Showbiz Sandbox
Showbiz Sandbox 506: Apple Gets Into An Epic Battle Royale
Online gaming allows participants to take part in massive multiplayer battles, but no one ever gets hurt. Well, in real life, Epic Games, the company behind Fortnite is taking on both Apple and Google with an antitrust lawsuit and one of these companies is definitely going to get hurt where it counts most…the bottom line.
Meanwhile, as movie theaters around the world start to re-open after being shut down for months due to the coronavirus pandemic, the box office is sputtering back to life. Even Comscore has started publishing a weekend box office report again. Still, the industry has lost billions of dollars and is far from returning to normal grosses.
Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including why thousands of actors may lose their health insurance, women are ruling the Billboard music charts and how Warner Music Group is getting a bit more social.
‘Harry Potter’ Rerelease Tops China Box Office Weekend With $13 Million Haul
https://variety.com/exclusive/harry-potter-tops-china-box-office-weekend/
Shia LaBeouf’s ‘The Tax Collector’ Scores on VOD and in Theaters; ‘The Secret Garden’ Strong
https://www.indiewire.com/2020/08/shia-labeouf-tax-collector-vod-the-secret-garden-1234578945/
Dwayne Johnson Is Hollywood’s Highest-Paid Actor for Second Year in a Row
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/dwayne-johnson-highest-paid-actor-1234732397/
Princess ‘Diana’ Musical To Premiere On Netflix Prior To Broadway Reopening, Making History
https://deadline.com/2020/08/princess-diana-broadway-musical-netflix-premiere-reopening-1203011104/
Steiner Studios Set to Build New Production Hub in Brooklyn
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/steiner-studios-production-brooklyn-1234734008/
Over 11,000 People Sign Petition Against SAG-AFTRA Health Plan Changes
https://variety.com/2020/film/news/sag-aftra-health-plat-changes-petition-1234736284/
Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion’s ‘WAP’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100 With Record First-Week Streams
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9435213/cardi-bs-wap-debuts-no-1-hot-100
Why Warner Music Group Just Paid $85M for a Company That Makes Instagram Memes
https://www.musicbusinessworldwide.com/why-warner-music-group-just-paid-85m-for-a-company-that-makes-instagram-memes/
Phil Collins’ ‘In the Air Tonight’ sales skyrocket after twins’ viral reaction video
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/music/story/2020-08-11/phil-collins-in-the-air-tonight-sales-twins-react-viral