Studio Weekend Estimates: Dumbo Flies to No. 1 w/ $45M; Us Scares Up $33.6M in Sophomore Frame

Nearly 80 years after he first soared into theaters, Dumbo flew once again. Disney’s latest live-action remake brought in an estimated $45 million in its opening frame, falling a bit short of some of the more bullish expectations but nonetheless capturing the No. 1 spot for the weekend. As for the other wide newcomers, Pure Flix’s Unplanned bested predictions, while Harmony Korine’s latest gonzo release The Beach Bum failed to catch fire. While some analysts had Dumbo opening north of $60 million going into the weekend, the beloved baby elephant flew a bit closer to the ground than expected in its debut, placing its opening gross on the lower end of the spectrum of Disney’s recent live-action reimaginings. For comparison’s sake, the studio’s Beauty & the Beast remake debuted on roughly the same number of screens almost exactly two years ago and grossed an astonishing...

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CinemaCon 2019 CinemaCon Triumph Award: Jan Bernhardsson

Jan Bernhardsson didn’t expect to find himself in the cinema business, but that didn’t stop him from forging a 20-year career in the industry. Stepping into the role of CEO at Sweden’s SF Bio in 1998, he was part of the 2013 merger with Finland’s Finnkino and the resulting new corporate entity, Nordic Cinema Group (NCG), where he served as CEO through its 2017 acquisition by AMC Entertainment. The AMC deal saw NCG get folded into the ODEON corporate structure, part of AMC’s European network of cinemas. Bernhardsson served as ODEON’s chief operations officer and AMC’s executive vice president, Europe in the period since, leaving the company earlier this year. Boxoffice spoke with Bernhardsson, ahead of CinemaCon, about his career in exhibition and what the future holds for the industry at large.  How did you come to work in exhibition? I started in the home entertainment...

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Screenvision Media Signs New Licensing Agreement With Cielo

PRESS RELEASE Miami, FL and New York, NY, March 31, 2019– CIELO along with Screenvision Media announced today the signing of a licensing agreement to implement CIELO Ad Reporting within Screenvision Media’s network. This groundbreaking system will bring cloud based technology to broaden and deepen delivery reporting to the cinema advertising industry. In today’s media landscape where brands rely on data metrics to measure the delivery of their campaigns, timeliness is a priority. Screenvision Media has maintained this as a key priority within their ad operations, and continually pursues technology to complement and augment its existing systems. As part of this commitment, Screenvision Media has signed a licensing agreement with CIELO aimed at empowering the industry with a first-of-its-kind cloud-based software solution for advertising playback and delivery. Backed by...

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Total Immersion: An Exclusive Deal between CGR and VOX Brings ICE Premium Experience to the Middle East

Two years after the first ICE (immersive cinema experience) auditorium was unveiled in France, with the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens on December 14, 2016, the premium format is set for its first international rollout under an exclusive deal between CGR Cinemas and VOX Cinemas. CGR’s ICE theater combines advanced sound and image technologies with the premium combination of Dolby Atmos sound, DK speakers, 9P 4K laser projection and special recliner seating. ICE Immersive promises “the ultimate immersive experience.” It all began in 2016, when Jocelyn Bouyssy, managing director of one of France’s leading circuits, CGR, noticed at CinemaCon the potential of combining Philips LightVibes technology—which delivers ambient video and surround lighting effects to the audience’s peripheral vision field—with premium sound and seating. Two years later, ICE leads the French...

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Trinnov Unveils Ovation2 Cinema Processor at CinemaCon

PRESS RELEASE Paris, France, March 30th, 2019– Trinnov will be unveiling the Ovation2 at CinemaCon 2019 in booth 2419a, in partnership with Moving Image Technologies. An active demonstration will also take place in Milano #1 suite theater, in partnership with Christie®. The Ovation2 retains all the significant benefits of its predecessor while introducing further enhancements in terms of calibration, integration and operation. The Ovation2 retains all the significant benefits of its predecessor while introducing further enhancements in terms of calibration, integration and operation. Tactile Screens Trinnov redesigned the front panel around 2 touch screens, offering cinema technicians and integrators much better ergonomy and a more modern user experience. Digital & Analog Outputs The new Ovation 16/16 version adds up to 16 channels AES outputs mirroring its analog...

