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The Golden Trailer Awards: Hollywood’s ‘Oscars’ for Movie Previews

The gala started in 1999 when co-founders Monica Brady and Evelyn Watters were looking for a team to produce a trailer. (Getty Images/AFP)
The gala started in 1999 when co-founders Monica Brady and Evelyn Watters were looking for a team to produce a trailer. (Getty Images/AFP)
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The Golden Trailer Awards: Hollywood’s ‘Oscars’ for Movie Previews

The gala started in 1999 when co-founders Monica Brady and Evelyn Watters were looking for a team to produce a trailer. (Getty Images/AFP)
The gala started in 1999 when co-founders Monica Brady and Evelyn Watters were looking for a team to produce a trailer. (Getty Images/AFP)

The Golden Trailer Awards, which recognize the people behind Hollywood's best-made movie previews, returned for its 26th edition Thursday.

The gala started in 1999 when co-founders Monica Brady and Evelyn Watters were looking for a team to produce a trailer, only to find that those who worked in the field were practically anonymous.

"Trailer editors, the people creating some of the most memorable moments of the moviegoing experience, were completely unrecognized," Brady told AFP.

"They weren't credited on trailers, they weren't credited in films, and there wasn't even a directory to find them."

The pair, who remain as executive producers on the award show, oversaw 19 prizes given out during the inaugural ceremony in New York.

The ceremony was held in Los Angeles and recognized achievements in more than 100 categories.

The night's most coveted statuette for Best of Show went to the trailer for sci-fi movie "Project Hail Mary", starring Ryan Gosling, which was created by Wild Card Creative Group.

But what makes one movie trailer stand out from the rest?

"What makes a great trailer, first and foremost, is a great hook," Watters said.

- 'A tempting appetizer' -

An honoree will likely have "a fresh storyline, compelling characters, an emotional moment, and something audiences haven't seen before," she explained ahead of the ceremony.

"A winning trailer is a tempting appetizer, it is not the whole meal."

Taylor Engel, a creative director at Create Advertising Group -- which received 16 nominations this year for the company's work on trailers for "Sinners,Tron: Ares" and "Only Murders in the Building" -- said editing a trailer is like putting together pieces of a puzzle.

"We get materials at the beginning of the project, and it could be anything. Sometimes you get the movie, sometimes you get just dailies, you know, just the scenes that they shot," Engel said.

The challenge lies in combining the audio, video and editing effects to "tell maybe a different story or showcase the movie in some way."

Like film editing, movie trailers have evolved over the decades in Hollywood, and the crowded marketplace for attention has led to fierce competition.

Sometimes, the trailer ends up being better than the movie itself -- something that has become its own category in the Golden Trailer Awards.

Dubbed the "Golden Fleece," this year's nominees include trailers for the horror film "Shell" starring Elisabeth Moss and "The Strangers: Chapter 3."

- No AI used -

Despite the intense competition and demand, Engel said that the work in making movie trailers is not under the same pressure to utilize artificial intelligence as other sectors of Hollywood.

"Every cut is very specific in why you pair a shot with a certain piece of music," Engel said.

AI tools "may get better at recreating what's been done in the past, but what's exciting about trailers is when you see something that you've never seen before, you see it done in a different way," the creative director said.

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Entertainment

Star-Maker Clive Davis Honored at Funeral That Draws Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick and Others

A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)
A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)
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Star-Maker Clive Davis Honored at Funeral That Draws Bruce Springsteen, Dionne Warwick and Others

A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)
A note by the star of late record producer Clive Davis on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles, California, US, June 23, 2026. (Reuters)

Kenny G played a mournful sax solo to kick off the funeral Monday for music legend Clive Davis, as pop royalty turned out to honor a man who championed so many of their careers.

Dionne Warwick, Barry Manilow, Bruce Springsteen, Alicia Keys, Ja Rule and Stevie Wonder were among of the other musical stars at the memorial service. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Adrien Brody, Hoda Kotb and Gayle King were among the other notables.

Rabbi Angela Warnick Buchdahl said Davis would have been thrilled by the turnout. “Clive would have loved this,” she said.

The service was closed to the public but was livestreamed from Central Synagogue in Manhattan.

Davis, a record company lawyer who rose to become one of music’s most influential figures, launched the careers of numerous stars, including Whitney Houston, Springsteen, Keys and Kenny G, and influenced others such as Carlos Santana, Janis Joplin and the Grateful Dead.

He died June 22 in his Manhattan apartment at the age of 94, a few weeks after he was hospitalized for an upper respiratory issue.

