| | | | | | What's news: Paramount Global is pausing the MTV Europe Music Awards and the CMT Music Awards. Rob Liefeld is severing ties with Marvel. AMC Theatres has hiked its pricing for Stubs A-list. Hasbro and Legendary are developing a film and TV universe for Magic: The Gathering. — Abid Rahman
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Karla Sofía Gascón Vows to Remain Silent ►"[I'm] hoping my silence will allow the film to be appreciated for what it is." Karla Sofía Gascón is speaking out on her removal from the Emilia Pérez Oscar campaign due to her resurfaced controversial tweets. The embattled best actress Oscar nominee took to her Instagram to acknowledge Emilia Pérez director Jacques Audiard's recent interview, where he said he has severed ties with Gascón. "Following Jacques interview that I understand, I decided, for the film, for Jacques, for the cast, for the incredible crew who deserves it, for the beautiful adventure we all had together, to let the work talk for itself," Gascón wrote. The story.
—Done with Marvel. Rob Liefeld, the comic artist and creator, says that after more than 30 years he is severing ties with Marvel for whom he created renowned characters Deadpool and Cable. Liefeld laid out his decision in an episode of his Robservations podcast as well as in a follow-up interview with THR, where he detailed a series of perceived slights at July’s New York premiere of Deadpool & Wolverine. At the premiere, Liefeld learned he and his family were not invited to the afterparty, something he was accustomed to attending. He also felt snubbed by Disney brass, including Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige, whom he says was near him on the red carpet but did not acknowledge him. The story.
—🏆 Dressed for success 🏆 Conclave, Nosferatu and Wicked won the awards for contemporary, period and sci-fi/fantasy film, respectively, at the 2025 Costume Designers Guild Awards. All three films are nominated for the costume design Oscar, alongside A Complete Unknown and Gladiator II. Other winners at the 27th annual ceremony, which took place Thursday night at The Ebell of Los Angeles, included Hacks, Shogun and Dune: Prophecy, which won the contemporary, period and sci-fi/fantasy awards, respectively, for TV. The winners. |
Star Salaries for Super Bowl Ads ►Making bank. In a splintered media world, there is only one true vestige of monoculture left: The Super Bowl. The Big Game averages over 100m viewers, a staggering number that dwarfs every other piece of entertainment in a given year. THR's Alex Weprin writes that for big advertisers, a chance to highlight their brand or product in front of that audience is without peer, and they are willing to pay handsomely to do so. Sources say that the all-in cost for a Super Bowl commercial this year is $10m-$12m on the low end, and $20m plus on the high end. And the talent doesn’t come cheap either, with A-list actors and music stars scoring $3m-$5m paydays. The story.
—The best parties, concerts and tailgating events. The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles face off on Feb. 9 at Caesars Superdome — here's where to play, eat and stay in New Orleans, plus the best deals on game and event tickets. The story.
Super Bowl ads....
—Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan return as Harry and Sally in Hellmann’s spot
—Ben Affleck teams with brother Casey and a very method Jeremy Strong for Dunkin’ ad
—Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara are pickleball hustlers in Michelob Ultra ad
—Gordon Ramsay, Pete Davidson give cookware brand HexClad a Super Bowl bump
—Reese’s Super Bowl secret: Absurdist comedy in place of celebrity cameos
—Bud Light bets on Shane Gillis, Post Malone and Peyton Manning for Super Bowl win
—Häagen-Dazs lands Fast stars Vin Diesel, Michele Rodriguez and Ludacris for Super Bowl ad
—Matthew McConaughey plays a cast of football legends in Uber Eats spot
—Matt Damon and David Beckham play twin brothers in Stella Artois spot
—Google bets Super Bowl spot can turbocharge Gemini AI business |
Paramount Pauses Some Major Events, Including CMTs, MTV EMAs ►"We look to reimagine and optimize our events slate going forward." THR's Georg Szalai has the scoop on Paramount Global hitting pause on select international events in 2025, including the MTV Europe Music Awards and the CMT Music Awards, to reimagine what they might look like in the future and “optimize” its tentpole strategy. Also affected are the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards Mexico and the MTV MIAWs, formerly known as the MTV Millennial Awards, according to an internal memo. The U.S. versions of the Kids’ Choice Awards and the VMAs are not mentioned. The memo came from the office of Bruce Gillmer, Paramount’s president, music, music talent, programming and events, media networks and chief content officer, music, Paramount+. The story.
