AGP Executive Report

Box Office Buzz: Yash’s Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is already smashing advance booking milestones, crossing 1 million tickets ahead of its Aug. 26 release and building toward a possible Rs 100 crore opening. Streaming & Home Releases: Venom: The Last Dance lands on Disney+ today, while Kevin Hart and Jack Black’s Borderlands is now streaming on Peacock. Franchise & Universe Talk: Kevin Smith says a Marvel/Star Wars crossover comic feels like an MCU movie in approach; Marvel also teases a Ghost Rider feature starring Ryan Gosling, with Oscar Isaac’s Moon Knight return now the big fan question. Hollywood/Studio Drama: James Gunn denies DCU Brave and the Bold rumors, while Mark Ruffalo’s merger backlash keeps the Paramount-Warner fight in the headlines. Global Film Culture: Venice Film Festival adds Gaza doc NAZA; China’s anti-war hit Once Upon a Time in the Middle East keeps drawing huge audiences. Local Production Notes: Liverpool city centre is again a filming hub for a Channel 4 thriller, and Glasgow is turning into Gotham for The Batman II—with locals joking they’re trying to sneak in Scottish staples.

Hollywood-India Watch: Salman Khan’s Raj & DK superhero film is reportedly gearing up for a January 2027 start after Farzi 2 wraps, with pre-production groundwork targeted for late October. Big-Budget India: A new report puts India’s most expensive films into a Rs 4,000-crore club, led by Nitesh Tiwari’s Ramayana parts 1 & 2. Box Office Buzz: Yash’s Toxic has surged past ₹28 crore in advance bookings ahead of its Aug 26 release. Festival Spotlight: Selvi, starring and produced by Anjali Patil, lands a World Premiere at Busan’s 31st International Film Festival (Vision–Asia). Franchise & Streaming: Avengers: Endgame Encore gets its first official teaser ahead of a Sept 25 re-release; Jujutsu Kaisen 0 arrives on Hulu Sept 30. Industry Power Struggle: California AG Rob Bonta cancels talks over the Paramount-Warner Bros $110B deal, citing bad faith, as the merger fight continues. Controversy in the Mix: Will Forte blasts Warner Bros after Coyote vs. Acme was shelved for three years. Global Cinema: Venice adds Gaza investigative doc NAZA to its main competition.

Box Office: “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” stayed on top for a fourth straight weekend in North America, pulling in $39M (down 45% week to week) and bringing its domestic total to $854.9M, while Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” slipped to third with $19.5M. Streaming & Releases: Netflix dropped the trailer for “Call My Agent! The Movie,” with Camille Cottin returning as Andrea ahead of a Sept. 10 France launch. New Projects: Hive Media cast Jung-woo Ha, Bo-hyun Ahn, Hae-joon Park and Sung-il Jung in “Inside Men: The Birth of Villains,” a late-1980s prequel exploring the origins of the cartel. Industry Clash: California AG Rob Bonta canceled a planned Paramount meeting, accusing the studio of leaking and misrepresenting settlement talks in the Warner Bros. Discovery merger fight. Documentary Spotlight: Venice Film Festival added “NAZA,” a Gaza war documentary from The Guardian and “No Other Land” filmmakers, to its main competition. Local Screen Culture: Malaysia’s FINAS says compulsory screening collections jumped to RM253.31M in 2025, and is probing cartel/market dominance claims in the film industry.

Antitrust Showdown: California AG Rob Bonta is expected to push Paramount to divest some cable channels and keep its movie studio separate from Warner Bros before signing off on the $110B Paramount-Warner Bros Discovery merger, as talks are set for Monday. Studio Drama: Mark Ruffalo is firing back at Paramount Skydance after the company accused him of using “antisemitic tropes” in his merger criticism, escalating a dispute tied to Oracle’s long-running Israel defense contracts. DC on Screen: Filming for “The Batman: Part II” is underway in Glasgow, with leaked Batmobile chase footage and “#SnowTires” teasing a winter-set sequel. Streaming Moves: Yash’s “Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups” hits theaters Aug. 26, while YRF’s spy-universe entry “Alpha” lands on Netflix Aug. 28. Global Indie Spotlight: “Pastt Tense” premieres at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne, and “Plump Blossom” (AI-assisted animation) readies a Sept. 23 local release. Box Office Watch: “Irumudi” crosses Rs 50 crore India net in three days; “Awarapan 2” keeps steady momentum, reaching Rs 136.5 crore India net by day 10.

