Hillary Pitcher is joining Toronto-based studio The Juggernaut in the role of executive producer. Pitcher has extensive experience in production as well as sales and marketing at various houses and agencies, including Lowe Roche, Open and School Editing in Toronto, and Robin Frank Management in New York. Pitcher will play a key role as The Juggernaut expands its capabilities into full content production after 17 years as a postproduction/VFX house. The Juggernaut now represents a varied lineup of directors, DPs, designers, and creators including Mathew den Boer, Nigel McGinn, Nick Sewell, Cam Roden, comedy director Mark Mainguy and veteran director/DP Eric Yealland. The roster is supported by in-house editor and online artist Alec McKay. The roster expansion coincides with The Juggernaut’s move into its new downtown studio, a historic coach house near Kensington Market. The space, which is in the final stages of a rebuild by noted architects Francesca Piccaluga and Vis Sankrithi, features a fully equipped shooting space with load-in, editing and finishing suites, and an industrial kitchen designed to accommodate food and beverage shoots. The Juggernaut recently worked with Cronos Group to film the cannabis brand’s operations and growth facility; produced a live-action/animated national campaign for Molson with Rethink; worked with agency SOS to shoot and edit promotional pieces for Queen’s and Algoma universities; collaborated with forthcoming video-app Snibble on an animated brand video; produced a series of animated content for gaming giant Ubisoft; and shot and finished more than 80 beverage and recipe videos for Diageo. The Juggernaut was founded in 2002 by partners Patrick Fay (new business) and Craig Small (executive creative director)….
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