Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY April 14, 2022.
Where before we get into other billionaires activities this morning… let’s just start the day with a shout out to Mackenzie Scott, who’s been showing everyone how it’s done in pretty much every way since she split from Bezos.
Sure – dinner with Kim & Pete is great, as is …trying to send Pete into space (🤷♂️) but this chart from Mike Allen’s AXIOS Finish Line email (which I’m finding is a nice end of day read – sign up here if interested) shows just what a true “Billionaires pledge” looks like boys. BTW: That $12 Billion is just in 3 years time.
Side-shout outs to Warren Buffett, who has now given away $46 Billion, and the (former) Bill & Melinda Gates who have given $50 Billion so far.
ALSO: David Zazlav addresses the troops for the first time in his employee town hall meeting at WARNER DISCO today.
PLUS: Here is your CANNES 2022 lineup, or at least most of it. New pics from Ethan Coen, David Cronenberg, and George Miller will screen, as will gala premieres for “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Elvis” as previously announced. The fest kicks off Tue May 17.
THIS TOO: Frank Langella was fired from the upcoming NETFLIX limited series “The Fall of the House of Usher” due to unacceptable conduct on set, including inappropriate comments made to female cast members according to TMZ. The project is about halfway through shooting and his role will be recast. He was playing Roderick Usher.
AND: In case my mom is reading, here are 6 new HGTV shows coming up later this year and 2023, none of them having to do with home renovations. Wait – that should read all of them.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
Salma Hayek joins HBOMAX’s “Magic Mike’s The Last Dance”, replacing Thandiwe Newton
She’s dropping out for personal reasons, no details given on the character.
The Soderbergh-directed pic is currently shooting in London. As is “Ted Lasso” – I mean both are WB productions… can’t we find a way to make a cameo happen here? He’d give one heck of a pre-show speech. /Deadline
A24 sets Kristen Stewart to star in competitive-bodybuilding romantic thriller “Love Lies Bleeding”
Co-production with the UK’s FILM 4, but A24 handling all global rights.
Not too much plot known but no – Kristen will not be playing a competitive female bodybuilder… but rather the “protective lover” of one. /THR
SONY sets Lily Rabe, Ed Harris to star in adaptation of Chuck Klosterman book “Downtown Owl”
Vanessa Hudgens and Finn Whitrock also co-starring, set in 1983 rural North Dakota (is there another kind of North Dakota?) where the arrival of a new high school English teacher “upends the lives of locals” as a huge blizzard hits.
Rabe also directing with Hamish Linklater, who wrote the screenplay. Now shooting in Minnesota. Being handled by SONY’s Studio 6 division. /Deadline
ALSO IN MOVIES
DISNEYFOX sets Sinqua Walls (“Teen Wolf”, “Power”) as Jack Harlow’s co-star in “White Men Can’t Jump” reboot, taking the Wesley Snipes role. He was also just in SUNDANCE winner “Nanny”. “WMCJ” is being directed by Calmatic, the duo who just did the “House Party” reboot at NEW LINE. This whole project just gives me 😏 but trying to keep an open mind. /Deadline
HBO, UNI and NEON buy David Bowie docu “Moonage Daydream”. NEON will release in US theaters, UNIVERSAL internationally, and HBO on cable & streaming.
