Showbiz Sandbox 446: How the B-Team Grew Into the Marvel Cinematic Universe

When Kevin Feige, the President of Marvel Studios, set out to launch a movie franchise based on the company’s comic books he hired an erratic actor with a history of drug addiction to play a superhero hardly anybody knew and a director whose last film bombed. At the time, Geoff Boucher, now the genre editor of Deadline, wrote an article headlined “Here Comes The B-Team”.

Well, 12 years and over 22 films later the Marvel Cinematic Universe has become a $20 billion franchise whose latest entrant, “Avengers: Endgame,” made $1.2 billion in its open week. Boucher joins us to discuss how Feige managed to oversee one of the most profitable movie properties of all time.

Meanwhile, the Writers Guild is nowhere near reaching an accord with the Association of Talent Agents over packaging fees. Even some of the smaller agencies, who don’t package television series and don’t have affiliated production companies, are unwilling to sign the proposed code of conduct.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the moviegoing subscription service Sinemia shuts down, the Chinese government grows a little wary of the TV smash hit “The Story Of Yanxi Palace” and Steven Spielberg doesn’t actually hate Netflix.

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Showbiz Sandbox 445: Is Netflix Leaving Money On The Table?

There is no arguing that Netflix is doing quite well these days. Even the announcement of heavyweight competition from the likes of Disney and Apple hasn’t affected its stock price nor, more importantly, hampered its subscriber growth. The company added 10 million new subscribers in the first quarter of 2019 alone.

Even so, Netflix may want to rethink their approach to how they monetize their television shows. While their big hits such as “House of Cards” may not be appropriate or too exclusive to syndicate on traditional linear networks, others such as “One Day At A Time” may be a missed opportunity for the streamer to do what it’s never done before: seek more outside revenue.

Meanwhile, this year’s Cannes Film Festival lineup features longtime favorites like Ken Loach and Pedro Almodovar, new favorites like Xavier Dolan and more female filmmakers than in the past. Just don’t look for any movies from Netflix.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including the continuing dispute between the WGA and talent agents, MoviePass loses 90% of its 3 million subscribers and director Roman Polanski wants back into the Academy.

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Showbiz Sandbox 444: Disney Gets Serious About Streaming

From the moment the Walt Disney Company announced they would eventually launch their own video streaming service everyone wanted more detailed information. When would the service launch? How much would it cost? What content would be offered? Last week Disney answered all of those questions during an investor media event.

Disney+, as the service has been named, will launch this November in and will offer hundreds of hours of television and movies, both old and new, for the attractive price of $6.99 per month or $70 per year. Unlike Apple, who announced their own streaming service just a few weeks ago, Disney proved they know how to launch an attractive content platform. Not surprising since they have content from their animation, Marvel and Lucasfilm labels to offer up.

Meanwhile, the Writers Guild of America and the talent agents which represent their membership, are still arguing over the adoption of a new code of conduct which would prevent agencies from collecting packaging fees on new television series. Late last week the WGA asked its members to fire their agents, which many did rather publicly via social media.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including how Apple Music has topped Spotify (in the United States), the Emmys revise how certain TV shows are classified and Netflix buys a movie theater.
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Showbiz Sandbox 443: Netflix Dominates CinemaCon Conversation

Movie theater owners from around the world gathered in Las Vegas last week to see what upcoming releases studios have in store for them. Sony skipped this year’s CinemaCon leaving many puzzled as to why and Fox showed up with their new owner, Disney. Yet it was a company that doesn’t willingly release films in cinemas that generated some of the biggest buzz; Netflix.

What we learned from attending this year’s CinemaCon is that theatrical windows aren’t disappearing anytime soon, neither are moviegoing subscription services, but 3D grosses have collapsed everywhere but in Asia. Saudi Arabia, the hot topic of last year’s show, was barely mentioned.

You’d think during a year in which worldwide box office set a new record, cinema operators would be rejoicing, however exhibitor and studio consolidation has everyone on edge, as they wait and see how Disney handles its acquisition of Fox.

Of course we also cover the week’s top entertainment headlines including a big ratings decline for “The Walking Dead,” the WGA and talent agencies continue their contentious discussions and the Justice Department goes after the Academy.

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