Masters of the Scary Circus

Masters of the Scary Circus

As expected, Masters of the Universe became the latest example of “good movie, don’t care” IP adaptation in the tradition of Power Rangers, Transformers One, and (at least overseas) Predator: Badlands. And, as somewhat expected, Scary Movie 6 was a nostalgia-skewing relaunch that successfully played to the kids. At the same time, The Amazing Digital Circus was the latest example of a YouTube-created IP successfully transitioning from streaming to cinema. Luke Y. Thompson, as a lifelong He-Man fan with an encyclopedic knowledge of the nearly 45-year-old franchise, still has much to say about the decades-in-development franchise reboot that ended up with an opening weekend that was barely above the second weekend for Backrooms and the fourth frame for Obsession. Meanwhile, Jeremy Fuster goes long on the frustrating double standard often applied to mega-budget theatrical flops released by “money doesn’t matter” tech giants. At the same time, everyone remembers to give Paramount its Scary Movie 6-specific flowers. Also on the docket is discourse related to Dan Lin’s “filmmakers who want theatrical releases can buzz off” New York Times article, favorite Regina Hall roles, whether the YouTube-to-cinema pipeline will have a quality curve, Jared Leto’s inconveniently excellent performance as Skeletor and my personal annoyance over Masters of the Universe’s false-hope mid-credit cookie. Recommended Reading… * Scott Mendelson discussed the reasons why [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/p/chris-nolan-the-odyssey-summer-blockbuster-for-adults] Chris Nolan likely had little issue with convincing Universal to let The Odyssey go out with an R-rating. * Jeremy Fuster digs into what companies might be making a play to buy IMAX [https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/deals-ma/imax-sale-potential-buyers-analysis/]. * Lisa Laman notes the four actors [https://www.looper.com/2187909/actors-almost-played-he-man-masters-of-the-universe-movie/] who were previously cast/almost cast as He-Man in various previous unmade iterations of Masters of the Universe. * Ryan Scott kicks yet more sand [https://www.slashfilm.com/2190938/biggest-box-office-flop-all-time-2026-movie-desert-warrior/] in the face of Desert Warrior. * Luke Y. Thompson uses the new “Action Man” figure [https://lytrules.substack.com/p/hasbros-new-action-man-looks-like] to discuss the ins and outs of toys that resemble actors and movie stars. If you like what you hear… Please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com (which I finally fixed so that it’ll forward to my personal business email, natch). * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/] and Puck News [https://puck.news/author/scott-mendelson/]* Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap [https://www.thewrap.com/author/jeremy-fuster/]* Lisa Laman [https://lisalaman.wixstudio.com/lisaportfolio] - Dallas Observer [https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/dallas-forths-best-trans-inclusive-bars-and-businesses-21590543], Pajiba [https://www.pajiba.com/staff/lisa-laman.php], Looper [https://www.looper.com/author/lisalaman/] and Autostraddle [https://www.autostraddle.com/author/lisalaman/]* Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm [https://www.slashfilm.com/author/ryanscott/], Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/ryan-scott/] and Inverse [https://www.inverse.com/profile/ryan-scott-111725388]* Max Deering - Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/maxwell_deering/] and Action For Everyone [https://open.spotify.com/show/6OWjC2VooChhsCT8UCzDlL]* Luke Y. Thompson - Mortal Cinema [https://lytrules.substack.com/], TV Line [https://www.tvline.com/author/lukethompson/] and SlashFilm [https://www.slashfilm.com/author/lukethompson/] Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

