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4 Ways to Get Paid to Review Movies (Plus Tips to Get Started)

November 11, 2023

Written by:

Jessica Norris

Jessica is a writer for SideHustles.com. Her side hustles include freelance academic writing and editing, which she's done for...

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Watching movies is a great way to unwind after a long day at work. But what if you could also make money while indulging in your film habit?

If you have strong feelings about the Ghostbusters reboot or the latest Tarantino film, your movie-related opinions could make you money. Read on to find out how to turn reviewing movies into a profitable side hustle.

01. The 4 best strategies to make money reviewing movies

We look at four ways to get paid for publishing movie reviews across different outlets and platforms

You can get a movie-reviewing side hustle going with one of these four strategies:

1. Submit movie reviews to websites

There are a lot of sites that allow freelancers to write movie reviews for them. As with most of the other ways to make money writing , you don’t need any special qualifications to do this; you just need writing talent and something to say.

To get your start, you’ll want to have a writing portfolio. If you’ve never written professionally before, whip up a couple of sample pieces to showcase. Selling your first review may be difficult, but the more you publish, the easier it will become to get gigs as you gain recognition among editors and media outlets.

You can try pitching to any of these websites, all of which work with freelancers:

Screen Rant

What it is: Screen Rant is an entertainment website that publishes reviews of movies, TV shows, video games, and more.

How to apply: You can apply on the Screen Rant site to join their ranks of freelance writers for TV and movie features (including movie reviews).

Pay: Screen Rant doesn’t specify their rate per article, but online reports cite rates of $5–$20 .

What it is: Cineaste is a quarterly magazine that’s all about the art and politics of cinema. It publishes various types of film-related content, including movie reviews and DVD and Blu-ray reviews (both of new and vintage/classic films).

How to apply: The Cineaste website gives detailed guidelines on how to write your review, along with instructions on how to submit it .

Pay: Cineaste pays $18–$45 per piece (depending on the type of review you submit).

Cultured Vultures

What it is: Cultured Vultures is a British pop culture website. It features content about movies as well as TV, gaming, and more.

How to apply: Film reviews are among the types of content writers can submit; you can find instructions on how to submit your writing on the Cultured Vultures website.

Pay: The pay starts from a base rate of £5 (approximately $6 ) per article with bonuses for every 200 views you get.

Taste of Cinema

What it is: Taste of Cinema is a website for movie lists and reviews, with a focus on world cinema and classics.

How to apply: To indicate that you’re interested in writing for Taste of Cinema, follow the instructions on the website (which tell you who to email and what information to include in your message).

Pay: Unfortunately, Taste of Cinema doesn’t specify how much it pays. You can ask for more details about their rates when you apply.

What it is: HubPages is an online platform where you can publish articles and create your own pages on various topics—including movies.

How to apply: It’s free to sign up for HubPages. You can then earn money from ads that appear in your content.

Pay: Regarding pay, HubPages says, “ You are not likely to see significant earnings from your articles for up to two years (and that’s two years spent writing high-quality articles on HubPages). When you do begin to see regular payouts, they are likely to be in a range of $50 to $100 a month .”

What it is: Bustle is an online women’s magazine. It publishes TV and movie reviews, as well as other articles on many different topics, such as books, celebrities, music, wellness, fashion, and so on.

How to apply: The Bustle website has specific guidelines on how to write a pitch for the publication. You can send movie review pitches to [email protected] .

Pay: Bustle doesn’t specify how much it pays freelancers. Anecdotal reports cite rates of $50–$200 per article .

Animation Arena

What it is: Animation Arena is a site for people who want to work in the animation, video game, and visual effects industries. The site publishes reviews of movies, video games, comic books, and animation books.

How to apply: The Animation Arena site provides detailed instructions on how to apply , including the email you can use to send them your pitch ( [email protected] ).

Pay: The pay per review is $15 (and you can only publish up to 10 reviews per month).

Cracked.com

What it is: Cracked is a website featuring funny videos, pictures, articles, and more. They have a section on movies and TV, which includes movie reviews.

How to apply: You can send a pitch to [email protected] .

Pay: Articles pay between $100 and $250 , based on length and the number of pieces you’ve written.

What it is: Medium is an open platform where anyone can publish articles, personal essays, stories, opinions, and (of course) movie reviews.

How to apply: To write for Medium, you don’t have to apply or go through a vetting process; you can just sign up and start writing.

Pay: Medium doesn’t pay per article, but has a “partner program” that pays you according to the time people spend reading your stories. Reports suggest that on average, you’ll get paid around $5 per thousand views on your articles, but this heavily depends on how much people engage with them (if they get bored quickly and hit the back button, you won’t make much at all).

2. Write for a newspaper

Instead of writing for an online publication, you can apply to be a movie reviewer for a local or regional newspaper. To land this type of work, follow these steps:

• Research newspapers: First, look for local newspapers (ideally in your city or state) that have a regular movie review section or a dedicated arts and entertainment section.
• Read existing reviews: Study the style and format of movie reviews published in the newspapers you’re interested in writing for. Pay attention to their tone, length, and content.
• Find contact information: Get the contact information for the entertainment or arts editor of the newspapers you’re interested in. This information should be available on the paper’s website or in the print edition.
• Prepare your pitch: Write a concise and compelling pitch expressing your interest in writing movie reviews for the newspaper. Mention your relevant experience and passion for cinema.
• Submit a portfolio: If you have any previous experience writing movie reviews (or other similar work), compile your pieces into a portfolio and include it with your pitch.

In theory, you can also use this approach to apply to work for national papers (like The New York Times or the Washington Post), but you’ll have a tough road ahead of you. Major newspapers usually only hire established movie reviewers with very strong portfolios. If that’s your goal, it isn’t impossible, but you’ll probably have to spend a long time working your way up.

3. Start a movie review blog

Another way to make money from your movie reviews is to start your own blog. This will give you more creative freedom than writing for another publication.

Blogging is also a good way to build your reputation as a movie reviewer. Even if you don’t actually plan to use your blog to make money, you can bulk up your portfolio substantially.

How to set up a movie review blog

It’s possible to start a blog for free, but if you want a domain name, you’ll need to spend a bit of money to get one. Many platforms provide all-in-one services, including a hosting account and domain name registration, along with website-building tools.

• Squarespace

Once you have your blog set up, you’ll have to do the following:

• Attract readers: To make money from your blog, you’ll need an audience. You can do this by using search engine optimization (SEO), which makes it easier for people to find and visit your website, by promoting your blog on social media, and by producing high-quality content.
• Monetize your posts: There are various ways to monetize your blog , such as selling advertising space (e.g., using Google Ads or Media.net ) or asking for donations, which you can set up by using a donation button or a crowdfunding platform like Patreon .

4. Start a movie review YouTube channel

As mentioned, not all movie reviews are written down. If you have a good voice or a compelling camera presence, you can always film them instead.

For inspiration, you can look at some of the many popular YouTube channels that feature movie reviews, such as:

• Jeremy Jahns
• Chris Stuckmann
• Mr Sunday Movies
• Jack’s Movie Reviews
• kermodeandmayo

You can use a YouTube channel to make money in much the same way you’d use a blog—by featuring advertisements, using affiliate links, or seeking sponsorship. These options will allow you to generate passive income from your YouTube videos.

02. How much do movie reviewers make?

Learn how much you can make as a movie reviewer and which factors might affect your earnings

As a movie reviewer or movie critic, you won’t usually be paid an hourly wage or monthly salary. You might be paid by the word or per article, per view (if you’re working with online platforms that track viewership), or per click (if you’re using affiliate marketing).

To give you a rough idea of how much you can earn, the rates paid by the online publications we listed above range from about $5 to $200 per article . They’ll usually pay at the lower end of the scale if you have little or no experience.

If you choose to work for yourself (by starting a blog or a YouTube channel), your earnings will entirely depend on how popular your content is. In the beginning, you shouldn’t expect to make any money at all, but if your site takes off, you may eventually be able to earn thousands of dollars per month.

03. Tips to help you make money reviewing movies

Find out which skills and resources you can use to make money from your movie reviews

If you’re starting your own blog or YouTube channel, you may need to use only some of these ideas. If you want to submit your movie reviews to magazines, film websites, or other publications, all of the following tips will be helpful.

Study the film industry

An understanding of the film industry and the filmmaking process will provide context and background for your movie reviews, helping you to craft more informed and thoughtful pieces.

You can learn how to analyze and rate movies by studying the industry, how movies are made, what role filmmakers play, and other aspects of the filmmaking process.

Cultivate movie-reviewing skills

As we’ve mentioned, you would once have needed great writing skills to be good at reviewing movies. However, you can now just as easily deliver your reviews in video format.

To make videos, you’ll need good verbal communication skills (and video editing skills, unless you plan on hiring someone to help you with that).

You’ll also need other soft skills to get good at reviewing movies. For example, you’ll need attention to detail to analyze all of the different aspects of a movie critically (e.g., the plot, character development, and cinematography).

