Innholdsfortegnelse for 1/26/2023 i Variety

The Broadway musical “Beetlejuice” simply refused to die. After a 2019 eviction from its original theater, a relocation and a 2020 shuttering by COVID, the production reopened in April 2022 to an eager fan base. Over the past nine months, “Beetlejuice” regularly grossed more than $1 million a week. Between Christmas and New Year’s it broke the Marquis Theatre box office record with nearly $2.5 million across nine performances. But despite its otherworldly endurance, its producers just closed the show because they feared it wouldn’t weather the winter. “We took dips earlier in the summer, more than we had expected,” says Mark Kaufman the executive VP of Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures. “That caused concern.” In many ways “Beetlejuice,” which closed Jan. 8, encapsulates life on the bifurcated Broadway of 2023…

If anyone was hoping Alejandro González Iñárritu (1) would change his mind about directing a superhero movie, I don’t have good news for ya. The Oscar-winning filmmaker doubled down on his dislike of the tentpole genre when I caught up with him at the recent BAFTA Tea Party in Beverly Hills. Calling superheroes “sad figures,” Iñárritu said, “I see heroes every day. I see beautiful people really going through very difficult situations and doing incredible things. And that is the people that I kind of connect with. But these kinds of superpower heroes, really do we need that?” He continued, “If you need that, is there something missing … instead of admiring what we have, the possibilities that we have?” Iñárritu first made headlines for blasting superhero movies back in…

The production landscape can often seem a zero-sum game, with cost-conscious studios looking to maximize their budget dollars by any means necessary. But Australia, with its combination of solid infrastructure, attractive financial packaging and abundant natural beauty, is enjoying a boom. Key to this upswing has been a diversified portfolio that courts international mega-productions — that includes the currently lensing “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by “The Maze Runner”’s Wes Ball — as well as recurring television series, such as “La Brea” and “Young Rock.” “The benefits of working with our highly skilled crew, creative talent, world-class post-production, VFX, facilities and screen-service businesses are widely recognized, and driving record levels of film and television production activity across the country,” Ausfilm CEO Kate Marks tells Variety. “With the…

FILM REVIEW Director: Susanna Fogel Starring: Emilia Jones, Nicholas Braun, Geraldine Viswanathan In the wickedly ambiguous Sundance conversation-starter “Cat Person,” two singles a half-generation apart see their relationship quite differently. Even the word “relationship” is relative. Margot (Emilia Jones), a 20-year-old sophomore, works the concession stand at a repertory theater, where she flirts with a patron (Nicholas Braun of “Succession”) who looks kinda like a young Nicolas Cage. Not “Valley Girl” young. More like “Wild at Heart”-era Nicolas Cage, minus the charisma. Margot describes him as “tall, dark and … problematic” to her roommate. Still, she’s intrigued enough to give him her number. The two start to text, sending what could aptly be called “mixed messages,” and things get complicated. A co-writer on Gen Z coming-of-ager “Booksmart,” director Susanna Fogel…

Oscar nominations were announced Jan. 24 with surprises, snubs and expected choices. The Academy Awards will be handed out March 12. Here, Variety breaks down the biggest categories. • PICTURE Oscar voters have come up with the most wide-ranging best pic lineup in decades, full of populist choices. The 10 films nominated for Oscar’s top prize represent a cross-section of blockbusters, specialty films, indies and mid-range Hollywood movies. There is also a healthy mix of long-established studios, streamers and specialty companies. There’s one film not in the English language, one co-directed by an Asian American (and starring a mostly Asian American cast) and one by a woman. The breadth of the list is a sharp contrast to most best picture slates of the past two decades. Best picture nominations for…

Göteborg Film Festival, running from Jan. 27-Feb. 5, will welcome back some familiar faces during its 46th edition. But it keeps on looking out for skillful newcomers, says Josef Kullengård, head of industry at the festival and the Nordic Film Market. “We want to be the place where you discover new Nordic talent,” he tells Variety. “It’s a strong year for projects in development, while the work-in-progress section combines established directors such as Erik Poppe [presenting ‘Quisling’] with first-timers or people like Ulaa Salim, following ‘Sons of Denmark’ with ‘Eternal.’ It definitely mirrors what the current Nordic film landscape looks like.” Oscar-winning actor Alicia Vikander will also introduce a new wave of directors, unveiling films produced by the students of educational film program Alicia Vikander Film Lab 2022. “When she…

