| | | | | | What's news: IATSE members have voted to ratify two new three-year contracts. Fox Entertainment has laid off 30 people. Tom Sandoval is now not suing Ariana Madix. Chinese female action star Cheng Pei-pei has died. Paramount+ has canceled Halo. Dan Stevens will lead S3 of AMC's The Terror. — Abid Rahman
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Netflix Adds 8M Subs, Grows Streaming Lead on Rivals ►Stellar results. Netflix reported Q2 earnings Thursday, adding 8m subscribers and expanding its lead as subscription streaming TV’s dominant platform. The company now has 277m global subscribers. Netflix said last quarter that it will stop reporting subscriber numbers and average revenue per member beginning in Q1 of 2025. Netflix reported revenue of $9.56b and operating income of $2.6b, both up substantially from a year earlier. The results.
—"I think that AI is going to generate a great set of creator tools, a great way for creators to tell better stories." Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos said he is not yet sure how artificial intelligence and generative AI will impact TV and film content on the platform, but he believes it could provide powerful tools for creators. On the Netflix earnings call Thursday, executives were asked about the company exploring the use of generative AI on the platform and how it could impact both discoverability, and the content. The story.
—"Peter’s enthusiasm, industry knowledge and relationships have been invaluable in getting our advertising business off the ground." Peter Naylor, Netflix’s vice president of ad sales, is leaving the company. Naylor has been at Netflix since August 2022. The company will be hiring a head of U.S. and Canada ad sales to replace Naylor’s position, which was a more global role. The story. |
IATSE Members Vote to Ratify Major Contract Deals ►"Members have spoken." Crew members belonging to IATSE, Hollywood’s major below-the-line union, have voted to ratify two new three-year contracts. According to the union, 85.9 percent of voting members supported the Basic Agreement in the ratification vote tally. The Basic Agreement covers around 50,000 members, who are represented by 13 West Coast Locals. Meanwhile, 87.2 percent of members who work under the Area Standards Agreement voted “yes” on that contract, which covers around 20,000 members who belong to 23 Locals in regions outside L.A., New York, Chicago and San Francisco. The story.
—More layoffs. Fox Entertainment has laid off 30 employees as part of a restructuring, the latest in a series of workforce cuts across the industry. The cuts at Fox come as the broadcaster is changing the structure of its operations on both the production and business sides into three groups: The Fox Television Network, headed by Michael Thorn; Fox Entertainment Studios under Fernando Szew; and Fox Entertainment Global, the company’s worldwide sales arm. Tony Vassiliadis is the interim head of the latter division. The story.
—Wait, what? Tom Sandoval is not suing Ariana Madix, after all. Despite reports on Wednesday that the Bravo star was pursuing legal action against his ex-girlfriend Ariana Madix, Sandoval said Thursday the suit was filed without his full understanding and that he has since reversed course and fired the lawyer involved. The original lawsuit alleged that Madix violated Sandoval’s privacy when she looked at his phone during the season 10 finale of Vanderpump Rules, uncovering videos of Sandoval cheating on her with Rachel Leviss. The story.
—"Queen of Swords." Cheng Pei-pei, the pioneering Chinese actress considered the first female action star who made her name in the Shaw Brothers classic Come Drink With Me and later had a memorable turn as the villain Jade Fox in Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, has died. She was 78. The obituary.
—"Lou helped pioneer cable news into a successful and influential industry." Lou Dobbs, one of CNN’s original anchors who later worked at Fox News, has died. He was 78. No cause of death was immediately available. The former anchor and managing editor of CNN’s Lou Dobbs Tonight, he became known in recent years as a conservative TV and radio commentator and whose hard-line populist views made him a Fox News star on Fox Business Network's Lou Dobbs Tonight until that show’s cancellation in February 2021. The obituary. |
Bob Newhart 1929 - 2024 ►King of deadpan. Bob Newhart, the beloved stand-up performer whose droll, deadpan humor showcased on two critically acclaimed CBS sitcoms vaulted him into the ranks of history’s greatest comedians, died Thursday morning. He was 94. The Chicago legend, who won Grammy Awards for album of the year and best new artist for his 1960 breakthrough record, The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart, died at his Los Angeles home after a series of short illnesses, his longtime publicist, Jerry Digney, announced. The obituary.
—"Newhart’s style was maximalism masked in minimalism, a hilarious straight man and an expert reactor who, at times, needed to only react to himself." In a tribute piece, THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg writes that Bob Newhart was an Everyman with a comic voice like no other. The beloved performer claimed to be a "minimalist," but that was a typically humble oversimplification of a singular gift. The critic's appreciation.
