| | | | | | What's news: Endeavor chief Ari Emanuel received a roughly $84m total pay package last year. Charter lost 392,000 pay-TV customers in Q1. Roku now has nearly 82m users. The fifth season of Law & Order: Organized Crime will debut on Peacock. CBS has ordered a fifth season of The Equalizer. The Lord of the Rings trilogy is heading back to theaters. The Onion has new owners. — Abid Rahman
Do you have THR's next big story? Confidentially share tips with us at tips@thr.com. |
How Safe Is Weinstein's Conviction in L.A. Trial? ►"It’s very hard, almost unheard of, for a case to be reversed on the basis." With an appeals court overturning Harvey Weinstein's rape conviction in New York, all eyes are now looking toward the integrity of a California judge’s decisions that led to a Los Angeles jury’s verdict finding him guilty of rape. While the disgraced movie mogul's upcoming appeal will likely focus on many of the same issues that led to a New York's highest court overturning his conviction, THR's Winston Cho writes that California law allows the introduction of evidence that demonstrates a propensity to commit sex crimes. The analysis.
—"Profoundly unjust." The stunning news that the New York state Court of Appeals had overturned Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction led to a storm of reaction on Thursday. Douglas H. Wigdor, who has represented eight Weinstein victims at the New York criminal trial, called the ruling a “major step back” and a decision that will ask the victims to relive the trial. The Silence Breakers, the group of sexual assault survivors and Weinstein accusers who represent more than 90 women, called the decision “profoundly unjust” but explained why it’s also "merely a setback." The reaction.
—Why it happened. The ruling by New York’s highest court to overturn Weinstein’s 2020 conviction on felony sex crime charges hinged on a series of decisions by the case’s trial judge, who was accused of making a series of “egregious” errors that biased the jury. THR has picked out some of the key highlights from the 77-page ruling which heavily criticized the judge, and concluded there was a "significant probability" the producer would have otherwise been acquitted. The story. |
Emanuel's Endeavor Pay Hits Nearly $84M in 2023 ►Quids in. Endeavor chief Ari Emanuel received a roughly $84m pay package last year — between his base salary, bonus, stock awards and other compensation — the company disclosed in its proxy filing on Thursday. President Mark Shapiro received $38.8m, by those same measures, in 2023, while executive chairman Patrick Whitesell saw $13.2m in pay. The Endeavor pay for Emanuel and Shapiro include their paydays at TKO Group Holdings, the owners of WWE and UFC, where his compensation package was valued at nearly $65m last year. The story.
—Losses narrow. Roku reported total net revenue of $882m in Q1, up 19 percent year over year. Both platform revenue and devices revenue saw a year-over-year increase of 19 percent in Q1 results reported Thursday, with platform revenue of $754.9m, driven by both the streaming service distribution and advertising, and devices revenue of $126.5m. The company narrowed its loss from operations to $72m from $104.2m in the previous quarter, and $212.5m a year ago. The number of user accounts reached 81.6m, up 14 percent. The results.
—Juggernaut. Even as linear TV continues to struggle, the video advertising market on YouTube continues to grow. The Google-owned video platform on Thursday reported advertising revenue of $8.1b in Q1 2024, up more than 20 percent from $6.7b in the Q1 quarter a year ago. Wall Street estimates were for YouTube ad revenue of $7.7b. Q1 is often a soft one for advertising, in Q4 (which is usually the best quarter for ads), YouTube had ad revenue of $9.2b. Both quarters were up by more than $1.2b from a year ago. The results.
—Slow bleed. Cable and broadband giant Charter Communications has seen its losses of pay TV customers quicken as it reported its Q1 results on Friday. The company shed 392,000 residential video customers during the latest quarter, which compared to a year-earlier decline of 237,000 subscribers. Charter had 13.1m pay-TV subscribers at the end of March 31, 2024 after the company introduced its Xumo streaming platform joint venture involving Comcast to stem the loss of video customers amid continuing cable cord-cutting in the U.S. market. The results.
