| | | | | | What's news: Alan Cumming will host the BAFTAs. Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal want Pam Bondi to recuse herself from regulatory review of any Warner Bros. deal. Netflix has struck a podcast deal with Barstool Sports. Apple has greenlit a prequel series for Monarch: Legacy of Monsters. And Avatar: Fire and Ash is tracking to open in the $95m to $105m range in North America. — Abid Rahman
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Oscars Bolts From ABC to YouTube! ►🤝 Landmark rights deal. 🤝 In news that will send shock waves across the entertainment industry, the Oscars ceremony — which has aired on ABC since 1976 — will be moving to YouTube starting in 2029 and will be broadcast by the streamer through at least 2033, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced Wednesday. ABC will continue to air the Oscars through the 100th edition of the awards show in 2028. After that, the ceremony will be available live and for free to over 2b people around the world on YouTube, and to YouTube TV subscribers in the U.S.
As part of the newly inked deal, YouTube will broadcast not only the Oscars ceremony itself, but also a red carpet preshow and behind-the-scenes in-show content; the Oscar nominations announcement; the Governors Awards, at which the Academy presents honorary Oscars and occasionally the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award; the Oscars Nominees Luncheon; the Student Academy Awards ceremony; the Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony; Academy member and filmmaker interviews; film education programs; podcasts and more. The story.
—Over in London. The Traitors' host Alan Cumming is set to host the 2026 BAFTA Film Awards. Taking place once again at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London, the ceremony is dated for Feb. 22. Cumming takes over hosting duties from 2024 and 2025 host, and fellow Scot, David Tennant. The story.
—First-timers club. Eight stars of film, TV, stand-up and podcasts were celebrated at the Golden Globes’ second annual First-Time Nominees Luncheon on Wednesday at the Maybourne Beverly Hills hotel — where they posed for individual portraits and a group shot exclusively for THR. See shots of Dwayne Johnson, Chase Infiniti, Kevin Hart, Britt Lower, Eva Victor, Rhea Seehorn, Tramell Tillman and Monica Padman. The photos. |
Jake and Romy Reiner Address Family Tragedy ►"They were our best friends." Jake and Romy Reiner, the son and daughter of Hollywood director Rob Reiner and wife Michele Reiner, have opened up about the family tragedy that saw their brother, Nick Reiner, allegedly kill their parents last weekend. "Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day," the brother and sister said in a statement to People Magazine. "The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends." The story.
—The latest. Nick Reiner appeared in a Los Angeles courtroom on Wednesday to answer for the two counts of murder for which he’s been charged in the killing of his mother and father, but his arraignment was moved to early January. The 32-year-old did not enter a plea as he appeared in court, seated in a custody area behind a glass wall. Reiner was placed in shackles and wearing a jail suicide prevention smock. The story.
—"The most gentle yet genius collaborator a child actor could ever wish for. A class act whose caring nature had a lasting impact on my life." In a guest column for THR, Danielle Brisebois, who played Stephanie Mills in All In the Family alongside Rob Reiner, remembers her beloved co-star and his wife. The column.
—"Oh how we will miss this man." Meg Ryan, who starred in Rob Reiner’s classic film When Harry Met Sally , weighed in on the murder of the director and his wife. “Thank you, Rob and Michelle, for the way you believe in true love, in fairy tales and in laughter. Thank you for your faith in the best in people, and for your profound love of our country." Ryan shared on Instagram. The actress also offered some hope in the grim tragedy. “I have to believe that their story will not end with this impossible tragedy, that some good may come, some awareness raised,” Ryan posted. “I don’t know, but my guess is that they would want that to be hopeful and humane, to be something that brings us all to a greater understanding of one another and to some peace.” The story. |
Ted, Greg and Zaz Visit the WB Lot ►BFFs on a wander. On the same day that the board of Warner Bros. Discovery officially rejected Paramount Skydance’s hostile bid for the company, WBD CEO David Zaslav again demonstrated his unsubtle preference for Netflix's bid by welcoming the streaming giant’s co-CEOs Ted Sarandos and Greg Peters to the famed Warner Bros. Studio lot in Burbank. In a series of pictures released on Wednesday by WBD, Zaslav, Sarandos and Peters are seen walking around the lot and pictured in front of iconic landmarks like the Warner Bros. Water Tower. The photos.
