The Memorial Day holiday weekend has long served as Hollywood's unofficial starting gun for the summer season — and the 2026 edition delivered results that warrant close attention from industry stakeholders. The numbers tell a story not just about individual films, but about a fundamental shift in how audiences are engaging with theatrical entertainment. The 2026 Memorial Day weekend is on track to give the industry its first $1 billion May since the COVID-19 pandemic, placing this summer well ahead [...]

Less than three months after the signing of the definitive agreement at the end of February, the mega‑acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery by Paramount Skydance has accelerated and is moving toward closing much faster than expected. On April 23, Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders approved the transaction, confirming Paramount Skydance’s victory over rival bidders – including Netflix, which withdrew at the end of February. The 31‑dollar‑per‑share offer values WBD at around 81 billion dollars in equity, or 111 billion including debt. [...]

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has approved one of the most significant regulatory revisions in recent years for the Oscar race, introducing changes that will also directly impact the International Feature Film category. The new rules will take effect with the 99th Academy Awards, scheduled for March 14, 2027. The most significant development for international cinema concerns the expansion of eligibility criteria for the International Feature Film category. Until now, each country could submit only one title [...]

Over recent months, the "vertical drama" segment — scripted series designed exclusively for smartphones and consumed in vertical format — has been attracting growing attention within the U.S. audiovisual industry. Born in Asia, particularly in China, where dedicated micro-drama platforms have generated billions of views and new monetization models, the format is now entering the radar of Hollywood and the American creator economy. What distinguishes this content is a specific production grammar: extremely short episodes, often between one and three [...]

The 71st David di Donatello Awards had one clear frontrunner from the moment nominations were announced: The Last One for the Road (Le città di pianura) by Francesco Sossai, which led the field with 16 nominations. The ceremony on May 6, broadcast live from Cinecittà’s new Teatro 23, confirmed the central role of The Last One for the Road, which counted Best Film, Best Director and Best Leading Actor among its awards. The event also showcased the upgraded technical capabilities [...]

Four intense days, seven major studios on stage, dozens of screenings reserved for exhibitors. The great annual American cinema convention CinemaCon closed a few weeks ago, with a message that sounded almost like a collective mantra: theatrical cinema is not dead — far from it. Sony set the tone from the start, with CEO Tom Rothman opening proceedings by listing three priorities for Hollywood's health — first and foremost, longer theatrical release windows. His call found an echo in the [...]