The more you practice all of these skills, the better you’ll get. As you might expect, the best way to improve is to:

• Watch different types of movies
• Discuss the movies you watch with others
• Read and watch other people’s movie reviews and critiques
• Write or record your own reviews
• Stay up to date on the latest releases and trends in the film industry

Establish an online presence

If you’re planning to share your reviews mainly through your blog or YouTube channel (or if you plan on writing for Medium, which will pay you based on the popularity of your content), your online presence will be key for your income.

You can use social media platforms to amplify your online presence, share your reviews, and engage with your audience. In addition to the main social media sites like Facebook and Instagram, you can also look for more niche sites that focus specifically on film. In particular, check out Letterboxd , which is a social media platform that bills itself as being specifically for film lovers.

Build a great portfolio

As you’ve probably gathered, your portfolio is one of the most important tools you have for showcasing your talents to potential clients and employers.

Your portfolio should include a carefully curated selection of your best movie reviews, covering a diverse range of films from various genres, eras, and styles. It should also feature:

• A personal bio
• Social media and blog links
• Contact details

As we’ve mentioned, a film review blog can be a great addition to a portfolio, even if your main ambition is to write for established publications like film websites and magazines. Naturally, if you have any published work under your belt, link to that as well.

Use job sites to look for gigs

We’ve already mentioned a few publications that you can scope out for opportunities. You can also look for gigs on freelancer sites like:

You may be able to find clients on there who are looking to start film-related publications of their own and need content from writers like you.

You can also check out regular job sites like FlexJobs , Indeed , and ZipRecruiter . Keep an eye out to see if any newspapers or magazines put out a call for film reviewers.

You can often find opportunities by networking with people in the same field. When you’re starting out as a movie reviewer, look to network with:

• Established reviewers
• Movie critics
• Editors of movie-related publications
• Other people in the film industry

You can connect with these people through social media and also by attending film festivals, screenings, film clubs, or other events.

04. Other ways to get paid to watch movies

Mystery shopper sites and movie focus groups will sometimes pay you to watch movies in the theater or at home

The following opportunities won’t pay you to produce reviews per se. However, they might pay you (or offer other incentives such as free movie tickets) to watch movies and then complete questionnaires or participate in discussions about your experience.

Mystery shopper sites

Mystery shopper sites like the ones below sometimes feature opportunities to get paid for going to the theater:

• Amusement Advantage

For this type of gig, you’ll usually have to watch the movie and then complete a questionnaire on your experience, sharing your thoughts on the comfort of the theater and the customer service provided by the staff.

Movie focus groups

A movie focus group is a group of people from the general public who watch a movie in advance of the official release and provide feedback on whether they enjoyed it. These groups are usually recruited by movie studios, streaming platforms, or market research companies.

If you join a movie focus group, you may have the chance to attend in-person screenings, but you might also have to watch movies at home (online). Each screening will usually be followed by a discussion, interview, or questionnaire.

Note that movie focus groups don’t always pay. For example, the Netflix Preview Club doesn’t offer any incentives other than the opportunity to watch new Netflix content before the general public gets to. You also can’t join this group without an invitation from Netflix (which they extend to people based on their viewing behavior and other factors).

However, paid opportunities do exist. Here are some sites that sometimes post opportunities to join movie focus groups:

• Survey Junkie
• Focus Group
• FocusGroups.org

This type of side hustle isn’t mutually exclusive with an actual reviewing gig, of course. You can always use it to make a bit of extra money and see more films while waiting for a publication to hire you as a critic (or for your movie review blog to get off the ground).

Robert Jellison

Managing Editor

Robert is a writer and editor for SideHustles.com. He has 7+ years of experience in freelance writing and previously worked as the in-house editor for Compose.ly, a platform for remote and part-time writers.

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10 Best Ways To Get Paid To Review Movies

If you're a bit of a movie aficionado, you might be looking to turn your passion for movies into a new income stream.

Making money from reviewing movies might sound like the dream side hustle idea for many. But, the great news is there are plenty of ways to get paid to review movies.

So, if you're ready to turn your movie and TV viewing time into a new way to make money online , this is the post for you.

Let's get to it!

Want more ways to make money? Checkout :

• Branded Surveys : Share your opinion to get gift cards and cash!
• Swagbucks : Another fun way to earn free PayPal cash and gift cards.

How To Get Paid To Review Movies

There are plenty of ways to make money writing reviews out there. And when it comes to getting paid for writing movie reviews, there are plenty of entrepreneurial ideas or online companies you can use to make extra cash from your movie reviews.

1. Start A Movie Review Blog

In my opinion, the best way to get paid for movie reviews is to start your own movie review blog .

I'm a bit biased here since blogging is how I make the bulk of my income, but I truly think that a blog is the most versatile way to make money from a hobby like movies.

For example, WebMonkey made $92,000 in 2021 , and this income came from numerous income streams. And in 2022, I made $272,000 with WebMonkey :

The two main sources were running Mediavine ads and through affiliate marketing. And these days, the blog makes $500 a day from just Mediavine alone, and this is largely autopilot income . My video above explains exactly how I started my blog and scaled this income source.

Now in terms of making money with a movie review blog, titans like IMDB are obviously dominating the market. However, independent film critics have also found success by writing movie reviews for money .

For example, Leonard Maltin's movie review blog is a perfect example.

On his blog, Maltin writes various movie reviews or cinema-related content. And, he has a Patreon that his readers can subscribe to if they want early-access to content and to unlock some exclusive content as well.

And this is just one example.

Nothing stops you from starting a niche blog that talks about movies but also filmography, or things like creating a perfect home theater where you plug a lot of Amazon affiliate links.

And the best part is that blogging doesn't have to be super expensive. I started WebMonkey with a cheap domain name and simple WordPress hosting. You can find incredibly affordable hosting and domains with a company like SiteGround and pay less than a cup of coffee or two per month.

And you never know where a blog can take you; I've been blogging for four years and it's now my full-time job and makes $10,000 a month or more.

2. Start A Movie Review YouTube Channel

Like blogging, another way to get paid to review movies is to start a movie review YouTube channel.

YouTubers do this all the time for music reviews or movie reviews, and if you gain a following, you can certainly make money on YouTube . I mean, I started my channel in 2020, and these days, it makes around $1,000 per month, and that's mostly passive income !

The thing with YouTube is that you can't show copyrighted content, so reviewing movies usually follows a reaction format or opinion format where you just talk about a movie.

That said, there are plenty of popular movie review channels out there. For example, movie review YouTuber Jeremy Jahns has over 1.8 million subscribers, and pretty much all of his movie review videos get hundreds of thousands of views!

Jahns does straight up movie reviews and also covers things like trailers and TV shows, so you have a lot of options.

And like blogging, YouTube isn't incredibly expensive to start either. For example, here is my budget YouTube setup that I used to grow my own channel to 10,000+ subscribers:

• Sony A6000 Camera   – $495.
• Audio-Technica AT2005 USB Microphone  – $80.
• Joby GorillaPod Tripod  – $15.

Extra Reading – Blog vs YouTube – Which Option Is Best?

3. AnimationArena

If you want to make money as a freelance writer , another way to get paid to write movie reviews is to write for AnimationArena.

This site pays you for writing movie reviews as well as comic book and video game reviews.

You don't need previous experience, and reviews are at least 550 words and are supposed to be casual in style .

AnimationArena pays $15 USD per review and asks for a max of 10 reviews per month.

This is a pretty quick $150 if you write 10 reviews per month. To get started, you just email two writing samples to [email protected] with “Writing for Animation Arena” in the subject line.

4. Start A Medium Blog

If you want to make money with creative writing or start a movie review blog a bit faster, you can always try making money on Medium .

Medium is a free blogging platform where you get paid when premium Medium members read your content.

I've also been blogging on Medium, on and off, for the last few years. At one point, I was making $1,000+ from my Medium work :

However, you can start your own Medium profile for free and write whatever you feel like. If you build an audience over time, it's definitely possible to turn sites like Medium into a decent income stream on the side as well.

5. ScreenRant

Like AnimationArena, you can also get paid for writing movie reviews by writing for ScreenRant.

ScreenRant is looking for writers who can write “in-depth, premium content” about movies, TV shows, news, and gaming. You get an author bio/credit and you get paid. However, ScreenRant doesn't state how much you get paid for writing movie reviews.

You apply by submitting the topic(s) you want to write about and explain what previous writing experience you have as well.

6. Taste Of Cinema

Another way you can make money writing movie reviews is to write for Taste of Cinema.

This movie review site is always looking for contributor writers. And, there are two compensation models you can choose from:

• Promotion : Promote your company, author profile, book, or social media accounts in your author bio.
• Payment : Get paid for your movie reviews depending on how many clicks your articles get.

Unfortunately, Taste of Cinema doesn't have information on its rates. And honestly, pay-per-click models are usually pretty low in the world of freelance writing.

But if you just want to write movie reviews for money as a fun side hustle, you can always try out Taste of Cinema to see if you like it.

7. Cineaste

According to its website, Cineaste is “America's leading magazine on the art and politics of the cinema.”

This quarterly publication began in 1967, and it's looking for writers who can cover in-depth topics about Hollywood and film.

