Monday, November 23, 2020

DC Comics New Releases from Lunar/UCS Distributors for November 24, 2020

DC COMICS:

Action Comics #1027 (Cover A John Romita Jr. & Klaus Janson), $3.99
Action Comics #1027 (Cover B Gary Frank Card Stock Variant), AR
Batman Beyond #49 (Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99
Batman Beyond #49 (Cover B Francis Manapul Team Variant), AR
Batman Detective Comics #1027 The Deluxe Edition HC, $19.99
Batman Superman #14 (Cover A David Marquez), $3.99
Batman Superman #14 (Cover B Bryan Hitch), AR
Batman White Knight Presents Harley Quinn #2 (Of 6)(Cover A Sean Murphy), $4.99
Batman White Knight Presents Harley Quinn #2 (Of 6)(Cover B Matteo Scalera), AR
Dark Nights Death Metal The Multiverse Who Laughs #1 (Cover A Chris Burnham), $5.99
Dark Nights Death Metal The Multiverse Who Laughs #1 (Cover B Simone Bianchi Card Stock Variant), AR
DC Nation Presents DC Future State, AR
Detective Comics #1031 (Cover A Jorge Jimenez), $3.99
Detective Comics #1031 (Cover B Lee Bermejo Card Stock Variant), AR
Flash #766 (Cover A Bernard Chang), $3.99
Flash #766 (Cover B In-Hyuk Lee), AR
Heroes In Crisis TP, $19.99
John Constantine Hellblazer #12 (Cover A John Paul Leon), $5.99
Justice League Dark #28 (Cover A Kyle Hotz), $3.99
Justice League Dark #28 (Cover B Kevin Nowlan Team Variant), AR
Justice League International Omnibus Volume 2 HC, $125.00
Last God #10 (Cover A Kai Carpenter), $4.99
Legion Of Super-Heroes #11 (Cover A Ryan Sook), $3.99
Legion Of Super-Heroes #11 (Cover B Nicola Scott), AR
Lois Lane Enemy Of The People TP, $29.99
Other History Of The DC Universe #1 (Of 5)(Cover A Giuseppe Camuncoli & Marco Mastrazzo), $6.99
Other History Of The DC Universe #1 (Of 5)(Cover B Jamal Campbell), AR
Other History Of The DC Universe #1 (Of 5)(Cover C Jamal Campbell Gold Metallic Ink Variant), AR
Other History Of The DC Universe #1 (Of 5)(Jamal Campbell Silver Metallic Ink Variant Cover)(LCSD 2020 Edition), AR
Question The Deaths Of Vic Sage HC, $29.99
Red Hood #51 (Cover A Dan Mora), $3.99
Red Hood #51 (Cover B Kael Ngu), AR
Suicide Squad #11 (Cover A Bruno Redondo), $3.99
Suicide Squad #11 (Cover B Jeremy Roberts Team Variant), AR
Wonder Woman #767 (Cover A David Marquez), $3.99
Wonder Woman #767 (Cover B Joshua Middleton Card Stock Variant), AR


Review: "THE PRINCESS BRIDE" Still Storming the Castle

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 21 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

[This review originally appeared on Patreon.]

The Princess Bride (1987)
Running time: 98 minutes (1 hour, 38 minutes)
MPAA – PG
DIRECTOR:  Rob Reiner
WRITER:  William Goldman (based on the book by William Goldman)
PRODUCERS:  Rob Reiner and Andrew Scheinman
CINEMATOGRAPHER:  Adrian Biddle
EDITOR:  Robert Leighton
COMPOSER:  Mark Knopfler
Academy Award nominee


FANTASY/ROMANCE/ADVENTURE/FAMILY

Starring:  Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant, Fred Savage, Peter Falk, Carol Kane, and Billy Crystal

The Princess Bride is a 1987 fantasy-adventure and romantic film from director Rob Reiner.  The film is based on William Goldman's 1973 novel, The Princess Bride, for which Goldman wrote the screenplay adaptation.  2017 will mark the 30th anniversary of the film's release (October 9, 1987).  In The Princess Bride the film, a grandfather tells his grandson the story of a princess sought by two men who desire her – one a mysterious hero and the other a hateful prince.

