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WARNER TAKES IT TO THE MAX
STUDIO FORGES HYBRID MODEL IN US
CINEMAS AND VOD FOR EVERY 2021 RELEASE
HMV OPENS DOORS ONCE MORE
ERA WELCOMES RETAIL RETURN…
…AND SETS RECORD STORE DAY FOR 2021
RENTAL STORES RETURN TOO
UNHINGED OPENS UP
ALTITUDE HOPES FOR FAIRYTALE ENDING
PARAMOUNT’S OFFER YOU CAN’T REFUSE
BABYTEETH DUE OUT
SILENT NIGHT’S BIG NIGHT
WARNER FRAMES SCI-FI TITLES
SAINT LEADS THE WAY FOR Q1…
…STUDIOCANAL’S HORROR BIGGIE LEADS SLATE…
…MORE CLASSICS ON THE WAY
EUREKA SPANS THE DECADES…
…AND THANKS ITS LSUCKY STARS
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
AT THE MOVIES
TWEET OF THE WEEK
TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
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Warner has long been the studio that shakes things up when it comes to distribution – the major was among those pioneering the straight to retail release for blockbusters in the 1980s, setting out the stall for the retail rather than rental marketing beginning the shift in VHS fortunes; in the next decade, it was Warner that helped drive the uptake of DVD, helping turn it into the most successful consumer launch of all-time. After that format’s huge success, the studio then invoked the European rental rights directive allowing it to introduce two-tier pricing for its titles, a move which signalled the beginning of the end for rental stores. And this week, the studio made another seismic announcement that will change the industry too. For its US arm has announced that it will be simultaneously releasing its entire 2021 slate in the United States both at cinemas and day and date with its HBO Max subscription video on demand service. And while Warner insisted its move was only for next year, many analysts and observers believe that, once Pandora's box has been opened, it’ll be hard to shutter it again. And it’s certain that other studios will be developing their own strategy now Warner has taken the plunge. Similarly, although HBO Max is currently only in the US, and HBO’s output deal with Sky is continuing for another four years yet, which makes it uncertain if it’s currently viable here or will launch for another few years, and the studio is said to be releasing films solely at cinemas in the UK, it’s easy to see it impacting and changing our business here, albeit not as immediately as the US. Rumours od deals being inked with the likes of Sky Store to allow titles on to the service early have been swirling. As Futuresource Consulting’s David Sidebottom told The Raygun: “The increased focus on direct to consumer (D2C) offerings for a number of key studios has provided a platform for them to accelerate strategic initiatives in the wake of the pandemic.”
So what’s the detail on the Warner news then? The company revealed its shock news – although rumours had been swirling around about its plans for 2021 titles and the potential for some to appear on HBO Max. But the swiftness of the move, and the fact it encompasses all its slate or the year ahead, still took many by surprise. The move will see all of its 2021 slate appearing simultaneously on HBO Max in the US and at cinemas. The films, all in 4K, will stay on the service for a month, before exiting and playing solely in cinemas, with other home entertainment options to follow. The rest of the world will release theatrically as normal. As Warner noted in its announcement: “The hybrid model was created as a strategic response to the impact of the ongoing global pandemic, particularly in the US.” The slate includes The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah, Tom & Jerry, Godzilla vs. Kong, Mortal Kombat, Those Who Wish Me Dead, The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It, In The Heights, Space Jam: A New Legacy, The Suicide Squad, Reminiscence, Malignant, Dune, The Many Saints of Newark, King Richard, Cry Macho and Matrix 4.
