Latest news with #ProjectHailMary
RTÉ News
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
The Chicago Sun-Times debacle proves why we need to protect human voices in journalism
It was inevitable, but it doesn't make it any less terrifying. Most people working within the creative arts - musicians, animators, filmmakers, designers - have already felt the ramifications of AI within their industries. We've seen very recently how writers have had their work essentially stolen by Meta for the purpose of 'training' their AI model. And now it's coming for journalism. The slow creep that began with harmless self-service checkouts at Tesco is now beginning to look like a landslide. You may have already heard the story about the Chicago Sun-Times ' recent run-in with AI. An eagle-eyed reader spotted that a 'Summer reading list for 2025' feature contained several titles that were… well, non-existent. Mixed in with some genuine publications like Atonement by Ian McEwan (not exactly what you might call a 'beach book') and Jess Walter's Beautiful Ruin, it made for a chillingly convincing read, nonetheless. One of the entries, titled The Last Algorithm by Andy Weir, read: "Following his success with The Martian and Project Hail Mary, Weir delivers another science-driven thriller. This time, the story follows a programmer who discovers that an AI system has developed consciousness - and has been secretly influencing global systems for years.' Not only does the book not exist, but it felt like a very pointed piece of guff. Listen: The Ray D'Arcy Show on AI and the music industry The newspaper quickly released a statement saying "We are looking into how this made it into print as we speak. It is not editorial content and was not created by, or approved by, the Sun-Times newsroom. We value your trust in our reporting and take this very seriously. More info will be provided soon." They later claimed that it was licenced from a 'national content partner' and syndicated to various publications, including their own. Embarrassing, yes. Worrying? Speaking as a journalist, without a doubt. Most people working within the creative arts - musicians, animators, filmmakers, designers - have already felt the ramifications of AI within their industries. It's not the first time that AI has pulled the wool over newspaper editors' eyes, either. In 2023, The Irish Times was pretty effectively duped after it was revealed that an opinion piece they had published, which was supposedly written by someone purporting to be a young immigrant, was actually generated by AI. All of this proves a very important point: AI might cut down on an editor's workload (and budget), never miss a deadline and provide copy that's clean as a whistle - but it cannot replicate the human experience. Listen: RTÉ Drivetime on AI and the creative industries When I first dipped my toe into music writing over twenty years ago, I had little to no experience. With no university degree and no formal training, it was a case of learning on my feet. I loved music and I could string a decent sentence together, so it was simply a matter of writing (and reading, and listening to) as much as possible - not an overnight endeavour, by any means. I began writing for an online music zine for free to get experience, and eventually got a job on a website doing interminably dull data entry, in the hope that I could somehow get a foot in the door and work my way up the ladder. A couple of decades later, I'd like to think that I'm a better writer, having interviewed hundreds of people from across the arts, listened to countless albums, attended a multitude of gigs, read endless books and watched innumerable films and TV shows. I write from the experience of being a human who has done those things and learned something from them all. Even so, the fear that AI is coming for my job - a job that I love, albeit in an industry that is increasingly difficult to make a living from as a freelancer - is always in the back of my mind. When editors choose to syndicate something like the 'summer reading list for 2025' instead of commissioning a living person who has amassed that knowledge or researched it the old fashioned way, it proves the importance of protecting human voices more than ever. And in this era of convincing deepfakes and disinformation, who else can we trust?
NBC News
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- NBC News
Amazon is stepping up to fill a gap in Hollywood's movie slate
Tech is saving Hollywood — though not in the way you might think. Back in 2022, e-commerce giant and relative upstart movie studio Amazon promised to spend around $1 billion each year on theatrical releases, a figure that would fund between 12 and 15 films annually. Today, it appears ready to deliver. Earlier this month, the company, which operates the streaming platform Prime Video and recently acquired MGM studios, took the stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to tout its line-up of movies made just for the big screen. Amazon's inaugural presentation at the annual convention of Cinema United — previously known as the National Association of Theatre Owners — wowed exhibitors, marketers and media in attendance with flashy trailers and first-look footage from upcoming films like 'Project Hail Mary,' 'After the Hunt' and 'Verity.' It also brought some star power with the likes of Ryan Gosling, Andrew Garfield, Julia Roberts, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman and Michael B. Jordan set to headline these cinematic releases. 'I thought the presentation was incredible,' said Brock Bagby, president and chief content, programming and development officer at B&B Theatres. 'For their first year out, they pulled out all the stops.' While the studio won't have a full slate of more than a dozen films until 2026, it has steadily invested in theatrical content over the last few years. Amazon had one wide release, a film that played in more than 2,000 theaters, in 2023 and five in 2024. This year Amazon has only four wide releases on the calendar so far, but the company is slated to have 14 in 2026 and 16 in 2027. This surge of theatrical content is just what the domestic box office needs. While blockbuster franchise films have been abundant in the wake of the pandemic, the overall number of wide releases has shrunk over the last decade. Even before Covid and dual Hollywood labor strikes slowed production down, Hollywood was making fewer and fewer movies each year, according to data from Comscore. Mid-budget movies — often in the drama, comedy and romantic comedy genres — began disappearing in the mid-2010s as studios sought to invest in bigger budget franchise flicks that could result in higher profits. The comparatively lower-budget films have since been predominantly redirected to streaming platforms in an effort to stock these services with more affordable content. Analysts project that the domestic box office has lost around $1 billion each year in total ticket sales as a result of that shift. At the same time that studios were altering their film slates, movie houses were merging. The most recent union between the Walt Disney Company and 20th Century Fox, first announced in 2017 and finalized in early 2019, resulted in the loss of between 10 and 15 film releases annually, according to data from Comscore. In 2015, 20th Century Fox released 17 films. After its acquisition, the pandemic and the strikes, it has released fewer than a half dozen titles each year. 