International
Flopped The Lone Ranger to cost Disney $190 million
MUMBAI: As per the reports, Disney CFO Jay Rasulo has informed that the company is likely to incur a loss of about $160 – $190 million next quarter as a result of The Lone Ranger‘s weak box office run.
The Gore Verbinski-directed western, which stars Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer, cost at least $215 million to produce but has only earned $175.5 million worldwide (it‘s only opened in about 40 percent of international markets) since its release on 3 July. Domestically, the film has earned $86.9 million – a larger total than Disney‘s 2012 mega-flop John Carter, which topped out at $73.1 million, but an alarmingly low one nonetheless.
For Disney, the loss hurts, but it isn‘t crippling. The company‘s portfolio now includes cash cows like Pixar, Marvel, and the Star Wars empire, the former two of which already delivered massive returns this summer with Iron Man 3 and Monsters University grossing $1.2 billion and $614 million worldwide. And Disney recognises that its plan to produce fewer movies but make them all tentpoles is a high-risk/high reward business. “This branded tentpole strategy of ours, it‘s 100 percent what we‘re looking to do and what we want to be,” said Disney executive VP of distribution Dave Hollis, following The Lone Ranger‘s disappointing opening weekend.
International
Council of Europe to unveil new TV and streaming co-production convention
Series Mania Forum to host landmark signing to boost global TV collaboration
LILLE: The small screen is getting a big policy push. At this year’s Series Mania Forum in Lille, Alain Berset will take centre stage to chair the opening ceremony for a new international convention aimed at reshaping how television and streaming series are co-produced across borders.
Set for March 26 at the Théâtre Marie Curie in Lille Grand Palais, the signing marks the debut of the first legal framework dedicated specifically to the independent co-production of series. In an industry where stories travel faster than ever, the move aims to make collaboration smoother, fairer and more transparent.
Backed by the Council of Europe, the convention is designed to strengthen cultural ties, give independent producers a firmer footing, and bring greater clarity to deals in a rapidly evolving content landscape. With streaming platforms fuelling a surge in global storytelling, the timing feels deliberate.
Council of Europe secretary general Alain Berset, underscored the cultural heft of series today, noting how they carry voices and viewpoints across borders. He called on member states and countries beyond Europe to sign on, framing the initiative as a way to turn culture into a tool for cooperation and democratic exchange.
For Series Mania founder and general director Laurence Herszberg, hosting the signing is both symbolic and strategic. She described the convention as a step that could widen the range of stories reaching audiences, staying true to the forum’s long-standing mission of championing diverse storytelling.
The ceremony will unfold alongside the Lille Dialogues, a high-level summit that gathers policymakers and industry leaders to debate the future of Europe’s audiovisual sector. Berset is also set to deliver the opening address there, adding political weight to a week already rich in creative ambition.
In short, as screens multiply and borders blur, Europe is putting a framework in place to ensure that storytelling keeps pace, collaboratively and coherently.
