From L.A. Times
'Skyfall': Six lessons from the James Bond movie's box office
To no one's surprise -- not even jinx-fearing Sony executives -- "Skyfall" cleaned up at the U.S. box office this weekend. With $87.8 million in receipts, the Daniel Craig-led James Bond picture had the highest domestic opening in the franchise's history, and put itself in a strong position to land in the live-action top five when all is said and done for 2012.
The result was a stark turnaround from just two years ago, when MGM's bankruptcy had so frozen the 007 project that director Sam Mendes had to be retained off the books.So what does the blowout performance tell us about the Bond franchise and moviegoing at large? We
Delays don’t always doom. When legal wrangling over the MGM bankruptcy waylaid the project, there was unquestionably frustration on the part of principals. “Waiting is good, but it doesn’t need to be four years. Two would be okay. Or a good six months,” Craig told me when I interviewed him last month. The lag also claimed a screenwriter, Peter Morgan, who, when the dust cleared, had exited the project. But even though setbacks of this kind are generally thought poisonous for big Hollywood movies, “Skyfall” shows they don't always kill off a film's quality -- or prospects.
Fresh blood is good. More than any other franchise, Bond is a long-running family business, with siblings Barbara Broccoli and Michael Wilson keeping a tight rein on Bond’s creative direction for several decades now (as father "Cubby" Broccoli did before them). But continuity in this case was delicately balanced with fresh elements. "Skyfall" saw the inclusion of decidedly non-tent pole-y film figures such as Javier Bardem, Sam Mendes and cinematographer Roger Deakins (shooting some of the most gorgeous scenes ever put on screen in a 007 movie). Far from seeming like a desperate attempt at novelty, these additions provided a jolt the franchise needed. Yet at the same time ...
Don't ignore the touchstones. Sure, Q, Moneypenny and several Bond characters/tropes were given modern spins in "Skyfall." But the classic items weren't forgotten either -- at screenings around Los Angeles, for instance, the shot of Bond's Aston Martin at a key moment late in the film earned show-stopping applause.
The children don’t need to lead. Bond's core audience is one old enough to remember when the Cold War was really a threat. And that’s not a bad thing. Though Hollywood these days frequently chases the under-25 set -- to wit: this coming weekend’s “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II” -- it turns out you can set your sights at an audience more than a few years removed from college. “Skyfall” is turning into one of the year’s biggest hits despite ticket-buyers over the age of 25 outnumbering their younger counterparts by a margin of 3-1.
CG and 3-D don’t need to rule. Another shibboleth of contemporary Hollywood: An ample amount of visual effects -- usually presented in 3-D -- are needed for a blockbuster. But with its throwback motorcycles-on-an-actual-ledge moments, “Skyfall” proves you don’t need to go that way. “We want to do things that are stunts, but real stunts, not the kind of thing that takes you out of the movie,” Wilson said. (More on this in a separate post.)
Rebounds are possible. Movie franchises tend to follow a jump-the-shark model -- namely, once a series loses steam, it's hard to get it back. Fans and critics were cool to 2008's "Quantum of Solace," which told a muddled plot and seemed to set the franchise off course. "We really screwed this up," Wilson said a few weeks ago of his mindset at the time. But what applies to superheroes and romcoms doesn't hold with Bond -- a bad outing can be followed by a spectacular one.
From L.A. Times
Hollywood expects to have a happy holiday season at the box office
James Bond's 'Skyfall,' the final 'Twilight' film and Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit' prequel could push 2012 ticket sales above $11 billion, a record.
From left to right, Daniel Craig in "Skyfall," Kristen Stewart in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" and Richard Armitage in "The Hobbit" An Unexpected Journey." (Sony Pictures, AP / Summit Entertainment / Warner Bros. Pictures / November 10, 2012)
Movie theaters posted their worst attendance since 1994 last year, but Hollywood is poised for a big comeback — with the help of a secret agent, a sullen vampire and a hairy-footed hobbit.
