That’s a documentary, actually, “examining a lockdown staging of the play within the online digital realm of Grand Theft Auto, emerging as a strangely moving testament to the communal comforts of gaming and performance alike.” - The Guardian (UK)
On Thursday, the European Audiovisual Observatory (EAO), a research body, published its annual report on the theatrical performance of European movies worldwide. It’s not a pretty picture. - The Hollywood Reporter
Parent company Comcast is spinning off its cable channels but keeping its broadcast networks, including NBC. Both CNBC and MSNBC share, along with the brand name, correspondents and other resources with NBC News; the latter even shares office space at Rockefeller Center in New York. How to untangle all that? - AP
Peter Kyle, the secretary of state for science and technology, is trying to convince social media platforms to do more to prevent online harms, with new laws coming into effect next year that could result in heavy fines and even jail in cases where online safety is breached. - The Guardian
"Nicholson previously served as chief film critic at LA Weekly beginning in 2013, then at MTV News starting in 2016. She has written for publications including The New York Times, Variety, The Washington Post, The Guardian and Rolling Stone." - Los Angeles Times
It's a real movie, not just a morbid curiosity, but the latter can't help but overshadow the former — especially at a cinematography festival. The film is now world-famous, after all, only because its star accidentally shot its cinematographer to death on set. - Vulture (MSN)
"Comcast's move is the strongest sign yet of alarm reverberating throughout Hollywood's traditional companies. Cable channels have long been a key economic pillar, generating billions of dollars in distribution fees that more than covered up the misses when big-budget movies flopped or during advertising recessions. No more." - Los Angeles Times (MSN)
Last week, the state House of Representatives voted to terminate the incentive effective June 30, 2025, as part of a sweeping tax reform package. In response, hundreds of people jammed the hallways of the state Capitol in Baton Rouge on Sunday to protest the move, which would threaten thousands of film jobs. - Variety
"The company, which last month said it was studying the idea, will separate off entertainment and news channels including MSNBC, CNBC, USA, Oxygen, E!, Syfy and Golf Channel. Those assets generated about $7 billion in revenue in the 12 months ended Sept. 30." - The Wall Street Journal (MSN)
Geoffrey Mason, aged only 30, was a producer helping run coverage of the Munich Olympics when terrorists from the Black September group took hostage, and eventually murdered, 11 Israeli athletes. - The Hollywood Reporter
You get a film titled About a Hero, interspersing an AI-written narrative starring Herzog (as a character) investigating a mysterious death with interviews with artists, philosophers, and scientists on AI issues. Yes, Herzog is (in a way) involved, and no, he doesn't like the film. - The Hollywood Reporter
The bulk of the changes will come in the U.S., where we remain committed to our 50-state footprint but must evolve to align with changing customer and market needs. - Deadline
Yes, even if we don’t play, or know anything about it. The massive game has been a campaign tool, an academic study subject, one of the first social networks, and a test run for subscription services and micropayments. - The New York Times
Judy Greer “was just another victim of Hollywood’s tendency to stick accomplished actresses in so-called personal roles, playing the wives and mothers of the people who actually the drive the action in the story.” Now she’s a mom in a Christian family movie. Is this progress? - Slate
