NETFLIX tests fee for additional accounts as Password Sharing crackdown looms
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NETFLIX tests fee for additional accounts as Password Sharing crackdown looms
NBC boots COURTSHIP disaster to USA / EUPHORIA co-star lands MARVEL SONY pic / ENDEAVOR’s 2021 losses detailed
Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY March 17, 2022.
Where the Work Slacker gods have truly smiled upon us today - putting St. Patrick’s Day and the start of NCAA MARCH MADNESS on the same day, with MLB Spring Training day 1 thrown in for fun. Yeah… tomorrow’s newsletter may be a bit late.
ALSO: Jussie Smollett was released from jail on $150k bond as his appeal process has its due course.
AND: “Hey Let’s call it $125 Million and I’ll forget the whole thing happened” - a version of Chris Cuomo’s likely opening statement in arbitration hearings to decide his CNN severance.
PLUS: LIMP BIZKIT is going on tour in May. You’re welcome.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
SONY adds “Euphoria”’s Sydney Sweeney to MARVEL pic “Madame Web”
Dakota Johnson already set to star in the story set in the “Spider-Man” universe.
M. Web is a clairvoyant blind paralyzed old woman (now there’s a casting sheet) surrounded by web-like machinery, thru which she can predict the future of Spider-themed superheroes, which came in handy in mentoring “Spider-Man”… but she’s also mentored heroes who call themselves Spider-Woman.
SJ Clarkson (director of many episodes of your favorite HBO series) is directing here. /THR
HBOMAX sets Brian Cox, Edie Falco, Lisa Kudrow and Dean Norris for “Parenting” comedy pic
About a young gay couple who rent a house in the country for a meeting of the parents… when they discover it’s haunted by a 400 year-old evil entity. Oh that old chestnut.
NEW LINE producing, Craig Johnson (“The Skeleton Twins”) directing, SNL writer Kent Sublette wrote the script, shooting this Spring. /Deadline
ALSO IN MOVIES
AMAZON / BLUMHOUSE buy SUNDANCE winner horror pic “Nanny” for $7 Million. About a Senegalese immigrant nanny taking care of a kid on the Upper East Side. Pic will also have a theatrical release of some sort. /Deadline
George Miller’s MGM pic “Three Thousand Years of Longing” will also play CANNES. The “fantasy drama romance” stars Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton where a djinn (🤷♂️) offers a scholar 3 wishes in exchange for his freedom and… yup some unexpected sh
it happens. /DeadlineSONY PICS CLASSICS buys SXSW docu “The Return of Tanya Tucker - Featuring Brandi Carlyle” based on Brandi writing an album about her hero Tucker. /Deadline
HOLLYWOOD BUSINESS AFFAIRS
Judd Apatow brings his TV deal from HBO over to his longtime Film home, NBC UNIVERSAL. /THR
OSCAR-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman signs first look deal with MGM. /Deadline
PR firm SUNSHINE SACHS renames itself, or I guess extends its name to SUNSHINE SACHS MORGAN & LYLIS (SSML?). Current partners Keleigh Thomas Morgan and Heather Lylis have been bumped up to Co-Presidents here in the firm’s 30th year. /THR
PR vet Jennifer Holiner joins HBO as VP of Media Relations.
📺 THE TV SET
NBC boots “The Courtship” to USA NETWORK
Its Sunday premiere got 920k viewers, and 2nd ep had 520k so…yeah you gotta go.
Plus it’ll be paired with “Temptation Island” on USA which makes for a better fit. /Deadline
HBO sets Jodie Comer to lead sex therapist limited series “Big Swiss”
About a woman who starts a new life transcribing sex therapy sessions in Hudson, NY when she starts an obsessive relationship with one of the patients.
Forbidden affair… Hudson, NY… mysterious past - could there be a more “HBO” show? Based on an upcoming book by Jen Beagin, Adam McKay and A24 producing. /Deadline
ALSO IN TV
“Ellen” will end on Thurs May 26. /Deadline
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
NETFLIX tests adding fee to allow you to add 2 additional accounts
Essentially allows a NETFLIX account to create 2 additional profiles for people they don’t live with (for a monthly fee), where those 2 additional folks can each set up their own Lists etc.
