Amazon Studios’ ‘Power’ play; ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ bows to $435M global; and more
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Amazon Studios’ ‘Power’ Play
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power set records before a frame of it had been released when word came out of New Zealand last year that its eight-episode first season cost a record $465 million to produce (not factoring in tax rebates and amortizing start-up costs.)
In a conversation with Deadline, Vernon Sanders, Head of Global TV for Amazon Studios, says that the financial bet "has more than paid off." He said the show broke records in several categories on Prime Video: most global viewers in the first day (25 million); most viewers overall (more than 100 million); minutes streamed (24 billion); and Prime sign-ups worldwide during the show’s launch window. It also attracted younger viewers (setting the record for adults 18 to 34 for a Prime Video original) and more affluent audiences (with 40% in households with income greater than $100K). The Rings effect even went beyond the screen, boosting Amazon’s sales of J.R.R. Tolkien books on which the series was based.
Read the full story here.
‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’ Bows To $435M Global; China Underperforms Amid Covid Fears
James Cameron’s highly anticipated Avatar: The Way of Water finished its first weekend with a $434.5M global start. Of that, $134M came from domestic and $300.5M from the international box office. The worldwide opening reps the third highest posted by any Hollywood film during the pandemic era and the second-best debut of 2022. The outcome of the opening is below projections, partly owing to Covid concerns impacting China. Social scores are strong and there is clear runway in most territories during the holidays, so the verdict will come in well after opening weekend.
Read the full story here.
Related: Why ‘Avatar: The Way Of Water’s Fate Will Be Determined Through The Holidays
With An Eye On 2028, Film Awards Face The Future
In a little-noticed addendum to their recently released financial report for fiscal 2022, officials at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences disclosed that they had exercised an option to truncate their agreement to hold the annual Oscar show in Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, moving up the final Dolby show from 2032 to 2028. Tellingly, the new Dolby contract termination date matches a scheduled expiration of the Academy’s domestic broadcast contract with Disney’s ABC.
Read the full story here.
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Edited by Thomas Tapp, Dade Hayes, Nancy Tartaglione, and Scott Shilstone.