New Year's Box Office

Sequels remain at the top of the pack while the animated features continue to lope along in the middle of the Big Ten:

JANUARY HOLIDAY FOUR-DAY GROSSES

1) Star Wars: The Last Jedi(DIS), 4,232 theaters (0)/ $19.1M (-23%) Fri/ 3-day: $55M (-23%)/4-day: $72.3M Total:$537M/ Wk 3

2) Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (SONY), 3,765 theaters (0) / $17.8M Fri (+42%)/3-day: $51.4M (+41%)/4-day: $66.1M/Total:$185.4M/ Wk 2

3) Pitch Perfect 3 (UNI), 3,468 theaters (+21)/ $6.6M (-38%) Fri/3-day: $18.2M (-9%)/4-day: $23.4M/Total: $69.9M/ Wk 2

4) The Greatest Showman (FOX), 3,316 theaters (+310) / $5.3M (+71%) Fri /3-day: $15.4M (+75%)/4-day $20.4M/Total: $54M/Wk 2

5) Ferdinand (FOX), 3,337 theaters (-293) / $4.5M (+63%)Fri /3-day: $12.1M (+66%)/4-day: $15.9M/Total: $58M/ Wk 3

6) Coco(DIS), 2,104 theaters (-7) / $2.8M (+53) Fri/3-day: $7.6M (+41%)/4-day: $9.9M/Total: $182.3M / Wk 6

7) Darkest Hour (FOC), 943 theaters (+137)/ $1.8M Fri (+29%)/3-day: $5.5M (+41%)/ 4-day: $7.3M/ Total: $19.9M/ Wk 6

8) All The Money in the World (Sony) 2,074 theaters (+6)/ $1.76M Fri/3-day: $5.1M/4-day: $6.8M/Total: $14M/Wk 1

9) Downsizing (PAR), 2,664 theaters (-4)/ $1.6M Fri (-20%) /3-day: $4.57M (-8%)/ 4-day: $6M/Total: $18.4M/ Wk 2

10) The Shape of Water (FSL), 756 theaters (+26) / $1.1m Fri (0%) /3-day: $3.6M (+18%)/4-day: $5M/Total: $17.1M/Wk 5

Top title Star Wars: The Last Jedi is running 34% behind The Force Awakens but 35% ahead of Rogue One as it blasts past the billion dollar mark. Coco has a global total of $507,900,459, with 66% of the money coming from overseas. Blue Sky's Ferdinand own a worldwide gross of $77,322,297, with 40% coming from overseas.

Unions, Guilds and Harrassment

Unions and Guilds (both above and below the line) have had to deal with the new realities regarding harassment in the workplace. No longer are the problems being swept under rugs. And each labor organization is dealing with it in their own way.

... Unions and guilds say they’ve taken concrete steps to finally address an epidemic that has been festering in Hollywood since the days of silent movies. ...

The AMPTP and IATSE established an online sexual harassment prevention training program as part of their 2015 collective bargaining agreement, and that program began rolling out in January. And in July, the delegates to IATSE’s quadrennial convention voted unanimously to approve a resolution to “condemn sexual or other physical abuse perpetrated in the workplace” and to “work together to inform members that such actions will not be tolerated and that anyone responsible for workplace abuse will be held accountable.” ...

The culture has changed radically since 2015. Prior to Harvey Weinstein, there was a reluctance by many employees in the entertainment industry to file complaints against predators because they feared it would negatively impact their careers. The landscape has changed:

... SAG-AFTRA was the first of the Hollywood unions to publicly condemn Weinstein – four days after the story went viral squared. While calling Weinstein’s conduct “abhorrent and unacceptable,” the guild said that it’s just the tip of the iceberg, and that such behavior “is more prevalent than our industry acknowledges.”

