Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Friday, April 10, 2026
Super Mario Galaxy Movie Eyes $60–70M Second Frame as $372M Global Debut Sets Records
Nintendo and Illumination’s The Super Mario Galaxy Movie heads into its second weekend with tracking projecting a $60–70M domestic frame, according to Deadline. The film’s opening-weekend marketing blitz paid off spectacularly: a $130.9M domestic three-day debut and $372.5M global launch — the biggest MPA worldwide opening since Avatar: Fire & Ash. RelishMix measured social media reach at 775.6M across TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, X, and Instagram, 21% above animated franchise norms. The voice cast, including Chris Pratt and Jack Black, drove influencer reach across 135M combined fans, with appearances on the Formula 1 starting grid in Japan amplifying international awareness heading into the launch.
March for Our Lives Slams A24’s “Deeply Misaligned” Campaign for The Drama
Gun violence prevention organization March for Our Lives publicly criticized A24’s marketing campaign for The Drama, calling it “deeply misaligned” with the film’s actual content. The studio promoted the Zendaya and Robert Pattinson film as a dark romantic comedy, concealing the film’s central revelation — that Zendaya’s character planned a school shooting as a teenager. Advance screening attendees were instructed not to reveal the plot twist. Executive director Jaclyn Corin said the studio’s silence on the topic was “a missed opportunity at best, but harmful at worst.” Tom Mauser, whose son died at Columbine, called the marketing “awful.” The film grossed $14M domestically in its opening weekend.
Trailer Park Veterans Launch Requiem, Lock In Universal, Netflix, Disney and More
Three Trailer Park executives — Kelly Adelman, Adam Finkelstein, and Dan Herbatschek — have launched Requiem, a new independent entertainment marketing firm that has already signed Universal, Netflix, Warner Bros., Disney, Sony, and Lionsgate as clients, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Adelman, formerly co-president of Trailer Park, oversaw campaigns for Wicked, Deadpool & Wolverine, and Wednesday. Finkelstein, a Golden Trailer and Clio award winner, served as executive creative director. The founders describe Requiem as a “haven” challenging conventional agency models, emphasizing creative freedom and a fresh approach to studio and streaming partnerships. The launch represents one of the most significant new boutique agency debuts in recent Hollywood memory.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
‘Michael’ Tracking $55M+ Opening as Lionsgate Builds to April 24 Debut
Three-week tracking has “Michael,” Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic starring Jaafar Jackson, projecting a $55M-plus domestic debut when it opens April 24, which would set a record for musical biopics. The campaign has been a genuine marquee effort: the teaser trailer recorded 116.2 million global views in its first 24 hours, making it the most-viewed trailer launch in music biopic history and Lionsgate’s biggest-ever trailer debut. Director Antoine Fuqua and star Jaafar Jackson have led a global press tour, with Lionsgate purchasing a prominent Grammy Awards commercial spot to announce the trailer launch earlier this year. The film carries extraordinary commercial and cultural expectations.
Sources: Deadline · The Hollywood Reporter
Apple TV+ Opens Emmy FYC House at Hollywood Athletic Club, Spotlighting Severance and The Studio
Apple TV+ launched its “Think Apple TV+” Emmy For Your Consideration House at the Hollywood Athletic Club, running April 24 through May 21, welcoming Television Academy members for screenings, panels, and interactive activations tied to its top contenders. The immersive space features a recreation of Severance’s Lumon Industries severed floor, Studio-themed experiences where actors role-play studio executives, and a Slow Horses-themed bar. Stars including Ben Stiller, Catherine O’Hara, and Harrison Ford have already dropped by. The activation forms the centerpiece of Apple TV+’s awards strategy for Severance, The Studio, Your Friends & Neighbors, and Shrinking heading into Emmy nomination voting.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Variety’s Entertainment Marketing Summit on April 22 Assembles Studio Chiefs and Streaming Heads
Variety’s 2026 Entertainment Marketing Summit, presented by Deloitte and set for April 22 in Los Angeles, has announced a marquee speaker roster including Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chair Pam Abdy, NBCU Television chairman Pearlena Igbokwe, and Apple VP Oliver Schusser. A roundtable featuring Universal’s Dwight Caines, Paramount’s Josh Goldstine, and Warner Bros. Streaming’s Shauna Spenley will examine the mechanics of modern studio campaign strategy. Abdy is expected to address Warner Bros.’ $4 billion global box office in 2025 and the studio’s record Oscar season, which included Sinners with 16 nominations. The summit has become one of the industry’s leading annual forums for senior marketing executives.
Sources: Variety
Netflix’s Beef Season 2 and Disney+’s Star Wars: Maul Lead April’s Competitive Streaming Push
April’s streaming calendar is among the most competitive of 2026, with Netflix, Apple TV+, and Disney+ all committing major marketing resources to high-profile premieres. Netflix anchors the month with Beef Season 2 and XO, Kitty Season 3, while Apple TV+ is pushing Your Friends & Neighbors Season 2. Disney+ launched Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord on April 6, an animated series following the Sith lord’s post-Order 66 survival, with Lucasfilm activating Star Wars Day (May 4) tie-in campaigns well in advance. The dense release calendar is placing significant pressure on studios and streamers to differentiate their campaigns and break through an unusually noisy spring marketplace.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter · Deadline