Content production company Recommended has signed Jen Giles to handle Midwest representation. Recommended’s directorial roster includes Cynthia Wade, Woods, Scott Zabielski, Phil Abraham and Snorri Sturluson….kaboom productions, headed by exec producer Lauren Schwartz, has signed with B/Lush Creative, under the aegis of Deirdre Rymer, for exclusive West Coast representation….Commercial production veteran and former Superfad managing director Kevin Batten has launched Pop-Arts Management, a management and production-consulting firm which represents design, animation, production and VFX companies for commercials and content. Batten’s deep production experience at studios such as Digital Kitchen and Brand New School, and agencies including Deutsch and Wieden+Kennedy, enables Pop-Arts to package multi-disciplinary projects under one roof for clients. Pop-Arts currently reps Logan, Logan & Sons, Gentlemen Scholar and Great Guns….Curious Film, Australia/New Zealand, is diving into the North American market with the appointment of Chicago-based Chris Breneman as head of sales USA. Breneman is now the local US link to Curious’ directors and a team of Australasian producers with experience spanning 12 years in Australia, New Zealand and Asia. Curious’ directors–Darryl Ward, Ash Bolland, Miki Magasiva. Regan Hall, Robin Walters, Sally Shapcott, Sam Kristofski, Stephen Kang, Summer Agnew, Tammy Davis and Zia Mandviwalla–are already well known in the US for campaigns like Old Navy and Air NZ….DP Phedon Papamichael, ASC (a Best Cinematography Oscar nominee for Nebraska), is now repped for commercials at UTA….
Is “Glicked” The New “Barbenheimer”? “Wicked” and “Gladiator II” Hit Theater Screens
"Barbenheimer" was a phenomenon impossible to manufacture. But, more than a year later, that hasn't stopped people from trying to make "Glicked" — or even "Babyratu" — happen.
The counterprogramming of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer" in July 2023 hit a nerve culturally and had the receipts to back it up. Unlike so many things that begin as memes, it transcended its online beginnings. Instead of an either-or, the two movies ultimately complemented and boosted one another at the box office.
And ever since, moviegoers, marketers and meme makers have been trying to recreate that moment, searching the movie release schedule for odd mashups and sending candidates off into the social media void. Most attempts have fizzled (sorry, "Saw Patrol" ).
This weekend is perhaps the closest approximation yet as the Broadway musical adaptation "Wicked" opens Friday against the chest-thumping sword-and-sandals epic "Gladiator II." Two big studio releases (Universal and Paramount), with one-name titles, opposite tones and aesthetics and big blockbuster energy — it was already halfway there before the name game began: "Wickiator," "Wadiator," "Gladwick" and even the eyebrow raising "Gladicked" have all been suggested.
"'Glicked' rolls off the tongue a little bit more," actor Fred Hechinger said at the New York screening of "Gladiator II" this week. "I think we should all band around 'Glicked.' It gets too confusing if you have four or five different names for it."
As with "Barbenheimer," as reductive as it might seem, "Glicked" also has the male/female divide that make the fan art extra silly. One is pink and bright and awash in sparkles, tulle, Broadway bangers and brand tie-ins; The other is all sweat and sand, blood and bulging... Read More