Trouble Bruin; Price Club; Anna Inventing; One of a Kind; Waiting Game

Weekender: What's interesting and what matters in Hollywood.

View on web New reader? Subscribe August 29, 2026 By all public indicators, progress between Rob Bonta and David Ellison went nowhere this week. Should we chalk that up to the last week in August? Or are the states and Paramount really that far apart on any settlement deal?  — Erik Hayden    Ticker: Eddy Cue bets you'll pay $2 more; Sacha Baron Cohen is already in hot water; Darren Star jets to Greece; Marti Noxon takes on Ariana Grande discourse. Shot and Chaser Last week, THR ran a guest column from Cory Jacobson, the proprietor of Phoenix Theatres, to get his take on how a Paramount-Warner Bros. merger would impact his business. Ultimately, he wrote in favor of the deal, "Industries rarely suffer because too many people are willing to make sensible long-term investments. The greater danger comes when investment stops."    Two opposing views appeared in our pages this week, both widely circulated. One was from prolific writer Mike Schur who wrote at length about how the loss of a major studio would be felt: "We know what this merger will mean — one less buyer for our work, less demand for writing services, less leverage to negotiate deal terms that recognize our value, less creative latitude." Additionally, financier Joseph M. Singer, who has been advocating against the deal, took aim at what he views as a disconnect in Paramount discourse: "The acquisition’s financing depends on savings that the protections everyone wants would prohibit. That’s a difficult problem to solve." His column. Trouble Bruin A comeback for Los Angeles’ iconic 88-year-old Bruin Theatre in Westwood is now in doubt. Information about its new operator may kill the revival. Independent exhibitor Rui Pereira has called Jews "sub human devils," among other insults. Local Jewish groups are denouncing him. Gary Baum spoke to Pereira: "Everyone is welcome at the [Bruin] theater, including Zionists. I’ve come to open the theater for everybody." The story. Price Club Another name to add to the list of former Hollywood execs jumping into the world of microdramas: Roy Price. The ousted Amazon Studios chief has returned to the world of entertainment with Number One Best Website (N1BW), betting on the idea that the world is ready for user-generated verticals: "One thing that I think you can learn from the broad sweep of Hollywood history is that change is constant." Katie Kilkenny's interview. A Few Questions For Idiots filmmaker Macon Blair. The journey on the Dave Franco, O’Shea Jackson Jr. starrer dates all the way back to 2013, when Blair's career was just getting off the ground: "So we had a tough time, but we came close to getting a version of it made in 2017. It didn’t come off, though. It was a money thing." Brian Davids' Q&A. They Said It "I know this comes as a surprise and you have a lot to digest." — Channing Dungey, Warner Bros.' TV chair, on the exit of animation chief Sam Register (above).    "We're at risk of losing this momentum, and all the jobs we’ve created." — Ben Allen, California state senator, on a plan to offer Hollywood new perks to make up for a big catch in a $750 million incentives plan.   "The reduction reflects business conditions." — a rep for Megan Ellison's Annapurna banner, revealing the prestige label cut 30 staffers companywide, raising questions about its comeback as a film player.   "Canadians must remain in control of their own stories." — Reynolds Mastin,  CEO of the Canadian Media Producers, urging his government to bring back plans to force U.S. streamers to help subsidize domestic film and TV, amid a trade war with Trump.   "It’s as important as a Beard Award or a Food & Wine best new chef award." — Tom Colicchio, making an Emmy case for Top Chef, now working on season 24.   "I’m all about the future. I don’t live in the past." — Martha Stewart, leaning in to an extensive campaign to promote a new Waymo vehicle titled Ojai, while calling old-school taxis a "horrible experience."   Next Big Thing The breakout star of FX's Gen Z comedy, Amita Rao, is ready to dig into season two of Adults, especially the internet's favorite love triangle: "What was always been interesting to me was the tension between Issa and Anton as best friends."    