Showbiz Sandbox 349: How the 2016 Box Office Defied the Odds

Apparently political pollsters aren’t the only forecasters whose predictions can be wrong. With fewer high profile blockbusters than 2015, some in Hollywood believed that the 2016 North American box office could surpass the previous year. However, a number of unexpected hits like “The Jungle Book” and “Deadpool” helped box office climb to a record high of $11.4 billion.

Meanwhile in China, the rapid box office growth that saw a 50% rise in 2015 slowed dramatically. In fact, the country’s box office actually fell in the last half of 2016, causing a modest 3% gain, year-over-year. We’ll explain what caused the Chinese box office to cool off so quickly and why there may be some good news buried in the financials.

Our resident theatre expert Michael Giltz will brief us on all the new productions opening on Broadway this spring. He’ll tell us which shows he would invest in (if he had the money) and which might be headed to a town near you when they go out on tour.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment news including this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees, a banner year for cable news networks and how record labels are finally seeing some profits from streaming music revenue.

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Relativity Furloughs Employees Over Holiday Break
http://variety.com/2016/film/news/relativity-furloughs-employees-holidays-1201946270/

With Two Top Execs Out, Relativity’s Future Remains Unclear
http://variety.com/2016/film/news/with-two-top-execs-out-relativitys-future-remains-unclear-1201947193/

Miramax CEO Steven Schoch Exiting Company
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/miramax-ceo-steven-schoch-exiting-company-959467

Doug Herzog Out at Viacom
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/doug-herzog-at-viacom-report-958330

Directors and Producers Reach Tentative Agreement on New Contract
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/directors-producers-reach-tentative-agreement-new-contract-959173

comScore Announces Official Worldwide Box Office Results for Weekend of January 1, 2017
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/comscore-announces-official-worldwide-box-office-results-for-weekend-of-january-1-2017-300384453.html

Domestic Box Office Poised for Record Breaking Year
http://variety.com/2016/film/box-office/box-office-finding-dory-rogue-one-1201948470/

2016 Box Office Hits Record $11.4B in North America Despite Angst
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/2016-box-office-hits-record-114b-north-america-angst-960198

Box Office: ‘Rogue One’ Crosses $400 Million, ‘Sing’ Scores Over New Year’s
http://variety.com/2017/film/box-office/rogue-one-sing-box-office-1201950861/

China Box Office Flatlines in 2016
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/china-box-office-flatlines-2016-957831

China Box Office Crawls to 3% Gain in 2016
http://variety.com/2016/film/asia/china-box-office-3-percent-gain-in-2016-1201950775/

AMC Entertainment Reaches Settlement With Justice Department to Clear Carmike Merger
http://variety.com/2016/biz/news/amc-carmike-merger-justice-department-settlement-1201946070/

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes by Brad Ricca – BookFilter
http://bookfilter.com/2016/04/19/mrs-sherlock-holmes/

BookFilter Newsletter
http://bookfilter.com/newsletter/

Fox News Wraps Most-Watched Year With Postelection Momentum
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/fox-news-wraps-watched-year-postelection-momentum-959821

Directors Guild of America Negotiates Higher Streaming Video Residuals Under New Contract
http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-dga-amptp-contract-20161229-story.html

Scripted Originals Hit Record 455 in 2016, FX Study Finds
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/scripted-originals-hit-record-455-2016-fx-study-finds-958337

‘Will & Grace’ Revival Ordered to Series at NBC, Star Says
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/will-grace-revival-ordered-series-at-nbc-star-says-960173

Pearl Jam, Tupac Shakur and Joan Baez Will Join the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/20/arts/music/rock-roll-hall-fame-inductees-2017.html

Former Pearl Jam Drummer Calls Out Band’s Integrity Over Rock Hall Snub
http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/ex-pearl-jam-drummer-calls-out-group-over-hall-of-fame-snub-w458444

Starting in 2019, if Your Film Isn’t Diverse, It Won’t Be Eligible for a BAFTA Award
http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2016/12/19/the_bafta_awards_wi….

More than 140 Authors Urge Penguin Random House to Undo Break with Unions
https://www.theguardian.com/books/2016/dec/19/more-than-140-authors-call-on-penguin-random-house-to-reinstate-union-recognition

Casting Director’s Broadway Grinch
http://broadwaygrinch.com

EU Cable Fends Off Cord-Cutting to Pass €22.4BN Mark
http://www.rapidtvnews.com/2016122045512/eu-cable-fends-off-cord-cutting-to-pass-22-4bn-mark.html

NBCUniversal Extends Deadline, Averting a Charter-Spectrum Blackout http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-nbc-charter-spectrum-extension-20161231-story.html

Worldwide Game Industry Hits $91 Billion in Revenues in 2016, With Mobile the Clear Leader
http://venturebeat.com/2016/12/21/worldwide-game-industry-hits-91-billion-in-revenues-in-2016-with-mobile-the-clear-leader/

Bad Reviews for Super Mario Run Are Sending Nintendo’s Stock Tumbling
http://fortune.com/2016/12/19/nintendo-stock-super-mario-run-2/

Nintendo’s Mobile Mario Game Sets Download Record but Pricing Proves Sticking Point
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-nintendo-supermario-idUSKBN14A0U0

SiriusXM Wins Appeal in Turtles Copyright Suit, Digital Music Battle Drags On
http://fortune.com/2016/12/20/siriusxm-turtles-appeal/

Music Streaming Hailed as Industry’s Saviour as Labels Enjoy Profit Surge
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2016/dec/29/music-streaming-industry-saviour-labels-spotify-apple-music

Bruce Springsteen, Beyoncé post top-grossing tours of 2016
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-bruce-springsteen-beyonce-top-tours-20161229-story.html

‘Hamilton’ Hits $105 Million in 2016 as Broadway Rings in $1.37 Billion
http://variety.com/2016/legit/news/broadway-box-office-2016-hamilton-lion-king-1201948777/

George Michael, Pop Superstar, Is Dead at 53
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/25/arts/music/george-michael-dead.html

Carrie Fisher, Child of Hollywood and ‘Star Wars’ Royalty, Dies at 60
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/27/movies/carrie-fisher-dead-star-wars-princess-leia.html

Debbie Reynolds, Wholesome Ingénue in 1950s Films, Dies at 84
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/28/movies/debbie-reynolds-dead.html

How Debbie Reynolds Preserved Movie History: “Hollywood Owes a Huge Debt”
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/how-debbie-reynolds-almost-single-handedly-saved-hollywoods-history-959852

The Unsinkable Debbie Reynolds
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/29/movies/30reynolds-appraisal.html