What's news: Jimmy Kimmel's interview with James Talarico will stream on YouTube to avoid FCC scrutiny. Martin Herlihy is leaving SNL. Paul Feig is in talks to helm The Italian Job for Paramount. And Netflix has picked up Understudy, a hot TV package that has Steven Yeun, Phil Lord and Chris Miller attached. — Abid Rahman
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THR's 50 Most Powerful TV Producers of 2026
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►"You really do have to make your own success now more than ever." THR‘s annual poll of the most powerful writer-producers is back! The TV heavy hitters behind this past year’s most impactful series — Katie Dippold, Rachel Sennott, Jacob Tierney, Vince Gilligan and many, many more — go deep on the trends they hate, the shows they love and the execs they actually admire. The survey.
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Emmys 2026: Who Will Win … and Who Should Win
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►Looking good for Matthew Rhys. Ahead of the Primetime Emmy Awards on Sept. 14, THR's executive editor of awards Scott Feinberg and chief TV critic Daniel Fienberg got together for their annual debate on who will win and who should win next Monday night. The conversation.
—"The swag bags are nuts." Also ahead of the ceremony, THR's Lacey Rose talked to Mariska Hargitay about her Emmy hosting plan. The Law & Order: SVU star, Knicks superfan and, soon, Emmy host dishes about the speeches, the jokes and the prep for TV’s biggest night. The interview.
—Stepping up. The Emmys have enlisted an array of stars known for both television and film roles to present on Monday. Zendaya, David Harbour, Florence Pugh, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Amy Poehler and Jon Hamm are just a few of the presenters that the Television Academy named on Wednesday. Other stars set to appear onstage at downtown L.A.’s Peacock Theater during the ceremony include Odessa A’zion, David Boreanaz, Linda Cardellini, Macaulay Culkin, Alan Cumming, Sally Field, Marcello Hernández, Kate Jackson and Peter Krause. The story.
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AI Is Deflating Hollywood's Microdramas Scene
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►"June hit and all of a sudden we went from having 15 to 20 different shows casting on breakdowns a day to maybe four." Phone-centric soaps kept underemployed cast and crew in Los Angeles afloat after the strikes. With AI-generated verticals now flooding the apps, auditions – and hopes – are evaporating, reports THR's Katie Kilkenny. The story.
—✊ Ratified! ✊ Blizzard Entertainment workers behind titles including World of Warcraft and Diablo have ratified their first union contracts following two years of negotiations. The contracts, ratified on Tuesday night, cover roughly 1,900 workers who work at Blizzard’s games and shared services divisions, and on the quality assurance, platform and technology and story and franchise development teams. The story.
—Suit filed. Florida has sued Netflix over its data-collection infrastructure, accusing the streaming giant of illegally accumulating massive troves of information on users to fuel its advertising business. The lawsuit, filed in Florida state court on Wednesday, alleges Netflix deploys deceptive designs to keep subscribers engaged on the platform by maximizing continuous viewing, obstructing cancellations and deterring the use of privacy-protective settings, among other things. The story.
—"A proof point about our business and about the future of our business." Top Imax execs on Wednesday talked about The Odyssey halo effect on the film tech company as Christopher Nolan’s epic adventure movie extends its run on its premium format screens. Nolan’s blockbuster, which has grossed $1.6b in theaters, is also expected to help the giant screen pioneer expand into new markets internationally and deepen movie partnerships with Hollywood studios and streamers. The story.
—New production banner just dropped. Thunder Road Films founder Basil Iwanyk and partner Erica Lee are combining with the Lit Entertainment Group to launch TR/AK, a new media company for original stories, creators and film and TV projects for global audiences. The new venture brings together Thunder Road, producers on the John Wick franchise, with Lit Entertainment, the management and production company led by veteran literary manager and founder Adam Kolbrenner. The story.
