Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Monday, July 13, 2026
Disney’s Live-Action ‘Moana’ Sinks With $43M Opening, Facing Projected $100M-$125M Loss
Disney’s live-action Moana opened to a disappointing $43 million domestically and $95 million worldwide this weekend, despite a $250 million production budget and an estimated $145 million global marketing spend. Sources project Disney will lose $100–$125 million in the film’s first cycle. Marketing analytics firm RelishMix flagged mixed-negative audience sentiment pre-release, citing online criticism of Dwayne Johnson’s wig design and CGI-heavy visuals. Industry analysts primarily blame the release date — arriving less than two years after the billion-dollar Moana 2 — and heavy competition from Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters in the same family market slot.
Meta Disables AI Image Generator Within Days of Launch After CAA and SAG-AFTRA Force Reversal
Meta’s Muse Image tool — which allowed anyone to tag public Instagram accounts to generate AI images of them without consent — was disabled Friday after a rapid backlash from CAA and SAG-AFTRA. The opt-out-only default meant any public profile could be referenced to generate likenesses permanently. CAA stated that no one’s “name, image, likeness, voice, or creative work” should be used without “clear, documented consent.” SAG-AFTRA called the feature “unwise” and urged members to opt out. CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s company admitted the feature had “missed the mark” and removed Muse Image from Instagram within days of its launch.
Micro-Budget Horror ‘Obsession’ Sets July 17 Peacock Date After $407M Global Run and Awards Campaign Launch
Curry Barker’s debut feature Obsession will stream on Peacock beginning July 17 after a 63-day exclusive theatrical window, having defied all expectations with a $407 million global gross on an original production budget of just $750,000. The Blumhouse and Focus Features romance-horror opened to $17.1 million domestically in mid-May and multiplied to $249.5 million domestic via a 14.6x box-office multiple driven by an A− CinemaScore and word-of-mouth momentum. Universal offshore territories contributed $127.6 million. Focus Features has simultaneously announced a full awards campaign for the film, adding an Oscar push to an already extraordinary marketing story.
‘Evil Dead Burn’ Opens at $13.7M on Modest Budget, Affirming Horror’s Box Office Efficiency
Evil Dead Burn, director Sébastien Vaniçek’s entry in New Line Cinema’s franchise, opened this weekend to $13.7 million from 3,004 theaters, landing at number four on the domestic chart behind Moana, Minions & Monsters, and Toy Story 5. The film carries a reported production budget well below its opening weekend gross, meaning the theatrical debut alone nearly covers production costs — a model horror studios have exploited successfully for decades. The cast was reportedly warned about the film’s “relentless” physical demands during production, and one scene was trimmed to avoid an NC-17 rating. Evil Dead Burn is the third standalone entry in the franchise.
Emmy Nominations 2026: Broadcast Television Hits Historic Low as Streamers Claim All Major Categories
The 2026 Emmy nominations mark broadcast television’s steepest decline yet: just seven live-action scripted primetime shows earned nominations across all categories, with Abbott Elementary the sole broadcast entry in any major drama or comedy race. The result is shaping ongoing Television Academy negotiations with ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC over a new licensing deal as the current “wheel deal” expires. In a pointed irony, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert earned a series-best nine nominations the same cycle CBS cancelled the top-rated program. Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show also earned nine nominations — the most ever for a halftime broadcast.
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moana | Jul 10 | $43.0M | $43.0M |
| 2 | Minions & Monsters | Jul 1 | $20.5M | $108.3M |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 | Jun 19 | $18.5M | $403.8M |
| 4 | Evil Dead Burn | Jul 10 | $13.7M | $13.7M |
| 5 | Young Washington | Jul 3 | $6.4M | $33.1M |
| 6 | The Invite | Jun 26 | $5.7M | $7.4M |
| 7 | Obsession | May 15 | $3.8M | $253.3M |
| 8 | Supergirl | Jun 26 | $3.6M | $66.0M |
| 9 | Disclosure Day | Jun 12 | $3.2M | $111.3M |
| 10 | Backrooms | May 29 | $1.5M | $194.2M |
| 11 | Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass | Jul 10 | $875K | $875K |
| 12 | Jackass: Best and Last | Jun 26 | $730K | $17.3M |
| 13 | Scary Movie | Jun 5 | $405K | $107.5M |
| 14 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | May 22 | $257K | $177.4M |
| 15 | Michael | Apr 24 | $250K | $371.9M |
| 16 | Maddie’s Secret | Jun 19 | $150K | $799K |
| 17 | Leviticus | Jun 19 | $111K | $7.0M |
| 18 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $91K | $220.4M |
| 19 | Night Nurse | Jul 10 | $72K | $72K |
| 20 | The Death of Robin Hood | Jun 19 | $19K | $5.3M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · The Numbers · Weekend estimates July 11–13, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency