Hollywood Buzzes with Sundance Deals, AI Scrutiny, and Global Economic Shifts

Hollywood is abuzz following the Sundance Film Festival, with A24's "The Moment," a mockumentary about Charli XCX, becoming its fastest-selling limited release to date, according to Variety. Meanwhile, Neon secured the rights to "Leviticus," a conversion therapy horror film, in a deal estimated to be in the seven-figure range, also reported by Variety.

The entertainment industry is experiencing a flurry of activity, from film festival accolades for figures like Robert Redford to the Santa Barbara Film Festival honoring various talents, as noted by multiple news sources. A heated bidding war ensued between A24 and Focus Features for Olivia Wilde's new movie, "The Invite," after its successful Sundance premiere, according to Variety.

Beyond Hollywood, the tech world faces increasing scrutiny over AI practices. Meta is launching premium AI subscriptions, while X is under investigation by the EU for AI deepfakes. YouTubers are suing Snap over AI training data, according to BBC Business. SpotDraft is making advancements in AI contract review.

Globally, several Caribbean nations are legalizing cannabis, and gold prices are rising due to global instability, BBC Business reports. Ryanair anticipates increased fares due to high demand and passenger growth, despite a drop in quarterly profits. Netflix has set a March 5 global premiere date for "Vladimir," a limited series starring Rachel Weisz and Leo Woodall, adapted from Julia May Jonas' novel, Variety reported.