—Trumpflation. AMC Theatres has hiked its pricing for Stubs A-list, the cinema chain’s monthly movie subscription membership. From May 7, the monthly A-list membership for film fanatics will jump from $24.95 to $27.99 in New York and California, and pricing elsewhere will range from $19.99 to $25.99 per month, depending on the U.S. state. Stubs A-list will, however, allow four movie visits a week, up from the current limit of three online reservations. The AMC Stubs A-List program is aimed at avid moviegoers, and allows members to see Hollywood tentpoles in all premium formats, including Imax and Dolby Cinema. The story.
—Ad monster. Amazon beat Wall Street expectations in its latest quarterly earnings report, with its advertising business surging by 18 percent year over year to $17.3b. Overall, Amazon net sales were $187.8b in the quarter, with net income of $20b. The growth was driven by a strong holiday quarter for retail, AI products at AWS, and string performance at Prime Video, where Thursday Night Football averaged 13.7m viewers. Prime Video, of course, turned on ads for all its customers a year ago, giving users the option to pay $3 more per month to opt out. The results.
—Holding steady. Lionsgate has released its third quarter financial results after the spinoff of the media giant’s studio business into a separately traded stock. The studio posted a sharply narrowed net loss of $21.9m, compared to a year-earlier loss at $107.4m when Lionsgate at the time reported on the impact of the earlier Hollywood writers and actors strikes on its content production and release pipeline. During the latest quarter to Dec. 31, 2024, overall revenue fell to $970.5m, against $975.1m in the same period of last year. The results.
—🤝 Podcast deal 🤝 Stephen Curry and Erick Peyton’s Unanimous Media is going deep on podcasts. The company has teamed with iHeartMedia to launch a new Unanimous podcast slate to deliver content designed to “showcase a wide range of compelling shows across sports, entertainment, culture and more,” all of which will be distributed by iHeartPodcasts and be available on the iHeartRadio app or anywhere podcasts can be found. One is ready to come off the bench: The first show in the new slate is G.O.T.E. with Seth Curry and Travonne Edwards, and it’s scheduled to debut in February. The story.
—Temporary restraining order. A judge has stepped in to block, at least for the moment, Sony’s efforts to take over distribution of syndicated game shows Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune from CBS. On Thursday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin C. Brazile granted CBS a temporary restraining order blocking Sony Pictures Television from assuming distribution of the two shows. Earlier this week, Sony — which produces Jeopardy! and Wheel — said it had taken on that role after claiming CBS had breached a long-standing contract to distribute to two shows. CBS then filed for the restraining order, seeking to keep the terms of the deal in place. The story. |
Netflix Will Not Release Controversial Prince Doc ►"The Prince Estate and Netflix have come to a mutual agreement." Netflix will not release Ezra Edelman’s Prince documentary following a new deal with the late singer’s estate, the two parties announced Thursday. A New York Times report last September alleged that Edelman’s project would accuse Prince of physical and emotional abuse. The documentary was reportedly nine hours, and featured interviews with dozens of Prince’s former business partners, lovers, friends and associates. Edelman is best known for O.J.: Made in America. The story.
—"If there can be no victory, then I will fight forever." Hasbro Entertainment is conjuring up a universe based on its Magic: The Gathering game. The toy company is teaming with Legendary Entertainment to develop a shared Magic: The Gathering universe that it says will span film and TV. The first order of business is adapting the game as a movie. The company Wizards of the Coast launched Magic: The Gathering in 1993 as the world’s first trading card game. It soon was a worldwide hit, becoming a schoolyard staple in the 1990s and inspiring conventions. Hasbro acquired Wizards of the Coast in 1999. The story.
—Heading to the big screen. Spin Master Entertainment has tapped Atlas filmmaker Brad Peyton to write, direct and produce a live action movie based on the popular Bakugan toy line earlier turned into an anime adventure TV series. Peyton and Lindsay Harbert will collaborate on a screenplay based on the global franchise set around a Japanese anime show and a strategic game that uses metal cards and magnetic, spring-loaded miniature figures that transform from marblelike balls into toy monsters. The story.
—🎭 Next up 🎭 Oscar nominee Guy Pearce has already wrapped his next film project. The Brutalist actor and Magic Mike's Alex Pettyfer will star in Blurred, an erotic thriller set in New York’s fashion world. The feature is written and directed by Ben Cookson, alongside Maria Pedraza, and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Produced by Pettyfer and James Ireland for Dark Dreams Entertainment and Yariv Lerner for Film Forage, Blurred wrapped production last summer in the U.K. Cloud9 Studios is handling international sales and will be pitching the project to buyers at Berlin’s European Film Market next week. The story.