Buchdahl asked what song Davis most admired that was not something he had a hand in and was told “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” written by composer Harold Arlen and lyricist E.Y. “Yip” Harburg in 1938 for the film “The Wizard of Oz.” Buchdahl then sang a soaring version. “You have a home at Sony Music Classics,” joked Rob Stringer, the CEO of Sony Music Entertainment.

Warwick told a story about how Davis urged her to work with Manilow in the late 1970s, which she initially resisted. But Davis’ suggestion was fruitful: Their partnership, the album “Dionne,” went platinum and earned two Grammy Awards.

Manilow recalled Davis urging him to record the rock song “Brandy,” written by Scott English and Richard Kerr. Manilow turned it into a love song and played it for Davis. “Just do that,” Davis told him. They renamed it “Mandy.” It went to No. 1. “He believed in me from the very beginning,” Manilow said.

For more than 50 years, Davis convened a gala attended by some of the biggest names in music the night before the Grammy Awards.

At this year's gala, former President Barack Obama praised Davis. While many record execs saw their influence wane as they grew older, Davis' seemed to grow. He breathed new life into the careers of established artists such as Aretha Franklin and Santana, and helped launch Keys and several early “American Idol” winners' careers, including Kelly Clarkson's.

He is survived by his four children, eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren.

Entertainment

In Blow to DC Studios, 'Supergirl' is No Match for 'Toy Story 5' at Box Office

A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
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In Blow to DC Studios, 'Supergirl' is No Match for 'Toy Story 5' at Box Office

A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)
A child runs past promoters for the Supergirl movie at a mall in Beijing, Saturday, June 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan)

In a setback for Warner Bros.′ revamped DC movie operations, “Supergirl” was absolutely no match for “Toy Story 5” at the box office, opening a distant second to the Pixar blockbuster.

After a near-record debut for an animated movie, “Toy Story 5” remained No. 1 at the box office with $70 million in domestic ticket sales and another $89.1 million overseas, according to studio estimates Sunday. The Walt Disney Co. release has in two weeks quickly amassed $585 million globally, making it one of the biggest hits of the year.

“Supergirl,” however, failed to lift off. It opened with $38 million in US and Canadian theaters. It added $30 million in overseas markets.

Craig Gillespie’s superhero spinoff is the second big-screen release from James Gunn and Peter Safran, who were tapped to lead DC Studios in late 2022. Their first release, 2025’s “Superman,” grossed $618 million worldwide, a strong-enough start for Gunn and Safran.

But “Supergirl” flopped with both critics and moviegoers. Reportedly trimmed significantly after test screenings, Gillespie’s film landed poor reviews (56% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) and a “B-” CinemaScore from audiences.

The poor opening weekend for “Supergirl” puts it behind the disappointing debuts of DC busts like “The Flash” ($55 million in 2023) and “The Green Lantern” ($53 million in 2011), and only barely ahead of “Joker: Folie à Deux” ($37.7 million in 2024).

David A. Gross, who runs the movie consulting firm FranchiseRe, noted superhero movies no longer drive the box office like they did pre-pandemic. There are fewer yearly releases, and the box office in the genre is down approximately $3.5 billion annually from its highs in 2017-2019.

After huge successes like “Wonder Woman” ($822 million in 2017) and “Captain Marvel” ($1.13 billion in 2019), female-fronted superhero movies have also taken a downturn.

“You’ll hear general explanations like ‘the audience lost interest.’ Yes, they did,” The Associated Press quoted Gross as saying. “But no one has been able to explain why it happened so suddenly and so completely. Why female superheroes in particular, after their sensational starts? We don’t understand it either.”

The stumble for “Supergirl,” which cost $170 million to make, comes as Warner Bros. Discovery, the film studio’s parent company, is preparing to be acquired by Paramount Skydance. David Ellison, Paramount chief executive, recently met with Gunn and Safran.

The next DC release is “Clayface,” a body horror take on the DC character, to be released in October. Gunn’s “Superman” follow-up, “Man of Tomorrow,” is currently in production. It’s dated for July 2027.

Gunn, who serves as a producer on “Supergirl,” handed directing duties to Gillespie, the filmmaker of “I, Tonya” and “Cruella.” Milly Alcock, who briefly appeared in “Superman,” stars as Supergirl, or Lara Zor-El, a younger cousin to Superman who’s more of a party girl than a world saver.

