| | | | | | What's news: Taylor Swift has announced her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl. Madonna has called on Pope Leo to go to Gaza. HBO Max and Viu will be available as a bundle in 5 Asian markets in Q4. Shrek 5 has moved to summer 2027. Max Minghella is set to join the cast of DC's Clayface. — Abid Rahman
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ESPN, Fox Rejoin Forces for Sports Streaming Bundle ►🤝 Do over. 🤝 ESPN and Fox’s previous effort at a sports-centric streaming service was a nonstarter, but the two companies are teaming up again. The Disney-owned ESPN and Fox announced a plan on Monday to bundle their forthcoming direct-to-consumer offerings. The ESPN streaming service (just called “ESPN”) and Fox One will be offered as a bundle beginning Oct. 2. (Both platforms are set to go live on Aug. 21.) The ESPN-Fox One bundle will cost subscribers $40 per month; separately, ESPN streaming will run for $30 monthly and Fox One, $20 per month. The bundle offering comes seven months after the death of Venu, a proposed sports-only streaming service that Disney, Fox and Warner Bros. Discovery had planned. The companies scuttled the service amid legal challenges and Disney’s decision to press forward with its standalone ESPN service. The story.
—🤝 Streaming bundle. 🤝 The rush towards streaming bundles continues, with HBO Max and Asian giant Viu the latest to link up. Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform and PCCW-owned Viu on Monday revealed a new streaming bundle offering both companies’ services in a single subscription plan. The bundle will offer complementary content, with HBO Max’s premium Hollywood content available alongside Viu’s popular Korean, Chinese and other local Asian content including the hit shows Running Man, 2 Days 1 Night, The Immortal Ascension and Love Has Fireworks . The offer is set to launch in Q4 2025 across Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Notably, the bundle marks the first of its kind across multiple markets in Asia Pacific. The story.
—Roku's next bet. Roku is dipping its toes in the paid streaming service space, but is entering within its own new niche. On Aug. 5, the company announced the launch of an ad-free streaming service, Howdy, for $2.99 a month. This makes it the cheapest major, general entertainment ad-free streaming service, far below the costs of Netflix, at $18 a month, or Hulu at $19 a month. THR's Caitlin Huston writes that the $2.99 monthly subscription comes at the right time, as the average price of ad-free plans has risen 23 percent in the past two years to $13.88, according to data firm Antenna’s year-end report on the subscription landscape. Even ad-supported plans come in at a higher cost, with the average price having risen 25 percent. The story.
—"Happy medium." As AMC Theatres reports a strong box office quarter and reiterates its plan to help claw its way out of debt, its top executive also has a message for moviegoers and studios: we’ve heard your feedback on how much pre-show content there is. On an earnings call, CEO Adam Aron discussed a recent deal to show pre-movie advertising before features begin as part of a new pact with National CineMedia, in large part because rivals Regal Entertainment and Cinemark had been doing so for years. But he added AMC was cutting back on “marketing material” pre-show, including where patrons are urged to turn off their phones. "It’s not that there’s been a change of heart," Aron argued. He added some cinema-goers welcomed viewing trailers, "but we also know that some other consumers think the package has gone too long, and we’re trying to find a happy medium." The story.
—Deep in the print. Kevin Durant’s Boardroom plans to launch a new print magazine. Boardroom has only been a digital site, so it is moving in reverse order from the once-typical print to online migration. A trial issue is due out later in August with a cover feature on number one ranked female tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, and the plan is to print four times a year starting in 2026. Durant and his business manager, Rich Kleiman, started Boardroom in 2019, following its sister company 35 Ventures (named after the jersey number the NBA star has worn much of his career), which houses their investment and media production arms. The content is focused on athletes, musicians, film stars and other entertainers, so it’s not a pure sports site. The story. |
Madonna Urges Pope Leo to Go to Gaza ►"There is no time." Madonna is pleading with Pope Leo to travel to war-ravaged Gaza to “bring your light to the children before it’s too late.” In a social media message posted on Monday, the pop icon added the pontiff was “the only one of us who cannot be denied entry” into Gaza, adding that “there is no more time” as the territory is suffering what the World Health Organization called man-made “mass starvation.” The singer, who was raised Roman Catholic, said the plea was motivated by her son Rocco’s birthday. “I feel the best gift I can give to him as a mother — is to ask everyone to do what they can to help save the innocent children caught in the crossfire in Gaza,” Madonna wrote. Madonna added, “I am not pointing fingers, placing blame or taking sides. Everyone is suffering. I am merely trying to do what I can to keep these children from dying of starvation.” The story.
—Entering her next era. Taylor Swift announced her latest album, The Life of a Showgirl, during a teaser for an upcoming special episode of Travis and Jason Kelce’s New Heights podcast. The new album — her 12th studio effort since her 2006 debut — marks Swift’s first new project since releasing The Tortured Poets Department in April 2024. Earlier on Monday, a countdown started on Swift’s official website, with it expiring at 12:12 p.m. ET. At that time, a new teaser for the upcoming New Heights episode — which will feature the pop superstar as a guest — dropped on her Instagram. The story.