It followed up with a town hall meeting in Los Angeles, where SAG-AFTRA president Carteris observed that “This is not just a Hollywood situation – this is systemic throughout our culture. … And this is not just in our culture, it’s global.” She also suggested that the union and its high-profile members could play a major role in changing the culture of abuse. “By working together,” she said, “we can absolutely change our culture.” More than half of the 150 performers who attended the meeting raised their hands when attorney Gloria Allred asked if they’d been sexually harassed in the workplace.

Entertainment unions have been in similar territory before. In the '40s and '50s, guild and union members were harassed for being leftists or communists. The Screen Actors Guild, Directors Guild, and Writers Guild of America did not acquit themselves particularly well in protecting membership then (and neither did the IATSE. Local 839, in fact, was conceived by Walt Disney and IATSE Representative Roy Brewer because of a mutual dislike for the left-wing Screen Cartoonists Guild ... which 839 displaced.)

Maybe this time around, things will be better.

CHRISTMAS B. O.

Sequels, which occupy the top three slots of the box office list, continue to get made in droves. "Pitch Perfect 3" has received tepid reviews, but is STILL off to a relatively strong start.

No doubt holiday box office will be slowed down by Christmas Eve happening on Sunday, but Star Wars remains #1, while the two animated titles hang onto slots #5 and #6.

HOLIDAY GROSSES

1. Star Wars: The Last Jedi (DIS), 4,232 theaters / $24.7M Fri /$29.1M Sat/ $17.9M Sun/$31.4M Mon/3-day cume: $71.7M (-69%)/4-day: $103.1M/Total:$399.7M/ Wk 2

2. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (SONY), 3,765 theaters / $12.46M Fri / $14.8M Sat/ $9.2M Sun/$17.3M Mon/3-day cume: $36.5M/4-day: $53.8M/Total: $70.4M/ Wk 1

3. Pitch Perfect 3 (UNI), 3,447 theaters / $10.6M Fri (includes $2.1M previews)/$6.7M Sat/ $2.6M Sun/ $6.1M Mon/3-day cume: $19.9M/4-day: $26M/ Wk 1

4. The Greatest Showman (FOX), 3,006 theaters / $3.1M Fri /$3.5M Sat/$2.1M Sun/$5.2M Mon/ 3-day cume: $8.8M/4-day: $14M/Total: $18.9M/Wk 1

5. Ferdinand (FOX), 3,630 theaters (+9) / $2.7M Fri /$3M Sat/$1.56M Sun/$2.37M Mon/3-day cume: $7.3M (-46%)/4-day: $9.67M/Total: $29.1M/ Wk 2

6. Coco(DIS), 2,111 theaters (-1,044) / Fri: $1.85M /$2.2M Sat/$1.3M Sun/$2.2M Mon/ 3-day cume: $5.36M (-46%)/4-day: $7.6M/Total: $163.7M / Wk 5

7.Downsizing (PAR), 2,668 theaters / $2M Fri /$1.7M Sat/ $1.1M Sun/$2.3M Mon/3-day cume: $4.96M/4-day: $7.2M/ Wk 1

8. Darkest Hour (FOC), 806 theaters (+722)/ $1.4M Fri /$1.5M Sat/ $942K Sun/$1.7M Mon/3-day cume: $4M (+360%) /4-day: $5.7M/Total: $8.5M/ Wk 5

9. Father Figures (ALC/WB), 2,902 theaters / $1.3M Fri /$1.1M Sat/ $730K Sun/$1.6M Mon/3-day cume: $3.28M/4-day: $4.9M/ Wk 1

10. The Shape of Water (FSL), 726 theaters (+568) / $1.1m Fri /$1.1M Sat/$735k Sun/ 3-day cume: $3M (+78%) /4-day: $4.3M /Total: $8.9M/Wk 4

Ferdinand has collected $34,159,266 worldwide, of which 78% is from the United States and Canada. Coco now has a global accumulation of $486,327,128, with 33.2% of that amount coming from domestic sources.

