Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Thursday, September 24, 2026
WB Marketing Leadership in Turmoil as Merger Nears
As the long-anticipated Warner Bros. Discovery–Paramount Global merger enters its final regulatory stages, Warner Bros.’ marketing division faces significant structural uncertainty. Senior executives are navigating an unclear chain of command as leadership positions are re-evaluated under the combined entity. The merged studio will need to rationalize two full marketing departments, each with distinct cultures, agency relationships, and campaign pipelines. Sources say upcoming Q4 theatrical releases, including the holiday tentpole slate, are experiencing delayed campaign approvals and briefing gaps. The industry is watching closely to see which marketing leaders survive the consolidation—and which agency partnerships are retained under the new structure.
Coyote vs. Acme Crosses $100M with Underdog Campaign
What was once a shelved Warner Bros. comedy written off in a $70 million tax deal has now crossed $100 million at the worldwide box office. Coyote vs. Acme has defied expectations after its theatrical rescue by Ketchup Entertainment, powered by a grass-roots marketing campaign built on fan outrage and nostalgia. The September 18–20 weekend added $4.4 million domestically, pushing the milestone within reach. The campaign leaned into the film’s unconventional journey—its “they tried to bury it” narrative proved more effective than any conventional trailer launch. Social media advocacy replaced traditional media buys at the top of the funnel, establishing a new playbook for rescued titles.
Digger Royal Premiere Anchors WB’s October Campaign
Warner Bros. is positioning Digger, the new WWII drama from Ridley Scott, as its prestige October release, with a royal-attended world premiere in London serving as the campaign’s anchor event. The premiere, attended by members of the British royal family, generated international press coverage that marketing executives estimate is equivalent to tens of millions in earned media. The campaign is targeting the 35–65 demographic with historical epic positioning. Early tracking suggests strong opening weekend potential across UK, European, and North American markets. WB’s team will leverage royal premiere footage across digital, broadcast, and out-of-home activations throughout October.
Disney+ and Hulu Raise Prices for the Fourth Time in Four Years
Disney has announced its fourth streaming price increase in four years, raising Disney+ and Hulu ad-free tier rates by up to 25%. The move comes as the company pushes toward streaming profitability but places increased pressure on retention marketing teams. Churn typically spikes 15–20% in the 30-day window following price announcements in the streaming sector. Disney’s counterplay is a reinforced content slate and a heavily marketed Disney+/Hulu/ESPN bundle positioned as the value alternative to cancellation. The company has reportedly doubled its win-back campaign budget to offset anticipated subscriber losses. The increases take effect next month.
Resident Evil’s $60M Opening Validates Sony’s Fan-First Strategy
Sony Pictures’ Resident Evil reboot opened to $60.15 million domestically—the biggest horror opening of 2026—and $117 million globally, validating a campaign built around direct fan engagement over mass-market awareness. The strategy included early screening events, director Reddit AMAs, and a Capcom gaming partnership with pre-launch in-game activations. The campaign deliberately cut broad television buys in the final three weeks, doubling down on social and gaming-platform advertising instead. CinemaCon footage previewed 18 months in advance built a sustained social conversation that traditional trailers couldn’t replicate. Sony’s marketing team is now positioned as the industry benchmark for franchise horror launches.
Asia-Pacific Content Spend Hits $15B, Driven by Streaming
New industry data shows Asia-Pacific content investment has reached $15 billion annually, driven primarily by Netflix, Disney+, and regional streaming platforms scaling original production. The figure represents a 22% year-over-year increase and marks the region as the fastest-growing content market globally. Korean drama, Japanese anime, and Indian film co-productions are the primary growth drivers, with streamers increasingly marketing these titles on a global day-and-date basis rather than territory-by-territory. The shift is reshaping studio marketing strategies: international campaign budgets for Asian-originated titles are projected to grow an additional 18% through 2027 as global audiences for regional content deepen.
Weekend Box Office Top 20 — September 18–20, 2026
| # | Title | Weekend | Chg | Theaters | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Resident Evil (2026) | $60,152,878 | NEW | 3,684 | $60,152,878 |
| 2 | Practical Magic 2 | $12,158,856 | -59% | 4,163 | $50,035,443 |
| 3 | Spider-Man: Brand New Day | $6,415,159 | -24% | 3,017 | $944,417,445 |
| 4 | The Odyssey | $4,953,955 | -35% | 1,546 | $609,811,695 |
| 5 | Coyote vs. Acme | $4,410,418 | -31% | 3,035 | $54,714,484 |
| 6 | Daniel and the Fiery Furnace | $3,303,548 | NEW | 1,525 | $3,303,548 |
| 7 | The Transformers: The Movie (1986) | $3,103,922 | — | 1,454 | $4,156,531 |
| 8 | Runner | $3,007,648 | -53% | 2,472 | $11,814,476 |
| 9 | The Weight | $2,301,059 | NEW | 1,504 | $2,301,059 |
| 10 | Buddy | $1,951,447 | -46% | 1,543 | $24,855,411 |
| 11 | Insidious: Out of the Further | $1,852,614 | -46% | 1,740 | $63,757,218 |
| 12 | Shaun the Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom | $1,837,847 | NEW | 2,183 | $1,837,847 |
| 13 | The Uprising | $1,203,765 | -64% | 2,068 | $5,789,545 |
| 14 | Hope (South Korea, 2026) | $1,000,224 | -69% | 1,400 | $7,290,322 |
| 15 | By Any Means | $701,249 | -72% | 1,265 | $15,288,995 |
| 16 | PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie | $685,016 | -45% | 48 | $52,467,338 |
| 17 | Ghost in the Shell (1995, reissue) | $486,025 | — | 850 | $1,302,773 |
| 18 | If I Go Will They Miss Me | $336,477 | +759% | 251 | $383,856 |
| 19 | The End of Oak Street | $323,652 | -70% | 461 | $54,012,346 |
| 20 | Tony | $218,793 | -56% | 236 | $15,194,788 |
Source: The Numbers. Total weekend gross: $111,734,436. Data for September 18–20, 2026.
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