Innholdsfortegnelse for January 19, 2022 i The Hollywood Reporter

SCAN THE QR CODE USING YOUR MOBILE DEVICE TO WATCH THE FULL ROUNDTABLE INTERVIEW THERE’S A RIVETING SEQUENCE near the beginning of Belfast, Kenneth Branagh’s remembrance of things past that focuses on his boyhood in that Northern Ireland city, when the otherwise idyllic world of Buddy, Branagh’s 9-year-old alter ego, turns on a dime. The scene is specifically time-stamped “15th August, 1969,” and Buddy, played by Jude Hill, is fighting imaginary dragons with a makeshift sword and a trash can lid used as a shield. It’s a warm, cheerful scene in a working-class neighborhood where everybody seems to know each other’s name. Then, in a time-warped moment, a swirling, 360-degree shot centered on Buddy’s POV reveals an angry mob emerging from the end of the street. Suddenly, all hell breaks…

This fall, when NBCUniversal’s Peacock unveils a new content brand for Hispanic audiences in the U.S., it will join a growing chorus of platforms targeting the Spanish-language streaming market. The offering, Tplus, will be powered by Telemundo, and its content within Peacock will aim for younger viewers (think second- and third-generation Hispanic audiences) with scripted and unscripted shows focused on Latin American pop culture and talent. (Univision, after its $4.8 billion merger with Televisa closes, is expected to launch a streaming service led by former Netflix content executive Rodrigo Mazon.) Though Netflix and HBO Max have made strides in Spanish-language programming, Univision and Telemundo are the heavyweights. Smaller platforms, like Pantaya, which aspires to be “the HBO for Hispanic streaming,” as CEO Paul Presburger describes it to THR, also are…

Super Bowl LVI: ‘All Plans in Place’ Despite Record COVID Surge SoFi Stadium hosted key Super Bowl LVI stakeholders Jan. 13 for an update on the big game with 30 days to go before kickoff. On the same day L.A. County reported 45,076 new cases of COVID-19, a near pandemic high, the optimistic panelists studiously avoided mentioning the virus, relying instead on key words like “health and safety.” SoFi Stadium, which seats upward of 70,000, is expected to be filled to the brim; attendees will need to show proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test and mask at all times (except when eating or drinking). Katie Keenan, the NFL’s senior director of event operations, countered rumors of relocation by saying, “All of our plans for the Super Bowl and…

To create the Oscar-shortlisted VFX in Sony’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife — director Jason Reitman’s “love letter” to the 1984 classic helmed by his father, Ivan Reitman — Sheena Duggal and Alessandro Ongaro shared VFX supervisor responsibilities while keeping the charm, look and techniques used in the original movie. “We explored emulating the stop-motion animation style and looked at how the original elements were exposed on optical printers and how that gave you a specific look and feel,” explains Duggal. “[The original movie] drove the filmmaking style. … With modern-day tools, we have the ability to do anything that we want to with the camera, and so it was putting restraints back on ourselves.” One of the new CG ghosts, Muncher, took cues from a tardigrade (microscopic water bear) and glass frogs…

Over the past few years, the acceptance of microdosing psychedelic fungi as a medical treatment has grown slowly but steadily. Microdosing psychedelics is a practice that involves taking generally one-tenth of a standard “trip” dose (by capsule, dropper or nasal spray), so that one’s senses aren’t affected to the point of full hallucination, but perception sharpens and serotonin is increased. And much like cannabis’ transition from stigmatized plant to decriminalized cash cow, today’s wellness industry is now embracing mushrooms as another form of nature’s medicine. Documentaries and TV series like Netflix’s Fantastic Fungi and Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers also have helped set the stage for a more open mushroom conversation. In 2022, in California, State Sen. Scott Wiener is hoping to pass a bill that would allow the possession and…

In 2018, an employee at Disneyland sent Abigail Disney a Facebook message about working conditions there that sparked the documentary film producer to do some soul-searching. Disney, the granddaughter of Walt Disney Co. co-founder Roy O. Disney, was troubled by how the national issue of wealth inequality was playing out at the media company that shares her name and her own wealth, and she began speaking out about the disparities publicly, in Congress, on cable news and on Twitter. Together with filmmaker Kathleen Hughes, Disney has directed The American Dream and Other Fairy Tales about the issue, including her on-camera interviews with Disney employees, that premieres Jan. 24 at Sundance. (Submarine is repping the film in Park City.) Ahead of the festival, Disney spoke with THR about her disenchantment with…