Domestic ticket sales are already up by 3% compared with the same period last year, and a bumper crop of strong films this holiday season — including movies that will appeal to both popular and discerning tastes — could push annual box office receipts above $11 billion for the first time.
A strong finish to the year could ease the uncertainty gripping an industry under pressure to cut costs and boost profits, especially as revenue dwindles from once-reliable DVD sales and as more fans turn to video-on-demand and streaming to catch the latest movies.
"We're still facing the same structural issues — the DVD business is declining and there are distractions for the audience — so studios have to rationalize their costs," said Stacey Snider, chief executive of DreamWorks, which is releasing "Lincoln" this weekend. But she points out: "All that doom and gloom people were talking about after the summer ticket sales didn't come to bear."
Snider was referring to the anxiety rampant in Hollywood earlier this year, amid the box office flop of big-budget films including "John Carter" and "Battleship." But those disappointments have been tempered by a handful of certified hits, including "The Avengers," "The Dark Knight Rises," "The Amazing Spider-Man" and "The Hunger Games."
And some movies have performed better than expected. One of those is the Iranian hostage drama "Argo," which has taken in nearly $80 million since opening Oct. 12.
"I'm becoming increasingly concerned about the movie business ... there's the feeling that it could all sort of fall apart or at least be greatly diminished," said Ben Affleck, who directed and stars in "Argo." "But there is a huge crop of really interesting movies coming out in the next couple of months, and I think that's great for the movie business."
The latest James Bond film, the well-reviewed "Skyfall," kicks off the holiday movie season this weekend and is expected to haul in about $100 million, which would be the fourth-highest opening of the year.
Next week, multiplexes across the country will be swarming with young women eager to see Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson in "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2," the fifth and final installment of the vampire franchise. About 1,500 fans are already camped out in downtown Los Angeles for Monday night's premiere.
In December comes "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey," a prequel to Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, which grossed more than $2.9 billion worldwide.
"There's a good feeling about the business right now," said Amy Pascal, co-chair of Sony Pictures. "It really looks like we have a lot of fantastic movies coming at the end of the year."
In addition to the slew of big-budget films hitting theaters, an above-average array of less costly movies aimed at sophisticated filmgoers could provide a crucial assist for a box-office record: Steven Spielberg's "Lincoln" (opening in limited release this weekend), the dramedy "Silver Linings Playbook" with Bradley Cooper, a star-studded version of Broadway's hit musical "Les Misérables" and "Zero Dark Thirty," about the mission to kill Osama bin Laden.
"Unlike last year, which had a very slow December, the final six weeks of this year are going to make up for that ... because of the mix of summer-style blockbusters and Oscar-bait films," said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Hollywood.com.
Still, there could be some costly misses. Director Ang Lee's 3-D spectacle "Life of Pi" has earned favorable reviews in early screenings, but with a production cost of $120 million and an unknown 19-year-old lead, the holiday release is considered a big gamble for 20th Century Fox and its financial partners.
"We all have a lot riding on these films, and you want people to be buying tickets," said Elizabeth Gabler, whose Fox 2000 Pictures produced "Life of Pi." "But I think ... the more exciting movies you can offer people will get them to the theater. When there's a lot of energy there, that fosters excitement about the moviegoing experience."
Only two films released during the fourth quarter in 2011 had U.S. ticket sales top $200 million, and the season also brought some unexpectedly expensive misses in Martin Scorsese's "Hugo" and the animated comedy "Arthur Christmas."
"Admissions going up is always good news. Would you like them to go up more? Of course," said Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group President Jeff Robinov. "But the business is in flux — there's a diversity of choices for consumers, home video is shrinking and there's a debate over release windows."
Ticket sales have been trending down since hitting the 1.57 billion mark in 2002, falling to 1.28 billion last year, the lowest in 16 years.
Box office revenue, by comparison, has shown modest gains — largely because of higher ticket prices and new premiums for Imax and 3-D showings.
To end the year strong, Hollywood has to score a robust holiday season, which accounts for about 20% of annual box-office receipts.
"We look forward to these last six weeks of the year to really ramp up business," said Gary Dupuis, the general manager of Montana-based Polson Theatres. "It's one of the better holiday seasons coming up. I think that's positive, because we are certainly still in the economy crunch where people know it's not cheap to go to the movies."
'Argo,' 'Lincoln,' 'Skyfall': critical-commercial hits keep coming?
For what may be only a brief, shining window during the movie year, a number of recent films have earned critical raves and done well at the box office.
Where conventional wisdom has recently held that there is too often a disconnect between critical favorites and broader audiences – witness the loud critics’ hosannas versus muted box office response for “The Master” – a few recent films have hit strongly on both sides of that apparent divide.
PHOTOS: James Bond through the years
This weekend "Skyfall” and “Lincoln” have racked up impressive reviews and are in line for strong showings at the box office. “Skyfall,” the third James Bond adventure starring Daniel Craig, has already been a sensation at the box office internationally, and is expected to bring in at least $75 million this weekend. “Lincoln,” Steven Spielberg’s bio pic of the final months in the life of the American president, is opening in limited release before its national debut next week.
These come on the heels of other recent films such as “Argo,” “Wreck-It Ralph” and “Looper,” which have all enjoyed both positive reviews and strong box office performance.
“I think we’re just having a good run,” said David A. Gross, editor of the website Movie Review Intelligence, which ranks movies based on reviews of critics around the country. “We’re seeing some good commercial movies right now.”
Gross noted that there was a divide recently between the animated films “Frankenweenie” and “Hotel Transylvania,” with one getting the reviews and the other making out at the box office. “Frankenweenie” earned ratings at the review aggregation sites of 78.8 at Movie Review Intelligence, 89 at Rotten Tomatoes and 74 at Metacritic and opened to just below $11.5 million. “Hotel Transylvania” is rated 56.7, 43 and 47 at those same three sites, and opened to $42.5 million.
PHOTOS: 007's top 10 villains
Next weekend sees the opening of “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2,” which is something of a sure thing to get audiences to turn out but is perhaps on shakier ground with critics. (“Breaking Dawn Part 1” opened to $138 million last year but scored only 46.3, 25 and 45 with the review sites.)
Part of what might be causing this unusual late-year unity between critics and audiences is the added ingredient of awards season, noted Matt Atchity, editor in chief of Rotten Tomatoes.
“I think this particular year you are seeing more movies that are getting acclaim, hitting with audiences and that will likely show up at the Oscars,” said Atchity, adding how some awards-hungry films in recent years have underperformed at the box office. “It is a little unusual to see those three break all together with the same films at the end of the year.”
A handful of Oscar hopefuls are still to come this year, which may also hit that same sweet spot with audiences and critics alike. “The Hobbit,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” “Les Miserables,” “Django Unchained,” “Zero Dark Thirty” and “This Is 40” could all be films that unite the critics and mainstream audiences, a divide that has at times seems unconquerable. Let us never forget “Taken 2.”
Power struggle at Warner Bros.
A three-way race for the top job at Warner Bros. was intended to inspire greatness in the candidates. Instead, it has led to distrust and disorder.
Two years ago Time Warner
Inc. Chief Executive Jeff Bewkes created an Office of the President to
inspire three ambitious executives into collegial competition for the
top job at Warner Bros., Hollywood's largest film and television studio.
"These three will work as a unit," Bewkes declared.
But the effort has inspired distrust and disharmony inside Warner Bros., the studio known for Batman, Bugs Bunny and "The Big Bang Theory" as well as for its decades of management stability.
The three competing candidates — Television Group President Bruce Rosenblum, Motion Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov and Home Entertainment Group President Kevin Tsujihara — do not work as a unit. They rarely meet as a trio or get involved in one another's businesses, according to several people associated with the studio who were not authorized to speak publicly.
And although Bewkes said anyone jockeying or politicking for the job of Warner Bros.' chairman would "eliminate themselves" as contenders, the three men have been maneuvering for position while their subordinates quietly advertise their bosses' qualities and rivals' shortcomings.
