Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Monday, May 18, 2026
Michael Holds No. 1 for Fourth Weekend as Obsession Opens to a Surprise $16.1M
Lionsgate’s Michael held the top spot for its fourth consecutive weekend, earning an estimated $26.1 million domestically and $83.8 million globally, bringing its worldwide cumulative total to $703.9 million—within striking distance of Graham King’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Focus Features and Blumhouse’s romance-horror film Obsession, directed by Curry Barker, opened to $16.1 million at 2,615 locations, well above the $8–9 million pre-weekend projection. The film earned an A– CinemaScore, the best among wide releases this weekend, with 95 percent approval on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and audiences. The overall domestic weekend grossed an estimated $106.1 million, just 1 percent behind the equivalent frame a year ago.
Sources: Deadline
Obsession’s Character-Led Stunt Campaign Drives Franchise-Level Opening for Original Horror
Focus Features and Blumhouse’s Obsession, directed by debut feature filmmaker Curry Barker, deployed a character-led marketing campaign built around antagonist “Nikki.” Real-world billboards across Los Angeles and New York featured obsessive messages alongside a live text number; fans who engaged received direct voice memos from the character. An in-world commercial for the film’s fictional object One Wish Willow sold out twice and accumulated 4.4 million YouTube views. The campaign generated 102.2 million social media impressions across platforms, per RelishMix. Barker was taken to Overlook, Panic Fest, Fantastic Fest, and SXSW to build early fan support. The film opened to $16.1 million, beating comparable indie horror titles.
Sources: Deadline
Amazon Lands First Major Cannes Market Deal with Bailey-Portman Thriller ‘Pumping Black’
In the first significant deal of the 2026 Cannes Film Market, Amazon MGM Studios has acquired most international rights to Pumping Black, a psychological thriller starring Jonathan Bailey and Natalie Portman. The acquisition, brokered by CAA Media Finance, is landing in the low-to-mid-$20 million range—among the largest deals expected at this year’s market. Directed by Mimi Cave (Fresh, Holland), the film follows a 35-year-old professional cyclist drawn into increasingly dangerous choices by an ambitious physician played by Portman. Produced by Stacey Sher (The Hateful Eight), Cave, and Portman’s MountainA banner, the project targets a fall 2026 production start.
Sources: Deadline
Disney and Netflix Top 2026 Upfronts as NBCUniversal’s Two-Hour Show Falls Flat
Disney and Netflix emerged as the clear winners of the compressed 2026 TV and streaming upfronts, a three-day Manhattan sprint that wrapped Wednesday. Disney’s North Javits Center presentation drew strong marks for deploying major film talent including Anne Hathaway and Robert Downey Jr., while Netflix earned praise for its fourth annual upfront—described as its most polished yet at Sunset Pier 94 Studios. NBCUniversal’s Radio City presentation ran two hours and was weighed down by underperforming musical numbers despite the presence of Tina Fey. Amazon’s Beacon Theatre event featured Michael B. Jordan and Oprah Winfrey but executives reportedly retreated to a private after-party.
Sources: Deadline
Mandalorian & Grogu First Screenings Earn Mixed Praise as Disney’s Repositioned Campaign Kicks Off
The Mandalorian and Grogu—the first Star Wars theatrical feature since 2019’s The Rise of Skywalker—held its first press screenings on May 15, one week before its May 22 opening. Social media reactions split: a majority of critics called it “an action-packed crowd-pleaser” and “a return to form,” while others described a “supersized TV episode.” The screenings follow a notable pivot by Disney’s marketing team away from a lore-heavy franchise campaign toward a standalone adventure framing. The film stars Pedro Pascal as Din Djarin alongside Sigourney Weaver and Jeremy Allen White in his first Star Wars appearance.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Michael | Apr 24 | $26.1M | $282.8M |
| 2 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $18.0M | $175.9M |
| 3 | Obsession | May 15 | $16.1M | $16.1M |
| 4 | Mortal Kombat II | May 8 | $13.4M | $62.2M |
| 5 | The Sheep Detectives | May 8 | $9.3M | $29.7M |
| 6 | The Super Mario Galaxy Movie | Apr 3 | $4.5M | $418.6M |
| 7 | Project Hail Mary | Mar 20 | $3.9M | $334.9M |
| 8 | Top Gun 40th Anniversary | May 15 | $3.1M | $4.8M |
| 9 | In the Grey | May 15 | $3.0M | $3.0M |
| 10 | Is God Is | May 15 | $2.2M | $2.2M |
| 11 | Hokum | May 1 | $1.3M | $15.4M |
| 12 | Shrek (25th Anniversary) | May 15 | $1.3M | $1.3M |
| 13 | Mobile Suit Gundam Hathaway | May 15 | $0.8M | $0.8M |
| 14 | Billie Eilish: Hit Me Hard and Soft | May 8 | $0.8M | $9.3M |
| 15 | The Wizard of the Kremlin | May 15 | $0.5M | $0.5M |
| 16 | Lee Cronin's The Mummy | Apr 17 | $0.2M | $29.1M |
| 17 | Deep Water | May 1 | $0.1M | $4.2M |
| 18 | Animal Farm | May 1 | $0.1M | $5.4M |
| 19 | The Drama | Apr 3 | $0.1M | $48.0M |
| 20 | Blue Heron | Apr 17 | $0.1M | $0.4M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates May 15–17, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency