| | | | | | What's news: The Iowa-LSU game averaged a record 12.3m viewers for ESPN. ABC has renewed Grey's Anatomy and 911. Jonathan Glickman is the new CEO of Miramax. Lizzo has clarified that she's not quitting music. SCTV star Joe Flaherty has died. Jake Gyllenhaal's production company has signed a first-look deal with Amazon MGM. — Abid Rahman
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Endeavor to Be Taken Private 3 Years After IPO ►"We believe this transaction will maximize value." After three years as a publicly traded company, the Ari Emanuel-led Endeavor is going private. The sports and entertainment giant — the owner of talent agencies WME and IMG as well as assets like the PBR bull riding organization, betting data firm OpenBet, marketing agency 160over90 and hospitality firm On Location — will be acquired by majority shareholder Silver Lake at a valuation of $13b, the private equity firm said Tuesday. Silver Lake will acquire all outstanding shares and Endeavor stockholders will receive $27.50 per share. The story.
—It's official. Jonathan Glickman will join Miramax as its CEO. The executive will assume the role effective immediately. THR first reported Glickman was in talks for the new role in January. Glickman replaces former CEO Bill Block, who departed the studio last year after a six-year run. As part of the new job, Miramax has also acquired certain film, television and other projects of Panoramic Media, the independent film and TV production company founded by Glickman in 2020. The story.
—🤝 Settlement 🤝 The estate of George Carlin and the makers of a podcast who used generative AI to impersonate the late standup comic’s voice and style for an unauthorized special have reached a settlement. Will Sasso and Chad Kultgen, hosts of Dudesy, and Carlin’s estate notified the court on Tuesday of an agreement to resolve the case. Under the deal, an injunction will be entered barring further use of the video, which has already been taken down, and that it was made in violation of the comic’s rights. Further terms of the agreement weren’t disclosed. The story.
—✊ Unionizing ✊ As the Dodgers’ first year with Shohei Ohtani brings a new wave of fans to Vin Scully Avenue, tour guides at the nearly 62-year-old Dodger Stadium have voted to unionize. During a National Labor Relations Board election on Tuesday afternoon, 18 tour guides voted "yes" to unionize and 12 voted against. As a result, pending NLRB certification of the election results, a group of nearly 40 tour guides, tour leads and one plant data collector (a.k.a. the guide of the stadium’s "garden tour") will join IATSE B-192. The story.
—"AI to replace human artists will devalue the entire music ecosystem." The Artists Rights Alliance, backed by around 200 music artists including Billie Eilish, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Camila Cabello, has released an open letter calling on digital music developers to stop using AI that "infringe upon and devalue the rights of human artists." The campaign raised the alarm on the use of musical works by AI developers that without permission train and produce AI "copycats," or use AI "sound" to dilute royalty obligations. The story. |
The High Highs and Low Lows of Alan Ritchson ►"Being bipolar has wreaked havoc on my life many, many times. I would wish it away if I could, but it’s so much a part of who I am now." Amazon Prime Video's Reacher shot Alan Ritchson into Hollywood’s top tier, but behind that success — the 41-year-old reveals in an unusually candid interview to THR's nicest man Chris Gardner — was a harrowing struggle with bipolar disorder, sexual assault and a suicide attempt that he survived with a mix of faith, love and brute force. The profile.
—"There are shows that they would not make now that they would a couple years ago." THR's James Hibberd spoke to writer-director-producer Jonathan Nolan about his upcoming Amazon sci-fi series Fallout. Nolan also discusses wanting to go back and finish Westworld, his friendship with Elon Musk, a benefit of his brother Christopher Nolan’s “no chairs on set” rule and the lessons of Peak TV: "If the lesson was to ease back on complexity or weirdness, I don't want to learn that lesson." The interview.
—"It was such a blast that I had to do it again this year." THR's Mesfin Fekadu spoke to man-of-the-moment Travis Kelce about the return of his music festival Kelce Jam. The Super Bowl winners discusses putting the lineup together, that this year includes Lil Wayne, Diplo and 2 Chainz, and also dishes on what he learned from Taylor Swift about live events. The interview.
—"It’s this real animalistic rage that I tapped into and let come out, so it felt amazing." THR's Brian Davids spoke to Nell Tiger about her new film, The First Omen. The rising Brit actor, who also starred in the Apple TV+ series Servant, discusses digging deep to pull off the showstopping scene in the film that made the crew walk off set. The interview. |
Why It's a Brutal Time to Be a TV Writer ►"I'm scared." THR's Lesley Goldberg writes that the end of Peak TV has ushered in an era of contraction, with fewer buyers (farewell, The CW) and fierce competition for the few shows that are staffing: "People are in total survival mode." The story.
—No-brainer. Grey’s Anatomy has been renewed at ABC for its 21st season. The pickup, which had been in the works for some time, comes as the strikes-impacted 20th season recently returned to the network. The renewal will bring the Shonda Rhimes-created medical drama to its second season under new showrunner Meg Marinis, who took over at the end of season 19 for Krista Vernoff. No details about returning cast have been revealed, but Ellen Pompeo is expected to remain involved after departing ahead of season 20 as a series regular. The story.
—Still going strong. ABC has renewed 911 for the 2024-25 season, which will mark its second on ABC and eighth overall. The series, from Disney’s 20th Television, Ryan Murphy Television and Brad Falchuk Teley-Vision, moved to ABC from Fox this season. The renewal comes as 911 is set to air its 100th episode this week. The show was Fox’s top-rated drama for several seasons, and it’s picked up that mantle at ABC, with the network revealing that 911 is its most watched current series across all platforms this season. The story.
—Snapped up. THR's Rick Porter has the scoop on two of the producers behind Outlander nabbing the TV rights to the Cork O’Connor mystery novels. Story Mining & Supply Co., the production company founded by Jim Kohlberg, has acquired rights to Edgar Award-winning author William Kent Krueger’s books about a half-Irish, half-Ojibwe sheriff turned private investigator in Minnesota. The company will adapt the books — there are 19 to date, with a 20th set to publish in August — for television and is currently meeting with writers. No outlet is attached yet. The story.
—Record-breaker. Last year’s NCAA women’s basketball championship set an all-time ratings record for a women’s game on ESPN. A rematch of that game — albeit two rounds earlier in the tournament — on Monday night drew an even bigger crowd. Iowa’s 94-87 victory over LSU averaged 12.3m viewers for ESPN, the largest TV audience ever for a women’s basketball game in the U.S. The previous record was set more than 40 years ago, when CBS’ broadcast of the 1983 title game — featuring USC legend Cheryl Miller — drew 11.83m people. The ratings. |
'Godzilla' and 'Dune' Power Premium Screen Boom ►"When you look at the numbers, Imax gives the whole multiplex a lift." As many standard auditoriums remain sparsely populated, Imax, along with a robust offering of other PLF screens that have popped up in the past decade in hopes of emulating the Canadian company's model, is enjoying a post-pandemic boom. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the latest movie following Oppenheimer and Dune: Part Two to cash in on the Imax craze, which comes with a pricey upcharge that gooses grosses in a major way. The analysis.
—🤝 First-look deal 🤝 After the release of Road House, star Jake Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories banner has signed a three-year, first-look film deal with Amazon MGM Studios. Under the pact, the studio will have a first look on narrative features Nine Stories intends to produce for both theatrical and streaming. Road House, according to the studio, is the most watched film debut for an Amazon-produced title. Gyllenhaal previously starred in Amazon MGM title Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant. The story. |
Cohen Wishes He Had Kept "Mouth Shut" About Kate ►"I think someone on Sky News called me a ‘numpty’ during that whole conversation, and they were right." Andy Cohen regrets comments he made surrounding Kate Middleton made while she was recovering from abdominal surgery. Cohen returned to his SiriusXM show, Radio Andy, after a week off the air and made it a point to address his jokes about Middleton prior to her reveal that she had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy. The story.
—"I think he was just so sensitive and made sure to reach out to me privately." Drake Bell is thankful for his Drake & Josh co-star Josh Peck's support. After revealing on the ID docuseries Quiet on Set that he was the previously unnamed minor who was sexually abused by actor and voice coach Brian Peck (no relation to Josh Peck), Bell spoke out on the podcast Not Skinny but Not Fat about how much Josh reaching out privately meant to him. The story.
—"I just want to be a girl and finally move on." Hunter Schafer said this week she’d like to shift the public’s focus away from her trans identity. In a new interview, the Euphoria star said she’s even hesitant to say the word "trans" in interviews. The actress revealed that she had "gotten offered tons of trans roles, and I just don’t want to do it. I don’t want to talk about it." The story.
—"We are completely traumatized." Angie Harmon took to social media to share that an Instacart deliveryman shot and killed her dog after leaving her groceries on the doorstep. The Rizzoli & Isles star recounted the horrific incident in great detail that ended in the death of her dog Oliver. Instacart shared a statement about the incident, noting they are working with local law enforcement on their investigation. The story.
—Public plea. Yellowstone star Mo Brings Plenty is asking the public for assistance finding his nephew who has gone missing. The actor plays Mo on the Paramount Network hit and posted on Instagram on Tuesday a request for fans to be on the lookout for Cole “Coco” Brings Plenty, who hasn’t been seen since Sunday in Kansas. Cole is wanted by police in relation to a domestic violence incident on March 31, according to media reports. The story.