The Princess Bride opens with a framing story in which The Grandfather (Peter Falk) reads a book, “The Princess Bride,” to The Grandson (Fred Savage), who is sick and relegated to his bed.  The story then travels from the present day of the Grandson's bedroom to the past of the Renaissance Era.  The place of arrival is a country named “Florin.”  There, we meet Buttercup (Robin Wright), a beautiful young woman, and Westley (Cary Elwes), the farmhand she loves to order around.  The truth is that Buttercup loves Westley, but one day, Westley leaves the farm to seek his fortune.

Later, Buttercup learns that Westley was on ship that was attacked by the Dread Pirate Roberts and is assumed dead.  The story moves ahead five years, and Buttercup has reluctantly agreed to marry Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon), Prince of Florin.  There are, however, conspiracies and conspirators afoot who stand in the way of that marriage.  This includes a Sicilian crime boss named Vizzini (Wallace Shawn), a giant named Fezzik (AndrĂ© the Giant), a Spanish master swordsman named Inigo Montoya (Mandy Patinkin), and a mysterious man in black.

Recently, IDW Publishing sent me a copy-for-review of their adult coloring book based on The Prince Bride, entitled The Princess Bride: A Storybook to Color.  I decided that I finally needed to sit down and watch The Princes Bride, start to finish, in its entirety, which I had never done.  Why had I not done that before?  I don't know.  I have always been curious about the movie, and I even owned a copy of William Goldman's novel a long time ago (which I lost before I could read it).

I can describe The Princess Bride as a multi-genre movie.  It is part medieval fantasy, part storybook romance, and part swashbuckling adventure (quietly and gently adventurous).  And the result is a damn fine movie.  I don't know what makes it work, but I think director Rob Reiner has a lot to do with that.  His directorial pace and mood suggests that he wanted this movie to be a storybook tale that found comedy in the elements of fairy tales and fantasy, but without mocking and parodying them.  Also, I think William Goldman's screenplay builds the characters using quirks and eccentricities so that he can poke fun at the players rather than at the genres that are their field of play.

The resulting film is an utterly delightful and a truly unique cinematic gem.  I don't think Reiner could get The Princess Bride made today, not without pumping it full of intense action and making extensive use of computer-generated imagery (CGI).  If made today, even the film's photography would be heavily altered and enhanced through the use of software.

The Princess Bride is essentially a “hand-made” movie, and somehow the talent involved in this film made magic.  I bet they did not realize that until they saw the finished film.  If you have not yet seen The Princess Bride, it is time for you to realize the magic, too.

9 of 10
A+

Sunday, January 22, 2017

NOTES:
1988 Academy Awards, USA:  1 nomination: “Best Music, Original Song” (Willy DeVille for the song "Storybook Love")

The text is copyright © 2017 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved. Contact this site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Saturday, November 21, 2020

Negromancer News Bits and Bites from November 15th to 21st, 2020 - Update #25

by Leroy Douresseaux a.k.a. "I Reads You"

Support Leroy on Patreon:

ENTERTAINMENT AND CULTURE NEWS

TELEVISION - From THR:   A contestant on TBS' "Wipeout" died Wednesday, November 18th, after completing the competition reality show's course.

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Disney's 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) is producing a fifth movie in the "Predator" film franchise.  Dan Trachtenberg ("10 Cloverfield Lane") is currently scheduled to direct.

STREAMING - From Deadline:  Six actors have been cast in Netflix's live-action version on the beloved, cult anime, "Cowboy Bebop."

STREAMING - From BloodyDisgusting:  Horror movie icon, Robert Englund, the original "Freddy Krueger," will be a cast member on Netflix's "Stranger Things" Season Four.