—🤝 Renewal 🤝 Village Roadshow Entertainment Group has renewed its production partnership with Content Cartel Production Studios, NBA legend Kevin Garnett’s film and TV banner. In late 2021, Garnett’s Content Cartel inked a first-look development deal with Village Roadshow to cover scripted and unscripted projects for television, film and digital. The new and expanded deal includes Village Roadshow joining a new collaboration between Content Cartel and Bill Maher’s podcast network, Club Random Studios. The story.
—✊ "It is reasonable and right" ✊ Freelance casting assistants are launching an attempt to unionize with the Teamsters. Nearly 150 N.Y.C.- and L.A.-based casting assistants are supporting the drive to unionize with Teamsters Local 399 and Teamsters Local 817. The group has requested voluntary recognition from the AMPTP, which represents major Hollywood studios in collective bargaining and negotiates a casting director agreement with the Teamsters, and Netflix, which has its own casting director contract with the union. The story. |
'Good Times' Boss Defends Animated Reboot ►"I understand if this is jolting." For THR, Brande Victorian spoke to Ranada Shepard, showrunner on Netflix’s controversial Good Times reboot. Shepard explains her creative choices (including that drug-dealing baby) for the animated reimagination about a Black family in the Chicago projects, which she said had Norman Lear's stamp of approval: "Just give it a second and look at the stories and you'll understand." The interview.
—NBC’s loss is Peacock’s gain — again. THR's Lesley Goldberg reports that Peacock is putting the finishing touches on a deal that would see Law & Order: Organized Crime move from NBC to the streamer for a fifth season consisting of 10 episodes. Sources say NBC passed on bringing back the Chris Meloni-led spinoff. Once the deal is formalized, Peacock will now have a Dick Wolf original series to go with next-day episodes of NBC’s already renewed L&O flagship, as well as SVU. The story.
—"The series is stacked with suspense, heroism, high stakes and formidable characters." CBS has ordered a fifth season of The Equalizer, its drama series starring Queen Latifah (who also executive produces) as Robyn McCall, a former CIA operative turned freelance problem-solver for people who have nowhere else to turn. The show is a reimagining of the 1985–89 series of the same name, and not connected to the Denzel Washington-led film franchise. With the renewal, The Equalizer will pass the original series in the number of seasons it has aired. The story.
—"When I started comedy 25 years ago, my goal was to be a part of a sitcom." Netflix has handed out a 16-episode, straight-to-series order for an untitled multicamera comedy starring the stand-up comedian Leanne Morgan. Comedy kingpin Chuck Lorre (Big Bang Theory, Two and a Half Men) co-created the series alongside Morgan and Susan McMartin. Netflix says the untitled comedy revolves around Leanne, whose life "'takes an unexpected turn when her husband of 33 years leaves her for another woman." The story.
—New home. The CW is adding the Miss USA Pageant to its roster of programming. The network has signed a three-year deal to broadcast the pageant, beginning with the 73rd annual competition in August. The new agreement comes after The CW aired Miss USA in a one-off deal in 2023, which delivered the biggest audience (811,000 same-day viewers) of any new special on the network last year. The deal also includes the Miss Teen USA pageant, which will return to television for the first time since 2007. The story.
—It's joever for Suits. Netflix’s 3 Body Problem delivered its second straight No. 1 showing among streaming titles, leading the rankings for the last week of March. The acquired series top 10 had several new entrants, thanks in part to a change in how Nielsen reports the numbers. Due to the change, former Fox series The Resident and animated mainstays Family Guy and American Dad all made their first appearance in the top 10. The new entries also pushed Suits out of the top 10, ending the show’s run of 40 consecutive weeks in the rankings. The streaming rankings. |
Aniston Set to Produce '9 to 5' Reimagining ►Returning to the office. Jennifer Aniston is set to produce a reimagining of the iconic 1980 film 9 to 5 that starred Lily Tomlin, Dolly Parton and Jane Fonda. Aniston will produce the project that is in development through her Echo Films banner, alongside her partner Kristin Hahn. Oscar-winning Juno writer Diablo Cody will pen the script. The original film followed Parton, Fonda and Tomlin’s characters as they take revenge on their sexist boss, played by Dabney Coleman. The story.
