Mornin! This is Sean McNulty and here’s the Hollywood + Media news to know on THURSDAY June 24, 2021.
Where frankly it’s a busy day, so let’s at least start with a moment of zen at Pink’s new Malibu house 😎. I was only outbid by $13.699 Million dollars…
ALSO: I’m rather certain you’ve seen all the “Britney in court” wrapups you need, but just in case here’s CNN’s breakdown.
📽 THE SILVER SCREEN
Seinfeld doing NETFLIX movie about the origins of Pop-Tarts…
Or at least it’s based on his bit about Pop-Tarts from his last NETFLIX comedy special “23 Hours to Kill”. Movie is called “Unfrosted”, but no specific plot details revealed other than that.
Jerry will direct, produce, and star in the movie – he co-wrote it with “Seinfeld” writer Spike Feresten and Barry Marder (“Bee Story”). Will shoot next Spring. /Deadline
Update on John Boyega leaving his NETFLIX movie “Rebel Ridge” mid-shoot in May for “family reasons”
Apparently no one knew he left until the filmmakers checked his hotel when he didn’t show up to set, and were told that John had checked out. His agent said rumors are “categorically untrue” but not offering much or any other insight.
Crew was released from their gigs, production may start again early next year with a new lead… TBD. Few more question-raising anecdotes in the piece for anyone inclined. /THR
TORONTO Int’l Film Fest announces initial round of top movies:
“Dune” will screen post-VENICE Film Fest world premiere
Kenneth Brannagh’s somewhat autobiographical coming of age movie “Belfast”
Edgar Wright’s horror/thriller “Last Night in Soho” starring Anya Taylor Joy
NETFLIX’s Antoine Fuqua directed movie “The Guilty” starring Jake Gyllenhaal as a 911 operator trying to save a caller in a situation that’s… not what it seems.
HBO’s Alanis Morissette docu “Alanis”
Melissa McCarthy’s offbeat dramedy “The Starling”, from director Ted Melfi (“Hidden Figures”, “St Vincent”)
TIFF runs from Thu Sept 9 – Sat Sept 18, with a combo online-screening and IRL in Toronto approach. Cross-border travel from the US likely to be allowed by that point, but International talent/exec presence may be more limited than in the past. /THR
ALSO IN MOVIES
In-depth THR follow-up to the Scott Rudin abuse scandal, updating where things currently stand – Including:
More detailed stories, including first person accounts of the infamous ones about kicking assistants out of the car on the side of the road. And yes that’s assistants plural.
Quotes from Barry Diller & David Geffen (who maintains he only met Rudin in meetings at Diller’s office).
The lack of comment from most A-List talent who repeatedly work with him.
And… that the NY TIMES was working on a piece about Rudin’s history of extreme anger and mental abuse in Feb 2020, and spoke with many former assistants who went on the record… but the piece was never published 🤔.
OPEN ROAD will release “Copshop”, a Gerard Butler / Frank Grillo period costume drama- No wait, it’s an Assassin vs Cops action movie directed by Joe Carnahan on Fri Sept 17 in theaters. /Deadline
📺 THE TV SET
APPLE TV+ orders animated show from Dan Harmon (“Rick and Morty”, “Community”)
Based on the webcomic & graphic novel “Strange Planet” by Nathan Pyle (also a co-creator here), tells stories about beings on a foreign planet “not unlike our own”.
No timeline or episode order specified. /Variety
As expected, PEACOCK will be available AMAZON FIRE before The OLYMPICS
Well actually – you can download it on AMAZON FIRE devices starting today! As well as 15 other apps in the NBCU family (NBC NEWS, BRAVO etc). AMAZON FIRE streaming products have roughly 50 Million users, so this fills a major distribution gap for PEACOCK.
AMAZON also said that their 4K FIRE Stick was the #1 Best Seller during the 2 PRIME DAYS this week. /Variety
ALSO: PEACOCK sending Amber Ruffin to the Olympics as their correspondent and sets Kevin Hart & Snoop Dogg for a highlights show called, well “Olympic Highlights with Kevin Hart and Snoop Dogg”. /Deadline
ALSO IN TV
#GoodRead from Lacey Rose at THR diving into the world and mindset of “Black-ish” creator Kenya Barris after he left his $100 Million NETFLIX deal mid-way thru, and embarks on his BET STUDIOS deal that apparently gives him a 1/3 ownership stake in it.
Includes some revealing quotes from Kenya, news of a new music label at INTERSCOPE, and details on a podcast deal at AUDIBLE. However, his “#blackAF” NETFLIX show is now not gonna have a Season 2.
VIACOM confirms new PARAMOUNT+ programming exec structure reported by DEADLINE earlier this week – basically all division heads (movies, unscripted etc) will extend their current programming oversight to PAR+ too.
But they’ve added MTV Entertainment Networks GM Tanya Giles as a general programming head for PAR+. Seemingly to set strategy and scheduling decisions for content from all the groups (Scripted TV, Movies, Unscripted, Music, Kids, News & Sports) and for their PLUTO free streaming service. /Deadline
💻 THE MEDIA BIZ
Ryan Reynolds marketing agency MAXIMUM EFFORT acquired by Ad software company MNTN
Ryan will become MNTN’s Chief Creative Officer, and his partner George Dewey will be Chief Brand Officer. No price disclosed.
