The Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery deal continues on its roller coaster. The week began with a temporary restraining order pausing the merger, and ended with Paramount’s agreement to freeze the deal while a lawsuit brought by 12 state attorneys general works its way through the courts. In between, Elaine Low spoke to California AG Rob Bonta on a bonus episode of Ankler Agenda about the fight he’s leading, and Sean McNulty laid out the options for Paramount (not great). Look for more from Elaine on Monday as she charts the next steps and gets the view from Para and WBD insiders about this surprise turn.
But David Ellison’s fraught merger is not the only deal in town, and Ashley Cullins’ midyear M&A report featured a juicy scoop: A24 has been kicking the tires on Letterboxd. Ashley reveals what the cinema lovers’ social platform has to offer for its eye-popping reported price — $250 million — and names the other buyers circling.
And finally, don’t miss Manori Ravindran’s frank, forward-looking interview with RedBird IMI CEO Jeff Zucker. After merging Banijay and All3Media into the world’s largest indie producer, the former CNN and NBCUniversal chief hints at what else is on his shopping list, why he’s bullish on live and what’s in his daily media diet now (starting with The Ankler, of course).
Now, ICYMI, the rest of our best of the week:
Series Business
↑ TV’s New Development Money: Brands As studios pull back, Elaine reveals how onetime advertisers are shifting into scripted — paying writers and opening a new path to production.
Britney Spears is Liz Meriwether’s Latest Genre Turn. But First: Serial Killers Lesley Goldberg chats with the Furious showrunner about what drew her to the pop star’s story and her refusal to paint women as “perfect victims.”
Reading the Room
↑ L.A.’s Most Exclusive Clubs Are Book Clubs Waitlisted salons to raucous theme nights: Whitney Friedlander wraps up our summer reading series with a look inside the New Hollywood meet-ups that, yes, also scout for adaptations.
Prestige Junkie
↑ The Odyssey Faces Oscar’s Test; Jordan Klepper Takes MAGA’s Pulse Katey Rich analyzes Christopher Nolan’s big challenge of replicating the Oppenheimer sweep — the kind of feat few have achieved.
Plus, Katey chats with Carrie Coon about how she plays her wealthy Gilded Age character “without judgment,” while still “railing against” the 1 percent:
Fall Fest Tea Leaves; The Lost N.Y. of Late Fame Oscar season, we’re off and running! With Toronto and Venice festival lineups now public, Katey surveys the scene. Plus: She chats with Kent Jones about his new Greta Lee and Willem Dafoe drama.
The Wakeup
Disney layoffs at Pixar, Nat Geo and ESPN hit hard, as Sean marks what has become a sad summer ritual at the Mouse House. Plus, his close look at Comcast’s good news-bad news Q2:
Friday → ☀️ Cable’s even murkier future exposed in Q2 numbers
Thursday P.M. → NBA, Theme Parks Drag COMCAST Q2 — But Movies Shine
Thursday → ☀️ YOUTUBE vs. NETFLIX by the Numbers
Wednesday → ☀️ WGA Escalates PAR Fight as EU Decision Looms
Tuesday → ☀️ DISNEY Swings the Jobs Ax — Again
Sunday → ☀️ UNI Odyssey Smash by the Numbers
Podcasts
Ankler Agenda
Ashley joins Elaine to break down the lure of Letterboxd even as its price tag is raising some eyebrows:
Shows
Monday Morning QBs
Sean and Fandango’s Shawn Robbins explore how Christopher Nolan’s latest got people out of the house — including Gen Z:
Rushfield Lunch
Richard sits down with film distribution vet Chris Aronson to discuss the biggest challenges facing cinemas — and how studios and exhibitors can bring audiences back more often:
Like & Subscribe
New from Natalie Jarvey’s creator economy newsletter:
↑ Instagram’s Scripted-TV Boom Is Just Getting Started — and Outpacing YouTube
The Optionist
Andy Lewis’ latest IP picks:
↑ Child’s Play With an Emerald Fennell Twist
