Director Rob Marshall, whose feature film directing debut, Chicago, won the best motion picture Oscar, is moving into the spot arena. He’s now available to helm commercials via an exclusive deal with bicoastal Moxie Pictures…..PostWorks, New York has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all the assets of Tapehouse, New York, and its affiliates (Tapehouse Editorial, Tapehouse Digital Film, Tapehouse Broadband, Tapehouse Toons, Photomag, Black Logic and The Anx), as well as the assets of SMA Realtime, New York. Additionally, PostWorks has acquired 50 percent of New York audio post house Caterini Studios. The deals widely expand PostWorks continued growth into high definition, film finishing, visual effects, CG animation, graphic design and audio. In the coming months, PostWorks New York plans to consolidate most of the companies into a new 45,000-square-foot corporate headquarters in the SoHo section of New York—a prime exception being The Anx, which will remain in its current downtown Manhattan facility….Director Jason Harrington has shifted his U.K. representation from London-based Stark Films to Believe Media, London. This consolidates his relationship with Believe globally; he joined bicoastal Believe last summer for U.S. market spots….Bob English has joined R!OT Manhattan as creative director; he continues as creative director at thebritpack, New York, which has scaled back its operations…..Colorist Roger H. Doran has joined Company 3, New York… Editor Lars Fuchs has come aboard Click 3X, New York…..Mitchel Greenspan, formerly of DeWolfe Music Library, New York, has launched American Music Company, a music publishing and library music catalog based in Oceanside, N.Y….Composer/producer Brian Aumueller and producer Chris Gargani have partnered to launch Blue Room Music, New York…..Debbie Brenner has launched SmallFishBigPond, a marketing and competitive strategy consultancy tailored for postproduction houses and other industry facilities. Brenner was formerly director of marketing and product demonstrator/trainer for Quantel, New Canaan, Conn….In last week’s (3/28) "Street Talk" item regarding the promotion of John Garland at J. Walter Thompson (JWT), the incorrect office was stated. Garland is executive VP/creative director of broadcast and development at the New York office of JWT….
“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