Comment came from executives at the studio. Ann Sarnoff, Chair and CEO, WarnerMedia Studios and Networks Group said: “We’re living in unprecedented times which call for creative solutions, including this new initiative for the Warner Bros. Pictures Group. No one wants films back on the big screen more than we do. We know new content is the lifeblood of theatrical exhibition, but we have to balance this with the reality that most theatese in the U.S. will likely operate at reduced capacity throughout 2021. With this unique one-year plan, we can support our partners in exhibition with a steady pipeline of world-class films, while also giving moviegoers who may not have access to theatres or aren’t quite ready to go back to the movies the chance to see our amazing 2021 films. We see it as a win-win for film lovers and exhibitors, and we’re extremely grateful to our filmmaking partners for working with us on this innovative response to these circumstances.” WarnerMedia ceo Jason Kilar said: “After considering all available options and the projected state of moviegoing throughout 2021, we came to the conclusion that this was the best way for WarnerMedia’s motion picture business to navigate the next 12 months. More importantly, we are planning to bring consumers 17 remarkable movies throughout the year, giving them the choice and the power to decide how they want to enjoy these films. Our content is extremely valuable, unless it’s sitting on a shelf not being seen by anyone. We believe this approach serves our fans, supports exhibitors and filmmakers, and enhances the HBO Max experience, creating value for all.” And Warner Bros. Pictures Group chairman Toby Emmerich added: “This hybrid exhibition model enables us to best support our films, creative partners and moviegoing in general throughout 2021. We have a fantastic, wide ranging slate of titles from talented and visionary filmmakers next year, and we’re excited to be able get these movies in front of audiences around the world. And, as always, we’ll support all of our releases with innovative and robust marketing campaigns for their theatrical debuts, while highlighting this unique opportunity to see our films domestically via HBO Max as well.”
Meanwhile, as the US continues to go from bad to worse in the coronavirus stakes, over here the lockdown lifted on Wednesday and retailers such as HMV opened their doors once more, alongside independent entertainment retailers everywhere, all allowing for customers to return to stores. But the retailer is worried about the slow flow of big titles coming through on to home entertainment formats (although Warner’s announcement should ensure a flow of product coming through to stores in 2021, rather than no films coming at all). HMV supremo Doug Putman said: “The lockdowns are one thing but the impact on our whole industry of there being no visual new release cannot be understated. The potential for the business when we can have new release and all the cross format fan initiatives that we rolled out this year firing simultaneously; is immense. In the meantime we're hopeful the shoppers will come out when we re-open the stores and continue to respond well to the updated Pop Culture offer.”
Many independent record stores and other entertainment retailers in England also re-opened their doors after the lockdown lifted, so we caught up with Entertainment Retailers’ Association chief Kim Bayley said: “We are of course delighted that stores are now re-open and back in action in the run up to Christmas. Record shops, as we know, are a resilient bunch and have proved their adaptability and entrepreneurial spirit time and time again. Now's the time where many will be knuckling down in an attempt to salvage as many of the lost lockdown gifting sales as possible in what will certainly be one of the most challenging Q4's the high street has ever seen. The positive news though is that despite everything that's happened in 2020, vinyl is still heading for its best year in three decades. Sales are up 5 per cent and expected to surpass £100m by the end of the year which is an unbelievable achievement given the circumstances and testament to the dedication and support of physical retailers all over the UK.”
Sticking with ERA briefly, the organisation has also this week announced the date of next year’s Record Store Day, eschewing the traditional, pre-pandemic late spring day for the event and plumping instead for an early summer event – giving the participants (and the country) ample time to prepare and also for the vaccines rolling out around the country the opportunity to kick in. It will take place on Saturday June 12. We’ll see you in a queue somewhere…
Meanwhile, what of some of the independents we at The Raygun talk to? We spoke to Dave Wain, who runs Snips Movies, one of the country’s last rental stores, on The Wirral, He’s reopened after the second lockdown. He said: “Up in Wirral, we're underway on the hotly anticipated climax to Lockdown #2, the sequel that nobody wanted. The store welcomed its first customers for a month on Wednesday, and as with our original enforced closure, we kept on purchasing the newbies through November, so our customers were thrilled to get their sanitised paws on Mulan, The Irishman and Unhinged - further emphasising the point that not everyone has Netflix or Disney+. Business obviously isn't where it was this time last year, but, there has been a really cool growth to our welcoming club of niche renters, with HMV's Premium Collection Blu-rays, Criterion, Masters of Cinema and Arrow all renting better than ever before. For the princely sum of £1.66 a pop (three for a fiver for a week), it's a real draw, and encourages people who may be pining for Transformers 9 et al, to crank up their log burner, and settle down for a couple of classics. We bought both Indicator's Columbia Noir #1 and Arrow's William Grefe this week, so I'm really looking forward to giving people who would never dream of purchasing these, the opportunity to catch some of these little-seen diamonds.” BASE, as ever, announced this week’s Official Film Chart on Wednesday at midday, and, in there with the new entries – and a number one for Elf, the first time the Will Ferrell comedy has achieved the top slot in the UK – is Unhinged, with Altitude’s Russell Crowe starrer making its appearance on digital sales alone (the title was released on November 30, the chart cuts off the day before). The film’s success follows its strong theatrical performance. Altitude’s Adam Eldrett said: “In the midst of all these gifting titles is the fantastic UNHINGED, given a bells and whistles theatrical release last summer where is took an impressive £2 million at the box office it's felt every bit a blockbuster release. Star Russell Crowe has been tweeting the release details out for us, notably as the film grabbed the top spot in the iTunes chart. Physical sales have been consistent too and we hope to build on the strong start in the weeks to come as consumer behaviour begins to return to some sort of normality post-lockdown.”