Directed by Brett Morgen (“The Kid Stays in the Picture”), includes materials from Bowie’s personal video / audio archives, no price disclosed. /THR
TRIBECA FEST sets JLo NETFLIX docu “Halftime” as the opening night feature on Wed June 8. It centers broadly on the 2nd half of her career and will screen at the United Palace in Washington Heights. Which means she’s gonna have to change subways from the 6 to a crosstown bus to somehow get on the AC line to get there… so I hope she leaves the house early enough. 🚇 /THR
NYU FILM SCHOOL releases annual best-of Purple List of student screenplays. /THR
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📺 THE TV SET
APPLE TV+ adds Jodi Balfour (“For All Mankind”, “Quarry”) to “Ted Lasso” Season 3
It’s a major recurring role playing a venture capitalist… but that’s all they’re sayin. /Deadline
PEACOCK sets Max Burkholder to play 16 year-old version of Wahlberg’s character in “Ted” prequel series
Max played… uh “Max” in NBC’s “Parenthood”, and a couple other folks also added to the cast – info in the link for the inclined on some more plot details. MacFarlane is returning to do the “Ted” voice. /THR
ALSO IN TV
HULU renews “Life & Beth” for a Season 2. /THR
AMAZON PRIME renews “Making the Cut” for a Season 3. /Deadline
APPLE TV+ sets Olivia Newman (“Where the Crawdads Sing”) to direct Jennifer Garner limited-series “The Last Thing He Told Me” based on the popular book. /Deadline
OWN adding a “WWHL”-esque late night show called “The Nightcap with Carlos King”, which will feature talent from various OWN series coming by to hang and chat. /Deadline
NBCU’s new “Karamo” syndicaated talk show featuring the “Queer Eye” personality is sold to stations covering 90% of the US TV market. Will launch this Sept. Expected to fill the now-open “Maury” slot (also produced by NBCU) on many stations. /Deadline
AND: For my friends North of the border (geographically or mentally eh) – Here are the Canadian originals AMAZON PRIME has coming up for you. I mean – they’ll still stream here too, but you’ll understand them much better. Includes adding new “Kids in the Hall” episodes on May 13 (see TRAILER HOUSE below), and a new docu project on them too. /THR
AND: a series about that crazy $18 Million Quebec Maple Syrup heist back in 2011, called “The Sticky”. Jonathan Levine (”Nine Perfect Strangers”) is directing, BLUMHOUSE TV among the producers. /THR
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
Elon Musk puts in unsolicited offer to buy TWITTER at $54 a share
TWTR ended yesterday at just under $46 a share so that’s an 18% premium. Although as Elon graciously pointed out, it’s a 38% premium over the day before the announcement of his 9% investment in the company earlier this month.
He says there is tremendous potential to unlock at the company… but did not lay out any specific plans.
As with any bid the board must consider it and at that markup – outside of who’s making it… a rejection is a tough case to make. /NPR
The stock is already up almost 7% in pre market trading this morning.
But, should it go another way Musk said “I would need to reconsider my position as a shareholder,” which I’m sure would make the stock go in a different extreme direction real quick.
TWITTER ended 2021 with 217 Million daily active users, 38 Million in the US, where it makes the majority of its revenue. But I guess all that matters at the moment is what just one user posts as updates on the matter.
TWITTER’s Q1 earnings call is set for April 28 in 2 weeks.
CNN+ reportedly had 100k subscribers sign up in its first week
Some additional numbers were leaked yesterday to start to counter the narrative from the… previously leaked numbers about an investment cut, and low usage.
PUCK puts the numbers now somewhere around 150k.
Speaking of PUCK, Tara Palmeri is joining from POLITICO, after being removed from their premiere PLAYBOOK brand. /Daily Beast
AMAZON’s IMDBTV streaming service is now called FREEVEE
Well at least we’ve cut down the extraneous letters to just one. Although I definitely admire finding a name that well-incorporates what the product is, so – points for sure, even if it’s not exactly screaming “quality”.
Curious to see the size of the re-brand marketing budget here when it launches in 2 weeks on April 27. Especially as no new programming launches were announced to coincide with the name change. /THR
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
A positive day for all but nothing remarkably so.
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👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
HULU “The Kardashians” – STREAM HERE
PEACOCK “Killing It”, new Craig Robinson comedy – STREAM HERE
HBOMAX “Not So Pretty”, docuseries on the chemicals that go into our Beauty and Skincare products – STREAM HERE
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
HULU“Candy” limited series trailer – Based on the true 1980 story of a Texas housewife who murdered her friend with an axe after having an affair with her husband. Premieres Mon May 9, billed as a “5 night event” with new eps rolling out each day.
NETFLIX “The Lincoln Lawyer” series trailer – From David E. Kelley, Premieres Fri May 13
FOCUS FEATURES “The Northman” trailer #2 – In Theaters next Friday
APPLE TV+ “Tehran” Season 2 trailer – Now with 100% more Glenn Close. Premieres Fri May 6
AMAZON PRIME “The Kids in the Hall” new season trailer. Premieres Fri May 13
STARZ “P-Valley” Season 2 teaser – Premieres Fri June 3
HBOMAX “Made for Love” Season 2 trailer – Premieres Thu Apr 28
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
OK I totally forget if I posted this song before… but I’m pretty sure I meant to and then changed it, so either way – been loving this song this month – BROODS “Piece of My Mind”, great song to work out / run to, or just get moving in the AM!
If you need some new tunes:
Email me anytime – just Reply to this email, or connect here on LINKED IN.
-SEAN MCNULTY
@theseanmac on TWITTER
@TheWakeupNews on INSTAGRAM
