Welcome back Studio Coffee Folks! More studios are putting out their movies and TV for you online today – probably because the box office isn’t the place to be right now. We’ll look at those numbers (or the lack hereof) and more, right here!
The box office hits a previously unseen number
The box office is breaking records – not in spite of – but because of covid-19. THR’s Pamela McClintock writes that for the first time in the industry’s history, the box office hit zero this weekend. She reminisces in her essay about the diligence and communal agony box office reporters share in waking up every Saturday before 6 a.m. to cover the latest numbers and how, as of last Friday, those numbers reported that “a rerelease of The Big Lebowski was the top-grossing movie from nine theaters.” In fact, the reporting agency responsible for distributing the global box office is being suspended as more States issue shelter in place orders, so don’t look for this data to shake up anytime soon.
Watch a graphic novelist run a bowling alley in all of his spare time with Phoenix, Oregon
Phoenix Orgeon is the next movie to go from physical cinema to online theater. The flick follows a graphic novelist persuaded to go in with his friend and start a bowling alley/pizzeria; the idea being that once he makes it big, he’ll have plenty of time to finish that comic, right? Um… sure. Anyway, as of right now, 17 art house theaters are releasing the comedy online for just $6.50 a ticket. With that, you’ll receive a one-time screening link and, to sweeten the pot, a free digital copy when it releases later this year. Call it a disaster capitalist move, but that’s a hell of a deal. Phoenix, Oregon’s producers are also splitting opening weekend profits 50-50 with the hosting indie cinema network.
James Le Gros, Jesse Borrge and Lisa Edelstein star, while Gary Lundgren writes and directs.
Here’s some more for your kid to watch if they’re tired of Disney+
While you watch that, Amazon Prime wants you to plug your kids into a TV in a different room. The streamer is taking down the paywall for kids’ programming for the foreseeable future so that any students stuck at home can watch shows like Just Add Magic, Tumble Leaf, Little Big Awesome, Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Odd Squad, Arthur and more, all for free. Those are available now for anyone with an Amazon account.
How about a little casting news, just for normalcy’s sake?
Cosmic Sin adds four to its cast prior to shutting down due to coronavirus concerns. That group includes Frank Grillo (Captain America), Luke Wilson (Zombieland: Double Tap), Adelaide Kane (The Purge) and Bruce Willis (he’s Bruce Willis). It’s a sci-fi action movie following an infectious alien invasion and the warriors and scientists trying to stop it. Cosmic Sin is written and directed by Corey Large and Edward Drake and is currently in post-pro.
A trailer for all of us stuck home with our families
Netflix’s next animated movie is The Willoughbys. Based on the book by Lois Lowry, it tells the story of the Willoughby children and their evil parents. The kids send them on a dangerous vacation and are finally free – until children services arrives. It’s got big Series of Unfortunate Event vibes, but likely for a slightly younger audience. The cast includes Will Forte, Alessia Cara, Jane Krakowski, Martin Short, Ricky Gervais and Terry Crews. Check it out on Netflix on April 22.
