"The findings … will likely surprise no one as they reflect the 'mixed picture' of the broader economic outlook. So, while there are many more new projects that have been completed or that lie ahead, spending on newly announced projects is lower, amid broader belt-tightening in the arts world." - Artnet
"In a holiday week shocker, Skydance Media and Shari Redstone’s National Amusements Inc. have quietly renewed acquisition talks and have reached a tentative agreement to acquire Paramount Global" — although the studio will reportedly have 45 days to look for a better deal. - Variety
"The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan ruled that the producer could not continue with his $50 million lawsuit alleging that the Actors’ Equity Association violated antitrust and various state laws, including defamation," and illegally prevented him from producing Broadway shows by boycotting him. - AP
He was also an Oscar nominee for Shampoo (starring Warren Beatty), The Last Detail, and Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, and he both wrote and directed four features, including Tequila Sunrise. He was also popular as an uncredited script doctor, contributing to, among other films, The Godfather. - CNN
Amid growing public outrage over the Board of Governors’ failure to retain the acclaimed Finnish conductor beyond his five-year contract ending after the 2024-25 season, audience member Laura Leibowitz displayed a sign during the June 21 performance that read “F— the board” in Salonen’s native language. - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
If a statue cast in Rome 2,000 years ago is discovered in Greece, Cyprus or Turkey, would it belong to one of those states, or would Italians have a claim over Roman antiquities on the ground that they share a culture — whatever that may mean — with ancient Romans? - The New York Times
The State Department introduced 11 global music ambassadors who are charged with bridging cultural divides through poetry and melody at a time when the chasm separating Americans from each other and their neighbors abroad seems wider than ever. - Washington Post (MSN)
If Zemeckis can achieve that effect in Here, how long can it be before such de-ageing is as common as using hair dye and make-up to knock a few years off an actor's apparent age? - BBC
Steven Monte talks about Ariosto's Orlando furioso, finding an equivalent to the original's eight-liner rhyme scheme in relatively rhyme-poor English, and the episode he chose to translate, a character's voyage to the moon. - Asymptote
After 19 days of release, the animated sequel has grossed $469.3 million in North America and $545.5 million internationally for a worldwide tally of $1.015 billion. It’s one of 11 animated films to join the billion-dollar club (eight of which are Disney titles), and it’s the fastest animated release to do so. - Variety
"Gradually, then all at once, the NDA became enmeshed in every part of our lives. … No one can say how many are signed every day because NDAs often prohibit even the acknowledgment of their existence, but lawyers attest that (it) is now one of the most commonly signed contracts." - The Cut
After the museum initially failed to recognize the Jewish founders of the industry in 2021, this year the exhibit aimed at righting this lapse managed to insult and offend instead of making amends. - The Wrap
"While scientific studies have confirmed that older men do indeed dance differently to their younger counterparts – and this may have evolved as a way of signalling their declining biological fitness – experts argue that dad dancing should be celebrated, not slated, for the numerous benefits it can bring." - The Guardian
The painting surpassed its $400,000–$600,000 pre-auction estimate, and has now increased in value by more than 1,650 percent since it was first auctioned in 2001. - ARTnews