Logline of the Week  [Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone] "When a frozen body appears and a snowstorm traps everyone inside, the deaths begin to mount. Everyone in Ern’s family has already killed someone — either by accident or otherwise." - Penn Badgley will star and David Hemingson will showrun the murder mystery set up at Prime Video.   One Stat $400K Blake Lively will receive about $400,000 in legal fees after the settlement of her legal battles with Justin Baldoni. That's well below the $8 million sought.   By the Numbers (Most-read stories on THR.com this week)   1) "Tim Curry, Outlandish Star of Rocky Horror Picture Show, Dies at 80"   2) "Dolly Parton’s Sister Stella Says Icon Offered to Test Experimental Drugs"   3) "Six Flags Coaster Closed After Two Riders Suffer Brain Hemorrhages"   Chart of the Week The end of July and beginning of August is a relatively quiet time for originals. And on Nielsen's streaming movies ratings chart, early summer blockbusters are starting their run at home: The Devil Wears Prada 2 led the movies chart with 911 million viewing minutes. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie also had a solid start with 777 million minutes on Peacock. The previous week’s overall No. 1, Masters of the Universe — yes, the box office disappointment is doing better on streaming — fell to fourth among movies. Full weekly charts.  One of a Kind "Dolly Parton Famously Turned Down Elvis. Can Songwriters Do the Same Now?" Ethan Millman notes, "The streaming era hasn’t been kind to working-class writers, whose revenues have fallen as traditional record sales went away. Meanwhile, modern pop songs often have long lists of songwriters, dividing the already slim profits even further. Those combined factors have made it much harder for all but the very few biggest writers to make the same decision Parton made 50 years ago."  Anna Inventing Despite the controversy swirling around the 2026 Met Gala, Anna Wintour is said to have wanted Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez back for a return engagement. The billionaire and his wife will not be reprising their sponsorship roles, leaving Wintour looking elsewhere for 2027’s financial firepower. Sources say George and Amal Clooney are high on Wintour’s wish list, along with Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos and former U.S. ambassador Nicole Avant. Merle Ginsberg's column. Midlife Crisis Dress Code Emmy-nominated costume designers of DTF St. Louis, Black Rabbit, Beef and The Beast in Me expose the spectrum of men's midlife reckonings through vintage band T-shirts, tight tank tops, and luxury tailoring: "It was really important that his clothes not fit properly; they're too tight." Fawnia Soo Hoo's story. About Town Glen Powell toasted the second season of Chad Powers at Barney’s Beanery in West Hollywood. Steve Aoki jumped into a cold plunge at The Grove to celebrate the rollout of a new skincare brand. Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston hopped behind the bar for a Dos Hombres takeover at Downtown Disney. Paris Jackson celebrated the launch of her new album Happiest Day of My Life in the Hollywood Hills. Paul W. Downs stopped by to present at the Location Managers Guild International Awards in Santa Monica. Dan Stevens, Adria Arjona and Drew Starkey walked the carpet at the L.A. premiere of A24's Onslaught. Gal Gadot debuted her Amazon MGM Studios film The Runner in L.A. All 36 photos from the week in premieres.  Upcoming Releases Notable movies heading to theaters The Bottom Line One-liners from THR's team of critics   Ridley Scott's The Dog Stars, starring Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley, is a "subdued but pleasingly soulful dystopian Western." (Plus, here's all 30 of Scott's movies ranked.) Angourie Rice and Spike Fearn "can’t conjure enough sparks to save rom-com Finding Emily from its toxic premise." Robert De Niro, Michelle Monaghan and Adam Scott team up for a "twisty airport paperback serial-killer procedural" in Netflix's The Whisper Man. In Mutiny (yes, the one that leaked on Prime Video), Jason Statham "anchors a serviceable maritime action flick that just about stays afloat." In Leslie Mann and Isla Fisher's Spa Weekend, a likable cast is "let down by uninteresting hijinks."   And finally:   A Hollywood Flashback... "Dolly Parton’s favorite word might be 'no.'" 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