| | | | | | What's news: Bob Iger saw his 2025 compensation rise to $45.8m. The texts of Sony execs have been unsealed in the Blake Lively-Justin Baldoni case. CBS has renewed 10 primetime series for next season. And Stranger Things recorded a whopping 6.89b minutes of viewing for the week of Dec. 22-28. — Abid Rahman
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Oscar Noms: The Academy Becomes a Citizen of the World ►Globalization is good. At a time when the leadership of the U.S. is projecting an “America first” attitude, the L.A.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is doing the opposite. THR's executive editor of awards coverage Scott Feinberg writes that the the Oscar nominations that were announced on Thursday morning were as geographically inclusive as any in the 98-year history of the Academy. Feature-length films that are primarily or entirely in a language other than English collectively landed 22 noms, tying a record set in 2023 and matched in 2024, with those noms spread among Sentimental Value (nine), The Secret Agent (four), It Was Just an Accident (two), Sirāt (two), Arco (one), Cutting Through Rocks (one), Kokuho (one), Little Amelie or the Character of Rain (one) and Mr. Nobody Against Putin (one). The analysis.
—From the Sinners surge to the international show of force. Scott Feinberg is back with another analysis piece on the 2026 Oscar nominations. Scott has his six big takeaways from Thursday's reveal, including the significance of Oscar precursors, sequel fatigue, and whether Sinners' incredible haul is "enough to jolt the widely held belief that One Battle After Another is the film to beat for best picture?" The takeaways.
—Pam and Mike GOATED. THR's Pamela McClintock writes that what began as one battle after another for Warner Bros. movie chiefs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy has transformed into an embarrassment of riches. On Thursday, the studio landed a jaw-dropping 30 nominations, tying its own record set in 2005. This time, the bounty was led by Ryan Cooger’s Sinners with 16 and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another following with 13. But, Pamela writes, outside WB, the noms return from Hollywood's other legacy studios was pretty abysmal. The analysis. |
Sundance Now to Rebrand as "Algorithm-Free" Streamer ►Much needed support. With Sundance underway with plenty of independently produced films on offer, AMC Networks has announced that Sundance Now is rebranding as a streaming service focused on indie film and festival titles. The rethink comes amid a small wave of new exhibition opportunities for indie films, which have had trouble selling out of film festivals amid Hollywood’s larger contraction. Last year, Letterboxd, the cinephile-led social platform, launched a new film rental program, Video Store. Sundance Now, now priced at $7.99 a month, will bring “the festival directly into viewers’ homes with films straight from their theatrical runs," and is promising a library that is “algorithm-free.” The story.
—"There’s no place like it." Seventeen filmmakers — including Quentin Tarantino, Karyn Kusama, Ed Burns, Kenneth Lonergan, Rian Johnson, Justin Lin, Sian Heder, Ryan Coogler and Chloe Zhao — who took their projects to the snow-packed hills of Park City, Utah, open up on how it felt to bask in the glow of Sundance’s light and what happened for them in the years that followed. The story. |
Sony Execs Criticized Blake Lively's Behavior Around 'IEWU' Release ►"[Lively] did bring it all on herself." A flood of documents tied to the It Ends With Us legal battle were unsealed this week, exposing behind-the-scenes emails and text messages from those involved with the film. Blake Lively’s unsealed messages with Taylor Swift and Ben Affleck have been making headlines, while a transcript of Jenny Slate’s deposition also caught attention. But additional texts and emails involving executives from Sony Pictures have also been revealed, divulging how those in charge of the studio that released the film felt about the drama. According to the messages, SPE boss Tom Rothman, Motion Pictures Group president Sanford Panitch and others with the studio were gravely concerned as rumors of a rift between Lively and Baldoni began to spread. The story.