—"There’s a part of me that thinks this is better." Jennifer Aniston said she had been “mourning” her Friends co-star Matthew Perry long before he died in 2023. In a new interview, the actress opened up about how she and her fellow Friends castmembers — including Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer — tried to help Perry over the years during his struggles with addiction. “We did everything we could when we could,” she said. “But it almost felt like we’d been mourning Matthew for a long time because his battle with that disease was a really hard one for him to fight. As hard as it was for all of us and for the fans, there’s a part of me that thinks this is better.” The story.
—For sale! A piece of rock history is set to hit the block. Rocker Eddie Van Halen’s 1982 Kramer electric guitar will be auctioned by Sotheby’s New York during the house’s inaugural Grails Week from Oct. 21-28. According to estimates, the guitar, which was custom-built for Van Halen, is expected to fetch a whopping $2m-$3m. A previous Sotheby’s sale for a guitar owned by Van Halen netted $3,932,000 in April 2023. Based on Van Halen’s original “Frankenstein” design, the piece was extensively played during his 1982-83 tours. The story. |
Netflix Downgrades Meghan and Harry Deal ►🤝 First-look deal. 🤝 Netflix has “extended its creative partnership” with Archewell Productions, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's media company, with a multiyear, first-look deal for all of Archewell’s film and television projects. In practice, it is a downgrade from the 2020 overall deal that birthed Harry & Meghan, Polo and With Love, Meghan, among other projects. The overall-to-first-look extension mirrors the move Netflix made recently with the Obamas for their Higher Ground banner. In both cases, the exclusivity carried by their respective, splashy original deals has been removed. As part of the new deal, Netflix is also now partnering with Markle’s “As ever” lifestyle brand. Harry & Meghan debuted on Netflix in December 2022 with a total of 23.4m views over just its first four days. It ranks as Netflix’s fifth most-popular documentary series of all time. The story.
—🏆 Feinberg Forecast. 🏆 It has been a few weeks since the Primetime Emmy nominations were announced on July 15, and we are exactly one week away from the Aug. 18 start of the final round of voting, so now seemed as good a time as any for THR's executive editor of awards coverage Scott Feinberg to provide his latest read of dozens of the highest-profile races. The forecast.
—🏆 "Her leadership... has played a pivotal role in influencing the global industry." 🏆 Dana Walden, co-chairman of Disney Entertainment, will receive the 2025 International Emmy Founders Award at the 53rd International Emmy Awards gala in New York on Nov. 24. The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences announced the honor Monday, citing Walden’s “transformative impact” on the industry and the global reach of the series she has overseen during her career. The story. |
'Naked Gun' Producers On Sequel Possibilities ►"People want a little more variety on their plate." THR's Mia Galuppo spoke to The Naked Gun producers Seth MacFarlane and Erica Huggins about their hopes the critically-acclaimed film is the first of a new wave of comedies that will find theatrical audiences, despite Hollywood's fears of the genre's demise. The duo also discuss the “double-edged sword” of testing comedies, what lessons Hollywood should take from Naked Gun’s performance, and sequel plans. The interview.
—🎭 Max power. 🎭 Max Minghella is in final negotiations to join the cast of Clayface, the next DC Studios movie heading into production. The Handmaid’s Tale star will join Tom Rhys Harries and Naomi Ackie in the horror movie being directed by Speak No Evil director James Watkins. It goes into production this fall in the U.K. Mike Flanagan wrote the script for Clayface, a body-horror thriller centered on a Batman villain known for his ability to alter his appearance. The project is described as having shades and structure of The Fly , David Cronenberg’s 1986 feature that starred Jeff Goldblum and Geena Davis and centered on the tragic relationship between a scientist who becomes fused with the DNA of a fly and the journalist writing about his discovery. The story.
—📅 On the move. 📅 Shrek 5 has departed its Dec. 23, 2026 date to Wednesday, June 30, 2027. It will no longer open around the crowded holiday corridor featuring Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part III and Ice Age 6, which all open Dec. 18, 2026. In a twinned move, Universal shifted an untitled Illumination film from Shrek 5's old date to April 16, 2027. Universal and DreamWorks Animation are behind Shrek 5, which makes the first in the main series since Shrek Forever in 2010. Zendaya joins the cast as Shrek’s daughter, with mainstays Mike Myers (Shrek), Eddie Murphy (Donkey) and Cameron Diaz (Fiona) back. The story.
—📅 Dated! 📅 Depeche Mode's concert film Depeche Mode: M will get a limited time theatrical release in October, the band confirmed on Tuesday. The concert doc, which chronicles the band’s three 2023 Mexico City shows at Estadio GNP Seguros (then called Foro Sol), will hit theaters and IMAX starting Oct. 28, with tickets going on sale Sept. 17 on the film’s website. The film is being released through Sony Music Vision and Trafalgar Releasing and will screen at over 2,500 theaters. Depeche Mode: M originally premiered at Tribeca back in June. The movie was directed by Mexican director Fernando Frías de la Parra. The story.