This includes writing in-depth pieces, interviews, and film reviews. Many of these pieces range from 1,000 to 4,000+ words, and there's a serious editorial team behind the scenes.

Here's how much Cineaste pays for different types of movie and film reviews :

• Short Takes : $18.
• Book & DVD Reviews : $36.
• Film Reviews, Short Articles, & Sidebar Interviews : $45.
• Feature Articles & Interviews : $$90.

This is one of the higher-paying movie review gigs, although articles require much more work and the quality standard is higher.

But if you want to write for a movie review magazine, you can definitely apply to Cineaste .

Bustle is an American women's magazine that began in 2013. These days, it's an absolutely massive publication you're probably familiar with.

And the great news is that Bustle covers movies and entertainment news, and you can pitch freelance writing ideas to the editorial team.

Here's what you include in your article pitch :

• A few sentences about your writing background
• A sample headline
• A 2-3 sentence summary of the article
• Sources you know that pertain to the article
• Why the story is relevant and a good fit for Bustle
• Any plans for photos if you want to include some

The fact you can set your freelance writing rate is a perk of writing movie reviews for cash with Bustle.

Granted, you're not guaranteed to get the rate you're asking for, but Bustle is a massive website, so it has the potential to turn into a more regular gig if the team likes your work.

9. Get A Job Reviewing Movies

One of the more straightforward ways to get paid for movie reviews is to get a movie reviewer job.

Searching on remote job sites or regular job boards is a great way to start your job search. For example, if you search for movie review jobs on Indeed, you find scores of different remote and in-person job openings.

Many listings include salary information as well, or how many articles you have to publish. Plus, you can find full- and part-time work, so this is ideal if you're looking for something a bit more serious.

Extra Reading – The Best Jobs That Pay $5,000 Per Month .

10. Cracked

Cracked is another massively popular online publication that covers topics like entertainment, TV shows, movies, and music.

Now, Cracked is definitely on the more premium side, so it's not the type of movie review writing job that accepts everyone.

However, you can still apply to write for the site. Cracked pays between $100 to $250 depending on article length and how many pieces you've written .

Cracked is also quite humorous, so take a look at some published pieces to see if your writing style matches up well!

How Much Money Can You Make Writing Movie Reviews?

How much you get paid for your movie reviews depends on several factors, including:

• The publications you write for
• How often you write
• Your previous experience
• If you run your own music review blog or YouTube channel

Top movie critics can make six figures, and the most popular movie review blogs or YouTube channels can make millions. However, many movie review writer jobs only pay $10 to $100 per article, with $100 being on the higher side .

Ultimately, it's possible to make decent money in this space, but it's competitive and requires building up your portfolio!

Extra Reading – The Best Free Online Jobs That Pay Daily .

Tips For Getting Started

Now that you know how to get paid for movie reviews, here are some tips you can keep in mind to help turn your hobby into a new income stream :

• Set Realistic Expectations : Set an income goal you want to make as a movie reviewer and then work towards that goal over time.
• Try Branching Out On Your Own : I think the two methods to get paid for movie reviews with the highest income potential are blogging and YouTube. So, don't be afraid to start your own thing!
• Hone Your Craft : As a freelance writer, I can confidently say that writing for money is an endless process of self-improvement. Take pride in your work and find ways to improve your movie reviews while landing better and better clients.

Extra Reading – How To Get Paid For Amazon Reviews .

Final Thoughts

I hope this list of ways to make money from movie reviews helps you turn your film hobby into a new income stream.

Again, there are plenty of options out there, so don't be afraid to dabble with a few ideas on the side as you improve your writing.

This could mean starting a movie review blog with WordPress, your own YouTube channel, or freelance writing. Whatever the case, all of these are fun side hustles that you can use to potentially make money with your cinema hobby.

And who knows; you might be making a full-time income writing Blockbuster movie reviews in the future!

Looking for other ways to make extra money? Checkout :

• How To Make Money Writing Short Stories .
• How To Get Paid To Review Products .
• The Best Ways To Make Quick Money In A Day .

Tom is a full-time blogger and freelance writer with a passion for side hustling, passive income, and making money online. His work has appeared on dozens of personal finance websites like Money Crashers, The College Investor, Forbes, and more.

Tom also founded the blog This Online World - a finance site dedicated to helping people make money online - in 2018. After 6 years, that site merged with WebMonkey, with the goal of helping even more people earn their first dollar of online income.

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8 Ways To Get Paid To Review Movies & Films

Updated: March 20, 2024 by Bonnie (Ling) Thich 1 Comment

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Did you know that people will spend around 78,000 hours of their lives in front of a screen ? A good chunk of those 78,000 hours are dedicated to watching movies.

I’m honestly not surprised. It’s no secret that movies give us joy and reduce stress, so it’s easy to turn to them when we’re not feeling great. However, for me, sharing your thoughts with others makes that hobby more meaningful and enjoyable.

But what if I told you that you could get paid to watch and review movies ? Yes, instead of just watching for hours, you can get paid to share your thoughts on those movies.

I know, I know! It’s unbelievable, but I researched, so you don’t have to. I discovered many fun and well-paying jobs focused on writing movie reviews, such as being a Netflix Tagger, launching a review channel, or starting your own podcast.

To give you an idea of how you can turn a fun hobby into a source of income, I’ve compiled a list of ways you can get paid to review movies. The best part is that you can do most of these side hustles from home !

PIN THIS: I’ll be updating this post so make sure to pin this image here and save it to your Pinterest board . That way you’ll be able to come back to this page and learn how to get paid to watch movies!

1. Start A Movie Review Blog

When I started this blog, I considered it a hobby. I enjoyed writing and had a great passion for personal finance. I wanted to share everything I’ve learned about money throughout my journey so others could learn from my right decisions and mistakes.

Although it was my goal, I was surprised to find out that this hobby could make money – enough that I was able to quit my job. Starting a movie review blog is a great way to turn hours watching movies into hours earning money. Having a blog means you have your own space to express your thoughts about the movies you watch.

The exciting part is that you can monetize your blog in a lot of ways so you’re not limited to just one revenue stream. You can have ads, sponsorships from movie studios or streaming services, and even affiliate marketing.

With a blog, there aren’t any strict rules or schedules. You can post your unfiltered thoughts at any pace you want. But if you really want to turn your hobby into a full-time job, you should be consistent with creating high-quality content that your audience can identify with.

When you start a movie review blog, you don’t have to focus on just reviewing the movies you watch. Your blog can have a specific focus, such as:

• A Harry Potter movie blog that goes deep into the plot and stories of each character.
• A horror movie blog that focuses on franchises like Scream and Insidious. You can talk about how each film in a franchise relates to another.
• A movie review blog that only focuses on independent films like Parasite, The Blair Witch Project, and Whiplash.

I didn’t earn right away when I started this blog, so don’t expect to make a big fortune immediately. Yet, with consistent content creation, I’m now able to earn over six figures in a year – and you can, too!

2. Launch a YouTube Channel

I’m not the kind of person who goes into movies without knowing anything about it. I want to know what to expect, so I watch movie trailers and commentary from YouTubers before deciding whether to watch a movie or not.

I know there are many like me because these YouTube channels have a lot of subscribers and engagement. Just take a look at one of my favorites, Screen Rant !

Think about it, though. What if you were behind these movie review channels? You can create a YouTube channel for free and talk about the movies you watch so you can give viewers a taste of the film before they go for it.

With YouTube, you’re the director and call the shots. You’re not dictated by a boss or client. You can even opt not to show your face if you prefer to be anonymous. Being a movie review YouTuber is one of the most stress-free jobs out there. Unlike other social media platforms, there isn’t even a need to churn out content daily.

With a movie review channel, you practically get paid to watch movies , especially because there are many ways to make money on YouTube once you already have a solid audience.

3. Taste Of Cinema

Running your own blog can be a bit challenging and demanding, so it’s not a route that fits every single person. Don’t worry, though, because you can still earn as a movie reviewer from online movie review jobs .

Thanks to platforms like Taste of Cinema , you can get paid to write movie reviews for a large audience. Taste of Cinema is a website focusing on essential film lists for new and old moviegoers. They are constantly looking for freelance writers  to contribute fresh movie review perspectives and put together lists that readers will love.

When you sign up as a contributor , you have to come up with your own ideas that fit the website’s vision. Once you write your article, you have to pitch it to their editor. That means that not everything you write will go through.

If your output does get accepted, you’ll be paid depending on the number of clicks your article gets. The more clicks you get, the more money you earn. With that in mind, the more your piece stands out, the higher your earning potential will be.

Your articles need to be the same as a blockbuster movie. They should grab the audience’s attention from the opening scene and hold it until the credits roll. It also doesn’t hurt to share the link to your articles on your socials to get more hits.

Being a contributor on the platform means you can write as much or as little as you want, all from the comfort of your own home . You can also promote your website, social media, or products!

4. Become a Netflix Tagger

Did you know that there’s a way to get paid to review movies on Netflix ? Yes, as surprising as that sounds, you can actually be a Netflix Tagger.

