| | | | | | What's news: Nick Reiner is set to be charged with two counts of first degree murder and has hired criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson. A group of industry insiders have formed the Creators Coalition on AI. Meta has launched an Instagram Reels app for TVs. And Universal has pulled M3GAN spinoff Soulm8te from its release calendar, with the film now being shopped to other studios. — Abid Rahman
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"We Will Miss Them Forever" ►"They were a special force together-dynamic, unselfish and inspiring." Dear friends of Rob and Michele Reiner are remembering the late couple. Billy and Janice Crystal, Albert and Kimberly Brooks, Martin Short, Alan and Robin Zweibel, Larry David and Ashley Underwood, Marc Shaiman and Lou Mirabal, Barry and Diana Levinson and Ambassador James Costos and Michael Smith signed a joint statement on Tuesday. The story.
—"Rob and Michele thought deeply about how do you improve society in a durable and sustainable way." THR's Gary Baum and Peter Kiefer consider Rob Reiner’s legacy as a Democratic power player. They write that the legendary director was an influential progressive activist who moved the needle on same-sex marriage, environmental conservation and early childhood education. The story.
—Grim. THR's Benjamin Svetkey visited the scene at Rob Reiner's Brentwood Home. Benjamin reports that police tape blocks off the road at both ends while TV news vans crowd the curbs and swarms of podcasters and online influencers jostle each other with their vlogging sticks for better views of the grisly scene up the street. The story.
—What happened on Saturday. On the night before their bodies were discovered, Rob and Michele Reiner attended Conan O'Brien's Christmas party. Nick Reiner's name was not on the invitation, but his parents asked O’Brien if he could tag along. THR's Seth Abramovitch reports on what happened at the party, where Bill Hader and other guests worried the erratic attendee, 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, had wandered in off the street. The story.
—The latest. Nick Reiner is set to be charged with two counts of first degree murder after the death of his parents in their Los Angeles home on Sunday. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell during a press conference confirmed the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Office "has formally filed charges against Mr Reiner for the murder of his parents." The story.
—High-profile defense attorney. Nick Reiner has hired criminal defense attorney Alan Jackson for legal representation. L.A.-based Jackson recently secured an acquittal for Karen Read for second-degree murder and manslaughter charges during a retrial, and has also represented Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey in their own sexual assault trials. As a former assistant head deputy for the major crimes division in the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office, Jackson secured a murder conviction for music icon Phil Spector. The story. |
James Cameron Is Ready to Move Beyond 'Avatar' ►"I’ve got other stories to tell." THR's James Hibberd spoke to James Cameron as Avatar: Fire and Ash is about to hit cinemas. The outspoken Oscar-winner gets candid about the make-or-break fate of the third entry in the Avatar franchise, his future projects (including a secret Terminator script), the threat of AI, and all the things that still get him riled up. The interview. |
WBD Rejects Paramount's Hostile Bid ►"Numerous significant risks and costs." The board of Warner Bros. Discovery officially rejected David Ellison's $30 per share hostile bid for the company, telling shareholders that it remains “inferior” to the Netflix deal, and carries “numerous significant risks and costs on WBD.” With the rejection official, Paramount will need to persuade WBD shareholders to tender their shares at that price, or to submit a higher bid than its $108b offer that would shift the outcome of the dealmaking. The story.
—Doubling down. Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos renewed and deepened his commitment to theatrical windows if the global streaming giant’s $82.7b deal for the Warner Bros. studios and streaming businesses goes through. "Our intentions when we buy Warner Bros. will be to continue to release Warner Bros. studio movies in theaters with the traditional windows," he said during a surprise appearance at a Tuesday night event in Paris, organized by Canal+ Group to shine a spotlight on Canal+ and its StudioCanal studio’s 2026 content lineup. "We never got into it before because we never owned a theatrical distribution mechanism." The story. |
Hollywood Insiders Launch Creators Coalition on AI ►"We are drawing a line between those who want to do this fast, and those who want to do this right." As Hollywood continues to grapple with the threat and adoption of AI, a group of 18 industry insiders have banded together to form the Creators Coalition on AI. The effort, a first of its kind, is backed by the signatures of more than 500, a diverse list growing by the hour that includes Oscar winners, filmmakers, show runners, writers, below-the-line talent and creative professionals from all corners of the business. Known as CCAI, the group launches with a mission to serve as “a central coordinating hub to upgrade our industry’s systems and institutions.” The story.
