How to Sell a Show to Disney; Starz Reborn; Amazon Pod Shakeup
Plus: PSKY and what's about to happen (good and bad)
It’s on! Paramount Skydance Corp. made its debut on the NASDAQ Thursday (alas, closing down for the day), while David Ellison, Jeff Shell & Co. met the press to share their strategy. Sean McNulty was on hand in New York for the dog-and-pony show and came away with his usual best-in-class forward-looking insights, including a hopeful take for Hollywood: Paramount plans to invest more in film and TV, starting with its day-one buy of Timothée Chalamet starrer High Side. Read Sean’s analysis of what you can expect:
BUT: There’s a painful $2 billion in “synergies” ahead too — and Wall Street has a lot of questions (and a lot less enthusiasm) about whether the new company can pull off the transformation required. Claire Atkinson interviewed top analysts who want to see “clarity” ASAP and question the “cozy board” governing the new company:
Meanwhile, as Paramount and Skydance headed to the altar this year, Starz and Lionsgate uncoupled. This week, Lesley Goldberg got the scoop from Starz’ top execs Alison Hoffman and Kathryn Busby as they laid out for the first time their road map for the cabler/streamer’s indie future — from plans to own 50 percent of their slate by 2027 to their new take on first-look and overall deals. Not changing? A commitment to DEI as the rest of Hollywood backs away. “It's intrinsic to the content that we make,” Busby told Lesley of the focus on underrepresented demos. “We are going to keep doing what we’ve done.” 👊🏻
Lastly! In this era of companies in constant flux, a reminder to never miss Natalie Jarvey’s Like & Subscribe about the creator economy. Her interview with the aptly-named Steve Boom, Amazon’s audio chief, about the shakeup at Amazon-owned Wondery, the industry’s 4th-largest podcast network, is brutally honest and filled with can’t-miss, cutting-edge insights on where the industry is going:
Now, without further ado, ICYMI, even more of our best of the week:
Series Business: Disney Wish List
After revealing what Apple TV+, Amazon, HBO & HBO Max and Peacock are buying, Elaine Low surveys insiders about what Disney’s TV brands (ABC, Hulu, FX, Disney+ and Disney Channel) want to buy now (even as its streaming assets reshuffle) and names who in the Mouse House has greenlight power:
Dealmakers: Brands Will Now Cover Your Film Budget
Apple scored $40 million in brand deals on F1, and now, Hollywood’s top deal whisperers tell Ashley Cullins what $50K to $5M buys onscreen, online and off-platform; the smartest way to get a seven-figure integration deal across the finish line; and why audiences are more open to brand-film collabs than you might think:
Richard Rushfield: More ‘Naked Gun’ Movies Please
In the inaugural Rushfield Rant (exactly what it sounds like), Richard unloads on the industry over its outright dismissal of comedies from the theatrical pipeline — and whether the Naked Gun reboot can turn the tide (don’t get your hopes up):
Prestige Junkie: Adolescence’s Stephen Graham
Katey Rich chats with Stephen Graham about the inspiration behind his powerful Netflix hit, Adolescence. Plus, Julianne Nicholson unpacks her villain era, and Thom Powers shares what docs he picked for TIFF (and bemoans the lack of distributors brave enough to buy them):
The Wakeup
In the thick of earnings season, there’s nobody better than Sean McNulty at synthesizing and analyzing the details you need to know. This week, it’s Paramount, Disney, Warners Disco, Fox, Lionsgate and more:
Weekly Shows
Monday Morning QBs: This week, on our live show with Richard & Sean about what just happened at the box office, the duo breaks down the disaster around Fantastic Four’s second weekend:
🎧 PODCASTS
THE ANKLER
Apple’s F1 Brand Slam & Disney+’s Streaming Shakeups Yes, Brad Pitt will wear your logo to help finance his film:
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts
MARTINI SHOT
Hollywood vs. TikTok Rob Long on today’s Madison Ave. dogfight and how the industry can win:
👓 THE OPTIONIST BY ANDY LEWIS
FINAL HOUSEKEEPING!
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