Multiple sources confirm that PVOD platforms will debut two top awards contenders — “The Fabelmans” (Universal) and “The Banshees of Inisherin” (Searchlight) — on December 13. “Bones and All” (United Artists), an even more-recent release, will also join them on that date.

For “Banshees,” the date comes 53 days after its initial appearance. But for “Fabelmans,” it will be only 32 days after the Steven Spielberg drama went into a theatrical platform release, and 23 days after the start of its wider release. The “Bones” VOD date comes 25 days after platform, 18 days after wide.

Bottom line: No longer is the promise of a Christmas-playtime boost enough. And waiting until the even-bigger boost of Oscar nominations (this year, January 24) seems impossible.

Fellow con...

Malcolm McDowell wants to turn the clock back on the green screen and CGI effects overload in Hollywood.

The “Clockwork Orange” star called it a “shame” that character-driven films have fallen by the wayside amid the reign of Marvel and DC superhero movies.

“It’s a shame we’re losing character-driven movies, and I don’t want to see green screen movies ad nauseam,” McDowell told Variety at the Torino Film Festival. “My kids love them and that’s OK – there’s room for them, let’s have them! But let’s also balance it a little bit with some adult content.”

McDowell continued, “What is happening is that it’s almost impossible to get an independent movie made. It’s always been difficult, of course, but it’s never been impossible...

Just like fetch, Amanda Seyfried says we should stop trying to make “Mean Girls 2” happen.

While in conversation with fellow “Mean Girls” alum Lindsay Lohan for Interview magazine, Emmy winner Seyfried shut down long-standing rumors of a follow-up to the beloved 2004 classic film.

“I would kill just to do one week, all of us playing our own roles on ‘Mean Girls’ on Broadway,” Seyfried said, citing the musical show. “Because a ‘Mean Girls 2’ is never going to happen, is it?”

Lohan replied, “I don’t know. I heard something about it being a movie musical and I was like, ‘Oh no.’ We can’t do that. It has to be the same tone.”

The “Dropout” star Seyfried agreed, “Yeah. It would just be completely different.”

Lohan, Seyfried, Rachel McAdams, Lacey C...

“Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery” ended its one-week run last night. Netflix, as always, did not disclose grosses but it will finish its 696-theater engagement in fine form. Competitor estimates suggest it will end up with about $15 million in domestic gross — good enough for #2 behind “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever” and ahead of “Strange World.”

It was Netflix’s widest theatrical release, its biggest theatrical take, grosses doubled expectations, and now the film will disappear until it makes its streaming debut December 23. The popular logic seems sensible: Netflix left an enormous amount of money on the table.

From the exhibitors’ perspective, that’s definitely true...

Fleetwood Mac lost one of its leading lights on November 30 with the passing of vocalist Christine McVie at age 79 after a short illness. She joined the band under the name Christine Perfect in 1968 and was the vocal and lyrical force behind hits like “Don’t Stop,” “Everywhere,” “You Make Loving Fun,” and “Little Lies,” each an all-time earworm in rock music history.

Fleetwood Mac was fractious with break-ups (including McVie’s divorce from the band’s bassist, John McVie, in 1976), shake-ups, and diva personalities to spare, but none of that can touch half a century’s worth of brilliant music. It defined their legacy back to the late-1960s with albums like their self-titled release, “Rumours,” and “Tusk,” which made the band iconic.

In recent decades, McVie...