Altitude’s gifting bonanza continues apace, with the last of its biggies, Crock Of Gold, the documentary charting the life and times of Pogues frontman Shane MacGowan. The release of the Julien temple doc, one of the year’s best non-fiction features and a genuinely fascinating and loving look at a troubled poet, has been given a timely boost ahead of its release (December 4 for theatrical, Monday December 7 for home entertainment) by the ongoing discussion over the lyrics to MacGowan’s seasonal outing Fairytale Of New York – this week saw Nick Cave weighing in on the debate about the language of the song. Commenting on the release, Altitude’s Adam Eldrett said: “We’re excited to be releasing CROCK OF GOLD, growing up with an older brother I was only too aware of The Pogues and some of the colourful antics of Shane MacGowan. The film is expertly crafted and features at it's heart new interviews with the legendary singer, we have some fantastic distribution across the UK and Ireland on Home Ent and it's been great to see the independents getting behind it as well just as we emerge from Lockdown 2.0. Pre-Orders have been growing as more and more teaser and trailer content has been released and certainly another part of our huge Q4 gifting campaign here at Altitude.”
After giving the public what he promised was the final, definitive version of his classic Apocalypse Now, legendary director Francis Ford Coppola has turned his attention to another title in his filmography, The Godfather: Part III. The film was much maligned on its initial release 30 years ago and Coppola was never happy with either its title or the final edit. Now he’s tweaked the film to his liking, and has returned it to its original title The Godfather Coda, with the film landing in cinemas this weekend ahead of a Blu-ray and digital release from Paramount on Monday December 7. The new version has earned plaudits from critics and it looks as if the film will finally earn the respect it deserves. As the Telegraph’s Robbie Colin noted: Together, the changes feel definitive: to draw an equivalence with Apocalypse Now, it’s a Final Cut as opposed to a Redux, and a vindication for its director after 30 years. Redemption may have eluded Michael Corleone, but his third film was more fortunate.” Meanwhile, Coppola himself said: “Mario Puzo’s THE GODFATHER, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone is an acknowledgement of Mario’s and my preferred title and our original intentions for what became The Godfather: Part III. For this version of the finale, I created a new beginning and ending, and rearranged some scenes, shots, and music cues. With these changes and the restored footage and sound, to me, it is a more appropriate conclusion to The Godfather and The Godfather: Part II and I’m thankful to Jim Gianopulos and Paramount for allowing me to revisit it.” The release has already earned plenty of publicity thanks to the raft of reviews from national newspapers and beyond, with credits for the home entertainment release alongside the theatrical outing, boosting Paramount’s bow next week.
