Showbiz Sandbox

Showbiz Sandbox


Showbiz Sandbox 526: Hollywood Reshuffles 2021 Blockbusters

January 26, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic continues to wreak havoc throughout the film industry. With most movie theatres around the world currently closed due to COVID, Hollywood studios have delayed almost all of their major releases into the latter half of this year. There is even talk that the Cannes Film Festival will move from May to sometime in July.
Unlike cinemas, streaming media companies are currently thriving, with Netflix surpassing 200 million subscribers worldwide. Despite all of the competitors entering the marketplace, the company set a record high stock price after announcing they won’t need to borrow any additional money to fund new content.
Of course we also cover some of the week’s top entertainment headlines including the new “High School Musical” generates a chart-topper, Viacom changes up its streaming strategy and Spotify ventures into audiobooks.

China Box Office: ‘Big Red Envelope’ Opens With $8 Million Weekend
https://variety.com/2021/film/asia/china-box-office-weekend-big-red-envelope-1234891189/
Can a Brash Executive in Kansas Save Movie Theaters?
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/22/business/media/adam-aron-movie-theaters-amc.html
AMC Raises $917 Million to Weather ‘Dark Coronavirus-Impacted Winter’
https://variety.com/2021/biz/global/amc-raises-debt-financing-1234891278/
Hollywood Prepares to Delay Another Slew of Blockbusters
https://variety.com/2021/film/news/movie-release-dates-coronavirus-pandemic-1234881304/
Here Are All the Movies Delayed Because of the Coronavirus — With Some New Release Dates
https://www.vulture.com/2021/01/here-are-all-the-movies-and-tv-shows-affected-by-coronavirus.html
Olivia Rodrigo’s ‘Drivers License’ Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard Hot 100
https://www.billboard.com/articles/business/chart-beat/9512983/olivia-rodrigo-drivers-license-number-one-hot-100-debut/
Fox News Purges Journalists From its Roster
https://www.thedailybeast.com/fox-news-launches-purge-to-get-rid-of-real-journalists?ref=home
Paramount Plus to Launch March 4 in U.S. and Latin America
https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/paramount-plus-streaming-debut-march-4-viacomcbs-1234887452/
Netflix Beats Q4 Subscriber And Revenue Forecasts, Sees Cash-Rich Future
https://deadline.com/2021/01/netflix-beats-q4-subscriber-forecasts-sees-cash-rich-future-1234676299/
Netflix Tops 200 Million Subscribers Amid Pandemic
https://www.