General
Barack Obama’s Production Company Runs Into a Trademark Problem
Eriq Gardner, The Hollywood Reporter
“When they go low, we go high,” said Michelle Obama at the 2016 Democratic National Convention. Going high evidently includes a trademark fight.
Apple Scraps Richard Gere Drama ‘Bastards’
Lesley Goldberg, The Hollywood Reporter
Howard Gordon and Warren Leight were originally set to executive produce the project based on the Israeli format.
Ariana Grande Sues Forever 21 Over ‘Look-Alike Model’ in Ads
Julia Jacobs, The New York Times
The pop star Ariana Grande is suing Forever 21, claiming that the fashion retailer sought to trick customers into thinking Grande endorsed its brand by posting photos of her on its social media accounts and using a model who looked “strikingly similar” to her.
Canada Is Not-So-Subtly Asking Hollywood to Pay More Attention to Its Talent Pool
Minda Smiley, Adweek
With the Toronto International Film Festival just days away, the Directors Guild of Canada is using the opportunity to draw attention to the many talented individuals working in Ontario who often go unnoticed by Hollywood execs.
A Planned Friends Pop-Up Rankles West Village Residents
Laura Bradley, Vanity Fair
Who could have guessed that having your neighborhood featured in a mega-popular sitcom would prove obnoxious? West Village residents know a thing or two about that—especially those who happen to live near 90 Bedford Street, a building famously used in Friends for the exterior shots of Monica Geller’s apartment.
How Lizzo Does That
Bee Shapiro, The New York Times
The star, with one of the biggest hits of the summer, clues us in on her beauty rituals.
What’s Broadway Got to Do With It? More Pop Musicals
Ben Brantley, The New York Times
New York stages will bop to the songbooks of Bob Dylan, Alanis Morissette, Tina Turner and David Byrne this season. And that’s not counting the 70 songwriters of “Moulin Rouge!”
Film
Toronto Film Festival Buyers Face Harsh Lessons After Indie Flops
Pat Saperstein, Variety
We’ve seen how this movie plays out. Festival audiences lose their mind for, say, an uplifting drama or a biting satire.
Disney Films Made 42% of This Summer’s Box Office Grosses
Jeremy Fuster, The Wrap
It’s no secret that Disney was in full control of the summer blockbuster season. But now that summer’s done, the final domestic box office numbers show just how dominant Disney was.
14 Buzziest Movies for Sale at This Year’s Toronto Film Festival
Beatrice Verhoeven and Brian Welk, The Wrap
The Toronto International Film Festival is better known as a launching pad for films about to hit theaters than as a sales market, but the packed slate of projects includes quite a few that will be vying for the attention of studios, indie distributors and streaming services.
‘It: Chapter Two’ Is Fandango’s Best-Selling Horror Movie & Most Anticipated Title Of Fall
Anthony D’Alessandro, Deadline Hollywood
Updated tracking has New Line’s It: Chapter Two opening between $90 million-$100 million, just behind the previous chapter’s all-time horror and September debut record of $123.4M. However, Fandango reports that advance ticket sales for the Stephen King sequel are the online ticketer’s best ever for a horror pic, outstripping It, Jordan Peele’s Us, last year’s Halloween and The Nun.
Television
Emmys to Remain at L.A. Live as TV Academy, AEG Sign Extension
Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter
The Emmys are staying put in downtown Los Angeles. The Television Academy and AEG, the owner of the L.A. Live complex, have reached a new multiyear agreement to keep the awards ceremony at L.A. Live’s Microsoft Theater through at least 2022.
‘Chasing the Cure’: Crowdsourcing Health Diagnoses in the Era of Fake News
Tyler Hersko, IndieWire
“Chasing the Cure” is a television show, but host Ann Curry wants it to become a genuine platform for viewers to discuss mysterious medical ailments and crowdsource potential solutions.
AMC Networks Poaches Kim Kelleher to Head Up Ad Sales
Kelsey Sutton, Adweek
Kim Kelleher, a media and marketing fixture who has been the chief brand officer at Condé Nast for the past two years, has joined AMC Networks, the cable channel announced Tuesday. Kelleher is coming on board as president of advertising sales and partnerships, and will be tasked with handling the company’s ad business across its linear television networks, along with digital sales and integrated marketing efforts.
‘Watchmen’ Gets Official Late October Debut Date From HBO
Dominic Patten, Deadline Hollywood
We knew that Damon Lindelof’s Watchmen series based on Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons’ iconic comic was coming to HBO in October. Now we know exactly when the Regina King-starrer will debut.
Sean Hayes, Queen Latifah to Guest Judge on ‘America’s Got Talent’
Michael Malone, Broadcasting & Cable
Sean Hayes and Queen Latifah turn up on America’s Got Talent as guest judges September 3 and September 10, respectively. It’s the first time the NBC variety program has guest judges lined up for the semifinal rounds.
Technology and New Media
Streaming Services Draw New Subscribers With Old-Time Rock ’n’ Roll
Anne Steele, The Wall Street Journal
Joel Shaffer usually listens to current pop stars like Drake, Kygo and Migos during his 30-minute commute to work outside Boston. But when he recently stumbled onto Nine Inch Nails’ 1989 song “Head Like a Hole,” he was hooked.
‘Rainy day and sunny day money’: Producers at streaming shows are looking for product placement deals
Tim Peterson, Digiday
The popularity of ad-free services like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video has been a headache for advertisers who face fewer opportunities to reach people through traditional advertising. But it’s been a boon for producers who have free rein to sell product placements in their shows.
NBC’s ultra-specific sports streaming comes to Xfinity X1 and Flex
Jon Fingas, Engadget
You’d think Comcast would have rushed to add NBC Sports Gold’s niche sports streaming to its media platforms given that it owns NBC, but not so — it’s just adding the service now.
Activision Blizzard Esports League Tries a Nielsen Metric to Take on Traditional Sports
Sahil Patel, The Wall Street Journal
Overwatch League is pitching marketers with average audiences per minute, a common measure of TV.
Opinions, Editorials, Perspectives and Research
‘Joker’ early reviews are mostly raves. Does it reinvent the superhero movie?
Michael Cavna, The Washington Post
“Joker” is shaping up to be a savvy move: By simultaneously lowering the stakes and raising expectations, the latest screen depiction of Batman’s most creatively fertile villain is already scoring with its first wave of critics.
Disney and #BoycottMulan Campaign: How Studios Must Adapt to Social Media Firestorms
Trey Williams, The Wrap
The #BoycottMulan movement began last month, after Chinese-born actress and star of Disney’s upcoming live-action “Mulan” Liu Yifei, also known as Crystal Liu, pledged support for Hong Kong police amid unrest in the region. Liu’s comments on the Chinese social media platform Weibo and the conversation that has ensued in its wake is the most recent example of a studio needing to navigate tricky waters because of its blockbuster star.
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