General
WarnerMedia’s ongoing shake-up has led to the exits of many respected execs. Meet 6 leaders who have left the company and are now free agents on the job market.
Ashley Rodriguez, Business Insider Prime
WarnerMedia has taken big steps to adapt its storied Hollywood studios and businesses for the streaming age since being acquired by telecom AT&T in 2018. Those steps include industry-shaking moves like streaming Warner Bros. films on HBO Max the day they hit theaters, and internal changes like uniting its once siloed TV, film, and streaming businesses.
BMG Buys Fleetwood Mac Rights After 1970s Song Is TikTok Hit
Stefan Nicola, Bloomberg
Bertelsmann SE’s BMG snapped up rights to most of Fleetwood Mac’s music after the band’s hit song “Dreams” went viral on social media.
Gabby Giffords Is Hoping Hollywood Can Help in Her Fight Against Gun Violence
Claudia Eller, Variety
One of Gabby Giffords’ priorities for 2021 is to forge relationships with writers, producers, celebrities and decision-makers in Hollywood who can leverage their powerful platforms to speak out against gun violence, call for commonsense laws and support local community efforts to raise awareness about gun safety.
Bob Iger and Willow Bay Donating $5 Million to Hard-Hit Los Angeles Businesses
Pat Saperstein, Variety
Bob Iger and Willow Bay will be donating $5 million to small businesses throughout Los Angeles that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, mayor Eric Garcetti announced Thursday.
Film
Behind Warner Bros.’ Olive Branch to Top Talent
Mia Galuppo and Kim Masters, The Hollywood Reporter
The Warner Bros. business affairs department did not have a very relaxing holiday break. The group was working through the end of the year with the aim of placating big-name talent that was kept in the dark about the Dec. 3 reveal outlining plans for the entirety of the studio’s 2021 slate to be released day-and-date domestically in theaters and HBO Max.
Expect More Blockbusters to Be Delayed, Universal Boss Says
Kelly Gilblom, Bloomberg
The crowded schedule of blockbusters in 2021, which includes “Black Widow” and “F9,” probably won’t stay that way for long. Many of the films slated for theatrical release in the first half of the year will likely be delayed again, according to Universal Filmed Entertainment Chairman Donna Langley.
Blockbusters May Leave Summer — Here’s What That Means for Theaters
Tom Brueggemann, IndieWire
On January 11, Dr. Anthony Fauci said theaters and music venues could safely reopen by this fall — some 18 months or more after COVID-19 forced their closure.
A Movie Theater Chain Poised to Weather 2021’s Disruptions
Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter
Movie theater chains are staring down an unprecedented crisis, as pandemic shutdowns are forcing operators in some areas to close while awaiting local authorities’ COVID-19 guidance.
‘Parasite’ Director Bong Joon Ho to Head Jury at Venice Film Festival
Nick Vivarelli, Variety
“Parasite” director Bong Joon Ho will preside over the main jury of the 78th Venice Film Festival in September, marking the first time a South Korean director has been picked as the Lido’s top juror.
Chloé Zhao’s ‘Nomadland’ to Debut on Hulu and in Theaters
Rebecca Rubin, Variety
Chloé Zhao’s acclaimed film “Nomadland,” a road drama that’s expected to be a major awards player, has modified its release plan due to the pandemic.
Demi Lovato’s Docuseries ‘Dancing With the Devil’ to Open 2021 SXSW Film Festival
Beatrice Verhoeven, The Wrap
“Demi Lovato: Dancing With the Devil,” a docuseries exploring the singer’s near fatal overdose, will open the 2021 SXSW Film Festival in March, the festival announced Thursday.
Oscars: Tyler Perry, MPTF Tapped for Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Awards
Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter
In a most unusual awards season, it only goes to reason that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be doing a most unusual thing at its Oscars: making two separate presentations of its Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.