Morale is low and anxiety is high on Warner's Burbank lot. Some insiders describe an atmosphere in which executives are hesitant to extend contracts, staffers are afraid to cross department lines for fear of "taking sides" and potential partners are wary of signing long-term deals without knowing who will be in charge.
Some have also expressed frustration that the succession process has dragged on so long and that Bewkes has remained publicly silent on the matter.
"People are very preoccupied with the issue of succession, and it creates an undercurrent of tension and awkwardness," said a Warner Bros. executive, one of more than a dozen interviewed by The Times who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. "It's like being a kid wondering if your parents are about to break up."
The runoff officially launched in September 2010 when Warner's professorial chairman, Barry Meyer, agreed to postpone his planned retirement until the end of 2013 — after 42 years at the company and 14 in the top job.
Bewkes, who like the three candidates declined through a spokesperson to be interviewed, envisioned the Office of the President as a way to groom Robinov, Rosenblum and Tsujihara by helping them "see and think beyond their own businesses," according to a person familiar with his thinking.
Bewkes is expected to announce early next year whether he has selected one of the three men to be the new chairman or if, after the long and public bake-off, he is electing to bring in an outsider.
The historic Burbank entertainment company, founded in 1923 by brothers Jack, Harry, Sam and Albert Warner, has traditionally been Hollywood's most stable studio. Jack Warner sold it in 1967, and two years later new owner Steve Ross installed talent agent Ted Ashley, who remained in charge until 1980. Former CBS President Bob Daly and film executive Terry
Semel then sat atop Warner Bros. from 1981 to 1999, when Meyer was named chairman.
"This is a company that is 90 years old and basically has had just four management teams," Daly said. "It's the culture of the studio — its history and continuity — that makes Warner Bros. so special. There's such a family feeling there."
But the family feeling has become strained. Robinov and Rosenblum are said to be the most personally competitive, while turf wars over topics such as whose division controls Web shows have popped up between Rosenblum and Tsujihara. Robinov and Tsujihara have maintained the tightest relationship.
Rosenblum is viewed by many at the studio as the front-runner for the top job. Meyer was a longtime TV business affairs executive before ascending to the corporate suite, and television has become increasingly important to Warner's bottom line.
The affable and ambitious Rosenblum — who has worked at the studio for nearly 24 years, including seven as the top TV executive — has been accused of promoting his candidacy. Last year he was elected chairman of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which bestows the annual Emmy Awards, a move seen by detractors as a way to boost his leadership credentials.
At a 2011 farewell party for Meyer's longtime deputy, Alan Horn, a string of speakers shared fond memories of the outgoing executive. Rosenblum's remarks surprised some attendees, however, when he jokingly reminded them that most Warner leaders had come up from the TV ranks.
The reserved and rough-edged Robinov — who joined the studio 15 years ago and replaced Horn as Warner's top movie executive last year — has a lower public profile. Perhaps to combat this, he has enlisted an outside publicist to help burnish his and his group's image.
Tsujihara appears to be the least competitive and the likeliest to partner up should Bewkes solve the leadership issue by appointing two executives to run the studio. However, the buttoned-down Stanford MBA, who is known as a digital guru and acquisitions expert, lacks operational experience in the studio's marquee film and TV production businesses.
By any financial metric, Warner Bros. has been running smoothly. It is regularly No. 1 or No. 2 in the box-office rankings, has the top market share in home video and sells more shows to TV networks than any other studio. Revenue last year climbed 9% to $12.6 billion, operating income increased 12% to $1.26 billion, and the studio is on track to have another record year.
But management experts say corporate runoffs, while not unusual, can be disruptive.
The process "creates competition and makes it hard for the candidates to cooperate with each other on a daily basis," said Edward Lawler, director of the Center for Effective Organizations at USC. "They are always trying to look better than the other person. It can put a bit of a strain on the organization."
Contract renewals, deal making and companywide initiatives at the studio have been complicated by the uncertainty.
