Rescuing The Cinema: Protecting and Preserving Feature Films

At this year's TCM Classic Film Festival, which was held last week in L.A., the importance of rescuing films that are at risk of deteriorating was front and center.

Held at the Chinese Theater discussions centered around the efforts required to rescue decades-old films.

Steven Spielberg noted that Martin Scorsese had initiated The Film Foundation in 1990 to preserve motion pictures history in collaboration with the major studios.

Spielberg with Angie Dickinson at Festival

Spielberg stated, "We all joined Scorsese in going around to all the studios to get them to finance this rescue operation to save our cultural heritage. Since that time, over 990 films have been rescued. We try to find the films, not the films that are our favorites, but films that tell a very unique story of this country and the people of this country. We're also rescuing international films." 

Several attending Festival glitterati

The importance of this work goes beyond just preserving cinematic history but of preserving memories.

The week-long Festival spotlighted Warner Bros. films in honor of the studio's 100th anniversary.

Is The Cinema Back?

This spring's box office was stellar and may forecast a back to normalcy for the cinema.

'Super Mario', 'John Wick', 'Air', 'Scream VI', 'Creed 111', were all big grossers this spring. The content pipeline for major motion pictures is once again flowing. 

'Renfield', 'The Pope's Exorcist', Mafia Mamma', and 'Suzume' are now screening and doing very well.

YTD box office gross is up 29% over 2022 at $2.1 billion. The box office is almost back to pre-COVID levels and there is a solid slate of films coming up for the summer and holiday season.

Upcoming Hits

May: Guardians of the Galaxy, The Little Mermaid

June: Strays, Spider-man, Transformers, The Flash, Indiana Jones

July: Mission Impossible, Barbie, 

August: Meg 2, Mutant Ninja Turtles, Gran Turismo, Haunted Mansion

September: Equalizer 3, Fat Greek Wedding, The Nun, Expendables

October: The Exorcist, Saw 10, Paw Patrol

November: Dune Two, The Marvels, Chicken Run, Hunger Games

December: Wonka, Ghost Busters, Aqua man

The Wick Franchise - What's Next?

 

The success of the John Wick films is huge. The latest installment, John Wick: Chapter 4, grossed over $140 million its opening weekend globally. However, there was never talk of a 5th episode as Wiek seemingly meets his demise (sort of - Wick is never shown dead) at the end of 'Chapter 4', until now!

Lionsgate, the franchise producer, wants a 5th Wick, and nothing is impossible in Hollywood even a death-rise. If there is a 5th film, Keanu Reeves would return but not necessarily in the lead role.

There is a spinoff of the series already in development, 'Ballerina', which is schedule for release next year. It stars Ana de Armas, as a female Wick style assassin. The chronology of this film fits between John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and Chapter 4.

Reeves and Armas in Wick spinoff, 'Ballerina'

I really like the Wick franchise and think a 5th episode will be made but that would be the last we will see of Baba Yaga.

Another thought would be to make a prequel to the original John Wick which would delve into how Wick got started and become the top hit man.

At 59, Reeves indicated Wick role is physically very demanding.

Diversity in Movies

 

UCLA recently issued a Hollywood Diversity Report, and, as one would expect, it found that movies were not diverse enough. The Study was based on 200 theatrical releases and 100 streamed films.

What the study found was that people of color (there was no breakdown of ethnicity) comprised 22% of lead stars (no mention of entire cast makeup), 17% of directors, and 12% of writers. Women were 39% lead actors and 15% of directors for theatrical releases.

Now, it is widely known that Hispanics are the most frequent moviegoers on a percentage basis vs. other groups. With Hispanic women the most avid moviegoers of all groups. However, the UCLA study didn't breakdown who or how many of each ethic group made up the numbers of actors, directors, or writers. Nor who frequents the cinema to view a movie vs. those that stream films.

I my experience, Hollywood is all about one thing, 'green'. If there are good script writers, good directors, and great actors they will be employed. It's not a matter of gender, race, etc. the only deterrent to getting roles is age. And the major motivator is box office gross. 

The UCLA study did take into account how many disabled actors were used. Which is meaningless, as anyone at any time can say they have a disability or one sort or another.

Overall, the UCLA report doesn't provide any new helpful information - it just reiterates the same old non-diversity rant and how much better films would be if only Hollywood would be more inclusive. It's really tiresome and a complete waste of time and money.