In early 2019, Walt Disney Animation Studios chief creative officer Jennifer Lee was scrolling on her phone in bed when a BBC News video about an African comic book company caught her eye. “I keep telling people this and they laugh at me, but we’re going to kick Disney’s ass in Africa,” Hamid Ibrahim, a Nigerian comic book artist who co-founded the company Kugali Media, declared in the video. Lee, who had been pushing to recruit a broader range of storytellers to Disney Animation, was intrigued by both the bravado and the vision. “I was just like, ‘I want to meet those guys,’” she says. Lee ended up going a step further than a meeting — after hearing some of the Kugali founders’ ideas, she greenlighted one for Disney+, a…

From one angle, Apple TV+’s The Afterparty feels like a glorified storytelling exercise: It’s a murder mystery that unfolds over eight episodes, each styled in a different genre to match the perspective of a different character. From another, it’s just a good time — a half-hour-ish comedy that plays with familiar TV and movie tropes without taking any of them, or itself, too seriously. As its characters will keep reminding you, it all depends on how you look at it. The story begins with a death. Thirty-something pop star Xavier (Dave Franco) has been dashed against the rocks below his sleek beachside mansion, where he’d been hanging out with old classmates after their 15-year high school reunion. The first detective on the scene, Danner (Tiffany Haddish) realizes immediately that the…

Denzel Washington’s passion for Shakespeare is clearly not as fleeting as, to borrow from a certain playwright, a walking shadow. The two-time Oscar winner currently stars opposite Frances McDormand in The Tragedy of Macbeth, director Joel Coen’s take on the Shakespeare staple that’s now available on Apple TV+, and for which Washington earned a SAG Award nomination. But it was 1993’s star-studded Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Kenneth Branagh (whose latest, Belfast, is in the awards race alongside Macbeth), that introduced moviegoers to the actor delivering the Bard’s lines. Washington played nobleman Don Pedro, who overcomes the villainous scheming of his brother Don John (Keanu Reeves) to foil his matchmaking between two couples, Benedick (Branagh) and Beatrice (Emma Thompson) and Claudio (Robert Sean Leonard) and Hero (Kate Beckinsale, in…

A mid the spread of omicron, the Jan. 15 deadline for renewing or changing the COVID-19 safety protocols agreement between the industry’s top guilds and studios came and went without any official acknowledgment. That deal, which went into effect in September 2020 and has been extended several times since, with its latest update published July 19, is expected to be extended until mid-February, multiple sources tell THR. With the highly contagious variant tearing through sets and entertainment workplaces, however, some workers are questioning whether the current protocols are stringent enough or could at least use some targeted updates that respond to the virus’ latest mutation. Others point to case-by-case enforcement in a rapidly changing situation being more of an issue than the industry’s protocols. Recently, Paramount+’s Patrick Stewart-led Star Trek:…

After staying on the sidelines for most of the pandemic — and enduring a surprise regime change — Paramount scored a key box office win with Scream. The pic opened to $35 million over the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday weekend and relaunched the marquee horror franchise. Insiders say the slasher pic provided a boost of confidence for the studio as it embarks on an ambitious 2022 slate that includes Tom Cruise tentpoles Top Gun: Maverick (May 27) and Mission: Impossible 7 (Sept. 30). “Paramount’s marketing and distribution strategy for Scream was pitch-perfect, including sticking with a release date that may have sent some studios packing due to omicron concerns,” says box office analyst Paul Dergarabedian. Scream was fueled by younger moviegoers, who are driving the box office recovery. Nearly…

BEST PICTURE King Richard On the heels of its best ensemble SAG Award nom Jan. 12, this origin film about Venus and Serena Williams was revealed on Jan. 14 as the winner of the L.A. Press Club’s Veritas Award — chosen by the organization’s roughly 1,000 members — for best film based on real people and events. BEST DIRECTOR Guillermo del Toro Nightmare Alley Quentin Tarantino’s New Beverly Cinema in L.A. was sold out Jan. 16 when del Toro brought a special black-and-white 35mm print of his new film noir for a screening, followed by a Q&A moderated by Chapman University’s film school dean Stephen Galloway. BEST ACTRESS Jennifer Hudson Respect Hudson was SAG Award-nominated for her portrayal of Aretha Franklin on Jan. 12. On Jan. 17, MLK Day, she…

