Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on MONDAY May 3, 2021.
Where the award for biggest TV ratings in April goes to… the NFL DRAFT. Sorry OSCARS – Night 1 of the Draft drew 12.3 Million viewers across ABC, ESPN and the NFL NETWORK combined (mostly on ESPN). While I wasn’t technically drafted… I had a lot of chatter according to my agent.
ALSO: T-Pain just found out about the Message Request folder in INSTA DM’s… and discovered 2 years worth of messages from celebrities 🙇♂️ . Ah T-Pain… never change.
And just putting this handy button here:
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
Kumail Nanjiani to star/co-write movie directed by Andy Muschietti (“IT”, “The Flash”)
Called “The Doubtful Guest”, based on a short story from the 50s about a penguin-like creature who shows up unannounced at a family’s manor, as penguins are known to do. Trouble and chaos ensues.
AMBLIN producing, Emily Gordon co-writing with Kumail. No studio/streaming home mentioned. /THR
NETFLIX buys US rights to female assassins movie “Gunpowder Milkshake” from STX
Stars Karen Gillian, Lena Hersey, Angela Bassett and Paul Giamatti among others in a story of 3 generations of female assassins who try and stop a cycle of violence over the course of one night.
No sale price indicated, film will hit NETFLIX this Summer TBD, and movie theaters globally. /Deadline
BOX OFFICE
“Demon Slayer: Mugen Train” : $6.4 Million ($32 Million US)
“Mortal Kombat” : $6.2 Million ($34 Mil US, $67 Million global)
Both films dropped over 70% from their opening weekend.
“Godzilla vs Kong” : $2.7 Million ($90 Million US, $415 Million globally)
“Separation” : $1.8 Million
“Raya & the Last Dragon” : $1.3 Million ($41.5 Million US)
MEANWHILE IN CHINA: The top 3 films there made $65 Million, $40 Million and $20 Million respectively – all local Chinese films.
ALSO IN MOVIES
APPLE TV picks up filmed version of “Come From Away” stage show. No price or premiere date indicated. /Variety
“In The Heights” screening June 4 at Hollywood Chinese Theater for Latino Int’l Film Festival (pre-TRIBECA debut).
VERVE talent agency re-opening offices after July 4th weekend. Company giving everyone the week off in advance. /THR
📺 THE TV SET
Finn Wittrock (“Ratched”, “The Big Short”) to star in HBOMAX “Green Lantern” series
He’ll play a Lantern named Guy Gardner from the 80s, but the show will feature several Lanterns from over the decades.
Greg Berlanti is Exec Producing. /Variety
HBOMAX sets Taika Waititi to direct and co-star in pirate comedy “Our Flag Means Death”
Will direct the pilot and play famed pirate “Blackbeard” in the project based on a real person from the 1800’s – an aristocrat who chooses to turn into pirate, played by Rhys Darby (Murray from “Flight of the Conchords”) in the 6 episode series. /THR
ALSO IN TV
CBS sets Vanessa Lachey to lead “NCIS Hawaii”. If Nick doesn’t recur as the singer for a local bar band… that’s just a lost opportunity right there. /THR
NBC renews “Young Rock” and “Keenan” for their Fall schedule. /Variety
HBOMAX orders sequel or continuation (🤷♂️) of early 2000s series “The Brothers Garcia”. /Variety
FOX’s free streaming service TUBI launching 140 hours of Original Programming this Fall. Some animated stuff from the “Bob’s Burgers” production company, and Reality/Docu stuff from FOX’s Alternative arm… but likely will get more details in the NÉW FRONTS this week. /THR
Nikki Glaser hosting 2nd night of MTV TV AWARDS centered on unscripted/reality TV. Airs Mon May 17. /Deadline
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
HBOMAX with ads will be $10/month… which as far as I can tell means HBO is now $10/month
HBOMAX is not putting ads in the HBO Content on the ad-supported version… so I can now pay $10 and stream all of HBO on HBOMAX ad-free just like I would have on HBO GO in earlier times, as far as I can tell.
Plus I get HBOMAX and TURNER stuff with ads. The only thing I won’t get are the WB Theatrical premieres. Kinda makes paying $15 a month for HBO via a cable company seem a bit 🥴 .
This $10/month Ad-supported HBOMAX will hit the US in June TBD. /CNBC
Today in MORE People who made way more money than me last year…
LIBERTY MEDIA CEO Michael Fries made $44.9 Million in 2020 (mostly in stock grants and stock options) at the international cable TV giant run by John Malone.
DISCOVERY CEO David Zazlav made $37.7 Million (mostly in stock), down about $8 Million from his 2019 take-home. But hopefully the 355k private jet allowance softened the blow.
And AMC NETWORKS head Josh Sapan made $11.8 Million (mostly in stock and non-cash compensation), down from over $20 Million the previous few years. COO Edward Carroll made $6.7 million, down from $8.4 Million.
ALSO IN MEDIA
TIKTOK promoted their CFO Shou Zi Chew to the CEO role, almost a year after Kevin Mayer left. (Their interim CEO is now shifting to the COO position). /Variety
#2 US Cable company CHARTER lost 138k cable TV subscribers in the first quarter. Added 355k Broadband subs, 300k mobile phone subs. /CordCutterNews
CHARTER totals now stand around:
15.5 Million TV subscribers
29.1 Million Broadband
3.1 Million Mobile phone
Cable company ALTICE (formerly CABLEVISION) lost 54k cable TV subscribers from Jan to March. Added 12k Broadband. Overall for 2020… they lost 234k cable TV subscribers. /Next TV
ALTICE totals now stand around:
2.8 Million TV subs
4.3 Million Broadband
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
TWITTER dropped 15% on Friday based on their… less than stellar user growth projections from their earnings call.
ENDEAVOR had a popular day two, +9% as UFC fans may be rallying around the stock. This week will be very telling.
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
NETFLIX“Lucifer” Season 5, part deux trailer. Drops Fri May 28.
STARZ “Heels” Series teaser – set in the realm of a small town wrestling league. Premieres Aug 15.
👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
Nothin doin. But the digital advertising NEW FRONTS kickoff, so… should be another busy week for news.
Also the APPLE v EPIC (“Fortnite”) trial begins, the 30% cut of revenue that APPLE takes from apps in its AppStore is on the line. Trial expected to last about 3 weeks.
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
Brand new DROPKICK MURPHYS “Turn Up that Dial” – New album, also called “Turn Up That Dial” dropped this weekend.
If you need new tunes:
Finishing up with a rest in peace goes out to Olympia Dukakis who died this weekend at the age of 89… make the most of your Monday ya’ll.
Email me anytime – just reply to this email, or connect on LINKED IN – my name here goes right to my profile.
-Sean McNulty or @theseanmac on TWITTER and on CLUBHOUSE
