WGA Says “Writers Have Fallen Behind” As Film & TV Industry “Remains Highly Profitable”

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent France engaged in a record 144 international co-productions in 2022, while the number of majority French movies produced dropped by 10% to 208 titles, according to a study unveiled by the National Film Board (CNC). For the first time since 2003, half of the movies produced in France were international co-productions (with 33 countries) last year, compared with 42.1 % in 2021 and 39.6 % between 2017 and 2019. Investment in films dropped by 12.8% to €1.18 billion ($1.30 billion) compared with 2021, while foreign investment broke a 10-year record. In France, TV channels as well as streamers (since the start of 2022) are required to invest a percentage of annual revenue on French and European productions. As such, they invested a total of €280.78 million in 159 films in 2022, a 8.3 % drop compared with the average invested between 2017 and 2019.

Eamonn Holmes has told his fans that his life has changed 'beyond recognition' as he shared a poignant photo with them on social media. The GB News presenter took to Instagram with a sweet snap of himself alongside his late mum, Josie, and two of his brothers.

One of the most anticipated films of 2023 is, without a doubt, Ari Aster’s “Beau is Afraid.” Not only is it the third film from the writer-director of “Hereditary” and “Midsommar,” but it also stars Joaquin Phoenix in what looks to be another tour-de-force performance. And according to Aster, the joy found in making ‘Beau’ has changed him as a filmmaker and will likely lead to yet another film collaboration with Phoenix in the future.

“Beau Is Afraid,” next month, but he has his eyes set on a very different genre for his fourth movie: the Western.Aster told the New York Times that his next film will “almost certainly” be a Western, declining to give further details but also alluding to the fact that he and “Beau Is Afraid” star Joaquin Phoenix have another project in development. It’s unclear if that project is this Western or something else entirely.The “Midsommar” writer/director has spoken of his desire to make a Western before.

James Bond in the 1980s.The Game Of Thrones actor explained in an interview with the Guardian how he considered gunning for the part after Roger Moore stepped down from the role following 1985’s A View To A Kill, until his agent convinced him otherwise.Asked about a rumour that he turned down the role of 007, Dance said: “No, of course I didn’t turn down James Bond! What happened was, my agent called and said: ‘I urge you not to do it. Just think how you’ll feel if you don’t get it.

told the UK’s Express. “I mean, she could be 006, 008 or 009 … It wouldn’t be the same because it’s Bond. It’s Fleming’s Bond.

Daisy May Cooper is said to be in talks to join the James Bond franchise, as spy chief ‘M’, a role previously portrayed by Dame Judi Dench and Ralph Fiennes. The This Country creator and star, 36, is thought to be top of the list of potential Ms, with producers looking to take the franchise, and its characters, in a different direction with the upcoming film.The casting would coincide with a new leading man as well, with Daniel Craig departing the franchise following the release of No Time To Die in 2021.

James Bond film.According to The Sun, the This Country star is being eyed to bring a “comedic and quirky” edge to the role, which was previously portrayed by Ralph Fiennes and Judi Dench.A source told the publication: “Daisy is a close pal of [writer] Phoebe [Waller-Bridge], whose involvement in Bond was such a success that it sparked an unlikely conversation.“Suddenly the production team were getting excited about the prospect of really taking M in a different direction.“With Daniel [Craig] leaving, it seemed the time to start looking at changes across the board and the dynamic between Bond and M is at the heart of the films.”The source added: “So this opens the door to it being a bit lighter and more comedic going forwards – and will of course impact the direction the new 007 goes in too.”Earlier this week, Taron Egerton dismissed rumours that he could succeed Daniel Craig as the next 007, saying that he doesn’t think he’s “the right choice for it”.“You have to be consistently statuesque to be that guy. And that’s something that I am still striving for.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International Lisa Joy, showrunner of “Westworld” and “The Peripheral,” says the Writers’ Guild of America is “acting for [writers’] collective good” in its negotiations with studios, even if it could potentially lead to a strike in May. Joy, who runs production company Kilter Films, is being honored at French TV drama festival Series Mania this week. She took part in a keynote conversation on Wednesday, at which she quipped that a strike will mean “more time with my kids.” “It’s a little stressful because I’ve reached a point where I can manage without work for a while,” said Joy. “As it is, we have shows coming out and we’re in the editing process. We have a rotation of shows that aren’t dependent on writing at the phase they’re in. But I always stand by the decision of the Writers’ Guild — I know they’re acting for our collective good.”