I agree that this job doesn’t sound real at all! You’ll even see some people on the internet calling it a scam. But Netflix Taggers exist, and they are the ones in charge of categorizing and tagging Netflix movies in the correct categories. Those tags are the words that we see under the movie’s descriptions, such as family-friendly, animated, and horror.

Without the Tagger, we won’t be able to find the right type of movies and shows for us from the neverending Netflix library. To correctly categorize the movies, you have to watch and review them. Being a Netflix Tagger is the ultimate dream job for a movie geek because you don’t only watch Netflix movies for a living , but you also get to help other people improve their viewing experience.

Before you get excited about this job, though, you have to know what to expect. They pay a fair salary, but they do have strict requirements . These positions are also very few and elusive, so once you see an opening from Netflix, don’t let the opportunity pass! You never know when you might see it again.

5. Freelance for Local Newspapers or Magazines

If handling your own channel or website is too much for you, and being an employee isn’t appealing, you can always be a freelance writer specializing in movie reviews. You don’t even have to look far for clients.

There is a great chance that there’s a local newspaper or magazine in your area that is looking for movie reviewers. Look for such publications and send out cold pitches offering your services.

Choosing this path lets you set your own rates depending on your experience, so the earning potential is really up to you. The more experience you have and the more you can produce, the higher you can charge. It’s a great way to earn extra money while doing something you’re passionate about. The key here is standing out from other freelance movie reviewers through a solid portfolio.

As a freelance movie review writer, your reviews aren’t just words on paper. Your outputs can shape opinions and guide choices. In short, you’re influencing your local film scene, which is a big deal for any movie lover.

6. Podcasting About Movies

There are many work from home side hustles that focus on writing movie reviews, but there isn’t a lot that lets you work with your friends. Launching your own podcast allows you to speak your mind about the movies you watch and discuss them with your friends. The more natural your conversations are, the better!

A podcast about movies is more than just talking because you can create an intimate experience for your listeners where you can dive deep into any detail. Above all, once you get a solid audience, there will be a sense of community with others who share your love for movies. Just look at successful film review podcasts like Filmspotting , which focuses on reviewing and analyzing new and classic movies, and The Weekly Planet , which covers everything about movies, but they do discuss TV shows and comics, too. They both have created a dedicated following by having engaging discussions.

It’s hard to believe that a podcast can be your way to make money fast , but you can monetize your podcasts. You can earn money through sponsorships or brand placements in your podcasts.

But of course, like any other side hustle, you need to be consistent and gain enough listeners to start earning money. It’s not something that happens overnight.

7. Work as a Mystery Shopper

Not everyone enjoys watching movies on the television or a laptop screen, but is it even possible to get paid to watch movies on the big screen? The simple answer is yes, you can do it as a mystery shopper .

Being a mystery shopper might feel like you’re a secret agent in your own movie because you can go to the cinemas as an undercover evaluator. You have to go to the theater and provide them with feedback on the conditions of the place, from the exterior to the staff to the equipment.

As fun as it may be to be undercover, you’re not reviewing the movie of your choice for entertainment. You’re technically watching the film to see that the theatre is up to standards or that the sound system of the movie is high-quality.

You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to look for opportunities to help cinemas improve. There are online sites like BestMark that pay you per movie experience after you complete a feedback form.

8. Become a Film Critic

Well, it doesn’t get more straightforward than this. If you really breathe and eat movies, I believe there’s no other path to take but to become a movie critic.

It’s definitely not an easy feat to become a film critic, but the skills and recognition you can gain are more than worth the effort. Some critics even become famous and gain fans of their own.

The most rewarding part of being a film critic, aside from the lucrative salary , of course, is that your inputs become more than just reviews. They become part of the conversation in the movie industry. Your insights can influence other people’s views, and you can help attract more people to the cinemas.

I believe that more than getting paid to review movies, improving your craft and sharing your love for movies with the world are the best parts of becoming a film critic.

How Much Money Can You Make Writing Movie Reviews?

Income from paid movie review jobs depends on so many factors, so there’s no one answer to how much you can make. What you earn can range from an acceptable side hustle income to a significant full-time salary. Typically, it’s around $300 to $70,000 a month.

But honestly, the sky’s your limit. There are lots of ways to boost your earnings from writing reviews, like selling your merch on a YouTube channel or using a paid subscription model on Spotify. You can even do them all at the same time. As long as you’re diversifying your income streams and you’re consistently giving high-quality outputs, you can earn as much as you put your mind to it.

Enjoyed this post? Don’t forget to pin the image below! Also, don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest over here ! 🙂

About Bonnie (Ling) Thich

I am passionate about finding ways to save, budget, and earn more. I always dreaded the traditional 9-5 job, and that pain really motivated me to start building a better relationship with my money so I could achieve financial freedom sooner. I woke up one day, and randomly started FinSavvyPanda.com (with no knowledge about blogs, websites, or whatsoever) where I share my financial and blogging journey to help you save, budget, and earn more. Fast forward 12 months, I was so surprised about earning a full-time income with my small blog , which allowed me to quit my job! I'd love to help you start your blog too, so you can do what you love and live on your own terms! You can click here to learn how you can start a profitable blog for beginners .

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April 1, 2024 at 5:06 pm

If Netflix has some strict requirements for taggers, they have failed on a few occasions. I’ve seen some obvious comedies tagged as horrors, and vice-versa.

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Make Money Watching Films: How to Become a Movie Critic

Brett Helling is the founder of Gigworker.com. He has been a rideshare driver since early 2012, having completed hundreds of trips for companies including Uber, Lyft, and Postmates.

Since that time, he has expanded his knowledge into the Gigworker site, as well as writing the book Gigworker: Independent Work and the State of the Gig Economy Paperback,  now available on Amazon .

For film aficionados, it’s easy to get invested in a movie, no matter the genre.

You love the genius of unexpected plot twists and celebrate the classics that inspired the films we see today.

Perhaps you even love bad movies, if only because it excites you to figure out where the story line really went wrong.

When you know how to become a movie critic, the hours you spend watching and analyzing movies can completely pay off.

Much like music albums, Broadway shows, and restaurants, movies are constantly being reviewed by critics all around the world.

Professional film reviews are in demand among thousands of consumers who want to know whether a movie is worth their time before they purchase a ticket for a two-hour experience.

As a result, you have the opportunity to turn your everyday film criticism into extra cash — or even a full-time work-from-home job .

This article will guide you through what it really takes to become a movie critic and show you three routes you can take to reach your goal.

Looking for movie critic jobs? Look no further - we've found openings

We have the information you need to find, apply to, and land a job as a movie critic

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• Movie Critic Job Description
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• 1. Apply for a Job
• 2. Become a Freelancer
• 3. Start Your Own Blog
• Turn Your Passion into a Career

The role of a professional film critic is to give their audience an overview of a movie and its quality — always without any spoilers.

Film critiques traditionally take the form of a written article, though it’s become increasingly common for movie reviews to be presented in videos and even podcasts in our multimedia-driven world.

No matter what type of content you’re creating, you should expect to go beyond your personal opinion to create the most high-quality criticism possible.

Most professional movie critics keep their reviews consistent by creating a set ratings system that considers factors like cinematography, screenwriting, acting, and more.

A movie critic’s day-to-day may involve more than watching and reviewing movies.

In most cases, you’ll find yourself working with editors or clients to select movies that are relevant for your print or online publication’s audience.

As your reviews gain traction, you may start working with publicists to gain access to press previews, so your audience can learn more about a movie before or immediately upon its release.

Before you become a movie critic, you’ll need to be fairly knowledgeable about the film industry and the filmmaking process.

This will help you identify the different elements of a film — from plot development to art direction — and be as objective as possible when determining their strengths.

For many movie reviewers, watching plenty of films with close attention to detail, especially the award-winners and industry-changers, is enough to get familiar with the makings of a good or bad movie.

However, some may choose to get a formal degree in film studies, though this is rarely required.

On the technical side, it’s an absolute must to have great writing skills .

Even reviewers who mainly work with audio or video recording equipment and editing software will need to be good writers to put together scripts for their content.

Because of this, many film critic job listings require four-year journalism or English degrees — though there are ways to become a movie critic without college.

• Work From Home as a Software Tester
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The average salary of a movie critic is over $42,000 per year . The full range of average earnings varies from over $10,000 to over $213,000 per year.

However, because of the many routes that you can take as a film critic — from being a part-time reviewer with a TV segment to a full-time writer with a dedicated column — this salary can fluctuate a lot.

For a more exact look at how much you can expect to make, you can look at the average income for the specific type of movie critic you want to be.

On-screen critics tend to earn the most while writers for print publications often make under $30,000 per year .

There’s still a lot of fluctuation when it comes to the earnings of freelance writers , who can make anywhere between $5 and $200 per review.

Ultimately, your salary depends on the type of reviews you create, how much time you expect to spend in your movie criticism gig, and how much experience you have.

How to Become a Movie Critic: 3 Options

As you now know, there are many ways to review films nowadays with many forms of media readily available to consumers.

Similarly, the path to becoming a movie critic is never set in stone.

No matter your background, there’s a good chance you can earn extra money by reviewing movies.