Paramount Pictures’ “Jackass: Best and Last” was the weekend’s other new wide release. The latest stunt compilation from Johnny Knoxville and company opened with a modest $8.4 million from 2,855 North American theaters. While that’s a good result for a movie that cost just $10 million to make, the 2022 installment, “Jackass Forever,” debuted with $23 million before ultimately grossing $80 million worldwide.

Olivia Wilde’s dinner party comedy “The Invite” notched one of the best per-screen averages of the year. Opening on seven screens in New York and Los Angeles, it debuted with $379,104, good for a per-screen average of $54,158.

Wilde’s third film as director stars herself, Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton as a pair of San Francisco couples who meet for an impromptu night together. A24 acquired the film after its buzzy Sundance Film Festival premiere. The indie distributor is hoping “The Invite,” which will expand next week and go nationwide on July 10, can revive the largely dormant summer comedy.

The micro-budget horror phenomenon “Obsession” continued to hold unusually strong. It took third place on the weekend with $9.8 million in its seventh weekend of release. Curry Barker’s film, made for less than $1 million, has now collected $233.9 million domestically for Focus Features, plus $108.9 million internationally.

Such legs, however, haven’t materialized for Steven Spielberg’s sci-fi thriller “Disclosure Day.” In the Universal Pictures’ third weekend of release, it slipped to fifth place with $8.1 million in domestic theaters. Spielberg's UFO tale has grossed $193.7 million globally in three weeks.

Entertainment

Manga Productions Announces Its New Project 'Henna' in Collaboration with Bilibili

The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)
The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)
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Manga Productions Announces Its New Project 'Henna' in Collaboration with Bilibili

The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)
The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, (SPA)

Manga Productions, a subsidiary of Mohammed bin Salman Foundation “Misk,” is participating in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival 2026, one of the world’s leading festivals dedicated to animation and creative content, taking place from June 23 to 26 in Annecy, France.

The company is showcasing a selection of its creative projects and productions that reflect Saudi identity and culture, while further strengthening its international presence and building strategic relationships with global partners in the entertainment and content industry, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

During the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Manga Productions announced its new animated short film project, “Henna”, in collaboration with the Chinese platform Bilibili. The film tells the story of a young deaf girl, who embarks on a journey to discover her voice and express herself through the art of henna, representing the deaf and hard-of-hearing community in a story that reflects the company's commitment to creating culturally rooted, inspiring human stories for global audiences.

“Henna” marks the first co-produced animation project between Bilibili and an Arab company, and is one of the first outcomes of the strategic partnership signed between Manga Productions and Bilibili in August 2025 to strengthen collaboration in content creation, production, and distribution.

This step is part of Manga Productions’ efforts to expand the reach of Saudi content and Arab creativity in international markets, particularly in China, one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital entertainment markets. Bilibili is one of China's leading digital platforms, with more than 107 million daily active users, opening new opportunities for Saudi content to reach a broad global audience.

CEO of Manga Productions Dr. Essam Bukhary stated: "Our participation in the Annecy International Animation Film Festival reflects Manga Productions’ commitment to strengthening the global presence of Saudi creative content and building strategic partnerships that contribute to the growth of the animation industry and cultural sector in the Kingdom.”

“We are also proud to announce our new animated short movie, ‘Henna’, in collaboration with the Chinese platform Bilibili. The project reflects our strategy of creating impactful human stories inspired by our local culture and presented through a global perspective, while showcasing the talent and creativity of the Saudi youth in whom we place great confidence and high expectations,” he added.

“Henna” Director Riyadh Al-Dossary said: “‘Henna’ carries a human message that reflects the power of one’s inner voice and self-expression despite challenges. Through this project, we aim to deliver a visually engaging and emotionally authentic experience inspired by our local culture in a language that resonates with global audiences.”

Manga Productions also highlighted the global success of the Saudi-Japanese anime series “Asateer2: Future’s Folktales”, co-produced with Toei Animation and created with the participation of more than 50 Saudi artists, which achieved over 151 million views and 450+ media features across five continents.

Manga Productions also announced the global expansion of the series through multiple languages and platforms, including the Arabic version on Shahid, Japanese version on Lemino, and French version on Anime Digital Network, in addition to the English and Spanish versions.

The Annecy International Animation Film Festival is considered one of the most prominent global platforms bringing together leading animation studios, content creators, distributors, and investors from around the world, contributing to the exchange of expertise, the development of partnerships, and the exploration of the latest trends in the animation industry.

This participation aligns with Manga Productions’ strategy to expand its global impact and reinforce Saudi Arabia’s position as a growing hub for creative industries, in line with Saudi Vision 2030 objectives to support the creative economy and strengthen the Kingdom’s cultural presence internationally.