Cinema industry

The film 'Digger' opens in US cinemas this weekend, but early projections suggest a rough start. Industry outlet Variety reports it could take only around $12 million domestically, a figure described as a potential bomb. Attention is focused on the crowded box office race, where the thriller 'Verity' starring Anne Hathaway is expected to debut at No. 1 with roughly $35 million, overshadowing 'Digger' despite its wider release.

Producer David Matamoros, known for the hit Spanish sci-fi film 'The Platform', has joined Matias Rojas's upcoming project 'Dog Legs', according to Variety. The teaming links an established producer behind one of Spain's most internationally successful Netflix films with a director's new feature, drawing attention from film industry watchers tracking Spanish-language cinema's global reach.

The director of 'In The Heart of the South' is calling for Indigenous filmmakers to take control of narratives about their own communities, telling mainstream media "You've been telling our stories forever." The remarks frame the film as part of a broader push to shift representation in cinema and open the industry to Indigenous voices both behind and in front of the camera.

A century-old independently owned movie theater is the subject of a new profile examining how it has managed to stay in business. The piece looks at the challenges facing small single-screen cinemas, including competition from streaming and large multiplex chains, and the strategies that keep this one's doors open after 100 years.

A Hollywood developer has announced a $450 million plan pitched as an 'old school' effort to rescue the struggling movie industry. Details of the proposal remain limited beyond the announcement, but it comes as film and television production has slumped in Los Angeles, prompting widespread debate about how to bring jobs and shoots back to the historic centre of American cinema.

Ukrainian filmmaker and former political prisoner Oleh Sentsov has begun pre-production on 'Kai', a fiction feature planned to shoot in early 2027. Details about the plot and cast have not yet been announced, but the project marks Sentsov's return to narrative filmmaking and is already drawing attention from international film industry watchers.

Film Threat examines the ongoing shift from cinema screens to phones and other small devices, arguing that mobile entertainment continues to expand as audiences grow accustomed to watching films and shows wherever they are. The piece explores what this trend means for traditional moviegoing and how studios and streaming services are adapting to viewers who increasingly watch on the go.

A writer went looking for the traces of film history scattered across upstate New York, visiting places tied to the region's movie past. The piece recounts what remains of that heritage and what it reveals about how cinema history is remembered outside the major industry hubs. It is a reflective report on the area's forgotten or overlooked connections to moviemaking.

Movie theater operators are committing $2.7 billion to major upgrades, including better screens, sound and seating, in a bid to draw audiences back after years of struggling attendance. The spending reflects an industry-wide push to make going to the cinema feel like a premium experience that streaming cannot replicate, though it remains to be seen whether moviegoers will return in sufficient numbers.

Encina Commercial Finance has provided $125 million in first-out financing supporting National CineMedia, the US cinema advertising network. The deal, reported by ABF Journal, gives National CineMedia new capital structured as senior first-out debt. The financing follows a difficult stretch for the movie theater industry, and observers are watching how cinema-linked businesses manage liquidity and debt as box office activity recovers.

Rio de Janeiro's city government has launched a programme to bring movie theatres back to street corners across the Brazilian city, according to a report by Kenji Biyo in Weekly Economist's combined October 13-20, 2026 issue. The 'street-corner cinema revival plan' aims to restore local film venues, and the story is circulating among Japanese readers following international and film-industry news.

Sudanese director Suzannah Mirghani's film Cotton Queen is drawing attention for telling a story of women's rights alongside the lasting scars of British colonialism in Sudan. The film centres on women in the cotton industry, linking historical exploitation to present-day struggles, and is being discussed as a notable voice from Sudanese cinema on the international stage.

Worldwide box office results show the film 'Digger' opening to a weak $20 million globally, a figure described as a tank, while 'Verity' performed strongly with a $62 million worldwide debut. The contrasting openings point to one title significantly outperforming the other at cinemas around the world this weekend.

Filmmaker Suzannah Mirghani says there are far too few films addressing Sudanese women, in an interview discussing culture and politics in her film Cotton Queen. She speaks about the lack of representation of Sudanese women's experiences on screen and how her work tries to address that gap, drawing attention to a Cinema largely overlooked by international audiences and film industries.

Avengers: Endgame has reclaimed the title of the highest-grossing film of all time, overtaking James Cameron's Avatar at the worldwide box office. The Marvel blockbuster previously held the record in 2019 before Avatar retook it following a re-release. Industry observers are watching whether the renewed milestone fuels further talk of record re-releases in the franchise.

Art house theaters are exploring whether AI-driven data models can help them identify and reach more targeted audiences. Industry publication IndieWire examines how independent cinemas might use artificial intelligence tools to analyze viewer data and market specialized films more effectively, raising questions about whether such technology could help smaller theaters survive while preserving their distinctive character.

AMC Entertainment Holdings, the cinema chain listed on the New York Stock Exchange, carries a consensus rating of 'Hold' from the brokerages that cover the stock. The rating aggregates analysts' views on the company's outlook as the theatre industry continues to navigate changing attendance patterns and box office performance. No upgrades or downgrades were specified in the reported consensus.

The 39th Tokyo International Film Festival has held its press conference announcing this year's lineup. Festival director Takeshi Hisamatsu appeared alongside programming director Shozo Ichiyama, senior programmer Kenji Ishizaka and Ryota Fujitsu, who oversees the animation section. The event outlined the programming for the 2026 edition, drawing attention from film fans and industry watchers in Japan.

The Tokyo International Film Festival has announced its complete lineup for its 2026 edition. The programme announcement comes from The Hollywood Reporter, though details of specific films, competition titles, and special screenings were not included in the initial report. Festival lineups typically draw attention from the global film industry, as they can signal awards contenders and showcase major Asian and international cinema premieres.

Japanese film legend Haruki Kadokawa has released the trailer for what is billed as his final film as a director, 'Hoshi no Kyoshitsu' (Star Classroom), starring Hiyori Sakurada. The theme song is provided by the group Shinsei Kamattechan-adjacent idol unit New School Leaders. The announcement is drawing attention as the veteran producer and director caps a decades-long career in Japanese cinema.

Thomas Causey, an Emmy and Oscar-nominated film professional who worked on iconic movies, has died at the age of 76, according to his family. The announcement has prompted tributes reflecting on his contributions to cinema and television over a career that spanned decades and touched some of the industry's most memorable films.