12 Rising Execs; Neal Mohan on NFL, Netflix; Creator v. Celeb Ad Showdown
Plus: AI film studios have movies to sell. Hollywood isn't buying
Ooo la la! Our team made a splash in our Cannes Lions debut, hosting three days of memorable conversations and glam gatherings that kicked off with our CEO and editor-in-chief Janice Min moderating a spicy news-making Q&A with YouTube CEO Neal Mohan on June 17.
During the live recording of The Ankler pod at ADWEEK House at Le Majestic Hotel, Mohan hit back at recent jabs at his platform from Netflix co-CEO Ted Sarandos, who recently compared “killing time” on YouTube with “spending time” on Netflix, and challenged the economics of working with YouTube vs. Netflix. Mohan also revealed how YouTube has aged down the audience for the NFL through its Sunday Ticket, and what led to him “double down” and cut the platform’s first deal for a live NFL game this fall:
Read and watch the full interview here:
Or listen:
With 2025 the first year ad money in creator-led programming will surpass that of traditional media (creators will receive $185 billion in ad money to be precise), we honed in on some of the space’s hottest talent. Natalie Jarvey of Like & Subscribe interviewed creator Jake Shane and his friend, Main Street Advisors CEO Paul Wachter (also chairman of UTA) at the DPAA space at the Hotel Martinez; at ADWEEK House, Jarvey interrogated Josh Richards and Chris Sawtelle, CEO of CrossCheck Media.
Over at the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, The Ankler and Meta hosted an exclusive lunch for 25 big creators including Katie Fang and Dylan Efron (see more here); then, aboard Kismet — the 122-meter superyacht owned by sports mogul Shad Khan — Janice, ADWEEK CEO Will Lee and Activate Consulting CEO Michael J. Wolf hosted an intimate dinner with CMOs and more of the world’s biggest Gen Z talent, including Brandon B, Mythical Chef Josh (aka Josh Scherer), Kinigra Deon and many more.
But our European adventure isn’t over! I’m looking forward to the Mediterrane Film Festival in Malta today, where Janice and I will hit the kickoff of the fest’s third edition alongside directors Catherine Hardwicke, Jon Watts, Jake Schreier and many more. I’m set to moderate a Q&A with Josh Gad tomorrow evening after a screening of Murder on the Orient Express (shot in part in the island nation) and a masterclass on Friday with Amazon exec Glenn Gainor.
Now, without further ado, ICYMI, our best of the week:
Series Business: 12 Rising Execs; Scripted Sports
A high-level agent-turned-manager on (paid subscribers only) dished to Elaine Low on what the market looks like if you’re trying to sell a TV show right now and where he sees “pockets of energy”; and delivers a list of a dozen studio executives he sees as future industry leaders:
As live sports draw bigger audiences, so does scripted shoulder programming. Lesley Goldberg delivers news about a slew of shows in development, including a scoop about the live-action Speed Racer series from J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot; strategy insights from Skydance Sports’ Jason T. Reed, Warner Bros. TV’s Clancy Collins White and other execs; and how pro leagues are becoming a new category of IP:
Reel AI: Legacy Studios Balk at AI Films
A whole cottage industry has sprung up around AI-native studios — but will legacy studios be buyers? Erik Barmack has doubts, and he lays out (paid subscribers only) why distributors aren’t ready to scoop up AI-generated films and how studios are embracing AI behind the scenes:
Richard Rushfield
Between fewer genres, fewer originals and less pride, our industry has shifted its focus away from winning over audiences to milking them for more. Richard lists out all the ways how — and how to turn the tide. Plus: The Oscars’ off-camera Oscar for Tom Cruise, and how The Traitors became a reality breakthrough:
Prestige Junkie
As Emmy noms voting draws to a close, Katey Rich’s five-part series outlines the overarching trends among this year’s buzziest shows. Plus, she chats with Brian Tyree Henry about Apple TV+’s Dope Thief and The Black List founder Franklin Leonard on how to fix Hollywood:
Notable: Jerry Bruckheimer’s Banger Music
One way to make a film with staying power? A killer soundtrack. Ahead of their F1 releasing next week, producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Kevin Weaver, who’s behind soundtracks for F1, Barbie and Twisters, tell Rob LeDonne how they match their films with songs that slay:
The Wakeup
All it took was $417.5 million to acquire Village Roadshow’s library — a catalog that includes Ocean’s Eleven, The Matrix and much more. Sean McNulty takes stock of the all-important Hollywood library sector and its value tumble:
Monday Morning QBs
Make sure to catch our weekly live show with Richard & Sean on Monday mornings PT to review what just happened with weekend box office. This week, the duo makes sense of How to Train Your Dragon’s over $80 million U.S. opening — and how live-action family became a hot genre:
🎧 PODCASTS
THE ANKLER
YouTube vs. Netflix: Rumble on the Riviera A war of words between two CEOs reveal a new streaming war front amid a generational shift in money and audience:
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
MARTINI SHOT
What Keith McNally Can Teach Hollywood Rob Long on the restauranteur who makes you feel like the star of your own scene:
👓 THE OPTIONIST BY ANDY LEWIS
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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