What's news: Netflix announced a slew new projects at upfronts, including Grown Ups 3, renewals for Big Mistakes, Running Point and My Life With the Walter Boys and a new fantasy drama Barbaric. Apple has renewed Margo’s Got Money Troubles. And Madonna, Shakira and BTS will play the first-ever halftime show for the FIFA Men's World Cup Final. — Abid Rahman
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YouTube's Muscle-Flexing Upfront Pitch: We are TV Now
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►"We built a stage and empowered anyone with a story to find an audience." By now, everyone knows that YouTube has become a dominant streaming platform on TV sets. But on Wednesday, the Google-owned video giant took things a step further: It is TV. “Welcome to the YouTube era,” YouTube CEO Neal Mohan declared after stepping on stage at the company’s annual Brandcast upfront event, following a musical performance from Zara Larsson. The recap.
—Quick as you like. Apple TV has ordered a second season of Margo’s Got Money Troubles. The pickup for the drama comes a week before its first-season finale and on the heels of critical acclaim for the series. Elle Fanning plays the title character, a college student who becomes pregnant and turns to OnlyFans to help support herself and her baby. Michelle Pfeiffer and Nick Offerman play Margo’s parents, a former Hooters waitress and ex-professional wrestler. Thaddea Graham and Nicole Kidman also star in the series, which is based on a novel by Rufi Thorpe. The story.
—Chang of scenery. CNN is getting into business with David Chang and filmmaker Morgan Neville. The celebrity chef has signed on to host a untitled travel food series for the cable news channel. While the food-focused travelogue is a well-established format by now, the new CNN show will turn the concept on its head by not using any pre-planned itineraries or recommendations. Instead, Chang will follow local leads and tips and take spontaneous detours to discover “the stories, people and meals that don’t make it into guidebooks.” The story.
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WBD's Upfront Felt More Like a Funeral
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►"No shade on any of the executives who went through the motions this morning." The 2026 Warner Bros. Discovery upfront lacked any spark, and not just because it took place at 10 a.m. on a Wednesday morning. THR's Tony Maglio writes that the event, ostensibly to sell television-commercial slots to the advertisers in attendance, felt more like a wake for WBD. That’s probably because, in some ways, it was. The recap.
—Freudian slip. Onstage at WBD's upfronts, the company's ad sales heads suggest that this maybe the company’s last such presentation, if their company’s $111b mega-merger with Paramount is consummated. Presidents of U.S. advertising sales Bobby Voltaggio and Ryan Gould addressed the topic early in the presentation with a fake Freudian slip. “Good partnership is what drives us here at Warner Bros. Discovery, so before we go on, we do want to address the Ellison — I mean the elephant — in the room,” Voltaggio said. The story.
—"Different looks, different styles, different tones." Warner Bros. Pictures Animation‘s event on Tuesday drew together filmmakers, creatives and journalists as the team’s leaders laid out their vision. WBPA president and chief creative officer Bill Damaschke hosted the open house at the Burbank studio lot, where Warner Bros. Motion Picture Group co-chair and CEO Pam Abdy joined him to deliver opening remarks. The event was timed to take place in the lead-up to the studio’s presentation at next month’s Annecy Animation Film Festival. The recap.
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►🤝 Doubling down. 🤝 Netflix is ramping up its relationship with the NFL, adding three high-profile games to its schedule in addition to its Christmas Day rights, while adding the NFL Honors awards show during Super Bowl week and extending its overall NFL deal through the 2029 season. Netflix chief content officer Bela Bajaria announced the expanded deal at the company's upfront presentation. The streamer will be adding the NFL’s first Australia game in week 1, between the Rams and the 49ers, and the Thanksgiving Eve game between the Packers and the Rams. Netflix will also add a game from the 18th week of the regular season. The story.
—🟢 Greenest of green lights. 🟢 Medieval-style fantasy continues be a hot genre for streamers and at upfronts Netflix announced it has greenlit Barbaric, a fantasy drama based on the hit Vault Comics title of the same name. Created by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden and edited by Adrian Wassel, Barbaric centers on a ruthless and crass barbarian who is cursed to only use his violence for good, which sends him, his talking axe and a young witch, on a road of self-discovery, redemption and revenge. The story.
