Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Wednesday, September 16, 2026
“Practical Magic 2” Disappoints With $30M Domestic Debut, Below Warner Bros. Projections
Warner Bros. Pictures’ nostalgia-fueled sequel landed with a $30 million domestic debut across 4,146 theaters—well below pre-release tracking of $40 million and industry hope for a stronger opening. The film reuniting Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman nearly three decades after the original collected $46 million globally in its first weekend. Despite a strong 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, critical reviews were divided at 39%. Studio executives are now banking on strong second-weekend legs driven by word-of-mouth from the film’s core fan base, as the summer-to-fall transition historically benefits nostalgia-driven releases with loyal pre-existing audiences.
The Odyssey Becomes Universal Pictures’ All-Time Highest-Grossing Film at $1.684 Billion Global
Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation has crossed a milestone no Universal Pictures release ever reached: $1.684 billion globally, officially overtaking Jurassic World as the studio’s all-time highest-grossing film. In its ninth domestic weekend, The Odyssey added $7.6 million domestically to push its U.S. cumulative past $600 million. The achievement marks the first time a Nolan film has topped a major studio’s all-time chart. Universal is extending IMAX and premium large-format engagements through October, and the studio is now targeting a $1.8 billion global finish before the film’s eventual premiere on Peacock later this year.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day Inches Within $818K of All-Time Domestic Box Office Record
Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day sits within striking distance of Hollywood’s all-time domestic box office record after adding $8.4 million in its seventh weekend, pushing its U.S. cumulative to $935.2 million—just $818,000 short of the all-time mark. The film has held exceptionally well across 3,303 locations with no major new competitor until Halloween season. Tom Holland’s sixth outing as the web-slinger is poised to rewrite the domestic record books within days, a feat that would represent the first domestic record for a Sony Pictures release in the studio’s modern history.
Apple TV+ Rewrites Emmy History With Record-Breaking 28-Win Night Powered by Widow’s Bay
In a watershed moment for streaming, Apple TV+ claimed a record-breaking 28 Emmy Awards at the 2026 ceremony—the most any single platform has ever won in a single night. Widow’s Bay, the dark comedy series, dominated with 14 wins including Outstanding Comedy Series, setting a new single-show record. Matthew Rhys, who plays the mayor in the series, was among the night’s honorees. The result caps Apple’s sustained original content investment and represents the first time the platform has surpassed HBO in total Emmy wins, with Max finishing second at 21 wins.
Emmy 2026 Platform Scoreboard: Apple TV+ 28, HBO Max 21, Netflix 16 in Historic Streaming Night
The 2026 Emmy race produced a definitive streaming hierarchy: Apple TV+ leads all platforms with 28 wins, followed by HBO Max at 21 and Netflix at 16. For the first time since 2019, Apple has outpaced HBO in total Emmy wins, driven by Widow’s Bay and limited series The Beast in Me. Netflix’s 16 wins came despite fielding the most nominees of any single platform. The results signal a dramatic shift in streaming prestige—one that will reshape how platforms approach FYC spending and original content investment heading into 2027’s campaign season.
YouTube Bets on Creator Economy Over Traditional Ads for Film Marketing at TIFF Summit
At the TIFF 2026 marketing summit, Google’s advertising chief Sean Downey outlined YouTube’s emerging strategy for film promotion: creator-first packages that match studios with relevant content creators for authentic audience engagement. Downey emphasized the platform is moving away from traditional pre-roll ads toward integrated creator campaigns, positioning YouTube as a strategic partner for studios approaching major releases. The initiative is tied to ambitions around the 2029 Oscars broadcast, which Google is positioning as a premium marketing moment. The shift reflects broader industry movement toward creator-economy models for tentpole film and TV marketing across digital platforms.
Emmys 2026: Apple TV+’s Historic Win Signals Seismic Shift in Streaming FYC Strategy
The 2026 Emmy results offer a stark lesson in FYC investment strategy: sustained, multi-year commitment to quality original content outperforms short-term awards spend. Apple TV+’s historic 28-win night was the product of a deliberate content strategy years in the making. Widow’s Bay, which swept 14 awards, benefited from a years-long campaign building Matthew Rhys and the ensemble into Emmy contenders. For rival streamers, the result raises a fundamental question: does Netflix and HBO’s awards dominance hold by default, or has the competitive Emmy landscape permanently shifted toward newer entrants willing to invest at scale?
Box Office Top 20 — Weekend of September 13–14, 2026
Source: Box Office Mojo · All 20 positions reported
| # | Title | Weekend | Screens | Wk | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Practical Magic 2 | $30.0M | 4,146 | NEW | $30.0M |
| 2 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | $8.4M | 3,303 | 7 | $935.2M |
| 3 | The Odyssey | $7.6M | 1,983 | 9 | $600.7M |
| 4 | Runner | $6.5M | 2,568 | NEW | $6.5M |
| 5 | Coyote vs. Acme | $6.4M | 3,355 | 3 | $47.9M |
| 6 | Buddy | $3.6M | 1,728 | 3 | $21.4M |
| 7 | Insidious: Out of the Further | $3.4M | 2,353 | 4 | $60.6M |
| 8 | The Uprising | $3.3M | 2,068 | NEW | $3.3M |
| 9 | Hope | $3.2M | 1,560 | NEW | $4.9M |
| 10 | By Any Means | $2.5M | 2,903 | 2 | $13.5M |
| 11 | Don't Look Back in Anger | $1.4M | 1,225 | NEW | $1.4M |
| 12 | PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie | $1.3M | 1,606 | 5 | $51.5M |
| 13 | Cars (2006 Re-release) | $1.2M | 2,500 | 2 | $10.4M |
| 14 | The End of Oak Street | $1.1M | 1,253 | 5 | $53.4M |
| 15 | Hanuman Ansh | $786K | 200 | NEW | $786K |
| 16 | The Fix | $726K | 1,205 | NEW | $726K |
| 17 | The Passion of the Christ (Re-release) | $620K | — | NEW | N/A |
| 18 | Fall 2: Deadpoint | $617K | 1,024 | 2 | $4.6M |
| 19 | Mirzapur: The Movie | $596K | 180 | 2 | $2.6M |
| 20 | Tony | $394K | 380 | 6 | $14.6M |
Every newsletter preserved and searchable
Curated by JD · samwise.agency