DISNEY - From Deadline:  Disney is considering pulling three of its live-action remakes of its classic animated feature films, "Peter Pan and Wendy" "Pinocchio," and "Cruella," from theatrical release for Disney+ premieres. 

CELEBRITY - From People:  Actor Michael B. Jordan has been named "People's Sexiest Man Alive 2020."

MOVIES - From Variety:   Warner Bros. will release "Wonder Woman 1984" on HBO Max and to theaters on Dec. 25th and to international theaters Dec. 16th.

CELEBRITY - From LATimes:   Emmy-winning actor Michael J. Fox is reportedly planning a retire again because of his decline health.  Fox has been battling Parkinson's disease since 1991.

MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:  The site offers a list of 10 recent great horror movies, plus one more.

TELEVISION - From BloodyDisgusting:   TV god-king Ryan Murphy has shared the poster for "American Horror Stories," the spinoff of his long-running "American Horror Story."  The new series will feature "one-hour contained episodes" and will be exclusive to "FX on Hulu."

MOVIES - From BloodyDisgusting:  "Scream" creator Kevin Williamson has revealed that the official title of "Scream 5" is ... "Scream."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Spike Lee and eOne are prepping a film musical about the miracle drug, "Viagra."

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:   Quentin Tarantino has signed a two-book deal with "Harper," the HarperCollins imprint.  One of the books will be a novelization of Tarantino's Oscar-winning film, "Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood."

MOVIES - From Deadline:   Universal and the Cinemark theater chain sign a "theatrical window"/"premium video on demand." Universal previously signed such a deal with AMC in July.

MOVIES - From Deadline:  Steven Caple, Jr., who directed "Creed 2," will direct the next "Transformers" movie, which will be set in a re-invented universe.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  With its Barack Obama interview (Sun, Nov. 15th), "60 Minutes" ratings surge again.

CELEBRITY - From Deadline:  Beloved stand-up comedian and actor, Sinbad, is recovering from a stroke.  Sinbad is best remembered for starring in "The Cosby Show" spinoff, "A Different World" and for hosting "It's Showtime at the Apollo" from 1989 to 1991.

BOX OFFICE - From Deadline:   The winner of 11/13 to 11/15/2020 weekend box office is "Freaky" with an estimated take of 3.7 million dollars.

TELEVISION - From Deadline:  Terry McMillan's bestselling 1990 novel, "Waiting to Exhale," was adapted into a popular 1995 film.  The author recently announced that a sequel television series is being developed.

MOVIES - From ShadowandAct:   Zazie Beetz joins Brad Pitt and Brian Tyree in the action-thriller. "Bullet Train."

MOVIES - From THR:   "Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey" is a Christmas that his getting acclaim and attention because of its Black cast.  This article talks about the great lengths hair and make-up designer Sharon Martin went to reimagine Black hairstyles for Victorian England.

STREAMING - From Deadline:   Will Smith has posted the first trailer for HBO Max's "Fresh Prince of Bel Air" reunion special.  "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion" arrives Nov. 19th on HBO Max.

OBITS:

From THR:  Noted television writer and producer, Charlie Hauck, has died at the age of 79, Saturday, November 14, 2020.  Hauck wrote for such popular television series as "Maude," "Frasier," and, "Home Improvement."  Oscar-nominated actor, Michael Keaton, credits Hauck with getting his career in Hollywood started.  He was twice nominated for a Primetime Emmy, once as a producer on "Frasier" and once for co-writing an episode of "The Associates," a series he co-created.

From YahooSports:  Former NFL player, Jake Scott, has died at the age of 75, Thursday, November 19, 2020.   Scott was a defensive safety for the Miami Dolphins (1970-75).  He was the MVP of Super Bowl VII, in which the Dolphins defeated the Washington Redskins and finished their 1972 undefeated season.  Scott was also on the Super Bow VIII-winning Dolphins team.

