Tag: New York City

HBO Max Bowing Interactive NY City Walking Tour Ahead of ‘In the Heights’ Movie Release

New York City has been the backdrop to countless movies and series for Warner Bros. and HBO. This month, HBO Max will invite movie fans to explore memorable movie and TV show moments with a self-guided, interactive walking tour of the Big Apple.

The three-day pop up experience, “HBO Max On Location,” will take place from June 11-13 (10 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST) and feature 20 branded installations in Manhattan.

The promotion is in part for the feature film release of In the Heights, the Warner Bros. Pictures film debuting June 10 in theaters and on Max (exclusive to the ad-free subscription tier only). The tour will also feature other Max series and movies filmed in the city.

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Participants will have special access to view a scene from In The Heights or a Max series or film affiliated with each location and have the opportunity to redeem rewards from local businesses. There are a limited number of rewards available on each day and they will be distributed by each participating partner on a first-come, first served basis while supplies last.

“We look forward to returning to New York City and honoring the incredible film In The Heights,” Jason Mulderig, SVP of brand marketing for HBO Max and HBO, said in a statement. “‘HBO Max On Location’ is a great opportunity to provide a safe and fun interactive experience for fans of iconic Max series and movies that also supports local businesses, in a city that has been severely impacted over the past year but continues to stay resilient.”

As part of the tour, Max will partner with both NYC & Company, which curated a supplemental guide to the vibrant neighborhood of Washington Heights, and Citi Bike (sponsored by Lyft), which recently opened more than 30 new stations in upper Manhattan. After interacting with the experience from select locations, visitors can grab a free bike to transport them around the city for the guided adventure. Washington Heights staples such as Malecon and Locksmith will be highlighted as part of the experience alongside New York City notables Levain Bakery, Magnolia Cupcakes and Katz’s Delicatessen.

Locales in the experience range from those featured in Max Originals “Gossip Girl,” the extension of the pop culture classic debuting July 8, “Love Life” and “The Flight Attendant,” to HBO Originals “Sex and the City,” “The Undoing” and “Succession,” to classic series “Friends” and films When Harry Met Sally, Ocean’s 8 and more.

The complete map and list of titles is available on hbomaxonlocation.com and photo stills here.

‘No Wave’ Classics ‘Subway Riders,’ ‘The Foreigner’ and ‘Unmade Beds’ Due on DVD Sept. 29 From MVD

Filmmaker Amos Poe’s “No Wave” classics Subway Riders, The Foreigner and Unmade Beds will come out on DVD Sept. 29 from MVD Entertainment Group.

“No wave” was a short-lived avant-garde music and art scene that erupted in New York City in the late 1970s as a reaction to punk rock. The term “no wave” was a pun on “new wave.” The movement only lasted a few years, but had a profound influence on the development of independent film, fashion and visual arts.

Subway Riders is 1981 drama shot in New York City following a psychotic street saxophonist who lures victims into dark city spots with his haunting music — then shoots them. Seedy characters, including a cop with a junkie wife, an upstairs sax-hating prostitute and other lost souls litter the landscape. Written, produced and directed by legendary “punk filmmaker” Poe (Alphabet City, Dead Weekend), the film features Cookie Mueller (Pink Flamingos, Desperate Living), Susan Tyrell (Cry Baby, Forbidden Zone), Robbie Coltrane (“Harry Potter” series), Poe and John Lurie (Get Shorty).

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The Foreigner, for the first time ever on DVD, is a 1978 New York drama following European Max Menace who arrives in New York City on an unknown mission. Boredom sets in as he waits for his assignment. Alienation thrusts him into entanglements with women, weirdos and creeps. Their unstructured lives echo the purposefully meandering storyline reflecting the reality of being meaningless in a hostile city. Written, produced and directed by Poe, the film features Debbie Harry (lead singer of Blondie, Videodrome), Poe, Lux Interior (The Social Network) and the punk band The Cramps as themselves.

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Also written, produced and directed by Poe, Unmade Beds, also starring Harry, is a 1976 drama following Rico in New York City, who imagines he lives in Paris during the time of “New Wave” filmmaking. He’s a photographer who thinks he’s an outsider, so he uses his camera like a gun, loading it with bullets of film. He seeks reality to fulfill his fantasy. But he’s also a romantic, and this is his downfall, especially when he falls in love with Blondie. The film pays homage to Jean Luc Godard as it parallels the French classic Breathless. It also stars Poe and Robert Gordon (Natural Born Killers).