Taron Egerton has responded to rumours he could take on the role of James Bond, saying that he doesn’t think he’s “the right choice for it”.The actor initially rose to fame in the Bond-like franchise Kingsman, though with the departure of Daniel Craig as 007 Egerton’s name has been in the mix of potential actors who could take over.“I don’t think I’m the right choice for it,” the star told The Daily Telegraph. “You have to be consistently statuesque to be that guy.

contract negotiation site, the Writers Guild of America outlined the impact that streaming has had on its members’ wages and says that it plans to “significantly address writer compensation” in the upcoming contract negotiation talks starting March 20. “The companies have used the transition to streaming to cut writer pay and separate writing from production, worsening working conditions for series writers at all levels,” the WGA wrote.

Nick Vivarelli International Correspondent Aardman Animations’ founder Peter Lord and “Waltz With Bashir” director Ari Folman are set to receive Pulcinella Career Awards at Italy’s Cartoons On The Bay TV animation festival which is broadening its scope. The event launched in 1996 by Italian state broadcaster RAI has now expanded beyond TV toons to comprise video game productions, the comic book world, transmedia storytelling and metaverse animation content. Reflecting its more high-tech horizons, the fest’s 27th edition – which will run May 31-June 4 in the Southern seaside city of Pescara – will also be celebrating “Cuphead,” the hit Canadian video game that’s become a Netflix series, and bestowing its creator Maja Moldenhauer with its new Transmedia Award.

Addie Morfoot Contributor Following the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, CPH:DOX documentary film festival in Copenhagen has shown its support for and solidarity with the Ukrainian film industry via a new cash-prize and two industry events. A special Eurimages Development Award will go to one of the Ukrainian projects selected to participate in the CPH:FORUM, the financing and co-production event held during CPH:DOX. The selected project will come with a cash-prize of €20,000 provided by the Council of Europe’s Eurimages Fund. The new prize is an addition to the long-standing Eurimages Co-Production Development Award of €20,000 for the best pitch, that will be awarded for the tenth year running.

Mira Sorvino is miffed.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Despite a barnstorming address celebrating the re-opening of Hong Kong and China by Bona Film Group COO Jiang De Fu, it is clear that the film industry in China is still suffering its own version of long-COVID, with box office tracking at around half of 2018 levels. “The Chinese box office was RMB60.7 billion ($8.89 billion at current rates of exchange) in 2018. And 83 films made over RMB100 million. 16 films that made over RMB1 billion. Post-pandemic, in 2022, China’s box office was RMB29.9 billion. [Just] 41 films made over RMB100 million. [And] 8 films made over RMB1 billion. We are now only at 50% of the level in 2018,” said Jiang aty a presentation on the first day of Hong Kong’s FilMart.

James Friend won the Oscar tonight in the Best Cinematography category for his work on Edward Berger’s All Quiet on the Western Front, beating out fellow cinematographers Darius Khondji, Mandy Walker, Roger Deakins and Florian Hoffmeister.

contract negotiation website that Hollywood “remains highly profitable” and vowing to ensure that writers get their fair share of that profit in upcoming contract negotiations with studios.“Gloomy stories about business model uncertainty, company layoffs and the industry’s impending downturn are both standard refrains during union contract negotiations and the predictable result of Wall Street’s narrow focus on stock price and short-term profits,” the WGA wrote. “Such coverage distracts from a fundamental truth: the content created for this industry has tremendous value, and the companies have demonstrated time and time again that they can and will capture that value.”The WGA’s new “State of the Industry” report argued the guild’s case, pointing to the combined annual operating profits of Netflix, Paramount, Warner Bros., Comcast, Fox and Disney.

Gene Maddaus Senior Media Writer As it prepares for tough negotiations with the major studios, the Writers Guild of America issued a report on Friday emphasizing that the entertainment business is “highly profitable.” The guild is seeking to counter the gloomy tenor of industry coverage, which tends to stress that companies are losing billions on streaming. In its State of the Industry report, the guild argued that entertainment divisions remain profitable overall, and that the companies have a “path to profitability” in streaming. “(T)he fundamental truth remains: the content writers create has tremendous value,” the report concluded. “The companies have demonstrated time and time again that they can and will capture that value, but writers and the WGA must work to ensure that success is shared.”

After new texts from Tucker Carlson were revealed this week, in which he admitted he hates twice-impeached former president Donald Trump “passionately,” Jimmy Fallon is actually defending the “Tucker Carlson Tonight” host. According to Fallon, most friend groups bash at least one member in private.On Tuesday, new court filings from Dominion Voting Systems were made public as part of their ongoing $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

We’ve literally been talking about who is going to replace Daniel Craig as James Bond in the film franchise for years now. Ever since it was announced that Craig was going to leave the role after last year’s “No Time to Die,” fans have been desperately trying to figure out who Barbara Broccoli and the other producers of the franchise would choose to carry the mantle as 007.