Updated every Friday 12:00 PM
August 4 - August 10

APPLE TV
Apple TV+ debuts trailer for new original Peanuts special, “Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie” Marcie steps into the spotlight in her first-ever special premiering August 18 on Apple TV+. Produced for Apple TV+ by Peanuts and WildBrain, the special is directed by Emmy Award winner Raymond S. Persi (“The Simpsons,” “Wreck-It-Ralph”), written by Betsy Walters (“The Snoopy Show,” “Snoopy in Space”)...

Japanese anime series took four of the top ten places in streaming service Netflix’s latest global chart of non-English-language shows. The top title of the week July 24-30 was Brazilian teen crime drama series “Sintonia,” in its fourth season. Japanese animation series have long been key audience drivers in Japan and other parts of Asia. But their popularity – last year animated films filled four of the top five places at the Japanese theatrical box office – and their reach have been significantly expanded in the era of multi-territory streaming....

From November 24-26 at Tokyo's Tennozu Galaxy Theater to December 1-3 at Osaka's Mielparque Hall, Takemichi and the rest of Tokyo Revengers' ensemble will be firing off bars in a stage musical adaptation of Ken Wakui's hit manga series. Tickets are due to go on sale from August 16 at 12:00 JST...

Avatar: The Way of Water, in its third week of release and still a dominant force across the planet on its way to an overall haul in excess of $2.3 billion, was knocked off its perch by an unexpected assailant (and one wearing a multicolored luchador mask). The new titleholder: Sattar, a Saudi Arabian family comedy about a depressed man who follows his dreams of becoming a freestyle wrestling champion. The film — which had bowed at the Red Sea Film Festival just a month earlier (and where, ironically, the subject of Saudi films not performing had been a talking point) — smashed box office records, earning $2.2 million over its first 12 days, instantly making it the highest-grossing Saudi movie of all time...

The Union Solidarity Coalition (TUSC) is supporting The WGA strike and film crew members at risk of losing healthcare through an auction of collectibles and celebrity experiences. The TUSC auction features rare collectibles like signed posters and celebrity hand-made crafts, as well as opportunities to meet favorite celebrities and further careers in writing and acting.The auction closes on August 5 at 4 p.m. PT and all proceeds go to the TUSC Fund of the Motion Picture and Television Fund...

In the past three weeks, the Foundation’s Emergency Financial Assistance Program for struggling actors has raised over $15 million, with the vast majority of that contributed by 14 top stars (seven of them Oscar winners) who each contributed at least $1 million. Most of SAG-AFTRA’s striking membership earns an average of $26,000 a year, after all...

The 76th Locarno Film Festival is hosting one of the largest international retrospectives of Mexican popular cinema in decades, encompassing 36 titles of varying genres, from dramas to film noir as well as comedies, musicals, horror and sports. Putting together “Daily Spectacle – The Different Seasons of Mexican Popular Cinema” took at least two years, according to writer and programmer Olaf Möller, who curated the selection alongside critic Roberto Turigliatto and in close collaboration with Filmoteca UNAM director Hugo Villa and other key experts. The unprecedented showcase of Mexican films ranging from the 1940s to the 1960s spans some 30 years of extraordinary creativity, which inspired subsequent generations of Mexican filmmakers. The 76th Locarno Film Festival runs Aug. 2-12...

Italy’s box office is finally sparking back to life and starting to pull out of its post-pandemic doldrums. Exhibitors in the country grossed €221.4m in the first six months of this year, a 57.2% increase compared to the same period in 2022 according to Italian box office company Cinetel. The success is being driven by a strong release slate, younger audiences, event screenings, more summer releases and government initiatives to support cinemagoing, experts said...

Streaming video is not the bulletproof business the industry once hoped, leaving companies to take drastic steps to stay afloat in this newfound reality. The ads have arrived, some content has left, and the stress of reaching profitability is being passed on to the consumer via price increases. Six streamers have raised prices — so far — in 2023. Rates for all three services that make up the Disney Bundle — Disney+, ESPN+, and Hulu — increased in the second half of 2022. HBO Max in January raised its rates on the ad-free tier by $1 to $15.99 per month. In June, Paramount Global raised rates for its core streaming service. The ad-supported tier went from $4.99 to $5.99. The ad-free option, which now includes Showtime, rose from $9.99 to $11.99. On August 29, AMC Networks will raise the price of the horror-streamer in the U.S. and Canada. Out is $6.99/month, In is $7.99/month. Peacock Premium is now $5.99/month; “Premium Plus” is $11.99...