—No-brainer. The fifth season of The Lincoln Lawyer will be the last one on Netflix. The streamer said Wednesday that the legal drama — which has consistently drawn strong viewing numbers — will end with its next installment. Season four of Lincoln Lawyer spent four weeks in Netflix’s worldwide top 10 for English-language series, amassing 26.4m views in that span. The story.
—Heading back to Hillman. Netflix announced Wednesday that A Different World, a sequel to the 1987-93 NBC sitcom centered on students at an HBCU, will premiere in the fall. Several members of the original cast will reprise their roles alongside a new group of actors playing Hillman students, and the show’s creative team also includes alumni of the original. The story.
—🤝 Rare overall deal. 🤝 Netflix has renewed Big Mistakes for a second season as part of a newly formatted deal with creator and star Dan Levy. Levy’s new deal with Netflix gives the streamer a first-look at his TV series only. His previous overall deal also included film (like 2024’s Good Grief, Levy’s directorial debut). Prior to Netflix, Levy had a TV deal with Disney’s ABC Signature. The story.
—Double dip. Netflix has ordered new seasons of its sports comedy series Running Point and YA drama My Life With the Walter Boys. Running Point is headed into its third season on Netflix, while My Life With the Walter Boys got an early renewal for season four. The story.
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Stiller, Galitzine, Maclean to Star in 'A Matter of Time' |
►🎭 Heavenly lineup. 🎭 Netflix is ready to take flight with a new film starring Ben Stiller and Nicholas Galitzine. The trio lead the cast of A Matter of Time to be directed by Harry Bradbeer from a script by Justin Haythe, Madeleine George, Peter Byrne and Simon Beaufoy. Netflix describes A Matter of Time as centering on an “unlikely angel” who ventures from heaven to encourage a reclusive man to give up his life for the betterment of society. The story.
—Never growing up. Adam Sandler is getting the gang back together for Grown Ups 3. Netflix announced during its upfronts presentation that a third movie is officially in the works for the comedy franchise that kicked off with 2010’s star-studded original Grown Ups. Kyle Newacheck is set to direct the film from a script by Sandler and longtime writing partner Tim Herlihy. Plot details and casting news have not been shared. The story.
—📅 Dated! 📅 Brad Pitt’s Heart of the Beast will sail into theaters on Sept. 25, 2026. David Ayer is directing Paramount's action-packed survival movie, with J. K. Simmons and Anna Lambe rounding out the cast. Heart of the Beast centers on a former Army Special Forces soldier (Pitt), who is stranded deep in the Alaskan wilderness with a dog after a plane crash. Ayer directed the project from a script by Cameron Alexander. The story.
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'The Rip' Cast and Crew Land Netflix Performance Bonus
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►"Filmmakers should share in the value they bring to a project." The 1,200-person team behind The Rip has scored some additional compensation for their work. Ben Affleck and Matt Damon‘s Artists Equity, which is behind the movie, revealed Wednesday that it has paid out a performance bonus to the cast and crew of the movie. The move comes after the production banner negotiated a unique deal with Netflix that would give them a bonus should it meet viewership thresholds. Typically, Netflix pays just an upfront fee rather than offering viewership incentive bonuses. The crime drama bowed in January to 41.6m views over its first three days. The story.
—Alleged pay-to-play scheme. A producer has filed a lawsuit against Amazon MGM Studios, claiming that an executive at the company solicited kickbacks for post production work and blocked companies from servicing projects if they refused. In a suit, producer Joe Eckardt says he was recruited to participate in an alleged scheme in which he would be provided with the approved budget for a production in order to submit a winning bid. After the contract was awarded, he would pay head of unscripted post production Frank Salinas a percentage of the project value as repayment. The story.
—Deal in the offing? U.K. TV giant ITV provided a Q1 2026 trading update on Thursday, along with an update on a potential big transaction. “Following our announcement in November 2025, we remain in active discussions with [Comcast-owned Sky] regarding a possible sale of the media and entertainment business,” the company said. “We will update the market in due course.” The M&E business includes ITV’s commercial free-to-air TV channels in the U.K., as well as its ITVX streaming platform. After a potential deal, ITV Studios would continue as a standalone company. The story.
