Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Thursday, April 30, 2026
Michael Jackson Biopic Sets All-Time Musical Biopic Record With $97M Debut
Lionsgate’s authorized Michael Jackson biopic, Michael, debuted to a record $97 million domestically and $218.8 million globally in its opening weekend, setting the all-time record for a musical biopic and eclipsing Straight Outta Compton’s 2015 benchmark of $60 million. The studio’s campaign generated 564 million social media views through “Don’t Walk, Moonwalk” flash mob activations across 20 global markets, an HBCU marching band initiative yielding 8.4 million views, a Spotify catalog partnership, and a first-to-market animated X profile experience. Despite mixed critical reception, the film logged $11 million on its fourth Tuesday in release—the fourth-biggest Tuesday in April ever for a live-action title.
Devil Wears Prada 2 Brand Campaign Targets Met Gala Tie-In Ahead of May 1 Opening
The Devil Wears Prada 2, opening May 1 in 4,150 theaters, has assembled a brand-partnership campaign spanning TRESemmé, L’Oréal Paris, Grey Goose, and Diet Coke, which is rolling out limited-edition cans across Europe. The sequel’s Met Gala tie-in—this year’s event is co-chaired by Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez, who appear in the film—amplifies the launch. The studio projects a $73–$80 million domestic debut and a near-$180 million worldwide opening. The trailer campaign logged a record 185 million views in its first 24 hours, becoming the year’s most-viewed trailer on Instagram with 79 million views.
Disney Opens Emmy FYC Season With “Toast to TV” Kickoff Hosted by Dana Walden
Disney launched its Emmy FYC season with a “Toast to TV” kickoff at Soho House Holloway in Los Angeles, hosted by president and chief creative officer Dana Walden. The April 27 gathering brought together stars and producers from across ABC, Hulu, and Disney+—including Ryan Reynolds, Quinta Brunson, Monica Lewinsky, Sterling K. Brown, and Lily James—to rally Television Academy voters around the company’s strongest 2026 contenders. The event signals the formal launch of Disney’s unified cross-platform FYC push, spanning linear and streaming, in a season where Abbott Elementary, Only Murders in the Building, and The Bear all enter as top Emmy contenders.
Sources: Variety
AMC Global Media Pitches “First Streamer” as Premium Ad Unit at April 29 Upfront
AMC Global Media—freshly rebranded from AMC Networks—pitched advertisers at its April 29 upfront presentation on a premium product called “First Streamer,” arguing that a viewer’s first stream of a long-running series represents distinctly high-value inventory. Kim Kelleher, president and chief commercial officer, cited shows like Gangs of London attracting new audiences in later seasons as evidence that “first views” should command premium pricing. The company also announced a Meta partnership bringing AMC+ to Meta Quest headsets, expanded outcome-based advertising through Fandango and iSpot data, and an AI collaboration with generative video firm Runway. New series Bannerman, Point Break, and The Grapes of Wrath were previewed.
Sources: Variety
Crunchyroll Mounts Emmy FYC Campaign for Solo Leveling With April 30 TV Academy Screening
Crunchyroll is making a formal Emmy push for Solo Leveling Season 2, submitting the Korean-adapted anime for Outstanding Animated Series consideration ahead of the 2026 awards cycle. The streaming service flew out Aniplex producer Sota Furuhashi, A-1 Pictures’ Atsushi Kaneko, and Crunchyroll’s Kanako Takahashi for an April 30 Television Academy screening—the first time the franchise has pursued Emmy recognition at this scale. The campaign also includes a Reddit AMA with the production team and a press junket, as the anime industry tests whether a non-English animated series can break into Emmy nomination contention in a category historically dominated by American and British productions.
Sources: IndieWire
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | Apr 24 | $97.0M | $97.0M |
| 2 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 3 | $21.2M | $384.5M |
| 3 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20 | $13.2M | $305.0M |
| 4 | Lee Cronin’s The Mummy | Apr 17 | $5.6M | $23.4M |
| 5 | The Drama | Apr 3 | $4.8M | $39.7M |
| 6 | Hoppers | Mar 6 | $1.9M | $164.1M |
| 7 | Undertone | Apr 11 | $1.7M | $18.4M |
| 8 | You, Me & Tuscany | Apr 12 | $1.5M | $17.6M |
| 9 | Over Your Dead Body | Apr 24 | $1.4M | $1.4M |
| 10 | Mother Mary | Apr 17 | $1.3M | $1.5M |
| 11 | Reminders of Him | Mar 13 | $0.8M | $47.4M |
| 12 | Scream 7 | Mar 6 | $0.5M | $126.0M |
| 13 | The Christophers | Apr 10 | $0.4M | $1.1M |
| 14 | Exit 8 | Apr 10 | $0.4M | $3.2M |
| 15 | Wuthering Heights | Feb 13 | $0.3M | $162.0M |
| 16 | GOAT | Feb 13 | $0.2M | $70.0M |
| 17 | The Bride | Mar 6 | $0.2M | $8.5M |
| 18 | Faces of Death | Apr 10 | $0.1M | $2.8M |
| 19 | Hamnet | Jan 16 | $0.1M | $40.0M |
| 20 | A Great Awakening | Apr 3 | $0.1M | $0.9M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates
Curated by JD · samwise.agency