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Long Range Tracking: Aladdin

This week’s report takes an early look at Memorial Day Weekend 2019, typically one of the biggest moviegoing periods of the year. Specifically, we’re offering up initial forecasts for the holiday’s headline release: a live action remake of 1992’s Aladdin. Will the film capture nostalgic Gen Xers and Millennials en route to another blockbuster for the Mouse House? Aladdin Opening Weekend Range: $70 – 95 million (3-day) / $85 – $115 million (4-day) PROS: The original 1992 film was the top earning release of its box office year, earning $217.4 million — which equals more than $473 million when adjusted for 2019 ticket prices. As an Oscar-winning animated classic from Disney’s previous golden age, the original film remains beloved by audiences who grew up on the film and younger families who have since been introduced to it. Fans will be particularly excited by the prospect...

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Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation Launches Film Row to Engage Next Generation of Leaders

PRESS RELEASE Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation (WRMPPF) announced the launch of Film Row, comprised of up-and-coming industry professionals who champion philanthropic endeavors while also providing personal and professional growth opportunities for the entertainment industry leaders of tomorrow. The objective of Film Row is to foster emerging leaders of the entertainment industry through educational programs, networking events and philanthropic endeavors that benefit the entertainment industry and beyond. WRMPPF’s relationship with the entertainment industry dates back to the days of vaudeville, when tuberculosis was rampant among vaudevillians who often lived in close quarters, when they traveled throughout the country. To combat the disease, the National Vaudeville Association opened a tuberculosis sanatorium in upstate New York, the NVA Lodge. After Will...

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Rochester Theater Management Chooses Atom Seating

PRESS RELEASE Alpharetta, GA, March 2019– Rochester Theater Management has partnered with Atom Seating’s “Spaces And Between” division to install luxury recliners, gliders and rockers in four of its locations. Rochester Theater Management has ordered over 2,700 chairs for its Brockport Strand Theatre, Geneseo Theaters, Canandaigua Theaters, and Auburn Movieplex. The project was managed by Sonic Equipment on behalf of Rochester Theater in collaboration with Atom Seating. Jason Yantz, owner and President of Rochester Theater said, “We chose VIP recliners and glider seats from Atom Seating because of their affordability and durability. We are extremely pleased with the final product and our customers are even more ecstatic about the upgrades that took place at our locations.  Our previous seats were extremely outdated and in terrible condition. Atom Seating has allowed...

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AMC Theatres to Present Free Screenings of Martin Luther King Documentary

AMC Theatres announced a tribute to the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a free showing of the Oscar-nominated documentary King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis from Kino Lorber and Gathr Films. The film will play at 100 AMC theatres in cities and towns nationwide at 6 p.m. on April 4, the 51st anniversary of Dr. King’s death. The three-hour, five-minute film also will include a brief intermission. King: A Filmed Record…Montgomery to Memphis is a historic filmed record of Dr. King’s legacy during his lifetime. In 1999, it was selected by the Library of Congress to be preserved and included in the National Film Registry. Prior to its 2013 theatrical re-release with Gathr Films and Kino Lorber, it was rarely seen since its 1970 “one-time only” theatrical premiere. AMC guests can obtain their free ticket at the box office of participating AMC theatres. Tickets...

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Cineworld Group Extends AAM Software to Regal Cinemas

PRESS RELEASE London, March 29th, 2019 — Arts Alliance Media (AAM) today announced that they are significantly extending their technological partnership with the Cineworld Group plc (CW). AAM currently supplies their Theatre Management System (TMS), Screenwriter, and 3rd line technical support to Cineworld’s estate in Europe and Israel, and additionally provides Cineworld head office with control over the 900 screens in their UK circuit with the Producer Circuit Management System (CMS). Following CW’s recent acquisition of Regal Cinemas in the USA, they have decided to automate their scheduling and content management using Screenwriter in Regal Cinemas’ 7,361 screens, and expand Producer’s coverage across CW’s entire portfolio, which includes Picturehouse, Cinema City, Cineworld, and Regal Cinemas. AAM will also provide 3rd Line Technical Support to the new sites. “With...

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Dumbo Earns $2.6M from Thursday Night Shows; Us Poised to Cross $100M on Friday

Friday Update: Disney reports today that Dumbo took flight with an estimated $2.6 million start from Thursday night’s first shows on the domestic side. For comparison purposes, that registers: 13 percent behind How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World ($3.0 million) 24 percent ahead of The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part ($2.1 million) 100 percent ahead of A Wrinkle In Time ($1.3 million) 38 percent behind The Jungle Book (2016) ($4.2 million) 13 percent ahead of Cinderella (2015) ($2.3 million) 30 percent ahead of Oz the Great and Powerful ($2.0 million) Given the usual caveats about how very few Thursday starts are created equal, we won’t have any further insights about how the weekend is expected to play out until Saturday morning reveals Friday’s overall estimates. Our pre-weekend forecast can be read here. Meanwhile, sources report that Us added $4.5 million yesterday,...

