• Walt Disney Co.’s “Jungle Cruise” topped the domestic box office, bringing in $34.2 million in its opening weekend, easily beating A24’s “The Green Knight” and Universal’s “Old,” which each brought in roughly $6.78 million. “Jungle Cruise” has earned $91.8 million globally, including $27.6 million from 47 theatrical markets and $30 million from Disney+ Premier Access. (The Hollywood Reporter)
• Simone Biles will compete in the balance beam event final on Tuesday after withdrawing from the women’s gymnastics team final, the all-around, vault, floor exercise and uneven bars to focus on her mental health. She will join teammate and all-around winner, Sunisa Lee, in the event final. (Variety)
• Ariana Grande will be the latest pop star to participate in a “Fortnite” concert, headlining the Rift Tour, which takes place virtually Aug. 6-8. The game will also sell a Grande-themed skin that goes on sale Wednesday. (The Verge)

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Priceless? Even Olympic Medals Can Be Had for the Right Price

Neil Vigdor, The New York Times

A silver medal in shooting from the 1900 Olympics in Paris recently sold for a mere $1,283. Then there was a bronze medal from the 1956 Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, that fetched $3,750.

How Suni Lee’s College Enrollment Will Help Her Endorsement Prospects

DeArbea Walker, Ad Age 

Winning an Olympic gold medal in the women’s all-around competition is the most coveted title in gymnastics. You become the face of the sport, raking in sponsorship deals. 

Visa CEO Backs Simone Biles as Star Olympic Endorser Withdraws

Kim Bhasin, Bloomberg

Visa Inc.’s top executive put his full support behind athlete-endorser Simone Biles after the gymnastics phenom withdrew from Olympic events in Tokyo to tend to her mental health.

Let It Go? Disney Princess Culture Isn’t Toxic, Study Finds

Julie Jargon, The Wall Street Journal 

Many parents find themselves in the middle of the Great Princess Debate at some point.

Scarlett Johansson’s Agent Rips Disney Over ‘Black Widow’ Contract Dispute

Joe Flint, The Wall Street Journal 

The fight between actress Scarlett Johansson and Walt Disney Co. over her contract for the movie “Black Widow” has a new participant: the powerful Creative Artists Agency, which represents Ms. Johansson and many of Hollywood’s biggest stars.

Paramount Pulls ‘Clifford the Big Red Dog’ From Schedule Due to Delta Variant Worries

Ross A. Lincoln, The Wrap

Owing to concerns about the spread of the Delta variant of COVID-19 and the impact it may have on theatrical revenues, Paramount has pulled its upcoming family film “Clifford the Big Red Dog” from its release schedule, TheWrap has confirmed.

Landmark Theatres Hit with $48 Million Lawsuit Over Departure from NYC’s 57 West

Tom Brueggemann, IndieWire 

New York real estate developer the Durst Organization wants $48 million in unpaid rent and damages from Landmark Theatres’ now-closed Upper West Side Manhattan 57 West Theater. 

Streaming has made movie studios a hot ticket. A new one is planned for the San Fernando Valley

Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times 

One of the country’s biggest independent studio operators plans a new movie studio in the Sun Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles as demand for soundstages gears up in the region.

Olympics Ratings Slump Forces NBC to Haggle With Advertisers

Gerry Smith, Bloomberg 

Since the opening ceremony of the Olympics last week, NBC has been busy negotiating with anxious advertisers, offering ways to make up for the games’ steep drop in viewers, people familiar with the matter say.

Discovery’s $1.5 Billion Olympics Deal Results in Uneven Free-to-Air Coverage Across Europe

K.J. Yossman, Variety 

When Discovery Communications purchased the European rights to the 2018-2024 Olympics six years ago, ousting competitors such as the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and agency SportFive in the process, there was little public interest, let alone outcry.

Disney, WarnerMedia and NBCUniversal wrestle with balancing the value of cable networks and streaming services

Alex Sherman, CNBC

If last year’s biggest corporate media challenge was launching subscription streaming services, this year’s unifying dilemma is figuring out what to put on them.

Desert streams: Netflix and other entertainment giants woo Saudi audiences

Vivienne Walt, Fortune 

It was the end of a sweltering summer’s day in Riyadh, with the mercury hitting 110˚ F. In a social hall in Saudi Arabia’s capital, producers and executives from the animation studio Myrkott doled out pizza and salads to a buzzing group of actors, illustrators, and staff. 

Can Paramount+ Succeed? One Producer Hopes to Make It So.

Nicole Sperling, The New York Times 

Like so many other writer-directors, Alex Kurtzman grew up worshiping film. But he is adaptable — and in the streaming era, that is a very lucrative trait.

‘StartUp’ has become such a hit on Netflix that it may get a new season — 3 years after it ended

Ashley Rodriguez, Insider Premium

The company behind “StartUp” is considering making another season of the show, three years after it ended.

Netflix joins Hollywood studio producers’ alliance

Anousha Sakoui, Los Angeles Times

It happened with no fanfare, but a Hollywood alliance secured a valuable new member earlier this year.

How Many People Are Watching Apple TV+ Anyway?

Chris Lindahl, IndieWire 

During Apple’s second-quarter earnings call July 27, executives declared Apple TV+ a success. The streamer’s 35 Emmy nominations, CEO Tim Cook said, “speaks to the quality of our programming and an enthusiastic reception from customers and critics alike” while the Season 2 premiere of “Ted Lasso” saw the show “continue to win over viewers with its heartwarming message about the power of community, compassion, and hope.”

A huge movie studio is set to be built in the UK for the likes of Amazon and Netflix

Sam Shead, CNBC

A vast new movie studio is set to be built just outside London as part of an effort to tempt the likes of Amazon and Netflix to make more blockbusters in the U.K.

Inside YouTube’s Struggle To Win TV Ad Dollars

Garett Sloane, Ad Age 

Google is having trouble convincing large advertisers that YouTube is a proper substitute for TV, as large brands and ad agencies say that the platform lacks the sophistication of rivals in connected TV like Roku and The Trade Desk.

To Fight Vaccine Lies, Authorities Recruit an ‘Influencer Army’

Taylor Lorenz, The New York Times 

Ellie Zeiler, 17, a TikTok creator with over 10 million followers, received an email in June from Village Marketing, an influencer marketing agency. It said it was reaching out on behalf of another party: the White House.

Publisher Buys Stakes From Prince’s Heirs in Bid to Steer Singer’s Legacy

Anne Steele, The Wall Street Journal 

In a sign o’ the times, Prince’s music is attracting new investment. Primary Wave has acquired the largest interest in the Prince estate, according to recently released legal documents, positioning the music publisher to steer the legacy of the late pop star, who died without a will. 

MTV Reveals New Moon Person Statue to Mark 40th Anniversary

Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone 

As part of MTV’s ongoing celebration of their 40th anniversary, the network has revealed its new-look Moon Person trophy.

The Brash, Exuberant Sounds of Hyperpop

Carrie Battan, The New Yorker

In 2014, music fans and critics began paying close attention to a mysterious group of artists who’d started releasing tracks online.

K-pop’s Fandom Platforms Are Changing What It Means To Be An Idol

Stitch, The Verge 

Fandom has changed a lot since I was a kid. As a tween, I had no hope of getting in touch with celebrities I adored like Britney Spears and Whitney Houston.