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.
Heat Index David Zaslav With a thumbs up on stock price from Goldman Sachs and Bank of America, the Warner Bros. Discovery chief kicks off the new year with favor from Wall Street. Andy Jassy The Amazon chief ups estimates for layoffs to 18,000 as a Wall Street analyst sparks speculation about a return of Jeff Bezos to the CEO role. Camille Vasquez The attorney, who represented Johnny Depp in his defamation trial against Amber Heard, elevates her profile with a deal as a legal analyst for NBC News. Tom Brady The NFL star and former TV spokesperson for the crypto platform FTX has lost $10 million-plus in shares after the platform filed for bankruptcy. Showbiz Stocks $95.56 (+6.1%) DISNEY (DIS) The entertainment giant is adjusting its theme park prices…
Is Chat GPT a sign that automation is coming to film and TV writing? As far-fetched as it sounds, the arrival in November 2022 of a free prototype of the AI-powered chatbot — which has jolted observers with the sophisticated, fluid writing it can produce when prompted, even in the form of poems, essays and, yes, short scripts — has set off alarm bells about the disruption that the chatbot could wreak on the work of entertainment scribes. Still, top film and TV writers are skeptical that the technology in its current state imperils their livelihoods in any way, even as they remain cautious about the potential for future advancements. “Do I see this in the near term replacing the kind of writing that we’re doing in writers rooms every…
JOHN AUGUST’S TAKEAWAY “These read like the summaries on the top sheet of script coverage. That’s not a knock; I used to be a reader at TriStar, and they’re not always easy to write. As far as the ideas themselves, they’re all taking ‘X meets Y’ far too literally. Screenwriters don’t start with this shorthand; they find their way to it to explain their take.” Source line: OpenAI’s ChatGPT, which was asked to “write a script proposal in 40 words for a feature film” for each example.…
Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon’s stunning return to the company he founded has upended the wrestling giant’s fortunes. At McMahon’s prodding, the company is now leading “a review of its strategic alternatives” as WWE finds itself grappling with uncertainty. The question facing WWE shareholders is not only whether McMahon and the company can execute a sale, or who the buyer might be, but also whether McMahon will emerge (to use some wrestling terms) as a “face,” generating outsize value for shareholders and retiring gracefully, or as a “heel,” throwing a wrench into what could otherwise be a smooth process by inserting himself back on top of his empire. Using his controlling stake in the company, McMahon on Jan. 5 installed himself and two former executives on the WWE board of…
COMCAST/NBCUNIVERSAL Pros NBCUniversal is already the WWE’s biggest rights holder, with big events on Peacock and Raw on USA. IP from the company (The Undertaker, The Rock, etc.) could be adapted for other content or theme parks. Cons Is the WWE the type of deal Jeff Shell and Brian Roberts really want to do? Or would they hold out for a more ambitious acquisition? ENDEAVOR Pros The WWE would fit nicely with the Ari Emanuel-run Endeavor’s other sports properties, and the McMahons would likely remain involved in running the business, just as Dana White is with UFC. Endeavor could leverage WME to create more crossover stars from the WWE roster. Cons The WWE has a market cap of $6.6 billion (a deal would likely need to be at least $8.5…
Anew Federal Trade Commission rule that would ban noncompetes nationwide could complicate Hollywood hiring, even though California already prohibits the clauses in most contracts. On Jan. 5, the FTC released a proposed rule that would bar employers from making workers agree to noncompetes, which generally prevent them from taking jobs with competitors for a certain period of time after they leave the company. The agency says the clauses are a form of unfair competition in the labor market, lowering wages and stifling innovation, among other issues. The rule, as written, would apply to independent contractors and unpaid interns as well as employees, and it would make companies rescind noncompetes they’ve already secured. “An overused term is actually appropriate here — it would be truly a sweeping sea change,” says Molly…
