I have never been evacuated from my lounge room because of a fart
At home viewing: 1, cinemas: 0
Look, it’s great that people are excited about going to the movies again. The new Spidey film fell just a few million shy of making a billion dollars on its opening weekend. But, before one can declare that “the movies are back, baby”, it’s important to note that while a handful of movies are driving attendance, attendees are still seeing fewer films than they were pre-pandemic with no signs of that changing in the near future.
But that doesn’t stop my social feeds from people declaring that the movies are back and some enthusiastic cineastes suggesting that audiences are tiring of watching movies and premium TV dramas at home alone. I’m told that what makes the cinema great is the experience of seeing it with other people.
Other people.
It is my long-held belief that other people are the worst and it is other people that make cinema attendance a struggle.
Which brings me to this story on what is, quite obviously, a very slow news day.
I’ve never had to leave my home lounge-room due to a bout of rotten flatulence. But the same can’t be said for those attending the Spider-Man: Brave New Day screening in Cartagena, Colombia where the cinema was evacuated.
This, from a hard-hitting NY Post story:
Many viewers ripped the filmgoer for cutting the cheese during a screening.
“There’s no respect anymore, but I don’t think anyone is so rotten as to evacuate an entire auditorium,” said one.
Another wrote, “To ruin a whole cinema like that, only God knows what that person ate.”
Others labeled the anonymous wind breaker the film’s real “villain.”
News Desk
Development & Casting
Dave Bautista is in talks to play Kratos in Amazon’s God of War series, replacing Ryan Hurst, who exited after tearing a bicep during a stunt. Read: Deadline
Amazon MGM has ordered DINKS, an improvised multi-cam sitcom from Friends co-creator Marta Kauffman‘s production company Okay Goodnight, starring June Diane Raphael and Paul Scheer, in a first-of-its-kind deal with Lionsgate. Read: thefutoncritic
A Warhammer 40,000 animated series is in development at Amazon as a Secret Level spinoff, with Henry Cavill executive producing alongside Tim Miller. Read: Variety
Talent
Michelle Pfeiffer says she never wants to star in another movie after Margo’s Got Money Troubles, developing a taste for ensemble work. Read: The Hollywood Reporter
Sport & Streaming
Netflix has set its Australian on-air team — led by Elle Duncan, Michael Irvin, Noah Eagle, and Luke Kuechly — for its first-ever regular-season NFL game, the 49ers-Rams clash in Melbourne on Sept. 10. Read: The Futon Critic
News & Media
Ousted 60 Minutes correspondents Scott Pelley and Sharyn Alfonsi have been named Columbia Journalism School’s inaugural journalists-in-residence for 2026-27. Read: The New York Times
Have I Got News For You producer Jimmy Mulville says the BBC has grown “nervous” about Trump jokes amid the president’s $10bn lawsuit against the broadcaster. Read: Deadline
Box Office & Exhibition
IMAX is splitting its North American screens between The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, giving the record-breaking Sony film digital IMAX runs from Aug. 6. Read: The Hollywood Reporter
Streaming & Legacy
J. Michael Straczynski has launched an official Babylon 5 YouTube channel with Warner Bros. Discovery, rolling out full episodes weekly plus new commentary and extras. Read: Bleeding Cool
Gaming
Insomniac’s Marvel’s Wolverine has landed an ESRB “Mature” rating, with partial nudity noted for briefly depicting a character’s exposed buttocks. Read: Polygon
Obit
Natalia Dontcheva, star of the French adaptation of Doc Martin, has died at 56 after a 10-year illness. Read: Deadline
Trailer Park
Star Wars: Visions Presents – The Ninth Jedi debuts August 5 on Disney+.
Beyond light and dark lies a power never seen before.
That’s the newsletter for the today.
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