BOND, VENOM, DUNE lead huge Oct box office resurgence
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BOND, VENOM, DUNE lead huge Oct box office resurgence
Damian Lewis exits BILLIONS / OZY MEDIA RIP / DAVID CHASE returns to HBO, WARNER MEDIA
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on MONDAY October 4, 2021.
Where DAVID LEE ROTH announced he’s hanging up his mic for good in January at age 67.
It sounds like it’s mainly due to unspecified medical reasons… but either way - Dave’s gonna do 5 final shows in Vegas (naturally) on New Years Eve, and Jan 1, 5, 7 & 8 at the MANDALAY BAY House of Blues. Some limited obnoxiously priced tickets are still avail here. Alex Van Halen will join him on drums.
ALSO: Always nice when your boss gives huge public props… to another company’s strategy.
AND: While the FACEBOOK whistleblower story is rightfully getting a lot of… well I guess we used to call it ink this morning - this Tony Bennett profile on “60 Minutes” last night was pretty extraordinary. A fascinating look at aging / Alzheimer’s, admittedly a bit sad but also poignant, and a great reminder to live in the moment as the week starts.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
NETFLIX sets Donald Sutherland and Jaden Martell (“IT” movies, new WB remake of “The Lost Boys”) for Stephen King horror pic
Based on 2020 Stephen King short story “Mr. Harrigan’s Phone”, about a teenager who befriends an old millionaire, and continues to communicate with him via an iPhone that’s buried with him when he dies. You should see the font size he uses on it 👀.
Jason Blum and Ryan Murphy producing, John Lee Hancock (“The Blind Side”, “The Little Things”) is writing & producing, will hit the service next year. /THR
BOX OFFICE
“Venom: Let there Be Carnage” : $90 Million
2nd best October opening ever (behind “Joker"s $96 Million)
Also set a new covid-era record opening weekend in RUSSIA with a $14 million opening
“The Addams Family 2” : $18 Million (movie was also avail for $20 PVOD home rental)
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings” : $6 Million ($206 Million US)
“The Many Saints of Newark” : $5 Million
More curious to see the SAMBA TV viewing data on HBOMAX streaming for this…
“Dear Evan Hansen” : $2.4 Million ($12 Million US total)
A 67% drop from opening weekend. Likely will hit PVOD next week around October 12.
Arguably the bigger headlines were overseas this weekend:
“No Time To Die” opens to $119 Million in 54 global territories, roughly same international $$ gross as “Skyfall” in 2012. Includes $25 Million in the UK.
“Dune” crosses $100 Million so far, with the same weekend global gross it had last weekend.
A Chinese-propaganda KOREAN WAR film “The Battle at Changjin” made $230 Million, released during “National Day” holiday weekend there. On track to be the 2nd highest grossing movie in CHINA this year.
ALSO IN MOVIES
NETFLIX adds David Duchovny & Nia Long to Eddie Murphy-Jonah Hill comedy film directed by Kenya Barris. /Deadline
“Gladiator” & “Skyfall” writer John Logan’s untitled directorial debut at BLUMHOUSE will stream on PEACOCK. It’s a horror film set at a gay conversion camp with Kevin Bacon & Anna Chlumsky among the cast. /Deadline
Golden Globes voting body the HFPA names Todd Boehly as their new interim CEO. Todd is the head of the investment firm that owns DICK CLARK PRODUCTIONS, which produces the Globes. Well that sounds legit. /Deadline
📺 THE TV SET
David Chase returns to HBO
Signs an extensive 5-year first look deal at WARNER MEDIA, covering HBO, HBOMAX and WB PICS. No first project specified, but I hear it knows a guy. /THR
Damian Lewis exits “Billions” on SHOWTIME
This Season 5 which finished last night will be his last, although it is possible he may show up in a couple Season 6 episodes. Corey Stoll stepping up to fill in the two-hander role with Giamatti.
Teaser for Season 6 is down in the TRAILER HOUSE below. /Deadline
ALSO IN TV
APPLE TV+ cancels “Mr. Corman” Joseph Gordon-Levitt series after 1 season. /THR
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
OZY MEDIA folds
OZY went from a going-concern run by a seemingly successful entrepreneur & media personality Carlos Watson on Monday morning to… a closed business run by a seemingly full-of-shit con artist by Friday afternoon.
Over 75 people are now out of a job, TBD what happens to the company’s assets.
To add one more story onto the pile: now-resigned billionaire chairman Marc Lasry, who OZY CEO Carlos Watson described as the “lead investor” in their last $35 Million funding round… actually only put $1 Million of his own money into that round. /Axios
ALSO: The NY TIMES media writer Ben Smith is out with another column today, with Carlos Watson’s first public interview since the debacle started. He evidently concedes nothing about all the stories that came out this week, but a good read of closure on the matter for the time being for the inclined.
YOUTUBE TV and NBCU settle their carriage agreement spat
They came to an agreement on new deal to keep NBCU’s cable channels & NBC on the YOUTUBE TV $65/month virtual cable package. No terms or length of agreement revealed. /Variety
ALSO IN MEDIA
Natalie Morales leaves NBC NEWS after 22 years. She won’t depart immediately, though she does have a next gig lined as the new co-host of “The Talk” at CBS according to The Daily Mail. /THR
Joe Rogan continues his covid misinformation BS - Says Prez Biden didn’t actually get his booster shot on-camera last week. SPOTIFY checks their contract to see just how long they signed him up for again 🤦♂️. /The Daily Beast
WME partner Richard Weitz revives virtual RW QUARANTUNES series for event with CITY OF HOPE - raised $780k on Thursday night to fight cancer and diabetes. /THR
ROKU launching $5/month ad-free “This Old House” subscription service on Tue Oct 12. Episodes of the show with ads will be avail for free on THE ROKU CHANNEL. /Axios
DISNEY cancels “Aladdin” BROADWAY performances for 10 days due to additional covid-breakthru cases. BROADWAY mask mandate for audiences extended through at least the end of the year. /THR
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
Generally positive Friday for media stocks, no huge moves but DISNEY, WARNER MUSIC and LIONSGATE all up over 4%.
👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
NETFLIX “On My Block” - Season 4/final season, Click Here to Watch or Add to your List
THE NEW YORKER FESTIVAL begins today through this weekend. Tickets for all events here
If you were sent this newsletter or… just kinda found it:
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
SHOWTIME “Billions” Season 6 teaser - Premieres Jan 23
APPLE TV+ “Swagger” series teaser trailer. Which… for some reason is not posted on the APPLE TV+ YouTube page 🤔 . Stars O’Shea Jackson as a High School basketball coach of a 14 year-old phenom. Inspired by the story of NBA star Kevin Durant… who is also an exec producer here. Premieres Fri Oct 29.
🕵️♂️ THE WEEK AHEAD
TUE - New Chappelle comedy special hits NETFLIX; MLB Wildcard game - YANKEES vs RED SOX
WED - MLB Wildcard game - CARDINALS vs DODGERS
THU - More “Sexy Beasts” on NETFLIX
FRI - Bond, James Bond
SAT - Kim Kardashian breaks the SNL twitter feed
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
Gotta go with some Diamond Dave to round things out. They definitely don’t make videos like this anymore… probably for good reason 😬.
Although I challenge you to name a rockstar today in their 40’s with acrobatic moves like Dave had. Also kinda 🤯 that NIRVANA’s “Nevermind” came out the same year as this song.
If you need new tunes:
Email me anytime - just reply to this email, or connect here on LINKED IN.
-Sean McNulty
@theseanmac on TWITTER
@TheWakeupNews on INSTAGRAM
or I’m also here on CLUBHOUSE