Variety

Disney Sells Out Super Bowl Ads, Closes Upfront

The Walt Disney Company said during an earnings call that it closed its upfront with total volume commitments up double digits year-over-year and that it sold out ad inventory for Super Bowl LXI. Disney reported 58 brands across 34 categories are advertising in the 2027 Super Bowl, including nine first-time Big Game advertisers. Sources cited in the article say initial asking prices of up to $10 million for a 30-second spot settled in the $8 million to $9 million range. Disney also reported double-digit growth in sports ad volume driven by the NFL, college football, the NBA and women’s sports, and category momentum in healthcare, financial services and AI. The company did not disclose CPMs or total volume figures.

Spider-Man Breaks Box Office While Skipping TV

Spider-Man: Brand New Day achieved record box office openings while relying heavily on social marketing rather than a traditional TV campaign. The film, from Disney and Sony with Marvel involvement, posted a $360 million U.S. opening weekend and $932 million global to date, surpassing Avengers: Endgame for the biggest domestic opening. Together with The Odyssey, it produced a combined domestic weekend of $430 million. The article highlights the film's marketing mix shift toward social platforms as a driver of its theatrical success.

Paramount and States Dispute Antitrust Trial Timing

Paramount urged a federal judge to schedule its high‑stakes antitrust trial for November, while a coalition of 12 states and the Writers Guild of America asked for an April 2027 date to allow more time for discovery. The dispute concerns a proposed $111 billion transaction involving Warner Bros.; Paramount faces daily $7 million payments to Warner Bros. shareholders beginning September 30 until the merger closes. The states filed their lawsuit on July 13 alleging the deal would reduce competition in basic cable and theatrical distribution. Judge Araceli Martinez‑Olguin issued a 28‑day temporary restraining order and Paramount agreed to pause the transaction until trial. The Department of Justice cleared the merger in June, and multiple international regulators have also approved the transaction. The court has not yet ruled on the competing scheduling requests.