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Netflix's ‘Stranger Things’ stage play will debut later this year
Netflix has announced a Stranger Things prequel. It's a stage play called 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' that will premiere at the Phoenix Theatre in London's West End later this year.
DeepMind created an AI tool that can help generate rough film and stage scripts
Dramatron is a so-called "co-writing" tool that can generate character descriptions, plot points, location descriptions and dialogue. The idea is that human writers can edit and rewrite what Dramatron comes up to create a proper script.
New York's Obie Awards will consider streaming theater for the first time
For the first time in its storied history, New York City’s annual Obie Awards will consider virtual, digital and audio productions.
AMC theaters will accept cryptocurrencies beyond Bitcoin
AMC theaters will accept more cryptocurrencies than Bitcoin, including Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash.
AMC theaters will start accepting Bitcoin this year
AMC has announced that it will accept Bitcoin payments for tickets and snacks at US theaters by the end of 2021.
'Dune' director slams AT&T's decision to release films on HBO Max
Following the news that all of Warner Bros.’ films in 2021 will be released on HBO Max the same day they hit theaters, Dune director Denis Villeneuve has written an essay (published on Variety) slamming AT&T for the move. Warner Bros. is owned by WarnerMedia, which is part of the telecommunications giant. In his article, Villeneuve called the release strategy “a desperate attempt to grab the audience’s attention.”
Live theater over Zoom is better when it’s interactive
Live theater over Zoom is a lot more fun when the audience gets to call the shots.
A new Broadway musical will premiere on Netflix due to COVID-19
'Diana: A New Musical' will premiere on Netflix ahead of its 2021 Broadway opening.
Niantic and Punchdrunk will bring immersive theater experiences to AR
Niantic is teaming up with the theater company behind New York City's popular 'Sleep No More' theater experience.
Disney+ is coming to Teslas ‘soon’
Disney+ is coming to Tesla's theater mode, at least according to a tweet from CEO Elon Musk. In response to a question about bringing Disney's service to Tesla vehicles, Musk responded "Coming soon." It means that, at some point in the not-too distant future, you'll be able to enjoy The Mandalorian in your car. And that there's another thing you can boast about to your friends who can't watch TV -- while parked -- on their ICI.
Regal Cinemas movie subscriptions are reportedly coming this month
Regal Cinemas is reportedly preparing to join the unlimited movie ticket subscription fray. It's said to be revealing its plans later this month. According to Variety, the three pricing tiers ($18, $21 and $24) will all offer unlimited tickets and will vary based on theater location, unlike the state-based pricing of AMC's year-old Stubs A-List service.
Magic Leap goes to the theater
A grungy live music bar off Austin's 6th Street was the site of a stirring Shakespeare performance at South by Southwest on Sunday. "All the world's a stage..." began the actor, perched on a leafy pedestal. He was about a foot tall and only visible through Magic Leap One headsets. "Tabletop theater" is what the the Royal Shakespeare Company has termed demos like this -- miniature productions that you can apparently watch anywhere -- and they are Magic Leap's first collaborations with the theater world.
The UK's first Dolby Cinema to open in London
London's iconic Odeon Leicester Square cinema has already firmly established itself in the silver screen history books, having hosted more than 700 film premieres since its opening in 1937. Now, it's getting another accolade. Following an 11-month, multi-million pound refurbishment, the cinema will re-open its doors this Christmas, complete with the UK's very first Dolby Cinema.
Cinemark CEO credits MoviePass for Movie Club's growing success
MoviePass has in many ways left an indelible mark on cinema. Its mobile-based subscription service empowered ardent theatergoers to enjoy multiple screenings a month, sometimes at near irresistible prices. It might be struggling for the moment, but Mark Zoradi, the CEO of Cinemark, says the rise of his company's Movie Club scheme is partly due to MoviePass' efforts.
'Emojiland' review: Come for the 💩, stay for the 💗
Warning: This review contains mild spoilers. Spending two hours of my life watching emoji deal with existential crises isn't something I ever expected to do. That almost feels fitting considering that the show's creators, Keith and Laura Harrison, never expected they'd have the chance to stage their emoji musical off-Broadway. Emojiland runs through Sunday as part of the New York Musical Festival, and it endeavors to deal with weightier subjects than you might expect from a show in which a woman dressed as a 💩 brings the house down with a brassy, gospel-inspired number in a bathroom stall. But what is it like to actually sit through? Not bad, actually, as long as you're walking in with an open mind.
Oculus is bringing live VR theater to your face
When you think about it, VR is ideal for the theatrical world: you'll always have the best seats in the house, and you can interact with the play without stepping on a stage. And now, Oculus wants to take advantage of that creative freedom. In an interview with CNET, the company's Yelena Rachitsky revealed that the company is working on an immersive theater format where VR lets you interact with live actors. The concept isn't strictly new (there have been VR performances before), but Oculus' approach would maintain that interactivity without being limited to performances that happen in one place.
MoviePass adds 500,000 subscribers within a month
MoviePass' $10-per-month subscription service was a hit from the start, enough to crash the company's website when it was first announced. It looks like demand isn't slowing down anytime soon either: it has gained 500,000 more subscribers merely a month after it reached 1.5 million users. The fact that MoviePass cut off members' access to some popular AMC theaters had little effect, if any. It's easy to see why 2 million would sign up: for 10 bucks a month -- an ongoing promo even cuts the price down to $7.95 -- they're entitled to see one 2D film a day, every day, without paying extra.
Samsung created a 3D version of its 34-foot cinema LED screen
Last year, Samsung unveiled its Cinema LED Screen, a giant, 34-foot screen that can be used in theaters in place of traditional projector systems. Now, Samsung has announced that it has created a 3D version of that screen and it brings all of the image quality benefits of the Cinema LED Screen as well as some added bonuses like less dizziness and fewer headaches compared to typical 3D cinema viewing experiences.
Cinemark launches a monthly movie program to rival MoviePass
MoviePass, the $10-per-month movie theater subscription service, was so unexpectedly popular when it launched last August that the company struggled to meet demand. Its success hasn't gone unnoticed, especially by the competition. Theater chain Cinemark is creating its own service, Movie Club, but with far less generous perks. For a $9 monthly subscription, it grants a single ticket (instead of one every day) but also gives 20 percent off concessions and cheaper bulk ticket rates.
DOJ: Cinemas must offer tech for blind and deaf customers
Digital distribution means that it's no longer a chore to distribute movies with audio description and closed captioning. Despite this, some theaters have resisted offering the service, cutting out people with disabilities from enjoying the full cinema experience. That's what's prompted Attorney General Loretta Lynch to sign a final rule affirming that theaters must own, maintain and advertise disability aids for patrons.
