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.
Hannah Gadsby After calling Netflix an “amoral algorithm cult” for platforming Dave Chappelle’s transgender comments, the comedian inks a multiple-title deal showcasing queer talent. Ted Farnsworth/Mitch Lowe As MoviePass relaunches under new leadership, the execs who led its previous incarnation face an SEC lawsuit for allegedly violating federal securities laws. Matt Lappin The Late Show promotes the veteran writer, who has worked with Stephen Colbert for nearly 25 years, to co-exec producer and expands his creative responsibilities. Brett Favre SiriusXM and a local ESPN affiliate put the former NFL quarterback’s radio shows on hold after news of his involvement in a Mississippi welfare fraud scandal. Showbiz Stocks $3.38 (-18.8%) AMC PREFERRED EQUITY (APE) The cinema owner’s plans to sell up to 425 million of its meme-driven special shares in a…
As creators increasingly diversify their presence across all major social platforms, companies like YouTube and Twitch are rewriting the rules around revenue sharing and rethinking just how generous they should be with their content partners. On Sept. 20, YouTube, led by Susan Wojcicki, unveiled a series of creator-driven announcements, including a plan to bring its “secret sauce,” its revenue-sharing model, to its shortform product, Shorts. But there’s a catch: While longer-form YouTube videos pay out 55 percent of their ad revenue to creators and 45 percent to YouTube, the shortform version flips that, with only 45 percent of total revenue going to creators (the rest covers costs of music licensing). Creators’ payouts will be determined by their contribution to the total Shorts views every 30 days, which means that as…
Charlie Collier may be able to help Roku do more with less. That appears to be the strategy as the former Fox executive joins the company in October to lead its advertising and content business. The mere fact of his hiring suggests Roku is making a bigger push into the streaming space, in order to help boost its ad revenue, but his experience may help cut down on the costs and risks associated with moving more into content. Collier jumps to Roku after decades in the entertainment space, most recently as CEO of Fox Entertainment and previously as president of AMC. His reputation was that of a consummate salesman, able to juggle the relatively modest budgets of each company with its bold ambitions. At AMC, Collier spearheaded the cable channel’s…
As YouTube exec Robert Kyncl jumps to the top job at Warner Music Group, the incoming CEO lands a $15 million payday for his first year. He’ll succeed current chief Stephen Cooper on Jan. 1. Researchers at the University of Florida have developed a technique to help spot audio deepfakes, which increasingly are being used in film and TV to alter or replace actors’ voices. Amazon Music is going all-in on John Allen, aka MrBallen, with an exclusive distribution and first-look deal with the true-crime podcaster who first rose in popularity for posting his show on YouTube.…
The Roger Goodell-led NFL, which long has been among the most conservative of major sports leagues, suddenly finds itself deep in business with big tech. Amazon is now a national media partner, and tech companies are among the bidders on a sliver of its media businesses, including its new subscription service, NFL+. The latest tech team-up? Apple, in a deal that will see the Apple Music service become the official sponsor of the Super Bowl halftime show, replacing Pepsi after a decadelong run. The deal is the culmination of a long effort by the NFL to not only turn the halftime show into a major revenue generator (the deal is said to be in the five-year, $50 million-a-year range) but to further expand its place as a cultural moment. Or,…
In the midst of plenty of offscreen drama, Olivia Wilde’s R-rated psychological thriller Don’t Worry Darling debuted in theaters to a respectable $19.4 million at the domestic box office during the Sept. 23-25 weekend. Why, then, are Warner Bros. executives worried that the high-profile film could fade quickly? The answer lies in the age breakdown, a key demographic statistic that can portend a movie’s ultimate playability once it has opened. Women were always the target audience when Wilde and Warners’ New Line set out to make a smart original film about female oppression in American suburbia. They certainly succeeded on the first front: Females purchased more than 70 percent of tickets opening weekend, according to PostTrak. But the age groups were awry: Only 22 percent of the audience was 35…
