‘Fast X’ Has a China Problem, Letterboxd Upends Film Fandom and AI Tiptoes Into Production Work

Not "Fast" enough for the Chinese market? [Vin Diesel in 'Fast X' and Chris Pratt in 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3']( ['Fast X' Is Disappointing in China – Once the Saga's No. 1 Market | Charts]( By Scott Mendelson You’d think the box office “Fast X” is pulling in China — $77 million in the first five days — would be encouraging news. It’s the best-performing Hollywood movie in a market that’s been resistant to the American dream factory’s charms as of late, and the haul for the latest installment of Universal’s “Fast Saga” nearly matched the five-day domestic total of $81 million. But that ignores a critical factor: The “Fast & the Furious” series has been bigger in China than in the U.S. since 2015, routinely earning 25%-30% of its global box office in the country and arguably making it the emblem of Hollywood’s ambitions for one of the world’s largest and increasingly affluent pool of moviegoers. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [letterboxd]( [Letterboxd Unboxed: How a Grassroots Social Network Is Revolutionizing Film Fandom]( By Harper Lambert For the first time in three years, this year’s Oscars bore no trace of the pandemic: Faces were fully visible, celebrities packed the champagne carpet, and the Best Picture lineup included multiple box office hits. The only sign anything had changed was the presence of Letterboxd, the social network for film lovers that quintupled in size during COVID. In January, the New Zealand-based company provided the virtual headquarters of the awards show. The partnership fortified what its devoted fans already knew: Letterboxd has become the go-to destination for serious film fans and something of an obsession for many filmmakers. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [AI Production]( [AI Series: Lights, Camera, Unemployment – How AI May Change Film and TV Production Work]( By Lucas Manfredi and Umberto Gonzalez The evolution of artificial intelligence in entertainment has sent shockwaves through Hollywood in the last several months — even becoming a core issue at the heart of the Writers Guild of America strike. But ChatGPT may be the least of film and television creators’ worries, as major studios like Paramount and Disney have already started adopting AI for various other uses. [Read More]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Minions The Rise of Gru]( [Universal Did Netflix a Big Favor in Streaming | Charts]( [wga-sag-aftra-fran-drescher-meredith-stiehm]( [SAG’s Fran Drescher Urges Members to Authorize Strike]( [The Cashmere Agency's Brianne Pins and Rona Mercado]( [Office With a View: Overcome Impostor Syndrome by ‘Counting Your Wins’]( [Patrick Stewart as Picard in Star Trek: Picard on Paramount+.]( [Paramount+ Has Found the Winning Formula for ‘Star Trek’ | PRO Insight]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Wrap Pro logo] Discover why entertainment executives and professionals rely on the WrapPRO platform daily for exclusive coverage, analysis, deeper reporting, and access to VIP events & screenings throughout the year. [Subscribe Today]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [YouTube]( TheWrap | 2034 Armacost Ave Los Angeles, CA 90025 [Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe](