Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
Sony Showcases Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Grandgear on CinemaCon Opening Night
Sony Pictures opened CinemaCon 2026 on Monday night in Las Vegas with a star-packed presentation revealing the first footage from Spider-Man: Brand New Day, directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and starring Tom Holland, Zendaya, Sadie Sink, Jon Bernthal, and Mark Ruffalo, set for release July 31, 2026. The teaser showed an isolated Peter Parker navigating MJ’s new relationship. Sony also unveiled a Mech vs. Kaiju epic called Grandgear from producers J.J. Abrams and Takashi Yamazaki, announced Jumanji: Open World as the franchise’s next installment, and confirmed an animated Bloodborne feature. Sony Pictures Classics showcased re-releases of Trainspotting and The Piano.
Sources: IndieWire
Paramount-Warner Bros. Merger Plan Draws Fierce Exhibitor Opposition at CinemaCon 2026
The proposed merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery dominated conversation at CinemaCon 2026 as exhibitors voiced sharp opposition. Cinema United president Michael O’Leary declared the consolidation “will be harmful to exhibition, consumers and the entire industry,” citing a $1 billion drop in box office linked to the Disney-Fox merger between 2016 and 2025. Filmmakers are also opposing the deal, while James Cameron has publicly expressed support. Paramount CEO David Ellison has pledged to increase theatrical output to 30 films annually post-merger, but exhibitors remain skeptical as marketing and distribution integration plans stay unanswered heading into Warner Bros.’ presentation on Tuesday evening.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
A24’s Wedding Campaign for ‘The Drama’ Declared ‘Deeply Misaligned’ by March For Our Lives
A24’s elaborate wedding-themed campaign for The Drama—starring Zendaya and Robert Pattinson—has drawn fire from gun violence prevention organization March for Our Lives, which called the marketing “deeply misaligned with the reality it engages.” A24 planted a fake engagement announcement in The Boston Globe in December, launched a wedding RSVP website on Valentine’s Day, and opened a one-day Las Vegas chapel where Zendaya appeared as a surprise witness. The campaign concealed the film’s central twist: the bride-to-be once planned, but did not carry out, a school shooting. Parkland survivor Jackie Corin also criticized the studio’s approach.
Sources: IndieWire
Netflix Raises All U.S. Plan Prices for the Second Time in Under Two Years
Netflix raised U.S. subscription prices for the second time in less than two years, effective March 26, 2026. The Standard plan rose from $17.99 to $19.99 per month, the Premium plan from $24.99 to $26.99, and the ad-supported Standard plan from $7.99 to $8.99. Netflix, which claims over 325 million subscribers globally, cited heavy investment in live events and video podcasts. The increases follow a broader industry pattern: Paramount+ raised its Essential plan from $7.99 to $8.99 in January, and Prime Video, Crunchyroll, Sling TV, and YouTube Premium have all announced 2026 hikes ranging from $1 to $4 monthly.
Sources: LiveNOW from FOX
Super Mario Galaxy Movie Posts $68M Second Weekend, Becomes 2026’s Top Hollywood Film at $629M Worldwide
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie dominated its second weekend with $68.1 million domestically, bringing its North American total to $307.2 million and worldwide cumulative to $629 million after just 12 days—overtaking Project Hail Mary as 2026’s highest-grossing Hollywood film. The Illumination/Nintendo co-production opened April 1 to a massive $191 million domestic debut. Overall April ticket sales are running 23% ahead of the same period in 2025. Industry analysts credit a marketing push that began in January with a surprise trailer drop, full Nintendo game-tie-in promotions, digital campaigns, and a General Mills limited-edition product line timed to the theatrical release.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Project Hail Mary Posts Just 24% Decline in Week 4, Surpasses $500M Globally
Project Hail Mary, the Amazon MGM Studios space epic starring Ryan Gosling, held exceptionally well in its fourth weekend, earning $24.1 million—a decline of just 24%—and crossing the $500 million mark globally. Its North American total stands at $256.2 million after 24 days, a performance that rivals tentpole summer releases. The adaptation of Andy Weir’s novel benefited from strong word-of-mouth, four-star critical reception, and a presale marketing campaign targeting Weir’s existing fanbase. Amazon’s streaming-to-theatrical hybrid strategy, which positioned the film as an event release rather than a quick-to-streaming title, has been widely credited for driving sustained theatrical attendance.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
‘The Drama’ Holds to $8.7M in Week 2 as Controversy Sustains Audience Curiosity
Despite the marketing controversy surrounding A24’s The Drama, the film posted a second weekend of $8.7 million—a 39% decline—from 3,151 screens, suggesting controversy may have amplified audience curiosity. Zendaya and Robert Pattinson headline the dark romantic comedy directed by Kristoffer Borgli. Domestic cumulative stands at $30.8 million with a worldwide total of $65 million after ten days. The film’s unusual marketing—wedding invitations, fake engagement announcements, and a Las Vegas chapel activation—drew backlash from March for Our Lives but generated sustained media coverage. A24’s strategy of withholding the school-shooting plot twist from promotional materials continues to generate debate among marketers.
Sources: IndieWire
‘You, Me & Tuscany’ Opens to $7.8M With A– CinemaScore and 80% Female Audience
You, Me & Tuscany, Universal’s romantic drama starring Halle Bailey, opened to $7.75 million domestically from 3,151 theaters, earning an additional $1.1 million internationally. The CinemaScore exit poll awarded the film an “A–” grade from audiences who were 80% female and 53% between ages 18 and 34. Universal positioned the film with a social-first campaign on TikTok and Instagram targeting the Reminders of Him audience demographic. The solid opening suggests the post-Valentine’s romance window remains viable for mid-budget theatrical releases, ahead of Universal’s The Mummy reboot on April 17 and Lionsgate’s Michael biopic on April 24.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Sweeping 2026 Streaming Price Hikes Raise Churn Concerns Across Netflix, Prime Video, and Paramount+
A sweeping wave of streaming price increases in 2026 is reshaping how platforms market subscriber value. In addition to Netflix’s March 26 rate hike, Paramount+ raised prices in January, while Prime Video, Crunchyroll, Sling TV, and YouTube Premium have all increased rates by $1 to $4 monthly. Paramount+ and HBO Max now command a combined 172 million subscribers, still well behind Netflix at 325 million and Prime Video at 200 million. Industry analysts warn that simultaneous hikes across multiple services risk accelerating subscriber churn, putting pressure on content marketing teams to demonstrate value and justify continued subscription investment in an already crowded market.
Sources: LiveNOW from FOX
CinemaCon 2026 Showcases Data-Driven Marketing Platforms Designed to Convert Engagement to Ticket Sales
CinemaCon 2026 in Las Vegas spotlighted a new generation of marketing and analytics platforms designed to tighten conversion between promotional engagement and ticket purchase. Usheru showcased MovieSite, a campaign destination that evolves alongside a film’s release cycle—supporting audience capture and trailer distribution from announcement through opening weekend. Other exhibitors previewed advances in theater management, content delivery, and customer engagement analytics. The showcase reflects the industry’s growing investment in data-driven marketing infrastructure as studios face pressure to maximize opening-weekend returns. CinemaCon runs April 13–16 at Caesars Palace, with Warner Bros., Universal, Paramount, and Disney presentations still to come.
Sources: Celluloid Junkie
Box Office Top 20
Weekend of April 10–12, 2026 — Source: The Numbers
| # | Title | Release | Weekend $ | Cumulative $ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 1, 2026 | $68,083,645 | $307,200,780 |
| 2 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20, 2026 | $24,140,604 | $256,218,578 |
| 3 | The Drama | Apr 3, 2026 | $8,707,406 | $30,849,251 |
| 4 | You, Me & Tuscany | Apr 10, 2026 | $7,753,150 | $7,753,150 |
| 5 | Hoppers | Mar 6, 2026 | $4,163,061 | $157,185,920 |
| 6 | BTS World Tour Arirang: Live Viewing | Apr 11, 2026 | $2,440,000 | $2,440,000 |
| 7 | Faces of Death | Apr 10, 2026 | $1,647,717 | $1,647,717 |
| 8 | The Exit 8 | Apr 10, 2026 | $1,435,789 | $1,435,789 |
| 9 | A Great Awakening | Apr 3, 2026 | $1,283,479 | $4,900,750 |
| 10 | Reminders of Him | Mar 13, 2026 | $999,195 | $47,454,335 |
| 11 | Ready or Not 2: Here I Come | Mar 20, 2026 | $863,437 | $22,049,311 |
| 12 | Dhurandhar: The Revenge | Mar 19, 2026 | $670,591 | $27,415,192 |
| 13 | Hunting Matthew Nichols | Apr 10, 2026 | $600,000 | $600,000 |
| 14 | They Will Kill You | Mar 27, 2026 | $530,951 | $10,402,527 |
| 15 | Scream 7 | Feb 27, 2026 | $456,047 | $121,468,150 |
| 16 | GOAT | Feb 13, 2026 | $282,193 | $103,053,534 |
| 17 | Hamlet | Apr 10, 2026 | $185,306 | $185,306 |
| 18 | undertone | Mar 13, 2026 | $136,300 | $19,849,179 |
| 19 | Palestine 36 | Nov 28, 2025 | $100,561 | $436,190 |
| 20 | The Christophers | Apr 10, 2026 | $80,672 | $80,672 |
Curated by JD · samwise.agency