Cordkillers 323 - Universal Waits 17 Days and Gets 2 Marshmallows
AMC and Universal reach an unprecendented deal--what does that actually mean for films and VOD? Plus, how to watch HBO Max on Ruke and Amazon with workarounds and Emmy noms are out! All this and more on Cordkillers!
CordKillers: 323 - Universal Waits 17 Days and Gets 2 Marshmallows
Recorded: August 3, 2020
Guest: None
Intro Video
Teenage Bounty Hunters
Primary Target
Universal, AMC Theatres Forge Historic Deal Allowing Theatrical Releases to Debut on Premium VOD Early
- Universal Pictures and AMC Theaters have agreed to reduce the 90-day exclusive theatrical window for some movies. The multi-year agreement lets Universal rent digital copies of its movies to customers for around $20, 17 days after they first appear in theaters. AMC will get a share of the digital revenue and can rent out the movies on its own online service. It's expected that major blockbusters like Jurassic Park will still have the 90-day theatrical run while mid-tier movies might move to online rental sooner. Not all theaters may play along though. Cineworld CEO Mooky Greidinger told Deadline “We do not see any business sense in this model.”
- This doesn't reduce the window for all movies. We may see varying windows for different movies and expect full 90 days for blockbusters. (And once the window is open some movies will stay in theaters)
- It doesn't reduce the window for all theaters, just AMC. Pushback could still undermine this deal.
- It doesn't reduce the window for any other studio... yet
- Watch closely for what if any arrangements are announced by other theater chains and studios. They may not all fall in line.
- Could increase mid-budget movies that studios were taking fewer risks on or sending to streaming. (Shell doesn't think so)
- Could be a template for Netflix compromise on window.
- Michael Nathanson of MoffettNathanson said this will likely increase the money studios can make on smaller budget movies, it will likely reduce attendance somewhat which wold result in fewer screens and its unknown what affect that will have on blockbusters.
AMC-Universal Deal Is A Tonic For Theatrical Business, Wall Street Analysts Say, But Ratchets Up Risk For Exhibitors
NBCUniversal CEO Jeff Shell Says AMC Window-PVOD Deal Good For Those Who Don’t Go To Movies
How to Watch
How to Watch HBO Max on Roku or Amazon Fire TV: Streaming Workarounds for Now
- As you may have heard, Amazon, Roku and Warnermedia have not reached an agreement on putting HBO Max on those platforms. For now the HBO Now app, which has been renamed HBO, is the only way to get HBO programming on Roku and Fire TV and it doesn't include the extra programming available in Max.
- Since almost all HBO subscribers also get Max, Variety's Todd Spangler wrote up a guide to watching HBO Max if a Roku or Fire TV is your way of getting TV.
- Screen mirroring. You turn on screen mirroring int he Roku settings and then you can send your screen from an Android or Windows device to Roku. It's not supported natively by Apple devices. However your TV might support Apple's airplay so you can try selecting airplay from an apple device and see if it sees your TV and just send it straight there.
- Sideload. On a Fire TV you can get the HBO Max app for Android TV and run it not he Fire TV because Fire TV is Android underneath. You'll need to look up the steps. It involves turning off some security protections but savvier users should have no problem. You don't even need a USB stick.
- Plug in the device that does have HBO Max (phone or laptop for instance) by HDMi to your TV. Duh.
Netflix is letting people watch things faster or slower with new playback speed controls
- Netflix is rolling out playback speed controls on its Android app. The speed controls are available on downloaded titles saved for offline viewing. You can choose to stream at 0.5x, 0.75x or go faster with 1.25x or 1.5x. Pitch correction will keep voices sounding normal and captions will keep time. And you have to choose it for each video you watch. The feature launches August 1 and will roll out to everyone worldwide over the coming weeks. Both the National Association of the Deaf and the National Federation of the Blind commended Netflix on adding the playback features. Netflix plans to test the feature on iOS and the Web but not on TV versions of the app.
What to Watch
Netflix Eclipses HBO To Lead Emmy Race With 160 Nominations; Apple & Disney+ Enter Major Categories
- Netflix received the most Emmy nominations of any studio, digital or otherwise with 160. Ozark alone had 18. HBO had 107 and watchmen had the most of any single show with 26. Amazon got 31 20 of which were for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Hulu 26, Apple TV+ 20 largely for The Morning Show, Disney+ 19, mostly for The Mandalorian, Quibi got 10 (all in the short form category), Oculus 3 and YouTube 2.
- Broadcast network TV fell from 147 nominations last year to 121. BC’s The Good Place was the only broadcast series in the main show categories with This Is Us‘ Sterling K. Brown, The Good Place‘s Ted Danson and Black-ish‘s Anthony Anderson and Tracee Ellis Ross picking up acting nods.
