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FACT PAYS A VISIT TO DODGY STREAMERS
RABBIT IS NO FLOPSY
CHAMPAGNE FOR SUPERNOVA…
…AND LET’S HAVE ANOTHER ROUND
SPIRALLING OUT
CENSOR GETS THE TREATMENT
FRIGHTFEST ADDS DIGITAL
VISIONS FOR THE FIUTURE
NETWORK FLIES THROUGH THE UNIVERSE
NAKED FUN
FUNIMATION ROLLS ON
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
AT THE MOVIES
TWEET OF THE WEEK
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
The Federation Against Copyright Theft has been on the march, with the anti-piracy organisation working with police from as far afield as Essex, Hertfordshire, West Yorkshire and Pembrokeshire to issue a number of cease and desist notices to suspects believed to be supplying illegal streaming services. Working with the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit, West Yorkshire Police and Dyfed-Powys Police, as well as the Government Agency Intelligence Network, the suspects were fairly low-level operators, but FACT and the authorities were keen to nip their activities in the bud before they escalated. FACT will continue to monitor them to ensure they don’t reoffend and will swoop again if they do. Kieron Sharp, Chief Executive of FACT said: “We employ a range of tactics to prevent the provision of illegal streaming. Our continuous activity targets different elements of the global piracy landscape, with consideration given to the scale of the offending to ensure effective and proportionate action is taken. By taking these measures we are sending a clear message. Piracy is fraud and anyone motivated by financial gain from doing this needs to know that this is a crime which will be taken seriously by Police. I would like to thank the GAIN and all the Police units for their assistance in this initiative and look forward to further collaboration.” Paul Sanders, GAIN coordinator at ERSOU, said: “This initiative looks to not only cease illegal activity with immediate effect, but also to prevent further crimes taking place. GAIN is committed to ensuring that Government agencies and other partners work alongside the police to protect our communities from a wide range of criminality, and this activity is an example of our teams working collaboratively to disrupt and dismantle those involved in illicit activities. It’s important to remember that the public may be risking their personal and financial information by engaging with illegal services, and we will continue to support FACT in their endeavours to prevent illegal content provision.” West Yorkshire Police Officer David Hayes said: "People may not think they are causing harm by selling streaming services for a quick penny but if you choose to do so, you are breaking the law and there will be consequences when you are caught. It was good to support FACT in West Yorkshire and we hope this collaboration will send out a clear message to those who think they can get away with it. We will find you.”
It’s been another strong week for Sony Pictures Home Entertainment’s animated sequel Peter Rabbit 2, one of the first full theatrical to home entertainment releases after the pandemic, one that has marched through cinemas and now into stores, both as a digital and physical release, rather than a pandemic-affected release schedule. The title is sitting pretty at number one on the Official FIlm Chart after its release, spending a third week in the top slot in the chart released on August 11. The placement saw physical sales being added to the digital sales, with the James Corden sequel leading sales in both areas, with a total of 87,000 sold across the assorted SKUs. Comment on its success and support came from SPHE senior marketing manager Akinyi Gardiner, Senior Marketing Manager at Sony Pictures Home Entertainment: “We are incredibly pleased with the overall performance of Peter Rabbit 2! It’s been a marvellous achievement, and we’d like to thank all of our retail partners for their tremendous support in launching this chart-topping title. This summer we’ve worked with our partners to implement some great on platform digital activations and in-store initiatives. This work will continue throughout the school summer holidays to ensure that Peter and his crew keep families and children across the UK entertained!”
Talking of films that have been released theatrically and are now moving on to home entertainment releases, Studiocanal has just officially dated and announced two of its 2021 releases that are set to arrive on formats imminently. First up is Supernova and as the company’s Carys Gaskin said: "We’re pleased to announce the release of the beautifully heart-rending Supernova. Releasing on EST on Friday September 24 and on Physical on the September 27, the film is pre-ordering well and we look forward to sharing the story with an audience that may have missed it at the cinema.”
Meanwhile, on the same date comes the Oscar-winning Another Round, and here’s Studiocanal’s Carys Gaskin on the Mads Mikkelsen starrer. She said: “Having now cracked more than £800,000 at the box office, we’re delighted to also announce our September 27 release date for Another Round on DVD and Blu-ray, with an early EST from the Friday before for anyone who can’t wait to own one of the finest performances of Mads Mikkelsen’s incredible career.”
Due on Monday August 16 in stores is the latest entry into the Saw franchise, Spiral, which sees comic Chris Rock unveiling a hitherto unsuspected penchant for horror by helping revive Saw. Commenting on the release, Lionsgate marketing manager Kirsten Sweeney said: “On Monday we release Spiral From The Book Of Saw on DVD, Blu-ray, and UHD. Spiral is a brand-new story in the famed Horror franchise, starring Hollywood heavyweights Chris Rock and Samuel L. Jackson. Following our successful Theatrical launch (with previews running straight out of the gate from the day cinemas in England re-opened!), and our splashy PVOD release, we're excited for consumers to finally be able bring the latest chapter from the world of Saw home. We are supporting the Home Ent release with robust media support across Amazon, Social, and VOD, as well as a thorough press office campaign. We'll be looking to draw in fans of Thrillers and True Crime, as well as delight Horror genre die-hards!”