MNTN’s tech is focused on the Connected TV space (Smart TV’s & streaming boxes), and creating an online site where small companies can more easily buy Video Ad time on Ad-Supported streaming services.
Ryan’s production company… also called MAXIMUM EFFORT and it’s first look deal at PARAMOUNT will stay separate. /THR
And of course… he made a video for it with “his twin brother Gordon” (link in the TRAILER HOUSE below).
COMCAST looking to enter the Smart TV business in the US, considering acquisitions
They’re working with WALMART and Chinese electronics manufacturer HISENSE to launch a line of Smart TV’s powered by COMCAST tech potentially later this year.
TBD if they’ll be branded as COMCAST, but certainly will push PEACOCK on the interface (As AMAZON FIRE does for PRIME VIDEO, and ROKU for ROKU CHANNEL). /WSJ
This seems a bit late to the Smart TV game… although ROKU entered it in 2018 and became the #1 seller of Smart TV’s over SAMSUNG in just 3 years. So if it’s priced right + some WALMART promo push… perhaps “COMCAST the TV” can find a decent slice of the market between SmartTV leaders ROKU, VIZIO and SAMSUNG.
However doesn’t seem like COMCAST has a plan to also sell their FLEX broadband streaming box devices (given to their COMCAST internet-only customers). CEO Brian Roberts is said to have, or is still considering the idea of acquiring ROKU which would solve that streaming box problem.
ALSO: Very unlikely that UNIVERSAL PICTURES will renew its HBO output deal when it expires at the end of the year… losing a big payday, but will be a boon for PEACOCK later next year.
AND: NBC content likely to be pulled from HULU starting next year per the WSJ piece to further boost PEACOCK.
Question is… will COMCAST utilize their European SKY properties to expand PEACOCK internationally at some point, or just keep it domestic?
ALSO IN MEDIA
NY TIMES sets Sept 6 return to office date, at least 3 days at week and “some” positions 5 days a week. Rare exceptions to keep WFH will be granted. /Business Insider
40% of YOUTUBE Ads are now viewed on TV’s (vs. mobile or desktop), that’s up from 12% two years ago. Thanks pandemic. (for reference, 70+% of NETFLIX is viewed on TVs). /The Information
You can now share Tweets directly to your INSTAGRAM Story (instead of having to snapshot and repost etc). Images/how-to in the link. /The Verge
ELECTRONIC ARTS buys PLAYDEMIC mobile game divison from WARNER BROS for $1.4 Billion. Their big game is something called “Golf Clash” 🏌️♀️. /THR
NFL hires GOLDMAN SACHS to explore selling a stake in NFL NETWORK now that it will soon only have a handful of exclusive games… NFL also looking at selling stakes in RED ZONE and NFL.COM. /WSJ
BLINK-182 bassist Mark Hoppus reveals on TWITTER that he’s undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, but not many other details. /@markhoppus
🏦 STOCK NOTES:
ROKU again ftw… +4.5%
TWITTER no slouch either, up over 4%
SNAP up over 5%, thanks Supreme Court ruling!
👩💻 NEW TO WATCH:
The TBS “Conan” finale…
Airs at 10p. See what he does to top smoking a joint with Seth Rogen from Tuesday’s show. 💨
Also NYT’s Dave Itzkoff talks to Andy about what’s ahead for him, his reflections as the last night TV sidekick, and how he and Conan reshaped what that role was.
NBC “Making It” Season 3 – Premieres at 8p
ABC “When Nature Calls with Helen Mirren” – Premieres at 8p
PAR+ “RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” – Season 6. Watch or Add to your List here
PAR+ “The Good Fight” Season 5 – Watch or Add to your List here
HBOMAX “LFG” – Docu about National Women’s Soccer team pursuit of equal pay. Watch or Add to your List here
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🎥 TRAILER HOUSE
UNIVERSAL PICTURES “Candyman” trailer #2. Nice work on this one UNI marketing 👏. #CreepyAF. Premieres next Fri Aug 27.
NETFLIX “Sexy Beasts” series trailer. This was that dating show from yesterday, where contestants get dressed in prosthetics of creatures for their dates. Or as we used to call it, COMIC-CON. Premieres Wed July 21.
PARAMOUNT+ “Behind the Music” reboot trailer. NKOTB, DURAN DURAN, and BRETT MICHAELS (sorry POISON) added to the episode list. Of note: footage / interviews from previous BTM specials from the 90s/00s will be included in some of these, but all will have new interviews incorporated. Premieres Thu July 29
NETFLIX “Q-Force” teaser trailer. New animated series about a gay spy force, with Sean Hayes, Gary Cole, and David Harbour among the voice cast. Premieres Thu Sept 2.
DISNEY+ “Turner & Hooch” TV series trailer. Premieres Wed July 21.
MAXIMUM EFFORT Sale announcement video
🎧 PLAYING ME OFF
New LORD HURON – “Mine Forever”. Heard these guys on James Corden last week – digging the chill / trippy / throwback / could be on a 90’s Tarantino movie soundtrack vibes. I think that’s enough descriptors.
Listen to the song here on SPOTIFY or:
If you need new tunes:
Email me anytime – just reply to this email, or connect here on LINKED IN.
-Sean McNulty
@theseanmac on TWITTER
@TheWakeupNews on INSTAGRAM
or also here on CLUBHOUSE
