| | | | What's news: Layoffs have hit Amazon Studios. Meta has shuttered Facebook Watch. Dodgeball 2 is a go at 20th Century Studios. Donald Sutherland will star in Taylor Sheridan's Bass Reeves drama. The Philippou brothers are in talks to direct Street Fighter. Monica Barbaro will star in James Mangold's Bob Dylan biopic. — Abid Rahman |
Corden Says Goodbye in Star-Filled Final 'Late Late Show' ►"It's time to go home." James Corden was joined by plenty of familiar faces, including some notable surprise guests, as he said goodbye to CBS' The Late Late Show after eight years as host. Corden’s last night as host of the late night series began Thursday with a primetime special that was followed by the final episode itself. Among the highlights of the special was a segment in which Corden and Tom Cruise appeared as Timon and Pumbaa, respectively, in a live performance of The Lion King. The story.
—"Made the decision to adjust resources." Amazon Studios is the latest entertainment company to be hit by a round of layoffs. Sources tell THR's Lesley Goldberg that Prime Video has reduced its workforce by 100 staffers across its technology team and other areas. Also impacted are a few MGM staffers who joined Amazon as part of its $8.5b acquisition of the storied film and TV studio. The layoffs come as Amazon chief Jennifer Salke has been under increased pressure to deliver breakout hits following years of free spending. The story.
—Pivot away from video. Meta is shutting down its Facebook Watch original programming leaving the future of shows like Jada Pinkett Smith's Red Table Talk in limbo. Smith's production company Westbrook Studios is looking to find a new home for the talk show. The shuttering of the streamer comes as Meta implements wide-ranging cost cuts across the company. Among those leaving is Mina Lefevre, the former MTV exec who led development and original programming for Facebook Watch. The story.
—The latest. A judge has granted a full temporary order of protection for the woman who made an allegation of assault against actor Jonathan Majors. The order, which was requested by the Manhattan DA's office, was granted with the consent of defense counsel. A limited temporary order of protection had been granted during Majors’ March arraignment. The actor, who has denied any wrongdoing, is slated to appear in court on criminal charges on May 9. The story. —Shock media exits continue. The BBC’s under-fire chairman Richard Sharp has resigned following a report that stated he breached appointment rules by not fully disclosing his role in a loan given to disgraced former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Sharp had faced months of pressure to quit after it emerged that he had helped Johnson — who was involved in his selection process — access to a loan facility reportedly worth around $1m. The story. |
Paramount Debuts 20 Minutes of 'M:I 7' Footage at CinemaCon ►Searing action. Per his annual tradition, Tom Cruise was dead set on sending a message to impress theater owners at Paramount's presentation at CinemaCon. The actor and producer delivered with a new trailer for Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One, as well as 20 minutes of jaw-dropping footage from the upcoming film. The story.
—"When you’re talking about movies, magical thinking, nostalgia, and daydreaming, that is the sound business plan." Christopher Nolan had the crowd laughing Thursday night at CinemaCon’s Big Screen Achievement Awards as he recounted a story of once being mistaken for Aaron Sorkin by a very grateful film fan. Nolan also took the opportunity to passionately defend the theatrical experience. The Oppenheimer director and producing partner and wife Emma Thomas received the NATO Spirit of the Industry Award on a night that also feted Zendaya, Melissa McCarthy, Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Chris Meledandri, Rolando B. Rodriguez and the cast of Adele Lim’s Joy Ride. The story.
—"I am truly grateful for my experiences working with you, Marty." None other than Leonardo DiCaprio showed up for Martin Scorsese during a special luncheon conversation Thursday at CinemaCon honoring the famed filmmaker. Scorsese is in Vegas to promote Apple Original Studios' Killers of the Flower Moon, which is his sixth film with DiCaprio. The story. More from CinemaCon...
—Ziggy Marley debuts footage, reveals title of biopic about legendary Bob Marley
—A Quiet Place: Day One trailer makes noise at CinemaCon
—Seth Rogen debuts first look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
—John Krasinski casts Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Jon Stewart, Maya Rudolph and Sam Rockwell in If
—Transformers One voice cast and new details revealed at CinemaCon
—Rihanna to voice Smurfette in Smurfs; Chris Rock joins new PAW Patrol movie |
Jerry Springer 1944 - 2023 ►"He’s irreplaceable, and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on." Jerry Springer, the former Cincinnati mayor who became America’s most controversial talk show host — a man described by one interviewer as a “purveyor of the puerile and arbiter of the aberrant,” famous for a combustible cocktail of hurled insults, punches and chairs — has died. He was 79. Springer died Thursday of pancreatic cancer at his home in suburban Chicago. The obituary.
