  |  | | | | | | What's news: Netflix breaks course and gives some of its award contenders advanced theatrical runs. Plus: HBO goes dark for the first time in its 40 years, the Obamas option Michael Lewis' book on the Trump transition and the dangerous effects of the content boom on stuntpeople. — Will Robinson |  | | ^Digital disruptors:From a movie star turned YouTube personality to a Hollywood mogul reimagining digital video, The Hollywood Reporter highlights this year's biggest, most buzzed-about movers and shakers in the online space: | | + Alex Blumberg & Matthew Lieber, Gimlet Media: The podcasting boom hit a few bumps in September — Panoply and BuzzFeed making cuts — but the two guys who started Gimlet, producer of such podcasts as Reply All and Heavyweight, say they couldn’t feel better about the industry. “Some say there is a bubble in podcasting and it is beginning to deflate,” says Lieber, 39. “Nothing could be further from the truth.” | | + Will Smith, vlogger: Throughout 2018, the two-time Oscar nominee and action hero has been pivoting to a new career as a social climber, proving you're never too old to reinvent yourself for the digital age. For his 50th birthday, for instance, Smith teamed with YouTube to videotape himself bungee jumping from a helicopter over the Grand Canyon and the live stream on his YouTube channel, garnering 17 million views. | | + Tim Sweeney, Epic Games: It's not just that his company is behind the most successful multiplayer shooter game ever to appear on the internet — with 78 million active monthly players — but also that Sweeney, 47, has figured out a way to monetize Fortnite to the tune of $1 billion in revenue this year. Full list. | | | | | | Netflix Goes Theatrical |  | | | | Breaking tradition: Roma will be available in some markets more than three weeks before it debuts on Netflix, while The Ballad of Buster Scruggs and Bird Box will get a one-week berth, Pamela McClintock reports: | | + Big compromise: Netflix isn't collapsing the three-month theatrical window, however, and it will still be impossible to book screens in most circuits, major or otherwise. Still, offering exclusive limited runs is a significant concession on the part of the company in acknowledging that the cinematic experience is an important part of the ecosystem. It also signals to filmmakers and awards voters that Netflix is willing to bend. | | + Alfonso Cuaron praises: "Seeing Roma on the big screen is just as important as ensuring people all over the world have the chance to experience it in their homes," the director said in his own statement. "Roma was photographed in expansive 65mm, complemented by a very complex Atmos sound mix. While a movie theater offers the best possible experience for Roma, it was designed to be equally meaningful when experienced in the intimacy of one’s home.” | | * NATO unimpressed: "It’s encouraging that Netflix has come around to recognize the importance of an exclusive theatrical release for some films. It’s a pity their 'innovation' has come up against the limits of their imagination," National Association of Theater Owners vp Patrick Corcoran told McClintock. "Theatrical audiences and theatrical filmmakers want and deserve more than a token release, but Netflix has told them ‘no.'" Full story. | | Elsewhere in film... | | ► Harvey Weinstein accused of sexually assaulting 16-year-old in new lawsuit. A woman identified as Jane Doe says the movie producer forced her to touch his penis in his New York City apartment in 2002. | | ► LA Film Festival to end after 18-year run. Film Independent is instead shifting to year-round programming and initiatives. With the fest ending, Film Independent said it will eliminate three full-time staff positions, although it did not specify the individuals affected. | | ► Kobe Bryant launches fantasy YA book series in bid to grow multimedia franchises. The books will be published in 2019 and 2020 by Granity’s own publishing house via a distribution partnership with Two Rivers Distribution. | | ► Green Book to get limited-edition run in theaters before opening nationwide. Peter Farrelly's acclaimed dramedy that stars Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen will debut in 20 cinemas in select markets on Nov. 16 before expanding into theaters across the country on Nov. 21. | | ► Blue Is the Warmest Color director reportedly accused of sexual assault. Abdellatif Kechiche has been accused of sexual assault by an unnamed actress following an incident that occurred June 23. | | Casting call... | | ► Hugh Grant joins Guy Ritchie's Toff Guys. The movie explores the collision between European “old money” and the modern marijuana industry. | | AFM developments... | | ► AFM looks to find the next Bradley Cooper with influx of actor-directed films. On the heels of the success of Lady Bird, A Quiet Place and A Star Is Born, the industry is embracing actors who want to direct, knowing star power — even on the other side of the camera — helps drive sales, Scott Roxborough reports. | | ► Lionsgate to release The Hitman's Bodyguard sequel stateside. Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek and Ryan Reynolds will reprise their roles as, the hitman, his wife and the bodyguard, respectively, in the new feature. | | ► Nicolas Cage, Kelsey Grammer head to thriller Grand Isle. The two are partnering for the first time in the film, which is directed by Clint Eastwood's long-standing camera operator Stephen S. Campanelli, whose credits include Million Dollar Baby and Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born. | | ► Jerry O'Connell, Celia Weston join Katie Holmes in The Secret Movie. The film — from director Andy Tennant — centers on a young widow with three children who hires a handyman to fix her house, only to realize that, as he grows closer to the family, he carries a secret connection to her past. | | ► Sesame Street doc lands show creator, Big Bird puppeteer. The film, Street Gang, is based partly on Michael Davis' best-selling book and being introduced to buyers at AFM by The Exchange. | | ► Neon Nabs Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite from CJ Entertainment. The drama marks Bong's return to Korean-language cinema after his English-language success with Okja and Snowpiercer. | | ► William Forsythe, Kathleen Munroe join heist thriller A Perfect Plan. Jesse Ikeman is making his directorial debut, with Carlo Rota and Yannick Bisson rounding out the cast. | | Quoted: "Getting the characters and cultural elements right before going to a company was crucial. It was ridiculous to see companies just throwing [Chinese] actors in [other co-productions]. It had to be culturally sound. The key was to be synergistic and respectful." — producer Belle Avery, on succeeding with The Meg's U.S.-China co-production. |  | | ^Extreme dangers of the job: With seasoned pros stretched thin, productions are hiring haphazardly and cutting corners as stunt performers go public with complaints that union regulations have "no teeth" and new oversight may not go nearly far enough, Scott Johnson reports: | | + Changing dynamics from within: For years, the stunt community was a small, tight-knit group. Most of them knew one another. The work could be dangerous, but people tended to come up learning from experienced peers. These days, "the person who was a waitress yesterday could tomorrow be in charge of safety with weapons," says British coordinator Andy Armstrong. "If that's not absurd, nothing is." | | + Troubling new era: On sets from Atlanta to Vancouver to L.A., stunt workers have been getting injured in serious and seemingly preventable accidents. A month before Joi Harris' accidental death on Deadpool 2, an up-and-coming, well-regarded stunt performer named John Bernecker, 33, died in a troubling fall while filming an episode of The Walking Dead in Georgia. It was the first stunt death since 2002. Full story. | | Musical notes... | | ► Spotify posts smaller quarterly loss, hits 87 million paid subs. The music streaming service now has 191 million active monthly users as it looks to grow its advertising and video revenue. | | Honorees... | | ► Beck to perform at LACMA Art+Film Gala. The Grammy winner will perform Saturday night at the event that raises funds to support LACMA's film initiatives and future exhibitions. | | Five days until the midterms... | | ► Judd Apatow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, more to participate in telethon promoting voter registration. The Telethon for America will also feature Whitney Cummings, Jessica Alba, Allison Janney Connie Britton, Alyssa Milano, Chris Redd and Nick Kroll. | | ► Michael B. Jordan goes door-to-door to encourage black voter turnout. "I know some of you think that your vote doesn't matter," says the Black Panther and Creed II star. "But you're actually some of the most important voters in the country." Watch. | | ► Oprah Winfrey to campaign for Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. Winfrey will knock on doors to encourage eligible voters to support the Democrat who, if elected, will become the first African-American female governor in U.S. history. | | Latest reviews... | | ► Disney's The Nutcracker and the Four