FTM Newsletter Archive

Film & TV Marketing Newsletter — May 19, 2026

Michael Holds No. 1; Obsession Opens to $16.1M; Amazon Lands Cannes Deal

Michael Holds at No. 1 with $27M in Fourth Frame as Horror Newcomer Obsession Opens to Surprise $14M

Michael Holds No. 1 with $25M as Horror Debut Obsession Opens to $13M–$15M

2026 Upfronts Report Card: Disney and Netflix Dominate, NBCUniversal Stumbles

Devil Wears Prada 2 Surpasses Original Film’s Lifetime Gross in Just Two Weeks

Mortal Kombat II and Devil Wears Prada 2 Battle to $41 Million Each in Mother’s Day Weekend Dead Heat

‘Mortal Kombat II’ and ‘Devil Wears Prada 2’ Battle for No. 1 on Mother’s Day Weekend

Paramount Bets on Cameron Pedigree as Billie Eilish Concert Film Opens in 3D

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
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BOX OFFICE
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
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CAMPAIGN
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
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INNOVATION
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
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BOX OFFICEANALYSIS
Summer 2026 Box Office Targets $4 Billion, Running 14% Ahead of Last Year With 57 Wide Releases Ahead

Disney’s ‘The Devil Wears Prada 2’ Opens to $77M Domestic, $233M Global in Landmark Debut

“The Devil Wears Prada 2” Opens to $77 Million Domestically, $233 Million Worldwide

Michael Jackson Biopic Sets All-Time Musical Biopic Record With $97M Debut

Devil Wears Prada 2 Opens to Estimated $75–$80 Million Debut, Best Wide Launch of 2026
The Devil Wears Prada 2 opened to an estimated $75–$80 million domestic debut across 4,100 North American theaters, the strongest wide-release opening of 2026. 20th Century Studios built the May 1 launch around a fashion-forward adult audience, collecting $10 million in Thursday previews and $32.5 million on opening day. The sequel reunites director David Frankel with Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, and Stanley Tucci, 20 years after the original’s debut. In second place, Lionsgate’s Michael held well with $51 million in its sophomore frame, a 48% drop from last week’s record $97 million biopic opening.
Sources: Deadline
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CAMPAIGN
Devil Wears Prada 2’s 12-Brand Co-Marketing Strategy Drives Record Fashion-Film Opening
The $75–$80 million domestic debut of The Devil Wears Prada 2 validates the most extensive brand-partnership campaign in a 20th Century Studios release in years. Disney recruited more than 12 brand partners — including TRESemmé, L’Oréal Paris, Diet Coke, Samsung, and Walmart — for co-marketing activations designed to feel “like a fashion collection.” Unlike standard product placement, each brand produced original content drawn from the film’s world. TRESemmé was designated the film’s official “signature hair brand,” a sports-sponsorship-style designation new to film marketing, while Samsung aired a custom Galaxy S26 spot integrating the phone’s AI feature into a Miranda Priestly scene.
Sources: Variety
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BOX OFFICE
Devil Wears Prada 2 Scores $115 Million Global Opening; Michael Surpasses $413 Million Worldwide
The Devil Wears Prada 2 scored a $115 million worldwide debut, collecting $40.5 million internationally alongside its domestic opening. 20th Century Studios and Disney positioned the fashion sequel as a global release with a wide international rollout, achieving strong results across European and Asian markets in its first weekend. Lionsgate’s Michael Jackson biopic Michael meanwhile surpassed $413 million worldwide after just two weekends, following its record $218.8 million global debut. The combined strength of both titles’ international performance signals a healthy start to summer 2026, which analysts project could produce a domestic total exceeding $4 billion between May and Labor Day.
Sources: Deadline
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INDUSTRY
Neon’s Hokum Opens to $6 Million as Specialty Films Navigate Blockbuster Weekend

Devil Wears Prada 2 Breaks Out With $10M Previews, Tracking $75–80M Opening

Devil Wears Prada 2 Opens to $10M+ in Previews, Tracking Toward $80M Debut

Michael Jackson Biopic Sets All-Time Musical Biopic Record With $97M Debut

Devil Wears Prada 2 Tracking for $73M–$80M Domestic Opening

Devil Wears Prada 2 Tracking for $73M–$80M Domestic Opening

Devil Wears Prada 2 Tracking for $73M–$80M Domestic Opening

“Michael” Sets All-Time Music Biopic Record With $97 Million Debut

Michael Jackson Biopic Sets All-Time Biopic Record With $97M Opening

Michael Opens to $97.5M, Shatters Music Biopic Record

Michael Breaks $85M Opening Record; Peabody Awards Honor Andor and The Pitt

Michael Shatters Music Biopic Record With $85 Million U.S. Opening

Michael Opens to Record Music Biopic Previews Ahead of Full Weekend Debut

DC Studios Clayface Trailer; Michael Biopic Eyes Record Debut

“Michael” Opens April 24 With Record Biopic Projections After Hollywood Premiere

Super Mario Galaxy Movie Tops Third Weekend as Lee Cronin’s The Mummy Opens to $13.5 Million