Italian Exhibitors Decry Death of 500 Screens as Box Office Fails to Reignite

Amber (Alison Brie) is stuck in year nine of a dead-end job managing a Bakersfield franchise of a beloved Italian restaurant chain called Tuscan Grove. Waking up next to her cat, her day-to-day includes training new employees on the cash register, breaking up fights in the kitchen, and reheating the chain’s signature Alfredo sauce in the microwave.

Welcome to Deadline’s International Disruptors, a feature where we shine a spotlight on key executives and companies shaking up the offshore marketplace. This week, we’re talking to Netflix VP of Italian Originals Eleonora “Tinny” Andreatta. The veteran exec was pivotal in bringing shows such as My Brilliant Friend to audiences during her 25-year career at public service broadcaster Rai and here she speaks to Deadline about the local and global strategy for her newest role. 

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterRobert Pattinson’s “The Batman” towered over international box office charts, collecting $120 million from 74 overseas markets.After debuting to $128.5 million in North America, the Warner Bros. comic book adventure has generated $248.5 million globally to date.

Manori Ravindran International EditorIn 2020, one of the first indications that all wasn’t right for a global TV industry just waking up to the threat of COVID was the Chinese delegation of buyers pulling out of the BBC Studios Showcase.As revealed by Variety on Feb. 5, 2020, around 20 Chinese companies skipped the early February event due to travel bans in place for parts of China following the coronavirus outbreak, whose death toll had just surpassed that of SARS.Two years later, world events are again affecting London Screenings. Several senior distribution sources have told Variety that most representatives from Russian streamers, broadcasters and distributors, as well as Ukrainian media companies, have canceled their trips to the U.K.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterSony’s video game adaptation “Uncharted,” starring Tom Holland as street-smart treasure hunter Nathan Drake, had another solid showing at the international box office.Over the weekend, the PG-13 video game adaptation collected $35 million from 64 overseas territories, pushing its international tally to $143 million. With $83 million in North American ticket sales, “Uncharted” has generated $226.4 million globally so far. That haul is impressive because “Uncharted” has yet to open in China (March 14), which currently stands as the world’s biggest theatrical market.“Uncharted” continues to pull in crowds in the United Kingdom, Holland’s birthplace.

Refresh for latest…: Sony’s Uncharted handily crossed the $200M mark globally this weekend, after adding $35M from 64 overseas markets and $23.3M domestically. The international box office cume is now $143M. Worldwide, the Tom Holland/Mark Wahlberg-starrer counts $226.4M.

Resembling more of a personal tribute than exhaustive biography, Pietro Marcello‘s Lucio Dalla documentary, “For Lucio,” takes its title as an invitation. A rambling eulogy that is just as often confusing as it is profound, Marcello’s wisp of a film (running less than 80 minutes) may be missing key context for those not already versed in the life and music of the politically-oriented Italian singer-songwriter.

Naman Ramachandran BBC Studios has revealed a format agreement for an Italian version of Abi Morgan‘s hit show “The Split.” Locally titled “Studio Battaglia,” the screenplay has been adapted by Lisa Nur Sultan (Golden Globe winner for “On My Skin”) and is directed by Simone Spada (“Hotel Gagarin”). The Italian cast includes Barbora Bobulova, (“Sacred Heart”), Miriam Dalmazio (“Anna”), Marina Occhionero (“Monterossi”), Lunetta Savino (“Saturn in Opposition”), Massimo Ghini (“The New Pope”) Thomas Trabacchi (“Nico, 1988”) and Giorgio Marchesi (“Medici”) .Originally produced by “Chernobyl” maker Sister in association with Little Chick, the six-part Italian series is produced by Palomar with Tempesta Film in collaboration with Rai Fiction.

Refresh for latest…: After debuting early in 15 overseas markets last weekend, Sony’s Uncharted was game for another $55.4M at the international box office this session in a total 62 offshore hubs. With a projected $51M four-day domestic frame, the weekend maps out at $106.4M worldwide. This takes the running offshore cume to $88M and global to $139M.

Brent Lang Executive Editor of Film and Media“Uncharted,” a long-gestating film adaptation of a popular series of video games, racked up $3.7 million in Thursday previews. The big-budget adventure is a key test of Tom Holland’s bankability, coming on the heels of his blockbuster success with “Spider-Man: No Way Home.” The Marvel adventure recently topped “Avatar” to become the third highest-grossing domestic release in history. This time, Holland trades in Spidey’s spandex for treasure hunter Nathan Drake’s cream-colored v-neck and holster.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterThese days, Tom Holland is never too far from the top of box office charts.The “Spider-Man: No Way Home” actor is returning to theaters this weekend as a different kind of vigilante in Sony’s “Uncharted,” an action adventure based on the popular video game. The film is expected to make $27 million between Friday and Sunday and $30 million through President’s Day on Monday. Some box office prognosticators believe “Uncharted” could reach $35 million in its first four days in theaters.

Sony will release it’s first movie of 2022, and second Tom Holland title after Spider-Man: No Way Home over the 4-day Presidents Day weekend, Uncharted, in what is expected to be a $70M+ haul worldwide.

Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures’ Dune has hit a new milestone, crossing the $400M mark worldwide. Through Monday, the international box office cume is $292.3M with $107.8M from domestic for a an estimated global haul of $400.1M so far.

Rebecca Rubin Film and Media ReporterMere months after Tom Holland ignited box office charts with “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the 25-year-old British actor is swinging back to movie theater marquees with “Uncharted.”Ahead of its domestic debut on Feb. 18, Sony’s big-screen adaptation of its popular video game series opened at the international box office to a solid $21.5 million from 15 overseas markets.“Uncharted” had the biggest start in the United Kingdom, landing in first place with $6.4 million.

Refresh for latest…: Hitting 15 offshore markets ahead of its domestic debut and further overseas expansion next weekend, Sony’s Uncharted mapped out an international box office launch of $21.5M. The Tom Holland/Mark Wahlberg-starrer was No. 1 in each of its openings, taking advantage of school holidays in some markets and, of course, the Spider-Man Holland halo.

Jan DeWitt, who produced over 500 hours of television and features, including many episodes of Bones and Judging Amy, died as a result of Covid on the morning of January 29 at his home in Santa Barbara. His friend and partner, Charlene, was by his side and his daughter, Anika, was on the phone from Colorado when he passed. He was 75.

produced another PR liability for the studio in the interim. That said, “Death on the Nile” is projected by independent trackers for an opening between $11-13 million. That would be less than half of the opening of its predecessor, “Murder on the Orient Express,” which opened to $28.6 million in November 2017 and in its previews made $1.6 million.