Cinemas Add Pickleball and Ziplines to Lure in Moviegoers

 Popcorn and pinball don't cut it anymore to entice patrons as cinemas introduce pickleball and even ziplines to attract moviegoers.

Pickleball at B&B Cinemas,

According to a recent survey by NATO, the eight largest cinema chains (representing over 21,000 screens) have committed to spending $2.5billion on facility upgrades over the next three years.

Sound and projection are on the wish list but there seems to be a real push for offering "attraction" based offerings to keep moviegoers happy.

In theatre bowling

Moviegoers are returning to pre-Covid levels of attendance but if you browse social sites, you'll read that cinemas are aged, in need of substantial refurbishing, and can offer more activities. All of the large circuits admit that their cinemas need a fresh look.

How about a zipline in the auditorium?

CMG believes that cinemas can become event-based destinations, but they can't lose sight of what makes bank, and that is popcorn, candy, and soda.

By: Jim Lavorato

Auditions for Potter Reboot Cause Frenzy in U.K.

Emma Watson Now and Then

HBO is planning a TV series of the Harry Potter saga and has cast its net for 9–11-year-olds to fill the three leading roles of Harry, Herminie, and Ron. This has caused somewhat of a frenzy in the U.K. as thousands of kids (and their parents) are vying for the parts and the instant stardom it brings.

Hollywood is filled with child-star has-beens cursed with mental health issues and drug abuse. 

Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, who played the original Harry Potter trio from 2001-2011 have all been open and vocal about the toll early fame and lack of privacy impacted their lives. 

Radcliffe has struggled with alcohol, and Watson has bemoaned the ceaseless intrusion by the paparazzi and trying to cope - "your normal life is over" she quipped.  

Each was overnight earning huge bank. Radcliffe's earnings from the franchise were $95 million, Watson's $85 million, and Grint's about $50 million. All have stated that it was hard for them to tell where their characters began and ended. 

Rupert Grint

"It's harder now, it's not just the paparazzi but everyone with a phone, taking photos and videos. You have no private life", says Watson

But who is going to turn down a shot at the limelight and massive bank? No one!

By: Jim Lavorato

Winslet Says Female Actors Aren't "Brave"

 

Kate Winslet was quoted by Time Magazine as saying she felt female actors who show their bodies or don't wear makeup on camera aren't brave. 

Winslet, who is promoting her new film, "Lee" (about the life of WWII photographer Lee Miller) said she was adamant that a body double not be used in the nude scenes of the film. 

"That's not fucking brave" said Winslet, " I'm not fighting for justice. I'm doing a job. There's a bit where I am sitting on a bench in a bikini and one of the crew came up between takes to say I may want to sit up straighter to lessen my belly rolls, No Way."

When asked about wearing makeup, she quipped, "Looking less than perfect on screen is what I take pride in because it is my life on my face. It wouldn't occur to me to cover that up. I'm more comfortable with myself as each year passes."

"Lee" is scheduled for release on September 27th and is a must see. Winslet is a great actor and has gotten better and better over time.

By: Jim Lavorato

Sundance Festival to Relocate

Sundance needs a larger location to hold its annual film festival and has narrowed its search to Cleveland, Boulder, and Salt Lake City - the move will take place by the 2027 festival. The final selection will be announced at next year's festival.

In a statement released by the Sundance selection committee, the three cities remaining were selected based upon "their infrastructure and capabilities to hold the festival as it grows, while demonstrating the diverse Sundance community and inspire the next generation of independent filmmakers."

Each location offers Sundance the logistics needed to produce a giant festival, and we hope they select Cleveland which already houses the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

By: Jim Lavorato

Chick-fil-A Enters Entertainment Industry

 

Yes, the chicken fast-food chain is launching a streaming platform centered on family-friendly unscripted original shows and acquired content.

The budgets for the unscripted shows cost about $400,000/half-hour. It is also reported that they are considering scripted projects, as well as animation shows.

Some of the cast members of the 'Chick' productions

The chicken house wants to break into the reality TV business and is building on previously produced short, animated films for its site, called "Stories of Evergreen Hills" and "Pennycake" - a series of children's games and puzzles.

Chick-fil-A, which was founded in 1946, has over 3,000 locations and boasts the highest per-store sales of any fast-food chain in the U.S. 

Good luck to the Chick's entertainment endeavor.

By: Jim Lavorato

La Bamba Returns

 Mucho Mas Media and Sony Pictures have teamed up to do a remake of the 1987 film 'La Bamba', based on the life of rock and roll star Richie Valens.

Richard Valenzuela - Rock Icon

Lou Diamond Phillips, who portrayed Valens in the original film, is executive producing the remake.

Valens' life went from field laborer to rock star with a number of hit singles. The new film will recreate the early days of rock and pay tribute to a talent who crossed all racial borders. In 2017, 'La Bamba' was added to the National Film Registry of the U.S. Library of Congress as a film of significant cultural and historic importance. 

Phillips in the original film. No casting for the remake has been announced.

Valens songs included the hits, 'Donna' and 'We Belong Together'. He died at the age of 17 in a plane crash along with rock icons Buddy Holly and Jiles Perry Richardson (known as The Big Bopper).

Richard Valenzuela earned a place in music history and retelling his story to a new generation is a noble endeavor.

By: Jim Lavorato 

Megalopolis: Not a "Woke Hollywood" Movie

 Coppola says his new production, 'Megalopolis' "is not a woke Hollywood film."

Francis Ford Coppola

The cast includes Jon Voight, who is a staunch trump supporter and Shia LaBeouf who has been accused of sexual assault. According to Coppola, "the cast features people who were canceled by the Hollywood crowd. These are archconservatives and others who are extremely politically incorrect, but all working on one film, that was interesting."

'Megalopolis's' star studded cast includes Adam Driver, Laurence Fishburne, and 
Forest Whitaker, and many others

LaBeouf, who has barely worked since accusations against him surfaced in 2021 was praised by Coppola. "I had no experience working with him. He reminded me of Dennis Hopper, who would go off script and do his own thing, which was very frustrating, but always turned into something brilliant." 

Controversy has engulfed "Megalopolis" since its debut at the Cannes Festival, which had critics sharply divided on its merit.

"Megalopolis" is scheduled for release in the U.S. on September 27th. It should be a must see.

By: Jim Lavorato