Thompson on Hollywood

Cannes: Winners and Losers

Who came out ahead and behind on their Cannes jaunt this year?

By Anne Thompson
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May 31, 2009 3:02 AM
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ShoWest: Strong Sony Summer Preview

I flew into Vegas Wednesday morning to catch day three of the annual ShoWest exhibitors' confab. I was spoiled by my last plane trip: American Airlines boasted wifi (I couldn't blog on Typepad, though) on both coastal flights for $12.95 each way. No such luck on Southwest today.

By Anne Thompson
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April 1, 2009 6:15 AM
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Breaking News: Focus Features Goes Global

Rumors have been surrounding various studio subsidiaries and Focus Features is no exception. Here's the breaking story of Focus Features' merger with Universal's International Production Group..

By Anne Thompson
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January 15, 2009 3:10 AM
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Paramount's Future and DreamWorks' Split

The details of the Paramount/DreamWorks separation are getting nailed down. Paramount sent out a release Sunday that outlines terms of the split and ongoing joint projects. Clearly, the two groups will be partnering on many upcoming pictures. Here's Tatiana Siegel.

By Anne Thompson
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October 5, 2008 8:49 AM
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Reliance Deal is Done at Last

The Wall Street Journal, as usual, got the early call on the culmination, finally, of the long-in-the-works DreamWorks/Reliance deal:

By Anne Thompson
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September 19, 2008 8:17 AM
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Robinov Reveals Warner Bros. Strategy and Superman Reboot

Originally posted on Variety.comClearly, Warner Bros. is abandoning the idea of sending Superman into a movie with other superheroes, like a Superman/Batman movie or Justice League, because as Warner prexy Jeff Robinov admits in this long interview with The Wall Street Journal about his studio's future strategy, right now Warners doesn't know who Superman is. Wanted: a new model Superman.

By Anne Thompson
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August 22, 2008 1:53 AM
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Cruise's Star Status in Flux

Clearly, Tom Cruise is not the mega-star he was when MGM chairman and CEO Harry Sloan gave him and then-partner Paula Wagner a piece of United Artists. Now he has the flop Lions for Lambs behind him and Bryan Singer's tarnished Valkyrie looming ahead--the film that looks like more of an expensive art house play than a commercial one. And having lost his partner Wagner last week, Cruise now runs UA alone (with ongoing help from hard-charging MGM prexy Mary Parent).

By Anne Thompson
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August 19, 2008 5:33 AM
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Wagner Bolting UA; Valkyrie Will Open in December

When Bryan Singer first approached United Artists with the idea of making Valkyrie, he wanted to do it for about $25 million. Then Tom Cruise got interested and the budget exploded. The same thing happened to Lions for Lambs -- to Cruise and Robert Redford, it seemed like a modest little movie; at $35 million plus marketing, it was still too expensive for what it was. The idea of UA being an indie was impossible with the players involved. Now Valkyrie, which several people I know have seen and liked, has bad buzz and will be judged as a costly star vehicle, which is quite different from a $25 million movie with no marquee star. Finally, MGM has decided to give the pic a shot in late December, after it screened well. It had been pushed back to February. This makes sense; if the movie is a smart arty picture with great performances, year-end award season support is probably just what it needs.

By Anne Thompson
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August 13, 2008 8:59 AM
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Agent Predicts End of Hollywood

Nancy Nigrosh, a long-time lit agent-turned-talent agent at Innovative Artists Agency, has sent me a disturbing essay that reflects more than a strike-related industry downturn:

By Anne Thompson
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August 11, 2008 8:40 AM
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Wanted Leads Off LAFF

The LA Film Fest opened with the premiere Thursday night of Universal's Wanted, followed by a Westwood block party. Spirits were high, because the smart director's showcase played.