Streaming & Releases: Brad Pitt’s WWII epic Inglourious Basterds is now streaming, while Disney+ rolls out Venom: The Last Dance and other new fall-week titles. Franchise Buzz: One Piece announces two new anime films—God Valley (2027) and BAAD (2029)—and The Batman Part 2 set footage teases a major chase in Glasgow. Marvel/TV Heat: Mark Ruffalo fires back at Paramount over antisemitism accusations tied to the Warner Bros. Discovery merger; meanwhile, Lioness keeps proving action thrillers can be character-driven. Industry & Legal: A federal judge temporarily blocks Paramount’s $110B Warner Bros. Discovery deal as California AG talks aim to settle. Local Cinema & Culture: South Indian legend Sowcar Janaki dies at 94; and Shut Up! Men Are Talking lands on South Africa’s Movie Room after a viral YouTube run. Controversy Watch: Kuwait’s health ministry denies a viral assault video was filmed at Farwaniya Hospital.

Tamil Cinema Standoff: Tamil Film Producers Council says no new Tamil releases in theatres from Sept 1 after theatre owners and distributors demand an eight-week theatrical window before OTT and refuse advance payments, sparking a fresh industry freeze. Hollywood Antitrust Fallout: Paramount and California officials are set for Monday preliminary settlement talks over the state’s antitrust suit blocking Paramount’s $111B Warner Bros. Discovery deal, while Mark Ruffalo’s merger criticism escalates into a fight over “antisemitic tropes.” New Releases & Casting: Regal Entertainment announced the cast for “One for the Road,” starring JM Ibarra, Elijah Canlas and Emilio Daez, with Kip Oebanda directing. Box Office Watch: Ravi Teja’s “Irumudi” crosses Rs 31.40 crore India net by Day 2, and Emraan Hashmi’s “Awarapan 2” pushes past Rs 180 crore worldwide by Day 9. Industry & Culture: Bunny Levine, the librarian-turned-character actress seen in “Gilmore Girls” and Adam Sandler films, dies at 97.

Bollywood Buzz: Sanjay Leela Bhansali is reportedly in talks with Kareena Kapoor Khan and Dhanush for a mythological jungle-set Hindi film, with director P.S. Mithran confirming date checks after their earlier fallout. Telugu Star Power: Chiranjeevi has revealed the title and first look for Kaaka (Mega158), setting a Sankranthi 2027 theatrical release. Franchise Watch: Charles Melton is in final negotiations to play Kakashi in Destin Daniel Cretton’s live-action Naruto movie. Box-Office Oddity: China’s mocked animated flop Niu Lai became a surprise hit after viral backlash, turning cheap animation into a real cinema draw. Streaming & Money: A new report-style guide argues you can cut streaming costs by stacking free trials back-to-back. Industry Business: A proposed Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger could cost Los Angeles County about 4,500 entertainment jobs, according to an economic impact study. Cinema Culture: Ridley Scott’s The Dog Stars premieres in London with early reactions calling it “emotional” and “human.”

Viral “Bad” Animation: China’s low-budget mother-and-son animated film “Niu Lai” (mocked for crude visuals) turned into a surprise box-office hit, climbing to tens of millions of yuan after word-of-mouth. Hollywood Rumor Control: Michelle Pfeiffer shut down claims she’s retiring from movies, saying her “ensemble only” joke was misunderstood. Indian Cinema Loss: Veteran actress Sowcar Janaki died at 94, with tributes pouring in after her final big-screen appearance in Nandini Reddy’s 2023 film. Casting Buzz: “Mirzapur: The Movie” actress Harshita Gaur backed Jitendra Kumar’s replacement of Vikrant Massey, calling it a strong fit. Horror Franchise Lore: Judith O’Dea revealed George A. Romero originally planned a different ending for “Night of the Living Dead,” with Barbra as the sole survivor. Streaming/Box Office Watch: “The Odyssey” keeps smashing records as the highest-grossing R-rated film, while “Awarapan 2” and “Irumudi” post solid day-by-day Indian grosses. Industry Power Play: Mark Ruffalo escalated his fight against the Paramount-Warner Bros. merger, tying Oracle’s Israel-linked tech to the deal.