—"It does not mean you have to like every single woman." Jameela Jamil is addressing her views on feminism after her old texts about Blake Lively spurred media headlines. Included in the documents is a private text exchange from August 2024 between Jamil and Justin Baldoni’s publicist Jennifer Abel, who also reps Jamil. In a text to Abel, Jamil wrote about Lively, “She’s a suicide bomber at this point.” Jamil also texted, “I’ve never seen such a bizarre villain act before.” Jamil took to her Instagram Stories on Thursday to share a video in which she clarified her belief that being a feminist does not preclude someone from having personal differences with other women. The story.
—"I might need your help again." Ten minutes into his Wednesday Jimmy Kimmel Live! monologue, Jimmy Kimmel addressed the elephant in the room: the FCC has him in its crosshairs. Again. Earlier in the day, the FCC clarified its guidance on its equal time rule, which stipulates that broadcast stations must afford equal air time to competing politicians. Talk shows had been exempt from the rule since Jay Leno’s Tonight Show fought against it — and won — in 1996. Jimmy Kimmel Live! was infamously put on ice for a few nights after an on-air remark he made about the presumed (at the time) political leanings of Charlie Kirk’s assassin. The pressure to cancel Kimmel first came from the stations and shortly after, the FCC inserted itself, until Hollywood rallied around the late night host. The recap.
—Suit filed. Phil McGraw‘s son has been sued over a pro-cop TV show about the NYPD by the city, which alleges that releasing some of the footage will endanger officers. New York City, in a lawsuit filed on Wednesday in New York state court, accuses Jordan McGraw and his production banner, McGraw Media, of looking to sell “extremely problematic” episodes of Behind the Badge that compromise the safety of undercover officers, crime witnesses and victims. It seeks a court order blocking distribution. The story. |
Los Angeles' Hold on Hollywood Is Slipping ►Where's the work? THR's Erik Hayden reports that film and TV production data over the past three years shows a sharp decline in projects filming in Los Angeles, even as officials recognize the urgency to keep the entertainment industry. The story.
—Bob makes bank. Disney CEO Bob Iger saw his 2025 compensation rise to $45.8m, as the company reaffirmed that it will name his successor in "early 2026." Disney filed its annual proxy statement Thursday, setting its annual shareholder meeting for March, including a vote for board members and an advisory vote on executive compensation. Iger’s compensation package was comprised of a $1m salary, $21m in stock awards, $14m in option awards, $7.25m in non-equity incentive plan compensation, and $2.6m in other compensation, including for security. For comparison, Iger’s 2024 package totaled $41.1m. The story.
—🤝 Expanded deal. 🤝 Universal Studios Japan said Thursday that it had inked a new and expanded deal with The Pokémon Company to “offer more innovative, immersive, and world-class Pokémon experiences," globally. Details about the inaugural project are being kept under wraps for now. The NBCU division has become a major source of investment for the company, with experiential entertainment top of mind for executives. Last year it opened its most ambitious theme park yet in Orlando, Epic Universe, as well as a dedicated horror experience in Las Vegas. The story.
—🤝 ICYMI. 🤝 The U.S. operations of TikTok have officially changed hands, with a consortium led by Silver Lake, Oracle and MGX (Abu Dhabi’s state investment firm) now controlling 45 percent of the social video platform. On Thursday, the company revealed the investors in the JV, as well as its board members. Adam Presser, a TikTok veteran and former WarnerMedia executive, will be CEO, while Will Farrell, a veteran of TikTok and Booz Allen Hamilton, will be chief security officer, overseeing data privacy and security. The story.
