Scouting Hollywood: Nov. 23-29

A roundup of news, gossip and history of the entertainment business brought to you from Hollywood, Calif.

Photo by Erik Mclean on Unsplash

Are we past peak TV? According to an annual report produced by the FX Networks a record 599 projects were produced for network and streaming services in 2022. With the settlement of labor strikes and a return to work, the estimate for 2024 is 480, a 20 percent reduction. Based on comments made by the producers, and their desire to lower costs, it is probable that fewer shows will be green lit for production going forward.

Disney/Marvel’s The Marvels took the weekend box office with $47 million. It was the lowest opening for the Marvel Cinematic Universe of over 33 films since Iron Man kicked off in 2008. On the upside, it’s been quite a run and the 32 previous flicks grossed nearly $12 billion for the companies. With a production cost of around $275 million, it’s highly unlikely the film will reach its break even, estimated at $700 million. An era of cheaper super hero movies is foreseen for both Marvel as well as DC.