—"Jerry Springer was the anti-Oprah Winfrey Show." THR critic Frank Scheck writes that Jerry Springer didn't just reflect our debased culture — he helped to create it. The infamous trash TV talk show host started out with serious aspirations but, in a transition that was emblematic of the coarsening of our society, dumbed them down in pursuit of ratings and tawdry glory. The critic's notebook. |
Diane Keaton: "You're Gonna Pray to Get Off This Call" ►"I’ve had interesting experiences at the dentist’s office. Not good, but it’s fine now. I have my teeth." Read Mia Galuppo's interview with Diane Keaton, in which the THR Icon — one of Hollywood’s greatest comedians, dramatic actresses and style icons — sings inappropriate lyrics, reminisces about her career (from The Godfather to Woody Allen to Book Club), and tries to avoid talking about herself. The interview.
—Rejoice! Vince Vaughn is set to star in and produce a long-gestating sequel to Dodgeball in the works at 20th Century Studios. Jordan VanDina is understood to be at work on a script but there’s no word on a storyline. In the 2004 film, Vaughn played a slacker owner of a rundown gym who gathers a group of misfits into a dodgeball tournament in order to defeat an encroaching corporate gym run by Ben Stiller. The movie grossed more than $114m domestically on a reported budget of $20m. The story.
—Lack of hits. Sony Pictures Entertainment saw its operating profit fell by 45 percent or $894m, as sales fell by $851m on the back of a lack of blockbuster theatrical hits and one off gains logged in fiscal 2021. Sony's music division saw sales grow 24 percent to $1.95b for fiscal 2022, with operating income hitting a $390m, thanks to hit albums from Harry Styles and Beyoncé. The story.
—Nerd prom just got a little cooler. THR's Alex Weprin has the scoop on Arnold Schwarzenegger kicking off this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner with a pretaped "cold open." This year's dinner will feature Roy Wood Jr. as the headliner, with President Joe Biden set to appear as well. The story. |
Monica Barbaro in Final Talks to Join Bob Dylan Biopic ►🎭 The answer 🎭 THR's Borys Kit has the scoop that Top Gun: Maverick star Monica Barbaro is in final negotiations to join Timothée Chalamet in Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown. Barbaro will portray Joan Baez, the folk singer and activist who also performed at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965 where Dylan famously went electric. James Mangold is directing the drama for Searchlight Pictures, with production to begin this summer in New York. The story.
—🎭 Touch of class 🎭 Donald Sutherland has joined the cast of Taylor Sheridan’s upcoming Western series about real-life frontier hero Bass Reeves. The Paramount+ drama, by showrunner Chad Feehan, is getting a name change from Bass Reeves to Lawmen: Bass Reeves, and the project will now be an anthology series. Reeves will still be the focus of season one, but subsequent seasons will center on different iconic lawmen who impacted history. The story.
—🎭 Wacky 🎭 Adam Brody will star alongside Kristen Bell in an untitled Netflix comedy from creator Erin Foster (Barely Famous) and executive producer Steven Levitan (Modern Family). The series is “centered on the unlikely relationship between an outspoken, agnostic woman (Bell) and an unconventional rabbi (Brody),” the logline reads. The story.
—Up-and-coming helmers. Danny and Michael Philippou are in final negotiations to direct Street Fighter, Legendary’s feature adaptation of the classic video game from Capcom. The Aussie twin filmmakers made their name with Sundance horror sensation Talk to Me. Conversations with a short list of writers are currently underway. The story. |
'The Crown' Offers First Look at Will and Kate ►First-look. Netflix gave us our first glimpse of Prince William and Kate Middleton in the sixth and final season of The Crown. Both roles are played by TV newcomers. Ed McVey, 23, takes on the role of William in the later episodes of the sixth season. McVey is a recent drama school graduate with London stage experience. Meg Bellamy, 19, was cast as Middleton after submitting an audition tape following a casting call on social media. The story.
—Hostile witness. In a packed New York courtroom, Ed Sheeran picked up his guitar Thursday and launched into a tune that has him locked in a copyright dispute over Marvin Gaye’s soul classic “Let’s Get it On” as the only audience that mattered — a jury — looked on. Sheeran was an hour into testimony in Manhattan federal court when his lawyer, Ilene Farkas, pressed him to tell how he came to write “Thinking Out Loud” a decade ago. The story.
