| | | | | | What's news: Liam Payne's initial autopsy has been released. Olivia Nuzzi has left New York Magazine. Blade Runner 2049's production company is suing Tesla. Mike Flanagan is adapting Stephen King's Carrie for Amazon. Stephen Spielberg is taking a Smash musical to Broadway. — Abid Rahman
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Harvey Weinstein Diagnosed With Cancer ►Mounting health issues. Harvey Weinstein has been diagnosed with cancer. The disgraced movie mogul and convicted rapist has chronic myeloid leukemia, an uncommon form of cancer of the bone marrow. He is undergoing treatment while still in prison at Rikers Island in New York. Craig Rothfeld, Weinstein’s authorized legal healthcare representative in New York State, offered “no further comment” in a statement to THR, except to express “profound dismay at the speculation surrounding Mr. Weinstein’s medical condition.” Weinstein has had a number of health problems in recent times, he underwent emergency heart surgery last month, and tested positive for COVID and double pneumonia in July. The story.
—The latest. An initial toxicology report for ex-One Direction singer Liam Payne, who died last week after falling from a third-floor hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, showed that he had cocaine in his system after his death, an Argentine official said. The final toxicology results are not expected to be made public for some weeks. But the preliminary toxicology report of the singer, handed to local prosecutors on Monday, suggested evidence of exposure to cocaine, the official said, stressing that these initial results don’t offer an accurate reading of just how much was circulating in his blood when he died. The story.
—"The best course forward is to part ways." Olivia Nuzzi has left New York Magazine following an investigation into her coverage of the 2024 election that found no “evidence of bias,” according to the publication. The magazine announced that Nuzzi and the publication had “parted ways” following the probe in a statement on Monday. The decision arrives after explosive revelations in September that Nuzzi had engaged in a digital relationship with 2024 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The story.
—Category set. THR's Scott Feinberg reports that The Substance, Coralie Fargeat’s darkly funny film about an aging Hollywood movie star, has been submitted for Golden Globes consideration as a musical/comedy, rather than a drama. Ahead of the Globes’ Nov. 4 submission deadline, the classification of the MUBI release was the last remaining question mark among top-tier contenders, because there was debate even within the film’s and star Demi Moore’s camps about how the film should be entered. The story. |
Cooper Hefner Plots $100M Playboy Acquisition ►"This effort is about safeguarding a legacy built over decades." THR's Alex Weprin has the scoop on Cooper Hefner, the son of the late Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, making a $100m bid to acquire the intellectual property and brand assets of Playboy Enterprises from its publicly traded parent company, PLBY Group. The all-cash offer includes a residual interest in the new company, giving equity holders a chance to recoup their value. PLBY Group ended last week with a market cap of $53.5m. Hefner says that his private equity firm Hefner Capital made the outreach to the PLBY board Monday. He tells THR that his pursuit of Playboy is a personal one. The story.
—🤝 Sold! 🤝 After much speculation, literary management outfit Grandview has officially been acquired by global investment firm TPG and will merge with the already TPG-owned talent management firm Untitled. The combined company will be known as Untitled, while TPG has announced that its entertainment-centric outfit which it launched in the summer when it acquired a majority stake in Untitled will be named Initial Group. In today’s announcement, TPG noted that Grandview will bolster Untitled’s efforts in lit representation. The story.
—"Alcon did not want BR2049 to be affiliated with Musk." Blade Runner 2049 production company Alcon Entertainment has sued Tesla, for allegedly feeding images from the movie into an AI image generator to create unlicensed promotional materials. In a lawsuit filed Monday in California federal court, Alcon accuses Elon Musk and Tesla of misappropriating the movie’s brand to promote its robotaxi at a glitzy unveiling earlier this month. The producer says it doesn’t want Blade Runner 2049 to be affiliated with Musk because of his “extreme political and social views,” pointing to ongoing efforts with potential partners for an upcoming TV series. The story.
—Copyright suit. Dow Jones, the parent company of the Wall Street Journal and the New York Post, filed a lawsuit Monday against AI company Perplexity, alleging that the company is illegally using copyrighted work. The suit alleges that Perplexity, which is an AI research and conversational search engine, draws on articles and other copyrighted content from the publishers to feed into its product and then repackages the content in its responses, or sometimes uses the content verbatim, without linking back to the articles. The engine can also allegedly be used to display several paragraphs or entire articles, when asked. The story. |
Tom Holland to Star in Christopher Nolan's Next Film ►🎭 Mr. Holland's opus 🎭 Tom Holland will star in Christopher Nolan’s latest feature, joining Matt Damon in the top secret project. Nolan wrote the script and is directing the project, which Universal Pictures will distribute. The studio has set a release date of July 17, 2026. Plot details are being kept under wraps, but sources say the setting is not present day (although it’s unclear whether it’s set in the past or the future). Holland’s casting may come with some ripple effects. Sources say that the actor will spend next year juggling the Nolan project as well as Spider-Man 4, with a likely stop for Avengers: Doomsday. Spider-Man 4 was delayed enough that Holland’s co-star Zendaya will now be shooting Dune 3 in early 2026 rather than next year. The story.