From ComicBook:  Noted Canadian voice actor and TV actor, Kirby Morrow, has died at the age of 47, Wednesday, November 18, 2020.  Morrow was best known for his voice performances in English dubs of Japanese anime, such as the role of "Goku" in "Dragon Ball Z."  He also acted in numerous TV series, such as "Stargate Atlantis," "The Flash," and most recently, ABC's "The Good Doctor."

COVID-19:

From CDC:   The Centers for Disease Control has a "COVID Data Tracker."

From YahooNews:  Why does COVID-19 kill some people and hardly affects others?

From YahooNews:  Yahoo has a dedicated page of links updating news about COVID-19.

From Deadline:  The news site "Deadline" has a dedicated page for news about coronavirus and the film, TV, and entertainment industries.

From TheNewYorker:  The venerable magazine has a dedicate COVID-19 page free to all readers.

From YahooNews:  Re: the federal government's response to COVID-19: What if the most important election of our lifetime was the last one - 2016?

From YahooLife:  What is "happy hypoxia?"  And do you have this COVID-19 symptom?

From JuanCole:  Remember when President Donald went crazy and suggested that we ingest household cleaning supplies and UV light to fight COVID-19.  Here is the video and commentary from Juan Cole.

From TheIntercept:  The federal government has ramped up security and police-related spending in response to the COVID-19/coronavirus pandemic, including issuing contracts for riot gear, disclosures show. The purchase orders include requests for disposable cuffs, gas masks, ballistic helmets, and riot gloves...

From TheAtlanticThe Coronavirus Was an Emergency Until Trump Found Out Who Was Dying. The pandemic has exposed the bitter terms of our racial contract, which deems certain lives of greater value than others.

From ProPublica:  Hospital's Secret COVID-19 Policy Separated Native American Mothers From Their Newborns

From TheGuardian:  More than 20 million Americans could have contracted COVID-19, experts say.

From RSN/WashPost:  The COVID-19 mutation that has taken over the world.

7/13 - From YahooSports:  Maybe a pandemic means that there will not be college football this fall.

7/13- From YahooNews:  The CDC adds four new symptoms (including nausea and purple or blue lesions on feet and toes) to the list of COVID-19 symptoms.

7/19 - From YahooFinance:  Harvard Public Health professor Dr. Howard Koh says the U.S. "needs to regroup" to find COVID-19.

7/22 - From YahooNews:  A public health employee predicted Florida's coronavirus catastrophe — then she was fired.

7/22 - From YahooLifestyle:  Florida mom loses son, 20, to coronavirus, and then days later, her daughter.

7/23 - From TheWrap:  The site has a list of movie and TV stars, entertainment and sports figures who have tested positive for COVID-19

From Bloomberg:  Will the COVID-19 pandemic turn Millennials into socialists?

7/27 - From CNN:   Chief of critical care at Baltimore's Mercy Medical Center, Dr. Joseph Costa, passes away due to Covid-19 complications... after treating the hospital's sickest COVID-19 patients.  He was 56 and leaves behind family, including a husband of 28 years.

7/31 - From Slate:  COVID-19 is airborne - for reals!

8/9 - From YahooAFP:  According to the real-time tally kept by John Hopkins University, the United States has hit 5 million cases of COVID-19.

8/16 - From Truthout: COVID Deaths Continue to Surge in Countries Led by Far Right Authoritarians

9/19 - From WashPost:  U.S. coronavirus death toll reaches 200,000

9/23 - From CNBC:  Mark Cuban, who owns the NBA's Dallas Mavericks and star of ABC's "Shark Tank," suggests that every household in American get a $1000 check every two weeks for the next two months.

9/28 - From Deadline:  John Hopkins University's coronavirus tracker reports that over 1 million people have died of COVID-19 worldwide.

10/2 - From YahooNews:  President Donald and the First Lady have tested positive for COVID-19.

10/26 -  From YahooFinance:  Walmart CEO detects a new wave a panic buying as consumers stock up for another surge in coronavirus cases.

11/5 - From CNN:  The US set a grim new Covid-19 record Thursday -- following a week marked by high case numbers -- surpassing 120,000 infections in a single day. 