Box Office Buzz: China’s summer box office has topped 11 billion yuan as moviegoers keep packing theaters, with hits like The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day leading the charge. Theatrical Push: Rasika Dugal is set to bring Mirzapur: The Movie to cinemas, reprising Beena Tripathi and teasing a big-screen challenge. Streaming/Release Drama: Amazon accidentally leaked Jason Statham’s Mutiny on Prime, turning a release mistake into a piracy headache. Franchise Spotlight: Insidious: Out of the Further is getting a strong push in theaters, while Obsession is being singled out as a standout horror pick. Tech vs Theaters: UK cinemas are rolling out rules to restrict Meta smart glasses over piracy and recording fears. Legal/Business Pressure: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and labor leaders are urging action in the Paramount–Warner Bros. merger fight as antitrust uncertainty threatens jobs. International Releases: Malaysia’s animated Papa Zola The Movie lands in South Korean cinemas Sept 2. Film History: Pasolini’s Salo is getting a rare UK release after a long, controversial ban-and-censorship history. Obituary: Veteran South Indian star Sowcar Janaki has died at 94, ending a 70-year, 400-film legacy.

L.A. Antitrust Showdown: Mayor Karen Bass urged California AG Rob Bonta and David Ellison to settle the Paramount Skydance–Warner Bros. Discovery merger fight, warning productions and jobs in the city could stall. OTT Drop: Anurag Kashyap’s Bandar, sparked by #MeTooForMen debate, lands on Zee5 Aug. 28 after a tough theatrical run. Box Office Momentum: Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan 2 keeps rolling, finishing week one above ₹113 crore net domestically and becoming his highest-grossing film. Streaming Dominance: Masters of the Universe is topping Prime Video’s charts and even beating major TV titles by minutes watched. New Releases Guide: Friday OTT listings highlight Jana Nayagan on ZEE5 and other fresh picks across Netflix, SonyLIV, and Prime Video. Tech vs Theaters: UK cinemas are considering bans on Meta smart glasses over privacy and piracy fears. Local Industry News: Veteran Malayalam producer Geo Kuttappan dies at 90; Moon Geun-young returns to lead Yeon Sang-ho’s Yeto after nine years.

Eid 2027 Watch: Salman Khan is reportedly teaming with Dil Raju on a film titled “Monster,” with Nayanthara set as the female lead—plus Salman’s “7 Dogs” lands Aug. 21. Streaming/Leaks: Amazon Prime accidentally streamed Jason Statham’s “Mutiny” in full ahead of its theatrical debut, and the listing was pulled after a short-lived leak. New Releases: “Buddy” (horror-comedy) drops a fresh trailer ahead of its Aug. 28 theatrical run. UK Cinema Policy: The UK Cinema Association says many venues are restricting or banning Meta smart glasses over privacy and film-piracy fears. Festival Spotlight: Naomi Watts will receive the Golden Eye Award at the Zurich Film Festival for “The Housewife.” International Film News: Avi Nesher’s “Our Loves” opens Haifa International Film Festival, while the ASEAN Film Festival 2026 kicks off in Hong Kong with free screenings across the region. Controversy/Crime: A film director in Laguna, Philippines was arrested on child abuse charges.

Box Office Milestone: Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan 2 stays on top with Day 6 collections of Rs 6.75 crore (India net Rs 107.50 crore; worldwide Rs 153.59 crore), even as occupancy dips to 16.72%. Franchise Power: Spider-Man: Brand New Day keeps climbing, crossing $2B worldwide and adding more in India as it settles into a late-run rhythm. Streaming Buzz: Outer Banks returns for a final fifth season, with filming locations tied to Europe routes (Morocco to Croatia via Spain) and a fictional Carolinas island setting. Industry Shock: A Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger report warns of 4,500 L.A. jobs at risk and broader economic damage in California. Theatrical Tech & Privacy: UK cinemas are weighing restrictions on Meta AI camera-enabled glasses amid piracy and privacy fears. Global Film Culture: Cambodia named Country of Honour at the Angoulême Francophone Film Festival, with nine Cambodian films screening. Animation Oddity: China’s low-budget animated Niu Lai goes viral for being “so bad it’s good,” driving a sharp box-office surge. New Releases: Laika’s Wildwood is set as a record-long stop-motion feature ahead of its Oct. 23 theatrical run.