—🎭 Death notice 🎭 THR's Borys Kit has the scoop on Oscar nominees Lily Gladstone and Sharon Stone joining Marc Maron in indie comedy In Memoriam. Rob Burnett, once the head writer and exec producer of Late Show with David Letterman, penned the script and is directing the feature, which is in production in Los Angeles. The script tells the story of a veteran Hollywood actor (Maron), who becomes obsessed with securing a spot in the Oscars’ “In Memoriam” montage after he receives a terminal cancer diagnosis. His campaigning leads to a heartfelt journey of self-exploration. The story.
—Sold! Mister Smith Entertainment has closed multiple international sales for the adventure comedy Bookworm, starring Elijah Wood and Nell Fisher. The feature, from Come to Daddy director Ant Timpson follows 11-year-old Mildred (Fisher) whose life takes a wild turn when her estranged father, a washed-up Las Vegas illusionist Strawn Wise (Wood) suddenly reappears. Strawn is left to care for Mildred while her mom is hospitalized and the pair set off on a trip to find the mythological Canterbury Panther. The story.
—🎭 Wrasslin' up some interest 🎭 THR scally Ryan Gajewski has the scoop on Level 33 Entertainment acquiring North American rights to action-comedy movie Raging Midlife from director Rob Taylor. Taylor and Nic Costa penned the script, and the pair star alongside Paula Abdul, Eddie Griffin and Star Trek mainstay Walter Koenig. Raging Midlife follows two friends who are obsessed with a 1980s wrestler named Raging Abraham Lincoln and set out to acquire his tank top. Their plan takes a turn when a grieving daughter outbids them for the item to fulfill her dad’s dying wish. Level 33 is eyeing a release in early 2025 following the film’s forthcoming premiere at the Austin Film Festival on Oct. 26. The story.
—🎭 All set 🎭 Lyndsy Fonseca, Tom Cavanagh and rapper Russ are among the cast of Don’t Move, which wrapped principal photography in Kansas City on Friday. The horror-thriller movie is based on the best-selling 2020 novel of the same name from co-authors James “Murr” Murray's and Darren Wearmouth. Maclain Nelson directed the film from the script he co-wrote with Murray and Wearmouth. Hunter King, Rob Riggle and Joseph Lee Anderson round out the ensemble cast for the project that includes cameos from T-Pain, Matt Biedel and Impractical Jokers members Murray and Brian Quinn. The story.
—In the works. Netflix is adapting In the Likely Event, a novel by Fourth Wing author Rebecca Yarros, as a feature. The film, adapted to the screen by Lindsey Ferrentino — one of five movies she’s writing for the streaming giant — is a romance between a U.S. soldier, Nate, and a congressional aide, Izzy, set against the war in Afghanistan. The book was first published in August 2023. In the Likely Event will be overseen by Brian Williams for Dylan Clark Productions and by Kira Cousineau for Netflix. The story. |
'Venom 3' and 'Gladiator 2': First Reactions ►"The final act is BONKERS!" Kelly Marcel’s Venom: The Last Dance was finally revealed to the public Monday night, after the Sony Pictures film held its world premiere in New York, and the first reactions have already hit social media. The third and final in Sony's Tom Hardy-led Venom franchise once again stars the Brit actor as put-upon Eddie Brock who co-exists with his head chomping alien symbiote Venom. The reaction.
—"A true epic." Ridley Scott's Gladiator II had its first screening Friday night and then another on Monday night, and the good word has been all over social media. Full critics reviews for the film won’t drop until closer to the film’s release date, but read on for a sampling of the first reactions to the movie after the screenings. The reaction. |
'Carrie' Series in the Works at Amazon From Mike Flanagan ►It's happening. Stephen King's Carrie is getting another adaptation — this time in series form. Amazon MGM Studios is developing a drama based on King’s 1974 novel, which has been the basis for four previous feature films. Mike Flanagan is adapting the book and will serve as showrunner, executive producing with Trevor Macy of Intrepid Pictures. Flanagan and Intrepid have overall deals at Amazon MGM Studios. Should it go forward, Carrie would stream on Prime Video. Flanagan has adapted several of King’s works in the past, most recently The Life of Chuck, which won the Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival. He also wrote the screenplays for The Shining sequel Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game (the latter with Jeff Howard). He and Macy also have rights to King’s Dark Tower novels. The story.
—🎭 Filling out 🎭 Netflix is adding to the ensemble for its adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. The limited series starring and executive produced by Florence Pugh has begun production in New Zealand. Joining the cast are Tracy Letts, Martha Plimpton, Ciaran Hinds, Joseph Zada and Joe Anders, who will appear alongside Pugh and the previously cast Christopher Abbott, Mike Faist and Hoon Lee. Netflix formally greenlit the seven-episode drama in September, having acquired the rights in a bidding war back in 2022. Zoe Kazan — the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, who directed a 1955 feature film based on the novel — and Jeb Stuart are co-showrunners, with Kazan adapting Steinbeck’s book. The story.
