Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Friday, July 10, 2026
Disney Live-Action Moana Opens With $130M Global Tracking and Split Early Reviews
Disney’s live-action Moana opens across 3,875 North American theaters today, with tracking projecting a $60–$65 million domestic debut and a $130 million global opening. Advance ticket sales near $4 million point to the lower end of domestic forecasts, while some exhibitors privately project an opening as soft as $40 million. International markets are expected to add $70–$75 million, making overseas performance critical for a film carrying an estimated $250 million production budget. Dwayne Johnson leads the cast. The result will be closely watched as a key signal for Disney’s continued live-action remake strategy.
Minions & Monsters Posts Franchise-Worst $36M Opening as Supergirl Craters 77 Percent
Minions & Monsters opened to a franchise-worst $36 million over its first three days and $61 million over the full five-day July 4 frame from 4,243 North American locations — below the original 2010 Despicable Me’s $56 million unadjusted debut. The result extended a downward franchise trend and raises questions about Illumination’s animated brand strength. Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow dropped 77 percent in its second weekend, and Toy Story 5 continues its theatrical run with over $350 million cumulatively. The second weekend for Minions & Monsters is projected at $17–$22 million, with the film expected to rely heavily on international markets.
Young Washington Opens to $19.3M and Sequel 1776 Greenlit by Angel Studios
Angel Studios’ faith-and-history drama Young Washington opened to $19.3 million from 2,725 theaters over the July 4 holiday weekend, earning a $2,816 per-theater average and marking the studio’s second-best theatrical debut in its history. Angel Studios immediately greenlit a sequel titled 1776. The independent release outperformed studio expectations, drawing family audiences seeking patriotic content. The per-theater average ranked among the top performers of the July 4 frame, demonstrating the effectiveness of the studio’s targeted, faith-aligned audience campaigns. Angel Studios continues to challenge traditional studio distribution with values-driven marketing and community-based theatrical mobilization.
HBO Max Leads 2026 Emmy Nominations With 122 as Apple TV+ Posts Record 87
The 2026 Emmy nominations confirm streaming’s dominance: HBO Max leads all platforms with 122 nominations, followed by Netflix at 111 and Apple TV+ at 87 — the streamer’s strongest showing to date. The Pitt, HBO’s debut medical drama, earned 25 nominations in its first season, among the highest totals for any debut series in recent Emmy history. Broadcast networks continued their long decline as nominees, underscoring how viewers — and Emmy voters — have migrated to streaming. The breakdown will directly inform FYC campaign budget allocations as studios recalibrate strategy for the next awards cycle.
Mariska Hargitay to Host 2026 Emmy Awards September 14 on NBC, First Woman Host in 15 Years
Mariska Hargitay will host the 2026 Primetime Emmy Awards, becoming the first woman to host the ceremony in 15 years. The telecast is set for September 14 on NBC and Peacock. Hargitay, best known for her long-running role on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, brings broad audience recognition to a ceremony that has struggled with ratings in recent years. Her selection marks a milestone for gender representation at the Emmys’ flagship telecast, and NBC and the Television Academy are expected to lean on her cross-generational appeal — reaching both longtime procedural viewers and younger streaming audiences — in their broadcast marketing.
Hacks Sets All-Time Comedy Emmy Record With 24 Nominations as Widow’s Bay Surprises With 19
Hacks set an all-time Emmy record for comedy series with 24 nominations in its final season, positioning Jean Smart for her eighth individual Emmy nomination. The HBO Max series’ haul signals that voters were eager to honor the show ahead of its conclusion. Meanwhile, Widow’s Bay emerged as the nomination cycle’s biggest surprise, landing 19 nominations for Apple TV+, marking a significant FYC campaign win for the streamer. The combination of Hacks’ record haul and Widow’s Bay’s surge underscores Apple TV+’s aggressive awards strategy, which produced its largest Emmy nomination total in the platform’s history.
Paramount+ Drops Avatar: Aang Trailer Confirming July 25 Premiere With Eric Nam and Dave Bautista
Paramount+ dropped the official trailer for Avatar: Aang, its live-action series adaptation, confirming a July 25 premiere date. The series stars Eric Nam as Aang and Dave Bautista in a key role. An earlier footage leak in April had already generated significant online attention, and the official trailer release reignited audience interest across social platforms. The trailer arrives ahead of a competitive summer streaming window as Paramount+ competes for subscriber attention. Marketing teams will be closely tracking engagement metrics and social volume as the platform builds its promotional campaign toward the premiere date.
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minions & Monsters | Jul 2 | $36M | $61M |
| 2 | Toy Story 5 | Jun 19 | $31M | $356M |
| 3 | Young Washington | Jul 3 | $19.3M | $19.3M |
| 4 | Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow | Jun 26 | $9.6M | $55M |
| 5 | Disclosure Day | Jun 12 | $5.5M | $103M |
| 6 | Obsession | May 14 | $5.3M | $244M |
| 7 | Backrooms | May 28 | $3.3M | $189M |
| 8 | Jackass: Best and Last | Jun 26 | est. | $13.9M |
| 9 | Scary Movie | Jun 5 | est. | $106M |
| 10 | Masters of the Universe | Jun 5 | est. | $63.7M |
| 11 | The Invite | Jun 26 | est. | $1.1M |
| 12 | Star Wars: Mandalorian & Grogu | May 21 | est. | $176.6M |
| 13 | Michael | Apr 24 | est. | $371.2M |
| 14 | Leviticus | Jun 19 | est. | $6.5M |
| 15 | Lucky Strike | Jun 26 | est. | $1.3M |
| 16 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | Apr 30 | est. | $220.2M |
| 17 | Tuner | May 21 | est. | $4.3M |
| 18 | The Sheep Detectives | May 7 | est. | $65.9M |
| 19 | The Furious | Jun 12 | est. | $6.3M |
| 20 | The Death of Robin Hood | Jun 19 | est. | $5.2M |
Source: The Numbers · Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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