With 20th Century Fox anticipating that their LATAM 2016 L.A. Screenings will start one day earlier than usual, on Thursday, May 19, the indies will have to move their start date one day earlier as well, starting on Monday, May 16. This year the indies opened their suites at the Century Plaza Hotel on a Tuesday, which fell on May 12. And even then, most LATAM buyers did not show up until the next day, on May 13.
This situation could possibly be caused by the fact that, next year, the Upfronts in New York City, which in recent years started the second week of May, will begin on Monday, May 16 and end on Thursday, May 19.
What is still unclear is whether the major U.S. studios will each push their LATAM Screenings one day earlier, or if they’ll keep their traditional days, leaving a gap on Friday, May 20, which could most likely be filled by Lionsgate and Paramount.
If, on the other hand, the major studios push their screenings one day earlier, it is possible that Lionsgate and Paramount will move up to Wednesday, May 18, leaving barely two full days to the indies.
As for the General Studio Screenings, it is assumed that they’ll start on Monday, May 23 and end on Friday, May 27, before the Memorial Day holiday weekend, but considering the increasingly large number of buyers who arrive earlier and earlier (and the Canadians who are the first in town), it is possible that the General Screenings will also start before that Monday.
To summarize next year’s anticipated dates, they are: Indies, May 16-18; LATAM Screenings, May 19-25; General Screenings, May 22-27.
2016 Broadcast Week Upfront Calendar
May 16, NBC (Morning)
May 16, FOX (Afternoon)
May 17, ABC (Afternoon)
May 18, CBS (Afternoon)
May 19, The CW (Morning)
