| | | | What's news: Warner Bros. eyes the Nancy Meyers movie that Netflix dropped. Barry Keoghan is in talks for the Gladiator sequel. William Shatner makes a memorable appearance at SXSW. Broadway's Room shutters just prior to opening. And this week, there is no Saturday edition of Today in Entertainment; it's back Monday, which marks the return from paternity leave for my colleague Abid "Big Dog" Rahman, who is the wind beneath everyone's wings. — Ryan Gajewski |
How Doc Filmmaker Liz Garbus Became So Sought After ►"I'm grateful to bear witness." It's been 25 years since Liz Garbus was Oscar-nominated for the acclaimed documentary The Farm: Angola, USA, and in her career, the director has talked to death-row inmates, contributed to solving the Golden State Killer case and now helms TV and movies. THR's Pamela McClintock sits down with Garbus to discuss helming Netflix's Harry & Meghan and how unscripted projects inform her work on titles like The Handmaid's Tale. The interview.
—To the rescue? As THR's Mia Galuppo and Borys Kit report, the Nancy Meyers movie that recently fell apart at Netflix over budget issues may be revived at Warner Bros. After being set up at Netflix for over a year and attaching Scarlett Johansson to star, Meyers' long-awaited return to the director's chair was scuttled over disagreements about the budget. The story.
—The news raises questions for Hollywood. The U.S. Copyright Office has affirmed that most works generated by artificial intelligence are not copyrightable, while clarifying that AI-assisted material qualifies for protection in certain instances. In a statement of policy, the office says an application containing AI-generated material can support a copyright claim if a human "selected or arranged" it in a "sufficiently creative way that the resulting work constitutes an original work of authorship." THR's Winston Cho speaks with insiders about potential ramifications. The story.
—Paramount jets ahead. As seen in THR's annual analysis, Paramount, Warner Bros. and Universal each grew profits for their film studio segments in 2022. For Disney — which is retooling its structure as Bob Iger returns — it's more complicated. The story. |
Keke Palmer to Star in, Produce Comedy 'The Backup' ►The 'Nope' star says yep to comedy vehicle. Keke Palmer is teaming up with Kevin Hart for The Backup, a feature comedy set up at Universal. THR's Borys Kit has the scoop on the actress starring in the project, which will be produced by Hart and his chief content officer at banner Hartbeat, Bryan Smiley. The script follows a player who tries to win over his childhood friend (Palmer) after learning she's engaged to a handsome billionaire. The story.
—Lions and tigers and Barry — oh, my! THR's Aaron Couch and Borys Kit report that Barry Keoghan, the Oscar-nominated actor who is right at home in a good period piece, is in talks to join Paul Mescal in Ridley Scott's untitled Gladiator sequel. Scott is directing the follow-up to his 2000 historical epic that starred Russell Crowe as Maximus and won the Oscar for best picture. The story.
—"One of the first viral video tapes." Barbie Ferreira, one of the breakouts from HBO's Euphoria, and Stranger Things actor Dacre Montgomery are set to star in Faces of Death, a reimagining of the 1978 cult horror movie being made by Legendary. Isa Mazzei and Daniel Goldhaber, the team behind How to Blow Up a Pipeline, are writing and directing, respectively, the new take on the film that developed a following via VHS. The story. |
'Shazam 2' Hopes to Leap Past Tepid Tracking ►Waiting for lightning to strike twice. THR's Pamela McClintock reports that DC and New Line Cinema's Shazam! Fury of the Gods is looking for some heavenly help when opening this weekend in thousands of theaters across the U.S. and world. According to prerelease tracking, the superhero pic is expected to start off with $35 million-plus in North America, compared to the $53.5 million domestic debut of Shazam! in 2019, not adjusted for inflation. The story.
—"What are audiences being asked to invest in?" THR's Richard Newby writes that Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the opening salvo in four DC films out this year and deserves to be a big draw. But instead, it feels like the movie universe is limping toward a conclusion rather than culminating in a celebration of a decade of storytelling. The essay.
