Cast & Crew Blog

This Week's Handful of Must-See Headlines

Written by Cast&Crew | 01/03/2025

Don’t forget to check out our Friday Fivecast, the audio version of our weekly Friday Five blog. Listen in your car, at your desk, and anywhere you take your podcasts. Find it here, then click on our Spotify profile to subscribe.

 

Union

Tentative Deal: Canadian Actors Union Reaches Production Agreements 
ACTRA, Canada’s actors union, has reached a "historic" tentative agreement with the CMPA and AQPM on a new Independent Production Agreement (IPA). The deal addresses key industry issues, including rights, fees, and working conditions. 

 

Broadway

A New Box Office Record: “Wicked” Earns $5 Million in One Week 
"Wicked" set a Broadway record by grossing $5 million in a week, surpassing its previous high. Several other shows also broke records, driving a 23% increase in overall holiday week grosses from last year. 

 

Television

All Eyes on Season 2: Netflix’s “Squid Game” Is Back 
"Squid Game" Season 2 shattered Netflix records with 68 million views in four days, becoming an instant hit. It joined Netflix's top non-English shows, while renewed interest in Season 1 made it the week’s third most-watched non-English series. 

 

DEI

A Representation Plateau: New Report by USC’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative 
A USC Annenberg study shows little progress for women and people of color as Hollywood directors. In 2024, women directed just 13.4% of top-grossing films, similar to 2023, despite women of color earning the highest critics' scores. 

 

Box Office

2024 in Review: This Year’s Box Office Performance 
The 2024 US box office is projected at $8.72 billion, 3% below 2023. Franchise hits from major studios thrived, but mid-tier films struggled, underscoring the reliance on IP-driven content in a post-pandemic market. 

 

High five! Another Friday Five is going live next weeksame time, same place. We know what caught our eyes, but we’re all ears. Tell us what you’d like to learn more about in our upcoming editions by following us on  FacebookTwitter, and  LinkedIn. Be sure to tag #FridayFive in your comments. 

Want an even more convenient way to stay in the know? Get Friday Five sent right to your inbox each week by signing up for our direct newsletter below. 

See you next Friday at 10 a.m. (PT).