—"Truly one of a kind." Jamie Lee Curtis, Judd Apatow, Paul Feig, Kaley Cuoco and Bill Prady are among those across Hollywood who paid tribute to the late Bob Newhart. Apatow, who co-directed Bob and Don: A Love Story about the life-long friendship of Newhart and Don Rickles, wrote on X, "Bob Newhart was the kindest most hilarious man. He asked me to make a documentary about his friendship with Don Rickles. I was so lucky to get to spend that time with my hero. His brilliant comedy and gentle spirit made everyone he encountered so happy." The reaction. |
Trump Returns to Bad Form — and Gives the Dems Hope ►"Trump’s advisers probably began tearing their hair out and Democratic strategists slowly began crawling off their ledges." Donald Trump accepted his party’s nomination at the RNC in a highly personal, and lengthy, speech on Thursday night. For THR, Frank Scheck writes that the former president abandoned his "unity" theme and reverted to his grievance-filled greatest hits in an unhinged mess of a speech. The review.
—"Tucker is trying to piss all over Fox." THR's Lachlan Cartwright reports that Tucker Carlson and his estranged ex-boss Rupert Murdoch very nearly collided on Wednesday in the lobby of the Trade Hotel in Milwaukee, where they’ve both been staying during the RNC this week. Sources say that the potentially awkward reunion was averted by quick-thinking Murdoch aides, who formed a human wall around the mogul just as Carlson was passing by, narrowly averting contact between the two. Lachlan writes that the fired Fox News host has been "acting like a frat boy" and annoying his ex-employers at every opportunity. The story.
—"Presidents are not ‘talent’ to be replaced with a snap of the finger." In a guest column for THR, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, a producer and founder and CEO of management/production company The Gotham Group, reminds Hollywood Democrats what’s at stake as she sorts through the pros and cons of changing the presidential ticket. The column. |
'The Boys' Star on How Finale Shooting Changes Everything for S5 ►Tragic end. For THR, Demetrius Patterson spoke to the star who met their end in The Boys season four finale. The performer discusses the end for their character and what they think the implications of the character’s death will mean when the series returns for its final run with season five. Warning: Spoilers! The interview.
—Game over? Paramount+ has canceled its video game adaptation Halo after two seasons. The series, based on the Xbox franchise and starring Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief John-117, finished its second season in March. Sources say the show’s producers — Amblin, Xbox and 343 Industries — will look to land the series at another outlet for a third season. Paramount+ is said to be supportive of a possible move. The story.
—🎭 A scary talent 🎭 The impossibly charming Dan Stevens will star in season three of AMC's anthology series The Terror. The Legion star will also be an executive producer. The cable network ordered the third season in February, based on Victor LaValle’s novel The Devil in Silver, almost five years after season two aired. The Devil in Silver centers on Pepper (Stevens), a man who finds himself wrongly committed to New Hyde Psychiatric Hospital in Queens. The story.
—Franchise first. Bravo has announced that Real Housewives of New Jersey will not be having a reunion special to cap the current 14th season. Bravo and Housewives executive producer Andy Cohen confirmed midseason that Teresa Giudice, Melissa Gorga and the rest of the cast would not be sitting down for the traditional reunion gathering this year. Tensions had gotten so high during the upcoming, explosive finale (which will air Aug. 4) that getting the cast back together was not an option. Instead, on Aug. 11, Bravo will air a special that was filmed earlier this week. The story.
—Wrexham effect. After Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney got fifth-tier Welsh soccer team Wrexham promoted to the English Football League, CBS Sports has swooped in to take the U.S. TV rights to games for the three divisions below the marquee Premier League. CBS Sports through a four-year deal will offer at least 250 EFL games through the 2027/28 season across the Championship, League One, League Two, Carabao Cup and Bristol Street Motors Trophy competitions, starting in August. Matches will air on Paramount+, with some airing on the CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network. The story. |
'Supacell' Creator on George Floyd Inspiring Hit Netflix Series ►"We’re in a genre that’s been done a million times over, but I feel like this just feels fresh. It feels new." THR's Lily Ford spoke to Andrew Onwubolu, aka Rapman, about his London-set Netflix superhero series Supacell. The showrunner talks about turning sickle cell disease into a superpower, his hopes for a second season and a lesson he learned from Game of Thrones that he's applying to the fates of his characters after that finale. Warning: Spoilers! The interview.
—"The theatrical experience that we’re trying to bring to the audience, we need to keep that alive." THR's Brian Davids spoke to filmmaker Lee Isaac Chung about his new film Twisters. Chung discusses how Star Wars helped him land the job of directing the film, and how he was able to make a franchise legacy sequel that isn’t overly beholden to its predecessor. The interview.