Disney Sheds 7,000 Across the Company

 

No division was sparred in CEO Bob Iger's employee purge at the Mouse house. The layoffs are taking place in three stages: starting this week, in April, and May end. 

The ABC News Division lost 50 high-level employees. A corporate press release couched the downsizing as "necessary step to ensure we're on solid footing for the years ahead."

In addition to the cuts at ABC, major staff slashes are taking place at the TV production and acquisitions unit, the newly formed 'Web3/metaverse division, and Marvel Entertainment, which is shedding staff as it gets rolled up into other divisions. 

Disney has massive debt (currently totaling $51.6 billion), and its business units are not generating the revenue or market growth that was previously envisioned. Coupled with a cultural shift to a 'woke' posture which has also contributed to weaker revenue at theme parks and Disney+.

A total staff reduction of 7,000 is planned throughout the company as Iger repositions the company to emphasize its core business functions. 

2023 Oscars Were in Keeping With the Past - As Bad as Ever

Although viewership was up over last year by 12% the Academy show was as lackluster as ever.

I didn't watch the Awards, I rarely do, but from the post writeups and after-party photos, it seems that the gowns and dresses were the highlights of the evening.  

A lot of legs was shown this year

As were other body parts

But, who am I to argue with haute couture. Besides the revealing evening wear, as is tradition, faux pas were abundant.

First, the red carpet wasn't red this year but a beige tone which did nothing to embellish the gowns, oops.

Second, having a donkey on stage with Kimmel was a good idea, as Kimmel is not funny. He has very poor timing and delivery, and is the host because no one else wants the job of MCing the Show.

Suffice it to say that this year the Awards where an Asian romp and that was a good thing, as 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' deserved all the accolades bestowed upon it.

Oh yes, kudos to James Hong who I have watched in many, many movies and TV shows throughout my life (he played in over 650). He was great in any role he played, be it hero, villain, comic, in any genre.

Hong at Oscar Awards, at 94 he is still making movies.

To sum up, this year's gala didn't go entirely off the rails but it still lacks the showmanship the biggest entertainment awards show deserves.

 

Better Movie Viewing at Independent Cinemas...Here's Why

 

North Park Theatre, Buffalo, NY

Lane Brown, authored an article for Vulture Magazine, entitled "Bad Projection is Ruining the Movie Theater Experience".

Brown's premise is that multiplexes are failing at the most basic function: presenting a best on-screen image with great sound ... and he's right!

Aurora Theater, East Aurora, NY

The large cinema circuits are doing a great disservice to the industry. Dim images, bad sound, torn masking, poor general facility upkeep, and other issues make going-to-the-movies an expensive but unpleasant experience. Much of this has to do with money issues, which I'll discuss later, but a lot has to do with poor staff training and mismanagement of the business operations at major circuits.

Brown's article centers on, not smaller, independent cinemas but with flagship AMC and Regal (Cineworld) theaters in New York City.

Old, discolored screens, bad or no masking, out-of-calibration lighting and sound, over and under thrown on-screen images, it goes on and on. 

BarnZ's Meredith Cinema, Meredith, NH

Moviegoers can tolerate a lot, but the very poor quality of exhibition has reached a point where they are not showing up at the box office. 

I don't buy the argument that the pandemic is still impacting the current poor attendance figures. The large cinema chains, like all other businesses, were compensated for being shuttered - via salary recoupment, mortgage and/or lease payments, etc. So, equipment maintenance should have been maintained. 

Additionally, the theaters knew that the public was pent-up and yearning to return to the movies and offered very little showmanship on reopening. 

Capitol Theater, Rome, NY

Most of the large circuits let go of their projection staff upon the introduction of digital cinema projection. They under-train their staff and use ushers or assistant managers to act as projectionists, including movie setup, formats, cleaning of lenses and portholes, general maintenance of equipment. 

Luckily, Entertainment Equipment, recommended and installed NEC projectors which had, in my judgment the best light engine of all the digital projectors. Additionally, we have always impressed upon our customers that hours of usage be keep and lamps changed out within 50 hours before warranty expiration. 

Little Theater, Rochester, NY

I believe independent exhibitors present the best movie screenings. They are fastidious, are acutely aware of their clients' needs and likes, and know they must compete not only against the large circuits but with their customers' living rooms. 