—Fly, you fools... to the theater! Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy is coming back again — but it’s a bit different this time. Warner Bros. and Fathom Events are teaming to rerelease the Oscar-winning fantasy blockbusters this summer. The versions screened will be Jackson’s extended editions, and also the versions that the filmmaker remastered in 2020 for a 4K Ultra HD rerelease. This is the first time the remastered versions will be in theaters. The trilogy will screen across three days at Fathom Events participating chains, like AMC, Cinemark and Regal. The story.
—Promising. John Krasinski's upcoming summer movie IF already looks like it will open big when hitting theaters. The Paramount movie is tracking to open to $40m-plus, or a range of $38m to $42m, an impressive figure for an original family film. And based on raw data, some box office pundits believe it has a shot at $45m to $50m. The live-action/animated film tells the tale of a young girl who is suddenly able to see people’s imaginary friends. IF's cast list reads like a who’s who of top Hollywood stars, led by Ryan Reynolds. The box office report.
—Gift of the Gabby. DreamWorks Animation and Universal revealed Thursday that Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie will open nationwide on Sept. 26, 2025. The live-action/CGI series has been a smash hit for Netflix since its debut in 2021. Created by Traci Paige Johnson and Jennifer Twomey, Gabby’s Dollhouse is a mixed-media preschool adventure that centers on a 12-year-old who, after unboxing an item, uses the power of her magical cat ears to shrink down to dollhouse size and go on adventures with the help of her animated cat friends. The story.
—Majorette league. H.E.R., the Oscar, Emmy, and Grammy-winning musical artist who made her feature acting debut with the recent The Color Purple musical adaptation, is set to develop, produce, and star in a majorettes-inspired film project set up at 20th Century Studios. The untitled movie reteams her with Oprah Winfrey and Scott Sanders, her producers on Color Purple. Lauren Ashley Smith has been tapped to pen the script for what is being described as a dance movie set at a fictional HBCU in Atlanta. The story.
—🎭 Still got it 🎭 James Bond alum Pierce Brosnan is returning to his espionage roots. The actor is attached to star in A Spy’s Guide to Survival from director Simon Barry, the creator behind Netflix series Warrior Nun. Uri Singer’s Passage Pictures is producing the project that centers around a reclusive, retired spy who is brought out of hiding by his enigmatic new neighbor, digging up both of their secrets in the process. Barry will also write the film. The story. |
'Shogun' Star Delves Into Finale's Deeper Message ►"We need the hero who brings about peace." THR's Patrick Brzeski spoke to Hiroyuki Sanada about the finale of FX’s smash-hit miniseries Shōgun. The Japanese producer and star unpacks Lord Toranaga's intentions and the show's long journey to completion: "That we were able to make this happen is like a miracle to me." Warning: Spoilers! The interview.
—🏆 Change makers 🏆 The Television Academy has announced its recipients for the 17th Television Academy Honors, which recognizes seven television programs and their producers “who have leveraged the extraordinary power of storytelling to propel social change,” according to the Academy. The honorees are four non-scripted series and three scripted series: 1000% Me: Growing Up Mixed, The 1619 Project, A Small Light, BEEF, Deadlocked: How America Shaped the Supreme Court, Heartstopper and Lakota Nation vs. United States. The story.
—🏆 More noms 🏆 On Thursday, the Peabody Awards Board of Jurors revealed the 27 nominees in the Arts, Children’s/Youth, Entertainment, Interactive & Immersive categories. The programs recognized were chosen by a unanimous vote of 32 jurors from over 1,100 television, podcasts/radio and web in entertainment, news, documentary, arts, children’s/youth, public service and multimedia entries. Among the nominees were Judy Blume Forever, Little Richard: I Am Everything, Bluey, The Bear, Fellow Travelers, Jury Duty and The Last of Us. The nominees. |
Pet Shop Boys on Secret of Staying Together ►"People think all our records sound the same, but they don’t. There’s a wide range." THR's Seth Abramovitch spoke to the Pet Shop Boys, ahead of the synth-pop supergroup's release of their 15th studio album, Nonetheless, on April 26. The duo discuss almost working with Madonna and Kylie, their unexpected fans (like Noel Gallagher), Neil's rapping skills and the "amazing" time they once spent with Liza Minnelli ("Liza is so Liza"). The interview.
