Off The Break Podcast

Netflix threw out a surprise theatrical release with their movie K-Pop Demon Hunters this August, and Ken, Kyle, and Alyssa will be trying to figure out why they are doing this. The three of them also give Warners their props for the success of Weapons. Kyle and Alyssa also recommend a new Sony Pictures Classics movie, Eleanor The Great, and gush over the amazing June Squibb.

Shayla, Kyle, and the rest of the crew will be attending this year's Rocky Mountain Theatre Convention, but they want to know what it is and what to expect. They are joined by Regional Director Diane Eve, who answers all their questions and gushes about what makes this event so special for theater owners and managers.For more information, check out their website here.

Codi declares herself the bearer of bad news, warning us to prepare for a fall season that will require cinemas to adjust. She and Ken also debate whether studios should be satisfied with the box office of Superman and Fantastic Four, while Kyle is just happy that both were successful.*This episode was recorded on 7/29/25

On this special episode, Emily Johnson of the Empire Twin Theater in Livingston, Montana, stops by our studio to discuss her experiences as a new manager and her insights into running the business. She also shares many stories about her years as a script supervisor for numerous westerns filmed in Montana, including the recent theatrical release, The Unholy Trinity.

Codi shares her adventures in South America, Ken feels disappointed by the newest Predator: Badlands trailer, and Kyle does not want summer to end. The three hosts also discuss the large gap between Fantastic Four and the next Marvel movie, and how it could pique audiences' interest in other films, as well as complain about Wednesday openings.

Kyle has a theory that runtimes are becoming shorter, so he pitches it to Alyssa and Shayla to see if they agree with him. They also discuss the response to Superman's opening weekend and what theaters should expect for the remainder of the summer. Shayla also explains the appeal of TikTok for being entertaining and reliable, while Alyssa and Kyle grow more gray hairs.

We are back from the 4th of July, and our hosts went out to the movies to celebrate! Listen to each of them talk about what summer movie they saw, while also updating our expectations for Jurassic World: Rebirth and Superman. Additionally, we discuss why the word-of-mouth culture has become more difficult in selling movies.

We are at the halfway point of 2025, and movie theaters will be kicking off the second half with big successes from Jurassic World: Rebirth and Superman! Ken, Shayla, and Kyle share their final thoughts on how they'll perform, what we expect from F1 after its surprise opening, and what Pixar needs to have an original hit again. Finally, the three discuss the magic of the 90s action movie, Speed.

Shayla and Kyle get to sit down with Ann Sanders, who runs the Liberty Theater in Pagosa, CO. Ann talks about how she got the chance to take over the Liberty Theater, what she has learned during her time in the industry, and the many ways to boost the theater's community outreach through the town and on the internet.

Shayla, Alyssa, and Kyle break down AMC's plans for adding more commercials before movies and the pros and cons that led to that decision. They also discuss whether Jurassic World and Superman will or won't cannibalize each other, and if it's wise for the industry to focus on the first 2 weeks of a movie's release.

Disney has officially acquired all of Hulu, prompting Codi, Ken, and Kyle to discuss the current state of streaming. They also debate the opening projections of Jurassic World: Rebirth, F1 & M3GAN 2.0, and get a brutal reminder of how long ago the 90's was.

Mystery movies and early access screenings are gaining popularity among cinema chains, but are they viable options for independent theaters? Codi, Kyle, and Ken break down whether they are and how to advertise them. They also discuss projections for How to Train Your Dragon and a potential big weekend for Elio and 28 Years Later.

We are celebrating a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend! As we celebrate, we discuss whether this is affecting the projections for the How to Train Your Dragon remake. Alyssa also had us watch The Predator this week, which led Ken to dive into all the trivia and knowledge he knows about one of his favorite movies.

Ken, Kyle, and Shayla are all giddy for an amazing Memorial Day weekend for theaters everywhere. They share their predictions on the openings for Lilo & Stitch and Mission: Impossible 8, their opinions on the newest Superman and Jurassic World trailers, and why they love Raising Arizona.

AMC will offer its Stub members 50% discounts this summer, but will this test pay off for everyone? Codi, Kyle, and Alyssa also discuss what they expect from the June releases, studios fumbling their names for movies, and a Jim Carrey gem involving sex and vampires.

Alyssa, Shayla, and Kyle discuss the joys and stresses of booking kids' shows for movie theaters, Netflix's favoritism toward Greta Gerwig and IMAX theaters, and the magic of The Blues Brothers.

Codi, Shayla, and Kyle break down the rising number of re-releases from a cultural viewpoint and which ones theaters should play at their venues. They also discuss the historic drop from Sinners, proving there is no way to know which movie will hit the zeitgeist, and whether Weird Science has aged poorly or not.

Kyle and Ken brag to Shayla about Sinners, but they also discuss what makes the Sinners success special for theaters and audiences. They also explain why this upcoming Memorial Day weekend will be a big one, and they introduce the Popcorn Bucket Pick 80s series with Action Jackson, thanks to Ken.

A new report claims that 3 studios would agree to a strict 45-day window, but Alyssa, Kyle, and Ken are pretty sure everyone else may not be so hasty. They also talk about how this month is a big deal for Warner Bros. and that we are heading into a spring/early summer with lots of box office upside.

The Minecraft movie had a major opening, which helped movie theaters that had struggled for the past few months, but it wasn't without many headaches and horror stories. Alyssa, Shayla, and Kyle discuss the complexities of holding the movie and their stories of their CinemaCon experience together.

Codi and Ken return from the Giant Screen Film Expo and highlight what they learned. Along with Kyle, they discuss NATO's official name change and the possibility of readjusting the theatrical window.

The topic of Coyote vs. Acme potentially landing in the hands of Ketchup Entertainment leads Alyssa, Shayla, and Kyle to question their place in current pop culture. They also grieve over their March Madness brackets and get excited for CinemaCon!

Everyone agrees: Tucker & Dale vs. Evil is the best. Codi, Kyle, and Ken share their thoughts on the latest Popcorn Bucket Pick. Then Alyssa and Kyle interview Matt Wesley, the recent owner of the newly reopened Gentry Cinema, where he shares learning about the industry and giving back to his community. Check out his blog to see his journey!

Codi and Ken come back from visiting our state government to help explain the ins and outs of the theater industry. They explain to Kyle what happened. They also announce their attendance at CinemaCon and the Giant Screen Cinema Association Film Expo, and Ken hosts the third OTB awards!

Now that the dust has settled after the announcement of Amazon's full control of the Bond franchise, it leaves Kyle, Alyssa, and Shayla speculating over what will become of future movies. Alyssa and Kyle share their thoughts on upcoming films The Friend and The Penguin Lessons which leads into what the most emotional penguin movies are.

Shayla leads a discussion with Kyle and Ken about the positives of a movie theater including live entertainment options for their community. They also predict the outcomes of Brave New World, Paddington 3, and Mickey 17. They also complain about assisting in field trips and how bonkers Natural Born Killers is.

Codi, Kyle, and Ken all saw Love Hurts and enjoyed it! But why did the public not like it? And what are they wanting out of their movies? Kyle also talks about Captain America: Brave New World, while Codi and Ken explain the current state of the superhero movie.

Codi, Alyssa, and Ken review IndieWire's 2025 predictions for the movie industry, which feel like predictions they've had for the past few years. They also sprinkle in Super Bowl trailer predictions, the Harry Potter franchise needing a hot wizard and deciding if Big Trouble In Little China is the greatest movie ever.

Shayla learns about the disdain towards Netflix from Ken and Kyle during their discussion of The Chronicles Of Narnia remake only going to select IMAX screens. Not everyone agrees with how amazing The Shawshank Redemption is and some thoughts on February's release slate.

Shayla shares information with Kyle and Alyssa about the decline of physical one-sheets and possible digital signage alternatives. For more info on this topic, click on her blog here. They also discuss the hold-up for booking The Brutalist on September 5.

Ken, Shayla, and Kyle talk about the success of the holiday box office and which movies they watched. They also give movie theaters warning and advice about playing movies during terrible weather. The three also explain why Jackie Brown is a special Tarantino film.

Kyle, Alyssa, and Ken debate over the Superman trailer and whether this will be a massive movie for 2025. They also gush over Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho and Kyle, highlighting two under-the-radar January releases.

On our first interview episode, Codi and Ken interview writer/producer Joe Borden.Based in Bozeman, Joe recently produced the films SOMEWHERE IN MONTANA (in theaters January 10) starring Graham McTavish and CUISINE DE LA ‘POCALYPSE (Feb 2025) featuring Emilio Rivera.Formerly Head Writer and Co-executive Producer of Comedy Central’s TOSH.0, Joe has spent over 20 years working in TV & film with credits including THE OFFICE, BORAT, and BEE MOVIE. He hosts a local podcast from Outlaw Media called “Explore Big Sky with Hoary Marmot."