On Jan. 14, Mubi, known for its art house streaming platform, acquired well-respected European sales company The Match Factory and its Match Factory Productions, which counts Japan’s Oscar entry Drive My Car among its current films. The deal turns the dial up on a spending spree at Mubi — founded by former Goldman Sachs banker Efe Cakarel in 2007 — which last year saw it become arguably the most aggressive shopper of indie titles at festivals. From the Cannes 2021 lineup alone, it acquired Palme d’Or winner Titane and opener Annette, plus Bergman Island, Lamb, Benedetta, Unclenching the Fist, Great Freedom and The Worst Person in the World. Match lends new firepower to Mubi. In addition to streaming, it has been operating as a theatrical distributor in the U.K. and…

Fifty-nine years after it opened, the Bob Baker Marionette Theater, the oldest operating children’s theater in Los Angeles, is the subject of a definitive coffee table book: Enchanted Strings. It includes a foreword by filmmaker and puppetry fan Jordan Peele, who praises the theater’s “amazing intricate roster of puppets — the deepest I’ve ever seen.” Filled with scores of photos and sketches of marionettes and puppets (including longtime favorite Bobo the clown), the book is a tale of how Baker got his start as a young boy — he performed his first professional show at age 8 at a birthday party for a child of director Mervyn LeRoy — and went on to found one of L.A.’s most beloved arts institutions, which experienced a roller coaster of financial ups and…

Ahead of its theater release Jan. 14, the cast of the latest Scream movie gathered for a photo call at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills on Jan. 7. The film’s official premiere was canceled because of COVID-19 concerns, but original stars Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Marley Shelton and Neve Campbell, along with franchise additions Melissa Barrera, Mason Gooding, Mikey Madison, Dylan Minnette, Jack Quaid, Jasmin Savoy Brown and Sonia Ammar, were still able to celebrate on the intimate red carpet.…

More than two years into the COVID-19 pandemic, with the omicron variant spiking cases nationwide, many people, including health-obsessed Angelenos, continue to look for ways to improve the strength of their immune systems. But top doctors caution that there are no quick fixes. “Although we are conditioned to ask for a prescription or a shot, improving the immune system involves attention 24/7 and not just with respect to COVID, but to our overall general health,” says Dr. Jennifer Ashton, ABC chief medical correspondent and author of The Self-Care Solution. “Running to Erewhon for a shot of ginger and lemon along with loading up on supplements at the first signs of illness isn’t going to cut it. Similar to a leaking roof, the majority of people only think about their well-being…

When Tig Notaro got a request from Coldplay singer Chris Martin to do a surprise stand-up set at the 30th birthday of his girlfriend, Dakota Johnson, she just had one question: “Are you sure she said me?” Notaro, 50, was assured that she was, in fact, the favorite comedian of the Fifty Shades of Grey star. Still, she pushed back against the seven-time Grammy winner, saying, “I don’t want to walk out onstage and have her turn to you and say, ‘When did I say I liked her?’” But Martin was correct, and Johnson was pleasantly surprised by Notaro’s birthday appearance. Now, nearly two and a half years later, Johnson stars in Am I OK?, the directorial debut from Notaro and wife Stephanie Allynne, 36, which is set to premiere…

A year ago, Walt Disney Co. CEO Bob Chapek extolled the “artistic triumph” of Pixar’s Soul during an earnings call and said he was “absolutely thrilled” with the results of sending the film straight to Disney+ in the U.S. amid the pandemic. Soul’s Christmas Day debut on the service in 2020 helped lure new subscribers and prevent churn. That month alone, Disney+ added 8.1 million subs. But now, with the decision to dispatch the third Pixar movie in a row, after Soul and Luca, to Disney+, some are questioning whether Chapek and his team are diminishing the storied animation company. Turning Red, a coming-of-age tale directed by Domee Shi about a young Chinese Canadian girl who morphs into a red panda whenever she gets too excited or stressed, was intended for…

Mobile revenue as % of total net sales $100M Take-Two’s forecasted annual cost savings within the first two years after closing (by cutting duplicative general and administrative expenses and benefiting from scale efficiencies). 183M Monthly mobile users Zynga has for games like CSR Racing, Empires & Puzzles and Words With Friends. Source: Take-Two disclosures for fiscal years ended March 31. *Estimates.…

Red Thread of Fate (BERKLEY, FEB. 8) BY Lyn Liao Butler AGENCY UTA In this novel, a husband and wife want to adopt a baby from China, but the husband dies in a tragic accident involving his estranged cousin. Now the woman must care for the 5-year-old daughter of that cousin and decide whether to continue with the adoption. The Chosen One (LITTLE BROWN, JAN. 4) BY Echo Brown AGENCY WME Part memoir and part magical realism, the story follows Echo as she navigates an Ivy League school as a Black woman, all the while contending with generational trauma and the mysterious visions that have begun invading her day-to-day life.…