Realms. "It's more like Tim Burton's garish, exhausting Alice in Wonderland and its unwatchable sequel, borrowing elements far and wide without ever settling on what kind of movie it wants to be," David Rooney critiques. At time of send, the film sits at 28 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. Full review. | | Coming attractions... | | ► Trailer: Rebel Wilson goes meta in rom-com spoof Isn't It Romantic. The self-aware preview also features Priyanka Chopra, Liam Hemsworth and Adam DeVine. Watch. |  Ryan Kavanaugh abandons effort to join Santa Monica's Jonathan Club. The ex-CEO of Relativity Media will not become a member of the vaunted private social club after his application caused a stir, but the real reason why depends on who you believe, Chris Gardner reports. | | | | | | | | HBO Goes Dark |  | | | | Dish dispute: HBO has gone dark on the Dish Network amid a standoff over carriage agreements, the first time it has been off air on one its major distributors in the company's 40-year history, Abid Rahman reports: | | + HBO's stance: In a statement: “During our 40-plus years of operation, HBO has always been able to reach agreement with our valued distributors and our services have never been taken down or made unavailable to subscribers due to an inability to conclude a deal. Unfortunately, DISH is making it extremely difficult, responding to our good-faith attempts with unreasonable terms." | | + Dish's take: In a statement to THR, Dish hit back, blaming the blackout on AT&T, HBO's new parent company, claiming that the media giant was using its power to exert "influence over competing pay-TV providers and consumers." Dish said they would look for a "baseball-style" arbitration process to restore HBO to its service. | | * The company's past tactics: Dish has a history of contentious carriage negotiations that lead to networks and stations going dark before a new agreement is reached later. Last Thanksgiving, CBS and its network of local stations went dark over a similar dispute. Full story. | | Netflix's stream of moves... | | ► Obamas option Michael Lewis' The Fifth Risk for Netflix. The book details the chaos that occurred in several U.S. government departments in the transition from the Obama to Trump administrations. | | ► The Ranch renewed for season four. The multicam starring Ashton Kutcher will return with 20 new episodes. Dax Shepard returns after filling the void left by co-star Danny Masterson, who was fired in December amid rape allegations. | | ► Emma Roberts drops out of Netflix figure skating drama Spinning Out. The actress is said to have a scheduling conflict with another project. Roberts had been set to play the lead, Kat Baker, on the drama set in the world of competitive figure skating. | | ► Netflix renews Castlevania. The pickup comes just a few days after the animated series' second season debuted. | | Elsewhere in TV... | | ► Megyn Kelly, NBC escalate war of words amid exit talks. The dueling statements were apparently prompted by reports in Daily Mail Online and TMZ that quoted blind NBC sources who said that the star anchor was holding out for more than the $69 million value of her three-year deal, Marisa Guthrie reports. | | ► Gayle King addresses Charlie Rose accusations. The CBS This Morning anchor remains friends with Rose and keeps an open mind about those accused in the #MeToo era to make a comeback. “Amy, murderers are walking around,” King told reporter Amy Chozick. “People who kill people are walking around. They might not be able to get [their] jobs back, but surely there must be room for some redemption somewhere.” [New York Times] | | ► CBS expands streaming business with ET Live launch. ET Live will expand on the coverage that Entertainment Tonight already provides on its weekday and weeknight editions. The free streaming network will be live 24/7. | | ► Game of Thrones prequel casts one of its male leads. Valley Girl actor Josh Whitehouse will star opposite Naomi Watts in the Thrones successor series. | | ► AMC Networks quarterly earnings exceed estimates. Led by CEO Josh Sapan, the network posted a profit of $111 million, compared with $87 million in the year-ago quarter. AMC aired such originals as Better Call Saul and Fear the Walking Dead in the third quarter. | | * International charge: AMC Networks' international and other segments led the charge with a revenue gain of 34.6 percent, while the U.S. unit dubbed National Networks recorded a 3.5 percent increase. | | ► Live duo Kelly Ripa & Ryan Seacrest inspire ABC scripted comedy Work Wife. The project, which is in development, is inspired