The Legal SA

Barbie Movie Smashes Records

The new Barbie movie has come in hot on the U.S. box office.

The movie, starring Margo Robbie and Ryan Gosling exceeded expectations, smashing records by raking in $155-million and $182-million international, becoming the biggest movie debut of the year so far with a total of $338-million in worldwide earnings.

The positive results were buoyed by a concerted, immaculate and clinical market campaign by Warner Bros.

The president of domestic distribution at Warner Bros. Mr. Jeff Goldstein was quoted as saying “We thought it would be $75 million for the opening weekend. Nobody saw $155 million coming. This doll has long legs.”

Barbie owner Mattel also cashed in off of the release of the movie with collectable Barbie toy sales surging 30% in Toys R Us retail stores.

Toys R Us has gone on to stock up on Barbie toys in signature glass stands, such is the nature of the demand for the toys after the release of the movie.
Viewer demographics for the movie were recorded at 65% female and 35% male.

The movie's director Anna Boden also made history as “Barbie” also scored the biggest opening weekend ever for a film directed by a woman.

Ryan Gosling has also been praised for his acting prowess and fluidity with the ability to adapt to the Ken character.
It is yet to be seen where the numbers will end up for the legendary Barbie brand.

Written by Thabo Makaota, Senior Writer @TheLegalSA

Hollywood To Go On Strike

Written by Thabo Makaota, Senior Writer @TheLegalSA.

Tens of thousands of Hollywood thespians represented by the Screen Actors Guild -American Federation of Television and Radio Artists are preparing to go on strike after talks with streaming giants and film and television studios broke down.

The dispute relates to actor pay residual issues as well as the use of artificial intelligence.

Screenwriters have already been going on sporadic pickets outside the studios of major streaming and film and television corporations including Disney, Netflix and Paramount across the United States.

The issue of work conditions is also a key priority area identified by the union the Writers Guild of America on behalf of writers.

Female and non-white writers and actors accuse film and television executives of inhumane discrimination and blacklisting of actors and writers who do not submit to sexual and/or race based discrimination.

If the actors strike action goes ahead, it will be the first time since 1960 that actors and writers picket film and television productions.

McDonald's Wedding Package

12:30pm, Friday, 07/07/23, Johannesburg

A McDonalds franchise in Indonesia will commence it's offering of a wedding catering package.

The franchise will offer newly weds and their wedding guests different catering options from their existing McDonalds menu under the slogan "Make wedding moments unforgettable".

The new wedding packages is available only in Jakarta, Indonesia and will be expanded worldwide if it garners a positive take-up in the South East Asian nation.

The price tag for an entry level catering wedding package from McDonalds is set at around R4 500 and includes one of two packages:

1) One hundred chicken burgers and one hundred boxes of McNuggets.

Or

2) One Hundred cheese burgers together with one hundred McNuggets.

McDonalds has already mastered kids' birthday party meals and are now forging a way into the wedding catering industry.

Written by Thabo Makaota, senior researcher and writer @TheLegalSA.