A few new showbiz news tidbits have come in, and it's time for a round-up!
Lucasfilm released the final trailer for Star Wars: Ahsoka (see below). The new trailer features narration by Hayden Christensen, who will reprise his role as Darth Vader for this series (see "'Star Wars: Ahsoka' Casting"). This series will begin streaming on Disney+ on August 31, 2023.
NBC's Peacock released an official trailer for The Continental (see below). This three-part event, set in the John Wick universe (see "'John Wick' Series Teasers"), will begin streaming on September 22, 2023.
AMC CEO Adam Aron warned in the company’s recent conference call of a possible cash crunch for the nation’s largest theater chain if the company is unable to raise cash. "The dumbest thing we could ever do as a company is to run out of cash," he said. The release date adjustments being made by studios in response to the dual strikes in Hollywood have the potential to slow the comeback from the pandemic box office drought. The company passed a big hurdle in the quest for cash on Friday, when a Deleware judge signed off on a disputed restructuring plan that allowed preferred shares to convert to common, provided for a reverse stock split, and allows to company to raise new capital through the sale of shares, according to the Wall Street Journal.
Representatives of the Writers Guild of America met with the ATPTP (representing studios and streamers) for the first time since the strike was called over 100 days ago, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The WGA presented a new offer on August 4, and the studios were expected to present a response on Friday. There have been no negotiations on the other big Hollywood strike, The SAG-AFTRA walkout, which put actors on the picket lines.
Universal will re-release Jurassic Park into theaters for its 30th anniversary, according to Deadline. The Steven Spielberg classic will be featured in RealD 3D-equipped theaters throughout North America starting August 25, 2023. It is possible that releasing older movies into theaters for special runs may become a trend as the SAG-AFTRA strike continues to push back the release dates of new movies (see "The Nanny Leads SAG-AFTRA Strike").
For more information on geek movie releases, check out ICv2's Best in Shows Geek Movie Calendar. Currently, our calendars show releases running through 2027.