Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on MONDAY August 16, 2021.

Where I can guarantee there are no “White Lotus” spoilers here. Mainly because I’ve been waiting to hear if it sticks the landing before watching any of it. Though feel free to email me your thoughts about “Omigod its soooo good! Why are you not watching it?!?!” because I definitely haven’t gotten enough of that in my life over the past 5 weeks.

ALSO: Roger Federer dropped out of the Tennis US OPEN later this month, casts uncertainty on his ability to return to the sport due to injuries.

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

APPLE TV+ in first position to get the Jennifer Lawrence as 70’s superagent Sue Mengers movie project

That’s the project with the $80 Million pricetag that was definitely going to either APPLE, NETFLIX or AMAZON… since a studio would never spend that kind of money for a movie like this. But apparently NETFLIX is still in the game here, so more to come… /Deadline

DISNEY “makes good” with Emma Stone for “Cruella” DISNEY+ PVOD thing, sets sequel deal

First - the sequel: The director and writer have deals to return in addition to Emma’s deal below. The first film is at $222 Million worldwide (plus tbd DIS+ PVOD cash). /Deadline

As for Emma’s deal - while not confirmed by DISNEY, Matt Belloni at PUCK NEWS puts the deal terms at:

• $10+ Million (the always popular “eight figure payment” description) to make good on any lost revenue to Ms. Stone by putting “Cruella” on DISNEY+ $30 Premiere Access rental

• Another $10+ Million upfront check for the “Cruella” sequel, if/when greenlit

• AND a cut / royalty payment on each DIS+ $30 rental if they put “Cruella 2” on Premiere Access or any equivalent.

So - seems like “We happy?” “Yeah, we happy”. (Matt’s apparently not providing a link to his PUCK newsletter this week, but the sign up is here)

BOX OFFICE

1. “Free Guy” : $28 Million ($51 Million global from 41 markets)

   • DISNEY has reportedly also asked for a sequel according to Ryan Reynolds.

   • 50% of the audience in exit surveys was 18-34. Although I don’t know how that could be since we all know they don’t go to the movies anymore.

2. “Don’t Breathe 2” : $10.6 Million

   • 63% of ticket buyers were 18-34 year olds

3. “Jungle Cruise” : $9 Million ($154 Million globally).

4. “Respect” : $8.8 Million

5. “The Suicide Squad” : $8 Million

   • A not-good 70% drop from opening weekend

ALSO IN MOVIES

• BLUMHOUSE sets vaxxed-only policy for employees coming into the office, and for anyone working on their Film & TV productions. /Deadline

📺 THE TV SET

FX orders limited series from “The OA” creators Brit Marling & Zal Batmanglij

Called “Retreat” - an amateur Gen Z sleuth (Brit) is invited to a retreat for 11 people hosted by a Billionaire at an exotic location, when one of them dies. So… a Gen Z “Clue” no? No word on a timeline. /Variety

ALSO: Jonathan Dayton & Valerie Faris (“Little Miss Sunshine”) set as lead directors for FX’s series adaptation of the book “Fleischman is in Trouble”, written by Taffy Brodesser-Akner who is also writing the 9 episode limited series. Plot - newly divorced 40-something guy finds success in the online dating world… which is upended when his ex-wife goes missing. /Deadline

AND: FX’s “American Horror Stories” anthology series from Ryan Murphy will return in 2022. /Variety

BUT GOTTA INCLUDE THIS: Ryan Murphy also expanding the franchise to “American Sports Story” and “American Love Story”.

• First Sports one will be about former NEW ENGLAND PATRIOT who was found guilty of murder Aaron Hernandez.

• Love will be anthology style, with the first edition centering on John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s relationship. /Deadline

FX head John Landgraf said he’d “like” to have Ryan Murphy bring his deal from NETFLIX back to FX / DISNEY but there had to be a wink attached cuz it’s really hard to see how Ryan’s really ever left.

ALSO IN TV

• AMC sets Australian actor Sam Reid as “Lestat” for their “Interview with a Vampire” series, premiering next year. His IMDB here. /Variety

• Vincent Kartheiser (“Mad Men”) had a couple of verbal harassment claims on HBOMAX show “Titans”. Kinda sounds like some people didn’t care for some things he said on set, WB investigated both and he got a verbal warning for one of them. /Deadline

• FOX’s “Field of Dreams” YANKEES v WHITE SOX baseball game on Thurs got 5.9 Million viewers, the most watched regular season game since 2005. /Deadline

💻 THE MEDIA BIZ

🏦 STOCK NOTES:

Quiet Friday in Media stocks

👩‍💻 NEW TO WATCH:

ABC “Bachelor in Paradise” premieres at 8p

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🎥 TRAILER HOUSE

FX “AHS: Double Feature, Part 1: Red Tide” - Season 10 part 1 premieres Wed Aug 25.

FX “What We Do in the Shadows” Season 3 trailer. Premieres Thu Sept 2. Show has also been renewed for a 4th season, sans Exec Producer Scott Rudin.

FX ON HULU “The Premise” series trailer. Comedy anthology series from BJ Novack looking at social issues (bullying, gun violence, racial justice) through a comedic lens. Digging the trailer, looks promising! Hits HULU on Thu Sept 16.

🕵️‍♂️ THE WEEK AHEAD

WED - HULU’s “Nine Perfect Strangers” premieres

THU - NETFLIX has their TCA day (as does STARZ)

FRI - WB’s “Reminiscence” hits theaters & HBOMAX

🎧 PLAYING ME OFF

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-Sean McNulty

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