Michael Douglas, HBO team reunite at APPLE TV for BEN FRANKLIN miniseries

EUPHORIA is huge HBO...MAX hit / TIKTOK expands to 10 min videos / PEACOCK sets Anthony Mackie to lead video game series

Mar 1, 2022

Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on TUESDAY March 1, 2022.

Where it’s the start of March and the culmination of Mardi Gras which… just sounds like a bad idea to combine for some reason, but I’m not entirely sure why.

all this guy needs is some beads. via Giphy

AND: The Russian release of “The Batman” was put ‘on hold’ this weekend, DISNEY doing the same for PIXAR’s “Turning Red” later in the month (no DIS+ in RUSSIA), and SONY is doing the same with “Morbius”… but no permanent decisions made across the board.

ALSO: Looks like someone read the room for FIFA yesterday as they banned RUSSIA from WORLD CUP competition. RUSSIA was also officially banned from Europe’s UEFA (CHAMPIONS LEAGUE).

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

📺 THE TV SET

Um Ben Franklin didn’t have a ‘stache right? via Giphy

APPLE TV+ sets Michael Douglas to play Ben Franklin in limited series

Which… is basically from all ex-HBO talent: Richard Plepler is a lead producer, Tim Van Patten (“The Sopranos”) is the director and Kirk Ellis (“John Adams”) is writing.

Based on the book “A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America”, will center on Franklin’s 8 year efforts to get FRANCE to “underwrite America’s experiment in democracy” 📜 and set a final peace with ENGLAND in 1783 🤝. /Deadline

“Euphoria” finale gets 6.6 Million viewers across HBO platforms on Sunday

That’s 5X the Season 1 finale. Episodes have averaged 16.3 Million viewers across all platforms.

No #s for HBOMAX specifically broken out, but NIELSEN puts the linear Sunday night audience averaging about 300k, meaning… yeah not exactly the “Yellowstone” crowd 🤠. /THR

ALSO: “American Idol” returned with 6 Million viewers, but “60 Minutes” won the Sunday night with 8.1 Million 🏆. “The Equalizer” had 7 Million after it.

PEACOCK sets Anthony Mackie to star in “Twisted Metal” comedy series based on the video game

Mackie will play a smart-ass milkman 🥛 with amnesia who gets the chance to deliver a package across a barrage of unrelenting vehicular combat to get to a welcoming community on the other side.

“Deadpool” writers among the Exec Producers, Michael Jonathan Smith (“Cobra Kai”) is the showrunner. /THR

ABC orders another David E. Kelly mystery series “Avalon”

At least this time David is teaming up with someone 🙏 - I mean 14 TV shows at a time is his limit (yes that number is a joke but it’s probably not far off at this point).

He’s co-writing this show with author Michael Connelly, whom he’s also doing “The Lincoln Lawyer” series with at NETFLIX.

Based on a Connelly short story about a LA Sherriff who oversees the Avalon town on Catalina Island, and gets pulled into a “career-defining mystery”. No word on an episode count. /THR

ALSO IN TV

“The Problem With Jon Stewart” head writer Chelsea Devantez leaves the show, signs overall deal at 20th TELEVISION. /THR
Lebron’s “The Shop” talk series leaves HBO, new season will drop on his UNINTERRRUPTED YT channel… on Friday 🤔. /THR
“Power of the Dog” OSCAR nominee Kodi Smit-McPhee joins APPLETV+’s Alfonso Cuaron series “Disclaimer”. Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline and Sacha Baron Cohen already on board for the mystery thriller. /TheAnkler

💻 THE MEDIA BIZ

yeah this could totally use a 10 min version. via giphy

TIKTOK increasing video length up to 10 minutes

Just started rolling out for some users but you should be notified when they’ve given you the green light to go from 3 to 10 mins.

Kinda defeats the purpose of TIKTOK imo 🤷‍♂️ but… obviously someone saw YOUTUBE’s Q4 revenue and decided it’s time to make a play. /The Verge

ALSO IN MEDIA

NETFLIX will not add Russian state TV channels as per a new mandate requiring them to do so starting today. No word how this may play out / if RUSSIA will ban the service. /THR
ESPN rebranding its The Undefeated vertical covering news for Black audiences as Andscape, and is increasing resources to expand coverage and production across different media. /THR

🏦 STOCK NOTES:

AMC THEATERS +7% ($18.86) but otherwise a very quiet Monday.

If you don’t already get THE WAKEUP, sign up here:

Hits your inbox weekdays by 830a (ish) East Coast time.

👩‍💻 NEW TO WATCH:

HBO “The Larry David Story” documentary - Airs at… I think 9p, but HBO.com didn’t have it on the HBO schedule so 🤷‍♂️.

STATE OF THE UNION at 9p

AMC THEATERS report Q4 earnings late afternoon.

🎥 TRAILER HOUSE

WARNER BROS “Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore” trailer #2 - In theaters April 15

SONY “Morbius” final trailer - In theaters April 1

NETFLIX “Formula 1: Drive to Survive” Season 4 teaser - Premieres March 11

HOWARD STERN - Bob Odenkirk details the efforts that saved his life on the “Better Call Saul” set, and how his “Nobody” physical training helped him survive.

🎧 PLAYING ME OFF

Gonna go out today with the really warm, funny, heartfelt farewell from Colbert to his outgoing EP (and new CNN leader) Chris Licht. Chris’s title will be Chairman & CEO of CNN Global btw, and have a May 1 start date if all goes to plan.