1 Michael Kahn Private Training Gym A certified trainer and yoga instructor to many execs and actors, including the stars of Love, Victor, Kahn invested $50,000 to transform his Mid-City backyard and garage into a fully kitted gym. He offers strength and conditioning and yoga for up to four people at a time. $180/hour, reachable via Instagram: mjkahn425. 2 Thompson Hollywood + Love Yoga In partnership with Venice Beach-based Love Yoga, the new Thompson Hollywood hotel now offers complimentary Saturday morning rooftop yoga to both guests and the public, topped off by mimosas and fresh fruit juice. Available through spring; 1541 Wilcox Ave.; secure a spot at hollywoodyoga@thompsonhotels.com 3 Vitru This private Hollywood workout and recovery facility is owned by certified trainer Johnny Fontana, who helped Robert Pattinson get Batman-ready.…

It was early 2020, and Lena Dunham was living in London, excitedly preparing to make her first feature film since her 2010 breakout Tiny Furniture. She had moved to the city temporarily in the summer of 2019 to direct the pilot for the HBO series Industry and loved it so much, she stayed. The film she was prepping, an adaptation of her favorite childhood book, Catherine, Called Birdy, was about a 13-year-old English girl coming of age in 1190 A.D. Dunham bought the rights shortly after she’d shot to fame as the creator and star of HBO’s Girls. “People were like, ‘What do you want to option?’ They were throwing all these wild best-sellers at me,” recalls Dunham, 35. “I was like, ‘I’d really like to option this YA novel…

Directing movies has always been a high-wire act, and it has only gotten harder in this unpredictable era of the pandemic. In mid-November, six filmmakers behind some of the year’s most celebrated cinematic work gathered for The Hollywood Reporter’s Director Roundtable: Pedro Almodóvar (Parallel Mothers), Kenneth Branagh (Belfast), Jane Campion (The Power of the Dog), Guillermo del Toro (Nightmare Alley), Asghar Farhadi (A Hero) and Reinaldo Marcus Green (King Richard). The group, who convened in person in L.A., talked about giving up guns on sets, mining personal traumas and why they wished they had “slept more, laughed more and breathed more” on their films. How would you explain the job of a director to a 5-year-old? KENNETH BRANAGH It’s like a kind of creative traffic cop. GUILLERMO DEL TORO It’s…

Although audiences slowly returned to theaters in 2021, it was a familiar streamer that dominated the Jan. 12 SAG nominations — Netflix, which had seven noms in just the film categories. (The platform’s 10 TV nominations place it second to HBO and HBO Max’s 14 nods in the small-screen categories.) Although Netflix’s Don’t Look Up is its sole contender in the best cast category — nominated alongside Focus Features’ Belfast, Apple TV+’s CODA, MGM/UA’s House of Gucci and Warner Bros.’ King Richard — the film’s star-packed ensemble could sway the actors who vote for the prize, giving the streamer a second win in this category after 2021’s The Trial of the Chicago 7. Netflix has been eyeing a best picture Oscar since entering the running with Roma in 2019 (Alfonso…

DRAMA The Handmaid’s Tale • Loki • The Morning Show Succession • Yellowjackets ↑ COMEDY Curb Your Enthusiasm • Hacks Only Murders in the Building ↑ • Ted Lasso What We Do in the Shadows NEW SERIES Hacks • Loki • Only Murders in the Building Reservation Dogs ↑ • Yellowjackets ORIGINAL LONGFORM American Horror Story: Double Feature Mare of Easttown • Midnight Mass Them: Covenant • The White Lotus ↑ ADAPTED LONGFORM Halston • Impeachment: American Crime Story Maid ↑ • The Underground Railroad • WandaVision…

From a swashbuckling Errol Flynn to Indiana Jones to whichever Nicolas Cage character stole the Declaration of Independence, popular culture has long fixated on the adrenaline rush of treasure hunting. But what if, AMC+’s new six-part Spanish miniseries La Fortuna dares to ask, treasure hunting is actually quite dull? What if it’s really all about maritime law and international bureaucracy? The more realistic depiction, it turns out, would be consistently interesting, but never even slightly thrilling, other than occasional bouts of Stanley Tucci swearing and kicking things. Tucci plays Frank Wild, an American treasure hunter cut from the cloth of Jeff Bezos, Lex Luthor or your favorite wealthy, bald eccentric. In the opening scene of the series, adapted by Alejandro Amenábar (Open Your Eyes, The Others) and Alejandro Hernández from…