Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on TUESDAY May 11, 2021.
Where there will be no GOLDEN GLOBES on NBC next year… or perhaps maybe even going forward? Although wait – now how am I gonna know what 90-ish international, unknown, mostly white journalists with a history of racially and sexually offensive incidents and behavior think was the best Comedy or Musical movie next year?
This on the same day the internet tries to recover from the potential Bennifer 2.0 news yesterday about Ben & JLo’s weeklong vacation together in Montana this month. On the same week “The Hills” returns no less… Man 🤞 this means my hair’s gonna grow back too.
And just putting this here if inclined:
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
NETFLIX enlists Dave Bautista for “Knives Out” sequel
No character or plot details, Part 2 will shoot this Summer in Greece. /Deadline
UNIVERSAL lands rights to new Michael Lewis (“The Big Short”, “Moneyball”) book “The Preminition”
It’s about scientists who anticipated the US Covid outbreak (and was profiled on “60 Minutes” recently). Phil Lord & Chris Miller (“Lego Movie”, “21 Jump Street”) will direct, screenwriter needed. Amy Pascal among producers. No price indicated. /Deadline
Steve McQueen co-directing BBC Docu project on 3 pivotal moments in 1981 UK
Called “Uprising”, Steve is co-directing the 3 part docuseries with Steve Rogan.
The 3 events were referenced in one of Steve’s films in his recent “Small Axe” anthology: A housefire that killed 13 Black Teens, a Black People’s Day of Action protest, and the Brixton riots all in the first half of 1981. No timeline or potential US home for it given. /Deadline
📺 THE TV SET
E! names Laverne Cox as the new host for their red carpet coverage“Live From E!”
Will begin with next year’s awards season, and also include hosting some celeb interview specials for E!. /Variety
FOX renews “Call Me Kat”, getting a new TBD showrunner for Season 2
Averaged 5.7 Million ‘multi-platform’ viewers per episode in Season 1, although the Live+SD audience for the finale was 2 Million. /Deadline
FOX also ordered “Pivoting” for the Fall, starring Eliza Coupe, Ginnifer Goodwin, and Maggie Q as 3 lifelong friends who make some… questionable decisions when a friend they grew up with dies.
But FOX cancels “Prodigal Son” after 2 seasons; “The Moodys” also very likely over.
ALSO IN TV
APPLE TV+ sets Jamie Bell to co-star in Elizabeth Moss series “Shining Girls” based on a 2013 book. Moss plays a reporter who survives a brutal attack and searches for her attacker, Bell to play a mysterious loner with a connection to Moss’s character. /Deadline
HULU orders 9 part docuseries on the LA LAKERS… exec produced by team owner Jeannie Buss. Director Antoine Fuqua also on board as an EP. Will hit HULU next year. /LA TIMES
PEACOCK announces 2 new documentary projects:
“Downey Wrote That” – docu on longtime SNL writer and guy behind their politics sketches over decades, Jim Downey.
“Diamond Princess” – which I learned is not about the heiress to the Zales fortune… but rather the cruise line with the Covid last year.
ABC renews “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Station 19” for the Fall. They are ABC’s 2 most watched scripted series. /Variety
In the HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE SUITE
UNIVERSAL CONTENT PRODUCTIONS (UCP) hires DISNEY TV exec Jennifer Gwartz as EVP. Will work across Current, Production and Development – reports into Beatrice Springborn, President of UCP. /THR
ALSO: Scott Nemes named EVP, Creative Acquisitions at the UNIVERSAL STUDIO GROUP, shifting over to head up the search for IP to make into TV properties.
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
Longtime ESPN anchor Kenny Mayne is leaving the network
Was offered a deal… of some sort, but sounds like it was less than expected after a 27 year tenure there. Final day is May 24. /Variety
ALSO IN MEDIA
44 States’ Attorney Generals (I know that’s not the right grammar for that by far… but ya get it) officially and collectively tell FACEBOOK what everyone else already knows – that their plan to launch an INSTAGRAM FOR KIDS is a godawful idea.
FACEBOOK responds saying they plan to work alongside regulators on it… and just want to improve the experience for kids online. Well I mean they’ve done a pretty trustworthy job for adults so I think we’re good. 🙌 /WSJ
TEEN VOGUE names Versa Sharma, managing editor at NOW THIS, as their new Editor in Chief. She will start on May 24. /CNN
Early data suggests less than 5% of US iPhone users and 12% of International ones have opted into allowing apps to track them in the new iOS 14.5 upgrade. Granted just the first 2 weeks but… 😳 /MacRumors
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
ROKU down 5%. SPOTIFY, SNAP down 4.5%. Just not a good day for tech related stocks.
ENDEAVOR down almost 8%. The up and down continues.
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
AMAZON “Solos” trailer. 7 part anthology series exploring what it means to be human. Talent includes Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, Helen Mirren, Anthony Mackie and Uzo Aduba. Drops on Fri May 21.
SONY PICTURES “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” trailer. Sequel with Woody Harrelson joining as a villain. Hits movie theaters Sept 24.
NETFLIX “Fatherhood” trailer. Kevin Hart as a single father raising a newborn daughter. With Lil Rel Howery and Alfre Woodard, based on a real life story. Premieres Fri June 18 (formerly a SONY PICTURES movie).
NETFLIX “Breaking Boundaries: The Science of Our Planet” trailer. Documentary with Sir David Attenborough about the ways we’ve pushed the planet out of balance. Premieres Fri June 4.
👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
How about a new book to read?
Seth Rogen wrote a book about his early years in Hollywood called YEAR BOOK (link to Amazon)… as you may have seen him promoting in a series of headline-generating interviews the past week or 2.
Also the PODCASTING UPFRONT ad presentations begin today at 12noon, go til Thurs.
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
AMYTHYST KIAH – “Black Myself” : Your new Blues Rock anthem if you’re not yet faimilar. Basically – if you listen to one song I post… listen to this one. Even if I confused the names One Direction with One Republic yesterday. ahem. 🥸
If you need new tunes:
Have a Tuesday to remember… or at least start it like I do with an intention to not spilling anything on your shirt. Email me anytime – just reply to this email, or connect here on LINKED IN.
-Sean McNulty
@theseanmac on TWITTER or also here on CLUBHOUSE or on IG @TheWakeupNews
