Disney announced a reimagining of the Rock 'n' Roller Coaster at Hollywood Studios, featuring The Muppets and Electric Mayhem, with a new storyline, updated exterior, and enhanced ride experience set to open in 2026, replacing the current Aerosmith theme.
Walt Disney World announced its 2025 holiday season offerings at Hollywood Studios, including returning favorites like Sunset Seasons Greetings, the Frozen Sing-Along finale featuring Olaf, holiday decorations in Toy Story Land, Minnie’s Holiday Dine, and Santa Claus meet-and-greets, with additional details and new experiences to be revealed later.
The daily recap highlights new offerings and updates at Disney parks, including new menu items at Hollywood Studios, merchandise like plush toys and ornaments, a reopening date for the Matterhorn Bobsleds at Disneyland, and special events such as the Fourth of July fireworks and Universal Orlando's first July 4th celebration.
Tyler Perry addressed issues of racial erasure and discrimination at the 2025 BET Awards, emphasizing the importance of leaving a legacy and criticizing Hollywood studios for marginalizing Black stories and achievements.
"Venom 3" topped the domestic box office during a quiet post-election weekend, earning $16.2 million, while also leading overseas with a global total of $394.2 million. The lack of major releases allowed it to maintain its position, as studios avoided the weekend due to high ad rates and potential unrest. "Red One" launched internationally, earning $26.6 million, while "Best Christmas Pageant Ever" and "Heretic" competed closely for second place domestically. Other notable films included "The Wild Robot" and "Smile 2."
New scenes featuring Ahsoka Tano, Andor, and The Mandalorian have been added to the Star Tours ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios. The ride now includes sequences set on the planet Seatos and features transmissions from Ahsoka and Cassian Andor. The new scenes will also be available at Disneyland's version of the attraction as part of their "Star Wars" Season of the Force event, starting April 5.
The domestic box office saw historic lows during Super Bowl weekend, with combined ticket sales at an estimated $40 million, the worst showing in over three decades outside of 2021. Matthew Vaughn’s film "Argylle" led with a meek $6.5 million, while Focus Features’ horror-comedy "Lisa Frankenstein" opened in second place with $3.8 million. Hollywood studios are gearing up for new movie releases, and despite the Super Bowl, there is still potential for box office success.
Speculation is growing that David Ellison's Skydance Media and RedBird Capital are considering a bid for National Amusements (NAI), the parent company of Paramount Global. A potential sale of Paramount could reshape the Hollywood landscape and lead to further deals, as assets are reevaluated. Analysts predict that a deal could result in the combination of Skydance, Paramount, and CBS Studios to create a content producer with more scale. They also anticipate the divestiture of assets such as Paramount+ and PlutoTV, as well as most of Paramount's linear TV channels. The estimated enterprise value of these divestitures is around $13.5 billion.
SAG-AFTRA members have voted to ratify a new three-year contract, valued at over $1 billion, ending the 118-day actors' strike. The contract raises minimum wage rates, establishes AI protections, creates a streaming bonus, and includes performance capture work. The agreement received 78.33% "yes" votes and will be retroactive to June 9, 2022. The Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers congratulated SAG-AFTRA, stating that the new contract represents "historic gains and protections for performers."
The Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has approved a new contract with Hollywood studios and streamers that includes provisions for improved hair and makeup services, addressing the discrimination faced by performers with textured hairstyles or darker complexions. The agreement allows actors to consult with production about their hair and makeup needs, and if the requirements cannot be met, they will receive compensation for seeking help elsewhere. The deal aims to ensure that all actors feel comfortable on set by 2025. However, some hairstylists and actors argue that the provision should also cover background actors and address the lack of stylists familiar with diverse hair textures. SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios plan to work with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (IATSE) to increase the number of qualified stylists and allocate funds for training on all hair textures and skin tones.
The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) has approved a tentative deal with Hollywood studios, which will now be voted on by the union's 160,000 members. The agreement, which includes a 7% minimum wage increase and over $1 billion in new wages and benefits, brings an end to the 118-day actors' strike. SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher emphasized the importance of AI protection in the negotiations, ensuring actors have approval over their digital replicas and are compensated for their use. The deal sets a precedent for future negotiations and the fight for fair working conditions continues.
The Hollywood actors' union, Sag-Aftra, has reached a tentative deal with Hollywood studios, ending a four-month strike. The strike, along with a separate writers' strike, has caused major disruptions in the entertainment industry, delaying the release of several films. Actors have been demanding better pay and safeguards against the use of AI. The deal, which includes increased pay and AI guarantees, is considered a significant victory for Sag-Aftra. The strikes have cost the California economy over $6.5 billion so far.
After a 118-day strike, SAG-AFTRA has reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract with Hollywood studios, signaling the end of the 2023 actors strike. The agreement was approved unanimously by the SAG-AFTRA TV/Theatrical Committee and will now go to the union's national board for approval. The details of the agreement have not been disclosed yet, but if ratified, the contract could soon go into effect. The strike, which began in July, caused significant disruptions in the industry and is estimated to have cost the California economy at least $6 billion.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav expresses hope for a resolution to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike soon, following adjustments made by Hollywood studios to the AI language in their final offer to the actors union. The offer includes a significant increase in minimum rates, although it falls short of the 11% requested by the union. Zaslav acknowledges the impact of the strike on content production but assures a strong lineup for next year.
SAG-AFTRA and Hollywood studios will continue negotiations over the weekend in an effort to reach a new three-year contract deal. The talks have been progressing slowly, with a focus on how the contract will address AI. SAG-AFTRA delivered a comprehensive proposal package to the studios and offered a new AI proposal to close potential loopholes. Both sides are cautiously optimistic about reaching an agreement, but there is still work to be done.