• Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. will add thousands of titles from Discovery’s catalog of unscripted lifestyle shows to HBO Max, but will keep subscription prices at $10 for the ad-supported tier and $15 or $16 per month for the ad-free option, according to people familiar with the company’s plans. Warner Bros. reportedly also plans to sell a separate, higher-priced subscription for around $20 per month that will offer better quality video and other features on the platform, which is expected to be renamed Max. (Bloomberg)
• The Walt Disney Co. will look closely at how much it spends, as well as the volume of films and series it produces, as it navigates the challenging theatrical and streaming landscape, CEO Bob Iger said at the Morgan Stanley conference this week. Iger said he is open to the idea of making content and selling it to other outlets, but emphasized core franchises like Marvel, Star Wars and Frozen will remain exclusive to Disney-owned platforms. (The Hollywood Reporter)
• According to multiple sources, Michael B. Jordan has been in talks with Amazon.com Inc. to create an expanded “Creed” universe, while the scope of those conversations have increased in recent days in light of the box-office success of “Creed III.” Representatives for Amazon and Jordan declined to comment, though an anime series and another project focused on Adonis Creed’s daughter Amara are reportedly in the works. (Deadline)

Worth keeping an eye on today:

• SXSW starts today and runs through March 20.

Streaming Isn’t Lifting Oscar Movies’ Sagging Fortunes

Variety Intelligence

Wattpad lays off 15% of its staff, blames changing economic environment

Ivan Mehta, TechCrunch

Challenging economic conditions are affecting companies of all sizes, resulting in job cuts. Storytelling platform Wattpad announced Tuesday that it has laid off 42 of its 267-people workforce — that’s nearly 15% of the staff.

Netflix And Verizon Extend Offer Of 12-Month Subscription At No Extra Charge For +Play Customers

Dade Hayes, Deadline

Netflix and Verizon are renewing an offer giving customers of the telecom firm’s +Play platform a 12-month subscription at no extra charge if they pay for a year’s worth of a different streaming service.

Anonymous Content CEO Dawn Olmstead, COO Heather McCauley Resign

Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter

The board for the production and management company behind “Spotlight” and “Mr. Robit” will set interim leadership soon.

With Its Future at Stake, the Academy Tries to Fix the Oscars (Again)

Brooks Barnes, The New York Times

The awards telecast has been losing viewers for years. New leadership wants to reverse that starting Sunday, and ensure the financial well-being of the organization.

Harrison Ford, Halle Berry and Pedro Pascal Added to Oscars Presenters Lineup

Jason Clark, The Wrap

The new crop of 95th Academy Awards participants also includes Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Kate Hudson, John Travolta and Mindy Kaling.

Roku will sell its first company-made smart TVs exclusively at Best Buy

Noah Sheidlower, CNBC

Roku said Thursday it will sell the first smart TVs designed and made by the company exclusively at Best Buy and the electronic retailer’s website.

Universal Filmed Entertainment Group Launches GreenerLight Sustainability Program

Degen Pener, The Hollywood Reporter

The new initiative will embed eco-conscious measures across the studio’s entire filmmaking process, from the script phase to shoots.

Lincoln Center Chooses Hearst Chief as Next Board Chair

Javier C. Hernández, The New York Times

Steven R. Swartz, president and chief executive of Hearst, will replace Katherine G. Farley, the longtime chair, in June.

A24, the studio behind ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once,’ is the ‘cool kid’ of Hollywood

Jason Guerrasio, Insider

With the Oscars quickly approaching, one thing has become abundantly clear: “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is going to have a big night — and with that, so is A24, the studio behind it.

Jenna Ortega in Talks to Star in Tim Burton’s ‘Beetlejuice 2’

Rachel Seo, Variety

Jenna Ortega is eyeing a role in Tim Burton’s “Beetlejuice 2,” Variety has confirmed.

Searchlight Dates Sundance Prize-Winning Musical Comedy ‘Theater Camp’ From Molly Gordon, Nick Lieberman, Noah Galvin & Ben Platt

Matt Grobar, Deadline

Searchlight Pictures has set a July 14th release date for the ensemble musical comedy “Theater Camp,” which it acquired out of the 2023 Sundance Film Festival for around $8M with a theatrical guarantee.