—Exiting. AMC Networks chief financial officer Patrick O’Connell is exiting the company after more than three years in the job. The executive has decided to undertake “an opportunity outside the media industry,” AMC Networks announced on Thursday, without offering further specifics. O’Connell will remain at the company until March while a search for his replacement has begun. O’Connell will appear in the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call. The story. |
'Tracker,' 'Matlock' Among CBS Series Pickups ►Ten bankers. CBS is locking down a big portion of its primetime lineup for the 2026-27 season. The network, as it often does around this time of year, has renewed 10 primetime series for next season. CBS has ordered additional seasons of, in alphabetical order, The Amazing Race, Elsbeth, Fire Country, Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage, Matlock, NCIS, NCIS: Origins, NCIS: Sydney, Survivor and Tracker. The Amazing Race will air its 39th season in 2026-27. Elsbeth, NCIS: Sydney and Tracker have been renewed for a fourth season; Fire Country for a fifth; Georgie & Mandy, Matlock and NCIS: Origins for a third; NCIS for its 24th; and, assuming the usual two cycles per TV season in 2026-27, Survivor for its 51st and 52nd installments. The story.
—Mixed bag. The second week of Tony Dokoupil’s term as CBS Evening News anchor drew a slightly larger audience than the first. The CBS Evening News averaged 4.19m total viewers for the week of Jan. 12 and 584,000 adults 25-54, the core ad demographic for news programming. Both figures improved slightly on Dokoupil’s first full week (4.17m viewers, 533,00 adults 25-54) and on the newscast’s prior average for the 2025-26 season (4.02m and 498,500). Far fewer viewers than normally watch 60 Minutes saw the CECOT story, though. CBS did not have an NFL game as a lead-in for 60 Minutes on Sunday as it often does during the NFL season. As a result, the program averaged only about 5.1m viewers, well below its season average of 9.41m. The ratings.
—Woof! After scoring the largest single week streaming viewing total ever with the premiere of its final season, Stranger Things had to settle for just the third-largest week of all time with the release of more episodes on Christmas. The Netflix smash recorded 6.89b minutes of viewing for the week of Dec. 22-28. That trails only two other weeks in the five-year history of Nielsen’s streaming rankings — both of which are also owned by Stranger Things. The season five premiere week in late November ranks first with 8.46b minutes, and season four’s second week in late May and early June 2022 had 7.2b minutes. The streaming rankings. |
TV Review: 'Wonder Man' ►"More human than superhuman." THR's Angie Han reviews Disney+'s Wonder Man. In this Marvel TV series, Ben Kingsley reprises his role as Trevor Slattery, now just an actor looking for his next big role, in the eight-part dramedy co-created by Shang-Chi director Destin Daniel Cretton. Also starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Arian Moayed, X Mayo and Zlatko Buric. Created by Destin Daniel Cretton and Andrew Guest. The review.
—"Quirky, educational, touching and revelatory." THR's Daniel Fienberg reviews John Wilson's The History of Concrete. The creator of HBO's How To with John Wilson learns about a building material, Italian wax sculptures, New York City housing initiatives and more in this Sundance-bowing doc. The review.
—"Funny, emotional and a bit too conventional." Daniel reviews Judd Apatow and Neil Berkeley's Paralyzed by Hope: The Maria Bamford Story. The Sundance-premiering documentary film delves into comedian Maria Bamford's mental health and professional journeys. The review.
—"An unexpected charmer." For THR, Caryn James reviews Josef Kubota Wladyka's Sundance U.S. dramatic competition entry, Ha-chan, Shake Your Booty! Wladyka's comic drama mixes surreal fantasies with emotion in a Tokyo-set indie starring Rinko Kikuchi. Also starring Rinko Kikuchi, Alberto Guerra, Alejandro Edda, YOU and Yoh Yoshida. Written by Josef Kubota Wladyka and Nicholas Huynh. The review. |
Film Review: 'Carousel' ►"Takes its time but sneaks up on you." THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Rachel Lambert's Sundance U.S. dramatic competition entry, Carousel . Chris Pine and Jenny Slate star in this story of a divorced doctor struggling to reconnect with or pull away from a former girlfriend. Also starring Abby Ryder Fortson, Sam Waterston, Katey Sagal, Heléne York, Dagmara Domincyzk, Jessica Harper, Jeffrey DeMunn and Tien Tran. Written by Rachel Lambert. The review.
