Jon Landau Archives

Many Exhibitors and Studios Remain Wary of Screening Room

By Debra Kaufman
April 15, 2016

The first quarter of 2016 has brought some upbeat news to the movie industry, including the hits “Deadpool” and “Zootopia” which created a 12 percent uptick in box office compared to the same quarter last year. More long-term problems — stagnant attendance and the lure of Internet content — still threaten the bottom line. But what many exhibitors are really worried about is Screening Room, the brainchild of Napster co-founder Sean Parker, which offers first-run movies at home, at the same time they debut in theaters. Continue reading Many Exhibitors and Studios Remain Wary of Screening Room

Disney and James Cameron to Bring Avatar to Theme Parks

By Rob Scott
September 26, 2011

Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Worldwide has announced a deal with filmmaker James Cameron and producer Jon Landau to bring “Avatar”-themed lands to its parks.
The first attraction is expected to start construction in the Animal Kingdom of Orlando’s Disney World by 2013.
Cameron’s Lightstorm Entertainment will consult with Walt Disney Imagineering in the design and development of the attractions, which will eventually be built in Disney’s international locations as well.
“The parks will not only play off the huge hit movie which dominated the box office for months in 2010, but also benefit from the release to two more movies now in pre-production,” according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Cameron has announced plans to release those movies at Christmas 2014 followed by the second at Christmas 2015.”
“‘Avatar’ created a world which audiences can discover again and again and now, through this incredible partnership with Disney, we’ll be able to bring Pandora to life like never before. With two new ‘Avatar’ films currently in development, we’ll have even more locations, characters and stories to explore,” said Cameron. “I’m chomping at the bit to start work with Disney’s legendary Imagineers to bring our ‘Avatar’ universe to life. Our goal is to go beyond current boundaries of technical innovation and experiential storytelling, and give park goers the chance to see, hear, and touch the world of ‘Avatar’ with an unprecedented sense of reality.”