| | | | | | What's news: The entertainment industry is reacting to the death of Quincy Jones. Kamala Harris' appearance on SNL led to a spat over the FCC's "equal time" rule. Venom 3 sailed over $300m at the global box office. Fox Corp.'s revenue is up on the back of political ads. A Godzilla Minus One sequel has been greenlit. — Abid Rahman
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Quincy Jones 1933 - 2024 ►Master of all things musical. Quincy Jones, the musical giant who did it all as a record producer, film composer, multi-genre artist, entertainment executive and humanitarian, has died. He was 91. Jones’ publicist, Arnold Robinson, said that he died Sunday night at his home in the Bel Air section of Los Angeles, surrounded by his family. An entertainment industry titan, Jones received the Motion Picture Academy’s Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award in 1995, an honorary Oscar in 2024 and the Grammy Legend Award in 1991 and reeled in 28 Grammys from an all-time best 80 nominations. The obituary.
—"He was the model for how to live art." Colman Domingo, LL Cool J, Reginald Hudlin, Jeremy O. Harris, David Guetta and Victoria Monét were among the prominent Hollywood figures to pay tribute to Quincy Jones. The Oscar-winning actor Michael Caine, Jones’ long-time friend and “celestial twin” tweeted: “My Celestial twin Quincy was a titan in the musical world. He was a wonderful and unique human being, lucky to have known him.” The reaction.
—"I never been lonely or bored in my life." In May 2021, THR's Seth Abramovitch sat down for an in-depth interview with Quincy Jones. The musical maestro inaugurated the THR Icon series with his famously candid takes on Hollywood racism and drug use, Michael Jackson, his formidable exes, his powerful Silicon Valley pals and why he wouldn't work with Elvis Presley. The interview. |
Kamala's 'SNL' Spot Sparks Equal Time Spat ►ICYMI. It was like looking in the mirror during the Saturday Night Live cold open as Kamala Harris gave herself a little pep talk ahead of Election Day on Tuesday. The real-life vice president made a surprise visit to NBC’s sketch comedy series on Saturday, where she got to take a moment to talk with Maya Rudolph, who has been playing Harris since season 50 kicked off in September. The recap.
—Calling foul. A FCC commissioner claimed that Harris' appearance on SNL violated the “equal time” rule. “This is a clear and blatant effort to evade the FCC’s Equal Time rule,” commissioner Brendan Carr wrote on X. The FCC’s equal time rule requires American radio and television stations to offer equal time to rival political candidates. However, the burden falls on the candidates to request those equal opportunities. The story.
—Equal time plays out. THR's Alex Weprin reports that NBC gave Donald Trump’s campaign free commercial time in response to Harris’ appearance on SNL, including an unusual ad during NASCAR coverage. Harris appeared on Saturday’s SNL for one minute and 30 seconds, meaning that if another presidential campaign requests it, NBC would need to give it about 90 seconds of time. On Sunday, NBC broadcast a NASCAR playoff race, but some viewers noticed toward the end of the broadcast that Trump appeared in an ad, speaking directly to camera. Trump was given 60 additional seconds of campaign time during NBC’s Sunday Night Football coverage. While the game was already over, the spot aired during the post-game coverage (and shortly after a paid campaign ad). That’s a total of 120 seconds. The story. |
Hollywood Salaries Revealed ►Who makes how much. Yes, the usual caveats apply: Paychecks vary widely even among industry pros with similar titles. But, generally, from the C-suite to the studio lot trendlines emerge. From stylist to star and all the professions in between that make the industry work: here's a snapshot of Hollywood paychecks right now. The story.
—Cashing in. Strong political advertising drove Fox Corp. to a big quarter, with ad revenue surging and profits more than doubling compared to a year ago. Fox reported revenues of $3.56b, up 11 percent from a year earlier, including advertising revenues of more than $1.3b, also up 11 percent. Meanwhile, net income was $832m, more than double the profits a year ago of $415m. That gain however was skewed by the value of Fox’s option in sports betting platform FanDuel. The results.
—Cuts. It’s the time of the season for end-of-the-year budget decisionmaking around Hollywood, in a year that’s already seen cutbacks across the industry, from the C-suite to administrative roles. United Talent Agency, the Big 3 firm run by CEO Jeremy Zimmer, is undergoing some cuts and is parting ways with about 10 agents whose contracts were not renewed. And two high-profile departures at the agency were also announced internally recently, including the exit of the executive who had been the co-lead on UTA‘s sports division. Sports co-head Andrew Thau and partner Andrea Nelson Meigs are exiting the Beverly Hills-based agency. The story.
