Fandom vs. Hollywood; ‘Love Story’ Sparks ‘George’ Backlash; Podcast Land Grab
Plus: David E. Kelley on Big Tech bungling; Katey Rich’s Cannes picks
Headed to CinemaCon? Keep an eye out for Richard Rushfield, Sean McNulty and Matthew Frank, who’ll be in Vegas to take in all the exclusive screenings, star turns, theater news and — Richard’s specialty — snack innovations at the massive cinema confab. Matthew’s reporting last week on the power of fandoms should give all those studio execs prowling Caesars Palace something to talk about as the urgency of grabbing and engaging new audiences has never been greater:
We’ll bring you Team Ankler’s CinemaCon updates throughout the week, and as soon as Richard & Co. exit Vegas, Janice Min, Natalie Jarvey, Elaine Low, Reel AI’s Erik Barmack, Tucker DeSaulnier and yours truly will be arriving there for NAB Show. Join us from April 19-21 (Ankler readers get $60 off a show floor pass with the code ANKLER26) as we present a series of high-level conversations around the future of entertainment. Check out our programming here.
Hollywood took a brief break from Paramount-Warners prognosticating last week as it was the music industry’s turn to deliver an M&A shocker with Bill Ackman’s $64B bid for Universal Music Group. Billboard alums Glenn Peoples and Robert Levine broke down the inside details of the complicated deal — which would see UMG board chair Sherry Lansing replaced by former CAA chief Michael Ovitz:
Meanwhile, the podcast world is having its own deal frenzy moment. Following OpenAI’s splashy TBPN acquisition, a wave of investment and sale activity is reshaping the space — less a hype cycle than a land grab for distribution in a video-first media economy. In our sister pub Like & Subscribe, Natalie breaks down why “everyone’s for sale” — and who could be next:
And finally, for fans (and skeptics) of Love Story, FX’s chronicle of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette, Claire Atkinson spoke to those who worked at Kennedy’s George magazine about their sharp opinions on the show. Ann Coulter, former Hachette Filipacchi CEO Jack Kliger and more reveal how the series matches up to their memories of Kennedy and NYC’s 1990s publishing scene:
Now, ICYMI, the rest of our best of the week:
Series Business
Marking his 40th year in TV, David E. Kelley tells Lesley Goldberg about his iconic career, working with wife Michelle Pfeiffer for the first time — and what happens when “tech companies think they are storytellers”:
Plus, Lesley digs into CBS renting its late-night slots to Byron Allen and scoops two ex-Kennedy Center creatives’ next venture:
How do you turn a hit into a sustainable run? Elaine hears from producers behind unscripted winners on the dos and don’ts:
Rushfield: In the AI Crosshairs
Hollywood’s reflexive moral panic is no match for the increasing power of AI, Richard warns, and the WGA’s limp promise to “hold meetings” about the tech isn’t going to stem the tide either:
Reel AI: TBPN’s Strange Bedfellow
The next AI arms race isn’t about tech — it’s about narrative, Erik Barmack writes, as OpenAI’s play for TBPN ups the ante:
Prestige Junkie: Steven Soderbergh Q&A
Katey Rich asks Steven Soderbergh about his new film The Christophers, his non-retirement and hopes for the future of the industry. Plus: Katey shares her Cannes picks and analyzes buzzy spinoffs’ Emmys chances:
The Wakeup: Disney & Sony Layoffs
It was a rough week at two major studios. Sean McNulty details the hundreds of layoffs coming at Sony and the roughly 1,000 hitting Disney:
🎧 PODCASTS
ANKLER AGENDA
Elaine, Sean and Natalie break down the key terms of the Writers Guild’s deal with the AMPTP and what it means for Hollywood’s other unions:
📹 Ankler Shows
Monday Morning Quarterbacks: The Super Mario Galaxy Movie made back its budget over five days as Sean and Christopher Rosen break down how A24’s The Drama also scored a stealth win:
👓 THE OPTIONIST BY ANDY LEWIS
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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