People like going to the movies but the large circuits are making it very difficult to justify the cost/benefit of admission. If you have a local, independent cinema in your neighborhood or town, please plan a visit - you'll be pleasantly surprised. 

Apollo Theater, St. Mary's, PA

Throughout this post, I have inserted photos of several independent theaters that are long-time EEC customers. We service many independent, first-run cinemas, as well as art houses and university cinemas.

Notes on the Large Cinema Circuits 

The top five circuits: AMC, Cineworld (Regal), Cinemark, Cineplex Entertainment, and Marcus Corporation have a combined screen count of 21,867 out of a total of approx. 43,000 screens in North America, about 50%.

 If you look at them from an ongoing business perspective, it's a scary sight. For example:

•  AMC's share price is $6.50, it has a negative cash flow and outstanding debt of $6.8 billion.
•  Cineworld is worse, it had an operating loss in 2021 (last year financials are available) of $565 million and debt totaling $9 billion.
•  If you skip to Marcus (which is probably the best of the lot) their share price is currently $16. They reported a net profit of $3.7 million in 2022, however, their debt load is over $700 million. 

Support your local independent cinema. It's less expensive and the presentations are superior.

Cinema Mucho Gusto is a service of

 Entertainment Equipment Corp. 

Give It a Rest...Please, Enough

Rowling with Harry Potter cast. They turned on her because of her stance on neo-sexualism

The controversy over comments made by J.K Rowling regarding transgenders has reached a point of absurdity. The neo-sexual community in their quest for universal acceptance of their beliefs has now entered into full heterophobic mode.  

People can declare themselves to be any sex they choose, fine - do it. The problem lies in the fact that men are now defining who a woman is. And women are letting them get away with it. How can women, and the women's movement, let men define who they are? 

When Rowling questioned the phrase 'people who menstruate' and further, 'if sexual orientation isn't real, there's no same-sex attraction. If sex isn't real, the lived reality of women globally is erased", the neo-sexualists went off the rails, as did many of the Hollywood glitterati. 

Threading the fine line between sexes is difficult. Purport to be what you want but don't try to control the process of acceptance by labeling others homophobes or transphobes because they don't agree that men can give birth or menstruate. 

Men defining who a woman is goes beyond chauvinism or misogyny, in fact, those words lose their meaning under the neo-sexual community. 

Let's move on. Be whatever you want but don't expect universal attention or gratitude from others. 

 

Disney and the Chinese Communist Party: A Happy Duo

 

Disney does whatever to catch the Chinese Market

Bob Iger, Disney's returned CEO, is one of China's best friends. Iger, has been sitting on the Disney throne for less than three months but has already worked his censorship of content in favor of China.

For example, a recent episode of 'The Simpsons', which criticizes China's human rights abuses never aired on Disney+ in Hong Kong which was a kow-tow to Chinese censors.

Yet, Disney decided to not release 'Thor' or 'Lightyear' in other Asian markets rather than give in to pressure from censors over those films' LGBTQ characters.

Iger, who once told associates that he was considering a "diplomatic post" in China for the Biden Administration and was the main driver in opening Disney theme parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Iger, unfortunately, is a real friend to the Chinese Communist Party.

It's all about money and nothing about patriotism for Iger. The Chinese adage, "the U.S. will hang itself, and we'll sell them the rope" could not be truer in Disney's case.

Iger and Xi Jinping, Head of CCP

Why U.S. business executives see the need to placate to the CCP is getting to a point where 'collusion with the enemy' is warranted. Feeding the dragon isn't in the best interests of the U.S. but the CCP knows that the adage is correct. They know they can use our businesses' greed needs to leverage their capitulation - and Iger is the poster child for this. 

There isn't a CCP apple Iger won't polish or a boot he won't lick to get Disney's debt laden balance sheet in order. At the end of 2022 Disney's debt totaled $104 billion of which $75 billion was long-term. It lost more than $120 billion in market cap last year. Since Iger took over just three months ago, Disney as cut employment by 7,000 people. 

CMG believes that Iger/Disney runs a big PR risk in chasing yuan. Most Americans and the Biden Admin. are less and less comfortable with companies' doing business with China and the fallout will come. So, beware Bob Iger.

Cinema Mucho Gusto is a blog provided by Entertainment Equipment Corporation

Disney v. State of Florida

The State of Florida, led by its Governor, Ron DeSantis is in a bare-knuckles brawl with Disney Inc. 

In the latest bout, the Florida legislature introduced a bill that would limit the control that Disney is able to exert through the Reedy Creek Improvement District, a special government entity that oversees the area that has been managed by the company for over 50 years and is home to Disney World. 

Reedy Creek administration provides municipal services such as water, sewage, and emergency services under the total control by Disney, including eminent domain (the ability to requisition private property). 

 

Too Woke Costs Disney

The new legislation would fix the boundaries of the District preventing land grabs. It also removes a provision which allowed Disney to build a nuclear fission power plant, open an airport, or build convention halls at its whim.

The District is going to be renamed to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District.

It appears that Disney is losing its unique business status as the Florida Governor and Legislature 'unwoke' the Mouse.

Time's Up ... Folds Up

 

Ad for Time's Up

The anti-harassment organization that launched 5 years ago to huge Hollywood fanfare and financial backing at the outset of the #MeToo movement is closing its doors. 

Racked with internal fraud and mismanagement, including revelations that Time's Up's leadership did not disclose connections with former governor Andrew Cuomo who was implicated in sexual harassment charges which led to his resignation.

When launched in 2018, Time's Up was supported with donations, with TV and social media hyping by numerous Hollywood celebs. Pins emblazoned with the phrase "Time's Up" were seen on the red carpets of the Golden Globes and Oscars. 

Jimmy Kimmel plugging Time's Up at the Oscars

Donations soared and the advisory board included Natalie Portman and Jessica Chastain among others. However, after its tacit support of Cuomo its favored status waned.

By the beginning of this year, Time's Up support had shrunk to just three board members, including Ashley Judd, and its demise was eminent. Its remaining funds, totally about $1.7 million will be given to the National Women's Law Center in Washington, D.C., which will use the funds to pay outstanding legal fees and provide legal assistance to low-income workers. 

Celebs support to the Time's Up cause.

Kevin Spacey Receives Lifetime Achievement Award...It's Due

 

The multiple sexual assault charges against Kevin Spacey didn't deter Italy's National Museum of Cinema from honoring the actor, as they paid tribute with its highest honor - the Stella della Mole Award for lifetime achievement. 

Spacey thanked the Museum and the Italian Ministry of Culture for the award, "for having the courage, the balls, to invite me. I've only ever received kindness and support from fans and coworkers."

Spacey won a Best Actor Oscar in 2000 for his role in 'American Beauty'. He was accused of sexual offenses in the U.K. to which he has pleaded not guilty. Last October, he was found not guilty of another sexual misconduct charge.

Spacey is currently a persona non grata in Hollywood, as the industry turned its back on him. He was fired from the Netflix series 'House of Cards'. He has, however, found work in Europe and is involved with several projects in Italy and France.

CMG believes that until proven otherwise, Spacey is innocent. He is a very good actor and it's always nice to see him perform. Good luck Kevin.

Boycotting Russian and Iranian Films...A BAD Idea

 

The Berlin Film Festival and the European Film Market event joined the Cannes and Venice festivals in banning Russian and Iranian-produced films due to the war in Ukraine. 

In a statement, the Berlin fest emphasized that it "will not exclude filmmakers, artists, industry representatives, or journalists because of their Russian or Iranian nationality."

The thing is, how do you know what the filmmakers' affiliations are? Banning films, for whatever reasons, is a bad idea and CMG does not support banning any film for whatever reason.

Let the public decide on the films they want to view and not have festival managers censoring films based on their origin of production.

2023 - Streamers Move to a Defensive Posture

 

It's no longer about increasing subscriber numbers but finding growth areas within their customer base and bolstering the brand - that is the strategy for all streamers going forward.

Here's how the top 5 content streamers will proceed in '23:

• Netflix - The King of the Hill. This juggernaut of streamers has already started the switch to less subscriber growth. It rolled out an ad-supported tier and is eliminating password sharing (but won't be too aggressive with penalizing password sharers it will use an honor system). Additionally, we will see a gaming option and a new series of workout videos are being offered as we speak.

• Disney - Will focus on brand strengthening. Disney will be reducing investment in general entertainment content and sports. Also, Disney will not be acquiring the remaining 33% ownership of Hulu from Comcast but will push negotiations into 2025.

