About every five years a new group of deep-pocketed players shows up at the Sundance Film Festival and spends a small fortune acquiring a handful of films causing fear that the industry has been forever changed. This year, some of the world’s largest media and tech companies have invaded Park City, Utah and are picking up movies for amounts far in excess of what makes fiscal sense or what theatrical distributors are willing to pay.
Such companies don’t have to worry about box office results because they are more concerned with a different metric; the number of subscribers they can attract to their streaming service. Now some industry veterans are worried about whether indie distributors will be able to stay afloat with the leftover titles the streaming giants don’t gobble up.
Meanwhile, in China the film industry is down for the count with cinemas shuttered for the second week in a row due to the rapid spread of a coronavirus. Flights to and from the country have been suspended, as has all film and television production. When movie theaters finally do open for business the ripple effect on the Chinese release schedule will be felt around the world as films jockey for new playdates.
Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including this year’s BAFTA award winners, Apple and Netflix may be chasing MGM’s film library and MoviePass officially files for bankruptcy.

“Bad Boys For Life” Tops Super Bowl Weekend
https://www.boxofficemojo.com/article/ed3513779204/
Worldwide Box Office (Estimates) Weekend Ending February 2
https://www.comscore.com/Insights/Rankings#tab_worldwide_box_office
‘1917’ Crossing $250m at Global Box Office
https://www.screendaily.com/box-office/1917-crossing-250m-at-global-box-office-update/5146805.article
WGA Awards: ‘Parasite,’ ‘Jojo Rabbit,’ HBO Among Top Winners
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/wga-awards-winners-2020-writers-guild-1203488902/
WGA Includes Studio Ban On Non-Franchised Agents In MBA Pattern Of Demands Sent For Membership Vote
https://deadline.com/2020/01/wga-studio-ban-on-non-franchised-agents-mba-pattern-of-demands-membership-vote-standoff-1202845595/
Writers Guild to Include Agency Ban in Contract Demands for AMPTP Talks
https://variety.com/2020/tv/news/writers-guild-demand-studios-ban-non-franchised-talent-agents-1203485869/
MGM Leads 2020 Media Acquisition Targets as the Entertainment World Splits Into Haves and Have-Nots
https://www.cnbc.com/2020/01/24/mgm-leads-2020-media-acquisition-targets.html
MoviePass and Parent Company Helios and Matheson File for Bankruptcy
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/moviepass-parent-company-helios-matheson-file-bankruptcy-1274423