Pay-1

Distribution

Paramount’s Identity Crisis: Massive Layoffs, Creative Exodus, and Strategic Uncertainty

November 5, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Paramount’s Identity Crisis: Massive Layoffs, Creative Exodus, and Strategic Uncertainty

What was sold as a revitalization appears to many, both inside and outside the company, as a high-risk restructuring that may strip Paramount of the very assets that once justified the deal. The comparison made by several veterans suggests that this has the makings of another Bronfman-era playbook: big promises, bigger checks, and a costly pursuit of scale that can leave the core business weaker.

Streaming

Streaming Growth Slows: How SVOD Platforms Are Shifting Strategies in 2025

October 30, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Streaming Growth Slows: How SVOD Platforms Are Shifting Strategies in 2025

Global streaming is shifting from rapid subscriber growth to a focus on retention, monetization, and diversified content delivery. With mature markets slowing and engagement slipping, SVOD platforms are expanding into lower-ARPU regions, testing ad-supported tiers, and forging partnerships like Netflix’s landmark TF1 deal, which blends traditional TV, live sports, and on-demand programming.

Distribution

Film Distribution Reset: Genre Wins, Big Acquisitions, Sparse Deals, and New Frontiers

September 24, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Film Distribution Reset: Genre Wins, Big Acquisitions, Sparse Deals, and New Frontiers

Let’s be blunt: TIFF 50’s low deal count and headline grabs tell the same story: the old model of acquisition excess no longer exists. But that doesn’t mean distribution is dead; it means it’s being refined. The more brutal, quieter truth is this: many films failed to get deals, not because they weren’t good, but because the margins, windows, and risk calculus no longer justify speculative purchasing.

Distribution

TIFF 2025 at Halfway Mark: Slow Negotiations, Genre Plays, New Distributors, and Market Jitters

September 10, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on TIFF 2025 at Halfway Mark: Slow Negotiations, Genre Plays, New Distributors, and Market Jitters

Well into its second week, TIFF 2025 is shaping up less as a buying frenzy and more as a barometer for where the independent business is heading. Deal volume remains lean, but the festival has already produced a $15 million bidding war for a Midnight Madness horror and a seven-figure North American deal for Gus Van Sant’s “Dead Man’s Wire.”

Distribution

TIFF 50 Sees First Big Buy: Obsession Fetches $15M as Horror Fuels Market Momentum

September 8, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on TIFF 50 Sees First Big Buy: Obsession Fetches $15M as Horror Fuels Market Momentum

As TIFF celebrates its 50th anniversary, the festival spotlights what might be its most resilient genre amid a fractured marketplace: horror. With shrinking screen counts, compressed Pay-1/Pay-2 deals, and younger ticket buyers pulling away from theaters en masse, horror remains a rare safe-haven—cheap to produce, reliably engaging, and buoyed by fervent word-of-mouth among young theater-goers.

Distribution

TIFF Turns 50 as Buyers Weigh Rising Costs Against Shrinking Streaming Fees

September 6, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on TIFF Turns 50 as Buyers Weigh Rising Costs Against Shrinking Streaming Fees

Toronto’s 50th anniversary edition arrives with independent distributors weighing risk against opportunity. Theatrical remains a tightrope, Pay-1 and Pay-2 license fees are under pressure, and negotiations are slower across the calendar. Yet a sturdier acquisitions slate, a pair of well-capitalized newcomers, and a crop of commercially minded titles suggest TIFF could regain some of its old deal energy.

Streaming

Global Streaming in 2025: SVOD Growth Slows as Hybrid TV Models Rise

August 26, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Global Streaming in 2025: SVOD Growth Slows as Hybrid TV Models Rise

Global streaming is shifting from rapid subscriber growth to a focus on retention, monetization, and diversified content delivery. With mature markets slowing and engagement slipping, SVOD platforms are expanding into lower-ARPU regions, testing ad-supported tiers, and forging partnerships like Netflix’s landmark TF1 deal, which blends traditional TV, live sports, and on-demand programming.