• Warners - Their merge with Discovery Channel will be at the top of the agenda for 2023. Post-merger will require consolidation and bundling of content from their various outlets. 

• Google - Making the big bet on the NFL Sunday football is front and center at Google. Their hope is that this will be a huge winner for YouTube. Games will be available to anyone in the U.S. without the purchase of a pay-TV package. The stakes are high, as under the seven-year deal Google is paying the NFL $2 billion.

• FAST (free ad-supported TV) - CMG's pick for the fifth most important driver in streaming content. FAST will grow substantially and take viewers away from regular broadcast and cable channels. Pluto TV, Tubi, FreeVee, and Ruku will see huge gains and out-pace subscription-based services for viewers.

The 'Ash People' of Avatar 3

 

'Avatar 2: The Way of  Water' was a smash hit at the box office, amassing over $1.4 billion in less than two weeks of release globally. But....what's next.

Avatar 3 will feature a new Na'vi tribe, the Ash People. Whereas Avatar 2 was all about water, 3 will be all about fire. The new tribe, the Ash People are far less friendly and much more villainous. The plot shifts from outsiders invading Pandora to an internal conflict within the planet, i.e. Earth's situation.

"The earlier two films are very negative against humans and very positive to Na'vi inhabitants - in 3 we do the reverse," says Jim Cameron.

The Avatar saga adds layer upon layer to the overall story.  Avatar 3 will travel beyond Pandora to other planets. Pandora serves as a foundation for the entire narrative. The only thing we are sure of is that as sequels progress Cameron intends to bring the story full circle back to Earth in the fifth film - and possibly beyond that.

Avatar 3 has just wrapped and is in post-production, it is scheduled for release in December 2024.  

Award Screenings' Attendance Has Dropped Like a Rock

 

There are hundreds of film Awards 

If you're in a rush to get a seat to view the nominations for the various cinema awards, don't worry there are plenty of empty ones.

Even in H'wood, sources confirm that screenings at the Academy's Samuel Goldwyn Theater (which has 1,000 seats) has been seating only 50 or so attendees per viewing.

This is even more unusual, as many of these screenings feature Q&A sessions with talent from the films. 

COVID can't be blamed for the dismal turnouts, at least not anymore. And don't forget, these are invited guests that get to go to the Award screenings for free. 

There seems to be a great lack of enthusiasm within the cinema industry for the numerous Award organizations' nominations. CMG agrees. The number of Award shows is tiresome and monotonous - with the same old faces and lack luster presentations. Everything is soooo bland.   

There are Awards than awards. The main Awards are the Academy Awards, BAFTA Awards (British Oscars), Golden Globe (The Hollywood Foreign Press), Cannes Palm D'or Award, Ce'sar Awards (French Oscar), and literally hundreds of other award presentations including Critics, Film Festivals, and almost every country has film awards.

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Cruise Gets Cold-shoulder from Golden Globes

Cruise returned 3 Golden Globe Awards in 2021

In 2021, Tom Cruise returned his three Golden Globe statues amid the controversy surrounding the award show's governing body, The Hollywood Foreign Press Association, when it was revealed that none of its members were black.

This year, because of Cruise's prior action, the HFPA did not nominate him for a Best Actor award for his role in 'Top Gun, Maverick", which had a 96% favorable rating from Rotten Tomatoes and grossed over $1.4 billion globally.

And so, it goes. CMG's take on all of this is - Cruise could care less! It just makes the HFPA look more petty and less relevant than they already are.  

Want a great take on business, with insights not available from any other source, than go to the 4M Performance website. 

The Little Known - American Film Showcase

 

The U.S. film industry is arguably the primary exporter of culture throughout the world. But the superhero, high-impact, fantasy films that dominate have hidden the idea of what the U.S. is all about. 

Although little known, about a decade ago the U.S. Department of State launched the American Film Showcase which was founded on the idea of screening U.S. made documentaries which depict American life - the good and bad. To my knowledge no other country does anything like this.

The AFS program is administered by the Cinematic School of Arts at the University of Southern California and its American documentaries have disseminated in 111 countries via US Consulates.  

Many of these films start out with dire themes but usually end as an uplifting tale of people overcoming their bad circumstances. 

In addition to screening films, the AFS sends film industry artists and employees around the world as trainers and instructors to local cinema talent. According to Gandin Mark, Director of International Programs at AFS, "there's a very intense desire to create TV content around the world and we have skills to teach that people trust."

