Welcome to Daily Variety, your daily dose of news and analysis for entertainment industry insiders. It's Monday, May fourth, twenty twenty six. I'm your host, Cynthia Littleton. I am co editor in chief of Variety alongside Ramin Setuda. I'm in LA. He's in New York, and Vrighty has reporters around the
world covering the business of entertainment. In today's episode, in our box office segment, we'll hear from Variety's Jack Dunn on how the devilwares Prata Too spruced up the box office and how the Michael Jackson biopic Michael held up very well in Weekend two. But before we get to that, here are a few headlines just in this morning that you need to know. There will be labor peace in Hollywood.
SAG after on Saturday afternoon reached a four year Master Film and TV contract with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. The term runs four years, just like the deal that the AMPTP reached with the WJ last month. The DGA is next up for contract talks on May eleventh, and with SAG after going for four years, it seems pretty likely that the Helmers will also be looking at a term that ends in twenty thirty. That's a big change from the three year terms that have been the
norm for decades. On Saturday Night, as always, that Kentucky Derby was the most thrilling two minutes in sports. Prestigious race generated record ratings for NBC, with nearly twenty million people tuning in and nearly twenty five million at the peak. This year also marked a historic first win for a female trainer, Sherry de Vaux, and the horse was Golden Tempo. After one hundred and fifty years of Kentucky Derby races,
it's about time. Soccer giant David Beckham is hosting for Paramount Plus an alternative telecast for the UEFA League Championship Series. Beckham and a few friends will offer all time alternative commentary telecasts for the UEFA Semi finals matches on May fifth and May sixth, and for the championship game in Budapest on May thirtieth. CBS Sports's Kate Scott will also host.
All of these stories and so much more can be found on Variety dot com right now and on this day for all who celebrate May the fourth be with you. And now it's time for conversations with Variety journalists about news and trends and show business. If it's Monday, we're talking box office. Jack Dunn, Variety's associate web editor, breaks down the eye popping weekend for twentieth centuries the Devilwaar's
Prota two. And there was also strong week two old for last week's surprise hit Michael, which was good news for Lionsgate. The triumphant return of Miranda Priestley and Company adds momentum and diversity to what has been a surprisingly strong spring at the multiplexes. Jack Dunn, thank you so much for joining me here to talk about the box office.
Oh, it's a pleasure. Thanks for having me.
Well, this is always a pleasure when something is highly anticipated and really really delivers, and I think that would be the case for the Devilwares product too. I feel like Disney cannot be disappointed this morning. Jack, tell me, basically, how did this movie do in its opening weekend?
If you're Disney in twentieth century, you're definitely popping some bubbly this weekend. For sure, seven million domestically and a whopping one hundred and fifty six million overseas for a total of two hundred and thirty three million. I guess Gerda loins and all those quotes translate to any language, because that is a stellar number overseas.
And there's no question that Devilwaar's product is rooted in certain modern Americana. But A Passion World is global, and Miranda Priestley AKA and A Win Tour is also global. So there's been so many reboots, so many reimaginedings, many of them you know, they're probably more than haven't worked than those that really have. And this I would say definitely bucked that trend. Jack, What did Disney do right here in launching this movie?
I mean, in an IP driven industry now, it's not just about pulling something from the back catalog, it's about picking the right IP right and the Devil Wars produa is certainly still relevant with audiences today, whether you were around in two thousand and six when it's in theaters or are you just discovering it for the first time and bringing back the cast. I mean Stanley Tucci, Meryl Streep and Hathaway, Emily Blunt, those are just global movie
stars now. I think, really that's a really potent combination.
Our chief film critic Guy Lodge, in his really really well written review, noted how much looking at this movie versus Devilware's Product, which was released in two thousand and six, so it was basically made in two thousand and five, you could just see how much filmmaking, modern contemporary filmmaking
has changed in that time. I'd be curious to see what the anecdotal evidence is, but it does seem like that in major cities at least, there were some there was some cosplay going on, there were people that really made it an event. And of course Rebecca Rubin, who wrote a really sharp story about analyzing this Weekend's opening and where it stands in a really nice run of
strong openings of late. Of course, Rebecca broke the news to us that the popcorn bucket was in the shape of a purse, and I did, in fact, on social media see people holding up that prized purse. Did that come on to your feed over the weekend?
Yeah, Jeah, absolutely. I mean it's a movie that just touches people, right, I mean, we talked about the quotes. It's a movie that you know, I think it really affected people at the time and It's a movie that kind of permeates into all elements of culture.
Again a very good showing. Also again in the continuing the good news here is Michael, which really opened to way above expectations, happily for everyone, including Lionsgate and exhibitors. Michael and Michael Jackson biopic not without its controversy, but the audience spoke and came out in droves and again in weekend two dropped forty four percent. I have learned from Rebecca that anything less than fifty percent is really good,
especially a movie that has a big opening. Jack, what did you read in the numbers for Michael?
I think after this weekend fifty four million domestic and eighty million international, pushing the cube to four hundred and twenty three million. I think, are people are really seeing kind of what this box office power house Michael really is and the holding power I think is initially blowing people what it looks like this movie is sticking around.