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Unique X Expands Southeast Asia Footprint with Cinemaxx Deal

PRESS RELEASE London/Jakarta – March 29, 2019: Unique X, a leading digital cinema software company, announced an expansion of its operations in Southeast Asia in a new deal with fast-growing Indonesian cinema chain Cinemaxx. The agreement will see Unique X install RosettaBridge TMS, RosettaNet and Basekey KDM management solutions across all 47 Cinemaxx sites, currently incorporating a total of 239 screens. Cinemaxx, owned by property conglomerate Lippo Group, has recently received investment from Mexican exhibition giant Cinépolis to fund its expansion plans. As Cinemaxx’s number of sites and screens expands, the combination of Unique X solutions will deliver significant efficiencies by enabling central management and automation of cinema operations. Unique X’s solutions are powering more than 25,000 screens in over 70 countries. The Global Cinema Advertising Association...

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From the Film Journal Archives: An Encounter with French New Wave Pioneer Agnès Varda

Pioneering French New Wave filmmaker Agnès Varda died last night at the age of 90. Only last month, Varda premiered her new film, Varda by Agnès, at the Berlin Film Festival and received an honorary award there. Film Journal writer Anna Storm met with Varda in October 2017 to discuss her Oscar-nominated documentary Faces Places, co-directed with artist JR. Here’s another look at their encounter. Partway through the charming documentary Faces Places, octogenarian filmmaker Agnès Varda, often referred to as “the godmother of the French New Wave,” and her co-director, the thirtyish French street artist JR, decide to paste an enlarged photograph onto a German bunker that sits like a modern-art sculpture on the beach of Saint-Aubin-Sur-Mer in Normandy. Varda had taken this picture of the young photographer Guy Bourdin just above the beach over 60 years earlier. Without knowing...

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Flix Brewhouse Celebrates Anniversaries Ahead of Nationwide Expansion

PRESS RELEASE Round Rock, TX – March 2019 – Flix Brewhouse is gearing up for a momentous spring and summer. Between April and June 2019, the movie theater that houses a fully-operational brewery and brew master will observe three anniversaries. The Round Rock, Little Elm and Carmel locations will all celebrate anniversaries. As the year unfolds, Flix Brewhouse will also expand into new territory across the nation in 2019. According to a January 2018 Inc. article, “innovation just might be the most important component of a successful company.” The article goes on to point out, “The right innovation will allow you to offer something unique to your customers.” As a result of this uniqueness, innovative companies stand out from the competition in a world where getting and keeping customers’ attention is harder than ever. It is precisely such innovation...

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Cast of Terminator: Dark Fate to Receive CinemaCon Ensemble Award

PRESS RELEASE WASHINGTON D.C.  (March 28, 2019) – Linda Hamilton, Natalia Reyes, Mackenzie Davis, and Gabriel Luna will receive this year’s CinemaCon®Ensemble Award. Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon, announced the award today. CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 1-4, 2019 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The cast of Terminator: Dark Fate will be presented with this special honor at the “CinemaCon Big Screen Achievement Awards” ceremony taking place on the evening of Thursday, April 4, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace, hosted by the Coca-Cola Company, the official presenting sponsor of CinemaCon. “With a cast that includes many familiar faces as well as talented newcomers, the next chapter of this blockbuster franchise is sure to entertain audiences around the globe. And, of course, it’s great to have Linda Hamilton...

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Cinemark Extends Agreement Terms For All IMAX® Theatres

PRESS RELEASE NEW YORK and PLANO, Texas, March 28, 2019 /PRNewswire/ — IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) and Cinemark Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: CNK) today announced an expansion of the companies’ partnership with the renewal of all Cinemark’s existing IMAX locations and the installation of two IMAX® with Laser systems. Cinemark will add IMAX’s new laser experience and 12-channel immersive sound system to a new IMAX® theatre to be located at the Cinemark complex in Daly City, California as well as upgrade the existing IMAX theatre at the Cinemark complex in Milford, Connecticut. With today’s announcement, nearly all of Cinemark’s IMAX theatres are now under agreement through 2026. In addition, in specified circumstances Cinemark shall refresh some of its existing IMAX theatres with redesigned entryways and enhanced in-theatre branding. Cinemark...