According to, Francisco Perez, a State Department, Public Affairs Officer who has sponsored AFS programs in three continents, says "the power of the messages you can impart through film is very underestimated, by training filmmakers who are learning about human rights, democracy and values that we as Americans hold dear, it's going to influence the rest of their careers."

The AFS is a very worthwhile endeavor that spreads our culture and beliefs worldwide in a non-confrontational and useful manner. It is a program very few of us know about but should.

60 Is Hollywood's NEW 25

 Even in youth-crazed H'wood, older actors in their 50s, 60s and more, are getting the nod for high-impact roles that were once the singular domain of the 25+ group.

The actors to the left are all 70+

Be it Tom Cruise (60+) in 'Top Gun, Harrison Ford (80) in the upcoming 'Indiana Jones', 56-year-old Viola Davis in 'The Woman King', or Keanu Reeves (58) in the John Wick series, older is not an issue. 

The over 50 set is more experienced, more versatile, and has box office cache. Action scenes are now very choreographed utilizing the expertise of body movement coaches and stunt experts - age is just a number.

Once focused on the young and beautiful Hollywood has given way, in many cases, to wiser, more confident, and perhaps sexier and more realistic characters in the story.

So, be it Nicole Kidman, Holle Berry, Salma Hayek, Marica Tomei, Lucy Liu or Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Al Pacino, Denzel Washington, Tom Hanks, or Liam Neeson all bets are off on age sanctions.  60 is the new 30 in H'wood and it's reflected at the box office as the older A-listers garner the big grosses. 

All 50+ and going strong

Poor Oscar...He Needs a Re-branding

Say what you will about Oscar, certainly he has lost a lot of his gleam, but he is still at the top of the heap when it comes to entertainment awards. He still represents the biggest (arguably) recognition of artistic talent in the motion picture industry.

In addition to self-inflicted wounds, coming from the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, Oscar's biggest onslaught came from the content streamers. Over the past 7 years Netflix, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, and many others have become very competitive rivals to the major studios and their top prize.

Streamers have presented problems for Oscar

But the winds seem to be shifting in Oscar's favor and this year of the 10 best picture nominations there may be none nominated from the streamers' ranks. 

The problem for Oscar however is not streamers but its loss of purpose. The Oscar presentation has lost consumer interest. It's lost its relevance to moviegoers and home viewers alike. It's out of touch with mainstream viewership which is only interested in screening films of certain genres, mainly, high-impact action and superhero, horror, and children automation.

The Academy Awards gala represents a good back-slapping event for the movie industry's glitterati. the Oscars seem to be the same folks giving accolades to each other year in and year out for films not one views.

 

Avatar 6 and 7, Really!

The sequel to Avatar will be released on Dec. 16th, Way of the Water. The 3rd, 4th, and 5th episodes of this franchise are scheduled for release in December of 2024, '26, and '28. But, I think that is too long a wait between episodes, although Way of the Water lagged Avatar by 13 years.

James Cameron, the creator, and director of the films has ideas about a 6th and 7th episode. According to Cameron, "obviously, I'm not going to be able to make Avatar movies indefinitely. I would like to train somebody how to do this. I'll want to pass the baton to a director that I trust to take over, so I can do some other stuff."

Cameron wants the 'Avatar' saga to continue with  6th & 7th films

 Avatar, is the highest-grossing film of all time, at $2.91 billion. The previous record holder was Titanic at $1.84 billion, which is another Cameron film. Way of the Water is anticipated to do as well, but Disney, the film's distributor, has demanded that every cinema must commit to a four-week run with a 68% distribution fee of gross over the entire run. For many smaller, independent exhibitors these terms are non-starters as it precludes them from exhibiting other Christmas films because they must 'lock up' a screen for Way of the Water.

Other, notable films for the season include Pinocchio, Puss in Boots, Matilda, Encanto, Night at the Museum, etc. Way of the Water would have to have great legs to have a solid four-week run.

Way of the Water cost $350 million before marketing expenses. Cameron thinks that the film would have to gross $2 billion globally to get its money back. "You have to be the third or fourth highest-grossing film in history. That's your threshold. That's your breakeven"

CMG believes Way of the Water will do extremely well at the box office, whether or not it will exceed the first film? But, with inflation and consumers' quest for escapism, it may just beat the odds.

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