'With consolidation in the past of some of the studios, the output numbers have decreased over the past few years, and with fewer releases there is less potential for box office and concession sales,' said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. 'More importantly movie theaters need new films to draw customers into their auditoriums.' Amazon's commitment to theatrical, alongside the emergence of smaller studios like Neon and A24, should help to close the gap left by 20th Century Fox's acquisition. 'They've filled the gap that we're missing from Fox, which is so exciting, and it looks like a similar slate to Fox, where there's a few big titles, but a lot of that mid-range,' Bagby said. What industry experts have discovered is that the strength of the box office doesn't just rely on the success of franchise films — superhero flicks, big-budget action fare and the like — but also on the sheer volume and diversity of content. There is a direct correlation between the number of theatrical releases and the strength of the overall box office. During the pandemic, the decline in box office ticket sales largely tracked nearly in lock step with the percentage decline in film releases. 'The number of movies being released continues to trend in the right direction,' said Michael O'Leary, CEO of Cinema United. 'When considering wide releases at 2,000 or more locations, we saw 94 last year, but we expect at least 110 in 2025. Beyond that, distributors have secured release dates as far out as 2028 for movies with plenty of commercial potential.'
CNBC
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNBC
Amazon is stepping up to fill a gap in Hollywood's movie slate
Tech is saving Hollywood — though not in the way you might think. Back in 2022, e-commerce giant and relative upstart movie studio Amazon promised to spend around $1 billion each year on theatrical releases, a figure that would fund between 12 and 15 films annually. Today, it appears ready to deliver. Earlier this month, the company, which operates the streaming platform Prime Video and recently acquired MGM studios, took the stage at CinemaCon in Las Vegas to tout its line-up of movies made just for the big screen. Amazon's inaugural presentation at the annual convention of Cinema United — previously known as the National Association of Theatre Owners — wowed exhibitors, marketers and media in attendance with flashy trailers and first-look footage from upcoming films like "Project Hail Mary," "After the Hunt" and "Verity." It also brought some star power with the likes of Ryan Gosling, Andrew Garfield, Julia Roberts, Chris Pratt, Chris Hemsworth, Hugh Jackman and Michael B. Jordan set to headline these cinematic releases. "I thought the presentation was incredible," said Brock Bagby, president and chief content, programming and development officer at B&B Theatres. "For their first year out, they pulled out all the stops." While the studio won't have a full slate of more than a dozen films until 2026, it has steadily invested in theatrical content over the last few years. Amazon had one wide release, a film that played in more than 2,000 theaters, in 2023 and five in 2024. This year Amazon has only four wide releases on the calendar so far, but the company is slated to have 14 in 2026 and 16 in 2027. This surge of theatrical content is just what the domestic box office needs. While blockbuster franchise films have been abundant in the wake of the pandemic, the overall number of wide releases has shrunk over the last decade. Even before Covid and dual Hollywood labor strikes slowed production down, Hollywood was making fewer and fewer movies each year, according to data from Comscore. Mid-budget movies — often in the drama, comedy and romantic comedy genres — began disappearing in the mid-2010s as studios sought to invest in bigger budget franchise flicks that could result in higher profits. The comparatively lower-budget films have since been predominantly redirected to streaming platforms in an effort to stock these services with more affordable content. Analysts project that the domestic box office has lost around $1 billion each year in total ticket sales as a result of that shift. At the same time that studios were altering their film slates, movie houses were merging. The most recent union between the Walt Disney Company and 20th Century Fox, first announced in 2017 and finalized in early 2019, resulted in the loss of between 10 and 15 film releases annually, according to data from Comscore. In 2015, 20th Century Fox released 17 films. After its acquisition, the pandemic and the strikes, it has released fewer than a half dozen titles each year. "With consolidation in the past of some of the studios, the output numbers have decreased over the past few years, and with fewer releases there is less potential for box office and concession sales," said Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst at Comscore. "More importantly movie theaters need new films to draw customers into their auditoriums." Amazon's commitment to theatrical, alongside the emergence of smaller studios like Neon and A24, should help to close the gap left by 20th Century Fox's acquisition. "They've filled the gap that we're missing from Fox, which is so exciting, and it looks like a similar slate to Fox, where there's a few big titles, but a lot of that mid-range," Bagby said. What industry experts have discovered is that the strength of the box office doesn't just rely on the success of franchise films — superhero flicks, big-budget action fare and the like — but also on the sheer volume and diversity of content. There is a direct correlation between the number of theatrical releases and the strength of the overall box office. During the pandemic, the decline in box office ticket sales largely tracked nearly in lock step with the percentage decline in film releases. "The number of movies being released continues to trend in the right direction," said Michael O'Leary, CEO of Cinema United. "When considering wide releases at 2,000 or more locations, we saw 94 last year, but we expect at least 110 in 2025. Beyond that, distributors have secured release dates as far out as 2028 for movies with plenty of commercial potential."