—Cha-ching. Also on Wednesday, WBD's board revealed in a regulatory filing how much David Zaslav and his C-suite stand to personally benefit if a transaction closes for the company. Zaslav will receive $30m in “golden parachute” compensation, along with $537m in equity, for a total of $567m in a transaction-associated pay. Gunnar Wiedenfels, current CFO and soon-to-be CEO of spinoff firm Discovery Global, will receive $5m in cash and $138m in equity. Chief revenue officer Bruce Campbell stands to net $17.6m in cash and $120m in equity, while streaming chief JB Perrette will gain $17.1m in cash and $150m in equity. International chief Gerhard Zeiler will see $11.3m in cash and $83.9m in equity. The story.
—Recusal demand. Senators Elizabeth Warren and Richard Blumenthal are calling on Attorney General Pam Bondi to recuse herself from regulatory review of any Warner Bros. merger. In the letter, Warren and Blumenthal cited “potential conflicts of interest” for Bondi due to the six years she spent at her former employer, the lobbying firm Ballard Partners. Since Bondi was nominated to the post of Attorney General, the letter notes that Ballard has signed on both Netflix and Paramount as clients. And, according to disclosures from October, Ballard lobbies for both companies and was involved in the Paramount-Skydance merger. The story.
—🤝 Podcast deal. 🤝 Netflix has struck another video podcasting partnership, announcing a deal Wednesday with Barstool Sports. As part of the multiyear deal, Netflix will bring three of Barstool’s most popular podcasts, Pardon My Take, The Ryen Russillo Show and Spittin Chiclets to the platform. Netflix will stream all new episodes of the podcast, as well as select library episodes. Like the previously announced deals, the video episodes will be exclusive to Netflix. The audio versions of each podcast will remain widely available. The story. |
Activist TV Stations Got Kimmel Suspended. Disney Claims System Works ►All about the status quo. When ABC suspended late night host Jimmy Kimmel earlier this year, a local affiliate revolt was at the heart of the decision. THR's Alex Weprin reports that in a previously unreported FCC filing, Disney cites Kimmel’s preemption and his weeklong absence from network TV as proof that the current FCC rules governing the relationship between networks and affiliates “work as intended.” With the FCC taking action, Disney and other entertainment giants are making their case for keeping the status quo. The story.
—Deflection. In a testy and often heated hearing Wednesday, FCC chair Brendan Carr did not take responsibility for his statements about Jimmy Kimmel ahead of the host’s late night show being pulled from the air. "You look at the evidence, the express statements by every single company involved, from Nexstar to Sinclair to Disney, as recently as last week, is that they made these business decisions on their own," Carr said. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 The TPG-backed entertainment company Initial Group has acquired Silver Tribe Media, the digital media management and production company with clients that include Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions and Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Studios. Silver Tribe was founded in 2021 by CAA’s Sports Media Group veterans Michael Klein and Jack Rose, who work with clients across digital media, including podcasts, content partnerships, and YouTube channels, among other verticals. The story.
—Christmas bonus. Hollywood agencies UTA and CAA are unveiling some seasonal cheer with dozens of year-end promotions formally announced on Wednesday. UTA pointed to 105 promotions across 22 departments, including comedy touring, TV literary, creators, music, the KLUTCH Sports Group and business affairs and communications. CAA said it had promoted 13 Elevate trainees to agent or executives. The story. | Inside the 'Survivor' S49 Finale ►Gripping. For THR, Terry Terrones goes deep into a historic season finale of Survivor. The first all-female final three since 2014 squared off in an intense Final Tribal Council to cap season 49. Warning: Spoilers! The story.
