☀️NETFLIX Scores Huge with Alan Ritchson
PAR gets Wan for Korean remake / CAA settles writer lawsuit / LGF sets Rogan comedy world deal
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 Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Where it turns out Hollywood isn’t the only U.S. creative industry increasingly heading to the U.K. due to cheaper costs.
Yes, according to the NY Times, more Broadway producers are launching their new shows in the U.K., as doing so stateside is just too expensive, given both the costs . . .
Just as one example — the current minimum weekly salary for an actor in London’s West End is roughly $1,219. It’s $2,717 on Broadway.
. . . and the rate of financial success on Broadway these days:
Only 4 of the 48 Broadway musicals that have opened since Covid have made it to profitability to date.
AND: The Prez of DISNEYLAND, Thomas Mazloum, has ascended to the throne at the Magic Kingdom as the new Head of Experiences, replacing new DISNEY CEO Josh D’Amaro — a DISNEY executive decision that got 2% of the attention that the CEO decision got (ok fine, 1.5%) . . . even though the division represents 72% of the company’s profits.
GOOD NEWS: The NFL is trying to find yet another day to put football on #phew. Yes, Thanksgiving Eve — the league is now looking at you.
SO: NYC’s Film Commission is joining the newly launched ART HOUSE NEW YORK alliance to create Art House Cinema Week New York. (Who picked this name?? Was Independent Movie Week taken?) It’ll take place from March 20-26 to promote indie film moviegoing.
It’ll give away 5k movie tickets to NYC teachers, CUNY students, U.S. active-duty military personnel and veterans, people with disabilities, SNAP/EBT cardholders to go to movies at a list of independent movie theaters in NYC (list here), and there will be discounts on movie tickets and concessions for other moviegoers.
I’m all for the effort — though not sure “Art House Cinema” screams appeal to the masses — and gotta think maybe September/October might have been a better time for this to build habit, excitement and promotion for a more robust indie movie season ahead (not to mention exposure for numerous new trailers, etc.)? Versus holding this during arguably one of the most fallow periods for new product on the independent movie calendar.
THEN: Ah, man, what happened to all of those huge WARNAMOUNT fans? Wall Street, you so cruel.
ALSO: Ellison did a session with about 150 top WBD execs on the lot (and 300 others via teleconference) yesterday . . . and yeah, doesn’t sound like folks have any more clarity about what’s ahead for the combination of the companies than before.
ALTHOUGH: Given that the deal isn’t final yet, there are apparently restrictions on what he can and cannot address due to “gun-jumping” prohibitions during the pre-merger period. So . . . redo in about 4-6 weeks?
BUT: The Ellison Family bank account had a good day on Wall Street yesterday, as ORACLE stock was +9% in after-hours trading after its latest earnings report.
The company beat estimates for total FY27 revenue (the FY begins in June), with a $90B number put forth. YoY growth in its “infrastructure business” (AI data centers/cloud servers, etc.) also exceeded expectations at +84%.
CapEx also exceeded analyst expectations at $18.6B last quarter, as concerns about debt apparently weren't the takeaway this time out.
ORCL stock is still -24% in 2026, and -50% since September. It has over half a trillion dollars 💰 in contracts for future revenue that it is building out capacity to service. Plus, that big new client in WARNAMOUNT is pending.
PLUS: APPLE now makes about 25% of its iPhones in India, according to Bloomberg. The American company still makes the other 75% of its largest product line in Detroit China.
OH: Add NIELSEN to the list of companies suing OPENAI, according to Axios. NIELSEN is alleging that OPENAI is blatantly ripping off its GRACENOTE programming data service left and right without permission, including insights created by its hundreds of human editors and analysts. I’m sure Altman has a simple explanation for it all.
BTW: Since no one is using SORA anymore #thatwasfast, OPENAI is planning to include SORA in CHATGPT soon.
ALTHOUGH: Even the company that has it all . . . still needs more money, as AMAZON has issued nearly $40B in new bonds (i.e., debt) of late to fund the AI expansion war chest, which may expand up to $50B. Well, at least it has the one NFL deal not up for renegotiation!
BUT: Just wait until that sweet FOX NATION ad revenue hits the bottom line! The streaming service seems to be the big sponsor for Melania on AMAZON PV.
FINALLY: Just 300 billionaires (and their families) made 19% of all federal election political donations in 2024 (directly or through PACs). Before the 2010 Citizens United decision, that number was 0.3%. Great work, Supreme Court — the real voice of the people is finally heard!
Each family’s average was equivalent to what 100,000 typical political donors gave, combined. Sure, 1 to 100k sounds like a great ratio for a democracy.
What’s that? Pay more in taxes to help fund state budget shortfalls instead? 😂. Enjoy life in Florida, STARBUCKS business icon and former nearly 50-year Seattle area resident, Howard Shultz! Ya know, it wasn’t the impending ‘millionaires tax’ in WA as much as he really just needed to escape the rain.
If you want to read his
total BSheartfelt statement, he put it on LINKEDIN here.Don’t worry, he’s putting that money he’s saving on his $3.5B fortune to good use in this . . . $44M Four Seasons Florida penthouse he just bought, in case you want to send him a welcoming fruit basket.
🎥 THE SILVER SCREEN