A Brief History of the Animation Guild's 401(k) Plan

The above is somewhat out-of-date. Check with the Guild and/or the Plan administrator for full details

I get a diminishing number of asks about the Guild's 401(k) plan (which happens when you are out of the loop), but here is a thumbnail of how the 401(k) Plan started and how it arrived at Vanguard Financial Group:

1995 -- The Guild (then the Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists Union) proposes establishing a 401(k) Plan to supplement the Motion Picture Industry Pension Plan. (The union can set up its own 401k because it's not part of the IATSE bargaining unit under the industry-wide Basic Agreement.)

Producer bargaining representatives say "No!"

After negotiations, union president Tom Sito circulates a petition asking for a 401(k) Plan. It's submitted the CEO Michael Eisner, who says, "Good idea, we'll do it." Disney reverses it's earlier "No" response and agrees to participate in a union 401(k) plan.

Other studios, seeing that the Big Mouse is doing a 401(k) with the union, scramble aboard the bandwagon and say "Yes" as well.

The union approaches multiple third-party administrators. The Principal Financial Group is one of the few companies who will set up a Plan with minimal outlays by the union. The Plan launches in the summer of 1995. There are big initial signups by members. Board of Trustees for the Plan comes into existence -- three Trustees on the employers' side, three trustees on the union side. (Union trustees are the business representative, the union president, and a union board member or member at large who volunteers to become a trustee.

2008 -- There are administrative problems with Principal Financial Group. The board of trustees, with aid of an outside plan advisor, reviews other administrators. Mass Mutual Insurance becomes the new plan administrator. (The Vanguard Group is approached, but declines to become a plan administrator, saying at the time they only do corporate plans.)

2014 -- Plan trustees become dissatisfied with Mass Mutual's service, transparency and costs, and begin search for a new plan advisor and administrator. In August, Vanguard (finally!) comes aboard as the new Plan administrator; at the same time, a new financial advisor joins the Plan. Overall costs of administration for the Plan declines, and Target Date funds become the main vehicle for most participants (over 90%).

2015-2016 -- Roth 401(k) option rolled out across participating studios. Participation in the TAG 401(k) Plan climbs as plan assets pass $250 million.

ADD ON: And the current stats for the Plan?

Total active participants -- 2763.

Total Plan assets -- $304 million.

Average participant assets -- $104,573.

Percentage total of participants in Target Date Funds -- 83.3%.

Congrats to Ron & John

Two deserving Disney veterans receive the Menzies Award.

The Art Directors Guild said today that Oscar-nominated writer-directors Ron Clements and John Musker will receive its 2018 William Cameron Menzies Award.

The award recognizes the filmmaking partners’ innovative artistic work on numerous Disney animated movies of the past 30 years including Moana, The Princess and the Frog, Treasure Island, Hercules, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid and The Great Mouse Detective. They will accept their hardware January 27 during the 22nd annual ADG Excellence in Production Design Awards at the Ray Dolby Ballroom in Hollywood. ...

Mr. Clements and Mr. Musker started their careers at what was Walt Disney Productions in the 1970s. They've directed seven animated features together, including The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Hercules, and Moana. Almost all of their Disney features have been money makers.

John Musker is an alumnus of Cal Arts; Ron Clements started his animation career at Hanna-Barbera. Both hail from America's heartland.

The Force Obliterates (The Competition)

Now with Add On.

The latest Star Wars episode appears to have a bit of traction:

THREE DAYS OF GROSSES

1.) Star Wars: The Last Jedi (DIS), 4,232 theaters / $104M-$105M Fri (includes $45M previews)/3-day cume: $216-220M/Wk 1

2.) Ferdinand (FOX), 3,621 theaters / $3.6M Fri (includes $350k previews)/3-day cume: $12.3M/Wk 1

3.) Coco(DIS), 3,155 theaters (-593) / Fri: $2.23M / 3-day cume: $9.2M(-50%)/Total: $150M / Wk 4

