Director Ron Howard has had a string of hits, including Cocoon, Apollo 13 and the Di Vinci Code. But his latest film, In the Heart of the Sea, opened to tepid box office this weekend. It's just the latest disappointment for Warner Bros., and the LA Times' Rebecca Keegan breaks down what happened.

Rebecca is among the 5000 or so Hollywood insiders who will be attending a mega-preview screening of the new Star Wars film tonight. It's the first time anyone can remember a studio leasing out three major theaters in Hollywood for a simultaneous preview. 

And, on a topic we've touched on again and again, Keegan looks back at the year as a milestone in diversity, pointing to gains by women and people of color in the distinctly monochrome film industry. But, she says, it remains to be seen whether executives have finally realized that diversity is more than just a noble goal, but in fact, makes good business sense.