—🎭 Filling out. 🎭 Daniel Zovatto, Bill Pullman, Shiloh Fernandez, Dana Delany and Karl Glusman have been added to the cast of Paul Schrader's next feature, The Basics of Philosophy. Jack Huston and Sofia Boutella were previously reported as stars of the movie that wrapped principal photography late last month. The Basics of Philosophy focuses on a repressed philosophy professor (Huston) who has been grappling with lingering guilt over a decision from his past when the victim suddenly returns to his life. The project continues Schrader’s “man in a room” stories that began with his script for Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver and have also included the features First Reformed, The Card Counter and Master Gardener that count Schrader as writer and director. The story. |
Alex Lawther Talks 'Alien: Earth' ►"What’s scarier: Xenomorphs or trillionaires?" THR's Lily Ford spoke to Alex Lawther about his new show, FX's Alien: Earth. The British star discusses unleashing Noah Hawley's new series — EP'd by Ridley Scott — and winding down after shooting with extraterrestrial creatures: "You end the day with the remnants of that adrenaline still in your body." The interview.
—"I only want to work on things that I want to work on." THR's Brian Davids spoke to buzzy actor Austin Abrams about his new film, Weapons. The actor, who will lead Weapons filmmaker Zach Cregger's Resident Evil movie, discusses why his pities his tragicomic character in the film, and how his time on set with Josh Brolin impacted their upcoming feature Whalefall. The interview.
—"In my drafts, there’s a lot more Johnny-Surfer flirtation, or one-way flirtation." THR's second-nicest man Aaron Couch spoke to writer Eric Pearson about his latest film, The Fantastic Four: First Steps. The busy scribe, known for Thor: Ragnarok, Black Widow and Thunderbolts* and considered Marvel's secret weapon, recounts secrets from his 15 years at the studio. The interview.
—"It’s not going to be here forever, but it’s amazing the run that we’ve had." For THR, Ronda Racha Penrice spoke to actresses Lynn Whitfield and Yolonda Ross about their dramatic season seven exits from the Showtime drama, The Chi. Whitfield reveals she didn’t learn of her character's fate until mid-season. The interview.
—"I’m the luckiest guy on the planet, and I’m super grateful to get to do this." THR's Seija Rankin spoke to producer and showrunner Bill Lawrence about his Emmy-nominated Apple TV+ show, Shrinking. Lawrence reveals what it is like writing lines for Harrison Ford, unveils the season two moment that was completely candid and how Brett Goldstein came to be cast. The interview.
In other news...
—TIFF adds Bill Nighy, Matt Dillon, Jude Law films to complete lineup
—NY Film Fest adds premieres of Ben Stiller doc, Daniel Day-Lewis' acting return
—Oscars: Czechia nominates I’m Not Everything I Want to Be
—Kelly Clarkson’s ex-husband Brandon Blackstock's cause of death revealed
What else we're reading...
—Kaye Wiggins and Leila Abboud report that lawyers for Emmanuel and Brigitte Macron hired investigators to research Candace Owens as they prepared to sue her [FT]
—Sarah Bahr talks to Broadway stars on some of the wild things fans send them during their runs onstage [NYT]
—Ellen Gamerman talks to Cheryl Hines about her relationship with RFK Jr., and why so many people are mad at her [WSJ]
—Vanessa Romo tracks the rise of the word "clanker," an increasingly widespread slur for robots and AI [NPR]
—Gustavo Arellano writes that with Trump trying to involve himself in the 2028 Olympics, it's time for L.A. to pull out [LAT]
Today...
...in 2011, New Line Cinema released Steven Quale's Final Destination 5 in theaters. Despite mixed reviews, the film was a commercial success, making $158m at the global box office. The original review.
Today's birthdays: LaKeith Stanfield (34), George Hamilton (86), Isaach De Bankolé (68), Casey Affleck (50), Bruce Greenwood (69), Yvette Nicole Brown (54), Cara Delevingne (33), Peter Krause (60), Dominique Swain (45), Maggie Lawson (45), Rebecca Gayheart (54), Brent Sexton (58), Jim Beaver (75), Selina Cadell (72), Rudy Pankow (28), Bex Taylor-Klaus (31), Iman Vellani (23), Michael Ian Black (54), Dan Beirne (43), Amanda Redman (68), Dana Ivey (84), Sam J. Jones (71), Steve Talley (44), Leah Pipes (37), Sharon D. Clarke (59), Ray Abruzzo (71), Jennifer Warren (84), Charles Mesure (55), Hannah Berner (34), Imani Hakim (32), Jade Tailor (40), Meryem Uzerli (42), Natalie Mendoza (47), Ronald Guttman (73), Bianca Wallace (33) |
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