Each week, Benzinga compiles the latest entertainment news into a cohesive column for your consideration. Read on for the latest updates — both useful and irreverent.
- Quality Over Quantity. Endless-scrolling platform Netflix Inc (NASDAQ: NFLX) says it wants to focus on making better films going forward. Nice! It only took them 10 years.
- Cleaning Mouse House. Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS) is expected to cut about 7,000 jobs. Between the layoffs, its failed metaverse plans and the back-and-forth drama with Florida Governor and real-life Joffrey Ron DeSantis, Disney is currently in a rough patch (not the cute dalmation). But Needham analyst Laura Martin has an idea: Why not merge with Apple Inc (NASDAQ:AAPL)? Because mergers never lead to more job losses. But "both are worth more if they have the other," Martin said in a note. Plus, the two companies have "rabid superfans." You mean cultish.
- Bezos at the Movies. Meme-stock sensation and the place you visit only to see sequels AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc (NYSE:AMC) is in the crosshairs of Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos. The e-commerce giant has long-coveted a theater chain to bolster the prestige of its movies. After all, to win an Oscar trophy, you need a theatrical release per Academy rules.
- One analyst, however, says Bezos, who has a net worth of about $124 billion, is looking at the wrong company. "Amazon does not need 10,000 screens to enter the theater business," Wedbush analyst Alicia Reese said recently. Amazon "would be better off buying "a piece" of Cineworld; a thousand screens are "plenty, and 200 is enough," she added. In response, Bezos, who can cover every American's rent and spent $3 billion on "reverse aging," asked, "What is this 'enough' you speak of?"
- Even the Joker Hates Putin. These days, legendary actor Mark Hamill — who played the voice of Batman villain Joker for more than three decades — is now lending his voice to help Ukraine in its war efforts against Russia. A downloadable app called "Air Alert" features Hamill's vocal talents. He warns residents of approaching Russian missiles or drones and says things like, "Attention. Air raid alert. Proceed to the nearest shelter."
- Miscellaneous. MrBeast gives new meaning to "generous tip;" Bill Gates loves pizza; and Anne Hathaway will work with dinosaurs.
For last week's column, click here.
Image: Edited with Canva, Courtesy of Shutterstock, Pixabay; Mark Hamill by Gage Skidmore via Wikipedia