Entertainment, Media & Licensing - Overview & Insights 12/15

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From the expected box office performances of Kraven the Hunter and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, this week in entertainment brings a mix of blockbuster news and streaming sensations. Explore the highly anticipated cinematic showdowns, the surge of festive Netflix hits, and the latest trends dominating Spotify’s charts. Plus, discover groundbreaking collaborations, from luxury cookie tie-ins with Call of Duty to Squid Game collectibles reimagined by KAWS.

BONUS CONTENT: Explore how recent marketing efforts are shaping early 2025 box office projections. Get a sneak peek into the broader landscape, with a detailed analysis coming in the weeks ahead. This exclusive look leverages the same proven methodology used to forecast box office success for blockbusters like Barbie, Wicked, Moana 2, Wonka, Gladiator II, and more—over six months in advance.

As expected, Walt Disney Animation Studios ' Moana 2 continues to dominate the box office, now amassing an impressiv $338 million domestically since its release, followed by Wicked. This week’s two major releases, Kraven the Hunter and The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim, performed in line with expectations, with the Sony Pictures Entertainment falling slightly below the lower end of projections, as audience interest dwindled and the marketing efforts failed to generate the necessary momentum and the Warner Bros. Entertainment animation achieving the exact mid point of the projection. The results align with projections based on digital signals tracked since January for Kraven and June for the LOTR animation.

Looking ahead, the highly anticipated battle between Mufasa: The Lion King and Sonic the Hedgehog 3 is drawing near. Paramount Pictures and Original Film 's movie is currently gaining an edge, driven by stronger digital signals, particularly among young male audiences. However, The Walt Disney Studios film is showing promising momentum. With the recent buzz from its red carpet premiere and positive early reactions, interest in watching it in theaters is growing compared to waiting for streaming.

The following week brings another cinematic clash, this time between Searchlight Pictures ' A Complete Unknown and Focus Features ' Nosferatu. Both films are in a close race, setting the stage for an exciting box office showdown. This will also act as another test for Timothée Chalamet's star power, underscoring the prominence of United Talent Agency 's leading talent.

Lindsay Lohan's latest holiday film, Our Little Secret, continues to dominate as the most-viewed movie on Netflix globally for the second consecutive week, holding the #1 spot in 42 countries. With Netflix fully embracing holiday-themed content, it’s no surprise that seven of this week’s top 10 movies were holiday films. Subservience, starring United Talent Agency 's talent Megan Fox, premiered this week but didn’t achieve significant international traction, ranking as the 7th most-watched movie on the platform—largely driven by viewership in the U.S.

On the series side, Senna: Limited Series has seen remarkable engagement, becoming the most-watched non-English show of the week and the third most-viewed series overall. Its global appeal is evident, as it appeared in the top 10 in over 50 countries and ranked as the most-watched content in Brazil. Meanwhile, The Madness maintains its position as the #1 show, with newcomer Black Dove completing the top three.

Top Disney+ content continues to remain consistent, with a new entry this week. Pixar Animation Studios miniseries Dream Production broke into the top 10 list just days after its release, driven by its global appeal. It has quickly become the #1 content on the platform across multiple markets.

Max continues to rely heavily on theatrical titles to sustain engagement, with Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice taking the lead as the most-watched movie on the platform. Meanwhile, Paramount+ continues to benefit from Taylor Sheridan's universe, with Yellowstone and Lioness ranking as the #2 and #3 most-watched series globally. However, the conclusion of Yellowstone and the season finale of Lioness may impact the platform’s engagement moving forward.

As anticipated, MGM 's Red One generated significant streaming interest. The film, starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, and J.K. Simmons, debuted on Prime on December 12th and quickly became the #1 movie on the platform, earning the #2 spot across all streaming content for the week. On the series side, Cruel Intentions has solidified itself as a global phenomenon, surpassing Cross as the #1 series. Additionally, Prime is emerging as a strong platform for gaming IPs, with Secret Level being the latest success story. Since its release on December 10th, the first batch of episodes has become a top-ranked title in over 100 countries.

During the week of November 17th in the U.S., Cross debuted at No. 1 on streaming charts, amassing 1.3 billion minutes viewed in its first four days. The Prime Video series, starring Aldis Hodge—represented by Paradigm Talent Agency —performed exceptionally well with Black audiences, who accounted for 40% of its total watch time. Close behind, with another 1.3 billion minutes viewed, was Marvel Studios / 20th Century Studios Deadpool & Wolverine, which premiered on Disney+ on November 14th, making it the most-streamed movie of the period.

The rest of the top 10 streaming series remained consistent with the previous week. Netflix's Outer Bank, Hulu 's Family Guy and Bob's Burgers, and ABC's Grey's Anatomy rounded out the top spots. Meanwhile, The Penguin finale delivered 595 million minutes of viewing time, bringing its cumulative total to 4.5 billion minutes across Max and HBO airings. Additionally, Ludo Studio 's Bluey continued its strong performance, maintaining its place in the rankings with nearly 1 billion minutes viewed.

On the movie side, Netflix dominated with holiday rom-coms Hot Frosty and Meet Me Next Christmas, breaking into the top 10. Meanwhile, the 2018 classic Dr. Seuss' The Grinch began its seasonal surge, with 46% of its engagement driven by kids aged 2-11.

