The Ankler

☀️Next Steps for SKYDANCE/PAR with Edgar Out

The troubling $ math on APPLE films / Studio streamers keep buying / AMAZON’s WONDERY takes Kelce pod

Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LinkedIn here if ya like or email me at seanmcnultynyc@gmail.com), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on TUESDAY, August 27, 2024.

Where Hollywood, I’m afraid you may have to wait a little longer for answers to your emails asking where those dailies are for your increasing amount of Australian productions. #ThanksTaxCredit!

Yes, the country’s new law protecting employees from retaliation for choosing not to respond to messages from their employer after working hours just went into effect.

So boss — you’ll just have to find out on your own where so-and-so’s phone number is . . . that is totally already in your phone. It’s right next to the app that has the location details for that meeting that you keep asking me for the address.



AND: DISNEY+ and HULU will livestream the Presidential Debate on Sept. 10 (being run by ABC NEWS).

OH: WONDERY won the Kelce Bros. pod sweepstakes, setting a $100M+ multi-year licensing deal (gonna go with 3 years, as per many of these other kinds of deals) for their New Heights podcast — again, this isn’t a purchase, but rather the rights to sell the advertising as part of the WONDERY network and distribute the show globally starting this month.

  • This includes translating the pod to other languages, where I’m sure all of the talk of “football” games will be of great confusion interest.

  • AMAZON of course owns WONDERY, so gonna make the leap you’ll see some promos for this during Thursday Night Football.

  • WONDERY was previously home to Smartless in a deal worth $60M to $80M a year, but that pod just began its new 3-year deal at SIRIUSXM for $100M.

THEN: Add La Bamba to the list of Hollywood’s case of redux reflux, as SONY has put a remake into development.

  • Or, ya know — totally just an idea here, but you could just watch the well-told original pic that features a lauded, career-making performance (and a notable supporting performance) . . . and we could all go about making something else besides a second biopic of a singer from the late 1950s who died at age 17.

  • Making this movie today is the equivalent of making a movie in 1987 (the original film’s release) about a young singer from 1920.

ALSO: To anyone attending the 🎾 U.S. Open over the next few weeks — bring an extra dollar: Honey Deuce drinks will now run you $23 a pop. But hey, uh — free cup! Or go with tequila in the Ace Paloma for just . . . $21.

BUT: Maybe take the bus out to the stadium — apparently it’s free! Or at least 48% of New Yorkers don’t pay to take the bus, so it might as well be. Ya know, I think we’ve found that suck in the NYC transit budget each year . . . 🧐

CONGRATS: To Caitlin Clark for tying the WNBA rookie record for 3-pointers — and there are still 10 games left in the season. #Funfact: She made that 85th 3-pointer while being defended by the person holding the record.

FINALLY: When Elon, OPENAI and MICROSOFT are all new giving public support for your new AI regulation bill — a bill that their lobbying group previously called “unworkable,” until ‘adaptations’ were made to it — California, it may be time to take a closer look at those adaptations.

IN THIS EDITION

  • A look at the timing here for why Edgar is bowing out of the PARAMOUNT sweepstakes now

  • AMAZON also just reportedly bowed out of one of its notable sports investments, as the VENU court case gets some dates added to its timeline.

  • Studio streamers keep actively buying TV shows — PEACOCK in particular has had a pretty active summer, including a new deal yesterday. Take a look at what’s afoot.

  • As APPLE reportedly changes its film strategy (again), applying some subscriber numbers from its recent movie Instigators to some back-of-the-napkin math shows some . . . curious results, to put it mildly.

PLUS: It’s #GetAJobTuesdays! A new lineup of job openings, ranging from AMAZON, PIXAR, FIFTH SEASON, DISNEY+ and some great entry-level jobs at NETFLIX, 21 LAPS, BLACK BEAR and more.


💻 THE MEDIA BIZ



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