The most traditional route that professional movie critics take is applying for a part-time or full-time job, whether it’s a writing job or an opportunity to be a live personality for a TV or radio station.

This route comes with the biggest barriers to entry, typically having set experience or education requirements.

If you want to gain a traditional entry-level job, there’s a good chance you will need a four-year degree or, at the very least, some internship or related work experience.

More often than not, your employer will ask for samples of your work, professional references, or a portfolio so they can best assess your aptitude for the job.

Applying for a movie critic job is a great path to take if you want to quickly gain a large following, as the media outlet you work for will already have subscribers or a dedicated audience.

However, you may not have as much flexibility with your schedule, ratings system, or your writing style.

You can find both in-person and remote movie critic jobs on sites like Indeed and LinkedIn.

Because many local and online media outlets don’t need full-time movie reviewers at hand, freelancers are quite common in this field.

While you don’t need any prior education to become a freelance movie critic, you will likely be required to have a strong portfolio of your work.

To get your work published, you can start small by submitting your film reviews to local publications or smaller companies that accept movie reviews.

As you begin to grow your portfolio and your credibility, you can start pitching to larger media outlets that can pay more for your work or apply to ongoing freelance gigs that you may find on standard job listing sites .

When you’re a freelancer, developing a relationship with editors and publicists is key to finding ongoing work.

You’ll also find it helpful to build your personal brand and online following, as having a large audience reading, listening to, or watching your reviews can make your work even more desirable to potential publishers.

If you want to be your own boss and set your own deadlines, you can consider creating your own film review blog to get complete control over your work.

This will allow you to decide what movies you want to watch and review.

Plus, you’ll earn 100% of any money you make from ads or sponsorship.

However, this is the most difficult route to take if you want to make money online fast .

You’ll have to learn how to start a website, create your social media channels, and market yourself to build your following.

For aspiring multimedia movie critics, you’ll also have to create a YouTube channel or profile on your desired platform.

Once you get to the point where your blog is monetized, it will likely still take a while before you can turn your movie critiques into a full-time job, if that’s your goal.

As long as you’re willing to put in the effort, starting your own blog has virtually no job requirements, lowering the barrier to entry, and provides an enormous amount of flexibility.

It’s an excellent way to make extra cash while fulfilling your passions — writing reviews the way you want to instead of following someone else’s rules.

Being a movie buff can absolutely become a great side hustle  or a full-time career as long as you refine your writing skills and film expertise.

Whether your goal is to have a stable job, land flexible freelance gigs, or monetize a blog that’s completely your style, your path can lead you to the point where you’ll finally be making money by watching films.

If you’re a sharp writer interested in all things pop culture, you don’t necessarily need to limit yourself to movies.

There’s no one way to learn how to become a movie critic, so this is a great opportunity for a little creativity in your career journey.

1 thought on “Make Money Watching Films: How to Become a Movie Critic”

I’m very interested in becoming a movie critic. I am a huge movie buff and I feel like that would be a great path for me but I don’t know how to get into it without guidance and I also don’t have a degree. I graduated high school in 2017 and have just worked different jobs since but movies are my passion and watching and writing reviews letting people know enough about the film to know if they will enjoy it but not giving away the whole movie is something I believe I would be great at. Do you know how to get into critiquing movies without a degree. If so please let me know.

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Netflix’s new comedic thriller “Bodkin” opens with the show’s protagonist, Gilbert Power ( Will Forte ), stating, “When I started this podcast, I didn't expect to solve anything. I didn't expect it to change my life.” It sets up the characters' preoccupations well, and also exposes the main problem with the genre their fictional series is embedded in. The series follows American true crime podcast host Gilbert and his researcher Emmy ( Robyn Cara ), who team up with journalist Dove ( Siobhán Cullen ) to uncover the mysterious disappearances that plagued the Irish town of Bodkin decades prior. 

As these amateur detectives continue to dig deeper for answers, they garner the attention of the town's various inhabitants. Some are fans of the show, while others are more than hostile to the new visitors. Despite this, Gilbert and Emmy are determined to get another hit on their hands, while Dove becomes entwined with the mystery and will stop at nothing to expose their identity. The three of them start off on the wrong foot, but as the series unfolds, they grow to care for one another, and surprisingly, their different methods of interviewing and interrogating work in the group's favor. 

From the first glares the trio receives, it’s clear that Bodkin and its community are hiding some big secrets. On their first few days in the town, this causes a malicious hit-and-run (thankfully, it doesn’t end in death) and their driver’s car to be set on fire. The town’s charming scenery, which often catches Gilbert off guard, covers up a woven bed of secrets that each member of the community wants to keep hidden. This is the main point of contention in the series and works well to showcase the failings of the true crime genre.

The series, in its first few episodes, is about the repercussions that come with telling a story about a place you’re not originally from and a place whose people don’t trust outsiders. Whether it be a podcast or a documentary, the relationship that listeners or viewers have with the media they consume is one filled with discord. Right off the bat, Gilbert says to Emmy that “the best stories are always mysteries,” showing us that he himself doesn’t understand that the stories he’s telling belong to real people. Dove on the other hand aptly compares true crime podcasts to “public hangings” putting her and Gilbert and Emmy on opposite sides of the play field.

As the series further unfolds, the themes it was attempting to juggle aren’t necessarily gone from “Bodkin’s” inner workings. Still, they do take a backseat compared to the actual mystery at hand. However, with episode 4, the show begins to give a voice to the supporting characters, giving a voice to the people whom the trio of protagonists unknowingly exploit. The most interesting here is undoubtedly Seamus (David Wilmont), one of the town's most illusive, and powerful members. While Dove is convinced that he is responsible for the disappearances of the three people who went missing during the Samhain festival, Gilbert isn’t so convinced. 

In an attempt to get more information from the man, Gilbert spends the better part of episodes 4 and 5 with Seamus. In their time together, it becomes apparent to Gilbert and us that there’s more to him than meets the eye. The growing relationship between the two is almost heartwarming – if such a word can exist in a black comedy like this – and the chemistry between Forte and Wilmot is electric. As they drive around to settle a debt Gilbert has with a bar patron, the two confide in each other about their romantic and life failings. As their relationship becomes more sincere, Gilbert becomes increasingly desperate for Seamus not to be the evil man Dove is convinced he is. It’s the best relationship in a series that hinges on brief or extended conversations and truly allows the show's writing and acting to shine.

Ultimately, “Bodkin” succeeds in a landscape of thrillers and true crime expansions. It expertly crafts a riveting mystery but also fleshes out its central – and supporting – characters. A series like this hinges on the chemistry of the show’s cast, and thankfully, each and every player gives it their all. Dove’s determination and coyness mix well with Gilbert and Emmy’s sweet disposition and, in turn, allow the Americans to become detectives in their own right. The difference in how they not only see the world but see their professions allows them to crack the case wide open and expose that this cold case might not even be lukewarm. 

Instead, the case at hand is a simmering beast waiting to be exposed, lying dormant beneath the soil of Bodkin for decades. It’s been waiting to be unearthed, and with the work of Dove, Gilbert, and Emmy, it soon will be. Each secret is mentioned by a passerby fleetingly, though the biggest ones stay hidden between the tight-lipped mouths of the show's most important players. The story never overstays its welcome and instead unfolds into one of the most entertaining shows of the year. Underneath it all is a warning that perhaps some things don’t need to be uncovered, and perhaps they’re left better off dead. 

All episodes were screened for review. On Netflix now.

Kaiya Shunyata

Kaiya Shunyata is a freelance pop culture writer and academic based in Canada. They have written for RogerEbert.com, Xtra, Okayplayer, The Daily Beast, AltPress and more. 

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Amc entertainment holdings inc (amc) (q1 2024) earnings call transcript highlights: surpassing ....

Total Revenue: Maintained within 1% of Q1 2023 despite a 6% decline in North American box office.

Net Income: Exceeded Wall Street expectations.

Earnings Per Share: Diluted EPS outperformed expectations.

Free Cash Flow: Unrestricted cash of $624 million at the end of Q1 2024.

Market Capitalization: Raised $124.1 million of equity capital since March 31.

Revenue Per Patron: Increased by 36% above pre-pandemic levels (Q1 2019).

Contribution Margin Per Patron: 44% above pre-pandemic Q1 2019.

Store Locations: Closed four underperforming locations and opened one new high-performing theater in Q1 2024.

Warning! GuruFocus has detected 5 Warning Signs with AMC.

Release Date: May 08, 2024

For the complete transcript of the earnings call, please refer to the full earnings call transcript .

Positive Points

AMC Entertainment Holdings Inc ( NYSE:AMC ) exceeded Wall Street expectations for total revenues, adjusted EBITDA, net income, and diluted earnings per share despite industry challenges.

AMC's total revenue per patron was almost 36% above the pre-pandemic level in Q1 of 2019, showcasing significant growth in revenue efficiency.

The company has robust cash reserves, with $624 million in unrestricted cash at the end of Q1, and raised an additional $124.1 million of equity capital since March 31.

AMC's market share increased, outperforming other major operators, and the company continues to lead in food and beverage sales among major U.S. cinema operators.