Seasonality is clearly influencing Spotify 's streaming trends this week, with Mariah Carey climbing to No. 3 on the charts with her holiday classic All I Want for Christmas Is You. But the "Queen of Christmas" isn’t alone in bringing festive cheer to the rankings—other seasonal staples, including Wham!'s Last Christmas, Brenda Lee's Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree, and Bobby Helms' Jingle Bell Rock, have also secured spots on the list. Meanwhile, Bruno Mars continues to dominate the top two positions with his hits Die With a Smile and APT, showcasing his enduring popularity despite the holiday wave.

Sabrina Carpenter has reclaimed her status as one of the most in-demand celebrities, propelled by the release of her Netflix special, "A Nonsense Christmas with Sabrina Carpenter." Since its debut on December 6, the festive variety show has topped content charts in over 70 countries, showcasing Sabrina's widespread appeal.

As anticipated, Mariah Carey continues her annual ascent in popularity, buoyed by the holiday season's embrace of her classic hits. Simultaneously, Timothée Chalamet has entered the top 10 most in-demand celebrities this week, driven by the promotional activities surrounding his portrayal of Bob Dylan in the upcoming Searchlight Pictures film A Complete Unknown, set to release on December 25.

In industry news:

• J.J. Abrams and his production company, Bad Robot, have entered into a new two-year, first-look, non-exclusive television and film deal with Warner Bros.
• Games Workshop PLC has finalized an agreement to develop a live-action television series based on the Warhammer 40,000 universe, with WME | William Morris Endeavor 's talent Henry Cavill set to star and serve as executive producer.
• HBO's Harry Potter television series is scheduled to begin filming in mid-summer 2025 at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden in the United Kingdom, the original filming location for the eight Harry Potter films.

Recent collaborations in consumer products and licensing are bridging entertainment, fashion, and lifestyle, offering fans fresh ways to connect with their favorite brands.

BATMAN x Ozob: In celebration of Batman's 85th anniversary, DC Comics has partnered with Deive Pazos and Alexandre Ottoni 's Jovem Nerd to introduce a crossover featuring Batman and Ozob, a character from the Jovem Nerd universe. This collaboration debuted at Omelete Company 's CCXP 2024, offering fans a special box set that includes exclusive artwork, apparel, pins, and other accessories that blend elements from both universes.

Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami: Two decades after their initial partnership, 路易·威登 is reissuing its iconic collection with Japanese artist Takashi Murakami. Set to launch on January 1, 2025, this vibrant re-edition will feature refreshed designs of the original motifs, including the multicolored monogram and cherry blossom patterns, across a range of products such as handbags, small leather goods, and collector's items.

Uniqlo x SpongeBob x Cactus Plant Flea Market: UNIQLO has collaborated with Nickelodeon and fashion label Cactus Plant Flea Market to create a unique collection that merges streetwear aesthetics with the beloved SpongeBob SquarePants franchise. The line includes graphic tees and hoodies that showcase SpongeBob characters reimagined through Cactus Plant Flea Market's distinctive design lens.

Barbie x Care Bears: Mattel, Inc. has introduced a collaboration between Barbie and Cloudco Entertainment 's Care Bears, featuring a special edition Barbie doll inspired by the colorful and nostalgic Care Bears universe. This partnership aims to blend the iconic elements of both brands, offering collectors and fans a unique addition to their collections.

Last Crumb x Call of Duty: Luxury cookie brand Last Crumb has partnered with Activision 's Call of Duty to create a limited-edition cookie collection inspired by the game's themes and characters. This collaboration aims to offer fans a unique culinary experience that merges gourmet treats with gaming culture.

KAWS x Squid Game: Contemporary artist KAWS has teamed up with Netflix and AllRightsReserved to reinterpret "Young-Hee," the animatronic doll from the series Squid Game. The collaboration features a 15-inch vinyl figure available in both colored and monotone variations, showcasing KAWS's signature style blended with the iconic character. The figures are set to release on December 19, 2024, through DDT Store, with a limited-time pop-up at Shinsegae Gangnam in Seoul from December 13 to 18.

Hypebeans x Sanrio: Hypebeans, a specialty coffee brand, has collaborated with Sanrio to introduce a series of limited-edition beverages and merchandise featuring beloved Sanrio characters. This partnership aims to blend specialty coffee culture with the iconic charm of Sanrio's creations, offering fans a unique and delightful experience.

PUMA x Scooby-Doo x LaMelo Ball: PUMA Group has teamed up with Warner Bros. and National Basketball Association (NBA) player LaMelo Ball to launch a special edition of the MB.04 basketball shoe, inspired by the iconic Scooby-Doo franchise. The design draws elements from the Mystery Machine, featuring a vibrant color palette and playful graphics, including Scooby-Doo dribbling a basketball on the heel. This collaboration merges sportswear with classic animation, appealing to both basketball enthusiasts and fans of the series.

BONUS CONTENT- 2025 Box Office Projections: Lionsgate 's Strategic Marketing for Ballerina Pays Off at CCXP

Lionsgate's marketing push for Ballerina, starring CAA's talent Ana de Armas, is yielding promising results following its showcase at CCXP. The buzz generated at the event has positively impacted box office projections based on digital signals, with trends indicating growing audience anticipation.

Early digital analytics reveal that Ballerina is slightly outperforming other highly anticipated releases, such as Disney’s Snow White and WBD/ Legendary Entertainment 's Minecraft. However, it still trails behind massive franchise juggernauts like Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning from Paramount.

The film's key challenge lies in convincing audiences to prioritize the theatrical experience over the convenience of streaming. As momentum builds, Lionsgate’s focus will have to center on amplifying the movie’s appeal to position it as a must-watch event on the big screen.

Stay tuned for more insights and early projections shaping the 2025 box office landscape.