11/7 - From YahooNews:  "It's a slaughter," doctors say of new coronavirus wave.

11/13 - YahooNews:  "We blew it": U.S. reaches 'explosive' COVID-19 spread as virus is nearly impossible to control, experts say

BLACK LIVES MATTER:

From RSN:   Judge's Blistering Opinion Says Courts Have Placed Police Beyond Accountability

From TheGuardian:  Yusef Salaam, one of the "Central Park Five," says in an interview, "Trump would have had me hanging from a tree in Central Park."

From NPR:  Prosecutors' plea deal required drug suspect to name Breonna Taylor a "co-defendant."

From ChicagoSunTimes:  Rev. Jesse Jackson: America has millions of people in poverty because Americans choose not to demand the policies that would lift them out of poverty.

From APNews:  No one will be held accountable for the killing of Louisville African-American resident, Breonna Taylor.

From Channel4:  Revealed: Trump campaign strategy to deter millions of Black Americans from voting in 2016

From GuardianUK:  California is going to consider paying reparations to the descendants of African slaves after adopting a landmark law to study and to develop proposals around the issue.

From TheRoot:   What to Do When Your Country Turns Into a Dumpster Fire

From Vox:  It's True: 1 in 1,000 Black Americans Have Died in the Covid-19 Pandemic

From CBS:  Breonna Taylor's boyfriend certain cops didn't identify themselves

From DonaldTrump:  Well, because it has been in the news a lot lately (via Ice Cube and Li'l Wayne), here is "The Platinum Plan."  It is impressive, but no Republican Congress would go along with even 10 percent of this plan which is basically a long list of promises to the Black Americans - individually and as a group.

From Truthout:   Yes, 55 Percent of White Women Voted for Trump. No, I’m Not Surprised.



Friday, November 20, 2020

"Friends" Gets "Nick at Nite" Renewal

Nickelodeon Renews Hit Sitcom Friends for Nick at Nite as Part of Multi-Series ViacomCBS Syndication Deal

Net Presents “Super-Stuffed Friends-Giving” beginning Monday, Nov. 23, with Classic Episodes and Thanksgiving-Themed Marathon

Share it : @nickatnitetv


HOLLYWOOD, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nickelodeon announced the renewal of the Emmy® Award-winning series Friends, from Warner Bros. Television, for its nighttime programming block Nick at Nite. The agreement, negotiated for ViacomCBS by Barbara Zaneri, Executive Vice President of Global Content Acquisitions, was part of a multi-year, multi-series deal that included several renewals of top-rated syndicated series from Warner Bros. Television that air across ViacomCBS' portfolio of cable networks. Also included in the deal were the off-network cable premiere rights to TV’s number-one comedy series, Young Sheldon, scheduled to begin on Nick at Nite on Monday, Nov. 30, 2020.

Year to date, Nick at Nite ranks as cable’s top network with Women 18-49 and is also currently delivering its highest share of Adults 18-49 since 2017. The highly successful NAN programming block of family comedies where Friends and Young Sheldon will air, also includes popular Warner Bros Television series such as Mom and Full House.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 23, 2020 at 9 p.m. (ET/PT), fans can celebrate Thanksgiving with their favorite friends as Nick at Nite presents “Super-Stuffed Friends-Giving,” featuring a lineup of classic Friends episodes with beloved funny moments from the series airing throughout the week, and a marathon of Thanksgiving-themed episodes on Thursday.

Friends, which debuted in 1994, follows the lives and loves of a close-knit group of friends while they navigate their way through their twenties living in New York City: siblings Ross (David Schwimmer) and Monica Geller (Courteney Cox), along with friends Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry), Phoebe Buffay (Lisa Kudrow), Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) and Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston).

Friends was created by David Crane and Marta Kauffman, who executive produced the series with Kevin Bright through Bright/Kauffman/Crane Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television.

Nickelodeon, now in its 41st year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The brand includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, digital, location based experiences, publishing and feature films. For more information or artwork, visit www.nickpress.com. Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of ViacomCBS Inc. (Nasdaq: VIACA, VIAC).

