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.
↑ TV Dragon Drama HBO shuffles talent for season two p. 30 Streaming Battle of the Bundles Paramount+ and Walmart kick off a new era p. 28 Cate Blanchett The actress’ star turn in Todd Field’s music drama Tár gets a six-minute standing ovation in Venice as the film receives glowing early reviews. Ryan Kavanaugh Even as the former Relativity exec’s TikTok rival Triller raises fresh cash, a lawsuit by Sony Music over alleged unpaid fees spurs questions about its finances. Jeff Stotland As Sunset Studios owner Hudson Pacific unveils a $360 million deal to buy soundstage operator Quixote, the Hudson global studios exec notably grows his Hollywood portfolio. Martin Moszkowicz Constantin and its CEO take a hit in a bid to revive the once-lucrative Resident Evil franchise, as Netflix…
Pocket change won’t buy much these days, but over Labor Day weekend consumers were able to see a movie for $3 at thousands of theaters throughout the U.S. The one-day promotion, part of National Cinema Day on Sept. 3, was unprecedented and designed both to celebrate a summer full of promise in regard to the box office recovery and to drum up interest in moviegoing amid an unusually slow August and September in terms of high-profile releases. The marquee will heat up again in mid-October with the launch of the DC superhero pic Black Adam, starring Dwayne Johnson, among other event pics, although Halloween Ends will now open day-and-date in theaters and on Peacock on Oct. 14 (while not exactly jazzed, exhibitors still expect the film to perform well). Rolando…
WINNERS UNIVERSAL CHIEF DONNA LANGLEY Who needs superheroes? Universal and its label Focus Features — home of the specialty hit Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris — have released 23 films in 2022, by far the most of any studio empire. Langley’s focus on a diverse slate of films — from Jurassic World: Dominion and Minions: The Rise of Gru to the microbudgeted The Black Phone, the most successful horror pic of the pandemic — is a huge win. EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE “Remarkable” is one adjective used to describe the performance of A24’s indie sensation. The multiverse dramedy, starring Michelle Yeoh, has grossed $69.5 million domestically — not far behind big studio titles such as DC League of Super-Pets ($74.3 million) or Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train ($78.7 million). Daniel…
On Sept. 10, thousands of fans will flock to Anaheim for D23, the Disney convention where Marvel Studios boss Kevin Feige will unveil new footage and casting surprises from its upcoming films and TV series. The months leading up to the convention are among the most sensitive for Marvel security as it attempts to keep its secrets safe. But preserving those secrets has only gotten harder during the COVID-19 era, as filmmakers’ migration to work-from-home and social distancing protocols on set had the unintended consequence of giving more people the ability to see sensitive information, multiple sources tell THR. Over the past year, Marvel — which managed to get through the rollout of Avengers: Endgame largely unscathed by plot leaks just a year before the pandemic hit — has seen…
The rise of subscription streaming services was supposed to mark the end of the bundle — the pay TV bundle at least. But now that every major entertainment company has a couple of years in the streaming game under their belts, it has increasingly become a battle of the bundles, with each service seeking out its own unique value proposition or partner to make the most compelling pitch to consumers with a limited streaming budget. “There have been some comparisons made that say the streaming video industry is copying the cable industry, and this is an example of that,” says media consultant Brad Adgate. The latest salvo was launched by Walmart, run by CEO Doug McMillon, which revealed a new perk on Aug. 15 for its Walmart+ members: a complimentary…
DRAGON DRAMA: HBO SHUFFLES SHOWRUNNER TALENT FOR SEASON TWO Deal of the Week The biggest show on TV lost its co-showrunner — and gained a valuable new talent. In a shocking move, Emmy-winning director Miguel Sapochnik exited the HBO fantasy hit House of the Dragon on Aug. 31, just two weeks after the Game of Thrones prequel launched. “It was incredibly tough to decide to move on, but I know that it is the right choice for me, personally and professionally,” he says. Sources tell THR the Thrones veteran — known to immerse himself heavily in epic episodes such as “Battle of the Bastards” and “The Long Night” — felt worn down by the demands of the production. The claim echoes Sapochnik’s reluctance to join Dragon in the first place,…
