☀️LIONSGATE, Jane Fonda Join Forces; TEGNA-NEXSTAR’s AG Lawsuit
NETFLIX Gets More Bateman / AMAZON MGM wants ‘Life’ game pic / College hoops audiences surge
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty (connect with me on LINKEDIN here if ya like or email me at seanmcnultynyc@gmail.com), and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on Thursday, March 19, 2026.
Where it’s time for the 2 least productive office days of the year! #MarchMadness
Well. That is, back when we all went into the office 5 days a week. (I’m told I did that for most of my career, but I have no recollection.) So, I guess, uh, PARAMOUNT — keep us posted if that’s still the case!
AND: AMC THEATRES stock hit a new low yesterday at $1.02 (-5%). Project Hail Mary, you’re up! 🤞
THEN: Here are your SXSW film fest winners.
WELL: One media merger now officially has a lawsuit on its hands from state attorneys general. No, no, that one — rather, the local TV station behemoth deal between TEGNA and NEXSTAR, which is now facing a lawsuit from CA and 6 other states.
The main allegations are on both the jobs and consumer fronts: higher pay-TV prices for consumers due to increased leverage over TV bundle providers, and a reduction in newsroom jobs due to in-market consolidation (multiple TV stations in one city, etc.).
PLUS: Jay-Z is doing 2 concerts at Yankee Stadium on July 10 and 11 to mark the 30th anniversary of Reasonable Doubt and the 25th anniversary of The Blueprint.
YUP: Zuck is now paying creators from $1k to $3k a month to come use FACEBOOK (and move from YT and TT). Well, paid for 3 months. I mean, times are tough — after all, company net income was -3% in 2025. To $60B.
But hey — access to the FB Content Monetization program is in perpetuity! Sign here.
MEANWHILE: FOX’s TUBI set a partnership with TIKTOK to select some creators to join TUBI’s programming incubator program this summer.
Select shows will debut on TUBI (scripted and unscripted), with TIKTOK providing promo support via its Spotlight section.
AH: TKO set a UK/IRE deal for its ZUFFA Boxing league with COMCAST’s SKY SPORTS. The fights are on PAR+ in US/CAN and LATAM.
HMM: NETFLIX is planning a KPop Demon Hunters world concert arena tour in 2027, though it’s not a lock, as it’s in the creative planning stage.
ALSO: The global music business hit $31.7B in 2025, +6.4% YoY, and its 11th straight year of revenue growth.
ADD: Music giant BMG is now on the list of companies suing ANTHROPIC AI over copyright infringement.
THANKS!: To the folks at AMAZON MGM for the invite to check out the NYC Project Hail Mary premiere last night, as fun as billed! That Gosling is a movie star for a reason.
WAKEUP BOX OFFICE POLL
Speaking of . . . lotta enthusiasm for said Project Hail Mary. Seems like $55M is on the conservative side, with many thinking it’ll land in the $60Ms — some higher than that!
🎥 THE SILVER SCREEN