‘You’ Tops Nielsen Streaming Top 10 With Over 1.7 Billion Viewing Minutes After Season 4 Release

BreAnna Bell, Variety

“You” returns to Nielsen’s Streaming Top 10 list, leading this week’s ranking of titles after Netflix released the first five episodes of the show’s latest season last month.

Jimmy Fallon’s ‘That’s My Jam’ Season 2 Premiere Drums Up Ratings Win For NBC

Katie Campione, Deadline

“That’s My Jam” appears to still be striking a chord with NBC audiences. The Season 2 premiere of the variety game show, hosted by Jimmy Fallon, saw its audience soar 31% above the show’s Season 1 average.

Muhammad Ali Event Series From Kevin Willmott, Regé-Jean Page & Morgan Freeman In Works At Peacock

Nellie Andreeva, Deadline

As we mark the 52nd anniversary of the first Ali-Frazier fight today, Deadline can reveal that Peacock is developing “Excellence: 8 Fights,” a scripted eight-part event series about boxing great Muhammad Ali, based on the definitive biography “Ali: A Life by Jonathan Eig.”

‘Batman: Caped Crusader’ Moves to Amazon After HBO Max Axed J.J. Abrams, Matt Reeves Series

Jennifer Maas, Variety

J.J. Abrams and Matt Reeves’ animated series “Batman: Caped Crusader” has been picked up at Amazon after being scrapped at HBO Max, Variety has confirmed.

‘Saturday Night Live’ Post-Production Editors to Strike April 1 Show

Jazz Tangcay, Variety

The post-production editors behind “Saturday Night Live” are ready to strike and have set a deadline of April 1.

Chris Rock’s Concussion/’Emancipation’ Flub in Netflix’s Selective Outrage Has Mysteriously Disappeared

Claire Franken, TVLine

A new version of the comedian’s March 4 live Netflix standup event no longer contains a Will Smith-related flub that Rock made near the end of the special.

Warner Bros. Delays ‘Suicide Squad’ Game Again to Add More Polish

Jason Schreier, Bloomberg

Warner Bros. has again delayed a video game based on the Suicide Squad comic book franchise, pushing it from a May release date to later this year, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

Discord Adds OpenAI Functions to Offerings From Chat to Moderation

Cecilia D’Anastasio, Bloomberg

Discord Inc. announced a bevy of plans on Thursday to expand artificial intelligence offerings on the popular chat platform, including incorporating OpenAI’s technology into functions such as its chatbot and moderation systems.  

“In the Dark,” the Acclaimed Investigative Podcast, Joins The New Yorker and Condé Nast Entertainment

The New Yorker

As part of its expansion into long-form audio journalism, the magazine is now home to the award-winning series’ first two seasons and will release its third.

Reddit is shutting down its Clubhouse clone Reddit Talk

Ivan Mehta, TechCrunch

After Clubhouse’s rise to fame, every platform rushed to build a clone. But in the last year or so, the format’s popularity has faded and companies are rethinking their priorities.

Young kids are bringing TikTok memes to the playground

Heather Kelly, The Washington Post

TikTok memes are being picked up and spread by elementary-age children, despite never using the app themselves.

Apple launches its new classical music streaming app for preorder

Sarah Perez, TechCrunch

Apple is launching a new music streaming service focused on classical music.

Sufjan Stevens ‘Illinois’ Stage Musical Sets World Premiere; ‘West Side Story’ Choreographer Justin Peck To Direct

Greg Evans, Deadline

A stage adaptation of Sufjan Stevens’ acclaimed 2005 album “Illinois” will make its world premiere this summer in a production by The Fisher Center at Bard where Daniel Fish’s eye-opening Tony-winning revival of “Oklahoma!” got its start.

As a Film Revives Elvis’s Legacy, the Presleys Fight Over His Estate

Matt Stevens, The New York Times

After the death of Lisa Marie Presley, Elvis’s ex-wife initiated a legal battle with her granddaughter over control of the family trust.