During recent contract renewal talks, movie marketing President Sue Kroll is said to have sought additional responsibilities in part because of concern that her boss and longtime ally Robinov might not remain in his post.
Several other key Warner executives have not negotiated new employment contracts — and appear unlikely to do so until the leadership situation is resolved. They include TV studio President Peter Roth, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson and Toby Emmerich, president of film label New Line Cinema.
The turf skirmishes have slowed development of movies based on Warner-owned DC's superheroes such as the Flash at a time when rival Marvel Entertainment is cranking out blockbusters like "The Avengers." Uncertainty about who will run Warner Bros. has stymied the studio from renewing its important deal with finance and producing partner Legendary Pictures. The deal expires at the end of next year.
"There is not paralysis," said one longtime Warner insider, "but a murkiness and lack of clarity at a place that is not used to having those conditions."
Warner Bros. is one of only two Hollywood studios that house movie and TV production together. Film is its largest business, producing about two-thirds of revenue. But television is more profitable, generating half of operating income. The TV business has been growing while the movie industry is contracting.
"Time Warner is basically a TV company," Bewkes told analysts this year. "Between our TV networks [HBO, TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network and CNN] and our Warner TV production business, we derive over 80% of our profits from television."
Rosenblum, who started his career as a tour guide at Universal Studios, has helped build the division into a juggernaut with more than 50 shows, including "Two and a Half Men," "Mike and Molly" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." During his tenure, Warner has expanded internationally and outbid rivals to secure deals with top talent such as "Revolution" producer J.J. Abrams and "Two and a Half Men" creator Chuck Lorre.
But some people in the film division fret that Rosenblum has no movie experience. The UCLA law school graduate's skills are on the business side, they say, adding that TV studio president Roth is the one who develops the shows.
That is in contrast to Robinov, who decides what movies Warner Bros. makes and is deeply involved in their production. A former talent agent, Robinov has built his reputation on an ability to cultivate relationships with successful filmmakers such as Chris Nolan ("The Dark Knight"), Ben Affleck ("Argo") and Todd Phillips ("The Hangover"). Fiercely loyal, he stuck with "300" director Zack Snyder through three subsequent flops and then handed him the keys to next year's Superman reboot "Man of Steel."
Although Robinov oversees more than $2 billion per year of production and marketing spending, he is less schooled in evolving digital business models.
Tsujihara enjoys a more down-to-earth reputation. He is an avid sports fan who last month flew to San Francisco and back in a single night to watch his beloved Giants play in the World Series.
Some of his business moves have been polarizing. Charged with reversing a multiyear decline in DVD revenue, Tsujihara has been Hollywood's most aggressive proponent of Ultraviolet, a digital movie initiative that Warner launched in late 2011 when some other studios believed that it had too many glitches.
He also successfully pushed Redbox and Netflix in 2010 to wait until four weeks after a DVD goes on sale to offer cheap rentals, although he failed this year to extend that window to eight weeks.
Tsujihara led delicate negotiations over "The Hobbit" with partial rights holder Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in late 2010, which got production started on the long-delayed movie series.
Bewkes' first major step in the succession process, pushing out the well-liked Horn, upset many on Warner's Burbank lot, particularly after Horn landed this year in the top job at Walt Disney Studios.
Many worry that when Bewkes announces his choice for chairman it will create further instability, particularly if one or two of the losing candidates flee after losing the public runoff.
If Bewkes were to choose an outsider, it's possible all three could leave.
"I would try to keep them all in some form or fashion," said Daly, the former chairman. "All three guys are very successful executives."
ben.fritz@latimes.com
meg.james@latimes.com
"These three will work as a unit," Bewkes declared.
But the effort has inspired distrust and disharmony inside Warner Bros., the studio known for Batman, Bugs Bunny and "The Big Bang Theory" as well as for its decades of management stability.
The three competing candidates — Television Group President Bruce Rosenblum, Motion Pictures Group President Jeff Robinov and Home Entertainment Group President Kevin Tsujihara — do not work as a unit. They rarely meet as a trio or get involved in one another's businesses, according to several people associated with the studio who were not authorized to speak publicly.
