Scott Mendelson
@scottmendelson.bsky.social
A box office columnist for Puck News, but also head over to The Outside Scoop at Substack for everything else worth reading (box office, reviews, analysis, think pieces, etc.)
https://scottmendelson.substack.com/
https://scottmendelson.substack.com/
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The Outside Scoop | Scott Mendelson | Substack
A legacy sequel to The Ticket Booth at Forbes.com and (especially) Mendelson's Memos. Pure, unfiltered and less formal pontification about the movie business and the entertainment industry for those w...
scottmendelson.substack.com
For those who followed my ongoing film reviews, industry punditry and (especially?) box office analysis from my days at Forbes (2013-2022) and/or (if you're old) Mendelson's Memos (2008-2013), stop by The Outside Scoop on Substack. It's precisely that—nothing more, nothing less.
What we lose when we treat small-scale indies like big-deal tentpoles, why I’m happy about a new 'Alice in Wonderland’ musical, an SVOD ratings update for ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and more...
Sydney Sweeney's Stardom Trap, Sabrina Carpenter's Mitzvah, 'Frankenstein's Ratings and 'Toy Story 5's Teaser
What we lose when we treat small-scale indies like big-deal tentpoles, a viewership update for ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and more.
open.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 6:16 AM
What we lose when we treat small-scale indies like big-deal tentpoles, why I’m happy about a new 'Alice in Wonderland’ musical, an SVOD ratings update for ‘KPop Demon Hunters’ and more...
The faithful-to-a-fault adaptation of Stephen King’s novel trades ‘American Gladiators’ for ‘Most Dangerous Game,’ but now feels quaint in an America that was stupid enough to elect *its* favorite psychopathic game show host as President… twice. (Review of #TheRunningMan)
Review: 'The Running Man' Can't Outrun Our Hellish Reality
The faithful-to-a-fault adaptation trades 'American Gladiators’ for ‘Most Dangerous Game’, but the too-little-too-late political actioner still ends up falling short of the likes of ‘Hard Target’.
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 10:05 PM
The faithful-to-a-fault adaptation of Stephen King’s novel trades ‘American Gladiators’ for ‘Most Dangerous Game,’ but now feels quaint in an America that was stupid enough to elect *its* favorite psychopathic game show host as President… twice. (Review of #TheRunningMan)
Reposted by Scott Mendelson
This is actually good spin, or would have been. But the fact that the Democratic cave happened without even a coordinated, agreed-upon message like this indicates the depth of the leadership void.
November 11, 2025 at 5:12 PM
This is actually good spin, or would have been. But the fact that the Democratic cave happened without even a coordinated, agreed-upon message like this indicates the depth of the leadership void.
Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, but I've come to accept that these "fight with the power with magic tricks" movies take place in an alternate Saturday morning cartoon dimension.
(Review for #NowYouSeeMeNowYouDont)
(Review for #NowYouSeeMeNowYouDont)
'Now You See Me: Now You Don't' Review: So Beautiful. So Stupid.
Maybe I’m getting soft in my old age, but I’ve come to accept that these “fight with the power with magic tricks” movies take place in an alternate Saturday morning cartoon dimension.
open.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 6:23 PM
Maybe I'm getting soft in my old age, but I've come to accept that these "fight with the power with magic tricks" movies take place in an alternate Saturday morning cartoon dimension.
(Review for #NowYouSeeMeNowYouDont)
(Review for #NowYouSeeMeNowYouDont)
Unlike too many of Disney’s bigger #boxoffice hits of late, #PredatorBadlands ($40 million in North America and $80 million worldwide) is thus far overperforming not just because a prior series entry was great but (partially) because this installment is also good.
Box Office: 'Predator: Badlands' Is Disney's Most Important Success For 2025
Unlike too many of Disney’s bigger box office hits of late, ‘Predator: Badlands’ is overperforming not just because a prior series entry was great but also because *this* installment is also good.
open.substack.com
November 9, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Unlike too many of Disney’s bigger #boxoffice hits of late, #PredatorBadlands ($40 million in North America and $80 million worldwide) is thus far overperforming not just because a prior series entry was great but (partially) because this installment is also good.
Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison’s #PredatorBadlands might score a bigger opening weekend (even noting inflation) than any “just a Predator” flick. With three straight artistic bangers, PREDATOR is the one Fox franchise that’s actually improved since joining Disney.
(Friday #BoxOffice punditry)
(Friday #BoxOffice punditry)
'Predator: Badlands' Tops Box Office With Promising $15.6M Friday
Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison’s acclaimed and buzzy sci-fi actioner might score a bigger opening weekend than any “just a Predator movie,” even noting inflation.
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison’s #PredatorBadlands might score a bigger opening weekend (even noting inflation) than any “just a Predator” flick. With three straight artistic bangers, PREDATOR is the one Fox franchise that’s actually improved since joining Disney.
(Friday #BoxOffice punditry)
(Friday #BoxOffice punditry)
Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison again deliver a ‘Predator’ movie that skews the curve for what was previously, at best, a B-movie grindhouse franchise.
(@scottmendelson.bsky.social reviews #PredatorBadlands)
(@scottmendelson.bsky.social reviews #PredatorBadlands)
'Badlands' Review: Be Sure to Catch This 'Predator'!
Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison again deliver a 'Predator' movie that skews the curve for what was previously, at best, a B-movie grindhouse franchise.
open.substack.com
November 7, 2025 at 5:34 PM
Dan Trachtenberg and Patrick Aison again deliver a ‘Predator’ movie that skews the curve for what was previously, at best, a B-movie grindhouse franchise.
(@scottmendelson.bsky.social reviews #PredatorBadlands)
(@scottmendelson.bsky.social reviews #PredatorBadlands)
Lionsgate and Universal’s twice-delayed and sure-to-be-controversial King of Pop flick is positioning itself as a ‘Bohemian Rhapsody'-style PLF-worthy crowdpleaser (as opposed to a ‘Deliver Me From Nowhere’-style downer)...
(First trailer for #Michael, natch)
(First trailer for #Michael, natch)
'Michael' Trailer Sells Next Summer's Blockbuster Biopic as the Antithesis of 'Deliver Me From Nowhere'
Lionsgate and Universal's twice-delayed and sure-to-be-controversial King of Pop flick is positioning itself as a ‘Bohemian Rhapsody'-style PLF-worthy crowdpleaser.
open.substack.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Lionsgate and Universal’s twice-delayed and sure-to-be-controversial King of Pop flick is positioning itself as a ‘Bohemian Rhapsody'-style PLF-worthy crowdpleaser (as opposed to a ‘Deliver Me From Nowhere’-style downer)...
(First trailer for #Michael, natch)
(First trailer for #Michael, natch)
I would watch the hell out of the Saturday morning cartoon continuation of #PredatorBadlands, and yes, I mean that as a compliment. Another compliment: The least interesting thing about it is the fact that it's a PREDATOR movie.
a poster for predator badlands shows a blonde woman
ALT: a poster for predator badlands shows a blonde woman
media.tenor.com
November 6, 2025 at 4:21 AM
I would watch the hell out of the Saturday morning cartoon continuation of #PredatorBadlands, and yes, I mean that as a compliment. Another compliment: The least interesting thing about it is the fact that it's a PREDATOR movie.
So, does this make Sabrina Carpenter the Jeri Ryan of the 2020s?
November 6, 2025 at 2:07 AM
So, does this make Sabrina Carpenter the Jeri Ryan of the 2020s?
Reposted by Scott Mendelson
Sobering news for a lot of top Democrats, tonight, as they realize people would prefer they actually fucking do something.
November 5, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Sobering news for a lot of top Democrats, tonight, as they realize people would prefer they actually fucking do something.
November 5, 2025 at 6:48 AM
I meant to write this last Tuesday, for the 20th anniversary. Alas, my younger kids were (non-perilously) sick. That’s ironic or appropriate, considering the opening night of SAW II was the date-night movie of choice (her choice, natch) for the first date with my eventual wife.
