Updated every Friday 12:00 PM
October 18 - October 24

APPLE TV
Apple Original Films has just dropped the trailer for Bread & Roses, a documentary feature — directed by Sahra Mani and produced by Jennifer Lawrence and Malala Yousafzai — about the plight of women in Afghanistan in the aftermath of the 2021 withdrawal from the country of the United States and fall of Kabul to the Taliban. Bread & Roses had its world premiere at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, where it garnered strong reviews, and will begin streaming on Apple TV+ on Nov. 22...

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced that streaming services will no longer be able to get away with complicated and shady methods meant to discourage subscribers from canceling their recurring memberships. Informally known as a "click-to-cancel" rule, this act will force streamers to "make it as easy for consumers to cancel their enrollment as it was to sign up,". The provision passed in a tight vote of 3-2 and will go into effect 180 days following its publishing in the Federal Register...

Las Vegas’ Sphere will no longer be a one-of-one. A second Sphere has been announced, for Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Sphere Entertainment plans to maintain ongoing arrangements with DCT Abu Dhabi that are expected to include annual fees for creative and artistic content licensed by Sphere Entertainment, such as Sphere Experiences; use of Sphere’s brand, patents, proprietary technology, and intellectual property; and operational services related to venue operations and technology, as well as commercial and strategic advisory support.”...

Animated movies currently hold five spots in the box office Top 10 for the first time ever. It's been another mixed bag at the box office in 2024. Just recently, Joker: Folie à Deux and Lionsgate's last five films have disappointed, the latest of which was Francis Ford Coppola's Megalopolis. However, it's been a strong year for animation with Inside Out 2 sitting as the highest-grossing film of 2024, Despicable Me 4 at No. 3, and Kung Fu Panda 4 at No. 6. Each of the titles in the Top 10 is from a different studio, including DreamWorks, Focus Features, Paramount, Crunchyroll/Sony, and Disney. In addition to animated movies holding five of the Top 10 spots, several individual milestones were reached, with The Wild Robot approaching $150 million globally and Transformers One surpassing $50 million domestically and earning over $100 million worldwide...

International Documentary Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) announced its full competition lineup for 2024, including the prestigious International Competition slate. The world’s biggest documentary festival will unfold in the Dutch capital from November 14-24. The festival will kick off with the world premiere of About a Hero, directed by Piotr Winiewicz. The film, part of IDFA’s International Competition, “presents a bold exploration into largely uncharted territories of artificial intelligence—reflecting on questions of authenticity and our understanding of what is real,” according to a release. “With Werner Herzog’s permission, Winiewicz sets out to challenge Herzog’s assertion that ‘a computer won’t be able to create a film as good as mine for at least another 4,500 years.’ In a tantalizing experiment, Winiewicz trained an AI-system on Herzog’s oeuvre and asked it to generate a screenplay. The result is a disturbing search for the soul—of human beings and of creative work.”...

Sony Pictures and Masters of the Universe producer Escape Artists are developing a live-action film based on another Mattel toy line: View-Master, the 3D image reel viewer that was first introduced in 1939. Escape Artists’ Todd Black, Jason Blumenthal, Steve Tisch and Tony Shaw are producing. Kevin McKeon and Arturo Thur de Koós are overseeing for Mattel Films. “View-Master has long been a window to the wonders of the world, sparking imagination in kids and adults alike,” said Black. “Teaming up with Robbie Brenner and Mattel Films gives us the chance to honor that legacy while creating an entirely new adventure for today’s audience. We can’t wait to bring this treasured toy’s sense of exploration to the big screen.” Mattel, which scored last year with its eight-time Oscar-nominated blockbuster Barbie, is also currently working on movie adaptations of its IP including Hot Wheels and Monster High...