—🎭 One more 🎭 Kym Whitley has joined the cast of director Kyle Newacheck's Happy Gilmore 2 that is set to premiere later this year on Netflix. Filming wrapped in December on the movie that sees Adam Sandler reprising his role as the long-driving phenom that he originated in Universal’s 1996 film Happy Gilmore. Christopher McDonald, Julie Bowen and Ben Stiller are among the performers returning from the original film, while new cast additions include Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Benny Safdie and Travis Kelce. The story.
—🎭 "I can’t wait to tell this story" 🎭 Kiefer Sutherland and Rebel Wilson will star in Tinsel Town, a new Christmas comedy from Sky and Future Artists Entertainment. Now in production on location across the north of England, the movie follows Bradley Mack (Sutherland), a Hollywood action star with a bloated ego, who is blindsided when his iconic action franchise is abruptly canceled. With his career in free fall and worried his Hollywood days are behind him, he heads to England, hoping to rebuild his image as a serious actor on the West End. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 Sony Pictures Classics have pre-bought Unidentified, the new feature from Saudi filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour, acquiring the contemporary Saudi-language thriller film for North America, Latin America, Eastern Europe, Turkey, Australia, New Zealand, and worldwide airlines. Written, directed by Al Mansour, and produced together Brad Niemann, Unidentified is currently in post-production. Mila Al Zahrani and Shafi Al Harthi star in the thriller, in which the discovery of a teenage girl’s lifeless body in the desert sparks an investigation. The story. |
Hulu Sets 'Rust' Doc Focused on Halyna Hutchins ►"Beyond the public narrative." Hulu has revealed a new documentary film on the late Rust cinematographer Halyna Hutchins, titled Last Take: Rust and the Story of Halyna. Hutchins was killed on Oct. 21, 2021, in a shooting on the set of Rust, when a prop gun held by Alec Baldwin discharged. The documentary, directed and produced by Rachel Mason, will take viewers "beyond the public narrative to reveal the untold human story of that terrible day and all that followed — from the vantage point of the people at the center of the tragedy." The film, slated to premiere on Hulu on March 11, will also include behind-the-scenes material from the set of Rust, public court records and Hutchins’ personal archives. The story.
—First batch. Saturday Night Live has lined up the first round of guests for its 50th anniversary special. Several frequent hosts, including Five-Timers Club members Tom Hanks (who originated the bit back in 1990), Steve Martin, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Simon, Martin Short and Woody Harrelson, are among the first announced guests for the three-hour, primetime show, airing Feb. 16 on NBC. Also set to appear are Adam Driver, Ayo Edebiri, Bad Bunny, Dave Chappelle, John Mulaney, Kim Kardashian, Miley Cyrus, Paul McCartney, Pedro Pascal, Peyton Manning, Quinta Brunson, Robert De Niro and Sabrina Carpenter. The story.
—Landman legs. Squid Game dominated the streaming charts, though it cooled off a good amount in its third week at No. 1. Landman also peaked following its season finale, and American Primeval had a strong debut. For the week of Jan. 6-12, Squid Game racked up 2.37b minutes of viewing on Netflix, according to Nielsen’s streaming ratings. That’s down by about 48 percent from the previous week — but still almost a billion minutes clear of Landman in second place. Since the Dec. 26 premiere of season two, Squid Game has totaled 11.88b minutes of watch time in the U.S. As for Landman , its 1.38b minutes for the week leading into its Jan. 12 season finale continued the Paramount+ drama’s streak of improving every week it’s been on. The streaming rankings. |
Ilana Glazer, Clark Gregg Join Broadway Cast of 'Good Night and Good Luck' ►🎭 Two more 🎭 Ilana Glazer and Clark Gregg will star alongside George Clooney in Good Night, and Good Luck on Broadway. The play, written by Clooney and Grant Heslov, is scheduled to begin previews at the Winter Garden Theatre starting March 12, with an opening night April 3. Good Night, and Good Luck was adapted from the Warner Bros. film, also written by Clooney and Heslov, and follows journalist Edward R. Murrow’s clash with U.S. Sen. Joseph McCarthy as Murrow pushes to continue reporting on McCarthy’s anti-communist efforts. Clooney will be making his Broadway debut playing Murrow, with the complete company also taking on roles of real-life figures. The story.