by the Live With Kelly and Ryan duo's real-life friendship. | | ► Leslie Odom Jr. to star in ABC Comedy from Kerry Washington. The untitled comedy is inspired by power couple and pastors Toure Roberts and Sarah Jakes-Roberts. | | ► Alex Trebek, Pat Sajak, Vanna White renew contracts through 2022. The new deals help solidify the futures of both Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune. | | ► WME signs Into the Badlands creators Alfred Gough & Miles Millar. The duo also created Warner Bros. TV's Smallville and MTV's The Shannara Chronicles. | | ► Hermosa Beach police investigating sexual misconduct allegation against Kip Pardue. Actress Sarah Scott filed a report in late August. The police investigation is ongoing, and no additional information was available. | | ► How E! is remaking the People's Choice Awards for 2018. Brass at the cable giant hope a cross-portfolio push will bring an optimistic finish to an inarguably rough year for televised kudos, Michael O'Connell reports. | | Quoted: "We are ending the show the way that I intended from the very beginning. I would say it's very uncommon that a television show starts out knowing exactly where it's going, and has the support and ability to sustain that and finish on its own terms, but we have." — Sam Esmail, on ending Mr. Robot. |  | | ^Nick's new boss: Brian Robbins opens up about his gig heading up the kids' cable stalwart ("It's in my blood") and why he "would have never canceled" sketch show All That, Mia Galuppo reports: | | + Challenges of kids programming: "We live in an on-demand world, meaning it's not driven by Tuesday night at 8 o'clock anymore. If I'm a kid and I want to watch SpongeBob, I can get SpongeBob in a lot of different ways. You have a generation of kids who are the first generation to grow up with iPhones and connected devices and streaming services. You used to come home and it was either Nickelodeon or the Disney Channel and maybe Cartoon Network and that was it." | | + Possible reboots?: "I was actually at Saturday Night Live this weekend in New York with Kenan Thompson, who grew up on All That and Kenan & Kel. It was my first time seeing him on the show and I really wanted to cry. I was so proud. I've known the kid since he's 14 years old. All That ran for 10 years. I would've never, ever, ever canceled the show. It should've been [Nickelodeon's] Saturday Night Live. All That was a very sophisticated show." Full interview. | | Extra deals and developments... | | ► Let's Spend the Night Together dramedy from Tom Kapinos goes to Fox. The show's first season, should it goes to series, will unfold over the course of a single night at a wedding. | | ► Stephen King drama Joyland in the works at Freeform. The younger-skewing, Disney-owned cable network is developing a take on the author's 1970s-set book. | | ► Tom Fontana, Oliver Stone join forces for Dolce Vita TV series. The show will be set in 1950s Rome but is not connected to Federico Fellini's classic film La Dolce Vita. | | ► BBC America adapting Terry Pratchett's Discworld novels as drama series The Watch. The eight-episode hourlong series will be produced by BBC Studios. | | Digital digest... | | ► Google employees walk out to protest company's treatment of execs accused of sexual misconduct. The protest, billed "Walkout For Real Change," is unfolding a week after a New York Times story detailed allegations of sexual misconduct about the creator of Android, Andy Rubin. | | ► U.K., Canadian politicians invite Mark Zuckerberg to address joint "fake news" probe. Parliamentarians from both nations in a letter called on the Facebook CEO to talk about ways to prevent the "platform’s malign use in world affairs and democratic process." | | ► Zynga strikes licensing deal with AT&T for new games. The social-game maker will produce Harry Potter and Game of Thrones-themed games, Christopher Palmeri reports. [Bloomberg] | | Legal briefs... | | ► Brokers aren't spooked by American Horror Story murder house lawsuit. The people who bought the "Murder House" featured in the FX series say they weren't warned the last owner believed the home was haunted and that it's a "macabre" hot spot frequently visited by AHS fans. | | ► CBS alleges man used Lucille Ball's old studio to trick investors. On Tuesday, CBS filed its own lawsuit against Charles Hensley, alleging that he used "Desilu" — the name of Ball's old studio — to "induce unwitting investors to give him money in exchange for valueless stock in his newly-formed shell company." | | Coming attractions... | | ► First look: Netflix unveils of Henry Cavill in The Witcher, adds