Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more

ZOOTOPIA 2 is “A Marvel of Modern Animated Storytelling” | For Your Consideration

Dec 15

READ IN APP

LISTEN HERE

WATCH NOW

Give a gift subscription

Got a tip or story pitch? Email tips@theankler.com
To advertise to our 135,000 subscribers, email London@theankler.com

ICYMI from The Ankler

The Wakeup Disney’s McCay MIA, Freddy’s big dip

Rob Reiner and a Terrible Weekend The shocking deaths of the director and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, cap two days that reveal a world stripped of humanity, writes Richard Rushfield

Need to Sell a Film or TV Show? Just Add Christmas Reps and filmmakers tell Ashley Cullins how a Yuletide twist can turn any story into a greenlight right now — and what Netflix has to do with it

Hollywood’s Breaking Faster Than Film Schools Can Teach It. Inside the Scramble to Keep Up Professors are rewriting syllabi on the fly as studios melt, algorithms rule and screens go vertical, Elaine Low reports

A Writer’s Guide to Loving the Netflix–Warner Bros. Deal Joel Stein wonders, what’s the worst that could happen?

SCOOP: Netflix and iHeart Near Podcast Deal; Videos to Be Pulled From YouTube Natalie Jarvey reports that about 20 shows are covered in the agreement

TV in 3: HBO’s Horny Hockey Hunks Go Viral; CBS Showrunner Scramble Plus: Starz’s Shohei Ohtani home run

Ellison’s Warner Bros. Bid: A One-Man Toxic Spill Our newest studio chief’s debut keeps getting worse, Richard writes

When Mickey Met Sam Altman — and What It Means for Every Other Studio Now Scorched by the Streaming Wars, Bob Iger won’t let Mickey Mouse be steamrolled by Big Tech again, writes Erik Barmack

12 C-Suite Execs on the ‘Existential’ Fallout of a Warners Deal and the ‘Least Bad’ Outcome Lesley Goldberg reports on why the acquisition could be as destabilizing for the buyer as it is for the rest of Hollywood

Small-Town Theaters vs. Studios: ‘It Doesn’t Feel Like the Industry Wants Us to Survive’ Cinema owners tell Matthew Frank the two-week mandatory run for movies is crushing them

The 9 Most Fearless Creative Decisions in Hollywood 2025 Introducing Richard’s Boldness Awards! Plenty of people had guts this year, if you knew where to look

Jordan Chiles + Noah Beck Reveal the New Playbook for Sports, Stardom & Social Natalie talked with the TikTok and Tubi star and the Dancing With the Stars Olympian (who slips she has a big Nike announcement coming)

Rob Reiner, Hollywood Mensch; Emily Blunt on the Emotional Toll of The Smashing Machine The Oscar nominee also tells Katey Rich about the great note she got from Christopher Nolan

Delroy Lindo on the Sinners Note Ryan Coogler Gave Him That Changed Everything Plus: Dreaming of Sundance and next year’s contenders (already)

Voices, Chants, Pain: Amanda Seyfried & Daniel Blumberg on The Testament of Ann Lee ‘I made sounds I’d never heard in a film,’ the actress tells Rob LeDonne regarding her collab with the Oscar-winning composer

🎬 New from Ankler Studio! Joel Edgerton Had Twins. Train Dreams Channeled His Emotions About Parenthood Main Character, our new video series about the best lead performances in film and TV, debuts with the Australian actor

🎬 ‘Make Movies Better’: Roger Deakins & James Ellis Deakins’ Blunt Words for the Industry The married couple and Team Deakins podcast hosts talk with Richard about the future of the cinematic experience

🎧 Tick, Tick: The 10-Day Siege of Warner Bros. Begins The hostile bid from the Saudis, Kushner & Ellison has a deadline on it. But it likely won’t end there. Plus: Katey on awards season

🎧 Charlie Hunnam: ‘Purpose is Derived From Doing Something Very, Very Difficult’ The Monster star earned rave reviews — and award noms — for playing serial killer Ed Gein. But he tells Katey he’s got his eye on a next act

🎧 Jeremy Allen White ‘Went Crazy’ to Play Bruce Springsteen. It Paid Off The actor, a freshly minted Golden Globe nominee, talks to Katey about playing The Boss and why sometimes it’s good to meet your heroes