—Ominous. Meta has launched an Instagram Reels app for connected TVs, with the app available on Amazon Fire TV devices. The app has features meant to drive engagement on TV screens, like support for channels and categories meant to enable search and thematic viewing. The launch is a major shift in the entertainment ecosystem, especially when factoring in Meta’s power in the digital advertising space. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told Wall Street analysts in October that Reels now has a $50b annual run rate. YouTube’s annual advertising run rate is $41b, and Reels got there without a dedicated TV app, until now. The story.
—🤝 New contract. 🤝 The Directors Guild of Canada has ratified a new contract with the Canadian Media Producers Association, representing local indie film and television producers, to ensure labor peace north of the border. The new three-year CMPA-DGC standard agreement will take effect Jan. 1, 2026 and spells out pay rates and workplace conditions for directors and other creatives and crew members in Canadian film, TV and digital media. To be covered by the new deal, productions must start principal photography on Jan. 1 or afterwards. The story.
—🤝 Content deal. 🤝 Netflix is officially bringing more video podcasts onto the platform. The streaming giant announced a partnership with iHeartMedia to stream new video episodes of more than 15 iHeartPodcasts, including Charlamagne tha God’s The Breakfast Club, My Favorite Murder, Chelsea Handler’s Dear Chelsea, Bobby Bones Presents: The Bobbycast and more. The deal, which also includes select library episodes from each show, will see the video podcast episodes launch on Netflix in early 2026 in the U.S. The story. |
2026 Oscars Shortlists Revealed ►Winnowed. The Film Academy has revealed the shortlists in 12 categories for the 2026 Oscars, highlighting this award season’s top contenders in certain fields as we get closer to Oscar nominations next month. The announcement included movies that are in consideration for the following categories: best documentary and international feature, song, score, visual effects, cinematography, sound, makeup and hairstyling and the new category of best casting. The shortlists also include the three short-film categories: animated, live-action and documentary. The official Oscar nominees in these categories will be determined from the below lists. The story.
—Sirât heads rejoice! THR's executive editor of awards coverage Scott Feinberg dissects Tuesday's announcement of finalists in 12 Oscar categories. Scott writes that the shortlists signal good news for Sinners, Wicked: For Good and Sirât but the lists and not so good news for Neon’s It Was Just an Accident and No Other Choice; Netflix’s Jay Kelly and A House of Dynamite; Warners’ Weapons; Amazon’s Hedda and 20th Century’s Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. The analysis. |
'M3GAN' Spinoff 'Soulm8te' Pulled by Universal ►Oooof. With less than a month to go until its release date and no marketing materials in sight, Soulm8te will not be arriving in theaters on Jan. 8, 2026, after all. Universal has pulled the spinoff of M3GAN from the release calendar, and the film is expected to be shopped to other studios. This follows Blumhouse’s M3GAN 2.0 bombing at the box office over the summer, with the sequel departing from the horror camp that made the first installment a social media-driven hit in January 2023. M3GAN 2.0 grossed $39.1m globally, compared to $180m for the first installment. The story.
—🎭 Filling out. 🎭 Jacobi Jupe, currently starring in one of this award season’s top contenders, Hamnet, will star opposite Scarlet Johansson in Blumhouse and Universal’s latest take on The Exorcist. Mike Flanagan wrote the script and is directing what the companies are describing as a “fresh, bold” iteration on the supernatural horror title, which follows the companies’ ill-fated effort to launch a franchise with 2023’s The Exorcist: Believer. The companies say the new outting is neither a remake nor a sequel. The story.