Censor is one of the year’s most talked about homegrown feature films and has already gained plenty of traction from preview screenings and impeccable word of mouth. And now the very-relevant-for-our-business tale of someone who classifies films during a moral outrage over video nasties is arriving at cinemas next Friday (August 20), it’s good to see that boutique imprint Second Sight is continuing its excellent work with Vertigo to give the film the kind of special limited edition release treatment that it deserves. The title will include all the bells and whistles that you’d expect from Second Sight titles, odds of on-disc extras and a booklet containing great writing, including The Raygun’s very own Tim Murray (more on this soon) and is due out later this year. Commenting on the release, Second Sight’s Chris Holden said: “I'm absolutely thrilled to be giving our Limited Edition treatment to one of the most talked about and anticipated horror films of the year. Prano Bailey-Bond really has created something unique and is fully supporting and contributing to the release. The buzz around the film has grown considerably since Sundance and the press has been incredible ahead of its August 20th theatrical. It’s one of the best British horrors of recent years and we’re planing a release to do it full justice.”
Censor is also getting an airing at this year’s Arrow Video FrightFest event, airing over the long August Bank Holiday weekend in a special screening which sees FrightFest regular attendee Prano Bailey-Bond, director of the film, joining other crew members for a live commentary of the film on stage. And the FrightFest organisation has this week announced that it is presenting a digital version of the festival, set to begin after the live event has finished. It takes place between September 1 and 5, presented as a digital offering in association with the Horror Channel. It will cover off the best of the fest, giving audiences the chance to enjoy the event at home, while those who attended can catch up with the films they missed. Tickets are on sale now, and the one-off screenings, available only in the UK, can be bought and viewed separately or with a full festival pass. Stewart Bridle, Senior Channel Manager, Horror Channel, commented: “Horror Channel is excited to once again partner with FrightFest for their Digital Edition this September, which promises another amazing line-up of the latest and best in deliciously dark film delivered directly to your home. We are especially proud to support the 'First Blood' strand for the second year. First Blood shines an important spotlight on first-time British and Irish feature directors, whose bold creations ensure that the future of genre cinema remains bright.”
One of the films playing at the digital Arrow Video FrightFest event is The Found Footage Phenomenon, a title we’ve already covered here on The Raygun, a production overseen by Sarah Appleton and Phil Escott, who have both worked extensively on Blu-ray packages for boutique labels such as Arrow, 101 Films, the BFI and Second Sight. Their documentary investigates, as the title suggests, the glut of found footage films, dating back to the early 1980s and Cannibal Holocaust through to recent hit Host, by way of The Blair Witch Project and Paranormal Activity among others. Escott told The Raygun: “I'm sure I speak for both of us when I say that we're thrilled to be playing at FrightFest; it's the UK genre fest so it's an honour to be premiering the film there. We are in the final stages of agreeing distro but nothing is fully signed as yet, but we're excited by the deal we've been offered and can't wait to share the news once contracts have been finalised.”
Phil Escott has also launched his own boutique label, Fractured Visions, with his first release Silent Action out earlier this year and his next due next month. We thought we’d get an update on how his vision for Fractured Visions is progressing. Escott said: “Silent Action has done better than anticipated, so I'm very happy with how that one has gone. Luz has also done well, we're over 60 per cent sold already and the release isn't due until September 6. So stoked to see a contemporary foreign language title doing well in the physical space. Next up is Umberto Lenzi's Free Hand For A Tough Cop; which, based on the amount of emails I've received over the past few months asking if it's sold out already, should go down very well when we release that on November 29. I also have Bigfoot Hunters coming digitally in October, a contemporary found footage horror-comedy that I hope will be well received also, it's got a lot of heart and I think it's hilarious. Then on February 14 next year I'll be releasing Bruno Dumont's Twentynine Palms, as I'm a sinner and think it'll be the perfect antidote for Valentine's Day!”
Network Releasing is keeping itself busy, moving into the autumn with some classic Gerry Anderson Supermarionation fare, with a deluxe version of Supercar now being released on September 20, followed, four weeks later, by a similarly swish Blu-ray featuring Fireball XL5 due on October 15. Both are limited editions and as the company’s Tim Beddows said: “We have a superb sci-fi offering this Autumn, with a pair of hit Supermarionation series from the slate of legendary creator Gerry Anderson. Both Supercar (1960) and Fireball XL5 (1961) have been remastered in high definition for the first time from original 35mm film elements for exclusive, deluxe limited edition Blu-ray sets packed full of out of this world special features. Supercar will be available to own from September, while Fireball XL5 follows hot on its heels in October, both exclusively via our own online store networkonair.com."
More from the BFI on its plans for Mike Leigh releases this autumn. As revealed here on the newsletter last week, the organisation is preparing two releases from the British director on Blu-ray this autumn, with Naked and Bleak Moments due from the imprint. But it has now announced that there will be a nationwide celebration of his career, with the 4K remastering of Naked set to premiere at the London Film Festival, while there will be a season at the BFI on London’s Southbank, including plenty of Q&As and a similar season at Home cinema in Manchester. The activity is likely to provide a timely boost for its Blu-ray releases.
Sony Pictures Entertainment has added to its ever-growing anime roster after completing the acquisition of the Warner-owned Crunchyroll anime video on demand service. The deal was done through Sony’s Funimation operation, which had previously bought and rebranded the UK’s Manga under the same Funimation banner. Crunchyroll’s svod arm boasts 5 million subscribers, while it also has 120 million registered users across 200 countries, also operating advertising cod services and working in other anime-related areas. The deal is worth $1.175 billion. “We are very excited to welcome Crunchyroll to the Sony Group,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, Chairman, President and CEO, Sony Group Corporation. “Anime is a rapidly growing medium that enthralls and inspires emotion among audiences around the globe. The alignment of Crunchyroll and Funimation will enable us to get even closer to the creators and fans who are the heart of the anime community. We look forward to delivering even more outstanding entertainment that fills the world with emotion through anime.” “Crunchyroll adds tremendous value to Sony’s existing anime businesses, including Funimation and our terrific partners at Aniplex and Sony Music Entertainment Japan,” said Tony Vinciquerra, Chairman and CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc. “With Crunchyroll and Funimation, we are committed to creating the ultimate anime experience for fans and presenting a unique opportunity for our key partners, publishers, and the immensely talented creators to continue to deliver their masterful content to audiences around the world. With the addition of Crunchyroll, we have an unprecedented opportunity to serve anime fans like never before and deliver the anime experience across any platform they choose, from theatrical, events, home entertainment, games, streaming, linear TV -- everywhere and every way fans want to experience their anime. Our goal is to create a unified anime subscription experience as soon as possible.”
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“We needed to find alternative to provide movies to consumers while theatres were closed. So we adopted a three-pronged strategy that consisted of theatrical releases direct to Disney+, and a hybrid of theatrical and Premier Access premium VOD as we did with Cruella, Jungle Cruise and Black Widow — the top performing film for the domestic box office since the start of the pandemic. We will always do what we believe is in the best interest of the film and the best interests of our constituents. On Shang-Chi, we think it’s going to be an interesting experiment. The prospect of taking a Marvel title after just 45 days [in theatres] would be an interesting data point.”
Disney chief Bob Chapek defending the studio’s current release strategies…
“Despite assertions that this pandemic-era improvised release strategy was a success for Disney and the simultaneous release model, it demonstrates that an exclusive theatrical release means more revenue for all stakeholders in every cycle of the movie’s life. Piracy no doubt further affected Black Widow’s performance, and will affect its future performance in international markets where it has yet to open.
“Pristine digital copies became available within minutes of release on Disney+. It is also available on myriad illegal streaming sites all over the Internet.
“This was also the case for all simultaneous releases (Wonder Woman 1984, Godzilla vs Kong, Cruella, Mortal Kombat). This did not happen for F9 or A Quiet Place 2. How much money did everyone lose to simultaneous release piracy?
“The many questions raised by Disney’s limited release of streaming data opening weekend are being rapidly answered by Black Widow’s disappointing and anomalous performance.
“The most important answer is that simultaneous release is a pandemic-era artefact that should be left to history with the pandemic itself.”
A statement from the US exhibitor association NATO on Disney’s strategy…
AT THE MOVIES
Cruella is due in stores from Disney on Monday August 16, so what better time for news to emerge that the sequel for the original story of the 101 Dalmatians baddie is on the way. As well as original team of director Craig Gillespie and scribe Tony McNamara, star Emma Stone, without whom no sequel could move on, is also set to return…
With a strong debut at cinemas assured, Free Guy, a former Fox film now released under the 20th Century Studios banner by parent Disney, also looks set for the sequel train. Star Ryan Reynolds, ever the social media wag, announced it in his own inimitable style on Twitter, saying ““Aaaannnnd after 3 years messaging as an original IP movie, Disney confirmed today they officially want a sequel. Woo hoo!!” Director Shawn Levy and 20th Century Studios seemed to confirm the news by both responding in the positive… And that’s how quickly a major studio can turn a new IP into a fully fledged franchise…
Next up from Aardman is a collaboration with Bend If Like Beckham director Grinder Chad OBE, an as yet untitled musical about an elephant that wants to be a Bollywood star. It’s the first move into animation for the director, who said: “Aardman is a Great British national treasure. I am honoured and excited to bring my unique British Asian vision to their acclaimed animation studio. Their work has so much heart, humour and affection, and we share a love of authentic and joyful underdog stories about memorable characters – so it really is a perfect match.” Peter Lord, Creative Director at Aardman, said: “We are so excited to be collaborating with Gurinder, a truly great director whose beautiful, funny, and warm storytelling we have long admired. Her talent, when combined with the team here at Aardman, promises something new and extraordinary in the world of animation.”
TWEET OF THE WEEK
Follow us on www.twitter.com/theraygun
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
Back of Annette…
Everybody's talking about this, apparently…
Anime prequel to existing Netflix property…
The Chords, Secret Affair and some bloke called Weller on the soundtrack…
THE OBLIGATORY GDPR BIT
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