FilmTake

Netflix at TIFF: Film Distribution Savior or Enemy?

September 19, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Netflix didn’t acquire as many titles as sales agents and producers were expecting, but they added to their diminished film library.

TIFF Take Three: Trouble in the UK, Sight Unseen Films…

September 12, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

CBS Films did not acquire I, Tonya after all – Neon and 30WEST will distribute in the U.S. UK’s Icon Film Distribution runs out of money, again!

TIFF Take Two: Presales, New Distributors, Sales Agencies…

September 11, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

TIFF Take Two: Protagonist starts sales on Cumberbatch bare-knuckle adaptation. Ed Arentz launches distributor Greenwich Entertainment.

TIFF Take: Hot Films, Distribution, Streaming…

September 10, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) is underway. There are plenty of films to wet the appetite of distributors and streamers alike.

The Latest China-Hollywood Failed Deal

August 30, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

China’s Recon Group fails to close its acquisition of Avi Lerner’s Millennium Films. All Hollywood-China deals are in peril, as many have failed to close this year.

Was Wanda Group’s Chairman Barred from Leaving China?

August 28, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Wanda Group dismissed “vicious rumours” that its chairman Wang Jianlin and China’s richest person, was detained by authorities and forbidden to leave China.

[Part Two] Hollywood Financing is Broke

August 7, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Tang Media is set to purchase Open Road Films for an undisclosed amount. The price might as well be one dollar, given Open Road’s massive debt load.

Production

Hollywood Financing is Broke [Part One]

July 31, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Sony Pictures’ co-financing partner, LStar Capital, informed the studio at the last minute that they would no longer invest in Sony’s slate.

Wanda Group’s House of Cards

July 18, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

A mysterious document that appeared on social media in China places all of Wanda’s Hollywood acquisitions in jeopardy.

Production

Paramount’s China Lifeline is Gone [Update]

July 16, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

If reports from China are to be believed (clearly they cannot), a company with $19 million in revenue was going to finance $1 billion of Paramount’s slate.

Production

Is Sony Pictures for Sale?

June 28, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Mismanagement of Sony’s film unit over the years has propelled the studio into a downward spiral. Sony is under pressure by investors to sell the film unit.

Cable Television’s Worst Quarter Ever!

June 22, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

After decades of stifling innovation and blocking new content delivery models, cable companies are paying a hefty price that shows no sign of stopping.

Can Trump’s Treasury Secretary Mnuchin Shake Fraud Lawsuit?

June 20, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

RKA Film Financing is suing Relativity Media for misappropriating funds meant to finance advertising budgets for future releases, into the troubled company.

The End of Film Territories in Europe is Closer Than You Think!

June 18, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

By Cannes Film Festival 2018, unless some unforeseen events occur, it will no longer be possible to license films to specific territories.

Netflix Will License Original Content to China’s iQiyi

April 25, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Censorship and foreign content restrictions will limit Netflix’s ability to transition their licensing agreement with iQiyi into a meaningful foothold.

Inside Baidu’s Hollywood Expansion

April 24, 2017 FilmTake Comments Off

Since launching in 2010, iQiyi has accumulated the most paid SVOD subscribers in China, however, calculating an accurate subscriber base is challenging.