☀️APPLE, NETFLIX Keep Writing TV Series Checks
LGF exec change up / Spec market action continues / AMAZON goes theatrical with 'Chosen'
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 Friday, May 30, 2025.
Where we now have our Saturday night plans accounted for in the NYC area #LetsGoKnicks. 🙌
But, gotta say the NHL’s Stanley Cup series couldn’t have a more apt face-off for our #TrumpTariff times . . . featuring a team deep in the heart of Canada in the EDMONTON OILERS, and a team from a state that arguably epitomizes America most (one way or another) in the eyes of many folks outside the U.S. in the FLORIDA PANTHERS.
So, it’s up to TNT/MAX to juice that narrative into some semblance of a TV rating (it’s a rematch of last year’s Stanley Cup teams) starting Wednesday night.
But given the U.S. team plays about 30 minutes outside of the big market city of . . . Ft. Lauderdale, and basically all of Canada will be watching via Canadian TV (which will thus get most of the overall viewership, as it did last year) — yeah, gonna say ESPN is happy this is TNT’s problem this year.
Last year’s Stanley Cup games with these 2 teams actually averaged 4.2M — but they were on ABC, not TNT (i.e. broadcast not cable), and the series went all 7 games.
PLUS: Gotta love the SEC upping the fine for fans rushing onto the field or court to $500k for the first infraction, up from $100k last year. Although the SEC can vacate a fine if the fan storming happens after the officials and visiting team have left the field/court — and SEC fans are notoriously known for their restraint, so I’m sure that’ll totally happen.
KUDOS: To SONY PICS and marketing creative outfit BUDDHA JONES for winning the top prize at the Golden Trailer Awards last night for their 28 Years Later spot. The complete list of winners can be found in the link.
AND: If you’re an NYC area ALTICE TV bundle subscriber . . . you’ll be losing your NY1 as of June 30.
AH: Here’s a snapshot for ya re: the changes Hollywood (incl. writers/actors) have undergone in the past eight years — the “Big 4” broadcast networks have 36 scripted TV shows on their September schedules combined. In 2017, that number was 66.
THEN: UNITED and JET BLUE set a deal so you can earn frequent flier miles flying either airline (and also giving UNITED fliers access to book JET BLUE flights at JFK, and not at UNITED’s NYC area home of . . . EWR).
WAKEUP POLL RESULTS
I’ll throw in with the hoi polloi this week on Karate Kid: Legends generally hitting tracking, with the caveat that I have no idea how the Cobra Kai contingent will show up, or karate-loving pre-teens and teens, which are notoriously hard to track.
NEW ANKLER PODCAST EPISODE
🎥 THE SILVER SCREEN
