• Members of the Writers Guild of America voted to authorize a strike, with nearly 98% of votes in support, as the union for film and TV writers negotiates with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers for a new contract to address pay and other changes caused by the rise of streaming. The writers’ three-year pact is set to expire May 1, which could lead to a walkout, though union leaders could push the deadline back if the two sides are near a deal. (The Associated Press)
• The Media Rating Council reinstated accreditation for Nielsen Holdings PLC’s national TV measurement more than a year and a half after suspension, which came after Nielsen was said to have undercounted viewership in September 2021. While Nielsen’s accreditation for local TV ratings remains suspended, the company has taken “strong efforts to correct the issues,” said the council’s CEO George W. Ivie. (The Hollywood Reporter)
• AMC Networks Inc. will launch an ad-supported tier for its AMC+ streaming service later this year that will feature a “light” ad load similar to other streaming services, according to Chief Commercial Officer Kim Kelleher. AMC+ subscribers who opt for the ad-supported version will still get access to all content, while some movies will not feature ads, Kelleher said. (Variety)

Worth keeping an eye on today:

• 6 p.m. ET: Netflix Inc. will share its first-quarter earnings.

Streamers have a Gen Z problem: New data reveals why younger subscribers are more likely to cancel as inflation forces them to choose between Netflix and necessities

Insider Premium

Judge seals Alec Baldwin settlement terms in fatal shooting

Morgan Lee, The Associated Press

The judge hearing the wrongful death lawsuit against actor Alec Baldwin and an array of producers and crew linked to a fatal film set shooting agreed Monday to seal from public view the terms of a proposed settlement agreement in the case that benefits the son of slain cinematographer Halyna Hutchins.

 

Jamie Foxx Remains Hospitalized in Georgia as He Undergoes More Tests After Medical Complication

Jen Juneau, People

Doctors are running tests on the Oscar winner to try and determine the cause of his health scare, which occurred April 11.

 

Jonathan Majors & Manager Entertainment 360 Part Ways; Actor Facing Domestic Violence Allegations In NYC

Anthony D’Alessandro and Dominic Patten, Deadline

Talent manager Entertainment 360 has dropped Jonathan Majors, several sources tell us. The recent move by Majors’ longtime manager comes three weeks after the Magazine Dreams star was arrested on domestic violence charges in New York City.

 

Oscars: Film Academy Creates and Fills New Position of Chief Membership, Impact and Industry Officer

Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter

Meredith Shea, most recently an executive at Ava DuVernay’s Array, will be tasked with bringing together the organization’s member relations, awards administration, talent development, global outreach and impact teams.

 

Cineworld Scraps Plan to Sell Businesses Outside U.S. and U.K.

Abid Rahman, The Hollywood Reporter

The company said the bids for the units did not meet its valuation target.

 

Netflix’s Reed Hastings Buys Stake In Ski Resort

Scott Feinberg, The Hollywood Reporter

The mogul acquired a minority share in Utah’s Powder Mountain from Elliott Bisnow and fellow Summit Series co-founders.

 

Paramount Global Signs First-Look Deal With LL Cool J’s Rock The Bells, Leads $15 Million Funding Round

Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter

Raine Ventures and Irving Azoff also invested in the hip hop brand in the Series B round.

 

Serena Williams Serves New Multimedia Company, 926 Productions

Mikey O’Connell, The Hollywood Reporter

No stranger to the entertainment industry, the tennis icon is launching a production company — naming Grand Electric alum Caroline Currier as president.

 

Amazon Nabs $35 Million in Tax Incentives, Will Move ‘Citadel’ to California

Gene Maddaus, Variety

Amazon has been awarded $35.3 million in state tax incentives for TV production, including the largest amount ever granted by the state of California for a single film or TV season.

 

National Endowment for the Humanities Announces $35.6 Million in Grants

Sarah Bahr, The New York Times

The first round of funding for the year will support over 250 projects across the country.

 

Smaller, Versatile Concert Halls Step Out of the Shadow of Stadiums

Amy Zipkin, The New York Times

As live entertainment rebounds, developers are using midsize venues to anchor their projects and energize the surrounding neighborhood.

 

Disneyland After Dark To Host First Pride Nite Events

Nancy Tartaglione, Deadline

Disneyland’s festive after-hours special events promotion Disneyland After Dark has been set to host its first-ever Pride celebrations, taking place over two evenings during Pride Month in June.

 

Legendary L.A. Video Store Vidiots Set to Reopen with Theater and Bar

Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire

Aubrey Plaza, the Duplass brothers, Karina Longworth, and Rian Johnson are among the supporters for the historic Eagle Theatre and video store.

 

Malala Yousafzai working on new book, her ‘most personal’

The Associated Press

Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai is working on a new memoir, the latest book by the young activist from Pakistan known for her advocacy for education for girls and for surviving an assassination attempt by the Taliban when she was in her teens.

Michelle Yeoh seeks new challenges after Oscar win

The Associated Press

Michelle Yeoh says she is looking for new challenges including as a producer, as she credited perseverance, hard work and passion for her historic Oscar win last month.

