• The Walt Disney Co. promoted Hulu President Joe Earley to president of direct-to-consumer for Disney Entertainment, replacing Michael Paull as he leaves Disney after six years, effective immediately, according to a joint statement from co-chairmen Alan Bergman and Dana Walden. Earley, who joined Disney in 2019, will be in charge of Disney’s streaming properties, including Disney+ and Hulu. (Variety)
• “Jeanne du Barry,” the first film to star Johnny Depp after his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard, will open next month’s 76th Cannes Film Festival. Netflix Inc. has licensing rights in France for its first post-theatrical window 15 months after the project premieres, though no U.S. release for the film, which sees Depp portray King Louis XV, has been announced. (The Associated Press)
• Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. and Legendary Pictures announced “Minecraft,” based on the popular video game and starring Jason Momoa, will premiere on April 4, 2025. Warner Bros. made other changes to its theatrical calendar, including moving up the release of DC Studios’ “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” which also stars Momoa, from Dec. 25 to Dec. 20 of this year, while “The Color Purple” will now premiere on Christmas. (The Hollywood Reporter)

Netflix’s Crackdown on Password Sharing Emboldens Stock Bulls

Bloomberg

MTV Movie & TV Awards 2023 Nominations: ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ ‘Stranger Things’ and ‘Last of Us’ Lead

Benjamin VanHoose, People

Drew Barrymore will host the awards show on May 7.

More movies, more variety, more money: The box office is catching up to pre-Covid levels

Sarah Whitten, CNBC

For nearly three years, the domestic box office has been chasing the highs of the pre-pandemic era, hoping that blockbuster franchise films would fill seats and sell popcorn.

Blockbuster pushed HBO to start investing in original content, cable giant’s ex-chief says

Alex Sherman, CNBC

HBO’s push into original content was spurred by the threat of Blockbuster disrupting its business model.

In Turbulent Advertising Market, NBCUniversal Pitches Flexibility to Clients

Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter

As the 2023 upfront approaches, NBCU is offering media buyers a platform to buy ads around the world … or in a single local market.

Dealer pleads guilty in death of actor Michael K. Williams

Larry Neumeister, The Associated Press

A Brooklyn drug dealer pleaded guilty Wednesday to providing “The Wire” actor Michael K. Williams with fentanyl-laced heroin, causing his death.

Bill Doeren, Innovative Exhibition Executive, Dies at 76

Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter

His long career included stints at AMC, General Cinema, MGM International Cinema Group and then Kodak.

‘X’ Sequel ‘MaXXXine’ Sets Cast with Elizabeth Debicki, Lily Collins

Mia Galuppo and Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter

Kevin Bacon, Michelle Monaghan and Bobby Cannavale will also join Mia Goth in the A24 horror film.

Keanu Reeves, Jonah Hill Dark Comedy ‘Outcome’ Lands at Apple

Borys Kit, The Hollywood Reporter

The two A-listers will star in the feature which Hill co-wrote and will direct.

Second ‘Spider-Man: Across The Spider-Verse’ Trailer Comes In As Most Viewed For A Summer 2023 Superhero Pic

Matt Grobar, Deadline

Sony‘s second trailer for “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” has set a viewership record, Deadline has learned, coming in not only as the highest-viewed “Spider-Verse” franchise trailer, but also as the most-viewed second trailer for any recent Marvel film within a 24-hour period, and the most-viewed superhero film trailer of the summer.

Jack Harlow Joins Matt Damon And Casey Affleck In ‘The Instigators’ For Apple

Justin Kroll, Deadline

Jack Harlow has rounded out the cast of the all-star ensemble of Apple Original Films’ “The Instigators,” starring Matt Damon and Casey Affleck. 

‘Five Nights at Freddy’s’ to Debut Simultaneously in Theaters and on Peacock in October

J. Kim Murphy, Variety

“Five Nights at Freddy’s” has set an October release date to terrify audiences in multiplexes… and on Peacock.

‘How to Blow Up a Pipeline’ explores vigilante eco-sabotage

Krysta Fauria, The Associated Press

When the creators of “How to Blow Up a Pipeline” initially set out to adapt the book of the same name, which critiques the docility of climate activism, director Daniel Goldhaber had in mind a very different movie than what they eventually made.