—Class action suit. Paramount Global has been sued for allegedly tracking subscribers’ viewing history. A class action lawsuit filed in California federal court accuses Paramount of sharing users’ personally identifiable information, including a record of every video viewed, with Meta and TikTok, to serve targeted ads. It seeks at least $5m in monetary damages on behalf of users across the country. The suit alleges a violation of the Video Privacy Protection Act, a federal law barring the disclosure of information about viewing habits that’s long been a thorn in the side of streaming providers. The story. |
James Van Der Beek Diagnosed With Colorectal Cancer ►"There’s reason for optimism." James Van Der Beek has been diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The 47-year-old Dawson’s Creek actor told People this weekend he’s “been privately dealing with this diagnosis and have been taking steps to resolve it, with the support of my incredible family.” Later Sunday, the actor posted an apology to those of his family and friends who heard about the news via the media, after his plan to "tell my story on my own terms" went awry. "A tabloid was going to run with the news. I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I’m in a good place and feeling strong. It’s been quite the initiation, and I’ll tell you more when I’m ready.” The story.
—"There is so much on the line this election." Chloë Grace Moretz has come out as a “gay woman,” while also endorsing Kamala Harris. The actress took to her Instagram on Friday to announce that she “voted early” and voted for Democratic presidential candidate Harris for the 2024 election. She also shared a photo of an “I Voted Early” sticker on her jeans. "I believe the government has no right over my body as a woman, and that the decisions over my body should come ONLY from myself and my doctor. Kamala Harris will protect that for us," Moretz wrote. The story.
—"I have the pressure to make a certain amount of money, and I like it." A rather candid Salma Hayek shared some insight into her financials with billionaire husband and Kering CEO François-Henri Pinault. During a conversation with The Wall Street Journal, the actress opened up about her relationship with the head of the group’s luxury brands, including Gucci, Balenciaga, Saint Laurent, Alexander McQueen and more. After noting that she didn’t sign a prenup when they got married in 2009, she explained that they have separate finances, and she often finds herself striving to make her own money. The story.
—"A bit of an anxiety thing." What was the last thing Tom Holland Googled? Well… his girlfriend Zendaya, actually. The Spider-Man actor, who has been dating the Euphoria star since 2021, recently revealed on Samah Dada’s On The Menu podcast that he will sometimes Google Zendaya to “check” on her. “The last thing I Googled was actually Zendaya,” Holland admitted. “I’m not on [social media], and I delete it when I’m not using it.” The story. |
Cruise Eyeing 'Days of Thunder 2' for Paramount ►Racing against his schedule. THR's Kim Masters and James Hibberd has the scoop on Tom Cruise talking to Paramount about a follow-up to his 1990 NASCAR racing film Days of Thunder. On its surface, the idea seems rather bold as Thunder wasn’t considered a box office hit upon its release (making $157m globally with a production budget of $60m), and the film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics. But having revived and modernized 1986’s Top Gun with 2022’s blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, the actor believes he can work similar magic with his racing drama. A Thunder revival has been floated before — Paramount once pitched a reboot of the title as a TV show for Paramount+, an idea that Cruise nixed. The story.
—Cars too. A feature project starring Tom Holland and Austin Butler is revving up for Amazon MGM Studios. The studio has landed a package for American Speed with the two actors attached to star. Charles Roven (Oppenheimer) is attached to produce though his banner Atlas Entertainment, along with RD Whittington and Douglas Banker. Screenwriter Dan Wiedenhaupt is penning the script for the film that is based on a true story. American Speed follows the three race car-driving Whittington brothers, two of whom were involved in the IMSA scandal in the 1980s that saw numerous drivers charged with funding their racing through money from drug smuggling, tax evasion and laundering. The story.
—🎭 A-list cast 🎭 James Gray has lined up an A-list cast for his next feature Paper Tiger. Adam Driver, Jeremy Strong and Anne Hathaway are set to star in the film package that is based on an original script from Gray. Vincent Maraval and Kim Fox’s banner Veterans will oversee international sales rights next week at AFM, with CAA Media Finance representing domestic rights. Principal photography is set to begin in early 2025 for the crime film that centers on two brothers who get wrapped up in a scheme that is not quite what it seems. Their bond is tested as they get embroiled in a world of violence and corruption, finding themselves in the crosshairs of the Russian “Mafiya.” The story.
