TUE 3.16.21 : Clive Owen + Scott Frank doing TV series

OSCARS doing 2 locations for Apr 25 / MARVEL sets villain for Sam Jackson DIS+ show / HFPA sets specific diversity commitment

Mar 16, 2021

Mornin! Here’s the Hollywood + MediaBiz news to know on TUESDAY March 16, 2021.

Where (virtual) SXSW kicks off today. Sadly the virtual BBQ at my kitchen counter just doesn’t have the same “zing”.

Otherwise it seems Hollywood was basically talking about OSCAR noms all day… so this will be quick. In case you’re still looking for an overall OSCARS analysis in one place, Scott Feinberg at THR put one together for the inclined.

Although Glenn Close getting an OSCAR… and a RAZZIE nomination for the same role was an achievement for the books.

🎧 MUSIC TO READ BY

2 recommended new songs off the new Nick Jonas album:

”Delicious” to get you moving as you start the day. Listen on Spotify / YouTube

Or “Sexual” to get you moving at … uh other times of the day. Listen on Spotify / YouTube

If you need new tunes, all songs featured are added here:

THE WAKEUP Spotify playlist

📽 THE SILVER SCREEN

OSCARS will be held at Dolby Theater AND Union Station

Train hub will be open that day… but the front entrance will be closed to the public. /Variety

Also this AXIOS chart summed up NETLFIX’s OSCAR domination nicely.

ALSO IN MOVIES

HFPA upping membership to 100; sets 13% Black membership commitment for next year’s GOLDEN GLOBES season. This after 100+ Publicity firms said they’d advise their clients against participating in HFPA events next year. /Deadline

📺 THE TV SET

Clive Owen + Scott Frank + Tom Fontana for new TV show shot in France

“The Queens Gambit” creator Frank co-writing with Fontana. Frank also directing, called “Monsieur Spade”.

Clive playing Daschiell Hammett detective character “Sam Spade” (“Maltese Falcon”) later in life in 1963 Southern France, as the Algerian War ends.

Will shoot in France, produced by the company who did “The Young Pope”.

Project is currently out to NETFL… I mean several potential buyers to find a US partner. /Deadline

GRAMMYS ratings down over 50%

Nielsen Fast ratings put the audience at 8.8 Million for TV Audience. No word on streaming. Fast ratings for 2020 show were 18.8 Million. /Variety

OSCARS… you’re up. Audience was 23.5 Million last year. Which was down 20% from 2019.

ALSO IN TV

Kinglsey Ben-Adir (“One Night in Miami”) set as villain in MARVEL Samuel L. Jackson, Ben Mendelsohn series “Secret Invasion” at DISNEY+. /Deadline

💻 THE MEDIA BIZ

Big Canadian Cable & Mobile merger

Canada’s biggest wireless & cable service provider ROGERS “merging with” (pretty much buying) SHAW, the country’s 4th largest provider for $16 Billion.

Deal set to close in early 2022 pending gov’t approval. /Bloomberg

ALSO IN MEDIA

FACEBOOK cuts a TBD check to Rupert Murdoch’s NEWS CORP in Australia to include all NEWS CORP publications on FB down under. /BBC
Jack Ma’s ALIBABA “asked” by China’s government to divest of media holdings (mainly stakes in Chinese social media & video sites, also some news outlets including SOUTH CHINA POST in Hong Kong). /WSJ
CLUBHOUSE names Head of Global Marketing, Maya Watson from NETFLIX. /Marketing Interactive

🎥 TRAILER HOUSE

nope

👩‍💻 NEW TO WATCH:

FX “Mayans M.C.” Season 3 premiere. First 2 eps premiere at 10pm.

And that’s… a wrap for today - get back to work Hollywood.

Have a great day!

-Sean McNulty