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.
THERE’S AN “A” NARRATIVE AND a “B” narrative to the future of Viacom — both seeming to come from the same source. In the A narrative, the board of the beleaguered media company will emphasize good governance principles in its search for a new CEO after the ouster of Philippe Dauman and the Sept. 21 reveal that the company will look beyond interim CEO Tom Dooley. National Amusements, Sumner Redstone’s family company that controls the voting shares and which now is controlled by his daughter, Shari, will not meddle in operations. Installing management that can lead a Viacom turnaround is the primary goal in what everyone recognizes will be a long fight. In the B narrative, it’s all about the inevitability that Viacom will be slammed together with its sibling…
GABRIELLE CARTERIS The SAG-AFTRA president scores a victory against “age discrimination” as California Gov. Jerry Brown signs a bill requiring casting websites like IMDb to remove actors’ ages upon request. Next: a likely First Amendment challenge. CHRIS WEDGE Viacom takes the unusual step of writing down a $115 million loss on the filmmaker’s Monster Trucks, even though the fantasy kids pic isn’t scheduled for release until January. JACKSON MILLARKER The 8-year-old, who identifies as a boy, becomes the first transgender child actor on TV with his Sept. 28 guest spot on ABC’s Modern Family. MARISSA MAYER The Yahoo CEO is grilled by six U.S. senators asking why the company only now revealed a massive 2014 hack into about 500 million user accounts. SHOWBIZ STOCKS $23.27 (+27.3%) TWITTER (TWTR) Reports surface that Disney…
Despite being two of the most famous living stars, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie largely operated without full Hollywood teams of representatives — until now. Since Jolie, 41, filed for divorce Sept. 19, each has enlisted heavy hitters to handle newfound legal and publicity needs. Jolie has turned to “disso queen” Laura Wasser (Johnny Depp, Jennifer Garner) and a duo of U.K.-based publicists who reportedly have been confidantes for years, Chloe Dalton and Arminka Helic. Pitt, 52, then hired family law veteran Lance Spiegel (Eva Longoria, Michael Jackson) and crisis PR guru Matthew Hiltzik (Justin Bieber, Ryan Lochte). They’re not leaving their go-to reps behind, of course: Jolie’s longtime attorney Robert Offer is said to be a key architect in her aggressive strategy, and Pitt’s manager Cynthia Pett is a…
FACEBOOK Top moment The most discussed moment on Facebook was the same as on Twitter: When Trump said his strongest asset is his “good temperament.” Top issues discussed 1. Taxes 2. The IRS 3. Race 4. The economy 5. Crime/criminal justice Record engagement • 18.6 MILLION PEOPLE in the U.S. generated 73.8 million likes, posts, comments and shares related to the debate. • 55 MILLION VIEWS of Facebook Live debate videos Share of the conversation Positive or negative, the GOP contender dominated chatter on Facebook: 79% Trump 21% Clinton 1. NBC 18.2 million 2. ABC 13.5 million 3. CBS 12.1 million 4. Fox News 11.4 million 5. CNN 9.9 million 6. Fox 5.5 million 7. MSNBC 4.9 million 8. PBS 3 million 9. Univision 2.5 million 10. Telemundo 1.8 million…
IT’S GOOD TO BE NBC AND CBS. The dueling broadcast networks kicked off the fall tightly matched in the key demo. Ahead of time-shifting lifts, a handful of promising premieres and the NFLdelivered NBC an average 2.51 rating in adults 18-to-49 — with CBS right behind with a 2.46. Each of the two networks pulled nearly the combined total of softer ABC and Fox. “First week just shows what promotion can do,” observes analyst Sam Armando. Despite reasons to smile, there was no breakout like Empire or even last fall’s Blindspot, which drew a 3.1 rating for its live debut. In fact, Big Four ratings overall were down 12 percent from 2015. Adds Armando, “Nothing’s breaking out like last year.”…
Weekend Numbers Source: comScore; box-office estimates in $ millions ( ) Weekends in release; * Territories MARTIN SCORSESE SIGNED ON TO WRITE and direct Silence nearly 26 years ago. Now, as Paramount finally sets a Dec. 23 release of his adaptation of the Japanese novel by Shusaku Endo about the persecution of a Jesuit missionary (Andrew Garfield) in 17th century Japan, the last of the project’s many legal entanglements finally has been resolved. Scorsese, 73, has been in court multiple times during the film’s tortured history. In 1990, Scorsese and Jay Cocks (Gangs of New York) made a deal with Penta Pictures, co-founded by Il Postino producer Vittorio Cecchi Gori, entitling them to $250,000 for the Silence screenplay, $150,000 more for rewrites, plus 5 percent of net profits if they…