—Next up. CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss is looking to make her mark on the network news division, launching a series of primetime town halls and debates alongside Weiss’ The Free Press under the banner “Things That Matter.” CBS says that Vice President JD Vance, Maryland Governor Wes Moore, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have all agreed to participate in the town halls, with the debates set to address topics like “Does America Need God?” “Has Feminism Failed Women?” and “Should Gen Z Believe in the American Dream?” CBS has lined up people like Isabel Brown and Harry Sisson to debate the American dream, Steven Pinker and Ross Douthat to debate the God question, and Liz Plank and Allie Beth Stuckey to debate the feminism question. The story.
—It's happening. Netflix revealed Wednesday that Liz Moore’s 2024 bestselling novel, The God of the Woods, is getting a series adaptation. Moore and Liz Hannah will serve as co-showrunners, writers and executive producers on the series. Produced by Sony Pictures Television, the series chronicles a child’s disappearance that haunts a family years later. In addition to being a bestseller, God of the Woods received notable attention after Barack Obama selected the novel as one of his favorites of the year. The story.
—A third Russell needed? Apple TV has greenlit a prequel series for its Monarch: Legacy of Monsters series, which is a piece of Legendary’s ever-expanding Monsterverse. The untitled series will focus on young Col. Lee Shaw, played by Wyatt Russell in both shows. In Legacy of Monsters, the older Col. Lee Shaw is played by Kurt Russell, Wyatt’s real-life father. No word yet on if dad will appear in the prequel. Joby Harold will showrun the new series, under an overall deal with Legendary. Harold oversees the entire Monsterverse franchise as it pertains to Apple TV. The story.
—🤝 Golf buddies. 🤝 Rory McIlroy and NBCUniversal-cast-offs company Versant are forming a production company. Firethorn Productions, jointly operated by McIlroy's business partners and Versant leadership, will "produce original content and experiences that celebrate Rory’s world and the modern golf lifestyle" through documentary and long-form storytelling, branded commercial campaigns, live fan experiences and events, and activations across Versant’s GolfPass and Golf Channel. The story. |
'Fire and Ash' Tracking Lower Than 'Way of Water' ►Have faith in JC. 20th Century Studios and Disney open James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash on the Friday before Christmas. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that the sci-epic is tracking to open domestically in the $95m to $105m range, versus the $134m earned by 2023 Christmas entry Avatar: The Way of the Water. One key fact: Way of Water had nine full days of play before the actual holiday fell, meaning it had more time to compete with consumers rushing to complete holiday preparations. Fire and Ash has six days. Pamela writes that the opening weekend performance of Fire and Ash will be sliced and diced every which way, but the real answer will lie in how well the threequel plays out during the year-end holidays and into the new year. The box office report.
—🏆 Winning sounds. 🏆 Ludwig Göransson and Stephen Schwartz lead the nominees for the 2026 Society of Composers and Lyricists Awards. Göransson earned three nominations for his work on Sinners. Schwartz received three nominations for Wicked: For Good. Also earning nominations this year were Ejae, Jonny Greenwood, Bryce Dessner and Ed Sheeran. The nominees.
—🎭 Filled out. 🎭 Widow has ensnared its cast for the indie thriller now in production in North Carolina. The cast is led by Abigail Cowen, who plays a mother on the run with her infant. It also stars Wathmen's Jackie Earle Haley and Lou Diamond Phillips. They are joined by Jason Schmidt, Nadine Velazquez, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Rob Morgan, Joseph Lucero and PJ Sosko. The film hails from director Don Handfield, who adapted the forthcoming AMP Comics graphic novel of the same name with writer Joshua Malkin. The story. |
Snoop Dogg Biopic Gets $17M In California Tax Credits ►Dogg deduction. Movies from NBCUniversal, Sony, Amazon, 20th Century and Apple nabbed tens of millions of dollars in tax credits to shoot in California as the state unveiled incentives for 28 projects on Wednesday. Leading this round was the untitled Universal Snoop Dogg biopic, which received more than $17m in tax credits from the California Film Commission’s program. An untitled feature from Apple Studios received $14m in credits for this round, followed by an untitled Amazon Studios thriller project that nabbed $12m. Of the 28 features, 23 were classified as independent projects, while 5 were labeled as major studio features. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 Bleecker Street’s event cinema division Crosswalk and Universal Pictures Content Group have acquired rights to Stray Kids: The dominATE Experience, a concert film capturing the K-pop group’s sold-out performances at Los Angeles’ SoFi Stadium. Under the deal, Crosswalk will release the film theatrically in North America, while UPCG will handle international distribution across most of the rest of the world, excluding South Korea, China and Japan. A global theatrical rollout is planned for early 2026, including IMAX engagements. The story.
