☀️Curious Things in WBD’s New Structure
LGF enlists Austin Butler / CNBC going D2C Streaming / BUZZFEED sells First We Feast
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LinkedIn here if ya like), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY, December 12, 2024.
Where NETFLIX has now enlisted Mariah Carey to do a special performance of her Christmas classic to kick off the NFL game programming on Christmas Day.
But uh, it’s . . . pre-taped, so when she says she’ll “be there too” in the new 15 second promo, that’s pretty much just in Christmas spirit — you didn’t really think she’d go to Pittsburgh on Christmas did you? (although to be fair — it was not indicated where it would be pre-taped from . . . but my #ESPNBet says it’s not from Pennsylvania).
AND: Here is your Sundance 2025 lineup (still in Park City!), with 87 features, 41% from first-time directors. Talent with pics at the fest include JLo, Bowen Yang, Dev Patel, Olivia Colman, André Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Magaro, Chloe Sevigny and Ayo Edebiri.
KUDOS: To Selena Gomez and record producer Benny Blanco on their engagement. Really hope the wedding isn’t taking place on an NFL Sunday, or the “flower girl” may not have a +1 😬.
THEN: Letterman is getting his own FAST channel, first avail on SAMSUNG’s TV PLUS channel lineup . . . although we’ll see if WORLDWIDE PANTS brings the channel full of old Late Night and Late Show episodes elsewhere too. Letterman will also contribute fresh commentary to the archive.
ALSO: The NBA will return to play games in China next season after the 2019 social media, uh, kerfluffle over Hong Kong statements, leading to the ban by Beijing. The NETS and SUNS will play 2 pre-season games in Macau in October.
BTW: The NFL will play its first game in Berlin next season.
AH: Nothing quite like META donating $1M to a certain someone’s Inaugural Fund to make sure “We cool, bro?” 🥴 (it did not make any donation to Biden’s or to Trump’s first inauguration).
YUP: Bill Belichick’s TV correspondent career lasted about as long as I think we all suspected — he’s going back to coaching, but this time in college at UNC in a 5-year, $10M a year deal.
YES: We’re gonna play another summer soccer tournament in the desert in 10 years. I’m sure building 11 soccer stadiums in the middle of Saudi Arabia in a decade won’t result in any human casualties. #FIFAisAJoke
PHEW: Michael Jordan sold his Chicago home after being on the market for . . . 12 years. Nothing like closing at a price that’s 67% below asking. Man, the Chicago real estate market is tough.
KUDOS: To PARAMOUNT for embracing that time they had to go back and entirely redo Sonic’s teeth in 2019, with this new Sonic 3 ugly sweater promotion.
Given the $700M+ of box office since . . . yeah, I think we’re in the clear now to have some fun.
OH: Be sure to ask all of your friends with great hot takes on the UHC CEO murder and the U.S. healthcare system about their thoughts on this actual bill in Congress seeking to end the ability of healthcare insurers to also own retail or mail-order pharmacies, attacking the massive drug middlemen issue (aka pharmacy benefit managers / PBMs) which runs about 80% of U.S. prescriptions and typically jacks up the prices. I’m sure they’re up to speed on it.
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL
SONY’s last latest, uh, peripheral MARVEL character pic Kraven the Hunter hits theaters tonight and is tracking around . . . $13M to $15M-ish. 😳
Madame Web opened to $15M in 2023 — what say you? I say $13M to $15M.
📽 THE SILVER TV 📺