Drama
The Crown (Netflix)
Stranger Things (Netflix)
Better Call Saul (AMC)
Killing Eve (AMC)
The Handmaid's Tale (Hulu)
The Manadalorian (Disney +)
COMEDY
The Kominsky Method (Netflix)
Dead to Me (Netflix)
Curb Yor enthusiasm (HBO)
Insecure (HBO)
The Good Place (NBC)
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon)
Schitt's Creek (Pop TV)
What We Do In The Shadows (FX)
Season 2 of the Morning Show on Apple TV plus is being rewritten to include the coronavirus.
Jean-Claude Van Damme Shoots Netflix Action-Comedy ‘The Last Mercenary’
- Jean-Claude Van Damme is currently shooting action-comedy film “The Last Mercenary” in France for Netflix, being directed by David Charhon. VanDamme plays a secret service agent who returns to France to defend his estranged son from being falsely accused of arms and drug trafficking.
Beyonce's lates video/album Black is King debuted this week on Disney+ and it is beautiful. Just watch and listen.
‘The Young and the Restless’ Sets Return Date For Original Episodes On CBS
- Soap Operas will all be back with new episodes as of August 10, as The Young and the Restless joins The Bold and the Beautiful which is already back along with General Hospital which returned August 3 and days of Our Lives, WHICH NEVER STOPPED because it had enough banked episodes to last until October.
Netflix annoyed that La Casa de Papel aka Money Heist will end after part 5. Part 4 came out in April.
Netflix Quietly Strikes Landmark Investment Deal With ‘Black Mirror’ Creators Charlie Brooker & Annabel Jones
- Netflix has invested around $100 million in Black Mirror creator Annabel Jones and Charlie Booker's production company. The deal gives Netflix exclusive right to all its series and the right to acquire the production company over a five year period.
Netflix commissioned a third series of How to Sell Drugs Online. Season 2 debuted July 21.
Eyes On
Brian: The Black Hole is only half as bad as you remember
Tom: Sports. At one point I was switching between hockey, NBA and baseball (all on ATTTV Now)
On the Lookout: Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian
Front Lines
Charter Q2 Earnings Show Surprise Bump In Video Subs; CEO Tom Rutledge To Extend Contract
- Charter Communications (makers of Spectrum) added 100,000 new video subscribers. Charter said it "managed to grow faster than the rate of decline." Spectrum offered discounted packages, free add-ons, waived overdue balances Comcast lost 477,000 cable-TV subscribers in Q2. (Last year it lost 224,000). Bright spot? Peacock signed up 10 million people in Q2.
- Comcast said it will credit some sports fees as it receives credits from regional sports networks. Charter said if it gets any rebates on sports it will pass that on to customers.
CBS All Access Adds 70 Shows From ViacomCBS’s Networks Ahead of 2021 Rebranding
- CBS All Access annoucned it's adding 70 shows, a total of 3500 episodes from Viacom networks like BET, Comedy Central, MTV and Nickelodeon. An original spinoff from SpongeBob called Kamp Koral and the Spongebob Movie will come exclusively to All Access in early 2021. The app also got an interface tweak to help make its content easier to find. CBS All Access will get a new name in 2021 and eventually split out of the CBS app.
Movies Anywhere lets you create watch parties with up to nine guests
- Movies Anywhere's Watch Together feature is now available to all. Up to nine viewers can share a room and chat while watching the same movie synced together. All the participants must own the movie or have received a screen pass from someone who does. Watch together is available on mobile, Web and some smart TVs.
‘Unhinged’ Delivers $230K As UK Box Office Shows First Green Shoots
- Unhinged with Russell Crowe has been considered the theatrical movie forerunner to the return of movies that was supposed to be hailed by Tenet before Tenet got-- well Tenet is not coming out everywhere all at the same time-- so the whole pattern is now broken. Anyway, Unhinged came out in the UK and brought in 174,901 pounds from 250 locations so about $230,000. Last week the entire UK box office for all movies at all sites was $253,000, so this is in fact progress.
Philo’s budget TV service will soon work with Chromecast
- Subscribers to Philo which gives you AMC and Viacom channels among others can now send their streams to a Chromecast from Android. The feature is rolling out over the next several weeks if you don't see it right away.
Dispatches from the Front
Hi guys,
There was some discussion last week about video services on Google Nest Hub and other related devices. The feature I find most useful in that regard is that all of the Google Home devices with a screen also have a built-in chromecast. As my primary use case is for watching CordKillers while working in my home office, I felt the need to write in about it. Ironically, the one time I wasn't using it to watch CordKillers was during last weeks show.
Love the show,
- Todd
Getting offers (2nd so far) for 2 free admissions to any movie from San Antonio's Santikos.
ps - I'd consider myself batshat crazy to claim this COVID-19 laced 'deal'.
Stay safe!
- Stephen