—🎭 Awards bait. 🎭 Andrew Scott and Olivia Colman will star in Elsinore, a film based on the life of Ian Charleson, the Scottish star of the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire. The movie comes from Canal+’s StudioCanal, LD Entertainment, Lucky Red, and Magnolia Mae Films. The Dig's Simon Stone is directing the film, which is written by Pride's Stephen Beresford. Elsinore will start shooting in the U.K. on Jan. 5. It will also feature an ensemble of British actors to be announced closer to the start of production. The story. |
FX's 'Seven Sisters' Ordered to Series at Hulu ►🎭 What a cast. 🎭 FX has ordered Will Arbery’s Seven Sisters pilot, starring Elizabeth Olsen, to series on Hulu. In addition to Olsen, the drama stars Cristin Milioti and J. Smith-Cameron. The cast also includes Anthony Edwards, Meredith Hagner, Odessa Young, Zoë Winters, Bridget Brown, Carolyn Kettig, Philip Ettinger and Ryan Eggold. Arbery executive produces the series from FX Productions alongside Garrett Basch and Sean Durkin. The series explores what happens when a large, tight-knit family begins to unravel and has to confront long buried secrets as a sister starts communicating with a voice no one else can hear. The story.
—Dogg Bowl. Netflix is doubling down on what appears to be a new Christmas Day tradition of top-tier halftime performances, announcing Tuesday that Snoop Dogg will headline the streamer’s NFL Christmas Gameday on Dec. 25. The West Coast rap icon will take the stage during halftime of the Minnesota Vikings–Detroit Lions matchup, live from U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, in a show dubbed Snoop’s Holiday Halftime Party. The rapper will be joined on stage by some special guests, the streamer said in a press release, though additional performers have not yet been revealed. The story.
—Greenlight. Amazon MGM Studios has ordered The Probability of Miracles as a limited TV series based on Wendy Wunder’s book. The project will have Katie Lovejoy as showrunner, writer and executive producer and will be produced by Alloy Entertainment and Warner Bros. Television. The book adaptation, previously in the works at HBO Max, will be an eight-episode young adult romance series about Campbell Cooper, an acerbic teenager dying of cancer. The story.
—Dipping into that archive. MGM+ has greenlit a remake of the 1960 classic western film The Magnificent Seven. This time around, The Magnificent Seven will be an eight-episode series from Heroes creator Tim Kring. Casting has yet to be announced. Kring will write and executive produce his streaming version. Donald De Line (he’s got some MGM+ western experience via Billy the Kid), Lawrence Mirisch and Bruce Kaufman will also executive produce. The series is produced by MGM+ Studios and MGM Television Studios, and production will begin in June 2026. The story. |
'All Out: Comedy About Ambition' Arrives on Broadway ►All in on success. All Out: Comedy About Ambition, Simon Rich’s follow-up production to last year’s All In: Comedy About Love began its Broadway run last week at the Nederlander Theatre, with Ike Barinholtz, Jim Gaffigan, Abbi Jacobson and Jon Stewart participating in the live readings of short stories on stage. In its first two performances, the play brought in $409,041 and played to 100 percent capacity, setting up the show for a high-grossing Broadway run (as it had last year). Harry Potter and the Cursed Child again topped the industry box office as the show slightly increased its total to $2.98m. The Broadway box office report.
—🎭 Double debut. 🎭 Patrick Ball and Alden Ehrenreich will make their Broadway debuts this spring. Ball, known for his role in The Pitt, will star in Gina Gionfriddo’s play Becky Shaw at Second Stage’s Hayes Theater, alongside Ehrenreich and Linda Emond. The play, directed by Trip Cullman, follows a blind date between Max and Beck that spirals out of control and disrupts the lives of Max’s friends Suzanna and Andrew. Becky Shaw received its New York premiere Off-Broadway at Second Stage Theater in 2009 and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. The story.
—📅 Heading to Broadway. 📅 Beaches, A New Musical will open at the Majestic Theatre on Broadway starting March 27, ahead of an April 22 opening. Jessica Vosk and Kelli Barrett will star as best friends C.C. and Bertie. The musical is set for a limited run through Sept. 6, before heading on a national tour. Beaches is based on Iris Rainer Dart's bestseller that became the 1998 film, starring Bette Midler and Barbara Hershey. The story.
