| | | | What's news: WBD has hit 94.9m total streaming subscribers, AMC Networks has hit 11.1m. Jimmy Kimmel says he lost half his fanbase due to his criticism of Donald Trump. Lionsgate+ is exiting 7 markets. HBO Max has canceled its planned Degrassi revival. CNBC is canceling Shepard Smith's nightly newscast. — Abid Rahman |
Mass Layoffs Hit Twitter ►Brutal. Twitter employees were told in an email Thursday evening that the company will see mass layoffs Friday as Elon Musk looks to cut down on costs and tries to recoup on his $44b investment. The layoffs come just a week after Musk took control of the platform, firing its top executives and bringing on board friends and advisers to help him run the company. The story.
—"If I lived in Pennsylvania, I would have already cast my vote for John Fetterman for many reasons." Oprah Winfrey on Thursday endorsed Democrat John Fetterman in Pennsylvania’s hotly contested Senate race and rejected Republican Dr. Mehmet Oz, whom she had helped launch to stardom nearly two decades ago. Until now, Winfrey had said she would leave the election to Pennsylvanians, but she changed that position in an online discussion on voting in next Tuesday’s election. The story.
—"Currently unfit to be associated with the Brooklyn Nets." NBA star Kyrie Irving was suspended by the Brooklyn Nets for at least five games without pay Thursday, with the team dismayed by his repeated failure to “unequivocally say he has no antisemitic beliefs.” The move came hours after Irving refused to issue the apology that NBA Commissioner Adam Silver sought for posting a link to an antisemitic film on his Twitter feed. The story.
—"I have lost half of my fans — maybe more than that." Jimmy Kimmel says he knows his fanbase has shrunk due to his criticisms of former President Donald Trump. While appearing on the latest episode of the Naked Lunch podcast, Kimmel opened up about why he’s remained so outspoken about the former president on his late night show and what that has cost him. The story.
—As you were. Netflix’s Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story spent a third straight week as the top title on streaming platforms in the U.S. for the period of Oct. 3-9., according to Nielsen, though it was down a good amount week to week. The Rings of Power and House of the Dragon, on the other hand, each improved a little as they approached their season finales. The streaming rankings.
—Comeback attempt continues. Johnny Depp appears in Rihanna’s forthcoming Amazon special Savage X Fenty Show Vol. 4. The news comes months after the highly publicized, and fractious, defamation trial between Depp and his ex-wife Amber Heard. The special drops on Nov. 9 and will feature performances from Anitta, Burna Boy, Don Toliver, and Maxwell, as well as appearances from Taraji P. Henson, Taylour Paige, Simu Liu, Bella Poarch, Winston Duke and others. The story. |
WBD Wants More 'Potter' Movies ►"If we can do something with J.K." Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav is keen to exploit the company’s franchises, and that includes the possibility of making more Harry Potter films — if something can be worked out with author J.K. Rowling. Zaslav dangling the possibility of more Potter at an investor’s meeting suggested it was more than just wishful thinking. WB released eight Potter films from 2001-2011 that grossed $7.7b globally. In the years since Potter, Rowling has become a controversial figure and has been accused of transphobia. The story.
—"A more unified creative approach." At the same WBD earnings call, Zaslav touted a number of DC projects, including an upcoming The Batman sequel, and Joker: Folie à Deux, which he said films next month. He also took the time to laud James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios, saying the pair "have a powerful vision and blueprint" for the studio. The story.
—Marginal gains. WBD now has 94.9m combined subscribers across its streaming services, led by HBO Max and Discovery+, up from 92.1m last quarter. Wall Street had been expecting a gain of about 3m subscribers. The results.
—Ad squeeze. AMC Networks, the cable networks and streaming company behind the likes of AMC, AMC+, IFC, BBC America, Acorn TV and Shudder, recorded a 10 percent drop in U.S. advertising revenue in Q3. In slightly better news, AMC's total streaming subscribers grew to 11.1m as of the end of September, up from 10.8m at the end of June. The results.
