Behind the Scenes Buzz

WILL AVENGERS‘ LONG RUN TIME HAMPER IT AT THE B.O.? Disney and Marvel‘s Avengers: Endgame will surely make a serious impact on the box office when it drops April 26^th. However, observers are wondering if the long run time (three hours and 1 minute) will rain on the receipt parade, Variety reports. The longer runtime means fewer showings, which may mean fewer tickets sold. But early indications show Endgame could clear $200 million and $260 million during its first three days of release. If it tilts toward the higher end, it will be the biggest domestic opener ever, stealing the top spot from Avengers: Infinity War, which holds the current crown at $258 million. The cast includes Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Captain America (Chris Evans), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Captain Marvel (Brie Larson), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and Ant-Man (Paul Rudd).

DISNEY’S BOB IGER CALLS FOR CIVIL DISCOURSE: “We are losing ground,” warned Disney chief Bob Iger in a speech about the collapse of civility in America as he accepted the 2019 Humanitarian Award at the Simon Wiesenthal Center‘s annual National Tribute Dinner, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “Hate and anger are dragging us towards the abyss once again, and apathy is growing… consuming our public discourse and shaping our country into something that is wholly unrecognizable. Our politics, in particular, are now dominated by contempt.” He warned that he sees the outrages take center stage on social media. “Hitler would have loved social media,” he said, adding that it often makes “it far too easy to deny our shared humanity.”

HULU ORDERS THE DROPOUT: Hulu has ordered a limited series starring and exec produced by Kate McKinnon, based on ABC‘s podcast The Dropout, about the spectacular rise and fall of Elizabeth Holmes and the company she founded, Theranos. The series is expected to run between six and 10 episodes. The podcast host and creator Rebecca Jarvis will also exec produce.

OPRAH, BRIE LARSON KICK OFF WOMEN IN THE WORLD SUMMIT: The 10^th annual Women in the World Summit kicked off Wednesday with Oprah Winfrey and Brie Larson leading the call for equal pay and against oppression. “We live in a country that has somehow confused cruel with funny, serious with intelligent, attitude with belief, personal freedom with stockpiling assault weapons, and what is moral with what is legal,” Winfrey, the evening’s keynote speaker, told the crowd at Lincoln Center‘s David H. Koch Theater. “So it is time for women in the world to set the agenda. It’s time for women to redefine the message. We need to make that message a positive one. Let’s make it ambitious, and inclusive, and brimming with hope.” The three-day event includes speeches and panels highlighting female leaders with a focus on international issues.