Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Thursday, July 16, 2026
Moana Live-Action Remake Bombs at Box Office, Raising Questions About Disney’s Remake Strategy
Disney’s live-action Moana remake opened to a disappointing $43 million domestically over the July 10–12 weekend, far below projections of $60–$65 million. The global debut reached only $95 million against a $250 million production budget plus roughly $120 million in marketing costs. The result places Moana near the bottom of Disney’s live-action remake track record, hovering just above Snow White’s $42 million debut in 2025. Analysts point to timing as a key factor: the film arrived less than two years after the animated sequel Moana 2 and a decade after the 2016 original, offering insufficient nostalgic distance for audiences already subscribed to Disney+.
Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Opens This Weekend Tracking at $200 Million-Plus Worldwide
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey heads into its opening weekend tracking at $200 million-plus worldwide, with domestic projections of $90–$100 million — what would be Nolan’s biggest debut since The Dark Knight Rises ($160.9 million) in 2012. Universal Pictures spent approximately $125 million marketing the $250 million production, which stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal. The ensemble epic begins a three-week Imax exclusive run this weekend, generating $30–$40 million in advance ticket sales, one of the strongest presale performances in years.
Fans Make Cross-Country Trips to See ‘The Odyssey’ in Imax 70mm as Presales Break Records
The marketing campaign for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has sparked extraordinary audience behavior ahead of its opening, with fans making cross-country trips and rescheduling major life events to secure tickets to the film’s Imax 70mm engagements. Shot entirely on Imax’s 70mm cameras, The Odyssey is the first feature film produced exclusively in that format. The film set a record for first-day premium large format presales at AMC, surpassing any studio title since 2022. The organic fan enthusiasm has effectively extended Universal’s paid campaign into a cultural conversation centered on the theatrical experience itself.
‘Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender’ Sets Limited Theatrical Run as Paramount Eyes Oscar Campaign
Paramount Pictures has set a limited theatrical run for Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, with the animated feature screening at AMC Burbank Town Center 6 and AMC Empire 25 in Manhattan from July 24 to 30, three showtimes daily, as it pursues awards eligibility. The film will simultaneously debut on Paramount+ on July 25, and a special screening is scheduled at San Diego Comic-Con on July 24. Tickets went on sale today at 9 a.m. ET. The film was originally planned for a wide October theatrical release before Paramount shifted it to streaming in December 2025 following an April leak.
Hollywood on Pace for $10 Billion Year as Gen Z Audiences Drive 2026 Box Office Rebound
Hollywood is on pace for a $10 billion domestic year in 2026, driven by a wave of surprise hits including Project Hail Mary, Obsession, and Backrooms, alongside a new generation of Gen Z filmgoers discovering cinema as a social event. First-quarter ticket sales rose 23 percent year-over-year, and the 2026 slate now includes 115 to 120 wide releases, up sharply from 94 in 2024. New theatrical distributors are entering the market alongside returning players like Amazon MGM Studios, which will release 13 films theatrically in 2026, compared with three in 2025. Summer revenues are already tracking near 2019 levels.
2026 TV Upfront Market Has Effectively Wrapped as Streaming Commitments Rise and Broadcast Falls
The 2026 television upfront advertising market has effectively concluded, with the bulk of deals closing before the traditional July 4 deadline, though most major media companies declined to confirm specifics publicly. Fox Corporation disclosed high-single-digit percentage volume growth across its portfolio, including a double-digit increase for Tubi and record volume for sports programming. Industry-wide data shows streaming ad commitments rising approximately 17.9 percent to $13.2 billion, while broadcast primetime fell 2.5 percent to $9.1 billion. Media buyers pushed back on streaming pricing, questioning why upfront commitments are necessary when digital inventory remains abundant year-round.
Amazon Closes 2026 Upfront With All Major Holding Companies, Reports Year-Over-Year Ad Growth
Amazon announced it has closed 2026 upfront negotiations with all major advertising holding companies for the 2026–27 season, reporting year-over-year growth in volume from both new and returning advertisers. Alan Moss, vice president of ad sales for Amazon Ads, confirmed the company exceeded its volume goal during the market cycle. The result adds to Amazon’s growing position in the premium video advertising space, where Prime Video’s ad-supported tier has become a significant draw for advertisers seeking large-scale streaming audiences. Amazon’s disclosure comes as most other major streamers and networks declined to comment on their individual upfront outcomes.
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moana | Jul 10 | $43.1M | $43.1M |
| 2 | Minions & Monsters | Jun 29 | $21.2M | $108.9M |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 | Jun 17 | $19.0M | $404.3M |
| 4 | Evil Dead Burn | Jul 10 | $13.7M | $13.7M |
| 5 | Young Washington | Jul 1 | $6.9M | $33.6M |
| 6 | The Invite | Jun 24 | $5.7M | $7.4M |
| 7 | Obsession | May 13 | $3.8M | $253.4M |
| 8 | Supergirl | Jun 24 | $3.8M | $66.2M |
| 9 | Disclosure Day | Jun 11 | $3.4M | $111.5M |
| 10 | Backrooms | May 27 | $1.5M | $194.2M |
| 11 | Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass | Jul 10 | $0.9M | $0.9M |
| 12 | Jackass: Best and Last | Jun 24 | $0.8M | $17.3M |
| 13 | Scary Movie | Jun 4 | $0.4M | $107.5M |
| 14 | Michael | Apr 22 | $0.3M | $371.9M |
| 15 | Masters of the Universe | Jun 4 | $0.3M | $64.5M |
| 16 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | May 20 | $0.2M | $177.3M |
| 17 | Maddie’s Secret | Jun 18 | $0.2M | $0.8M |
| 18 | Leviticus | Jun 18 | $0.1M | $7.0M |
| 19 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | Apr 29 | $0.1M | $220.4M |
| 20 | Night Nurse | Jul 10 | $0.1M | $0.1M |
Source: The Numbers · Weekend estimates Jul 10–12, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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