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Thursday, November 19, 2020

Review: "Teen Titans: The Judas Contract" Turns Out to Be Fun

TRASH IN MY EYE No. 20 (of 2020) by Leroy Douresseaux

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract – video (2017)
Running time:  84 minutes (1 hour, 24 minutes)
MPAA – PG-13 for language, some violence, sensuality, thematic elements and brief drug use
DIRECTOR:  Sam Liu
WRITERS:  Ernie Altbacker (based on the comic book story by Marv Wolfman and George Perez and on the DC Comics characters)
EDITOR:  Christopher D. Lozinsk
COMPOSER:  Frederik Wiedmann
ANIMATION STUDIO:  The Answerstudios

ANIMATION/SUPERHERO/ACTION/FANTASY

Starring:  (voices) Sean Maher, Kari Wahlgren, Stuart Allan, Taissa Farmiga, Brandon Soo Hoo, Jake T. Austin, Christina Ricci, Miguel Ferrer, Gregg Henry, Meg Foster, Masasa Moyo, Jason Spisak, Crispin Freeman, and Kevin Smith

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is a 2017 straight-to-video animated superhero film from Warner Bros. Animation.  The films stars the DC Comics superhero team, the Teen Titans.  The film's story is based on “The Judas Contract,” the 1983-84 story arc that was published in The New Teen Titans #39 to #44 and in The New Teen Titans Annual 3, which were created by the writer-artist team of Marv Wolfman and George Perez.  Teen Titans: The Judas Contract the movie focuses on the Teen Titans and their battle against an insane cult leader and his conspiracy against them.

Teen Titans: The Judas Contract opens with the original Teen TitansRobin/Dick Grayson (Sean Maher), Speedy (Crispin Freeman), Kid Flash (Jason Spisak), Beast Boy (Brandon Soo Hoo), and Bumblebee (Masasa Moyo).  During a mission, the Titans rescue an alien princess, Koriand'r of Tamaran (Kari Wahlgren), also known as “Starfire,” from her captors.

Five years later, Dick Grayson, now known as “Nightwing,” rejoins the Teen Titans, who are led by Starfire.  In addition to original member, Beast Boy, the team is now comprised of Raven (Taissa Farmiga), Terra (Christina Ricci), Blue Beetle (Jake T. Austin), and the current Robin, Damien Wayne (Stuart Allan).  The Titans have been battling a high-tech terrorist organization called “H.I.V.E.” and are trying to find its leader, “Brother Blood” (Gregg Henry), the head of a terrorist cult.

Brother Blood has grown tired of the Titans interfering in his plans, but he desires to possess their powers.  Blood hires the mercenary/assassin, Deathstroke (Miguel Ferrer), to capture the Titans, and to that end, Deathstroke has a spy inside the Titans.

For most of the 1980s, The New Teen Titans was one of DC Comics' most popular comic book titles, and for awhile, it was the publisher's most important and popular title.  “The Judas Contract” was The New Teen Titans' signature story line.  Teen Titans: The Judas Contract the movie is true to the spirit of the original story, both in depicting how close a team of disparate individuals can become and in depicting the sting of betrayal committed by one member against the rest of the team.

I really enjoyed this movie, and I am surprised that I liked all the characters and all the voice actors' performances.  Christina Ricci does stand out and conveys the pathos and conflict within Terra Markov, while Brandon Soo Hoo gives comedic depth and dramatic weight to Beast Boy.  I will note, however, that film director, Kevin Smith, appears as a cartoon version of himself, and Teen Titans: The Judas Contract could have done without him.

Fans of the direct-to-video, DC Comics animated films will find that Teen Titans: The Judas Contract is a high point in this long-running series.  Teen Titans fans will also find that, although the film changes the original story quite a bit, this version of The Judas Contract maintains the core of the comic book original, Teen Titans: The Judas Contract.