Let me ask you, Jack, for your generation, what are the common things that you see in your feed and your friends are saying about Michael. Are they able to separate what we know is very horrible, horrible things involving child sexual abuse, to appreciate Michael Jackson, the artists, and these incredible songs that you just can't get out of your head.
Well, I think the art versus the artist conversation is especially now as conversation that's always evolving. I think people are more than happy just to enjoy and remember the things that are good about him.
And again the audience has spoken well, very interesting. And then of course, just falling in line. Number three for the weekend was Super Mario Galaxy movie. Number four was Project tail Mary. Both of those titles have really livened up the Q two box office. The end of Q one there for Project tail Mary, and both are clearly hanging in and just looking at the diversity of those titles. A musical bio pick, an adult dramedy, a super franchise thing in Super Mario, and a kind of newer fantasy
franchise in Project tail Mary. That's that's the kind of diversity that makes exhibitors swoon. Are you seeing when you look across the numbers, are you seeing any examples of like regional differences? Are there people more people coming out on the coasts for these big movies or is it across the country.
When you have something like Super Mario such a global ip, you're going to have people all across the country. And I think something like Project Hail Mary might start big in the big movie going markets like La or New York. But obviously there's a big book following too, but people who maybe are not familiar with the book. After such good word of mouth gets spread around, I think eventually it's gonna trickle to everywhere in the country.
And we're seeing, of course, book sales for Andy Weir on the book charts, also Audible, and the Audible was telling us that everything from him has really gone off the charts. The last movie I wanted to ask you about, Jack was because I know you are a fan of indie horror Hokum with Adam Scott. Now, this this movie snuck up on It's from Neon. It wasn't a super wide, but it wasn't tiny and it did decently. Was this on your radar as a horror fan?
Yeah, I'd seen the trailer a few weeks before, and I'm excited to go see it now. I think this is a movie that Neon and probably a lot of exhibitors are happy to have. You know, I've been reading. The budget was around five million, and it's and it made six million its debut, So that's a great start for Neon and the filmmakers. You know, it's not pulling in Project Hail Mary by any means, but it's getting great reviews, which is pretty rare for a horror film
eighty six percent on Rotten Tomatoes. So this is kind of one of those small wins that serves an audience that I think we could use more of. You know, not every movie needs to be a home run, and I think Neon is finding a really good niche bringing a well known star like Adam Scott to what's turning out to be a really widely beloved horror movie like this interesting.
Well, the box office is definitely warmed up as we really really dive into summer movie blocksbuster season. There's so much lined up and can't wait to track it with you and Rebecca and Brandon, all of the folks that really bring such expertise to the box office. We deeply appreciate it. Jack Yup, Cynthia, thanks for having me. As we close out today's episode, here's a few things we're watching for Paramount Skuidance releases its first quarter earnings after
the market closes today. There's a lot going on at that company. It will be interesting to see what David Ellison has to say. Disney and Warner Brothers Discovery join the earnings parade on Wednesday with their Q one numbers. There's also a lot going on at both of those shops. On Tuesday, we get the Tony nominations. Keep your eyes on Variety dot com and our social pl platforms for all the headlines and analysis that you need for the shows that have made an impact on the main stem.
Josh Groben will receive his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on May sixth. It'll be located between Vine and Gower, right in front of Amba Music actor's Josh Gadd and Ben Schwartz and musician David Foster will be there to sing Groben's praises and speaking of musicians, ours is ready to rock with Amedaeus. Actor Will Sharp plays the boy Genius composer in a five part British series
that drops on Stars on Friday. And definitely don't miss the Q and A that my colleague Gene Mattis has posted this morning with the authors of the new book Boom to bust how streaming broke Hollywood workers. It's a fascinating dive with a long term and arm's length view of how the peak TV boom has upended Hollywood. Variety has reported on this transformation day by day, hour by
hour since about twenty ten. It's very interesting to get an outsider's sophisticated business perspective on all of this change. And here's something to save The date for music from the films of Wes Anderson will be celebrated in July at the Hollywood Bowl with the La phil Beck, Jackson Brown, Britt Daniel, Jeff Goldbloom, Mark Mothers Law, and Rufus Wainwright are among the stars that will also take part in this celebration. It will unfold under the Stars at the
Bowl on July tenth, July eleventh, and July twelfth. We love to hear from our listeners. To please send thoughts, scripes and other feedback about Daily Variety two podcasts at Variety dot com. Before we Go grants to Rob McHenry. He's been named Head of Ventures for Sphere Entertainment Company. He will lead the Sphere's frontier technology initiatives, identifying and developing disruptive technologies to drive sphere toward new immersive experiences.
Before joining the immersive entertainment firm, McHenry served as Deputy Director and Acting Director of the Defense at Advanced Research Project Agency better known as DARPA. He was the founder and CEO of Bright Silicon Technologies, and he served as chief Operating officer of the legendary Palo Alto Research Center better known as PARK and before that, he was a nuclear submarine officer for the Navy. Thanks for listening. This episode was written and reported by me Cynthia Littleton, with
contributions from Jack Dunn Stick Snick's hick Picks. Please leave us a review at the podcast platform of your choice, and please tune in tomorrow for another episode of Daily Variety.