 

Ethan Coen’s Movie Reveals Title, Fall 2023 Release Date

Pamela McClintock, The Hollywood Reporter

“Drive-Away Dolls” marks the first feature film he has directed solo without his longtime compatriot and sibling Joel Coen. He co-wrote the original script with partner Tricia Cooke.

 

‘Smile’ Banner Temple Hill Renews First-Look Film Deal With Paramount

Mia Galuppo, The Hollywood Reporter

The horror hit grossed $200 million globally.

 

James McAvoy, Blumhouse Reteam for Horror Thriller ‘Speak No Evil’

Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter

James McAvoy is getting back in business with Blumhouse, the studio behind his M. Night Shyamalan features “Split” and “Glass.” The actor is set to star in “Speak No Evil,” a remake of the Danish psychological horror thriller “Gaesterne.”

 

As the TV Drama Bubble Bursts, Producers Look to Indie Film for New Models

Scott Roxoborough, The Hollywood Reporter

With the era of easy money long gone, producers are looking to co-production, financing and distribution models pioneered by the independent film industry.

Fox News-Dominion libel case set to begin after brief delay

David Bauder et al., The Associated Press

The Delaware judge overseeing a voting machine company’s $1.6 billion defamation lawsuit against Fox News delayed the opening of the trial Monday, raising the prospect that the two sides might attempt to settle before the eagerly watched case goes before a jury.

 

Netflix, CBS Stay on Top of Watch Time Rankings in First Quarter

Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter

The two outlets also commanded the biggest share of viewers’ time in fall 2022.

 

Brooke Shields’ ‘Pretty Baby’ Doc Is ABC News’ Most-Watched Hulu Debut Ever

Jennifer Maas, Variety

“Pretty Baby: Brooke Shields” is the most-watched program out of all ABC News launches to ever debut on Hulu, Variety has learned exclusively.

 

‘Succession’ Viewership Hits Another Series High, Helping ‘Barry’ Season 4 to Biggest Audience Since 2019

Selome Hailu, Variety

For the second week in a row, “Succession” reached its biggest audience yet.

 

‘RuPaul’s Drag Race’ Revs Up Highest-Rated Season In 3 Years

Katie Champione, Deadline

The finale episode, which aired April 14 on MTV, delivered a 0.59 rating in the 18-49 entertainment demographic, according to Live+same-day Nielsen data.

 

‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ Spinoff Series ‘Knuckles’ at Paramount+ Sets Cast, Including Adam Pally, Tika Sumpter

Joe Otterson, Variety

The live-action “Knuckles” series starring Idris Elba at Paramount+ has assembled its cast.

 

‘The Rookie’ Renewed for Season 6 at ABC

Matt Webb Mitovich, TVLine

ABC’s “The Rookie” on Monday afternoon copped itself a renewal for Season 6, during which the light procedural will mark its 100th episode.

 

F. Murray Abraham Was Kicked Off ‘Mythic Quest’ for Sexual Misconduct

Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone

F. Murray Abraham’s unexpected departure from “Mythic Quest” last year ahead of the Apple TV+ show’s third season stemmed from sexual misconduct complaints, Rolling Stone has learned.

 

‘Euphoria’ Star Angus Cloud’s Ex-Manager Blasts Him on the Way Out

Helen Holmes, The Daily Beast

In a lengthy Twitter thread, Cloud’s former talent manager accused the actor of “verbal abuse, emotional distress and severe drug addiction.”

 

‘Beef’ Actor David Choe Shields Himself Behind Copyright After Resurfaced Clips Go Viral Where He Admits To ‘Rapey Behavior’

Armando Tinoco, Deadline

David Choe has protected himself using copyright laws to his favor following backlash over resurfaced audios where he admitted to “rapey behavior.”

Google CEO Sundar Pichai warns society to brace for impact of A.I. acceleration, says ‘it’s not for a company to decide’

Jennifer Elias, CNBC

Google and Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai said “every product of every company” will be impacted by the quick development of AI, warning that society needs to prepare for technologies like the ones it’s already launched.

 

How AI Is Building the Next Blockbuster Videogames

Sarah E. Needleman, The Wall Street Journal

ChatGPT-like technology is being used to develop games faster and make them more interactive.

 

Why Social Media Impostors Pose a Constant Battle for Stars

J. Clara Chan, The Hollywood Reporter

Type in any celebrity’s name on Instagram or Twitter and you’re bound to find at least a handful of accounts — if not more — posing as the celebrity, using the same profile picture and sharing photos and videos taken from their real accounts.

Fake Drake & The Weeknd Song — Made With AI — Pulled From Streaming After Going Viral

Bill Donahue, Billboard

As an allegedly AI-generated song racks up millions of listens, UMG warns that industry players need to choose “which side of history” they want to be on.

 

Fugees rapper in political conspiracy trial launches defense

Lindsay Whitehurst, The Associated Press

A Fugees rapper on trial in a multimillion-dollar campaign finance and foreign influence case was trying to reinvent himself as he entered the political arena, not break any laws, defense attorneys said Monday.

 

Soundgarden, Chris Cornell’s widow settle recordings lawsuit

Andrew Dalton, The Associated Press

The widow of singer Chris Cornell and his former bandmates in Soundgarden said Monday that they have resolved her lawsuit against them, clearing the way for the release of the band’s final recordings more than five years after his death.