Television
‘We will be on even higher alert’: TV, streaming news outlets prepare for an unpredictable Inauguration Day
Tim Peterson, Digiday
If CBS News Digital evp and gm Christy Tanner had her way, the inauguration of Joe Biden as U.S. president on Jan. 20 will be relatively uneventful. “We wish for a news-free inauguration, a totally ceremonial inauguration,” she said.
How Covid-19 Has Changed The CW—and When Its Schedule Could Return to Normal
Jason Lynch, Adweek
Last May, while several broadcasters were still holding out hope that they would be able to have a normal fall season despite the pandemic-related production shutdowns, The CW was one of the first networks to throw in the towel.
Technology and New Media
HBO Max Extends 22% Discount Offer Through March
Todd Spangler, Variety
Did “Wonder Woman 1984” fail to deliver the HBO Max subscriber haul WarnerMedia was banking on — or was its promo pricing so successful it reupped the deal?
Why Streamers Prefer a Hit TV Series to a Hit Movie
Diane Haithman, The Wrap Pro
Netflix this week announced a new star-studded slate of feature filns for 2021, including at least 70 titles as part of its plan to draw in subscribers with at least one movie every week. While this bold move suggests a strategic decision to lure and keep subscribers, some entertainment industry watchers suggest that a hit TV series — more so than a movie — may bring a streaming service more bang for its buck.
Snap Names New Content Leader in Push to Counter TikTok
Alex Heath, The Information
Snap has promoted executive Ben Schwerin to be its new senior vice president of content and partnerships, a move that signals the company’s ambitions to compete more aggressively with TikTok and to cut more deals with media companies and app developers.
Startup Pushes Picture-in-Picture Ads for Streaming TV
Sahil Patel, The Wall Street Journal
People who watch sports on traditional TV are well-acquainted with commercials that share the screen with the programming during lulls in the action, an attempt by networks to keep viewers’ attention during ad breaks.
Bridgerton: Daphne & Simon TikTok Musical Gets Netflix’s Endorsement
Rebecca Vanacker, Screen Rant
Recent TikTok songs devoted to Bridgerton have caught the attention of Netflix, who approves of the fan-made musical. The brand-new series premiered on Christmas Day and quickly became a run away hit for the streaming service.
‘We’ve Never Seen Anything Like This’: Spotify Reacts to Olivia Rodrigo’s Record-Breaking ‘Drivers License’
Andrew Unterberger, Billboard
Olivia Rodrigo’s official debut single “Drivers License” has taken over the pop world since its debut last Friday (Jan. 8), dominating social media and streaming services with its powerful songwriting, heartfelt performance and real-world dramatic intrigue.
Group Nine’s SPAC to Go Public Friday, Prices $200 Million IPO Through Blank-Check Company
Todd Spangler, Variety
The special purpose acquisition company set up by Group Nine Media announced pricing of its initial public offering of 20 million units at $10 apiece, for total gross proceeds of $200 million.
From Fanfiction To Netflix Hits
Julia Alexander, The Verge
Kate Marchant was in the kitchen of her childhood home, standing across the room from her mother, when she got the email: Robbie Amell, who appeared on the CW’s Flash, was interested in adapting her book into a feature film he would produce and star in.
Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research
Politics in pop culture needs a time-out
Lisa Respers France, CNN
If there is one thing the people of a beleaguered, weary and divided America could probably agree on right now, it would be the collective need for a break from politics.
After Four Years of Trump, Hollywood Wants to Help Biden and Harris Save America
Kate Aurthur and Ramin Setoodeh, Variety
The election of Joseph R. Biden and Kamala Harris was already one for the history books, even before they were set to take office after the attempted coup on Jan. 6 orchestrated by their predecessor, Donald J. Trump.
What Will TV’s Next Four Years Look Like?
Josef Adalian, Vulture
Trump, and Trump-ism, has dominated — no, overwhelmed — our culture in a way nothing else has in my nearly half-century on this planet. (Disco is probably a close second.)
As WandaVision arrives, Marvel Studios is about to enter a never-ending cycle
Julia Alexander, The Verge
If Marvel Studios has its way, people will get a new entry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe nearly every week.
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