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Long-Running Ron Meyer Wins Universal Game of Survivor; More Changes in Store?

As I predicted, Ron Meyer has won the NBC Universal game of survival. The wily ex-CAA partner has successfully run Universal Pictures as president and COO through three owners over 16 years. While former NBC Universal president and CEO Jeff Zucker is gone, Meyer remains. Hollywood's longest-running studio chief has signed a new contract to continue as President and Chief Operating Officer, Universal Studios. He will remain with the company at least through through 2015 and he will continue to report to Comcast CEO Steve Burke. He joined Universal in August 1995.

By Anne Thompson
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June 27, 2011 9:00 AM
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With the announcement of the Oscar nominations, momentum shifts toward The King's Speech, which led the fray with twelve nominations, including best picture, actor, supporting actor and actress, director and original screenplay. The Coen brothers western True Grit followed with ten nominations, including picture, actor, supporting actress, director and adapted screenplay. Producer Scott Rudin is grinning as he produced both True Grit and The Social Network, which earned eight nominations, including picture, actor, director, and original screenplay. Chris Nolan's Inception also earned eight, but while the writer-director landed a nomination for original screenplay (his second), he didn't get director, which is a sign that the film was not in the top five of the ten slots, and is unlikely to land best picture. Ben Affleck's The Town was shut out of contention except for Jeremy Renner, last year's discovery for The Hurt Locker, who nabbed his second nomination.

By Anne Thompson
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January 25, 2011 2:04 AM
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Year-End Box Office Wrap 2010: Winners and Losers Chart, Warners Leads Domestic Market Share

It was feast or famine at the 2010 domestic box office. The studios spent too much on too many uber-flops, but thanks to holdover Avatar and premium 3-D ticket prices, they enjoyed their second-best year at the domestic box office with $10.46 billion, off less than 2% from 2009’s all-time haul of $10.6 billion. The theatrical buoyancy of 3-D inflated the average stub from $7.46 in 2009 to $7.85 in the third quarter (per the National Association of Theater Owners). But the real trend is worrisome: higher ticket prices plus static turnstiles equals fewer butts in seats. Admissions fell 6% from 1.42 billion in 2009 to 1.33 billion last year.