Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Disney Leads 2026 Golden Trailer Award Nominations With 144 Nods; IT: Welcome to Derry Claims 9-Nomination Crown
The 2026 Golden Trailer Award nominations are out, with Disney leading all studios at 144 total nominations. IT: Welcome to Derry, HBO Max’s horror prequel series, topped the single-title count with nine nominations including entries from ZEALOT and Trailer Park Group, while Warner Bros. Discovery placed second with 79 nominations and Netflix followed with 62. The ceremony is set for May 28 at the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills, hosted by Morgan Jay. Categories range from best summer blockbuster trailer to best horror and best debut, recognizing the year’s most effective theatrical and streaming marketing campaigns.
Sources: Deadline
Mortal Kombat II Tracks $40–45 Million Domestic Debut in Race With Devil Wears Prada 2 for No. 1
Warner Bros.’ martial-arts sequel Mortal Kombat II is tracking a domestic opening of $40 million to $45 million from 3,400 theaters this weekend, setting up a head-to-head race with Disney’s still-surging The Devil Wears Prada 2 for No. 1. Global projections reach $65 million to $80 million, bolstered by the red-band trailer’s record 107 million worldwide views in 24 hours when it dropped last July. Director Simon McQuoid’s sequel is pursuing a pure theatrical release, foregoing the streaming-day-and-date model used for the original—a strategy New Line Cinema believes will expand the title’s commercial ceiling beyond the first film’s $84 million domestic total.
Sources: Deadline
Hocus Pocus 3 Officially in Development With Sanderson Sisters Returning and Theatrical Release Planned
Disney has put Hocus Pocus 3 officially into development under Disney Live Action Studios, with Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy confirmed to reprise their roles as the Sanderson sisters. The third installment is being developed for theatrical release—a deliberate pivot from the 2022 direct-to-streaming sequel. EVP of production Jessica Virtue will oversee the project. The announcement follows years of public lobbying from Midler, who pushed Disney to advance the script. Hocus Pocus has grown into a major seasonal franchise since its 1993 premiere, and the theatrical strategy signals Disney’s intent to replicate the box office success of its recent nostalgia-driven sequels.
Sources: Deadline
RoseBerry Media Launches Vertical Video Platform With AI “Library Verticalization” Deals Across Five Distributors
A new company called RoseBerry Media has debuted with licensing deals to repurpose content from A+E Networks, All3Media, Banijay, Cineflix, and Fremantle. Using proprietary AI technology the firm calls “library verticalization,” RoseBerry converts existing IP from documentary, true crime, reality, and scripted libraries into short-form vertical video. The founding team includes television and technology executives with experience across international production. A direct-to-consumer platform is planned for launch this summer. The company positions itself as a monetization partner for distributors seeking to unlock value from back-catalog content as vertical video consumption on social platforms continues to grow.
Sources: Deadline
Summer 2026 Box Office Targets $4 Billion, Running 14% Ahead of Last Year With 57 Wide Releases Ahead
The 2026 domestic box office is running 14% ahead of the same January–May 3 frame in 2025, setting the stage for a summer targeting $4 billion —a benchmark not reached since the Barbenheimer-driven summer of 2023. The Devil Wears Prada 2’s $76.7 million opening and Lionsgate’s Michael holding with a $54.4 million second weekend combined for a $173.1 million frame, the second-best summer launch since Covid. This summer boasts 57 wide releases—more than last year’s 44—including Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, though analysts warn counter-programming strategy remains largely absent before August.
Sources: Deadline
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $77.0M | $77.0M |
| 2 | Michael | Apr 18 | $54.4M | $151.4M |
| 3 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 3 | $12.1M | $402.7M |
| 4 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20 | $8.5M | $311.0M |
| 5 | Hokum | May 1 | $6.4M | $6.4M |
| 6 | Animal Farm | May 1 | $3.3M | $3.3M |
| 7 | Lee Cronin’s The Mummy | Apr 17 | $2.2M | $22.7M |
| 8 | The Drama | Apr 10 | $1.8M | $47.3M |
| 9 | Hoppers | Feb 27 | $1.5M | $133.0M |
| 10 | Wuthering Heights | Feb 13 | $1.2M | $118.5M |
| 11 | Reminders of Him | Feb 27 | $0.8M | $79.2M |
| 12 | Ready or Not 2 | Mar 27 | $0.7M | $30.8M |
| 13 | Desert Warrior | Apr 24 | $0.5M | $6.1M |
| 14 | Scream 7 | Feb 13 | $0.4M | $106.5M |
| 15 | Send Help | Feb 7 | $0.3M | $48.2M |
| 16 | Hamnet | Jan 30 | $0.2M | $89.4M |
| 17 | The Bride | Mar 6 | $0.2M | $8.0M |
| 18 | Melania | Feb 7 | $0.1M | $18.6M |
| 19 | Avatar: Fire and Ash | Dec 19 | $0.1M | $306.5M |
| 20 | Iron Lung | Feb 7 | $0.1M | $10.4M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates (positions 8–20 based on holdover projections)
Curated by JD · samwise.agency