The Watch ‘Project Hail Mary,’ ‘Marshals,’ ‘Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat,’ and ‘SNL UK.’ Plus, ‘Paradise’ S2E7.
27 snips
Mar 24, 2026 They unpack Project Hail Mary's early box-office surge and what it means for big-screen event filmmaking. They check in on TV comfort fare like Marshalls and the surprising Kevin Kline sitcom American Classic. They debate Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat's prank format and whether SNL's template works in the U.K. They end with spoiler-heavy reactions to Paradise Season 2, Episode 7.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Original Big Sci‑Fi Still Sells Theaters
- Project Hail Mary’s box-office success signals that original, big-format sci-fi can still drive theatrical demand.
- Chris Ryan points to Ryan Gosling’s charm machine and the film’s IMAX-ready scope as reasons people chose theaters over waiting.
Franchise TV Dilution Spurs Film‑First Strategy
- Paramount’s cancellation of Starfleet Academy reflects a strategic retrenchment of franchise TV into fewer, more event-style projects.
- Andy Greenwald argues repeated streaming series diluted franchise prestige and studios may now refocus on blockbuster cinematic reboots.
Design Films As Event Cinema
- Make films feel like events worth leaving home for by leveraging scale, spectacle, and unique exhibition formats.
- Chris Ryan recommends films designed for IMAX or 70mm to create that 'worth the trip' quality.