And although Bewkes said anyone jockeying or politicking for the job of Warner Bros.' chairman would "eliminate themselves" as contenders, the three men have been maneuvering for position while their subordinates quietly advertise their bosses' qualities and rivals' shortcomings.
Morale is low and anxiety is high on Warner's Burbank lot. Some insiders describe an atmosphere in which executives are hesitant to extend contracts, staffers are afraid to cross department lines for fear of "taking sides" and potential partners are wary of signing long-term deals without knowing who will be in charge.
Some have also expressed frustration that the succession process has dragged on so long and that Bewkes has remained publicly silent on the matter.
"People are very preoccupied with the issue of succession, and it creates an undercurrent of tension and awkwardness," said a Warner Bros. executive, one of more than a dozen interviewed by The Times who requested anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue. "It's like being a kid wondering if your parents are about to break up."
The runoff officially launched in September 2010 when Warner's professorial chairman, Barry Meyer, agreed to postpone his planned retirement until the end of 2013 — after 42 years at the company and 14 in the top job.
Bewkes, who like the three candidates declined through a spokesperson to be interviewed, envisioned the Office of the President as a way to groom Robinov, Rosenblum and Tsujihara by helping them "see and think beyond their own businesses," according to a person familiar with his thinking.
Bewkes is expected to announce early next year whether he has selected one of the three men to be the new chairman or if, after the long and public bake-off, he is electing to bring in an outsider.
The historic Burbank entertainment company, founded in 1923 by brothers Jack, Harry, Sam and Albert Warner, has traditionally been Hollywood's most stable studio. Jack Warner sold it in 1967, and two years later new owner Steve Ross installed talent agent Ted Ashley, who remained in charge until 1980. Former CBS President Bob Daly and film executive Terry
Semel then sat atop Warner Bros. from 1981 to 1999, when Meyer was named chairman.
"This is a company that is 90 years old and basically has had just four management teams," Daly said. "It's the culture of the studio — its history and continuity — that makes Warner Bros. so special. There's such a family feeling there."
But the family feeling has become strained. Robinov and Rosenblum are said to be the most personally competitive, while turf wars over topics such as whose division controls Web shows have popped up between Rosenblum and Tsujihara. Robinov and Tsujihara have maintained the tightest relationship.
Rosenblum is viewed by many at the studio as the front-runner for the top job. Meyer was a longtime TV business affairs executive before ascending to the corporate suite, and television has become increasingly important to Warner's bottom line.
The affable and ambitious Rosenblum — who has worked at the studio for nearly 24 years, including seven as the top TV executive — has been accused of promoting his candidacy. Last year he was elected chairman of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, which bestows the annual Emmy Awards, a move seen by detractors as a way to boost his leadership credentials.
At a 2011 farewell party for Meyer's longtime deputy, Alan Horn, a string of speakers shared fond memories of the outgoing executive. Rosenblum's remarks surprised some attendees, however, when he jokingly reminded them that most Warner leaders had come up from the TV ranks.
The reserved and rough-edged Robinov — who joined the studio 15 years ago and replaced Horn as Warner's top movie executive last year — has a lower public profile. Perhaps to combat this, he has enlisted an outside publicist to help burnish his and his group's image.
Tsujihara appears to be the least competitive and the likeliest to partner up should Bewkes solve the leadership issue by appointing two executives to run the studio. However, the buttoned-down Stanford MBA, who is known as a digital guru and acquisitions expert, lacks operational experience in the studio's marquee film and TV production businesses.
By any financial metric, Warner Bros. has been running smoothly. It is regularly No. 1 or No. 2 in the box-office rankings, has the top market share in home video and sells more shows to TV networks than any other studio. Revenue last year climbed 9% to $12.6 billion, operating income increased 12% to $1.26 billion, and the studio is on track to have another record year.
But management experts say corporate runoffs, while not unusual, can be disruptive.
