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April 25 - May 1st

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Apple TV+ announced “Easy Money: The Charles Ponzi Story,” an Apple Original Podcast that tells the unbelievable story of Charles Ponzi — an Italian immigrant who, in 1920, defrauded the modern-day equivalent of a quarter of a billion dollars. Hosted by journalist Maya Lau, the eight-episode docudrama blends immersive storytelling with investigative reporting, exploring the outrageous rise and spectacular downfall of the man behind one of the most iconic scams ever, who became one of the most infamous con artists in history and reshaped the world of finance. Award-winning comedian, actor and podcast host Sebastian Maniscalco (“The Irishman,” “About My Father,” “Bookie,” “It Ain’t Right Tour”) voices Ponzi on the podcast, set to debut June 23, 2025...

In times of financial upheaval, the thinking goes, movie theaters weather the storm as the cheapest form of live entertainment stretching back nearly a century to the Great Depression. People may be putting the brakes on exotic vacations, pricey sporting events or concerts, but a trip to see a film costs far less than other out-of-the-house offerings. According to Handler, the domestic box office saw a revenue increase in seven out of the past eight recessions, including double-digit growth in three of those periods. On average, revenue rose 7.3 percent during the last eight economic contractions. And in 2009, domestic box office revenue cleared $10 billion for the first time...

Ne Zha, a mischievous underdog, has put a spell not only on China and its box office, but also on other parts of the globe. Enlight Pictures’ Ne Zha 2 recently topped the $2 billion box office milestone to become the world’s highest-grossing animated hit of all time...

Snoop Dogg has inked a partnership with NBCUniversal that will see the multihyphenate and his Death Row Pictures working with studio verticals on projects that span film, television, sports and streaming. The multi-year deal, announced by NBCUniversal chairman Donna Langley, is a first-look pact in film and television. Death Row is already working with the studio on a biopic about the rapper turned media darling that is set to be written by Joe Robert Cole and produced by Brian Grazer. On the television front, Snoop will return to NBC competition series The Voice this Fall as a judge for Season 28. And, this past summer, he joined NBC and Peacock’s coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris...

AThe Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is now making it harder for members to vote in categories in which they have not watched all of the nominees, something that, based on anecdotal evidence, has become more of a concern for the Academy in recent years, since the organization massively expanded its membership and brought in a lot of younger members who are busier with their careers. The Academy’s e-voting system, in the final round of voting, will not allow members to access the ballot for categories in which they have not demonstrated that they have watched all of the nominees. The Academy will track viewing via the members-only Academy Screening Room streaming app; as for films consumed elsewhere — like at screenings, film festivals, etc. — members will have to fill out a form declaring when and where they watched a film. (In the past, members had to do this in order to vote in the preliminary and nomination rounds for best international feature, animated feature, animated short and live action short categories.) This will presumably result in less coattail voting...

For decades, rival studios have used the Las Vegas convention of theater owners to see what the competition has coming down the pike. Executives and their minions aren’t barred from attending each other’s studio presentations. They slip in and out without any interference or hassle. “It’s incredibly important,” says one veteran studio executive, who like many of his compatriots has attended the show for years. Imagine if automakers were allowed to obtain an early peek of a competitor’s line-up and even prototypes. “We are all jockeying for position,” continues the exec. “I find it very beneficial, especially as you are looking down the road. Something may come out of CinemaCon that you didn’t expect to pop, so it can help inform how you date your films...

The viewership for Edward Berger’s papal thriller “Conclave” increased by 3,200% following the death of Pope Francis on Monday, per data and insights company Luminate. The information comes after the film dropped on Amazon’s Prime Video on Tuesday, during which the Ralph Fiennes-led film acquired 18.3 million minutes of total daily viewing in the United States. When Luminate compared the total minutes viewed for the film on U.S. streaming platforms for Monday (6.9 million) and Tuesday (18.3 million) of this week to Monday and Tuesday of last week, data showed a boost by 3,200% in week-over-week viewership. Francis, the leader of the Catholic Church, died Monday at age 88. Cardinal Kevin Farrell announced the news of his death in Vatican City...