—Closing early. Scott Rudin’s Little Bear Ridge Road is ending its run eight weeks early. The play, starring Laurie Metcalf and Micah Stock, will now close Dec. 21 at the Booth Theater, instead of the previously announced Feb. 15. The show, written by Samuel D. Hunter and directed by Joe Mantello, was Rudin’s return back to Broadway after stepping away from the industry in 2021 amid bullying allegations. Rudin told The New York Times that he plans to continue producing and cited the tough economics as well as the competition on Broadway for the play’s early closing. The story.
—On the move. The irreverent Off-Broadway hit Titanique is moving to Broadway this spring. The musical, which reimagines the plot of the Titanic movie as if it were narrated by Celine Dion, will come to Broadway for a 16-week limited engagement starting March 26, 2026, at the St. James Theatre. The musical, which is also set to songs by Dion, including “My Heart Will Go On” and “All By Myself,” will open April 12 and is set to run through July 12. The story.
—🎭 Oh Simu! 🎭 Simu Liu will make his Broadway debut in Oh, Mary! The star of Marvel’s Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings will play “Mary’s Teacher” in Cole Escola’s comedic play starting Feb. 3 for performances through April 21. Liu will play opposite John Cameron Mitchell as Mary Todd Lincoln. The story. |
Film Review: 'The Housemaid' ►"Mop up that blood!" THR's chief film critic David Rooney reviews Paul Feig's The Housemaid. Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney star in this screen adaptation of the bestselling Freida McFadden novel about the sordid secrets of an affluent family. Also starring Brandon Sklenar, Michele Morrone, Elizabeth Perkins and Indiana Elle. Written by Rebecca Sonnenshine, based on the novel by Freida McFadden. The review.
—"Appealingly loose and whimsically personal." THR's Daniel Fienberg reviews Seth and Pete Scriver's Endless Cookie. Two brothers explore family and Canada’s First Nations community in a winning animated doc which played at Sundance and has been nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. The review.
In other news...
—Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day trailer revealed
—The Traitors S4 trailer: Ready to capture “dirty, deceitful, deceptive” players
—The Pitt S2 trailer shows tension as Noah Wyle’s doctor gets ready for “little sabbatical”
—Netflix reveals Jo Nesbo’s Detective Hole first-look image
—Joe Ely, singer-songwriter whose legacy touched rock and punk, dies at 78
What else we're reading...
—Chris Whipple's piece on Trump's inner circle in the White House is a must-read, and worth checking out for the brutal portraits [Vanity Fair]
—David Yaffe-Bellany and Eric Lipton look at what Trump’s embrace of crypto has unleashed [NYT]
—Peter Grant reports on the troubles of Hollywood property giants Hackman Capital, which may get worse with the Warners deal [WSJ]
—Matt Zoller Seitz has a wonderful tribute piece on Rob Reiner that's well worth a read [Vulture]
—Katie Baker looks at how the meaningless "6 7" phrase took over 2025 [Ringer]
Today...
...in 1999, Touchstone Pictures unveiled the Chris Columbus-Robin Williams sci-fi drama Bicentennial Man in theaters. The divisive film, based on an Isaac Asimov short story, went on to gross $87m globally and earned an Oscar nomination for makeup and hairstyling. The original review.
Today's birthdays: Rian Johnson (52), Sarah Paulson (51), Bill Pullman (72), Wes Studi (78), Milla Jovovich (50), Eugene Levy (79), Peter Farrelly (69), Katheryn Winnick (48), Claire Forlani (54), Giovanni Ribisi (51), Ernie Hudson (80), Laurie Holden (56), Sean Patrick Thomas (55), Shannon Woodward (41), Jayne Eastwood (79), Lil Rel Howery (46), Gregg Araki (66), Nat Wolff (31), Kiersey Clemons (32), Marissa Ribisi (51), Juliet Aubrey (59), Bella Shepard (24), Graham Rogers (35), Emma Bell (39), John Abraham (53), Barry Livingston (72), Manu Ríos (27), Jaimee Foxworth (46), Kate Hewlett (49), Aqueela Zoll (37) |
| Gil Gerard, the actor from Arkansas best known for his turn as the wisecracking hero of the 1979-81 NBC series Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, died Tuesday. He was 82. The obituary. |
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