Oscar Nominations and February Preview with Joe Garel

Daniel Loria, Rebecca Pahle, and Chad Kennerk discuss the latest industry news and release calendar updates. In the feature segment, Daniel speaks to Joe Garel, the owner of the Western Film Services, to discuss film booking and his predictions for the 2025 North American box office.

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What to Listen For

00:00 Intro

00:31 Introduction to Guest: Joe Garrell of Western Film Services

01:15 Box Office Recap: Latest Releases and Performances

03:15 Academy Awards Best Picture Nominations Discussion

06:44 Analysis of Wicked’s Best Picture Nomination

09:10 Major Snubs and Surprises in Oscar Nominations

11:45 Discussion on the Future of the Academy Awards

15:14 Robert Eggers Announces Werewolf Project

18:30 New YA Adaptation: Children of Bone Announcement

20:45 Paramount’s Upcoming Adaptation of Regretting You

23:00 Animated Film Announcement: Oh, The Places You’ll Go

25:12 A24’s Expanding Slate and Key Releases

28:05 Sonic the Hedgehog 4 Release Date and Franchise Updates

30:10 Revival of the Scary Movie Franchise

34:00 Chris Pratt’s Thriller Mercy Rescheduled

37:05 Feature Interview with Joe Garrell: Film Booking and Distribution

39:15 How to Strategically Program Theaters for Different Markets

43:10 The Role of Film Booking in Exhibition Success

46:30 Growth of Independent Films in Theatrical Distribution

50:00 Long-Term Box Office Predictions for 2025 and 2026