| | | | | | What's news: Dana Walden has revealed Disney Entertainment’s new management structure. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is urging states to continue in their suit against Live Nation. Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has paused filming due to an alleged domestic incident. Netflix has renewed Bert Kreischer's sitcom. And Tina Fey will be the first host of SNL UK. — Abid Rahman
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Zaz Set for Massive $887M Payout ►Also a mystery bidder revealed! As Paramount was closing in on a deal to pry Warner Bros. Discovery away from Netflix, a surprise bid was lobbed in from a mysterious Singaporean firm offering $32.50 per share for the entertainment company. The company Nobelis Capital, Pte. Ltd., was promising billions, and fast. But an investigation by WBD suggested that something was off. The dodgy bid was revealed in a proxy filing along with the news of a potential payout for WBD CEO David Zaslav of $887m, though the actual number could be lower or higher, depending on if Paramount pays a ticking fee, or if a tax reimbursement is lower. The story.
—Leadership team set. Dana Walden, Disney's incoming president and chief creative officer, unveiled Disney Entertainment’s new management structure Monday. Two of the biggest changes under Walden’s new structure: Debra OConnell will become chairman of Disney Entertainment Television, a new role for the company; and Disney’s nascent gaming and interactive business will now become part of Disney Entertainment, with Sean Shoptaw, executive VP of games and digital entertainment now reporting to Walden. OConnell’s new purview will include ABC Entertainment, Disney Branded Television, Hulu Originals, National Geographic Content and creative for 20th Television and 20th Television Animation, and she will continue to oversee ABC News and ABC’s local stations. Shoptaw, meanwhile, manages the company’s gaming and interactive business, including partnerships with game developers, and the company’s relationship with Epic Games and Fortnite. The story.
—Fight continues. Sen. Richard Blumenthal is urging states to continue in their suit against Live Nation and seek a breakup of Live Nation and Ticketmaster. Blumenthal sent letters to 27 states attorneys Monday, after the DOJ reached a settlement last week with Live Nation, a few days after the federal antitrust trial had already begun. Forty state attorneys had joined the suit, which accused Live Nation, which owns Ticketmaster, of using its positions as the nation’s largest concert promoter, ticket seller and venue owner to undermine competition. The story.
—✊ "We Tried to Wrap This in September!" ✊ The staff of the Writers Guild of America West on Monday brought their labor fight to SAG-AFTRA, where the writer’s union is commencing negotiations with studios and streamers. The Writers Guild Staff Union began picketing on the sidewalk outside the SAG-AFTRA headquarters on Wilshire Blvd. around noon after getting word that bargaining between the WGA and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers was starting there. The story.
—Cross complaint. Jeff Shell has sued a self-deputized crisis communications adviser for extortion and defamation, a countermove to an earlier lawsuit accusing the Paramount Skydance president of reneging on a deal involving a TV show. Shell, in a cross complaint filed on Monday in California state court, alleges the adviser, R.J. Cipriani, threatened to falsely accuse him of violating federal securities laws involving Paramount’s $7.7b UFC media rights deal if he didn’t comply with demands. He says Cipriani has been advancing an “utterly false tale” that the exec improperly disclosed confidential details about the company’ business dealings in an “extortionate campaign” to leverage a lucrative settlement. The story. |
Oscars: What You Didn't See on TV ►"No one in the room got more love that night, and it felt like one of the times everyone was united." The Academy Awards was broadcast around the world, but there are certain things (like Conan-approved Junior Mints) you only get in the room… From hanging out in the lobby with Emma Stone and Jacob Elordi to the deafening sound of Michael B. Jordan's win, THR's second-nicest man Aaron Couch has all the things that the television cameras didn't capture. The story.
—"I don’t tolerate disrespect." Another, less pleasant, incident not caught on camera from Sunday night was best supporting actress nominee Teyana Taylor getting into a confrontation with an apparent security guard she says “shoved” her. In a viral video, Taylor is in a tight crowd at the Dolby Theatre when she calls an unidentified man “very rude” and adds, “You’re a man putting your hands on a female,” and says, “he literally shoved me” and that he “damn near shoved” another woman. On Monday, the Academy issued a statement regarding the incident. The story.
—"The world holds so much misery that miserable hearts forget the face of happiness." It's was an eventful Oscars for Teyana Taylor who clapped back at people who didn't like the way she celebrated Amy Madigan winning the best supporting actress prize. Taylor, who was nominated for her role as Perfidia in One Battle After Another, took to X on Monday to slam those who have grown “comfortable being sore losers.” Her comments came after she received criticism for being excited about her fellow nominees, specifically when she jumped out of her seat to cheer for Weapons star Madigan. The story.
