August 31, 2021

What's news: Several Hollywood productions have been suspended, postponed and moved as Ida hits Louisiana. Disney greenlights a Jungle Cruise sequel. Lionsgate is bringing back The Expendables for a fourth go-around. Plus: Disney is rebooting The Rocketeer and Dennis Rodman's infamous 48 hour romp through Vegas during the 1998 NBA Finals is going to become a film — Abid Rahman

Paramount Sues Insurer For Breaching $100M Policy

►Reimbursed for losses. Mission: Impossible is Paramount's crown jewel so it’s no surprise that the studio has a hefty $100 million insurance policy to ensure the availability of top cast. Now, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic which forced Paramount to delay production of Mission: Impossible 7, the studio is going to court with its insurer for losses sustained. The story.

—Production on hold. Several productions filming in the Louisiana area have shut down to escape the wrath of Hurricane Ida. Disney Channel’s upcoming coming-of-age superhero series Ultraviolet & Black Scorpion has suspended filming and its crews and talent are said to be safe. Netflix film, We Have a Ghost, starring Anthony Mackie, David Harbour, pre-emptively moved its cast and crew out of harm’s way. The story.

—"We feared mass eradication." Following a devastating 18 months, theater owners returned to Las Vegas for CinemaCon to begin planning the industry’s next act. THR runs through the hot topics that face an industry bedevilled by an uncertain future. The story.

—Riverboat gambling. THR's Borys Kit has the scoop on Disney pulling the trigger on a sequel to corporate synergy success Jungle Cruise. With the Dwayne Johnson-Emily Blunt adventure movie crossing the $100 million at the domestic box office this past weekend, the studio bigwigs have seen enough to grow the franchise. The story.

—Packed. A new trailer for The Batman and a sneak peek at The Flash are on the docket for this year’s DC FanDome online convention. The event streams Oct. 16, and follows last year’s newsmaking first installment, which included a host of major reveals. The story.

Statham, Stallone, Fifty, Fox, Lundgren, Couture and Jaa All In for 'Expendables'

►They're back four more. Lionsgate and Millennium Media are bringing back their gun-toting action franchise The Expendables for a fourth go-round. Regulars Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture and Sylvester Stallone are set to reprise their roles. Joining the quartet in the feature to be directed by stuntman-turned-helmer Scott Waugh are Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Megan Fox and Tony Jaa. The story.

—The Worm's turn. Dennis Rodman’s infamous 48-hour romp through Las Vegas midway through the 1998 NBA Finals is set for a movie treatment by producer Lord Miller for Lionsgate. 48 Hours in Vegas, will portray Rodman’s madcap adventure in Sin City just as the Chicago Bulls were on the verge of completing their second threepeat in eight years. The story.

—Moving on. Jesse Williams has lined up his first TV role since departing Grey’s Anatomy. Williams will star opposite Aubrey Plaza and Ramón Rodriguez in Olga Dies Dreaming, a Hulu pilot based on Xóchitl Gonzalez’s forthcoming debut novel. The story.

—"Taking a little time." ABC’s daytime panel show The View won't rush to find a permanent replacement for co-host Meghan McCain, and has scheduled a rotating roster of guest co-hosts for its upcoming 25th season. The story.

—Reboot. David and Jessica Oyelowo are set to produce Disney’s reboot of the 1991 action-adventure movie The Rocketeer. The sequel, The Return of The Rocketeer, will be produced by the Oyelowo’s Yoruba Saxon Productions banner, with the Brit actor possibly taking a starring role. The story.

'Dear Evan Hansen' Oral History

►Broadway sensation becomes award season movie. Dear Evan Hansen stars Ben Platt, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Steven Levenson, Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Stephen Chbosky and Marc Platt speak with THR ahead of the film's Sept. 9 world premiere on the opening night of the Toronto International Film Festival. The oral history.

—"Disney doesn’t want me." Frank Oz, the iconic puppeteer and director long associated with the Muppets, says he is persona non grata with Disney. Oz said in an interview published Monday that he would love to work on another Muppets project, but Disney, which purchased the IP in 2004, won’t work with him. The story.

—Snapped up. Netflix has picked up global rights to the latest installment of Texas Chainsaw Massacre from Legendary Pictures. Elsie Fisher, Sarah Yarkin, Jacob Latimore and Moe Dunford star in the sequel that is directed by David Blue Garcia. The story.

—Together at last! Ewan McGregor and Ethan Hawke are set to star in Raymond and Ray for Apple Studios and Apple TV+. Rodrigo Garcia will write and direct the film about half-brothers who have lived in the shadow of a terrible father. The story.

—Guilty. A former Netflix engineer and his brother pleaded guilty to securities fraud for their roles in participating in an insider trading ring that generated more than $1 million in profit. The story.

'Kaiser Karl' to Conquer Disney+

►"Don't dress to kill, dress to survive." Disney+ has greenlit a new series on the life and career of the late fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld. Kaiser Karl will explore the epic life and ever controversial career of the German designer, who was creative director of the French fashion house Chanel from 1983 until his death in 2019. The story.

—Subsequent movie. Maria Bakalova, the Bulgarian actress who rocketed from obscurity to an Oscar nomination after her performance in Borat 2, has found her next project. Bakalova has been cast to star in the upcoming British-Italian romantic comedy The Honeymoon. The story.

—New Ivy. The CW's Batwoman has cast Bridget Regan, who played Rose on Jane the Virgin for five seasons, as Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy in the superhero series. The story.

—Spinoff. Staying with The CW, the network is moving forward with its Nancy Drew spinoff Tom Swift. The broadcast network has handed out a straight to series order for the show, which centers on a Black, gay billionaire inventor. The story.

In other news...

—Film review: Peter Mortimer and Nick Rosen's The Alpinist.

—TV premiere dates 2021: The complete guide.

—Academy Museum dedicates grand lobby to Sidney Poitier.

—Hacks co-creators ink Warner Bros. TV overall deal.

—Tim Daly’s favorite Sopranos scene is his character’s saddest moment.

—Jon Stewart’s Apple TV+ show sets launch date.

—Bob Iger approves of Elon Musk’s Star Wars stormtrooper meme.

—Peacock’s Vampire Academy series sets cast.

—Apple Music acquires classical music streaming platform Primephonic.

—Endeavor invests in Scandinavian production group Nordic Drama Queens.

—Streamer DrLupo leaves Twitch for exclusive deal with YouTube Gaming.

—Russian gay period drama wins best project award at Series Mania.

—Dave Franco to direct Somebody I Used to Know rom-com for Amazon.

What else we're reading...

—"China Limits Online Videogames to Three Hours a Week for Young People" [Wall Street Journal]

—"John Cho Trained Like a Superhero for Cowboy Bebop, the Anime-Classic Remake" [Vulture]

—"Behind Hollywood Glamour, An Instagram Account Highlights Darker Side For Workers" [Los Angeles Times]

—"When Comic Books Were America’s Secret Superpower" [Slate]

—"Unhappy Little Trees: The Dark Legacy of Bob Ross" [Vanity Fair]

Today...

Today's birthdays: Richard Gere (72), Chris Tucker (50), Sara Ramirez (46), Marc Webb (47), Jaylen Barron (24), Mark Lewis Jones (57), Jack Thompson (81), Jonathan Cake (54), Dee Bradley Baker (59), Leo Bill (41), Daniel Bernhardt (56), Stephen McKinley Henderson (72)

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