Entertainment Lawyers

Beijing regulators finally seem ready to relax their grip on the local Chinese film industry. Is that good news for Hollywood, or just more of the same old, same old? Entertainment lawyer with Blake & Wang P.A, Brandon Blake, unpacks yet another shift in the global movie market for us.  Brandon Blake Post-Pandemic Reopening As the pandemic climate of protectionism finally wanes even for China, Beijing film execs finally seem to be feeling some cautious optimism. Their local cinema industry is in an upturn, regulators are relaxing their death grip (a little), and we’re finally seeing pros from the local film industry re-engaging with international markets and festivals.  Naturally, we can expect to see any renewed interest in Western film fare impact tentpole movies and China’s own big commercial releases first. It may take a while for it to filter down into the indie market. Berlin Film Festival With six Chinese features on offer at the first major film festival of the ye...

Like it or loathe it, the idea of streaming on mobile is going nowhere. In a record first mobile distribution deal on their international market, Paramount+ has now announced a partnership with the UK’s Three, a mobile phone company. It’s an interesting way to grow their direct-to-consumer distribution market, certainly. Entertainment lawyer with Blake & Wang P.A, Brandon Blake, has more.  Brandon Blake Available on Monthly Plan This deal will be on offer to all (new) Three customers who opt-in for a qualifying monthly plan. This, in effect, makes Paramount+ the exclusive subscription partner for video-on-demand at the mobile company. Depending on the plan chosen (and its associated tariff), Three subscribers will get a short-term complementary access to the service. Once the introductory offer expires, they will be able to opt-in for the service permanently at whatever the current price at the time is. They will be able to use mobile billing to pay for the service, too. A New...

 AMC will be jettisoning direct management of its Saudi Arabian cinemas to their local partner, Saudi Entertainment Ventures, in another bid to tighten the company’s ailing balance sheet. While the theaters will continue to operate, it will be in a licensing-only relationship instead of direct management. Entertainment lawyer Brandon Blake, from Blake& Wang P.A, has more details.  Brandon Blake Operating Since 2018 AMC, a global mega-exhibitor running 950 theaters and 10,500 screens around the world, has been operating in the Saudi Arabian area since 2018. The joint venture has been sold to Saudi Entertainment Ventures for a reported $30M, which will return its original investment stake, and allow them to operate the AMC IP under license instead.  This will affect 13 existing operational AMC cinemas, as well as allow for future locations to use the AMC name.  Part of a Long-Term Plan While the recent issues caused by the protracted COVID shutdowns doubtless have...

 It would be a fun and rather ironic twist of fate to see James Cameron knock his own film down a rung (or two) in the list of Top 5 highest grossing pictures of all time. As Avatar: The Way of Water continues to rack up the numbers at the global box office, coming close to challenging Titanic,  it could be reality, too! Entertainment attorney Brandon Blake, with Blake & Wang P.A, crunches the numbers.  Brandon Blake Crossing $2B As of last Wednesday, Avatar: The Way of Water  had comfortably surpassed $2B, for a $2,054B total that saw it unseat Avengers: Infinity War and take the bottom rung in the Top 5 list. Bear in mind this is the Top 5 highest-grossing movies ever, an impressive feat indeed. As of Sunday’s Box Office, it looks increasingly likely that it will also push the next contender (Star Wars: The Force Awakens) off the list, too. With that feat under its belt, James Cameron will have been responsible for three of the top four highest-grossing titles...