—She's joking, right? Right? Jane Fonda playfully teased Barbra Streisand, who attended the 2026 Oscars to pay tribute to her late co-star and friend Robert Redford. "I want to know how come Streisand was up there doing that for Redford?” Fonda quipped during an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party on Sunday night. “She only made one movie with him; I made four! I have more to say.” The story.
—Contempt! The glaring omission of Brigitte Bardot from the In Memoriam segment of the Oscars has ruffled feathers in the late icon's home country of France. French media were aghast that Bardot, a New Wave icon, didn't make the telecast, but seemed reluctant to speculate as to why. The reluctance might be due to Bardot's controversial extreme right wing politics that saw the actress get booed during a tribute at the Cesar awards in February. The story. |
Jason Ritter, Patrick Wilson Added to 'Last of Us' S3 Cast ►🎭 Filling out. 🎭 HBO’s The Last of Us is adding to its cast for season three. Jason Ritter and Patrick Wilson have signed on for recurring roles in the drama based on the video game franchise. Additionally, Ariella Barer, Tati Gabrielle and Spencer Lord have been upped to series regular status after having recurring roles in season two. Season three of The Last of Us, due in 2027, is set to focus on Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby. To that end, Wilson will recur as Abby’s father, Jerry. Ritter will play Hanley, a Washington Liberation Front soldier. The story.
—Abrupt pause. Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives has paused filming due to an alleged domestic incident involving main star Taylor Frankie Paul and her ex Dakota Mortensen. A spokesperson for the the Draper City Police Department said that there is an open “domestic assault investigation” between Paul and Mortensen. They added that “allegations have been made in both directions” and “contact was made with involved parties on [Feb] 24th and 25th.” An additional source told People that the cast is distancing themselves from Paul amid the situation: “None of the women want to be associated with her,” they said. The story.
—Fey in first. The inaugural host of Saturday Night Live UK is … not from the United Kingdom. She is, however, very familiar with SNL. Tina Fey has been tapped to host the inaugural episode of the show on March 21, with English band Wet Leg as the first musical guest, broadcaster Sky TV announced Monday. Jamie Dornan and Riz Ahmed — who are from the U.K. — will follow Fey as hosts on March 28 and April 4. Dornan will be joined by musical guest Wolf Alice, and Kasabian will perform on Ahmed’s show. The story.
—Wait, what? Netflix has renewed Bert Kreischer's sitcom, Free Bert, for a second season. The show followed Kreischer — the oft-shirtless comedian, party legend and “perpetual wildcard” — who finds himself in “uncharted territory when his daughters are accepted to an elite Beverly Hills private school,” per the synopsis. Free Bert kicked off with some viewership success, debuting in the streamer’s Global Top 10 for the week it premiered in January 2026. The story. |
Film Review: 'Hokum' ►"Nothing the Irish tourism board need worry about." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Damian McCarthy's Hokum . The Irish hotel horror sees an American novelist book into an inn with a witch in the honeymoon suite, shady staff and a forest-dwelling eccentric who chugs a magic mushroom potion. Starring Adam Scott, Peter Coonan, David Wilmot, Florence Ordesh, Will O’Connell, Michael Patric, Austin Amelio and Brendan Conroy. Written by Damian McCarthy. The review.
—"Unappetizing." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad's Chili Finger. The SXSW-premiering film is about a violent chain of events set in motion when a woman discovers an unwelcome object in her fast-food meal. Starring Judy Greer, Sean Astin, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston, Madeline Wise, Paul Stanko, Sarah Herrman, Sara Sevigny and Dann Florek. Written by Stephen Helstad. The review.
—"Maybe you had to be there." Frank reviews Robb Boardman's Plantman & Blondie: A Dress Up Gang Film. A horticultural vigilante wreaks havoc on a man's life in this feature debut from the alt-comedy troupe. Starring Cory Loykasek, Donny Divanian, Frankie Quiñones, Kate Berlant, Blake Anderson, DeMorge Brown, Kirk Fox, Brent Weinbach, Jamar Neighbors, Christian Duguay and Kevin Camia. Written by Robb Boardman, Cory Loykasek, Donny Divanian and Frankie Quiñones. The review.
