Box Office: ‘Supergirl’ Stumbles, ‘Toy Story 5’ and ‘Michael’ Strong; Comcast to Split NBCUniversal and Sky
11 reported
According to a Variety podcast episode, "Supergirl" had a rough opening weekend, while "Toy Story 5" and "Michael" performed strongly at the box office. Variety reporter Jack Dunn stated that "Supergirl" did not resonate with enough younger fans on social media to drive a big opening, reflecting a larger problem with superhero movies. Dunn noted a sameness in superhero storytelling and said a big shakeup is needed, pointing to DC's upcoming "Clayface" in October as a potential new direction with body horror. Separately, Variety business editor Todd Spangler reported that Comcast plans to split NBCUniversal and Sky into a standalone company, separate from its core cable, broadband, and tech assets, to boost Comcast's stock price. The announcement sent Comcast shares up as much as 9% in early trading, settling to a 4.5% gain. Mike Cavanagh will serve as CEO of NBCUniversal and Sky, while Michael Angelakis will be CEO of the slimmed-down Comcast under chairman Brian Roberts.
What’s reported
"Supergirl" had a rough opening weekend, according to Variety's Jack Dunn.
Dunn said "Supergirl" did not resonate with enough younger fans on social media.
"Toy Story 5" and "Michael" had a big box office frame.
Dunn stated superhero movies need a big shakeup due to sameness in storytelling.
DC's "Clayface" is coming out in October and offers a new lens with body horror.
Comcast plans to split NBCUniversal and Sky into a standalone company.
The split is intended to boost Comcast's stock price, which has been weighed down for years.
Mike Cavanagh will be CEO of NBCUniversal and Sky; Michael Angelakis will be CEO of the slimmed-down Comcast.
Comcast shares rose up to 9% in early trading and settled to a 4.5% gain.
Cavanagh said on a conference call that the company changed its mind about the two businesses being better together.
Brian Roberts stated the split is not about M&A, but about positioning the businesses for greater focus and agility.
Key figures
Jack Dunn, Variety reporter
Todd Spangler, Variety business editor
James Gunn, DC Studios chief
Mike Cavanagh, CEO of NBCUniversal and Sky
Michael Angelakis, CEO of slimmed-down Comcast
Brian Roberts, chairman of Comcast
Sources: Variety
