‘DEADPOOL’ DRAWS DROVES
U.K. and Ireland cinema chain Odeon has reported that “Deadpool & Wolverine” has become its biggest box-office release since last year’s “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. The opening weekend drew approximately 500,000 viewers to Odeon cinemas, on its way to becoming the year’s highest opener in the territory.
Odeon has introduced a new family ticket offer for 2024, expanding its “adults pay kids prices” deal. The offer provides tickets for one adult and one child starting at £10 ($12.85) for standard Odeon Cinemas and £15 ($19.25) for Odeon Luxe locations. The cinema chain also reported high demand for exclusive “Deadpool & Wolverine” merchandise, with ‘Deadpool’-branded keyrings proving particularly popular.
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The summer movie slate includes “Despicable Me 4,” “Inside Out 2,” “Twisters” and “Longlegs,” with upcoming releases such as “Transformers One,” “Wicked,” “Moana 2,” “Mufasa: The Lion King” and “Paddington in Peru.”
Suzie Welch, managing director, U.K. and Ireland, said: “Odeon has something for everyone, and we’ve been blown away by the amazing guest reaction to these summer blockbusters. Our exclusive merchandising offer for the film has also resonated so well with guests keen to take a part of the ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ cinematic experience home with them. As the strong slate of exciting new releases continues into the second half of 2024, we look forward to welcoming as many guests as possible through our doors to enjoy these immersive and exciting films as they were meant to be seen – on the big screen at the cinema.”
VENICE VR
Anagram, in partnership with Floréal and France Télévisions, has tapped Tilda Swinton to narrate “Impulse: Playing with Reality,” the second instalment in their mental health-focused VR series. The interactive mixed reality documentary, helmed by May Abdalla and Barry Gene Murphy, delves into ADHD through four personal narratives. “Impulse” is set for its world premiere at the 2024 Venice Immersive program. This marks Swinton’s second collaboration with Anagram, following her work on the Venice Grand Jury Prize-winning “Goliath: Playing with Reality.” The “Playing with Reality” collection blends documentary storytelling with mixed reality to explore mental health conditions, drawing from extensive research and interviews.
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Benjamin Sheppard, design engineer at BBC, has nabbed the Royal Television Society‘s Young Technologist of the Year Award for 2024. The self-taught engineer’s work on broadcast graphic elements and responsive components has boosted BBC’s production efficiency. Sheppard’s win includes an all-expenses-paid trip to IBC 2024.
Runner-up Connor Webster of YouView TV Ltd. receives the Coffey Award for Excellence in Technology. Webster’s rapid rise from graduate to lead engineer in five years saw him spearheading YouView’s support for the Freely launch. The awards, presented in memory of A.M Beresford-Cooke, were judged by industry experts led by digital media consultant Terry Marsh.
