The all-new Hollywood Reporter offers unprecedented access to the people, studios, networks and agencies that create the magic in Hollywood. Published weekly, the oversized format includes exceptional photography and rich features.
WHEN CHRIS ROCK WAS ANNOUNCED IN OCTOBER AS THE host of the 88th Academy Awards, to be aired live on ABC on Feb. 28, Hollywood celebrated. Rock was a bold, smart and — most importantly — guaranteed-to-be-hilarious choice, and in the wake of 2015’s #OscarsSoWhite controversy, putting a nonwhite face in front of America to lead viewers through the honors seemed like a savvy move. And then, ta da! It happened again: #OscarsSoWhite II. “The sequel is always bigger,” as Academy CEO Dawn Hudson ruefully joked during my Jan. 23 interview with her and president Cheryl Boone Isaacs. Now, the topic of diversity hangs awkwardly in the air, much like the unseasonable humidity. Boone Isaacs called it “the elephant in the room” on Feb. 8 during the Nominees Lunch. Everywhere…
1 JON FAVREAU As President Obama’s director of speechwriting from 2009 to 2013, Favreau knows a thing or two about what to say (and, more importantly, what not to say) at the Oscars podium (page 156). “I’ve written everything from inaugural addresses to wedding toasts,” explains the 34-year-old communications guru. “So I thought I’d offer a few tips on how to deliver a decent acceptance speech.” A Boston native, Favreau now lives in West Hollywood and runs Fenway Strategies, a communications and branding firm. 2 STEVE FRIEDMAN The two-time National Magazine Award finalist says the biggest challenge to writing “So, It’s Not Exactly Leo’s Revenant …” (page 128) was in evaluating “all the juicy but not-entirely-verifiable” details. (For example, did a Sioux warrior “grab a dismembered leg with his teeth…
WHEN HBO launched Vinyl, the ambitious rock drama from Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger, on Feb. 14, its ratings — even with three days of DVR viewing — were wan. But the network promptly renewed the series. As the motto used to go, “It’s not TV, it’s HBO.” And that’s still true. Yet the pay TV service, with 36 million U.S. subscribers and a nearly year-old streaming service that CEO Richard Plepler said Feb. 10 has 800,000 subs, no longer is alone in the premium space. As Netflix and Amazon, not to mention Showtime, AMC, FX and others, fight it out for prestige projects, HBO still is the first choice for many A-listers. In 2015, it mopped up 43 Emmys with such diverse offerings as Game of Thrones, Olive Kitteridge…
CHANNING DUNGEY The veteran ABC drama executive (and “Shonda Rhimes whisperer”) becomes the first black chief of a Big Four network. Now she has to figure out how to dig the net out of fourth place. MICHAEL MOORE The Oscar winner’s Where to Invade Next grosses less than $2 million in its first 10 days and generates the lowest perscreen averages of his career. STEPHEN CHOW The Chinese director’s fantasy comedy Mermaid crosses $400 million at his country’s box office, becoming the highestgrossing film of all time in China. A U.S. release via Sony is next. ROBERT SCHWENTKE The director of The Divergent Series: Allegiant (March 18) drops out of making Ascendant, the finale of the Lionsgate franchise, amid insider buzz of problems on the movie. SHOWBIZ STOCKS 31.17 (+15.3%)…
WITH DEADPOOL CROSSING $500 MILLION AT THE global box office in less than two weeks, 20th Century Fox is sitting pretty considering the movie cost a mere $58 million to make. Now the game of how to divvy up the spoils begins. According to sources, star and executive producer Ryan Reynolds was paid $2 million upfront and is said to be the only actor eligible for boxoffice bonuses and backend compensation. He’s now likely to make more than $10 million from the movie, especially if it reaches $800 million in global sales as projected. The big payday is impressive considering Reynolds, 39, was ice cold after Green Lantern (2011) and R.I.P.D. (2013) flopped. He’s signed for a sequel, though sources say his WME agents already are preparing for a big…
Billy Lynn’s Long Halftime Walk (Sony, Nov. 11) Ang Lee’s first film since winning best director for 2012’s Life of Pi is a war dramedy that, like Pi, stars a newcomer (Joe Alwyn). The Birth of a Nation (Fox Searchlight, TBD) Sundance raves and a $17.5 million price tag have put big expectations on Nate Parker’s drama about the slave uprising led by Nat Turner. The Girl on the Train (Universal, Oct. 7) If done well, Tate Taylor’s adaptation of the smash book starring Emily Blunt could be as much of an awards player as his best picture nominee The Help was in 2012. Lion (The Weinstein Co., TBD) Harvey’s big Oscar play could be this drama from The King’s Speech producers about an Indian kid (Dev Patel) who searches…
