Latest / Studio Signal / Studio Signal — Tuesday, May 12, 2026
Transcript
- Good morning, I'm Kai Rivers and this is Studio Signal — your daily M&E intelligence briefing, brought to you by Harkins Capital. Let's get into it. Alright, it is Tuesday, May twelfth, and the Cannes Film Festival is officially underway on the French Riviera. And it seems like the jury is wasting no time getting straight to the point. At the opening day press conference, politics were front and center. According to Deadline, jury member Demi Moore made a powerful statement on free speech, saying, "If we start censoring ourselves then I think we shut down the very core of our creativity." It’s a pretty direct comment that sets a tone for the entire festival, signaling that this year’s jury isn't going to shy away from films that have something to say. It’s a reminder that in a global industry, art and politics are almost always intertwined, whether studios like it or not. From the Croisette to the concert stage… or, I guess, both? Variety reports that Lady Gaga is finally dropping her long-awaited concert film, 'Mayhem Requiem'. And the release strategy here is fascinating. It’s premiering on Apple Music this Thursday, but also, for one night only, it’s getting a theatrical showing in AMC theaters at the exact same time. This is the hybrid model in action. You give the die-hard fans the big-screen, communal experience they crave, while also serving the massive at-home audience through a streaming partner. It’s a smart way to turn a release into a genuine event, capturing two different revenue streams simultaneously. Meanwhile, the hunt for the next big series continues, and sometimes it comes from the most unexpected places. Deadline is reporting that Legendary TV has optioned the rights to ‘The Rush Bible,’ a guide to sorority recruitment written by coach Trisha Addicks. Eva Longoria is on board to executive produce the series adaptation. This is a perfect example of studios looking beyond the usual comic books and novels for IP. They’re drilling down into hyper-specific, passionate subcultures, betting that the high-stakes drama of sorority rush can be translated into compelling television. With a built-in audience that understands the world, it’s a calculated and clever bet. And speaking of finding success in niche communities, the pioneering YouTube sketch channel Smosh just made a major league move. Per Variety, they’ve hired Cory Midgarden, a veteran from MTV, as their first-ever Chief Content Officer. This is a huge signal. For years, Smosh has been a dominant force in the creator space. Bringing in a CCO from traditional media shows they're serious about scaling their content strategy, professionalizing their operations, and expanding their brand beyond the YouTube ecosystem. It’s another wall crumbling between digital-native creators and legacy media. Alright, let's take a quick look at the markets before we go. It’s a bit of a mixed bag out there today for the M&E sector, which is leaning slightly negative overall. The big story seems to be in the music and gaming spaces. Spotify is having a great day, climbing almost four percent. That move is almost certainly tied to the Q1 earnings results that have been trickling out. Billboard's roundup shows solid performance across the major music companies, and it looks like investors are feeling optimistic about Spotify’s position. The gaming sector is also seeing a lot of green. Roblox is up nearly four percent, and Take-Two is up almost three percent. This feels like investor enthusiasm building ahead of Roblox’s earnings report, which is expected very soon. On the other side of the coin, AMC Entertainment is down about three and a half percent today. That Lady Gaga one-night-only event is a nice get for them, but it clearly isn't enough to calm broader investor concerns about the exhibitor’s long-term outlook. And we’re seeing a big drop from CoreWeave, the AI cloud company, which is down more than eight percent after a massive run-up. You know, staying on top of all these market moves and industry shifts is exactly what we do here every single day. If you want this level of M&E intel coming to you every morning, head over to studiosignal-dot-app. The first one thousand users get their first month of Pro for free. Just use the code STUDIO at checkout. That's your signal for today. I'm Kai Rivers — thanks for tuning in, and I'll see you tomorrow.