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Kimmel's Talarico Interview Heads to YouTube to Avoid FCC Hassle
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►Preemptive move. Jimmy Kimmel's planned Thursday interview with James Talarico will not be aired on the ABC broadcast of Jimmy Kimmel Live! and will instead stream on the late-night show’s YouTube channel. Kimmel made the announcement during his monologue on Wednesday’s episode of his late-night show. Discussing the Texas senate race, Kimmel said that he would interview Democratic candidate Talarico on Thursday “under unusual circumstances,” and then alluded to ABC’s ongoing issues with the FCC. The story.
—Not going anywhere. Staying with Kimmel, his show isn't ending in 2027, despite reports. On Tuesday, Page Six reported that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would end next year. “His contract is not getting extended,” the publication cited “a source familiar with the situation” as having stated. ABC immediately denied that was the case, however. “The information is inaccurate — any reports about the future of the show at this point are purely speculative,” an ABC Entertainment spokesperson told THR. Separately, a source close to Kimmel also denied to THR there was any truth to the report. The story.
—"You are on notice." Elon Musk apparently hasn’t yet seen Alex Gibney’s Musk documentary, but he sure doesn’t like what he’s hearing. The nearly four-hour film created quite a stir after premiering Tuesday at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a five-minute standing ovation. But the tech mogul’s attorney Alex Spiro sent the production a letter which accuses Gibney of misrepresenting facts about Musk, while Musk himself blasted the film as a “boring … hit piece” on X. The story.
—Shocking claim. Harvey Levin, the founder and longtime face of TMZ, reportedly cut Kanye West‘s praise of Adolf Hitler and all discussion of Nazism from the notorious 2018 interview in which the rapper claimed slavery “was a choice” for Black Americans. The claim comes from a GQ article published Wednesday, in which reporter Joshua Hunt spoke with more than two dozen current and former TMZ staffers, including Evan Rosenblum, who spent 15 years at the outlet. The story.
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Netflix Buys 23-Page Short Story for $1M
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►Intriguing. In a deal that showcases the short story as a dominant form of source material, Netflix has picked up Understudy, a hot TV package that has Steven Yeun and Phil Lord and Chris Miller attached. The short story is written by bestselling sci-fi and horror author Nicholas Binge, who is also attached to write the adaptation. Sources tell THR's Borys Kit the story centers on an actor who is hired for a unique role in South Korea. Before long, bodies start dropping, crimes are being committed, and the actor slowly realizes he’s at the center of a far-reaching plan. Yeun’s Celadon Pictures and Lord Miller will executive produce the series as part of their first-look deals with Netflix. The story.
—🤝 Rights deal. 🤝 The Professional Women’s Hockey League is expanding its TV presence in the U.S. Scripps Sports and the PWHL on Wednesday announced a media rights deal for the 2026-27 season — the first season-long deal in the brief history of the league, which began play in 2024. Scripps Sports Network, the company’s FAST channel for sports, will also show two PWHL games per week. The league’s YouTube channel and website will also continue streaming every game. The story.
—Another exit. Martin Herlihy is leaving Saturday Night Live after five seasons. Herlihy, who primarily served as a writer on the show, is one-third of comedy group Please Don’t Destroy and the son of SNL legend Tim Herlihy. Martin Herlihy follows fellow Please Don’t Destroy nepo-comic John Higgins, the son of Steve Higgins, out the Studio 8H door — albeit one year (and one week) later. The story.
—🎭 Across the Sheridanverse. 🎭 Michael Kelly is going from Lioness to Landman. The House of Cards actor who is currently starring on the third season of the Nicole Kidman and Zoe Saldaña espionage series is hopping over to his next Taylor Sheridan series: He’ll be a regular for season three of Landman. On the Big Oil drama, Kelly will star as William Crockett, who is described as being the leader of the largest oil management firm in the world. The story.
—Sashay away, innit. After eight seasons, RuPaul’s Drag Race UK has been dropped by the BBC, with the broadcaster citing “significant financial pressures.” In April, the BBC announced a plan to cut 1,800 staffers in a bid to save $678m. A rep told THR on Thursday: “As the BBC continues to navigate significant financial pressures and deliver the savings required of us, we have had to make some very difficult choices, none of which have been taken lightly.” The story.