—🎭 Back in charge 🎭 Chris Rock is looking to tackle Hollywood with his new feature Misty Green. Rock is attached to direct and star in the film for the package that will debut next week at AFM. Neon International is handling foreign rights, with CAA Media Finance responsible for domestic rights. Misty Green is based on an original script from Rock and centers on a talented actress whose career has been stifled by her vices. Things change when a director (Rock) offers her a tailor-made part that could finally revitalize her path, although the situation is complicated by their turbulent past. The story. |
'Godzilla Minus One' Director Confirms Sequel ►Sugoi!!!!!! Godzilla will be stomping back into cinemas soon, courtesy of the director behind last year’s Oscar-winning smash hit, Godzilla Minus One. Legendary Japanese studio Toho, creator of Godzilla, revealed Friday that Takashi Yamazaki has signed on to helm the next film in the long-running franchise. The filmmaker famously wrote, directed and oversaw all the VFX in Godzilla Minus One, and he’s set to reprise all of those responsibilities on the new title. The story.
—🎭 Hitting the streets 🎭 Will Ferrell is attached to produce and star in 20th Century Studios' comedy feature Street Justice. Keanu filmmaker Peter Atencio is directing from a script from Dave Callaham. The project that will center on a character who decides to deliver his own brand of justice. Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum of Gloria Sanchez serve as producers alongside David Koplan. Callaham is an executive producer. The story.
—🎭 Rocket robbery 🎭 Jared Leto, John Mulaney and Lupita Nyong’o have signed on to star in Lunik Heist, a dramedy caper that Kemp Powers will direct for Searchlight Pictures. The script, written by Powers, is inspired by the true story of the American government’s plot to steal a Soviet spacecraft during a 1959 expo in Mexico City. The script is based on an article by Jeff Maysh, published in MIT Technology Review. The events saw the CIA, in wanting to find out the scientific capabilities of the Soviets, intercept and abscond with a space probe, study its secrets and return it without the other side knowing what had occurred. The heist remained a secret until it was declassified in 2019. The story. |
'Here' Goes Nowhere With $5M Opening ►Yikes. Miramax and Sony’s adult drama Here — reuniting Forrest Gump director Robert Zemeckis with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright — could only manage a fifth place finish with an estimated $5m from 2,642 screens, in line with far-from-great expectations. Nor did the poorly reviewed film make up ground with moviegoers, who gave it a B- CinemaScore (that’s a poor grade for an adult drama with such a high-profile cast). THR's Pamela McClintock writes that the movie skewed incredibly older, with nearly half the audience over 55. Miramax financed the film, which reportedly cost a net $45m before marketing. Sony picked up domestic rights in exchange for a distribution fee.
In better news, and after a sluggish start, Venom: The Last Dance gained ground in its second weekend. The Sony comic book movie declined a franchise-low 49 percent to $26.1m from 4,131 screens to win an overall quiet weekend heading into the hotly contested presidential race. The final installment in the Venom trilogy has now earned $90m domestically. Overseas, The Last Dance continued to pace well ahead of its domestic earnings — in keeping with the first two films in the franchise — grossing another $68.4m for a foreign tally of $227m and $317m globally, which is narrowly ahead of Venom: Let There Be Carnage at the same point in their runs. The box office report. |
Fall Is for 'Gilmore Girls': The Data Says So ►Seasonal boost. Fall is the season of temperatures cooling, leaves changing color … and, apparently, jumbo-sized mugs of coffee at Luke’s Diner. THR's Rick Porter writes that based on several years of streaming data, fall is when a lot of people watch Gilmore Girls on Netflix. From 2021-23, Gilmore Girls was one of the top 10 library shows of the year in total viewing time, according to Nielsen’s year-end streaming roundups. In 2022 and ’23, the series made the top 10 streaming charts for a total of 65 of 104 weeks — and across both years, nearly half of the show’s chart appearances (31 in all) came between the start of September and the end of the calendar year. The data.
—Is the cable TV business worth saving? Comcast opened its latest earnings call with a surprise announcement: The Brian Roberts-run media giant was weighing whether to spin out its cable TV channels into a separate “well-capitalized company” that “would position them to take advantage of opportunities in the changing media landscape.” With Comcast open to the idea, though it was far from making a formal decision, THR's Alex Weprin looks at whether a rollup of misfit cable brands is next. The analysis.