The process "creates competition and makes it hard for the candidates to cooperate with each other on a daily basis," said Edward Lawler, director of the Center for Effective Organizations at USC. "They are always trying to look better than the other person. It can put a bit of a strain on the organization."
Contract renewals, deal making and companywide initiatives at the studio have been complicated by the uncertainty.
During recent contract renewal talks, movie marketing President Sue Kroll is said to have sought additional responsibilities in part because of concern that her boss and longtime ally Robinov might not remain in his post.
Several other key Warner executives have not negotiated new employment contracts — and appear unlikely to do so until the leadership situation is resolved. They include TV studio President Peter Roth, DC Entertainment President Diane Nelson and Toby Emmerich, president of film label New Line Cinema.
The turf skirmishes have slowed development of movies based on Warner-owned DC's superheroes such as the Flash at a time when rival Marvel Entertainment is cranking out blockbusters like "The Avengers." Uncertainty about who will run Warner Bros. has stymied the studio from renewing its important deal with finance and producing partner Legendary Pictures. The deal expires at the end of next year.
"There is not paralysis," said one longtime Warner insider, "but a murkiness and lack of clarity at a place that is not used to having those conditions."
Warner Bros. is one of only two Hollywood studios that house movie and TV production together. Film is its largest business, producing about two-thirds of revenue. But television is more profitable, generating half of operating income. The TV business has been growing while the movie industry is contracting.
"Time Warner is basically a TV company," Bewkes told analysts this year. "Between our TV networks [HBO, TNT, TBS, Cartoon Network and CNN] and our Warner TV production business, we derive over 80% of our profits from television."
Rosenblum, who started his career as a tour guide at Universal Studios, has helped build the division into a juggernaut with more than 50 shows, including "Two and a Half Men," "Mike and Molly" and "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." During his tenure, Warner has expanded internationally and outbid rivals to secure deals with top talent such as "Revolution" producer J.J. Abrams and "Two and a Half Men" creator Chuck Lorre.
But some people in the film division fret that Rosenblum has no movie experience. The UCLA law school graduate's skills are on the business side, they say, adding that TV studio president Roth is the one who develops the shows.
That is in contrast to Robinov, who decides what movies Warner Bros. makes and is deeply involved in their production. A former talent agent, Robinov has built his reputation on an ability to cultivate relationships with successful filmmakers such as Chris Nolan ("The Dark Knight"), Ben Affleck ("Argo") and Todd Phillips ("The Hangover"). Fiercely loyal, he stuck with "300" director Zack Snyder through three subsequent flops and then handed him the keys to next year's Superman reboot "Man of Steel."
Although Robinov oversees more than $2 billion per year of production and marketing spending, he is less schooled in evolving digital business models.
Tsujihara enjoys a more down-to-earth reputation. He is an avid sports fan who last month flew to San Francisco and back in a single night to watch his beloved Giants play in the World Series.
Some of his business moves have been polarizing. Charged with reversing a multiyear decline in DVD revenue, Tsujihara has been Hollywood's most aggressive proponent of Ultraviolet, a digital movie initiative that Warner launched in late 2011 when some other studios believed that it had too many glitches.
He also successfully pushed Redbox and Netflix in 2010 to wait until four weeks after a DVD goes on sale to offer cheap rentals, although he failed this year to extend that window to eight weeks.
Tsujihara led delicate negotiations over "The Hobbit" with partial rights holder Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer in late 2010, which got production started on the long-delayed movie series.
Bewkes' first major step in the succession process, pushing out the well-liked Horn, upset many on Warner's Burbank lot, particularly after Horn landed this year in the top job at Walt Disney Studios.
Many worry that when Bewkes announces his choice for chairman it will create further instability, particularly if one or two of the losing candidates flee after losing the public runoff.
If Bewkes were to choose an outsider, it's possible all three could leave.