to cast. The Superman actor, who plays Geralt of Rivia, leads a growing cast in the upcoming fantasy saga. Photo. |  Chilling Adventures of Sabrina statue prompts demand letter from The Satanic Temple. TST co-founder Lucien Greaves took to Twitter over the weekend to tell his followers the temple is taking legal action against the series "for appropriating our copyrighted monument design to promote their asinine Satanic Panic fiction." He also shared an image of the two statues next to one another. Photo. | | | | Why He Votes |  | | | | Rally voters: Modern Family star and ACLU ambassador Jesse Tyler Ferguson takes you to brunch (sort of) as he urges support for candidates who will fight for LGBTQ people and against "the nightmare that is the Trump administration": | | + Who to supports: There are so many progressive candidates for Congress that would love to fight back against discrimination by supporting the Equality Act. We need to support these candidates and elect them to office to finally ensure full federal equality for all Americans. This Equality Act would prohibit discrimination against LGBTQ people in all 50 states while expanding federal protections for women and people of color. | | + Local issues that matter: Your vote may determine who sits on school boards that make important decisions impacting LGBTQ students in your community – your children and their friends. While only 7 percent of the general youth population identify as LGBTQ, queer young people account for 40 percent of youth experiencing homelessness. That is heartbreaking. We need leaders at every level to solve these issues. Full column. | | What else we're reading... | | — "A Revitalized Brian Williams Stays Up Late for MSNBC." Stephen Battaglio checks in with the once-disgraced anchor: "Williams’ program has contributed to the NBCUniversal-owned cable channel’s record ratings and profits this year as the nonstop political news cycle continues to transfix viewers. ... The 11th Hour drew an average of 1.7 million viewers in the third quarter of 2017, topping Fox News and CNN in the time slot." [Los Angeles Times] | | — "When a Collision Between Politics and Sex Shocked Americans." Sopan Deb looks back at the Gary Hart scandal — author and screenwriter Matt Bai: "That was the moment in 1987 where we began for the first time to think about politicians and cover politicians as if they were celebrities and entertainers. When you create a celebrity culture in your political process, you are going to get celebrity politicians." [New York Times] | | — "With Salt Fat Acid Heat, The Food TV Renaissance Continues." Jason Parham contends: "It’s the rare breed of program more consumed with providing access—into other cultures but just as powerfully opening new windows into the self as a tool of empowerment—than perfection." [WIRED] | | — "The Everlasting Joy of Terrifying Children." Adrienne LaFrance reflects on R.L. Stine's works: "[Goosebumps] had another quality that resonated with the age in which they appeared. They were easily digestible—episodic in a way that captivated readers who’d been raised on comic books and Saturday-morning cartoons." [The Atlantic] | | — "Prince Charles Opens Up Ahead of 70." James Reginato speaks to the Prince of Wales: "Past the age at which many people retire, Charles Philip Arthur George, the Prince of Wales, is still waiting to begin the job he’s been in line for since he was three years old, when his mother, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, began her monarchy in 1952." [Vanity Fair] | | What else we're watching... | | + "13th annual Half & Half Halloween Costume Pageant." [Jimmy Kimmel] | | + "Adam Devine's haircut caused his saint of a mother to curse." [Late Late Show] | | + "Beastie Boys' Adam Yauch played a 15-year-long prank on Ad-Rock." [Tonight Show] | | + "Mike Myers has a history with Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody." [Late Show] | | From the archives... | | + On Nov. 1, 1997, James Cameron's Titanic set off its maiden voyage at the 10th annual Tokyo International Film Festival. The 193-minute blockbuster epic went on to dominate the 70th Academy Awards, nabbing 11 wins including best picture: "Titanic is no soulless junket into techno-glop wizardry but rather a complex and radiant tale that essays both mankind's destructive arrogance and its noble endurance." Flashback review. |  Today's birthdays: Alex Wolff, 21, Anthony Ramos, 27, Penn Badgley, 32, Matt Jones, 37, Logan Marshall-Green, 42, Toni Collette, 46, Jenny McCarthy, 46, Lyle Lovett, 61. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
