Is the Cinema Going the Way of Opera and Ballet?

Is the cinema industry broken?

Is the cinema becoming passe? Will it become an entertainment vehicle left to cinephiles and entrenched fans and bypassed by the average consumer?

These are valid questions, given the changing landscape of entertainment, and the movie industry's long-term survival is doubtful. Unless movie production becomes less expensive, and cinemas have a 45-day release window, the movies may go the way of the opera or ballet. 

That is why the movie industry should embrace and not fight AI and robotics in the production of films and their distribution. Without doubt, AI will have a massive impact on the film industry. The best answer in confronting these technological changes is not to fight them - as Hollywood is doing - but to embrace and use the tech advances to produce more product, at a lesser cost and with more creativity.

Gone is the heyday of the golden age of Hollywood. It is being replaced by algorithms, AI-generated actors, and robotic cameramen. Creativeity is the key to Hollywood's survival; if not, movies will be relegated to a passe entertainment vehicle used only by a few hard-core movie buffs and cinema historians.

Taylor Swift is Fighting a Losing AI Battle

Taylor Swift is applying for two trademarks seeking protection of her voice and one trademark to combat AI-generated images.

Taylor's trademark applications are a response to the unauthorized use of AI-generated images and voice. However, there are pitfalls to trademark infringement, as they cannot provide overall protection against every feature of a performer's brand.

According to Matthew Ashell, an expert in intellectual property law, say "I don't believe the trademark route will be very effective, except for rare circumstances. Additionally, these protections do not protect against AI-generated reproduction in any other country."

Taylor gets an A for effort, but the reality is that it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to prevent the use of voice or image. She is right in not wanting AI-generated voice or images of herself, and she speaks for anyone of notoriety, but there is no stopping AI-generated anything.

Oscars and Nobels are Trinkets Compared to the Breakthrough Awards

 

The Breakthrough Trophy

Scientists are the movie stars of the Breakthrough Awards. Started in 2012, these awards are given to researchers and developers in Life Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics. The recipients of which should be celebrated as national heroes.

The Breakthrough Awards carry a $3 million prize and are given for outstanding achievement and discovery that significantly advances human knowledge and improves life.

The Award winners are chosen by committees composed of previous winners, eliminating politics and favoritism. This year's Awards paid out $18 million to recipients at a ceremony whose guest list included tech titans to A-list movie stars. Yes, movie stars! This shows that Hollywood sees the writing on the wall and their fear of the changes to production, distribution, and exhibition that AI presents.

Robert Downey Jr.

This year, the Life Sciences Award was given to seven individuals for:

• developing the first FDA-approved gene therapy for an inherited disease
• discovering how the body switches from fetal to adult hemoglobin, including gene editing
• for the identification of a mutation that causes Alzheimer's and dementia

In Physics, the Awards went to scientists: 

•  developing the ultra-precise measurement of magnetism within our universe
•  for work on nuclear force and string theory

In Mathematics:

•  for breakthroughs in nonlinear evolution equations

Ben Affleck

The Awards were attended by Sam Altman, Sergey Brin, Mark Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Ann Hathaway, Ben Affleck, Ron Howard, Robert Downey Jr., Naomi Watts, Zoe Saldana, Edward Norton, and Gal Gadot, to name a few.

My hope is that the Breakthrough Awards do not become an Oscar-like event. What these Awards represent is the best we have to offer in the evolution of mankind.

Celeb Litigation $$$$

 Every day, another scandal rocks H'wood and the entertainment industry. Lawsuits run amok and the cost of litigation is at all-time highs!

The going rate for a top legal advisor or judicator run from $500 - over $2,500/hour. At the elite end, firms charge, on average $2,000/hour for run-of-the-mill contract disputes to $3,500/hour for legal litigation, i.e. sexual scandals or other criminal charges.

Most high-stakes cases began with an evergreen retainer, say $50,000 - which has to be replenished at a burn-rate of $2,500/hour, or 20 hours of work. If multiple attorneys are working a case, the retainer burn-rate could be only 10 hours. This doesn't include the cost of expert witnesses or administrative charges.

In most civil lawsuits involving contract disputes, or copyright infringements, the legal fees are the hourly rate plus a percentage of any settlement. In widely publicized cases, like the Harvey Weinstein sexual charges, his legal fees were $10 million and still counting.

 

Saudis Go Hollywood

 The Saudis are betting big on the entertainment industry, plowing billions into Hollywood studios and other entertainment endeavors. In Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, movies are a must for entertainment. They screen film well into the night (until 1 -2am) and pull in a mixed demographic.

 

Saudis flock to the cinema during Ramadan

Eight years ago, there were no cinemas in Saudi Arabia. Now, there are many multiplexes, film festivals (the biggest being the annual Red Sea International Film Festival), and esports arenas. Even during their current war with Iran, people are flocking to the movies as cinemas have remained open during the conflict.

The cultural change is due to Crown Prince Mohanned bin Salman (known as MBS to his friends), who is spending billions in overseas entertainment production and distribution. Including a $24 billion investment into the Paramount takeover of Warner Bros., about 25% of the whole merger cost. 

