Streaming 

• Netflix and Sony Pictures Entertainment entered a five-year deal that will see Sony films, including upcoming titles “Morbius” and “Uncharted,” stream exclusively on Netflix in the United States after theatrical and premium video-on-demand runs. As part of the pact, Sony will produce two to three films for the streamer each year, in addition to its 15-20 theatrical releases.

• Oscar-nominated Netflix films saw an increase in viewership in the seven days after this year’s nominations were announced, according to the streamer, which said the documentary short “A Love Song for Latasha” saw the biggest bump, with new viewers increasing by 1,802 percent. “Mank,” the Oscars’ most-nominated film this year, earned the second highest lift, with new viewers increasing by 702 percent.

• Facebook unveiled dynamic ads that will show consumers personalized video recommendations from streaming services and allow users to sign up for a trial or subscription within their news feed.

• Roku Inc. plans to introduce an advertising feature called Roku Recommends in 2021’s second or third quarter that will promote content available on the Roku platform, according to three agency executives. The feature, which will utilize a banner on the home screen that plays a video once a user clicks on it, will reportedly be sponsored by different brands and is expected to be used by services including Netflix, Disney+ and HBO Max.

• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s first project for Netflix will be “Heart of Invictus,” a docuseries about the Invictus Games, the sports competition for veterans founded by Harry.

SAG Awards

• Netflix’s courtroom drama and Academy Award Best Picture nominee “The Trial of the Chicago 7” took the top prize for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture at the Screen Actors Guild Awards on a night when actors of color won all of the individual film awards for the first time. The pre-taped, one-hour show, which was broadcast on TBS and TNT, also awarded the casts of “Schitt’s Creek” and “The Crown” for TV comedy series and drama series, respectively.

• The Screen Actors Guild Awards were watched by 957,000 viewers across TBS and TNT, down from 2 million viewers in 2020, according to Nielsen. 

Film 

• After WarnerMedia released its 2021 film slate simultaneously, or day-and-date, on HBO Max and in theaters, Chief Executive Jason Kilar said the company’s biggest titles will play in theaters ahead of a streaming run in 2022.

• After New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo failed to expand capacity of New York City movie theaters from 25 percent to 50 percent, Joe Masher, president of New York’s National Association of Theatre Owners branch, said theaters “can’t make it” at the current capacity, noting that some venues haven’t reopened due to the 25 percent cap. Some 5,000 theater employees remain out of work because chains can’t afford to operate with a full staff, he said. 

Olympics 

• The U.S. State Department said the Biden administration is consulting with allies about a joint approach on how to handle the 2022 Olympic Games in Beijing, while a senior official added that there hasn’t yet been discussion about joining a boycott over China’s human rights record. Department spokesman Ned Price did not say when a decision about participation will be made, noting the games don’t begin until Feb. 4. 

Personnel matters 

• Peter Dunn and David Friend, two CBS television station executives who allegedly bullied female employees and impeded efforts to hire Black journalists, are no longer with the company, CBS Chief Executive George Cheeks announced in an email to staff. Dunn, who served as president of the TV Stations unit, and Friend, formerly the senior vice president of news, have denied the allegations.
• Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is the latest Trump administration alum to join Fox News. 

Diversity in Hollywood

• Eighty actors and entertainment professionals, including Amy Poehler and Naomie Harris, signed an open letter calling for studios to hire disability officers, in an effort to promote opportunities for disabled talent and provide inclusive, accessible hiring practices. While roughly 1 in 4 U.S. adults has a disability, only 3.5 percent of regular characters in TV programs in 2020 had a disability, according to an industry study.

• A variety of Emmys For Your Consideration events and Oscar nominee showcases will be held throughout the week.

• Virtual screenings for Oscar nominees, including “Promising Young Woman,” “News of the World” and “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” are scheduled this week.

• Netflix is scheduled to report first-quarter earnings on April 20.

• The Oscars are April 25. Netflix earned 35 nominations, including 10 nods for “Mank,” the year’s most nominated picture. This year’s ceremony has already made history with the Academy nominating two women – Chloé Zhao (“Nomadland”) and Emerald Fennell (“Promising Young Woman”) – for best director in the same year. Steven Yeun (“Minari”) also made history becoming the first Asian-American to be nominated for best actor.