TV REVIEW Mystery: Peacock (10 episodes; 6 reviewed); Jan. 26 Starring: Natasha Lyonne, Adrien Brody, Benjamin Bratt Natasha Lyonne is not a performer who holds a lot in reserve. Her great gift is for charging into a scene and electrifying it with a stream of chatter, suddenly resetting the temperature for all those around her. It’s a talent that self-consciously throws back to the screwball comedy era, and one that was leveraged well on shows including “Orange Is the New Black” and “Russian Doll.” But one perhaps did not previously have a sense of this star as an actor with much of a poker face at all. Which makes her casting on, yes, “Poker Face” an intriguing development, and a welcome chance to stretch her talent. Here, in collaboration with…

The promise of an unlimited future for television content has run into the economic realities of a business driven by unpredictable market forces. A significant shift in strategy for the largest producers of content has recently become apparent: Major networks and streamers have reversed course and canceled previously ordered or renewed series — and even halted plans to launch already produced programs. Every outlet scraps a series or two from time to time. But the past 12 months have seen an unprecedented number of about-face decisions on greenlights and renewals. As executives, producers and top creative talent descended on the Television Critics Assn. press tour this month in Pasadena, the overriding theme of conversations was the state of the cable and pay TV marketplace, which is still slogging through a…

AWARDS CIRCUIT An awards ceremony the public can get excited about? That’s a concept Oscar producers can drive home over the next seven weeks. From the robust showing of popcorn movies to the recognition of some of the most respected stars of the past four decades to the embrace of new faces, this year’s nominations offer something for everyone. Here are four highlights from the Oscar-nom announcements. Show Us the Money! The domestic box office average of the 10 best picture nominees stands at $157 million and counting — the third highest of any slate in the past 25 years. That’s an encouraging sign for the exhibition business as it tries to rebound from the pandemic. With record-breaking grossers like Paramount’s “Top Gun: Maverick” and 20th Century Studios’ “Avatar: The…

The land down under has long served as a pipeline for big-screen talent in Hollywood productions. In 2022, Australian-born creatives turned in some indelible work, resulting in an especially rich slate of Australian Oscar contenders in 2023. Cate Blanchett leads this field by a considerable margin for her performance as the title character in Todd Field’s “Tár.” In the film, she plays a renowned conductor who experiences a uniquely contemporary crisis when patterns of questionable behavior get exposed at the height of her fame. Already a two-time Academy Award winner for “The Aviator” and “Blue Jasmine,” Blanchett recently picked up additional momentum with Golden Globe and Critics Choice Assn. victories. Her Oscar nomination for “Tár” marks the eighth of her career, and her first since 2016’s lead actress nom for…

The Jonas Brothers’ forthcoming sixth album features elements of classic ’70s pop and Americana with a contemporary twist. But while Nick, Joe and Kevin all came together musically in the studio — with the guidance of producer Jon Bellion — they’re divided on which song is their favorite. Joe: “‘Wings.’ It might be the shortest song on the album, but I like it because it feels like a trailer to the rest of the body of work. Also ‘Montana Sky.’ There’s a lot more acoustic guitar and real organic instruments that tap into a bunch of different influences, but we’re aware of the fact that we’re not a country act. Jon flipped it on its head — he’s got a modern edge to everything he does, even if it has…

“I hope that everyone here at the 2023 Visionary Awards can share their inspiration and experience,” said Miky Lee, CJ Group’s vice chairwoman. “As a global entertainment powerhouse, CJ ENM will ensure talented artists and creators can live up to their full potential and dreams.” With a reputation as a leading producer of world-class entertainment — already on the rise with globally renowned hits like “Parasite” in 2019 and “Decision To Leave” in 2022 — entertainment powerhouse CJ ENM hosted the third annual Visionary Awards in Seoul on Jan. 8, opening with a congratulatory message from the group’s vice chairwoman. The Visionary Awards recognize key figures whose forward-thinking achievements signal a new vision for the future of entertainment. This year’s recipients were selected by quantitative data analytics and a panel…