An Hour With... Fathom Entertainment CEO Ray Nutt

Having already announced his intentions to step down [https://www.fathomentertainment.com/news/fathom-entertainment-announces-upcoming-retirement-of-ceo-ray-nutt/] from his role as the Chief Executive Officer of Fathom Entertainment at the end of this year, Ray Nutt also stopped by for a brisk 35-minute chit-chat for another irregular “an hour with” episode of The Box Office Podcast. On the eve of Amazing Digital Circus becoming the latest “from YouTube to movie theaters” success story, and weeks after Fathom’s first trailer for Laika’s Wildwood broke the Internet, the departing CEO discussed hopes that recent success with the 15th anniversary rerelease of Coraline (with $34 million in North America alone) and the aforementioned Wildwood teaser trailer (100 million views in a day or two) will translate into actual butts-in-seats interest for what will be Fathom’s first conventional nationwide theatrical release, on October 23, for a “new” movie. Mr. Nutt also discusses the recently announced Jimmy, a KJ Apa-starring Jimmy Stewart biopic set for November 6 and what will likely be his proverbial swan song. Among the subjects of discourse are what he believes he accomplished during his nine years in the top spot, as the company has sought to expand what it offers theaters, even as it emphasizes quality and variety over sheer quantity. From the expected anniversary releases to brief theatrical runs for faith-based titles like The Blind and comparatively secular flicks like Rob Zombie’s Three from Hell and Peter Jackson’s World War I documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, alongside semi-regular offerings in the realm of opera, Broadway, sporting events and episodic television, the goal has been offering something for everyone without necessarily saying “Yes” to everything. Along with this of-the-moment discourse, there’s time for history lessons on how the digital revolution made any of this possible and how the company weathered both the pandemic and a pre-COVID decline in casual moviegoing. Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

I Believe The Children Are Our Future!

Chrissi Michael, content strategist by day and box office nerd by night [https://cmstudiescinema.substack.com/?utm_source=global-search], returns to talk shop for what could be a line-in-the-sand weekend for movies and movie theaters. This weekend’s episode was mostly metaphorical high-fives and champagne-popping, a momentary moment to exhale for a podcast that began on the opening weekend of Argylle. Hollywood might finally be pulling its head out of its ass in terms of (re)discovering the value of newer adaptations of newer IP aimed at today’s kids and/or of-the-moment offering films from talent closer in age to when Orson Welles starred in Citizen Kane than when Orson Welles starred in Transformers: The Movie. Yes, the perennially online generation has finally been given at least a few keys to the kingdom, and recent breakouts like Iron Lung, Obsession and Backrooms show that the so-called YouTube generation has the touch and/or the power. No, one weekend and a few youth-skewing breakouts do not signal an industry-wide revolution. It’s worth remembering that Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu will likely outgross all of these sleeper smashes. Heck, The Devil Wears Prada 2, let alone Toy Story 5, will likely outgross all of them combined. But there’s certainly cause for hope that the theatrical ecosystem might not be entirely dependent upon whether each officially designated all-quadrant, nostalgia-chasing, franchise-friendly, globally-designed would-be tentpole can perform as required. Among the specific areas of discourse, much of the first 1/3 is spent recounting formative horror-movie experiences (even amid a quartet where only Scott Mendelson watched much horror as a youth). Much of the middle is spent discussing how well Kane Parsons’ Backrooms works even for those who don’t give a damn about the source material. Likewise, we all pipe in on the promise and peril of YouTube as a new talent pool. We discuss why horror remains such a viable breakout genre (even beyond budgetary advantages) and how these successes again show that IMAX and other PLFs are supplemental, not essential, to top-tier box office success. And yes, we spend a few minutes discussing whether other genres (and more “not a white guy” [https://cmstudiescinema.substack.com/] talent) can take similar advantage of this new talent pool, which often comes with a baked-in fanbase for the person or property in question. No “recommended reading” this week, mostly because I want to get this episode out a little faster. That said, if you like what you hear, please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com. * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/] and Puck News [https://puck.news/author/scott-mendelson/] * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap [https://www.thewrap.com/author/jeremy-fuster/] * Lisa Laman [https://lisalaman.wixstudio.com/lisaportfolio] - Dallas Observer [https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/dallas-forths-best-trans-inclusive-bars-and-businesses-21590543], Pajiba [https://www.pajiba.com/staff/lisa-laman.php], Looper [https://www.looper.com/author/lisalaman/], and Autostraddle [https://www.autostraddle.com/author/lisalaman/] * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm [https://www.slashfilm.com/author/ryanscott/], Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/ryan-scott/] and Inverse [https://www.inverse.com/profile/ryan-scott-111725388] * Max Deering - Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/maxwell_deering/] and Action For Everyone [https://open.spotify.com/show/6OWjC2VooChhsCT8UCzDlL] * Chrissi Michael - C(ine)m(a) Studie [https://cmstudiescinema.substack.com/] Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

"I Wish Audiences Still Loved 'Star Wars' More Than Anything Else in the Entire World”