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Hollywood Puts Tech Moguls on Trial in October Movie Pileup
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►Billionaire beatdown. Hollywood’s obsession with Silicon Valley is about to reach a fever pitch with four major films set to take on controversial tech moguls. Opening this month are Luca Guadagnino’s Sam Altman biopic Artificial; Alex Gibney‘s Elon Musk doc Musk; Nathan Fielder and Lance Oppenheim’s Elizabeth Holmes docudrama You Can See Everything; and Aaron Sorkin’s Mark Zuckerberg biopic followup The Social Reckoning. All the movies have key dates in October, resulting in a rather extraordinary thematic pileup as one California industry takes on another. And oddly enough, three of the projects released their first teaser trailers within 48 hours of each other. The story.
—"We still believe in the project." Hope may still spring eternal for fans of South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone amid a new update surrounding the movie that they have been working on with Kendrick Lamar. Paramount's planned musical comedy film, which has been known by working title Whitney Springs, is currently undated after the release date was pushed several times. On Wednesday, Parker and Stone issued a statement lamenting the lengthy process to complete the project that hails from the pair’s production company Park County, in addition to Lamar and producing partner Dave Free’s pgLang banner. The story.
—Mini adventure. Paul Feig is in early talks with Paramount to helm a follow-up film to the studio’s 2003 action hit The Italian Job that starred Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron, Edward Norton and Jason Statham. Paramount is looking for a writer for the project. F. Gary Gray’s 2003 heist film was inspired by 1969’s original The Italian Job that starred Michael Caine. The 2003 one centered on Wahlberg as Charlie Croker, a master thief who sets out on a revenge mission that involves rounding up his motley team to track down a cache of gold. The story.
—🏆 Laban lang! 🏆 Australia has selected James J. Robinson’s feature debut First Light as its official submission for the best international feature film category at the 99th Academy Awards. The first-ever Filipino-Australian co-production, First Light is the first Tagalog-language film ever submitted by Australia for the Oscars. The drama follows an elderly nun, whose life has been shaped by discipline, service and belief, who, after a young construction worker dies under suspicious circumstances, gets drawn into a world of crime and corruption. The story.
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Film Review: 'The Uprising'
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►"Skillfully made and acted, but exhausting." THR's Frank Scheck reviews Paul Greengrass' The Uprising. The violent historical drama tells the story of the 14th-century Peasants' Revolt in England. Starring Andrew Garfield, Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Thomasin McKenzie, Jonny Lee Miller, Woody Norman, Stanley Townsend, Katherine Waterston and Sky Yang. Written by Paul Greengrass. The review.
—"Worth the long wait." THR's Jordan Mintzer reviews Ilya Khrzhanovsky's Venice competition entry DAU. The biopic of Russian physicist Lev Lendau has been 20 years in the making, with over a dozen related features and other projects created in what’s been dubbed the "Stalinist Truman Show." Starring Teodor Currentzis, Radmila Shchogolieva, Anatoly Vasiliev, Maria Nafpliotou, Vladimir Azhippo, Dmitri Tcherniakov and Dmitry Cheglakov. Written by Ilya Khrzhanovsky, Susanne Marian, Vladimir Sorokin and Ilia Permyakov. The review.
—"A corny concept elevated by a major actress." Jordan reviews Kornél Mundruczó's Place to Be. The latest feature from the Hungarian director behind Pieces of a Woman premiered out of competition in Venice, and is strange and sentimental road movie starring Ellen Burstyn and Taika Waititi. Also starring Pamela Anderson, David Wenham, Lena Waithe and Murray Bartlett. Written by Kata Weber. The review.
—"Gripping and well-performed, if rather didactic." Jordan reviews Stéphane Brizé's Venice competition entry A Good Little Soldier. In this French workplace drama Alba Rohrwacher stars alongside Vincent Lindon in Brizé’s latest story of late-stage capitalism gone awry. Also starring David Talbot, Adrien Bobinet and Sharif Andoura. Written by Stéphane Brize, Coralie Amédéo and Olivier Gorce. The review.