—📅 Dated! 📅 Becky G is heading to Netflix. The singer’s new documentary, Rebbeca, will debut on the streamer starting Dec. 31, before it's available to rent/buy on Jan. 2, 2026, on platforms like Amazon, Apple TV, Fandango at Home, Google Play and more. Rebbeca, presented by Live Nation Studios and Trafalgar Releasing, shows “an intimate, unfiltered look at Becky’s personal journey, creative evolution and the defining moments that have shaped her career,” per the official synopsis. Jennifer Tiexiera and Gabriela Cavanagh directed and produced the film. The story. |
TV Review: 'Breakdown: 1975' ►"Lots of ideas, little depth." THR's Daniel Fienberg reviews Netflix's Breakdown: 1975. Patton Oswalt, Martin Scorsese, Seth Rogen and more examine 1975 as a key cultural and historical turning point in Hollywood in Morgan Neville's doc. The review.
In other news...
—Survivor 50 trailer: Returning players, celebrity cameos and a new era of fan-driven gameplay
—KJ Apa faces battles as Jimmy Stewart in trailer for biopic Jimmy
—Tell Me Lies S3 trailer teases Lucy and Stephen rekindling toxic romance
—Glam Melania goes inside presidential inauguration in Amazon doc trailer
—Berlin unveils first Panorama and Generation titles
—Lemonada CEO steps down, names co-founder as new chief
—Disney+ launches Middle East’s first streaming bundle deal with Shahid, OSN+
What else we're reading...
—Nicholas Quah writes that with the latest Barstool and iHeartMedia deals, Netflix is officially trying to win the podcast wars [Vulture]
—Samuel Oakford, Evan Hill, Sarah Blaskey and Aaron Schaffer have an excellent report on what Charlie Kirk's alleged killer did before and after the shooting [WaPo]
—A little late to this, but David Enrich, Steve Eder, Jessica Silver-Greenberg and Matthew Goldstein have a indepth history of how Jeffrey Epstein got rich [NYT]
—Shane O’Neill talks to Vanity Fair photographer Christopher Anderson about those epic portrait shots from the much-talked about White House inner circle feature [WaPo]
—Kaitlyn Tiffany considers the consequences of Australia's social media ban for children under 16 [Atlantic]
Today...
...in 1987, MGM unveiled Norman Jewison’s romantic comedy Moonstruck in theaters, where it would go on to gross $80m. The film nabbed six Oscar nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, winning best actress for Cher’s performance, best supporting actress for Olympia Dukakis’ role and screenplay for John Patrick Shanley’s script. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Steven Spielberg (79), Christina Aguilera (45), Keith Richards (82), Brad Pitt (62), Billie Eilish (24), Katie Holmes (47), Jason Mantzoukas (53), Ashley Benson (36), Mariel Molino (33), Lucy Deakins (54), Casper Van Dien (57), Robson Green (61), Jeff Kober (72), Emily Swallow (46), Rachel Griffiths (57), Josh Dallas (47), Bridgit Mendler (33), Trish Stratus (50) "Stone Cold" Steve Austin (61), Leila Arcieri (52), Randy Beckman (60), Ravi Patel (47), Victoria Pratt (55), Emily Atack (36), Kari Byron (51), Paulina Dávila (37), T.K. Carter (69), Malia Baker (19), Claudia Gerini (54), Shawn Christian (60), Anna Walton (45), Koyuki (49), Nina Wadia (57), Esther Yu (30), Robert Wahlberg (58) |
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