Warner Cancels ‘Superman: Red Son’ New York Premiere Over Coronavirus Concerns

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment March 2 canceled a screening of the animated film Superman: Red Son slated for March 16 in New York over concerns regarding the spread of the COVID-19, aka coronavirus disease 2019.

Based on the DC Comics “Elseworlds” graphic novel from 2003, Red Son takes place in an alternate reality where the spaceship bearing the last survivor of Krypton crash lands in Stalinist Russia instead of rural Kansas, resulting in Superman becoming a hero of the Soviet Union during the Cold War. The film features the voices of Jason Isaacs as Superman and Diedrich Bader as Lex Luthor.

The film premiered in Los Angeles Feb. 24 and was released through digital retailers Feb. 25. Warner Feb. 28 announced the New York premiere would be held March 16, the day before Red Son’s March 17 release on Blu-ray Disc, DVD and 4K Ultra HD.

The first case of COVID-19 in New York City was confirmed March 1.

As of March 2, there have been about 90,000 reported cases of COVID-19 worldwide, with more than 3,100 deaths from the illness — the vast majority occurring in China. Around 100 cases have been reported in the United States, with six deaths in Washington state.

“As the impact and spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to evolve, Warner Bros. is placing added emphasis on the health and welfare of its employees, talent and fans. To help minimize risk of exposure, Warner Bros. has opted to take preventative measures and cancel the New York premiere,” the studio announced.

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Warner had planned a red carpet event at New York’s Directors Guild with a screening and Q&A for members of the press, with a limited number of tickets available to the general public. The Guild theater has a capacity of 436.

Among those announced to be in attendance were executive producer Bruce Timm, director-producer Sam Liu, screenwriter J.M. DeMatteis, and castmembers Amy Acker (voice of Lois Lane), Vanessa Marshall (Wonder Woman), Roger Craig Smith (Batman) and Sasha Roiz (Hal Jordan).

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Warner Bros. To Open First-Ever ‘Harry Potter’ Flagship Store in New York

Warner Bros. says it will open the first official “Harry Potter” flagship store later this year in the heart of New York City next to the Flatiron building at 935 Broadway.

The retail store will house the largest collection of “Harry Potter” and “Fantastic Beasts” products in the world under one roof with everything from personalized robes, DVDs and Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans, to a brand-new range of house wands with a design exclusive to the New York location.

Spanning three floors and over 20,000 sq. ft., the space will provide fans of the J.K. Rowling novels and franchise movies with a number of exciting retail experiences that evoke the magic of the Wizarding World.

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“This will be the largest dedicated Harry Potter store in the world and will become a must-visit fan destination where Harry Potter enthusiasts can engage with interactive experiences and numerous photo opportunities as they step into the magic,” Sarah Roots, SVP of worldwide tours and retail at Warner Bros., said in a statement. “We are very excited to be opening in New York. It’s the ideal city in which to launch with so many dedicated Wizarding World fans, a cutting-edge retail environment and a community that embraces innovative experiences.”

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Amazon Nixes Second HQ Plans in New York

Amazon has dropped plans to build a second headquarter in New York City — citing local and regional political opposition.

Freshman House representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had been critical of the project, citing union issues and possible displacement of families due to construction.

The sprawling headquarters slated for Long Island City, Queens had pledged to employ about 25,000 people in exchange for $3 billion in local and city tax benefits.

The New York location, which culminated in a widely publicized two-year search by Amazon to locate a second HQ to its Seattle headquarters, had met increasing local political pushback since its announcement. Critics argued against spending tax dollars to support one the wealthiest companies in the world.

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“After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens,” Amazon said in a statement.

The ecommerce behemoth said moving forward with the project required “positive, collaborative relationships” with state and local elected officials.

Amazon said that while polls indicated 70% of New Yorkers supported the headquarters, a number of state and local politicians “made it clear” they opposed the idea and would not work with the company.

“We are disappointed to have reached this conclusion — we love New York, its incomparable dynamism, people, and culture — and particularly the community of Long Island City, where we have gotten to know so many optimistic, forward-leaning community leaders, small business owners, and residents,” Amazon said.

There are currently over 5,000 Amazon employees in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and Amazon said it plans to “grow” these teams.

Amazon said it does not intend to re-open the HQ2 search at this time, and would proceed as planned office locations in Northern Virginia and Nashville.

“We will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada,” said the company.