Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY March 31, 2022.
Where as I’m figuring you’ve heard, Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after receiving a diagnosis of Aphasia – a brain condition that leads to the loss of ability to understand or express speech.
While things like tumors, strokes, alcohol use and brain disease can lead to developing it, no further details were revealed if they are even known. There is no cure, basically can only be helped with speech therapies. While uncertainty about the disease’s progression lies ahead, an iconic career is in its wake.
AND: The ACADEMY says that it did ask Will Smith to leave the OSCARS… but only through his reps and not directly.
PLUS: HBO’s GOT series “House of the Dragon” will drop on Sun Aug 21. A week and a half before “LOTR” The Series hits AMAZON PRIME.
AND: A Hawaii couple has taken out a temporary restraining order against Ezra Miller (“The Flash”). After being released on bail for disorderly conduct and harassment at a bar, Ezra allegedly broke into the house of the couple and burst into their bedroom, threatened them, and stole a wallet and a passport.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
NETFLIX doing new “Spy Kids” movie with Robert Rodriguez
No plot details available, but thought to center on a new spy family 🕵️♀️. SKYDANCE will be a co-producer. /THR
PARAMOUNT sets John Carney (“Begin Again”, “Modern Love”) to direct BEE GEES biopic
John Logan (“Gladiator”, “Skyfall”) is writing. Graham King and SISTER are producing. 🕺 /Deadline
NETFLIX picks up movie co-written and produced by Daniel Kaluuya
Called “The Kitchen”, set in London 2044 where the gap between rich and poor has gone to far extremes, forcing the working class to live in temp housing outside the city… except for an area called The Kitchen where people refuse to leave.
Michael Fassbender also a producer on the pic. /THR
ALSO IN MOVIES
NETFLIX is doing an interactive Rom-Com pic, “Choose Love.” Stuart McDonald (”Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) is directing. Woman in a relationship wonders “what if” about a couple of her ex’s and I’m guessing you get to pick. I’d go with the guy who played “Cappie” on “Greek” (Scott Michael Foster) even if he no longer wears chokers. /Variety
HBOMAX / CNN+ doc “Navalny” getting theatrical event release through WB in 800 FATHOM Theaters April 11 & 12 (a Mon and Tues). /THR
IN SO MANY WORDS…
“How was your weekend?”
– CHRIS ROCK starting his Boston set last night after a 4+ minute ovation. He said he’s still kind of processing ‘the slap’ and will “talk about that shit” at some point, and then went into his show.
📺 THE TV SET
DISNEY+ enlists Ron Howard to direct docu on Jim Henson / THE MUPPETS
Ron producing with Brian Grazer / IMAGINE DOCS, and has full cooperation of Henson family. /Deadline
ALSO IN TV
NETFLIX’S “Bridgerton” spinoff about young “Queen Charlotte” has set its cast, for anyone inclined. /THR
APPLE TV+ adds Matt Walsh to “Manhunt” limited series about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and its aftermath. He’ll play Dr. Samuel Mudd, who tended to John Wilkes Booth’s broken the night Lincoln was shot, and didn’t report him for days later… leading to his imprisonment for conspiracy. /Deadline
AMAZON PRIME casts Ella Purnell (she plays “Young Jackie” on “Yellowjackets” ) as a co-lead in post-nuclear apocalypse series “Fallout” starring Walton Goggins, from the team behind “Westworld”. /Variety
ABC renews “The Good Doctor” and “The Rookie” for the Fall season. /THR
IN THE HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE SUITE
ABC SIGNATURE hires former PAR+ exec Danny Feldheim as new SVP of Comedy Development. Replaces Melanie Frankel who left 8 months ago. /Deadline
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
FACEBOOK paid a Republican consulting firm to plant negative TIKTOK stories in the press
The PR/Lobbying firm:
Placed negative Op-Ed’s and Letters to the Editor about TIKTOK in major regional news outlets
Promoted “dubious stories about alleged TikTok trends”… that actually started on FACEBOOK
Lobbied political reporters & politicians against TIKTOK
Especially rich… was an emphasis on getting coverage that suggested TIKTOK was dangerous for teens. #InstaWho? 🤔 /Washington Post
ALSO IN MEDIA
APPLE now allowing Entertainment & other “reader” apps like NETFLIX and SPOTIFY to put links in their apps for folks to subscribe to their products directly (bypassing APPLE’s 30% vig). and if you don’t know what a reader app means… honestly it’s just a tech distinction that I’d fall asleep explaining before you nodded off reading what I wrote. /Variety
LIZZO starting a line of size-inclusive shapewear called YITTY, in partnership with FABLETICS. /CNBC
Irving Azoff-backed investment firm OAK VIEW GROUP plans new $3 Billion “entertainment district” for something called “South Las Vegas”. 🤷♂️ Essentially 10 mins South of the airport, but gonna be a minute as it won’t even break ground til sometime next year.
Includes 20k seat arena, amphitheater, hotel and casino. And in a classy touch that should really set it apart – a library. /Deadline
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
ROKU -5% ($129.95)
CINEWORLD (REGAL Cinemas) -9% ($0.43)
AMC THEATERS -13% ($25.68) ok now that’s more like “Speed 2”
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👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
HBOMAX “Julia” series – STREAM HERE
CBS “How We Roll” – Dave Holmes bowling show, 930p
HBOMAX “Moonshot” pic – STREAM HERE
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
NETFLIX “The Sea Beast” movie teaser – From the director of “Moana” and “Big Hero 6”. Premieres July 8
PARAMOUNT+ “Evil” Season 3 teaser. Premieres Sun June 12.
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
BROODS “Pieces” – Song I discovered this weekend that just has good fun “boppy” vibes to get moving on a Thursday morning.
Chorus could be good piece for a trailer for any MARKETING readers out there.
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