—"You'll get to see everything you came for." THR's Carly Thomas interviews Sarah Michelle Gellar about the season finale of her Paramount+ series, Wolf Pack. The star discusses the response she's received on the show, her character's shocking twists and what could be in store for season two. The interview. |
TV Review: 'Agent Elvis' ►"Actually gets better when you google its accuracy." THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg reviews Netflix's Agent Elvis. Matthew McConaughey voices Elvis Presley, who moonlights as a globe-trotting secret agent, in this animated comedy series that features Priscilla Presley among its creators. The review.
—"Doesn't lean all the way into its absurd premise." Daniel also reviews Jake Johnson's feature directorial debut, Self Reliance, following its SXSW debut. Johnson, Anna Kendrick and Andy Samberg star in the film about a cantankerous man who takes part in a reality TV show for the dark web. The review.
—"Subdued and gripping." THR's Sheri Linden reviews Matt Ruskin's Boston Strangler. The film stars Keira Knightley and Carrie Coon as two reporters investigating the string of 1960s murders. The review.
—"Energetic and informative, if uneven." THR's Lovia Gyarkye reviews Lagueria Davis' Black Barbie: A Documentary, which premiered at SXSW. The feature documentary examines the origins and implications of Black Barbie dolls. The review. |
William Shatner Explains How He Landed 'Star Trek' Role ►"I added a little lightness." THR's James Hibberd reports from SXSW, where William Shatner took part in a keynote interview. As part of the conversation, the actor recalled how he managed to land the role of Captain James T. Kirk on the original 1966 Star Trek series. The story.
—"Identify common values." Solution-based thinking was the name of the game on the second day of the annual Environmental Media Association Impact Summit, which featured sessions filled with searing insights and new ideas in the battle against climate change and environmental inequity. Among the panels was THR's Degen Pener in conversation with Mustafa Santiago Ali, executive vp of conservation and justice for the National Wildlife Federation. The story.
—"We are incredibly disappointed." The Broadway production of Room has been postponed indefinitely. The show, which was in rehearsals with Adrienne Warren to star, will not go forward following a "shortfall in capitalization" and the withdrawal of a lead producer, according to producers. Performances were scheduled to begin April 3. The story. |
Thank Pod It's Friday ► All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.
—TV's Top 5. THR's Lesley Goldberg and Dan Fienberg break down the latest TV news. The duo begin by running through the week's headlines, including Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson's new series and the end of A League of Their Own. They chat with THR's Katie Kilkenny about the upcoming negotiations between the WGA and AMPTP. Also joining the fun is The Last of Us expert Shannon O’Connor. Plus, Dan reviews Amazon's Swarm, AMC's Lucky Hank and Netflix's Agent Elvis. Listen here.
—Behind the Screen. THR's tech editor Carolyn Giardina's podcast focuses on the filmmaking crafts. In this episode, Carolyn spoke to editor Paul Rogers, who won an Oscar for his work on Everything Everywhere All at Once. During the conversation, Rogers reflects on the magical night and advocates for greater work-life balance in his field. Listen here.
In other news...
—Nicolas Cage thriller Sympathy for the Devil acquired by RLJE Films
—YouTube TV raises price for monthly subscribers
—Everything Everywhere All at Once producer on what rapper Lil Jon had to do with decision to take party bus to Oscars
—Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp launches delivery-only food menu
What else we're reading...
—Callie Holtermann explores why so many people are rewatching HBO's Girls [NYT]
—According to Jack Meserve, America's expansion of legal sports betting has had unfortunate consequences [Vox]
—Corbin Smith writes that the New York Jets won't cure Aaron Rodgers' midlife crisis [Daily Beast]
—Jesse Sparks has had it with pop culture-inspired ice cream collaborations [Eater]
—Here's your Friday list: "U2's 40 greatest songs, ranked" [AV Club]
Today...
Today's birthdays: John Boyega (31), Grimes (35), Kurt Russell (72), Rob Lowe (59), Morfydd Clark (34), Gary Sinise (68), Mark Boone Junior (68), Lesley-Anne Down (69), Natalie Zea (48), Gina Holden (48), Patrick Duffy (74), Coco Austin (44), Pattie Boyd (79), Mathew St. Patrick (55), Mark Pellington (61) |
Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. |
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