Festival Spotlight: Fatih Akin’s romantic drama “Ghost Song” will open the 2026 San Sebastián Film Festival, premiering Sept. 18 and competing for the Golden Shell. New Trailer Buzz: Drew Van Acker’s sci-fi mystery “Orion” drops a fresh trailer and poster, with an astronaut returning from a catastrophic mission with no memory. Horror/Genre Watch: “Haunting Skies” is getting a film adaptation, with Christian Kang Bachini directing and Natasha Halevi and Emily Ashby starring. Local Film Life: Sayville International Film Festival wraps its inaugural four-day run with a closing awards gala. Box Office (India): Emraan Hashmi’s “Awarapan 2” continues strong momentum, crossing ₹100 crore in days and adding ₹3.93 crore midweek. Big Franchise News: Vin Diesel says “Fast Forever” should start filming in December. Theater & Community: Union County adds two more outdoor movie nights at Warinanco Park, while Lexington hosts a free “vote-the-movie” screening Aug. 21. Animation/Family: Laika’s “Wildwood” unveils a new trailer for its stop-motion fantasy adventure.

Box Office Showdown (India): Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan 2 keeps steamrolling, crossing ₹100 crore net in India by Day 5 while Batwara 1947 struggles to break ₹50 crore, dropping sharply after its opening. Franchise & Release News: Warner Bros is pushing ahead with more DC plans, while Ryan Gosling’s Ghost Rider locks in a 2028 release date. Global Film Buzz: China’s low-budget animated oddball Niu Lai turns viral mockery into a real box-office run, even drawing comparisons to major Hollywood releases. Festival Watch: CinefestOZ names its short-film competition finalists, and Venice Film Festival lineup details start to solidify for the Sept. awards season kickoff. Industry & Culture: Japan’s Joe Hisaishi earns three Guinness records, and Tokyo’s film-on-35mm theater keeps the analog experience alive. On-Screen Human Stories: Daisy Edgar-Jones maps out her next big adaptations, while Mohanlal’s Athimanoharam begins Sabarimala-area shooting after permissions.

Cinemalaya 2026: Ruby Ruiz and Pokwang shared Best Actress honors as “Mag-Iina” won top prize, with Ruiz praised for a “masterclass” in “Status: Rejected” and Pokwang delivering a sold-out, dramatic turn in “2 Valid IDs.” Directing Debut Dispute: Sayani Gupta says her short “Aasmani” is original after an Indian Film Festival of New Zealand screening invite was pulled over alleged copyright concerns. Music Documentary Buzz: Noel and Liam Gallagher preview “Oasis: Don’t Look Back in Anger,” with advance tickets now on sale and IMAX early access screenings set for Sept. 9 ahead of the Sept. 11 release. Marvel/MCU Updates: Kevin Feige teases “100 more” X-Men movies, while Ryan Gosling’s “Ghost Rider” locks in a summer 2028 date. DC TV Spoilers: “Lanterns” EPs confirm Hal Jordan’s shocking premiere twist and how the writers avoided a “fridging” beat. Global Film Funding: Los Angeles-based Bearing North launches a North Korea-focused grant program for filmmakers, with a preference for defectors’ stories. Box Office: “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” crosses $2B worldwide and enters the all-time top 10. Streaming/Family: Netflix drops the trailer for dance film “Best of the Best” (Sept. 18), while “Home” leaves Netflix Sept. 1.

Vampire Casting: Yoo Ah In is officially confirmed to star in director Jang Jae Hyun’s new occult film Vampire, with a script reading completed and production set to begin this month. Streaming Finale Buzz: Hulu’s post-apocalyptic thriller Paradise Season 3 has wrapped filming, with Sterling K. Brown teasing a tightly plotted endgame. AI Studio Launch: Melbourne filmmakers Nicholas Carlton and James Lawler unveiled Gobstopper, an AI creative studio selling subscription-based brand and original IP production. Festival Spotlight: India’s Oscar-qualifying BISFF selected Manipuri short Toy Gun for its Indian Competition. Box Office Watch: Emraan Hashmi’s Awarapan 2 keeps climbing, crossing Rs 130 crore worldwide by Day 4, while Tamil rivals DC and Jana Nayagan post steady runs. Horror News: Lionsgate tapped David F. Sandberg to direct psychological horror Mommy’s Home. Franchise Updates: Paramount+ confirmed more Star Trek is coming, and Bruce Campbell says “Ash is done” for Evil Dead animated plans.