—Charged. Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning writer of Milk, has been charged with assault in a case involving BBC presenter Teddy Edwardes. Black pleaded not guilty when he appeared in the Westminster Magistrates Court in London on Thursday, where he faced a charge of assault by beating. He has been released on unconditional bail and is set to appear in court on Aug. 8. The story.
—"My family would not be accepted." Dwyane Wade has opened up about why he decided to move his family out of Florida to California. The three-time NBA champion stopped by Showtime’s new series, Headliners with Rachel Nichols, where he was asked about Florida politicians who are fans of his while also supporting LGBTQ policies that negatively affect his family. Wade has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ rights following his daughter Zaya coming out as transgender in 2020. The story.
—"That group of women was the most magical thing ever." Melissa McCarthy admits she would waste no time to get the gang back together for a Bridesmaids sequel. In a new interview, the actress admitted that she would do a follow-up to the 2011 film "this afternoon, right now" and reflected on the great time she had filming the comedy hit. The story. |
TV Review: 'Peter Pan & Wendy' ►"Less a retelling for kids than for jaded adults." THR's Lovia Gyarkye reviews Disney+'s Peter Pan & Wendy. Jude Law and Yara Shahidi star in Green Knight filmmaker David Lowery’s empathetic portrayal of Neverland, in this latest adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s classic Pan stories. The review.
—"Lightweight." THR's Frank Scheck reviews George Tillman Jr.'s Big George Foreman: The Miraculous Story of the Once and Future Heavyweight Champion of the World. Khris Davis plays the title role in this film about the fighter who became the oldest heavyweight champion ever, also starring Forest Whitaker, Jasmine Mathews and Sullivan Jones. The review. |
Thank Pod It's Friday ► All the latest content from THR's podcast studio.
—TV's Top 5. THR's Lesley Goldberg and Dan Fienberg break down the latest TV news. The duo begin by running through the week's headlines, including Amazon ordering a new show from Amy Sherman-Palladino, Big Mouth ending at Netflix and Apple canceling Truth Be Told. There's a segment on the shock firings of Tucker Carlson and Don Lemon. THR editor-at-large Kim Masters joins the podcast to discuss her story on the ouster of NBCU CEO Jeff Shell. There's also a segment on the potential writers strike and what it all means. And Dan reviews Citadel, A Small Light, White House Plumbers, Fatal Attraction and Love and Death. Listen here.
—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 Russ Tamblyn. One of the last surviving stars of Hollywood's Golden Age reflects on working as a kid alongside the likes of Cecil B. DeMille and Spencer Tracy; employing his tumbling background to dance in musicals like Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and West Side Story; and why, shortly after his Oscar nom for Peyton Place, he "dropped out" of the biz. Listen here.
In other news...
—The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes releases full trailer
—The Kardashians S3 trailer teases Kim and Kourtney drama, Kanye West divorce
—Sony Pictures Classics nabs Pedro Almodóvar’s LGBTQ western Strange Way of Life
—Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Transformers 7 secure China release dates
—Charter loses 241,000 pay TV subscribers in Q1
—Streamy Awards moves up ceremony to August
—Meghan Markle signs with WME
—Clubhouse to lay off more than 50 percent of staff
What else we're reading...
—Arian Campo-Flores and Robbie Whelan write that Ron DeSantis made a big miscalculation in his feud with Disney, as the company is playing the long game [WSJ]
—Hoai-tran Bui talks to Japanese anime master Makoto Shinkai, who reveals how he created sci-fi adventure Suzume out of a real-life disaster [Inverse]
—Taylor Lorenz reports on the explosion of AI-led dating apps and the dawning of the age of automated dating [WaPo]
—With the Yeah Yeah Yeah's seminal album Fever To Tell turning 20 this year, Tom Breihan reflects on one of the great records of the 21st century (yes, that is correct) [Stereogum]
—Here's your Friday list: "Every ride at Disneyland, ranked" [LAT]
Today...
Today's birthdays: Jay Leno (73), Ann-Margret (82), Jessica Alba (42), Penélope Cruz (49), Bridget Moynahan (52), Mary McDonnell (71), Catherine Reitman (42), Elisabeth Röhm (50), Tony Revolori (27), Dan Goor (48), Harry Shum Jr. (41), Claes Bang (56), Kari Wuhrer (56), Jorge Garcia (50), Stephanie Corneliussen (36), Paul Guilfoyle (74), Austyn Johnson (17), Jenna Ushkowitz (37), Nancy Lee Grahn (67), Madeleine Harris (22), Ana Cruz Kayne (33), Gabriel Casseus (51) |
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