Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on WEDNESDAY June 8, 2022.
Where… anyone up for a sequel? Not a bad way to start off your era running WARNER BROS (assuming Joaquin’s deal finalizes. Sure Zaz has some pull with the POLO LOUNGE chef to make a vegan dish to close this out).
Based on the best-selling book she did with James Patterson this Spring, about a woman who goes to Nashville to make a her music biz dreams come true… and a Country icon takes her under her wings 🎤.
Dolly is co-starring, writing original songs and producing with Reese Witherspoon / HELLO SUNSHINE. No word on a director. /THR
THR has all the details in the link ☝️, but essentially the movie whose deal closed yesterday will getat least a 30-day wide global theatrical release - APPLE will have to partner with a studio to release it (👋 SONY), and then it’ll come to APPLE TV+.
Filmmakerswould split APPLE’s theatrical take 50/50 - presumably that’s Brad, director Joseph Kosinski (“Top Gun: Maverick”) and producer Jerry Bruckheimer - and then also get paid additional fees that align with more typical streaming deals… 🤑
It’s a pretty interesting read. And probably only a deal that a company who made $25 Billion in profits in the first 3 months of this year would, or could make.
NETFLIX bought TAIWAN’s biggest box office hit of 2022- granted that’s a box office of $5.7 Million… but they’re gonna give the horror pic a whirl to see if it takes off globally on July 8. Oh - it’s called “Incantation”, about a family of cult worshipers and shot in a found footage style. No word on acquisition price. /THR
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Ok I’ve mentioned this show several times in the past month with casting news (it’s the show set in 1970’s Palm Beach high society) so yeah - this is mainly up first here so I could use that gif. /THR
WBTV will now see what streaming service bites (👋 APPLE TV) on the sci-fi series with a $200+ Million pricetag. (for reference, the new GOT series “House of the Dragon” is sub $200 Million).
JJ’s WBD deal goes until 2024… although at this point perhaps Zaz would let it go early upon request to pocket the cost savings. Although pretty sure deals that size don’t work that way 💰.
Granted WBTV will get $$ if when it lands elsewhere… but THR has a good overview in the link about just how productive the deal has been in the first 2.5 years at getting content onto HBO/MAX.
ALSO:
Today provides nice succinct snapshot preview for the next phase of the Streaming Wars:
Tech co’s (APPLE and AMAZON) have committed to being players in streaming after an iffy first few years in the late 2010’s, and are bringining their limitless checkbooks to play to win at their heart’s content (see Brad Pitt deal above, the LOTR series at AMAZON etc).
Traditional media co’s(WBD, PAR, DIS, NBCU) are having to look more closely at expenditures, as their several hundred million dollars in streaming losseseach quarter become an increasingly bad public look every 3 months in an economy facing recession:
Granted while HBOMAX doesn’t have the same extreme quarterly losses as the other streamers (PAR+, DIS+, PEACOCK) thanks to the core HBO business it’s built on, Zaslav has to find $3 Billion in cost savings.
Then there’s NETFLIX - kinda in the middle right now: they’re clearing $1 Billion+ in profit a quarter… but obviously the spending gravy train there has peaked.
AND: I still give even odds for a GOOGLE deal at some point mid-decade. (remember - this is a free newsletter so there’s not a big purse here on that bet).
It’s about their physician sexual abuse scandal where Dr. Richard Strauss was accused of abusing over 300 athletes over decades. Eva Orner (”Taxi to the Dark Side”) is directing. /THR
NETFLIX “Hustle” Adam Sandler hoops pic - STREAM HERE
DISCO+ “Hungry for Answers” - 4pt docuseries on Black food history - no link avail
HBO “The Janes” - Docu on an early 70’s underground safe abortion network - Premieres at9p
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
SONY “Bullet Train” trailer #2 - Look! It’s Sandy Bullock in a cameo role. The tone is much better communicated in this spot (equal action & comedy), and… still looks fun! IN THEATERS FRI AUG 5
NETFLIX “The School for Good & Evil” movie teaser spot - PREMIERES IN SEPT
AMAZON PRIME “Don’t Make Me Go”movie trailer - Father / teen Daughter road trip movie with a bit of an emotional twist - looks promising if they nail the tone properly! 🤞 PREMIERES FRI JULY 15
NETFLIX “The Sea Beast” movie trailer - From the director of “Moana” and “Big Hero 6”. PREMIERES FRI JULY 8
HULU “Prey” movie trailer - A“Predator” movie set amongst a Native American tribe. PREMIERES FRI AUG 5
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
I’ve been really enjoying revisiting one of my favorite Summer playlist albums from BEST COAST, here’s “California Nights”
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