Second ‘Saw’ To The Right... and Straight On Till Mourning
Darren Lynn Bousman’s “breakout sequel” follow-up to James Wan and Leigh Whannell’s buzzy puzzle box chiller remains the prototypical entry in Lionsgate’s most iconic franchise.
open.substack.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:33 AM
I meant to write this last Tuesday, for the 20th anniversary. Alas, my younger kids were (non-perilously) sick. That’s ironic or appropriate, considering the opening night of SAW II was the date-night movie of choice (her choice, natch) for the first date with my eventual wife.
I can only hope that the plot of the just "announced" fourth MUMMY movie involves Rick and Evelyn reluctantly teaming up with Imhotep to break Stephen Sommers out of directors jail.
November 5, 2025 at 2:00 AM
I can only hope that the plot of the just "announced" fourth MUMMY movie involves Rick and Evelyn reluctantly teaming up with Imhotep to break Stephen Sommers out of directors jail.
Reposted by Scott Mendelson
On a new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies, @scottmendelson.bsky.social joins @scottrenshaw.bsky.social and I to discuss the songs of Dick Tracy, meaning we got to talk about Sondheim, Madonna, and much more: mousterpiecemelodies.podbean.com/e/mousterpie...
Mousterpiece Melodies -- Episode 14: Dick Tracy | Mousterpiece Melodies
Stick 'em up! OK, but seriously, we hope you're in a mood to head back to a simpler, and yet more dangerous, time in popular culture, back when mobsters and cops fought it out in the streets of the bi...
mousterpiecemelodies.podbean.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:25 PM
On a new episode of Mousterpiece Melodies, @scottmendelson.bsky.social joins @scottrenshaw.bsky.social and I to discuss the songs of Dick Tracy, meaning we got to talk about Sondheim, Madonna, and much more: mousterpiecemelodies.podbean.com/e/mousterpie...
Unless you're a Grabber, a Gun Devil, or Mckenna Grace's (alleged) boyfriend, you had a mediocre-at-best Halloween domestic #boxoffice weekend...
Box Office: Several Hot Takes Amid Meager $50M Halloween Weekend
Unless you're a Grabber, a Gun Devil, or Mckenna Grace's (alleged) boyfriend, you had a mediocre-at-best Friday-to-Sunday frame in domestic theaters.
open.substack.com
November 2, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Unless you're a Grabber, a Gun Devil, or Mckenna Grace's (alleged) boyfriend, you had a mediocre-at-best Halloween domestic #boxoffice weekend...
The lowest (sans inflation) domestic October #boxoffice totals since 1997 are primarily thanks to ‘Michael’ and ‘Mortal Kombat II’ being delayed to 2026 as ‘Saw IX’ found itself in purgatory.
3 Missing Tentpoles Meant Disaster For October's Box Office
The worst domestic month-ten total since 1997 was mostly due to 'Michael' and 'Mortal Kombat II' being delayed to 2026 as 'Saw IX' found itself in purgatory.
open.substack.com
November 1, 2025 at 7:19 PM
The lowest (sans inflation) domestic October #boxoffice totals since 1997 are primarily thanks to ‘Michael’ and ‘Mortal Kombat II’ being delayed to 2026 as ‘Saw IX’ found itself in purgatory.
A 'House of Dynamite' mini-review, a full(ish) review of Guillermo del Toro's latest and thoughts on Netflix running awards campaigns sans pressures related to box office grosses or streaming ratings.
'Frankenstein's Biggest Advantage Over Its Oscar Season Competition
A mini-review of Kathryn Bigelow's 'A House of Dynamite,' a full(ish) review of Guillermo del Toro's latest and thoughts on Netflix running awards campaigns sans pressures related to box office grosse...
open.substack.com
October 31, 2025 at 4:46 PM
A 'House of Dynamite' mini-review, a full(ish) review of Guillermo del Toro's latest and thoughts on Netflix running awards campaigns sans pressures related to box office grosses or streaming ratings.
