater altogether, that is, until now.

The Reemergence of the Studio Cartel System

September 25, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

A Federal Judge ended the Paramount decrees that ceased Hollywood’s monopoly on producing, distributing, and exhibiting films citing the move would “serve the public interest in free and unfettered competition.”

The Paradox of Choice

March 8, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

The major studios sabotaged the dream of a la carte programming and are now attempting to transform streaming into cable television via an ethernet connection instead of coaxial.

AVOD Streaming Gains Ground

February 16, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

AVOD is gaining ground on SVOD in the United States. The proportion of television viewership that is through streaming services has almost doubled since 2018.

Cord-Cutting Gains Momentum

February 11, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

In the fourth quarter, two million US subscribers cut the cord on traditional television packages from AT&T, Comcast, Charter, and Verizon, up from 1.7 million in the third quarter.

Disney Aims At Netflix

February 6, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Disney+ nearly triples its subscriber base since launching in November. Through January, the streaming service has 28.6 million subscribers, up from 10 million weeks after it debuted.

UPDATED: Sundance Heats Up

January 28, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

After a slow start to the 35th annual Sundance Film Festival, the weekend produced a handful of sizable deals, including from Amazon Studios, Searchlight Pictures, and Lionsgate.

Netflix Results Are In

January 22, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Netflix missed its subscriber forecast in the US and Canada. Despite that, the streamer beat its overseas estimate of 7 million by adding 8.33 million.

Netflix Shatters Glass Ceiling

January 21, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

Netflix shocked most industry observers by receiving a leading 24 Academy Award nominations, more than any other distributor, including two for Best Picture.

Will Sundance Boom or Bust?

January 20, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

After a lackluster Sundance in 2018, last year was full of mega-deals, especially by Netflix and Amazon. Buyers spent over $120 million acquiring rights to some 40 films.

Production Battle of Britain

January 15, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

There is a mad rush by the most significant content creators, especially streaming services, to utilize the production infrastructure in England as a base of European operations.

Box Office Declines

January 6, 2020 FilmTake Comments Off

The box office in North America was down almost 5% from 2018 even after rising ticket prices, and despite a slew of mega-budget franchise films being released.