AMC is optimistic about the future of the movie theater industry, with a promising movie slate for the end of 2024 and into 2025 and 2026, expected to drive significant box office recovery.

Negative Points

The first quarter's North American box office declined by 6% compared to 2023, impacted by Hollywood strikes and fewer major film releases.

Despite maintaining total revenue, AMC's admissions revenue declined by 3.2%, reflecting the broader industry downturn.

The international segment saw a decline in total revenue per patron by 2.9%, with admissions revenue per patron down by 2% and food and beverage revenue per patron down by 1.4%.

AMC closed four underperforming locations during the first quarter, continuing a trend of rationalizing its theater portfolio.

AMC faces significant debt maturities in 2026, with about $4.5 billion in debt still outstanding, posing a financial management challenge for the company.

Q & A Highlights

Q : Regarding your discussion about food and beverage initiatives, how do you think in terms of introducing items and the pricing attached to those items and where do you feel the food and beverage margin should settle in? A : Adam M. Aron, Chairman, President & CEO of AMC, explained that food and beverage sales per patron have increased significantly post-pandemic, from about $5 to $8-9. The F&B margins are in the low 80s percent-wise, and about 82% of incremental F&B sales flows to the bottom line. The increase is attributed to slight price increases, more patrons buying F&B, patrons buying more items, and new merchandise sales at concession stands. AMC has focused on enhancing its F&B offerings, which has significantly driven up revenue and profit per patron.

Q : If we use the Billie Eilish concert as a prerecorded concert as an example, is this something you think you could share with cinema competitors? Or would that be a one and done sort of thing? A : Adam M. Aron noted that while AMC leads in bringing such events to theaters, they aim to make it an industry-wide opportunity. Although the Billie Eilish event was exclusive to AMC due to tight timing, the success of previous events like Taylor Swift and Beyonce concerts were industry-wide efforts. AMC plans to continue collaborating with other cinema operators for future events.

Q : Can you talk about the dynamics that drove your film rent substantially lower year-over-year? A : Adam M. Aron and Sean D. Goodman, CFO, discussed that the first quarter saw more middle-sized films rather than big blockbusters, which generally have lower film rent costs. This shift in the type of films shown was a significant factor in reducing film rent expenses.

Q : AMC has been growing market share in the U.S. market while closing underperforming theaters. What can you attribute this success to, and do you see this market share growth as sustainable? A : Adam M. Aron attributed the market share growth to the strategic closure of older, underperforming theaters and opening new, high-performing locations. These new theaters often start with modern amenities like reclining seats and outperform the ones they replace, contributing to market share growth despite the net reduction in total locations.

Q : Can you provide an update on Cinema Suites and the possibility of releasing these products on the retail channel? A : Adam M. Aron highlighted the success of Cinema Suites, AMC's proprietary brand of premium gourmet candies. While there are no immediate plans to bring these products to retail, it remains a possibility as the product line has been performing well above expectations.

Q : With a significant amount of debt maturing in 2026, what is the company doing to address this debt and reduce the overall debt level? A : Adam M. Aron reassured that management is focused on addressing the 2026 debt maturities by working with lenders and investment banks to refinance and extend these maturities. He highlighted AMC's proactive efforts in reducing debt and other obligations by nearly $1 billion over the past two years, positioning the company to handle future financial obligations effectively.

This article first appeared on GuruFocus .

Disney’s Q4 And Full Year 2023 Earnings Call: Bob Iger Talks Disney+, Hulu Deal, And A Strong Quarter For Theme Parks

Disney's q4 earnings call will likely address the ongoing actors strike, the current state of disney+..

2023 isn't quite over yet, but the fiscal year has ended for Disney. It's time to get the rundown of where things stand. There are a few things we can likely expect. Disney+ will almost certainly post losses, but the size of them will be of key importance to investors. Disney Parks are usually a bright spot in Disney earnings, but exactly where in the world success was found will be of interest. 

Sometimes Bob Iger will take the opportunity of earnings calls to announce some new part initiative or movie project, and with this being the earnings call for the last quarter of the year, we might get some of that if there's a significant discussion of where fiscal year 2024 is planning to go.

That's a wrap for the Q4 and fiscal 2023 earnings call. Good numbers for Disney, it will be interesting to se how the stock market responds in the morning. As far as more consumer focused info, the integration of Hulu and Disney+, seemingly just on the app level, not technically as a single service, will be starting as early as next month. It will be excited to see how that ends up working.

Final question: question regarding ESPN partnership possibilities, and then a follow up on Disney Parks demand. Iger says a "number of different entities" are involved in possible partnerships. On Parks consumer demand, Lansbury says Disneyland and Cruise Lines look very strong going forward, expectation that Walt Disney World numbers will continue through Q1, which is when the 50th anniversary celebration ended a year ago.

Asked about the possibility for Disney to license more content to other streamers, like WB is doing with DC films on Netflix. Iger says that licensing is happening and likely will continue, but he doesn't see it happening with "core brands" so don't expect to see the MCU on Netflix in the future. 

Question about wider advertising trends, where gains on streaming can balance losses with linear networks. Iger says linear is stronger than they expected, it's seen a slight improvement. Targeting ads on Disney+ are improving, and sports advertising is very strong. He says the tools for targeting ads are what advertisers want. 

Question about what profitability in DTC might actually look like, as well as the plan to bring ESPN as a full DTC offering. Iger calls ESPN as a total direct-to-consumer platform is "inevitable." Iger sees DTC as a "real growth business." Says Hulu is part of that. Iger also says that success of Disney theatrical films on D+ will allow them to spend less on original content.

Q&A Begins: First question about recent carriage deal with Charter. Iger says the deal focused on streaming, which made it make sense for Disney. On the studios he says that Disney made too much, which harmed quality, and the plan is to make less in order to improve quality.

Over 8,000 total layoffs were made as part of the Disney cost savings plan announced earlier this year. That's 1,000 more than were originally announced. On the plus side, the much beloved Disney stock dividend will be recommended to return by the end of the calendar year. 

Operating results at Walt Disney World decreased due to the closing of Galactic Starcruiser , and the lack of the 50th anniversary celebration, which we can assume means lower attendance compared to last year. Everywhere, else, including Disneyland, saw year over year growth. 

Iger has handed the call over to the interim CFO. Runs through the major financial numbers that are important to Wall Street. Disney needed to put up big numbers this quarter and it did. Growth is almost clear across the board,. Even in DTC operating income, where there was a loss, that loss is shrinking.

Parks and Experiences: Iger singing the praises of Disney Parks' financials, says the return on investment has been strong. Talks about plans to spend a lot more on the parks in coming years, but doesn't go into any specifics. 

Linear Networks: Disney is "evaluating options" which is the business way of saying that they're not selling anything yet, but that's clearly still on the table. Iger has indicated selling networks is an option .

On ESPN: Growth in revenue and operating income, the last two years. Viewership numbers are the best ESPN has seen in four years. ESPN Bet launching next week. 

On Disney+/Hulu: More than half of the new Disney+ subscribers took the ad-supported option. Iger mentions the deal to take one Hulu, and reiterates plan for a "one app" solution for Disney+ and Hulu, which will happen once the deal is complete. Beta version of one app solution in December, full roll out in Spring

Iger says a lot of time was spent on "fixing" previous problems, a clear slight at the Chapek regime and the decisions he made Iger did not agree with . But Iger says that the fixing period is over, and it's now time to begin "building."

All three segments, Entertainment, Experiences, and Sports, saw income growth over Q4 last year. Iger then touts the increased cost cutting as well as the Disney+ numbers. Disney+ expected to be profitable by Q4 2024.

The call is now going live. It will open with a general statement from Bob Iger. Interim CFO Kevin Lansbury is taking the call. A new permanent CFO, Hugh Johnson, was named earlier this week, but I guess he's not ready for prime time yet. 

Disney's financial report has been released and it looks pretty good on paper. Disney cut costs by $7.5 billion, $2 billion more than previously announced, and streaming losses are shrinking, in part due to an increase in Disney+ subscriptions by seven million, more than what Wall Street was expecting. 

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Disney Posts Better-Than-Expected Quarterly Results, Nears Streaming Profitability Goal

By Dade Hayes

Business Editor

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Disney topped Wall Street forecasts for its fiscal second quarter and inched closer to the long-awaited milestone of streaming profitability.

Revenue for the quarter ended March 30 increased to $22.1 billion from $21.8 billion in the year-earlier period, the company reported Tuesday. Excluding items, diluted earnings per share for the quarter increased to $1.21 from 93 cents. Analysts had been expecting revenue of $20.53 billion and earnings per share of $1.02.

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ESPN+ reported a loss of $18 million, which was considerably narrower than the year-ago loss of $659 million.

RELATED: ESPN Programming Coming To Disney+ By Year-End; Bob Iger Calls It “First Step” Toward Flagship Sports Launch In 2025

The company said it still expects its combined streaming businesses to be profitable by the fiscal fourth quarter, in line with guidance first established at the start of the streaming wars in 2019. While the company has had to adjust some of its subscriber projections during its streaming journey, profitability by the end of fiscal 2024 has remained a key target.