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THX Announces Partnership with Cinionic for THX Ultimate Cinema Launch

PRESS RELEASE San Francisco, CA – (March 28, 2019) – THX Ltd. today announced that the world’s first THX Ultimate Cinema at Regency Westwood Village Theatre will launch in spring/summer 2019. The company is working closely with industry leader Cinionic, the Barco, CGS, and ALPD cinema joint venture delivering a new visual standard with enhanced services and technology solutions, to bring the THX Ultimate Cinema experience to consumers. This premium large-format (PLF) cinema offering provides a moviegoing experience that meets all THX Certified Cinema standards. THX Ultimate Cinema at Regency Westwood builds upon Cinionic’s premium offering, integrating its state-of-the-art dual-Barco laser system, which delivers a 4K resolution image with increased brightness, contrast, clarity and rich brilliant colors for premium large format screens with CGS remastered content...

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Christie to Showcase CP4330- RGB Projector and New Lineup at CinemaCon

PRESS RELEASE LAS VEGAS – (March 27, 2019) – Christie®will be opening CinemaCon 2019, April 1 – 4 at Caesars Palace with projection and sound innovations, while adding to the bottom line of the studio and exhibition communities. The Milano 1-3 ballrooms, complete with a 30-seat theatre with Christie RealLaser™ projection and Vive Audio, will showcase how energy-saving, future-proofed projection and sound offerings can deliver realistic color, contrast and bright images, along with high-quality cinema sound. “And what a difference a year makes. Last year at CinemaCon, Christie debuted its 4K resolutionCP4325-RGB cinema projector, the first RealLaser system developed for mainstream cinema exhibition. Exhibitors have recognized the advantages bestowed by our exclusive Christie RealLaser™illumination platform,” said Dale Miller, Executive Vice President,...

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Dolby to Showcase Dolby Cinema Processor CP950 at CinemaCon 2019

PRESS RELEASE SAN FRANCISCO, March 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Dolby Laboratories, Inc. (NYSE: DLB) showcases global growth for Dolby Cinema as well as the spectrum of innovative solutions for cinema exhibition, including the new Dolby Cinema Processor CP950 at CinemaCon 2019. “Our cinema business continues to drive strong global momentum,” said Doug Darrow, Senior Vice President, Cinema Business Group, Dolby Laboratories. “Dolby Cinema’s rapid expansion, coupled with the thousands of Dolby Atmos screens available worldwide, and the ongoing release of new cinema products, reinforces the strong demand for spectacular cinema experiences that only Dolby technologies can provide.” Dolby Cinema Global Growth Over 200 Dolby Cinema locations are open globally, with an additional 200 sites committed worldwide, and a total of 20 exhibitor partners in 11 countries. Dolby’s exhibitor...

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D-BOX and Cineplex Announce Partnership to Roll-out 10 New Auditoriums in Select Markets in Canada

PRESS RELEASE MONTREAL, March 27, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — D-BOX Technologies Inc. (D-BOX) (TSX:DBO), a world leader in immersive motion entertainment experiences and Cineplex, a leading entertainment and media company, announced the addition of D-BOX motion seats to an additional 10 Cineplex auditoriums across Canada. The addition of these locations brings the total number of auditoriums at Cineplex theatres to 100, a new milestone for D-BOX. “We are always happy to partner with Cineplex because it means we can bring the D-BOX experience to more Canadians. Reaching 100 auditoriums in the Cineplex circuit is an extra special milestone for us,” said Claude Mc Master, President and CEO of D-BOX. “Furthermore, to have our motion technology featured in auditoriums with UltraAVX screens creates an exciting new entertainment experience that transcends the ordinary by completely...

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Severtson Features Giant Electric Motorized Cinema Screens During CinemaCon 2019

PRESS RELEASE Mesa, Arizona, USA, March 28, 2019 – Severtson Screens (www.severtsonscreens.com) has announced that it will feature its new SēVision 3D GX Giant Electric Motorized Cinema Projection Screen line during CinemaCon 2019, held in Las Vegas, Nev. from April 1-4 at Caesars Palace, booth #2221A. “Our wildly popular giant SēVision 3D GX projection screens are ideal for large venues where the screen needs [to be] raised and lowered, such as in an opera or play house with a large stage environment,” explained Toby Severtson, president and CEO of Severtson Corp. “It’s also the perfect solution for multi-purpose auditoriums, such as in commercial, university/school, house of worship, museum, and pro AV situations that require large commercial or cinema-sized screens, but not in a permanent static installation.” The giant electric motorized projection screens are available...

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