Monday December 7 also sees the latest release from Picturehouse Entertainment and it’s another acclaimed title that aired at cinemas during those heady days between the two lockdowns. Babyteeth arrives with stacks of acclaim and strong word of mouth behind it, benefiting from being on of the best reviewed films after the first shuttering of cinemas was lifted. Commenting on the release, Picturehouse Entertainment’s Martin Hearn said: "Babyteeth is an outstanding film and both the acclaim and rewards it has received so far are well deserved. The cast are uniformly excellent and Eliza Scanlen and Toby Wallace deliver unmissable performances in the lead roles. This is a truly stunning debut from Shannon Murphy and one of the must see films of the year.”
Meanwhile, it’s good to see the industry attempting to return to some semblance of normality. Among those attempting to, is indie distributor Lightbulb, which will be hosting a premiere of its forthcoming release Silent Night on December 11 as it releases into cinemas. It’s jointly hosting the event for the film, a British gangster flick that sees Frank Harper returning to the screen, at the Genesis Cinema in Mile End, east London. Commenting, Lightbulb Film Distribution’s Pete Thompson said: “We’re thrilled to be bringing this truly independent film to British audiences. Silent Night is gritty, engaging and, above all, entertaining. It’s great to see the return of Frank Harper on our screens, and, in director Will Thorne, an emerging British filmmaker. Whether at the cinema or at home, we cannot wait for audiences to see Silent Night this December.” Lightbulb’s Matthew Kreuzer added: “LFD is very excited to be releasing this stand-out, British Gangster film on digital platforms (December 14) and DVD (December 28), following on from its theatrical release on December 11. We were drawn to this film for many reasons, in particular the quality of the production, the ‘not so run-of-the-mill Brit gangster’ storyline, and the solid cast. It's wonderful to see Frank Harper back on the Brit Gangster scene! He's a crime thriller heavyweight with some great credits to his name including: The Football Factory, Rise Of The Footsoldier and St George's Day, also Joel Fry (Plebs and Yesterday) plays an amazing supporting role in the film, adding his inimitable sense of humour whilst holding a sawn-off shotgun! We’d like to say a big thank you to all of our Digital partners, and the team at Elevation who have done an outstanding job securing the following retail support: ASDA, Morrisons, Sainsburys and HMV. Strike Media are currently working hard on a wide-reaching PR campaign throughout December and we are confident that we’ll deliver strong sales on Silent Night well into 2021. Merry Bloody Christmas’ to you all!.”
Warner continues to revitalise some of the classic titles from its vast catalogue and is still innovating when it comes to packaging, sleeve images and more to revive interest in titles that have been in the market in assorted formats for years. Monday December 7 sees the latest salvo fired from the studio with the release of a batch of titles special poster editions. These Blu-rays have spruced up the images, mimicking old tourism destination posters and, like many boutique labels, have ditched traditional key art images for specially commissioned artwork that breathes new life into the titles and gives them an esoteric, arty look that will appeal to today’s film collectors. The range includes 16 titles in all, taking in everything from A Clockwork Orange to Ready Player One, by way of older titles such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Forbidden Planet and Logan’s Run, through to sci-fi from this century in the shape of the likes of Inception, Interstellar, Gravity and Mad Max Fury Road. Warner said the aim was, like its travel postcard promotion, to create something specifically for the physical market, and, as well as the “beautifully illustrated artwork” featuring on the O-rings, it also features on the free A3 posters included. Warner said the titles are being promoted with an online media campaign and it has also worked with retailers to create special landing pages for the range.
With one of the year's most acclaimed – and successful – horrors under its belt and ready to land in Q1, Studiocanal is entering the New Year with a headful of steam and the wind in its sails, having a big theatrical success to further buoy its slate of catalogue gems. The distributor continues to mine its vast vaults and has pulled up a few gems that are firmly on the radar of film fans and will benefit from the kind of treatment that Studiocanal can give titles. As the company’s Kristin Ryan noted while unveiling its slate for the first three months of the year: “We’re really excited to kick off 2021 with our usual wide ranging mix of titles, both old and new. From the Roger Corman/Vincent Price classic Masque of the Red Death to one of the biggest and most substantial theatrical releases of the second half of last year in Saint Maud; from an African cinematic gem in Ousmane Sembene’s Mandabi to a pair of restored 80s films with Scottish comedy Restless Natives and chimpanzee curio Link to the latest instalments of our pre-school franchises, Q1 is just the start of another great year for us at Studiocanal.”