—"A shipwreck." David reviews Louis Paxton's The Incomer. In this Sundance-premiering film, Gayle Rankin and Grant O’Rourke star as uncivilized off-the-grid siblings who resist being evicted by the Scottish Council (as represented by Domhnall Gleeson) from their island home. Also starring Emun Elliott, Michelle Gomez and John Hannah. Written by Louis Paxton. The review.
—"A great rescue story, not very well told." For THR, Richard Lawson reviews Mohammed Ali Naqvi's Sundance world cinema documentary competition entry, Hanging by a Wire. The doc chronicles a dramatic 2023 gondola accident in rural Pakistan. Written by Mohammed Ali Naqvi and Bilal Sami. The review.
—"Keenly observed and deeply unsettling." THR's Sheri Linden reviews Suzanne Andrews Correa's Sundance world cinema dramatic competition entry, The Huntress. The first feature by the writer-director is a based-on-real-events drama as a survivor of sexual assault who embarks on a path of retribution. Starring Adriana Paz, Teresa Sánchez, Jennifer Trejo, Eme Malafe, Guillermo Alonso, Leidi Gutiérrez, Estrella Gómez and Suri Gutiérrez. Written by Suzanne Andrews Correa. The review. |
Thank Pod It's Friday ►All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.
—Awards Chatter. THR's executive awards editor Scott Feinberg talks to the great and the good of Hollywood. We have a little Oscar noms treat today, with all the various podcasts Scott has done with the nominated talent — including actors, actresses, writers, directors, producers, documentarians, costume designers, production designers and songwriters — all gathered together in one place. You're welcome. The podcasts.
—I’m Having an Episode. THR’s Mikey O’Connell attempts to stay on top of the latest TV and entertainment news with a little help from his friends, colleagues and a revolving door of actors, writers, showrunners and filmmakers. In this episode, THR's Mia Galuppo mines the storied history of the Sundance Film Festival. And Mikey interviews Judd Apatow about his new documentary (Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man! ), the late Rob Reiner and the state of the studio comedy. The podcast.
In other news...
—Harry Styles takes you dancing with new single “Aperture”
—SNL U.K. names Lisa Clark commissioning executive
—A look at the envelope-pushing films at Rotterdam Film Fest
What else we're reading...
—Will Hobson, Albert Samaha and Sam Fortier report that the FBI is investigating the death of Jim Irsay, the former owner of the Indianapolis Colts [WaPo]
—Rebecca Santana reports that ICE officers are asserting sweeping power to enter homes without a judge’s warrant, according to a memo [AP]
—Ed Kilgore writes that Trump is increasingly only accepting polls that proclaim his greatness [Intelligencer]
—Le Monde's editorial board is expecting another trans-Atlantic crisis despite the uneasy peace over a deal for Greenland [Le Monde]
—Here's your Friday list: Top 100 best TV shows of all time [Empire]
Today...
...in 1983, NBC premiered the action series The A-Team, which went on to run for five seasons at the network. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Mariska Hargitay (62), Jack Reynor (34), Tiffani Thiessen (52), Richard Dean Anderson (76), Derek Cianfrance (52), S. Craig Zahler (53), Kyle Newacheck (42), James Manos Jr. (67), Gail O'Grady (63), Julia Jones (45), David Patrick Kelly (75), Richard Roxburgh (64), Ewen Bremner (54), Lindsey Kraft (43), Sonita Henry (49), Adam Hagenbuch (35), Boris McGiver (64), Léa Drucker (54), April Pearson (37), Lisa Snowdon (54), Chanel Cresswell (36), Sophie Robertson (23), Patrick Kerr (70), Ariadna Gil (57), Lee Jeong-eun (56), Mekenna Melvin (41) |
| David Siegel, who served as a co-producer and unit production manager on The Hangover trilogy of films, died Jan. 8 in Los Angeles of complications from kidney failure. He was 70. The obituary. |
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