—100 actors! A new Harry Potter audiobook series is coming to Audible. As part of a partnership with Pottermore Publishing and Audible, the two will release seven new English language audiobooks scheduled for late 2025. The audiobooks will feature a full range of character voices from more than 100 actors, Dolby Atmos sound design and new scoring. Each book will be released sequentially and globally. This is in addition to the original audiobook recordings by Jim Dale and Stephen Fry, which were first released in 1999. The story.
—Saved! Satirical news site The Onion has a new owner. G/O Media CEO Jim Spanfeller announced on Thursday that the company had sold the publication to a Chicago-based company called Global Tetrahedron, which comprises “four digital media veterans with a profound love for The Onion and comedy based content.” The firm is run by former NBC reporter Ben Collins and owned by tech executive Jeff Lawson. The story. |
Film Review: 'Humane' ►"Good enough to make you wish it were better." THR's Lovia Gyarkye reviews Caitlin Cronenberg's Humane. This directorial debut from David Cronenberg's daughter revolves around a father who enlists in a controversial government depopulation program. The review.
In other news...
—Russell Crowe is a horror movie actor who begins to unravel in The Exorcism trailer
—Mayor of Kingstown official S3 trailer shows Jeremy Renner back in business
—Kid Cudi cancels tour due to broken foot after jumping off Coachella stage
—One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush confirms relationship with Ashlyn Harris
—The Abbey nightclub in West Hollywood sold for $27m
—Pinewood Toronto Studios names new general manager
—Sony Pictures taps Jill Ratner as general counsel
—Bob Cole, the voice of hockey in Canada for a half-century, dies at 90
What else we're reading...
—Ronan Farrow outlines the similarities between Harvey Weinstein's overturned conviction and Donald Trump's hush-money trial, currently taking place in New York [New Yorker]
—Charlie Warzel writes that the likely ban on TikTok is a disaster, even if you support it [Atlantic]
—Josef Adalian talks to Robbie Praw, the exec who oversees Netflix's stand-up comedy content, and they discuss why the streamer is still throwing money at specials and leaning into live events with its Netflix is a Joke Festival [Vulture]
—Reggie Ugwu reports on the boom of "video podcasts" that have exploded on YouTube, and helped the platform overtake Apple Podcasts and Spotify [NYT]
—Here's your Friday list: "TV's worst series finales of all time, ranked" [TV Line]
Today...
...in 1934, Paramount unveiled Henry Hathaway’s thriller The Witching Hour in theaters. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Carol Burnett (91), Channing Tatum (44), Kevin James (59), Jet Li (61), Joan Chen (63), Marianne Jean-Baptiste (57), Giancarlo Esposito (66), Pablo Schreiber (46), Amber Midthunder (27), Stana Katic (46), Tom Welling (47), Ivana Milicevic (50), Jordana Brewster (44), Emily Wickersham (40), Debra Wilson (62), Jemima Kirke (39), Louise Barnes (50), Luke Bracey (35), Michael Dorman (43), Riley Voelkel (34), Marnette Patterson (44), Susannah Harker (59), Jason Earles (47), Noah Mills (41), Nyambi Nyambi (45), Amin Joseph (44), Michael Damian (62), Shondrella Avery (53), Kate Hardie (56), McKenzie Westmore (47), Macarena García (36) |
| | Gayle Nachlis, who spent three decades as a William Morris agent before serving as executive director and then senior director of education at Women in Film, has died. She was 72. The obituary. |
|
|
|
| | | |