Will The Mandalorian and Grogu begin to make things right? That’s the key subject of discourse as our original fourth-chair co-host returns to dissect yet another example of a once-towering franchise pulling merely okay opening weekend grosses. It’s a reunion of the, uh, “core four.” Scott Mendelson, Jeremy Fuster, Lisa Laman and Ryan Scott (does Kermit flail) spend 80 minutes digging into the nitty-gritty over a new Star Wars spin-off that kids and general audiences seem to enjoy and will unquestionably be of more value to Disney as a theatrical movie than it would have been as the fourth season of The Mandalorian. Meanwhile, since Obsession had to go and make box office history and steal all of Star Wars’ pop culture thunder, we spend a sizable portion discussing all of the good news concerning Focus Features and Blumhouse’s $750,000 horror flick that should be passing $100 million worldwide by the end of this sentence. Along with the (should be) obvious takeaways in terms of what Blumhouse should be prioritizing, who Hollywood should be targeting and the breakout potential for non-franchise newbies, there’s some chatter about the still-unanswered (and thus probably still undecided) question of how long Obsession will remain exclusive to theaters. And yes, we spent a surprising amount of time, I say that as a “compliment,” discussing Boots Riley’s I Love Boosters while making a point to offer proverbial “flowers” to Passenger. Paramount’s original chiller opened with $10.5 million over the holiday despite a comparatively under-the-radar marketing campaign and (comparatively speaking) tentpole-sized competition from Obsession. Oh, and I’ll be hosting a paid subscriber chat on Thursday, May 28 and 9:00 a.m. PST. So if that’s the thing that entices you to go from “free subscriber” to “paid subscriber,” well, there you go. Recommended Reading (or Listening)… * Scott Mendelson gets mournful and melancholy [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/p/et-tu-imax] about the notion that IMAX is (potentially) yet another company whose success is merely a step toward being bought up by a larger one. * Jeremy Fuster digs into the AI protections [https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/tech/sag-aftra-ai-protections-in-new-contract-synthetic/] in the new SAG-AFTRA contract. * Lisa Laman argues that Disney can help make Star Wars more popular for younger/newer fans by embracing the kind of gleeful goofiness typified by the 2008-2013 “Hyperspace Hoopala.” [https://landofthenerds.blogspot.com/2026/05/hyperspace-hoopla-could-save-star-wars.html] If it leads to the return of “Darth By Chocolate,” I might buy a Disneyland season pass again… * Ryan Scott offered a handy guide to the history and origins [https://www.slashfilm.com/2182449/the-backrooms-origins-history-explained/] of this weekend’s Backrooms movie. However, I’d advise you to see the movie beforehand, as it’s even creepier and more disconcerting if you go in cold. * Max Deering (who couldn’t make the recording, natch) says his peace about [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dZhqSpiYjfmclvSA8hGUt]The Mandalorian and Grogu [https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dZhqSpiYjfmclvSA8hGUt] on this week’s episode of Action For Everyone. If you like what you hear… Please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com. * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/] and Puck News [https://puck.news/author/scott-mendelson/] * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap [https://www.thewrap.com/author/jeremy-fuster/] * Lisa Laman [https://lisalaman.wixstudio.com/lisaportfolio] - Land of the Nerds, Dallas Observer [https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/dallas-forths-best-trans-inclusive-bars-and-businesses-21590543], Pajiba [https://www.pajiba.com/staff/lisa-laman.php], Looper [https://www.looper.com/author/lisalaman/], Autostraddle [https://www.dallasobserver.com/author/lisa-laman/] * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm [https://www.slashfilm.com/author/ryanscott/], Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/ryan-scott/] and Inverse [https://www.inverse.com/profile/ryan-scott-111725388] * Max Deering - Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/maxwell_deering/] and Action For Everyone [https://open.spotify.com/show/6OWjC2VooChhsCT8UCzDlL] Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