8 of 10
A

Sunday, October 25, 2020


The text is copyright © 2020 Leroy Douresseaux. All Rights Reserved.  Contact this blog or site for reprint and syndication rights and fees.

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Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Universal and Cinemark Sign Release Window Agreement for Exhibiting Universal Films

Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Cinemark Theaters Announce Dynamic Release Window Agreement for Exhibition of Universal Films

This Dynamic Window Provides Flexibility by Allowing Films that Open to More Than $50 Million at the Box Office to Have At Least 31 Days of an Exclusive Theatrical Window, with All Other Titles Receiving a Minimum of 17 Days of Theatrical Exclusivity

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. & PLANO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Building on the two companies’ shared commitment to the theatrical experience, while capitalizing on the opportunity to further adapt to changing consumer behavior, particularly in light of the current COVID-19 environment, Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG), a division of Comcast Corporation (NASDAQ: CMCSA), and Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) today announced a multi-year agreement under which UFEG films will be exhibited in Cinemark theaters in the U.S.

    “We are extremely pleased to further enhance our strong partnership with Universal as we evolve the exclusive theatrical window”

The agreement includes at least three full weekends (17 days) of theatrical exclusivity for all Universal Pictures and Focus Features theatrical releases, at which time the studio will have the option to make its titles available across premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms. Under the terms of the deal, any title that opens to $50 million or more, including many franchise titles, will play exclusively in theaters for at least five full weekends (31 days) before the title may become available on PVOD.

“Universal’s century-long partnership with exhibition is rooted in the theatrical experience, and we are more committed than ever for audiences to experience our movies on the big screen,” said Donna Langley, Chairman, UFEG. “Mark Zoradi and the team at Cinemark have been outstanding partners, and Peter Levinsohn [Vice Chairman & Chief Distribution Officer, UFEG] has done a remarkable job on the studio’s behalf in making deals that give us the confidence to release our movies in the marketplace, keep the content pipeline moving, and provide consumers with the optionality that they are looking for.”

“We are extremely pleased to further enhance our strong partnership with Universal as we evolve the exclusive theatrical window,” said Mark Zoradi, Cinemark CEO. “We believe a more dynamic theatrical window, whereby movie theaters continue to provide an event-sized launching platform for films that maximize box office and bolsters the success of subsequent distribution channels, is in the shared best interests of studios, exhibitors and, most importantly, moviegoers.”

The full terms of the deal are confidential and are not being disclosed.

UFEG’s film slate, including titles from Universal Pictures, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation, has five theatrical releases remaining on the 2020 calendar: The Croods: A New Age, Half Brothers, All My Life, News of the World, and Promising Young Woman.

About Universal Filmed Entertainment Group:
Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG) produces, acquires, markets and distributes filmed entertainment worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television and other distribution platforms. The global division includes Universal Pictures, Focus Features, Universal Pictures Home Entertainment, DreamWorks Animation Film and Television. UFEG is part of NBCUniversal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production and marketing of entertainment, news and information to a global audience. NBCUniversal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, world-renowned theme parks and a suite of leading Internet-based businesses. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.
 
About Cinemark Holdings, Inc.:
Headquartered in Plano, TX, Cinemark (NYSE: CNK) is one of the largest and most influential movie theater companies in the world. Cinemark’s circuit, comprised of various brands that also include Century, Tinseltown and Rave, operates 534 theaters with 5,977 screens globally (332 theaters and 4,522 screens across 41 states domestically; 202 theaters and 1455 screens in 15 countries throughout South and Central America). Cinemark consistently provides an extraordinary guest experience from the initial ticket purchase to the closing credits, including Movie Club, the first U.S. exhibitor-launched subscription program; the highest Luxury Lounger recliner seat penetration among the major players; XD - the No. 1 exhibitor-brand premium large format; and expansive food and beverage options to further enhance the moviegoing experience. For more information go to https://ir.cinemark.com/.
 
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Monday, November 16, 2020

BOOM! Studios Shipping from Diamond Distributors for November 18, 2020

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