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.
Digital YouTube + AI The tech giant is giving influencers new ammo p. 18 Moguls Lachlan’s Throne? How Rupert’s retirement impacts Murdochland p. 16 Zahn McClarnon AMC Networks renews the star’s detective series Dark Winds for a third season after its sophomore run averaged 1.7 million viewers in Nielsen’s three-day ratings. Stephen Amell Just after the Writers Guild inked a tentative deal, Starz culled four projects from its slate, including the actor’s wrestling drama Heels, which will end with season two. David Berson & Rick Cordella It’s a new era for CBS’ and NBC’s sports groups as the execs take over following the retirement of Sean McManus and exit of Pete Bevacqua. Sylvester Stallone The action star’s team-up franchise crashes and burns at the box office as its fourth installment,…
On Saturday, Sept. 23, Disney CEO Bob Iger was in Beverly Hills, seemingly living his best life. He was at dinner with Paul McCartney and Eagles alum Joe Walsh at La Dolce Vita, an old-world Italian restaurant with long white tablecloths and dark red leather booths. Some people were discreetly snapping photos, as was to be expected with a Beatle in the house. But not everyone was focused only on McCartney. By the time the dinner was over, blurry images of Iger at the table with McCartney had been posted in the WhatsApp group chat that includes nearly 500 showrunners. Then someone posted an image of a “Writers’ Tears” whiskey bottle (yes, a real brand), suggesting that it should be sent to Iger’s table. No one did that, but the…
The daytime talk shows sidelined by the WGA strike are making moves to resume production now that a tentative agreement has been reached between the writers and the major studios. Of the enterprises impacted by their WGA ties — The Talk, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Jennifer Hudson Show and The Kelly Clarkson Show — sources indicate that all are looking into October returns. Barrymore being back on air will likely be the most notable. Host and actress Drew Barrymore was the target of unprecedented flak when she announced plans to return to work Sept. 10 and then quickly shifted gears in one of multiple apologies. One benefit to the false starts for these shows — The Talk and The Jennifer Hudson Show had also planned September premieres before nixing…
As Hollywood sees the light at the end of the tunnel amid the history-making dual strikes, anxieties have begun to set in. “You’ve got the entire industry starting up again. Everybody’s going to be hitting the starting line with the same needs. There will be issues with cast availabilities, crews, getting stages, equipment,” says one studio executive. With the WGA having reached a tentative deal and SAG-AFTRA next up at the bargaining table, reps and execs, while hopeful, have begun fretting about what the post-work-stoppage future holds. The strikes have lasted long enough that entire production schedules on major studio features and series have been blown. “People are already starting to argue about who is in first position,” says one rep. While most back-to-work scenarios are more cut-and-dried — the…
While the industry will debate the winners and losers from the WGA strike, one victor has clearly emerged from the work stoppage: the “Fake Carol” Lombardini X/Twitter account. Now, the individual who runs the account (with some 5,200 followers) is speaking about their motivations — and why they won’t reveal themself. Who are you? I’m an incredibly average, working-class, mid-level writer living in L.A. Mostly comedy. How did this begin for you? I just thought it was funny that someone who had so much power over my life and livelihood was this random lady working on behalf of billionaires from a Sherman Oaks shopping mall [where the AMPTP offices are]. What a strange thing to be. Have you heard from any management or studio-side executives about your parody? [Amazon’s] Jennifer…
Rupert Murdoch’s American media empire was forged in dealmaking. The mogul transformed a regional newspaper business into a juggernaut through acquisitions, perhaps most notably the 20th Century Fox Film Corp. in 1985 and Dow Jones (owner of The Wall Street Journal) in 2007. But he also knew when to sell. Murdoch split his companies in two in 2013, separating the film and TV business from his newspaper empire (as well as his Australian telecom holdings), betting that the newspapers were holding down the value of Fox’s TV business. And in a blockbuster $71 billion deal in 2019, Murdoch sold off nearly all of his Hollywood assets to Disney. Rupert Murdoch no longer is a presence on the Fox and News Corp. boards, having shifted to a fuzzier “chairman emeritus” role…
