Mark Weinstock came to Paramount to oversee global marketing and distribution in 2019 for Megan Ellison’s Annapurna, preceded by a distinguished stint at 20th Century Fox and Sony, where he campaigned for hits like დედპულ, king’s secret service, hidden figures s the reborn (He previously worked at Sony.) Paramount has had a rough time during the pandemic, but the studio has been on an enviable winning streak in recent months at box office like crying, the lost city s sonic the hedgehog 2. Each film has managed to return cautious demos to the multiplex. The next one is too late Top Gun: MaverickWhich opens on Remembrance Day.
Weinstock was recently caught hollywood reporter Talk about some of your team’s tactics and the challenges the company faces.
What is the biggest obstacle that arises from a pandemic?
It was important for us to understand, “Okay, how do we make noise in a world where it’s even more congested than ever before?” And I think for a post-pandemic, this is even more important. There’s a lot of content.
Top Gun: MaverickWhich will finally hit theaters on May 27th and is due for release in Summer 2020. What was it like starting and ending the campaign so many times?
It was difficult to navigate. We had to hold on and hold on. Now that we feel comfortable, shots [of the campaign] They start talking. It just goes to show that if people want to see a movie, they will wait. I was 16 when I saw best weapon And immediately I went out and got my pilot’s license.
What is the marketing budget for the film? Top Gun: Maverick OR sonic the hedgehog 2?
I will never budget, but I will say that every movie is different.
crying He kept his January 14 date even as other films were sold because of Omicron. The film was a success, grossing $140 million worldwide. What was there to think about?
In early December, when that option got out of hand, we said, “Oh my God, nothing.” We had a lot of followers and a lot of early awareness, so we kept up to date.
Any notable digital campaigns?
The crying The voice was the first alternate voice. [of Ghostface; a user-customizable narration option] Featured on TikTok and it was huge. We have 5 billion audio and video views, which is huge. Separately, we made a deal with Airbnb where you can rent a house from Stu Macher and spend the night.
the lost cityThe action-comedy starring Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum managed to convince older moviegoers to return to theaters. What was your strategy?
The noise started with the world premiere at SXSW in Austin, Texas, where Sandy lives. The first reviews were excellent. Critics said it was a movie they’ve been waiting for years because it’s a genre that doesn’t work well in theaters. We had the perfect cast. And we did a lot of paid sneakers. [a strategy used to build world-of-mouth before a movie’s opening]. The more viewers saw the movie, the more they said to their friends, “Hey, go see the movie.” And it makes people feel comfortable, especially older women. Sandy, Channing and the cast also created a lot of digital space.
sonic 2 More than $70 million was released in early April, a record for a family film in the pandemic era. A bag of your tricks?
We did a really cool thing in the Super Bowl, flipping a coin because one of the main characters is the cross. We just think. Plus, there were all the signs along the way that people were ready to go back to theaters.
how do you sell Top Gun: Maverick For a young audience?
The [May 4] The US premiere was the biggest YouTube streaming event they had for the film. And there was a digital billboard in New York Times Square broadcasting the US premiere live.
Top Gun: Maverick Playing at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18. Will we see Tom Cruise cruising Cruise Waters? ㅡ I’m kidding.
The skin is flawless because of the global audience it serves. And we have special tricks that I think will travel the world. The London debut following the skin will also be fantastic. Everything we do is in the service of the film, because the film is our best marketing tool. – PM
The interview is edited for length and clarity.
A version of this story first appeared in the May 10 issue of The Gossipify. Click here to subscribe.
Source: Hollywood Reporter
Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.