The biggest of the bunch, and one of the biggest theatrical hits to arrive on home entertainment formats in the first quarter of 2021 is Saint Maud. The company revealed that the title is due out on February 1 after its groundbreaking, highly popular and much-talked about theatrical outing before lockdown two kicked off. Commenting on the release, Studiocanal’s Carys Gaskin said: “One of the most talked about films of the year, described as ‘extraordinary’ by Mark Kermode, ‘Sensational’ by Peter Bradshaw and ‘One of the best British debuts of all time’ (Evening Standard), Saint Maud will be released in the new year after a short but powerful stint in cinemas this Q4 between lockdowns. A bold and strikingly original psychological chiller, heralding the arrival of an exciting new voice in British cinema with director Rose Glass, was much delayed this year so we’re ecstatic to be releasing it in February. Featuring a breakout performance from Screen ‘Star of Tomorrow’ Morfydd Clark and BAFTA and Tony Award-winner Jennifer Ehle, Saint Maud is a deeply unnerving must-see for film-lovers and horror fans alike.”
Meanwhile, there’s more classic cinema too, with Studiocanal digging deep into the vaults for some eagerly awaited gems. Also announced officially this week of Roger Corman’s The Masque Of The Red Death. Commenting on the release, Alison Arber said: “We are very excited to be releasing a stunning new 4K restoration from The Film Foundation and The Academy of Roger Corman’s 1964 horror classic THE MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH. This is the first ever fully uncut, extended version of the film, which was highly cut and censored at the time of release in both the UK and the US. This beautiful new version includes a booklet with essay from Film Preservationist at The Academy Tessa Idlewine, who explains the full restoration process and the scenes they restored – a must for horror fans and the finest of Corman’s Poe adaptations.” And Studiocanal has also managed to pull a rarely seen in the UK classic out of the vaults to not only restore it, but give it a worthy home entertainment release on the back of a theatrical bow. Here’s Tara Hutton on Mandabi. She said: “We are very proud to announce that we are releasing a 4K restoration of the trailblazing 1968 film Mandabi from the ‘father of African cinema’ Ousmane Sembene. This has never been available in the UK but is considered a groundbreaking film for Senegal and Africa. A social satire that puts a critical lens on the legacy of colonialism in Senegal, this is the first film to be filmed in an African local language (Wolof) and the first film to have an all African cast and crew. It revolutionised the African film industry by gaining international recognition and acclaim. This special DVD and blu-ray release laden with new interviews and content, will be preceded by a theatrical launch in March.”
Also unveiling its titles for February as well as March was Eureka, with, as ever, the company’s Marcus Garwood talking us through the key titles. He said: “February and March 2021 are both incredibly busy and exciting release months for us here at Eureka Entertainment. February is all about horror, thrills and shocks from the 20s, 80s, 90s and 00s. Starting in 1928, Masters Of Cinema proudly presents Paul Leni’s visually atmospheric and tense murder mystery The Last Warning. Starring Laura La Plante (The Cat and the Canary) This 4K restoration marks the films debut availability on home video in the UK. 2020 next as our Montage Pictures imprint delivers a modernist survival horror directed by Pusher screenwriter Jens Dahl. Exploring the theory of biohacking DNA to enable a reversal of the ageing process, Breeder delivers a gruesome nightmare vision. Shocks both mentally and physically next as the 1988 VHS tape (remember them?) cult classic Pulse makes its debut on Blu-ray here in the UK. Electricity is the enemy here and someone needs to pull the plug before everyone fries! The release is housed in a limited edition O-card slipcase which also contains a collector’s booklet. ‘In the future, life will be a dream. And reality a nightmare’ is the tagline for our 90s horror instalment this month as post-apocalyptic gem Mindwarp arrives on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK. Starring Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead franchise and Bubba Ho-Tep) and Angus Scrimm (Phantasm series) cult horror fans are in good hands here with this highly entertaining gore fest. Released as a limited edition O-card slipcase with reversible sleeve artwork, plus a collector’s booklet.”
