Universal Hires Cathy Nam as SVP of Global Communications

Refresh for latest…: Warner Bros/DC’s The Flash sped into 78 overseas markets this weekend, grossing $75M, below the $85M-$95M we saw coming into the frame. With domestic’s slow-crawl three-day included, that makes for a $139M global opening. This is lower than projections, with general audiences not rushing out to see the deeper universe pic.

Cathy Dennis wrote some of the biggest pop songs ever including hits by Katy Perry and Kylie MinogueBritney Spears’ 2003 hit ‘Toxic’ is a pop classic and still the perfect song that will get everyone up on the dance floor even after 20 years.  The catchy tune features lyrics like ‘the taste of your lips, I’m on a ride’ and 'I'm addicted to you, don’t you know that you're toxic’. Singing along to this pop ballad you may have imagined a certain type of person who the song is about.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief The International Olympic Committee said on Thursday that Swiss-based, Chinese-owned Infront Sports & Media would handle broadcast right sales in much of Asia for the next series of Summer and Winter games. The deal covers 22 territories including Afghanistan, Brunei, Cambodia, Chinese Taipei, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Singapore, Tajikistan, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Vietnam – but not China, Japan or South Korea, and runs 2026-2032. That means it will cover the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics and the Los Angeles 2028 and Brisbane 2032 Summer games. The 2030 Winter Olympics, which have yet to be allocated a host, and all Youth Olympic Games during this period will also be covered.

If you were ever questioning just how powerful Christopher Nolan is in Hollywood, look no further than the situation that developed between the filmmaker and Warner Bros. during the pandemic.

It is finally official, “The Flash” director Andy Muschietti has been hired to direct the new Batman movie “The Brave and the Bold.”“We saw ‘The Flash; even before taking the reins at DC Studios, and knew we were in the hands of not only a visionary director but a massive DC fan,” Gunn and Safran said in a statement. “It’s a magnificent film – funny, emotional, thrilling – and Andy’s affinity and passion for these characters and this world just resonates through every frame.

Patrick Frater Asia Bureau Chief Hong Kong icon Johnnie To will head the jury of the sixth edition of the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest) next month. Other jurors include: Truong Ngoc Anh from Vietnam, Ryuichi Hiroki from Japan, Zizan Razak from Malaysia, and Eric Khoo from Singapore. The event will open with the world premiere of “Eraser,” directed by Mark Lee See Teck. The Malaysian film features the final on-screen appearance of the late Adibah Noor, a beloved Malaysian gem known for her timeless charisma. MIFFest will play “See You at the Rally,” directed by Taiwanese filmmaker Kanny Chang as its closing title. The festival is set to take place at LaLaport BBCC from July 23-29 and will play a total of 42 films from 15 countries.

EXCLUSIVE: Plan B Entertainment, Brad Pitt’s production company, is moving further into the audio space.

EXCLUSIVE: Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs’ Candle Media has hired a UK development boss for its fledgling True Stories label.

International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has appointed Clare Stewart to the post of Managing Director, taking over from outgoing Managing Director Marjan van der Haar.

My Name Is Earl star Ethan Suplee has revealed a gruesome accident saw his side “ripped open” in an accident.Suplee had undergone a procedure to remove loose skin after losing 300 pounds in weight.He then fell down a hill in an accident, and had his stitches accidentally ripped open.Calling the ordeal a “total nightmare” in an interview with the Daily Star, Suplee said: “It was not fun at all. This is one of the things that is not widely discussed with massive weight loss. If somebody’s got to lose 10lbs, odds are they’re not going to have excess skin.“I lost nearly 300lbs and I have not seen any instance of anybody losing that much weight and not having loose skin.

The cause of a fire which burned a former mill to the ground and led to the discovery of four Vietnamese nationals is still yet to be determined, an inquest has heard. Uoc Van Nguyen, Cuong Van Chu, Duong Van Nguyen and Nam Thanh Lee were all formally identified following the tragedy at the derelict Bismark House Mill.

Manori Ravindran Executive Editor of International The Toronto International Film Festival has hired veteran Canadian media executive Judy Lung as its VP of public relations and communications. Lung, who starts in the role on Monday, most recently served as director of communications for Canadian exhibition giant Cineplex. Over her 20-year career, Lung has handled public relations and communications for some of Canada’s leading arts and entertainment organizations. Her recent publicity campaigns span titles such as “Scarborough,” which is based on the novel by Catherine Hernandez, and David Cronenberg’s “Crimes of the Future.”

EXCLUSIVE: Film Independent has set 26 filmmakers from 15 nations to participate in the 2023 edition of their Global Media Makers LA Residency, which is being held in person this month.

Todd Spangler NY Digital Editor N’Jeri Eaton, former head of audio at Netflix and head of content at Apple Podcasts, is joining Wondery as head of co-productions for limited series. Eaton reports to George Lavender, head of creative production for limited series at Wondery. Eaton will oversee the podcast studio and network’s external collaborations, managing multiple shows from their initial idea through production and launch. For its original limited series, Wondery — a division of Amazon — has collaborated with partners including the Boston Globe’s Spotlight Team (“Gladiator”), NBC News (“Do No Harm”) and Bloomberg (“The Shrink Next Door,” which was adapted as an Apple TV+ show).

Katherine McNamara is opening up about the cancellation of Walker Independence. The CW opted not to renew the show after one season and the star of the series recently talked about how she found out.

Charlie Hunnam is seemingly taking a stand against gun violence.

Made in Chelsea's Sophie Habbo looked amazing on her honeymoon with co-star and now-husband Jamie Laing. In a photo shared by Jamie to his Instagram story, the 29 year old was glowing as she soaked up the sun in Panama while wearing only a geometric-patterned bikini top and a pair of denim blue shorts. He boasted that he was married to the beauty, writing: "Mrs Laing." The star's sun-kissed snap follows a disastrous start to their honeymoon after their luggage was lost as they flew from one country to another in a bid to get to South America.

Former New Line SVP Publicity and Communications Cathy Nam has joined Universal Filmed Entertainment Group as its new SVP Global Communications.

Universal’s Fast & Furious franchise has reached a new milestone, spinning past $7B at the global box office. Getting there, it becomes the fifth series of films to the mark, doing so with 11 titles. It’s currently the No. 5 franchise of all time, and is tied with Warner Bros’ Wizarding World for the fewest number of movies to get to $7B in the Top 5.

Guy Lodge Film Critic All of life, including death, is in the lengthy, unbroken shot that opens Thien An Pham’s bewitching debut feature “Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell.” We begin on the sidelines of a local soccer match in Saigon’s city center, observing the play from a cool distance before following a shuffling mascot, dressed in a wolf suit, to the adjoining bar. There, crowds watch a 2018 World Cup fixture while a group of young men, turned from the TV, drink and discuss matters of faith, existence and ennui. Thien (Le Phong Vu) is quiet and morose, only half-invested in a conversation already beset with distractions: the sales pitch of a bubbly beer rep, the burst of a sudden summer thunderstorm, a metallic screech and grim thump as the camera again drifts serenely over to reveal the aftermath of a fatal motorcycle crash. In the ensuing rhubarb of bystander concern, Thien stays put.