Hollywood Wants You to Tear Up Over Flamin’ Hot Cheetos

John Jurgensen, The Wall Street Journal

From snacks to Tetris, BlackBerry and Air Jordans, the hit products of yesteryear are getting their closeup. Behind Hollywood’s obsession with consumer brands as entertainment.

Many canceled HBO shows, including ‘Westworld’ and ‘Raised by Wolves,’ are now on Roku

Aisha Malik, TechCrunch

The Roku Channel has added 14 new free, ad-supported channels featuring TV shows and movies from Warner Bros.’s content library. Earlier this year, Warners Bros. Discovery announced that it reached a deal with Roku and Tubi to license 2,000 hours of content. The content is now available on Roku.

‘Ziwe’ Cancelled at Showtime

Rebecca Iannucci, TVLine

TV’s late-night landscape just got a little emptier. Showtime has cancelled its talk show “Ziwe” after two seasons, TVLine has confirmed.

HBO Max ‘It’ Prequel Series ‘Welcome To Derry’ Sets Taylour Paige, Jovan Adepo, James Remar & Chris Chalk

Anthony D’Alessandro, Deadline

Stephen King’s “It” lives on in the prequel series Welcome to Derry (working title) from the franchise filmmakers Andy and Barbara Muschietti as well as “It Chapter Two” co-producer Jason Fuchs.

Jon Stewart returned to ‘The Daily Show’

Lisa Respers France, CNN

Stewart popped up at “The Daily Show” to help one of the show’s correspondents, Roy Wood Jr., go viral.

Don Lemon’s Misogyny at CNN, Exposed: Malicious Texts, Mocking Female Co-Workers and ‘Diva-Like Behavior’

Tatiana Siegel, Variety

Back in 2008, Don Lemon was co-anchoring CNN’s “Live From” weekday show with Kyra Phillips, a gig that he landed after he arrived at the network two years prior from local news in Chicago.

CNN staffers are divided after a bombshell report accuses Don Lemon of misogyny. Insiders say it’s ‘another shit show’ for network chief Chris Licht.

Claire Atkinson and Lucia Moses, Insider Premium

CNN is defending Don Lemon after a bombshell report by Variety about the network’s star, while insiders are speculating about his ability to survive the latest blow.

Anderson Cooper Brings ‘Vanderbilt’ Drama to Amazon

Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter

The CNN anchor is teaming with “Dr. Death” EP Patrick Macmanus on the project, based on Cooper and Katherine Howe’s book.

Ana Cabrera inks deal with MSNBC 

Dominick Mastrangelo, The Hill

Ana Cabrera is joining MSNBC and set to host a weekday morning show, the network announced on Wednesday.

Fired ABC News Staffers Don’t Plan to Go Quietly

Lachan Cartwright, The Daily Beast

In this week’s edition of Confider, we reveal that some top ABC staffers who got pink-slipped last week have lawyered up—and things aren’t looking so great for the network’s boss.

NPR protests as Twitter calls it ‘state-affiliated media’

David Bauder, The Associated Press

Twitter has labeled National Public Radio as “state-affiliated media” on the social media site, a move some worried Wednesday could undermine public confidence in the news organization.

Twitter’s new feature will show ‘half ads’ to Blue subscribers

Ivan Mehta, TechCrunch

Twitter is rolling out additional features for Blue subscribers including showing 50% of ads in their timeline compared to non-paid users and a visibility boost in search.

Brands increase TikTok spending despite threat of US ban

Hannah Murphy et al., Financial Times

Digital advertising on the Chinese-owned video app grew by 11% in March.

Should Stars Register Their AI Likeness? The Tom Cruise Deepfake Startup Wants Them To

Winston Cho and Carolyn Giardina, The Hollywood Reporter

The CEO of generative AI tech firm Metaphysic has submitted for copyright registration his AI likeness — but the legal territory is far from settled so far.

Ticketmaster’s ‘Kafkaesque’ arbitration process is rigged, lawyers say

Lewis Kamb and Safia Samee Ali, NBC News

Scrutiny of Live Nation and Ticketmaster has intensified in recent months as some consumer advocates and members of Congress renew calls for further investigation of their practices.

Live Nation CEO Michael Rapino Buys Another $1 Million Worth of Shares in Company’s Stock

Dave Brooks, Billboard

The chief executive’s second seven-figure acquisition in three years is meant to shore up confidence in the concert promotion giant.