'Obsession' Compulsion and 'Shrek'-cavation

Rendy Jones returns to discuss what went right with Focus Features’ Obsession (which actually opened with a $17 million opening weekend, with a very promising 2.46x multiplier) and what went wrong for Is God Is. - Rendy notes how Alisha Harris’ terrific crime melodrama caught between Michael (now at $705 million worldwide) last weekend and presumably Boots Riley’s more explicitely “light” I Love Boosters this coming Memorial Day weekend. - Lisa Laman sings the praises of Orion president Alana Mayo for greenlighting the likes of Till, Women Talking, Hedda, Bottoms, Nickel Boys and American Fiction. - Everyone agrees that Obsession is A) the kind of movie Blumhouse should be distributing and B) another strong example of a well-liked high-concept chiller aimed at present-tense moviegoers, hitting a commercial bullseye. - Everyone also agrees that Mortal Kombat II is proving to be a for-fans-only sequel, while Scott Mendelson wonders if the target demos just spent the weekend catching up on Karl Urban’s The Boys before the (pretty good) series finale. - There is some slight disagreement over whether The Sheep Detectives’s softer overseas grossers will somewhat mitigate its solid domestic earnings. Jeremy Fuster is more pessimistic and, thus, probably correct. - There are a few minutes spent offering salutes to Michael, Devil Wears Prada 2, Project Hail Mary and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and point-and-laugh scorn for In the Grey. - The opening third of this episode’s discourse features quite a bit of Shrek talk, since the first film returned to theaters last weekend for its 25th anniversary. You’ll never believe this, but the general consensus is that Shrek 2 > Shrek the Third! - And yes, there’s another Financial Flashback game, this time based around the highs, lows and “huh?” of 2001. Recommended Reading (or Listening)… * Scott Mendelson discusses why the best box office comp for [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/p/mandalorian-and-grogu-box-officepreview-star-wars-batman-begins-amazing-spider-man-james-bond-]The Mandalorian and Grogu [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/p/mandalorian-and-grogu-box-officepreview-star-wars-batman-begins-amazing-spider-man-james-bond-] is not a Star Wars movie but rather Batman Begins. * Jeremy Fuster interviews Drop Out CEO Sam Reich [https://www.thewrap.com/media-platforms/tv/dropout-sam-reich-interview-game-changer-season-8/] on Game Changer and more. * Lisa Laman argues that 2009 was an all-time great year for theatrical animation [https://www.looper.com/2173446/why-2009-best-year-ever-animated-movies-wont-be-matched/] and that corporate consolidation means we won’t get another like it. * Ryan Scott champions the notion that The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon [https://www.slashfilm.com/2171310/stephen-king-story-needs-movie-the-girl-who-loved-tom-gordon/] is exactly the kind of modern-classic Stephen King book that should be prioritized for feature film adaptation [https://www.slashfilm.com/2171310/stephen-king-story-needs-movie-the-girl-who-loved-tom-gordon/]. Here’s hoping Lionsgate optioning the rights (and hiring Strange Darling’s JT Molner to write and direct) bears fruit [https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/stephen-king-the-girl-who-loved-tom-gordon-movie-1236327586/]. * Max Deering pours one out for the 2006 [https://www.fangoria.com/silent-hill-2006-20-year-anniversary/]Silent Hill [https://www.fangoria.com/silent-hill-2006-20-year-anniversary/]movie [https://www.fangoria.com/silent-hill-2006-20-year-anniversary/]. * Rendy Jones champions twenty movies, not just Netflix titles, that damn well deserve physical media [https://www.rendyreviews.com/features/20-movies-from-the-2020s-that-deserve-physical-media] releases. If you like what you hear... Please like, share, comment, and subscribe (using a cartoon mallet) with every justified ounce of strength and passion. If you’d like to reach out and offer good cheer, request in-show discussions, or suggest ideas for bonus episodes, please email us at Asktheboxofficepod@gmail.com. * Scott Mendelson - The Outside Scoop [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/] and Puck News [https://puck.news/author/scott-mendelson/] * Jeremy Fuster - TheWrap [https://www.thewrap.com/author/jeremy-fuster/] * Lisa Laman [https://lisalaman.wixstudio.com/lisaportfolio] - Dallas Observer [https://www.dallasobserver.com/arts/dallas-forths-best-trans-inclusive-bars-and-businesses-21590543], Pajiba [https://www.pajiba.com/staff/lisa-laman.php], Looper [https://www.looper.com/author/lisalaman/], Comic Book [https://comicbook.com/author/lisa-laman/] and Autostraddle [https://www.autostraddle.com/author/lisalaman/] * Ryan C. Scott - SlashFilm [https://www.slashfilm.com/author/ryanscott/], Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/ryan-scott/] and Inverse [https://www.inverse.com/profile/ryan-scott-111725388] * Max Deering - Fangoria [https://www.fangoria.com/authors/maxwell_deering/] and Action For Everyone [https://open.spotify.com/show/6OWjC2VooChhsCT8UCzDlL] * Rendy Jones - Rendy’s Reviews [https://www.rendyreviews.com/about] Get full access to The Outside Scoop at scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe [https://scottmendelson.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]