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FIFA Taps Madonna, BTS and Shakira for Halftime Show |
►Game's gone. Madonna, Shakira and BTS will play the first-ever halftime show for the FIFA Men's World Cup Final, the organization announced Wednesday night. The three acts will co-headline halftime during the World Cup’s final on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a major music moment attached to the most-watched sporting event in the world. For U.S. viewers, the tournament is broadcasting on Fox in English and Telemundo in Spanish. The story.
—"The EBU is in a bind on the televoting rules." As Eurovision struggles with falling viewership and boycotts over Israel's inclusion, THR's Steve Zeitchik looks at how the usually fun and camp singing content almost didn't happen this year, and how the prospects of a 2027 edition is dangling by a thread. Steven writes that a withdrawal of sponsorships and lost fees from nations sitting out over the Netanyahu government put the contest on precarious financial footing. The analysis.
—Huntrix don't quit! Netflix is teaming up with AEG Presents for a KPop Demon Hunters global concert tour, the streamer announced Wednesday. The tour promises to bring “a live experience that will bring elements of the two-time Oscar-winning film to life in spectacular ways,” according to a release. Details on the tour are sparse at this point — Netflix made no indication whether this tour will feature any of the singing talent from the films for either Huntrix (EJAE, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami) or the Saja Boys. The story.
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Film Review: 'Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma'
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►"Talk about losing it at the movies." For THR, Richard Lawson reviews Jane Schoenbrun's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. The I Saw the TV Glow filmmaker once again delves into their personal life in this arresting, abstract allegory premiering in Cannes' Un Certain Regard sidebar. Starring Hannah Einbinder, Gillian Anderson, Dylan Baker, Jack Haven and Sarah Sherman. Written by Jane Schoenbrun. The review.
—"An awkward collision of masculinity and vulnerability, awkwardly told." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Kantemir Balagov's Butterfly Jam. A cast of rising stars feature in this New Jersey-set drama premiering in Cannes, the third feature from the Russian director, who had an international breakthrough in 2019 with Beanpole. Starring Barry Keoghan, Tahla Akdogan, Riley Keough, Harry Melling and Jaliyah Richards. Written by Marina Stepnova and Kantemir Balagov. The review.
—"Pared back to the point of narrative starvation." David reviews Diego Luna's Ashes. Based on the acclaimed novel by Brenda Navarro, the drama centers on a young Mexican woman struggling to carve out a better future in Spain. Starring Anna Díaz, Adriana Paz, Luisa Huertas, Guillermo Ríos, Adriana Jacome, Sergio Bautista, Benny Emmanuel, Irene Escolar, Anna Alárcon, Dailyn Valdivieso, Charlie Rowe and Laura Gómez. Written by Abia Castillo, Diego Rabasa and Diego Luna, based on the novel Ceniza en la boca, by Brenda Navarro. The review.
—"A buoyant and affecting character study." THR's Jon Frosch reviews Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet's Cannes competition entry, A Woman's Life. The story revolves around a 55-year-old Parisian doctor who begins questioning her life choices after a novelist takes an interest in her. Starring Léa Drucker, Mélanie Thierry, Charles Berling, Laurent Capelluto and Marie-Christine-Barrault. Written by Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet and Fanny Burdino. The review.
—"Haunted and haunting." THR's Sheri Linden reviews Manuela Martelli's The Meltdown. The Chile ’76 director returns to Cannes with a drama whose 9-year-old protagonist has an insider’s view of a missing-person case and the lies spun around it. Starring Maya O’Rourke, Saskia Rosendahl, Maia Rae Domagala, Jakub Gierszal, Paulina Urrutia and Mauricio Pešutić. Written by Manuela Martelli. The review.
—"Insightful and beautifully made, if not very exciting." THR's Leslie Felperin reviews Koji Fukada's Cannes competition entry, Nagi Notes. In this Japanese drama, two women redefine their relationship as friends while one sits for the other as an artist's model. Starring Takako Matsu, Shizuka Ishibashi, Ken’ichi Matsuyama, Waku Kawaguchi, Kiyora Fujiwara, Sawako Fujima, Long Mizuma and Suhkye Shin. Written by Koji Fukada. The review.