—"When I was coming into my 12- to-15-year-old self and getting into movies, my father was making very bad horror movies." Brian also spoke to Osgood Perkins about his film Longlegs, that scored the biggest opening for an independent horror pic in a decade with $22.6m in ticket sales. The filmmaker, who has horror in his DNA as the son of Psycho legend Anthony Perkins, discusses why he doesn't watch much contemporary horror. The interview.
—"[It] was an opportunity to do the kind of movie that was there every weekend when I was a kid." Completing his director trilogy, Brian also spoke to Greg Berlanti about his new film Fly Me to the Moon. The prolific TV producer returns to the director's chair for the 1960s-set feature, which required him to overcome his cat allergy to direct the film’s feline scene-stealer. Berlanti also discusses saying goodbye to the Arrowverse. The interview. |
TV Review: 'Lady in the Lake' ►"Smart and ambitious, if rarely gripping." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews Apple TV+'s Lady in the Lake. Alma Har'el's adaptation of the Laura Lippman novel features Natalie Portman and Moses Ingram in a story of race, class, murder and journalism in 1960s Baltimore. The review.
—"A delectable celebration of everyday ingredients." THR's Angie Han reviews Apple TV+'s Omnivore. Hosted by Noma’s René Redzepi, each episode of the globetrotting docuseries focuses on a single key ingredient to consider the way it's shaped our history, our society and perhaps our future. 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. In this live episode, Scott spoke to Clive Owen. The English stage and screen actor reflects on his path from a rough childhood to his star-making role in Croupier; why he wasn't excited about the prospect of playing James Bond; what it was like playing different characters in the stage and screen versions of Closer; and why, since The Knick, he has increasingly worked in TV. Listen here.
—It Happened in Hollywood. THR senior writer Seth Abramovitch goes behind the scenes of the pop culture moments that shaped Hollywood history. In this episode, Seth spoke to Casey Affleck. The Oscar-winner drops by to unpack the making of Andrew Dominik's The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the 2007 epic revisionist Western Affleck starred in with Brad Pitt. Listen here.
In other news...
—Beetlejuice Beetlejuice trailer: Winona Ryder recruits Michael Keaton’s ghost with the most to help her daughter
—Dune: Prophecy sets fall premiere at HBO, releases second teaser
—Dexter prequel first look reveals Patrick Gibson as Dexter Morgan
—Geoff Stier returns to Paramount Pictures as executive vp of production
—UTA adds former Wasserman exec Shelley Lewis to comms team
—Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS executive director Tom Viola to retire after 36 years
—Bob Booker, writer-producer on The First Family comedy album, dies at 92
—Eddie Rosenblatt, veteran Geffen Records executive, dies at 89
—The best family-friendly resort getaways that feel like summer camp — from L.A. to the Maldives
What else we're reading...
—Kara Voght reports on former first lady Melania Trump making her presence known in the RNC's final hours [WaPo]
—Catherine Shoard talks to the always hilarious Rob Delaney who talks Deadpool & Wolverine and why he thinks "the average British citizen is funnier than the average American" [Guardian]
—Allison Johnson worries that Samsung’s new image-generating AI tool is a little too good and will make it harder than ever to spot fake images [Verge]
—Rebecca Falconer reports that a man in Germany has likely been cured of HIV after a stem cell transplant [Axios]
—Here's your Friday list: "Shannen Doherty’s most essential Beverly Hills, 90210 episodes" [Vulture]
Today...
...in 2007, AMC introduced Don Draper and Mad Men to America. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Benedict Cumberbatch (48), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (69), Abel Ferrara (73), Ramin Djawadi (50), Jared Padalecki (42), Anthony Edwards (62), Mark Proksch (46), Chris Sullivan (44), Saïd Taghmaoui (51), Atom Egoyan (64), Derek Wilson (42), Vinessa Shaw (48), Mark Webber (44), Campbell Scott (63), Cherami Leigh (36), Kaitlin Doubleday (40), Nancy Carell (58), Steven Anthony Lawrence (34), George Dzundza (79), Beau Gadsdon (16), Erin Cummings (47), Bodhi Elfman (55), Ryan Dorsey (41), James Austin Johnson (35), Beverly Archer (76), Tonya Glanz (42), Angela Trimbur (43), Zhu Zhu (40), Courtenay Taylor (55), Kira Spencer Cook (40), Amita Suman (27), Angela Griffin (48), Josh Fadem (44), William Houston (56) |
| Yvonne Furneaux, the glamorous French-British actress who had memorable performances in Michelangelo Antonioni’s Le Amiche, Federico Fellini’s La Dolce Vita and Roman Polanski’s Repulsion, has died. She was 98. The obituary. |
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