"I would try to keep them all in some form or fashion," said Daly, the former chairman. "All three guys are very successful executives."
ben.fritz@latimes.com
meg.james@latimes.com
From Variety
Clooney in talks for Disney's alien pic '1952'
Brad Bird helming 'Close Encounters'-esque tentpole
George Clooney is negotiating to star in Brad Bird's extraterrestrial pic "1952" at Disney.
Damon Lindelof and Jeff Jensen penned the script, which the Mouse
House sees as a high-profile tentpole. Studio is keeping the plot under
wraps, though the project is said to be a "Close Encounters of the Third
Kind"-esque story following a man who makes contact with aliens on
Earth. Lindelof also will produce.
Disney had no comment. Sources cautioned that the project is not officially greenlit, and no cast is yet set.
Bird would make "1952" his follow up to "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol," his first live action pic after helming toons like "The Incredibles," "Ratatouille" and "The Iron Giant."
Clooney will next star in and direct "The Monuments Men," which he also co-wrote with Grant Heslov, that is lining up Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban, Cate Blanchett and Jean Dujardin to co-star. Project revolves around American and British art experts who go on a mission to recover artwork stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
Disney had no comment. Sources cautioned that the project is not officially greenlit, and no cast is yet set.
Bird would make "1952" his follow up to "Mission: Impossible -- Ghost Protocol," his first live action pic after helming toons like "The Incredibles," "Ratatouille" and "The Iron Giant."
Clooney will next star in and direct "The Monuments Men," which he also co-wrote with Grant Heslov, that is lining up Daniel Craig, Bill Murray, John Goodman, Hugh Bonneville, Bob Balaban, Cate Blanchett and Jean Dujardin to co-star. Project revolves around American and British art experts who go on a mission to recover artwork stolen by the Nazis during World War II.
Contact Justin Kroll at
justin.kroll@variety.com
Posted: Fri., Nov. 9, 2012, 5:45pm PT
Goyer, di Bonaventura adapting 'The Breach'
Justin Rhodes will pen screenplay from Patrick Lee doomsday-thriller
No
strangers to tentpole properties, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and David
Goyer are teaming up for the feature adaptation of the doomsday-thriller
novel "The Breach."The project is being developed through Di
Bonaventura Pictures and talks are under way to secure a studio
distribution deal. Goyer is not attached to direct at this time, but
that remains a possibility.
Justin Rhodes will pen the adaptation of the Patrick Lee book, in which an ex-cop races to prevent an artifact from bringing the Apocalypse. Screenplay is expected to divert from the novel, and details of the adaptation were being kept under wraps.
Di Bonaventura will produce as will Goyer in some capacity through his Phantom 4 Films banner. Nellie Stevens Reed will serve as co-producer.
Di Bonaventura's "Transformers" franchise has made more than $2.5 billion worldwide; Goyer's writing credits include "The Dark Knight Rises," "Man of Steel" and Legendary's "Godzilla" remake. Goyer also wrote Activision's "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" which will come out next week.
With Rhodes, the ICM Partners and Madhouse Entertainment-repped writer is on a bit of a roll, having also sold the rights to his script "The Join" to Legendary.
Di Bonaventura is repped by CAA. Goyer is repped by WME.
Justin Rhodes will pen the adaptation of the Patrick Lee book, in which an ex-cop races to prevent an artifact from bringing the Apocalypse. Screenplay is expected to divert from the novel, and details of the adaptation were being kept under wraps.
Di Bonaventura will produce as will Goyer in some capacity through his Phantom 4 Films banner. Nellie Stevens Reed will serve as co-producer.
Di Bonaventura's "Transformers" franchise has made more than $2.5 billion worldwide; Goyer's writing credits include "The Dark Knight Rises," "Man of Steel" and Legendary's "Godzilla" remake. Goyer also wrote Activision's "Call of Duty: Black Ops II" which will come out next week.
With Rhodes, the ICM Partners and Madhouse Entertainment-repped writer is on a bit of a roll, having also sold the rights to his script "The Join" to Legendary.
Di Bonaventura is repped by CAA. Goyer is repped by WME.
Contact Justin Kroll at
justin.kroll@variety.com