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►"Good enough to binge, not elite enough to remember." THR's Angie Han reviews Netflix's Crew Girl. The streamer's lastest YA drama series follows a female rower who begins serving as coxswain for the boys' team after transferring to an elite New England prep school. Starring Miku Martineau, Jessica Paré, Sam Braun, Kyle Clark, Thomas Cadrot, Jude Wilson, Connor Paton, Niall Matter and Olga Petsa. Created by Vivian Lin and Morwyn Brebner. The review.
—"Wood you like to see some trees?" THR's Leslie Felperin reviews Victor Kossakovsky's Holy Wood Dust. Playing out of competition in Venice, the latest doc from the Gunda and Architecton helmer is a meditation on the precious beauty and importance of trees. Written by Stefano Mancuso, Victor Kossakovsky, based on an idea by Stefano Mancuso. The review.
—"What I didn't do on my summer vacation." For THR, Richard Lawson reviews Xavier Tera's The Color of the Sun. The first-time feature filmmaker tells an Okinawa-set coming-of-age tale of adolescent exploration, which premiered in the Horizons sidebar of the Venice Film Festival. Starring Naoto Shimajiri, West Mulholland, Ichiro Andre Castro, Daido, Yuma Taira, Shiyun Nakamura, Erika Oda and Sachiko Fukumoto. Written by Xavier Tera. The review.
In other news...
—Jalen Brunson to host SNL S52 premiere
—MTV VMAs: Nirvana to receive Video Vanguard Award
—Harry Styles announces 2027 stadium tour in North America and Europe
—Miley Cyrus’ Hollywood Bowl shows draw 1.5m in pre-sale queue
—Noah Kahan drops “Orbiter” music video on Spotify
—Sydney Sweeney stars in provocative ad campaign for Novig
—Elon Musk’s estranged daughter goes anti-AI in Desigual fashion campaign
—Nina Shipman, actress in The Oregon Trail and The Munsters, dies at 88
What else we're reading...
—Ashley Gold reports that a bipartisan AI safety bill may be introduced as early as next week [Semafor]
—Kristen Lopez reflects on the troubling rise of film influencers who are squeezing out legit movie critics [Salon]
—Joshua Hunt's indepth piece on TMZ is the talk of social media, and for good reason [GQ]
—Packy McCormick unpacks why everyone is reading Larry McMurty's Lonesome Dove right now [Substack]
—Erin Woo and Meghan Bobrowsky report that star AI researcher Andrew Tulloch, who was lured to Meta with a whopping $1b pay package, is now leaving the company [WSJ]
Today...
...in 1955, the iconic Western series Gunsmoke premiered on CBS. The James Arness-starrer went on to have a 20-season, 635-episode television run, picking up five Emmys along the way. The original review.
Today's birthdays...
Guy Ritchie (58), Colin Firth (66), Chris Columbus (68), Ryan Phillippe (52), Sarah Levy (40), Kate Burton (69), Johnathon Schaech (57), Clark Johnson (72), James Duval (54), Amy Irving (73), Harry and Luke Treadaway (42), Anurag Kashyap (54), Matt Rife (31), Kyle Bornheimer (51), Dylan Llewellyn (34), Elyse Levesque (41), Jim Meskimen (67), Paulina Alexis (26), Gabriel Bateman (22), Daniel Benson (39), Harry Groener (75), Sean O'Bryan (63), Stephanie Erb (63), Giannina Facio (71), Fred Olen Ray (72), Stacey Nelkin (67), Alex Saxon (39), Erin Darke (42), Alex Horne (48), Pêpê Rapazote (56), Greg Mullavey (87), Larry Sullivan (56)
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Barry Melrose, the blue-collar NHL defenseman who brought flash to the Los Angeles Kings as their coach and fun to ESPN during his nearly three decades as a colorful hockey analyst, died Wednesday. He was 70. The obituary.
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