4.) Wonder (Lionsgate), 3,047 theaters (-472) /$1.48M Fri /3-day cume: $5M (-40%)/ Total: $108.8M/Wk 5

5.) Justice League (WB), 2,702 theaters (-806)/$1M Fri / 3-day cume: $3.9M (-60%)/Total: $219.2M/ Wk 5

6) Daddy’s Home 2 (PAR), 2,493 theaters (-770) /$911K Fri / 3-day cume: $3.3M (-44%)/ Total: $96.1M/Wk 6

7). Thor: Ragnarok (DIS), 1,895 theaters (-1,152) / $769K Fri/ 3-day cume: $2.82M (-55%) / Total cume: $306.1M / Wk 7

8.) The Disaster Artist (A24), 1,010 theaters (+170) / $749K Fri/3-day cume: $2.43M (-62%)/Total: $12.7M/Wk 3

9) Murder on the Orient Express (FOX), 1,923 theaters (-1,116)/ $669K Fri / 3-day cume: $2.29M (-56%)/Total: $97.1M/ Wk 6

10). Lady Bird (A24), 947 theaters (-610) /$548K Fri /3-day cume: $1.9M (-44%)/ Total cume: $25.8M / Wk 7

If you're keeping score (and why would you not?), a live-action movie with tons of animated VFX is #1, animated features sit at #2 and #3. Then you have a pair of super hero movies, also with lots of animated visual effects, occupying spots #5 an #7.

The latest Disney/Lucasfilm space opera sucking up most of the oxygen isn't too surprising. The latest SW scored high with audiences ... and I knew something was up when I traipsed past the AMC 16 in downtown Burbank at 7:30 this morning and there were double lines stretched back to San Fernando Road, one labeled "Disney 2D" and one labeled "Disney 3D" (both for Star Wars).

There's a whole of of animating going on, any way you slice it. And as an industry site notes:

... Star Wars: The Last Jedi, looking to become only the fourth domestic release to ever open over $200 million. ...

Fox, which now is part of Disney, was looking to counter-program the space epic with a cartoon about a flower-loving bull, but its first weekend won't be strong. Maybe it could push nort of $70 million at the domestic box office, but it would have to do a multiple higher than five and that's a tall order. (But who knows? Ferdinand's CinemaScore was "A", so maybe it'll have some legs. (The movie earned a 74% "Fresh" rating from Rotten Tomatoes.)

Add On: The trades report that Disney-Fox corralled a huge part of the weekend box office:

... Currently, total domestic ticket sales look to gross $280M this weekend per ComScore, and Disney and Fox films combined are generating 90% of that total ... or $252.1M.

Not shabby, here in our ever more corporate Corporatist State.

"It'll All Be Good"

The Mouse has now (pending guvmint approval) swallowed 21st Century Fox and Rupert Murdoch family is now Disney's second largest shareholder. And reality collides with happy talk!

... The division of assets is posing two big questions for rank-and-file employees: how many of those in the units purchased by Disney will be laid off as part of the “at least $2 billion of cost savings” the mouse house boasted about today ...

Short-term, there will be no effect on employment, and New Fox will even need more bodies, the executives reportedly stressed, but, if the Disney-Fox transaction goes through, there will be overlaps and layoffs there, they admitted. ...

They admitted to downsizing. So give them that.

You strip away the flapdoodle, and what happen is: Rupert's surviving "New Fox" (profitable Fox News, the struggling newspapers, a couple dozen old-fashioned teevee stations, and the sports cable networks) will need some limited new staffing until Rupe figures out how to cut things closer to the bone, and ...

The Walt Disney Company will do the Comcast thing, figuring out how to eliminate duplicate staffing, deciding (for example) if Blue Sky Studios in Connecticut will continue. ("Guys? We need this facility on the east coast? What with three other feature studios on the west coast?"

As we know, big corporate mergers always work out well for everybody, particularly employees caught in the middle of the latest Owners' Enrichment Project.