Distribution

Roku Bets on $2.99 Streaming: Disruptive Bargain or Unsustainable Streaming Gamble?

August 6, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Roku Bets on $2.99 Streaming: Disruptive Bargain or Unsustainable Streaming Gamble?

Roku’s entry into subscription streaming with Howdy is a striking counterpunch in an industry defined by rising prices and dwindling consumer patience. But at $2.99 per month, the economics of ad-free streaming are opaque, and only by pulling back the curtain on SVOD licensing deals can industry players gauge whether such a model is sustainable long term.

Distribution

Lionsgate’s Next Move After Ditching Starz: Sale, Merger, or Meltdown?

July 20, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Lionsgate’s Next Move After Ditching Starz: Sale, Merger, or Meltdown?

In an era of consolidation, contraction, and confusion in Hollywood, Lionsgate and Starz are finally standing on their own two feet. After nearly a decade under the same roof, the two companies have completed a long-delayed split, each charting separate paths in an unforgiving media economy where scale is elusive, profitability is evasive, and the search for suitors is relentless.

Distribution

The Secret Behind Neon’s Rise and Why Its Future Still Hangs in the Balance

June 18, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on The Secret Behind Neon’s Rise and Why Its Future Still Hangs in the Balance

While most independent distributors faltered after the lockdowns started a cycle of theatrical collapse, Neon doubled down on theatrical releases, carefully timed VOD windows, and an expanding slate of in-house productions. But behind the critical acclaim lies a high-stakes business model facing mounting financial pressure.

Distribution

Window Shopping: Why Holding Back Pays Off in Streaming Distribution

June 9, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Window Shopping: Why Holding Back Pays Off in Streaming Distribution

Studios are no longer tied to a single strategy for releasing films. Instead, each major player is now juggling theatrical, transactional, and streaming windows with increasing precision. Below is an examination of how studios like Universal, Sony, and Paramount are embracing staggered, platform-specific Pay-One strategies.

Distribution

Cannes Recalibrates: Pre-Sales Shrink, Streamers Stall, and Co-Productions Surge

June 1, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Cannes Recalibrates: Pre-Sales Shrink, Streamers Stall, and Co-Productions Surge

The 2025 Cannes Market delivered more questions than answers, as industry players navigated, stalled US deals, shrinking Pay-1 licensing windows, and a growing rift between premium and mid-budget titles. High production and distribution costs are driving greater selectivity among studios and streamers, leaving many films without buyers in the North American market.

Distribution

Cannes 2025: Rising Costs, Fewer Bets, and Smarter Deals in a High-Stakes Market

May 18, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on Cannes 2025: Rising Costs, Fewer Bets, and Smarter Deals in a High-Stakes Market

Despite record attendance and renewed energy on the Croisette, the Cannes 2025 Film Market is operating under the familiar strains of soaring acquisition costs, and a struggle to reconcile rising budgets with narrowing margins. For buyers and sellers alike, the market is less about glitz and more about financial clarity, pricing discipline, and navigating global distribution headwinds.

Distribution

All Eyes on Pre-Sales: Can Cannes 2025 Spark a Market Revival?

May 12, 2025 FilmTake Comments Off on All Eyes on Pre-Sales: Can Cannes 2025 Spark a Market Revival?

The slowdown in packaging during the first half of the year, has led to a stronger-than-usual Cannes lineup. The market is flush with well-developed packages and finished films with genuine theatrical potential. With more robust slates from top sales agencies and buyers reportedly ready to move on high-promise titles, Cannes 2025 could outperform recent years.

Distribution

Inside Cannes 2024: Adapting to Struggles and Shifts in the Independent Film Market

May 26, 2024 FilmTake Comments Off on Inside Cannes 2024: Adapting to Struggles and Shifts in the Independent Film Market

At this year’s Cannes, there’s a mix of optimism and weariness. High asking prices and low theatrical demand are notable. Streamers like Apple and Netflix lead significant acquisitions, sidelining traditional distributors. The market remains cautious, focusing on star-driven projects and strategic financial planning.