—Streamlining. Lionsgate has chosen to exit seven international territories for Lionsgate+, its rebranded international operations for Starzplay, leading to a Q2 operating loss of $53.7m before the impact of around $1.7b in non-cash goodwill accounting and restructuring charges. The streamlining move comes as the Lionsgate explores a possible sale or spinoff of Starz or its studio business. The results. |
Academy Museum to Present 'Hollywood Chinese' Screenings ►"It’s a bittersweet story of film history." The Academy Museum is dedicating November to a monthlong reflection on the history of Chinese depictions in cinema. “Hollywood Chinese: The First 100 Years,” programmed by documentarian and longtime Academy member Arthur Dong, is a screening series of features and shorts – some classics, some obscurities – that mark both highlights and lowlights of how Chinese have been portrayed in film, particularly in the Western studio system. The story.
—School is out for good. HBO Max has scuttled its planned revival of Degrassi. Like a number of other projects, the Degrassi reboot is a casualty of post-merger cutbacks at Warner Bros. Discovery. The show scored a series order in January 2022, a few months before the merger became final. The story.
—New home. Jessica Chastain’s turn as country music star Tammy Wynette in the limited series George & Tammy is heading to Showtime. The six-part series, which has her starring opposite Michael Shannon as George Jones, will premiere Dec. 4, simultaneously on Showtime and the Paramount Network behind a new episode of Yellowstone. The move marks Chris McCarthy's first pickup at Showtime, which he assumed control of in early October. The story.
—The end is nigh. CNBC will wind down Shepard Smith’s nightly newscast as it refocuses its evening programming on business and financial news. The News With Shepard Smith will air its last episode later in November. Its replacement will launch in early 2023, though a title and anchors for the show have yet to be announced. The story.
—In the works. Peacock and Sky are partnering on an original drama series inspired by Frederick Forsyth’s espionage thriller The Day of The Jackal and the 1973 film adaptation from Universal. Top Boy scribe Ronan Bennett is attached as writer and showrunner, with Brian Kirk (Game of Thrones, Luther) serving as lead director. The story.
—Back with a bang. Kit Steinkellner, creator of the critically praised former Facebook Watch drama Sorry for Your Loss, is returning to television. FX has handed out a pilot order for an adaptation of Catherine Lacey’s novel The Answers, with Steinkellner set to write the script and exec produce alongside Danny Strong and Darren Aronofsky. The Answers is set in the near future and follows a heartbroken young woman who joins an enigmatic experiment that promises to hack love. The story. |
Eric Roberts on His 700 (and Counting) Screen Credits ►"I’m one of the luckiest guys in Hollywood." Eric Roberts doesn’t hold the Guinness World Record for the most screen credits for a living actor — but he's not far off. According to his IMDb page, he has appeared in some 700 films and TV shows, making him the actor with the most screen credits in Hollywood working today. THR's Alex Ritman spoke to the always busy Roberts, a genuine AFM legend, about his insane schedule, why Margot Robbie deserves an Oscar and that time he got kicked off of Oprah’s private beach. The interview.
—"A huge honor and also a beautiful challenge." Cuties director Maïmouna Doucouré has signed on to write and direct a new biopic on American-born French singer, dancer, actress and civil rights icon Josephine Baker. Studiocanal and Bien ou Bien Productions are set to produce the film together with CPB Films, with principal photography expected to begin next year. The project is being developed with the support of Baker’s sons Jean-Claude Bouillon Baker and Brian Bouillon Baker. The story.
—A new model for low-budget indie action? Beta Film is selling Operation Napoleon, a $7m conspiracy thriller, starring Game of Thrones actor Iain Glen, at the AFM this week. THR's Scott Roxborough looks at how the film took a different, more European, approach to financing. The story.
More from AFM...
—AFM flashback: Amadeus burnished the market and rocked the Oscars
—Dark Star unveils sasquatch horror Summoning the Spirit
—America’s first Native film commission looking to do business, challenge stereotypes
—Art house group Kino Lorber buys international TV streamer MHz Choice |
THR TV Critics On Dragons, Dahmer and Other Fall Phenomena ►Hobbits, storm troopers and Targaryens — oh my! Four blockbuster streaming and cable series dominated the TV discourse this fall — raising questions about the benefits of weekly, rather than binge-friendly, rollouts — but there were less flashy and expensive gems to discover as well. THR TV critics Dan Fienberg and Angie Han run the rule over fall television. The critics' conversation.
