Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY March 31, 2022.

Where as I’m figuring you’ve heard, Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after receiving a diagnosis of Aphasia - a brain condition that leads to the loss of ability to understand or express speech.

While things like tumors, strokes, alcohol use and brain disease can lead to developing it, no further details were revealed if they are even known. There is no cure, basically can only be helped with speech therapies. While uncertainty about the disease’s progression lies ahead, an iconic career is in its wake.

AND: The ACADEMY says that it did ask Will Smith to leave the OSCARS… but only through his reps and not directly.

PLUS: HBO’s GOT series “House of the Dragon” will drop on Sun Aug 21. A week and a half before “LOTR” The Series hits AMAZON PRIME.

AND: A Hawaii couple has taken out a temporary restraining order against Ezra Miller (“The Flash”). After being released on bail for disorderly conduct and harassment at a bar, Ezra allegedly broke into the house of the couple and burst into their bedroom, threatened them, and stole a wallet and a passport.

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

NETFLIX doing new “Spy Kids” movie with Robert Rodriguez

No plot details available, but thought to center on a new spy family 🕵️‍♀️. SKYDANCE will be a co-producer. /THR

PARAMOUNT sets John Carney (“Begin Again”, “Modern Love”) to direct BEE GEES biopic

John Logan (“Gladiator”, “Skyfall”) is writing. Graham King and SISTER are producing. 🕺 /Deadline

NETFLIX picks up movie co-written and produced by Daniel Kaluuya

Called “The Kitchen”, set in London 2044 where the gap between rich and poor has gone to far extremes, forcing the working class to live in temp housing outside the city… except for an area called The Kitchen where people refuse to leave.

Michael Fassbender also a producer on the pic. /THR

ALSO IN MOVIES

• NETFLIX is doing an interactive Rom-Com pic, “Choose Love.” Stuart McDonald (”Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”) is directing. Woman in a relationship wonders “what if” about a couple of her ex’s and I’m guessing you get to pick. I’d go with the guy who played “Cappie” on “Greek” (Scott Michael Foster) even if he no longer wears chokers. /Variety

• HBOMAX / CNN+ doc “Navalny” getting theatrical event release through WB in 800 FATHOM Theaters April 11 & 12 (a Mon and Tues). /THR

IN SO MANY WORDS…

“How was your weekend?”

- CHRIS ROCK starting his Boston set last night after a 4+ minute ovation. He said he’s still kind of processing ‘the slap’ and will “talk about that shit” at some point, and then went into his show.

📺 THE TV SET

DISNEY+ enlists Ron Howard to direct docu on Jim Henson / THE MUPPETS

Ron producing with Brian Grazer / IMAGINE DOCS, and has full cooperation of Henson family. /Deadline

ALSO IN TV

• NETFLIX’S “Bridgerton” spinoff about young “Queen Charlotte” has set its cast, for anyone inclined. /THR

• APPLE TV+ adds Matt Walsh to “Manhunt” limited series about the assassination of Abraham Lincoln and its aftermath. He’ll play Dr. Samuel Mudd, who tended to John Wilkes Booth’s broken the night Lincoln was shot, and didn’t report him for days later… leading to his imprisonment for conspiracy. /Deadline

• AMAZON PRIME casts Ella Purnell (she plays “Young Jackie” on “Yellowjackets” ) as a co-lead in post-nuclear apocalypse series “Fallout” starring Walton Goggins, from the team behind “Westworld”. /Variety

• ABC renews “The Good Doctor” and “The Rookie” for the Fall season. /THR

IN THE HOLLYWOOD EXECUTIVE SUITE

• ABC SIGNATURE hires former PAR+ exec Danny Feldheim as new SVP of Comedy Development. Replaces Melanie Frankel who left 8 months ago. /Deadline

💻 THE MEDIA BIZ

FACEBOOK paid a Republican consulting firm to plant negative TIKTOK stories in the press

The PR/Lobbying firm:

• Placed negative Op-Ed’s and Letters to the Editor about TIKTOK in major regional news outlets

• Promoted “dubious stories about alleged TikTok trends”… that actually started on FACEBOOK

• Lobbied political reporters & politicians against TIKTOK

Especially rich… was an emphasis on getting coverage that suggested TIKTOK was dangerous for teens. #InstaWho? 🤔 /Washington Post

ALSO IN MEDIA

• APPLE now allowing Entertainment & other “reader” apps like NETFLIX and SPOTIFY to put links in their apps for folks to subscribe to their products directly (bypassing APPLE’s 30% vig). and if you don’t know what a reader app means… honestly it’s just a tech distinction that I’d fall asleep explaining before you nodded off reading what I wrote. /Variety

• LIZZO starting a line of size-inclusive shapewear called YITTY, in partnership with FABLETICS. /CNBC

• Irving Azoff-backed investment firm OAK VIEW GROUP plans new $3 Billion “entertainment district” for something called “South Las Vegas”. 🤷‍♂️ Essentially 10 mins South of the airport, but gonna be a minute as it won’t even break ground til sometime next year.

  • Includes 20k seat arena, amphitheater, hotel and casino. And in a classy touch that should really set it apart - a library. /Deadline

🏦 STOCK NOTES:

ROKU -5% ($129.95)

CINEWORLD (REGAL Cinemas) -9% ($0.43)

AMC THEATERS -13% ($25.68) ok now that’s more like “Speed 2”

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👩‍💻 NEW TO WATCH:

HBOMAX “Julia” series - STREAM HERE

CBS “How We Roll” - Dave Holmes bowling show, 930p

HBOMAX “Moonshot” pic - STREAM HERE

🎥 TRAILER HOUSE

NETFLIX “The Sea Beast” movie teaser - From the director of “Moana” and “Big Hero 6”. Premieres July 8

PARAMOUNT+ “Evil” Season 3 teaser. Premieres Sun June 12.

🎧 PLAYING ME OFF

BROODS “Pieces” - Song I discovered this weekend that just has good fun “boppy” vibes to get moving on a Thursday morning.

Chorus could be good piece for a trailer for any MARKETING readers out there.

If you need some new tunes:

THE WAKEUP Spotify playlist

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-SEAN MCNULTY

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