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The Ankler

Ashley Cullins

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New York Times bestselling author Ashley Cullins writes Dealmakers, Ankler Media’s essential newsletter about the lawyers, agents and executives shaping Hollywood success and careers.

An award-winning journalist, Cullins covers the business side of entertainment, following the money through Hollywood’s most consequential deals, litigation, M&A and power struggles. Prior to joining Ankler Media, she was senior business editor at The Hollywood Reporter, where she led the industry-leading Power Lawyers franchise.

Cullins’ first book,Your Favorite Scary Movie, a deep dive into the Scream franchise, was published to acclaim in 2025.

She is a graduate of Northwestern University’s Medill School and is based in Chicago.

Latest from Ashley Cullins

Ashley Cullins highlights

New Rules of Indie Film Pricing — and the Cannes Test Ahead

Agents and execs on 2026’s budget danger zone, fresh buyers and the unexpected opportunity underway

The Billion-Dollar Scramble for Wasserman

The inside chatter as private equity, rival agencies and power players size up a shaken empire — and its worth whole or in pieces

Feature Writer Paydays: The New Wild West Playbook, Explained

What the market didn’t see coming: Surprise specs, seven-figure deals, the power of writer-directors and the magic number for a greenlight

CEO Tom Quinn: How I Built Neon (and Why You Can Too)

Two best pictures (‘Anora’, ‘Parasite’), 5 Palme d’Ors: The star exec opens his playbook — budgets, creative vision, strategy and the ‘lazy’ hysteria over that $18M marketing spend