—"Sticks closely to a stale family-comedy formula." Dan reviews NBC's Lopez vs. Lopez. The new Friday night father-daughter comedy pits George and Mayan Lopez against each other in a series about generational conflict and the challenges of kitchen renovation. The review.
—"Did it need to become a stage musical? Debatable." THR's David Rooney reviews the Broadway production of Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous. Based on Crowe’s Oscar-winning film, the show is a semi-autobiographical retelling of his time on the road as a rookie Rolling Stone journalist profiling an emerging band. The review. |
Thank Pod It's Friday ► All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.
—TV's Top 5. THR's Lesley Goldberg and Dan Fienberg break down the latest TV news. The duo begin by running through the week's headlines, including a new show from Bryan Fuller, the renewal of The Sandman, and Liam Hemsworth replacing Henry Cavill in The Witcher. There's a segment focusing on The CW's new president of entertainment Brad Schwartz. Nicole Lecky, the creator and star of the BBC/AMC series Mood drops by for a chat. And Dan reviews Blockbuster, The Mosquito Coast season two, Lopez vs. Lopez, God Forbid, Spector, Mood and Say Hey. Listen here.
—It Happened in Hollywood. THR senior writer Seth Abramovitch goes behind the scenes of the pop culture moments that shaped Hollywood history. In this episode Seth spoke to Ron Shelton. In retelling the making of 1988's Bull Durham, the writer-director recalls how Susan Sarandon's absence from a secret index, Hollywood's fabled "The List" nearly prevented him from casting her. Listen here.
—Awards Chatter. THR's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg talks to the great and the good of Hollywood. In this episode, Scott spoke to Michelle Yeoh. The Malaysian actress reflects on blazing a trail for female martial artists in Hong Kong cinema, introducing the modern Bond girl 25 years ago and starring in Everything Everywhere All at Once, A24's biggest hit to date. Listen here.
In other news...
—Michael De Luca, Pamela Abdy to receive Milestone Award at 2023 PGA Awards
—Korean thriller series Bargain coming to U.S. on Paramount+
—Ryan Reynolds to receive People’s Icon Award at People’s Choice Awards
—Stevie Nicks and Billy Joel set SoFi Stadium concert
—Anatomy of a Scandal, Aladdin star Naomi Scott signs with CAA
—ABC Signature ups Sydnee Rimes to senior vp of series
—Canada’s CBC to close China news bureau
What else we're reading...
—John Leguizamo writes an open letter to Hollywood on the need for a "better pipeline for Latinos in movies, TV shows and plays" [LAT]
—Ben Cohen shakes his head at Meta losing $800b in market capitalization in just over a year [WSJ]
—Sam Adams writes that Charlotte Wells' Aftersun has the best final shot of any movie in years [Slate]
—Josef Adalian looks at how Roku plans to win the (free) streaming wars [Vulture]
—Here's your Friday list: "HBO turns 50: Its 50 best shows, ranked" [TV Insider]
Today...
...in 1948, 20th Century Fox unveiled the Olivia de Havilland drama The Snake Pit at its New York City premiere. The film went on to earn six Oscar nominations at the 21st Academy Awards, winning one honor for sound recording. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Ralph Macchio (61), Matthew McConaughey (53), Kathy Griffin (62), Jeff Probst (61), Sean 'Diddy' Combs (53), Travis Van Winkle (40), Drew Starkey (40), Olivia Taylor Dudley (37), Warren Christie (47), Kiana Madeira (30), Tanya Reynolds (31), Leonardo Nam (42), Gillian Zinser (37), Krista Bridges (54), Fivel Stewart (26), Ken Kirzinger (63), Tabu (52), Shô Kasamatsu (30), Bethenny Frankel (52), Peter Lord (69) |
| Andrew Prine, the charming character actor who proved quite comfortable in the saddle in Bandolero!, Chisum, Wide Country and dozens of other Westerns on television and the big screen, has died. He was 86. The obituary. |
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