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►"Flat visuals detract from vivid acting and a rich script." For THR, Jourdain Searles reviews Aleshea Harris' Is God Is. Vivica A. Fox and Sterling K. Brown lead a powerful ensemble in this Southern revenge drama. Also starring Kara Young, Mallori Johnson, Janelle Monae, Mykelti Williamson, Erika Alexander, Xavier Mills, Justen Ross and Josiah Cross. Written by Aleshea Harris. The review.
—"Pulpy, entertaining and derivative." THR's chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg reviews Netflix's Nemesis. Power creator Courtney A. Kemp references crime classics like Heat and New Jack City in this slick cop versus master thief thriller series. Starring Matthew Law, Y'lan Noel, Cleopatra Coleman, Tre Hale, Domenick Lombardozzi, Jonnie Park, Ariana Guerra, Gabrielle Dennis, Michael Potts, Sophina Brown, Cedric Joe and Jeff Pierre. Created by Courtney A. Kemp and Tani Marole. The review.
—"You'll be glued to the screens." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Ronan Corrigan's LifeHack. A group of young hackers target a tech billionaire's cryptocurrency fortune in the latest screenlife movie produced by Timur Bekmambetov. Starring Georgie Farmer, Yasmin Finney, Roman Hayeck Green, James Scholz, Jessica Reynolds and Charlie Creed Miles. Written by Ronan Corrigan and Hope Elliott Kemp. The review.
In other news...
—Léa Seydoux is in for a rude awakening in clip from Gentle Monster
—Tangles clip: Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Seth Rogen, Bryan Cranston tackle Alzheimer’s in Cannes-bound animation
—HBO Max's Stuart Fails to Save the Universe releases first teaser
—Student Academy Awards will be held at the Toronto Film Festival
—Has New York hit peak members club?
—Paramount Sports Entertainment makes trio of hires
What else we're reading...
—John Herrman writes that AI companies keep creating problems only they can solve [Intelligencer]
—Bloomberg has put together a very slick multimedia story on Jeffrey Epstein’s sprawling web of influence [Bloomberg]
—Anthony DeBarros and Annie Linskey unpack Trump's Truth Social posting, and find that the president uses the social-media platform to spread conspiracy theories [WSJ]
—Yet another banger from Isaac Chotiner (why do people keep agreeing to talk to him!). This time he interviews Trump's spiritual adviser Mark Burns and it's genuinely incredible [New Yorker]
—The omnishambles at CBS News continues, Max Tani reports that Tony Dokoupil had to broadcast from Taiwan after failing to get a China visa in time [Semafor]
Today...
...in 2021, Warner Bros. released Taylor Sheridan's Those Who Wish Me Dead in theaters. The action thriller, which starred Angelina Jolie, Nicholas Hoult, Aidan Gillen and Jon Bernthal, received middling box office returns after being kneecapped by WB's dual theatrical and streaming release strategy that year. The original review.
Today's birthdays...
George Lucas (82), Cate Blanchett (57), Robert Zemeckis (74), David Byrne (74), Nava Mau (34), Tim Roth (65), Miranda Cosgrove (33), Sofia Coppola (55), Amber Tamblyn (43), Danny Huston (64), Siân Phillips (🏴93), Greg Davies (🏴58), Lina Esco (41), Natasha Ryan (56), Camila Sodi (40), Gabriel Mann (54), Francesca Annis (81), Jim Howick (47), Alexandra Park (37), Deanne Bray (55), McKaley Miller (30), London Brown (45), Juno Rinaldi (49), Ada Nicodemou (49), Kelly Gale (31), Anjelah Johnson-Reyes (44), Carla Jimenez (52), Nancy Sorel (62), Jane Brucker (68), Woody McClain (37), Sasha Spielberg (36), Lyric Lewis (41)
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John Barbour, who created, produced and co-hosted the 1979-85 NBC reality series Real People, died Sunday. He was 93. The obituary.
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