This vs. the current method of sharing your password with your parents and having to then explain to them what “Sex / Life” is and why you gave it a thumbs up.
Currently testing in CHILE, COSTA RICA and PERU with a $3-ish additional monthly fee, all in the interest of starting to crackdown on password sharing 💰💰. However no meaningful word on what they would charge here in the US if/when they were to implement. /THR
According to a new Advertising Research Foundation study: 36% of Americans share their NETFLIX login with relatives, and 13% share with friends.
ENDEAVOR loses $16 Million on $1.5 Billion of Q4 revenue
Half of ENDEAVOR revenue came from the Talent Representation business in Q4 ($718 Million).
Events & Experiences (incl IMG assets): $516 Million
Sports (UFC, PBR, etc): $277 Million
Company lost $467 Million in 2021… but forecasting a rosier 2022.
Debt stands at $5.7 Billion, increasing $600 Million from Sept to Dec 2021. Cash on hand grew $500 Million in that time, now at $1.5 Billion.
AND: Elon Musk has exited the ENDEAVOR board but doesn’t seem to be for acrimonious reasons. He won’t be replaced - board is going from 8 to 7 members. /Deadline
ALSO IN MEDIA
As expected, ESPN officially signs Joe Buck & Troy Aikman away from FOX SPORTS to be the voices & faces of “Monday Night Football”. Looking at a $30+ Million payday combined, and both will also produce stuff for ESPN+ as well. /THR
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
Essentially stocks that have taken a beating this month had a good day for once.
ROKU +13% ($114.91)
SNAP +10% ($32.56)
ROBLOX +9% ($41.51)
SPOTIFY +8% ($133.58)
VIMEO +8% ($11.89)
FACEBOOK +6% ($203.63), well that’s been a minute
AMC THEATERS +5% ($15.23) I mean who doesn’t love a movie theater chain that’s now also invested in… mining for gold. No that’s not a joke… oh ok yeah, when I read it back it totally does.
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👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
HBOMAX “Minx” - Comedy about the creation of a 70’s erotic magazine for women, with Jake Johnson and Ophelia Lovibond. 10 half-hour episodes. STREAM HERE
HBOMAX “DMZ” - STREAM HERE
FOX “Welcome to Flatch” - Premieres at 930p
NETFLIX “Servant of the People” - This is the Ukranian series that starred their leader Vladimir Zelenskiy, NETFLIX added it this week - STREAM HERE
MARCH MADNESS begins at 12:15p across CBS and the TURNER networks.
Here are your streaming options if you don’t have cable - so SLING TV it is! You can of course also watch CBS games for free if you have a digital antenna like me.
🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
STARZ “Gaslit” limited series trailer - About Martha Mitchell (Julia Roberts), wife of Nixon’s Atty General John Mitchell (Sean Penn), and what they did to her when she started to tell the truth about WATERGATE. This looks really good! Premieres Sun April 24
HBO “Barry” Season 3 teaser - Premieres Sun April 24
NETFLIX “The Pentaverate” limited series teaser - Comedy from Mike Myers (playing multiple roles as usual) about a Medieval group of 5 that has influenced history behind the scenes for centuries. Premieres Thu May 5… again to play off the 5/5 thing.
HULU “Woke” Season 2 trailer - Where Keef is um, adjusting (?) to life in the activist public spotlight. I read a lot of mixed things on Season 1 of this show… but gotta say this is a solid trailer. Premieres Fri April 8
HBO “The Time Travelers Wife” series teaser trailer - Consider me unexpectedly intrigued for the trailer. Premieres in May TBD.
HBO “We Own This City” limited series teaser that… really feels like a trailer - And a damn good one, from David Simon and based on a true story of corruption in the Baltimore PD. Great day for trailers - arguably saved the best for last. Premieres Mon April 25
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
DROPKICK MURPHYS“Hang ‘Em High” - Start your St. Pats day off right…
If you need some new tunes:
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-SEAN MCNULTY
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