—🎭 "Middle-age malaise" 🎭 Jason Bateman and David Harbour are getting involved in a love triangle. The Ozark and Stranger Things stars are set to topline an HBO limited series called DTF St. Louis. The seven-episode show comes from creator and showrunner Steven Conrad. Bateman and Harbour are also executive producers. HBO describes DTF St. Louis as a dark comedy "about a love triangle between three adults experiencing middle-age malaise, that leads to one of them ending up dead." The story. |
Jon Peters' Final Cut ►Hair-raising tales. THR's editor-at-large Kim Masters spoke to Jon Peters, the hairdresser turned Trump-loving sex-addicted producer who was the inspiration for the Warren Beatty film Shampoo, and the wild-man character that Bradley Cooper portrayed with all the old bluster in Paul Thomas Anderson’s 2021 film Licorice Pizza. Peters discusses his quest to find real love, as well as his ambitious passion project of the moment. The interview.
—"We loved the reinvigoration we experienced going to France, and we wanted to continue doing that." For THR, Josh Wigler spoke to showrunner David Zabel about the season finale of The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon – The Book of Carol. Zabel explains the zombie spinoff's next steps as production moves from France to Spain in season three. Warning: Spoilers! The interview.
—"Once we knew that Allison Janney was coming, it became clear that we wanted her to be a strong center of gravity in the story." THR's Hilary Lewis spoke to showrunner Debora Cahn about the season two finale of Netflix‘s The Diplomat. Cahn explains why she wanted to bring the source of the attack on the British warship that kicks off the series back to someone "who we don't think is bad." Warning: Spoilers! The interview.
—"She’s certainly a character that I would be interested in playing again." For THR, Brande Victorian spoke to actress Lesley Manville about the season finale of FX horror series Grotesquerie. The Brit actress, who plays Nurse Redd, breaks down the cryptic finale episode and how it sets up a second season. Warning: Spoilers! The interview. |
Film Review: 'Paddington in Peru' ►"Bearable but no masterpiece." THR's Leslie Felperin reviews Dougal Wilson's Paddington in Peru. In this third outing in the Paddington franchise, Olivia Colman and Antonio Banderas come along for the ride, while Emily Mortimer takes over the role of Mrs Brown, joining returning players Hugh Bonneville and Julie Walters. The review.
—"A more grounded take on an enchanted love story." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews HBO Latino/Max's Like Water for Chocolate. Based on Laura Esquivel's novel, the six-part drama centers on a young woman in 1910s Mexico who infuses her cooking with her own emotions. The review.
In other news...
—Amazon Prime Video's new releases coming in November
—Netflix’s new releases coming in November
—Netflix releases first look at Barry Keoghan in Peaky Blinders film
—Alison Brie, Idina Menzel join Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade lineup for NBC
—Marketplace: The hottest place to eat in Hollywood is a studio cafeteria
—Greg Hildebrandt, famed Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Marvel artist, dies at 85
What else we're reading...
—Bombshell story from Hugh Dougherty about the Jeffrey Epstein Tapes, including the late sex offender revealing he was Trump's "closest friend" [Daily Beast]
—With the news of Quincy Jones' death, it's worth revisiting this epic 2018 Q&A with David Marchese, certainly his greatest interview and perhaps one of the greatest interviews ever [Vulture]
—Phenomenal Tim Alberta piece on the final weeks of the 2024 Trump campaign... with a quite incredible intro [Atlantic]
—With Comcast floating the idea of spinning off its cable business, Lucas Shaw looks at whether it points to wider restructuring at NBCU [Bloomberg]
—Max Tani reports on the frank internal meeting at the NYT, as the paper reckons with its political role in polarized times [Semafor]
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: Matthew McConaughey (55), Drew Starkey (31), Ralph Macchio (63), Tabu (53), Kathy Griffin (64), Jeff Probst (63), Olivia Taylor Dudley (39), Travis Van Winkle (42), Tanya Reynolds (33), Gillian Zinser (39), Loretta Swit (87), Kiersten Warren (59), Samantha Smith (55), Fivel Stewart (28), Justine Waddell (49), Jean-Luc Bilodeau (34), Warren Christie (49), Kiana Madeira (32), Darcy Rose Byrnes (26), Alexz Johnson (38), Ken Kirzinger (65), Monique Parent (59), Goran D. Kleut (49), Taylor Tomlinson (31), Anthony Ruivivar (54), Meadow Walker (26), Shô Kasamatsu (32), Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (47), Gary Stretch (56) |
| Alan Rachins, who spent 13 seasons on television portraying the boorish law partner Douglas Brackman Jr. on L.A. Law and the hippie father of Jenna Elfman’s character on Dharma & Greg, died Saturday. He was 82. The obituary. |
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