Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on WEDNESDAY June 16, 2021.

Where we’ll have our morning coffee where Bill Simmons is spending part of his big SPOTIFY check, with a recent $4.7 Million home purchase in Malibu – not too far from his other $10 Million dollar house in Malibu, in Carbon Beach. Hey I “re-watch” a lotta movies too… but why is my beach house still my parent’s house? A good 15 minutes from the actual beach 🤔.

ALSO: The Senate passed a bill to make Juneteenth (June 19th) a Federal National Holiday. Goes on to the House for a vote next where it’s expected to be passed. To note: June 19 falls on a Sunday next year.

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

J Lo sets 3rd NETFLIX movie, Sci-Fi Thriller “Atlas”

She’ll play a soldier named… well, Atlas, who’s fighting in a future war and must team up with an AI soldier to defeat another AI Soldier who comes to the conclusion that the only way to end the war is to end humanity. So… kinda “Terminator 2” but without the time travel and GnR soundtrack?

Brad Peyton (“Rampage”, “San Andreas”) directing, the script is currently being re-written. /Deadline

Zoe Kravitz directing Channing Tatum in a movie called “Pussy Island”

Ok (I think) I can write that title here in the email – seemed a bit much for spam filters in the subject line. And uh… I’m not really sure I need to type much more here honestly.

Zoe also co-wrote the thriller about a tech billionaire with a… “mysterious” tropical island 🥸. That probably features Joe Manganiello in some capacity. CAA repping US rights for sale at CANNES next month. /Deadline

Rachel Weisz & Colin Farrell doing next movie from Todd Solondz (“Happiness”)

Called “Love Child”, a Texas kid makes moves to get rid of his brutish dad to have his mom all to himself, but the plan gets complicated when a handsome stranger enters the picture. CAA & WME co-repping sales at CANNES next month. /Deadline

ALSO IN MOVIES

MGM attaches Kristen Wiig to movie “The Husbands” based on a book from NYT Best Selling author Chandler Baker, who will now write the script. Overworked mother + lawyer meets a group of high powered women, and when she takes on a case of the untimely death of one of their husbands… well let’s just say some secrets surface 🕵️‍♂️. /Deadline
MGM’s newly acquired Sean Penn movie “Flag Day” coming out Fri Aug 13 (will be at CANNES in July). /Deadline
Actress Lisa Banes (“Gone Girl”, “Cocktail”) dies 10 days after being hit by a scooter who ran a red light into a crosswalk on the streets of NYC. Search continues for the driver. /Variety

IN THE HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE SUITE

Management / production firm SUGAR23 adds 3 new managers from different areas of the business. /Deadline
Producer Becky Clements promoted to partner at Marty Adelson’s TOMORROW STUDIOS (TNT’s “Snowpiercer”, APPLE TV’s “Physical”).

📺 THE TV SET

DISNEY+ orders “Beauty & the Beast” prequel musical series

Josh Gad & Luke Evans returning to play “LeFou” and “Gaston” from the 2017 live-action movie. Newcomer Briana Middleton playing the third lead, LeFou’s step-sister “Tilly” (Briana’s IMDB here – she’s also in the upcoming AMAZON movie “The Tender Bar” directed by Clooney, starring Affleck).

8 episodes, Edward Katsis & Adam Horowitz (ABC’s “Once Upon a Time”) showrunning along with Gad, Alan Menkin doing the music. /THR

SHOWTIME orders “American Gigolo” series starring Jon Bernthal

Guy attempts to find his way in the LA “sex scene”… so to speak, after doing 15 years for murder, and also tries to find out who set him up. My money’s on Freddie. There’s always a Freddie. Also tries to reconnect with an ex played by Gretchen Mol.

David Hollander (“Ray Donovan”) is showrunning, No word on a timeline. /Deadline

Gigolos… Sex Islands… today’s email is a little racy no? 😯

Trevor Noah taking 3 months off from “The Daily Show” starting this Friday

Will return on Sept 13 with some “surprises” but no official word if that includes a return to his studio. However Trevor did also announce a global standup tour in September so… 🤷‍♂️?

There will be digital content and some shows with new sketch and field material from the correspondent team this Summer, but no guest hosts. /Deadline

ALSO IN TV

FREEFORM orders Season 2 of YA mystery show “Cruel Summer”, the network’s most watched series. But S2 may take anthology form, and return with a new cast. Still TBD. /Variety
NETFLIX doing 6 episode scripted limited series about the rise of SPOTIFY and founder Daniel Ek. Currently shooting with mostly Scandanavian cast, will hit NETFLIX next year. /Variety
If you watch “Real Housewives of The OC” – there are apparently some cast change ups…. /Variety

💻 THE MEDIA BIZ

SPOTIFY pays $60 Million for 3 years of “Call Her Daddy” podcast, BARSTOOL no longer involved

The library and all new shows will become a SPOTIFY-exclusive (free to stream on SPOTIFY only) starting July 21. The show was SPOITFY’s 5th most listened to podcast in 2020.

SPOTIFY will produce and BARSTOOL will not be involved any more, although per the last news reports involving the turmoil at the podcast last year when the CHD hosts split up, BARSTOOL had a 25% stake in the show so… a bit TBD if they are getting some cut of the $60 Million.

SPOTIFY also looking to produce other shows with ”CHD” host and primary recipient of the $20/Million a year – 26 year-old Alex Cooper 💰. /Variety

Dax Shepard’s “Armchair Expert” also becomes a SPOTIFY-exclusive on July 1.

ALSO IN MEDIA

AMC THEATERS uses boosted stock price $$ to buy The Grove and Glendale locations of defunct PACIFIC THEATERS in greater LA area. /THR
Harvey Weinstein will come to LA from his maximum security prison in Buffalo in mid July-ish to stand trial for more sexual assault charges. His attorneys were trying to further delay the extradition. /LA Times
Revered Chinese business icon and founder of ALIBABA Jack Ma “laying low” and apparently… painting 🎨👨‍🎨 ever since he went radio silent last Fall after criticizing Chinese financial regulators about an impending IPO that was then soon canceled. This not according to Ma himself who still has not been heard from, but ALIBABA’s Vice Chairman. /CNBC

🏦 STOCK NOTES:

ROKU down almost 7%

LIONSGATE drops over 9.5%

ENDEAVOR drops over 5%

👩‍💻 NEW TO WATCH:

LIONSGATE “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” – Only in theaters

FX “Dave” – Season 2 premieres at 10p (or watch on HULU tomorrow)

ABC “Card Sharks” – Show returns at 10p

FUN READ: An ESQUIRE look back at how“Speed” became the unlikely hit of Summer 1994 🚌 from writer Chris Nashawaty. Then again – when you open against one of the worst sequel ideas of all time: “City Slickers II: The Legend of Curly’s Gold”… well, let’s just say there’s room to take advantage.

And yet somehow “Speed 2: Cruise Control” still happened afterward. Ah 1990s Hollywood…

If you were sent this email or… just kinda found it (no questions asked):

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🎥 TRAILER HOUSE

APPLE TV+ “Central Park” Season 2 trailer. Premieres next Fri June 25.

AMAZON PRIME “The Tomorrow War” Final movie trailer. Premieres Fri July 2.

NETFLIX“Trollhunters: Rise of the Titans” trailer. Exec Produced & co-written by Guillermo Del Toro, from DREAMWORKS ANIMATION. Will premiere July 21

PEACOCK “Dr Death” series trailer. Based on the popular podcast inspired by a true story about Josh Jackson being a super shady doctor apparently. Premieres Thu July 15