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ryan Gosling and Shawn Levy's ‘Star Wars' Film Officially Titled ‘Star Wars: Starfighter,' Sets May 2027 Theatrical Release
Ryan Gosling is officially headed to a galaxy far, far away. Lucasfilm confirms that the star will lead a new 'Star Wars' film, titled 'Star Wars: Starfighter,' with Shawn Levy directing. The film is eyeing a fall production start and Disney has set a theatrical release date of May 28, 2027. After numerous reports on Gosling and Levy's attachment to a 'Star Wars' project, Lucasfilm president Kathleen Kennedy and chief creative officer Dave Filoni officially unveiled plans Friday morning at the banner's annual Star Wars Celebration event. The standalone, which focuses on new characters in the 'Star Wars' universe, is set roughly five years after the events of 'Star Wars: Episode IX — The Rise of Skywalker,' which concluded the Skywalker saga and currently stands as the final feature chronologically on the 'Star Wars' timeline. More from Variety Mikey Madison Passes on Shawn Levy's 'Star Wars' Movie With Ryan Gosling Ryan Gosling Plays a Nerdy Scientist on a Suicidal Space Mission in 'Project Hail Mary' CinemaCon Trailer: 'I Put the Not in Astronaut' 'Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith' Sets 20th Anniversary Theatrical Release - Film News in Brief Star Wars: Starfighter comes to theaters on May 28, 2027. #StarWarsCelebration — Star Wars (@starwars) April 18, 2025 The project marks Levy's directorial follow-up to Marvel Studios' megasmash buddy comedy 'Deadpool & Wolverine,' which raked in $1.3 billion at the global box office after releasing in July 2024 and stands as the highest-grossing R-rated feature of all-time. Gosling was last seen in the action-heavy romcom 'The Fall Guy,' released in May 2024. 'Starfighter' is also a new leap for the typically franchise-averse actor, whose few encounters with IP ('Barbie,' 'Blade Runner 2049') have been less recognizable to audiences than the now-omnipresent (and superlatively lucrative) 'Star Wars' franchise. More to come… Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in April 2025 The Best Celebrity Memoirs to Read This Year: From Chelsea Handler to Anthony Hopkins
Express Tribune
06-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Express Tribune
Hollywood stars back Amazon's film frenzy
Ryan Gosling, Chris Hemsworth, Halle Berry and other Hollywood stars turned on the charm in Las Vegas on Wednesday to showcase expanded push into the film business. Gosling appeared at the annual CinemaCon convention of theatre owners after the debut of a trailer for his coming science fiction epic Project Hail Mary, based on a popular novel by Andy Weir. In the film, Gosling portrays a teacher-turned-astronaut who embarks on a long-shot mission to save the planet and meets an alien named Rocky. "This is why we go to the movies," Gosling said. "I'm not just saying that because I'm in it, but also because I'm a producer on the film," he said to laughter. "And it's also true." Project Hail Mary is set for release next March as Amazon picks up the pace of film releases. The online retailer, which also operates the Prime Video streaming service, has released a handful of films in cinemas each year over the past decade. The company now promises to increase that to at least 15 annually by 2027. It has already scheduled 14 releases for 2026. Amazon bought the MGM studio and its vast film library in 2022. Wednesday's presentation was Amazon's first at CinemaCon. "We are committed to doing this for the long term," said Mike Hopkins, head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios. "When Amazon commits to something, we tend to do it big." Theatre owners welcomed Amazon to their annual gathering, hoping the company will fill a void left when Walt Disney subsumed the Fox film studio in 2019. Box office returns in the United States and Canada remain below pre-pandemic levels. During Amazon's pitch, Chris Pratt joked with the audience from a chair used as a prop in the film Mercy, the story of a murder suspect trying to prove his innocence. Andrew Garfield and Ayo Edebiri touted After the Hunt, a thriller about a scandal on a college campus. Hemsworth and Halle Berry teased their heist film Crime 101. Reuters