Although there is a lot of handwringing by some folks in Hollywood and Washington, I believe the Saudi investment will be passive - it's looking for long-term returns, and the entertainment industry, on a global basis, fulfills that requirement and sends a message to the world that the Kingdom is rebranding itself. 

Hollywood is currently hungry for cash, so the Saudi investments are welcomed and override any morality issues - and it's working. This past September, the inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival took place. It featured Kevin Hart, Ball Barr, Dave Chappelle, and Pete Davidson. In December, the Kingdom hosted the Soundstorm Music Festival, which featured Cardi B, Post Malone, and Pitbull.

MBS's long-term strategy is to move the Saudi economy away from oil and into technology (the build-out of large AI data centers), tourism, and the media. 

In Saudi Arabia, there is no political participation by the populace, so entertainment provides an outlet for the Saudis, where 60% of the population is under 35.

Depp and Smith at the Red Sea Film Festival

IMO, the Saudis are making good, long-term investments in media. Entertainment is the one industry that has universal growth that crosses all economic and social sectors. The Saudis, through MBS, have a strategy, and it appears to be working.

Berlin to Host 3-Day Tribute to Michael Jackson

 

A three-day fan event is set to take place in Germany to celebrate "the man and his movie." From April 11th to 13th, this will be an immersive fan experience.

Events include the premiere of the biopic "Michael", which is scheduled for an April 24th release in the U.S..Also included will be panel discussions by the movie's cast and crew, and a gala wrap party.

The event is touted as a "Tribute to his music, his creativity, and the timeless magic he shared with the world." The film stars Jaafar Jackson, Michael's nephew.

The event is a collaboration between Paramount Pictures and the Jackson estate.

This should be a film worth viewing. I'll be going to see it.

Jim Lavorato

CinemaCon's Best in Show Poster Competition

 "Movie theatres are the one public place where you can openly cry or laugh and scream, and do it with strangers," says Graphic Designer Johanna Grief, this year's first-place poster winner.

2026 CinemaCon poster winner

The winning poster features an Art Deco motif surrounded by objects that pay homage to great films. Ruby slippers from "The Wizard of Oz", and 007's martini glass.

Greif won an all-expenses-paid trip to Las Vegas to attend the full CinemaCon agenda and meet the celebs attending. Additionally, her poster will be printed on T-shirts, which will be given to every conference attendee.

Winning poster flanked by second and third place winners

The poster contest started five years ago. Entrants must be employed at a movie theater from anywhere in the world. Greif is the manager at the North Bend Theatre in North Bend, Washington, about 45 minutes outside Seattle.

Congrats Johanna.

Why Are Movies Getting Longer?

 The length of an average theatrical movie has gotten longer and longer. Why?

Many films have what I call 'filler', unnecessary scenes or scenes that can be greatly shortened. You want the film to end, but it keeps going.

The average run rate for a film in the 1990s was 106 minutes, in the 2000s, 114 minutes - a bit under two hours. Now, adding pre-show ads and trailers (which run about 20-30 minutes), the moviegoing experience averages 180 to 240 minutes (3 - 4 hours). Action films average the least amount of time, 128 minutes, but many films exceed even the 180-minute mark.

Lengthy films, some with intermissions, included 'The Godfather', 'Lawrence of Arabia',
'Schindler's List', and 'Gone with The Wind'.

IMO, the studios want the moviegoer to feel they are experiencing a major entertainment event. A good example is the 'Lord of the Rings: Return of the King', which ran 210 minutes. 

It may also be a trend with younger viewers, who think nothing of spending hours in front of a PC or iPad screen. Additionally, people may feel that if they pay for entertainment, they want to see something substantial for their investment in time and money. 

Still, these may just be excuses. Many classic films were two hours or less in length. 'Back to the Future', 'Jaws', 'Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back', ' Jurassic Park', 'Spiderman'. 

Jim Lavorato

Head of C3-PO is Auctioned Off

 

The head of 'Star Wars' Droid C3-PO fetched $1 million at the annual Propstore auction. 

A relic of the past, but one that represents the technological disruption we are currently witnessing.

Other items generating top dollar were memorabilia from 'Jaws', 'Lord of the Rings', Pirates of the Caribbean', 'Top Gun', and the 'Batman' films.

Depp Launches 'Three Hearts' Rum

 

Johnny Depp and Steven Tyler at 'Three Hearts' launch

Celebs have been introducing branded merch for years, from movie stars to sports figures to online influencers. So, it is no surprise that Johnny Depp joined the party.

At a post-Oscars soiree, hosted by Aerosmith rocker, Steven Tyler, Johnny Depp made a very rare public appearance to launch his new rum, 'Three Hearts'.

Entertainment for the bash was Matteo Bocelli, son of acclaimed opera singer Andrea Bocelli.

Andrea and Matteo Bocelli

According to Depp, 'Three Hearts' was inspired by his "tattoos, and personal philosophy, with the brand's motto being - No Fear. No Malice, No Envy."

Aerial shot of Little Hall's Pond Cay, in the Bahamas

The rum is a premium Caribbean-inspired liquor that Depp founded with his long-time friend Bobby DeLeon. Depp owns a private island in the Bahamas, called Little Hall's Pond Cay. He has lived in the Caribbean area for decades. The island, about 45 acres in size, was purchased by Depp in 2004 for $3.6 million.

All the best, Johnny