The Box Office Podcast Episode 91 -- Gory Days
With special guest (does the Kermit flail) Travis Hopson!!!
With special guest (does the Kermit flail) Travis Hopson!!!
Ep. 91 - Gory Days
Listen now | Travis Hopson, of Punch Drunk Critics joins to discuss a strong opening for 'Chainsaw Man: The Movie' and poor debuts for 'Deliver Us from Nowhere' and 'Regretting You.'
open.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:32 PM
The Box Office Podcast Episode 91 -- Gory Days
With special guest (does the Kermit flail) Travis Hopson!!!
With special guest (does the Kermit flail) Travis Hopson!!!
“Maybe it’s a framhise, maybe it’s Schwarzenegger…”
"It's Nadda Franchise!" - On 'Predator: Badlands' and 'Running Man's Ironic Connection
Both early-November biggies each sprung from a one-and-done (and just moderately successful) Arnold Schwarzenegger-led sci-fi actioner. Neither can count on existing fandoms for their predecessors.
open.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 6:13 PM
“Maybe it’s a framhise, maybe it’s Schwarzenegger…”
Even beyond the... displeasing melodrama concerning its preproduction, SCREAM 7 looks shockingly boring, redundant and comparatively small-scale for a franchise that once at least tried to color outside the lines.
October 30, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Even beyond the... displeasing melodrama concerning its preproduction, SCREAM 7 looks shockingly boring, redundant and comparatively small-scale for a franchise that once at least tried to color outside the lines.
Reposted by Scott Mendelson
In #TheBlackPhone2, when Finn and Gwen successfully prevent The Grabber from grabbing...
a cartoon of a fox with the words oh mannn on the bottom
ALT: a cartoon of a fox with the words oh mannn on the bottom
media.tenor.com
October 22, 2025 at 4:50 AM
In #TheBlackPhone2, when Finn and Gwen successfully prevent The Grabber from grabbing...
Reposted by Scott Mendelson
Great times talking all about Frankenstein and more with @walrusmoose.bsky.social and @scottmendelson.bsky.social for this week's @outnowpodcast.bsky.social! #FrankensteinFriend
a man with curly hair stands in front of a statue
ALT: a man with curly hair stands in front of a statue
media.tenor.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:55 AM
Great times talking all about Frankenstein and more with @walrusmoose.bsky.social and @scottmendelson.bsky.social for this week's @outnowpodcast.bsky.social! #FrankensteinFriend
Reposted by Scott Mendelson
“What’s disappointing about the current epidemic of boomer-friendly rock-star biopics,” @jasondashbailey.com writes, “is that so many fine filmmakers are spending their time and energy on boilerplate brand maintenance exercises for millionaires.” crookedmarquee.com/review-sprin...
October 27, 2025 at 3:07 PM
“What’s disappointing about the current epidemic of boomer-friendly rock-star biopics,” @jasondashbailey.com writes, “is that so many fine filmmakers are spending their time and energy on boilerplate brand maintenance exercises for millionaires.” crookedmarquee.com/review-sprin...
Reposted by Scott Mendelson
Even in better times, the Oscar-nominated actor rarely drew a crowd outside of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequels and Tim Burton-directed fantasies. Why would Hollywood expect #JohnnyDepp to be “butts-in-seats” valuable -- especially for an all-quadrant IP play -- after a decade’s worth of... ya know?
Johnny Depp: Still Not A Movie Star
The Oscar-nominated actor has scored very few box office hits that were not either ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ movies or Tim Burton-directed fantasy tentpoles.
open.substack.com
October 24, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Even in better times, the Oscar-nominated actor rarely drew a crowd outside of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN sequels and Tim Burton-directed fantasies. Why would Hollywood expect #JohnnyDepp to be “butts-in-seats” valuable -- especially for an all-quadrant IP play -- after a decade’s worth of... ya know?