The number of Disney+ “core” subscribers (meaning the tally without Disney+ Hotstar) increased by 6.3 million to 117.6 million, with the gain better than analysts’ projections. Hulu, which recently became fully owned by Disney after a buyout of longtime joint venture partner Comcast, broke the 50 million subscriber barrier, finishing the quarter with 50.2 million.

Disney+ Core average revenue per user increased by 44 cents over the previous quarter. A deal with Charter Communications to integrate Disney streaming platforms with Spectrum pay-TV and broadband plans, took effect during the quarter and paced the subscriber gains.

Experiences, the division that encompasses theme parks and consumer products, reported a 10% rise to $8.4 billion, while operating profit climbed 12% to almost $2.3 billion.

“It’s clear that the turnaround and growth initiatives we set in motion last year have continued to yield positive results,” CEO Bob Iger said in the earnings release.

RELATED: Media CEO Pay Mostly Up For 2023 Amid Strikes, Industry Contraction

Disney’s shift to today’s morning, pre-market period for quarterly results and its conference call with analysts marks a change from the company’s longtime pattern of releasing in the afternoon, after the close of the trading day. Shares pulled back a fraction in pre-market trading on the quarterly financials.

Iger and the company recently survived a bruising proxy battle, which was settled at last month’s annual shareholder meeting, where activist investor Nelson Peltz and his backers failed to secure the two seats they had sought on the company’s board. Peltz had accused Iger, who returned for a second CEO run in November 2022 after hand-picked successor Bob Chapek was dismissed, of mismanagement and presiding over a decline in Disney’s stock price. Shares have started 2024 on a hot streak, gaining more than 30% this year to date.

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‘Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Reigns With $55M-$56M Opening Frame

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‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ Review: Hail, Caesar

The latest installment in an excellent series finds mythology turning into power.

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‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ | Anatomy of a Scene

The director wes ball narrates a sequence from his film..

I’m Wes Ball, director of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” This is a little sequence in the very beginning of the movie after our trio of apes here, Noa, Soona and Anaya, have just had a little adventure and they’re on their way back to their village, where we get to meet the life of Eagle Clan and where Noa and his family reside, this little isolated existence. And we get to see the way the apes live in this world with their eagles. And and how this ritual of collecting their egg, which they’re going to raise as companions, which is part of the way the Eagle Clan kind of works in their culture. And the goal was really just to set up a world that was wonderful, that was ultimately going to be forever changed when the course of events leads to Noa’s village being attacked for the most part, everything you see here was actually shot with the actors. We shoot it twice, we shoot it once with the actors and all of their little performance things and the camera movement and everything. So we are shooting a regular movie. It just happens to be that these guys are wearing these kind of strange suits along with the cameras and the dots on their face that captures all the performance. And then I have to go in and then re- duplicate those shots without the apes, which is where I choose. Whatever performance I choose now gets dropped into the scene itself. So this isn’t something where we just kind of animate the characters after the fact. We’re actually on location and they’re there in their digital costumes, essentially, acting out everything you see on camera, with the exception of, say, background action, there’s a group of apes in the background playing what we called monkey ball, and just we did that all on stage. So that’s kind of the beauty of the power of this process, is that we can populate this whole scene with hundreds of apes. But we only needed a handful of apes on set. This is Dar, Noa’s mother, who’s a fantastic character, played by Sara Wiseman, who did a great job. “I knew you would climb well.” “He waits.” And this character of Noa here, you kind start to see this relationship that he has with his father, which is an interesting kind of relationship that I imagine a lot of people could relate to. They don’t know quite how to communicate with each other, but there’s obviously still love there. It’s an interesting process where I can take all these different little elements and layer them all together and stack them into this — what you see is the end result here, this little idyllic community.

By Alissa Wilkinson

For a series with a goofy premise — what if talking apes overthrew humanity — the “Planet of the Apes” universe is uncommonly thoughtful, even insightful. If science fiction situates us in a universe that’s just different enough to slip daring questions past our mental barriers, then the “Apes” movies are among the best examples. That very premise, launched with talking actors in ape costumes in the 1968 film, has given storytellers a lot to chew on, contemplating racism, authoritarianism, police brutality and, in later installments, the upending of human society by a brutal, fast-moving virus. (Oops.)

Those later virus-ridden installments, a trilogy released between 2011 and 2017, are among the series’ best, and well worth revisiting. The newest film, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” picks up exactly where that trilogy left off: with the death of Caesar, the ultrasmart chimpanzee who has led the apes away from what’s left of humanity and into a paradise. (The scene was a direct quotation of the story of Moses leading the Israelites to the Promised Land, but dying before he could set foot there.) The apes honor his memory and vow to keep his teachings, especially the first dictum — “ape not kill ape.” Caesar preached a gospel of peacefulness, loyalty, generosity, nonaggression and care for the earth; unlike the humans, they intend to live in harmony.

The teachings of peaceful prophets, however, tend to be twisted by power-seekers, and apparently this isn’t just a human problem. “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” directed by Wes Ball from a screenplay by Josh Friedman, leaps forward almost immediately by “many generations” (years matter less in this post-human world), and the inevitable has happened. The apes have fractured into tribes, while Caesar has passed from historical figure to mythic one, a figure venerated by some and forgotten by most.

That there even was a Caesar is unknown to Noa (Owen Teague), a young chimpanzee whose father, Koro (Neil Sandilands) is leader of his clan and an avid breeder of birds. That clan has its own laws, mostly having to do with how to treat birds’ nests, and that’s all that Noa and his friends Anaya (Travis Jeffery) and Soona (Lydia Peckham) have known.

But then one day tragedy strikes, in the form of an attack on the clan by the soldiers of Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand), the leader of a clan of coastal apes. Noa finds himself alone, searching for his clan, who have been carted away. On his journey Noa meets a human (Freya Allen) who, like the other humans, doesn’t speak.

At this point in the evolution of the virus, mutations have rendered any surviving humanity speechless and dull-witted, living in roving bands and running from predators; to the apes it’s as preposterous to imagine a talking human as a talking ape is to us. But he also meets Raka (Peter Macon), who believes himself to be the last of the faithful followers of Caesar’s peaceful teachings, even wearing Caesar’s diamond-shaped symbol around his neck. (Eagle-eyed viewers will recall that the symbol echoes the shape of the window in the room in which Caesar was raised as a baby.) Noa learns from Raka. And when he finds what he’s looking for, he realizes he has an important job to do.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is not quite as transporting as the previous trilogy, perhaps because the apes now act so much like humans that the fruitful dissonance in our minds has mostly been mitigated. It’s simpler to imagine the apes as just stand-in humans when they’re all talking, and thus easier to just imagine you’re watching, say, “The Lion King” or something.

But there’s still a tremendous amount to mull over here, like Proximus Caesar, who borrows the idea of Caesar to prop up his own version of leadership. The real Caesar was undoubtedly strong and brave, but Proximus Caesar has mutated this into swagger and shows of force, an aggression designed to keep his apes in line. He is not brutal, exactly; He is simply insistently powerful and more than a bit of a fascist. Every morning, he greets his subjects by proclaiming that it is a “wonderful day,” and that he is Caesar’s rightful heir, and that they must all work together as one to build their civilization ever stronger.

Visual cues indicate that Proximus Caesar’s kingdom is modeled partly on the Roman Empire, with its colonizing influence and its intention to sweep the riches of the ancient human world — its history, its labor, its technology — into its own coffers. By telling his version of Caesar’s legacy, Proximus Caesar makes the apes believe they are part of some mighty, unstoppable force of history.

But of course, history has a habit of repeating itself, whether it’s ancient Rome or Egypt, and in Proximus Caesar’s proclamations one detects a bit of Ozymandias : Look on his works, ye mighty, and despair! “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” is set in the future, but like a lot of science fiction — “Dune,” for instance, or “Battlestar Galactica,” or Walter Miller’s “A Canticle for Leibowitz” — there’s a knowing sense that all this has happened before, and all this will happen again.

That’s what makes “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” powerful, in the end. It probes how the act of co-opting idealisms and converting them to dogmas has occurred many times over. What’s more, it points directly at the immense danger of romanticizing the past, imagining that if we could only reclaim and reframe and resurrect history, our present problems would be solved. Golden ages were rarely actually golden, but history is littered with leaders who tried to make people believe they were anyhow. It’s a great way to make people do their bidding.

There are some hints near the end of “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” of what might be next for the franchise, should it be fated to continue. But the uneasy fun of the series is we already know what happens, eventually; it was right there in the first movie, and the warning it poses remains bleak.

At the start of the 1968 film, the star Charlton Heston explains, “I can’t help thinking somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man.” You might have expected, from a movie like this, that “better” species would be these apes. But it turns out we might have to keep looking.

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes Rated PG-13, for scenes of peril and woe and a couple of funny, mild swear words. Running time: 2 hours 25 minutes. In theaters.