Continuing into March with Eureka’s titles, and the company’s Marcus Garwood continued: “The first half of March continues with the horror vibes as our Masters Of Cinema imprint brings one of the first horror films made in Soviet Russia; namely 1967’s demonic nightmare vision VIY to Blu Ray for the very first time in the UK. Artistic Director Aleksandr Ptushko (often referred to as the Soviet equivalent of Willis O’Brien, Ray Harryhausen, and even Mario Bava) delivers ground-breaking imagery here which has influenced generations of directors for more than half a century. Released as a limited edition featuring an exclusive bonus disc featuring Djordje Kadijevic’s A Holy Place [Sveto mesto] is a must have for horror collectors. Double bill time next as we bring together 1976’s Shadow Of The Hawk and 1979’s Nightwing into a single package encased by an O-Card featuring newly commissioned artwork from Darren Wheeling. Nightwing is an effective creature feature featuring special effects work by Carlo Rambaldi (Alien, E.T. the Extra Terrestrial) and Shadow Of The Hawk (starring Academy Award nominee Chief Dan George, The Outlaw Josey Wales) brings the spirits & black magic to the fore amongst the forests of British Columbia. Both films make their UK debut on Blu-ray. The second half of March sees the return of martial arts legends Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and Yuen Biao as we present 3 films from the hugely successful Lucky Stars series as brand new 4k restorations. 1983’s Winners and Sinners, 1985’s My Lucky Stars and Twinkle, Twinkle, Lucky Stars are contained within this set which is stuffed to the brim with disc extras, plus a collector’s booklet, all wrapped up in an O’Card containing new artwork by Darren Wheeling. Last but not least, a quick mention of Russian Raid. A recent acquisition that is expected to make its way to home video in 2021. Marking the directorial debut of Denis Kryuchkov, the film is a MMA thriller inspired by Gareth Evans’ 2011 hit The Raid, with a cast led by Ivan Kotic and includes some of the best-known MMA fighters in Russia.”
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“We are delighted that after today’s announcement we are able to open five locations in areas not classified as tier 3, and we look forward to welcoming back families, households and film fans to these cinemas.
“We are of course disappointed that our other cinemas have to remain closed due to the new restrictions in tier 3 areas, but we want to reassure our guests that we will reopen those cinemas as soon as we are able to. In the meantime, film fans all over the country can benefit from our Black Friday e-gift card offer and look forward to some upcoming blockbusters.”
Showcase Cinemas UK General Manager Mark Barlow on the chain reopening…
AT THE MOVIES
Another week, another tranche of names are announced for yet another Disney+ and Marvel project as the studio ramps up its comic book-related properties for the streaming service. Wandavision is set to launch in January, but this week’s reveals related to Hawkeye, the Jeremy Renner-starring spin-off. Among those slated to appear alongside the bow and arrow-wielding superhero according to Variety are Vera Farmiga and Florence Pugh, joining a list of names that includes the aforementioned Renner as well as newly confirmed Hailee Steinfeld. The series will also be airing in 2021…
The plans for a film based on Sony PlayStation hit Metal Gear Solid have been around as long as the game itself – an astonishing quarter of a century or more. But the long-gestating project, which charts the the adventures of Snake trying to stop a renegade special forces unit from its nefarious scheme, is now back up and running again. And it looks as if Oscar Isaac, who brought credibility to the Star Wars universe when he turned up , is set to repeat the task for this game to film adaptation too…
Another much-talked about franchise, albeit or different reasons, is Lloyd Kaufman’s Toxic Avenger, which helped his trash-loving Troma studio to International notoriety. Now a sequel, or, rather, a reboot, is on the way, and, what’s more, Peter Dinklage, of Game Of Thrones fame, is set to take on the role of the janitor who becomes a superhero after an incident involving some radioactive waste material.
TWEET OF THE WEEK
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TRAILERS OF THE WEEK
Not the Bowie song…
Can you dig it?…
Robin Williams doc…
https://youtu.be/V59s_asIf2g
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