By Todd Spangler October 29, 2019 | WarnerMedia revealed that HBO Max will debut in May 2020 in the U.S., marketed heavily through parent company AT&T’s existing customer base. HBO Max is WarnerMedia’s multibillion-dollar bet it can lure consumers into a big new tent at an increasingly crowded streaming bazaar. The new details come just ahead of two other new subscription VOD arrivals — Apple TV Plus (Nov....
October 29, 2019 | London, United Kingdom – The Digital Entertainment Group Europe (DEGE) has today announced the addition of Google to its membership with immediate effect. Supplying a vast catalogue of movies and TV shows across its Google Play and YouTube platforms, Google joins the DEGE at an exciting time for the trade body as it works to support...
By Stephanie Prange October 28, 2019 | The Wizard of Oz has gotten a facelift for its 8oth birthday 4K debut, and it looks better than ever, according to Warner executives. “Never before has a film this old been released in the 4K HDR format,” said George Feltenstein, SVP of theatrical catalog marketing at Warner Bros. Home Entertainment, during an Oct. 28 presentation about...
By Variety Staff October 28, 2019 | The reviews for Apple TV Plus’ first four original series — “The Morning Show,” “See,” “Dickinson” and “For All Mankind” — dropped on Monday morning, providing the first takes on Apple’s original TV content strategy. “The Morning Show,” starring Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon and Steve Carell, follows a popular news program grappling with the aftermath of a...
By Todd Spangler October 25, 2019 | The company announced the formation of Redbox Entertainment, a division that will fund, develop and produce projects across multiple genres, with a focus on action, comedy, and suspense/thrillers. Redbox said it is already in talks on picking up individual projects, both directly and through distribution partners and channels. To spearhead the initiative, Redbox has hired Marc Danon as a senior...
By Media Play Staff October 21, 2019 | Welcome to Media Play News’ second annual 40 Under 40 — our yearly list of rising stars in the fast-changing world of home entertainment. The proliferation of streaming services, alongside the traditional transactional business, has broadened our industry more than anyone could have imagined. “Direct-to-consumer” is Hollywood’s new buzzword, and what that means is putting consumers...
By Kirsten Chuba October 21, 2019 | After announcing six new nonfiction projects — including a Mikey Mouse documentary that is a "passion project" for Disney CEO Bob Iger — Disney+ president of content and marketing Ricky Strauss told The Hollywood Reporter on Friday that in addition to a platform that includes the full Disney library, The Simpsons, Fox classic films and originals from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and Lucasfilm, nonfiction...
By Julia Alexander October 21, 2019 | Netflix is trying to be more transparent with its creatives about how it counts a view on an original series or movie, and a letter sent to the British government includes three new descriptors: starters, watchers, and completers. The three new categories are part of the most in-depth look yet at a reported method that helps...
By Julia Alexander October 14, 2019 | AMC Theaters, the largest movie theater chain in the US, is launching an AMC Theaters on Demand video service. The service will let customers rent or buy movies, much in the same way Apple’s iTunes Store and Amazon’s Prime Video have operated for years. AMC Theaters on Demand, as it will be called, will launch as...
By Gregg Tarr October 8, 2019 | Sony’s next-generation gaming console will officially be called PlayStation 5 when it hits the market during the 2020 holiday season, Jim Ryan, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) president announced Tuesday in a blog on the Playstation website. Ryan confirmed details on the new game player first reported by Wired.com, including the fact that the device will have an...