—"Tragically pertinent." Frank reviews Jennifer Holness and Sidney Fussell's #WhileBlack. This SXSW doc examines the ramifications of viral videos exposing police violence, as well as the tech companies profiting from them. Written by Ann Shin, Jennifer Holness and Sidney Fussell. The review.
—"Rich in sensory detail and sharply observed." THR's Sheri Linden reviews Paloma Schneideman's Big Girls Don't Cry. The New Zealand coming-of-age feature, set in the aughts, is a vivid portrait of millennial teen confusion. Starring Ani Palmer, Rain Spencer, Noah Taylor, Sophia Kirkwood-Smith, Tara Canton, Ngātaitangirua Hita and Ian Blackburn. Written by Paloma Schneideman. The review. |
Film Review: 'Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice' ►"Violently entertaining." THR's Angie Han reviews BenDavid Grabinski's Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice. The filmmaker's second feature, a Hulu film, follows a gangster, his girlfriend, her husband and a version of her husband from the future. Starring Vince Vaughn, James Marsden, Eiza González, Keith David and Jimmy Tatro. Written by BenDavid Grabinski. The review.
—"Hits every note." Angie reviews John Carney's Power Ballad. A chance encounter between a washed-up wedding singer and a former boy bander changes the course of both their lives in the new feature by the Once and Sing Street filmmaker. Starring Paul Rudd, Nick Jonas, Peter McDonald, Marcella Plunkett, Havana Rose Liu, Jack Reynor and Beth Fallon. Written by John Carney and Peter McDonald. The review.
—"And you thought your last break-up was gruesome." Angie reviews Jorma Taccone's Over Your Dead Body. The SXSW-bowing movie is about a bickering husband and wife who retreat into a wooded cabin with plans to murder one another. Starring Samara Weaving, Jason Segel, Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, Paul Guilfoyle and Keith Jardine. Written by Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney. The review.
—"Very gnarly and admirably non-judgmental." THR's Daniel Fienberg reviews Daniel Lombroso's Manhood. The SXSW-premiering doc examines penile enhancement and how it relates to toxic masculinity and male fragility. The review.
—"Satisfying, though questionably focused." Daniel reviews Ben Feldman's The Rise of the Red Hot Chili Peppers: Our Brother Hillel. The Netflix doc, premiering at SXSW, tackles the early years of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, including the influence of founding member Hillel Slovak, with an assist from Flea and Anthony Kiedis. The review.
In other news...
—Zendaya reacts to viral AI wedding photos
—Fremantle North America promotes Jimmy Fox to president, content and strategy
What else we're reading...
—Nate Jones unpacks the reasons why Timothée Chalamet lost the Oscar for best actor [Vulture]
—Justin Chang writes that the largely apolitical Oscars ceremony was more of a protest against the industry's own irrelevance [New Yorker]
—Shirley Li writes that the Academy Award for best casting was a memorable, and righteous, addition [Atlantic]
—Xan Brooks applauds the Oscars for finally seeing sense and honoring maverick filmmaker Paul Thomas Anderson [Guardian]
—Manohla Dargis and Alissa Wilkinson believe that, for once, the Oscars got it largely right, even the In Memoriam segment [NYT]
Today...
...in 2000, the John Cusack-starring High Fidelity hit Austin for its premiere at SXSW. The film, based on the Nick Hornsby novel, ended up grossing $47m worldwide and, two decades later, a short-lived TV series of the same reimagined the source material. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Kurt Russell (75), Rob Lowe (62), John Boyega (34), Morfydd Clark (🏴37), Patrick Duffy (77), Natalie Zea (51), Gary Sinise (71), Brittany and Cynthia Daniel (50), Mark Boone Junior (71), Coco Austin (47), Lenny Rush (17), Vicki Lewis (66), Victoria Dunsmore (33), Marisa Coughlan (52), Arye Gross (66), Casey Siemaszko (65), Lesley-Anne Down (72), Gina Holden (51), Christian Clemenson (68), Damien Garvey (66), Eliza Bennett (34), Michelle Nolden (53), "Samoa" Joe Seanoa (47), Erin Austen (32), Hugo Speer (57), Yanic Truesdale (56), Nijirô Murakami (29), Mathew St. Patrick (58), Mark Pellington (64), Aaron Poole (49) |
| Matt Clark, the familiar character actor who like sagebrush found his way into Westerns including Paul Newman’s The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean, John Wayne’s The Cowboys and Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales, has died. He was 89. The obituary. |
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