Robert Fernandez is coming aboard bicoastal Moxie Pictures as partner/executive producer. Fernandez, who’s enjoyed a long tenure at bicoastal/international @radical.media, will succeed Gary Rose. A month and a half ago, Rose exited Moxie to become an executive producer/partner at bicoastal Go Film (SHOOT, 3/7, p. 1)….Public Domain, the bicoastal production house headed by executive producer Steve Shore, has entered into a strategic affiliation with Czar Films, the European shop headquartered in Amsterdam. Per the deal, Public Domain will provide U.S. representation for Czar’s directors, while Czar will handle Public Domain’s helmers in the European spot market….Will Vinton, founder/ chairman of Vinton Studios, Portland, Ore., was laid off last week from the company that bears his name. The move came just days after he resigned from the studio’s board of directors. Vinton and several others were let go as part of a corporate restructuring; however, the exact reasons behind the end of Vinton’s 27-year tenure at the company weren’t clear at press time….Director Stephen Kessler has come aboard Venice, Calif.-based Trio Films.….Industry vets Michael Raimondi, Werner Mayes and Ron Moler have launched Union Editorial. The Santa Monica shop’s roster includes editors Nico Alba, Einar, Jay Friedkin and Ira Klein. Additionally Rye Dahlman is cutting projects under the Union banner….Editor Mike Douglas has joined ChicKönKey, New York. He comes over from MacKenzie Cutler, New York….New York-based Cine/drsa international has signed UK director/still photographer Harry Rankin for commercials….Kyle Cooper, a co-founder in bicoastal design company Imaginary Forces, is departing the shop to pursue live-action work and feature films, as well as projects for the film and commercial industries….Executive producer Justin Corsbie has launched Synthetic Pictures. The Austin, Texas-headquartered production shop opens with directors Richard Kooris, Robert Strack, Gary Perweiler, Rich Carroll, Ken Lewin, Joe Piccirillo, Walter Pawluk, Eric Pham and Dennis Fagan on its roster….Culver City, Calif.-based barton: holt has signed songwriter/record producer Mike "Smidi" Smith for spot work….Jason Menkes has joined Sacred Noise, New York, as producer. Menkes was most recently executive producer at the New York office of bicoastal tomandandy….Jonathan Airale has been promoted to dailies colorist at Bobine Video, the Santa Monica-based telecine boutique owned by colorist Jais Thierry Lamaire and producer Julie Airale. Jonathan Airale had been Lamaire’s assistant for the past six-plus years…Steve Solomon, a co-founder of the New York Production Alliance (NYPA), has joined the organization’s executive committee. Solomon, who is a principal in New York law firm Hutton & Solomon, replaced Marva Topham, who has retired….
“Dog Man” Fetches $36 Million To Top Weekend Box Office
DreamWorks Animation's "Dog Man" fetched $36 million in ticket sales at the weekend box office, according to studio estimates Sunday, making it the biggest debut yet in 2025.
It was a big opening for the Universal Pictures release adapted from the popular graphic novel series by author Dav Pilkey. The big-screen launch for the cartoon canine was produced for a modest $40 million, meaning it will easily coast through a profitable run. Audiences gave it an "A" CinemaScore.
Only one animated film before has had a better January launch: 2016's "Kung Fu Panda 3." "Dog Man," though, was soft overseas, collecting $4.2 million from 29 international markets. The voice cast of the Peter Hastings-directed movie is led by Pete Davidson, Lil Rel Howery and Isla Fisher.
Family movies last year buoyed the box office, with PG-rated films accounting for $2.9 billion, or 33% of all ticket revenue, according to data firm Comscore. So far, they're lifting 2025, too. The Walt Disney Co.'s December release "Mufasa: The Lion King" topped the weekend box office three times in January. In its seventh week of release, "Mufasa" held in third place with another $6.1 million, bringing its global tally to $653 million.
"The PG animation family film wave that was so prevalent in '24 continues in '25," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore.
The horror comedy "Companion," from Warner Bros. and New Line, also opened well, with $9.5 million in 3,285 locations. Drew Hancock's sci-fi tinged film set in the near future is about a group of friends on a weekend lakeside getaway.
"Companion," starring Sophie Thatcher ( "Heretic" ), was lightly marketed and made for just $10 million. It will depend on glowing reviews (94% fresh on Rotten... Read More