—"What I’m not going to quit is the joy of my life." Lizzo clarified her cryptic “I quit” comments Tuesday, telling fans she is not leaving music or social media. “When I say ‘I quit,’ I mean I quit giving any negative energy attention,” the singer said in a video posted to Instagram. Last week, she left fans guessing with a social media post saying she was “getting tired of putting up with being dragged by everyone in my life and on the internet” and adding, “I quit.” The story. |
Joe Flaherty 1941 - 2024 ►"An extraordinary man." Joe Flaherty, the two-time Emmy-winning writer and Second City alumnus who sparkled as Guy Caballero, Count Floyd, Big Jim McBob and Sammy Maudlin as an original castmember on the landmark Canadian sketch comedy series SCTV, has died. He was 82. A native of Pittsburgh, Flaherty also was known for his stint as A-1 Sporting Goods owner Harold Weir (the father of Linda Cardellini and John Francis Daley’s characters) on the NBC series Freaks and Geeks and for his turn as a Western Union man in Back to the Future Part II. The obituary.
—"A true comedy hero." Adam Sandler, Patton Oswalt, Mark Hamill, Tom Green and Freaks and Geeks alums Paul Feig and John Francis Daley were among the fans, friends and former co-stars of Joe Flaherty who paid tribute to the actor on social media on Tuesday. On Instagram, Sandler wrote of his Happy Gilmore co-star, "Worshipped Joe growing up. Always had me and my brother laughing. Count Floyd, Guy Caballero. Any move he made. He crushed as border guard in Stripes. Couldn’t be more fun to have him heckle me on the golf course. The nicest guy you could know. Genius of a comedian. And a true sweetheart. Perfect combo." The reaction.
—Trailblazer. Lynn Loring, who appeared as a young actress on Search for Tomorrow, The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis and The F.B.I. before becoming one of the highest-ranking female executives in Hollywood at the time, has died. She was 80. Loring produced Mr. Mom at Aaron Spelling’s company and while at MGM/UA thought In the Heat of the Night would make a great series and that Carroll O’Connor should star in it. The obituary. |
Film Review: 'Free Time' ►"Keenly observed and winningly performed." THR's Jordan Mintzer reviews Ryan Martin Brown's Free Time. Colin Burgess stars in writer-director Brown’s first feature, about an office worker who willingly quits his job and still tries to get by in the Big Apple. The review. In other news...
—Dead Boy Detectives trailer brings Neil Gaiman’s beloved comics to life
—Mark Rylance and Damian Lewis in first-look images from Wolf Hall: The Mirror and the Light
—Patrick J. Adams, Sarah Rafferty launching Suits rewatch podcast on SiriusXM
—WBTV boss Channing Dungey to keynote Banff World Media Festival
—Cinemark CEO Sean Gamble's pay rises to $8.8m in 2023
—George Miller to be honored at CinemaCon with International Career Achievement Award
—Skybound taps comics veteran Ben Abernathy as executive editor
—Masters of the Air co-creator John Orloff signs with UTA
—Jean-Paul Vignon, stylish French vocalist and actor, dies at 89
What else we're reading...
—In an op-ed, Chef José Andrés, the founder of World Central Kitchen, pleads with the Israeli government to allow more food and aid to get through to Gaza [NYT]
—Zach Helfand has a wonderful interview with all-round great guy Michael Imperioli, which covers his philosophy of acting and his first encounter with Martin Scorsese [New Yorker]
—How real is Shōgun? Nylah Iqbal Muhammad digs into how truthful the depiction of brutality, warfare and politics is in the FX hit [Vox]
—With The Lost Boys celebrating its 35th anniversay, Ben Gilbert talks to star Jason Patric and writer James Jeremias about the making of the cult film [Guardian]
—Dareh Gregorian reports that Donald Trump is suing the co-founders of Truth Social, alleging they mismanaged the social media platform early on and should therefore lose their stock in the company [NBC News]
Today...
...in 2009, Miramax Films released Greg Mottola's Adventureland in theaters. The 1987-set rom-com, starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Wiig, Bill Hader and Martin Starr, was a hit with the critics but only a moderate box office success. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Amanda Bynes (38), Eddie Murphy (63), Sofia Boutella (42), Alec Baldwin (66), Ben Mendelsohn (55), Matthew Goode (46), Cobie Smulders (42), Adam Scott (51), Rachel Bloom (37), David Hyde Pierce (65), Josh Safdie (40), Angela Featherstone (59), Catherine McCormack (52), Jamie Bamber (51), Jennie Garth (52), Elsie Fisher (21), Natacha Karam (30), Will Mellor (48), Eric Braeden (83), Paris Jackson (26), Sarah Jeffery (28), James McArdle (35), Amy Morton (65), Hayley Kiyoko (33), Lesley Sharp (64), Ruby Bentall (36), Robert Hy Gorman (44), Elizabeth Gracen (63), Alice Lowe (47), Sarah Woodward (61), Jennifer Rubin (62), Tony Orlando (80), Christiane Seidel (36) |
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