—Going All In. Wicked maintained its top grossing spot on Broadway, bringing in $2.3m last week, while All In: A Comedy About Love moved into the number two spot for the week, bringing in just over $2m. The jump at All In came as the show, which features a rotating cast acting out short stories, was led by Jimmy Fallon, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Aidy Bryant and Nick Kroll. The average ticket price hit $268.69, the highest of any show last week, and the show played to 100 percent capacity at the Hudson Theater. The other top five grossing shows included The Lion King, with $1.7m, Gypsy, starring Audra McDonald, with $1.69m, and Hamilton with $1.65m. The Broadway box office report.
—🎭 Oh Tituss! 🎭 Tituss Burgess will take over the lead role in Oh, Mary! this spring. Burgess will play Mary Todd Lincoln for three weeks starting March 18 through April 6. He takes over the role from Betty Gilpin, who took over the role starting Jan. 21. Cole Escola, who wrote the play, originated the role of Mary Off-Broadway and through the show’s Broadway transfer. Burgess, known for his roles in Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt and Schmigadoon!, has previously appeared on Broadway in Moulin Rouge!, Guys and Dolls andThe Little Mermaid. The story. |
Film Review: 'Love Hurts' ►"Tries too hard to do everything everywhere all at once." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Jonathan Eusebio's Love Hurts. Ke Huy Quan, Ariana DeBose and Marshawn Lynch star in this film about a seemingly ordinary real estate agent outrunning a violent past, produced by David Leitch. The review.
—"A compelling exploration of an influential genre." THR's Lovia Gyarkye reviews Elegance Bratton's Move Ya Body: The Birth of House. In his latest documentary feature, which premiered at Sundance, the Inspection director explores the house genre’s Black queer roots and asks who gets credited for their contributions to American culture. The review.
—"Fish and Larson have decided to accentuate Elektra’s anger and frustration." For THR, Demetrios Matheou reviews Daniel Fish's West End production of Elektra. Brie Larson and Stockard Channing feature in this London staging of Anne Carson's translation, directed by Fish, whose radical Oklahoma! rethink drew acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic. The review. |
Thank Pod It's Friday ►All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.
—Awards Chatter. THR's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg talks to the great and the good of Hollywood. In this episode, Scott spoke to Wicked star Ariana Grande. One of the biggest pop stars on the planet, who is now an Oscar-nominated actress, reflects on how she broke into showbiz as a kid, each of her studio albums, how music has helped her through tough times, why she yearned for years to play Glinda, how her fame helped her to understand the pros and cons of being "Popular." Listen here.
In other news...
—Julie Adam promoted to Universal Music Canada president, CEO
—Cindy Mabe, UMG Nashville chair and CEO, exits after 18 years
—Entertainment attorney and activist Dina LaPolt launches new media venture
—How to watch the 2025 Critics Choice Awards online for free
What else we're reading...
—As Elon Musk's approval rating plummets, Ally Mutnick, Holly Otterbein, Sam Sutton and Lisa Kashinsky report that the oligarch presents a new vulnerability for Trump [Politico]
—Max Tani reports that BuzzFeed is seeking to counter the current right-wing vibe shift in media [Semafor]
—Tommy Craggs looks into why the 2025 Super Bowl has so many conspiracy theories engulfing it [Bloomberg]
—Steve Rose looks at how, in a matter of weeks, it all went wrong for Emilia Pérez's Oscar hopes [Guardian]
—Here's your Friday list: "The 15 best Dr. Watsons, ranked" [Vulture]
Today...
...in 2014, Sony released George Clooney's The Monuments Men in U.S. theaters. The WW2 movie, starring Clooney, Matt Damon, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett, had mixed reviews but made over $150m at the box office. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Chris Rock (60), Robert Smigel (65), Ashton Kutcher (47), Eddie Izzard (63), James Spader (65), Robyn Lively (53), Tina Majorino (40), Deborah Ann Woll (40), Alexander Dreymon (42), Jason Gedrick (60), Tom Glynn-Carney (30), Victor Webster (52), Ruby O. Fee (29), Essence Atkins (53), Cerina Vincent (46), Nabhaan Rizwan (28), Jihae (36), Matty Matheson (43), David Dorfman (32), Naian González Norvind (33), Justin Hagan (50), Mirelly Taylor (45), John Posey (69), Stephen Colletti (39), Tegan Moss (40), Dona Speir (61), Kylie Verzosa (33), Son Suk-ku (42), Louisa Lytton (36), Irina Björklund (36), David Nykl (58), Lee Bong-ryun (44), David Castro (29), Seán McLoughlin (35) |
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