—Noot! Noot! Mattel is teaming up with award-winning Wallace & Gromit studio Aardman to co-develop a new stop-motion, animated Pingu television series. The show is inspired by Mattel’s beloved cheeky penguin who lives in the South Pole and has featured on the small screens for decades. Designed by Otmar Gutmann in the 1980s, the show first aired on the U.K.’s BBC One in 1990. Mattel acquired Pingu through its purchase of HIT Entertainment in 2011. The story.
—"Covering things happening inside the lines and also on the margins that are related to sports and culture." Jemele Hill, the sports journalist and ESPN veteran, is set to lead a new program for TNT Sports called Above The Fold, which will "delve into important stories and topics centered on the connection between sports and culture." Last year, ESPN canceled its journalism-driven newsmagazine Outside the Lines after 33 years and HBO ended Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, which had been a staple of its lineup since the mid-1990s. Above The Fold will try to fill the void left by those programs, while also helping to launch an ambitious new programming play by TNT Sports: Its newly-launched sports block on TruTV. The story.
—"This is really just the beginning of this weight loss revolution." CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta will take a deep dive into the world of the weight loss drug Ozempic for a primetime CNN special. Dr. Sanjay Gupta Reports: Is Ozempic Right For You? will debut Nov. 17 at 8 p.m., and will see Gupta travel the world to speak to those directly involved in the drug’s discovery and creation, as well as people who have used it, with varying experiences. The story. |
'Smash' Musical Heading to Broadway ►Spielberg! Smash is coming to Broadway this spring. The musical, which is an adaptation of the NBC television series, will open at Broadway’s Imperial Theatre on April 10, 2025, with previews starting March 11. Robert Greenblatt, Neil Meron and Steven Spielberg are lead producing, with Susan Stroman as the director. The show will star Robyn Hurder, Brooks Ashmanskas, Krysta Rodriguez, John Behlmann, Kristine Nielsen, Caroline Bowman, Jacqueline B. Arnold, Bella Coppola and Casey Garvin. The television show ran on NBC from 2012-2013, and starred Debra Messing, Jack Davenport, Megan Hilty, Katharine McPhee and Christian Borle as their characters tried to mount musicals for Broadway. Spielberg came up with the idea for the series. The story.
—🎭 Back on Broadway 🎭 Joey Fatone will join the cast of & Juliet, marking the NYSNC star’s return to Broadway after two decades. Fatone will play Lance in the Tony-nominated musical, debuting Jan. 21, 2025 for a nine-week run that will last until March 16. Fatone, a founding member of NYSNC, is also a frequent collaborator of songwriter and show producer Max Martin. He will take over the role from Tony Award-winner (and original Broadway cast member) Paulo Szot. The story. |
TV Review: 'Poppa's House' ►"Solid chemistry covers for a still-evolving narrative." THR's chief TV critic Dan Fienberg reviews CBS' Poppa's House. Damon Wayans Sr. and Jr., Essence Atkins and Tetona Jackson star in this multi-cam comedy about the somewhat fraught relationship between a radio host and his aspiring filmmaker son. The review.
In other news...
—Fanmade: Enhypen trailer celebrates the strong bond between K-pop stars and fans
—Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee and Ken Burns among recipients of National Medals of Arts
—ABC News ups Chris Dinan to EP of World News Tonight
—Theater owners trade org NATO names Andrew Stewart CCO
What else we're reading...
—Josef Adalian talks to CBS' chief marketing officer Mike Benson on how the network got people to watch a Matlock reboot [Vulture]
—Sam Adams writes that SNL’s stale political impressions brush up against the limits of what the show can accomplish [Slate]
—Kate Gibson reports that the Chick-fil-A app will soon feature original animated and cooking shows, scripted podcasts and other content [CBS News]
—Miles Surrey wonders if horror series Teacup and Hysteria! can help Peacock attract/keep subs now that the Olympics are a distant memory [Ringer]
—Lucas Shaw reports that Netflix has a new movie strategy: Less is more [Bloomberg]
Today...
...in 2004, Fox Searchlight unveiled Sideways in theaters, where it would go on to gross $109m globally. The film earned five nominations at the 77th Academy Awards, winning in the adapted screenplay category. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Jennifer Lee (53), Derek Jacobi (86), Christopher Lloyd (86), Jeff Goldblum (72), Bob Odenkirk (62), Saffron Burrows (52), Valeria Golino (59), Spike Jonze (55), Catherine Deneuve (81), Corey Hawkins (36), Jesse Tyler Ferguson (49), Jan de Bont (81), Izaac Wang (17), Bill Condon (69), Hong Khaou (49), Kyle Gallner (38), Carmen Ejogo (51), Bill Camp (63), Jonathan Lipnicki (34), Suzanne Snyder (62), Sofia Vassilieva (32), Sharon Rooney (36), Michael Fishman (43), Scott Beck (40), Stevie Lynn Jones (29), Marc Lawrence (65), Sophia Del Pizzo (36), Robert Torti (63), Amy Redford (54), Plan B (41), Elias Harger (17), Luca Marinelli (40), Zuzanna Szadkowski (46), Richard McGonagle (78) |
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