Alissa Wilkinson is a Times movie critic. She’s been writing about movies since 2005. More about Alissa Wilkinson

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Warner Bros. to Release New ‘Lord of the Rings’ Movie ‘The Hunt for Gollum’ in 2026, Peter Jackson to Produce and Andy Serkis to Direct

By Jennifer Maas

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Warner Bros. will release the first of its new batch of live-action “ The Lord of the Rings ” films in 2026, which will focus on Andy Serkis’ Gollum.

Original “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy filmmaker Peter Jackson and his partners Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens are producing the movie and “will be involved every step of the way,” Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav said during an earnings call Thursday.

The project is currently in the early stages of script development from writers Walsh and Boyens, along with Phoebe Gittins and Arty Papageorgiou, and will “explore storylines yet to be told,” Zaslav said.

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Warner Bros. first announced in February 2023 that then-newly installed studio leaders Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy had brokered a deal to make “multiple” films based on the beloved J.R.R. Tolkien books. The projects will be developed through WB label New Line Cinema. Freemode, a division of Embracer Group, made the adaptive rights deal for books including “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” under a venture named Middle-earth Enterprises.

A separate, animated Middle-earth movie, “The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim,” is due on Dec. 13 via Warner Bros. and director Kenji Kamiyama. That movie is set 200 years before the events of “The Hobbit.”

Jackson, Walsh and Boyens added: “It is an honour and a privilege to travel back to Middle-earth with our good friend and collaborator, Andy Serkis, who has unfinished business with that Stinker — Gollum! As life long fans of Professor Tolkien’s vast mythology, we are proud to be working with Mike De Luca, Pam Abdy and the entire team at Warner Bros. on another epic adventure!”

“Yesssss, Precious,” Serkis said. “The time has come once more to venture into the unknown with my dear friends, the extraordinary and incomparable guardians of Middle Earth Peter, Fran and Philippa. With Mike and Pam, and the Warner Bros team on the quest as well, alongside WETA and our filmmaking family in New Zealand, it’s just all too delicious…”   

The original “Lord of the Rings” trilogy, helmed by Jackson, grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide; Jackson’s follow-up trilogy based on Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” matched those grosses.

Jackson’s first “LOTR” trilogy starred Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Viggo Mortensen, Sean Astin and Cate Blanchett. That trio of films was nominated for 30 Academy Awards and took home 17 trophies, including best picture for 2003’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.”

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Amc networks u.s. ad revenue drops 13 percent, streaming subs rise to 11.5m.

The company, led by CEO Kristin Dolan, during an analyst call talked up getting more AMC content into streaming bundles to offset the impact of cord-cutting in the pay TV space.

By Georg Szalai , Etan Vlessing May 10, 2024 4:04am

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AMC Networks  — the company behind such cable channel brands as  AMC , IFC and Sundance TV, as well as such streaming services as AMC+, Acorn TV and Shudder — reported a 13 percent drop in first-quarter U.S. advertising revenue Friday, following a 23 percent decline in the fourth quarter of 2023.

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Quarterly streaming revenues increased 3 percent to $145 million, “primarily driven by year-over-year subscriber growth and price increases,” AMC Networks said. Affiliate revenue fell 14 percent, “primarily due to basic subscriber declines.” Content licensing revenues declined 40 percent to $62 million as the year-ago period included deliveries of  Silo , an AMC Studios-produced series. Excluding Silo , content licensing revenues rose 31 percent.

Ad revenue decreased to $140 million in the first quarter, in which AMC aired such original series as The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live , starring Andrew Lincoln and Danai Gurira , “due to linear ratings declines and a challenging ad market, partly offset by digital and advanced advertising revenue growth,” AMC Networks said.

The company, led by CEO Kristin Dolan , has been leaning into data-led audience targeting for ad buying as marketing dollars continue to shift from linear TV networks to ad tiers being rolled out by streaming platforms. “It’s a huge opportunity to finally swing the pendulum back from digital-first to shared purchase of traditional television as well as digital to support the advertiser efforts,” Dolan said earlier this year .

First-quarter total revenue at AMC Networks fell 17 percent, or 6 percent when excluding onetime year-ago factors, to $596 million. Operating income dropped 36 percent to $110 million and adjusted operating income fell 31 percent to $149 million

Dolan succeeded Christina Spade in early 2023 after a  cost-cutting program , including layoffs, was unveiled in late 2022. 

Friday’s earnings update also highlighted recent streaming moves by AMC Networks. Among them is a plan to roll out stand-alone ad-supported versions of the firm’s streaming services Acorn TV, Shudder, ALLBLK and HiDive in 2025 and the launch of AMC Stories and AMC Reality in the U.K. on ad-supported streamer ITVX.

On a morning analyst call, Dolan stressed AMC as new technologies increasingly change how media content is viewed has focused on producing premium content made available to viewers whenever and wherever they want to watch. “As we continue to focus on building our brands, expanding our partner relationships and serving viewers, we’re very confident in our ability to weather the changes that are happening in what remains a dynamic operating environment,” she told investors.

Asked about cord-cutting, Dolan argued AMC was “agnostic” regarding platforms through which its content is delivered, whether as part of traditional cable bundles or on new streaming platforms. But she endorsed skinny bundles “as more distributors focus on that opportunity” and add channels from her company.

Dolan added the streaming platform Max featuring content from AMC Networks in summer 2023 helped her company understand how the AMC brand could work inside of a package subscribers can take up. “So we expect to see more streaming bundles. We are more than happy to participate in them and we have quite a few conversations going on right now that we hope to share insights on going forward,” she said.

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Movie Review: ‘Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes’ finds a new hero and will blow your mind

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Noa, played by Owen Teague, in a scene from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Proximus Caesar, played by Kevin Durand, in a scene from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Raka, played by Peter Macon, in a scene from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows a scene from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Soona, played by Lydia Peckham, left and Noa, played by Owen Teague, in a scene from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Noa, played by Owen Teague, from left, Freya Allan as Nova, and Raka, played by Peter Macon, in a scene from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

This image released by 20th Century Studios shows Freya Allan in a scene from “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” (20th Century Studios via AP)

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Fans of the “Planet of the Apes” franchise may still be mourning the 2017 death of Caesar, the first smart chimp and the charismatic ape leader. Not to worry: He haunts the next episode, the thrilling, visually stunning “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.”

We actually start with Caesar’s funeral, his body decorated with flowers and then set alight like a Viking, before fast-forwarding “many generations later.” All apes talk now and most humans don’t, reduced to caveman loin cloths and running wide-eyed and scared, evolution in reverse.

Our new hero is the young ape Noa (Owen Teague ) who is like all young adult chimps — seeking his father’s approval (even chimp dads just don’t understand) and testing his bravery. He is part of a clan that raises pet eagles, smokes fish and lives peacefully.

That all changes when his village is attacked not by humans but by fellow apes — masked soldiers from a nasty kingdom led by the crown-wearing Proximus Caesar (Kevin Durand, playing it to the hilt). He has taken Caesar’s name but twisted his words to become a tyrannical strongman — sorry, strongape.

Unlike the last movie which dealt with man’s inhumanity to animals — concentration camps included — ape-on-ape violence is in the cards for this one, including capturing an entire clan as prisoners. Proximus Caesar’s goons use makeshift cattle prods on fellow apes and force them to work while declaring “For Caesar!”

Screenwriter Josh Friedman has cleverly created a movie that examines how ancient stories can be hijacked and manipulated, like how Caesar’s non-violent message gets twisted by bad actors. There’s also a lot of “Avatar” primitive naivete, and that makes sense since the reboot was shaped by several of that blue alien movie’s makers.

The movie poses some uncomfortable questions about collaborationists. William H. Macy plays a human who has become a sort of teacher-prisoner to Proximus Caesar — reading Kurt Vonnegut to him — and won’t fight back. “It is already their world,” he rationalizes.

Along for the heroic ride is a human young woman (Freya Allan, a budding star) who is hiding an agenda but offers Noa help along the way. Peter Macon plays a kindly, book-loving orangutan who adds a jolt of gleeful electricity to the movie and is missed when he goes.

The effects are just jaw-dropping, from the ability to see individual hairs on the back of a monkey to the way leaves fall and the crack of tree limbs echoing in the forest. The sight of apes on horseback, which seemed glitchy just seven years ago, are now seamless. There are also inside jokes, like the use of the name Nova again this time.

Director Wes Ball nicely handles all the thrilling sequences — though the two-and-a-half hour runtime is somewhat taxing — and some really cool ones, like the sight of apes on horseback on a beach, a nod to the original 1968 movie. And like when the apes look through some old illustrated kids’ books and see themselves depicted in zoo cages. That makes for some awkward human-ape interaction. “What is next for apes? Should we go back to silence?” our hero asks.

The movie races to a complex face-off between good and bad apes and good and bad humans outside a hulking silo that holds promise to each group. Can apes and humans live in peace, as Caesar hoped? “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” doesn’t answer that but it does open up plenty more to ponder. Starting with the potentially crippling proposition of a key death, this franchise has somehow found new vibrancy.

“Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” a 20th Century Studios release that is exclusively in theaters May 10, is rated PG-13 for “intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action.” Running time: 145 minutes. Three and a half stars out of four.

MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

Online: https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/kingdom-of-the-planet-of-the-apes

Mark Kennedy is at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits