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A14 PEOPLE / ARTS
Friday 12 april 2024
At movie industry convention, leaders say blockbusters alone

aren’t enough

By LINDSEY BAHR their biggest upcoming films,
AP Film Writer from “Furiosa” to “Deadpool
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Movie & Wolverine,” sometimes
theater owners are still feel- with the help of movie stars,
ing the high from “ Barben- to stoke excitement in the
heimer.” The counterpro- people who will put these
gramming of “Barbie” and films in their theaters.
“Oppenheimer” brought au- 2023 was a rollercoaster
diences to cinemas around year for movie theaters. The
with the world, ultimately overall box office was up
earning nearly $2.5 billion in 20% from the previous year
combined ticket sales. But, in the U.S., surpassing $9 bil-
gathered in Las Vegas this lion. But that’s still $2 billion
week for the annual Cin- shy of where the business was
emaCon convention and pre-pandemic. There were
trade show, they’re also hits, like “Oppenheimer”
acutely aware that they and “Barbie,” of course, and
need more than two mov- other notable successes from
ies to survive. traditional studios, like “The
“It is not enough to rely solely Super Mario Bros. Movie,”
on blockbusters,” said Mi- “Spider-Man: Across the
chael O’Leary, the president Spider-Verse,” “Wonka” and
and CEO of the National As- A visitor walks past advertisements for upcoming movies on the opening day of CinemaCon 2024 “Guardians of the Galaxy
sociation of Theater Owners. at Caesars Palace, Monday, April 8, 2024, in Las Vegas. Vol. 3.” There were surprises
“To have a truly successful Associated Press like “Five Nights at Freddy’s”
filmed entertainment indus- and “Cocaine Bear” and
try, a variety of movies that ences to the theaters to the Someone is always forecast- successful in every subse- sleepers like “Anyone But
appeal to movie goers is latest and greatest in snacks, ing its demise. quent ancillary platform,” You.”
critical.” seating and projection. On O’Leary made a plea to he added. “This should ap- There were also moments
That means, O’Leary said stage, the message is (by “our friends in the financial peal to people who want as of successful innovation,
Tuesday, “a strong and vi- design) optimistic about the industry” to invest more capi- many film fans as possible to including Taylor Swift and
brant market for movies with future of cinemas and the tal into the system, calling it see their movies, but also to Beyoncé’s groundbreaking
smaller or medium sized bud- industry’s capacity for evolu- a “smart investment” that people that want to make partnership with AMC The-
gets.” tion. Whether it’s streaming, benefits “creatives, studios, money.” aters to release their concert
At CinemaCon, Hollywood piracy, VHS or television, the exhibition, local communi- Studios including Warner films, circumventing tradition-
studios, exhibitors and tech leaders in the filmed enter- ties and, most importantly, Bros., Universal Pictures, Para- al studio middlemen. “ Taylor
companies come together tainment industry are al- movie fans.” mount, Disney and Lionsgate Swift: The Eras Tour “ made
to preview what’s next in ways quick to remind that “We know that a movie will all take the big stage at over $260 million worldwide,
moviegoing, from the films their business has survived that begins its journey with Caesar’s Palace to show making it the highest gross-
that they hope will get audi- its share of existential crises: theatrical exclusivity is more new trailers or footage from ing concert film of all time.q

Jen Silverman’s gripping second novel explores the long afterlife

of political violence

By ANN LEVIN When the demonstration goes awry, Once again, love plays a decisive role.
Associated Press he must live with the disastrous results Just as her father fell head over heels
Earlier this year a former member of for the rest of his lonely life as a chem- for Olya, Minnow becomes enamored
the far-left Baader-Meinhof gang who istry professor and single dad. His one with Charles, the 23-year-old scion of
spent decades in hiding was arrested consolation is the daughter Olya bore a powerful French family whose father
by German police in connection with him before going on the run. Everyone is a confidant of French President Em-
a string of crimes. It was just another calls her Minnow, though she will grow manuel Macron. Though she has serious
example of the long afterlife of the up to embody the fierceness of her qualms about the 15-year age differ-
anti-war movement of the late 1960s, namesake Minerva, the Roman god- ence, she can’t keep her hands off
which Jen Silverman explores in a bril- dess of war. him and the feeling is mutual. Mean-
liant, beautifully written new novel, The second storyline unfolds in 2018 dur- while, another brazen action is being
“There’s Going to Be Trouble.” ing the yellow vest protests in France, planned that will also have deadly
Titling it after a line from an Allen Gins- where Minnow, now a 38-year-old consequences.
berg poem “My mind is made up teacher, has fled after being engulfed Though the novel is a little slow to get off
there’s going to be trouble” Silverman in a scandal in the U.S. whipped up the ground and might have benefited
constructs an intricate, clever plot that by the religious right for helping an from being 50 pages shorter, eventually
braids together two separate stories underage girl at her school obtain an it gathers unstoppable force as it moves
This book cover image connected by the main characters. abortion. In Paris, she gets caught up toward a dramatic denouement that
released by Penguin Random One takes place in 1968 when Keen, with a group of activists who, like their offers no easy conclusions. The ques-
House shows “There’s Going to an apolitical grad student at Harvard, counterparts a half century earlier, are tions Silverman poses about the ends
Be Trouble” by Jen Silverman. gets drawn into the takeover of a cam- willing to go to virtually any length to and means of political violence are as
Penguin Random House
via Associated Press pus building because of his desperate challenge what they see as the inequi- relevant today as they were in the ‘60s
love for Olya, one of the organizers. ties of French society. or, for that matter, any era.q