Ken finally gets to share one of his favorite movies, Roadhouse, but did everyone else love it too? Codi shares theories about Disney remakes after a Tangled remake gets announced.

Codi, Kyle, and Ken break down 2025's release calendar and determine if it will be as good or better than 2024. They also celebrate the record-breaking results of Moana 2.

AI is now producing fake movie trailers, so Alyssa, Shayla, and Kyle explain how to spot them and find the real ones. They also share their favorite Christmas movies and celebrate the opening weekend of Wicked and Gladiator 2.

Ken gloats to Kyle and Shayla about Wicked's initial success before its opening weekend, and they also break down the newest game plan for LEGO movies. The three also talk about Alyssa's Popcorn Bucket Pick, The Prestige, leading to a heated Batman debate between Ken and Kyle.

The crew locks in their opening predictions for the Thanksgiving releases and discusses whether Glicked is real. Codi, Kyle, and Ken also talk about Star Wars' continued fumbling, and Codi has gripes about Midnight Run.

Codi lays out the right showtimes for theaters to play movies during the holiday season. She, Kyle, and Alyssa also discuss 20th Century Studios' 2025 plans and what qualifies a movie to be labeled a musical.

Ken, Shayla, and Kyle discuss how Venom 3 is positioned to hold theaters for three weeks, and are pleased with a Looney Tunes movie coming in 2025. They also discuss Moonrise Kingdom, Alien v. Predator, and Judy Greer.

Alyssa, Shayla and Kyle are feeling the pain from Joker 2's disappointment, but give respect to Terrifier's box office. They give bad news about The Wild Robot and Juror #2, plus talking about the movie Warm Bodies for Cinema Club.

Movie theaters should not worry about Venom 3's box office potential because of Joker, and we have the reasons why. The three hosts also talk about the "masterpiece" Little Nicky and why Sony did not get the rights to Colleen Hoover's next adaptation.

The box office projections of Joker are lowering again, but Ken, Kyle and Alyssa believe in it still, as well as Venom 3 and Terrifier 3. The three also talk about Singing In The Ring and their favorite horror movies!

Alyssa, Shayla and Kyle talk about how the beginning and ending school seasons can be tough for kids movies to find success. They also bring up this week's trailers that show potential signs of 2025's success and discuss the first Cinema Club movie, Dial M For Murder.

After 300 episodes, some things never change. We again discuss why Netflix is wrong about movie theaters, and feel validated after reports that theater chains are finally investing in upgrades. We also introduce our new Cinema Club segment of the podcast, which we recommend watching movies along with us!

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice's opening was a huge deal, so Kyle, Codi and Alyssa celebrate its success! Codi and Alyssa also get to tell Kyle just how good the new movie is and if it feels like a return of Tim Burton's style. They also are trying to figure out when the next Spider-Verse movie is being released and why Sony may not renew their deal with producers Phil Lord and Chris Miller. Plus, the three of them have ideas for who the next Bond villain should be and what they want out of the next movie.

TikTok is still the biggest app in the United States, and it's one of the biggest ways for any small business to advertise. Shayla and Kyle explain why movie theaters benefit from advertising through TikTok and bring a new study to back it up, while Ken's eyes glaze over. They also talk about the Beetlejuice sequel off to a big running start, and despite the new Minecraft movie trailer looking terrible, it'll be one of the biggest movies of 2025.

As we reach the second half of 2024, the crew looks back on a surprising first half of the year. They give credit to the mid-range movies from independent studios and what they did right in terms of marketing. Could the big studios look at the success of others and start returning more mid-budget movies to theaters because of this? They also have thoughts over the first trailer to Lord Of The Rings: The War Of Rohirrim and why on Earth Chick Fil-A is developing a streaming service.

Ken is back to brag about his trip to Ireland, and is joined by Kyle, Alyssa and Shayla in the podcast's first ever four person episode. They discuss how Amazon needs to speed up their plans for releasing more theatrical movies and Rotten Tomato's new plan to encourage going to the theaters. Ken also gives his two cents on the Apple news that was talked about in last week's episode.

Just because Codi and Ken are away on vacation doesn't mean Kyle was left stranded. He is joined this week by newly acquainted film buyers Alyssa and Shayla to share their journey into learning about the business of movie theaters. The three of them also discuss concerns about Apple after their bad news regarding the movie Wolfs, and the drama circling around It Ends With Us that could have helped it's big box office opening.